any violent or compulsive jurisdiction over their Brethren in exercising the power of the Sword He would have them to leave that to temporal Princes Therefore 't is said it shall not be so among you that is as it is with civil Magistrates Princes of the Gentiles punishing offenders with corporal stripes And accordingly our Bishops meddle not with criminal matters but as I am inform'd they go forth of the Parliament house when sentence of death is pronounced against Malefactours You might as well conclude that no men should be called Masters Fathers Lords because the Scripture sayes Be not called Masters Call no man Farher upon Earth There is but one Lord Jesus Christ But this word Lord is taken in a latitude of interpretation It carries with it respect and superiority Rebecca did so respect and reverence Abrahams servant that she sayes drink my Lord. Sarah called Abraham Lord. 1 King 18 Elias a Prophet is so called my Lord Elias so is Elizeus too 2 King 2. There is honour nay double honour due to those that wait at the Altar therefore methinks we may signifie that honour in our expressions Ambrosius de dig Sacer. c 3. If we must honour them with our hearts why not with our lips since Nihil sublimius Episcopis No calling is more sublime then that of the Bishops Bishop Bilson of the perpetual Government of the Church p. 63. I conclude this return with the very words of that excellent Bishop of Winchester God is my witness I smooth no mans pride I seek no mans favour I read as sincerely as my simple learning will suffer me I see no reason why it should trouble any godly mind to hear a Bishop called by that name with which Saint Peter willeth every woman to honour her Husband CHAP. V. An Answer to that popular clamour Godly meetings are disturb'd and Papists favour'd IT is no small rub in your way to hinder your advance towards us and does not a little open your mouthes against your Governours that you cannot be quiet in your private meetings but you are ferreted and disturb'd by the secular power so that Papists and drunkards are not so narrowly observed in their extravagancies as you are in the true worship of God Ad populum Phaleras This Topick does you much service whereby you perswade the credulous multitude that you suffer a great deal of wrong this is oppression and persecution in grain What must godly sober conscionable Ministers be more severely dealt withal then those that sing Dirges and say Mass Then those that flock to those seminaries of misdemeanours Alehouses and Taverns Far be it from me from being patron or advocate for either of these better my tongue should cleave to the roof of my mouth Yet comparatively and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 compose your countenances untill I come to a full period I mean in point of obedience to Government and so in respect of publick peace and tranquility I wish it may not be truly said that these very persons against whom you so bitterly declaim and sharpen all your invectives overwhelming them with showrs of stones from your slings as if none were sinners but they were not less dangerous to the welfare of the Kingdom then those reputed Godly men who with a sullen kind of sobriety like him in the Hystorian go about to destroy the common wealth Sober men did I call them Then who are those pernicious drunkards of whom the Prophet speaks who are drunk but not with wine Drunk with malice and revenge and drench'd in such furious passions that like Etna they belch forth nothing but flames There are some unclean spirits that walk in dry places Matth. 12.43 Now if spiritual sins are worser then carnal as partaking more of the will and the whole soul certainly this drunkenness which throws fire-brands into the roof of Government and longs to wallow in the ashes of a Kingdom is worse then his that rowles in his own vomit This degrades us below bruit beasts and that equals us to the very devils This hath more scandal before men but that hath more guilt in the sight of God Such as these may in time be brought to repentance but those are commonly hardned in their impiety that as Christ told the Preists and Elders that Publicans and Harlots should go into the Kingdom of Heaven before them so 't is easier to teach these prophane wretches their duty to 〈◊〉 their Prince and convince them of their exorbitant carriage then it is to turn those about whose webs are finer spun and their fardels wrapt up in Eliah's Mantle I hope you will not call this pleading for Baal and arguing for debauchery no more then Saint James pleaded for Devils when he sayes they beleive and tremble or our Saviour for Heathenism when he prefers the condition of Tyre and Sâ—don before that of Chorazin and Bethsaida A Serpent is a Serpent still though in some respect that is in looking to his head he is the emblem of wisdom But as the Moralities of Pagans and honest dealings of Turks do but aggravate the vices and cheatings of Christians and will rise up in judgment against them So that loyalty which is in profane persons doth the more condemn that disobedience which is in men professing Religion Are not you ashamed to violate the commands of Authority when Swearers and Drunkards are zealous for them and herein it is to wit in what is good that they deserve both favour and incouragement I pray study Metaphysiks better and do not confound and jumble together the notions of those things which ought to be distinguished abstracted and sever'd one from another These men are câ—untenanc'd 't is true as obedient subjects but not as Drunkards For so the Laws of the Land are severe against them if they were well executed 'T is an arrand fallacy to conclude absolutely and comprehensively when the premises are only to be understood of things in some particular respects and considerations Although I wish from my heart there were no need of such logical acceptations but that such as were loyal heretofore and do still keep their integrity did not blast their own vertue and give their enemies occasion by the looseness of their lives to traduce the goodness of their cause Now as to your darling private meetings whereby you contront the publick establish'd worship of God and would make men believe that God is served only in your corners That as Eliah once spake unadvisedly and with too much ostentation you are left alone that you are as a garden of Cucumbers that our Temples are profan'd with superstition Sirs be not angry if the supream Magistrate have a jealous eye upon your Assemblies as having paid dear already for the like method and procecdings Is there no cause for him to fear lest you should hatch such Harpy's as may in time devour him And what necessity I pray of this schism I can call it no better if
have Titus circumcised He well knew that the confronting of establishments is not only to throw down the battlements but even to undermine the very foundations of the Church Et utinam probè expenderent sayes Calvin I wish that such persons as stand for an unlimited liberty and cast off the yoke of subjection would seriously lay to heart Epist ad Questiones circa disciplinam Ecclesiae p. 461. how by his meanes they contrive the ruine and desolation of the Church 30. You say 't was otherwise in the Law there every pin every circumstance in Gods worship was prescribed but there is this difference in the Law we were little children under the pedagogy of it now we are adulti A Camer p. 369. and injoy the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free CHAP. XIV Good Subjects may lawfully declare or swear that 't is not lawful to take up Arms against the King THE next Mountain in your way which you have not faith enough to remove is that you cannot declare it to be unlawful upon any pretence to take up Arms against the King And this suggests one true reason why some of you are so inveterately bent against the Lyturgy Take it in the words of our Martyr'd Soveraign One of the greatest faults some men found with the Common-Prayer-Book I beleive was this p. 285. that it taught them to pray so oft for me to which petitions they had not loyalty enough to say Amen This is such a Shibboleth that some of your lisping tongues are not able to pronounce And this discovers that the main spring or primum mobile of your hearts hurries you another way And herein we are the more confirm'd since many of you have chosen to flitt your habitations and expose your wives and children to the mercy of the Parishes wherein they dwell rather than take that oath of fidelity which in effect is no more than the oath of Allegiance in other termes which the wisdom of the Parliament thought fit in these times of danger to impose upon you that they might make a tryal how your pulse beates or how you stand affected to the Kings welfare and the Kingdoms peace Whether you are likely to follow the right line of David or revolt into the tents of Jereboam And I wish that former manners had not occasioned this Law Who is ignorant that one Sinon within the walls is more dangerous than a whole Armado without one Doeg or Achitophel at home than Armies of professed enemies abroad therefore 't is a Proverb in some Countryes God deliver us from our friends that is such as do salute and stab us under the fifth rib at the same time And may not Kings in such a case use lawful means and take security even by the Ordale of an oath to distinguish chaff from wheat bran from flower who are Israelites indeed such as will obey Gods Vicegerent for Consciscience sake and such as are Subjects in an abusive signification per Antiphrasin because they will be no longer subject than his command doth comply with their own wills If he cross them let him look to himself To your Tents O Israel we have no part in David Now although such persons as these are who can never be good Christians because ill Subjects will make as little Conscience of oaths as they do of their allegiance yet the best of Kings have bound their Subjects unto them by this kind of ligature 1 Chron. 11.3 When David came to the Crown the Elders of Israel came to him to Haebron and made a Covenant with him there And when Solomon succeeded his Father 1 Chron. 29.24 all the Princes and mighty men submitted themselves unto Solomon the King or as it is in the Hebrew they gave their hand under Solomon which was the custome Gen. 24.9 or manner of swearing among the Hebrews Ephes 8.2 as is apparent by Eliazar putting his hand under Abrahams thigh and swearing to him The Annotators therefore do with good reason understand Solomon speaking of this oath of fidelity Icounsel thee to keep the Kings commandment that in regard of the oath of God Hence it is that some of the more sober dissenters amongst you being convinced of this truth and foreseeing the scandal they should gain had they refused have submitted to the present oath unto whom I could make this address Go on my brethren mastering and subduing all the remaining difficulties until ye arrive both at the Penand the Pulpit I hope that you having pass'd this Iron-gate you 'l make no stop until we all meet in Navi Ecclesiae in the body of the Temple that we may not be Almost but Altogether such Subjects Christians Ministers as may most advance our Masters service Rumpantur ilia let their bowels like Judas's gush forth who rather like Devils gnash with their teeth than with Angels rejoyce at the return and reception of such brotherly coadjutors That 's a poor surmise that we are afraid lest your glory should eclipse our names No your glory shall be ours As Saint Paul rejoyced at the flourishing of the Romans Rom. 1.8 that it was spoken of through the world so the lustre of your parts industry piety and integrity shall be so farre from offending my weak eyes that I shall exult with joy that my Master is so well provided with servants that I am the meanest of those that wait at his Altar and of the lowest form in the school of the Prophets But I must break off this delightsome theme and come to that more unpleasing task of reasoning with those who refuse to give this assurance of their loyalty to their Prince Sirs where 's the Thorne that pricks you Are you troubled that your distinctions are cut off that your old Avenews and Postern-Gates are in this Declaration and oath now shut up Are there not Evasions or starting-holes left open Are you to be so cloister'd up that you can make no excursions 'T is no wonder if men sweat that are so strait lac'd if the waters roar that are penn'd up with such dams Le ts look back and see what pretences there were for an unnatural warre p. 141. I may usher in this discourse as Jerom did his concerning the Arrians Claudite aures qui audituri estis ne tantae impietatis vocibus polluamini 10. Some thought it a sufficient ground of warre to remove evil Counsellors that is all faithful Hushai's from the King All loyal souls that trembled at listing up their hands against the Lords anointed were cursed with bell book and candle Curse ye Meroz c. 20. Others told us they might fight against the King if it were for the cause of Religion to purge the Church from idolatry and superstition Master Baxter seemes to go this way in his Book of rest as if Nero and Claudius had been Saints and there had been no idolatry or superstition in theird ayes when Saint Paul and Sain
Peter did so vehemently press obedience to thes Emperors As if subjects had as great a latitude as the Pope himself in ordine ad spiritualia I not this the same which Job inveighs against to contend for God 30. Others were so modest p. 258. The Devil of Rebellion doth commonly turn him self to an Angel of reformation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 297. as to say they fought not against the King but such bloody ruffianly Cavaleers as were commissionated by him As if the same God who commanded obedience to the King had not also commanded submission to those that are sent by him 40. Others told us quite contrary for like those false witnesses which came in against Christ they did not agree among themselves 't is true they fought against the Kings person Job 13.8 but it was by his own commission that is By vertue of his own Authority then residing in some Members of Parliament Good God! what pretences were invented what Jesuitical tricks and distinctions were now set on foot to palliate and gloss over a most rotten and devilish design Yet all too little too cover that cloven foot which appeared to men of piety peace and heavenly wisdom at the very first But afterwards this cloud of the bigness of a mans hand waxed bigger and bigger untill it darkned our English heavens and dissolv'd into a showr of Royal blood O hear and fear and do no moae so wickedly Let former experience disâ—ipline you into an abhorrency of war against the King and restrain you from all those methods and Premises which may infer the like catastrophe Who can blame the King if desiring to live long and to see good dayes former transactions considered to make a decree that it shall be declared to be unlawful to take up arms against himself or those that are commissionated by him upon any pretences whatsoever And since the lines of our peace and happiness as to Church and State do meet and concenter in him as our Common Father is it unreasonable for Subjects to swear they will not endeavour the alteration of Government in the Church and State Who would think that any Natives of a Land professing themselves the followers of Christ who in the dayes of his humiliation was obedient to Caesar that he wrought a miracle to give him his due and expecting protection from a lawful Prince should once demur whether they should make this declaration or take this Oath Qui deliberant desciverunt such as doubt of this have even shak'd off the yoke of subjection Mistake me not I am no virulent Tertullus to draw up an indictment against you I accuse you not But as Christ told the Jews there was one that accused them even Moses so there is one that accuseth you by upbraiding you bestowing on you some Caeca verbera and putting you sometimes into a cold sweat I mean your own Conscience I must tell you too before we part that if upon this account you court your own sufferings I would have you to consider whether ye suffer as Christians for righteousness sake And for well doing or whether you are buffeted for your faults Shall I commend you for this I commend you not If you expect a coronet or garland due to confessors if I might plat the wreaths they should be of Nettels and Hemlock I should as soon set the crown of martyrdom upon the head of Thomas a Becket or Sir Thomas More as adorn their foreheads who refused to put in caution for their fidelity and due subjection to their Prince If such persons would be accounted loyalists let them be so But then let me have leave to derive their pedigree or assign the reason of their denomination and that is because they are of their Father Ignatius Loyala It is a wonder to me that we should be adeo Histricasi to use Saint Jeroms words so prickley sharp and full of invectives against the Jesuits for maintaining the lawfulness of murdering protestant Princes and yet the same men should refuse to declare and swear That 't is unlawful to take up Arms against the King upon any pretence whatsoever I wish these recusants would consider what difference there is betwixt taking up Arms against the King if the success fall on their side and un Kinging I had almost said un manning of him I confess I have set my eyes as steddy as I could and I have strengthned them too with the spectacles of several Histories and I can discern but very little Not as if all that ingag'd in the last War had this design farre be it from me to be so uncharitable For as some followed Absolom against David in the simplicity of their hearts 2. Sam 15.11 so many through the prematurity of age and judgment perswasions of relations and the inchantments of fair pretences did purchase their own repentance p. 303. and they that are sensible of their former errors will no doubt be most faithful and loyal afterwards said the Father of our present Solomon I cannot but admire at Master Baxter who acquainting us with his activity in the late War tells us at last that 't is not his intent to determine which party was in the right Book of Rest p. 258. As if he had been fluctuating all that while twixt wind and water or at least did not then remember the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let every one be fully satisfied in his own mind Rom. 145 sure he was not ignorant of that maxime Suppose the case had been so doubtful as he makes it yet in doubtful cases praesumitur pro Rege lege and which is all one subdit tenentur in favorem legis judicrre Bee Bishop Bramhals vindication of the Church of England p. 112. Better obey than disobey doubtingly because as my Author quotes it out of Saint Austin Reum facit principem iniquitas imperandi Innocentem subditum ordo serviendi Had I been near this Gentlemen when he was in this libration of suspence I would have put the fifth commandment together with two or three choice texts out of Saint Paul and Saint Peters Epistles into the other scale and then questionless he would have been the better able to determine which party was in the right And since I have named Master Baxter if I durst I would Cum tanti viri venia be his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Saint Jerom speaks in an Epistle of his and further his active industry in a double performance 10. To revâ—ew his political doctrines especially those that are gathered together by an eminent hand And if after a second scanning or weighing them in the ballance of the Sanctuary he finds them too light That he would deal with them as I presume he hath done with several of his Theological Aphorismes even abandon and dis inherit them What a glorious work would this be conducing to the benefit and edification of the Church un-deceiving and disintangling many
have many of them that are now at the Stern tugging at their Oares and laying their shoulders to the work of the ministry together with you So far would they have been from suffering their Swords to rust in their Scabbard and their Breasts to dry up that they might not afford nourishment to them that cry after knowledge and desire the sincere milk of the Word But now the waters blessed be God are sunk within their banks and our eyes behold our old Land-marks Yet except the ancient Hedges and Foundations may be pulled up except the Mountains may be levell'd and the Cedars rooted out of their places except the Land may be new measured with your Line and mounded according to your Plat-form you will not enter into the Vineyard but in a sullen fit quit all and so are wo rse then the Sea-Monsters For they draw forth their brests and give suck to their young ones Lam. 4.3 This is not to deal with us as we should have dealt with you Besides who I pray you or we have shewed the greatest love for Souls We that passed thorow the fire and water with them in the worst Or you that leave them in a calme in the best of times I read of Nazianzen Chrysostome and others that entred the ministerial calling with fear and trembling and much reluctancy These were drawn out of their Cells and haled with violence into the Sacred Mount Yet having once set their hands to the Plow no discouragement or persecutions could ever constrain them to look back But they passed thorow the flames thorow good and evil report they persevered Praying and Preaching as if they were ambitious of dying in the Pulpit Soar as high as you will in your Seraphick pretences Cry as loud as you please the Temple of the Lord Nullum seculum ferarius Religionum sterilius pietptis Lipsius Religion Religion Yet who will beleive but that your eyes are fixt upon some carrion or other Le ts look back into the Annals of our own time and turn over some few Leaves of that Tragical Hystory whereof you were not the smallest part Where shall we find the fattest gobbets and Benjamins Mess but upon your Tables Who were those that strutted and fluttered in their feathers who were fain to go naked themselves And as for that usurped power which some of you had grasped into your hands how magisterially and tyrannically was it imploy'd How lofty were some of your eyes and your eye-lids lifted up Neither do I wonder it should be so For those that are such ill proficients in the lesson of obedience can never be good Governours themselves Such as scorn to sit at the feet of careful and experienced Gamalils when they get the reins of power into their own hands will hurl all things into confusion Sirs study the point of self-denial better and strive to know of what manner of spirit you are of I wish from my heart that we might see such evidences of Christian meekness and loyal submission that we might say of a truth The Ethiopian hath changed his skin and the Leopard his spots Far be it from me to insult over any that 's inhumane and barbarous and to repay evil for evil that 's Antichristian But I desire in the Apostles sense to heap coals of fire upon your heads to melt you into more kindness towards your selves and others Saint Paul hath made my apology to my hand I write not these things to shame you 1 Cor. 4.14 but as my beloved Brethren to warn you Gen. 19.7 And as for the future let me beseech you in the words of Lot I prâ—y you Brethren do no more so wickedly That so all stones of scandal which have made up a partition wall between us being demolish'd and remov'd we may like living stones grow up together and concenter upon the Basis of Piety Vertue Obedience Loyalty and a joynt desire of doing good in our Generation which are the best ingredients of that soveraign Balsome whereby our luxated and shattered members may be setled and knit together which may make up such a bond of peace that will neither be fretted by the teeth of time nor be dissolved by men or Devils As 't is said of Melancthon and Camerarius two Luminaries in the Common-wealth of Learning that there was such a similitude of Studies Manners Wills confirmed with daily familiarity and converse between them that they arrived to the very perfection and quintessence of friendship If it were so with us how would this beautifie and embellish our conversations Allure some to silence dazel or confound others If we could once sayle together with all our faces towards Zion as if we aimed to put in at the same Port of Heaven this would sweeten our own lives in the passage and make us terrible as an Army with Banners when we shall meet with our enemies in the Gate How good and joyful a thing is it for Brethren to dwell together in unity Methinks I hear you giving your Assent and Consent to the truth of this conclusion 'T were well if there might be such an harmony between us Yet this is the mischeif we cannot agree upon the premises which may infer it nor find the right way leading thereunto All men naturally desire felicity Balaam himself would dye the death of the righteous yet what vertues or means are most necessarily conducing thereunto here there are no small odds in the manners and tempers of men Would you hearken to me I should advise you to obey those that have the rule over you even for Câ—nscience sake and to submit to every ordinance of man for the Lords sake These were Canonical Scriptures some years since when they were vehemently pressed by some of your selves to support the power of those men who right or wrong had ravish'd it into their hands Your doctrine now is quite contrary directly tending to the keeping of our wounds raw and fresh Pull down say you that Government in the Church you would say as much concerning that in the State â—oo if you durst which is rooted in the Adamant of Scripture and the history of the Church ever since it was Christian You account the way to a lasting agreement to lye in removing those apples of contention those prohibentia which hinder union and amity And what are they disarm the Bishops of their Crosiers Take their Mitres from their heads Dismount their Canons Give us their Lands and burn your Common-Prayer Books But speak more plain English yet Is not this your sense If you desire our assistance and copartnership in the work of the ministry You must take us to be your guides for we cannot endure any Superiours Take the imposition of our hands as the current stamp of your callings use no prayers but what you shall be directed from our Conclave Read not the ancient Fathers of the Greek and Latin Church for they will poyson and possess you with an
high conceit of Episcopacy But study Smectymnuus thorowly Learn the method of Preaching from Doctor Goodwin Submit your selves to the Scrutiny and Tryal of Doctor Manton and Master Nye whether you be truly gracious Satisfie them of the time and manner of your conversion and upon these termes weél ascend our Pulpits again and condescend to assume you into our fellowship I wish this were but an Histrionical Harangue personating some Inhabitants in Vtopia or the new Atlantis and that there were no such innovators or strange Minotaurs to be found among the natives of old England But sure we find the print of their footsteps in former times We have been so torn with their sharp teeth which lay conceal'd like those of vipers in fine soft flesh that we are scarce well recover'd to this day We start in our sleep as if we were still haunted with their Ghosts The noise of their furious Chariots and the eccho's of their thundering lashes are still in our ears And though they are now charm'd and limited look downward and speak pitifully as if thorowly mortified yet we tremble at their very shadows lest their stark joynts should recover their former activity If this seems too severe and satyrical for an 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where mutual kindness and a peaceable accommodation is the white in the Butt even the main design of this attempt I will assure you so far as I am conscious of my own heart there 's no gaul within no bitterness to your persons The doors of my heart are wide open and my arms expanded to receive you Only I desire 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to inflame and stir up those gifts and graces which are in you and also modifie and regulate them that you may lay them forth for the promoting not the retarding of our Masters service the warming and cherishing not burning and wasting such as you converse withall And if I touch upon any of your ulcers by the way it is not to reproach you but to heal them I would have these lines like precious balm not to break your heads but to revive and wake you out of a slumber What though the Chyrurgion be blamed at first for being cruel in searching to the bottom of a wound yet he aims at nothing but the healing and recovering his querulous patient The good Samaritan in the Gospel did not only pour in Oyl into the gashes of the wounded man to supple them but Wine too which is of a searching nature to make them smart And such dealing in the close I hope will rather merit your gratitude then your frowns He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour Prov. 8.23 then he that flatterereth with his tongue Could I but dis-intangle and expedite you out of those Meanders and Labyrinths wherein you have lost your selves Could I but satisfie your doubts or rather scruples wherewith you perplex your selves and the Church I should glory more in such an achievment then Caesar did in all his Trophies However though I fail Aliud officium aliud finis Aliud cure aliud uratio 't is something to enterprise such an Heroical act though his chair is in Heaven that can accomplish it Who knows but that little David may do more execution with his sling then better champious with their compleat Artillery Why may not a child lead those Leopards and Lyons which have escaped from the greatest Gyants having more confidence therefore in the propitious influence of Gods Spirit the goodness of the cause then in my own strength I shall endeavour to rebate the edge of those discouragements which you object to your self and lay those Goblins where with you are affrighted And then by an hearty Paraenesis accompanied with the best motives I can find interwoven throughout which is primum in intentione I shall excite you to gird on your Sword upon your thigh I mean that of the Spirit and to ride on prosperously in the peaceable works of the ministry If I meet with the fate of Reconcilers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who are beaten on both sides I shall acquiesce in this that neither the Gale of preferment nor the desire of Ambition did ever◠carry on or leaven this undertaking Therefore only having on the breast-plate of righteousness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Laort in vita Antisthenes p. 367. and wing'd with the integrity of Conscience I shall venture through the throngs of calumnies and detractions which shall haunt me in my way and say with Antisthenes to railing Plato This is to resemble Kings to do well yet to suffer reproach for ones labour CHAP. II. The height of the Bishops no reason to keep you from Conformity YOu say the Bishops are lofty and enemies to godliness Rom. 3.8 Take heed Sirs least whilst ye speak against Swearing ye be guilty of Blasphemy And whilst ye abhor Idols Rom. 2.22 ye commit Sacriledge in speaking evil of dignities and plundering the Ark of its most precious Jewels by staining the Honor and sullying the names of those that support it Methinks you should tremble at that expostulation of the Lord with Aaron and Miriam Numb 12.8 were ye not afraid to speak against my Servant Moses Deut. 33.5 Now Moses was not only King in Jesurun Naz. orat 6. but a Priest too as well as Aaron Psal 95.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nay 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philo Judaeus in the life of Moses calls him a King a Law-giver and an High-Priest I hope you will allow Fathers some preheminence above their Children Such as rule and are commissionated with Jurisdiction beyond those that must imperata capessere obey their just commands Ad Aphes p. 28. or as Ignatius expresseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conform themselves to the judgment and discretion of the Bishops Should these Fathers expose their Persons and Power unto contempt by rendering either of them by too much familiarity cheap and common this would rather betray and prostitute then grace and illustrate their calling this would also make us too pragmatical and saucy instead of paying that just tribute of duty and reverence which is their hereditary right and inseparable prerogative You will not call it pride but a necessary majestick-state in the Major and Aldermen of the City if they do not play at Foot-ball with the Apprentices in the streets Nor will you say a School-Master is ambitious but discreet if he keep a distance with his Scholars and forbear to play with their Cherry-stones And must those that are in the high places of the Church be branded with pride if they do not presently degrade themselves and abandon all badges of superiority wherwith they are invested by God and the King And distinguish'd from those that are minorum gentium or have their Province in the Valleys As a General on whose life the welfare of an Army depends must not be prodigal of his own safety In the life of