THE TIMES DISSECTED. OR, A LEARNED DICOVERSE Of Several OCCURRENCES Very worthy of SPECIAL OBSERVATION, To deter evil men, and encourage good.  
Printed in the year, 1641.   

THE TIMES.  
EUROPE afflicted, mourns, an Age it may be accounted when ruin is from time to time; but great Britain, as the last in the world in reservation of punishment, is assailed with an Inundation of troubles; a Country found no danger, therefore sought no remedy, as a Province, when a Comet hath no relation to it, fears not; this caused her make no use of others harms, as wisdom should have done, when a neighbour's house is on fire: therefore either because God chasteneth more the faults of us he loveth, a sign of good will, or because he punisheth our errors, he is most obliged to pay with revenge; the source of which Malady, if we take the Elevation from the past, inward or outward causes proceed: First, from our sins, which did cast a Epidemical Lethargy of unthankfulness for mercies received, the greatest sickness, a conceit of health when most in danger. The second, because there was not heretofore a perfect union twixt England and Scotland, incorporating both into one body and mind, if possible it might have been: a reason hath caused Portugal and Catalonia to revolt from the King of Spain, and Transilvania, Valachia, and Moldavia, under Vayvodes, and not Bashaes', easily elapsed to disobedience; in these turbulent, and lachrymable times enter the year 1639. when two Armies in hostile manner oppose each other, but cured with a pacification, the ulcer not killed, it revived the year 1640. invenoming the minds of both Kingdoms, as in a hectic, or rather a burning fever, with much corrupt matter ascending: caused a new Parocisme to devour the substance of the King and people, which was prognosticated by divine anger threatened by the Ministers, the Church conspurgated with errors, the Commonwealth loaded with projects, Monopolies, and Impositions, a Tyrannical Government propounded and assayed, Parliamentary ways denied, the Road, and Highway to justice, the petitions of the people not heard, nor answered, all which chalked out ruin: whereupon finding their lawful desires made vain, they do not so willingly obey the sovereigns edicts and commands, finding the Diadem led with pernicious counsels, so that the Fever of disobedience growing high, the Scots invaded, our soldiers had no will to fight, the subjects no desire to pay to such a war, whereby the precepts of the head were of no avail over purse and spirit to oppose such invasion, this distemper caused the King summon the Peerary to York to consult and play Physicians to cure the present malady, with a purpose King and Lords, might do all things without the Commons; but they out of a sincere mind petitioned his Majesty for a Parliament, because they could not accomplish the business without common consent, to set in joint the factions and fractions of the Kingdom, which appeared by the miserable condition, the face of the Commonwealth was beheld withal, now better by a thousand degrees (thanks be given to God) for many wrinkles are worn away, and I hope it will come to be in good health, since the Parliament cannot be dissolved till all things desired be accomplished, of which the Triennial Parliament will be the touchstone to try the truth. But finding the Episcopal government, caused divers distempers in the State by introducing new innovations in the Church, as Altars removed for adoration, a new unlawful oath imposed by the Canons, and not confirmed by the Parliament, without which it was of no validity. Secondly, Service said at the Altar, that the greater part of the people could not hear, and the Pontifical Divines teaching and preaching in books, and sermons, that the King might invade our liberties; this caused a research of the Episcopal power, by whose authority this poison was infused, that a Bill issued from the Commons to the Lords, and passed their House, in all but one point, which was putting out of the House; but since some pride from the Bishops and Petitions from some parts of the Kingdom, finding Church and republic impostumated, the House of Commons hath committed a Bill for the eradicating of root and branch. (Noble Friend) to satisfy the appetite of your desires, I will tell you the various opinions of men, some there are haters of Reformation, and pure forms, like those that live in corrupt air, cannot breathe in pure, or used to brackish water, delight not in sweet fountains; others there are who adhere to Rome, and would have that form of Church, which but by a pair of shears divides from that Hierarchy, that they might easily in that path go to the Antichristian way, which if it were hedged up, had no gap to Babylonian errors, for they found none but the Bishops, and their followers brought in the Arminian and Socinian errors, the bridges for Popery. Some they say there are who have sucked in errors at the University by reading Papistical books, admitted by the Bishops, and allowed by the Archbishop of Canterbury, and are so infected in judgement, that they had need of Spectacles to discern the truth, or of eye salve to cure and clear their judgements. Likewise others affirm many great Ladies, because they are esteemed, and flattered of Bishops, would have them in their Pontificalibus, some Protestants whose knowledge is not great, would have them without other reason giving them, because they have been bred in that way: And further, the Papists whose Religion for the most part is in reverence and devotion, are mightily for them, because by that Hierarchy, they confirm their opinions in Popery, as an antiquity derived from Popish Bishops, who first instituted, inducted, and confirmed them in the beginning of Queen Elizabeth's time, so that all our Pontifical Clergy derive the pedigrees of their rites and ceremonies from Rome, so that if they are not in the first institution, there may be a retrogradation to Rome by the same steps, as in a maze go bacl again the way they came in. The politic sort finding the predominant constellation of their aim and pride are carried wit● other considerations, that Monarchy had better give a lose to Hierarchy; for there is nothing Aristocratical but Parliaments, which consists of Lords Spiritual, Lords Temporal, and Commons, the three last are Aristocratical: now if one of these three be dissolved, the Monarchy will shine clearer, for that none can oppose the Supremacy of the King in great Britain and Ireland, but the Bishops, who would, if they had occasion, draw the power to themselves from Rome and Peter, and disseise his Majesty; moreover some of the Lords. Spiritual being Temporal Lords, it may be feared there may be Parliaments without the Temporal Peers, for some of the Bishops are Temporal and Spiritual, so that it is possible that the Lords Temporal may be barred (which God forbidden.) And further, it is apparent the Commons shall pass nothing, because the Bishops will not, who sway the Lords House much with the Catholic party and proxies, for this cause it were fit the Bishops were hindered of votes. Another Argument is, there is no reason they should take place of their benefactors, which they do in the Lord's House, which will be, if not excluded.  
The third reason, the Nobility and Gentry gave land, and were benefactors to Bishop's estates, but the erection of Bishops came from the Pope anciently, as appears by many records, and therefore their erections being Papistical, they may come to owe more service to the Pope then to the King, which I leave to the consideration of ●he Parliament.  
Now to declare the opinion of Lawyers not Catholic, there have been Parliaments say they without Bishops, F. 1.24. a Parliament held. Ex luso Clero 7. R. ●. cap. 3.7. R. 2. cap 12. No Bishops, and many other Parliaments had no Bishops, and therefore it is the opinion, of the best Lawyers at this day, that they ought to be put out of the Lords House.  
Lastly, how many upright and sincere men have been put out by them, and silenced.  
Now let us touch the antiquity of Bishops, to see whether they have anciently meddled with temporalities or no: From Christ's time they were only Overseers of Churches in the Apostolical function and superintendent Pastors of the Church, appointed so by the Holy Ghost, Acts 20.28. who by common consent did assemble together, in which for more orderly proceeding in their charges, they choose one amongst them to be Moderator and Precedent, this is he whom after the fathers called Bishop; but not merely from Christ and the Apostles, for the name of all Elders, and Ministers in the beginning was Bishop, which after by the usual language of the fathers, was appropriated to the Presidentship of the Elders and Ministers, therefore it was Saint Cyprian reproved the Elders for receiving those who were fallen away in time of Persecution; before the Bishop had advised of it with them and others, because they should make public satisfaction; and therefore I conceive it an error, that they had not power given before in general Synods, if any should return to the faith to be restored in the interim to the Church, upon confession and penitency in the congregation before a Synod called, who otherwise might despair in the mean time, or by ill counsel fall away, so that it is apparent that Bishops did deal in matters of the Church government by the counsel and consent of the Elders and no further; but it is observed, the Bishops in every succession and in every City caused all orders for to stand as the law, the Prophets, and our Lord did preach, as Hegesippus said, but how many an Apostolical ways have they introduced contrary to the Scriptures, witness the reverence to Altars, kneeling at the Sacrament, and many more; as silencing Ministers for matters of conscience, for no authority hath power of the conscience but God, and nothing binds the conscience, semper & ad semper, but the decalogue, so that it was never in the primitive times heard that the Clergy meddled with Temporal affairs, as they how do, which superabundancy of power causeth such corruption, impurity of Religion, and hurt to the Commonwealth: therefore they seek to crop their power, or that they may have no more then in the first institution, and manage affairs of Church with primitive temper, to the good of the Commonwealth and glory of God, and felicity of the Church, but they have commanded what they list without control, & are so insolent as of late, Land Archbishop of Canterbury's vices the more visible were by how much he was more potent in power, and gracious in the Prince's eye to persuade the sequestration of zealous and pious in the Church, and the Majesty to be aloof off in matter of state, from Ministers able and sincere, or else to give the Sovereign over to such as might lo●se his subjects hearts, and cause them fall into the Malady of disobedience, a thing incident to misguided governments, so he brought in innovations into the Church, making her of a pure Virgin a very Strumpet.  
Ship, Coat, and Conduct money, and other stern impositions he brought in, not according to abilities, but what the Judges wickedly affirmed to be Law, constraining inferiors to be instruments in execution, for hope of advancement, or over awing them by fear; for acts that fill Princes coffers with unjust demands of money not due, are ever the ruin of the first founders: times are not bad, but the wicked that live therein make them so, who are the futhers of ill counsel as well as those who are the begetters of bad children, which seasons make the best Ministers oftentimes minister fuel to illegal and wicked desires of great men, wherein Kings themselves pass not blameless, who choose not instruments by the balance of merit, but with the sails of will and passionate affection; for as their minds are large in respect of potency, so their election is rather to satisfy their various humours then solid judgement, like those who look for the Philosopher's stone, and find out nothing but fine conceits not worthy the looking for. The Bishop alone manageth the State under the Diadem, chooseth his chief instrument Wentworth into office of best trust, and both together wove the web, whose woof was the mislike of the people; flocks that love no flaying the skin, can endure the shearing, this violent deporment bred a great distemper in the hearts of Scotland, and caused the English murmur, and draw to a defection or mutiny, but no power gotten by wickedness of Ministers is durable, nor to such is any stability betwixt mediocrity and precipitation, which cause doubtful and ambiguous speeches of the Sovereign, when the fault ought to be imposed on the Ministers: so dangerous are the ways of Majesty, that the folly of great ones strive for ruin. Suppose those misconstructions the multitude have of the Diadem force Majesty to seek advice and help from strangers, when he cannot purchase duty at home, what a lamentable consequence may follow, to invite an ancient enemy to the funeral obsequies of her liberties, the cure being worse than the disease? And such is our state now, that the House of Commons are constrained to be helpers, a Theme most displeasing to Sovereignty, though in a distracted state a rule infallible; on Wentworth the affection of the Sovereign was so placed, as his power was boundless in Ireland, and here unsufferable, though a Gentleman of transcendent parts, and of the highest rank under the degree of Barony, yet of a swoulne ambition which no republic can endure, for all preferment passeth by him, and all suits address to him, who finding so full a Moon of favour, thought he could not die for Treason, the price of his life: surely I blame not a Prince for taking a reposefull friend to participate his intimate thoughts, to temper the affairs of state, so as he infects not the effects of his principality, nor sullieth his parental respect to the subject, by hatred or Tyranny; but Strafford sick of the Kings well governing, studied ways of an arbitrary rule, thinking his high tide of favour would never come to an ebb of fortune, but she fooled him at last to the loss of all he held in this life most dear; Great must be the art of ambition to keep afloat the stream of a power▪ seeing sublimity changeth as the spoke of the wheel, or as the hand of the Dial, at the highest 12. comes to one, he affected the honour and service of his Master with the ruin of the subject, beating down competitors of the worthy Patriotship, and wrought by pride precipitation, when by humility he might have had a good station, for he should have made it the operation of others, rather than any appetite of his own to gormondize the property of subjects goods, and swallow their liberty, putting fetters on the Law, that nothing could be accomplished but what he and the Archbishop pleased. And lastly, they bar from the King always to hear the groans of his people, and wickedness of their ministry. This fatal deport of both might have proved Tragical to the Kingdom, where the ingredience of popular humour is mixed as well with armed forces not to be disbanded without great danger, as with a mighty Schismatical party, as well Papists, Brownists, Anabaptists, people pleased to fish in troubled waters, and the malcontented Clergy, who have corrupted the pure fountains rather than they will be depressed in power (it is to be feared) may all act a busy part in this Tragic story. In such designs Churchmen are never wanting to add fuel to popular fires, for though they work it not with the meanest, they effect it by head and chief causing weaknesses in government, and oppression of people, for it 〈◊〉 not the best doctrine a w●rr● with subjects to advance their Hierarchy, no Bishop, no King, When the first Church risen by fasting and praying, therefore they ought not so much teach us rulles of loyalty, as to know out own duties in difficult points of Religion, nor ought they make the Sovereign believe the Parliament only breath out th●ir passions in a time of liberty, and express the poverty of their Master to l●ssen his reputation abroad and credit at home, when then the State is so festered, it is a pain to fetch out the dead flesh without cor●sives which they are constrained to, to keep it from gangrening, when that their whole aim next to religion is to look into the King's necessities, to discharge the Armies, take away the impeachments of the Commonwealth, and provide for the royal sustentation much weakened by bad Counsels, so that he may be potent at home, and glorious abroad, beginning to set things in order when so great disorder hath chalked the way to amendment, for a mighty expense ever ends in the rapine and spoil of subjects: but now if it please the King to follow the counsel of Machiavelli, do as the time permits, and be not weary of the strict enquiry of the Parliament, he shall accomplish as full a Sovereignty as ever, and greater. This may cause the King with incomparable wisdom to suit himself to the necessity of the Time, and expect future good from those mean it so fervently, and act it so painfully. The King delivered of ill counsels, by this blessed fortune, freed and obeyed, may begin to search the ground of the misery, why that virtue and fortune, which had settled and maintained so long his Ancestors in glory of Empire, seems to be in a trance at this time, as if the Genius of the State had forsaken her, and found out (the way) the reason of this mischief, namely a wasteful hand too quick for the fortunes and persons of his people, the griping avarice of Ministers, lawless liberty of Martial forces, uncivil actions of the Multitude, and affording too much care to greedy and unworthy Ministers, whose counsel was more subtle than solid, seeing moderation, reward and punishment, are the supporters of Crowns, and to be just of word is required of Subjects from Kings themselves, so shall he effect a wondrous change in the State, bringing the three Kingdoms home with wonder to his devotion, and their obedience laying his foundation of government on religion, quietness and justice, so that peace and tranquillity shall attend a long life though death be let in at last, and fashion to his successors a most royal pattern to follow from his experience, and authority to make him superior to Kings, and as he is the first King of his name in our Empire since the conquest, so shall he be most worthy to be styled Britain's CHARLEMAINE, and be not only capable to govern these three Realms, but the whole world, so that the wrongs of fortune sometimes make Princes more than their prosperity both wise and fortunate.  
FINIS.