for him which with much difficulty and many pleadings she so appeas'd his wrath that he was satisfied and this was as common for a Senator of Venice to do as for a Parliament man to pay no debts Neither is their any Law or Justice to be had against any of these Statesmen There was a Noble-man who was an Austrian both by Birth and Family who being a Traveller chanc'd to cast his eyes upon a fair and vertuous Lady who in every respect were deserving of each other This Noble-man had no sooner made his mind known unto his Paragon fâ—r beauty but he was soon obstructed with a corrival who was a Nobile Venetiano who perceiving his Mistress affections to this Stranger to be more liberally expressed than unto him contrives his death and soon effâ—ct it she loving her Martyr more than either others conceived or she her self could brook so great a cross concerning them studies revenge and being an Italian found her self easily prompted by her own natural inclination she pretends much love that she might the better put in execution her greatest hatred she gets him into a Chamber where she prays him to rest himself in a Chair wherein he was no sooner sat but his arms and thighs were caught with springs and being thus fastened she murders him with her own hands and flies for sanctuary to the next Nunnery within the Popes Dominions leaving behind her by the murdered these words written with her own hand in a piece of paper Because there is no justice to be executed against a Noble Venetian I have been both Judge and Executioner my self Men may talk what they will and fancy what they please but there is no more difference in point of freedom between a Monarchy and a Free-State as they call it than there is between a High Sheriff of a Shire and a Committee of a County Utrum horum mavis accipe Now for the Free State of our Neighbour Netherlands otherwise called the States of Holland who have sprung up as all other Free-States will do at last from the submissive and humble stilings of the distressed to the High and Mighty The particulars which occasioned their revolt from their Soveraign the King of â—pain I shall not insist upon but refer you to the Spanish and Netherland Histories only I shall hint upon the main inducements to their Rebellion viz. Religion and Freedom For the first There is not a People amongst whom the name of God is known to whom Religion is a greater stranger than unto these stilers of themselves Reformed Protestants for if this Free-state who allow all Religions both of the Jews and Gentiles whose several Churches own in Capital letters over their doors the several sects of Religions to which each Libertine is inclined be Religious than the Pantheonists were as truly Reformed and Religious as the Amsterdamiams but as he who sacrificed to all the Gods in general must needs have sacrificed unto the true God and yet know him not because he joyned others with him who was to be worshipped alone So that Country which embraceâ—h all Religions happily may have the true Religion amongst them and yet have no Religion because they admit of many being there is but one This I speak in reference to the Country not to particular men Neither is there a sort of Christians in the world who are less servants unto Christ if it be enough to make them so to be the greatest prophaners of his day for the Sabbath is only distinguished from other daies by a Sermon in the Church and the Ale-house being full of Mechanicks drinking and carousing from morning until night the shops are open and buying and selling all the day long excepting half the window which is to distinguish the day but the door is open to let in the buyers and the other half of the window is open to let in the light and wonderfully strange it is and remarkable to consider how these people who shook off their Allegiance to their Prince upon pretences of Reformation should be so besotted as to fall into such a strange and unheard of prophaneness of him and the day whereon Christ himself is to be worshipped as in their Metropolls or chief City to have a dog-market kept to the utter scandal of true Religion and Christianity it self this is no more than what I have seen and if it were not true it were easily returned upon my self as the greatest impudence that could be imagined but O the partiality of the Picture-drawer when he receives large wages for a similitude he insults over his own work only because it is like when the face it self is most abominable Now for the freedom from Tyranny and oppression if the Turks or Tartars had conquered them they never would nor never did where ever they extended their Dominions impose such Taxes and Rates as they have imposed on one another incredible even to the full value of the several commodities which run through their natives hands but you will ask me how it is possible they should live then To which I answer you by sharking and cosening of strangers Let any forraigners come there and ask for a dinner and for such a dinner as they may well afford for eight pence a-piece they will ask you five shillings a man find but the least fault with them and they will demand twelve pence a piece more for fouling of linnen and if you seem angry at that you shall mend your self with the payment of six pence a-piece over and above for fouling the room and seek a remedy and you shall be told the Prince of Orange himself if he were there could not help it altom all is all the reason they will give you if in sadness you shall complain of such abuses to indifferent Judges they will tell you that the States do lay such heavy Taxes upon the Inhabitants that they are fain to flie to such shifts for their subsistance thus men pleased with the itch of Innovation are contented to scratch the blood out of their own bodies till they feel the greatest smart rather than their Physician should let out a little spare blood to cure the disease and preserve them in good health but you will say that for all this they thrive and prosper abudantly so do the Argiers men but with what credit and reputation in the eye of the World I believe both alike It was not their strength or policy which brought them to this height and flourishing condition but it was our policy of State in emulation to other Princes which helped these Calves to Lions hearts teeth and claws until the High and Mighty Butter-boxes stood in competition with the Crown and I am afraid the siding with such Rebels hath turned Rebellion into our own bosoms as a just judgment from that God who is a revenger of all such iniquities they may call it the School of War whilst wanting a good cause it could be no otherwise than
mens hearts and then again this durities cordis never went so far as that the woman might put away her husband but only the husband his wife and that only in the case of Adultery and if it had been otherwise it had but a late beginning a bad foundation for our Saviour saith Mat. 19.8 In principio autem non erat sic It was not so from the beginning and a hard heart is but a bad foundation for a good Christian to build upon I will conclude this application with words not of my own but of Saint Paul which words are a commandement Neither is it I saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 7.10 but the Lord that gives you this commandement Let not the wife depart from her husband no if she be an heretique or which is worse a heathen If the woman hath a busband which believeth not iâ— he be pleased to dwell with her let her not leave him 1 Cor. 7.13 If I would resist my Soveraign in any kind it should be for my Religion but when my Religion tells me that I must not resist him in any case then I think I should but do in doing so like the boasting Jew Rom. 2.13 who boasted of the Law and dishonoured God through breaking of that Law which he had boasted of What if some did not believe shall their unbelief make the faith of God of none effect saith Paul Rom. 3.3 God forbid no more can the wickedness of a King make void Gods Ordinance of our obedience unto him our obedience must look upon Gods command not upon the Kings good behaviour God doth not command things because they are fitting but it is fit that we should obey because he commands them neither ought we to have respect so much unto the goodness as unto the Authority of a King for Kings do not consist in this that they are good but in this that they are Kings for as it is possible for one to be a good man and a bad King so it is often seen that a bad man may be a good King and it is an observation here at homâ— that the best Laws have been made by the worst of Kings It is an observation that divers Kingdoms have long continued in peace and happiness under bad Laws and worse Governours Well observed when unwarrantable attempts to better both and inconsiderable courses to mend all hath brought all to ruin and confusion He that sets a Kingdom in combustion to advance his own opinion and prefer his private judgment doth but set his house on fire to roast his Eggs. God makes Kings of several conditions sometimes he gives a King whose wisdom and reach in Government is like Sauls head and shoulders higher then all the People And then when we have wise Kings and learned Judges Psal. 2.10 we shall be sure to have all those Breakers of their bonds asunder and those casters away of their cords from them v. 5. to be bruised with a Rod of Iron and broken in pieces like a Potters vessel v. 9. Sometimes God will send us a little child sometimes a child in years otherwhile a child in understanding which of both it be Vae regno saith Solomon cui puer dominabitur wo to the Kingdom over which a child Reigns for then the whole Kingdom is sure to be put upon the rack Sometimes God in his judgment sends a Tyrant amongst us I will set an evil man to rule over them saith God himself and then we are never in hope to be from under the lash and sometimes in mercy he sends meek and mild Princes like Moses who carried his People in his bosom one that shall only make use of his Prerogatives as Christ did of his miracles in cases of necessity one who shall say with the Apostle Saint Paul I have no power to do hurt but to do good to edification but not to destruction one who shall continue his Reign as Saul began Videre ne quid sit populo quod fleat who will hear and ask why do the People cry deserve well and have well shall we receive good from the hands of the Lord and shall we not receive evil Princes though they be amarae sagittae yet when we consider that they are e dulci manu domini emissae we should not refuse them but be contented with whomsoever his mercy or his justice senâ—s or throws upon us Never was there a bad Prince over any People but he was sent by our heavenly Father for a scourge to his chilâ—ren and shall we kiss or snatch the Rod out of our Fathers hand To conclude there is nothing can disoblidge the people from their King because bis Authority over them is a domino from the Lord but their obedience towards him is propter dominum for the Lords sake though in himself there be all the reasons that can be given to the contrary many will be glad to hear the Father of their Country say I and the Lord will go and to be sole elect and to hear his Father tell him deus providebit as Abraham said to his Son Isaac but if he takes fire and sword in hand threatning his follower how many followers will he have I had rather with Isaac follow my Father I know not wherefore and with Abraham obey my God contrary to my own nature and beyond all hope then to serve so great a God and his Vicegerent by rules drawn by my own fancy and reason CHAP. X. Psal. 105.15 Touch not mine Anointed meant by KINGS BY the words Touch not mine Anointed is meant Kings and Princes neither can any other interpretation whatsoever be obtruded upon this Text without a great deal of impudence and ignorance If there were no other argument to be used but this to a modest man it were sufficient viz. That not any Church nor any Church-men nor any Chriâ—tian nor any Father nor any Expositor whatsoever did ever give it any other interpretation before such time as the Jesuit and the Puritan and they both at a time and that time bearing not above an hundred yeers date neither began to teach the world that it was lawful to murther Kings and no marvel if this found some querk or other to turn the stream of Scripture sence out of its proper channel and constant course the two Birds of a Feather persecutors of one another like two fighting Cocks who quarrel amongst themselves being both of the same kind and yet both agree in taking counsel together against the Lord and against his Anointed or like Pilate and Herod they could not agree but in the principles of condemning the Lords Christ. But it is objected that as a little child upon a Gyants shoulders may see farther then the Gyant himself so a weaker understanding comming aftâ—r those Fathers and taking advantage of such helps getting up upon the shoulders of time and learning may see more then they did or hath been seen in former ages and therefore it is no wonder if
the Christians shambles I should be sorry that Holland should be the English-mans Looking-glass a spur for his feet or a copy for his hand I hope the hand of Providence will cure us like the Physician who cur'd his Patient by improving his disease from a gentle Ague to a high Feaver that he might the better help him CHAP. XV. That Episcopacy is Jure Divino IN this Discourse I shall not trouble my self nor you with Titles Names and words of Apostles Evangelists Arch-bishops Bishops Patriarchs Presbyters Ministers Angels of Churches c. which were all from the highest to the lowest but tearms reciprocal and were often taken in the Church of God and in the Scripture it self for one and the same for if any man though never so mean a Minister of the Gospel converted any Nation the Church ever called him the Apostle of that Country as Austin though but a Monk was every where tearmed the Apostle of England and St. Paul being an Apostle stiles himself a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ Paul bids Timothy being a Bishop to do the work of an Evangelist and therefore no wonder if Bishops and Presbyters be often mentioned for one and the same but it is a great wonder that any manner of men should make this a ground for any argument against Episcopacy these kind of arguments instead of striking fire that should light the candle they do but pin napkins over our eyes and turn us round until we know not where we are and then we grope for we know not who and lay hold of we know not what he that will cut down this over-grown up-start-tree of error must first clear his way to the root and brush away all those brambles and briers which grow about it we must not leave any thing standing that may lay hold of the hatchet and deviate the stroke turning the same edge upon the feller that was intended for the tree if we should insist upon names and titles we should make but a confounded piece of work and run our selves into a most inextricable labyrinth and Mazes of error where we might run and go forwards and backwards and round about and ne're the near Christs are Kings Kings are Gods God is Christ and Christ is Bishop of our souls Bishops are Presbyters Presbyters are Ministers a Minister is an Apostle an Apostle is a Minister and so if you will quite back again I must put off these as David threw away Sauls Armour non possum incedere cum iis I love to knock down this mâ—nstrum informe ingens cui lumen ademptum with a blunt stone taken out of a clear River which with the sling of application may serve well enough to slay this erroneous Philistine though he were far greater than he iâ— In the first place therefore let us understand what is meant by Jus Diviâ—um if any man means that Episcopacy is so Jure Divino that it is unalterable and must continue at all times and in all places so that where it is left off there can be no Church he means to give much offence and little reason for there is no question but the Church may alter their own Government so that it be left to themselves to alter as they shall think most convenient as well as alter the Sabbath from the seventh day to the first of the week or as well as they chang'd immersion into aspersion of the baptised and many other things which carried as much Jus Divinum with them as Episcopacy and yet were chang'd The Jus Divinum that is in Episcopal Government doth not consist in the Episcopacy but in the Government be it Episcopal or what it will but where the Government is Episcopal no question but there Episcopal Government is Jure Divino because a Government and if it were otherwise that Government into which Episcopacy degenerateth would be Jure Divino as well as it provided that none touch this Ark of the Church but the Priests themselves for if the hand which belongs to the same body pull the hat from off the head the man loses not his right only he stands in a more humble posture but he is in aâ— strong possession of his own right as when 't was on his head but if another hand should chance to pull it off the party stands disgracefully depriv'd of his highest Right and Ornament So if Episcopal Government of the Church be put down or altered by Church-men themselves the Jus Divinum is but removed from the Supremacy of one and fastened in the stronger hold of many members for this is a Maxim that admits no postern power never falls to the ground neither in Church nor State but look what one lets fall another takes up before ever it comes to ground wherefore losing nothing they keep their own but whether this power in Church or State in the point of convenience be better in the hands of one or many let whose will look to that that 's not my work neither the names of Governments nor the numbers of Governours shall ever be able to fright away this Jus Divinum out of the Church Government be the Government what it will bene visum fuit spiritui sancto nobis keeps in the Jus Divinum be the Government never so altered whereas forbidden and improper hands actions as unusual as unwarrantable le ts out this Jus Diviâ—â—â— when they have changed it to what they can imagine now whether or no it be proper for a Lay-Parliament or a Representative of Lay-men by the power of the Sword declining the Kings Authority will and pleasure who was appointed by God to be a nursing Father of his Church to alter Church-Government so Antient so begun by Christ himself in his own person over so many Apostles so practis'd by the Apostles over others so continued all along I mean Episcopacy that is to say one Minister constituted an Overseer of many and to lay hold upon tumults and insurrections to pull down these Overseers and for men who in such cases should be governed by the Church to pull down the Church-Government without any the least consent of the Church Governours I leave it for the World to judge only my one opinion is this That any Government thus set up or by such practices as these altered must needs be so far from being Jure Divino that it must needs be Jure Diabolico But it may be objected that if they should have stayed until the Bishops had altered themselves they might have styed long enough to which it may be answered that had the Bishops been but as poor as Job there would have been no such hast to change their cloaths The Ark was a type of the Church and whatsoever was literally commanded concerning the type must be Analogically observed in the thing typified God sate in the Mercy-Seat that was over the Ark the Ark contained within it Aarons Rod and a pot of Manna so the Church
in it they Pray'd and Preach'd and Writ against it tasted and pray'd for a diversion of all such intentions but I pray who took the Scepter out of his hand in taking away the Militia of which it was an Emblem that should have defended him was it not the Presbyterians who cast down his Throne by taking away his Negative voice was it not the Presbyterians who took off his Crown the fountain of Honour from off his Head by denying those honour on whom he had confer'd it without them was it not the Presbyterian Who took away his Supremacy signified by the Sacred Unction wherewith he was Anointed in not allowing him the Liberty of his own Conscience in the point of Episcopacy and Church-Government was it not the Presbyterian Who would not Treat a minute with their King before they had made him acknowledge himself guilty as they say of all the blood that had been spilt throughout his Dominions was it not the Presbyterian Who notwithstanding all the Concessions on his part that could be granted even to the very grating his Princely Conscience when he bid them ask flesh from off his bones and he would not deny it them if it might have been a benefit unto his people prayed that he might keep his Conscience whole it was the Queen Regent of all good mens actions and he hoped there were none would force this Queen before him in his house as Ahasuerus said to Haman voted not satisfactory so long until the Independent Army came from Edenborough and surpriz'd and murdred him was it not the Presbyterians He that said the Presbyterians held him down by the hair while the Independents cut off his Head said true enough they murdered him as a King before ever they murdered him as a man for what may the Independent say to the Presbyter if you 'l take off his Authority we 'l take off his Head if you 'l make him no King we 'l make him no Body if you 'l make him a man of blood we 'l use him accordingly therefore at your doors O Presbyterian Hypocrites do I lay his innocent blood it is but like the rest of your actions committed by your Ancestors to former Princes alâ— along One thing I pray you well observe There was never any Reformed Church in Christendom but when they shook off their Bishops they made their Apologies to all the Christian World how they were necessitated to alter that Ancient and best form of Government of the Church by Bishops in regard that they could not be drawn off from their obedience and dependance on the Pope of Rome and if possible they would retain that laudable Government as most convenient but never were there any Reformers in the World but ours that ever held Episcopacy to be unlawful and Anti christian before and will you know the reason which is only this the Bishops what they receive they lay down at his Majesties feet as acknowledging him to be Supreme in all cases when they would have him to be Supreme in no case as Buch. de jure Regni plainly tells us that Princes are no more but the Proxies and Attorneys of the people and yet for all this the Authority which they hold to be as Anti-christian in the Chair they practise as most Christian on the Bench and much improve it These Monsters that they may the better cry down the Divine Right that is in Episcopacy and descended to them from the Apostles tell us that the calling of the Apostles was extraordinary and died with them to make answer to which assertion we must consider how many waies a thing may be taken to be extraordinary and if we find that it may be taken so many waies if we can prove a thing extraordinary one way we must not take it to be extraordinary in every respect exempli gratiâ Saul was extraordinarily called by God because immediately by him but this doth not make the calling of Kings to be an extraordinary calling for that succeeded so the Apostles were extraordinarily called by God as not being called out of the Tribe of Levi nor taken from the feet of Gamaliel nor brought up in the schools of the Prophets yet this doth not follow that the calling of the Apostles should be extraordinary for they had their successors It may be extraordinary à parte ante but not à parte post only in regard of the manner of their election but not in regard of the nature of their commission they were called Apostles in regard of their Mission not in respect of their Commission which which was no more but what Bishops had neither doth the word Apostle signifie so great Authority as doth the word Bishop the one betokening but a Messenger the other an Overseer and therefore there is no extraordinariness hitherto that they should not be extraordinary 2. A man may be said to be extraordinary in regard of some extraordinary gifts and endowments which God hath given unto a man as unto the Apostles the gift of tongues of healing c. but this doth no way make the calling extraordinary for then it would follow that if God Almighty should give unto any ordinary Minister extraordinary gifts then his calling should be extraordinary or that the calling of Kings should be an extraordinary calling because God bestows on some Kings the extraordinary gift of healing 3. It may be further urg'd the calling of the Apostles was an extraordinary calling because they were pen-men of the Holy-Ghost and in regard that the Holy-Ghost sat upon each of them no that doth not make it extraordinary quoad nos that it should not descend for other Divines and Evangelists were pen-men of the Holy-Ghost as well as they therefore what was not extraordinary to themselves cannot be extraordinary to us 4. For their receiving the Holy-Ghost it is no otherwise but what all Bishops Pastors and Curates do receive when they receive Orders Receive ye the Holy Ghost only the difference is this they received it by the sitting of cloven tongues and they by impâ—sition of hands but still the extraordinaries consist in the manner but not the matter of the thing received so that all the while there is no reason why this calling of the Apostles should be so extraordinary as that it should not descend If Christ promised to be with his Apostles unto the end of the World and they did not continue unto the end of the World surely I should think without any straining at Gnats or swallowing of Cammels that the meaning of our Saviours words should be this that he would be with those in the assistance of his holy spirit that should succeed the Apostles in their Offices of supervising his Church and propagation of his Gospel except I should see more reason than I do yet why the Apostles calling should be so peculiar that it must not descend or that the Government of one over many be so inconsistent with the Church her good in
after-time more than in the beginning that Episcopacy should be so abominable Briefly I can compare these Presbyters pulling down the Bishops to no other thing than to a company of unhappy boys who being not tall enough to reach the fruit and wanting a Ladder for the fruit sake lay hold upon the branches and break down a bow making it thereby no part of the tree so â—hese men wanting merit to taste the fruit of learning and not having capacity enough in themselves to reach those preferments which the Church holds out to those who are deserving they render that which was part of the Church as sever'd from the Body which is the highest kind of Sacriledge not only in depriving the Church of part of its goods but part of it self Lastly if there be no other reason to be given if not for the Divine Right of Episcopacy yet for the lawfulness thereof but this one topical argument which I shall use raised out of the continued practice of the Church in all ages to men whose faces are not braâ—'d so thick that it were reason proof it were sufficient in my understanding viz. Suppose all the arguments which were for Episcopacy were as weak as so many straws to support a cause yet though four straws are not able to support a table yet fourteen thousand bound up together in four bundles will hold it up as firm as so many props of Iron so though some few practices of some few men within some few places are not able to make an argument for Episcopacy that shall be evincing yet the practice of the Church all along for fourteen hundred years in fourteen hundred Dioceses and throughout forty ages makes good the argument against any few Jack Straws or Wat Tilers whatsoever Ob. But there were no Diocesan Bishops in the Primitive times Sol. Was not Christ a Diocesan Bishop and was not the World his Diocess were not the Apostles Diocesan Bishops when the whole World divided into twelve parts were their twelve Diocess were not Timothy and Titus Diocesan Bishops when Creet and Ephesus were allotted to be their Diocess Ob. There were no Lord Bishops in those daies Sol. Those who ruled well were to be accounted worthy of double honour and will you not allow them a single Lordship Ob. The Lords of the Gentiles exercised Dominion but so shall not you Sol. No not such dominion as they exercised there is a great deal of difference betwixt dominion and domineering betwixt Lordship and lording it over God's Inheritance a Paternal Government was never accounted intolerable but by unruly Children if this were not to be allowed of how did Christ rule his Apostles Paul Timothy and Titus both these all the Ministers in Creet and Ephesus Ob. St. Paul laboured with his hands that he might not be chargeable to the brethren Sol. So might the Bishops if they needed no more to study Divinity than did the Apostles but if any Benefactor had bestowed large Revenues upon St. Paul I see no reason why he might not be a keeper of Hospitality as well as he advised Timothy so to do but now Julians persecution is reviv'd Do not saith Julian destroy the Christians but take away the maintenance of the Church and that will bring their Ministers into contempt and so destroy their Religion and now they are at it Libera me domine saith St. Augustine ab homine impio id est libera me à me so we had need to pray unto Almighty God that he would save his Church out of the hands of her Church-men for she now lies upon the ground like the tree that complained that she was rent in sunder by wedges made out of her own body FINIS See Buch. de Jure Reg. 1 Sam. 24.5