ibid. and unprejudiced men decennine. If they did, may they Vora in cour confider whati Calvins Judgment is of fich Vow, or Oath; fiderate suf Heath. Bayal anlawful or misconceived vows as they are "nocepta neceffa thing in Gads accompis fo ought we to esteem them unobliging. rio funt refcin And denda. Id. again an inconfiderately saken, not only do not oblige, but are Tindeffary to be cancelled And further more. I fay there can be no -It bliğation, where Godi abrogatës mbatman confirmis. Suffice this Ego nullum frije vincu to be spoken of the firft fort of perfons efficient to troi L::cɔ lum dice, ubi Perfons abfolutely refolved, ere they compofed that Coquod homo venant, took it themselves, or impofed it upon others to make confirmat, deva Schilling, not only from Epifcopacy, which the Covenant abas abrogat. Id. ibid, horred, but from Presbytery, whole favor it feelfied to be framed and therefore they produced the Covenant to be writcap.8.24 wten in fuch an ambiguous ftyle, as it might equally patronize btheir new fangled notions, as Presbytery. Thus the Diffenting Reply of to Brethren maintain against the Affembly, before the Committee diffenting rodf Lords and Commons for accomodation. And were never Brethren to that I hear of) checked by chat Committee, or by the Parliathe Affembly ment contrariwife their papers are licensed by the Parliament Committee to be Imprinted. They lays Whereas the conformity worn in the for accomoda- Covenant is now urged upon this occafion, and continually upon sion. Pag 89%, thedike, turned as that great Argument against us in Pulpiss, Pref before the 心 mfes, and ordinarp Treaties, as ifinbar we defired wer? ödmivary #hèredunto This Argument annos bold against us, without an affixing of an interpretation upon that part of the Covenant, and that aceording to our Breibrens Principles only, who when we took this NaCational Covenant were known to be of the fame Principles me are now ་་ f. And yet this Covenant was profeffedly to attempered in the first framing of it, an that we of different judgments might take it, both Parties being prefents ar the firft framing of it in Scotland! Ifhall Rot aggravate this confeffion, let the fober Reader refolve how fart a Covenant this attenpered and framed, either obligeth the Conscience, or complies with the fin fo heartily bewailed. Ifa. 59. 12. 13. For our tranfgreffions are multiplied before thee, and our fins teftifit against af for our tranfgrefions are with us, C1 and as for our fins we know them. In tranfgreffing and lying against the Lord, and departing away from our God, speaking oppreffon and revalt, conceiving, and sidering from the heart words of -fullyhood. This shall fuffice in awer to the fift popular teng Objection againfi Epifcopacy Proceed we to che il 2914 2. Obj. Some will fay they are not fimply chemies to Epifcocapacy, though attended with fome fuperiority over, and diftinction } ftinction from Presbyters. But this offends them, the formerd Bishops were Lord Bishops; and the prefent fucceed them fing those titles, which is molt intolerable! It being fo direfly contrary to our Saviouts exprefs command; Mati 20) 25. 26.1 But Jesus called them faults) unto him, and saids you know that} the Princes ofthe Gentiles exercife dominion over them, and they that's are great exercife authority upon them but it shall not be fo-among you Ref. I answer the Relative pronounce Cd or them, is diligently to be obferved, which refers to doochierten v mentioned in the foregoing verfe, whofe affectation, oraffume: tion of any honorary title, is not recorded, but that they bad indignation against their ma fellow Apofcles, or St. James and Sp John; i.e. they were paffionately diftafted against the prefami ptuous requeft of those two Apoflekto have the chief placeds in Chrifts Kingdom bestowed upon them whereindthough the two Apofles were faulty, yet our Saviour.compattonating their frailty, blames their brethrens indignation against them, by an illustration of the tens too nigh compliance with Gentile tyrants, in that is their rage and paffionis Whence we may lobi ferve, that though the hiftration fpeak of loanical evil pale yet the propofition illuftrated relatesianto his condemtiap rion of Spiritual tyranny or rancour, and enforioufnels of Sp rit of fome Apoftles towards others. Neither can we bat by enforcing more from the Illuftrations then is in the Propofitionis (which is irreconcileable to folidapgumentationline! any!! thing from this Text,against the prefent Titles of our Bifhops. S anoi afstine zid so yɔnoliko? But fome will reply, and fay, St. Duke repeating the fame. Hiftory, fpeaks of the Apoftles coveting a Title, or who fhould begreateft, Lak 22:2519.4x91 Visonca was 97190 Landwety Firit, probably 9e Luke doth not cite one and the fame Hiftory, or refer to one and the Yame time, which St. Mathew for St. Mark: Mar. 10.41, 42. afwell as St. Mathem afligns the indignacion of the ren, for the occafion of Chrifts injunction, whereas St. Luke faith it was the contenti n of the twelve, however more particularly to explain St. Lukes testimany, we faye skit Hou Secondly, Chrifts condemning the affectation of greatness in the Apostles, either condens all affumption of honorifick Titles, and exercife of authority and dominion fimply and abflutely or limitedly, and under fome qualification. If it be affirmed that he doth intend the former, I demand whither this B 2 be 21 2 ין beroparticularlprecepty condesig only thefe&integiakeun polttoykobegehbalorgedly neushing them?Vane find Barding Migandsuni ember grid chas maay f ColsriftsMexhbesantno? virujanoƒfƒ¤ħ Ap heks wonton aliChriftiamjh toplefetish ele allow thekorrekticidamised holidisprove the pletene Titlesds afoChrmak-offre de; being particular cafe, and not to bes daayamorintao prefiderete preplatters of any perfons, whomsit doch not momine, Glandshedded pi asmolueras, Agiofilagoditevigurore aggasthe ploader to exercifelaputhority oni nalethora de cept any me on title, nopgivethamty Chrifty during the time of his allegiflation forfoondiiance upon each whereas fic l thinglis node pdain, thenbochon exercile of Authority Did I Poleread the shers of the postles the Expindested the Coriniui awisting into Tianathy oil sehremacceptation of newrifles, Adie wordaki RTE KA TEMP24di «mand Camp all consit tailling honoiwable titles codgiato Church-officers, and lċiss vilMagiftrates do as plainly syidences they being never ufedy of them inthe Golpels ook befarei Gifts aftenonbad's freast quently in the Epifles orsafterwards: Donanyayothe hoppy Ghoft impofed thofe names, which iscalone as if Chrift hadis given them ere the Afcenfion 3 1 anfwergothis will not removėji the inconvenience and contradiction, fordif the former Saig ture had abfolutely excluded Honotifiek Titles; the holy) Ghoft could not have admitted them afterwards withouting confiftency his manifeftations. Secondly, fo far as it cofid cerus the generality of Chriftians, it refcinds the tyes of all civil Authority, and prohibits the Chriftia: Magiftare föreit ceive any honorary Titles, not expreflys allowed him by thed mouth of Christ while upon the earth, then both which ndi.e. the beft, thing is more contrary to Scripture for Governmenty fee Rom the most po- 13. I. Let every foul be subject to the higher power, for there is na tent Theophi- power but of God,the powers that be the power which there was, was s b To Cobust, cruel, and perfecuting Novo) are ordained, of Gad, 1 Persigui i. e. the di- Submit your felves to every Ordinance of manufor the Lords fales whither it be to the King, as fuprem. For Titles fee Luki g rable, or to be there St Luke calls Theophilus ( a) most excellent i Theophilus! Ac. worshiped. The fame 25. 21. Nero is called Anush (b) or Juoned. Aft. 261 25/thebeni word which is St. Paul calls Feftus, (4), most nobluri Wecolate therefore at T Chrifts words whither recorded byst. Muthing ondy Stil. Lute of The. Luke, are not to be taken prandendently dob site ber ophilus. lus. vine, vene nfed by St. . Are Are they then to be taken limitedly, and under fome qualif cation they are To, but to find out and affign their bound, would coft much, and difficult inquiry. Did hot other Scriptures tell us the Apoftles aimed at Chifts temporal Kingdom in this world, and the deftruction of the prefent Jewith Policy. Luk. 24. 21. But we trusted that it had been' be to should have re redeemed Ifrael, &t. Act. 1. 6. When they therefore were Come to-. gether they as ed of him, Jaging, Lord, wilt thou at this time: Store the Kingdom unto Ifrael? This no doubt was in their eye in the objected Text, neither and the fift, or fingre perfon, Chrifti regno wlto fo conjectureth. Learned Whitaker faith. In this their demand they which dreamed of Christs Kingdom upon earth. This was it whitak.con- 10 4.3.). which Chrift condemned in his Apoftle, but this is not con- trov. to. 2 1 area. 25. Apho Their Titles then of Lords, are not reverfeable by this ".. 3 neither to deal plain extreme prejudiceth a virtuous mean, are fuch Titles proveable, or di 50% * Bv ftri&ly SAR ecclefiaftical, hunderstand That Church-officers, and Church-members, where the ftate what belongs is Chriftian, are confiderable in a'dolible capacity. what belongs to him by rea to a Minifter, Firft, in a Sacred or ftrictly Ecclefiaftica, Wheeft no trufts by rea on of not concelled, "no Titles no-imposed by Scripture, are affime his order, not able by them.19 20 21 Secondly, In a Civil and Political, In which refpect, unles fon of his dewe will introduice Papal exemption, or quaking Anarchy, grce digChuaders must do those duties, aid di charge thofe nity, or jurif di&ion, or trufts which the Laws or cuffoms of the Nios wherein they Ꭿ live, expect, and requife from penis of their Effa e Inte what belongs to him in the refts, or That Citaters Chahat Cliftifa where the Church, not lawfully concertem in matters, a and have done it many hundred yead under the to him in the 2 B 3 all 1 Sam. 2.17. Nibil boni aut liciti eft omittendum propter fcandalum accep charge of perfonal failings in fome Officers had been true. Much more fhould you have held your hands, when some of your Confciences could not but bear you witness, that you accufed many, if not moft of them falfely; for had all the Bifhops been remifs, or lukewarm, you could have had neither occafion, nor pretence to cry out fo pitioufly of perfecution under them. A cry, which formerly procured them envy, and malice; you pity and compaffion, but how deservedly, inpartial Pofterity may determine, when the faithful Records of thofe, and the immediatly following times fhall exhibit, many of your loudest complainers, equally as violent, and feditious againft all other Church Governments, although of their own erection. But granting, without disadvantage to truth; that fome of the Bishops were faulty; others were not fo, even by the confeffion of the moft Rigid of your Party; And what if more had been blame worthy, what is that to their Order? Judas be trayed, St. Peter denied, all the reft of the Apostles forfook Chrift at his apprehenfion, & St. Thomas doubted the truth of his Refurrection, but who ever charged their crimes upon the Apoftolate? Hopbni and Phineas (the high Priests) were outragioufly wicked, but who excufeth the peoples improvement of their diftaft against them, to an abhorrency of the offerings of the Lord? Who blames the fountain, which after long running paffeth through miry, or boggy places? If the abufe, or accidental corruption of things,take away their effence, and use, abolish we Preaching, the Sacraments, and the Scripture, as well as Epifcopacy. Tis a notable cafe of Confcience, and well refolved by Amefius, That no good, or lawful thing is to be omitted, because men of a Pharifaical Spirit take fcandal against it. tum hominum But you will fay, the eftate of the inferiour Clergy, and pharifaico in- People, was corrupt under the Episcopal discipline. genio pradito Ianfwer, your endeavours to vilifie the former are fufficientrum. Amof. caf. confc. lib. ly known, and I doubt not, but your partiality, and unbro5. ca. 11. thef. therliness, (to say no worse of it) will in due time be manife 12. fted to the world by an abler Pen; I am refolved to deal liberally with you, and to argue by conceffion. Granting therefore, corrupt humours were formerly latent, in the body of the Miniftry' Yet, ! Firft, 'twas not, because there was no rule to restrain them. View The Ecclefiaftical Canons in England, A. C. 1603. Can. |