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cause_n	church_n	england_n	rome_n	1,883	5	6.9320	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A47551	That neither temporallitie[s] nor tythes is due to the bishops, prelates nor clergy, by a Gospel rule And that kings, princes and lords temporal, may j[ust]ly take the temporallities and tythes from them, and dispose of the ... the defence and benefit of the kingdom, and the relief of the poor. Proved by the laws and pract[i]ce of twenty Kings of Judah, England, and France as also by the testimonies of the Universities of Oxford and Prague, fifty four of ... nobles of Bohemia and Morania, two hundred and fifty years agone, and als[o] one hundred and twenty authors beside. Together with some directions how gospel ministers ought to have maintenance, according to the gospel rule, and institutions of Iesus Christ. By E. K.	Netherlands. Emancipatiekommissie.	1672 (1672)	Wing K6A; ESTC R218954	82,628	97

living wickedly ought to be reproved by the Laity by taking away their Tythes and other Temporal Profits from them and give them to others c. Mr. Tindal Mr. Tindall in his Book of Obedience of a Christian page 114 115. saith That the Sword is put into the Kings hand to execute vengeance upon all evil dooers But now saith he the Bishops minister the Temporal Sword and the Office of Preaching they lay aside and will neither preach themselves nor suffer others that would to preach but slay them with the temporal sword and as none saith he can preach Christ except they preach against Antichrist and as none can heal a disease unless he begin at the root so canst thou not preach against any mischief except thou begin at the Bishops And in page 124. he saith Those that are sworn to be true to the Pope Cardinals and Bishops it is as if they should swear to be false to Christ to the King and to the Realm for such Prelates that will revenge themselves of men for speaking the truth and for every trifle they are not fit to preach the patience of Christ Henry Stalbridge To the same purpose writeth Henry Stalbridge in his Exhortative Epistle to his dear Countreymen of England he saith that what blood hath been shed between Emperor and Emperor Kingdom and Kingdom Constantinople Almain England France Italy and Spain who seeth not that the pride of bloody Bishops is the ground and original foundation of all Controversies Schismes Variances and Wars between Realm and Realm see the fift and sixth part of the Homily of Whitsunday And to confirm the truth of this consider whether the carriage and practice of Prelates and their Doctrines such as Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester who in one Sermon at White-Hall before his Majesty delivered five points of flat Popery and did follow many Popish practises And at another time in the year 1636. he said that the Church of Rome and our Church are both as one for we said he and he said not much amiss have both the same Hierarchy and Government the same Liturgie Holy-dayes Fasts Ceremonies Sacraments c. so as those who affirm that Papists are damned do but through the sides of the Church of Rome give a deadly blow to the Church of England and deny that we are saved with more the like And also Bishop Laud's silencing and suspending of Ministers and sending a new book of Common Prayer differing from ours into Scotland consider whether these and the like were not the cause of our late unhappy Warrs in England Bernard Bernard as touching Bishops having Conusance in their Courts of Tythes c. writes thus For Tythes Testaments Administrations Servitude Legitimations and such like saith he to Pope Eugenius you went beyond your bounds when you restrained them to your Courts and without Caesar made Laws for things that did belong to Caesar for the Goods Lands Livings Estates of Lay-men and Clerks also are Caesars Charge and not yours nor the Prelates My Kingdom saith Christ is not of this world If then the Pope Prelates and Priests will be the servants of Christ saith Ambrose they must not challenge any worldly Kingdom Ambrose the servant is not above his Master and if the Master deny it the servant may not affirm it and usurp it Souldiers of Christ must not entangle themselves with the affairs of this world much less to make themselves Lords and Judges of earthly matters William Ocham William Ocham a famous Schoolman writ a book about the year 1330. which was printed in London in which he saith that Clergie men are liable to pay tribute unto Princes and that Princes may take away their Lands and Possessions when they abuse them to Luxury Pomp and other private uses and they may imploy them for the defence and peace of the Realm And after he adds That all the Revenue of Clergie men but that which is sufficient to provide them Food and Rayment with which they ought to be content as Paul saith 1 Tim. 6.8 Having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content and the rest ought to be spent in pious uses and in feeding the poor which if they be not employed in this sort Kings ought to take care of them to set some to see it done William Prynne In the second part of Mr. William Prynne's book of the Antipathy of the English Lord Prelates both the Regal Monarchy and Civil Unity page 311 he saith that the endowing of the Prelates with great temporel Revenues was the very bane and poyson of Religion and one principal cause of Bishops Rebellions Treasons and Exorbitances he had fore-mentioned and therefore they may both with good Conscience and reason be subtracted from them and put to better uses and they like other Ministers be confined to one competent living with Cure there constantly to reside and instruct the People like Bishops in the Primitive Church for so long as our Lordly Prelates continue there will not only be a possibility but a probability of bringing in Popery and the Pope again amongst us since their Lordly Hierarchy is supported by Popish Doctrine Canons Ceremonies Liturgie Godfry Goodman Holy dayes c. as Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester said a little above which they are ingaged to maintain to preserve their tottering Thrones from ruine John Salisbury John Salisbury our Country man flourished about the year of Christ 1140. de nugis Curialium lib. 8. cap. 17 23. writ thus of the pride and sedition of the Bishops Thou maist admire to see the various Houshold stuff and Riches as they say of Craesus amonst them that preach poor Christ they live of the Gospel without preaching the Gospel and it is well if they live only so as they do not also riot they so gape after gain that they contem the things of Jesus Christ and are neither worthy the honour nor name either of Pastor or Hireling they do that which makes them to be feared of all and to be beloved of none they preach Peace yet make Division they make a shew and counterfeit Humility that they may challenge Pride in fulness they dispute of Fasting and what they build up with words they pull down with deeds the works they do bear witness of them you may know them by their Fruits they do not only contend but fight for a Bishoprick the Antients were dragged against their wills to a Bishoprick but went willingly to Martyrdome they feared the chief Chains worse then a Prison or Cross Ex Catal. Illyr There is a Story that about the year 1228. at Paris in a Synode or Convocation of the Clergie one that was appointed to preach was much troubled in his minde what to say the Devil came unto him and asked him why he was so careful what to Preach say thus quoth the Devil the Princes of Hell salute you O ye Princes of the Church and gladly give you thanks because that through your

I have mentioned once before in his Exhortative Epistle printed at Basil saith I say yet once again and that in the zeal of the Lord as he is my Judge I wish if his gracious pleasure so were that first the Kings Majesty and so all those to whom God hath given power and authority on Earth may throughly see and perceive how that not only the bloudy Bear and Wolf of Rome but also the most part of other Bishops and stout sturdy Canons of Cathedral Churches with other petty Prowlers and prestigious Priests of Baal in all Realms of Christendom especially in England doe roar abroad like Lyons fret like angry Bears and bite like cruel Wolves clustring together like swarmes of Adders in a Dunghil or most wily subtile Serpents to uphold preserve their Interest Paul admonished us of them that after his departing grievous Wolves should enter not sparing the flock Acts 20.29 These spiritual man-hunters are the very offspring of Cain Children of Caiaphas and Successors of Simon Magus as their Doctrine and Living declare Most cruel enemies have they been in all ages to the Verity of God and most fierce Persecutors of Christ and his Church Marvel not ye Bishops and Prelates saith he though I thus in the zeal of Elias and Phineas stomach against your sturdy stubborness for never was any tyranny ministred upon Christs mistical members but by your procurement never did Christ send such bloudy Apostles and two horned Warriers but the Devils Vicar-Antichrist sent them who is the deadly destroyer of faithful Beleivers c. and so he goes on I reckon it therfore saith he high time for all Christian Princes which pretend to receive the Gospel of Salvation and to live in peace and tranquillity for ever to cast the Bishops out of Privy Councels and utterly to seclude you from all administrations till such time as they find you no longer Wolves but faithful Feeders no Destroyers but gentle Teachers for consider your beginning never came you in with your Miters Robes and Rings c. it the door as did the poor Apostles but by the window unrequired like Robbers Thieves and Man-quellers with Symon Magus Marcion and Menander never was your proud pontifical power of our heavenly Fathers planting and therefore must be rooted up Matt. 15.13 If any thing under Heaven hath need of Reformation let them that minde any Godlyness think this to be one for if these be not spiritual Spiritual Thieves Soul-murtherers Hereticks Schismaticks Church-robbers Rebels and Traitors to God and man where are any to be looked for in the world for nothing can they do but work daily mischief as well may they be spared in the Common wealth saith he as Kites Crows Buzzards Polcats Rats Weasles Otters Wolves and Foxes bodily Fleas or flesh Flies or other devouring noysome Vermin for so long as they sit in the Parliament-house the Gospel shall be kept under and Christ persecuted in his faithful members take me not here saith he that I condemn any Bishop or Priest that is godly doing those Offices the Scripture commandeth as preaching the Gospel and providing for the poor c. but against bloudy Butchers that murther Gods people and make havock of Christs Congregation to maintain Jewish Ceremonies and Paganish Superstition in the Christian Church these are not Bishops but Sheep-biters Tyrants Tormentors and the Devils slaughter men but such as in poverty preach the Gospel provide for the poor rebuke the wicked world of Pride Idolatry Hypocrisie they are not only worthy of a competent living but worthy of double honour but from the inordinate excess of Riches Bishops and Prelates ought of all men to be sequestred considering that the wicked nature of Mamon is alwaies to corrupt yea the very Elect of God were not more merciful saith he Thus as you have heared by these Testimonies above Lord Bishops standing in the Church with their Dignities and Jurisdictions is not of Gods institution but by men yet God suffers such kind of Adversaries in the Church saith Mr. Fox in Acts and Monuments page 1440. who under the name of the Church maintain a worldly State and Kingdom and because they cannot uphold their cause by Scripture the holy word of God they bear it out with outfacing railing and slandering making Princes and People believe that all are Scismaticks Rebels and what not and subverters of the Common wealth who soever that dare although it be by plain Scripture to speak against their doings As it is written of the Emperour that when he had burned Rome six dayes and seven nights he made Proclamation that the innocent Christians had set the City on fire to stir up the people against them whereby he caused them to be burned and destroyed as Rebels and Traitors See Suetonius in Nerone Melancton Melancton in an Epistle to King Hen. 8. saith That long and horrible darkness hath been in the Church of Christ that mens traditions not only have been a yoak to good mens Consciences but also which is worse they have been reputed for Gods holy Service to the great dishonour of God and hindrance of his true worship and the Keyes were abused to the maintenance of usurped tyranny and Ceremonies mens inventions and it is not light offence to set up new kinds of worshiping and serving God such presumption God doth horribly detest the manner of his worship is known in his word only and he will not hale Religion to be invented by mens devise for so the Alcaron and all Religion in all Nations might be approved and allowed of Therefore saith the Wise man In all thy wayes acknowledge God and lean not unto thine own understanding Prov. 3.5 6. God hath commanded us to hear Christ Acts 3.22 and not to hear the invention of subtile politick heads which frame Religion for their own Lucre and advantage we ought not to dissemble in Gods matters but use them as the Scripture speaketh for no service nor worship pertaining to God ought to be set up by mans device and Bishops will never cease to rage against the Church of Christ without mercy or pity for them the Devil useth as Instruments and Ministers of his malice and fury against Christ in his members Luther Luther in his answer to the Popes Bull saith That any Fool Ass or Blockhead may condemn a man of Error by saying I like it not I deny it I will not have it so without any reason from Scripture Is not thy whorish face ashamed to dare to set the trifling vanities of your own bare words of the Canons and Institutions of your own inventions against the Thunderbolts of Gods Word if such reasoning were sufficient to condemn men without Scripture why may we not turn Turks Hereticks Jews or Atheists as well as Papists Steven Gardiner Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester in his Book de vera Obedientia saith Though it be granted that Peter had the preferment of the first name or place in the Order of the

the Commons for as their standing in the Church is not of God so their Excommunication is not of God John Claydon Richard Turming John Claydon and Richard Turming both Martyrs they did both affirm that the chief cause of the Persecution of Christians was the Prelates unlawfull keeping of temporalities and other superfluous goods which they are afraid to be deprived of for they know that they cannot hold them if the truth should take place and were publickly manifested by what unlawful means they hold their Temporalities and Tythes their Courts and Offices and the unlawfulness of their Dignities and Jurisdictions and the like Eneas Silvius Eneas Silvius who wrote the Book of the Council Basil he writing to Jasper Sthlick the Emperours Chancellor in his 54th Epistle saith That the way to remedy Schisme and make peace in the Church is for Kings and Princes to unite together and and conclude of Peace and this way neither Pope nor Council could withstand Unity may be concluded whether Pope or Council will or not and so Kings and Princes in their own Dominions may take the Temporalities and Tythes and so put in order things that are amiss whether Pope or Council will or not neither saith he do I see any of the Clergie so confident to death which will suffer Martyrdome neither for King or Pope for all we do lightly hold that Religion which our Princes hold if they would worship Idols we would do the same and not only deny the Pope but God also if the Secular power straines us thereunto for Charity waxeth cold and all Faith is gone however let us seek for peace and whether it come by a Council or a Synagogue or a Conventicle call it what you will I care not so we have peace Cardinal Aralatensis And Cardinal Aralatensis in the same Council of Basil said That all Bishops ought to understand that they come to have greater power then Priests only by custome and not by dispensation of the truth of God and that they ought to rule the Church together for a Priest is the very same that a Bishop is by divine Institution for there is such a concordance saith he between a Bishop and a Priest that Paul to Titus calleth Bishops Priests and Christ saith Blessed are the Poor in Spirit neither was there any rich Bishop in the Primitive Church neither did the antient Church reject Dionysius Bishop of Millan nor Eusebius Bishop of Vercellus Hillarie Bishop of Pictauia although they were never so poor but if we will grant the truth the poor are more apt to give right Judgement then the rich because riches causeth fear lest they should be taken from them and others poverty causeth liberty for the poor fear no Tyranny as rich men do who are given over to all kind of Vanity Idleness and sloath and will rather deny Christ than lose their riches whom not love to the Flock but love to Revenues makes them Bishops And farther to shew that Bishops will not own the truth against opposition for fear to lose their riches the same Eneas Silvius in his thirty eighth Epistle to Cardinal Julian saith those Cardinals which so magnified the Authority of the Church as though they were ready to spend their lives for the same and now at the sight of one Letter from their King wherein no death was threatned but only loss of their Temporalities and for fear of that they slipt away from the Council of Basil c. and in the same Epistle he said derideingly That they had rather lose their faith than lose their flock and preferment c. Hierome St. Hierome upon these words Vnsavory Salt saith That it is no easie thing to stand in the place of Peter and Paul and to keep the Chaire of them that reign with Christ This Unsavory Salt saith he is foolish and unprofitable Prelates unsavory in their places good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden down of Swine that is saith he of wicked Spirits which have dominion over wicked Prelates as their Flock and Herd Mr. Tindal Mr. Tindal in his book of the wicked Mamon page 45. saith seek the word of God in all things and without the word of God do nothing though it appear never so glorious for what soever is done without the word of God that count to be Idolatrous but by the word of God Prelates have no right to Temporalities Christ saith he took away the violence and power of the Law to make us free and set us at liberty from Ceremonies and other impositions which do consist in places persons garments meats and dayes c. so as their use should be to all men free and indifferent so that if the Pope would make all observations of Geremonies as Lent Fasts Holy-dayes Confession Masses Matins Reliques and all the rest free and indifferent he should not be Antichrist but the commanding them in the name of Christ he corrupteth the Church and suppresseth the Faith and whatsoever is not of Faith is Sin therefore by that means he advanceth Sin and becometh Antichrist and upon this account we have many inferior Antichrists under the Pope who to their power seek to establish the same Ceremonies c. and so become Antichrists Jacobus Selestadiensis In a Letter of Jacobus Selestadiensis to Maximilian and Emperor he said The goods of the Church as it is alleadged by the Fathers are the Vowes of the Faithful and Patrimonie of the poor for the faithful through the fervency of their faith and love of Christ have enriched the Church with their own goods that the poor might be refreshed and Captives redeemed wherefore such as have the administration of these goods ought diligently to be looked upon that they do not convert them to their own proper use and neglect them in whom Christ is fed and cloathed Prosper also saith That holy men did not challenge the Church goods as their own but as given to the poor to be divided to all them that have nothing neither ought they to give any thing to those that have of their own enough for that is but to cast things away Ex Illyrico Illyrico Reynold Peacok John Brothwick Reynold Peacock Bishop of Chichester said That the riches of Bishops are the good of the poor and that spiritual persons by the law of God ought not to have temporal possessions and that personal tythes is not due by Gods law that the Universal Church of Rome may erre in matters of faith and that it is not necessary to Salvation to believe what General Councils ordain and determine these points and other to this purpose he confessed he held and taught the space of twenty years and after the Bishop of Canterbury and other Bishops set themselves against him he was imprisoned during his life Also Sir John Brothwick Martyr in Scotland in the year 1540. said and did affirm that all temporal Possessions and Jurisdiction ought to be taken from the Prelates The

peoples pure alms thus by their fruit you may know them whether they be the followers of Christ or of Antichrist wherefore all Emperors Kings Lords Ladies and common people of every degree and state that know these things and will not withstand these enemies and traytors of Christ and of his Church ye strive saith he for Antichrist against our Lord Jesus Christ and shall bear the indignation of God Almighty without end if in time it be not prevented by repentance and amendment Walter Brute Wal. Brute before John B. of Hereford in K. Rich 2d's reign affirmed that under the Gospel tythes are alms he denied not but under the old law tythes were given to the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle and in the Temple but that service of the Levites ceasing at the coming of Christ who put an end to that Ceremonial law how can tyths now be demanded or received for that service which is ceased they may aswell demand the first fruits which was paid in the old law as well as tythes but if they claim tythes by force of the Levitical law then by the same law Prelates and Priests are prohibited to have any temporalities among their brethren no more then the Priests and Levites had then when they received tythes Christ gave no new Commandment of tything any thing when his Apostles said we have left all and followed thee what shall we have Christ did not say that he would give them temporalities and tythes and worldly dominion no that he forbad them it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.25 26. but upon their obedience to his commands he promised to give them an everlasting Kingdom they that will have tythes by virtue of the Levitical law they are bound to keep that law and by the works of the law no man can be justified Hierome Hierom writing to Nepotianus saith how can they be of the Clergie who pretend to be so who are commanded to contemn despise their own substance yet take the substance of others to take away from a friend is theft to deceive the Church take away that which should be given to the poor it is sacriledge so that by this testimony all Bps. Prelates Priests that hold temporalities tythes c. that belongs to the Church to the poor they are sacrilegions Mersiliu Also Mersilius of Padua taught that Bps. Priests should not enjoy temporal estates that the corrupt manners of the people did spring from the wickedness of Prelates Priests by their evil example Nicholas Herford Philip Ripingdon Robert Rigge Nich. Herford Phil. Ripingdon and John Ashton being altogether brought before Wil. Bishop of Cant. in K. Rich. 2d reign did all affirm and say that it is against the holy Scripture for Ecclesiastical persons to have temporal possessions and that temporal Lords may at their pleasure take away temporal goods from Church men offending and that tythes are pure Alms and that Parishioners may for the offence of their Curates detain the same and bestow them on others at their pleasure And Rob. Rigge Vice Chancel of Oxford was displaced for holding of these truths with these men the Popish Prelates did so rage Pope Alexander and 310. Bishops In a Council at Rome in the year 1179. it was decreed by Pope Alex. and 310 Bishops that none of the Clergy within orders should meale with any temporal business and that Priests should have but one benefice and that the Bishops should be charged to maintain such Priests as they did ordain untill they were promoted to some benefice but how these decrees as to the Clergies not medling with temporalities and maintaining such as the Bishops ordain untill they be promoted is manifest to the world for Popes and Bishops will do and undo at their pleasure for temporal profits D. Hall George Cassander Bishop Hall not many years ago in his book pag. 835. saith that George Cassander a learned Papist was set on work by two Emperors viz. Ferdinand and Maximillian to compose the quarrels of the Church and in his 56. p. he saith that the principal cause of the destruction of the Church is to be laid upon those who being puffed up with a vain insolent conceit of their Ecclesiastical power do proudly and scornfully contemn and reject them which rightly and moderately admonish their reformation wherefore my Opinion is saith he that the Church can never hope for any firm peace unless those which are in Ecclesiastical government will be content to remit somthing of their too much rigour and yield somthing for the peace of the Church and correct abuses according to the rule of divine Scripture from which they have swerved and if abuses be corrected according according to the rule then must their temporalities and tythes be taken from them and their Lordly titles and Jurisdictions and they made like other men By what is said above and proved by many Authors of Prelates worldly mindedness and their usurped dominion of temporalities and tythes which they rob and steal from the poor and needy by breaking the conditions for which temporalities and tyths were given and have falsified the trust reposed in them so that now there is no hope that they will yield any thing for truths sake to be reformed according to the Scriptures except Kings and Princes Lords and Commons as Angello Cararo the Venetian Embassador said of the Court of Rome unless they go about it roundly in express terms laying aside all Civility saith he it will be difficult to bring it about they are so setled upon their Lees But their is one text of Scripture which I think doth clear this point of the Lawfulness for Kings and Princes to take again their possessions from Bishops Prelates and Priests which all the forenamed Authors plead for for it doth not only Justifie the King and Princes in taking the temporalities from Prelates c. but it is a precept and law of God that ought to be obeyed and put in execution that the Kings inheritance be not imbezled and given away from succeeding Kings Ez. 46.16 17. Thus saith the Lord God Ezek. 46 16.17 If the Prince give a gift unto any of his sons the Inheritance thereof shall be his sons it shall be their Inheritance by a possession by an inheritance but if he give a gift of his Inheritance to one of his servants then it shall be his to the year of liberty or Jubile which was so named of the long sound of the Trumpet and Joyful shout because servants that were sold was then at liberty and joyful to the poor because their land that was sold or mortgaged was then at liberty and they returned to their possessions The year of Jubile or liberty was every fifty years but many fifty years are expired and still the usurping Prelates hold the temporalities both from the King c. and from the poor who should be relieved out of the profits of those