The Fastening of Saint Peters Fetters, Tract · Section 3 · Subsection 7
Subſectio Septima.
The apprehenſion of the worth of this Government, had, Sir, its full influence on the affections of theſe learned men; they therefore profeſs themſelves.
1. Affected with grief and amazement to ſee it endeavoured to be extirpated without any reaſons offered to their underſtanding, for which it ſhould be thought neceſſary or expedient ſo to do.
2. Ranked with Popery, Superſtition, Hereſie and Profaneſs.
3. Intimated to be ſome way or other contrary to ſound Doctrine, or the power of godlineſs.
Unto all this I ſhall ſay in brief:
1. That if the conſtant ſtruglings of this Government, Their grounds of affection and amazement at Extirparion of Prelacy examined.with the Civil power and encroachment, on the Royal Authority in all Ages having not kept its bounds, but hy exerciſing abſolute independent Authority in their own Names, and under their own Seals, in a Legiſlative Declaration of what is Treaſon; and by an Imperial power to preſcribe Oaths to be ſworne, as in the Canons of 1640. the Biſhops of both Provinces did preſume to do; if its innovation, defence and propagation of erroneous Doctrines and Superſtition; if its ſuppreſſion of Truth, and true Religion, by ſilencing, ſuſpending faithful Preachers; if its violence, irregularity and injuſtice in High Commiſſion Cenſures, baniſhing, impriſoning, confiſcating, ſtigmatizing, and excommunicating of the beſt of men for meer trifles, things indifferent, ſo judged by themſelves) at the leaſt; nay, many times for oppoſing profaneſs and ſuperſtition; yea, for performing their duties in praying and preaching; and the like evils which did attend it, though (I ſhould ſay) but accidentally, by the corruption of Montague, Laude, Wren, Pierce, and their Companions, be written in ſuch ſenſible Acts, and legible Characters, that England might feel, and the World read them; I think there need not be much of Reaſon offered to ſhew, not only the expediency, but neceſſity of extirpation of a Government, though in it ſelf good, yet capable of ſuch enormities, unleſſe it be of an immediate and undoubted divine right.
But, Sir, Had not Oxford their numbers in Parliament? and did they not truſt them with their underſtandings? or muſt a Parliament offer Reaſons of the neceſſity and expediency of every Act they impoſe on the Subject, before the Subject yield obedience? and yet the Vote of the Houſe of Commons paſt the 10th. of June, 1641. viz. That this Government hath been found by long experience to be a great impediment to the perfect reformation and growth of Religion, and very prejudicial to the Civil State; together with the learned Speeches of many Members in the Houſe, printed; to offer Reaſon without, as well as within doors, might have laid ſomething before the judgments of theſe Gentlemen. I preſume, Sir, the Subjects obedience muſt not (in the judgment of this Univerſity) be ſuſpended untill the Reaſons of State producing the reſolution be known to, and and apprehended by every perſon and ſociety.
2. If this Prelacy judged thus evil; were but contemporary with Popery, Superſtition, Hereſie, Schiſme and Prophaneſs; though we ſhould preſume it good, I hope it may be ranked amongſt its fellows, and taken upon ſuſpition, it may be a grief, but no wrong to ſtay an honeſt man found in company with Thieves; when he hath cleared himſelf, juſtice will let him go.
But Sir, if this Prelatical Government be in the formality of it, a plain and clear Papacy, as the deriving it from Rome, and its ſtanding on no baſis but the conſtitutions of the Church when Popiſh, and inſtitution of the Pope, not Chriſt or any Chriſtian Magiſtrate, nor General Aſſembly of the Miniſters of the Church of God in this Kingdom; the owning of Anſelme Archbiſhop of Canterbury, Papam alterius mundi, the content all Papiſts find in the ſame, (could they but continue it in dependance on Rome, for Conſecration and Inveſtiture, pure circumſtances, not of the eſſence of the Government;) and principally its ſpringing from the ſame principles, ſtanding on the ſame Baſis, the indulgence of Princes, and being ſupported by the ſelfſame Arguments and Authorities which are urged by Bellarmine, and the Council of Trent, Hiſtory of the Council of Trent, Edit. 3. p. 589, 590. to p. 616.for the defence of the Papacy (in all which reſpects it muſt needs appear, that the difference between an univerſal Metropolitan or Dioceſan Biſhop, is in degrees and limits, not in kind; for is there not the ſame reaſon for Arch-biſhops over Biſhops, to receive their Oath of Obedience, as for Juridical Biſhops over Presbyters; and ſo the ſame for Cardinals over Arch-biſhops, and Popes over Cardinals?) do ſuggeſt it to be; and if it were the Foot-ſtool or Stirrup of the Papacy, as Salmaſius doth at large demonſtrate in his Apparatus ad Papatum; and as Beza doth affirm, when he tells us, Epiſcopi Papam pepererunt. Beza. Epiſt. 79. I hope it can be no great wrong to ranck it with Popery, which might be its proper name, though through uſe of a larger ſignification.
And if, Sir, its Rule whereby to ſquare it, and Reaſon of ſuſtentation be that which is not more openly Canted by ſome, then indeed generally practiſed; (viz.) No Ceremonies, no Biſhop, whereby the Croſs in Baptiſm, the Altar, the Surplice, and other matters innovated into the worſhip of God, the uſe of which (how edifying ſoever to the Church of God) is a formal Superſtition; it cannot be much abuſed to call Superſtition its companion.
And if it have been found to indulge Hereſie, by publiſhing and printing cum priveligio, all Heretical Notions, and ſilencing the Pulpit, and ſtopping the Preſs from all poſſibility of Confutation; or if by innovation of Superſtition into worſhip, and obtruſion of Error in Doctrine on the ſouls of men, it hath provoked Schiſm, I hope there is no great cauſe of complaint for putting theſe together with it.
And if it have been approved a protection and promotion of Revels, Church-ales, Clerks-ales, The ſeventy two Miniſters of Somerſetſhire in their unanimous conſent to the continuance of Revels, Church-ales, &c.Sports and Pastimes on the Lords day; ſo that its Deans and Chapters, or other Colledge and Conventions, have proved like unto Biſhop Pierce his Septuagint in their Agreement againſt Juſtice Richardſon's order for ſuppreſſing of theſe and the like profaneſs, certified in a letter to the late Arch-biſhop, dated the fifth of November, 1633. and ſuppreſſing all Miniſters that refuſe to ſtir up ſuch licentiouſneſs, as did the viſitations of the Arch-biſhop of Canterbury, Biſhop Pierce, and others; it ſure can be no great wrong to rank it with profaneſs, and intimate it to have in it ſome contrariety to the power of godlineſſe; to which (whatever ſome few, very few, Biſhops might do) the current of Epiſcopacy did never yield much countenance, or ſpeak much amity. Sir, in theſe and the like reſpects, the extirpation hereof muſt be endeavoured by all that will not partake of other mens ſins; and I muſt be free to tell them, that in their Parallel caſe propounded (which yet will not ſquare) the alteration, yea, extirpation of the Civil Government of the City, capable of ſuch proximity unto Treaſon, Murder, Advltery, Theft, Couſenage, and the like, would be by all ingenuous men judged both juſt and reaſonable; but I inſiſt too long in abatement of their affection, who offer Arguments by which they were perſwaded to adhere unto their object; let us therefore weigh them ſeverally.