Innovations unjustly charged upon the present church and state. Or An ansvver to the most materiall passages of a libellous pamphlet made by Mr. Henry Burton, and intituled An apologie of an appeale, &c. By Christopher Dow, B.D.

CHAP. VIII.

Of the Doctrine of obedience to Superiours. How taught and maintained by the Bishops. Where∣in it must be blind; and how quick-sighted.

VVEE have two changes in Doctrine yet remaining. First, in the doctrine of obedience to Superiours. Secondly, in the doctrine of the Sabbath, or Lords Day. * 1.1

By the first (hee saith) Man is so set in Gods throne, as all obedience to man must be absolute, with∣out regard to God and conscience. I verely beleeve, there is none of those he meanes, that have raised obedience so high, but that Mr. B. would bring it downe to as low a pegge: and, haply, conside∣ring how prone such as he are to debase it, it might not be thought ill policy, to exact some∣what more than of strict right it can callenge. But where? or by whom is this doctrine taught? Of that he saith nothing here, but tells us he hath spoken of it sufficiently before. And indeed, wee find more than enough, by him spoken about this point: for, speaking of the connexion of the feare of the a 1.2 Lord, and of the King, and from thence (rightly) observing that these two ought not to be separated; But that God must be so honou∣red, as wee doe also in the second place honour our

Superiours: And our Superiours so honoured, as that in the first place we honour God. Hee b 1.3 comes to reproove those that separate these two; the second sort of whom, he makes Those that sepa∣rate * 1.4 the feare of the King, from the feare of the Lord, by attributing to Kings such an unlimited power, as if he were God Almighty himselfe. So as, hereby they would seeme to ascribe that omnipotency to the King, which the Pope assumes, and his Pa∣rasites ascribe to his Holiness. And this (he saith) these parasites and paramours of the Kings Courts do, &c. All this is easily granted: The doctrine, there is no good Christian but will subscribe to, yea, and the use too, and thinke those not onely worthy of reproofe, but unworthy the name of Christians, and to bee accounted none of Gods good subjects, that shall goe about by flattery, or otherwise, to advance the power of the King to the prejudice of Gods supereminent soveraign∣tie: or which, when the commands of the one and the other come in opposition, shall not (as the Apostles) choose rather to obey God than * 1.5 man, and as those ancient Christian Souldiers, under Iulian the Apostate, who (as S. Augustine * 1.6 notes) were so subject to their temporall Lord, for their eternall Lords sake, as they still distinguished their eternall, from their temporall Lord: And though they would obey that wicked Emperor, when he sent them to fight against his enemies, yet when hee would have them to worship Idols, or to burne Incense to them, they preferred God before him, and denyed their obedience. And,

if any man shall presume to teach, that which shall be contrary to this so sure and well groun∣ded a truth, hee shall thereby make himselfe the author of a doctrine impious against God, and novell in the Church, as (by those places out of the Fathers, which Mr. B. alledgeth, and infinite more to the same purpose,) may be easily de∣monstrated. Yet it seemes (by him) some have dared so much, and that beside the Iesuits (whom he calls) the Masters of this mystery, in their blinde * 1.7 obedience; there are gotten too many Doctors to be their Disciples and broachers of this new do∣ctrine: and againe, Many false prophets are now * 1.8 abroad, being possessed with the spirit of the Beast, which so magnifieth the power of man, and his au∣thority in commanding, that ipso facto, all must yeeld obedience thereunto, without further adoe. And (in the place formerly mentioned) he makes the Bishops to be those Parasites and Court▪Paramors which ascribe such an unlimited power to the King. But, in a matter of this high nature, to accuse onely, is not sufficient: If he can prove it as sub∣stantially, as he hath boldly affirmed it; let them goe for Iesuiticall Novell Doctors; and Parasites, and spare not. Hic labor, hoc opus est. Here (as it is wont) the water sticks with him: Proofes I can finde none, but instead of proofes, I finde con∣jectures and surmises, of some ends, which the Bishops may have to induce them to hold and teach this Doctrine: Their ends (he saith) are 1. To keepe the K. from Parliament, lest they might be brought Coram. 2. By their flattery, to endeare

the K. unto them as the onely supporters of his Pre∣rogative Royall, thereby to protect themselves, ha∣ving incurred the hatred of the whole land. 3. That they may borrow this abused regall Power, to execute a lawless tyranny over the Kings good subjects. 4. Lastly, that they may trample the lawes and li∣berties of the subjects, and in fine, bring the whole State, King and all, under their girdle, as being true to their principle; That a Bishop ought not to * 1.9 be subject to Princes, but rule over them. These hee brings, instead of reasons, to make good this accusation: and these he knowes to be sufficient, to make thoses Judges (I meane, the people) before whom he hath brought them to be tryed, to passe sentence against them, and pronounce them guilty. Yet, God be thanked, the Bishops do not stand or fall by their sentence: And pru∣dent Judges, if they find no greater proofes, will rather judge the accuser guilty of Scandalum magnatum, than upon such weake evidence to condemne the accused. For (all this notwithstan∣ding) it appeares not (otherwise than by Mr. B^s. words) either that the Bishops have these ends, or that, for these ends, they do teach this doctrine: But it is enough. There is no Parliament (and [ 1] that they wish, hoping if some such spirits as Mr. Burtons disciples, get voyces in it, and can prevaile, they may do somewhat for their cause, and ruine the Hierarchy) and that there is none, it must needs be the Bishops doings: who (as hee perswades credulous auditors) will not bee able to purge themselves to a committee of the

Lower-house for Religion: and then, if this be granted, it cannot be thought a thing unlikely for them to broach such doctrine as this, which can∣not but be very usefull for their purpose. But M. Burton will have much adoe to prove (and words must not carry it) that the Bishops are not Parlia∣ment-proofe: and as much, that they therefore are the meanes to hinder the King from having a Par∣liament. I would to God, that men of his straine and humour, and poysoned with such principles of Popularity, as hee labours to instill into the people, had beene no greater meanes, to cause heart-burning between the King and his subjects, and so to keep them from meeting in Parliament, than the Bishops are. It is not the Bishops, but the disobedient and seditious carriage of those ill-affected persons of the house of Commons, in the last Parliament, who raised so much heat and distemper, upon causelesse jealousies: That His * 1.10 Majesty (to use his owne words) His Regall au∣thority and commandement were so highly contem∣ned, as his Kingly office could not beare, nor any for∣mer age parallel. This is the meanes that severed King and people, being met; and this humor still fomented by turbulent and malevolent spirits, (such as Mr. Burton) is the true and sole cause that yet hinders their re-assembling in Parlia∣ment. And, if thereupon any damage have or doe ensue, the blame must light upon those entrenchers, not upon those (whom hee falsely makes) the over-enlargers of the Royall prero∣gative.

Yet necessity may make them doe much, and [ 2] feare of danger may make them willing (by any meanes whatsoever) to make the King sure that they may have shelter; and (though, God be praised, they have not justly, no not incurred the hatred of the whole land, yet) perhaps he knowes some intended mischiefe towards them, or hopes well that his Sermons and the Ipswich Libell will worke so with some bloudy Assassines, that they may be brought (as his brother Leighton speaks) * 1.11 to strike that Hazael (the Bishops) in the fift rib, to strike that Basilike vein, as the onely cure for the plurisie of this State. However, it were but a poor device for their security, to flatter the King into a conceit of his boundlesse authority: which (beside that it would be a vaine attempt upon so wise and just a Prince, and such as cannot, without dero∣gation from his Majesties wisdome, and gracious disposition, be once imagined as faisible) would but increase the subjects hatred, and, in the end, cause his Majesty to forsake them, and justly to expose them to the fury of their malice. Their best security, and that which they onely rely up∣on, is, their integrity and just proceedings, wherein they assure themselves, the just God and King whom they serve, will never forsake them, or de∣ny them protection.

Neither doe they need to borrow a lawlesse and [ 3] abused Regall power, nor can it be accounted tyran∣ny, to punish those that deny obedience to his Majesties commands: which (whatsoever he un∣truely and seditiously suggests) shall be proved,

both to be his Majesties, and beseeming his Roy∣all justice and goodnesse.

As for their ayming, by this meanes, to bring [ 4] the State and King under their girdle, and to make Princes subject to the Bishops: If malice had not made him as blind as Impudent, he would have wanted a forehead to have vented: for if they meant any such thing, their way had beene to ad∣vance their owne, and not the Kings power and prerogative; which, if they make boundlesse, will be sure to hold themselves, as well as others, un∣der the yoke of subjection.

To conclude this point then: The Bishops teach no other doctrine of obedience to Superiours, than hath beene ever taught in the Church of God: They give the King that onely preroga∣tive which we see hath been given alwaies to all god∣ly * 1.12 Princes in holy Scriptures by God himselfe, that is, that they should rule all estates and degrees com∣mitted to their charge by God, whether they be Eccle∣siasticall or Temporall, and restraine with the civill sword the stubborn and evill doers. This is the do∣ctrine of our Church. To this they have, ex ani∣mo, subscribed; and to this they exact subscrip∣tion of all that are under their severall Jurisdicti∣ons: And this is not to give him any unlimited power; they give to God, and Caesar both, their dues; They make God the first, the King the se∣cond, and onely lesse than God, as Tertullian speaks. They make no Idol of their King, nor * 1.13 place his throne above, but immediately under Gods: That's all. Under God, they grant; ac∣knowledging

his power to be from God, and that hee ought to use his power for God, and not a∣gainst him; and our obedience to the King not sufficient to warrant disobedience to God: yet immediately and above all others in his Domini∣ons: So as, They beleeve and teach that his acti∣ons are not liable to the scanning, much lesse to the controule, no not of his greatest subjects. This * 1.14 They doe not know, They dare not practice. Nei∣ther will or dare They (no not with humble reve∣rence premised) tell the people that the King hath not, and therefore cannot give power to others, to do those things which crosse their fancies; as name∣ly, to punish those that refuse to conforme to his commands, and the orders of the Church (which he miscalls, the altering of the state of Religion, and to suppresse the faithfull Ministers of the Gospel) this They judge no humble reverence, but outragi∣ous and desperate impudency and boldnesse. Yea, and that it savours of unchristian disloyalty to in∣sinuate to the people that the King is carelesse of his reiterated solemne protestations and oathes: That he is forgetfull of the law of God, and regardles of the laws of the Land: That he useth his power (or suffers it to be used) to alter the state of Religi∣on, to oppresse and suppresse the faithfull Ministers of the Gospell, against both law and conscience. All * 1.15 which M^r. Burton hath done [ad nauseam usque] even to his readers surfet and loathing. Neither will his usuall scheme help him off, or excuse him, to say, he doth not, nor will not beleeve such actions (as hee is pleased so deeply and desperately to

censure) to be the Kings: when all the world knows, both that they are the Kings, and that he cannot be ignorant that they are so. But of this before. They hold and teach, that it is more agree∣able to Christian piety to be blinde, rather than thus quick-sighted in our obedience, and approve that of S. Gregory, True obedience doth not discusse * 1.16 the intention of superiours, nor make difference of precepts—He that hath learned perfectly to obey, knowes not how to judge. To be blind, so as not to see the imperfections and failings of Superiours, nor to be lesse ready for these to performe their commands, and to looke onely at Him whose place they hold: To be blind, so as not to search the reason, or to look at the causes, why; but to thinke it enough to know the things to be com∣manded, and by them that are in place and pow∣er. Lastly, They would have obedience to be better sighted, and not so blind as M. Burton hath shewed himselfe. They would have obedience to have eyes to see what God commands, as well as what the King, and to discerne God to be the greater of the two, and to be obeyed in the first place: but they would not have men mistake their owne dreames and fancies for Gods commands. And not this onely, but to see what is comman∣ded by their superiours, and who it is that com∣mands, and to know them to be Gods Deputies, to whom obedience is due, as unto God himselfe. And they have learned of Solomon, that where the word of a King is, there is power; and who may * 1.17 say unto him, what dost thou? This is no novell

Iesuiticall doctrine, but sound Divinity, and that which this Church ever taught, and the Law of the Land ever approved; if it be good Law which was long agoe delivered by Bracton, with which * 1.18 I will shut up this point. The King (saith hee) is under none, but onely God.—And, a little after, If he do amisse (because no writ goes out against him) there is place for supplication, that he would correct and amend his deed: which if he doe not, it is enough punishment for him, that the Lord will punish it. For no man must presume to enquire or discusse his acti∣ons, much lesse to goe against them.

Notes

• * 1.1

  pag. 126.
• a 1.2

  pag. 84.
• b 1.3

  pag. 8••.
• * 1.4

  c pag 87
• * 1.5

  Act. 4. 12.
• * 1.6

  In Ps. 124. Distinguebant dominum aeternū a ••omino tempo∣rali, & tum subditi erant propter dominum aeternum.
• * 1.7

  p. 77.
• * 1.8

  pag. 82.
• * 1.9

  Episcopus non debet subesse Principibus, sed prae esse. Decret. de maj. et obed. Tit. 33. Innocent 3.
• * 1.10

  Procla. before the Declar. for the dissolut. of the Parliament.
• * 1.11

  Sions plea, pag. 166.
• * 1.12

  Artic. of Relig. p. 37.
• * 1.13

  Ad Scapulam. Hominem à Deo secundum—solo Deo minorem.
• * 1.14

  The King (to speak with all humble reve∣rence) cannot give, &c. p. 72.
• * 1.15

  pag 56. pag. 73.
• * 1.16

  Vera obedientia nec Praepositorum intentionem dis∣cutit, nec praecep∣ta dece nit—nescit enim judi∣care, quisquis per∣fectè didicerit o∣bedire. D. Greg. l. 2. c. 4. in 1 Reg.
• * 1.17

  Eccles. 8. 2.
• * 1.18

  Bract. de leg. & consuet. Ang. c. 8. Ipse (sc. Rex.) sub nullo, nisi tan∣tum sub Deo.—Si ab eo pecca∣tur, &c.