inconsistent with Monarchie 11 Presbytery inconsistent with Civill Magistracie 12 Presbytery inconsistent with laws 13 The inordinate violence of the Presbytery 14 That this Discipline brings not liberty to the vulgar but introduces a meere Arbitrary Government 15 That the Presbyterian discipline is confessed a yoake 16 The vain excuse that Lay-elders shall moderate refuted 17 No Reformed Church gives any president paralell with us 18 Conclusion That to introduce a new form is dangerous The Table to the Review of Episcopacie Sectio prima That there were Bishops in the Apostles times 2 That the seven Angels of the seven Churches were Bishops 3 That there hath bin a continued succession of Bishops 4 That they were Diocesan Bishops 5 That the Clergie ought to be superiour to one another 6 That they assume no power or jurisdiction their predecessors had not 7 That Bishops had the same power of Ordination in former times 8 Ecclesiasticall censures anciently in Bishops 9 Titles of Honour anciently given to Bishops 10 That there were Archbishops in the primitive times 11 That late great Writers approved Bishops 12 That Bishops were approved in the Reformed Churches 13 Episcopacie approved by the ancient customary laws 14 That abolition of Episcopacie will occasion great distraction in the Common Laws 15 That it will destroy great part of the Statute Laws 16 Whether it may be done by the Kings Legall Prerogative 17 The Conclusion REader the Authors absence hath occasion'd many omissions having not opportunity to peruse the Presse especially in the quotations The best helpe is thy friendly patience to passe by the literall faults amend these few following and beare with the rest Some of them vary the fence therefore it is desired thou wilt amend them ere thou readest Errata IN the Survey of Presbytery Praef. B 2 p. 2. line 7 all men line 11. for instructed r intrusted Sect. 2. l. 19. for them r. their Sect. 2 pag. 2. marg l. 41 read Prelate Church Sect. 3 not 1 marg r. pertulisti ibidem for eddisti r eddidisti not k for ne nec C 2 p 2. maâ—g not o for 40. r 21 Sect 7 l 12 blot out they say Sect 7 D 8 l 17 add as Calvin cals them fanatici homines c. El 9 for Deo r duo marg for Tomes r Tom. 7 E 2 p 2. l 17 r Censurers E 3 p 2 l 29 adde such unlimited Sect. 9 l 9 for every r Envy claâ—our F fol. l 13 a full point at possession fol F 2 p 2 l 4 put out it F 3 l 23 for and r c. ibid marg l 11 r frenabit fol G 2 p 2 l 25 r observable G 3 p 2 marg l 2 r Dominio G 4 marg l 2 r 59 H 3 p 2 l 19 adde man not to rest fol. I l 17 r. Presbytery fol l 2 l 1â— after repent adde The Praesbyterians affirme l 3 p 2 l. 6 r these new Standerbearers K 8 l 2 blot out that L 2 p 1 l 7 for those r these L 3 l 7 r Classicall In the Review of Episcopacie Fol 9 marg l 11 r Heraclam fol 10 marg l 25 r Episcopatum fol 11 marg l 12 for ad id r adversus fol 13 l 2 r Fencelesse fol 24 l 8 r other fol 26 marg l 25 r hoc fol 27 l 12 for many r may fol 38 l 5 for cause r course fol. 39 l 4 for received r. retained fol 43 l 2 for absolute r obsolete fol 57 l 20 for which his r with his fol 65 l 3 for if r that the Prelates l 28. put out cure fol 77 l 19 for both r but. The Preface T IS a time of Censures nor actions nor persons scape if perhaps the power yet not the tongues of men certainly the Goose-Quill did never more licentiously lesse civilly bedabble both times and persons No action of so pure intention hath beene more bespatter'd than the deliverie of this Remonstrance No man with more confidence lesse cause hath beene more mistaken misse-censured than my selfe Yet some I presume that have now seene those Motives which before they did not are satisfied there was just cause for us to complaine none for them to judge We alas are none of those that live in Goshen a Exod 8.22 sever'd from the sorrowes of our brethren wee have had our b The common Grievances swarme of flies to destroy our fruits we have felt the storme of a distempered state as well as they c Exod. 9 26. But we had rather with prayer and patience wait and hope for the reunion of our distracted peace than rend the breaches wider by pulling on our heads a greater plague than wee have yet felt or then the Egyptians suffered till their d Exod 14.25 And the Lord troubled the Egyptians and took off their Chariot wheels that they drave heavily 28 And the waters returned and covered the Chariots and the horsemen and all the Hoast of Pharaoh Chariots were taken off their wheeles or then we hope we can till our Lawes the Hinges of the State be dis-joynted the reines of Gouernment let loose Then alas how soone with them should we be overwhelmed with disorder and confusion how easily become a prey to the first invader Yet I feare we undergoe more censure who pray the preservation than those that seek the abolition of those Lawes that give us Life and safetie by preserving Order which is the Soule of Government Ordo est anima Legis Wee meet with severall sorts of Censurers some seem to robbe the Gentrie of the right of their owne free thoughts as if they were but properties to serve the ends of others act the designes of the Bishop and his Clergy who I doe absolutely affirme never knew of it till it was done yet I doe confidently assume if he required it might have as many free testimonies of qualitie of his moderation as any man of that reverend Order Others of the same stampe seeke to impeach the credit of the Subscribers as if a great part were papists All may see our instructions were not to admit such I resolutely affirme no one Gentleman of quality there is such and I confidently believe not one at all of the whole number Some that certainly never saw it Censure for company that wee onely swimme against the streame and contrary to the Torrent of other Countries have put in a justification of a plea for Bishops such I said before sure never saw it when they doe they will finde that we have the same sence of disorder in Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction as others have That to us e The Remonstrance the suppressing of Poperie the increase of able Pastors the removing of Innovations will be equally acceptable as to other Subjects onely we conceived our modest submission to the judgement of that great Counsell Remonstrance to regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Lawes
had such power as the Duke of Venice And having treated with the Duke of Savoy their enemy was forced to flye during whose life they could not make a new Bishop but submitted to a new forme of Government under Master Calvin who onely wanted the Title but was of much greater power than a Bishop nor was at that enmity with the Order as our Novelists are who professe it sinne to heare them or for their sakes any Ministers f 8 Propositions in Print preach in the Church of England For hee sayes Wee confesse that Bishops or Pastors must be reverently heard as farre as they teach the word of God according to their function g Calvin opusculum in Confes Eccles Gallic Fatemur ergo Episcopos five pastores reverenter audiendos quatenus pro suae functionis ratione verbum Dei docent But admit they being a private State a Cottage in respect of a Kingdome submit themselves to the Oeconomick Government of a Family theirs is no more in comparison to this glorious Monarchy shall we relinquish our Lawes can we reduce this populous Nation that peoples so many forraine Isles into the same mould that modells a handfull Some have already entertained so degenerate thoughts that they can mention Switzerland a faire patterne and so doe I with horror and indignation Others the Low Countrie Discipline pleases well a fit object for such they must indeed look downewards still that are so pleas'd and not upwards to the God of Order 1 Corinth 14. and not of Confusion who sees the distracted Sects and Schismes that abound in that State and does not pitty so neare so lov'd neighbours were not partakers of that blessing wee call miserie and out of love to Noveltie are growne wearie of uniformitie of Discipline Truth is wee are taken with the shadow of that which essentially is not there The Scepter of Discipline If we must change I would bee glad we might take president from their Metropolis Amsterdam where 't is true they were busie to advance this Throne of Christ to put this yoke upon the neck of that State but their troublesome and ambitious spirits once discovered they quickly nipt these soaring Birds i th' shell reduced the Pastors to the number of thirteene of those keeping for the most part three vacant which City being compared with this of London both for populousnesse and capacity it will easily appeare those ten who must supply the accidents of Festivalls Marriages and Funeralls doe not trouble their heads with many State affaires Yet to make them sure they allow them their Classicall meetings but provided one of the Magistrates of the Citie be present And if he say no all they consult stands for nothing This proposition made and assented to by all these zealous petitioners against this usurpation this Monopoly of the power of the Keyes in the hands of the Bishops That the prime Gentleman in every parish shall be perpetuall Elder and have a negative voyce I confesse in poynt of private policie I am convinc'd I may perhaps be in time an Elder and doubt not but the Gentrie will thus make a shift to keep the Clergy humble the vulgar low enough But if we must looke for new elections every year what must this produce but a little Civil war in every parish We have yet a nearer president and before we know what it is long for the Scottish Discipline I could be glad wee had so much patience to let them be our probationers therein for one seven yeares But we shall be told sic fuit ab antiquo it was so of old with them Now what effects both to King and Common-wealth the positions of some Disciplinarians of that Nation have in former times produc'd 't is better to be forgot than looked into All I shall say is That certainly our freer people have not such dependance upon are not indeed in such vassallage to the Nobility the Gentrie as the Common people of Scotland are in to their Lords their Nobility and Gentrie having absolute power over theit Tenants shall ever beare sway in the Church But it will not be so with us the inferiour sort of people once finding their power in popular election of Elders will rather exclude both Nobility and Gentry and then no doubt the Church will be well govern'd our Communalty depend upon Lawes not Lords 'T is Law which hath made us a free people That wee know by a certaine Law that our wives our Children our Servants our goods are our owne that we build we plough we sow we reap for our selves this is true libertie How little of this they enjoy from whom wee would take a patterne who are but Tenants at will to their Lords they that will sedato animo compare the Constitution of that State with this would with mee againe crie Oh fortunati nimium bona si sua nôrint Angligenae SECT 18. Conclusion to review Episcopacie IF then there be no president that exactly parallels ours without great alteration wee must certainly introduce aliquid de novo set up some new forme by our selves And what inconveniences that may bring to a setled State was well exprest by St. Austin Ipsa mutatio Consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat k Austin ad Ianuar. Ep 118. cap. 5. which is ingeniously exprest by that learned Verulam l Verulams Considerations concerning pacification of the Church fol. 9. Way given to mutation though in taking away abuses yet it may so acquaint men with sweetnesse of change as it will undermine the stabilitie even of that which is sound and good holding it against all good policie to innovate any thing in Church matters and whether warrantable in Divinitie or no to abolish so ancient a Constitution is questionable 'T was me thinks a Maxime of some weighr Qui mala introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatam in verbo Qui nova introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatam in rebus Hee that brings into the Church any bad custome opposes the will of God revealed by his word who introduces any new customes opposeth Gods will revealed by fact If then in the whole series of this new Predicament of Discipline wee should put our selves into wee finde the designe of such is to draw their necks out of the yoaks of all Ecclesiasticall and Civill Government neither to be prescribed in Doctrine nor Discipline their persons restrayned by no Law their Government inconsistent with Monarchy Magistracy Lawes destructive to Gentrie Their calling independent either on King or people Their power above Princes Potentates Nobles People Lawes Parliaments their errours accomptible to none but Christ alone no forraine State or Reformed Church giving any exact president absolutely parallell with ours and no so great mutation being without hazard to the State and perhaps not warranted by Gods Word In the name of God let us looke ere wee take this desperate leap from the inconveniences whereof can bee no recovery if they once get the upper hand but by a new Conquest Farre bee it from mee to presume to prescribe a remedy 't is the easier way to give cautions to descry inconveniences to discover Rocks than to assume to steere the ship of State in a safe course to give Counsell other than what is warranted by good authoritie In such distractions when wee finde the time now fully come m 2 Tim. 4.3.4 That men will not endure sound Doctrine but after their owne lusts heap up to themselves teachers having itching eares turning from the truth unto Fables And as St. Peter sayes n Peter 3.16 Being unlearned and unstable wresting the Scriptures to their owne destruction Then is the Prophets Counsell seasonable State super vias Antiquas o Ieremiah 6.16 Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules Let us looke back into Antiquitie and see before wee part with this reverend old order of Episcopacy for this new fangled Discipline whether it will bee made good to bee deduc'd from Christ himselfe to his Apostles to the Angels of the Churches to the Fathers of the Primitive times continued in the same jurisdiction and superiority over other degrees of the Clergie distributed into Diocesses honour'd with Titles and Attributes indued with power approved in other Reformed Churches and no way opposite to but consistent with our Lawes and then though there be many errours crept into the execution which prove not to bee in the Constitution I hope we shall have it reduc'd to its antient puritie and not cast away our Gold for a little rust In the disquisition whereof I would not have any man looke for any thing from me de novo or thinke I assume to adde any strength to their cause I doe but binde together a posie of the flowers of others planting onely having taken some paines to please and satisfie my selfe I shall be glad if any man else can reap any content out of my labours Et tu confirmatus confirma fratres was Christian Counsell and I confesse had I power to doe it I would draw all the world to my opinion that is to reverence their Calling preserve their Order yet with as free a resolution and as respectlesse of their persons submit to the exemplar punishment of such as staine the honour of their Coat entrench upon our Liberties negligently starve their flock covetously engrosse the meanes of faithfull Labourers or with their Novelties distract the Church as any man that lives FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes May 28. 1641.
submission to leave these to the Iudgement of the Parliament you will regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Laws and the nature of freemen Yet when we consider that Bishops were instituted in the time of the Apostles (b) philip 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 That they were the great Lights of the Church in all the first generall Councells (c) Anno. Bishops 330. at Nice 318 380. at Constant 150 430. at Ephesus 200 451. at Chalcedon 430 553. at Constant 165 681. at Constant 289 781. at Nice 350 870. at Constant 383 That so many of them sowed the seeds of Religion in their bloods and rescued Christianity from utter extirpation in the Primitive heathen persecutions (d) Vid. Eusebius Fox his Martyrs That to them we owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospel we now professe from Romish corruption (e) Vid. booke of Martyrs Cranmer Tutor to Ed. 6. That many of them for the propagation of that truth became such glorious Martyrs (f) A Cranmer B. Latimer â— Ridley B. Hooper B. Park A Parker A. B Gri. B. Whitegift c. vid. booke of martyrs That divers of them lately and yet living with us have been so great assertors of our Religion against its common enemy of Rome (g) Bishop Iewel Bishop Andrewes bishop White Archbishop Vsher Bishop Moreton Bishop Davenant and our English Seneca Bishop Hall And that their government hath been so long approved so oft established by the Common and Statut Laws of this Kingdome (h) Bracton lib. 3. fol. 106. Flet. a lib. 7.24 Coo. Little fol. 97. 134. stat 14. E. 3. 25. E. 3. 16. R. 2. H. 8.20.1.8.9 Eli. And as yet nothing in their doctrine generally taught dissonant from the word of God or the Articles established by Law i) Partiucular men errours cannot be aken for the Tenets of the Church In this case to cal their Gouernment a perpetuall vassalage an intolerable bondage And prima facie inaudita altera parte to pray the present removall of them or as in some of their petitions to seek the utter dissolution anâ— ruine of their offices as Antichristian (l) The petition annexed note 6. we cannot conceive to rellish of Justice or Charity nor can we joyn with them But on the contrary when we consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of petitions are spread amongst the common people the tenents preached publiquely in Pulpits (m) The positions annexed and the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming amongst us all of them dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of gouernment and their severall intimatious of the desire of the power of the keyes (n) Petition anexed note 4. And that their congregations may execute Ecclesiasticall Censures within themselves (o) Petition annexed note 19. We cannot but expresse our just fears that their desire is to introduce an absolute Innovation of Presbyteriall Government whereby we who are now governed by the Canon and Civill Laws dispensed by twenty fix Ordinaries easily responsall to Parliaments for any deviation from the rule of Law conceive we should become exposed to the meer Arbitrary Goverment of a numerous Presbytery who together with their ruling Elders wil arise to neere forty thousand Church Governours and with their adherents must needs bear so great a sway in the Common-wealth that if future inconvenience shall be found in that government we humbly offer to consideration h w these shall be reducible by Parliaments how consistent with a Monarchie and how dangerously conducible to an Anarchie which we have iust cause to pray against as fearing the consequences would proue the utter losse of Learning and Laws which must necessarily produce an extermination of Nobility Gentry and Order if not of Religion With what vehemencie of spirit these things are prosecuted and how plausibly such popular infusions spread as incline to a parity we held it our duty to represent to this honourable Assemâ—ly And humbly pray that some such present course be taken as in your wisdoms shall be thought fit to suppresse the future dispersing of such dangerous discontents amongst the common people we having great cause to fear that of all the distempers that at present threaten the wellfare of this state there is none more worthy the mature and grave consideration of this honourable Assembly then to stop the torrent of such spirits beâ—ore they swell beyond the bounds of Government Then we doubt not but his Majestie persevering in his gracious inclination to heare the complaints and relieve the grievances of his Subjects in frequent Parliaments it will so unite the head and the body so indissolubly cement the affections of his people to our Royall Soveraigne that without any other change of Government he can never want Revenue nor wee Justice We have presumed to annex a Copie of a Petition or Libell dispersed and certain positions preach'd in this County which vve conceive imply matter of dangerous consequence to the peace both of Church and State All vvhich vve humbly submit to your great Judgements praying they may be read And shall ever pray c Directed to the house of Peeres And subscribed by the Lieutenant of the County Three other Noblemen Knights Baronets Knights and Esquires fourscore and odde Divines fourscore and ten Gentlemen tvvo hundred threescore and odde Freeholders and other inhabitants above six thousand None of them Popish Recusants And all of the same County The Petition which was spread abroad in the Countrie amongst the Common people by some private Persons to procure hands but was concealed from the Gentrie A Copy wherâ—of was annexed to the Remonstrance and was complained of having injuriously assumed the Name of the Humble Petition of the Free-holders and the rest of the Inhabitants within the Countie of Chester which might seeme to involve the whole Countie Sheweth THat whereas the manifold unsupportable burdens wherewithal our Consciences and estates have beene long oppressed with a continuall increase thereof have at last so tyred and infeebled our strength that we find our selves unable to subsist any longer under the weight thereof wee dare not now neglect to take the present opportunitie of serving the Lords providence in the use of this meanes which we hope is of his owne appoynting for our reliefe But as we have in some measure implored God who is the blessed Author so wee thought our selves bound humbly to Petition this honourable and renowned Assembly convened in Parliament for redresse of our miseries being the likelyest instrument so farre as we apprehend not limiting the Holy one of Israel for that end and purpose which we humbly pray may be duly considered as we make bold to tender them in these few Lines following Our miseries are such as are either Ecclesiastical or Civill first Ecclesiasticall and that in regard of the usurping Prelates their lawlesse dependent officers and their irregular manner of worshipping
there is no reason but the same Authoritie the Synagoge had under the Law should continue in the Church under the Gospell b Beza praefat ad libr. de excom verius fuit Synagogae sub lege c. That under the Law judgements betweene bloud and bloud between plea and plea c T. C. l. 2. p. â—7 Beza de excom 104. did belong to the Priests and that it was death for any man to rest in his determination To deduce this judiciall power to themselves they tell us Christ as a King not as a Priest or Prophet prescribed the forme of Ecclesiasticall government d Cartwr l. 2 p 240. And that every Eldership is the Tribunall seat of God e Bez. de Presbyt 124. That every well-ordered parish having a perfect Eldership is of equall authoritie f Cartwr l. 2. p. 419. So here we see every parochiall Presbyterie invested in Christs Throne claiming judiciall power immediately from Christ whereby as is set forth in the Geneva g Thes 83. Civiles quoque lites antequam Christiani essent Magistratus ex Apostolica Doctrina componebantur Discipline Civill contentions were compounded by the Elderships before there were any Christian Magistrates But how have they now lost that judiciall power No sayes Cartwright b Cartwright l. 1. p. 175. the same Authoritie which the Church had before there was a Christian Magistrate doth still continue And another would be glad to learn how this authority was translated from the Church unto the Civill Magistrate i Discourse of Discipl p. 118. 119. For saies Travers Heathen Princes being become Christians doe receive no further increase of their authority than they had when they were Pagans If so certainly in their esteeme all Civill Magistracie is but a meere usurpation upon the Tribunall of Christ the Eldership SECT 12. Presbyterie against Lawes BUt Kings Nobles Magistrates are all men subject to sins and infirmities and no reason the blind should lead them who have the light of truth Christ on his Throne fol. 67. being inwardly called and gifted as they say for the work of the Ministerie yet surely the Law is a perfect guid to which all men must give absolute obedience which is enjoyned by St. Paul Submit yourselves to every Ordinance of man 1 Pet. 2 13â— for the Lords sake This precept was so prevalent with the ancient Fathers that they conformed to the customes and rules of everie Church where they came St. Ambrose saies p Ambrosius in Epist 118. August ad Januarium Cum Romam venio jejuno Sabbato cum sum Mediolano non jejuno sic etiam tu ad quam forte Ecclesiam veneris eius morem serva si cuiquam non vis esse scandalo nec quenquam tibi When I come to Rome I fast the Sabboth at Millaine I fast not so also doe thou in what Church soever thou commest observe their Customes if thou wilt neither give scandall to others nor have others give offence to thee And St. Austin seemes much to be troubled at the refractorinesse of such spirits as are not conformable to the government of the places they live in q Sensienim saepe dolens gemens multas infirmorum perturbationes fieri per quorundam fratium contentiosam obstinationem superstitiosam timiditatem qui in rebus hujusmodi quae neque Scripturae authoritate neque universalis Eccclesiae Traditione neque vitae corrigendae utilitate ad certum possunt terminum pervenire tantum quia suhest qualiscunque ratiocinatio cogitantis aut quia in sua patria sic consuevit aut quia thi vivit ubi peregrinationem suam quo remotiorem á suis eo doctiorem factum putat tam litigiosas excitant quaestiones ut nisi quoâ— ipsi faciunt nihil rectum existiment St. August in Epist 118. ad Januarâ—â—m Often saies he do I think with sorrow and groanes what vaine perturbations arise from some weak brethren by their contentious obstinacie and superstitious feares in such things which neither by authoritie of Scripture nor universall tradition of the Church nor necessarie conformity of manners can bee reduc'd to any certaine terme onely because they find various matter of Argument or because it was so in such a Countrey or because they are so farre out of conceipt with their owne that they hold those things most authentick which differ most from their present practisee Hereupon raising so many litigious questions that they esteeme nothing right but their owne fancies To such obstinate Opinionators Master Calvin whose Discipline they would seeme to imitate though I feare they will scarce follow his Doctrine leaves this principle I desire such may bee admonished first not to wed themselves to their owne folly Secondly that in such frowardnesse they hinder not the building of the Church Thirdly that foolish emulation transport them not for what cause have such of brawling but shame to yeild to their betters r Calvin Epistola ad Anglos agentes Franckfordâ—ae Illos monitos esse cupio ne sibi in sua inscitia nimis placeant dei de ne sua pervicatia sancti Aedificu cursam retardent Tertio ne stulta eos aemulatio abripiat Nam quae illis rixandi causâ— nisi quia pudet melâ—oribus cedere Now how farre the Apostles precept the Fathers president or the advice of Mr. Calvin prevailes upon some of these to submit to men or Lawes or with what moderation they proceed to establish their owne new Discipline is observeable Posito uno absurdo sequuntur mille is a Rule in Schooles and now can they bee conformable subordinate to Law or Government who lay their Principles above all Lawes They tell us a Practice of Prelates D. 2. the Presbyter is the only band of peace That b T. Cart. lib. 1. Epist the want of Eldership is the cause of all evills That this Discipline c Idem l. 1. p. 6. 48. is no small part of the Gospell it is of the substance of it * Knox Exhortation pag. 35. 43. That it is the Gospell of the Kingdone of God d Register pag. 68. That without this Discipline there can bee no true Religion e T. Cart. lib. pag. 220. Idem Preface to the Demonstrat That they that reject this Discipiine refuse to have Christ reigne over them and denie him in effect to bee their King or their Lord. And thence conclude that if any refuse to have the Lord Iesus set up as Lord let him bee f Christ on his throne fol. 76. Anathema Maranatha Vpon these pillars advancing the Church above the reach of all humane power telling us that every visible Church g In the 8. unanswerable propositions printed 1641. Eatons Positions not 9. which they say is every parish is an independant bodie of it self and hath power from Christ her head who hath left perfect Lawes for the government thereof which are unalterable and
A Remonstrance AGAINST PRESBITERY Exhibited by divers of the NOBILITIE GENTRIE MINISTERS and INHABITANTS of the County PALATINE OF CHESTER with the Motives of that REMONSTRANCE TOGETHER WITH A SHORT SURvey of the Presbyterian Discipline Shewing the inconveniences of it and the inconsistency thereof with the constitution of this State being in its Principles destructive to the Laws and Liberties of the People With a briefe Review of the Institution Succession Iurisdiction of the ancient and venerable Order of Bishops Found to bee instituted by the Apostles continued ever since grounded on the Lawes of God and most agreeable to the Law of the Land By Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet Horace lib. 1. Epist 2. Vt iugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones Vt teipsum serves non expergisceris Because my people hath forgotten me they have burnt incens to vanity and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths to walk in paths in a way not cast up Ieremiah 18.15 Printed for Iohn Aston 1641. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Most dread Soveraigne FArr bee it from my ambition to presume your sacred Maiestie should mispend your more precious minutes upon the perusall of this weake essay of my loyall affections to my Parents My King the Father of his people (a) Bonus Rex nihi a bono patre diffetâ— patria dicitur a patre quia haber communem patrem qui est pater patriae to whom by the Law of nature I owe Faith and Allegeance (b) Ligeance or faith of the subiects is due to the King by the law of Nature Cokes Post nat My Mother the Church in whose bosome I have been fostered with the pure food of life the Word of Truth Yet Sir since your Maiestie was pleased so graciously to approve of the meer Text or Abstrast of this Treatise The Remonstrance of many of your humble loyall Subiects of that your devoted County of Chester it is a dutie in me humbly to begge your Maiesties leave that it may under your Princely patronage walke abroad with this Comment it hauing by misprision or malice beene pursued with some vniust clamours And the pure intents of the subscribers have been expoz'd to a sinister interpretation whoe I am certain had no other end but to expresse their loyall desires to prevent a growing danger I confesse my owne insufficiency to performe so great a taske I foresee the calumny that inevitably attends every good intention since Traducers barke at those Elephants whose strength of learning might support a Church against all the batteries of wit or reason How must I looke to have these Bats flutter about me who in namelesse pamphlets fill the ayre and the eares of every one with nothing but shrikes and outcrie against all Government Invectives against all Governours of the Church But I have read of one borne dumbe who seeing his Father in danger affection supplied the defects both of art and nature and in an iâ—stant lent him organs and language to forewarne his Fathers perill This excites me to proceed since God hath given me sence to speake plaine English and I thanke him spirit to speake truth it were an argument of affectation to my selfe if out of distrust of my owne abilities to write Placentia to winne popular applause I should silence my apprehension of the danger imminent over King and Church which more leisure or perhaps more curiositie hath given me that occasion to looke into may bee many better able have omitted Visible it is to every eye what assaults are made by such inveighours against the long established Government of the Church under that reverend Order of Bishops but it is not so easily discernable how much this may concerne your Maiestie yet Experience will tell us if we looke abroad that all those Monarchies haue Suffered an EClipse where the rights of the Churh have beene deserted And no marvell if it be well look'd into Crowns carry a charme with them at the consecrtion of Kings Exellently learned and satisfactory I must confesse are the Treatises of many great Divines in defence of this Order But Ars non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem and some of these have erred in writing above the capacity of their opposers Artists iudge best of a Diamond without a foile know it by it's owne Rayes but the inexpert only by comparison with other stones I have plac'd Episcopacâ— and Presbytery in paralèll such as my selfe doubtlâ—sse will better distinguish them in plaine prospect than in meer speculation The Bishops are suspect as parties all that is writ by them as partiall To all but the preiudicate sure I stánd unsuspest being as free borne as independant as any man I have no interest but the love of truth and libertie save that of loyaltie which when I consider to how gracious a Prince I owe that dutie I confesse it appeares a great tye hee that shall read those publicke prosessions of grace to both your houses and t is pitty but they should be read and registred in the hearts of all your people I shall willingly concur with you to reforme all Innovations in Church and Common-wealth The Kings speech to both Houses 23. Ianuar. 1640. to regulate all Courts of Iustice according to Law and that what ever part of my revenue shall be found illegall or grievous to the publicke I will willingly lay downe relying entirely upon the affections of my people And shall bee privie to that pledge of free grace given under your Maiesties hand and seale to that your County upon the humble representation of their loyall affections to the peace of Church and State in those words which I assure my selfe we shall ever keep as royall Records We being desirous with the advice and assistance of Parliament to redresse all iust grievances The Kings letter to the Lords and Gentry of the County Palatine of Chester and resolv'd by Gods grace to preserve the puritie of Religion and governe according to Law He I say that shall but read these sure needs no oath of Allegeance but will bend all his endevours to support all his prayers to perpetuate that Crowne to all posterÃtie under whose Royall shade wee have such happy assurances to receive îustice to enioy our Religion Libertie and Lawes These Considerations have encouraged me to represent the Government of a Presbitery as it yet appeares by their owne Writers Incompatible with your Maiesties Soveraigntie destructive to your peoples liberties wherein your Maiestie pardoning the presumption and casting a favourable eye upon the good intention such as maligne truth or your Maiesties prosperitie can vent their venome against no man lesse values it then Your Maiesties most loyall Subiect and humble Servant THO. ASTON To the Reader Reader I Did never expect to salute thee from the Presse yet I am now forced to it finding my name upon every Stationers stall first assumed without my privity to countenance an imperfect
God prescribed unto and cruelly imposed upon us by them for as touching the Prelates themselves we conceive them to be the Popes Substitutes per accidens at the least if not by solemne covenanted allegiance as it may appeare by their Lording it over Gods heritage both Pastors and People and assuming the power of the Keyes onely to themselves contrary to Gods sacred word Therefore we humbly Petition you this honourable Assembly as you tender the glorie of God the Kings Prerogative the Subjects libertie the purity of Gods sacred Ordinances and the welfare of Posteritie or wish the downfall of Antichrist and his adherents to stirre up the zeale and strength wherewith the Lord hath endued you and couragâ—ously proceed unto your immortall praise against these his mightie enemies and secret undermâ—nâ—rs of the good estate of our Church and Common-wealth and utterly dissolve their Offices which give lâ—fe to the most superstitious practises in or about the worship of God And so together with the ruine of their Antichristian Offiâ—es and Government we also humbly pray may fall to the ground their impious Courts with all their dependant Officers even from the Chancellors to the Parators their corrupt Canons booke of Articles the English refined Masse-booke of Common Prayer with all their popish significant Ceremonies therein contained the strict imposing whereof hath driven out of this our English Nation many of our most godly and able Ministers and other his Majesties loyall Subjects able both for person and estate to have done good service to God our King and Countrie Secondly our Civill miseries are chiefely these First That the tenths of all our goods should bee taken from us by Parsons Impropriators and in some places by Recusants under a pretence of maintaining the Ministerie and yet notwithstanding wee forced in divers places to maintaine a Ministerie out of the rest of our estates if we will have any and to repaire our Churches which have beene of late very excessive and superstitious Secondly That Sutes in Law are so long unnecessarily detained in Civil Courts before judgement be had wherby divers persons have their estates utterly ruined and others much decayed Thirdly That the Oath in Courts Leet and Baron is usually administred without limitation and before the charge be given so that the Jurors cannot sweare in judgement as the Lord requires they should Fourthly That the Countie Court is kept upon the Munday and thereby we are put unto excessive charges in travelling thereto unlesse wee should labour upon the Lords day next before Fiftly that our Countrie is verie destitute of sufficient Schoolemasters for the educating of our Children and fitting them for the service of God our King and Common-weale Sixtly that there are such excessive fines by some Gentlemen imposed upon their Tenants as that thereby they are both disabled to maintaine their families whence ariseth so many poore people and to doe his Majestie service and pay him lawfull tribute Therefore that these our grievances both Ecclesiasticall and Civill may be redressed and that the contrarie privileges which Christ hath purchased and commanded us to stand unto may be obtained and established WEe most humbly beg that the revealed will of God contained in the Books of the Old and New Testaments and recorded for our practise in the dayes of the gospell may be that Rule which your Honors would be pleased to follow O what glory would it be unto our God our King and Nation what beauty unto our Church what honor unto this Noble Parliament and what confusion to the enemies of his Majesty and loyall Subjects if wee might see the morall Doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles made old Englands Canons then might our Ministers have liberty to preach Gods world and administer the Sacraments according to the mind of Christ and our Congregation power to execute Ecclesiasticall Censures within themselves Then might his Majesties Subjects meete together and pray for the King and Queene and their Posterity without punishment and false Calumniation O this would make our peace with God and good men this would gaine our friends and scatter our enemies This would make our Land impregnable and our Souldiers courageable This would unite our Kingdome in peace and cause us and our little ones to sleepe in safety This would cal backe the banished and release the Lords imprisoned this would advance our Mordâ—cais and hang our wicked Hamans This would replant our conscionable Ministers and supplant our Lordly Prâ—lacy This would take away illegall exactions and bring our people to due subjection this would take away extorted Herriots excessive Fines and unlimited Boones for it would learn land-Lords more compassion and Tenants due submission yea this would make a sweete Harmony betwixt Rule and Obedience in all Relations Which that it may now happily be effected we earnestly implore the Lord of Heaven to bend your noble spirits to this great work of God which so sweetly ushereth al other comforts And so we shall ever pray c. The Positions annexed also to the Remonstrance Certaine Positions preached at St. Iohns Church in Chester by Mr. Samuel Eaton a Minister lately returned from new England upon Sunday being the third day of Ianuary 1640. in the afternoone FIrst That the names of Parsons and Vicars are Antichristian 2. The Pastors and Teachers of particular Congregations must be chosen by the people or else their entrance is not lawfull 3. That all things which are of Humane invention in the worship of God under which he seemed chiefly to comprehend the book of Common prayer and the rites and Ceremonies therein prescribed are unsavory and loathsome unto God 4. That Ecclesiasticall censures of admonition and Excommunication ought to be exercised by particular congregations within themselves 5. That the people should not suffer this power to bee wrested out of their hands and usurped by the Bishops 6. That the supreame power in Church matters next under Christ is in the Church meaning as he clearly explained himselfe particular Congregations for he denied all Nationall Provinciall and Diocesan Churches as well as Bishops and so expounded that text Math. 18. Go tell the Church c of particular Congregations or as we call them parochiall Churches 7. That all good people should pray earnestly unto God and not cease to petition the Parliament for the razing of the old foundation meaning as he plainly discovered himselfe the abolishing of Episcopall Government and the establishing of their new Presbyterian Discipline as also for the purging all filth and Ceremonies out of the house of God 8. That they that put not to their hand to helpe forward this worke may justly feare that curse pronounced against Meroz Iudges 5. Curse you Meroz because they come not to helpe the Lord against his mighty enemies there he expresly called the Bishops the mighty enemies of God and his Church Certayn other Positions preached by the same man at Knuttesford a great market Towne in the same County 9
and the nature of Free-men would to so grave a Senate administer as much matter of serious consideration implie as much need of Reformation as a large invective full of bitter reviling which might more convince us of want of Charitie than the Bishops of Moderation being virulence of Spirit never argued either Civility or Christianitie never tended to piety or unity nor advanced either Religion or good Order g Hoc reperiemus nimiam mor ofitatem ex superbia magis fastu falsa que sanctitatis opinione quam ex vera sanctitate veroqueejus studio nasci Itaque qui ad faciendum ab Ecclesiâ defectiones sunt aliis audaciores quasi Antesignani ij ut plurimum nihil aliud causae habent nisi ut omnium contemptu ostentent se aliis esse meliores Calvin Institut lib. 4. Cap. 1. sect 13. Calvin observes that too much bitternesse or obstinacy springs rather from pride and disdaine and a false opinion of holinesse then from true sanctity or the desire thereof And that such as are forwards and the leaders of others in their defection from the Church have for the most part no other cause but their owne selfe conceipt thinking themselves better than all men else But if either processe of time or discontinuance of Parliaments have admitted any superstructures of exorbitant power doubtlesse the wisedome of the House instructed with the steerage of the State would reduce such without our clamours For such complaints as are against the temporall power of the Bishops wee know of no such thing inherent to the Order h Si quam habent Episcopi potestatem gladii hanc non habent ut Episcopi ex mandato Evangelit sed jure humano do natam â Regibus Imperatoribus ad administrationem civilem suorum honorum Haec interim alia functio est quam ministerium Evangelii Melancthon Articul fidei 37. In his speech the 23. of Ianuarie Melancthon tells us if they have any power of the sword it is of humane institution given them by Kings and Emperours if so certainly ejus est revocare cujus est dare And where a gracious Prince ex mero motu and I may say ex puro amore out of a tender affection to the peace and welfare of his people hath freely offered a retraction of such temporall authority i If upon serious debate you shall shew that Bishops have some temporall authority not so necessarie for the government of the Church and upholding of Episcopall iurisdiction I shall not bee unwilling to desire them to lay it downe as is not necessary for the government of the Church it is more proper for the debate of his great Councell to decide the poynt than befitting the importunity of us his much satisfied subjects especially with such violence as relishes rather a sentence than a supplication Quia non consensum quaerit sed dissidium auget qui quod fact is praestatur verbis exigit But for the Office and Order it selfe 't is confessed we were so farre from joyning with them either in their prayer of abolition or the â—nâ—ecency of their Language that 't was thought it became us to vindicate the Countrey consisting of Civill Gentrie from the imputation of such incivilitie as that petition if it had past as the Act of our Countie might perhaps fixe upon us And more then in our owne excuse of not joyning with them we presumed not to move any thing for or against the Bishops but being wee intimated our feare that these practises and tenets tended to introduce a Presbyterie 't was necessarie to shew we had no hand in that Petition which would have no Bishops lest we might seem to desire neither These prejudices of opinion thus removed I hope men will with more cleare eyes see the Integritie of our intentions and will with us in time take heed of Wolves especially when they appear in sheeps cloathing As we are a Gentrie who for Antiquity shall subscribe to none so I hope shall we ever testifie our zeale as great our resolutions as firme to preserve our ancient liberties as any Countrie whatsoever And I believe if any had our provocation they would have made our complaint A Survey of Presbytery SECT 1. The Designe of some Presbyterians T IS an ill presage of worse events to begin with the subversion of Gods house the Church It is not Reformation but totall Innovation many men look for 'T was a signe of no good intent when such a petition must bee smother'd up from the knowledge and Counsells of the Gentrie And though it were supprest after it had beene spread abroad as perhaps finding the times not ripe for a full discovery of their occult designes yet to those that will see it gives light enough that under pretext of Reforming the Church the true aime of such spirits is to shake off the yoke of all obedience either to Ecclesiasticall Civill Common Statute or the Customarie Lawes of the Kingdome and to introduce a meere Arbitrary Government But it may perhaps be said this is but the fancy of some distempered Zelots in that part onely and that I doe but raise a shadow and fight with it let such compare well the harmonie of other licentious raylers whose pamphlets garnish every stall and the concurrence of those of the same straine in the times of Queen Elizabeth and King James with the present positions and petition complained of and I dare promise they shall finde them all of a peece all champions for the Presbyterie which they then cal'd The great cause the Holy cause which as they then declared k Rogers his Preface to the Articles they will never leave suing for though there should be a thousand Parliaments untill either they obtaine it And lately preach'd by Eaton in Chester in the pulpit to the like effect or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud upon the State and the whole land for repelling the same With what Method Iustice and Moderation they goe about it is worth the observation SECT 2. The Method of their proceedings IN this Chart of their petition we may find our selves plac'd among the Antipodes to all order rather than in a State govern'd by Lawes It hath been the Method of former times that the Parliament the Primates the Nobiles with the minores Nobiles the Gentrie consult and dispence the rules of government the Plebeians submit to and obey them But in their Petition ordine converso petitioners Plebeians assume to give judgement the Parliament must execute the Nobility and Gentrie suffer by it They make not any one proof or complaint against any one Bishop or their order yet clearely sentence them all l Their Petition note 2. Martin Marprelate f. 11. 12. Engl. Compl. to Jesus Christ That the Hierarchie is that beast to which the Dragon gave his power fol. 11. All Prelaticall government is papal ib. The Bishops the limbes of the great beast of no
that every member of the Church hath power to examine the manner of administring the Sacraments To restraine this liberty with them is the Yoake of â—ondage Christs Throne As also to enjoyne a decent forme of outward reverence to accompany the inward devotion of the heart in humbling the body as well as the soule at the reception of the pledge of our salvation in standing up in the profession of our Faith in the Creed or in celebrating the obsequies of such as dye in the Lord Revel 14.15 with thanks for their deliverance and with prayers for the surviving faithfull with the like though the Maxime be unanswerable Non servatur unitas in credendo nisi eadem adsit in colendo And though againe it be unquestioned by all Ancient uncontroverted by most of the late Writers and concluded in one of our Articles l Article 20. That the Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies with which agree all the Reformed Churches m Rog. book of Art 100. Ne una Contradicente And that great light of Germany Melancthon holds them inseparable from the Church judging it a wicked thing n Melanct. par 2. fol. 22. Jmpium quoque est sentire omnes Ceremonias institut as esse ab impijs pontificibus fuerunt nonnulli prudentes sancti viri qui senserunt vulgi ita supinos demissos animos ut nunquam sint dignitatem amplitudinem religionis animadversuri nisi aliqua externa oculis exposita specie remorati detenti c. Habes autem praeclarum locum de Ceremoniarum usu Josuae 22. Ne vestri pueri c. Pro pueris infirmis istiusmodi sunt instituti ritus Ibidem to thinke that all Ceremonies were instituted by bad Bishops recommending to us an excellent place of the use of Ceremonies in Joshua That it may be a witnesse betweene us and you and our Generations after us That your Children may not say to our Children in time to come yee have no part in the Lord For children and the weake were such Ceremonies instituted And although we are required by the Holy Ghost To submit to every Ordinance for the Lords sake 1 Peter 2.13 whether it bee to the King as supreame or to Governours Yet these men teach us new Doctrine that such Ordinances as these though becomming Christian humility and piety derived from Antiquity imposed by Authority and obedience commanded by Holy precept are an o Christ on his Throne fol. 24. fol. 25.27 Syons Plea fol. 91. evacuation of Christs death and so an Apostacy from Christ and suit not with the libertie of the Gospell wherewith Christ hath made them free p Christs Throne fo 25. In which extravagancies such men runne into all the desperate Schismes that formerly rent the Church In their contempt of our Service Rites and Ceremonies being Brownists q Brownists write to have a Lyturgie or form of prayer is to have another Gospell Barrow refut pag. 244. In their false pretended libertie Familists r The Familists say they are a free people in Bondage to no creature H. N. Sperland c. 3. Sec. 6. C. 40. Sec. 7. In their neglect of due calling disdain of learning Anabaptists fanatici homines Å¿ Olim fanatici homines ut sibi applauderent in sua inscitia iactabant Davidis exemplo spernendas esse omnes Literas Sicut hodie Anabaptistae non alio praetextu se pro spiritualibus venditant nisi quod omnis Scientiae sunt expertes Calvin Comment on the Psalm f. 330. Ps 71.14 Brain-sick men in times past would take example from David to despise all learning as now our Anabaptists who onely hold themselves inspired with gifts because they are ignorant of all Literature These obey none of their pretended Patrons Beza sayes t Consequitur eum abuti Christianae libertatis beneficio qui vel suis Magistratibus vel praepositis suis sponte non paret in Domino Beza Epist ad peregrinarum Ecclesiarum fratres in Anglia he abuses Christian Liberty who submits not freely to the Magistrate And Melancthon holds u Melanct. in 13. Rom. 'T is a mortall sinne to violate the Edicts of the Magistrate w Quod neque contra fidem neque bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter esse habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur Societate servandum est Augustin Epist 118. ad Ianuarium Cap. 2. St. Austin gives these men good Counsell x That which is neither against Faith nor good Manners is to bee held indifferent and observed for their society with whom you live Zanchie is a little sharper with them x Damnandi sunt Anabaptistae alii qui a veris Christi Ecclesiis se subdueunt Zanchy Tomes fo 692. These Anabaptists saies he and others that withdraw themselves from the Communion of the Church either for the pretended vices of the Minister or other excuses are to bee cut off from the Church But if none of these incline them to the peace of the Church Their pretended great Master Calvin a Calvin Epistola Dom. Protector Epistol fol. 88. hath a sharper Rod for such State-troublers Amplissime Domine audio esse Deo seditionum genera quae adversus regem ac regni statum caput extulerunt Alii enim Cerebrosi quidem videlicet sub Evangelii Nomine passim invectam vellent Alii verò in superstitionibus Antichristi ita obduruerunt ut earum revulsionem ferre non possint Ac merentur quidem tum hi tum illi gladio ultore coerceri quem tibi tradidit Dominus Cum non in regem tantum insurgunt sed in Deum ipsum qui Regem in Regiasede constituit te protectorem instituit tum personae tum etiam Regiae Majestatis SECT 8. They must be free from Civill Miseries BUt all this tends yet but to free their Consciences over which say they No man b Christ on his throne fol. 60. on earth hath power in matters of Religion If so 't were more tollerable But this large Conscience will have the body as free as the minde They must hold their Conventicles intimated by that their meeting c Petition Note 20. View of Prelaticall Church and divers others together to pray for the King and Queen without punishment or false Calumniation This is a gap to let out Law and take in liberty Thus may they infuse what Doctrine contrive what stratagems accumulate what multitudes they please not onely without punishment but without enquirie of the Lawes Nor is this all Freedome of their Consciences and persons is not enough but they must have their purses and estates as free too They tell us they have Civill miseries as well as Ecclesiasticall such as a Their Petition note 11. The payment of Tithes to Parsons or Impropriators which whether due Jure Divino I dispute not but by Civill Common and Statute Law wee know they are The
prescription is somewhat ancient for 't is said Melchizedeck y Genes 14.20 Heb. 7.2 blessed Abraham and hee gave him tythes of all things And under the Law it is ordred That z Nehem. 10.37 the Levits might have the tythes in all their Cities of our tillage This we find not discontinued under the Gospell a Heb. 7.5 They which are children of Levi which receive the office of the Priesthood have a commandement to take according to the Law tythes of the people And Saint Paul holds it good equitie 1 Corinth 9.13 That as they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Our Statute Lawes have established and incorporated them into our estates for b Stat 27.31.32.37 H. 8. Tythes in the hands of Lay-men become temporall inheritances and shall be accounted Assets And Lay men proprietaries of tythes c Cookes Littleton fol. 159. have election either to sue for the treble value by the Common Law or for the double in Ecclesiasticall Courts The ancient jurisdiction of Court Leets and Court Barons d Petition note 12 13. Sions plea fol. 47. they would subtilly undermine by quarrelling at the oath whereby the Court must fall Ex consequenti Cookes Littleton fol. 58. Britton 274. Bract. de Actionibus fol. 105. Civiles actiones terminari debent in Curia Baronum de quibus ipse petens clamaverit tenere taking away the use of Juries or the testimonies of witnesses Though we find them held in the time of Edward the Confessour and so called Barones vero qui suam habent curiam de suis hominibus and continued ever since And indeed they would have no Courts at all to have jurisdiction over them as appeares by many of their writings as that they would have Courts to proceed only against sins by the word of God Chord Angl prop. 8.10 Sions plea fol. 48. If it be no sin there is no ground of an oath View Prelaticall Church 41. of which the Presbyterie would be Judges and as they say it would free us from weekely Courts The would withdraw the customarie right of e Their petition note 21. Bract. lib. 2. fol. 60. Cookes Littleton fo 185. Lambert fol. 119. 58. Herriots taken in the Saxons times in which language it is called Heregeat or the Lords best for Here is Lord and Geat is best And in the Lawes before the Conquest it is said f Sive quis incuriâ sive morte repentina fuerit intestat mortuus Dominus tamen nullam rerum suarum praeter eam quae jure debetur Herrioti nomine sibi assumito Whether by a judiciall sentence or by sudden death any man dyes intestate yet the Lord shall take none of his goods but that which is due by Law in the name of a Herriot Nay they yet goe higher even to the denyall of the right of proprietie in our estates They would pay no Fines g Their petition Note 22. do no Boons nor Duties to their Land-lords or at best bring them within the Arbitrarie Jurisdiction of the Presbyter who must be Chancellour betwixt Lord and Tenant And these things are not represented by way of complaint or submitted to the consideration and determination of the Parliament but seeme to be inforced by intimation of a strong occult implyed Covenant in that they say h Their petition Note 15. Christ on his Throne fol. 77. So woe may recover that Christian liberty wherwith Christ hath made us free and for which his bloud was powred forth Sions plea fol. 333. Rom. 14.1 2. 2 Pet. 13.14 Goodman pag 30. The contrarie priviledges Christ hath purchased and commanded them to stand unto If this be not to subvert Lawes I know not what is It is not onely a defiance to Civill Government but a Band against it Nor Law nor Gospell scape such censures If Saint Paul teach us not to resist authoritie but rather to submit to punishment Some tell us This is a dangerous doctrine taught by some by the permission of God for our sins Certainly these are dangerous doctrines indeed and God open our eyes in time to fore-see and prevent the consequences So much are people infatuated with these false glosses of pretended libertie that they are easily seduced to swallow such guilded pils with open armes to embrace with eager hands to pull upon their owne heads their owne ruine For alas what is it else but to enthrall our selves under an irrecoverable servitude whence can be no redemption Is it not to make that choyce the Israelites refused Whether is better for you Judges 9.2 either that all the sons of Ierubbaal which are threescore and ten persons reigne over you or that one reigne over you Whether shall wee content our selves with the dispensation of Lawes our selves assent to can at any time expand or contract as we shall find them too narrow or too large for the circle of our Isle trust the administration of these in the hands of six and twentie Bishops whose Delegate power is limited by our Statute Lawes whose persons are easily responsall for any extent of that power beyond those bounds the Parliament allots them Or submit our selves to the meere Arbitrarie Government of thrice twentie six thousand Presbyters and Elders for more than so many will that Hierarchy amount to under which they would now draw us by the platforme of their new pretended discipline In which if there were any more but the Species of libertie that we should thus be quit from all Ecclesiastique subjection though it is a principle too oft proved true Moulins Confession 408. Tyranny is more tollerable than such a freedome which under the title of libertie introduceth licentiousnesse and this licentiousnes bringeth in extreme servitude that Over-much desire of libertie is the originall of Tyranny every one by being too free becomming a slave The Vulgar being well resembled to birds long caged and kept tame which breaking loose starve for want of food or become a prey to the first destroyer Yet this might be a popular motive to entice many into this new Coy If it did conduce to a reall freedome I wish all men should know I hold my selfe as free-borne as any man and as much disdaine the thought of servile fetters of Romish Tyranny or an insultant Prelacie as any he that lives But I ever held that Nunquam libertas gratior extat quà m sub Rege pio That it is Law which is to a free State not a Band but a Guard against oppression That it is Magistracie which levels the scale of justice betwixt power and povertie that preserves degrees distinction order i All Societies Oeconomick Civill and Ecclesiasticall doe consist by the submission of inferiours to superiours which being removed confusion necessarily followeth without which no Church no State no family can stand And when
hee be the sole disposer of Monarchies t 1 Chron. 17.11 I will raise up thy seed after thee and establish his Kingdome Nor were his intentions sure to let this be a titular shadow onely without power when wee are told u Proverbs 16.14 The wrath of a King is as messengers of death And we are commanded to w 24.21 feare the Lord and the King x Daniel 2.37 Thou O King sayes the prophet Daniel art a King of Kings for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdome power and strength and glorie And as the donation of this power is solely his so will he have the revocation too To Saul sayes the prophet y 1 Samuel 28.17 The Lord hath rent thy kingdome from thine hand and given it to thy servant David And to Salomon z 1 Kings 11.11 I will surely rend the kingdome from thee and will give it to thy servant a Daniel 2.21 Hee removeth Kings and setteth up Kings sayes Daniel Nor doth he seeme to subject them to the question of inferiours sayes Salomon b Ecclesiastes 8.4 Where the word of a King is there is power and who may say unto him What doest thou c Iob 34.18 Is it fit to say to a King sayes Job thou art wicked much lesse to expose them to violence But his precept d 1 Chron. 16.22 Touch not mine anoynted puts a guard upon their sacred persons which to violate though in our owne defence is a breach of his command Though Saul persecuted David for his destruction yet sayes he to Abishai e 1 Samuel 26.9 Destroy him not for who can stretch forth his hand against the Lords anoynted and be guiltlesse And lest these precepts might seeme discontinued with the Law they are renewed in the Gospel f 1 Peter 2.13 Submit your selves to the King as supreme And as if bare obedience were not enough without due reverence wee are againe commanded g 1 Peter 2.17 to feare God and honour the King But was this honour due to them onely from the Laitie Aaron the high priest called Moses the chiefe prince Lord h Exodus 32.22 And Aaron said Let not the anger of my Lord wax hot Or was the power of Kings subordinate or superiour to the Church We read that Jehosaphat King of Iudah appoynted Iudges Levites and Priests i 2 Chron. 19.5.8 And was this power continued in the Royall Race of Kings since the comming of Christ or extinguished by the greater light of his presence We find Christ himself rendring Tribute to Caesar Give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars k Mathew 22.19 Or is it that Regall right fixt onely to the Scepters of Christian Kings and Princes We find the ancient Fathers gave to the Thrones of Princes though Heathens the prerogative God left them Tertullian tells us We give that Reverence to the Emperour as belongs both to us and him as a man second to God and onely lesse than God for so hee is greater than all others being onely lesse than God l Tertullian ad Scapulam cap. 2. Colimus Jmperatorem sic quomodo nobis licet ipsi expedit ut Hominem a Deo secundum solo Deo minorem Hoc ipse volet sic enim omnibus major est dum solo vero Deo minor est Or is this right solely annext to the Imperiall Throne Hee againe tells us in the generall Kings are onely in the power of God from whom they are second after whom first before and above all others m Tertullian ad Scap. Are we onely to be subject while they rule over us after our owne desires and quit from our Allegeance under persecution St. Ambrose receiving Imperiall command to deliver up the Churches sayes Jf I bee compelled I may not oppose I may grieve I may weepe I may sigh Against Armes Souldiers the Goths also my Teares are my weapons such are the guards of a Priest I neither can nor ought to make other defence n Quid ergo turbamini volens nunquam vos deseram coactus repugnare non novi dolere potero potero flere potero gemere adversus arma milites Gothos quoque Lachrymae meae arma sunt Talia enim Ambrosius Concione 1. contra Auxentium But perhaps such passive piety was more requisite in those dayes when Gods designe was to convert the world by suffering nor by subduing when the seeds of Religion must bee water'd with the blood of Martyrs a Sanguis martyrum semen Ecclesiae than now in these purer times of Reformation Yet we see Calvin advises us not to fight for righteousnesse but to suffer for righteousnesse o Calvin Institut l. 4. c. 20. Art 29. Si ab impâ—o sacrilego principe vexamur ob pietatem subeat primùm delictorum nostrorum recordatio quae talibus haud dubiè Domini flagellis castigantur Jnde humilitas impatientiam nostram fraenavit succurrat deinde haec cogitatio non nostrum esse hujusmodi malis mederi hoc tantum esse reliquum ut Domini opem imploremus cujus in manu sunt regum corda regnorum Inclinationes If we be persecuted for godlines by an impious and sacrilegious Prince let us first of all remember our sins which no doubt are corrected by God with scourges this will bridle our impatience with humility Then let us entertaine this thought that 't is not our part to heale such distempers that this is our onely remedy to appeale to Gods assistance in whose hand are the hearts of Kings and the inclinations of Kingdomes And in another place he tells us b Calvin Institut l. 4. Insignis est memorabilis apud Jeremiam locus quem tamet si prolixiorem ideo non pigebit referre quia totam hanc quaestionem clarissimè definit the Prophet Ieremiah clearly resolves this question p Ieremiah 27.6 8. 9. 12. I have given all these lands into the hands of Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon And it shall come to passe that the Nation and Kingdome which will not serve the same Nebuchadnezzar the King of Babylon and that will not put their neck under the yoke of the K. of Babylon that Nation will I punish saith the Lord with the sword and with the famine and with the pestilence untill I have consumed the land Therefore hearken not yee unto your Prophets nor to your Diviners and which speak unto you saying yee shall not serve the King of Babylon I spake also to Zedechiah King of Iudah according to all these words saying bring your necks under the yoke of the K. of Babylon serve him and his people and live Why will you dye thou and thy people by the sword pestilence and famine as the Lord hath spoken against the Nation that will not serve the King of Babylon Upon which place saies Calvin * Videmus quantâ obedientiâ Domâ—nus tetrum illum
ferocemque Tyrannum coli voluerit non alia ratione nisi quia regnum obtinebat Calvin Institut l. 4. cap. 20. Art 27. we see what obedience the Lord will have given to this wicked and fierce Tyrant for no other reason but because he was a King With whose counsell his successor Beza * Beza Epist 24. 2d peregri Eccl. in Anglia fratres well agrees Illud solis precibus patientiâ sanari potest The Triacle against this venome is Prayer not Vengeance We must be subject for Conscience sake q Rom. 13.5 Hence it is deduc'd and incorporated into an Article of our Religion r Article 37. That the Kings Majestie hath the chiefe Government of all estates Ecclesiasticall and Civill in all causes within his Dominions Which is not the sole position of our Church But with this agree all the Reformed Churches Å¿ Helverian Art 16. Bazil Art 7. Bohem. Art 16. Belg. Art 36. August Art 16. Saxon. Art 23. And more particularly the French Church whose Article of Religion is t Moulins Buckler of Faith Art 40. fo 535. Wee must not onely endure and suffer Superiors to Governe but also wee must honour and obey them with all reverence holding them for Gods Lieutenants and Officers whom he hath appoynted to exercise a Lawfull and an Holy charge we must obey their Lawes and Statutes pay all Tributes and Imposts bear the yoke of Subjection with a good and free will although they be Infidels Therefore we detest those that would reject Superioritie and establish community of goods and overthrow all course of Justice But yet perhaps the policy of States have found this Supreame power prejudiciall to the good of Common-wealths and the Lawes of God must give way to the Lawes of Nations since Salus populi Suprema Lex Gregor Tholosan Syntag jurum l. 47. ca. 17. N. 1. But experience tells us the Romans were quickly wearie of their change of Government from a King to a Senate and in nine yeares reduc't it to a Dictator finding by experience that commands depending upon divers votes beget distraction and Ruine And Historie informes us that the Spartan State wherein The King the Nobilitie and the people had their just proportions of power administration of Iustice and obedience subsisted above eight hundred yeares in a happy and flourishing Condition whereas Athens being a popular State scarce stood out an age The nearest degree of government to a Monarchy being ever longest lived and most glorious most safe for the people as was seen in Rome when the Commons to suppresse the power of the Nobilitie in the Consulls created the Tribunes of the people who sharing in government would share in honours and fortunes too which occasioned the Agrarian Law Titus Livius That no Citizen should have above five hundred Acres of Land and that the people should share equally in all Conquests This bred the quarrell of Sylla and Marius continued in Caesar and Pompey and ended in the ruine of Rome From these observations Tacitus drawes this conclusion Vnius Imperii corpus Tacitus Annalls 1. unius animo regendum videtur It is necessarie the body of one Empire should bee governed by one head which must not bee barely a Titular head a shadow of power without the weight of it for Lawes well made availe little unlesse they be entrusted to a hand that hath power to exact execution of them Nor doe I observe that these principles of Divinity or Policie doe essentially differ but rather seeme to bee â—he same with the fundamentalls of the Lawes of this Kingdome For sayes Bracton the learned Historian in the Genealogie of our Lawes Bracton fol. 107. u Rex ad hoc creatus est electus ut justitiam faciat universis quia si non esset qui justitiam faceret pax de facili possit exterminari supervacuum esset leges condere justitiam nisi esset qui leges tueretur Potentiâ verò omnes sibi subditos debet praecellere parem autem habere non debet nec multo fortius superiorem maximè in justitia exhibenda ut dicatur veré de eo magnus Dominus noster magna virtus ejus To this end was a King created and chosen that he might doe Iustice to all men because if there were not one to administer Justice peace would soone be rooted out and it were vaine to enact Lawes or talke of Iustice if there were not one to defend the Lawes Who must be one not subordinate to inferiour powers but sayes hee Hee ought to excell all his subjects in power And hee must have no equall much lesse a superiour chiefely in administring Iustice That it may truely bee said of him Great is our Lord our King great is his vertue And hence is it that such Princely jurisdiction superiorities and authority over Ecclesiasticall Causes and persons is annexed to the Imperiall Crown for ever by our Statute Lawes * 1 Eliz. 1. And that in the oath of Supremacie w Oath of Supremacie 1 Eliz. 1. we not onely acknowledge the King to bee the supreame Governour in all Ecclesiasticall things or Causes but are sworne That to our power we shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authorities united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne In this Scala Regia this Gradation of Royall Monarchy we can finde nothing incongruous to the faith or liberty of a true Protestant But wee see our selves bound by Oath to acknowledge and support that Regall Government our Statutes have establish'd our Lawes approved Historie represents most happy policy recommends as safest to which all protestant Churches confesse due allegeance All Primitive times yielded full obedience To whose Throne Christ himselfe yields Tribute To whose power he commands submission and reverence To whose jurisdiction is committed the designation of Bishops and Judges whose persons God will have sacred whose Actions unquestionable whose succession he himselfe determines whose Kingdomes hee disposes and whose Election is the All-Makers sole prerogative Now whether these Crownes and Scepters shall be held Jure Divino or not I take not on me to determine but I may be bold to deliver Du-Moulins owne words x Moulins Buckler of Faith fol. 560. Whosoever buildeth the authority of Kings upon mens institutions and not upon the Ordinance of God cutteth off three parts of their authoritie and bereaveth them of that which assureth their Lives and their Crowns more than the guards of their bodies or puissant armie which put terrour into subjects hearts instead of framing them to obedience Then the fidelity of subjects will be firme and sure when it shall be incorporated into piety and esteemed to be a part of Religion and of the service which men owe to God SECT 10. Presbyterie inconsistent with Monarchy IN the government of the State as now it stands there being then so much Harmonie though it may sometimes bee out of Tune
Let us examine this new found Discipline how consistent with a Protestant Monarchy least by admitting it ex improviso we may shoulder Regem ex solio Religionem ex solo A King out of his Throne and Religion out of the Land 'T is a faire species of piety to cry out for Reformation and too many I feare for this shadow are ready to let goe the substance Never was Gods Church so pure but shee had her spots it will be perfect charitie to wipe them out but it argues none to make them greater In stead of Reforming some so deface deforme her that one would scarce thinke there were Christians in it when for the most part the greatest slanderer proves the greatest Hypocrite If the Intention were unitie the way to preserve it 1 Epphes 4. is by meeknesse of spirit in the band of peace but those that expect any from some of these Disciplinarians delude themselves If wee may believe their owne writings however wee may hope Reformation might qualifie them we shall finde they have no such designe Some tell us plainly the Episcopall Government must not be moderated nor reserved Answ to Lond. petition fol. 33. If the Hierarchy be not removed our desolations are like to be the astonishment of all Natâ—â—ns Syons plea. fol 5. 160. Christ on his Throne fol 47. Jer. 4.11.12 Syons plea. 196. Syons plea. 185. but presently and wholly taken away The Bishops must be utterly extirpated no lesse than the Romans rooted out the very name of Tarquins for the tyranny they had exercised A wind to fanne or cleanse will not serve the turne but it must bee a full mightie wind to root up and carry away the very foundation of their being It is not lopping nor pruning nor shaving nor paring the nailes of this evill that will serve turne unlesse yee pluck up these stumps of Dagon by the very roots their nayles will grow ranker than ever they did Except this strange fire be removed the Lord must make the consuming fire of his wrath breake out upon us If it live â— 187. the Common-wealth must dye Nay some of them goe so farre as to professe The Church-Ministerie and worship in England are all Antichristian * 8. Propositions printed by an unknowne Author Protest against the Hierarchy as an Antichristian Tyranny Lord Bishops no Bishops 86. from which all Gods people are in dutie and conscience bound to separate themselves by these obloquies seeking as they confesse to stirre up a holy hatred of the Prelates * Syons plea. 196. Epistle to the Reader even to dash their Brains against the stones By such clamours cherishing in the vulgar a discontented Humour which is the common source of Schisme and Heresie thereby the better to broach their new invented Discipline built upon no other Basis but the peoples dislike of Poperie as If the onely rule to draw out the line of our Religion by were to take the direct opposite in all things to that of the Church of Rome * That Religion most pure which hath least conformity with Rome Christ on his throne 23. when we know that such as travell absolutely East and West from one another if they live to it shall meet in the same line they parted whereas parallells continued to any extent doe never interfare The first quarrels of the greatest breaches in the Church have for the most part bin in points of discipline And for all the noise some of these men make of dissention enmity in rites and ceremonies which are but shadows we shall find that in the most essentiall parts of Discipline which concerne the sway of Church and State the subjection of Prince and people to the tyranny of their Discipline they doe not onely shake hands again with Poperie but with the strictest of them the Jesuites clearely sever themselves from the Tenets of the Protestant Church Jesuits Declarat motuum cap. 20. Quodlibets p. 142. both sides laying this for a fundamentall both agree for the utter abrogation of all Episcopall jurisdiction Contrary to the 36. Article of our Religion The Church so subdued see how they sway the Civill State wherein it will bee observed whether the Luke-warme Protestant as they call us or such zealous separatists be likest to give fire to that Popish powder which would blow up in fumum all Kingly Supremacy or Magisteriall Superioritie over the Independent Hierarchie God sayes Thou shalt make him King whom I shall chuse and this rule we admit for Law Some that pretend to be presbyterians tell us x Gilby lib. de Obedientia pag. 25. 105. Populo jus est ut imperium cui velit deferat Buchan de jure Regni pag. 61. In regnis hominum potestas regis est à populo quia populus facit Regem Bellarm. de Concil lâ—b 2. cap. 19. Kings Princes and Governours have their authoritie of the people and upon occasion they may take it away againe as men may revoke their Proxies and Letters of Atturney The Jesuites come not much short of this for say they In the kingdome of men the power of the King is from the people because the people makes the King To a bad prince God hath said I will rend the kingdome from thee and every true protestant expects the performance not taking the staffe out of Gods hands who sayes y Deuteron 32.35 Romans 12.19 To mee belongeth vengeance and I will repay One of these sayes Goodman pag. 144 145. Evill Princes ought to bee deposed and inferiour Magistrates ought chiefly to doe it With this Bellarmine agrees * Bellarmin lib. 3. de Pont. cap. 7. Talis consensu omnium potest imò debet privari suo dominio Such by the consent of all may nay ought to be deprived and if this was not done in old time it was for want of strength to doe it Salomon sayes Who shall say unto a King What doest thou Goodman tels us Obedience pag 111. Bancroft 36. Judges ought to summon Princes before them for their crimes and to proceed against them as all other offenders Here I find they have outgone the Jesuit David thought no man could stretch forth his hand against the Lords anoynted and be guiltlesse Yet this Disciplinarian sayes Goodman pag. 185. When Magistrates cease to doe their duties God giveth the sword into the peoples hands Nay Obedience pag. 110. a private man having some speciall inward motion may kill a Tyrant In this the Jesuite is too slow paced too hee thinks fit to give him a publike triall first z Tyrannicè gubernans justè acquisito Domino non potest spoliari sine publico judicio Emanuel Sa. Marry sentence given then any man may be the executioner Suarez is more moderate a Si Papa Regem deponit ab illis tantum poterit expelli vel interfici quibus ipse id commiserit Suarez lib 6. cont Iacob Regem cap. 4.
the edicts of the Magistrate But some of these Disciplinarians positions are that o Subjects doe promise obedience that the Magistrate might help them Goodman pag 190. which if hee doe not they are discharged of obedience Barrow Refut pag 169. And that without the Prince the people may reforme and must not tarrie for the Magistrate But where their owne spirits guide them they may become Judges and Executioners themselves laying it for a principle p That if the Magistrates shall refuse to put Massemongers to death k Goodman p. 77 196. the people in seeing it performed doe shew that zeale of God which was commended in Phinees destroying the adulterers and in the Israelites against the Benjamites But in this they have the excuse of zeale in offence and indignation at sinnes against God and negligence in Magistrates In which case some hold that q Knox Appeal fol. 30. Goodman pag. 185. not Kings and Magistrates onely ought to punish crimes against God but the whole body of the people and every member of the same to his abilitie must revenge the injurie done to God The French Reformed Church r Moulins Buckler of Faith f. 535. 39. Art knew none of this Doctrine who in the thirty ninth Article of their Faith declare plainly That they beleeve that God will have the world governed by Lawes and Policies that there may be some restraint of the disordered desires of the world And as be hath established Kingdomes and Common-wealths whether hereditary or otherwise and all that belongeth to the State of Justice and will be knowne to be Author thereof so hath he put the sword into the Magistrates hands to represse sins committed not onely against the second Table of the Commandements of God but also against the first Though Isay their zeale in revenging injuries done to the Majestie of God transport them to share in the execution of Iustice Yet may be they will submit to the Civill Magistrate in the government of the Church and ordination of Rites and Ceremonies in which by the twentieth and thirty seventh Articles of our Religion Å¿ Rogers Articles f 213. Helvetian Bazill Bohemian Belgique Augustan Saxon. Suevian Confessions the power is committed to those to whom God hath given the superiority to which Doctrine all protestant Churches subscribe as Apostolicall and Orthodoxall Å¿ Rogers Articles f 213. Helvetian Bazill Bohemian Belgique Augustan Saxon. Suevian Confessions But when wee examine how they conforme we shall finde that in direct opposition to us and other Reformed Churches Some of them say that Civill Magistrates have no power to ordaine Ceremonies pertaining to the Church 1 Tho. Cartwright 1. Reply p. 153. 2 Reply 2. part p. 4. as being no Church Officers at all Viretus Dialogue of white Devills One of them holds That if any Magistrates under the Title of authority and power that God hath given them will make the Ministers of the Church subject to them they doe verily set up a new Pope changing onely his Coat and Masque Indeed they will not allow the Magistrate to be pope but such will bee popes themselves and allow him no more power than the pope did Says Cartwright b T.C. 2. 2. 157. 161. The Prince may call a Councell of the Ministerie and appoynt time and place The very same sayes Saunders c Saunders lib. 2. c. 3. the papist might the Emperours doe of old d Cartwr 2. 2. p. 156. Harding p. 317. 312. The Counsels were not called Imperatoria but Episcopalia The Decrees made there may not be said to be done by the Princes Authority therefore the Canons of the Councells were called the Bishops not the Emperours The same sayes Harding the Emperours did not under-write definientes subscripsimus as the Bishops did but Consentientes e T. C. 2. R. p. 161. Saund. de Monarch l. 2. c. 3. Cartwright allows Princes to be present in Counsells to suppresse tumults The same does Harding allow them ad pacem concordiam retinendam ut nullum fieri tumultum permittant Nay the Magistrate is beholding to Mr. Cartwright f T. C. 2. 2. p. 164. 167. Harding pag 217. 314 to allow that hee may be an Assistant and have his voyce in their meetings and gives this reason for it That oftentimes a simple man and as the proverb saith the Gardner hath spoken to good pâ—rpose Mr. Harding yet allowes more to the popish Magistrates He sayes Ambassadors of States have honourable seats in all Councells may sit as assistants may give their advices may exhort the Bishops and subscribe with them But Cartwright will allow them no power there neyther to bee Moderator Determiner nor Iudge Nay they not onely have no power but they must bee subordinate to their Presbyters Magistrates u Ecclesiasticall Discipline p. 185. Lear. Discipl pag. 89. as well as other men must submit themselves and be obedient to the just and lawful Authoritie of the Church that is the Presbyterie And Travers w Travers pag 142. speaking of the power of the Lay Elders sayes It is just that Kings and Magistrates must obey them Neither is this Government changeable by the will or power of the Magistrate but 't is held that of necessity x Martin junior Thesis 22. all Christian Magistrates are bound for to receive this government Which sayes Snecanus If any Magistrate hinder let him be freely admonished of his duty If he doe not then submit let him be more exactly instructed that hee may serve God in feare y Bancroft fol. 134. Marry if this way there happen no good successe then let the Ministers of the Church execute their office without lingring and staying so long for a Parliament Which compulsive power in the Church holds me thinks some analogy with that of the Iesuites a Odoard West in Sarct juris Sect. 6. Ecclesia non solum praecâ—pit dirigit sed coeâ—cet disponit virtute potestatis gubernativae whose opinion is The Church not onely prescribes and directs but restraines and dispones by vertue of her Gubernative power Which positions are a language unknown amongst Protestants Melancthon tels us b Potest as Ecclesiae suum mâ—ndacum babet 〈◊〉 Non iriâ—mpaâ— in aliâ—nuÌ„ officiem non transferat regna mundi Non abroger leges Magistratuum non tollat legitimam obedientiam non impediat Iudicia de ullis civ libus ordinationibus aut contractibus non praescribat leges magist atibus de forma Reipublicae c. Augustan Confession Articulis fidei fol. 46. The Church hath her owne Rules and intrudes not into anothers office disposes no Crownes abrogates not the Lawes of Magistrates extinguishes not lawfull obedience stops not judgement in Civill causes nor prescribes Lawes to Magistrates But these will derive us another authoritie above the Magistrate They tell us a Counterp p. 12. Christ hath translated the Iewes Sanedrim into his Church That
unchangeable in all times ages and places by any the sons of men Which positions stand poynt blanck against the Articles of our Religion against the power of our Lawes By the twentieth Article we professe positively h Rogers fol 98. That the Church hath power to decree Rites or Ceremonies fol. 211. By the 37. Article we declare That the Kings Majesty hath chief power in his Dominions that it is a prerogative given to all godly princes in holy Scriptures by God himselfe that is that they should rule all Estates and Degrees committed to their charge by God whether they be Ecclesiasticall or Temporall and restraine with the Civill sword the stubborne and evill doers Hereupon we lay the foundation of that Oath of supremacy ratified by our Lawes And such superiority i Statute Anno 1 Eliz. cap. 1. in the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of errours heresies Schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever is by the authority of Parliament united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne of the Realme 25 Id. 8. And our Laws restrain the Clergie from making any Constitutions or Lawes without the Kings consent in opposition whereof saies one of them Admonition to the Parliament 2. No civil Magistrate hath such authoritie as that with out his consent it should not be lawfull for Ecclesiastical persons to make any Church order or Ceremony Which Rules if we shall make the touchstone of such new Doctrines we shall finde them upon nearer tearmes of reconciliation with the papist than the protestant The papist sayes Answ to the execut of Iustice d. 3. p. 56. The Emperor of the whole world if he take upon him to prescribe Lawes of Religion to the Bishops and Priests he shall be damned assuredly except he repent The making of Ecclesiastical Constitutions and Ceremonies belongeth unto the Ministers of the Church l T. C. Reply 1. p. 153. Admonition to the Parliament and Ecclesiasticall Governours unto the Elders who are to consult admonish correct and order all things pertaining to the Congregation Nor want they some false glosses of Scripture to varnish over this pretended Iurisdiction above Lawes but they plead obedience to the commands of disobedience which they inferre from that of St. Paul to the Galatians m Galatians 5.1 Standfast in the libertie wherewith Christ hath set you free Which though it bee plainly evident in the Text it selfe that by this freedome the Apostle intended freedome from the Law of Circumcision in the next verse saying I Paul say unto you n Galatians 5.2.3 4 5. that if you bee circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing for every man that is circumcised is a debtor to the whole Law and that Christ is become of no effect unto you whosoever of you are justified by the Law yee are fallen from Grace For we through the spirit wait for the hope of righteousnesse by faith Yet hence doe they ground their strong plea for exemption from all Authority as if it were an evidence of their faith to shake off the yoke of all Law From such another place in the Revelations by leaving out part of the verse To you I say as many as have not this Doctrine o Revel 2.24 and which have not knowne the depths of Sathan and taking onely the latter part Verse 25. I will put upon you none other burthen but that which you have already hold fast till I come They doe extort a construction fit to bee delivered in no other words but their owne who say this is p Sions plo 283. A most pregnant place against subjecting of our selves to any power or religious practice how specious and spangled with depth of devillish learning soever it be Having thus pleaded priviledge over some crie out mainly against Law and authority sayes one of them Impietie is suffered to beare sway against the Majestie of God q Supplication p. 59. Ibid. pag. 24. and that by Law and Authoritie And that such Lawes are retained in force as justle and overthrow the Royall prerogative of the Sonne of God But perhaps this exclamation is onely against such Lawes as support the prelates the enemies of presbyterie No they must have no Lawes to limit them r Epistle before the Demonstration B. 4. Bancroft fol. 55. As great indignitie is offered unto Iesus Christ sayes one in committing his Church to the government of the Common Law as can be by meane hirelings unto a King in committing his beloved Spouse unto the direction of the Mistresse of the Stewes and enforcing her to live after the lawes of a Brothell-house SECT 13. The inordinate violence of the Presbyterians FRom these principles doe such lawlesse Disciplinarians prosecute their designe with such spirit that nor King Nobles Magistrates Lawes nor any thing must stand in their way Å¿ Sions plea fol. 340. Aut hoc aut nihil is their Ensigne They who hinder discipline say they bring the State at length to an extremely desperate point Fol. 244. None but enemies to Christ are enemies to this government And as against enemies they proceed indeed t Sions plea fol. 240. Strike neither at great nor small but at these troublers of Israel smite that Hazael in the fifth rib yea if father or mother stand in the way away with them downe with the colours of the Dragon Fol. 200. advance the standard of Christ Not the white flag of truce but the red flag of destruction whose embleme was never by any Father till now writ in such bloudy characters u The title page to Sions plea And Christ on his Throne Those mine enemies which would not that I should reigne over them bring hither and slay them before me This till advanced by the new Standard-bea-bearer was never writ in the banner of that Lamb of peace these were none of those trophies I read of in the glorious throne in the Revelation When w Revel 5.6 in the middest of the throne and of the foure Beasts and in the middest of the Elders stood a Lamb as it had beene slaine not like a destroyer To whom the foure Beasts Verse 8. and foure and twentie Elders fell downe before the Lamb Verse 9. And sung a new song saying Thou art worthy to take the booke and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slaine and hast redeemed us to God by thy bloud It was to this Sacrifice Verse 11. not Sacrificer That the many Angels about the Throne and the Beasts and the Elders to the number of ten thousand times ten thousand and thousands of thousands cryed with a lowd voyce Verse 12. Worthy is the Lamb that was slaine Nor were any of that scarlet liverie in his retinue x Revel 7.9 For loe a great multitude which no man could number of all nations and kinreds and people and tongues stood
of them must d The Northamptonshire Classis Bancroft fol. 79. The Elders c once a moneth to look to all within the parish concerning their honest behaviour and peaceable demeanour View of the Prelaticall Church fol. 41. determine matters of Contracts and Marriages Nay they must have a speciall Quaere into the peaceable demeanour of the Inhabitants within the precincts of their severall Presbyteries upon that place of S. Paul e 1 Corinth 6.1 Do any of you having a matter against another goe to Law before the unjust and not before the Saints grounding a decree in their Classis that if any member of the Presbyterie bee at variance with his brother hee shall bee suspended till hee bring the matter before them Now let us well weigh what man lives so upright in all his wayes that is not or may not be a Delinquent at the mercy of these dreadfull Iudges whose least chastisement is banishment suspension from the food of Life the blessed Word and Sacraments whose easiest prison is Hell and whose punishment Tradatur Satanae eternall destruction Where is then the promised libertie of this so much desired change when from the legall penalties of positive and regulated Lawes which awe our persons and might perhaps pinch our purses whereof we know how to avoyd the breach or satisfie the penaltie wee shall become meere Tenants at will of our soules That the infirmities of mans nature considered f Romans 7.14 That wee are carnall and sold under sinne and that the best of Gods Saints fall into dayly errours yea and as it is said Faelix qui minimis urgetur who can plead priviledge or exemption from these rigid censures The best Charter here is but durante bene placito None dum bene se gesserit Since innocence is no Supercedeas for suspition or scandall misprision or malice may make a delinquent injuriously to bee suspected or traduc'd and actually to bee guilty are of equall punishment Publick Confession or Excommunication Nay 't is so farre from freedome that it brings upon us a two-fold bondage Both Law and Nature abhorre double punishment for one offence Yet say they g View of the Prelaticall Church fol. 37. Malefactors that have once satisfied the Law if they procure pardons must bee suspended from the Sacrament till they againe satisfie the Congregation And Master Knox tells us Mr. Knox The order of Excommunication in Scotland Ae. 2. All Crimes that by the Law of God deserve death deserve also excommunication as Murtherers Adulterers Sorcerers Witches Conjurers Charmers givers of drink to destroy children Blasphemers denyers of the truth railers against the Sacraments and all that have lived with any offence to the Congregation though they have suffered the punishment of the Law against all which he would proceed by way of Excommunication And we know that most of these Crimes they would fetch within their jurisdiction have their severall penalties provided by the Statute Lawes of this Kingdome whence necessarily followes that either the temporall jurisdiction all Law must be extinct or in stead of freedome we must submit to double punishment But say they They onely proceed against sinnes h Chorda Angliae propos 8.10 Courts to proceed onely against sinnes by the Word of God Sions plea. Bilson fol. 316. and 't is their office to bring sinners to Repentance And there are divers other petty Crimes which fall not as they say under the Civill sword as chiding fighting brawling contempt of the order of the Church Sabboth-breaking wanton and vaine words negligence in hearing the preacher neglect of receiving the Sacraments suspition of Avarice or of pride superfluity or riotousnesse in cheare or raiment They must have a rod for the women too in correcting their lascivious dissolute or too sumptuous attire private or publike dancing May-games visiting stage-playes Tavernes or Tipling-houses and all inordinate livers which must bee brought to their Tribunall Now let any man branch out those forenamed particular heads of the Table of their Discipline and he shall finde that neither our words opinions nor actions as of private men but they subject us under their jurisdiction Consider us with relation to others and see how many accidents are emergent upon Contracts marriages fornication Adulterie to which take in the generall heads of suspition and scandall and then see how farre this insinuates into our private families who can be secure of the honour or repuration of wife or daughters longer than he is sure hee hath no maligner for I finde no branch at all amongst them for the punishment of the slanderer nor no reparation for the injur'd innocent Marry the guiltie may be quit as was the position of Mr. Snape of Northampton shire i Bancrofts Treatise of the disciplinarians of Northampton shire fol. 82. who having wrought upon a meane servant that had got his Masters Daughter with child to make publick Confession to the Congregation That done Snape absolved him then justified him clear from that sinne committed even as though he had beene newly borne If this bee the way to recover infant innnocence who would not soyle himselfe a little to be so cleansed Next view that general Quaere into mens peaceable demeanors a View of Prelaticall Church fol. 41. Admonition 2. page 75. The Church is to censure such a partie as is troublesome and contentious together with their rule of Abdication of Law-suits and see if this bring not to their Chancerie all actions reall and personall And lastly consider their universall head of b Bilson fol. 316. Our Presbyteries proceed against vice T. Cart. l. 2. p. 68. Snecanus de Discipl Eccles p. 460. proceeding against sinnes Which Mr. Cartwright pretty well explaines Every fault that tendeth either to the hurt of a mans neighbour or to the hindrance of the glory of God is to be examined and dealt in by the orders of the Church Snecanus enlarges him a little further Quodvis peccatum sayes he every sinne against God or neighbour by word or deed purposely or ignorantly manifestly or secretly If so let us then consider if this be not a general prohibition to all Courts of Iudicature a meere annihilation of all Lawes For St. Peters precept is to k 1 Peter 2.13 submit to every Ordinance of man for the Lords sake And Lawes being the Ordinance of man the breach of every Law is sinne Nor can there be any suit or controversie betwixt men but the one side is the wrong-doer for we know that All unrighteousnesse is sinne l 1 Iohn 5.17 And the Disciplinarians including the punishment of all sinne against God or our neighbour within their jurisdiction we have no more use of Lawes but are all brought under a meere arbitrarie Government And then ablata Lege wee know what followes fiat Certamen But Law had no mercy and perhaps these holy men will be tender-hearted easie-handed in laying on the scourge of chastisement Let
by the protection of the Lawes as with a partition Wall against the spoyle of vermine vulgar the Boares of the Forrest that would root up our plants wed and prun'd from inbred Weed and Canker by the skilfull hand of Parlaments should now be all cast into the lump laid common All become yoke-fellowes beare the bonds of such boundlesse Disciplinarians which hold themselves subordinate neither to Emperours Kings Princes Magistrates Lawes Parliaments Presbyteries Synods Assemblies nor any thing they ever meane to reckon with in this world but onely to Iesus Christ their Head Such as these rather appeare to bee of the followers of Jehu the sonne of Nimshi for they drive furiously x 2 Kings 9.20 who walk'd in the wayes of Ieroboam Then of those undefiled Virgins that follow the Lambe whithersoever hee goeth y Revelation 14 4. Wee know that the meek he will guid in judgement and the meeke will he teach his way z Psal 25.9 But such as have bitter envying and strife in their hearts This wisedome descendeth not from above bus is earthly sensuall devillish * Iames 3.17 SECT 16. The vaine excuse that Lay Elders shall moderate them refuted YEt some have a fine veile to blinde the eyes of the willing and certainly none see lesse than the wilfully blind that this is a mixt government we shall have Lay Elders amongst them to moderate the extravagancies of the pastors and we need not feare but they will looke to them Alas how vaine a shadow is this when wee looke upon it but with the light of reason Are we not taught these Elders must bee chosen by the voyce of the people and are not these people taught by the pastors subordinate to them the Elders being but temporary for halfe a yeare or a yâ—are is it probable they shall have that dependance upon one another they shall have that interest in the parish as hee that is perpetuus Dictator Chancellour Arbiter for life in his petty popedome Some men talke of dumbe Dogs and certainly he will be held such that cannot so bestir himselfe in his parish as to have all their votes follow his who hath such absolute power over every mans person family and estate a Hunting of the Fox c Ec. 2. a S. Snecanus de Disciplâ—na Ecclesiae pag. 456. If then by this rule every little parish Church should have seven such Elders at the least and every great Church thirteene and these people at the devotions of their pastor of their Chancellour wee have then instantly no lesse than a hundred thousand Church-governours besides their adherents which admitted wee are sure in danger never to recover a free Parliament againe and in stead of 26. Bishops whose deputation is from whose dependance is upon the King as supreame whose temporall power is wholly derived from limited by the Lawes whose persons are easily responsible to Parliaments for any deviation from the rules of Law wee should thus expose our selves to an irrecoverable subjection to a multitude whose Election is prescribed to Iure Divino immediately from Christ Iesus who are the carvers of their owne Government b View of the Prelaticall Church fol. 41. Their Nationall Assembly to be gathered once in three years to make Canons and to establish Ecclesiasticall Government This independant of Parliaments accomptable to none but Christ Jesus either for Doctrine or Discipline and if in time found to be extravagant from or destructive to all Lawes and Government yet the Parliament shall then have an Hoast to encounter and not a few Delinquents to punish May not their owne words be more properly inverted upon such than on the Bishops c Englands complaint to Iesus Christ against the Caâ—ons Such Presbyteriall Government and Jurisdiction it is meerly papall though not in the first degree the Pope usurping an universall power over all the Churches in the world yet in a second Everie pastor in his Diocesse his parish exercising a papall power and so doth cunningly undermine the Royall Office and overthrow Gods sacred Ordinance who hath given a power and charge to Kings to suppresse all such Ecclesiasticall Tyranny over the soules of his people Yet perhaps it may be sayd though their government bee thus wholly sever'd from the Parliaments and stands a part by it selfe our Lay Elders shall have vote among them in all their Synods and Assemblies who may have a care to ballance the scale 'twixt Church and State But are wee not told Some one Elder of each Parish appoynted by the particular Kirk Sessions and the whole Ministerie of those Churches meet c. Whereto if their Doctors and Teachers bee admitted they are double in number to the Lay-men if equall one Lay Elder inclining to their partie turnes the scale if not yet how incapable in respect of abilities how inactive in respect of Spirit these annuall temporary Officers must needs be in comparison of this powerfull preaching ministerie which hath such absolute authority over the soules of their parishioners every man may foresee with halfe an eye SECT 17. No reformed Church gives any president parallell with ours BUT many of us will not trust or trouble our owne judgement to rifle into the consequences of things but wee cry out how doe other Reformed Churches Gens humana novitatis avida and no Nation more unfortunately more improvidently prone to follow fashions than we And alas whence can we fetch a patterne that the freedome of our State considered would not render us miserable Can the French be any president to us who live under a Monarch of another Religion who will allow them no Sea no Diocesse no meanes for a Bishop whose Bishops will admit no sub-Bishops of another faith under their jurisdiction Therefore what necessitie makes to them Law must we make our choyce Is it the position of their Church to exclude them Shall wee beleeve Moulin himselfe he saies d Moulins Buckler of the faith the 30. Article fol. 3. 45. Our adversaries unjustly accuse us to be enemies of the Episcopall Order for we must be altogether ignorant of Histories if we do not know that all antiquitie speakes honourably of that degree The Geneva Discipline many dote upon not knowing what it is nor how consistent with our State That which makes our common people so greedily embrace this desired change is the frequent preaching and possessing them of an interest in the power of the Keyes if they follow that president they 'le finde themselves deceived Beza tells us e De gradibus Ministerii cap. 11. In Geneva the Elders are chosen yearely not of the baser sort of people but of the order of 25. 60. or 200. men which bee the Counsels of that State Nor was that government of choyse as fittest but of necessity Their Bishop was also their Prince Franciscus Bonivardus sayes 1124. The Bishop fained of Emperour Frederick ut ille solus Genevae principatum obtineret Regali jure who