which state now will give place to none in their loyaltie and devotion to your Majestie Where it is sayd here that Deane and Chapters were at the first counsellers to Bishops it is to be understood at the first time of erecting Deane or Chapter not at the first setting up a Bishop far lesse at the first forme of Church-government planted by the Apostles For Presbyters were before Bishops and when Bishops were set up at the first they were set up by the Presbyterie and that in the degree of perpetuall Moderatorship and Presidentship onely neither was there a particular choice made of some Presbyters to sit in judgement with this President nor another besides this President Bishop to be Deane of the Presbyterie for that had beene to make a President above a president and some Presbyters Cardinall Presbyters of more esteeme theâ— the rest In the Church of Ierusalem all the Presbyten governed not a selected number D. Field a defender of the hierarchie acknowledgeth this That for a long time there was no more respect had to one Presbyter then to another but all equalâ—y interessed in the government of the Church were indifferently called to the election of the Bishops â—nd his consultations it is most cleare and evidâ—â—t Aâ—â— this he proveth in speciall of the Church of Rome by Cyprian And the first appearance of this difference that not all but Carâ—inall Presâ—yters onely were called to the common consultations in the Church of Rome it selfe that he found is in the time of Gregorius Magnus that is about 600 yeares after Christ yet he leaveth this as uncertaine But certaine it is sayth he that all the Clergiâ— had interest in the choyce election of the Bishop even in Gregories time As if now the whole ministerie and Cleargie of the citie of Lonâ—on should be admitted to the election of the Bishop and not some few Chapiter men onely Yea Bellarmine him selfe sayth Non enim jus divinum definivit ut hi potius quam illi ex clericis eligant For divine 〈◊〉 hath not determined that such and such of the Clergie more then others should choose But afterwords in processe of time sayth D. Field the Cardinâ—lls onely had interest in the election of their Bishop and they and no other were admitted to sit in Coâ—â—cell with the Bispop all other Presbyters being excluded By which meanes the dignitie of these Cardinals was greatly encreased Again Now these Cardinall presbyters were not onely in the Churâ—h of Rome but in other Churches also as Duarenus sheweth So the institution of this difference was so farre from being excellent that it thrust lawfull pastors from the government of their owne particular charges the joynt government of the church and increased the dignitie of Cardinalls These Cardinals were but parish priests and Deacons resident in their parishes and titles So are not our Chapitermen But that assistance and councel in proces of time went out of use also So it is ever dangerous to depart from the right partern and shape formes of government to our selves Alwayes this polititian alledgeth very pertinently to the shame of our bishops and their sole government that the Bishop of Rome performeth all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as in Consistorie We heard how Archbishops were made up with the spoyles of the Synodes So the Bishops were made up with the spoyles of the Presbyteries Would you not thinke it very absurd to see the Moderator sit by himselfe exercise all manner of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction without the Presbyterie Of the Deane and Chapter wee will have occasion to entreat a-againe The third thing to be considered in the English Bishop is the deputation of his authoritie He hath griped greedily and taken in his own hands all the power of the Church and when he hath done that because he is neither able nor willing to discharge this burthen which he taketh on himselfe hee transferreth his charge unto other officers under him He hath taken from the Pastors the pastorall staffe of government which belongeth to every shepheard that is set to keepe Christs sheep and left them nothing but the pastorall pype to preach and minister the sacraments and hath put that pastoral staffe in the hands of strangers who are not the true sheepherds that is in the hands of Chancelours Archdeacons officialls and CoÌ„missariet vicars generall and the rest of that Antichristianâ—able of officers The 4. is their extensiue power For wheras the presbyterie choosed and set up a Bishop and no presbyter was excluded from common consultation and judgement and their meeting behoved to be ordinarie for exercise of ordinarie jurisdiction in the Church wher they governed the bounds of the Bishops jurisdiction could be no larger nor the bounds of the presbyteries jurisdiction that is wher all the presbyters might convene to exerce ordinarie jurisdiction All the presbyters of a shire or countie could not convene ordinarilie and weeklie together to exerce ordinarie ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Neither is any where in the new Testamenâ— a visible Church endowed with power of ecclesiasticall government taken for a whole shire or Countie We reade of the Church of Ephesus Philippi Ierusalem Corinth Thessalonica c. But to call the particular congregations in the countries extended in leâ—gth and breadth about these cities the church of thesâ— cities is absurd and no where to be found Hâ— would be thought to speake ridiculously whâ— would under the name of the church of Saint andros comprehend all the congregations iâ— Mers Lothian and â—ife or under the name of the church of Glasgow all the congregations iâ— Teviotdale Nithsdale clidsdale c. Citiâ— churches and towne churches the scripturâ— knoweth but not countrie churches Fâ—â— when the scripture speaketh of a Province or Countrey it speaketh in the plurall number Churches not Church in the singular Seing then there was no Diocesan Church ther was no Diocesan Presbyterie nor Diocesan Bishop No Church is above another The Church of Corinth had no superioritie over the Church of Cenchrea which was next adiacent And consequently the Presbyterie of one Church hath not superioritie over another Church therefore the Bishop chosen by the by the Presbyterie of one Church hath not power over the Presbyterie of another Church Neyther can he possibly exercise ordinarie iurisdiction in divers Churches and Presbyteries except yee will make him a Pluralist and have him gallop from one to another to keepe the ordinarie meetings which galloping was not kaowen in the Apostles times But Bishops have spred their wings over many cities and townes whole Countries and Shires that they are not able suppose they were willing to execute the power which they claime in their owne persons but must of necessity depute others And whom depute they I pray you Doctours of the civill lawe whom they make Chauncelours Officials Commissaries and other officers of the Canon law Suppose they should depute ecclesiasticall persons onely yet this should not free them
commission In England if a man stand wilfully fourty daies together excommunicate and be accordingly certified by the Bishop into the Chancerie that then he is to be committed to prison by vertue of a Writ directed to the Shriefe as it is sayd in the Apologie of certaine proceedings in courts Ecclesiasticall And in a wrâ—â— de excommunicato capiendo it is sayd quod potestas regia sacrosanctae Ecclesiae in querelis suis deessâ— non debet The ordinarie lawfull courts Ecclesiasticall farre more then should be aided and assisted by the secular power and not molested or stopped The truth is that this high commission is erected to suppresse the libertie of the Kirk to maintain the usurped power and tyrannous domination of our perfidious Prelates over Synods generall Provinciall Presbyteries sessions to effectuate the intended conformity which they know they will never get done in Synods and Presbyteries unlesse the terrour of this high commission were standing above their heads And therfore when they urge conformity they haue their recourse to this weapon or in Synods and Presbyteries men are terrified with the feare of it This is their strong castell out of which they command and hold in slavery bondage the whole citie Here the Bonifacian Prelats stoutly draw the two swords fine consine suspend deprive imprison c. But the couragious souldier fighting the Lords battell will not bee borne downe with any such outrages and terrours Now as they receive appellations from inferiour courts no appellation can bee made from these three or our five suppose their injustice and tyranny cry never so loud I wonder if the heart of any faithfull Patriot let be conscientious professour can digest this These three Commissioners may appoynt inferiour Commissioners from whom also as subdelegates they may receive appellation I will add out of the record of the grievances of the house of Commons these considerations First out of the statute that the said act is found to be inconvenient and of dangerous extent in divers respects for that it inableth the making of such a commission as well to any one subiect borne as to more Item for that by the sayd Statute the King and his successors may howsoever your Maiestie hath beene pleased out of your gracious disposition otherwise to order make and direct such commission into all the Countries and Diocesses yea into every parish of England and therby all causes may be taken from ordinary jurisdiction of Bishops Chancellers and Arch-deacons and Lay-men solely be inabled to excommunicate and exercise all other spirituall censures For that limit touching causes subiect to this commission being onely with these words viz. such as perteine to spirituall or ecclesiasticall jurisdiction it is very hard to know what matters or offences are included in that number And the rather because it is unknown what ancient Canons or lawes spirituall are in force and what not from whence ariseth great uncertainty and occasion of contention Out of the commission grounded upon the statute That the commisson giveth authoritie to inforce men called into question to enter into recognisance not onely for appearance from time to time but also for performance of whatsoever shall be by the Commissioners ordered And also that it giveth power to enjoyn parties defendant or accused to pay such fees to ministers of the Court as by the Commissioners shall be thought fit As for the execution of the commission it is found grievous these wayes among other 1. For that lay men are by the commissioners punished for speaking otherwise then in iudiciall places and courtes of the simonie and other misdemeanours of spirituall men though the thing spoken be true and the speech tending to the inducing of some condigne punishment 2. In that these commissioners usually appoynt and allot to women discontented at and unwilling to live with their husbands such portions allowances for present maintenance as to them shall seem fit to the great encouragement of wives to be disobedient and contemptuous against their husbands 3 In that their pursevants or other ministers imployed in the apprehension of suspected offenders in any things spirituall and in the searching for any supposed scandalous bookes use to breake open mens houses closets and deskes rifling all corners and secretâ— custodies as in cases of high treason or suspition therof Their commission is grounded upon a statute and act of Parliament howbeit it agreeth not with the statute Wee have not so much as a shew of a statute for commission of jurisdiction in causes Ecclesiasticall and yet our usurping Prelates tyrannize over loyall subjects faithfull Patriots conscientious professours deserted by these who will be counted fathers of the Common wealth left open and naked to their violent rage without any protection of the law as if they were but the vile off scourings of the land Will not the estate in Parliament redresse this proud usurpation Shall the house of Commons in their Parliament bee grieved not onely at the exorbitant power of this high commission but also at the statute it selfe and shall our nobles and inferiour estates not be grieved at our usurped commission Or will they suffer the like statute and make the countrey mourn and groane for it the next day as our neighbours have done Can Princes or estates give power of spirituall censures either to lay or spiritual men Or may they lawfully put the temporall sword in the hand of Pastors Or may spirituall men as they call them accept it If neither can be done how can the estates erect ratifie or suffer such a commission What is this but the Spanish inquisition Set me up this throne Satan shall set up Papistry or any other religion whatsoever in short processe of time For they sit at the rudder and may turn religion as it pleaseth them and when they see fit occasions and themselves to have able power CHAP. 3. Of the dignitie and power of Archbishops in England THis proud name of Archbishop is not to be found in all the Scripture It was not attributed to any common Metropolitans at the first but to the renowâ—ed and mightie Giants the Patriarches of Constantinople Antioch Alexandria and Rome who were mounted farre above Metropolitanes when the time was neere that the Antichrist should be mounted on horsebacke But after that he was mounted then Metropolitanes that they might keepe some proportion with their head were lifted up to a degree of power above other Bishops invested into an office that the book of God the Apostolical Church never knew to consecrate Bishops to convocate Synods to receive appellations froÌ„ the courts of inferior Bishops to visit the Diocies of other Bishops within the Privince A Diocesan Bishop that is a Bishop over many flockes and Pastors of one Diocie was unknown to the Apostles far more a Bishop of Bishops a provincial Bishop an Archbishop having iurisdiction and power over the comprovinciall Bishops The Church being for the most part within
to answer the Bishop what the office of a Deacon was may be one for example to let us see what manner of men may receive orders amonst them Have not the Bishops chosen sent and commended unto us saith the Authour of true and Christian Church-policie such as know not a Bee from a Battle-dore or the Lords prayer from the Articles of faith of which sort of Ministers the Parson of Haskam now living a Chaplaine in Winton Diocesse may be produced for a witnesse omni exceptione maior It is related there that this Parson at the instant request of a Knight was demanded by the Bishop which was the first petition of the Lords prayer after he had a pretie space pawsed and gased towards heaven at length made this answere I beleeve in God the Father Almightie c. This profound Clerk howbeit hee could not obtaine the institution at that time yet afterward sayth this Authour by corruption of the same Bishops Chancellour he was instituted in the same benefice and to this day possesseth it quietly though he can hardly read English to the understanding of his people I could informe him also of many other such Clerkes â—â—siant and beneficed in that Diocesse c. That which the Bishop could not doe at the first by reason of the Knights opposition he did afterward at his Chancellours desire Lest any man should thinke that there hath been but a few of these examples let us heare what Mr. Cartwright sayth I am well assured that all theâ— Ecclesiastical stories extant are not able to furnish 〈◊〉 of so many unworthy ministers chosen by al the churches throughout the world which have been since the Apostles times as have swarmed these few yeares out of the palaces as out of the Trojan horse of that small number of Bishops which are in England Of the other side if a man will cast his eyes to France both in persecution and peace and from thence looke into the Churches of some parts of Savoy and yet stretch them out further to some certaine common-wealths in Germanie and come home to our neighbours the Scots and compare generally the ministers chosen of the Churches with the most part of these which the Bishops make if he love not himself too much and be not a stubborne defender of that hee hath undertaken he shall be compelled to confesse as much difference betwixt the one and the other as between gold and copper or any other refuse mettall The people which are fed are to the people which are unfed with preaching like an handfull to an house-full or an inch to an ell sayth the author of the Assertion for true Ch. policie These are the fruits of the Patrones presentation and the Bishops sole election institution or collation The person duely chosen and lawfully ordained should have testimoniall under the hands of the Presâ—yterie and chiefe of the people to certifie that he is duely and lawfully chosen and ordained that is that he hath the just title to the temporalities and in place of the Archdeacon the kings officiaris appointed to that effect being certified by this testimonial may by another writ confirme and really induct into the possession of manse and glebe other possessions So the Archdeacons pretie signet should give place to the kings great seal sayth the authour of the Assertion For as the order doth stand there falleth out many contentions and suits in law sometime betweene the Patron and the Bishop sometime between two Clerkes presented by two Patrons sometime between the Clerke presented and the Bishop the Clerke calling the Bishop by a double quarrell before the Archbishop or the judges of the court of audience for not granting institution sometime between the Clerke instituted and the Archdeacon not executing the Bishops inductorie mandate because the Church is not vacant and betwixt him who pretendeth the title and the reall incumbent whereupon doe fall out many foule riots breaches of the kings peace and unlawfull assemblies upon entries and keeping of possessions What a great hinderance the patrones power to present is to the planting of churches with a learned and faithfull ministerie not onely the Church of God in former ages but also our owne since the reformation in a part can beare witnesse This is the difference betwixt us and them in this poynt that they defend this right of the Patrone which taketh away libertie of Election wee craved a reformation of it and were more carefull to try and sift the person presented yet this is the inconvenience that seldome it fell out that the worthiest were nominated where patrons had a right to present You see then what wayes a man commeth to the ministerie and a benefice First hee must receive orders and pay well for them For it can not be denied but the Bishops Secretarie Gentleman Vsher groome of his chamber Butler Pantler Porter and other the Bishops menials besides his own and his Registers fees and his Clerke for expedition doe usually all or most of them challenge and receive fees some more some lesse before the poore minister with his boxe of orders can be suffered to passe by the porters lodge When all this is done what crooked meanâ—s he must use before he come to the possession of a benefice ye have heard also and how the Congregation is all this time neglected This cannot be denyed that there is not any one man or woman amongst 40. in any one parish among 40. that can tell that ever he or she did see or heare of the Minister appointed and sent by the ordinarie to be Parson or Vicar of the Parish Church vacant before such time as he did heare or see the Parish Clearke to trudge with the Church-dore keyes to let in the Sâ—xtin to ring the bells for the said Parson or Vicars induction and reall possession The publicke furction of the minister is either in preaching or in the rest of his administration In Preaching either with licence granted him for that part after the Bishops approbation and that either to his own flock or without to Clergie or people or without licence â—bâ—eined to that effect as if being master of Arts or in any superiour degree he preach to his owne flocke without licence We see then that the giving of orders is not a giving of power to preach for then every one who receiveth orders may preach without any further licence as well as a Master of Arts who is nâ—w come from Cambridge from his Rhetoricks and Physicks This licence granted to some and not to all yea not to the most part declareth that they doe not esteeme preaching any essentiall part of the Priests function more then the Papists doe and the practise among the one and the other is just the same For none of their Priests do preach but such as are licentiate The author of the Petition to the Queene sayth Where the Bishops ordeine one minister that can teach
of God howbeit he doth it in effect and so doth the Archbishop For simonie non-residencie pluralitie of benefices readmission after the irregularitie of apostasie observation of superstitious dayes and times not eating of flesh in Lent and forbidden dayes which are here expressed are repugnant to the law of God Therefore he may take the like libereie in usurie perjurie incest mariage within degrees of the Leviticall law and the rest of the cases and causes which were reserved to the Pope of old It is not without reason then that the authours of the Admonition call this Court a filthy quagmire and poysoned plash of all abbominations seeing the filth of all these abominations are washed here and the guiltie person commeth forth after the Archbishops dispensation as white as snow leaving his filth behind in that Court Beside the Prerogative Court the Court of Arches the Court of Audience the Court of Faculties the Archbishop hath yet another Court called the Court of Peculiars which dealeth in certaine Parishes exempt from the Bishops iurisâ—iction in some Diocesse and are peculiarlie belonging to the Archbishop of Canterburie Hee hath also inferiour Courts such as other Bishops have You see then Canterburie is a petie Pope or according to Bancrofts reckoning a vice-pope made up of the old spoyles of comprovinciall Bishops and Synods and also with the new spoyls of the Pope beeing armed beside with the Kings delegate temporall power in the High Commission and so greater in his intensive power then ever he was in time of Poperie And when the union shall be accomplished shal be greater in his extensive power also with his Courts over-ruling our Nation and shall be vice-pope of this little World O if faithfull Patriots would forsee and prevent this The least of their Ceremonies will prepare a way to this mischiefe CHAP. 4. Of the Dignitie and Power of English Bishops IN the former chapâ—er we did onely give not grant superiorite of Bishops over Pastors which being supposed we medled onely with the vnlawfull power and dignitie of Archbishops but the truth is that the superioritie of Bishops over Pastors is unlawfull also By divine Law one Pastor is not superiour in degree above another no more then one Apostle or Euangelist above another Apostle or Euangelist The name of Bishops was not appropriate to any eminent rank of Pastors but was common to all as may be seene Act. 20. Philip. 1. 1. Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. 5. And that their office was also common may be sene in the same places from whence Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius doth conclude that a Bishop and Presbyter was all one And in his Commentarie on the Epistle to Titus cap. 1. that communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae gubernabaÌ„tur the Churches were governed by the joynt advice of Presbyters Our Opposites say that government was onely private in the inner court the court of Conscience not publicke in the externall court or Consistorie It was so in the time of Poperie when the Priests were excluded from the externall governement of the Church which Bishops did vendicate to themselves and their Courts the poore Priest having no further power then to receive privately auricular confession ponder the weight of secret faults and accordingly to enjoyne pennance But Hierome speaketh not of a severall but of a common councell and joynt care of many assembled together For this private government in the inner Court of conscience was not onely then but continueth to this day wherby every Pastor may deal with the consciences of any of his own flock But Hierome speaketh of a government which was altered after the Apostles times and different from the Episcopall government which followed When the Churches were thus governed in common by joynt advice of Presbyters they had not a perpetuall President or as we use to speake a constant Moderator who had this preeminence during life set over them to moderate the common Meetings but they choosed their Presidents and changed them as they thought fit No Pastor could claime this prioritie of order and direction of the common Meetings as belonging to him of office The Apostles did no where institute this same small difference of Pastors that some during life should be moderators of the rest let be that majoritie of rule and superiority in power which Bishops doe claime The Pastors who were at Alexandria the first we read to have set up a constant Moderator to whom also they did appropriate the name of Bishop This was the beginning of that great mischiefe which followed This was the Cockatrice egge out of the which Antichrist himselfe was hatched For this perpetuall Presidencie and prioritie of order did degenerate in superiority of power and majoritie of rule and the Bishops growing to some grandeur they behoved to have an Archbishop and at last a Pope So that if a Bishop had not beene a Pope had not been and if there had not been a Pope the great Antichrist had not been Boni-gratis supposed to be the author of the Treatise de aetatibus Ecclesiae wondereth that the Popes Monarchie should arise from so small a beginning But the Apostle telleth us that that iniquitie was a Mysterie and that this Mysterie was working under ground even in his time For even the Apostolicall times wanted not a proud Diotrephes loving preeminence A little seed will bring forth a great Tree If the Discipline had not beene corrupted as well as doctrine the great Antichrist could not have risen All the errours and heresies in doctrine and matters of faith which have entered in the Church could not have brought him in unlesse errour and corruption in the government had entred in also for unlesse this had been he could pretend no claime at all to governe and rule I come therefore to our English bishops Let a man travell through Italie where the Pope is or Spaine where the Spanish Inquisition is he shall finde no difference betwixt the power of an Italian Spanish or English bishop The English bishop is the same now for power and greatnesse that hee was an hundred years since in the time of poperie There are foure things chiefly to bee considered in him First the derivation of his power 2. the sole exercise of his authority 3. the deputation of this his authoritie 4. his extensive power As for the first they are not bishops as we have sayd iure divino by divine institution or right nor cannot bee Neither are they Bishops by humane law that is the constitutions of the ancient Church which imprudently and unhappily set up the first bishops erring in taking up right the nature of Church government and the qualities of the Antichrist who was to be revealed but in the full time For they are not of that kinde of Bishops which ruled together with the Presbyterie or Ecclesiasticall Senate but they are bishops by the Municipall law of the land onely in the judgement of the lawes For all their
of guiltynes For it is a personall duety which the scripture requireth of the officebearers of the Church At the first Bishops were placed in little townes aswell as in great cities and were not so thin sowne as since that avarice and ambition have made them to dispise obscure places and to strive who should have the largest Diocies Nay even in England the Diocies of old were not so large as now The Bishoprick of York hath devoured many smaller bishopricks next adjacent as Camden reporteth in his Brittannia The Bishoprick of Lincolne hath likewise devovred many bishopricks which were in the time of the Saxons and howbeit it hath been greatly impaired yet there are 1247. parish churches in that Diocie at this day as is related by Camden These generalls being premitted I will be the briefer in the particulars Bishops considered simply as Bishops of which in England there are 24. whose estate is to be considered eitâ—er in the common-wealth or in the Church In the common-wealth in that they have the title of Lords in respect of their Baronie annexed to the Bishoprick 2. to have precedence before other Barons in the convention of thâ—ee thre Estates or in other meetings They tell us that Elias and Elizeus 1. King 18. 2. King 2 were called Lords and if the propheâ—s were of old so stiled why may not they also By this reason all prophets and pastors should be so honoured But the tuth is that the name of Lord was given by the wife to her husband Gen. 18. 12. and to any man of honest account howbeit to mean men as to Philip. Ioh. 12. 21. to Gardiners Ioh. 20. 15. and was more common among the orientalls then Sir is with us Elias and Elizeus were not Barons and for their Bâ—ronies stiled Lords aboue the common sort But that stile is with us attributed onely to Lords of dignitie to Noblemen and other officers of State As for Bishops you may see that they are so stiled in respect that they are Barons howbeit D. Downam doth aledge that they are so stiled in regard of their spirituall office and jurisdiction The first respect is forbidden Luk. 22. 25. as wee have sayd before The second respect is as unlawfull for there are no Lords in the Church but one Christ who is Lord and King Their ambitious and arrogant precedencie in taking place before great Barons is another part of their pompe Their statelinesse and pompe is set forth also in their glorious palaces sumptuous buildings Their chambers doe shine with guilt their walles are hanged with cloth of Auris their cupboards are laden with plate their tables and diets are furnished with multitude and diversitie of dishes their dayly dinners are feasts They have 30. 40. 60. or moe every one of them of men waiting on them some before some behind whereof three parts of them set a part the carying of a dish unto the table have no honest or profitable calling to accupie themselves in two houres in the day to the filling of the Church and common wealth also with all kinde of disorders as Mr. Cartwright an eyewitnesse doth testifie Many Churches lye desolate for want of sufficient provisioes whose impropriations are appropried to bishops to maintaine their pompe and statelines and bestowed upon keeping great horses caroches and trains of men I need not to insist in this poynt it is so sensible to any man who hath but common sence In the Church by reason of their calling or of their function In their externall calling to the Bishopricke some things respect the Prince some things respect other Bishops The Prince before election may 1. nominate 2. grant facultie to choose After the election finished 1. yeeldeth his Royall assent 2. directeth his mandate to the Arch-bishop to confirme him and other two to consecrate 3. exacteth the oath of homage from the new bishop 4. Restoreth to him the possessions of the Bishoprick Such things as respect other Bishops respect either the Archbishop or him and others the Archbishop as him who is to confirme the election Him and two others as who are to consecrate him according to the direction of the book of orders When the bishops Sea is destitute the Deane and Chapter make intimation to the King of their want of a Bishop and humble supplication for licence to choose another The King by letters patents under his great seale granteth them licence and with the letters patents sendeth a missive commending the person who is to be chosen some man who hath waited long on the Court and promised to some courtier an annuitie out of his Bishopricke during life or some other gift After this election which is made after the Papisticall manner by Deane and Chapter and a superficiall manner or pro forma as Sir Francis Bacon now Lord Chaunlour sayd the Deane and Chapter do intimate their feigned processe of election to the King againe praying the King to yeeld his Royall assent to the Lord elected The King directeth his letter patents for warant to the Archbishop or some other whom hee shall appoynt to confirme and consecrate my Lord elect The consecration being finished and the bishop having done homage and sworne fealtie the Kings writ is directed out of the Chancerie to the Escheator to restore to him the temporalities of the Bishopricke And the Bishop may procure another writ out of the Chauncerie directed to his tenants commanding them to take him for their Lord. This order of proceeding is thus described by the authour of the Assertion for true Church policie Here are many imaginarie formes and mockage rather then sound dealing The libertie of election of Pastors if Diocesan bishops were true Pastors is taken from the Church and the Church deluded with a May-game Now as for his consecration howbeit the Scripture doth not teach us two distinct forms of ordination one called consecration proper to a Lord Bishop the other by the generall name of ordination peculiar to a minister yet wee will let you see the Rites of their consecration how all are taken out of the Popes Pontificall as may be gathered by conferring the book of Orders with the said Pontificall A table is prepared for the Masse-book and the pontifical so is here a table furnished with the service book and the book of orders There two bishops are present to assist the Consecrator ordained to have on the Rochet if not the Roâ—cheâ— a surplâ—ce Here all the Bishops that be present at the consicration of Bishâ—ps should wearâ— coapes and surplices having pastorall staves in their hands They retaine the surplice seldome the coape but they never use their pastorall staves sayth the Author of the petition to the Queen And yet they have a staffe to beat out a painfull minister out of the Church if he take not on a surplice But in the abridgement of the ministers of Lincolne it is sayd that in the former edition of the book of ordination which
was made there was a binder and a bond but none present or known to bee bound When the offence is committed there is one to be bound but where is the binder And yet in their latest Canons made in the first yeare of the Kings entry they have made excoÌ„munication ipso facto to be the sanction of many of their Canons excoÌ„municating ipso facto all such as shall affirme the forme of their Church service to be corrupt and superstitious the rites or ceremonies established by law to bee wicked Antichristian or superstitious the government of their Church by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons c. to be Antichristian or repugnant to the word or that the forme and maner of making or consecrating their Bishops Priests and Deacons is not lawfull c. So that at this day the better sort both of the ministerie and professours amongst them do stand excommunicate by this Popish guise The next thing to be considered is the sole authoritie of bishops excommunicating by themselves alone or their Deputies Officials Chancellours Archdeacons the ministers and professors in whatsoever Church of their large Diocie When Christ sayd Tell the Church Math. 18. was this the meaning Tell my Lord Bishop or his Chauncellour the Archdeacon or his officiall Can this collective name Church by any shift be drawne to signifie one particular person Canterburies grace himselfe or the great Pope himselfe Is the Pope the universal Church or the Bishop the diocesan Church or his Chauncellour Christ maketh a graâ—ation from one to two at last to many The Apostle reproveth the Corinthians because they had not already excommunicated the incestuous person And do yee not judge them that are Within sayth the Apostle 1. Corinth 5. 12. In the second Epistle chap. 2. v. 10. hee declareth that they haâ— power to forgive and reconcile the same incestuous person And writing to the Thessalonians hee willeth them to note the man who obeyed or harkned not to his Epistle and to have no companie with him that he may be ashamed 2. Thessal 3. 14. Now there was no Bishop at all either at Corinth or Thessalonica as they themselves will grant farâ— lesse an usurping Prelate drawing all the power to himselfe It is one of the weightiest judgements in the Church and therefore not to bee permitted to the pleasure of one man It is not onely the Bishop thaâ— hath this power alone to excommunicate by himselfe or his Deputie but also the Deane Prebendaries and Canons in welnigh all the cathedrall and collegiat churches throughout the Realme having certain Parochiall churches exempted from the Bishop within their exempt and peculiar jurisdidictions by meere Pastorall authoritie for Episcopall authoritie by the lawes of the Church they haue none may exercise all manner of spirituall censures and that as wel by their substitutes as by themselves Nay iâ— hich is more in Cheshire Lancashire Yorksire Richmondshire and other Northern parts there bee many Whole Deanries exempted from the Bishops jurisdiction wherein the Deanes and their substitutes have not onely the prohate of wills and granting of administrations but also the cognisance of Ecclesiasticall crimes with power to use the Ecclesiasticall censures yea this authority of the execution of Ecclesiatsticall censares have those Deanes either long since by some Papall priviledges obtained or else by long use prescribed agâ—inst the Bishops Whereby againe it is clearly convinced that Episcopall excommunication used in the Church of England is not of divine institution but onely by humane tradition for were it of divine right then could the same no more be prescribed or by papall immunitie be possâ—ssâ—d then could these Deanes prescribe power or be infranchised to breach the word or to administer the â—acraments Yee see Cathedrall Deanes Canons and Prebendaries in cathedrall and collegiat churches and some rurall Deanes may use the Ecclesiasticall censures But the Pastoâ—s of the Churches set over their flocks to govern rule with power of the keyes are deprived of the other half of their pastoral charge and the pastorall staffe as I have sayed is taken from thâ—m Thirdly they excommunicate for trifles The last petition which was made the first yeare of the Kings entry reporteth thae thâ—y excomunicate for trifles and twelvepennie matters If a man pay not the fees of their Courts he shall be excommunicate For the Chancellors Officials the Registers the rest of that rable must not want their unreasonable dues They doe not excommunicate in the congregation where the offender dwelleth but in their Courts in forme of a writ in Latine proclaimed in the Bishops or Archbishops name as Barrow reporteth and so also is their absolution The excommunication may perhaps he intimated a long tyme after in the congregation and the people warned to beware of the man who was excommunicate in their Court perhaps for a trifle The Admonition to the Parliament sayth that whereas the excommunicate were never received till they had publickly confessed their offence Now for paying the fees of the Court they shall by Mâ— Officiall or Chauncellour easily be absolved 5 The manner is that if the apparitor cannot persanally cite the person to be summoned he useth leave word at his house If he come not at the day he is forthwith excommunicate as the defender of thâ— last Petition â—oeth report 6. They transfâ—rre this power of excommunication to lay men their Chauncellours and officialls whereof we shall intreate in the owne place The curse Anathema some doe not distinguish from the great excommunication but onely in some solemnities because it is uttered with some externall signes and ceremonies to strike a greater terrour Others do distinguish it and Mucket defineth it to be that censure whereby a pernicious heretick as Gods publick enemie reiected cursed execrate is adjudged and given over unto eternall judgement and damnation This is answerable to that anathema which the Apostle calleth Maranatha or the Talmudists schamatha But such a censure cannot be inflicted unlesse it be revealed to the church that the offender hath sinned against the Holy ghost Besides the censures common to lay men and ecclesiasticall persons already meÌ„tioned there are these two reckoned by Mucket corporall pennance and deniall of buriall in sacred places Corporall pennance is inflicted upon the outward man For to the publick confession of the offence there is some bodily pennance adjoyned and enioyned the offender As for example to stand upon a Lords day bareheaded and barefooted cloathed with a white sheet having a white wand in his hand at the porch of the Kirck and when he entreth into the Kirck to prostrate himself to kisse the ground and then to come to the midst of the church crave forgivenes This manner is descrived by Mack Lindwood in his Provincial reckoneth for corporall pennances thrusting in a Monasterie imprisonment striping and the imprinting of a mark upon the person Many moe â—ere the popish pennances which turned into
generall and officiall principall part that betwixt them To what use then serveth the cathedrall Deane and his Canons or prebendaries c. but to wear copes and caps tippets and hoods rochets surplices to pipe on organs to sing curiously to read gospels and epistles according to their severall offices and in their severall turnes and courses In the 24 canon of the last constitutions when the communion is to be celebrated upon principal feast dayes if the bishop himself be not present then the Dean is to administer the communion with a cope And notwithstanding of all this the Deane must sit in some chiefe place of the Church with his velvet cushion before him and cloth of estate and be brought to his place with a silver Mace before him CHAP. 7. The calling and function of English Priests and Deacons THE name of Priest to signifie a minister of the Gospell is usuall with them even in their latest Canons Howbeit it seemeth to bee derived from the Greek word Presbyter yet seeing it hath been used to signifie a sacrificing Priest such as the Masse-priest was thought to be and is still retained in their latest translations of the Bible to signifie a sacrificing Priest their pretext of the originall of the name is frivolous for either they should translate the Leviticall Priest sacrirficer if they would retaine the proper signification of the word priest or else abstaine from or alter the name of Priest seing they may have choyce of names The Ecclesiasticall persons in the Parish Church are the minister and Deacon In the minister are to bee considered his externall calling and his publicke function His externall calling is either to the order and degree or to the benefice and place of the ministerie The externall calling to the order and degree is seene either in things preceeding the ordination or in the ordination it selfe In things going before the ordination as 1. publick intimation made by the Bishop in the most famous places of the Diocie of the day of ordinations 2. Letters testimoniall to the Bishop ordainer from men of good credit and religion as well of the conversation of him who is to be ordained as of his birth that that he is not a bastard or bond-man 3. the examination of him who is to be ordained either of his education whether hee were brought up in a common Schoole or in an Academie or of his progresse in humane literature or theologie in which is to be considered either the proficiencie it selfe to be tried by the Bishop himselfe or the Archdeacon or some other appoynted for him or else the degree which hee hath taken on in the Schooles The ordination it selfe consisteth in prayers for him who is to be ordained 2. in exhortations to him and 3. in imposition of hands You may see that they make the calling to the ministerie and the calling to the place two divers actions distinguished in time whereas none ought to be admitted to the ministry but when and where there is a place voyd The Apostles ordained not ministers to rove abroad through a whole province but appointed them towne by towne Tit. 1. 5. Act. 14. 23. The Councell of Chalcedon decreed that no presbyter should bee ordered loosely that is unlesse as it is there added it bee in some congregation or citie The word Apoleâ—ymenoâ—s they interpret without a title but then by a title they meane not a particular charge but some possession or living to be maintained by But who will ever admit sayth Mr. Calvin that the title which the Councell requireth is a yearly revenue to maintaine himselfe with In the latest canons this Popish interpretation is approved where are set downe the titles of such as are to be made ministers If he be provided to a place in some cathedrall or collegiate Church or if he be a Fellow or in the right of a fellow or if he be to be a conduct or Chaplain in some colledge in Cambridge or Oxford or if he be a Master of Arts of five yeares standing that liveth of his owne charge in either of the universities or if by the Bishop himselfe that doth ordaine him he be shortly after to bee admitted to some benefice or curatship then voyd is he sayd to have a title howbeit hee have not as yet a particular flocke which was not the meaning of the councell of Chalcedon farre lesse the meaning of the holy Ghost in the scripture They have made 60. 80. or 100. at a clapp and sent them abroad into the countrey like masterlesse men say the authours of the admonition to the Parliament And againe When they have made them either they may tarry in their colledge and lead the lives of loytering losels as long as they live or else gad abroad with the Bishops Bulls like to Circumcellions to preach in other mens charges where they list or else get benefices by friendship or money or flatterie where they can catch them or to conclude if all these faile that they may goe up and downe like beggars and fall to many follies or else as many have done set up bills at Pauls or at the Royall Exchange and such like publike places to see if they can heare of some good masters to entertaine them into service In the late Canons foresayd the Bishop is ordained to maintaine him in all things necessarie who hath not one of these titles till he preferre him to some Ecclesiasticall living which is but one of the rotten Canons of the Canon law If this were kept 3. or 4. Bishops in this realme would have kept such houses as never any did in this land as is sayd in the foresayd admonition Their order in making Priests is this First they must be Deacons before they be made Priests for so they interpret the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. 13. they that have ministred in the office of a Deacon wel purchâ—se unto themselves a good degree that is say they a step to the ministerie The Apostle sayth not that they who doe the office of a Deacon well shall get a good degree or standing but that in so doing they get themselves a good degree that is authoritie and estimation in the church and consequently great boldnesse in the faith For a man may have gifts sufficient for a Deaconship and yet never have gifts sufficient for the ministerie But admitting the office of the Deacon were a step to the ministerie that hee who is a Deacon may be a Minister it followeth not that there is not accesse to the Ministery but by this step of the Deaconship And therfore not to admit a man to the ministerie â—nlesse hee first take upon him the office of a Deacon is a naâ—ghâ—ie device It was decreed in their latâ—st Canons that no Bishop should make any person of what qualities or gifts soever a Deacon and a Minister both together upon one day Not that alwayes every Deacon should be kept from the
whole Parish To the minister himselfe either in reading some Psalmes each day of every month or of the rest of the Bible partly out of the Canonicall Scripture partly out of the Apocrypha bookes and that within the yeare The reading of Psalmes and other parts of Scripture is not preaching but the word read is like a loafe unbroken or not divided in peeces and morsels And therefore it is not a right set forme of service to prescribe all the Psalmes to bee read within the space of a month or so many lessons of the Scripture within a year to take up the time which should be spent in preaching Lesse Scripture read and withall explained and opened up to the use of the hearers is more profitable And if the other prejudge this howbeit the matter be good for it is the good word of God so much as is canonicall yet the forme is naught and in this case unlawfull Then as for the reading of the Psalmes they make daily prayers of them when as they bee not all prayers or else the matter of these which are praâ—ers doth not agree to the present time and state of the Church but are read hand over head The Apocrypha bookes should not receive that honour as to be read publickly in the Church as canonicall Scripture is Because they containe sundry false and frivolous things and suppose not yet they are not the trompets which are set apart and sanctified by God to bee blowne by his priests in his temple The church of the Iewes read no other scripture but Canonical Moses and the Prophets and the Psalmes and the Christian Church in the purer times onley the monuments of the Prophets and Apostles The Councell of Laodicea decreed the same also The reading of them in the Church hath made the people beleeve that they are portions of the old and new testament Sundry of the Prelates take texts out of the Apocrypha sayth the authour of the petition to the Queen Divers chapters of the Apocrypha are appointed to be read for extraordinarie lessons upon Feast daies and some parts of the canonicall Scripture are omitted The directories which direct in such things as belong to the whole Parish are anent observing feast dayes and daies of abstinence from flesh They have a number of feasts and fasting daies more then the Iewes had appointed to them The holy dayes observed by them besides the weekely Sabboths are these following the dayes of the Feasts of the Circumcision of the Epiphâ—â—ie of the Purification of the blessed Virgin of S. Matthias the Apostle of the annuntiation of the virgine of Saint Mark the Euangelist of Saint Philip and Iacob the Apostles of Christs Ascension of the nativitie of Iohn Baptist of S. Peter the Apostle of Iames the Apostle of Bartholomew the Apostle of S. Matthew the Apostle of S. Michael the Arch-Angel of S. Luke the Euangelist of S. Simon and Iude the Apostles of all Saints of Saint Andrew the Apostle of Saint Thomas the Apostle of Christs Nativitie of S. Steven the Martyr of S. Iohn the Euangelist of the holy Innocents Munday and Tuesday in Easter weeke and Munday and Tuesday in Whitson weeke This is their number and order as it is set downe in the beginning of their service booke They keep the same order in the observation of them that the Popish church observeth with the same distance of time from other upon the same dayes Gospels Epistles Collects and proper lessons the same howbeit some time fewer with the like observation of rest And howbeit S. George be left out in this reckoning yet is his day honoured This Saint saith Barrow hath no small entertainment with his solemne procession and that by no small estates but even the greatest of the land with Cornets Trumpets Harbe Shackebuts Psâ—lteries Duâ—â—imer and all instruments of musicke c This Saint beside his noble ordour of Knighthood hath also his peculiar Chaplaine Palatine of the order who it to weare a gold ring on his thomb The holy dayes are dedicate to the Trinite to Christ alone to Saints to Angels As for the day dedicated to the honour of the Trinitie Bellarmine doth confesse that it is recent that it was not observed at Rome in the dayes of Pope Alexander the third It was celebrated in some particular Provinces but not received into Rome till the time of Pope Iohn the 22. It was thought needlesse seeing the Trinitie was remembred either one way or other in the daily service but especially upon the Lords day for the Preface of the Trinitie day was of old sung upon the Lords day and the Creed wherein the Trinitie is remembred was not omitted If there should be a holy day for every great mysterie of our religion then must we have many more holy daies then we have yet had If a particular day for the Trinitie entred but of late in the Church for the respects foresaid then what mysterie of Religion is remembred frequently on the Lords day in hymne prayer confession creed or sermon needeth not a speciall day and a set service with bodily rest for that mysterie You see then that the feast which was rejected a long time by the Popes themselves the English doe retaine As for the feastgoelonging to the life death of Christ the most â—enoumed most ancient is Easter and yet it was not observed by the Apostles The hote contentions about it whether it should be observed upon the day of the full Moone or the Sabboth after declareth that they did not institute it for they could have easily decided that question whether shall we be conforme to the Iewes in observing the same day with them or not yea the Apostle 1. Cor. 5. 8. speaking of the celebration of our Easter tyeth us not to a certaine number of dayes as the Iewes were who after the eating of the Lambe might not have any levened bread in their house for seven daies but sayth ours is all the yeare long to be observed ye through our whole life with other kind of unleavned bread both by particular Churches persons No where doth he refer us to anniversary Easter The Christian Pentecost was not observed by the Apostles howsoever sometime some of theÌ„ went up to Ierusalem at the Iewish Pentecost to confirme or â—ucrifie the Iewes as long as the Temple stood If the Apostles theÌ„selves upon whom the gifts of the H. Spirit were powred that day did not observ it themselves who were the receivers of the benefit what warrant haue we to observe it If neither Easter nor Pentecost were Apostolical institutions far lesse the Ascension day and the Nativitie The feast of Circumcision Bellar. saith is very recent it is to be observed that they have a service day or holy time for Christs circumcis but not for his Baptism for upon the Eâ—iph day they make mention of the 3 wisem the star but nothing of Chr. Baptism in their
infection of the plague and indeed it renueth the memorie of the Leviticall priesthood which did with-draw himselfe from the people into the place called the holiest place where he talked with God and offered for the sinnes of the people The chauncel distinguished from the body of the Church is their holy place for the Priest and He hath a peculiar dore to this chancell through which none might passe but himselfe saith Borrow For the châ—piters and letanie there is commandement given that they should be read in the body of the Church saith M. Cartwright in his first Reply In his second Reply he saith I am assuredly perswaded that the tenth Church in England hath not all the service said in that place where the whole Church may heare it They will rather stick to the Iewish or popish rites and imitate Masse priests then edifie Gods people For mariage he commeth to the bodie of the Church for Baptisme to that part which is over against the Church-dore and so trudgeth from place to place The Letanie must not bee used but upon Sundaies Wednesdaies and Fridayes except the Ordinarie appoint other dayes the Minister propoundeth things to be prayed for or against the people performe the prayer saying with a lowd voyce Good Lord deliver us we beseech thee to heare us good Lord and this they often repeate And yet one suffrage is put out of the letany which was in it before to wit From the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us They say certaine Psalmes and prayers over the corne and grasse and certaine gospels at crosse-waies saith Barrowe In the service booke the Curate is thus directed anent Homilies After the Creed if there be no Sermon shall follow one of the Homilies alreadie set forth or after to be set forth by common authoritie Who knoweth what is hereafter to be set forth The Survey of the booke of common prayer doth relate that many points of Poperie and Lutheranisme are broached in Court and citie pulpits and yet not called into question as be Doctrines tending to the Reformation of Popish ceremonies Iudg then what corrupt Homilies may be set forth And yet Ministers are urged to subscribe to the book of common prayer notwithstanding of the foresaid Rubrickes It is the office of a Pastor to preach and not to reade Homilies Hee ought to cut and divide the word aright and apply it to particular sores which cannot be done by homilies What was said against Apocripha bookes may be throwne against them The reading of homilies is a cushion for idle or blind Priests to rest upon What say you to the Vicar of W. who upon an holy day in stead of preaching the Word which he could not or reading of homilies which he would not to terrifie his Parishoners with the judgements of God and to move them to repentance solemnly read and published a counterfeit fable out of a little pamphlet intituled Strange newes out of Calabria pretended to be prognosticated by M. Iohn Doleta The parts of the Liturgie which concerne onely certaine persons are â—nens 1. Celebration of matrimonie In the first words uttered to the married persons by the Priest it is said that Matrmonie signifieth unto us the mysticall union which is between Christ and his Church Then againe in a Collect after the conjunction it is said O God which hast câ—nsecrated the state of matrmonie to such an excellent mysterie that in it is signified and represented the spirituall marriage and unitie betwixt Christ and his Church Is not this to apply these words Ephes. 5. 32. This is a great Mysterie to the conjunction of man and wife which the Apostle uttereth of Christ and his Church by which interpretation the papists have made mattimonie a Sacrament and the band betwixt the married persons inseparable and not to be dissolved but by death In the first part of their homilie of Swearing Baptisme and Matrimonie are called Sacraments The minister receiving the woman at her fathers or friends hands is to cause the man to take the woman by the right hand and give his troth to the woman Then are they to loose their hands againe and the woman taking the man by the right hand giveth her troth Then shall they againe loose their hands and the man shall give unto the woman a Ring laying the same upon the booke with the accustomed duty to the Priest Clerke And the Priest taking the ring shall deliver it unto the man to put it upon the 4 finger of the womans left hand And the man taught by the priest shall say with 〈…〉 thee wed with my bodie I thee worship 〈…〉 worldly goods I thee 〈…〉 name of the Father Son and H. ghost Then the man leaving the ring upon the fourth finger of the 〈◊〉 left hand the minister shall say set us pray O eternall God c. In the prayer the ring given and received is said to be a token and pledge of the vow and convenant made betwixt them Is there not heere an heap of toyes and yet never one wanteth a signification The ring must be put upon the fourth finger of the left hand because say they there is a nerve which runneth from that finger straight to the heart The ring must be layed on the service booke I know not to what end except it be to sanctifie it in stead of that blessing and sprinckling with holy water which the Popish Priest used as may be seene in the Romane Rituall Then againe what sense can be made of these words with my body I thee worship One of a thousand doth not understand them their Pâ—elats have not explaned them The words of the Apostle Peter 1. Epi. 3. 7. giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessell doe signifie onely honest care and follicitude and to beare with her infirmities she being the weaker vessell For honor after the Hebrew phrase is largely taken To give honor as to the weaker vessell and to worship her with the body is farr different as the word worship foundeth in our Language The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 23. saith And those members of the bodie which we thinke to be lesse honourable upon these we bestow more abundant honour that is with greater carefulness we cover then wee doe other members But we are not to worship the members which are lesse honourable The Priest is appointed to say to God in his prayer that the ring is a token pledg of covenant made betwixt them If the ring had beene used onely at the contract as a civill rite it might have been comported with but to bring it into the Church I meane to divine service is either to prophane the same with civill ceremonies or pollute it with Popish and superstitious rites rather as these are For they were counted in time of poperie holy and religious rites of a holy Sacrament The married persons must
signification that they weare them The white colour of the Surplice signifieth angelicall puritie for the Angels appeared in white So are they painted with wings to signifie their readinesse to do their office But significant garments belong to the priests of the Leviticall tibe and not to the ministers of the new testament It is beside a lying signe of that purenesse which is not nor cannot be in sinfull men In the angels it might have represented as well their glory as their purenesse from sin The Surplice was esteemed so holy in time of poparie that no priest might say service nor doe so much as make holy water without it And among themselves the Surplice is well known to be esteemed by many people in all the parts of the land so holy â— thing as that they will not receive the sacrament from any but such as weare it as is sayd in the abridgement of the ministers of Lincolne By what reason the Surplice and cope are retained by the same reason the rest of the Masse-priests and Bishops vestiments may be reduced The ministers of the Gospell should not bee made conforme in fashions let be in mysteries and significations to Popish Priests not weare their badges either in or out of the ministration of divine service It is to be observed that in time of preaching he is not urged to weare a Surplice as 〈…〉 of service belike because preaching is no â—ecessarie part of his function as is the saying and singing of service or else why should he not use these apish and significant garments at the one as well as at the other In their 17. Canon students in colledges are ordained to weare Sarplices in charches St chappels upon all Son layes holidayes and their Eâ—â—es The originall of this is observed in the abridgement fore saâ— to be this It is enioyned to all that are admitted to the very lowest degree of their clergie which they call primam tonsuram And this was it which brought that custome into the universities that every student should at certaine times weare the Surplice in divine service because they did in their matriculation receive this primam tonsuram and first entrie into the clergie I may may not insist upon this poynt nor the rest that follow being forced to end within this sheet In the Deacon is likewise to be considered his externall calling and function His externall calling is either to the order and degree and that in every respect as in the minister except in some things or to the benefice altogether as in the minister His function is 1. to have an over-sight of the poore 2. to assist the minister in celebration of the supper 3 to blesse them who are to be maried 4. to burie the dead 5. to baptise and preach if he be called thereunto In the book of ordering Priests and Deacons the Deacons office is sayd to consist chiefly in assisting the Priest in divine service specially in celebration of the Supper and distribution of the sacrament in reading Scripture and Homilies in instructing children in the articles of the faith in baptising of infants in the preaching of the word if the Bishop thinke him fit and in inquiring into the state of the poore and the sick and intimating the same to the minister After imposition of hands the Bishop delivereth him in his hand the new testament saying Take thou authoritie to read the Gospell in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou bee thereto ordinarily commanded Hee needeth not a new calling to the ministerie and therby be inabled but remaining still a Deacon he may by the Bishops warrrant and licence be authorised to preach The Apostles instituted Deacons to an other end then to preach and severed them from preaching because one person could not conveniently be a minister of the word and a minister of Tables yet they will confound them For so they found them confounded in time of popery and it pleaseth them to retaine them so and not to distinguish the functions as the Apostles did Why are they permitted to baptize more then to celebrate the supper Is the one sacrament of greater excellencie then the other May the one bee ministred by any Church officer who may not minister the other When the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. descriveth the office of a Deacon requireth he either abilitie to teach or power to baptize What in effect may their Deacon not do that the priest doth except the ministration of the communion What can be the reason of this exception but that in this ministration there was somewhat esteemed in time of poperie proper to a priest to wit the offering of a sacrifice The Deacon then is not halfe a minister but almost a whole and he may preach with licence or at command of his ordinarie as well as the Priest What need I to insist upon such grosse absurdities CHAP. 8. Of the administration of Lay-men THE laymen having some administration have it either in a cathedral or collegiat church or else in a parish church c. In the cathedral church laymen having administration are the receivers of the rents Bailiffs takers up of accounts overseers and measurers of land stewards of courts and liberties overseers of the fabrick of the temple of the saâ—ctuarie of the bibliotheke where the book of Homilies and service-book lye vergerers bellmen singing men and boyes Many idle and chargeable officers are fed in these dennes to uphold the pompe of a cathedrall church and that to the great detriment of other churches In the Parish church they have not a Senat of Elders to joyne with the Pastor for governing the same but two or three Churchwardens to see the Kirke be watertight and furnished with all the ornaments and utensils to provide for the booke of common prayer and Homilies and the elements for the communion upon the expenses of the parish to keep a Register of the christnings weddings burialls together with the Priest to intimate any contribution which is to be made for some publick work and lastly to be the Bishop and Archdeacons spie to delate or present offenders howbeit for the most part they bee perjured and offences are winked at and suffered to passe without correction No wonder seeing the discipline is taken out of â—he hands of the right officers and put in the hands of Officials Commissaries and Chancellors to whom these perjured Church-wardens are made officers and servants The possessions are either publicke or private c. Heere are reckoned for the possessions belonging to the Church bookes vestiments the ornamentsand implements of the Kirk the Kirk it selfe houses mannours woods forrests parkes ponds fountaines rivers medowes pasturage ground arable ground Baron courts Hundreds and Lathis Tithes oblations obuentions pensions for indemnitâ—e procurations Synodals fees immunities liberties priviledges c. It were â—edious to insist upon the use of every one of them in particular They are either superfluous and excessive or