Man, whofe Copy, either might be falfe, or he might make it falfe: For Example, here were a thousand Bibles printed in England with the Text thus, [Thou fhalt commit Adultery] the Word [not] left out; might not this Text be mended?

12. The Scripture may have more Senfes befides the Literal, because God understands all things at once, but a Mans Writing has but one true Sence, which is that which the Author meant when he writ it.

13. When you meet with feveral Readings of the Text, take heed you admit nothing against the Tenets of your Church, but do as if you were going over a Bridge, be fure you hold fast by the Rail, and then you may dance here and there as you please, be sure you keep to what is fetled, and then you may flourish upon your various Lections.

14. The Apochrypha is bound with the Bibles of all Churches that have been hitherto. Why should we leave it out? the Church of Rome has her Apochrypha (viz.) Sufanna and Bell and the Dragon, which she does not esteem equally with the reft of those Books that we call Apochrypha.

"A

Bishops before the Parliament.

Bishop as a Bishop, had never any Ecclefiaftial Jurifdiction; for as foon as he was Electus Confirmatus, that is, after the three Proclamations in Bow-Church, he might exercise Jurifdiction, before he was confecrated, not till then, he was no Bishop, neither could he give Orders. Befides, Suffragans were Bishops, and they never claim'd any Jurifdiction.

2. Antiently, the Noble Men lay within the City for Safety and Security. The Bishops Houses were by the Water-fide, because they were held Sacred Persons which no body would hurt.

3. There was fome Sence for Commendams at first, when there was a Living void, and never a Clerk to ferve it, the Bishops was to keep it till they found a fit Man, but now 'tis a Trick for the Bishop to keep it for himself.

4. For a Bishop to preach, 'tis to do other Folks Office, as if the Steward of the House fhould execute the Porters or the Cooks place; 'tis his Business to see that they and all other about the House perform their Duties.

5. That which is thought to have done the Bishops hurt, is their going about to bring men to a blind Obedience, impofing things upon them [though perhaps small and well enough] without preparing them, and infinuating into their Reasons and Fancies, every man loves to know his Commander. I wear those Gloves, but perhaps if an Alderman should command me, I fhould think much to do it; what has he to do with me? Or if he has, peradventure I do not know it. This jumping upon things at first dash will deftroy all; to keep up Friendship, there must be little Addreffes and Applications, whereas Bluntness spoils it quickly: To keep up the Hierarchy, there must be little Applications made to men, they must be brought on by little and little: So in the Primitive times the Power was gain'd, and so it must be continued. Scaliger faid of Erafmus: Si minor effe voluit, major fuiffet. So we may fay of the Bishops, Si minores effe voluerint majores fuiffent.

6. The Bishops were too hafty, elfe with a difcreet slowness they might have had what they aim'd at: The old Story of the Fellow, that told the Gentleman, that he might get to fuch a place, if he did not ride too fast, would have fitted their turn.

7. For a Bishop to cite an old Cannon to ftrengthen his new Articles, is as if a Lawyer should plead an old Statute that has been repeal'd God knows how long.

I.

B

Bishops in the Parliament.

Ifhops have the same Right to fit in Parliament

as the best Earls and Barons, that is, those that were made by Writ: If you ask one of them [Arundel, Oxford, Northumberland] why they fit in the Houfe? they can only fay, their Fathers fate there before them, and their Grand-father before him,

&c. And fo fays the Bishops, he that was a Bishop of this Place before me, fate in the House, and he that was a Bishop before him, &c. Indeed your later Earls and Barons have it expreffed in their Patents, that they shall be called to Parliament. Objection, But the Lords fit there by Blood, the Bishops not. Anfwer, 'Tis true, they fit not there both the fame way, yet that takes not away the Bishops Right: If I am a Parfon of a Parish, I have as much Right to my Gleab and Tyth, as you have to your Land which your Ancestors have had in that Parish eight hundred years.

2. The Bishops were not Barons, because they had Baronies annext to their Bishopricks (for few of them had fo, unless the old ones, Canterbury, Winchester, Durham, &c. the new erected we are sure had none, as Glocefler, Peterborough, &c., befides, few of the Temporal Lords had any Baronies.) But they are Barons, because they are called by Writ to the Parliament, and Bishops were in the Parliament ever since there was any mention or fign of a Parliament in England.

3. Bishops may be judged by the Peers, though in time of Popery it never hapned, because they pretended they were not obnoxious to a Secular Court, but their way was to cry, Ego fum Frater Domini Papa, I am Brother to my Lord the Pope, and therefore take not my self to be judged by you; in this Case they impanelled a Middlefex Jury, and dispatcht the Bufinefs.

4. Whether may Bishops be prefent in cafes of Blood? Anfw. That they had a Right to give Votes, appears by this, always when they did go out, they left a Proxy, and in the time of the Abbots, one man had 10. 20. or 30. Voices. In Richard the Seconds time, there was a Proteftation against the Canons, by which they were forbidden to be prefent in case of Blood. The Statute of 25th of Henry the Eighth may go a great way in this Bufinefs. The Clergy were forbidden to use or cite any Cannon, &c. but in the latter end of the Statute, there was a Claufe, that fuch Cannons

that were in ufage in this Kingdom, should be in force till the thirty two Commiffioners appointed fhould make others, provided they were not contrary to the Kings Supremacy. Now the Queftion will be, whether thefe Cannons for Blood were in ufe in this Kingdom or no? the contrary whereof may appear by many Prefidents, in R. 3. and H. 7. and the beginning of H. 8. in which time there were more attainted than fince, or scarce before: The Cannons of Irregularity of Blood were never received in England, but upon pleasure. If a Lay Lord was attainted, the Bishops affented to his Condemning, and were always prefent at the paffing of the Bill of Attainder: But if a Spiritual Lord, they went out as if they cared not whofe Head was cut off, fo none of their own. In those days the Bishops being of great Houses, were often entangled with the Lords in Matters of Treason. But when d'ye hear of a Bishop a Traytor now?

5. You would not have Bishops meddle with Temporal Affairs, think who you are that fay it. If a Papist, they do in your Church; if an English Protestant, they do among you; if a Presbiterian, where you have no Bishops, you mean your Presbiterian Lay Elders fhould meddle with Temporal Affairs as well. as Spiritual. Befides, all Jurifdiction is Temporal, and in no Church, but they have fome Jurifdiction or other. The Question then will be reduced to Magis and Minis; they meddle more in one Church than in another.

6. Objection. Bifhops give not their Votes by Blood in Parliament, but by an Office annext to them, which being taken away, they cease to vote, therefore there is not the fame reason for them as for Temporal Lords. Anfw. We do not pretend they have that Power the fame way, but they have a Right: He that has an Office in Wejlminfler-Hall for his Life, the Office is as much his, as his Land is his that hath Land by Inheritance.

7. Whether had the inferior Clergy ever any thing to do in the Parliament? Anfw. No, no otherwise

than thus, There were certain of the Clergy that used to assemble near the Parliament, with whom the Bishops, upon occafion might confult (but there were none of the Convocation, as 'twas afterwards fetled, (viz.) the Dean, the Arch-Deacon, one for the Chapter, and two for the Diocess) but it hapned by continuance of time (to fave Charges and Trouble) their Voices and the Confent of the whole Clergy were involved in the Bishops, and at this day the Bishops Writs run, to bring all these to the Parliament, but the Bishops themselves ftand for all.

8. Bishops were formerly one of thefe two Conditions, either Men bred Canonifts and Civilians, fent up and down Ambassadors to Rome and other Parts, and fo by their Merit came to that Greatness, or else great Noble Mens Sons, Brothers, and Nephews, and fo born to govern the State: Now they are of a low Condition, their Education nothing of that way; he gets a Living, and then a greater Living, and then a greater then that, and so comes to govern.

9. Bishops are now unfit to Govern because of their Learning, they are bred up in another Law, they run to the Text for fomething done amongst the Jews that nothing concerns England, 'tis just as if a Man would have a Kettle and he would not go to our Brazier to have it made; as they make Kettles, but he would have it made as Hiram made his Brafs work, who wrought in Solomons Temple.

10. To take away Bishops Votes, is but the beginning to take them away; for then they can be no longer useful to the King or State. 'Tis but like the little Wimble, to let in the greater Auger. Objection. But they are but for their Life, and that makes them always go for the King as he will have them. Anfwer. This is against a double Charity, for you must always fuppofe a bad King and bad Bifhops. Then again, whether will a Man be fooner content, himself should be made a Slave or his Son after him? [when we talk of our Children we mean our felves,] befides they that have pofterity are more obliged to the King, then