my humble Opinion would be that they should draw the Minds Tongues and Pens of the Learned to dispute about other matter than the Power or Prerogative of Kings and Princes and in this kind Your Majesty hath suffered and lost more than will easily be restored to Your self or Your Posterity for a long time It is not denied but the prime Reforming power is in Kings and Princes quibus deficientibus it comes to the inferior Magistrate quibus deficientibus it descendeth to the Body of the People supposing that there is a necessity of Reformation and that by no means it can be obtained of their Superiors It is true that such a Reformation is more imperfect in respect of the Instruments and manner of Procedure yet for the most part more pure and perfect in relation to the effect and product And for this end did I cite the Examples of old of Reformation by Regal Authority of which none was perfect in the second way of perfection except that of Josiah Concerning the saying of Grosthed whom the Cardinals at Rome confest to be a more Godly man than any of themselves it was his Complaint and Prediction of what was likely to ensue not his desire or election if Reformation could have been obtained in the ordinary way I might bring two unpartial Witnesses Juel and Bilson both famous English Bishops to prove that the Tumults and Troubles raised in Scotland at the time of Reformation were to be imputed to the Papists opposing of the Reformation both of Doctrine and Discipline as an Heretical Innovation and not to be ascribed to the Nobility or People who under God were the Instruments of it intending and seeking nothing but the purging out of Errour and setling of the Truth 2. Concerning the Reformation of the Church of England I conceive whether it was begun or not in K. Henry the Eighth's time it was not finished by Q. Elizabeth the Father stirred the Humors of the diseased Church but neither the Son nor the Daughter although we have great reason to bless God for both did purge them out perfectly This Perfection is yet reserved for Your Majesty Where it is said that all this time I bring no Reasons for a further Change the fourth Section of my last Paper hath many hints of Reasons against Episcopal Government with an offer of more or clearing of those which Your Majesty hath not thought fit to take notice of And Learned men have observed many Defects in that Reformation As That the Government of the Church of England for about this is the Question now is not builded upon the foundation of Christ and the Apostles which they at least cannot deny who profess Church-Government to be mutable and ambulatory and such were the greater part of Archbishops and Bishops in England contenting themselves with the Constitutions of the Church and the authority and munificence of Princes till of late that some few have pleaded it to be Jure Divino That the English Reformation hath not perfectly purged out the Roman Leaven which is one of the reasons that have given ground to the comparing of this Church to the Church of Laodicea as being neither hot nor cold neither Popish nor Reformed but of a lukewarm temper betwixt the two That it hath depraved the Discipline of the Church by conforming of it to the Civil Policy That it hath added many Church-Offices higher and lower unto those instituted by the Son of God which is as unlawful as to take away Offices warranted by the Divine Institution and other the like which have moved some to apply this saying to the Church of England Multi ad perfectionem pervenirent nisi jam se pervenisse crederent 4. In my Answer to the first of Your Majesty 's many Arguments I brought a Breviate of some Reasons to prove that a Bishop and Presbyter are one and the same in Scripture from which by necessary Consequence I did infer the negative Therefore no difference in Scripture between a Bishop and a Presbyter the one name signifying Industriam Curiae Pastoralis the other Sapientiae Maturitatem saith Beda And whereas Your Majesty averrs the Presbyterian Government was never practised before Calvin's time Your Majesty knows the common Objection of the Papists against the Reformed Churches Where was your Church your Reformation your Doctrine before Luther's time One part of the common Answer is that it was from the beginning and is to be found in Scripture The same I affirm of Presbyterian Government And for the proving of this the Assembly of Divines at Westminster have made manifest that the Primitive Christian Church at Jerusalem was governed by a Presbytery while they shew 1. That the Church of Jerusalem consisted of more Congregations than one from the multitude of Believers from the many Apostles and other Preachers in that Church and from the diversity of Languages among the Believers 2. That all these Congregations were under one Presbyterial Government because they were for Government one Church Acts 11. 22 26. and because that Church was governed by Elders Acts 11. 30. which were Elders of that Church and did meet together for acts of Government And the Apostles themselves in that meeting Acts 15. acted not as Apostles but as Elders stating the Question debating it in the ordinary way of disputation and having by search of Scripture found the will of God they conclude It seemed good to the Holy Ghost and us which in the judgment of the learned may be spoken by any Assembly upon like evidence of Scripture The like Presbyterian Government had place in the Churches of Corinth Ephesus Thessalonica c. in the times of the Apostles and after them for many years when one of the Presbytery was made Episcopus Praeses even then Communi Presbyterorum Consilio Ecclesiae gubernabantur saith Jerome and Episcopos magis consuetudine quam Dispositionis Divinae veritate Presbyteris esse majores in commune debere Ecclesiam regere 5. Far be it from me to think such a thought as that Your Majesty did intend any Fallacy in Your other main Argument from Antiquity As we are to distinguish between Intentio operantis and Conditio operis so may we in this case consider the difference between Intentio Argumentantis and Conditio Argumenti And where Your Majesty argues That if Your opinion be not admitted we will be forced to give place to the Interpretation of private spirits which is contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle Peter and will prove to be of dangerous consequence I humbly offer to be considered by Your Majesty what some of chief note among the Papists themselves have taught us That the Interpretation of Scriptures and the Spirits whence they proceed may be called private in a threefold sense 1. Ratione Personae if the Interpreter be of a private condition 2. Ratione Modi Medii when Persons although not private use not the publick means which are necessary for finding out the
as well as say it else you say little But that the conforming of the Church Discipline to the Civil Policy should be a depraving of it I absolutely deny for I aver that without it the Church can neither flourish nor be happy And for your last instance you shall do well to shew the prohibition of our Saviour against addition of more Officers in the Church than he named and yet in one sense I do not conceive that the Church of England hath added any for an Archbishop is only a distinction for Order of Government not a new Officer and so of the rest and of this kind I believe there are divers now in Scotland which you will not condemn as the Moderators of Assemblies and others 4. Where you find a Bishop and Presbyter in Scripture to be one and the same which I deny to be alwaies so it is in the Apostles time now I think to prove the Order of Bishops succeeded that of the Apostles and that the name was chiefly altered in reverence to those who were immediately chosen by our Saviour albeit in their time they caused divers to be called so as Barnabas and others so that I believe this Argument makes little for you As for your proof of the antiquity of Presbyterian Government it is well that the Assembly of Divines at Westminster can do more than Eusebius could and I shall believe when I see it for your former Paper affirms that those times were very dark for matter of fact and will be so still for Me if there be no clearer Arguments to prove it than those you mention for because there were divers Congregations in Jerusalem Ergo what are there not divers Parishes in one Diocess your two first I answer but as one Argument and because the Apostles met with those of the inferiour Orders for Acts of Government what then even so in these times do the Deans and Chapters and many times those of the inferiour Clergy assist the Bishops But I hope you will not pretend to say that there was an equality between the Apostles and other Presbyters which not being doth in My judgment quite invalidate these Arguments And if you can say no more for the Churches of Corinth Ephesus Thessalonica c. than you have for Jerusalem it will gain no ground on Me. As for Saint Jerome it is well known that he was no great Friend to Bishops as being none himself yet take him altogether and you will find that he makes a clear distinction between a Bishop and a Presbyter as your self confesses but the truth is he was angry with those who maintained Deacons to be equal to Presbyters 5. I am well satisfied with the explanation of your meaning concerning the word Fallacy though I think to have had reason for saying what I did but by your favour I do not conceive that you have answered the strength of my Argument for when you and I differ upon the interpretation of Scripture and I appeal to the practice of the Primitive Church and the universal consent of the Fathers to be Judge between us Methinks you should either find a fitter or submit to what I offer neither of which to My understanding you have yet done nor have you shewn how waving those Judges I appeal unto the mischief of the interpretation by private Spirits can be prevented Indeed if I cannot prove by Antiquity that Ordination and Jurisdiction belong to Bishops thereby clearly distinguishing them from other Presbyters I shall then begin to misdoubt many of my former Foundations as for Bishop Davenant he is none of those to whom I have appealed or will submit unto But for the exception you take to Fathers I take it to be a begging of the Question as likewise those great discoveries of secrets not known to former Ages I shall call new-invented fancies until particularly you shall prove the contrary and for your Roman Authors it is no great wonder for them to seek shifts whereby to maintain Novelties as well as the Puritans As for Church-ambition it doth not at all terminate in seeking to be Pope for I take it to be no point of humility to indeavour to be independent of Kings it being possible that Papacy in a multitude may be as dangerous as in one 6. As I am no Judge over the Reformed Churches so neither do I censure them for many things may be avowable upon necessity which otherwayes are unlawful but know once for all that I esteem nothing the better because it is done by such a particular Church though it were by the Church of England which I avow most to reverence but I esteem that Church most which comes nearest to the purity of the Primitive Doctrine and Discipline as I believe this doth Now concerning Ordination I bad you prove that Presbyters without a Bishop might lawfully ordain which yet I conceive you have not done for 2 Tim. 1. 6. it is evident that Saint Paul was at Timothie's ordination and albeit that all the Seventy had their power immediately from Christ yet it is as evident that our Saviour made a clear distinction between the twelve Apostles and the rest of the Disciples which is set down by three of the Evangelists whereof Saint Mark calls it an Ordination Mark 3. 15. and Saint Luke sayes And of them he chose Twelve c. Luk. 6. 13. only Saint Matthew doth but barely enumerate them by their name of distinction Mat. 10. 1. I suppose out of modesty himself being one and the other two being none are more particular For the Administration of Baptism giving but not granting what you say it makes more for Me than you but I will not engage upon new Questions not necessary for My purpose 7. For my Oath you do well not to enter upon those Questions you mention and you had done as well to have omitted your instance but out of discretion I desire you to collect your Answer out of the last Section and for your Argument though the intention of my Oath be for the good of the Church collective therefore can I be dispensed withal by others than the representative Body certainly no more than the People can dispense with Me for any Oaths I took in their favours without the two Houses of Parliament As for future Reformations I will only tell you that incommodum non solvit Argumentum 8. For the King my Father's opinion if it were not to spend time as I believe needlesly I could prove by living and written testimonies all and more than I have said of Him for His perswasion in these points which I now maintain and for your defensive War as I do acknowledge it a great sin for any King to oppress the Church so I hold it absolutely unlawful for Subjects upon any pretence whatsoever to make War though defensive against their lawful Sovereign against which no less proofs will make Me yield but God's Word and let Me tell you that upon such points
of the Archbishop Abbot who was then with the Prince and the Duke and other of the Nobility waiting in the Privy Chamber for the King 's coming out on his Brother's head adding That if He continued a good Boy and followed His Book he would make him one Day Archbishop of Canterbury Which the Child took in such disdain that He threw the Cap on the Ground and trampled it under His Feet with so much eagerness that he could hardly be restrained Which Passion was afterward taken by some over-curious as a presage of the ruine of Episcopacy by His Power But the event shewed it was not ominous to the Order but to the Person of the Archbishop whom in his Reign he suspended from the Administration of his Office An. 1611 In his eleventh Year he was made Knight of the Garter An. 1612 and in the twelfth Prince Henry dying Novemb. 6. He succeeded him in the Dukedome of Cornwal and the Regalities thereof and attended his Funeral as Chief Mourner on Decemb. 7. On the 14th of Feb. following He performed the Office of Brideman to the Princess Elizabeth his Sister who on that Day was Married to Frederick V. Prince Elector Palatine the Gayeties of which Day were afterwards attended with many fatal Cares and Expences His Childhood was blemished with a supposed Obstinacy for the weakness of his Body inclining him to retirements and the imperfection of His Speech rendring Discourse tedious and unpleasant He was suspected to be somewhat perverse But more age and strength fitting Him for Manlike Exercises and the Publick Hopes inviting Him from his Privacies He delivered the World of such Fears for applying Himself to Action he grew so perfect in Vaulting riding the great Horse running at the Ring shooting in Cross-bows Muskets and sometimes in great Pieces of Ordnance that if Principality had been to be the Reward of Excellency in those Arts He would have had a Title to the Crown this way also being thought the best Marks-man and most graceful Manager of the great Horse in the three Kingdoms His tenacious humour He left with his Retirements none being more desirous of good Counsel nor any more Obsequious when he found it yea too distrustful of his own Judgment which the issue of things proved always best when it was followed When he was sixteen Years old An. 1616 on Nov. 3. He was created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint the Revenues thereof being assigned to maintain his Court which was then formed for Him And being thus advanced in Years and State it was expected that He should no longer retain the Modesty which the Shades of his Privacy had accustomed Him unto but now appear as the immediate Instrument of Empire and that by Him the Favours and Honours of the Court should be derived to others But though Providence had changed all about yet it had changed nothing within Him and He thought it Glory enough to be great without the diminution of others for He still permitted the Ministry of State to His Father's Favourites which gave occasion of Discourse to the Speculativi Some thought He did it to avoid the Jealousies of the Old King which were conceived to have been somewhat raised by the popularity of Prince Henry whose breast was full of forward Hopes For Young Princes are deemed of an impatient Ambition and Old ones to be too nice and tender of their Power in which though they are contented with a Successor as they must have yet are afraid of a Partner And it was supposed that therefore King James had raised Car and Buckingham like Comets to dim the lustre of these rising Stars But these were mistaken in the nature of that King who was enclined to contract a private friendship and was prodigal to the Objects of it before ever he had Sons to divert his Love or raise his Fears Some that at a distance looked upon the Prince's actions ascribed them to a Narrowness of Mind and an Incapacity of Greatness while others better acquainted with the frame of his Spirit knew His prudent Modesty enclined Him to learn the Methods of Commanding by the practice of Obedience and that being of a peaceful Soul He affected not to embroil the Court and from thence the Kingdom in Factions the effects of impotent minds which He knew were dangerous to a State and destructive to that Prince who gives Birth unto them that therefore He chose to wait for a certain though delayed Grandeur rather then by the Compendious way of Contrasts get a precocious Power and leave too pregnant an Example of Ruine Others conceived it the Prudence of the Father with which the Son complyed who knew the true use of Favourites was to make them the objects of the People's impatience the sinks to receive the Curses and Anger of the Vulgar the Hatred of the Querulous and the Envy of unsatisfied Ambition which he would rather have fall upon Servants that His Son might ascend the Throne free and unburthened with the discontents of any This was the rather believed because He could dispence Honours where and when He pleased as He did to some of His own Houshold as Sir Robert Cary was made Lord Cary of Lepington Sir Thomas Howard Viscount Andover and Sir John Vaughan Lord of Molingar in Ireland The Evenness of His Spirit was discovered in the loss of His Mother An. 1618 whose Death presaged as some thought by that notorious Comet which appeared Nov. 18. before happened on March 2. Anno 1618. which He bewailed with a just measure of Grief without any affected Sorrows though she was most affectionate to Him above all her other Children and at her Funeral he would be chief Mourner The Death of the Queen was not long after followed with a sharp Sickness of the King wherein his Life seeming in danger the consequences of his Death began to be lamented Dr Andrews then Bishop of Ely bewailed the sad Condition of the Church if God should at that time determine the days of the King The Prince being then only conversant with Scotch men which made up the greatest part of his Family and were ill-affected to the Government and Worship of the Church of England Of this the King became so sensible that he made a Vow If God should please to restore his Health he would so instruct the Prince in the Controversies of Religion as should secure His affections to the present Establishment Which he did with so much success as he assured the Chaplains who were to wait on the Prince in Spain that He was able to moderate in any emergent Disputations which yet he charged them to decline if possible At which they smiling he earnestly added That CHARLES should manage a Point in Controversy with the best-studied Divine of them all In His 19th Year An. 1619 on March 24. which was the Anniversary of King James's coming to the Crown of England He performed a Justing at White-hall together with several of
or the not few years that I have been setled in my Principles it ought to be no strange thing if it be found no easie work to make Me alter them and the rather that hitherto I have according to Saint Paul's rule Rom. 14. 22. been happy in Not condemning my self in that thing which I allow Thus having shewed you How it remains to tell you what I believe in relation to these miserable Distractions No one thing made Me more reverence the Reformation of My Mother the Church of England than that it was done according to the Apostles defence Acts 24. 18. neither with multitude nor with tumult but legally and orderly and by those whom I conceive to have the Reforming power which with many other inducements made Me alwaies confident that the work was very perfect as to Essentials of which number Church-Government being undoubtedly one I put no question but that would have been likewise altered if there had been cause Which opinion of Mine was soon turned into more than a confidence when I perceived that in this particular as I must say of all the rest we retained nothing but according as it was deduced from the Apostles to be the constant universal custom of the Primitive Church and that it was of such consequence as by the alteration of it we should deprive our selves of a lawful Priesthood and then how the Sacraments can be duly administred is easie to judge These are the principal Reasons which make Me believe that Bishops are necessary for a Church and I think sufficient for Me if I had no more not to give my consent for their expulsion out of England But I have another obligation that to My particular is a no less tie of Conscience which is my Coronation Oath Now if as S. Paul saith Rom. 14. 23. He that doubeth is damned if he eat what can I expect if I should not only give way knowingly to my Peoples sinning but likewise be perjured My self Now consider ought I not to keep My self from presumptuous sins and you know who saies What doth it profit a Man though he should gain the whole World and lose his own Soul Wherefore my constant maintenance of Episcopacy in England where there was never any other Government since Christianity was in this Kingdom methinks should be rather commended than wondred at my Conscience directing Me to maintain the Laws of the Land which being only my endeavours at this time I desire to know of you what warrant there is in the Word of God for Subjects to endeavour to force their King's Conscience or to make him alter Laws against his will If this be not My present case I shall be glad to be mistaken or if my Judgment in Religion hath been misled all this time I shall be willing to be better directed till when you must excuse Me to be constant to the Grounds which the King my Father hath taught Me. Newcastle May 29. 1646. C. R. II. Mr Alexander Henderson's First Paper For His MAJESTY SIR IT is Your Majestie 's Royal Goodness and not my merit that hath made Your Majesty to conceive any opinion of my Abilities which were they worthy of the smallest testimony from Your Majesty ought in all duty to be improved for Your Majestie 's satisfaction And this I intended in my coming here at this time by a free yet modest expression of the true motives and inducements which drew my mind to the dislike of Episcopal Government wherein I was bred in my younger years in the University Like as I did apprehend that it was not Your Majestie 's purpose to have the Question disputed by Divines on both sides which I would never to the wronging of the Cause have undertaken alone and which seldom or never hath proved an effectual way for finding of Truth or moving the minds of Men to relinquish their former Tenents Dum res transit à judicio in affectum witness the Polemicks between the Papists and us and among our selves about the matter now in hand these many years past 1. SIR when I consider Your Majestie 's Education under the hand of such a Father the length of time wherein Your Majesty hath been setled in Your Principles of Church-Government the Arguments which have continually in private and publick especially of late at Oxford filled Your Majestie 's ears for the Divine Right thereof Your Coronation Oath and divers State reasons which Your Majesty doth not mention I do not wonder nor think it any strange thing that Your Majesty hath not at first given place to a contrary impression I remember that the famous Joannes Picus Mirandula proveth by irrefragable Reasons which no rational man will contradict That no man hath so much power over his own Vnderstanding as to make himself believe what he will or to think that to be true which his Reason telleth him is false much less is it possible for any Man to have his Reason commanded by the will or at the pleasure of another 2. It is a true saying of the School-men Voluntas imperat intellectui quoad exercitium non quoad specificationem Mine own will or the will of another may command me to think upon a matter but no will or command can constrain me to determine otherwise than my Reason teacheth me Yet Sir I hope Your Majesty will acknowledge for Your Paper professeth no less that according to the saying of Ambrose Non est pudor ad meliora transire It is neither sin nor shame to change to the better Symmachus in one of his Epistles I think to the Emperours Theodosius and Valentinian alledgeth all those motives from Education from Prescription of time from worldly Prosperity and the flourishing condition of the Roman Empire and from the Laws of the Land to perswade them to constancy in the ancient Pagan profession of the Romans against the imbracing of the Christian Faith The like reasons were used by the Jews for Moses against Christ and may be used both for Popery and for the Papacy it self against the Reformation of Religion and Church-Government and therefore can have no more strength against the Change now than they had in former times 3. But Your Majesty may perhaps say That this is petitio principii and nothing else but the begging of the Question and I confess it were so if there can be no Reasons brought for a Reformation or Change Your Majesty reverences the Reformation of the Church of England as being done legally and orderly and by those who had the Reforming Power and I do not deny but it were to be wish'd that Religion where there is need were alwaies Reformed in that manner and by such power and that it were not committed to the Prelates who have greatest need to be reformed themselves nor left to the multitude whom God stirreth up when Princes are negligent Thus did Jacob reform his own Family Moses destroyed the golden Calf the good Kings of Judah reformed the Church
Parliament being resolved that it should not be Our fault if all those particulars were not speedily provided for which seemed then to be the grounds of their desire Let all the World now judge what greater Obligations of Justice Favour Affection and Trust can a Prince lay upon His Subjects than We did upon both Our Houses of Parliament by these Acts and whether We did not in Our free Grace and Favour grant much more than had been asked of Us by that Petition presented to Us by some Lords at York in which was then thought to be contracted all that was grievous to Our People and all that was just and gracious for Us to do for them And in all the time in which these Acts were framing and passing though Our own personal Wants were notoriously known and unkindly unprovided for and themselves had asked leave to look into and settle Our Revenue which We consented to and therefore We might have expected some fruit of that pretended Care We never pressed them or made the least overture to them for Our own supply only desired them and 't was almost the only thing We did desire of them that they would use all possible expedition in the business of the Treaty that the two Armies might be speedily disbanded and Our Subjects eased of that heavy burthen which in time would grow insupportable and waste the whole stock of the Kingdom But We found the Faction We feared in the beginning grew still stronger and nothing converted or reconciled by all those Acts of Ours which would have made any Nation happy That whilst We were busie in providing for the publick they were contriving particular Advantages of Offices and Places for themselves made use under-hand of the former Grievances of the Subject in things concerning Religion and Law to change the Religion and Law of this Kingdom labouring that neither any thing the Subject had suffered from the Crown might be forgotten nor any satisfaction from the Crown to the Subject might be remembred And therefore in stead of acknowledging Our great Justice and singular Favour in passing those Acts they infused into Our People that We passed them unwillingly whereas We never made the least pause upon any of them but one that for the High-Commission Court and whether that was penned with that wariness and animadversion that there be not more determined by it than the major part of both Houses intended at the passing of it let themselves judge and that We meant not to observe them and grew so much confounded with the full measure of Our Favour that they would allow themselves no security of enjoying what We had freely given but by taking away any power from Us of giving more they must have a through alteration both in Church and State or else they should never enjoy the benefit of the Reformation We had willingly made Hereupon they oppose the disbanding of the Armies and give all delays to the Scots Treaty though the Commissioners for that Nation very earnestly pressed the hastning of it and in plain English declare That they cannot yet spare them that the sons of Zerviah were too strong for them And finding more haste to be made in the asserting the Civil Interests than they desired having a design to ingage this Kingdom into so vast a Debt that there might be no way of paying it but by the Lands of the Church and lest Our good Subjects might be too soon satisfied they hastned on to their design upon the Church which they at first disguised with a purpose only of removing the Bishops from their Votes in the Lords House This Bill passed the House of Commons in the House of Peers it endured several long free debates and in the end upon great and solemn deliberation was by the consent of very much the major part of that House absolutely rejected This was no sooner done but that Faction glad of the miscarriage of their former Bill the passing whereof they knew would have satisfied many of those whom they hoped now further to seduce produced a Bill to be tendred in the House of Commons for the abolition of Bishops out of the Church of England Root and Branch according to their first resolution as Mr. Pym told a Member of the Lords House by way of reproof That it was not enough to be against the Persons of the Bishops if he were not against the Function and for extirpation of all Deans and Chapters and reducing that admirable Frame of Government and support of Learning into a Chaos of Confusion that out of it they might mold an Vtopia no six of them had nor We believe yet have agreed on further than to destroy the present and out of the goodly Revenue which the pious Bounty and Devotion of former Ages had been so long in raising for the encouragement and advancement of Learning and Religion and which God hath blessed with so many eminent Men whose Learning and Lives have advanced the Doctrine of the Protestant Religion and many of them given their Bodies to the Fire as a Sacrifice to that Truth and Religion to erect Stipends to their own Clergy and to raise estates to repair their own broken fortunes And for the free passing of this Bill which to this hour they could never tell what to make of two Armies must be kept in the bowels of the Kingdom at 80000 pound a Month charge to the Commonwealth For about this Bill the House of Commons was so wholly taken up that in ten weeks none or very little other business could be thought of About this time or a little before after several Intimations of Treasons Plots and Conspiracies by the Papists of great Provisions of Arms by them and training Men under ground and many other false reports created spread and countenanced by themselves upon some general apprehensions of Designs against them a Protestation is made in the House of Commons for some union and consent amongst themselves to perform those Duties which if they had meant no more than they expressed had been sufficiently provided for by the Oaths they had already taken and what their former Duties obliged them to Hereupon a Protestation is framed and being put into such words as no honest Man could believe himself obliged by it to any unlawful Action was voluntarily taken by all the Members of the House of Commons and presently recommended to the House of Lords where it received the same countenance that is was looked upon as containing nothing in it self unlawful though some Members of that House refused to take it being voluntary and not imposed by any Lawful Authority Then 't is recommended to the City of London and over all the Kingdom by order from the House of Commons a strange and unheard-of Usurpation to be taken by all persons But in very few days upon conference amongst themselves and with those Clergy-men who daily solicite their unlawful and unwarrantable designs with the People they find
Miseries and the general Calamities of this Kingdom which must if this War continue speedily overwhelm this whole Nation take no Advantage of it But if you shall really pursue what you presented to Us at Colebrook We shall make good all that We then gave you in Answer to it whereby the hearts of Our distressed Subjects may be raised with the Hopes of Peace without which Religion the Laws and Liberties can no ways be settled and secured Touching the late and sad Accident you mention if you thereby intend that of Brainceford We desire you once to deal ingenuously with the People and to let them see Our last Message to you and Our Declaration to them concerning the same both which We sent to Our Press at London but were taken away from Our Messenger and not suffered to be published and then We doubt not but they will be soon undeceived and easily find out those Counsels which do rather perswade a desperate Division than a good Agreement betwixt Us Our two Houses and People MDCXLII III. The Proceedings in the late Treaty of Peace Together with several Letters of His MAJESTY to the Queen and of Prince Rupert to the Earl of Northampton which were intercepted and brought up to the Parliament With a Declaration of the Lords and Commons upon those Proceedings and Letters The humble Desires and Propositions of the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled tendred unto His Majesty Feb. 1. 1642. WE Your Majesty's most humble and faithful Subjects the Lords and Commons in Parliament assembled having in our thoughts the Glory of God Your Majesty's Honour and the Prosperity of Your People and being most grievously afflicted with the pressing Miseries and Calamities which have overwhelmed Your two Kingdoms of England and Ireland since Your Majesty hath by the perswasion of evil Counsellors withdrawn Your Self from the Parliament raised an Army against it and by force thereof protected Delinquents from the Justice of it constraining us to take Armes for the defence of our Religion Laws Liberties Privileges of Parliament and for the sitting of the Parliament in safety which Fears and Dangers are continued and increased by the raising drawing together and arming of great numbers of Papists under the command of the Earl of Newcastle likewise by making the Lord Herbert of Ragland and other known Papists Commanders of great Forces whereby many grievous Oppressions Rapines and Cruelties have been and are daily exercised upon the persons and estates of Your People much innocent blood hath been spilt and the Papists have attained means of attempting and hopes of effecting their mischievous Design of rooting out the Reformed Religion and destroying the professors thereof in the tender sense and compassion of these evils under which Your People and Kingdom lie according to the duty which we owe to God Your Majesty and the Kingdom for which we are intrusted do most earnestly desire that an end may be put to these great Distempers and Distractions for the preventing of that Desolation which doth threaten all Your Majesties Dominions And as we have rendred and still are ready to render to Your Majesty that Subjection Obedience and Service which we owe unto You so we most humbly beseech Your Majesty to remove the Cause of this War and to vouchsafe us that Peace and Protection which we and our Ancestors have formerly enjoyed under Your Majesty and Your Royal Predecessors and graciously to accept and grant these most humble Desires and Propositions I. That Your Majesty will be pleased to disband Your Armies as we likewise shall be ready to disband all those Forces which we have raised and that You will be pleased to return to your Parliament II. That You will leave Delinquents to a Legal Trial and Judgement of Parliament III. That the Papists may not only be disbanded but disarmed according to Law IV. That Your Majesty will be pleased to give Your Royal Assent unto the Bill for taking away Superstitious Innovations to the Bill for the utter abolishing and taking away of all Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans Subdeans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Canons and Prebendaries and all Chanters Chancellors Treasurers Subtreasurers Succentors and Sacrists and all Vicars Choral and Choristers old Vicars and new Vicars of any Cathedral or Collegiate Church and all other their under-Officers out of the Church of England to the Bill against Scandalous Ministers to the Bill against Pluralities and to the Bill for Consultation to be had with godly religious and learned Divines That Your Majesty will be pleased to promise to pass such other good Bills for settling of Church-Government as upon consultation with the Assembly of the said Divines shall be resolved on by both Houses of Parliament and by them be presented to your Majesty V. That Your Majesty having exprest in Your Answer to the Nineteen Propositions of both Houses of Parliament a hearty affection and Intentions for the rooting out of Popery out of this Kingdom and that if both the Houses of Parliament can yet find a more effectual course to disable Jesuits Priests and Popish Recusants from disturbing the State or eluding the Laws that You would willingly give Your Consent unto it That You would be graciously pleased for the better discovery and speedier conviction of Recusants that an Oath may be established by Act of Parliament to be administred in such manner as by both Houses shall be agreed on wherein they shall abjure and renounce the Popes Supremacy the doctrine of Transubstantiation Purgatory worshipping of the consecrated Hoast Crucifixes and Images and the refusing the said Oath being tendred in such manner as shall be appointed by Act of Parliament shall be a sufficient Conviction in Law of Recusancy And that Your Majesty will be graciously pleased to give Your Royal Assent unto a Bill for the Education of the Children of Papists by Protestants in the Protestant Religion That for the more effectual execution of the Laws against Popish Recusants Your Majesty would be pleased to consent to a Bill for the true levying of the Penalties against them and that the same Penalty may be levyed and disposed of in such manner as both Houses of Parliament shall agree on so as Your Majesty be at no loss and likewise to a Bill whereby the practice of Papists against the State may be prevented and the Laws against them duly executed VI. That the Earl of Bristol may be removed from Your Majesty's Counsels and that both he and the Lord Herbert eldest Son to the Earl of Worcester may likewise be restrained from coming within the verge of the Court and that they may not bear any Office or have any imployments concerning the State or Commonwealth VII That Your Majesty will be graciously pleased by Act of Parliament to settle the Militia both by Sea and Land and for the Forts and Ports of the Kingdom in such a manner as shall be agreed on by both Houses VIII That Your Majesty will be pleased
the composing and ending of those unhappy Differences and Distractions about which so much blood hath been already spilt which Treaty may by the blessing of God who is the disposer of all mens hearts and of all events be a means to produce a Peace and whereas it is the Duty and hath been the practice of Christians under Affliction to set apart some time for publick and solemn Humiliation and Prayer for removing of God's Judgments and particularly for a Blessing and good Success to the means conducing to their Deliverance We do therefore by this Our Praclamation appoint and streightly charge and command that on Wednesday being the 5. of February next ensuing a solemn Fast be kept in all places within Our Dominions whither the notice of this Our Proclamation shall or may come before that time that both Prince and People may then joyn together in a true Humiliation and Devout and earnest Prayers to God that He would be pleased so to bless and prosper this intended Treaty that it may produce a happy Peace in all Our Dominions such as may be for his Honour and the good of His Church and of Us and all Our Subjects And We do hereby charge and require all Our Subjects of what degree or condition soever they be which shall have notice of this Our Proclamation That they do religiously prepare and apply themselves to a due observation of the same by Fasting Humiliation and Prayer on that day and in hearing of God's Word as they will answer to God their neglect of this Christian Duty and as will Answer to Us their neglect of this Our just and necessary Command And for the better and more orderly observation of this Fast We do hereby appoint that the Form of Prayer and Service of God set forth in the Book heretofore published for the Monthly Fast with such Alterations and Additions as shall be prepared and fitted for this present purpose and published in Print before the said day shall be used in all Churches and Chapels where this Fast shall be kept Given at Our Court at Oxford this 27. day of January in the Twentieth year of Our Reign 1644. God Save the KING HIS Majesty having received an Account from His Commissioners of their proceedings in the late Treaty at Vxbridge to the end that all His People may be fully satisfied of His earnest and constant endeavours to procure the publick Peace whereby to put an end to these present Miseries hath commanded this full and plain Narrative of all the Passages concerning that Treaty to be made and published AFter His Majesty's Message from Evesham of the 4. of July last desiring and propounding a Treaty for Peace and His second Message from Tavestock of the 8. of September last renewing that desire at length on the 23. day of November last past the Earl of Denbigh and others repaired to His Majesty at Oxford with Propositions in these words following VVE Your Majesty's Loyal Subjects assembled in the Parliaments of both Your Kingdoms from the sense of that Duty we owe unto Your Majesty and of the deep Sufferings and many Miseries under which Your People of all Your Kingdoms lie bleeding in this unnatural War after long and serious consultation about the best ways and means of their Preservation and for settling Your Majesty's Throne and Your Subjects in Peace and Security have with common consent resolved upon these Propositions which we do humbly tender unto Your Majesty The humble Desires and Propositions for a safe and well-grounded Peace agreed upon by the mutual Advice and Consent of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms united by solemn League and Covenant to be presented to His Majesty I. That by Act of Parliament in each Kingdom respectively all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations against both or either of the Houses of the Parliament of England and the late Convention of Estates in Scotland or Committees flowing from the Parliament or Convention in Scotland or their Ordinances and Proceedings or against any for adhering unto them and all Indictments Outlawries and Attainders against any for the said Causes be declared Null suppressed and forbidden and that this be publickly intimated in all Parish-Churches within His Majesty's Dominions and all other places needful II. That His Majesty according to the laudable Example of His Royal Father of happy memory may be pleased to swear and sign the late solemn League and Covenant and that an Act of Parliament be passed in both Kingdoms respectively for enjoyning the taking thereof by all the Subjects of the three Kingdoms and the Ordinances concerning the manner of taking the same in both Kingdoms be confirmed by Acts of Parliaments respectively with such Penalties as by mutual Advice of both Kingdoms shall be agreed upon III. That the Bill be passed for the utter abolishing and taking away of all Archbishops Bishops their Chancellours and Commissaries Deans and Sub-deans Deans and Chapters Arch-deacons Canons and Prebendaries and all Chaunters Chancellours Treasurers Sub-treasurers Succentors and Sacrists and all Vicars Choral and Choristers old Vicars and new Vicars of any Cathedral or Collegiate Church and all other their under-Officers out of the Church of England and Dominion of Wales and out of the Church of Ireland with such Alterations concerning the Estates of Prelates as shall agree with the Articles of the late Treaty of the Date at Edenborough 29 of Novemb. 1643. and joint Declaration of both Kingdoms IV. That the Ordinance concerning the Calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines be confirmed by Act of Parliament V. That Reformation of Religion according to the Covenant be settled by Act of Parliament in such manner as both Houses shall agree upon after Consultation had with the Assembly of Divines And for as much as both Kingdoms are mutually obliged by the same Covenant to endeavour the nearest Conjunction and Uniforminy in matters of Religion that such Unity and Uniformity in Religion according to the Covenant as after Consultation had with the Divines of both Kingdoms now assembled shall be joyntly agreed upon by both Houses of the Parliament of England and by the Church and Kingdom of Scotland be confirmed by Acts of Parliament of both Kingdoms respectively VI. That for the more effectual disabling Jesuits Priests Papists and Popish Recusants from disturbing the State and deluding the Laws and for the better discovering and speedy conviction of Recusants an Oath be established by Act of Parliament to be administred to them wherein they shall abjure and renounce the Popes Supremacy the Doctrine of Transubstantiation Purgatory worshipping of the consecrated Host Crucifixes and Images and all other Popish Superstitions and Errors and refusing the said Oath being tendred in such manner as shall be appointed by the said Act to be sufficient conviction in Law of Recusancy VII An Act of Parliament for Education of the Children of Papists by Protestants in the Protestant Religion VIII An Act for the true levying of the Penalties against them
Obedience to Our Commands We doubt not of your care in this wherein Our Service and the good of Our Protestant Subjects in Ireland is so much concerned From Newcastle June 11. 1646. The Propositions of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for a safe and well-grounded Peace Sent to His Majesty at Newcastle by the Right Honourable the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery the Earl of Suffolk Members of the House of Peers and Sir VValter Earle Sir John Hippesly Knights Robert Goodwyn Luke Robinson Esquires Members of the House of Commons Die Sabbathi 11. Julii 1646. The Propositions of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament for a safe and well-grounded Peace May it please your Majesty WE the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England in the name and on the behalf of the Kingdoms of England and Ireland and the Commissioners of the Parliament of Scotland in the name and on the behalf of the Kingdom of Scotland do humbly present unto Your Majesty the humble Desires and Propositions for a safe and well-grounded Peace agreed upon by the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively unto which we do pray Your Majesties Assent and that they and all such Bills as shall be tendred to Your Majesty in pursuance of them or any of them may be Established and Enacted for Statutes and Acts of Parliament by Your Majesties Royal Assent in the Parliaments of both Kingdoms respectively I. WHereas both Houses of the Parliament of England have been necessitated to undertake a War in their just and lawful defence and afterwards both Kingdoms of England and Scotland joyned in solemn League and Covenant were engaged to prosecute the same That by Act of Parliament in each Kingdom respectively all Oaths Declarations and Proclamations heretofore had or hereafter to be had against both or either of the Houses of the Parliament of England the Parliament of the Kingdom of Scotland and the late Convention of Estates in Scotland or Committees flowing from the Parliament or Convention in Scotland or their Ordinances and Proceedings or against any for adhering unto them or for doing or executing any Office Place or Charge by any Authority derived from them and all Judgments Indictments Outlawries Attainders and Inquisitions in any the said Causes and all Grants thereupon made or had or to be made or had be declared null suppressed and forbidden And that this be publickly intimated in all Parish-Churches within His Majesties Dominions and all other places needful II. That His Majesty according to the laudable Example of His Royal Father of happy memory may be pleased to swear and sign the late solemn League and Covenant and that an Act of Parliament be passed in both Kingdoms respectively for enjoyning the taking thereof by all the Subjects of the Three Kingdoms and the Ordinances concerning the manner of taking the same in both Kingdoms be confirmed by Acts of Parliament respectively with such Penalties as by mutual advice of both Kingdoms shall be agreed upon III. That a Bill be passed for the utter abolishing and taking away of all Archbishops Bishops their Chancellors and Commissaries Deans and Sub-deans Deans and Chapters Archdeacons Canons and Prebendaries and all Chaunters Chancellors Treasurers Subtreasurers Succentors and Sacrists and all Vicars Choral and Choristers old Vicars and new Vicars of any Cathedral or Collegiate Church and all other their under Officers out of the Church of England and Dominion of Wales and out of the Church of Ireland with such Alterations concerning the Estates of Prelates as shall agree with the Articles of the late Treaty of the Date at Edenburg 29. November 1643. and joynt Declaration of both Kingdoms IV. That the Ordinances concerning the Calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines be confirmed by Act of Parliament V. That Reformation of Religion according to the Covenant be settled by Act of Parliament in such manner as both Houses have agreed or shall agree upon after Consultation had with the Assembly of Divines VI. Forasmuch as both Kingdoms are mutually obliged by the same Covenant to endeavour the nearest Conjunction and Uniformity in matters of Religion that such Unity and Uniformity in Religion according to the Covenant as after Consultation had with the Divines of both Kingdoms now assembled is or shall be joyntly agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament of England and by the Church and Kingdom of Scotland be confirmed by Acts of Parliament of both Kingdoms respectively VII That for the more effectual disabling Jesuits Priests Papists and Popish Recusants from disturbing the State and deluding the Laws and for the better discovering and speedy conviction of Recusants an Oath be established by Act of Parliament to be administred to them wherein they shall abjure and renounce the Popes Supremacy the Doctrine of Transubstantiation Purgatory Worshipping of the Consecrated Host Crucifixes and Images and all other Popish Superstitions and Errors and refusing the said Oath being tendred in such manner as shall be appointed by the said Act to be a sufficient Conviction of Recusancy VIII An Act of Parliament for Education of the Children of Papists by Protestants in the Protestant Religion IX An Act for the true levy of the Penalties against them which Penalties to be levied and disposed in such manner as both Houses shall agree on wherein to be provided that His Majesty shall have no loss X. That an Act be passed in Parliament whereby the practices of Papists against the State may be prevented and the Laws against them duely executed and a stricter course taken to prevent the saying or hearing of Mass in the Court or any other part of this Kingdom XI The like for the Kingdom of Scotland concerning the four last preceding Propositions in such manner as the Estates of the Parliament there shall think fit XII That the King do give His Royal Assent to an Act for the due Observation of the Lords Day And to the Bill for the suppression of Innovations in Churches and Chappels in and about the Worship of God c. And for the better advancement of the Preaching of God's holy Word in all parts of this Kingdom And to the Bill against the enjoying of Pluralities of Benefices by Spiritual Persons and Non-Residency And to an Act to be framed and agreed upon by both Houses of Parliament for the reforming and regulating of both Universities of the Colledges of Westminster Winchester and Eaton And to such Act or Acts for raising of Moneys for the payment and satisfying of the Publick Debts and Damages of the Kingdom and other Publick uses as shall hereafter be agreed on by both Houses of Parliament and that if the King do not give His Assent thereunto then it being done by both Houses of Parliament the same shall be as valid to all Intents and Purposes as if the Royal Assent had been given thereunto The like for the Kingdom of Scotland And that His Majesty give assurance of His consenting in the
one thing which perhaps might require a larger discourse That although no humane authority can dispense with an Oath Quia Religio juramenti pertinet ad forum Divinum yet in some cases it cannot be denied but the obligation of an Oath ceaseth As when we swear homage and obedience to our Lord and Superiour who afterwards ceaseth to be our Lord and Superiour for then the formal cause of the Oath is taken away and therefore the Obligation Sublatâ Causâ tollitur Effectus Sublato Relato tollitur Correlatum or when any Oath hath a special reference to the benefit of those to whom I make the promise if we have their desire or consent the obligation ceaseth because all such Oaths from the nature of the thing do include a condition When the Parliaments of both Kingdoms have covenanted for the abolishing or altering of a Law Your Majesty's Oath doth not bind You or Your Conscience to the observing of it otherwise no Laws could be altered by the Legislative Power This I conceive hath been the ground of removing Episcopal Government in Scotland and of removing the Bishops out of the Parliament of England And I assure my self that Your Majesty did not intend at the taking of Your Oath that although both Houses of Parliament should find an alteration necessary although which God Almighty avert You should lose Your self and Your Posterity and Crown that You would never consent to the abolishing of such a Law If Your Majesty still object that the matter of the Oath is necessary and immutable that doth not belong to this but to the former Argument 8. I have but one word more concerning Your Piety to Your Royal Father and Teacher of Happy Memory with which Your Majesty does conclude Your Majesty knows that King James never admitted Episcopacy upon Divine Right That His Majesty did swear and subscribe to the Doctrine Worship and Discipline of the Church of Scotland That in the Preface of the latter Edition of Basilicon Doron His Majesty gives an honourable testimony to those that loved better the simplicity of the Gospel than the pomp and Ceremonies of the Church of England and that He conceived the Prelates to savour of the Popish Hierarchy and that could His Ghost now speak to Your Majesty He would not advise Your Majesty to run such hazards for those men who will chuse rather to pull down Your Throne with their own ruine than that they perish alone The Lord give Your Majesty a wise and discerning Spirit to chuse that in time which is right June 3. 1646. III. His MAJESTY's Second Paper For Mr Alexander Henderson A Reply to his Answer to my first Paper June 6. 1646. Mr Henderson IF it had been the Honour of the Cause which I looked after I would not have undertaken to put Pen to Paper or singly to have maintained this Argument against you whose Answer to my former Paper is sufficient without further proofs to justifie my opinion of your Abilities but it being merely as you know for my particular satisfaction I assure you that a Disputation of well chosen Divines would be most effectual and I believe you cannot but grant that I must best know how My self may be best satisfied for certainly My Tast cannot be guided by another man's Palate and indeed I will say that when it comes as it must to Probations I must have either Persons or Books to clear the Allegations or it will be impossible to give Me satisfaction The fore-seeing of which made Me at first for the saving of time desire that some of those Divines which I gave you in a List might be sent for 2. Concerning your second Section I were much to blame if I should not submit to that saying of S. Ambrose which you mention for I would be unwilling to be found less ingenuous than you shew your self to be in the former part of it wherefore my Reply is that as I shall not be ashamed to change for the better so I must see that it is better before I change otherwise Inconstancy in this were both Sin and Shame and remember what your self hath learnedly enforced that no man's Reason can be commanded by another man's Will 3. Your third begins but I cannot say that it goes on with that Ingenuity which the other did for I do not understand how those Examples cited out of the Old Testament do any way prove that the way of Reformation which I commend hath not been the most perfect or that any other is lawful those having been all by the Regal Authority and because Henry the Eighth's Reformation was not perfect will it prove that of King Edward and Q. Elizabeth to be unperfect I believe a new Mood and Figure must be found out to form a Syllogism whereby to prove that But however you are mistaken for no man who truly understands the English Reformation will derive it from Henry the Eighth for he only gave the occasion it was his Son who began and Q. Elizabeth that perfected it Nor did I ever aver that the beginning of any Humane Action was perfect no more than you can prove that God hath ever given approbation to Multitudes to Reform the Negligence of Princes For you know there is much Difference between Permission and Approbation But all this time I find no Reasons according to your promise for a Reformation or change I mean since Q. Elizabeth's time As for your Romanorum Malleus his saying it is well you come off it with yet this I may say for it seems to imply as if you neither ought nor would justifie that bloudy ungodly saying and for your comparing our Reformation here to the Laodicean lukewarmness proved by Complaints Grievings c. all that doth and but unhandsomely petere Principium nor can Generals satisfie Me for you must first prove that those men had reason to complain those Churches to be grieved and how we were truly the Causers of this Schism and Separation As for those words which you will not use I will not answer 4. Here indeed you truly repeat the first of my two main Arguments but by your favour you take as I conceive a wrong way to convince Me It is I must make good the Affirmative for I believe a Negative cannot be proved In stead of which if you had made appear the practice of the Presbyterian Government in the Primitive times you had done much for I do aver that this Government was never practised before Calvin's time the Affirmative of which I leave you to prove My task being to shew the lawfulness and succession of Episcopacy and as I believe the necessity of it For doing whereof I must have such Books as I shall call for which possibly upon perusal may one way or other give Me satisfaction but I cannot absolutely promise it without the assistance of some Learned man whom I can trust to find out all such Citations as I have use of wherefore blame Me not
as these instances as well as comparisons are odious 9. Lastly You mistake the Quaere in My first Paper to which this pretends to answer for my Question was not concerning force of Arguments for I never doubted the lawfulness of it but force â—f Arms to which I conceive it says little or nothing unless after My example you â—â—â—er Me to the former Section that which it doth is merely the asking of the question after a fine discourse of the several ways of perswading rather than forcing of Conscience I close up this Paper desiring you to take notice that there is none of these Sections but I could have inlarged to many more lines some to whole pages yet I chose to be thus brief knowing you will understand more by a word than others by a long discourse trusting likewise to your ingenuity that Reason epitomized will weigh as much with you as if it were at large June 22. 1646. C. R. VI. Mr Alexander Henderson's Third Paper For His MAJESTY Concerning the Authority of the Fathers and Practice of the Church July 2. 1646. HAving in my former Papers pressed the steps of Your Majesty's Propositions and finding by Your Majesty's last Paper Controversies to be multiplied I believe beyond Your Majesty's intentions in the beginning as concerning The Reforming Power The Reformation of the Church of England The difference betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter The warrants of Presbyterian Government The Authority of Interpreting Scripture The taking and keeping of Publick Oaths The forcing of Conscience and many other inferiour and subordinate Questions which are Branches of those main Controversies all which in a satisfactory manner to determine in few words I leave to more presuming Spirits who either see no knots of Difficulties or can find a way rather to cut them asunder than to unloose them yet will I not use any Tergiversation nor do I decline to offer my humble Opinion with the Reasons thereof in their own time concerning each of them which in obedience to Your Majesty's Command I have begun to do already Only Sir by Your Majesty's favourable permission for the greater expedition and that the present velitations may be brought to some Issue I am bold to intreat that the Method may be a little altered and I may have leave now to begin at a Principle and that which should have been inter Praecognita I mean the Rule by which we are to proceed and to determine the present Controversy of Church-Policy without which we will be led into a labyrinth and want a thred to wind us out again In Your Majesty's First Paper the universal Custom of the Primitive Church is conceived to be the Rule in the Second Paper Section 5. the Practice of the Primitive Church and the universal Consent of the Fathers is made a convincing Argument when the Interpretation of Scripture is doubtful in your Third Paper Sect. 5. the Practice of the Primitive Church and the universal Consent of Fathers is made Judge And I know that nothing is more ordinary in this Question than to alledge Antiquity perpetual Succession universal Consent of the Fathers and the universal Practice of the Primitive Church according to the Rule of Augustine Quod universa tenet Ecclesia nec à Concilio institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica traditum rectissimè creditur There is in this Argument at the first view so much appearance of Reason that it may much work upon a modest mind yet being well examined and rightly weighed it will be found to be of no great weight for beside that the Minor will never be made good in the behalf of a Diocesan Bishop having sole power of Ordination and Jurisdiction there being a multitude of Fathers who maintain that Bishop and Presbyter are of one and the same Order I shall humbly offer some few Considerations about the Major because it hath been an Inlet to many dangerous Errours and hath proved a mighty hinderance and obstruction to Reformation of Religion 1. I desire it may be considered that whiles some make two Rules for defining Controversies the Word of God and Antiquity which they will have to be received with equal veneration or as the Papists call them Canonical Authority and Catholical Tradition and others make Scripture to be the only Rule and Antiquity the authentick Interpreter the latter of the two seems to me to be the greater Errour because the first setteth up a parallel in the same degree with Scripture but this would create a Superiour in a higher degree above Scripture For the interpretation of the Fathers shall be the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and accounted the very Cause and Reason for which we conceive and believe such a place of Scripture to have such a sense and thus men shall have dominion over our Faith against 2 Cor. 1. 24. Our faith shall stand in the wisdom of man and not in the power of God 1 Cor. 2. 5. and Scripture shall be of private interpretation For the Prophecy came not of old by the will of man 2 Pet. 1. 20 22. Nisi homini Deus placuerit Deus non erit Homo jam Deo propitius esse debebit saith Tertullian 2. That Scripture cannot be Authentically interpreted but by Scripture is manifest from Scripture The Levites gave the sense of the Law by no other means but by Scripture it self Neh. 8. 8. Our Saviour for example to us gave the true sense of Scripture against the depravations of Satan by comparing Scripture with Scripture and not by alledging any Testimonies out of the Rabbins Matt. 4. And the Apostles in their Epistles used no other help but the diligent comparing of Prophetical writings like as the Apostle Peter will have us to compare the clearer light of the Apostles with the more obscure light of the Prophets 2 Pet. 1. 19. And when we betake our selves to the Fathers we have need to take heed that with the Papists we accuse not the Scriptures of Obscurity or Imperfection 3. The Fathers themselves as they are cited by Protestant Writers hold this Conclusion That Scripture is not to be interpreted but by Scripture it self To this purpose amongst many other Testimonies they bring the saying of Tertullian Surge Veritas ipsa Scripturas tuas interpretare quam Consuetudo non novit nam si nosset non esset if it knew Scripture it would be ashamed of it self and cease to be any more 4. That some Errours have been received and continued for a long time in the Church The Errour of Free-will beginning at Justin Martyr continued till the time of Reformation although it was rejected by Augustine as the Divine Right of Episcopacy was opposed by others The Errour about the Vision of God That the Souls of the Saints departed see not the face of God till the Judgment of the Great Day was held by universal Consent The same may be said of the Errour of the Millenaries and which more nearly
hath shed his Or if the guilt of our great Sins cause this Treaty to break off in vain Lord let the Truth clearly appear who those men are which under pretence of the Publick Good do pursue their own private ends that this People may be no longer so blindly miserable as not to see at least in this their day the things that belong unto their Peace Grant this gracious God for His sake who is our Peace it self even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen III. A Prayer drawn by His MAJESTY's special directions for a Blessing on the Treaty at Newport in the Isle of Wight O Most merciful Father Lord God of Peace and Truth we a People sorely afflicted by the scourge of an unnatural War do here earnestly beseech Thee to command a Blessing from Heaven upon this Treaty brought about by Thy Providence and the only visible remedy left for the establishment of an happy Peace Soften the most obdurate hearts with a true Christian desire of saving those mens blood for whom Christ himself hath shed His. O Lord let not the guilt of our Sins cause this Treaty to break off but let the Truth of Thy Spirit so clearly shine in our minds that all private ends laid aside we may every one of us heartily and sincerely pursue the Publick Good and that thy People may be no longer so blindly miserable as not to see at least in this their day the things that belong unto their Peace Grant this gracious God for His sake who is our Peace it self even Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen IV. A Prayer for Pardon of Sin ALmighty and most merciful Father look down upon Me thy unworthy Servant who here prostrate My self at the Footstool of thy Throne of Grace but look upon Me O Father through the Mediation and in the Merits of Jesus Christ in whom Thou art only well pleased for of My self I am not worthy to stand before Thee or to speak with my unclean lips to Thee most Holy and Eternal God For as in sin I was conceived and born so likewise I have broken all thy Commandments by my sinful Motions unclean Thoughts evil Words and wicked Works omitting many Duties I ought to do and committing many Vices which Thou hast forbidden under pain of thy heavy displeasure As for my Sins O Lord they are innumerable wherefore I stand here liable to all the Miseries in this life and everlasting Torments in that to come if Thou shouldst deal with Me according to My deserts I confess O Lord that it is Thy Mercy which endureth for ever and Thy Compassion which never fails which is the cause that I have not been long ago consumed But with Thee there is Mercy and plenteous Redemption In the multitude therefore of thy Mercies and by the Merits of Jesus Christ I entreat thy Divine Majesty that Thou wouldst not enter into Judgement with thy Servant nor be extream to mark what is done amiss but be Thou merciful unto Me and wash away all my Sins with that precious Blood that my Saviour shed for Me. And I beseech Thee O Lord not only to wash away all my Sins but also to purge my Heart by thy Holy Spirit from the dross of my natural Corruption And as Thou dost add days to my Life so Good Lord I beseech Thee to add Repentance to my days that when I have pass'd this mortal life I may be partaker of thy everlasting Kingdom through the merits of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen V. A Prayer and Confession in and for the times of Affliction ALmighty and most merciful Father as it is only Thy goodness that admits of our imperfect Prayers and the knowledge that Thy Mercies are infinite which can give us any hope of Thy accepting or granting them so it is our bounden and necessary Duty to confess our Sins freely unto Thee And of all men living I have most need most reason so to do no man living having been so much obliged by Thee that degree of Knowledge which Thou hast given Me adding likewise to the guilt of my Transgressions For was it through Ignorance that I suffered innocent blood to be shed by a false pretended way of Justice or that I permitted a wrong way of thy Worship to be set up in Scotland and injured the Bishops in England O no but with shame and grief I confess that I therein followed the perswasions of worldly Wisdom forsaking the Dictates of a right-informed Conscience Wherefore O Lord I have no excuse to make no hope left but in the multitude of Thy Mercies for I know my Repentance weak and my Prayers faulty Grant therefore merciful Father so to strengthen my Repentance and amend my Prayers that Thou maist clear the way for thine own Mercies to which O let thy Justice at last give place putting a speedy end to my deserved Afflictions In the mean time give Me Patience to endure Constancy against Temptations and a discerning spirit to chuse what is best for Thy Church and People which Thou hast committed to My Charge Grant this O most merciful Father for thy Son Jesus Christ's sake our only Saviour Amen VI. A Prayer in time of Captivity O Powerful and eternal God to whom nothing is so great that it may resist or so small that it is contemned look upon My Misery with Thine Eye of Mercy and let thy infinite Power vouchsafe to limit out some proportion of deliverance unto Me as to Thee shall seem most convenient Let not injury O Lord triumph over Me and let my faults by Thy Hand be corrected and make not my unjust Enemies the Ministers of thy Justice But yet my God if in thy Wisdom this be the aptest chastisement for my unexcusable Transgressions if this ungrateful bondage be fittest for my over-high desires if the pride of my not enough humble Heart be thus to be broken O Lord I yield unto Thy Will and chearfully embrace what sorrow Thou wilt have Me suffer Only thus much let Me crave of Thee let my craving O Lord be accepted of since it even proceeds from Thee that by thy Goodness which is Thy self Thou wilt suffer some beam of thy Majesty so to shine in my mind that I who acknowledge it my noblest Title to be Thy Creature may still in my greatest Afflictions depend confidently on Thee Let Calamity be the exercise but not the overthrow of my Vertue O let not their prevailing power be to My Destruction And if it be thy Will that they more and more vex Me with punishment yet O Lord never let their Wickedness have such a hand but that I may still carry a pure mind and stedfast resolution ever to serve Thee without Fear or Presumption yet with that humble Confidence which may best please Thee so that at the last I may come to thy eternal Kingdom through the Merits of thy Son our alone Saviour Jesus Christ Amen VII A Prayer in time of imminent Danger O Most merciful Father
your Lordships are not satisfied that such Words as we have charged him with were spoken by him we are ready to produce the proof thereof to your Lordships Their further Answer 1. February WE will represent both your Lordships Papers concerning Master Love unto the Lords and Commons assembled in the Parliament of England at Westminster who will proceed therein according to Justice In the next place according to the order before mentioned do follow the Passages and Papers concerning Religion Their Paper 31. January ACcording to the Paper delivered by us to your Lordships yesternight we do now offer these Propositions following which concern Religion That the Bill be passed for abolishing and taking away of all arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops c. according to the Third Proposition That the Ordinances concerning the Calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines be confirmed by Act of Parliament That the Directory for Publick Worship already passed both Houses of the Parliament of England and the Propositions concerning Church-Government hereunto annexed and passed both Houses be enacted as a part of Reformation of Religion and Uniformity according to the Fifth Proposition That His Majesty take the Solemn League and Covenant and that the Covenant be enjoyned to be taken according to the Second Proposition To this was annexed the following Paper of the 31. January That the ordinary way of dividing Christians into distinct Congregations and most expedient for Edification is by the respective bounds of their Dwellings That the Minister and other Church-Officers in each particular Congregation shall joyn in the Government of the Church in such manner as shall be established by Parliament That many particular Congregations shall be under one Presbyterial Government That the Church be governed by Congregational Classical and Synodical Assemblies in such manner as shall be established by Parliament That Synodical Assemblies shall consist both of Provincial and National Assemblies The King's Commissioners Paper 1. February HAving considered your Lordships Paper containing the Propositions concerning Religion with the Paper annexed and finding the same to contain absolute Alterations in the Government both of the Ecclesiastical and Civil State we desire to know whether your Lordships have power to Treat and debate upon the said Propositions and upon debate to recede from or consent to any Alterations in the said Propositions if we shall make it appear to be reasonable so to do or whether your Lordships are bound up by your Instructions to insist upon the Propositions without any Alteration Their Answer 1. February OUR Paper given in to your Lordships concerning Religion doth contain no Alterations but such as are usual in a time of Reformation and by the wisdom of the Parliaments of both Kingdoms are judged necessary at this time for settling Religion and Peace And as by our Commissions and Papers formerly shewed your Lordships we have made known our Power to Treat upon them so are we ready by Debate to shew how reasonable they are and that there will be no reason to expect that we should alter or recede from them But as for your demand of our shewing what farther Power we have by our Instructions it is that we have no warrant to do as we have already signified to your Lordships by a former Paper The King's Commissioners Paper 1. February YOUR Lordships first Proposition in the Paper concerning Religion referring to the Third Proposition sent to His Majesty we find that refers to the Articles of the late Treaty of the date at Edenburgh 29. Nov. 1643. and to the joynt Declaration of both Kingdoms We desire your Lordships we may see those Articles and Declarations and your Lordships second Proposition in that Paper referring to the Ordinances concerning the Calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines we desire to see those Ordinances Their Answer 1. Feb. ACcording to your Lordships desire in the third Paper we now deliver in the Articles of the late Treaty of the date at Edenburgh 29. of November 1643. and the joynt Declaration of both Kingdoms and we shall speedily deliver to your Lordships the Ordinances concerning the Calling and sitting of the Assembly of Divines The King's Commissioners Paper 1. Feb. VVE desire to know whether the Propositions which we have received from your Lordships touching Religion be all we are to expect from you upon that Subject Their Answer 1. Feb. THere are other things touching Religion to be propounded by us unto your Lordships upon the Propositions formerly sent unto His Majesty from the Parliaments of both Kingdoms which we shall in due time give in unto your Lordships But we do first desire your Answer to the Paper touching Religion given in yesterday that some good progress may be made therein before the three days assigned to Treat upon Religion in the first place do expire The King's Commissioners Paper 1. Feb. VVE desired to know whether the Propositions we formerly received from your Lordships concerning Religion were all that would be offered concerning that Subject because we thought it very necessary since so great Alterations are proposed by you to have a full view of the whole Alterations that are desired since in an Argument of the greatest weight and highest importance we cannot possible give a present Judgment of any part till we have a prospect of the Whole But since your Lordships do not yet think it time to let us have a sight of the rest but first desire our Answer to the Paper delivered yesterday which contains many particulars of which we never heard before we shall apply our selves to understand the things proposed by you in such manner as we may return your Lordships a speedy Answer and to that purpose must desire your Lordships information in some particulars which are comprized in your Lordships paper And when your Lordships consider that the Directory for Worship being so long was delivered to us but yesterday that the Covenant the Articles of the Treaty of Edenburgh the Declaration of both Kingdoms which are comprehended within the First Proposition were delivered to us but this day and therefore we could return no Answer concerning the Bill for abolishing Arch-bishops and Bishops which is proposed to be passed according to the Third Proposition in which the said Articles and Declarations are comprehended and that the Ordinances for the Sitting of the Assembly are not yet delivered unto us we are confident your Lordships will not think us negligent in making as good a progress in the Treaty upon Religion as is in our power which we shall endeavour to advance with all diligence and the best of our understanding Afterwards the same first of February the Ordinances for the Assembly of Divines were delivered in After some debate touching the nature of the Church Government intended by the Paper annexed to the first Paper upon the Subject of Religion which are here before set down the Kings Commissioners delivered in this following Paper 1. Feb. THE Information we
that matters being impartially setled might be more satisfactory to all and more durable But much of Gods Justice and Mans folly will at length be discovered through all the films and pretensions of Religion in which Politicians wrap up their designs In vain do men hope to build their Piety on the ruines of Loyalty Nor can those confederations or designs be durable when Subjects make Bankrupt of their Allegiance under pretence of setting up a quicker trade for Religion But as my best Subjects of Scotland never deserted Me so I cannot think that the most are gone so far from Me in a Prodigality of their love and respects toward Me as to make Me to despair of their return when besides the bonds of Nature and Conscience which they have to Me all Reason and true Policy will teach them that their chiefest interest consists in their Fidelity to the Crown not in their serviceableness to any Party of the People to a neglect and betraying of my Safety and Honour for their own advantages However the less cause I have to trust to men the more I shall apply My self to God The troubles of My Soul are enlarged O Lord bring Thou Me out of My distress Lord direct Thy Servant in the ways of that Pious Simplicity which is the best Policy Deliver Me from the combined strength of those who have so much of the Serpents Subtility that they forget the Doves Innocency Tho hand joyn in hand yet let them not prevail against My Soul to the betraying of My Conscience and Honour Thou O Lord canst turn the hearts of those Parties in both Nations as Thou didst the men of Judah and Israel to restore David with as much loyal zeal as they did with inconstancy and eagerness pursue him Preserve the love of thy Truth and Vprightness in Me and I shall not despair of My Subjects affections returning towards Me. Thou canst soon cause the overflowing Seas to ebb and retire back again to the bounds which Thou hast appointed for them O My God I trust in Thee let Me not be ashamed let not My Enemies triumph over Me. Let them be ashamed who transgress without a cause let them be turned back that persecute My Soul Let Integrity and Vprightness preserve Me for I wait on Thee O Lord. Redeem thy Church O God out of all its Troubles XIV Vpon the COVENANT THE Presbyterian Scots are not to be hired at the ordinary rate of Auxiliaries nothing will induce them to engage till those that call them in have pawned their Souls to them by a Solemn League and Covenant Where many engines of Religious and fair pretensions are brought chiefly to batter or rase Episcopacy This they make the grand evil Spirit which with some other Imps purposely added to make it more odious and terrible to the Vulgar must by so solemn a Charm and Exorcism be cast out of this Church after more than a Thousand years possession here from the first plantation of Christianity in this Island and an universal prescription of time and practice in all other Churches since the Apostles times till this last Century But no Antiquity must plead for it Presbytery like a young Heir thinks the Father hath lived long enough and impatient not to be in the Bishops Chair and Authority tho Lay-men go away with the Revenues all Art is used to sink Episcopacy and lanch Presbytery in England which was lately boyed up in Scotland by the like artifice of a Covenant Altho I am unsatisfied with many passages in that Covenant some referring to My self with very dubious and dangerous limitations yet I chiefly wonder at the design and drift touching the Discipline and Government of the Church and such a manner of carrying them on to new ways by Oaths and Covenants where it is hard for men to be engaged by no less than swearing for or against those things which are of no clear Moral necessity but very disputable and controverted among Learned and Godly men whereto the application of Oaths can hardly be made and enjoined with that Judgment and certainty in ones self or that Charity and candor to others of different Opinion as I think Religion requires which never refuses fair and equable Deliberations yea and Dissentings too in matters only probable The enjoyning of Oaths upon People must needs in things doubtful be dangerous as in things unlawful damnable and no less superfluous where former Religious and Legal Engagements bound men sufficiently to all necessary duties Nor can I see how they will reconcile such an Innovating Oath and Covenant with that former Protestation which was so lately taken To maintain the Religion established in the Church of England since they count Discipline so great a part of Religion But ambitious minds never think they have laid snares and gins enough to catch and hold the Vulgar credulity for by such politick and seemingly-pious Stratagems they think to keep the populacy fast to their Parties under the terror of Perjury Whereas certainly all honest and wise men ever thought themselves sufficiently bound by former ties of Religion Allegiance and Laws to God and Man Nor can such after-Contracts devised and imposed by a few men in a declared Party without My consent and without any like power or precedent from God's or Mans Laws be ever thought by judicious men sufficient either to absolve or slacken those Moral and Eternal bonds of Duty which lie upon all my Subjects Consciences both to God and Me. Yet as things now stand good men shall least offend God or Me by keeping their Covenant in honest and lawful ways since I have the Charity to think that the chief End of the Covenant in such mens intentions was To preserve Religion in Purity and the Kingdoms in Peace To other than such ends and means they cannot think themselves engaged Nor will those that have any true touches of Conscience endeavour to carry on the best designs much less such as are and will be daily more apparently factious and ambitious by any unlawful means under that Title of the Covenant unless they dare prefer ambiguous dangerous and unauthorized Novelties before their known and sworn Duties which are indispensable both to God and My self I am prone to believe and hope that many who took the Covenant are yet firm to this Judgment That such later Vows Oaths or Leagues can never blot out those former gravings and characters which by just and lawful Oaths were made upon their Souls That which makes such Confederations by way of Solemn Leagues and Covenants more to be suspected is That they are the common road used in all Factions and Powerful Perturbations of State or Church Where formalities of extraordinary Zeal and Piety are never more studied and elaborate than when Politicians most agitate desperate designs against all that is setled or sacred in Religion and Laws which by such screws are cunningly yet forcibly wrested by secret steps and less sensible degrees from