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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
power_n	bishop_n	jurisdiction_n	ordination_n	4,138	5	10.4414	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A78780	Effata regalia. Aphorismes [brace] divine, moral, politick. Scattered in the books, speeches, letters, &c. of Charles the First, King of Great Brittain, &c. / Now faithfully collected and published by Richard Watson, fellow of Gonvile and Caius Colledge in Cambridge.	Charles I, King of England, 1600-1649.; Watson, Richard, 1612-1685.	1661 (1661)	Wing C2302; Thomason E1843_1; ESTC R204018	121,126	500

their disloyalty abroad who for a time may avoid their own King's justice at home 81. In time of Civil War such who have by weakness and misunderstanding or through fear and apprehension of danger been so far transported as to contribute and consent to horrid intestine dissentions should by their free and liberal assistance of their King express That their former errours proceeded from weakness not from malice 82. The experience Subjects have of their King's Religion Justice and Love of his People should not suffer them to believe any horrid scandals laid upon Him And their Affection Loyalty and Jealousie of his Honour should disdain to be made instruments to oppress their Native Soveraign by assisting an odious Rebellion 83. A King's obligation is both in Conscience and Honour neither to abandon God's Cause injure his Successours nor forsake his Friends 84. A King so distressed in Civil Wars as He cannot flatter Himself with expectation of good success may rest satisfied in this to end his dayes with Honour and a good Conscience which obligeth Him to continue his endeavours in not despairing that God may in due time avenge his own Cause 85. A King in extremity is not to be deserted by his friends though He that stayes with Him must expect and resolve either to dye for a good cause or which is worse to live as miserable in maintaining it as the violence of insulting Rebels can make him 86. As the best foundation of Loyalty is Christianity so true Christianity teaches perfect Loyalty for without this reciprocation neither is truly what they pretend to be 87. A King should chuse such Commissioners for any Treaty with Rebels as will neither be threatned nor disputed from the grounds He hath given them 88. Wherein Rebels strain to justifie their breaking off Treaties with their King bare asseverations without proofs cannot I am sure satisfie any judicious Reader 89. The Penners of seditious Pamphlets to justifie the cause of Rebels seek more to take the ears of the ignorant multitude with big words and bold Assertions than to satisfie rational men with real proofs or true arguments 90. Bare Asseverations which bold Rebels often make even against what they see will not get credit with any but such who abandon their judgments to an implicit Faith 91. The determinations of all the Parliaments in the World cannot make a thing just or necessary if it be not so of it self 92. When the reasons upon which the laying by of a King's authority is grounded are not particularly mentioned for the Worlds satisfaction if possible but involved in general big words it seems that it is their force of armes who do it more than that of Reason which they trust to for procuring of obedience to their determinations or belief to what they say 93. It is evident that the demands of bold Rebels have alwayes increased with their good fortune 94. A King must in no extremity howsoever pressed to it by Rebels resolve to live in quiet without honour and to give his people peace without safety by abandoning them to an arbitrary unlimited power 95. Reason will hardly maintain those who are afraid of her 96. Indifferent men may often judge of a King's innocency by their way of accusation who rebel against Him For those who lay such high crimes to his charge as the breach of Oathes Vowes Protestations and Imprecations would not spare to bring their proofs if they had any 97. It is a wrong to a King's Innocency to seek to clear Him of such slanders for which there are no proofs alledged for Malice being once detected is best answered with neglect and silence 98. Although Affection should not so blind one as to say that his King never erred yet as when a just debt is paid Bonds ought to be cancelled so Grievances be they never so just being once redressed ought no more to be objected as Errours And it is no Paradox to affirm That Truths this way told are no better than slanders 99. It is most certain by experience That they who make no conscience of Rebelling will make less of Lying when it is for their advantage 100. It is the artifice of Rebels not only to endeavour to make Fables pass for currant coin but likewise to seek to blind mens judgements with false inferences upon some truths The Twelfth Century 1. IT cannot be warranted by Justice that any man should be slandred yet denyed the sight thereof and so far from being permitted to answer that if he have erred there should be no way left him to acknowledg or mend it 2. It cannot be made appear that our Saviour and the Apostles did so leave the Church at liberty as they might totally alter or change the Church Government at their pleasure 3. Mens conjectures can breed but a humane faith 4. The Post-scripts of St. Paul's Epistles though we lay no great weight upon them yet they are to be held of great antiquity and therefore such as in question of fact where there appears no strong evidence to weaken their belief ought not to be lightly rejected 5. Although Faith as it is an assent unto Truth supernatural or of Divine Revelation reacheth no further than the Scriptures yet in matters of fact humane testimonies may beget a Faith though humane yet certain and infallible 6. It is not to be conceived that the accessions or additions granted by the favour of Princes for the enlarging of the power or priviledges of Bishops have made or indeed can make the Government really and substantially to differ from what formerly it was no more than the addition of Armes or Ornaments can make a body really and substantially to differ from it self naked or divested of the same nor can it be thought either necessary or yet expedient that the elections of the Bishops and some other circumstantials touching their Persons or Office should be in all respects the same under Christian Princes as it was when Christians lived among Pagans and under persecution 7. It is well worthy the studies and endeavours of Divines of both opinions laying aside emulation and private interests to reduce Episcopacy and Presbytery into such a well proportioned form of superiority and subordination as may best resemble the Apostolical and Primitive times so far forth as the different condition of the times and the exigents of all considerable circumstances will admit so as the power of Church-Government in the particular of Ordination which is meerly spiritual may remain authoritative in the Bishop but that power not to be exercised without the concurrence or assistance of the Presbytery 8. Other powers of Government which belong to jurisdiction though they are in the Bishops yet the outward exercise of them may be ordered and disposed or limited by the Soveraign power to which by the lawes of the place and the acknowledgment of the Clergy they are subordinate 9. The Succession of Bishops is the best clue the most certain and ready way

by which to find out their Original 10. It hath been often sound that mutual returns of long answers and replies have rather multiplied disputes by starting new questions than informed the Conscience by removing former scruples 11. In former times under Pagan Princes the Church was a distinct Body of it self divided from the Common-wealth and so was to be governed by its own rules and Rulers The Bishops therefore of those times though they had no outward coercive power over mens persons or estates yet in as much as every Christian man when he became a Member of the Church did ipso facto and by that his own voluntary act put himself under their government they exercised a very large power of jurisdiction● in spiritualibus in making Ecclesiastical Canons receiving accusations conventing the accused examining of witnesses judging of crimes excluding such as they found guilty of scandalous offences from the Lord's Supper enjoyning penances upon them casting them out of the Church receiving them again upon their repentance c. And all this they exercised as well over Presbyters as others but after that the Church under Christian Princes began to be incorporated into the Common-wealth whereupon there must of necessity follow a complication of the Civil and Ecclesiastical powers the jurisdiction of Bishops in the outward exercise of it was subordinate unto and limited by the Supreme Civil power 12. Although there be no cause to dislike their opinion who derive the Episcopal power originally from Christ himself without whose warrant the Apostles would not either have exercised it themselvs or derived it to others yet for that the practise in them is so clear and evident and the warrant from him expressed but in general terms As my Father sent me so send I you and the like we may chuse rather to fix the claim of the power upon that practise as the more evidential way than upon the warrant which by reason of the generality of expression would bear more dispute 13. Arguments drawn from Names and Words and conjectural Expositions of Scripture are subject to such frailties as in debate will give little satisfaction to his judgment and conscience that requites it 14. The testimonies of so many writers ancient and modern as have been produced for the Scripture-Original of Bishops may be conceived of so great importance in a question of this nature that we are bound both in charity and reason to believe That so many men of such quality would not have asserted the same with so much confidence but upon very good ground 15. One witness for the affirmative ought to be of more value than ten for the negative and the testimony of one person that is not interessed than of an hundred that are 16. A Prince to shew the greatness of his mind is rather to conquer his enemies by pardoning than by punishing 17. A King may expect not to be ceusur'd for having parted with too much of his right when the price and commodity is so great such as security to Himself and peace to his People 18. A prudent Parliament ought to remember how usefull a King's power is to a Peoples liberty 19. A Prince is never to affect more greatness or prerogative than what is really and intrinsecally for the good of his Subjects not satisfaction of Favourites 20. A Prince that so useth his Prerogative will never want means to be a Father to all and a bountifull Prince to any he would be extraordinarily gracious unto 21. All men trust their treasure where it returns them interest 22. If Princes like the Sea receive and repay all the fresh streams and rivers trust them with they will not grudge but pride themselves to make them up an Ocean 23. Subjects who have learnt that Victories over their Princes are but triumphs over themselves will be more unwilling to hearken to changes afterward 24. A distressed King may best learn to own Himself by retiring into Himself and therefore can the better digest what befalls Him not doubting but God can restrain his Enemies malice and turn their fierceness unto his praise 25. If God give an injur'd King success against Rebels He ought to use it humbly and far from revenge 26. If God restore an exil'd King to his right upon hard conditions whatsoever He promiseth He ought to keep 27. Those men who have forced Lawes which they were bound to observe will find their triumphs full of troubles 28. A Prince is not to think any thing in this world worth obtaining by foul and unjust means 29. No Earthly power can justly call a King in question as a Delinquent 30. A good King will not without shewing a reason seek to impose a belief upon his Subjects 31. There is no proceeding just against any man but what is warranted either by God's Lawes or the municipal Lawes of the Country where he lives 32. The true Liberty of Subjects consists not in the power of Government but in living under such Lawes such a Government as may give themselves the best assurance of their lives and propriety of their goods 33. The King who has a Trust committed to Him by God by old and lawfull descent must not betray it to answer to a new unlawfull Authority 34. It is a great sin for Subjects to withstand lawfull Authority as it is to submit to an Authority Tyrannical or any other wayes unlawfull 35. A hasty sentence once past may be sooner repented than recalled 36. It is in vain for a King to be a Sceptick by denying the power Rebels have when greater than He can resist 37. A hasty Judgment passed upon the Life of a King may bring on that trouble and perpetual inconveniency to a Kingdom that the child which is then unborn may repent it 38. God many times does pay Justice by an unjust Sentence 39. Conquest is never just except there be a good just cause either for matter of wrong of just Title and then they that go beyond it the first quarrel that they have to it is it that makes unjust at the end what was just at first 40. Sole matter of Conquest is a great Robbery 41. Those Magistrates or Officers will never be right nor will God ever prosper them who give not God his due their King his due and the People their due 42. The regulating a Church rightly according to Holy Scripture is To give God his due A National Synod freely called freely debating among themselves must settle the Church if out of order when that every Opinion is freely and clearly heard 43. A Subject and a Soveraign are clean different things and a share in Government is nothing pertaining to the People FINIS To the Reader Friend THis Century may be complete and others added when more of His Sacred Majesty's Writings shall be Published Which advertisement I pray take with you as you proceed to the other Titles under which you may apprehend the like defect at the end Icon Animae Basilicae

Pilate 9. They who themselves seem and teach others to despair of their King's Salvation only discover this that they do not much desire it 10. Uncharitable and cruel Restraints of a King from spiritual assistance of Chaplains may rather enlarge than any way obstruct his access to the Throne of Heaven 11. When large pretenses prove but the shadows of weak performances then the greatest labours produce the smallest effects 12. When a period is put to a work of great concernment all mens ears do as it were hunger till they are satisfied in their expectations 13. No grants give satisfaction to them that pursue their own ambitious ends more than the welfare of a miserable Land 14. It is an unutterable misery for him that hath ruled like a King to be ruled like a Slave 15. A King knowes not what to grant when after his concessions to Subjects that have required all they know not what to ask 16. They who pretend zeal when their thoughts are filled with bloud are but Wolves in Sheeps clothing 17. Rebels that endeavour to rule by the Sword shall at last fall by it for Faction is the Mother of Ruine 18. They that are of such a Weather-cock-like disposition love nothing but mutabilities 19. Much variety doth confound the senses and makes them still hate one folly and fall in love with another 20. Time is the best cure for Faction for it will at length like a spreading leprosie infect the whole body of the Kingdom and make it so odious that at last they will hate themselves for love of that and like a fish for love of the bait be catch'd with the hook 21. It is not expedient for an Army to contradict the votes of a Kingdom endeavou●ing by pretending for Lawes and Liberties to subvert both 22. The time will come when the very Clouds shall drop down vengeance upon the heads of those that barrocado themselves against the proceedings of peace 23. A resolute King in captivity is arm'd against the fury of Rebellious Subjects having a breast to receive the arrowes of their envy and a heart possest with patience to sustain them 24. To God nothing is so great that it may resist nor so small that it is contemned 25. A King may rather desire his faults should be corrected by the hand of God than that his ununjust enemies should be the Ministers of God's justice 26. Let Calamity be the exercise but not the overthrow of a Kings Virtue 27. The permitting a wrong way of God's worship to be set up to the injury of the right before establish'd and practis'd will bring shame and grief to a King by his own confession that he therein followed the perswasions of Worldly wisdom forsaking the Dictates of a right informed Conscience 28. They who have been false to their King to those that gave them power and in likelihood to their own souls may be forgiven by him but never trusted 29. It is an humor becoming an impartial King to be still partial for that side which he imagines suffer for the weakness of those that maintain it 30. A King should suffer a Divine who would rectifie his supposed errour no less than a Physician to take his own way of cu●e 31. As to the profession of Religion the King is happy who condemns not himself in that thing which he allowes 32. He that changeth for the better ought to be sure it be better before he change 33. Inconstancy in Religion without cause and colour is both sin and shame 34. There is much difference between permission and approbation 35. If the practise of the Primitive Church and the universal consent of the Fathers be not a convincing argument when the interpretation of the Scripture is dou●●full nothing is 36. The Interpretation of private Spirits is the Mother of all sects and will bring where permitted Kingdoms to confusion 37. Another mans will is as weak a ground for a King to build his faith on as his own education 38. When a General Counce● cannot be had several Kingdomes may reform themselves 39. Rebels never wanted Wr●ters to maintain their unjust actions 40. All popular Reformation is little better than Rebellion 41. No Authority is lawfull but that which is either directly given or at least approved by God 42. The Church having any Discipline not conformed to the Civil Policy can neither flouris● nor be happy 43. Church-Ambition doth not at all terminate in seeking to be Pope it being no point of humility to endeavour to be independent of Kings 44. Papacy in a multitude may be as dangerous as in one 45. Many things may be avowable upon necessity which otherwayes are unlawfull 46. In points not fit to be discussed instances as well as comparisons are odious 47. Reason epitomised weighs as much with wise men as at large 48. One may lean on anothers arm who leans more on his judgment 49. The soundness of Religion is not to be tried by dint of Sword nor must we judg of her Truths by the prosperity of events 50. When men sit down to discourse or argue Reason should take her seat with them and though she be no Judg have her place if not above their Faith in their arguments 51. The envious mans seeds are tares although the husbandman knowes not when they were sown 52. The child is not to be pour tractured greater than the Nurse nor the Bishops power made to outreach the King 's who is the Nursing Father of the Church 53. Unity may consist in this when many sheaves lye in one mans field that belong to him or be caried into his barn though they be not bundled up in a rick with one cock-sheave above the rest 54. A sum divided into several parcels is not broke while the owner hath all in his possession 55. Whilst Arguments do multiply Time lessens 56. The seed of the Word wherein is Gods holy Spirit being sowen in the heart inlivened by the heat of Faith and watered with the tears of Repentance soon fructifies without any further circumstance 57. It is no strange thing to see Errour triumph in Antiquity and flourish fair Ensigns in the face of Truth 58. It will do no good to keep possession of the keyes when the lock is changed 59. Though the Catholick Church is the white in that Butt of earth at which we all must aim yet the Scripture is the heart centre or peg in the midst of that white that holds it up from whence we must measure 60. That which must determine Truth must not be fallible 61. When a King fears affairs of Councel will meet with s●me passion and prejudice in other men it is best for him to resolve they shall find least of them in himself 62. Mens well-meaning ●eal must be guided by such rules of moderation as are best both to preserve and restore the health of States and Kingdoms 63. A King should intend not only to oblige his friends but his enemies also

obscurity 6. They who seek to gain reputation with the vulgar for their extraordinary parts and piety must needs undo whatever was formerly setled never so well and wisely 7. I could never see any reason why any Christian should abhor or be forbidden to use the same forms of Prayer since he prayes to the same God believes in the same Saviour professeth the same Truths reads the same Scriptures hath the same Duties upon him and feels the same daily wants for the most part both inward and outward which are common to the whole Church 8. A serious sense of that inconvenience in the Church which unavoidably followes every mans several maner of officiating no doubt first occasioned the wisdom and piety of the ancient Churches to remedy those mischiefs by the use of constant Liturgies of publick composure 9. It was either the tumultuariness of People or the factiousness and pride of Presbyters or the covetousness of some States and Princes that of late years gave occasion to some mens wits to invent new models of Church-government and proposed them under the specious titles of Christs Government Scepter and Kingdom the better to serve their turns to whom the change was beneficial 10. As the full and constant Testimony of all Histories may sufficiently convince unbiased men That the Primitive Churches were undoubtedly governed by the Apostles and their immediate Successours the first and best Bishops so it cannot in reason or charity be supposed that all Churches in the world should either be ignorant of the rule by them prescribed or so soon deviate from their divine and holy pattern 11. Since the first Age for 1500 years not one Example can be produced of any setled Church wherein were many Ministers and Congrations which had not some Bishop above them under whose jurisdiction and government they were 12. Use is the great Arbitratour of words and Master of language 13. Not only in Religion but also in right Reason and the true nature of Governments it cannot be thought that an orderly Subordination among Presbyters or Ministers should be any more against Christianity than it is in all secular and civil Governments where Parity breeds Confusion and Faction 14. I can no more believe that such order is inconsistent with true Religion than good features are with beauty or numbers with harmony 15. It is not likely that God who appointed several orders and a Prelacy in the Government of his Church among the Jewish Priests should abhor or forbid them among Christian Ministers who have as much of the Principles of Schism and Division as other men 16. I conceive it was not the favour of Princes or ambition of Presbyters but the wisdom and piety of the Apostles that first setled Bishops in the Church which Authority they constantly used and injoyed in those times which were purest for Religion though sharpest for Persecution 17. Tyranny becomes no Christians least of all Churchmen 18. The late Reformed Churches whose examples are obtruded for not retaining Bishops the necessity of times and affairs rather excuseth than commendeth for their inconformity to all Antiquity 19. I could never see any reason why Churches orderly reformed and governed by Bishops should be forced to conform to those few rather than to the Catholick example of all Ancient Churches which needed no Reformation 20. It is no point of wisdom or charity where Christians differ as many do in some points there to widen the differences and at once to give all the Christian World except a handfull of some Protestants so great a scandal in point of Church-Government as to change it whom though you may convince of their Errours in some points of Doctrine yet you shall never perswade them that to compleat their Reformation they must necessarily desert and wholly cast off that Government which they and all before them have ever owned as Catholick Primitive and Apostolical 21. Never Schismaticks nor Hereticks except the Arians have strayed from the Unity and Conformity of the Church in point of Government ever having Bishops above Presbyters 22. Among those that have endeavoured or effected a change in the Government of the Church such as have rendred themselves guilty of inconstancy cause a great prejudice against their novelty in the opinion of their King whose consent they would have 23. Their facility and levity is never to be excused whose learning or integrity cannot in charity be so far doubted as if they understood not what before they did or as if they conformed to Episcopal Government contrary to their consciences and yet the same men before ever the point had any free and impartial debate contrary to their former Oaths and practice against their obedience to their Lawes in force and against their Kings consent have not only quite cried down the Government by Bishops but have approved and encouraged the violent and most illegal stripping Bishops and other Churchmen of all their due Authority and revenues the selling away and utter alienation of those Church Lands from any Ecclesiastical uses 24. The Desertors of Episcopacy will at last appear the greatest Enemies to and betrayers of their own interest whose folly will become a punishment unto it self for 25. Presbytery is never so considerable or effectual as when it is joyned to and crowned with Episcopacy 26. Those secular additamen●● and ornaments of Authority Civil Honour and Estate which Christian Princes in all Countryes have annexed to Bishops and Church men are to be lookt upon but as just reward● of their learning and piety who are fit to be in any degree of Church-Government also enablements to works of Charity and Hospitality meet strenthnings of their Authority in point of respect and observance 27. I would have such men Bishops as are most worthy of those encouragements and be ablest to use them 28. A Kings good intention whose judgment faild at any time makes his errour venial 29. It is neither just for Subjects nor pious for Christians by violents and indignities with servile restraints to seek to force their King and Soveraign against the well-laid gounds of his judgment to consent to any their weak and divided novelties touching the Government of the Church 30. I could never see any probable shew in true Reason and in Scripture for the Government of the Church otherwise than by Bishops the greatest Pretenders of a different sense either contenting themselves with the examples of some Churches in their infancy and solitude when one Presbyter might serve one Congregation in a City or Countrey or else denying these most evident Truths 1. That the Apostles were Bishops over those Presbyters they ordained as well as over the Churches they planted 2. That Government being necessary for the Churches wellbeing when multiplied and sociated must also necessarily descend from the Apostles to others after the example of that power and Superiority they had above others which could not end with their persons since the use and ends of such Government still

have the boldness to offer Him or Himself any inclination to use He could not bring both Church and State in three flourishing Kingdoms to such a Chaos of confusions Hell of miseries as some have done who most clamour against his Counsels out of which they can not or will not in the midst of their many great advantages redeem either Him or his Subjects 74. Some mens unsatiable desires of revenge upon the King his Court and his Clergy may wholely beguile both Church and State of the benefit of any either Retractations or Concessions He may have made 75. Some men being conscious to their own formality in the use of our Publick Liturgy have thought they fully expiated their sin of not using it aright by laying all the blame upon it and a total rejection of it as a dead letter thereby to excuse the deadness of their hearts 76. I do not see any reason why Christians should be weary of a well-composed Liturgy as I hold ours to be more than of all other things wherein the Constancy abates nothing of the excellency and usefullness 77. Sure we may as well before hand know what we pray as to whom we pray and in what words as to what sense when we desire the same things what hinders we may not use the same words 78. I ever thought that the proud oftentations of mens abilities for invention and the vain affectations of ●ariety for expression● in publick prayer or any sacred administrations merits a greater brand of sin than that which they call coldness and barrenness nor are men in those novelties less subject to formal and superficial tempers as to their hearts than in the use of constant forms where not the words but mens hearts are to blame 79. I make no doubt but a man may be very formal in the most extemporary variety and very fervently devout in the most wonted expressions Nor is God more a God of variety than of constancy 80. I am not against a grave modest discreet and humble use of Ministers gifts even in publick the better to fit and excite their own and the Peoples affections to the present occasions 81. I know no necessity why private and single abilities should quite justle out and deprive the Church of the joint abilities and concurrent gifts of many learned and godly men such as the Composers of the Service-book were who may in all reason be thought to have more gifts and graces enabling them to compose with serious deliberation and concurrent advice such Forms of prayers as may best fit the Churches common wants inform the Hearers understanding and stir up that siduciciary and fervent application of their spirits wherein consists the very life and soul of prayer and that so much pretended spirits of prayer than any private man by his solitary abilities can be presumed to have 82. What such mens solitary abilities are many times even there where they make a great noise and shew the affectations emptiness impertinency ●udeness confusions flatness levity obscurity vaine and ridulous repetitions the sensless and oft-times blasphemous expressions all these burthened with a most tedious and intolerable length do fufficiently convince all men but those who glory in that Pharisaïcal way 83. Men must be strangely impudent and flatterers of themselves not to have an infinite shame of what they so do and say in things of so sacred a nature before God and the Church after so ridiculous and indeed prophane a manner 84. In Sacramental administrations Ministers own forms to be used constantly are not like to be so sound or comprehensive of the nature of the duty as forms of publick composure 85. In Sacramental administrations and the like every time to affect new expressions when the subject is the same can hardly be presumed in any mans greatest sufficiences not to want many times much of that compleatness order and gravity becoming those duties which by the mean are exposed at every celebration to every Ministers private infirmities indispositions errours disorders and defects both for judgment and expression 86. The want of a constant Liturgy of publick composure this Church will sufficiently feel when the unhappy fruits of many mens ungoverned ignorance and confident defects shall be discovered in a multitude of errours schismes disorders and uncharitable distractions in Religion 87. The Innovations which Law Reason and Religion forbids must not be brought in and abetted much less so obtruded as wholly to justle out the publick Liturgy of the Church 88. The severity of those men is partial and inexcusable who cried out of the rigour of Lawes and Bishops which suffered them not to use the liberty of Conscience which they deny others having the power in their hands 89. They who suddenly changed the Liturgy into a Directory seem to have thought that the Spirit needed help for invention though not for expressions 90. Matter prescribed doth as much stint and obstruct the Spirit as if it were clothed in and confined to fit words 91. This matter of the publick Liturgy is of so popular a nature as some men knew it would not bear learned and sober debates least being convinced by the evidence of Reason as well as Lawes they should have been driven either to sin more against their knowledg by taking it away or to displease some faction of the people by continuing the use of it 92. They that use such severity as not to suffer without penalty any to use the Common-prayer-book publickly although their Consciences bind them to it as a duty of piety to God and obedience to the Lawes I believe have offended more considerable men not only for their numbers and estates but for their weighty and judicious piety than those are whose weakness or giddiness they sought to gratifie by taking it away 93. One of the greatest faults some men found with the Common prayer book I believe was this That it taught them to pray so oft for their King to which Petitions they had not Loyalty enough to say Amen nor yet Charity enough to forbear Reproaches and even Cursings of Him in their own Forms instead of praying for Him 94. I wish their R●pentance may be their only punishment that seeing the mischiess which the disuse of publ●ck Liturgies hath produced they may restore that credit use and reverence to them which by the ancient Churches were given to Set Forms if sound and wholesome words 95. To such as have any jealousie that the King is earnest and resolute to maintain the Church-Government by Bishops not so much out of piety as policy and reason of State this may be said That He being as King intrusted by God and the Lawes with the good both of Church and State there is no reason He should give up or weaken by any change that power and influence which in right and reason He ought to have over both 96. As the King is not to incline to Bishops for any use to be made of their Votes

in State-affairs so neither should He think any Bishops worthy to sit in the House of Peers who would not vote according to his Conscience 97. The King must in Charity be thought desirous to preserve that Government in its right constitution as a matter of Religion wherein his judgment is fully satisfied that it has of all other both the fullest Scripture-grounds and until the last Century the constant practise of all Christian Churches 98. The King that has no temptation to invite Him to alter the Government of Bishops that He may have a title to their Estates will not easily believe their pretended grounds to any new wayes who desire a change 99. Some there are who by popular heaps of weak light and unlearned Teachers seek to overlay and smother the pregnancy and authority of that power of Episcopal Government which beyond all equivocation and vulgar fallacy of names is most convincingly set forth both by Scripture and all after-Histories of the Church 100. The King should have fair grounds both from Scripture Canons and Ecclesiastical examples whereon to state his judgment for Episcopal Government and not permit any policy of State or obstinacy of Will or partiality of Affection either to the Men or their Function to fix Him The Second Century 1. ALL the Churches in the Christian World which Presbyterians or Independants can pretend to are by so much fewer than others governed by Bishops as those in my three Kingdoms will equalize I think if not exceed 2. Oppression will necessarily follow both the Presbyterian parity which makes all Ministers equal and the Independant inferiority which sets their Pastors below the People 3. The Britannike Bishops are as legally invested in their Estates as any who seek to deprive them and they having by no Law been convicted of those crimes which might forfeit their Estates and Livelihoods the King without many personal injustices to many worthy men can give up neither their Order nor Revenue 4. Those Subjects in vain pretend to tenderness of Conscience and Reformation who can at once tell the King That his Coronation-Oath binds Him to consent to whatsoever they shall propound to Him though contrary to all the Rational and Religious freedom which every man ought to preserve and at the same time perswade Him That He must and ought to dispense with and roundly break that part of his oath which binds Him ● agreeable to the best light of Reason and Religion He hath to maintain the Government and Legal Rights of the Church 5. It were strange the King's oath should be valid in that part which both Himself and all men in their own case esteem injurious and unreasonable as being against the very natural and essential liberty of their Souls yet it should be invalid and to be broken in another clause wherein He thinks Himself justly obliged both to God and Man 6. I cannot find that in any Reformed Churches whose patterns are so cryed up and obtruded upon the Churches under my Dominions that either Learning or Religion works of Piety or Charity have so flourished beyond what they have done in my Kingdoms by God's blessing which might make Me believe either Presbytery or Independancy have a more benign influence upon the Church and mens hearts and lives than Episcopacy in its right constitution 7. They who take part with the King in a Civil War have clearly and undoubtedly for their Justification the Word of God and the Lawes of the Land together with their own Oathes all requiring obedience to his just Commands but to none other under Heaven without Him or against Him in the point of raising Armes 8. The King should be well pleased with his Parliaments intentions to reform what the Indulgence of Times and corruption of Manners may have depraved 9. The King may be willing to grant or restore to Presbytery what with Reason or Discretion it can pretend to in a conjuncture with Episcopacy but for that wholly to invade the power and by the Sword to arrogate and quite abrogate the Authority of Episcopacy is neither just as to that ancient Order nor safe for Presbytery nor yet any way convenient for this Church or State 10. The contentions between the Presbyterians and Independants in the Britannike Churches have been the struglings of those twins which one womb enclosed the yonger striving to prevail against the elder What the Presbyterians hunted after the Independants sought and caught for themselves 11. That the Builders of Babel should from division fall to confusion is no wonder but for those that pretend to build Jerusalem to divide their tongues and hands is but an ill Omen and sounds too like the fury of those Zelots whose intestine bitterness and divisions were the greatest occasion of the last fatal destruction of that City 12. The Independants in this seemd more ingenuous than the Presbyterian rigour who sometimes complaining of exacting their conformity to lawes became the greatest exactors of other mens submission to their novel injunctions 13. The King should alwayes wish so well to Parliament and City that He should be sorry to see them do or suffer any thing unworthy such great and considerable bodies in this Kingdom 14. When such Bodies become restive and refractory against Soveraignty the King may be glad to see them scared and humbled by Tumults or otherwise but not broken by that shaking of whom He should never have so ill a thought as to despair of their Loyalty to Him which mistakes may eclipse but He should never believe Malice can quite put out 15. When Parliament or City are not only divided and separated from the King but brought to intestine confusion within themselves He should look upon them as Christ did sometime over Jerusalem as objects of his prayers and tears with compassionate grief as foreseeing those severer scatterings which will certainly befal such as wantonly refuse to be gathered to their duty 16. The best profession of Religion I have ever esteemed that of the Church of England as coming nearest to Gods Word for Doctrine and to the Primitive examples for Government with some little amendment which I have often offered though in vain 17. All the lesser Factions at first were officious servants to Presbytery their great Master till time and military success discovering to each their peculiar advantages invited them to part stakes and leaving the joynt stock of uniform Religion pretended each to drive for their Party the trade of profits and preferments to the breaking and undoing not only of the Church and State but even of Presbytery it self which seemed and hoped at first to have ingrossed all 18. In the administration of Justice the settled Lawes of the Britannike Kingdoms are the most excellent rules the King can govern by which by an admirable temperament give very much to Subjects industry liberty and happiness and yet reserve enough to the Majesty and Prerogative of any King who owns his People as Subjects not as Slaves