observation of all those laws that sound to any lucre setting aside and despising those that concern the amendment of manners What should I rehearse the rest To be short and to conclude at one word all corruptness all the decay of the Church all the offences and scandals of the world come from the covetousness of the priests according to that of S. Paul which here I repeat again and beat into your ears Covetousness is the root of all evil 4. The fourth secular evil that spotteth the face of the Church is continual secular occupation wherein Priests and Bishops now adays do busie themselves becoming the servants rather of men then God the warriours rather of this world then of Jesus Christ. For the Apostle Paul writeth to Timothy 2 Epist. ii 3. that no man who is a good souldier of Christ or that warreth for God entangleth himself with the affairs of this life is turmoiled with secular business The warfare of Gods souldier is not carnal but spiritual Our warring is to pray devoutly to read and study Scriptures diligently to preach the word of God sincerely to administer the H. Sacraments rightly and offer sacrifice for the people For we are mediatours and intercessours unto God for men which S. Paul witnesseth writing to the Hebrews Every Bishop saith he taken of men is ordained for men in those things that be unto God that he may offer gifts and sacrifices for sins Wherefore those Apostles that were the first Priests and Bishops did so much abhor all manner of meddling in secular things that they would not minister the meat that was necessary to poor people although it were a great work of vertue but they said It is not meet that we should leave the word of God and serve tables we will give our selves continually to prayer and preaching the word of God Act. vi 2 4. And S. Paul cryes to the Corinthians 1 Epist. vi 4. If you have judgements of things pertaining to this life set them to be judges that be most in contempt in the Church Many evils doubtless do ensue from this secularity when Clergie-men and Priests leaving all spirituality turmoyl themselves with earthly occupations I. First the dignity of Priesthood is dishonoured which is greater then either that of Kings or Emperours equal with the dignity of Angels But the brightness of this great dignity is sore shadowed when Priests are employed in earthly things whose conversation ought to be in heaven 2. Secondly Priesthood is despised when there is no difference between such Priests and Lay-people but according to the prophesie of Hosea As the people be so are the priests 3. Thirdly the beautifull order and holy dignity in the Church is confused when the highest in the Church do meddle with vile and earthly things and in their stead vile and abject persons do exercise high and heavenly things 4. Fourthly the lay-people have great occasion offered them of evils and cause to fall when those men whose duty it is to draw others from the affection of this world do by their continual conversation in this world teach men to love the world and by the love of the world cast them down headlong into hell Moreover in such Priests that be so employed there must needs follow hypocrisie For when they be so mixed and confused with lay-people under the garment and habit of a Priest they live plainly after the lay-fashion And through spiritual weakness bondage and fear being made weak with the waters of this world they dare neither do nor say any but such things as they know to be pleasing and gratefull to their Princes ears At last through ignorance and blindness when they are blinded with the darkness of this world they see nothing but earthly things Wherefore our Saviour Christ not without cause did warn the Prelates of his Church in this manner Take heed to your selves lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with gluttony and drunkenness and the cares of this world Luk. xxi 34. The cares saith he of this world wherewith when the hearts of Priests being sore charged they cannot minde the other life nor lift up their souls to high and heavenly things There be many other evils beside these that follow of the secularity of Priests which were long here to rehearse but I make an end These be the four evils that I have spoken of O Fathers O Priests by which we are conformable to this world by which the face of the Church is made ill-favoured by which the state of it is destroyed much more truly then it was in the beginning by the persecution of tyrants or afterward by the invasion of hereticks that followed For in the persecution of tyrants the Church being afflicted was made stronger and brighter in the invasion of hereticks the Church being shaken was made wiser and more skilfull in holy writ but since this secularity was brought in since the worldly manner of living crept in among Church-men the root of all spiritual life that is charitie hath been extinct which being taken away the Church can neither be wise nor strong in God In this age we are sensible of the contradiction of lay-people But they are not so much contrary to us as we are to our selves Their contrariness hurteth not us so much as the contrariness of our own evil life which is contrary both to God and Christ who said He that is not with me is against me We are also now adays troubled with hereticks men intoxicated with strange opinions but the heresies of them are not so pestilent and pernicious to us and the people as the naughty lives of Priests which if we beleeve S. Bernard is a kinde of heresie nay the chief of all and most perillous For that holy Father preaching in a certain Convocation to the Priests of his time had these words in his sermon Many men are Catholick in their speaking and preaching which are hereticks in their works and actions For what the hereticks do by evil teaching the same do these men by ill example viz. they lead the people out of the right way and bring them into errour of life And these men are so much worse then hereticks by how much their works prevail more then their words This that holy Father S. Bernard spoke with a fervent spirit against the sect of evil Priests in his time By which words he sheweth plainly that there be two kinds of heresies one arising from perverse teaching the other from naughty life of which two this latter is far worse and more perillous reigning now in Priests who do not live like themselves not priestly but secularly to the utter and miserable destruction of the Church of God Wherefore you Fathers you Priests and all you of the Clergy at last rouze and look up from this your sleep in this forgetfull world and being well awaked hear S. Paul crying unto you Be ye not conformed to this world Thus much for the
more fit for some one of the Fathers themselves that is to say You Prelates might have done it with far more grave authority and greater wisdome But the command of the most Reverend Father and Lord the Archbishop President of this Councel must be obeyed who laid upon me this burden which is in truth too heavie for my shoulders for I remember that the prophet Samuel said Obedience is better then sacrifice Wherefore I pray and beseech you to sustain my weakness with your goodness and patience in the first place to help me with your good prayers And before all things Let us pray to God the Father Almighty first remembring our most holy Father the Pope and all spiritual Pastours with all christen people furthermore the most reverend Father and Lord the Archbishop President of this Councel and all Bishops and all the Clergie and all the people of England remembring finally this your congregation Desiring God to inspire your minds so accordingly to agree to the benefit and fruit of the Church that ye may not seem when the Councel is finisht to have been gathered together in vain and without cause Let us all say Pater noster c. To exhort you Reverend Fathers to endeavour Reformation because nothing hath so disfigured the face of the Church as hath the fashion of secular and worldly living in Clerks and Priests I know not where more conveniently to begin my discourse then from the Apostle Paul in whose temple ye are gathered together for he writing to the Romanes and under their name to you saith ROM xii 2. Be not conformed to this world but be ye reformed by the renewing of your minde that ye may prove what is that good will of God well-pleasing and perfect THis the Apostle writ to all Christen men but most chiefly to Priests and Bishops Priests and Bishops are the light of the world For he said unto them Ye are the light of the world and he said also If the light that is in you be darkness how greāt is that darkness that is If Priests and Bishops who should be as lights run in the dark way of the world how dark then shall the secular people be Wherefore S. Paul said chiefly to Priests and Bishops Be ye not conformed to this world but be ye reformed In which words the Apostle doth two things First he forbids that we be not conformed to this world and made carnal and then he commands that we be reformed in the spirit of God and become spiritual Intending to follow this order I shall speak first of Conformation and then of Reformation Be not conformed to this world By the word world the Apostle meaneth the ways and manner of secular living which chiefly consist in four evils of this world that is in devillish pride carnal lust worldly covetousness and secular business These are in the world as S. John witnesseth 1 Epist. 2. 16. For he saith All that is in the world is either the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes or the pride of life These same things now are and reign in the Church and Ecclesiastical persons so that we may seem truly to say All that is in the Church is either the lust of the flesh the lust of the eyes or pride of life I. And first to speak of pride of life How much greediness and appetite of honour and dignity is seen now adays in Clergy-men How run they yea almost out of breath from one benefice to another from the less to the greater from the lower to the higher Who seeth not this and who seeing sorroweth not And most of those which are in these dignities carry their heads so high and are so stately that they seem not to be put in the humble Bishop-rick of Christ but rather in the high Lordship and power of the world not knowing or not minding what Christ the master of all meekness said unto his disciples whom he called to be Bishops and Priests The princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them and those that be in authority have power but do ye not so Whosoever will be chief among you highest in dignity let him be your servant The son of man came not to be ministred unto but to minister Matth. 20. 25 c. By which words our Saviour doth plainly teach that a prelacy in the Church is nothing else but a ministration that an high dignity in an Ecclesiastical person ought to be nothing but a meek service 2. The second secular evil is carnal concupiscence And hath not this vice grown and encreased in the Church so far that in this most busie age the far greater number of Priests minde nothing but what doth delight and please their senses They give themselves to feasts banquetting spend their time in vain babling are addicted to hunting and hawking and in a word drowned in the delights of this world diligent onely in progging for those lusts they set by Against which sort of men S. Jude exclaims in his Epistle saying Wo unto them which have gone the way of Cain they are foul and beastly feasting in their meats without fear feeding themselves flouds of the wilde sea foaming out their own shame unto whom the storm of darkness is reserved for everlasting 3. Covetousness is the third secular evil which S. John calls the lust of the eyes and S. Paul idolatry This abominable pestilence hath so entred into the minds of almost all Priests hath so blinded the eyes of their understanding that we see nothing but that which seems to bring unto us some gain What other thing seek we now adays in the Church except fat benefices and high promotions And it were well if we minded the duty of those when we have them but he that hath many great benefices 〈◊〉 not the office of one small one and in these high promotions what other thing do we pass upon but onely our tithes and rents We care not how vast our charge of souls be how many or how great benefices we take so they be of large value Oh covetousness covetousness S. Paul justly called thee the root of all evil Of thee cometh this a heaping of benefices upon benefices Of thee so great pensions assigned from many benefices resigned Of thee so much suing for tithes for offerings for mortuaries for delapidations by the right and title of the Church For which things we contend as eagerly as for our lives O covetousness of thee it comes that these visitations of Bishops are so chargeable Of thee the corruptness of Courts and these daily new inventions wherewith the poor silly people are so vexed Of thee cometh the besyte and wantonness of u Officials O covetousness mother of all iniquity of thee comes this fervent studie of Ordinaries to dilate their jurisdictions of thee comes this peevish and raging contention in Ordinaries of thee insinuation of testaments of thee the undue sequestration of fruits of thee comes the superstitious
first part Now let us come to the second II. Of Reformation But be ye reformed by the renewing of your minde THe second thing that S. Paul commandeth is That we be reformed by the renewing of our minde that we may prove what is that good will of God well-pleasing and perfect Let us be reformed in those vices which be in us contrary to those vertues I mentioned even now that is to meekness to sobrietie to charity to spiritual occupation that as the said S. Paul writeth unto Titus Denying all 〈◊〉 and worldly lusts we may live soberly 〈◊〉 and vertuously in this present world This reformation and restoring of the Churches estate must needs b begin of you our Fathers and so follow in us your Priests and in all the Clergy You are the heads you are an example of living to us upon you we look as upon marks of our direction In you and in your lives we desire to read as in lively books how and after what manner we ought to live wherefore if you will consider and pull out the motes that be in our eyes first cast out the beam out of your own eyes 'T is an old proverb Physician heal thy self Let me beseech you spiritual Physiclans first to take your selves this purgation of manners and then afterwards offer us the same to take Now the way whereby the Church may be reformed into a better fashion is not to make new laws there be already laws enough if not too many Nothing is new under the sun as saith Solomon Eccl. 1.9 For the evils that are now in the Church were before in times past and there is no fault committed among us for which our fore-fathers have not provided very good remedies There are no trespasses but there be remedies against thē in the body of the Canon law 'T is not needfull then that new laws and new constitutions be made but that those which are made already be well kept and put in execution Wherefore I pray you let those canons and laws which are made be called for and rehearsed before you in this your assembly those canons I mean that restrain vice and those that further vertue First let those canons be rehearsed that do warn you O Fathers c not to lay hands suddenly on any man not to be too facile in admitting into holy Orders For here lies the original and spring-head of all our mischiefs that the gate of Ordination is too broad the entrance too wide and open every man that offers himself is admitted every where without putting back Hence comes it that we have such a multitude of priests who have little learning and less piety In my judgement it is not enough for a priest to construe a collect to put forth a question to answer a sophism but an honest a pure a holy life is much more necessary approved manners competent learning in holy Scripture some knowledge of the Sacraments But chiefly and above all things the fear of God and love of heavenly life Let the canons be rehearsed which command that d benefices of the Church be given onely to those that are worthy that promotions be made by the right balance of vertue not by nearest q kinred or carnal affection or acception of persons whereby it happeneth now adays that boyes and fools and ill-livers do reign and rule in the Church in stead of old men and wise and good To this end let the canons be rehearsed which forbid and oppose the dirt of e Simony Which corruption which infection which cruel and detestable pestilence doth now creep abroad like a canker in the minds of Priests so that in these days many are not afraid by 〈◊〉 and servile attendances by rewards and promises to procure to themselves great dignities Let the canons be rehearsed that command personal f residence of Curates in their Churches For of this many evils grow because all Offices now adays are performed by Vicars and Parish-priests yea and those foolish and unmeet oftentimes wicked that seek nothing among the laity but filthy lucre whereof cometh occasion of evil heresies and ill christendome in the people Let the canons be rehearsed which concern the lives of you Fathers and the honesty of us Priests which forbid a clergie-man to meddle in g merchandise that he be no h usurer no i hunter no common k gamer or player that he bear no l weapon The canons that forbid clergy-men to haunt k taverns that forbid them to have suspected familiarity with women The canons that command sobriety moderation in m apparel and temperance in adorning the body And to my Lords these Monkes Prebends and Religious men let the canons be rehearsed which command them to go the straight way that leads to heaven leaving the broad way of the world which command them not to turmoil themselves in business neither n secular nor other which command that they do not * 〈◊〉 plots sow in Princes Courts for earthly things For it is decreed in the first Councel of Calcedon That 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Can. 4. 7. Monkes ought onely to give themselves to prayer fasting and to the chastizing of the flesh and observing of their rules Above all things let the canons be rehearsed that appertain to you my Reverend Fathers and Lord-bishops laws concerning your just and b canonical election in the Chapters of your churches calling upon the holy Ghost For because those canons are not obeyed now adays but Prelates are chosen oftentimes more by the favour of men then by the grace of God hence truly it comes to pass that we have not seldome Bishops who have little spirituality in them men rather worldly then heavenly savouring more the spirit of this world then the spirit of Christ. Let the canons be rehearsed of the o residence of Bishops in their Diocesses which command that they look diligently to the health of souls that they sow the word of God that they shew themselves in their Churches at least on great holy-days that they officiate in their own persons and do sacrifice for their people that they hear the causes and matters of poor men that they sustain fatherless children and widows and exercise themselves in works of vertue Let the canons be rehearsed concerning the right bestowing of the p patrimonie of Christ the canons which command that the goods of the Church be spent not in costly building not in sumptuous apparel and pompes not in feasting and banqueting not in excess and wantonness not in q enriching of kinsfolk not in keeping of hounds but in things profitable and necessary for the Church For when S. Augustine the Monk once Bishop of England asked Pope Gregory how the Bishops and Prelates in England should spend their goods which were the offerings of faithfull people the said Pope answered and his answer is put into the decrees cap. 12. quaest 2. That the goods of the Bishops ought to be divided into four parts
hoc instituto sit alienum quódque non simplicitatem Dei zelum ac vanitatum contemptum prae se ferat Omnino verò eis interdicit nè ex reditibus Ecclesiae consanguineos familiarésve suos augere studeant cùm Apostolorum Canones prohibeant nè res Ecclesiasticas quae Dei sint consanguineis donent sed si pauperes sint iis ut pauperibus distribuant eos autem non distrahant nec dissipent illorum causâ Imò quà m maximè potest eos sancta Synodus monet ut omnem humanum hunc erga fratres nepotes propinquóque carnis affectum unde multorum malorum in Ecclesia seminarium extat penitus deponant Quae verò de Episcopis dicta sunt eadem in quibuscunque beneficia Ecclesiastica obtinentibus observari decernit c. Thus far the Councel of Trent See large notes on this edit Col. 1533. Rob Parsons the Jesuit in his memorial for reformation part 1. c. 2. saith this of it Quando ultimamente se celebro el SS o Concilio de Trento viniendo a tratar de la Reformacion de las costumbres c. When at last the holy Councel of Trent was celebrated the Fathers coming to debate the amendmentof manners although it desired to make a perfect reformation in the Universal Church they were constrained onely to establish some things which they beleeved ought to be received in the whole Church and such things as those times being so much vitiated and corrupted would permit Just as a prudent Physician endeavours wholy to apply himself to the disposition fansie and strength of his patient though perhaps the infirmity may require a stronger cure For though they saw very well that many things of greater perfection and severity might have been decreed which some holy men propounded yet they desired onely to establish some things that were most necessary and which they judged to be most convenient according to the disposition of the time and likely to be most easily received by all men c. See more to the same purpose in the same memorial par 2. c. 1 2. and in Parsons description of the person and family of a Bishop and his relation of John Davila's petition to the said Councel ibid. He who desires to read a D r. of the Romane Church on this subject and cannot meet with Parsons memorial may peruse and blush at Granada's sermon at the Consecration of a Bishop upon Joh. xxi 15. tom 2. p. 1395. in his works printed at Cullein 1628. The sayings of Fathers are numerous to this purpose but I cannot forget one passage of S. Chrysostome who saith in Heb. xiii 17. hom 34. p. 602. lin 28. edit Savil. that he should wonder if any Bishop can be saved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. You who are a Bishop saith he shall give an account for all the men women and children that are under you If Aaron though drawn by necessity to it came into danger and if Moses was in peril though he oft refused and Saul to whom the principality of another was committed after he had denied it fell into danger because he managed it ill how much more shall they perish which strive for rule and rush upon it Thus Chrysostome see more in hom 1. ad 2. Epist. ad Tim. Which Father hath so many and so good directions not onely for Bishops but also for all Clergy-men in his books De sacerdotio that I have oft wisht publickly and privately that all such as enter into holy Orders were first enjoyned to read them over that they may understand what they undertake See note q. c Not to lay hands suddenly 1 Tim. v. 22. Sacer ordo est eò dignius conferendus quò ab ordinato caetera Sacramenta conferuntur Quare cùm periculosum sit nimis minus dignos idiotas illegitimos irregulares illiteratos extraneos aut sine titulo certo vero aliquos ordinari Statuimus ut ante collationem ordinum per Episcopum de his omnibus indagatio diligens habeatur Et nè reprobatis approbandis qui non fuerint approbandi approbatis clanculo asserere se valeant reprobati in examinatione scribantur numerus nomina probatorum Constitutio Othonis pag. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Siqui sine examinatione presbyteri promoti sint tales canon non admittit quod enim est reprehensibile Catholica ecclesia non defendit Concilii Nic. 1. can 9. d Benefices to those that are worthy It is the 76 th Apostolical Canon That a Bishop ought not to give preferments to gratifie his brother or his son or any kinsman nor to let humane affection interpose in his dispensing the goods of the Church nor to confer Ecclesiastical goods upon his heirs If he do so the ordination is void and the Bishop himself is to be excommunicated Vide Constitutionem Othonis nè indigni promoveantur c. And see much to this purposo in Spalato De repub l. 9. c. 10. § 12 13 c. The Bishop before he admit any person into holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall assist him at the imposition of hands c. And if any Bishop or Suffragan shall admit any to sacred Orders who is not so qualified and examined as before we have ordained the Arch-bishop of the province being assisted by one Bishop shall suspend the said Bishop or Suffragan so offending from making either Deacons or Priests for the space of two years Canon Eccles. anno 1603. num 35. Ibid. num 34. No man is to be ordained except he bring letters of his good life and conversation under the seal of some Colledge in Cambridge or Oxford or three or four grave Ministers together with the subscription of other credible persons w. o have known his life and behaviour by the space of THREE years next before Here I cannot but annex a very seasonable piece of advice of M r. Hooker to all Masters and Fellows of Colledges Eccl Pol. lib. 5. § ult pag. penult I end with a request and most earnest suit First that they who give Ordination would as they tender the very honour of J. Christ and safety of men and the endless good of their own souls take heed lest unnecessarily and through their default the Church be found worse or less furnished then it might be Secondly that they which by right of Patronage have power to present unto spiritual livings and may in that respect much damnifie the Church of God would sor the ease of their own account in that dreadfull day somewhat 〈◊〉 what it is to betray for gain the souls which Christ hath redeemed with bloud what to violate the sacred bond of 〈◊〉 and solemn promise given at the first to God and his Church by them from whose original interest together with the self-same Title of right the same Obligation of duty likewise is descended Again That the graver and wiser sort in both Universities
the people to live well and Christianly Q. Eliz injunct 7. Decanus residentiarii quantum maximè possint dabunt operam ut minores Canonici aut vicarii ministri Ecclesiae non ignavi inutiles vitam ducant in otio illicitis lusibus se exerceant Liber quorundam Canonum anno 1571. cap. 2. l Weapon Interdiximus servis Dei ut 〈◊〉 habitu vel sago vel armis utantur Cutbert in Spelmanni Concil pag. 238. Non licet Clerico esse mercatorem nec habere praefecturam nec turpe lucrum sectari nec implicare se negotiis secularibus nec esse ebriosum nec bibere in tabernis sed oportet eum semper esse paratum ad hoc quod ordinatus est Non debet esse superbus arrogans nec superfluus in vestibus nec comptus annulis non debet armis uti nec ad bellum procedere quia canones docent quòd quicunque clericus in bello aut rixa mortuus fuerit neque oblatione neque oratione postuletur pro eo Theodori poenitentiale MS. in bibliotheca Collegii Corporis Christi Cantabr in medio voluminis m Apparel and adorning the body Proviso nè Clerici in publicum nisi promissis vestibus cassocks induti prodeant Constitut. 1603. 74. Injunctions 1559. 30. See John Gersons excellent tract De temperantia in cibis potu vestibus Praelatorum where he proves that excess in these will be one means to ruin the Church Now whether to go in coerpo with a band hanging over the shoulders and hair 〈◊〉 almost to the middle of the back compassed round with ribbons so that many in holy Orders look rather like 〈◊〉 and ruffians then Clergy-men whether this agrees with old Canons let him judge who meets there oft with Clericus comam non nutriat which is called by Epiphanius An Apostolical Constitution p. 1073. 1074. edit Petav. or consults Spelmanni Concilia p. 52.6 p. 453. § 47. Concil Carthag IV. can 44. Aniceti epist. decret Dionys. De eccles hierar par 2. c. 3. or the late Canons De vestitu clericorum anno 1564. or regards the custome of any other Churches or S. Pauls plain precept 1 Cor. xi 14 16. or knows how sharply Epiphanius in the place afore-cited and S. Augustin lib. De oper Manich. cap. ult do rebuke some Monks for going in long hair n Secular business 〈◊〉 No man being admitted a Deacon or Minister shall use himself in the course of his life as a lay-man upon pain of excommunication Can. 75. anno 1603. Presbyteri sciant se necessariò pro Dei intuitu debere à secularibus negotiis causìsque in quantum praevaleant vacare Spelman pag. 247. 8. 582. 34. o Residence of Bishops Vide Constitutiones Othoboni De residentia Episcoporum p. 43. Pastor bonus cognoscens gregem suum debet ipsum corporis mentis oculis jugiter intueri c. Sub divini attestatione judicii commonemus ut ad commissi gregis curam c. ibid. Spelman p. 238. Statuimus ut singulis annis unusquisque Episcopus parochiam suam solicitè circumeat populum confirmare plebem docere p Patrimony of Christ. The goods of the Church are called the goods of the poor and in these days nothing is less seen then the poor to be sustained with the same so saith the 15 th Injunct of Edw. 6. anno 1547. Gratian having brought many autorities to this purpose concludes thus By all these autorities it is clear that Clergy-men can have no propriety if they have they are no Clergy men 12. q. 1. c. habebat Almost all the 9 th book of Spalato De Eccles. Repub. is spent in proving this but see chiefly c. 7. § 8 9 10 11 12 13. c. 1. § 18. ad finem The same Spalato hath more to the same purpose in his large reply which is extant in Cajus Colledge library to that letter of Bishop Hall which was printed by John Crook 1660. in Bishop Halls remains p. 394. In which reply Spalato complains that his writing upon this subject was the onely reason why his third tome which now hath been twice printed in Germany was not permitted to come forth in England in the year 1620. The judgement of Bishop Goodman in this point 〈◊〉 in u my last note q Enriching of kinsfolk This follows from the former For if Ecclesiastical goods be as our Church saith the goods of the poor then kinsfolk ought not be enriched by them Non te numerus propinquorum avarum faciat quasi illis in haereditatem congregare debeas nullus haeres melior est Christo nemo tui thesauri fidelior custos est Epistola Alcuini ad Eanbaldum Archiep. in Poenitentiali Theodori Archiepiscopi Cantuariensis Thus the 38 th Apostolical Canon saith that a Bishop is to dispense the goods of the Church as in the presence of God and it is not lawfull for him to give any thing even to his own parents of those things that belong to God onely if they be poor he is to help them as other poor people and not to prey upon the Churches goods for them The Councel of Gangra which was presently after the first Nicen decrees can 8. That if any receive an oblation beside the Bishop and him that is appointed by the Bishop to dispense alms to the poor both he that gives and he that receives it shall be excommunicate See more Canons in Spalato l. 9. c. 4. § 13. c. 7. § 10. I conclude this with a passage of S. Augustin Serm. 21. ad fratres in eremo tom 10. Non ergò habere debemus temporalia c. We ought not therefore to have temporal goods to keep them in our possession nor must I that am a Bishop have them but onely to dispense to poor people because the goods of the Church are the goods of the poor wherefore I must take great heed lest the estate of the poor which belongs to the Church of Hippo be given to the rich In which matter I have hitherto quit my self well For I have kinred who call themselves noble and they come to me being a Bishop one while threatning another while flattering me and say Father give us somewhat for we are your kin And yet by Gods grace and the mediation of your prayers I do not remember that ever I enriched one of them For the poor are more dear to me then the rich because having food and raiment we should be therewith content See more of this and all the former particulars in Concilio Aquisgranensi de Ecclesiastica disciplina celebrato anno 836. in Binio tom 3. part 1. Sect. poster pag. 313. c. Hieron adv Jovin l. 2. De consecrat dist 5. c. Ne tales Prosperum de vitá contemplativâ these chapters Of the negligence of a Priest who acts contrary to his doctrine lib. 1 cap. 15. what danger will betide them who neglect the cure committed to their charge c. 16.
what manner of persons Priests should be c. 21. 25. That Priests ought to look upon nothing as their own l. 2. c. 9. how they ruine their souls who take of the goods of the Church when they have enough of their own c. 10. Concil Carthagin 4. Lopez 〈◊〉 patrum l. 5. c. 11. Episcopi non 〈◊〉 consanguineos Bishop Andrews p. 39. of this book and note b r Councels Episcopus bis in anno Synodum cogat parochiam suam semel 〈◊〉 peccata corripiens Spelman p. 293. 3. P. 28. l. 18. I see not what good cometh of your assembling namely to the Church Sacerdotum ac principum concilium uno 〈◊〉 habebatur ac unum tantum agebatur ut pecunia imperaretur Polydor. Vergil l. 27. in Hen. 8. mihi pag. 1710 Edit Gandavi 1557. s Correction of manners See many laws to this end in Concilio Aquisgranensi jam citato and in Spelman p. 395. c. t Laity I shall onely minde the Laity for 20 years confusion hath made many forget how the Church of England exhorteth them to behave themselves in holy places and at holy times God joyns both together Lev. xix 30. All Bishops and Preachers shall 〈◊〉 and teach the people committed to their spiritual charge to use themselves in this manner following that is to say At their entrie or coming into the Church let them make account with themselves how they have bestowed the week past remembring what 〈◊〉 mindes and purposes they have had what words they have spoke what things they have done or left undone to the dishonour and displeasure of God 〈◊〉 what example or occasion of evil they have given to others And when they have thus recollected and considered all these things in their minds then let them humbly acknowledge their faults unto God and ask forgiveness for the same with unfeigned purpose in their hearts to convert and return from their naughty lives and to amend the same And when they have so done then let them clearly and purely in their hearts remit and forgive all malice and displeasure which they bear to any creature and after that let them fall unto prayer according to the commandment of Christ where he saith Mat. 5. When ye begin to pray forgive what soever displeasure ye have against any man And when they be 〈◊〉 of prayer then let them use reading of the word of God or some other good and heavenly doctrine so that they do it quietly without disturbance of others that be in the Church Or else let them imploy their minds with some wholsome and godly moditations whereby they may be the better Thus far the book entituled The Institution of a Christian man subscribed by 21 of our English Bishops in the year 1537. And they are to keep holy days not in idleness pride 〈◊〉 c. but in hearing the word of God read and taught in private and publick prayers in acknowledging their offences to God and amendment of the same in reconciling themselves charitably to their 〈◊〉 where displeasure hath been in often receiving the Communion in visiting the poor and sick in using all soberness and godly conversation Thus the 25. injunction Edw. 〈◊〉 ao D. 1547. Reformation of the laity It seems the laity needed reforming in D r. Colets days but how much more they have needed it since appears by a Sermon preacht by the Bishop of Chichester at S. Pauls Cross March 4. 1576. in the midst whereof are these words Good Lord what devotion was there in the children of darkness meaning papists in his memory They would go a foot many an hundred miles to a dumb image They would rise by midnight and tarry all the morning in the Church cold and hungry to hear that which they understood not They gave away their goods and their lands to clothe images They would eat nothing but bread and water full many a time and spare from their own belly to bestow it as their zeal led them I leave them to God I hope the best But we that have the light of the Gospel that know true religion and true faith and true prayer and true alms have little devotion either to fast or to do the works of true mercy We will scarce rise at seven a clock nay at nine a clock to hear the word of God and to serve God we will not go a mile nay we will scarce go out of our chambers and houses to hear Christ preached and to honour God in his congregation Never so little business stayeth us from Sermons and Common-Prayer c. I finde Erasmus in his Epistles l. 10. ep 9 10. saepe alibi oft calling D r. Colet praeceptorē unicum optimum but why I know not unless for his giving so good praecepts in this Sermon u Courts Vide librum quorundam Canonum 1571. cap. 4. constitutiones 1597. de excessibus Appariturū reformand feodis quae officiariis Eccles. debentur Godfrey Goodman the last Bishop of Gloucester in his epistle to Trinity Colledge in Cambridge set before his Mysteries of Christian Religion hath these words I confess that God would never have permitted us to have suffered in such a manner as we have done had we not provoked him with our sins and that I may be our own accuser I think our greatest offence did consist in these two things First that many of us did not spend our Church-means in a Church-like manner but converted them to our own private uses or otherwise mis-imployed them therefore God justly takes them away and permits sacriledge we our selves having first offended in the same kinde For certainly Church-means should have relation as well to the uses as to the persons and a Church man in mispending them commits sacriledge And whereas many excuse it in regard of their wives and children God forbid but regard should be had of them yet still with moderation I cannot excuse the excess of Apparel and some other courses of expence Yet this I must testifie for a truth that speaking privately with some Bishops they told me and I beleeved them that they layed not up one farthing of their Bishopricks and this may appear for many of them died very poor as Worcester Hereford Peterborough Bristol and not unlike but others will do so Another great fault in the Church was the intolerable abuse of Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction therefore God hath made us now uncapable of any Jurisdiction So just and wonderful is he in all his judgements I confess in mine own particular I did as much desire and labour to reform it as any man could do yet I could never prevail Herein a little to excuse the Church I have it and can produce it at this time under the Kings own hand and seal wherein he forbids that any Church man or Priest in holy Orders should be a Chancellour and this was the occasion of all the corruption of the spiritual Court for the Judges at the Common Law have
own punishment along with it for though he had eloquence both by nature and education had wonderful store of matter in his head when he began to make a speech yet he oft tripped in those things which Criticks are wont to take notice of And thereupon I suppose he abstained from writing books which I wish he had not done for I HEARTILY DESIRE THE * You have a catalogue of D r. Colets works in the second page of my Preface to this book where I should have added that his Commentary on the Epistle to the Romanes and an Epistle of his to a Cardinal both writ with his own hand are in the Library of S. Pauls school in London together with the printed statutes of that school and his last Will copied out of the Prerogative Office which will give some light to this Narrative MEDITATIONS OR WORKS OF THIS MAN IN WHAT LANGUAGE SOEVER THEY ARE PENNED § 25. And now lest you should think any thing wanting to the complete piety of D r. Colet in the last place hear his afflictions He never agreed well with his Bishop who to say nothing of his manners was a superstitious and stubborn Scotist thereupon thought himself half a God Of which sort of men though I know some whom I will not call knaves yet I never saw one whom I thought I might truly term a Christian Neither was the Doctour acceptable to most of his own Colledge because he was very tenacious of regular discipline and the Prebends complained that he used them as if they were Monkes whereas indeed 〈◊〉 at Colledge was antiently and in old records is called the Eastern Monastery as Westmonasterium the Western Monasterie § 26. But when the old Bishop for he was fourscore years of age his hatred grew too high to be smothered the fire brake out and adjoyning two other Bishops as wise and virulent as himself he began to trouble D. Colet exhibiting articles against him to the Archbishop of Canterbury taken out of his Sermons 1. That he said Images were not to be worshipped 2. That preaching upon that passage in the Gospel Feed feed feed my sheep he expounded the first by good example the second by sound doctrine as other Expositors do but in the third he differed from them denying that the Apostles who were poor men were commanded to feed their sheep with temporal revenue because they had none of it themselves that he named somwhat else in this third place Lastly That by blaming those that read all or most of their sermons which I 〈◊〉 many do now in England very coldly he had obliquely taxed his Diocesan who being a very old man was wont to do so The Archbishop being wel acquainted with Colets * 〈◊〉 in his general practise of Physick part 1. c. 12. Sect. 1. saith that one of his excellencies 〈◊〉 a memorie so stupendious that be could repeat all the 〈◊〉 memoriter verbatim and never forgat any thing that he read And that he got this by help of a medicine there described Sit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 autorem Yet there may be some truth in it But I take Polydore Vergil to be far the more credible authour who hist lib. 26. p. 〈◊〉 gives us a large relation of D r. Colets life yet 〈◊〉 which you have not had in this of 〈◊〉 except that his mother was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester stirred up D r. Colet to propagate learning that he studied at Cambridge as well as at Oxford that he desired no honour sought no wealth or riches which followed him running from them and that for his sweet dispositions and holiness of life he was esteemed in England almost 〈◊〉 Apostle Paul excellencies received the articles but instead of being his Judge became his Advocate § 27. Yet the old mans 〈◊〉 did not end so but stroveto incense the Court against him especially K. Henry VIII himself because the Doctor had said in a sermon That an unjust peace was to be preferred before a most just war which sermon was preached in that nick of time when the king was raising forces against the French Two minim-Friars were the chief men that managed this business whereof one was an incendiary of the war for which he deserved a Bishoprick the other with a pair of huge lungs declamed in his sermons against Poets thereby aiming at Colet who though he had skil in musick yet was in truth averse from Poetry § 28. Here the King who was an excellent person in his youth gave an evident proof of his royal parts exhorting Colet privately to go on in his preaching freely to tax the corrupt manners of that age and not to withdraw his light in those most dark times adding That he knew very well what incensed the Bishops so highly against him and how much good Colet had done by his divine life and holy doctrine to the English Church and Nation lastly that he would so curb their endeavours that it should appear to the world who 〈◊〉 troubled Colet should not escape unpunisht Hereupon Colet humbly thanked the King for His royal favour but beseeched Him not to do so professing that he had rather lay down his preferment than that any should suffer for his sake § 29. But soon after another occasion was offered by which they hoped to ruine him For it happened that the King made preparation to march after Easter against the French and upon Good-Friday Colet made a sermon to the King and Courtiers which was much admired concerning the Victory of Christ Wherein he exhorted all Christians to fight under the banner of their heavenly King and overcome saying That they who either through hatred or ambition or covetousnes do fight with evil men and so kil one another fight not under the banner of Christ but the Devil shewing withall how hard a thing it is to die like a Christian how few go forth to battell free from hatred and covetousness and how difficult for such to be in charity without which no man shall see God who sheath their swords in their brethrens bowels Adding that they should rather imitate their King Christ then Pagan Cesars and Alexanders And he had so many other 〈◊〉 passages to this purpose that His Majestie was somewhat afraid lest this sermon would dis hearten the souldiers that were listed § 30. Hereupon all the birds of prey flockt about Colet like an owl hoping the King would be incensed against him His Majestie commands Colet to come before him at Greenwich He goes into the garden of the Monastery of the Franciscans which was near presently dismisseth his attendants When they two 〈◊〉 alone the King bid Colet cover his head and speak his minde freely and then His Highness began thus Dean be not surprized with needless fear I did not send for you hither to disturb your most holy labours which I resolve to cherish as much as I can but to unload my conscience of