They who being within the Church, have offended against Faith and discipline; let them know the rigour of Princes: and let the Princes power establish that discipline, which the distressed Church is not able to execute upon the neckes of the proud, Saith Isidorus in his booke of Authority and care of Kings.

The Argument. Argument

TO inflict punishment upon evill doers is no unholy thing; But the troubers of the Church and State are evill doers; therefore Lordly Bishops being troublers of the Church and State; it must needes appeare that they are evill doers. Conclusiion And so it must needes of consequence follow, that to inflict punishment upon the offending Lordly Bishops it is no unholy thing, but lawfull, just, and right.

To prove that it is lawfull to punish evill doers, Saint Peter saith, 1 That we ought to submit our selves to the King, and to the governors set over us by him for the punishment of evill doers, 1 Peter 2.13.14. [Page 2] And Saint Paul saith, If thou doe that which is evill be afraid, for hee beareth not the sword in vaine; for he is a minister of God, and a reven­ger to execute wrath upon that man that doth evill, Rom. 13.4.

2 To prove that the troublers of the Church and State are evill doers. The Prophet Ieremie saith, that the Lord is against them that Prophesie false dreames, and doe tell them, and cause the people to erre by their lies, and by their lightnesse, as it is Ieremiah 23.32. And how have our Lordly Bishops and Prelates prophesied false dreames, and endea­vored to corrupt the Church with errours; and by their lies and light­nesse troubled the whole land (nay, all the Kings Dominions, from consideration whereof, Theodoretus, [...]ooke 1. cap. [...]0. The office of Bishop. that saying of Constantine is no more but justice, If the Bishops (saith he) move troubles, by my hand they shall bee put [...]i [...]ed, for my hand is the hand of Gods Minister.

The office of a Bishop is to teach the People truth; and to instruct them in the waies of peace and love; Therefore our Lordly Bishops who have set up lies and falshoods in stead of Truthes, and have moved troubles in stead of Peace and Love? have much abused that holy of­fice unto which they pretend they are called.

[...]eason.The Reason (why to inflict punishment upon the offending Lordly Bishops is no unholy thing) is plaine: Because the Lordly Bishops are movers of troubles in the Church and State.

[...]ow they [...]ve trou­ [...]ed the [...]hurch.I. They have beene movers of troubles in the Church, both by their establishing of Popish Ceremonies; and by their Lordly Gover­ment.

By their establishing of Popish Ceremonies; by binding the consci­ences 1 of men to the observance of them: as setting up of Alters, Ima­ges, and Crusifixes, wearing of Surpluses, bowings, Chringings and the like: Of which Saint Paul warned the Colossians to take heede of, saying, beware least any man spoyle you through Phylosophy and vaine deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the would, and not after Christ. And Saint Ambrose saith, that by good right, Booke of [...]gins. we are to condemne all new things that Christ hath not taught, even all such things saith he, are to be judged detestable, and to bee de­fied.

2 By their Lordly goverment, in silensing and punishing holy Mini­sters, and neglecting and passing by the too great abuses of others, of whom the Prophet Ezekiel speakes (saying) will ye pollute me among my people for handfulls of barley, and for peeces of bread, to slay the soules that should not die, and to save the soules alive that should not live, Ezekiel 13.19. and as the Prophet Malachy speakes, now wee [Page 3] call the proud happie, yea they that worke wickednesse are set up, Malachi, 3.15. In his 11 [...]. Epist. It is not long since we might have taken part with Saint Austin in his lamentation, nay the time of comfort doth now consist chiefly in hope; This thing saith he, doth greeve mee, that so many things wholesomely commanded in the holy Scriptures, are not regarded, and that our times are full of so many presumptions, that he hath beene more sharpely punished which with his bare feet hath touched the earth in the octavas, then the drunkards, &c.

II. They have also been movers of troubles in the State, and that both with our neighbour nations, and also among our selves.

By troubles with our neighbour nations; in so much that had not 1 God beene mercifull to us, How they have trou­bled the State. our land ere this might have beene a wofull desolation, with our streets full of blood, and our fields full of dead vnburied Carkasses, whilest wee having our Swords embrude in the bloud of our neighbouring united nation of Scotland, and their swords also persed into our sides; all being the subjects of one King: In the middest of this woefull tragidie, we might have beene all surprised by a forraine enemie; witnesse that great spanish fleet, with all their munition, wives, and children: But ever blessed bee our good God who hath preserved us.

By troubles amongst our selves, by compelling to ungodly, and un­lawfull 2 oathes, by abuses in their unjust proceedings in their Courts; but we now hope to see these cockatice egges crushed to peeces.

Excellent is that saying of Cyrill, we travill saith he, 17. Epistle to Theodosi [...] earnestly in this thing above the rest, that the Ecclesiasticall estate may remaine sure, in such sort as is seemely for the glory of God, and fit for our times, that it may continue in peace and tranquility by common consent without varience, that it may be quiet in Ecclesiasticall matters, that godly re­ligion may be preserved, and that the life of such as are chosen into the Clergy and Priesthood, may be cleare from scandall.

Let us but consider what the issue of their proceedings might pro­duce; should they have gone on in bringing Popish ceremonies, The end of their sere­monies. super­stition and Idolatry into the Church, as may appeare by their jestures, by their ornaments, and by their actions.

By their jestures, in their bowings, and adorations before the Altar, 1 with their faces towards the East, or at the name Jesus, as if God was inclosed in the Altar; as if the East were fuller of Gods Majestie then the West, or other parts: And as if the name Jesus was above or be­fore the name of Iehovah, all which is Idolaty and superstitious.

[Page 4] 2 By their ornaments, In that they would make us beleeve that ho­linesse is in the Surpli [...]e, Cap, Tippet, or Cope, above other garments: that the Altar is holier then the rest of the Temple; and that the Tem­ple walls make them people holy. And by these ceremonies our Lorly Bishops and Prelates would have us to worship God, which is nothing but Idolatry and superstition: therefore saith the Prophet Iere­miah, Trust ye not in lying words saying; the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, are these, Ier. 7.4.

2 By their actions; In that they assume to themselves Lordly titles, and rule over other Ministers; which our Saviour Chrrist reprooveth say­ing; if any man desire to be first, the same shall bee last of all, and ser­vant to all, Marke 9.36. This indeede is the practise of that great Idoll of Rome the Pope. But oh that all our Lordly Bishops, and idle Prelates would call to minde that saying of Saint Austin, [...] his 7. Homil. O brethren most deare (saith hee) If the best of men at the last day of Judgement shall scarse be able to give an account for themselves, what shall become of our Idle Lordly Bishops, and dumbe Prelates; at whose hands so many soules shall then be required.

These superstitious ceremonies belong to Rome, that great whore of Babylon; but our reformed Churches cannot digest them: It hath been found recorded in the ancient records of London remaining in Guild Hall, that when King Lucius sent to Rome to Elutherius the Pope, to know the customes, lawes and there established; that so the same might be practised here in England, he received this answer: ye may saith he re­ject the lawes of Rome, but the lawes of God can ye not reject; ye have received saith he, (through the Grace of God) the lawes of God and the Doctrine of the faith of Christ into your Kingdome; you have the old and new Testament in your Realme; take out of them by the grace of God, and advise of your selves a law, and by that law, through Gods sufferance rule your Realme. But be you Gods Vicor in that Kingdome but blessed be the Lord who hath put it into the Kings heart so to doe without sending to Rome, for should wee not have sent to Rome for lawes of discipline, we should have found Elutherius dead, and instead of his grave counsell, nothing but Idolaty and Superstition: and if our Lordly Bishops had not such counsell from Rome, I won­der how they met with all their Romish Ceremonies: But now happie is this our Kingdome since our gratious King doth now advise with his subjects in calling that honorable and happie assembly of Parliament; to establish the lawes of this our Realme, according to [Page 5] the waves of God written in his holy word and that since the Pastors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord, Iermiah 10.21. our gracious King himselfe is the true Vicar of God, and maintayner of his holy lawes; allowing no lawes in his Kingdome but the lawes of God.

Yet albeit these prophane Prelates, In his co­ment on Isay 13.13. (as Calvin saith) would turne and withdraw us from under this goverment, yet will we hold our selves fast unto it, because we assuredly know our selves to belong to it; and leave them to your Majesties further consideration, and to the high and Honorable assem­bly of Parliament.