assembly of the Tigurines at Zurick affirmed to the Synod of Lucerna that what now doth maintain the Monasteries and houses of Canons was first given to the poor and needy whereas now one hath so much as might serve a great many wherefore it seemed to them not inconvenient that those goods should again be converted to the use of the poor for it is well agreeing to the will and service of God said they that the poor should be succoured but this cannot be expected from any Synod nor Council who possess these goods it must either be done by the King Lords or Commons or it will never be done while the Prelates may be Judges in their own cause In the Council of Basil there was one at the choosing of a new Pope which seems to be Eneas Silvius or Cardinal Aralatensis who said he had often in his judgement consented to their opinion which said it was evident that the temporal Dominion should be divided from the Clergie or Ecclesiastical state for I do think said he that the Priests thereby would be made more apt to the Divine Ministry Cornelius Bish of Rome About the year 255. Cornelius Bishop of Rome and Martyr under the Tyranny of Dicius the Emperour this Cornelius in his Epistle to Fabius alleadged also in Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 43. Cornelius speaking of his Church of Rome how that there ought to be but one Bishop in the same he maketh mention of 46. Priests seven Deacons and seven Sub-deacons and 42. Acoluthes and of Widdows and other poor afflicted persons to the number of fifteen hundred and above found and nourished in the same Church by the merciful providence of God out of the Church goods and almes given to that purpose and yet all that time the Church was not endowed with Temporalities nor Tythes and yet the Bishop being a faithful Steward of such almes and oblations as was offered there was 102. Church Officers and above 15 hundred poor relieved out of the Church goods This is a president sufficient to shew how Church goods was bestowed in the Primitive Church and this plainly proves all Prelates in this later age to be Sacrilegious persons by robbing the poor of their right and converting it to their own use S. Laurence In the eighth persecution of the Primitive church under the Emperour Valerianus when the Tyrant demanded of St. Laurence the Treasure of the Church Laurence stretching out his armes over the poor said these are the pretious treasure of the Church these are the treasure indeed in whom the faith of Christ reigneth in whom Jesus Christ hath his Mansion places and what ye do to the least of these ye do to me said Christ William Thorpe William Thorpe in the reign of Hen. 4. maintained before the Bishop of Canterbury that Cisteriensis saith that Gregory the tenth a thousand years after Christ was the first under the Gospel that ordained and commanded by a Law that Tythes should be given to the Priests but Paul exhorteth all men to follow him as he followed Christ and that was in patience and poverty to preach the Gospel and to labour with his own hands that he might not be chargeable to others and though Christ hath ordeyned that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel but we saith Paul that covet to be faithful followers of Christ use not that power he would not make the word of God chargeable and though Tythes were given to the Levites during the Levitical Priesthood yet under the Gospel neither Christ nor his Apostles took Tythes nor commanded the people to pay Tythes but to give almes and other good works of mercy for Christ being come he changed the Priesthood from the tribe of Levi to the Tribe of Judah to which Tribe never Tythes was paid for as there was a change of the Priesthood so there was a change of the Laws and the Law of paying tythes ceased when the Ceremonial service of the Tabernacle and Temple ceased for which service tythes were given so that tythes are not now to be given by any right of the Levitical and there is no new gospel law for paying of Tythes And Sir saith he ye wot well that Priests and Levites who received tythes were not so perfect as Christ and his Apostles who received no tythes but preached the Gospel and lived by pure almes of the people and the Disciple is not above his Lord it is sufficient that the Disciple be as his Lord. To which the Arch-Bishop was not able to answer but broke out into cursing and bid Gods curse and his fall on him for his so teaching And Sir saith he there is a Doctor I think it is St. Hierom that saith St. Hierome those Priests that challenge tythes now under the new law of the Gospel they say in effect that Christ is not become man nor that he hath yet suffered death for mans love he means for love to man nor abolished the Levitical law wherefore this Doctor saith seeing tythes was the hire of the Levites in the old law for bearing about the Tabernacle slaying fleying of Beasts c. for keeping of the Temple and sounding the Trumpets before the Host of the Battle c. which law is now abolished those Priests that now challenge and take tythes deny Christ to be come in the flesh and those that stick to the rights of the Law Paul saith Christ shall profit them nothing Gal. 5.2 and as this Dr. saith they take tythes wrongfully for whatsoever dignity any Priest is in if he do not follow Christ and his Apostles in true preaching in poverty and other heavenly virtues though such be named Priests they are not Priests but only in name for the work of a very Priest in such a one is wanting this sence saith he is approved by Austine Gregorie Chrysostome and Lincolne Thorps Testament There is a writing in the Acts and Mon. of the Church p. 499. which is called Thorps Testament but might better be called his complaint against the vicious Clergie in which he saith that either God the Father hath deceived all mankind by the living and teaching of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in poverty-meekness and humility c. or else Popes Cardinals Archbishops and Bishops with all the contagious flock of Priesthood c. are deceived which live so contrary to Christ and his Apostles increasing damnably in sin in pride and are obstinate Symoniack and so are hereticks defiled adulterers as their works shew for instead of following Christ and his Apostles in poverty and preaching the Prelates and Priesthood challenge and occupie unlawfully temporal Lordship and possessions and for temporal favour and advantage they sell benefices to unworthy and unable persons and sell sins for advantage suffering men and women to live from year to year in scandalous vices and they contemn the meekness and poverty of Christ to take their livelihood of the free will offering of the
peoples pure alms thus by their fruit you may know them whether they be the followers of Christ or of Antichrist wherefore all Emperors Kings Lords Ladies and common people of every degree and state that know these things and will not withstand these enemies and traytors of Christ and of his Church ye strive saith he for Antichrist against our Lord Jesus Christ and shall bear the indignation of God Almighty without end if in time it be not prevented by repentance and amendment Walter Brute Wal. Brute before John B. of Hereford in K. Rich 2d's reign affirmed that under the Gospel tythes are alms he denied not but under the old law tythes were given to the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle and in the Temple but that service of the Levites ceasing at the coming of Christ who put an end to that Ceremonial law how can tyths now be demanded or received for that service which is ceased they may aswell demand the first fruits which was paid in the old law as well as tythes but if they claim tythes by force of the Levitical law then by the same law Prelates and Priests are prohibited to have any temporalities among their brethren no more then the Priests and Levites had then when they received tythes Christ gave no new Commandment of tything any thing when his Apostles said we have left all and followed thee what shall we have Christ did not say that he would give them temporalities and tythes and worldly dominion no that he forbad them it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.25 26. but upon their obedience to his commands he promised to give them an everlasting Kingdom they that will have tythes by virtue of the Levitical law they are bound to keep that law and by the works of the law no man can be justified Hierome Hierom writing to Nepotianus saith how can they be of the Clergie who pretend to be so who are commanded to contemn despise their own substance yet take the substance of others to take away from a friend is theft to deceive the Church take away that which should be given to the poor it is sacriledge so that by this testimony all Bps. Prelates Priests that hold temporalities tythes c. that belongs to the Church to the poor they are sacrilegions Mersiliu Also Mersilius of Padua taught that Bps. Priests should not enjoy temporal estates that the corrupt manners of the people did spring from the wickedness of Prelates Priests by their evil example Nicholas Herford Philip Ripingdon Robert Rigge Nich. Herford Phil. Ripingdon and John Ashton being altogether brought before Wil. Bishop of Cant. in K. Rich. 2d reign did all affirm and say that it is against the holy Scripture for Ecclesiastical persons to have temporal possessions and that temporal Lords may at their pleasure take away temporal goods from Church men offending and that tythes are pure Alms and that Parishioners may for the offence of their Curates detain the same and bestow them on others at their pleasure And Rob. Rigge Vice Chancel of Oxford was displaced for holding of these truths with these men the Popish Prelates did so rage Pope Alexander and 310. Bishops In a Council at Rome in the year 1179. it was decreed by Pope Alex. and 310 Bishops that none of the Clergy within orders should meale with any temporal business and that Priests should have but one benefice and that the Bishops should be charged to maintain such Priests as they did ordain untill they were promoted to some benefice but how these decrees as to the Clergies not medling with temporalities and maintaining such as the Bishops ordain untill they be promoted is manifest to the world for Popes and Bishops will do and undo at their pleasure for temporal profits D. Hall George Cassander Bishop Hall not many years ago in his book pag. 835. saith that George Cassander a learned Papist was set on work by two Emperors viz. Ferdinand and Maximillian to compose the quarrels of the Church and in his 56. p. he saith that the principal cause of the destruction of the Church is to be laid upon those who being puffed up with a vain insolent conceit of their Ecclesiastical power do proudly and scornfully contemn and reject them which rightly and moderately admonish their reformation wherefore my Opinion is saith he that the Church can never hope for any firm peace unless those which are in Ecclesiastical government will be content to remit somthing of their too much rigour and yield somthing for the peace of the Church and correct abuses according to the rule of divine Scripture from which they have swerved and if abuses be corrected according according to the rule then must their temporalities and tythes be taken from them and their Lordly titles and Jurisdictions and they made like other men By what is said above and proved by many Authors of Prelates worldly mindedness and their usurped dominion of temporalities and tythes which they rob and steal from the poor and needy by breaking the conditions for which temporalities and tyths were given and have falsified the trust reposed in them so that now there is no hope that they will yield any thing for truths sake to be reformed according to the Scriptures except Kings and Princes Lords and Commons as Angello Cararo the Venetian Embassador said of the Court of Rome unless they go about it roundly in express terms laying aside all Civility saith he it will be difficult to bring it about they are so setled upon their Lees But their is one text of Scripture which I think doth clear this point of the Lawfulness for Kings and Princes to take again their possessions from Bishops Prelates and Priests which all the forenamed Authors plead for for it doth not only Justifie the King and Princes in taking the temporalities from Prelates c. but it is a precept and law of God that ought to be obeyed and put in execution that the Kings inheritance be not imbezled and given away from succeeding Kings Ez. 46.16 17. Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 46 16.17 If the Prince give a gift unto any of his sons the Inheritance thereof shall be his sons it shall be their Inheritance by a possession by an inheritance but if he give a gift of his Inheritance to one of his servants then it shall be his to the year of liberty or Jubile which was so named of the long sound of the Trumpet and Joyful shout because servants that were sold was then at liberty and joyful to the poor because their land that was sold or mortgaged was then at liberty and they returned to their possessions The year of Jubile or liberty was every fifty years but many fifty years are expired and still the usurping Prelates hold the temporalities both from the King c. and from the poor who should be relieved out of the profits of those
any note or spot of suspition noised of him but in his Answering Reading Preaching and Determining he behaved himself laudably and as a stout and valiant Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of the Scriptures all such who by their wilful beggery blasphemed and slandered Christs Religion neither was this said Doctor Convict of any Heresie God forbid that our Prelates should have condemned a man of such honesty for a Heretick who amongst all the rest of the Vniversity had written in Logick Philosophy Divinity Morality and the Speculative Art without Peer the knowledge of which all and singular things we do desire to testify and deliver forth to the intent that the Fame and Renown of this said Doctor may be the more evident and had in reputation amongst them unto whose hands these present Letters testimonial shall come Here is to be seen that this Vniversity of Oxford did also maintain the truth of Doctor John Wickliffe's Articles That Kings Princes and Lords Temporal may lawfully take away Temporalities and Tythes from the Clergy In witness whereof we have caused our Letters Testimonial to be Sealed with our common Seal Dated at Oxford in our Congregation-House the 5th day of October in the Year 1406. Edmond King of England King Edmond of England about the Year 940. made a Law that every man should pay Tythes for Churches Fees and Almes Fees Thus here you see that Tythes were then given as well for the relief of the Poor as the Church He made a Law also that every Bishop should of his own proper charge see that Churches were repaired Bishop of Canterbury About the same time the Bishop of Canterbury in a Letter to the Prelates and Clergy said If it were or could be so that all the Riches of the World were laid before me so that I were Emperour and had all things universally under my subjection all these things would I gladly give and offer my self willingly for the health of Souls And thus he exhorted the Clergy to their duty lest the Lord should say of them The Shepherds fed themselves but did not feed my flock they have raigned but not by me they have made themselves Princes of my flock and I knew it not that is he knew it not so as to approve of their doings But where is there a Prelate now that hath such a zeal for the good of Souls King Edgar King Edgar in an Oration to the Clergy about the year 959. What negligence saith he is in Gods Service I will speak with sorrow they be Riotous in Banquetring in Chambring and Drunkenness And now saith he the Clerks houses are thought to be Stewes of Harlots Thus the Goods of Kings and Alms of Princes is mispent have our Fathers spent their Treasurie for this purpose Have the Kings liberalities in giving Lands and Possessions been for this intent that Clerks Harlots should be deck'd with the same And for riotous feasts Hauks and Hounds and other Toyes to consume it Soldiers cry out the people grudge but ye regard not c. King Hen. 2d Among other antient Laws of England in the reign of King Henry the second this was one That if any Clergy man did hold any Lay Fee in his hands he should therefore do the Kings service that belonged thereunto as upon Juries Assises of Lands and Judgements and that no Lands should be given to the Church nor to any House of Religion without the Kings License And that the Peter-pence which was used to be gathered for the Pope should be paied to the King and that all the Possessions Goods and Chattels of such as favoured the Pope or Thomas a Becket to be Seized and Confiscate to the King And that all such of the Clergy as were absent from their Charge out of the Realm and had Rents and Profits in the Land and did not repair home in three months their Rents and Goods to return to the King c. If it were lawful for the King then in the time of Popery to seize upon the Rents Profits and Possessions of the Pope Cardinal and others it is much more lawful now for our King and Nobles to cize upon such Goodss aâ—d Possessions as were given by Papists in the time of Popery and are now wrongfully possessed and abusively used by others King Edward 3. In a Parliament holden the twentieth year of the raign of King Edward the third It was propounded that all Alien Monks should depart England whose Livings the King took into his hands It was also concluded by the Parliament That the Livings of all others Strangers and Cardinals during their lives the profits should be brought into the Kings hand The Commons also denyed to pay any payments to Cardinals in France c. besides the King took order by two of his Clergy viz. John Stocks and John Norton to take into their hands all the Temporalities of all the Deanaries Prebends Dignities and Benefices being then vacant in England and to answer the profits thereof unto the King King William Rufus King William Rufus took certain Lands and Possessions from Canterbury and disposed of them to secular uses King Henry 4. In the eighth year of the raign of King Henry the fourth it was petitioned to the Parliament That the King might enjoy halfe the profits of every Parsons Benefice who was not resident thereon But in the eleventh year of his raign the Commons put up a Bill unto the King to take the Temporal Lands from the Clegie mens hands or Possessions in which Bill it was declared that the Temporalities disorderly wasted by men of the Clergy might suffice to find to the King with maintenance 15. Earles 1500. Knights 6200. Esquires and 100. Almes houses To every Earl 3000. Mark a year to every Knight 100. Mark and four plough lands and to every Esquire 40 Mark a year and two plough lands and to every Almes house 100. Mark a year which lands is now no doubt worth double if not treble to what they were then For I have credibly informed by a Yorkshire Esquire That when his Majestie was restored to the Crown one Bishoprick that is the Bishoprick of Durham If it had been set upon the rack rent it was worth above fifty thousand pounds a year This story above you may read in Mr Fox his Acts and monuments of the Church in the story of King Hen. 4. King Henry 8. It is there also to be seen in the History of King Hen. 8. That the King did injoyn every Vicar Clerk or Benefic'd man that had one hundred pounds a year that he should find a Scholar at the University and he that had two hundred pounds a year should find two Scholars at the University Also in his raign it was complained of by the Commons against the Prelates and Clergie for their cruel proceeding Ex Officio And for the remedy it was enacted That whosoever did or speak any thing against either their usurped power or their Laws
Prelates in the 23 question and 7. If we possess any thing privately but that which doth suffice us it is not ours but the goods of the Poor whose stewards we are except we challenge to our selves a property by some damnable usurpation the glâ—ss upon that part of the question saith that Prelates are but only Stewards of the Church goods and not Lords thereof â—mbrose And St. Ambrose upon Luke 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship c. hereby saith he We learn that Prelates are not Lords but Steward or Bailliffs of others mens substance â—ierom And St. Hierom in an Epistle quest 16. and 2. chap. Quisquid saith whatsoever the Clergy hath it is the goods of the Poor and writing unto Nepolianus he saith how can they be of the Clergy who are commanded to contemn and despise their own substance for to take away from a Friend it is theft but to deceive the Church and take away that which should be given to the Poor it is sacralidge â—arnard And St. Barnard upon these words Simon Peter said unto Jesus c. Truly said he the goods of the Church are the patrimony of the Poor whatsoever thing the Ministers Stewards thereof not Lords or Possessors thereof do take unto themselves more then sufficient for a competent living the same is taken away from the Poor by a sacralidgious cruelty â—usebeus Eusebeus in his Treatise upon the pilgrimage of St. Hierom saith If thou dost possessed garment or any other thing more then extream necessity doth require and dost not help the needy thou art a Thief and a Robber wherefore dearly beloved Children let us be Stewards of temporallities and not possessors thereof And Isidor in his Treatise de summo bono ch 24. Let the Bishop know that he is the Servant of the people and not Lords over them aâ— also in the 5. book oâ— Decraeâ—als extra â—e donationibus sub athoâ—itate Alixandrii Tartii Episcopi Paritienses he saith We believe that it is noâ— unknown unto your Brotherhood that a Bishop and every other Prelate is buâ— Stewards of the Church goods and not Lords thereof both Lands and Tythes saith he are pure Alms which after the necessity of the Clergy is satisfied noâ— according to their pride and covetousness but in comely â—cent manner ofteâ— the example of Christ and his Apostles the rest bâ—longeâ—â—o the Poor and thosâ— that withhold it from them they are Thieves Robbers 〈◊〉 Sacralidgious persons saith he William Wroughton Thus it is manifest by what is already said besides what is said here after that Kings and Princes and Lords Temporall by taking the temporallities c. from the Prelates and disposing of them for the use anâ— benefit of the true Church the believing m mbers of Christ and the poor and the benefit and safety of the Kingdom the uses for which they werâ— first given they will in so doing be so far from committing sacraledge that they will do a work pleasing and acceptable both to God and all good men to their everlasting honour by putting a stop to the pride wantoâ— and luxurious riotous lives of some which is occasioned by the uperfluity of worldly wealth and riches which they wrongfully possess and detain from the right owners thereof having forsaken the right way and followed the way of Baalim who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 By with holding good from them to whom it is due Pro. 3.27 and as William Wroughton writ to King Henry the eight so long as ye maintain Antichâ—ist the Popes Knights that is Bishops in such inordinate riches you shall never saith he banish that monstrous beasâ— the Pope out of England When we say that such and such Lands were given to the Church wâ— cannot imagine that they were given to such a building of lime and stone and timber nor to such a parish and so to him that should usurp authority of Rule and Government there from age to age whether he be good oâ— bad holy or prophane for such are not to be accounted the Church noâ— so much as particular members of the true Church which is the mâ—stâ—caâ— body of Christ except they believe and all that do believe truly withouâ— hypocrisie rich and poor they are interested in the Church Lands and Goods all the poor in general are objects of Charity to do good unto all but especially to such as are of the huoshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 In the time of the Law when Tythes was paid by a divine institution unto the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle and Temple because â—hey had no inheritance of temporal Land among their Brethren yet even â—hen the strangers fatherless and widdows had an interest in the Tythes â—s you may see in Deut. 14.28 29. and Chap. 26.12 13 and since that service ceased for which tythes were paid there is no new institution in â—he Gospel for the payment of tythes and yet our Prelates and Priests as â—hey will be called will have both temporal Lands and tythes and keep â—ll to themselves neither widdows nor fatherless have any thing and â—herefore it can be no sacralidge but a work of Charity for Kings and Princes and Lords Temporal to take the temporallities from them for â—he benefit of the Kingdom and tythes also or at least to cause them to â—llow some part thereof unto the poor The with holding of tythes c. From such to whom they are due as to â—he beleiving Church the poor the Fatherless and widdows God calls â—t a Robbing of him in tythes and offerings Mal. 3.8 9. For Christ saith â—hatsoever good or evil is done to one of the least of those little ones that beâ—ieve on him it is taken as done to himself Mat. 25.40 and 45. yea even â—hose of the Clergy who are not true believers they have no right nor tiâ—le from God to the Church goods and God will charge them as having â—he spoil of the poor in their Houses Isaiah 3.14 Suppose the Prelates should plead for themselves that temporallities â—nd tythes have been setled upon them by many Acts of Parliament to â—hat it may be answered that no Act of Parliament on Earth can make â—oid the Law of God inacted in Heaven viz. That when tythes were â—aid by a divine institution yet the Stranger Fatherless and Widdows â—ad by divine appointment a right and interest in them how then dare â—y now receive tythes not by divine but by humain institution and yet â—ye no part thereof unto the poor the Stranger Fatherless nor Widdow â—e may rationably imagine that it was because of the hardness of the â—arts of Prelates and Priests in keeping that to themselves which belongâ—d to the poor which caused that Noble King Carrolous Magnus to have it â—ecreed in a counsel that in wealthy places two parts of the Church â—ods should be given to the poor and the third part to the Clergy and 〈◊〉 poorer places that there should be an
Decrees or Constitutions which is not grounded upon the Holy Scripture they should therefore stand in no danger nor be impeached King Richard 2. King Richard the second propounded to John Wickliffe Whether the Kingdom of England might lawfully detain the Treasure of the Kingdome from the Pope He demanded the Church goods under pain of Censure Mr. Wickliffe setting a part the Common Laws of England and the Civiâ— Law It rests saith he to prove the affirmitive part by the Principles of Chists Law thus Every natural body hath power given of God to resist against the contrary and to preserve it self in due estate inasmuch as Bodies without life are indued with such a kind of power as hardness to resist those things that would break it and coldness to withstand heat that would dissolve it forasmuch then as the Kingdom of England after the manner of phrase of Scripture ought to be one Body of which the King is head and the Commonalty are the members thereof It seemeth the same Kingdom head and members hath such power given to them of God and so much the more apparent by how much the same body is more precious unto God adorned with virtue and knowledge for so much then as there is no power given of God unto any Creature for any end or purpose but that he may lawfully use the same to that end and purpose It followeth That our Kingdom may lawfully keep back and detain their Treasure of Temporalities and Tythes c. for the defence of it self in what case soever necessity doth require the same Secondly the same is proved by the Law of the Gospel for the Pope cannot challenge the Treasure of this Kingdom no more can the Prelates challenge Temporalities or Tythes but under the title of Almes and consequently under the pretence of works of mercy according to the rule of Charity But in the case aforesaid the title of Alms ought utterly to cease ergo the right title of challenging the Treasure of this Kingdom ought to cease also in the presupposed necessity and the Prelates and Clergie challenging Temporalities and Tythes ought to cease also by the same reason Forasmuch as all Charity hath its beginning of it self it were no work of Charity but of meer madness to send away the Treasure of the Realm unto other Nations whereby the Realm it self may fall into ruine under the pretence of such a Charity and is it not as much madness to suffer so many idle Drones to usurp the Kingdomes the Churches and the Poors goods of temporalities and tythes to spend on Coaches and Horses Hawks Dogs and Hounds I will not say Whores Taverns Cards and Dice Why should not such unfaithful Stewards give an account of their Stewardship It appears also saith he by this That Christ the Head of the Church whom all Prelates and Priests ought to follow he lived by the Alms of devout women as in Luke 8.2 3. he hungred and thirsted was a stranger and sustained many other miseries not only in his members but also in his own body He was poor that ye through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Wherefore in the first endowing of the Church with Alms whatsoever he were of the Clergy that had any temporal possessions he had the same by way of Almes as several Writings and Chronicles do witness For saith he the Temporal Lords have power to take away their Alms when they see their Alms abused to riot and excess by some and others who are interested therein suffer penury and want by the Prelates and Clergy their unfaithfulness in their Stewardships Carolus Magnus Carolus Magnus that famous French King had decreed in a Council that only the Canonical Books of Scripture should be read in Churches and commanded the Bishops that they should not suffer any other to be read nor Preach themselves any thing that did not agree with the word of God And besides he ordered the goods given to the Church to be disposed of so That in wealthy places two parts of the Church goods should be given to the poor and the third part to the Clergy and that in poorer places there should be an equal division between the poor and the Clergy The good Lord if it be his good will and pleasure put it into the hearts of all Christian Kings and Princes to do the like Isidor Mr. Fox saith that Isidor hath these words Let Temporal Kings know that they must give an account to God for the Church which they have at the hands of God to govern and if so then it lies as a duty incumbent upon them so that to free themselves from the guilt of other mens sins there is an absolute necessity That seeing the Church goods are abused and not disposed of as they ought to be as it is proved above Therefore Kings and Nobles may not only lawfully but are bound in duty to God to take care to have such abuses reformed Charles the sixth Charles the sixth the French King made a Law That the fruits and rents of Benefices and other Pensions and Bishops goods that departed from their charges should be brought in to the Kings use King Philip About the year 1303. King Philip of France summoned a Parliament where all the Bishops were required within eight dayes after notice given to appear or else all their Temporal goods should be seized into the Kings hand By this it appears That upon their disobedience the King might take their Temporalities from them if he so pleased In which Parliament it was declared by Sir Will. Negareta Sir VVilliam Negareta in behalf of the King That for his Oaths sake that he made for defence of the Church and because the King was the Patron of the Church Therefore he was bound not only to defend the Church observe this well he was bound not only to defend the Church but to call in the goods of the Church which was wasted by the Pope and Prelates means And four years after the Lord Peter de Cugneriis in a Parliament Lord Peter de Cugneriis exhibited 65 Articles in the Kings behalf against the Bishops and Prelates of France and the misdemeanours of them and their Officers and Courts Mr. Fox Such goods as were given to the Church by our Ancestors saith Mr. Fox was neither so given nor so taken as to serve the private use of Church men but to serve the publick use of the poor and needy as is to be seen by the Canonical Institution of the Emperour Lodovicus Pius set forth in the year 830. in these words Lodovicus Pius The goods of the Church be the Vows and bequests of the faithful to ransom such as be in captivity or prison and the Patrimony to succour them with Hospitality that be needy c. Whereas now the Hospitality that is used is to feast such as need not such as are able to feast the Prelates again and the poor and needy if they get any
the whole Foundation hangeth on the Prelates and Clergies beards for divers of your Predecessors and Nobles have given Lands to have a certain sum of Money given yearly to the poor whereof for the antiquity of the time the conditions are forgotten so that they give not one penny they likewise gave them to have certain Masses said for them daily whereof they say never a one If the Abbots of Westminster should sing every day as many Masses as they are bound to do by the Founders a thousand Monks were too few Wherefore if your Grace will build a sure Hospital never to fail to relieve your poor Beads-men then take from them all these things this with much more to this purpose was in that Supplication Pope Innocent Pope Innocent 4th required that all Beneficed men in England which were resident should pay to the Pope a third part of their goods or Profits and Non-residents the one half for three years together And it is most certain that our King and Nobles within his Majesties Dominions have a thousand times more right to receive these profits than either Pope or Prelate for Popes and Prelates are Usurpers their Predecessors having possessed themselves thereof by deceitful Delusion therefore our King and Nobles may justly require their own Temporalities again which their Predecessors were so deluded of the Prelates having been such unfaithful Stewards it is but just that the King Princes and Lords do require them to give account of their Stewardship that they may be no longer Stewards The testimony of 21 Bishops 8 Arch-deacons and 17 Doctors In the Year 1537. or thereabout Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and Edmond Bishop of York and to the number of one and twenty Bishops and eight Arch-deacons and seventeen Doctors of Divinity and of the Common and Civil Law they did all assert and sign with their hands to King Hen. the 8th the which was ratified by the Statute of the 32. of Hen. 8. That there is not in the New Testament any mention made of the Calling Jurisdiction Lordliness or secular employment of Lord Bishops But the New Testament speaks only of Deacons and of Ministers alias Priests or Bishops and of these two only that is Priests or Ministers and Deacons the Scripture makes express mention And that Christ did never institute any distinction or difference or preheminence of power order or Jurisdiction among the Apostles themselves but that they were all equal in power authority and jurisdiction and that there hath been any difference since it is by the invention of men and not by the institution of Jesus Christ and therefore no Bishop by the Law of God may take upon him any Jurisdiction in secular Courts for God did constitute Kings to defend the Faith of Christ and true Religion and to cause Bishops or Ministers to execute their Pastoral office truly and faithfully or for neglect thereof to put others in their room and place and not to suffer the Clergy to meddle in secular affairs for the Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual and not a carnal Kingdom as Christ said No man can serve two masters so I say No man can faithfully discharge his Ministerial office in Christs Kingdom which is his Church if he be entangled in secular affairs in the worldly Kingdom You cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.27 Mr Elmer Mr. Elmer in his Harborow for faithful Subjects Printed at Strasburg writes thus on the 12 of Luke Who made me a Judge c. As if Christ should say It belongs not to my office to determine in matters of policy but to the Civil Magistrate And if it did not belong to Christ how dare Prelates take it upon them to do it for if it had been within the compass of Christs Function he could not in conscience have refused it to set them at one which were at strife if he might do it and would not he lacked Charity and did not his duty which were blasphemy to say of Christ and if it belonged not to him neither did it belong to his Apostles nor their successors Had he not as large a Commission as he gave His Kingdome is not of this world therefore Bishops by his example cannot give themselves so large a scope in temporal matters therefore by their fruits you may know them whether they have their Commission from Christ or I had like to have said from Antichrist for saith he if these two offices Ecclesiastical and Civil be jumbled together in one Function there can be no quiet nor well-ordered Commonwealth Richard Armacanus Richard Armacanus about the year 1350. in de questionibus Armenorum book 11. chap. 1. saith that neither the Dominion nor Ministry of temporal things belongeth to Ecclesiastical Dignity but rather diminisheth it for Christ prohibited the Apostles of temporal Dominion saying It shall not be so among you And again Possess neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses nor scrip for your journey nor two coats neither shooes nor staves Math. 10.9 10. If thou wilt be perfect go sell all that thou hast and give to the poor He saith in chap. 2. that the states and degree of Patriarch Primate Archbishop Bishop c. were invented by men and not instituted by Christ nor his Apostles and that no Prelate of the Church how great soever hath any greater degree of the power of order than a simple Priest But how do Prelates observe Christs rule who commanded that they should possess neither gold nor silver and as if they would strive to do as contrary as they can devise they possess thousands of gold and silver coaches and horses and what not Is it not high time therefore for Kings and Nobles to take these temporalities from them which they thus abuse as if they would set Christ at defiance and bid him command what he will they will do what they will do not their actions tend to this end the good Lord direct the King Princes and Lords c. that by connivance they partake not with the Prelates in these sins lest they which God forbid should partake with them in their punishments Cyprian Cyprian in his fourth Book Epist 4. saith Our Lord Christ observed the will of his Father but we speaking of Prelates observe not the will of the Lord as appears above having all our minds set upon Lucre and Possessions given to pride full of Emulation and Dissention void of Simplicity and faithful dealing renouncing the world only in word but nothing in Deed every one pleasing himself and displeasing all others John Huss John Huss in the Council of Constance did affirm that the Clergie ought to have no temporal possessions and that Temporal Lords may justly without any offence take them away from the Clergy and that Kings and Nobles ought to compel the Clergy to observe and keep the Law and Rules of Christ He also saith that Tythes and Oblations given to the Church are publick and common Alms and that the Clergy
the Commons for as their standing in the Church is not of God so their Excommunication is not of God John Claydon Richard Turming John Claydon and Richard Turming both Martyrs they did both affirm that the chief cause of the Persecution of Christians was the Prelates unlawfull keeping of temporalities and other superfluous goods which they are afraid to be deprived of for they know that they cannot hold them if the truth should take place and were publickly manifested by what unlawful means they hold their Temporalities and Tythes their Courts and Offices and the unlawfulness of their Dignities and Jurisdictions and the like Eneas Silvius Eneas Silvius who wrote the Book of the Council Basil he writing to Jasper Sthlick the Emperours Chancellor in his 54th Epistle saith That the way to remedy Schisme and make peace in the Church is for Kings and Princes to unite together and and conclude of Peace and this way neither Pope nor Council could withstand Unity may be concluded whether Pope or Council will or not and so Kings and Princes in their own Dominions may take the Temporalities and Tythes and so put in order things that are amiss whether Pope or Council will or not neither saith he do I see any of the Clergie so confident to death which will suffer Martyrdome neither for King or Pope for all we do lightly hold that Religion which our Princes hold if they would worship Idols we would do the same and not only deny the Pope but God also if the Secular power straines us thereunto for Charity waxeth cold and all Faith is gone however let us seek for peace and whether it come by a Council or a Synagogue or a Conventicle call it what you will I care not so we have peace Cardinal Aralatensis And Cardinal Aralatensis in the same Council of Basil said That all Bishops ought to understand that they come to have greater power then Priests only by custome and not by dispensation of the truth of God and that they ought to rule the Church together for a Priest is the very same that a Bishop is by divine Institution for there is such a concordance saith he between a Bishop and a Priest that Paul to Titus calleth Bishops Priests and Christ saith Blessed are the Poor in Spirit neither was there any rich Bishop in the Primitive Church neither did the antient Church reject Dionysius Bishop of Millan nor Eusebius Bishop of Vercellus Hillarie Bishop of Pictauia although they were never so poor but if we will grant the truth the poor are more apt to give right Judgement then the rich because riches causeth fear lest they should be taken from them and others poverty causeth liberty for the poor fear no Tyranny as rich men do who are given over to all kind of Vanity Idleness and sloath and will rather deny Christ than lose their riches whom not love to the Flock but love to Revenues makes them Bishops And farther to shew that Bishops will not own the truth against opposition for fear to lose their riches the same Eneas Silvius in his thirty eighth Epistle to Cardinal Julian saith those Cardinals which so magnified the Authority of the Church as though they were ready to spend their lives for the same and now at the sight of one Letter from their King wherein no death was threatned but only loss of their Temporalities and for fear of that they slipt away from the Council of Basil c. and in the same Epistle he said derideingly That they had rather lose their faith than lose their flock and preferment c. Hierome St. Hierome upon these words Vnsavory Salt saith That it is no easie thing to stand in the place of Peter and Paul and to keep the Chaire of them that reign with Christ This Unsavory Salt saith he is foolish and unprofitable Prelates unsavory in their places good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden down of Swine that is saith he of wicked Spirits which have dominion over wicked Prelates as their Flock and Herd Mr. Tindal Mr. Tindal in his book of the wicked Mamon page 45. saith seek the word of God in all things and without the word of God do nothing though it appear never so glorious for what soever is done without the word of God that count to be Idolatrous but by the word of God Prelates have no right to Temporalities Christ saith he took away the violence and power of the Law to make us free and set us at liberty from Ceremonies and other impositions which do consist in places persons garments meats and dayes c. so as their use should be to all men free and indifferent so that if the Pope would make all observations of Geremonies as Lent Fasts Holy-dayes Confession Masses Matins Reliques and all the rest free and indifferent he should not be Antichrist but the commanding them in the name of Christ he corrupteth the Church and suppresseth the Faith and whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin therefore by that means he advanceth Sin and becometh Antichrist and upon this account we have many inferior Antichrists under the Pope who to their power seek to establish the same Ceremonies c. and so become Antichrists Jacobus Selestadiensis In a Letter of Jacobus Selestadiensis to Maximilian and Emperor he said The goods of the Church as it is alleadged by the Fathers are the Vowes of the Faithful and Patrimonie of the poor for the faithful through the fervency of their faith and love of Christ have enriched the Church with their own goods that the poor might be refreshed and Captives redeemed wherefore such as have the administration of these goods ought diligently to be looked upon that they do not convert them to their own proper use and neglect them in whom Christ is fed and cloathed Prosper also saith That holy men did not challenge the Church goods as their own but as given to the poor to be divided to all them that have nothing neither ought they to give any thing to those that have of their own enough for that is but to cast things away Ex Illyrico Illyrico Reynold Peacok John Brothwick Reynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester said That the riches of Bishops are the good of the poor and that spiritual persons by the law of God ought not to have temporal possessions and that personal tythes is not due by Gods law that the Universal Church of Rome may erre in matters of faith and that it is not necessary to Salvation to believe what General Councils ordain and determine these points and other to this purpose he confessed he held and taught the space of twenty years and after the Bishop of Canterbury and other Bishops set themselves against him he was imprisoned during his life Also Sir John Brothwick Martyr in Scotland in the year 1540. said and did affirm that all temporal Possessions and Jurisdiction ought to be taken from the Prelates The