man more ignorant in spirituall things nor more sensuall then thirst after great places Libido dominandi bestia ferocissima It is with this lust after honour as with that of uncleannes the mind is so takē up with it that there is little roome for better thoughts and the spirit of God will not dwell in that soule which is filled with such vainities growes more and more emptye of grace For surely many are cast away by the deceitfulnes of Balaams wages And God knowes that it is too manifest that many in the Church of England have beene made drunke with those Romish dignities and rewards that remaine therein that men bewitched with these or the desire of them stumble into Arminianisme and other errours at the pleasure of them that can advance them such are the fruits of those great places in the Hierarchie For though the Duke were oft accused in Parliament as an open favourer of Arminianisme and a secret practiser by that and other meanes to advance Romish Religion other notorious crimes yet many divines continued his constant freinds and advocates and have directly or indirectly maintained propagated the same opinion and which is most miserable the cheife of that faction being Bishops and heads of Colledges are they which now beare greatest sway in Religion governe the Church of England silence and trouble whom they list and in a manner give lawes to the whole Church in his Majesties Dominions Neither can it be better til Achan be found out the corrupting and Romish places of the hierarchie and such unprofitable traditions and ceremonies taken away but ever worse and worse For these things that were at first held indifferent and ordained to make Papists come the sooner to Church and to keepe unitie and uniformitie are now got into the place of the Scriptures the Appealer alleadgeth the Articles wrested and Dr. Iackson certaine clauses of the booke of comon praiers for Arminianisme with such authoritie as if they were the words of the Apostles making the Church of England to meane what they list and her meaning or rather theirs to be sufficient authoritie in points of faith against them that bring Scriptures to the contrarie as the Church of Rome did of old to establish her tenets and when these and the like have beene questioned in Parliament some to encourage others to follow them have counsailed to reward them with Bishopricks denaries Maisterships of Colledges Rev. 2.14 or fat benefices wherein they deale like Balaam that taught Balack to laie a stumbling block before the children of Israel For when divines see these thus rewarded this workes upon corrupt nature which being prone to covetuouses and ambition first makes the differences seeme small or not worth opposition and then drawes the mind to run headlong into the same opinions and to thinke they doe well enough in the conformitie Hence also it comes that though forraigne Princes and States have oft desired aide of England that it would joine with them in serving the Pope and his champions as they served them nothing was ever effectually enterprised by the English because such Courtiers as secretly favoured Rome have ever beene flattered by the Bishops and Clergie when the Palatinate should have beene defended and after recovered by the swotd these flatterers hindered it by crying out of wars of Chtistian against Christian and saying it would bring in the Turke that it were better all should joyne against him and speake lesse of the Romish Antichrist or Romes ruine as also by extolling peace and King Iames his indeavouts by Embassages and treaties which all men said would come to nothing and but make the adversaries to gaine time deceive us and grow more resolute cruell and mightie And indeed it is impossible that the English Hierarchie should ever seeke Romes ruine and not rather hinder it all they can because the great places thereof are Romish and a Diocessan Bishop as they are now is no other then the Pope of a shire or province and to shew reasons why Rome should bee ruined were to argue against themselves trench upon their owne hierarchie and seeke to ruine it They teach that their Hierrarchie and Rites ought to be maintained now the Romish is but an excesse in these things which the nobilitie perceiving can find no reason why men should bee so hot against Rome The Hierarchie of the Old fathers was positive the English is comparative the Romish superlative for as some have proved if you grant the one to be lawfull the other followes to bee as lawfull save in the degree of impietie as in that between fornication and adulterie or incest And therefore it is that Bishops cannot endure that Princes and Nobles should know the charter of the Elders nor the mischeife of the Hierarchie that they beare more with Church papists and whoremongers then any such puritanicall spirits with grosse ignorance then such knowledge with such as would set up poperie then such as would pull downe the Hierarchie or that of Rome If such a one as the Duke hindered wars with Rome or her chife champion the Spaniard they wil be his helpers so he will but stick to them against the freinds of the Eldership And therefore the Hierarchie and traditions with doctrine and arguments that maintaine them are like the great river Euphrates that hindred the sacking of Babylon For heathen Babylon lying on the one side of Euphrates betweene Assiria and Chaldea was fortified by that river So that Cirus the first vanquisher thereof had not wonne it but by a device of drayning the river above by sundrie artificiall sluces giveing his men in charge whom he left before the Cittie that when they should observe the river to be decreased and fourdable they should presently take the opportunitie to wade over and suddenly surprise Babylon And the Hierarchie I say is like this river for Bishops and teachers with their doctrines are called rivers and fountaines Divers of these rivelets meeting in one make a great river as many of them in a generall councell make a sea of doctrines canons and traditions the English hierarchie therefore having but a few Bishops and fewer canons and traditions then any popish Kingdom can not bee called a sea but is a great river and as a river oft parteth two Kingdomes or provinces pertaketh of both soiles watereth them both and keepes the one from invading the other so dothe the Hierarchie and the doctrines and traditions thereof which mistically lieth both to the Protestant and Romish shores watereth both is as pleasing and helpefull to Papists as to the reformation if not more the great power and places thereof are Romish so are the traditions canons and arguments they use to defend it they serve as well for the Papists as for the English Bishops for indeed they spring out of that sea out of the which the beast arose who alwaies alleadged the ancient customes and counsells and they naturally run againe into the same
THE CURTAINE OF CHVRCH-POVVER AND AVTHORITIE IN THINGS CALLED INDIFFERENT Drawne and laid open to shew the many infectious sores and maladies they bring in and cover Together with sundry infallible reasons proving that the service of God and the generall good of the Church and Common wealth require that they should be abolished By Ia Henric. Isai 29.13 14. Forasmuch as this people draw neere me with their mouth and with their lips doe honour me but have removed their heart far from me and their feare towards me is taught by the precepts of men Therefore behold I will proceed to doe a marvellous worke amongst this people for the wisedome of their wisemen shall perish and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid Ier. 8.22 Is there no balme in Gilead is there no Physitian there Why then is 〈…〉 health of the daughter of my people recovered Printed MDCXXXII To the Christian Reader VVEe may see cleerly how it oft fareth betweene Christ and the Churches by that which he said against the Scribes and Pharises when he proved that in divers particulars they had made the word of God of none effect through theire traditions The Church of Rome hath in that evill exceeded them Marc. 8.6 to 14. Bellarmin in his 4 book of the unwritten word of God Chap. 2. making three sorts of traditions calleth one Ecclesiastical which he saith are introduced from ancient customes by the Prelates or by the people and creepingly by the silent and unquestioning agreement of the people have gained as it were strength of law with such are wee to deale Sess 21. Chap. 1.2 The Councell of Trent declareth that this power hath the Church alwayes had in ministring of the Sacraments haveing their substance to ordaine or alter that which she judged to be most expedient for the vtilitie of those that receive them I could wish the Church of England at least in her practise had never inclined to such kind of opinions and traditions But considering how things goe there I thought my selfe so much bound to Christ my Saviour that I must discover the mischeivous wounds and soares they bring in and cover that by the mercie of God and care of them that are sensible of the hurts there may happily be found balme in Gilead to cure them Ier. 8.22 Lame 1.12 For stay and consider all ye that passe by If the Church of England like the man m the Gospel that went downe from Ierusalem to Iericho be not fallen among theeues Luc 10.30 31.32 that have stripped her of her raiment wounded her whether many Priests and Levits have not come downe that way and seene her and passe by on the other side Whether I seeing the wouâ—â— thâ—â—â—re herein manifested Vers 37. could doe lesse then have compassion on her whether I have not as far as God hath enabled me bound them vp and powred into them the wine of his law and the oyle of the Gospel whether I had not reason to complaine of them that have so cruelly hurt her and if in ought I have donne the part of a neighbour remember what our Lord saith goe thou doe likewise Be not of them that cover with a covering Isai 30.1 but not of Gods Spirit But rather remember Christs words beware of false Prophets that come to you in sheepes clothing but inwardly are ravening wolves ye shal know them by theire fruits Math. 7.15 16.18 Doe men gather grapes of thornes or figs of Thistles A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit The presbiterie and the hierarchie may bee theese two trees which thou shalt know by theire fruits he that seekes the good hath adversaries about the bad I may find such in this worke but he that shall judge both them and me is able to defend it If then they constraine me to say with my Leader I have laboured in vaine Isa 49.3 I have spent my strength for nought I shal adde yet surely my jugment is with the Lord and my worke with my God To his grace therefore and protection I must commend it and rest Thine in the Lord IA HENRIC THE CVRTAINE OF CHVRCH-POWER AND Authority in things called indifferent drawne and laid open to shew the many infectious soares and maladies they bring in and cover I Deny not but that the Church may make ordinances when they be but few easie innocent and tend onely to the keeping of that which is in effect required though not in termes expressed in Gods word Aug. confess lib. 1. c. 11. In the primitive Church many put off their Baptisme either till age when the heat of sinne was well over or till they were sicke and in danger of death because they had a conceit that sinnes after Baptisme were greater that in Baptisme all sinnes and staines were washed away and in the meane they might give more scope to their lusts whereupon the Church made a Canon that none might bee a Bishop who had beene baptized in his bed because such a one seemed to be baptized rather of necessity then faith and love which was a scandall deserving such an ordinance against it because those who are chosen to that office should be blamelesse c. 1 Tim 3.2 Tit. 1.7 It is also a great scandall to Christianity that there are many Christians so called who are common dicers that in halfe an houre deprive men their wives and children of halfe sometime of their whole estates a vice that is oft accompanied with cursing swearing fighting killing and such fearfull concomitants Synod CoÌ„stantinop 6. c 50. Concil Elib c. 79. In remedy whereof Councels have ordained that such should be put from the Communion What Christian will deny but that there is need of such an ordinance as being in effect required 1 Cor. 5.5.7.11.13 Other instances might be given of the like nature As touching points of faith and salvation determined by Councels against heretikes such as the Arians Pelagians Arminians c. they are not so much to bee observed because the Councell hath so determined as because it is decreed according to Gods word which the Councell cleereth from false glosses that so the obedience in such cases may not be to mens ordinances but to the word of God Isa 2.4 that should judge amongst the nations and no man or company of men may sit in the temple of God as God ordaining lawes and pointes of faith binding the conscience The decrees of that Councell Act. 15. bound not but for a time touching abstinence from blood See Moulin Buckler of faith Sect. 91. and things strangled And everie Councell may not thinke it sufficient in like cases to say as the Apostles might It seemed good unto the Holy Ghost Act. 15.25 and to us The Apostles had a more warrantable authority and commission then provinciall Bishops have The first Councell of Nice determined well
dominion of Antichrist nourish superstition errour and ignorance are against Christs Kingdome and ordinances or in any particular make the word of none effect whence it must needes follow that because they like the Church of Rome 2. Thess 2.10 received not the love of the truth in these things therefore God must needes give them over to beleeve lies in other points and because in these things their feare toward God is taught by the traditions of men therefore the wisdome of their wisemen must needes decay Isa 29.13 Mat. 15.8 and perish A proofe whereof wee have seene in the Appealer now B. of Chichester Dr. Iackson and others justified in their errours by the reward they obtayned for them as also in their approved friend the Bishop of London who besides the erecting of Altars and Images hath not shamed to urge the Edict forbidding to write dispute or preach against the Arminians And to put Mr. Davis by the lecture at Christs Church because he would not subscribe to this that in baptisme orginall sin is wholie taken away in all Infants baptised Which is as much as to say that the Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato to overthrow all that the Scriptures say of Gods eternall election of some and leaving of others It is true that when the parish besought the Bishop to admit Mr. Davis answer was made he had not satisfyed his poser in that point of baptisme where one may see that whereas some say there must bee Bishops to trie such as would be admitted to cures or lectures this is but a mockerie the Bishops stand like great Andirens in a chimney which only serve for pompe and shew all the burthen lies on the creepers their Chaplaines which worke might be better and more uncorruptly performed by three or fower learned Ministers dwelling neere the parish and being such as doe the worke of Christ in their owne charges For though the Bishops have not yet put that to every one which was put to Mr. Davis certainly if their Hierarchie stand the power therof must needes increase till they force all to subscribe to these or worse things or suffer themselves to bee silenced And how prone divines are to follow and flatter them is manifest in this B. of London who being in high favour mighty and able to reward whom he list is flattered and humoured like a Pope by the Bishops Prelates and Preachers And because he is in such honour and authoritie therefore it is held great presumption to taske or question any thing he doth the Prelates that are best affected dare not lest they should be counted captious envious and factious puritanes ordinary Ministers are over-awed by his power And yet because some have adventured it he shamed not openly to complaine of them to the King Feb. 15. 1631. Ier. 6.16 in his last sermon on that text of Ieremie Stand ye in the waies and see c. And first to infer that the Lent fast may be called the old and good way that yet manie are so bold as to say wee wil not walk in it That disobedience to God is commonly accompanied with disobedience to the King and disobedience to the King with disobedience to God which is true but not as he meant it that they that doe not obey the Prelates in such things are disobedient to God and the King For if Prelates bind heavie burthens on men and strive to make them subscribe to errour whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto them more then unto God judge ye Act. 4.19 Againe he inferred from his text that if Kings doe not defend the Church God justly suffers the people to disobey them which is true if you take it of such Church Governours and ordinances as Christ ordained but not as the Bishop meant it of English Bishops and their power constitutious Rites and ceremonies as if he and a few such Prelates as himself were the Church of Christ making it a great greivance that any suffered to write or preach against their practises which is the only hell they seeme to feare or to have the benefit of a prohibition when they are plagued for it in the High Commission where in though he did not plainely threaten the King yet his speech glanced that way It is true that he said much for the authoritie of Kings obedience to them and against the disobedience of subjects which doctrine he pressed not against the Papists whom he scarce named in his sermon so far is he from the old way of Protestant preaching but against such as he esteemes puritans and in such cases as were agitated the last Parliament also in prohibitions forbidding the convincing of the prelacie or their government traditions and ceremonies Arminianisme or any other points of revived Pelagianisme or poperie as an enemie of calling Parliaments of other proceedings in such cases That he said that this was a fit subject for the court for there never was disobedience abroad but there was a Court conventicle at home which was the head or cause of it striking at them Who as he said as well in State policie as in matter of Religion find out new waies and will not walke in the old and good pathes which was not so true of them against whom he intended it as of his bosome freind the late Duke of Buc or of himself and his faction as the sequell wil manifest and namely that they have traduced and wrested the most honest counsailes and indeavours of the most noble Counsellours and wisest Parliaments under pretences of maintaining the prerogative a trick that they have rather learned of Davus in the Comedie then of Christ in the Gospel or if of any in the Scriptures then of proud Haman who for his hate to Mordecai Esth 3.6.8 said unto the King touching the Iewes It is not for the Kings profit to suffer thē or of the high Preists Scribes and Pharises who with praevaricating devices would prove Christ and his Disciples that convinced them of errour and malice to bee enemies of Caesar and such as forbad tribute In the primitive Church when Christians talked of the Kingdom of Christ and the comming thereof in the free power and use of the Gospel and ordinances of Christ their enemies perswaded the Emperours that this doctrine endangered the Imperiall government the taking of the Empire from him and was against his prerogative So when any talke of the restoring of Christs Kingdome and ordinances in the government of Parochiall * Or Elders Bishops and of the abolishing of Diocessan and Provinciall Bishops and their unprofitable traditions and ceremonies the English Prelates say this endangers the Regall authority and is against the Kings prerogative and government yea that is to refuse the old paths the good way of God and their King and impudently say non ambulabimus in ea wee will not walke in it as the Bishop inferred on that text
as rivers through many windings find way into the sea Nothing lieth so newtrally betweene the Romish and reformed Religions as the Hierarchie and the traditions thereof unles perhaps the Lutheran Religion which hath affinitie with it and that nothing doth more fortifie Rome and hinder the ruine thereof this whole worke doth manifest And as a river doth water the bancks townes castles and mannors that lie upon it so doe these water the noblitie and people who delight to dwell on these shores and drinke of these waters which coole or quench their zeale against misticall Babylon and so fill them with ignorance and neutralirie that they relish them better then the waters of the sanctuarie which are those of the Eldership and in requitall send into her those land waters which comming to them from heaven or springing out of their grounds fall into this river and make it swell with a terrible greatnes and these land waters are riches and authoritie which streames must bee exhausted or turned an other way before Babylon can be destroyed I am not so confident is to make this a full exposition of the sixt viall which yet is not the least probable seeing that things are rather to bee mistically then literally understood But sure it is that some have thought that as without England there is little hope that the Protestants should prevaile not rather be dayly consumed as heretofore they have beene So the Bishops with their traditions and practises are the greatest hinderances of true unitie and confederacie among all protestant Princes and States that England doth not effectually joyne with them against Antichrist and his champions Papists therefore nourish the English Hierarchie and all helpes thereof knowing that the Episcopall authoritie is at such emnitie with the Eldership that they can never be so true freinds of religion as to seeke unitie and confederacie with Churches governed by elders that all such Princes and States as Kings of the East and Citizens of the new Ierusalem may joyne to make the whore desolate Experience shewes that they have hindered it and so are like so long as the Hierarchie stands and the waters thereof run with so stronge a streame These therefore must be dried up by true light knowledge and zeale ere God can be well pleased or the Church have hope of victorie And sure they shal be taken away Ioh. 15. for Christ saith Every branch that beareth not fruite in me he taketh away they therefore that stand for them doe in effect shew themselves Romes freinds and the Churches enemies as the Arminians and popelings doe There are three things that breede all the stir in the world and hinder Romes ruine 1 The greatnes of the house of Austria which is nourished by the Romish Clergie and that Clergie by it and that hath made some think this house and the power and riches thereof to bee the misticall river Euphrates which must be exhausted or turned an other way before Rome can be burned which is well begun by the King of Sweden 2. Want of true unitie and confederacie amongst Protestant Princes and States against the common Adversaries of Religion for this hath emboldened the Pope the howse of Austria and others to attempt so much as they have to subvert all by power and policie 3. The pernicious power offices and greatnes of Diocessan and Provinciall Bishops and other Clergie men which hinder these good effects in the two former and makes bothe the Spaniard and Church of Rome to have stronge parties in all the greatest Kingdoms in Christendome and even in England it self though Protestants in profession And such Prelates indeed are a stronger fort to the great whore then the howse of Austria which if it be a fort these yet are the deepe ditch or more that goes about it the great river that strengthens both it the Church Cittie of Rome the bankes of this river must be cut the streame of theire power and riches let out and dried up ere any great good can be donne It is a thing that will serve to astonish the ages to come that any reformed Christian much lesse those that are reckoned and so should be of the wiser sort as Counsellours of estate Nobles Divines many others that seeme to have a greater share of preeminence wit and learning then of true knowledge honour and authoritie in such cases should stand so stedfastly in the maintenance of diocessan Bishops and traditions and other wordly dignities honours and revenues which the Clergie have obtained besides those that are given to the Ministers of Christ in the Gospel Wherein though it be true that all their defēders doe not willingly take the marke of the Beast because all that defend them doe it not on purpose to helpe the Pope and Church of Rome or with the more ease to bring-in poperie as some have said of the late Duke and his faction which indeed is to have the marke secret in the right hand nor wholly because some that stand for Diocessan Bishops and theire traditions which are popish and tend to poperie doe nevertheles hate other points of Poperie yet doe they take it partly in effect and by consequence and in a way which is a step helpe and introduction to all poperie which cannot but bee * Rev. 14.9 dangerous especially when like Papists they will not see it or seeing it will not desist First because Antichrist and they are of one and the same broode and ofspring of one and the same foundation his rising was their rising and their traditions and ceremonies are his they had them from him every Diocessan Bishop is now a pettie Pope in his Diocesse For at the first Plessis misterie of inquit prog 4 and 5. the Pope only grew great as a Diocessan Bishop in a great citty haveing this only priviledge that he was reckoned the Bishop of the first sea and an Arch-Bishop Rome being the seate of the Empire but there were then others that were reckoned Archbishops as well as hee and governed theire seas as freely as he did his and so did many Bishops also It is well manifested by Hierome on the first of Titus and by many other fathers Bellar. de clericis lib. 1. c. 14. and moderne writers cited by Bellarmine and Medina as also by Pietro Scave Polano in his historie of the councell of Trent that at first a presbiter and a Bishop was one Hist of the Councell of Trent pag. 220.331.332.591 and the same thing that the Churches were governed by the common counsailes of the presbiters and how the jurisdiction and power of Diocessan and Provinciall Bishops crept into the church to withstand divisions namely together with the Popes and therefore to defend their office is to defend his which only differs in the excesse of power and evill and in supremacie and universalitie neither have they so much withstood divisions as increased them for Plessis and these other authors shew
freely preached in all other things and no Minister hindred in them but now it is come to another evill the bondage and limitations are more increased For the Clergy and especially the Bishops have not onely temporised with the Duke and other hispaniolized and popish agents and practisers but even for their favour let in Arminianisme neither opposing it themselves nor suffering others that would but because light remedies alwayes cherish an evil they got the King to prohibite disputes on both sides not to hinder Arminianisme for the bookes of Doctor Iackson and others were suffered to come out after that but others from confuting it in their disputations books and sermons and in stead of the Scriptures to make the Articles the Rule and them the interpreters of them who have not onely protected the Appealer Doctor Iackson Doctor Cousens and some others that savour of Arminianisme and Popery hindred the Parliament and others from convincing them of errour and so emboldned others to broach worse errours in flattery of mighty favourites helped to get Parliaments dissolved wherein men had some hope of remedy but have themselves preached some passages savouring of Romish and Trent corruption seeming to approve the vulgar edition that the Sacraments confer grace ex opere operato and to tye the understanding of the Scriptures to the interpretation of the Fathers to make the best of moderne Divines little regarded In these and the like they being powerfull in Court cannot want followers and flatterers and therefore men of understanding say they are not so well read in the Rules of piety as in those of policy used against the desired reformation in the time of Luther which being set forth in the history of the Councell of Trent though it anger the Papists in regard it discovereth a world of their various dissimulations cunning shifts and devices yet it pleaseth them in this that they serve to teach the Bishops and Arminians how to frustrate and delude all the fairest proofes and attempts of their adversaries And because some have written to discover the errours practices and dangers they have not onely put all they could catch in the high Commission but lest such should get out and themselves be any way hindred or discovered in such proceedings they have obtained authority that if any writer Printer or Book-seller come with a prohibition he shall be presently censured Some will say this is but reason I anwser true if their hierarchie and practices were according to Gods word and they seditious and hereticall that they trouble but being as it is and this power seldome or never extended against any but such as stand for Gods truth against Arminians popish practisers and defenders of the hierarchy they abuse the King and Councell in getting them to be their protectors and are themselves blinde and Antichristian tyrants Such as in stead of following the rules of the Gospell seeme rather to encline to that of Paul 4. who set on foot the Inquisition Hist of the Councell of Trent pag. 405. 409. which he said was the principall secret and mystery of the Papacy the true Ramme to beat down heresie and defend the Apostolike sea by advancing another which like it shall prevaile by power and terrour in stead of good reason namely the high Commission Court The Councellors of the Parliament of Paris seeing the Articles of reformation published in the Councell of Trent opposed saying the Ecclesiasticall authority was enlarged beyond its bounds with the wrong and diminution of the temporall by giving power to Bishops to proceed to pecuniary mulcts and imprisonment against the laity whereas no authority was given by Christ to his Ministers but meere and pure spirituall that when the Clergy was made a member of the policy the Princes did by favour allow the Bishops to punish inferiour Clergy men with temporall punishments that discipline might be observed amongst them but to use such kinde of punishment against the laickes they had neither from the law of God nor of man but by usurpation onely All which sheweth that diocessan Bishops are great impostors though the Pope bee indeed the grand impostor And let men be sure that as they and their hierarchy are more and more defended so will their power encrease and grow more popish blinde erroneous and Antichristian as that of the Church of Rome did their feare towards God being in these things taught by the precepts of men the wisedome of them and their supporters must needs decay and perish to the extreame danger of the Church and Commonwealth By all which may bee seene that the kingdome of God in the true free and full power of the word preached is incompatible with the hierarchy they cannot stand together but the maintenance of the one is the breaking of the bands of the other and of the true peace and happinesse of the Church and State and that therefore there is necessity of a reformation in the Church and restoring the ordinances of God to that forme which not any humane but his divine wisdome ordained Some have pretended that it is good policy to uphold the Hierarchy for say they no Bishop no King there must be order in the Church and Bishops are they that preserve it This is that bulwark which they used to beat off all just complaints and save themselves their cause their friends and followers such as the Duke the Appealer and Cousens from the parliamentary power Crushed and dissolved it must be rather then such a one or his trechery be brought to triall though they thereby make such the more bold to attempt the like or worse evills overthrow the power and use of Parliaments that confirmed their hierarchy a requitall not so strange in them as just with God and so alienate the heart of the King from his subjects and the subjects from the King though they know a kingdome divided in it felfe cannot stand that having their hearts hee is strong and a King indeed that otherwise hee cannot well subsist as a King should nor be supplied with money and men but must bee forced to make peace with the enemies of religion on the harder conditions and home-bred Papists and Arminians would thereby grow the bolder to encrease their religions and parties the Palatinate could not well be recovered but the enemy must needs be made the more absolute and resolute to root out our religion and brethren in forraigne parts and at last seeing division in England to venture thither to endanger the Church and Commonweale the Kingdome and all Wherein what have the Prelates shewed lesse then that they had rather all these should be shaken and endangered then their hierarchy or then one proud Appealer one popish Cousens should be questioned in disparagement thereof For these evils could not have beene effected against so many endeavours of Parliaments without the helpe of their religious pretences nor passed without the cloake of their Episcopall gravity And lest things should bee