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parliament_n	honourable_a	house_n	petition_n	3,157	5	9.0634	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A75749	A remonstrance, against presbitery. Exhibited by divers of the nobilitie, gentrie, ministers and inhabitants of the county palatine. of Chester with the motives of that remonstrance. Together with a short survey of the Presbyterian discipline. Shewing the inconveniences of it; and the inconsistency thereof with the constitution of this state, being in its principles destructive to the laws and liberties of the people. With a briefe review of the institution, succession, iurisdiction of the ancient and venerable order of bishops. Found to bee instituted by the Apostles, continued ever since, grounded on the lawes of God, and most agreeable to the law of the land. / By Sir Thomas Aston baronet.	Aston, Thomas, Sir, 1600-1645.	1641 (1641)	Wing A4078; Thomason E163_1; Thomason E163_2; ESTC R212696	75,691	128

Fathers own words whereby judge what truth is to be expected from sueh juggler● First he cites Metaphrastes in whom saith he we read that Peter was a long time in Brittannie and drew many Countreys to the Christian faith but at last when he had illuminated many with the light of the word and had constituted Churches hee ordained Bishops Presbyters Deacons returning to Rome the 12. y●er of Nero Cesar here were the severall degrees of dignities Again he recites Aristobulus (h) Aristobulum quoque cuius ipse in epistola ad Romanos meminit britannorum episcopum a paulo ordinatum in Menaeis Graecorum Vsher fol. 9. whom Paul mentions in his Epistle to the Romanes and was one of his seventy Disciples him Paul ordained Bbishop of the Brittains This was a large Parish Next he relates many diversities of opinions concerning Ioseph of Arimathea his being in England (i) Vsher fol. 24. licet hoc fuisse verum quod tamen non fuit non sequitur ergo quod totum solium illud suscepit fidem and concludes that although it were true which it was not yet it follows not that therefore all the land had received the faith for it might be disperst amongst private persons but was never received by the whole kingdome nor came they to have Christian Churches till Lucius time as is confest by that reverend Bishop (k) Publice vero primum sub Lucio Elutherio receptum hic fuisse Evangelium consentiens nostrorum historicorum est sententia Vsher ibid. fol. 52. That the Gospel was first publiquely received here under Lucius and Elutherius with which accords Master Fox in his Martyrs That from Peter Anno 65. after Christ Elutherius was the twelf●h successive Bishop of Rome (l) Acts and Monuments fol. 34. Hieron lib. de viris illustr Iraeneus lib. 3. cap. 3. Acts and Monumets fol. 107. Vsher Brit. eccles primord fol. 54. 59. who about Anno 161. sent Fugacius or Fuganus and Dimianus or Damianus which converted first the King and people of Brittain and baptized them with the Baptisme and Sacrament of Christs faith The Temples of Idolatry and all other Monuments of Gentility they subverted converting the people from their divers and many Gods to serue one living God There were in Brittain 28. head Priests which they called Flamines and three Archpriests which they called Archflamines having the oversight of manners and as Iudges Those 28. Flamines they turned to 28. Bishops and the three Archflamynes to three Archbishops having their seats in three principall Cities which being Master Fox his own words according with the Bishop (m) Vsher ibid. ●o 59. you may observe how a lyar confounds himself for he first says The Church of England was governed some hundred yeers without Bishops from the first plantation and in the next line he disproves himself That in the instant of the conversion of the Church and supplantation of idolatry were planted Bishops from whence he concludes an excellent Argument Because they were instituted by Elutherius the twelfth successive Bishop of Rome from the Apostle Peter Non interrupta serie Converted the people to the true God subverted idolatry and supplanted the heathen Priests Ergo They are of Ethnicall or Diabolicall not Apostolicall institution Truly Reader I have spent too much time on him but it is to admonish the vulgar with the Apostle Paul to stop their ears against such Libellers and (n) 1 Tim. vers 45.6 Not to give heed to fables The end of the Commandement is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and of faith unfained from which some have swerved unto vain jangling desiring to be teaehers of the Law understanding neither what they say nor whereof they affirmed I do it to perswade some able Divine not to mispend time to answer the matter of their Pamphlets but that it will be time well spent to discover the falshood of such saucie-untaught-teachers as here the Apostle speaks of to display their misquotations and distortions of Scripture It is the best and quickest plea to take away the testimony of a false witnesse to prove him formerly perjur'd And in this point the works of such persons thorowly traced they will best be rendred despicable to the world For though the Prophesie of Saint Paul (o) 2 m. 4. 3 That the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine but after their own lusts shall they heap up to themselves teachers having itching eares and they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto falbes is in these dayes most evidently manifested of many yet charity forbids us to censure all to seek untruth for it s own sake many no doubt are deluded with that species of truth which the pretended though abus'd quotations of Scripture they stuffe their books withall carries with it which I dare promise any man that will take pains to examine will scarce finde patience to read any more of them Reader I have wandered too long from thee but now return not to beg thy approbation I Court no mans but to advise thee for thine own sake That being falshood is so bold to offer to outface truth in pirnt to let all whispered detractions from which no Good work is free be rejected by thee and receive and weigh these following truths of the manner of procuring the subscriptions and the reasons of presenting that Remonstrance the carriage whereof is testified the contents avowed by thy friend if thou art either a freeman or a Protestant THO. ASTON THE REMONSTRANCE REPRESENTED TO THE HOVSE OF Peers by Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet from divers Noblemen and Gentlemen of the County-Palatine of CHESTER against PRESBYTERIAN Government To the High and Honourable Court of Parliament The Nobility Knights Gentry Ministers Freehoulders and Inhabitants of the Countie-Palatine of Chester whose names are subscribed in the severall Schedules hervnto annexed Humbly Shew THat whereas divers Petitions have lately been carried about this Country against the present form of Church-Government and the hands of many persons of ordinary quality solicited to the same with pretence to be presented to this honourable Assembly which we conceiving not so much to ayme at reformation as absolute Innovation of Government and such as must give a great advantage to the adversaries of our Religion we held it our duty to disavow them all And humbly pray that we incurre no miscensure if any such clamours have without our privitie assumed the name of the County We as others are sensible of the Common grievances of the Kingdome and have just cause to rejoyce at and acknowledge with thankfulnesse the pious care which is already taken for the suppressing of the growth of Popery the better supply of able Ministers and the removing of all Innovation and we doubt not but in your great wisdomes (a) Wee conceived it not proper for us by way of prayer to intermeddle but by way of

sword hath for a short space kept some States a float but I must boldly say t is the Reverence of Religion the advancement of learning that hath made them stable and happy These Considerations are properly within the capacity of a Gentleman But in the latter part I must ask your pardon That I have walk'd beyond my Verge Taken as well a Divine as a politique Survey of your order I know it is an Injurie to plead a good cause ill yet I hope you will finde my Modesty such that in this I presume so little of my selfe that I have onely allowed words to knit together the opinions of such Authorities as till now have beene Authentique 'T is a time when selfe-interest swayes much and for ought I know every man that reads this may be equally concern'd as my selfe whereby this must be conceived lesse partiall from me then from any of your Coat And at least they will inferre hence that much more might be said since I have said so much I must confesse enough hath beene delivered in a little by that Reverend Primate Vsher T' is Apostolicall Which admitted the Conclusion silences all argumentation Contra negantes principia non disputandum Does well in Schooles but when noyse and novelty onely prevaile I wish you had been all more free in defence of your Calling 'T is truth that Downam Bilson Suckliffe and many others have said so much as there can scarce be any thing added but they must have new Titles or else they will not be look'd on the Fathers themselves are absolete and deserted Authority Wee are all growne so wise in this knowing Age that every man must have his proofes level'd to his owne naturall reason unlesse they be invectives those tickle the itching eares of the time and are presently taken upon trust without examination I was not fram'd to court that straine nor doe I expect to please your oppugners all my ambition is to satisfie some Gentlemen free as my selfe my Desire is not to offend you by the ill mannage of so good a Cause Though I know none by any of you yet should I not seek to qualifie the ill of any of your persons But must professe I affectionately pray for the Conservation of that order which is so apt an Embleme of the Divine ordinance of that great Creator who as hee ordained the Sunne to exceed the Moone The Moone the Starres and every Starre excelling another in glory Doubtlesse intended as divine a Method in disposing the lights of our immortall soules as those Luminaries of our corruptible bodies Hee I hope will preserve this Church while that Sunne and Moone endure Which is the prayer of The well-wisher of Sion T. A. Since the severall attempts to blemish this Remonstrance by dispersing that Libell and by seeking to draw some ignorant people to disavow their owne subscriptions it pleased divers Gentlemen of quality to testifie both their dislike of such practices and the continuance of their zeale to a vow their Remonstrance By this Certificate To our very loving friend and Kinsman Sir THOMAS ASTON Baronet SIR WEe have lately received a Printed Copie of a most seditious feigned and dangerously factious Petition which is spread in the County purporting to be preferred to the High and Honorable Court of Parliament by the Nobles Knights Gentrie Ministers c. of this County pretended in answer of a Petition subscribed by us and many thousands more and by our request preferred by you for the good and honour of this County which vile and Machivilian Petition we perceive was never preferred to neither House but dispersed maliciously and seditiously to stirre up discord and tumult And wee have also seene the Coppie of your Petition preferred on the behalfe and for the service of this County for whom you are trusted in this Which wee all so well approve of as wee doubt not but that as well those many thousands who subscribed our Remonstrance preferred by you which found so gracious acceptation both with his Sacred Majestie and the Lords to whom it was preferred as also many thousands more of this County whose hands could not by reason of shortnesse of time be gotten to that will upon just opportunity acknowledge your good service herein for your Country and your merit from the Inhabitants thereof who stand well affected either to his Majestie or the good or peaceable Government of this Kingdome And therefore wee have not onely thought fit with these few subscribers whom the shortnesse of this dispatch could divulge your merits unto to testifie your great Care and Diligence for your Country and our approbation thereof but to pray you not to be discouraged herein But stil to presse as there shall be oportunity an effectuall order and answer to our Remonstrance and some course as the great wisedome of the Lords assembled shall think meet to check the further growth of these Seditious Insolences and attempts to cast aspersions upon our Loyall intentions and disturb the peace of our Church and state Government wherein wee have also addressed our thankfulnesse and Humble desires to the most Honorable Earle of Bath which we shall beseech you the rather more speedily to deliver because here are daily more Innovations by the importunity of the Authors of these Schismes and factions so that much ill is to be feared if a timely prevention be not given to the growth thereof So beseeching God direct the hearts of that most Honorable Assembly wee take our leave of you and rest as your faithfulnesse and care of your Countrey may chalenge Your assured loving Friends Robert Lord Viscount Kilmorey Robert Lord Viscount Cholmondeley Sir Edward Fitton Baronet Sir Tho. Brereton Knight Hugh Cholmondeley Esquires John Mynshull Esquires Tho. Cholmondeley Esquires John Davenport Esquires Thomas Bromley Esquires Rand. Rode Esquires William Manwaring Esquires Arthur Starkey Esquires Tho. Maisterson Esquires Tho. Manwaring Esquires Edw. Tannat Esquires John Werden Esquires Edward Morgell Gentlemen Tho. Berrington Gentlemen Richard Allen Gentlemen Tho. Wilkinson Gentlemen John Dodde Gentlemen Tho. Stockton Gentlemen Tho. Massy Gentlemen George Cotton Esquires Hugh Calveley Esquires C. Manwaring Esquires Tho. Cotton Esquires William Moreton Esquires John Leghe Esquires George Leycester Esquires Jonathan Wodenoth Esquires Tho. Cotton Esquires Edw. Dod Esquires Edw. Wright Esquires Geor. Bostock Esquires Ralph Morgell Esquires John Stockton Esquires Rich. Tannat Esquires John Massy Esquires Divines Doctor Bisphant John Conney Rich. Wilson The Table Of the severall Sections in the survey of Presbytery Sectio prima The designe of the Presbyterians 2 The method of their proceeding 3 Their censure of the Clergie in Queen Elizabeths dayes 4 The opinions of the Reformed Churches of her time 5 A discussion whether they seeke to pull downe or advance the Clergie 6 The Ecclesiasticall Laws agreeable to Gods Word 7 The Presbyterians must not be prescribed in doctrine 8 They must be freed from civill miseries 9 Episcopacie most agreeable with Monarchie 10 Presbytery

submission to leave these to the Iudgement of the Parliament you will regulate the rigour of Ecclesiasticall Courts to suit with the temper of our Laws and the nature of freemen Yet when we consider that Bishops were instituted in the time of the Apostles (b) philip 1.1 1 Tim. 3.1 That they were the great Lights of the Church in all the first generall Councells (c) Anno. Bishops 330. at Nice 318 380. at Constant 150 430. at Ephesus 200 451. at Chalcedon 430 553. at Constant 165 681. at Constant 289 781. at Nice 350 870. at Constant 383 That so many of them sowed the seeds of Religion in their bloods and rescued Christianity from utter extirpation in the Primitive heathen persecutions (d) Vid. Eusebius Fox his Martyrs That to them we owe the redemption of the purity of the Gospel we now professe from Romish corruption (e) Vid. booke of Martyrs Cranmer Tutor to Ed. 6. That many of them for the propagation of that truth became such glorious Martyrs (f) A Cranmer B. Latimer ● Ridley B. Hooper B. Park A Parker A. B Gri. B. Whitegift c. vid. booke of martyrs That divers of them lately and yet living with us have been so great assertors of our Religion against its common enemy of Rome (g) Bishop Iewel Bishop Andrewes bishop White Archbishop Vsher Bishop Moreton Bishop Davenant and our English Seneca Bishop Hall And that their government hath been so long approved so oft established by the Common and Statut Laws of this Kingdome (h) Bracton lib. 3. fol. 106. Flet. a lib. 7.24 Coo. Little fol. 97. 134. stat 14. E. 3. 25. E. 3. 16. R. 2. H. 8.20.1.8.9 Eli. And as yet nothing in their doctrine generally taught dissonant from the word of God or the Articles established by Law i) Partiucular men errours cannot be aken for the Tenets of the Church In this case to cal their Gouernment a perpetuall vassalage an intolerable bondage And prima facie inaudita altera parte to pray the present removall of them or as in some of their petitions to seek the utter dissolution an● ruine of their offices as Antichristian (l) The petition annexed note 6. we cannot conceive to rellish of Justice or Charity nor can we joyn with them But on the contrary when we consider the tenour of such writings as in the name of petitions are spread amongst the common people the tenents preached publiquely in Pulpits (m) The positions annexed and the contents of many printed Pamphlets swarming amongst us all of them dangerously exciting a disobedience to the established forme of gouernment and their severall intimatious of the desire of the power of the keyes (n) Petition anexed note 4. And that their congregations may execute Ecclesiasticall Censures within themselves (o) Petition annexed note 19. We cannot but expresse our just fears that their desire is to introduce an absolute Innovation of Presbyteriall Government whereby we who are now governed by the Canon and Civill Laws dispensed by twenty fix Ordinaries easily responsall to Parliaments for any deviation from the rule of Law conceive we should become exposed to the meer Arbitrary Goverment of a numerous Presbytery who together with their ruling Elders wil arise to neere forty thousand Church Governours and with their adherents must needs bear so great a sway in the Common-wealth that if future inconvenience shall be found in that government we humbly offer to consideration h w these shall be reducible by Parliaments how consistent with a Monarchie and how dangerously conducible to an Anarchie which we have iust cause to pray against as fearing the consequences would proue the utter losse of Learning and Laws which must necessarily produce an extermination of Nobility Gentry and Order if not of Religion With what vehemencie of spirit these things are prosecuted and how plausibly such popular infusions spread as incline to a parity we held it our duty to represent to this honourable Assem●ly And humbly pray that some such present course be taken as in your wisdoms shall be thought fit to suppresse the future dispersing of such dangerous discontents amongst the common people we having great cause to fear that of all the distempers that at present threaten the wellfare of this state there is none more worthy the mature and grave consideration of this honourable Assembly then to stop the torrent of such spirits be●ore they swell beyond the bounds of Government Then we doubt not but his Majestie persevering in his gracious inclination to heare the complaints and relieve the grievances of his Subjects in frequent Parliaments it will so unite the head and the body so indissolubly cement the affections of his people to our Royall Soveraigne that without any other change of Government he can never want Revenue nor wee Justice We have presumed to annex a Copie of a Petition or Libell dispersed and certain positions preach'd in this County which vve conceive imply matter of dangerous consequence to the peace both of Church and State All vvhich vve humbly submit to your great Judgements praying they may be read And shall ever pray c Directed to the house of Peeres And subscribed by the Lieutenant of the County Three other Noblemen Knights Baronets Knights and Esquires fourscore and odde Divines fourscore and ten Gentlemen tvvo hundred threescore and odde Freeholders and other inhabitants above six thousand None of them Popish Recusants And all of the same County The Petition which was spread abroad in the Countrie amongst the Common people by some private Persons to procure hands but was concealed from the Gentrie A Copy wher●of was annexed to the Remonstrance and was complained of having injuriously assumed the Name of the Humble Petition of the Free-holders and the rest of the Inhabitants within the Countie of Chester which might seeme to involve the whole Countie Sheweth THat whereas the manifold unsupportable burdens wherewithal our Consciences and estates have beene long oppressed with a continuall increase thereof have at last so tyred and infeebled our strength that we find our selves unable to subsist any longer under the weight thereof wee dare not now neglect to take the present opportunitie of serving the Lords providence in the use of this meanes which we hope is of his owne appoynting for our reliefe But as we have in some measure implored God who is the blessed Author so wee thought our selves bound humbly to Petition this honourable and renowned Assembly convened in Parliament for redresse of our miseries being the likelyest instrument so farre as we apprehend not limiting the Holy one of Israel for that end and purpose which we humbly pray may be duly considered as we make bold to tender them in these few Lines following Our miseries are such as are either Ecclesiastical or Civill first Ecclesiasticall and that in regard of the usurping Prelates their lawlesse dependent officers and their irregular manner of worshipping

and the nature of Free-men would to so grave a Senate administer as much matter of serious consideration implie as much need of Reformation as a large invective full of bitter reviling which might more convince us of want of Charitie than the Bishops of Moderation being virulence of Spirit never argued either Civility or Christianitie never tended to piety or unity nor advanced either Religion or good Order g Hoc reperiemus nimiam mor ofitatem ex superbia magis fastu falsa que sanctitatis opinione quam ex vera sanctitate veroqueejus studio nasci Itaque qui ad faciendum ab Ecclesiâ defectiones sunt aliis audaciores quasi Antesignani ij ut plurimum nihil aliud causae habent nisi ut omnium contemptu ostentent se aliis esse meliores Calvin Institut lib. 4. Cap. 1. sect 13. Calvin observes that too much bitternesse or obstinacy springs rather from pride and disdaine and a false opinion of holinesse then from true sanctity or the desire thereof And that such as are forwards and the leaders of others in their defection from the Church have for the most part no other cause but their owne selfe conceipt thinking themselves better than all men else But if either processe of time or discontinuance of Parliaments have admitted any superstructures of exorbitant power doubtlesse the wisedome of the House instructed with the steerage of the State would reduce such without our clamours For such complaints as are against the temporall power of the Bishops wee know of no such thing inherent to the Order h Si quam habent Episcopi potestatem gladii hanc non habent ut Episcopi ex mandato Evangelit sed jure humano do natam â Regibus Imperatoribus ad administrationem civilem suorum honorum Haec interim alia functio est quam ministerium Evangelii Melancthon Articul fidei 37. In his speech the 23. of Ianuarie Melancthon tells us if they have any power of the sword it is of humane institution given them by Kings and Emperours if so certainly ejus est revocare cujus est dare And where a gracious Prince ex mero motu and I may say ex puro amore out of a tender affection to the peace and welfare of his people hath freely offered a retraction of such temporall authority i If upon serious debate you shall shew that Bishops have some temporall authority not so necessarie for the government of the Church and upholding of Episcopall iurisdiction I shall not bee unwilling to desire them to lay it downe as is not necessary for the government of the Church it is more proper for the debate of his great Councell to decide the poynt than befitting the importunity of us his much satisfied subjects especially with such violence as relishes rather a sentence than a supplication Quia non consensum quaerit sed dissidium auget qui quod fact is praestatur verbis exigit But for the Office and Order it selfe 't is confessed we were so farre from joyning with them either in their prayer of abolition or the ●n●ecency of their Language that 't was thought it became us to vindicate the Countrey consisting of Civill Gentrie from the imputation of such incivilitie as that petition if it had past as the Act of our Countie might perhaps fixe upon us And more then in our owne excuse of not joyning with them we presumed not to move any thing for or against the Bishops but being wee intimated our feare that these practises and tenets tended to introduce a Presbyterie 't was necessarie to shew we had no hand in that Petition which would have no Bishops lest we might seem to desire neither These prejudices of opinion thus removed I hope men will with more cleare eyes see the Integritie of our intentions and will with us in time take heed of Wolves especially when they appear in sheeps cloathing As we are a Gentrie who for Antiquity shall subscribe to none so I hope shall we ever testifie our zeale as great our resolutions as firme to preserve our ancient liberties as any Countrie whatsoever And I believe if any had our provocation they would have made our complaint A Survey of Presbytery SECT 1. The Designe of some Presbyterians T IS an ill presage of worse events to begin with the subversion of Gods house the Church It is not Reformation but totall Innovation many men look for 'T was a signe of no good intent when such a petition must bee smother'd up from the knowledge and Counsells of the Gentrie And though it were supprest after it had beene spread abroad as perhaps finding the times not ripe for a full discovery of their occult designes yet to those that will see it gives light enough that under pretext of Reforming the Church the true aime of such spirits is to shake off the yoke of all obedience either to Ecclesiasticall Civill Common Statute or the Customarie Lawes of the Kingdome and to introduce a meere Arbitrary Government But it may perhaps be said this is but the fancy of some distempered Zelots in that part onely and that I doe but raise a shadow and fight with it let such compare well the harmonie of other licentious raylers whose pamphlets garnish every stall and the concurrence of those of the same straine in the times of Queen Elizabeth and King James with the present positions and petition complained of and I dare promise they shall finde them all of a peece all champions for the Presbyterie which they then cal'd The great cause the Holy cause which as they then declared k Rogers his Preface to the Articles they will never leave suing for though there should be a thousand Parliaments untill either they obtaine it And lately preach'd by Eaton in Chester in the pulpit to the like effect or bring the Lord in vengeance and bloud upon the State and the whole land for repelling the same With what Method Iustice and Moderation they goe about it is worth the observation SECT 2. The Method of their proceedings IN this Chart of their petition we may find our selves plac'd among the Antipodes to all order rather than in a State govern'd by Lawes It hath been the Method of former times that the Parliament the Primates the Nobiles with the minores Nobiles the Gentrie consult and dispence the rules of government the Plebeians submit to and obey them But in their Petition ordine converso petitioners Plebeians assume to give judgement the Parliament must execute the Nobility and Gentrie suffer by it They make not any one proof or complaint against any one Bishop or their order yet clearely sentence them all l Their Petition note 2. Martin Marprelate f. 11. 12. Engl. Compl. to Jesus Christ That the Hierarchie is that beast to which the Dragon gave his power fol. 11. All Prelaticall government is papal ib. The Bishops the limbes of the great beast of no

other spirit than Atheisticall Prelacy is misery fol. 4. Scare budges set up by the Devil The horned beasts of the Popedome A Bishop or no Bishop fol. 1. for the Popes substitutes per accidens at least if not by solemne covenanted allegeance They condemne them m Their Petition note 4. They are cruell Harpies against Religion Protest 27. Febr. 1639. f. 6. They are the make-bates the Achans of Israel L. Bishops no Bish fo 71. Prelacy is an open rebellion against Christ and his Kingdome fo 13. They steal Gods word from the people fo 20. for the mighty enemies and secret underminers of the Church and Common-wealth They judge them offices and n Their petition note 6. An Enemy to salvation and Antichristian We vow to forsake the Bishops in Baptisme because wee vow to forsake the devill and all his workes Engl. Compl. to Christ fol. 11. They are the seed of Antichrist Bishops no Bishops fol. 1. Bistwicks good Angell What is spoke of Antichrist is spoke of all Prelates Bishop no Bishop fol. 53. In worshiping the Name Jesus they are notorious Antichrists ib. fol. 64. Sions plea fo 11.281 government Antichristian leaving the Parliament onely to execute their doome upon them no more nor no more adoe but o Their petition note 5. To protest against the Hierarchy as Antichristian Good Counsell for the Church fol. 86. Prelacie to be wholly taken away Ans to Lond. petition 33. To be removed View of the prelaticall Church 38. utterly to dissolve their Offices together with ruine of their Antichristian offices and government their impious Courts p Their petition note 7. From their corrupt Courts Walkers Letany The Bishops impious government Chreda Angliae fol. 3. their dependent Officers even from the Chancellor to the Paritor q Some of the Articles agr●e not with Scripture Englands Compl. fol. 21. They except against the 20. Article Against Ordination of Bishops fol. 49. Against the third Article Christ on his Throne fol. 49. The booke of Articles r Their petition note 7. Liturgy framed out of the Breviarie Portuys and Masse-booke prelate Church fol. 27. A Masse of Errors Superstition and Idolatrie Remonst 27. Febr. 1639. fol. 15. Syons plea. 29. The Service-book raked out of 3. Romish Channells The English refined Masse-booke of Common Prayer with all the Popish significant Ceremonies therein contained Here is neither men nor discipline spared ſ Lord Bishops no Bishops Fol. 28. A treatise that the Church is Antichristian Church Ministe●y and worship in England all Antichristian 8 Propositions in print others tel us Prelates Discipline and Church of England are all concluded Antichristian therefore good Christians should separate themselves from such a Church And is this the language of our Country of our times only If so 't were some argument to convince our present Prelates to have stained the honour of their Coats as degenerate from their pious predecessors But O Tempora O mores is no new exclamation all ages all people condemn the present and still applaud the times past With what reverence do we call to mind those pretious days we yet stile the purity of Q. Elizabeths reign as if then the Church were all innocence had no spot in her infant whitenes but if we shall aswell look back and consider the spirit of the fathers of these Disciples in those days we shal then find 't is not the Churches purity 't is not the Pastors piety can stop the foule mouths of such traducers 't is envy and ambition barks thus in emulation of their Order not in zeale against their Doctrine or Discipline SECT 3. The Presbyterians censure of the Clergy in Queen Elizabeths time WEre the Clergy then more meeke and humble will you beleeve the Brethren of that time speaking of the Clergy in Generall They are wolves t Brethrent Supplie p. 4 ● Intollerable oppugners of Gods glory u Ibidem page 53. A crue of monstrous and ungodly wretches w Martins Epistle an Antichristian Swinish Rabble Were the Bishops then of purer lives or Doctrine The charitable Brethren stil'd them The most pestilent enemies of our State x Hay any p. 13. 14. Supplicat fol. 53. Vdals Dialogue The Ordinances of the Divell y Ibidem page 21. petty Popes petty Antichrists Jncarnate Divels cogging cozening Knaves Were they lesse rigid in their Censures They tell you z Hay any page 28. Martins protestat 27. page 12. 21. Arch bishop Grindall b●nisht in Qu. Maric● time They are Butchers and Horse-leeches these Dragons tyranny and blood-thirsty proceedings are inexcusable Is it onely our present Arch-bishop hath op'd the gap of Calumny They say Their then Arch-bishop of Canterbury was more ambitious then Wolsey a Dialogue from Throgmorton D 3. ibid G. 4. prouder then Stephen Gardner more bloody then Bonner Belzebub of Canterbury b Martin sen C 4. a monstrous Antichristian Pope c Epistle out of Scotland a most vile and cursed Tyrant Was the State more favourable to them they complaine d No enemy A. 3. The Magistracy and Ministery have walked hand in hand in the contempt of true Religion and unto both the word of the Lord is made a reproach Did the Parliament yet please them better e Admonition to the Parliament p. 3. All good consciences say they shall condemne that Court It shall be easier for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of judgement then for such a Court There shall not be a man of their Seed that shall prosper be a Parliament man or beare rule in England any more Nay the Queene her selfe scapes not their censure f Hay any pa. 5. Supplication to the Parliament p. 43. Do you thinke our Church governement to be good and lawfull because her Majesty and the State allow the same why * Ibidem p. 13. 15 23. the Lord doth not allow and approove of it her Majesty and the State doe maime and deforme the body of Christ Motion out of Scotland to the Lords p. 41. and so do bid God to battle and either her Majesty knoweth not what they desire or else shee is negligent of her Duty and unthankefull to God Who that reades these would envy our Ancestors or pray for the restoring of their dayes againe Had those times or persons no better testimony given of them certainly a stranger that should have come amongst these to seeke a Religion would enquire as the Moore did of the Spaniard what Religion they were of not out of desire to learne that but that he might choose the contrary as concluding the opposite to so extream bad must needs be good for doubtles no man would lay the foundation of his Faith where he neither findes in practise the principles of Christian Charity nor naturall Civility But let us examine better witnesses of those times whether were more guilty the accused or the accusers Beza a strict Reformer in his Epistle to some

prescription is somewhat ancient for 't is said Melchizedeck y Genes 14.20 Heb. 7.2 blessed Abraham and hee gave him tythes of all things And under the Law it is ordred That z Nehem. 10.37 the Levits might have the tythes in all their Cities of our tillage This we find not discontinued under the Gospell a Heb. 7.5 They which are children of Levi which receive the office of the Priesthood have a commandement to take according to the Law tythes of the people And Saint Paul holds it good equitie 1 Corinth 9.13 That as they which wait at the Altar are partakers of the Altar even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the Gospell should live of the Gospell Our Statute Lawes have established and incorporated them into our estates for b Stat 27.31.32.37 H. 8. Tythes in the hands of Lay-men become temporall inheritances and shall be accounted Assets And Lay men proprietaries of tythes c Cookes Littleton fol. 159. have election either to sue for the treble value by the Common Law or for the double in Ecclesiasticall Courts The ancient jurisdiction of Court Leets and Court Barons d Petition note 12 13. Sions plea fol. 47. they would subtilly undermine by quarrelling at the oath whereby the Court must fall Ex consequenti Cookes Littleton fol. 58. Britton 274. Bract. de Actionibus fol. 105. Civiles actiones terminari debent in Curia Baronum de quibus ipse petens clamaverit tenere taking away the use of Juries or the testimonies of witnesses Though we find them held in the time of Edward the Confessour and so called Barones vero qui suam habent curiam de suis hominibus and continued ever since And indeed they would have no Courts at all to have jurisdiction over them as appeares by many of their writings as that they would have Courts to proceed only against sins by the word of God Chord Angl prop. 8.10 Sions plea fol. 48. If it be no sin there is no ground of an oath View Prelaticall Church 41. of which the Presbyterie would be Judges and as they say it would free us from weekely Courts The would withdraw the customarie right of e Their petition note 21. Bract. lib. 2. fol. 60. Cookes Littleton fo 185. Lambert fol. 119. 58. Herriots taken in the Saxons times in which language it is called Heregeat or the Lords best for Here is Lord and Geat is best And in the Lawes before the Conquest it is said f Sive quis incuriâ sive morte repentina fuerit intestat mortuus Dominus tamen nullam rerum suarum praeter eam quae jure debetur Herrioti nomine sibi assumito Whether by a judiciall sentence or by sudden death any man dyes intestate yet the Lord shall take none of his goods but that which is due by Law in the name of a Herriot Nay they yet goe higher even to the denyall of the right of proprietie in our estates They would pay no Fines g Their petition Note 22. do no Boons nor Duties to their Land-lords or at best bring them within the Arbitrarie Jurisdiction of the Presbyter who must be Chancellour betwixt Lord and Tenant And these things are not represented by way of complaint or submitted to the consideration and determination of the Parliament but seeme to be inforced by intimation of a strong occult implyed Covenant in that they say h Their petition Note 15. Christ on his Throne fol. 77. So woe may recover that Christian liberty wherwith Christ hath made us free and for which his bloud was powred forth Sions plea fol. 333. Rom. 14.1 2. 2 Pet. 13.14 Goodman pag 30. The contrarie priviledges Christ hath purchased and commanded them to stand unto If this be not to subvert Lawes I know not what is It is not onely a defiance to Civill Government but a Band against it Nor Law nor Gospell scape such censures If Saint Paul teach us not to resist authoritie but rather to submit to punishment Some tell us This is a dangerous doctrine taught by some by the permission of God for our sins Certainly these are dangerous doctrines indeed and God open our eyes in time to fore-see and prevent the consequences So much are people infatuated with these false glosses of pretended libertie that they are easily seduced to swallow such guilded pils with open armes to embrace with eager hands to pull upon their owne heads their owne ruine For alas what is it else but to enthrall our selves under an irrecoverable servitude whence can be no redemption Is it not to make that choyce the Israelites refused Whether is better for you Judges 9.2 either that all the sons of Ierubbaal which are threescore and ten persons reigne over you or that one reigne over you Whether shall wee content our selves with the dispensation of Lawes our selves assent to can at any time expand or contract as we shall find them too narrow or too large for the circle of our Isle trust the administration of these in the hands of six and twentie Bishops whose Delegate power is limited by our Statute Lawes whose persons are easily responsall for any extent of that power beyond those bounds the Parliament allots them Or submit our selves to the meere Arbitrarie Government of thrice twentie six thousand Presbyters and Elders for more than so many will that Hierarchy amount to under which they would now draw us by the platforme of their new pretended discipline In which if there were any more but the Species of libertie that we should thus be quit from all Ecclesiastique subjection though it is a principle too oft proved true Moulins Confession 408. Tyranny is more tollerable than such a freedome which under the title of libertie introduceth licentiousnesse and this licentiousnes bringeth in extreme servitude that Over-much desire of libertie is the originall of Tyranny every one by being too free becomming a slave The Vulgar being well resembled to birds long caged and kept tame which breaking loose starve for want of food or become a prey to the first destroyer Yet this might be a popular motive to entice many into this new Coy If it did conduce to a reall freedome I wish all men should know I hold my selfe as free-borne as any man and as much disdaine the thought of servile fetters of Romish Tyranny or an insultant Prelacie as any he that lives But I ever held that Nunquam libertas gratior extat quàm sub Rege pio That it is Law which is to a free State not a Band but a Guard against oppression That it is Magistracie which levels the scale of justice betwixt power and povertie that preserves degrees distinction order i All Societies Oeconomick Civill and Ecclesiasticall doe consist by the submission of inferiours to superiours which being removed confusion necessarily followeth without which no Church no State no family can stand And when