Excommunicated but by the Bishop himself with the consent of the Pastor in whose Parish the Delinquent liveth and that for Heinous Scandalous Crimes joyned with obstinacie and wilful contempt of the Churches authority and that for non appearance upon ordinary citations some other punishment might be inflicted and that appointed by Law Fiftly That Bishops might not demand benevolence for the Clergie nor exact allowance for their diet in their visitations nor suffer their servants to exact undue fees in Ordinations and institutions Lastly That Bishops Chancellors and officials may be subject to the Censures of the principal Synods and Convocations But of the Original of Episcopacie take a cleer view of Doctor Reynalds his judgement and the Arch Bishop of Armagh confirmation thereof and here abreviated referring the Reader to the Book it self and his Annotations for his Authority printed this year 1641. When Elders were ordained so the doctor by the Apostles in every Church through every City to feed the flock of Christ whereof the Holy Ghost had then overseers they the better to perform that duty did Assemble and chose one amongst them President and Moderator As at Ephesus though sundry Elders and Pastors yet but one chief whom our Saviour calls the Angel of the Church and whom the primitâ—ve fathers of the Church call Bishops for as Minister the common name to all who serve in the steward-ship of the Ministers of God is now by custome restrained to the name Elders who are under a Bishop so the name Bishop common to all Elders and Pastors was by the language of the Fathers apppropriated to him who was President over Elders Thus are certain Elders reproved by Cyprian for receiving to the communion them who had fallen in time of persecution before the Bishop had advised of it with them and others And Cornelius writeth that the Catholique Church committed to his charge had fourty six Elders and ought to have but one Bishop And both of them being Bishops the one of Rome the other of Carthage do witness of themselves that they dealt in matters of the Churches Government by the consent and councel of the company of Elders or Eldership This was that Doctors opinion which the Arch Bishop of Armagh confirmes with these notes of Antiquity That the Angel of the Church of Ephesus was by the fathers called Bishop is cleerly confirmed both by the succession of the first Bishop of that Church and by the Testimony of Ignatius who within twelve years after distinguisheth the singular and constant President thereof from the rest of the number of the Presbyters by appropriating the name of Bishops unto him The former is declared in the general councel of Calcedon by Lecutius Bishop of Magnesia That from Timothy there had been a continued succession of twenty seven Bishops all ordained in Ephesus of which number the Angel of Ephesus must needs be one whether it were Timothy or one of his next successors That Timothy had been Antistes as Iustin Martyr calls him and the father term a Bishop or President is confessed by Beza And that he was the first Bishop of Ephesus as in the second Epistle to Timothy and in Eusebius but also in two ancient Treatises concerning Timothies Martyrdome the one of them nameless the other named Policrates who was himself Bishop of this Church of Ephesus and born within thirty seven years after St. Iohn had written the said Epistle to the Angel of that Church and in his Epistle to Victor Bishop of Rome he maketh mention of seven kinsmen of his who had been Bishops he himself being the Eight That Ignatius was ordained Bishop of Antioch by St. Peter and did sit in that sea at the same time when that Epistle unto the Angel of the Church of Ephesus was commanded to be written And in the last journey which Ignatius made for the consummation of his glorious Martyrdome at Rome he wrote another Epistle unto the self same Church of Ephesus in which he maketh mention of their then Bishop Onesimus in this Epistle to the Ephesians Ignatius having acknowledged that their numerous multitude was received by him in the presence of their Bishop Onesimus puts them in mind of their duty in concurring with him as their worthy Presbyters did and exhorteth them to obey both the Bishop and the the Presbytery with a undivided mind In that journey Ignatius wrote another Epistle unto the Church of Smyrna one other of the seven in St. Iohns Revelation saluting their Bishops and Presbyters exhorting them to follow their Bishop as Christ Jesus did his Father and the Presbyters by the Apostles and tells them that none ought to administer the Sacraments or meddle with the Church without consent of the Bishop That Polycarpus was then the Bishop when Saint Iohn wrote unto the Angel of the Church of Smyrna as Irenaeus informs who was present when Polycarpus himself did discourse of his conversation with Saint Iohn and of those things which he heard from those who had seen our Lord Iesus Polycarpus says Irenaeus was not onely taught by the Apostle conversed with many that had seen Christ but also was by the Apostles and constituted in Asia Bishop of the Church which is in Smyrna whom we our selves also did see in our younger age for he continued long and being very aged he most gloriously and nobly suffered Martyrdom And he of whom the Brethren gave this respect He was say they the most honourable man in our times an Apostolical and Prophetical Doctour and Bishop of the Catholick Church which is in Smyrna Polycrates Bishop of Ephesus and his Neighbour affirms that Polyâ—arpus was both Bishop and Martyr in Smyrna About the time of Polyâ—rates it was that Tertullian published his Book of Prescriptions against Hereticks where he avoucheth against them that as the church of Smyrna had Polycarpus placed there by Saint John and the Church of Rome had Clement ordained by Saint Peter so the rest of the Churches did shew what Bishops they had received by the appointment of the Apostles to traduce the Apostolical seed unto them And before him did Irenaeus urge against them the Succession of Bishops unto whom the Apostles committed the charge of the Church in every place and we are able to number those who were ordained Bishops for the Churches and their Successours unto our days â—For proof whereof Irenaeus brings in the Succession of the Bishops of Rome from Linus unto whom the Apostles committed that Episcopacy and Anacletus and Clement unto Eleutherius In the time of Eleutherius Bishop of Rome Lucius King of Brittains sent to him an Epistle desiring to be made a Christian who obtained it and that the Brittains kept the Faith then received sound and undefiled in quiet peace untill the times of Dioclesian the Emperour and that yet within ten years after and eleven before the Council of Nice three of our Brittish Bishops subâ—cribed unto the Council of Arles they were Eborius
confined to fit words So slight and easie is that Legerdemain which will serve to delude the Vulgar That further they should use such severitie as not to suffer without penaltie any to use the Common Prayer Book publickly although their Consciences binde them to it as a Dutie of Pietie to God and Obedience to the Laws Thus I see no men are prone to be greater Tyrants and more rigorous Exacters upon others to conform to their illegal Novelties than such whose pride was formerly least disposed to the obedience of lawful Constitutions and whose licentious humours most pretended conscientious Liberties which Freedom with much Regret they now allow to me and my Chaplains when they may have leave to â—â—rve me whose Abilities even in their extemporarie way comes not short of the others but their Modestie and Learning far exceeds the most of them But this matter is of so popular a nature as some men knew it would not bear learned and sober Debates lest being convinced by the Evidence of Reason as well as Laws they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledg by taking away the Liturgy or to displease some Faction of the people by continuing the use of it Though I believe they have offended more considerable men not onely for their Numbers and Estate but for their weightie and judicious Pietie than those are whose weakness or giddiness they sought to gratifie by taking it away One of the greatest Faults some men found with the Common Prayer Book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for me to which Petitions they had not Loyaltie enough to say Amen nor yet Charitie enough to forbear Reproaches and even Cursings of me in their own Forms in stead of praying for me I wish their Repentance may be their onely punishment that seeing the Mischiefs which the Disuse of publick Liturgies hath already produced they may restore that credit use and Reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Forms of sound and wholesome words But Praier upon all occasions must be ex tempore and to pick and chuse what Chapters or Psalms the Minister pleaseth but before and after Sermon to conclude with the Pâ—ter noster Novemb. 26. For Baptism it must be in the Church the manner referred to the use of French and other Reformed Churches beyond Seas And afterwards came in the Directorie for Mariages Visitation of the Sick and the whole compleated by the Commons Decemb. 23. But in respect of many dissenting Brethren of the Assemblie it was referred to a Committee before it should be born up to the Lords and onely three hundred of them printed to be distributed to the Members to seek God for his direction And at length complete Mr. Rous carries it up to the Lords Ianuarie 1. and so it was printed for the publick use of all people And the two Scribes of the Assemblie whose pains are considered therein and are to partake equally in the profits Ian. 4. And the same Day passed the Ordinance also for attainting the Arch-bishop of Canterburie of high Treason Thus much for Church-worship and now they consider of the Presbyterial way for Government of the Church and the dissenting Assemblers having printed their Reasons for each Member of the Commons a strict Order was That no man presume to reprint or to disperse any of those Reasons as they will answer it at their perils Certainly they were though dispersed and so satisfactory against the Presbyterial way which is the reason they were strictly inquired for and suppressed And on the sixth of Ianuarie the Commons House resolve That to have a Presbyterie in the Church is according to the Word of God And the same day provision is made for such of the Assemblie that have lost their Means to have better subsistence and so having never any or lost but little they were preferred to the best places in England and some to Pluralities But on they go to order the Train of Pastors Doctors Teachers Elders Deacons c. Officers of the Church And good God how this new manner wrought upon many The Prince Elector was come over and who but he must be ordered by Parliament to fit with the Assemblie and to have a print of the dissenting Reasons so that it was said not in earnest that he was sent Nuntio from the Palatinate to direct our Directorie And then what Debates Resolutions Votes Orders Ordinances about the use of Classes several Congregations under one Classis and that the Church should be governed by Congregational Classical Synodical Assemblyes which made such work among the weaker sort as that it was suspected those hard words would disturb the doctrinal part as it did We have heretofore observed how oft the King had sent to the Parliament for a Treaty of Peace and now being returned from the West and setled at Oxford they by a Committee of English and Scotish for now they are joyned in all publick affairs present him with their Deâ—ires and Propositions for a Peace agreed upon by mutual consent of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms united by Solemn League and Covenant Novemb. 23. 1. That by Act of Parliament in each Kingdom respectively all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations against both or either Houses of the Parliament of England and the late Convention of the Estates in Scotland and their proceedings c. be declared null 2. The King to swear and sign the late Solemn League and Covenant and the taking thereof by all the Subjects of the three Kingdoms 3. To pass the Bill for the utter abolishing of Bishops Root and Branches agreeing with the late Treatie at Edinburgh Novemb. 29. 1643. 4. To confirm the Ordinances for the setling of the Assemblie of Divines 5. That Reformation be setled by Act of Parliament as the Houses shall agree upon according to the Covenant c. 6. That Papists abjure and renounce the Pope Transubstantiation Purgatorie Images if not to be therefore convicted and severe Laws to be made against them 7. Their Children to be educated Protestants 8. To give his royal assent to several Acts and Bills to be passed as is named An Act in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively for confirmation of their Treaties viz. the large Treatie for coming in of the Scots and the setling of Barwick and for Ireland and all other proceedings between the two Kingdoms by Treaties An Act to avoid the Cessation of Ireland and to prosecute the War there by Orders of Parliament To establish the joint Declaration of both Kingdoms Dated Jan. 30. 1643. in England and 1644. in Scotland With these Qualifications viz. That the persons without pardon are these to be excepted Princes Rupert and Maurice the Earls of Bristol Derby Newcastle the Lords Cottington Pawlet Digby Littleton Arch-bishop of Canterbury Bishop of Ely Sir Robert Heath Bishop of Derry Sir William Widrington Colonel Goring and these Knights Hopton Dodington Ratcliff Langdale Hothams
take with the people besought the Marquesse to forbear avowing to protest against it This caution no doubt should not have wrought upon authority to decline the hazzard yet the Commissioner somewhat tainted with their heresie publiquely forbore supposing that the Declaration might avert the humour of the people unto better affections which he did not really intend But wasted time to their advantage Sending to the King to sweeten it with larger exemptions and graces to command the return of the Terms and Meetings again to Edinburgh almost depopulated into penury the best policy and to give him leave to return to the King with such emergent Instructions not otherwise to be committed to paper or Message To these he had Commission To amend the Declaration to recall the Terms and to commit the affairs publique to the secret Councel and after all to come to the King These were as they had contrived and being full of the conveniency for their better Assembling never care to stir from a good Town They resent this high favour with most humble thanks to the King in a Letter subscribed by these that you may know their Names hereafter Traquare Roxborough Marr Morton Winton Lithgow Wigton Kingorn Hadington Lauderdale Kinoul Southeck Lorne Naper Daliel Thay Iames Carmichel Thomas Hope Iohn Hamilton Iuly 2. 1638. Then their consciences thwarting with jealousies and fears they most boldly demand the remove out of the Session Spotswood the President and Hay the Master of the Rolls as affectors to Prelacy and abetters of Innovation So to punish them by this suspension and to convict them afterwards without processe or probation if not done they would protest against all Acts of Session either of them being present to be null but there they were denied And the Marquesse leaves them brangling in Session and posts to the King But so privately as it was a pitiful policy To have told them that the stock of his Instructions was spent and he must hie him home for to fetch a fresh supply No he needed not being returned ere they hardly missed him and so well he was observed here during that short stay as the more knowing Courtiers held him for a Knave But so cunningly was it carried that forsooth His Grace must be rumored to be well affected to the Covenant and was compelled to vindicate himself by the ayd of his compurgators some such as himself of the Councel and Nobility And now comes the time of their General Assembly and thereof they raise a suspition of freedom in the condition of their Members and of their Matter their to be handled But they would have the Assembly it self to be Iudge both of their ownâ—members and of their Matters To which the Marquesse declares his Instructions absolutely depending upon necessary concession of these Ten Articles 1. That all Ministers deposed or suspended by Presbyteries since the first of February last without warrant of the Ordinary should be restored till they were legally convicted 2. That all moderators of Presbyteries deposed since that time without such warrant be restored and all others chosen in their stead to desist from acting as Moderators 3. That no Minister admitted since that time without such warrant shall exercise the Function of the Ministery 4. That all Parishoners repair to their own Church and that Elders assist the Ministers in the Discipline of the Church 5. That all Bishops and Ministers have their rents and stipends duely paid them 6. That all Ministers attend their own Churches and none come to the Assembly but such as shall be chosen Commissioners from the Presbyteries 7. That every Moderator be appointed to be a Commissioner from that Presbytery whereof he is a Moderator according to the Act of the Assembly 1606. 8. That Bishops and others who shall attend the Assembly be secured in their persons from all trouble 9. That no Lay person meddle in the choise of Commissioners from Presbyteries 10. That all Convocations and meetings be dissolved and that the Countrey be reduced to a peaceable Posture But from these ten Articles they appeal to a General Assembly there to be properly discussed which so seemingly incensed him that he contracted those Propositions into these two 1. If the Lords and the rest will undertake for themselves and the rest that no Laicks shall have Vote in chusing the Ministers to be sent from the several Presbyteries to the General Assembly nor none else but the Ministers of the same Presbytery 2. If they will undertake that the Assembly shall not go about to determine of things established by Act of Parliament otherways than by remonstrance to the Parliament leaving the determining of things Ecclâ—siastical to the General Assembly and things settled by Acts of Parliament to the Parliament Then I will presently indict a General Assembly and promise upon mine Honour immediately after to call a Parliament These though so reasonable they in rage refused and resolve to be their own Carvers and to call a general Assembly themselves and much ado â—e had with them to forbear untill he should return from the King Their outcry against his weak Instructions not impowring him sufficiently and therefore to fetch them more ample they limit him the one and twentieth of September next and promise him to stay till that time What could be more obvious to observation This Commissioner having for his future ends treacherously insinuated into most of the Kings secret Council there as yet firm for his service by these degrees to connive with him to the increase of all the Covenanters insolent demands and then for him to fetch another freak to the King with tales and fears of the Scots Formalities wrought so as to confirm what they demanded and gave them time and opportunity to prepare for their following Rebellion He comes accordingly to the King and to his Counsellours at Oatlands who God knows knew little of the Scots affairs condescended to all that they had till then desired tracing the way for others hereafter to do so too In a word like a Council distracted left all the management without limitation to his ample Instructions framed as himself and English Covenanters could advise him Within his time limited he returns to Scotland but findes them more forward to order their own Election and to sit the two and twentieth of September the very next day after the former prefixt yet he assembles the Council and acquaints them with his intended course which no sooner discovered and to be wondrous satifactory to the People and to prevent the Declaration they procured that the Hubbub begin crying out in the Streets No Declaration flocking about the Market Cross with such Multitudes that for some days it was respited till the calm came indeed affording them time to consult their Protestation against it and then it was published thus Charls by the grace of God c. To free our Subjects of the least of our Intention to innovate any
is very memorative how hardly King James the sixth procured the Post-Nati of Scotland by which they are admitted to all dignities priviledges and offices in England must they have freeâ—dom here and must the English be debarred there o Tempora o Mores 4. How many of themselves at that instant had preferment to hereditable rites of Iudiciary and why must the King be now limited 5. The Chancellour of Scotland holds his precedency without any positive Law why not the Treasurer and Privy Seal the first branch of the Kings Crown is to distribute honours and precedencies as he please But the King having knowledge of these their Extravagancies sent to his Commissioner the Earl of Traquair to Prorogate the Parliament until the second of Iune and if they should presume to sit still then to discharge them upon pain of Treason But if they did yeeld obedience thereto his Majesty was graciously pleased to admit such persons to his presence as they should send to represent their desires and his Commissioner to repair to the King and to bring all the transactions of that Session Against this command they protest and stile it a Declaration of the Parliaments 18. December 1639. WHereas John Earl of Traquair his Majesties Commissioner having closed the Assembly and sitting in Parliament with them did now take upon him without their consent or offence to prorogate the Parliament upon a private warrant this being a new and unusual way without president in this Kingdom heretofore once being convened have continuation by the expresse consent of the Estates We therefore declare that any prorogation made by the Commissioners Grace without consent of Parliament shall be of no force and the actors to be censured in Parliament And knowing that Declarations have been published against us and our proceedings made odious to such 〈◊〉 do not consider that we are not private subjects but a sitting Parliament We therefore declare that whatsoever we might do lawfully in sitting still yet we have resolved for the present to make Remonstrance to his Majesty and some of each Estate to remain still at Edinburgh to attend his gracious Answer And if it shall happen that our malicious enemies do notwithstanding prevail against us we professe our selves free of the outrages and Insolencies that may be committed in the mean time we do our best to prevent confusion and misery And the Committee appointed to expect the Kings Answer were the Earls Lothian and Dalhouse the Lords Yester Balmerino Cranston and Naper for the Barons the Commissioners of the Lothians Fife and Twidale the Burroughs named the Commissioners of Edinburgh Lithgow Sterlin Hadington Dunbar to attend at Edinburgh the return of his Majesties Answer Their Deputies came to the King at White Hall the Earl of Dumfirmlin and the Lord Loudon but coming without warrant from the Kings Commissioner Traquair being a high contempt they were in disdain commanded home again without audience Then comes Traquair and privately consults a whole night with Hamilton and between them was framed a writing a represenration to the Councel of the most considerable matters proposed in that Parliament satisfactory enough to make the wound wider for however Traquair managed his Commission the end of the designe was to foment a war and to engage the King and for the Scots they were prepared And it is most true that a muttering there was in Court against Traquairs treachery for the Arch Bishop of St. Andrews the Bishops of Rosse and Brichen accused Traquair of High-Treason in the grosse miscarriage of his Commission in the General Assembly and Parliament and subscribed the charge the Scots law in such cases bearing poenam Talionis if they could not prove it A strange law against the secutity of Kings certainly treasonable in the making and no where else is practized but in Scotland But upon the whole matter related by Traquair the debate was whether considering the Insolency and height of their demands even in civil obedience it were not fit to reduce them to their duty Then the Question whether by the presence of the Kings Person and acting power of justice there But that was expresly opposed by arguments of policy and other reasons offered in writing with this title Shall the King go to Scotland I wish he may if with honour and safety he can but as the case stands and spirits are affected I see neither 1. THe treaty of peace is by them most falsly interpreted without any regard at all to His Majesties honour 2. The many and palpable violations of the Articles of peace are known to the King 3. It is evident what his Majesty expects at their hands for to let go all the disgraces offered to his Royal authority since the beginning of these troubles what one thing the King hath obtained of them in acknowledgement of so many favours upon their several petitions bestowed upon them 4. Their obstinate resolution to adhere in all points to their Assembly at Glasgow is undeniable witnesse their false and disgraceful glosse upon that Article of the treatie witnesse their oath of adherence to that Assembly since the peace witnesse their protestation against calling of Bishops and Arch Bishops to the Assembly witnesse the violence offered to the Clergy for not adhering to the Assembly even since the peace 5. So the Assembly now to be holden at Edinburgh shall have but one act for all and that shall be the ratification of the Assembly held at Glasgow 6. Now shall the King countenance such an Assembly the very constitution and first meeting whereof is most derogatory to the honour of his Crown while by a mutinous crew of Incendiarie Preachers and a conspiracy of Lay Elders the Prelates of the Church are by meer violence against all authority Law example or reason excluded abjured excommunicated 7. Shall the most Christian Defender of Faith countenance such a conspiracy against God his Church and himself where the most matchlesse Villany that ever was hatched shall be made piety Rebelions conscience and Treason reason all the Loyal and Orthodox Clergy banished most Ignorant and trayterous fire-brands put in their places the Supream power in Spiritual and Ecclesiastical causes violently pulled from the Crown and devolved in the hands of a mixt meeting of Ministers and Lay-men 8. It is high Treason in my minde to conceal from His Majesty that his Supremacy in Elections is in greater security for the Crown in the hands of any whosoever then in the power of such men whose pernitious maximes subjects the Crown to the pleasure of the people whom they have ever since their Reformation set on fire when they have been so pleased and stirred up to Rebellion by their seditious Sermons have countenanced all the commotions against authority in King Iames his reign and robbed the King of the hearts of his Subjects by most trayterous calumnies And now there is not one Presbytery free of Seditious Sermons even since the peace 9. Shall
a several Circuit and Diocess excepting York-shire which is to be divided into three 2. A constant Presbytery of twelve choice Divines to be selected in every Shire or Diocess 3. A constant President to be established as a Bishop over this Presbytery 4 And he to ordain suspend deprive degrade Excommunicate by and with the assistance of several divines of this Presbytery and that four times of the year He to reside within his Diocess in some one prime place To have one special particular Congregation and the richest in value and there to preach Never to be translated to any other Bishoprick And after his death the King to grant a Conge d' elire to the Clergy of that Diocess they to present them Presbyters out of which the King to elect one the first Presbyter of every shire to be named by the Parliament and upon his avoidance the remaining Presbyters to chuse another out of the Parish Ministers No Bishop or Clergy-man to exercise any temporal office Once a year to summon a Diocesan Synod to regulate the scandal in life and doctrine among the Clergy-men Every third year a National Synod of all the Bishops in the Land with two Presbyters and two Clerks of every Diocess to be chosen This Synod to ordain Canons of Government of the Church but not to be binding till confirmed by Parliament c. A man would have Imagined that all this a doe would have produced something like an Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction but the House of Commons were puzzeled as much more to devise a presbyterial Discipline for the Church Government and being thus at large and in high distraction The Arch Bishop of Armagh to put them in a way of accommodation considering the general consent for matters of doctrine he composed some heads for conjunction in point of Discipline that so Episcopal and Presbyterial Government might not be by circumstances at a far distance Reducing Episcopacy unto the form of Synodical Government in the Antient Church Which he offered as an expedient hereupon for the prevention of future troubles in likelyhood henceforth to arise about Church Government Not improper to be mentioned now paralel to these times when we have none at all BY order of the Church of England saies the Arch Bishop all Presbyters are charged to administer the Doctrine and Sacraments and the Discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded and as this Realm hath received the same And that they might the better understand what the Lord had commanded therein the exhortation of St. Paul to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus is appointed to be read unto them at the time of their Ordination Take heed unto your selves and to all the flock among whom the Holy-Ghost hath made you overseers to Rule the Congregation of God which he hath purchased with his Bloud Of the many Elders who in common thus ruled the Church of Ephesus there was one President whom our Saviour in his Epistle unto this Church in a peculiar manner styleth c the Angel of the Church of Ephesus and Ignatâ—us in another Epistle wriâ—ten about twelve years after unto the same Church calleth the Bishop thereof Betwixt the Bishop and the Presbytery of that Church what an harmonious consent there was iâ— the ordering of the Church Government the same Ignatius doth fully there declare by the Presbytery with St. Paul understanding the community of the rest of the Presbyters or Elders who then had a hand not only in the delivery of the Doctrine and Sacraments but also in the Administration of the Discipline of Christ for further proof of which we have that known testimony of Tertullian in his general Apology for Christians In the Church are used exhortations chastisements and divine censure for Judgement is given with great advice as among those who are certain they are in the sight of God and it is the chiefest foreshewing of the Judgement which is to come if any man have so offended that he be banished from the Communion of Prayer and of the Assembly and of all holy fellowship The Presidents that bear rule therein are certain approved Elders who have obtained this honour not by reward but by good report who were no other as he himself intimates elsewhere but those from whose hand they used to receive the Sacrament of the Eucharist For with the B. who was the chief President and therefore styled by the same Tertullian in another place Summus Sacerdos for distinction sake the rest of the dispensers of the word and Sacraments joyned in the common government of the Church and therefore where in matters of Ecclesi astical Iudicature Cornelius Bishop of Rome used the received form of gathering together the Presbytery of what persons that did consist Cyprian sufficiently declareth when he wisheth him to read his Letters to the flourishing Clergy which there did preside or rule with him The presence of the Clergy being thought to be so requisite in matters of Episcopal audiencâ— that in the fourth Councel of Carthage it was concluded That the Bishop might hear no mans cause without the presence of the Clergy and that otherwise the Bishops sentence should be void unless it were confirmed by the presence of the Clergy which we finde also to be inserted into the Canons of Egbert who was Arch-bishop of York in the Saxon times and afterwards into the body of the Canon Law it self True it is that in our Church this kinde of Presbyterial Government hath been long dis-used yet seeing it still professeth that every Pastor hath a right to rule the Church from whence the name of Rector also was given at first unto him and to administer the Discipline of Christ as well as to dispence the Doctrine and Sacraments and the restraint of the exercise of that right proceedeth only from the custome now received in this Realm no man can doubt but by another Law of the Land this hindrance may be well removed And how easily this ancient form of government by the united suffrages of the Clergy might be revived again and with what little shew of alteration the Synodical conventions of the Pastors of every Parish might be accorded with the Presidency of the Bishops of each Diocess and Province the indifferent Reader may quickly perceive by the perusal of the ensuing Propositions 1. In every Parish the Rector or Incumbent Pastor together with the Churchwardens and Sidesmen may every week take notice of such as live scandalously in that Congregation who are to receive such several admonitions and reproofs as the quality of their offence shall deserve And if by this means they cannot be reclaimed they may be presented to the next monethly Synod and in the mean time debarred by the Pastor from access unto the Lords Table 2. Whereas by a Statute in the 26 year of Henry 8. revived 1 Eliz. Suffragans are appointed to be erected in 26 several places of this
obvious to every body why it is fit for me to be attended by some of my Chaplains whose opinions as Clergie-men I esteem and reverence not only for the exercising of my Conscience but also for clearing of my judgment concerning the present difference in Religion as I have at full declared to Mr. Marshal and his fellow Minister Having shewed them that it is the best and likelyest means of giving me satisfaction which without it I cannot have in these times whereby the distractions of this Church may be the better setled Wherefore I desire that at least two of these Reverend Divines whose Names I have here set down may have the liberty to wait upon me for the discharging of their Duty to me according to their function Charles Rex Holmby 17. Feb. 1656. Bish. London Bish. Salisbury Bish. Peterborough Dr. Sheldon Clerk of my Closet Dr. Marsh Dean of Yorke Dr. Sanderson Dr. Baily Dr. Haywood Dr. Beal Dr. Fuller Dr. Hamond Dr. Tayler For the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore c. The Guardians Commissioners had two of their own Ministers Mr. Marshal and Mr. Caryl who undertok the King but so lamely as that they may be said to halt after Henderson And truly the King rather pittying then despising them and would never be perswaded to hear their preachings nor overswayed with their Councel The Guardians had kept a bounteous house it seems and were soundly chidden by the Parliaments Letters for spending the States Revenue so fast and therefore for want of better work they are very busie to new Model his Majesties litle Family into lesse and by degrees to none at all His hard condition to be minced meat and drink out of his own We may not omit the Remembrance of that worthy learned Lawyer Mr. Serjeant Glanvile mightily persecuted for malignancy of being of the Kings party Imprisoned in several durances and lastly of long time committed to the Tower two years without any charge at all against him he is now released upon Bail and this justice was done to him by the favour of the Lords House to which the Commons had been alwayes and now was dissenting We may observe that he had been hardly used heretofore in the beginning of this Kings Reign for not consenting to some passages of State and then sent to Sea which he humbly endured with patience and Loyalty And now also his Conscience bearing witnesse he suffers for his Sovereigns sake faithful to his principles The King having no Answer concerning his Chaplains writes again for them to come and comfort him It being now seventeen daies since I wrote to you from hence and not yet receiving any Answer I cannot but now again renew the same And indeed concerning any thing but the necessary duty of a Christian I would not thus at this time trouble you But my being attended with some of my Chaplains whom I esteem and reverence is so necessary for me even considering my present condition whether in relation to my conscience or a happy settlement of the distractions in Religion that I will slight divers kindes of censures rather than not to obtain my demand nor shall I wrong you as in this to doubt the obtaining of my wish it being totally grounded upon Reason For desiring you to consider not thinking it needful to mention the divers reasons which no Christian can be ignorant of for point of Conscience I must assure you I cannot as I ought take in consideration those alterations in Religion which have and will be offered unto me without such help as I desire because I can never judg rightly of or be altered in any thing of my opinion so long as any ordinary way of finding out the truth is denied me but when this is granted I promise you faithfully not to strive for victory in Argument but to seek and submit to truth according to that judgment which God hath given me alwaies holding it my best and greatest conquest to give contentment to my two Houses of Parliament in all things which I conceive not to be against my conscience or honour not doubting likewise but that you will be ready to satisfie me in reasonable things as I hope to finde in this particular concerning the attendance of my Chaplains upon me Charles Rex Holmby 6. March For the the Speaker of the House of Peers pro tempore To which the Parliament give Answer That all those the Kings Chaplaines are disaffected to the Established Government of the Church and have not taken the Covenant but for others that have if his Majesty please they shall be sent to him This troubled the King to be denied such as every Christian hath liberty to choose their Ghostly Fathers Spiritual Comforters This makes him complain When Providence was pleased to deprive me saies the King of all other civil comforts and secular Attendance I thought the absence of them all might best be supplied by the attendance of some of my Chaplains whom for their Function I reverence and for their Fidelity I have cause to love By their Learning Piety and Praiers I hoped to be either better enabled to sustain the want of all other enjoyments or better fitted for the recovery and use of them in Gods good time so reaping by their pious help a spiritual harvest of Grace amidst the thorns and after the plowings of temporal crosses The truth is I never needed or desired more the service and assistance of men judiciously-pious and soberly-devout The solitude they have confined me unto adds the Wilderness to my temptations for the company they obtrude upon me is more sad then any solitude can be If I had asked my Revenues my power of the Militia or any one of my Kingdoms it had been no wonder to have been denied in those things where the evil policie of men forbids all just restitution lest they should confesse an injurious usurpation But to deny me the Ghostly comfort of my Chaplains seems a greater rigor and barbaritie then is ever used by Christians to the meanest Prisoners and greatest Malefactors whom though the justice of the Law deprives of worldly comforts yet the mercy of Religion allows them the benefit of their Clergie as not aiming at once to destroy their Bodies and to damn their Souls But my Agony must not be releived with the presence of any one good Angel for such I account a Learned Godly and Discreet Divine and such I would have all mine to be They that envy my being a King are loth I should be a Christâ—an while they seek to deprive me of all things else they are afraid I should save my Soule Other sense Charitie it self can hardly pick out of those many harsh Repulses I received as to that Request so often made for the attendance of some of my Chaplains I have somtime thought the Unchristiannesse of those denials might arise from a displeasure some men had to see me prefer my own Divines