Die Martis 22. October. 1644. IT is this day Ordered by the Commons Assembled in Parliament, That Master Ashurst, and Master Gourdon, do from this House give thanks to Mr. Vines, for the great pains he took in the Sermon he preached this day at the entreaty of the Commons at St. Margaret's, Westminster, it being a day especially set apart for a public Humiliation, and to desire him to print his Sermon. And it is Ordered that none shall presume to print his Sermon without being authorized under the hand writing of the said Master Vines. H. Elsing Cler. Parl. D. Com. I appo●●● Abel Roper to print this Sermon. Richard Vines. THE NEW DISTEMPER. WRITTEN By the AUTHOR of the Loyal Convert. Hilar. de Trin. Lib. 4. Hoc habet proprium Ecclesia; dum persecutionem patitur, floret; dum opprimitur, proficit; dum laeditur, vincit; dum arguitur, intelligit; tunc stat quum superari videtur. OXFORD, Printed by LEONARD LICHFIELD, Printer to the University. 1645. THE NEW DISTEMPER. AS it is in a Principality, or in a Republic, The further it swerves from the first Constitution, and Fundamental Principles, the faster it declines, and hastens towards Ruin; So is it in the Church; The more she deviates, and slips from her first Foundations, the more she grows into Distempers, and the nearer she comes to Desolation. It hath been the wisdom of all Princes, and Free States, of former times, to carry a watchful eye upon the growing Inconvenients of their Kingdoms and Republics; That, as evil manners daily breed diseases, so the continual making, and execution of good laws should daily be prescribed as Remedies; left, by too long neglect and sufferance, the Body of the Commonwealth should grow so foul with superannuated evils, and the humours wax so prevalent, that the desperateness of the disease might enforce them to as desperate a Remedy. It is no less prudence and providence in those that are appointed by the Supreme power (as under him) chief Governors and Overseers of the Church, to be very circumspect; and, not only faithfully to exercise their Ministerial Function, by due and careful preaching of the Gospel; but likewise, diligently to discharge their office in governing, that is, in making wholesome Ordinances, and duly executing them; That the Inconveniences that grow daily in the Church, may be daily rectified, lest by too long forbearance they gather head, and so become either incurable; or else, capable of Remedy, with too great a loss. The natural Affection I so dearly own to this my native Country, (to which my soul always hath, doth, and will for ever, wish as much happiness as heaven can please to give) permits me not to think our Church in so forlorn and desperate a Case, but that it may be capable of a wholesome Cure; Yet Sense and Reason (flying with the natural wings of Love and Duty) bids me fear, that those unnatural Humours, Pride, Negligence, Superstition, Schism, and (that Harbinger of Destruction) Security have so long been gathering, and now settled in her, that she cannot, without long time, and much difficulty, (or else especial providence and divine mercy) be restored; For the hastening whereof, accursed be that unworthy Member that shall not apply the utmost of his endeavour, and diligence; and, not return the best of those Abilities, he sucked from her in health, to her advantage, in this her great and deplorable extremity of Distemper. The wearied Physician, (after his many fruitless experiments upon a consuming Body) advises his drooping Patient to the place of his birth, to draw that Air, he was first bred in: The likeliest way to recover our languishing Church, is to reduce her to her first Constitutions, that she may draw the breath of her first Principles; from whence having made so long a journey, her return must take the longer time. The Physician requires not his crazy Patient to take his Progress thither in a rumbling Coach, or a rude Wagon, (they are too full of motion for a restless body) nor to ride Post, (the swiftness of the passage makes too sudden an alteration of the Climate) but in an easie-going Litter, the slowness of whose pace might give him a gradual change of Air. The safest way to reduce our languishing Church to her first Constitution, is to avoid all unnatural Commotions, and violence in her passage; and carefully to decline all sudden alterations, which cannot be without imminent danger, and to use the peaceablest means that may be, that nothing in her journey may interrupt her, and prove too prejudicial to her journeys end. The disease of our distempered Church, (God be praised) hath not as yet taken her principal parts; Her doctrine of Faith is sound; The Distemper only lies in her Discipline and Government; which hath, these many years, been breeding, and now, broken forth, to the great dishonour of (her Mystical Head) Christ Jesus; to the unhappy interruption of her own Peace, (the Legacy of our blessed Saviour;) to the great disquiet of our gracious Sovereign, (her Faith's Defender) to the sharp affliction of his loyal Subjects, (her faithful servants) and to the utter ruin and destruction of this Kingdom, (the peaceful Palace of her Glory.) 1. As for her Discipline; In the happy days of Edward the sixth, when all the Romish Rubbish and Trumpery was scavengerd out of this (the new Reformed) Church, and the wholesome doctrine of undubitable Truth was joyfully received into her gates, (being for many years closed with Ignorance and Error) the piety and providence of her newly chosen Governors, (whose spiritual Abilities, and valour, were, after, charactered in their own blood) thought good, in the first place, to make God's Worship the subject of their holy Consideration; To which end, they met, and (finding in the Scriptures no express form of Evangelicall Discipline in each particular, and therefore concluding, it was left as a thing indifferent, to be instituted according to the Constitutions of every Kingdom where Religion should be established) they advised, what Discipline might best conduce to the glory of God and the benefit of his people; They, first, debated, and put to the question, Whether the old liturgy should be corrected and purged, or whether a New should be contrived. Cranmer, then Archbishop of Canterbury, a pious, moderate, and learned Father of the Church, (and not long after a glorious Martyr) finding, that the old liturgy had some things in it derived from the Primitive Church, (though in many things corrupted) conceived it most fitting for the peace of the Church, not to savour so much of the spirit of contradiction, as utterly to abolish it, because the Papists used it; but, rather, inclined to have the old Garden weeded, the Errors expunged; thereby, to gain some of the moderator sort of that Religion to a Conformity: But Ridly Bishop of London, a man though very pious, yet of a quicker spirit, and more violent, (and not many years after suffering Martyrdom too) inclined to a contrary Opinion, rather wishing a total abolition of the old Liturgy, and a new to be set up, lest the tender Consciences of some should be offended. The business being thus controverted, it was at length voted for the purging of the old; to which service were appointed Doctor Cranmer Archbishop of Canterbury. Doctor Goodrick Bishop of Ely. Doctor Skip Bishop of Hereford. Doctor Thirlby Bishop of Westminster. Doctor Day Bishop of Chichester. Doctor Holbeck Bishop of Lincoln. Doctor Ridley Bishop of Rochester. Martyr. after B. of London. Doctor Cox King EDWARD'S Almoner. Doctor Taylor Deane of Lincoln. Martyr. Doctor Heynes Deane of Exeter. Doctor RedmanDeane of Westminster. Master Robinson Archdeacon of Leycester. Mense Maio 1549. Anno Regni Edwardi sexti tertie. Whereof three were famous Martyrs; and the rest, men of unquestionable sanctity, soundness, and learning; which, being done, was authorized by Act of Parliament in that blessed King's reign Edw. 6. and with a full Consent received into the Church of England, confirmed by divers Acts of Parl. in the days of Qu. Eliz. King james, and King Charles, our now gracious Sovereign, whom Almighty God long preserve. But this established Discipline, had no sooner being, but enemies, (of which sort the devil hath always instruments to nip the Plants of Religion in the Bud) whose number, daily since, increasing, grew hotter and hotter in opposition, and stronger and stronger in faction, being too long, for peace sake, connived at; and, at last, too unseasonably, and violently opposed, insomuch that the disease, in these our late days, grew too powerful for the Remedy; so that the Distemper of our Church, in that respect, is grown so high, that I fear Phlebotomy will rather produce a further languishment (being already come to Madness) than a Cure. Nay, so far have the Enemies of this established Government and Discipline, given way to their exorbitant and refractory Opinion, that they will neither allow the Matter, nor the Form, nor the Authority and testimony of the Composers. 1. Not the Matter; (though they cannot but acknowledge it, in the general, to be very good, yet) because it was unsanctified by superstitious lips. 2. Not the Form; because set, and composed by Humane Invention. 3. Not the Composers; because Bishops, and so (though Martyrs for the Cause of God and his true Religion) Members of Antichrist. 1. As for their Exceptions against the Matter; how ridiculous they are, let Reason judge: Have not superstitious tongues, and eyes, viewed and read the Scriptures in their very Original and purity? Shall therefore the Scriptures be disallowed? Have not superstitious persons profaned our Churches with their Popish Doctrines, Sacraments and Ceremonies? and shall our Churches therefore be cried down, or shut against the Ordinances of God? because those Poets were Heathenish, was S. Paul afraid to use their say? Was the Spirit of God too blame, to indite them? Good things, abused, work evil effects upon the abusers; but lose not their goodness by the Abuse. 2. As for their Exceptions against the Form, being set, and not conceived, the Authority of the Scriptures I hope will answer. God the Father warrants it: God the Son prescribes it: God the holy Ghost allows it. 1. God the Father warrants it, in the Old Testament, at the time of the Law, by his command to Moses, Numb. 6. 21. where he gives him a set form and words to bless the people, The Lord bless thee and keep thee, the Lord make his face to shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee. 2. God the Son prescribes it in the New Testament, in the time of the Gospel: When S. john the Baptist had taught his Disciples to pray, the Disciples of Jesus Christ (whose house was called the house of Prayer) humbly requested the same boon from him, who prescribed them that Form which he had formerly used in the end of his Sermon, Mat. 6. 9 which he intended not as a Model, (as some would have it) but a very Prayer itself, to be used in those very words, as they were delivered Luke. 11. 2. not, After this manner, but, when ye pray, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, say. That he willed the same words to be used, is evident; For his Disciples would be taught, as john taught his: And how were they taught? S. john taught them the words only; he could not give them the Spirit to make an extemporary descant upon them. So that being a direct Set Form, it warranted Set Forms, which were used from the beginning of the Primitive Church; from whence, this part of our Discipline had her original. 3. God the holy Spirit allows it: Who dare question, that the holy Spirit inspired S. Paul in all his Epistles, written to the Churches? In all which Epistles he concludes with this one Prayer, The grace of our Lord jesus Christ, etc. 3. As for their exceptions against the Composers of this liturgy, who were no less than holy Martyrs, (and by Firelight saw more Revelations than these Objectors did by daylight) men of approved learning and true piety: though some have impudence and spiritual pride enough, to think their own abilities and inspirations to fly a higher pitch; and Ignorance enough, to acknowledge greater knowledge in themselves, yet the most humble, able, and truly sanctified minds, have always had Martyrdom in so high reverence, that they conclude, that God that made their blood the seed of the Church, and gave them the courage and honour to die in the maintenance of the Truth, would not permit that seed to bring forth such darnel of superstition; or them, to die guilty of those Errors, they so resolutely cried down with their dying blood. 2. As for her government by Episcopacy, (the extirpation whereof being a great addition to her Distemper) It hath as much or more Ius Divinum to plead, then that, which endeavours to demolish & succeed it, Presbytery; Both are but mentioned in the Scripture, at large; but no particular Rules for the executing the office of either; which, being left wholly as arbitrary, it rests in the power of the Supreme Magistrate (whom God hath constituted his Vicegerent) to choose, and establish, which may best be found consistent with the Constitutions of the Kingdom, and stand to most advantage with the civil Government. But admit the Civil Government will stand with either? When the Balances stand eavenly poised, the least Grain turns it. In things indifferent, the smallest circumstance casts it. This Island of Britain (if we look back above 1400 years, being a long Prescription) when she first received the Faith, was then governed by King Lucius, whom God made a great Instrument for reducing of this Kingdom from Paganism; who, sending to Rome, and accommodated from thence with two Christian and learned Divines, by their labours, and God's assistance upon them, planted the Gospel: At the beginning of which plantation Arch-Flamins and Flamens were put down, and in their room Archbishops and Bishops were introduced; which Government successively continued, and flourished through the reigns of many wise Princes, confirmed by many Acts of Parliament, since the Reformation; exercised and approved by holy Martyrs; and allowed of, as most fitting, until the year of our Lord 1641. At which time, multitudes of the lower sort of people, throughout this Kingdom, petitioned, and tumultuously troubled the Parliament, so that some of the Members, perchance according to their inclination, and others, for quietness sake, consented to the abolition and extirpation of Episcopacy, the unadvized Contents of their clamorous Petitions. Now if these Governments hierarchical and Presbyterial be indifferent; these Circumstances, (First, of the time, when Episcopal Government began; Secondly, of the unintermissive continuance, for so many Ages; Thirdly, the credit of the persons confirming and approving it) me thinks, should cast such a kind of necessity upon it, that the other (being an untried Government, and having no consent or approbation from the Supreme Magistrate; and, being only cried in by the Ignorant multitude, affected to novelties and change) should have no wise friend to plead for it. Ob. We read in the Scriptures of Elders (which are members of a Presbytery) as it is written, Titus 1. 5. For this cause I left thee in Crete that thou shouldest set in order things that are wanting, and ordain Elders in every City, as I had appointed thee. Also, 1 Pet. 5. 1. The Elders which are among you, I exhort, who am also an Elder. By which it appears, that Titus had instructions to set up a Presbytery. Ans. You take the Scriptures by snatches: Had you read in Titus the next verse following but one, you would have had Saint Paul's meaning with his words, viz. ver. 7. For a Bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God, not self-willed, etc. So that, it plainly appears, that Elders mentioned in the 5. verse, are expounded Bishops in the 7. Or, had you compared Saint Peter's first verse (before mentioned) with his fift in the same Chapter, you would have found Elders no positive, but a relative word; no Office, but a degree of Age. Ver. 5. Likewise the younger submitting themselves to the elder; the Apostle here showing, what the behaviour of the Elder Ministers should be towards God, and of the younger towards them. So that if either of them had set up a Presbytery, it was suddenly pulled down again; and Episcopacy (which you so much dislike) placed in the room. Ob. We are so far from disliking Bishops, that where there is one, we desire there were twenty; nay that every Church in England and Ireland had a several Bishop; Diocesan Bishops we dislike, Parochial we allow. Ans. How suddenly (to cross a settled and warranted establishment) your windmill fancies can make an alteration. Titus, c. 1. 5. had a command from S. Paul to ordain Elders in every City, (which he interprets Bishops) not in every Church or Parish; which Ordinance, the Church of England hath punctually observed from the Primitive times to this day. But you have refractory and gainsaying spirits, spirits of contradiction, that understand not the Scriptures, but by your own Interpretations; always stirring, but never settled; hating order, despising Government, and resisting all Authority. Ob. But this Episcopal Government had her original from Rome; and being poisoned in the Root, it cannot be wholesome in the Branch. Ans. Ignorance is the mother of all Error. Your Chronologie fails you: If you carefully search Antiquities, you will find your Objection against it, a good Argument for it. I confess Episcopacy had her Original partly from Rome; but, in those days, when we conformed according to the Church of Rome, the Church of Rome conformed according to the Word of God. Rome was, then, part of the Primitive Church, not being above 187. years after Christ: The Bishops of Rome were so far then from being Antichrists, that most of them were Martyrs, and died for Christ. Ob. But our Bishops have too great Revenues; whereby, they are occasioned to Riot, pomp, and glory. Ans. Those Princely Benefactors (whose bountiful Piety's thought nothing too much for God's Ambassadors, and therefore enlarged their Revenues so much) well knew their places and callings required it; whose gates were to be open to all comers; and bread to be given to all that wanted. Their Places own relief to the fatherless; comfort to the widow; supplies to the needy; and succour to all that are afflicted; and hospitality to all strangers. No, their great Revenues are greater Eyesores than Inconveniences, if not abused. Ob. But these great Revenues might have been decimated, and the Tenth part might have sufficiently maintained a preaching Ministry, and the nine other parts might have been added to the King's Revenues, which would have made him the richest and most glorious King in Christendom, and taken away the necessity of Subsidies from the Subject. Ans. This is robbing Peter to pay Paul; beggering the Keys to enrich the Sword, and the next way to bring a Curse upon the King, and all his people in general, by a general guilt of Sacrilege. The Shewbread must not be eaten but upon more necessity then (God be thanked) His Majesty was at that time put to. The holy Oil must not be put unto a Civil use; But His Majesty's pious and resolute refusal thereof hath in one word, fully and fairly answered this Objection. Ob. But Bishops have too absolute a power, which gives them occasion and opportunity to be tyrannical, and to exercise an arbitrary Jurisdiction over their Brethren. Ans. From the beginning, I confess, it was not so; neither stands it with wisdom or policy to suffer it to be so: For the Government of the Church must have proportion with the Government of the State: Government of several natures in one Nation, breeds confusion; and that, ruin: We therefore being a mixed Monarchy, necessarily require a mixture likewise in the Hierarchy; which excludes all arbitrary power. It is true, absolute Monarchy, and an unlimited Hierarchy are apt to fall into the distemper of Tyranny; and Democracie and a parity in Government is as apt to run into the disease of Tumult; but of the two evils, Tyranny is the least, by how much it is the easier to be cured. A monster with one head is sooner overcome then a Hydra with many. If our Hierarchy hath slipped into this irregularity, it is great wisdom and reason for a Parliament to rectify it. Ob. But the King having the sole Election of Bishops, and so much favouring them, will hardly consent to the abridgement of their power and greatness; so that, being his Creatures, their power will be upheld by him, to the end that upon any difference betwixt him and his people, they may be the more able to uphold him, and ready to make a strong party for him; so that the more their power is weakened, the less his party will be prevalent, whereby, his Prerogative may want Advocates, and the Liberty of the Subject no enemies. Ans. His Majesty, by his yielding to the Bill of taking away their Votes in Parliament, hath given a sufficient Earnest of a further Moderation of their power; and no question, was, and will be ready to hearken to this or such like humble and reasonable Petitions (for the extirpating this jealousy) viz. That when any Bishop dies, or is translated, he would give liberty to the whole Clergy and Freeholders of those Dioceses to choose, nominate & present four learned and religious Divines, most unblameable in life and doctrine, able for government, and diligent in preaching: Of which four, His Majesty to prick one, which may be consecrated Bishop of the Diocese; By which means, both His Majesty and His People, having an interest in him, he will be equally engaged; who, in cases of difference, may become rather a Mediator then Partaker: and, receiving just power from the King, may execute it as uprightly amongst his people. Ob. But they are Lords, and lord it over God's Inheritance: Whereas, 1 Pet. 5. 3. forbids it, Be not Lords over God's inheritance: and Christ, Luk. 2●. 25. says, The Kings of the earth exercise Lordship, but it shall not be so with you. Ans. Our Bishops were Lords, as they were Peers of the Land, and as Peers, they had Votes in Parliament; which, being taken away, they are no more, now, then what the dignity of their Calling and their own Merits make them. As for that place in S. Peter, thus it is meant; Ye shall not be Lords over God's inheritance, that is, Tyrants; Lords and Rulers being at that time none but Heathens and Persecutors, whose tyranny made the very name of Lord, terrible, and odious: So that, in that place, by Lordship is certainly meant Tyranny. Neither can this imply a Parity in our Church; for without a Superiority, and Inferiority, there can be no Government: A Parity cannot be considered in order of Government; but, only, in the work of the Ministry. In this, all are fellow labourers; In the other, some command, and some obey S. Paul and Timothy had an especial command and charge over other Ministers. As for that place in S. Luke, which you all edge, The Disciples striving who should be the greatest among them, our blessed Saviour's answer was to this effect, Let King's exercise power and authority over their vassals, (as indeed their tyranny made them little better) but it shall be otherwise with you: You are all fellow-servants to me, that am your chief Lord and Bishop of your souls; whilst I am here, all superiority lies extinct: Christ was then the only Governor, and the Root of Government was in him: But at his departure, he gave some to be Apostles, some to be Pastors, etc. and yet all those degrees were equal in respect of the work: He himself said, Ye call me Lord, and so I am, and yet, Luk. 22. 27. I am among you as he that serveth: whereby it manifestly appears, he intended a parity of the workers in respect of the work, not a parity in the government in respect of the workers. Ob. Bishops (whose office is to promote Religion, and to advance the Gospel, (as is pretended) and to encourage Preaching as the ordinary means conducing thereunto) are so far from so doing, that instead thereof, they silence godly Ministers, and put down weekly Lectures, which were set up at the proper charges and the piety of the people; and to the great establishment of true Religion. Ans. Here lies a Mystery; being the most crafty advantage the devilever took of popular piety. Admit the piety of the honest hearted People was the first motive to these weekly Lectures, how was that piety abused, by those weekly Lecturers? They were chosen by the people; their maintenance (consisting most of Gratuities) came from the people, which ebbed or flowed according as their Lunatic doctrines wrought upon the people. Those Lecturers (whose whole subsistence thus proceeded from the people) must for their own better lively hoods please the people: And what more pleasing to the people than the preaching of Liberty? and how should Liberty be enlarged, if not peeced with Prerogative? Then down goes Authority, and up goes Privilege; Down goes the Book, and up goes the Spirit; Down goes Learning, and up goes Revelation; who gaining credit in the weak opinions of the vulgar, grew the Seminaries of all Ignorance, and the nursing fathers of all Rebellion. These are those godly Lecturers that Bishops put down, who never lost themselves so much, as in not setting up better and more orthodox in their rooms, which had taken away the ground of this Objection. Ob. Our Bishops being proud, idle, covetous, and Popishly affected, are therefore fit to be extirpated. Ans. Admit some be so; therefore, such, among them, as are humble, diligent, charitable, and enemies to Popery, perish? Shall they that are bad, have more power to pull down a settled Government, than they that be good, to keep it up? Did Moses, the man of God, extirpate the Government of Priesthood because Aaron had a hand in the people's Idolatry? Or, will you undertake that the Elders in a Presbyterial Government shall be all faultless? Let the guilty receive their respective punishments, and let others take their office: But the innocent to suffer with the guilty, is a point of high injustice. But admit this Government by Bishops, had nothing to plead for it, neither prescription, nor continuance without Intermission, nor the Authority of Parliaments in all Ages, yet considering it is, now, a Government, in Being, it seems not consonant to Reason, or policy to extirpate it, or take it away, before an other Government be pitched upon. To pull down one main Pillar, before another be made fit to supply the place, and to support the room, is the next way to pull the Roof upon our heads: Hath not Episcopacy been long voted down? And is not the Assembly, at this time, divided and in controversy, nay puzzled what Government to set up in the room of it? By which means, occasion is administered to all disorder, Liberty lies open to all Schisms, Sects, and Heresies, and Sectaries grow bold to vent their giddy headed opinions without controlment, confirming themselves in their own Errors, infecting others with their new fangled and itching doctrines, the nature whereof is (like a Tetter) to run, till it overrun the whole Body. (Have not our eyes beheld all this?) which if these unsettled times should long continue, (as God forbidden) would gather such head, and strengthen this our confused Kingdom, that if her issue of blood were stopped in one place, it would break forth in another; and, like Hercules his Monster, if one head were struck off, another would arise, to the utter confusion of the true Protestant Religion, which already gins to be the least part of this tottering Kingdoms profession, and rather connived at, then exercised by some. Are not complaints preferred against Brownists and Separatists, See a book Entitled, ●hesumme of a 〈◊〉 at 〈◊〉 in Essex, 〈◊〉. 11. 1●43. unheard? Nay, are not men afraid to complain against them for fear of punishment? Have not professed Anabaptists challenged our Ministers to dispute with them in their own open Churches? Have not their disputations been permitted, nay, unadvisedly undertaken by some of our Ministers, (who themselves are though little better) wherein they have made many Proselytes, and left many of the vulgar (who judge the victory to the most words) indifferent? Have they not after their disputations retired into their Inns, and private jodgings, accompanied with many of their Auditors, and all joined together in their extemporary prayers for a blessing upon their late Exercise? How often hath Bow-river (which they lately have baptised New jordan) been witness to their profanations? How many daily make their private meetings, and assemble in the City of London to exercise their Ministry? How many have been convicted of Blasphemy, and yet unpunished? How many times have their witnesses been taken against some of our most learned and religious Ministers? for which, some, are plundered, some sequestered, and some imprisoned: How many of our Ministers whose severity proceeded formerly against Fornicators, Adulterers, Drunkards, Swearers, and such like, are now undone upon their revengeful witnesses and testimony, appearing now (for the better colouring of their malice) well affected to the Cause? All which in time will so encourage all Sects, Factions, Hypocrites, and make Heresy so bold, & strong in this Kingdom, that the true Protestant Religion will be (under the detestable name of Popery) even turned out of doors for company, or at least so little favoured, that it will be forced to s●rowd itself in corners, as those Sectaries did, before these troubles were. Ob. I, but when things are settled, and justice done upon the Popish Faction, these Sectaries with their Sects will vanish like the Mist before the mid day sun, and a true reformed Religion will be established to us and our Posterity. Ans. You seem by this Objection but a young State Physician, and a mere novice in the curing of a disease of this nature. In some cases, where the undisturbed humours keep their bounds, distempers are quickly evaporated, and being scattered through the whole body, every part breathes out some, and Nature (being able to truckle with the disease) by her own power, relieves herself; and, in a short time, rectifies the Body: But upon a continual confluence, and gathering head of lawless humours, she is so weakened; that she hath no power to resist, and less heart to struggle with her enemy, but is forced to yield: But the time you prefix for the subduing of these numerous Sects, is, first, when all things are settled, secondly, when the Land is cleared of Papists. 1. For the first, It is all one as if you had said, When the body is in good health, you will easily find a cure. A rare Physician! In the mean while, you will connive at this continued confluence of humours, which makes it at length incurable. 2. As for the second: Take heed while ye go about to cure a Fever, you run not the Body Politic into a Dropsy, with too much Phlebotomy. But you will first clear the Kingdom of Papists: And who be they? In your Account, all such as stand for Episcopal Government, (a Government coetaneous with this our almost out-dated Religion) All such as approve of the Book of Common Prayer, (a Form established by many Acts of Protestant Parliaments) All such as are passively obedient, and loyal to his Majesty (a duty commanded by Gods own mouth.) Of the Clergy, all such as will not preach for blood, (although Ministers of the Gospel of Peace.) All such as will not take the Covenant, to suppress Bishops, (although they have formerly sworn canonical obedience to their Ordinary) All such as will not encourage Subjects to resist the power of their natural Prince, (although having taken the Oath of Allegiance, and the late Protestation.) And to conclude, all that have not contributed willingly, bountifully, and continually to this War; and in a word, that have any considerable Estates to pick a hole in: If all Sects and Sectaries be not suppressed till then, we are like to have a comfortable Reformation. But in case, you only mean such Papists as own, and acknowledge the doctrine of the Church of Rome; Tell me, what course would you take with them? Either you must banish them, or disinherit them, or take away their lives. 1. If banish them; It must be done, either with the King's consent, or against it; If against it, you resist the power, and he that resisteth shall receive damnation, Rom. 13. If with it, you make the King guilty of perjury, who hath sworn to protect all his Subjects in his Coronation Oath. 2. If disinherit them; It must be done, either according to the known Laws of the Kingdom, or against them; According to the Laws, ye cannot; for there is no Law for it. If against them, you transgress what you pretend to maintain in all your Declarations. 3. If take away their lives, It must be done, either for a Cause, or without a Cause; If for a Cause, show it, that the world may be satisfied: If without a Cause, you are guilty of murder. Which course soever ye take, you have not Christ for your example, who quietly suffered the two Caesars, being Idolaters, not only to possess that Kingdom, but to usurp it, because God permitted them, and permissively placed them there: When the Disciples asked our blessed Saviour, Didst not thou sow good wheat? Whence cometh it that there be tares? His answer was, The evil one hath done it. His pleasure being demanded, whether they should weed them up? his Reply was, No, Let them alone until the harvest, and then he would separate them. A good deed may be ill done, when either against command, or without warrant. Though God hath permitted the evil one to plant Papists among us, yet he hath not authorized us to root them up, nor yet to take the lives of any, until their actions come within the danger and compass of the established Laws of the Land. Ob. We have precedents for the rooting out of Idolaters in the Scriptures; which warrant us to do the like. Ans. You find it not where, but in the time of the Law; at which time, God immediately commanded it; which kind of Warrants are now ceased. Again, In the time of the Law, some were accounted Strangers, And strangers had not the privileges that brethren have▪ Usury was lawful to be taken of strangers, not of brethren: Now, in the times of the Gospel, Christ hath made us all Brethren, and called us by his own name, Christians: and what was lawful, then, to be done to strangers, is unwarrantable, now, to be done to Christians. We are brethren. Ob. Then Protestantisme and Popery may be consistent in one Kingdom, and God's name may be harmelesly profaned with Idolatry and superistition, in the same place, where it is truly and sincerely worshipped. Ans. Your inference is not good. It is one thing for a Prince to protect his subjects; and an other to be partaker with them, or to allow of their superstitions. King's cannot enforce Consciences, though pitched upon a false Religion: All that Magistrates can do against them (unless for Seducing, which a particular Statute made Treason) is to punish their purses, for not observing his Statutes respectively, or for exercising their Religion contrary to his Laws, But well it were if such a necessity of Connivance had no such subject to work upon. How happy had it been for this unlucky kingdom, if his Majesty's most prudent and pious offer, two year since, propounded to us, had been accepted in this particular, That all the Children of his subjects of that Religion, should be taken from them, and educated in the Religion of the Church of England? By which means, the whole Kingdom, in a short space of time, would have been peaceably reduced to an Unity in Doctrine; And, if the same course were taken with oath Strectaryes, an Uniformity in Discipline also. But our Kingdom must not expect an universal and through Reformation in all particulars, till Catechisms be more strictly used, and the intercourse of Ambassadors (which cannot simply be avoided) and Legers be restrained; and strict statutes made and executed against sectaries. But to return to our first matter. Admit Episcopacy were a Government, accidentally inconvenient, and that a more fitting Government, were discovered, prepared and made ready to be set up, It would be but a new untried Government, and not experimentally known what proportion it would bear without temporal Constitutions. A horse may be well mettled, and conditioned and every way commendable for the saddle; yet not draw well in a Coach or Chariot: A great part of our Common-Law is bu●lt upon the Cases of Bishops, insomuch that if that Government be changed, there must be a necessary alteration of many Laws of the land; And what inconvenience may arise from such an Alteration, I leave to the Judgement of Lawyers, being not unworthy of some Consideration. But let these things be accounted not Inconveniencyes, and that the hierarchical Government is fit to be demolished, either for the abuse of it, by some few exorbitant Prelates, or for the mischiefs that follow, in respect of it self, in that it administers such occasion of offence, yet the too sudden Execution of a business of so great aconsequence, and concernment, gives a livelier testimony of passion than discretion, (if polititions may have credit) and savours of extremity, (which is opposite to all virtue,) and too much rashness, the distemper of all serious and honourable undertake: Too sudden an Alteration in matters of small moment, passes not without some inconvenience; but, in things of such a nature, as a Government, nay a Church government too (the nursery of the whole kingdoms happiness or misery) it cannot be without imminent danger; but the sudden alteration of a fundamental government, of the Church (which necessarily carries the state with it) threatens, nay brings not less than unavoidable ruin to both. A Rashness, too much (we fear) relishing of private ends to demolish that government in twelve months, which hath been setting up and maintained by as wise generations as ours, above fourteen hundred years. How happy had it been for this (at that time prosperous, but now miserable) kingdom, had we taken the advantage of (that greatest blessing, that ever gracious Prince conferred upon unthankful Subjects) the Triennial Parliament, wherein, we might every 3 years have inspected this new recovered Kingdom, and kept it always in a perfect Crisis, the approaching Terror whereof, would not have afforded popular evils so long a time, or liberty to root themselves or gather head against the peace and welfare of our happy Government; through the benefit whereof we might have taken an advantageous leisure and mature deliberation to ripen every Bill, and, by degrees, to rectify every nonaged Crievance, and indeed, what happiness was there, which we had not then an offered opportunity to bring upon this (now) unhappy Land? The Government of the State, as in many things, it was reduced into an excellent temper; so, questionless, (had not this unnatural difference interposed) it had in all things (by the continued goodness and favour of His Sacred Majesty) been perfected, to the comfort of us, and the happiness of succeeding Generations. The Government of the Church likewise might, by the virtue of the granted Triennial, been narrowly and exactly searched into; The Governors strictly observed; The Bad turned out, and changed for better; They that deserved punishment, punished according to their misdemeanours; Others, less offending through some neglect, reproved and checked; and, upon no amendment, the next Triennial, proceeded against accordingly. The Figtree was not presently cut down, Root and Branch, but suffered till another year; And punishments before an Admonition are too rashly and severely inflicted. Thus by this gradual and Triennial Course, Mercy and Justice would have incorporated; the Government of the Church had been established; the peace of this Kingdom had been secured; the bad Governors had been rectified, or removed; the good, encouraged and honoured; and Peace and Truth had kissed each other. But the multitudes of these our national sins were too great, to permit so great a Blessing on this Nation, as the benefit of this Triennial Parliament. God suffered Abraham to see the holy Land, but for the transgressions of the people, not to possess it: God shown us a glimpse of that mercy (which our sins made us unworthy to enjoy) and snatched it from us. In which respect, we are now left to our own ways, and governed by our own Inventions; and (what is worse) we are neither penitent for our national sins, nor our own; nor (what is worst of all) sensible of God's judgements, nor our own miseries. How often have our Modern Ministers in their unmeditated prayers, before the open Congregation, given God joyful thanks for these blessed times! Eccles. ●. Whereas (if their hearts had not been hasty to utter any things before God) they might have rather petitioned for a removal of these his terrible judgements: How often have they prayed for the continuance of these happy days! whereas, 〈…〉 had not their mouths been rash, they might better have deprecated those miseries. How often have they in their Sermons, blasphemously challenged God (upon the forfeiture of his Justice) to crown their Cause with Victory! How often, instead of wholesome doctrine, have they delivered such reports as their Consciences knew Fables, and were before next Sabbath Lies upon Record? How often have they preached down Subjection to Princes, and encouraged the Sword to grow warm in the blood of Christians? How often have they Articled against Orthodox, able, and learned Divines; and crowded themselves into their Live, who upon my certain knowledge (some of them) can neither make true Latin, nor write good English; and then, lay their preferment upon the wisdom of the Parliament? How many children above a year old (because their fathers are suspected to be loyal to their Prince) continue unbaptised? many parishes can witness. How long time is it since the last Sacrament of the Lords Supper was administered, let the people tell, if their memories be so good; and then, the Elements delivered in their own new devised words. These are now the faithful Ministers of the Gospel of Peace: These the Ministers of this blessed Reformation: These the men that must pull down Antichrist out of his seat, and set up Christ jesus in his throne: Nay, rather, these are they that for filthy lucre carry men about with divers and strange doctrines: These are the men that in former times separated themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. These are they that despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities: These are such as have gone the way of Cain, and run greedily after the error of Balaam for reward; and have perished in the gainsaying of Core: Jud. 12. These are spies in your feasts of charity, feeding themselves without fear; clouds, that are without Water carried about with the wind; 13. raging waves of the Sea, fomeing out their own shame, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever. Is not this a blessed Priesthood? Are not these rare materials for a hopeful Presbytery? Fit governor's for the house of God? Are not the two great Nurseryes of this kingdom like to flourish; when the chief Plants are pulled up by the roots, and only these Crabstocks suffered to prosper, and bear their own natural fruit? Our fathers have eaten the Grapes, and their children's teeth will be set on edge. They that have been the Pillars of our Relion are hewn down, and our falling Church is shored up with these inconsiderable spars. They that grappled with, and foiled the stoutest Champions of the Church of Rome, are imprisoned; wanting both bread and liberty; And such as neither did, nor could, nor durst appear in such a quarrel, are crowned with their Reward: They whose learning and orthodox piety made England the glory of nations, and the envy of foreign kingdoms, are now disgraced and ruined; and those, that learning made not capable of a Degree, advanced and honoured to the great dishonour of this kingdom. Nor can I hear forget, how much this staggering Church of England owes to her pious and religious Nursing Father, and her faiths royal Defender, our gracious Sovereign; whose wisdom, moderation and tender piety (amongst other of his princely virtues) hath so manifesty showed itself; in not following the example of those, whom my heart bleeds to call his Enemies; and blazing the new Ministry of this kingdom, as they have done the old? Had his provoked passion published a Century to the eye of all the world, of those moral vices, hideous blasphemies, infirmities and failings of the Clergy of the one party, as they did on the other, how would the Church of Rome, and all the Enemies of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, have hissed and derided our Religion? that, by the general Confession both of Prince, and people, had such Monsters to adorn it? How would foreign Christians have been frighted at the very name of the Church of England? How would the stile of Protestant have become the Obloquy, and Byword of all Religions: It was not for want of matter: Report would have coined enough, besides that, which, perchance, would have made the truer history. Nor was it scarcity of penmen, to paint their actions to the life: Oxford had & yet hath Pens, sharp enough, & Ink that wanted no Gall: Nor can I conceive how such nimble, active, and such salik fancies here could have forborn it, had not the wisdom & providence of his Sacred Majesty laid upon them his restraining power: By which it evidently appears to those that are not obstinately and malitionsly blinded with the darkness of resolved Rebellion, that his Majesty's solemn Vows, and serious Protestations, for the maintaining the honour of the true Protestant Religion, agree with his most pious Intentions, and published Resolutions: Had his secret affections been warped, or the lest degree wavering from the Church of England, or any whit inclineing to the Romish superstition; had the imaginations of his heart intended secretly an introduction of the popish Religion, how could his new design been better animated, then by an inward dislike of the Protestant Religion, & how could that dislike have been better fomented and encouraged, then by the Advantage, the just Advantage taken of the general corruption of her Ministry? But the wisdom and tenderness of his Piety stands silent, in this behalf; and, in his singular prudence, hath not so much as taken notice, or in any of his Declarations once reproved the uncharitable impiety of that scandalous Pamphlet, for fear of further blazing it, but rather suffering it to perish in its own filthiness, and choosing rather to groan under the burden of his faithful and abused Clergy, then by revengeing and painting forth the crimes of the other party (fare more guilty) to afflict Religion under the burden of both. Thus is the health of our languishing Church impaired; thus is the body of our crazed Government distempered; thus is the peace of our Saviour's Spouse disquieted; thus is the welfare of our English Zion determined; Her Dovelike piety is turned to Serpentine policy; her Unity, to Division; her Uniformity, to Disorder; her Sanctity to Profaneness; her Needlework robes to a particoloured Coat; her honour into disgrace, her glory into disdain, and her prosperity into destruction. Lam. 1 2. She weepeth in the night, and her tears, are in her Cheeks. Among all her Lovers there is none to comfort her; and all her friends have dealt treacherously with her; ver. 9 Her adversaries are the chief; and her enemies prosper; for the Lord hath afflicted her for the multitude of her transgressions: Her children are gone into captivity before the Enemy, 2. 9 and her gates are sunk into the Ground: Her King and Princes are among the Gentiles; her law is no more, and her Prophets find no vision from the Lord: ver. 10. The Elders of the Daughter of Zion sit upon the ground, and keep silence, and have girded themselves with sackcloth; The horn of her enemies is lifted up, They spared not the persons of her Priests, they favoured not her Elders, they have laid wait for the breath of our Nostrils, Lam. 4. 20. the Anointed of the Lord, and servants bear rule over us. Our Inheritance is turned to strangers, Lam. 5. 4. and our houses to Alyants': We drink our Water for money, Lam. 3. 4. and our Woods are sold to us: We have sinned and have rebelled, therefore thou hast not spared: For this our hearts, our hearts faint, for these things our eyes are dim; For these things I weep, mine eye, mine eye runneth down with water. Where, O where are you, all you that are the wisdom and Governors of this unhappy Island? Where, O where are you, the great Counsel and grave Senators of this falling Kingdom? Where, O where are you, the great College of political Physicians of this languishing Commonwealth? Are ye all fallen asleep, while we perish? & is there none to awake you? Open your eyes, unlock your ears, and mollify your hearts: Behold, behold the miseries of your land, and if Compassion be not banished from the earth, pity, O pity the approaching Ruins of this your groanning, this your native kingdom. Hear O hearken to the sad Complaints of your afflicted petitioners; and, if your hearts be not of Adamant, relent, and let them not in vain petition for their lives: Let the breath of this distempered kingdom, contracted into one extreme sigh, move you to the speedy endeavours of a timely Cure. Inquire into her Constitution, Examine her distempers, and reduce her to her first Principles: Try no experiments upon a body so declined, and let not the Acuteness of her disease persuade you to a desperate remedy, Look, O look back into the blessed days of Queen Elizabeth: Observe what blessings we then had, both by Sea and Land; What plenty; what success; what victories; what honour abroad; what unity at home; and indeed what had we not that could make a kingdom happy? Reduce us, O reduce us to that happy government; and let not the eagerness of a Reformation be a means to want men to be Reform, or matter for a Reformation: Remember, O remember that great Reformer Christ Jesus; He was against all blood shed, but his own; for that blood sake follow his Example: Or if the way must needs be made by blood, let it light rather a little, upon many Generations, than all upon one; the ruin whereof will deny us an other Generation: Let not the children of your Mother starve in the land of bread, and let not the foundations of your natural kingdom be longer dabbled in unnatural blood. Turn, O turn your eyes upon her breaches, and let not strangers Lord it in her Gates. For the mercies of that God which hath been merciful to you, be merciful to millions of Christians, whose lives depend upon your Care; be merciful to millions of children, that know not their right hands from their left; be merciful to generations unborn; to whom, when deep Records shall bring the Chronicles of your Actions, ages to come may magnify your Merits: For his sake that is the Prince of peace, as you desire to meet peace upon your Death beds, let this Sea of blood already spilt be thought sufficient: For the whole body of England's sake, who have trusted their power into your hands, that have cast all their welfares upon your wisdoms; for their sakes that venture their lives and fortunes upon your providence; for your own sakes; for your tender wives and dear children sakes; for the God of mercy's sake, as you love mercy; for Christ Jesus, the God of peace his sake, as you prise the peace of a Good Conscience, harken to, and ensue peace, while there is a possibility of Peace. Darken not that Religion with the black storms of contention, you profess to glorify: Lessen not the glory of that Church, by partiality, which you have promised to beautify: Draggle not that Gospel in the sinks of blood, which you have protested to magnify: The sins of Nineveh were not too great for God's compassion, and shall the offences of poor England be too great for yours? Nineveh cried mightily to heaven, and they were spared; and shall the miseries of three Kingdoms be hollowed in your ears, and not heard? Well, If Ruin, by a foreign power come, Hest. 4. 13 (which the God of heaven and earth forbidden) think not with yourselves that you shall scape the Fury more than all the rest: 14. But if you altogether stop your ears, at such a time as this, then shall Enlargement and Deliverance arise to England from another place, but you and your houses shall be destroyed; And who knows whether you are sent to this employment, for such a time as this? O thou that art the great preserver of mankind, to thee, to thee we turn the voice of our complaint: Thou, thou art gracious, and plentiful in Compassion, but in man there is no help, Lam. 3. 24 nor mercy in the sons of men. Job 13. 15. Thou art my portion O God, and I will trust in thee, Psal. 146. although thou kill me. I will not trust in my bow, Ps. 14. 1, 2. it is not my shield that can save me, but it is thou alone, O God, that canst deliver us. Deliver us O God from the evil men, preserve us from the cruel men, which imagine evil in their hearts, and make war continually. Have mercy, O Lord, have mercy upon us, 123. 3. for we have suffered too much contempt. Hear the mourning of the Prisoners, 102 20. and deliver the children from death. 83. 5. They have consulted together in heart, and have made a league against thee. 79. 4. We are a reproach to our neighbours, even a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. 74. 10. O God, how long shall the Adversary reproach thee? Shall the enemy blaspheme thy Name for ever? Remember the children of Edom O Lord in the day of jerusalem, 137. 7. which said, Raze it, raze it, to the foundations thereof. 132. 9 Let thy Priests be clothed with righteousness, and let thy Saints rejoice. 89. 46. Lord, how long wilt thou hid thyself? for ever? Shall thy wrath burn like fire? Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? 85. 5. Wilt thou prolong thy wrath from generation to generation? 84. 9 Behold, O God, our Shield; and look upon the face of thine Anointed. Let thine hand be upon the man of thy right hand, whom thou hast made so strong for thyself. Give thy judgements to the King, 80. 17. and thy righteousness to the King's son; that peace may be in his days, 72. 1. and let his enemies lick the dust: Cloth his enemies with shame, but upon his head let his Crown flourish. 132. 18. How long shall the wicked, O Lord, how long shall the wicked triumph? 94. 3. They prate and speak fiercely, and the workers of iniquity vaunt themselves. They smite down thy people, O Lord, and trouble thine Inheritance. They slay the widow and the stranger, 115. 10. and murder the fatherless. O house of Aaron trust in the Lord, for he is our help and our shield; He will bless the house of Israel, and he will bless the house of Aaron. Praise ye the Lord ye house of Israel, 135. 19 praise ye the Lord ye house of Aaron, praise ye the Lord ye house of Levi: Ye that fear the Lord, praise the Lord. PSAL. 122. 6, 7, 8, 9 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: they shall prosper that love thee. Peace be within thy walls, and prosperity within thy palaces. For my brethren and companions sakes, I will now say, Peace be within thee. Because of the house of the Lord our God, I will seek thy good. Hier. sup. Epist. ad Rom. Quisquis corpus suum affligit, & concordiam deserit, laudat Deum quidem in Tympano, sed non laudat in Chore. The End.