allegeance but not with the oath of supremacie for feare of troubling his tender conscience The statute of the supremacie was explained the same year of Qu. Elizabeths raigne in an admonition added to the injunctions as followeth That her Maiestie neither doth nor ever will challenge any other authority then was challenged and lately vsed by the noble kings of famous memory king Henry the 8. and king Edward the 6. which is and was of ancient time due to the Imperial crown of this Realme that is under God to have the soveraignty and rule over all manner of persons born within these her realmes dominions and countries of what estate soever they be either Ecclesiasticall or temporall so as no other forraigne power shall or ought to have superiority over them In this admonition the subjects are made to understand that her Maiestie did not claime power to minister divine offices in the Church as to preach the word and minister the sacraments They have been too simple who have construed the statute in such a sense For no wise man will thinke that kings and Queens will take upon them either the paines or worldly discredit to preach the word minister the sacraments intimate to the congregation the sentence of excommunication The statute doth make no mention of divine offices in the Church but of jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall which is and was in time of papistrie exercised at visitations and in Ecclesiasticall courts This explanation therefore of the admonition annexed to the Injunctions and ratified by Parliament in the fift yeare of Qu. Elizabeth derogateth nothing from the former statute but onely summeth it in more generall tearmes To challenge no more then was challenged and lately used by the noble kings of famous memory K. Henry 8. and Edward 6. is to challenge to be head of the Church to have all jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall flowing from the possessour of the Crowne as from the head and fountaine Mr. Fox in his Acts Monuments relateth that in the 34. of K. Henry the 8. it was enacted That the king his heirs and successors kings of that Realme shall bee taken accepted and reputed the onely supreme head on earth of the Church of England and shall have and enjoy annexed and united to the Imperiall crowne as well the title and stile thereof as all honours dignities preeminences iurisdictions priviledges authorities immunities profits and commodities to the sayd dignitie of supreme head of the same Church belonging and appertaining and that they shall have full power authority from time to time to visit represse redresse reforme and amend all such errors abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever they be which by any manner of spirituall authority or iurisdiction might or may lawfully be reformed repressed ordered redressed corrected or amended In a rescript of Edward the sixth it is thus written to Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie Seeing all manner of authoritie and iurisdiction as well Ecclesiasticall as secular doth slow from our regall power as from a supreme head c. we give unto you power by these presents which are to endure at our good pleâ—sâ—re to give and promove to the sacred orders even of the Eldership or as they use to speake Priesthood any within your Diocie Anno 1. Edw. 6. cap. 12. an act was made That the Bishop should bee maâ—e by the Kings letters patents and not â—y election of Deane and Chapter and that they should make their proces and writings in the Kings name and not under their own names and that their seales should be the Kings armes This act repealed in the 1. of Queen Mary was revived in the 1. of K. James It was objected to Bishop Farrar in the dayes of the same yong king Edward that hee deserved deprivation because hee constituted his Chancellor by his letters of commission omitting the kings majesties stile and authority and that he had made collations and institutions in his owne name and authority without expressing the kings supremacie His answer was that howbeit there was some default of formalitie in the commission yet his highnes stile and authority was sufficiently expressed in the sayd commission Neither did the sayd Chancellor offer to visit but in the Kings name and authority to the sayd Bishop committed And as to the other poynt that hee made his collations and institutions in his owne name not by his own authority nor by any others save the kings authority expressing in them the kings supremacie with the Bishops own name and seale of office Whitgift sometime Bishop of Canterburie sayth We acknowledge all jurisdiction that any court in England hath or doth exercise be it civill or Ecclesiasticall to be executed in her Majesties name and right and to come from her as supreme Governour And againe in another place The Prince having the supreme government of the Realme in all causes and over all persons as she doth expresse the one by the Lord Chancellor so doth she the other by the Archbishops Dr. Bancroft who was afterward made Bishop of London and at last Bishop of Canterbury in a Sermon made at Pauls Crosse anno 1589. maketh her maiesty a petie Pope and assigneth unto her not some of the Popes power but all honours dignities preeminences iurisdictions privileges authorities profits and commodities which by usurpation did at any time appertaine unto the Pope belike relating the words of the act made in the 34. Henry 8. Our Bancroft Mr. Spottiswood pretended Archbishop of Saintandros at the pretended deposition of N. in the high commission sayd likewise I say unto you N. the king is now Pope and so shall be To be supreme governour in all causes Ecclesiasticall then is not onely to be an avenger with the sword as Bilson would make the Iesuits beleeve in his book of obedience but also to be judge in matters of errour and heresie superstition and idolatry and all other causes Ecclesiasticall and as a supreme governour to communicate this power to auy naturall borne subject In the Parliament holden at Perth anno 1606. where a number of the Nobility consented to the restitution of the Bishops to their 3 estate and old privileges that they might get the other prelacies erected in temporall Lordships it was declared in the second act That the whole estates of their bounden dutie with most hartie and faithfull affection humbly and truely acknowledge his Maiestie to be soveraigne Monarch absolute Prince iudge and governour over all persons estates and causes both spiritnall and temporall within his sayd Realme He is then not onely governour but judge also over all causes But the nature of the supremacie may be yet better conceived when we have taken a view of the particular rights of the supremacie and of the power granted to the high commission The Kings supremacie considered particularly consisteth either of things which are granted onely by statute or restored by statute as due of right to the Royall Crowne Granted first by
was made there was a binder and a bond but none present or known to bee bound When the offence is committed there is one to be bound but where is the binder And yet in their latest Canons made in the first yeare of the Kings entry they have made excoÌ„munication ipso facto to be the sanction of many of their Canons excoÌ„municating ipso facto all such as shall affirme the forme of their Church service to be corrupt and superstitious the rites or ceremonies established by law to bee wicked Antichristian or superstitious the government of their Church by Archbishops Bishops Deanes Archdeacons c. to be Antichristian or repugnant to the word or that the forme and maner of making or consecrating their Bishops Priests and Deacons is not lawfull c. So that at this day the better sort both of the ministerie and professours amongst them do stand excommunicate by this Popish guise The next thing to be considered is the sole authoritie of bishops excommunicating by themselves alone or their Deputies Officials Chancellours Archdeacons the ministers and professors in whatsoever Church of their large Diocie When Christ sayd Tell the Church Math. 18. was this the meaning Tell my Lord Bishop or his Chauncellour the Archdeacon or his officiall Can this collective name Church by any shift be drawne to signifie one particular person Canterburies grace himselfe or the great Pope himselfe Is the Pope the universal Church or the Bishop the diocesan Church or his Chauncellour Christ maketh a graâ—ation from one to two at last to many The Apostle reproveth the Corinthians because they had not already excommunicated the incestuous person And do yee not judge them that are Within sayth the Apostle 1. Corinth 5. 12. In the second Epistle chap. 2. v. 10. hee declareth that they haâ— power to forgive and reconcile the same incestuous person And writing to the Thessalonians hee willeth them to note the man who obeyed or harkned not to his Epistle and to have no companie with him that he may be ashamed 2. Thessal 3. 14. Now there was no Bishop at all either at Corinth or Thessalonica as they themselves will grant farâ— lesse an usurping Prelate drawing all the power to himselfe It is one of the weightiest judgements in the Church and therefore not to bee permitted to the pleasure of one man It is not onely the Bishop thaâ— hath this power alone to excommunicate by himselfe or his Deputie but also the Deane Prebendaries and Canons in welnigh all the cathedrall and collegiat churches throughout the Realme having certain Parochiall churches exempted from the Bishop within their exempt and peculiar jurisdidictions by meere Pastorall authoritie for Episcopall authoritie by the lawes of the Church they haue none may exercise all manner of spirituall censures and that as wel by their substitutes as by themselves Nay iâ— hich is more in Cheshire Lancashire Yorksire Richmondshire and other Northern parts there bee many Whole Deanries exempted from the Bishops jurisdiction wherein the Deanes and their substitutes have not onely the prohate of wills and granting of administrations but also the cognisance of Ecclesiasticall crimes with power to use the Ecclesiasticall censures yea this authority of the execution of Ecclesiatsticall censares have those Deanes either long since by some Papall priviledges obtained or else by long use prescribed agâ—inst the Bishops Whereby againe it is clearly convinced that Episcopall excommunication used in the Church of England is not of divine institution but onely by humane tradition for were it of divine right then could the same no more be prescribed or by papall immunitie be possâ—ssâ—d then could these Deanes prescribe power or be infranchised to breach the word or to administer the â—acraments Yee see Cathedrall Deanes Canons and Prebendaries in cathedrall and collegiat churches and some rurall Deanes may use the Ecclesiasticall censures But the Pastoâ—s of the Churches set over their flocks to govern rule with power of the keyes are deprived of the other half of their pastoral charge and the pastorall staffe as I have sayed is taken from thâ—m Thirdly they excommunicate for trifles The last petition which was made the first yeare of the Kings entry reporteth thae thâ—y excomunicate for trifles and twelvepennie matters If a man pay not the fees of their Courts he shall be excommunicate For the Chancellors Officials the Registers the rest of that rable must not want their unreasonable dues They doe not excommunicate in the congregation where the offender dwelleth but in their Courts in forme of a writ in Latine proclaimed in the Bishops or Archbishops name as Barrow reporteth and so also is their absolution The excommunication may perhaps he intimated a long tyme after in the congregation and the people warned to beware of the man who was excommunicate in their Court perhaps for a trifle The Admonition to the Parliament sayth that whereas the excommunicate were never received till they had publickly confessed their offence Now for paying the fees of the Court they shall by Mâ— Officiall or Chauncellour easily be absolved 5 The manner is that if the apparitor cannot persanally cite the person to be summoned he useth leave word at his house If he come not at the day he is forthwith excommunicate as the defender of thâ— last Petition â—oeth report 6. They transfâ—rre this power of excommunication to lay men their Chauncellours and officialls whereof we shall intreate in the owne place The curse Anathema some doe not distinguish from the great excommunication but onely in some solemnities because it is uttered with some externall signes and ceremonies to strike a greater terrour Others do distinguish it and Mucket defineth it to be that censure whereby a pernicious heretick as Gods publick enemie reiected cursed execrate is adjudged and given over unto eternall judgement and damnation This is answerable to that anathema which the Apostle calleth Maranatha or the Talmudists schamatha But such a censure cannot be inflicted unlesse it be revealed to the church that the offender hath sinned against the Holy ghost Besides the censures common to lay men and ecclesiasticall persons already meÌ„tioned there are these two reckoned by Mucket corporall pennance and deniall of buriall in sacred places Corporall pennance is inflicted upon the outward man For to the publick confession of the offence there is some bodily pennance adjoyned and enioyned the offender As for example to stand upon a Lords day bareheaded and barefooted cloathed with a white sheet having a white wand in his hand at the porch of the Kirck and when he entreth into the Kirck to prostrate himself to kisse the ground and then to come to the midst of the church crave forgivenes This manner is descrived by Mack Lindwood in his Provincial reckoneth for corporall pennances thrusting in a Monasterie imprisonment striping and the imprinting of a mark upon the person Many moe â—ere the popish pennances which turned into
de accusat c. 1. in glossa and is ordained to this speciall end that hee suplieth the Bishops jurisdiction and office in the out places of the Diocie or else in such parishes as be peculiars to the Bishop and exempted from the iurisdiction of the Archdeacon For where either by prescription or composition there bee Archdeacons that have iurisdiction within their Archdeaconries as in most places they have there this commissarie is but superfluous and most commonly doth rather vexe and disturbe the countrey for his lucre then of conscience seeke to redresse the lives of offenders And therefore the Bishop taking praestation money of his Archdeacons yearly pro exteriori jurisdictione as it is ordinarily called doth by superonerating their circuit with a Commissarie not onely wrong the Archdeacon but the poorer sort of subiects much more as common practise daily teacheth to their great woe The Bishops Chauncellour and Commissarie and the Archdeacons official are all three termed officialls in the canon law the Chauncellour the principall officiall the Commissarie Officialis foraneus the third the Archdeacons officiall or by the generall name of officiall In the lawes and statutes of England the first is called Chancellour the second Commissarie the third by the generall name of Officiall The name of Chauncellour in this sense is not so ancient as that of Officiall sayth D. Field and that in a generall signification it is used for any one that is employed for the giving of answer to sutors for keeping of records and notes of remembrance and generally for the performance of some principall duties pertaining to him whose Chauncellour he is sayd to be The principall officiall that is the Chauncellour howbeit he be but onely a Deputie yet by fiction of the law when hee cognosceth any cause hee is interpreted to bee but one person with the Bishop and to make but one consistorie with him So that howbeit the Bishop be not present there yet it is his consistorie Such fictions of law have been made by cosening and deceitfull Prelates to deceive the world And therefore say the Canonists there lieth no appellation from the principall Officiall to the Bishop but to the Archbishop yet from the Commissarie who is Officialis foraneus there lieth appellation Regularly appellation also may be made from the Archdeacon and other inferiour Prelates to the Bishop sayth Canisius unlesse the custome of the countrey hath brought in another order The Archdeacon hath a certaine circuit of the Diocie wherein he exerciseth his office and iurisdiction For everie Diocie is divided into certain Archdeaconries comprehending about the fourth part of the Diocies if they be great Diocies But if they be lesser Diocies they haue but one Archdeacon as Canterburie Rochester Glocester Bristow Worcester c. The Archdeacon by vertue of his degree and order hath no jurisdiction but onely by prescription of time that is a papall custome which is yet retained in the English Church In Hieroms time at Rome the Deacons began to exalt themselves above Ministers against which usurpation evil custome of the Church of Rome he inveigheth with great vehemencie as a thing unsufferable that the ministers of tables and to widowes should be lifted up with pride aboue the minister of the word and sacraments and opponeth to the custome of the church of Rome the custome of all the churches in the world And yet the old corruption of that one church wherin ther institutions ye see if they were excellent hath spread over the whole church and grown to a great height So that the Archdeacons will not sayth Mr. Cartwright take the best Ministers of the church as their equalls They are called Archdeacons not of one particular Church but of a whole shire whereas Deacons were appoynted in several churches It is true that many of their Archdeacons are also ministers but yet they exercise their iurisdiction over a whole shire ministers and others within the bounds of their Archdeaconrie not as Ministers but as Archdeacons When the Bishop should have visited his Diocie and inquired into needfull reparations of the church and what other things were out of order hee sent his chiefe Deacons to visit for him At the first they were sent onely to visit and make report but not to sententiate in any mans cause sayth D. Field or to meddle with the correcting and reforming of any thing but afterwards in processe of time they were authorized to heare and determine the smaller matters and to reforme the lighter and lesser offences Hence in time it câ—me that Archdeacons much used by Bishops as most attendant on them in the visitation of their churches and reforming small disorders at length by prescription claimed the correction of greater things at having of long time put themselves into the exercise of such authoritie So the Archdeacons in the end became greater then the Deanes let bee common Ministers The lazie Bishop sent his Deacon to enquire into the life and conversation of the Clergie and Ministers which was not his office yet ye see from what a small beginning he is risen to so great a height It is dangerous to depart from the right paterne shewed upon the mount Againe to make a Preacher of the word a Deacon is to conioyne these two offices which the Apostles did separate Archdeacons then almost through all England by papall prescription have jurisdiction within their bounds and power to visite to inquire into offences to receive presentments to punish with ecclesiasticall censures to substitute officialls to supply their roomes in their Consistories whereby it hath happened that the subjects haue been molested for one and the selfe same fault by the Bishops Chauncelours and the Archdeacon or his officiall In a Canon lately made anno 1603 they haue transacted the matter so that they shall not medle with the presentments received at others visitations how the transaction is kept I cannot tell It is to be observed that Chauncelours and officials are Civilians Ministers doe sometime also beare these offices but utterly ignorant in these faculties For these Courts being confused Courts wherin matrimoniall testamentarie and other causes of temporal matters are handled not belonging to ecclesiasticall cognisance no wonder the Minister be ignorant in them But on the other part it were a shame if a Civilian should know better how to deale with an offender and to bring him to repentance Againe what a grosse absurditie and intolerable abuse is it in the Church of God that Chauncelours Commissaries officialls being Civilians should meddle with the censures of the Church The Bishop hath vendicate to himself the whole power of excommunication and then he transferreth this his power by a generall commission to another which he may not lawfully doe no not to a minister far lesse to a Doctor of the Civill lawe whom he appointeth to be his Chauncelour or the Archdeacon to him whom hee appoynteth to bee his Officiall They
have found out a new trick which will not serve their turn The Civilian the Chauncellour or officiall when he is to excommunicate he hath a minister to assist him who pronounceth the sentence The defender of the last petition telleth us that the minister assistant to the Chauncellour who is for the most part of the meanest and simplest of the clergie is but a cyphar he doth nothing but his masters direction excommunicateth and absolveth at his pleasure The Minister is not judge here the sentence is set downe in writ to him in Latine which he must rehearse A memorable example we have in the Assertion for true and Christian church policie together with the Article made anent this matter Vniusquisâ— Vicarius generalis officialis ceu commissarius qui ordines Ecelesiasticos non susceperit c. Every Vicar general officiall or Commissarie which hath not taken upon him Ecclesiasticall orders shall call and associate unto him some learned Presbyter who being armed with sufficient authority from the Bishop in his jurisdiction or from the Archdea being a presb in his iurisdictioÌ„ shall denounce and that by the prescript of the judge present the sentence of excommunication for contumacie The example and practise of this precept followeth Dr. Hone the Archdeacon of Surrey his officiall being to excommunicate certaine persons had a silly Curat Mr. Rowland Allen to attend his service and to denounce the lesson which was written to him in paper to read Iohannes Hone legum Doctor officialis venerâ—bilis viri Domini Archidiaconi Surr. omnibus singulis Rectoribus c. salutem Cum nos rite legitime procedentes omnes singulos quorum nomina c. in non comparendo â—oram nobis c. ceu saltem in non satisfâ—ciendo mandatis nostris c. pronunciaverimus contuniaces ipsosque ex communicandos fore decreverimus Cumque â—iscretus vir Magister Roul Allen Presbyter 〈◊〉 omnes et singulos subscriptos ex officio nostro ex coÌ„municaverit in scriptis iustitia id exigente vobis igitur committimus c. quatenus eos omnes sicut prefertur ex officio nostro excommunicatos futsse eâ— esse palam denunciâ—tis Datum sub sigiâ—o officialitatis nostrae 19 die Decembris Anno Domini 1587. Iohn Hone Doctor of the lawes official of the venerable man the 〈◊〉 of Surrey to all and singular persons c. greeting Whereas wee otherwise rightly and lawfully proceeding all and singular whose names are 〈◊〉 in not appearing before us or at least 〈◊〉 in not satisfying of our mandates haue pronounced contuâ—ciâ—us and decreed them to be excommunicated And whereas also the discreet man Mr Rowland Allen Presbyter out of our office hath excommunicated 〈◊〉 and singular underwritten â—iâ—stice so requiring Wherefore we charge that openly you denounce and declare them and every of them so as aforesaid out of our office to be excommunicated Given under the seale of our officiality the 19 of December 1587. The poore curate sayth this authour jerked these whose pointes soever the other untied Now in this case it cannot be sayd that it was onely the poore Curate who 〈◊〉 excommunicate For he is but the hangman the other is the Iudge Poore Rowland Allen rehearsed the sentence by the prescript of Doctor Hone. Doctor Hone â—â—ted pronounced them contumaciously absent and upon the conâ—umacie decreed them to be excommunicated prescrived the lesson to poore Rowland Allen without which things the sentence should be a nullsentence D. Hone the Archdeacons officiall hath power to call and associate unto him and to prescribe Rowland Allen presbyter and another mans hireling Curate in Southwarke to excommunicate not onely the parochians of anothers Pastors charge but also any other Pastor whatsoever subiect to the Acchdeacons jurisdiction If it be lawfull at the voyce of a lay stranger that an hireling and stipendiarie Curate should chase another mans sheepe out of his owne fold how much more is it lawfull that a true shepherd should disciplinate his own sheepe feeding and couchanâ— within his owne pasture and within his own fold Ye see then whereto this alteration of discipline will turne in the end The censures of the Church as a matter of no worth or moment shall be put in the hands of base Officialls and blind Rowland Atlens An Oxe and an Asse shall plow together in the Lords field The Chauncellors Commissaries and Officialls have power to convent a minister before them and if hee compeir not first suspend and then excommunicate him as is evident by their latest Canons Thus shall the worthiest of our ministrie bee brought under bondage The Reader may see how unworthily the Archbishops Bishops and Archdeacons deale with the Church which not content themselves to use tyranny over it and to take upon them of their private authoritie which belongeth unto other with them have also brought it into bondage under their servants and servants servants I meane Chauncellours Commissaries c. sayth Mr. Cartwright The Commissarie court is but a little stinking ditch say the authors of the admonition to the Parliament In this Court one alone doth excommunicate one alone sitteth in judgement and when he will can draw back the iudgement which hee hath pronounced having called upon the name of God and that for money which is called the changing of penance In this Court for none payment of two pence a man shall be excommunicate if he appear not when he is sent for This Court pouleth parishes scourgeth the poore bedge-priests ladeth Churchwardens with manifest perjuries punisheth whooredome and adulterie with toyish censures remitteth without satisfying the congregation and that in secret 〈◊〉 giveth out dispensations for unlawfull marriages and committeth a thousand such â—ike abominaâ—â—â— where the Iudges Advocates and Proctors are for the most part papists And as for Scribes and Notaries as greediâ— as Cormorants If they all should perhaps see this writing they would bee as angry as Wasps and sting like 〈◊〉 Three of them would be enough to sting a man to death for why they are high Commissioners Againe who be their Chauncellours but most suspected Papists I heare not of one of them but he is a brâ—â—er Who be their Sumners but the veriest varlets What are the Canonists what are they but suspected Papists and where have they the most countenance but of the Bishops To be their chiefe doers and high Commissioners with them to wrâ—g their brethren if they bee Gods children and to â—et papists passe free or to bee punished lightly How are matters dealt with in their Courts but all for Mistres Money What a charge are they to the Clergie and what a summe have they yearly that might be saved and it is no small matter that maintaineth their Courts Again It would grieve a chast eare to heare the bawdie pleading of many Proctors and Doctors in those Courts and the Sumners yea and Registers themselves Mr. Archdeacon and Mr.
Ministerie a whole yeare when the Bishop shall finde good cause to the contrary but that there being now foure times appointed everie yeare for the ordination of Deacons and Ministers there may be ever some time of triall of their behaviour in the office of a Deacon before they be admitted to the order of Priesthood Yet they are not so nice but this order may be dispensed with and that one may take on both the orders upon one day as Mucket doth record When the time of giving orders draweth neere the Bishops Bull is set up upon the Church doore to give warning that if any be minded to receive orders let them repair to the Bishop at such time and place This is sayth Mr. Cartwright like the sound of a trumpet to gather an Armie But the Bill which is set up upon the Church doore is in latine so that the people cannot understand the sound of the trumpet This Bill doth not desire the people to come object against the persons to be ordained And suppose that were the end it wer but a deluding of the people for either they have a Priest or Curat already and then they have not need to object or else the place is voyd but they know not against whom to object for amongst 40 50 or 100. perhaps they know not who is the man that is appoynted for them The Bishop and the patron out of the whole number wil choose afterward when and whom they thinke meete And howbeit there were not one voyd Church in all the Diocie but incumbents in every one of them yet the Bishop will give orders And againe if none of them have ever been conversant in these vacant parts how can they stand up and object against them The day of giving orders being published which is ordinarily upon the Lords dayes after the Ember weekes then there is repaire to the citie or village where the Bishop is to give orders He that can purchase the letters commendatory of some nobleman or knight shall come best speed Then is he to be tried by the Archdeacon who is but a Deacon onely in respect of his Archdeaconrie Howbeit sometimes the Archdeacon be also a Priest beside that it is a confounding of distinct offices it is not by vertue of his Priesthood but of his Deaconship that he trieeth the persons who are to be ordained They are tried by some questioning but as the Archdeacon pleaseth Their pastorall gifts of utterance doctrine and exhortation are not tried either by the Archdeacon or any particular church may these gifts are not needfull in an English priest for a bare reader is sufficient to bee an English minister The Archdeacon is sometime in one part of the countrey and the bishop in another The Bishop making ministers at Exceter and his Archdeacon at Oxenford or the Bishop making ministers at Leichfield and his Archdeacon at Durham When the day of ordination is come after an exhortation made the communion celebrated the Epistle and Gospel read and the hymne Veni creator sung or sayd the Archdeacon presents to the Bishop all those who are to take on the order of Priesthood that day with these words Reverend father in Christ I present to you the persons here present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood Then after some demands and answeres of the Bishop and the other who is to be admitted he demandeth of the people who are present there where he giveth orders if they know any impediment which may hinder any of these present to bee admitted to the order of priesthood which is a manifest mockage For it may be that none there present ever heard or saw any of them or all of them before that day But these words import that ordinations of old were performed before the congregation whereunto he was to bee appoynted Thereafter the oath of the Kings supremacie is taken then againe after an exhortation follow other demands an answers After that the people who are present are desired secretly to commend the businesse to God for which cause they are all silent for a little space After that the Bishop readeth a prayer which being finished they who are to be ordained sitting on their knees at the Bishops feet the Bishop and the rest of the Priests who are present lay hands severally upon the heads of every one of them the Bishop uttering these words Receive the holy Ghost whose sinnes thou doest forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes thou doest retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy sacraments In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Hee commandeth the ordained to receive the holy Ghost as our Lord and master did when hee breathed on his Disciples bestowing in very deed the gifts of the spirit when hee breathed upon them Ordinary pastors cannot conâ—erre the gifts of the spirit whether breathing as Christ did or by laying on of hands as the Apostles did They may as well imitate Christs breathing as they may usurpe these words Whether the ordained receiveth the holy Ghost or not let the world judge Calvin sayth of the Popish Priests ex equis fieri asinos ex fatuis phre neticos quicunque in sacerdotes consecrantur Is any of their Curats after the pronouncing of these words either the holier or more apt to teach and yet beside this blasphemie they will the ordained to dispense the word of God who cannot divide and cut it aright Where it is sayd whose sinnes yee forgive shall be forgiven c. a power to reteine and forgive is given them separate from the preaching of the word as in the Roman Church an infinite number of Priests cannot preach yet all have power to absolve from sins So may the blind English Curates Sicklike it is a mockage â—hen after that the bishop delivereth to each of them the Bible in his hand saying Take thou authoritie to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in the congregation where â—hou shalâ— be appointed He should rather have put the service-book in his hand For either they are ignorant and cannot preach yea not tried in that facultie or if they can they may not till they get a licence of the Bish and whether they shal be appointed to any congregation or not they are uncertaine because it dependeth upon the pâ—trons pleasure So that if either the forethinking himselfe like the shop better then the Church or if the Patron will keepe the docâ—e shut against such insufficient men which the Bishop opened so wide or as somtime falleth out they cannot agree of their market it commeth to passe that he is made a minister which either cannot or will not not onely not fulfill but not so much as lay hand of that Ministerie whereunto hee was appoynted sayth Mr. Cartwright When all this is done the companie convened sing the Creed and they goe
to the communion which all they that receive orders take together and remaine in the same place where the hands were layd on them untill such time as they have received the communion The celebration of the supper went before in the beginning of the action as is enioyned in the book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons but they communicate not till the end of the action The first celebration then was nothing but a consecration as they call it of the bread and wine without the pertaking of the communicants all the rest of the action must intervene before they partake for to what end els is there made twice mention of the communion So the first is like the offering of a sacrifice the last is liker to the supper Is not this great coÌ„fusion betwixt the first and second part of that holy action to intermingle another action yea as some say another sacrament confounding two sacraments together Their Letanies and Collects for brevities sake I passe by The external calling to the benefice or certaine place of the ministerie is either to a parsonage or a vicarage In each of them is to be considered 1. nomination either when the right of presentation is in another person nor his who doth nominate as somtime it falleth out or when the right both to nominate present belongeth to him 2. The Bish. triall of his gifts qualification whether he be capable or not of such a Benefice 3. Admission either to the title it selfe as when the Bishop doth institute at the presentation of another which is called Institution or when the Bishop himselfe who doth institute hath the right of patronage which is called Collation or else admission is to the possession it selfe by inducting which is either done by the Archdeacon himselfe or by his deputie After they have thus received their order of Priesthood and are ordeined at large in nubibus they pay for their letters of Orders for their admission to their Ministerie must not be free of fees and runne abroad through the whole Diocesse where they please preaching any where if they have gotten after their Ordination another licence to preach For they must not preach by vertue of their order of Priesthood in the intendment of the Prelates but must have the Bishops warrant to that end They are put in remembrance at their ordination in the Bishops interrogatories exhortations in the Gospels and Epistles and at the deliverie of the Bible in their hand of the dutie of preaching and teaching But that is onely for a fashion for they read of the booke these Gospels Epistles Exhortations which were used of old and are reteined still in the booke rather to be a monument of that which hath been then for their right use and end For in the Romane Church when the Masse Priest is to receive orders by the Epistles and Gospels c. he is put in remembrance that he must blesse governe preach baptize 〈…〉 doctrine should be spirituall medicine to the people of God that the Church of God is to be edified both by preaching and good example These are peeces of the ancient order which was in the Church lying still in their corrupt pontificals to be rehearsed in the forme of a service But when they come to the action it self wherin the order of Priesthood is actually conferred at the laying on of hands there are no such speeches used So in the English much is said of preaching and teaching before they come to the laying on of hands but then there is a generall word used Be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God not mening to dispens by preaching for they know that many of them cannot teach but to dispense it as it is divided set in order to be read sung in the service book Or else they mock God his word and his Church after the old Popish manner not intending the right dispensing of the word by preaching When he is to be set in a certain place he seeketh the Patrons favour or maketh some simonicall paction with him as we have alreadie heard out of Brightman and a little before out of M. Cartwright The Patron presenteth the man whom he thinketh fittest for his own humour and the Bishop doth try his gifts and qualification Heere the liberty of election is taken from the Congregation and given to the Patron and the Bishop That the Patron should be some way acknowledged for his liberalitie toward the Church we doe not gainesay Therfore jus utile that is if he be redacted to poore estate that he be relieved with the rents of the Church and jus honorisicum right to a fear in the Church and jus onerosum to have a care that the rents be not dilapidate as also to be gardian and keeper of the rents of the Church during vacancie or what other thing else not savouring of superstition or ostentation wee grant unto them but the right of presentation of Clerkes to the pastorall office we cannot grant The Church may not resigne this liberty of election in the hands of another man but is ever bound to retaine in her own hands the freedome to choose the fittest person to have charge of their soules This liberty of Election was acknowledged to be so equitable grounded upon the principles of nature that there should be more Clerkes then one tryed when a Church was vacant where this order might be had that in the Councell of Trent some others also chosen by the Synode beside the Bishop were ordeined to examine and chose the fittest of those who offered themselves or were offered to a tryall and this is called examen per concursum But in our neighbour Church they have no such constitution The Bishop himselfe tryeth or appointeth whom he pleaseth none is depute by a Synode to joyne with him And where the Bishop himselfe is Patron of a benefice he maketh not nor yet receiveth any offer of a leite of many that the worthiest may be chosen but the Church is under the same bondage whether the Bishops or Lay-men be Patrons Now what is this examination of the Bishop surely very superficiall and imaginarie The request of any in authoritie is able to obtain the Bishops institution suppose he be unsufficient And indeed there is no extreme suite the doore is not so hard locked sayth Mr. Cartwright there needeth but the lifting up of the latch And in another place he sayth that many say that for a dish of fruit of the golden griffe they lease out and make all manner of marchandise of the Lord Orchâ—rds that he which hath no gift in the heart yet if he have a gift in the band need no other key to open the Church doore and enter into a benefice He that came to the Bishop of Winchester to serve in his Diocesse borne at Norwich and made a Minister at Peterborow knew not how many Sacraments there were and requested a dayes respite
the bounds of the Roman Empire the governours framed the government according to the forme of the Empire and made degrees in the Church like to degrees in the common-wale They intended not to set up the Antichrist but being led partly with carnall wisedome partly with ambition and vainglory wittingly and willingly did that which brought in the Antichrist and so the mysterie of iniquity which began to work in the Apostles time wrought on still till Antichrist come to his full strength and perfect age While they were framing degrees according to the fashion of the Romane Empire first Bishops then Metropolitanes then Primates then the foure great Patriarches they were but forming the second beast according to the image of the first beast and the Bishop of Rome one of the foure Patriarches became the head Neither was the Bishop and Metropolitan so great in power before the Antichrist come to his perfect age as they were after and have been ever since even to this day They hatched him and he hath rewarded them with greater authority and power But giving and not granting the Diocesan Bishops to bee of divine or Apostolicall institution we will in this chapter onely let you see the Archbishops unlawful superiority over them Persons having lesser ample administration having eyther iudiciall administration or administration not iudiciall eyther constitute by law or introduced without law constitute by law as the administration of the ordinarie Iudges They doe execute it under the Prince either in their owne name or the name of others In their owne name as Bishops so called either with addition as Archbishops or simply Bishops Archbishops being in England two Canterburie and York are considered eyther in respect of their peculiar Diocies in all respects as other Bishops or in respect of the whole province according to the place which they hold eyther in the ecclesiasticall state or the civill In the ecclesiasticall estate eyther according to the place which they hold cōmon to both the Archbishops or that which is peculiar to Canterburie According to the place which is common they are to be considered eyther as in their ordination or as after their ordination In the ordination it selfe it is to be considered that if they the Archbishops haue not been heretofore Bishops they must be consecrated by some Bishops If they haue been Bishops then their election onely is cōfirmed by some Bishops Metropolitanes were chosen confirmed and consecrated of old not by some but by the whole Synode of the comprovinciall Bishops But the English Bishop have no Provinciall Synods to any such purpose They have neither the Discipline prescribed in Gods word nor the Discipline of the old Bishops and Metropolitanes but the Discipline and policie which was in use in the time of greatest darknesse under the Antichrist Here also wee see a signe that they make the Bishop and their Priest of a different order For a Priest when he is made a Bishop must receive a new consecration But a Bishop when hee is made an Archibishop is not consecrated of new howbeit hee bee in degree of power and jurisdiction above other Bishops After ordination they are to be considered either as Metropolitanes or as Archbishops or as Primates or as lesser Patriarches The English Metropolitanes have onely Bishops under them yet sayth Mucket they enjoy the titles and discharge the functions of Archbishops and Primates also Metopolitans at the first were not called Archbishops as I have sayd but the Patriarches greater and lesser onely to whom appellation was made from the Metropolitane But when Metropolitanes began to receive appellations then this proud stile descended to them also as we will see incontinent that as Bishops they received appellations They will extoll the wisedome of the ancients in framing degrees in the Church and yet they themselves confound these degrees and offices and make one man to bee a Metropolitan an Archbishop and a Patriarch Many degrees were made to the Pope to climm up to his throne that beeing done then was there confusion againe We have this confusion then out of Babylon As Metropolitanes 1. in confirming the elections of the Bishops of his Province 2. in consecrating these Bishops together with other two Bishops By the auncient Canons it was ordained that all the Bishops of the Province should assemble to the election confirmation and consecration of the Bishop also and the Metropolitan was present with the rest as one of the number and moderator onely of the convention and the action was common The Bishop of Spalato confesseth that by divine law one Bishop hath no greater right to consecrate another Bishop then another hath By their own book of orders it is not needfull that the Archbishop consecrate a Bishop but an inferiour Bishop may do it for him yet a Bishop may not suffer a minister to ordaine or say handes one a minister for him How can they then bee so shamelesse as to say that Archbishops bee of divine institution if another may consecrate a bishop as well as hee whether it bee with his consent or without it Abbots who have been but simple Priests have of old ordained bishops without either commission or consent of Archbishops as Beda restifieth Of the forme and rites of their consecration wee shall entreat in the next Chapter This that they call consecration of Bishops was not known to the purer Church The ministers chose one of their number to bee a perpetuall moderator of the common actions and called him Bishop as at Alexandria where he was first hatche◠and made at the first but onely perpetuall president and this was all 3. In convocating Provinciall Synods according to the Kings rescript 4. in moderating Synods and giving the last voyce Their Provincial Synods are not like the provincial Synods which wee wont to have For ours were but Synods of Shires 4 5 or 6 classicall Presbyteries assembling together twice in the yeare But their Provinciall Synode is a Synod of the Bishops of one Province All the Diocies of the Archbishop and of his suffragane or comprovinciall Bishops which are under him make but one province And seeing they have onely two Archbishops they can have but onely two Provinciall Synods The Metropolitane convocateth the Provincial Synod upon the Princes letter which happeneth very rarely If the Prince direct his letter to any Bishop as sometime hee hath done what need is there of a Metropolitan For they say we cannot have Synods unlesse we have Metropolitanes to convocate them and this is a chiefe part of his function If so be why doth he not exerce his function without a particular letter of the Prince as well as the Bishop doth in convocating his Diocesan Synod If that be a part of his ordinary power to him as this to the other why doth it depend on the Princes letter and how dare a common Bishop take upon him notwithstanding of the Princes letter that which of office apperteineth to the
Metropolitan Ye may see that this part of his function also is not of divine institution that is so dependant and changeable at the pleasure of princes as they confesse themselves Neyther is it requisite of necessity to haue a Metropolitane to convocate Synodes for Synodes at the first assembled without Metropolitanes And in our age both in our owne and other reformed Churches Synods have assembled where there is no Metropolitane Nay rather Synods would be more frequently convocated if they were altogether removed it is so farre from the truth that either we cannot have Synods unlesse we have Metropolitanes or that God hath ordained in his word that they should convocate Synodes For we haue no Synods Metropoliticall but onely Diocesan since Metropolitans have beene set over our heads nor yet national but seldome and dressed before hand for their purpose If it be not of divine institution that the Metropolitane should convocate Provinciall Synods neither is it to moderate And as for necessity there is none as experience of our owne and other reformed Churches can beare witnesse yea in their owne last Synode Banâ—roft Bishop of London was president It may be that it was his Papsticall office which hee had of old For in the Catalogue of the seventy Archbishops Canterbury is made the head of all â—ur Churches all Bishops sworn to Canonicall obediâ—nce of that Archbishop and defence of all privileges and liberties of that seat Where the Bishop of London is his Deane to call Synods to publish his decrees to make returne of the execution Winchesteâ— his Chancellour Lincolne his Vicechancellour Salisbury his Chaunter Worcester his Chaplaine Rochester his Crosse-bearer As Archbishops 1. in receiving of and answering to appellations interposed made from his Suffragane Bishops 2. In visiting the whole Province according to the lawes and custome As the Bishops haue suffragane Bishops under them so the Bishops themselves are Suffraganes to the Archbishop They are not his suffraganes as he is Metropolitane but as he is Archbishop So that as Archbishop he hath greater authority then he hath as Metropolitan For as Metropolitan he must doe nothing without a Synode in the Dioces of another Bishop neyther by receiving appellation nor by way of visitation But as Archbishop he may receive appellations and visite the Dioces of his Province without a Synode as being not onely superiour in honour and prioritie of order but also in power of jurisdiction And for this his greatnes which he attained unto he beareth the proud title of Archbishop The old Bishops knew no other but a Metropolitane the Provinciall Synode assembling twice in the yeare to the which appellations were made It is troublesome say they to call Synodes so often Dioces are so large and the Synode should be wearied to stay till all the appellations of inferiour Courts were decided Here a notable tricke First they say it is needfull to haue Synodes and therefore needfull to haue a Metropolitane This againe they crosse and say there is no need of Synods it is difficile and incommodious to have two provinciall Synods in the yeare as of old The Archbishop may doe all that the Synode did receive appellations visit and correct the excesses and defects of other bishops onely he may not make Canons and Ecclesiastical lawes without a Synod Neither is there any need of new Canons the old are sufficient But I would demand why Synods may not be so easily and so often convocated as of old Is it because they have their Diocies extended over one two or three Shires and the province extended almost as farr as the kingdome as Canterburies province in England and Saintandros in Scotland Their wings should be clipped their Diocies and provinces contracted and multiplied if that the Discipline of the old Bishops were to bee preserved that Synods may assemble But before they loose any part of their extensive power and large impire they will rather reteine the corrupted discipline brought in under Antichrist If they will say on the other side the Diocies were as ample of old then why doe they pretend to their loytering in their owne or the Kings palaces the distance of their Diocies And if they will not convocate Provinciall Synods twice in the yeare what is the reason that they will not convocate once in the yeare or as was concluded in the Councell of Basile once in three yeare Yee may see that this corruption is so grosse that it was palpable in the time of most palpable darknesse Againe Synods did not assemble onely to make Canons but also for to put order to all causes Ecclesiasticall Farther there is continuall occasion to make new Canons and also to reforme or repeale old corrupt canons Neither doe Synods need to stay long upon appellations if the Church should meddle onely with causes properly Ecclesiasticall and the ancient judicatories inferiour were restored of presbyteries and consistories But to medle with tythes testamentarie and matrimoniall matters and to set up Archdeacons Officials and Chancellours and the rest of that â—able it may well procure moe appellations then a grave and godly Synode should be troubled with When all is done yet Canterburie doth not nor will not take the pains as by himselfe to decide the appellations Hee hath â— Court which they call the Court of Arches wherein sitteth as Iudge the Deane of the Arches he hath to doe with appeales of all men within the province of Canterbury Advocates there be in this Court 16. or moe at the pleasure of the Archbishop all Doctours of law two Registers and ten Proctors And another Court not unlike unto this which they call the Court of Audience which entertaineth the complaints causes and appeales of them in that province So yee see what way the ancient Synods are gone Neither to direct by making Canons nor to execute them being made should bee permitted to the pleasure of one man And yet by the way remember that the Prince with advice of the Metropolitane may make Canons also Howbeit the Archbishop be made up with the spoiles of the provinciall Synode his grace may not attend on the â—â—scharge of the Synods care and jurisdiction And whereas he may visit if he please the whole Diocies of his province doe yee thinke hee will take the pains himselfe who then shalâ— attend on Court and Councell Yea I suppose that seldome hee sendeth his Chancelour or any other for him By the Canons of the Councell of Trent the Archbishop may no visit the Diocie of another bishop unlesse the cause and necessitie be first tried in the provinciall Synod so that the fathers of that superstitious and bloudy councell were ashamed of the Archbishops exorbitant power which the English retaine And the English say that during the time of the Archiepiscopall visitation whereby the jurisdiction of the ordinary is suspended that Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction which hee practiseth hee doth exercise from and under the Archbishop as his
of God howbeit he doth it in effect and so doth the Archbishop For simonie non-residencie pluralitie of benefices readmission after the irregularitie of apostasie observation of superstitious dayes and times not eating of flesh in Lent and forbidden dayes which are here expressed are repugnant to the law of God Therefore he may take the like libereie in usurie perjurie incest mariage within degrees of the Leviticall law and the rest of the cases and causes which were reserved to the Pope of old It is not without reason then that the authours of the Admonition call this Court a filthy quagmire and poysoned plash of all abbominations seeing the filth of all these abominations are washed here and the guiltie person commeth forth after the Archbishops dispensation as white as snow leaving his filth behind in that Court Beside the Prerogative Court the Court of Arches the Court of Audience the Court of Faculties the Archbishop hath yet another Court called the Court of Peculiars which dealeth in certaine Parishes exempt from the Bishops iurisâ—iction in some Diocesse and are peculiarlie belonging to the Archbishop of Canterburie Hee hath also inferiour Courts such as other Bishops have You see then Canterburie is a petie Pope or according to Bancrofts reckoning a vice-pope made up of the old spoyles of comprovinciall Bishops and Synods and also with the new spoyls of the Pope beeing armed beside with the Kings delegate temporall power in the High Commission and so greater in his intensive power then ever he was in time of Poperie And when the union shall be accomplished shal be greater in his extensive power also with his Courts over-ruling our Nation and shall be vice-pope of this little World O if faithfull Patriots would forsee and prevent this The least of their Ceremonies will prepare a way to this mischiefe CHAP. 4. Of the Dignitie and Power of English Bishops IN the former chapâ—er we did onely give not grant superiorite of Bishops over Pastors which being supposed we medled onely with the vnlawfull power and dignitie of Archbishops but the truth is that the superioritie of Bishops over Pastors is unlawfull also By divine Law one Pastor is not superiour in degree above another no more then one Apostle or Euangelist above another Apostle or Euangelist The name of Bishops was not appropriate to any eminent rank of Pastors but was common to all as may be seene Act. 20. Philip. 1. 1. Timoth. 3. Tit. 1. 1. Pet. 5. And that their office was also common may be sene in the same places from whence Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius doth conclude that a Bishop and Presbyter was all one And in his Commentarie on the Epistle to Titus cap. 1. that communi Presbyterorum consilio Ecclesiae gubernabaÌ„tur the Churches were governed by the joynt advice of Presbyters Our Opposites say that government was onely private in the inner court the court of Conscience not publicke in the externall court or Consistorie It was so in the time of Poperie when the Priests were excluded from the externall governement of the Church which Bishops did vendicate to themselves and their Courts the poore Priest having no further power then to receive privately auricular confession ponder the weight of secret faults and accordingly to enjoyne pennance But Hierome speaketh not of a severall but of a common councell and joynt care of many assembled together For this private government in the inner Court of conscience was not onely then but continueth to this day wherby every Pastor may deal with the consciences of any of his own flock But Hierome speaketh of a government which was altered after the Apostles times and different from the Episcopall government which followed When the Churches were thus governed in common by joynt advice of Presbyters they had not a perpetuall President or as we use to speake a constant Moderator who had this preeminence during life set over them to moderate the common Meetings but they choosed their Presidents and changed them as they thought fit No Pastor could claime this prioritie of order and direction of the common Meetings as belonging to him of office The Apostles did no where institute this same small difference of Pastors that some during life should be moderators of the rest let be that majoritie of rule and superiority in power which Bishops doe claime The Pastors who were at Alexandria the first we read to have set up a constant Moderator to whom also they did appropriate the name of Bishop This was the beginning of that great mischiefe which followed This was the Cockatrice egge out of the which Antichrist himselfe was hatched For this perpetuall Presidencie and prioritie of order did degenerate in superiority of power and majoritie of rule and the Bishops growing to some grandeur they behoved to have an Archbishop and at last a Pope So that if a Bishop had not beene a Pope had not been and if there had not been a Pope the great Antichrist had not been Boni-gratis supposed to be the author of the Treatise de aetatibus Ecclesiae wondereth that the Popes Monarchie should arise from so small a beginning But the Apostle telleth us that that iniquitie was a Mysterie and that this Mysterie was working under ground even in his time For even the Apostolicall times wanted not a proud Diotrephes loving preeminence A little seed will bring forth a great Tree If the Discipline had not beene corrupted as well as doctrine the great Antichrist could not have risen All the errours and heresies in doctrine and matters of faith which have entered in the Church could not have brought him in unlesse errour and corruption in the government had entred in also for unlesse this had been he could pretend no claime at all to governe and rule I come therefore to our English bishops Let a man travell through Italie where the Pope is or Spaine where the Spanish Inquisition is he shall finde no difference betwixt the power of an Italian Spanish or English bishop The English bishop is the same now for power and greatnesse that hee was an hundred years since in the time of poperie There are foure things chiefly to bee considered in him First the derivation of his power 2. the sole exercise of his authority 3. the deputation of this his authoritie 4. his extensive power As for the first they are not bishops as we have sayd iure divino by divine institution or right nor cannot bee Neither are they Bishops by humane law that is the constitutions of the ancient Church which imprudently and unhappily set up the first bishops erring in taking up right the nature of Church government and the qualities of the Antichrist who was to be revealed but in the full time For they are not of that kinde of Bishops which ruled together with the Presbyterie or Ecclesiasticall Senate but they are bishops by the Municipall law of the land onely in the judgement of the lawes For all their
iurisdiction power is united and anexed to the crown from whence it is derived as from a source unto them and by law they are bound to make their proces and writings in the kings name and not in their own names and that their seals should be graved with the Kings armes as I have already declared in the first chapter It is true that they make processes in their owne name and use their own seals but herein they transgresse the formes prescribed by lawTheir manner of holding in Capite in chiefe of the king their Episcopall power and jurisdiction is not changed for all that want of formalitie as before I have cleared out of Bishop Farrars answer Sir Edward Cooke in the 5. booke of his Reports doth prove That the Function and Iurisdiction of Bishops and Archbishops in England is by and from the Kings of England and concludeth that though the proceedings and progresse of the Ecclesiasticall Courts run in the Bishops name yet both their courts and lawes whereby they proceed are the Kings as M. Sheerwood in his Reply to Downam doth report So then all the acts of their Episcopall jurisdiction are performed by authoritie derived from the King If ye will call that authoritie civill then actions of a spirituall nature are performed by a civill authoritie which is absurd But seeing this is impossible that civill authoritie can be elevated to so high a nature it must follow that it is truely spirituall power which is united to and derived from the possessor of the Crown I meane in the estimation of men and judgement of the Law howbeit in it selfe and by Gods Law it cannot be done It followeth therefore that all the Iurisdiction properly spirituall which the English Prelates doe exercise as Prelates is unlawfull how soever they have the warrant of mens Lawes It is but onely to save their own credite that they have set Downam Bilson and other their friends on worke to plead that Bishops are above Pastors jure divino by divine Institution which they are not able to prove Next is to be considered their sole authoritie which is censured by Sir Francis Bacon now Chancellour of England after this manner There be two circumstances in the administration of Bishops wherein I confesse I could never be satisfied The one the sole exercise of their authoritie The other the deputation of their authoritie For the first the Bishop giveth orders alone excommunicateth alone judgeth alone This seemeth to bee a thing almost without exemple in government and therefore not unlikely to have crept in in the degenerate and corrupt times We see that the greatest Kings and Monarches have their councell There is no temporal Court in any land of the higher sort where the authoritie doth rest in one person The Kings bench common pleas and the Exchequer are benches of a certain number of judges The Chauncellour of England â—ath the assistance of 12 masters of the Chauncerie The master of the Words hath 4 Councell of the court so hath the Chauncellour of the Dutchy In the Exchequer chamber the Lord Treasurer is ioyned with the Chauncellour and the Barons The Masters of Requests are ever more then one The justices of Assize are two The Lord President in the Marches and in the North have Councell of divers The Starre Chamber is an Assembly of the Kings privie Councell aspersed with Lords spirituall and temporall So as in all the Courts the principal person hath ever either colleagues or assessours The like is to be found in other well governed kingdomes abroad where the jurisdiction is yet more distributed as in the Courts of Parliament of France and in other places No man will deny but the acts that passe by the Bishops iurisdiction are of as great importance as those that posse by the civill Courts For mens soules are more pretious then their bodies and so are their good names Bishope have their infirmities and have no exception from that generall malediction against all men living Vae soli nam si ceciderit c. Nay we see that the first warrant in spirituall causes is directed to a number Dic Ecclesiae which is not so in temporall matters And wee see that in generall causes of Church government there are as well assemblies of all the Clergie in councels as of the Estates in Parliament whence theâ— should this sole exercise of jurisdiction come Surely I doe suppose and I doe thinke upon good ground that ab initio non fuit ita and that the Deanes and Chapters were councells about the Seas and Chaires of Bishops at the first and were unto them a Presbyterie or Consistorie and medled not onely with the disposing of their revenues and endowments but much more in jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall But that is probable that the Dean and Chapter stucke close to the Bishop in matters of profit and the worlds and would not loose their hold But in matters of jurisdiction which they accounted but trouble and attendance they suffred the Bishops to encroch and usurpe and so the one continueth and the other is lost And we see that the Bishop of Rome fas est ab hoste doceri and no question in that Church the first institutions were excellent performeth all Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction as in Consistorie And whereof consisteth this his Consistorie but of the parish priests of Rome which terme themselves Cardinals a Cardinibus mundi because the Bishop pretendeth to bee universall over the whole world And hereof againe we see divers shadowes yet remain in as much as the Deane and Chapter pro forma chooseth the Bishop which is the highest poynt of iurisâ—iction And that the Bishop when hee giveth orders if there be any ministers casually present calleth them to ioyne with him in imposition of hands and some other particulars And therefore that seemeth to me a thing reasonable and religious and according to the first institution that Bishops in the greatest causes and those which require a spirituall discerning namely the ordaining suspending or depriving Ministers in excommunication being restored to the true and proper use as shall be afterward touched in sentencing the validitie of marriage and legitimations in judging causes criminous as Simonie incest blasphemie and the like should not proceed sole and unassisted which point as I understand is a reformation that may be planted sine strepitu without any perturbation at all and that is a mater which will give strength to the Bishops countenance to the inferiour degrees of Prelates or Ministers and the better issue or proceeding in those causes that shall passe And as I wish thiâ— strength given to your Bishops in Councell so that is not unworthy your Majestiesâ— royall consideration whether you shall not thinke fit to give strength to the generall councell of your Clergie the convocation house which was then restreyned when the state of the Clergie was thought a suspected part of thâ— Kingdome in regard of their late homage to the Bishop of Rome
which state now will give place to none in their loyaltie and devotion to your Majestie Where it is sayd here that Deane and Chapters were at the first counsellers to Bishops it is to be understood at the first time of erecting Deane or Chapter not at the first setting up a Bishop far lesse at the first forme of Church-government planted by the Apostles For Presbyters were before Bishops and when Bishops were set up at the first they were set up by the Presbyterie and that in the degree of perpetuall Moderatorship and Presidentship onely neither was there a particular choice made of some Presbyters to sit in judgement with this President nor another besides this President Bishop to be Deane of the Presbyterie for that had beene to make a President above a president and some Presbyters Cardinall Presbyters of more esteeme theâ— the rest In the Church of Ierusalem all the Presbyten governed not a selected number D. Field a defender of the hierarchie acknowledgeth this That for a long time there was no more respect had to one Presbyter then to another but all equalâ—y interessed in the government of the Church were indifferently called to the election of the Bishops â—nd his consultations it is most cleare and evidâ—â—t Aâ—â— this he proveth in speciall of the Church of Rome by Cyprian And the first appearance of this difference that not all but Carâ—inall Presâ—yters onely were called to the common consultations in the Church of Rome it selfe that he found is in the time of Gregorius Magnus that is about 600 yeares after Christ yet he leaveth this as uncertaine But certaine it is sayth he that all the Clergiâ— had interest in the choyce election of the Bishop even in Gregories time As if now the whole ministerie and Cleargie of the citie of Lonâ—on should be admitted to the election of the Bishop and not some few Chapiter men onely Yea Bellarmine him selfe sayth Non enim jus divinum definivit ut hi potius quam illi ex clericis eligant For divine 〈◊〉 hath not determined that such and such of the Clergie more then others should choose But afterwords in processe of time sayth D. Field the Cardinâ—lls onely had interest in the election of their Bishop and they and no other were admitted to sit in Coâ—â—cell with the Bispop all other Presbyters being excluded By which meanes the dignitie of these Cardinals was greatly encreased Again Now these Cardinall presbyters were not onely in the Churâ—h of Rome but in other Churches also as Duarenus sheweth So the institution of this difference was so farre from being excellent that it thrust lawfull pastors from the government of their owne particular charges the joynt government of the church and increased the dignitie of Cardinalls These Cardinals were but parish priests and Deacons resident in their parishes and titles So are not our Chapitermen But that assistance and councel in proces of time went out of use also So it is ever dangerous to depart from the right partern and shape formes of government to our selves Alwayes this polititian alledgeth very pertinently to the shame of our bishops and their sole government that the Bishop of Rome performeth all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as in Consistorie We heard how Archbishops were made up with the spoyles of the Synodes So the Bishops were made up with the spoyles of the Presbyteries Would you not thinke it very absurd to see the Moderator sit by himselfe exercise all manner of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction without the Presbyterie Of the Deane and Chapter wee will have occasion to entreat a-againe The third thing to be considered in the English Bishop is the deputation of his authoritie He hath griped greedily and taken in his own hands all the power of the Church and when he hath done that because he is neither able nor willing to discharge this burthen which he taketh on himselfe hee transferreth his charge unto other officers under him He hath taken from the Pastors the pastorall staffe of government which belongeth to every shepheard that is set to keepe Christs sheep and left them nothing but the pastorall pype to preach and minister the sacraments and hath put that pastoral staffe in the hands of strangers who are not the true sheepherds that is in the hands of Chancelours Archdeacons officialls and CoÌ„missariet vicars generall and the rest of that Antichristianâ—able of officers The 4. is their extensiue power For wheras the presbyterie choosed and set up a Bishop and no presbyter was excluded from common consultation and judgement and their meeting behoved to be ordinarie for exercise of ordinarie jurisdiction in the Church wher they governed the bounds of the Bishops jurisdiction could be no larger nor the bounds of the presbyteries jurisdiction that is wher all the presbyters might convene to exerce ordinarie jurisdiction All the presbyters of a shire or countie could not convene ordinarilie and weeklie together to exerce ordinarie ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Neither is any where in the new Testamenâ— a visible Church endowed with power of ecclesiasticall government taken for a whole shire or Countie We reade of the Church of Ephesus Philippi Ierusalem Corinth Thessalonica c. But to call the particular congregations in the countries extended in leâ—gth and breadth about these cities the church of thesâ— cities is absurd and no where to be found Hâ— would be thought to speake ridiculously whâ— would under the name of the church of Saint andros comprehend all the congregations iâ— Mers Lothian and â—ife or under the name of the church of Glasgow all the congregations iâ— Teviotdale Nithsdale clidsdale c. Citiâ— churches and towne churches the scripturâ— knoweth but not countrie churches Fâ—â— when the scripture speaketh of a Province or Countrey it speaketh in the plurall number Churches not Church in the singular Seing then there was no Diocesan Church ther was no Diocesan Presbyterie nor Diocesan Bishop No Church is above another The Church of Corinth had no superioritie over the Church of Cenchrea which was next adiacent And consequently the Presbyterie of one Church hath not superioritie over another Church therefore the Bishop chosen by the by the Presbyterie of one Church hath not power over the Presbyterie of another Church Neyther can he possibly exercise ordinarie iurisdiction in divers Churches and Presbyteries except yee will make him a Pluralist and have him gallop from one to another to keepe the ordinarie meetings which galloping was not kaowen in the Apostles times But Bishops have spred their wings over many cities and townes whole Countries and Shires that they are not able suppose they were willing to execute the power which they claime in their owne persons but must of necessity depute others And whom depute they I pray you Doctours of the civill lawe whom they make Chauncelours Officials Commissaries and other officers of the Canon law Suppose they should depute ecclesiasticall persons onely yet this should not free them
seemes by the 36. article to be that wee are required to subscribe unto and which it may be some of the Bishops doe still use there are other corruptions as that the coape albe surplice tuniâ—le and pistorall staffe are appointed to be used in ordination and consecration There the elected is presented by two Bishops to the consecrator who is sitting and the elder of the two Bishops sayth Most reverend father in God c. So here he is presented by two bishops to the Archbishop or any other bishop having commission to whom one of them sayth Most reverend father in God we present unto you this godly and learned man that he may be consecrate bishop There none is consecrate till the commission be shewed here likewise the Archbishop is carefull to have the Kings mandate anent his consecration to be produced and read There the elected taketh an oath upon his knees to the Pope and another of obedience to the Archbishop so here they must take one oath concerning the supremacie another of canonicall obedience to the Archbish. There the Archbi demandeth some questions so also here There is sayd or song Veni Creatâ—r so here There the Archbishop together with the Bishops then present laying on their hands say Receive the holy Ghost so here also as if the one could give and the other receive the holy spirit from his finger ends By the book of ordaining Prists and Deacons the Archbishop should lay the Bible upon the bishops neck that is to be ordained and put a pastorall staffe in his hand sayth the authour of the petition to the Queenes Majestie but they put the Bible in his hand and observe not the former direction or else follow a later booke of ordinations After these things being done the consecrator and his assistants communicate with the new consecrated bishop so here also The Gospels the Collects the Epistles the Letanie which are here used for the most part are borrowed from the same Pontificall and the Letanie interrupted here also as there There the consecrator sayth nothing more ordesâ—e then is set down in the booke either when he prayeth or demandeth or consecrateth so here There the consecrator putteth gloves on the hands of the consecrated Here the consecrated Bishop dealeth gloves as I heare to his friends for why now he is maried and the mariage betwixt him and the Church which was begun by the election is consummate they say by consecration Should not then the bridegroome deale gloves among his friends That day that our Bishops were first consecrated at London their bride at home understood nothing of the matter In respect of his function either in things concerning Episcopall order or concerning iurisdiction Concerning Episcopall order as 1. to ordaine Deacons and Ministers according to the prescript of the booke of ordinations 2. to dedicate Churches and buriall places 3. to confirme children The power of order as they call it that is a power and authority which is given to men sanctified and set apart from others to performe such acts as belong to the service of God and the discharge of the pastorall function it acknowledged by D. Field as also by the sounder sort of the Romanists themselves to be equall the same in all pastors and that there is not a greater power of order in the Bishops then Presbyters If the power of order and authoritie to intermedle in things pertaining to Gods service be equall and the same in all Presbyters who hath power to abridge this their power and limitate the exercise of it To reserve the exercise of it to the Bishop as if he alone may give orders or if other ministers joyne either casually or by Canon with him that it is not for consecration but for consent and approbation onely or that a whole Presbyterie cannot ordaine that is sanctifie dedicate or set apart any person to the ministery unlesse there be a Bishop present to utter the words of consecration is not onely absurd because it imports that God hath bestowed on them a facultie which they cannot put in execution but also dangerous for the Church of God as experience of the last age hath manifested For then all the Ministers in France and other reformed Churches who received not imposition of hands by bishops should not be lawfull Ministers Their shift of the case of necessitie is no shift at all For if they have that power by divine right as they pretend the other may in no case usurpe it Further seeing nature giveth not faculties in vaine wee must not thinke that Christ gaue a power or facultie to be idle The gifts and faculties he gaue hee gave them to be imployed not onely in time of necessitie but at all convenient times and occasions offered Where do they finde in all scripture this exception of the case of necessitie Where the law of God doth not distinguish ought man to distinguish The prayer out of the mouth of a divine bishop a minister appoynted by the presbyterie to moderate the action is it of lesse efficacie then the prayer out of the mouth either of an human or Satanicall Bishop As for imposition of hands it is a rite onely which is common to all and not essentiall Seeing then to ordaine ministers belongeth to the power of order as to preach the word and minister the sacraments doth and that this power is common to all pastors the validity or invaliditie of ordination ought not to depend upon a bishop set up by mans appointment and invention and that it was but an invention of man is clear in that this reservation restraint came in but by corrupt canons In the councell of Ancyra a canon was made to forbid the presbyters of the Citie to ordaine presbyters and Deacons without the bishops permission wherby appeareth that before that Canon was made they had ordained some without the Bishops either presence or permission and yet their ordinations were not made voyd and that after the making of the Canon they yea it is confessed that this is reserved unto them potius ad honorem sacerdetij quam ob legis necessitatem rather for for the honour of their Priesthood then the necessitie of any law at Hierome sayth Beda sayth in plainer tearmes that for pride aud arrogancie this as many other things were not permitted to Priests but reserved to Bishops That which the Iesuite Swarez sayth concerning confirmation Si prestyteri ex visuae ordinationis haberent sufficientem potestatem ordinis ad hoc sacramentum ministrandum sine causa in universum prohiberentur illud conferre may be applied to that which I affirmed of ordination that God gave not faculties and powers to be idle I have as yet onely supposed this their confirmation to be lawfull But let us now see what it is The bishop or such as he shall appoynt apposeth the children in some questions of a short catechisme for hee taketh not the paines to
What is there obtained without paying a fee They have fees for excommunication for absolution for institution and induction for letters of sequestration relaxation for licences to preach for subscription of a testimoniall for commutation of pennance for licence to marry without bannes c. The judgement it selfe in which is to be considered 1. the calling for the parties to law 2. Litis contestation 3. cognition of the cause 4. the sentence 5. such things as follow the sentence as execution or appellation These things are common to every court of contentious or litigious jurisdiction Here is to be observed that such a litigious kinde of pleading for things civill and temporall becommeth not the Church of God Nos scimus sayth the Bishop of Spalato quia 1. Cor. 11. contentioneâ— faciendi Ecclesia Dei consâ—etudinem non habit nisi postquam facta est pâ—ne tota temporalis pervenerint ad papatum inquieti theologiae expeâ—â—â— juristae Here also is to be remembred the longsomnesse of Ecclesiasticall suits depending in their Courts Now the Iudge Register Advocaâ—t Proctor are all agreed to prolong suits for their advantage and so as the Prophet sayth they wrap it up Mich. 7. 3. sayth the Defender of the last petition Where he doth also insinuate that suits have been prolonged aboue two yeares in their consistories Wee have seene what civill causes and after what manner they are handled Criminall causes are brought in judgement either by accusation when there is one to accuse or by denunciation as when the Churchwardens make their presentments into ther courts twice in the year and at the visitations or by inquisition when the judge of office doth inquire into offences What are the offences and crimes punishable in Ecclesiasticall Courts and what are these which they chiefly search out and punish we have declared in the table of Visitation CHAP. 5. Of Archdeacons Chancellors Commissaries Officials and Vicars generall NOW followeth the jurisdiction exercised by the Bishops Deputies and Archdeacons whereunto I will premit the rest of Sir Francis Bacon now Lord Chauncellour his censure For the second poynt which is the deputation of their authoritie I see no perfect and sure ground for that neither being somwhat different from the examples and rules of government The Bishop exerciseth his jurisdiction by his Chauncellor and Commissary Officialls c. We see in all lawes of the world officer of skill and confidence cannot be put over or exercised by Deputie except it bee specially contained in the Originall granted and in that case it is dutifull There was never any Judge in any court made a Deputie The Bishop is a Iudge and of a high nature Whence commeth it that he should depute considering that all trust and confidence as was sayd as personall and inherent and cannot and ought not to bee transposed Surely in this againe Ab initio non fuit ita But it is probable that Bishops when they gaue themselves too much to the glory of the world and became Grandoes in kingdoms and great Counsellors to Princes then did they delegate their proper iurisdictions as things of too inferiour nature for their greatnesse and then after the similitude of kings and Count Palatines they would have their Chauncellors and Iudges But that example of Kings and Potentates giveth no good defence For the reasons why kings administer by their Judges althoâ—gh themselves are the supreame Iudges are two The one because the offices of Kings are for the most part inheritance and it is a rule in all lawes that offices of inheritance are rather matters that sound is interest then in confidence forasmuch as they may fall upon women upon infants upon lunatickes and Idiots persons not able to exercise Iudicature in person and therefore such offices by all lawes might ever bee administred by delegation The second reason is because of the amplitude of their iurisdiction which is as great as either their birthright from their Aunâ—estours or their sword-right from God maketh them And therefore Moses that was governour over no great people and those collected together in a campe and not scattered in Provinces and Cities himselfâ— lâ—kewise of an extraordinarie spirit was neverthelesse not able to suffice and hold out in person to iudge the people but did by the advice of Ieâ—hro his father in law approved from God substitute Elders and Iudges how much more other Kings and Pâ—inces There is a 3 reason likwise not much from the present purpose and that is that Kings either in respect of the common-wealth or of the greatnesse of their own patrimonies are usually parties in suits and then their Iudges stand indifferent betweene them and the subiect But in the case of Bishop none of these reasons hold For first the office is Eâ—ective and for life and not patrimoniall or hereditarie An office worthy of science confidence and qualification And for the second reason it is true their jurisdiction is ample and spacious and that their time is to bee divided between their labours as well in the word and doctrine as government and iurisdiction But I doe not see supposing the Courts to be used uncorruptly and without any indirect course held to multiply causes for gaine of fees but that the Bishop might very well for causes of moment supply his iudiciall function in his owne person For wee see before our eyes that one Chauncellour of England dispatcheth the suits in equitie of the whole kingdome which is not by reason of the excellencie of that rare honourable person who now holdeth that place but it was ever so though more or lesse burthenous to the suiter as the Chauncellour was more or lesse able to give dispatch and if heed bee taken to that which was sayd before that the Bishops labour in the word must take up a principall part of his time so I may say againe that matter of state have ever taken up most of the Chauncellours time having been for the most part persons upon whom the Kings of this Realme have most relied for matters of Counsell And therfore there is no doubt but the Bishop whose circuit is lesse ample and the causes in nature not so multiplying where the helpe of references Certificates to and from fit persons for the better ripening of causes in their neere proceedings and such ordinary helps incident to jurisdiction may very well suffice his office Yet there is another helpe for the causes that come before him are those tithes legacies administrations and other testamentarie causes causes Matrimoniall accusations against Ministers tending to their suspension deprivation or degrading Symonie incontinencie heresie breach of Sabboth and other like causes of scandall The first two of these differ in mine opinion from the rest that is tithes and testaments for those be matters of profit and in their nature temporall though by favour and connivencie of the temporall jurisdiction they have beene allowed and permitted to the Court Ecclesiasticall
Chauncellour are even faine to laugh it out many times when they can keep their countenance no longer Suppose our high commission were never so odious yet the Bishops shall bee sure of such servile varlets Commissaries Officialls and Chauncellours to sit with them for why they shall be their own creatures It is no wonder they be bribers for the Bishops and Archdeacons set in farme their jurisdiction to them Some Chauncellours and officialls pay 20. some 30. some 50. pounds yearly for their place Registers some an hundred some two hundred pounds some more How then is it possible but they should extort in their office and by unreasonable and untollerable exactions make up their hard rents as it is sayd in the Defence of the last petition for reformation Many greivous complaints have been made against Officialls Commissaries and Chauncellours from time to time in Germanie France and other countries which I might produce to make this bondage yet more sensible CHAP. 6. Of Suffraganes Deanes and Cathedrall Churches WE have seen in the former Tables what persons have judiciall administration Now follow Persons having no Iudiciall administration Those are either Ecclesiasticall persons or lay-men Ecclesiasticall persons are the Deacon and the Minister and they have their function either without perpetuall title as Curates or with title The second sort either have a peculiar function beside their common function or have not a peculiar function These who have a peculiar function beside the common either have it through the whole â—â—iocie or but in a part of it Through ane whole Diocie as the titular Bishops who were of old called Chorepisâ—opi that is Rurall Bishops now they are called Suffraganes They are to bee considered either according to the place which they hold in the Common-wealth to wit next unto Barones or according to the place which they have in the Church to wit that they are Bishops both in calling and order but wanting jurisdiction 2. Dedicate Churches 3. confirme children instructed before in the Rudiments of Christian religion and that in a Diocie allotted unto them That which is here sayd of Suffraganes that of old they were called Chorepiscopi is controlled by Mucket himselfe For hee saâ—th that the Rurall Dâ—â—nes are like the old Chorepiscopi Deâ—â—ni 〈…〉 is Ecclesiae Chorepiscopis Aâ—chipresbyteris Regionarijs haud absimiles And so doth Bleynianus also in his introduction into the theorie and practique of benefices At the first where the Gospell was spread through the Countrey townes and villages as it was through Cities so they had Counâ—rey or rurall Bishops as well as Bishops in cities But ambition and pompe in Citie Bishops increasing it was thought a disgrace that such a dignitie should bee obscured with a meane place of residence Therefore it was decreed that it should not bee lawfull to ordaine any Bishop either in villages little forts or small Cities lest the name and authoritie of a Bishop should waxe vile Sathan was advancing this way the great mysterie of iniquitie Because he would make of Bishops young Princes hee went about as is well observed by Mr. Cartwright with robberie of the rest to lift up the head of one otherwise the great pompe which they were striving for could not be maintained At the first the countrey or Rurall Bishop had the same power in his circuit which the Citie Bishop had in the citie and suburbs of it Hierome sayth that the bishop of an obscure citie hath as much authoritie as hee of the most famous citie The Presbyters who were ordained by them their ordination was not made voyd and reversed untill they were throwne downe through the pride and dispite of citie bishops to the order of priesthood which is an argument sufficient that they were in estimation and judgement of the Church bishops of that same sort and kinde that the citie bishops were Beeing spoyled of the greatest part of their power and name also they there called Archipresbyteri at the last Countrey or Rurall Deanes and were made subject not onely to Bishops but also to their Archdeacons No propter subrogationem in locum Chorepiscoporum superbirent Archipresbyteri idem sibi quod antea Chorepiscopi arrogarent si immediate Episcopis supponerentur sayth Bleynianus a Papist This is his conjecture that the Archpresbyters were thrust downe to a degree lower then Archdeacons lest if they had been immediatly subiect to Bishops they might perhaps have claimed the power of the old countrey Bishops to whom in place they succeeded For justly Archpresbyters may claim by their order that which Archdeac cannot do For howbeit they be inferiour to Archdeac in Popish dignitie yet they are greater then Archdeacons in respect of their order Countrey Bishops at their first erection being equall to Citie Bishops were not their Deputies In the later and corrupt ages proud Prelates and loytering Lords addicting themselves to the world seeking ease or intangling themselves with wordly affaires as they commited the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to Chauncellours and Commissaries so that which is most proper to them as they pretend as ordination of Priests and Deacons confirmation of children and dedication of Churches they committed to Suffraganes that they might give themselves to ease and wait upon Councells Parliaments and other civill Courts and reserved nothing belonging to their owne charge that might trouble their ease or draw them from attendance upon Princes Courts and civill employments D. Field alledgeth against these Suffragane Bishops Melchior Canus a papist Such Bishops Melchior Canus entreating of Councells and the persons wherof Councells consist sayth they are so farr from having any place or voyce in councells that they neither have nor ought to have any place in the church at all The Bishops he speaks of he calleth annular Bishops happely for that whereas full Bishops had both staffe and ring expressing their jurisdiction as well as their espousing to the church these had the ring onely That Suffraganes may ordaine Priests and Deacons and confirme in their Church is evident by their latest Canons Now if Bishops may transferre these things which belong to their order to one Suffragane they may transferre it also to moe and consequently to all the Cathedrall and countrey Deanes and restore the countrey Deanes to their old liberties againe It dependeth onely upon some new Canon The Bishop of Spalato sayth Imo si vult Episâ—opus canones non prohiberent potest suos parochos plene Episcopos facere ordinare ut omnes sui or diniâ— actus plâ—ne possint explere simul ac in soli 〈◊〉 cum ipso Ecclesiam gubernare The Bishop may make all his parish priests not onely halfe but full Bishops that they might governe the Church in common with him sayth he if the Canon law were not an impediment The parish priest may curse this Canon law that hâ—ndreth them of that which Gods law alloweth them But that which Divine law hath given
signification that they weare them The white colour of the Surplice signifieth angelicall puritie for the Angels appeared in white So are they painted with wings to signifie their readinesse to do their office But significant garments belong to the priests of the Leviticall tibe and not to the ministers of the new testament It is beside a lying signe of that purenesse which is not nor cannot be in sinfull men In the angels it might have represented as well their glory as their purenesse from sin The Surplice was esteemed so holy in time of poparie that no priest might say service nor doe so much as make holy water without it And among themselves the Surplice is well known to be esteemed by many people in all the parts of the land so holy â— thing as that they will not receive the sacrament from any but such as weare it as is sayd in the abridgement of the ministers of Lincolne By what reason the Surplice and cope are retained by the same reason the rest of the Masse-priests and Bishops vestiments may be reduced The ministers of the Gospell should not bee made conforme in fashions let be in mysteries and significations to Popish Priests not weare their badges either in or out of the ministration of divine service It is to be observed that in time of preaching he is not urged to weare a Surplice as 〈…〉 of service belike because preaching is no â—ecessarie part of his function as is the saying and singing of service or else why should he not use these apish and significant garments at the one as well as at the other In their 17. Canon students in colledges are ordained to weare Sarplices in charches St chappels upon all Son layes holidayes and their Eâ—â—es The originall of this is observed in the abridgement fore saâ— to be this It is enioyned to all that are admitted to the very lowest degree of their clergie which they call primam tonsuram And this was it which brought that custome into the universities that every student should at certaine times weare the Surplice in divine service because they did in their matriculation receive this primam tonsuram and first entrie into the clergie I may may not insist upon this poynt nor the rest that follow being forced to end within this sheet In the Deacon is likewise to be considered his externall calling and function His externall calling is either to the order and degree and that in every respect as in the minister except in some things or to the benefice altogether as in the minister His function is 1. to have an over-sight of the poore 2. to assist the minister in celebration of the supper 3 to blesse them who are to be maried 4. to burie the dead 5. to baptise and preach if he be called thereunto In the book of ordering Priests and Deacons the Deacons office is sayd to consist chiefly in assisting the Priest in divine service specially in celebration of the Supper and distribution of the sacrament in reading Scripture and Homilies in instructing children in the articles of the faith in baptising of infants in the preaching of the word if the Bishop thinke him fit and in inquiring into the state of the poore and the sick and intimating the same to the minister After imposition of hands the Bishop delivereth him in his hand the new testament saying Take thou authoritie to read the Gospell in the Church of God and to preach the same if thou bee thereto ordinarily commanded Hee needeth not a new calling to the ministerie and therby be inabled but remaining still a Deacon he may by the Bishops warrrant and licence be authorised to preach The Apostles instituted Deacons to an other end then to preach and severed them from preaching because one person could not conveniently be a minister of the word and a minister of Tables yet they will confound them For so they found them confounded in time of popery and it pleaseth them to retaine them so and not to distinguish the functions as the Apostles did Why are they permitted to baptize more then to celebrate the supper Is the one sacrament of greater excellencie then the other May the one bee ministred by any Church officer who may not minister the other When the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. descriveth the office of a Deacon requireth he either abilitie to teach or power to baptize What in effect may their Deacon not do that the priest doth except the ministration of the communion What can be the reason of this exception but that in this ministration there was somewhat esteemed in time of poperie proper to a priest to wit the offering of a sacrifice The Deacon then is not halfe a minister but almost a whole and he may preach with licence or at command of his ordinarie as well as the Priest What need I to insist upon such grosse absurdities CHAP. 8. Of the administration of Lay-men THE laymen having some administration have it either in a cathedral or collegiat church or else in a parish church c. In the cathedral church laymen having administration are the receivers of the rents Bailiffs takers up of accounts overseers and measurers of land stewards of courts and liberties overseers of the fabrick of the temple of the saâ—ctuarie of the bibliotheke where the book of Homilies and service-book lye vergerers bellmen singing men and boyes Many idle and chargeable officers are fed in these dennes to uphold the pompe of a cathedrall church and that to the great detriment of other churches In the Parish church they have not a Senat of Elders to joyne with the Pastor for governing the same but two or three Churchwardens to see the Kirke be watertight and furnished with all the ornaments and utensils to provide for the booke of common prayer and Homilies and the elements for the communion upon the expenses of the parish to keep a Register of the christnings weddings burialls together with the Priest to intimate any contribution which is to be made for some publick work and lastly to be the Bishop and Archdeacons spie to delate or present offenders howbeit for the most part they bee perjured and offences are winked at and suffered to passe without correction No wonder seeing the discipline is taken out of â—he hands of the right officers and put in the hands of Officials Commissaries and Chancellors to whom these perjured Church-wardens are made officers and servants The possessions are either publicke or private c. Heere are reckoned for the possessions belonging to the Church bookes vestiments the ornamentsand implements of the Kirk the Kirk it selfe houses mannours woods forrests parkes ponds fountaines rivers medowes pasturage ground arable ground Baron courts Hundreds and Lathis Tithes oblations obuentions pensions for indemnitâ—e procurations Synodals fees immunities liberties priviledges c. It were â—edious to insist upon the use of every one of them in particular They are either superfluous and excessive or
unlawfull or bestowed upon the wrong person The constitutions anent both persons and possessions c. There is a controversie among the Lawiers what Canons and Constitutions of the Canon Law be in force among them Some of best judgement thinke it to be altogether abrogate except so much as is particularly ratified by Statute They themselves doe hold that all the former canons of the canon law all the constitutions and decrees nationall or provinciall which were in use before in the Ecclesiasticall Courts which are not repugnant to the Statutes and municipall lawes of the Realme or to the late constitutions established by publiqu authoritie nor prejudiciall to the Kings prerogatiue and privileges make up the Ecclesisticall lawes of England and accordingly put the same in practise There Canon law the popes Testament then is there principall Law booke THinke not good Reader that I have made a perfect Discoverie of the English Church-policie for that requireth the skill and paines of the most judicious and painfull among themselves Therefore take in good part that little which I have in great hast gathered for thy information and consider how dangerous it is to yeeld to a few of their Popish corruptions Some few will draw on the rest and the whole will make way for full Poperie to re-enter in the owne time which approacheth very neere in outward appearance unlesse the Lord prevent Hee that persevereth to the end shall get the Crown BIshop Spotswood hath spread a rumeur that M David Calderwood is turned Brounist but I assure thee good Reader it is not true That old impudent â—yar hath together with his supposed Authour a yong man trimmed up a tale with many circumstances to make the mis-report the more credible But if ever he required by letter the judgement either of that supposed Authour or of any other man else anent their opinions then let him never be reputed for an honest man hereafter If hee had douâ—ted he would not have sought resolution from yong schollers and unsetled braines The ground being false all the rest of the circumstonces builded upon it are knovish forgeries also If either Spotswood or his supposed Authour persist 〈◊〉 their caluninie after this declaration I shall try if there be any bloud in their foreheads FINIS The Table Sander de Schism Anglic lib. â— p. 227. Rastall Bishops 9. Fâ—x p. 1405 1406. Pag. 680. Pag. 381. Pag. 70. Rastall â—irst fruits 6. Confess fidei â— 35. Pag. 249. P. 27 28. â— 28. P. â— De polit c. â— Lib. 3. c. â—â— num 1. Hist. 1. 3. c. â—â— T. C. 2. Reply p. 644. Can. â—â— Camd. Brit. p. 181. Sess. 34. c. 3. D. â— reform Down def â— 2. c. 6 p. 112. 113. Whitgift p. 440. Camd. Brâ— 181. Abstract 237. â—md Brit. 181. P. 3. â—stal Rom. 2. Reply â— part p. 97. Pag. 227. â— Reply 2. part p. 178. 179. P. 178. Cap. 3. v. 1â— P. 59. 597. Pelit Anno 1603. Can. 46. 2 Repl. 1. part p. 355. â—astal residence 2. P. 10. 1. Reply p 46. P. 71. Can. 41. P. 132. Camd. Brit p. 181. cap. 2. Act. 1â— Act. 21. Of the chur 1. 5. c. 28. p. 142. 143. De clericis cap. 8. â— 5. P. 143. P. 142. Defens 1. 3. p. 150. 1. Reply p. 97. P. 274. 275. P. 102. P. 6. Of the chur 5. c. 27. â—ontra Luâ—eranos 〈◊〉 Psal. 26. â—n aqui tom 〈◊〉 disput 36. â—ct 1. Camd. Briâ— 170. P. 49. De Polit. p. 318. Deâ—ep eccl 1. 5. c. 9. nu 38. 39. De polit p. 316. Of the chur l. 1. c. â—5 5. c. 9. nu 2. 23. 24. Assertion 〈◊〉 â—hurch 〈◊〉 p 41 9. â— Discover 241. p. 182. P. 328. l 5. poenis cap. euenit Of the Ch. â—5 c. 27. P. 61 P. 8. Assertion of â—rist Poli. â—ag 187. Mucket 325. 326. De vitâ— honest 〈◊〉 corum â— 1 S à crapule verb vigilanâ—er Volum 2. Dâ—â—repudijs Divortjs p. 3â—5 De testamen◠〈◊〉 cap. â—em verb. extorqueant P. 105. 106 â—â—art 1. p. â— P. 99. L. 1. de consuetud 〈◊〉 statutum P. 113. Assert of Christ. poli p. 73. 74. Lib. 3. cap. 8. num 13. P. 219. De sequestâ— c 1. veodo Vicarios l. 5. p. 153. 〈◊〉 juris â—anonici 92. Lib. 5. p. 15. â—anisius in 〈◊〉 pag. â—1 92. sucket p. â—4 Id Evag. â—â—st 85. Reply p. â— Lib. 5. p. 15 153. Canon 101. â—etition to â—be Queene 70. P. 175. P. 387. 388. Anno 1584. P. 392. Can. 12â— 2 Reply 2. part pag. 96 P. 17. P. 50. P. 58. P. 213 Cap. 9. pag. 339. Bleyni introduct p. 422. Se Damasus Decretal 2. Reply 1. part p. 525. Ad Evaâ—â— L. 5. p. 158. Can. 35. 6â— L. 2. cap. 9. nâ—m 15. Pueket p. 24. De iudicijs cap. Quidam 1. 5. p. 150. De Constiâ—utionth cap Quiâ—â— verb â—â—pitulis Pag. 15. â—ialog l. 4. 26. Reply pa. 3. 164. 165. 〈◊〉 2. quest 〈◊〉 art 2. â—â—g 4. 〈◊〉 336. Lib. 5. p. 15â— Pag. 151. Pag. â—0 De Clerici cap. 16. Instit. lib. â—â— cap. 5. Seâ—â— Can. 33. Pag. â— Pag. 15. Pag. 309 â—â—stract p. Reply 1. â—rt p. 298. 2 Reply 1 part p. 133. p. 110. Abstract p. 83. p. 236. 237. p. 238. 2. Reply 1. part p. 537. 148. P. 245. Assertion p. 258. 259. Assertion p. 259. P. 252. P. 5. P. 52. C. 1 Repl. 104. â—dm p. 47. â—â— 93. lm p. 14. P. 65 〈◊〉 â—0 66. Discov p. 8â— Disco p. 82. De cultu â—anctor c. 15. Discov p 84. â—an 31. T â— 1. Repl p. 108. Abridgâ— p. 35. Survey of the B. of coÌ„mon prayer p. 47. 1. Repl. pag. 105. Disc. p. 131. p. 105. â— part p. 187. Survey of â—he B. of 〈◊〉 prayâ—â—â—â— Disc. pag. 6 P. 6â— Assertion the true â— Christian pol. pag. ◠〈…〉 Rituale Râ— manum p. 174. 175. P. 147. 〈…〉 P. 62. P. 149. â—isc p. 127. 128. 1. Reply p. 16â— Pag. 16â— lib. 4. sent ist 7. Can. 3â— 1. Part. p. 34. L. 5. c. 65. Can. 57. â— 72. P. 81. P. 344. Can. 24. P. 5â— P. 37. Mucket p. 299.