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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A73049	Englands pvrginge fire Conteyninge two petitions, the one to the Kinges most excellent Majesty, the other to the High Courte of Parliament held at this tyme in England. Shewinge in diverse perticulers, how the Church in England might be ordered, yet more conformably to the Will of God reveiled in his worde then at this day it is. Herewithall is declared, the evell and lamentable effects of our vnable and negligent ministers: and the happy fruict of our learned and painefull pastors. A worke most needefull for theise tymes, as servinge to turne away the wrath and iudgements of God from this lande, through the removinge, (accordinge to the advertisements herein given) such disorders and evells, as for which the wrath of God may be, and is, kindled against this Land, and the church therein.	Proctor, Thomas, fl. 1621.	1621 (1621)	STC 20408.5; ESTC S124597	53,590	98

then as necessarily the Churches are multiplied so also is tho Charge increased and consequently the dutyes of the Office are made the more disticult to be executed in all Neither is it probable nor is it likely that in the time of Titus all the people in that yle of Crete vvere converted to the faith but if they vvere not then to retayne in the Successors hands the same extent of grounde as had Titus were to commit to the less able Successor a greater charge of Churches then the Apostle intrusted to Titus vvhich thinge cannot be done without great preiudice to the Christian church As Parishes therefore are to be multiplled and one to be made tvvo or three after the people growe too many for one Congregation so antient Arch-Bishoppdomes boundes shoulde be lessned and one divided into three or fower when the People make too many Churches to be intrusted unto one Arch-Bishopp I most humbly pray your Majestie therefore that the perticulers of the Office be duly considered and then that the bounds of our Archiepiscopall lurisdictions may be fitted thereunto Doubtless if our Arch-Bishops tooke care as they ought of the perticulers of this Charge they woulde soone make a holy People in this Lande by reason of their neere eye to observe the severall Churches and their receavinge Accusations when neede requireth And truly the Arch-Bishops Courte should not be ordeyned so much for some perticulers tendinge to the Rule over other Bishopdomes as it should be for the correctinge of disobediences in all theise perticulers when neither in the Parishionall nor in the Episcopall Courte and Goverment order is taken in the same For the Archiepiscopall Charge is no less to see Evangelicall Ordinances observed in the Manners of every particuler Christian then to see that Pastors and Bishops other ecclesiasticall Officers execute their Ministrations rightly I grant that Parishionall and over them Episcopall Goverments greatly ease the Arch-Bishop and because of them his Charge may be very large comprisinge diverse Bishopdomes but yet with this caution that he may conveniently visit every parte and also from all parts Accusasations may conveniently be made unto him when there is any faile in the Parishional and Episcopall Goverment Neither truly ought Arch-Bishopdoms to be extended out as Kingedomes For Kingedomes are in larged or restreyned as their Power cann extend its selfe which also is ordered by God himself he letting loose and restreyninge the Powers as he will whereas Arch Bishopdoms ought to be fitted to the execution of the Charge of the Office Thus have I Dread Soveraigne bene the longer in my wrytinge of Arch-Bishopps because of the necessary consequence that if they be made less then Bishopdomes also should not bee too large because diverse of them are to be comprised in one Arch Bisho-dome For Bishopdomes therefore I in breife pray that in our England they may be more that so they not comprisinge over many Patishes the Bishop may conveniently visit the perticuler Parishes and Accusations conveniently be made out of all Parishes which faile in Goverment unto him The Bishop differeth from the Arch-Bishop cheisely in this that his Charge streatcheth not over other City Bishops but onely over Bishops or Pastors and other Cleargy of perticuler Congregations As for other differences which the Canons of the Church have put they are necessary as the tymes require onely For the Churches Ordinances have ever bene dispenced with in cases of Necessity when they could not be observed and when there is no more needefull use of the same but this difference which here I put seemes to be a Divine Ordinance in asmuch as Titus was set over diverse Cityes and the churches therein consequently over all ecclesiasticall Officers vvhich necessarily are in them But then if the Arch-Bishopps Charge streacheth to Man and Wife Parents and Children Masters and Servants seinge to it that they in their Manners one towarde another observe the commandements of the Ghospell should not the Bishops Office within his perticuler limits streatch to the same Therefore I humbly pray that our Bishops Office be not streigtned unto some few perticulers but that it be enlarged to see even to all theise things also as the most weighty perticulers of his Charge Which thinge duly considered I hope it will soone appeare that necessarily for the due seinge unto theise things and for the convenient makinge of Accusations of breach of them vvhere the Parishionall Goverment is remiss not takinge due Care of and order in such things our Bishops jurisdictions are to be made less then at this time they are in this our Church of Englande Doubtless theise Powers and Offices ecclesiasticall were cheifely ordeyned for Rulinge of the Manners of Christian people least they not observinge one towards another the Evangelicall Commandements bringe a scandall upon the Ghospell of Christe therfore into theise thinges should our Bishops watchfully looke and not content themselves with the observation of Ecclesiasticall Canons onely If any say that the description of this Office is in Scripture such as is rather to be wished then effected I answere that the Apostle would not so deepely Charge Timothy with theise perticulers as he doth 1. Tim 5 21 if he thought the execution of theise things to be rather to be wished then effected therefore I hope none shall be suffered to shrowde their Negligence under the mantle or coveringe of this devise If in after tymes many inventions are made to busy Atch-Bishopps Bishopps so with them that they cannot attend to theise other are theise which are the weightlest to be left for the lighter Shall honor and Glory attend rather those then theise were not this a notable corruption a snare of Satan and an insufferable divertion from the true Episcopall dutyes But now my most gratious Soveraigne in hope of your reproofe of such things and commandinge and honoringe theise the cheifest episcopall dutyes I pass from writinge of the boundings and Iurisdictions unto my Petition for your freeinge our Cleargy here from forreiue and unlawfull Ecclesiasticall Powers 3. PETITION That your Majestie continue to free this Church from all forreine and unlawfull Ecclesiasticall usurpations and Powers THe permission of inconvenient extents of Iurisdiction hath bene the cheife cause not onely of the disorders of Ecclesiasticall Politie and of the evell execution of true Episcopall Charges but also of the Antichrists Reigninge in the Church therefore high tyme it is that in the Churches Reformation this maine error be taken order for It is reported of that first great famous Councill of Nice that it confirmed to the Bishops of certaine cityes the huge extents which formerly their Charge had streatched its selfe unto but what followed hereupon surely there followed not onely the turbulency of such great Powers and the insatiable affectation of Glory but also the openinge or reveilinge of that Man of sinne For as the Apostle said 2. Thessal 2 6 And now ye knowe what

ignorance And indeede we fyndinge in Scripture that Deacons remayninge Deacons were Preachers Acts 6 8 and 8 5 vve may vvell say that Deacons as Deacons have right to Preach But here vve fynde Governours who are not to be Teachers therefore theise cannot claime the Priviledge of Cleargy as may Deacons I conclvde therefore that seing Gods Cleargy is as his Lot to be maintayned at the Charge of his People and seing the Apostle claimes this for Preachinge the vvord therefore theise Governours not being to be Teachers have no right to be of the Cleargy but are to be Lay Elders Againe some may say But must such be in every Parrish Church I answer yes For Acts 14 23. we reade thus And when they had ordeyned them Elders by Election in every Church they commended them to the Lord in whom they Beleeved if then in every Church there were ordeyned a plurality of Elders safest it is to have many Elders in every Church Moreover seinge here it is said that Elders implyinge many were ordeyned in every Church and seing vve have before proved that in those tymes there were in the Church Elders who onely Ruled and taught not and seing it is not likely that the Apostle would so soone Charge every Church with many Cleargy therefore most likely it is that theise Elders vvere many being parte Cleargy for Rulinge and Teachinge parte Lay Elders serving so Rule onely And indeede seing the Apostle commended the Churches to the Lord it argues that he had furnished them with such Elders as in those tymes vvere ordeyned by God to be in the Church but I have before proved that God ordeyned Governours who were not Teachers aswell as Teachers who also Governed therefore we may not thinke that the Apostle left theise Churches defective in either of theise Furthermore seing every Congregation is necessarily to have a Teaching Elder for should a flock be without a Shephearde every Congregation is likewise to have such Ecclesiasticall Officers as are under Teachers for though every Congregation be not to have those Offices above Teachers and which are set over Teachers such as are Bishops and Arch-Bishops yet such Offices as are under Teachers every Congregation is necessarily to have To conclude seinge a Parrish Church cannot be denied to be a church therefore necessarily it ought to have in it as Elders to Teach so Elders to Rule onely for the defect in either of theise would surely produce a defect in the Governinge of the same For this cause we may not content our selvs with our Civill Lavvyers onely seinge they are not in every Church but onely in the whole church of a Bishopdome and in the Bishops courte onely Neither may we take our Church vvardens and Side Men for theise Governours seinge they have not Power of Iudgement and Punishment vvhereas Goverment is lame of one hand if it have not this Power Surely therefore accordinge to Gods Ordinance every church which hath any Elders in it is to have a Goverment by Elders but Governinge implies power of Iudginge and Punishinge therefore every church is to have this power in it as it vvill not be defective in its Goverment Verily if we looke upon our people in England observinge their life and conversation in every Parrish vve may well say that here vvants the Goverment in overy Parrish which here we see the Lord ordeined For our people for the most parte contentinge themselves to come to church onely and satisfye the Lawe by hearinge Divine Service and the vvorde Preached never make conscience of livinge also thereafter and this for vvant of feeling neere them the Power of this Parishionall Goverment For vvhilst at home in their Parrish they may use unchristian Liberty in their actions and Talks so long as they keepe themselvs from so offendinge as that the Lawe takes hold of them our people are mervailous careless of observinge in their speach the holy restreinte of the Ghospell But if they sawe neere them in their owne Parrish a Teacher and a Deacon for Cleargy and some of their Neighbours of the Laiety havinge Power to call the disorderly to Accoumptes and to Punish them who live not as the Ghospell requires then what with the neereness of the observinge eyes of these Governours and what with the sence of their power to Iudge Punish them if they observe not the Ghospell in their life and Conversation a holy Awe would fall upon Gods people in every Parrish causinge an abstayninge from unseemely Acts and Conversation And this much the rather because theise Governours dwellinge here and there among them they are neere in every quarter of the Parrish to have knowledge of such as make no conscience to live and converse as beseemeth Christians Therefore aswell for the utility to Gods people which vvould arise by the havinge in every Parrish diverse of the Antient godly and honest of the Laiety to Governe in the Parrish as for this evidence from Scripture that such vvere ordeined in every Church we should be moved to receave willingely the ordeyning of such in every Parrish Church If it be obiected that here every City not every Church is meant then I answere That in those tymes it is likely that some Cityes had but one Congregation and beinge so then to say of them every City or every Church is to one effect neither truly is it likely that so soone every City affoorded many Churches Moreover seinge it was Churches not Cityes that were to be thus ordered we are rather to understande every Church then every City for theise reasons I conclude that it is safest and most proffitable that every Parrish-Church have ordeyned in it Lay Elders to Governe onely aswell as Cleargy Elders who both are to Teach and Governe If it be said that every Parrish-Church havinge Cleargy Elders as a Teacher or Pastor and a Deacon then thus Scripture makes nothinge for Lay Elders then to this I answere That seinge there is evidence that in those tymes there were Elders which Ruled and Taught and Elders which Ruled onely and taught not therefore fittest it is that here we understande not a plurality of Cleargy Elders onely but rather parte Cleargy part Laiety Againe some may say How many must they be in Number I answere seinge we reade of Elders ordeyned without readinge also any set Number therefore the Church is not bounde to observe any set or certaine Number As the Parrish therefore is more or less in circuit of grounde or quantety of people so theise Governours may be more or sewer for where a Parrish is narrow of boundes though it conteyn much people yet three or fower of theise Governours may serve seinge they are neere in neighbourhood to every one of the Parrish whereas where the Parrishe is large of circuit there it is needefull that they be seven or eight to the end that their dwellinge may be here and there to be neere to those of the Parrish in every quarter

withholdeth that he might be reveiled in his tyme so indeede it fell out for the Emperors keepinge his Seate at Rome withheld the Bishopp of Romes Reveilinge but the Emperor removinge his Seate to Constantinople this Councill of Nice some few yeares after was assembled where theise huge extents of Iurisdiction beinge confirmed the Bishop of Rome beinge held as Cheife of them this caused his first measure of Reveilinge It is fit therefore that that Councils proceedings be examined whither in oughts God left it to dissent from his sacred Worde Papists usually alleadge that Councill as countenancinge the offeringe up of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the Service of the Lords Supper but if this that Councill did then expressly erred it from the Scriptureis nstruction concerninge that Service And how neere it was to forbid Preists the copulation with their vvives vvhich Gods worde commandes 1. Cor 7 3 is well knowen to all that have read the Story of those tymes To this I may add the uncertainety of its Canons seinge they are with such uncertainety brought us by Tradition For all theise reasons I conclude that that Councill is not so to be maintayned in its Ordinances as that the instruction of sacred Scripture is not rather to be followed But who that looketh into the holy Scripture shall not see That Timothy and Titus such as were like them held the highest ordinary Offices in the Church next unto the Apostles themselvs for by the Epistles of Timothy and Titus it is evident that the Apostle set them in Office next himselfe over the Churches that were planted Churches were planted and they had their Officers and Governours but then the Apostle ordeyned theise over them againe and this is manifest in that Titus had Charge over diverse Cityes Whilst therefore there is this evidence for their Office and whilst there is that evidence before noted that our Arch-Bishops succeede them in that Office and vvhilst the Church ever held a cessation of Apostles and the Apostle 1. Cor. 4 9 saith I thinke that God hath set fourth us the last Apostles c We have good reason not to suffer other offices to usurpe Authority over Arch-Bishops or any Arch-Bishopps to be subiugated unto any other Ecclesiasticall Ministration But if we permit the continuance of those huge extents whereof we read then as necessarily many Arch-Bishopdomes yea Patriarchdomes must be comprised therein so the Bishop of that Seate must be advanced over and exercise a Ministration ovet Arch-Bishopps yea over Patriarchs which thinge what is it but both an evertion of the Politie ecclesiasticall which God by his Ordinance Apostles taken away sent the church withall under the Wings of Kinges and Princes and also a bringinge in Superiorityes Throanes and Powers never ordeyned by the Lord As therefore experience hath showen that when an Arch-Bishoprick hath necessarily bene divided then tvvo Arch-Bishops are placed therein without subiugating the one under the other so those antient extents of bounds ought with the increase of the Convertion of people to have bene divided into many Arch-Bishopdomes and this without subiugatinge every of them to the Arch-Bishopp of some one city who by this meanes as he is to take a New Title so also he entereth into a new Ministration never ordeyned by the Lord. If any say hath not every Snccessor right to retayne the bownds of his predecessors jurisdiction I answere yes where there is no prejudice thereby to the Church and to the Ordinances of God but when retayninge the same he must necessarily Rule over them whom God by his Ordinance set next unto Apostles he then subverts the Ordinance of God so longe as he cannot make himselfe an Apostle Neither cann any ones succeedinge in the Seate of an Apostle conferr upon him an Apostles Dignity and Office for this were to make such a one an Apostle but we have good cause to aske of such a one the signes of his Apostleship 2. Cor. 12 12. I conclude therefore that those extents of Iurisdiction which carry with them a bringinge into the Church Powers and Ministrations above that of Arch-Bishops are unlawfull as bringinge into the Church strange Ministrations which have no manner warrant from Gods Worde in Scripture but rather are contrary to the Politie which there God manifesteth to his Church And indeede because of the huge extent of the Pope of Romes jurisdiction we fynde that above Arch Bishopps are Patriarchs as also Cardinalls as now Cardinalls are Popes Legats and a rabble of other who all serve rather as Ministers of this Corruption of Ecclesiastical Politie warranted by God then of the church of the Ghospell For how many are the Officers which the Pope of Rome needeth for to serve him only in the executiō of so large a jurisdictiō as now he exerciseth even so proportionably is it with every Patriarch yea with every Arch-Bisshop when he hath a Iurisdiction so farr extended fourth as that neither he can personally visit conveniently the parts of his Charge nor they of his Charge cann conveniently make Accusatiōs unto him if the Parishional or Episcopal Goverments faile in executiō of Iustice But now seinge God hath given so blessed Testimony to the Reforminge of things by his worde in Scripture why should not such Offices be cut off as superfluous and justly Offensive which exercise any Authority over the arch-Arch-Bishops of the Christian church Should we not thinke that the Lord expects a Reformation even herein aswell as in Doctryne Should not his vvords direction be of power with us aswell in Reforminge errors of Iurisdictions or Powers Offices as in reforminge of Doctrynes Therefore if the Scripture shew that the Offices of Timothy Titus was the highest ordinary Office in the Church after Apostles ceased as beinge in the life tyme of the Apostles next to the Apostles and if there be good evidence that those had under them at the most but Bishopps of Cityes then why should not Arch-Bishopps be acknowledged as Succeeders into their Office and consequently to be the highest ecclesiasticall Officer which God sent the Church with amonge the Nations after his taking away of Apostles If it be said that those who succeeded into the Seates of Timothy or Titus and others like them are Patriarchs not Arch-Bishopps then I demande what Manner Bishops cann any prove that either Timothy or Titus or the next Successors ruled over whither were they Arch-Bishos or onely Bishopps of Cityes Surely the greatest evidence of purest and most antient Tradition is that those of those Seates were first accoumpted but Arch-Bishops and though they seemed to have Charge of a greate circuit of grownde yet where any Arch-Bishop was ordeyned I fynde not any good evidence that they exercised Authority over them also as now Patriarchs doe over them and the Pope over Patriarches As for the extendinge out of Care or seeminge-Charge of the Churches in greate extent we fynde in antient tyme not

appointed for a Soule-food cann the Soules of Men be fed with Monthly Sermons but your Majestie is not ignorant that in country-Parishes such is the backwardness of people to understande and conceave the Mysteries of religion necessary to Silvation such also not the rudeness onely but the wickedness of disposition concerninge Manners that it must be no smale labour to instruct them in the one and to Reforme them by Religion in the other Teachinge is not barely the leavinge a Sermon with a company of people but it is the fittinge the vvorde to the present Necessityes of the hearers therefore also he that will be a good Pastor or Teacher must have his eyes and cares abroade amonge his Parishioners to observe what they are ignorant in what erronious opinions any fall into and what their life and conversation usually is and whither in their familyes they use or neglect religious dutyes for who so doth not this as he cannot well knowe the Necessityes of his Parishioners so also he knowes not to fit the vvorde to the occasions But because cither the antient may be ignorant in some points of Religion very necessary to their Salvation or because the ignorant youth growes dayly in each Parrish or because they vvhich knowe religious Mysteries neede incouragement and confirmation in them or because Satans temptations and the corruption of Manners is never idle but dally assaults the people to drawe them either to neglect the worde or not to obey and observe it in their life and conversation therfore there is necessity of Preachinge the vvorde once at the least every Sabbaoth and Monthly Sermons suffise not That kynde of Preachinge vvhich takes a text at random and onely in largeth a discours as it gives occasion is but a kinde of generall Preachinge vvhich may fit all places but Pastorall Teachinge needeth a respect to the occasions of the Parrish Vaine vvere phisick if it rested onely with a generall declaration what is good for such and such diseases and did not moreover descend to perticuler diseased Persons to be applied as the Necessityes require even so is it also vvith Divinity Who vvould coumpt him a good Shepheard who though he knowes and cann declare all diseases all remedies pertayninge to Sheepe yet applies not each remedy as any diseased Sheeps gives occasion It is therefore a defective Teachinge where either the Pastor is ignorant of the spirituall diseases of his people or knowinge them yet fits not the vvorde of God unto them or havinge onely done that leaves to second the Preachinge with the Power and Discipline of Rule and Goverment Alas how smale effects of the vvorde preached fynde we vvhere the Pastor havinge Taught his people hath no Power nor Authority further to judge and punish the disobedient And indeede what other fruict or success cann we expect while we sever that which God joyned togeather for he joyned ecclesiasticall Power of ludgement and Punishment with the ministration of the worde Let us but looke into severall Parishes where ludgement Punishment doe not accompany the worde preached but the Pastor rests vvith his leavinge a Sermon onely and the people are left for matter of Goverment or Rule to the Bishops Courte and there let us observe if the people be not so careless of the vvorde once hearde that they care not of all the vvecke after either to thinke any more of it or to reforme themselvs in any one thinge by it Hence partly it is that where there is every Sabbaoth day Teachinge yet the People remaine as unchristianly in their conversation as if they never heard the word of God at all though indeede in some few places the earnest zeale of the Preacher prevailes over the people to take the more heede the more conscionably to observe the things Preached but yet even there it is evident what a defect there is of Rule to accompany the Preachinge Neither let us thinke that the Churches Rule and Discipline should not streatch unto the very conversation or speach of Men seinge the Ghospell rests not with actions onely but streatcheth its seife unto Mens Speaches also therefore vve reade Ephes 4 29 Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouths and verse 31 Let all evell speakinge be put avvay from you And chap. 5 3 All uncleaness let it not be once named among you neither filthiness neither foolish talking neither jestinge which are thinges not comely Theise and many the like precepts the Ghospell gives to Men even concerninge Speach neither are theise to be accoumpted as bare Counsailes but rather as Commandements which the Discipline of the Church should correct in the disobedient True it is that the Ghospell streatcheth also to the affections yea to the very thoughts of Men when yet the Churches Discipline cannot streatch to such things also but yet because Discipline is ordeyned for things that come fourth of Men therefore it ought to second aswel the Precepts concerninge Speach as the precepts concerning Actions of Drunkenness Fornication Adultery Theft or Idolatry Though the Lawes of Kingedomes therefore streatch not to filthy speakinge to punish it vvhere it is usuall yet the Churches Discipline ought to streatch even to it Wherfore Dread Soveraigne I now humbly pray that such Teachers may be appointed Pastors of our Parrish churches as who not onely reprove corrupt Communication by preachinge but also Rulinge according to the Doctryne Preached doe take notice of unchristian Communication in their Parishioners joyninge vvith the Rulinge Elders of the Parrish both in callinge such to Accoumpt and in judginge the same and punishinge such as continue still in that disobedience not with standinge any exhortation or warninge given This is truly to feede the flock this is truly to Teach therefore if your Princes by commission from you doe in their severall abidinges or dwellinges observe in the Cleargy the Neglect hereof and leave it not to the Bishop onely to call such Cleargy to accoumpt but doe themselvs the Bisshop not proceedinge after sufficient Notice against such Cleargy proceede against them executinge as your Ministers your Power in the reprovinge and punishinge of such then would the Cleargy of our Land be awed your people would surely be diligently and proffitably Taught Wherefore I petition your Majestie that the Care hereof be not left to our Bishops and Cleargy onely but that your Princes Iustices and other Magistrates may in places remote from your Princely presence have also authority to see to the Teachinge of the People and to the Cleargyes executing both concerninge Teachinge also Rule their true Dutyes Offices in every of our Parish Churches Thus havinge vvritten hereof also I humbly pray that I may proceede to vvrite of other things in another Chapter IV. CHAP. OF King Hezekiah we reade 2 Chron 29 27 That he commanded to offer the burnt Offerings upon the Altar And when the Offerings begann the songe of the Lord begann with the Trumpets the