Selected quad for the lemma: religion_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
religion_n	church_n	faith_n	hold_v	3,740	5	6.0925	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

ferocemque Tyrannum coli voluerit non alia ratione nisi quia regnum obtinebat Calvin Institut l. 4. cap. 20. Art 27. we see what obedience the Lord will have given to this wicked and fierce Tyrant for no other reason but because he was a King With whose counsell his successor Beza * Beza Epist 24. 2d peregri Eccl. in Anglia fratres well agrees Illud solis precibus patientiâ sanari potest The Triacle against this venome is Prayer not Vengeance We must be subject for Conscience sake q Rom. 13.5 Hence it is deduc'd and incorporated into an Article of our Religion r Article 37. That the Kings Majestie hath the chiefe Government of all estates Ecclesiasticall and Civill in all causes within his Dominions Which is not the sole position of our Church But with this agree all the Reformed Churches ſ Helverian Art 16. Bazil Art 7. Bohem. Art 16. Belg. Art 36. August Art 16. Saxon. Art 23. And more particularly the French Church whose Article of Religion is t Moulins Buckler of Faith Art 40. fo 535. Wee must not onely endure and suffer Superiors to Governe but also wee must honour and obey them with all reverence holding them for Gods Lieutenants and Officers whom he hath appoynted to exercise a Lawfull and an Holy charge we must obey their Lawes and Statutes pay all Tributes and Imposts bear the yoke of Subjection with a good and free will although they be Infidels Therefore we detest those that would reject Superioritie and establish community of goods and overthrow all course of Justice But yet perhaps the policy of States have found this Supreame power prejudiciall to the good of Common-wealths and the Lawes of God must give way to the Lawes of Nations since Salus populi Suprema Lex Gregor Tholosan Syntag jurum l. 47. ca. 17. N. 1. But experience tells us the Romans were quickly wearie of their change of Government from a King to a Senate and in nine yeares reduc't it to a Dictator finding by experience that commands depending upon divers votes beget distraction and Ruine And Historie informes us that the Spartan State wherein The King the Nobilitie and the people had their just proportions of power administration of Iustice and obedience subsisted above eight hundred yeares in a happy and flourishing Condition whereas Athens being a popular State scarce stood out an age The nearest degree of government to a Monarchy being ever longest lived and most glorious most safe for the people as was seen in Rome when the Commons to suppresse the power of the Nobilitie in the Consulls created the Tribunes of the people who sharing in government would share in honours and fortunes too which occasioned the Agrarian Law Titus Livius That no Citizen should have above five hundred Acres of Land and that the people should share equally in all Conquests This bred the quarrell of Sylla and Marius continued in Caesar and Pompey and ended in the ruine of Rome From these observations Tacitus drawes this conclusion Vnius Imperii corpus Tacitus Annalls 1. unius animo regendum videtur It is necessarie the body of one Empire should bee governed by one head which must not bee barely a Titular head a shadow of power without the weight of it for Lawes well made availe little unlesse they be entrusted to a hand that hath power to exact execution of them Nor doe I observe that these principles of Divinity or Policie doe essentially differ but rather seeme to bee ●he same with the fundamentalls of the Lawes of this Kingdome For sayes Bracton the learned Historian in the Genealogie of our Lawes Bracton fol. 107. u Rex ad hoc creatus est electus ut justitiam faciat universis quia si non esset qui justitiam faceret pax de facili possit exterminari supervacuum esset leges condere justitiam nisi esset qui leges tueretur Potentiâ verò omnes sibi subditos debet praecellere parem autem habere non debet nec multo fortius superiorem maximè in justitia exhibenda ut dicatur veré de eo magnus Dominus noster magna virtus ejus To this end was a King created and chosen that he might doe Iustice to all men because if there were not one to administer Justice peace would soone be rooted out and it were vaine to enact Lawes or talke of Iustice if there were not one to defend the Lawes Who must be one not subordinate to inferiour powers but sayes hee Hee ought to excell all his subjects in power And hee must have no equall much lesse a superiour chiefely in administring Iustice That it may truely bee said of him Great is our Lord our King great is his vertue And hence is it that such Princely jurisdiction superiorities and authority over Ecclesiasticall Causes and persons is annexed to the Imperiall Crown for ever by our Statute Lawes * 1 Eliz. 1. And that in the oath of Supremacie w Oath of Supremacie 1 Eliz. 1. we not onely acknowledge the King to bee the supreame Governour in all Ecclesiasticall things or Causes but are sworne That to our power we shall assist and defend all Iurisdictions Priviledges Preheminences and Authorities united and annexed to the Imperiall Crowne In this Scala Regia this Gradation of Royall Monarchy we can finde nothing incongruous to the faith or liberty of a true Protestant But wee see our selves bound by Oath to acknowledge and support that Regall Government our Statutes have establish'd our Lawes approved Historie represents most happy policy recommends as safest to which all protestant Churches confesse due allegeance All Primitive times yielded full obedience To whose Throne Christ himselfe yields Tribute To whose power he commands submission and reverence To whose jurisdiction is committed the designation of Bishops and Judges whose persons God will have sacred whose Actions unquestionable whose succession he himselfe determines whose Kingdomes hee disposes and whose Election is the All-Makers sole prerogative Now whether these Crownes and Scepters shall be held Jure Divino or not I take not on me to determine but I may be bold to deliver Du-Moulins owne words x Moulins Buckler of Faith fol. 560. Whosoever buildeth the authority of Kings upon mens institutions and not upon the Ordinance of God cutteth off three parts of their authoritie and bereaveth them of that which assureth their Lives and their Crowns more than the guards of their bodies or puissant armie which put terrour into subjects hearts instead of framing them to obedience Then the fidelity of subjects will be firme and sure when it shall be incorporated into piety and esteemed to be a part of Religion and of the service which men owe to God SECT 10. Presbyterie inconsistent with Monarchy IN the government of the State as now it stands there being then so much Harmonie though it may sometimes bee out of Tune

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

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

that every member of the Church hath power to examine the manner of administring the Sacraments To restraine this liberty with them is the Yoake of ●ondage Christs Throne As also to enjoyne a decent forme of outward reverence to accompany the inward devotion of the heart in humbling the body as well as the soule at the reception of the pledge of our salvation in standing up in the profession of our Faith in the Creed or in celebrating the obsequies of such as dye in the Lord Revel 14.15 with thanks for their deliverance and with prayers for the surviving faithfull with the like though the Maxime be unanswerable Non servatur unitas in credendo nisi eadem adsit in colendo And though againe it be unquestioned by all Ancient uncontroverted by most of the late Writers and concluded in one of our Articles l Article 20. That the Church hath power to decree Rites and Ceremonies with which agree all the Reformed Churches m Rog. book of Art 100. Ne una Contradicente And that great light of Germany Melancthon holds them inseparable from the Church judging it a wicked thing n Melanct. par 2. fol. 22. Jmpium quoque est sentire omnes Ceremonias institut as esse ab impijs pontificibus fuerunt nonnulli prudentes sancti viri qui senserunt vulgi ita supinos demissos animos ut nunquam sint dignitatem amplitudinem religionis animadversuri nisi aliqua externa oculis exposita specie remorati detenti c. Habes autem praeclarum locum de Ceremoniarum usu Josuae 22. Ne vestri pueri c. Pro pueris infirmis istiusmodi sunt instituti ritus Ibidem to thinke that all Ceremonies were instituted by bad Bishops recommending to us an excellent place of the use of Ceremonies in Joshua That it may be a witnesse betweene us and you and our Generations after us That your Children may not say to our Children in time to come yee have no part in the Lord For children and the weake were such Ceremonies instituted And although we are required by the Holy Ghost To submit to every Ordinance for the Lords sake 1 Peter 2.13 whether it bee to the King as supreame or to Governours Yet these men teach us new Doctrine that such Ordinances as these though becomming Christian humility and piety derived from Antiquity imposed by Authority and obedience commanded by Holy precept are an o Christ on his Throne fol. 24. fol. 25.27 Syons Plea fol. 91. evacuation of Christs death and so an Apostacy from Christ and suit not with the libertie of the Gospell wherewith Christ hath made them free p Christs Throne fo 25. In which extravagancies such men runne into all the desperate Schismes that formerly rent the Church In their contempt of our Service Rites and Ceremonies being Brownists q Brownists write to have a Lyturgie or form of prayer is to have another Gospell Barrow refut pag. 244. In their false pretended libertie Familists r The Familists say they are a free people in Bondage to no creature H. N. Sperland c. 3. Sec. 6. C. 40. Sec. 7. In their neglect of due calling disdain of learning Anabaptists fanatici homines ſ Olim fanatici homines ut sibi applauderent in sua inscitia iactabant Davidis exemplo spernendas esse omnes Literas Sicut hodie Anabaptistae non alio praetextu se pro spiritualibus venditant nisi quod omnis Scientiae sunt expertes Calvin Comment on the Psalm f. 330. Ps 71.14 Brain-sick men in times past would take example from David to despise all learning as now our Anabaptists who onely hold themselves inspired with gifts because they are ignorant of all Literature These obey none of their pretended Patrons Beza sayes t Consequitur eum abuti Christianae libertatis beneficio qui vel suis Magistratibus vel praepositis suis sponte non paret in Domino Beza Epist ad peregrinarum Ecclesiarum fratres in Anglia he abuses Christian Liberty who submits not freely to the Magistrate And Melancthon holds u Melanct. in 13. Rom. 'T is a mortall sinne to violate the Edicts of the Magistrate w Quod neque contra fidem neque bonos more 's injungitur indifferenter esse habendum pro eorum inter quos vivitur Societate servandum est Augustin Epist 118. ad Ianuarium Cap. 2. St. Austin gives these men good Counsell x That which is neither against Faith nor good Manners is to bee held indifferent and observed for their society with whom you live Zanchie is a little sharper with them x Damnandi sunt Anabaptistae alii qui a veris Christi Ecclesiis se subdueunt Zanchy Tomes fo 692. These Anabaptists saies he and others that withdraw themselves from the Communion of the Church either for the pretended vices of the Minister or other excuses are to bee cut off from the Church But if none of these incline them to the peace of the Church Their pretended great Master Calvin a Calvin Epistola Dom. Protector Epistol fol. 88. hath a sharper Rod for such State-troublers Amplissime Domine audio esse Deo seditionum genera quae adversus regem ac regni statum caput extulerunt Alii enim Cerebrosi quidem videlicet sub Evangelii Nomine passim invectam vellent Alii verò in superstitionibus Antichristi ita obduruerunt ut earum revulsionem ferre non possint Ac merentur quidem tum hi tum illi gladio ultore coerceri quem tibi tradidit Dominus Cum non in regem tantum insurgunt sed in Deum ipsum qui Regem in Regiasede constituit te protectorem instituit tum personae tum etiam Regiae Majestatis SECT 8. They must be free from Civill Miseries BUt all this tends yet but to free their Consciences over which say they No man b Christ on his throne fol. 60. on earth hath power in matters of Religion If so 't were more tollerable But this large Conscience will have the body as free as the minde They must hold their Conventicles intimated by that their meeting c Petition Note 20. View of Prelaticall Church and divers others together to pray for the King and Queen without punishment or false Calumniation This is a gap to let out Law and take in liberty Thus may they infuse what Doctrine contrive what stratagems accumulate what multitudes they please not onely without punishment but without enquirie of the Lawes Nor is this all Freedome of their Consciences and persons is not enough but they must have their purses and estates as free too They tell us they have Civill miseries as well as Ecclesiasticall such as a Their Petition note 11. The payment of Tithes to Parsons or Impropriators which whether due Jure Divino I dispute not but by Civill Common and Statute Law wee know they are The

Let us examine this new found Discipline how consistent with a Protestant Monarchy least by admitting it ex improviso we may shoulder Regem ex solio Religionem ex solo A King out of his Throne and Religion out of the Land 'T is a faire species of piety to cry out for Reformation and too many I feare for this shadow are ready to let goe the substance Never was Gods Church so pure but shee had her spots it will be perfect charitie to wipe them out but it argues none to make them greater In stead of Reforming some so deface deforme her that one would scarce thinke there were Christians in it when for the most part the greatest slanderer proves the greatest Hypocrite If the Intention were unitie the way to preserve it 1 Epphes 4. is by meeknesse of spirit in the band of peace but those that expect any from some of these Disciplinarians delude themselves If wee may believe their owne writings however wee may hope Reformation might qualifie them we shall finde they have no such designe Some tell us plainly the Episcopall Government must not be moderated nor reserved Answ to Lond. petition fol. 33. If the Hierarchy be not removed our desolations are like to be the astonishment of all Nat●●ns Syons plea. fol 5. 160. Christ on his Throne fol 47. Jer. 4.11.12 Syons plea. 196. Syons plea. 185. but presently and wholly taken away The Bishops must be utterly extirpated no lesse than the Romans rooted out the very name of Tarquins for the tyranny they had exercised A wind to fanne or cleanse will not serve the turne but it must bee a full mightie wind to root up and carry away the very foundation of their being It is not lopping nor pruning nor shaving nor paring the nailes of this evill that will serve turne unlesse yee pluck up these stumps of Dagon by the very roots their nayles will grow ranker than ever they did Except this strange fire be removed the Lord must make the consuming fire of his wrath breake out upon us If it live ● 187. the Common-wealth must dye Nay some of them goe so farre as to professe The Church-Ministerie and worship in England are all Antichristian * 8. Propositions printed by an unknowne Author Protest against the Hierarchy as an Antichristian Tyranny Lord Bishops no Bishops 86. from which all Gods people are in dutie and conscience bound to separate themselves by these obloquies seeking as they confesse to stirre up a holy hatred of the Prelates * Syons plea. 196. Epistle to the Reader even to dash their Brains against the stones By such clamours cherishing in the vulgar a discontented Humour which is the common source of Schisme and Heresie thereby the better to broach their new invented Discipline built upon no other Basis but the peoples dislike of Poperie as If the onely rule to draw out the line of our Religion by were to take the direct opposite in all things to that of the Church of Rome * That Religion most pure which hath least conformity with Rome Christ on his throne 23. when we know that such as travell absolutely East and West from one another if they live to it shall meet in the same line they parted whereas parallells continued to any extent doe never interfare The first quarrels of the greatest breaches in the Church have for the most part bin in points of discipline And for all the noise some of these men make of dissention enmity in rites and ceremonies which are but shadows we shall find that in the most essentiall parts of Discipline which concerne the sway of Church and State the subjection of Prince and people to the tyranny of their Discipline they doe not onely shake hands again with Poperie but with the strictest of them the Jesuites clearely sever themselves from the Tenets of the Protestant Church Jesuits Declarat motuum cap. 20. Quodlibets p. 142. both sides laying this for a fundamentall both agree for the utter abrogation of all Episcopall jurisdiction Contrary to the 36. Article of our Religion The Church so subdued see how they sway the Civill State wherein it will bee observed whether the Luke-warme Protestant as they call us or such zealous separatists be likest to give fire to that Popish powder which would blow up in fumum all Kingly Supremacy or Magisteriall Superioritie over the Independent Hierarchie God sayes Thou shalt make him King whom I shall chuse and this rule we admit for Law Some that pretend to be presbyterians tell us x Gilby lib. de Obedientia pag. 25. 105. Populo jus est ut imperium cui velit deferat Buchan de jure Regni pag. 61. In regnis hominum potestas regis est à populo quia populus facit Regem Bellarm. de Concil l●b 2. cap. 19. Kings Princes and Governours have their authoritie of the people and upon occasion they may take it away againe as men may revoke their Proxies and Letters of Atturney The Jesuites come not much short of this for say they In the kingdome of men the power of the King is from the people because the people makes the King To a bad prince God hath said I will rend the kingdome from thee and every true protestant expects the performance not taking the staffe out of Gods hands who sayes y Deuteron 32.35 Romans 12.19 To mee belongeth vengeance and I will repay One of these sayes Goodman pag. 144 145. Evill Princes ought to bee deposed and inferiour Magistrates ought chiefly to doe it With this Bellarmine agrees * Bellarmin lib. 3. de Pont. cap. 7. Talis consensu omnium potest imò debet privari suo dominio Such by the consent of all may nay ought to be deprived and if this was not done in old time it was for want of strength to doe it Salomon sayes Who shall say unto a King What doest thou Goodman tels us Obedience pag 111. Bancroft 36. Judges ought to summon Princes before them for their crimes and to proceed against them as all other offenders Here I find they have outgone the Jesuit David thought no man could stretch forth his hand against the Lords anoynted and be guiltlesse Yet this Disciplinarian sayes Goodman pag. 185. When Magistrates cease to doe their duties God giveth the sword into the peoples hands Nay Obedience pag. 110. a private man having some speciall inward motion may kill a Tyrant In this the Jesuite is too slow paced too hee thinks fit to give him a publike triall first z Tyrannicè gubernans justè acquisito Domino non potest spoliari sine publico judicio Emanuel Sa. Marry sentence given then any man may be the executioner Suarez is more moderate a Si Papa Regem deponit ab illis tantum poterit expelli vel interfici quibus ipse id commiserit Suarez lib 6. cont Iacob Regem cap. 4.

the edicts of the Magistrate But some of these Disciplinarians positions are that o Subjects doe promise obedience that the Magistrate might help them Goodman pag 190. which if hee doe not they are discharged of obedience Barrow Refut pag 169. And that without the Prince the people may reforme and must not tarrie for the Magistrate But where their owne spirits guide them they may become Judges and Executioners themselves laying it for a principle p That if the Magistrates shall refuse to put Massemongers to death k Goodman p. 77 196. the people in seeing it performed doe shew that zeale of God which was commended in Phinees destroying the adulterers and in the Israelites against the Benjamites But in this they have the excuse of zeale in offence and indignation at sinnes against God and negligence in Magistrates In which case some hold that q Knox Appeal fol. 30. Goodman pag. 185. not Kings and Magistrates onely ought to punish crimes against God but the whole body of the people and every member of the same to his abilitie must revenge the injurie done to God The French Reformed Church r Moulins Buckler of Faith f. 535. 39. Art knew none of this Doctrine who in the thirty ninth Article of their Faith declare plainly That they beleeve that God will have the world governed by Lawes and Policies that there may be some restraint of the disordered desires of the world And as be hath established Kingdomes and Common-wealths whether hereditary or otherwise and all that belongeth to the State of Justice and will be knowne to be Author thereof so hath he put the sword into the Magistrates hands to represse sins committed not onely against the second Table of the Commandements of God but also against the first Though Isay their zeale in revenging injuries done to the Majestie of God transport them to share in the execution of Iustice Yet may be they will submit to the Civill Magistrate in the government of the Church and ordination of Rites and Ceremonies in which by the twentieth and thirty seventh Articles of our Religion ſ Rogers Articles f 213. Helvetian Bazill Bohemian Belgique Augustan Saxon. Suevian Confessions the power is committed to those to whom God hath given the superiority to which Doctrine all protestant Churches subscribe as Apostolicall and Orthodoxall ſ Rogers Articles f 213. Helvetian Bazill Bohemian Belgique Augustan Saxon. Suevian Confessions But when wee examine how they conforme we shall finde that in direct opposition to us and other Reformed Churches Some of them say that Civill Magistrates have no power to ordaine Ceremonies pertaining to the Church 1 Tho. Cartwright 1. Reply p. 153. 2 Reply 2. part p. 4. as being no Church Officers at all Viretus Dialogue of white Devills One of them holds That if any Magistrates under the Title of authority and power that God hath given them will make the Ministers of the Church subject to them they doe verily set up a new Pope changing onely his Coat and Masque Indeed they will not allow the Magistrate to be pope but such will bee popes themselves and allow him no more power than the pope did Says Cartwright b T.C. 2. 2. 157. 161. The Prince may call a Councell of the Ministerie and appoynt time and place The very same sayes Saunders c Saunders lib. 2. c. 3. the papist might the Emperours doe of old d Cartwr 2. 2. p. 156. Harding p. 317. 312. The Counsels were not called Imperatoria but Episcopalia The Decrees made there may not be said to be done by the Princes Authority therefore the Canons of the Councells were called the Bishops not the Emperours The same sayes Harding the Emperours did not under-write definientes subscripsimus as the Bishops did but Consentientes e T. C. 2. R. p. 161. Saund. de Monarch l. 2. c. 3. Cartwright allows Princes to be present in Counsells to suppresse tumults The same does Harding allow them ad pacem concordiam retinendam ut nullum fieri tumultum permittant Nay the Magistrate is beholding to Mr. Cartwright f T. C. 2. 2. p. 164. 167. Harding pag 217. 314 to allow that hee may be an Assistant and have his voyce in their meetings and gives this reason for it That oftentimes a simple man and as the proverb saith the Gardner hath spoken to good p●rpose Mr. Harding yet allowes more to the popish Magistrates He sayes Ambassadors of States have honourable seats in all Councells may sit as assistants may give their advices may exhort the Bishops and subscribe with them But Cartwright will allow them no power there neyther to bee Moderator Determiner nor Iudge Nay they not onely have no power but they must bee subordinate to their Presbyters Magistrates u Ecclesiasticall Discipline p. 185. Lear. Discipl pag. 89. as well as other men must submit themselves and be obedient to the just and lawful Authoritie of the Church that is the Presbyterie And Travers w Travers pag 142. speaking of the power of the Lay Elders sayes It is just that Kings and Magistrates must obey them Neither is this Government changeable by the will or power of the Magistrate but 't is held that of necessity x Martin junior Thesis 22. all Christian Magistrates are bound for to receive this government Which sayes Snecanus If any Magistrate hinder let him be freely admonished of his duty If he doe not then submit let him be more exactly instructed that hee may serve God in feare y Bancroft fol. 134. Marry if this way there happen no good successe then let the Ministers of the Church execute their office without lingring and staying so long for a Parliament Which compulsive power in the Church holds me thinks some analogy with that of the Iesuites a Odoard West in Sarct juris Sect. 6. Ecclesia non solum praec●pit dirigit sed coe●cet disponit virtute potestatis gubernativae whose opinion is The Church not onely prescribes and directs but restraines and dispones by vertue of her Gubernative power Which positions are a language unknown amongst Protestants Melancthon tels us b Potest as Ecclesiae suum m●ndacum babet 〈◊〉 Non iri●mpa● in ali●nū officiem non transferat regna mundi Non abroger leges Magistratuum non tollat legitimam obedientiam non impediat Iudicia de ullis civ libus ordinationibus aut contractibus non praescribat leges magist atibus de forma Reipublicae c. Augustan Confession Articulis fidei fol. 46. The Church hath her owne Rules and intrudes not into anothers office disposes no Crownes abrogates not the Lawes of Magistrates extinguishes not lawfull obedience stops not judgement in Civill causes nor prescribes Lawes to Magistrates But these will derive us another authoritie above the Magistrate They tell us a Counterp p. 12. Christ hath translated the Iewes Sanedrim into his Church That