Selected quad for the lemma: order_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
order_n	bishop_n	church_n	ordination_n	3,732	5	10.3279	5	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A85184	The league illegal. Wherein the late Solemn League and Covenant is seriously examined, scholastically and solidly confuted: for the right informing of weak and tender consciences, and the undeceiving of the erroneous. Written long since in prison, by Daniel Featley D.D. and never until now made known to the world. Published by John Faireclough, vulgò Featley, chaplain to the Kings most Excellent Majesty.	Featley, Daniel, 1582-1645.; Featley, John, 1605?-1666.; England and Wales. Sovereign (1625-1649 : Charles I)	1660 (1660)	Wing F591; Thomason E1040_8; ESTC R199	47,903	77

the Statute of the 25th Year of King Edward the third And We do likewise hereby forbid and inhibit all Our Subiects to impose administer or tender the said Oath or Covenant And if notwithstanding this Our Gracious Proclamation any person shall presume to impose tender or take the said Vow or Covenant We shall proceed against him or them with all severity according to the known Laws of the Land Given at Our Court at Oxford the One and Twentieth day of June in the Nineteeth Year of Our Reign God Save the KING a Malach. 4. 2. b Psal. 13. 43. c Sat. 8. d M. T. Cic. in Tusc. qu. l. 2. e Max. Serm. de benef. f Aelius Lamgrid g Plut in apoph h See his Life and d●ath in a bo●k entituled 〈◊〉 {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Hos. 13. 9. Mar. 5. 26. Sen. de benef. Psal. 126. 5. Aug. Serm. de Johan Bap. Cyprian Se●n l. 4. de im nort Mat. 8. 24 25. Mat. 16. 26. Mat. 13. 46. Mr. Nye p. 21. Our last refuge Tabula post naufragium Hendersons Speech p. 32. Were this Covenant written on the plaster of the wall over against the Pope Beshazzar-like in his sacrilegious pompe it would make his heart to tremble his countenance to change his head and Miter to shake his joynts to loosen and all his Cardinals and Prelates to be astonished at it E. W. his Preface to the Solemn League It is the cleerest that ever was penned here below the finger of God is in it too By help of that hand which wrote the Ten words first this was indicted and written sure enough for truly it is as the good Word of God The Covenanters answer Reply See Mr. Coleman his Sermon The Covenanters answer Coleman serm. p. 21. Nye's Speech p. 15. Reply 1. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Eccles. 5. 1. The Covenanters answer Mr. Case serm. p. 42. Ch. 10. 28. Mr. White in a Sermon at Lambeth Reply 1. Ch. 10. 28. See the Assembly at Perth Cic. off Eras. Adag. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} The Covenanters answer Eras Adag. de tripode dictum Jam. 3. 11. The Covenanters answer See exhortation to the taking of the Solemn League p. 4. Article 36. Heb. 13. 7. The Ordering of Priests Quest Will you reverently obey your Ordinary and other chief Ministers unto whom the Government and Charge is committed over you following with a glad minde and will their godly Admonitions and submitting your selves to their godly judgements Answ I will so do the Lord being my helper Ob. Sol. Ob. Sol. Math. 7. 1. Gal 5. 15. Gal. 6. 2. Divin. Instit. lib. 5. c. 20. Mat 26. 52. 1 Pet. 2. 25. {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Act. 1. 20. * Ambros. com in Ephes. cap. 4. v. 10. Apostoli sunt Episcopi Jerom. ad Marcel Apud nos Apostolorum locum tenent Episcopi Cyp. c. 7. l. 3. Apostolos ●d est Episcopos praepositos Dominus elegit August in Psal. 45. loco patrum erunt silii id est Apostolorum Episcopi Et ibid. Dilatatum est Evangelium in omnibus sinibus mundi in quibus principes Ecclesiae id est Episcopi sunt constituti * Aug. Ep. 162. Comment in Apoc. hom 2. Ambrose 1 Cor. 11. 16. Occumenus Arethas Marlorat Pareus in Apoc. c. 1. 2. Policarp Episcopus Smyrnae Onesimus Ephesi Antipas Pergami c. * Edit Teclae it is {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} thy wif which demonstrateth that the Angell there signifieth one singular man of Authority in the Church and not the whole Clergy of that place Ep. ad Episc. Winton * Concil. Nice Can. 5. Conc. Antioch Can. 6. Concil. Sard. Can. 14. Conc. Chal. Act. 15. c. 29. Ignatius in Ep. ad Philad. Irenaeus l. 3. c. 3. Tertul. l. de baptismo Euseb. l. 6. c. 40. Jerom ep ad Nepot Optatus l. 1. cont. Parmen. Amb. in Eph. cap. 4. Basil Eph. 70. * Epiphanius Haeres 75. p. 295. Aug. ad quod vult Deum Aëriani ab Aërio quodam sunt nominati qui cum esset Presbytr doluisse fertur quod Episcopus non patuit ordinari dicebat Presbyterum ab Episcopo nulla differentia debere discorni Hieron. in Tit. Con. 1. Art 15. c. 29. Episcopum in Presbyteri gradum reducere est sacrilegium Anatolius Constant Episcop dixit ij qui dicuntur ab Episcopali dignitate ad Presbyteri ordinem descendisse si justis de causis condemaantur nec Presbyteri honore digni sunt See Art 36. l. de Consecrat It is evident to all men reading holy Scriptures and ancient Authors that from the Apostles time there have been these three Orders in the Church of Christ and that a Bishop ought to correct and punish such as are unquiet criminous and disobedient within his Diocess according to such authority as he hath by the word of God * Vide Record in Exchequer I will preserve and maintain to you and the Churches committed to your charges all Canonical Priviledges and I will be your Protector and Defender to my power by the assistance of God as every good King in his Kingdom in right ought to defend the Bishops and Churches under their Government c. Then laying his hand on the book on the Communion Table he saith The things which I have before promised I shall perform and keep so help me God and by the contents of this book * Cic. Tusc. quast Ob. Sol. * Pro Mur. tolle nomen Catonis * Statut. Edw. 3. Ann. 25. The Church of England was founded in the state of Prelacy c. for we ow to it our best laws made in the Saxon times and Charta Magna it self The enion of the two Roses York and Lancaster the marriage with Scotland and above all the Plantation and Reformation of true Religion See Vindication of Episcopacy pag. 23 24. See also the Statute book of 16 Rich. 2. where the Commons shew That the Prelates were much profitable and necessary to their Soveraign Lord the King and the Realm c. † Jerome Advers. Luc. c. 4. Ecclesiae salus à summi sacerdot●s dignitate pendet cui si non exors quaedam ab omnibus eminens detur protestas tot in Ecclesia efficientur Schismata quot sacerdotes Cypr. Ep. 3. Non aliunde Haereses abortae sunt aut nata Schismata quan inde quod sacerdoti Dei non obtemperatur nec unus in Ecclesia ad tempus sacerdos al tempus judex vice Christi cogitatur * Athanas Apol. 2. Colithus quidam presbyter in Ecclesia Alexandrina alios Presbyteros ordinare praesumpserat sed rescissa fuit ejus Ordination omnes ab ●o constituti Presbyteri in laicorum ordinem redacti See Epiph. Haer. 75. The order of Bishops begets Fathers in the Church but the order of Presbyters Sons in Baptism but no Fathers or Doctors See also G. Abbot in his Tract of the Visibility of the Church and in his Answer to Hill * Apol. Confess Augustan c. de numero usu Sacrament Not saepe protestati sumn● summa cum voluntate conservare politiam Ecclesiasticam gradus in Ecclesia factos etiam summa authoritate scimus enim utili consilio Ecclesiasticam disciplinam have mode quo veteres eam describunt constitutam * Luther Tom. 2. p. 320. Nemo contra statum Episcoporum veros Episcopos vel bonos pastores dictum putet quiquid contra hos tyrannos dicitur † Gerard de Ministerio Eccles. Nemo nostrum dicit nihil imeresse inter Episcopum Presbyterum sed agnoscimus distinctionem graduum propter {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} {non-Roman} Ecclesiae ut concordia conservetur * Calv. de necess reform Ecclesiae Talem nobis Hierarchiam si exhibeant in qua sic emin●ant Episcopi ut Christo subesse non recusent ut ab i●o tanquam unico capite pendeant ad ipsum referantier in qua sic inter se fraternam societatem colant ut non alio modo quam e●us verit●te sint colligati tum vero nullo non anathemate dignos fateor si qui erunt qui noa eam reverenter summaque obedientia observent † Beza de grad. Minist. Evang. c. 18. Sess. 3. Quod si nunc Ecclesiae instauratae Anglicanae suorum Episcoporum Archi episcoporum authoritate suffultae perstant quemadmodum hoc illis nostra memoria contigit ut ejus ordinis homines non tantum insignes Dei Martyres sed etiam praestantissimos Doctores Pastores habuerit c.

but that Christ left a Pattern of Government to his Church to continue till the end of the world and doubtlesse his Apostles with whom he conversed forty dayes after his Resurection speaking of those things which appertain to the kingdom of God Act. 3. 1. delivered that to the Church which they received from their Master What Government or Discipline was that There can be conceived but three formes of Government Episcopal most conformable to Monarchy Presbyterial to Aristocracy and Independent as they tearm it to Democracy Presbyterial or Independent it could not be for Presbyterial is no Elder then the Reformation in Geneva and the Independent no Elder then New-England whereas Episcopal Government hath been time out of mind not in one but in all Churches A and sith it was not first constituted by any Sanction of a General Counsel it follows necessarily according to St. Augustins observation that it must needs be an Apostolical Institution For what not one Church but all Churches not in one age but all ages hath uniformly observed and practised and no man can define who after the Apostles were the beginners of it must needs be supposed to be done by Order or Tradition from them 7. This form of Government was not only generally received and embraced by Catholicks but even by Hereticks and Schismaticks who though they severed from the Communion of the Church in Doctrine yet not in Discipline For the Novatians and Donatists had Bishops of their own from whom they took their names only * Aerius who stood for a Bishoprick and missed it out of discontent broached that new Doctrine wherewith the heads of our Schismaticks are so much intoxicated viz. That there ought to be no distinction in the Church between a Bishop and a Presbyter and for this confounding those Sacred Orders was himself ranked among Hereticks and stands upon record in the Bedrolls of them made by Epiphanius Angustin and Philastrius It is true he had other brands on him but this was the proper mark put upon him by those ancient Fathers who mention this Tenet of his as Erroneous and Heretical I grant some of the ancient Doctors affirm That in the beginning till the prevention of Schism made this distinction between Bishops and Presbyters they were all one in name as now they are in those essential parts of their function viz. Preaching of the Word and administration of the Sacraments But Aerius was the first who professedly oppugned the Ecclesiastical Hierarchy maintaining That there ought to be no difference and distinction between Bishops and Elders 8. This assertion of Aërius as in the Doctrine thereof it was defined by the Doctors of the Church to be Heresie so in the practise thereof it is condemned by the great Councel of Chalcedon to be Sacriledge To confound say they the Ranks of Bishops and Elders and to bring down a Bishop to the inferior degree of an Elder is no lesse then Sacriledge Now I would fain know how that comes to be truth now which was condemned for Heresie and to be Piety now which was branded for Sacriledge above 1200 agoe 9. Neither were the Fathers of the Councel of Chalcedon only zealous in this cause which so much concerned the honour of the Church but the other three also whose authority St. Gregory held to be the next to the four Evangelists and the Doctrine thereof is after a sort incorporated into our Acts of Parliament Eliz. 1. In these Councels which all consisted of Bishops Episcopacy it self is almost in every Canon and Sanction either Asserted or Regulated 10. Next to the Primitive Church we owe a reverend respect to the Reformed Churches beyond the Seas who either have Bishops as in Poland Transilvania Denmark and Swethland or the same function is in Nature though not in Name to wit Intendents and Super-intendents as they would have them if they could as I understood from many Ministers in France or at least approve of them as appeareth by the testimony of Beza Sadiel Scultetus and others 11. What should I speak of the Articles of Religion ratified by a Sequence of Religious Princes succeeding one the other and confirmed by Act of Parliament to which all Beneficed men are required under pain of losse of their livings within a moneth to professe their assent and consent in which both the Power and Consecration of Bishops and Ministers is expresly asserted and their distinction from Presbyters or of the Statute of Carlile the 15. of Edw. 2. and the first of Qu. Eliz. with very many other unrepealed Acts in which Episcopall Government is either related unto or regulated and confirmed in such sort that quite to abolish and extirpate it would bring a confusion and make a stop as well in Secular as Ecclesiastical Courts And therefore our zealous Reformers if they think themselves not too good to be advised by the Great Counsellor ought to take heed how they rashly and unadvisedly pluck up the tares as they esteem them of holy Canons and Ecclesiastical Laws ne simul eradicent triticum lest together with those tares as they count them they pluck up by the roots the good wheat of many profitable and wholesome Laws of the Common-wealth and Acts of Parliament 12. But if the Authority of both Houses could soon cure these sores in precedent Acts of Parliament yet how will they make up the breaches in the Consciences of all those who in the late Protestation and this New Covenant have taken a Solemn Oath to maintain the Priviledges of the Members of Parliament and the Liberties of the Subject The most Authentical evidence whereof are Charta Magna and the Petitionof Right in both which the Rights of the Church and Priviledges of Episcopal Sees are set down in the Fore-front in Capital Letters 13. To strain this string a little higher the power of granting Congedeliers together with the investitute of Archbishops Bishops and Collation of Deanries and Prebends with a setled Revenue from the First-fruits and Tenths there is one of the fairest flowers in the Kings Crown and to rob the imperial Diadem of it considering the King is a Person most Sacred is Sacriledge in a high degree and not Sacriledge only but Perjury also in all those who attempt it For all Graduates in the University and men of Ranck and Quality in the Common-wealth who are admitted to any place of eminent Authority or Trust take the Oath of Supremacy whereby they are bound to defend and Propugne all Preeminences Authorities and Prerogatives annexed to the Imperial Crown whereof this is known to be one inherent in the King as he is Supreme head of the Church within his Realms and Defender of the Faith 14. Yet for all this admit that Reason of State should inforce the Extirpation of Episcopacy thus rooted as it hath been said both in the Royal Prerogative and Priviledge of the Subject and in the Laws of the Land it is a golden Maxim of Law

only Scripture but even Nature teacheth every man That it is an unrighteous thing if not impious and sacrilegious to disanul abrogate and overthrow the last Wils and Testaments of all the Founders of and Benefactors to Bishopricks Deanaries and Cathedral and Collegiate Churches and to alienate their revenues to another end then they intended especially those lands being dedicated to God and that for the maintenance of his true worship and not any superstitious end It is an unjust thing to thrust out a world of men without any crime or legal forfeiture out of their dignities preferments and Estates whereof they and their predecessors have been legally possessed time out of mind I appeal to their own consciences whether a man might lawfully swear to endeavour the extirpation of all the Judges of the Kings Bench and Common Pleas Barons of the Exchequer Serjeants at Law Counsellours Barrestors and Atturneys or of all Maiors Sheriffs Aldermen Common-councel men Masters and Wardens of Companies Sword bearers Officers and Beadles I am sure such an Oath were Votum devovendum and faedus faedum not only an illegall but a detestible and execrable Oath Obj. And what can they alleadg to difference this from such a one If they say Lord Bishops Deans Arch-deacons c. are no where mentioned in Scripture no more is there of Lord Maiors or Lord chief Barons c. Answ Yea but Magistrates and Judges are named though not with such honorable titles So are Bishops and Deacons and there is as great a necessity of Ecclesiastical Magistrates as civill of order in the Church as in the City and State of some preferments and encouragements for Clergy men and Civilians as for Common Lawyers As this Oath cannot be taken in righteousness so neither in judgement for who can judiciously swear to preserve the Doctrine Discipline and Worship of a Nation which he knoweth not How can he swear in truth that he will indeavour to Reform the Doctrine of the Church of England according to Gods Word which he knoweth and hath acknowledged in his former Protestation and subscribed to the Articles of Religion to be as it is conformable there-unto But these reasons have been touched before and the Readers stomachis like to loath Cramben his coctam No Oath ought to be taken or Covenant entred into which is repugnant to the just and wholesome Laws of the Kingdom now in force For to take such an Oath is to swear to sin and consequently to sin in swearing unless they can make disobedience to the Laws of the land no sin But this Covenant is repugnant to many Laws of England namely all those Statutes and Acts of Parliament whereby Episcopal Government and Ecclesiastical Courts are established and regulated To this Argument it is answered by those who have a hand in pulling down that sacred order that hath laid holy hands upon them That the Acts of Parliament are not like the Laws of Medes and Persians that cannot be altered and in particular that all the former Acts passed in favour of Episcopacy are vertually repealed by that Ordinance of both Houses wherein it is resolved That Episcopal Government shall be cut off root and branch Reply 1 But neither is this answer any way satisfactory nor better then their former For first The resolution to make an Act is not the enacting a Law Many things may fall out between such a Resolution and the Execution thereof in which interim they who take this New Oath may absolutely forswear themselves in breaking the Oath of Canonical obedience to Bishops yet in being Though both Houses should concur to make such an Act for the utter abolishing of Episcopacy yet till the Royal Assent were gained thereunto such an Ordinance could never be improved to an Act of Parliament much lesse of force to Repeal many former Acts For as neither the King with the Commons without the Peers nor the King and Peers without the Commons so neither the Peers and Commons without the King can Make or Repeal any Act made by the Three Estates For that which is Established by Authority must be abrogated by equal Authority and the concurrence of the Three Estates in their Votes is that golden tripos out of which we are to hear the Soveraign and authentical Oracles of the Law Contrary Oaths and Protestations may not be taken for they destroy one the other and he that taketh them is like the Satyre in the Poet who out of the same mouth bloweth hot and cold Can the fountain saith St. James out of the same place send out sweet and bitter waters But this new Covenant and Protestation is contrary to that which was taken by both Houses and all the Subjects of this Kingdom May 5. 1641. For in that we swear to maintain the Priviledges of Parliament and Liberties of the Subject and no man doubteth but Bishops Deans c. are Subjects and their liberties and priviledges are expresly mentioned both in Charta Magna and the Petition of Right But in this we abjure all Prelacy that is Government by Archbishops Bishops Deans c. No man ought to sollicit much lesse inforce upon penalties any of the Clergy to take an Oath contrary to the Oaths they have formerly taken both in their ordination and institution and induction into their Benefices namely the Oath of Canonical obedience to their Bishops and of the Defence and Maintenance of the Priviledges of their Sees But such is the Oath comprised in this New Covenant Therefore it can in no wise be taken at least by any Clergy and Beneficed men As for these Clergy men who pretend that they above all others cannot Covenant to extirpate that Government because they have as they say taken an Oath to obey the Bishops in licitis honestis they can tell if they please that they that have sworn obedience to the Laws of the Land are not thereby prohibited from indeavouring by all lawful means the abolition of those Laws when they prove inconvenient and mischievous And if yet there should any Oath be found into which any Ministers or others have entered not warranted by the Laws of God and the Land in this case they must teach themselves and others to call for Repentance not pertinacy in them Reply 1 No man absolutely sweareth obedience to the Laws of the Land actively for then every disobedience to the Laws of the Land should be perjury but actively or passively that is either to do that which is commanded by the Law or patiently to submit to the penalty thereof Which Oath notwithstanding any Member of Parliament may move for the abrogation of such a Law I grant that notwithstanding any ingagement by former Oath a Member of the Parliament may move to have a Bill preferred for the abolition of a Law in case it hath proved inconvenient and mischievous But such are not the Laws by which Episcopacy is estabished and spiritual Courts regulated All the

inconveniency and mischief in the Church hath grown from the corrupt and ill execution of the Laws which may be removed by a Reformation of the Bishops and inferiour Officers without any change of the Law No man is prohibited from indeavouring the abolition of any Law by lawful means But this entring into Covenant and swearing the extirpation of Bishops themselves and abrogation of the Laws made in favour of them without and against the Kings Command will never be proved a lawfull means of alteration of Laws either by the Law of God or the Land Whereas they lispe but dare not speak out That the Oaths which Ministers take at their Ordination and Institution are unlawful and call for Repentance I demand of them Whether they are yet unresolved concerning the unlawfulness of their Oaths taken at their Ordination If they are not resolved will they take a contrary Oath and so run the hazard of Perjury If their belief of the lawfulness of that Oath be pendulous and wavering so must needs be their belief of the lawfulness of their Ordination and entring into the Ministery For they hang both upon the same string if the one slip the other fals down to the ground Have they not subscribed the Articles of Religion whereof one is The justification of the forme of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and of the Ordination of Priests and Deacons Is it not an expresse Canon of the Apostle Obey them that have oversight of you in the Lord and is there any colour of pretence to question the lawfulness of obeying them in licitis honestis that is in things lawful and honest Let us hear what they can say to this Dilemma Either the form of Consecration of Archbishops and Bishops and Ordination of Priests and Deacons confirmed together with the Articles of Religion by Act of Parliament is a lawful form and agreable to Gods word or not If lawful and agreable to Scripture then the Oath they take at their Ordination to Obey their ordinary and submit to his godly Admonitions and just Censures God being their helper bindeth their conscience from taking this in which they vow their utter extirpation If it be an unlawful form and repugnant to holy Scriptures then no Bishops or Ministers have been lawfully made or by a lawful form since the first Reformation in England which to aver were to cast such a fowl blurre upon the Church as cannot be fetched out with the tears no nor with the bloud of those who so slander the Queen of all the reformed Churches This Dilemma with the two horns of it wounds them which way so ever they go Some flie to an extraordinary Calling but there they are stopt with a counter demand viz. What miracles do they whereby they may prove their extraordinary Calling for an extraordinary Calling must be extraordinarily proved Others say That Oath was tyrannically imposed upon them by the Bishops and therefore bindeth not their Conscience But they cannot escape this way neither for Oaths imposed by a lawful Authority though tyrannically abused binde the conscience if the thing promised be lawful not because such an Oath is imposed but because Gods name is interposed by whom they ingage themselves to the performance of what they have sworn so it be not malum in se Besides it is not true that this Oath was imposed by Bishops for it was appointed by Act of Parliament in which the Articles are confirmed neither are any Ministers inforced to take Orders but they offer themselves to the Bishop and humbly desire him to lay his holy hands on them and freely and voluntarily submit to the taking of this Oath of Obedience to their Ordinary A third sort answer That indeed they took the Oath of Canonical obedience to their Bishops but they have long ago repented of such an Oath But these are crushed in their flight and driven to the wall For if they repent of that Oath taken at their Ordination they must repent also of their Orders given them by Bishops For their Orders were given them upon the undertaking to perform that and other Conditions assented to by them with this clause so God help me or God being my helper Again To repent of a lawful Oath taken and such I have proved it to be even now is in plain English and down right terms To confesse themseves perjured And if such an answer might passe for currant no Oath would be any tie upon the conscience for they might say as these Ministers do That they indeed took such an Oath but they repent the taking it A fourth sort answer with some more colour of probability That the Oath made to Bishops expired with them and that Bishops now if they are not dead yet they are dying and breathing out their last gaspe for both Houses have voted them down But these Brethren should have weighed with themselves and communed with their own hearts before they put their hands to this new Covenant Whether the present Votes of both houses can dispense with a lawfull and solemn Oath taken at their Ordination and signed with Christs bloud at the Communion which they immediately receive from the hands of the Bishop after he hath laid hands on them 2. Dalo et non concesso granting that in regard of those precedent votes and this new Covenant taken by both Houses for the extirpation of Episcopacie Bishops might be said to be dying What then doth this discharge them of their Oath No more then it will a Wife for withdrawing her duty and loyaltie from her Husband while he is a dying and looking for a good houre The Ceremonial Law was dying as soon as Christ was born yet till it was dead and buried too both he and his Apostles observed it Therefore till Episcopacie is dead and buried this Oath may not be lawfully taken by any ordained by them Nay nor then neither by their leave for how know they whether it may not be revived and raised up again by future Acts of Parliament in times as well affected to the Clergie as these are ill And if it be so the wounds of their Consciences will bleed afresh No man can doubt but that Episcopacie better sorteth with Monarchie then Presbytery or Independency and it is certain that Episcopacie concurring with Royal Majesty and the Authority of the Peers first constituted Parliaments and it hath likewise been confirmed by Parliaments in all succeeding Ages It is a plant which either Christ himself planted or his Apostles as is demonstratively proved in Bilson his perpetuall government of the Church Downams answer to Paul Bains Dr. Reynolds his letter commented upon by the Primate of Armagh and Bishop Andrews his Opusc. It sprung up together with the gospell in this Nation and hath ever since growne by it as a succour They were Arch-bishops and Bishops who had a hand in platting the Garland of our peace and safety by uniting first the two Roses

Nay * Luther himself who of all men most bitterly inveighed against the Antichristian Hierarchy yet puts water into his wine adding Let no man hereby conceive that I speak any thing against the state of Bishops but only against Romish Wolves and Tyrants Neither are the Lutherans of another minde at this day witness their every-way accomplished † Gerard None of us saith he affirmeth That there is no difference between a Bishop or Presbyter or Priest but we acknowledge a difference of Degrees for good Order sake and to preserve Concord in the Church Here me-thinks I see the Smectimnuans bend their brows and answer with some indignation What have we to do with Lutherans who have Images in their Churches and Auricular confession and maintain Consubstantiation and Ubiquity and intercision of grace and many other Errors We are of Calvin and hold with the Doctrine and Discipline of Geneva which hath no allay at all of Error and Superstition but is like the pure Angel-gold Here though I might as many have done crave leave to put in a Legal Exception against the authority of Calvin and Beza in matter of Discipline because they had a hand in thrusting out the Bishop of Geneva and the Lay Presbyterian Government was the issue of their brain and we know it is natural for Parents to dote upon their own Children and accompt them far fairer and more beautiful then indeed they are yet such was the ingenuity of those worthy Reformers and such is the evidence and strength of Truth that in this point concerning the Abolition of Episcopacy in the Church of England I dare chuse them as Umpires First let * Calvin speak in his exquisite Treatise concerning the Necessity of Reforming the Church the most proper place if any were clearly to deliver his judgement in this Controversie where having ●ipt up the abuses of the Romish Hierarchy in the end thus he resolves Let them shew us such an Hierarchy in which the Bishops may have such preheminency that yet they refuse not themselves to be subject to Christ that they depend upon him as the only Head and refer all to him and so embrace brotherly society that they are knit together by no other means then his truth and I will confess they deserve any curse if there be any who will not observe such an Hierarchy with reverence and greatest obedience After him let us hear † Bezae in that very Book which he wrote against Saravia a Prebend of Canterbury concerning different Degrees in the Clergy but saith he if the Reformed Churches of England remain still supported with the authority of their Archbishops and Bishops as it hath come to passe in our memory that they have had men of that rank not only famous Martyrs but most excellent Doctors and Pastours which happiness I for my part wish that they may continually enjoy c. Surely he that so highly extolled our Bishops and wished that that Order might like the tree in the Poet continually bring forth such golden boughs and fruit would not readily swear to endeavour the utter Extirpation thereof THE END BY THE KING His Majesties Proclamation forbidding the Tendring or Taking of the late Vow or Covenant devised by some Members of both Houses to Engage His Majesties good Subjects in the Maintenance of this odious Rebellion WHEREAS We have lately seen a Vow or Covenant pretended to be taken by some Members of both Houses of Parliament whereby after the taking notice of a Popish and Traiterous Plot for the subversion of the true Reformed Prote stant Religion and the Liberty of the Subiect and to surprize the Cities of London and Westminstr They do promise and covenant according to their utmost power to assist the Forces pretended to be raised and continued by both Houses of Parliament against the Forces raised by Vs and to assist all other persons that shall take the said Oath in what they shall do in pursuance thereof which Oath as the same hath been taken without the least colour or ground the Contrivers thereof well knowing that there is no popish Army within this Kingdom that We are so far from giving countenance to that Religion that We have alwayes given and alwayes offered Our consent to any Act for the suppression of Popery and the growth thereof and that the Army raised by Vs is in truth for the necessary defence of the true Reformed Protestant Religion established by Law the Liberty and Property of the Subiect and Our own Iust Rights according to Law all which being setled and submitted to or such a free and peaceable Convention in Parliament being provided for that the same might be setled We have offered and are still ready to Disband our Armies and as the said Oath was devised only to prevent Peace and to pre-engage the Votes of the Members of both Houses directly contrary to the Freedom and Liberty of Parliament and to engage them and Our good Subiects in the maintenance of this horrid and odious Rebellion so it is directly contrary as well to their natural Duty as to the Oaths of Allegiance and Supremacy established by Law which obliges them to bear to Vs Truth and Faith of Life Members and Earthly Honour and to defend Vs to the utmost of their powers against all Conspiracies and Attempts whatsoever which shall be made against Our Person Our Crown and Dignity and to do their best endeavours to disclose and make known to Vs all Treasons and Traiterous Conspiracies which shall be against Vs and to their power to assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authority belonging to Vs or united and annexed to the Imperial Crown of this Realm And whereas We are informed that some desperate seditious persons do endeavour to perswade and seduce others of Our good Subiects to take the saith Oath thereby to engage them and this Kingdom into a continuanee of these miserable and bloudy distempers We do therefore out of Grace and Compassion to our people and that they may not by any craft or violence suffer themselves to be seduced against their Duty and Conscience warn them of their natural Allegiance and their Obligations by Oaths lawfully administred to them and wish them to remember the great Blessings of God in peace and plenty which the whole Kingdom hath received whilst that Duty and those Oaths were carefully observed and the unspeakable miseries and calamities they have suffered in the breaking and violation thereof And we do straitly Charge and Command Our loving Subiects of what degree and quality soever upon their Allegiance that they presume not to take the said Seditious and Traiterous Vow or Covenant which endeavours to withdraw them from their natural Allegiance which they owe unto Vs and to which they are or ought to be sworn and are bound by the known Laws of the Land albeit they are not sworn and engages them in Acts of High Treason by the express letter of