blisse both in body and soule Is not this to pray for the dead brother When he is laid in the grave he is laid east and west in such manner as that he may rise with his face to the East for why they looke for Christ to come from the East and it is no easie matter to turne about if one rise with his face toward the west This ceremonie is not enjoyned in the booke yet it is usuall as many moe as a white or blaâ—ke crosse upon the mort-cloath candles burning over the dead corpes in the house the â—et-wand cakes sent abroad to friends The priest must have his offering and beside that the â—ortuarie wherof I made mention before VVhosoever is not buried after this manner in church or churchyard howbeit in a peculiar buryall place of his owne he is ill deemed But this you must note saith Barrow neither rich nor poore neither yong nor old can get bury all without money in the church of England Nâ— peny no paternoster there please the Priest and then he will burie his brother and pray for and over him whatsoever he be so far as his booke will goe The minister is so tied to this office that if he neglect it at any time he is to be suspended from his ministerie by the space of three monethes So they make that a part of the Ministers function which is not a ministeriall dutie nor at any time let be ordinarily performed by ministers in the Apostolicall Church Howbeit the Iewes had not so cleare a light in the resurrection as we have yet did not the priest reade prayers and fragments of Scripture at burials nay they are expressely forbidden to be present at them Funerall Sermons cannot be made without acceptation of persons For if it be the Ministers office he ought to make them as well at the buryall of the poore as of the rich It is required and so is made to serve more for pompe or superstition then for edification of the living Men that never were greedie of a sermon all their life long must have one then to grace their funerals in the eyes of the world M. Cartwright testifieth that there are none more desirous of funerall Sermons then the Papists VVhat lying commendations are made of the dead howbeit never so vitious all men doe know Neither doe these hired Orators or Sermon-mongers lie for nothing They must have either a mourning gowne or a noble I will say nothing saith M. Cartwright of the great abuse of those which having otherwise to live on the Church take nobles for every such Sermon and sometime a mourning gowne which causeth the papists to open their mouth wide and to say that the Merchandise of Sermons is much dearer then of the Masse for that they have for a grâ—ate or sixe pence and the Sermon they cannot have under â— rounder summe The Rubricks serving to direct to the maner of administration of the Sacraments are for the administration of Baptisme or the holy Supper that either in the church or in a private house In the administration of the Sacraments there are two things generally to be observed First that power is given to an ignorant Curate or reading Minister who cannot preach to administer the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Next it is said in their Catechisme that there be onely two Sacraments as generally necessarie to salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper implying that there are other Sacraments peculiar not generall as matrimonie and orders and others generall but not necessarie to salvation as Confirmation In the Preface before Confirmation are set downe these words And that no man shâ—ll thinke that any detriment shall come to children by deferring of their confirmation he shall know for 〈◊〉 that it is certain by Gods word that children being baptised have all things necessarie for their salvation and be undoubtedly saved These words imply three things first that all children baptised be undoubtedly saved secondly that children unbaptised be not undoubtedly saved thirdly that confirmation is not absolutely necessarie to salvation Estius a papist saith the like of Confirmation That the custome of the universal Kirk doth prove sufficiently that confirmation is not necessarie to salvation otherwise the godly and carefull mother the Kirk would not neglect to see this Sacrament ministred at the point of death 1 Of Baptisme In the preface to baptisme they commend the ancient custome of baptizing onely at Whitsuntide and Easter except in the case of necessity which was a superstitious and damnable custome They say in this Preface they will follow this custome as neere as they can therefore doe ordeine that Baptisme be ministred onely upon Sundaies and holy daies Vpon any ordinarie preaching day then they must not baptise except it be coincident with an holy day as if baptisme were not as holy a Sacrament ministred upon an other day as upon an holy day The child must be baptised at the font and therefore the Priest must come to that part of the Kirck where the font is over against the church dore for that wanteth not a signification to signifie the entry of the child into the church He must not be baptised where the minister stood in time of divine service or with water out of a bason The godfathers and godmothers standing at the font the Priest doth aske if the child be baptised or no. In the first prayer the priest saith that God by the baptisme of his Son did sanctifie the sâ—oud lordan and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of some as though vertue vvere in the water to wash away sinne or as though Christs baptisme at one time and not Christs institution which serveth for all times did sanctifie the element In the second prayer he saith that they comming to thy holy baptisme may 〈◊〉 remission of their sinnes by spirituall regeneration when as the remâ—ssion of our sins doth standin notimputation of them and not in regeneration The questions which were wont to be demanded of converts from paganisme who were able to answer to the questions demaÌ„ded absurdly foolishly now they demand of the infants or their godfathers in their name The interrogatories are these doest thou forsoke the Divill and all his works c. Doest thou beleeve c. Wilt thou be baptised in this faith The child hath not understanding nor faith nor desire of baptisme And how be it the child had faith can the Godfather tell absolutely and in particular that this child whom he presenteth doth beleeve desire baptisme or forsake the Devill It is a foolish thing therefore and great mockerie of Gods service to demand that of infants which was at the first demanded of such as were come to yeares of discretion and were converted from gentilisme The children of faithful parents are within the covenant of grace whereupon it is that they are made partakers of the seale of the covenant
which state now will give place to none in their loyaltie and devotion to your Majestie Where it is sayd here that Deane and Chapters were at the first counsellers to Bishops it is to be understood at the first time of erecting Deane or Chapter not at the first setting up a Bishop far lesse at the first forme of Church-government planted by the Apostles For Presbyters were before Bishops and when Bishops were set up at the first they were set up by the Presbyterie and that in the degree of perpetuall Moderatorship and Presidentship onely neither was there a particular choice made of some Presbyters to sit in judgement with this President nor another besides this President Bishop to be Deane of the Presbyterie for that had beene to make a President above a president and some Presbyters Cardinall Presbyters of more esteeme theâ— the rest In the Church of Ierusalem all the Presbyten governed not a selected number D. Field a defender of the hierarchie acknowledgeth this That for a long time there was no more respect had to one Presbyter then to another but all equalâ—y interessed in the government of the Church were indifferently called to the election of the Bishops â—nd his consultations it is most cleare and evidâ—â—t Aâ—â— this he proveth in speciall of the Church of Rome by Cyprian And the first appearance of this difference that not all but Carâ—inall Presâ—yters onely were called to the common consultations in the Church of Rome it selfe that he found is in the time of Gregorius Magnus that is about 600 yeares after Christ yet he leaveth this as uncertaine But certaine it is sayth he that all the Clergiâ— had interest in the choyce election of the Bishop even in Gregories time As if now the whole ministerie and Cleargie of the citie of Lonâ—on should be admitted to the election of the Bishop and not some few Chapiter men onely Yea Bellarmine him selfe sayth Non enim jus divinum definivit ut hi potius quam illi ex clericis eligant For divine 〈◊〉 hath not determined that such and such of the Clergie more then others should choose But afterwords in processe of time sayth D. Field the Cardinâ—lls onely had interest in the election of their Bishop and they and no other were admitted to sit in Coâ—â—cell with the Bispop all other Presbyters being excluded By which meanes the dignitie of these Cardinals was greatly encreased Again Now these Cardinall presbyters were not onely in the Churâ—h of Rome but in other Churches also as Duarenus sheweth So the institution of this difference was so farre from being excellent that it thrust lawfull pastors from the government of their owne particular charges the joynt government of the church and increased the dignitie of Cardinalls These Cardinals were but parish priests and Deacons resident in their parishes and titles So are not our Chapitermen But that assistance and councel in proces of time went out of use also So it is ever dangerous to depart from the right partern and shape formes of government to our selves Alwayes this polititian alledgeth very pertinently to the shame of our bishops and their sole government that the Bishop of Rome performeth all Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction as in Consistorie We heard how Archbishops were made up with the spoyles of the Synodes So the Bishops were made up with the spoyles of the Presbyteries Would you not thinke it very absurd to see the Moderator sit by himselfe exercise all manner of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction without the Presbyterie Of the Deane and Chapter wee will have occasion to entreat a-againe The third thing to be considered in the English Bishop is the deputation of his authoritie He hath griped greedily and taken in his own hands all the power of the Church and when he hath done that because he is neither able nor willing to discharge this burthen which he taketh on himselfe hee transferreth his charge unto other officers under him He hath taken from the Pastors the pastorall staffe of government which belongeth to every shepheard that is set to keepe Christs sheep and left them nothing but the pastorall pype to preach and minister the sacraments and hath put that pastoral staffe in the hands of strangers who are not the true sheepherds that is in the hands of Chancelours Archdeacons officialls and CoÌ„missariet vicars generall and the rest of that Antichristianâ—able of officers The 4. is their extensiue power For wheras the presbyterie choosed and set up a Bishop and no presbyter was excluded from common consultation and judgement and their meeting behoved to be ordinarie for exercise of ordinarie jurisdiction in the Church wher they governed the bounds of the Bishops jurisdiction could be no larger nor the bounds of the presbyteries jurisdiction that is wher all the presbyters might convene to exerce ordinarie jurisdiction All the presbyters of a shire or countie could not convene ordinarilie and weeklie together to exerce ordinarie ecclesiasticall jurisdiction Neither is any where in the new Testamenâ— a visible Church endowed with power of ecclesiasticall government taken for a whole shire or Countie We reade of the Church of Ephesus Philippi Ierusalem Corinth Thessalonica c. But to call the particular congregations in the countries extended in leâ—gth and breadth about these cities the church of thesâ— cities is absurd and no where to be found Hâ— would be thought to speake ridiculously whâ— would under the name of the church of Saint andros comprehend all the congregations iâ— Mers Lothian and â—ife or under the name of the church of Glasgow all the congregations iâ— Teviotdale Nithsdale clidsdale c. Citiâ— churches and towne churches the scripturâ— knoweth but not countrie churches Fâ—â— when the scripture speaketh of a Province or Countrey it speaketh in the plurall number Churches not Church in the singular Seing then there was no Diocesan Church ther was no Diocesan Presbyterie nor Diocesan Bishop No Church is above another The Church of Corinth had no superioritie over the Church of Cenchrea which was next adiacent And consequently the Presbyterie of one Church hath not superioritie over another Church therefore the Bishop chosen by the by the Presbyterie of one Church hath not power over the Presbyterie of another Church Neyther can he possibly exercise ordinarie iurisdiction in divers Churches and Presbyteries except yee will make him a Pluralist and have him gallop from one to another to keepe the ordinarie meetings which galloping was not kaowen in the Apostles times But Bishops have spred their wings over many cities and townes whole Countries and Shires that they are not able suppose they were willing to execute the power which they claime in their owne persons but must of necessity depute others And whom depute they I pray you Doctours of the civill lawe whom they make Chauncelours Officials Commissaries and other officers of the Canon law Suppose they should depute ecclesiasticall persons onely yet this should not free them
of guiltynes For it is a personall duety which the scripture requireth of the officebearers of the Church At the first Bishops were placed in little townes aswell as in great cities and were not so thin sowne as since that avarice and ambition have made them to dispise obscure places and to strive who should have the largest Diocies Nay even in England the Diocies of old were not so large as now The Bishoprick of York hath devoured many smaller bishopricks next adjacent as Camden reporteth in his Brittannia The Bishoprick of Lincolne hath likewise devovred many bishopricks which were in the time of the Saxons and howbeit it hath been greatly impaired yet there are 1247. parish churches in that Diocie at this day as is related by Camden These generalls being premitted I will be the briefer in the particulars Bishops considered simply as Bishops of which in England there are 24. whose estate is to be considered eitâ—er in the common-wealth or in the Church In the common-wealth in that they have the title of Lords in respect of their Baronie annexed to the Bishoprick 2. to have precedence before other Barons in the convention of thâ—ee thre Estates or in other meetings They tell us that Elias and Elizeus 1. King 18. 2. King 2 were called Lords and if the propheâ—s were of old so stiled why may not they also By this reason all prophets and pastors should be so honoured But the tuth is that the name of Lord was given by the wife to her husband Gen. 18. 12. and to any man of honest account howbeit to mean men as to Philip. Ioh. 12. 21. to Gardiners Ioh. 20. 15. and was more common among the orientalls then Sir is with us Elias and Elizeus were not Barons and for their Bâ—ronies stiled Lords aboue the common sort But that stile is with us attributed onely to Lords of dignitie to Noblemen and other officers of State As for Bishops you may see that they are so stiled in respect that they are Barons howbeit D. Downam doth aledge that they are so stiled in regard of their spirituall office and jurisdiction The first respect is forbidden Luk. 22. 25. as wee have sayd before The second respect is as unlawfull for there are no Lords in the Church but one Christ who is Lord and King Their ambitious and arrogant precedencie in taking place before great Barons is another part of their pompe Their statelinesse and pompe is set forth also in their glorious palaces sumptuous buildings Their chambers doe shine with guilt their walles are hanged with cloth of Auris their cupboards are laden with plate their tables and diets are furnished with multitude and diversitie of dishes their dayly dinners are feasts They have 30. 40. 60. or moe every one of them of men waiting on them some before some behind whereof three parts of them set a part the carying of a dish unto the table have no honest or profitable calling to accupie themselves in two houres in the day to the filling of the Church and common wealth also with all kinde of disorders as Mr. Cartwright an eyewitnesse doth testifie Many Churches lye desolate for want of sufficient provisioes whose impropriations are appropried to bishops to maintaine their pompe and statelines and bestowed upon keeping great horses caroches and trains of men I need not to insist in this poynt it is so sensible to any man who hath but common sence In the Church by reason of their calling or of their function In their externall calling to the Bishopricke some things respect the Prince some things respect other Bishops The Prince before election may 1. nominate 2. grant facultie to choose After the election finished 1. yeeldeth his Royall assent 2. directeth his mandate to the Arch-bishop to confirme him and other two to consecrate 3. exacteth the oath of homage from the new bishop 4. Restoreth to him the possessions of the Bishoprick Such things as respect other Bishops respect either the Archbishop or him and others the Archbishop as him who is to confirme the election Him and two others as who are to consecrate him according to the direction of the book of orders When the bishops Sea is destitute the Deane and Chapter make intimation to the King of their want of a Bishop and humble supplication for licence to choose another The King by letters patents under his great seale granteth them licence and with the letters patents sendeth a missive commending the person who is to be chosen some man who hath waited long on the Court and promised to some courtier an annuitie out of his Bishopricke during life or some other gift After this election which is made after the Papisticall manner by Deane and Chapter and a superficiall manner or pro forma as Sir Francis Bacon now Lord Chaunlour sayd the Deane and Chapter do intimate their feigned processe of election to the King againe praying the King to yeeld his Royall assent to the Lord elected The King directeth his letter patents for warant to the Archbishop or some other whom hee shall appoynt to confirme and consecrate my Lord elect The consecration being finished and the bishop having done homage and sworne fealtie the Kings writ is directed out of the Chancerie to the Escheator to restore to him the temporalities of the Bishopricke And the Bishop may procure another writ out of the Chauncerie directed to his tenants commanding them to take him for their Lord. This order of proceeding is thus described by the authour of the Assertion for true Church policie Here are many imaginarie formes and mockage rather then sound dealing The libertie of election of Pastors if Diocesan bishops were true Pastors is taken from the Church and the Church deluded with a May-game Now as for his consecration howbeit the Scripture doth not teach us two distinct forms of ordination one called consecration proper to a Lord Bishop the other by the generall name of ordination peculiar to a minister yet wee will let you see the Rites of their consecration how all are taken out of the Popes Pontificall as may be gathered by conferring the book of Orders with the said Pontificall A table is prepared for the Masse-book and the pontifical so is here a table furnished with the service book and the book of orders There two bishops are present to assist the Consecrator ordained to have on the Rochet if not the Roâ—cheâ— a surplâ—ce Here all the Bishops that be present at the consicration of Bishâ—ps should wearâ— coapes and surplices having pastorall staves in their hands They retaine the surplice seldome the coape but they never use their pastorall staves sayth the Author of the petition to the Queen And yet they have a staffe to beat out a painfull minister out of the Church if he take not on a surplice But in the abridgement of the ministers of Lincolne it is sayd that in the former edition of the book of ordination which