Humble Examination of a Printed Abstract of the Answers to Nine Reasons, Reason 1

Humble Examination of a Printed Abstract of the Answers to Nine Reasons · Reason 1

AN HUMBLE EXAMINATION OF A PRINTED ABSTRACT OF The Anſwers to Nine Reaſons of the Houſe of Commons, AGAINST The Ʋotes of Biſhops in Parliament.

Printed by order of a Committee of the Honourable Houſe of Commons, now Aſſembled in Parliament.

LONDON, Printed for P. Stephens and C. Meredith. 1641.

p. 1AN HUMBLE EXAMINATION OF A Printed ABSTRACT of the ANSVVERS given to Nine REASONS of the HOUSE of COMMONS, Againſt the Votes of Biſhops in Parliament.

I. REASON of the Houſe of Commons.

BEcauſe it is a very great hinderance to the exerciſe of their Miniſteriall Function.To this Reaſon a foure-fold Anſwer is ſent abroad.

ANSVVER.

1. Is is not ſo much hinderance as their convening to Generall Councels, Synods, Convocations, Aſsemblies, Claſſes, and the like, in all the Churches Reformed, or otherwiſe.

EXAMEN.

Convening to Generall Councels, Synodes, &c. when need requireth, is a proper part of their Eccleſiaſticall p. 2Office, and ſo cannot rightly be termed any hinderance to their Miniſteriall Function at all. For then, although they be enforced to be abſent from their particular Congregations, they doe ſtill move within their owne proper Orbe, for the more publike Service of the Church: and ſo they may with more reaſon expect a bleſſing on it. But when they Vote in Parliament, as Peeres, in Civill and Secular Affaires, touching Trade, Merchandize, and other particulars of State policy, they be Eccentrick, and out of their owne Sphere, and Calling. This therefore muſt needs be not only ſome hinderance, but, a very great hinderance to the exerciſe of their Miniſteriall Function: becauſe, to qualifie them to give ſuch Votes, with judgement, they muſt neceſſarily beſtow themſelves moſt, if not altogether upon the ſtudy of, and ſearching into all thoſe Secular matters which in Parliaments be, or may be debated and voted, and in the inquiry into all thoſe principles and deepe myſteries of State, wherein, all that vote in the Houſe of Peeres, ought above all others to be moſt converſant; which cannot ordinarily bee attained, without ſpending moſt of their time and ſtudy thereupon: Si enim velit Epiſcopus, ut caeleſti pariter & terreno Regi placeat, ad utrumque ſe officium dividere, certe Rex caeleſtis, qui ſibi vult ex toto corde, tota anima, tota virtute ſerviri, miniſterium divinum non approbat, non diligit, non acceptat. Nam nec terreni Principis ratiocinia quiſquam dimidius ſufficienter adminiſtrat; Matth. Parker Antiq. Britanni. in Huberto ex Wil. Nubrig.as a learned Archbiſhop of Canterbury, out of another grave Author, hath obſerved.

And ſithence, to be able to give a Vote in the Lords Houſe of Parliament judiciouſly, and for the benefit p. 3of the publike, requires ſuch conſtant induſtry, daily obſervation, and no ſmall experience of all kindes of ſecular affaires, with their ſeverall caſuall turnings, and viciſſitudes: I cannot ſee how Biſhops; voting in that Houſe, can avoid one of theſe three evils, either they muſt give their votes ignorantly (and ignorance uſually runs wrong;) or corruptly, to ſerve other mens turnes, be they right or wrong, or els they muſt neceſſarily bend moſt part of their lives to ſecular ſtudies and imployments, to which they were never bred, from which their Miniſteriall Function ſhould exclude them, and for which many godly Biſhops and others, beſide ſundry Councels, in all ages have condemned them; many of thoſe Ancients having alledged that Scripture, in 2 Tim. 2.4. (Nemo militans Deo, implicat ſe negotiis ſecularibus, &c.) to this very purpoſe.

For more expedition, I ſhall only name ſome of thoſe Authors and Councels. Cyprian. Epiſt 66. juxta Pamel. Can. 6. Apoſt. apud Zonaram. Concil. Carthag. 4. Can. 16. Concil. Chalced. Oecum. Seſſ. 15. Can. 3. Auguſt. Epiſt. 110. Greg. Magn. Dial. lib 1. Praefat. Excerpt. Egberti Can. 16. & Can. 57. Concil. Calchuth. Can. 10. Anſelm. in Concil. Weſtm. ut videre eſt in Gulielm. Malmsb. de Geſtis Pontif. l. 1. Mat. Par. Hiſt. Angl. in the Caſes of Walter B. of Durham, in time of Will. the Conq. and of Hubert Archb. of Cant. in Ric. 1.

Yea, we ſhall find this ſharply condemned by popiſh Prelates themſelves. Corp. Iur. Can. diſt. 88. And Othobone the Popes Legate here, in Hen. 3. his time, cenſured it, and provided againſt it, as vitium horrendum. Conſt. Legat. cap. Cum honeſt. But I leave them.

See alſo Tindall in his Tract of Obedience of a p. 4Chriſtian. B. Hooper, on 8. Command. B. Latymer, Sermon called the Plough. B. Iewel, defence of Apol. par. 5. chap. 4. diviſ. 2. Mat. Parker, Archb. of Cant. Antiquit. Brit. in Huberto, where he is very large, ſharp, and ſolid in this point. Take a paſſage or two, becauſe his Booke is not in every hand. Neque enim, ſi verum judicare volumus, in Republica Chriſtiana quicquam ſani atque integri ſeculum illud (Richardi primi) tulit. Fictaque & adumbrata Religionis ſpecie propoſita, totus Clerus in ſceleribus, muneribus, honoribus, & rapinis, neglecto penitus verbo, impune volutabat. Hujus mali origo ab hoc profluxit, quod contra Orthodoxorum Patrum decreta, Clerus nimium mundanis ſe negotiis immiſcuit. Then hee goes on to ſhew a fearefull example of Gods vengeance upon one of them, who had beene advanced to a very high Office in the State, which Relation he thus cloſeth up; Cujus generis exempla idcirco proferenda ſunt, ut deterreatur a vectigalibus Regiis, & Civilibus publiciſque occupationibus Clerus, & Evangelio propagando praecipue ſtudeat ac incumbat. And how ever hee after takes notice of ſomewhat which happened in the beginning of Henry 3. wherein he ſeemes to preferre the fidelity of the Clergy to that of the Laity in adminiſtring of Civill Offices, yet he doth it not as allowing the Clergie to be ſo imployed, but rather as ſecretly taxing the Nobility of that time for being ſo unfaithfull to the King and Kingdome, which ſurely is no warrant for the Clergie to ſtep out of their own Calling.

It is true that anciently Biſhops have beene allowed to intermeddle in ſome Civil affairs, at ſometimes. Constantine made a law to that purpoſe, in caſe p. 5of voluntary appeals from civil Iudicatories, Sozom. li. 1. cap. 9. And Valens added to it, in caſes of Hoſpitals and Schooles. Hist. Counc. of Trent. Yet the miſchiefs of ſuch intermedling, were ſoone felt and groaned under. Hence Honorius and Arcadius made a Law againſt it, and Valentinian afterwards put it in execution even in Rome it ſelfe. So did other Emperours, as appeares by the Corps of the Civil Law, in many places. Indeed ſome ſucceeding Emperours, gave relaxations, and inlarged the power and preheminence of Biſhops ſo farre, that at length there was no reducing them to their ancient limits, till that once glorious Scepter was become ſo inglorious as to be wholly at the devotion, command, and diſpoſe of the Mitre, to the perpetual ignominie, and irreparable undoing of that puiſſant Empire.

And whereas ſome urge that Statute De Proviſoribus in 25. Edward 3. for Biſhops intermedling in Civill Affaires, becauſe it is there ſaid, That the holy Church of England was founded in the eſtate of Prelacy within the Realme of England, by the Kings Anceſtors, and other of the Nobility, to inform them and the People of the Law of God, and to make hoſpitalities, almes, and other works of Charity in the places where the Churches were founded, &c. and for this end, their Lands, revenues, &c. were aſſigned by the ſaid founders to the Prelates, &c. And the ſaid Kings in times paſt, were wont to have the greateſt part of their Councel, for the ſafeguard of the Realme, when they had need, of ſuch Prelates, and Clerks ſo advanced &c. This laſt Clauſe doth only prove de facto, that ſo it was uſed; but doth not legitimate the p. 6uſe; all ſtories of thoſe times being full of complaints againſt the miſchiefes which aroſe out of it. And that very Statute declares the prime end of advancing the Clergy into an Hierarchy, was to counſell the Kings and others in the Law of God, not in Civill and Martiall matters. And ſo far is ſuch intermedling in Secularibus, from being countenanced by the Lawes of this Kingdome, that by the common Law; (which is the moſt fundamentall Law of the Realme) all in holy Orders are ſo carefully exempted from ſuch incumbrances, that if any Clergy man happen to be put into a temporall Office, he muſt, upon the pleading of his Orders, have a Writ awarded him out of the Chauncery to diſcharge him. Regiſt. 187.6.

Therefore it was farre from the intention of the firſt Founders of our Hierarchie, to imploy them in Civilibus, but only to make uſe of their counſell in Spirituals.

There is yet one thing more, much inſiſted upon by ſome of the Prelates, to prove the lawfulneſſe of their intermedling in Secular Matters. And it is a paſſage of Saint Auguſtine, De opere Monachor. Cap. 29. where hee ſaith, It were farre more profitable for him to ſpend his time in reading and praying, Quàm tumultuoſiſsimas perplexitates cauſarum alienarum pati de negotiis ſecularibus, vel judicando dirimendis, vel interveniendo praecidendis; 1 Cor. 6.1 Cor 6quibus nos moleſtiis idem afflixit Apoſtolus, non utique ſuo, ſed ejus qui in eo loquebatur arbitrio. Ergo, ſay ſome Biſhops, they have warrant ſo to doe, yea a command from the Apoſtle, and from the Spirit of God himſelfe.

p. 7To this it may be anſwered. 1. That in that very place St. Auſtin doth bemoane this, as being Eccleſiarum quibus ſervit conſuetudo the cuſtome of thoſe Churches: and the practice began, after Conſtantine made a law to warrant it; for S Auſt. there ſaith that Paul never ſubmitted to it, nay rather he gave order to make them Iudges that were meaneſt, and had leaſt to doe. And albeit St. Auſtin there addes that this toyle he undertooke, non ſine conſolatione Domini in ſpe vitae aeternae, ut fructum feramus cum tolerantia. Yet this was not ſpoken, as rejoycing in the imployment, but as bearing it with more cheerefulneſſe in hope of eternall life after it. 2. As for the imployment it ſelfe, he complaines, violenter irruptum eſt, & non permitter ad quod volo vacare ante meridiem, poſt meridiem occupationibus hominum teneor. Epiſt. 110.Poſsidon. in vit. Augustini ca. 19. and Poſſidonius that lived with him many yeares, beares him witnes that hanc ſuam a melioribus rebus occupationem, tanquā angariam deputabat. Therefore it was, that (in Ep. 110.) he deſired the people that they would ſuffer him to put over all thoſe buſineſſes to Eradius whom he had choſen to be his ſucceſſor in his Biſhoprick, which when the people had granted, the good old Father preſently unburdened himſelfe, Ergo fratres quicquid eſt quod ad me perferebatur, ad illum perferatur, ubi neceſſarium habuerit conſilium, meum non negabo auxilium.

3. If this be not enough, let me anſwer Biſhops,Treat. Of Chriſtian Subjection and Antichriſtian Rebellion. par. 3. by a Biſhop, viz: by Biſhop Bilſon, who, being preſſed with that place of Saint Auſtin, de opere Mon: by the Popiſh crue under the name of Philander a Ieſuite, returnes this anſwer under the veile of Theophilus an Orthodoxe Divine; a Truth it is, the p. 6duplicate page p. 7duplicate page p. 8Biſhops of the Primitive Church were greatly troubled with thoſe matters,**And I have ſhewed before upon what occaſion. Prefat. in Dial. not as ordinary Iudges of theſe cauſes, but as Arbiters elected by conſent of both parties. And I could requite you with Gregories own words of the ſame matter in the ſame place, quod certum est nos non debere, which it is certaine we ought not to doe. But yet I thinke ſo long as it did not hinder their Vocation and Function, though it were troubleſome unto them, they might neither in charity nor in duty refuſe it, becauſe it tended to the preſerving of peace and love amongſt men. And the Apoſtle had licenſed all men to chooſe whom they would for their Iudges, no doubt meaning that they which were choſen ſhould take the paines to heare the cauſe, and make an end of the ſtrife. But it is one thing to make peace betweene brethren, as they did, by hearing their griefes with conſent of both ſides; and another to claime a judiciall intereſt in thoſe cauſes, in ſpite of mens hearts.

Thus he, and how home this comes to our Biſhops, that will needs ſtill conteſt and ſtrugle to retaine their Votes in Parliament in all civill cauſes whatſoever, undervaluing all the Reaſons of the Houſe of Commons, and contrary to the juſt deſires of the whole body of the Kingdome, I need not uſe more words to declare.

To finiſh this point. All that hath beene ſaid againſt the Clergies intermedling with Civill and Temporall affaires (other than for neceſſary and comfortable proviſions for Lively hood) drives to this Concluſion, that if it be ſo great an hinderance to the exerciſe of the Miniſterial Function to be imployed p. 9in temporall matters which are but ordinarie, it muſt needs be a farre greater hinderance to that holy calling, for Biſhops to Vote in Parliament, becauſe they cannot doe it as it ought to bee done, without ſo much skill and dexterity in ſecular affaires of all ſorts that poſſibly can come within the debate and reſolution of a Parliament, as muſt needs take up the greateſt part, if not the whole of a mans time, ſtudy, ſtrength and abilities bee they never ſo great and many, to fit him for that great ſervice altogether beſide (I might adde inconſiſtent with) his Calling of the Miniſtery.

2. ANSWER to the firſt REASON.

It is propter majus bonum Eccleſiae.

EXAMEN.

Cujus contrarium, &c. What good they have done in Parliament, for the Church (unleſſe to uphold the Synagogue of Rome,) let all Hiſtories ſpeake, that have taken any notice of the acting and carriage of matters of Religion debated, and Voted in Parliament, ſince the firſt entrance upon a Reformation in this Kingdome.

It is true that in the Reigne of King Henry the eight, one Cranmer was active in the cauſe of God, againſt thoſe ſixe bloudy Articles, which coſt ſo many their lives. But, of all the Hierarchie, not one was found to joyne with him, but all oppoſed, and he alone for three dayes together was p. 10faine to ſtand to it, and at length, by the malice, practice, and potency of the Prelates, hee was overcome, and the cauſe carryed againſt him, Acts and Monuments par. 2. page 1037. edit. 1610. This was in the yeare 1540.

When about foure or five yeares after, Cranmer, in two ſeverall Parliaments uſed his beſt endeavours to get that bloudy Law repealed, and had before hand (as he thought) drawne over to his ſide the Biſhops of Worceſter, Chicheſter, and Rocheſter, who promiſed to aſſiſt the cauſe in Parliament; yet when it came to the tryall, all the Biſhops forſooke him and the cauſe againe. In ſo much as the King himſelfe, and the Nobility ſtood to him ſo farre, as to give way to a moderating of the former Law, when the Biſhops would not abate the leaſt part of the rigour thereof. Antiq. Britanni. in Cranmero.

In King Edward the ſixth his Reigne, it is true, a bleſſed Reformation was happily begun; but, by whom? By the Biſhops? No verily, Cranmer only excepted. For he and the Protector were the men that adviſed the King, and went through with the worke. As for the great Biſhops, Gardiner of Wincheſter, and Tonſtall of Dureſme, Bonner and others, they ſerved to fill priſons, and diverſe ran away. And in all Letters of the Lords for more particular Reformation, it was onelyonly Canterburie and the Nobilitie that did promote the buſineſſe. See Acts and Monuments in King Edward the ſixth.

But in Queene Maries dayes, who but Biſhops for the Maſſe, and all the groſſe body of Popery, p. 11both in Convocation and Parliament? Cranmer, and the reſt of the Orthodox Biſhops were ſoone perſecuted, and at length committed to the fire; while the Popiſh Prelates, being reſtored to their places, ſpared no diligence to promote Popiſh Idolatry throughout the Kingdome, and that by their Votes in Parliament, whereby they might more plentifully ſhed bloud by a Law.

When GOD delivered this Kingdome from thoſe Marian flames, and ſet up bleſſed Queene Elizabeth, it cannot be denyed, but that in the Bill for reſtoring all ancient Juriſdictions to the Crown and for reeſtabliſhment of Religion and ejection of Popery, the Lords Spirituall are named in the Act, becauſe the bill being carryed by the greater number of Votes, the diſſenting party which was the leſſe, are included in the reſt, and it becomes the Act of all, in common repute, and eſteeme of Law.

But little thankes to the Biſhops for any of that Reformation which was then reſtored. We finde the Biſhops of Wincheſter, Litchfeild, Cheſter, Carlile and Lincolne appearing in open defence of Popery while that Parliament was ſitting. Act and Monuments par. 2. page 1619. edit. 1610. But theſe were not all that ſtood for that cauſe: Witneſſe the deprivation of Heath Arch-Biſhop of Yorke, Tunſtall Biſhop of Durham. White of Wincheſter, Thyrlby of Ely, Watſon of Lincolne, Baines of Coventry and Litchfeild, Bourne of Bath and Wells, Christopherſon of Chicheſter, Oglethorp of Carlile, Scot of Cheſter, Morgan of Saint Davids, beſide Bonner impriſoned, Pates of Worceſter, Goldwel of p. 12Saint Aſaph in exile, for the ſame Pſeudo-Catholike cauſe. None of all which can with any probability of reaſon bee imagined to have Voted for the reſtoring of the Truth, they being by vertue of that Statute deprived for oppoſing the Truth.

And albeit, I know nothing but by heare-ſay of the generall carriage of Biſhops in Parliaments ſithence, and ſo doe not charge them: yet how often they have with-ſtood bills againſt Non-reſidency,**In 31. Elizabeth a Bill againſt Non-reſidents paſſed the Houſe of Commons, & being in the other Houſe greatly approved of & much ſpoken for by many of the Temporall LORDS, yet, through the earneſt labouring of the Biſhops, it could have 10 paſſage there. Another Bill for reforming Eccleſiaſticall Courts in King James his time, paſſed, till it fell among the Biſhops, and there was ſtayed. Pluralities, and other evils and defects in the Reformation of Religion, and of their Courts, the world hath beene ſufficiently informed; inſomuch as the Houſe of Commons hath already declared and reſolved at a Generall Committee of the whole Houſe, Iune eleventh, 1641. That the Biſhops have beene found by long experience to bee great hinderances of a perfect Reformation, and of the growth of Religion. En majus bonum Eccleſiae produced by the Vote of Biſhops in Parliaments!

And as their voting in Parliament, in matters of Religion, is ad detrimentum, potius quam ad utilitatem Eccleſiae; ſo it cannot bee imagined how their Votes there, in Civilibus, ſhould conduce more ad majus bonum Eccleſiae: Except the wilfull and incorrigible continuing in a courſe forraine and contrary to their proper Calling, and ſuch as (being duely performed) is a very great hinderance to the exerciſe of their Miniſteriall Function (as hath beene before declared) can redound to the greater good of the Church, which they ſeldome looke after, unleſſe to receive the profits of it, and to plague p. 13thoſe who are profitable in it, that themſelves may more ſplendidly and ſecurely (in Parliament; and every where elſe,) Lord it over the whole heritage of God.

3. ANSVVER, to the firſt REASON.

The Apostles unneceſſarily put themſelves to more hinderances, to worke for their livelihood, Acts 20.24. 1 Theſſalo. 2.9. 2 Theſſ. 3.8.

EXAMEN.

Vnneceſſarily? Boldly ſpoken: and were I ſure that one of my fellowes or equalls had written it, I ſhould without breach of good manners, pronounce it ſaucineſſe little ſhort of blaſphemie. Was it not neceſſary that the Apoſtles ſhould have a livelihood? And was the procuring of it by labouring with their hands (although I know none but one, after CHRISTS Aſcenſion, that was put unto it) to avoyd the oppreſſion of poore converts, or to prevent ſcandall among either poore or rich, converted or unconverted, an unneceſſary thing? This may bee a ſtraine of Policie paſſable enough among Spirituall Lords of Parliament, but was never knowne to bee good Divinity p. 14among ſuch as deſire to approve themſelves unto GOD.

I have bin taught that Neceſſarium is put ſometimes pro utili & pro congruo & convenienti, as well as pro naturali ſeu debito, or pro violento ſua coacto. And I have learned among the Schoole-men, that there is a neceſſitie not only abſolutè & ſimplicite ſic dicta, but alſo ex ſuppoſitione & conditione, when a thing not ſimply neceſſary in it ſelfe, becomes ſuch in regard either of end, meanes, circumſtances or otherwiſe. When Saint Iohn (1 Epiſt. 2.27. tells the Chriſtians, yee need not that any man teach you, was his writing to them to inſtruct them further, unneceſſary? When Saint Pauls abiding in the fleſh was more needfull in regard of the Philippians, for their furtherance and joy of faith, Philip. 2. Shall any man be ſo hardy, as to avouch his abode in the fleſh to be unneceſſary, which yet was not ſimply neceſſary in it ſelfe, or unto him?

So, circumſtances of time, place, and perſon, may make that neceſſary in ſome places, at ſome times, and among ſome perſons, which yet of it ſelfe is not ſo. Thus was it in ſome of thoſe particulars which are called theſe neceſſary things, Acts 15.28. yet were it no ſmall preſumption for any man to call thoſe things, in reference to that very Text, without ſome diſtinction expreſſed, unneceſſary. So it is here.

When Saint Paul ſaith, theſe hands have miniſtred unto my neceſsities, Acts 20.34. ſhal any man ſay, that miniſtration was unneceſſary? If it bee ſaid, it was ſo, in regard of his right to maintenance; it is true; but, when it is pronounced without ſuch p. 15limitation, it is a contradicting and thwarting of the Apoſtles expreſſion, as if hee wanted skill or care to expreſſe himſelfe as became him, and a miſleading of an uncautious Reader, to ſwallow downe an errour inferred from it. For what is hence intended to bee inferred, but this; That, as the Apoſtles did unneceſſarily labour with their hands when they might have avoided it: So Biſhops may according to that example, vote in Parliament, although the thing bee found unneceſſary to a Biſhop? Now this is a corrupt-inference from ambiguous premiſſes, and the ambiguity lies in the word unneceſſarily: for if the word bee ſpoken abſolutely and without all limitation, it is abſolutely falſe: if a limitation bee intended, it ought to have been expreſſed, and then any intelligent Reader would ſoone have beene led to conſider and compare that act of the Apoſtle, with the preſent unneceſſarineſſe of Biſhops votes in Parliaments; and thereby have beene enabled to diſcover the weakneſſe and unſufficiency of this unneceſſary impertinent Anſwere, becauſe hee would eaſily have found great and wide differences betweene thoſe two caſes. 1. Working for a livelihood is a matter of neceſſity, when it cannot otherwiſe bee ſo well obtained without oppreſſion or ſcandall, which was the Apoſtles caſe: But Biſhops voting in Parliament, when no neceſſity at all, either of maintenance or ſcandall can bee feared, is a worke of ſupererrogation, and an unneceſſary ſinfull neglect of their owne Function. 2. The Apoſtles working with his hands might better conſiſt with the exerciſe of his Miniſteriall Office,Mat 10.19, 20 Ioh. 16.13, 14Matt 10:19Matt 10:20John 16:13John 16:14 becauſe hee had his furniture p. 16thereunto by divine inſpiration,Gal. 1.11, 12.Gal 1:11Gal 1:12 whereas all men now muſt continually and induſtriouſly apply themſelves to their Bookes and Meditations, to make them workemen that need not to bee aſhamed. 1 Tim. 4.13. 2 Tim. 2.15.1 Tim 4:132 Tim 2:153. The Apoſtles working with his hands was but for a ſeaſon while the preſent neceſſity laſted, but the Biſhops would willingly Vote in Parliament to the end of the world, although there bee no neceſſity of it at all, but great inconvenience and ſcandall accruing to the Church thereby, and a Bil tranſmitted by the honourable Houſe of Commons to the Lords againſt it, as many wayes inconvenient and intolerable.

It were eaſie to adde more differences, but theſe may ſuffice: So alſo may that which hath beene already ſaid,1 Theſ. 2.9. 2 Theſ. 3.8.1 Thess 2:92 Thess 3:8 for the clearing of thoſe other two Texts that remaine.

4. ANSVVER, to the firſt REASON.

What hinderance can it be to their Calling, that once in three yeares, when they muſt neceſſarily attend the Convocation, they divide ſome part of that ſhort time to the attendance of Parliament?

EXAMEN.

This is not an Anſwer, but a Queſtion; and ſuch as, if the firſt Anſwer bee true, little needed. But that which hath beene ſaid in examination of that firſt Anſwere, may alſo ſuffice to ſatisfie this p. 17Interrogation. The hinderance lyes not ſo much in the expence of a ſhort ſpace ſpent in the Parliament Houſe, as in the long time requiſite to fit a Biſhop for ſuch multiplicity of weighty buſineſſes as are proper for a Parliament: except hee thinke it enough to vote Bils by rote, according to the impetuouſneſſe of his friends, or the loudneſſe of the cryes made for or againſt them.

Beſides, Times and other Circumſtances may, and often do ſo alter the State of the ſame matters; that, if even the ableſt and moſt vigilant Sateſman bee not more aware, Bils may be offered, which are perhaps moſt plauſible in preſent appearance, and might bee very profitable too, at ſome other ſeaſon, that would prove moſt pernicious in the iſſue, if now they were ſuffered to paſſe. Now, he that hath not his eyes in his head, or his head not conſtantly at worke (even out of Parliament) to obſerve and ponder the ſeverall changes and windings of affairs and ſeaſons, can never bee a judicious Peere in Parliament; but (at his beſt) an Emperick, who, when his totall is caſt up, is ever found more hurtfull than profitable, yea a very peſt to the publike; unleſſe, laying all other buſineſſe aſide, hee double his induſtry to make future recompence for his preſent inſufficiency, and by his diligence to ſupply the defects of his former education, as to this Calling, he having been firſt intended and moulded for another profeſſion.

And, if Biſhops take this courſe,1 Chro. 12.321 Chr 12:32 to become like the children of Iſsachar, men that have underſtanding of the times to know what Iſrael ought to doe, and to enable themſelves for Parliaments indeed; it is eaſie p. 18to conclude, what hinderance this not onelyonly may bee, but cannot but bee to their Miniſteriall Function. For, if the Levite take upon him Iſſachars Office, and fall to tampering ſo high in Temporalls,Gen. 49.14.Gen 49:14 hee will ſoone prove an Iſſachar in Spirituals, and become couchant betweene his two burthens.

Againe, I hope it will very ſhortly appeare, that it will be farre from being neceſſary for Biſhops once in three yeares, to attend the Convocation, as the frame of both yet ſtandeth among us. Our Convocation is but a meere ſhadow, a plaine mockery. Synods were ordained for more uſe and activity, than to patter over a latine Let any upon Wedneſdays and Fridays, and to give ſo many Subſidies as it pleaſeth his Grace to propound to the engaged and enthralled Clergy; or to paſſe a few illegall, ſeditious, Anti-parliamentary Canons, firſt caſt in the mould of ſome brain ſick Incendiary, that would needs be the Dominus fac totum, and the head of a pragmaticall, Papiſticall, Atheiſticall Sanction.

And, if Synods were (as I truſt they wil bee) reſtored to their priſtine courſe and extent, agreeable to the Word (without which, better we never ſaw Convocation more; as, I hope, wee ſhall not) there would be ſo much worke to doe in them, as would even tire out the moſt indefatigable ſpirits of the ableſt men, to conſider of errours in doctrine which daily creepe in to corrupt the truth; of explanations of Doctrine already eſtabliſhed, when perverſe men make uſe of the generality or ambiguity of the terms wherein they bee couched, to countenance their fancies and fanaticke opinions; of preparing p. 19platforme of Diſcipline agreeable to the will of God, and uſefull for his people; of cenſuring ſuch as bee too great for leſſer Aſſemblies; and of Appeales from inferiour Synods to that higher Judicatorie.

Then, would godly and conſcientious Biſhops finde ſo much to doe in Convocations or Synods, as would leave them little leaſure for attendance in Parliaments, where the Peeres doe, or ſhould ſit every day (or they have little reaſon to Vote in thoſe Bills and Cauſes there agitated, when they have not heard the debates;) and ſoone let them ſee, that all the time they could redeeme (although they ſate every day, and ſate out the day) would bee much too little maturely to diſcuſſe, and deliberately to determine all buſineſſes of Synods. Ergo, it muſt needs bee a very great hinderance to the proper worke of their Calling, when, once in three yeares they muſt neceſſarily attend the Convocation (reformed, and reſtored to the truly Primitive nature, and uſe) if they divide any part of that ſhort time to the attendance of Parliament. Thus farre the Examination of all the Anſwers, to the firſt Reaſon, which being the Principall, I have beene the longer in it, aſwell for the aſſerting of the Reaſon it ſelfe, as for examining the ſtrength of the Anſwers that would, but cannot enervate or abate the vigour of it.