of conscience he who hath learned nothing is made the teacher of others and like sounding brasse and a â—inkling Cymball usurpes the office of Preaching when as he is an unprofitable â—tock and a dumbe Idoll This is it which Ecclesiastes deploringly complaines of I have seene saith he an evill under the Sunne a foole placed in high dignity and wise men sitting in low places An illiterate Bishop is a dumbe preacher It is a Prelates duty to instruct the people under him to render a people acceptable to God by opening the mystery of the Scriptures But at this day such as the people are such is the Priest as hiâ— darknes is so also is light Blush O Sidon at the Sea a Prelaâ—e may blush and grieve to rule over people not to profit them to have taken upon him the office of a Teacher and to be mute in instructing the people It is the word of the lamenting Prophet My people is become a lost flock their Pastors have seduced them they are dumbâ— dogges not able to barkeâ— They ought to drive the Wolves from the flocks but they themselves are wolves to their owne taking care neither of their owne nor theirs salvation they preciâ—itate theâ—selves with their flocks into the pit of eternall death Thus and much more he Not to mention Grostheads booke de Ignavia Praelatorum Or Halredus de Praelatorum moribus Nigellus Wireker de Abusu rerum Ecclesiae Gualther Mapes his Complaint against the Prâ—lâ—tes Ad malâ—s Pastores ad â—mpios Praelatosâ— Robert Baston de sacerdotum Luxuriis or â—ohn Purvey de obliquo cleri statu all declaiming against the Lordlinesse pompe pride wealth and vâ—â—es of Prelates the most of which bookes the Prelates have suppressed their titles onely being left upon record Nor yet to mention the passages of Robert Holkot our famous Clerke In lib. Sapientiae lect 77.163 and lect 1. in Proverbia Solomonis to like purpose Richardus Armachanus Archbishop of Armagh flourishiâ—g in the beginning of Wicklifâ— time about the yeare of Christ 1350. De Questionibus Armenorum l. 11. â— 1. determines thus That neither the Dominion nor Ministry of temporall things belongs to Ecclesiasticall dignity but rather deminishes iâ— For the Lord prohibited the Dominion of temporall things to his Apostles and Disciples saying Possesse neither gold nor moneys in your purses Mat. 10.19 If thou wilt be perfect goâ— and sell all thou hast give to the poore Now it cannot bee of Ecclesiasticall dignity which the Head of the Church hath prohibited to his members or at least would not have them to poâ—sessâ—â— Whence it appeares that the dominion or possession of temporall things doth in no wise essentially appertaine to Ecclesiasticall dignity but rather diminisheth it In the second Chapter he averres that these states and degrees of Patriâ—rch Archbishop Bishop c. were invented onely out of the devotion of men not instituted by Christ and his Apostles That no Prelate of the Church how great soever hath any greater degree of the power of order then a simple Priest In the fourth Chapter hee proves that the power of confirmation and imposition of hands that the Holy Ghost may be given thereby appertains to the jurisdiction of thâ— Presbytery Which he manifesteth by Acts 7. 14. 1 Tim. 4. and by the practice of the Primitive Church after the Apostles time In the fourth and fifth Chapters he demonstrates That Priests are called Bishops by the Apostle Phil. 1.1 1 Tim. 3. Titus 1. and Acts 20.28 Et quod ordine succedant Apostolis and that they succeed the Apostles in order In the sixth Chapter he proves That all Priests and Bishops are equall as to the power of Order And in the fourth Chapter he punctually determines That there is no distinction found in the Evangelicall or Apostolicall Scriptures betweene Bishops and simple Priests called Presbyters Whence it followâ—s Quod in omnibus est una potestas aequalis ex ordinâ— that in all of them there is one and equall power by reason of Order And that for ought he can find the Apostle Paul doth not in any of his Epistles distinguish between the Order of Presbyters that is of Apostles and Bishops That every one who hath the cure of others is a Bishop Which the name of a Bishop importeth and manifesteth For a Bishop is nothing else but a superintendent or watchman From whence it is evidentâ— that besides the power of Order hee hath nothing but a Cure Our famous English Apostle John VVicklife as Master Fox oft stiles him delivers the selfesame doctrine of the Identity of Presbyters and Bishops Dialogorum l. 4. c. 14. De Sacramento ordinis f. 124 125. Some men saith he multiply the character in Orders But I consider whether their foundation or fruit be in the Scripture But one thing I confidently averre That in the Primitive Church and in Pauls time two Orders sufficed The Presbyter and the Deacon Likewise I say that in Pauls time a Presbyter and Bishop suit idem was the same This appeares by the first of Timothy chap 3. and Tâ—tus chap. 1. And herein that profound Divine Hierome justifies the same as appeares Distinct. 74. Cap. Olim. For then was not invented that distinction of Pope and Cardinalls Patriarchs and Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Officials and Deanes with other Officers and private Religions of which there is neither number nor Order Concerning the contentions about these things that every one of these is an Order and that in the reception thereof the grace of God and a character is imprinted with other difficulties which ours babble about it seemeâ— good to me to be silent because they neither establish nor prove what they affirme But out of the faith of Scripture it seemeâ—h to me to suffice if there be Presbyters and Deacons keeping the staâ—e and office which Christ hath imposed on them Because it seemes certaine that Caesarian Pride invented these other degrees and Orders For if they had been necessary to the Church Christ and his Apostles had not been silent in the expression of them and description of their office as those blaspheme who magnifie the Popes Laws above Christ. But a Catholicke ought to receive the office of these Clergy-men out of the Scriptures authority out of the Epistles to Timothy and Titus Neither ought he under paine of sinne to admit these new Caesarian inventions Thomas Waldensis Wickliffes professed Antagonist Tom. 1. l. 3. Artic. 3. c. 29.30.31 32. Tom. 2. c. 117 118. and Tom. 3. c. 60.61 62 63. brings in Wickliffâ— proving by many arguments That Bishops and Presbyters are all one and the same by divine institution and Gods Law That the Ordination of Presbyters belongs not onely to Bishops sed etiam ad simplicâ—m Sacerdotem But even to a meere Priest as well as to them That one ordained a Minister by a meere Priest alone ought not to doubt of his Priesthood or to seeke
by foolish men If Aerius was an Hereticke in this thing he had Ierome a companion of his Heresie and not onely him but also many other Ancient Fathers both Greeke and Latine as Medina confesseth Alphonsus de Castro saith that the Church was sarre enough off from the minde of Hierome and a certaine man hath written in the Margin that Ieromes opinion is to be dissembled not to be urged Pighius writes that Ierome is involved in such difficulties out of which he could not winde himselfe and that he fell into perplexed absurdities no wayes cohearing and fighting among themselves It is no wonder if they speake evill of us who thus petulantly insult over Ierome Marianus Victorius endeavours to excuse Ierome and writes that he speakes not of Bishops and Presbyters but oâ— Bishops onely and that verily all these are equall and that many did ill interpret Hierome otherwise But Ierome most manifestly compares Presbyters with Bishops and that Marianus had most easily seene unlesse he had beene miserably blinde yet at length by the opinion of Marianus all Bishops are equall Turrianus otherwise and more acutely answers Hieronymum non dicere Presbyterum idem sed eundem esse cum Episcopo What knots doth this Jesuiâ—e here seeke in a Rush If a Presbyter be the same that a Bishop is and the Bishop the same that a Presbyter is what at last good Jesuite canst thou thinke to be between a Presbyter and a Bishop Thus verily our adversaries yea Bpp finde not how they may defend themselves from this sentence of Hierome and truely all of them sticke in the same mire albeiâ— some of them are more foulely plunged than others The matter now returnes to Bellarmine as to the Triary he most confidently pronounceth that Ierome differeth as much from Aerius as a Catholick from an Hereticke I most firmely averre the contrary that their opinions concerâ—ing this thing can by no meanes be disjoyned nor distinguished Aerius thought that a Presbyter differed not â—rom a Bishop by Divine right and authority Hierome contends this very thing and defends it by the same testimonies of Scriptures as Aerius doth Now quam inepte pueriliter how foolishly and childishly Epiphanius answereth to those testimonies all may perceive For he saith that the Apostle was wont to write thus because that at that time there were not any Presbyters in many Câ—urches by reason of the paucity of Presbyters I admire so great a Theologue who tooke upon him to refute all Heretickes saw not how shamefully he was mistaken For what was theâ—â— at that time greater plenty of Bishops than of Presbyters that whereas there were many Bishops in one City yet there were no presbyters there The notable absurdiâ—y of this anâ—were Bellarmine himselfe acknowledged And yet this is that Epiphanius who first of all proscribed Aerius as an Hereticke absque Synodi aut Ecclesiae judicio without the judgement of a Synod or of the Church But what saith Bellarmine he propoundeth a double difference betweene Aerius and Hierom. The first is that Ierom writes everywhere That a Bishop is greater than a Presbyter as to the power of Order I answere that it is most false Hierome never writ so neither doth he by any meanes acknowledg a Bishop to be greater than a Preâ—byter unlesse it be by custome which he distinguisheth from divine disposition And if there were so great a difference wherefore doth Ierome that he may revok Deacons to modesty reduce them into order affirme that Presbyters are Bishops Whence doth he admonish that this contention taken up against Presbyters belongs to B ps themselves seeing Presbyters by the first institution of this order and Ministry are B ps Now if there were the greatest difference between these in the power of order had not Ierome bin very sottish in his argument Now whereas he saith What doth a B p except ordination which a Presbyter may not do He speaks of the custome of those times that not even the when by the custome of the Church a Bishop was greater then a Presbyter could a Bishop doe more then a Presbyter in any thing except in ordination yea elsewhere Hierom himselfe attributes ordination to Presbyters And indeed so he doth for in Zoph 1. 2. Tom. 5. pag. 218. D. he writes thus Sacerdotes c That Priests who baptize and consecrate the Lords Supper which is the greater MANVS IMPONVNT LEVITAS ET ALIOS CONSTITVVNT SACERDOTES lay on hands ordaine Levites and other Priests which is in truth but the lesse The second is that although Ierome doth not acknowledge any difference jure divino betweene the jurisdiction of a Bishop and Presbyter yet he grants that this was lawfully introduced by the Apostles and that necessarily to avoyd Schismes I answere first that Bellarmin hath resolved out of the opinion of Ierome that there is no difference in the Jurisdiction of a Bishop and Presbyter whence it is manifest what Ierome thought of the Jurisdiction and Primacy of the Pope For seeing the Primacy of the Pope consists in Jurisdiction Ierome thinks that Iure Divino the Jurisdiction of a Bishop is not greater than that of a Presbyter it followes from Ieromes opinion that the Papacy and Prelacy Divino mullo juâ—â— nitatur rests upon no divine Law Secondly â—â—llarmine fights with himselfe and makes Ierome to speake contradictions For if Ierome thought that jurisdiction of a Bishop not to be Iuris Divini how theâ— was that difference introduced by the Apostles or how could Ierome prove out of the Apostles writings that there was not any difference betweene them Certainely that which the Apostles instituted and introduced hath the force of divine right Finally this profound Doctor in his adâ—0 â—0 Rationem Campiani p. 51. concludes thus of Aeriusâ—is â—is opinion And â—ruely if to condemne prayers for the deadâ— Et Episcopo Presbyteros aequare sit hâ—â—reticum NIHIL CATHOLICVM ESSE POTEST and â—o equall Presbyters to a Bishop he Heretiâ—all nothing can be Catholike Thus this great Doctor William Whitaker with whom his Coaetaneans Doctor Willet in his Synopsiâ— Papismi Controversie Generall 5. part 2. in the Appendix p. 272. to 284. in the last Edition and Master William Perkins in his Reformed Catholicke Cont. 18. c. 21. concurre I wonder therefore with what impudency and shamelesse brow Bishop Hall and others dare condemne the defenders of the identity and Parity of Presbyters and Bishops by Divine right for Aerian Heretickes Schismatickes Novillers and oppugners of the received Doctrine of the Church of England when as the learnedest Prelates Martyrs and writers of our Church as appeares by the premises have proâ—essedly justified this opinon as Apostolicall Orthodox Ancient and Catholike warranted by the unanimous consent both of Scriptures and Fathers â—s will further appearâ— by the next Authority with which I shall conclude And that is our incomparably learned Doctor Iohn Rainolds once professor of Divinity
to the Pope But what say you to your Oath made unto your Prince wherein you sweare that you shall be faithfull and true and beare unto him above all creatures love and favour to live and to dye with him and to open him all manner of Counsells that may be hurtfull unto his grace Now it is well knowne that the Pope hath done and dayly doth handle such Counsells as be against our Princes honour and conversation And yet you may neither tell it to your Prince nor let it and why because you be sworne to the Pope and forsworne to your Prince Tell me when any thing was opened unto our Prince by you that the Pope had handled in counsell against our Prince Of this thing I will take record of his Noble grace whether I say true or falseâ— and yet must I be accused of Treason And why because you are sworne to the Pope and I am true to the King It followeth I will helpe to defend and maintaine the Papistry of Rome against all men saving mine order And in your new Oath now in our days made is added The regalls of Saint Peter What and in all men be contained your Prince you must needes defend him And why because ye be sworne to the Pope and forsworne to your Prince For your Oath to your Prince is to defend him with all your wit and reason against all men now must you forsake one of them and your practise hath beene alwayes to forsake your Prince and sticke to the Pope for of your Oath made to your Prince you have been oftentimes assoiled And as your Law saith the Church of Rome is 〈◊〉 so to doe But of your Oath made unto the Pope there is no absolution neither in heaven nor earth Neither was it ever read heard nor seene that there could be any dispensation for it Let me be reported by all the Bookes that ever were written and by all the Bulls that ever were granted and by all the experience that ever was used and if I be found false let me be blamed and yet I am sure many men will reckon that I speake uncharitably but I would faine learne of all Charitable men in England with what other English words I could declare this intolerable or subtile treason thus long and shamefully used agâ—inst my Prince which is necessary to be knowne And I am compelled by violence to declare both my conâ—ession and learning in this cause For men hath not beene ashamed to report that I would which am but a wretch and poore simple wonne and not able to kill a Cat though I would doe my utteâ—most to make insurrection against my Noble and mighty Prince whom as God knoweth I doe honour worâ—hip love and favour to the uttermost power of my heart and am not satisfied because it is no more This I speake afore God Let him be mercifull unto me as it is true and if I were not so true in my heart it were not possible for me so earnestly to write against them whom I doe reckon to handle unfaithfully and untruely with their Prince yea against both Gods law and mans law The very truth is I can suffer through Gods grace all manner of wrongs injuries and slanders but to be called an hereticke against God or a Traytor against my Priâ—ce he liveth not but I will say he lyeth and will be able so to prove him if I may be reported by my workes or deedes by my conversation or living or by any thing that ever I did and I dare say as much of my self notwithstanding our Prelates slanders of me But unto my purpose the Bishops doth swear one Oath to the Pope another contrary to their Prince And yet they will be taken for good and faithfull children And I poore man must be condemned and all my workes for Heresiâ— and no man to reade them under the paine of Treason And why because I write against their perjurie toward their Prince But how commeth Saint Peter by these regales that you are sworne to defend seeing that he was never no King but a Fisher All the world knoweth that Regalia belongeth to Kings and to like power of Kings Why are you noâ— rather sworne to defend Peters net and his Fisherie the which things hee both had and used and never regalls But these things will not maintaine the holy Church of Rome and therefore yee sweare not to maintaine them But what meane you by that sentence Saving mine order why say you not saving my Kings pleasure your glosse saith you may not defend these things with weapons But oh Lord God what unshamefulnesse is this thus to delude with words all the whole world Men knoweth that when the Pope hath neede of your helpe there is no men sooner in Armes than you are if you call Armes Harneys Bylles and Glaves swords and gunnes and such other things Doe you not remember how soone the Bishop of Norwich Henry Spenser was in Armes to defend Popâ— Vrban it were but folly to recite examples In the yeare of our Lord 1164. was there a controversie betweene the Kings Grace and the Bishops of England for certaice Prerogatives belonging to the King Wherefore the King required an Oath and a confirmation of the Bishops as concerning those Articles prerogatives But answere was made of the Bishops that those prerogatives cum omnibus pravitatibus in regio scripâ—o contentis were of none effect nor strength because they did forbid to appeale to the Court of Rome unlesse the King gave licence And because that no Bishop might goe at the Popesâ— calling out of the Realme without the Kings assent And because the Clerkes should be convented in criminall causes a fore a temporall Judge And because the King would heare matters as concerning tithes and other Spirituall causes And because that it was against the See of Rome and the dignity of the same that a Bishop should be convented afore the King Briefely they would not be under the King but this addition should be set unto it Salvo honore Dei Ecclesiiae Romanae ordine nostro that is we will be under your grace saving the honour of God of the Church of Rome and of our order the cause why they did except these things was this as they themselves grant For Kings received their authorities and power of the Church but the Church receiveth her authority of Christ onely wherefore they conclude that the King cannot command over Bishops nor absolve any of them nor to judge of tithes nor of Churches neither yeâ— to forbid Bishops the handling of any spirituall cause Is not here a marveilous blindnesse and obstinacie against their Prince They will make it against Gods honour to obey their King and are not ashamed to say in the Kings face that his power is of them But I pray you whether was Kings before Bishops or Bishops before Kings you shall finde
Ordination elsewhere if he rightly discharge his ministeriall office That a bare Priest may supply the place of a Bishop in conferring Orders c. And Thomas Walsinghâ—m with others testifie That in his time one Lollard that was a Priest did commonly ordaine and create another And oâ—â—er that every Priest had as great power to conferre the Sacraments of the Church as the Bishops had In a word Wickliffe affirmed That there were twelve Disciples of Antichrist which plot against the Church of Christ to wit Popes Cardinalâ— Patriarchsâ— Archbishops Bishops Archdeacons Officials Deanes Monks Canons Friers Pardoners All these twelve writes he Et specialiter Praelagi Caesarij and specially Caesarean Prelates are the maniâ—est Disciples of Antâ—christ Because they take away the liberty of Chriâ—t and burthen and hinder the holy Church that the Law of the Gospell should not have free passage as in former times it had So that he dâ—emed the calling of Bishops Antichristian And as for their Temporalties and sâ—cular offices He positâ—vely maintained That Popes Cardinals Bishops and other Priests might not civiliter dominari rule like Temporall Lords or beare any civill office without mortall sinne That it is a sinne to endow them with temporall possessions That no Prelates ought to have any Prison to punish or restraine offendors nor yet to purchase large temporall possessions or riches And that no King ought to impose any secular office upon any Bishop or Curate For then both the King and Clerke should be Proditor Iesu Christi a betrayer of Jesus Christ. Which he manifests at large Dialog l. 4. c. 15 16 17 18.26 27. Where he proves That the temporall Lords have grievously sinned in endowing the Bishops and Church with large temporall possessions That warres and contention have risen thence that this endowment hath reversed Christs Ordination and procreated Antichrist to the manifold deturbation of Christs Spouse Whence Chronicles note that in the dotation of the Church an Angels voyce was then heard in the ayre This day is poyson powred into the whole Church of God And from Constantines time who thus endowed the Churches the Roman Empire and secular Dominion in it hath still decreased Therefore if Kings would preserve their Dominions intire and not have them diabolically torne if they would reforme and preserve the peace of the Church and keepe their Subjects â—oyall and not have them Rebels Let them study to reforme the Church according to Christs Ordinanceâ— under whose government it will be most prosperously regulated anâ— all warres symony with other mischâ—ifes will cease Concluding that it is not onely lawfull for them to take away these temporalities from the Church which abuseth them but that they ought to doe it under paine of eternall damnation in Hell seeing they ought to repent of this their folly and to satisfie for the same wherewith they have defiled the Church of Christ. Finally hee stiles the Bishops lesser Antichrists who following the great Antichrist forsake and banish the office of Preaching which Christ hath designed to them and bring in thâ— office of spoyling those that are under them feeding upon the sheep of Christ. William Swinderby a Martyr under Richard the sâ—cond had thiâ— Article objeâ—â—ed to him that hee held That all Priests are of like power in all â—hings notwithstanding that some of them in this World are of higher and greater honour degree or preheminence And concerning the wealth possessions and Lordships of Prelates he thus affirmed before the Bishops who convented and examined him As anenâ—t the taking away of temporalities I say that it is lawfull for Kings Princes Dukes and Lords of the World to taâ—â— away from Popes Cardinals fro Bishops and Prelates possessions of the Church their temporalities and their almes they have given them upon condition they should serve God the better when they verily seen that their giving and their taking beene contrary to the Law of God to Christs living and his Apostles and namely in that they take upon them that shoulden be next followers of Christ and his Apostles in poorenesse and meeknesse to be secular Lords against tâ—e teaching of Christ and Saint Peter Luke 22 Reges gentium Et 1. Pet. 5. Neque Dominantes in Cleâ—â— and namely when such temporalities makes â—hem the more proud both in heart and array then they shoulden been else more in strife and debate against peace and charity and in â—vill ensample to the world more to be occupied in worldly businesse Omnem solicitudinem pro ijcientâ—s in â—um and drawes them from the service of God from edifying of Christs Church in impoverishing and in making lesse the state and power of Kings Princes Dukes and Lords that God hath set them in in wrongfull oppression of Commons for unmightfulnesse of Realmes For Paul saith to men of the Church whose lore Prelates shoulden soâ—veraignely follow Habentes victum vestitum hiiâ— contenti simus If men speaken of wordly power and Lordships and worships with other vices that raigne therein what Priest that insues and has most hereof in what degree so he be he is most Antichrist of all the Priests that been in earth This hee thus â—urther backes and seconds Truely me seemeth that all Christian men and namely Priests shoulden take keepe that their doing were according with the Law of God either the old Law either the new The Priests of the old Law weren forbidden to have Lordships among their Brethren for God said that he would be their part and their heritage And Christ that was the highest Priest of the new Testament forsook worldly Lordship and was here in forme of a servant and forbade his Priests such Lordships and said Reges gâ—ntium dominantur eorum c. Vos autem non sic that is The Kings of the Heathen beare dominion and rule c. But you â—hall not doe so And as Saint Peter saith Neque dominantes in clero c. Not bearing rule and dominion of the clergy c. So it seemeth me that it is against both Lawes of God that they have such Lordships and that their title to such Lordships is not full good And so it seemeth me that if they have been thereto of evill living it is no greâ—â— perill to take away from them such Lordships but rather needfull if the taking away were in charity and not for singular covetousnesse ne wrathâ— And I suppose that if Friers that been bound to their founders to live in poverty would breake their rule and take worldly Lordships might not men lawfully take from them such Lordships and make them to live in pâ—verty as their rule would And forsooth it seemeâ—h me that Priests oughten all so well to keep Christs rule as Friers owen to keepe the rulâ— of their founder Ieremy witnesseth how God commendeth Rechabs Children for that they would not break their Faders bidding in drinking of Wine And yet Ieremy proffered them wine to drink And so
Oxford William Cliffe Geoffry Dowes Robert Oking Ralph Bradford Richard Smith Simon Mathew Iohn Pryn William Buckmaster William May Nicholas Wotton Richard Cox Iohn Edmunds Thomas Robertson Iohn Baker Thomas Barret Iohn Hase Iohn Tyson Doctors and Professors in Divinity and of the civill and Canon Law with the whole Convocation House and Clergy of Enland in their Booke intituled The Institution of a Christian man dedicated by them to King Henry the eight Printed Cum Privilegio subscribed with all their names and ratified by the Statute of 32. Henry the eight cap. 26. chap. Of the Sacrament of Order fol. 48. c. And King Henry 8. himselfe in his Booke inscribed A necessary erudition for any Christian man published with the advise and approbation of all the Prelates Clergy of England in their Convocation and of the Lords Spirituall and Temporall and nether House of Parliament with the Kings owne royall Epistle to all his loving Subjects before it Anno 1545. by vertue of the Satute of 32 Henry the eight c. 26. Chap. of the Sacrament of Order Doe all thus joyntly determine of the calling jurisdiction Lordlinesse and secular imployments of Bishops The truth is that in the New Testament there is no mention made of any degrees or distinctions in Orders but onely of Deacons and Ministers and of Priests or Bishopâ— And of these two Orders onely that is to say Priests and Deacons Scripture maketh expresse mention and how they were conferred of the Apostles by Prayer and imposition of their hands And to these two the Primitive Church did add and conjoyne certaine other inferior and lower degrees And as concerning the office and duty of the said Ecclesiasticall Ministers the same consisteth in true preaching and teaching the word of God unto the people iâ— dispensing and ministring the Sacraments of Christ in consecratingâ— and offering the blessed body and blood of Christ in the Sacrament of the Altar in loosing and assoyling from sinne such persons as be sorry and truely penitent for the same and excommunicating such as bâ— guilty in manifest crimes and will not be reformed otherwise and finally in praying for the whole Church of Christâ— and specially for the flocke committed unto them And although the office and ministry of Priests and Bishops stand câ—iefly in these things before rehearsed yeâ— neither they nor any of them may exercise and execute any of the same offices but with such sort and such limitation as the Ordinances and Lawes of every Christian Realme doe permit and â—uffer It is out of all doubt that there is no mention made neither in Scripture neither in the writings of any authentical Doctâ—r or Author of the Church being within the time of the â—postles that Christ did ever make or institute any distinction or difference to be in the preheminence of power order or jurisdiction between the Apostleâ— themselves or between the Bishops themselves but that they were all â—quall in power authorâ—ty and jurisdâ—ctâ—on And that there is now and since the time of the Apostles any such diversity or difference among the Bishops It was devised by the ancient Fathers of the Primitive Church for the conservation of good order and unity of the Catholique Church and that either by the consent and authority or else at least by the permâ—ssion and suffâ—rance of the Prâ—nces and civill powers for the time ruling For the said Fathers considering the great and infinite multitude of Christian men so lâ—rgely encreased through the world and taking examples of the Old Testamâ—nt thought it expedient to make an order of degrees to be among Bishops and spirituall Governours of the Church and so ordained some to be Patriarks some to be Metropolitansâ— some to be Archbishops some to be Bishops and to them did limit severally not onâ—ly their certaine Diocesse and Provinces wherein they should exercise their power and not exceed the same but also certaine bounds and limits of their jurisdiction and power c. And lest peradventure it might be thought to some persons that such authorities powers and jurisdictions as Patriarks Primates Archbishops and Metropolitans now have or heretofore at any time have had justy and lawfully over any other Bishops were given them by God in holy Scripture We think it expedient and necessary that all men should be advertised and taught that all such lawfull powers and authority of one Bishop over another were and be given to them by the consent ordinance positive lawes of men only and not by any ordinance of God in holy Scripture and all other power and authority which any Bishop hath used or exercised over another which hath not been given to him by such consent and ordinance of men as is aforesaid is in very deed no lawful power but plaine usurpation and tyranny And therefore whereas the Bishop of Rome hath heretofore claimed and usurped to be head and governour over all Priests and Bishops of the holy catholique Church of Christ by the lawes of God It is evident that the same power is utterly fained and untrue VVee thinke it convenient that all Bishops and Pastors shall instruct and teach the people committed to their spirituall charge that Christ did by expresse words prohibit that none of his Apostles nor any of their successors should under the pretence of authority of the sword that is to say the authority of Kings or any civill power in this world yea or any authority to make Lawes or Ordinances in causes appertaining â—â—to civill powers If any Bishop of what estate or dignity soâ—ver he be be he Bishop of Rome or of any other City Province or Diocesse doe presume to take upon him authority or jurisdiction in causes of matters which appertaine unto Kings and the civill powâ—rs and â—heir Courts and will maintaine or thinke that he may so doe by the authority of Christ and his Gospel although the Kings and Princes would not permit and suffer him so to doe no doubt that Bishop is not worthy to be called a Bishop but rather a Tyrant and a usurper of other mens rights contrary to the Lawes of God and is worthy to be reputed none otherwise than he that goeth about to subvert the Kingdome of Christ for the Kingdome of Christ in his Church is spirituall and not a carnall kingdome of the world that is to say the very Kingdome that Christ by himselfe or by his Apostles and Disciples sought here in this world was to bring all Nations from the carnall kingdome of the Prince of darknesse unto the light of his spirituall Kingdome and so himselfe raigne in the hearts of the people by grace faith hope and charity And therefore sith Christ did never seeke nor exercise any worldly kingdome or dominion in this world but rather refusing and flying the same did leave the said worldly governance of kingdomes Realmes and Nations to be governed by Princes and Potentates in like manner as he did finde them and commanded also his
from his legall tryall in open Court and to send him away uncondemned unlesse he likewise conspired with Queene Izabel against King Richard the second That I may in the interim omit the furies and bitter concertations of others with their Princes So he Wil. Alley Bishop of Exeter in his poore mans library par 1. Miscellanea Praelect 3. p. 95.96 Printed Cum Privilegio Iames Pilkington Bishop of Durham in his Treatise of burning of the Pauls Church and in his exposition on Agge ch 1. v. 1 2.3.4.9â—12.13 c. 2. v. 1.2.3.4.9.10 and on Abdyas v. 7.8 and Mr. Alexander Nowel Deane of Pauls in his Reproofe of Dormans proofe London 1565. f 43.44.45 Conclude that Bishops and Presbyters by Gods Word are one and the same citing S. Hieromes words on Titus 1. and to Euagrius and declaime much against the Pompe wealth and secular imployments of Bishops their words for brevity I shall pretermit Mr. Elmer afterwards Bishop of London in his Harborow for faithfull subjects Printed at Strasborough writes thus against Bishops Civill Authority Lordlinesse and wealth Christ saith Luke 12. Who made me a Iudge betweene you as though hee would say it belongeth not to my Office to determine matters of Policy and inheritance that belongeth to the Civill Magistrate If he had thought it had beene within the Compasse of his function why and with what Conscience refused he to set them at one who were at strife and to put that out of doubt which was in suite If he might doe it and would not he lacked Charity and did not his duety If it belonged not to him how belongeth it to any of his Disciples or Successours had he not as large a Commission as he gave or could he give that he had not But he knowing his Office as the Prophet Esay had foretold to preach the Gospell would doe nothing without warrant And therefore being asked if he were a King answered simply and by a plaine negative My Kingdome is not of this world If his Kingdome was not here neither the ordering of Policies yea when they would have taken him up to have made him a King as one that refused that belonged not to him he conveyed himselfe from among them If imperiall jurisdiction belonged to him why refused he his calling If it did not where had Paul Peter or any other any authority to meddle with that which he refused seeing he saith As my Father sent me so send I you In another place Christ knowing the bounds of his calling would not meddle with externe policy Hence Bishops me thinkes by his example should not give themselves too much the bridle and too large a scope to meddle too farre with matters of policy If these two Offices I meane Ecclesiasticall and Civill be so jumbled in both functions there can be no quiet or well ordered Common-wealth Christ saith to his Disciples Princes of the Nations doe beare rule like Lords it shall not be so with you It falleth not into an Apostles or Church-mans Office to meddle with such matters For none going to warre intangleth himselfe with the affaires of this life it is enough for them to attend upon one Office to attend as sole Priests nor as errant Bayliffes And elsewhere in that Booke he proceeds thus Come off ye Bishops away with your superfluities yeeld up your thousands be content with hundreds as they be in other reformed Churches where there be as great learned men as you are LET YOUR PORTION BE PRIEST-LIKE NOT PRINCE-LIKE Let the Queene have the rest of your temporalties to maintaine warres and to build Schooles throughout the Realme that every Parish Church may have its Preacher every City her superintendent to live not pompously which will never be unlesse your Lands be disposed and bestowed upon many which now feede and fat but one Remember that Abimelech when David in his banishment would have dined with him kept such Hospitality that he had no bread to give him but the Shew-bread Where was all his Superfluity to keepe your pretended hospitality for that is the cause that you alleadge you must have thousand thousands as though you were commanded to keepe Hospitality rather with a thousand than with an hundred Remember the Apostles were so poore that when the lame man who lay at the Temple gate called beautifulâ— asked an Almes of Peter and Iohn as they went about to goe into the Temple Peter answered him in this manner Silver and gold have I none and Paul was so far from having Lordships that his owne hands ministred oft times to his necessities If the Apostles of our Saviour had so small possessions and revenues why should our Prelats who boast themselves to be their proper Successours enjoy or covet so great when as Paul enjoynes them if they have but food and rayment therewith to be content godlinesse alone with contentment being great gaine and a sufficient portion Nicholas Bullingham after Bishop of Lincolne in his Printed Letter to Master Bull Decemb. 5. 1564. writes thus from Embden where he arrived after many stormes Would God Master Bull that all the Prelates of England had beene with me when we fell to cutting of Cables riding at Anchor in the raging Seas There would have beene tearing of square Caps renting of Rotchets defying of Bishoprickes despising of pompe promising of new life crying for mercy O what a Tragedy would there have beene Well well though now they walke dry shod in their Palaces there is a God that will try them and all his people by fire or by water unlesse we heartily repent Grace to repent grant us O Lord without delay Amen Amen Iohn Bridges Deane of Salisbury afterwards Bishop of Oxford and a great stickler for Episcopacy in his Booke entituled The Supremacy of Christian Princes â—ver all persons throughout their Dominions in all cases so well Ecclesiasticall at Temporall Printed at London 1573. p. 359. to 364â— writes thus of the parity and identity of Bishops and Presbyters and of clearing Aeriaus from Heresie in this pointâ— First that Aerius said there was no difference betweene a Priest Bishop and ye aske Mr. Stapleton how say we to him Whatsoever we say to him we have first to say to you that saving the reverence of your Priesthood there is no difference betweene you and a lyer to object Aerius herein to us whereas ye know well enough our Church doth acknowledge in the ministry a differenâ—e of Deacon and Elder from a Bishop although not according to your Popish Orders For as neither Epiphanius nor yet Augustine quoted by you speaketh there of any sacrificing Priest so he never knew any such Pontificall Prelates as your Popish Church breedeth and yet of those that were even then in Epiphanius time and of their difference from the Elders or Priests if yee know not how it came Hierome that lived in the same age will tell you or if ye have not
read him your owne Canons will tell ye what he saith Idem est ergo Presbyter qui Episcopus antequam Diaboli studia c. An Elder or Priest therefore is the same that a Bishop and before that the studies of the Devill were made in Religion and that the people sayd I hold of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were governed by the Common Councell of the Elders but after that every one did account those to be his and not to be Christs whom hee had baptized in all the world it was decreed that one of the Elders being chosen should be placed above the rest to whom all the care or charge of the Churches should belong and the seede of Schismes be taken away And a little after Sicut ergo Presbyteri as therefore the Elders know that they by the custome of the Church are subject to him that is set over them so let the Bishops know that they more by custome than by the truth of the Lords dispensation are greater than the Elders This was the judgement of the ancient Fathers and yet were they no Arians nor Aerians therefore Yea Peâ—er Lombard the master of the sentences citing also Isidorus to witnesse saith Apud veteres idem Episcopi Presbyteri fuerunt Among the the Ancient Fathers Bishops and Elders were all one And againe alleadging the Apostle S. Paul he saith Qualis autem c. But what manner an Elâ—er ought to be chosen the Apostle writing to Timothy declareth where by the name of Bishop he signifieth an Elder and a non after Cumque omnes and when all of them he meaneth his false seven orders are spirituall and holy yet the Canons account onely two Orders to be excelling holy that is to say Deaconship and Eldership Because the primitive Church is read to have these alone and we have the Apostles Commandement of these alone for the Apostles in every City ordained Bishop and Elders Neither the Master onely writeth thus but almost all your Schoolemen yea though they be themselves of the contrary opinion yet they write this was the ancient opinion And so Durandus though he make a difference betweene the power of Jurisdiction and the power of order yet he sheweth that both the Scripture and S. Hierome maketh no difference but onely the custome and institution of the Church The Apostle saith he writing to the Philippians cap. 1. saith with the Bishops and the Deacons by them understanding the Elders sith in one City as in Philippos many Bishops ougâ—t not to be Againe Act. 2. he saith Looke to your selves and to all the flocke in which the Holy â—host hath placed you to be Bishops And he spoke unto them of the onely City of Ephesus But this appeareth more expressely to Titus the 1. Where he saith For this cause I have left thee at Crete that thou shouldst correct those things that want and ordaine Elders throughout the Cities even as I have appointed to thee if any be blamelesse the husband of one wife And straight he setteth under it a Bishop must me blamelesse and whom before he named an Elder hee calleth now a Bishop and in the 4. of the 1. to Timothy Despise not saith he the grace of God which is given to thee through the imposition of the hands of an Elder that is to say of a Bishop S. Paul called himselfe an Elder when he was the Bishop that ordained him Thus farre and more at large Durandus concluding at length Sic Ergo Thus therefore saith S. Hierome that a Bishop and an Elder olim fuerunt synonyma c. were in the old time diverse names betokening one thing indifferently and also of one administration because the Churches were ruled by the Commune Counsell of the Priests But for the remedy of a Schisme lest each one dâ—awing the Church after him should breake her it was ordained that one should be above the rest Et quoad nomen c. And so farre forth as stretcheth to the name that he onely should be called Bishop and that so farre as stretcheth to the administration of some Sacraments Sacramentals they should be reserved to him by the custome and constitution of the Church And this would Hierome expressely 93. Dist. cap. legimus in Esa super Epistolam ad Tit. recitatur Dist. 93. cap. Olim Presbyteri c. Consuetudo aut institutio Ecclesiae potest dare Iurisdictionem sed non potestatem ordinis aut consecrationis quare c. He therefore that counteth this erronious or perrilous let him impute this to Hierome out of whose saying in the fore alleadged Chapter Legimus in Esa the foresayd authorities are taken Where also he putteth an example That is of a Bishop in respect of Priests as of an Arch-Deacon in respect of Deacons unlesse the Deacons chuse one among themselves whom they call Arch-deacon c. In the end Durandus reconciling Hierome saith and the authorities alleadged by Hierome withstand it not because according to the name and the truth of the thing every Bishop is an Elder and on the other part so farre as stretcheth to the name every Elder having cure may be called a Bishop as Super-attendent on other although the consecration of a Bishop or the chiefe Priest be larger than of a simple Priest or Elder but peradventure in the Primitive Church they made not such force in the difference of names as they do now And therefore they called a Bishop every â—ne that had a cure Thus writeth Durandus of the ancient Fathers opinions And will you count him or them Aerianâ— too And this also doth your Institution in Colonie Councell confesse Non est tamen putandum Wee must not for all this tâ—inke that hee ordained Bishops another order from Priests for in the primitive Church Bishops and Priests were all one The which the Epistles of Peter and Paul the Apostles Saint Hierome also and almost all the ancient Ecclesiasticall Writers do witnesse And chiefly that place of the first Epistle of Saint Peter the fift Chapter is evident to declare this For when Peter had said the Elders that are among you I also an Elder with you beseech which am also a witnesse of the passions of Christ and partaker of the Glory to come that shall be revealed He joyned under it feed or guide the flocke of Christ that is among you and oversee it not by compulsion but willingly according to God wherein it is spoken more expressly in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to say Super-attendent from whence also the name of Bishop is drawne Wherefore Priesthood is esteemed the highest order in the Church In the meane time no body is ignorant that this order is distinguished againe by a certaine order of offices and dignities Thus do your Scholemen and Divines wiâ—nesse First that in the substance order or character as they terme it there is no difference betweene a Priest and a
Faith Theo. But Laymen may choose what faith they will professe and Princes may dispose of their Kingdomes though Priests and Bishops would say nay Phi. Religion they may not dispose without a Councell Theo. Not if God command Phi. How shall they know what God commandeth unlesse they have a Councell Theo. This is childish wrangling I aske if God command whether the Prince shall refuse to obey till the Clergy confirme the same Phi. You may be sure a wise and sober Clergy will not dissent from Gods precepts Theo. What they will doe is out of our matter But in case they doe to which shall the Prince hearken to God or those that beare themselves for Priests Phi. In case they doe so you need not doubt but God must be regarded and not men Theo. And hath the Prince sufficient authority to put that in â—re which God commandeth though the Priests continue their wilfulnes Phi. There is no Councell nor consent of men good against God Theo. Hold you there Then when Châ—istian Princes are instructed and resolved by learned and faithfull teachers what God requireth at their hands what need they care for the backward disposition of such false Prophets as are turned from the truth and preach lyes Phi. In England when her Majesty came to the Crowne it was not so The Bishops that dissented were grave vertuous and honourable Pastors standing in defence of the Catholicke and ancient Faith of their Fathers Theo. You say so wee say no. Phi. Those be but words Theo. You say very right and therefore the more to blame you that in both your bookes doe play on that string with your Rhetoricall and Thrasonicall fluence and never enter any point or proofe that my profiâ— your Reader you presume your selves to have such apparent right and rule over the Faith over the Church over Christian Princes and Realmes that without your consent they shall neither conclude nor consult what religion they will professe Their acts shall be disorders their Lawes injuries their correction tyranny if you mislike them This dominion and jurisdiction over all Kingdomes and Countries if your holy Father and you may have for the speaking you were not wise if you would not claime it but before we beleeve you you must bring some better ground of your Title then such magnificall and majesticall florishes The Prince and the parliament you say had no power to determine or deliberate of those mattersâ— And why so you to wit Bishops did dissent May not the Prince command for truth within her Realme except your consents be first required and had May not her Highnesse serve Christ in making Lawes for Christ without your liking Claime you that interest and prerogative that without you nothing shall be done in matters of Religion by the Lawes of God or by the liberties of this Realme By the Lawes of the Land you have no such priviledge Parliaments have beene kept by the King and his Barons the Clergy wholly excluded yet their Acts and Statutes good And when the Bishops were present their voyces from the Conquest to this day were never negative By Gods Law you have nothing to do with making Lawes for Kingdomes and commonâ—wealths you may teach you may not command Perswasion is your part compulsion is the Princes If Princes imbrace the truth you must obey them If they pursue truth you must abide them By what authority then claime you this Dominion over Princes that their Lawes for Religion shall be void unlesse you consent Phi. They be no Judges of faith Theo. No more are you It is lawfull for any Christian to reject your doctrine if he perceive it to be false though you teach it in your Churches pronounce it in your Councels to be never so true Phi. That proveth not every private mans opinion to be true Theo. Not yet to be false the greater number is not ever a sure warrant for truth And Judges of faith though Princes be not yet are they maintainers establishers and upholders of faith with publike power and positive Lawes which is the point you now withstand Phil. That they may do when a Councell is precedent to guide them Theo. What Councellâ— had Asa the King of Judah when he commanded his peoplâ— to do according to the Law and the Commandment and made a covâ—nant that whosoever would not seeke the Lord God of Israel should be slaine Phi. He had Azariah the prophet Theo. One man is no Councell and he did but encourage and commend the King and that long after hee had established Religion in his Realme What councell had Ezechiah to lead him when he restored the true worship of God throughout his land and was faine to send for the Priests and Levites and to put them in mind of their duties What Councell had Iosiah when ten yeares after his comming to the Crowne he was forced to send for direction to Huldath the Prophetesse not finding a man in Iudah that did or could undertake the charge Phi. These were Kings of the Old Testament and they had the Law of God to guide them Theo. Then since Christian Princes have the same Scriptures which they had and also the Gospell of Christ and Apostolike writings to guide them which they had not why should they not in their Kingdomes retaine the same power which you see the Kings of Judah had and used to their immorâ—all praise and joy Phi. The Christian Emperours ever called Councells before they would attempt any thing in Ecclesiasticall matters Theo. What Councell had Constantine when with his Princely power he publikely received and settled Christian religion throughout the World twenty yeares before the Fathers met at Nice What councels had Iustinian for all those Ecclesiasticall constitutions and orders which hee decreedâ— and I have often repeated What Councels had Charles for the Church Lawes and Chapters which he proposed and enjoyned as well to the Pastors as to the people of his Empire Phi. They had instruction by some godly Bishops that were about them Theo. Conference with some Bishops such as they liked they might have but councells for these causes they had none In 480. years after Christian Religion was established by Christian Laws I mean from Constantine the first to Constantine the seventh there were very neere forty Christian Emperours whose Lawes and Acts for Ecclesiasticall affaires were infinite and yet in all that time they never called but sixe generall Councels and those for the Godhead of the Sonne and the Holy Ghost and for the two distinct natures and wills in Christ. All other points of Christian Doctrine and Discipline they received established and maintained without â—ecumenicall Councels upon the private instruction of such Bishops and clerkes as they favored or trusted Theodosius as I shewed before made his owne choyce what faith he would follow had no man nor meanes to direct him unto truth but
Caesar as matters committed of trust to you by Christian Princes are nothing else but open and wifâ—ull invasions of other mens rights you changing the names and calling those things Spirituall and Ecâ—lesiasticall which indeede be civill and temporall and shouldering Priâ—ces from their cushins who first suffered Bishops to sir judges in those causes of Honour to their Persons and favour to their sunctions which on your part is but a bad requitall of their Princely graces and benefits He addes S. Paul expressely writeth of the Prince that He beareth the sword not without cause and is Gods minister to revenge him that doth evill And our Saviour severely forbiddeth Peâ—er and the rest of the Apostles to meddle with the sword All that take the sword shall perish by the sword and to them all you know that Kings of Nations raigne â—ver themâ— and they that be great exercise authority with you it shall not be so The sword is but the signe of publicke and Princely power and where the thing is not lawfull the signe is unlawfull Since then the Lord interdicteth his Apostles and messengers all Princely power it is evident the sword which is â—ut a signe thâ—reof is likewise interdicted them Thus much Bernard sticketh not to tell Pope Eugenius to his face It is the Lords voice in the Gospell Kings of Nations are Lords over them and they that have power over them are called gratious and the Lord inferreth you shall not be so It is a cleare case the Apostles are forbidden dominion Gâ— thou then saith Bernard to the Pope and usurpe if thou dâ—re either an Apostleship if thou be a Prince or dominion if thou be Apostolike Thou art expresly forbidden one of them If thou wilt have both thou shalt lose both The patterne of an Apostle is this Dominion is interdicted service is enjoyned Gird thy selfe with thy sword the sword of the spirit which is the Word of God And this Pope Nicholas fairely confesseth The Church of God hath no sword but the spirituall wherewith she quickneth shee killeth not Your owne Law saith It is easily proved of Bishops and other Clergy mâ—n whatsoever that they may not either by their owne authority or by the authority of the Bishop of Româ— take weapon in hand and excercise the materiall sword and addeth his reason For every man besides him and his authority which hath lawfull â—â—wer and which as the Apostle saith beareth the sword not without cause to whom every soule ought to be subject every man I say that without his authority taketh the sword shall perish with the sword He that beareth the sword may lawfully put malefactors to death and wage warre with his enemies when need so requireth which Bishops may not doe The weapons of our warfare are not carnall saith Saint Paul Quid Episcopis cum bello what have Bishops to doe with battle saith Athanasius and Aâ—brose Pugnâ—re non debâ—o I ought not to fight If they may not fight much lesse kill if they may do neither they cannot beare the sword which is appointed by God and received of men to do both The words of our Saviour are cleare with us for the negative My Kingdome saith hee is not of this World if then your Priests Prelates and Popes will be the servants of Christ they must challenge no worldly Kingdome as from him or in his name The servant is not above his Master If the master with his owne mouth have denyed it the servants may not affirme it or usurpe it The souldiers of Christ must not intangle themselves with secular affaires much lesse make themselves Lords and Judge of earâ—hly matters which office properly belongeth to the sword and must be sustained of all those that beare the sword The Popes themselves beâ—ore their power and pride grew so great were of this opinion with us Thus and much more Bishop Bilson to the same effect Not to trouble you with more quotations of this nature which are infinite I shall conclude onely with two more auâ—horities of men of greatest eminence and learning in our Church in Queene Elizabeths later dayes The first of them is Dr. Whitakers Regius Professor of Divinity in the University of Cambridge he in his Booke Contra Duâ—eum l. 6. sect 19. Controvers 4. De Ecclesiae regimine Quest. 1. c. 1. sect 1. 2. c. 2. sect 16. Quest. 4. c. 3. sect 25 26 27 28 29 30 31. De notis Ecclesiae qu. 5. c. 6. p 509 and Contr. 2. Concil qu. 3. c. 2. p. 586 587. reciting Saint Ieromes words at large on Titus 1. and to Euagrius concludes with him That in former times Bishops and Presbyters were all one and the same that every where a Presbyter was the same that a Bishop is that ALL Churches were not under the Government of one man but were governed by the Common Counsell of their Presbyters Ecclesiae inquit Jeronymus gubernabantur c. id est VBIQVE OMNES fuit hiâ— MOS Ecclesiarum gubernandarum That this custome was not changed by the Apostles sed POST Ecclesie judicto That Bishops are greater now than Ministers not by divine institution but custome and that humano non divino jure totum â—oc discrimen constat the whole difference betweene them is by humane not by divine Law or right That by ancient and divine right a Presbyter was lesse than a Bishop NIHILO in nothing After which he proceeds thus If the Apostles had changed that order as Sanders pretendeth what had it profited Hierome with so great diligence to have collected testimonies out of the Apostles whereby to shew that they were sometimes the same It might easily come into his memory that this order was changed by the Apostles themselves after the Church was disturbed and torne with discords But wherfore then saith Hierom Before it was said I am of Paul c. the Church was Governed by the Common Councell of Presbyters c. I answer this might deceive Sanders Hierome onely alluded to the place of the Apostle that hee might shew that schismes were the cause of changing this order as hee saith elsewhere that this was done to remedy schismes But this remedy was almost worse than the disease For as at first one Presbyter was set above the rest and made a Bishop so afterwards one Bishop was preferred before the rest and so this custome brought forth the Pope with his Monarchy by little and little and brought it into the Church Ierome so openly oppugneth the Pontificall Hierarchy that the Papists know not what to determine or answere concerning Hierome Michael Medina doubts not to affirme that Ierome was an Hereticke in this kinde and that he held the very same opinion that Aerius did verily Hierome was of the same opinion with Aerius whereby we may the lesse regard that Aerius is so often objected to us AB INSULSIS HOMINIBUS
in the University of Oxford who in his Letter to sir Francis Knoles Sept. 19. 1598. concerning some passages in Doctor Bancrofâ—s Sermon at Pauls Crosse Printed in King Iames his time and now reprinted writes thus both touching the pretended heresie of Aerius and the Divine right of Episcopacy It appeareth by the aforesayd words of Doctor Bancroft that he avoucheth the Superiority which Bishops have over the Clergie to be of Gods owne Ordinance for he improveth the impugners of it as holding with Aerius that there is no difference by the Word of God betwixt a Priest and a Bishop which he could not doe with reason unlesse he himselfe proved the Bishops superiority as established by Gods Word and he addeth that their opinion who gainsay it is Heresie whereof it ensueth he thinketh it contrary to Gods Word sith Heresie is an errour repugnant to the truth of the Word of God as according to the Scriptures our owne Church doth teach us Now the arguments which he bringeth to prove it an Heresie are partly over-weake and partly untrue Overweake that he beginneth with out of Epiphanius Uâ—true that he adjoyneth of the Generall consent of the Church For though Epiphanius doe say that Aerius his assertion is full of folly yet he disproveth not the reason which Aerius stood on out of the Scriptures nay he dealeth so in seeking to disprove it that Bellarmine the Jesuiâ—e though desirous to make the best of Epiphanius whose opinion herein he maintaineth against the Protestants yet is forced to confesse that Epiphanius his answere is not all of the wisest nor any way can fit the text As for the generall consent of the whole Church which Doctor Bancrofâ— saith condemned that opinion of Aerius for an Heresie himself for an Hereâ—ick because he persisted in it that is a large speech but what proofe hath he that the whole Church did so It appeareth he saith in Epiphanius It doth not the contrary appeareth by S. Ierome sundry others who lived some in the same time some after Epiphanius even Saint Augustine himselfe though Doctor Bancroft cite him as bearing witnesse thereof likewise I grant Saint Augustine in his booke of Heresies ascribeth this to Aerius for one that he sayd Presâ—yterum ab Episcopo nulla differentia deberi discerni but it is one thing to say there ought to be no difference betweene them which Aerius saying condemned the Churches order yea made a Schisme therein and so is censured by S. Austin counting it an heresie as Epiphanius from whom he tooke it recorded himselfe as he witnesseth not knowing how farre the name of Heresie should be stretched another thing to say that by the Word of God there is no difference betwixt them but by the order and custome of the Church which S. Austin saith in effect himselfe so farre was he from witnessing this to be Heresie by the generall consent of the whole Church which untruth how wrongfully it is fathered on him and on Epiphanius who yet are all the witnesses that Doctor Bancroft hath produced for the prooâ—e hereof or can for ought that I know it may appeare by this that our learned Country man of godly memory Bishop Iuel when Harding to convince the same opinion of heresie alleadged the same witnesses citing to the contrary Chrysostome Ierome Austin and Ambrose knit up his answere with these words All these and other Holy Fathers together with the Apostle S. Paul for thus saying by Hardings advice must be held for Heretickes And Michael Medina a man of great account in the Councell of Trent more ingenuous herein than many other Papists affirmeth not onely the former ancient writers alleadged by Bishop Iuel but also that another Ierome Theodoret Primasius Sedulius and Theophylact were of the same mind touching this matter with Aerius with whom agree likewise Oecumenius and Anselmus Arch-bishop of Canterbury and an other Anselmus and Gregory and Gratian and after them how manyâ— It being once inrolled in the Canon Law for sound and Catholike Doctrine and thereupon publickely taught by learned men All which doe beare witnesse against Doctor Bancroft of the point in question that it was not condemned for an Heresie by the generall consent of the whole Church And the rather which is observable because Isiodor Hispalensis Originum lib. 8. c. 5. and Gratian himselfe Caus. 24. qu. 3. reciting the heresie of Aerius omits his equalizing of Bishops and Presbyters out of the liâ—â— of his errours because an Orthodox truth approved by themselves and other Fathers which is worthy observation If he should reply that these latter witnesses did live a 1000. yeares after Christ and therefore touch not him who sayd it was condemned so in the time of S. Austin and of Epiphanius the most flourishing time of the Church that ever hapned since the Apostles dayes either in respect of learning or of zeale First they whom I named though living in a latter time yet are witnesses of the fâ—rmer Oecumenius the Greeke Scholiast treading in the steps of the old Greeke Fathers and the two Anselmes with Gregory and Gratian expressing S. Ieromes sentence word by word Besides that perhaps it is not very likely that Anselme of Canterbuâ—y should have bin Canonized by the Pope of Rome Worshipped for a St that the other Anselme Gregoryâ—hould â—hould have such place in the Popes Library and be esteemed of as they are that Gratians workes should be allowed so long time by so many Popes for the golden foundation of the Canon Law if they had taught that for Catholike and sound which by the generall consent of the whole Church in the most flourishing time that ever happened since the Apostles dayes was condemned for Heresie chiefely in a matter of such waight and moment to the Popes supremacyâ— which as they doe claime over all Bishops by the Ordinance of God so must they allow to Bishops over Priests by the same Ordinance as they saw at length and therefore have not onely decreed it now in the Councell of Trent but also in the new edition of their Canon Law have set downe this note that one Hughs Glosse allowed by the Arch-deacon saying that Bishops have differed from Priests alwayes as they doe now in Government and Prelateship and Offices and Sacraments but not in the name and Title of Bishop which was common to them both must be held hereafter for S. Jeromes meaning at least for the meaning of the Canon taken out of S. Ierome though his words be flat plaine against this Glosse as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth Whereto may be added that they also who have laboured about the reformation of the Church these 500. yeares have taught that all Pastours be they entituled Bishops or Priests have equall authority and power by Gods Word First the Waldenses next Marsilius Patavinus then
follow his Edition as Master Calvin and some few others doe in their Commentaries whereas both he and they are professed Enemies to Episcopacy and disclaime those Postscripts as false and spurious Fiâ—thly Master Beza and the â—etâ—ers forth of the Greeke Bible Printed by the Heires of Andrew Francofurti 1597. passe this sentence upon these Postscripts and this clause Ordained the first Bishops of Ephesus or of the Church of the Ephesians Non extaâ— in quibusdam vetustis Codiâ—ibus sane supposttum fuisse puâ—o And Guilielmus Estius a famous Roman Doctor in his Commentary on 2 Tim. 1.4 writes thus of the Postscript to it Graeâ—a subscriptio post finem Epistolae sic habet Scriptae Roma ad Timotheum secunda cum Paulus iterum sisteretur Caesari Neroni where he omits this addition Ephesiorum Ecclesiae primus Episcopus and then passeth this verdict upon it Sed hujusmodi Graecae subscriptiones ut incerti sunt authoris ITA NON Magnae authoritatis And Thomâ—s de vio Cajetanus Andreas Hyperius Estius with others deâ—â— the subscription to Titus That this Epistle was written from Nicopolis of Macedonia and the Century writers with others that the Second to Timothy was written from Rome aâ— Pauls second appearing before Nero a meere falshood and mistake All which considered I wonder our great learned Prelates Bâ—shop Downeham Bishop White and Bishop Hall and especially our great Antiquary Bishop Vsher should so much insist upon these spurious false postscripts and draw a maine Argument from to prove their Episcopacy of Divine Institution when Bellarmine and those Papists who write most eagerly for the Prelates Hierarchy are ashamed to produce such a false and impotent proofe for their groundlesse Episcopall jurisdiction If these Answers satisfy not this Objection from these Postscripts you may receive more full satisfaction and further Answers to it in my Vnbishoping of Timothy and Titus p. 52. to 58. To which I shall remit the Reader From these two Arguments for the pretended Divine right of Episcopacy I shall next proceed to answer the most considerable reasons produced for the continuing of Lordly Prelates in our Church The first for order and moment is the Antiquity of Lordly Bishops in our Church who if we credit Bishop Hall and others are not onely of Divine institution but their Episcopall Government hath continued in this our Island ever since the first plantation of the Gospell without contradiction Therefore it will be neither decent nor expedient but dangerous and inconvenient to remove them now To this I answer first that though Bishops have been very ancient in our Church yet how ancient and what kinde of Bishops these were will be the question Metraphrastes writes that Saint Peter continued long in Britaine constituted Churches and ordained Bishops Presbyters and Deacons and then returned to Rome the 12 yeare of Nero Caesar. But as this Authour is very fabulous in other things so without doubt he is false and singular iâ— this as I could easily manifest did not Bishop Vshers siquidem Symeoni Metaphrastae credimus and Baronius his sicut in aliis multis ibi a se positis errare Metaphrastum certum est ita in his hallucinatum esse constat Iohn Speed his For a dreame we leave it c. and Francis Godwin Bishop of Landaffe in his Discourse of the first conversion of this Island of Britaine unto Christian Religion p. 3 4 5 6. where he largely and professedly proves against this Impostor That Peter was never in Britaine ease me of this Labour and sufficiently refute the vaine confidence of those who have lately produced this branded Authority to derive the Antiquity of our Lordly Prelates from the Apostles themselves as if they had first planted them in our Church That which is likewise alledged out of the Greeke Martyrologe and Dorotheus his Synopsis That Aristobulus was ordained Bishop of the Britaine 's by Paul and by him sent Bishop into England seemes to be of the same stampe with the former in Bishop Godwins judgement who rejects it as fabulous because none of our owne Authors or Histories so much as once mention his so memorable labour and martyrdome among us But grant it true yeâ— since the word Bishop is here used onely for an ordinary Minister or Preacher of the Gospell and Aristobulus sent onely to convert our Nation being Pagans had no Bishopricke or Diocesse here nor any Inferiour Presbyters under him for ought appeares over whom to play the Lord as our Lordly Prelates have this Authority will stand those in small steed who with more confidence then judgement have objected it in defence of our Lordly Bishops which by the common consent of all our Writers began not till King Lucius his raigne about the yeare of Christ 179. So that from the Preaching of the Gospell in our Island by Iacobus Zebedeus Anno Christi 41. of Simon Zelotes Anno 47. of Ioseph of Araâ—atâ—aea Anno 48. of Saint Paul Anno 60. of Philip the Apostle and his twelve associates Anno 63. till Lucius erected Bishops and Bishoprickes to wit for the space of about one hundred and forty yeares after the first Preaching of the Gospell here our Church of Britaine had no Bishops at all to governe it but onely Presbyters for ought appâ—ares by any credible Authour the Christian faith all this while continuing un-extinguished among us at Glastenbury and in some other places as our Antiquaries manifest If then that rule of Tertullian be infallible That is best and truest which is first and that of Hierome most certaine That the Church of God immediately after the Apostles times before the erection of Lord Bishops was governed by a common Councell of Presbyters not by Bishops and our Church as is probable and the Church of Scotland as some Authors write for certaine was governed in this manner by Presbyters for above an hundred yeares together it will rather follow that our Lord Bishops should now be totally suppressed and a Presbyteriall government re-erected in our Church because it is ancienter than that of Bishops and planted among us by the Apostles when our Island first received the Gospell then that the government of our Lordly Prelates should be perpetuaâ—ed among us because ancient onely yet not so old as that of Presbyters by above one hundred yeares Touching the first erection of Arch-bishops Bishops and Bishoprickes among us there is great variance obscurity and incertaineâ—y in Writers yet this is the generall verdict both of our owne and forraigne Authours That in King Lucius his time before the conversion of our Island to Christianity there were in it 28 Flamines and three Arch Flamines to whom the other Iudges of manners and Priests were subject that upon the conversion of King Lucius and his people to the Christian Faith by Fagan and Deâ—wan they by command from Pope Eleutherius with the Kings
our Prelates are not so much the vices of their Persons as of their Function which though their many late published Pamphlets would prove to be of Divine Right yet the pernicious evill fruits thereof infallibly proclaime to be of meere humane wrong And in my weake judgement there can be no such safe short and infallible way to decide this controversie Whether Episcopacy be of Divine institution or not then to consider the fruits thereof in all ages that of our Saviour being of eternall verity Ye shall know them by their fruites Since then the fruites of our Lordly Prelates in this and in other kindes too as I could abundantly manifest have beene so desperately evill and they generally the greatest Monsters of impiety that ever pestred the world as appeares by the lives of sundry forraine and Domesticke Pontifs I may infallibly conclude their calling not to be Divine but Antichristian or meerely humane at the best and inconsistent with the safety both of our Prince Church State and by this unanswerable reason dissipate into smoake all those specious flourishes and shadowes of arguments made in their defence which I have else-where fully answered There are but two chiefe arguments of moment for the continuance of Episcopacy which sticke with any judicious men The first in point of State Polity No Lord Bishop no King The second in point of Church Polity No Bishops no peace no government and nothing but Schismes in the Church The first I trust I have abundantly cleared by this Antipathy The second God willing I intend to dissipate in an Historicall Treatise of the Schismes of our English Lordly Prelates among themselves enough to make a volume and then by a larger Remonstrance experimentally evidencing out of Ecclesiasticall Histories That Bishops have beene if not the sole yet at least the chiefe Authors of all the Schismes that ever infested and rent the Church of God And if this be made good as it easily may be against all the world the proud Hierarchy of our Lordly Prelates will fall to ground of it self without helpe of hands to pull it downe If any further alleadge If you remove away Bishops you take away government and introduce an Anarchy into the Church The answer is very easie First we shall still bee under the government of our Christian Kings the Supreame governours of our Church upon earth Secondly under the Government of our Parliaments Lawes and inferiour Magistrates who doe and will take speciall care for our Churches good reglement Thirdly under the regiment of our grave and painfull Ministers whom our Lawes stile Rectors of their severall Parishes and Rectories Fourthly under the government of an Ordinary or Extraordinarie Provinciall or Nationall Synode as there is occasion Fifthly under such a religious orderly Government as your Wisedomes upon the abolishing of Episcopacy shall please to erect among us as most consonant to the Law of God and Civill Government of our State And can any then justly complaine of a want of Government in the Church when it is but altered for the better Sixthly the primitive Church in the purest times before Bishops were instituted was governed by a common Councell of Presbyters and the reformed Churches beyond the Seas which want Bishops are so regulated at this day without any dâ—nger of an Anarchy and so may we as well as they There is nothing then remaining to uphold our Lordly Prelacie but two of their owne principall vices ambition and covetousnesse the one arising from their Lordships or Session in Parliament the other from their Lordly Seats and Revenues neither of which are of Divine Institution as themselves acknowledge If your Honourable Assembly then will but take away the Temporall Honours and Lands annexed to their Bishoprickes I dare sweare not one of all our Prelates will plead or write for Episcopacie any more Saint Paul saith He that desireth the office of a Bishop desireth a good worke and the Fathers generally make this observation on the place Episcopatus nomen est operis non honoris non Dominium sed Officium non Honos sed Onus Opus dixit non Honorem non Dignitatem Laborem non Delicias Opus per quod per humilitatem crescat non intumescat fastidio c. If then your Wisdomes will make our Bishoprickes now a Worke not an honour or gaine out lazie Prelates will of their own accords forgoe them without any more dispute To make this most apparent I shall instance only in one particular it is the generall resolution of Councels Fathers and Divines yea of the lewd Conventicle of Trent it selfe that the first and principle part of a Bishops office is diligently to preach Gods Word to the people and therefore this very Councell enjoynes all Bishops to preach the Scripture and Gods Law every Lordsday and Holiday and moreover in the Lent Advent and other Fasts quotidie vel saltem tribus in hebdomade diebus Sacras Scripturas Divinamque legem annuncient to preach every day or at least three times a weeke Now our Lordly Prelates have beene so farre from executing this principle part of their office and worke that some of them as Canterbury Yorkâ— London and Oxford did not so much as preach one Sermon in sundry yeares others of them have preached very rarely yea most of them have by themselves and their instruments written and preached against frequent preaching suppressed all week-day Lectures and Sermons on Lordsday afternoones throughout their Diocesses and Dr Pierce Bishop of Bath and Wells by name in a Letter to Canterbury thanked God that he had not left one Lecture nor afternoone Sermon in his Diocesse and suspended the Minister of Bridgwater onely for preaching a Lecture in his owne parish Church which had continued 50. years when this Bishop after much solicitation upon this Ministers promise never to preachâ— the Lecture more absolved him from his suspension hee then most blasphemously applyed Christs words used to the sicke man to this good Minister Behold thou art made whole Goe away sinne no more that is preach no more lest a worse thing come unto thee hee convented another Minister only for expounding the Catechisme on the Lordsday afternoone saying it was AS BAD as Preaching So that preaching now in this and other our Prelates judgement is both a Sinne and a bad thing carefully to be suppressed And this wee may generally observe that those who were diligent Preachers before they became Bishops being once made such became usually either Non-preaching or rare-preaching Prelates doing so much the lesse worke by how much they receive the greater wages Whence Queene Elizabeth used to say when shee made preaching Ministers Bishops that shee had made a Bishop but mar'd a preacher it being true that the Bishop of Dunkelde once answered Deane Thomas Farret when hee wished him to preach I tell thee wee Bishops were not ordained
on Saint Stephens day by William Arch-Bishop of Canterbury the most part of the Nobility being present and swearing Fealty unto him as to their true and lawfull Soveraigne Howbeit there were diverse of the wiser sort of estates which regarding their former Oath to bee true unto the Empresse Maude could have beene contented that the Empresse should have governed till her Sonne had come to lawfull age notwithstanding they held their peace as yet and consented unto Stephen But the breach of their Oathes was worthily punished afterward insomuch that as well the Bishops as the other Nobles either dyed an evill death or were afflicted with divers kinds of calamities and mischances and that even here in this life Yet there were some of them namely the Bishop of Salisbury which protested that they were free from their Oath of Allegeance made to the sayd Empresse because that without the consent of the Lords of this Land she was marryed out of the Realme Whereas they tooke their Oath to receive her for Queene upon that condition That without their assent she should not marry with any person out of this Realme Moreover as some writers thinke the Bishops tooke it they should do God good service in providing for the wealth of the Realme and the advancement of the Church by their Perjurie For whereas the late deceased King Henry the first used himselfe not altogether for their purpose they thought That if they might set up and create a King chiefely by their especiall meanes and authority he would follow their counsell better and refoâ—me such things as they judged to be amisse So He. But this trecherous Act of them in dis-inheriting Maude wherein the Bishop of Wiâ—â—hester was a chiefe Actor yet afterwards joyned with Maude for a season and then fell off againe what Civill Warres Tumults Battailes evill effects and blood-shed it occasioned here in England to the prejudice of the whole Realme 〈◊〉 all our Chronicles and Historians in the life of King Stephen testifie at large Theobald Arch-Bishop of Canterbury his immediate Successour being summoned by the Pope to appeare at the Councell of Rhemes the King at the instigation of Henry Bishop of Winchester his Brother the Popes Legat and Arch-Bishops opposite prohibited him to passe beyond Sea to stay him at home But he thinking it safer to offend the King then the Pope resolved to goe and though all the Ports were stopped and layd for him yet over the Seas hee got The King thereupon seized all his goods and Temporalties and banished him the Realme he like a tall fellow thereupon interdicted the King with the whole Realme and taking advantage of the time which was very troublesome came home and lived in Norfolke till by the intercession of the Bishops he was restored to his Bishopricke After which growing into great favour with the King in a Convocation summoned at London 1152. the King would have constrained the Clergie to make Eustace his sonne King which they refusing and delaying to doe having a command from the Pope to the contrary pretending that his Father King Stephen was an Usurper and perjured Intruder the King and his sonne cauâ—ed the doores to bee shut upon the Clergie where they were assembled thinking by force and threatning to compell them thereto before they departed The greater number seemed to yeeld but the Arch-Bishop stealing secretly out of the place tooke his Barge and rowing downe the Thames got beyond Sea so that by this meanes the Synod was dissolved His goods hereupon were presently once more confiscate and his Temporalties seized into the Kings hands He thereupon troubled the Realme with Fire Sword and bloody Warres causing Henry Fitz-Empresse to invade the Land whose Title the Pope favoured of purpose to strengthen himselfe against King Lewis of France who had highly offended his Holinesse by casting his Bulls whereby he requireâ— the Fruites of Vacancies of Cathedrall Churches in France into the fire saying Hee had râ—ther the Popes Bulls should râ—st in the fire than his owne Soule shoâ—ld fry in Hell Thomas Becket succeeding Theobald by King Henry the seconds extraordinary favour though against the Canons he being both a souldier a Courtier and skilled onely in â—ecular affaires to require his Soveraignes extraordinary favour he first resigned his Bishopricke which hee had received from the Kings hands into the Popes in a secret manner receiving it backe againe as from him and then looked so narrowly into the Lands belonging to his See having great authority and some skill in the Law That under colour of defending the Rites of his Church hee tooke violently from every man what he listed and practising Treason secretly he required of the King the keeping of Rochester Castle and the custody of the Tower of London and called Roger Earle of Clare unto Westminster to doe his homage unto him for the Castle of Tunbridge which the Earle denyed through the setting on of the King so as he provoked many of all sorts of people every where with open mouth to exclaime against him and to make their complaints thicke and three-fold to the King betweene whom and the King there arose a great quarrell upon this occasion The Clergie by their flattery policy and Canons having exempâ—ed themselves from secular Jurisdiction and presuming upon Beckets power grew strangely impudent and disorderly insomuch that the Chiefe Justice declared in the Kings presence how that Clergie men had committed above an hundred murthers since his raigne wherewith the King highly offended he became somewhat too vehement in punishing them but the blame of the Kings over-much earnestnesse must lye on the Prelates inasmuch as they gave the cause thereof For whereas sacred Canons ordaine that Clerkes found guilty not onely of hainous and grievous sinnes but also of lesser should be degraded and thousands of such were then in the Church of England like inâ—umerable chaffe among a little good Corne yet very few such for many yeares had beene then deprived The Prelates forsooth while they bestirred themselves rather to uphold the liberties and dignities of Clerkes than to chastise and cut off their vices thought they did God and his Church good service in protecting from publicke Discipline such heinous offenders whom by duty of their places they ought to correct according to the Canon censure whereby they thrâ—ugh their impunity having liberty to doe what they listed had neither feare of God whose Judgement they thought to be a farre off neither of men in authority sith on the one side their Prelates neglected to reforme them and on the other side they were thus exempt by their order from secular Jurisdiction This being the state of the Church and Realme where in some were so injured without remedy and others so injurious without coertion as if neither sort were in condition of Subjects the king thereupon tooke speciall care of quickning the publicke Discipline and the rigour of ancient â—awes which thus lay
neglected and thereupon would that all such of the Clergie as were deprehâ—nded in any Robbery Murther Felony burning of houses and the like should be tryed and adjuged in his temporall Courts as Lay men were Against which the Arch-Bishops resolution was That Clergie-men so offending should be tryed onely in the Spirituall Courts and by men of their owne Coat who if they were convict should at first be onely deprived of their Oâ—fice and Benefice but if they should againe be guiltie of the like they should be adjudged at the kings pleasure In this maine controversie betweene the Crowne and the Mitre the Arch-Bishop stood so peremptory on the immunities of his Clergie and See as that he challenged from theâ— Crowne to the Kings great offence the custody of Rochester Castle and other Forts which the King for securing his State had resumed into his owne hands The King finding himselfe to be hereby but a demi-king deprived of all Soveraignty over one halfe deale of his Kingdome and perceiving Beckets stiffenesse in thus contesting with his Soveraigne to be no wayes mollifiable by whatsoever his old favours or fresh perswasions notwithstanding resolved to put nothing in execution which should not first be ratified and strengthned with the consent of his Bishops Who thereupon assembling at Westminster the King tooke both offence there at the Arch-Bishops thwarting his desires and occasions to establish sundry Articles which hee called his Grandâ—athers Customes peremptorily urging Becket to yeeld thereunto without any such reservation as saving in all things his order and right of the Church wherewith hee would have limited his assent The points in those ordinances which he principally stucke at as appeares by his owne Letter to the Pope were these 1. That none should appeale to the Bishop of Rome for any cause whatsoever without the Kings license 2. That it should not be lawfull for any Arch-Bishop or Bishop to depart the Realme or repaire to the Pope upon his summons without the Kings license 3. That no Bishop should excommunicate any man holding of the King in chiefe or put any other of his Officers under interdict without the Kings license 4. That Clerkes criminous should be tryed before secular Iudges 5. That it should not be lawfull for a Bishop to punish any one for perjury or faith-breach 6. That the Laity whether the King or other should hold pleas of Churches and Tithes c. These points so neerely touched the Papall Soveraigntie and Church-liberties that the resolute Metropolitane mainely opposed his whole power against them The King being as resolute to enforce him to subscribe to them both to â—nlarge his Soveraigne authority and to exempt his estate by degrees from dependancie on any externall Government as lineally claiming from absolute Soveraigne Antecessors At last Pope Alexander very desiâ—ous to keepe the Kings love though secretly wishing well to Beckets attempts sent one Philip his Almoner to compose the controversie by whom the Pope and Cardinalls required the Arch-Bishop to promise the King to keepe his sayd Ordinances absolutely without any savings or exceptions Whereupon Becket seeing his Scrupulositie thus disapproved by his Soveraigne by all his Brethren the Biâ—hops and the Court of Rome it selfe hee rode to Woodstocke to the King and there promised that he would keepe the sayd Lawes Bâ—na fide and without male engin The King thereupon supposing now all contradictions would cease called an Assembly of the States at Claâ—endon to collect and enact those Lawes where Becket relapsing from his former promise to the King sayd He had grievously sinned in making that absolute Oath and that he would not sinne any more At which the King was so vehemently inflamed that hee threatned banishment and destruction to him and his But at last the Arch-Bishop being overcome by perswasions of divers Nobles and Bishops sware before the King Clergie and people in the word of a Priest and sincerely that he would observe the Lawes which the King intituled Avitae And all the Bishops Abbots Priors and whole Clergie with all the Earles Barons and Nobilitie did promise and sweare the â—ame faithfully and truly to observe and performe to the King and his Heires for ever But when the King not so contented would have him to subscribe and fixe his Seale to an instrument in which these Customes and Lawes were comprised as every one of the other Bishops had done bâ—fore him he once againe starting from his faith did absolutely refuse it alledging that hee did promise to doe the King some honour in word onely but not with an intent to confirme these Articles being 16. in number neither would he subscribe or seale them unlesse the Pope by his Bull did first confirme them The King hereupon sent two Embassadours to Rome to the Pope to crave his allowance of those Lawes and to pray that the Legantine power of England might bee committed to the Arch-Bishop of Yorke Becket being so farre from seeking to pacifie the Kings displeasure as dayly hee provoked him more and morâ—â— The Pope knowing the cause to bee his owne more than Beckets rejected both these suites Becket having dealt so with him beâ—ore-hand that hee would doe nothing to his prejudice and withall absolved him and the other Bishops from their Oath of Allegeance to their Prince Whereupon the King commanded Becket to bee condemned in dammages â—or a Manor which Iohn de Marshall claimed and in the Parliament of Northampton demanded an accounâ— of him of 30000. pound which came to his hand during his Chancellorship which hee excusing and refusing punctually to answer the Peeres and Bishops condemned all his movables tâ— the Kings mercy After which the Prelates â—hemselves by a joynt consent adjudged him guilty of perjury for not yeelding tempoâ—all obedience to the King according to his Oath disclaiming all obedienâ—e to him thence forward as to their Arch-Bishop Becket the next day whiles the Bishops and Peeres were consulting of some fâ—rther course with him caused to be sung before him at the Altar The Princes sit and speake against mee and the ungodly persecute me c. And forthwith taking his silver Crosier in his owne hands a thing strange and unheard of before enters armed therewith into the Kings prâ—sence though earnestly disswaded by all that wished him well Wherewith the King enraged commanded his Peeres to sit in judgement upon him as on a Traytor and perjured person and accordingly they adjudged him to be apprehended and cast in prison as such a delinquent The Earles of Cornewall and Leicester who sate as Judges citing him forthwith to heare his sentence pronounced hee immediately appealed to the See of Rome as holding them no competent Judges whâ—reupon all reviling him with the name of Traytor and perjured person he replyed That were it not for his function he would enter the Duell or Combat with them in the field to acquit himselfe from Treason and perjury and so speeding from the Court departed into Flanders disguised
loose your Jewels in my truth and in mine acquitall as it seemes to me I may not nor ought not counsell so great an hurt to you and to all your Land 21. Item It is not unknowne to you my right doubted Lord how oftentimes I have offered my service to and for the defence of your Realme of France and Dutchy oâ— Normandy where I have beene put there from by the labour of the Lord Cardinall in preferring others after his singular affection which hath caused a great part of the said Dutchy of Normandy as well as of the Realme of France to be lost as it is well knowne and what good my right doubted Lord was lost on that army that was last sent thither which the Earle of Mortaigne your Counsell of France hath well and clearly declared to your Highnesse here before 22. Item My right doubted Lord it is not unknowneâ— that it had not beene possible to the said Cardinall to have come to his great riches but by such meanes for of his Church it might not rise and inheritance he had none Wherefore my right doubted Lord sith there is great good behoofe at this time for the weale and safegard of your Realmes the poverty necessity and indigence of your leige people in highnesse understand like it unto your noble grace to consider the said lucre of the said Cardinall and the great deceipts that you be deceived in by the labour of him and of the Archbishop as well in this your Realme as in the Realme of France and Dutchy of Normandy where neither office livelihood nor Captaine may be had withouâ— too great good given unto him whereby a great part of all the losse that is lost they have beene the causers of for who that would give most his was the prise not considering the merrits service nor sufficiency of persons Furthermore it is greatly to be considered how when the said Cardinall had forfeited all his goods because of provision as the Statute thereupon more plainely declareth by having the rule of you my right doubted Lordâ— purchased himselfe in great defraudation of your Highnesse a Charter of pardon the which good and it had beene well governed might many yeares have sustained your warres without any tâ—lage of your poore people 23. Iâ—em my redoubted Lord whereas I wrote many things for the weale of you and of your Realmesâ— peradventure some wil say and understandâ— that I would or have written by way of accusement of all your Counsell which God knoweth I doe not for your Highnesse may well see that I name them that be causâ—rs of the sâ—id inordinate rule Wherefore considering that the said Cardinall and Archbishop of Yorke are they that pretend the governance of you and of your Realmes and Lordshipsâ— please iâ— unto your Highnâ—sse of your right wisenesse to estrâ—nge them of your Counsell to that intent that men may be at their freedome to say what they thinke of truth 24. For truth I dare speake of my truth the poore dare not doe so And if the Cardinall and the Archbishop of Yorke may afterward declare themselves of that is and shall be said of them you my most doubted Lord may then restore them againe to your Counsell at your noble pleasure When the King had heard the accusations thus laid by the Duke of Glocester against the Cardinall he committed the examination thereof to his Counsell whereof the more part were spirituall persons so that what for feare and what for favour the matter was winked at and nothing said to it onely faire countenance was made to the Duke as though no malice had beene conceived against him but venome will breake out and inward grudge will soone appeare which was this yeare to all men apparant for divers secret attempts were advanced forward this season against this Noble man Humfry Duke of Glocester a farre off which in conclusion came so neare that they bereft him both of life and land For this proud covetous Prelate setting the Queene against this good Duke at a Parliament at Berry caused him there to be arrested and murthered by meanes of whose death all France was shortly after lost the Kingdome involved in a bloody civill warre I shall close up the History of this proud Prelate with old Father Latimers words concerning him in a Sermon before King Edward the sixth There was a Bishop of Winchester in King Henry the sixth dayes which King was but a child but yet were there many good Acts made in his childhood and I doe not reade that they were broken This Bishop was a great man borne and did beare such a stroake that he was able to shoulder the Lord Protector Well it chanced that the Lord Protector and he fell out and the Bishop would beare nothing at all with him but played the Sacrapha so the Regent of France was faine to be sent for from beyond the seas to set them at one and goe betweene them for the Bishop was as able and ready to buckle with the Lord Protector as hee was with him Was not this a good Prelate he should have beene at home Preaching at his Diocesse with a wannion This Protector was so noble and godly a man that he was called of every man the good Duke Humfry he kept such a house as was never since kept in England without any inhaunsing of rents I warrant you or any such matter And the Bishop for standing so stiffely by the matter and bearing up the order of our Mother the holy Church was made a Cardinall at Calis and thither the Bishop of Rome sent him a Cardinals Hat he should have had a Tiburne Tippit a halfe penny halter and all such proud Prelates These Romish Hats never brought good into England Vpon this the Bishop goeth to the Queene Katherine the Kings wife a proud woman and a stout and perswaded her that if the Duke were in such authority still and lived the people would honour him more than the King and the King should not be set by and so betweene them I cannot tell how it came to passe but at S. Edmundsberry in a Parliament the good Duke Humfry was smothered To leave this Cardinall Ste. Gardiner both Chancellor of England B. of Winchester was the chiefe author of making reviving the bloody Act intitled the 6. Articles by which many of our godly Martyrs suffered the chiefe plotter and contriver of the noble Lord Cromwells death Who could not abide the pride of the Prelates and was attainted by Parliament and never came to his answer He was a great opposer of the reformation of Religion and abuses of the Clergy both in King Henry the eights and King Edwards dayes and stirred up under hand divers Priests Abbots and Monkes to oppose the Kings Supremacie and to rayse up open rebellion in Lincolneshire in the North Cornewall and other places in maintenance of Popery for which Treasons and Rebellions Exmew Middlemore
reddy to submit himselfe to any order of Law whereby hee might cleere himselfe herewith they seemed to be satisfied and appointed to meete and conferre of the matter at a place called Goats-head The Bishop for his better safety betooke himselfe to the Church with his company at which time all the people of the province came to demand justice from the Bishop for some wrongs done them The Bishop answered them over roughly that he would doe them justice for no injury or complaint unlesse they would first give him 400l. of good mony Whereupon one of them in the name of all the rest desired leave of the Bishops that hee might conferre with the rest about this exaction that so they might give him an advised answer which granted the people consulted together without the Church concerning this businesse in meane time divers messages passed betweene the friends of Leulfus and the Bishop about this murther but the more the matter was debated being very odious in it selfe the more his friends and the people too were incensed at last it was told them that the Bishop had harboured Leofwyn and Gilbert too in his house and afforded them countenance since this murther which being once heard and â—ound true they all cryed out it was manifest that the Bishop was the Author of this fact While the company stood in a mummering doubting what to doe both concerning this money and murther too one of some speciall regard among them stepped up and used these words Short read good read slay the Bishop Hereupon without more adoe they â—anall unto the Church killed as many of the Bishops retinue as they found without doores and with horrible noyse and outcryes bid him and his company come out unto them The Bishop to make the best of a bad match and to rid himselfe from danger perswaded his kinsman Gilberâ— there present to goe out unto them if happily his death which he well deserved might satisfie their fury and purchase their safety Gilbert was content and issuing our with divers of the Bishops company were all slaine except two Englishmen servants to the Bishop the rest being Normans They not yet pacified the Bishop besought Leofwyn whose liâ—e hee knew was principally sought to goe out likewise but he utterly reâ—used The Bishop therefore going to the Church dore himselfe intreaâ—ed them not to take his life from him protesting himselfe altogetheâ— innocent of Leulfus his blood shewing them at large how inconvenient it would be to themselves and the whole Country to shed his blood an unarmed Priest and sacred consecrate Bishop their Ruler Governour Magistrate Lastly hoping that his very countenance gravity age white comely head and beard and the Majesâ—y of his person might something move them to compassion hee went out among them carrying a green branch in his hands to testifie his desire of peace when hee saw all this availed not the people running furiously upon him hee cast his gowne over his owne head and committing him selfe to their fury with innumerable wounds was pittifully massacred together with all his retinue to the number of one hundred persons only Leofwyn yet râ—mained in the Câ—urch and being often called would not come forth So they set the Church on fire hee not enduring the fire leapt out at a window and was immediately hewne in a thousand pieces This barbarous slaughter was committed May the 4. 1080. as some Historians or 1075. as others record The King hearing of this tumult sent his brother Odo Bishop of Bayon with many of his Nobles and a great army to take punishment of this murther which while they sought to revenge they brought the whole Country to desolation those that were guilty prevented the danger by â—light so as few of them were appreheâ—ded of the rest that stayd at hâ—me some weâ—e unjustly executed and the rest compelled to ransome themselves to their utter impoverishing and undoing This was the life and death of the first Lord Bishop of this See who joyned both the temporall and spirituall Juâ—isdiction and honour together in his owne person being both a Bishop and an Earle Anno 1074. during this Bishops domination Pluâ—es Episcopi Abbates many Bishops and Abbots with 3. Earles and many Souldiers conspired togeâ—her at Noâ—wich to thrust the Conquerour ouâ— of his Kingdome sending messages â—o â—he King of Denmarke for aide and confederating themselves with the Welchmen whereupon â—hey burnt and spoyled many townes and villages belonging to the Conquerour but at last they were defeated by him some of them being banished the Realme others hanged others deprived of their eyes Who these Bishops were in particular that joyned in this conspiracy and rebellion is not expressed but they were many in number whether this Bishop might not be one of the company I know not William Kairlipho Abboâ— of Saint Vincent his next successour who got so farre into the favour of King William Rufus that he made him his houshold Chaplaine and one of his Privie Councell and did what hee list under him in the yeare of our Lord 1088. joyned himselfe with Odo Bishop of Bayon and Eaâ—le of Kent Geffry Bishop of Constantia and other great men in a rebellious conspiracy against King William who much favoured and trusted him to deprive him of his Crowne as an effeminaâ—e perâ—on both in mind and countenance and of a fearefull heart who would do all things rashly both against right and justice which revolt and treachery of his the King tooke very grievously Whereupon they take up armes against the King wasting the Country in sundry parts intending to set up his Brother Robert in his place as King giving out divers words and sending abroad many Letters to incite men to take armes for this purpose The bishop of Durham held out Durham by strong hand against the King who comming thither in person with his army besieged it so as the Bishop was at length forced to surrender the City and yeeld himselfeâ— whereupoâ— hee was exiled the Land with divers of his complices and for his former preâ—â—nded friendship to the King was suffered to goe Scotfree though worthy a thousand quarterings upon â—hiâ— he presently passed over Sea into Normandy there he continued neere three yeares in a voluntary exile untill Septâ—mber 11. 1190. at what time the King comming to Durham received him into his â—ull favour and restored him to his former dignities After which hee sided with the Kinâ— against Anselme to thrust him out of his Bishopricke that himselfe might succeed him bâ—t hee failed in that projecâ— Falling againe into the Kings displeasure he was summoned to appeare before him at Glocester by a certaine day before which timâ— hee fell sicke of griefe as was â—hought when he appeared not and it was told the King heâ— was sicke he swore by S. Lukes face which was his usuall Oath he lied and did but counterfeit and hee would â—ave him fetcht with a vengeance But it appeares his excuse
Prelates practises Stephen and Maud came to a mutuall agreement Of which you may read more largely in Roger of Salisbury The See of Lincolne continuing voyd almost seven yeeres after the death of Robert de Chisney Geoffry Plantagenet Archdeacon of Lincolne base sonne to King Henry the second was elected Bishop thereto who contenting himselfe with the large revenues of the Bishopricke never sought consecration well knowing that he might so fleece the sheepe though he listed not to take the charge of feeding the sheepe Seven yeeres he reaped the fruits of that See by colour of his election and then by the Popes commandement to Richard Archbishop of Canterbury to compell Geoffry either to resigne his â—ishopricke or immediately to enter into orders and to take the office of a Bishop on him he resigned all his interest in the same the copy of which resignation you may read in Roger Hoveden After which he turned Couttier for eight yeeres space and at last returning to the Church againe became Archbishop of Yorkeâ— How he carried himselfe in that See I have before in part expressed page 185 186. and now shall give you some further account tâ—ough somewhat out of course out of Roger Hoveden and others He was no sooner setled in Yorke but there fell out a great contestation betweene him and Henry deane of Yorke and Buchard the Treasurer whom he excommunicated for refusing to give over singing and to begin their Service afresh upon his entering into thâ— Church whereby the Church that day ceased from Divine Service This difference being composed Buchard and Geoffry soone after fell ouâ— againe whereupon Geâ—ffry excommunicating him the second time he goes to the Pope for absolution and so farre prevailed with the Pope that he would neither confirme Geoffries election nor suffer him to be consecrated And withall the Pope exempted Hugh Bishop of Durham from making any profession of subjection to Geoffry elect of Yorke during his life though he were consecrated because he hâ—d formerly once made his profession to the Church of Yorke and to S. William the Archbishop of Yorke and to his successors Queene Elenor K. Richards mother hereupon passeth from Messana through Rome to intreat and humbly beseech the Pope in the Kings behalfe to confirme his brothers election to Yorke and either to consecrate him Archbishop thereof by himselfe or some other which the Pope doing Geoffry shortly after cites Hugh Bishop of Durham peremptorly to appeare before him at a Synod in the Cathedrall Church at Yorke thereto professe his obedience to him which he endeavoured to substract and to exempt himselfe by all meanes from his jurisdiction Hugh refuseth to come thither or to make his profession or obedience to him being as he said not bound by Law to doe it and thereupon appeales the first second and third time to the Pope and submits his cause to him The Archbishop hearing of it in great fury excommunicates him notwithstanding this appeale threatning to compell him to make profession and obedience by Ecclesiasticall censures notwithstanding this appeale The Bishop of Durham on the other side would not obey the 〈◊〉 but in contempt thereof boldly celebrated and caused to be celebrated Divine offices as before The Archbishop hereupon overturnes all the Altars where the Bishop of Durham had celebrated and breakes the Chalices within his Diocesse wherein any other had celebrâ—ted in the Bishops presence and held his brother Iohn Earle of Morton for an excommunicate person because he had eaâ—en with the Bishop of Duâ—ham after that sentence and would not communicate with him untill he gave him satisfaction and came to be absolved When the Bishop of Durham saw that many refused to speake eate or drinke with him he sent messengers to the Pope who relating to him first in secret then before all the Cardinals how indiscreetly and Archbishop had excommunicated him slighting his appeale the Pope and all the Cardinals adjudged that sentence a meere nullity and that it ought not to be observed and thereupon the Pope writ a letter to the Bishops of Lincolne Rochester and others to declare this sentence of excommunication voyd in their Churches by vertue of the Popes Apostolicall authority and to command the people to communicate with the Bishop of Durham notwithstanding it as they did before and to declare that the Bishop for the injuries done unto him by the Archbishop in overturning the Altars and breaking the Chalices should be exempted from all subjection to him during life Whereupon these Bishops and delegates met at Northampton and after much debate departed without any final agreement In Lent following this Archbishop being summoned to appeare at London by the Kings Justices came to Westminster with his Crosse carried before him whereupon the Bishop of London and the other Prelates prohibited him to presume to carry his Crosse within the Province of Canturbury who contemptuously answered them that he would not let it downâ— for them yet by the advice of his followers he hid it from the face of the people left a tumult should arise among the Clergy The Bishop of London accounting him excommunicate for this transgression suspended the new Temple where the Archbishop lodged both from Divine Service and the tolling and ringing of Bels so as he was forced to goe out of the City After this the Archbishop levied a great Army fortified Doncastre and would have besieged Thifehill Castle belonging to Earle Morton which Hugh Bardalfe and William Stâ—â—ville refusing to doe he departed with his men in a 〈◊〉 from them calling them traitors to the King and Kingdome Soone after the Deanery of Yorke being voyd the Archbishop first gave the Deanery to Simon Apull and after that to one Philip whom the King recommended The Canons of Yorke pretending the right of electing the Deane to appertaine to them elected Apul against the Bishops will The Archbishop hereupon appeales to Rome the Canons notwithstanding proceed in their election of Apul the Archbishops messengers and Apul meeting with the King in Germany in their passage towards Rome he inhibited all their appeales to Rome saying that if any attempted the contrary he should not returne into the Realme againe In the meane time the Canons of Yorke suspended the Cathedrall Church from all their accustomed Divine service and their Bels likewise from their usuall office of ringing for which the whole City was in an uproare they likewise uncloathed their Altars locked up the Archbishops stall in the Quire barred up the doore by which he used to enter into the Church out of his Pallace and Chappell and did many other things in contempt of him which the Archbishop hearing of being ready to take ship to passe the seas returned to the Church admonishing and commanding the Ministers of this Church to minister therein after the ancient manner who contemning his admonition and precept left the Church voyd and destitute of Divine service Hereupon shortly after the Archbishop by
King and he were reconciled he received him honourably Not long after King Iohn displeased with this Archbishop seised all his temporalties into his hands by Iames de Petorne Sheriffe of Yorkeshire who violently entred into his manners and wasted his goods This Archbishop hereupon excommunicates the Sheriffe and all authours and counsellers of this violence with candles lighted and Bels rung he likewise excommunicated all who had stirred up his brother Iohn to anger against him without his default he also excomunicated the Burgesses of Beverly and suspended the Towne it selfe from the celebration of Divine service and the sound of Bels for breaking his Parke and troubling and diminishing the goods which his Predecessor and he had for a time peaceably enjoyed King Iohn by the advice of his counsell restored him afterwards to his Bishopricke but gave him a day in Court to answer his contempt in not going beyond the Seas with him when summoned to doe it in not suffering the Kings Officers to leavy money of his plowlands as they did in all other parts of the Kingdome in beating the Sheriffe of Yorkes servants and in not paying him 3000. markes due to King Richard soone after the King comming to Beverly was neither received with proâ—ession nor sound of Bels by reason of the Archbishops interdict whose servant Henry Chappell denied to let the King have any of the Archbishops wine for which affront the King commanded him and all the Archbishops servants to be imprisoned whereever they should be found whereupon the King comming to Yorke the Archbishop for a round summe of money through the Queenes mediation bought his peace of the King but yet instantly fell out with the Deane and Chapter about the election of a singing man the Archbishop made choyce of one the Deane and chapter of another as belonging to their election the like contention fell betweene them about the Archdeaconry of Cleveland the Archbishop elected Ralph Kyme the Deane and canons Hugh Murdac for Archdeacon against the Archbishops will and hinder the instalment of Raâ—ph whereupon the Archbishop excommunicated Murdac And at the same time Honorius Archdeacon of Richmond complained against the Archbishop to the Pope for taking away the institutions to Churches and Synodals belonging to him the Pope hereupon writ divers letters in his favour Geoffry thus perplexed and in the Kings disfavour purchaseth his grace and a confirmation of the rights of his Bishopricke from the King for a thousand markes sterling to be payd within one yeere for payment whereof he pawned his Barony to the King After which he falling into the Kings displeaâ—ure againe was forced to fly the Kingdome and died in exile as you may read before p. 186. St. Hugh the ninth Bishop of Lincolne Anno 1108. when King Richard the first by Hubert Archbishop of Canterbury his chiefe Justice required an ayd of 300. Knights to remaine with him in his service for one whole yeere or so much money as might serve to maintaine that number after the rate of three shillings a day English money for every Knight whereas all others were contented to be contributers herein onely this S. Hugh Bishop of Lincoln refused and spake sore against Hubert that moved the maâ—ter wishing him to doe nothing whereof he might be ashamed Vnde pudor frontem signet mentemque reatus Torqueat aut famae titulos infamia laedat He was noted to be of a perfect life because Potestatis secularis in rebus Ecclesiae saevientis impetus adeò constanter elidere consuevit ut rerum corporis sui periculum contemnere vidâ—retur in quo adeò profecit quod jura revocavit amissa Ecclesiam suam à servitute gravissimâ— liberavit as Matthew Paris writes and because hee would not â—ticke to reprove men of their faults plainely and fâ—ankly not regarding the favour or dis-favour of any man in so much that he would not feare to pronounce them accursed which being the King Officers would take upon them the punishment of any person within Orders of the Church for hunting and killing the Kings game within his Parkes Forrests and Chases yea and that which is more he would deny payment of such Subsidies and taxes as he was assessed to pay to the uses of King Richard and King Iohn towards the maintenance of their warres and did oftentimes accuâ—e by Ecclesiasticall authoâ—ity such Sheriffes collectors and officers as did distreine upon his lands and goods to satisfie those Kings of their demands alledging openly that he would not pay any money towards the maintenance of warres with one châ—istian Prince upon private displeasure and grudge made against another Prince of the same religion This was his reason And when he came before the King to answer to his disobedience shewed herein he would so handle the matter partly with gentle admoâ—nishments partly with sharpe reproofes and sometimes mixing merry and pleasant speech among his serious arguments that oftentimes he would so qualifie the Kings mind that being diverted from anger he could not but laugh and smile at the Bishops pleasant talke and merry conceits This manner he used not onely with King Iohn alone but with King Henry the second and Richard the first in whose time he governed the See of Lincolne And for these vertues principally was he canonized for a Romane Saint by Pope Honorius the third Peter Suter and Ribadeneira in his life record that this Bishop had many contests with King Richard the first that he resisted the King to his face when he demanded ayde and subsidies of his Subjects so that by his meanes onely and another Bishops who joyned with him the King could obtaine nothing at all whereupon in great rage and fury he banished both the Bishops and confiscated all their goods the other Bishops goods were seised who thereupon afterward submitted and craved pardon of the King but the Kings Offiâ—ers proceeding against S. Hugh he presently excommunicated them so as none of them for feare of this thunderbolt of his durst touch one thred of his garment our Lord having horribly punished divers whom he had excommunicated some of them being never seene nor heard of afterwards One thing this Hugh did which is memorable going to visit the religious houses within his Diocesse he came to Godstow a house of Nunnes neere Oxford seeing a hearse in the middle of the Quire covered with silke and tapers burning round about it he demanded who was buried there and being informed that it was faire Rosamonds Tomb concubine to King Henry the second who at her intreaty had done much for that house and in regard of those favours was afforded that honour he commanded her body to be digged up immediately and buried in the Churchyard least Christian religion should wax vile saying it was a place a great deale too good for an harlot it should be an example to other women to terrifie them from such a wicked and filthy kinde of
audacâ—a commendanda Pontificis bellicosi This Act was very commendable I confesse yet unsuitable to his calling There waâ— great contention betweene him and the Monkes of Norwhich for fifteene yeares concerning their priviledges and jurisdictions at last they gave him 400. Markes to enjoy their priviledges Alexander Pâ—yor of Norwich was next elected B. by the Monks but the King so misliked their choise as he not only kept him from his dignity but also imprisoned him at Winsor almost a whole yeare after his election yet afterwards at the request of Thomas Arrundell Archbishop of Canterbury and divers other of the Nobility he was released set at liberty and afforded Consecration Anno. 1408. Richard Nyx 29. Bishop of this Sea had a report of a vicious and dissolute liver and was blind long before his death Hilary 25 H. 8. Coram Rege Rot. 15. he was attainted in a praemunâ—re put out of the Kings protection his person imprisoned Lands Goods and Chattles forfeited to the King for citing Richard Cockerall Major of Thetford and others into his Spirituall Court and enjoyning them under paine of Excommunication to call a Jury of the said towne before them and cause them to revoke and cancell a Presentment they had found upon Oath touching their Liberties to wit that none of the said Towne ought to be cited into any Spirituall Consistory but onely into the Deane of Thetfords Court and that if any one cited any of that Towne into another Spirituall Court he â—hould forfeit sixe shillings eight pence for the same The Glasse-windowes of Kings-Colledge Chappell in Cambridge were bought and set up with part of this Bishops Fine and Forfeiture upon this his attainder as the Author of the Catalogue of the Chancellors and Colledges of Cambridge Recordâ— in his Collegiâ—m Regis Iohn Hopton the 32th Bishop of this Sea was a great persecuter and a cause of putting many of our Martyrs to death as you may read in Mr. Fox his Acts and Monuments Samuel Harsnet Bishop of this Diocesse a turbulent Prelate and great opposer of Godly Ministers in the latter end of King Iames and the beginning of King Charles raigne was questioned and proceeded against in Parliament for divers oppressions Extortions and Superstitious innovations introduced in that Diocesâ—e Of whom See more in Yorke to which he was translated Dr. White and Dr. Corbet his immediate successors were men of the same straine with Harsnet and whereas Dr. White had gained great fame and reputation in our Church for his learning and Bookes against the Papists whilst he continued an ordinary Minister his carriage and change was such that he soone lost all his honour and reputation after he became a Bishop and when as other men grow commonly white in their old age he contrariwise like the Albanes who doe in senectute nigrescere waxed blacke in his declining dayes and as some say deserved the title of that Popish Treatise which he answered in his Orthodox White dyed blacke A strange effect of a white Rochet But his Successor in this See Matthew Wren a man of a more active spirit thinking it a disparagement to him not to transcend his predecessors in superstitious Popish Innovations and extravagant oppressions both of the Ministers and people of that Diocesse hath beene so exorbitantly outragious in his proceedings that upon the hearing of sundry Petitionâ— and complaints against him in Parliament the whole House of Commons have transmitted to the Lords these subsequent Articles of impeachment against him already Printed wherein the malicious venome of his spirit against piety and our Religion with his seditious oppressive practises are Anatomized to the full and most elegantly displaied in their proper colours by Sir Thomas Widdrington in his Speech at their transmission which Articles and Speech here I insert ARTICLES of Impeachment of the COMMONS Aâ—sembled in Parliament in the name of themselves and of all the Commons of England against Matthew Wren Dr. in Divinity late Bishop of Norwich and now Bishop of Ely for severall Crimes and Misdemeanors committed by him THat the said Matthew Wren being Popishly and superstitiously affected did at his first comming to be Bishop of Norwich which was in the yeare 1635. endeavour by sundry wayes and meanes to suppresse the powerfull and painefull Preaching of the Word of God did introduce divers Orders and Injunctions tending to Superstition and Idolatry did disturbe and disquiet the orderly and settled estate of the Ministers and people and Churches of that Diocesse to the great prejudice of His Majestie the great griefe and disquiet and hazard of the estates consciences and lives of many of his Majesties Loyall Subjects there to the manifest bringing in and increasing of prophanenesse ignorance and disobedience in the Common people as by the particulars ensuing may appeare I. Whereas many Chancels of Churches during all the time of Queene Elizabeth King Iames and of his Majestie that now is had laid and beene continued even and flat without any steps ascending towards the East-end of the same and are ordered to continue as they were and so ought to have continued He of his own minde and will without any lawfull warrant of authority in the yeare 1636. being then Bishop of Norwich ordered and enjoyned that the same should be raised towards the East-end some two some three some foure steps that so the Communion Table there placed Altarwise might be the better seene of the people II. He in the same yeare 1636. ordered That the Communion Table which is appointed by the said Rubrick at the time of the celebration of the holy Communion to be placed in the Body of the Church or Chancell where Divine Prayers are usually read and where the people might best heare should be set up close under the Wall at the East-end of the Chancell Altar-wise and not to be removed from thence whereby the Minister who is by the Law to Officiate at the North-side of the Table must either stand and officiate at the North-end of the Table so standing Altar-wise or else after the Popish and Idolatrous manner stand and officiate at the Westside of the Table with his backe towards the people III. He in the same yeare 1636. enjoyned that there should be a Rayle set on the top of the new raised steps before the Communion Table so set Altarwise as aforesaid which Rayl should raise from the Southside of the Chancell to the North within which the Minister onely should enter as a place too holy for the people and some of the people were punished for stepping into it as namely Daniel Wayman and others IV. The more to advance blinde Superstition hee in the same yeare 1636. ordered that all the Pewes in the Church should be so altered that the people might kneele with their faces Eastward towards the Communion Table so set Altarwise as aforesaid And that there should be no seats in the Chancell above or on
Impeachment against him reported to the Commons House and now ready for a transmission to the Lords by perusall whereof you may in part discerne what a good Prelate and carefull Bishop he hath been or rather a Wolfe in a Bishops Rochet Articles of Accusation and impeachment by the Commons House of Parliament against William Pierce Doctor of Divinity and Bishop of Bath and Wells THat he hath by his owne arbitrary power against Law since he was Bishop of Bath and Wells being about ten yeares space of purpose to keep the people in ignorance and hinder the Salvation of their Soules which hee should promote in and about the yeares of our Lord 1633.1634.1635 and since suppressed all Lectures within his Diocesse both in Market Townes end elsewhere aswell those that the ministers kept in their severall Câ—res as others that were maintained by severall yearely stipends given by the Founders out of their piety and devotion for such good uses or by the volentary assistance of neighbour ministers some of which Lectures had continued for 50.40.30 and 20. yeares without interruption and were countenanced by his predecessors who used to preach at some of them in their turnes That insteade of incouraging he hath suspended excommunicated and otherwise vexed the sayd Lecturers glorying in his so doing and thanking God that he had not a Lecture left in his Diocesse the very name whereof he sayd hee disliked and affirmed unto Master Cunnant a minister who desired the continuance oâ— a Lecture that he would not leave one within his Diocesse the Bishop alleadging that though there was neede of preaching in the infancy of the Church in the Apostles time yet now there was no such need and thereupon required the said minister upon his Canonicall obedience not to preach and in like manner he dealt with many other Godly Ministers within his Diocesse And in particular hee suspended Master Devenish the Minister of Bridgewater for preaching a Lecture in his owne Church on the market day there which Lecture had continued from Queene Elizabeths time till then and refused to absolve him till he had promised never to preach it more upon which promise the said Bishop absolved him with this admonition of our Saviour most prophanely applyed Goe thy way sin no more lâ—st a worse thing happen to thee And not content to put downe Lectures in his owne Diocesse he hath endeavoured the suppression of them in others by conventing some ministers of his Diocesâ—e before him as namely one Master Cunnant and Mr. Stricklaâ—d and threatâ—ing to suspend them for preaching their turnes at Lectures in other Diocesses neere them That in opposition to preaching and the Spiritâ—all good oâ— the peoples Soules he hath in and about the years aforesaid most impiously and against Law put downe all afternoone Sermons on â—he Lords day throughout his Diocesse and charged the Ministers both publikely in his visitations privatly noâ— to preach at all on the Lords day on the afternoon upon any occasion under paine of suspension after which charge he suspended one Mr. Cornish a Minister only for preaching a funâ—rall Sermon on a Lords day Evening That divers godly Ministers of his Diocesse being restrained from preaching did thereupon take great paines to Catechisâ—â— the people in the principles of Religion on the Lords day in the afternoone in larging themselves upon the questions and answers of the Catechisme in the Common prayer Booke for the peoples better instruction using some short prayers before or after that exercise of which the sayd Bishop having intelligence in and about the yeares aforesayd convented the sayd ministers before him reproving them sharpely for the same threatnâ—ng to punish them if they persisted in that way which he sayd was a Catechising Sermon-wise and AS BAD as if they preached charging them that they should aske no questions nor receive any other answeres from the people but such as were contained in the Catechisme in the Service booke which some not observing were convented thereupon before thâ— sayd Bishâ—p and punished as namely Master Barret Rector of Barmicke who was enjoyned penancâ— for transgressing the Bishopâ— sayd orderâ— and likewise Humphry Blake Church-warden of Bridgâ—water was enjoyned penance by the Bishop for not presenting Master Devenish Minister there for that he expounded upon the Church Catechisme on the Lords day in the afternoonâ— and made a short prayer before he began the same â— the Bishop alleaging that it was against his order and command as is above sayd That he hath in the yeares aforesayd both by precept and example most prophanely opposed the due sanctification of the Lords day by approving and allowing of prophane Wakes and Revels on that day contrary to the Lawes and Statuâ—es of this Realme for which purpose he Commanded afternoone-Service on the Lords day not to be long that so the people might not be hindred from their Recreations pressed and injoyned al the Ministers in his Diocesse in their proper persons to read the book of sports in their severall Parish Churches in the midst of divine Service at morning prayer on the Lords day contrary to the words and purport of the sayd booke which some ministers as Master Hâ—mphry Chambers and Master Thomas refusing to doe he thereupon suspended them both from their office and Benefice and kept them excommunicated for divers yeares notwithstanding the sayd booke was by the Bishops Order published in their Churches by others he convented the minister of Beerecrockeham before him for having two Sermons on the sayd Parish Revell day alleaging that it was a hinderance to the sayd Revell and to the utterance of the Church Ale provided to be spent on that day He convented and punished one Master Thomas Elford a Minister for preaching at the Parish of Mountague upon the Revell day upon the Prophet Ioels exhortation mourningâ— charging him that not onely his Sermon but his very Text wasâ— scandalous to the Revell and gave offeâ—ce to the meeting And for the same reason the sayd Bishop commanded the Church-wardeâ—â— of the Parish of Barecomâ—e to bloâ— out of the Church wall this Text of Scripture therein written taken out of Esay 58.13.14 If thou turne away thy â—ooâ— from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my Holy day and call the Sabbath a delight the Holy of the Lord Honourable and shalâ— honour him not doing thy owne wayes nor finding thine own pleasâ—reâ— nor speaking thine owne words then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lordâ— and I will â—ause thee to ride upon the high places of the earth and feede thâ—e with the heritage of Jacob thy Father for the mâ—â—th of the Lord hath spoken it And he likewise cauâ—ed this clause in Doctor Bisse his monument in that Church formerly Pastor there to be rased out He was an enemy to heeathenish Revels To conntenance which Revels the sayd Bishop in opposition â—o the orders of the Judges of Assiâ—e and Justices of
the King of France and after slew Thomas Becket and last of all thou forsakest the Protection of Christs Faith The King was mooved with these wordâ— and sayd unto the Patriarch Though all the men of the Land were one body and spake with one mouth they durst not speake â—o me such words No wonder said the Patriarch for they love thine and not thee That is to meane they love thy goods temporall and feare the losse of promotion but they love not thy soule And when he had so said he offered his head to the King saying Doe by me right as thou didst by Thomas Becket for I had rather be slaine of thee then of the Sarasens for thou art worse then any Sarasen and they follow a prey and not a man But the King kept his patience and said I may not wend out of my Land for my owne Sonnes will arise against me when I am absent No wonder said the Patriarch for of the devill they came and to the devill they shall and so departed from the King in great ire So rudely have Prelates dealt with the greatest Princes as thus both in words and deeds to revile and contemne them as if they were their slaves to be at their command though with the hazard of their lives Crownes and Kingdomes upon every humour I now passe on to the Scottish Prelates The Bishops of Scotlands acts in this kinde TO passe from Normandy to Scotland before I enter into a Relation of any of the Scotish Prelates actions I shall inform you what Holinshed writes of King Davids erection of Bishoprickes in Scotland and his endowing of them with large temporall possessions This Church in the originall plantation of the Gospell having beene governed onely by Presbyters and wanting Bishops for some hundred of yeares following herein the custome of the Primitive Church as Iohn Fordon Iohn Major Bishop Vsher and Spelman testifie David King of Scots erected foure Bishoprickes within this Realme Rosse Brochin Dunkeld and Dublaine indowing them with rich Rents faire Lands and sundry right commodious possessions Moreover he translated the Bishops See of Murthlake unto Aberden for sundry advised considerations augmenting it with certaine revenues as he thought expedient He was admonished as the report goeth in his sleepe that he should build an Abbey for a religious Order to live in together Whereupon he sent for workemen into France and Flanders and set them in hand to build this Abbey of Canons regular as he was admonished dedicating it in the honour of a Crosse whereunto he bare speciall devotion for that very strangely it slipped into his hands on a time as he was pursuing and following of a Hart in the Chase But enough of these Monkish devises Many prudent men blame greatly the unmeasurable liberality of King David which he used towards the Church in diminishing so hugely the revenues of the Crowne being the cause that many Noble Princes his Successors have come to their finall ends for that they have beene constrained through want of treasure to maintaine their royall estates to procure the fall of sundry great Houses to possesse their Lands and livings also to raise payments and exactions of the Common people to the utter impoverishment of the Realme And sometime they have beene constrained to invade England by warres as desperate men not caring what came of their lives Other whiles they have beene enforced to stampe naughty money to the great prejudice of the Common wealth All which mischiefes have followed since the time that the Church hath beene thus enriched and the Crowne impoverished Therefore King Iames the first when he came to King Davids Sepulcher at Dunfirmling he said that he was a sore Saint for the Crowne Meaning that he left the Church over-rich and the Crowne too poore For he tooke from the Crowne as Iohn Major writeth in his Chronicles 60000. pound Scotish of yearely revenues Wherewith he endowed those Abbyes But if King David had considered how to nourish true Religion he had neither endowed Churches with such riches nor built them with such royalty for the superfluous possessions of the Church as they are now used are not onely occasion to evill Prelates to live in most insolent pompe and corrupt life but an assured Net to draw gold and silver out of Realmes Thus Holinshed of the Bishops and Bishoprickes of Scotland in generall In a Convocation at Fairefax under King Gregory Anno 875. It was decreed by the Bishops of Scotland that Ordinaries and Bishops should have authority to order all men both publike and private yea Kings themselves as well for the keeping of Faith given as to constraine them to confirme the same and to punish such as should be found in the contrary This was a high straine of insolency and treachery against the Prerogative of the King and Nobles priviledges whom these Prelates endeavoured to enthrall to their Lordly pleasures and perchance it was in affront of King Davids Law who ordained Anno 860. but 15. yeares before that Priests should attend their Cures and not intermeddle with secular businesses or keepe Horses Haukes or Hounds A very good Law had it beene as well executed Anno 1294. the Scots conspiring together against their Soveraigne Lord and King Iohn Bailiol rose up in armes against him and inclosing him in a Castle they elected to themselves twelve Peeres after the manner of France whereof the foure first were Bishops by whose will and direction all the affaires of the Kingdome should be managed And this was done in despite to disgrace the King of England who set the said Iohn over them against their wils Whereupon the King of England brought an Army towards Scotland in Lent following to represse the rash arrogancy and presumption of the Scotsâ— against their owne Father and King and miserably wasted the Country over-running it quite and making both them and their King whom he tooke Prisoner to doe homage and sweare fealâ—y and give pledges to him as Walsingham reciâ—es more at large Among these Bishops it seemes that the Bishop of â—lascow was one of the chiefe opposites against the King of Scotland and England for Anno 1298. I finde this Bishop one of the chiefe Captaines of the Rebellious Scots and leading an Army in the field which being disbanded for feare of the English forces upon promise of pardon this Bishop Ne proditionis notam incurreret lest he should incurre the brand of treason rendred himselfe to Earle Warren sent into Scotland with an Army who committed him prisoner to the Castle of Rokâ—burrow for a Rebell where he was detained William of Neubery records Thaâ— David King of Scots was divinely chastised by one Wimundus an English man of obscure parents made Bishop of the Scottish Islands who waxing proud of his Bishopricke began to attempt great matters Not content with the dignity of his Episcopall Office he did now in
revenews was the very bane and poyson of Religion and one principall cause of the Bishops rebellions Treasons and exorbitances forementioned And therefore they may both with good conscience and reason be substracted from them and put to better usâ—s and they like other Ministers be confined to one compâ—tent living with cure there conâ—â—antly to reside and instruct the people like Bishops in the primitive times Tenthly That our Lorâ—ly Prelates will be still undermining the Lawesâ— and libâ—râ—ies of â—he Subjects his Majesties royall pâ—erogâ—tive his Eccleâ—â—asticall and temporall jurisdiction and vexing his Subjectâ— in their Courts till both their usurpâ—d Authoritiesâ— and Consistories be better regulated or totally abolished Eleventhly That the very Spirit of insolency contumacy tâ—eachery sedition rebellion ambition pride covetousnesse vaineglory malice hypocrisie tyranny and oppression is almost inseparably united to the Chaires of Lordly Prelates since they infect almost all who once sit in them and either infuse these vices into them or augment them in them none growing better men but most farre worse by their Sees Twelfthly that the government of our Church in common by a Presbytery or Synod of Ministersâ— or any other way used in the primitive Church and other refoâ—med Churches can no way be so pernicious or inconvenient to our Kings and Kingdomes as the Government by Lordly Prelates is and hath been Our Prelates chiefe objection in point of Monarchy against a Presbyteriall or Synodall government is that if this forme should be introduced the King and Nobles must submit therâ—to and be liable to their excommunications But this is a foolish Bugbear which recoyles and lights heavily on their owne heads For the Archbishops and Bishops of England and those of forraine Countrys too have many times not onely excommunicated their Soveraignes but also interdicted their Kingdomes enjoyned hard penances to them absolved their Subjects from their allegiance and oathes armed their people and strangers against them and deprived them of their Crownes offering them more and greater affronts and requiring more submission from them then all other their Subjects whatsoever Did ever any Presbytery doe the like or take so much upon them or did they ever deal so with their Princes as our Prelates did with King Iohn or with Edward and Richard the second If yea then prove it If no then this is no solid objection but a malicious suggestion against the Presbyteriall and Synodall Government In a word I would demand this question of the Objectors whether Kings and great men when they scandalously offend be subject to the censures of Excommunication by the law of God If so then why may not the Presbytery and Synode of Ministers anathematize them as well as Lord Bishops and Popes If not then there is no feare of such a censure to which they are not liable by Gods Law or mans These twelve conclusions are sufficiently warranted by the premises yet for the Readers better satisfaction I shall back them with some passages and Authorities of our owne approved ancient and Moderne Writers Martyrs Prelates and Authors of speciall note and so conclude Caelius Sedulius Scotus one of the ancientest of our owne Writers flourishing about the yeare of our Lord 390. determines thus of the parity of Bishops and Presbyters by divine right against our Lordly Prelates doctrine in these dayes in his Exposition on Titus Chap. 1. For a Bâ—shop must be blamelesse c. He calleth him a Bishop whom before he named a Presbyter Before by the Devils instinct parties were made in Religion and it was said among the people I am of Paul but I am of Apollo and I am of Cephas the Churches were governed with the common Councel of the Presbyters But after that every one thought those whom he baptised to be hiâ—â— not Christs it was decreed throughout the World that one chosen 〈◊〉 of the Presbyters should be set over the rest to whom all the care of the Church should appertaine and that the seeds of schismes should be taken away In the Acts of the Apostlâ—s it is written thaâ— when the Apostle Paulâ— came to Miletus he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of that Church unto whom among other things he spake thus Take heed to your selves and to all the flocke over which the Holy Ghost hath made you Bishops to feed the Church of God which he hath purchased with his owne blood And here observe more diligently how that he calling the Elders of but one City Ephesus doth afterwards stile them Bishops These things I have alleadged that we mâ—ght shew how that among the Ancâ—â—â—ts fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos Prâ—sbyters to hâ—ve been THE SAME THAT BISHOPS WERE But by little and little that the seeds of dissention might be utterly extïrpated the whole cure was traâ—sferred to one And on the 1 Timothy 5. â—â— It is demanded writes he why Paul here makes no mention of Presbyters but onely of Bishops and Deacons Sed etiam ipsos in Episcoporum nomine comprehendit But truely he also comprehâ—ndeth thâ—m in â—he name of Bishops To him I might annex our famous Gildas in his Acris Correptio Cleri Angliae our Venerable Beda in Acta Apostolorum cap. 20. Tom. 5. Col. 657. and Alcuinus de Dâ—vinis Officijs cap. 35.36 Epistola 108. ad Sparatum and Comment in Evang. Ioannis l. 5. to 25. Col. 547 548 549. Who maintaine the selfe same Doctrine of the Parity of Bishops and Presbyters declaime much against the pride Lordlinâ—sse ambition domineering power and other vices of Prelates and conclude that a Biâ—hopricke is Nomen Operis non honoris A name of Labour not of honour A worke not a dignity A toyle not a delâ—ght But I rather passe to Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury a man without exception and the greatest Scholler in his age who neare 600 yeares since in his Enarration on the Epistle to the Phillippians cap. 1. vers 1. resolves thus With the Bishops that is with the Presbyters and Deacâ—ns for he hath put Bishops for Elders after his custome For there were not many Bâ—shops in one City neither would he intermit Presbyters that he mâ—ght descâ—nd to Deacons But he declares the dignity and excellency of the Presbyters whilâ—s he manifests the same men who are Presbyters to be Bishops But that AFTERWARD one was elected who might be preferred before the rest it was done to prevent schisme leâ—t every one drawing to himselfe the Gospell of Christ should divide it Constat ergo Apostolica institutione omnes Presbyteros esse Episcopos It is therefore MANIFEST BY APOSTOLICALL INSTITVTION THAT ALL PRESBYTERS ARE BISHOPS albeit NOW those greater ones have obtained that Title For a Bâ—shop is called an Overseer and every Presbyter ought to attend the cure over the flock committed to him In his Commentary on the first Chapter of Titus v. 5 7. he hath the selfesame words that Hierom and Sedulius used before him concluding from Acts 20.17 28.
and Phil. 1.1 Apud veteres cosdem fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos That AMONG THE ANCIENTS PRESBYTERS WERE THE VERY SAME THAT BISHOPS WERE and that the Churches were then governed by a common Councell of the Presbyters As therefore Presbyters know that they out of the custome of the Church are subject to him who shall be set over them so Bishops must know SE MAGIS CONSVETVDINE Quà m DISPOSITIONIS DOMINICAE VERITATE PRESBYTERIS ESSE MAJORES ET IN COMMVNE DEBERE ECCLESIAM REGERE that they by CVSTOME rather then by truth of Divine Disposition are greater then Presbyters and OVGHT TO RVLE THE CHVRCH IN COMMON with them From which pregnant Authority even of an old Archbishop of Canterbury I observe First That by Apostolicall institution Bishops and Presbyters are both one and the same and originally continued so for a season Secondly That the imparity now between them â—s onely by custome not by divine institution and crept in by little and little by degrees after the Apostles time Thirdly That every Presbyter is still truely and properly a Bishop over his owne flock Fourthly That the Church of God at first was governed onely by a common Councell or Synode of Presbyters not by Bishops Fifthly That Presbyters even at this day not onely may but ought to governe the Church in common with the Bishops as they did both in Ignatius Tertullians Cyprians and Irenaeus time as others have proved at large See the Answer to Bishop Hals Remonstrance Sect. 8 9. Sixthly That Bishops were first elected created and instituted by the Presbyters therefore by their owne maxime Ordinans est major ordinato are greater and better then Bishops the rather because Presbyters Quatenus such are of Divinâ— and Bishops quatenus Bishops but of humane institution and Presbyters as such by Anselmes owne resolution in his Commentary on 1 Tim. 4.14 may of right ordaine Elders as well as Bishops Neither is Anselme singular in his opinion in avouching the parity and identity of Presbyters and Bishops since Athanasius Ambrose Hierome Chrysostome Theodoret Primasius Remigius Rabanus Maurus Haymâ— Theophylact Bruno in their Commentaries on Phil. 1.1 Acts 20.17 28. 1 Tim. 3. Tit. 1.5 7. and on Ephes. 4.11 12. with sundry other Fathers delivered the same opinion in their writings before his time A truth so cleare that learned Cassander though a Papist confesseth Convenit autem inter OMNES olim Apostolicorum aetate INTER EPISCOPOS ET PRESBYTEROS DISCRIMEN NVLLVM FVISSE SED POSTMODVM ordinis servandi schâ—smatis vitandi causa Episcopum Presbyteris fuisse praepositum cui soli Chyrotomiâ— id est ordinandi potestas servata sit That then this truth which is granted on all hands by ALL both Theologues and Canonists among the Papists should now be questioned nay contradicted and and damned for Heresie by our Prelates seemes strange and monstrous unto me But to proceed on in our owne Writers In the Canons of Aelfrick to Wulfinus a Bishop about the yeare of Christ 990. Sect. 17. There is no more difference between a Masse-priest and a Bishop then that a Bishop is constituted to confer Orders and to visit or oversee and to take care of those things which belong to God which should be committed to too great a multitude if every Presbyter should doe it For both VNVM TENENT EVNDEMQVE ORDINEM have one and the selfesame Order although that part of the Bishop be the worthier And in certaine old Saxon Chapters of incertaine Edition about the same time Know that your degree is next to ours penè CONIVNCTVM esse and to be almost the same or conjoyned to it For as Bishops supply the place of Apostles in the Church so doe Presbyters of the other Disciples of the Lord whence we ought to be mindfull of so great a dignity John Salisbury our famous Country-man flourishing about the yeare of Christ 1140. De Nugis Curialium li. 8. c. 17. and 23. writes thus of the pride and sedition of Bishops Thou must admire to see the various houshold-stuffe and riches as they say of Croesus among them that preach poore Christ They live of the Gospell without preaching the Gospell and it is well if they live onely so as they doe not also ryot They so gape after gaine that they contemne the things that are Jesus Christs and are neither worthy the honour nor name either of a Pastor or hireling They dâ—â— that which makes them to be feared of all to bee beloved of none they preacâ— peace yet make division they shew and counterfeit humility that they may challenge pride In fulnesse they dispute of fastings and what they build up with words they pull downe with deeds The workes they doe beare witnesse of them you may know them by their fruits It is not sufficient for them to sheare and devoure the flocke by liberty of a divine Law unlesse they also implore the ayde of secular Lawes and being made Officers to Princeâ— they feare not to commit those things which any other Publican would easily be ashamed of In the meane time they are servants to pleasure or avarice and those who have chosen and admitted them to their custody they spoyle and oppresse and desire the death of those whom they ought to foster both in flesh and spirit Truly they beare in mind â—hat of the Prophet Behold I have set thee over the Nations and over Kingdomes to pull up and to destroy to pull downe and to scatter c. Nor they doe not onely contend but fight for a Bishoprick The Ancients heretofore were dragged against their wils to a Bishoprick and went willingly to Martyrdome they feared the chiefe Chaire worse then a prison or crosse But now the Prelates spâ—â—ke quite contrary we will not say they be Martyrs but the glory of our Sees we will not give to another Yet there is something in which they seeme to imitate the constancy of Martyrs to wit if they are to contest for a Bishoprick It is reported by some and it is true that ambitious men have sometimes yea often contended for the Bishopricke of Rome and not without brotherly blood hath the High Priest entred into the holy of holies This verily is to succeed Romulus in paricide not Peter in feeding the flock committed to him More then civill Warres are againe stirred up betweene Caesar and Pompey and whatsoever was presumed whaâ—ever was impiously done at Philippi Lucade Murina in Aegypt or in Spaine a prelaticall Warre accomplisheth Doe they therefore procure the effusion of Christian blood that it may be lawfull for them above other men according to their pastorall duty to lay down their lives for the Flock Doe they therefore pull down the Churches prophane holy things that there may be some thing for them to build up and sanctifie Perchance they dash Nations one against another disquiet Kingdomes violently take away the goods of
overseer or Superintendent whose office was in the Primitive Church purely to instruct the multitude in the wayes of God and to see that they were not beastly ignorant in the holy Scripture as the most part of them are now adayes Presbyter is as much to say as a Senior or Elder whose office was also in godly Doctrine and examples of living to guide the Christian Congregation and to suffer no manner of superstition of Jew nor Gentile to raigne among them And these two offices were alone in those dayes and commonly executed of one severall person They which were thus appointed to these spirituall offices did nothing else but preach and teach the Gospell having assistants unto them inferiour officers called Deacons Act. 6. 1 Cor. 1. Rom. 3. No godly man can despise these offices neither yet condemne those that truly execute them not onely are they worthy to have a competent living 1 Cor. 9. but also double honour after the doctrine of Saint Paul 1 Tim. 5. But from inordinate excesse of riches ought they of all men to be sequestred considering that the most wicked nature of Mammon is alwayes to corrupt yea the very Elect if God were not the more mercifull Matth. 6. which might be an admonition to our Lordly Bishops when they be in their worldly pompe that they are not Gods servants beleeved they his sayings as they do nothing lesse Master Fishâ—â— in his Supplication of Beggers thus complaines to King Henry the Eight of the inconveniency of the Prelates greatnesse and sway both to himselfe and his subjects worthy his Majesties most serious consideration Oh the grievous shipwâ—acke of the Common-wealth which in ancient time before the comming of these ravenous wolves were so prosperous c. What remedy Make Lawes against them I am in doubt whether yee be able Are they not stronger in your owne Parliament house than your selfe what a number of Bishops Abbots and Priors are Lords of your Parliament Are not all the learned men of your Realme in see with them to speake in the Parliament house for them against your Crowne dignity and Common-wealth of your Realme a few of your owne learned Counsell onely excepted What Law can be made against them that they may be availeable Who is hee though hee be grieved never so sore that for the murther of his ancester ravishment of his wife of his daughter robbery trespasse maihme debt or any other offence dare lay it to their charge by way of Action and if hee doe then is he by and by by their wilinesse accused of heresie yea they will so handle him ere hee passe that except he will beare a faggot at their pleasure he shall be excommunicated and then be all his Actions dashed So captive are your Lawes unto them that no man whom they list to excommunicate may be admitted to sue any action in any of your Courts If any man in your Sessions dare be so hardy to indite a Priest of any such crime hee hath ere the yeare goe about such a yoake of heresie layd in his necke that it makâ—th him wish he had not done it Your Grace may see what a worke there is in London how the Bâ—shop rageth for indiâ—ing certaine Curates of extortion and incontinency the last yeare in the Ward-mote Quest. Had not Richard Hunne Commenced action of Premunire against a Priest hee had yet beene aliveâ— and no hereticke aâ— all but an honest man And â—his is by reason that the chiefe instrument of your Law yea the chiefe of your Counsell and hee which hath your sword in his hand to whom also all the other instruments are obedient is alwaies a spirituall man which hath ever such an inordinate love unto his owne kingdome that hee will maintaine that though all the temporall Kingdomes and Common-wealths of the world should therefore utterly be undone After which he sâ—â—wes the intolerable exactiâ—ns of the Prelates on the people and how much wealth and money they extort from their postâ—rity You have heard now the opinion of our Martyrs Prelates and godly Writers touching Episcopacie Lordly Prelates their trayterly practises Tâ—mporalties and perniciousnesse to our Church and State both before and in K. Henry the eighth his raigne in the very inâ—ancie of reformation many then desiring and earnestly writing for their utter exterpation as most pernicious instruments of mischiefe both to King Church and Kingdome I shall now proceed to give you some briefe account what hath beene â—hough of these particulars by our Writers and Martyrs in King Edward the sixth Queene Maries and Queene Elizabeths subsequent raignes Learned Martyn Bucer Professor of Divinity in the University oâ— Cambridge in King Edward the sixth his raigneâ— in his booke De Regno Christi dedicated to this King and Devi usu sancti Ministerii determines thus of Lordly Prelates and their temporall offices First I doubt not Most noble King that your Majesty discernes that this reformation of Christs Kingdome which wee require yea which the salvation oâ— us all requires Ab Episcopis nullo modo expectandum is by no meanes to be exspected from the Bishops since there are so few among them even in this Kings raigne when they were best which is worthy noting which do clearly know the power of this Kingdome and the proper offices thereof yea most of them by all meanes they may and dare do either oppugne it deferre or hinder it and thereupon hee adviseth the King not to make use of Doctors Bishops who had the greatest Titles and largest revenues in this reformation but of other godly Ministers and Lay-men wherein the knowledge and zeale of God did most abound to choose them for his Counsellours in this great worke who bâ— knew the power of Christ Kingdome and desired with all their hearts that it might prevaile and raign first in themselves then in all others And because writes he it is the duty of Bishop to govern the Churches not by their owne sole pleasure but with â—he counsell of Presbiters and Ministry of Deacons there will be a nececessity as al the offices of Churches are now dissipated and perverted to adjoyne to every one of the Bishops though never so approved a councell of Presbyters and ministry of Deacons who also ought to be most holily examined and tryed whether they have received of the Lord both ability and will to be assistant to their Bishop in the administration and procuration of the Churches the Presbyters in councell and assistance the Deacons in observance and ministration c. But now there are some of the Bishops whose service your sacred Majesty useth in the administration of the Kingdome But sith nothing in this world is commended to the care of men by the most high which ought more solicitously religiously to be looked to and managed then the procuration of religion that is of the eternall salvation oâ— the elect of God summum
est nefas it is the highest impiety to preferre any other Businesse before this care or for any cause whatsoever to hinder them so as their ministeries be lesse â—ully adhibited to their Churches Moses was most amply endued with the spirit of God and excelled with incredible wisedome and he altogether burned with a most ardent study of planting and preserving the true religion yet seeing hee ought to governe the whole Common-wealth of Iâ—rael hee by Gods command set Aaron his brother with his sonnes over matters of religion that they might WHOLY bestow themselves in them The Maccabees truly joyned the Civill administration to the Ecclesiasticall but with what successe their histories testifie wherefore it is to be wished that Bishops according to Gods Law religionibuâ— solis vacent procurandis should onely addict themselves to matters of Religion and lay aside all other businesses from them though beneficiall to mankind and leave them to those who should wholly bestow themselves on them being chosen thereto by God There is no office that requires more study and care â—han the procuration of soules Satan knowing this very well hath brought to passe that Bishops and chiefe Ecclesiasticall Prelates should be sent for by Kings Emperours unto their Courts to manage publike affaires both of warre and peâ—ce Hence these mischiefes have ensued first a neglect of the whole sacred ministry the corruption of doctrine the destruction of discipline After as soone as Prelates began to usurpe the place of Lords they challenged their luxury pomp to themselves to which end since the wealth of Princâ—s was requisite that which they ought to bestow out of their Ecclesiasticall revenues upon the faithfull Ministers of Churches upon Schooles upon the poore of Christ all these things being taken from them by horrible sacriledge they spent them upon riot and princely pompe And when as the goods of the Church were not sufficient to maintaine this luxury and pompe they flattered away and begged and by various frauds tooke from Kings goodly rich poâ—sessions and great Lordships by which accessions their luxury and pride was thenceforth not onely fostered and sustained but likewise infinitely increased which afterwards so farre prevailed that the spoyles of single Churches would not suffice each of them but they brought the matter to this passe that one at this day may fleece or spoyle three or foure Bishoprickes Abbies and other Prelacies and such a multitude of parish Churches as is horrible to name for they say there is one lately dead in this Kingdome who fleaed above 20. Parishes So Bucer who held Bishops Ministers to be all one and that the power of ordination resting originally in Christ derivatively in the whole Church and ministerially onely in Bishops and Presbyters as servants to the Church belonged as well to Presbyters as to Bishops with whom Peter Martyr his fellow Regius professor of Divinity in the University of Oxford fully concurâ—es in his Commonplaces printed at London cum privilegio Ann. 1576. Class 4. Loc. 1. Sect. 23. p. 849. to which I shall referre you for brevity sake To these I might adde The image of both Pastors written by Huldricke Zwinglius translated into English by Iohn Veron dedicated to the Duke of Somerset Lord Protector and Printed at London Cum privilegio An. 1550. Wherein he proves the parity and identity of Bishops and Presbyters condemnes the Lordly and secâ—lar dominion Wealth Pompe Pride Tyranny Nonpreach and rare preaching of Prelates and manifests Lord Bishops as then they stood and now to be false Pastors and meer papall and antichristian officers not warranted by Gods word but because Zwinglius was a forraigner I shall passe it by without transcribing any passage thereof Mr. Iohn Hooper both a Bishop and martyr of our Church a great opposer of Ceremonies Episcopall Rochets and Vestments in which hee would not bâ— consecrated writes thus of the secular imployments wealth and calling of Bishops For the space of 400. yeares after Christ the Bishops applyed all their wit only to their owne vocation to the glory of God and the honour of the Realmes they dwelt in though they had not so much upon their heads as our Bishops have yet had they more within their heads as the Scripture and Histories testifie For they applyed all the wit they had unto the vocation and ministry of the Church whereunto they were called But our Bishops have so much wit that they can rule and serve as they say in both States in the Church and also in the Civill policie when one of them is more then any man is able to satisfie let him doe alwayes his best diligence If hee be so necessary for the Court that in Civill causes he cannot be spared let him use that vocation and spare the other It is not possible hee should doe both well It is a great oversight in Princes thus to charge them with two burthens the Primitive Church had no such Bishops as wee they had such Bishops as did preach many godly Sermons in lesse time than our Bishops horses be a bridling Their house was a Schoole or treasure house of Gods Ministers if it be so now let every man judge The Magistrates that suffer the abuse of these goods be culpable of the â—ault if the fourth part of the Bishopricke remained to the Bishop it were sufficient the third part to Schoolemasters the second to poore and souldiers were better bestowed If any be offended with me for this my saying he loveth not his owne soules health nor Gods Laws nor mans out of which I am alwayes ready to prove the thing I have said to be true Further I speake of love not of hatred And in his Apologie hee saith It is both against Gods Laws mans that Bishops and clergie men should be judges over any subjects within this Realme for it is no part of their office they can do no more but preach Gods Word and minister Gods Sacraments and excommunicate such as Godâ— Lawes do pronounce to be excommunicated who would put a sword into a madmans hand And in his exposition on Psal. 23.1580 f. 40. Although Bishops saith hee in the raigne of Constantine the Great obtained that among Bishops some should be called Archbishops and Metropolitans c. Yet this preheminencie was at the pleasure discretion of Princes not alwaies tyed to one sorâ— of Prelates as the impiety of our time beleeveth as we may see in the Councell of Calcedon Africke So that it is manifest that this Superior preheminency is not of Divine but of humane right instituted out of civill policie So Hooper The Booke of ordination of Ministers and Consecraation of Bishops compiled by the Bishops in King Edwards dayes ratified by two Acts of Parliament and subscribed to by all our Ministers hath this notable passage and charge against the Lordlinesse and secular imployments of Prelates and Ministers
If hee had seene our Bishops that now bee hee would have said otherwise For now the Pope claimeth a power above all the powers in heaven and earth as it is written in the Councell of Lateran Againe â—rasmus in another place speaking hereof saith thus This holy man Saint Ierome saith plainly and freely and as hee thinketh that the Bishop of Rome is above other Bishops not by Bishoprickeâ— but onely by riches By riches onely M. Harding Erasmus saith the Pope is above other Bishops By riches onely hee saith not by right of Gods word not by vertue not by learning not by diligence in preaching but onely by riches Now it may please you to follow your owne rule and to lay the one saying to the other But Saint Ieromes words are plaine of themselves and have no need of other expositor Thus he writeth What doth a Bishop saving onely the ordering of Ministers but a Priest may do the same Neither may wee thinke that the Chuâ—ch of Rome is oneâ— and the Church of all the world beside is another France England Affrica Persia Levante India and all barbarous Nations worship one Christ and keepe one rule of the truth If wee seeke for Authority the whole world is greater than the City of Rome Wheresoever there be a Bishop be it at Euguâ—ium be it at Rome be it at Constantinople be it at Rhegium Be it at Alexandria be it at Tanais they are all of one worthinesse they are all of one Bishopricke The power of riches and the basenesse of poverty maketh not a Bishop either higher or lower for they are all the Apostles successors What bring you mee the custome of Rome being but one City Here M. Harding findeth great fault for that I have translated these words Of one Bishopricke and not as hee would have it Of one Priesthood God woâ— a very simple quarrell Let him take whether he liketh best if either other of these words shall serve his turne Erasmus saith Bishop Pâ—iest and Presbyter at that time were all tâ—ree all one But Mâ— Harding saith The Primates had Authority over other inâ—eriour Bishops I graunt they had so Howbeit they had it by agreement and custome but neither by Christ nor by Peter nor Paul nor by any right of Gods Word Saintâ— Ierome saith Let Bishops understand that they are above Priests rather of Custome than of any truth or right of Christs institution and that they ought to rule the Church altogether And againe Therefore a Priest and a Bishop are both one thing and before that by the inflaming of the Devill parts were taken in Religion and these words were uttered among the people I hold of Paul I hold of Apollo I hold of Peter the Churches were governed by the common advice of the Priests Saint Augustine saith The office of a Biâ—hop is above the office of a Priest not by the authority of the Scripâ—ures but after the names of honour which the custome of the Church hath now obtained So part 2. cap. 9. Divis. 1. p. 196 He brings in M. Harding the Papist writing thus Even so they which denyed the distinction of a Bishop and a Priest were condemned of heresie as we find in Saint Augustine in the Booke and Chapter aforesaid And in Epiphanius Lib. 3. cap. 75. In the Councell of Constance the same is to be found To whom he answers in the Margent Vntâ—uth for hereby both Saint Paul and Saint Ierome and other good men are condemned of Heresie And p. 202. He gives this further answer But what meant M. Harding here to come in with the difference betweene Priests and Bishops thinkes hee that Priests and Bishops hold onely by Tradition or is it so horrible an heresie as hee maketh it to say that by the Scriptures of God a Bishop and a Priest are all one or knoweth hee how farre and unto whom he reacheth the name of an Hereticke Verily Chrysostome saith Betweene a Bishop and a Priest in a manner there is no difference Saint Hierome saith somewhat in rougher sort I heare say there is one become so peevish that hee setteth Deacons before Priests that is to say before Bishops Whereas the Apostle plainly teacheth us that Priests and Bishops he all one Saint Augustine saith What is a Bishop but the first Priest that is to say the highest Priest So saith Saint Ambrose There is but one consâ—cration of a Priest and Bishop for both of them are Priests but the Bishop is the first In his Sermon upon Haggai 1 p. 176. he writes thus against the temporall possessions and secular Offices of Clergy men When Constantinus the Emperour endowed the Church with lands and possessions they say there was a voyce of Angels heard in the ayre saying This day poyson is powred into the Church If there were poyson powred into Church then I doubt there was nover Treacle powred into it since This wee see that from that time shee hath done worse and worse Augustine findeth fault with the multitude of Ceremonies and saith the Church in â—his time was in worse case by mans devises than was the Church of the Iewes Bernard said There is no part sound in the Clergie And againe They which chuse tâ—e first places in the Church are chiefest in persecuting Christ. And againe they be not Teachers but deceivers they are not feeders but beguilers they be not Prelates but Pilates Which hee thus further prosecutes in his Sermon on Matthew 9. p. 198. And what shall I speake of Bishops Their cloven Miter signifieth perfect knowledge of the new Testament and the old their Crosiers Staffe signifieth diligence in attending the flocke of Christ their purple Bootes and Sandals signifie that they should ever be booted and ready to goe abroad through thicke and thinne to teach the Gospell and thereto they applyed the words of the Prophet How beautifull are the feete of them which bring glad tydings of peace which bring glad tydings of good things But alas in what kind of things do they beare themselves for Bishops These mysticall titles and shewes are not enough to â—eâ—ch in the Lords Harvest they are garments more meete â—or Players than for good Labourers Saint Bernard writes thus to Eugenius the Bishop of Rome who sometime had beene his Scholler Thou which art the shepheard â—ettest up and downe shining in gold and gorgeously attired but what get thy sheepe If I durst speake it these things are not the fodder for Christs sheepe but for devils Whatsoever apparell they have upon them unlesse they will fall to worke Christ will not know them for labourers How then can the Bishop of Rome be taken for the chiefe Pastor of Christ which these 900. yeares hath not opened his mouth to feed the flocke These 900. yeares I say since Gregory the first of that name it can hardly be found that ever any Bishop of Rome was seene in a Pulpit One of
themselves Adrianus the fourth a Bishop of Rome was wont to say Wee succeed not Peter in teaching but Romulus in murthering And in the Canon of â—he Apostles it is decreed That the Bishop that teacheth not his flocke shâ—uld be deposed To which purpose they alleage Saint Augustine A Bishops office iâ— a name of labour not a name of honour that hee which coveteth the place of preeminence and hath not a desire to do good may know hee is not a Bishop Thus saith Origen Thus saith Chrysostome thus say divers others of the old Fathers whom it were long and needlesse to rehearse There be many Priests and few Priests saith Chrysostome Many that beare the name but few that be Priests indeed Thus the Harvest is great and plentious but the Labourers are but few The labourers are but few but the destroyers and wasters are exceeding many Yea such as should be the harvest men most of all destroy the corne I will not here report that I am well able that your eyes have seene and that many of you have felt the state of our time hath beene such Saint Bernard saw it in his time and therefore saith All are â—riends and all are enemies all are helpers and all are adversaries and hinderers Againe Alas alas O Lord God they are the chiefest in persecuting thee that seeme to love the highest roomes and to beare rule in thy Church he cites their Latin which I omiâ— And in his Defence of the Apologie â—f the Church of England part 6. c. 9. Div. 3. p. 667 568. hee writes thus of Bishops intanglement in worldly affaires and bravery in apparell Our Princes never tooke upon them the office of Bishops but your Bishops have taken upon them the office of Princes Of your Bishops it is written in your owne Councels Behold there is now in a manner no worldly affaire but Priests and Bishops have it in hand Such Bishops be they of whom Saint Chrysostome writeth thus They that neither beleeve nor feare the judgement of God abusing their Ecclesiasticall dignity in secular sort turne the same into secular dignity Such Bishops they be of whom Saint Hierome saith thus They themselves be to themselves both Laymen and Bishops too And againe They worship the Lord and Melchom both together thinking that they may serve both the World and the Lord and satisfie two masters at once God Mammon who fighting under Christ bend themselves to worldly affaires and offer up one image Both to God and Cesar. And therefore Cardinall Cuâ—amâ—â— saith Hereof groweth a great deformity that Bishops are bent only to worldly cares Marke these words M. Harding hee saith Your Bishops are bent onely to worldly cares If yee will beleeve none of these yet your Popes owne Legates in your late Chapter at Trident speaking of your Priestlike apparell say thus Our Priests differ nothing from Laymen saving only in apparel nay indeed they differ not so much from them as in apparell Yee say your Bishops be gay and gallant attended and guarded with Princelike routs both behind and before And therefore yee make no small account specially in respect of our estate which you call beggerly In such disdaine the Heathen sometimes said That Christ was the beggerliest and poorest of all the Gods that were in heaven Howbeit our Bishoprickes saving that certaine of your Fathers have shamefully spoyled them are now even as they were beforeâ— Certainly the poorest Bishopricke in England as it is reported is better in revenues than three of your Popes Italian Bishoprickes in the Kingdome of Naples Howbeit the Gospell of Christ standeth not by riches but by truth in comparison of the one wee make small reckoning of the other Neverthelesse the wise and godly have evermore sound fault with the Ecclesiasticall bravery of your Roman Clergy Saint Bernard saith Therehence commeth their whorelike finenesse their players weed their Princely apparell therehence commeth their gold in their bridles in their Saddles and in their spurres Againe hee saith They goe trimly and finely in their colours as if a spouse should come from her chamber if thou shouldst suddenly see one of them jetting a farre off wouldst thou not rather thinke it were a spouse than the keeper of the spouse Laurentius Valla although bitterly yet not unpleasantly thus expresseth your Lordly bravey I thinke if the Devill in the ayre have any games among them to make sport withall they are most busily occupied in counterfeiting the apparell and tire and pride and riot of Priests and have greatest pastime Pope Bonefacius the 8. in a great Iubilee and in a solemne procession went apparelled in the Empeâ—ours Robes and had the Crowne Imperiall on his head and the sword of majestie borne before him as an Emperour This spirituall jolity M. Harding liketh you well Notwithstanding Saint Bernard saith These be pastures for Devils not for sheepe no doubt even thus did Peter Euen such pastime plaid Saint Paul Yee tell us further though they teach not though they say noâ— though they do not though they live not as becommeth Bishops nor as becommeth a Christian man yet be they Bishops notwithstanding Hereat wee will not greatly strive for so the Wolfe if hee once get a sheep-hooke and a cloke may be a shepheard and a blind man if hee get once into the watch-tower may be a spie But miserable are the poore sheepe that so are fed miserable is that poore Castle that so is watched Saint Augustine saith A Bishops office is a name of labour and not of honour that who so loveth to rule and not to profit may understand himseâ—fe to be no Bishop Againe hee saith of such a one Hee ought rather to be called a shamelesse dogge than a Bâ—shop As for that yee say Your Bishops be duly ordinated and consecrated Saint Augustine replieth Touching the outward consecration of a Bishop many give it to wolves and be wolves themselves Saint Bernard speaking of your Priests and Bishops saith In their apparell they are Souldiers in their gaines they are Priests and Bishops But in effect and in deed they are neither of both for neither do they fight in the field as do Souldiers nor do they preach as Priests and Bishops Of whether order therefore be they Whereas they would be of both Orders they forsake both and confound both Saint Paul saith every man shall rise againe in his owne order but in what order shall these rise whether forasmuch as they have sinned without order shall they perish without order I feare me they shall be ordered none otherwhere but whereas is no Order but disorder and horror everlasting Againe in his Defence of the Apologie of the Church of England Par. 6. chap. 2. Divis. 1. he writes thus concerning Bishops voting and authority in Parliament in settling matters in Religion Where yee would seeme to say that the
his owne prayers unto God and private reading of those sundry confessions that were offered him c. Pag. 543. he thus proceeds Had you beene in the Primitive Church of Christ you would have gallantly disdained these other examples of Christian Kings and Countries converted and instructed by Merchants somtimes by women most times by the single perswasion of one man without all legall meanes or judiciall proceedingâ— the poore soules of very zeale imbracing the Word of life when it was first offered them and neglecting your number of voyces consent of Priestâ— and competent Courts as frivilous excâ—ptions against God and dangerous lets to their Salvationâ— Frumentius a Christian Child taken prisoner in India the farther and brought at length by Gods good Providence to beare some sway in the Realme in the non-age of the King carefully sought for such as were Christians among the Roman Merchants and gave them most free power to have assemblies in every place yeelding them whatsoever was requisite and exhorting them in sundry places to use the Christian prayers And within short time he built a Church and brought it to passe that some of the Indians were instructed in the faith and joyned with them The King of Iberia neere Pontus when he saw his wiâ—e restored to health by the prayers of a Christian Captive and himselfe delivered out of the suddaine danger that he was in onely by thinking and calling on Christ whom the Captive woman named so often to his wife sent for the woman and desired to learne the manner of her Religion and promised after that never to worship any other God but Christ The Captive woman taught him as much as a woman might and admonished him to build a Church and described the forme how it must be done whereupon the King calling the people of the whole Nation together told what had befallen the Queene and him and taught them the faith and became as it were the Apostle of this Nation though he were not yet baptized The examples of England France and other Countries are innumerable where Kings and Common wealths at the preaching of one man have submitted themselves to the faith of Christ without Councels or any Synodall or judiciall proceedings And therefore each Prince and people without these meanes have lawfull power to serve God and Christ his Sonne notwithstanding twenty Bishops as in our case or if you will twenty thousand Bishops should take exceptions to the Gospell of truth which is nothing else but to waxe mad against God by pretence of humane reason and order By all which it is evident that Parliaments may not onely be held and determine Secular matters but likewise Ecclesiasticall and Religious without the presence of Bishops which is no wayes necessary if expedient Touching the parity of Bishops Presbyters by Divine institution their difference only by custom he determins thus The title and authorithy of Arch-Bishops and Patriarkes was not ordained by the Commandment of Christ or his Apostles but the Bishops long after when the Church began to be troubled with dissentions were content to lincke themselves together and in every Province to suffer one whom they preferred for the worthines of his City and called their Metropolitane that is Bishop of the chiefe or mother City to have this prerogative in all doubts of Doctrine and Discipline to assemble the rest of his brethren or consult them absent by Letters and see that observed which the most part of them determined Before there began Schismes in Religion the Churches saith S. Hierome were governed by the Common Councill of the Seniors And therefore let the Bishops understand that they be greater than Ministers or Elders rather by custome than by any truth of the Lords appointment and that they ought to governe the Church in Common and in his Epistle to Evagrius having fully proved by the Scriptures that the Apostles called themselves but Presbyters Elders or Seniors he addeth That after their times one was chosen in every Church and preferred before the rest to have the dignity of a Bishop this was provided for a remedie against Schismes lest every man drawing some unto him should rent the Church of Christ in peeces For what doth a Bishop except ordering of others which an Elder may not doe And lest you should thinke he speaketh not as well of the chiefe as of the meaner Bishops he compareth three of the greatest Patriarkes with three of the poorest Bishops he could name A Bishop of what place soever he be either of Rome or of Eugubium or of Constantinople or of Rhegium or of Alexandria or of Tajus hath the same merit and the same function or Priesthood abundance of riches or basenesse of poâ—erty doth not make a Bishop higher or lower for they all be successours to the Apostles So that the Bishop of Rome by Commission from Christ and succession from the Apostles is no higher than the meanest Bishop in world The Superiority which he and others had as Metropolitanes in their owne Provinces came by custome as the great Councell of Nice witnesseth not by Christs institution Let the old use continue in Egypt Lybia and Pentapolis that the Bishop of Alexandria be chiefe over all those places for so much as the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome Likewise at Antioch and in other Provinces let the Churches keepe theer Prerogatives The generall Councell of Ephesus confesseth the same It seemeth good to this sacred and Oecumenicall Synod to conserve to every Province their right priviledges whole and untouched which they have had of old according to the custome that now long hath prevailed Next their authority was subject not onely to the discretion and moderation of their brethren assembled in Councell but also to the Lawes and Edicts of Christian Princes to be granted extended limited and ordered as they say cause For example the first Councell of Constantinople advanced the Bishop of that City to be the next Patriarch to the Bishop of Rome which before he was not And the Councell of Chalcedon made him equall in Ecclesiasticall honours with the Bishop of Rome and assigned him a larger Province than before he had So Iustinian gave to the City in Africa that he called after his owne name the See of an Archbishop Touching Bishops secular Jurisdiction imprisonment and temporall affaires he writes thus Bishops be no governours of Countries Princes be that is Bishops beare not the sword to reward and revenge Princes doe Bishops have no power to command and punish Princes have This appeareth by the Words of our Saviour expressely forbidding his Apostles to be Rulers of Nations and leaving it to Princes The Kings of Nations rule over their people and they that be great ones exercise authority with you it shall not be so that is you shall neither beare rule nor exercise authority over
Wickliffe and his Scholars afterwards Husse and Hussites last of all Luther Calvin Brentius Bullinger Musculus and other who might be recâ—koned particularly in great number sith as here with us both Bishops and the Queenes proâ—essors of Divinity in our Universities and other learned men doe consent therein so in â—orraigne Nations all whom I have read treating of this matter and many more no doubt whom I have not read The siâ—ting examining of the Trent Councell hath beene undertaken by onely two which I have seene the one a Divine the other a Lawyer Kemnisius and Gentilletus they both condemne the contrary doctrine thereunto as a Trent errour the one by Scriptures and Fathers the others by the Canon Law But what doe I further speake of severall persons It is the common judgement of the reformed Churches of Helvetia Savoy France Scotland Germany Hungary Poâ—on the Low Countries and our owne witnesse the Harmony of Confessions Wherefore siâ—h Doctor Bancroft I assure my selfe will not say that all these have approved that as sound and Christian Doctrine which by the generall consent of the whole Church in a most flourishing time was condemned for Heresie I hope he will acknowledge that he was overseene in that he avouched the Superiority which Bishops have among us over the Clergie to be of Gods owne Ordinance Thus Doctor Rainoldâ— of whom you may reade more to this purpose in his Conference with Hart Aug. 1584. London 1609. p. 12â— 123.185.218.4â—1.540.541 I could recite many more of our owne writers and records to the same effect but because I have published A Catalogue of them and of such Testimonies in all ages as plainely evidence Bishops and Presbyters to be both one and the same in Iurisdiction Oâ—â—â—ce Dignity Order and Degree by Divine Law and Institution and their Disparity to be a meere humane Ordinance long after the Apostles times c. and because I have at large manifested this trâ—th in my Vnbishoping of Timothy and Titus and in my Breviate of the Prelates intolerable Vsurpations both upon the Kings Prerogative Royall and the Subjects Liberties I shall for brevity sake referre you to them and proceede to answere some principall Objections in defence and maintenance of Episcopacy and then cast Anchor CHAP. IX Comprising an Answer to the Principall Objections alleadged by the Prelates in defence of the Divine pretended Institution and for the continuance of their Episcopacy in our Church HAving thus given you a taste what our owne Authors ancient and Modeâ—ne Protestants and Papists Martyrs and Prelates have formerly written touching the pretended Divine Jurisdiction the Treasons Conspiracies Seditions Antimonarchicall practises Lordlinesse secular imployments courtship and great Temporall possessions of our prelates I shall onely Answere two Aâ—guments or rather bare Allegationâ— now principally insisted on for the maintenance of Episcopall Superiority by a Divine right with three more Objections for the continuance of Episcopacy still in our Church and so conclude The first Allegation for Episcopacies Divine institution is taken â—rom the Angel of the Church of Ephesus whom Bâ—shop Hall Bishop Vsher and others will neâ—dâ—s have â—o be a Bishop Superiour in Authority and Jurisdiction to other Ministers because he writes onely in the singular number to the Angel not to the Angels of that Church which say â—hey implies a Supâ—riority of one speciall Minister in that Church to whom this Epistle is principally directed over the other Presbyters not once mentioned in this Epistle To which I answere First that â—his word Angel is but a metaphoricall Title proper onely to the heavenly Spirits in strictnesse of speech and in a large sense as it signifies a Messenger or Servant it may as aptly denoâ—e a Minister or Presbyter as a Bishop The Tiâ—le therefore of it selfe as it is used by S. Iohn makes nothing â—or Episcopacy since ordinary Presbyters are in Scripture sometimes stiled Angels but Bishops distinct â—rom Presbyters are never so named there Secondly our Bishops themselves if not the whole Church of England with our late famous King Iames in the Contents annexed by them to the Bibles of the last Translation now onely used permitted in our Churches in expresse Termes expound the Angels of â—he 7. Churches to be the Ministers of them the Contents of the second Chap. of the Revelation running thus What is commanded to be written to the ANGELS that is The Ministers of the Churches of Ephesus Smyrna Pergamus Thiatyra c. had these Angels beene such as you now call Bishops you would have rendred the Contents thus What is written to the Angels that is to the Bishops of Ephesus c. But since you expound Angels thus to be the Ministers of these Churches who in vulgar appellation and acception are distinct from Bishops and as you hold inferiour to them you must now either renounce your owne and our Churches exposition or your Episcopacy For if the Angels of these Churches be the most eminent persons and rulers in them as you argue and these as the Contents testifie be not Bishops but Ministerâ— it followes infallibly that Ordinary Ministers and Presbyters are superiour to Bishops not Bishops to them And that these Angels were the Ministers of these Churâ—hes is evident by the expresse resolution of our owne learned Iames Pilkington late Bishop of Durham in his Exposition upon the Prophet Aggeus cap. 1. v. 13. London 1562. where he writes thus That more worshipfull names are given to the Preaching Minister than to any sort of men This name Angell is given to the Preachers for the heavenly comfort that they bring to man from God whose Messengers they be In the Revel of S. Iohn he writes to the 7. Angels â— to the 7. Ministers not Bishops of the 7. Congregations or Churches in Asia By this Bishops resolution then and by Pope Gregory the firsts too these seven Angels are seven Preaching Ministers not Lordly Non-Preaching Prelates And Master Fox in his Meditations on Apoc. c. 2 p. 27.28 concurres with them averriâ—g That by the seven Angels is meant either the Ministers of the seven Churches or the Churches themselves which exposition is as ancient as Aretas Primasius and Ambrosius Ansbertus who in their Commentaries on Apocalypsis write thus Septem stellae Angeli sunt septem Ecclesiarum Nec putandum est quod hoc loco Angeli singuli singulis deputentur hominibus quod incongrue ab aliquibus aestimatur sed potius Angeli Eccles. hic intelligendi sunt rectores populi qui singulis Ecclesiis praesidentes verbum vitae cunctis annunciant Nam Angeli nomen nuncius interpretatum dicitur Et Angelo Ecclesiae Ephesi scribe Darivo hic casu Angelo posuit non genitivo Ac si diceret Scribe Angelo huic Ecclesiae ut non tam Angelum Ecclesiam separatim videatur dixisse quam quis Angelus exponere
voluisset unam videlicet faciens Angeli Ecclesiaeque personam Quamviâ— enim Sacramenti dispensatione praeponatur compaginis tamen unitate connectitur Nam hanc regulam a principio servans non septem Angelis sed Septem Ecclesiis scripsisset Iohannes inquiens Septem Ecclesiis quae sunt in Asia dominus quem vidit Scribe inquit in libro quae vidisti mitte septem Ecclesiis Postea tamen Angelis jubet scribi ut ostenderet unum esse Sed etiam siqua singulis partiliter Ecclesiis praedicat universam generaliter convenâ—re docetur Ecclesiam Neque enim dicit Quid spiritus dicat Ecclesiae sed Ecclesiis Angelum ergo Ecclesiam significans duas in eo partes ostendit dum laudat increpat In consequentibus autem manifestatur non eandem increpare quam laudat sic ut Dominus in Evanglio omne praepositorum corpus unum servum dixit beatum nequam quem veniens Dominus ipse dividet non tantum servum sed partem inquit ejus cum hypocritis ponet Yea Ludovicus ab Alcasar a late Iesuite in his Commentary on the Apocalyps Antu 1614. Proem in c. 2. K 3. Notatio 1. p. 250.251 writes That Andreas Aretas Ansbertus Anselmus Pererius Victorinus Ticinius Ambrosius Haymo Beda are of this opinion Augelarum stellarum nomine designari Ecclesias ipsas That by the name of Angels the Câ—urches themselves are signified not the Lordly Prelates in them not one ancient Commentator on this that I finde and few moderne expounding these Angels to bee Bishops as our Prelates against all sense will make them yea Andreas Cesariensis Comment in Ioanâ— Apoc. c. 3. p. 8. writes Probabile fit per 7. Angelos totius universi gubernationem quae in dextera Christi sicut omnes quâ—que terrae fines sita est hoc loco significari Since â—hen by Angels is here meant either the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus or the whole Church it selfe or Christs government over the Universe as these Authors a vâ—â—re this Text makes nothing at all for our Prelates Hiâ—rarchy Thirdly it is observable that Saint Iohn neither in his Gospel nor Epistle nor in his Booke of â—he Revelation doth so much as once use the name or word Bishop but the name of Elder or Presbyter very often both in his Epistle and in the Apocalyps I then appeale to any reasonable Creature whether it is not more probable that Saint Iohn by this word Angell should rather meane the Elders or Presbyters of those Churches a Title which he gives himselfe 2 Iohn 1. 3 Iohn 1. and which Title and Office he so frequently mentions in the 4. and 5. and 7. Chapters of the Apocalyps next ensuing rather than the Lordly Bishops of those Churches superiour to Presbyters whose office for ought appeares he never knew and whose Title he never useth in his writings Fourthly it is remâ—â—keâ—ble that S. Iohn doth â—ever place the 24. Elders sitting on so many seates next unto the throne of Christ himselfe and the Angels standing further off from the Throne without the Elders If then by the Elders as is generally agreed by all be meant the Presbyters or Ministers of the Church and by Angels as you pretend be meant Bishops then the Presbyters must needes be more honourable by divine institution than Bishops because they are next to the Throne of Christ and sit on seates or chaires whiles the Angels stand about them Adde to this that these Elders are still introduced by S. Iohn in this booke Worshipping and adoring God and Christ and giving thankes honour praise and glory unto them That they onely are sayd to have Crownes of gold upon their heads the badge of Soveraignty and Superioriority and harpes 〈◊〉 Golden Vials in their hands full of Odours which are the prayers of Saints That they sing the new Song And among other passages prayse Christ for this in speciall manner Rev. 5.10 And hast made VS not Bishops unto our God KINGS and PRIESTS and we shall raigne on the Earth Thereâ—ore Presbyters doubtlesse are the chiefe and principall Ministers and Priests in the Church of Christ by divine institution and being thus made Kings and Priests and adorned with Crownes to the end that they may raigne upon the Earth no Prelates or Lord Bishops ought to rule over them or climbe Paramount them as they doe Besides these Elders noâ— Bishops informed S. Iohn himselfe and instructed him in the things hee doubted of Revel 5.4.5 c. 7.13.14.15.16 Therefore these Elders must certainely be the better the most eminâ—nt Scient men and so Paramount the Angel-Bishops Fifthly though the Angel be here put in the singular number yet the Elders are still mentioned in the Plurall And as for the Church of Ephesus in those dayes it is most certaine by Acts 20.17.28 1 Tim. 5.17 That there were divers Elders of equall authority â—uling in it whom the holy Ghost expressely not onely calleth but made Bishops and Overseers of that Church both to Rule and Feede it To make therefore one speciall Bishop and Superintendent in this Church superiour to all the rest and he onely graced by the name of an Angel is but a crazie conceipt of a proud Episcopall braine contrary to apparent Texts Sixthly This Angel is not sayd to have any Jurisdiction or Superiority over other Ministers or Presbyters in the Church of Ephesus nor to be the supreame or generall Superintendent Prelate of that Church neither is there any thing spoken of him with reference to any other Minister of Ephesus What then can this poore title make for Episcopall priority and Jurisdiction The Spirit writes to the Angell of the Church of Ephesus Ergo this Angell was a Bishop and supâ—riour to all other Ministers of Ephesus is a strange non sequitur and yet this is all this â—ext affords you Seventhly Bishop Hall and other contenders for Episcopacy grant that there were divers particular Churches Congregations in and about Ephesus every one of which had its severall Minister or Presbyter to instruct them else they could prove no Episcopacy or Diocaesan superintendency from one particular Congregation This being granted by him and his party Let them then tell me seriously whether this Angell which they will not have taken collectively and Plurally for the whole Presbytery and Ministery of that Church as many ancient and moderne Commentators expound it but individually for one particular person should not rather be one particular Pastor of one of the Churches of Ephesus onely who had lost his first love and therefore was worthily reprehended then a Diocaesan Bishop or Arch-bishop of that Church to whose Jurisdiction all other Presbyters and Bishops of that Nationall Church were subordinate for which there is no ground in Scripture Eighthly our Prelates all plead very hard That Timothy was ordained the first Bishop of Ephesus and dyed Bishop of that See which if I admit
though I thinke untrue then it is cleare that this Angel of Ephesus who lost his first love was famous and zealous Timothy not dead when this Epistle was written as Pererius and Alcazar both Jesuites with Lyra Ribera P. Halloix and others confesse And who dare be so presumptuous as to thinke Timothy a man so eminent famous zealous and so much applauded in Scripture would prove an Apostate or backeslider and lose his first love Either therefore you must deny Timothy or this Angell to be the Bishop of this Church Ninthly grant this Angell to be a Bishop yet it was onely such a Bishop as was all one and the same with Presbyters and of which there were many in one Church noâ— one over many Churches according to the holy Ghosts and the Apostles owne institution as appeares by Act. 20.17.28 Phil. 1.1 Tit. 1.5.7 compared with the 1 Pet. 5.2.3 Iam. 5.14 Act. 14.23 1 Tim. 5.17 which maketh nothing for but directly against that Episcopacy you contend for Tenthly and finally grant him such a Bishop as you would make him yet at the best he was an Apostate who had fallen from and lost his first love by being made a Lord Bp And it will be but little credit for our Prelates to found their Hierarchy upon an Apostate And if I conjecture not amisse this may bee one probable reason why so many Ministers prove turne-coates and Apostates losing their first love and zeale to God when they are made Lord Bishops because they have an Apostate Angel both for their foundation and imitation Happy man be their dole let them make the best of this Apostate I will not hinder but rather pitty them in this folly The second Allegation for the divine right of Episcopacy is that Timothy and Titus were Bishops such as our Lordly Prelates now are the one of Ephesus the other of Crete which Bishop White and others endevour to prove especially by the Post-script of the second Epistle to Timothy The second Epistle unto Timotheus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Ephesians was written from Rome when Paul was brought before Nero the second time And by this Postscript to the Epistle to Titus It was wriâ—ten to Titus ordained the first Bishop of the Church of the Cretians fâ—om Nicopolis of Macedonia which Post-scripts they say are very ancient if not Canonicall and irrefragable I shall not here enter into a large discourse to prove Timothy neither a Bishopâ— nor first nor sole nor any Bishop at all of Ephesus who as some say preached the Gospell in our Island of Britaine whiles our Prelates would creaâ—e him the Apostâ—ate Angel residing in the Church of Ephesus to whom Christ writ an Epistle by S. Iohn Rev. 2.1.2 or to disprove Titus to be Lord Bishop or rather Lord Arch-bishop of Crete which had an hundred Cities in it in Homers dayes and no lesse than 4. Arch-bishops and 21. Bishops in former times since I have sufficiently manifested this long since in The Vnbishopping of Timothy and Titus not hitherto answered And indeede were there no other Arguments but two First that though Paul in his Epistles mentions Timothy and Titus more frequently than any other persons yet we never finde him so much as once stiling them Bishops no not in the Epistles to them Secondly that Paul doth never write to them in the Ordinary stile of our Lordly Prelates which it seemes he was not then acquainted with and so not with their Office viz. To the Right Reverend Father in God Timothy Lord Bishop of Ephesus To the Most Reverend Father in God Titus Lord Arch-bishop of Crete his Grace Primate and Metropolitan of all that Island which doubtlesse he would have done had they beene such Bishops as ours are and this stile had beene due or fitting for them but onely To Timothy my owne sonne or dearely beloved sonne in the faith To Titus mine owne sonne after â—he common â—aith c. these were sufficient to satisfie any indifferent man that neither of them was a Bishop or Arch-bishop of these places or at least that they were no such Lordly Prelates as ours now are who may well be ashamed of these pompous swelling Titles which no Apostle nor Apostolicall Bishop ever usurped But the onely thing I shall here insist on shall be to take away â—he grounds of this false Allegation to wit the pretended Authority and Antiquity of these two Post-scripts wiâ—h which the world hath beene much abused For their Authority It is confessed by all First that they are no part of the Text or Canonicall Scripture Secondly that they are not of infallible truth many of them being dubious others directly false as Baronius the Rhemists Estius Mr. Beza Mr. Perkins and sundry others prove Thirdly that they were not added to the Epistles Paul bâ— himself when he writ the Epistles as some have dreamed but by some third peâ—son since as the whole frame of the words running onâ—ly in the third person imports For their Antiquity when and by whom they were first added will be the sole question To cleare this doubt I shall have recourse to the Post-script of the first Epistle to Timothy which runnes thus The first to Timothy was written from Laodicea which is the chiefe City of Phrygia Pacatiana This Post-script of the first Epistle no doubt was written either before or at the same time when the Post-script of the Second Epistle was penned and that must needes be after Phrygia was commonly stiled Pacatiana since it is thus named in this Post-script Now we shall not finde Phrygia so stiled in any Authors till about 340. yeares after Christ in the reigne of Constantine the great at which time it begun to be called Pacatiana and that as some conjecture from Pacatianus who as the Code of Theodosius M. Cambden and Speede affirme was Vicegerent of Brittaine some 330. yeares aâ—ter Christ. Who it was who first annexed these Post-scripts to Pauls Epistles onely â—or the other Apostles Epistles have none will be the greatest question For resolution whereof I take it somewhat cleare that Theodoret was the man who flourished about the yâ—are of our Lord .430 For I finde these Post-scripts added to his Commentarie upon Pauls Epistles and in no other Commentator before nor in any after him till Oecumenius his Ape and transcriber who lived about the yeare 1050. Theodoret then being the first in whom Post-scripts are extant and Oecumenius his follower the next it is probable that he was the first Author of them And that which puts it out of doubt is this that Theodoret in his Preface to his Commentaries on Pauls Epistles is the first who doth modestly undertake with scriptum esse existimo onely to shew both the time when and the place from whence Paul writ his severall Epistles which Preface fully accords with the Post-scripts placed not after the text it selfe but after the end of his
very necessary nor usefull in the Church for after the death of Paulinus the first Bishop of Yorke that See continued voyd of a Bishop 30. yeares So after the translation of Mellitus to Canterbury Anno. 617. that See continued voyd neere 40 yeares and how these and other Bishoprickes have continued voyd in severall ages 2.3.4.6.10.15.20 and 30. yeares together without any prejudice I have elsewhere manifested more at large If then our Bishoprickes may want Bishops for so many yeares space without any inconvenience to our Church when as no Parish Church by our Common and the Canon Lawes ought to be voyd above sixe moneths at most I presume by the selfe-same reason our Church may well subsist without for all future times especially now when there are so many complaints and petitions against them and so many Bishoprickes voyde of Prelates already Finally in those primitive times Bishops were not so great but that some of them were subject unto Presbyters For our venerable Beda informes us of an Island in Ireland which in those dayes had an Abbot Presbyter for its governour to whose jurisdiction the whole Province Et etiam Episcopi sunt subjecti and even Bishops themselves were subject according to the example of the first Teacher thereof who was no Bishop but a Presbyter and a Monke So the Abbot of Glastonbury exempt from all Episcopall Jurisdiction had a kinde of superiority above the Bishop of Bath and Wells which Bishop by the Charter of King Ina was bound with his Clerkes at Wells every yeare Ipsam matrem suam Glastoniensem Ecclesiam feria secunda post ascensionem Domini cum Litania recognoscere to doe his homage to his mother Church of Glastonbury with a Letany quod si superbia inflatus distulerit and if he refused to doe it out of pride then hee was to forfeite two houses which this King gave him And in the Excerptions of Egbert Archbishop of Yorke Anno. 750. I finde these Canons of the fourth Councell of Carthage revived here among us as Ecclesiasticall Lawes That Bishops and Presbyters should have Hospitiolum a little Cottage not a Lordly Palace neare the Church That the Bishop in the Church by the consent of the Presbyters should set somewhat above them but within the house Collegam Presbyterorum se esse cognoscat should know himselfe to be the Colleague or Companion of the Presbyters That a Bishop should not ordaine Clerkes without a Councell of his Presbyters That a Bishop should heare no mans cause without the presence of his Clerkes except the cause of confession because a decree cannot be firme which shall not seeme to have the consent of many All which considered it is evident that our Bishops in those dayes had no Lordly Jurisdiction over other Ministers no such sole power of Ordination and judicature as our present Lord Bishops now claime and exercise as their peculiar right Therefore their Antiquity and Episcopacy can be no warrant at all for the lawfulnesse or continuance of our Lordly Prelacy Thirdly admit our Bishops as ancient as King Lucius dayes or there abouts yet this is no good Plea for their continuance First because our Abbots Priors Monkes could make as good if not a better prescription for themselves as our Lordly Prelates who can alleadge nothing for their continuance but what these either did or might have done when they were suppressed For first our Monkes Abbots Priors and their Abbeyes were every way as ancient if not elder then our Lordly Bishops and Bishoprickes the Monkes and Abbey of Glastonbury deriving their pedegree from Ioseph of Aramathea which Church and Abbey our writers call Prima Ecclesia fons Origo totius Religionis c. the first Church the fountaine and Originall of all our Religion And many other of our other Abbies as that of Winchester S. Albans Westminster with others being ancienter than all or most of our Bishoprickes Secondly Most of them were confirmed by more Acts of Parliament Bulls of Popes and Charters of our Kings endowed with greater priviledges than any of our Bishoprickes whatsoever as is evident by the Charters Bulls and exemptions granted to Glastonbury Saint Albans Berry Redding Westminster Saint Augustine of Canterbury Abingdon and Wâ—â—â—â—â—â—ster Thirdly many of our Abbots and Priors sometimes above an hundred were mitred had Episcopall Iurisdiction and sate in Parliament as Barons and Peers of the Realme as well as Bishops yet notwithstanding they were all suppressed by Acts of Parliament even in time of Popery though double in number to our Bishops therefore our Bishops and Bishoprickes being now found by long experience not onely unprofitable but pernitious to our Kings and State as here I have manifested and to our Church our Religion as our Booke of Martyrs largely demonstrates may lawfully be extirpated notwithstanding this Plea of Antiquity as well as they Fourthly the Bishops in other reformed Churches could and did plead as large Antiquity and prescription for their continuance as our Prelates doe yet that could not secure them from dissolution but these Churches wholly suppressed them therefore it is no good Plea for us to continue our Prelates yea in my weake judgement it is an argument not for but against our Bishops continuance that they have beene tolerated so long since evils and grievances as our Lordly Prelates have ever beene to our Church and Kingdome are so much the more speedily and carefully to be suppressed by how much the more inveterate and lasting they have beene In a word the government of our Church by a Presbytery hath beene more ancient more profitable and lesse prejudiciall to our State Kings Church than the Government of our Lordly Prelacy therefore it is most reasonable that it should be revived reestablished and the Prelacy suppressed All which I hope may suffice in Answere to the first part of this grand objection which hath stumbled many To the second branch of it touching the danger and inconvenience of this change in suppressing Episcopacy I answer First that there can bee no danger or inconvenience at all therein because the people generally most earnestly desire pray for expect it and have preferred many Petitions to the High Court of Parliament to effect it Secondly because all things are now prepared for this alteration the wickednesse misdemeanors prophanenesse superstition oppression of our present Prelates with the great troubles and combustions they have raised in our Church our State to their intolerable charge and molestation deserve and call for this alteration the present constitution of our Church State people yea our correspondency with Scotland with other reformed Churches requires it the divisions and distractions in our Church which in many wise mens apprehensions cannot be reconciled nor any unity or uniformity in Gods worship established among us without it call for it Episcopacy being now growne such a roote of bitternesse and wall of partition as there is
Private men their Episcopacy making none of them to preach or write more than otherwise they would have done but lesse as experience manifests So that their Bishoprickes made them not to doe more good but rather hindred them to doe so much good as they would have done had they still continued private Ministers onely For the second that they are one of the greatest States of the Land setled by many Acts of Parliament and necessary members of the Parliament which cannot well be held without them I answere first that our Lord Abbots and Priors might and did pleade this as well as Bishops yet this was held no Plea at all no not in times of Popery and shall we allow it now in times of clearer light Secondly the wohle body of Popery it selfe together with the Pope his Popish Clergie Orders and Ceremonies were all setled among us by sundry Acts of Parliament and the Statutes of Magna Charta c. 1. with all other Acts of Parliament since enacting that holy Church or the Church of England Bishops and Churchmen shall enjoyâ— all their â—ranchises Rights Liberties Priviledges câ— are meant onely of our Popish Prelates Abbots Priors Monks Nunnes Masse-Priests and of exemption from secular Jurisdiction Sanctuaries with other Anti-Monarchicall priviledges granted to them by Kings Popes or Parliaments in times of Popery shall then our Popish Recusants or any other argue thence therefore it is fit that Popery with all Popish orders Bishops Sanctuaries and exemptions should be now revived and perpetuated among us because established by so many Lawes If this be no argument for the continuance of Popery or Popish Prelates who were principally established by these objected Lawes then certainely it can be no good Plea for the continuance of such of our Prelates who are true Protestants whom most of these Acts never established nor intended to continue Thirdly It is a rule in Philosophy and Law Eodem modo quo quid constituitur dissolvitur Since therefore our Lordly Bishops were first erected and constituted such Bishops and States of the Land by Acts of Parliament onely not by any divine institution which prohibits them all such secular Lordly Soveraignty and dominion as I have largely manifested in the premises They may lawfully without any injury or inconvenience by an Act of Parliament be unbishopped unlorded againe and thrust out of our Church as well as the Pope Abbots Priors Monkes and Masse-Priests were upon the reformation of Religion both at home and in forraine parts As for our Prelates necessity of sitting in Parliament I answer First that though they have beene anciently admitted to â—it in Parliament yet there is no necessity of their sitting there seeing it hath beene long since resolved and Bishop Iuell with Bishop Bilson confesse and prove at large that a Parliament may be and some Parliaments have beene kept without Bishops as I have formerly demonstrated Secondly many â—imes all some or a great part of our Bishops have beene secluded the Parliament and yet this hath beene no impeachment to the proceedings there In the Parliament 〈◊〉 Saint Edmonds-bury Anno 1296. all the Bishops were brought in a Premunire and secluded the House In King Edward the sixt his time Stephen Gardner Bishop of Winchester and Bonner Bishop of London were sequestred and kept out of the House In the first yeare of Qâ—eene Mary all the Married Protestant Bishops and in the first of Queene Elizabeth many of the Popish Prelates were secluded and thrust out of the Parliament yea many Parliaments have beene held when one or both the Arch-Bishoprickes with many other Biâ—hoprickes have beene voyd and no Proxies admitted to supply their places All which proves that there is no necessity of their Session there and that all of them may be excluded thence at all times as well as all of them at sotimes and most of them at others Thirdly our Bishops sit not in the Parliament Bishopsâ— but as they aâ—e Barons and hold by Barony as is cleere both by our Histories Law Bookes and their owne confessions Now most of them at this day are no Barons nor hold of the King by Barony therefore they have no legall Right to sit there being no Peers of the Realme nor yet to be tryed by their Peers in case of Treason or Felony but onely by an Ordinary Jury as hath been adjudged in our Law Bookes practised in point of experience Fourthly Abbots and Priors who were spirituall Lords of Parliament as well as Bishops and more than treble in number to them have beene long since suppressed and cast out of the house without any prejudice Therefore Bishops by the same reason may be suppressed and put out of Parliament without any inconvenience being sewer in number â—han they Fifthly In cases of Felony and Treason the Bishops by their owne Lawes and practise neither are nor ought to be present in the House nor to give any vote at all but onely the Temporall Lords And in cases of Lands and possessions or in passing of Lawes for the Civill Government of the Realme they have no judiciary nor Legislative power at all as Bishop Bilson and others forecited prove at large therefore their Session in Parliament is not necessary nor expedient by way of vote Sixthly the Temporall Lords and Prelates make but one house and if all the Bishops be dead or absent or if present if all the Temporall Lords vote one way and the Bishops the lesser number another the vote is good Therefore their presence and votes in Parliament are nor simply necessary and may be spared withouâ— any mischiefe or inconvenience Seventhly if reason might determine this conâ—roversie I suppose every man will grant that it is farre more necessary reasonable and expedient that the Judges Sergeants and Kings Councell learned in the Lawes of the Realme and best able to descide all legall controversies and to make good Lawes to redresse all mischiefes should have votes in Parliament than Bishops yet we know they have no votes at all by way of descition because no Barons nor Peers of the Realm but onely by way of direction and advice when their Judgements are demanded Why then our Bishops especially those who are no Barons as few or none of them are should not now be ranked in equipage with the Judges and have no other but a directive not voting descitive or Legislative voyce in Parliament I thinke no reason can be given and indeede many thinke there is little reason why they should have any votes at all since ancient that I say not present experience manifests that they crosse or oppose all or most good Bills and motions for the advancement of religion and reformation of Ecclesiasticall abuses and for the most part vote with the Popish Lords or worser side against the better and so by Pope Gregory his owne rule approved by Bishop Iewel ought to lose their priviledge of voting Quia
suits in Law with Sr Henry Martyn and others of which be would â—ee an end ere he departed London besides he had not as yet furnished his house at Durham for his entertainment that it was a great way to Durham the wayes somewhat foule the weather cold and â—imself aged wherefore he neither would nor could goe out of Towne till the next Summer if then come what would and bid him returne this answere to the Arch-bishop Neither could the Secretary who perswaded him to send a milder answere and to sue to his Majestie for License to abide in Towne obtaine any other resolution from this Cholericke Prelate From him he repaired to Doctor Buckeridge Bishop of Ely at Ely house in Holburne acquainting him with this his Majesties Letter and commanding him by his Majesties Order upon his Canonicall obedience to repaire forthwith to his Bishopricke according to his Majesties command But this dutifull Prelategrew more Cholericke than the former answering him to this effect Let who would obey this Command yet he would not what sayd he have I lately bestowed almost 500. l. in repairing and furnishing my house here in London to make it fit for my habitation and must I now be Commanded to depart from it and sent into the cold waâ—â—y rotten fens of Ely to impaire my health and kill me up quite I will not be so served nor abused And therefore tell your Lord from me that I take it ill â—e should send me such a Command and that I will not goe from my house to Ely for his or any other mans pleasure The Secretary thereupon desired his Lordship to take notice that it was his Majesties pleasure he should depart to his Bishopricke as well as the Arch-bishops who did no more than he was enjoyned by the King whose mandate hee hoped his Lordship would obey however he neglected or disobeyed the Arch-bishops Command which yet was not to be slighted being his Metropolitan In conclusion the Bishop told him plainely he would obey neither the one nor other and that he would not stirre out of London all the winter till the spring if then The Secretary wondring at these two Bishops strange disobedience and contumacy both in words and deeds departes from them to Bishop Harsnet and Bishop Field with his Letter and instructions who gave him the like answers in effect though in calmer Termes not one of them stirring from London either upon the Kings Letter or Arch-bishops Command for all their Oath of Allegiance to the King and of Canonicall obedience to the Arch-Bishop If then these late Prelates have beene so Rebellious so contumacious both against his Majesties and their Metropolitanes commands when they required them onely to reside on their Bishoprickes as the Law of God the Statutes of the Realme the Canons of the Church in all ages yea the very Canon Law it selfe enjoyne them to doe under paine of mortall sinne What Rebels and disobedient Varlets would they have proved thinke you in matters and commands lesse reasonable Eleventhly our Prelates have beene strangely Rebellious contumacious and disloyall above all other Subjects in slighting vilifying affronting the Kings owne Letters Patents and frustrating his Subjects of the benefit of them Thus Doctor Young Deane of Winchester was put by the Mastership of Saint Crosses though granted him by Patent that Doctor Lewis who left his Provostship in Oriel Colledge in Oxford with other preferment and fled into France for buggery as was reported might be thrust in So Doctor Manwering publickely censured in Parliament for a Seditious Sermon and made uncapable of any preferment by the sentence of the House was immediately after the Parliament ended thrust into a living of three hundred pound per annum by our Prelates and hee who had the grant of the next advowson by Patent put by Thus divers others have beene thrust by such places as the King himselfe hath granted them by Patent by our Omnipotent Prelates to advance those of their own saction yea one of them hath not stucke to say that had the King himselfe granted a Patent for the Execution of Writs of Capias Excommunicatum to some who had long sued for it that he would make the King recall it or in case he would not he would withstand and not obey it Nay we know that though the Lord Majors of London by Patent and prescription time out of minde as the Kings Leiutenants and Vicegerents have used to carry up their swords before them in Pauls Church-yard and Church yet a proud ambitious Prelate not long sinceâ— questioned him for doing it before the Lords of the Privie Councell as if the Kings sword of Iustice had nothing to doe within that Precinct but onely the Bishops Crosier Neither hath the City of Yorke scaped Scotfree for the Bishops and Preâ—ends of that City have contested with the Citizens of Yorke even in his Majesties presence about those Liberties which both his Majestie himselfe but five yeares before and his royall Ancestors had anciently granted to them by severall Charters in expresse words endeavouring to nullifie and repeale their Patent and caused the Major of Yorke not to beare his sword within the close as he and his predecessors had usually done and that by speciall Charter from Richard the seconds time till of late Since that the now Arch-bishop of Canterbury hath had contests with the University of Cambridge touching their Charters and Priviledges which must all stop to adore his greatnesse contesting even before the King and Lords with that Universitie and Oxford too whether he as Arch-bishop or his Majestie as King should be their Visitor Now what greater affront almost can there be to royall Majestie than thus publikely to nullifie oppose and spurne under feete the Kings owne Charters and Patents as things of no value or moment Twelfthly they have most contemptuously affronâ—ed his Majesties owne late royall Declarations to all his Loyall Subjects both before the 39. Articles of Religion concerning the dissolution of the last Parliament in the very highest degree and that First in their Court Sermons before his Majesties face Secondly In bookes lately written or publickely authorized by them and their Chaplaines for the Presse Thirdly By their Visitation Oathes and Articles Fourthly by their late Injunctions Censures Orders and instructions by and in all which they have notoriously oppugned innovated altered both the established Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England sundry wayes caused an apparent backâ—liding to Arminianisme Popery Superstition Schisme oppressed and grieved his Majesties good Subjects and deprived many of them both of their livings liberties and freedome of their Consciences contrary to the expresse Provision Letter and purport of these his Majesties Royall Declaâ—ions as hath beene lately manifested in sundry new Printed bookes and voted by the Present Parliament Thiâ—teenthly They have caused some grand Juries and the Judge himselfe as well as the prosecutor to be Pursevanred into the High Commission onely for finding a
this too much both to be Traytors to your King and also to faine God to be displeased with your King for punishing of Treason Finally to make him a Saint and also that God had done miracles to the defending of his Treason How is it possible to invent a more pestilent Doctrine than this is Here is Gods Ruler despised and hereby is open Treason maintained Thinke you that God will shew miracles to fortifie these things But no doubt the Proverbe is true Such lippes such Lettuce such Saints such miracles Fifthly in persisting most peremptorily in Treasons Rebellions contests and Conspiracies against their Princes without yeelding or intermission till they had obtained their demaunds and desires of them insteed of craving pardon of them all which the premises evidence to the full in Anselme Becket Langton Stafford and others Sixthly in enforcing their Soveraignes against whom they conspired rebelled and practised divers horrid Treasons and Contumacies to submit nay seeke to them for pardon and to undergoe such sharpe censures such â—orbid infamous harsh punishments covenants and conditions as are inconsistent with Monarchy honour Soveraignty as in the case of Henry the seâ—cond King Iohn and others In these sixe respects our Lordly Bishops have transcended all other Traytors Rebels Conspirators and Seditious persons whatsoever as also in Censuring Loyalty for Heresie true Subjects to their Princes for Heretickes and Canonizing High Treason Rebellion against Emperours Kings Princes for Orthodox faith notorious Traytors and Rebels for good Christians and true beleevers as appeares in the Case of Hildebrand and his Hellish crew of Bishops who branded Henry the Emperour and those who sided with him for Heretickes and their Loyalty for Heresie in the Case of Henry the second and King Iohn in their difference with Anselme Becket and Langhton In imitation of whom our present Prelates now slander those who oppugne aâ—d withstand their encroachments upon the Kings prerogative Royall with odious termes of Puritans Novellers Seditious persons Schismatickes Rebels and brand Loyalty and true allegiance to the King with the termes of Faction Schisme Sedition Novelty and Rebellion You have seene now a large Anatomy of our Lordly Prelates desperate Treasons Conspiracies Rebellions Contumacies Warres disloyall oppressive practises in all ages against our Kings Kingdomes Lawes Liberties which duly pondered we may easily conclude there is little cause any longer to tolerate them in our Church or State but great ground eternally to extirpate them out of both It is storyed of the people of Biscany in Spaine That they have such a naturall enmity against Bishops that they will admit no Bishops to come among them and that when Feâ—dinand the Catholicke came in Progresse into Biscany accompanyed with the Bishop of Pampilone the people rose up in Armes drove backe the Bishop out of their Coast and gathering up all the dust they thought he or his Mule had trod on threw it into the Sea with curses and imprecations I dare not say that our people should rise up in Armes like these Biscaners and drive out our Bishops God forbid any such Tumultuous or Seditious practise but this I dare confidently averre that his Majestie and our High Court of Parliament have farre greater reason to drive and extirpate them out of our Realme and Church even with curses and execrations and to subvert their Sees in an orderly just and legall way than these Biscaners had to repulse this Bishop who entered thus into their Country onely to accompany Ferdinand in his progresse not to play the Lord Bishop among them I shall close up all with the words of Musculus a Learned forraigne Protestant Divine who after he had largely proved by Scriptures and Fathers That Bishops and Presbyters by Divine right are both one and of equall authority and that the difference betweene them was onely a humane institution to prevent Schismes concludes thus Whether oâ— no this Counsell hath profited the Church of God whereby such Bishops who should be greater than Presbyters were introduced rather our of Custome that I may use the words of Hierome than out of the truth of the Lords institution is better declared in after ages than when this custome was first brought in to which we owe all that insolency opulency and tyranny of Princely and Lordly Bishops imo omnem corruptionem Ecclesiarum Christi yea all the corruption of the Churches of Christ which if Hierome should now perceive without doubt he would acknowledge this not to be the Counsell of the Holy-Ghost to take away Schismes as was pretended but of the Devill himselfe to waste and destroy the ancient Offices of feeding the Lords â—locke by which it comes to passe that the Church hath not true Pastors Doctors Elders and Biâ—hops but Idle bellies and magnificent Princes under the vizors of these names who not onely neglect to feede the people of the Lord in proper person with wholesome and Apostolicall doctrine but also by most wicked violence take speciall care that no man else may doe it This verily was done by the Counsell of Satan that the Church in stead of Bishops should have powerfull Lords and Pâ—inces elected for the greatest part out of the Order of the Nobles and Princes of the world as they are in Germany who under-propped with their owne and their kindreds power may domineer over the flocke of Christ at their pleasâ—re And with the complaint of the Emperour Lewis the fourth and the German Princes against the Italian and German Lordly Prelates which I may justly accomodate to ours Flamines isti Babyloniae soli regnare cupiunt ferre parem nâ—n possunt non desistent donec omnia pedibus suis conculcaverint atque in Templo Dei sâ—deant extâ—llanturque supra omne id quod colitur Sub Pontificis titulo pastoris pelle lupum saevissimum nisi caeci sumus sentimus Cum nostri servi sint ipsi dominari contra jus gentium adversus leges auspicia Oracula divina Dominos sibi servire volunt Caesarem Italia Roma Christum terris exclusere illi coelum quidem permittunt inferos atque terras sibi asseruere Bernard Epist. 158. Quid spirituali gladio quid censurae Ecclesiasticae quid Christianae legi Disciplinae quid denique divino timori relinquitur si metu potentiae secularis nullus muâ—ire jam audeat contra insolentiam Praelatorum FINIS Kind Reader I shall desire thee to rectiâ—ie these Presse-Errours which in my absence in the Country hapned in many Copies in some Pages of the first and Second Part besides those forementioned after the Table of Chapters In the first Part. PAge 8. l. 6. departing p. 10. l. 5. their this p. 11. l. 28. largely latelyâ— p. 16. l. 1. delâ— as p. 24. l. 2. we â—e p. 25. l. 3. marred l 29. Kings p. 53. l. 40. dele thâ— p. 62. l. 13. and the p. 63. l. 30. still stile pâ— 64. l. 16. be he p 70. l. 3. his
what â—nsueth Henry Stalbridg * See the 5 6. part of the Hom. against wilfull rebellion And the 2. part of thâ— Homely on Whitsunday * Ibid. fol. 18. 22. to 31. Note * See a supplication to King Henry the 8. An. 1544. accordingly * M. Tindals practise of Prelates accordingly * Buceâ—us de Regnâ— Christi l. 2. c. 12. * Note See the Supplication to King Henry the eight An. 1544. Mr FISH Fox Acts and Monum p. 926.927 The fruits of Prelates greatnesse sitting in Parliament * Now they bring such into the High Commission there ruine them or force them to give over their actions Note the danger that accrews by making Clergy-men chiefe Temporall officers MARTYN BUCER * Lib. 2. c. 1.2.12 In his Scripoa Anglicana Basilea 1577. p. 65.69.70.71.580 * It is the Divell then not God that calls Bishops to be Courtiers and temporall officers * How Prelates came by their great Lordly possessions See his Scripta Anglicana pag. 254.255.259.291 292 293. and Comment in Matth. 16. And â—he unbishoping of Timothy and Titus p. 106 107 108. Zwinglius Bishop Hooper * Fox vol. 3. pag. 46.137 * Upon the 8. Commandement p. 78. * See Rucerus dâ— râ—gnâ— Christi l. 2. c. 12. Note The Booke of Ordination * 3 Edwâ— 6. c. 12.8 Eliz. c. 1. Canon 36. The Bishop Answer The Bishop Answer The Booke of Homilies Father Latimer * in his Sermons f. 17 18 c. Note this Note this welâ— * Fathâ—r Laâ—ymer would not have Bishops Lords of the Parliament or to sit therein Note this The Spirituall Pastors have a great charge In his Sermons fol. 10.11 Dr. Harpesfield Iohn Bradford Fox Acts Monuments v. 3. p. 293. Edmund Allâ—n This is the present objection for the continuance of Bishops Deanes and Chapters Notâ— IOHN BALE * His Image of both Churches on Apoc. 19. 20. part 3. f. 195.208 MATTHEW PARKER * Antiquit. Ecâ—l Brit. p. 139.140.141.142.143 A strange evill death of a Clergie Lord Treasurer who like Iudas Christs Treasurer and bag-bearer dyed in despaire * Lego omnia bona mâ—a Dominâ— Regi corpus sepulturâ— Animâ—m Diabolo Quâ— dictâ— expiravit c. Note See Nicholas de Clemangiis De Corrupto Ecclesia statu c. 17.18.19 an excellent Discourse against Bishops intermedling in temporall affaires and bearing civill ofâ—â—ces * Hâ—vedâ—n Aâ—â—â—l pars postâ—â—iâ—r p. 779. Speed p 550 * Annal. pars posterior p. 767.768 THOMAS BEACON Isay. 36.10 Mat. 5.13 Joh. 20.21 Wolvish Sheepheards The description of a certaine head Wolfe clathed in a Bishops rotchet A comparison betweene Queen Isabels time and ours Priests chiefe in the Country and thorow out England Awake Nobility The ambition and security of the Papists MILES COVERDALE * Godwins Cat. p. 338. JOHN PONET WALTER HADDON Bishop ALLEY Bishop PILKINGTON Mr. Nowel BISHOP ELMER Few of our Prelates would now refuse such a proffer Act. 3 â— to 7. Cor. 4.12 * 1 Tim. 6.8 NICHOLAS BULLINGHAM IOHN BRIDGES Difference betweene Priests and Bishops * Hiâ—râ—niâ—us 〈◊〉 Titum Dist. 63. Can. Oliâ— idâ—m * Lib. 4. Dist. 24.1 â— Tim. 3â— Instiâ—utiâ— dâ—ctr Christi de shâ—râ— ordinis fol. 196. * Summa Angâ—lica L. Ord. The papistâ— controversie about their holy order The Heavenly and earthly Kingdome are not 〈◊〉 joyned that the Bishops may be earthly Kings M. Sanders objetion and answer Whether a Bishop may take a Kingdome upon him pâ—operly or unproperly Deposing of Princes by the Prelates practises Heb. 10. The Churches promotion Matth. 2â— Glossa in Lyâ—â—â—â—â—â—pâ—r Iâ—h Hofmeister in Luc. 12. Why Christ took not on him the office of a Magistrate Christ abolished not the magistrates office though he himâ—elfe reâ—used it M. Iohn Fox Bishop Iuâ—l * Ad Eâ—agrium * Dâ— simplicit Prelatâ—r Eâ—asm in Schol. in Epist. ad Euagrium M. Harding Hieron iâ— Epist. ad Titum c. I. Erasm. in Schol. iâ— Epist. ad Euagr. Sub. Lâ—â—ne Sâ—ssiâ—ne 10. Erasm. in Apologia ad Pium * Hieron ad Euagrium * Erasmus adversus Albert. Pighium * Hierâ—n in Epist. ad Titum c. 1. * Hieron â—odem locâ— * August Epist. 9. * Chrys. in 1 Tim. Homili 11. Hieron ad Euagrium * Aug. in quaest Novi Vet. Testamâ— q. 101. * Amb. in 1 Tim. cap. 3. * Ioh. de Paristis cap. 22. in vira Silvestri * De câ—nsideraâ—â— ad Eug. lib. 4. â— * Aug. de Civit. Deâ— lib. 19. c. 19. * Chrysost. Hom. 43â— in opere imperfecto in Mat. * Serm. 33. in Cantica * Bern. Serm. 1. in Conv. S. Pauli * Conc. Macrâ—â—se â—itatur ab Illyr intâ—r testâ—s verit p. 121. * Chrys. in Mat. Homil. 35. * Hieron contra Lucifâ—rianos * Hieron in Sophoniam â—ap 1. * Conc. Trident. * Sub Paulo 3. Admonitio Legator * Avâ—ntinus lib. 3. de Rupertâ— * Berâ— in Cantic Serm. 33. Holcot in sapient lect 23. * Bern. in Cantiâ— Serm. 77. * Lauâ— Valla de Donat. Const. Paralipomen * Vrspergen * Bernar. de considerationâ— ad Eugenium l. 4â— (a) 8 Quast 1. Qui Episcopatum (b) August 2. qu. 7. Qui nec Aug. (c) Aug. cont Donatist lib. 6. (d) Bern. de considerat ad Eugenium lib. 3. 1â— Cor. 15. (e) Aâ— Do. 1â—9â— (f) An. 1273. In provisione Marâ—ona c. 9. (g) Extr. Qui silli sunt Legitime (h) Lâ—ges Canuti (i) Robert Keilwey his Reports f. 184. b. (k) Nostre Seigâ—iour le Roy poit assets bien tener son Parliament perlâ—y ses temporall Seigniours per ses Commons tout sans les spirituals Seigniors Carlos spiritual Signiors nont ascun place enâ—â— Parliament Chamber per Reason de lour spiritualty mes solement perâ— Reason de lour Temporall possessions c. Bishop Latymer Bishop Bilsâ—n A Parliament taking part with truth hath the warrant of God and the Magistrate Laymen may make their choice what faith they will professe The Prince is authorized from God to executâ— his Commandement The Jesuites presume that all is theirs The Prince may command for truth though the Bishops would say no. The Jesuites have neither Gods Law nor mans to make that which the Prince and the Parliament did to be void for lacke of the Bishops assents The Kings Judah did command for truth without a Counâ—â—ll * 2 Chron. 14. cap. 15. * 2 Chron. â—9â— 4 Kings 22. Christian Princes may do the likâ— * Constantine authorised Christian Religson without any Coâ—â—cell Eusâ—b de vita Constant. lib. 2. * Iustinian had no Councell for the making of his Constitutions But 6. generall Councels in 790 yeares * Soâ—ra l. 5. c. 10. Theodosius made his owne choyse what Religion he would establish Realmes have beene Christned upon the perswasions of Lay men and women †Ruff. l. â— c. 9. And never asked the Priests leave so to doâ— Soc. l. 1. c. 19. India converted by Merchants †Ruff. l. 1. c. 10. Iberia converted by a woman The Jesuites would have
Bishop Secondly that the difference is but of Accidents and Circumstances as degrees of dignity jurisdiction honour c. Thirdly that in the Primitive Church this difference was not knowne but they were meerely all one and the same Fourthly that this difference was taken up by custome consent and ordinance of the universall Church when it once began to be dispersed in all the World Fifthly that it was done for the avoiding of factions and sects that grew in the time of the Ministers equality even anon after the Primitive Church And some of them in the Apostles time But quite conâ—rary to this judgment of your Divines are all your Canonists your Divines make seven orders Et in hoc saith Angelus de Clavisio concordam communiter Theol. On this the Divines agree commonly but the Canonists hold that there are nine orders according to nine Hierarchies that is to wit the first notch or Psalmist and the order of a Bishop that the first notch is an order the text is in C. cuâ— contingit ibi do Anto. Canonistae de aeta quali or similiter quod Episcopatus est ordo quod imprimatur character judicio meo facit inconvincibiliter teâ—t in C. i. de ordinatis ab Episcopo c. And so according to the Canonists there shall be nine Orders Great adoe your Schoolemen Canonists make about this insomuch that Aerius heresie will draw very neere to one of you light on which side it shall But your selfe may hold on both sides M. Stapleton being both a Batchelor in the one and a student in the other But as for your Popish Clergy there is indeed little difference in this point or none which barrell is better herring Bishop oâ— Priest both starke nought or rather neither of them either true Priest or Bishop by Saint Pauls description Afâ—er this p. 926.929 He writes thus concerning Bishops intermedling with temporall affaires You say M. Sanders the temporall Kingdome and the heavenly did indeed once jaâ—â—e but now they agree the heavenly and the earthly Kingdomeâ— are conjoyned together Agreement is a good hearing M. Sanders but what meane you by this conjunction that the one is become the other and not still distinguished from it or that your Pope may be King and his Bishops Princes of both nay M. Sanders you finde not that agreement and conjunction For Christ hath put such a barre between them that his spiritual Ministers cannot have earthly Kingdomes nor that earthly Kings should in the estate of their earthly Kingdomes become subject in such wise to his spirituall Ministers otherwise than to yeeld their obedience to their spirituall ministry representing the power and mercy of God unto them c. The objection you made was this Whether Bishops and Pastors of the sheepe of Christ may rule temporall Kingdomes you answer properly and of it selfe in no wise but as those Kingdomes do subject themselves to the Christian faith This is a proper elusion M. Sanders thinke you to escape thus is it all one to subject their Kingdomes to the Christian faith and to subject their Kingdomes to the Bishops Good right it is that the faith should beare the chiefe rule But the objection was Whether the Bishops should or no and therefore this distinction serveth not For Christ simply without this or that respect debarreth all his spiritual ministers from ruling of temporall Kingdomes Who knoweth not that properly and of their owne nature temporall Kingdomes should not be ruled of spirituall Pastors but of Temporall Kings None is so simple to move such a fond objection but the objection is Whether the one be coincident to the other whether a Bishop to whom properly by his Bishoply office a Kingdome belongeth nor may take upon him the government of a Kingdome that properly by his Kingly office belongeth to a King this is the question And you say properly he cannot I say much lesse unproperly but properly or unproperly Christ hath cleane debarred it â—vos autem non sic But you shall not do so These words strick dead M Sanders therefore your â—nproper distinctions may goe pike him Page 931â— he writes that the deposings of Princes have not come so much by the violence of their unnaturall Subjects as by the practises of the Popish Bishops as the ensamples of King Iohn in England of Childericke in France the Henries and other in Germany and in other Countries do testifie yet were these dealings of those Bishops not allowable but detestable yea though it were granted that those Princes had deserved them and broken their faith and promâ—se which if it were a good faith and promise was no doubt an evill breach of it and God will take the vengeance of it it belongeth not to the people nor to the Bishops Vengeance is mine saith God and I will render it He saith not my Bishop shall but I will render it He addes p. 980 981.1026 Christs Kingdome is spirituall and not earthly and his Ministers may not exercise in secular causes an earthly Kings authority M. Saunders pretendeth this is to promote the Church of Christ but such promotion confounds devotion and hath poysoned the Church of God as they say a voyce was heard what time Constantine although falsely is supposed to have endowed the Church with such royall honour Hodie venenum intravit in Ecclesiam This day entred poyson into the Church But Christ hath flatly forbidden it and told his Disciples when they asked such promotion that they knew not what they asked But afterward they knew and found the saying of Christ to be true that their promotion lay in their affliction and not in their Kingly honour c. And this your owne glosse out of your owne Pope Gregory might have taught you Sicut â—isit me Pater id est ad passiones c. As my Father sent mee that is to say to troubles and afflictions so send I you to suffer persecution not to raigne like Kings and rule Kingdomes And therefore sith this sentence of Christ is true that he sent them as hee was sent and he was not sent in his humane nature to depose Kings nor to dispose of their Kingdomes nor to governe them Therefore his Disciples were not sent thereto But the Pope saith he was sent thereto and takes it upon him therefore he is neither minister of Christ nor successor of his Disciples but his Disciple that hath offered him worldly Kingdomes if hee would fall downe and worship himâ— as he hath done and sâ— hath gotten his Kingdomes c. Hofmeister one of your stoutest Champions hath these words Truly those things that have beene spoken and heard from the beginning of this Gospell do enough declare the Kingdome of Christ not to be of this world neither that hee would raigne temporally in the world sith hee taketh not souldiers that can oppugne others but Fishermen readier to suffer than to