they undertake and whose glory they advance to bee a friend unto their friends and an enemie unto their enemies And if our Nobles and our Commons bee all hushed if they bee all at sleep at peace and at rest wee may cast away all feare and bee past all doubt that the King can not but holily recreate and solace himselâ—e and that his gray haires whensoever they shall come shall never bee brought to the grave in sorrow but in a good and perfect age and peace But happily it may be replyed that some of our Nobles and most of our `` Commons be so backwardly affected of the truth of Religion Pag. 79. as that rather they would turne head upon the Gospell than Pag. 79. brooke an alteration of Archiepiscopall Episcopall and Archidiaconall Church governement In deed if a reformation of the state of the Clergie were attempted by any other meanes than by publike tractation and consent of Parliament I could not but leane unto this opinion that the attempting thereof might bring an overthrow to the attempters Because the same attempt should be dishonourable to the name of God as being contrary to the forme of doctrine received But since things amisse are required to be redressed by the King and Parliament alone this objection is altogether vaine and frivelous and is already sufficiently convinced by that peaceable agreement betweene Nobles and Commons before remembred But let us wade a little deeper and search a little more narrowly into every veine creeke and corner of this supposition And let us see by what manner of persons this pretensed overthrow of the Gospell might bee wrought All carnall sensuall and earthly men either whose belly is their No feare that prophane men will overthrow the Gospell god or whose God is this world all such men I say as in every age be of Domingoes religion namely just and jump of that religion which the King and State professe they are so farre from attempting ought to overthrow the Gospell as under the shadow of the name thereof they will evermore croud and cover their carnalitie and prophannesse For they being evermore of every religion and so indeed of no religion and passing not whether our Saviour Christ or Beliall be their God sing as the Poet singeth Ais Aio Negas Nego beck and bow cap and knee to whatsoever the State and Law commands If the King be a Gospeller the Gospel the Gospel and naught else but the Gospel shall be found to roule in their mouthes But let the Crowne once turne by and by they have turned their Coates and as weaher-cocks with every puffe of winde are huffed about Whatsoever order or manner of government bee planted or displanted in the Church the same shall bee no corosive to them It shall never sticke in these mens stomacks neither will they lay it to their heartes The King and the Counsell is wise enough and know what they have to doe well enough They will not bee more forward nor wiser than the Prince they will not checke and controll the whole Realme They cannot brooke these busie bodies and medlers in matters above their reach They will bee none of these new fangled and precise fooles they will not be backward and come behinde the law as the Papists doe neither will they be too forward and runne before the law as the Puritans doe But they will behave themselves in all things and at all seasons as discreet and politike Protestants ought to doe conforming and submitting themselves alwayes to all order and authoritie of the Queenes booke and lawes setled Yea and though they be not booke learned nor any pen Clerks yet they believe well And therefore they will goe to the Church and say a few prayers yea and they will receive the Sacrament at Easter as devoutly as the best precisian of them all All these Atheists and godlesse men being neither hot nor cold neither fish nor flesh nor good red herring plant what plants you will and sowe what seeds you list yea make what ditch hedge pale wall or sence you please they set cocke upon hoope and passe not a button for it every season be it wet or be it dry every kind of land be it clay or be it sand every surrow be it broad or be it narrow be it deepe or be it shallow pleaseth these medley coates alike They are like unto Iacobs Ewes which having straked and party coloured rods laid before them in the gutters at a ramming time brought forth none other but party coloured Lambes And therefore they will never stir hand nor foot nor once step over a straw to worke any Admonitory protestants by their owne doctrine ought not to binde the Church to a perpetuall goveâ—nment of prelacie least annoyance to the Gospell It is good sleeping alwayes for these men in a whole skinne And not much unlike to these party coloured sleepers are the admonitorie protestants For they as the dutie of faithfull subjects doe bind them living in a state of the Church reformed and having libertie in externall government and other outward orders to choose such as they thinke in wisedome and godlinesse to be most convenient for the state of their countrey and disposition of the people and having the consent of their godly Magistrates to that outward forme of jurisdiction and deciding of Ecclesiasticall causes these kinde of protestants I say alwayes blowing out the trumpet of obedience and crying an alarum of loyaltie to every ordinance of man and gravely wisely and stoutly demeaning themselves against all the giddie heads and fanaticall schismatikes and wrangling spirits of our age dare not I trow slip the collar nor cast off the yoke dare not push with the horne nor wince with the heele against the Gospell If so bee by the authoritie of our Christian King with the consent of his Parliament the platforme of govern as he saith devised by some of our neighbour Churches but as we and they themselves confesse practised by the Apostles and Primitive Church might bee received and established to be the best and fittest order of governement for the Church of England as well as it hath been a long time and yet is of Scotland and of most of all other Christian Churches For if it be too great a bridle of Christian libertie as they say in things externall to cast upon the Church of Christ a perpetuall commandement and if the Church have free libertie to make choise of what government soever she thinketh convenient then is she neither restrained at her pleasure to forsake that which by long experience she hath found to be inconvenient neither is she tyed still to retaine Archiepiscopall Episcopall and Archidiaconall governement though for a long season the same have beene used For that indeed might well and justly be said be too to great a bridle of Christian libertie when by necessitie there is cast upon the Church such a perpetuall regiment of prelacy as may
the house 2 Chr. 24. of the Lord upon Balaam King Ioash commanded the Priests and Levites to go unto the Cities of Judah to gather of all Jsrael money to repaire the house of God from yeare to yeare and they made a chest and made Proclamation to bring the tax of Moses and the Princes rejoyced and brought in and cast into the chest And when there was much silver they emptied the chest and carried it to his place againe and thus day by day they gather silver in abundance If then towards the building of an earthly house the Princes and people of Judah and Israel willingly with joy of their hearts from yeare to year and from day to day threw silver in abundance into the chest how much more were it praise worthy if Christian people did encourage themselves to pay a smal tribute towards the provision of a competent maintenance for their spirituall pastours by whose labours as lively stones they might be builded up into a spirituall temple in the Lord That many and great taxes and tributes of late yeares have beene made for many uses and to many purposes there is no man ignorant thereof And therefore though there be little reason that the people standing already burdned with great charge should be againe recharged especially when without any extraordinarie burthen there is an ordinarie meanes if the same were accordingly bestowed by the people yeelded to relieve the Ministers in all places with a decent and comely portion yet notwithstanding to be eased from those publike payments and annuall grievances imposed by the Ecclesiasticall Courts upon the people is not to be doubted but the parishioners in all places would willingly pay any reasonable tax or tribute to be demanded of them for this purpose An other meanes to raise this publike treasure may be a dissolution The dissolution of Chappels may bee a good mean to raise a tribute of all free Chappels and Chappels of ease in the Countrey together with an union of two or moe Churches into one especially in Cities and great townes For as in these Cities and Townes the poorest and meanest livings bee provided so generally for the most part are they fitted with the poorest and meanest Curates as by most lamentable experience is to be seene in all the Episcopall Cities of the Realme excepting London Nay the chiefe and Metropolitane Citie of Canterbury is not to be excepted For in that Citie there being about 12 or 13 Parish Churches there hath not beene ordinarilie of late yeares above 3. or 4. able Preachers placed in the same Churches The Chappels to be dissolved and the Churches to be consolidated by two and two into one and one can be no fewer in number than one thousand at the least All which if they might be sold the money to be raised upon their sale could bee no lesse than twentie thousand pounds if they were sold only for twentie pounds a peece But if they be well worth double or treble so much then would the treasure also be double or treble This dissolution of Chappels and union of Churches is no new device nor strange innovation but hath beene heretofore thought upon and in some part confirmed alreadie by our Kings in their Parliaments Touching the dissolution of Dissolution of Chappels no new device Chappels the most reverend Father Thomas Cranmer Archbishop of Canterburie with the residue of the Kings Commissioners appointed for the reformation of Ecclesiasticall lawes alloweth of the same And Titu de eccles gard fol. 54. for the union of Churches there was an act made 27. H. 8. so they exceeded not the value o six pounds And by a statute 1 Ed. 6. it was lawfull for the Mayor and Recorder of the Citie of Yorke and the Ordinarie or his Deputie and six Justices of the peace in the same Citie to unite and knit together so many of the poor parishes of the same Cities and suburbes of the same as to them should be thought convenient to be a living for one honest incumbent And it was lawfull for the Lawfull for the Major of Yorke c. to unite Churches in the Citie of Yorke said Major Recorder and Aldermen to pull downe the Churches which they should think superfluous in the said citie and suburbes of the same and to bestow the same towards the reparation and enlargment of other Churches of the Bridges in the Citie and to the relief of the poor people The considerations which moved the King and Parliament to ordaine this act were these viz. The former incompetency of honest livings the former necessitie of taking very unlearned and ignorant Curates not able to doe any part of their duties the former replenishing of the Citie with blinde guides and Pastors the former What reasons moved K Ed. 6. to unite Churches in York may move king Iames to unite Churches in Canterbury c. keeping of the people aswell in ignorance of their duties to God as also towards the King and Common weal and lastly the former danger of the soules of the Citizens If then in these dayes it might please the King to apply like plaisters to the like sores to provide remedies for the like mischiefs and for the like diseases to minister like medicines it would come to passe no doubt in few years that the lame and the blind and the broken with a number oâ— unhallowed and unclean beasts should be swept and cast forth of all the Parochiall Churches within Canterburie Winchester Chichester Lichfield Oxford and other great Cities of the Realme For these Chappels and smaller Churches being the very Seminaries of all hirelings and idle Shepheards a Benefice can no sooner become void but the poore and hungry Chaplaines wâ—arie Chappeâ—s the seâ—inaries of hirelâ—ngs of their thin dyet and long leaping after a beane presently trudge to the Patron offering or accepting any conditions to bee presented by him And not only should the Church by this meanes bee rid of these vermine but also the learned and Preaching Minister without further aide or contribution in those places might have more liberall maintenance than erst they have had For then should they be no more constrained to deduct out of their livings by reason o Chappels yet standing and as it were annexed to their parish Churches some 10 pound some 20. pound some 30. pound by the yeare for the wages o these hirelings besides this a singular and apparant benefit could not but redound to the Common weale by the dissolution By the dissolution of Chappels many suits in law should be avoided of these Chappels when as many long tedious and changeable and uncharitable suites heretofore had and commenced should hereafter be extinguished betweene the parochians of the mother Churches and the inhabitants of Hamblets for and concerning the repaire and reedifying of the said Churches and Chappels and for other rights and duties challenged to belong from one unto the other A third meanes to
bringing up of such as are received by a L. Bishop either to his private service or to the publike ministerie his Lordship may know and so have the better liking of them whom he would preferre How then followeth it to be impossible that the people should know their Minister and so have the better liking of him unlesse every parish had in it self a School or Colledg where those should be brought up that should be preferred to the Ministery amongst them What is one tongue of one man alone able to enquire and learn the maners of many men to be ordained placed Ministers in many places and are many tongues of many men not able to enquire and learn the conversation of one man to be placed in one place or have the eyes and eares of one man sight quicke enough and hearing good enough to heare and to see into the education and life of all the Ministers within all the parishes of one whole diocesse and are all the eares and eyes of many men deafe and dimm to heare and to see into the life and education of one Minister in one parish If the parish of Maries in Cambridge or the parish of All-hallowes in Oxford were destitute of an able and preaching Minister might not the people of the first know M. Doctor Overall and have the better liking of him and might not the people of the second know M. Doctor Reynolds and have the better liking of him to bee their pastour unlesse Corpus Christi Colledge in Oxford stood in Al-hallowes Parish or Kat. Herle in Cambridge stand in Maries parish or did the Deane and Chapiter the Clerkes and people of Lincolne and Winchester therefore know H. C. and thereby had they the better liking of him to choose him first Bishop of Lincolne and secondly Bishop of Winchester because he was brought up in some Schoole or Colledge in any of the parishes of Lincolne and Winchester I trow himselfe if hee were now living would not so affirme and what then should eale the Gentlemen oâ— the Temple or the people of the Parish of Bow in London that they may not know and thereby have the better liking of M. Travers and M. Barber to be their Ministers albeit neither of the twaine were brought up in any Schoole or Colledge in or about the Temple or the Parish of Bow For who knoweth not that there be meanes enough and enough to know a man within and without and to have a good opinion and liking of him though the same man be not brought up in any Schoole or Colledge amongst them Wherefore his argument of cannot possibly be brought to passe may passe and repasse as the only streame of an The people would not do as the ordinaries use to do first choose Ministers and then set them to schoole humerous passion Neither may the people in this case doe as the Ordinaries use to doe For the Ordinaries first ordain Ministers secondly they set them to schoole and give them their taskes that by their Archdeacons they may know how they profit and lastly they have the better liking of them because they bee branded with their owne stampe But the people I say may not ne yet would they thus ungainely set the cart before the horse But they would use all good and circumspect care and diligence first to know them secondly upon just and equall cause to like them and lastly upon their liking to allow and approve them For how should a mâ—n allow any thing before he like it or how should he like it before he know it or how should he know it before he had seene heard or enquired after it And hereupon also his two asseverations next insuing fall to the ground For albeit he affirme that if this manner of election were admitted the Pag. 80. If the people were admitted to the election of their Minister they should be better acquainted with him than now they bee people neverthelesse should have as little acquaintance with their ministers as now they have albeit I say he thus thought yet neverthelesse his ipse opinatus sum I am of opinion is no ipse dixit unto me No I averre and hold the contrary to bee true and therefore his opinion in this case to be erroneous For this cannot be denyed that there is not any one man or woman amongst forty in any one parish amongst forty that can tell that ever he or she did see or heare of the Minister appointed and sent by the Ordinarie to be Parson or Vicar of the â—arish Church vacant before such time as he did heare or see the Parish Clerk to trudge with the Church door keyes to let in the Sextin to ring the bell for the said Parson or Vicars induction and reall possession And if the people of every parish had their consents in the choice and approbation of their minister were it possible to have lesse acquaintance with him than this For we avow that the people ought not to give their consents unto any pastour before they have seene him before they have heard him divide the word before they have procured a good testimonie of his gifts from those who by the word have interest to approve him and lastly before they have gotten sufficient notice of his condition estate conversation birth education and life Wherefore these things being carefully and diligently searched into not by one but by many not for a fee but of dutie not for reward but for conscience not for one day but for many dayes I trust it will not still bee holden for an oracle that the people should have as little acquaintance with their Ministers as now they have As for the second poinr that farre greater occasions of partiall suits should follow this manner of common election whereof wee speake No partiall â—uits can follow the election of Ministers by the people than now there is this is also I say not true nay that farre lesse occasion of partiall suites should follow than now there is this I say is true For by this meanes all partiall suites now happening may either be extinguished or with lesse charges pursued than now they be For there can be no suites much lesse can there bee any partiall suites when neither plaintiffe nor defendant may be found and where also there can lie no writ nor any action be commenced For who be the parties betweene whom these partiall suites should arise Be there many ministers who for one place and at one time are found meet for the same And doe they sue and contend one against anoother which of them should possesse the place or should these so many partiall suites consist betweene the inhabitants of one parish one part leaning to one side and an other part cleaving to the other side Touching the Ministers we affirme that none may or ought to sue or sollicit any mans voice directly or indirectly much lesse to labour for a place of Ministerie And therefore we
trouble and expence yea and with greater priviledge than he did before Thus therefore touching the office and person of the King the duetie of the Presbyterie and people the right of the Patron and the person of the Minister to be ordained thus and thus we say and thus and thus as we think may our sayings well stand with lawes setled By an act primo Eliz. c. 1. the King hath full power and authoritie by Letters Patents under the Great Seale of England when and as often as need shall require as he shall thinke meete and convenient and for such and so long time as shall please his Highnesse to assigne name and authorize such person or persons being naturall borne subjects as his Majestie shall thinke meet to exercise use occupie and execute under his Highnesse all manner of jurisdictions priviledges and preheminences in any wise touching or concerning any Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction within this Realme of England Againe by the booke of ordeyning Bishops Priests and Deacons it is prescribed that the Bishops with their The Bb. and Priests must lay on their hands Priests shall lay their hands severally upon the heads of every one that receiveth Orders that every one to be made a Minister must be of vertuous conversation and without crime sufficiently instructed in the holy Scriptures a man meet to exercise his ministerie duely that he must be called tried and examined that he must be presented by the Archdeacon and be made openly in the face of the Church with prayer to God and exhortation to the people And in a statute made 21. of King Hen. 8. it is affirmed That a Bishop The Bishops must use six Chapleins at giving of orders must have sixe Chaplaines at giving of orders Besides by an ancient and lowable custome the Parishes and Parish Churches within every Archdeaconrie remaine unto this day distributed into certaine Deanries the Parson or Vicar of the auncientest Church commonly called the Mother Church of the Deanrie unlesse by Every Archdeacon divided into Deanries consent some other be chosen by the Ministers themselves hath the first place and is the chiefe director and moderator of whatsoever things are propounded in their Synodall meeting which Minister also is called Archipresbyter or Decanus curalis according to the appellation of the chief Minister of the mother or chief Church of that Diocesse who is called Archipresbiter or Decanus cathedralis so that unto this day these Ministers meeting at the Archdeacons visitations once in a yeere at the least there remaineth in the in the Church of England a certaine image or shadow of the true ancient and Apostolicall conference and meetings Wherefore from these lawes and from this ancient manner of the meetings of Ministers and of having one principal and chief Moderator amongst them according to the Apostolicall practice and usage of the primitive Church thus already setled in the Church of England wee humbly leave it to be considered by the Kings Majestie First whether it were not meet and convenient for his Highnes by his letters patentes under the great Seale of England to assigne A Minister to be ordained by the Bishops and a â—ompany of Ministeâ—s at the Kings commandement name and authorize the Bishops and six or moe Ministers within every Deanerie continually resiant upon their benefices and diligently teaching in their charge to use and execute all manner of jurisdiction priviledge and preheminence concerning any spirituall ordination election or institution of Ministers to be placed in the Parochiall Churches or other places with cure of soules within Secondly when any Parish Church or other place with cure of soules shall be voide whether it were not meet and convenient that the auncients and chiefe Fathers of that place within a time to be limited for that purpose should intimate the same vacancie unto Vacancie of a benefice to be intimated tâ— the Kingâ— office the office of the Kings civill Officer appointed for that Shire or Diocesse to the end the same Officer by authoritie from the King might command in the Kings name the Bishop and other Ministers to elect and ordaine and the people of the same place to approve and allow of some able and godly person to succeede in the Church Thirdly the Patrone if the same be a common and lay person A Lay patrone insteed of varying his Clerk may present two Clerks at one time having now libertie to vary his Clerk if he be â—ound unable whether it were not meet and convenient to avoide all manner of varying that within the time perâ—â—xed hee should nominate at one time two Clerks to bee taken out of the Uniâ—ersities or other Schooles and Nurseries of the Prophets and that the same nomination be made unto the Bishop and the said sixe Ministers to the end that both the Clerkes being tried and examined by them the abler of the two might be preferred to that charge And of this manner of presenting two Clerkes by the Patrone we have a president not much unlike in the statute for nomination of Suffraganes By which act every Archbishop and Bishop desiring to have a Suffragane hath libertie to name and present unto the King two honest and discreet Spirituall Persons c. that the King may give to one such of the said two Spirituall Persons as shall please his Majestie the title name stile and dignitie of a Suffragane Fourthly the Bishops and Presbyters having thus upon triall and A Minister found able for gifâ—s is to be sent to the parish that his life may be examined and to have the consent of the people examination found one of the Patrones Clerks to be a fit and able man to take upon him the executioÌ„ of the Ministery in that Church whether it were not then meet and convenient that by them he should forthwith be sent to the same Church as well to acquaint the people with their judgement and approbation of his gifts and abilitie to teach as also that for a time he should converse and abide amongst them to the end his life manners and behaviour might be seen into and enquired after by their carefull endeavours Fiftly the people within a time to be perfixed not making and proving before the Magistrate any just exception against his life A man allowed for gifts and Conversation is to be ordained with prayer fasting and laying on of hands A Minister to be inducted into thâ— Church bâ— the Kinâ—â— Writ manners and conversations whether it were not then meete and convenient that the Bishop with sixe â—ther Ministers or moe of the same Deanrie authorized by the King as aforesaid under some paine and within a certaine time should be bound in the presence of the Elders and people and in the same Church with fasting prayer and laying on of hands to ordaine and dedicate him to the Ministerie and Pastorall charge of that Church Lastly these things being thus finished whether it were not
lawes doe uphold the state and authoritie of the Convocation house for the examination of all causes Matters of religion not concluded in parliament before the same bee consulted of in convocation of Religion surely it cannot be truly averred that it is necessarie for Evangelicall Bishops to be members of the Parliamenthouse lest controversie of Religion should bee handled and discussed without them For how should any matter of religion bee concluded without them in Parliament when first of all the same is to be argued among themselves in convocation Or let them hardly if they can shew any one instance of any change or alteration either from religion to superstition or from superstition to religion to have beene made in Parliament unlesse the same freely and at large have beene first agreed upon in their Synodes and Convocations And what booteth it then to have a double or treble consultation and consent of Archbishops and Bishops in parliament Is the holy cause of God any whit bettered by their Bishops riding from Pauls to Westminster Or can it receive any more strength by their walking from Westminster Church to Westminster palace Nay it hath beene often times so farre from being promoted by their bishops as not only in their convocations but also in the Queenes parliaments the same thing hath beene shamefully intreated and taken the foyle as may witnesle the bill for the better observation of the Sabboth 27. Eliz. which being passed by both houses of parliament was notwithstanding gainesaid and withstood by none so much as by certaine Evangelicall bishops and which as there all men generally conceived was only stayed from being made a law by the Queene upon their counsell and perswasion ADMONITION Pag. â—8 It hath beene alwayes daugerous to picke quarrels against lawes setled ASSERTION And is it not morbus haereditarius in Prelates to pick quarrels against reformation of errours For even this did Stephen Gardener Stephen Gardeners argument and the adâ—onitors argument in effect one reason against the Lord Protector That in no case saith Stephen Gardener is to be attempted of the Lord Protector which may bring both danger to him and trouble to the whole Realme But innovation of Religion from that state wherein K. Henry left it may be and is like to be dangerous to the Lord Protector and to baeed troubles to the whole Realme Therefore innovation of Religion from the state that K. Henry left it is in no wise to be attempted And even of this stamp and of this streyne is the argument of pickking quarrels against laws setled for thus in effect he argueth That Discipline in no case is to bee brought into the Church by the King and Parliament which may be dangerous to lawes setled But to bring into the Church the Apostolicall discipline may be dangerous to lawes setled Therefore the Apostolicall Discipline in no case is to be brought into the Church by the King and Parliament But forasmuch as that noble and religious Lord Protector notwithstanding Stephen Gardeners sophistry continued constant and couragious in the abolishment of popery and superstition which king Henry left and did without dangerous alteration of laws then setled innovate religion How much more now may the Kings Majestie the Lords and Commons in Parliament attempt with effect an innovation of that state of Ecclesiasticall government wherein the Queene left the Church And if it cannot be denyed but it had beene far more dangerous for the Realm and for the Lord Protector not to have setled the holy doctrine of the everlasting Gospell by Lesse danger to reforme the Church â—y nâ—w lawes than to câ—ntinue corruption by old laws new lawes than to have maintained and continued antichristianitie by old lawes how should it be lesse danger for the king in these dayes to continue corruptions in the Church by toleration of old lawes than to have the same corruptions reformed by establishment of new lawes But unto whom or unto what hath it beene dangerous to pick quarrells against lawes setled Wha hath it beene dangerous to lawes setled No. For how should lawes setled be indangered by quarrelers sithence quarrellers are evermore in danger of lawes setled Or hath it beene alwayes dangerous for a king for a State for a people or for a Countrey to pick quarrels against lawes setled No. For what man is he or what face carrieth he that dare upbraid a countrey a people a State or a King minding to unsettle evill lawes and evill customes to be quarrellers against lawes setled Let it then only be dangerous for private persons upon private male-contentment to pick quarrels against good lawes well and rightly setled and let it not be hurtfull or dangerous for supreme Kings powers and principalities by publike edicts to alter evill lawes evilly setled For to what other end should evill lawes evilly setled be continued but to continue evill And what a thing were that This argument then for lawes setled being the sophisme of that Fox Stephen Gardener is but a quarrelsome and wrangling argument ADMONITION If this government whereof they speake be as they say necessary Pag. 78. in all places then must they have of necessitie in every particular parish one Pastor a company of Seniors and a Deacon or two at the least and all those to be found of the parish because they must leave their occupations to attend upon the matters of the Church But there are a number of Parishes in England not able to finde one tolerable Minister much lesse to finde such a company ASSERTION This argument seemeth to be drawne from kitchin profit and is but a bugbegger to scarre covetous men from submitting their necks unto the yoke of that holy discipline which our Saviour Christ hath prescribed and which the Admonitor himselfe confesseth to have beene practised by the Apostles and primitive Church And yet because this argument seemeth to lay a very heavie burden on mens shoulders such as is impossible to be borne it is an argument worthy That seniours and Deacons should bee found at the charge of the Parish is absurd to be examined though in it self the same be very untrue and absurd For who did ever fancy that a Pastor a company of Seniours and a Deacon or two at the least should be men of occupations or that they should be all found of the parish because they must leave their occupations to attend upon the matters of the Church Why there be many hundreds of parishes in England wherein there dwelleth not one man of an occupation And what reason then or what likelyhood of reason was there to father such an absurd necessitie upon the Church As for the necessitie of having one Pastour in every partilar parish and of his finding by the parish because it is his duety to attend upon reading exhortation and doctrine although he bee no man of occupation this I say is agreeable and consonant to the government of the Church practised by
Clerke and archdeacon knowing the Church not to be vacant refuseth to execute the Bishops inductorie mandat For many times upon pretence that the Church standeth void being indeed full the Patron upon suggestion granteth a presentation and the Bishops also institution which if the Archdeacon refuse to execute then besides the discord between the Bishops and the Archdeacon for contempt of the Suites between the Bishop and the Archdeacon Bishops mandat he who pretendeth title by vacancie thinking to have right though a reall incumbent be in possession bringeth their two titles to be tried in the Ecclesiasticall Court but before the matter can be finally sentenced by that Court many foule riots â—â—ots and breaches of the Kings Peace breaches of the Kings peace and unlawfull assemblies upon entries and keeping possessions doe ensue as was well enough lately knowne in the case between Rogers and Baker for the title to the Paâ—sonage of Barby in the Countie of Northampton Howbeit let it be supposed that none of these variances in law fâ—ll out between the Bishops and the Patron between the Bishops and the Clerke between the Bishop and the Archdeacon between the Clerk and the Archdeacon and between Clerke and Clerke the exaâ—tion notwithstanding of unlawfull gaine for fees of letters of institution and fees usually payable to the Bishop his Officers as aforesaid for fees of the Archdeacons induction his Rester his Clerke and his Apparrators fees the unconscionable exaction Vnlawfull feâ—s for letters of institution c. I say of these unreasonable fees may seeme to be a conscionable motive to cause better things than these without danger to be attempted and innovated And yet these are not all the bad events that happen and fall out upon the presentation institution and induction now used But by the interest whereby the Bishop challengeth to be custos Ecclesiarum there happen as bad if not worse than these For there is no sooner a Church void but a post is sent in all haste with letters of sequestration to sequester the Vnlawfull fees foâ— letters of sequestation fruits to the use of the next incumbent Which next incumbent for the great care taken to preserve the fruits to his use before he can obtain to be put in reall possession must pay Ten Shillings or a marke or more for those letters of sequestration which as much more also for letters so called of relaxation besides Two pence Three pence or Foure pence a mile for portage to the Somner And from hence is the Patrone as I take it very much injuried For he being as it appeareth by the Statute of 25. of King Ed. 3. Lord and Avower of the benefice ought to have the custodie and possession thereof during the vacancie Besides many times wilfull Perjurie by the Clerke and robberie by the patrone perjuries are committed by the Clerke and many times sacrilegious robberies are perpetrated by the Patrone The Clerke when he sweareth that neither directly nor indirectly any compact promise bande or agreement hath been made or passed by him for him or in his name to the Patron many times forsweareth himselfe And if the Clerke be presented to a Vicarage then the Bishop Every Vicar sweareth or ought to sweare to be resident if he be faithfull to the law sweareth him to be resident upon the same Church Which oath notwithstanding is afterwards broken when as the same Vicar accepting another benefice and retaining withall the former by purchase of a dispensation betaketh himselfe to be resident upon his second Benefice and so by non-residence from his first Vicarage committeth perjurie Touching the Patrons robbery thus it is and thus many times hath it fallen Patrones robberie out The Patron when at the hands of two three or moe such perjured Clerkes he hath time out of minde possessed the mansion house or gleebe-land of the Parsonage finally in time spoiled the Church both of the house and gleebe-land the gleebe-land being often intermingled with his owne inclosed grounds he possesseth them as his owne inheritance and in steed of the Parsonage house either he buildeth another new or else hireth some cottage or farme house for the Parson and his successors to inhabite in These abuses we see are many and yet besides these continuing at this day in the goverment established there remaineth others as foule and as grosse as any of the rest which is the too too inordinate and licentious chopping and changing of Churches from Minister to Chopping of benefices despensations c. Minister for dispensations commendames perinde valeas res pluralities and Non-residencies wherein not the people to be taught but their own backs and bellies to be cloathed and fedd is wholly respected Now then that this manner of goverment wherein the afore specified the like discoÌ„modities daily fall out under colour of not diminishing the Kings Prerogative of not altering laws setled of not attempting dangerous innovations and of the preserving of the right of Patrones Bishops and Archdeacons should still be continued without any mention or Remembrance to be once had of their discontinuance especially in the time of Peace and under a Christian Magistrate and in a state as he saith reformed we humbly leave to the wise and mature deliberation of our most Christian King and State in Parliament And we most humbly beseech the King and State that indifferently freely and largely it may be argued heard and examined whether it be possible Supplication to the King and State in parliam that the tenth part of these or any other the like disorders corruptions and grievances can possibly fall out in the Church by that platforme of Discipline which is required to be planted And to the end that the Kings Majestie and the State might rightly and perfectlie be informed and resolved of those points whereof we now speake viz. of the petition ordination election prefentation and admittance of every Parochiall Pastour to any Church with cure of soules how the same may stand and not be disagreeable to Petition ordination c. of Misters or Pastors how the same may be made without Bishops or Archdeacons not disagreeable to divers lawes already setled divers lawes already setled and in force it is requisite that the substance of these things in this place be intreated of wherein against the base office and meane person of the Archdeacon we oppose the Royall office and most excellent person of the King against the immoderate office and stately person of one Lordly Bishop wee oppose the meek and temperate cariage of a Senate or Presbyterie of many wise learned and grave Ministers together with a Reverend assemblie of the Ancients and chiefe Fathers of every Church destitute of a Pastor As for the Patrons right we are so farre from diminishing any jott of the true right which by laws setled he ought to have as that he shall quietly possesse his interest and that with lesse
Bishop to demand of the Minister only this and no more viz. whether will you give all faiâ—hfull diligence to minister the Doctrine and Sacraments of Christ There is therefore some other kinde of Discipline of Christ intended by the Parliament to The Parliament intendeth some other disciplinâ—â—â—han of declaring by doctrine be attributed unto every Minister and wherewith also the law of the Realme doth enable every Minister than is this manner of discipline oâ— declaring by doctrine and teaching the people And this discipline also must needs be understood to be of the spirituall censures of the Church because Christ never instituted any other discipline And therefore because our opposites agree with us in a generalitie that the doctrine Sacraments and discipline of Christ are to be ministred as the Lord hath commanded only and none otherwise and yet neverthelesse doe dissent from us touching the persons Answer to the abstract 55 60 by whome this discipline is to be ministred because say they every particular ceremonie rite or circumstance of externall policie are not set downe in Scripture because of this their answer I say it is to be considered First unto what persons the function of the ministration of the discipline of Christ by the holy Scriptures is committed Secondly whether the same persons with their functions bee arbitrable ceremonious â—â—â—rituall or circumstantiall To what persons the discâ—pline of Christ by the Scriptures is committed and whether the persons be arbitrable or no Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 9 5 7 to bee altered and changed by authoritie of the Church as things indifferent yea or no. To the first seeing to one and the selfe same person the holy Scriptures attribute these two names Bishop and Pastor thereby signifying what are the two duties which belong to the same one person and seeing also no one person by Gods word is called a Bishop or Pastour in regard of his fellow brethren the other Bishops or Pastours but in regard of his owne flocke which hee overseeth and seeing also in well ordered Churches by the Ordinance of God certaine men of approved godlinesse 1 Tim 3 1 called according to the common name of the Hebrewes by the common name of Elders whom partly calleth Governors 1 Cor. 12 28. were joyned as Ecclesiasticall Magistrates to the Bishop Pastor or teaching Elder by whose common direction and authority Ecclesiasticall discipline was practised seeing I say these things are so we affirme that the persons to whom the ministration of the discipline of Christ rightly belongeth are the persons onely above specified and none other And further we say if any spirituall Discipline or The Discipline of Christ pâ—ophaned if the same be ministred by other persons than the holy Scriptures do appoint power which directly be longeth unto the Conscience be ministred in the Church by any other persons than by those persons onely that the same Discipline is not to bee called the Discipline but a meere prophanation of the Discipline of Christ For as it is unlawfull for any person to usurpe any part of the Bishops or Pastors office which consisteth in spirituall teaching the word and administring the Sacraments so is it also unlawfull for any person to usurpe any part of a Bishops Pastors or Elders office which consisteth in spirituall rule and government Whereupon it secondly followeth that the same persons with their functions are not arbitrable ceremoniall rituall and circumstantiall as things indifferent to bee altered by the authority of the Church but perpetuall substantiall essentiall and as it were the very maine and fundamentall pillers to uphold and stay the House of God from all spirituall sliding and falling downe And therefore from the execution of the Discipline of Christ we seclude the persons of all humane Archbishops humane Bishops Suffrafanes Arch-deacons Chancellors Commissaries Officials and all Rowland Allens because their persons together with their functions are arbitrable ceremonious rituall traditionall or circumstantiall yea and removeable at the pleasure of the King and State Neither doth this disagree from that which was erst said of a A Bishop Pastor and Elder and our Lord â— diffr Bishop or Pastor that they be all one in respect of their function For it is not said that an humane Bishop and Pastor but that a Bishop and Pastor are all one For a Bishop simply so called is not a Bishop and Pastor in respect of his fellow brethren but only in regard of his flocke which he over-seeth feedeth and ruleth But a What a Lord â— is humane Bishop is hee that is promoted unto this dignitie by man and who by mans authority taketh upon him superiority and preheminence over them which are equall unto him touching their function that intangleth himselfe with civill government and worldly affaires and whose Bishoply office consisteth not so much in the dispensation of Gods Word and Sacraments as in Lordly and Bishoply apparell Crossing with the signe of the Crosse confirmation of Children sole imposition of hands sole excommunication sole enjoyning of Articles upon the people and Clergie of his Diocesse consecration of Oratories delegation of his Episcopall authority to his Suffragane Vigar generall and principall officiall and other such humane and Bishoply functions All which are after the customes precepts and traditions of men And albeit D. O. by vertue of the Queenes congedelier were chosen by the Deane and Chapter of Lichfield in Episcopum Pastorem Ecclesiae Lichfieldensis The Lord Bishop of Lichfield is never honored with the title of being Lord Pastor Pastorall authority of a Lord Bishop and of other Pastours is equall yet is hee never intituled with the dignity of being the Lord Pastor but onely with the honour of being the Lord Bishop of Lichfield so that one and the selfe same person being a Bishop and a Pastor may bee a Lord Bishop over Pastors but not a Pastor over Pastors Whereupon it followeth that the Pastorâ—ll authority which he hath in common with his brethren the other Pastors of his Diocesse is of superiority or proheminence above theirs and that touching the function both of his and their Pastorall cure and charge there is a paritie betweene him and them by reason whereof hee can have no power over them because par in parem non habet imperium But why is it that he can not be called Pastor Pastorum Ecclesiae Lichfieldensis Lord Pastor of the Pastors of the Church of Lichfield and yet may be called Dominus Episcopus Pastorum Ecclesiae Lichfieldensis Lord Bishop of the Pastors of the Church of Lichfield Why but only for that there is custome tradition and the Law of man for his Episcopall jurisdiction and for that his pastorall function if he have any belongeth unto hâ—m in common with his brethren the other Pastors jure divino The Whether a lord Bishop minister the doctrin Sacrament discipline of Christ by vertue of his lorldly episcopall or pastorall office