say they be vitious they are but hay and stubble which nothing appertaine to the foundation of this euerlasting frame The Church may bee either more sound or more corrupt for them It cannot be more or lesse a Church The beauty or deformity of a Church may consist in them the strength the welfare of it doth not Surely whosoeuer willingly subscribes to the Word of God signed in the euerlasting monuments of Scripture to the ancient Creeds to the foure Generall Councells to the common consent of the Fathers for six hundred yeeres after Christ which we of the reformed Church religiously professe to doe if he may erre in small points yet he cannot be an Heretick Some particular Church may easily offend by imputing heresie to an vndeserued opinion whether perhaps true or lightly erroneous but neither soule nor Church can greatly erre while it treads in the steps of the most ancient and vniuersall Must hee therefore of necessity die a Romanist that would die a Catholick This is an idle fancy and worthy of no lesse than Bedlam Giue me leaue ye Reuerend Fathers The blessed Ghost of the most holy and latest Bishop of this See interrupts my speech and charges me not to suffer his ashes so shamefully to be wronged I can neither be silent for indignation nor speake for anger It was not onely rumor'd but bookes were cast abroad ouer the world concerning the reuolt of this worthy and excellent Prelate reporting that at his death hee reconciled himselfe to the Church of Rome and with many sighes renounced the Heresies of the Church of England and at last being absolued by a Popish Priest sweetly slept in the faith of the Church of Rome Neither did his departed soule want somewhere as is reported suffrages and oblations of Massmongers in this behalfe Oh immortall God! what blasphemy is here Can impudencie it selfe so cast off all shame as to raise so slanderous a lie thus boldly against the credit of so many witnesses against the solemne detestation of their owne Priest against the religious othes of his neerest friends and domestique seruants against the Sermon and publique writings of his Learned Sonne a sonne well worthy of such a Father Other lies haue some colour to plead for their credit This besides boldnesse hath none at all How many of vs sate by that faithfull Pastor of ours then breathing toward his last and receiued from his dying lips words of most constant piety And some of you reuerend Fathers deuoutly receiued with him that sacred Vinticum the last bread that euer hee tasted euen the bread of the Lord and were witnesses of the last motions of his soule then ready to depart and breathing toward his heauen Ours he liued Ours hee died and now as ours is crowned in heauen Goe on now yea mis-zealous spirits goe on to lie stoutly somewhat will alwaies stick fast to the accusers But in the meane time It cannot be truth that needs the props of lies Onely this by the way Let the boldest Sophister of the Romish Schoole come forth now and if hee can for shame let him vndertake to proue that those most noted additions of the Tridentine Faith which onely we reiect were receiued of all the Church in all Ages for necessary heads of Religion or let him confesse as he needs must that we haue still constantly persisted in the Communion of One Holy Catholick Church and faith Hee shall easily bewray his owne nouelty but neuer shall euince any Heresie of ours It is a golden saying of Cardinall Contarenus Harken I beseech you if any ingenuous spirit of you all be a friend to Rome Non opus est concilio non syllogismis ad sedandas hasce Lutheraâ—â—â—um turbas c. There needs no Councell saith he no Syllogismes to allay these broyles of the Lutherans but onely charity humility and a sincere minde that being void of all selfe-loue we may be perswaded to correct and reforme those things wherein we haue manifestly transgressed Thus he Thou art wise indeed O Contarenus would to God thy fellowes were so also But we forsooth are the disobedient and rebellious children of our mother the Church whose commands while wee disdaine to receiue and obey and reuerence her decrees we are enwrapped in a shamefull schisme and stricken with the curses of an angry Mother Surely this were an odious contumely But for vs wee haue not acknowledg'd her a Mother a Sister wee haue But grant wee were Sons yet wee are no slaues To forge a new faith and imperiously thrust it vpon her owne is not the part of an indulgent parent but of a Tyrant This lawlesse liberty we confesse we could neuer endure and therefore are wee openly thunder-stricken with more than one Anathema Neither haue they otherwise dealt with vs than that foolish fellow in Gerson who being very busie to driue away a fly from his neighbours forehead braind the man But lament ye with me my brethren the wofull case of that Church that hath learned to fit her faith to the Times and is more impatient of a remedy than of the disease Whilst they so eagerly persecute vs let vs heartily pitty them And let vs still wish to them that which they enuie and denie to vs Saluation Father forgiue them for they know not what they doe Our prayers our teares our admonitions must not bee wanting Returne to your selues now at last oh ye Christian soules Returne from whence you haue sensibly declined Recouer your first loue your first workes Suffer not your selues any longer to be mocked with the glorious title of a Church Frame your selues to that holy Vnity which hitherto you haue so stifly resisted which oh if once we might liue to see effected you should well finde as it runs in the law of the twelue Tables that the recouered should with vs haue the same priuileges with the healthfull Behold wee are ready as our gracious and peaceable King Iames piously vndertooke to meet you halfe way But if they shall still obstinately cast off all hope of Vnity and being set on fire with the hatred of peace shall goe on to delight themselues onely in the alarum of their sacred Trumpet as they call it why should not wee religiously and entirely keepe peace among our selues I speake to all the Sonnes of the purer Church wheresoeuer dispersed we professe this Church of ours by Gods grace reformed Reformed I say not new made as some emulous spirits spightfully slander vs. For me I am ready to forke to the very ground when I heare that hedge-row reproach Where was your Religion before Luther Where was your Church Heare oh ye ignorant Heare oh ye enuious Cauillers we desired the reformation of an old Religion not the formation of a new The Church accordingly was reform'd not new wrought It remaines therefore the same Church it was before but onely purged from some superfluous and pernitions additaments of error Is it a new face that was lately washed a new
also procured the Bishops to helpe forward the same cause of decayed Doctrine with their diligent preaching and teaching of the people Goe now and say that suddenly in one day by Queene Elizabeths Trumpet or by the sound of a Bell in the name of Antichrist all were called to the Church Goe say with your Patriarch that we erect Religions by Proclamations and Parliaments Vpon these premises I dare conclude and doubt not to maintaine against all Separatists in the World that England to goe no higher had in the dayes of King Henry the Eighth a true visible Church of God and so by consequent their succeeding seed was by true Baptisme iustly admitted into the bosome thereof and therefore that euen of them without any further profession Gods Church was truly constituted If you shall say that the following idolatry of some of them in Queene Maries daies excluded them Consider how hard it wil be to proue that Gods couenant with any people is presently disanulled by the sinnes of the most whether of ignorance or weaknesse and if they had herein renounced God yet that God also mutually renounced them To shut vp your Constitution then Master Smith against R. Clifton Principl and Infer pag. 11. There is no remedie Either you must goe forward to Anabaptisme or come backe to vs. All your Rabbines cannot answer that charge of your rebaptized brother If we be a true Church you must returne if wee be not as a false Church is no Church of God you must rebaptize If our Baptisme bee good then is our constitution good Thus your owne Principles teach The outward part of a true visible Church is a Vow Promise Oath or Couenant betwixt God and the Saints Now I aske Is this made by vs in Baptisme or no If it be then we haue by your confession for so much as is outwardly required a true visible Church so your separation is vniust If it be not then you must rebaptize for the first Baptisme is a nullitie and if ours be not you were neuer thereby as yet entred into any visible Church SEP To the title of a Ring-leader wherewith it pleaseth this Pistler to stile me I answer that if the thing I haue done bee good it is good and commendable to haue beene forward in it if it bee euill let it be reproued by the light of Gods Word and that God to whom I haue done that I haue done will I doubt not giue me both to see and to heale mine errour by speedie Repentance if I haue fled away on foot I shall returne on Horse-backe But as I durst neuer set foot into this way but vpon a most sound and vnresistable conuiction of Conscience by the Word of God as I was perswaded so must my retiring bee wrought by more solid reasons from the same word than are to be found in a thousand such prettie Pamphlets and formall flourishes as this is SECTION XII AS For the title of Ring-leader wherewith I stiled this Pamphleter The answerers title if I haue giuen him too much honor in his Sect I am sorry Perhaps I should haue put him pardon an homely but in this sense not vnusuall word in the taile of this Traine Perhaps I should haue endorsed my Letter to Master Smith and his shadow So I perceiue he was Whatsoeuer whether he leade or follow God meets with him If he leade Behold Ier. 13.32 I will come against them that prophesie false dreames saith the Lord and doe tell them and cense my people to erre by their lyes If he come hehinde Thou shalt not follow a multitude in euill saith God If either or both or neither If hee will goe alone Woe vnto the foolish Prophets saith the Lord which follow their owne Spirits Ezech. 13.2 and haue seene nothing Howsoeuer your euill shall be reproued by the light of Gods word Your coniunction I cannot promise your reproofe I dare If thereupon you finde grace to see and heale your errours we should with all brotherly humblenesse attend on foot vpon your returne on Horse-backe but if the sway of your mis-resolued conscience be headie and vnresistable and your retiring hopelesse these not solide reasons these prettie Pamphlets these formall flourishes shall one day be fearefull and material euidences against you before that awefull Iudge which hath alreadie said Pro. 19.21 That iudgements are prepared for the Scorners and stripes for the backe of Fooles SEP Your pittying of vs and sorrowing for vs especially for the wrong done by vs were in you commendable affections if by vs iustly occasioned but if your Church be deeply drencht in Apostasie and you cry Peace Peace when suddaine and certaine desolation is at hand it is you that doe wrong though you make the complaint and so being cruell towards your selues and your own whom you flatter you cannot be truly pittifull towards others whom you bewaile But I will not discourage you in this affection lest we finde few in the same fault the most in stead of pittie and compassion affording vs nothing but furie and indignation SECTION XIII I PROFESSED to bestow pittie and sorrow vpon you and your wrong The Apostasie of the Church of England You entertaine both harshly and with a churlish repulse What should a man doe with such dispositions Let him stroke them on the backe they snarle at him and shew their teeth Let him shew them a Cudgell they flie in his face You allow not our actions and returne our wrong Ours is both the iniurie and complaint How can this bee You are the Agents we sit still and suffer in this rent Yet since the cause makes the Schisme let vs inquire not whose the action is but whos 's the desert Our Church is deepe drencht in Apostasie and we cry Peace Peace No lesse than a whole Church at once and that not sprinkled or wetshod but drencht in apostasie What did wee fall off from you or you from vs Tell me were we euer the true Church of God and were we then yours We cannot fall vnlesse we once stood Was your Church before this Apostasie Shew vs your Ancestors in opinion Name me but one that euer taught as you doe and I vow to separate Was it not Then we fell not from you Euery Apostasie of the Church must needs be from the true Church A true Church and not yours And yet can there be but one true See now whether in branding vs with Apostasie you haue not proued yours to be no true Church Still I am ignorant A Treatise of the Ministery of England against M. H. pag. 125. Queene Maries dayes you say had a true Church which separated from Poperie chose them Ministers serued God holily from thence was our Apostasie But were not the same also for the most part Christians in King Edwards dayes Did they then in that confused allowance of the Gospell separate Or I pray you were Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper and the rest
onely by gesse hauing neuer so much as read ouer one Treatise published in our defence and yet sticke not to passe this your censorious dooâ—e both vpon vs and it I leaue it to the Reader to iudge whether you haue beene more lauish of your censure or credit Most vniust is the censure of a cause vnknowne though in it selfe neuer so blame-worthy which neuerthelesse may be praise-worthy for ought he knowes that censures it SECTION XLVII On what ground Separation or Ceremonies were obiected HEE that leaues the whole Church in a grosse and wilfull errour is an Heretike he that leaues a particular Church for appendances is a Schismaticke such are you both in the action and cause The act is yelded the cause hath beene in part scanned shall be more This I vainely pretended to be our consorting in Ceremonies with the Papists Behold here the ground of your lowd challenge of my ignorance Ignorance of your Iudgement and practice Here is my abuse of you of my Reader and how durst I Good words M. R. What I haue erred I will confesse I haue wronged you indeed but in my charitie I knew the cause of Brownisme but I knew not you For to say ingenuously I had heard and hoped that your cause had beene lesse desperate My intelligence was that in dislike of these Ceremonies obtruded and an hopelesnesse of future libertie you and your fellows had made a secession rather than a separation from our Church to a place where you might haue scope to professe and opportunitie to enioy your owne conceits whence it was that I termed you Ring-leaders of the late separation not followers of the first and made your plea against our Church imperfection not falshood I hoped you as not ours so not theirs not ours in place Inq. into M. White so not quite theirs in peeuish opinion I knew it to bee no new thing for men inclin ng to these fancies to beginne new Churches at Amsterdam seuerall from the rest witnesse the letters of some sometimes yours cited by your own Pastor I knew the former separation and hated it I hoped better of the later separation and pittied it My knowledge both of * * Which vpon the Loâ—ds Praye hath â—â—nfuted some 〈◊〉 of 〈…〉 M. Smith whom you followed and your selfe would not let me thinke of you as you deserued How durst I charge you with that which perhaps you might disauow It was my charity therefore that made my accusations easie it is your vncharitablenesse that accuses them of ignorance I knew why a Brownist is a true Schismaticke I knew not you were so true a Brownist But why then did I write Taking your separation at best I knew how iustly I might take occasion by it to disswade from separation to others good though not to yours Now I know you better or worse rather I thinke you heare more Forgiue mee my charity and make the worst of my ignorance I knew that this separation which now I know yours stands vpon foure grounds as some beasts vpon foure feet First God worshipped after a false manner Barr. and Grâ—en passim Penr Exam. Secondly Profane multitude receiued Thirdly Antichristian Ministery imposed Fourthly Subiection to Antichristian Gouernment The Ceremonies are but as some one paw in euery foot yet if we extend the word to the largest vse diuiding all Religion into Ceremony and Substance I may yet and doe auerre that your separation is meerely grounded vpon Ceremonies SEP And touching the ceremonies here spoken of howsoeuer we haue formerly refused them submitting as all others did and doe to the Prelates spirituall Iurisdiction herein through ignorance straining at Gnats and swallowing Camels yet are we verily perswaded of them and so were before we separated that they are but as leaues of that tree and as badges of that Man of sinne whereof the Pope is head and the Prelates shoulders And sowe for our parts see no reason why any of the Bishops sworne seruants as all the Ministers in the Church of England are Canonically should make nice to weare their Lords liueries Which Ceremonies notwithstanding we know well enough howsoeuer you for aduantage extenuate and debase them vnto vs to be aduanced and preferred in your Church before the preaching of the Gospell It is much that they being not so much as Reed nor any part of the building as you pretend should ouerturne the best builders amongst you as they doe The proportion betwixt Zoar and them holds well Zoar was a neighbour vnto Sodome both in place and sinne and obnoxious to the same destruction with it and it was Lots errour to desire to haue it spared Gen. 19.15 18 19 20. and so he neuer found rest nor peace in it but forsooke it for feare of the same iust iudgement which had ouertaken the rest of the Cities verse 30. The application of this to your Ceremonies I leaue to your selfe and them to that destruction to which they are deuoted by the Lord. SECTION XLVIII ANd touching Ceremonies you refused them formerly but not long Estimation of Ceremonies and subiection to the Prelates and when you did refuse them you knew not wherefore for immediately before your suspension you acknowledged them to be things indifferent and for matter of scandall by them you had not informed your selfe by your owne confession of a whole quarter of a yeere after Why refused you then but as the Poet made his playes to please the people or as Simon Magus was baptized for company But refusing them you submitted to the Prelates spirituall Iurisdiction there was your crime this was your Camell the other your Gnats Did euer any Prelate challenge spirituall rule ouer your conscience This they all appropriate to the great Bishop of our soules and if other grant them as your malice faineth what sinne is it to be the subiect of a Tyrant now vpon more grace refusing the Prelacy you haue branded the Ceremonies So you did before your separation Tell vs how long was it after your suspension and before your departure that you could haue beene content vpon condition to haue worne this linnen badge of your Man of sinne Was not this your resolution when you went from Norwich to Lincolneshire after your suspension Deny it not my witnesses are too strong But let vs take you as you are these Ceremonies though too vile for you yet are good enough for our Ministers of England As if you said Lord I thanke thee I am not as this Publican Why for our Ministers Because those are the Liueries and these the sworne seruants of the Antichristian Bishops 1 Cor. 4.1 Ier. in Psal 44. Heming Class 3. Potest Eccl. c. 10. Vt cuique suus clirus sua plebs in bis quae Domini sunt pie obsequerentur We haue indeed sworne obedience to our Ordinary in honest and lawfull Commandements but seruice to Christ But doth all obedience imply seruitude This obedience is as to spirituall
a a Ex Act. Concil Wint. sub Laâ—fr Martyrol Cant. Lanfranck held at Winchester which I wonder my Detector would ouer-see This neglect is not for nothing was it not decreed that the Canons should not haue Wiues but that the Priests which dwelt in Townes and Villages should not bee compelled to put away their Wiues though caution is put in for the future What doth this imply but that in those ancient Times the English Clergie were inoffensiuely maried To which adde that old Record from an ancient Martyrologue of the Church of Canterbury Lanfrancus Archiepiscopus reddidit Ecclesiae Sancti Andreae c. Lanfranck Archbishop hath restored to Saint Andrewes Church the Monasterie of Saint Mary with the Lands and Houses which Liuingus Priest and his Wife had in London c. And before him or Dunstan either in King Edmunds time b b Fox Act. Mon. Bishop Osulphus with Athelme and Vlrick Laicks thrusts out the Monks of Euesham and placed Canons maried Priests in their roome Lastly If he be the Sonne of a Bishop c. Iornalensis records it as King Ina's Law long before these times Si Episcopi filiolus sit sit dimidium hoc c. as supposing this no other then ordinary in those times Now let my Refuter comfort himselfe and his Catholikes with the weake defence of Heresie and the strong Bulwarkes of Romane Truth who in the meane time must be put in minde that he puts on me the burden which should lye vpon his own shoulders I haue produced Histories which affirme peremptorily that the English Clergy were neuer forbidden to marry vntill Anselmes time it is now his taske to disproue this assertion of theirs by equall authoritie to the contrarie which till hee haue done the day is ours SECT XVII Refut p. 347. HIs fourth Ponderation is the difficultie of this grant in King Edwards Parliament And is it possible the man should not see the greater difficultie that was found in the inforcement of this glorious Celibate How Alfere and the Nobles dispossessed the Monkes of Dunstan iustly restoring the maried Priests to their ancient right How Lanfranck durst not speake it out Anselme did but preuailed little Let c c Vid. supra Epist ad Ansel Neubr l. 3. c. 5. Girardus then Archbishop of York witnesse After whom Roger Archbishop of that See as Neubrigensis records thrust out d d Pope Paschalis writing to Anselme saith that there was at this time â—o great a number of Priests sons in England that the greater part of the Clergie consisted of them Anselmes Monkes and stood for the libertie of Mariage insomuch as in the succession of Times euen by Royall leaue also Mariage of spirituall persons yet continued Neither could Anselmes Successors Radulphus Gulielmus de Turbine and the rest notwithstanding all their Canons and practices preuaile against it How plaine is that of the e e Chron. Saxon. Anno 1129. Chron. Iornal Saxon Chronicle Thus did the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Bishops which were in England And yet all these Decrees and biddings stood not All held their Wiues by the Kings leaue euen as they did Insomuch at Archbishop William refer'd it to the King The King decreed that the Priests should continue with their Wiues still Neither were any thing more easie then to giue store of instances in this kinde What need I giue more then that of Galfride B. of Ely who was auouched before the Pope himselfe to haue maried a wife which f f Habet excusationem Euangelicam resp est ab Epis Arelat Alexandro Papae Euangelicall excuse vxorem duxit was made for his not appearing at Rome with the rest Of Richard Bishop of Chichester Robert Bishop of Lincolne maried men after these Decrees yea good Euidences of ancient Charts are ready in our hands to shew the vse and legall allowance of these Mariages for no lesse then two hundred yeares after As for those idle words which his sawcinesse throwes after our reuerend Martyr Archbishop Cranmer whom he falsly affirme to haue beene the first maried Archbishop of this Kingdome Anno 1250. when as Archbishop Boniface sate maryed in that See three hundred yeares before him and King Edwards Parliament wee answer them with silence and scorne Let leesers haue leaue to talke The approbation and better expedience of single life in capable subiects we do willingly subscribe vnto The lawfulnesse yea necessitie of Mariage where the gift of Continencie is denyed our Sauiour and his chosen vessell iustifie with vs. So as I still conclude He that made mariage saith it is honorable what care wee for the dishonour of those that corrupt it SECT XVIII HIs last ponderation is leaden indeed That from the bickerings of our English Clergy with their Dunstans it will not follow Refut p. 351. that Continencie was not ancient but was repiningly lately vniustly imposed By this reason C.E. writes in the Margine Master Hallâ— loose manner of disputing hee will proue there was neuer Thiefe nor Malefactor in our Countrie before the time of King Iames since all Iudges haue yeerely bickerings with such people Thus he But did euer such loose Besome sweepe the presse before Reader vouchsafe yet once more to cast thine eye vpon the close of my Epistle Doth my argument runne thus wildly as he makes it The English Clergie had bickerings with their Dunstans therefore continencie was repiningly and vniustly imposed Canst thou thinke I haue met with a sober Aduersarie My words are That our Histories teach vs how late how repiningly how vniustly our English Clergie stooped vnder this yoake And what can his sophistrie make of this Are ye not ashamed ye Superiors of Doway are ye not ashamed of such a Champion fitter for a troope of Pigmees to traile a reed in their bickerings with Cranes then to be committed with any reasonable or Scholler-like Antagonist In the bickerings with his Dunstans the Pâ—tâ—ents pleaded prescription as we haue shewed out of Malmesbury and taxed his Saints with noueltie In my bickerings with him I plead Antiquity Scripture Reason and taxe him most iustly with impudence and absurditie How well is that man that is matcht but with an honest Aduersarie The Conclusion Refut p. 353 c. THe Conclusion followes a fit couer for such a dish The Reader was not weary enough but he must be tyred out with a tedious recapitulation wherein my Refuter recollects all his dispersed folly that it may shew the fairer Telling his Protestant friend what I haue bragged vvhat I haue vndertaken what I haue not performed how I haue falsified how I haue mistaken what himselfe hath in all passages performed against me how he hath answered how he hath conquered The best is the Conclusion can shew no more then the Premises By them let me be iudged Those haue made good to my Reader that C. E. hath accused much and proued nothing vanted much and done nothing
deliuered But besides the common desire of many finding the translation attempted by diuers and performed by some in such a manner as did not altogether satisfie It pleased my Father herein to improue my leasure wherein howsoeuer I may haue somewhat failed of the first elegancy yet I haue not beene far short of the sense I haue presumed to dedicate the same to your Lordship in respect of your many fauours and my obligations for which besides this officious though vnequall requitall I shal still vow my prayers for your Lordship and remaine Your Lordships most humbly deuoted RO HALL TO THE MOST REVEREND FATHER IN GOD GEORGE LORD ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBVRY PRIMATE OF ALL ENGLAND AND METRAPOLITAN TO THE REVEREND LORDS THE BISHOPS AND TO THE WHOLE FLOVRISHING CLERGIE OF ENGLAND ESPECIALLY THAT OF THE PROVINCE OF CANTERBVRY GATHERED TOGETHER IN THE CONVOCATION AT LONDON BEFORE WHOM THIS MEANE SERMON WAS DELIVERED J. H. THE LEAST OF ALL THE SERVANTS OF THE CHVRCH HVMBLY DEDICATES THIS HIS POORE AND VNWORTHY LABOVR IN aede Pauli déque Pauli oraculis Pro concione praeuiâ Synodo Jacrae Varias ab vno Spiritu Domino Deo Distinctiones esse donorum probans Ostendis Halle quanta spiritalium Quà m multiformis dos tibi fluat affatim Charismatumque multiplex peculium Quae nempe tractas per tui specimen doces Theologe nate pulpitis calami potens Cui suauitatis conscius semper stylus Cui pectus almi condus est sacrarij Et lingua promus pectoris cujus latus Loquentis ambit auribus rapax cohors Humerisque densa non sat est semel tua Hausisse vocis impetu fugacia Ni perlegendo te recognosci sinas Auri inuidebit oculus Templo Schola Nosti Decane flexanime quà m terecens Jam tunc ab ipso ambone redeuntem manu Prensum rogator vellicaui feruidus Manare fineres haec in absentum sinus Reliquisque nostri fratribus Cleri dari Quid mirum vbi ipsi postmodùm cudi typis Prouinciales postulant Episcopi Audin ' Iosephe Nolo iam te nil peto Non est amicus quod roget Domini regunt Parere justum est parere te certum est age Quà m facilis isthic obstetricanti labor Post tam verenda iussa quid restat mihi Nisi vt adprecantis suppleam idiotae locúm Amen sacrato succinens Patrum choro Lambethae Febr. 21. 1623. sic approbauit Tho Goadus S.T.D. NOAH'S DOVE YEe are here met which I humbly wish may proue euery way prosperous and happie to the Church of God most Reuerend Father in God Reuerend Bishops venerable Deanes Archdeacons Brethren of the Clergy by the prouidence of our good God and the command of our gracious Soueraigne to hold an holy Conuocation this day Blessed Paul in whose name this ancient pile doth not a little pride it selfe salutes you by my vnworthy tongue and as if he were present addresses himselfe to you and exhorts you In his former Epistle to the Corinthians the 12 Chapter verse 4. There are diuersities of gifts but the same spirit there are diuersities of ministeries but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but the same God c. SEe I beseech you the meet correspondence of all things Yee are met in one and here is vnity Yee are many of you met from the vtmost parts of this large Prouince and here is manifold diuersity yee are met the floure of our English Clergie learned and exquisite Diuines and here are diuersities of gifts Ye are met the Lords and Commons of our sacred function and here are diuersities of ministeries Yee are met for the holy affaires of the Church and here are Operations Ye are met as I verily hope and wish in vnity of Spirit and here is one Spirit Ye are lastly met to consecrate your selues your gifts Ministeries Operations to the seruice of our Lord God and here is that Lord that God whom we professe to serue Now that same God that same Lord Iesus Christ that same holy Spirit be present with vs all this day and by his blessed influences guide and gouerne this sacred meeting and happily direct all our councels and endeuours to the glory of his owne great name the saluation of our soules and the assured edification of his Church through Iesus Christ See here then Honoured Prelates and beloued Brethren the loope or combination of both worlds Both the worlds of our Diuinity The greater world God the lesser world Man What is there that can so much concerne vs to know to behold Will ye looke vp to God He is one in essence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Three in person The Father Lord Spirit He is three in one and one in three The Father Lord Spirit one and the same God Will yee cast your eye to Man yee shall see him not single but branched into infinite diuersitie not bare and naked but furnished with gifts not superfluous but destin'd to due seruices not idle but busie in meet operations Neither are these operations seruices gifts all of one kinde but diuersly distinguished and varied And whence are these so manifold graces so diuers imployments but from one God the Father Lord Spirit And wherefore are all these but that these operations ministeries gifts proceeding from one God Lord Spirit may be directed to one and may end as they began in a perfect vnity O maruellous coniunction of diuine and humane things O vnutterable communion of heauen and earth Wherein is laid forth vnto vs the intire respects and vnion of God to himselfe by consubstantialitie of God to man by munificence of man to God by the bond of thankfulnesse of men to each other by the bond of charity of gifts to ministeries of ministeries to operations of all to all I shall not now need neither indeed would it befit mee in so awfull an assembly of Diuines to dwell vpon Catecheticall points concerning the mysterie of the sacred Trinitie Although this labour is well worthy of you elsewhere my brethren and such as if I may perswade you you shall carefully bestow at home This familiar kinde of teaching the word of the beginnings of Christ is growne out of fashion Like ambitious Orators wee ouerlooke this popular straine and are carried to an affectation of perfection Ye see how the Heron can soare high yet liues for the most part in the lowest vally builds in the tallest trees yet feeds in the humble marishes So doe yee my deare fellow-labourers not so much caring to shew your selues learned as to make your people so This by the way Such as God is such he expresses himselfe to vs and such as hee expresses himselfe to vs such hee formes vs to himselfe As the Sun looking vpon a cloud fitly disposed for that purpose imprints in that moist glasse a certaine bright image of himselfe so doth God to his Church From that Celestiall and diuine Trinity therefore is here apparently deduced another Trinity sublunary and humane
the nose with an hot paire of Tongs and made him rore out for mercy supposed that euery Clergy man had the same Irons in the fire and therefore blew Coales to that good King of the dislike of these Clericall mariages and with the same breath inkindled the zeale of Monkerie The Church wherein I am now interessed and wherein I doe by the prouidence of God and the bounty of my gracious Master succeed their Saint Oswalds Priors yeelds me sufficient records hereof which because they are both worthy of publike light and giue no smal light to the businesse in hand I haue thought good here to insert * * The names of the Founders of the Church of Woâ—cester In the time of King Ethelred was Worcester made an Episcopall See Rosel was the first Bishop The 17 was Saint Oswâ—ld in whose time King Edgar gaue c. And by the meditation of Saint Oswald was this Cathedrali Church translated from marâ—eâ— Clerkes vnto Monkes Nomina Fundatorum Ecclesia Wigorniensis Tempore Ethelredi Regis c. constituta est sedes Episcopalis Wigorn Bosel Episcopus primus Septimusdecimus Sanctus Oswaldus tempore cuius Edgarus Rex dedit Mediante verò Beato Oswaldo à Clericis in Monachos translata est sedes Pontificalis honoris Then followes the Charter of King Edgar founding the Monkes with this Title Carta Regis Eadgari de Oswaldeslaw ALtitonantis Dei largifluâ Clementiâ qui est Rex Regum Dominus Dominantium Ego Eadgarus Anglorum Basileus omnium Regum insularum Oceani quae Britanniam circumiacent cunctarumque Nationum quae infra cam includuntur Imperator Dominus gratias ago ipsi Deo Omnipotenti Regi meo qui meum ImperiuÌ„ sic amplificauit exaltauit super Regnum Patrum meorum Quapropter ego Christi gloriam laudem in regno meo exaltare eius seruitium amplificare deuotus disposui per meos fideles fautores Danstanum videlicet Archiepiscopum Athelwoldum ac Oswaldum Episcopos quos mihi Patres spirituales confiliarios elegi magna ex parte secundum quod disposui perfeci Et ipsis supradictis meis cooperatoribus strenuè annitentibus jam XL. VII Monasteria cum Monachis Sanctimonialibus constitui si Christus vitam mihi tam diu concesserit vsque an quinquagessimum remissionis numerum meae deuotae Deo munificentiae oblationem protendere decreui Vnde nunc in praesenti Monasterium quod praedictus reuerendus Episcopus Oswaldus in sede Episcopali Wereceastre in honorem Sanctae Dei genetricis Mariae amplificauit eliminatis Clericorum neniis spurcis lasciuiis religiosis Dei seruis Monachis meo consensu fauore suffultus locauit Ego ipsis Monasticae religionis viris Regali authoritate confirmo consilio astipulatione Principum Optimatum meorum corroboro consigno ita vt jam amplius non sit fas neque ius Clericis reclamandi quicquam inde quippe qui magis elegerunt cum sui ordinis periculo Ecclesiastici beneficii dispendi suis vxoribus adhaerere quà m Deo castè canonicè seruire Et ideo cuncta quae illi de Ecclesia possederant cum ipsa Ecclesiâ siue Ecclesiastica siue Secularia tam mobilia quam immobilia ipsis Dei seruis Monachis ab hac die perpetualiter Regiae munificentia iure deinceps possidenda trado consigno ita firmiter vt nulli Principum nec etiam vlli Episcopo succedenti fas sit aut licitum quicquam inde subtrahere aut peruadere aut ab eorum potestate surripere in Clericorum ius iterum traducere quamdiu fides Christiana in Anglia perdurauerit Sed dimidum Centuriatum c. In the end dated thus Facta sunt haec Anno Dominicae Natiuitatis D. CCCC.LXIIII Indictione VIII Regni Eadgari AngloruÌ„ Regis 6. in Regia vrbe quae ab incolis Glouceastre nominatur in Natale Domini In English thus BY the bountifull mercy of Almighty God which is King of Kings and Lord of Lords I Edgar King of England and of all the Kings of the Ilands of the Ocean lying about Brittaine and of all the Nations that are included within it Emperour and Lord doe giue thankes to Almighty God my King which hath inlarged my Empire and exalted it aboue the Kingdome of my Fathers Wherefore I also hauing deuoted my selfe to exalt the glory and praise of Christ in my Kingdome and to inlarge his seruice haue intended and by my faithfull Well-willers Dunstan Archbishop Athelwold and Oswald Bishops whom I haue chosen for my spirituall Fathers and Counsellors I haue for the greatest part already performed what I entended c. And by the diligent indeuours of my fore-said Helpers I haue now constituted and made seuen and forty Monasteries with Monkes and Nunnes and if Christ shall giue me to liue so long I haue decreed to draw forth the Oblation of this my deuout Munificence vnto God to the full number of fifty which is the number of my remission * * So as it appeares this number was set to King Edgar by Dunstan for his penance Wherevpon now for the present I doe by my Royall Authoritie confirme to persons of Monasticall Religion and by the consent and astipulation of my Princes and Peeres doe establish and consigne to them that Monasterie which the foresaid reuerend Bishop Oswald to the honour of the Blessed Mother of God hath amplified in the Episcopall See of Wereceastre and expelling the wanton and filthy lasciuiousnesse of Clerkes hath by my consent and fauour bestowed it vpon the religious seruants of God the Monkes so as from henceforth it shall not be lawfull for the said Clerkes to challenge any thing therein as those which haue rather chosen with the danger of their Order and the losse of their Ecclesiasticall * * That is their Prebend Benefice to sticke vnto their wiues then chastely and canonically to serue God And therefore all that euer they possessed of the said Church whether Ecclesiasticall or Secular moueable or vnmoueable together with the Church it selfe I doe from this day forward for euer giue and consigne to the said Monkes to bee possessed of them in the right of my Royall Munificence so firmely that it shall not be lawfull for any Prince or any Bishop succeeding to subtract ought from them or to withdraw any of the Premisses from their power and to deliuer it backe againe to the right and possession of Clerkes so long as the Christian Faith shall remaine in England c. Facta sunt haec c. These things were done in the yeare of Christs Natiuitie D. CCCC.LXIIII Indiction VIII In the sixt yeare of the Raigne of Edgar King of England in the Royall Citie which by the Inhabitants is named Glouceastre in the Feast of the Natiuitie of our Lord c. That Dunstan did this none euer doubted but withall it is considerable who himselfe
affirmes Anselme to be the first that forbade mariage to the Clergy Reader in stead of all other ponderations weigh the words u u Henr. Huntinâ—d edit Sauil. p. 378. Eodem anno ad festum S. Michaelis tenuit Anselmus Archiepiscopus Concilium apud Londoniam in quo prohibuit vxores sacerdotibus Anglorum antea non prohibitas i. The same yeare on the Feast of S. Michael Archbishop Anselme held a Synode at London wherein hee forbade wiues to the Priests of England before not forbidden and tell mee vvhether my Detector be true The vvords are too plaine hee will wrangle yet with the sense and tels vs that the word Before may signifie perhaps Immediately before in the raigne of the Williams and not all succession of times It were well if he could escape so But this starting hole will not hide him For not to send him to Schoole to learne the difference betwixt Antea and Dudum or Pridem The same Author in the following words shewes vs the censures and conceits that passed vpon this Act as an absolute and vnheard-off noueltie like as in Germany the Historians brand this same act in Hildebrand with a nouo exemplo and inconsiderato praeiudicio And for the times preceding Polydore Virgil giues the very same witnesse Neither let him fly for succour to his Dunstan who neuer can be proued to haue prohibited the mariage of Priests though he disliked that Monasteries and Cathedrall Churches should be possessed by maried Clerkes Lastly â—here the testimonie is displeasing Refut p. 343. the vvitnesse himselfe must bee disgraced Curiositie led my Detector to search who this H. Huntingdon might be with one inquiry he might find him to be a Canon Regular of Austins Order and for dignity an Archdeacon a person past exception But for his parentage hee went no further then to the next Leafe to finde that he was the sonne of a noted and in those dayes eminent Clergy man Vid. supra His Epitaph at Lincolne shewes him to haue been the starre of the Clergie no whit dimmed in his acknowledged light or hindred in his influence by his coniunction in lawfull wedlocke What better instance could my Refuter haue giuen against himselfe If he thinke to insinuate that his birth made him partiall The Reader will easily consider that if such Parentage had been then accounted shamefull the Historian would haue had the wit to haue suppressed it And withall that hee durst not writing in the times when this thing was so familiarly and vniuersally knowne haue offered such a Proposition to the light out of a vaine partialitie to incurre the controlment of all eyes SECT XV. AS for our Fabian if C.E. finde him a Merchant Refut p. 333. I finde him to haue been Sheriffe of the Honorable Citie of London A man whose credit would scorne to be poised with an hundred namelesse Fugitiues parasiticall petty-chapmen of the late small-wares of Rome Neither can the name of a Citizen disparage him to any wise iudge How many haue our times yeelded of that ranke whom both Academicall education and experience and trauell and study haue wrought to an eminent perfection in all Arts especially in Mathematicks and History Such was Fabian whose fidelitie besides his other worths was neuer that I find taxed but by this insolent Pen that hath learned to forbeare no man He was too old for vs to bribe and too credible for C.E. to disgrace If hee would haue lent Rome but this one lye no man had beene more authenticall now his truth makes him fabulous Fabian That one fault hath marred our Archdeacon of Huntingdon also The Story which hee tels of the Cardinall of Crema the Popes Legate taken in bed after his busie indeuours against the maried Clergie the same day with an Harlot Refut p. 348. hath vndone his reputation Why will C. E. stirre this sinke No man prouoked him If hee did not long to blazon the shame of his friends hee had rather smothered this foule occurrence but since he will be medling Res apertissima negari non potuit celari non debuit saith Huntingdon The thing was most openly knowne it could not be denyed it might not be concealed Yet now comes an Vpstart-Nouice and dares tell vs from Baronius that this was a meere Fable how publike and notorious soeuer Huntingdon makes it with these men this rule is vniuersall whatsoeuer may tend to the dishonour of the Church of Rome is false and fabulous Indeed I remember what their Glosse said of old x x Dist 96. In script Clericus amplectens mulierem praesumitur bene agere si ergo Clericus amplectitur mulierem interpraetabuitur quòd causa benedicendi eam hoc faciat That is A Clergie man imbracing a woman must bee presumed to doe well if therefore a Clerke take a woman by the middle it must bee interpreted that he doth it to giue her his blessing * * So the Chronicle tels vs of Adelme Abbot of Malmesbury who when he was stirred to the vice of the flesh had wont to despite the Deuill and torment himselfe with holding a faire yong Virgin in his bed so long as he might say ouer the whole Pâ—alter Vid. Paâ—k Def. Polyd suppressing the name telleth the History Perhaps the good Legate was but bestowing his ghostly blessing on so needfull a subiect but that he was found in bed with her if C. E. were not as shamelesse as that Cardinal or his bed-fellow he durst not deny For what impudency is this to cast this relation only vpon H. Huntingdon when so many vncontrolable Pens haue recorded it to the world Men of their own stampe for Religion for Deuotion Matthew Paris Ranulfus Cestrensis Roger Houeden Polydore Virgil Fabian Matthaeus Westmonasteriensis otherwise called Florilegus Dictus Ioannes qui in Concilio c. saith he The said Iohn which in the open Councell had grieuously condemned all the y y Viz the maried so did the enemies of Mariage disgracefully terme the maried Clergie and so are the words of the Legate to bee vnderstood de latere meretricis be then railing against Mariage not whoredome property was deprehended in whoredome Concubinary Priests was taken himselfe in the same crime Now let my Reader iudge whether this Priests Truth or that Cardinals honesty were greater SECT XVI HIs third Ponderation is the same with the first Euery thing eekes His S. Dunstan and Anselme Gregory and Beda are againe laid in our dish we cannot feed on these ouer-oft-sod Coleworts I am challenged here to produce any Priest or Deacon that liued in Wedlocke before the times of Dunstan The man presumes vpon the suppression of Records For one I name him hundreds Who were they that Dunstan and his fellow Saints found seated in the Cathedrall Churches of this Land vvhom did they eiect Were they not maried Priests What did the eâ—ected Clergy plead but ancient possession After that in the Synod which Archbishop