Extra de off â—â—ed ord c. inter caete ra of God is knowne to be most necessarie for them because that as the bodie with materiall so the soule with spirituall foode is nourished for man liueth not by bread onelie but by euerie worde that proceedeth from the mouth of God Pag. 25 And that this and the former might be diligently executed to meete with the carelesnesse of Pastours in doing their duties there is a speciall ordinaunce made for the inquisition of the offenders herein as followeth DE PVBLICATIONE ARTICVLORVM c. Touching Iohan. Peccham de offic archi the publication to be made of such articles whereby a man forthwith doth incurre sentence of excommunication let the Archdeacons make diligent inquisition and as often as they shal find the Elders not to haue preached or published at the times appointed the morall instruction of the 14. Articles of faith the 10. commandements of the decalogue the 2. commandements of the gospel c. so often let them rebuke them and by chastisement and some canonicall punishment compel them to supplie that which rashly they haue omitted Hence may aptly and necessarily be inferred that he Competent knovvledge is a knovvledge to preach may be said to haue a competent knowledge that hath knowledge to preach otherwaies not preaching should not be punishable And to this ende tendeth that which is written before namely Exigit ars nostra catholica c. Our catholike religion requireth that in one Church be one perfect teacher in knowledge and doctrine And as the glose in the same place saith Absit ergo quod sic perfectus sit vt ad Glos ibi ver scientia lileram dicere possit illud Hier cap. 1. à à à . Domine Deus nescio loqui quia puer ego sum God forbid that he should be so perfect as that by rote he were able to say a a a Lord God beholde I can not speake because I am a Childe but this perfection ought to be such as the glose telleth you in the same place in these wordes Pag. 26 AD MAGISTRVM c. To a Maister or teacher Glos ibi ver abseue magistro pertaineth that which is written in the sixt of VVisedome I will bring wisedome into light and will not keepe backe the trueth And in the same booke the 7. chapiter As I my selfe learned vnfainedly so doe I make other men partakers of her and hide her riches from no man that that may be verified of him which is written in the 28. Iob. He searcheth the deapth of the floudes that iâ— the secrets of the Scriptures and the thing that is hid bringeth he to light And Rebuff affirmeth that Penîtus illiterati dicuntur qui nesciunt officium facere ad quod tâ—nentur They are saide to be altogither vnlearned which cannot performe the duetie whereto they are bound And the glosse vpon the lawe in the Gode saith that they be not Deanes which hasten to be called Deanes and be not Deanes when they do not the office of Deanes Her maiestie also by her iniunctions hath ratified and commaunded the same for as much saith she as in these latter daies manie haue beene made Priests being children and otherwise vtterly vnlearned so that they could reade Mattins or Masse the Ordinaries shall not admit anie such to anie care or spirituall function Wherefore in as much as by these ordinaunces it is euident that euerie Minister to whome cure of soules is committed ought not to erre or be ignorant in the word of God but ought alwaies to attend to reading to exhortation to preaching to doctrine to edification to be of power in word and deed to instruct to informe and to comfort to rebuke to reforme and to correct to expound the Articles of faith the tenne Commaundements and to teach other holie doctrines concerning the loue of God and the loue of our neighbours to be able to make others partakers of the riches of wisedome and to bring wisedome into light and not to kecpe backe the truth In as much as I say as by the lawes of our gouernement the Ministers of the Gospell ought to be indued with such qualities and beautified with such graces Let euerie one cease to maintaine anie competencie or conueniencie of learning to be in our dumb and vnpreaching ministers For let them reade and reade till their lippes be tired and their eies blinded they shall notwithstanding by their bare reading ordinarily be no instruments of the holie Ghost to worke faith in the hearers Pag. 27 Nay they robbe the holie Ghost of his proper honour and office whereby he inspireth the preachers of the Gospell with the spirite of wisedome in good measure and proportion to breake vnto the hearers meete and conuenient foode for their soules For howe shall they call on him in whome they haue not beleeued And howe shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard And howe shall they heare without a Preacher And how shall they preach except they be sent As it is written how beautifull vppon the mountaines are the feete of him that declareth and publisheth peace That declareth good tidings and publisheth saluation saying vnto Sion thy God raigneth And as touching the Idoll Ministers themselues Besides those reasons there remaine manie other verie necessarie for them diligently to looke into that so vnderstanding their owne desperate estate they may more willingly and duetifully yeelde them selues to be reformed and to shake off those ragges vnder which they nowe shower them selues They are diligently to hearken vnto the Canon of Gregorie against them Si quis neque sanctis 1. q. 1 c. Si quineque pollens moribus c. If anie neither adorned with holie manners neither called by the Cleargie and people or constrained by compulsion through loue of his owne heart or filthie intreatie of his lippes or for fellowshippe or seruilitie or fraudulent rewarde and not for gaine of soules but puffed vp with desire of vaine-glorie shall take any Bishoply or Priestly dignitie vppon him and shall not euen of his owne accord leaue the same agains in his life time but suffer sodaine death to take him vnrepentant without all doubt he shall perish for euer Pag. 28 Secondly Ordo non solùm Glos in constitu Otho de seruti in ordin ver ad gratia suscipientis sedetiam aliorum confertur An order is not conferred for his sake onelie that taketh it but also for other mens sakes A Minister is not called to minister to himselfe but to others to labour for himselfe but for others to be serued himselfe but to serue others And the Lorde came not to be fedde but to feede others Thirdly Periculosum est ipsi ordinato quia tanquam mercenarius se ingerit non vt pastor It is daungerous to him that is ordained because he rusheth in as an hireling not as a sheepherd Fourthly Periculosum est subditis quibus sacramenta
thus Pag. 18 1 Whosoeuer taketh vpon him the office of a teacher amongst the people of God ought alwaies to attend to reading to exhortation and to dwel in the same Pag. 18 2 But the Minister taketh vppon him the office of teaching amongst the people of God 3 Therefore he ought to attend to reading to exhortation and to dwell in the same 1 He that taketh vpon him the office of a teacher amongest the people of God ought to bestow his labour in preaching and in doctrine 2 But a Minister hath taken vpon him the office of a teacher 3 Therefore he ought to bestow his labour in preaching and in doctrine Wherevnto agree diuers other decrees following THe reason why a Prior shoulde haue knowledge and be learned is for that the lawe chargeth him with cure of soules PRIOR AVTEM c. Let the Prior in comparison of the Ex de statut Monacho c. cum ad Moenasterium § prior rest next after the Abbot be a man of power as well in deede as in worde that by his example of life and worde of doctrine he may instruct his brethren in that which is good and draw them from euil hauing zeale of religion according vnto knowledge both to correct and chastise offendours and also to comfort and cherish the obedient Out of which constitution I conclude thus à similibus ad similia From like vnto like 1 Whosoeuer cherisheth and comforteth the obedieÌ„t to the faith and correcteth or improoueth the disobedient must be mightie in word and deede 2 But euerie Minister ought to cherish and comfort the obedient to the faith and to correct improoue the disobedient 3 Therfore euery Minister ought to be mightie in word deed Pag. 19 ANd therefore sithence both in this and in the former constitution the lawe-maker abused the worde of the Lord and applieth it to haue people taught false religion I meane Popish religion for that was the intent of the decrees And seeeing the Chaplaine of the diuell applieth the truth to establish his diuellish doctrine and vnder colour of veritie were so carefull to feede the soules of them that beare his markes with errour superstition and false religion Popish religion Seing I saie the superstitious law maker was so carefull for his superstitious time Our chiefe Prelates who haue not yet abandoned the pollicie of this traiterous law-maker as perillous for the gouernement of the state of the Lordes houshold ouer whom they challenge the gouernement but with tooth naile maintaine this his pollicie to be a pollicie meete for the Lords seruaunts to be guided by what can they ansâ—ere in defence of their wilfull disloyaltie to the Lord in this behalfe The lawe which the enimie vnto the Lord did make in the time of Popery for maintenaunce of popish procurations popish dispensations popish ceremonies popish non residents popish excommunications popish visitations popish paiments of oblations popish courts of faculties popish licences the very same laws and the selfe-same ordinances to serue their owne turnes they turne to the maintenaunce of their prelacies dignities and ministeries vnder the Gospell A reason of these their doings if they were demaunded I coniecture would be this namely that a law appointed by the aduersarie to abuses hauing good grounds may be applied to good vses and that it is not executed now any more as the popish law but as the law appertaining to her Highnesse crowne and regall dignitie being established by the high court of Parlement Pag. 20 Wherein touching the former they saide somewhat if the matter did consist inter pares and not the most highest as it were accusing him that he had not dealt faithfully in his fathers houshold giuing them as perfect a law for the gouernment of his houshold by discipline as by doctrine And yet by their leaues why then should not this law of the enimie last specified nay rather now their owne law hauing better grounds and better reasons for the validity thereof than the lawes mentioned before concerning their prelaties and dignities c. Why I say should not this be as auaileable with them now to exhort the people vnto the truth as it was with the idolaters to exhort vnto lies to dehort now from popery as it was then from the Gospell to instruct men now in the true knowledge of Christ as it was then to teach men the knowledge of Antichrist to correct offendours now against pietie and holie religion as it was then to correct contemners of impietie and prophane religion to comfort and cherish the obedient now to the faith as it was then to comfort and cherish the disobedient to infidelitie and Paganisme Touching the Acts of Parlament sithence they chalenge by them immunitie for the confirmation of their abuses it were requisite for them to giue the seruaunts of the Lorde leaue a little to chalenge as great a priuiledge by the same for the stabishment of the right vse of things through their default yet amisse and out of frame with vs. If the cause of the former in truth and veritie be as good as the cause of the latter in shew and semblance onely yea if it be far better for theirs in truth is starke naught the law authorize for the one indeed that that the same law in appearance onlie approueth for the other If for their fellow seruants sakes they will not be more fauorable vnto their Lord maisters cause yet were it expedient for theÌ„ to be intreated to be more fauorable to the iustice equitie of their owne laws than continually by placing vnable men in the ministery thereby as it were accusing the same of imperfection and insufficiencie Pag. 21 as though it tollerated anie such thing when as in truth it doth nothing lesse euermore speaking as followeth Pag. 22 VERVM QVI. A c. But because after Baptisme amongest Extra Cum de priuilegiis c. mtcr cuÌ„ctas § verum quia other things the propounding of the worde of God is most necessarie vnto saluation whereby the hearers hearing that which is our victorie be instructed in the faith be taught to flee things to be auoided and to followe things to be followed by which such as by sin are fallen do rise againe wee haue great care that such brethren be promoted which by sweete oile of the worde may comfort our subiectes may forbid them sinnes may nippe the wounds of their sins by reprehension and may prouoke and induce them to purge and wipe their offences with bitternes of repeÌ„tance Vnto the execution whereof the knowledge of the lawe of God is required the integritie of life and soule is to be had For it is written Thou hast refused knowledge and I will refuse thee that thou be no Priest vnto me because the lips of the Priests keepe knowledge and they search the law at his mouth For otherwise he can not as his duetie is discerne betweene sinne and sinne c. All which decrees of
openly thorough euery Pag 3. 51. house witnessing both to the Iewes and Greekes the repentance that is towards God and the faith which is toward our Lord Iesus And now behold I goe bound in the spirite vnto Ierusalem not knowing the things that shall come to me there but that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery citie saying that bonds and trouble abide me but none of these things moue me neither is my life deare vnto my selfe that I might fulfill my course with ioy and the ministration of the word which I haue receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the Grace of God And now behold I am sure that henceforth you all thorough whome I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men For I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you all the counsell of God Take heede therefore to your selues and to all the flocke among whome the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his blond c. Or else the third chapiter of the first Epistle to Timothie THis is a true saying If any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth an honest worke A Bishop therefore must be blameles the husband of one wife diligent sober discreete a keeper of hospitalitie apt to teach not giuen to ouermuch wine no fighter not greedy of filthy lucre but curteous gentle abhorring fighting abhorring couetousnesse Pag. 5â— one that ruleth well his owne house one that hath children in subiection with all reuerence For if a man cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Congregation of God He may not be a young scholler least he swell and fall into the iudgement of the euill speaker He must also haue a good report of them which are without least he fall into rebuke and snare of the euill speaker After this shall be read for the Gospell a peece of the last chapter of Matthewe THen Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Goe ye therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you And loe I am with you alway euen vnto the end of the world The praier vsed by the Bishop in the ordering of Ministers Pag. 56 ALmightie God giuer of all good things which by the holie spirite hast appointed diuers orders of Ministers in the Church Fol. 11. pag â— mercifully beholde these thy seruauntes nowe called to the office of Priesthoode and replenished them so with the trueth of thy doctrine and innocencie of life that both by worde and good example they may faithfully serue thee in this office to the glorie of thy name and profite of the congregation through the merits of our sauiour Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth with thee and the holie ghost world without end Amen These praiers and places of Scripture appointed by the whole consent of the realme to be made and read at the time of making Deacons and Ministers most strongly prooue that their intent and purpose was to haue such men placed in the office of Deacons and Ministers as whom the holy Scriptures hath commaunded should be placed and as they praie might be placed But suppose that they being not so faithfull to the Lorde as were expedient for them account not the Lordes waies to be the best waies his councels not to be the wisest counsels to interprete the meaning of the statute because they are such waies as wherein the Lordes seruants applie them selues precisely to walke and therefore ignominiously are termed Precisians Suppose this I saie yea and suppose that they haue preferred their owne inuentions and set the consultations of the grauest Senatours and wisest Counsellours and chiefest Rulers of the land behinde their backes yet if reason might haue ruled them and their will might haue beene no lawe there was and is an other manner of calling of triall of examination other qualities an other face of the Church an other Latine tongue by other positiue lawes required which as partly by sequel of their proceedings and partly by their owne records appeareth was neuer or very seldome vsed by any of them The manner of calling ought to haue beene thus QVANDO EPISCOPVS c. When the Bishoppe The 〈◊〉 of calling is disposed to make an ordination all they which wil come to the holy ministerie the fourth daie before the ordination are to be called to the Citie togither wivh the Elders which ought to present them And this kinde of calling is a solemne publishing the Bishops purposes either by some processe openly fixed vpon the doores of the Cathedrall Church or proclaimed Voce Praeconis by the voice of an Apparatour to make the Bishops intent knowneâ— Pag. 54 that happily such a day he wil make Deacons or Ministers and therefore citeth such to be present as wil offer themselues meete men for that seruice Which manner of calling is briefly also commaunded by order and forme of the booke of ordaining Ministers First when the day appointed â—ol 2 p. 2. 27. Article by the Bishop is come c. And in the Articles of religion the selfe same is expressed It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him the office of publike preaching or ministring the Sacraments In the title Articles for certaine orders in ecclesiasticall pollicie The manner of triall in the congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same In the Aduertisements likewise you haue these wordes First against the day of giuing orders appointed the Bishop shall giue open monitions to all men to except against such as they know not to be worthie either for life or conuersation The manner of triall followeth and ought to be after this sort Pag. 55 ET TVNC EPISCOPVS c. And then the Bishoppe ought to choose him Ministers and other men skilfull of the law of God exercised in Ecclesiasticall functions who first of all ought diligently to enquire out the life of them that are to be ordained their kinred their Countrie their age their bringing vp the place where they were borne whether they be learned whether instructed in the law of God whether they firmely holde the Catholike faith and in plaine words can vtter the same and they to whom this charge is committed ought to take heede that they doe not for fauour or for desire of reward decline from the truth to present anie to the handes of the Bishop either vnworthily or not meete to take holie orders And therefore let them continually three daies togither be examined and so on the sabboth in the which they are approoued let them be presented vnto the Bishop Out of the constitutions of
such like Canons I say any whit impeach the truth of my former assertions First for that these latter Canons are directly opposite and contrarie to the ordidinance of almightie God And the Apostles saith the holie Scripture Act. 6. calling the multitude of the disciples togither said vnto them choose therefore brethren out from among you seauen men of good reporte c. whom we may appoint to this businesse and this speech pleased the whole multitude then present and they choose seauen c. Which ordinaunce of the Apostles whosoeuer shall thinke that the same may receiue a counterbuffe by an Angel comming from heauen much lesse by a Pope comming from the bottomlesse pit for my part I hold him accursed and so vtterly vnworthy the name of a Disciple Secondly the said Canons of Adrian plainely and in flat termes are derogatorie to her Maiesties prerogatiue royall and therefore by the statute of 25. Henrie the eight vtterly abolished Thirdly they are against the customes and statutes of the realme For by all the customes of the realme where any Maior Bayliffe Sheriffe or head officer of anie Borough towne or anie incorporation is to be elected or where any Knight of the shire any Burgesse any Constable any Crowner any Vergerer within any forâ—est and such like are chosen the same officers are alwaies chosen by the greatest part of such mens voices as haue interest in the action Pag. 62 And as touching the statutes of the realme it is likewise euident that they confirming the booke of King Edward the sixth and the Canons not preiudiciall to her Highnesse prerogatiue royall giue vnto the Prince nobilitie gentrie and other faithfull of the land an interest in choice and allowance of their pastours And who can be so void of reason or vnderstanding as to imagine that men renued with the spirit of wisedome in the gospell of Christ should be careful and diligent in the choice of discreet and wise men to be dealers for them in matters pertaining to this transitorie life and yet should be remisse and negligent what guides they approue of to conduct them in the waies of eternall life Or that they should be lesse prouident ouer their spirits and soules than ouer their bobodies and goodes Euery man whether he be in the ministerie or out of the ministerie contrarie to the blind popish distinction of Laitie and spiritualtie if he be a true beleeuer is the seruant of Christ and hath the spirit of Christ and in the choice of his pastour shall haue a spirit giuen vnto him to discerne whether the same be a man apt to teach or no. The confusion therfore so greatly feared by Popish idolatours is not once to be suspected amongest Christians They had cause to feare and be affrighted hauing put away faith and a good conscience But we haue boldnes with confidence to approch vnto our God who is able and will assuredly stay the rage of the people and finish our actions with a quiet and peaceable issue And thus much of the face of the church of the choice and consent of the people and Cleargie to be had in the ordering of Ministers Touching the Latine tongue required to be in euery Minister as the lawes haue alwaies had respect to a competent and sufcient knowledge therein so the Act of Parlement made the 13. Elizab chap. 12. hath fully and at large expounded the same and limited the knowledge thereof in these words Pag. 63 None shall be made a Minister vnlesse he be able to aunswere and render to the Ordinarie an account of his faith in Latine according to the said Articles And if any shall be ordained contrary to any prouision of that Act then is he no Minister at all And thus as briefly as I could I haue examined these words mentioned in the booke videlicet calling tried examined knowne qualities the face of the Church and the Latine tongue what meaning and signification by lawes in force the same wordes haue And also what order and forme our Bishops ought by Law positiue to haue vsed in making Deacons and Ministers and what credite and fidelitie her Highnesse and the whole bodie of our Church and common weale haue reposed in them for an orderly vpright and sincere disposition of these things Vnto which trust howe aunswerable their seruice and gouernement hath beene I doubt not but vppon their examinations they will approoue the same to haue beene faithfull iust and equall But by waie of supposition if any shall denie their fidelities to haue beene such as is pretended what remedie then or what is to be done then Heerevnto I aunswere since the perill happening vnto others through their negligences in time past is vnrecouerable that therefore the Lawe established against such excesses would be executed in time to come the punishment of one is a terrour to many and by feare of punishment a man is made good The summe and effect of which Lawe confirmed by Act of Parlement is this videlicet Tam indignè promouens quà m indignè promotus est deijciendus As well the man vnworthily promoting as the man vnworthily promoted is to be deposed Proofs and examples whereof are these In the chapter NIHIL EST EX DE PRAEBEND Order was taken as you haue seene before that not onelie men vnworthie should not be admitted to regiment of soules but it is also in that place prouided in case any thing shall be otherwise vnaduisedly attempted Pag. 64 that then not only the man vnworthily promoted but also the vnworthie promotour should be punished And againe it is Ex de aetate qualit c. penult decreed thus If they shall hencefoorth presume to ordaine any that are vnskilfull and ignorant which may easily be espied we decree that both the ordainours and the ordained be subiect to grieuous So. dist c ex penitentibus 51 dist c. aliquantos 1. q. 1. c. Si qui episc punishment Againe Qui ex certa scientia indignum ordinat aut deponitur aut priuatur potestate ordinandi He that wittingly ordaineth an vnworthie man is either to be deposed or depriued from power to ordaine Againe Si qui Episcopi c. If anie Bishoppe haue consecrated anie such Priest as ought not to be consecrated although in some sorte they escape infamie yet they shall not thencefoorth haue ordinations neither shall they euer be present at that Sacrament which they vnworthâ—ly haue administred Upon which decree and the word Ordinations the glose flatly concludeth Quod semper est veritas quod qui promouet indignum depositionem meretur That the truth euermore is this videlicet that whosoeuer promoteth an vnworthie man deserueth to be deposed Quia culpareus c. Because hee is culpable committing an order Glos in const Otho de scrâ—â— in ord faciâ—n c. 1. ver ab charge or office to such an vnworthie person And because hee is vnfaithfull communicating his ministerie vnto an vnworthie man to the hurt
seemeth to mee that the principall scope of the authour of this booke was couertlie to bring the gouernours and gouernement ecclesiasticall of this church of England into contempt hatred and obloquie speciallie with preiudicate and vnwarie readers of it as though the said gouernours were either grossely ignorant or wilfull breakers of lawes canons c in force touched in this booke yet in other points readie enough to put in vre other Canons Constitutions and Synodals prouinciall of like nature which serue better for their purpose If this were not his drift and marke wherat he aimed he would not haue set the article of A learned ministerie by lawe commanded in the vaward and therein haue spent almost halfe his booke whereby belike hée thought simple or affectionate readers would easilie be led to imagine that the chéefe gouernors in our church matters doo hold some opinion to the contrarie thereof tending to the vpholding of ignorance in ministers Wherin let the wise consider what iniurie indignitie vnder hand he hath offered to this church to faine that to be holden mainteined A slanderous insinuation which is not and by ioining héerin with the common enimies the papists and strengthening their hands who also in their seditious bookes doo harpe much vpon the ignorance and dissolutenesse of our clergie And yet howsoeuer some Bishops peraduenture inconsideratelie héeretofore haue laid their hands vpon some verie ignorant ministers which thing neither other godlie men in them nor they in themselues doo afterward like well of his owne conscience I dare saie dooth witnesse vnto him that this church and the godlie gouernors therein doo disallowe an ignorant ministerie doo with all their harts wish it were possible Rebus sic stantibus that euerie parish had a sufficient able preacher And therefore his thicke allegations of canon law as to this purpose are Pag. 239. as he speaketh of the said law else-where Needles bootlesse and footlesse too brought in to no purpose but to puffe vp and to make his booke swell and withall to giue him a plaine song or ground to make his scolding faburden vpon But séeing throughout his discourse vpon the said first article he exacteth of euerie minister more than Mediocrem competentem scientiam immò eminentem and as Pag. 16. it seemeth such as S. Paule propoundeth to euerie minister as a perfect Idaea what is requisite in him which is that he be able to teach sound doctrine to comfort to correct 2. Tim. 3 16. and instruct and to reuince any error and thinketh Grammarians and Poets Philosophers and Rhetoricians though they haue spent many yéeres in the vniuersities Pag. 72. not fit straight-waies to be made Physicians of soules insinuating withall héereby that the Bishops that haue ordered or tollerated any not so perfectlie qualified to haue neglected their dutie c In these respects I saie it had béene more conuenient for him to haue tendered another issue vpon some points in practise of our church rather than thus to haue fought with his own shadowe Et in re minimè dubia testibus vti non necessarijs in séeking to prooue that which no man denieth to be most requisite if it could be brought to passe For the issue ought to haue beene to this or like effect Whether it be simplie vnlawfull that one should be admitted to minister the sacraments which is not sufficientlie enabled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rom. 15 4. 2. Tim. 3 16. 1. Tim. 3 26. Titus 1 9. that is to deuide the word of GOD aright and is also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 able to teach the truth and conuince error and to correct sinne and instruct to vertue and good life and to comfort the weake Or else whether it be expedient that all the parishes in England either not able to susteine such a learned minister or for the scarsitie of such so well qualified not able to procure one should be destitute of publike praier and administration of sacraments till such a preacher be procured vnto them or no But séeing it was not for his aduantage to speake to purpose being an easie matter to carrie away the prise where no man striueth it were a sufficient answer to all his first article to yeeld that there ought to be established as néere as possiblie may be a learned ministerie euerie where in the church Yet will it not be amisse a little to looke into his clerkelie proofes héereof and by the way to point at the violent and furious affections wherevnto the sharpenesse of his humour against particulars dooth lead him and also to touch diuers other absurd positions and paradoxes vpon occasion of this treatise by him héere and there interlarded 1. Section Pag. 3 4. AN auncient Father saith that the friends of Iob did handle an euill cause well and cunninglie but Iob hauing a good cause did handle it but slenderly In like maner it fareth with this authour in this section and some other parts of this first article so that except I saw where matter wanteth that he furnisheth out his talke with bitter and earnest words a man would iudge that he dooth but Praeuaricari as the ciuill law calleth it when a man séeming seriouslie to deale against a cause omitteth purposelie what to best purpose might be said and plaieth bootie to betraie the goodnesse of the cause For where he should prooue that the canons doo require such learning in him that is to be made a minister as hée painteth out in diuers parts of this treatise in stead hereof he chooseth to set in the first ranke out of the Decretall De electione the chapter Nihilest in déed to no purpose For the said chapter as he himselfe well perceiued and therefore by preoccupation sought to answer Sed quà m foeliciter perteineth A law wrested onlie to dignities electiue whose elections to the said dignities are to be confirmed by their superiors whether by Bishops Abbats Prouincials of their order or other whosoeuer Now such so to be elected are for the most part before their elections in some clericall orders * Gl. in c. officij tui ver incontin Ext. de electione electi potestate or else there were no colour at all according to later canons for the superior to confirme them the election of their person being otherwise to all intents méerelie void But he saith that What election and confirmation is to superior functions that is presentation and institution for enioieng of inferior benefices Wherein he disputeth not Ad idem for he knoweth that one who is a minister alreadie and of competent gifts to answer in Latine to the articles of religion agréed vpon c can not in this Realme vpon presentation be hindered from institution by the Bishop but he may recouer the benefice by Quare impedit at the common law and therefore this canon can not be in force or be extended to punish the Bishop for instituting such a
all their forces are but wast wind and papershot The first reason he vseth for proofe that The administration of sacraments and execution of their offices hitherto is rightlie doone by such as he iudgeth to be no ministers is taken from the vncerteintie of their lawfulnesse and quoted verie strangelie Cod. de test li. 1. which would require a longer time to seeke it out where it cannot be found than I may affoord him Yet I thinke he ment L. 1. C. de testamentis which decideth in another cause something to the like purpose that It is not to be discussed whether the witnesses were bond or free which in opinion of all men were holden as freemen at that time when the testament was consigned and such as against whome none to that daie had mooued any controuersie of their condition So that the reason of the decision of this law is not the vncerteintie of their state which could not be called vncerteine being not so much as doubted of but the generall error which is his second reason in this behalfe And where â—e saith I know not vpon what warrant Contrarietie That the thing which is vncerteine is as though it were not at all he ouerthroweth his owne purpose in this place for if such ministers State before controuersie therof mooued were vncerteine then are they hereby euen at that time to be reputed as no ministers at all In the first place brought for proofe that a generall error maketh lawe and that therfore the generall error conceiued hitherto of such ministers lawfulnesse shall vphold all publike functions of the ministerie by them till this time performed no direct mention of any common error is made but that the award of a compromittée shall stand which is giuen by a bondman in truth yet being in possession of his fréedome His second place is false quoted Ad Maced in stead of De S. C. Macedoniano In his third place both in his originall and in his translation by following the corruption of the old text yeelding no perfect sense and contrarie to the credit of the Florentine or Pisane Pandects he taketh Propter Mistaking vsum imperatorum bicause of the vse of emperors in sted of Propter vsum imperitorum by reason it is so vsed by rude and ignorant His fourth place * L. 1. C. de lestamentis to this purpose which is the place he quoted wrong afore in this section is here left quotelesse Out of which places togither with the lawe Barbarius Philip. he concludes that in those seuerall cases so in the matters doone by these onelie pretended ministers the common error shall make them auaileable and to be reputed Rightlie and dulie doone where vpon I doo further aske as Barbarius Philip. though a bonduÌ„aue indeed being dulie chosen pretor in Rome was reputed a lust possessor of his office though he himselfe knew that he was of seruile condition and * L. quod attinet ff de reg luris therfore not capable Pag. 94 whether an vnskilfull minister for mallie ordeined though as our author heareth him in hand he himselfe full well doo knowe that he was vnworthie and therefore came in by guile and deceit may not in like sort be cleared from intrusion and be adiudged a iust possessioner by the said common error And if he may so why may he not continue still his said possession séeing he is no more In mala fide than he was in at the first by our authors supposall But he is afraid of another doubt least as the said Barbarius being once chosen pretor though the people who elected him knew not so much and therfore could not haue any such intention was by the verie operation of law thereby infranchised so our ministers though indéed vncapable yet by the ordination of the Bishop being a publike person trusted by the whole realme in this action should be likewise reputed in the eie of the law thereby inabled against anie incapacitie This knot he wrestleth with to vntie thus that as the award of an Vmpier reputed generallie a fréeman shall therfore be in force though he remaine a bondman as afore to his former maister and as the sonne being once commonlie reputed otherwise but afterward indéed detected to be vnder his fathers power and tuition cannot become a debtor vnto me vpon borrowing of monie which our author contrarie to law extendeth generallie to any contract and as bondmen vpon common reputation Ignorance in law for fréemen hauing profitablie béene vsed for witnesses being knowne as they are may be reiected from bearing witnesse euen so though Barbarius were Childish babling made frée by the people yet the maister was by lawe to haue the price of his seruant at their hands Which being thus anatomized we may well perceiue are so far from all consecution that they haue not so much as any similitude togither But what if the people must paie the price of the seruant may he not be frée as the law appointesh And may not any thing here notwithstanding the minister duelie ordeined for outward forme reteine in like maner his ministerie as Barbarius did his fréedome But I cannot coniecture either why he saith that Common error cannot take a waie priuate interest which no man affirmeth or how he can conclude with any colour vpon these vnlikelie comparisons That much lesse can common error of a few barre the whole church from a publike benefit due vnto them And I pray you if this be the error but Contrarietie Of a few in authoritie how can it be common and thereby vphold the functions of the ministerie executed by no ministers Pag. 89 Naie how can it be the error of the Bishops whom he meaneth when as he chargeth them to be In mala fide and to Knowe at the time of ordination that such cannot be qualified accordinglie as is required for the ministerie But to cut off all at once and to shew plainelie that if such as be no preachers or any other be indéed and truth no ministers at all as our author hath laboured to prooue then Common errour though in some cases it be a L. 1. ibi DD. C. de testamentis l. 2. C. de sentent ex pericrecitandis in l. Barbarius ff de officio Praetoris holden for truth and doo b 3. q. 7. §. tri ver verum make law yet in this point it shall not make good those pretended functions of the ministerie which erroniouslie such men haue executed and performed It is to be vnderstood that among manie exceptions and limitations of that rule this is one First if the partie vpon whome the common error runneth be not c Bart. in l. actuariorum C. de nummularijs li. 12. in l. de qui. ff de legibus Bald. in l. 2. C. de manumiss vind solemnelie and dulie elected to his place then dooth it make no lawe nor make the acts of force
hath told vs in his booke a Pag. 19. that Our cheefe prelats haue not yet abandoned the policie of the traitorous law-maker that it is perillous for the gouernement of the state of the Lords houshold and not meet for the Lords seruants to be guided by that they vse wilfull disloyaltie to the Lord that the procurations dispensations ceremonies non residence excommunications visitations paiments of oblations courts offaculties and licences are mainteined onelie by the popes lawes and are all popish b Pag. 19 20. that the applieng of that to good vses which hath beene abused dooth accuse the sonne of the most highest that he hath not dealt faithfullie in his fathers houshold by giuing them as perfect a law for the gouernement of his houshold by discipline as by doctrine c Pag. 20. that for their fellowe-seruants sakes they ought to be more fauourable to their Lord and maisters cause d Pag. 30. that they doo execrablie mocke and delude the Lord to his face e Pag. 35. that a Bishop and minister ought so to minister the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commaunded though the lawes of the realme should not haue receiued the same f Pag. 36. that no discipline in truth can be said to be the discipline of Christ vnlesse it be indeed ministred as the Lord Christ hach commanded the same should be ministred that g Pag. 36. it is vtterlie vntrue to say that our discipline vsed in the church of England is in verie deed the verie same discipline which the Lord Christ hath commanded h Pag. 37. that the saints of God and loyall subiects to hir Maiestie calling for discipline commanded by the Lord and in truth established by the lawes of hir Highnesse empire haue open wrong and intolerable iniurie offered at the cheefe prelats hands i Pag. 20. that the law dooth indeed for them authorise that which the same law in appearance onelie approoueth for the other k Pag. 53. that the chéefe prelats are not so faithfull to the Lord as were expedient for them that they accompt not the Lords waies to be the best waies his counsels not to be the wisest counsels to interpret the meaning of the statute bicause they are such waies as wherein the Lords seruants applie themselues preciselie to walke and therefore ignominiouslie are termed Praecisians l Pag. 62. that the statutes of the realme giue to all the faithfull of the land an interest in choise and allowance of their pastors m Pag. 74. that at the entrie of hir Maiesties reigne the whole maner of the gouernement of the synagog should haue beene altered n Pag. 74. that at that time their lawes were vnaduisedlie translated from them vnto vs o Pag. 91. that they which be called Puritanes make conscience not to offend God in any small thing p Pag. 91. that for their conscience sake they are thought worthie to be whipped and excommunicated q Pag. 263. that it is a matter worthie inquirie whether the pastor of euerie congregation be suffered to execute the discipline of Christ authorised by Act of parlement r Pag. 264. that those who haue spoken touching matters onelie of discipline and ceremonies wherevpon before Bishops they are sifted with othes haue spoken or preached out of the word of GOD the truth of God touching the same s Pag. 227. that the freends of reformation are greater freends and mainteiners of hir Highnesse prerogatiue than the other be t Pag. 231. that the enimies of reformation are enimies to hir Maiesties prerogatiue u Pag. 228. that they onelie execute such iurisdiction as by popish constitutions or popish customes hath beene heeretofore annexed vnto their dignities and that by an vtter enimie to hir royall person state and gouernement k Pag. 238. that the popish ecclesiasticall law ought to be abandoned and as a froth or filth to be spewed out of the common-weale * Pag. 238. that hir Maiestie can by no meanes more honour the Lord than vtterlie to abandon all semblance of any gouernment proceeding from an enimie and traitor to his Maiestie z Pag. 239. that for the gouernement of the church we haue the perfect and altogither righteous law of God to rule the same by Also * Pag. 95. by waie of supposall he séemeth to doubt that the Lord hath not yet gratiouslie opened hir Maiesties eies to vnderstand all and singular mysteries of his testament that blemishes and blots remaine that aduersaries to the people of God doo hire councellours to trouble their building and deuise all the daies of Cyrus that the walles are to be reedified by some Eliashib that the church must yet tarrie some leisure and that it may be some other glorious worke is to be doone in our daies by hir Highnesse with infinite such like saiengs procéeding from the said puddle of pride faction rancor and disloialtie Wherevpon we may gather besides his vnthankefulnesse to God and vndutifulnesse to hir Maiestie by whose ministerie God hath singularlie blessed vs besides his boiling malice against the state ecclesiasticall his factious gréedinesse of innouation and his schismaticall titles of glorie laid with a kind of peculiar prerogatiue vpon those who impugne lawes vnder colour of their wished reformation that he is persuaded and so would haue others to be both that diuerse points of their new church-plot are by lawes of this land established which yet are kept from them by strong hand and also that there is some perfect exact and set order of all externall policie concerning ceremonies and discipline in all church matters prescribed by the commandement of Christ which is not yet by law established as it ought to be and from which in the meane time this church of England wholie dooth varie That he thinketh they are debarred of some thing which they wish and ought by law to enioy it may appeare partlie by some of his spéeches aboue mentioned but more plainelie * Pag. 92. where he calleth for certeine Orders and lawes to be put in practise which the magistrats haue made that such as speake for them preach for them call for them and write for them may be no more controlled c and that they may either be mainteined as lawes or else he and others be deliuered from their duties in desiring their execution and obeieng them which they could hitherto neuer be brought to obeie or like of And * Pag. 105. likewise where in the verie end of his first treatise he praiseth certeine Lawes as wholsomelie prouided against wilfull law-breakers Which lawes by him ment if they be declared in particular I hope they haue bene sufficientlie spoken vnto alreadie But if any of them which he so commendeth be parts of the Canon law then he is to be praised for a man of a good nature which after his furie being ouerpast which belike hath Dilueida interualla will
trulie dooth answer that it is to be vnderstood to be indéed The generall lawe yet limited and restrained vpon diuerse occasions of Speciall priuilege euen by other parts of the same lawe as shall God willing be made manifest hereafter The other place in this section alledged is shamefullie by him falsified for he hath FalsificatioÌ„ put in more than anie booke that I can find speaketh of in that place all these words wherevpon his thrée syllogismes insuing are grounded to wit Both bicause it is a proper kind of merchandize and filthie gaine and also altogither contrarie to the custome of the church where in trueth that * c. per laico◠〈◊〉 fine 16. q. â—â—biglâ—in â—â—â—r Duas canon saith nothing else but this Let no priest haue two churches Which the glosse for auoiding of contrarietie with other lawes dooth thus interpret that is Not two churches with title except they be poore churches as is to be found c. eam te Ext. de aetat qualit aud c. vnio 10. q. e. Neuerthelesse the truth is that these things may be verified of such men as wholie contrarie to the canons doo vsurpe mo benefices then they are dispensed with by law to receiue And therefore the like words are vsed in another * c. 1. 21. q. 1. in fine canon yet not simplie as our author without any simple meaning or plaine dealing hath alledged but with distinction that it is meant That none shall hold by waie of title two benefices in two seuerall cities or in that citie where the seauenth councell was assembled though in villages abroad by reason * c. priscis 56. dist of scarsitie of such men it be permitted bicause it was then intended that in cities all things necessarie being more plentifull than in the countrie they might by one benefice be sufficientlie mainteined Therefore his thrée seuerall assumpts or Minor propositions wherein he assumeth without proofe that absolutely It is against the good custome of the church a proper kind of merchandize and filthie gaine and vncomelie in anie respect for one man to haue mo benefices are all to be denied as vntrue Yet I must put him in mind that the Maior of his last syllogisme is also vntrue bicause if he vnderstand In the church that is amongest christians as he must néeds doo or else taking it for the publike assemblie about the exercises of our religion he shall speake besides his purpose manie things are lawfull which are not expedient and therefore not comelie 5. Section Pag. 111 112. IF his store to this purpose were either so great or so good as he maketh boast of then was he greatlie ouerseene in his choise to cull out this constitution of the Legat Octobone in steed of all the rest For the words which he hath alledged as is euident to him which will peruse the former part of that * Const Othoboni de institut seu collationibus §. 1. constitution which yet our author of his owne absolute authoritie hath transformed and diuided into two chapters as though the one did not depend vpon the other are spoken against such as Are not able to take charge ouer themselues which doo not reside vpon their cures which are not in any sacred orders requisite to the reteining of such a benefice which doo not onelie vsurpe manie but infinite such benefices which though they would yet by no possibilitie are able to satisfie their charge which violentlie intrude themselues into such benefices which by subtile deuises colourable shifts doo seeke to reteine them lastlie which haue no dispensation therevnto obteined from the apostolike See as the canons in this behalfe doo prescribe Therefore it is no maruell those so manie blemishes or diuerse of them concurring that these blind leaders except they had bene as blind as mowles or béetles did perceiue such great inconueniences therein as that they could not but thus greeuoustie exclaime against them Which before it can be applied to our plurified men as this foolified phrasefiner termeth them he must first prooue that the cases of both are alike 6. Section Pag. 112 113. IT could neuer haue come to passe but that the Abstractor is Gnauiter impudens that he should obiect the same statute for the absolute prohibiting of the reteining of mo benefices which dooth alonelie establish all dispensations for Pluralists sauing for the Chaplens of some few qualified persons by other statutes afterward prouided for that be or can be put in practise in this church of England Wherein yet we may obserue euen in the very words by himselfe alleged though we go no further that the hauing of mo benefices is not so generallie prohibited but that in respect of the pouertie of the first benefice as being vnder eight pounds yearelie value agreeable partlie to the canons in this behalfe a man may without furder qualification or dispensation by that statute exacted reteine also a second of what value soeuer without auoiding himselfe from his first benefice And bicause our author hath here made a gallant shew of certeine generall lawes prohibiting though not simplie the reteining of mo benefices and is now readie prest to improue with all his might that which may be obiected to the contrarie touching such lawes as doo permit by dispensation to some persons and vpon some occasions the inioieng of mo than one it shall not be amisse breeflie to point out such lawes and canons besides those few which hitherto haue béene here and there aforetouched which doo directlie prooue that by dispensation it is lawfull to be possessed of mo benefices than one at once vpon some reasonable occasions It appeareth by a a c. de multa Extra execrabilis de prebendis whole Decretall set downe of purpose concerning pluralitie of benefices that dispensations may be granted for reteining of mo benefices by one man It is likewise in another place b c. ordinarij §. 1. §. caeterum de off ordinarij in 6 decreed that as those which can not shew foorth sufficient dispensation shall be deuested of those benefices Which in that respect they doo vniustlie hold so if they can shew a sufficient dispensation they shall not be molested for them bicause they doo hold them canonicallie Manie examples herof might be alledged here and there dispersed as c c. cum Capell Extr. de priuileg where certeine praebendaries are mentioned to haue claimed an exemption in the parish churches which they inioyed bicause the place whereof they were praebendaries was exempted And d c. relatum 2. § fin Extr. de testam againe where it is decided concerning the distribution of his goods which had diuerse benefices Another example herof may be taken out of Concilium e c. vnum §. pont 2â— q. 1. Agathense where it is decreed that An abbat may haue two monasteries and both of them as in title but by speciall priuilege and not of common right And it is decréed
from another Secondlie in that he couertlie intendeth quantities rates and proportions of seuerall liuings to haue beene by God established bicause he ordeined that his ministers should haue maintenance albeit there be great difference betwixt liuing and quantitie of liuing for Rebuff Whence he borrowed it applieth not the place of S. Paule as he dooth but to prooue that the benefit is giuen for the dutie But if he meant not to implie thus much then hath he the lesse colour a great deale against pluralities for he that dooth prouide two seuerall benefices for them where one is not sufficient dooth more fullie satisfie the ordinance of God to make them thus more able To liue of the gospell Yea and that it was his meaning to prooue that liuings for ministers were distinguished by God though he deliuer it but fearefullie and inconstantlie as commonlie such doo which openlie auouch an vntruth knowne euen to their owne conscience these his * Pag. 121. words doo make it manifest Manie liuings saith he appointed by the Lord himselfe for manie pastors ouer manie congregations should not be taken from manie and giuen to one To which end also is that example which he bringeth concerning the diuision of the promised land of Canaan Which most grosse absurditie and paradox neuer auouched by anie either old or late writer I thinke till this melancholike snapstraw peeped out by owle-light may be cleerelie refelled euen by his owne words wroong out from him by the force of truth to wit Ibid. That liuings of churches and parishes are distinguished by man and therefore may be vnited by man in some sense may be true Pag. 124 Nay I would faine learne in what sense it can be otherwise and in what signification did he himselfe speake elsewhere when as he saith It is lawfull for man to take awaie to vnite churches liuings For if this be lawfull then hath not God whose ordinance must be inuiolable either established anie taxe and certeine quantitie of a ministers liuing or yet distinguished and seuered the liuings of churches one from another But in case God hath allotted a certeine rate of liuing for a minister it were well it might be made manifest vnto vs hereafter by the Abscractor or by some other déepe Cabalist with sound proofes annexed to strengthen it Yet he taketh this as verie sufficientlie prooued to be Gods ordinance and therefore in effect saith It is no more lawfull now to giue vnto one minister that liuing which was appointed to diuerse than it had beene for Ioshua to haue altered that diuision of the land of Canaan which the Lord had commanded by Moses But when he or anie man else can prooue that God hath appointed and distinguished out the bounds and limits of parishes and the rates of church-liuings as he expreslie bounded the tribes in the land of Canaan then will I saie the comparison is equall yet seeing it was of temporall lands it would more fitlie serue for limits of manors and lordships than of parishes But the comparison is far vnlike for he will not denie I hope but that manie laie fees and temporall lordships may be possessed by some one which yet he denieth to ecclesiasticall men though perhaps their desert and contribution to the publike charges of the realme be as great as theirs who enioy in true value ten times as much reuenue And yet euery seuerall mans inheritance was not diuided by Moses or Ioshua but the Lord prescribed the bounds of the tribes and the lot decided the rest Nor yet was the distribution so setled but that one of the same tribe might enioy by purchase another mans possession till the yeare of Iubile and diuerse mens inheritances might by discent be cast vnto the next in bloud And his ignorance or negligence is herein more palpable than he can prooue to be in the Pluralists fallacie in that he saith Moses a Num. 33. vers 54. gaue vnto some more and to some lesse whereas in déed it was diuided by lot Also b Deut. 34. Moses neuer came ouer Iordan but did onlie take a view of the land a far off from the mounteine of Nebum Neither was he or Ioshua appointed Decempedae or the verie diuiders of it but c Num. 34. vers 17. deinceps others from the Lord were therevnto nominated Insomuch that it is expreslie set d Ioshua 13. vers 7 8 downe that Moses made no distribution but vpon the east side of Iordan to the tribe of Ruben Gad and the halfe tribe of Manasseh and all the * Ioshua 14. 15. deinceps rest of the land was diuided onelie by the direction of Ioshua howbeit vpon the distribution of this land so skilfullie as you sée by him handled he taketh occasion by similitude of a botching tailor and a pilfering companion to make himselfe merie rather than to patch vp anie good reason For his resemblance is so far from shew of likelihood that it well becommeth such a déepe reasoner For the theft of Caius can not anie waie prooue that Seius garment is too long wasted and therefore his reason smelleth of the shop-boord more than of the deske But his wish herevpon is whereas Some according to his audit-booke haue two or three thousand pounds and some neuer a whit that is asse he foole wiselie dooth interpret scarse twentie nobles by yeare that there might be set downe a better equalitie Truelie if he had wished by some good meanes a competencie of liuing for euerie minister it had béene a good and godlie wish but to desire an equalitie where the duties and gifts required are so different it is contrarie to the rule of iustice which In mandandis honoribus decernendis poenis dooth follow the proportion Geometricall and not his proposition Anabaptisticall I should saie proportion Arythmeticall For with as good reason he might inforce an equalitie of liuings in temporall men as in ecclesiasticall considering both the excellencie of the subiect and matter whereabout the ecclesiasticall are conuersant and also as great inequalitie of one aboue another and difference of learning and all other Gods good gifts to be shewed in the gouerning and instructing of the people in matter of religion as may be found by any possibilitie in the dexteritie of one man more than of another in managing by counsell or defending by prowesse the ciuill affaires and frontiers of a common-wealth Which thing the slender sparkes of the light of nature remaining did teach euen vnto the Gentiles who were content to aduance their religious persons amongst them vnto singular honor to respect them with large and bountifull maintenance and to haue their hests and aduise in notable recommendation The Minor of his owne syllogisme being the verie contradictorie of the Minor afore propounded by waie of obiection he seeketh yet better to vnderprop as he had need not against such onelie as are Disposed to cauill but those also that must
his forces were nothing but a volée of colubrines puffed and hissed off with serpentine powder of a spitefull toong fitter to scare children than to atchiue anie such enterprise Where vpon this neuerthelesse may be gathered that he imagineth there is cause whie it should be thought that the statutes of the realme are more loose in permitting pluralities which he so detesteth than the verie canon law it selfe He answereth this point of our statutes which establisheth dispensations with a wish and a praier That these lawes might be respected and that the law of England might rule an English man in this case Pag. 126 But whie dooth he then inforce as afore that they must receiue interpretation and addition from the common ecclesiasticall law And whie dooth he seeke to deface them as Inconstancie vngodlie contrarie to nature and permitting things vnlawfull Whereby he would steale awaie The clappers of these bels that they should not sound and would vntie their bands which should tie him and others more short vp to the obseruation and due estimation of them For if there be anie lawes that doo not Sound or bind they are such especiallie as he his clients not onlie dailie breake but doo gnaw vpon in their conuenticles and barke at in their publike speeches And here this wrangler confesseth in discourse which he denieth in the title of his treatise that some Dispensations are tollerable for qualified men in cases of necessitie of conueniencie for the honor of hir Highnesse person and being warranted by scripture Touching the first of these the statute in truth restraineth it to dispensations vnto the princes person in cases vnwoont but not contrarie to the law of God Concerning the second the words of the statute Are necessarie c vpon due examinations of the causes and qualities of the persons which after is left in some part to the Archbishops discretion The Falsificatiō third is more wressed than the former for the words are thus Not contrarie or repugnant to the holie scriptures and lawes of God In stéed whereof he saith they must be warranted by them Whereas in truth manie things be not contrarie nor repugnant to Gods word which are not positiuelie and expresselie warranted there otherwise than that nothing is to the contrarie And no lesse than the former is that vntrue and contrarie to the statute where in saieng that the Archbishop may dispense if he will in some cases not contrarie to the word he would insinuate that he needeth not at any time ercept he list And these things thus by him corrupted he dooth before he come to his breefe reasons recapitulate as falselie almost as he had done before The Minor of his first syllogisme of the three being vnture and to be denied wherein he assumeth the Hauing of manie benefices or non residencie to be repugnant to the lawes of God though he haue not named non residencie afore he telleth vs if we may beléeue him that he hath alreadie prooued By infallible conclusions of law and vndoubted truthes of the word of God Yet his lawes alledged doo not once mention repugnancie with the word and scripture Pag. 121 And out of scripture to this purpose he hath alledged none but one place out of the first to the Corinthians that ministers ought to haue maintenance But he inforceth this matter by this argument as I doo gather it Whatsoeuer cause or matter is repugnant to the word of God is by statute vndispensable The cause or matter of hauing manie benefices is repugnant to the word of God namelie ambition pride couetousnes perill of soules c Therefore the cause or matter of hauing manie benefices is by statute vndispensable First to speake to the matter hereof the Minor is vntrue bicause the sufficient maintenance of the minister and the enioieng of a preacher rather than none are the immediate impulsiue causes of permission to enioy mo benefices But if pluralitie should be an efficient cause of ambition pride couetousnes perill of soules c which it cannot be otherwise than Per accidens by indirect occasion then are these vices effects of it and not they causes thereof as here is auowched But if we should admit these crimes to be causes of hauing mo benefices then would I grant his conclusion that the Archbishop may not dispense with those enormities whereof neuerthelesse will not follow but that he might this notwithstanding dispense with hauing of mo benefices being but the effect as he supposeth To the A fallacie of equiuocatiō sorme I answer that it is Paralogisticall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vpon the diuersitie of signification of the word Cause which in his Maior and the statute is taken for the matter it selfe to be dispensed with so it be not repugnant to Gods word but in the Minor of this argument it is taken by relation to the effect of that matter which is to be dispensed with for the verie reason of the prohibition it selfe In his second syllogisme I haue shewed afore out of the statute that the Maior is by him fained For neither is any mention made of Peace or conseruation neither is The wealth and profit of the realme spoken of there in all dispensations absolutelie but in cases vnwoont and vnto the person of the prince And yet his Minor proposition thereof is also vnsufficientlie vpholden For the enioieng of two benefices is as far off from making vp such follie and wealthie prelats as they doo seeme onelie vnto the left enuious eie of this Detractor as this assertion is from the truth that Hereby stipendarie curats and poore ministers are kept in beggerie For it may be their allowance is according to the measure of their sufficiencie and it is verie small indeed if it be not more than he himselfe thinketh them worthie of who holdeth most of such curats for no ministers at all neither in fact nor lawe But if it were granted that some such as are too meanlie prouided for might be placed in some seuerall benefices that are enioied by another dooth he thinke that the releeuing of him hereby will ease the common-wealth or profit the church as much as the abridging of sufficient maintenance will decaie both the number and abilities of our best grounded and most learned diuines who are onelie fit to impugne the errours and heresies of poperie and of other sects His second reason of proportion drawne from diuerse other mysteries and trades forbidden to be exercised by one rich and mightie man to the intent to prooue that a damage groweth to the common-wealth by one mans enioieng of two poore benefices which can be accounted indeed but one trade if it be a sound reason of iustice and equitie as it is pretended it will not onelie inferre that a seuerall gift and facultie of learning is required for euerie seuerall congregation as the cunning in seuerall trades is different but also must inforce an vnlawfulnesse in all sorts of men to