ment, with fuch a Prohibition, doth diffolve the Relation between the Bishop, and his Flock. It would not diffolve the Relation between a Father, and his Children, or between a Husband, and his Wife; and he knows that those of the other Opinion think the fame of the Relation of the Bishop to his Flock. They are of Opinion, whether right, or wrong, I fhall not here determine, that perpetual Banifhment, or Imprisonment can no more deprive a Bishop, than perpetual Captivity; but that as long as he lives undeprived by the Spiritual Power, his relation will continue to his Flock. And in the fame loofe manner, that he argues against the Power of Excommunication, he also disputes against the Power of Ordination, as inconfiftent with the Magiftrates Right to protect the Commonwealth. And why forfooth? because then the Bishops may put not only Men of the best Abilities to Serve the Commonwealth, but fuch great numbers into Orders, the better to carry on their Common Interest (which we fee actually done in Popish Countries) as may tend to the infinite Prejudice of the State. Here is the fame Fallacy over again of arguing against just Power from the fuppofed Abuse of it, and were there any Senfe in it, it would be good against all Power, but that of God, and good Angels, which cannot be perverted, or abufed. At this abfurd rate may Men argue against the Legislative, or Supreme executive Power in all Countries, and particularly in our own. The independent Power of our Parliaments, may a Man fay, to give away our Money, is inconfiftent with the Rights of the People, because then they may give away all we have, and make us as poor, and Slaves as much, as in other Countries. The independent Power of our Kings, and Queens, may another fay, to make War is inconfiftent with the * P.47. Happiness of the Kingdom, because they may make War an Hundred Years together, and thereby utterly waft both the Treafure, and People of the Land. The independent Power of our Kings, and Queens to make Peers only whom, and when they please, another may fay, is inconfiftent with our Conftitution, becaufe by refufing to make Peers for two, or three long Reigns together, they may extinguifh the Peerage, as in Denmark, and with it one of the three Eftates; or reduce the Peers to such a small uumber, as will not make a House. Nay this formidable way of difputing against the Power of the Clergy in behalf of the Magiftrate, had it any force in it, would be as valid for the Clergy against the independent Power of the Magiftrate, as it is for the Magiftrate against that of the Clergy. The independent Power of our Kings, and Queens, may an English-man fay, to nominate, and chufe Bishops, is inconfiftent not only with the Well being, but the Being of the Church, because they may nominate not only the most illiterate, and immoral Men for Bishops, but choose whether they'll nominate any at all, and fo in Twenty or Thirty Years deftroy not only one of the Three Eftates, but the true Church of God among us. Nay, at this idle rate of arguing, especially in his beloved way of fpeaking, a Man may fay; The Power which the Parliament affumes to it felf of depriving Bishops, and Priefts, is against the Fundamental Rights and Liberties of the Church, becaufe then they may deprive not only Men of the best AbiLities to ferve her, but fuch great Numbers, as may tend to her infinite Prejudice; and how can we be certain they may not deprive all. Such is our Author's way of Writing in Querks, and Sophifms through his whole Book, as I could make it appear had I room, and time to go through it all. In this manner he argues in feveral places, & 3 * * as invidiously as he can; Against the Obligation, the Clergy fay, the Magiftrate hath to protect the Church, and affift them in doing their duty, and putting their Decrees in Execution. This, he faith, makes the Magiftrate their Deputy, or rather their Executioner; and that this Obligation of executing their Decrees fuppofes they have a right to command it, and that the Magiftrate, as well as the Laity, is only their Executioner, being obliged, right or wrong, to enforce their Commands. To which I anfwer, here is a Slander, and more than one Fallacy. First, here is couched a foul Slander upon the Clergy, as if they asserted, That the Magiftrate was bound to protect them in evil, as much as in well-doing, and to affift them with the Secular Arm in wrong, as well as right, and in executing Unrighteous,as well as Righteous Decrees. Secondly, here are feveral Fallacies; as First, in saying this Obligation of the Magiftrate to help, and affift the Governors of the Church to execute their Decrees, and Cenfures, gives them a power to command it, because they have a right to ask it, and to ask it when it is neceffary, with Prayers, and Tears, and to ask it in God's Name, and for his Sake; as one part of a Family may humbly, and carneftly ask the Protection, and Affiftance of the Father, and Master, against the Infolence, and Injuries of the other, and to protect them in doing their Duty; and when this happened, would it not be a fine Speech in the Delinquents to fay to him, Sir, thefe Infolent Fellows only complain to you, to fhew the power they think they have to command you, and to make you their Servant, and Executioner. Or to bring the Comparison a little nearer to the cafe of two independent Societies in one place, as of the Univerfitics, and Cities of Oxford, and Cam * P. 56, 57. bridge; where let us fuppofe, that a certain number of Scholars outraged by Townfmen, fhould complain of them in either place to the Mayor, or a certain number of Townfmen outraged by Scholars fhould prefer their Complaints to the Vice-Chaacellor, would it be a good and reasonable Anfwer in either of thofe Magiftrates to fay, Get ye gon you Infolent Fellows, do you think you have a right to command me, and that I will be your Executioner? To conclude, This way of falfe Reasoning, were it true, would make the Clergy, as much the Ma giftrates Deputy, and Executioner, as the Magistrate the Clergy's. As for Example, if in a Notorious, flagrant Sedition, or Rebellion, the Magiftrate (for I ftill ufe his own Term) fhould convene the Clergy in Convocation, and defire, or require the aid of their Cenfures against the Corabs, and Dathans of fuch a Sedition, or Rebellion, they might by his Logick, instead of affifting the Magistrate according to their Duty, return him this anfwer, What, doth he fuppofe he hath a right to Command us? we'll be none of his Deputies, or Executioners. The vanity of this Argument might alfo be fhewn by application of it to two independent Kingdoms, or States, the Sovereigns of which are bound by the Laws of Nations upon notification not to protect, or affist one another's Rebels, but to drive them out of their Dominions, or deliver them up, that is, in his fcurrilous Expreffion, to be one another's Executioners; but, I hope, I have faid enough to detect the Folly, and Malice of this way of Reasoning, in which our Author delights fo much. For he uses the fame Argument against the Clergy, to prove that if their Power were Judicial, they might fave, or damn, as they think fit, and that God is bound to execute their Sentences, though * P. 68. they condemn a good, and abfolve an ill Man; because a Sentence pronounced by a competent Authority is valid, though it is not right; and confequently on this Suppofition Men ought to pay Divine Worship to thefe Judges, rather than to God himself, fince the power of Saving, and Damning is in them, and God himself is no more than their Executioner. According to this way of Reasoning he may fay, First, That all Criminal Judges may fave, or damn,' as they think fit, though in all Countries they are Sworn to the best of their Understandings to Adminifter true Judgment. Secondly, That though they condemn an innocent, and acquit a guilty Man, be it by pure Error or Corruption, the Sovereign is bound to execute their Sentences, that is, to let them be executed, be they right, or wrong. Thirdly, That it is no matter how the People live, could they be acquitted by these Judges, to whom Men ought to pay more Honour, than to the Sovereign himself, fince the power of Condemning, and Saving is in them, and the Sovereign is no more than their Executioner. As many Falfities, and Fallacies, as there are in this cafe, fo many there are in what he hath faid against the Judicial Power of Church Governors, who judge for, and under God in Spirituals, as the Twelve Judges of this Kingdom judge in Temporals for, and under our Kings, and Queens, who are bound in Confcience, and Í think by Oath to fhew Mercy, in the Cafes of Corrupt Verdi&s, and Erroneous Judgments; and fo when the fame cafe happens in Ecclefiaftical Cenfures, the Merciful, and Righteous Sovereign of Heaven, and Earth, as the pure Church hath always taught, will of his infinite Mercy do. The * * Cyfrian. in Epift. ad Antonianum. Neque enim præjudicamus domino judicaturo, quo minus fi pœnitentiam plenam, & juftam peccatoris invenerit, tunc ratum faciat, quod a nobis fuerit hic ftatutum |