he should fight a good fight 1 Tim. i. 18. and a prophecy that forbad him to Preach with Saint Paul the Gospel in Asia Acts xvi so by the laying on of the hands of Prophets he might at first be called to the Ministery so Primasius Oecumenius upon the place say expressly and say not onely that he was called to the Ministery by the Prophets but that he himself was a Prophet For the thing it self Theodâ—ret in Tim. â— â— is clear that Timothy received that order by Divine Revelation and Saint Chrysostome Hom. 5. in 1 Tim. c. 1. saith that as the Holy Ghost said Separate me Paul and Barnabas so was Timothy chosen yea he saith it was a common custome or raâ—her a general Blessing that in the infancy of the Church the Prophets named what Ministers should be choseâ— Tunc quia niâ—il fiâ—bat humanum Sacerdotes ex Prophetia veniâ—bant Quid â—st â—x Prophâ—…ia ex Spiritu Sancto And Eusebius l. 3. c. 23. sâ—iâ—h baâ—…aâ— nâ— John at Ephesus and thereabout made many Ministers so somewhere supplying the Clergy with such as the â—piâ—it mâ—…d â—…drawing lots for such as the Spirit signified Seeing 〈◊〉 so many Expositions are given of this intricate Place and that by â—he 〈◊〉 learned which ever wrote Presbytery which in these days is asserted can scarce finde in Scripture a root from whence it should branch No as the lay Presbyter from 1 Tim. v. 17. may say I was never here grafted so the Spiritual Presbyter from the 1. Tim. iiii 14. may say I was never here planted yea they may be fellow-Mourners and sob together saying We that would have all things attested by Scripture have not a clear Scripture either for the one's Binding of hands or for the other's laying on of hands for these onely places are nonely places neither pregnant nor perspicuous But to leave the Lay Presbyter as one saluted by the way and to talk a little more freely to the Spiritual Presbyter as the person to whom this conference is intended Can Presbytery of it self create a Ministery Scripture doth not affirm it will Antiquity avouch it I doubt not or without doubt it will nor Epiphanius saith that Aerius the Arian was the first which gave Presbyters power to ordain Ministers but saith he this cannot be for the order of Bishops doth beget Fathers to the Church but Presbyters do but onely beget Chidren by the laver of regeneration and not Fathers or Doctours Episcoporum enim ordo Patres generat Ecclesiae Presbyterorum vero non potens generare patres per lavaâ—cri regenerationem generat filios Ecclesiae non tamen Patres aut Doctores Et quomodo posâ—ibile erat Presbyterum constituere non habentem manuum impositionem aequalem Episcopo Epiphan Haer. 75. how is it then possible that a Presbyter which hath not the power of imposition of hands should be equal to a Bishop Oecumenius in c. 5.1 ad Tim. saith that where Saint Paul commandeth Timothy to lay hands rashly on no man he treateth of imposing hands because he wrote to a Bishop as if it were peculiar to him Saint Chrysostome saith that onely in laying on hands Bishops go beyond Presbyters and have that onely thingmore then the Presbyter Chrysostom Hom. in c. v. 1. ad Tim. Saint Jerome saith the self same in his Epistle to Evagrius The Councel of Antioch saith that the Bishop shall have power within his own Diocess to ordain Presbyters and Deacons C. Antioch can 2. The Councel of Nice saith the Ministers of the Paulianists must receive imposition of hands from the Bishop of the Catholick Church C. Nicen. c. 19. And is there not reason for this when Bishops are the direct Successours of Apostles for if Christ said that I will be with you to the end of the World Matthew xxviii 20. the Apostles being dead where is Christ's perpetual Providence if there be not a perpetual succession the Ministery in General cannot prove this for the Apostle's were superiour to the seventy Disciples so there must be some to represent the Apostles which must be superiour to other Ministers and that the Bishops are those persons it may appear because they have often the honourable title of Apostles James the Bishop of Jerusalem who was not James the son of Zebedee for he was one of the twelve Apostles but James the Just who is usually called the brother of the Lord being no immediate Apostle but a Bishop Com. in Es for his very office sake is called an Apostle 1 Gal. xix and by Saint Jerome called the thirteenth Apostle Theodor. in 1 Tim. 3.1 Theodoret doth call Timothy the Bishop of Ephesus an Apostle Ruffin de adult lib. Orig. Clemens is said by Ruffin to be almost an Apostle and by Clemens Alexandrinus he is expressly called Clement the Apostle Ignatius by Saint Chrys encom Ignat. is stiled both Bishop and Apostle Rab. Ms in Tim 4. Rabanus Maurus saith that Bishops ruled whole Provinces being call Apostles Theodor. in 1 Tim. 3. And Theodoret saith that those which they now call Bishops they did formerly name Apostles I know it is Objected that the Apostolical Order being extroardinary it is not perpetual but that is not so for the calling of Aaron was extraordinary at first yet it was perpetuated in the succession so likewise the calling of the Apostles for though it be not perpetual in respect of that which was extraordinary as the gift of tongues healing and discerning of Spirits yet it is in respect of the ordinary offices else I cannot see how any Minister could at this day Preach or administer the Sacraments For as inferiour Ministers do derive from the Apostles the use of Preaching and Sacraments so do Bishops both these and Jurisdiction and the power of Discipline But it will be said that a Presbyter and a Bishop in Scripture is all one and so a Presbyter hath as much power in the Church both for ordaining and exteriour regiment as the best Bishop parcius istis Credat Judaeus Apella If it were so I am but a Presbyter and no Bishop and would faine be at work next to the creating of a race of Penitents I would be creating a race of Preachers and next to wrastling with Principalities and Powers would be delivering up men to Sathan I do not know but my heart might be as Ambitious and my hands as Pragmatical and my tongue as Devouring as any others but I read that we must not stretch our selves beyond our line nor be many Masters lest we receive the greater condemnation James iii. 1. The Lord will be sanctified in them that come near Him Levit. x. 3. No man must take this Office upon him but he that was called as Aaron was Heb. v. 4. I finde no calling for these things therefore I have no comfort in them nor courage towards them Pride is odious in a Lay-man it is execrable in a Clergy-man all men must
anger and misery with it may think that great was the quarrel of Gods covenant which he was forced to avenge Plutarch de emolumenâ—o ex inimicis capiendo But as Hieron knew not his own bad breath so we know not the ill sent and smell of our sins Cicero in Topicis Stalerius would not confess those faults at the bar which he was wont to confess in his private chamber so we will not acknowledge those offences to God which we cannot but recount in our private consciences Val. Max. Messala Corvinus knew not his own name nor we our own errours I am now preaching of the sins of the times but I doubt that I preach to such as would seem to be an innocent Congregation ye will all confess the sins of the Age in general but who will confess his own particular trespasses I doubt whether the Lords prayer hath been said heartily by many these many years for I see little sense or shame of their apparent impieties Torture will not draw from some the disclosing of their evil practises nor judgment from heaven will not draw from us the discerning of our offences The many Princes which have been amongst us will not shew us our many detestable and execrable demeanours we have been miserable to purpose but we are scarce yet culpable We pass by all judgments as accidents and fates of Commonwealths rather then feel them as just visitations the rage of the enemy hath done much in this Nation but the rage of our sins hath done just nothing we feel the curse but not the crime in stead of discerning and disclosing sin we shut our eyes and shut up our lips Have ye brought any fewel to kindle this flame have ye stamped any bitter grapes in this Wine-press to put such a cup of astonishment to the lips of the Nation There is a corrupt generation which will take no notice of vice and there is a more righteous generation which doth dream of nothing but vertue one and other make little search of conscience or spie out corruption with compunction Are there any of you here which have walked frowardly against your God or clapped your hands against heaven no the irreligious are dumb and the religious are blind Oh! it is a hard thing with Ezra to say Lord we are here before thee in our trespasses Ezr. 9.15 or to say with the faithful The crown fallen from our heads wo unto us we have sinned Lam. 5.16 How many of you have thus brought iniquity to remembrance and loathed your selves in the evil which ye have committed how shall it appear by your conflicts or your tears your conviction your contrition or conversion No God hath smitten us but we have not felt it we are still as great strangers to our sins as if God had never shewn us the faces of them in the glass of vengeance God hath read a long lesson to us but we have gotten little of it by heart We are come to a Goal-delivery but consider not wherefore we were cast into prison our Ulcers are even healing but we observe not how corrupt the Botches were How few are yet sensible of their lusts riots frauds spights blasphemies rapinâ—… haughtiness hypocrisie scandal of profession and contempt of the Gospel we have suffered to extremity but are there yet any sins in the Nation are they yet in any of your aking hearts where are they whose are they I hearkned and heard but no man spake aright no man repented him of his wickednesse saying what have I done Jer. 8.6 Oh that we had endured all these Judgements in the Land I say not with patience but with true remorse oh that we had carried all these Iudgements out of the Land I say not with shouts but with true penitent hearts But though God hath set us for our sins as a gazing stock to the whole earth yet we gaze not upon our iniquities though God hath spit in our faces yet we blush not much we have stared upon our Judgements but are yet to cast the first glance upon our transgressions we are generally a stupid an impenitent generation But oh what we could not see in the eclipse let us see in the bright sun-shine what we could not apprehend under the Iudgement let us be privy to at the deliverance It is a great mercy to be preserved preservation ought not to go without consideration Let us know then what a peccant people God hath had compassion upon what grievous sinners he hath pardoned Let us a little face our sins at the taking of the scourge ye which never felt a burthened conscience under the thraldome have souls-frets at the freedome ye which never did water your eyes in the time of the trial melt a little at the release that which Gods stripes could not do let his embraces Be not preserved as a remorssesse people let not God take off your yoke without a sin-offering sacrificed upon his Altar Say that he hath saved us beyond our expectation say that he hath delivered us even to a miracle say that it is much that God could unloosen such a bond that he could be reconciled to such perverse sinners Had we had our deserts we had been still under his plaguing hand or might still have roared under his corrections for they were our sins that brought us first to the whipping post and left such black and blew marks upon us there were heinous provocations which brought such an astonishable Iudgement upon the Nation yea the Land had many transgressions in it which punished it with these many Princes For the transgressions of a Land many are the Princes thereof c. 5. This doth shew that Ambition hath a most aspiring spirit many Peasants would be many Princes The Frog in the Fable would swell himself to be as big as the Bullock Amb. l. 3. in Luc. this same appetentia dignitatis desire of Command doth stretch men beyond their limits that though men know what they were born to yet they cannot keep within their Fathers hedge but they must transilire limites break over the fence the desire design is for every one to be a Ruler to wear Robes and shake Scepters to set up the many Princes Ieron ad Algas Innocent de vit hum cond plures fulgor convocat aulae â—…neca Trag. Nisi Imperatoremâ—…e stare non posse Suetonius Many Princes they are and scarce a good one amongst them all for they care not prodesse sed praeesse to benefit but to get superiority The brightnesse of a Court doth dazle most mens eyes Corah Dathan and Abiram will not spare Moses the deliverer of the Nation nor Zimri his own Master nor Absalom his own Father Ambition hath neither modesty nor reverence it doth know neither Lawes nor bloud it is insatiable in desires insolent in attempts Julius Caesar said he could not stand unless he were Commander in chief so these are ready to faint if they
of the Lords anointed Nay if they cannot question their Princes actions they will his intentions or if they cannot make him criminal they will lay his servants exorbitances to his charge So apt is the age to make Invectives against Authority and to be Libellers against the Throne every one will be examining a Princes foot-prints and spying out staines in the Robe of Majesty That though the Scripture saith and what is Scripture to them with it under their armes and upon their tongues ends that we must not speak evil of Dignities or curse the King in our thoughts yet there are men which will defame and deprave carpe and curse yea they are not more violent and virulent against any then Princes But oh search your own consciences and be not too searching into Princes lives they are subject to many temptations which never assaulted thee the Court hath a thousand inticements which the Country do want Aliud sceptrum aliud plectrum The Scepter is one thing the Minstrels instrument is another thing There is a great difference between a Princely life and a private life If thy Prince therefore be not absolutely vicious apparently idolatrous bear with common errours How canst thou expect him to be innocent when thou thy self must deprecate the curse of thy daily trespasses Be a candid Interpreter therefore of thy Princes actions he is a Prince he is no Cherubin he may erre he is but a Man But by a Man 4. Fourthly This doth shew that government doth belong to Princes thou art not to be the Ruler no he is the man What shall the Mariners limit the Pilot the Soldiers prescribe Laws to the General There can be no quiet state Scire imperare ferre imperium Plut. where some do not know how to rule and others to submit to Authority as Agis said Aelian l. 2. var. Hist Bruson l. 3. c. 11. Niph in vit Nero. If subjects take upon them to control their superiours what is Soveraignty but nobilis servitus a noble kinde of slavery as Antigonus said Then that of Saturninus will be verified quantum mali sit imperare What a great mischief would it be to be a chief Magistrate There is a genetal confusion where omnia licent omnibus as Fronto said all things are left to the liberty of a general determining The wearing of a Crown should doubtlesse carry more majesty with it the golden reines of Authority should carry a more restraining power with them Doth not Scripture enjoyn so yes I advertise thee to take heed to the Kings Commandement Eccl. 8.2 Be subject to principalities and powers Tit. 3.1 ye must be subject not onely for wrath but conscience sake Rom. 13.5 Aug. de op Monarch Quid iniquius quam velle se obtemperari à minoribus nolle obtemperare majoribus what more unjust then that men would be obeyed of their inferiours and will not obey their superiours Art thou to try Masteries with Princes or to plucke Kings by the throat to contest with their Laws or to strive that thy will might be rather obeyed then their Mandates This is for thee to give them onely the Chaire of State but to assume all Authority to thy self or for thee to allow them the title of Rulers but to take upon thy self to be Lord Paramount in all thy designes This is a strange oath of allegiance where no fealty and loyalty is exhibited would any Lord of a Mannour be contented with such homage that is a strange stooping before a Prince where the knee doth bow and the heart doth strive for superiority would any Father be satisfied with such a prostration from his child what is this but to make Kings painted Giants or to lead them up and down as Bearewards do their beasts of terrour yet how common a thing is it to see Liegemen act the Prince they swear obedience to them but all their subjection is in laying their hands upon a book They will have their own desires or else they will fright him and fight with him torment him and vex the whole Nation haughty aspiring refractary ambitious contumacious spirits know ye not your station are the best of you compeers with Princes doth he not stand upon upper ground doth not his calling exceed yours in stature by many cubits yes Kings are higher then Agag Numb 24.7 The Mountains of Israel Ezekiel 36.1 Therefore do not onely give Tributes or pay him his Customes but give fear to whom fear belongeth and honour to whom honour belongeth Rom. 13.7 The best Subsidie thou canst send in to thy Prince is thy obedience this the privy diet whereby he doth maintain his Table or the Array whereby he doth defend his person He doth prefer the Loyalty of his people above the Jewells of his Crown and esteem their subjection above the Rents and Revenues of his Crown-land Then doth he Reign when his Dignity is acknowledged otherwise how is he a Soveraign how is he Diademed Therefore know thy Ruler a Grandure doth attend upon Princes they are the Cedars amongst all the Trees of the Forrest their eminency doth reach as high as the heavens I have said ye are Gods are ye then to affect a Deity no there is but one Numen in a Nation ye are then to be obsequious and officious he is to prescribe and be Imperial there cannot be many Ruling men where the Dominion doth belong but to one There is but a Man and he is the Man But by a Man 5. Fifthly this should exhort people to reject all devised Forms of Government and onely admit and to admire Monarchy I have described the utility necessity and excellency of Monarchy before but what is all Theory without practise I have then preached up a King effectually amongst you when I have made you all Royalists what therefore have I not yet convinced you cured your State Gangreen are ye still thirsting for your popular Governments no let others if they will eat Swines flesh but know ye how to distinguish between the clean and unclean For mine own part I do dislike Polyarchy in Government as ill as I doe Polygamy in Marriage let not us multiply Soveraignty where God hath limited it will ye be more regular then the divine square or wiser then inspiration had we not better have that Government which God hath ordained then one of our own devising yes or else as Aaron in stead of a God brought forth a Calf so we instead of a just Government will bring forth but a Brute of our own invention All other forms are so incongruous to the peace welfare and honour of a Nation that ye have heard how the light of nature hath condemned them yet let me speak what I can and bring the wisest that were in the world to confirm the equity and necessity of this Government yet the malady doth go on the age is sick of a Plurisie In stead of this one God which holy Writ hath appointed to
of the dungeon hath freedome no trances no extasies yes Let us praise the Lord who hath remembered us in our base estate for his mercy endureth fâ—r ever And hath rescued us from our Oppressours for his mercy endureth for ever Psal 136.23,24 What people once more miserable what people now more happy magnifie your God and kisse his present extol his mercy and be ravished with his Man We have had enough of the Many men here is the one and the Onely Man we have had enough of the intruding men here is the interessed man we have had enough of the self ended man here is the genraell-ended man the right republike man the true and great Statesman a Man that doth mind nothing but the common good that doth preferre the welfare of the Nation before the splendor of his owne palace a Man that is naturally ours a man that is cordially ours a Man that is wholy ours the Man of the Kingdom the Man for the Kingdome a Brittish man the Brittish glory what would ye expect in man that is not to be found in this Man what would ye desire in man that is not eminently in this Man I am unwilling to call him Man doubtlesse he is celestiall or let him be Man but withall call him Mirrour A Prince of constellations a Prince of the Sunne a Prince that hath in him the influence of the third heavens yea I might say the inspiration of Gods own brest the Prince of Gods right eye and Gods right hand Blessed Prince that enjoys such a God happie Land that enjoys such a Prince Since the Foundations of the earth all things considered when were there so many mercies and miracles shewn in one Prince I admire them and almost adore them sure I am I may God for them This Age hath the fruit of them after ages will have the bruit of them that we had judgement enough to prize them or thankfulnesse enough to honour them Oh that this should be the Prince that God in the sight of the whole world would Crown with his own right Hand That this should be the Land where such a Darling of Heaven should raign To speak much of him is but his desert to speak all of him is beyond my All. It had need be some Appelles that should draw this Picture or some Thamiris the sonne of Philammon whose songs were said to be composed by all the Muses which should be the Precentor in this Dittie Yet thus much I can and will say of him and that not only for to shew my Princes honour but the peoples happinesse that his birth is Royal and blessed art thou Oh Land when thy King is the sonne of Nobles Now where is there a Prince in Christendom which can derive such an ancient Linage Secondly That his puissance is proved and approved his valour being the fame of all Nations Thirdly That his patience is renowned he having shewn himself the suffering Anvile both of necessities and indignities What should I speak of more his Temperance is an Example and his clemencie is beyond Example Should I set out his other perfections and break a string in the expressing of them some Grashopper or other would be so kind as to leap upon my Instrument and sing out that which I might be defective in Strabo l. 6. as it happened to Eunomus when he contended with Ariston For his Eminencies are so well known that they are the daily speech of the vulgar To abridge therefore much that might be spoken I shall only give him the just praise of my Text and say that whatsoever a rare Man he be in other things he is a proper Man I mean a proper man to cure a Diseased and perishing State for he is a Man of Understanding and Knowledge Briefly to descant upon both these First He is a Man of Understanding in heavenly things he will own no Faith but that which is inspired nor no Worship but that which is Primitive nor no Ministry but that which is Apostolical nor no conversation but that which is unblemished He doth desire a bright Church more then a glorious Court Secondly He is a Man of Knowledge in temporal things He that in his greatest extremities beyond-Sea hath wronged none but hath preserved the honour of his justice will not come come home to his own to feed upon his peoples Birthrights there is nothing in him that doth seem like a claw For matters of Judicature the Administration of Justice is like to be as free under him as the light of Heaven for as he hath the ablest Judges so he will make them the faithfullest he that caâ—…ies such an eye over his Bishops will likewise watch over his Judges that there may be no remissnesse partiality nor corruption in them He doth set up his Royal Standard to the whole Nation and if those which were entrusted by him do not weigh out justice to his people he will as soon punish a Judge as a Judge should a Malefactour or an Oppressour howsoever if any thing should escape that way for want of his priviâ—y it shall be the sinne of the Judges and not of the Prince For the advancement of the welfare of the Nation ye need not doubt it for as he is a King so his Kingdom doth lye close under his Eyelâ—…â—…ea it is deeply engraven into the bottom or â—his 〈◊〉 the benefit of his people being as dear to him 〈◊〉 the Râ—… of his Crown-land His Presence hath â—…ken aâ—…ly 〈◊〉 hindrances to obstruct Trade and His Princely care shall be to add all furtherances that all Callings both by Sea and Land may prosper for he is very sensible that his Subjects stock is his Bank it being impossible if there be not the height of tenaciousnesse and ingratitude that there can be a wanting Prince where there is a flourishing people In point of knowledge I do fear him but in one thing and that it the first the preserving of his own Rites but that he will not fail in for want of Knowledge but through abundance of good nature for I hear that he hath a heart so great and an hand so liberal that he will give Royalties to expresse Bounty but this perhaps may be but a particular mans fear my wise Prince in time may prove as great an Husband of his Rights as others would have him a boundlesse Distributer But if this should be his errour it were but his own injurie and an exuberancy of an heroical and magnificent Spirit Thus then I have now shewn you what your Prince is and it is fit for every one to know the worth of his own Jewel to honour a Prince is a part of loyaltie Give honour to whom honour belongeth Fear God and honour the King Honour me before the people said Saul and Samuel did not refuse it To ascribe more to a King then is due is flattery to substract from a King what he doth deserve is Felony And as there may be many Parasites so I doubt there are a great company of Crown-plunderers What I have uttered I intend rather for an Alarum-bel then a Trumpet for an Incentive then a Panegyrick to quicken your thankfulnesse then to decipher my Princes perfections and this I think is both duty and conscience If he be such a Prince then affect him admire him value him reverence him Think whit a miserie ye had what a blessing ye have oh strange alteration Oh blessed change Have ye a King and such a King then do nothing to diminish his Worth to disturbe his Government to prejudice his Rights to injurie his person Malicious is that eye which coth look upon him with spight Venomous is that heart which doth envie his Government and cursed is that hand that would assault his person Would any one throw down that dish by which he should be fed Pluck out that eye by which he should see Bruise that foot by which be should walk Clip out that Tongue by which he should speak Stamp under foot that evidence by which he should inherit Rend in pieces that Garment wherewith he should be cloathed Burn that house wherein he should dwell abase scorn scandall maligne mischieve murther that King that should make him happie both for bodie and soule Is this the subjection to a King Is this the obedience to a Man of Understandidg and Knowledge God deliver us from such loyal Subjects here is horrid Allegiance I beseech you therefore by the remembrance of the Many Princes ye have had and of the one Prince ye have by the men of violent spirits and politick heads and by the Man of Understanding and Knowledge by your former slaverie and your present libertie by your Kings Right and your Kings Graces by your Countrymens welfare and your Enemies watchfulnesse by the honour of obedience and the shame of Rebellion by the names of Subjects and the Noblenesse of Saints by the obligation of Oathes and the commination of Gods Lawes by the impartial Judges which ye feel in your own bosomes and the incorrupt Judge which ye will meet with at the Throne by the fruit ye desire under the Ministery and by the comforts you expect upon your death-beds that laying aside all jealousies irefull passages exasperated passions humours and tumours motions and commotions ye do bow before such a King and blesse God for such a Man Know his just Claim and acknowledge his Perfections pray for his prosperous Raign and do what ye can to preserve his precious and sacred Person so may the King have safety thy Kingdom prosperity Religion Honour the Church Unity the Gospel propagation Faith Purity the Nation may be preserved the State may be prolonged and Upon all the Glory there may be a Defence All which God grant for his mercies sake Amen Amen FINIS