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<DATE>2005-06-01</DATE>
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<NAME>Jonathan Blaney</NAME>
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<IDG S="marc" R="OX" ID="A71254">
<STC T="W">W2676</STC>
<BIBNO T="oclc">12773683</BIBNO>
<VID>93704</VID>
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<TEXT LANG="eng">
<FRONT>
<DIV1 TYPE="title page">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<PB REF="1" MS="y">
<P>AN
ABSTRACT
OF
THOSE ANSVVERS
VVhich were given
In the ASSEMBLY of the
LORDS in the High Court of
PARLIAMENT,
UNTO THE
NINE REASONS,
SENT UP
FROM THE HOUSE
OF
COMMONS,
Against the VOTING of BISHOPS
in PARLIAMENT.</P>
<P>Printed for <HI>N. Butter.</HI> 1641.</P>
</DIV1>
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<BODY>
<DIV1 TYPE="text">
<PB REF="2">
<PB N="1" REF="2">
<HEAD>That Bishops ought not to vote
in PARLIAMENT.</HEAD>
<P><MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Reason"> BEcause it is a very great hinderance to the exercise
of their Ministeriall Function.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="1" UNIT="Answ."> IT is not so much hinderance as their conveening
to Generall Councels, Synods, Convocations,
Assemblies, Classes, and the like, in all the Chur|ches
Reformed or otherwise.</P>
<P><HI>2 It is</HI> propter majus bonum Ecclesiae.</P>
<P>3 The Apostles unnecessarily put themselves
to more hinderances, to worke for their lively|hood,
<HI>Act. 20. 24. 1. Thes. 2. 9. 2. Thes.</HI> 3. 8.</P>
<P>4 What hinderance can it be to their calling,
that once in three yeares, when they must necessa|rily
attend the Convocation, they divide some
part of that short time to the attendance of Parlia|ment?</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="2" UNIT="Reason"> Because they doe vow and undertake it at their Ordi|nation,
when they enter into holy Orders, that they will
give themselves wholly to that Vocation.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 This vow and undertaking in Ministers Or|dination
is quite mistaken: The words are in the
Bishops Exhortation, not in the Ministers Answer.</P>
<P>2 The Bishop hopes they will give themselves
wholly to that, and not to my other Trade or Vo|cation.</P>
<P><PB N="2" REF="3">
3 Wholly, in a Morall, and not in a Mathema|ticall
sense, that will admit no Latitude: Else,
there might the same exception be taken against
their just care of provision for their houshold
affaires.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="3" UNIT="Reason"> Because Councels and Canons in severall Ages doe
forbid them to meddle in secular Affaires.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 Councels and Canons against Bishops votes
in Parliament, were never in use in this Kingdome,
and therefore they are abolished by the Statute of
25. <HI>H.</HI> 8.</P>
<P>2 So are they by the same Statute, because the
Lords have declared, that the Bishops vote here
by the Lawes and Statutes of this Realme: And
all Canons that crosse with those, are there abo|lished.</P>
<P>3 So are they by the same Statute, as thwarting
the Kings Prerogative to call Bishops by Sum|mons
to vote in Parliament.</P>
<P>4 So they are by the vote in the House of
Commons, 21. <HI>Maii</HI> 1641. because are they not
confirmed by Act of Parliament.</P>
<P>5 This Argument was in a sort deserted by M.
<HI>Perpoint,</HI> and confest to be but an <HI>Argumentum ad
hominem.</HI></P>
<P><MILESTONE N="4" UNIT="Reason"> Because the 24. Bishops have a dependency upon the
Archbishops, and because of their Canonicall obedience
to them.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 They have no Dependency upon the Arch|bishops,
but in points of Appeale, and Visitation
onely: And owe them no Obedience but in these
two points. None at all in Parliament, where they
<PB N="3" REF="3">
are <HI>Pares,</HI> their Equals: And, as <HI>Bracton</HI> tels us, <HI>Par in
Parem non habet imperium.</HI> What hath Canonicall
Obedience to doe with a vote in Parliament, decla|red
in this Bill to be no Ecclesiasticall, but a secular
affaire?</P>
<P>2 This Argument reacheth not the two Arch|bishops,
discharged in the Rubrick from this Oath;
and therefore is no reason for the passing of this Bill.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="5" UNIT="Reason"> Because they are but for their lives, and therefore are
not fit to have Legis-lative power over the honours, inhe|ritances,
persons, and liberties of others.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 Bishops are not for their lives onely, but for
their successors also in the Land and Honour that
pertaine to their places: as the Earles and Barons al|so
are for their successors in their owne Lands and
Honours: And, holding their lands in Fee simple,
may with as good Reason vote in the Honours, inhe|ritance,
persons, and liberties of others, as others
may, and doe in theirs.</P>
<P>2 Many Peeres have beene created for their lives
onely, and the Earle of Surrey for the life of his Fa|ther,
who yet voted in this House.</P>
<P>3 The Knights, Citizens, and Burgesses, are cho|sen
for one Parliament only, and yet use their Legis|lative
power. Nor will their being elected diffe|rence
their Cause; for the Lords use that power, in a
greater Eminence, who are not elected.</P>
<P>4 A Burgesse, that hath a Free-hold but for term
of life onely, may vote and assent to a Law in Par|liament.</P>
<P>5 No such exception was ever heard of in the
Diets of Germany, the Corteses of Spaine, or
the three Estates of France, where the Prelates
<PB N="4" REF="4">
vote in all these Points, with the Nobility and
the Commons.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="6" UNIT="Reason"> Because of Bishops dependency and expectancy of Trans|lations
to places of greater profit.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 This Argument supposeth all Kings, and all
Bishops to bee very faulty, if they take the tune of
their votes in Parliament, from these dependencies,
and expectances.</P>
<P>2 This may be said of all the Kings great Officers,
of all the noble members of both Houses, who may
be conceived, as well as Bishops, to have their expe|ctances,
and consequently to be deprived by this
Reason of voting in Parliament.</P>
<P>3 This Argument reacheth not at the two Arch|bishops,
and so falls short of the votes, which are to
be taken away by this Bill.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="7" UNIT="Reason"> That severall Bishops have of late much encroached
upon the Consciences, and properties of the Subject. And
they and their successors will be much encouraged still to
encroach, and the subject will be much discouraged from
complaining against such encroachments, if 26. of
that Order be to be Judges upon these complaints. The
same Reason extends to their Legis-lative power, in any
Bill to passe for the Regulation of their power, upon any
emergent inconveniency by it.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 This Argument fights not against Bishops votes
in Parliament, but against their votes in Convoca|tion,
where (if any where) they have encroached
upon the Consciences and properties of the Subject:
Nor yet at the votes of such Bishops there, as are
not guiltie of this offence. Nor need the Subject to
be discouraged in complaining against the like Grie|vances,
though 26. of that Order continue Judges:
<PB N="5" REF="4">
For they shall not vote as Judges in their owne
Cause, when they are legally charged: And if they
should vote, what were that to the purpose, when
the Lay-Peeres are still foure to one? The Bishops
(assisted with a double number of Mitred Abbots,
and Priors) could not hinder the Lawes made a|gainst
the Court of Rome, the Alien Cardinalls, and
Prelates, the Provisors, the Suitors to the Popes
Consistory under <HI>Ed. 3. Rich.</HI> 2. and <HI>Hen.</HI> 4. much
more may those emergent exorbitances of the Eccle|siasticall
jurisdiction be soone curbed and redressed
in this inequality of votes betweene the Temporall
and Spirituall Lords. So as this Argument doth not
so much hurt the votes, as it quailes the courage
of the Bishops, who may justly feare, by this and
the next Argument, that the taking away of their
votes is but a kind of fore-runner to the abolishing of
their jurisdiction.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="8" UNIT="Reason"> Because the whole number of them is interessed to
maintaine the jurisdiction of Bishops; which hath beene
found so grievous to the three Kingdomes, that Scotland
hath utterly abolished it, and multitudes in England and
Ireland have petitioned against it.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> 1 This Argument is not against the Votes of
Bishops, but against Episcopacy it selfe, which must
be removed, because Scotland hath done so, and
some in England and Ireland would have it so: And
yet peradventure ten times as great a somme as these
desire the contrary.</P>
<P>2 There will be found Peeres enough in the up|per
House to reforme any thing that is amisse in the
Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction, although the 26. Prelates
should be so wicked as to oppose it: As there were
<PB N="6" REF="5">
found Peeres enough in that noble House, to curbe
the Court of Rome, and the Revenues of the
Cardinalls under <HI>Ed.</HI> 3. To meet with the Provisors
under <HI>Rich.</HI> 2. To put all the Clergy into a <HI>Praemu|nire</HI>
under <HI>Hen.</HI> 8. And to reforme the Religion, 1.
<HI>Eliz.</HI> notwithstanding the Opposition of all the
Bishops.</P>
<P><MILESTONE N="9" UNIT="Reason"> Because Bishops being Lords of Parliament, it setteth
too great a distance betweene them and the rest of their
Brethren in the Ministery, which occasioneth pride in
them, discontent in others, and disquiet in the
Church.</P>
<P><MILESTONE UNIT="Answ."> This is an Argument from Morall Philosophie,
which affords no Demonstrations. All are not
proud that vote in Parliament, nor discontented,
that are not so imployed. This Argument fights one|ly
against their title of being Lords, which is not the
Question at this time. And were those Brethren so
wise &amp; well affected as they might be, they would
rejoyce rather that some of their own profession are
advanced to those places wherein they may be capa|ble,
upon all occasions, of doing good offices to
them, and to this whole Church.</P>
<TRAILER>FINIS.</TRAILER>
</DIV1>
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