Of Reformation Touching Church Discipline

Faults escapit in the printing are here corrected.

Page 1. l. 5. at frequent must be a comma, p. 2. l. 27. sensual. p. 4. l. 31. exorcism. p. 5. l. 9. at adoration a comna. p. 6. l. 4. in ignorance there wants an a. l. 29. she taught. p. 7. l. 9. add in Discipline, which is the execution. p. 19. l. 4. colleagues. l. 13. known. p. 70. l. 6. yea other nattonsp. 72. l. 5. each other state. l. 7. at common is no period, but a comma.

OF REFORMATION IN ENGLAND, And the CAWSES that hitherto have hindered it.

A Midst those deep and retired thoughts, which with every man Christianly instructed, ought to be most frequent, of God, and of his miraculons ways, and works, amongst men, and of our Religion and Worship, to be performed to him; after the story of our Savior Christ, suffering to the lowest bent of weakness, in the Flesh, and presently triumphing to the highest pitch of glory, in the Spirit, which drew up his body also, till we in both be united to him in the Revelation of his Kingdom: I do not know of anything more worthy to take up the whole passion of pity, on the one side, and joy on the other, then to consider first, the foul and sudden corruption, and then after many a tedious age, the long-defer'd, but much more wonderful and happy re •… ormation of the Church in these latter days. Sad it is to think how that Doctrine of the Gospel, planted by teachers Divinely inspired, and by them winnow'd, and sifted, from the chaff of overdated Ceremonies, and refined to such a Spiritual height, and temper of purity, and knowledge of the Creator, that the body, with all the circumstances of time and place, were purifi'd by the affections of the regenerate Soul, and nothing left impure, but sin; Faith needing not the weak, and fallible office of the Senses, to be either the Vshers, or Interpreters of heavenly Mysteries, save where our Lord him-self in his Sacraments ordained; that such a Doctrine should through the grossness, and blindness, of her Professors, and the fraud of deceivable traditions, drag so downwards, as to backslide one way into the Jewish beggary of old cast rudiments, and stumble forward another way into the new-vomited Paganism of sensual Idolatry, attributing purity, or impurity, to things indifferent, that they might bring the inward acts of the Spirit to the outward, and customary ey-Service of the body, as if they could make God earthly, and fleshly, because they could not make themselves he •… enly, and Spiritual: they began to draw down all the Divine intercours, betwixt God, and the Soul, yea, the very shape of God himself, into an exterior, and bodily form, urgently pretending a necessity, and obligement of joining the body in a formal reverence, and Worship circumscrib'd, they hallow'd it, they fum'd it, they sprincl'd it, they be deckit it, not in robes of pure innocence, but of pure Linnen, with other deformed, and fantastic dresses in Palls, and Miters, gold, and guegaw's fetched from Arons old wardrope, or the Flamins vestry: then was the Priest set to con his motions, and his Postures his Liturgies, and his Lurries, till the Soul by this means of over bodying her self, given up justly to fleshly delights, bated her wing apace downward: and finding the ease she had from her visible, and sensuous collegue the body in performance of Religious duties, her pineons now broken, and flagging, shifted off from her self, the labor of high soaring anymore, forgot her heavenly flight, and left the dull, and droyling carcas to plod on in the old rode, and d •… udging Trade of outward conformity. And here out of question from her pervers conceiting of God, and holy things, she had fallen to believe no God at all, had not custom and the worm of conscience nipped her incredulity hence to all the duty's of evangelical grace instead of the adoptive and cheerful boldness which our new alliance with God requires, came Servile, and thrallike fear: for in very deed, the superstitious man by his good will is an Atheist; but being •… carr'd from thence by the pangs, and gripes of a boiling conscience, all in a pudder shuffles up to himself such a God, and such a worship as is most agreeable to remedy his fear, which fear of his, as also is his hope, fixed only upon the Flesh, renders likewise the whole faculty of his apprehension, carnal, and all the inward acts of worship issuing from the native strength of the SOUL, run out lavishly to the upper skin, and there harden into a crust of Formallitie. Hence men came to scan the Scriptures, by the Letter, and in the Covenant ofour Redemption, magnifi'd the external signs more then the quickening power of the Spirit, and yet looking on them through their own guiltiness with a Servile fear, and finding as little comfort, or rather terror from them again, they knew not how to hide their Slavish approach to God's behests by them not understood, nor worthily received, but by cloaking their Servile crouching to all Religious Presentments, sometimes lawful, sometimes Idolatrous, under the name of humility, and terming the Py-bald frippery, and ostentation of Ceremony's, decency.

Then was Baptism changed into a kind of exorcism, and water Sanctifi'd by Christ's institute, thought little enough to wash off the original Spot without the Scratch, or cross impression of a Priests fore-finger: and that feast of free grace, and adoption to which Christ invited his Disciples to sit as Brethren, and coheirs of the happy Covenant, which at that Table was to be Seal'd to them, even that Feast of love and heavenly-admitted fellowship, the Seal of filial grace became the Subject of horror, and glouting adoration, pageanted about, like a dreadful Idol: which sometimes deceve's well-meaning men, and beguiles them of their reward, by their voluntary humility, which indeed, is fleshly pride, preferring a foolish Sacrifice, and the rudiments of the world, as Saint Paul to the Colossians explaineth, before a savory obedience to Christ's example. Such was Peters unseasonable Humility, as then his Knowledge was small, when Christ came to wash his feet; who at an impertinent time would needs strain courtesy with his Master, and falling troublesomly upon the lowly, alwise, and unexaminable intention of Christ in what he went with resolution to do, so provokit by his interruption the meek Lord, that he threat'nd to exclude him from his heavenly Portion, unless he could be content to be less arrogant, and stiff neckt in his humility.

But to dwell no longer in characterizing the Depravities of the Church, and how they sprung, and how they took increase; when I recall to mind at last, after so many dark Ages, wherein the huge overshadowing train of Error had almost swept all the Stars out of the Firmament of the Church; how the bright and blissful Reformation (by Divine Power) struck through the black and settled Night of Ignornnce and Antichristian Tyranny, me thinks a sovereign and reviving joy must needs rush into the bosom of him that reads or hears; and the sweet Odor of the returning Gospel imbath his Soul with the fragrancy of Heaven. Then was the Sacred BIBLE sought out of the dusty corners where profane Falsehood and Neglect had thrown it, the Schools opened, Divine and Human Learning rakit out of the embers of forgotten Tongues, the Princes and Cities trooping apace to the new erected Banner of Salvation; the Martyrs, with the unresistable might of Weakness, shaking the Powers of Darkness, and scorning the fiery rage of the old red Dragon.

The pleasing pursuit of these thoughts hath ofttimes led me into a serious question and debatement with myself, how it should come to pass that England (having had this grace and honor from GOD to be the first that should set up a Standard for the recovery of lost Truth, and blow the first Evangelic Trumpet to the Nations, holding up, as from a Hill, the new Lamp of saving light to all Christendom should now be last, and most unsettl'd in the enjoyment of that Peace, whereof we taught the way to others; although indeed our Wicklefs preaching, at which all the succeeding Reformers more effectually lighted their Tapers, was to his Country-men but a short blaze soon damped and stifl'd by the Pope, and Prelates for six or seven Kings Reignes; yet me thinks the Precedencie which GOD gave this Island, to be the first Restorer of buried Truth, should have been followed with more happy success, and sooner attained Perfection; in which, as yet we are amongst the last: for, albeit in purity of Doctrine we agree with our Brethren; yet in execution and applying of Doctrine home, and laying the salve to the very Orifice of the wound; yea tenting and searching to the Core, without which Pulpit Preaching is but shooting at Rovers; in this we are no better then a Schism, from all the Reformation, and a sore scandal to them; for while we hold Ordination to belong only to Bishops, as our Prelates do, we must of necessity hold also their Ministers to be no Ministers, and shortly after their Church to be no Church. Not to speak of those senseless Ceremonies which we only retain, as a dangerous earnest of sliding back to Rome, and serving merely, either as a mist to cover nakedness where true grace is extinguished; or as an Enterlude to set out the pomp of Prelatisme. Certainly it would be worth the while therefore and the pains, to inquire more particularly, what, and how many the che •… We causes have been, that have still hindered our Vniforme Con •… to the rest of the Churches abroad, (at this time especially) when the Kingdom is in a good propensity thereto; and all Men in Prayers, in Hopes, or in Disputes, either for or against it.

Yet will I not insist on that which may seem to be the cause on GOD'S part; as his judgment on our sins, the trial of his own, the unmasking of Hypocrites; nor shall I stay to speak of the continual eagernes and extreme diligence of the Pope and Papists to stop the furtherance of Reformation, which know they have no hold or hope of England their lost Darling, longer then the government of Bishops bolsters them out; and therefore plot all they can to uphold them, as may be seen by the Book of Santa Clara the Popish Priest in defense of Bishops, which came out piping hot much about the time that one of our own Prelates out of an ominous fear had writ on the same Argnment; as if they had join'd their forces like good Confederates to support one falling Babel.

But I shall chiefly endeavor to declare those Causes that hinder the forwarding of true Discipline, which are among ourselves. Orderly proceeding will divide our inquiry into our Fore-Fathers days, and into our Times. HENRY the 8. was the first that rent this Kingdom from the Popes Subjection totally; but his Quarrell being more about Supremacy, then other faultiness in Religion that he regarded, it is no marvel if he stuck where he did. The next default was in the Bishops, who though they had renouncit the Pope, they still hug'd the Popedom, and shar'd the Authority among themselves, by their six bloody Articles persecuting the Protestants no slacker then the Pope would have done. And doutles, when ever the Pope shall fall, if his ruin be not like the sudden down-come of a Tower, the Bishops, when they see him tottering, will leave him, and fall to scrambling, catch who may, he a Patriarch-dome, and another what comes next hand; as the French Cardinal of late, and the See of Canterbury hath plainly affected.

In Edward the 6. Days, why a complete Reform was not effected, to any considerate man may appear. First, he no sooner entered into his Kingdom, but into a War with Scotland; from whence the Protector returning with Victory had but newly put his hand to repeal the 6. Articles, and throw the Images out of Churches, but Rebellions on all sides stirred up by obdurate Papists, and other Tumults with a plain War in Norfolk, holding tack against two of the Kings Generals, made them of force content themselves with what they had already done. Hereupon followed ambitious Contentions among the Peers, which ceased not but with the Protectors death, who was the most zealous in this point: and then Northumberland was he that could do most in England, who little minding Religion, (as his Apostasy well showed at his death, bent all his wit how to bring the Right of the Crown into his own Line. And for the Bishops, they were so far from any such worthy Attempts, as that they suffered themselves to be the commō stales to coun tenance with their prostituted Gravities every Politick Fe •… ch that was then on foot, as oft as the Potent Statists pleased to employ them. Never do we read that they made use of their Authority and high Place of access, to bring the jarring Nobility to Christian peace, or to withstand their di •… oyall Projects; but if a Toleration for Mass were to be begged of the King for his Sister MARY, lest CHARLES the Fifth should be angry; who but the grave Prelates Cranmer and Ridley must be sent to extort it from the young King? But out of the mouth of that godly and Royal Child, Christ himself returned such an awful repulse to those halting and time-serving Prelates, that after much bold importunity, they went their way not without shame and tears.

Nor was this the first time that they discovered to be followers of this World; for when the Protectors Brother, Lord Sudley, the Admiral through private malice and mal-engine was to lose his life, no man could be found fitter then Bishop Latimer (like another Doctor Shaw) to divulge in his Sermon the forged Accusations laid to his charge, thereby to defame him with the People, who else was thought would take ill the innocent man's death; unless the Reverend Bishop could warrant them there was no foul play. What could be more impious then to debar the Children of the King from their right to the Crown? To comply with the ambitious •… urpation of a Traitor; and to make void the last Will of HENRY 8, to which the Breakers had sworn observance? Yet Bishop Cranmer, one of the Executors, and the other Bishops none refusing, (lest they should resist the Duke of Northumberland) could find in their Consciences to set their hands to the disinabling and defeating not only of Princesse MARY the Papist, but of ELIZABETH the Protestant, and (by the Bishops judgment) the Lawfull Issue of King HENRY.

Who then can think, (though these Prelates had sought a further Reformation) that the least wry face of a Politician would not have hushit them. But it will be said, These men were Martyrs: What then? Though every true Christian will be a Martyr when he is called to it; not presently does it follow that everyone suffering for Religion, is without exception. Saint Paul writes, that A man may give his Body to be burnt, (meaning for Religion) and yet not have Charity: He is not therefore above all possibility of erring, because he burns for some Points of Truth.

Witnes the Arians and Pelagians which were slain by the Heathen for Christ's sake; yet we take both these for no true friends of Christ. If the Martyrs (saith Cyprian in his •… 0. Epistle) decree one thing, and the Gospel another, either the Martyrs must lose their Crown by not observing the Gospel for which they are Martyrs; or the Majesty of the Gospel must be broken and lie slat, if it can be overtopped by the novelty of any other Decree.

And heerewithall I invoke the Immortal DEITIE Reveler and Judge of Secrets, That wherever I have in this BOOKE plainly and roundly (though worthily and truly) laid open the faults and blemishes of Fathers, Martyrs, or Christian Emperors; or have otherwise inveighed against Error and Superstition with vehement Expressions: I have done it, neither out of malice, nor list to speak evil, nor any vain-glory; but of mere necessity, to vindicate the spotless Truth from an ignominious bondage, whose native worth is now become of such a low esteem, that she is like to find small credit with us for what she can say, unless she can bring a Ticket from 〈◊〉 , Latimer, and Ridley; or prove her self a retainer to Constantine, and wear his badge. More tolerable it were for the Church of GOD that all these Names were utterly 〈◊〉 , like the Brazen Serpent; then that men's fond opinion should thus idolize them, and the Heavenly Truth be thus captivated.

Now to proceed, whatsoever the Bishops were, it seems they themselves were unsatisfi'd in matters of Religion, as they then stood, by that Commission granted to 8. Bishops, 8. other Divines, 8. Civilians, 8. common Lawyers, to frame Ecclesiastical Constitutions; which no wonder if it came to nothing; for (as Hayward relates) both their Professions and their Ends were different. Lastly, we all know by Examples, that exact Reformation is not perfected at the first push, and those unwieldy Times of Edward 6. may hold some Plea by this excuse: Now let any reasonable man judge whether that Kings Reign be a fit time from whence to pattern out the Constitution of a Church Discipline, much less that it should yield occasion from whence to foster and establish the continuance of Imperfection with the commendatory subscriptions of Confessors and Martyrs, to entitle and engage a glorious Name to a gross corruption. It was not Episcopacy that wrought in them the Heavenly Fortitude of Martyrdom; as little is it that Martyrdom can make good Episcopacy: But it was Episcopacy that led the good and holy Men through the temptation of the Enemy, and the snare of this present world to many blame-worthy and opprobrious Actions. And it is still Episcopacy that before all our eyes worsens and sluggs the most learned, and seeming religious of our Ministers, who no sooner advancit to it, but like a seething pot set to cool, sensibly exhale and reake out the greatest part of that zeal, and those Gifts which were formerly in them, settling in a skinny congealment of ease and sloth at the top: and if they keep their Learning by some potent sway of Nature, 'tis a rare chance; but their devotion most commonly comes to that queazy temper of lukewarmness, that gives a Vomit to GOD himself.

But what do we suffer mis-shapen and enormous 〈◊〉 , as we do, thus to blanch and varnish her 〈◊〉 with the fair colors, as before of Mar •… yrdome, so now of Episcopacy? They are not 〈◊〉 , GOD and all good Men know they are not, that have filled this Land with late confusion and violence; but a Tyrannicall crew and Corporation of Impostors, that have blinded and abused the World so long under that Name. He that inabl'd with gifts from God, and the lawful and Primitive choice of the Church assembl'd in convenient number, faithfully from that time forward feeds his Parochial Flock, ha's his coequal and compresbyteriall Power to ordain Ministers and Deacons by public Prayer, and Vote of Christ's Congregation in like sort as he himself was ordained, and is a true Apostolic Bishop. But when he steps up into the Chair of Pontifical Pride, and changes a moderate and exemplary House, for a mis-governed and haughty Palace, spiritual Dignity for carnal Precedence, and secular high Office and employment for the high Negotiations of his Heavenly 〈◊〉 , Then he degrades, then he un-Bishops himself; he that makes him Bishop makes him no Bishop. No marvel therefore if S. Martin complained to Sulpitius Severus that since he was Bishop he felt inwardly a sensible decay of those virtues and graces that God had given him in great measure before; Although the same Sulpitius write that he was nothing tainted, or altered in his habit, diet, or personal demeanour from that simple plainness to which he first betook himself. It was not therefore that thing alone which God took displeasure at in the Bishops of those times, but rather an universal rottenness, and gangrene in the whole Function.

From hence then I pass to Qu. ELIZABETH, the next Protestant Prince, in whose Days why Religion attained not a perfect reducement in the beginning of her Reign, I suppose the hindering Causes will be found to be common with some formerly alleged for King EDWARD 6. the greenness of the Times, the weak Estate which Qu. MARY left the Realm in, the great Places and Offices executed by Papists, the Judges, the Lawyers, the Justices of Peace for the most part Popish, the Bishops firm to Rome, from whence was to be expected the furious 〈◊〉 of Excommunications; and absolving the People from their Obedience. Next, her private Counselors, whoever they were persuaded her (as Camden writes) that the altering of Ecclesiastical Policy would move sedition. Then was the 〈◊〉 given to a number of moderate 〈◊〉 , and Sir Tho. Smith a Statesman to be purged, and Physickit: And surely they were moderate Divines indeed, neither hot nor cold; 〈◊〉 Grindall the best of them, afterwards Arch Bishop of Canterbury lost favor in the Court, and I think was discharged the government of his See for favoring the Ministers, though Camden seem willing to find another Cause: therefore about her second Yeare in a Parliament of Men and Minds some scarce well grounded, others belching the sour Crudities of yesterdayes Popery, those Constitutions of EDW. 6. which as you heard before, no way satisfied the men that made them, are now establishit for best, and not to be mended. From that time followed nothing but Imprisonments, troubles, disgraces on all those that found fault with the Decrees of the Conv •… cation, and strait were they branded with the Name of Puritans. As for the Queen her self, she was made believe that by putting down Bishops her Prerogative would be infring'd, of which shall be spoken anon, as the course of Method brings it in. And why the Prelates labor'd it should be so thought, ask not them, but ask their Bellies. They had found a good Tabernacle, they sat under a spreading Vine, their Lot was fallen in a fair Inheritance. And these perhaps were the chief impeachments of a more sound rectifying the Church in the Queens Time.

From this Period I count to begin our Times, which, because they concern us more nearly, and our own eyes and ears can give us the ampler scope to judge, will require a more exact search; and to effect this the speedier, I shall distinguish such as I esteem to be the hinderers of Reformation into 3. sorts, Antiquitarians (for so I had rather call them then Antiquaries, whose labors are useful and laudable) 2. Libertines, 3. Politicians.

To the votarists of Antiquity I shall think to have fully answered, if I shall be able to prove out of Antiquity, First, that if they will conform our Bishops to the purer times, they must mew their feathers, and their pounces, and make but curttail'd Bishops of them; and we know they hate to be dockt and clipt, as much as to be put down outright. Secondly, that those purer times were corrupt, and their Books corrupted soon after. Thirdly, that the best of those that then wrote, disclaim that any man should repose on them, and send all to the Scriptures.

First therefore, if those that over-affect Antiquity, will follow the square thereof, their Bishops must be elected by the hands of the whole Church. The ancientest of the extant Fathers Ignatius, writing to the Philadelphians saith, that it belongs to them as to the Church of God to choose a Bishop. Let no man cavil, but take the Church of God as meaning the whole consistence of Orders and Members, as S. Paul's Epistles express, and this likewise being read over: Besides this, it is there to be marked, that those Philadelphians are exhorted to choose a Bishop of Antioch. Whence it seems by the way that there was not that wary limitation of Dioces in those times, which is confirmed even by a fast friend of Episcopacy, Camden, who cannot but love Bishops, as well as old coins, and his much lamented Monasteries for antiquities sake. He writes in his description of Scotland, that over all the world Bishops had no certain Dioces, till Pope Dionysius about the year 268. did cut them out, and that the Bishops of Scotland executed their function in what place soever they came indifferently, and without distinction till King Malcolm the third, about the year 1070. whence may be guest what their function was: was it to go about circl'd with a band of rooking Officials, with cloke bags full of Citations, and Processes to be served by a corporalty of griffonlike Promooters, and Apparitors? Did he go about to pitch down his Court, as an Empirick does his banck, to inveigle in all the money of the Con̄trey? no certainly it would not have been permitted him to exercise any such function indifferently wherever he came. And verily some such matter it was as want of a fat Dioces that kept our Britain Bishops so poor in the Primitive times, that being called to the Council of Ariminum in the year 359. they had not wherewithal to defray the charges of their journey, but were fed; and lodged upon the Emperors cost, which must needs be no accidental, but usual poverty in them, for the author Sulp. Severus in his 2 Book of Church History praises them, and avouches it praise-worthy in a Bishop, to be so poor as to have nothing of his own. But to return to the ancient election of Bishops that it could not lawfully be without the consent of the people is so express in Cyprian, and so often to be met with, that to cite each place at large, were to translate a good part of the volume, therefore touching the chief passages, I refer the rest to whom so list peruse the Author himself: in the 24. Epist. If a Bishop saith he, be once made and allowed by the testimony and judgment of his colleagues, and the people, no other can be made. In the 55. When a Bishop is made by the suffrage of all the people in peace. In the 68. mark but what he says, The people chiefly hath power, either of choosing worthy ones, or refusing unworthy: this he there proves by authorities out of the old and New Testament, and with solid reasons: these were his antiquities.

This voice of the people to be had ever in Episcopal elections was so well known, before Cyprians time, even to those that were without the Church, that the Emperor Alexander Severus desired to have his governors of Provinces chosen in the same manner, as 〈◊〉 can tell: So little thought it he offensive to Monarchy; and if single authorities persuade not, hearken what the whole general Council of Nicaea the first and famousest of all the rest determines, writing a Synodal Epist. to the African Churches, to warn them of Arianism, it exhorts them to choose orthodox Bishops in the place of the dead so they be worthy, and the people choose them, whereby they seem to make the people's assent so necessary; that merit without their free choice were not sufficient to make a Bishop. What would ye say now grave Fathers if you should wake and see unworthy Bishops, or rather no Bishops, but Egyptian task-masters of Ceremonies thrust purposely upon the groaning Church to the affliction, and vexation of God's people? It was not of old that a Conspiracie of Bishops could frustrate and fob off the right of the people, for we may read how S. Martin soon after Constantine was made Bishop of Turon in France by the people's consent from all places thereabout m •… ugre all the opposition that the Bishops could make. Thus went matters of the Church almost 400. year after Christ, and very probably far lower, for Nicephorus Phocas the Greek Emperor, whose reign fell near the 1000. year of our Lord, having done many things tyrannically, is said by Cedrenus to have done nothing more grievous and displeasing to the people, then to have in-acted that no Bishop should be chosen without his will; so long did this right remain to the people in the midst of other palpable corruptions: Now for Episcopal dignity, what it was, see out of Ignatius, who in his Epistle to those of Trallis confesseth that the Presbyters, are his fellow Counsellers, and fellow benchers. And Cyprian in many places, as in the 6. 41. 52. Epist. speaking of Presbyters, calls them his Compresbyters, as if he deemed himself no other, whenas by the same place it appears he was a Bishop, he calls them Brethren; but that will be thought his meekness: yea, but the Presbyters and Deacons writing to him think they do him honor enough when they phrase him no higher then Brother Cyprian, and dear Cyprian in the 26. Epist. For their Authority 'tis evident not to have been single, but depending on the counsel of the Presbyters, as from 〈◊〉 was ere while alleged; and the same Cyprian acknowledges as much in the 6 Epist. and adds thereto that he had determined from his entrance into the Office of Bishop to do nothing without the consent of his people, and so in the 31. Epist, for it were tedious to course through all his writings which are so full of the like assertions, insomuch that even in the womb and center of Apostasy Rome it self, there yet remains a glimpse of this truth, for the Pope himself, as a learned English writer notes well, performeth all E •… clesiasticall jurisdiction as in Consistory amongst his Cardinals, which were originally but the Parish Priests of Rome. Thus then did the Spirit of unity and meekness inspire, and animate every joint, and sinew of the mystical body, but now the gravest, and worthiest Minister, atrue Bishop of his fold shall be reviled, and ruffl'd by an insulting, and only-Canon-wise Prelate, as if he were some slight paltry companion: and the people of God redeemed, and washed with Christ's blood, and dignify'd with so many glorious titles of Saints, and sons in the Gospel, are now no better reputed then impure ethnicks, and lay dogs; stones & Pillars, and Crucifixes have now the honor, and the alms due to Christ's living members; the Table of Communion now become a Table of separation stands like an exalted platform upon the brow of the quire, fortifi'd with bulwark, •… and barricado, to keep off the profane touch of the Laics, whilst the obscene, and surfered Priest scruples not to paw, and mammock the sacramental bread, as familiarly as his Tavern Bisket. And thus the people vilifi'd and rejected by them, give over the earnest study of virtue, and godliness as a thing of greater purity then they need, and the search of divine knowledge as a mystery too high for their capacity's, and only for Churchmen to meddle with, which is that the Prelates desire, that when they have brought us back to Popish blindness we might commit to their dispose the whole managing of our salvation, for they think it was never fair world with them since that time: But he that will mould a modern Bishop into a primitive, must yield him to be elected by the popular voice, undiocest, unrevenu'd, unlorded, and leave him nothing but brotherly equality, matchles temperance, frequent fasting, incessant prayer, and preaching, continual watchings, and labors in his Ministry, which what a rich bootie it would be, what a plump endowment to the many-benefice-gaping mouth of a Prelate, what a relish it would give to his canary-sucking, and swan-eating palate, let old Bishop Mountain judge for me.

How little therefore those ancient times make for moderne Bishops hath been plainly discoursed, but let them make for them as much as they will, yet why we ought not stand to their arbitrement shall now appear by a threefold corruption which will be found upon them. times were spreadingly infected. men of those times foully tainted. writings of those men dangerously adulterated. These Positions are to be made good out of those times witnessing of themselves. First, Ignatius in his early days testifies to the Churches of Asia, that even then Heresies were sprung up, and rife everywhere, as Eusebius relates in his 3. Book, 35. chap. after the Greek number. And Hegesippus a grave Church writer of prime Antiquity affirms in the same Book of Euseb. c. 32. that while the Apostles were on earth the depravers of doctrine did but lurk, but they once gone, with open forehead they durst preach down the truth with falsities: yea those that are reckoned for orthodox began to make sad, and shameful rents in the Church about the trivial celebration of Feasts, not agreeing when to keep Easter day, which controversy grew so hot, that Victor the Bishop of Rome Excommunicated all the Churches of Asia for no other cause, and was worthily thereof reproved by Irenaeus. For can any sound Theologer think that these great Fathers understood what was Gospel, or what was Excommunication? doubtless that which led the good men into fraud and error was, that they attended more to the near tradition of what they heard the Apostles sometimes did, then to what they had left written, not considering that many things which they did, were by the Apostles themselves professed to be done only for the present, and of mere indulgence to some scrupulous converts of the Circumcision, but what they writ was of firm decree to all future ages. Look but a century lower in the 1. cap. of Eusebius 8. Book. What a universal tetter of impurity had invenom'd every part, order, and degree of the Church, to omit the lay herd which will be little regarded, those that seemed to be our Pastors, saith he, overturning the Law of God's worship, burnt in contentions one towards another, and incresing in hatred and bitterness, outrageously sought to uphold Lordship, and command as it were a tyranny. Stay but a little, magnanimous Bishops, suppress your aspiring thoughts, for there is nothing wanting but Constantine to reign, and then Tyranny her self shall give up all her cittadels into your hands, and count ye thence forward her trustiest agents. Such were these that must be called the ancientest, and most virgin times between Christ and Constantine. Nor was this general contagion in their actions, and not in their writings: who is ignorant of the foul errors, the ridiculous wresting of Scripture, the Heresies, the vanities thick sown through the volums of Justin Mar •… yr, Clemens, Origen, 〈◊〉 and others of eldest time? Who would think him fit to write an Apology for Christian Faith to the Roman Senate, that would tell them how of the Angels, which he must needs mean those in Gen. called the Sons of God, mixing with Women were begotten the Devils, as good Justin Martyr in his Apology told them. But more indignation would it move to any Christian that shall read Tertullian terming S. Paul a novice and raw in grace, for reproving S. Peter at Antioch, worthy to be blamed if we believe the Epistle to the Galatians: perhaps from this hint the blasphemous Jesuits presumed in Italy to give their judgment of S. Paul, as of a hot headed person, as Sandys in his Relations tells us.

Now besides all this, who knows not how many surreptitious works are ingrass'd into the legitimate writings of the Fathers, and of those Books that pass for authentic who knows what hath been tamper'd withal, what hath been raz'd out, what hath been inserted, besides the late legerdemain of the Papists, that which Sulpitius writes concerning Origen's Books gives us cause vehemently to suspect, there hath been packing of old. In the third chap. of his 1. Dialogue, we may read what wrangling the Bishops and Monks had about the reading, or not reading of Origen, some objecting that he was corrupted by Heretics, others answering that all such Books had been so dealt with. How then shall I trust these times to lead me, that restifie so ill of leading themselves, certainly of their defects their own witness may be best received, but of the rectitude, and sincerity of their life and doctrine to judge rightly, we must judge by that which was to be their rule.

But it will be objected that this was an 〈◊〉 state of the Church wanting the temporal Magistrate to suppress the license of false Brethren, and the extravagancy of still-new opinions, a time not imitable for Church government, where the temporal and spiritual power did not close in one belief, as under Constantine. I am not of opinion to think the Church a Vine in this respect, because, as they take it, she cannot subsist without clasping about the Elm of worldly strength, and felicity, as if the heavenly City could not support it self without the props and buttresses of secular Authority. They extol Constantine because he extolled them; as our homebred Monks in their Histories blanch the Kings their Benefactors, and brand those that went about to be their Correctors. If he had curbed the growing Pride, Avarice, and Luxury of the Clergy, then every Page of his Story should have swelled with his Faults, and that which Zozimus the Heathen writes of him should have come in to boot: we should have heard then in every Declamation how he slew his Nephew Commodus a worthy man, his noble and eldest Son Crispus, his Wife Fausta, besides numbers of his Friends; then his cruel exactions, his unsoundness in Religion, favoring the Arians that had been condemned in a Counsel, of which himself sat as it were President, his hard measure and banishment of the faithful and invincible Athanasius, his living unbaptiz'd almost to his dying day; these blurs are too apparent in his Life. But since he must needs be the Lord-star of Reformation as some men clatter, it will be good to see further his knowledge of Religion what it was, and by that we may likewise guess at the sincerity of his Times in those that were not Heretical, it being likely that he would converse with the famousest Prelates (for so he had made them) that were to be found for learning.

Of his Arianism we heard, and for the rest, a pretty scantling of his Knowledge may be taken by his deferring to be baptized so many years, a thing not usual, and repugnant to the Tenor of Scripture, Philip knowing nothing that should hinder the Eunuch to be baptized after profession of his belief. Next, by the excessive devotion, that I may not say Superstition both of him and his Mother Helena, to find out the Cross on which Christ suffered, that had long lien under the rubbish of old ruins, (a thing which the Disciples and Kindred of our Savior might with more ease have done, if they had thought it a pious duty:) some of the nails whereof he put into his Helmet, to bear off blows in battle, others he fastened among the studds of his bridle, to fulfill (as he thought, or his Court Bishops persuaded him) the Prophesy of Zachariah; And it shall be that that which is in the bridle shall be holy to the Lord. Part of the Cross, in which he thought such Virtue to reside, as would prove a kind of Palladium to save the City where ever it remained, he caused to be laid up in a Pillar of Porphyry by his Statue. How he or his Teachers could trifle thus with half an eye open upon Saint Paul's Principles, I know not how to imagine.

How should then the dim Taper of this Emperors age that had such need of snuffing, extend any beam to our Times wherewith we might hope to be better lighted, then by those Luminaries that God hath set up to shine to us far nearer hand. And what Reformation he wrought for his own time it will not be amiss to consider, he appointed certain times for Fasts, and Feasts, built stately Churches, gave large Immunities to the Clergy, great Riches and Promotions to Bishops, gave and minister'd occasion to bring in a Deluge of Ceremonies, thereby either to draw in the Heathen by a resemblance of their rites, or to set a gloss upon the simplicity, and plainness of Christianity which to the gorgeous solemnities of Paganism, and the sense of the Worlds Children seemed but a homely and Yeomanly Religion, for the beauty of inward Sanctity was not within their prospect.

So that in this manner the Prelates both then and ever since coming from a mean, and Plebeyan Life on a sudden to be Lord's of stately Palaces, rich furniture, delicious fare, and Princely attendance, thought the plain and homespun verity of Christ's Gospel unfit any longer to hold their Lordships acquaintance, unless the poor thread-bare Matron were put into better clothes; her chaste and modest veil surrounded with celestial beams they overlai'd with wanton tresses, and in a a •… aring tire 〈◊〉 her with all the gaudy allurements of a Whore.

Thus flourishit the Church with Constantine's wealth, and thereafter were the effects that followed; his Son Con •… antius proved a flat Arian, and his Nephew Julian an Apostate, 〈◊〉 there his Race ended; the Church that before by insensible degrees welkit and impaired, now with large steps went down hill decaying; at this time Antichrist began first to put forth his horn, and that saying was common that former times had wooden Chalices and golden Priests; but they golden Chalices and wooden Priests. Formerly (saith Sulpitius ) Martyrdom by glorious death was sought more greedily, then now Bishoprics by vile Ambition are hunted after (speaking of these Times) and in another place; they gape after possessions, they tend Lands and Livings, they coure over their gold, they buy and sell: and if there be any that neither possess nor traffic, that which is worse, they sit still, and expect gifts, and prostitute every indu •… meant of grace, every holy thing to sale. And in the end of his History thus he concludes, all things went to wrack by the faction, willfulness, and avarice of the Bishops, and by this means God's people, & every good man was had in scorn and derision; which S. Martin found truly to be said by his friend Sulpitius; for being held in admiration of all men, he had only the Bishops his enemies, found God less favorable to him after he was Bishop then before, & for his last 16. years would come at no Bishops meeting. Thus you see Sir what Constantine's doings in the Church brought forth, either in his own or in his Sons Reign.

Now lest it should be thought that something else might ail this Author thus to hamper the Bishops of those days; I will bring you the opinion of three the famousest men for wit and learuing, that Italy at this day glories of, whereby it may be concluded for a received opinion even among men professing the Romish Faith, that Constantine mar'd all in the Church. Dante in his 19. Canto of Inferno hath thus, as I will render it you in English blank Verse.

So in his 20. Canto of Paradise he makes the like complaint, and Petrarch seconds him in the same mind in his 108. Sonnet which is wiped out by the Inquisitor in some Editions; speaking of the Roman Antichrist as merely bred up by Constantine.

Ariosto of Ferrara after both these in time, but equal in fame, following the scope of his Poem in a difficult knot how to restore Orlando his chief Hero to his lost senses, brings Astolfe the English Knight up into the moon, where S. John, as he feignes, met him. Cant. 34.

And amongst these so abused things listen what he met withal, under the Conduct of the Evangelist.

And this was a truth well known in England before this Poet was borne, as our Chaucers Plowman shall tell you by and by upon another occasion. By all these circumstances laid together, I do not see how it can be disputed what good this Emperor Constantine wrought to the Church, but rather whether ever any, though perhaps not wittingly, set open a door to more mischief in Christendom. There is just cause therefore that when the Prelates cry out Let the Church be reformed according to Constantine, it should sound to a judicious ear no otherwise, then if they should say Make us rich, make us lofty, make us lawless, for if any under him were not so, thanks to those ancient remains of integrity, which were not yet quite worn out, and not to his Government.

Thus finally it appears that those purer Times were no such as they are cried up, and not to be followed without suspicion, doubt and danger. The last point wherein the Antiquary is to be dealt with at his own weapon, is to make it manifest, that the ancientest, and best of the Fathers have disclaimed all sufficiency in themselves that men should rely on, and sent all comers to the Scriptures, as all sufficient; that this is true, will not be unduly gathered by showing what esteem they had of Antiquity themselves, and what validity they thought in it to prove Doctrine, or Discipline. I must of necessity begin from the second rank of Fathers, because till then Antiquity could have no Plea. Cyprian in his 63. Epistle. If any, saith he, of our Auncestors either ignorantly or out of simplicity hath not observed that which the Lord taught us by his example (speaking of the Lord's Supper) his simplicity God may pardon of his mercy, but we cannot be excused for following him, being instructed by the Lord. And have not we the same instructions, and will not this holy man with all the whole Consitory of Saints and Martyrs that lived of old rise up and stop our mouths in judgment, when we shall go about to Father our Errors, and opinions upon their Authority? in the 73. Epist. he adds, in vain do they oppose custom to us if they be overcome by reason; as if custom were greater then Truth, or that in spiritual things that were not to be followed, which is revel'd for the better by the holy Ghost. In the 74. neither ought Custom to hinder that Truth should not prevail, for Custom without Truth is but agednesse of Error.

Next Lactantius, he that was preferred to have the bringing up of Constantine's children in his second Book of Institutions, Chap. 7. & 8. disputes against the vain trust in Antiquity, as being the chiefest Argument of the Heathen against the Christians, they do not consider, saith he, what Religion is, but they are confident it is true, because the Ancients delivered it, they count it a trespass to examine it. And in the eighth, not because they went before us in time, therefore in wisdom, which being given alike to all Ages, cannot be prepossessed by the Ancients; wherefore seeing that to seek the Truth is inbred to all, they bereave themselves of wisdom the gift of God who without judgment follow the Ancients, and are led by others like brute beasts. St. Austin writes to Fortunatian that he counts it lawful in the books of whomsoever to reject that which he finds otherwise then true, and so he would have others deal by him. He neither accounted, as it seems, those Fathers that went before, nor himself, nor others of his rank, for men of more then ordinary spirit, that might equally deceive, and be deceived. and ofttimes, setting our servile humors aside, yea God so ordering, we may find Truth with one man, as soon as in a Counsel, as Cyprian agrees 71. Epist. Many things, saith he, are better revealed to single persons. At 〈◊〉 in the first, and best reputed Counsel of all the world, there had gone out a Canon to divorce married Priests, had not one old man Paphnutius stood up, and reason'd against it.

Now remains it to show clearly that the Fathers refer all decision of controversy to the Scriptures, as all-sufficient to direct, to resolve, and to determine. Ignatius taking his last leave of the Asian Churches, as he went to martyrdom exhorted them to adhere close to the written doctrine of the Apostles, necessarily written for posterity: so far was he from unwritten traditions, as may be read in the 36. c. of Eusebius 3. b. In the 74. Epist. Of Cyprian against Stefan Bish. of Rome imposing upon him a tradition, whence, quoth he, is this tradition? is it fetched from the authority of Christ in the Gospel, or of the Apostles in their Epistles: for God testifies that thosi things are to be done which are written: and then thus; what obstinacy, what presumption is this to prefer human Tradition before divine ordinance? And in the same Epist. If we shall return to the head, and beginning of divine tradition (which we all know he means the Bible) human error ceases, and the reason of heavenly mysteries unfolded, whatsoever was obscure, becomes leare. And in the 14. Distinct. of the same Epist directly against our modern fantasies of a still visible Chnrch, he teaches; that succession of truth may fail, to renew which we must have 〈◊〉 to the fonntaines, using this excellent similitude, if a Channel, or Conduit pipe which brought in water plentifully before, suddenly fail, do we not go to the fountain to know the cause, whether the Spring affords no more, or whether the vein be stopped, or turned aside in the midcourse: thus ought we to do, keeping God's precepts, that if in ought the truth shall be changed, we may repair to the Gospel, and to the Apostles, that thence may arise the reason of our doings, from whence our order, and beginning arose. In the 75. he inveighs bitterly against Pope Stefanus, for that he could boast his Succession from Peter, and yet foist in Traditions that were not Apostolical. And in his Book of the unity of the Church he compares those that neglecting God's Word, follow the doctrines of men, to Corch, Dathan, and Abiram. The very first page of 〈◊〉 against the Gentiles, avers the Scriptutes to be sufficient of themselves for the declaration of Truth; and that if his friend Macarius read other Religious writers, it was but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 come un virtuoso, (as the Italians say,) as a lover of elegance: and in his 2d Tome the 39. pag, after he hath rekon'd up the Canonical Books, In these only, saith he, is the doctrine of godliness 〈◊〉 , let us man 〈◊〉 to these, or take from these; and in his 〈◊〉 having again set down all the Writers of the old & New Testament, these, saith he, be the anchors, and props of our Faith: besides these, millions of other Books have been written by great and wise men according to rule, and agreement with these, of which I will not now speak, as being of infinite number, and mere dependence on the canonical Books. Basil in his 2d Tome writing of true Faith, tells his auditors he is bound to teach them that which he hath learned out of the Bible: and in the same Treatise, he saith, That seeing the Commandments of the Lord, are faithful and sure forever; it is a plain falling from the Faith, and a high pride either to make void anything therein, or •… o introduce anything not there to be found: and he gives the reason for Christ saith, My Sheep hear my voice, they will not follow another, but fly from him, because they know not his voice. But not to be endless in quotations, it may chance to be objected, that there be many opinions in the Fathers which have no ground in Scripture; so much the less, may I say, should we follow them, for their own words shall condemn them, and acquit us, that lean not on them; otherwise these their words shall acquit them, and condemn us. But it will be replied, the Scriptures are difficult to be understood, and therefore require the explanation of the Fathers, 'tis true there be some Books, and especially some places in those Books that remain clouded; yet ever that which is most necessary to be known is most easy; and that which is most difficult, so far expounds it self ever, as to tell us how little it imports our saving knowledge. Hence to infer a general obscurity over all the text, is a mere suggestion of the Devil to dissuade men from reading it, and casts an aspersion of dishonor both upon the mercy, truth, and wisdom of. God: We count it no gentleness, or fair dealing in a man of Power amongst us, to require strict, and punctual obedience, and yet give out all his commands ambiguous and obscure, we should think he had a plot upon us, certainly such commands were no commands, but •… nares. The very essence of Truth is plainness, and brightness; the darkness and crookedness is our own. The wisdom of God created understanding, fit and proportionable to Truth the object, and end of it, as the eye to the thing visible. If our understanding have a film of ignorance over it, or be blear with gazing on other false glisterings, what is that to Truth? If we will but purge with sovrain eyesalve that intellectual ray which God hath planted in us, then we would believe the Scriptures protesting their own plainness, and perspicuity, calling to them to be instructed, not only the wise, and learned, but the simple, the poor, the babes, foretelling an extraordinary effusion of God's Spirit upon every age, and sex, attributing to all men, and requiring from them the ability of searching, trying, examining all things, and by the Spirit discerning that which is good; and as the Scriptures themselves pronounce their own plainness, so do the Fathers testify of them.

I will not run into a paroxysm of citations again in this point, only instance Athanasius in his fore-mentioned first page; the knowledge of Truth, saith he, wants no human lore, as being evident in it self, and by the preaching of Christ now opens brighter then the Sun. If these Doctors who had scarce half the light that we enjoy, who all except 2 or 3 were ignorant of the Hebrew tongue, and many of the Greek, blundering upon the dangerous, and suspectfull translations of the Apostat Aquila, the Heretical Theodotion, the Judaiz'd Symmachus; the erroneous Origen; if these could yet find the Bible so easy, why should we doubt, that have all the helps of Learning, and faithful industry that man in this life can look for, and the assistance of God as near now to us as ever. But let the Scriptures be hard; are they more hard, more crabbed, more abstruse then the Fathers? He that cannot understand the sober, plain, and unaffected style of the Scriptures, will be ten times more puzzl'd with the knotty Africanisms, the pampered metafors; the intricat, and involved sentences of the Fathers; besides the fantastic, and declamatory flashes; the cross-jingling periods which cannot but disturb, and come thwart a setl'd devotion worse then the din of bells, and rattles.

Now Sir, for the love of holy Reformation, what can be said more against these importunat clients of Antiquity, then she her self their patronesse hath said. Whether think ye would she approve still to dote upon immeasurable, innumerable, and therefore unnecessary, and unmerciful volumes, choosing rather to err with the specious name of the Fathers, or to take a •… ound Truth at the hand of a plain upright man that all his days hath been diligently reading the holy Scriptures, and thereto imploring God's grace, while the admire •… s of Antiquity have been beating their brains about their Ambones, their Diptychs, and Meniaia's? Now, he that cannot tell of Stations, and Indictions; nor has wasted his precious howrs in the endless conferring of Councils and Conclaves that demolish one another, although I know many of those that pretend to be great Rabbies in these studies have scarce saluted them from the strings, and the titlepage, or to give 'em more, have been but the Ferrets and Moushunts of an Index: yet what Pastor, or Minister how learned, religious, or discreet soever does not now bring both his cheeks full blown with Oecumenical, and Synodical, shall be counted a lank, shallow, insufficient man, yea a dunce, and not worthy to speak about Reformation of Church Discipline. But I trust they for whom God hath reserved the honor of Reforming this Church will easily perceive their adversaries drift in thus calling for Antiquity, they fear the plain field of the Scriptures; the chase is too hot; they seek the dark, the bushie, the tangled Forest, they would imbosk: they feel themselves struck in the transparent streams of divine Truth, they would plunge, and tumble, and think to lie hid in the foul weeds, and muddy waters, where no plummet can reach the bottom. But let them beat themselves like Whales, and spend their oil till they be dradg'd ashoar: though wherefor should the Ministers give them so much line for shifts, and delays? Wherefore should they not urge only the Gospel, and hold it ever in their faces like a mirror of Diamond, till it dazzle, and pierce their misty ey balls? maintaining it the honor of its absolute sufficiency, and supremacy inviolable: For if the Scripture be for Reformation, and Antiquity to boot, 'tis but an advantage to the dozen, 'tis no winning cast: and though Antiquity be against it, while the Scriptures be for it, the Cause is as good as ought to be wisht, Antiquity it self sitting Judge.

But to draw to an end; the second sort of those, that may be justly numbered among the hinderers of Reformation, are Libertines, these suggest that the Discipline sought would be intolerable: for one Bishop now in a Dioces we should then have a Pope in every Parish. It will not be requisite to Answer these men, but only to discover them, for reason they have none, but lust, and licentiousness, and therefore answer can have none. It is not any Discipline that they could live under, it is the corruption, and remisnes of Discipline that they seek. Episcopacy duly executed, yea the Turkish, and Jewish rigor against whoring, and drinking; the dear, and tender Discipline of a Father; the sociable, and loving reproof of a Brother; the bosom admonition of a Friend is a Presbytery, and a Consistory to them. 'It is only the merry Frier in Chaucer can disple them.

And so I leave them: and refer the political discourse of Episcopacy to a Second Book.

OF REFORMATION, &c.

The Second Book.

IT is a work good, and prudent to be able to guide one man; of larger extended virtue to order well one house; but to govern a Nation piously, and justly, which only is to say happily, is for a spirit of the greatest size, and divinest mettle. And certainly of no less a mind, nor of less excellence in another way, were they who by writing laid the solid, and true foundations of this Science, which being of greatest importance to the life of man, yet there is no art that hath been more canker'd in her principles, more soil'd, and slubber'd with aphorisming pedantry then the art of policy; and that most, where a man would think should least be, in Christian Common-wealths. They teach not that to govern well is to train up a Nation in true wisdom and virtue, and that which springs from thence magnanimity, (take heed of that) and that which is our beginning, regeneration, and happiest end, likeness to God, which in one word we call godliness, & that this is the true flourishing of a Land, other things follow as the shadow does the substance: to teach thus were mere pulpitry to them. This is the masterpiece of a modern politician, how to qualify, and mould the sufferance and subjection of the people to the length of that foot that is to tread on their necks, how rapine may serve it self with the fair, and honorable pretences of public good, how the puny Law may be brought-under the wardship, and control of lust, and will; in which attempt if they fall short, then must a superficial color of reputation by all means direct or indirect be gotten to wash over the unsightly bruise of honor. To make men governable in this manner their precepts mainly tend to break a national spirit, and courage by count'nancing open riot, luxury, and ignorance, till having thus disfigur'd and made men beneath men, as Juno in the Fable of 〈◊〉 , they deliver up the poor transformed heifer of the Commonwealth to be •… ung and vext with the breese, and goad of oppression under the custody of some Argus with a hundred eyes of jealousy. To be plainer Sir, how to solder, how to stop a leak, how to keep up the floating carcas of a crazy, and diseased Monarchy, or State betwixt wind, and water, swimming still upon her own dead lees, that now is the deep design of a politician. Alas Sir! a Common-wealth ought to be but as one huge Christian personage, one mighty growth, and stature of an honest man, as big, and compact in virtue as in body; for look what the grounds, and causes are of single happiness to one man, the same ye shall find them to a whole state, as 〈◊〉 both in his ethicks, and politiks, from the principles of reason lays down by consequence therefore, that which is good, and agreeable to monarchy, will appear soonest to be so, by being good, and agreeable to the true well-fare of every Christian, and that which can be justly proved hurtful, and offensive to every true Christian, will be evincit to be alike hurtful to monarchy: for God forbid, that we should separate and distinguish the end, and good of a monarch, from the end and good of the monarchy, or of that, from Christianity. How then this third, and last fort that hinder reformation, will justify that it stands not with reason of state, I much muse? For certain I am •… he Bible is shut against them, as certain that neither Plato, nor Aristotle is for their turns, What they can bring us now from the Schools of Loyola with his Jesuits, or their Malvezzi that can cut Tacitus into slivers and steaks, we shall presently hear. They allege 1. That the Church government must be conformable to the civil polity, next, that no form of Church government is agreeable to monarchy, but that of Bishops. Must Church government that is appointed in the Gospel, and has chief respect to the soul, be conformable, and pliant to civil, that is arbitrary, and chiefly conversant about the visible and external part of man? this is the very maxim that molded the Calvs of Bethel and of Dan, this was the quintessence of Jeroboams policy, he made Religion conform to his politick interests, & this was the sin that watched over theIsraelites till their final captivity If this State principle come from the Prelates, as they affect to be counted statists, let them look back to Elutherius Bishop of Rome, and see what he thought of the policy of England; being required by Lucius the first Christian King of this Island to give his counsel for the founding of Religious Laws, little thought he of this sage caution, but bids him betake himself to the old, and New Testament, and receive direction from them how to administer both Church, and Common-wealth; that he was God's Vicar, and therefore to rule by God's Laws, that the Edicts of Caesar we may at all times disallow, but the Statutes of God for no reason we may reject. Now certain if Church-government be taught in the Gofpel, as the Bishops dare not deny, we may well conclude of what late standing this Position is, newly calculated for the altitude of Bishop elevation, and lettice for their lips. But by what example can they show that the form of Church Discipline must be minted, and model'd out to secular pretences? The ancient Republic of the Jews is evident to have run through all the changes of civil estate, if we survey the Story from the giving of the Law to the Herod's, yet did one manner of Priestly government serve without inconvenience to all these temporal mutations: it served the mild Aristocracy of elective Dukes, and heads of Tribes join'd with them; the dictatorship of the Judges, the easy, or hard-handed Monarchy's, the domestic, or foreign tyrannies, Lastly the Roman Senate from without, the Jewish Senate at home with the Galilean Te •… rarch, yet the Levites had some right to deal in civil affairs: but seeing the Evangelical precept forbids Churchmen to intermeddle with worldly employments, what interweavings, or interworkings can knit the Minister, and the Magistrate in their several functions to the regard of any precise correspondency? Seeing that the Churchmans office is only to teach men the Christian Faith, to exhort all, to encourage the good, to admonish the bad, privately the less offender, publicly the scanda lous and stubborn; to censure, and separate from the commuuion of Christ's flock, the contagious, and incorrigible, to receive with joy, and fatherly compassion the penitent, all this must be don, and more then this is beyond any Church authority. What is all this either here, or there to the temporal regiment of Wealpublick, whether it be Popular, Princely, or Monarchical? Where doth it intrench upon the temporal governor, where does it come in his walk? where does it make inroad upon his jurisdiction? Indeed if the Ministers part be rightly discharged, it renders him the people more conscionable, quiet, and easy to be gov •… 'd, if otherwise his life and doctrine will declare him. If therefore the Constitution of the Church be already set down by divine prescript, as all sides confess, then can she not be a handmaid to wait on civil commodities, and respects and if the nature and limits of Church Discipline be such, as are either helpful to all political estates indifferently, or have no particular relation to any, then is there no necessity, nor indeed possibility of linking the one with the other in a special conformation.

Now for their second 〈◊〉 , That no form of Church government is agreeable to Monarchy, but that of Bishops, although it fall to pieces of it self by that which hath 〈◊〉 said; yet to give them play front, and 〈◊〉 , it shall be my task to prove that Episcopacy with that Authority which it challenges in England is not only not agreeable, but tending to the destruction of Monarchy. While the Primitive Pastors of the Church of God labor'd faithfully in their Ministry, tending only their Sheep, and not seeking, but avoiding all worldly matters as clogs, and indeed derogations, and debasements to their high calling, little needed the Princes, and potentates of the earth, which way soever the Gospel was spread, to study ways how to make a coherence between the Churches politic, and theirs: therefore when Pilate heard once our Savior Christ professing that his Kingdom was not of this world, he thought the man could not stand much in Caesar's light, nor much indammage the Roman Empire: for if the life of Christ be hid to this world, much more is his Scepter unoperative, but in spiritual things. And thus lived, for 2 or 3 ages, the Successors of the Apostles. But when through Constantine's lavish Superstition they forsook their first love, and set themselves up two God's instead, Mammon and their Belly, then taking advantage of the spiritual power which they had on men's consciences, they began to cast a longing eye to get the body also, and bodily things into their command, upon which their carnal desires, the Spirit daily quenching and dying in them, they knew no way to keep themselves up from falling to nothing, but by bolstering, and supporting their inward rottenes by a carnal, and outward strength. For a while they rather privily sought opportunity, then hastily disclos'd their project, but when Constantine was dead, and 3 or 4 Emperors more, their drift became notorious, and offensive to the whole world: for while Theodosius the younger reigned, thus writes Socrates the Historian in his 7th Book, 11. chap. now began an ill name to stick upon the Bishops of Rome, and Alexandria, who beyond their Priestly bounds now long ago had stepped into principality and this was scarce 80. years since their raising from the meanest worldly condition. Of courtesy now let any man tell me, if they draw to themselves a temporal strength and power out of Caesar's Dominion, is not Caesar's Empire thereby diminished? but this was a stolen bit, hitherto he was but a Caterpillar secretly gnawing at Monarchy, the next time you shall see him a Woolfe, a Lyon, lifting his paw against his raiser, as Petrarch expressed it, and finally an open enemy, and subverter of the Greek Empire. Philippicus and Leo, with divers other Emperors after them, not without the advice of their Patriarchs, and at length of a whole Eastern Counsel of 3. hundred thirty eight Bishops, threw the Images out of Churches as being decreed idolatrous.

Upon this goodly occasion the Bishop of Rome not only seizes the City, and all the Territory about into his own hands, and makes himself Lord thereof, which till then was governed by a Greek Magistrate, but absolves all Italy of their Tribute, and obedience due to the Emperor, because he obeyed God's Commandment in abolishing Idolatry.

Mark Sir here how the Pope came by S. Peters Patrymony, as he feigns it, not the donation of Constantine, but idolatry and rebellion got it him. Ye need but read Sigonius one of his own Sect to know the Story at large. And now to shroud himself against a storm from the Greek Continent, and provide a Champion to bear him out in these practices, he takes upon him by Papal sentence to unthrone Chilpericus the rightful K. of France, and gives the Kingdom to Pepin for no other cause but that he seemed to him the more active man. If he were a friend herein to Monarchy I know not, but to the Monarch I need not ask what he was.

Having thus made Pepin his fast friend, he calls him into Italy against Aistulphus the Lombard, that war •… 'd upon him for his late Usurpation of Rome as belonging to Ravenna which he had newly won. Pepin, not unobedient to the Popes call, passing into Italy, frees him out of danger, and wins for him the whole exarchat of Ravenna, which though it had been almost immediately before, the hereditary possession of that Monarchy which was his chief Patron, and Benefactor, yet he takes, and keeps it to himself as lawful prize, and given to St. Peter. What a dangerous fallacy is this, when a spiritual man may snatch to himself any temporal Dignity, or Dominion under pretence of receiving it for the Churches use; thus he claims Naples, Sicily, England, and what not? To be short, under show of his zeal against the errors of the Greek Church, he never ceased baiting, and goring the Successors of his best Lord Constantine what by his barking curses, and Excommunications, what by his hindering the Western Princes from aiding them against the Sarazens, and Turks, unless when they humor'd him; so that it may be truly affirmed, he was the subversion, and fall of that Monarchy, which was the hoisting of him; this, besides Petrarch, whom I have cited, our Chaucer also hath observed, and gives from hence a caution to England to beware of her Bishops in time, for that their ends, and aims are no more friendly to Monarchy then the Popes.

Thus he brings in the Plow-man speaking, 2. Part. Stanz. 28.

And in the next Stanza which begins the third part of the tale he argues that they ought not to be Lord's.

And so forward. Whether the Bishops of England have deserved thus to be feared by men so wise as our Chaucer is esteemed, and how agreeable to our Monarchy, and Monarchs their demeanour ha's been, he that is but meanly read in our Chronicles needs not be instructed. Have they not been as the Canaanites, and Philistines to this Kingdom? what Treasons, what revolts to the Pope, what Rebellions, and those the basest, and most preten selesse have they not been chief in? What could Monarchy think when Becket durst challenge the custody of Rotchester-Castle, and the Tower of London, as appertaining to his Signory? To omit his other insolencies and affronts to Regal Majesty, till the Lashes inflicted on the a •… ointed body of the King washed off the holy Unction with his blood drawn by the polluted hands of Bishops, Abbots, and Monks.

What good upholders of Royalty were the Bishops, when by their rebellious opposition against King John, Normandy was lost, he himself deposed, and this Kingdom made over to the Pope? When the Bishop of Winchester durst tell the Nobles, the Pillars of the Realm, that there were no Peers in England, as in France, but that the King might do what he pleased. What could Tyranny say more? it would be petty now if I should insist upon the rendering up of Tournay by Woolseyes Treason, the Excommunications, Cursings, and Interdicts upon the whole Land. For haply I shall be cut off short by a reply, that these were the faults of the men, and their Popish errors, not of Episcopacy, that hath now renouncit the Pope, and is a Protestant. Yes sure; as wise and famous men have suspected, and feared the Protestant Episcopacy in England, as those that have feared the Papal.

You know Sir what was the judgment of Padre Paolo the great Venetian Antagonist of the Pope, for it is extant in the hands of many men, whereby he declares his fear, that when the Hierarchy of England shall light into the hands of busy and audacious men, or shall meet with Princes tractable to the Prelacy, then much mischief is like to ensue. And can it be nearer hand, then when Bishops shall openly affirm that, No Bishop, no King? a trim Paradox, and that ye may know where they have been a begging for it, I will fetch you the Twin-brother to it out of the Jesuits Cell; they feeling the Axe of God's reformation hewing at the old and hollow trunk of Papacie, and finding the Spaniard their surest friend, and safest refuge, to sooth him up in his dream of a fifth Monarchy, and withal to uphold the decrepit Papalty have invented this super-politick Aphorism, as one terms it, One Pope, and one King.

Surely there is not any Prince in Christendom, who hearing this rare Sophistry can choose but smile, and if we be not blind at home we may as well perceive that this worthy Motto, No Bishop, no King is of the same batch, and infanted out of the same fears, a mere ague-cake coagulated of a certain Fever they have, presaging their time to be but short: and now like those that are sinking, they catch round at that which is likeliest to hold them up. And would persuade Regal Power, that if they dive, he must after. But what greater debasement can there be to Royal Dignity, whose towering, and steadfast heighth rests upon the unmovable foundations of Justice, and Heroic virtue, then to chain it in a dependence of subsisting, or ruining to the painted Battlements, and gaudy rottenness of Prelatrie, which want but one puff of the Kings to blow them down like a past bord House built of Court-Cards. Sir the little ado, which me thinks I find in untacking these pleasant Sophismes, puts me into the mood to tell you a tale ere I proceed further; and Menenius Agrippa speed us.

Upon a time the Body summoned all the Members to meet in the Guild for the common good (as Aesop's Chronicles aver many stranger Accidents) the head by right takes the first seat, and next to it a huge and monstrous Wen little less then the Head it self, growing to it by a narrower excrescency. The members amazed began to ask one another what he was that took place next their chief; none could resolve. Whereat the Wen, though unwieldy, with much ado gets up and bespeaks the Assembly to this purpose. That as in place he was second to the head, so by due of merit; that he was to it an ornament, and strength, and of special near relation, and that if the head should fail, none were fitter then himself to step into his place; therefore he thought it for the honor of the Body, that such dignities and rich endowments should be decreed him, as did adorn, and set out the noblest Members. To this was answered, that it should be consulted. Then was a wise and learned Philosopher sent for, that knew all the Charters, Laws, and Tenures of the Body. On him it is imposed by all, as chief Committee to examine, and discuss the claim and Petition of right put in by the Wen; who soon perceiving the matter, and wondering at the boldness of such a swollen Tumor, Wilt thou (quoth he) that art but a bottle of vicious and hardened excrements, contend with the lawful and free-borne members, whose certain number is set by ancient, and unrepealable Statute? head thou art none, though thou receive this huge substance from it, what office bearst thou? What good canst thou show by thee done to the Common-weal? the Wen not easily dashit replies, that his Office was his glory, for so oft as the soul would retire out of the head from over the steaming vapors of the lower parts to Divine Contemplation, with him she found the purest, and quietest retreat, as being most remote from soil, and disturbance. Lourdan, quoth the Philosopher, thy folly is as great as thy filth; know that all the faculties of the Soul are confined of old to their several vessels, and ventricles, from which they cannot part without dissolution of the whole Body; and that thou containst no good thing in thee, but a heap of hard, and loathsome uncleanness, and art to the head a foul disfigurment and burden, when I have cut thee off, and opened thee, as by the help of these implements I will do, all men shall see.

But to return, whence was digressit, seeing that the throne of a King, as the wise K. Solomon often remembers us, is established in Justice, which is the universal Justice that Aristotle so much praises, containing in it all other virtues, it may assure us that the fall of Prelacy, whose actions are so far distant from Justice, cannot shake the least fringe that borders the royal canopy: but that their standing doth continually oppose, and lay battery to regal safety, shall by that which follows easily appear. Amongst many secondary, and accessory causes that support Monarchy, these are not of least reckoning, though common to all other States: the love of the Subjects, the multitude, and valor of the people, and store of treasure. In all these things hath the Kingdom been of late sore weak'nd, and chiefly by the Prelates. First let any man consider, that if any Prince shall suffer under him a commission of authority to be exerciz'd, till all the Land groan, and cry out, as against a whip of Scorpions, whether this be not likely to lessen, and keel the affections of the Subject. Next what numbers of faithful, and freeborn Englishmen, and good Christians have been constrained to forsake their dearest home, their friends, and kindred, whom nothing but the wide Ocean, and the savage de •… erts of America could hide and shelter from the fury of the Bishops. O Sir, if we could but see the shape of our dear Mother England, as Poets are wont to give a personal form to what they please, how would she appear, think ye, but in a mourning weed, with ashes upon her head, and tears abundantly flowing from her eyes, to behold so many of her children exposed at once, and thrust from things of dearest necessity, because their conscience could not assent to things which the Bishops thought indifferent. What more binding then Conscience? what more free then indifferency? cruel then must that indifferency needs be, that shall violate the strict necessity of Conscience, merc •… les, and inhumane that free choice, and liberty that shall break asunder the bonds of Religion. Let the Astrologer be dismayed at the portentous blaze of comets, and impressions in the air as foretelling troubles and changes to states: I shall believe there cannot be a more illboding •… gne to a Nation ( God turn the Omen from us) then when the Inhabitants, to avoid insufferable grievances at home, are enforced by heaps to forsake their native Country. Now whereas the only remedy, and amends against the depopulation, and thinness of a Land within, is the borrowed strength of firm alliance from without, these Priestly policies of theirs having thus exhausted our domestic forces, have gone the way also to leave us as naked of our firmest, & faithfullest neighbors abroad, by disparaging, and alienating from us all Protestant Princes, and Common-wealths, who are not ignorant that our Prelates, and as many as they can infect, account them no better then a sort of sacrilegious, and puritanical Rebels, preferring the Spaniard our deadly enemy before them, and set all orthodox writers at naught in comparison of the Jesuits, who are indeed the only corrupters of youth, and good learning; and I have heard many wise, and learned men in Italy say as much. It cannot be that the strongest knot of confederacy should not daily slak'n, when Religion which is the chief engagement of our league shall be turned to their reproach. Hence it is that the prosperous, and prudent states of the united Provinces, whom we ought to love, if not for themselves, yet for our own good work in them, they having been in a manner planted, and erected by us, and having been since to us the faithful watchmen, and discoverers of many a Popish, and Austrian complotted Treason, and with us the partners of many a bloody, and victorious battle, whom the similitude of manners and language, the commodity of traffick, which founded the old Burgundian league betwixt us, but chiefly Religion should bind to us immortally, even such friends as these, out of some principles instill'd into us by the Prelates, have been often dismissed with distasteful answers, and sometimes unfriendly actions: nor is it to be considered to the breach of confederate Nations whose mutual interest is of such high consequence, though their Merchants bicker in the East Indies, neither is it safe, or wary, or indeed Christianly, that the French King, of a different Faith, should afford our nearest Allies as good protection as we. Sir, I persuade myself, if our zeal to true Religion, and the brotherly usage of our truest friends were as notorious to the world, as our Prelatical Schism, and captivity to Rotchet Apothegmes, we had ere this seen our old Conquerors, and afterward Liege-men the Normans, together with the Britons our proper Colony, and all the Gascoins that are the rightful Dowry of our ancient Kings, come with cap, and knee, desiring the shadow of the English Scepter to defend them from the hot per •… ecutions and taxes of the French. But when they come hither, and see a Tympany of Spanioliz'd Bishops swaggering in the fore-top of the State, and meddling to turn, and dandle the Royal Ball with unskillful and Pedantick palms, no marvel though they think it as 〈◊〉 to commit Religion, and liberty to their arbitrating as to a Synagogue of Jesuits.

But what do I stand reck'ning upon advantages, and gains lost by the mis-rule, and turbulency of the Prelates, what do I pick up so thriftily their scatterings and diminishings of the meaner Subject, whilst they by their seditious practices have endanger'd to loose the King one third of his main Stock; what have they not done to banish him from his own Native Country? but to speak of this as it ought would ask a Volume by it self.

Thus as they have unpeopl'd the Kingdom by expulsion of so many thousands, as they have endeavored to lay the skirts of it bare by disheartening and dishonoring our loyallest Confederates abroad, so have they hamstrung the valor of the Subject by seeking to effeminate us all at home. Well knows every wise Nation that their Liberty consists in manly and honest labors, in sobriety and rigorous honor to the Marriage Bed, which in both Sexes should be bred up from chaste hopes to loyal Enjoyments; and when the people slacken, and fall to looseness, and riot, then do they as much as if they laid down their necks for some wily Tyrant to get up and ride. Thus learnt Cyrus to tame the Lydians, whom by Arms he could not, whilst they kept themselves from Luxury; with one easy Proclamation to set up Stews, dancing, feasting, & dicing he made them soon his slaves. I know not what drift the Prelates had, whose Brokers they were to prepare, and supple us either for a Forreigne Invasion or Domestic oppression; but this I am sure they took the ready way to despoile us both of manhood and grace at once, and that in the shamefullest and ungodliest manner upon that day which God's Law, and even our own reason hath consecrated, that we might have one day at least of seven set apart wherein to examine and increase our knowledge of God, to meditate, and commune of our Faith, our Hope, our eternal City in Heaven, and to quick'n, withal, the study, and exercise of Charity; at such a time that men should be plucked from their soberest and saddest thoughts, and by Bishops the pretended Fathers of the Church instigated by public Edict, and with earnest endeavor pushit forward to gaming, jigging, wassailing, and mixed dancing is a horror to think. Thus did the Reprobate hireling Priest Balaam seek to subdue the Israelites to Moab, if not by force, then by this devilish Pollicy, to draw them from the Sanctuary of God to the luxurious, and ribald feasts of Baal-peor. Thus have they trespasit not only against the Monarchy of England, but of Heaven also, as others, I doubt not, can prosecute against them.

I proceed within my own bounds to show you next what good Agents they are about the Revennues and Riches of the Kingdom, which declares of what moment they are to Monarchy, or what avail. Two Leeches they have that still suck, and suck the Kingdom, their Ceremonies, and their Courts. If any man will contend that Ceremonies be lawful under the Gospel, he may be answered otherwhere. This doubtless that they ought to be many and over-costly, no true Protestant will affirm. Now I appeal to all wise men, what an excessive wast of Treasury hath been within these few years in this Land not in the expedient, but in the Idolatrous 〈◊〉 of Temples beautified exquisitely to out-vie the Papists, the costly and dear-bought Scandals, and snares of Images, Pictures, rich Coaps, gorgeous Altar-clothes: and by the courses they •… ooke, and the opinions they held, it was not likely any stay would be, or any end of their madness, where a pious pretext is so ready at hand to cover their insatlate desires. What can we suppose this will come to? What other materials then these have built up the spiritual BABEL to the heighth of her Abominations? Believe it Sir right truly it may be said, that Antichrist is Mammons Son. The sour levin of human Traditions mixed in one putrifi'd Masfe with the poisonous dregs of hypocrisy in the hearts of Prelates that lie basking in the Sunny warmth of Wealth, and Promotion, is the Serpents Egg that will hatch an Antichrist wheresoever, and ingender the same Monster as big, or little as the Lump is which breeds him. If the splendor of Gold and Silver begin to Lord it once again in the Church of England, we shall see Antichrist shortly wallow here, though his chief Kennell be at Rome. If they had one thought upon God's glory and the advancement of Christian Faith, they would be a means that with these expenses thus profusely thrown away in trash, rather Churches and Schools might be built, where they cry out for want, and more added where too few are; a moderate maintenance distributed to every painful Minister, that now scarce sustains his Family with Bread, while the Prelates revel like Belshazzar with their full carouses in Goblets, and vessels of gold snatched from God's Temple. Which (I hope) the Worthy Men of our Land will consider. Now then for their COVRTS. What a Mass of Money is drawn from the Veines into the Ulcers of the Kingdom this way; their Extortions, their open Corruptions, the multitude of hungry and ravenous Harpies that swarm about their Offices declare sufficlently. And what though all this go not oversea? 'twere better it did: better a penurious Kingdom, then where excessive wealth flows into the 〈◊〉 and injurious hands of common sponges to the impoverishing of good and loyal men, and that by such execrable, such irreligious courses.

If the sacred and dreadful works of holy Discipline, Censure, Penance, Excommunication, and Absolution, where no profane thing ought to have access, nothing to be assistant but sage and Christianly Admonition, brotherly Love, flaming Charity, and Zeal; and then according to the Effects, Paternall Sorrow, or Paternall Joy, mild Severity, melting Compassion, if such Divine Ministries as these, wherein the Angel of the Church represents the Person of Christ Jesus, must lie prostitute to sordid Fees, and not pass to and fro between our Savior that of free grace redeemed us, and the submissive Penitent, without the truccage of perishing Coine, and the Burcherly execution of Tormentors, Rooks, and Rakeshames sold to 〈◊〉 , then have the Babylonish Merchants of Souls just excuse. Hitherto Sir you have heard how the Prelates have weakened and withdrawn the external Accomplishments of Kingly prosperity, the love of the People, their multitude, their valor, their wealth; mining, and sapping the out-works, and redoubts of Monarchy; now hear how they strike at the very heart, and vitals.

We know that Monarchy is made up of two parts, the Liberty of the subject, and the supremacy of the King. I begin at the root. See what gentle, and benign Fathers they have been to our liberty. Their trade being, by the same Alchymy that the Pope uses, to extract heaps of gold, and silver out of the drossy Bullion of the Peoples sins, and justly fearing that the quick-sighted Protestants eye cleared in great part from the mist of Superstition, may at one time or other look with a good judgment into these their deceitful Pedleries, to gain as many associates of guiltiness as they can, and to infect the temporal Magistrate with the like lawless though not sacrilegious extortion, see a while what they do; they engage themselves to preach, and persuade an assertion for truth the most false, and to this Monarchy the most pernicious and destructive that could be chosen. What more baneful to Monarchy then a Popular Commotion, for the dissolution of Monarchy slides aptest into a Democracy; and what stirs the Englishmen, as our wisest writers have observed, sooner to rebellion, then violent, and heavy hands upon their goods and purses? Yet these devout Prelates, spite of our great Charter, and the souls of our Progenitors that wrested their liberties out of the Norman gripe with their dearest blood and highest prowess, for these many years have not ceasit in their Pulpits wrinching, and spraining the text, to set at naught and trample underfoot all the most sacred, and life blood Laws, Statutes, and Acts of Parliament that are the holy Cov'nant of Union, and Marriage between the King and his Realm, by proscribing, and confiscating from us all the right we have to our own bodies, goods and liberties. What is this, but to blow a trumpet, and proclaim a fire-cross to a hereditary, and perpetual civil war. Thus much against the Subjects Liberty hath been assaulted by them. Now how they have spared Supremacy, or likely are here-after to submit to it, remains lastly to be considered.

The emulation that under the old Law was in the King toward the Priest, is now so come about in the Gospel, that all the danger is to be feared from the Priest to the King. Whilst the Priests Office in the Law was set out with an exterior luster of Pomp and glory, Kings were ambitious to be Priests; now Priests not perceiving the heavenly brightness, and inward splendor of their more glorious Evangelic Ministry with as great ambition affect to be Kings; as in all their courses is easy to be observed. Their eyes over imminent upon worldly matters, their desires ever thirsting after worldly employments, instead of diligent and fervent study in the Bible, they covet to be expert in Canons, and Decretals, which may enable them to judge, and interpose in temporal Causes, however pretended 〈◊〉 . Do they not hord up Plefe, seek to be porent in secular Strength, in State Affaires, in Lands, Lordships, and Demeanes, to sway and carry all before them in high Courts, and Privy Counsels, to bring into their grasp, the high, and principal Offices of the Kingdom? have they not been bold of late to check the Common Law, to slight and brave the indiminishable Majesty of our highest Court the Law-giving and Sacred Parliament? Do they not plainly labor to exempt Churchmen from the Magistrate? Yea, so presumptuously as to question, and menace Officers that represent the Kings Person for using their Authority against drunken Priests? The cause of protecting murderous Clergy-men was the first heartburning that swelled up the audacious Becket to the pestilent, and odious vexation of Henry the second. Nay more, have not some of their devoted Scholars begun, I need not say to nibble, but openly to argue against the Kings Supremacy? is not the Ch •… ife of them accused out of his own Book, and his late Canons to affect a certain unquestionable Patriarchat, independent and unsubordinate to the Crown? From whence having first brought us to a servile Estate of Religion, and Manhood, and having predispos'd his conditions with the Pope, that lays claim to this Land, or some Pepin of his own creating, it were all as likely for him to aspire to the Monarchy among us, as that the Pope could find means so on the sudden both to bereave the Emperor of the Roman Territory with the favor of Italy, and by an unexpected friend out of France, while he was in danger to lose his new-got Purchase, beyond hope to leap in to the fair Exarchat of Ravenna.

A good while the Pope suttl'y acted the Lamb, writing to the Emperor, my Lord Tiberius, my Lord Maurice, but no sooner did this his Lord pluck at the Images, and Idols, but he threw off his Sheepes clothing, and started up a Wolf, laying his paws upon the Emperors right, as forfeited to Peter. Why may not we as well, having been forewarned at home by our renowned Chaucer, and from abroad by the great and learned Padre Paolo, from the like beginnings, as we see they are, fear the like events? Certainly a wise, and provident King ought to suspect a Hierarchy in his Realm, being ever attended, as it is, with two such greedy Purveyers, Ambition and 〈◊〉 , I say he ought to suspect a Hierarchy to be as dangerous and derogatory from his Crown as a Tetrarchy o •… a Hepiarchy. Yet now that the Prelates had almost attained to what their insolent, and unbridl'd minds had hurried them; to thrust the Lai •… •… der the despoticall rule of the Monarch, that they themselves might confine the Monarch to a kind of Pupillag •… under their Hierarchy, observe but how their own •… inciples combat one another, and supplant each one his fellow.

Having fitted us only for peace, and that a servile peace, by lessening our numbers, dreining our estates, enfeebling our bodies, cowing our free spirits by those ways as you have heard, their impotent actions cannot sustain themselves the least moment, unless they rouse us up to a War fit for Cain to be the Leader of; an abhorred, a cursed, a Fraternall War. ENGLAND and SCOTLAND dearest Brothers both in Natnre, and in CHRIST must be set to wade in one another's blood; and IRELAND our free Denizon upon the back of us both, as occasion should serve: a piece of Service that the Pope and all his Factors have been compassing to do ever since the Reformation.

But ever-blessed be he, and ever glorified that from his high watch-Tower in the Heavens discerning the crooked ways of perverse, and cruel men, hath hitherto maim'd, and insatuated all their damnable inventions, and deluded their great Wizards with a delusion fit for fools and children: had GOD been so minded he could have sent a Spirit of Mutiny amongst us, as he did between Abimelech and the Shechemites, to have made our Funerals and slain heaps more in number then the miserable surviving remnant, but he, when we least deserved, sent out a gentle gale, and message of peace from the wings of those his Cherubims, that fan his Mercy-seat. Nor shall the wisdom, the moderation, the Christian Piety, the Constancy of our Nobility and Commons of England be ever forgotten, whose calm, and temperat connivence could sit still, and smile out the stormy bluster of men more audacious, and precipitant, then of solid and deep reach, till their own fury had run it self out of breath, assailing, by rash and heady approaches, the impregnable situation of our Liberty and safety, that laughed such weak enginry to scorn, such poor drifts to make a NationallWarre of a Surplice Brabble, a Tippet-scuffle, and engage the unattainted Honor of English Knighthood, to unfurle the streaming Red Cross, or to rear the horrid Standard of those fatal guly Dragons for so unworthy a purpose, as to force upon their Fellow-Subjects, that which themselves are weary of, the Skeleton of a Mass-Book. Nor must the Pat •… ence, the Fortitude, the firm Obedience of the Nobles and People of Scotland striving against manifold Provocations, nor must their sincere and moderate proceedings hitherto, be unremember'd, to the shameful Conviction of all their Detractors.

Go on both hand in hand O NATIONS never to be dis-united, be the Praise and the Heroic Song of all POSTERITY; merit this, but seek only Virtue, not to extend your Limits; for what needs? to win a fading triumphant Laurel out of the tears of wretched Men, but to settle the pure worship of God in his Church, and justice in the State. then shall the hardest difficulties smooth out themselves before ye; envy shall sink to hell, craft and malice be confounded, whether it be homebred mischief, or outlandish cunning: yea 〈◊〉 other Nations will then cover to serve ye, for Lordship and victory are but the pages of justice and virtue. Commit securely to true wisdom the vanquishing and uncasing of craft and suttlerie, which are but her two runnagates: join your invincible might to do worthy, and Godlike deeds, and then he that seeks to break your union, a cleaving curse be his inheritance to all generations.

Sir, you have now at length this question for the time, and as my memory would best serve me in such a copious, and vast theme, fully handl'd, and you yourself may judge whether Prelacy be the only Church-government agreeable to MONARCHY. Seeing therefore the perilous, and confused estate into which we are fallen, and that to the certain knowledge of all men through the irreligious pride and hateful Tyranny of Prelates (as the innumerable, and grievous complaints of every shire cry out) if we will now resolve to settle affairs either according to pure Religion, or sound Policy, we must first of all begin roundly to cashier, and cut away from the public body the noisesome, and diseased tumor of Prelacie, and come from Schism to 〈◊〉 without neighbor Reformed sister Churches, which with the blessing of peace and pure doctrine have now long time flourish'd; and doubtless with all hearty joy, and gratulation, will meet, and welcome our Christian union with them, as they have been all this while grieved at our strangeness and little better then separation from them. And for the Discipline propounded, seeing that it hath been inevitably proved that the natural, and fundamental causes of political happiness in all governments are the same, and that this Church Discipline is taught in the Word of God, and, as we see, agrees according to wish with all such states as have received it, we may infallibly assure our selves that it will as well agree with Monarchy, though all the Tribe of Aphorismers, and Politicasters would persuade us there be secret, and misterious reasons against it. For upon the settling hereof mark what nourishing and cordial restorements to the State will follow, the Ministers of the Gospel attending only to the work of salvation everyone within his limited charge, besides the diffusive blessings of God upon all our actions, the King shall sit without an old disturber, a daily incroacher, and intruder; shall rid his Kingdom of a strong sequester'd, and collateral power; a confronting miter, whose potent wealth, and wakeful ambition he had just cause to hold in jealousy: not to repeat the other present e •… ills which only their removal will remove. And because things simply pure are inconsistent in the mass of nature, nor are the elements or humors in Mans Body exactly homogeneal, and hence the best founded Common-wealths, and least barbarous have aim'd at a certain mixture and temperament, partaking the several virtues of each other •… State, that each part drawing to it self may keep up a steady, and eev'n uprightness in common,

There is no Civil Goverment that hath been known, no not the Spartan, not the Roman, though both for this respect so much praised by the wise Polybius, more divinely and harmoniously tuned, more equally ballanc'd as it were by the hand and scale of Justice, then is the Common-wealth of England: where under a free, and untutor'd Monarch, the noblest, worthiest, and most prudent men, with full approbation, and suffrage of the People have in their power the supreme, and final determination of highest Affaires. Now if Conformity of Church Discipline to the Civil be so desired, there can be nothing more parallel, more uniform, then when under the Sovereign Prince Christ's Vicegerent using the Scepter of David, according to God's Law, the godliest, the wisest, the learnedest Ministers in their several charges have the instructing and disciplining of God's people by whose full and free Election they are consecrated to that holy and equal Aristocracy. And why should not the Piety, and Conscience of Englishmen as members of the Church be trusted in the Election of Pastors to Functions that nothing concern a Monarch, as well as their worldly wisdoms are privileged as members of the State in suffraging their Knights, and Burgesses to matters that concern him nearly? And if in weighing these several Offices, their difference in time and quality be cast in, I know they will not turn the beam of equal Judgment the moity of a scruple. We therefore having already a kind of Apostolical, and ancient Church Election in our State, what a perverseness would it be in us of all others to retain sorcibly a kind of imperious, and stately Election in our Church? And what a blindness to think that what is already Evangelical as it were by a happy cha •… ce in our Politie, should be repugnant to that which is the same by divine command in the Ministry? Thus then we see that our Ecclesiall, and Political choyses may consent and sort as well together without any rupture in the STATE, as Christians, and Freeholders. But as for honor, that ought indeed to be different, and distinct as either Office looks a several way, the Minister whose Calling and end is spiritual, ought to be honor'd as a Father and Physician to the Soul (if he be found to be so) with a Son-like and Disciple-like reverence, which is indeed the dearest, and most affectionate honor, most to be desired by a wise man, and such as will easily command a free and plentiful provision of outward necessaries, without his further care of this world.

The Magistrate whose Charge is to see to our Persons, and Estates, is to be honor'd with a more elaborate and personal Courtship, with large Salaries and Stipends, that he himself may abound in those things whereof his legal justice and watchful care gives us the quiet enjoyment. And this distinction of Honor will bring forth a seemly and graceful Uniformity over all the Kingdom.

Then shall the Nobles possess all the Dignities and Offices of temporal honor to themselves, sole Lord's without the improper mixture of Scholastic, and pusillanimous upstarts, the Parliament shall void her Vpper House of the same annoyances, the Common, and Civil Laws shall be both set free, the former from the control, the other from the mere vassalage and Copy hold of the Clergy.

And whereas temporal Laws rather punish men when they have transgressit, then form them to be such as should transgress seldomest, we may conceive great hopes through the showers of Divine Benediction, watering the unmolested and watchful pains of the Ministry, that the whole Inheritance of God will grow up so straight and blameless, that the Civil Magistrate may with far less toil and difficulty, and far more ease and delight steare the tall and goodly Vessel of the Common-wealth through all the gusts and tides of the Worlds mutability.

Here I might have ended, but that some Objections, which I have heard commonly flying about, press me to the endeavor of an answer. We must not run they say into sudden extremes. This is a fallacious Rule, unless understood only of the actions of Virtue about things indifferent, for if it be found that those two extremes be Vice and Virtue, Falsehood and Truth, the greater extremity of Virtue and superlative Truth we run into, the more virtuous, and the more wise, we become; and he that flying from degenerate and traditional corruption, fears to shoot himself too far into the meeting embraces of a Divinely-warranted Reformation, had better not have run at all. And for the suddenness it cannot be feared. Who should oppose it? The Papists? They dare not. The Protestants otherwise affected. They were mad. There is nothing will be remoov'd but what to them is profess'dly indifferent. The long affection which the People have borne to it, what for it self, what for the odiousnes of P •… elates, is evident: from the first year of Qu. Eliz •… beth, it hath still been more and more propounded, desired, and beseechit, yea sometimes favourably forwarded by the Parliaments themselves. Yet if it were sudden & swift, provided still it be from worse to better, certainly we ought to hie us from •… ill like a torrent, and rid ourselves of corrupt Discipline, as we would shake fire out of our bosoms.

Speedy and vehement were the Reformati •… ns of all the good Kings of Judah, though the people had been nuzzl'd in Idolatry never so long before; they feared not the bug-bear danger, nor the Lyon in the way that the sluggish and timorous Politician thinks he sees; no more did our Brethren of the Reformed Churches abroad; they ventured (God being their guide) out of rigid POPERY, into that which we in mockery call precise Puritanism, and yet we see no inconvenience befell them.

Let us not dally with God when he offers us a full blessing, to take as much of it as we think will serve our ends, and turn him back the rest upon his hands, lest in his anger he snatch all from us again. Next they allege the antiquity of Episcopacy through all Ages. What it was in the Apostles time, that questionless it must be still and therein I trust the Ministers will be able to satisfy the Parliament. But if Episcopacy be taken for Prelacie, all the Ages they can deduce it through, will make it no more venerable then Papacie.

Most certain it is (as all our Stories bear witness) that ever since their coming to the See of Canterbury for near twelve hundred years, to speak of them in general, they have been in England to our Souls a sad and doleful succession of illiterate and blind guides: to our purses, and goods a wasteful band of robbers, a perpetual havoc, and rapine: To our state a continual Hydra of mischief, and molestation, the forge of discord and Rebellion: This is the Trophey of their Antiquity, and boasted Succession through so many Ages. And for those Prelat-Martyrs they glory of, they are to be judged what they were by the Gospel, and not the Gospel to be tried by them.

And it is to be noted that if they were for Bishoprics and Ceremonies, it was in their prosperity, and fullness of bread, but in their persecution, which purifi'd them, and near their death, which was their garland, they plainly dislik'd and condemned the Ceremonies, and threw away those Episcopal ornaments wherein they were instal'd, as foolish and detestable, for so the words of Ridley at his degradment, and his letter to Hooper expressly show. Neither doth the Author of our Church History spare to record sadly the fall (for so he terms it) and infirmities of these Martyrs, though we would deify them. And why should their Martyrdom more countnance corrupt doctrine, or discipline, then their subscriptions justify their Treason to the Royal blood of this Relm; by diverting and intaling the right of the Crown from the true heirs, to the houses of Northumberland and Suffolk, which had it took effect, this present King had in all likelihood never sat on this Throne, and the happy union of this Island had been frustrated.

Lastly, whereas they add that some the learnedest of the reformed abroad admire our Episcopacy, it had been more for the strength of the Argument to tell us that some of the wisest Statesmen admire it, for thereby we might guess them weary of the present discipline, as offensive to their State, which is the bugge we fear; but being they are Church-men, we may rather suspect them for some Prelatizing-spirits that admire our Bishoprics, not Episcopacy. The next objection vanishes of it self, propounding a doubt, whether a greater inconvenience would not grow from the corruption of any other discipline, then from that of Episcopacy. This seems an unseasonable foresight, and out of order to defer, and put off the most needful constitution of one right discipline, while we stand balancing the discommodity's of two corrupt ones. First constitute that which is right, and of it self it will discover, and rectify that which swervs, and easily remedy the pretended fear of having a Pope in every Parish, unless we call the zealous, and meek censure of the Church, a Popedom, which who so does let him advise how he can reject the Pastorly Rod, and Sheep-hook of CHRIST, and those cords of love, and not fear to fall under the iron Scepter of his anger that will dash him to pieces like a Potsherd.

At another doubt of theirs I wonder; whether this discipline which we desire, be such as can be put in practice within this Kingdom, they say it cannot stand with the common Law, nor with the Kings safety; the government of Episcopacy, is now so weav'd into the common Law: In God's name let it weave out again; let not human quillets keep back divine authority. It is not the common Law, nor the civil, but piety, and justice, that are our foundresses; they stoop not, neither change color for Aristoc •… , democraty, or Monarohy, nor yet at all interrupt their just courses, but far above the taking notice of these inferior niceties with perfect sympathy, where ever they meet, kiss each other. Lastly, they are fearful that the discipline which will succeed cannot stand with the Ks. safety. Wherefore? it is but Episcopacy reducit to what it should be, were it not that the Tyranny of Prelates under the name of Bishops hath made our ears tender, and startling, we might call every good Minister a Bishop, as every Bishop, yea the Apostles themselves are called Ministers, and the Angels ministrîng Spirits, and the Ministers again Angels. But wherein is this propounded government so shrewd? Because the government of assemblies will succeed. Did not the Apostles govern the Church by assemblies, how should it else be Catholik, how should it have Communion? We count it Sacrilege to take from the rich Prelates their Lands, and revenu's which is Sacrilege in them to keep, using them as they do, and can we think it safe to defraud the living Church of GOD of that right which GOD has given her in assemblies! O but the consequence: Assemblies draw to them the Supremacy of Ecclesiastical jurisdiction. No surely, they draw no Supremacy, but that authority which CHRIST, and Saint Paul in his name conferrs upon them. The K. may still retain the same Supremacy in the Assemblies, as in the Parliament, here he 〈◊〉 do nothing alone against the common Law, and there neither alone, nor with consent against the Scriptures. But is this all? No, this Ecclesiastical Supremacy draws to it the power to excommunicate Kings; and then follows the worst that can be imagined. Do they hope to avoid this by keeping Prelates that have so often don it? Not to exemplify the malapert insolence of our own Bishops in this kind towards our Kings: I shall turn back to the Primitive, and pure times, which the objecters would have the rule of reformation to us.

Not an assembly, but one Bishop alone, Saint AMBROSE of Milan, held Theodosius the most Christian Emperor under excommunication above eight months together, drove him from the Church in the presence of his Nobles, which the good Emperor bore with heroic humility, and never ceasit by prayers, and tears, till he was absolved, for which coming to the Bishop with Supplication into the Salutatory, some out Porch of the Church, he was charged by him of tyrannical madness against GOD, for coming into holy ground. At last upon conditions absolved, and after great humiliation approaching to the Altar to offer (as those thrice pure times then thought meet) he had scarce with-drawn his hand, and stood a while, when a bold Arch-deacon comes in the Bishops name, and chaces him from within the rails telling him peremptorily that the place wherein he stood, was for none but the Priests to enter, or to touch: and this is another piece of pure Primitive Divinity. Think ye then our Bishops will forgo the power of excommunication on whomsoever? No certainly, unless to compass sinister ends, and then revoke when they see their time. And yet this most mild, though withal dredfull, and inviolable Prerogative of Christ's diadem excommunication servs for nothing with them, but to prog, and pandar for fees, or to display their pride and sharpen their revenge, debarring men the protection of the Law, and I remember not whether in some cases it bereave not men all right to their worldly goods, and Inheritanees besides the denial of Christian burial. But in the Evangelical, and reformed use of this sacred censure, no such prostitution, no such Jscariotical drifts are to be doubted, as that Spiritual doom, and sentence, should invade worldly possession, which is the rightful lot and portion, even of the wicke dest men, as frankly bestowed upon them by the all-dispensing bounty, as rain, and Sun-shine. No, no, it seeks not to bereave or destroy the body, it seeks to save the Soul by humbling the body, not by Imprisonment, or pecuniary mulct, much less by stripes or bonds, or disinheritance, but by Fatherly admonishment, and Christian rebuke, to cast it into godly sorrow, whose end is joy, and ingenuous bashfulness to sin: if that cannot be wrought, then as a tender Mother takes her Child and holds it over the pit with scarring words, that it may learn to fear, where danger is, so doth excommunication as dearly, and as freely without money, use her wholesome and saving terrors, she is instant, she beseeches, by all the deer, and sweet promises of SALVATION she entices and woos, by all the threatenings, and thunders of the Law, and rejected Gosspel she charges, and adjures; this is all her Armory, her munition, her Artillery, then she awaites with long-sufferance, and yet ardent zeal. In brief, there is no act in all the errand of God's Ministers to man-kind, wherein passes more loverlike contestation between CHRIST and the Soul of a regenerate man lapsing, then before, and in, and after the sentence of Excommunication. As for the fogging proctorage of money, with such an eye as struck Gehazi with Leprosy, and Simon Magus with a curse, so does she look, and so threaten her firy whip against that banking den of thieves that dare thus baffle, and buy and sell the awful, and majestic wrincles of her brow. He that is rightly and apostolically sped with her invisible arrow, if he cā be at peace in his Soul, and not smell within him the brimstone of Hell, may have fair leave to tell all his bags over undiminishit of the least farding, may eat his dainties, drink his wine, use his delights, enjoy his Lands, and liberties, not the least skin raised, not the least hair misplacit for all that excommunication has done: much more may a King enjoy his rights, and Prerogatives unflowr'd, untouched, and be as absolute, and complete a King, as all his royalties and revenu's can make him. And therefore little did Theodosius fear a plot upon his Empire when he stood excommunicate by Saint Ambrose, though it were done either with much hau •… y pride, or ignorant zeal. But let us rather look upon the reformed Churches beyond the seas, the Grizons the Suisses, the Hollanders, the French, that have a Supremacy to live under as well as we, where do the Churches in all these places strive for Supremacy, where do they clash and justle Supremacies with the Civil Magistrate? In France a more severe Monarchy then ours, the Protestants under this Church government carry the name of the best Subjects the King has; and yet Presbytery, if it must be so called, does there all that it desires to do: how easy were it, if there be such great suspicion, to give no more scope to it in England. But let us not for fear of a scar-crow, or else through hatred to be reformed stand hankering and politizing, when GOD with spread hands testifies to us, and points us out the way to our peace.

Let us not be so overcredulous, unless GOD hath blinded us, as to trust our deer Souls into the hands of men that beg so devoutly for the pride, and gluttony of their own backs, and bellies, that sue and solicit so eagerly, not for the saving of Souls, the consideration of which can have here no place at all, but for their Bishoprics, Deaneries, Prebends, and Chanonies; how can these men not be corrup •… , whose very •… se is the bribe of their own pleading; whose mo •… cannot open without the strong breath, and l •… stench of avarice, Simony, and Sacrilege, embe •… ling the treasury of the Church on painted, 〈◊〉 guilded walls of Temples wherein GOD •… h testified to have no delight, warming their Palace Kitchins, and from thence their 〈◊〉 , and epicurean paunches, with the alms of the blind, the lame, the impotent, the •… d, the •… fn, the widow, for with these the •… fury of CHRIST ought to be, here must be his jewels bestowed, his rich Cabinet must be emptied here; as the constant martyr Saint Laurence taught the Roman Praetor. Sir would you know what the remonst •… ance of these men would have, what their Petition imply's? They entreat us that we would not be weary of those insupportable grievances that our shoulders have hitherto 〈◊〉 under, they beseech us that we would thinkthem fit to be our Justices of peace, our Lord's, our highest officers of State, though they come furnishit with no more experience then they learnt between the Cook, and the manciple, or more pro foundly at the College audit, or the regent house, or to come to their deepest insight, at their Patrons Table; they would request us to endure still the russling of their Silken Cassocks, and that we would burst our midriffes rather then laugh to see them under Sayl in all their Lawn, and Sarcenet their shrouds, and tackle, with a geometricall rhomboides upon their heads: they would bear us in hand that we must of duty still appear before them once a year in Jerusalem like good circumcizd males, and Females to be taxed by the poul, to be sconsit our head money, our tuppences in their Chaunlerly Shop book of Easter. They pray us that it would please us to let them still hale us, and worrey us with their band-dogs, and Pursivants; and that it would please the Parliament that they may yet have the whipping, fleecing, and fleaing of us in their diabolical Courts to tear the flesh from our bones, and into our wide wounds instead of balm, to power in the oil of Tartar, vitriol, and mercury; Surely a right reasonable, innocent, and soft-hearted Petition. O the relenting bowels of the Fathers. Can this be granted them unless GOD have smitten us with frenzy from above, and with a dazzling giddiness at • oon day? Should not those men rather be heard that come to plead against their own preferments, their worldly advantages, their own abundance; for honor, and obedience to God's word, the conversion of Souls, the Christian peace of the Land, and union of the reformed Catholic Church, the unappropriating, and unmonopolizing the rewards of learning and industry, from the greasy clutch of ignorance, and high feeding. We have tried already, & miserably felt what ambitio •• worldly glory & immoderate wealth can do, what the boisterous & contradictional hand of a temporal, earthly, and corporeal Spiritualty can avail to the edifying of Christ's holy Church; were it such a desperate hazard to put to the venture the universal Votes of Christ's Congregation, the fellowly and friendly yoke of a teaching and laborious Ministry, the Pastorlike and Apostolic imitation of meek and unlordly Discipline, the gentle and benevolent mediocrity of Church-maintenance, without the ignoble Hu •… sterage of pidling Tithes? Were it such an incurable mischief to make a little trial, what all this would do to the flourishing and growing up of Christ's mystical body? As rather to use every poor shift, and if that serve not, to threaten uproar and combustion, and shake the brand of Civil Discord?

O Sir, I do now feel myself inwrapt on the sudden into those mazes and Labyrinths of dreadful and hideous thoughts, that which way to get out, or which way to end I know not, unless I turn mine eyes, and with your help lift up my hands to that Eternal and Propitious Throne, where nothing is readier then grace and refuge to the distresses of mortal Suppliants: and it were a shame to leave these serious thoughts less piously then the Heathen were wont to conclude their graver discourses.

Thou therefore that sits's in light & glory unapprochable, Parent of Angels and Men! next thee I implore Omnipotent King, Redeemer of that lost remnant whose nature thou didst assume, ineffable and everlasting Love! And thou the third subsistence of Divine Infinitude, illumining Spirit, the joy and solace of created Things! one Tri-personal GODHEAD! look upon this thy poor and almost spent, and expiring Church, leave her not thus a prey to these importunate Wolves, that wait and think long till they devour thy tender Flock, these wild Boars that have broke into thy Vineyard, and left the print of thir polluting hoofs on the Souls of thy Servants. O let them not bring about their damned designs that stand now at the entrance of the bottomless pit expecting the Watch-word to open and let out those dreadful Locusts and Scorpions, to re-involve us in that pitchy Cloud of infernal darkness, where we shall never more see the Sun of thy Truth again, never hope for the cheerful dawn, never more hear the Bird of Morning sing. Be moved with pity at the afflicted state of this our shaken Monarchy, that now lies laboring under her throws, and struggling against the grudges of more dreaded Calamities.

O thou that after the impetuous rage of five bloody Inundations, and the succeeding Sword of intestine •… rre, soaking the Land in her own gore, didst pity the sad and ceasles revolution of our swift and thick-coming sorrows when we were quite breathless, of thy free grace didst motion Peace, and terms of Co •… ant with us, & having first well nigh freed us from Antichristian thralldom, didst build up this Britannick Empire to a glorious and enviable heighth with all her Daughter Islands about her, stay us in this felicity, let not the obstinacy of our half Obedlence and will-Worship bring forth that Viper of Sedition, that for these Fourescore Yeares hath been breeding to eat through the entrails of our Peace; but let her cast her Abortive Spawne without the danger of this travailling & throbbing Kingdom. That we may still remember in our solemn Thanksgivings, how for us the Northern Ocean even to the frozen Thule was scattered with the proud Ship-wracks of the Spanish Armado, and the very maw of Hell ransackit, and made to give up her concealed destruction, ere she could vent it in that horrible and damned blast.

O how much more glorious will those former Deliverances appear, when we shall know them not only to have saved us from greatest miseries past, but to have reserved us for greatest happiness to come. Hitherto thou hast but freed us, and that not fully, from the unjust and Tyrannous Claime of thy Foes, now unite us entirely, and appropriate us to thyself, tie us everlastingly in willing Homage to the Prerogative of thy eternal Throne.

And now we know, O thou our most certain hope and defense, that thine enemies have been consulting all the Sorceries of the great Whore, and have join'd their Plots with that sad Intelligencing Tyrant that mischiefs the World with hi •… Mines of Ophir, and lies thirsting to revenge his Navall ruins that have larded our Seas; but let them all take Counsel together, and let it come to naught, let them Decree, and do thou Cancell it, let them gather themselves, and be scattered, let them embattell themselves and be broken, let them imbattell, and be broken, for thou art with us.

Then amidst the Hymns, and Hallelujahs of Saints someone may perhaps be heard offering at high strains in new and lofty Measures to sing and celebrate thy divine Mercies, and marvelous Judgments in this Land throughout all AGES; whereby this great and Warlike Nation instructed and inur'd to the fervent and continual practice of Truth and Righteousness, and casting far from her the rags of her old vices may press on hard to that high and happy emulation to be found the soberest, 〈◊〉 , and most Christian People at that day when thou the Eternal and shortly-expected King shalt open the Clouds to judge the several Kingdoms of the World, and distributing National Honors and Rewards to Religious and just Common-wealths, shalt put an end to all Earthly Tyrannies, proclaiming thy universal and mild Monarchy through Heaven and Earth. Where they undoubtedly that by their Labors, Counsels, and Prayers have been earnest 〈◊〉 the Common good of Religion and their Country, shall receive, above the inferior Orders of the Blessed, the Regal addition of Principalities, Legions, and Thrones into their glorious Titles, and in supereminence of beatifick Vision progressing the da •• less and irrevoluble Circle of Eternity shall clasp inseparable Hands with joy, and bliss in over measure sor ever.

But they contrary that by the imp •… iting and diminution of the true Faith, the distresses and servitude of their Country aspire to high Dig •… , Rule and Pr •… ion here, after a shameful end in thsi Life (which God grant them) shall be thrown down eternally in to the darkest and deepest 〈◊〉 of HELL, where under the despig •… 〈◊〉 , the trample and spurn of all the other D •… , that in the anguish of their Torture shall have no other case then to exercise a R •… g and •… all Tyr •… y over them as their Slaves and N •… , they shall remain in that plight forever, the ba •… , the •… most, the most de •… ed, most 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 V •… sals of Perd •… .