ENGLAND'S PURGINGE FIRE. Containing two Petitions, the one to the Kings most excellent Majesty, the other to the High Court of Parliament held at this time in England. Show in divers particulars, how the Church in England might be ordered, yet more consormably to the will of God reveiled in his word, then at this day it is. Herewithal is declared, the evell and lamentable effects of our unable and negligent Ministers: and the happy fruit of our learned and painful Pastors. A work most needful for these times, as serving to turn away the wrath and judgements of God from this Land, through the removing, (according to the Advertisements herein given) such disorders and evells, as for which the wrath of God may be, and is, kindled against this Land, and the Church therein. IER. 6, 16. Thus faith the Lord, stand in the ways, and behold, and ask of the ancient paths, which is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your Souls. 16●●. ENGLAND'S PURGINGE FIRE. To the Right Honourable, the Lords Spiritual and Temporal of the upper House, with the Knights and Burgesses of the lower house, assembled in the high Court of Parliament. RIGHT HONOURABLE, IT pleased the King's most excellent Mastie, very lately to confess among you, that in the Civil affairs off this Kingdom, he found not things answerable to that face, which our excellent Government would induce any man to have hope of; Might it therefore please this Honourable Assembly, to examine the State of this Land, in Spiritual affairs also, we then the subjects of this happy Kingdom may well have comforteable hope, of your happy success in these as in those. It is truly a great measure of Happiness to this Kingdom: it is also to be acknowledged to our King as a singular Grace off his unto us, that the Gospel of our Lord & Redeemer is freely preached in this Kingdom, Solemn Divine Service maintained, and people pressed to resort on the Sabbaoth to both; but because the prevailing of the Gospel, in the lives and conversations of men is most acceptable to God: and because our people are not answerable herein to the face of that excellent Government which our Church carries, I most humbly pray that I may petition this Court, for an entringe into an examination hereof also. For my part, I having here in this Land drawn my first breath of this mortal life, think myself bound, to employ whatsoever Grace my God hath given me for the Good thereof; therefore I have adventured to expose myself to danger, in moving you to vouchsafe your examination, of the State also of the Church in this Kingdom. This high, (and worthily High) Court, hath here to fore taken care, that God be both solemnly worshipped, and also served in this Land by people's obedience, acknowledging that this is the Means to put away punishments and plagues from this Land: As therefore the Gospel is not sent by God to be heard only by our people, but to be obeyed also, by their ordering their life and conversation thereafter, or otherwise serves unto condemnation, rather than to Salvation, so surely it will turn from us punishments and plagues, and instead of them will bring upon us holy favours and Blessings, if you take care of the people's living as becometh Saints. For the furtheringe whereof, I by a writing adventured many years since to petition his sacred Majesty, declaring therein the particulars wherein I petitioned his Roy all Assistance: If it shall please you (Right Honourable) that I, for discharge of my Conscience, may exhibit unto you the copy (well near) of the same, that so both his sacred Majesty may be put in remembrance thereof, in this so sit a time for this motion: and also you may be occasioned, as you professedly tender, so now also to further, the good of this Church, you shall show to me a Christian favour, and I shall pray for you, that God will second with happy succrss all your pious endeavours. Your Lo pps in all bounden Duty. THOMAS PROCTOR. TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY. TO my heart's joy, and to the joy of all good Christians, have you (my most gracious Lord and King) made known to the world by writing, your knowledge of the office of a Christian King. As where you write, That Christian Kings within their own Dominions, are, to Govern the Church, to command obedience to be given to the word of God, yea and to Reform Religion, according to Gods prescribed will. Which Office, (most mighty, and dread Sovereign) well may you perform: long may you live, well to perform the same, within these your most flourishing kingdoms. imitating herein the good Kings of Israel and judah, whom and whose Actions in governing the Church, your Majestly hath set before Christian Kings and Princes as examples unto them, for their ruling over the Christian Church, within their several Dominions. Which excellent knowledge and religious Care of your Majesties so made evident to the world, put me in good hope that it would not be displeasing unto you, if collecting out of Scripture some of the special Acts of those good Kings of Israel and judah, I thereby took occasion to write unto your Majesty of some things of great importance, wherein the Church of God in England needeth the redress of your powerful hand. Which thing (Dread Sovereign) I have not done, either with any vain conceit, thinking to better by instruction your excellent knowledge: or with any insufferable presumption, in pressing your execution of Royal Duties with more haste than convenience; but only, that I might discharge a Christian Duty, by petitioning your powerful Assistance in some things, wherein your timely help may greatly further the good of the Church of God. Neither truly is there any thing better besittinge your Royal hand, then is the yeildinge succour to the Church of God, in those things wherein she greatly needeth in these times your aid; For, thus to do, is not only the performance of a very special duty of the kingly office, but also, it is an eterniznge of your fame, in the eternal continuance of the Church. How precious a Name, how long during a Fame, have those good Kings of Israel and judah obtained, by whose blessed hands timely assistance was yielded to the Church of God? What marble Monument of theirs like this? What other Act of theirs is comparable to this? Their marble monuments are mouldered: and their other Acts how great and famous so ever, yet make they not their Name and Memorial so blessed, as doth the Record of those things done by them, in ordeninge the Church's Government according to Gods prescribed will. hoping therefore, both of your Majesty's being like minded with these good Kings, and also of your gracious acceptance of this my poor writing, written for the good of this Church of England, I humbly pray, that I may prooceede, first, to collect out of the Scriptures some of the special Acts of the good Kings of Israel and judah concerning this matter of ordering the Church: and secondly, (taking occasion therefrom) to show, wherein, or in what needful particulars, I, (in all humility) crave your Royal Powerful Assistance. I. CHAP. OF David we read, 1. Chron, 24, 3: That he distributed Zadock of the sons of Eleazar, and Ahimilech of the sons of Ithamar, according to their Offices in their Ministration. Again; Of Hezekiah we read, 2. Chron, 31, 2: That he appointed the courses of the Priests and Levits, by their turns, every man according to his office, both Priests and Leuits, for the burnts Offerings and peace Offerings, to Minister, and to give thancks, & to praise, in the gates of the tents of the Lord. Again, we read of the same King, 2. Chron, 24, 25: That he appointed also the Levits in the house of the Lord, with Cymbals, with Viols, and with Harps, according to the commandment of David, and Gad the King's Secr, and Nathan the Prophet: for the commandment (noteth this Scripture) was by the Hand of the Lord, and by the hand of his Prophets. Hence we have evidence, that the King's Office streatcheth, to order the Ecclesiastical Ministers & Ministrations, according to the Ordinance or Commandment of God; therefore Kings are Gods Ministers, to see that such Ecclesiastical Officers & Offices as God ordained in the Church, be found in the Church of God within their several Dominions. But how cann Kings under the Christianity do this, if they have not power over those, in whom is the power of ordaining Ecclesiastical Ministers, constreyninge them (if need be) to ordain such Ministers as need? For Ministers must first be, before they can be distributed to the several Offices; neither can our Kings distribute Ministers to the several Offices, if they have not power over those by whom ecclesiastical Ordination is conveyed. Under the Law, Ministers were propagated by Generatiö; under the Gospel they are propagated by Ordination; therefore where Ministers want to be distributed to due Offices, the King is God's Minister to constrain (if need be) the Minister who hath power of Ordination, to ordain Ministers for needful offices. Such ecclesiastical Ministers therefore, as God by his word preserved in Scripture, gives us light & warrant for that they ought to be in the Church, we may petition your Majesty that they be ordained and distributed to their appointed Offices, if our Clergy in whom is the power of Ordination be herein negligent. True it is, that this Church hath been very happy, in its preserving in the Reformation, Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons: and we of these times are herein likewise happy, that such are continued in this Church with your Majesty's gracious allowance; therefore I am not in this Chapter to petition for the ordaining of such Ministers. That which I petition your Majesty for in this Chapter is: 1. That such ecclesiastical Officers as are wanting in our Church, may be ordained in this Church. 2. That Pavishes, Bishopdomes, and Arch Bishopdomes, may be conveniently bounded. 3. That you continue to free this Church, from all foreign and unlaw full ecclesiastical usurpations & Powers. THose ecclesiastical Officers which I account to want unto our Church, are, Lay Elders or Governors in every Parish Church, who, with, though under the Clergy in that Church, should Govern the Church in that Parish. But because these are not only not as yet admitted in this Church, but also are by our Clergy comtemptuously written of, and spoken against, therefore I humbly pray, that I may, first, show by the word of God in Scripture, that God Orderned such in the Church: and secondly, that I may answer some questions which may be moved concerning such. The Apostle S. Paul, 1. Cor. 12, 28, saith thus: And God hath ordained some in the Church, as first Apostles, secondly Prophets, thirdly Teachers, then them that do Miracles: after that, the gifts of healing, Helpers, Governors, diversity of tongues. From which Scripture appears, that by God's Ordinance there were in those time Governors in the Church, which both were inferior to Teachers, and also were not Teachers. That they were to be inferior to Teachers appears, in that they are ranked in order far under Teachers: for as Teachers here ranked under Apostles in Order, were doubtless inferior to Apostles, so these Governors thus ranked under Teachers in Order, were inferior to Teachers. And that they were not Teachers may appear, in that, verse, 29, the Apostle saith: Are all Apostles? are all Prophets? are all Teachers? for this manner interrogation of the Apostles proves, that as all Teachers were not Apostles, so those named after Teachers were not Teachers. And indeed why saith the Apostle, are all Teachers? if it miply not, that those which follow Teachers were not to be Teachers? I conclude therefore from this Scripture, that it was Gods own Ordinance, that there should be in the Church a sort of Governors besides Teachers, and which might not be Teachers. To this we may add yet a further evidence for this, which we have by another portion of Scripture, as, 1. Tim. 5, 17, where we thus read: The Elders that Rule well, are worthy of double Honour: specially they that labour in the word and Doctrine. Where, the Apostle not proceeding from teaching to labouring in teaching, but from ruling to labouring in the word, this argues undeniably, that some for ruling well only, were worthy of double Honour, For when the Apostle saith, The Elders that Rule well are worthy of double Honour, who cann deny double honour to these if they only Ruled well, and Taught not at all? Therefore I cannot but conclude, that in those times there were Governors in the Church, who for ruling well only, though they laboured not in the word, were worthy of double Honor. And indeed if here we should take the construction which some make of this speech, where they say, that here the Apostle means that all these Elders are Teachers, and that he specially commends some of them for labouring, or taking more pains in the word than others took than it would follow first, that not for Ruling well only some were to have double Honour, (which thing is directly against this Scripture): secondly that some Teachers were worthy of double honour for ruling well only, though they Taught not at all; but this were an error not to be conceived in the Apostle, seeing not to Teach but only Rule, is in a Teacher or Preacher of the Gospel, such a Neglect of a very special Duty, as that such Teacher is worthy rather of Reproof and Punishment then of double Honour. Moreover, if the Apostle would have us understand, that some Teachers are worthy of double Honour for ruling well, but specially such as labour more painfully in teaching, than it had benefit he should have said: Those Elders that teach and Rule well, are worthy of double Honour: specially they that labour in the word more than others: for verily, it is an unfit skippinge from ruling, to a degree of Comparison in teaching last, seeing preaching is a labour, the Apostle might well say, specially they that labour and yet without making use of any comparison between them and other Teachers; neither indeed cann it be said, that any one that Teacheth at all, laboureth not in the word and Doctrine. These things considered, we have good warrant from this Scripture to collect and affirm: That in as much as none may deny but that by this speech, some were to have double Honour though they Ruled well only: And in as much as no Teacher but deservs reproof if he Rule well only and Teach not; Therefore here is an evidence, That the Christian Church was to have in it Elders, who were not to be Teachers but Rulers only. This evidence from sacred Scripture for such Governors considered, how cann any safely oppose the work of one of the special Angels of the Reformation, even Calvin, in his restoring such to the Church of God? Doubtless a special Act of a special Angel of the Reformation, is no small bond unto the rest of the Churches Reform, specially when it hath this Light from Scripture, of the correspondence thereof to the Ordinance of God, in the first and Apostolically planted Churches. Thus having proved, that Governors who were not Teachers, were yet ordained by God to be in the Church, I now pray that I may proceed, to answer certain questions, which may by some be moved concerning such Governors. Some may say: If these were then in the Church, yet, is there any necessity that such should be now also in our Church? I answer, Though all Officers and Offices which we found by Scripture to have been in the Church, be not necessarily to be now also in our times in the Church, (for we read of Apostles, Prophets to foretell things, also of workers of Miracles, Speakers of Tongues, Interpreters of Tongues, &c: all which being by extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit, the Gift failing, the Office and Officer faileth also) yet, such Offices as might be executed without such extradinary Gifts, were to be continued in the Church. And indeed why have we Arch-Bishops, Bishops, Priests, and Deacons, if not because such were ordained in the first plantation of the Church, and might be continued by Ordination without any Need of any extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit? As therefore we are necessarily to follow the example of God's Ordinance in the beginning for these, so the same example is a bond, for the Churches having in it also such Governors as now I write of. To conclude, as in the Reformation we retain such Clergy and Offices, as which have some evidence in holy Scripture to be planted by God's Ordinance in the Church in the first times, so this evidence in Scripture for Governors who are not to be Teachers, aught to be a bond to the Church, to restore this Ordinance of God to the Church in the Reformation made. For seeing we follow not Tradition without some evidence in Scripture for other Offices of our Clergy, we ought not to follow the corruption and neglect of Tradition, against the Scriptures light yielded us for such Governors as now I write. Let us not therefore kick against God's Ordinance: Let us not despise it as a needless thing: Let us not bring down visitations upon us for such neglect: Let us not say all is already well Reform, when yet such Governors are not in our Church; but rather let us meekly bear the yoke of this Ordinance of God also, that so our people and Congregations may hereby be the more Christianly Governed. Cann we think that the Neglect of such an Ordinance of God, will not breed a defect in the well governing of the Church? Doubtless, as all the Ordinances of God rended to the furtherance of the gospels out spreading, and well governing them converted by the Gospel, so where so speacial an Ordinance is omitted, as is this of planting Governors who are not Teachers, there, both the Gospel will the less prevail, and the people also will be the more negligent, to bring fourth the fruits thereof in their life and conversation. Do but look upon the difference of people, and effect of the Gospel, where such Governors are, and where they are not restored, and by the evidence which experience yields, be moved to acknowledge the Benefit of restoring this Ordinance of the Lords. Again some may say: How have these failed all this time? To this also I answer, It is indeed uncertain how; but yet, seeing we found by the word of God that by God's Ordinance such were planted in the Church, we have good cause to Believe, that by some corruption of Tradition they failed. For my part, I conceive, That soon after the Apostles times, the Church converted all Church Officers into Clergy, and by making all Clergy, the use of Lay Governors falled. Moreover, the converting them into Clergy, might occasion that they were not found in after time in every Church, because of the insupportable burden of every Church or Congregations maintaining of its Charge many Persons. Again some may say: Are they then to be Lay Men? I answer, yes; for if God exempt not any as for his Clergy from labouring for their own Means, but such as Preach the Gospel, none who are not Preachers of the Gospel are may be accounted Clergy; But these (as before I have proved) were not to be Teachers or Preachers of the Gospel, therefore they were not to be of the Clergy, but of the Laiety. And that none but those who Preach the Gospel, exempted as God's Clergy from labour, may appear by that which the Apostle, 1. Cor. 9, 14 saith, in these words: So also hath the Lord Ordained, that they which Preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel. And verse, 6, he saith: Or I only and Barnabas, have not we power not to work? who feedeth a flock, and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Where we see, that it is the Ministration of the Gospel, that conferrs upon any this Privilege, that he is not to work for his living, but is to be maintained of the Charge of God's People. Now Clergy is as much as God's Lot, set apart to be maintained of the Charge of God's people, for the Service they do to God for others; therefore none but such may be accounted God's Clergy. Moreover, if the Apostle argue for this Privilege from any one's Preaching the Gospel, how shall we warrantably ease our selus, of that rabble of Popish Clergy, which by corruption of Tradition Popery would thrust upon us if we understand not the Apostle here, that only they who feed the flock by Preaching, are to be accounted for Clergy? If it be now objected, that Deacons are Clergy, and yet Deacons Preach not until they be licenced, than I answer, That Deacons may be restrained, not for that they may not Preach by right, but for that they should first be tried and proved, least being young Students they preach evil Doctrine through ignorance. And indeed we finding in Scripture, that Deacons remaining Deacons were Preachers, Acts, 6, 8, and, 8, 5, we may well say that Deacons as Deacons have right to Preach. But here we found Governors who are not to be Teachers; therefore these cannot claim the Privilege of Clergy as may Deacons. I conclude therefore, that seeing God's Clergy is as his Lot to be maintained at the Charge of his People: and seeing the Apostle claims this for preaching the word, therefore these Governors not being to be Teachers, have no right to be of the Clergy, but are to be Lay Elders. Again, some may say: But must such be in every Parish Church? I answer, yes: For Acts 14, 23. we read thus: And when they had ordained them Elders by Election in every Church, they commended them to the Lord in whom they Believed; if then in every Church there were ordained a plurality of Elders, safest it is to have many Elders in every Church. Moreover, seeing here it is said that Elders (implying many) were ordained in every Church: and seeing we have before proved, that in those times there were in the Church, Elders who only Ruled, and taught not: and seeing it is not likely that the Apostle, would so soon Charge every Church with many Clergy; therefore most likely it is, that these Elders were many, being part Clergy for ruling and teaching, part Lay Elders serving so, Rule only. And indeed, seeing the Apostle commended the Churches to the Lord, it argues, that he had furnished them with such Elders, as in those times were ordained by God to be in the Church; but I have before proved, that God ordained Governors who were not Teachers, aswell as Teachers who also Governed; therefore we may not think, that the Apostle left these Churches defective in either of these. Furthermore, seeing every Congregation is necessarily to have a Teaching Elder, (for, should a flock be without a shepherd) every Congregation is likewise to have such Ecclesiastical Officers as are under Teachers; for though every Congregation be not to have those Offices above Teachers, and which are set over Teachers, such as are Bishops, and Arch-Bishops, yet, such Offices as are under Teachers every Congregation is necessarily to have. To conclude, seeing a Parish Church cannot be denied to be a church, therefore necessarily it ought to have in it, as Elders to Teach, so Elders to Rule only: for the defect in either of these, would surely produce a defect in the governing of the same. For this cause we may not content our selus with our Civil Lawyers only, seeing they are not in every Church, but only in the whole church of a Bishopdome, and in the Bishop's court only. Neither may we take our Church wardens and Side Men for these Governors, seeing they have not Power of judgement and Punishment; whereas Government is lame of one hand if it have not this Power. Surely therefore, according to God's Ordinance, every church which hath any Elders in it, is to have a Government by Elders, but governing implies power of judging and punishing, therefore every church is to have this power in it, as it will not be defective in its Government. Verily, if we look upon our people in England, observing their life and conversation in every Parish, we may well say that here wants the Government in overy Parrish which here we see the Lord ordained For, our people for the most part, contenting themselves to come to church only, and satisfy the Law by hearing Divine Service and the word Preached, never make conscience of living also thereafter, and this for want of feeling near them the Power of this Parishional Government. For whilst at home in their Parish they may use unchristian Liberty in their actions and Talks, so long as they keep themselves from so offending, as that the Law takes hold of them, our people are marvelous careless of observing in their speech, the holy restreinte of the Gospel. But if they saw near them in their own Parish, a Teacher, and a Deacon, for Clergy, and some of their Neighbours of the Laiety, having Power to call the disorderly to accounts, and to Punish them who live not as the Gospel requires, then, what with the neereness of the observing eyes of these Governors, and what with the sense of their power to judge & Punish them, if they observe not the Gospel in their life and Conversation, a holy Awe would fall upon God's people in every Parish, causing an abstaining from unseemly Acts and Conversation. And this much the rather, because these Governors' dwelling here and there among them, they are near in every quarter of the Parish, to have knowledge of such as make no conscience to live and converse as beseemeth Christians. Therefore aswell for the utility to God's people, which would arise by the having in every Parish, divers of the Ancient, godly, and honest of the Laiety, to Govern in the Parish, as for this evidence from Scripture, that such were ordained in every Church, we should be moved to receive willingly, the ordaining of such in every Parish Church. If it be objected, that here every City, not every Church is meant, than I answer, That in those times it is likely, that some Cities had but one Congregation, and being so, then to say of them, every City, or every Church, is to one effect; neither truly is it likely, that so soon every City afforded many Churches. Moreover, seeing it was Churches, not Cities, that were to be thus ordered, we are rather to understand every Church, than every City for these reasons I conclude, that it is safest and most profitable, that every Parrish-Church have ordained in it, Lay Elders to Govern only, aswell as Clergy Elders, who both are to Teach and Govern. If it be said, that every Parrish-Church having Clergy Elders, as, a Teacher or Pastor, and a Deacon, than thus Scripture makes nothing for Lay Elders, then to this I answer, That seeing there is evidence, that in those times there were Elders which Ruled and Taught, and Elders which Ruled only and taught not, therefore fittest it is, that here we understand not a plurality of Clergy Elders only, but rather part Clergy part Laiety. Again, some may say, How many must they be in Number? I answer, seeing we read of Elders ordained, without reading also any set Number, therefore the Church is not bound to observe any set or certain Number. As the Parish therefore is more or less in circuit of ground or quantety of people, so these Governors may be more or sewer: for where a Parish is narrow of bounds, though it contain much people, yet three or four of these Governors may serve, seeing they are near in neighbourhood to every one of the Parish; whereas where the Parish is large of circuit, there it is needful that they be seven or eight, to the end that their dwelling may be here and there, to be near to those of the Parish in every quarter to observe them. Again, some may say, What is their Office? I answer, seeing they are called Governors and Rulers, and yet inferior to Teachers, it implies, that they, with, though under the Clergy of a Parish, should Govern the people of the Parish. And seeing Government is lame, where Power of judging & punishing is wanting, therefore, (as we would not conceive the Lord to give a Lame Ordinance to his Church) we are to Believe, that these Governors should assist the Clergy, in judging and punishing with ecclesiastical Punishments, such in the Parish, as observe not the Gospel in their life and conversation. If here it be objected, that then I make them: Ministers of the same Power in binding and loosing, as the Lord committed to the Clergy only; I answer, No; for there is difference betwixt binding and loosing the sin its self, and inflicting or releasing of Punishments: there is difference between binding a Man in his sin, or loosing him from it, and punishing a Man with ecclesiastical Punishments for offences, or releasing him from the the same. And indeed, the word is, john, 20, 23: Whosoevers sins ye remit, whosoevers sins ye retain; not whatsoever Punishment you inflict or remit; therefore in the first of these the Clergy only have Power, but in the second, the mixed Elders of the Church, aswell the Lay as Clergy Elders have Power. When the incestuous Corinthian was to be excommunicated, the Apostle commits this to a plurality rather than to any one, 1. Cor. 5, 13: Put away their fore from among your selus that wicked Man; And in the remission or Absolution he doth the like, 2. Cor. 2, 7: Ye ought rather to forgive him. To conclude then, These Lay Governors Office is, to join with the Clergy of the Parish in observing those of the Parish, whither they live and converse as beseemeth Saints, and where any are faulty, there to judge of the crime, & to proceed against them as the cause requireth. If these Governors offend in their Government, whither by Negligence, or by untymely Severity, or disorderly proceed, they have over them the Bishop & Archbishop, who are to call them to Account, and to punish them also for any evell administration of their office; therefore also so much the rather such Governors may be admitted in every Church and Kingdom, and not opposed as in these times, as for a dangerous rabble of rude and turbulent Busy-Bodies. Neither indeed may any be suffered to Rule contrary to the Gospel, who have their office by the Gospel, therefore if Pastors and Bishops must be, 2. Tim. 2, 24, gentle towards all Men, suffering the evell Men patiently, proving if God at any time will give them repentance, that they may come to amendment, how much more should these inferior Governors be like minded? For if Government and justice be not hindered by this lenity in Pastors and Bishops, why should this prejudice the same, if these Governors do likewise? And if Timothy must not receive an Accusation against an Elder, but under two or three witnesses, I. Tim. 5, 19, much less must these inferior Governors, hand over head trouble Men, upon every report they hear, or suspicion they have. And if the Elders of the Church be so to be respected, are not the Elders of the Kingdom, even Princes and Magistrates to be likewise so respected? As God tendereth the Elders of the Church, that every report, or every little evidence of evell, shall not be presently taken hold of to their disgrace, so we may well think that even such his will is also, concerning the Civil Magistrates of the Kingdom; therefore the Governors of the Church ought to be slow in meddling with such. S. Peter also, 1. Pet 5, 3, chargeth the Elders Church, that not as though they were Lords over God's heritage, they should Govern the same. Whilst this bridle therefore is put into the mouths of these Governors, and this also by the Ordinance of God, these Governors need not so to be opposed as some would have it, under pretence that they would prove in the Kingdom, a sort of ignorant Men, puffed up by this Power and Authority, and troublers of men upon every the least occasion. True it is, that we must understand, that as the Kingdom, so the Church, may not so pervert justice, as not to lay hold on them that sin openly; therefore where there is an open sinning these may not be timorous, under colour of suffering the evell men patiently. Yea, I say more, when it is heard certainly abroad, (as was that 1. Cor. 5, 1.) that such or such a Man is a drunkard, a whore master, fornicator, Adulterer, extortioner, Railer, filthy speaker, or the like, such fame or report must not be neglected, but rather must occasion a watching over such, and when dut Accusation shall seconde the Report, then may they no neglect to proceed against such. To this I may add as a part of their care and Government, that they see the Church decently kept, and the Congregation ordered in fit manner, aswell for order in sitting, as for performance of such Ceremonies as serve to express Reverence at Divine Service. In a word, they are to see that Men live and converse, as the ordinance of the Gospel, together with the Church's Canons (not dissonant from the gospels ordinances) require. Surely the Benefit of such Lay Governors in every Congregation would be great; for by their Elderly Gravity of years, and Authority which such kind of Eldershipp only carries with it: & by the plurality of their Number, and their dwelling in several parts of the Parish, not only an Awe of them would fall upon them of that Congregation, but also a certainty of crimes would the sooner be attained, so that men could hardly live long disorderly, but they would be known so to do to some or other of these Governors. Moreover, by such Governors our people would be bettered, and the Church's State and Majesty would be increased; for our people seeing that the Ancient among them, have Authority even by God's Ordinance, to observe, Govern, judge, & punish them, they will be the more careful to live & converse as beseemeth Christians: And the church having the Ancient of the Laiety in every Congregatiö, joined with the Clergy in the Government of the church, & serving as Governors inferior to the Clergy, the State & Authority of the church would greatly be augmented To conclude then, if God sent out the Gospel accompanied with this kind of goveruours also, (which thing I have before proved from the Scriptures) cann we expect any other then detriment, yea & punishment, if we deny to admit such governor's; Shall not our Land and Kingdom suffer visitations, for the Neglect and opposing of so holy and necessary an Ordinance of God? Shall the Gospel be admitted, and its Government kept out? or cann we expect profit by the Gospel if thus we do? For doubless judgements accompany the Gospel, where the Government ordained to accompany it will not be admitted. For the avoiding of God's judgements therefore, and for the bettering of our people, yea for the augmentation of the State and Majesty of our Church of England, let these Lay Elders be admitted, into the Ecclesiastical Rule and Government. To this I may add, that as common experience shows, the putting Offices of Power and government into men's hands, maketh them grow in kuowledge of the Laws, and careful of their Manners, so surely the putting this Ecclesiastical Power and government into the Elders of the Laiety, would both occasion their search more diligently into the word of God, thereby to increase their knowledge of the Divine will, and also their careful taking heed unto their Manners, that they give not offence to them whom they are to govern. Yea the younger Men also in every Parish, seeing the Credit & honour of such place of government, would study the Scriptures, and take care of their Manners, that so they may attain a fame or good report for their honesty and Piety, so to be the fit to be employed in such Office of government as their turns may come. Lastly, some may say, Must these being once employed in this Office, ever remain in this Office, and not be employed in other Offices of the Kingdom? I answer, first, that there is great difference between the Ministration of the word, and the Ministration of government only; the first is not to be left off; the second may without offence: For the word of God hath laid no such bond on this as on that. Secondly, seeing it would be an insufferable mischief unto kingdoms, if many of the Elders thereof in every Parish, should be wholly exempted from its employment in Offices needful thereunto, therefore we may not conceive, that the Lord would send such a Government ecclesiastical into them, as which should bring with it such an inconvenience and mischief. I conclude therefore, that these Lay Governors are not bound by the Lord, to continue ever in their Office, but now may serve in the government of the Church, and another time not. Thus have I (Dread Sovereign) been the more prolix in my writing of these, because this our Church of England doth hitherto rather oppose then admit of such; but now having shown from the word of God, that of God's Ordinance such a kind of Governors or Rulers are to be in the Church; I humbly petition your Majesty, that you command our Clergy in whom is the Power to confert ecclesiastical Powers and Offices, that they exercise their Power herein, ordaining some of the ancient and godly of the Laiety, to this Power and Authority in every of our Parish Churches. So shall you surely do a work, acceptable to God, beneficial to the Church, and worthy of that great Name which you have raised to yourself in the Churches of God. Suffer therefore patiently I humbly pray you, this my petition for the admission of these kind of Ecclesiastical Governors, that so the Officers ecclesiastical ordained by God, may be wholly found in this our Church of England. I grant that many other Offices may be ordained in the Church, as the Change of times, increase of Magnificence of God's Divine Service, and other like things may occasion; but these before written of are such as may not be omitted, because they have evidence from the word of God, to by the Ordinance of God Apostolically delivered; therefore also the Clergy in whom is the power of Ordination, are of duty bound to renew this Ordinance of the Lords in the Church. But having written thus of these ecclesiastical governor's. I proceed to write of extentions also of ecclesiastical jurisdictions. 2. PETITION: That Parishes, Bishopdomes, and Arch-Bishopdomes, may be conveniently bounded. SOme of our Parishes are so small, and withal contain in them so few people, that neither the Congregation beareth a State befitting a Church, nor yet cann a convenient Means or Revenewe be raised therefrom for a Pastor and Deacon his assistant; And on the contrary, some other Parishes retaining their very ancient bounds, contain now (by Gods multiplying the people in that place) so many People, that all cannot at one time conveniently assemble in the church. I therefore petition, that the smaller be made larger, and those which are too large may be divided, that so neither God's Ministers be discouraged, by the smaleness of Revenewe or Means of life, nor God's people dishartened from coming to Church, through want of convenient place, when they come there. Some Parishes also abound with strangers, who are but lodgers for a time, yet in such places provision were good to be made, that such may have convenient place in the church, lest else it occasion in them, either a wandering from the Parish, or a Neglect to resort to any Church at all. It hath in all ages been seen, that Change of condition of things, hath caused change of former ordering of things; for it is no disorder to change the ancient disposure of things, when to retain the same brings with it great disorder and detriment. Moreover, though Changes carry with them diffently of performance, yet experience hath declared, that when the Magistrates authority concurreth with the occasion, all difficultyes have readily been overcome, by the people's voluntary tending their own Benefit, and the Benefit of other. Populous Congregations are surely most meet, both because a convenient Means may be better be raised for a Teacher or Pastor, and a Deacon his assistant; and also a plurality of grave and godly Men may be chosen by turns, to serve in that Parish for Governors, according to that which I have written above; if therefore such a multitude be appointed, as which being close seated together, & disposed in galleries, the voice of a Preacher may well be heard of them, then judge I the Congregation to be duly proportioned. And indeed want of disposing the room of the church, as best may fit to contain a great multitude, and this also within hearing the voice of a Teacher, causeth that far fewer assemble convenlently then were meet; for it is but vain there to resort, where though the church have room enough, yet use cannot be made of it for hearing the Preacher. True it is that men's voices are divers, neither cann all volces answer to the serled disposure; but yet if respect be had to the ordinary voice of Man, and the Room fitted according thereto, fitter it is that the defect of voice be supplied by some help, then that the disposure of place for audience be changed. Such Pastors therefore as have low voices, may do well to supply that defect with oftener preaching, that so at one time some, at another time others of the Parish may conveniently hear them. These things I writ of our Parrishes in populous Cities, where the neereness of dwelling, and multitude of strangers lodged, causeth a very great Congregation in a small quantity of ground; but in the Country, where in a very large circuit of ground are but few inhabitants, the profit of the people rather than State of a Congregation is to be tendered, leastby too long leangth and difficulty of way, people be disheartened from resorting to Church. Surely the former disposure of these things in this Land was very good, according to the times, and we in these times need the less alteration, save where the Parish is too small to yield a convenient Revenewe, or else too great to assemble within hearing of a Preacher. Thus having written of our Parrish-boundes, I pray that I may write also of the bowdes of our Bishoprics and Arch bishoprics. If Arch-Bishhopps succeed in the Office of Timothy & Titus, meet it is that they execute in the Church that Office; therefore the bounds of their Charge should be such, as wherein conveniently that weighty Charge may be executed by them. And indeed it is fit to respect rather, the Profit of the due execution of the Charge, than the Pontificality of the Bishop; though both are to be tendered, yet the former rather than the latter. Now, that Arch-Bishopps propperly, rather than Bishops, succeed in the Office of Timothy and Titus, I gather from this evidence: First, because Titus had entrusted unto him by the Apostle, the Charge and Care of divers Cities and their Churches, Titus, 1.5: Secondly, because the Scripture shows by many particulars, that the Office of Titus, and the Office of Timothy was one and the same; but the Office being the same, the extension of the Charge over divers Cities may also be the same: Thirdly, because the ancient Fathers with one voice, did ever account of the Offices of Timothy and Titus to be a like: Lastly, because the ancient Christian Church, allowed of the Charge of one over divers Cities and their Churches and Officers, as an Ordinance Apostolically delivered to the church: and in ancient time such were called Arch-Bishopps; which also was a Name very anciently given even to the Bishop of Rome himself. These thiugs considered I conclude, that in as much as now, and in the most ancient times, Arch-Bishops have and had the Charge of the Churches in divers Cities, therefore they propperly succeed in the Office of Timothy and Titus: For surely City-Bishops never had the Charge of divers cities, but only of one city, and some circuit of ground there, about at most. This therefore I now petition your sacred Majesty for, that in England, the Office or Charge of Timothy and Titus, be required of our Arch-Bishops to be executed by them in this Church: and that the bounds of their jurisdiction be so limited, that conveniently they may execute that Charge. And for the Charge, I rather have an eye to that which I found in the Epistles of Timothy and Titus, then to the Canons of the Church in after time: for the first I am sure are necessary duties, for which the Officer is answerable to God; whereas the latter are not of like Nature, save only that they may be wholesome Ordinances, so far fourth as they are accordant to the evidence of sacred Scripture. The charge which we found given to Timothy and Titus, is a Charge to see all of all sorts to live according to the Gospel, and observe the Ordinances of God given to the Church by the Apostles; therefore his Charge streatcheth to private Christians, to see that they live as the Gospel requires, and also to all Officers of the Church, to see that they be chosen such as are appointed, & perform their Offices righty in the Church. Which great Charge that it may the better be effected, the Apostle entrusted him with Power, to command things that are right, and to receive Accusations against them that do evil, and to silence Teachers of evell things, and reject heretics, 1. Tim, 4, 12. 1, Tim, 5, 14. Titus, 1, 11. Titus, 3, 12. Many particulars are set down in those two Epistles, which I will obbreviate as I may in this manner: in the first Epistle to Timothy, The place of abode is assigned, Chap. 1, 3: He hath the Charge of other Teachers, that they teach none other Doctrine than they ought, Chap. 1, 4: That heed be not given to things that breed questions, and brawlings, rather than godly edifying, Chap. 1, 4: That there be an Order of Divine-worship, or Service, chap 2, 1, That women be silent in the Church, Chap. 2, 12: That Bishops be such and such, and do so and so, chap. 3, 1: That Deacons likewise be such and such, and do so and so, chap. 3, 8: That he put all in remembrance of Apostolical Doctrynes, chap. 4, 6: That the Church be not unnecessarily burdened with Charge, chap. 5, 16: That he rebuke them openly that sin, chap. 5, 20: That he have care of laying on of hands, chap, 5, 22: That Elders who Rule well be honoured, chap, 5, 17: That the Elders who not only Rule, but Teach also, be both honoured and maintained, chap. 5, 18: In the second Epistle, He is warned against those who havinge-itchinge ears, will get them Teachers after their own lusts, chap. 4, 3: That he must do the work of an Evangelist, chap. 4, 5. In the Epistle to Titus: That be redress things, Chap. 1, 5: That he ordain Elders, chap. 1, 3: That he silence Teachers of evell things, chap, 1, 10: That obedience be yielded to Principalities and Powers, chap. 3, 1: That foolish questions, contentions, and brawlings be stayed, chap. 3, 4: That Heretics be rejected, chap. 3, 10. Many other are the particulars of this Officers Charge, as to see that Servants behave themselves as they ought towards their Masters, Titus, 2, 9: That Elder Men and Women be so and so, and the younger Men and Women likewise: and other like; besides his own private Ministration of the Gospel. Now therefore, if the particulars whereto this Officers Office streatcheth, be duly considered, let any judge, if our Arch-Bishopps bounds in England be convenient for the due execution. For to what end hath a man charge of these particulars, if both he be not conveniently near to visit places, and see to the observation of these things, and also that Accusations against disobedience be not conveniently to be made unto him? If one Archbishop should be set over all England, were it sufficient? could he conveniently execute this Charge in the church? neither truly cann two; therefore Arch-Bishops should be multiplied, that so the Land may have so many, as well may serve for the due execution of this high Charge. True it is, that Crete is an isle of great circuit of ground, and contained in old time many more cities then in these times it doth; but respect is tobe had unto the times; for difference is to be put between times, when but few in a Land are converted to the Christian faith, and when all the people of a Land are converted. When few are converted, the Congregations or churches are the fewer, and consequently the Charge is the less, and the better to be executed, but when all are converted, then, as necessarily the Churches are multiplied so also is though Charge increased, and consequently the duties of the Office are made the more disticult to be executed in all. Neither is it probable, nor is it likely, that in the time of Titus, all the people in that isle of Crete were converted to the faith; but if they were not, then to retain in the Successors hands the same extent of ground as had Titus, were to commit to the less able Successor, a greater charge of Churches than the Apostle entrusted to Titus: which thing cannot be done, without great prejudice to the Christian church. As Parishes therefore are to be multiplled, and one to be made two or three, after the people grow too many for one Congregation, so ancient Arch-Bishoppdomes bounds should be lessened, and one divided into three or four, when the People make too many Churches to be entrusted unto one Archbishopp. I most humbly pray your Majesty therefore, that the particulars of the Office be duly considered, and then that the bounds of our archiepiscopal lurisdictions may be fitted thereunto. Doubtless if our Arch-Bishops took care as they ought of the particulars of this Charge, they would soon make a holy People in this Land, by reason of their near eye to observe the several Churches, and their receavinge Accusations when need requireth. And truly the Arch-Bishops Court should not be ordained so much, for some particulars tending to the Rule over other Bishopdomes, as it should be for the correcting of disobediences in all these particulars, when neither in the Parishional, nor in the Episcopal Court and Government order is taken in the same: For the archiepiscopal Charge is no less, to see Evangelicall Ordinances observed in the Manners of every particular Christian, then to see that Pastors and Bishops, & other ecclesiastical Officers, execute their Ministrations rightly. I grant, that Parishional, and over them Episcopal Goverments, greatly ease the Archbishop, and because of them his Charge may be very large, comprisinge divers Bishopdomes; but yet with this caution, that he may conveniently visit every part, and also from all parts Accusasations may conveniently be made unto him; when there is any fail in the Parishional and Episcopal Government. Neither truly ought Arch-Bishopdoms to be extended out as kingdoms: For kingdoms are in larged or restrained as their Power cann extend its self, which also is ordered by God himself, he letting lose and restreyninge the Powers as he will; whereas Arch Bishopdoms ought to be fitted to the execution of the Charge of the Office. Thus have I (Dread Sovereign) been the longer in my writing of Arch-Bishopps, because of the necessary consequence, that if they be made less, than Bishopdomes also should not be too large, because divers of them are to be comprised in one Arch Bisho-dome. For Bishopdomes' therefore I in brief prey, that in our England they may be more, that so they not comprisinge over many Patishes, the Bishop may conveniently visit the particular Parishes, and Accusations conveniently be made out of all Parishes which fail in Government, unto him. The Bishop differeth from the Archbishop cheisely in this, that his Charge streatcheth not over other City Bishops, but only over Bishops or Pastors and other Clergy of particular Congregations. As for other differences which the Canons of the Church have put, they are necessary as the times require only: For the Church's Ordinances have ever been dispensed with, in cases of Necessity when they could not be observed, and when there is no more needful use of the same; but this difference which here I put, seems to be a Divine Ordinance, in as much as Titus was set over divers Cities and the churches therein, & consequently over all ecclesiastical Officers which necessarily are in them. But then if the Arch-Bishopps Charge streacheth to Man and Wife, Parents and Children, Masters and Servants, seeing to it that they in their Manners one toward another, observe the commandments of the Gospel, should not the Bishop's Office within his particular limits stretch to the same? Therefore I humbly pray, that our Bishop's Office be not streigtned unto some few particulars, but that it be enlarged to see even to all these things also, as the most weighty particulars of his Charge. Which thing duly considered, I hope it will soon appear, that necessarily (for the due seeing unto these things, and for the convenient making of Accusations of breach of them, where the Parishional Government is remiss, not taking due Care of, and order in such things) our Bishop's jurisdictions are to be made less, then at this time they are in this our Church of England. Doubtless these Powers and Offices ecclesiastical were chiefly ordained, for ruling of the Manners of Christian people, lest they not observing one towards another the Evangelicall Commandments, bring a scandal upon the Gospel of Christ; therefore into these things should our Bishops watchfully look, and not content themselves with the observation of Ecclesiastical Canons only. If any say, that the description of this Office is in Scripture such, as is rather to be wished then effected, I answer, that the Apostle would not so deeply Charge Timothy with these particulars as he doth, 1. Tim, 5, 21, if he thought the execution of these things to be rather to be wished then effected; therefore I hope none shall be suffered to shroud their Negligence, under the mantle or covering of this devise. If in after times many inventions are made, to busy Atch-Bishopps & Bishopps so with them, that they cannot attend to these other, are these which are the weightlest to be left for the lighter? Shall honour and Glory attend rather those then these? were not this a notable corruption, a snare of Satan, and an insufferable divertion from the true Episcopal duties? But now (my most gracious Sovereign) in hope of your reproof of such things, and commanding and honouring these the chiefest episcopal duties, I pass from writing of the boundings and jurisdictions, unto my Petition, for your freeing our Clergy here, from forreive and unlawful Ecclesiastical Powers. 3. PETITION: That your Majesty continue to free this Church, from all foreign and unlawful Ecclesiastical usurpations and Powers. THe permission of inconvenient extents of jurisdiction, hath been the chief cause, not only of the disorders of Ecclesiastical Polity, and of the evell execution of true Episcopal Charges, but also of the Antichrists reigning in the Church; therefore high time it is that in the Church's Reformation, this main error be taken order for. It is reported of that first great & famous Council of Nice, that it confirmed to the Bishops of certain cities, the huge extents which formerly their Charge had stretched its self unto; but what followed hereupon? surely there followed not only the turbulence of such great Powers, and the insatiable affectation of Glory, but also the openinge or reveilinge of that Man of sin. For as the Apostle said, 2. Thessal. 2, 6: And now ye know what withholdeth, that he might be reveiled in his time, so indeed it fell out; for the Emperors keeping his Seat at Rome, withheld the Bishop of Rome's Reveilinge; but the Emperor removing his Seat to Constantinople, this Council of Nice some few years after was assembled, where these huge extents of jurisdiction being confirmed, the Bishop of Rome being held as Chief of them, this caused his first measure of Reveilinge. It is fit therefore that that Councils proceed be examined, whither in ought God left it to descent from his sacred word. Papists usually allege that Council, as countenancinge the offering up of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Service of the Lords Supper; but if this that Council did, then expressly erred it from the Scriptureis' nstruction concerning that Service. And how near it was to forbid Priests, the copulation with their wives which Gods word commands, 1. Cor, 7, 3, is well known to all that have read the Story of those times. To this I may add, the uncertainty of its Canons, seeing they are with such uncertainty brought us by Tradition. For all these reasons I conclude, that that Council is not so to be maintained in its Ordinances, as that the instruction of sacred Scripture is not rather to be followed. But who that looketh into the holy Scripture shall not see, That Timothy and Titus & such as were like them, held the highest ordinary Offices in the Church next unto the Apostles themselves? for by the Epistles of Timothy and Titus it is evident, that the Apostle set them in Office next himself over the Churches that were planted. Churches were planted, and they had their Officers and Governors, but then the Apostle ordained these over them again, and this is manifest in that Titus had Charge over divers Cities. Whilst therefore there is this evidence for their Office: and whilst there is that evidence before noted, that our Arch-Bishops succeed them in that Office: and whilst the Church ever held a cessation of Apostles, and the Apostle, 1. Cor. 4, 9, saith: I think that God hath set fourth us the last Apostles, &c: We have good reason, not to suffer other offices to usurp Authority over Arch-Bishops; or any Arch-Bishopps to be subjugated unto any other Ecclesiastical Ministration. But if we permit the continuance of those huge extents whereof we read, then, as necessarily many Arch-Bishopdomes, yea Patriarchdomes must be comprised therein, so the Bishop of that Seat must be advanced over, and exercise a Ministration ovet Arch-Bishopps, yea over Patriarches; which thing what is it, but both an evertion of the Polity ecclesiastical, which God by his Ordinance (Apostles taken away) sent the church withal under the Wings of Kings and Princes: and also a bringing in Superiorityes, Thrones, and Powers, never ordained by the Lord? As therefore experience hath shown, that when an Archbishopric hath necessarily been divided, than two Arch-Bishops are placed therein, without subiugating the one under the other, so those ancient extents of bounds, aught with the increase of the Conversion of people, to have been divided into many Arch-Bishopdomes, and this without subiugatinge every of them to the Archbishopp of some one city, who by this means, as he is to take a New Title, so also he entereth into a new Ministration never ordained by the Lord. If any say, hath not every Snccessor right, to retain the bownds of his predecessors jurisdiction? I answer, yes, where there is no prejudice thereby to the Church, and to the Ordinances of God; but when retaining the same, he must necessarily Rule over them, whom God by his Ordinance set next unto Apostles, he than subverts the Ordinance of God, so long as he cannot make himself an Apostle. Neither cann any one's succeeding in the Seat of an Apostle, confer upon him an Apostles Dignity and Office: for this were to make such a one an Apostle; but we have good cause to ask of such a one the signs of his Apostleship, 2. Cor. 12, 12. I conclude therefore, that those extents of jurisdiction, which carry with them a bringing into the Church, Powers and Ministrations above that of Arch-Bishops, are unlawful, as bringing into the Church strange Ministrations, which have no manner warrant from Gods word in Scripture, but rather are contrary to the Polity which there God manifesteth to his Church. And indeed because of the huge extent of the Pope of Rome's jurisdiction, we found that above Arch Bishopps are Patriarches, as also Cardinals (as now Cardinals are) & Popes Legates, and a rabble of other, who all serve rather as Ministers of this Corruption of Ecclesiastical Polity warranted by God, then of the church, & of the Gospel. For how many are the Officers which the Pope of Rome needeth for to serve him only, in the execution of so large a jurisdiction as now he exerciseth? even so proportionably is it with every Patriarch, yea with every Arch-Bisshop when he hath a jurisdiction so far extended fourth, as that neither he can personally visit conveniently the parts of his Charge, nor they of his Charge cann conveniently make Accusations unto him, if the Parishional or Episcopal Goverments fail in execution of justice. But now, seeing God hath given so blessed Testimony, to the reforming of things by his word in Scripture, why should not such Offices be cut off, as superfluous and justly Offensive, which exercise any Authority over the Arch-Bishops of the Christian church? Should we not think that the Lord expects a Reformation even herein, aswell as in Doctrine? Should not his words direction be of power with us, aswell in reforming errors of jurisdictions, or Powers & Offices, as in reforming of Doctrynes? Therefore if the Scripture show, that the Offices of Timothy & Titus, was the highest ordinary Office in the Church, after Apostles ceased, as being in the life time of the Apostles next to the Apostles: and if there be good evidence, that those had under them at the most but Bishopps of Cities, then why should not Arch-Bishopps be acknowledged as Succeeders into their Office, and consequently to be the highest ecclesiastical Officer, which God sent the Church with among the Nations, after his taking away of Apostles? If it be said, that those who succeeded into the Seats of Timothy or Titus, and others like them, are Patriarches, not Arch-Bishopps, than I demand, what Manner Bishops cann any prove that either Timothy or Titus, or the next Successors ruled over? whither were they Archbishos or only Bishopps of Cities? Surely, the greatest evidence of purest and most ancient Tradition is, that those of those Seats were first accounted but Arch-Bishops, and though they seemed to have Charge of a great circuit of ground, yet where any Archbishop was ordained, I found not any good evidence, that they exercised Authority over them also, as now Patriarches do over them, and the Pope over patriarchs. As for the extending out of Care, or seeminge-Charge of the Churches in great extent, we found in ancient time, not only an affectation, but also a real effecting, of challenging the Charge of all those Churches, whereunto some Bishop of special Account stretched his Advise & Counsel: as if over all, to whom Advise and Counsel is given, the giver of Advise & Counsel should have Charge, & over them exercise Episcopal Authority. If thus the Bishops of those times did, (and some evidence there is that some so did) then this is no sufficient warrant, for challenging of so excessive charges or jurisdictions as some Patriarches & Arch-Bishops challenge; much less should we admit of such extentions, when we see that it is discordant to the Ordinance of God, as I have before shown. Moreover, if the Council of Nice approved of such large & excessive extents of Care and jurisdiction in any, yet we are to think, that it but Confirmed that jurisdiction which they then had; but at that time the extentions of Inrisdiction were not so large as in after tyme. Had the Pope of Rome then such jurisdiction as now, when no part of Germany, nor other Nations had embraced the faith as since they did? Or should we think that that Council subjugated to that Bishop, Churches not as then propagated? If no, then neither by warrant of holy Scripture, nor by warrant of that Council, hath that Bishop any right of jurisdiction over all the Arch-Bisshopps of all the Christian Nations in the West: As for claim as Successor to the Apostle Peter, it is strange that he alone, should make a claim of succeeding to an Apostle; for where be the other Bishops, who claim to succeed to this or that Apostle? I found none but him of Antioch: and that also rather a figment of the Bishop of Rome's, than any true claim of that Bishops. And as for his claim from Scripture, I have elsew here proved it to be directly against that which our Lord commanded to his Apostles. These things considered, I now humbly beseech yoursacred Majesty, that as hitherto you have shown great favour to our Clergy, so you will continue to preserve them from any foreign and unlawful ecclesiastical Powers, which would challenge Authority over them. Prince's may do well to have an eye at the wisdom, and gracious Ordinance of God, observing with what Powers ecclesiastical he (Apostles taken away) sent the Church under their wings: For surely there cann be no better Polity of ecclesiastical Government for Princes, then that which we found the Lord to leave in the Church, after his taking away of Apostles. Should the Lord send any Officet under the wings of Princes, who should stretch his Authority far further, than any Prince cann stretch his wings of protection? Or should one Bishop be under the wings of many Prince's protections? what than if those Princes fall at variance, shall the one protect his Adversaries subject? Therefore I cannot but conclude, that as it is not good for the Church, so it is also in convenient & dangerous for Princes, that there be in the church any Ecclesiastical Ministers of huge extents of jurisdiction, such as are some Patriarches, and the Pope of Rome. Thus having written at large of these things, because our times greatly need the so doing, I now close up this Chapter, and my notes upon the former Scriptures collected. praying that I may proceed to other. II. CHAP. OF King Hezekias we read, 2, Chron, 31, 4: That he commanded the people that dwelled in Jerusalem, to give a part to the Priests and Levits, that they might be in couraged in the Law of the Lord And when the Commandment was spread, the Children of Israel brought abundance of first fruits, of Corn, and Wine, and Oil, and Honey, and of all the increase of the Field, and the Tithes of all things brought they abundantly. And Hezekias questioned the Priests and the Levits, concerning the Heaps. And Azariah the chief Priest, of the house of Zadock, answered him, and said, since the people began to bring the Offerings into the house of the Lord, we have eaten, and have been satisfied, and there is left in aboundannce. And Hezekias commanded to prepare Chambers in the house of the Lord, and they prepared them, and carried in the first fruits, and the tithes, and the dedicate things faithfully. And over them was Coniah the Levite the chief, and Shimei his brother the second. And Core the Son of Imnah the Levite Porter toward the east, was over the things that were willingly offered unto God, to distribute to their Brethren the Oblation of the Lord, and the holy things that were consecrate, their daily portions. Again, of King josias we read, 2. Chron, 34, 8: That he sent Shafan and Maaseiah the Governor of the City, and joah the Recorder, to repair the house of the Lord. And when they came to Hilkia the high Priest, they delivered the money that was brought into the house of God, which the Levits that kept the door had gathered, at the hands of Manassch and Ephraim, and of all the residue of Israel, and of all judas and Benjamin, and of the inhabitants of Jerusalem. And they put it into the hands of them which should do the work. Again, Exodus, 36; 3, we read thus: And they received of Moses all the Offerings, which the Children of Israel had brought, for the work of the service of the Sanctuary to make it: Also they brought still unto him free Gifts every morning. So all the wise men that wrought all the holy work, came every Man from his work which they had wrought, and spoke to Moses, saying: The people bring too much, and more then enough for the use of the work, which the Lord hath commanded to be made. Then Moses gave a Commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the host, saying: Let neither Man nor Woman, prepare any more work for the Oblation of the Sanctuary. So the people were stayed from Offering. In these Scriptures I note these four things specially: First, That the King commanded the People, to give to the Maintenance of the Ministers: Secondly, That Maintenance is for their encouragement to serve in the Ministry: Thirdly, That the King cared also for the Repairinge of the Churches, wherein God was worses hipped: Lastly, That when there was a Sufficiency, this was to be acknowledged by the Clergy, and the People were to be stayed from giving; According to which observations, I humbly pray, that I may petition your sacred Majesty, as hereunder shall appear. It being the Commandment and Ordinance of God, 1. Cor. 9, 14, that the Ministers of the Gospel be maintained by them to whom they Minister the Gospel, Christians are bound to found them Maintenance, if they be not bound also to maintain them by Tithes, first fruits, freewill Offerings, and the like. But where the Manner of doing is not appointed by God, when yet the thing to be done is appointed, there God's Ministers of Rule and Government have Power to appoint the Manner of doing, and none may lawfully except against the Manner which they appoint. In this church of England then, your Majestics famous Predecessors having ordained, and yourself graciously confirmed, that the Ministers Maintenance be gathered by Tythinge of your people, I most humbly pray, that the full Tithes of the Land be given to the Lords Clergy. Doubtless (dread Sovereign) the permission of Impropriations, where, not the Clergy, but Lay persons reap the Tithes, causeth both a discouragement to God's Clergy, through want of convenient Maintenance in such Parishes: and also a scantery of able Ministers to serve the Lord in those places. And truly it is lamentable to observe, both how poorly some Clergy are fain to live, even there where they execute the Office of their Ministry, and where a Lay Man gathers such a quantery of Tithes, as would serve for a sufficient Maintenance for one or two of the Clergy: and also how many Ministers, painful in preaching the Gospel, after they have worn out their life in poverty, leave their wife and children (well near) to beggary. But seeing it is God's Law that his Clergy may marry, 1. Tim. 1, 2: and seeing it is likewise his Law, that the married yield due benevolence, 1. Cor. 7, 3, meet it is, that the Cleargyes portions be such, as that they may (with thrift) lay up also for their Wife and children. Yea, the Apostle in saying, 2. Cor. 12, 14: for the Children ought not to lay up for the fathers, but the fathers for the Children, implies a Necessity laid upon all fathers, and among them such of the Clergy as have children, that they provide and lay up for their children; therefore such Clergy as keep such Hospitality, as spends the Revenewe of their live, are rather to be blamed then commended, whilst withal they lay not up for their wife and children. Moreover, seeing it were most unbefitting Christians, to vilify the Ministers of the Gospel in maintenance, whom they are to have in honour for the Ministration of the Gospel, most meet it is, that every Paris hes allowance, every Bishopdomes, and Arch-Bishopdomes allowance be such, as may serve for to maintain each of the Clergy, in such rank and fashion as best beseemeth; therefore as our Bishops and Arch-Bishops have place of eminency and dignity among our Nobles, so the Pastors of Congregations are to have such Maintenance as may in able them to bear company, rather with the better than with the meaner sort in each Parish. As for our Bishops and Arch-Bishops, their Maintenance is already commendably great, through the large Bounty of our forefathers, and your Majesty's confirmation of what they now enjoy thereof; but because I have in the former Chapter entreated, for the multiplying of the number of Arch-Bishops and Bishops in this Church, I now humbly petition your Majesty, that I may move unto one thing which would be needful. If it be necessary that there be more Bishoprics and Archbishoprics in England, then now there are, (and this I have proved before) than it follows necessarily that Maintenance also be increased. I therefore petition, That unto that which already our Bishops have among them, there may be added a tax upon all the People of the Land, that every householder contribute a small yearly Gift to his Bishop, and an other small Gift to the Archbishop in whose Province he is; for by the multitude of families in a Bishopdome, a small matter raised from every family, would afford a very great portion to the Bishop: and by the multitude of families in an Arch-Bishopprick, the like great portion proportionably would arise to the Archbishop. Hereby the Bishop and the Archbishop would be the more bound, to have care of, and (without Charge) often to visit privately, the several Parishes, seeing to it that all things be therein according as they ought to be: for it cannot well be that they should neglect them, when half yearly or quarterly they are put in mind of them by their Benevolence unto them. And verily, better it is for God's people, according to their several conditions of quality, to part with an easy payment, of six pence, or a shilling quarterly, or more or less, to their Bishop and Archbishop, that here-through their jurisdictions being the smaller, they may proffitably execute in them their several Ministrations according to God's Ordinance, then for want hereof to suffer them to enjoy so large and spacious jurisdictions for Pontificality and Revenewe, as that they do not, nor conveniently cann, execute rightly their several duties and Offices. I grant that every Parishes Charge is already great, by the paying of Tithes, or other sums of money, towards the Maintenance of the Clergy of their several Parishes; but yet, for so good and profitable an occasion as is this, they shall do Christianly to bear moreover a small tax for their Bishop, and another for their Archbishop. Great was the bounty of our Predecessors in this kind, and this also done even under Popery; and shall we then injoyinge a most happy Reformation, and a pure Doctrine, be grieved to part with a little? In the second of Chronicles, chap. 31, 8, we read thus: And when Hezekiah and the Princes came and saw the heaps, they blessed the Lord, and his people Israel. So likewise, 2. Cor. 9, 12, the Apostle saith thus: The Ministration of this Service, not only supplieth the necessities of the Saints, but also is abundant by the Thanksgivinge of many unto God. And, Phili pp. 4, 17, he saith: Not that I desire a Gift but I desire the fruit which may further your reckoning. Now I have received all: and have plenty: I was even filled, after that I had received of Epaphroditus that which came from you, an odour that smelleth sweet, a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God. Here we see what Blessings, what Thanksgivinge to God, this liberality in God's people towards the Lords Ministers, stirred up in the Kings and Apostles of the Church, here we see also that this is to God as a Sacrifice acceptable, and pleasing unto him. And our Lord himself, Math. 10, 42, saith thus: Whosoever shall give unto one of these little ones to drink a Cup of cold Water only, in the Name of a Disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward. It is a precious thing therefore in the sight of God, when any one giveth to his Ministers, because they are his Ministers, and giveth not only of Necessity or of Superfluity; for we must not give, only because of our Superfluity we cann give; but we ought to give in faith, saying in our hearts: Lord, this is a Minister of thy Church, I give therefore to him, Beleevinge thy word of Acceptance. This is a holy Liberality: this true Christian Liberality, therefore thus minded, (and not grudgingely, or only for the Law's sake) we should give to the Maintenance of the Lords Ministers. For this cause as I have written for our Bishopps and Arch-Bishopps, so I writ also for our Parish Clergy, that the full Tithes be allowed, and that People's free will Offerings may be admitted, until each Parish throughout the Land, have a competent Means for the Clergy of the same. How bounrifull were our Predecessors in giving of Lands for a certainty of Revenewe, to friaries and Nunneries? if than they were so bountiful where God imposed no bond so to do, and this upon them who proved unproffitable Members of the Church, should not we much more give some part of our Lands, for a certainty of maintenance to the needful Clergy of our Parishes! If therefore any Parishes be so small, or poor, that it yieldeth not a competent Means for the Clergy thereof, it would be a blessed thing, if those that are able, give some part of their Land, to yield to the same a certainty of Revenewe, besides the Tithes, and other Benefits which the Parish its self yieldeth. The needful Clergy of a Parish I account, a Pastor or Teacher, and a Deacon for an assistant unto him; for truly it is not meet, that we put him to read Divine Service always, and always to do other clergical Duties, who should give himself diligently to Reading, that he may Preach the Gospel often unto us, and sound. If therefore in Parishes already sufficiently provided for, there be any so Christianly minded, as that of the abundance of their possessions they will set by a part, towards the Maintenance of the Clergy of another Parish which hath need, I humbly petition your Majesty that you graciously permit this. To these I may add the maintaining of such Officers also, as are necessary for the performance of a Solemn and Divine Service in our cathedrals: and also such as necessarily need in our Schools and Universities; for if God so graciously accepted, 1. Chron. 17, 1, of the augmentation of the State and Magnificence of his worship, which we found after the building of the Temple, then may we under the Christianity also Believe, that our Princes caring to increase in a time of the Church's prosperity, the State & Magnificence of the worship of God, is most acceptable to God, and consequently the Officers necessary in such Service may, (though not all as Clergy) be maintained of the Charte of God's people. And so likewise, because the churches supply with learned & able Ministers is sight needful, therefore as our Schools or Universities are needful, for the training up of some hereunto, so the Governors of them are also needful, as doing for God's Church a very special Service; therefore also such are to be Maintained at the Charge of God's people, that so they may be encouraged in the Service of the Lord. But one thing here I wish and petition for, that such be the large Revenewe of every several Ecclesiastical Officer of our Clergy, as that the Means of the living being sufficient, no one of them be suffered to engross any more spiritual live into his hand: for it is the villifyinge and decaying also the Ministration of the Gospel, when one Man having diverse Charges, executes one himself, and leaves the rest, either unto too seldom visitation, or else to some reading and insufficient Minister. Thus having written for the Maintenance of our Ministers, I will proceed to write also of the Repairing of our churches. If the Lord so graciously accepted, of the disposition of King David, concerning increasing the Magnificense of the worship of God, 1. Chron. 17, 3, by changing the Tabernacle into a glorious and magnificent Temple, why should we not think that under the Christianity also, the Lord most graciously regardeth our beautifying of the very Temples where he is worshipped? how ill befitting them is it, that in this lands, but specially in our country Parishes, Gods Temples are most basely provided for, lying so ruined, and so dusty, as that it cannot but abate the devotion of God's people. My humble petition is therefore unto your Majesty, that you proving an english josiah, zealous of the glory and splendour of God's Temples, permit the free will Offerings of your people, until there be sufficient for the repairing and adorning of the Churches of God. It is truly an error in some under the Reformation, that they (so as they but worship God in his Temple) make no conscience of Beautifyinge and Enrichinge also the place of Assemblinge; but now from the Example of the Church under the Law we see, how acceptable to God the Care and Bounty of God's Kings and People is, even in this matter of Beautifyinge the very Churches wherein we worship God. As for the manner of adorning of Churches, though some like Pictures of holy Stories, yet I rather wish a pain tinge & guilding, as the Arches, and fashion of pillars, will best agree with, and a writing of Divine Stories here and there. For truly I found the Lord, no where to commend to his people any former things done, to be represented by Pictures; but rather he commends unto them a writing of his word about their houses, and in memorial of things passed, to set up either Stones, or other like things, which carry no resemblance of the thing done, This I take to be to the end, that for matters of faith, which we must have faith of that once it was done, he would not use us to any representation of the same to our eye. And indeed what this Devise of picturing Divine Stories in Churches came unto under Popery, we may mourningely perceive; for the next to this was Images also, and then Idolatry. Men are too prone to delight to be put in mind of things of faith, by pictures of the same set before their eye; but it is the next way to put faith out of the heart, and argues a fall inwardly of the sight of those things, by faith of the word read and Preached. For these causes (Dread Sovereign) I humbly petition, that your people be not accoustomed again as under Popery, to Pictures of things of the Divine Story; but rather that they may learn to have a sight, through faith of the word preached and read, & so adorn the Churches rather with seemly paintings and guildinges, then with painting of Stories. Moreover, because in some places the Congregation is so great, and the Church either so scant, or so ill provided of room, that the people cannot conveniently kneel at prayer, or sit the time of the Sermon, meet it is that such Churches be either in larged, or provided of Galleries and forms, as need requireth; for it is no small disorder, when a Church is glorious by Adorninge, and yet not fitted for the people's worship. Lastly, whereas our Church (in the ordinary Custom) hath well ordered, a setting apart one part of the Church for Men, another for Women, so preventing a dangerous intermixture of the Sexes in that place, I humbly petition, that the disorder hereof in some populous Congregations may be redressed. If therefore at any populous Assembly it fall out, that there be disorder herein, meet it is that the Governors have power of the Seats, to dispose them to Men, & Women a part by themselves; neither truly is there in these times little need of this, if the wickedness of some in populous Congregations were known. To avoid therefore an occasion and advantage of evell, it is very neeedefull to observe more strictly than now usually is done, that custom of our Church, in ordering one part of the Church for Men, the other for Women. Thus having written also of the repairing and adorning of Churches, I humbly pray, that I may proceed to the last observation made upon the former collected Scriptures, which was, That when there was a Sufficiency, this was to be acknowledged by the Clergy, and the people to be stayed from Offering. It hath been an old fault in the Clergy, but specially under Popery, never to acknowledge a Sufficiency of Maintenance, but to be ever crying, Give, Give, and this to the insufferable burtheninge of God's people. And which worse is, there hath been a multiplying of the Orders of Clergy, above that which in old times was: and also an increase of Offices, rather for the Service of the Roman Papacyes unlawful extent of jurisdiction, then for the necessary Service of the Gospel, and of the worship of God. Neither have wicked Men rested with this, but they have added, the swarming of religious Orders of friars and Nuns, permitting them (all that may be) to exhaust Treasure from God's people. Therefore when a Land is well divided in to Parishes, Bishopdomes, and Arch-Bishopdomes, and when the Cathedral Churches, and Schools, are of convenient Number, fit it is, that these having sufficient Maintenance, it may be to the glory of God acknowledged, and all unnecessary burthening of God's people removed. And truly it is a wonder to see the corruption of things, in that the false Clergy, and the Offices serving rather the Antichristian usurpation, than the Ministration of the Gospel, and the unlawful orders of Friars and Nuns, exhaust far more of the Treasure of God's people, then doth the true and needful Clergy ordained by God. As for false Orders of Clergy, me thinks the very evidence of their addition, to the Orders of Clergy in the primitive times, should move men to perceive and hate the Corruption. And as for those Offices which serve the Pope rather than the Gospel, me thinks that the evidence of the evell of the Pope's extent of jurisdiction, should move the Nations to put of from them the burden of all such Offices. And for Prieries and Nunneries, seeing the Gospel warrants not, that every one that will but give himself to Prayer, should presently charge the Church of God; but rather ordeynes, that all eat their own Bread, 2. Thessal. 3, 10, except God's Clergy, even they who Minister the Gospel, 1. Cor. 9, 6; therefore me thinks, that as the Nations would not be guilty, of maintaining such as live inordinately, and this to the express disobeying of a very special Ordinance of God, so they should not suffer among them the swarming of Friars and Nuns, who all live of other, not of their own labour or Means. True it is, that it hath been an Ornament to the Church, yea and to the Gospel, that some single Persons have given up themselves to serve God extraordinarily in Prayers and Supplications, and to be serviceable in Christian Duties to such as had Need, yea and to live single and chaste; but though we under the Reformation also, may do well to honour such in our Congregations, yet let us not bind them by Profession or vow ever to continue so, but rather commend them to God's Grace to continue or discontinue as God shall move and enable them. And much less let us suffer such to live inordinately, by living upon that taken from others, but rather let them live of their own Means, or else apply themselves to work. It is evil looking upon the Show only of Devotion, when withal, disobediences to Gods holy Ordinances, are suffered in them who make such Show. To conclude therefore, I now humbly petition your sacred Majesty, that a Sufficiency being provided, for the true Clergy of Parishes, and for Bishops and Arch-Bishops, & such Clergy as necessarily need in Offices under them: as also for our Cathedral churches solemn Divine Service, and for our Schools and Universities: And lastly, when our Parish and Cathedral churches are sufficiently provided of Adornments, aswell of the Temple, as of Ministerial vestments; then that People be stayed from Offering any more unto the work, save only as new repairing of things shall renew occasion. But because experience hath declared, that the Clergy being once sufficiently provided for, and made sure of injoyinge during life such Maintenance, have grown lassivious of life, light of Gesture, yea and negligent of Preaching the Gospel conveniently often, therefore I humbly petition a prevention, of this abuse of yours and your People's Bounty. This prevention is no otherwise to be done, then by subiectinge our Clergy to danger, in case that upon being settled in a living, they then behave not themselves as becometh the Ministers of the Gospel. Our Church at her giving Orders hath taken Care hereof in her Charge given to them who are Ordained, and in taking of them a Rind of Promise so to do; but the fail is, that afterwards they not doing so, the Report of the Parishioners is not harkened unto, unless some formal Accusation second the same. Under this Shield our Clergy are so carcless to carry the Show of Godliness and Holiness, that rather they incline to the contrary, even to a Show of licentious Liberty. Truly when I saw the very Show of Sanctity which Popish Priests make, and marked the effect and power even thereof in the people, I wished the true Sanctity of some of our Divines in them, & their Show of Sanctity in all our Divines: for the very Show of Devotion and Sanctity in Priests, as it answereth to the holy Offices they hold, and profession they make, so it is not in vain to the people of God, but rather is a Light and example unto them. For this cause I here petition, that the voice of the Parishioners concerning their Clergy may be harkened after, as a Means to come to the knowledge of the lightness, or evil Manners of their Clergy: For Men are loath to be Accusers in Courts of justice, when yet in faithfulness, and with true Charity towards God's Church, they cann see, and seeing mourn for, the Lightness, lasciviousness, Looseness, and evil disposition and Manners of their Clergy. Moreover, it were good, that our Bishops bound our Divines, to the usinge of religious exercises & duties in their families, such as are Morning and Eveninge Prayer, Grace before and after Meare, Reading the Scriptures by them of their household by turns, Repetition of Sermons, and catechising conveniently often; for hardly cann a Man observe in his family these things, but it will bind him to have a care of his own Manners and Conversation, that it be not in his family, nor abroad in Company, otherwise then Godly and Religious. We have seen the lamentable effects of Riches and Glory in the Clergy, when God's Princes and People having given bountifully unto them, and made such Bounty assured also unto them to enjoy the same: for then the Clergy have taken Liberty, to live licentiously, and ungodly. Neither cann we expect any other fruit of great Revenues in Cleargymen, if God's Princes awe them not with the Sword, professing the use of the same against them, if they leave to be that which God by his word requires them to be, and be that which Gods word condemns. Let us enrich our Clergy, but let us not hurt them, either by an excess in Giving, or by leaving the reines of their Manners wholly unto themselves. How great hurt did those two great Emperors do to the Clergy, Constantine the great, and Charles the great, if the report of their Donations to the Bishop of Rome be true? what Blood have those Lands occasioned the shedding of? what boldness have those possessions engendered in the Clergy of that city? By those possessions chiefly, the Clergy of that city grew not only licentious, but also incorrigible; but it hurteth both the Clergy and also the Church of God, when God's Princes possess the Clergy of such measure of possessions, as that both they will be wicked, and also are able to resist the Discipline of the Sword, if any Prince would in duty to God make use of it against them. Therefore of former experience we of these times may beware, that we possess not the Clergy of too large and indeed Superfluous Revenues, lest they grow the clean contrary to that which the word of God requires them to be. Yea to come nearer home, do but look upon our silken Clergy since they have but felt the blast of the Prince's favour, observe their lightness of Gesture, boldness against all Men, liberty in speech, that I add not, lassiviousness and lussfull wantonness. I speak of our younger sort of Clergy, who by Nature are aptest, and therefore first do begin a declination from clergical Holiness; but, have no eye at these to mark and correct their abuse of this Grace, and shortly, even when they grow older to supply the rooms of our Bishops, you shall have a new a wicked Bpiscopacy. Therefore I humbly pray your sacred Majessie, not that you change from favouriuge, honoringe, and enriching our Clergy, but only that an eye may be had of them that they abuse not this Grace, turning it into ungodly liberty: As also, that our clergy be enjoined to use their family to religious household duties: and lastly, that the report or same of those who are conversant or neighbours with our Clergy, may be harkened after by our Bishops, and occasion thereby taken, to have an eye at such, whose light behayiour, looseness of conversation, lewdness of life, or neglect of holy family exercises, declares their corruption though the settled and tich livings they enjoy. If this be taken heed unto by our Bishopps: if also your Majesty vouchsafe to be zealous herein, giving also Power to your Ministers of your Kingdom to have a care of, & an eye at these things in the Clergy near them, than would I not sear any harm, by the moderate increase of your and your People's Bounty towards our Clergy. With the petitioning whereof, I close up this Chapter also, and proceed to an other. III. CHAP. OF King leheshaphat we read a, Chron, 17, 7: That he sent his Princes, and with them Levits and Priests, who taught in the Cities of judah, and had the book of the Law of the Lord with them, and went about throughout all the Cities of judnb, and taught the People. From this Scripture I observe, That the King did not only take Care that there were Teachers, but also that those Teachers teach the Peoplet yea he joined his Princes in this Care, that in every City they should see, that the People be taught by their Teachers. I therefore observing in this Kingdom, that many Parishes, either had no Teachers, or having Teachers, yet those Teachers carelessly taught the People, preaching the Gospel once a month only for satisfying the Law, was moved to write that my short and Zealous little writing, which first I exhibited to your facred hands at Theobalds'; adventuring now also, to continue my petition in this writing more at large. Neither would I have troubled your Majesty with this petition, if it were not evident to all Men, that neither leangth of time, nor cry of people, have prevailed over our Teachers to teach their People diligently. Neither have our Bishops furnished each Parish with a teaching Minister, neither have they punished those, who cann teach, but do not conveniently often Preach unto the People. If your Majesty therefore, and your Princes assist them, that they may place Teachers where there are none, and may punish or remove such as can teach, but do not, or if at all, yet not conveniently often, you shall do a holy work, & shall greatly benefit the Church of God. Your Majesty hath good experience (blessed be God) but that out Universities are not so barren as not to afford Teachers enough, & also that your people are not so sparing, as not to give largely (besides what of Necessity they give) to have a Teacher appointed vuto them; for many are the places in this Kingdom, where being ill fitted with those settled in the live, they of their voluntary raise from among them a yearly stipend for a hired Teacher. seeing therefore God's blessing is such upon our Universities: seeing also your people are so well disposed, pity it were to force them to content themselves with a dumb Priest so long as he liveth. My petition therefore unto your Majesty is, that where one possesseth the place who cannot Preach, and where any one possesseth the place, who though he cann, yet doth not conveniently often Preach unto the people, there such be removed from the living, having only some small yearily stipend allowed them, & an other placed in the same, who both cann and will Preach the word conveniently often. Surely if such were awed with hazard of the living, who though they cann, yet do not preach conveniently often, this would provoke them to study harder, and with practice to attain a sacility in teaching, that so they may conveniently often Preach the word: for, we see how careful they are of all those things, by which they shall hazard the loss of their living. And is not teaching the very special Duty of a Teacher what therefore should rather hazard the loss of his living then a Negligent teaching? If it be now demanded, what I account conveniently often, I answer, once upon the Sabbaoth day, if not twice; for vuly, Monthly Sermons serve not, cither for the sufficient instructing of people in the Divine Mysteries, or for the reproose of their evellManners. Alas (my Lord) if the word preached be appointed for a Soule-food, cann the Souls of Men be fed with Monthly Sermons? but your Majesty is not ignorant, that in country-Parishes, such is the backwardness of people to understand and conceive the Mysteries of religion necessary to Silvation: such also, not the rudeness only, but the wickedness of disposition concerning Manners, that it must be no small labour to instruct them in the one, and to Reform them by Religion in the other. teaching is not barely the leaving a Sermon with a company of people, but it is the fitting the word to the present Necessities of the hearers; therefore also he that will be a good Pastor or Teacher, must have his eyes and cares abroad among his Parishioners, to observe what they are ignorant in, & what erroneous opinions any fall into, and what their life and conversation usually is, and whither in their families they use or neglect religious duties, for, who so doth not this, as he cannot well know the Necessities of his Parishioners, so also he knows not to fit the word to the occasions. But because, cither the ancient may be ignorant in some points of Religion very necessary to their Salvation: or because the ignorant youth grows daily in each Parish or because they which know religious Mysteries need encouragement and confirmation in them: or because Satan's temptations, and the corruption of Manners is never idle, but dally assaults the people, to draw them either to neglect the word, or not to obey and observe it in their life and conversation, therefore there is necessity of preaching the word once at the least every Sabbaoth, and Monthly Sermons suffice not. That kind of preaching which takes a text at random, and only in largeth a discourse as it gives occasion, is but a kind of general preaching, which may fit all places; but Pastoral teaching needeth a respect to the occasions of the Parish. Vain were physic if it rested only with a general declaration what is good for such and such diseases, and did not moreover descend to particular diseased Persons, to be applied as the Necessities require; even so is it also with Divinity. Who would count him a good Shepherd, who though he knows and cann declare all diseases, & all remedies pertaining to Sheep, yet applies not each remedy as any diseased Sheep's gives occasion? It is therefore a defective teaching, where either the Pastor is ignorant of the spiritual diseases of his people, or knowing them, yet fits not the word of God unto them, or having only done that, leaves to second the preaching, with the Power and Discipline of Rule and Government. Alas, how small effects of the word preached found we, where the Pastor having Taught his people, hath no Power nor Authority further, to judge and punish the disobedient. And indeed what other fruit or success cann we expect, while we sever that which God joined together? for he joined ecclesiastical Power of ludgement and Punishment with the ministration of the word. Let us but look into several Parishes, where ludgement & Punishment do not accompany the word preached, but the Pastor rests with his leaving a Sermon only, and the people are left for matter of Government or Rule to the Bishop's Court, and there let us observe, if the people be not so careless of the word once heard, that they care not of all the wecke after, either to think any more of it, or to reform themselves in any one thing by it. Hence partly it is, that where there is every Sabbaoth day teaching, yet the People remain as unchristianly in their conversation, as if they never heard the word of God at all; though indeed in some few places, the earnest zeal of the Preacher, prevails over the people to take the more heed, & the more conscionably to observe the things Preached; but yet even there it is evident, what a defect there is of Rule to accompany the preaching. Neither let us think that the Church's Rule and Discipline, should not stretch unto the very conversation or speech of Men, seeing the Gospel rests not with actions only, but streatcheth its selfe unto men's Speeches also; therefore we read, Ephes. 4, 29: Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouths: and verse, 31: Let all evell speaking be put away from you. And chap. 5, 3: All uncleaness, let it not be once named among you, neither filthiness, neither foolish talking, neither jesting, which are things not comely. These and many the like precepts the Gospel gives to Men even concerning Speech, neither are these to be accounted as bare Counsels, but rather as Commandments, which the Discipline of the Church should correct in the disobedient. True it is, that the Gospel streatcheth also to the affections, yea to the very thoughts of Men, when yet the Church's Discipline cannot stretch to such things also; but yet because Discipline is ordained for things that come fourth of Men, therefore it ought to second aswel the Precepts concerning Speech, as the precepts concerning Actions of Drunkenness, Fornication, Adultery, Theft, or Idolatry. Though the Laws of kingdoms therefore, stretch not to filthy speaking, to punish it where it is usual, yet the Church's Discipline ought to stretch even to it. Wherefore (Dread Sovereign) I now humbly pray, that such Teachers may be appointed Pastors of our Parish churches, as who not only reprove corrupt Communication by preaching, but also ruling according to the Doctrine Preached, do take notice of unchristian Communication in their Parishioners, joyninge with the ruling Elders of the Parish, both in calling such to Account, and in judging the same, and punishing such as continue still in that disobedience, not with standing any exhortation or warning given. This is truly to feed the flock: this is truly to Teach; therefore if your Princes by commission from you, do in their several abidinges or dwellings, observe in the Clergy the Neglect hereof, and leave it not to the Bishop only to call such Clergy to account, but do themselves (the Bishop not proceeding after sufficient Notice, against such Clergy) proceed against them, executing as your Ministers your Power in the reproving and punishing of such, then would the Clergy of our Land be awed, & your people would surely be diligently and proffitably Taught. Wherefore I petition your Majesty, that the Care hereof be not left to our Bishops and Clergy only, but that your Princes, justices, and other Magistrates, may in places remote from your Princely presence, have also authority to see to the teaching of the People, and to the Cleargyes executing, both concerning teaching also & Rule, their true Duties & Offices in every of our Parish Churches. Thus having written hereof also, I humbly pray that I may proceed, to write of other things in another Chapter. IV. CHAP. OF King Hezekiah we read, 2, Chron, 29, 27: That he commanded to offer the Offerings upon the Altar: And when the Offerings began, the song of the Lord began with the Trumpets, & the Instruments of David King of Israel. And all the Congregation worshipped, singinge a song, and they blew the Trumpcts: All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. And when they had made an end of Offering, the King, and all that were present with him, bowed themselves, & worshipped. Then Hezekiah the King, and the Princes, commanded the Levits to praise the Lord with the words of David, and of Asaph the Seer. And Hezekiah spoke, and said, Now ye have consecrate your selus, come near, and bring the sacrifices, and offering of praise, into the house of the Lord. Also, Hezektah sent to all Israel and Indah, and also wrote letters to Ephraim, and Manasseh, that they should come to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem, to keep the Passeover unto the Lord God of Israel. And Hezekiah spoke comfortably unto all the Levits, that had knowledge to sing unto the Lord. From these Scriptures I gather specially these four things: 1: That in time of peace and prosperity, the Lords worship may be increased in Magnificense: 2: That the King took care, of the solemn, Stately, and right performance of the same: 3: That those who have the Art in song, and in Music, were cheris head by the King: 4: That the King took care of, and surthered, the People's resort unto the same. It is truly worthy our observation, that unto the Manner of Divine Service ordained in the wilderness, God approved of the Additions of Kings and Prophets, made in limes when the Church was in Peace and Prosperity: For here we read of the words of David, and Asaph the Secr: also, of the Instruments of David King of Israel; neither of which lived in the time when the Church was in the wilderness. If therefore God approved of this Addition, which made in some measure a change of the former Manner of Divine Service, why should we under the Christianity think, that the increase of the Magnificence of the worship of God is not acceptable? They are therefore to be reproved, who contend against the Magnisicent Manner of Divine Service, ordained by God's Kings and Priests, and not dissonant from his former revealed will, which we found established in the Christian Church, after the Kings and Princes embraced the Christian faith. Neither ought any to think, that Kings being converted to God, they have not a special prerogative in ordering the set form of Divine Service. I grant, they are not left wholly at Liberty to do what pleaserrh them; for I noted before in the first chapter, that the Commandment was by the hand of the Lord, and by the hand of his Prophets; but yet this I say, that under the Christianity, where we have not new Revelations for all things, there the King and Gods Priests have power, to order the Manner of the Divine worship, so as they do nothing in Substance against the will of God already reveiled. They may indeed under the shield of this liberty, bring in many vain and nnseemely things; but we trust to God's strong hand over them. And if they be so ill minded, yet we need not doubt, but that the Lord will in due time discover their evell, and raise up redress for his CHURCH, by the hands of more faithful Servants. In the mean time, if they command things, which in themselves are not against the word of God reveiled, we are safer in obeying, then resisting. I approve not therefore of those, who contemptuousely speak of the solemn Service of our Cathedral Churches, speaking rather their own singular conceit, then that which hath any sound warrant from the word of God. These things considered, I now for this matter conclude, That God is to be blessed, for your Majesty's judgement and wisdom, in retaining still under the Reformation, the Magnificent Manner of God's Divine worship used in our Cathedral churches, and in some few other places; for, seeing the same was ordered by former Princes and Bishops, it was fit to be retained, save only wherein we have direct warrant by the word of God, or by evidence of evell, to alter & Reform the same: for we own a Reverence to that which former Ministers of God have ordered, save in things which either are directly against God's word, or which carry with them an evidence of evell. But now, as on the one hand I bless God, for your Majesty's continuing the Stately worship of God in our Cathedral Churches, so on the other hand I humbly pray, that I may make two petitions: the first, That the people's understandinge may be more yet tendered then hitherto it hàth been: the second: That the singinge Men, and others employed in any Service, may be taken care of, that they be of an honest, religious, and holy life and Conversation. For the better performance of the first, it were good and profitable, That whatsoever is sung or played in that solemn Divine Service, be printed in books, that the same may be read by the people, at the time of the singinge or playing the same in the Quire. Neither this only, but it were also good that the people were instructed, both readily to know what is sung or played, and also readily to turn to the same in the book where they may read it: yea, children should be taught this in the Schools; that so being trained up hérein, they may in their age resort proffitably to this solemn Service also sometimes, aswell as to their own Parish Church ordinarily. For, (Dread Sovereign) though charitably and religiously, your Predecessors have caused the Divine Service to be translated into the English tongue, yet, partly, because all that assemble, cannot conveniëtly assemble in the Choir, (neither cann the Choir be altered, because of the fitting the same to the voices of the Singers, that they may hear one an other): partly, because Song cannot be so distinct, as that the hearers can far off discern what is sung: partly, because the Music playeth some times alone in the Honour of God, when yet some thing is, or aught to be intended, the tune whereof is with Art of Music played alone: and lastly, because the common sort are not skilful in the Order, what is now sung, what then played; therefore, your people are even in these times little better, then if the Service were performed in a strange tongue. Herethrough chiefly it is, that your people do not commonly so respect that solemn Service as they ought, neither indeed care at all to resort to the same at any time; yea, and most of those that do sometimes come to the same, come near only when some thing is read out of the Bible, or when those Prayers are said, which easily they cann discern and understand; but when any thing is done in Song, or when the Music silently playeth, you shall then sinned them to retire themselves, and to give themselves to walking and talking. Others, of the yet simpler sort of people, are (even as those under Popery) pleased with the tune only, and delighted with the song and Music, and with the sight of the Stately ordetinge and performance of things; but this, without caring at any time to worship God in the Spirit, and with the understanding, so that they only stand gazing, thinking it a sufficient worship if they have but been there, & seen Divine Service. But as this evell in God's people cannot but be displeasing to God, so surely if some good order be not taken for redress hereof, it cannot but endanger the Lords acceptance of the very Service its self: for, it is not so much the Service wherein a few worship, as the worship of many in Spirit that he regards. Thus having written of my first petition, I humbly pray, that I may proceed to the second, If only Art be heeded in them admitted Ministers in the Divine Service, as if (so they be skilful, then) it matters not what their lives and conversations be, then when any profane or irreligiously disposed Persons are admitted, we (from experience) cann hardly expect other, then that their unsanctified Souls will bring fourth, as profaneness in their life and conversation abroad, so irreverence and a measure of profaneness in the very execution of their parts in the Divine worship. But when people see irreverence, or any measure profaneness in the Ministers, it abates their devotion, and is no small Scandal to the Service its self. Therefore I humbly petition, that our Bishops have not care that they reverently perform their parts in the Service only, but also that they or the Deans do inquire of their life and conversation abroad also out of the Church: for, if abroad in their houses, or common company, they be wanton, lascivious or profane, no Awe will serve to restrain, that in the Service also their disposition break not fourth upon every little advantage or opportunity to show the same. If therefore our Bishopps and Deans Inquire after the common life and conversation of such what it is abroad out of the Church: if also they inquire whither in their families they use or neglect religious Duties, such as are evening Prayer at leastwise, Grace before & after meat, reading the Divine Scriptures, repeating of Sermons some times, and some times Chatechisinge; then this would Awe them to exercise themselves to a Holiness of life and conversation; Especially, if as they shall be found conformable, or disorderly, so they shall be admitted, or put by the Service. Yea it were good, that an exhortation were given to all, that if any of them know any among them, to be lose and lascivious of Speech, profane in conversation, or negligent of religious Duties in their families, they should inform the Bishop or Deane of the same, that so the party may be observed, & as occasion is given be proceeded against. Verily, it greatly endangers the Service, both towards God, and towards Men, when the Ministers of the same are known, to be wicked Men in their life and conversation: for it cannot be but that the Lord should turn his face, even from a good Service executed by such, (if authority allow such to be Ministers therein, as who commonly are known to be wicked of life and conversation): Neither cann it be but that the people also, should take such offence at such, as that even the very Service also shall well near be sorsaken. If these things therefore (Dread Sovereign) be carefully seen unto, I nothing doubt, but that our Divine Servico now used in our Cathedral Churches, will both be more acceptable to God then heretofore, and also more conscionably and religiously then heretosote srequented by your people. I may here add the like petition against our Clerks of Parishes, who commonly being of the lewdest of the Partish for life and conversation, do also so irreverently, unskilfully, and unseemly perform their Office, that the people of God cannot but take offence there at, and this to the scandal of the Service its self of out Church. To conclude my Collections, together with my observations upon these collected Scriptures, I now humbly petition, that as here it is said, That the King, and the Princes commanded, &c: so as in your Presence yourself see to these things, so likewise in places remote from your sacred Presence, your Princes and Magistrates (by commission from you) may have power and Authority to see, that Divine Service be celebrated orderly and reverently throughout the Kingdom. So will our Bishops and other Ecclesiastical Officers be the more careful, that just cause of reproof be not given, not just cause of your Princes and Magistrates proceeding against any, for disorders and unseemly performance of Duties. These Collections (most mighty and Dread Sovereign) I have made out of sacred Scripture, thereby in some special perticulets to show, how Gods Kings and Princes in that ancient Church under the Law, took care of, and by their Authority ordered, even Ecclesiastical things also pertaining to the Divine worship and service. Hereupon I have adventured to note unto your Majestic, divers weighty particulars, wherein this our Church of England needeth the redress of your powerful hand. If therefore you vouchsafe to be assistant unto the Church of God in these things, you shall surely bind the same unto you to hold your Memory blessed for ever: for, by ordering these things, you shall both restore the Ordinances of God to his church, and dispose rightly the extents of our Clergy jurisdictions: you shall further the preaching of the Gospel in all places of this Land, and also be the Means, not of a pompous Service only, but of a Stately, Magnificent, Holy, & Profitable worship of God. Which being done, it will be no less your Glory, that preventing the abuse of your and your People's Bounty by our Clergy the Clergy, have a large and rich Revenewe, together with Dignities and Honours among your Nobles & Gentry, I need not here prove from evidence of holy Scripture, that Kings and Princes under the Christianity, are confirmed by God in the same Offices which the Kings under the Law executed, this I shall prove elsew here, where I have occasion to write of this subject to those, who as yet are so deluded of Papal leasings, that they acknowledge not the same; but your Majesty professing your knowledge hereof, and practicing in your kingdoms according to such know ledge, I need but to certify of some things only, which even to this day need redress in this our church of England. If it be objected that I move unto Changes, & that Changes are ever dangerous in kingdoms, I then humbly pray your Majesty to consider, that I move to no Changes but such, as which the evidence of the will of God in Scripture witnesseth unto. And what the Glory of Changes made under the Reformation, according to the word of the Lord in Scripture hath been, the whole world now seethe, & your Majesty enjoyeth and inheriteth the Glory and Power of the same. Doubtless, without a great Change, and the same very strange & dangerous, we had had no Reformation of things; if therefore God's word hath made us happy in overcomminge the dangers of the greater Change, should we neglect the yet further conforming of things to the word, for feat of the danger of the lesser Change? I beseech your Majesty therefore, that you will so tender the Good of the Church of God, as that no fear of the danger of a Change, may hinder the yet further conforming of things, to the evidence of the will of God as we found it in holy Scripture. With which Petition I put an end to these my Collections out of holy Scripture, humbly praying, that I may yet further continue this writing of mync, showing unto your Majesty the evidence of the prevaylinge, or not prevaylinge, of the Kingdom of heaven among your People, as the Ministers are good or bad, painful or idle, who are allowed in this your Kingdom to possess our Spiritual live. Verily, (my most gracious Sovereign) who so loveth the prevaylinge of the Kingdom of heaven, and desireth the suppression of the Kingdom of Satan, cannot but cherish and rejoice of the industrious Ministers of the Gospel, and be zealous against the negligent and idle hoping therefore of your Majesty's gracious disposition towards the Kingdom of Heaven, and zealous hatred of the Kingdom of Satan, I will proceed to show, the Means by which the Kingdom of Heaven prevaileth among your people, petitioning also your gracious cherishing, and assisting the same. V CHAP. EXperience hath declared, that the Kingdom of Heaven hath increased, and Satan's Kingdom decreased, by the gospels being Ministered by Men, who have an inseazoning of the Spirit of God; therefore every child of the Kingdom of Heaven, as he loveth the prevaylinge of the one, & declyninge of the other Kingdom, so he is to love, cherish and sustain to his Power, such Ministers of the word, as have cvidence of an inseazoninge of the Spirit of God. The Scripture every where witnesseth, that the Ministration of the word through the Spirit in the Minister, is truly that prevaylinge vaylinge Power and effectual Ministration, by which, if not only, yet chiefly, the Kingdom of Heaven prevalleth, & the contrary kingdoms subdued; therefore though the word Ministered by a wicked Minister may be of some, yet certainly it is not of like Power, as when the Spirit of God assisteth the Minister in ministering the same. It is therefore none of the least virtues of a godly King, to observe the Ministers of the Gospel, marking in whose Ministration the Gospel most prevaileth, and in whose not; the one to cherish as profitable Ministers, the other to reprove as unproffitable. Suffer me therefore (Dread Sovereign) I humbly pray you, to set before your view in a brief manner, the divers sorts of Ministers, which I found in this your Kingdom of ENGLAND, and the divers effects in your people of their divers manner of executing their Ministrations; that so it may by the effects and Fruits appcare, who be those Ministers who chiefly have an evidence of an inseazoninge of the SPIRIT of GOD. Some are admitted Ministers in the Church of England, who neither by the Spirit, nor yet of industrious Study cann Preach at all; therefore they content themselves to read Divine Service only, or at the most to read some times a Homily to their Parishioners. These, when they read Divine Service, you shall found them to do it very irreverently, posting over it also as hastily as they may: Also if they read any Homilies, it is then but seldom, and this also in such a manner, as plainly shows, that they little tender the peoples in struction. If you observe the Speech or Communication of these out of the Church, you shall found the same to be wholly of the worid and worldly things, having no evidence of Religion, or of faith according to the Gospel. Yea, you shall found the most of these to be pot companions, and this also in the lewdest and most profane company of the Parish: they are as lascivious as those who have no fear of God; their talk also is full of foolish jestinges, if not also of ribaldry. Look into the families of these, and what shall you found? verily, as little show of Godliness, fear of God, or faith, as in the most ignorant and profane families of your Kingdom. No Morning or Eveninge Prayer, scarce Grace before and after meat, little or no Reading of the Scriptures, No repetition of Sermons, nor any Catechising throughout the year. As for your People in such Parishes, you shall commonly found them ignorant in Divine Mysteries necessary to Salvation: Careless to know them at all: Swearers, Drinkers, jesters, filthy speakers, and in a word, without any Show of true Godliness, save only that to satisfy the Law, they resort on sundays to the Reading of Divine Service; but there, neither caring to mark ought for their instruction, nor coming away, to be ought at all bettered in life or conversation. In these Parishes, you shall commonly found very few, if any, Bibles: no use made of them at home if there be any; Nor any religious Duties (as I said above) exercised in their families, such as are, Eveninge Prayer, Grace before and after Meat, repeating of Sermons, or catechising. Alas, what evidence of the Spirit of God in such Pastors? what prevailing is here of the Kingdom of heaven? Doth not the Kingdom of Satan rather prevail in such Parishes? verily (my Lord, and King) you shall found under such Pastors as now I writ of, the rudest, ignorantest, and wickedest of your people; therefore my humble petition is, that for the bettering of your people in such places, and for removing a scandal from our Church, such unpreaching Pastors enjoy not wholly the live, but rather be put to some small stipend, and the residue bestowed on some other who cann Preach the Gospel. I grant that Homily-readinge is not wholly without use in such Parishes; but yet no Divines but will confess, that skill in a Pastor to divide the word aright, as the Necessities of the Parishioners requires, is much to be preferred unto the same: for though Homilies contain excellent and sound Doctrine, and are fraught with Christian precepts, yet they are so general, that without a skilful making use of the particulars in a Homily, applying things to the present Necessities of the Paris hioners, they cannot profit the people, as doth a skilful Sermon composed by the Spirit in the Pastor, and fitted to the occasions of the time and of Persons. For, in a Pastor in seazoried with the Spirit of God, the Spirit assists in his choice, in his judgement, and directs him secreately to the Doctrynes most profitable for the people of his Charge; therefore a Sermon so disposed, is far to be preferred before a Homily which is penned at random, serving generally for all places, and all people a like. But when the people feel not their own ignorance met with, nor their own knowledge confirmed, nor their own Manners reproud or commended, they acknowledge no Power in that read unto them out of a Homily. Neither are Homilies written to occasion in our Clergy a Negligence of Study, but rather for the help of those only who cannot Preach sound at all; therefore fart be it from our Church, to fetter a Congregation to a Homily reader only, if the times afford Ministers who cann divide the word of the Gospel aright. Thus having written of one sort of Ministers, I humbly pray, that I may proceed to another. Other Ministers there are, who though they cann, and do Preach well, yet they preach as seldom as Law will permit them. Herewithal many of them are lose of life & profane in Conversation. Yea they are common pot companions: they serve as jesters at great men's tables: and make no conscience of their Speech, so as they may gain a Meals meat in such company of Credit. In a word, neither commonly in their Conversation, nor commonly in their dealings with Men, they show any Signs of a Religious disposition of mind. If you examine their family, you shall found there as little exercise of religious Duties, as in those families where there is neither faith nor fear of God. In such Parishes the voice of the people is, That they have a Parson that cann do well if he would: that he is a good fellow, and the like; but they cannot commned him, either for any painful preaching, or for any evidence of Piety And according to his evil disposition and example, so you shall commonly found the Parishioners, to take all liberty in wickedness, so far fourth as they dare for the Law of your Kingdom. Here, what faith? what Sanctification? what fear of God? what talk of religious things? here you may found some dusty Bibles in families, but they serve not for any use all the yeate long, save only to carry to Church on Sundays. Here, scarce in any one family of the Parrrish, you shall found, or Morning, or Eveninge Prayer, the whole year thorough: here, no Repetition of Sermons: no Catechising of the family at any time; yea scarcely Grace before or after meat. What evidence here then of the Kingdom of heaven? what child of that Kingdom would not mourn, to see here so small fruits of the Gospel? If it be objected, that Morning and Eveninge Prayer, Reading the Scriptures, repeating of Sermons, and catechising of the family, are new taxes not laid upon Men by the Gospel, than I answer, That these duties are included either expressly, or by consequence, in the Commandments given us in the Gospel. Moreover, because those commonly do these things, in whom the Gospel most prevaileth, therefore the not doing them servs as a Sign, that there the Gospel prevails not in people as it ought. Lastly, seeing every family is a Charge, where Parents have Charge of Children, and Masters of Servants, therefore in every family there ought to be some Religious exercises, by which faith and devotion may be furthered. Another sort of Ministers there is, who both cann, and do Preach well, yea and often, as every Sabbaoth day once; but though of the abundance of their learning, they leave excellent Sermons with their Parishioners, yet, what comes of it they care not, neither ever look after its taking any effect at all. And for all their preaching, yet observe them in their life and conversation, and you shall never hear them speak of religious things, longer than they are in the Pulpit; for abroad, all the week and year after, their Parishioners found that their talk is wholly of worldly matters, so that by true Signs the Parishioners discover them to be wholly worldly minded. Civilly courteous they are, but Men may easily see, that it springs but from Civility, not from Religion. These love their Parishioners, but it is but because they reap Profit by them; not for that they found the Gospel and the Grace of God to prevail in them. If you search into the families even of these, you may found commonly more store of Bibles, and more use also made of them, then in the Ministers houses of whom I have before written; but yet here you shall found the use to be, only as for a wearing out of the time with reading, which else they could not at present tell how to pass away. Here you may found Graces before and after meat, & generally more civility in the family, & more show of Religion also then in the former Ministers houses; but yet for Morning or Eveniuge Prayer, Repetition of Sermons, or catechising, you shall hardly found these things the whole year thorough. As for the People in such Parishes, you shall commonly found them better disposed, then in the Paris hes whereof before I have written: they are commonly more Civil, and respective of their life and conversation They resort with more reverence to the Church, and have more store of Bibles then in the Parishes before written of; but as for family exercises at home, such as are Morning or Eveninge Prayer, Reading the Scriptures at convenient times, repeating of Sermons, or catechising, you shall not commonly found these things used throughout the year. If you search them more narrowly, you may found indeed some good measure of knowledge of Divine Mysteries; but as for faith, or Sanctity through the Spirit: as for any conversinge of things of faith: as for any joy of things hoped for, according to the Gospel of Christ, you shall hardly found these things in them, no nor Signs of them. Here we may thank God, for the evidence of the prevaylinge of the Kingdom of Heaven in this your Kingdom, and this by the sight of a sound Divine Service, and Preaching, and people's resorting to the Church; but we cannot here rejoice of that kingdoms prevaylinge, in the hearts, lives, and conversations of your people. I grant indeed (Dread Sovereign) that it is no small matter, that the Gospel pressed with your Royal Laws, prevails over Lords, and inferior Governors of families, so much as to bring their families to the Church; neither indeed is it a small Power, that hath brought even this to pass. Moreover, if Lords, and other Governors of families, usinge their families to the Church, do leave them therewithal to God, hoping that the word preached, and God's Grace accompanyinge the same, worketh in their family to make them inwardly good Christians; not further using their family publicly, to Morning or Evening Prayer daily, or to a reading of the Scriptures thorough, every one his or her part, at convenient times, or to Repeating of Sermons, or to catechising, yet we may not doubt, but that in every such family there is one, or some, in whom the word of God worketh, and faith in God groweth in them according hereto, and so herethorowe there is in that family a private praying, and a private reading the Scriptures, and private Meditations, and selfe-Catechisinges; therefore also we may not condemn or reproach all such families, as wherein publicly, (the family gathered together) there is not usually holy exercises performed. But yet, because the very Show of Godliness is good, not only for an evidence to Pastors, of the prevailing of God's Grace in their Parishioners, but also for examples sake to others, as serving to provoke or incite one family by another in the use of such pious exercises and Show of Godliness, it is very behooveful, that families have their public holy exercises at convenient seazons. Indeed some of those who most use these pious family exercises, make Religion a weariness to their family, by so continually drawing them (in every minute of time, wherein they work not) to these exercises, that they leave no time for their families' recreation and refreshment, by sporting, dancinge, usinge exercises of Activity, or exercises of danger for animating them to valiancy, and other like. Thus by an extreme, a vice grows, and this both to the hurt of the family, and also to the scandal of the Gospel of Christ; for some erroneously conceavinge, that Religion cannot stand with such things, they make their Children & servants dull, and slow of motion, and unfit for the defence of the Kingdom and of the Church; and others thinking that the Gospel admits not such things, make the Ghospels' yoke heavier than the Lord would have it, and so make the people take offence thereat. Yea, some have raised a reproach & caused themselves to be a by-word, through their putting the bridle of their own word in people's mouths, restreyninge them in things which Gods word restreynes them not in: such Men do both themselves, and also the Gospel wrong. The Scriptures declare the Lord not to dislike, but rather to approve, of sportinge, Gen. 26, 8, dance, Exod. 15, 20, judges, 11, 34, 37, and of exercises of Activity, judges, 20, 16, 1. Chron. 12, 2; therefore none ought by a word of their own to restreyn God's people in such things. Such Men would make conscience to do as David did, who for the rescue of a sheep, would follow after a Bear, and after a Lion, but this exposing a Man's self to such dangers even upon such causes, the Scripture rather approves than condemns. Surely the Scripture commending as an Ornament and Honour of kingdoms, that there are Active, & valiant Men in the same, 1. Chron. 12, 1, it doth consequently allow of such hazardous exercises as incite & move Men to a valiant exposing themselves to dangers; therefore the baiting of Bulls, of Bears, and hunting of wild Beasts and the like, are not to be condemned to be used by God's people. If any evell be done, or evil Speech heard in the usinge of these things, let that indeed be reproved and punished; but let not God's people be debarred from the use of these lawful things, under pretence that Religion and Holiness will not stand with such things. Would God that they that use these things, would say, and resolve, and profess, that seeing God is gracious to allow them to sport, to dance, to use exercises for Activity, and even unto danger for animating of them to valiancy, therefore he should not be dishonoured by any in the use of them; for surely if God's people did this, the Lord would delight in his people's exercising themselves in these things. True it is, Man's corrupt nature is such, as that hardly it cann use these things without taking Liberty with all, both to forget God, and also to put away his fear, in the time of their making use of these things; but if Masters of families, and public Governors, as also their Pastors, would teach them frequently to mind the Lord, and to have care in their hearts not to displease him in their usinge these things, as also would be ready to reprove and punish any, that should dishonour God in the time of the use of these things, than the corruption of nature would be kept down herein as in other things hereby: for the Awe of Government changeth the Manners, which a depraved Nature is apt to bring fourth. And why should not every one of every family think with themselves, that as to do or say ought in their sportinge, one with another, or family with family, or neighbours with neighbours, which would displease their Masters, and also their Magistrates, known they thereof, were the next way to be deprived of these Solaces and Refreshments, so to displease God, is likewise the next way to make him also to deprive them of them, and to plague the Land and them? Therefore people should use these things as by God's permission, having an Awe of God in their hearts, not to permit or do any thing in the use of them, which is truly a breach of any of God's Commandments. As for the Sabbaoth day, whereas some use exercises of violence unto Blood, such as are baiting of bulls, or bears cudgel playing, & other like, these, though they be lawful at other times, yet not on the Sabbaoth; more harmless solaces & delights befits the same, both for conveniency, & also for that it is a rest, aswell to Beasts as to Men: the like I might say for hobby-horses, and men in woman's apparel (but this indeed unlawful) which our Maygaimes commonly use; for, even in indifferent things, there may be a fitness not to use them on the Lords Sabbaoth day. These things I thought good to touch at here, because men are apt to err by an erroneous restreinte, aswell as by an erroneous liberty-takinge. Again, I find in those who most use holy and religious duties, a custom of long praying, as if they would make a custom, or get a Name for great praying; whereas the Lord doth in Scripture declare himself, to delight in short prayers, tending to the present occasions of praying, which also are fittest for the Spirits attendance thereto, and to be made in faith of that prayed for. There is no truth in prayer, when the Spirit, and faith, accompany not the things prayed for; neither cann they conveniently accompany long and tedions prayers. In Congregations indeed, there must be in the Pastor a sense of, and prayer for public offences & Benefits, and the very rehearsing of many particulars is there truly needful; but in the private family, the occasion of the praying, whither it be for the morning or evening is especially to be tendered, though some other particulars for the common wealth may also briefly be remembered. Thus have I noted some evells, whereinto some the most devoute, are apt to fall, that so such evells may be prevented; but yet if this Care be taken against these evells, it would be very profitable that every family apart use its self to such Religious Duties. For, for want of accoustominge a family hereto, we found that Men going to church and coming from thence, make that all their Religion for all the week after; never thinking any more of any thing learned at the Church, nor caring to do in the week, as they were at Church taught to do; whereas if at home the family were used to these pious exercises, it would occasion a making conscience to resort to Church, and there to worship God with faith in the Spirit, aswell as in the external Gestures of the Body: as also it would make them careful of that taught, to remember a part, and some special things, either to Believe them hearty, or to practise them in their Actions and Speech all the time of their life: for some things are to be Believed only, other things are to be practised, and in both every hearer ought to be careful, that he do it as he is taught by the GOSPEL of CHRIST. Thus having written of some sorts of Ministers, and observed unto your Majesty the effects of their defects in your People, I now humbly pray, that I may proceed to write also of those other Ministers, in whom I cannot but rejoice, blessing God also for them, and for the rich and plentiful Fruits, of their zealous and painful Ministration. Other Ministers there are in this Church of England, who being learned, are also painful Preachers of the word. They preach once at the least, but ordinarily twice on the Sabbaoth day, if not once in the week days also. These observe their Parishioners, whither usually in their life and conversation, they bring fourth any Fruits of their preaching. These watch over any erroneous opinions in their Parishioners, informing them better, and staying their outspreadinge. These watch also over the Manners of their Parishioners, aswell their conversation as their dealing, observing when they are either vicious or virtuous. These apply themselves to fit their Preaching also unto these observations, usinge Comminations or Consolations as the people's vices or virtues, neglect or observation of Doctrine gives occasion. Which that they may the better do, they observe & mark the common fame that goes of any in the Parish, and herewithal they have their eyes and ears abroad in the Parish, even faithful and godly Men, who observing the common conversation and dealings of their Neighbours, do faithfully inform them how they found their Neighbours commonly disposed: whither to observe religiously what is Taught them, or to neglect to observe the same. All this they do, before any of their Parishioners come to such height of iniquity, as to be publicly accused, and proceeded against in any court of justice: Yea and hereby they so prevent peoples so offending that well near, rather they by their well directed Doctrine, and grave or Pastorly Authority, than the fear of the Punishment which is by your Law to be inflicted, do bridle and restrain your people from offending your Laws. These, in their own families, use Morning and Eveninge Prayer, Grace before and after Meat, Reading the Scriptures thorough in time, every one of the household their turn or part. These use their family to repeating of Sermons, and also Catechise them conveniently often. If you talk with these, you shall found them religiously disposed, affecting also in all conference with Men, to leave some Seeds and gracious impressions, either confirming Men in the faith of some special thing of the Gospel, or dehortinge them from some wickedness to which they are (by report) inclyncable. These are religiously courteous, and affable, loving their Parishioners, not for their own private gain they have by them only, nor only for neighbourhood and freindshipp, but, (after the example of the Apostles) for the evidence of their faith, and for the evidence of their receavinge carefully, and practicing conscionably the word of Life. These show themselves by many apparent Signs, that they love and seek the Salvation of their People, rejoycinge of the comforteable likelihood of many, and assurance of some, that they shall be partakers in the future Glorification. These are grave in gesture, sober and meek in conversation: they are devoute: they are Holy: yea, a Man may by good Signs discern, that from a Spring of faith in themselves they exhort others unto faith, and from a sense of the sweeteness of obedience in themselves, they encourage or animate others to obey the Gospel. In a word, these go before their Parishioners in those things, whereunto by their Preaching they exhort them. This for the Ministers themselves, and their families; now consider the people also under them. You shall found here the common voice of the Parishioners to be to this effect: We have, (God be blessed) a learned and a good Man to our Teacher: he taketh great pains to teach us: he loves us: he is ready to instruct and teach us, even in private conference, upon any scruple of conscience: he is courteous even to the meanest of us, show also by evident signs, that he hearty desires the Salvation of our Souls. In these Parishes you shall found in the people, in the meanest aswell as in the greatest, more knowledge in Divine Mysteries, then in the Parishes formerly written of. Here, more evidence of faith of those holy Mysteries, and in God and in Christ according to the direction of those Mysteries. Here you shall found more store of Bibles in families: more reading in them: more profit by reading in them, then in the other Parishes. Here, evening, if not morning and evening Prayer: Here, grace before and after Meat, and the same done with Reverence also, and an evidence of faith, and fear of God. Here you shall found repeating of the Sermons at convenient times: Here, catechising also conveniently often. Here, the Neighbours will confer some times one with another, aswell of heavenly things as of worldly: yea and this they will do, not to show what they cann say of such things, or to get a Mastery in conference, but with a mutual Hope for such things, confirming one another in the faith and esteem of such things, animating one another to prefer them in their love and desire, before these worldly things, which all men have and enjoy. When I saw this in some, I rejoiced, as one who had found some who are answerable to that exhortation of the Apostles, where he describing in some measure the future resurrection of our Bodies, 1. Thssal. 4, 17, saith: Comfort your selus one another with these words. Doubtless where people thus do, as fit opportunity, and mutual disposition of minds will serve, the Lord will draw near to hear their talk, openinge also their understandinge yet better, as we read of him that he did, Luke, 24, 13. Furthermore, in these Parishes we found the People, not only to reverence their Pastor, but hearty to love him, being glad also to have occasion of doing any thing, whereby they may manifest the Love they bear him. Here, there is an abstaining from usual and unlawful swearing. Here you shall not found usually any excess in drinking, Here, no lasciviouss, filthy, or beastly talk, no bold, lustful: and filthy gestures; but rather you shall found here the contrary virtues, even an abstinence from evell, and yet a freedom of Love and delight as youth requires, but with a restreinte of such wicked excess. Here, in a word, you shall found a comforteable show of Godliness: Here, a true evidence of Christian life and conversation. Here therefore is indeed, an evidence of the inseazoninge and habitation of the Spirit of God, both in Pastor, and People: Here a plain evidence, both of the Kingdom of Heaven in Power, and also of the weakening, if not casting out of the contrary Kingdom, even the Kingdom of Satan. Of these Ministers and Parishes therefore I rejoice, and for your gracious favour towards them, for their better encouragement in well doing, I humbly petition your sacred Majesty in this writing. But, some, and too many of these, are in the number of those, whose Ministers are silenced, and whose people are reproached with the nick name of Puritans. My Lord and King, I petition not that their errors be suffered; but this I petition, that the Ministers leaving their errors, and the people also forsaking them, both Ministers and People may found you gracious towards them, by restoring the Ministers to their former Ministration, and by accepting the people as the Lights of our Land for Religion. There is no Garden where weeds will not grow; neither do men destroy the Garden for the weeds sake, but rather weed out the weeds and preserve the Garden still. We may not conceive, that none that are true Christians, and have the Spirit, fall into any errors; for Peter had his error, Galat. 2, 11: and the Churches of Corinth & Galatia had their strayinge from the truth, when yet neither Peter was silenced, but only the error he fell into withstood, nor those Churches, forsaken, but only the weeds weeded out. And it is truly a hard thing, that men's Ministeryes are wholly suppressed, for an error or two in judgement, whereas rather first, they should be but stayed from preaching such errors, and afterwards upon obstinate persisting, silenced. But seeing many of our learned and painful Divines, whose Ministry hath been very profitable in this Church of England, are wholly for some few errors silenced, I am now a petitioner, that their Ministry may be restored, so as they forsake those things which truly are errors in them. And for the people, I humbly pray, that leaving to speak against Lawful Powers and Offices in the Church, and against our Divine Service, & leaving to condemn God's people in lawful things, they may be relieved from those scandales which wicked Men cast upon them. Surely (Dread Sovereign) these Congregations where silenced Ministers have been, do manifestly declare themselves to be God's Saints in your Kingdom; yea I have observed, that where a Minister conformable to the Ordinances of our Church, hath succeeded in the place of a silenced Minister, Godliness hath more and more decayed in your People. I will not say it is the fault of their Conformity, God forbidden; but this I say, it is the fault of their not exercising like Pastoral duties, as the silenced Ministers exercised: and it is the fault of our Bishops not pressing them to exercise such, but rather leaving them to a prejudicial Liberty in Life and Conversation. Thus have I, (my most gracious Sovereign) adventured, to set before your view, the divers dispositions of your People, according to the diversely disposed Ministers set over them. I need not now doubt of your Majesty's quick apprehension and discerning, where in your Kingdom the Kingdom of Heaven most prevaileth, neither yet where are the best evidencyes of the Spirit of God. You have given such Signs of your excellent judgement in these things, that I rather rejoice thereof, then inform you ought at all. True it is, that it is not rigour of Punishment, no nor Laws, that will bring people on to these holy exercises in their families, and to this blessed restreinte from ungodly conversation, so well as the word of God frequently preached, & wisely directed, by a skilful Minister Neither is there any expectation, that a whole People should at an instant be brought to this measure of conformity to the Gospel of Christ. Yet, if Parishional Government, might accompany Parishional ministration of the word, the people would doubtless the sooner be brought hereunto. Not that there should be any violent disgracinge, or proceeding against all that presently are not conformable, (for this were to provoke untymely the people, before the Lords time for their conversion be come) but that by little and little, with Meekeness and Gentleness, the Parishional Governors draw them on, to conform themselves to the Rules of the Gospel. But, where any family is too obstinate, refusing for long time to exercise therein any religious duties, there I humbly pray, that your Majesty encourage the Parishional Governors, to proceed on orderly against such; for surely, a family that within its self, doth wholly neglect all pions exercises, is near unto Atheism, yea though they observe customarily their coming to Church. This if your Majesty vouchsafe to do, you shall surely make your Memorial blessed for ever, even as is the memory of these good Kings blessed, of whom before I have written. If it be objected, that Tradition shows us no evidence, that ever at all the Church had such a Government by Lay Elders also as which I now press, (for this is the difficultest Change I petition for) than I answer; If we receive the Office of Bishops & Arch-Bishops, because Tradition brings them to us, when yet we have not any great warrant from Scripture, both for Bishops and Arch-Bishopps, (though indeed for one, set over Teachers and Churches we have great evidence) shall we not much more receive a Government by Lay Elders, which hath evidence as I have before shown in Scriptures, yea though corrupted Tradition afford us no Light for such? The Lord hath not given such evidence to a Reformation, which hath aimed at the purest Tradition only, as to that which hath aimed to Reform things by his word in Scripture; therefore to Conform the Offices and Government Ecclesiastical, to that which the Scripture gives us Light for, is surely most acceptable to God, and shall receive the greatest blessings. Therefore I will conclude this my writing, first with a petition to your Majesty, for the admitting of such a Parishional Government, (having an eye rather at the Ordinance of God, as we found it in holy Scripture, then at corrupted Tradition and its testimony and authority): and secondly with my Prayer to God: That he give you a heart to execute his will, and establish your Throne in the Church, continuing your flourishing kingdoms to yourself, and your posterity for ever. For truly, our Church prayeth well, where it saith: Almighty God, whose Kingdom is everlasting, and power infinite, have mercy upon the whole Congregation, and so rule the heart of thy chosen Servant, james, our King and Governor, that he, (knowing whose Minister he is) may above all things seek thy honour and glory: And that we his Subjects, (duly considering whose authority he hath) may faithfully serve, honour, & humbly obey him, in thee, and for thee, according to thy blessed word and ordinance, through JESUS CHRIST our Lord. Your Majesty's Loyal Subject. THOMAS PROCTOR. Faults escaped in the printing. IN the Title of the Book, for consormably, read conformably. In the Petition to the Lords of the Parliament, page 3. line 1, for Majesty's sty, read Ma.tie And line 4● for off, read of. And line 12. for off, read of. In the Petition to the Kiuge, page 6, line 32, for ordeninge, read ordering. Page 7, line 9, for, your Royal Powerful, read, your Royal and Powerful. Page 7. line 15, for, burnts Offerings, read, burnt Offeringee. Page 8, line 5, for, ovet, read, over. Page 8, line 11, At conveyed, conceive that a full point should be. Page 9, line 7, for not, read, not. Line 31, for miply, read, imply. Page 10, line 7, for, rhus, read, thus. Page 11, line 6, for, frow, read, from. Line 8, at labour, conceive, a, wanting. Page 12, line 28, for, I write, read, I write of. Page 14. line 3, for, Preachers of the Gospel are may, &c: read, Preachers of the Gospel may, &c: Page 14, line 6, for, who preach the Gospel exempted, read, Preach the Gospel are exempted. Page 16, line 35, for Talks, read, Talk. Page 17, line 29, at City, conceive a full point wanting: and in the same line, for, for, read, For. Page 20, line 17, for, the Elders Church, read, the Elders of the Church. Page 34, line 1, for, Scripturies, read, scriptures: & for, nstruction, read, instruction. Page 36, line 14, for, as superfluous, read, as are superfluous. Page 38, line 21, for, Officet, read, Oflicer. Page 39, line 28, for judas, read, judah. Page 46, line 18, for Lands, read Land. Page 47, line 20, for, petition, read, petition. Page 49, line 18, for, of, read, off. Page 52, line 3, for and made, read have made. Page 55, line 2, for but, read both and line 5, for vuto, read unto, Page 5, line 17, for also and, read, and also. Page 60, line 2. for Offerings, read Offering. Page 63, line 3. for Childreu, read Children. Page 67, line 7, for in, read in. Page 68 line 12, at idle, conceive a full point wanting. Page 69, line 3. for kingdoms, read Kingdom. Page 72, line 13, for commned, read commend.