Wisdom Pag. 11. an Irony Here 's his Vomit and in the name of Peace what stirr'd this Humour De Iracundiâ Magister Iracundissimus disputat The Bishop of Wor'ster wipes off an Aspersion cast upon him by Mr. Baxter The Animadverter masques himself like a Son of the Church gives it against Baxter and without any Interest in the Dispute or Provocation to it falls upon the Bishop in what Termes we have shew'd already and after a word or two more wee 'll look into his Reasons Thrice Three are his Exceptions so that we have something Sacred and Mysterious in the Number how loose and weak-soever we find the Matter of them Truly I could wish them either Shorter Fewer or Better for the Readers sake but since that Reverend Prelate is concern'd I would not wish them Other for the Bishops In Truth so foul they are that to say What they are might pass for Railing We shall however expose the Libel every Syllable of it take it in Order and in Pieces confronting every Point Material in it with such Answer as the Quality of it requires And now to his Exceptions which begin with This Charge upon the Bishop EXCEPTION I. A FIrst That he supposeth there is so strict an Union and so inseparable a Dependence between Kings and Bishops that they must stand and fall together and all who are enemies to the one must needs be enemies to the other I know very well this Axiom is much talked of and some advantage may be taken to confirm it from the event of our Late Wars A THe Maxime which he Hints at and Abuses came from King James deliver'd upon Experience and since Confirm'd by the Murther of a King and the Dissolution of Monarchy Both which were Effect'd upon the same Grounds and by Those very Persons that Abolish'd Episcopacy But the saying is No BISHOP no KING and not in the Conversion as if it were Impossible in Nature for the One to subsist without the Other 'T is a Rule however that deserves to be Register'd in regard that never any Faction destroy'd Bishops and Sav'd the Monarch I wish it were in Capital Letters in every Chamber of his Majesties Palace No BISHOP no KING But One way or Other what does This concern the Bishop of Wor'ster who neither sayes nor supposes any thing to This Purpose for he does not so much as meddle with the Question but finding himself Traduc'd by some that had frequently and openly defam'd the King And is it any Wonder sayes he that those that are such Enemies to Kings should not be Friends to Bishops This Libeller would have the Face to tell the Sun 't were Midnight His next Fetch is a deep one B You know likewise Sir how much my Judgment is for the Order of Bishops and how Passionate a Lover I am both of the Kings Person and Government but yet being thus called by You to declaâ—e the Truth though coâ—trary to my own Humour and Interest I must needs say c. B This Cuts a Hair the Man we see is Willing but Weak Alass You know SIR how much my Judgment c. and how Passionate a Lover c. What is there in This Fawning Clause that the Kings Headsman might not set his Hand to He does not say you know that I Am Thus or So but you know how much I am that is Whether I am or not The most Pestilent Enemy the King has might have said aâ—â—ch Marque â—w what 't is his Judgment is so much for For the Order of Bishops He will not say Degree or Praelation of them That he renounces but the Order of them a Goodly Shift Because every Bishop is a Presbyter therefore every Presbyter is a Bishop The King is a Gentleman is therefore every Gentleman a King An Eâ—rl is a Baron but the Baron is not Therefore an Earl These Differ in Order upon the same proportion of Reason as does a Bishop from a Presbyter But to clear This point we are first to agree what 's meant by Order There is first Ordo Dignitatis An Order or Dignity or Praelation and in This Respect A Bishop differs from a Presbyter as does a Presbyter from a Deacon It is Otherwise taken for Potestas ad Actum Specialem a Power or Enablement for some Special Act and in This sense a Bishop differs Ordine from a Presbyter in the Power of Ordination and Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction as a Presbyter does from a Deacon in the Power of Consâ—crating the Sacrament of the Eucharist Now say on C It is clear from Story that Kings were in all parts of the world in their most flourishing Estate before ever Bishops were heard of and no reason can be given why what hath once been may not with the same terms of convenience be again C 'T is right Kings flourish'd before either Bishops or Christians were ever heard of and therefore by his Argument we may be as well without Christianity as without Episcopacy But Here 's the Case Kings have been well without Bishops and never well with Presbyterians which shall they Quit First To conclude There is not at this day extant any Christian Monarchy without Bishops or the Equivalence of them D Bishops as they are by Law established in England are purely the Kings subordinate Ministers in the Management of Ecclesiastical Affairs which his Majesty may conferr upon what Order of men he pleases though they be as much Lay Persons as You and I are It is therefore very injurious to the Kings Authority to averr that He could not otherwise uphold and maintain it than by preserving the Undue and as some think Antichristian Dignity and Prelation of his inâ—iour Officers D. Infallibly This man is some Lay-Chaplain and is now beating the Bush to start a Benefice without Ordination What does he mean by Purely the Kings subordinate Ministers Does he understand by Purely as if to all purposes Ecclesiastical they Acted only by Regal Deputation The King himself does not pretend to all the Powers they Exercise The Authority of their External Jurisdiction flows from Him but their Internal and Ministerial Power derives from God As Subjects they proceed by the Kings Laws as Ministers they Act by a Divine Commission His Majesty may conferr he sayes c. What may his Majesty Conferr Leave to Elect not Power to Ordein That by a Right of Apostolical Succession descends and Rests upon the Church From This wild and weak Assertion he proceeds to give you a Tast of his Morals as well as of his Intellectuals and to uphold his Argument by Scandal and Sedition By Scandal first in charging the Fictions and Fantastiques of his own brain upon the Bishp of Wor'ster and Then by Sedition in casting his Audacious and Reproachful Epithetes of Undue and Antichristian upon an Order Instituted by Christ himself and Incorporate with the Government of this Nation by the Supreme Authority But still he persues his shadow
Wor'ster and not Mr. Baxter that is the Pastor of Kidderminster as well as of all Other Parochial Churches in that Diocesse and that the Cure of Souls in That or any other Parish of That Diocesse was never either by Himself or any Other Bishop of Wor'ster committed to Mr. Baxter c. So that the word Sole is the Animadverter's Whimsie and foysted in only to irritate the Rabble against Prelacy as tending toward Popery when not a Syllable ever dropp'd from the Bishops Pen in favour of this feigned and frivolous Assertion To discover the Forgery the Reader needs only compare the Quotation with the Text where he shall find first the Notorious Juggle of his misallegation and Then having lugg'd in by Head and Shoulders the Popes Supremacy under That Blind weakly heaven knows he bestowes his Shot upon the Superiority of Bishops where in fine all he does is but to Combat an Idole of his own Making and which is yet more pleasant the Puppet gets the Better of the Rabbi The Bishop does not deny Parochial Ministers to be Pastors of their Particular Flocks it is not at all the Question but still they are Subordinate and Delegated by the Bishop from whom they Receive Institution and Induction Reserving still to himself the Superintendency of them All. But the man 's for Parity I perceive and against Deputation He 's Consequently â—gainst the King for a Leveller in the Church never fails to be one in the State Let him examine himself and keep his own Counsel B I forbear to â—rge how contrary this Practice is to the Doctrine of the Apostlâ—s both Paul and Peter I hope the Bishop will not take it ill that I do not call them Saints for these Holy men do not need any stile of Honour out of the Popes Kalender B The Animadverter does wondrous well to forbear Paul and Peter for to my Knowledge they are Two of the greatest Enemies he has But what a wipe he gives the Bishop for his Popes Kalender and then he Churrs like a Turky-cock at the Conceit on 't I hope the Bishop will not take it ill quoth he that I do not call them Saints He 's a notable wit I warrant him Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ c. with all the SAINTS which are in all Achaia 2 Cor. 1. 1. Paul c. to the SAINTS which are at Ephesus c. Eph. 1. 1. Salute all the SAINTS Phil. 4. 21. All the SAINTS Salute you Phil. 4. 22. Since we heard of your Faith in Christ Jesus and of your Love toward all SAINTS Col. 1. 4. Was Paul a Papist or what signifies SAINT but Holy Now for a fling at the Bishop by the way of Sole Pastor C When Paul had sent for the Elders of the Church at Ephesus he bids them to feed the Church of God over which not be himself by his sole Authority aâ— Bishop of the Diocess but the Spirit of God had made them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. Overseers or to use the proper stile Biâ—hops And Peter commands his Fellow Elders for so doth that Apostle 〈◊〉 to call himself to feed the Flock which was among them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Overseeing or Acting the Bishops not like the Bishop of Worcester as Lording it over Gods Heritage but as Patteâ—ns of the Flock From which places we learn not only that those two so much controverted Names of Bishop and Presâ—yter are without distinction ascribed to the same Persons but likewise that whoever fâ—d the Flock are under Christ whom the Apostle there stilâ—s the Chief Shepheard the next and immediate Pastors of the Flock and to extend the Pastoral Power beyond the actual care of Feeding is a notion altogether uâ—scriptural and likewise leaves us no bounds where to fix till we come to ceâ—re upon some one Universal Pastor who may claim this Power over the whole world by the same parity of reason that a Bishop doth over one Dâ—ocesse C Very good Paul sends for the Elders of the Church at Ephesus and they come I hope so there 's Authority and Obedience The Apostle gives them their Charge also to Feed the Flock whereof the Holy Ghost had made them Over-seers not the Bishop of the Diocesse sayes our Aerius No question of it Does the Bishop of Wor'ster assume any Personal Privilege in Matters Essential to his Function Does he pretend to Act by any other Virtue then That of his Ecclesiastical Mission If not his rude Parenthesis is a double Impertinence Again Peter sayes he Commands his Fellow-Elders c. Par in Parem non habet Imperium A Superiority among Equals is a Contradiction The word in truth is soâ—ter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which intimates rather Exhortation or Entreaty and for his Fellow-Elders it signifies just as much from the Apostle as Fellow-Souldiours from a General Their Commission is to Feed he sayes and Over-see not like the Bishop of Worcester c. Lording it over Gods Heritage c. His Rayling apart Marque now his Inferences First that the Names of Bishop and Presbyter are without distinction apply'd to the same Persons Go to then but can he shew me where the Powers are exercis'd in Common too We do not argue upon Names but Things Can Presbyters Ordein Inflict a Censure or as Meer Presbyters can they Govern Let 's see a Text for 't If they are Overseers in Respect of their Flocks They are yet part of the Flock Themselves in respect of the Diocesan Bishop They Oversee and they are Overseen according to the Scale of Order and Authority His next Deduction is Haeretical Church-Parity to which he adds that the Pastoral Power extends only to the Actual care of Feeding Is 't not a Shephard's Duty as well to Govern his Flock as to Feed it To Keep in Straglers c. Bishop Andrews will tell you in his Opuscula Posthuma that Pastor in the Latin Church is alwayes taken for a Bishop for one that Governs as well as Feeds and Governs even the Feeders of Particular Flocks In Homer the King himself is call'd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Shepheard of his People Touching his Universal Pastor by the same reason we are to have an Universal King EXCEPTION III. A IT seems to be a Light and to say no more unseemly trifling with sacred Scripture to affirm that those words of our Saviour concerning such as come not in by the door and therefore are Thieves and Robbers ought to be understood of such Ministers as preach to Congregations without the Bishops License Which thing the Bishop in great heat and Earnestnesse as if he had done very well in it tels us more then once that it was the Principal reason why he silenced Mr. Baxter A SOmebody resolve me whether This Libeller has more Wit or Honesty and take the Naked Truth of the Story Baxter for Brevity sake throwes out one Dancy the Minister of Kidderminster from his Living and
E. Bishops are so little usesul to support the Regal Dignity which is founded upon a distinct Basis of its own that upon enquiry it will be found how none have been greater enemies to the True and Undoubted Soveraingty of Princes than some Bishops themselves for by their Officious and fcarce warrantable intermedling in Civil Affairs by their Absurd and Insignificant distinguishing between Civil and Ecclesiastical Causes of which last they have alwayes made themselves sole Judges they mangle the Kings Authority and as to Church-matters which may be extended as far as they please they leave the King nothing of Supremacy but the Name The Pope of Rome therefore who is the great Father of all such Bishops hath improved this Notion and Distinction so far that in ordine ad spiritualia he hath laboured to subject all Civil Empires unto his sole Jurisdiction E That Regall and Episcopal Power have different Foundations who Questions or that some Bishops have opposed some Kings But did they ever do 't as Bishops What fellowship hath Christ with Belial It were no less then Blasphemy to entitle Rebellion to the Function whereof God himself was the Author It concludes little for the Consistorians that some Bishops have been Enemies to Kings if they consider that we are yet to seek for the First Presbyterian Party that ever were Friends to them Concerning his Cavil at the Distinction between Civil and Ecclesiastical Causes 'T is the Law distinguishes and so the good mans Absurdity lashes upon the King not upon the Bishops He blames likewise their Officious and scarce warr antable intermedling in Civil Affaires Do they Challenge or Act by their own Power or by the Kings If only by Derivation either the King himself wants Power or They have it If they extravagate let him shew Where But do the Bishops Mangle the Kings Authority I hope not so much as the Schismatiques did both That and his Revenue nay and his Person too Were they Bishops or Presbyterians that Preach'd and Libell'd against the Late King that Seiz'd his Towns Seduc'd his People Levy'd a Warr against him Plunder'd Sequestred and Murther'd his Friends and never left the Chase till his Royall Bloud was spilt upon a Scaffold Were they Bishops or Presbyterians that in Ordine adspiritualia Contrived Acted and Warranted the Usurpations of the late Warr In fine the Memory is Fresh and bleeding still of a Presbyterian let him produce One Instance of an Episcopal Rebellion since the Reformation He tells us that the Pope of Rome is the great Father of such Bishops If the great Father of Slanderers and False-speakers had not stood at his Elbow he would never have said it But for Brevity sake let him bring me the most Pragmatical Jesuite that ever put Pen to Paper I 'll match him with a Presbyterian I do not mean for Wit and Learning but for the worst of Practices he 'll dare to Charge him with Nay let him strein the Papal Tyranny he so much declaims against to what pitch of Arrogance and Imposition he pleases I 'll bring him Presbyterian Claims and Presidents shall equall it and when That 's done let him shew any One Episcopal Position destructive to Regality and take the Cause for 't Now have a Care of him for sayes He F So that if the Bishop of Worcester's Râ—le bold good of Crimine ab uno Disce omnes i. e. That all men who are of a party may be judged of by the miscarriages of one then I must leave it to You to judge what all those Bishops â—at are of the Bishop of Worcester's complexion do reaâ—y drive at by the fatal example of that one Bishops Usurpation For F Soft and Fair I beseech you Sir The Rule holds very Good but not the Scandal The whole Party are to be Judg'd of by a Particular and nothing makes more Against the Animadverter or for the Bishop then the force of that Conclusion and his Retort unless he can prove the Usurpations of the One and clear the Innocence of the Other by which the Rest are to be measured Hear the Bishop in his own words for This Animal makes the Bishop say what he list and yet makes nothing on 't when h 'as done speaking of Mr. Baxter You have before seen the ingenuity and veracity you now see the humility and the modesty of the Man and indeed in proportion of the whole Party for Crimine ab uno Disce omnes But doth Mr. Baxter and the rest of his perswasion think indeed c. First take the Words in their proper Import and Common Acceptation Does the Whole Party necessarily Imply every Individual or rather the Influence of a Ruling Vote which denominates the Result to be the Act of such or such a Party extending virtually to every Particular but not Distinctly If Party had been Number he had said something 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes the Text Then answered All the People his Bloud be upon us and upon our Children which General expression evidently intended only the Prevailing Part. Now to his Crimine ab Uno disce Omnes Accipenunc Danaum Insidias says Aeneas et Crimine ab uro Disce Omnes It was not the Poets intention to brand every man that was a Greek for Simon 's sake but to shew the suitable Treachery of the People that made use of so treacherous an Instrument To say that the French are a Vain the Spaniard a Proud Nation does it give to understand that there 's not a Modest or an Humble man in the Country But This is time lost for the Bishop restreins his Application in the very next line to those of Mr. Baxters perswasion so that if Mr. Baxter be blame-worthy his Complicates are scarce Innocent and he that pretends to justifie either becomes an Advocate for no lesse then Schisme and Treason His Seditious Hint of the Bishops Usurpation and warping to the Church of Rome deserves rather a Lash then an Answer Yet if he makes out either I 'll bear it for him EXCâ—PTION II. A THat Assertion that the Bishop of Worcester and consequently every other Bishop is the sole Pastor of all the Congregations in his Diocess if it be at all defensible I am sure can be defended only by those Arguments which are commonly alledged to maintain the Popes Supremacy over all Churches whatever For since a Bishop can no otherwise discharge his duty berein than by providing Substitutes what hinders but the Bishop of Rome may as well oversee a million of Churches as the Bishop of Worcester five hundred Since if Deputation be lawfull more or lesse compasse and circuit of ground doth not at all alter the case A NEver in my Life did I meet an Easier Book to confute with Reason and a harder to handle with Civility a man must underderstand every thing he sayes the wrong way to make Truth on 't Indeed the Reverend Prelate sayes that it is the Bishop of
seizes it to himself He Preaches Sedition There and his Doctrine was but suitable to his Title for he possess'd and enjoy'd it by an Act of Violence and Rebellion If this be not Robbery what is or if This be to come in at the Dore what is to creep in at the Window He Preach'd without a License and so came not in at the Dore He forcibly took away the Right of another which is the part of a Robber Silenc'd he was for Preaching without a Licence and There 's the Clamour Does not the Law forbid it Are there not divers Canons of the Church against it Nay let him be Ordeyn'd and Beneficed he 's not to Preach even in his own Parish without the Introduction of 〈◊〉 Licence 'T is criminal in the Bishop to suffer it in the Minister to do it But Mr. Baxter's Case needs not This Sifting his fault being not only Contumacy but Usurpation B Truly if this practise be justificable and those who design themselves to preach the Gospel must besides their Ordination procure a License from a Bishop to do that which a Woe is deâ—ced against if theâ— offer to oâ—t then 1. I see not what Ordination signifies â—ce the power that 〈◊〉 is given â—o Authority from Ma◠〈◊〉 away any more then dissolve the contract of a Mariage much lesse empeach and hinder the free use of it except for Moral and notoriously vicious Misdemeanours 2. For one Minister of the Gospel for certainly a Bishop is no more to Silence another and that for no better Reason than because his Fellow-Minister is desirous to preach the Gospel without a new License this is an abuse of Dominion which as our Saviour doth no where countenance so the first Ages of the Church were altogether 〈◊〉 with B Mr. Animadverter have a care of your Fingers If this Practice be not justificable the Constitution is Impious that allows it and the King is a Tyrant in Commanding it These are bloudy Words and Bradshaw is out of hearing Ordinatioâ— you think sufficient then without a License Well and speak Truth for Once what do yoâ—hink of a Good Living without Ordination Weak and Spiâ—l Creature Ordination Entitles you to the Ministry but not to the Benefice It Authoriâ—es you as to the Function it self but not to the Local and Circumstantial application of it The Scripture sayes Preach the Law sayes When and Wherâ— And it must be the Gospel too not â—t-points betwixt King and Subject Holy Positions of Rebellion Instructing the Well-affected how they may kill the King in the fear of God Such as are Mr. Baxters Tâ—s which the Bishop in his own Defence has published at the End of his Letter But of These the Animaâ—verter takes not the least notice Doctus spectare Lacunar or else perchance they lay on the blind side of him His bringing up the virtue of Ordination to the Instance of a Contract and in the Case of Mr. Baxter seems to reason as if an obligation to Marry were an Authority for a Rape Again that a Bishop is but one Minister of the Gospel which he urges in Contempt of his Jurisdiction is a Mistake The Law understands a Bishop to be a Corporation and all the Reason in the World it is that his Fellow-Minister as he Phrases Mr. Baxter should not Preach without a New License because he taught Treason by Virtue of his Old one C For the Bishop's Instâ— of our Saviour ' s putting to silence the Scribâ—s and Pharisees is both Impertiâ—t and False because our Saviour did only silence them by Argument which the Bishop may do when ever he is aâ—le but what is that to an Authoritative and imâ—erious commanding men to be Silent Besides even then when our Saviour was most strict in pronouncing Woes against the Pharisees in that very Chapter he is so far fâ—om forbidding the Pharisees to preach that he commands his Disciples both to hear and to obey their Doctrine So that since the Bishop wiâ— needs have the Presbyterians to be Pharisees let him but allow them the same Liberty of Teaching the People as our Saviour did the other and I believe they will not at least were I a Presbyterian I should not envy his Lordship either his Title or Mâ— how 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 soever they both be And though the Bishop is pleased to say That the Presbyterians preach nothing but Sedition and Treason which is most â—alse as being directly 〈◊〉 to their declared Principles yet the Phariseâ—s taught something worse and that was 〈◊〉 Yet our Saviour who sure had more power and withal more care of his Church â—hen the Bishâ—p of Worcester did not go about by force to prohibit them C Touching our Saviours Silencing the Scribes and Pharisees having no ordinary Jurisdiction in the Jewish Church which way should it be done without the Interpose of his Divinity but by Argument nor does the Bishop imply other under Correction of his Impertinent and False his Mouth 's as foul as if he were in a Course of Salivation But since the Presbyterians must be Pharisees he desires they may have the same Liberty of Teaching the People and so let them when they sit in Moses Chair I must confess if the Bishop sayes which I do not find That the Presbyterians Preach nothing but Sedition and Treason I think he does them wrong for they Preach Nonsense too and Blasphemy in abundance This does the Animadverter with his usual Modesty affirm to be most False and How 'T is Contrary insooth to their Declared Principles so have been all their Actings wherefore 't is True D I wish therefore that this Bishop and the rest of his Brethren if any are Châ—lerick and Testy enough to be of his mind would consider that as by silencing their Fellow Ministers for such frivolous and slight pretences they usurp a Power which Christ never gave so aâ— the lâ—st day he will not thank them for the Exercise of it D How now Cholerick Testy Frivoloâ—s Usurp Certainly this Fellow has been taught like a Parrot to cry nothing but Walk Knave If the Bishops in Acting according to the Law of the Land Usurp a Power deny'd them by Christ the Law is Antichristian and There the Scandal sticks let the Law and the Libeller dispute it EXCEPTION IV A HOw consistent with the Civil Peace for as to Christian Charity the whole thing is but a Letter of dâ—fiance against it the Bishops Distinction is about the Act of Iâ—dempnity and â—he so much foâ—gotten Act of 〈◊〉 I hope His Majesty and the Parliament will in due â—i ne consider For he is so hardy as to tell us That the King by it only pardoned the corporal punishment but the Church had not nor ought not to forgive the scandal till honourable amends were made her by confession and Recantation Where by speaking of the Church as distinct from the State I mean in point of Coâ—rcive Jurisdiction the Bishop would make us
believe that after His Majesty and the Parliament have forgiven men their Civil Crimes there is still another Power which he calls the Church unto which they are still accountable eveâ— so far as to make a Puâ—lick 〈◊〉 Here I wâ—sh the Bishop would have sâ—oken out of the Clouds and plainly told us what he meant by the Church For if it be a Congregaâ—ion of the Faithful met together for the worship of God as the Dâ—finition of Scripture and of the Church of England in the 39 Articles this will not at all advantage him since such a Chuâ—ch hath 〈◊〉 Coâ—cive or Imposing Power But if he means the Hierarchy or Ecclesiastical State â—y arch-Arch-Bishops Bishops c. there can be nothing morâ— false or more dishonourablâ— unto oâ— Civil Government than to affirm that it lies in their power not only â—o puâ—sh but likâ—wise to exact a Recantation fâ—r those faults which the King and Parliament have not only pardoâ—ed but undâ— severâ— penalties commandâ— shâ—uld never more be remembred And therefore I doubt not but that they will resent this Malicious and â—ll-grounded Phancy A YOu are Merry Sir be wise too and do not mind the King too much of the Act of Oblivion for when he comes to look upon his abus'd Mercy 't will turn his Patience into Fury To see the same Knots now in Confederacy against himself that Ruin'd his Father The Common Prostitutes of Bradshaw and Cromwell are still the Instruments of the Old Cause Reviv'd The same Sâ—blers Printers and Stationers for the Presse the same Engines for the Pâ—lpit and the same Snares for the People Yes and The same Capps Smiles and Gracious Looks to Encourage Countenance and Protect them In your own Words Sir This I hope his Majesty and the Parliament will in due time consider Mind here the Hardinesse of the Bishop whose Position is This that the King may pardon the Corporal Punishment but it is God that must pardon the Guilt and the Church the Scandal That is upon Repentance and Confession Where 's now the Wonder Can the King Act beyond the Sphear of his Regal Jurisdiction But of all People living Methinks the Presbyterians should the least scruple this Limitation upon Majesty shall They that bring their Sovereign to the Stool of Repentance pretend that he can save others from it that cannot help himself The Animadverter takes it ill that the Church should require a Publique Recantation Let them but stand to their own Rule I 'm satisfi'd Those are to be judg'd Impenitents that have Declar'd their sin and never declar'd their Repentance And again Scandalous offenders are not to be admitted to the Holy Communion till they have openly Declar'd Themselves to have truly Repented and amended their former Naughty Lives And This they Presse the King to see observ'd according to his Royal Declaration of Octob. 25. 1660. But it is a â—od they never meant for themselves The Question now is only whether a Person that teaches and practices Rebellion for a matter of Twenty year together and lives by Oppression be a Scandalous Offender or no. His next Quere is concerning the Church to which the Retractours are to be Accomptable By the Church I suppose the Bishop means the Representative and Jurisdictive Body of it But That he takes for an affront to the Civil Government and gives the Bishop the Ly before-hand if he think otherwise To This point The Kings of England never claym'd the Power of the Keyes and Church-Censures fall under that Consideration without offence to the Prerogative Royal. So Gentle Sir There 's no harm done unlesse the self-same thing done by a Presbyterian must passe for Discipline and Conscience which in a Bishop argues Malice B And since the Bishop is so over-zealous for the very Letter of the Law when it imposes Ceremonies give me leave a little to wonder that one of his Profession and Place in the Church should so 〈◊〉 go against it when it enjoyns Moderation and Forgiveness as to Civil Injuries Such as he who make the Law instead of being a Buckler to protect Converts a Sword only to cut off all such as were once Offenders â—abour what they can to make men desperate and thereby render the peace of the Nation and in that the prosperity and welfare of His Majesty very insecure and hazardous For what can moâ— inrage Men to take wild and forbidden courses than to see even Preachers of the Gospel strive to widen their wounds and contrary to their own former Professions to pull off that Plaister which the wisdom of our Stâ—-Physitians had provided to â—eal our distempers B To give the Devil his due the man is struck upon a sodain into a handsomer veyn of Rayling To see a Divine sayes he and a Bishop so strict for the Law in one case and against it in another But how so Does the Act of Oblivion absolve you from the need of Repentance or will any true Convert refuse to own his Offence as publiquely as he Committed it The Recantation I perceive sticks in your Squeamish Conscience which shews that the Guilt does not I beseech ye look a little nearer The Act of Pardon implyes there was a Fault but does not say where save only in the Actual Murtherers of the late King At the beginning of the warr the Presbyterian Party pretended to be as much for the King as who was most and the Schismatical Teachers carryed on the work When by Libelling Pulpiting for Preaching I cannot call it and Dissembling they had made an Interest they Plunder'd Sequestred and Shot at him for his Good Prosecuting Those as his Enemies that fought under his Commission for him and fell Defending him The Fate of the late King we know and the Clemency of This which was intended as a mercy for One Rebellion not a Foundation for another 'T is True the Faction are not to be Punish'd but where the Publique Peace depends upon it are they not to be distinguish'd To think Them Innocent is to suppose the King Guilty and under the Masque of the Act of Oblivion to hide the Difference is to endeavour it should be thought so Are not the Bishops Entrusted with the Care of Souls and accomptable for all under their Charge Charge that they miscarry not through Their Default Returning to the Exercise of their Ecclesiastical Authority after a long and forcible deprivation they find their Flocks misled and in the hands still of the Seducers If the people go on they are damn'd if their misleaders are turn'd off or put to recant 't is against the Act of Oblivion If Either the multitude take Treason for Religion and finding Matters so well with them Now beleeve they were in the Right before Are not the Bishops bound by the Incumbency of their Pastoral Duty to teach them to distinguish Loyalty from Faction Sound Doctrine from Heresie Christian Charity and Obedience from Schism Which way can This be done but by
Unwinding the Clew and unperplexing the People If Those that taught them wrong would but now tell them that they did so and take the payns to set them right again all were well but till that 's done the Common sort continue under the same misperswasion and for Their Errours the Bishops must answer whose Office 't is to see them Instructed better Well well but such as Hee that make the Law instead of being a Buckler to Protect Converts a Sword only to cut off such as were once â—fenders c. The Hypocrite is pleasant Such as He As if only the Bishop of Wor'ster stuck in his Stomack when 't is the Hierarchy it self he boggles at The Bishop he sayes makes the Law a Sword in stead of a Buckler but I say the Schismatique would make both of it A Buckler to Traytours and a Sword to Loyal Subjects This is the way he sayes to Enrage the People and render the welfare of his Majesty very Insecure and Hazzardous Indeed to suffer these Mutinous Affronts is the ready way to another Rebellion but if This Scandalous and Seditious wâ—etch were now made Exemplary for this Audacious Menace upon the King who would either help or Pitty him EXCEPTION V. A IT is bold and impious I know not how to express it more mild'y what he affirms That Iâ— to command an Act which by accident may prove an occasion of sin be sinful then God himself cannot command any thing For though as I said before I will by no means own that Assertion yet a thing which by accident may become sinful may be unlawful in another to command for want of sufficient Authoriâ—y whereas God's Sovereign Power doth without dispute or controversie make all his Commands to be just and therefore his Name ought not to be mentioned in our trivial Disputes because every such vain use of it is nothing but a diminution and lessening of his Greatness A DId you Learn This Language of your Patron the President Or did the Good Old Gentleman bequeath you his Conscience that you so little regard either Authority or Truth Let the Reader judg of the Libeller Bold and Impious and This from a Pedant to a Prelate from an Aërian Heretique to a Grave Learned and Orthodox Divine Where 's the Reverence of Government the Honour of England the Protection of the Law nay Where 's the Power of Religion the Safety of the King and the Welfare of the People if such Indignities passe unpunish'd The Example is Emboldening and Contagious for what can the Rabble think but either that the Insolence is Lawful the Reproch just or the Party Terrible Where are They whose Duty 't is to watch the Presse Is the Bloud of the Last King so soon Forgotten or the Security of our present Sovereign so little Regarded that we should now try the Operation of the same Poyson upon the People again which formerly intoxicated them and the Effect of the same Popular Madnesse upon This King which so lately destroy'd his Royal Father Let not us perswade our selves neither that these Luxuriances of Bitternesse against the Bishops are only the over-flowings of some Private Humours meerly as dissatisfy'd to Church-Government No no there 's more in the Case then so The Libellers find they get by it Credit Countenance and as by the By commodious fortunes Their Mecaenasses are too wise to tell the Virtuoso's look ye there 's This or That for such a Gird at the King or such a Lash at the Bishops But a word to the Wise they understand for what and to distinguish from such hands betwixt a Reward and a Bounty What is This other then tacitly to keep a Faction in Pay and to allow a Salary to Sedition I have digress'd too long but the Animadverter is not forgotten all this while Now to our Teazer again He challenges the Bishop with affirming That if to command an Act which by accident may prove an occasion of sin be sinful then God himself cannot command any thing and imputes to him as if either he derogated from Gods Almightynesse or Trifled with his Holy Name and Majesty Observe now his Prevarication The Bishop of Worcester Relates a Dispute that pass'd betwixt Himself and Mr. Baxter at the Savoy concerning Obedience to the Command of a thing in it self Lawful by Lawful Authority under no unjust Punishment and with no evil Circumstance which the Commander can fore-see or ought to provide against Mr. Baxter contends that the first Act Commanded may be per Accidens Unlawful and be Commanded by an unjust Penalty though no other Act or Circumstance be such Thus under his own Hand in writing The Bishop desirous to bring him off from an Assertion so Weak and wicked at once layes before him the Impious tendency of it Tells him that it is Destructive of all Authority Humane and Divine taking away all Legislative Power not only from the King but from God Himself for no Act can be so Good of it self but may prove by Accident a Sin which being admitted every Command is a Sin If every Command then God that cannot Sin cannot Command In This manner does the Bishop Reason with Mr. Baxter and to divert him from so foul a Mistake shews him the Horrid and Blasphemous Consequences of it and This in fine does our Spider-catcher deliver to the world for Impious and Irreverent in the Bishop which was no other then a Logical Result from Mr. Baxter's Argument Neither is God's Omnipotence the Question Cujus Velle Potentia Cui Opus Voluntas but the Corruption of Deprav'd Nature By this Rule whatsoever we may Abuse must not be Commanded Bid me Pray I may Wander Go to Church I may sleep Keep the Sabbath I may fall into Judaisme Relieve the Poor Cavaliers I may do it to be seen of Men and at This Rate in Inâ—nitum Our Writer's Pen is in Course and rather then say Nothing he is Resolv'd to say lesse Supposing a want of sufficient Authority to Command which is the Thing Granted in the Proposition EXCEPTION VI. A THat an offence to which a disproportionable penalty is annexed is not to be measured by the quality of the Act considered in it self but by the mischievous consequences it may produce whether this ought to hold good in Civill Lawes becomes neither the Bishop nor me to dispute but in Divinity nothing can be more false and dangerous For to impose in the â—orship of God as necessary circumstances of it things confessedly trivial and needless and upon the forbearance of them to debar any from the benefits first of Christian and then of Civil Communion is a thing which hath not the least pretence of Scripture or Primitive practice to justifie it For our Saviour teâ—s us That whosoever were not against him were for him and the Apostle bids us to receive our weak Brother and not to judge much less to burden his Conscience A QUestionless This Man is In
To These the Covenant was One thing and to the Contrivers another At last the Covenanters having suppress'd the King and his Forces put the poor Cavaliers to This Choice either to Swallow That or nothing else to Swear or Starve A more Diabolical Cruelty I defie Story to shew me Those that did take it have the Plea of Frailty and as I hope the Comfort of Repentance Now see the difference of Their Case from Ours which the Animadverter would gladly should be understood to have been a joynt Conspiracy It was in Them a Trap set for the People bayted with Forms of Godliness and Loyalty under which Masque they engag'd a heedless well-meaning Party against the King Here 's in the Institution Treason in the Matter of it Prophaneness in the Enforcement of it Usurpation and in the Scope of it Rebellion and Perjury Never was there a Pack of such Demure Dam'mees In Rank and plain English what does it seem to say but This Confound us if we do not Agree and Resolve to Serve God and Honour the King A thing that might have been done without either Cursing or Swearing Thus far We 're Innocent of the Covenant Further They destroy'd the King by the Covenant We if we took it never persued the Malitious Ends of it That is we did not add Rebellion to Frailty I do not argue for my self for I never took either That or any other Engagement whatsoever from Them By this time Mr. Animadverter I think you had as good have let the Covenant alone too D Lastly I can never enough commend the Bishops wisdom in resolving so angrily never to write again for he is Old and hath Travelled far and knowes that it is much easier to speak rash and unjustifiable things than to deseâ—d them And therefore he deals with those that he haâ— provoked as witty School boyes dâ— with their Compaâ—ions first he â—its them a box on the Ear and then very discreetly retreats and fairly runâ—s away But if Goliah who â—ook upon him to defie the Host of Israel should as soon as ever he had done have sneaked out of the Field and thought he â—ad done manfully enough in maâ—ing a Bold Challenge and in shewing his Teeth at them I believe the Philistins would hardly have thanked him for that empty shew of Valour whereby he could not conquer but onâ—ly enrage the Enemy And whether the Bishops will not have the same opinion of this over-forward and unwary Champion of theirs I hope Sir you will neither enquire your self nor desire that I should For I have already done enough to shew how much I am SIR Your most humble Servant D. E. D If the Bishop had the Libellers Experience of speaking more then he could Justifie the Bishop might be of the Libellers Opinion Do you say that Age and Travail have made the Bishop Wise The Animadverter for ought I see yet has a great way to go and a long while to Live before 't will do as much for him The Bishop Resolves to write no more Is that it Once is enough for His own Honour and Twice would be too much for Yours My Head for 't the Witty School-boy was of his Ushering The Wit on 't It is so like the Tutour A box o' th Earth and away Just so did D. E. serve the Bishop of Worcester Where is this same D. E. Who is he What is he He forgets that Mr. Baxter strooke the first Blow and that the Bishop was only upon the Defensive But here we 'll give him over The man I perceive has shew'd all his Tricks he winds up his Bottom fastens his End does his Reverence and Vanishes REFLECTIONS upon the Whole BEhold the Libeller dissected and now we 'll Read upon him Marque first the Vizor he puts on A Passionate Lover of the Kings Person and Government and for the Order of Bishops See his Opinions next The late Warr he sayes arose from Unconscionable Impositions which neither the Law of God commanded nor could the Law of Man justifie Again He Calls the Praelation of Bishops an Undue and as some think Antichristian Dignity he had as good have said plain Antichristian without the Parenthesis for the Hint is but to round the People in the Ear that so it is A Bishop he sayes is but one Minister and ought not to silence his Fellow-Minister If by Arguments â—e can 't is well but not by Authority In his Twelfth Page speaking of the Covenant he professes a great Tenderness for the Lawful Part of an Oath after it is once solemnly taken which does but insinuate the Obligation of That Diabolical Sacrament Herein first he does manifestly condemn the Late King and more then Covertly justifie the Late Rebellion Over and above the denyall of his Majesties Power in matters Indifferent Secondly He Disclaims and Reproaches the Authority of Bishops and finally in asserting the Covenant he gives a Box on the Ear to this Present Parliament So that Briefly the Power of the King the Power o◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the Power of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This Libeller's Reasoning subjectâ—d to the Conclusions at Fairest of a Conventicle of Schismatiques From his Disguise and judgement nâ—w to the Drift of his Design which must be gather'd from the Methode he takes to promote it That he 's a likâ—ly person to Intend 〈◊〉 Mischief appears first from bis Principles which we have shew'd already to be Destructive of all Authority both Ecclesiastical and Civil 'T is some Presumption too that he is guilty of Ill meaning because he does not set his Name to the Pampâ—let but from the Stuff and Matter of it 't is most Evideâ—t that his Design is to Embroyl the Nation First his Compleints are Levell'd at the Faults and Power of Prelates and This is a Vein runs through the whole discourse to draw an Odium and Envy upon thâ— Government tooâ—nk â—nk without a smack of Conscience and therefore Popery comes in Oh 't is a dreadful word That Popery to season the Design and Encourage a Rebellion for fear of Idolatry When he has shew'd them the Tyranny of Bishops and the Danger of their Papal Domination the People are to be Instructed first in the Lawfulness of Casting them oft Then in the Manner of it and Lastly They are to be hearten'd on by the Easiness of doing it The Lawfulness is hinted in his Ninth Page They have the Law of God and Man on their side and more expresly in the Page foregoing If we ought not yet we Lawfully may refuse to submit unto such Impositions as God hath no where commanded They never consider that it is as Lawful for the One to Impose us for the Other to do what God no where commanded The Manner of ejecting them is suggested in the minding of them how they did it before Does he not effectually threaten his Majesty with the same Feuds and Animosities if These Positions and Practises be maintein'd Pag. 10
What Positions Observe it These are the very words he strikes at and terms so Virulent From Diversity grows Dislike from Dislike Enmity from Enmity Opposition and from Opposition first Separation and Schisme in the Church and then Faction Sedition and Rebellion in the State which is a progress very natural and I would we had not found it to be so by our own Experience c. So that unlesse the King will renounce the Right of his Fathers Cause the People are by This miserable Scribler animated to renounce his Majesty He makes broad Signes too to the people to stick to their Covenant Pag. 12. and Commits the Rest to Providence Let it not be said now that I force his Meaning and that his words in some places may be taken in a more Favourable Sense it suffices me that they faâ—ly bear This and the Worst which without Violence the Words will bear may with great Justice be apply'd to his Meaning Non quid dixerint sed quò spectarint videndum Libels are to be understood by their Hints rather than by their Words See first the main Scope of the Libell which is in This particular most undeniable to defame the Bishops Disaffect the People and Streighten the Power of the King Which Seditious Aime being taken for granted whatsoever may be therein understood in Favour of Mischief may be very Charitably Concluded for a Contrivance of it I Argue from These Reasons First his Concealment is a kind of Flight and tacitly amounts to a Proof against kim Next 't is agreed that his Intent is evill and the worst sense holds best Proportion with his Purpose Here are untoward Circumstances and yet There 's one more which in my Opinion outweighs all we have spoken of The Bishop thinks himself ill us'd by Mr. Baxter and the Animadverter steps between at the request we must Imagine of the Honourable He undertakes to say what he dislikes in the One what in the Other and in fine Many a Quarrel he picks with the Bishop dividing only in One Point from the Presbyterian That is in his own Terms As to the main Controversie I think the Bishop hath much the better of Mr. Baxter For if the Question between them was as Dr. Gunning and Dr. Pâ—arson do attest such a Command is so evidently lawful that I shall much wonder if Mr. Baxter did ever dispute it We see here what he means by the main Controversie and wherein the Libeller dissents from Mr. Baxter The Rest being only Tempest and Invective against the Bishop without the least hint of a blame upon the Other See now wherein they Agree which must needs be in every thing save That wherein they Differ that is in These following Positions the Animadverter and the Casuist are Hand and Glove TEN POSITIONS Which some say Restor'd the KING I. IF a Prince want such Understanding Goodnesse or Power as the People judge Necessary to the Ends of Government in the first Case he is Capable of the Name but not of the Government in the Second he Deposes himself in the Third the want of Power deposes him Theses 135 136 137. II. If a Prince in a Military State against his People be by them Conquer'd they are not Obliged to Restore him without some other Obligation then their Allegeance Thes. 145. III. If a Prince be injuriously Expell'd by what Power-soever that Resolves to Ruine the Common-wealth rather then he shall be Restor'd and if the Common-wealth may prosper without his Restoring That Prince is bound to resign his Government or if he Refuse the People are to judge him Incapable by Providence Thes. 147. IV. If a Prince be so long Out that the Nation cannot well stand without another Providence has dispossess'd the Former aâ—d we are to make a new Choyce Thes. 149. V. If a Prince be thrown out by 〈◊〉 Rebellion the strongest Rebel may ex Charitate undertake the Government The Case holds in Good Livings Thes. 150 VI. Any thing that is a sufficient sign of the will of God that This is the Person by whom we must be Governed is enough as joyned to Gods Laws to oblige us to consent and obey him as our Governour Thes. 153. VII And yet All the People have not this right of choosing their Governours but commonly a part of every Nation must be compelled to consent Thes. 159. VIII Those that are known Enemies to the Common good in the chiefest parts of it are unmeet to Govern or choose Governours else give us up to our Enemies or to Satan But such are multitudes of ungodly vicious men IX If a People bound by Oath shall dispossesse their Prince and Chuse and Covenant with another they may be Obliged by their Latter notwithstanding their former Covenaâ—t X. Though a Nation wrong their King and so quoad Meritum Causae they are on the worser side yet may he not Lawfully war against the Publick good on that accompt nor any help him in such a war because propter finem he hath the worser cause Thes. 352. That these Maxims brought in the King who questions A word now to the Rabbi's Doctrine Concerning the English Government 1. The real Sovereignty here amongst us was in King Lords and Commons Pag. 72. 2. The Law that saith the King shall have the Militia supposeth it to be against Enemies and not against the Common-wealth nor them that have part of the Sovereignty with him To resist him here is not to resist Power but Usurpation and private will in such a case the Parliament is no more to be resisted then He. Thes. 363. 3. If the King raise Warr against such a Parliament upon their Declaration of the Dangers of the Common-wealth the People are to take it as raised against the Common-wealth Thes. 358. 4. And in that Case saith he the King may not only be resisted but ceaseth to be a King and entreth into a State of Warr with the People Thes. 368. These with our Animadverter pass for unquestionable Fundamentals of Government but whether a doubting soul may be Compell'd to Kneel when it hath a mind to sit That 's a nice point indeed To passe over the Libellers Scandalous and Barefac'd Impostures His Rude and Impetuous Violences wee 'l only ask Why all this Fury and Contrivement against the Bishop Is 't as a Friend to a silenc'd Brother And the main cause Tho' by the Spite I should suspect a Personal Pique But there may be something else in 't too and if the man comes off at last say I 'm a Wizard No matter what it is Hee 's very much Offended And no matter for that neither Offended he is at the Stile I would he had quarreld it in a Better but at the Bishops Passion beyond measure Truly upon Perusal of it more then Once and weighing it Word by Word I can find nothing in the Language that does not very well beseeme the Pen and Dignity of a Prelate Yet there was Cause enough for a little Sharpnesse and here 's the Case in short The Bishop of Worcester finding the Parish of Kidderminster infected with Mr. Baxters Doctrine who Preach'd there without either Cure or License forbids him to Preach there any more and Preaches there himself to Disabuse them hinting the unfaithful dealing they had receiv'd from One in great Authority among them concerning the Kings Cause The Rites of the Church and the sinfulnesse of a Lawful Command because by Accident it might be the occasion of Sin c. Hereupon Mr. Baxter addresses to the Inhabitants of Kidderminster pretends that he was silenc'd for denying such a Position Which was not so but for Preaching without a License and charges the Bishop to have delivered in the Pulpit words tending to his Defamation and neither of Charity Truth nor Sobernesse This Scandal and some other Partial Relations short of and beyond the true State of the Matter were the occasion of the Bishops Letter where I must confesse the Bishop of Worcester may be thought thus far Severe to Mr. Baxter in that he hath foyld him by Proofs not to be denyed and by Reasons not to be answered THE END Books sold by H. Brome at the Gun in Ivie-lane A Geographicall Dictionary Justice Revived being the whole Office of a Countrey Justice of the Peace Mr. Mortons Rule of Life Books written by R. L'Estrange Esq The Holy Cheat. A Caveat to the Cavaliers A Modest Plea The Relaps'd Apostate or an Answer to the Presbyterian Liturgy State Divinity or A Supplement to the Relaps'd Apostate Imprimatur libellus hic cui titulus Pulpit-Conceptions Popular Deceptions or The Grand Debate resumed in the point of Prayer c. cum laude Dignissimi Authoris Approbavit ROBERTUS PORY S. T. P. Reverendmo in Christo Patri ac Domino Domino GULIELMO Archiepiscopo Cantuariensi totius Angliae Primati Metropolitano Sacellanus Domesticus Page 15. lin 19 20. read thus most apt for the present to promote D. E. A Shrewd one An Elegance An Elegance of D. E's The like of R. W. The Sâ—hismatique à la mode D. E. ☜ D. E. Presbyterianissimè ☞ D. E. D. E. D. E. D. E. Pag. 21. Mat. 27. 25. D. E. Pag. 2. 3. D. E. D. E. Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 5. 2. D. E. D. E. D. E. D. E. D. E. Publ. Worship Pag. 67. Except Pag. 8. D. E. D. E. ☜ Pag. 10. Pag. 11. D. E. D. E. D. E. D. E. D. E. Eâ— B◠〈◊〉 19. ☜ D. E. D. E. 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25. D. E. D. E. D. E. Sâ—are broken Pag. 23. D. E. Pag. 33. D. E. Pag. 2. Pag. 9. Pag. 2. Pag. 5. Bishop of Worst Pag. 18. Animad Pag. 1. Destructive of all Kings The Case of the late King when he was Bouâ—t and Sold in 〈◊〉 The Case of the King and the Commons in 1650. Oliver Chosen by Proâ— Olivers taking the Government upon him was a deed of Charity Oliver by the Will oâ— God though not by the Grace of God The Cavaliers compell'd to consent and the Bretâ—ea to chuse For fear of the King and his Friends Presbyterian Absolution The King câ— do 〈◊〉 wrong with a Salâ— The King of England no Monarch The King has the Militia if the People please The People Judgâ— of the Kâ—g And may depose 〈◊〉 resist him as pleasure Quâ—