Reasons of the House of Commons why Bishops ought not to have votes in Parliament .

1 BEcause it is a very great hinderance to the exercise of their Ministeriall Function .

2 Because they doe vow and undertake at their Ordination , when they enter into holy Orders , that they will give themselves wholly to that Vocation .

3 Because Councels and Canons in severall Ages do forbid them to meddle with Secular affaires .

4 Because the twenty foure Bishops have a dependancie on the two Archbishops , and because of their Canonicall Obedience to them .

5 Because they are but for their lives , and therefore are not fit to have Legislative power over the Honours , Inheritances , Persons , and Liberties of others .

6 Because of Bishops dependancy and expectancy of Translations to places of great profit .

7 That severall Bishops have of late much encroacht upon the Consciences and Liberties of the Subjects , and they and their Successours will be much encourag'd still to encroach , and the Subjects will be much discouraged from complayning against such encouragements , if twenty sixe of that Order bee to bee Judges upon those complaints ; the same reason extends to their Legislative power in any Bill to passe for the regulation of their power upon any emergent inconvenience by it .

8 Because the whole number of them is interessed to maintain the Jurisdiction of Bishops , which hath been found so grievous to the three Kingdomes , that Scotland hath utterly abolished it , and Multitudes in England and Ireland have petitioned against it .

9 Because the Bishops being Lords of Parliament , it setteth too great a distance between them and the rest of their Brethren in the Ministery , which occasioneth pride in them , discontent in others , and disquiet in the Church .

FINIS .