Defense of Scripture Ordination, Preface 2
THE Reader may obſerve the Parallel between our Rector's, and Dr. Manwaring's Political Notions, Condemn'd in Parliament, 4 Carol. 1628. The Doctor's Charge drawn up by a Committee of the Commons was this. Ruſh. Hiſt. Collect. Vol. 1. p. 585. Edit. 1659.1. He labours to infuſe into the Conſcience of His Majeſty, the perſuaſion of a Power not bounding it ſelf with Laws, which K. James, of Famous Memory, calls in His Speech to the Parliament, Tyranny, yea, Tyranny accompanied with Perjury.
The Rector goes beyond Manwaring in this Point, for he ſaith, That the King's Coronation Oath is a voluntary Act of Grace, unto which the King is not obliged by the Fundamental Conſtitution: And if a Prince ſhould not give this Aſſurance, the Rector conceives he is not obliged to Govern ſtrictly by the preſent Law.
2. Manwaring is charg'd, to endeavour to perſuade the Conſcience of the Subjects, that they are bound to obey Commands illegal.
The Rector ſaith, We muſt ſupply the Prince's Occaſions, though Five Hundred Men (i. e. a Houſe of Commons) at once ſhould forbid us, and to this we are bound in Conſcience, though the Prince ſhould happen to be an Uſurper and a Tyrant.
3. The third Charge againſt Manwaring was, That he robs the Subjects of the Propriety of their Goods.
The Rector ſaith, We muſt ſupply the Prince's Occaſions, though five hundred Men ſhould forbid, becauſe our Gold and Silver bear his Image and Superſcription. He complains that the Rights of the People were too much ſwell'd, and affirms, That it is one main ground of Political Government, to deprive the Subject from being his own Judge, and Aſſerter of his own Privileges.
4. Dr. Manwaring brands them that will not loſe this Propriety with moſt ſcandalous Speech, and odious Titles.
The Rector is very liberal in odious Reflections on my Lord Shaftsbury, and others, who oppoſed the Arbitrary Proceedings in the latter end of King Charles II's. Reign.
5. To the ſame end, not much unlike to Faux and his Fellows, ſaith Mr. R. in the Name of the Committee, he ſeeks to blow up Parliaments, and Parliamentary Powers.
The Rector ſaith, The Prince, in effect, is the ſole Sovereign Power, if he pleaſes to Uſurp and Exerciſe it.
You ſee the Rector Confirms all Dr. Manwaring's Poſitions, and adds ſome groſſer ones of his own, eſpecially that the King's Coronation Oath is a voluntary Act of Grace, to which he is not obliged.
This puts me in mind of the Words of a worthy Patriot, ſpoken in Parliament, March 22. 1627. upon occaſion of Sibthorp and Manwaring's Sermons. *Ruſh. Ibid. P. 503.It is well known, ſaith he, the People of this State are under no other Subjection than what they did voluntarily conſent to, by the Original Contract between King and People; and as there are many Prerogatives and Priviledges conferr'd on the King, ſo there are left to the Subject many neceſſary Liberties and Priviledges, as appears by the common Laws and Acts of Parliaments, notwithſtanding what theſe two‖Sibthorp and Manwaring. Sycophants have prated in the Pulpit to the contrary.
The Commons form'd the Charge againſt Dr. Manwaring into a Declaration, which being Ingroſs'd and Read, was ſent to the Lords for their Concurrence. Mr. Pym's Learned Speech at the delivery of the Charge before the Lords, is well worth the reading. Ruſh. ubi ſupr. p. 595—604.
Not long after the Commons proceeded to give Judgment againſt Dr. Manwaring. 1. To be Impriſoned during the Pleaſure of the Houſe. 2. To be Fined 1000 l. to the King. 3. To make ſuch a Submiſſion as the Houſe ſhall preſcribe. 4. To be Suſpended from his Miniſtry three Years. 5. To be diſabled to have any Eccleſiaſtical Dignity, or Secular Office. 6. To be diſabled to Preach at Court hereafter. 7. That his ſaid Book is worthy to be Burnt, and that His Majeſty may be mov'd to grant a Proclamation to call in the ſaid Books, that they may be all burnt in London, and both Univerſities. Ruſh. Ibid. p. 605.
Mr. Fuller*Church Hiſt. Lib. XI. p. 130. ſaith, That much of this Cenſure was remitted, upon his humble Submiſſion at both the Bars in Parliament, the Form of which you have in him, and in Mr. Ruſhworth.
But the King Iſſued out His Proclamation for the total Suppreſſing of the Sermons ‖Ruſh. Ibid. p. 633..
I mention theſe things not to expoſe the Rector, who is ſecured by ſeveral Acts of Grace paſs'd ſince the Publiſhing of thoſe Sermons, but to expoſe his dangerous Doctrine, that overturns the Foundations of our excellent Government.