deputie The Archbishop may with the Princes consent without a Synod depose a bishop sayth Whitgift If bishops bee such vassals to Archbishops what slaves thinke yee poore ministers be As Primates or lesser Patriarches 1. of right as to admit appellations from inferiour judgements immediately 2. of the prescription of time to haue the custody of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction during the vacancie of any Episcopall See within his owne province York is stiled Primate of England and Canterburie Primate of all England There is a fine composition of an old plea. what they may not doe as Metropolitanes they may doe as Archbishops and what they may not doe as Archbishops yet they may doe as little Patriarches As little Patriarches they may receaue appellations immediatlie So where one may not make a leap from the Archdeacon or his Officiall to the Archbishop and passe by the Bishop Yet he may leap over him to that same man as he is Patriarch And as for custody of spirituall jurisdiction during the vacancie of the Episcopall See that was the right of Deane and Chapter According to the place peculiar to the Archbishop oâ— Canterburie 1. every Bishop of his province confirmed by him must exhibite to him a Chaplaine till he provide him some sufficient benefice 2. As Primat of all England he may grant letters of tuition whereby the appellant may prosecuâ—e his appellation without molestation offered to him in the meane time The Bishops have their Chaplaines as Princes and Noblemen have more for pompe and glory then for any necessitie or utility For they will bee inferiour in nothing to the great Nobles that concerneth pride of life Noblemen for pride will not joyne themselves with the parish where they are members to worship God joyntly with them as members of one politicall body but must have their servile and flattering Chaplaines at home yet they spoile many parishes to entertaine their beneficed and non-resident Chaplaines Will the Bishops be behinde them in this Nay they will bee as noble in this trespasse as the noblest and the Archbishop will lead the ring Take this unclaime of appellations from him his letters of tuition are deere of a doyt According to the place which they hold in the civill estate either as common to both or as peculiar to any one of them Common to both either by the common Municipall law or by the grant of Princes By the common Municipall law either in things Ecclesiasticall or in things civill In things Ecclesiasticall in which they have this prerogative to receive and register the probate of wills and to grant to the partie succeeding the administration of the goods of the person dying intestate having at the time of their death Boâ—a Notabilia in divers Diocies or jurisdictions of their Province The Archbishop hath a Court which is called the Prerogative Court in which the Commissarie sitteth upon inheritances fallen either by intestate or by will and testament By the 92. Canon of the Constitutions made Anno 1603. All Chauncellours Commissaries or Officials or any other exercising Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction whatsover are commanded to charge with an oath all persons called or voluntarily appearing before them for the probate of â—ny will or the administration of any goods whether they know or moved by any speciall inducement do firmly beleeve that the partie deceased whose testament goods depend now in question had at the time of his or her death any goods or good debts in any other Diocie or Diocies or peculiar jurisdiction within that province then in that wherein the sayd partie died amounting to the value of five pounds And if the sayd person shall upon his oath affirme That hee knoweth or firmly beleeveth that the sayd partie deceased had goods or good debts in any other Diocie or Diocies or peculiar jurisdiction within the sayd province to the value aforesayd and particularly specifie and declare the same then shall hee presently dismisse him not presuming to intermedle with the probate of the sayd will or to grant administration of the goods of the partie so dying intestatâ— and shall openly and plainly declare and professe that the sayd cause belongeth to the prerogative of the Archbishop of that Province willing and admonishing the partie to prove the sayd will or require administration of the sâ—yd goâ—s in the court of the sayd prerogative and to exhibit before him the sayd iudge the probat or administration under the sâ—â—l of the prerogative within 40 dayes next following In theâ—◠〈◊〉 Canon the Rate of Bona Notbilia liable to the prerogative Court is defiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 amounting to the value of five pound at least 〈◊〉 and deâ—laring that who so hath not good in then to the sayd summe or value shall not 〈…〉 to have Bona Notabilia unlesse in any Diocie by composition or custome Bonâ— Natabilia bee rated at a greater summe Here the Archbishop hath a Court for testamentary matters which are meere civill and belongeth no wayes to a spirituall Court which may and ought to be heard and determined in Courts temporall In civill things is 1. to have the title of Clemencie which in English we call Grace 2. to have praecedencie before all the Peeres of the kingdome This title and stile of Grace is not granted to any inferiour to a Duke so that they have a â—tile aboue Marquises Earles and Vicounts They mock at Christs words Luke 22. 25. when they say that Christ forbad his Disciples onely to be called bountifull or benefactors but not to bee called gracious Lords For Christ forbidding his Disciples to beare civill rule and temporall domination forbad them the stiles which were attributed unto or usurped by civill Princes and magistrates to set forth their pompe and power and for example he alledgeth that stile which was given to some of the kings of Aegypt by one stile meaning all other of the like kinde For as he forbad them not onely to be like the Kings of Aegypt but generally like the kings of the nations so the titles of all secular Princes and Rulers that rule Nations and kingdomes are forbidden Farther there is greater pompe in the stile of Grace then of benefactor and lesse truth for there are none so gracelesse unclement and cruell scoutges in the hands either of Popes or Princes to scourge the Church of Christ. These base fellowes must also haue place before the greatest Nobles in the land and the chiefe seat in publick conventions and parliaments Canterbury must have place before the chiefest officers of the kingdome Yorke before all except the Chauncellour like the ambitious sonnes of Zebedee seeking to sit the one at the right the other at the left hand of Christ in his kingdom which they dreamed should be a glorious worldly Monarchy They have also traines of men to attend upon them greater then many Noble men and some to beare up their taile which no Noble man hath Fie The Doctours of the civill law attend in their
allegeance but not with the oath of supremacie for feare of troubling his tender conscience The statute of the supremacie was explained the same year of Qu. Elizabeths raigne in an admonition added to the injunctions as followeth That her Maiestie neither doth nor ever will challenge any other authority then was challenged and lately vsed by the noble kings of famous memory king Henry the 8. and king Edward the 6. which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperial crown of this Realme that is under God to have the soveraignty and rule over all manner of persons born within these her realmes dominions and countries of what estate soever they be either Ecclesiasticall or temporall so as no other forraigne power shall or ought to have superiority over them In this admonition the subjects are made to understand that her Maiestie did not claime power to minister divine offices in the Church as to preach the word and minister the sacraments They have been too simple who have construed the statute in such a sense For no wise man will thinke that kings and Queens will take upon them either the paines or worldly discredit to preach the word minister the sacraments intimate to the congregation the sentence of excommunication The statute doth make no mention of divine offices in the Church but of jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall which is and was in time of papistrie exercised at visitations and in Ecclesiasticall courts This explanation therefore of the admonition annexed to the Injunctions and ratified by Parliament in the fift yeare of Qu. Elizabeth derogateth nothing from the former statute but onely summeth it in more generall tearmes To challenge no more then was challenged and lately used by the noble kings of famous memory K. Henry 8. and Edward 6. is to challenge to be head of the Church to have all jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall flowing from the possessour of the Crowne as from the head and fountaine Mr. Fox in his Acts Monuments relateth that in the 34. of K. Henry the 8. it was enacted That the king his heirs and successors kings of that Realme shall bee taken accepted and reputed the onely supreme head on earth of the Church of England and shall have and enjoy annexed and united to the Imperiall crowne as well the title and stile thereof as all honours dignities preeminences iurisdictions priviledges authorities immunities profits and commodities to the sayd dignitie of supreme head of the same Church belonging and appertaining and that they shall have full power authority from time to time to visit represse redresse reforme and amend all such errors abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever they be which by any manner of spirituall authority or iurisdiction might or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected or amended In a rescript of Edward the sixth it is thus written to Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie Seeing all manner of authoritie and iurisdiction as well Ecclesiasticall as secular doth slow from our regall power as from a supreme head c. we give unto you power by these presents which are to endure at our good pleâ—sâ—re to give and promove to the sacred orders even of the Eldership or as they use to speake Priesthood any within your Diocie Anno 1. Edw. 6. cap. 12. an act was made That the Bishop should bee maâ—e by the Kings letters patents and not â—y election of Deane and Chapter and that they should make their proces and writings in the Kings name and not under their own names and that their seales should be the Kings armes This act repealed in the 1. of Queen Mary was revived in the 1. of K. James It was objected to Bishop Farrar in the dayes of the same yong king Edward that hee deserved deprivation because hee constituted his Chancellor by his letters of commission omitting the kings majesties stile and authority and that he had made collations and institutions in his owne name and authority without expressing the kings supremacie His answer was that howbeit there was some default of formalitie in the commission yet his highnes stile and authority was sufficiently expressed in the sayd commission Neither did the sayd Chancellor offer to visit but in the Kings name and authority to the sayd Bishop committed And as to the other poynt that hee made his collations and institutions in his owne name not by his own authority nor by any others save the kings authority expressing in them the kings supremacie with the Bishops own name and seale of office Whitgift sometime Bishop of Canterburie sayth We acknowledge all jurisdiction that any court in England hath or doth exercise be it civill or Ecclesiasticall to be executed in her Majesties name and right and to come from her as supreme Governour And againe in another place The Prince having the supreme government of the Realme in all causes and over all persons as she doth expresse the one by the Lord Chancellor so doth she the other by the Archbishops Dr. Bancroft who was afterward made Bishop of London and at last Bishop of Canterbury in a Sermon made at Pauls Crosse anno 1589. maketh her maiesty a petie Pope and assigneth unto her not some of the Popes power but all honours dignities preeminences iurisdictions privileges authorities profits and commodities which by usurpation did at any time appertaine unto the Pope belike relating the words of the act made in the 34. Henry 8. Our Bancroft Mr. Spottiswood pretended Archbishop of Saintandros at the pretended deposition of N. in the high commission sayd likewise I say unto you N. the king is now Pope and so shall be To be supreme governour in all causes Ecclesiasticall then is not onely to be an avenger with the sword as Bilson would make the Iesuits beleeve in his book of obedience but also to be judge in matters of errour and heresie superstition and idolatry and all other causes Ecclesiasticall and as a supreme governour to communicate this power to auy naturall borne subject In the Parliament holden at Perth anno 1606. where a number of the Nobility consented to the restitution of the Bishops to their 3 estate and old privileges that they might get the other prelacies erected in temporall Lordships it was declared in the second act That the whole estates of their bounden dutie with most hartie and faithfull affection humbly and truely acknowledge his Maiestie to be soveraigne Monarch absolute Prince iudge and governour over all persons estates and causes both spiritnall and temporall within his sayd Realme He is then not onely governour but judge also over all causes But the nature of the supremacie may be yet better conceived when we have taken a view of the particular rights of the supremacie and of the power granted to the high commission The Kings supremacie considered particularly consisteth either of things which are granted onely by statute or restored by statute as due of right to the Royall Crowne Granted first by
of Shires from Synodes to Nationall Assemblies they must step up a Popish ladder by Archdeacons Officials Bishops Deane of Arches Archbishops saving that at the top of the ladder they finde the Prince for the Pope to whom they must not appeale nor yet to any greater Councels of many reformed or unreformed Churches or to an oecumenicall Councell whatsoever they talke of Generall Councels Now the causes convoyed by these subordinate appellations are all Ecclesiasticall causes agitated in the Ecclesiasticall Courts Of which causes wee are to treat in the third chapter These which belong to Canons or Ecclesiasticall lawes concerne either the making of them or the administration and execution of them or the relaxation of them As for the making of them 1. in that the Prince may make new lawes anent ceremonies and rites with advice either of his Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall or of the Metropolitan 2 Synod provinciall or nationall may not be convocated without the Princes writ direct to the Metropolitan 3. Nothing may be treated or determined in the Synode till the Prince first be made privie and give assent 4. Nothing shall have the force of a law till the Royal assent of the Prince be given to those things which the Synod shall think good to decree Beza in his 8. Epistle to Grindal Bishop of London confesseth that he trembleth and shaketh at the first of these heads And in very deed it may turne upside down the whole government of the Church and outward forme of Gods worship overthrow the one and deface the other Did not the Bishops affirme at the examination of Barow that the Queen might establish what Church government it pleased her Highnes Because they dare not affirm that Princes may change any thing that is unchangeable by divine law therefore they make many unchangeable things both in government and externall ceremonies in Gods worship to bee changeable that they make a change at their pleasure and may bring in all that ever was hatched by the Antichrist a Popish Church government significant rites and symbolicall toyes and ceremonies For what may a corrupt Prince and a corrupt Metropolitan or some few corrupt commissioners not challenge for changeable Nay even rites of order and comelines and lawes of things indifferent for a religious use should be considered by the lawfull and ordinary assemblies of the Church how they agree with the generall rules prescribed in the word how they will edifie the Church how God shall be glorified Christian charitie entertained order and comelines preserved For we must not consider things indifferent onely in â—heir generall kinde but in their particular and circumstantiall use which if we permit to Princes they may abuse indiffereÌ„t things to the great hurt of the Church Synods ought not to be convocate without the Princes privitie or the warrant of the law in generall but if the Prince be wilful in denying his assent and the Church be in extreame danger ready to be overwhelmed or greatly disturbed with heresies schismes divisions enormities we may use the benefit of the law and if the law of man be wanting yet the Church should not cease from doing her dutie and exercising that power which is granted her by Christ who hath also promised his presence when but two or three are convened in his name Salus Ecclesiae suprema lex esto The power of Christian Princes in the Church is cumulative to aid her to execute her power freely not privative to deprive and spoile her of any power Christ hath granted to her And by the same reason the Church may entreate determine and strengthen her decrees and constitutions with Ecclesiasticall censures and punishments notwithstanding the Prince will not assent approve ratifie the Canons of the Church nor confirme them by his lawes and fortifie them with temporal punishments Prudence I confesse is required in the Church to weigh the case of necessity when to put this â—er power in practise As for the administration and execution of lawes in that the Prince may 1. visit the Ecclesiasticall state and their persons 2. reforme redresse and correct them and whatsoever sort of heresies schismes errours abuses offences contempts and enormities of any whomsoever 3. to assigne nominate and authorize when and as often as it is his pleasure such persons being naturall borne subjects as he shall think meet 1. to exercise and execute all manner of jurisdictions privileges and preeminences in any wise touching or concerning any spirituall or Ecclesiastical jurisdiction 2 to visit 3 to reforme correct and amend all such excesses or defects whatsoever which by any maner of Ecclesiasticall power authority or jurisdiction might been have been reformed ordered corrected amended or restrained The Princes power in visiting reforming and correcting abuses enormities errours heresies c. may be seen as in a liuely picture in the high commission to be not onely a temporall power but also a spirituall to inflict Ecclesiasticall censures punishments For the Prince could not communicate this power to his Delegate Commissioners except he claimed it to himselfe as Principall For none can transferre that to others which he hath not himselfe It must follow therefore that the Princes power is Ecclesiastical not onely in respect of the object and matter whereupon it worketh as heresies errours abuses c. but also formally in respect of the manner to wit by inflicting Ecclesiasticall censures and punishments unlesse we will affiâ—me that suspension deposition excommunication are not Ecclesiastical but civill punishments and censures which were absurd We shall entreat of the power of the high commission in the next chapter severally by it selfe As for the relaxation of the Canons or lawes in that 1. first for ever when as they are altogether abrogated by the Prince 2. for a time onely as when hee granteth remission of any crime or transgression of the Canons for times by gone and to come when both infamie is abolished and the transgressor is restored to his former state 4. When the grace of the Canon is granted for time to come to any certaine person upon speciall occasion the cause being tried which grace they call dispensation which is for the most part done when the faculties of this kinde granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury upon whom this office doth lye by statute are confirmed with the great seale of England or when if he without just cause refuseth the Chancellour of England granteth them primarily according to the statute made thereanent If the Prince may abrogate the canons of the Church without consent of the church in vain were the Canons of the Church made Or that the Church may not abrogate any canon when they finde it proveth inconvenient is as great an inconvenience In vaine likewise are canons strengthened and guarded with censures and punishments and the black markes of infamie set upon heynous crimeswith the legall effects thereof if the Prince may abolish the crime as simoniacall paction or any the like
of guiltynes For it is a personall duety which the scripture requireth of the officebearers of the Church At the first Bishops were placed in little townes aswell as in great cities and were not so thin sowne as since that avarice and ambition have made them to dispise obscure places and to strive who should have the largest Diocies Nay even in England the Diocies of old were not so large as now The Bishoprick of York hath devoured many smaller bishopricks next adjacent as Camden reporteth in his Brittannia The Bishoprick of Lincolne hath likewise devovred many bishopricks which were in the time of the Saxons and howbeit it hath been greatly impaired yet there are 1247. parish churches in that Diocie at this day as is related by Camden These generalls being premitted I will be the briefer in the particulars Bishops considered simply as Bishops of which in England there are 24. whose estate is to be considered eitâ—er in the common-wealth or in the Church In the common-wealth in that they have the title of Lords in respect of their Baronie annexed to the Bishoprick 2. to have precedence before other Barons in the convention of thâ—ee thre Estates or in other meetings They tell us that Elias and Elizeus 1. King 18. 2. King 2 were called Lords and if the propheâ—s were of old so stiled why may not they also By this reason all prophets and pastors should be so honoured But the tuth is that the name of Lord was given by the wife to her husband Gen. 18. 12. and to any man of honest account howbeit to mean men as to Philip. Ioh. 12. 21. to Gardiners Ioh. 20. 15. and was more common among the orientalls then Sir is with us Elias and Elizeus were not Barons and for their Bâ—ronies stiled Lords aboue the common sort But that stile is with us attributed onely to Lords of dignitie to Noblemen and other officers of State As for Bishops you may see that they are so stiled in respect that they are Barons howbeit D. Downam doth aledge that they are so stiled in regard of their spirituall office and jurisdiction The first respect is forbidden Luk. 22. 25. as wee have sayd before The second respect is as unlawfull for there are no Lords in the Church but one Christ who is Lord and King Their ambitious and arrogant precedencie in taking place before great Barons is another part of their pompe Their statelinesse and pompe is set forth also in their glorious palaces sumptuous buildings Their chambers doe shine with guilt their walles are hanged with cloth of Auris their cupboards are laden with plate their tables and diets are furnished with multitude and diversitie of dishes their dayly dinners are feasts They have 30. 40. 60. or moe every one of them of men waiting on them some before some behind whereof three parts of them set a part the carying of a dish unto the table have no honest or profitable calling to accupie themselves in two houres in the day to the filling of the Church and common wealth also with all kinde of disorders as Mr. Cartwright an eyewitnesse doth testifie Many Churches lye desolate for want of sufficient provisioes whose impropriations are appropried to bishops to maintaine their pompe and statelines and bestowed upon keeping great horses caroches and trains of men I need not to insist in this poynt it is so sensible to any man who hath but common sence In the Church by reason of their calling or of their function In their externall calling to the Bishopricke some things respect the Prince some things respect other Bishops The Prince before election may 1. nominate 2. grant facultie to choose After the election finished 1. yeeldeth his Royall assent 2. directeth his mandate to the Arch-bishop to confirme him and other two to consecrate 3. exacteth the oath of homage from the new bishop 4. Restoreth to him the possessions of the Bishoprick Such things as respect other Bishops respect either the Archbishop or him and others the Archbishop as him who is to confirme the election Him and two others as who are to consecrate him according to the direction of the book of orders When the bishops Sea is destitute the Deane and Chapter make intimation to the King of their want of a Bishop and humble supplication for licence to choose another The King by letters patents under his great seale granteth them licence and with the letters patents sendeth a missive commending the person who is to be chosen some man who hath waited long on the Court and promised to some courtier an annuitie out of his Bishopricke during life or some other gift After this election which is made after the Papisticall manner by Deane and Chapter and a superficiall manner or pro forma as Sir Francis Bacon now Lord Chaunlour sayd the Deane and Chapter do intimate their feigned processe of election to the King againe praying the King to yeeld his Royall assent to the Lord elected The King directeth his letter patents for warant to the Archbishop or some other whom hee shall appoynt to confirme and consecrate my Lord elect The consecration being finished and the bishop having done homage and sworne fealtie the Kings writ is directed out of the Chancerie to the Escheator to restore to him the temporalities of the Bishopricke And the Bishop may procure another writ out of the Chauncerie directed to his tenants commanding them to take him for their Lord. This order of proceeding is thus described by the authour of the Assertion for true Church policie Here are many imaginarie formes and mockage rather then sound dealing The libertie of election of Pastors if Diocesan bishops were true Pastors is taken from the Church and the Church deluded with a May-game Now as for his consecration howbeit the Scripture doth not teach us two distinct forms of ordination one called consecration proper to a Lord Bishop the other by the generall name of ordination peculiar to a minister yet wee will let you see the Rites of their consecration how all are taken out of the Popes Pontificall as may be gathered by conferring the book of Orders with the said Pontificall A table is prepared for the Masse-book and the pontifical so is here a table furnished with the service book and the book of orders There two bishops are present to assist the Consecrator ordained to have on the Rochet if not the Roâ—cheâ— a surplâ—ce Here all the Bishops that be present at the consicration of Bishâ—ps should wearâ— coapes and surplices having pastorall staves in their hands They retaine the surplice seldome the coape but they never use their pastorall staves sayth the Author of the petition to the Queen And yet they have a staffe to beat out a painfull minister out of the Church if he take not on a surplice But in the abridgement of the ministers of Lincolne it is sayd that in the former edition of the book of ordination which
to every pastour neither Canon nor civill law should take from them In a part of the Diocie as Archpresbyters whom they call rurall Deanes and now they are imployed for the most part to convocate their Classis 2. to intimate to them something directed by missive from the ordinarie as occasion shall require 3. to Induct into benefices in place of the Archdeacon being busied in some remote part There were two sorts of Acchpresbyters of old The citie Archpresbyter who is now called the cathedrall or citie Deane the Countrie Archpresbyter who is called now the rurall Deane who was at the first institution moderator of the classis or countrey Presbyterie thereafter made a countrey Bishop or Chorepiscopus within his owne circuit as the citie Bishop was at the first but President or moderator of the Presbyterie of the citie and suburbs For we must not think that the country Bishop ruled alone without his classicall Presbyterie more then the citie Bishop did In processe of time the citie Bishop grew to this great statelynes which now we see and the oâ—â— Chorepiscopus decreased and was throwen dovvne by degrees till at last he is come to this poore estate of a rurall Deane He it not ranked in this hierarchie amongst the persons having iudicial administration but among those vvho haue none as ye see to intimate to the Priests with in his Deanrie what is the Bishops pleasure eyther severally or to convocate them togither to that effect or to put any person in possession sometime of his Benefice for the Archdeacon Every Diocie in England as vve heard before out of Mucket is divided in Archdeaconries moe or fevver according to their extent Achdeacour into Deanries The Deanries comprehend ten Parishes sometimes moe seldome fewer But cathedrall and collegiat churches are exemed out of the Archdeaconries and rurall Deanries Over these Deanries are set rurall Deanes quiâ—us praeficiuntur Decâ—nirurales antiquis Archipresbyter is non multum â—issimiles sayeth hee Then againe in every Diocie there are iurisdictions exempt eyther from the Archdeacon and subiect immediately to the Bishop or exempt from both or from the whole Province of the Arch-Bishop and subject immediatly to the King in respect of appellations They want no corrupt order of governement which they had in time of Poperie no not so much as their exemptions To returne then to the rurall Deanes These rurall Deanes upon the Bishops or his deputies warrant cited such within their Deanries as were to compeir before the Bishop or his deputie and this their citation under the seale of their office they were to certifie to the Bishop or his deputie But Lindwood sayth quod per eos potius quam per alios qui hibent sigilla authentica multae multae fiebant fraudes and that they colluded with the partie in sealing the certificates of their citations when as they had not made any due citation and therefore Iohn Peccham Archbishop made a constitution that every yeare they should svveare to give out no certificates without due citation They were sworne every yeare sayeth Lindwood quit quolibet anno mutantur Decani et fiunt noui They were to hold Chapiters in a sett course foure times in the yeare and at other times as often as occasion should require sayth D. Field out of Lindw But Lindwood writeth thus Et horum capituloruâ— quaedâ—m tenentur de tribus hebdomadis in tres quâ— dam semelin quarta anni haec dicuntur Capitulâ— principalia propter majorem confluenâ—iâ—m Cleri quia in his de negotijs arduioribus tracteri consuevit Some did meet every three weekes some every quarter of year Their Chapiters convening every three weeks were our presbyteries which doe meet in some place every weeke in other places in two or three weeks especially in winter These chapiters were called capitula ruralia countrey or rural Chapiters sayth Lindwood because they were assembled in the countrey towns In these Chapiters the Deans did publish the decrees of Provinciall and Episcopall Synods For the Bishop himselfe did not demit himselfe so farre as to be present and therfore sent one to make intimation or to the Deane to doe it Praesertim cum non deceat statum pontificalem in singulis capitulis hujusmodi interesse sayth Lindwood D. Field proveth that of old they had power to visit their circuit twice every yeare and to suspend laymen from the sacraments and clergie men from the execution of their offices This was a remainder of the old power of the Countrey Bishop Now his office is onely to intimate decrees of Synods or the Bishops will in any matter without any iurisdiction reserved either to him or to the ministers of the Deanrie assembled together in chapiter or as wee speake in scripture language presbyterie So that their Deanries are a footstep of that which have beene and a shadow of that whereof we had the substance This alteration of government among us will in the end turne to the same desolation There are some Deanes exempt which are subject immediatly to the Archbishop and these have Archiâ—â—aconall jurisdiction sayth Lindwood Wee have before made mention of some rurall Deanes exercising spirituall jurisdiction but that is not common next it is Episcopall for they doe it by themselves without the Chapiter Those which beside the common have no peculiar function are placed either in soâ—e cathedrall or collegiat Church or in a parish Church In some Cathedrall or Collegiar Church whereof they are members or no members Of those who are members the chiefe is the Deane then in some Churches of ancient foundation other dignities also as the Subdeane the Chauncellour the chiefe Chaunter the Thesaurer Lastly the Canons or Prebendaries of which in the Churches which are more ancient some are Residentiaries some not The greater Residentiaries administrate and governe in all things with the Deane in that Church and they have a seat in the Quire and the power of a voyce in the Chapiter Canons or Prebendaries noâ— Residentiaries have a seat in the Quire but not a voyce in the Chapiter Those who who are not members serve either to the administration of the publick Liturgie or Sacraments as the pettie Canons or Vicars chorall or by assisting those who do celebrate as the Pistler the Gospeller There are also others bearing office in cathedrall Churches but they are ranked among the lay sort by the composer of the tables such as are singing boyes vergerers Ballifs and others set down afterward The authour of the admonition to the parliament doth thus muster the Droanes of these Cathedrall Churches Wee should be too long to tell your Honours of the cathedrall Churches the dennes aforesayd of all loytering lubbers where Mr. Dean M. Vicedeane Mr. Canons or Prebendaries the greater Mâ—pettie Canons or Canons the lesser M. Chauncellour of the Church M. Treasurer otherwise called Iudas the Purse-hearer the chiefe châ—unter singing men special favourers of religion
to answer the Bishop what the office of a Deacon was may be one for example to let us see what manner of men may receive orders amonst them Have not the Bishops chosen sent and commended unto us saith the Authour of true and Christian Church-policie such as know not a Bee from a Battle-dore or the Lords prayer from the Articles of faith of which sort of Ministers the Parson of Haskam now living a Chaplaine in Winton Diocesse may be produced for a witnesse omni exceptione maior It is related there that this Parson at the instant request of a Knight was demanded by the Bishop which was the first petition of the Lords prayer after he had a pretie space pawsed and gased towards heaven at length made this answere I beleeve in God the Father Almightie c. This profound Clerk howbeit hee could not obtaine the institution at that time yet afterward sayth this Authour by corruption of the same Bishops Chancellour he was instituted in the same benefice and to this day possesseth it quietly though he can hardly read English to the understanding of his people I could informe him also of many other such Clerkes â—â—siant and beneficed in that Diocesse c. That which the Bishop could not doe at the first by reason of the Knights opposition he did afterward at his Chancellours desire Lest any man should thinke that there hath been but a few of these examples let us heare what Mr. Cartwright sayth I am well assured that all theâ— Ecclesiastical stories extant are not able to furnish 〈◊〉 of so many unworthy ministers chosen by al the churches throughout the world which have been since the Apostles times as have swarmed these few yeares out of the palaces as out of the Trojan horse of that small number of Bishops which are in England Of the other side if a man will cast his eyes to France both in persecution and peace and from thence looke into the Churches of some parts of Savoy and yet stretch them out further to some certaine common-wealths in Germanie and come home to our neighbours the Scots and compare generally the ministers chosen of the Churches with the most part of these which the Bishops make if he love not himself too much and be not a stubborne defender of that hee hath undertaken he shall be compelled to confesse as much difference betwixt the one and the other as between gold and copper or any other refuse mettall The people which are fed are to the people which are unfed with preaching like an handfull to an house-full or an inch to an ell sayth the author of the Assertion for true Ch. policie These are the fruits of the Patrones presentation and the Bishops sole election institution or collation The person duely chosen and lawfully ordained should have testimoniall under the hands of the Presâ—yterie and chiefe of the people to certifie that he is duely and lawfully chosen and ordained that is that he hath the just title to the temporalities and in place of the Archdeacon the kings officiaris appointed to that effect being certified by this testimonial may by another writ confirme and really induct into the possession of manse and glebe other possessions So the Archdeacons pretie signet should give place to the kings great seal sayth the authour of the Assertion For as the order doth stand there falleth out many contentions and suits in law sometime betweene the Patron and the Bishop sometime between two Clerkes presented by two Patrons sometime between the Clerke presented and the Bishop the Clerke calling the Bishop by a double quarrell before the Archbishop or the judges of the court of audience for not granting institution sometime between the Clerke instituted and the Archdeacon not executing the Bishops inductorie mandate because the Church is not vacant and betwixt him who pretendeth the title and the reall incumbent whereupon doe fall out many foule riots breaches of the kings peace and unlawfull assemblies upon entries and keeping of possessions What a great hinderance the patrones power to present is to the planting of churches with a learned and faithfull ministerie not onely the Church of God in former ages but also our owne since the reformation in a part can beare witnesse This is the difference betwixt us and them in this poynt that they defend this right of the Patrone which taketh away libertie of Election wee craved a reformation of it and were more carefull to try and sift the person presented yet this is the inconvenience that seldome it fell out that the worthiest were nominated where patrons had a right to present You see then what wayes a man commeth to the ministerie and a benefice First hee must receive orders and pay well for them For it can not be denied but the Bishops Secretarie Gentleman Vsher groome of his chamber Butler Pantler Porter and other the Bishops menials besides his own and his Registers fees and his Clerke for expedition doe usually all or most of them challenge and receive fees some more some lesse before the poore minister with his boxe of orders can be suffered to passe by the porters lodge When all this is done what crooked meanâ—s he must use before he come to the possession of a benefice ye have heard also and how the Congregation is all this time neglected This cannot be denyed that there is not any one man or woman amongst 40. in any one parish among 40. that can tell that ever he or she did see or heare of the Minister appointed and sent by the ordinarie to be Parson or Vicar of the Parish Church vacant before such time as he did heare or see the Parish Clearke to trudge with the Church-dore keyes to let in the Sâ—xtin to ring the bells for the said Parson or Vicars induction and reall possession The publicke furction of the minister is either in preaching or in the rest of his administration In Preaching either with licence granted him for that part after the Bishops approbation and that either to his own flock or without to Clergie or people or without licence â—bâ—eined to that effect as if being master of Arts or in any superiour degree he preach to his owne flocke without licence We see then that the giving of orders is not a giving of power to preach for then every one who receiveth orders may preach without any further licence as well as a Master of Arts who is nâ—w come from Cambridge from his Rhetoricks and Physicks This licence granted to some and not to all yea not to the most part declareth that they doe not esteeme preaching any essentiall part of the Priests function more then the Papists doe and the practise among the one and the other is just the same For none of their Priests do preach but such as are licentiate The author of the Petition to the Queene sayth Where the Bishops ordeine one minister that can teach
infection of the plague and indeed it renueth the memorie of the Leviticall priesthood which did with-draw himselfe from the people into the place called the holiest place where he talked with God and offered for the sinnes of the people The chauncel distinguished from the body of the Church is their holy place for the Priest and He hath a peculiar dore to this chancell through which none might passe but himselfe saith Borrow For the châ—piters and letanie there is commandement given that they should be read in the body of the Church saith M. Cartwright in his first Reply In his second Reply he saith I am assuredly perswaded that the tenth Church in England hath not all the service said in that place where the whole Church may heare it They will rather stick to the Iewish or popish rites and imitate Masse priests then edifie Gods people For mariage he commeth to the bodie of the Church for Baptisme to that part which is over against the Church-dore and so trudgeth from place to place The Letanie must not bee used but upon Sundaies Wednesdaies and Fridayes except the Ordinarie appoint other dayes the Minister propoundeth things to be prayed for or against the people performe the prayer saying with a lowd voyce Good Lord deliver us we beseech thee to heare us good Lord and this they often repeate And yet one suffrage is put out of the letany which was in it before to wit From the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome and all his detestable enormities good Lord deliver us They say certaine Psalmes and prayers over the corne and grasse and certaine gospels at crosse-waies saith Barrowe In the service booke the Curate is thus directed anent Homilies After the Creed if there be no Sermon shall follow one of the Homilies alreadie set forth or after to be set forth by common authoritie Who knoweth what is hereafter to be set forth The Survey of the booke of common prayer doth relate that many points of Poperie and Lutheranisme are broached in Court and citie pulpits and yet not called into question as be Doctrines tending to the Reformation of Popish ceremonies Iudg then what corrupt Homilies may be set forth And yet Ministers are urged to subscribe to the book of common prayer notwithstanding of the foresaid Rubrickes It is the office of a Pastor to preach and not to reade Homilies Hee ought to cut and divide the word aright and apply it to particular sores which cannot be done by homilies What was said against Apocripha bookes may be throwne against them The reading of homilies is a cushion for idle or blind Priests to rest upon What say you to the Vicar of W. who upon an holy day in stead of preaching the Word which he could not or reading of homilies which he would not to terrifie his Parishoners with the judgements of God and to move them to repentance solemnly read and published a counterfeit fable out of a little pamphlet intituled Strange newes out of Calabria pretended to be prognosticated by M. Iohn Doleta The parts of the Liturgie which concerne onely certaine persons are â—nens 1. Celebration of matrimonie In the first words uttered to the married persons by the Priest it is said that Matrmonie signifieth unto us the mysticall union which is between Christ and his Church Then againe in a Collect after the conjunction it is said O God which hast câ—nsecrated the state of matrmonie to such an excellent mysterie that in it is signified and represented the spirituall marriage and unitie betwixt Christ and his Church Is not this to apply these words Ephes. 5. 32. This is a great Mysterie to the conjunction of man and wife which the Apostle uttereth of Christ and his Church by which interpretation the papists have made mattimonie a Sacrament and the band betwixt the married persons inseparable and not to be dissolved but by death In the first part of their homilie of Swearing Baptisme and Matrimonie are called Sacraments The minister receiving the woman at her fathers or friends hands is to cause the man to take the woman by the right hand and give his troth to the woman Then are they to loose their hands againe and the woman taking the man by the right hand giveth her troth Then shall they againe loose their hands and the man shall give unto the woman a Ring laying the same upon the booke with the accustomed duty to the Priest Clerke And the Priest taking the ring shall deliver it unto the man to put it upon the 4 finger of the womans left hand And the man taught by the priest shall say with 〈…〉 thee wed with my bodie I thee worship 〈…〉 worldly goods I thee 〈…〉 name of the Father Son and H. ghost Then the man leaving the ring upon the fourth finger of the 〈◊〉 left hand the minister shall say set us pray O eternall God c. In the prayer the ring given and received is said to be a token and pledge of the vow and convenant made betwixt them Is there not heere an heap of toyes and yet never one wanteth a signification The ring must be put upon the fourth finger of the left hand because say they there is a nerve which runneth from that finger straight to the heart The ring must be layed on the service booke I know not to what end except it be to sanctifie it in stead of that blessing and sprinckling with holy water which the Popish Priest used as may be seene in the Romane Rituall Then againe what sense can be made of these words with my body I thee worship One of a thousand doth not understand them their Pâ—elats have not explaned them The words of the Apostle Peter 1. Epi. 3. 7. giving honor to the wife as to the weaker vessell doe signifie onely honest care and follicitude and to beare with her infirmities she being the weaker vessell For honor after the Hebrew phrase is largely taken To give honor as to the weaker vessell and to worship her with the body is farr different as the word worship foundeth in our Language The Apostle 1 Cor. 12. 23. saith And those members of the bodie which we thinke to be lesse honourable upon these we bestow more abundant honour that is with greater carefulness we cover then wee doe other members But we are not to worship the members which are lesse honourable The Priest is appointed to say to God in his prayer that the ring is a token pledg of covenant made betwixt them If the ring had beene used onely at the contract as a civill rite it might have been comported with but to bring it into the Church I meane to divine service is either to prophane the same with civill ceremonies or pollute it with Popish and superstitious rites rather as these are For they were counted in time of poperie holy and religious rites of a holy Sacrament The married persons must