shall give an account of your Office at which day that you may stand stedfast and have your Quietus est Sealed with the blood of Christ is my daily prayer to him that suffered death for our sins to whom be all honour and praise for ever Amen Thus much of Mr. Latimer his Letter to King Hen. 8. Eneas Silvius Eneas Silvius before he was Pope in a Letter to the Rector of the University of Collin he said To a true Christian indeed nothing ought to be more desired than the sincerity and pureness of Faith given us of Christ be kept of all men immaculate and if at any time any thing be attempted against the true Doctrine of the Gospel the people ought with one consent to provide lawful remedy and every man to bring with him some water to quench the general fire neither must we fear saith he how we be hated or envyed so we bring the truth with us we must resist every man to his face whether he be Paul or Peter if he walk not directly to the rule of the Gospel This is part of Eneas his Letter which I think with Mr. Latimer's Letter above is sufficient to justifie my Innocency in what I have done in collecting of so many reverend Authors to shew what their judgement and practise hath been according to the word of God though it be not according to the practise of our Prelates now Julian Palmer As all good works are wonderful saith Julian Palmer so this in particular That God hath in all ages stirred up some to bear witness to the Truth against those Usurpers who have and do rob and spoile both Kings and Kingdoms by unjust deteyning Lands and Possessions c. in their hands to which they have no right and do buy false Glosses Excommunications Imprisonments Banishments Scourging Pilloring Persecuting by open violence and secret practises abuse the simple sheep of Christ that do endeavour to serve God and to discover their false usurped wayes rather then they will depart with their dishonest gain and have their Kitchin cooled their Coffers emptied or their Rents and Revenues abated The Protestant Church at Paris The fourth of September 1558. Three or four hundred Christians being assembled in Paris in France to worship God in a private meeting they were seised upon and some escaped and some were taken and imprisoned Who wrote a Letter to the King declaring out of divers Histories what afflictions and calamities from time to time had befallen the Enemies and hinderers of Gods worship for their resisting the free passage of the Gospel Shewing also that when the King did by his Edict hinder the free worship and service of God then did God send War and other Calamities upon him and his Kingdom and when he ceased the execution of such Edicts then he prospered according to his own desires as long as the true worship of God and his Ordinances took place And in the Primative Church while Prelates and Ministers were of small Wealth and sought not their own profit but the glory of God and his Ordinances so long the Truth prospered and prevailed but since the Pope and Prelates began to be Prince like and to usurp Dominion over the Emperour and Kings they have turned the Scripture from the true sence and have attributed the service to themselves which we ow unto God framing a worship according to their own fancy for their private advantage to maintain their usurped Dignities Jurisdictions and Possessions Wherefore your Majaesty may with good and safe Conscience seize upon all their Temporalities and Benefices and imploy them to to their right use which is for your own affairs for the safety of the Kingdom and the easement of your poor Subjects which alone bear the burthen and for the relief of the poor whereas now there is an infinite number in your Kingdom which occupie the greatest and chiefest benefices which never deserved any part of them And consider that alwayes those Emperours and Kings have the best prospered that imbraced the true Christian Faith for the Kings Throne is established in Righteousness Prov. 16.20 28. Anne du Burg. Loys du Farr The true and only way Sir say they to remedy and redress these grievances is that you call a general Councel in your Kingdom your self being the chief in which every thing tending to the worship and service of God may be tried by the word of God in which Council men of parts and faithfulness to God should be heard for God and those that enjoy such Dignities and Possessions be heard how they can prove their holding them by the Scripture to be lawful or else to part with them And your Majesty or some whom you may appoint not corrupted nor interested to either party but indifferunt may report to your Majesty the true sence of the Scripture without partiality and after according to the example of David Solomon Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josiah you may remove out of the Church all Idolatry Superstition Will-worship and humane Inventions which is contrary to holy Scripture for God will not own any Plant in his Church that is not of his own planting Here was good Council if it had taken place but mark what followed Anne du Burg a Councellor at Law Loys du Farr a Councellor also who did solicite and intercede in the behalf of those imprisoned Christians were both apprehended and cast into prison the King in a rage threatning du Burg that he with his own eyes would see him burnt but God prevented him for the same day that he so threatned the King in his Justing and breaking their Spears the King received his Deaths wound and it was reported that the King said he was striken for casting the poor Christians wrongfully in prison This was Henry the second French King Origen saith Origen That Princes will not beleive that others have fallen by such means until they fall themselves And they said further If the Emperour Antonius a Pagan and an Idolator seeing himself wrapt with Wars ceased the Persecution which was against the Christians and determined to hear their Causes and Reasons how much more ought you that bear the name of most Chistian King to be careful and diligent to cease the Persecution against poor Christians for until you have heard and lawfully debated our Reasons taken out of Scripture how can your Majesty judge us worthy of such punishments for while we are governed by the word of God neither Fire nor Sword nor the cruelest torments can make us afraid Observe these Expressions Christians may learn good Instructions from some of the heathen I will name some Christian-like expressions of this Pagan Antonius he wrot twelve Books in the first Book he said Let it be thy incessant care as a Roman as a man to perform whatsoever it is that thou art about with true and unfeigned gravity natural affection freedom and justice and go about every action as thy last action free from
Decrees or Constitutions which is not grounded upon the Holy Scripture they should therefore stand in no danger nor be impeached King Richard 2. King Richard the second propounded to John Wickliffe Whether the Kingdom of England might lawfully detain the Treasure of the Kingdome from the Pope He demanded the Church goods under pain of Censure Mr. Wickliffe setting a part the Common Laws of England and the Civiâ— Law It rests saith he to prove the affirmitive part by the Principles of Chists Law thus Every natural body hath power given of God to resist against the contrary and to preserve it self in due estate inasmuch as Bodies without life are indued with such a kind of power as hardness to resist those things that would break it and coldness to withstand heat that would dissolve it forasmuch then as the Kingdom of England after the manner of phrase of Scripture ought to be one Body of which the King is head and the Commonalty are the members thereof It seemeth the same Kingdom head and members hath such power given to them of God and so much the more apparent by how much the same body is more precious unto God adorned with virtue and knowledge for so much then as there is no power given of God unto any Creature for any end or purpose but that he may lawfully use the same to that end and purpose It followeth That our Kingdom may lawfully keep back and detain their Treasure of Temporalities and Tythes c. for the defence of it self in what case soever necessity doth require the same Secondly the same is proved by the Law of the Gospel for the Pope cannot challenge the Treasure of this Kingdom no more can the Prelates challenge Temporalities or Tythes but under the title of Almes and consequently under the pretence of works of mercy according to the rule of Charity But in the case aforesaid the title of Alms ought utterly to cease ergo the right title of challenging the Treasure of this Kingdom ought to cease also in the presupposed necessity and the Prelates and Clergie challenging Temporalities and Tythes ought to cease also by the same reason Forasmuch as all Charity hath its beginning of it self it were no work of Charity but of meer madness to send away the Treasure of the Realm unto other Nations whereby the Realm it self may fall into ruine under the pretence of such a Charity and is it not as much madness to suffer so many idle Drones to usurp the Kingdomes the Churches and the Poors goods of temporalities and tythes to spend on Coaches and Horses Hawks Dogs and Hounds I will not say Whores Taverns Cards and Dice Why should not such unfaithful Stewards give an account of their Stewardship It appears also saith he by this That Christ the Head of the Church whom all Prelates and Priests ought to follow he lived by the Alms of devout women as in Luke 8.2 3. he hungred and thirsted was a stranger and sustained many other miseries not only in his members but also in his own body He was poor that ye through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Wherefore in the first endowing of the Church with Alms whatsoever he were of the Clergy that had any temporal possessions he had the same by way of Almes as several Writings and Chronicles do witness For saith he the Temporal Lords have power to take away their Alms when they see their Alms abused to riot and excess by some and others who are interested therein suffer penury and want by the Prelates and Clergy their unfaithfulness in their Stewardships Carolus Magnus Carolus Magnus that famous French King had decreed in a Council that only the Canonical Books of Scripture should be read in Churches and commanded the Bishops that they should not suffer any other to be read nor Preach themselves any thing that did not agree with the word of God And besides he ordered the goods given to the Church to be disposed of so That in wealthy places two parts of the Church goods should be given to the poor and the third part to the Clergy and that in poorer places there should be an equal division between the poor and the Clergy The good Lord if it be his good will and pleasure put it into the hearts of all Christian Kings and Princes to do the like Isidor Mr. Fox saith that Isidor hath these words Let Temporal Kings know that they must give an account to God for the Church which they have at the hands of God to govern and if so then it lies as a duty incumbent upon them so that to free themselves from the guilt of other mens sins there is an absolute necessity That seeing the Church goods are abused and not disposed of as they ought to be as it is proved above Therefore Kings and Nobles may not only lawfully but are bound in duty to God to take care to have such abuses reformed Charles the sixth Charles the sixth the French King made a Law That the fruits and rents of Benefices and other Pensions and Bishops goods that departed from their charges should be brought in to the Kings use King Philip About the year 1303. King Philip of France summoned a Parliament where all the Bishops were required within eight dayes after notice given to appear or else all their Temporal goods should be seized into the Kings hand By this it appears That upon their disobedience the King might take their Temporalities from them if he so pleased In which Parliament it was declared by Sir Will. Negareta Sir VVilliam Negareta in behalf of the King That for his Oaths sake that he made for defence of the Church and because the King was the Patron of the Church Therefore he was bound not only to defend the Church observe this well he was bound not only to defend the Church but to call in the goods of the Church which was wasted by the Pope and Prelates means And four years after the Lord Peter de Cugneriis in a Parliament Lord Peter de Cugneriis exhibited 65 Articles in the Kings behalf against the Bishops and Prelates of France and the misdemeanours of them and their Officers and Courts Mr. Fox Such goods as were given to the Church by our Ancestors saith Mr. Fox was neither so given nor so taken as to serve the private use of Church men but to serve the publick use of the poor and needy as is to be seen by the Canonical Institution of the Emperour Lodovicus Pius set forth in the year 830. in these words Lodovicus Pius The goods of the Church be the Vows and bequests of the faithful to ransom such as be in captivity or prison and the Patrimony to succour them with Hospitality that be needy c. Whereas now the Hospitality that is used is to feast such as need not such as are able to feast the Prelates again and the poor and needy if they get any
a famous Canonist concludeth that a Doctor allowed may be disallowed again yea rather saith Bartol a famous Civilian he may be degraded as a Souldier Bartol and as a Clerk for those things saith he which I have spoken in degrading of a Souldier the same is to be verified touching the degrading of Doctors and Clerks Herenius Modestimus Hereneus Modestimus said that a Senator was not therefore a Senator because his name only was in the Table or Regester where the names of Senators was written unless he also were made a Senator according to Law and the gloss upon that Law verifieth the same to be an argument against those who are not rightly placed in the Churches and it is manifest that none of our Bishops nor Prelates accord to their titles and jurisdictions are rightly placed in the Churches of Christ because they are not of the institution of Christ as themselves do confess both Protestants and Papists and also not having the Seal of divine approbation upon them they are not rightly placed in Churches nor are not lawful Ministers of Jesus Christ according to his holy institution in truth but only in name but in real truth they are the Ministers of Antechrist the Pope for their titles and jurisdictions is of the Popes Hierarchical institutions they cannot deny it and therefore it is a work of mercy to their souls to unlord them and being them into the right way to imitate Christ and his Apostles by taking the temporallties and tythes from them as once an Emperour said and did That which we unadvisedly have done we will advisedly revolve and undo And Prelates to excuse their tyrany pretend decency in imposing their unnecessary Ceremonies upon the People but let it be considered whether the people who are turned unto God and endeavour to observe the rules of Christ rather than the rules of men or the Prelates who have forsaken the rules of Christ as appears above all along to imbrace and follow the rules and devices of Men let wise men judge which of these walk most undecently and let Bishops consider and examine themselves whether there robbing the Poor and murthering of Souls by granting dispensations to none residence and in giving pluralities be not an undecent walking can any but those whose Consciences are seared count these and Covetousness Pride hypocrisie ambition hatred mallice and revenge decent and comely in themselves and the endeavouring to observe the rules of Christ to be uncomely and undecent in others if Bishops and Prelates would first reform themselves and take the beam out of their own eyes or if the King and Nobles would compel them to a reformation according to the word of God then what the people were required to do that is decent and comly according to the word of God they would readily obey provided as Paul saith they cast not a snare upon them but for that which is comly 1 Cor. 7.35 But now our Bishops take as much upon them as the Pope viz. to make nothing something and to make the rules and institutions of Christ which is something nothing in respect of their own traditions and Canons and to make nothing somthing that is to make their own Canons and traditions c. which are nothing in comparison of the word of God to set them above the word of God and punisheth the transgressors thereof with sorer punishments than the transgressors of the word of God and thus they make their nothing something and Christs something nothing And thus they make sin to be no sin and no sin to be sin by their unjust Laws and their disobedience to the Laws and institutions of Iesus Christ may not God justly complain as once he did of Israel they have defiled the Land by their own way and by their doings their way is before me as the uncleanness of a removed Woman Ezek. 36.17 and chap 22.13 I have smitten my hand at thy dishmest gain which thou hast made there is a conspiracy of her Prophets like roaring Lyons ravening the Prey they have devoured Souls they have taken the Treasure and pretious things can our Prelates think that God will not thus charge them who have taken the treasure of the Church from those who are the true Church indeed and from Widows fatherless and other poor that should be releived with that treasure it follows her Priests have violated my Law as you see in this page above they have prophaned mine holy things they have put no difference between the holy and prophane neither have shewed difference between the unclean and the clean except it be in countenancing the prophane and unclean and discountenancing the holy and the clean see the 25. and 26. vers Mr. Tindall Mr. Tindall an English Man and a Martyr in Flanders petitioned to King Hen. 8. to have compassion on his Subjects that the Realm should not utterly perish through the wicked counsel of his pestilent Prelates for saith he the cause of false Preachers is the cause that the people have not love to the truth being kept ignorant of the truth through their neglect in not preaching the truth Mr. Hookers Episcopus Divinus Mr. Hooker in the second part of his Survey of Church disciplin page 23. he saith Episcopus is threefold Divinus Humanus Satanicus First a Bishop by divine Institution is such an Officer as Christ hath set in his Church whose Office is set forth and discovered in the word of God and such are Pastors and Doctors and Teachers Tit. â— 7. and 1 Tim. 5.17 Episcopus and Presbyter is one thing in Scripture sence Episcopus Humanus Secondly Episcopus Humanus is a president or moderator chosen by consent of Ministers meeting and consulting about the affairs of their Churches in their common consociations to whom it appertaineth to moderate the actions of the assembly to propound things to be agitated to gather voices to pronounce the Sentence which passeth by common approbation and he had no more but his equal suffrage with the rest and when the action was ended he was but in equal honour with the rest and it may be in less respect in regard of years or gifts and yet to leave this constantly upon one man it is perillous and might be an inlet to worse inconveniences than at first could have been suspected Episcopus Satanicus Thirdly Episcopus Satanicus is such an Episcopus which the enemy Satan acting the Pride and suiting the Soveraignity of the Spirits of men hath by a misterous way successively and secretly brought into the Church that so he might Midwife Antechrist into the world this being the next step to that man of sin and he becomes Princepe Episcopus who by his Insolencie hath arrogated and assumed and at last confirmed even a Monarchicall power unto himself and however the Pope who is Universal Bishop is the man of sin yet the Bishop especially when he is ascended to his Arch Bishops Chair is the same but only considered in
to the glory of God the peace of the Country and the comfort and contentment of all good Christians as God shall be my help In testimony of which premises I have subscribed these presents with my hand before these witnesses c. Now to conclude John Huss a Martyr at constance he prophesied that the light of the Gospel should break out a hundred years after his death which was fulfilled in Luther whom God stirred up a hundred years after there is another Antient Prophesie which some think was by John Huss also which Prophesie is That the Church cannot be reduced to its former dignity and reformed untill all things be made new the former dignity of the Church is to have the same Officers for quality that Christ and his Apostles instituted and to have Episcopacy and all the rabble depending thereon plants which our heavenly Father hath not planted rooted up for so long as they stand the Church cannot be reduced to its former dignity neither in doctrine nor discipline because these Church Officers as they are esteemed are not of God but usurpers and other the like in the Roman Church who are not of Gods but of humain institution they mix their humain devices with the Laws and institutions of Christ and so defile and polute the Ordinances of Christ much like unto those Nations which Sholmanezer King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria every Nation made Gods of their own and yet it is said of them that they feared the Lord and served their own Gods 2 Kings 17.29 33. Just so the Pope and Prelates make Gods of their own or devise a way of their own to worship God by which is all one for a devised worship of men which Christ hath nor appointed may justly in Scripture fence be said to be an Idol worship and so they may be said to fear the Lord and serve or worship their own Gods or Idols a worship of their own making for did ever Heathen dote more upon their Idols than Popes and Prelates dotes on their own devised way of worship ye shall saith Moses from God walk after the Lord your God and keep his Commandments and obey his voice and that Prophet or dreames of dreams shall be put to death that speaks to â—houâ—◠〈◊〉 out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in Deut. 13.4 5. What then shall be done to those dreaming drones that not only speak but make Laws and command Gods people to turn out of the way that Christ hath appointed them to walk in to have them to walk in the Ceremoniall wayes and appointments of men This doth imply as much as to say go and serve other Gods serve him with a worship which he hath not appointed for to be compelled by Laws and penalties to leave the Commandments of Christ to follow the Commandments of men is no other than to serve other Gods the Lord saith that such an one if it be a Brother a Son or a Daughter or a Wife thine eye shall not pity neither shalt thou spare nor conceale but thou shalt kill him thou shalt stone him with stones that he dye because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God ver 8.10 The Lord threatened by the Prophet Zeph. that he would cut off Man and beast and the stumbling block with the wicked and them that worship and that swear by the Lord and that swear by Malcham Zeph. 1.3.5 To swear by the Lord in truth in judgement and in righteosness as Jer. 4.2 Being Lawfully called to swear it is one part of Gods worship but to swear by Malcham or other things is Idolatrous for so the thing that is sworn by is made an Idol and set in Gods stead and honour given unto it as to be the searcher of the heart and to witness that what is sworn is truth and so it is in other parts of Gods worship if we keep not close to Gods word but devise a way of worship which Christ hath not prescribed it is Idolatrous as well as to swear by Malcham it is the stumbling block of the wicked for diminish ought from his word which also is to be understood of his worship for it is not found in the Scripture that Christ hath given power to any man or men to add or diminish to any part of his worship from his institutions either in the old Testament or the New to swear by Malcham c. The thing that is sworn and affirmed may be true and yet the oath is sinful and Idolatrous because it is not Gods way that he hath instituted that oaths should be given and taken God saith of the Rebellious and wicked Jews though they swear the Lord liveth surely they swear falsly why so because their swearing was vain and customary and not in such a way as God had appointed oaths to be taken and therefore he reckon'd it a false oath though the thing they swore was true The Lord doth live and so men may devise a way to worship God and snatch here and there a sentence or two of Scripture and mangle it in pieces and then patch it together to make up a form to please themselves and it may be some others and though the words for the matter of them are words of truth yet this also is sinful as to swear by Malcham or as the wicked Jews to swear the Lord liveth Because Christ hath not any where instituted such a way of worship to jumble a many texts fetcht here and there together to make a form of worship though the words themselves be good yet they were not ordained for such an end nor we have neither precept nor example from Christ nor his Apostles so to use them but from Antechrist the Pope such example may be taken by them that please Conjurers Witches and Charmers use or rather abuse good words for they often times mutter over the Creed and our Lords Prayer and several texts of Scripture to work their feats but God hath not trusted us with the Scriptures for such ends especially not that those who can please themselves with such a form should impose the same upon all others by penalties of imprisonment or banishment or the like as hath been done to some And therefore it is impossible that ever there can be any right reformation or that the Church can be reduced to its primitive purity and dignity so long as the Bishops and Prelates bears such a sway both in the Church and Common wealth until God put it into the hearts and minds of Kings Princes and Lordâ— c. and to take away the temporalities and tyths from Bishops Prelates and Clergie which they have so long usurpingly and unjustly detained from the King and Nobles and not performed the conditions for which their predecessors gave them and sacraligiously kept to their own use what was given for the use of the Poor and so reduce them first to live after
That neither TEMPORALLITIEâ— Nor TYTHES Is due to the Bishops Prelates nor Clergy by a Gospel Rule AND That Kings Princes and Lords Temporal may jâ—â—â—ly take the Temporallities and Tythes from them and dispose of theâ— the defence and benefit of the Kingdom and the relief of the Poor Pâ—OVED By the Laws and practice of twenty Kings of Judah England and France as also by the testimonies of the Universities of Oxford and Prague fifty four oâ—… Nobles of Bohemia and Morania two hundred and fifty years agone and alâ—… 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. Thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kinâ— of Power and Strength and glory and wheresoever the Children of Men dwell the 〈◊〉 the Field and the Fowls of the Heaven hath he given into thine hand and hath maâ—… ruler over them all Dan. 2.37 38. And of the Children of Issachar which were Men that had understanding of the timâ— know what Israel ought to do the heads of them were two hundred and all their breâ—… were at their comand 1 Chron. 12.32 Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee and David commanded aâ—… Princes to help the King 1. Chron. 22.16 17. Arise for this matter belongeth unto thee we also will be with thee be of good câ—… and do it Ezra 10.4 Printed in the Year 1672. 〈…〉 mentioned in this book with their practices and examples as followeth â—…olomon â—…osiash Hezekiah Ahaz Edmond Edgar â—…nry 2. â—…ward 3. â—…lliam â—…nry 4. â—…chard 2. â—…nry 8. â—…lus Magnus â—…arles 6. â—…lip â—…mp Lodovicu â—…chadnezzar â—…ation â—…nius â—…0 Kings â—…estimony of thâ—â—…versities of Oxâ—… and Prague â—…estimony of 54 â—…he Nobles of â—…mia Moravia â—…stin 1 â—…alamus 2 â—…rose 3 â—…m 4 â—…ard 5 â—…bius 6 â—…re 7 â—…ughton 8 â—…osthead 9 〈◊〉 Gregory 10 â—…pplication to K. â—…ry 8. 11 〈◊〉 Prophesie of â—…degard 12 〈◊〉 Leo 13 〈◊〉 Canterbury 14 〈◊〉 Fox 15 Sr. Wil. Negarâ—to 16 Lord Peter de Cugmeriis 17 Prosper 18 Latemir 19 Eneus Silvius 20 Julian Palmer 21 The Protestant Church at Paris 22 Anne du Burg. 23 Loys du Faur 24 Origin 25 Mr. Frith 26 Paulinus 27 James his Deacon 28 Ammonius 29 B. Adaccus 30 Mr. Elmer 31 Erasmus 32 Jasper Bruschio 33 Clemant 34 Jo. Segovius 35 Card. Aralatenses 36 B. of Burgen 37 Chrysostom 38 Polecronecon 39 Patriark of Alexandria 40 Austin Monk 41 Cutbard B. of Canterbury 42 Petrus Blesenses 43 Angelo Caraw 44 Rich. B. of Cant. 45 Simon Fish 46 Pope Innocent 47 The testimony of 21 Bish 8 arch Deac 17. Doc. of Cannon and civil Law 48 Richard Armacanus 49 Cyprean 50 John Hus. 51 Mr. Tindal 52 Henry Stubbridg 53 Wil. Prynne 54 Godfr Goodman 55 Jo. Salsbury 56 Ex. Catal. Illyr 57 Alixander Sabritius 58 The counterfeit of Lucefers Letter to the Prelate 59 Lord Cobham 60 Wil. Ocham 61 Armulphus 62 Hostenensis 63 Rich. Wimbleton 64 Wil. Swinderby 65 Anselm 66 A Cannon of Africk 67 Suetonius 68 Melancton 69 Ste. Gardner 70 Rich. Feverus 71 Rich. Lovingham 72 Huldrick 73 Mr. Rogers 74 Panormetanus 75 Walter Mill 76 Doc. Molius 77 Jo. Câ—â—ydon 78 Rich. Turming 79 Selestudiensis 80 Ilyrico 81 Reynold Pecock Bish 82 Io. Brothwick 83 The Tigurins at Zurick 84 Cornelius Bish of Rome 85 St. Lawrence 86 Wil. Thorpe 87 Walter Brute 88 Mersilius 89 Nichol Herford 90 Phil. Ripingdon 91 Iohn Ashton 92 Pope Alexander and 310 Bishops 93 Doctor Hall 94 Georg. Cassander 95 Iohn VVicklife 96 The Image of Abish 97 Roderick Moâ—ch 98 Martin Bucer 99 Iohn Hooper 100 Th. VValsingam 101 A nameless Aut. 102 Clement next succâ—ssor of St. Peter 103 Mr. Mead 104 Volusianus 105 Dr. whitchcote 106 The 20 and 21 Articles of Church of England 107 Norfolk and Suffolk mens supplications 108 Bish Nilus 109 Iohn Gerson 110 Bartil 111 Henenius Modesteinus 112 Mr. Hooker 113 Dr. Downam 114 Bilson 115 Saravia 116 Holinshead 117 Arch Bishop of St. Andrews 118 Bish of Duncel 119 Bish of Orkneys 120 Mr. Perkins 121 The Epistle Dedicatory TO THE KINGS Most excellent MAJESTY May it please your Majesty Auguâ— ST Augustin in an Epistle to Cassulamus saith that he which for fear of any power hideth the truth which 〈◊〉 learned Chrysostom provoketh the Wrath of God to come 〈…〉 â—nd Chrysostom saith he is not only a Traytor to the◠〈…〉 openly for truth teacheth a lye but he also which doth 〈…〉 shew forth that truth which he knoweth the considerat◠〈◊〉 these sentences so prevailed with me that I durst not be such a Traytor neither to God nor to your Majesty as to conceal what I have learned which as I conceive may tend to the glory of God in the exaltation of the truth of the Gospel of Christ and to the honour of your Majâ—sty and the benefit of your Majesties Kingdom both in Church and Common-wealth whereby your Majesty may be supplyed with Money for the necessary charges of the Kingdom and the relief of the Poor and easing your Subjects something in their Taxations by turning the stream into the right Channel by taking the temporallities from the Prelates c. into your Majesties hands again they being your own Right belonging formerly to your Predecessors and the conditions now failing for which they were given as will appear hereafter in this discourse God willing But perhaps it will be objected that it is sacriledge to take the temporallities c. from the Church I answer if it be granted to be sacralidge to take from the Church yet I hope upon tryal it will appear that the Prelates are not the Church and that the Prelates are sacralidg ous persons in detaining and converting the temporallities to their own private uses which was given to the Church and the Poor and other pious uses the Prelates being only Stewards thereof or Overseers for the use of the Church and the Poor but have proved unfaithful Stewards Now that the Prelates are not the Church will thus appear when the Church of Anteoch sent Paul and Barnabas c. as their Messengers to the Councel at Jerusalem the Text saith Acts 15.4 When they came to Jerusalem * The â—urch â—ot the â—elates â—t the â—ngreâ—â—ons of â—ievers they were received of the Church that is of the Church of believers and of the Apostles and Elders hence we see that the Apostles and Elders are not called the Church they were but particular Chuâ—ch members with other believ rs and according to thâ—s the nineteenth Article of the Chuâ—ch of England describes a visible Church of Christ to be a congregation of faithful m n c. also Paul admonished the Elders of Ephesus to feed the Church of God that is the believing Christians Act. 20.28 â—ug stin St. Augustin saith of himself and all other
Prelates in the 23 question and 7. If we possess any thing privately but that which doth suffice us it is not ours but the goods of the Poor whose stewards we are except we challenge to our selves a property by some damnable usurpation the glâ—ss upon that part of the question saith that Prelates are but only Stewards of the Church goods and not Lords thereof â—mbrose And St. Ambrose upon Luke 16.2 Give an account of thy Stewardship c. hereby saith he We learn that Prelates are not Lords but Steward or Bailliffs of others mens substance â—ierom And St. Hierom in an Epistle quest 16. and 2. chap. Quisquid saith whatsoever the Clergy hath it is the goods of the Poor and writing unto Nepolianus he saith how can they be of the Clergy who are commanded to contemn and despise their own substance for to take away from a Friend it is theft but to deceive the Church and take away that which should be given to the Poor it is sacralidge â—arnard And St. Barnard upon these words Simon Peter said unto Jesus c. Truly said he the goods of the Church are the patrimony of the Poor whatsoever thing the Ministers Stewards thereof not Lords or Possessors thereof do take unto themselves more then sufficient for a competent living the same is taken away from the Poor by a sacralidgious cruelty â—usebeus Eusebeus in his Treatise upon the pilgrimage of St. Hierom saith If thou dost possessed garment or any other thing more then extream necessity doth require and dost not help the needy thou art a Thief and a Robber wherefore dearly beloved Children let us be Stewards of temporallities and not possessors thereof And Isidor in his Treatise de summo bono ch 24. Let the Bishop know that he is the Servant of the people and not Lords over them aâ— also in the 5. book oâ— Decraeâ—als extra â—e donationibus sub athoâ—itate Alixandrii Tartii Episcopi Paritienses he saith We believe that it is noâ— unknown unto your Brotherhood that a Bishop and every other Prelate is buâ— Stewards of the Church goods and not Lords thereof both Lands and Tythes saith he are pure Alms which after the necessity of the Clergy is satisfied noâ— according to their pride and covetousness but in comely â—cent manner ofteâ— the example of Christ and his Apostles the rest bâ—longeâ—â—o the Poor and thosâ— that withhold it from them they are Thieves Robbers 〈◊〉 Sacralidgious persons saith he William Wroughton Thus it is manifest by what is already said besides what is said here after that Kings and Princes and Lords Temporall by taking the temporallities c. from the Prelates and disposing of them for the use anâ— benefit of the true Church the believing m mbers of Christ and the poor and the benefit and safety of the Kingdom the uses for which they werâ— first given they will in so doing be so far from committing sacraledge that they will do a work pleasing and acceptable both to God and all good men to their everlasting honour by putting a stop to the pride wantoâ— and luxurious riotous lives of some which is occasioned by the uperfluity of worldly wealth and riches which they wrongfully possess and detain from the right owners thereof having forsaken the right way and followed the way of Baalim who loved the wages of unrighteousness 2 Pet. 2.15 By with holding good from them to whom it is due Pro. 3.27 and as William Wroughton writ to King Henry the eight so long as ye maintain Antichâ—ist the Popes Knights that is Bishops in such inordinate riches you shall never saith he banish that monstrous beasâ— the Pope out of England When we say that such and such Lands were given to the Church wâ— cannot imagine that they were given to such a building of lime and stone and timber nor to such a parish and so to him that should usurp authority of Rule and Government there from age to age whether he be good oâ— bad holy or prophane for such are not to be accounted the Church noâ— so much as particular members of the true Church which is the mâ—stâ—caâ— body of Christ except they believe and all that do believe truly withouâ— hypocrisie rich and poor they are interested in the Church Lands and Goods all the poor in general are objects of Charity to do good unto all but especially to such as are of the huoshold of Faith Gal. 6.10 In the time of the Law when Tythes was paid by a divine institution unto the Levites for their service in the Tabernacle and Temple because â—hey had no inheritance of temporal Land among their Brethren yet even â—hen the strangers fatherless and widdows had an interest in the Tythes â—s you may see in Deut. 14.28 29. and Chap. 26.12 13 and since that service ceased for which tythes were paid there is no new institution in â—he Gospel for the payment of tythes and yet our Prelates and Priests as â—hey will be called will have both temporal Lands and tythes and keep â—ll to themselves neither widdows nor fatherless have any thing and â—herefore it can be no sacralidge but a work of Charity for Kings and Princes and Lords Temporal to take the temporallities from them for â—he benefit of the Kingdom and tythes also or at least to cause them to â—llow some part thereof unto the poor The with holding of tythes c. From such to whom they are due as to â—he beleiving Church the poor the Fatherless and widdows God calls â—t a Robbing of him in tythes and offerings Mal. 3.8 9. For Christ saith â—hatsoever good or evil is done to one of the least of those little ones that beâ—ieve on him it is taken as done to himself Mat. 25.40 and 45. yea even â—hose of the Clergy who are not true believers they have no right nor tiâ—le from God to the Church goods and God will charge them as having â—he spoil of the poor in their Houses Isaiah 3.14 Suppose the Prelates should plead for themselves that temporallities â—nd tythes have been setled upon them by many Acts of Parliament to â—hat it may be answered that no Act of Parliament on Earth can make â—oid the Law of God inacted in Heaven viz. That when tythes were â—aid by a divine institution yet the Stranger Fatherless and Widdows â—ad by divine appointment a right and interest in them how then dare â—y now receive tythes not by divine but by humain institution and yet â—ye no part thereof unto the poor the Stranger Fatherless nor Widdow â—e may rationably imagine that it was because of the hardness of the â—arts of Prelates and Priests in keeping that to themselves which belongâ—d to the poor which caused that Noble King Carrolous Magnus to have it â—ecreed in a counsel that in wealthy places two parts of the Church â—ods should be given to the poor and the third part to the Clergy and 〈◊〉 poorer places that there should be an
say they Ambrose expresly declareth that Secular Lords have power at their pleasure to take away the Lands of the Church and so consequently they have power to take away Temporal goods from Ecclesiastical Ministers as Tythes c. 10 Augustine St. Augustine in 33. quest 7. si de rebus he saith that Secular Lords may lawfully take away temporal goods from Hereticks and for so much as it is a Case greatly poseable that many of the Clergy are users of Simony and thereby Hereticks Therefore Secular Lords may lawfully take away their Temporalities from them The word of the Lord to all wicked men is That the Kingdom of God shall be taken from them and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof By Kingdom of God in this Text Mat. 21.43 is meant the priveledges of the visible Church which shall be taken from wicked men Robert Grosthead And here it were fit to consider of Robert Grosttheads the Bishop of Lincoln who dyed in the year 1253. his definition of Heresie viz. That Heresie is a Sentence taken and chosen of mans own brain contrary to holy Scripture openly maintained and stifly defended Now consider whether none of our Prelates do maintan no Canons nor Ceremonies nor Opinions contrary to holy Scripture nor contrary to the 19 20 nor 21. Articles of the Church of England and so stand guilty of Heresie by this definition of Heresie of Robert Grosthead If any object that it is a desiring of other mens goods St. Austine answers That by the same rule the seven Nations that did abuse the Land of promise and were cast out by the power of God they might have objected the same to the Children of Israel We saith Augustine do not desire other mens goods for they are ours by the Commandment of him by whom all things were made by like evidence the Clergy having offended their temporal goods are made the goods of others that is lawfully possessed saith he in the 14. quest 4. which is justly possessed and that is justly possessed which is well possessed ergo all that is evilly possessed is another mans and he doth ill possess it which doth evil use it and for the evil using of it it hath been proved in the Epistle that Prelates are unfaithful Stewards and have converted to their own uses for Coaches and Horses and Riotous living that which belongs to the poor besides no Clergyman hath any right to Temporalities by any Institution of Christ and therefore both evilly possessed and evilly used by them If then saith he the Clergy do abuse the temporal goods as it hath been proved they do the temporal Lords may at their pleasure according to the rule of Charity take the temporal goods from the Clergy for they do not justly possess them for besides the right that temporal Lords have to temporal lands as belonging formerly to their Predecessors and the conditions not performed nor which they were given which was to the Church and to the Poor Temporal Magistrates are Gods Ministers and Revengers to execute wrath upon them that do evil attending continually upon this very thing Rom. 13.4.6 which if they neglect they make themselves guilty of the Prelates sins for the University quotes Gregory writing to the French King That he which may correct any sin and neglect the same without doubt he maketh himself partaker of the sin and offence And John Wickliffe saith in the thirteenth Article That it is not only lawful for Lords Temporal to take away goods of fortune from Churchmen sinning usually But also they are bound so to do under pain of Eternal Damnation 11 Gregory St. Gregory in his 7th book chap. 9. writing to the French Queen saith Forasmuch as wicked Priests are the cause of the ruine of the people for who shall make intercession for the sins of the People if the Priests that should do it have committed greater offences themselves which in your Dominion live wickedly therefore that the offences of a few bring not destruction upon many we ought to seek a remedy And a little after to the King he said Yet once again we move you to command a Synod and cause all the carnal vices of Priests and Wickedness and Simony of Bishops to be removed and that you do not suffer them to possess any more substance than Gods commandment doth allow and that is neither Temporalities nor Tyths that the Gospel commandments doth allow Mat. 10.9 10. for when Christ sent his Disciples to preach he commanded they should provide neither Gold nor Silver nor Brass in their Purses nor Script for their Journey neither two Coats nor Shooes nor staves for the Workman is worthy of his meat But how contrary to this Command of Christ are our Bishops and Prelates in these dayes and yet in words they pretend to succeed the Apostles in place and power But the Apostles had not hundreds nor thousands of Gold and silver by the year they had not Shoos for their Journey but ours have Shoos and Boots and Coaches and Horses and multitudes of Attendants Is this to obey the Commandment of Christ and to imitate Christ and his Apostles Foxes have holes Mat. 8.20 and the Birds of the Aire have nests but the Son of Man which was also the Son of God hath not whereon to lay his head But our Prelates have their stately Palaces and great Houses Our Saviour saith Mat. 12. He that is not with me is against me and that the Tree is known by hâ—s fruit and in Mat. 7.15 16. Christ bids us to beware of False Prophets and teacheth us how we shall know them he saith they come in sheeps cloathing they pretend to be sheep but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves ye shall know them by their fruits I name no man but leave the people of God to judge by the fruits by the fruits of mens lives to judge who they are and one mark to know them by will be There is no man will be so angry at what I write as they for by their fruits you may know them for every one that doth evil hateth the light he is loath to be brought to tryal by the light of Gods word lest his deeds should be reproved or discovered John 3.20 12 John Wickliffe But if upon tryal it be found that Clergy men walk so contrary to the Rules and Commandments of Christ which they ought to obey and to imitate Christ and his Apostles in their preaching and living then as John VVickliffe saith may Kings and Lords Temporal both lawfully and meritoriously take away their Temporalities from them which they abuse with such excess of riot the Law of nature doth licence all such as have the government of Kingdoms to correct the abuses of the Temporalities which would be the chief of the ruine and destruction of their Kingdoms Whether the Temporal Lords or any other had endowed the Church with those Temporalities or not it is lawful for them to take away
any note or spot of suspition noised of him but in his Answering Reading Preaching and Determining he behaved himself laudably and as a stout and valiant Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of the Scriptures all such who by their wilful beggery blasphemed and slandered Christs Religion neither was this said Doctor Convict of any Heresie God forbid that our Prelates should have condemned a man of such honesty for a Heretick who amongst all the rest of the Vniversity had written in Logick Philosophy Divinity Morality and the Speculative Art without Peer the knowledge of which all and singular things we do desire to testify and deliver forth to the intent that the Fame and Renown of this said Doctor may be the more evident and had in reputation amongst them unto whose hands these present Letters testimonial shall come Here is to be seen that this Vniversity of Oxford did also maintain the truth of Doctor John Wickliffe's Articles That Kings Princes and Lords Temporal may lawfully take away Temporalities and Tythes from the Clergy In witness whereof we have caused our Letters Testimonial to be Sealed with our common Seal Dated at Oxford in our Congregation-House the 5th day of October in the Year 1406. Edmond King of England King Edmond of England about the Year 940. made a Law that every man should pay Tythes for Churches Fees and Almes Fees Thus here you see that Tythes were then given as well for the relief of the Poor as the Church He made a Law also that every Bishop should of his own proper charge see that Churches were repaired Bishop of Canterbury About the same time the Bishop of Canterbury in a Letter to the Prelates and Clergy said If it were or could be so that all the Riches of the World were laid before me so that I were Emperour and had all things universally under my subjection all these things would I gladly give and offer my self willingly for the health of Souls And thus he exhorted the Clergy to their duty lest the Lord should say of them The Shepherds fed themselves but did not feed my flock they have raigned but not by me they have made themselves Princes of my flock and I knew it not that is he knew it not so as to approve of their doings But where is there a Prelate now that hath such a zeal for the good of Souls King Edgar King Edgar in an Oration to the Clergy about the year 959. What negligence saith he is in Gods Service I will speak with sorrow they be Riotous in Banquetring in Chambring and Drunkenness And now saith he the Clerks houses are thought to be Stewes of Harlots Thus the Goods of Kings and Alms of Princes is mispent have our Fathers spent their Treasurie for this purpose Have the Kings liberalities in giving Lands and Possessions been for this intent that Clerks Harlots should be deck'd with the same And for riotous feasts Hauks and Hounds and other Toyes to consume it Soldiers cry out the people grudge but ye regard not c. King Hen. 2d Among other antient Laws of England in the reign of King Henry the second this was one That if any Clergy man did hold any Lay Fee in his hands he should therefore do the Kings service that belonged thereunto as upon Juries Assises of Lands and Judgements and that no Lands should be given to the Church nor to any House of Religion without the Kings License And that the Peter-pence which was used to be gathered for the Pope should be paied to the King and that all the Possessions Goods and Chattels of such as favoured the Pope or Thomas a Becket to be Seized and Confiscate to the King And that all such of the Clergy as were absent from their Charge out of the Realm and had Rents and Profits in the Land and did not repair home in three months their Rents and Goods to return to the King c. If it were lawful for the King then in the time of Popery to seize upon the Rents Profits and Possessions of the Pope Cardinal and others it is much more lawful now for our King and Nobles to cize upon such Goodss aâ—d Possessions as were given by Papists in the time of Popery and are now wrongfully possessed and abusively used by others King Edward 3. In a Parliament holden the twentieth year of the raign of King Edward the third It was propounded that all Alien Monks should depart England whose Livings the King took into his hands It was also concluded by the Parliament That the Livings of all others Strangers and Cardinals during their lives the profits should be brought into the Kings hand The Commons also denyed to pay any payments to Cardinals in France c. besides the King took order by two of his Clergy viz. John Stocks and John Norton to take into their hands all the Temporalities of all the Deanaries Prebends Dignities and Benefices being then vacant in England and to answer the profits thereof unto the King King William Rufus King William Rufus took certain Lands and Possessions from Canterbury and disposed of them to secular uses King Henry 4. In the eighth year of the raign of King Henry the fourth it was petitioned to the Parliament That the King might enjoy halfe the profits of every Parsons Benefice who was not resident thereon But in the eleventh year of his raign the Commons put up a Bill unto the King to take the Temporal Lands from the Clegie mens hands or Possessions in which Bill it was declared that the Temporalities disorderly wasted by men of the Clergy might suffice to find to the King with maintenance 15. Earles 1500. Knights 6200. Esquires and 100. Almes houses To every Earl 3000. Mark a year to every Knight 100. Mark and four plough lands and to every Esquire 40 Mark a year and two plough lands and to every Almes house 100. Mark a year which lands is now no doubt worth double if not treble to what they were then For I have credibly informed by a Yorkshire Esquire That when his Majestie was restored to the Crown one Bishoprick that is the Bishoprick of Durham If it had been set upon the rack rent it was worth above fifty thousand pounds a year This story above you may read in Mr Fox his Acts and monuments of the Church in the story of King Hen. 4. King Henry 8. It is there also to be seen in the History of King Hen. 8. That the King did injoyn every Vicar Clerk or Benefic'd man that had one hundred pounds a year that he should find a Scholar at the University and he that had two hundred pounds a year should find two Scholars at the University Also in his raign it was complained of by the Commons against the Prelates and Clergie for their cruel proceeding Ex Officio And for the remedy it was enacted That whosoever did or speak any thing against either their usurped power or their Laws
default and negligence all Souls go to Hell and the Preacher added that he was inforced by the Command of God to declare the same yea and a certain token was given him for a sign whereby the Synode might evidently see that he did not lye Ex Catall Illyr fol. 546. Alexander Fabricius Alexander Fabricius a Popish English Writer about the year 1420. in his Destructorium Vitiorum part 6. cap. 79. saith Who are more horribly inthralled to the Devils servitude than those who are constituted in the sublimity of Honour Ecclesiastical men who ought to be the light of the world yet where is more abundant darkness of vices Where more abundant gaping after earthly things than in modern Prelaetâ— who are fatted in both powers as well Temporal or Spiritual Where is greater Pomp in all appendicles yea and that so much that having left the poverty of the Primitive Church they are now rather to be termed Princes of Provinces than Postors of Souls thus he and much more to this purpose Lucifers Letter to the Prelates Mr. Fox in Acts and Monuments makes mention of a Device or Letter fained under the name of Lucifer Prince of Darkness written to the persecuting Prelates of England which Mr. Fox transcribed out of the Regester of the Bishop of Hereford written as some think by William Swinderby I will only mention some few expressions to our purpose Lucifer Prince of Darkness c. To all our Children of Pride and Companions of our Kingdom and especially to our Princes of the Church of this later age and time c. send greeting to all that obey our Commandments and the Laws of Satan already enacted Know ye that in time past certain Vicegerents of Christ following his steps c. in a beggerly life converted in a manner all the world from the yoke of our tyranny to the great derision and contempt of our Prison House and Kingdom but we seeking remedy for time to come instead of those Apostles we have caused you to be their Successors which be Prelates of the Church by our great might and subtilty as Christ said of you they have reigned but not by me once I promised him all the Kingdomes of the world c. but he would not but to you who are fallen from grace co serve us in the earth is that my promise fulfilled therefore fill your selves full and be contrary to those Fathers in your life and conditions and exalt your selves above all other men and neither give to God nor Caesar that which is theirs but exercise you the power of both Swords fight our quarrel entangle your selves in worldly matters and climbe up from the miserable state of Poverty to the highest seat of Honour and Princely places of Dignity by Wiles and Subtilty Flattery Lying and Perjury Treason Deceit and Symony and what our Infernal Furies may devise and after you are advanced thither where you would be then either by Violence Raving or by Ambition subtilly pilfer away and wrongfully wrest and by false Titles possess those goods which should be for the sustentation of the poor members of Christ whom from our first fall we have hated and consume these goods as your selves list with Whores Strumpets and Bauds c. with whom ye ride pompously like mighty Princes far otherwise than those beggerly Priests in the Primitive Church for I would have you to build Palaces fare like Princes to eat the daintiest Ma t s and drink the pleasantest Wines and hoard up Treasure and not be like Peter and Paul who said Silver and Gold have I none Ye fight for us according to your wayes O acceptable Society or Fellowship promised to us when Christ called you the Synagogue of Satan we love you for your deserts which contemn the Laws of Symon Peter and embrace the Laws of Symon Magus Ye regard Money and have no regard to Souls ye have made the House of God a Den of Thieves ye make Laws and keep not the same ye justifie the wicked for reward and take away the just mans desert from him and thus the Sovereignty of our Empire by you hath been reformed and our intollerable loss restored We would also you should do our Commendation to our entirely beloved Daughters Pride Deceit Wrath Avarice Belly-chear and Leachery especially to Lady Symony who hath made you men and given you suck on her own breasts and therefore in no wise shall call her Simon And if any man preach or teach otherwise than you will have him oppress ye him violently with Excommunications and Censures heaped one upon another and let him be condemned as an Heretick or Schismatick and kept in Prison till he die for an example to all such as confess Christ And thus do your endeavour that you may deserve to have the place which we have provided for you Fare ye well Given at the Center of the Earth in that dark place where all the Rabblement of Devils were present Lord Cobham The noble Martyr Sr. John Oldcastle Lord Cobham professed that the Will of God is That Priests being secluded from all worldlyness should conform themselves to the Example of Christ and his Apostles that is in Poverty and teaching the Scriptures purely and giving good example to others more than any other sort of people where saith he to the Prelates do ye find in Gods Law that you should sit in Judgement of any Christian man but in Annas and Caiphas that sate thus of Christ and upon his Apostles afrer his Ascension of whom only have ye taken it to judge Christs members as ye do since the Venome of Judas was shed into the Church and by Venome saith he I mean your Possessions and Lordships for then an Angel cryed in the Aire Wo Wo Wo this day is Venome shed into the Church as your own Churches mention before that time all the Bishops of Rome in a manner were Martyrs c. but since Popes and Bishops one hath cursed and poysoned slain and done much mischief to another Christ was meek and merciful but they are proud and tyrannical Christ was poor but they are rich c. Arnulphus In the second Tome of the general Councels mention is made of a Book called Opus tripartium which Sabellicus and Platina thought to be written by Arnulphus In which Book he complaineth of the great number of Holy dayes in which Whores and naughty women said That they vantage more in one of those dayes than in fifty dayes besides He complained also of the inconsiderate promotion of evil Prelates and the wantonness and laciviousness of their Servants and excess in Aparrel Also of Prelates mispending the Church goods in superfluity and upon their Kinsfolks and other worse wayes c. Hostiensis Hostiensis saith in his third book Idecime That if Priests do not minister of their Spiritualities to the people the people ought to take away the Almes of their Tythes from them and John Huss said That Tythes and Oblations given
to the Church John Huss are publick and common Almes when Kings and Princes Knights and Citizens c. give to the Church or to the Priest for his Stipend they give it to the Church of God and to the party as a perpetual Alme that they should attend upon the Ministry otherwise Almes should not be a work of mercy hereupon saith he it appears that Tenths in Gospel times are pure Almes given to the Church for the use of the poor And hereupon holy men have said that Tenths are tribute of needy souls as St. Augustin Augustâ—n in a Sermon of the restoring of Tythes saith The giving of Tythes my dear Brethren are the tributes of poor souls therefore pay your tribute unto the poor for whatsoever doth remain more then a competent living and decent clothing it is not to be reserved for riot but is to be laid in the heavenly Treasury by giving it in Alms unto the poor for whatsoever is given to us more than we have need of it is not given us for our selves but to be bestowed upon others by our hands and if we do not give it we invade another mans possession Augustin Also in another place Augustin saith Forasmuch as every man as doth any work of mercy ought diligently to have respect to the ability of them that he bestoweth his Almes upon lest that by nourishing Loyterers he be made partaker of their offences and in 23. quest 7. Augustin saith If we possess any thing privately more than what may reasonably suffice us it is not ours but the goods of the poor whose Stewards we are except we challenge to our selves a property by some damnable usurpation The gloss upon this part of the question saith That Prelates are but only Stewards of the Church goods and not Lords thereof Hierome oâ— Prague Hierome of Prague affirmed before the Councel of Constance that the Patrimony of the Church was given for three uses First for the use of the Poor Secondly for Hospitality Thirdly for repairing of Churches and not to be spent upon Harlots great Banquetting or Feasting of those that need it not nor keeping great Horses and Doggs nor for gorgeous Apparrel and other things unbeseeming Christians Richard Wimbleton Richard Wimbleton in a Sermon at Pauls Cross in the reign of King Hen. 4. upon these words Give an accout of thy Stewardship He said Every Prelate and Priest shall give an account how they entred into the sheep-fold and how they have ruled the Flock whether for outward hire or love as a Father or as a Wolf that eateth the Sheep whom hast thou turned from his wicked life c. hast thou taught the Law of God or the Laws of men how hast thou disposed of the goods of the poor they shall saith he hear grievous complaints of Fatherless Children that Prelates and Priests have lived of their Almes and have not done away their Sins they are not ashamed to waste in the house of Pride and Lechery and keep to themselves wickedly and cursedly that which should be the livelihood of the poor they live not like Priests but like Beasts they are cloathed like Knights they ride like Princes and all they thus spend is the goods of the poor This and much more the like did he declare in that Sermon William Swinde William Swinderby a Martyr under King Richard the 2d had this Article objected against him that he held that all Priests are of like power in all things notwithstanding that some of them in the world are of greater and higher honour degree and preheminence but that is mans appointment and not of God and as concerning the Wealth Possessions and Lordships of Prelates he thus affirmed before the Bishops that convened and examined him he said That it was lawful and needful for Secular Lords by way of Charity and power given to them of God for the default of Prelates and cursed Curates that openly misuse the goods of the Church that be poor mens goods the which poor men Lords been holden to maintain and defend to take away and withdraw from such Curates poor mens goods which Curates wrongfully holden in help of the poor and their own wilful offerings he means their free-will offerings and their bodily Almes deeds and give them to such as duly serve God in the Church and been needy in up-bearing of the charge that Prelates should do and do it not And as anenst taking away of Temporalities I say that it is lawful for Kings Princes Dukes and Lords of the world to take away from Popes Cardinals Bishops and Prelates possessions in the Church their Temporalities and their Almes that they have given them upon condition that they should serve God the better when they verily sene that their giving and their taking been contrary to the Law of God to Christs living and his Apostles and namely in that they take upon them that should be next followers of Christ and his Apostles in poorness and meekness to be secular Lords against the teaching of Christ and St. Peter Luke 22.25.26 and 1 Pet. 5.3 And namely when such Temporalities makes them the more proud both in heart and in Array then they shoulden been else and more in strife and debate against Peace and Charrty and in evil ensample to the world to be occupied in worldly business which draws them from the service of God and edifying of Christs Church c. then he thought upon such misdemeanors to take away their Temporalities c. Anselme Anselme also saith that Presbyters are above and were before Bishops and are of Divine Institution but so are not Lord Bishops and saith That Presbyters did first elect and institute Bishops and ordeyn them to their office and not Bishops ordeyn Presbyters as they do now So Anselme Bishop of Canterbury on 1 Tim. 4.14 Canon of Africk Also the Canon of Africk in the year 990. Sect. 17. saith There is no difference between a Priest and a Bishop but that the Bishops were constituted by men to confer orders A general consent that Ministers and Bishops are of equal power this equality of power in Priests and Bishops according to divine institution hath been also maintained by John Wickliffe and the one and twenty Bishops and eight Arch-deacons and seventeen Doctors mentioned above in King Hen. the 8th his reign who did all declare that there was no preheminence of power order or jurisdiction between the Apostles themselves or between Bishops themselves but that Ministers or Bishops are all equal in power authority and jurisdiction and that there is now any difference it is a device of men by the permission of Princes and Civil powers the same also is maintained by Cyprian St. Hierom Ocham John Lambert Martyr John Bradford William Alley Bishop of Exeter Alexander Nowell Dean of Pauls Pilkington Bishop of Durham and innumerable Writers more hold Ministers and Bishops of equal power by divine Institution Henry Stalbridge Mr. Henry Stalbridge whom
so long enjoyed their usurped temporallities and tythes â—â—timer In Ezek. 44.24 It is said in controversies the Priest shall stand in judgement and they should judge it according to my judgement saith God but the Bishop of Glocester had written a book and for his own and other Prelates advantage he had changed the meaning of the Text from judging according to Gods judgement declared in the word of God to this they shall judge as the Priest shall decide the matter therefore Latimer reproved him saying what gelding of Scripture is this what clipping of Gods coyn nay my Lord the Clergy must not rule according to their own wills I would there were more faithful dealing with Gods word and not leave out a part and snatch a part here and there c. If Prelates may thus interpret Scripture they may easily maintain their usurped hierarchy what not that they have a mind to maintain â—rmacaâ—us â—ilus Richard Armacanus saith that to speak and seek to procure any high place in the Church it is a point of pride and ambition and Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica saith that the Pope himself hath no dignity above other Bishops but by humain Laws and institutions given by Councels and Emperors â—nselm and Anselm saith that Presbiters are above Bishops and were before Bishops and did elect them and Cardinal Aralatensis and several others more saith that Priests or Presbiters are of equal power and authority with bishops â—ralatenâ— so that all their Lordly Titles dignities and jurisdictions their temporallities and tythes are all humain devices and not of any Gospel institution for Christ hath forbidden their Lordliness saying it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.26 â—â—hn â—erson John Gerson declares that the neglect to observe an antient Canon viz. that bishops should have poor apparel lodging and dyet and should not strive for transitory things but to imitate the Apostles also he saith their making of laws such as they have no authority from God to make and their enjoyning men by censures and excommunications to observe their Laws their Courts with the oath ex officio and many other things the like which is the cause of division which he saith will never be appeased until the heads spiritual be reformed Episcopacy when it first crept into the Church was not so inconsistant with the Gospel rule as now it is for the bishops that are now are other kind of Creatures than those were as the records of antiquity do shew that at the first original of them they were chosen by the people and Ministers who were to live under their inspection and Government yea even the Popes themselves in antient times were chosen by the people and Priests and after confirmed by the Emperour and were not chosen by Cardinalls and Curtesans as they are now neither had they then either temporalities or tyths but now they intrude themselves with a high hand over the Church and people of God and makes themselves Lords over Gods heritage which the word of God forbids 1. Pet. 5.3 And yet all this the giving both the Pope and Bishops and other Prelates temporalities and tyths is but an Antechristian humain invention and not of divine institution neither do the Bishops now observe the antient Canons in their ordinations as Distinct 70. T. ordinationis which saith Distinst 29. quando Distinct 70. T. ordinationis Let not the Bishop presume to ordain any without the Councel of the Clergie and testimony of the people and again Distinct 70 T. ordinationis see that solemnly at convenient time in the presence of many standers by you make ordination and especially Distinct 64. T. Si forte which saith he shall be no Priest henceforth who neither Clergy nor people of his own City hath elected so that if the Clergy or people of any other place elect and not the Clergy and people of the City or place where he is to serve by this Canon he is no Priest And by Acts 1. verse 23. dist 64. Si forte to the 20 and Acts 6.3 to 7. compared with this Canon there is are thrust upon the people without their electing of them and therefore have no right to officiate unto nor to rule such a people Extravag de institu cap ex frequentibus Extravag de prescript c. 51. diligent et cum omne ex de qualit penâ—ls 50 destinct For a Sole possession is not sufficient in Eclestical benefices unless there concur a Canonical institution Extravag de institu Cap ex frequentibus a Sole possession maketh not one a Senator or Captain but a lawful election a prescription doth not profit in case it be grounded upon an evil consequence and therefore Sithence men so ordained be unjust possessors their deceit and collusion ought not to support them Extravag de prescript T. 51. dilligenti c. cum omne In these Laws in another place it is provided that both the promoter and the promoted as well the abetters as the deed doers are to sustain equal punishment there is a Law that as well the man unworthily promoting as the man unworthily promoted shall be deposed ex de qualit c. ponuis again it is decreed that if they shall henceforth presume to ordeyn any that are unskilful and ignorant that both the ordeyners and the ordeyned be subject to grievous punishment upon which decree and the word ordination the gloss flatly concludeth that the Law evermore is that whosoever promoteth an unworthy man deserveth to be deposed Well then upon this account that neither the Bishop himself not being elected nor ordeyned in the presence of those over whom he doth rule nor those whom he doth ordain and send forth they both ought to be deposed both by the Scriptures decrees and extravag above named so that if there were no other ground or reason but this only it were sufficient to depose them and to take away their temporalities and tyths from them Cod offic prefec orient lib. 3. For the Emperour Justinian commanded Signos judicis according to what is said above if thine excelencie find any judges for their negligence or any other like defect to be unprofitable thou mayst remove them from their Administrations and place others in their stead Cod offic prefec orient lib. 3. And saith the said Emperour in another place in bello c. A Souldier in time of warr that doth any thing forbidden by his Captain or doth not keep his Generals Commandment is to be punished with death though his enterprize take good success and shall then a pretended Minister that forsaketh his standing to walk according to the rules and institutions of Christ and weareth only the Ensign of Antechrist the proclaimed enemy of Christ his Lord and Master Mauger the law of his Lord and Master and Mauger the Laws of men above specified and other the like and shall he enjoy Life and Lands Panormetane and Livings and tyths and all Panormetane
his minority as the Child of sin or the man of sin in his Childhood for laying aside the rankness of those extravagancies of the Popes temporal power or that power in temporalities it will appear that the Arch Bishops power in spiritualibus is of the same kind for he assumes a peerless power unto himself that look what the King is to his Counsell which he takes unto himself for consultation but the final determination and resolution lyes in his own bosome Downam even so the Bishop is to his Inferior Clergie he will hear them speak when he pleaseth to give them allowance Bilson but it is in his own brest to cast the ballance which wayes seems best to himself so say Downam Bilson and Saravia Saravia It is incredible that Christ should appoint such an high Officer in the Church as the Lord Bishop or Diocosan Bishop or Lord Primate or Lord Metropolitan to bear such an high handover the Church and people of God and yet never give them any name in all the new Testament whereby they should be known and distinguished from other Church Officers which Christ at his Assention gave for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the ministry and for the edifying of the body of Christ Eph. 4.11 12 13. Hence it is clear that they are no Gospel Creatures nor their Authority and Jurisdictions were never instituted by Christ nor his Apostles for Paul saith Acts 20.20 that he kept back nothing that was profitable for the Church but taught them both publickly and from house to house and shunned not to declare unto them all the Counsel of God verse 27. And yet Paul hath not in all his Epistles named one of these Officers nor their offices God himself in the time of the Law prescribed all the Circumstances and Ceremonies Officers and Offices that was to be used in his worship and service and left not any thing to the will and devising neither of Moses nor Aaron nor any other God hath given Christ to be head to the Church Eph. 1.22 he is the head of all Principallity and power Col. 2.10 So that Christ is Soveraign and Supream the Sole and only Lawgiver to the Church which is his Mistical body to give Laws unto his Church both for the outward polity and inward purity of the same in the duties of his worship and service And I think it doth argue a very unworthy If not blasphemous carriage towards Christ for any man or men Inconsiderately to intrude upon Christs prerogative to alter or change to add or diminish from Christ the Lawgivers institutions either for matter or manner for Circumstances or Ceremonies Officers or Offices other than Christ gave at his Assention for the perfecting of the Saints Eph. 4 11 12 13. For so to do is to condemn Christ of ignorance or of negligence as if he knew not or cared not for ordering the affairs of his own house which God hath intrusted him with but should leave it to sinful men who presume to command things that Christ hath not prescribed to be done under the name of indifferency but I conceive that things indifferent ought to be left to mens free choice to be done or not to be done but when those things which they call indifferent are imposed by Mulcts and penalties it changeth the nature of the thing and makes that which before was indifferent to be of absolute necessi y the which thing for any man or men to do viz to impose and command in the duties of Gods worship that which Christ hath not commanded it is to exalt themselves above Christ to impose and give Laws to the Church which Christ hath not given Mr. Perkins Mr. Perkins saith in his first Volum Page 676. That if God be either represented or worshiped in at or before an Image he is presently transformed into an Idol and in Hab. 2.18 He saith that Images which also in the same verse he calleth dumb Idols they are teachers of lyes because assoon as God is represented in an Image he is deprived of his glory and changed into a bodily visible Circumscribed and finite Majesty for so when the Children of Israel intended to worship God in the Golden Calf they proclaimed to morrow is a holyday unto the Lord. Exod. 32. And yet the Psalmist saith in so doing they changed or turned the glory of God into the Similitude of a beast that eateth Grass Psal 106.20 Humain devised worship is Idolatrous Worship Now if to represent or worship God in at or before an Image be an Idolatrous worship because God hath not any where in his word appointed nor required such a kind of worship doth it not hence follow upon the same ground and reason that to worship God by the traditions and devices and inventions of men in a way that Christ nor his Apostles never instituted nor appointed and this kind of worship also to be celebrated by Officers in the Church which neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever institute or appoint unto such Office but they are also of mens devising as Lord Primate Lord Metropolitan Lord Arch-B shop Lord-Bishops Deans Sub-Deans Dean and Chapter Arch-Deacons Sub-Deacons Chancellors Vice-Chancellors Chanter Sub-Chanter Prebends resident and non resident Canons resident and non resident Vicars-Corrals Vicars Choristers Curates and a rabble of the like the Spawn of Antechrist and is not this as Idollatrous to worship God by such usurping Officers in a way of their own devising as to worship God in at or before an Image let wise impartial men judge for Mr. Perkins saith Page 696 That the worship of God which is devised and taken up by men it is in deed and effect Idolatry because it is a worship that God doth abhor and detest who will precisely be worshiped according to his own word and institution without any addition detraction or change and it is so much the more Idolatrous because the Officers that do the service have not their Authority from God but from men as themselves have confessed Bishops and Prelates are the abominatie of desolation In 2 Cor. 44. Satan is called the God of this world because men obey his suggestions rather than Gods word and in this respect also Antechrist the Pope is called God because he more strictly enjoyneth men to obey his own traditions then the very word of God saith Mr. Perkins Page 681. And in this respect also our Bishops and Prelates make themselves Gods because they presume to prescribe a form of worship to God which God hath not prescribed nor appointed and so they set themselves in Gods stead to order the affairs of Gods house as God for none but God himself can prescribe the matter and manner of Gods worship and yet our Bishops and Prelates do alter and change do add and diminish in the duties of Gods worship both for matter and manner of worship and so make themselves Gods and do a so more
strictly enjoyn men to observe and obey their own Canons and constitutions than the very word of God and do punish the transgressors of their Canons with greater punishments than the transgressors of the word of God and thus they do not only set themselves in Gods stead and make themselves Gods but they exalt themselves above God by punishing men for disobedience to their Canons more than for disobedience to the Canons of holy Scripture and thus our Lord Bishops and Prelates by their abhominable usurpation they are the very abomination of desolation standing in the holy place Matthew 24.15 VVhose readeth let him understand and you will find that Bishops and Prelates are the very same Bishops ought to conform themselves 〈◊〉 the rule of Christ And therefore is it not high time for Kings and Princes and Lords temporal c. And a duty which God requires from them having invested them with power to reform such abuses the which cannot be done but by taking the usurped temporallities and tyths from Bishops and Prelates and so to call them back from their erronius usurped wicked wayes and compel them to conform themselves and submit unto the rules and institutions of Jesus Christ and no longer suffer them by their usurped power to tyranize and constrain men against their Consciences to decline or forsake their conformity to the rules and institutions of Christ and to conform to their wicked usurped Authority in their Idolatrous way of worship of their own devising for mans intention maketh not Gods worship saith Mr Perkins but doing Gods will and Gods will is not to be worshiped by an immaginary devised formality of worship which is but as an Image or representation of Gods divine instituted worship for we may not think to bind the presence of God the operation of his Spirit and his hearing and accepting of us to any thing to which God hath not bound himself either by word of Commandement or promise or both now God hath not any where bound himself either by word or promise to hear us nor accept us in a formal way of worship of mens devising but according to his own institution for God is not worshipped but when it is his will to accept of our worship and it is not his will to accept of our worship but when it is according to his own will and institution and not according to our will and devising for what God hath not instituted he will not accept of in any part of his worship therefore we ought not to add nor diminish from Christs institution though our pretences seem never so plausible in the conceit of men It was the real intention of the Israelites to worship the God of their Fore-fathers in the Golden Calf and is was the intention of Jeroboam to do the like in the Calves at Dan and Bethel and yet the holy Ghost gives his judgement upon them that the Israelites worshipped the Molten Image Psal 106.19 And that Jeroboam sacrificed to the Calves that he had made 1 King 12.32 The reason why their worship was esteemed the worship of the Calves was because they worshipped according to their own invention and not according to Gods divine institution as in Psal 106.39 They were defiled with their own works and went a Whoring with their own inventions and can any Prelate give a reason why they might not as well worship after their own inventions as our Bishops and Prelates may worship after their own inventions and compel others to worship so too was such a worship counted Idolatry in them and will it not be counted Idolatry in us what assurance can our Bishops give us to the contrary that in so worshipping we shall not be Idolaters by their invented way of worshiping an Idol For thus you see that to worship according to mens inventions it is by the holy Ghost counted Idolatry therefore if you would have a right reformation and a right conformity and unity in the Church in Religion the right way to do it is to compel the Bishops and Prelates especially and all others to conform themselves to the rules and institutions of Jesus Christ and his Apostles And this belongs especially to the King to cause it to be done for he beareth not the Sword in vain saith the Apostle he is the Minister of God for good to those that do well and for terror to those that do evil for saith the Text He is Gods Minister attending continually upon this very thing Rom. 13. to verse the 7. He primarily hath power given him of God to break the power of wicked usurping Prelates and their carnal traditions and cannons except by conniving at their usurped wickedness we endanger our selves to partake with them in their punishments which God forbid Again when God is adored and worshipped according to mens invention the worshippers are said to forget God Psal 106.21 though they think that they well remember him the reason is because they forget his Commandements and institutions for God commandeth that we shall not add nor diminish from his institutions Deut. 4.2 Nor turn aside to the right hand or to the left Deut. 28.14 And that if we do turn aside all the curses from verse 15. to the 68. shall come upon thee and over take thee for those that worship with a devised worship of their own invention they do also worship a devised God of their own invention for such as the worship is such is the God that is worshipped The Samaritanes worshipped the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and yet Christ saith of them ye worship ye know not what because they worshipped the true God in a way devised by men Gods worship must be according to this nature Heavenly Divine and Spiritual but all devised worship is according to the nature and disposition of the deviser foolish carnal and vain as Christ saith In vaine do they worship me teaching for Doctrine the Commandements of Men Mat. 15.9 God will not have nor accept of any worship but such as himself hath appointed mens intention to worship God is nothing unless they worship him according to his own will and appointment It is said 1 Cor. 10.20 The things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice unto Devils and not to God and yet the wiser sort of the Gentiles their intention was to sacrifice unto God in Images and the Children of Israel who by the Commandement of God were to offer sacrifices unto the Lord yet they might not offer their sacrifices in every place as Deut. 12.13 Nor in any City or Field but in the place which the Lord had chosen namely at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation as in Leviticus 17.3 4 5. They must neither sacrifice any thing but what God had appointed to be sacrificed nor in any other place but where God appointed for if they did their sacrifice was accounted as sacrificing unto Devils Leviticus 17. and 7. and in Deut. 32.17 18. They sacrifice unto
that it be performed according to his own institutions without alteration or adding or diminishing after the devises of men and shews us what need there is in reforming the Church to make the word of God our Rule Hence it will follow that those that decline and forsake the means appointed us of God for our edification and salvation to imbrace other means prescribed by men or to mix them with the institutions of Christ how specious soever they seem to be in our eyes and carnally flattering to be of more strength and efficacy to attain the end yet they cannot because they want the seal of divine approbation upon them they will fail as it is said of King Ahaz in his distress he sent for Tilgath Philazer King of Assyria for to help him and he came unto him but distressed him and helped him not 2 Chron. 28.20.21 For unto the wicked God said what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my word behind thee Psal 50.16.17 If thou wilt not be reformed to observe the Law of Christ thou hast no right nor authority from Christ to preach his Law nor to take his covenant in thy mouth Holingshead Hollingshead in his History of Scotland pag. 183. saith that the superfluous possessions of the Church as they are now used are not only occasions to evil Prelates to live in most insolent pomp and corrupt life but is as a Nâ—t to draw Gold and Silver out of the Realm The Nobles of Bohemia in the councel of Basil propounded 20. Articles against the Prelates of which there was four which they said they would maintain until death and one of those four was that the Pope the Prelates and Clergy from the highest to the lowest their temporal possessions and riches ought to be taken from them and that they ought to be made poor as the Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ was who had no possessions in this world neither worldly power for the Clergy are but Administrators or Stewards of the Temporallities of the Church for the use of the poor and what Temporallities the Clergy hath that doth not belong to the poor they have gotten by false indirect ways either by promising that their prayers and masses should deliver the Souls of those that gave such Lands out of purgatory which they never could nor never can do and therefore the condition failing the Lands ought to return into the hands and possession of the King and Nobles who are the successors of them that gave them or else some of those Lands were gotten by cursings and excommunications as Pope Gregory the ninth excommunicated Frederick the Emperour until he gave one hundred and twenty thousand ounces of Gold for his absolution in Mr. Prynns book of the rebellion conspiracies treasons and seditions of Bishops between page 293. and 298 you may read that the Bishops of Landusse from time to time excommunicated 7 or 8. Kings and 12 other of the Gentry and some gave 2. some 3. or 4. or 5. peices of Land to the Bishops for their absolutions and this was one way how bishops and Prelates come by their Temporallities and therefore the King and Lords c. may justly take their unjust gotten lands from them and make them more conformable to Christ and his Apostles Arch bishop of St. Andrews his Recantation And to shew the unlawfulness both of bishops Temporallities and jurisdictions some of the bishops when they were in their right wits recanted as Patrick Adamson Arch-bishop of St. Andrews in Scotland made his Recantation in the Synod of Fife April the 8. 1591. in these words following I confess with a sincere mind without colour or fraud that I have formerly erred in this that I thought the Goverment of the Church to be like the Regiment of Terrene Kingdoms expresly against the precept of Christ our Lord and that the monarchy whereby the Church is governed did not rest in the person of Christ our Saviour alone as it doth in truth but likewise in the Ministers who yet are nothing else but vassals and Clerks under Christ and equal among themselves and lastly I confess that the office of a bishop as now it is used and claimed is destitute from all authority from Gods word and founded only upon the politick device of men out of which the primacy of the Pope or Ante-christ is sprung and it is deservedly to be condemned c. bishop of Dunkel his recantation In like manner Alexander Lindsay bishop of Dunkell in the year 1639. did also make his recantation at St. Andrews the 24 of January as he had formerly done at Glascow the 21 of November where he did freely submit himself and lay down saith he my pretended office of Episcopacy as pretended bishop of Dunkell and declare the said office of Episcopacy as it hath been used in the kirk of Scotland to be adjured by the confession of faith therefore wit ye me to have demitted quite claim c. the foresaid pretended office of Episcopacy of Dunkel with the whole title stile name and dignity thereof power of ordination jurisdiction voice in Parliament and all usurpation of the same in time to come and do faithfully promise and by these presents bind and oblige me never to exercise nor use the said pretended office nor any other power ecclesiastical belonging usurped or claimed to belong to the same pretended office which I acknowledge ought to be abjured and removed and the whole premisses I heartily acknowledge as I will answer to God in testimony hereof I have subscribed these presents with my hand c The bishop of Orkneys recantation Bishop of Orkneys recantation To all and sundry whom it may concern to whose knowledge these presents shall come especially to the reverent and honourable members of the future assembly to be holden at Edenburgh the 12 day of August 1639. I Mr. George Gryame sometime pretended Bishop of Orkneys being sorry and grieved at my heart that I should ever for my worldly respect imbrace the order of Episcopacy the same having no warrant from the word of God and being such an order as hath had sencibly many fearful and evil consequencies depending on it in many parts of Christendom and particularly within the Kirk of Scotland as by doleful and deplorable experience this day is manifest to have disclaimed like as I do by the tenor hereof altogether disclaim and abjure all Episcopal power and jurisdiction with the whole corruptions thereof c. promising and swearing by the great name of the Lord our God that I shall never while I live directly or indirectly exercise any such power within the Kirk neither yet shall I ever approve or allow the same not so much as in my private or publick discourse c. and shall Concur to the uttermost of my power sincerely and faithfully in advancing the work of Reformation within this Land