iurisdiction power is united and anexed to the crown from whence it is derived as from a source unto them and by law they are bound to make their proces and writings in the kings name and not in their own names and that their seals should be graved with the Kings armes as I have already declared in the first chapter It is true that they make processes in their owne name and use their own seals but herein they transgresse the formes prescribed by lawTheir manner of holding in Capite in chiefe of the king their Episcopall power and jurisdiction is not changed for all that want of formalitie as before I have cleared out of Bishop Farrars answer Sir Edward Cooke in the 5. booke of his Reports doth prove That the Function and Iurisdiction of Bishops and Archbishops in England is by and from the Kings of England and concludeth that though the proceedings and progresse of the Ecclesiasticall Courts run in the Bishops name yet both their courts and lawes whereby they proceed are the Kings as M. Sheerwood in his Reply to Downam doth report So then all the acts of their Episcopall jurisdiction are performed by authoritie derived from the King If ye will call that authoritie civill then actions of a spirituall nature are performed by a civill authoritie which is absurd But seeing this is impossible that civill authoritie can be elevated to so high a nature it must follow that it is truely spirituall power which is united to and derived from the possessor of the Crown I meane in the estimation of men and judgement of the Law howbeit in it selfe and by Gods Law it cannot be done It followeth therefore that all the Iurisdiction properly spirituall which the English Prelates doe exercise as Prelates is unlawfull how soever they have the warrant of mens Lawes It is but onely to save their own credite that they have set Downam Bilson and other their friends on worke to plead that Bishops are above Pastors jure divino by divine Institution which they are not able to prove Next is to be considered their sole authoritie which is censured by Sir Francis Bacon now Chancellour of England after this manner There be two circumstances in the administration of Bishops wherein I confesse I could never be satisfied The one the sole exercise of their authoritie The other the deputation of their authoritie For the first the Bishop giveth orders alone excommunicateth alone judgeth alone This seemeth to bee a thing almost without exemple in government and therefore not unlikely to have crept in in the degenerate and corrupt times We see that the greatest Kings and Monarches have their councell There is no temporal Court in any land of the higher sort where the authoritie doth rest in one person The Kings bench common pleas and the Exchequer are benches of a certain number of judges The Chauncellour of England â—ath the assistance of 12 masters of the Chauncerie The master of the Words hath 4 Councell of the court so hath the Chauncellour of the Dutchy In the Exchequer chamber the Lord Treasurer is ioyned with the Chauncellour and the Barons The Masters of Requests are ever more then one The justices of Assize are two The Lord President in the Marches and in the North have Councell of divers The Starre Chamber is an Assembly of the Kings privie Councell aspersed with Lords spirituall and temporall So as in all the Courts the principal person hath ever either colleagues or assessours The like is to be found in other well governed kingdomes abroad where the jurisdiction is yet more distributed as in the Courts of Parliament of France and in other places No man will deny but the acts that passe by the Bishops iurisdiction are of as great importance as those that posse by the civill Courts For mens soules are more pretious then their bodies and so are their good names Bishope have their infirmities and have no exception from that generall malediction against all men living Vae soli nam si ceciderit c. Nay we see that the first warrant in spirituall causes is directed to a number Dic Ecclesiae which is not so in temporall matters And wee see that in generall causes of Church government there are as well assemblies of all the Clergie in councels as of the Estates in Parliament whence theâ— should this sole exercise of jurisdiction come Surely I doe suppose and I doe thinke upon good ground that ab initio non fuit ita and that the Deanes and Chapters were councells about the Seas and Chaires of Bishops at the first and were unto them a Presbyterie or Consistorie and medled not onely with the disposing of their revenues and endowments but much more in jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall But that is probable that the Dean and Chapter stucke close to the Bishop in matters of profit and the worlds and would not loose their hold But in matters of jurisdiction which they accounted but trouble and attendance they suffred the Bishops to encroch and usurpe and so the one continueth and the other is lost And we see that the Bishop of Rome fas est ab hoste doceri and no question in that Church the first institutions were excellent performeth all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction as in Consistorie And whereof consisteth this his Consistorie but of the parish priests of Rome which terme themselves Cardinals a Cardinibus mundi because the Bishop pretendeth to bee universall over the whole world And hereof againe we see divers shadowes yet remain in as much as the Deane and Chapter pro forma chooseth the Bishop which is the highest poynt of iurisâ—iction And that the Bishop when hee giveth orders if there be any ministers casually present calleth them to ioyne with him in imposition of hands and some other particulars And therefore that seemeth to me a thing reasonable and religious and according to the first institution that Bishops in the greatest causes and those which require a spirituall discerning namely the ordaining suspending or depriving Ministers in excommunication being restored to the true and proper use as shall be afterward touched in sentencing the validitie of marriage and legitimations in judging causes criminous as Simonie incest blasphemie and the like should not proceed sole and unassisted which point as I understand is a reformation that may be planted sine strepitu without any perturbation at all and that is a mater which will give strength to the Bishops countenance to the inferiour degrees of Prelates or Ministers and the better issue or proceeding in those causes that shall passe And as I wish thiâ— strength given to your Bishops in Councell so that is not unworthy your Majestiesâ— royall consideration whether you shall not thinke fit to give strength to the generall councell of your Clergie the convocation house which was then restreyned when the state of the Clergie was thought a suspected part of thâ— Kingdome in regard of their late homage to the Bishop of Rome
THE Altar of Damascus OR THE PATERN OF THE ENGLISH HIERARCHIE AND CHVRCH-Policie obtruded upon the Church of SCOTLAND 2. KING 16. 10. 11. And King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser King of Assyria and saw an Altar that was at Damascus and King Ahaz sent to Vrijah the Priest the fashion of the altar and the patern of it according to all the workmanship thereof And Vrijah the Priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus so Vrijah the Priest made it against King Ahaz came from Damascus Anno 1621. TO THE READER I Have drawen this paterne of the English Altar obtruded upon us out of their owne Tables of the Hierarchy and Church policie Muckets book their Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall the statutes of the Realme the admonitions petitions assertions treatises answers and replies of those who sue for reformation the confessions of their opposites in their own defences I have followed the order of the Tables translated out of Latine and printed with a letter different from the rest I intended not a full refutation for I thought to discover it onely was to refute it sufficiently to any man of sound judgement saving that sometime there iâ— a light touch or poynting at any corruption where I suspected the simpler sort mighâ— be miscaried CHAP. 1. Of the Kings Supremacie IN the Ecclesiasticall policie of England generally are to be coÌ„sidered 1 Persons 2 possessions 3 constitutions concerning both Persons to bee considered are either such as haue some kinde of administration or such as have none at all The persoÌ„s that have some kind of administratioÌ„ have it either as supreme or not so ample The supreme or more absolute administration which is called the Kings supremacie is to be considered 1 generally 2 particularly Generally by which authority the Prince as supreme governor under God can set down in all Ecclesiasticall causes within his dominions whatsoever is not repugnant to the word of God By causes Ecclesiastical are meant not onely matrimoniall and testamentary causes and others abusively called Ecclesiasticall but also these which are in a proper sence Ecclesiastical subject to Ecclesiastical cognition and jurisdiction By the title of Supreme Governour is understood the same power which before was expressed by the title of Head of tâ—e Church of England in the dayes of K. Henrie the 8. and Edward the 6. For howsoever for removing of offence taken at the metaphorical title of Head it was changed in more proper termes of supreme governour under the reigne of Queene Elizabeth yet the sense remaineth still In the first yeare of her reigne it was enacted and ordained That such jurisdictions privileges superiorities and preeminences spirituall or Ecclesiasticall as by any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power or authority hath heretofore been or may lawfully be exercised or used for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state and persons and for reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities shall for ever be united and annexed to the Imperiall crowne of this Realme And that the Queens highnes her heirs and successors shall have full power authority by vertue of this act by letters patents under the great seale of England to assigne name and authorize when and as often as her highnes her heirs and successors shall think meet and conveâ—ient and for such and so long time as shall please her highnesse her heirs and successors such persons being naturall born subjects as her Majestie her heirs and successors shall think meet to exercise use occupie and execute under her highnes her heirs and sâ—ccessors all manner of Iurisdictions priviledges and preeminances in any wise touching or concerning any spirituall or Ecclesiacticall iurisdiction within the Reaâ—â—es of England or Ireland or any other her highnes â—â—minions or countries and to visit reforme redresse order correct and amend all such errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner of spirituall or Ecclesiastical power authority or jurisdiction can or may lawfully be reformed ordered corrected restrained or amended And for the better observation of this act it was further enacted that every Ecclesiasticall person officer and minister all and every temporall judge Iustice Maior and other lay or temporal officer and minister and every other person having her highnes fee or wages within the Realm of England or any of her highnes dominions shall make take receive a corporall oath upon the Evangelist before such person or persons as shall please her highnes her heirs or successors under the great seale of England to assigne and name to accept and take the same according to the renor and effect hereafter following I A. B. doe utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Queens highnes is the onely supreme governour of this Realme and of all other her highnes dominions and countries as well in all spirituall or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporall and that no forreigne Prince person prelate state or Potentate hath or ought to have any iurisdiction power superiority preeminence or authoritie Ecclesiasticall or spirituall within this Realme and therefore I doe utterly renounce forsake all forraigne iurisdictions powers superiorities and authorities and doe promise that from henceforth I shall beare faith and true allegeance to the Queenes highnes her heirs and lawfull successors and to my power shall assist and defend all iurisdictions privileges preeminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Queenes highnes her heirs and successors or united and annexed to the Imperiall crown of the Realme So helpe me God and by the contents of this book The title then of Supreme Governour in the oath is explained by the preceeding words of the statute to which and for observation of the which the oath is subjoyned viz. that the Prince hath all manner of spirituall or Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and all manner of privileges and preeminences any way touching or belonging to the same which was before or may be lawfully exercised for visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities and that he may commit the exercise of the same to any of his naturall born subjects whom it shall please his highness to constitute commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical to judge discern and correct in matters of Idolatry simonie errour and heresie and all other causes Ecclesiasticall whatsoever This oath of supremacie is different from the oath of fidelity or allegeance devised of late That requireth no further theÌ„ to acknowledge the king to be lawful righteous king and to sweare obedience and fidelitie to him notwithstanding he be excommunicated by the Pope to acknowledge that the Pope notwithstanding of his excommunications cannot depose kings and dispose of kingdomes at his pleasure The Papist is straitned with this oath of
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
de accusat c. 1. in glossa and is ordained to this speciall end that hee suplieth the Bishops jurisdiction and office in the out places of the Diocie or else in such parishes as be peculiars to the Bishop and exempted from the iurisdiction of the Archdeacon For where either by prescription or composition there bee Archdeacons that have iurisdiction within their Archdeaconries as in most places they have there this commissarie is but superfluous and most commonly doth rather vexe and disturbe the countrey for his lucre then of conscience seeke to redresse the lives of offenders And therefore the Bishop taking praestation money of his Archdeacons yearly pro exteriori jurisdictione as it is ordinarily called doth by superonerating their circuit with a Commissarie not onely wrong the Archdeacon but the poorer sort of subiects much more as common practise daily teacheth to their great woe The Bishops Chauncellour and Commissarie and the Archdeacons official are all three termed officialls in the canon law the Chauncellour the principall officiall the Commissarie Officialis foraneus the third the Archdeacons officiall or by the generall name of officiall In the lawes and statutes of England the first is called Chancellour the second Commissarie the third by the generall name of Officiall The name of Chauncellour in this sense is not so ancient as that of Officiall sayth D. Field and that in a generall signification it is used for any one that is employed for the giving of answer to sutors for keeping of records and notes of remembrance and generally for the performance of some principall duties pertaining to him whose Chauncellour he is sayd to be The principall officiall that is the Chauncellour howbeit he be but onely a Deputie yet by fiction of the law when hee cognosceth any cause hee is interpreted to bee but one person with the Bishop and to make but one consistorie with him So that howbeit the Bishop be not present there yet it is his consistorie Such fictions of law have been made by cosening and deceitfull Prelates to deceive the world And therefore say the Canonists there lieth no appellation from the principall Officiall to the Bishop but to the Archbishop yet from the Commissarie who is Officialis foraneus there lieth appellation Regularly appellation also may be made from the Archdeacon and other inferiour Prelates to the Bishop sayth Canisius unlesse the custome of the countrey hath brought in another order The Archdeacon hath a certaine circuit of the Diocie wherein he exerciseth his office and iurisdiction For everie Diocie is divided into certain Archdeaconries comprehending about the fourth part of the Diocies if they be great Diocies But if they be lesser Diocies they haue but one Archdeacon as Canterburie Rochester Glocester Bristow Worcester c. The Archdeacon by vertue of his degree and order hath no jurisdiction but onely by prescription of time that is a papall custome which is yet retained in the English Church In Hieroms time at Rome the Deacons began to exalt themselves above Ministers against which usurpation evil custome of the Church of Rome he inveigheth with great vehemencie as a thing unsufferable that the ministers of tables and to widowes should be lifted up with pride aboue the minister of the word and sacraments and opponeth to the custome of the church of Rome the custome of all the churches in the world And yet the old corruption of that one church wherin ther institutions ye see if they were excellent hath spread over the whole church and grown to a great height So that the Archdeacons will not sayth Mr. Cartwright take the best Ministers of the church as their equalls They are called Archdeacons not of one particular Church but of a whole shire whereas Deacons were appoynted in several churches It is true that many of their Archdeacons are also ministers but yet they exercise their iurisdiction over a whole shire ministers and others within the bounds of their Archdeaconrie not as Ministers but as Archdeacons When the Bishop should have visited his Diocie and inquired into needfull reparations of the church and what other things were out of order hee sent his chiefe Deacons to visit for him At the first they were sent onely to visit and make report but not to sententiate in any mans cause sayth D. Field or to meddle with the correcting and reforming of any thing but afterwards in processe of time they were authorized to heare and determine the smaller matters and to reforme the lighter and lesser offences Hence in time it câ—me that Archdeacons much used by Bishops as most attendant on them in the visitation of their churches and reforming small disorders at length by prescription claimed the correction of greater things at having of long time put themselves into the exercise of such authoritie So the Archdeacons in the end became greater then the Deanes let bee common Ministers The lazie Bishop sent his Deacon to enquire into the life and conversation of the Clergie and Ministers which was not his office yet ye see from what a small beginning he is risen to so great a height It is dangerous to depart from the right paterne shewed upon the mount Againe to make a Preacher of the word a Deacon is to conioyne these two offices which the Apostles did separate Archdeacons then almost through all England by papall prescription have jurisdiction within their bounds and power to visite to inquire into offences to receive presentments to punish with ecclesiasticall censures to substitute officialls to supply their roomes in their Consistories whereby it hath happened that the subjects haue been molested for one and the selfe same fault by the Bishops Chauncelours and the Archdeacon or his officiall In a Canon lately made anno 1603 they haue transacted the matter so that they shall not medle with the presentments received at others visitations how the transaction is kept I cannot tell It is to be observed that Chauncelours and officials are Civilians Ministers doe sometime also beare these offices but utterly ignorant in these faculties For these Courts being confused Courts wherin matrimoniall testamentarie and other causes of temporal matters are handled not belonging to ecclesiasticall cognisance no wonder the Minister be ignorant in them But on the other part it were a shame if a Civilian should know better how to deale with an offender and to bring him to repentance Againe what a grosse absurditie and intolerable abuse is it in the Church of God that Chauncelours Commissaries officialls being Civilians should meddle with the censures of the Church The Bishop hath vendicate to himself the whole power of excommunication and then he transferreth this his power by a generall commission to another which he may not lawfully doe no not to a minister far lesse to a Doctor of the Civill lawe whom he appointeth to be his Chauncelour or the Archdeacon to him whom hee appoynteth to bee his Officiall They