beneficiaries in cases of necessity, than by those who receive nothing from him but the common influences of government. 3. But the bishop's duty to the king derives itself from a higher fountain. For it is one of the main excellencies in Christianity, that it advances the state, and well-being of monarchies and bodies politic. Now, then, the fathers of religion, the reverend bishops, whose peculiar office it is to promote the interests of Christianity, are, by the nature and essential requisites of their office, bound to promote the honour and dignity of kings, whom Christianity would have so much honoured, as to establish the just subordination of people to their prince, upon better principles than ever; no less than their precise duty to God, and the hopes of a blissful immortality. Here, then, is "utile, honestum," and " necessarium," to tie bishops in duty to kings; and a threefold cord is not easily broken. In pursuance of these obligations, episcopacy pays three returns of tribute to monarchy. 1. The first is the duty of their people. For they being, by God himself, set over souls, judges of the most secret recesses of our consciences, and the venerable priests under them, have more power to keep men in their duteous subordination to the prince, than there is in any secular power; by how much more forcible the impressions of the conscience are, than all the external violence in the world. And this power they have fairly put into act; for there was never any Protestant bishop yet in rebellion, unless he turned recreant to his order; and it is the honour of the Church of England, that all her children and obedient people are full of indignation against rebels, be they of any interest or party whatsoever. For here, (and for it we thank God and good princes,) episcopacy hath been preserved in fair privileges and honour; and God hath blessed and honoured episcopacy, with the conjunction of a loyal people. As if because, in the law of nature, the kingdom and priesthood were joined in one person, it were natural and consonant to the first justice, that kings should defend the rights of the church, and the church advance the honour of kings. And when I consider that the first bishop that was exauctorated, was a prince too, prince and bishop of Geneva; methinks it was an ill omen, that the cause of the prince and the bishop should be in conjunction ever after. 2. A second return that episcopacy makes to royalty, is that which is the duty of all Christians, the paying tributes and impositions. And though all the king's liege people do it, yet the issues of their duty and liberality are mightily dispropor tionate, if we consider their unequal number and revenues. And if clergy-subsidies be estimated according to the smallness of their revenue and paucity of persons, it will not be half so short of the number and weight of crowns from lay-dispensation, as it does far exceed in the proportion of the donative. 3. But the assistance that the kings of England had in their councils and affairs of greatest difficulty, from the great ability of bishops, and other the ministers of the church, I desire to represent, in the words of king Alfred to Walfsigeus, the bishop, in an epistle, where he deplores the misery of his own age, by comparing it with the former times, when the bishops were learned, and exercised in public councils: "Felicia tum tempora fuerunt inter omnes Angliæ populos; reges Deo, et scriptæ ejus voluntati obsecundârunt in suâ pace, et bellicis expeditionibus, atque regimine domestico domi se semper tutati fuerint, atque etiam foris nobilitatem suam dilataverint." The reason was, as he insinuates before, Sapientes exstiterunt in Anglica gente de spirituali gradu," &c. The bishops were able, by their great learning and wisdom, to give assistance to the king's affairs. And they have prospered in it; for the most glorious issues of Divine benison, upon this kingdom were conveyed to us by bishops' Hands; I mean the union of the houses of York and Lancaster, by the counsels of Bishop Morton, and of England and Scotland, by the treaty of Bishop Fox'; to which if we add two other, in materiá religionis," I mean the conversion of the kingdom from paganism, by St. Augustin, archbishop of Canterbury; and the reformation, begun and promated by bishops; I think we cannot call to mind four blessings equal to these in any age or kingdom, in all which God was pleased by the mediation of bishops, as he useth to do, to bless the people, And this may not only be expected in reason, but in good divinity; for amongst the gifts of the Spirit, which God hath given to his church, are reckoned doctors, teachers, and helps in government. To which may be added this advantage, that the services of churchmen are rewardable upon the church's stock no need to disimprove the royal banks, to pay thanks to bishops. But, Sir, I grow troublesome. Let this discourse have what ends it can; the use I make of it, is but to pretend reason for my boldness, and to entitle you to my book: for I am confident you will own any thing that is but a friend's friend to a cause of loyalty. I have nothing else to plead for |