They who being within the Church, have offended against Faith and discipline; let them knew 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.

TO inflict punishment upon the offending Lord Bishops is no un­holy thing, but is a thing both lawfull, just, and right.

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

1.To prove that it is lawfull to punish evill doers, Saint Peter saith, That we ought to submit our selves to the King, & to the Governors set over us by him for the punishment of evill doers, 1 Pet. 2.13 14. [Page 2]And Saint Paul saith, if thou doe that which is evill be affraid for he 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 pro­p [...]esie false dreames, and do 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; & by their lyes and lightnesse troubled the whole Land: nay, all the Kings Dominions, from consideration whereof, that saying of Constantine is no more but justice?Theodoretus. Booke 1. cap. 20.If the Bishops (saith hee) move troubles, by my hand they shall be punished, for my hand is the hand of Gods Minister.

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

Rason.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.

1. How they have troubled the Church.1. They have been movers of troubles in the Church, both by their establishing of the Popish Ceremonies; and by their Lordly Govern­ment.

By their establishing of Popish Ceremonies; by binding the consci­ences of men to the observance of them: as setting up of Altars, Ima­ges, and Crusifixes, wearing of Surpluses, bowings, Chringings and the like: Of which Saint Paul warned the Colossians to take heed of, saying, beware least any man spoyle you through Philosophy and vaine deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world,4. Bookes of Virgins.and not after Christ. And Saint Ambrose saith, that by good right, we are to condemne all new things that Christ hath not taught, even all such things saith he, and to be judged detestable, and to be de­fied.

2.By their Lordly government, in silensing and punishing holy Mini­sters, and neglecting and passing by the too great abuses of others, of whom the Prophet Ezekiel speaks (saying) will ye pollute me among my people for handfuls 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 we [Page 3]call the proud happie, yea they that worke wickednesse are set up, Malachy, 3.15. It is not long since we might have taken part with Saint Austin in his lamentation,In his 119. Epist. nay the time of comfort doth now consist chiefly in hope; This thing saith he, doth grieve mee, that so many things wholsomely commanded in the holy Scriptures, are not regarded, and that our times are full of so many presumptions, that he hath beene more sharply 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.

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

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

Excellent is that saying of Cyrill, we travill saith he, 7. Epistle to Theodosius. earnestly in this thing above the rest, 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 variance, 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 Ceremo­nies. su­perstition and Idolatry into the Church, as may appeare by their jestures, by their ornaments and by their actions.

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

2.By their ornaments? In that they would make us beleeve that ho­linesse is in the Surplis, Cap, Tippit, or Cope, above other garments: that the Altar is holier then the rest of the Temple; & that the Temple wales make the people holy. And that these ceremonies our Lordly Bishops and Prelates would have us to worship God, which is no­thing but Idolatry and superstition: therefore saith the Prophet Iere­miah, Trust yee not in lying words saying, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, are these, Ier. 7.4.

3.By their actions. In that they assume to themselves Lordly Titles, and rule over other Ministers; which our Saviour Christ reprooveth, saying; If any man desire to be first, the same shall be last of all, and servant of all, Marke 9.35. This indeed is the practise of that great Idol of Rome the Pope. But oh that all our Lordly Bishops, and idle Prelates would call to mind that saying of Saint Austin, In his 7. Homily.O brethren most deare (saith he) 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 dumb 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 there established; that so the same might be practised here in England, he received this answer: yea may saith he, reject the lawes of Rome, but the lawes of God can yee not reject; yee have received saith he, (through the grace of God) the lawes of God and the Doctrine of th [...] faith of Christ into your Kingdome; you have the old & new Testament in your Realme; take out of them by the grace of God, & advise of your selves a law, & by that law, through Gods assurance rule your Realme. But bee you Gods Vicar in that Kingdome, but blessed be the Lord who hath put it into the Kings heart so to do, without sending to Rome, for should we now have sent to Rome for lawes or discipline, we should have found Elutherius dead, and instead of his grave counsell, nothing but Idolatry 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 happy is this our Kingdome, fince our gracious King doth now ad­vise with his subjects in calling that honourable and happy assembly of Parliament; to establish the lawes of this our Realme, according to [Page 5]the Lawes of God written in his holy word, and that since the Pa­stors are become brutish, and have not sought the Lord, Ier. 10.21. our gracious King himselfe is the true Vicar of God, and maintainer 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 government, 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.