to please woolues for he cannot please both them and the flockes of shéepe The * 2. q. 7. c. qui nec regiminis next likeneth not a prelat to a shamelesse dog onelie for not correcting the faults of his children but also for want of gouernement in himselfe and for not bewailing his owne sinnes That which followeth taken out of Augustine is appliable to all men as well as to prelats and sheweth how a doue that is a true beléeuer may be discerned from a rauen that is a filthie liuer * c. non omnis ibid. Not euerie one that saith Peace be vnto you must be listned vnto as though he were a doue the rauens are fed by the death of other things this qualitie the doue hath not which liueth of the fruits of the earth and therefore his diet is blamelesse The next is not found by any direction which he hath set downe but he might haue alledged the gospell for it speaking of salt that hath lost his taste The * c. in mandatis 43. dist place ensuing next is by him following onelie his glosse wrong quoted But if he thinke he may gather of that which the last glosse saith of a prelats dumbenesse in teaching which I haue shewed not to be alwaies coincident with preaching that euerie minister is thereby of necessitie to be a preacher I am to saie besides that which is spoken to the first section * Gl. in Cle. 2. de sepulturis verbo praelati that Vnder the name of a prelat the person of a church is not conteined The crimination and blame which he laieth vpon our chéefe prelats for admitting any into orders not enabled as he fansieth if otherwise they haue discharged their duties as I hope will easilie be answered when it shall please him to charge anie in particular Loco tempore congruis whereas being deliuered in this maner it cannot serue to helpe the matter but onelie to open the rankenesse of his stomach and by the contempt and obloquie of them to wound the common cause 17. Section Pag. 29 30 31. THe author being now come vnto the maner of making deacons and ministers in this church of England and pretending so good liking thereof that he cannot endure the least wrench aside in any small circumstance of it séeking also to mooue before he hath taught or shewed any breach of the said order and to the intent he might bréed further attention or else indignation in his readers he putteth on of a sudden Cothurnos tragicos and lostilie aduancing his spéeches swelleth in words like the Ocean Proijciens ampullas sesquipedalia verba The occasion of all this stirre is bréefelie this bicause When ministers are to be made it is an action wherof deliberate consideration is to be had and wherein when all is done as it is imagined that can be done yet in truth there is as he saith nothing so nor so done I doo casilie assent vnto him that a maruelous great care in so weightie an action ought to be had But that when all is done as it is imagined can be done yet nothing is so nor so done is An obscure riddle so deepe and inextricable a riddle for me to vnfold that I must confesse my selfe herein Dauus and not Oedipus except I should thus gesse considering the humor of the man else-where that though all prescribed were as exactlie obserued as might be according to the order there set downe yet is it not such a forme of ordering ministers as it ought to be If this be his meaning whie should he be so incensed against those who breake that which he himselfe misliketh Or whie dooth he thus terriblie exclame as though he would Inclamare coelum terram maria Neptuni against the breakers of an order either vngodlie or inconuenient By the waie it is to be obserued that the holie daies besides the sabboth he calleth Their owne festiuall daies intending as I gather by this contemptuous speech The authors nipping at hosie daies that the obseruation of all such daies is vnlawfull and that they are not commanded by hir Maiesties lawes but established onelie by the Bishops That other daies beside the sabboth may be commanded as festiuall by the chrstian magistrate the practise of the people of God though straightlie bound to the ceremoniall and iudiciall part of the obseruation of the sabboth as well as to the morall which alonelie we are tied vnto dooth sufficientlie teach vs. For besides that God who indéed is a law-giuer to vs and not to himselfe did command beside the sabboth manie festiuall daies and solemne times of holie assemblies ioy and rest to let passe their a Num. 28. 2. Paral. 2. 2. Paral. 8. Esdr 2. Isai 1. solemnities in the new moones or kalends bicause in them they rested from no kind of labour as namelie the b Exod. 12. passeouer the first and c Leuit. 23. Deut. 16. seauenth daie of swéet bread the feast d Leuit. 23. of first fruits the e Leuit. 23. Num. 18. Deut. 16. 2. Macca 12. feast of pentecost or of wéekes the feast f Leuit. 23. Psal 80. of trumpets the feast g Leuit. 23. Leuit. 16. Hier. 36. of expiation and the h Leuit. 23. Num. 29. Deut. 16. Neh. 8. feast of tabernacles diuers also were instituted and commanded to be kept by holie men as the i 1. Reg. 8. 2. Paral. 7. feast of dedication of the temple by Salomon at the k Esdr 6. dedication also by Zerobabell the feast of dedication l Macca 1. Iohn 10. of the altar vnder Iudas Macchabeus which being in winter is thought to be the same feast of Encaenia or dedication which Christ honoured with his presence in the tenth of Iohns gospell the m Iud. 11. feast of moorning for the daughter of Ieptha the n 1. Macca feast of fire the o Iud. 16. feast of Iudiths victorie ouer Holophernes the feast p Esther 9. of lots and the feast of victorie q Iosep li. 12. ouer Nicanor the king of Syrias generall capteine And if the lawfulnes to command such being granted it shall neuerthelesse be thought no such thing amongst vs to haue force of law as I haue heard it to haue béene more confidentlie than truelie auouched by some such are to knowe that both the statute 1. Eliz. cap. 2. dooth establish the said daies and that hir Maiestie authorised by the said act hath authenticallie ratified long ago by hir royall authoritie to be shewed both the fasts festiuall daies set downe in the bulgar kalendar prefixed before the booke of common praier Neither is this circumstance of a sundaie or holie daie spoken of in the bodie of the booke of The forme and maner of making and consecrating Bishops Corruption of the booke priests and deacons but in the preface onelie neither is it there spoken of other than of
openly thorough euery Pag 3. 51. house witnessing both to the Iewes and Greekes the repentance that is towards God and the faith which is toward our Lord Iesus And now behold I goe bound in the spirite vnto Ierusalem not knowing the things that shall come to me there but that the holy Ghost witnesseth in euery citie saying that bonds and trouble abide me but none of these things moue me neither is my life deare vnto my selfe that I might fulfill my course with ioy and the ministration of the word which I haue receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the Grace of God And now behold I am sure that henceforth you all thorough whome I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God shall see my face no more Wherefore I take you to record this day that I am pure from the bloud of all men For I haue spared no labour but haue shewed you all the counsell of God Take heede therefore to your selues and to all the flocke among whome the holy Ghost hath made you ouerseers to rule the congregation of God which he hath purchased with his blond c. Or else the third chapiter of the first Epistle to Timothie THis is a true saying If any man desire the office of a Bishop he desireth an honest worke A Bishop therefore must be blameles the husband of one wife diligent sober discreete a keeper of hospitalitie apt to teach not giuen to ouermuch wine no fighter not greedy of filthy lucre but curteous gentle abhorring fighting abhorring couetousnesse Pag. 5â— one that ruleth well his owne house one that hath children in subiection with all reuerence For if a man cannot rule his owne house how shall he care for the Congregation of God He may not be a young scholler least he swell and fall into the iudgement of the euill speaker He must also haue a good report of them which are without least he fall into rebuke and snare of the euill speaker After this shall be read for the Gospell a peece of the last chapter of Matthewe THen Iesus came and spake vnto them saying All power is giuen vnto me in heauen and in earth Goe ye therefore and teach all nations Baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost teaching them to obserue all all things whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you And loe I am with you alway euen vnto the end of the world The praier vsed by the Bishop in the ordering of Ministers Pag. 56 ALmightie God giuer of all good things which by the holie spirite hast appointed diuers orders of Ministers in the Church Fol. 11. pag â— mercifully beholde these thy seruauntes nowe called to the office of Priesthoode and replenished them so with the trueth of thy doctrine and innocencie of life that both by worde and good example they may faithfully serue thee in this office to the glorie of thy name and profite of the congregation through the merits of our sauiour Iesu Christ who liueth and raigneth with thee and the holie ghost world without end Amen These praiers and places of Scripture appointed by the whole consent of the realme to be made and read at the time of making Deacons and Ministers most strongly prooue that their intent and purpose was to haue such men placed in the office of Deacons and Ministers as whom the holy Scriptures hath commaunded should be placed and as they praie might be placed But suppose that they being not so faithfull to the Lorde as were expedient for them account not the Lordes waies to be the best waies his councels not to be the wisest counsels to interprete the meaning of the statute because they are such waies as wherein the Lordes seruants applie them selues precisely to walke and therefore ignominiously are termed Precisians Suppose this I saie yea and suppose that they haue preferred their owne inuentions and set the consultations of the grauest Senatours and wisest Counsellours and chiefest Rulers of the land behinde their backes yet if reason might haue ruled them and their will might haue beene no lawe there was and is an other manner of calling of triall of examination other qualities an other face of the Church an other Latine tongue by other positiue lawes required which as partly by sequel of their proceedings and partly by their owne records appeareth was neuer or very seldome vsed by any of them The manner of calling ought to haue beene thus QVANDO EPISCOPVS c. When the Bishoppe The 〈◊〉 of calling is disposed to make an ordination all they which wil come to the holy ministerie the fourth daie before the ordination are to be called to the Citie togither wivh the Elders which ought to present them And this kinde of calling is a solemne publishing the Bishops purposes either by some processe openly fixed vpon the doores of the Cathedrall Church or proclaimed Voce Praeconis by the voice of an Apparatour to make the Bishops intent knowneâ— Pag. 54 that happily such a day he wil make Deacons or Ministers and therefore citeth such to be present as wil offer themselues meete men for that seruice Which manner of calling is briefly also commaunded by order and forme of the booke of ordaining Ministers First when the day appointed â—ol 2 p. 2. 27. Article by the Bishop is come c. And in the Articles of religion the selfe same is expressed It is not lawfull for any man to take vpon him the office of publike preaching or ministring the Sacraments In the title Articles for certaine orders in ecclesiasticall pollicie The manner of triall in the congregation before he be lawfully called and sent to execute the same In the Aduertisements likewise you haue these wordes First against the day of giuing orders appointed the Bishop shall giue open monitions to all men to except against such as they know not to be worthie either for life or conuersation The manner of triall followeth and ought to be after this sort Pag. 55 ET TVNC EPISCOPVS c. And then the Bishoppe ought to choose him Ministers and other men skilfull of the law of God exercised in Ecclesiasticall functions who first of all ought diligently to enquire out the life of them that are to be ordained their kinred their Countrie their age their bringing vp the place where they were borne whether they be learned whether instructed in the law of God whether they firmely holde the Catholike faith and in plaine words can vtter the same and they to whom this charge is committed ought to take heede that they doe not for fauour or for desire of reward decline from the truth to present anie to the handes of the Bishop either vnworthily or not meete to take holie orders And therefore let them continually three daies togither be examined and so on the sabboth in the which they are approoued let them be presented vnto the Bishop Out of the constitutions of
teaching that the princes of Iudah and Ierusalem should cast away the rich ornaments of gold as a menstruous cloth did stay himselfe with the publishing of this his doctrine he onely reformed himselfe and taught and exhorted others to doe the like The Prophet Ieremy vsed onely this weapon of reformation Of a truth sayth he the Lord hath sent me vnto you to speake all these words in your eares he hath sent me to prophesie against this house and against this citie all the things that ye haue heard Pag. 94 as for me behold I am in your hands doe with me as ye thinke good and right And though Iehoiakim the King with all his men of power the Priestes and the Prophets sâ—ewe Vriah with the sworde yet ceased not Ieremiah to stande in the Court of the 2. King 2â— â— Lords house to speake vnto all the cities of Iudah all the words that were commaunded him to speake and kept not a word backe When Hilkiah the Priest had found the booke of the lawe and caused Iosiah to reade the same it is written that the King stoode by the piller and made a couenant before the Lord that he the King and the Priestes and the Prophets and all the people both small and great shoulde walke after the Lorde and keepe his commaundements and his testimonies and his statutes with all their heart and with all their soule And that the King commaunded Hilkiah the high Priest and the Priestes of the second order to bring out of the Temple of the Lorde all the vessells that were made for Baal and for the groue and for all the hoste of heauen and that He King burnt them without Ierusalem in the fieldes of Kidron and that the King carryed the powder of them into Bethel and that He put downe the Chemerym and that He brake downe the houses of the Sodomites and that He brake the images in peeces c. When the spirite of the Lorde came vpon Azariah to tell Asa and all Iudah and Beniamin that the Lorde was with him whilest they were with him encouraged them in their affliction to turne vnto the Lorde God of Israell for that their confidence and trust in him should not be frustrate but haue a rewarde Asa hearing these wordes of the Prophet was encouraged and tooke away all the abhominations out of the lande of Iudah and Beniamin And King Asa deposed Maachah his mother from hir regencie Pag. 93 And Asa 2. Chro. 15. brake downe hir Idoll and stamped it and burnt it at the brooke â—idron and King Asa did all these thinges at the counsell of the Prophet Neyther can the holie doctrine of the Gospell be sayd to be repugnant herevnto God is euermore one and the selfe same God in all ages he is euermore the author of peace and order not of discord or disorder If therefore the Lord haue not yet graciously opened hir Maiesties eies to vnderstand all and singular misteries of his Testament or if he will some blemish to remaine in the gouernment of a faithfull Queene vnder the Gospell as it pleased him to haue blots in the raigne of good Kings in the time of the law or if he will that the aduersaries of Iudah and Beniamin hire counsellers to trouble their building hinder their deuise all the daies of Cyrus or if he will the Temple to be built in the daies of Esra the chiefe Priest but the walles to be reedified by a Eliashâ—b and his brethren or if he will haue his Church tary his holye leasuâ—e and appointed time or if he haue any other glorious purpose to worke in our dayes by her Highnesse what is that to him that is a Minister of the Gospell Onely it behoueth him to be a faithfull Steward in his function For an woe hangeth ouer his head if he preach not because necessitie is layd vpon him And let him be assured that whatsoeuer is either bound or loosed by him in earth the same is bound and loosed by the Lord in heauen The repentant and faithfull shall be forgiuen the obstinate and impenitent shall be hardened And thus hauing deliuered my mind touching these things which otherwise by sinister construction might haue bene daungerous to my selfe and offensâ—ue to others Touching the former cauill I answere as followeth First I confesse that euery one meete and apt to teach that euery one qualified as is requisite that euery one moued inwardly by the holy Ghost and outwardly called and appoynted by the Bishop hauing authoritie by the order of this Church of England in this behalfe is Pag. 96 in deede and by lawe a Minister First because he is in deede and truth a Messenger sent and appoynted to this office by the Lord himselfe Secondly he is a Minister by the lawe of this lande For the state of this man learned qualified and inwardly called and the state of the vnlearned and vnqualified and not inwardly moued differ as much as light and darkenesse For where the life the learning the conuersation the paines of the former doe appeare in deede to be sincere sufficient honest and diligent euen such as the lawe it selfe requireth should be in him and so the ende of the lawe satisfied in that behalfe in this case and for this man there is a presumption Iuris de iure of lawe and by lawe that in his outward calling and tryall c. all things required by lawe were accordingly performed by the Bishop and so he a lawful Minister But touching the other man it is quite contrary and therefore this presumption by law must cease For where his life his learning his conuersation doe appeare manifestly â—los extrauag de prebend cuÌ„ secundum As postolum ver â—eeat to be vile corrupt and vnhonest and not such as the lawe requireth and so the lawe frustrated in this case there is a presumption Iuris de iure of law and by law against him that he came to his office per surreptionem by stealth and vnorderly Letters obtayned for enioying benefices vntill it appeare they were obtayned either veritate tacita or falsitate expressa truth concealed or falshood expressed are good and to be obeyed but if afterwards either of these appeare they shall be accounted surreptitious and voyd A Bull or dispensation from the Pope authentically sealed is presumed to haue beene gotten bona fide in good faith but if in the tenour thereof appeare false Latine it is then presumed to haue beene obtained per surreptionem A sentence giuen by a Iudge is presumed to be a iust iudgement and euerie one for the authoritie and reuerence of the Pag. 97. Iudge ought so to deeme of the same But in case the matter be appealed and there be found a nullitie in his processe the former presumption ceaseth and the sentence as an iniurious sentence is to be reuersed In like manner if a Bishop should make an hundred ministers in one day for the authoritie
something to be recalled backe from their fantasticall breaches of the lawfull vnitie and vniformitie of this church too long by them vsed to the great animating of the papist and that none of his priuate hot apologies for them do giue anie sufficient colour of law or equitie to protect them dooth now thinke he shall be sufficientlie therfore reuenged by beating back one naile with another and by obiecting breach of lawe also vnto those graue Fathers whome hir Maiestie hath put in authoritie for reducing of others to conformitie of hir lawes ecclesiasticall Whose faults and ouersights if any such be as are supposed as they are not by themselues defended or by others to be excused so in christian charitie ought they not in this manner as Cham did his fathers nakednesse to be laid open and Quasi in scena insulted vpon to the thrusting through of religion by the sides of the ancientest learnedest and most godlie professors thereof Neither dooth it become euery triobolar mate thus couertlie to carpe either at hir Maiesties singular wisedom who with the aduise and assistance of hir renowmed wise Conncell hath made choise of those Fathers as hauing more integritie and sufficiencie than he is willing by any meanes to agnise or at the lawes of the land by parlement heeretofore established where they satisfie not his appetite not onlye disputing against them but ouer-ruling Quasi â—â—nsoria virga in what manner they ought to be altered according to his deepe iudgement or so dangerouslye to enforce so great innouation or yet so spitefully to sow seeds of dissention amongst the Great men of the land Which course of his if others should vpon this occasion begin to vse against himselfe and those whome hee so affecteth by setting downe out of their speeches preachings and writings grosse absurdities and dangerous errors in opinion and by theyr practise the vyolent breaches of sundrye lawes and statutes of this realme not committed vpon ignorance or frailtye but stoutly stood vnto and mainteined I do coniecture that both he and they would quicklye repent them for offering to put their matter to triall vpon such an issue But it is well knowne to children that although it is * 3. q. 7. c. quisine c. iudicet c. postulatus most conuenient for him to be free from blame who is ready to accuse or iudge another yet one mans fault is not any warrantise for another man to doo amisse and yet howe little hee hath found or effected of that which hee hoped for and Tanto cum hiatu promised the discourse following shall I hope in parte make manifest IN his Epistle to the Reader is pretended these paines of his cheeflye to haue beene vndertaken that By better execution of these lawes many and notable pointes of such controuersies as haue beene a long time amongst vs might more easilye and speedily by the same lawes he decided By which controuersies and contention about Reformation of Ecclesiasticall discipline and popish ceremonies he sayth The quiet and peaceable estate both of the church and common-wealth haue beene shrewdlye troubled and brought in hazard Surely though his wish of excommunication not to be inflicted by one alone would if it were expedient put some of them in a kinde of Paradise of obteining their souereigntie of seniors in euery parish the want whereof breedeth these threats of hazard to the common-wealth and which is the onely thing they meane by Reformation of ecclesiasticall discipline and the Helena which they contend for naie the popedome which they gape after as though no other course this now in vse being once abrogated could be taken or deuised but that yet can I not conceiue but their seniors which will sometime intermeddle vnder pretense of conscience or charitie with euery kinde of matter most ciuill euen to the reuersall of iudgements as is notorious where that consistorie is settled shall leese as much another way if all matters nowe handled in ecclesiasticall courts should * Pag. 234. according to this mans deuise as meere ciuill causes bee haled away from them vnto the temporall courts As for all the other points of the booke if this turbulent Tribune might of his absolute power inspire them with the life of lawes they would no more do good vnto his clients about their breaches or impugnings of the booke of Common prayer or for their hot skirmishing with the ceremonies of our church odiously by him termed Popish than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the smoke of a hot ladle would do good to a man that is hungrie And therefore herein he hath not otherwise than by tickling factious humors which are delighted to heare their betters girded any â—ot pleasured His brethren and neighbors for whose sakes hee hath atchieued this doutie peece of worke Another cause is alledged for the enterprise of this worke The defense of hir Highnes lawes How many of these by him brought are to be called in trueth hir Maiesties lawes in force remaineth to bee discussed But how agreeth this with that * Pag. 238. part of his booke where he calleth these hir Maiesties lawes and all The ecelesiasticall law popish to be abandoned and as a froth or filth to be spewed A contrarietie in the author out of the common-weale that hir Maiestie cannot gratifie hir capitall enimie so much as by authorising and practising his lawes that it were not a dodkin matter all the bookes thereof were laid on a heape in Smithfield and sacrificed in a fire vnto the Lord c. Such faults as these being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will seldome be wanting In multiloquio But I pray God send hir Maiesties lawes better patrones than such as in a published booke dare dispute against sundry of them father such for lawes as be not and which he himselfe in a generality dooth condemne and which fostereth and cherisheth manifest and wilfull breakers of hir Maiesties lawes in deed and also inueigheth bitterly against such as according to law and trust reposed in them by hir Maiesty do seeke to reforme and reclaime such offendors of lawe from their former contempts in despight of whom and in fauor of such wilfull law breakers all in this booke to haue beene written a man which hath but halfe an eye may easilie discerne and not In defense of hir Highnesse lawes as hypocriticallie is auouched neither yet for any Peace and prosperitie in the wals and palaces of Ierusalem which I praye God by other better meanes than this to grant to this church vnder the long peaceable and prosperous gouernement of our souereigne Ladye Elizabeth for his Christes sake Amen The Booke Pag. 1 2. WE read of some politike capteines of this our countrie that haue partlye vsed the arrowes shotte shorte at themselues against theyr enimies and partlye haue suffered them to sticke still to annoye theyr fyrst owners at the ioyning of the battell euen so our author is heere content verye politikely to alledge against vs the
also according to our lawes Magnates Pares regni and such as haue béene the chéefest either planters or waterers of this church vnder the time of the gospell but especiallie when it commeth from such a one as would séeme to be a professor of the gospell whereof these and such like spéeches too too manie in this booke are neither branch bud nor fruit And except they were the voices of some sonne of Beliall as was Sheba that is without yoke of all christian humilitie and patience I cannot sée how such contumelious loftie spéeches though they were maintenable could become any subiect in this land thus to publish in a printed booke but much lesse this virulent spirited companion whosoeuer he be Slaunderous speeches of the whole sâ—ate And is indéed all our Gouernment ecclesiasticall but challenged Is the policie and state of our church Perillous for the gouernement of the state of the Lords houshold Is it the policie of a Traitorous lawmaker Are our chéefe prelats Mainteiners of such by tooth and naile And are they abbettours of such Traitorous lawes or lawemakers Doo They mainteine their prelacies dignities and ministeries vnder the gospell by the lawes of Gods enimie And can the pope being no subiect be called a traitor or a traitorous lawmaker though he be a suborner or stirrer vp of as manie traitors as he can inuegle Trulie these iniuries debase the great blessings of God which by hir Maiesties gratious meanes we enioy by the pure preaching of the gospell and reformation of this church from all poperie and superstition and is dishonorable to hir Highnes gouernement yea it reacheth both to those godlie lawes and lawmakers which by parlement haue established this policie and the gouernement ecclesiasticall which we now by Gods mercie enioy men who are as loth iustlie to be accompted mainteiners of poperie or of perillous and traitorous policies and gouernements as this man is vnwilling not to shew himselfe dogged and spitefull For it is well knowne that no other policie is practised nor gouernement put in vre but such as the wholsome lawes of this land haue fortified and therefore for Factious speaking against the lawes in force him thus to carpe at the lawes in a slaunderous libell before the same authoritie hath reuersed them it is intollerable and would in some places be accompted seditious Neither will his euasion serue him bicause the question is not Inter pares amongst equals as he saith as though he could not speake better of the said lawes and acts of parlement without preiudice Of the honour of the sonne of God by accusing him not to haue giuen a perfect law for the gouernement of his fathers houshold by discipline as well as by doctrine For as hereby he would excuse himselfe for his contemptuous and opprobrious spéeches against hir Maiesties lawes and the whole state of the land and the policie and discipline of this church as though he were forced for the safegard of the honour of Christ so would he insinuate that all other not of his opinion are recklesse of Gods honor and that both the policie and gouernement of our church is contrarie to Gods will reuealed by his word and also that Christ hath left a set externall forme of policie and discipline to be exercised Disloyall presumptuous speeches grounded vpon an errour in euerie particular point throughout all the seuerall churches in the world Indéed if these two were true which I thinke will be verie long in proouing he might with more reason haue said as he dooth yet doth in milder maner and in a place more conuenient than in a pamphlet whereby a gelousie maie be bred amongst the simple that they haue béene all the time of hir Maiesties reigne misseled by their gouernors I doo therefore saie and offer in the name of the learned to him or other to consider of that it is taken by vs for an vndoubted truth the contrarie whereof by no proofe we doo essure our selues can be shewed that There are not set downe in particular by scripture or by necessarie collection to be gathered all circumstances of policie gouernement discipline and ceremonies necessarie and vniformlie to be vsed in euerie seuerall church and that the christian magistrats and gouernors are not in the said former points whereof something is touched in scripture of necessitie tied to that precise forme that is there set downe but to the generall doctrine concerning them to wit that all be doone to edifieng orderlie comelie and such like if any will affirme otherwise let him set downe his plat and his proofes for euerie particular and he shall see whether he come not short in most points Neither doo I see why he should so odiouslie traduce certeine thinges vsed in our church till he haue prooued them vngodlie in this respect onelie bicause they haue béene either inuented or practised vnder some bad popes more than he dooth all the nations of Christendome as well in reformed as not reformed churches for giuing a notable place in their common weales vnto the ciuill lawes of the Romans deuised for the most part by painims and idolaters or than he dooth the common or municipall lawes of our owne nation taken either from the old Saxons being heathen or from the Normans being but newlie christened howbeit still grosse papists and idolaters But as touching his questions How our chiefe prelats can answer to the Lord for their wilfull disloyaltie for want of carefulnes requisite séeing They continuallie place vnable men in the ministerie and why they should not let those canons before brought for a learned ministerie being now their owne lawes be auailable with them he might haue said as well his and euery Englishmans lawes for all be parties to an parlement I answer first that in those able men for the ministerie which they haue laied their hands vpon I am persuaded they haue not doone it so much for a bare satisfaction of law as for the exigence of the cause and for discharge of a good conscience Further if they haue ordered some of meane abilitie it hath béene in respect of the slender portions of liuing allotted out in most places for the finding of ministers which places other wise should be destitute wholie whereby the people would in short time become as heathens and painims or be as sauage as the wilde Irish to the great danger of their soules and hazard of this state And if it shall be said that they haue preferred any to the ministerie vtterlie ignorant and vnworthie willinglie Charitie teacheth me not to iudge the worst nor to iudge â— Cor. 4 5. before the time vntill the Lord come who will lighten things that are hid in darkenes and make the counsels of the harts manifest So far am I from iudging it to come of any disloyaltie to God especiallie of wilfulnesse which is the next degrée to the greatest sinne that may be for if any of them had wilfullie
thrée to whome shall he tell it in the third place where he himselfe hath the authoritie to excommunicate But the power of binding and loosing according to the word of God and the censure of reproouing and sharpe rebuking of publike offenders which doo conteine indéed the whole discipline ment to be attributed by this church of England vnto priuate and inferiour ministers whie are they left out in this place And whie did he not also yéeld vnto euerie minister as well as excommunication the censure also against obstinate heretiks and of anathematisme supposed by the best interpretors to be a higher censure than excommunication and vsed when all hope of amendment is gone And touching his second question whereof onelie as it séemeth any doubt is made Whether the doctrine sacraments and the discipline be to be ministered simplie as the Lord hath commanded or else whether they be to be ministred onelie as this realme hath receiued the same without the commandement of God I saie that as this question is contumelious to this whole church by insinuating a iarre in those points to be established by our lawes with The commandement of God so is it a verie captious and sophisticall question A diuisione bicause he diuideth those things Inconstant dealing in the author that not onelie the booke hath ioined togither but he himselfe within ten lines afore vpon the like copulatiue coniunction vrged the like concurrence of two other seuerall members in this selfe-same sentence And for answer to the question I doo affirme that these thrée are to be ministred both as the Lord hath commanded and as this realme according to the commandements of God hath receiued the same So that the one of these clauses shall not be vnderstood either to limit or restraine the other as he vnskilfullie thinketh may be obiected nor yet Dispositiuelie as though the law ment by authoritie hereof to establish that the order in these things by the realme receiued should be holden as agreable to the word of God but must be taken Enunciatiuelie to declare and affirme for the further incouragement and comfort of those who are to minister these things that following the order by law established they shall doo agréeablie to Gods will Not that it is to be thought that euerie ceremonie forme or circumstance about these thrée things are either in particularitie deliuered in scripture as this man hath not alone absurdlie fansied or that there in either this church or anie other is or can be tied to any such certeine exact forme In hypothesi as we terme it but that certeine generall rules for Articles of religion 34. art ceremonies and gouernement being there set downe euerie church is to followe the said rules in such particular maner as they shall iudge all varietie of circumstances weied to be most fit for the editieng and gouerning of that people For iudgement whereof I thinke that waie surest to follow which hath had the best proofe and experience of profitablenesse by longest continuance of time and purer antiquitie so that it be sure no commandement in the word to be to the contrarie And where as he concludeth though without premisses that A Bishop and a minister ought to minister the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commanded though the lawes of the realme should not haue receiued the same afterward in plaine terms saith That our discipline vsed in the church of England is not the same which the Lord Christ hath commanded he dooth first iustifie that slander of this church which his question afore The authors slaunder of the whole estate did insinuate Secondlie he directlie contrarieth both that which the booke by law established which he himselfe had a little before affirmed in these words That the discipline is to be executed by the Bishop as he hath committed vnto him by Gods word as he is appointed by the ordinance of the realme to execute Lastlie he héereby both giueth libertie to Bishop and minister to vse what forme so euer of discipline shall séeme to them grounded vpon Gods word and dooth as it were crie an alarum to all men to oppose A seditious asseueration of the author themselues against the discipline of this church as wicked and not agréeable to Christs institution But let vs a little examine his proofes whereby he goeth about to infer that The discipline of the church of England is not according to the commandement of Christ The first reason that It appeareth by the word of God and likewise the second that it so Appeareth also by the discourses written by the learned to and fro are two childish fallacies A petitione principij proouing a thing in doubt by a matter as much or more doubtfull for who being of a contrarie opinion will not straight tell him that his proofe is as euidentlie false as his conclusion That which is said of The discipline of all reformed churches maketh more against him than he is ware of First more reformed churches come néerer vnto our outward policie discipline and ceremonies than those are in number who séeme to dissent from vs. Againe few or no reformed churches especiallie of seuerall nations or dominions doo iumpe in one externall policie of discipline or ceremonies And whie is it not as lawfull for vs héerein to differ from them as for them to differ amongst themselues And how is it possible if such a set forme as is pretended be set downe in scripture that they all differing so much one from another in externall policie should all be ordered therein according vnto the commandement of Christ and thus to be brought as a squire to leuell vs by who are alonelie belike in his fansie wide from the right discipline where as I sée no cause in any respect whie they should not rather take light of vs than we of them That which he speaketh of maister Nowels catechisme is verie generall and requireth the perusall of the whole booke But I suppose this to be the place which he meaneth where toward the latter end of the booke he saith In * pag. 652. graecolat Catech 1573. well ordered churches a certeine forme and order of gouernement was instituted and obserued certeine elders that is to saie ecclesiasticall magistrates were chosen which should reteine and practise ecclesiasticall discipline And dooth our author thinke that this man heere dooth meane their laie presbyteries neuer heard nor read of from the beginning of the world till within these fortie yeares or little more bicause he nameth them ecclesiasticall magistrates A foole fansieth that bels doo ring and almost speake anie thing wherewith he is delighted Or could he gather that maister Nowell here condemneth our churches discipline as not agréeable to that which Christ hath commanded if he had directlie said that in some well ordered churches an order of discipline differing from ours is obserued Dooth this follow Some well ordered churches differ in some points of externall discipline
hir Highnes as to grant hir this libertie it may please him besides the fourth iniunction before alledged to peruse the 27. and 53. iniunctions where expresselie all parsons vicars and curats are inioined to read some homilie when there is no sermon whom I trust he will not therfore conclude either to be all deacons or to transpose without authoritie the office of their fellow-seruant vnto themselues But to tie the reading of homilies vnto deacons is so farre from all apparance or colour of truth that in the selfe-same place where he curtailed rather than abridged the office of the deacon the booke setteth downe that it is a part of the deacons office to read holie scriptures and homilies in the church Where he shall be appointed to assist the priest not thereby that the priest is excluded from reading scriptures and homilies if he so thinke good or be commanded and therefore much lesse where no such deacon is appointed to assist the priest And if this new topike place were allowable then hereof we might reason thus Bishops as this man hath confessed afore by the ordinance of the realme are to execute discipline Ergo the inferiour His argument recorted against himselfe minister being another distinct officer may not transpose it to himselfe as in the other section he auouched Also ministers are to preach Ergo Bishops being of a distinct office may not preach contrarie to all that which afore he hath spoken against dumbe prelats Againe Deacons are by their office by law set downe to instruct the youth in the catechisme to baptise and to preach if they be admitted thereto by the Bishop Ergo ministers being a distinct office from deacons and statutes being strictlie to be interpreted are neither to catechise baptise nor preach by his owne doctrine and where is then his learned ministerie And therefore I take it that I may safelie conclude without offense to his wisedome that either héere he doated or else he hoped his readers would be such affectionate dotards as that he might with anie shew or vizard of likelihod as héere or by racking wringing wresting and curtailing as in diuerse places else-where without their further looking vnto him how plainelie he dolte easilie abuse them 20. Section Pag. 40 41 42 43. NOw in this section to make the matter in his behalfe séeme more probable against the Bishop he frameth a silie answer God wot in his name that Seeing by statute he onelie hath authoritie to make deacons and ministers and to gouerne them that therefore it beseemeth a minister no otherwise to preach than as he shall be licenced therevnto by him the Bishop But yet bicause this fiction was so apparentlie vnprobable he was content also to temper it thus Otherwise than according to the forme of the booke And indéed I cannot sée but that this may and ought to staie any from enterprising to preach in a setled church as this is sauing such fanaticall spirits as will shooue them-selues into the office of preaching without any externall and lawfull calling seeing that in this church of England this booke is the onelie externall forme we haue of calling men into any function in Gods church Now touching the former matter Whether the Bishop might commit the reading of homilies to the minister bicause our author warilie foresaw that both the iniunctions and aduertisements published by sufficient authoritie would to this purpose be alledged he séeketh to vntie that knot thus Bicause That he saith which was confusedlie and indistinctlie appointed in them to be done by parsons vicars and curats whereof as it fell out some were deacons and some ministers is now by this statute made 8. Elizabeth after both the other bounded and limited so that euerie proper office should be allotted to his proper officer But by the way he scattereth a riddle as he runneth when he saith The iniunctions aduertisements articles and this statute dooth bound and limit the meaning of the iniunctions and aduertisements yet I thinke he meant onelie that the statute bounded the meaning of the other two and therefore she was to blame that taught him so long to go before he had learned to speake well For the vntruth of this allotment of euerie peculiar function to his proper officer although some are peculiarlie tied vnto one and not attributed to any other I referre the reader to the booke it selfe and to that which was said in the last section And so I doo this which a little after he gathereth Ex vno absurdo quasi concesso That the office 〈◊〉 of the deacon is onelie to read the scriptures and homilies by that statute Now to open more fullie the vanitie of this surmise as though the statute 8. Elizabeth ment to redresse reading of homilies by ministers thorough making a more orderlie distinction of offices than afore you shall perceiue by perusall of the bodie of that statute and preamble that the forme and maner of making and consecrating Bishops priests and deacons was not deuised then anew but was put in vre and established in the daies of king Edward And though Ad maiorem cautelam for the auoiding of cauils of traitorous and slanderous papists the same booke was then established by that act of parlement yet dooth it in the preamble thereof by manie reasons prooue that the said booke had the force of law before And therefore it is verie propheticall for that booke which was penned in king Edwards daies to bound limit Articles of religion art 36. applie and distinguish offices confusedlie deliuered by hir Maiesties iniunctions and aduertisements which were long after framed And where our author had said that A minister must minister the doctrine and sacraments and discipline of Christ what néeded he to haue added And preach onelie if as afore he would haue inforced vnder Doctrine or teaching preaching be necessarilie alwaies emploied But afterward vpon better rubbing of his memorie he telleth vs his meaning is not to Exclude the minister from reading the scriptures and praieng with the people duties without which preaching cannot be done If by reading the scriptures he meane the ministers priuate studie then he reasoneth not Ad idem which is ignorance of the Elench But if he vnderstand the reading of scriptures in the church then I sée no cause whie by his owne platforme the minister should read any scriptures there besides his theame for his sermon naie how can he read any scriptures when the deacon hath read them all Contrarietie of the author vnto himselfe afore And if he will needs read the scriptures publikelie whie should he be suffered by this mans construction to inuade The deacons proper office and to transpose it to himselfe And therefore the copie of the supplication and submission of the Bishops which he hath here drawne in their behalfe as though through their Abusing of hir Highnesse lawes no meanes according to law could be found for reading of homilies where the minister is
not being at that present time Bishop priest nor deacon except he be called tried examined and admitted according to the forme hereafter following And if so be that none of these be specified or declared in particular Pag. 7 6. sic deincepâ— as he here affirmeth why dooth he kèepe such hot schooles a little after sèeking to prooue that they are no ministers nor deacons indèed by law which haue not bèene made according to this exact forme of calling triall examination c. But to what purpose dooth he bring this reason except he would haue shewed vs withall what that Calling triall examination and qualities be which he supposeth to be required by the law of God and which They the Bishops whome as I take it he meaneth by waie of supposall are by him indirectlie charged to haue broken Naie he supposeth In them vnfaithfulnesse to the Lord accompting his waies not the best waies nor his counsels not the wisest counsels that they haue set the consultations of the grauest senators and wisest counsellours and cheefest rulers of the land behind their backs that they make their will a law and that they are not ruled by reason Truelie if these his crooked virulent and contemptuous accusations of such men reaching so high as to charge them with apostasie and these mutinous sèeds of dissention sowne betwixt them and other great men of the land be to be tolerated in a published and printed libell though they were true and iustifiable then I doo not sèe but that euerie other lewd disposed person will take the like boldnesse vpon any discontentment to whet his dog eloquence vpon any the best and best deseruing within this common-wealth For Psal 64 3. they haue whet their toong like a sword and shot foorth their arrowee bitter words Therefore we will praie with the prophet Let the lieng lips be made dumbe which cruellie Psal 31 18. proudlie and spightefullie speake against the righteous and deliuer our soules D Lord from lieng lips and from Psal 120. a deceitfull toong which is as the coles of iuniper 24. Section Pag. 53 54. OUr author omitting to declare vnto vs the Maner of calling c of ministers and deacons which is required by the law of God and required also by the law of this land as he telleth vs and leauing it to the dèepe considerations of such as know his meaning if he doo but gape vpon them dooth in this section intreate of Another maner of calling and triall by other positiue lawes required charging the Bishops euen by their owne records to haue neuer or verie seldome vsed any of them So that sèeing he exacteth of them in this action first â—bsâ—â—â—ditie in the authors platforme the obseruation of the booke for the forme and maner of procèeding therein next the calling triall and examination required by the law of God and lastlie now another maner of calling required by other positiue lawes it had beene mèet that either he would haue set downe all these threè forms to be one and to agrèe in euerie circumstance or else to haue prescribed vnto them which of the thrèe they should vse that so they might auoid his high displeasure and indignation against them And I would he had vouchsafed to let himselfe so much downe as to haue told vs where these positiue lawes which he alledgeth are written * Dist 24. c. quando Epâ—â—s being indèed the canon lawe conteined in the decrees Wherein I find a difference from the forme by act established which appointed the Archdeacon to examine and present those which are to be ordered Whereas here The elders Vide sect 26. sect 40. indeed priests are to present and certeine ministers and others skilfull are to trie and examine them The forme of calling which these positiue lawes that he speaketh of doo meane is nothing as he saith But a proces to be fixed vpon the cathedrall church doores or a proclamation by an apparitor the fourth daie before the ordination signifieng that such a daie the Bishop will make deacons or ministers warning such to be present as will offer themselues meet men for that seruice If this be true and also that Three daies together they are to be examined before the daie of ordination truelie they haue but Skarborough warning so suddenlie to be called euen the first daie whereon they are to be examined But he saith this Maner of calling is also commanded by the booke though briefelie in these words When the daie appointed by the Bishop is come certeinlie he had nèed to haue a head full of proclamations that can picke out of these words such a solemne calling or proclamation But whie dooth he not also tell vs whether of the two or whether both of them be ment by this law that is to saie the intimation vpon the church doore or the apparitors proclamation And where the articles of religion doo determine That none may take vpon him the office of publike preaching or ministring the sacraments in the congregation before he be lawfullie called and sent to execute the same vnderstanding hereby the whole action Dotable wresting and falsification of externall vocation which he restraineth to the letters of intimation or to the apparitors proclamation whereby signification is giuen of the daie of solemne giuing of orders he dooth heerein notablie abuse the patience of his readers whome he thinketh verie sottish if they can make no difference betwixt these two kinds of callings But as no man denieth but that it is requisite some publike notice should be giuen a conuenient time before anie solemne daie of generall ordination prefixed doo come to the intent as he saith men méet for that seruice may then and there offer themselues so if héereby he will sucke any matter to obiect against such Bishops who vpon especiall occasions and with more due triall and examination than can be had where such a confused multitude at once must be run ouer doo laie their handes vpon one or two well knowne vnto them without any such solemne notifieng thereof he shall rather hereby argue his spitefull stomach against them than anie care he hath of reformation or obseruation of law which he dooth pretend sometimes when it séemeth to accord with his humor For it is notorious that such of the Bishops as haue kept that course haue sent abroad more sufficient preachers and fewer of meane gifts haue escaped their hands than possiblie can be performed at those generall ordinations And dooth not our author himselfe dissallow in a whole treatise as Vnlawfull Contrarietie to ordeine a minister without a title which platforme can no waie stand with this generall publication of orders for all commers found méet therevnto without respect of hauing or not hauing anie place void in the diocesse allotted foorth vnto them Conueniet nulli qui secum dissidet ipsi 25. Section Pag. 54 55 56 57. IN this section conteining the maner of
not ordeined For where the place by our author alledged vseth the word of Deposing there the a Gl. in ver deponerentur c. sane d. glosse expoundeth it Deposed from execution and to be suspended onelie Which agréeth b c. cum quidam d. to the text afterward that suspendeth those which be ordeined at vndue times till they receiue fauour for their restitution Againe the c c. penult d. canon saith It is not to be doubted but such as haue taken orders at other times than are appointed haue receiued the character that is are indeed priestes and after inflicting vpon them due penance for their transgression herein you may tollerate them to minister according to the orders that they haue taken Now he commeth to another quidditie and as he would haue vs beléeue a substantiall solemnitie which is the presentation of ministers to the Bishop by the Archdeacon without naming of his deputie as is done in deacons ordinations Which point if it were of substance might no doubt in manie places reach as well vnto the preiudice of good and learned ministers as of vnlearned But what reason were there that the minister should be punished for the archdeacons neglect of his dutie Or of whome should he inquire if he knew him not whether he were the verie archdeacon or but his deputie Or whie should we thinke that the deputie may not be as sufficient to present them to the Bishop as the archdeacon himself Or whie are we to imagine séeing the booke presumeth for the most part both the order of deacon to some and of priesthood to other some to be giuen in one daie that the archdeacon being present would depute one to present deacons and he himselfe in person present the priests And what if the cathedrall church haue no archdeacon established there or the archdeaconrie be void or he himselfe bed-rid shall the Bishop diuerse places of ministration being vold in the diocesse staie the ordering of ministers for those void roomes till there be a new archdeacon And what if the Bishop doo so sufficientlie know them or doo examine them himselfe that the archdeacon dooth not examine them what néed is there then for him to present them Or whie is this more of substance than the Bishops Sitting in a chaire when the oth of supremacie is ministred which the Booke mentioneth or to order at the least thrée at a tune séeing the booke saith The archdeacon shall present vnto the Bishop all them that shall receiue the order of priesthood that daie which cannot be spoken of fewer than of thrée Or if none but the archdeacon might present ministers without ouerthrowe of the whole action why did not the booke saie The archdeacon himselfe and none other shall present And séeing it is said otherwise the act in law shall be good enough as hath beene shewed before And the rule of law is * Reg. qui per alium ibi Dynus That which is done by another seemeth in the eie of the law to be done by himselfe But he saith the archdeacons industrie is herein especiallie chosen and therefore this dutie cannot be committed ouer againe to any other For proofe of this consequence he alledgeth two places one of them thrise and the other twise ouer for feare he should séeme to lacke law in this point That * c. sicui de preb digin in 6. out of the text which yet gaue him light to flourish and braue a little with the Bishop of London and his Archdeacon about the Treasureship of Powles speaketh not a word of inhibiting a delegate to substitute another for him but decideth that if the prince commit authoritie to a man to furnish certeine benefices with fit men and die before the trust be accomplished yet the commission dooth not determine but if it be to place some certeine person therein and before he be placed the prince dieth then the commission hereby dooth cease The other canon out of the Decretals maketh directlie against him sauing in certeine cases there expressed Bicause * c. quoniam Ext. de officio delegati saith that canon the apostolike See intendeth to prouide for matters and not for persons to whom they are committed if the iudge either of meere office by vs assigned vnto him or by the parties consent agreed vpon doo depute another in his steed considering the princes delegate may by lawe doo so this deputation shall be of force The like is to be said of a Bishop who hath a coÌ„mission to execute together with the one of his collegues for he may substitute another and then the other two collegues cannot proceed without him whom the Bishop did subdelegate * c. d. §. is antem when a man is inioined to execute a matter personallie except the parties doo consent Also * c. d. §. d. ver praeter quam when an inquisition or prouision for apt prelats or ministers is committed to be done bicause in such the industrie and credit of the partie is intended especiallie to haue béene regarded Lastlie it faileth * c. d. §. caeterum when not a iurisdiction but a bare ministerie and execution of some matter is recommended None of which thrée limitations can anie waie be applied to the presentation of ministers by the archdeacon onelie For if he had beene so strictlie tied then should this word Personallie or some equiualent haue béene vsed Neither is the prouision for apt ministers or the blame for default thereof as our * Pag. 64. 65. vide gl in c. ad hâ—c ver examinentur Ext. de officio Archidiaconi c. Episco Ext. de preb author himselfe afore hath prooued incident to the archdeacon but to the Bishop and the lawe chooseth not the industrie of him to this effect but the Bishop in all places chooseth his archdeacon vpon whom this iurisdiction in right of his office is therevpon cast And therefore this is not as a bare ministerie committed vnto him by any man but cast vpon him by reason of his office through the disposition of the law yet not so necessarilie or especiallie as our author vrgeth but that by law the presentation by the archdeacon may be omitted That * Gl. in c. quaÌ„do ver sacerdotes dist 24. is saith the glosse when the Bishop ordeineth without any presenting by the archdeacon And * Gl. in ca. ad haec ver examinentur Ext. de officio Archid. c. vt nostrum d. another glosse saith That of common right it is the archdeacons office to examine and present clearks to be ordeined yet this is not generall if either there bee no archdeacon as in manie churches or if the Bishop thinke good to * c. quando dist 24. choose especiallie other priests for this purpose And if it were of substance yet in the answer to the former section it is sufficientlie shewed that the leauing of it out cannot make void the ordination So that
haue a true church in England wherby it appeareth he taketh such for no Honest poore men nor the Lords watchmen which say we haue scarse the face of a true church in England Next he acknowledgeth Hir Maiesties lawfull and sole souereigne gouernement ouer all causes and persons whervpon may be gathered he was not well aduised afore in séeking The authors inconstancie to establish popular elections of ministers where vpon of consequence would follow as also no lesse is included in the generalitie of his proofs that Bishops and Deanes nominations shall be attributed also from hir Daiestie vnto the people nor yet when he made the contempt of obeieng hir Daiesties lawes concerning indifferent rites and ceremonies a commendable thing in them as procéeding Of conscience and of feare to offend GOD in any small thing For in what causes ecclesiasticall can hir Highnesse lawfull gouernement be exercised and bestowed if with a good conscience and without offense of God shée may be disobeied in matters méerelie indifferent He goeth on and confesseth That hir Maiestie ought to put in execution according to the prescript rule of Gods word the doctrines deliuered by the ministers for abolishing of all and all maner superstitions and abuses reteined in the church and for the establishing of a perfect gouernment of it Whereby we may sée how hard it is for a cat of mountaine to change his spots or a Morian his tanned hue or for him to plaie a little vpon his old by-asse For dooth he not héere in a manner plainelie condemne hir Haiestie Factious speaches not to haue doone as the Ought nor according to the prescript rule of Gods word Dooth he not insinuate the perfect gouernment of the church not to be yet established And dooth he not expresselie saie that Superstitions and abuses are reteined in the church D wicked and vngratefull wretches to the Daiestie of God and to his lieutenant the Duéenes Highnesse which in regard of so manie and so manifold blessings by hir ministerie bestowed doo recompense and requite them with repining and with slander in this maner Non sic fecit Deus omni nationi who make vs all thankefull for them The other three members of his spéech and confession in this place touching the ministers duetie towards magistrate and people of the peoples obedience to the magistrats and ministers and of the concurrence of the ministers instruction with the magistrats authoritie in the gouernement of the church though no more than of the rest I can sée how they are incident to this treatise yet I doo not perceiue any cause whie they should be reiected Neuerthelesse if the minister as doubting of the lawfulnesse of his owne externall calling and the magistrate and people as surmising him to haue runne before he was sent should beéeue our author in his former nice points about ordinations I cannot coniecture that either the minister with any couragious spirit can discharge this dutie or that the magistrate and people can or will regard that which he speaketh as they ought to doo from the mouth of him that is Gods true ambassador vnto them or yéeld vnto their maintenance their tithes and other duties trulie and faithfullie as they ought The examples which he here bringeth though some of them sound suspiciouslie considering from whome they procéed are méere apologeticall tending to prooue that the ministers and people may not of their own head without the princes authoritie séeke to execute any reformation and thereby to purge our author from the suspicion of the traitorous heresie of certeine late pestilent Sectaries But his repining and mutinous doubting with his Ifs and And 's which he casteth in the necke of his former apologie whereby like Scyria capra he ouerturneth the milke with his heele that afore he yéelved dooth be wraie his discontented mind and slender estimation he carrieth of the godlie reformation established by hir Maiestie For what else doo these voices yéeld If hir Maiesties eies be not Seditious speeches and vndutifull yet opened if some blemishes and blots remaine in hir gouernement if councellors be hired to trouble the building all the daies of Cyrus if the wals must be reedified by Eliashib if the church must tarrie Gods leisure if any other glorious purpose be to worke in our daies by hir Highnesse but to fill vnstable heads of the people to whom this booke was especiallie addressed with buzzing of dislike to things present and hope of alterations and new fangled innouations hereafter Which conceits cannot tend any waies to hir Daiesties honour nor worke to the securitie and quiet of the realme And those which haue so quezie and squemish stomachs at the state present ioined with such an esseminate longing and Absurd appetite of restlesse and endlesse alternations in church matters I praie God they haue not cause with the first neuer to haue wished change nor that they euer sée the time wherein they would with all their hearts desire with fauour and libertie of conscience to enioie that forme of liturgie ecclesiasticall policie and church gouernement which by the mercies of God and hir Daiesties ministerie are now planted in this church if they might hope to atteine it Bonum non fruendo sed carendo redditur charius 47. Section Pag. 95 96 97. THus hauing shewed some part of his former Apologie and protestation to be verie doubtfullie deliuered and both that and other his spéeches afore to be verie Offensiue vnto manie and therefore that which his guiltie conscience telleth him Might haue beene dangerous to his person is not yet ouerblowne or auoided we are now come to his purgation of that which might and hath béene obiected that he Insinuateth indeed no lawfull ministerie to be in England But he confesseth now That euerie one meet and apt to teach that euerie one qualified as is requisite that euerie one mooued inwardlie by the Holie-ghost and outwardlie called and appointed by the Bishop hauing authoritie by the order of this church of England is indeed and by law a minister If these be spoken distributiuelie as the word Euerie and the Intersections by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doo import then hath he established some a minister without Outward calling so he be otherwise qualified as is requisite then may a man be qualified as is requisite thereto being not apt to teach nor inwardlie mooued vnto it by the Holie-ghost or outwardlie called appointed by the Bishop And what if he after this mans construction haue not Authoritie by th' order of this church of England as not hauing béene consecrated by such a B. as was consecrated according to th' order of the booke established Which our author maketh so necessarie as that he reasoneth afore out of the words of the statute negatiuelie to wit none to be a Bishop priest or deacon but such as Pag. 77. were consecrated and ordered according to the forme and maner of that booke but admitting them to be taken iointlie
yet his reasons to prooue such to be Ministers indeed and by law are so childish beggings of that which may be controuersed that I assure you a man might iustlie doubt that he did but dallie and Praeuaricari herein First he saith they are so bicause They are indeed and truth messengers A childish fallacie sent by God Secondlie bicause they Are ministers by the law of this land Truelie this man that was so strict afore is soone woone which is ouercome with these doughtie reasons which no man but he may with as great probabilitie denie as he may doo the conclusion to be prooued being the verie selfe-same with the premisses consisting in these two reasons Touching the matter it selfe law teacheth vs that A protestation with a contrarie act worketh nothing Therfore how can this protestation releeue our author any Pag. 77. thing who hath afore plainelie refused all for ministers in whose ordinations the maner and forme of the booke is not exactlie obserued And which maketh All solemnities therin Pag. 83. euen of the least moment to be substantiall and not accidentall by the law-makers appointment Therefore out of his owne words and reasons to prooue this his protestation vaine and elusorie I reason thus 1 Wheresoeuer the first branch of the statute for the Pag. 77. obseruing of a forme and order in the ordinations of ministers is broken there the second branch authorising them to be in verie deed ministers can take no place But some Pag. 92. of the points required haue beene and are perhaps dailie omitted in making euen the best men that are in the ministerie at this daie and so the forme and order of the booke not obserued Therefore the best men that are in the ministerie at this daie perhaps are not in verie déed ministers 2 Wheresoeuer the forme of an act is not speciallie Pag. 78 80. deinceps and at an inch and not by any thing equiualent obserued there the act by meere law is no act at all But some points Pag. 92. of the forme required are perhaps dailie vnobserued in making the best men ministers that are in the ministerie at this daie Therefore c. 3 Wheresoeuer a certeine forme and order of proceeding Pag. 84. is appointed to those that had no authoritie before such commission there if the forme be not obserued the processe by lawe is meerelie void But the Bishops before Pag. 84 92. the statute hauing no authoritie to make deacons or ministers doo omit the forme perhaps dailie in making the best men ministers Therefore their procéeding herein is by lawe méerelie void and so the best men we haue in the ministerie perhaps not in verie deed ministers and therefore as our author often collecteth are Intrudors But he which to the intent he might haue some shew to serue his humor and to wrap in either one waie or other those whome he foreiudgeth to be vnlearned to the danger of vsurpation and intrusion did tell vs in great earnest Pag. 83. that all the solemnities about ordeining of ministers how Small of moment soeuer they seemed to be by the law-makers appointment were substantiall and not accidentall dooth now in another tune saie that Learned qualified and inwardlie called and vnlearned vnqualified and not inwardlie mooued dooth differ as much as light and darknes meaning and insinuating hereby as I doo gather that whatsoeuer he hath aforesaid concerning Forme solemnities commission statute or good faith they were not so much to the matter or greatlie to be stood vpon but that these are Differentiae specificae constitutiuae of a minister indéed which maketh him so to be and thereby onelie dooth also differ from such as be not Quo teneam vultum mutantem Protea nodo And if so be these thrée be the onelie necessarie points concurring to the making of a minister indéed and distinguishing a true minister from an vsurped then may we haue a minister in this church without the externall calling by the Bishop which is not here spoken of If by Learned he meane onelie such as are apt to teach and by teaching meane onelie preaching whie did he not ad also that which S. Paule ioineth with aptnesse to teach to be able also to confute errors and heresies But the booke requireth as of necessitie no other learning but that he be Sufficientlie instructed in holie scriptures which that it reacheth not alwaies so high as that he must be able to be a preacher is shewed in diuers places afore The qualities Preface to the booke which the booke speaketh of are onelie that He be by sufficient testimonie commended or else knowne to the Bishop to be of vertuous conuersation and without crime and also that he be found learned in the Latine toong But that he be inwardlie mooued by the Holie-ghost to the worke of the ministerie is a thing left to his owne conscience and not to be discussed by the Bishop or any man else but in charitie which hopeth all things to be intended and presumed And séeing it is possible for a man verie vnfit at the beginning by studie practise the blessing of God to become sufficient and for him that is now well and honestlie disposed afterwards to relapse into loosenesse of life and for him also that is skilled in the Latine toong sufficientlie instructed in holie scripture either by disuse or by the visitation or iudgement of God to become verie ignorant and sottish in both therefore I doo not sée if we knowe not the contrarie but both by the rules of charitie and law we are bound to thinke that yet at the ordination of such a one he was so qualified in all these points as was requisite That a Bart. in l. cum quid ff si certum petatur which is agreeable to the nature of any contract is presumed to haue beene performed Againe A b c. in praesentia de renuntiat c. cum inter de re iudicata c. bone de elect gl in c. quoniam Ext. de probat iudge is presumed to haue rightlie executed that which is incident to his office Further That c L. quotiâ—s ff de rebus dubijs c. Abbate sane Ext. de verb sign which confirmeth and not that which adnulleth any act is intended to haue beene doone And lastlie Euerie d L. ab ea parte ff de probat spec de proba §. 1. verb sequitur videre one is presumed fit and capable till the contrarie be prooued But our authour cleane contrarie to this euen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 will presume all requisites to haue béene obserued by that which appeareth in his conuersation and learning afterwards So that by this reckoning a man neuer so orderlie at the first called both inwardlie and outwardlie vpon defects afterwards arising in him shall be shut out for an intrudor vsurper or one which by wrong suggestion and fraudulent meanes hath attained the ministerie
hath told vs in his booke a Pag. 19. that Our cheefe prelats haue not yet abandoned the policie of the traitorous law-maker that it is perillous for the gouernement of the state of the Lords houshold and not meet for the Lords seruants to be guided by that they vse wilfull disloyaltie to the Lord that the procurations dispensations ceremonies non residence excommunications visitations paiments of oblations courts offaculties and licences are mainteined onelie by the popes lawes and are all popish b Pag. 19 20. that the applieng of that to good vses which hath beene abused dooth accuse the sonne of the most highest that he hath not dealt faithfullie in his fathers houshold by giuing them as perfect a law for the gouernement of his houshold by discipline as by doctrine c Pag. 20. that for their fellowe-seruants sakes they ought to be more fauourable to their Lord and maisters cause d Pag. 30. that they doo execrablie mocke and delude the Lord to his face e Pag. 35. that a Bishop and minister ought so to minister the discipline of Christ as the Lord hath commaunded though the lawes of the realme should not haue receiued the same f Pag. 36. that no discipline in truth can be said to be the discipline of Christ vnlesse it be indeed ministred as the Lord Christ hach commanded the same should be ministred that g Pag. 36. it is vtterlie vntrue to say that our discipline vsed in the church of England is in verie deed the verie same discipline which the Lord Christ hath commanded h Pag. 37. that the saints of God and loyall subiects to hir Maiestie calling for discipline commanded by the Lord and in truth established by the lawes of hir Highnesse empire haue open wrong and intolerable iniurie offered at the cheefe prelats hands i Pag. 20. that the law dooth indeed for them authorise that which the same law in appearance onelie approoueth for the other k Pag. 53. that the chéefe prelats are not so faithfull to the Lord as were expedient for them that they accompt not the Lords waies to be the best waies his counsels not to be the wisest counsels to interpret the meaning of the statute bicause they are such waies as wherein the Lords seruants applie themselues preciselie to walke and therefore ignominiouslie are termed Praecisians l Pag. 62. that the statutes of the realme giue to all the faithfull of the land an interest in choise and allowance of their pastors m Pag. 74. that at the entrie of hir Maiesties reigne the whole maner of the gouernement of the synagog should haue beene altered n Pag. 74. that at that time their lawes were vnaduisedlie translated from them vnto vs o Pag. 91. that they which be called Puritanes make conscience not to offend God in any small thing p Pag. 91. that for their conscience sake they are thought worthie to be whipped and excommunicated q Pag. 263. that it is a matter worthie inquirie whether the pastor of euerie congregation be suffered to execute the discipline of Christ authorised by Act of parlement r Pag. 264. that those who haue spoken touching matters onelie of discipline and ceremonies wherevpon before Bishops they are sifted with othes haue spoken or preached out of the word of GOD the truth of God touching the same s Pag. 227. that the freends of reformation are greater freends and mainteiners of hir Highnesse prerogatiue than the other be t Pag. 231. that the enimies of reformation are enimies to hir Maiesties prerogatiue u Pag. 228. that they onelie execute such iurisdiction as by popish constitutions or popish customes hath beene heeretofore annexed vnto their dignities and that by an vtter enimie to hir royall person state and gouernement k Pag. 238. that the popish ecclesiasticall law ought to be abandoned and as a froth or filth to be spewed out of the common-weale * Pag. 238. that hir Maiestie can by no meanes more honour the Lord than vtterlie to abandon all semblance of any gouernment proceeding from an enimie and traitor to his Maiestie z Pag. 239. that for the gouernement of the church we haue the perfect and altogither righteous law of God to rule the same by Also * Pag. 95. by waie of supposall he séemeth to doubt that the Lord hath not yet gratiouslie opened hir Maiesties eies to vnderstand all and singular mysteries of his testament that blemishes and blots remaine that aduersaries to the people of God doo hire councellours to trouble their building and deuise all the daies of Cyrus that the walles are to be reedified by some Eliashib that the church must yet tarrie some leisure and that it may be some other glorious worke is to be doone in our daies by hir Highnesse with infinite such like saiengs procéeding from the said puddle of pride faction rancor and disloialtie Wherevpon we may gather besides his vnthankefulnesse to God and vndutifulnesse to hir Maiestie by whose ministerie God hath singularlie blessed vs besides his boiling malice against the state ecclesiasticall his factious gréedinesse of innouation and his schismaticall titles of glorie laid with a kind of peculiar prerogatiue vpon those who impugne lawes vnder colour of their wished reformation that he is persuaded and so would haue others to be both that diuerse points of their new church-plot are by lawes of this land established which yet are kept from them by strong hand and also that there is some perfect exact and set order of all externall policie concerning ceremonies and discipline in all church matters prescribed by the commandement of Christ which is not yet by law established as it ought to be and from which in the meane time this church of England wholie dooth varie That he thinketh they are debarred of some thing which they wish and ought by law to enioy it may appeare partlie by some of his spéeches aboue mentioned but more plainelie * Pag. 92. where he calleth for certeine Orders and lawes to be put in practise which the magistrats haue made that such as speake for them preach for them call for them and write for them may be no more controlled c and that they may either be mainteined as lawes or else he and others be deliuered from their duties in desiring their execution and obeieng them which they could hitherto neuer be brought to obeie or like of And * Pag. 105. likewise where in the verie end of his first treatise he praiseth certeine Lawes as wholsomelie prouided against wilfull law-breakers Which lawes by him ment if they be declared in particular I hope they haue bene sufficientlie spoken vnto alreadie But if any of them which he so commendeth be parts of the Canon law then he is to be praised for a man of a good nature which after his furie being ouerpast which belike hath Dilueida interualla will
other men abroad and amongst themselues at home how yet notwithstanding they doo all in generall importune vs to beléeue them that there is a precise forme order rule and law of this externall gouernment in the church commanded by Christ which no church may swarue from or euer transforme and alter Yet Tertullian as he is alledged by others saith thus Trulie the rule of faith is wholie one and is wholie vnmoueable and not to be reformed namelie to beleeue in God c this law of faith remaining now the other matters of discipline and course of life doo admit alteration and correction the grace of God alwaies working and going forward vnto the end And first as touching varietie of iudgements about the meanes to establish this gouernement and their presbyteries we sée that our * Pag. 93. Abstractor saith The ministers without due authoritie from the magistrate whereby I hope he vnderstandeth the chiefe magistrate of euerie common-wealth not inferior officers whom in this case certeine firebrands of treson by a De iure magistrat de iure regni vindict con tyrannos their bookes would arme against their souereigns ought not to wrest any thing into the gouernement of the church But b T. C. pag. 141. another saith that among other things this gouernment by presbyteries Is such as for the keeping of them if we haue them forth obteining of them if we haue them not he will not saie Our honors or our commodities and welth but our liues ought not to be deare vnto vs. Another c Admon 2. pag. 61. saith they are forced to speake for it and to vse it And d Br. a fourth no lesse peremptorie than traitorous whom I hope they will not allow of saith If the prince will not establish this gouernment that hir subiects need not to tarrie for hir but ought t'innouate the gouernment themselues Diuers of the French reformers are also too violentlie affected that waie One of them hath deliuered e Fran. Iun. pag. 28. that If the prince doo hinder the building of the church f Pag. 3. or doo affect the seat of God that is in their sense and meaning deale in ecclesiasticall causes and hinder the presbyterie the g Pag. 28. people may by force of armes resist him To which end also h Admon 2. pag. 29. that seemeth to be spoken where it is said that many a thousand in England desire that platforme and that great troubles will come of it if they be still with-stood in their deuises And if none of those disâ—ciall practises can be put in vre which some of that disposition and affection to those presbyteries haue deuised by arming inferior officers and magistrates against their souereignes then they would * Of obediâ—nce pa. 59. haue The ministerie t' excommunicate the king Wherby they would falslie gather by the Feudall law or of tenures as we call it * De iure magistr pag. 66. that the vassall is deliuered from his allegiance and oth of fealtie or homage which he hath taken to his souereigne lord if he be once excommunicate In which respect also * Of obedience pag. 52. 53. some of them doo affirme that though popes taking vpon them to depose princes for sundrie enormities did vsurpe vnto themselues an vnlawfull authoritie yet the reason that mooued them so to doo was honest and iust and méet to be executed by the bodie or state of euerie common-weale and yet forsooth these be especiall fréends and fauourers of the Quéenes prerogatiue But touching that place there alledged out of the second booke Feudorum tit 28. § 1 it can no waie be vnderstood of an absolute and souereigne prince that holdeth not his kingdome ouer of anie mortall man but of God alone no not in those countries and territories where otherwise the Feudall law in meane lords hath place First because the Vassall or tenant as we call him being deliuered of his fealtie seruices and tenancie and the said seruices being not to be extinguished in the Vassall but for the lords default to be forfeited to another it cannot be vnderstood of a souereigne lord who hath no superiour but God to take the forfeiture that is growne against him Secondarilie the circumstances of the law doo declare this to be vnderstood of a meane lord and not of the king himselfe The vassall saith that law is not bound to helpe or to doo seruice to his lord being excommunicate or banished by the king but is in the meane time loosed from his oth offealtie till he be restored by the church or the king Againe all this Feudall lawe being a customarie and vnwritten law and by the tolerance of kings and other souereigne lords ouer warlike nations suffered to growe in vse for the reward and incouragement of those that had valiantlie demeaned themselues in their warres it cannot be credible that the king would permit such a custome to preuaile euen against himselfe whereby he should reteine his owne subiects no longer in their allegiance than it should please another man Moreouer this law had his beginning and speciall increase amongst the Longobards and other such Martiall people before they were conuerted to Christianitie from their Gentilisme which maketh me to thinke that this point of excommunication was added afterward by the compilers of the Feudall law according to the vse of their times for the paritie and equalitie of reason that séemed to be in Banishing with Excommunication But most stronglie is this sense which I haue giuen confirmed by the testimonie of verie good historiographers * Ottho Erisingen lib. 6. cap. 35. chro I doo read and read ouer againe saith one the acts of Romane kings and emperors and I can no where find that any of them was euer excommunicated by the Bishop of Rome till this William king of England was excommunicated by Alexander the second about the yeare of our Lord 1066. And Iohannes Tritenius * Chron. Hirsaug ca. 14. writing of the emperour Henrie the fourth saith thus For which pertinacie he was excommunicated by Gregorie the seuenth and by a synodall decree of Bishops was deposed from the empire although he cared not for it And he is the first of all emperors that was deposed by the pope And another in his chronicles of the yeare 1088. calleth it in a maner an heresie then scarse sproong vp that Presbyteri priests or elders if you will should take vpon them to release the subiects of a king from their oth and allegiance Odo * Sigebertus monachus Gemblacen saith he being first a Cluniake moonke and after Bishop of Hostia was made pope against the emperour and Guibertus Heerevpon offenses in the church and turmoiles of dissention in the common-weale did increase whiles one disagreed from another that is the kingdome from the priesthood Trulie if I may speake with good leaue of those who be good men this plaine noueltie I had
where Noble men did vndertake that office Shall we thinke it méet that the renenues of the church should be alloted out to their maintenance according to their degrées Trulie either they must haue short commons or else their churches and seuerall parishes must content themselues without many such Semors Now let vs also brieflie consider what they teach concerning the persons that are to serue and to belong to this presbyteriall gouernement Our men in their bookes doo attribute the chiefest degrée of dignitie in their ecclesiasticall kingdome to the pastor the next to the doctor the elders whether knights lords earles dukes or princes must content themselues to be reckoned in the third place and the deacons in the fourth Yea the discipline of France suffereth the matter of preheminence betwixt deacons and anciens to be whelie vndercided where * Art 6. deâ— Anciens Diacres en la discipline de France they saie The deacons and anciens may not pretend any preheminence or superioritie the one aboue the other Now it must néeds be intended that the pastor is aboue the deacon whereby it will follow séeing they doo wey the deacons and anciens alike that the pastor is to be preferred afore them both which will no doubt be a verie seemelie matter where he is preferred in commission aboue his souereigne Lord. Yet * Simlerus de repub Heluet fol. 172. at Saint Galles in Switzerland where ministers haue an ordinarie authoritie with the rest in the Presbyterie it is thought more agréeable with scripture that a meere laie man should be chiefe and so doo they vse it Againe the consistories of Zurike and Basil doo wholie consist of laie men yet certeine Diuines and Ministers are â—oined as assistants to them But at * Simlerus ibid. fol. 148. Schaphausen ministers are not so much as called to be assistants But the reformed churches in France doo clearelie determine that the ministers are and ought to be Praesidents and chiefe in their * Art 4. du Consistoire en la discipl de France Daneus 2. parte Isago li. 2. cap. 20. consistories For they say The ministers of the word of God and the anciens make the consistorie of the church ouer which the said ministers ought to be praesidents Howbeit in the verie next article they set downe * Art 5. en la discipl de France that A ciuill magistrate may be called to the charge of an ancien in the consistorie so that the exercise of the one shall not hinder the exercise of the other nor shall be preiudiciall to the church Whereby may necessarilie be concluded that they thinke it requisite the pastor in the consistorie to take place before the prince if he be vouchsafed that worship as to be called amongst them Yet by their leaues they prouide not herein so fullie for the pastors souereigntie in that gouernement as they wéene if matters come to be decided by most voices For it can not be credible but that the prince or any Nobleman or great Gentleman shall easilie be able to win his fellow-assistants in consistorie being in all other respects farre his inferiors and many waies by all likelihood deuoted vnto him to be of his iudgement whensoeuer it shall happen that the Pastor and he doo varie in opinion For I haue not red that they mind in all matters to make the Pastor onelie of the Quorum And no maruell though they thus debase Princes by making them range with the rest of their Seniors and Church-gouernors considering how much soeuer they sarre in other points yet they iump in this to debar princes of that right of gouernement in matters and ouer persons ecclesiasticall which the word of God and all the examples of godlie kings in Iuda dooth afford vnto them Therefore one of them as in great scorne most slanderouslie vntrulie a Soldior of Barwike pag. 8. saith That for the princes pleasure poperie is turned into policie And afterward b Ibidem more traitorouslie If the prince with Gedeon Nadab Abihu Vzza Vzziah and Saule will intermedle without Gods warrant as she hath doone pag. 152 lin 20. with matters of religion pag. 157 lin 4. with Gods matters pag. 141 lin 21. she must thinke it no iniurie to be disobeied pag. 143 line 13. Agréeablie to which though not so round and peremptorie is that mislike which another of them hath hereof * T. C. pag. 157 161. that hir Paiestie hath preheminence and chéefe authoritie in determining of church causes and making ecclesiasticall orders and ceremonies and likewise * T. C. pa. 161 that hir Maiestie in councels for church matters is the chéese who should be onelie there an assistant A third of them also thinketh it inconuenient * Admo 2. that without hir Maiesties assent ecclesiasticall persons cannot make orders or ceremonies In which respect the a T. C. other before alledged thinketh it expedient that hir Maiestie should be of some particular parish and so in subiection to the censures of a presbyterie either to be suspended or excommunicated as occasion shall require Therfore a fourth of them prescribeth generallie to princes and all other whomesoeuer if they be not of their presbyterie b Ecclesiast discipl pag. 142. thus Of all these in a maner this is the onelie dutie that they suffer themselues easilie and willinglie to be ruled and gouerned by others whome God hath set ouer them But more particularlie c Ibi. pa. 285. else-where speaking of kings and magistrats he saith These no lesse than the rest must obey and yeeld to the iust authoritie of the ecclesiasticall magistrates Therefore another besides all these saith that not onelie d Daneus par 2. Isag li. 2. cap. 62. The consistorie may and ought to admonish the magistrate which is negligent in punishing vice but e Ibid. ca. 67. also may vpon knowledge of the cause taken excommunicate euen the cheefe magistrate vnto the which he ought to submit himselfe And therefore he saith that which is brought as out of Augustine that a prince may not be excommunicated In additio ad 3. 2. Thomae dooth not hinder this bicause it is false And least this dutie though it be verie rigorouslie exacted should but slenderlie be performed one of them f T. C. pa. 645 also saith Princes must remember to subiect themselues to the church and to submit their scepters to throwe downe their crownes before the church yea to licke the dust of the feet of the church Meaning as appeareth by the name of the Church their presbyterie And * Br. another whome I would not deigne to speake of but that he agreeth with them herein saith Kings must be bound with chaines and the nobles with fetters of yron meaning by the authoritie of the eldership or presbyterie And againe They must obeie the scepter that is to saie the gouernement of Christ in their elderships if they be christians
of France and their owne whole platforme doo permit a ciuill Magistrate reteining his former office to be chosen a Senior in their ecclesiasticall Presbyterie so to become an ecclesiasticall person yea they doo e Ibid. art 3. prescribe to their Ministers to make pasports for passengers from one church to another which is a ciuill dutie as may appeare by the like practise by Iustices of the peace with vs. And I praie you is not this a good conuersion and a sound reason Some ciuill magistrate lawfullie is an ecclesiasticall person and gouernor Ergo some ecclesiasticall person and gouernor lawfullie is a ciuill magistrate And if some may be so what prerogatiue may be alledged for anie one which may not be shewed for others Againe it is thought by our Innouators to be a great inconuenience to be barred from publishing what bookes concerning religion they shall thinke good which appeareth by their late practises and disobedience to lawes in this behalfe yet it was thought most expedient in the reformed churches of France to f Aduertisement art 11. la discipl de France forbid that Neither ministers nor any other should cause to be printed or any otherwise published any bookes compiled by themselues or by others touching religion without imparting the said bookes first to the Conference and if need were to the Prouinciall synod Also in the reformed churches there it g Des Ministres art 11. la discipl de France was thought most méet that Noble men and great Lords to the intent all occasion of diuision might be rebated should be requested that in those places of their aboad where there was a church reformed although their owne familie were so large that it might make a sufficient Congregation yet it would please them to ioine their familie with the Congregation of that place where they did remaine And amongest vs manie be so scrupulous that they thinke those words vsed in the ordering of ministers which Christ did vse in the like action to wit Receiue the Holie-ghost to be verie fowlie abused and prophaned yet in the a La maniere de la imposition maner of Imposition of hands ordinarilie obserued in the churches of France in the election of their ministers it is set downe that the said place of S. Iohn should be amongst other places at the said time and action repeated and treated of with that also which is annexed to wit Whose sinnes ye remit c. Likewise our Reformers of others are so unwilling to be reformed conformed or vniformed themselues that they thinke they are woonderfull hardlie dealt with and beyond all example of other churches to be vrged to subscribe to the articles and confession of religion and to the manner and forme of externall discipline and gouernement vsed in this church of England whereof they are ministers yet the church of France which is so admired by them and set as a samplar by them to be imitated and according to which for the most part they haue drawne out their platformes exacteth b Des Ministres art 5. la discipl de France of euerie one That hath beene chosen a minister by the people to subscribe vnto the articles of faith and to all the order of discipline agreed vpon amongst them which if he refuse to doo he is by the Conference or by three or foure ministers of the next churches togither with their Anciens to be declared a schismatike and the people is thereof to be aduertised to the intent they may auoid such a man Also c Ibid. art 9. those which be chosen ministers must subscribe to them both in the churches where they are chosen and also in the churches whither they are to be sent Likewise d Ibid. art 11. ministers in Noble mens houses though they haue none other care are tied to this subscription Againe a Des anciens diacres art 1. la discipl de France their Seniors and Deacons are also before their admission to their offices to subscribe vnto them both And b Des professeâ—â—s ibid. further euen their Regents and Professors in diuinitie are by them required to subscribe aswell as the rest And the like order is obserued as is notorious in the most or in all the reformed churches in Germanie In all which places as we may sée it is thought a great absurditie for a man to reteine anie ecclesiasticall function in that church vnto the orders of which by law duelie established he can not find in his hart to subscribe and condescend There is yet also another materiall difference amongst them to be touched For c De Polit. eccle Reipub some of them doo attribute equall authoritie vnto all the people in this their Regiment with the Presbyterie cleane contrarie to the most platformes set downe hitherto thereof And although as we haue now heard their varieties in iudgement be so manie and so manifold yet our men are so insolent against all other orders and formes of church-gouernement and so besotted in the loue and admiration of their owne impe which they haue begotten but not as yet licked into anie perfect forme that they dare condemne all churches which are not squared in externall gouernement according to their Lesbiall leaden rule which euerie one of them will wrest and bend as his fansie will féed him on So that one of them is not ashamed to saie d Admon 1. pag. 2. that As the estate is now of the church there can be no right religion Also e Admon 2. pag. 6. that The truth in a manner dooth but peepe out as it were behind a skreene And f Admon 1. pag. 2. againe We want in England a right ministerie of God Wherein he differeth from our Abstractor as much as the Abstractor in another place differeth from himselfe who is content to allow vnto vs some to be right ministers in déed Therefore considering the great benefits of almightie God of the true preaching of his word and due administration of sacraments which by hir Maiesties ministerie he hath in mercie farre aboue descrt powred vpon vs which these vnthankfull wretches doo thus abuse and extenuat in respect that they can not obteine their owne wils we may of them trulie verifie that saieng of Gualter which he spake * Gualter in 1. Cor. 11. against such like men All these things they esteeme as nothing except a new magistracie may be erected vnto whome it may apperteine not onelie to controll euen princes themselues but also to excommunicate them Now all these contrarieties and differences in iudgement concerning their deuised church-gouernement being well weied and considered I would aske of our Abstractor or anie other affected that waie which doo imagine as perfect a lawe for the gouernement of the church by discipline as by doctrine to haue bene deliuered by Christ vnto his church Where and in whose books that law is described and plainelie proued out of the word of God vnto
certeine times brawne from the old canons be but of law positiue why may it not by the same authoritie be likewise released and dispensed with And in deed the occasion of such prohibition at some solemne times of fasts praiers was grounded vpon the same reason that the Discipline of France forbad the receiuing of the communion by the new married couple that daie Yet he is not thus content to rest in this interpretation but must haue a fling sawcilie to traduce the whole parlement as Falling into two palpable absurdities by want of foresight due examination D that they which were in parlement then had beene powdered but with a little salt of that discretion and forecast wherewith this man thinketh he is thoroughlie seasoned Then no doubt some famous church-plat would haue beene hatched which as yet is but a castle built in the aire by his owne shallow conceit The first Absurditie in this statute he noteth in that it is Left to the Archbishops determination what is repugnant to scripture what conuenient for the honour and safetie of the prince for the wealth and profit of the realme The first whereof if it should be attributed to any one man which for the difficultie of meeting vpon euerie occurrent and other confusion in multitudes cannot indeed conuenientlie be otherwise I doo sée no cause but by common intendment the Archbishop may be holden for as sufficient a man as any one other to decide what is repugnant or not repugnant to Gods word Albeit there is no one word in the act that either yeeldeth the determination hereof or of the other two vnto him but rather as may be collected the contrarie For the two bookes of tares which must conteine the rate of euerie sacultie that is to passe and which vsuallie before had béene granted at the Sée of Rome are by statute to be set downe by the Archbishop the Lord Chancelor the Lord Treasurer and by the two chéefe iustices of both benches for the time being But in vnaccustomed cases the Archbishop can passe no facultie at all vnlesse the prince or councell shall determine it and giue licence vnto him so to grant But if all these Contrarieties and absurdities that hitherto to the Abstractor vainlie as you sée hath bungled about should be granted to be in the statute yet how could the Minor proposition hereby be confirmed which was his purpose to prooue that It is not conuenient for hir Highnesse honor and suertie to leaue any maner of authoritie in the Archbishop to dispense For there might be some parts of the statute and some faculties absurd yea all might be so and yet hir honor and suertie no waie impeached for Vtile per inutile non vitiatur◠that which is to no purpose dooth not hinder that which is to some vse And if he would haue authoritie of dispensing taken from the Archbishop and to be giuen vnto hir Maiestie in respect of vnlawfulnesse of dispensations how shall this be lawfull in hir Highnesse royall person more than in his And the vanitie also of his Other absurditie is discouered which would therefore euerthrow the whole act bicause it is vnsitting he saith For a subiect to grant a dispensation to his souereigne But albcit there neither is nor can be so frequent an vse of such dispensing with the princes owne person as was when the statute was made by reason manie humane lawes brought in by canons of councels were then throughout all this west church suffered to be in force euen with souereigne princes as about vowes marriages within certeine degrees of carnall and spirituall as they termed it consanguinitie or affinitie clandestinitie legitimation of children borne before espousals and such like a number more than now are yet doo I thinke it too generall simplie to be set downe that now there can be no vse of anie dispensations at all for the princes owne person as by examples might be shewed if it were requisite For although the person of the prince néedeth not to be dispensed with for the positiue law of man being made by his direction according to that Dispensation which is a relaxation of law in some particular case the bond and strength of it otherwise remaining in force nor can for the law of God which no man may release in anie particular mans case the bond of it being perpetuall yet notwithstanding I doo not see but by a Dispensation of iustice which is a true and vpright interpretation and declaration that the law of God of nature or of nations according to the true sense and meaning thereof hath not place in some particular action which otherwise might in shéw appeare to be included in the generalitie of them that in this respect it may be expedient euen the princes person sundrie times so to be prouided for And this the rather bicause by law and naturall reason Nemo secum dispensat no man can impart a dispensation vnto himselfe So that the Archbishop in such a weightie case hauing with the best learned in the land maturelie debated the matter with all circumstances and found vpon pregnant and inuincible reasons that it cannot be trulie said to be against anie of the former immutable lawes if then he shall In perpetuam rei memoriam in autentike forme vnder his seale set downe this resolution it cannot iustlie be auowched that the princes honor or prerogatiue is hereby any waie abased but rather the quiet of his mind well prouided for and the doubts which in processe of time might here vpon be cast wiselie and godlie to be met with for the profit and benefit of the realme Neither can such dispensation touching the princes owne naturall person in matter of conscience or of some positiue ecclesiasticall law which reacheth vnto him be any more derogatorie to his honor or royall prerogatiue than * 1. Hen. 7 4. when the iudges of the land did determine that the attainder by parlement of the person of the noble king Henrie the seauenth was vpon his calling to the crowne by the verie operation of the law adnulled and discharged Or when Archbishop Cranmer gaue sentence for the nullitie of marriage contracted betwixt king Henrie the eight and ladie Katharine Dowager his late brothers wife Whereby may also be perceiued that the difference which the Abstractor taketh betwixt the iudgements of the iustices and the dispensations of the Archbishop as not touching the kings owne person like as dispensations doo to be destitute of footing or sound and good ground to stand vpon And although in words he séeme outwardlie thus to tender hir Maiesties honour and prerogatiue yet the place which he alledgeth out of the ciuill lawe looketh a cleane contrarie waie For thereby he would subiect the princes person to his owne positiue laws euen of necessitie bicause in the ciuill law the * Imp. Theodos Valentinian in l. digna vox C. de legib c. emperors say It is a word worthy the
Admitting a deacon neither yet there or in him is it necessarilie required but onelie it is said that The Bishop may vpon a sundaie or holie daie admit such a man so qualified as is there prescribed a deacon The other circumstances by the author set downe which he thought he might carrie awaie in a cloud with a streame of words as of Churches being destitute of a pastor of a solemne assemblie and conuocation of the cheefest of the gouernours of the church to be gathered togither in the cheefest citie of the diocesse to present c are required without booke by our author and are belike some Falsificatiō of the booke part of another platforme which he mistooke in stéed of this church of Englands order But if he inforce those words of the statute 8. Eliz. confirming the said booke And shall from hense-foorth be vsed and obserued in all places within this realme for the necessarie obseruation of euerie circumstance arbitrarie afore then must we desire him to rub ouer his logike and his law and to remember that herein we must Reddere singula singulis that such things as were of substance in the booke and such as were of circumstance or arbitrarie solemnitie are not hereby altered but are to be taken in that nature now as they were before in the booke As concerning the qualities requisit in one to be admitted a deacon I maruell he will number Follie in the author that which resteth in experience afterward and which the partie is to promise in time to come to performe to wit To be diligent in his calling as a thing to be weied before his admission And if by the circumstance of Calling he thinke may be inferred anie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or popular election or any other deuise whatsoeuer more than an inward good motion of the partie he may be conuinced sufficientlie by those words Shall present such as come to the Bishop to be admitted The circumstance of being presented by the archdeacon although at solemne and set ordinations it be most vsuall yet is it not of such necessitie but that it may as well be omitted as the Bishop may ordeine one alone when there is no more though the words of presenting doo run in the plurall number To which effect it is also said in the preface that the Bishop knowing either by himselfe or by sufficient testimonie any person to be a man of vertuous conuersation c may admit him c so that the circumstance of Presenting is not of any substantiall forme of the matter In reckoning the offices of the deacon our Falsificatiō author omitteth this limitation In the church where he shall be appointed also to baptize and to preach if he be admitted thereto by the Bishop and this likewise to serch for the sicke poore c Where prouision is so made as not seruing belike so fitlie his turne as he wisheth Whereby we may gather what libertie this man who findeth such fault with other for omitting such and so manie requisites as he fansieth dooth yet permit vnto himselfe to leaue out of his owne distributions 18. Section Pag. 32 33 34 35 36 37. OUt of a part of the forme of ordering priests in this section our author thinketh he hath obserued two Principall points for his purpose one that The minister chargeth himselfe to teach and instruct the people committed to his charge with the doctrine of holie scriptures and this he passeth ouer verie bréefelie The other which deserued with him a marginall direction is that The Bishop bindeth him as well to minister the discipline of Christ within his cure as the doctrine and sacraments of Christ c. and that therefore the minister may as well admonish denounce and excommunicate offenders within his charge as a Bishop may within his diocesse The first whereof perteining to teaching required of the minister although it prooue not a necessarie coherence of preaching with the ministerie séeing manie besides preachers as the father the maister and the housholder are to teach and instruct in godlinesse those who are of their charge yet is it more peculiarlie incident to the treatise here in handling than the other obseruation concerning discipline But shall we saie that this man is well aduised in seeking to inspire euerie minister with a power The authors contrarietie to execute all discipline in the church and that by law now in force when as in a peculiar treatise of this booke he laboureth to prooue that by law Excommunication by one alone is forbidden whereby he pulleth downe with one hand that which he built with the other and sheweth himselfe either verie forgetfull or passing inconstant And herevpon I would be resolued by the author or some other whether he thinke this endowment of euerie minister with the execution of all discipline admitting but not granting it to be so by law to be a conuenient policie for the vnitie and quiet of the church And whether he himselfe had not rather be vnder the forme now in practise in regard of his owne contentment than vnder the infinit dictatorship of his owne minister Or else whether should appellations from the judgement of the minister in this respect be allowed of and whether to the Bishop or to whome And whether the Bishop by this interpretation of law shall not reteine his authoritie of executing the discipline of the church vpon euerie particular minister and in euerie seuerall parish as aforetime seeing the author saith As well as the Bishop in his diocesse And if he shall what if the Bishop vpon good cause and for abusing of the authoritie shall suspend the minister from his iurisdiction of executing discipline Is he not at the same point he was at before And what if the Bishop himselfe dwell in the parish who shall then haue the preheminence And what if the ministers discretion serue him vpon some small or surmised cause to excommunicate some great péere or noble counsellor of his parish whose indignation may turne the whole church to great mischéefe Or to procéed against his patrone who peraduenture hath a bond of him to resigne As manie couetous coruorants and Nimrods haue in these daies whereby the ministerie is more enthralled to the corrupt deuotion of one man than by all the lawes that any waie may concerne them The author séemeth to me to diuide the discipline of the church which he would intitle euerie minister vnto into admonition denuntiation and excommunication If by denuntiation he meane the publishing of excommunication done by himselfe then is it a part thereof if as I rather thinke he meane the second degrée of procéeding vpon faults not publike specified in the 18. of S. Matthew then is this common with the minister vnto all other christians euen as admonition is being the first degrée And where the minister is the partie offended and hath not preuailed neither by his admonition in priuate nor his denuntiation before two or