prescription is somewhat ancient for 't is said Melchizedeck y Genes 14.20 Heb. 7.2 blessed Abraham and hee gave him tythes of all things And under the Law it is ordred That z Nehem. 10.37 the Levits might have the tythes in all their Cities of our tillage This we find not discontinued under the Gospell a Heb. 7.5 They which are children of Levi which receive the office of the Priesthood have a commandement to take according to the Law tythes of the people And Saint Paul holds it good equitie 1 Corinth 9.13 That as they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Our Statute Lawes have established and incorporated them into our estates for b Stat 27.31.32.37 H. 8. Tythes in the hands of Lay-men become temporall inheritances and shall be accounted Assets And Lay men proprietaries of tythes c Cookes Littleton fol. 159. have election either to sue for the treble value by the Common Law or for the double in Ecclesiasticall Courts The ancient jurisdiction of Court Leets and Court Barons d Petition note 12 13. Sions plea fol. 47. they would subtilly undermine by quarrelling at the oath whereby the Court must fall Ex consequenti Cookes Littleton fol. 58. Britton 274. Bract. de Actionibus fol. 105. Civiles actiones terminari debent in Curia Baronum de quibus ipse petens clamaverit tenere taking away the use of Juries or the testimonies of witnesses Though we find them held in the time of Edward the Confessour and so called Barones vero qui suam habent curiam de suis hominibus and continued ever since And indeed they would have no Courts at all to have jurisdiction over them as appeares by many of their writings as that they would have Courts to proceed only against sins by the word of God Chord Angl prop. 8.10 Sions plea fol. 48. If it be no sin there is no ground of an oath View Prelaticall Church 41. of which the Presbyterie would be Judges and as they say it would free us from weekely Courts The would withdraw the customarie right of e Their petition note 21. Bract. lib. 2. fol. 60. Cookes Littleton fo 185. Lambert fol. 119. 58. Herriots taken in the Saxons times in which language it is called Heregeat or the Lords best for Here is Lord and Geat is best And in the Lawes before the Conquest it is said f Sive quis incuriâ sive morte repentina fuerit intestat mortuus Dominus tamen nullam rerum suarum praeter eam quae jure debetur Herrioti nomine sibi assumito Whether by a judiciall sentence or by sudden death any man dyes intestate yet the Lord shall take none of his goods but that which is due by Law in the name of a Herriot Nay they yet goe higher even to the denyall of the right of proprietie in our estates They would pay no Fines g Their petition Note 22. do no Boons nor Duties to their Land-lords or at best bring them within the Arbitrarie Jurisdiction of the Presbyter who must be Chancellour betwixt Lord and Tenant And these things are not represented by way of complaint or submitted to the consideration and determination of the Parliament but seeme to be inforced by intimation of a strong occult implyed Covenant in that they say h Their petition Note 15. Christ on his Throne fol. 77. So woe may recover that Christian liberty wherwith Christ hath made us free and for which his bloud was powred forth Sions plea fol. 333. Rom. 14.1 2. 2 Pet. 13.14 Goodman pag 30. The contrarie priviledges Christ hath purchased and commanded them to stand unto If this be not to subvert Lawes I know not what is It is not onely a defiance to Civill Government but a Band against it Nor Law nor Gospell scape such censures If Saint Paul teach us not to resist authoritie but rather to submit to punishment Some tell us This is a dangerous doctrine taught by some by the permission of God for our sins Certainly these are dangerous doctrines indeed and God open our eyes in time to fore-see and prevent the consequences So much are people infatuated with these false glosses of pretended libertie that they are easily seduced to swallow such guilded pils with open armes to embrace with eager hands to pull upon their owne heads their owne ruine For alas what is it else but to enthrall our selves under an irrecoverable servitude whence can be no redemption Is it not to make that choyce the Israelites refused Whether is better for you Judges 9.2 either that all the sons of Ierubbaal which are threescore and ten persons reigne over you or that one reigne over you Whether shall wee content our selves with the dispensation of Lawes our selves assent to can at any time expand or contract as we shall find them too narrow or too large for the circle of our Isle trust the administration of these in the hands of six and twentie Bishops whose Delegate power is limited by our Statute Lawes whose persons are easily responsall for any extent of that power beyond those bounds the Parliament allots them Or submit our selves to the meere Arbitrarie Government of thrice twentie six thousand Presbyters and Elders for more than so many will that Hierarchy amount to under which they would now draw us by the platforme of their new pretended discipline In which if there were any more but the Species of libertie that we should thus be quit from all Ecclesiastique subjection though it is a principle too oft proved true Moulins Confession 408. Tyranny is more tollerable than such a freedome which under the title of libertie introduceth licentiousnesse and this licentiousnes bringeth in extreme servitude that Over-much desire of libertie is the originall of Tyranny every one by being too free becomming a slave The Vulgar being well resembled to birds long caged and kept tame which breaking loose starve for want of food or become a prey to the first destroyer Yet this might be a popular motive to entice many into this new Coy If it did conduce to a reall freedome I wish all men should know I hold my selfe as free-borne as any man and as much disdaine the thought of servile fetters of Romish Tyranny or an insultant Prelacie as any he that lives But I ever held that Nunquam libertas gratior extat quà m sub Rege pio That it is Law which is to a free State not a Band but a Guard against oppression That it is Magistracie which levels the scale of justice betwixt power and povertie that preserves degrees distinction order i All Societies Oeconomick Civill and Ecclesiasticall doe consist by the submission of inferiours to superiours which being removed confusion necessarily followeth without which no Church no State no family can stand And when
Let us examine this new found Discipline how consistent with a Protestant Monarchy least by admitting it ex improviso we may shoulder Regem ex solio Religionem ex solo A King out of his Throne and Religion out of the Land 'T is a faire species of piety to cry out for Reformation and too many I feare for this shadow are ready to let goe the substance Never was Gods Church so pure but shee had her spots it will be perfect charitie to wipe them out but it argues none to make them greater In stead of Reforming some so deface deforme her that one would scarce thinke there were Christians in it when for the most part the greatest slanderer proves the greatest Hypocrite If the Intention were unitie the way to preserve it 1 Epphes 4. is by meeknesse of spirit in the band of peace but those that expect any from some of these Disciplinarians delude themselves If wee may believe their owne writings however wee may hope Reformation might qualifie them we shall finde they have no such designe Some tell us plainly the Episcopall Government must not be moderated nor reserved Answ to Lond. petition fol. 33. If the Hierarchy be not removed our desolations are like to be the astonishment of all Natâ—â—ns Syons plea. fol 5. 160. Christ on his Throne fol 47. Jer. 4.11.12 Syons plea. 196. Syons plea. 185. but presently and wholly taken away The Bishops must be utterly extirpated no lesse than the Romans rooted out the very name of Tarquins for the tyranny they had exercised A wind to fanne or cleanse will not serve the turne but it must bee a full mightie wind to root up and carry away the very foundation of their being It is not lopping nor pruning nor shaving nor paring the nailes of this evill that will serve turne unlesse yee pluck up these stumps of Dagon by the very roots their nayles will grow ranker than ever they did Except this strange fire be removed the Lord must make the consuming fire of his wrath breake out upon us If it live â— 187. the Common-wealth must dye Nay some of them goe so farre as to professe The Church-Ministerie and worship in England are all Antichristian * 8. Propositions printed by an unknowne Author Protest against the Hierarchy as an Antichristian Tyranny Lord Bishops no Bishops 86. from which all Gods people are in dutie and conscience bound to separate themselves by these obloquies seeking as they confesse to stirre up a holy hatred of the Prelates * Syons plea. 196. Epistle to the Reader even to dash their Brains against the stones By such clamours cherishing in the vulgar a discontented Humour which is the common source of Schisme and Heresie thereby the better to broach their new invented Discipline built upon no other Basis but the peoples dislike of Poperie as If the onely rule to draw out the line of our Religion by were to take the direct opposite in all things to that of the Church of Rome * That Religion most pure which hath least conformity with Rome Christ on his throne 23. when we know that such as travell absolutely East and West from one another if they live to it shall meet in the same line they parted whereas parallells continued to any extent doe never interfare The first quarrels of the greatest breaches in the Church have for the most part bin in points of discipline And for all the noise some of these men make of dissention enmity in rites and ceremonies which are but shadows we shall find that in the most essentiall parts of Discipline which concerne the sway of Church and State the subjection of Prince and people to the tyranny of their Discipline they doe not onely shake hands again with Poperie but with the strictest of them the Jesuites clearely sever themselves from the Tenets of the Protestant Church Jesuits Declarat motuum cap. 20. Quodlibets p. 142. both sides laying this for a fundamentall both agree for the utter abrogation of all Episcopall jurisdiction Contrary to the 36. Article of our Religion The Church so subdued see how they sway the Civill State wherein it will bee observed whether the Luke-warme Protestant as they call us or such zealous separatists be likest to give fire to that Popish powder which would blow up in fumum all Kingly Supremacy or Magisteriall Superioritie over the Independent Hierarchie God sayes Thou shalt make him King whom I shall chuse and this rule we admit for Law Some that pretend to be presbyterians tell us x Gilby lib. de Obedientia pag. 25. 105. Populo jus est ut imperium cui velit deferat Buchan de jure Regni pag. 61. In regnis hominum potestas regis est à populo quia populus facit Regem Bellarm. de Concil lâ—b 2. cap. 19. Kings Princes and Governours have their authoritie of the people and upon occasion they may take it away againe as men may revoke their Proxies and Letters of Atturney The Jesuites come not much short of this for say they In the kingdome of men the power of the King is from the people because the people makes the King To a bad prince God hath said I will rend the kingdome from thee and every true protestant expects the performance not taking the staffe out of Gods hands who sayes y Deuteron 32.35 Romans 12.19 To mee belongeth vengeance and I will repay One of these sayes Goodman pag. 144 145. Evill Princes ought to bee deposed and inferiour Magistrates ought chiefly to doe it With this Bellarmine agrees * Bellarmin lib. 3. de Pont. cap. 7. Talis consensu omnium potest imò debet privari suo dominio Such by the consent of all may nay ought to be deprived and if this was not done in old time it was for want of strength to doe it Salomon sayes Who shall say unto a King What doest thou Goodman tels us Obedience pag 111. Bancroft 36. Judges ought to summon Princes before them for their crimes and to proceed against them as all other offenders Here I find they have outgone the Jesuit David thought no man could stretch forth his hand against the Lords anoynted and be guiltlesse Yet this Disciplinarian sayes Goodman pag. 185. When Magistrates cease to doe their duties God giveth the sword into the peoples hands Nay Obedience pag. 110. a private man having some speciall inward motion may kill a Tyrant In this the Jesuite is too slow paced too hee thinks fit to give him a publike triall first z Tyrannicè gubernans justè acquisito Domino non potest spoliari sine publico judicio Emanuel Sa. Marry sentence given then any man may be the executioner Suarez is more moderate a Si Papa Regem deponit ab illis tantum poterit expelli vel interfici quibus ipse id commiserit Suarez lib 6. cont Iacob Regem cap. 4.
A Remonstrance AGAINST PRESBITERY Exhibited by divers of the NOBILITIE GENTRIE MINISTERS and INHABITANTS of the County PALATINE OF CHESTER with the Motives of that REMONSTRANCE TOGETHER WITH A SHORT SURvey of the Presbyterian Discipline Shewing the inconveniences of it and the inconsistency thereof with the constitution of this State being in its Principles destructive to the Laws and Liberties of the People With a briefe Review of the Institution Succession Iurisdiction of the ancient and venerable Order of Bishops Found to bee instituted by the Apostles continued ever since grounded on the Lawes of God and most agreeable to the Law of the Land By Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet Horace lib. 1. Epist 2. Vt iugulent homines surgunt de nocte latrones Vt teipsum serves non expergisceris Because my people hath forgotten me they have burnt incens to vanity and they have caused them to stumble in their ways from the ancient paths to walk in paths in a way not cast up Ieremiah 18.15 Printed for Iohn Aston 1641. TO THE KINGS MOST EXCELLENT MAIESTIE Most dread Soveraigne FArr bee it from my ambition to presume your sacred Maiestie should mispend your more precious minutes upon the perusall of this weake essay of my loyall affections to my Parents My King the Father of his people (a) Bonus Rex nihi a bono patre diffetâ— patria dicitur a patre quia haber communem patrem qui est pater patriae to whom by the Law of nature I owe Faith and Allegeance (b) Ligeance or faith of the subiects is due to the King by the law of Nature Cokes Post nat My Mother the Church in whose bosome I have been fostered with the pure food of life the Word of Truth Yet Sir since your Maiestie was pleased so graciously to approve of the meer Text or Abstrast of this Treatise The Remonstrance of many of your humble loyall Subiects of that your devoted County of Chester it is a dutie in me humbly to begge your Maiesties leave that it may under your Princely patronage walke abroad with this Comment it hauing by misprision or malice beene pursued with some vniust clamours And the pure intents of the subscribers have been expoz'd to a sinister interpretation whoe I am certain had no other end but to expresse their loyall desires to prevent a growing danger I confesse my owne insufficiency to performe so great a taske I foresee the calumny that inevitably attends every good intention since Traducers barke at those Elephants whose strength of learning might support a Church against all the batteries of wit or reason How must I looke to have these Bats flutter about me who in namelesse pamphlets fill the ayre and the eares of every one with nothing but shrikes and outcrie against all Government Invectives against all Governours of the Church But I have read of one borne dumbe who seeing his Father in danger affection supplied the defects both of art and nature and in an iâ—stant lent him organs and language to forewarne his Fathers perill This excites me to proceed since God hath given me sence to speake plaine English and I thanke him spirit to speake truth it were an argument of affectation to my selfe if out of distrust of my owne abilities to write Placentia to winne popular applause I should silence my apprehension of the danger imminent over King and Church which more leisure or perhaps more curiositie hath given me that occasion to looke into may bee many better able have omitted Visible it is to every eye what assaults are made by such inveighours against the long established Government of the Church under that reverend Order of Bishops but it is not so easily discernable how much this may concerne your Maiestie yet Experience will tell us if we looke abroad that all those Monarchies haue Suffered an EClipse where the rights of the Churh have beene deserted And no marvell if it be well look'd into Crowns carry a charme with them at the consecrtion of Kings Exellently learned and satisfactory I must confesse are the Treatises of many great Divines in defence of this Order But Ars non habet inimicum praeter ignorantem and some of these have erred in writing above the capacity of their opposers Artists iudge best of a Diamond without a foile know it by it's owne Rayes but the inexpert only by comparison with other stones I have plac'd Episcopacâ— and Presbytery in paralèll such as my selfe doubtlâ—sse will better distinguish them in plaine prospect than in meer speculation The Bishops are suspect as parties all that is writ by them as partiall To all but the preiudicate sure I stánd unsuspest being as free borne as independant as any man I have no interest but the love of truth and libertie save that of loyaltie which when I consider to how gracious a Prince I owe that dutie I confesse it appeares a great tye hee that shall read those publicke prosessions of grace to both your houses and t is pitty but they should be read and registred in the hearts of all your people I shall willingly concur with you to reforme all Innovations in Church and Common-wealth The Kings speech to both Houses 23. Ianuar. 1640. to regulate all Courts of Iustice according to Law and that what ever part of my revenue shall be found illegall or grievous to the publicke I will willingly lay downe relying entirely upon the affections of my people And shall bee privie to that pledge of free grace given under your Maiesties hand and seale to that your County upon the humble representation of their loyall affections to the peace of Church and State in those words which I assure my selfe we shall ever keep as royall Records We being desirous with the advice and assistance of Parliament to redresse all iust grievances The Kings letter to the Lords and Gentry of the County Palatine of Chester and resolv'd by Gods grace to preserve the puritie of Religion and governe according to Law He I say that shall but read these sure needs no oath of Allegeance but will bend all his endevours to support all his prayers to perpetuate that Crowne to all posterÃtie under whose Royall shade wee have such happy assurances to receive îustice to enioy our Religion Libertie and Lawes These Considerations have encouraged me to represent the Government of a Presbitery as it yet appeares by their owne Writers Incompatible with your Maiesties Soveraigntie destructive to your peoples liberties wherein your Maiestie pardoning the presumption and casting a favourable eye upon the good intention such as maligne truth or your Maiesties prosperitie can vent their venome against no man lesse values it then Your Maiesties most loyall Subiect and humble Servant THO. ASTON To the Reader Reader I Did never expect to salute thee from the Presse yet I am now forced to it finding my name upon every Stationers stall first assumed without my privity to countenance an imperfect
submission to leave these to the Iudgement of the Parliament you will regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Laws and the nature of freemen Yet when we consider that Bishops were instituted in the time of the Apostles (b) philip 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 That they were the great Lights of the Church in all the first generall Councells (c) Anno. Bishops 330. at Nice 318 380. at Constant 150 430. at Ephesus 200 451. at Chalcedon 430 553. at Constant 165 681. at Constant 289 781. at Nice 350 870. at Constant 383 That so many of them sowed the seeds of Religion in their bloods and rescued Christianity from utter extirpation in the Primitive heathen persecutions (d) Vid. Eusebius Fox his Martyrs That to them we owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospel we now professe from Romish corruption (e) Vid. booke of Martyrs Cranmer Tutor to Ed. 6. That many of them for the propagation of that truth became such glorious Martyrs (f) A Cranmer B. Latimer â— Ridley B. Hooper B. Park A Parker A. B Gri. B. Whitegift c. vid. booke of martyrs That divers of them lately and yet living with us have been so great assertors of our Religion against its common enemy of Rome (g) Bishop Iewel Bishop Andrewes bishop White Archbishop Vsher Bishop Moreton Bishop Davenant and our English Seneca Bishop Hall And that their government hath been so long approved so oft established by the Common and Statut Laws of this Kingdome (h) Bracton lib. 3. fol. 106. Flet. a lib. 7.24 Coo. Little fol. 97. 134. stat 14. E. 3. 25. E. 3. 16. R. 2. H. 8.20.1.8.9 Eli. And as yet nothing in their doctrine generally taught dissonant from the word of God or the Articles established by Law i) Partiucular men errours cannot be aken for the Tenets of the Church In this case to cal their Gouernment a perpetuall vassalage an intolerable bondage And prima facie inaudita altera parte to pray the present removall of them or as in some of their petitions to seek the utter dissolution anâ— ruine of their offices as Antichristian (l) The petition annexed note 6. we cannot conceive to rellish of Justice or Charity nor can we joyn with them But on the contrary when we consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of petitions are spread amongst the common people the tenents preached publiquely in Pulpits (m) The positions annexed and the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming amongst us all of them dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of gouernment and their severall intimatious of the desire of the power of the keyes (n) Petition anexed note 4. And that their congregations may execute Ecclesiasticall Censures within themselves (o) Petition annexed note 19. We cannot but expresse our just fears that their desire is to introduce an absolute Innovation of Presbyteriall Government whereby we who are now governed by the Canon and Civill Laws dispensed by twenty fix Ordinaries easily responsall to Parliaments for any deviation from the rule of Law conceive we should become exposed to the meer Arbitrary Goverment of a numerous Presbytery who together with their ruling Elders wil arise to neere forty thousand Church Governours and with their adherents must needs bear so great a sway in the Common-wealth that if future inconvenience shall be found in that government we humbly offer to consideration h w these shall be reducible by Parliaments how consistent with a Monarchie and how dangerously conducible to an Anarchie which we have iust cause to pray against as fearing the consequences would proue the utter losse of Learning and Laws which must necessarily produce an extermination of Nobility Gentry and Order if not of Religion With what vehemencie of spirit these things are prosecuted and how plausibly such popular infusions spread as incline to a parity we held it our duty to represent to this honourable Assemâ—ly And humbly pray that some such present course be taken as in your wisdoms shall be thought fit to suppresse the future dispersing of such dangerous discontents amongst the common people we having great cause to fear that of all the distempers that at present threaten the wellfare of this state there is none more worthy the mature and grave consideration of this honourable Assembly then to stop the torrent of such spirits beâ—ore they swell beyond the bounds of Government Then we doubt not but his Majestie persevering in his gracious inclination to heare the complaints and relieve the grievances of his Subjects in frequent Parliaments it will so unite the head and the body so indissolubly cement the affections of his people to our Royall Soveraigne that without any other change of Government he can never want Revenue nor wee Justice We have presumed to annex a Copie of a Petition or Libell dispersed and certain positions preach'd in this County which vve conceive imply matter of dangerous consequence to the peace both of Church and State All vvhich vve humbly submit to your great Judgements praying they may be read And shall ever pray c Directed to the house of Peeres And subscribed by the Lieutenant of the County Three other Noblemen Knights Baronets Knights and Esquires fourscore and odde Divines fourscore and ten Gentlemen tvvo hundred threescore and odde Freeholders and other inhabitants above six thousand None of them Popish Recusants And all of the same County The Petition which was spread abroad in the Countrie amongst the Common people by some private Persons to procure hands but was concealed from the Gentrie A Copy wherâ—of was annexed to the Remonstrance and was complained of having injuriously assumed the Name of the Humble Petition of the Free-holders and the rest of the Inhabitants within the Countie of Chester which might seeme to involve the whole Countie Sheweth THat whereas the manifold unsupportable burdens wherewithal our Consciences and estates have beene long oppressed with a continuall increase thereof have at last so tyred and infeebled our strength that we find our selves unable to subsist any longer under the weight thereof wee dare not now neglect to take the present opportunitie of serving the Lords providence in the use of this meanes which we hope is of his owne appoynting for our reliefe But as we have in some measure implored God who is the blessed Author so wee thought our selves bound humbly to Petition this honourable and renowned Assembly convened in Parliament for redresse of our miseries being the likelyest instrument so farre as we apprehend not limiting the Holy one of Israel for that end and purpose which we humbly pray may be duly considered as we make bold to tender them in these few Lines following Our miseries are such as are either Ecclesiastical or Civill first Ecclesiasticall and that in regard of the usurping Prelates their lawlesse dependent officers and their irregular manner of worshipping
THat every particular Congregation is an absolute Church and is to have all ordinances and officers within it selfe the members of it must be onely Saints these must enter Covenant amongst themselves and without such a Covenant no Church 10. That the power of the Keyes is committed neyther to the Pastors nor Governours but to the whole Congregation and to every particular member of the same and Christ having committed them to every one would of every one demaund an account of them and therfore charged the people as they would answer it at the dreadfull day of judgment to keep the keyes amongst themselves and not to suffer any authority to wrest them out of their hands 11. That it is an heynous sin to be present when prayers are read out of a Book either by the Minister or any other By which and other such Doctrines many of the common people are brought into that odium of the Book of common prayer that divers of them will not come into the Church during the time of Divine Service THe spreading of the foresaid Petition and the publicke and frequent preaching of these and such like seditious Doctrines having stird up a generall discontent in many common people divers of the Gentry without any sinister respect whatsoever but only out of a care of the publicke peace being thereunto induced by the presidents of London and Essex into which the Lords had formerly directed orders for suppression of such disorders did humbly desire the Earle of Darby Lord Lieutenant of the County to joyne in a Remonstrance of the distempers likely to ensue and to represent the same to the house of Peerese Praying their care for prevention thereof THe Remonstrance beeing resolved of upon a conference of many of the Gentlemen of the Country some Divines were sent unto to know if they would joyne in subscription with the Gentry and for the clear carriage and quick dispatch severall Letters were sent into the several hundreds directed to some of the princâ—pal Iustices there with copies of all inclosed to procure the subscriptions of their neighbor-hood all of the same contents and subscribed by those few who underwrit this following beeing foureteene persons of quality Gentlemen VPon consideration of the copy of a Petition inclosed from the Freeholders of this County which hath been spread abroad and signed by many hands wee conceive it would much reflect upon the Countrey to let it passe in the names of the Countie without any protestation against it beeing not onely clamorous against the governement of Church and State but against our Country in particular And beeing the shortnesse of time would not permit a generall meeting yet such as wee have consulted both with Divines and others are pleased to approve of the coppy inclosed Therefore for the speedy dispatch of it we have thought fit to send severall Coppies into the severall hundreds intreating that you will be pleased to assemble or send unto all the Gentrie of your hundred and such Divines as you conceive will joyne in it and some of the chiefe Free-holders before wednâ—sday next and signe the Paper annexed to the Petition with as many hands of quality as you can get and returne them to Cholmley where wee shall some of us meete and annex them all to the originall it selfe which wee have signed and will so send it up to bee preferred the dispatch is the life of the businesse Wee hope no man will be slack in that so much concernes the Country So we rest your very loving friends We desire that you would be pleased not to let any Coppies be taken and returne it on Thursday next at farthest and let no Papist subscribe whatsoever January 30. 1640 The Direction or Superscription To the Right Honourable the L. Brereton Mr. Doctor Dod and Henry Mainwayring Esquire or one of them and to others the Gentlemen of the Hundred of Northwich This publike carriage I hope will satisfie all ingenious men how injurious such clamours have beene as pretended undue practises to procure Subscriptions And if some few timorous people by pretence of trouble have beene frighted to retract their former Subscriptions J presume no judicious man will conceive it either to reflect on the Gentry or dis-value the substance of the Remonstrance To the Honorable the Lord Bishops Reverend Fathers IN the first part of this Discourse I have had a particular Interest us'd the liberty of my owne expressions out of the sense and fore-sight of my owne endangered Liberty which I apprehend absolutely to depend upon the preservation of your regulated order and Legall Government to be inevitably if not irrecoverably lost by the admission of an irregular Arbitrary Presbytery I denie not but the wisedome of this Age may finde out a new way neither pattern'd by the Apostles nor practiz'd in any Age or State and when it is established by Law I know my part obedience But till then Law being on my side God forbid I should not as freely speak in defence of fundamentall Lawes of Divine institutions as others doe to the subversion of both Such has beene the unhappinesse of my Privacie I am scarce knowne to hardly know any of your persons yet with that Reverence doe I looke upon your Sacred order as an Apostolicall therefore not questionable institution I consider your Predecessours as the Ballast which have poyz'd the Barks of Monarchy to sayle safely in the Sea of Vulgar whose piety and wisedome first prescribed the Medium twixt Tyrannie and Anarchy Till Bishops help'd to reduce the unbounded wills of Princes to the limits of Lawes Kings were Tyrants And where ever they are not there ever followes a popular which is a worse Tyranny Obedience to Kings Conformity to Lawes is a Duty both to God and nature but subjection to the absolute and unlimited wills of men is unnaturall to those that were borne under the protection of Lawes Long ha's this Nation flourished in the equall dispensation of Lawes by Divines Civilians and Common Lawyers Glorious and fortunate have beene the Proficients in all of them They much deceive themselves that think the one shall rise by the fall of the other two If two or three mixt Arbitrary Courts sitting onely in Tearme time shall be thought so prejudiciall to the Common Law what must a Quotidian-Chancery prove in every Parish Sure hee that should but seriously consider the condition of the Advocates in the Low Countries Geneva and in all places where the Presbytery hath got footing would burne his Barr Gowne and begin a new profession at the apprehension of such a change No doubt Rebus sic stantibus At this instant there are many able men ready to supply your voyded seates and an instant extinguishment of all the lights of the Church cannot be fear'd But if all preferment for humane learning shall be thus taken away in the next Age wee are liker to degenerate to the Barbarisme of the Greekes then arive at their perfection The
sword hath for a short space kept some States a float but I must boldly say t is the Reverence of Religion the advancement of learning that hath made them stable and happy These Considerations are properly within the capacity of a Gentleman But in the latter part I must ask your pardon That I have walk'd beyond my Verge Taken as well a Divine as a politique Survey of your order I know it is an Injurie to plead a good cause ill yet I hope you will finde my Modesty such that in this I presume so little of my selfe that I have onely allowed words to knit together the opinions of such Authorities as till now have beene Authentique 'T is a time when selfe-interest swayes much and for ought I know every man that reads this may be equally concern'd as my selfe whereby this must be conceived lesse partiall from me then from any of your Coat And at least they will inferre hence that much more might be said since I have said so much I must confesse enough hath beene delivered in a little by that Reverend Primate Vsher T' is Apostolicall Which admitted the Conclusion silences all argumentation Contra negantes principia non disputandum Does well in Schooles but when noyse and novelty onely prevaile I wish you had been all more free in defence of your Calling 'T is truth that Downam Bilson Suckliffe and many others have said so much as there can scarce be any thing added but they must have new Titles or else they will not be look'd on the Fathers themselves are absolete and deserted Authority Wee are all growne so wise in this knowing Age that every man must have his proofes level'd to his owne naturall reason unlesse they be invectives those tickle the itching eares of the time and are presently taken upon trust without examination I was not fram'd to court that straine nor doe I expect to please your oppugners all my ambition is to satisfie some Gentlemen free as my selfe my Desire is not to offend you by the ill mannage of so good a Cause Though I know none by any of you yet should I not seek to qualifie the ill of any of your persons But must professe I affectionately pray for the Conservation of that order which is so apt an Embleme of the Divine ordinance of that great Creator who as hee ordained the Sunne to exceed the Moone The Moone the Starres and every Starre excelling another in glory Doubtlesse intended as divine a Method in disposing the lights of our immortall soules as those Luminaries of our corruptible bodies Hee I hope will preserve this Church while that Sunne and Moone endure Which is the prayer of The well-wisher of Sion T. A. Since the severall attempts to blemish this Remonstrance by dispersing that Libell and by seeking to draw some ignorant people to disavow their owne subscriptions it pleased divers Gentlemen of quality to testifie both their dislike of such practices and the continuance of their zeale to a vow their Remonstrance By this Certificate To our very loving friend and Kinsman Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet SIR WEe have lately received a Printed Copie of a most seditious feigned and dangerously factious Petition which is spread in the County purporting to be preferred to the High and Honorable Court of Parliament by the Nobles Knights Gentrie Ministers c. of this County pretended in answer of a Petition subscribed by us and many thousands more and by our request preferred by you for the good and honour of this County which vile and Machivilian Petition we perceive was never preferred to neither House but dispersed maliciously and seditiously to stirre up discord and tumult And wee have also seene the Coppie of your Petition preferred on the behalfe and for the service of this County for whom you are trusted in this Which wee all so well approve of as wee doubt not but that as well those many thousands who subscribed our Remonstrance preferred by you which found so gracious acceptation both with his Sacred Majestie and the Lords to whom it was preferred as also many thousands more of this County whose hands could not by reason of shortnesse of time be gotten to that will upon just opportunity acknowledge your good service herein for your Country and your merit from the Inhabitants thereof who stand well affected either to his Majestie or the good or peaceable Government of this Kingdome And therefore wee have not onely thought fit with these few subscribers whom the shortnesse of this dispatch could divulge your merits unto to testifie your great Care and Diligence for your Country and our approbation thereof but to pray you not to be discouraged herein But stil to presse as there shall be oportunity an effectuall order and answer to our Remonstrance and some course as the great wisedome of the Lords assembled shall think meet to check the further growth of these Seditious Insolences and attempts to cast aspersions upon our Loyall intentions and disturb the peace of our Church and state Government wherein wee have also addressed our thankfulnesse and Humble desires to the most Honorable Earle of Bath which we shall beseech you the rather more speedily to deliver because here are daily more Innovations by the importunity of the Authors of these Schismes and factions so that much ill is to be feared if a timely prevention be not given to the growth thereof So beseeching God direct the hearts of that most Honorable Assembly wee take our leave of you and rest as your faithfulnesse and care of your Countrey may chalenge Your assured loving Friends Robert Lord Viscount Kilmorey Robert Lord Viscount Cholmondeley Sir Edward Fitton Baronet Sir Tho. Brereton Knight Hugh Cholmondeley Esquires John Mynshull Esquires Tho. Cholmondeley Esquires John Davenport Esquires Thomas Bromley Esquires Rand. Rode Esquires William Manwaring Esquires Arthur Starkey Esquires Tho. Maisterson Esquires Tho. Manwaring Esquires Edw. Tannat Esquires John Werden Esquires Edward Morgell Gentlemen Tho. Berrington Gentlemen Richard Allen Gentlemen Tho. Wilkinson Gentlemen John Dodde Gentlemen Tho. Stockton Gentlemen Tho. Massy Gentlemen George Cotton Esquires Hugh Calveley Esquires C. Manwaring Esquires Tho. Cotton Esquires William Moreton Esquires John Leghe Esquires George Leycester Esquires Jonathan Wodenoth Esquires Tho. Cotton Esquires Edw. Dod Esquires Edw. Wright Esquires Geor. Bostock Esquires Ralph Morgell Esquires John Stockton Esquires Rich. Tannat Esquires John Massy Esquires Divines Doctor Bisphant John Conney Rich. Wilson The Table Of the severall Sections in the survey of Presbytery Sectio prima The designe of the Presbyterians 2 The method of their proceeding 3 Their censure of the Clergie in Queen Elizabeths dayes 4 The opinions of the Reformed Churches of her time 5 A discussion whether they seeke to pull downe or advance the Clergie 6 The Ecclesiasticall Laws agreeable to Gods Word 7 The Presbyterians must not be prescribed in doctrine 8 They must be freed from civill miseries 9 Episcopacie most agreeable with Monarchie 10 Presbytery
and the nature of Free-men would to so grave a Senate administer as much matter of serious consideration implie as much need of Reformation as a large invective full of bitter reviling which might more convince us of want of Charitie than the Bishops of Moderation being virulence of Spirit never argued either Civility or Christianitie never tended to piety or unity nor advanced either Religion or good Order g Hoc reperiemus nimiam mor ofitatem ex superbia magis fastu falsa que sanctitatis opinione quam ex vera sanctitate veroqueejus studio nasci Itaque qui ad faciendum ab Ecclesiâ defectiones sunt aliis audaciores quasi Antesignani ij ut plurimum nihil aliud causae habent nisi ut omnium contemptu ostentent se aliis esse meliores Calvin Institut lib. 4. Cap. 1. sect 13. Calvin observes that too much bitternesse or obstinacy springs rather from pride and disdaine and a false opinion of holinesse then from true sanctity or the desire thereof And that such as are forwards and the leaders of others in their defection from the Church have for the most part no other cause but their owne selfe conceipt thinking themselves better than all men else But if either processe of time or discontinuance of Parliaments have admitted any superstructures of exorbitant power doubtlesse the wisedome of the House instructed with the steerage of the State would reduce such without our clamours For such complaints as are against the temporall power of the Bishops wee know of no such thing inherent to the Order h Si quam habent Episcopi potestatem gladii hanc non habent ut Episcopi ex mandato Evangelit sed jure humano do natam â Regibus Imperatoribus ad administrationem civilem suorum honorum Haec interim alia functio est quam ministerium Evangelii Melancthon Articul fidei 37. In his speech the 23. of Ianuarie Melancthon tells us if they have any power of the sword it is of humane institution given them by Kings and Emperours if so certainly ejus est revocare cujus est dare And where a gracious Prince ex mero motu and I may say ex puro amore out of a tender affection to the peace and welfare of his people hath freely offered a retraction of such temporall authority i If upon serious debate you shall shew that Bishops have some temporall authority not so necessarie for the government of the Church and upholding of Episcopall iurisdiction I shall not bee unwilling to desire them to lay it downe as is not necessary for the government of the Church it is more proper for the debate of his great Councell to decide the poynt than befitting the importunity of us his much satisfied subjects especially with such violence as relishes rather a sentence than a supplication Quia non consensum quaerit sed dissidium auget qui quod fact is praestatur verbis exigit But for the Office and Order it selfe 't is confessed we were so farre from joyning with them either in their prayer of abolition or the â—nâ—ecency of their Language that 't was thought it became us to vindicate the Countrey consisting of Civill Gentrie from the imputation of such incivilitie as that petition if it had past as the Act of our Countie might perhaps fixe upon us And more then in our owne excuse of not joyning with them we presumed not to move any thing for or against the Bishops but being wee intimated our feare that these practises and tenets tended to introduce a Presbyterie 't was necessarie to shew we had no hand in that Petition which would have no Bishops lest we might seem to desire neither These prejudices of opinion thus removed I hope men will with more cleare eyes see the Integritie of our intentions and will with us in time take heed of Wolves especially when they appear in sheeps cloathing As we are a Gentrie who for Antiquity shall subscribe to none so I hope shall we ever testifie our zeale as great our resolutions as firme to preserve our ancient liberties as any Countrie whatsoever And I believe if any had our provocation they would have made our complaint A Survey of Presbytery SECT 1. The Designe of some Presbyterians T IS an ill presage of worse events to begin with the subversion of Gods house the Church It is not Reformation but totall Innovation many men look for 'T was a signe of no good intent when such a petition must bee smother'd up from the knowledge and Counsells of the Gentrie And though it were supprest after it had beene spread abroad as perhaps finding the times not ripe for a full discovery of their occult designes yet to those that will see it gives light enough that under pretext of Reforming the Church the true aime of such spirits is to shake off the yoke of all obedience either to Ecclesiasticall Civill Common Statute or the Customarie Lawes of the Kingdome and to introduce a meere Arbitrary Government But it may perhaps be said this is but the fancy of some distempered Zelots in that part onely and that I doe but raise a shadow and fight with it let such compare well the harmonie of other licentious raylers whose pamphlets garnish every stall and the concurrence of those of the same straine in the times of Queen Elizabeth and King James with the present positions and petition complained of and I dare promise they shall finde them all of a peece all champions for the Presbyterie which they then cal'd The great cause the Holy cause which as they then declared k Rogers his Preface to the Articles they will never leave suing for though there should be a thousand Parliaments untill either they obtaine it And lately preach'd by Eaton in Chester in the pulpit to the like effect or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud upon the State and the whole land for repelling the same With what Method Iustice and Moderation they goe about it is worth the observation SECT 2. The Method of their proceedings IN this Chart of their petition we may find our selves plac'd among the Antipodes to all order rather than in a State govern'd by Lawes It hath been the Method of former times that the Parliament the Primates the Nobiles with the minores Nobiles the Gentrie consult and dispence the rules of government the Plebeians submit to and obey them But in their Petition ordine converso petitioners Plebeians assume to give judgement the Parliament must execute the Nobility and Gentrie suffer by it They make not any one proof or complaint against any one Bishop or their order yet clearely sentence them all l Their Petition note 2. Martin Marprelate f. 11. 12. Engl. Compl. to Jesus Christ That the Hierarchie is that beast to which the Dragon gave his power fol. 11. All Prelaticall government is papal ib. The Bishops the limbes of the great beast of no
other spirit than Atheisticall Prelacy is misery fol. 4. Scare budges set up by the Devil The horned beasts of the Popedome A Bishop or no Bishop fol. 1. for the Popes substitutes per accidens at least if not by solemne covenanted allegeance They condemne them m Their Petition note 4. They are cruell Harpies against Religion Protest 27. Febr. 1639. f. 6. They are the make-bates the Achans of Israel L. Bishops no Bish fo 71. Prelacy is an open rebellion against Christ and his Kingdome fo 13. They steal Gods word from the people fo 20. for the mighty enemies and secret underminers of the Church and Common-wealth They judge them offices and n Their petition note 6. An Enemy to salvation and Antichristian We vow to forsake the Bishops in Baptisme because wee vow to forsake the devill and all his workes Engl. Compl. to Christ fol. 11. They are the seed of Antichrist Bishops no Bishops fol. 1. Bistwicks good Angell What is spoke of Antichrist is spoke of all Prelates Bishop no Bishop fol. 53. In worshiping the Name Jesus they are notorious Antichrists ib. fol. 64. Sions plea fo 11.281 government Antichristian leaving the Parliament onely to execute their doome upon them no more nor no more adoe but o Their petition note 5. To protest against the Hierarchy as Antichristian Good Counsell for the Church fol. 86. Prelacie to be wholly taken away Ans to Lond. petition 33. To be removed View of the prelaticall Church 38. utterly to dissolve their Offices together with ruine of their Antichristian offices and government their impious Courts p Their petition note 7. From their corrupt Courts Walkers Letany The Bishops impious government Chreda Angliae fol. 3. their dependent Officers even from the Chancellor to the Paritor q Some of the Articles agrâ—e not with Scripture Englands Compl. fol. 21. They except against the 20. Article Against Ordination of Bishops fol. 49. Against the third Article Christ on his Throne fol. 49. The booke of Articles r Their petition note 7. Liturgy framed out of the Breviarie Portuys and Masse-booke prelate Church fol. 27. A Masse of Errors Superstition and Idolatrie Remonst 27. Febr. 1639. fol. 15. Syons plea. 29. The Service-book raked out of 3. Romish Channells The English refined Masse-booke of Common Prayer with all the Popish significant Ceremonies therein contained Here is neither men nor discipline spared Å¿ Lord Bishops no Bishops Fol. 28. A treatise that the Church is Antichristian Church Ministeâ—y and worship in England all Antichristian 8 Propositions in print others tel us Prelates Discipline and Church of England are all concluded Antichristian therefore good Christians should separate themselves from such a Church And is this the language of our Country of our times only If so 't were some argument to convince our present Prelates to have stained the honour of their Coats as degenerate from their pious predecessors But O Tempora O mores is no new exclamation all ages all people condemn the present and still applaud the times past With what reverence do we call to mind those pretious days we yet stile the purity of Q. Elizabeths reign as if then the Church were all innocence had no spot in her infant whitenes but if we shall aswell look back and consider the spirit of the fathers of these Disciples in those days we shal then find 't is not the Churches purity 't is not the Pastors piety can stop the foule mouths of such traducers 't is envy and ambition barks thus in emulation of their Order not in zeale against their Doctrine or Discipline SECT 3. The Presbyterians censure of the Clergy in Queen Elizabeths time WEre the Clergy then more meeke and humble will you beleeve the Brethren of that time speaking of the Clergy in Generall They are wolves t Brethrent Supplie p. 4 â— Intollerable oppugners of Gods glory u Ibidem page 53. A crue of monstrous and ungodly wretches w Martins Epistle an Antichristian Swinish Rabble Were the Bishops then of purer lives or Doctrine The charitable Brethren stil'd them The most pestilent enemies of our State x Hay any p. 13. 14. Supplicat fol. 53. Vdals Dialogue The Ordinances of the Divell y Ibidem page 21. petty Popes petty Antichrists Jncarnate Divels cogging cozening Knaves Were they lesse rigid in their Censures They tell you z Hay any page 28. Martins protestat 27. page 12. 21. Arch bishop Grindall bâ—nisht in Qu. Maricâ— time They are Butchers and Horse-leeches these Dragons tyranny and blood-thirsty proceedings are inexcusable Is it onely our present Arch-bishop hath op'd the gap of Calumny They say Their then Arch-bishop of Canterbury was more ambitious then Wolsey a Dialogue from Throgmorton D 3. ibid G. 4. prouder then Stephen Gardner more bloody then Bonner Belzebub of Canterbury b Martin sen C 4. a monstrous Antichristian Pope c Epistle out of Scotland a most vile and cursed Tyrant Was the State more favourable to them they complaine d No enemy A. 3. The Magistracy and Ministery have walked hand in hand in the contempt of true Religion and unto both the word of the Lord is made a reproach Did the Parliament yet please them better e Admonition to the Parliament p. 3. All good consciences say they shall condemne that Court It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for such a Court There shall not be a man of their Seed that shall prosper be a Parliament man or beare rule in England any more Nay the Queene her selfe scapes not their censure f Hay any pa. 5. Supplication to the Parliament p. 43. Do you thinke our Church governement to be good and lawfull because her Majesty and the State allow the same why * Ibidem p. 13. 15 23. the Lord doth not allow and approove of it her Majesty and the State doe maime and deforme the body of Christ Motion out of Scotland to the Lords p. 41. and so do bid God to battle and either her Majesty knoweth not what they desire or else shee is negligent of her Duty and unthankefull to God Who that reades these would envy our Ancestors or pray for the restoring of their dayes againe Had those times or persons no better testimony given of them certainly a stranger that should have come amongst these to seeke a Religion would enquire as the Moore did of the Spaniard what Religion they were of not out of desire to learne that but that he might choose the contrary as concluding the opposite to so extream bad must needs be good for doubtles no man would lay the foundation of his Faith where he neither findes in practise the principles of Christian Charity nor naturall Civility But let us examine better witnesses of those times whether were more guilty the accused or the accusers Beza a strict Reformer in his Epistle to some
of an imaginary good they many times covet their owne ruine These sugred baits of parity and libertie infus'd into vulgar apprehensions under the pretext of pietie and reformation are such popular poysons as will soon o're spread the body of the Common-wealth and corrupt or dissolve the Nerves Ligaments of Government conformity to Lawes if not early prevented by those precious Antidotes against Confusion Loyalty and Constancy SECT 5. A Discussion whether they seek to pull downe or advance the Clergie LEt us then ere wee imbrace the thoughts of such a totall subversion of the Fabrick of a Church and State examine whether such Reformers aime at our liberty or their owne advancement whether such bitternesse of Spirit proceed from zeale to truth or emulation of the order c What a Monopoly is this to take away the title wherein the office of all true Pastors is comprehended and to transferre it to one alone among many Christs Throne fol 43. Is it to clip the wings of the Clergie that they soare not too high that these men crie out against Episcopall jurisdiction or rather is it not to Imp out their broken Feathers that they may mount above the reach of all Lawes Is it to regulate any exorbitant power in them or rather is it not to make their power as indefinite This Monopoly is a mysterie of mischiefes view Prelat Church fol. 3. as their numbers are infinite Is it not really to pull downe 26. Bishops and set up 9324. potentiall Popes when in effect the Pastor of every parish Church must be such The consequences these men promise to themselves in their petition seconded by the writing of their fellow-laborers promise no lesse which are First to quit themselves from the circumscription of any Ecclesiasticall Authoritie either in discipline or doctrine d Their petition note 16. View of the Prelaticall Church fol. 16. They pray that the revealed will of God contained in the books of the old and new Testament may be the rule that wee should follow As if certainly this whole State and Church had all this while followed a wrong Guide e Their petition note 17. d That the morall doctrine of the Prophets and Apostles may bee old Englands Canons of which themselves must be Expositors as if all Canonicall obedience were a meere intrusion upon Gods word and had no foundation in Scripture Doe wee not know that Timothy and Titus were by Saint Paul set over the Churches of Ephesus and Crete and in the stile of both the Epistles by the interpretation of the Fathers appeare to have beene Bishops and to have Canonicall power committed to them f 1 Timoth. 1.3 To suppresse false doctrines g 2 Chap. 1.8 To direct time and place for prayer and supplications h 9. To prescribe formes of apparrell i 11. To impose silence upon women k 1 Timoth. 3.2 12. To institute Bishops and Deacons l 1 Timoth. 5.19 To receive accusations and to punish Elders m Ibid. 22. To ordaine Ministers n Titus 3.10 To admonish and reject obstinate Heretiques * 1 Timoth. 1.20 To excommunicate such as blaspheme And these things not transmitted to them as doctrines but as part of their jurisdiction o 1 Timoth. 4 11. These things command and teach and rebuke with all authoritie * Titus 2.15 And let no man despise thee So that here wee may see a foundation of Ecclesiasticall Government laid even by the Apostles themselves and to us enjoyned obedience And though in the infancie of the Gospell when q Matth. 8.20 Luke 9.58 The Son of man had not where to lay his head when his Disciples all past thorow the fire of Martyrdome and no free State scarce any whole Village had received the Gospell even Rome it selfe was for many ages after the seat of the Heathen Emperours r Fox his Martyrs fol. 39. under whose terrible persecutions the Church was scattered into corners and deserts where they could best hide themselves It could not then I say be expected that so exact a platforme of Discipline should be laid down to governe handfuls as was after necessarie to be extended to sway the converted Christian world Yet then did Paul see the necessity both of instituting rules of government putting the execution into the hands of some supreme power To which purpose as Erasmus observes Å¿ Eras tom 6. fol. 343. Timotheum Paulus in ministerium adoptarat probae indolis juvenem sacris literis eruditum Quoniam autem huic Ecclesiarum curam delegarat sicut Tito instituit eum in sunctione Episcopali Hee elected Timothy a hopefull young man and learned in holy writ into the ministerie and that hee might commit to him the care of the Churches instituted him as also Titus in the office of a Bishop And Saint Hierome t Hieronymus Dialogo adversus Luciferianos Ecclesiae satus in summi Sacerdâ—tiâ— dignitate pendet cuisâ—â—on exors quaedam ob omnibus eâ—â—inens detur potest as tot in Ecclesiis efficientur Schismata quot Sacerdotes gives the reason of the necessitie of such superintendencie in the Church for sayes he The safetie of the Church depends upon the dignitie of the chiefe Priest to whom if some extraordinarie power above the rest bee not given there would bee as many schismes in the Church as there are Pastors If then the Institution of Ecclesiasticall Government were Apostolicall the administration committed by Saint Paul himselfe to prime Presbyters or as all ancient Fathers agree to Bishops Let us next see whether such Ecclesiasticall Lawes have beene deduced downe to our fore-fathers in a continued current from the fountaine head the Apostles or are but as these charitable men stile them The Reliques of Romish Tyranny SECT 6. The Ecclesiasticall Lawes agreeable to Gods word I Have in the Epistle formerly set forth the first plantation of the Gospell in England in the time of Lucius u Fox his Martyrs fol. 34. Archbishop Vsher De primord Eccles fol. 54 59. about the yeare 169. when as Elutherius then Bishop of Rome shewes from what principles wee derive our Ecclesiasticall Lawes In his lettet to Lucius King of Britaine he writes thus Fox Martyrs fol. 108. Vsher De Britannicarum Ecclesiarum Primordiis fol 102. Yee require the Roman Lawes and the Emperors to be sent over to you The Roman Lawes and Emperours we may ever reprove but the Law of God we may not w Esutherii rescriptum ad Lucium Britanniae Regem Petistis a nobis Leges Romanas Caesaris vobis transmitti quibus in Regno Britanniae uti voluistis c. Habetis penes vos in regno utramque paginam ex illis Dei gratia per Consilium regni vestri sume legem per illam Dei patientia vestrum rege Britanniae regnum Yee have received of late through Gods mercie in the Realme of Britaine the
I see in these men no shadow of true libertie by pretending legall government nor yet the false glosse of libertie by extinguishing all power but that it is evident by desiring to share the power of the keyes Paraeus Catechetica 5. praecepti and to execute Ecclesiasticall censures in their congregations within themselves Petition annexed note 3 They have no thought of the peoples libertie but to assume into their owne hands the same power they cry downe in the Bishops not to qualifie but to exalt it above all moderation The use thereof being fully explaned by Expositors of their owne straine to import no lesse than to trample under feet the sacred Crownes of Kings the power of Parliaments the seats of Justice the use of Magistrates the efficacie of Lawes and make themselves Chancellours over our lives and conversations our wives our children our servants our private families and our estates That any hands should help to hoyse up unlimited unbounded Tyranny I have nothing left me but acclamation O fortunati nimium bona si sua norint and shall conclude with that saying Quos Iupiter vult perdere hos prius dementat Yet shall I freely display some of those positions which divers that pretend reformation lesse blush to publish than I to recite as part of their new Christian doctrine which how consistent with the Monarchique Government of this State how far inclinable to an Anarchy and whether subversive of the Lawes or destructive to the Subjects libertie I shall not take upon mee to determine but perhaps the consideration may please some others though I professe I only write to please my selfe Liberare animam Yet I hope no man will be so far displeased with mee as to apply what I collect from some as meant by all that pretend a Presbyteriall Government I have charitie to thinke many men that way enclined have good intentions and desire reformation out of a pure heart But I am confident the more they acquaint themselves with such positions as these the lesse they will like the discipline SECT 9. Episcopacie most agreeable with a Monarchie HEre as in all distracted States may well be applyed the poets exclamation Tantum Religio potuit suadere malorum Not that Religion it selfe which is the band of peace is cause of evils but that it is made the usuall cloake of all seditious disturbances either in Church or State All the shafts of malice every clamour obloquy shot at the order doctrine and persons of the Bishops how ever feathered wirh the pretext of pietie yet still light all in one center and may appeare to be levelled all at one mark The power of the keyes is the burthen of all their songs Sions plea fol. 82. All the fearfull evils of sin and iudgement from withholding the keyes of Christs Kingdome in which consisting the Ecclesiasti que Discipline not Doctrine of the Church it becomes rather a question in Policie than in Divinitie whether it should rest in the hands of a few intrusted by the Church or to be transmitted to the hands of a multitude or as our Preacher would have it k Politions annexed to the petition 10 to every particular member of the Church And where it is cleare in point of Divinitie where the Scripture hath not expressely set the rule as in this particular it is left doubtfull such Separatists interpreting that place of Matthew l Matth. 18.17 Sions plea 285. Titus 2.15 3.10 In his rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit divina Scriptura mos populi Dei instituta majoruÌ„ pro lege tenenda sunt sicut praevaricatores divinarum legum ita contemptores EcclesiasticaruÌ„ consuetudinuÌ„ coercendi sunt August ad Casulanum Goe tell the Church to bee the whole Congregation whereas others conceive it clearely restrained to such as are set in authoritie by the Church out of that of Titus who being entrusted by Saint Paul in the Churches of Crete hee directs him to rebuke with all authoritie And more particularly A man that is an heretique after the first and second admonition reject In this case we must examine the ancient continued practice and opinions of former times and Writers And such contemners of the customes of the Church sayes Saint Austin are to be compelled But truly this was so little questioned in antiquitie that it seemes it was never doubted by Calvin himselfe sayes he Calvin Epistol ad Gasperum Lizetum Nun quam utile putavi jus excommunicundi permitti singulis pastoribus Nam res odiosa est nec exemplum probabile facilis in Tyrannidem lapsus alium usum Apostoli tradiderunt I never thought it usefull to commit the power of excommunication to everie Pastour for it is an odious thing and not to be approved but would soone slip into tyranny and the Apostles left another custome And indeed what tyranny were not to be looked for from such aspirers if they were once invested in power who cannot smother their ambition till they get into possession what is the pride of the Prelates who admit the King the supreme head of the Church under Christ receive their designation from him hold the inferiour hath not power over the superiour compared with these spirits who tell us That Princes m T. C. Reply p. 144. Rogers Preface Huic disciplinae omnes orbis Principes Monarchas falce suas submittere pareâ—e necesse est Travers de Disciplina Ecclesiae fol 142. Baron Annals 1076. must be subject unto the Church and submit their Stepters and throw downe their Crownes before the Church and lick up the dust of the feet of the Church all which is applyed to their Presbyterie ascribing to every Presbyter what the Pope onely assumes to himselfe That all Kings ought to kisse his feet How this superintendencie is derived from Scripture how consonant to Antiquitie or consistent with the glorie of a King is considerible I conceived God himselfe had an high hand in the institution of Kings and Princes when hee leaves this principle in the Mosaick Law n Deuteron 17.15 Thou shalt set him King over thee whom the Lord thy God shall chuse And in that hee sayes o 1 Samuel 15.11 I have set up Saul to be King And of David he sayes p 1 Samuel 16.1 I have provided me a King And of Salomon sayes the prophet q Nehemiah 13.26 God made him King over all Israel Nor does he dispose Crownes at the direction or by the advice of others r Daniel 4.31 for the most high ruleth in the Kingdome of men and giveth it to whomsoever he will But it should appeare he challenges to himselfe the sole proprietie of this King-making Jurisdiction in that he rebukes the Israelites saying They have set up a King but not by mee Å¿ Hosea 8.4 They have made them Princes and I knew it not And as in institution so in succession will
before the Throne and before the Lamb cloathed with white robes and palmes in their hands which came out of great tribulation and had washed their robes Verse 14. and made them white in the bloud of the Lamb. But such as these think their dye is not deepe enough they must yet strike the Basilike veine y Sions plea 262. Gibson threatned King Iames that as Ieroboam he should be rooted out and conclude his race if he maintained Bishops Bancroft fol. 28. Nothing but this say they will cure the pleurisie of our State By which what fountaine of bloud they meane is fitter for the exposition of a Jesuite z Carolus Scriban Erratum valde fuisse in festo Barthol quòd secta non fuerit vena basilica id est quod percitum fuit regi Navarrae principi condensi than the enquiry of a Protestant Onely the torrent of such spirits is observable if not formidable who check at no power Well may the all-reaching arme of a Parliament assist but they hold it cannot stay their course * Sions plea 155. If the Hierarchy be not removed and the Scepter of Christs kingdome namely his owne discipline be advanced there can be no healing of the sore The Parliament may remove all state grievances in repairing wrongs censuring misdemeanours c. All which are to be done Sions plea 156. but the former is not to be left undone As God hath not blest any Parliamentary endevours because as we take it say they they went not this way to work so it is likely he will not be with you now if you go not this way to work Some were a little freer languag'd against the Parliament a Supplicat pag. 25. Bancroft fol. 50. 29. Eliz. That if they did not abrogate the government of Bishops they should betray God the truth and betray the whole kingdome But this is but gentle admonition if faire words will prevaile it is well if not they will doe it perforce b Unlawfulnesse of unlimited Prelacie fol. 12. Though the Parliament be for Bishops sayes one of them yet all the godly and religious will be against them And it is now become the language of the pulpit that if the Parliament will not releeve them c Eaton in his Sermon at Chester yet they shall stick fast together to maintaine their cause which is Christs cause Herein following the counsell of their Predecessâ—urs d Bancroft fol. 169. That if the brethren cannot obtaine their wils by suit nor dispute the multitude and people must work the feat Thus built upon the authoritie of one of their ancient Ring-leaders who tels them e Knox to the Communaltie fol. 49 50. Reformation of Religion belongs to the Communaltie The which carrying some Species of libertie in it they seeke to confirme that popular ambition by cherishing in them an opinion of a right in the power of the keyes as belonging f Eatons positions annexed 9. neither to the Pastour nor Governours but to the whole Congregation and to everie particular member thereof and Christ having committed them to everie one would of everie one demand an accompt A dangerous doctrine if once grounded in vulgar apprehensions These possest with an opinion of an equall interest in the power of the keyes of the Church which they know how to manage will much more plausibly embrace the suggestions of a paritie in the sway of the State as better suting with their capacities It will bee somewhat difficult to possesse the common people A Priest stirred up rebellion in King Richard the seconds rime with this argument that we are all sprung from the Tribe of Levi But the old seditious argument will be obvious to them That wee are all the sons of Adam borne free some of them say the Gospell hath made them free And Law once subverted it will appeare good equitie to such Chancellours to share the earth equally They will plead Scripture for it that wee should all Genesis 3.19 live by the sweat of our browes They will tell us that in Aegypt we were all fellow Brick-makers And it is no noveltie in the stories of this State That such Artificers have levelled the palaces of Nobles and squared out the dimensions of the Gentrie and Law-Givers according to the rule of their reason The emptie name of libertie blowne into vulgar eares hath over-turned many States how much more prevalent and dangerous must it bee when enforced as a religious dutie to disobey authoritie We know Saint Pauls precept is h Romans 13 1 2. Let everie soule be subject to the higher powers they that resist receive damnation And certainly since his time never any age till now brought forth such desperate Anti-Apostles as I may not improperly call them in absolute opposition to the rule of the Apostle i Eatons Position 9. To conjure men in their pulpits as they will answer it at the dreadfull day of judgement not to submit to any authoritie whatsoever And in defiance and contempt of our Lawes still in force which exact the deprivation of everie Ecclesiastique k Stat. 1 Eliz. cap. 2. the confiscation of the goods and chattels and imprisonment during life of every Laick that shall wilfully deprave the Liturgie established by Law in their petition to stile it l Freholders Petition Note 8. The English refined Masse-booke of Common Prayer In their pulpits to preach it m Eatons Position Note 10. sin to be present at reading of a prayer out of a booke by Minister or any other In print to publish that it is absolutely n 8 Propositions in print p. 1. sinful and unlawful to hear any Minister preach in the Church of England and the Assemblies thereof And seeing these are seconded by the frequent and publique venring of scandalous invective and libellous pamphlets full of seditious doctrines implying an absolute abnegation of the Kings supremacie * Volumes of Paraphlets That the Church is independant and must have all her officers and Lawes within her self which is to denie the Ecclesiasticall Law which Sir Ed. Cook says whosoever shall enie he denyeth that the King hath full power to deliver Iustice in all causes to all his subiects and withdrawing the people from their due allegeance exciting them to disobedience To me such bold violation and uncontrolled contempt of Lawes sitting the Law-Makers appeares formidable Omnia cum liceant non licet esse bonum I consider the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Isle this nurserie of honour situate as the Low Countries in a flat under the banks and bounds of the Lawes secured from the inundations of that Ocean the Vulgar which by the breach of those bounds would quickly overwhelme us and deface all distinctions of degrees or persons and cannot but with admiration observe that Sampson like in their full strength but as blind with inconsiderate zeale as he by treacherie any such should lay hold
us see how they deale with one of their owne one Bluet being excommunicated writes to the Brethren that he might be restored to the Church from which hee had beene long kept out m Bishop Bancroft fol. 117. Woe is me saith hee that J am cast out of your presence this day And if this woe and shame did but touch the body it were tollerable for then at the day of death I should end my miserie and no more heare the words of reproach But woe is me that there is a partition wall between heaven and my Conscience If my offence may not be passed by without further confession even before God and his Church in London will I lye downe and lick the dust at your feet See here you eager advocates for the advancing of this holy Discipline the pretious fruits you are like to reape by it Such as these will teach you perfect humility They have learnt of Rehoboams Counsellors n 2 Chron. 10.10 To make their little finger thicker than the Bishops loynes Their punishments perhaps wrung the purse but those will grate the soule And if wee should well examine upon what easie occasions this fearefull sentence flyes out we should much more feare it Suckliffe 132. At Geneva two Ministers were deposed and banish'd for speaking against usurie Iohn Morelli for saying the words Tell the Church were not alone appropriate to the Consistorie and is frequently used upon everie private Grudge Whereas no man ought to bee excommunicate but where the Law saith hee should be condemned If Law bee King and will a Tyrant sure all that will preserve Law and will love libertie unwillingly submit their necks to the Tyrannicall yoak of such Discipline SECT 15. The forme of Discipline they prescribe is confessed to be a yoak YEt oh say many here is so excellent a forme of Government the Parochiall Presbyter can runne into no extravagance but hee is accomptable to the Presbyterie or Classitall meeting which consists of particular Kirks in such a Circuit o Report of Church Government And what 's the businesse there Not to suppresse but to exercise the power of Iurisdiction By the Ordinances of Geneva they first imprison after banish him that will not stand to the Ordinances of the Consistories Order Art 91. Ordination suspension Deprivation but principally all persons of whatsoever quality disobedient to their Ministers and Elders are with great Authoritie censured So here we must learne obedience to the wills of men not of Lawes Yet these Classes againe are responsall to the Provinciall Synods And they perhaps may regulate the rigour of the Presbyters But doe not the Pastors of New England tell us A modest Advertisement of Church Government fol. 10. That no Pastors by Gods word have authoritie over others for that every Minister hath his power both of Order and Iurisdiction immediately from Christ Iesus and therefore to him onely is responsible for the Doctrine hee teaches the Discipline hee exercises and the Censures that hee inflicts Therfore say they for any number of Ministers in a Synod to take to themselves Authoritie over others who are equall in Dignitie is to set up a Humane Authoritie that Christ never instituted and to exercise a Tyrannie and Poperie of the Presbyterie as bad nay worse than Bishops Yet there is a higher appeale to the Nationall Assembly and there the Records of Synods are perused Acts and Constitutions for all Kirkes are agreed upon with common consent And will they obey these Constitutions Some confesse that in the Assembly of the Apostles certaine observances were imposed on the Churches p Acts 15.28 But this Act of the Apostles say they is no president or patterne for succeeding ages for the Apostles were inspired with the Holy Ghost and when any Assembly can infallibly assure them they are inspired with the Holy Ghost then they will obey q Christ on his throne fol. 57. But though they will admit no Law or Superiour over themselves yet here perhaps the Laitie may receive reliefe against the rigor of their Censures for one tels us r Report of the Government of the Church by a Presbytery All Appellations Petitions Grievances and Complaints are examined and determined by this supream highest Kirk Iudicatorie what redresse we may expect hence we are informed immediately before they are responsible onely to Iesus Christ And the same reporter plainly tells us The perpetuall Kirks are not governed by the intrinsecall power of any one or many set over them as in the Monarchicall Government of Prelates but they are ruled and judged by themselves If so wee had need have a strong faith in their Integrities for if we admit a possibility of doing wrong in them we leave very little probabilitie of receiving right for first they are accomptable onely to Christ Next they are both judges and parties Those that give false judgement in the Classes are judges in the Synods in the Nationall assemblies and from them is no appeale to any Prince in the world for they sit in Christs Throne And this is utterly destructive to the peoples libertie Now in this whole Gradation of Church government by Presbyteries Classes Synods and Nationall Assemblies What 's become of our old superintendent power of Parliaments wee have all this while beene perswaded That Episcopacy is inconsistent with this State as exercising some power not warranted by our Lawes we are strongly excited by some Disciplinarians to root them out for attempting to put in execution some Constitutions not ratified by Parliament Yet now we must learne That the Parliament cannot hinder these Disciplinarians to make Lawes Ecclesiasticall seeing Ecclesiasticall Government is independant That generall Assemblies may recall Acts ratified in Parliament which being annulled In their Synods they disannull all Lawes they conceive repugnant to their Discipline Suckliffe fol. 131. the Civill ratification falls ex Consequenti And though our Lawes make voyd all Canons or Constitutions repugnant to the Kings prerogative or the Lawes and Customes of the Kingdome which preserve our liberties yet we must now know that no power nor libertie ought to be permitted to any State Degree or Authority whatsoever they be to live without the yoake of Discipline Å¿ Knox his exhortation pag. 91. 92. Et tali jugo libertatem induimus And is all our long labour'd liberty become a yoke A yoke unavoydable a yoke unsupportable Truely if this be so we may truely write Sic vos non vobis sertis Aratra Boves We have spun a faire thread That Kings the nursing Fathers and Queens the nursing Mothers of Syon t Isaiah 49.23 the supreame Governours of the Church Princes the heads of their Fathers houses u Numb 7.2 Princes of the Tribes whose office is to rule in judgement Nobles that conferre blessing upon that land where their sonnes inherite the Crowne w Isaiah 32.1 Gentrie the flowers of this garden of Europe fenc'd
by the protection of the Lawes as with a partition Wall against the spoyle of vermine vulgar the Boares of the Forrest that would root up our plants wed and prun'd from inbred Weed and Canker by the skilfull hand of Parlaments should now be all cast into the lump laid common All become yoke-fellowes beare the bonds of such boundlesse Disciplinarians which hold themselves subordinate neither to Emperours Kings Princes Magistrates Lawes Parliaments Presbyteries Synods Assemblies nor any thing they ever meane to reckon with in this world but onely to Iesus Christ their Head Such as these rather appeare to bee of the followers of Jehu the sonne of Nimshi for they drive furiously x 2 Kings 9.20 who walk'd in the wayes of Ieroboam Then of those undefiled Virgins that follow the Lambe whithersoever hee goeth y Revelation 14 4. Wee know that the meek he will guid in judgement and the meeke will he teach his way z Psal 25.9 But such as have bitter envying and strife in their hearts This wisedome descendeth not from above bus is earthly sensuall devillish * Iames 3.17 SECT 16. The vaine excuse that Lay Elders shall moderate them refuted YEt some have a fine veile to blinde the eyes of the willing and certainly none see lesse than the wilfully blind that this is a mixt government we shall have Lay Elders amongst them to moderate the extravagancies of the pastors and we need not feare but they will looke to them Alas how vaine a shadow is this when wee looke upon it but with the light of reason Are we not taught these Elders must bee chosen by the voyce of the people and are not these people taught by the pastors subordinate to them the Elders being but temporary for halfe a yeare or a yâ—are is it probable they shall have that dependance upon one another they shall have that interest in the parish as hee that is perpetuus Dictator Chancellour Arbiter for life in his petty popedome Some men talke of dumbe Dogs and certainly he will be held such that cannot so bestir himselfe in his parish as to have all their votes follow his who hath such absolute power over every mans person family and estate a Hunting of the Fox c Ec. 2. a S. Snecanus de Disciplâ—na Ecclesiae pag. 456. If then by this rule every little parish Church should have seven such Elders at the least and every great Church thirteene and these people at the devotions of their pastor of their Chancellour wee have then instantly no lesse than a hundred thousand Church-governours besides their adherents which admitted wee are sure in danger never to recover a free Parliament againe and in stead of 26. Bishops whose deputation is from whose dependance is upon the King as supreame whose temporall power is wholly derived from limited by the Lawes whose persons are easily responsible to Parliaments for any deviation from the rules of Law wee should thus expose our selves to an irrecoverable subjection to a multitude whose Election is prescribed to Iure Divino immediately from Christ Iesus who are the carvers of their owne Government b View of the Prelaticall Church fol. 41. Their Nationall Assembly to be gathered once in three years to make Canons and to establish Ecclesiasticall Government This independant of Parliaments accomptable to none but Christ Jesus either for Doctrine or Discipline and if in time found to be extravagant from or destructive to all Lawes and Government yet the Parliament shall then have an Hoast to encounter and not a few Delinquents to punish May not their owne words be more properly inverted upon such than on the Bishops c Englands complaint to Iesus Christ against the Caâ—ons Such Presbyteriall Government and Jurisdiction it is meerly papall though not in the first degree the Pope usurping an universall power over all the Churches in the world yet in a second Everie pastor in his Diocesse his parish exercising a papall power and so doth cunningly undermine the Royall Office and overthrow Gods sacred Ordinance who hath given a power and charge to Kings to suppresse all such Ecclesiasticall Tyranny over the soules of his people Yet perhaps it may be sayd though their government bee thus wholly sever'd from the Parliaments and stands a part by it selfe our Lay Elders shall have vote among them in all their Synods and Assemblies who may have a care to ballance the scale 'twixt Church and State But are wee not told Some one Elder of each Parish appoynted by the particular Kirk Sessions and the whole Ministerie of those Churches meet c. Whereto if their Doctors and Teachers bee admitted they are double in number to the Lay-men if equall one Lay Elder inclining to their partie turnes the scale if not yet how incapable in respect of abilities how inactive in respect of Spirit these annuall temporary Officers must needs be in comparison of this powerfull preaching ministerie which hath such absolute authority over the soules of their parishioners every man may foresee with halfe an eye SECT 17. No reformed Church gives any president parallell with ours BUT many of us will not trust or trouble our owne judgement to rifle into the consequences of things but wee cry out how doe other Reformed Churches Gens humana novitatis avida and no Nation more unfortunately more improvidently prone to follow fashions than we And alas whence can we fetch a patterne that the freedome of our State considered would not render us miserable Can the French be any president to us who live under a Monarch of another Religion who will allow them no Sea no Diocesse no meanes for a Bishop whose Bishops will admit no sub-Bishops of another faith under their jurisdiction Therefore what necessitie makes to them Law must we make our choyce Is it the position of their Church to exclude them Shall wee beleeve Moulin himselfe he saies d Moulins Buckler of the faith the 30. Article fol. 3. 45. Our adversaries unjustly accuse us to be enemies of the Episcopall Order for we must be altogether ignorant of Histories if we do not know that all antiquitie speakes honourably of that degree The Geneva Discipline many dote upon not knowing what it is nor how consistent with our State That which makes our common people so greedily embrace this desired change is the frequent preaching and possessing them of an interest in the power of the Keyes if they follow that president they 'le finde themselves deceived Beza tells us e De gradibus Ministerii cap. 11. In Geneva the Elders are chosen yearely not of the baser sort of people but of the order of 25. 60. or 200. men which bee the Counsels of that State Nor was that government of choyse as fittest but of necessity Their Bishop was also their Prince Franciscus Bonivardus sayes 1124. The Bishop fained of Emperour Frederick ut ille solus Genevae principatum obtineret Regali jure who
had such power as the Duke of Venice And having treated with the Duke of Savoy their enemy was forced to flye during whose life they could not make a new Bishop but submitted to a new forme of Government under Master Calvin who onely wanted the Title but was of much greater power than a Bishop nor was at that enmity with the Order as our Novelists are who professe it sinne to heare them or for their sakes any Ministers f 8 Propositions in Print preach in the Church of England For hee sayes Wee confesse that Bishops or Pastors must be reverently heard as farre as they teach the word of God according to their function g Calvin opusculum in Confes Eccles Gallic Fatemur ergo Episcopos five pastores reverenter audiendos quatenus pro suae functionis ratione verbum Dei docent But admit they being a private State a Cottage in respect of a Kingdome submit themselves to the Oeconomick Government of a Family theirs is no more in comparison to this glorious Monarchy shall we relinquish our Lawes can we reduce this populous Nation that peoples so many forraine Isles into the same mould that modells a handfull Some have already entertained so degenerate thoughts that they can mention Switzerland a faire patterne and so doe I with horror and indignation Others the Low Countrie Discipline pleases well a fit object for such they must indeed look downewards still that are so pleas'd and not upwards to the God of Order 1 Corinth 14. and not of Confusion who sees the distracted Sects and Schismes that abound in that State and does not pitty so neare so lov'd neighbours were not partakers of that blessing wee call miserie and out of love to Noveltie are growne wearie of uniformitie of Discipline Truth is wee are taken with the shadow of that which essentially is not there The Scepter of Discipline If we must change I would bee glad we might take president from their Metropolis Amsterdam where 't is true they were busie to advance this Throne of Christ to put this yoke upon the neck of that State but their troublesome and ambitious spirits once discovered they quickly nipt these soaring Birds i th' shell reduced the Pastors to the number of thirteene of those keeping for the most part three vacant which City being compared with this of London both for populousnesse and capacity it will easily appeare those ten who must supply the accidents of Festivalls Marriages and Funeralls doe not trouble their heads with many State affaires Yet to make them sure they allow them their Classicall meetings but provided one of the Magistrates of the Citie be present And if he say no all they consult stands for nothing This proposition made and assented to by all these zealous petitioners against this usurpation this Monopoly of the power of the Keyes in the hands of the Bishops That the prime Gentleman in every parish shall be perpetuall Elder and have a negative voyce I confesse in poynt of private policie I am convinc'd I may perhaps be in time an Elder and doubt not but the Gentrie will thus make a shift to keep the Clergy humble the vulgar low enough But if we must looke for new elections every year what must this produce but a little Civil war in every parish We have yet a nearer president and before we know what it is long for the Scottish Discipline I could be glad wee had so much patience to let them be our probationers therein for one seven yeares But we shall be told sic fuit ab antiquo it was so of old with them Now what effects both to King and Common-wealth the positions of some Disciplinarians of that Nation have in former times produc'd 't is better to be forgot than looked into All I shall say is That certainly our freer people have not such dependance upon are not indeed in such vassallage to the Nobility the Gentrie as the Common people of Scotland are in to their Lords their Nobility and Gentrie having absolute power over theit Tenants shall ever beare sway in the Church But it will not be so with us the inferiour sort of people once finding their power in popular election of Elders will rather exclude both Nobility and Gentry and then no doubt the Church will be well govern'd our Communalty depend upon Lawes not Lords 'T is Law which hath made us a free people That wee know by a certaine Law that our wives our Children our Servants our goods are our owne that we build we plough we sow we reap for our selves this is true libertie How little of this they enjoy from whom wee would take a patterne who are but Tenants at will to their Lords they that will sedato animo compare the Constitution of that State with this would with mee againe crie Oh fortunati nimium bona si sua nôrint Angligenae SECT 18. Conclusion to review Episcopacie IF then there be no president that exactly parallels ours without great alteration wee must certainly introduce aliquid de novo set up some new forme by our selves And what inconveniences that may bring to a setled State was well exprest by St. Austin Ipsa mutatio Consuetudinis etiam quae adjuvat utilitate novitate perturbat k Austin ad Ianuar. Ep 118. cap. 5. which is ingeniously exprest by that learned Verulam l Verulams Considerations concerning pacification of the Church fol. 9. Way given to mutation though in taking away abuses yet it may so acquaint men with sweetnesse of change as it will undermine the stabilitie even of that which is sound and good holding it against all good policie to innovate any thing in Church matters and whether warrantable in Divinitie or no to abolish so ancient a Constitution is questionable 'T was me thinks a Maxime of some weighr Qui mala introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatam in verbo Qui nova introducit voluntatem Dei oppugnat revelatam in rebus Hee that brings into the Church any bad custome opposes the will of God revealed by his word who introduces any new customes opposeth Gods will revealed by fact If then in the whole series of this new Predicament of Discipline wee should put our selves into wee finde the designe of such is to draw their necks out of the yoaks of all Ecclesiasticall and Civill Government neither to be prescribed in Doctrine nor Discipline their persons restrayned by no Law their Government inconsistent with Monarchy Magistracy Lawes destructive to Gentrie Their calling independent either on King or people Their power above Princes Potentates Nobles People Lawes Parliaments their errours accomptible to none but Christ alone no forraine State or Reformed Church giving any exact president absolutely parallell with ours and no so great mutation being without hazard to the State and perhaps not warranted by Gods Word In the name of God let us looke ere wee take this desperate leap from the inconveniences whereof can bee no recovery if they once get the upper hand but by a new Conquest Farre bee it from mee to presume to prescribe a remedy 't is the easier way to give cautions to descry inconveniences to discover Rocks than to assume to steere the ship of State in a safe course to give Counsell other than what is warranted by good authoritie In such distractions when wee finde the time now fully come m 2 Tim. 4.3.4 That men will not endure sound Doctrine but after their owne lusts heap up to themselves teachers having itching eares turning from the truth unto Fables And as St. Peter sayes n Peter 3.16 Being unlearned and unstable wresting the Scriptures to their owne destruction Then is the Prophets Counsell seasonable State super vias Antiquas o Ieremiah 6.16 Stand yee in the wayes and see and aske for the old paths where is the good way and walke therein and yee shall finde rest for your soules Let us looke back into Antiquitie and see before wee part with this reverend old order of Episcopacy for this new fangled Discipline whether it will bee made good to bee deduc'd from Christ himselfe to his Apostles to the Angels of the Churches to the Fathers of the Primitive times continued in the same jurisdiction and superiority over other degrees of the Clergie distributed into Diocesses honour'd with Titles and Attributes indued with power approved in other Reformed Churches and no way opposite to but consistent with our Lawes and then though there be many errours crept into the execution which prove not to bee in the Constitution I hope we shall have it reduc'd to its antient puritie and not cast away our Gold for a little rust In the disquisition whereof I would not have any man looke for any thing from me de novo or thinke I assume to adde any strength to their cause I doe but binde together a posie of the flowers of others planting onely having taken some paines to please and satisfie my selfe I shall be glad if any man else can reap any content out of my labours Et tu confirmatus confirma fratres was Christian Counsell and I confesse had I power to doe it I would draw all the world to my opinion that is to reverence their Calling preserve their Order yet with as free a resolution and as respectlesse of their persons submit to the exemplar punishment of such as staine the honour of their Coat entrench upon our Liberties negligently starve their flock covetously engrosse the meanes of faithfull Labourers or with their Novelties distract the Church as any man that lives FINIS Imprimatur Tho. Wykes May 28. 1641.