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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
duty_n	day_n	people_n	sabbath_n	981	5	9.0818	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A68614	The unbishoping of Timothy and Titus. Or A briefe elaborate discourse, prooving Timothy to be no bishop (much lesse any sole, or diocæsan bishop) of Ephesus, nor Titus of Crete and that the power of ordination, or imposition of hands, belongs jure divino to presbyters, as well as to bishops, and not to bishops onely. Wherein all objections and pretences to the contrary are fully answered; and the pretended superiority of bishops over other ministers and presbyters jure divino, (now much contended for) utterly subverted in a most perspicuous maner. By a wellwisher to Gods truth and people.	Prynne, William, 1600-1669.	1636 (1636)	STC 20476.5; ESTC S114342	135,615	241

Ipswitch a reverend ancient conformable Minister whom hee hath suspended vpon no lawfull occasion to blott out this sacred Sentence of Scripture most proper for that Church and place it stonds in painted on this Church-wall over against the Pulpit which Scripture I wonder any Bishop or Minister can thinke off and yet forbeare to preach or put downe preaching For necessity is layd upon me yea Woe is me if I preach not the Gospell An insolency an impiety that no age can parallell Certainly he that would command this Scripture thus to be rased out of the Church-wall would as gladly obliterate and rend it out of the Church-Bible too and have neither preaching preachers and I feare neither reading nor readers of the Gospell nor yet the Gospell it selfe in being were it in his power utterly to suppresse them as this Prelate hath made a large beginning and progresse for this purpose This notable late fact of his makes me the lesse to wonder at the most insolent exploict of Henry Dade the Archbishop of Canterburies Surrogate for Ipswitch who about September last past solemnely excommunicated the Churchwardens of S. Maries of the Tower in that Towne in the Archbishops name I hope without his privity for not blotting out upon his commaund this Sentence of Scripture written on that Churches-wall over the place where hee keepes his spitefull I should say spirituall Court which Scripture is recorded by two Prophets and three Euangelists and most proper for the Church by our Saviours owne resolution It is written my house shall be called an house of prayer to all people but yee have made it a denne of theives Which excommunication hee is so farre fro disavowing or being ashamed off that hee not onely refuseth to absolve the Churchwardens but also hath most audaciously pleaded it in barre of an information brought against him by Ferdinando Adams one of the Church-wardens in the Court of Starre-Chamber for which presumption alone were hee guilty of and there charged with no other crimes as hee is with other foule ones against his Maiesty and the whole State severall extortions on the subiects that Court most iustly may and I presume will deeply fine and censure him for daring to grant out and plead such an impious execrable excommunication in any Court of Iustice to the very shame and obloquie of our Religion Church State and insufferable scandall of that great Arch-Prelate in whose name and colour of authority it is granted who should doe well for his owne justification to the world to hang up such a Surrogate for a president to all others and such a Suffragan Bishop too who beare such spleen to these holy parcells of Scripture as to rase them out of the Church it selfe though set vp by the expresse command of the Homilies of repairing and keeping cleane Churches and of the Right vse of the Church which recite and prescribe these latter text as most proper for it the Canons 1571. p. 19. 1603. Canon 82. And here I cannot but stand amazed at these proceedings For the Surrogate will not endure the Church neither to be or called an house of prayer but his Courthouse causing this Scripture to be actually dashed out of the Church and the other will not suffer it to be or reputed an house of preaching neither of them will admit these two textes of Scripture to appeare therein no not on the bare wall where they are no hinderance which intimate and declare it to be both an house of prayer and preaching too And if the Church must now be neither an Oratory nor an Auditory neither an house of prayer nor preaching though our Homilies and Postillers define it to be both I know not what they will make of it but what they begin to make their Church-houses in many places a direct denne of theives as our Saviour termes it or else an house of piping minstressie dauncing and revelling they having made the Lordsday sacred Sabbath such a day already justifying both in their visitation Articles and printed Bookes That dancing piping Morrisses Wakes Ales Sports and Bacchanals are meet exercises for this holy day and so no place fitter for them then the Church appointed principally for the dueties and publike exercises of the Sabbath day to the strict entire sanctification whereof by religious dueties our Prelates are such enemies that they not onely silence suspend and excommunicate such godly Ministers who out of conscience dare not joyne with them in encouraging their people to prophane it and punish those for Conventiclers who after divine prayer and Sermons ended meet together to repeat their Ministers Sermon read chapters sing Psalmes conferre or pray together as they are taught by S. Chrysostomes and Bishop Iewels doctrine but one of them D. Peirce the now Bishop of Bath and Wels by name enioyned the Church-wardens of Batcombe in Mr. Barnards Parish in Somersetshire vnder paine of excommunication to expunge this Scripture anciently painted on their Church-wall quite out of the Church Isa 58. 13. If thou turne away thy foote from the Sabbath from doing thy pleasure on my holy way and call the Sabbath a delight the holy of the Lord honorable and shalt honour him not doing thine owne wayes not finding thine owne pleasure not speaking thine owne words Then shalt thou delight thy selfe in the Lord c. stiling it a Iewish place of Scripture not fit to stand or be suffred in the Church and by the same reason not sufferable in the Bible for the correcting whereof our Prelates may doe well to joyne with the Papists in making an Index ex purgatorius as they intend and giue out publikely they intend to doe on all ancient English Writers which Scripture the Church-wardens refusing to blot out the Bishop like an Heroïcall Prelate r●de thither 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with a plaisterer to see it wiped out himselfe such hideous Monsters of impiety blasphemy and irreligion that I say not Atheisme are this last generation of our holy domineering Prelates growen who must now for ever cease to affirme or boast their Episcopall Supremacy Authority and Iurisdiction to be Jure divino since by vertue thereof they thus presumptuously take upon them a straine beyond the Papists to blot Jus divinum the very Law of God and Gospell too out of the house of God it selfe And can wee then wonder at those immoderate droughts those watry seasons those devouring spredding Pests and Plagues with other publike and personall judgements of God which wee have lately felt and suffred and are like to tast of in a sharper maner when such monstrous impieties as these thus plublikely breake forth without either shame or reprehension in those who stile themselves the Pillars being in truth the Caterpillars and holy Fathers in verity the unholy step fathers of our Church from whom prophanesse is gone out and spread over all the Land Certainly if wee consider onely the

not his second the Postscript therefore of his second Epistle is no argument to proove that he was a Bishop when the first Epistle was written for why then should not the Postscript of the first Epistle stile him a Bishop as wel as the second yea rather then the second since the first hath much matter in it both concerning the offices and qualities of a Bishop the second very little or nothing save onely of diligent and constant preaching in season and out of season which belongs indifferently to all Bishops and Ministers and is so farre from being proper and peculiar to Bishops in these dayes that it is hardly common to or with any of them Rare to most of them and altogether improper to some of them who like the dunsticall Bishop of Dunkleden thinke it no part of their Episcopall office and that they were never so much as ordained to preach but rather to sit mute and domineere like Lords and that preaching belongs onely to Curats and inferior Ministers not to Lordly Prelates who seldome climbe now into a Pulpit above once a yeare whereas Chrysostome Augustine Ambrose Cyrill Hooper and other Bishops anciently preached once at least every day Obj. 2. The second allegation is this that Paul describes to Timothy the office qualities carriage and duties of a Bishop instructing him how to demeane himselfe in that office 1. Tim. 3 4. and 5. Therefore hee was a Bisshop Answ 1. To this I answer first that Paul by a Bishop in this Epistle meanes no Diocaesan Bishop in dignity and degree above a Preshyter but onely such a Bishop as was equall the same and no wayes different from an Elder as all the Fathers and most moderne Expositors on this and other texts accord Such a Bishop I acknowledge Timothy to be and so this instruction to him implyes but that hee was a Diocaesan Bishop superior in dignity to a Presbyter this text and argument cannot evince Secondly Admit it meant of a Diocaesan Bishop yet it followes not thence that Timothy was such a one this Epistle being written rather to instruct others then Timothy who was so well tutered before both by his grand mother Lois and Paul 1. Tim. 6. 12. 20. c. 4. 6. 14. 16. 2. Tim. 1. 5. 6. 13. 14. c. 2. 2. c. 3. 10. 14. 15. rather for a patterne of the qualification and duety of Ministers to direct the Church in all future ages then to informe Timothy at that time whence in both these Epistles there are some predictions of the Apostacy and degeneracy of the last times more necessary for others then Timothy to know 1. Tim. 5. 24. 25. c. 6. 15. c. 4. 1. to 7. 2. Tim. 3. 1. to 10. Thirdly there is in the same chapter instructions given concerning Deacons Widdowes and others yet Timothy was neither Deacon nor Widdow which being necessary for the Church of God and for Timothy also to know as hee was an Euangelist a fellow-helper and assistant of Paul in his Ministeriall and Apostolicall function and as his delegate to order and regulate the Church accordingly argue him to be no more a Bishop as is surmised then that every Minister and Christian for whose instruction and direction this Epistle was written as well as for Timothies are Bishops or then any Archbishops or Bishops instructions to their Archdeacons Vicars Generalls Chauncellers or Officials for Ecclesiasticall affaires or Visitations argue them to be Archbishops or Bishops Fourthly We read of divers bookes concerning the office and regiment of Kings of Magistrates and Captaines dedicated to young Princes and others who were neither Kings Magistrates nor Captaines of diverse tractates concerning Bishops inscribed to such who were no Bishops yet the dedicating of such Treatises to them did neither constitute or necessarily imply them to be Kings Magistrates Captaines Bishops Why then should this Epistle to Timothy wherein are some things concerning the office qualities and duties of a Bishop proove him convincingly to be such a one Obj. 3. The third evidence to proove Timothy a Bishop is taken from the 1. Tim. 5. 22. Where hee is enjoyned to lay hands suddenly on no man that is to ordaine no man suddenly a Minister Therefore certainly hee was a Bishop because none but Bishops have power to ordaine Ministers Answ 1. I answer first that the laying on of hands hath divers significations in Scripture Sometimes it is taken for an apprehension of another as a Mal factor to punish or bring him to judgement for his offences Exod. 24. 11. Esther 8. 7. Gen. 37. 22. Exod. 6. 13. Nehem. 13. 1. Luke 21. 22. in which sence it may be well taken here as the proceeding verses evidence Sometimes it is used for reconciliation of persons at variance Iob. 9. 33. Sometimes for benediction or blessing of another Matth. 9. 15. Sometimes for curing and healing Mark 5. 23. Math. 19. 18. Mark 6. 5. Luke 4. 40. Sometimes for confirmation as many affirme Acts 8. 17. 18. 19. Sometimes for ordination as Acts. 6 6 cap. 8 17. 11. cap. 13. 3. 1. Timoth. 4. 14. 2. Timoth. 1. 6. Acts. 19. 6. In which of these sences it is here meant is not certainely resolved and so no inference can be infallibly raised thence Secondly Admit it is meant of ordination as most conceive it yet that prooves not Timothy to be a Bishop since not onely Apostles Euangelists and the Apostles fellow-helpers had power of ordination as they were such Act. 1 22 25 26. c. 6 6 c. 8 17 18 c. 13 1 2 3. c. 14 23 c. 19 6. Tit. 1 5. 2 Tim. 1. 6. but even Presbyters themselves Acts. 9 17. c. 13 1 2 3. c. 14 23 1. Tim. 4 14. and Timothy might exercise this power in all or either of these respects not as a Bishop which for ought appeares hee never was neither read wee in Scripture that ordination belongs of right to Bishops as Bishops muchlesse that it is appropriated unto them Obj. 4. The fourth objection to proove Timothy a Bishop is this that hee is commaunded to rebuke such as sinned openly before all men that others might feare 1 Tim. 5 20. Therefore hee was a Bishop Answ 1. I answere that the argument is an inconsequent First Because hee might doe this as an Euangelist or as Paules associate or substitute by vertue of his Apostolicall authority not of his owne Episcopall Iurisdiction as Bishops Officials Chauncellors and Vicars Generall rebuke correct and visit others not in their owne names or by their owne authorities but their Lords Secondly Hee might doe this as a Minister every Minister having power sufficient in the publike Ministery of the word openly to rebuke all sinnes and sinners Isay 5 8. 1 2. Tim. 4 2 3. Tit. 1 13 c. 2 15. Marke 6 18 19 20. 2 Sam. 12 7. Thirdly Hee might doe this as a private Christian every Christian being enjoyned in any case to rebuke his neighbour and not to suffer

Bishop when hee was but ordained a Minister And that famous Gregory Nazianzen three hundred and seventy yeares after Christ in his 9. 13. 15. 21. and 28. Orations p. 262. 357. 368. 479. as Elias Cretensis in his Commentary on those places testifieth useth the words Bishops and Presbyter reciprocally stiling Bishops Presbyters and Presbyters Bishops making them all one by divine institution and different onely by humane invention which difference hee heartily wisheth were abolished himselfe voluntarily resigning his Bishopricke of Constantinople to be take himselfe to a more private and retired life The Fathers therefore thus promiscuously using the name Bishop and Presbyter stiling Bishops Presbyters and Presbyters Bishops and making both of them one and the same by divine institution their stiling of Timothy and Titus Bishops of Ephesus and Crete is no argument or proofe at all that they were Diocaesan or sole Bishops of those places or that they had or any Bishops now have by divine institution any Episcopall Iurisdiction and preeminence over other Presbyters or Ministers or were superior to them in order dignity or degree Fourthly The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we English a Bishop signifies properly nothing else but an Overseer Survayor Superintendent or Administrator and is oft times applyed both by Greeke Authors and the Septuagint Greeke Translators to secular offices Hence † Homer stiles Hector the Bishop of the City In the Verses of Solon in Demostenes Pallas is called the Bishop of Athens Plutarch in the life of Numa stiles Venus the Bishop over the dead and hee there makes mention of a Bishop of the Vestall Virgins Suidas records that in the Athenian Republike those who are sent to the Cityes under their Jurisdiction to oversee the affaires of their Companions were called Bishops Cicero in his seaventh Booke to Atticus writes thus Pompey will have mee to be the Bishop of all Compagnia and the Maritine Coastes to whom the choise and summe of the businesse may be referred And in the Pandects the Clerkes of the Markets are called Bishops The Septuagint Numb 13. read the Bishops of the Army 4. Kings 11. they read the Bishops who are over the Army and the Bishops over the howse of the Lord. Where Watchmen Guardians and Overseers are called Bishops 2. Chron. 34. The Overlookers of the Workemen are stiled Bishops Iudges 9. Zebul is called Abimeleches Bishop in the Greeke which we now English his Officer So Num. 4. 16. The office of Eliazar in the Tabernacle of the Lord and the function of Judas Psalm 109. 8. is tormed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishopricke by the Septuagint and so expresly stiled by the Holy Ghost himselfe and Englished by us Acts. 1. 20. His Bishopricke let another take yea Constantine the greate as ‡ Eusebius records in his life inviting some Bishops to a Feast called himselfe a Bishop in their presence uttering these words You sayth hee are Bishops within the Church but I am constituted of God a Bishop without the Church Our New Translators Acts. 20. 28. render the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the title which hee gives to the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Overseers Luke 19. 44. The time of Gods visitation and overthrow of Ierusalem is termed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Luke 1. 6. 7. 8. c. 7. 16. Heb. 2. 6. The Greeke word which we translate hath visited us is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Whence the day of Gods gracious visitation of his people to convert them to him in mercy is called by the Holy Ghost 1. Pet. 2. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The day of visitation yea our very visiting of sick persons prisoners Orphanes and Widdowes is termed by Christ and the holy Ghost himselfe though a meere act of charity humility and Christian duty not of Jurisdiction and Lordly Prelacy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Math. 25. 36. 43. and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iam. 1. 27. to visit or to play the Bishops part and duty which the meanest Christian yea women though uncapeable of sacred orders may doe and ought to performe as well as any others So intermedling with other mens affaires or couetting of any other mens offices of what condition soever is termed by the Apostle 1. Pet. 4. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the playing as it were the Bishop in another mans Dioces Yea every Ministers feeding and taking the oversight of his proper flock is stiled the doing of a Bishops office and those Presbyters who doe thus are not onely said to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Pet. 5. 21. that is men executing the office and duty of a Bishop but likewise stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is true and proper Bishops a name given onely to Presbyters and none but they in holy Scripture Acts. 20. 28. Phil. 1. 1. Titus 1. 7. and to Christ himselfe who is stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of our Soules 1. Pet. 2. 25. but not to any Apostle Euangelist Diocaesan or other Prelate none such being particularly termed a Bishop ●hroughout the whole New Testament The Fathers make Bishops and Overseers all one deriving the very name of a Bishop from a Greeke verbe which signifieth to overlooke watch ward or take care off Hence Augustine writes thus Hee did keepe hee was carefull hee did watch as much as hee could over those over whom hee was set And Bishops doe thus For therefore an higher place is set for Bishops that they may superintend and as it were keepe the people For that which in Greeke is called a Bishop that in Latine is interpreted a Superintendent because hee overseeth because hee seeth from above For like as an higher place is made for the vineyard keeper to keepe the vineyard so an higher place also is made for the Bishops And a perilous account is to be rendred of this high place unlesse we stand therein with such an heart that we may be under your feete in humility and pray for you that hee who knowes your mindes hee may keepe you because wee can see you entring and going out but yet we are so farre from seeing what you thinke in your heartes that we cannot so much as see what you doe in your howses How therefore doe we keepe you like men as much as we can as much as we have received We keepe you out of the office of dispensation but we will be kept together with you we are as Pastours to you but under that Pastor Christ we are sheep together with you we are as teachers to you out of this place but under that one Master wee are Schollers with you in this Schoole If we will be kept by him who was humbled for us and is exalted to keepe us let us be humble Those set themselves before Christ who will be high here where hee was humble Let them therefore be humble here if they will be exalted there where hee is exalted In another place hee

neither will not nor cannot preach and persecuting none but the most painefull Preachers a thing well worthy noting discovering their emnity to be directly against preaching and the Gospell to remember that of Master Tyndall our godly Martyr That B●shops who persecute their owne office of preaching for and by which they hold their 〈◊〉 Bishoprickes are not worthy of it nor sufferable in it and that Bishops or Preists that preach not or that preach ought save Gods word are none of Christs nor of his anointing therefore not Jure divino but Servants of the Beast whose marke they beare whose word they preach whose Law they maintaine cleane against Gods Law and therefore both Ministers and people must and will henceforth call and deeme them such As for those Ministers most unjustly silenced suspended and excommunicated by them who now basely sit downe silent under their Suspensions when as they should goe 〈◊〉 couragiously in their Ministery in despite of them I shall desire them onely to consider First the example and answer of the Apostles themselves who when they were commaunded by the High Preists Elders and whole Councell of the Jewes who had as much or more power over them then any Bishops have over Ministers at this day not to speake at all or teach in the name of Jesus gave this answer Wee ought to obey God rather then men whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto God more then unto you judge yee for we cannot but speake the things which we have seene and heard and though they were thrice expresly inhibited from preaching yea imprisoned and beaten for violating these prohibitions yet they dayly in the Temple IN EVERI HOWSE which now forsooth must be a Conventicle I am sure an Apostolicall one they ceased not to preach and teach Jesus Christ filling Jerusalem and every place with their doctrine the very Angel of God himselfe commaunding them to doe it If then the whole Senate of the High Preists and Elders their terrible Prohibitions and Suspen●ions yea their imprisonments and stripes could neither keepe nor de●erre the Apostles from preaching why should our Bishops threats suspentions 〈◊〉 most unjust illegall Censures warranted by no Statute Law ot Commission from his Majesty hinder our Ministers from their duty Secondly The example of our owne godly Martyrs who both their Doctrine and example taught and professed That Ministers ought not to give over preaching for any unjust suspension excommunication inhibition Censure or persecution whatsoever either of the Pope himselfe or of any other Prelate going on boldly to preach the Gospell maugre all inhibitions menaces imprisonments and penalties to the contrary though fire and death it selfe Whereupon they never would give over their preaching upon any Prelates inhibition no not in their prisons where Master Bradford and others preached twice every day And shall our eminentest Ministers now in the Sunne shine of the Gospell under a most gratious Prince be more pusillanimous base and cowardly then these godly Martyrs were even in times of darknesse under Popish Princes Prelates and Tyrants when it was death to professe and preach the truth which now God be thanked it neither is nor can be God forbid Thirdly That position of our Godly Martyr Master John Wicklife excellently defended and notably proved by Iohn Hus at large in the Schoole of Prague as all may read at leisure in Master Fox That they which lea 〈…〉 off preaching and hearing of the word of God for feare of any excommunication threatning persecution or imprisonment threatned or inflicted by the Pope or any other whatsoever are already excommunicate by God himselfe and in the day of Iudgement shall be accounted the betrayers of Christ which is so well prooued and defended by Hus that all Godly Ministers and people must subscribe thereto And who of all our late suspended Ministers would be either accounted here or adjudged hereafter a man excommunicated of God and a betrayer of Christ yea of the very Word of God of Religion it selfe and of the soules committed to his Cure who are slaine for lacke of spirituall food whiles they out of a slavish feare of I know not what or whom sitt mute and silent and become so many laughing stockes to our Prelates who would be terrified daunted and repulsed by their Godly courage Fourthly That Popish Preists and Iesuites dare say Masse and preach in a maner publikely though a thing unlawfull and expressely prohibited both by the Lawes of God and the Realme and no lesse then high treason for which capitall punishments are prescribed If these Miscreants and generation of vipers then have so much courage for their false and trayterly religion that they will not be silenced nor scared from preaching neither by Lawes nor capitall punishments how much lesse then should zealous faithfull Ministers of the Gospell contrary to Gods Lawes and the Realmes give over their Ministrie and preaching upon the bare illegall suspension or excommunication of a Lordly Bishop warranted by no Law nor Statute of the Realme nor any Patent or Commission from the King and so no colour for any to obey or submit thereto Fiftly What a great blow and wound they have given to religion what great discouragement and ill example to their people and fellow Ministers what losse and prejudice to their flockes what encouragement to Iesuites Seminaries Papists and domineering Prelates who gett heart head by their faintheartednes yeelding silence and submission encroaching every day further on their liberties consciences and Religion so that they have brought themselves and others into a meere vassalage to the Bishops unruly lusts and pleasures all which their opposition and contemning of these their suspen●ions and excommunications beeing meere nullities in Law for want of a Commission from his Maiesty a lawfull ground a due maner of proceeding and his Maiesties stile and seale had prevented and may yet chance to remedie Sixtly That a necessity is layd upon them euen by God and Christ himselfe to preach the Gospell and to be instant in season and out of season and a temporall and eternall woe denounced against them if they forbeare or give over to doe it upon any unjust inhibition whatsoever which can neither nullify controll nor dispense with the commaunds of God How then can they avoyd or shunne this woe if the frowne or unjust suspension of a prophane unpreaching domineering Prelate may restraine them from this duety or dispense with this most serious taske imposed on them from heaven it selfe Seaventhly That solemne charge that was given them in the name and behalfe of Christ himselfe yea of the whole Realme and Church of England and that solemne promise they made before God and the Congregation when they were first made Ministers to wit that as they would answer it before Christs tribunall at the great day of judgement they should and would teach premonish feed and provide for the

Lords flocke for whom hee shed his blood AND NEVER THEIR LABOVR CARE AND DILIGENCE HEREIN untill they had done all that lyeth in them according to their bounden duety to bring all such as were or should be committed to their charge unto that agreement of faith and knowledge of God and to that ripenes and perfectnes of age in Christ which none of them hath yet done that there should be no place left among them neither of errour in Religion or for viciousnes of life and that for the same cause they should and would forsake and sett aside as much as in them lyeth all worldly cares and studies and give themselves WHOLLY to this thing and draw all their cares and studies this way and to this end and that they should and would preach and be faithfull dispensers of Gods Word in their Congregations which charge being layd upon them by the Bishop at their ordination in the name of Christ by the whole Church and State of England and the Booke of Ordination confirmed by three severall Acts of Parliament the 8 Canon and their owne subscriptions to it and they particularly promising in a most solemne maner to performe it to the ●ttermost of their power How any Bishop can by Law suspend them from preaching as long as they continue Ministers and are not actually degraded or deprived of their livings for some just or lawfull cause warranted by an expresse Act of Parliament or how any godly Minister in point of Law or Conscience can give over his preaching or Ministry upon any unjust suspen●ion inhibition excommunication or commaund of any Bishop Visitor or Ordinary who cannot countermaund this charge or Booke of Ordination ratified by 3 Acts of Parliaments I cannot conjecture Finally That if Ministers will thus suffer every Bishop at his pleasure without any speciall Commission from his Maiesty vnder the great Seale of England or any just cause in point of Law upon every humor fancy or new minted Article of his owne which by the Statute of 25. H. 8. c. 19. and the 13. Canons resolution yea and his Maiesties too in his Declaration before the 39. Articles hee hath no power to make to suspend excommunicate and put them downe from preaching then it will be in the Bishops power to suppresse and alter Religion at their pleasure without his Maiesties or a Parliaments assent and so all shall hang vpon their wills who have no power at all either by the Lawes of God or the Realme to institute any new rites Ceremonies Articles Canons or Injunctions or to alter or innovate any thing in Religion much lesse to suspend or silence Ministers Wherefore in case our Prelates presently revoke not these their anti-christian illegall suspen●ions inhibitions injunctions or other Censures to hinder Ministers from preaching I hope every Godly Minister who hath any care either of his owne soule liberty people any love at all to God or Religion any zeale or courage for the truth or desire of the good either of Church or State taking these considerations into his thoughts and finding the Bishops Jurisdiction and proceedings to have no lawfull warrant either from the Lawes of God or man will readily protest both against their usurped authority and proceedings as meere nullities and vanities and proceed to preach pray and doe his duetie as the Apostles and Martyrs did of old without any feare or discouragement that so Gods judgements Plagues and punishments which the Prelates late practises with the Ministers silence and cowardize and all our sinnes have drawen downe upon us may be asswaged and remooved and wee may ever retaine the Ordinances and Word of God among vs in purity power sincerity and plenty both to our present and future happines I shall close all with this Syllogisme That calling authoritie and jurisdiction which obliterates persecutes suppresseth oppugneth the very Law Gospell and word of God with the frequent powerfull preaching preachers and professors thereof is doubtles not of divine right or institution but Anti-christian and Diabolicall 1. Thess 2. 14. 15. 16. Rom. 2. 13. 10. Iohn 8. 39. to 48. 1. Tim. 3. 1. to 7. Tit. 1. 5. to 10. But this doth the calling authority and jurisdiction of Lord Archbishops and Bishops as the premises and all stories witnes especially our Booke of Martyrs Therefore it is doubtles not of divine right or institution but Anti-christian and Diabolicall If the Minor be not sufficiently evidenced by the Premises by the silencing of many Ministers suppressing of so many Lectures throughout the Realme give me leave to instance but in two fresh examples more The first in Doctor Peirce Bishop of Bath and Wels who in his Visitation in the midst of August last expresly prohibited all Ministers in his Diocesse to preach on the Lords day afternoone threatning some Ministers to suspend them both from their office Benefice if they durst presume to preach any more on the Lords day afternoone without alleadging any Law or Canon which there is none or any danger of bringing or spreading the plague which there is not feared but onely out of his malice to preaching and to deprive poore people of the sprituall food of their soules to affront the Sta●utes of 5. and 6. E. 6. c. 1. 3. and 1. Eli. c. 2. which require OFTEN PREACHING AND HEARING of the Gospell upon every Sunday and Holy day and prescribe preaching twice a day as well as much as Common-prayer coupling them together in the same words to oppugne the Homily of the right use of the Church p. 3. 4. 5. which prescribes and enforceth the dayly and continuall preaching of Gods word and specially on the Sabbath-dayes from our Saviours and his Apostles owne Precepts and Examples to make all Ministers perjured who at the time of their Ordination make a solemne promise and covenant before God diligently and painefully to instruct their people never to give over preaching c. as the Booke of Ordination and the Church and State of England both in and by it injoyne them and to spite S. Paul● himselse who as by the space of three yeares together hee ceased not to warne every one Night and Day therefore hee preached Evenings as well as mornings publikely from howse to howse Acts. 20. 20. 31. So hee chargeth Timothy and in him all Ministers To preach the word instantly in season out of season that is on Lords dayes and weekedayes Morning and Evening yea and at Midnight to if need be in times of prosperity and adversity of health and pestilence when preaching is most seasonable to raise men from their sinnes 2. Tim. 4. 2. which Apostle were hee in this Bishops and some other of his Brethrens Diocesse they would schoole him roundly for such good doctrine and stop his mouth to prevent the great mischeife of often preaching yea 〈◊〉 our Saviour Christ himselfe and his Apostles were now among our Prelates and should preach DAYLY in our temples as they