living wickedly ought to be reproved by the Laity by taking away their Tythes and other Temporal Profits from them and give them to others c. Mr. Tindal Mr. Tindall in his Book of Obedience of a Christian page 114 115. saith That the Sword is put into the Kings hand to execute vengeance upon all evil dooers But now saith he the Bishops minister the Temporal Sword and the Office of Preaching they lay aside and will neither preach themselves nor suffer others that would to preach but slay them with the temporal sword and as none saith he can preach Christ except they preach against Antichrist and as none can heal a disease unless he begin at the root so canst thou not preach against any mischief except thou begin at the Bishops And in page 124. he saith Those that are sworn to be true to the Pope Cardinals and Bishops it is as if they should swear to be false to Christ to the King and to the Realm for such Prelates that will revenge themselves of men for speaking the truth and for every trifle they are not fit to preach the patience of Christ Henry Stalbridge To the same purpose writeth Henry Stalbridge in his Exhortative Epistle to his dear Countreymen of England he saith that what blood hath been shed between Emperor and Emperor Kingdom and Kingdom Constantinople Almain England France Italy and Spain who seeth not that the pride of bloody Bishops is the ground and original foundation of all Controversies Schismes Variances and Wars between Realm and Realm see the fift and sixth part of the Homily of Whitsunday And to confirm the truth of this consider whether the carriage and practice of Prelates and their Doctrines such as Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester who in one Sermon at White-Hall before his Majesty delivered five points of flat Popery and did follow many Popish practises And at another time in the year 1636. he said that the Church of Rome and our Church are both as one for we said he and he said not much amiss have both the same Hierarchy and Government the same Liturgie Holy-dayes Fasts Ceremonies Sacraments c. so as those who affirm that Papists are damned do but through the sides of the Church of Rome give a deadly blow to the Church of England and deny that we are saved with more the like And also Bishop Laud's silencing and suspending of Ministers and sending a new book of Common Prayer differing from ours into Scotland consider whether these and the like were not the cause of our late unhappy Warrs in England Bernard Bernard as touching Bishops having Conusance in their Courts of Tythes c. writes thus For Tythes Testaments Administrations Servitude Legitimations and such like saith he to Pope Eugenius you went beyond your bounds when you restrained them to your Courts and without Caesar made Laws for things that did belong to Caesar for the Goods Lands Livings Estates of Lay-men and Clerks also are Caesars Charge and not yours nor the Prelates My Kingdom saith Christ is not of this world If then the Pope Prelates and Priests will be the servants of Christ saith Ambrose they must not challenge any worldly Kingdom Ambrose the servant is not above his Master and if the Master deny it the servant may not affirm it and usurp it Souldiers of Christ must not entangle themselves with the affairs of this world much less to make themselves Lords and Judges of earthly matters William Ocham William Ocham a famous Schoolman writ a book about the year 1330. which was printed in London in which he saith that Clergie men are liable to pay tribute unto Princes and that Princes may take away their Lands and Possessions when they abuse them to Luxury Pomp and other private uses and they may imploy them for the defence and peace of the Realm And after he adds That all the Revenue of Clergie men but that which is sufficient to provide them Food and Rayment with which they ought to be content as Paul saith 1 Tim. 6.8 Having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content and the rest ought to be spent in pious uses and in feeding the poor which if they be not employed in this sort Kings ought to take care of them to set some to see it done William Prynne In the second part of Mr. William Prynne's book of the Antipathy of the English Lord Prelates both the Regal Monarchy and Civil Unity page 311 he saith that the endowing of the Prelates with great temporel Revenues was the very bane and poyson of Religion and one principal cause of Bishops Rebellions Treasons and Exorbitances he had fore-mentioned and therefore they may both with good Conscience and reason be subtracted from them and put to better uses and they like other Ministers be confined to one competent living with Cure there constantly to reside and instruct the People like Bishops in the Primitive Church for so long as our Lordly Prelates continue there will not only be a possibility but a probability of bringing in Popery and the Pope again amongst us since their Lordly Hierarchy is supported by Popish Doctrine Canons Ceremonies Liturgie Godfry Goodman Holy dayes c. as Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester said a little above which they are ingaged to maintain to preserve their tottering Thrones from ruine John Salisbury John Salisbury our Country man flourished about the year of Christ 1140. de nugis Curialium lib. 8. cap. 17 23. writ thus of the pride and sedition of the Bishops Thou maist admire to see the various Houshold stuff and Riches as they say of Craesus amonst them that preach poor Christ they live of the Gospel without preaching the Gospel and it is well if they live only so as they do not also riot they so gape after gain that they contem the things of Jesus Christ and are neither worthy the honour nor name either of Pastor or Hireling they do that which makes them to be feared of all and to be beloved of none they preach Peace yet make Division they make a shew and counterfeit Humility that they may challenge Pride in fulness they dispute of Fasting and what they build up with words they pull down with deeds the works they do bear witness of them you may know them by their Fruits they do not only contend but fight for a Bishoprick the Antients were dragged against their wills to a Bishoprick but went willingly to Martyrdome they feared the chief Chains worse then a Prison or Cross Ex Catal. Illyr There is a Story that about the year 1228. at Paris in a Synode or Convocation of the Clergie one that was appointed to preach was much troubled in his minde what to say the Devil came unto him and asked him why he was so careful what to Preach say thus quoth the Devil the Princes of Hell salute you O ye Princes of the Church and gladly give you thanks because that through your
peoples pure alms thus by their fruit you may know them whether they be the followers of Christ or of Antichrist wherefore all Emperors Kings Lords Ladies and common people of every degree and state that know these things and will not withstand these enemies and traytors of Christ and of his Church ye strive saith he for Antichrist against our Lord Jesus Christ and shall bear the indignation of God Almighty without end if in time it be not prevented by repentance and amendment Walter Brute Wal. Brute before John B. of Hereford in K. Rich 2d's reign affirmed that under the Gospel tythes are alms he denied not but under the old law tythes were given to the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle and in the Temple but that service of the Levites ceasing at the coming of Christ who put an end to that Ceremonial law how can tyths now be demanded or received for that service which is ceased they may aswell demand the first fruits which was paid in the old law as well as tythes but if they claim tythes by force of the Levitical law then by the same law Prelates and Priests are prohibited to have any temporalities among their brethren no more then the Priests and Levites had then when they received tythes Christ gave no new Commandment of tything any thing when his Apostles said we have left all and followed thee what shall we have Christ did not say that he would give them temporalities and tythes and worldly dominion no that he forbad them it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.25 26. but upon their obedience to his commands he promised to give them an everlasting Kingdom they that will have tythes by virtue of the Levitical law they are bound to keep that law and by the works of the law no man can be justified Hierome Hierom writing to Nepotianus saith how can they be of the Clergie who pretend to be so who are commanded to contemn despise their own substance yet take the substance of others to take away from a friend is theft to deceive the Church take away that which should be given to the poor it is sacriledge so that by this testimony all Bps. Prelates Priests that hold temporalities tythes c. that belongs to the Church to the poor they are sacrilegions Mersiliu Also Mersilius of Padua taught that Bps. Priests should not enjoy temporal estates that the corrupt manners of the people did spring from the wickedness of Prelates Priests by their evil example Nicholas Herford Philip Ripingdon Robert Rigge Nich. Herford Phil. Ripingdon and John Ashton being altogether brought before Wil. Bishop of Cant. in K. Rich. 2d reign did all affirm and say that it is against the holy Scripture for Ecclesiastical persons to have temporal possessions and that temporal Lords may at their pleasure take away temporal goods from Church men offending and that tythes are pure Alms and that Parishioners may for the offence of their Curates detain the same and bestow them on others at their pleasure And Rob. Rigge Vice Chancel of Oxford was displaced for holding of these truths with these men the Popish Prelates did so rage Pope Alexander and 310. Bishops In a Council at Rome in the year 1179. it was decreed by Pope Alex. and 310 Bishops that none of the Clergy within orders should meale with any temporal business and that Priests should have but one benefice and that the Bishops should be charged to maintain such Priests as they did ordain untill they were promoted to some benefice but how these decrees as to the Clergies not medling with temporalities and maintaining such as the Bishops ordain untill they be promoted is manifest to the world for Popes and Bishops will do and undo at their pleasure for temporal profits D. Hall George Cassander Bishop Hall not many years ago in his book pag. 835. saith that George Cassander a learned Papist was set on work by two Emperors viz. Ferdinand and Maximillian to compose the quarrels of the Church and in his 56. p. he saith that the principal cause of the destruction of the Church is to be laid upon those who being puffed up with a vain insolent conceit of their Ecclesiastical power do proudly and scornfully contemn and reject them which rightly and moderately admonish their reformation wherefore my Opinion is saith he that the Church can never hope for any firm peace unless those which are in Ecclesiastical government will be content to remit somthing of their too much rigour and yield somthing for the peace of the Church and correct abuses according to the rule of divine Scripture from which they have swerved and if abuses be corrected according according to the rule then must their temporalities and tythes be taken from them and their Lordly titles and Jurisdictions and they made like other men By what is said above and proved by many Authors of Prelates worldly mindedness and their usurped dominion of temporalities and tythes which they rob and steal from the poor and needy by breaking the conditions for which temporalities and tyths were given and have falsified the trust reposed in them so that now there is no hope that they will yield any thing for truths sake to be reformed according to the Scriptures except Kings and Princes Lords and Commons as Angello Cararo the Venetian Embassador said of the Court of Rome unless they go about it roundly in express terms laying aside all Civility saith he it will be difficult to bring it about they are so setled upon their Lees But their is one text of Scripture which I think doth clear this point of the Lawfulness for Kings and Princes to take again their possessions from Bishops Prelates and Priests which all the forenamed Authors plead for for it doth not only Justifie the King and Princes in taking the temporalities from Prelates c. but it is a precept and law of God that ought to be obeyed and put in execution that the Kings inheritance be not imbezled and given away from succeeding Kings Ez. 46.16 17. Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 46 16.17 If the Prince give a gift unto any of his sons the Inheritance thereof shall be his sons it shall be their Inheritance by a possession by an inheritance but if he give a gift of his Inheritance to one of his servants then it shall be his to the year of liberty or Jubile which was so named of the long sound of the Trumpet and Joyful shout because servants that were sold was then at liberty and joyful to the poor because their land that was sold or mortgaged was then at liberty and they returned to their possessions The year of Jubile or liberty was every fifty years but many fifty years are expired and still the usurping Prelates hold the temporalities both from the King c. and from the poor who should be relieved out of the profits of those
the Temporalities so abused as it were by way of Physick to withstand and put a stop to sins saith the University for so much as they are not endowed but with Conditions the which Conditions are broken and the Title of the Gift lost and they that gave the Alms or their Successors ought to correct the offences for as in a just War it is lawful to take away the goods of the outward Enemies so also it is lawful to take away the goods of the Clergy being the inward Enemy by their evil Example they not walking according to the Rules of Christ for inward Enemies are more hurtful than outward and it is said in the 12th Article That there is no greater Heretick nor Antichrist than those Clerks which teach that it is lawful for Priests now under the Law of Grace to be endowed with Temporal Possessions and if there be any Hereticks Apostates or Blasphemers these Clerks be such A Supplication to K. Hen. 8. If it were thought unmeet by the Apostles that they should leave the word of God and serve Tables Acts 6.2 which yet was a work of mercy to serve the Poor can any man be so ignorant as to think it meet and fit that the Prelates should leave the word of God to deal in Temporal matters to keep Courts to set Leases and receive Rents and keep books of Accompts and Rent-Rols c. the Apostles did no such things therefore they cannot be the Successors of the Apostles It was said in a Supplication to King Henry the eighth about the year 1544. That the only infection and pestilent poyson of the Prelates is their great Lordships and Dominion which hath fashioned them with proud Countenances and worldly behaviour more like Heathen Princes than Christ and his Apostles and Christ said to his Apostles the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion c. but it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.26 For Bishops so love their worldly honour that they will not preach the Truth for displeasing of men lest they lose their great Possessions Riches and worldly Offices which is the cause of their sins Thus this pestilent poyson of worldy riches being taken from them the word of God shall flourish faith shall be increased and sin decreased and true obedience shall be observed with all humble obedience to your Majesty 13 It is lawful for the Clergy by their power to take away the Sacrament from the Laity customably offending It is by the like reason lawful for the Secular power to take away the Temporalities from the Clergy they offending customably in not performing the conditions for which the Temporalities were given besides other offences for say they the true and easiest way for directing the Clergy unto Conformity to the life of Christ and his Apostles and most profitable for the Laity the Church is that the Clergy should not be suffered to live contrary unto Christs Institutions to which I shall adde that the Clergy who make such a bussling about Conformity are themselves the greatest and most obstinate Non-conformists in the world The Prelates are the greatest Non-conformists to the Gospel Commandements and Institution of Christ for Christ hath not Instituted that any Gospel Minister should have any Temporalities or Tythes nor to live in such glorious Pomp and State in the world nor to have such Dignities nor exercise such Jurisdictions c. Therefore it belongs to Christian Magistrates to take those Superfluities from them which occasion their sinful revolt and disobedience to the Laws of Christ for by the abundance of Temporalities say they the Worm or Serpent of Pride is sprang up whereupon unsatiable desire and lust is inflamed and thereby proceedeth all kind of Gluttony and Leachery but the Temporalities being taken away every one of these sins will either utterly be taken away or at the least diminished by the contrary virtue induced and brought in The Prophesie of Hildegardis This that is said of taking away the Temporalities from the Clergy seems to be prophesied of by Hildegardis the Virgin whieh Prophecie was approved of in the Council of Trevers by many Bishops of France Italy and Almain St. Bernard being there present she spake on this manner The Kings and other Rulers of the World being stirred up by the just Judgement of God shall set themselves against them and run upon them saying We will not have these men to rule over us with their rich Houses and great Possessions and other worldly Riches over which we are ordained to be Lords and Rulers wherefore let us take away from them that which they do not justly but wrongfully possess c. for the Spirituality should not possess more then necessity doth require that where there is more it should be taken away and given to the needy This spake that Virgin Prophetess plainly foreshewing the taking away the Temporalities from the Clergy by the secular Power 14 Gregory St. Gregory writ to the Emperour Mauritius when he persecuted him I do believe saith he that you please God the better in so persecuting me which have been so evil a servant unto him And Pope Leo Pope Leo. submitted himself unto Lodovicus the Emperour as in 2. quest 7. If we have done any thing incompetently or that we have not observed the upright path and way of Equity amongst Subjects we will amend the same either by your own judgement or by the advice and judgement of those which you shall appoint for that purpose for if we which ought to correct and punish other mens faults do commit more grievous our selves we are not then the Disciples of the Truth but as with sorrow we speak it we shall be above all others the Masters of Error Thus much concerning the Arguments of the University of Prague And to confirm the Writings and Opinion of John Wickliffe the Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford with the whole Congregation of the Masters with one consent gave this Testimony of him and said The Testimony of the University of Oxford in behalf of John Wickliffe For the special good will and care which we bear unto John Wickliffe sometime Child of this Vniversity and Professor of Divinity moving and stirring our minds as his manners and conditions required no less with one mind voice and testimony we do witness all his conditions and doings throughout his whole life to have been most sincere and commendable whose honest manners and conditions profoundness of Learning and most redolent Renown and Fame we desire the more earnestly to be notified and known unto all the Faithful for that we understand the maturity and ripeness of his Conversation his diligent Labours and Travels to tend to the praise of God the help and safegard of others and the profit of the Church Wherefore wee signifie unto you by these Presents That his Conversation from his youth upward unto the time of his death was so praise worthy and honest that never at any time was there
the whole Foundation hangeth on the Prelates and Clergies beards for divers of your Predecessors and Nobles have given Lands to have a certain sum of Money given yearly to the poor whereof for the antiquity of the time the conditions are forgotten so that they give not one penny they likewise gave them to have certain Masses said for them daily whereof they say never a one If the Abbots of Westminster should sing every day as many Masses as they are bound to do by the Founders a thousand Monks were too few Wherefore if your Grace will build a sure Hospital never to fail to relieve your poor Beads-men then take from them all these things this with much more to this purpose was in that Supplication Pope Innocent Pope Innocent 4th required that all Beneficed men in England which were resident should pay to the Pope a third part of their goods or Profits and Non-residents the one half for three years together And it is most certain that our King and Nobles within his Majesties Dominions have a thousand times more right to receive these profits than either Pope or Prelate for Popes and Prelates are Usurpers their Predecessors having possessed themselves thereof by deceitful Delusion therefore our King and Nobles may justly require their own Temporalities again which their Predecessors were so deluded of the Prelates having been such unfaithful Stewards it is but just that the King Princes and Lords do require them to give account of their Stewardship that they may be no longer Stewards The testimony of 21 Bishops 8 Arch-deacons and 17 Doctors In the Year 1537. or thereabout Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and Edmond Bishop of York and to the number of one and twenty Bishops and eight Arch-deacons and seventeen Doctors of Divinity and of the Common and Civil Law they did all assert and sign with their hands to King Hen. the 8th the which was ratified by the Statute of the 32. of Hen. 8. That there is not in the New Testament any mention made of the Calling Jurisdiction Lordliness or secular employment of Lord Bishops But the New Testament speaks only of Deacons and of Ministers alias Priests or Bishops and of these two only that is Priests or Ministers and Deacons the Scripture makes express mention And that Christ did never institute any distinction or difference or preheminence of power order or Jurisdiction among the Apostles themselves but that they were all equal in power authority and jurisdiction and that there hath been any difference since it is by the invention of men and not by the institution of Jesus Christ and therefore no Bishop by the Law of God may take upon him any Jurisdiction in secular Courts for God did constitute Kings to defend the Faith of Christ and true Religion and to cause Bishops or Ministers to execute their Pastoral office truly and faithfully or for neglect thereof to put others in their room and place and not to suffer the Clergy to meddle in secular affairs for the Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual and not a carnal Kingdom as Christ said No man can serve two masters so I say No man can faithfully discharge his Ministerial office in Christs Kingdom which is his Church if he be entangled in secular affairs in the worldly Kingdom You cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.27 Mr Elmer Mr. Elmer in his Harborow for faithful Subjects Printed at Strasburg writes thus on the 12 of Luke Who made me a Judge c. As if Christ should say It belongs not to my office to determine in matters of policy but to the Civil Magistrate And if it did not belong to Christ how dare Prelates take it upon them to do it for if it had been within the compass of Christs Function he could not in conscience have refused it to set them at one which were at strife if he might do it and would not he lacked Charity and did not his duty which were blasphemy to say of Christ and if it belonged not to him neither did it belong to his Apostles nor their successors Had he not as large a Commission as he gave His Kingdome is not of this world therefore Bishops by his example cannot give themselves so large a scope in temporal matters therefore by their fruits you may know them whether they have their Commission from Christ or I had like to have said from Antichrist for saith he if these two offices Ecclesiastical and Civil be jumbled together in one Function there can be no quiet nor well-ordered Commonwealth Richard Armacanus Richard Armacanus about the year 1350. in de questionibus Armenorum book 11. chap. 1. saith that neither the Dominion nor Ministry of temporal things belongeth to Ecclesiastical Dignity but rather diminisheth it for Christ prohibited the Apostles of temporal Dominion saying It shall not be so among you And again Possess neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses nor scrip for your journey nor two coats neither shooes nor staves Math. 10.9 10. If thou wilt be perfect go sell all that thou hast and give to the poor He saith in chap. 2. that the states and degree of Patriarch Primate Archbishop Bishop c. were invented by men and not instituted by Christ nor his Apostles and that no Prelate of the Church how great soever hath any greater degree of the power of order than a simple Priest But how do Prelates observe Christs rule who commanded that they should possess neither gold nor silver and as if they would strive to do as contrary as they can devise they possess thousands of gold and silver coaches and horses and what not Is it not high time therefore for Kings and Nobles to take these temporalities from them which they thus abuse as if they would set Christ at defiance and bid him command what he will they will do what they will do not their actions tend to this end the good Lord direct the King Princes and Lords c. that by connivance they partake not with the Prelates in these sins lest they which God forbid should partake with them in their punishments Cyprian Cyprian in his fourth Book Epist 4. saith Our Lord Christ observed the will of his Father but we speaking of Prelates observe not the will of the Lord as appears above having all our minds set upon Lucre and Possessions given to pride full of Emulation and Dissention void of Simplicity and faithful dealing renouncing the world only in word but nothing in Deed every one pleasing himself and displeasing all others John Huss John Huss in the Council of Constance did affirm that the Clergie ought to have no temporal possessions and that Temporal Lords may justly without any offence take them away from the Clergy and that Kings and Nobles ought to compel the Clergy to observe and keep the Law and Rules of Christ He also saith that Tythes and Oblations given to the Church are publick and common Alms and that the Clergy
assembly of the Tigurines at Zurick affirmed to the Synod of Lucerna that what now doth maintain the Monasteries and houses of Canons was first given to the poor and needy whereas now one hath so much as might serve a great many wherefore it seemed to them not inconvenient that those goods should again be converted to the use of the poor for it is well agreeing to the will and service of God said they that the poor should be succoured but this cannot be expected from any Synod nor Council who possess these goods it must either be done by the King Lords or Commons or it will never be done while the Prelates may be Judges in their own cause In the Council of Basil there was one at the choosing of a new Pope which seems to be Eneas Silvius or Cardinal Aralatensis who said he had often in his judgement consented to their opinion which said it was evident that the temporal Dominion should be divided from the Clergie or Ecclesiastical state for I do think said he that the Priests thereby would be made more apt to the Divine Ministry Cornelius Bish of Rome About the year 255. Cornelius Bishop of Rome and Martyr under the Tyranny of Dicius the Emperour this Cornelius in his Epistle to Fabius alleadged also in Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 43. Cornelius speaking of his Church of Rome how that there ought to be but one Bishop in the same he maketh mention of 46. Priests seven Deacons and seven Sub-deacons and 42. Acoluthes and of Widdows and other poor afflicted persons to the number of fifteen hundred and above found and nourished in the same Church by the merciful providence of God out of the Church goods and almes given to that purpose and yet all that time the Church was not endowed with Temporalities nor Tythes and yet the Bishop being a faithful Steward of such almes and oblations as was offered there was 102. Church Officers and above 15 hundred poor relieved out of the Church goods This is a president sufficient to shew how Church goods was bestowed in the Primitive Church and this plainly proves all Prelates in this later age to be Sacrilegious persons by robbing the poor of their right and converting it to their own use S. Laurence In the eighth persecution of the Primitive church under the Emperour Valerianus when the Tyrant demanded of St. Laurence the Treasure of the Church Laurence stretching out his armes over the poor said these are the pretious treasure of the Church these are the treasure indeed in whom the faith of Christ reigneth in whom Jesus Christ hath his Mansion places and what ye do to the least of these ye do to me said Christ William Thorpe William Thorpe in the reign of Hen. 4. maintained before the Bishop of Canterbury that Cisteriensis saith that Gregory the tenth a thousand years after Christ was the first under the Gospel that ordained and commanded by a Law that Tythes should be given to the Priests but Paul exhorteth all men to follow him as he followed Christ and that was in patience and poverty to preach the Gospel and to labour with his own hands that he might not be chargeable to others and though Christ hath ordeyned that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel but we saith Paul that covet to be faithful followers of Christ use not that power he would not make the word of God chargeable and though Tythes were given to the Levites during the Levitical Priesthood yet under the Gospel neither Christ nor his Apostles took Tythes nor commanded the people to pay Tythes but to give almes and other good works of mercy for Christ being come he changed the Priesthood from the tribe of Levi to the Tribe of Judah to which Tribe never Tythes was paid for as there was a change of the Priesthood so there was a change of the Laws and the Law of paying tythes ceased when the Ceremonial service of the Tabernacle and Temple ceased for which service tythes were given so that tythes are not now to be given by any right of the Levitical and there is no new gospel law for paying of Tythes And Sir saith he ye wot well that Priests and Levites who received tythes were not so perfect as Christ and his Apostles who received no tythes but preached the Gospel and lived by pure almes of the people and the Disciple is not above his Lord it is sufficient that the Disciple be as his Lord. To which the Arch-Bishop was not able to answer but broke out into cursing and bid Gods curse and his fall on him for his so teaching And Sir saith he there is a Doctor I think it is St. Hierom that saith St. Hierome those Priests that challenge tythes now under the new law of the Gospel they say in effect that Christ is not become man nor that he hath yet suffered death for mans love he means for love to man nor abolished the Levitical law wherefore this Doctor saith seeing tythes was the hire of the Levites in the old law for bearing about the Tabernacle slaying fleying of Beasts c. for keeping of the Temple and sounding the Trumpets before the Host of the Battle c. which law is now abolished those Priests that now challenge and take tythes deny Christ to be come in the flesh and those that stick to the rights of the Law Paul saith Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5.2 and as this Dr. saith they take tythes wrongfully for whatsoever dignity any Priest is in if he do not follow Christ and his Apostles in true preaching in poverty and other heavenly virtues though such be named Priests they are not Priests but only in name for the work of a very Priest in such a one is wanting this sence saith he is approved by Austine Gregorie Chrysostome and Lincolne Thorps Testament There is a writing in the Acts and Mon. of the Church p. 499. which is called Thorps Testament but might better be called his complaint against the vicious Clergie in which he saith that either God the Father hath deceived all mankind by the living and teaching of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in poverty-meekness and humility c. or else Popes Cardinals Archbishops and Bishops with all the contagious flock of Priesthood c. are deceived which live so contrary to Christ and his Apostles increasing damnably in sin in pride and are obstinate Symoniack and so are hereticks defiled adulterers as their works shew for instead of following Christ and his Apostles in poverty and preaching the Prelates and Priesthood challenge and occupie unlawfully temporal Lordship and possessions and for temporal favour and advantage they sell benefices to unworthy and unable persons and sell sins for advantage suffering men and women to live from year to year in scandalous vices and they contemn the meekness and poverty of Christ to take their livelihood of the free will offering of the
temporalities but Prelates have been unfaithful Stewards and therefore it is high time to compell them to deliver up their Stewardship that they may be no longer Stewards for the Priests as they call themselves and desire to be called ought to have no temporal possessions or inheritance for their service as Eze. 44.28 I am their Inheritance ye shall give them no possession in Israel I am their possession yea even the Primate himself as he expecteth to be called who thinks himself to be Successor to Aaron cannot by Aarons example possess any temporalities as in Num. 18.20 And the Lord spake unto Aaron then shalt have no inheritance in their land neither shalt thou have any part amongst them I am thy part and thine inheritance among the Children of Israel and Josh 13.33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance If Prelates consciences were not seared as with an hot iron how could they pretend any right to Temporal possessions either by example of the Levitical Priesthood unto whom you see Temporal possessions was prohibited neither by the example of Jesus Christ nor his Apostles if it were not as Cardinal Aralatensis said in the Council of Basil that Prelates value their Temporalities above their Spiritualities Therefore if you observe the rule of Christ by their Fruits you may know them and their Fruits in that way hath been the occasion to bring in and to uphold and maintain Antichrist the Pope in his Throne for if it were not for his great Temporal possessions he could not domineer over Emperors Kings and Princes as he hath done and whilst Prelates possess their Temporalities they do uphold him in his Throne for both of them are one upheld by the other if once the one fall the other will shortly follow Angelo Cararo Whosoever saith Angelo Cararo beholds the surpassing state and magnificence of the Church and Court of Rome above other Kings and Princes cannot but wonder that she upon so slender a foundation and so far from the intention of her Founders should raise her self to so proud a height as to turn those benefits she hath received against and to the prejudice of them that gave her those possessions for the Canonists other Emissaries of that Court study nothing more than how to strengthen and extend their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and abase and demolish the power of Secular Princes if they can possible A Book of the Image of a Bishop In a Book called The Image of a Christian Bishop and of a Counterfeit Bishop set out in the year 1539. he speaks of some that he calls shadows of Bishops that have raised themselves to dominion and Lordship against both God and man against reason common sence and judgement after the nature of Tyrants which rule only by the wrath and indignation of God for Prelates saith he if they be not good and virtuous to promote the word of God unfeignedly with all their hearts they are Wolves and cruel murtherers of Souls much like as if Satan should have a Mitre on his head and Rings on his fingers and should sit in a Chair to rule the people for Bâ—shops that do not preach the pure word of God they are as much to be eschewed as the Devil himself And whereas Bishops exercise their tyranny over men under pretence of Conformity to keep men from sedition and strife he saith the word of God doth not stir up to sedition and strife but the stubborn obstinate disobedience of Bishops themselves against the truth and their rage against the word of God is the cause of sedition for whosoever receives the word of God that man raises not up sedition albeit he no longer fears such vain Buggs nor worship such Episcopal Puppets for since he knows the word of God he doth not fear nor reverence their vain humane Innovations and Traditions But wilt thou that I tell thee at one word that they are they are Wolves Tyrants Traytors Man-quellers monsters of the World burthens of the Earth the Apostles of Antichrist to corrupt and destroy the Gospel And therefore it is the part and duty of all Christian men with the word of God to destroy and pluck up by the roots them and their Kingdom which our heavenly Father hath not planted who by their Tyranny destroy the Gospel Institutions of Christ to establish their own Institutions so that if there be any Christianity in our minds and breasts we ought saith he to speak unto the King for a Reformation Thus he and much more to this purpose See Mr. Prynns Book of the execrable Treasons Conspiracies and Rebellions of Prelates pag. 389 390 394. William Wroughton William Wroughton in his rescuing of the Roman Fox dedicated to King Hen. 8. We have saith he put down some of the Orders of the World there remains yet two viz. the pompous Bishops and the dependants thereon and the gray Fryers which if they were put down also as well as the other I reckon that there would not be any Kingdom wherein Christ would more reign than in England and there he proves at large the Prelates Canon Law to be the Popes Law and that so long as the Bishops maintain it in England they maintain the Pope in his Soveraignty and Legislative power in England Thus and more to the same purpose Roderick Morce To the very same purpose Roderick Morce in his Complaint to the Parliament the 37 of Hen. 8. writes thus The whole Body of the pestiferous Canon Law according to which Judgement is given through the Realm so that we are still in Egyptian bondage to the Popes Law And so long as ye walk in those wicked Laws of Antichrist the Pope and maintain his Knights the Bishops in such inordinate riches and unlawfull Authority so long ye shall never banish that monstrous beast the Pope out of England yea and it shall be a means saith he in process of time to bring us into bondage to the Pope again and that knows our forked Caps full well meaning Mitres Wherefore if you will banish the Pope you must fell down to the ground these rotten posts the Bishops c. And in another place he said that one Bishop one Dean or Colledge or House of Canons hath ever done more mischief than ten other Religious Houses The King saith he hath done well in weeding the Garden of England but yet he hath left the fowlest stinking weeds standing the pompous Bishops Canons of Colledges and Deans c. But now saith he I will speak no more against the particular Pope seeing every Bishop now is a Pope Martin Bucer Martin Bucer professors of Divinity in Cambridge writ to King Edward the sixth that the reformation of the Church could never be expected from the Bishops and said that the wealth of Princes which ought to be bestowed upon faithful Ministers upon Schools and upon the Poor the Prelates sacraligiously spend it in ryot and
Princely pomp John Hooper And Mr. John Hooper both Bishop and Martyr and great opposer of Ceremonies episcopal rochits and vestments in which he would not be Consecrated he said that Magistrates that suffered the abuse of Church goods by the Prelates be culpable of the fault for if the fourth part of the Bishoprick remained to the Bishops it were sufficient and the third part to School-masters and the rest to the Poor and to Souldiers Petrus Blesenses Petrus Blesenses Arch-Deacon of Bath writ to the Bishop of Bangor thus the Title of Poverty is glorious with Christ and that which became Christ ought not to misbesem you St. Peter said Gold and Silver have I none Acts. 3.6 Yea famous Augustine Bishop of Hippo made no will because the Poor servant of Christ had nothing to bequeth it becomes not you to go sumptiously in Ornaments nor in Pride with great Horses and multitude of attendance but to cut off all occasions and Foot-steps of such a Conversation and in another place he saith the voice of Christ is not till thy Land nor build high Houses nor increase thy Rents but feed my Sheep Thomas Walsingam Thomas Walsingam In hyst Angl. Page 205. Said that Popes Cardinals Bishops and other Priests may not rule like temporal Lords nor bear any civil Office without mortal sin and that is a sin to endow them with temporal possessions and that no Prelates ought to have Prisons to punish or restrain offenders nor ought they to purchase large temporal possessions or riches c. A nameless Author A nameless Author in his supplycation to King Hen. 8 saith of Bishops that the only infection and Pestilent poison of Bishops is their great Lord-ships and Dominions with their yearly revenue with superfluity of goods which justly belongs to the Poor and so long as Bishops do possess them so long will they waste them to maintain their pride and so long as they continue in pride they shall not receive the holy-Ghost which would teach them to speak the truth but there is no room in a proud rebellious heart for the holy-Ghost to dwel in wherefore you being our dread Soveraign Lord and King whom God hath set to govern and to redress enormities and abuses you are bound in justice and equity and God requires it from you to take away from Bishops and Prelates and other spiritual Persons such superfluity of temporal possessions and riches which they abuse and other seculars cures and worldly offices which is the cause of much sin in them William Tindall William Tindall in another place of his book of the obedience of a Christian Page 181. writing of the falshood and jugling of the Pope and Prelates he saith they have put out the light of Gods truth and set up their own traditions and lyes and robbed the world of lands and goods of peace and Unity and of all temporal Authority c. and that as Christs Kingdom is not of this world even so the officers of Christs Kingdom may have no temporal dominion or jurisdiction nor exercise any temporal authority for Christ commanded his Apostles that they should not exercise any worldly authority saying it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.25 26. And when he sent them out to preach he commanded them that they should not provide neither Gold nor Silver nor brass in their purses c. for the workman is worthy of his meat Math. 10. And Paul commanded that if any would not work neither should they eat 2 Thes 3.10 Why then should non residents and others have such large possessions that work very little or not at all except it be works of darkness their wages should be proportionable to their work and the overplus should be to the King and the publick use of the Common wealth for Clement Clement the successor of Peter Bishop of Rome and successor of Peter saith of Prelates if thou be occupyed in worldly cares thou shalt both deceive thy self and them that hear thee for so thou canst not fully distribute those things which pertain unto salvation Mr. Mead. Mr. Mead in his book of the Apostacy of the latter times saith as in Deut. 7.6 the Lord chose Israel to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the people of the world And Amos. 3.2 you only have I known of all the families of the Earth therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities the more light of truth God reveals to any people if they walk not suitable thereunto the more there sin is increased The Lord was head and husband to the Church of Israel but when Israel forsook the Lord and followed their own inventions God cast them off and chose another Spouse namely the Church of the Gentiles And the first Churches of the Gentiles as the seven Churches of Asia and others for falling from their first love as the Church of Ephesus and the Church of Smyrna that said they were Jews as our Prelates say they are the successors of the Apostles and were the Synagogue of Satan and the Church of Pergamos who held the doctrine of Baalim who loved the wages of unrighteousness as our Prelates do in their unlawful holding of temporalities and it were well if we were free from the fornication of Thyatyra and lukewarmness of Laodecea I fear that in the general we are like the Church of Sardice that we have a name to live and are dead now God for their sins hath cast off all these Churches and chosen himself another Spouse in these northern Nations c. But if we continue in the same and other sins we cannot assure our selves of any long continuance of the Gospel except God put it into the hearts of our King and Nobles to endeavour a thorow Reformation especially in the Bishops and Prelates and other of the Clergy and their reformation will be a leading way to reform the rest Volusianus In the Epistle of Volusianus to Pope Nicholas for Priests marriage he saith the great Shepherd and Prince of the Apostles doth declare how all Pastors ought to intreat the flock of Christ in love and to remove all tyrannical Lordship from Bishops for that they ought not to be Lords but fathers over their flock and not imperiously to command them as exercising Stately Authority and power over them but gently to admonish and beseech them in zeal and piety according to the strength of every person after the Lord and not after their own will and ambition to see forth their power and jurisdiction whereas they should be ensamples to the flock first doing that themselves which they command others to do but some and that many saith he are inflamed with affection not of Charity but of covetousness greediness ambition who covet to be their Masters and more to rule over them than to profit them they oppress the weak by force and violence of their authority and compel them to their obedience pretending a zeal for God but like Uzzah