Prince partly of the Common-wealth it is not repugnant to the state of the Church or stay of religion And indeed why should not the same thing betide their fields which befall the persons thēselues who albeit they are dedicate to God mancipate to his seruice yet they commit nothing vnworthy their function or not beseeming their calling when as according vnto the dignity of their place they performe due seruice to their Prince and other duties to the common-wealth That which is added of the pension or stipend of Ministers is easily answered by the same reason for it differeth not from the other Wherfore as a man may consecrate him selfe and his labours to God and the Church yet reserue his due obsequie to his Prince and the common-wealth so likewise may the Church inioy both fields and fearms and fees in the common-wealth and yet make no claime to any extraordinary immunity from seruice nor euer think much of any ordinary fealtie due to the patrōs therof The Bishop and euery other Minister of the Church is subiect to the lawes and Magistrate of the common-wealth and seeing he oweth homage to the Prince as to the cōmon parent of the people there is no absurditie committed if by the accesse of some especial benefit he become more nearly bound vnto him then the common sort How many and how bloudie wars the Bishops of Rome haue made vpon the Emperours and other Christian Princes euen for the onely inuestiture of those fees which they chalenge vnto themselues as consecrate to God therefore as they perswaded themselues free from all ciuill seruice all histories can well witnesse Wherefore those Magistrates at this day doe shew themselues very ingrate I may say vngodly to the present Ministerie who when as by defending the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate which the Bishop of Rome had impayred they haue now at the length brought to passe that they haue recouered the same by their means doe now notwithstanding enuie them their poore estate in the Church and their small authoritie in the common-wealth May not that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 11.19 be truly said of this people They suffered those gladly which brought them into bondage which tooke of their goodes which exalted themselues which smote them on the face I more which afflicted them with fire and sworde and made them runne through Purgatorie glad that they might get to Hell But the faithfull seruantes of Christ which set them free frō the captiuitie of the Pope and gaue them that libertie which they nowe abuse against the Church those they doe not onely not reward with that honour they well deserued but they depriue them of those dignities they once possessed They lay baites for the bane for some set snares for the liues of others contriue plots for the deposing and disparaging of all Is this the thankes they giue to their Pastors And is this the reward for so many benefits receiued by their preaching O God forgiue them this sin if it be possible But thou wilt one day iudge betweene them and vs and reuenge this infamie done vnto thy selfe Chap. XXVIII Of the honorable titles which are giuen vnto Bishops NOw we haue spoken of fees and of that ciuill iurisdiction which is annexed vnto them it remaineth that wee speake somewhat also of their titles of honour Neither will I seeke into all but will shew you vnto a few of them and comprise in one or two all the rest which either the custome of the time place or the curtesie of Kings and Princes doe giue vnto the chiefe states of the kingdome With the which here are some in England which find themselues not a little offended would hold others in hand thogh they dare not hold their hand that such titles are not to bee giuen to the greatest Bishops The first that displeaseth them is the title of Lord which yet at this day is vsed to be giuen rather for honor sake then for homage The proper signification thereof is sufficiently known to haue relation to the possession proprietie of a thing In which sense euery man is Lord of that hee hath It hath a secondary relatiō also to a Seruant in which sense the Romane Emperours would not be called Lords or Maisters Suetonius reporteth of Octauius that he abhorred the name of Lord Maister as curse and a slaunder Indeed the Barbarians acknowledge no other distinction of persons but of Maisters Seruants therfore their Kings also do domineer ouer their subiects as maisters ouer their seruants the fathers of families haue the same authoritie ouer their wiues children as ouer their seruāts This would seem might well a very vnreasonable thing to vs being not as they are a people base seruile And yet the Moschouites rule at this day after this manner neither is the Empire of the Turkes much vnlike the same And generally all the Easterne kingdoms were once of this gouernment kept this foule rule ouer the nations wher they conquered Whether the Kings kindred had any priuilege besides the rest it is to be doubted so I leaue it But these a man might truly cal Dominos Lords or Maisters in which sense our Kings themselues wil not be so called nor will they take it in good part to be so slandered for their subiects are not their slaues or seruants neither do they so vse them They hold it their chiefest glory to haue a free people subiect vnto them and thinke it more honorable to command ouer a free then a seruile nation And albeit the King may truly be called Lord and indeed the only chiefe Lord in his own kingdom referring the signification of that title either to the subiection of the whole people or the propriety of his own kingdome yet contenting himself with the royal title of King which glory he wil cōmunicate with no subiect he enuieth not his subiects the name of Lords but whō he thinketh worthy hee honoureth with that title Neither do inferior persons only cal superior personages Lords but they also which are Nobles of equall authoritie do so salute their peeres And doth not the King himselfe vouchsafe to greet the Honors of his lande by the names of Lords The name of Lord is of many significations and is as I haue said a title rather of honour and of fauor then of rule and of Empire the which argueth the no smal malice or otherwise the great ignorance of them which hold the title of Lord to bee of so great authoritie as that it is not conuenable to the calling of Bishops And yet at this day among the best Latinistes the same name ordinarily is giuen to any man of any ordinary esteeme So doth the signification of this title varie according to the diuersitie of regions and persons and proprieties They which in England do make the same a signification of greater honor then that it may any waies agree with
and it hath ben handled at large also yet all little enough Such is the female misconceit of the lasciuious malecontent and the male miscontent of the learned ignoraunt of this age euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth Notwithstanding seeing in the iudgement of the most wise and best learned this Germane Booke seemed for sound iudgement inferiour to none and for graue discourse equall to any it was therfore thought by them an action no lesse commodious to the people then commendable to the Author that he who in the causes of present controuersie hath propounded his iudgement vnto all shoulde haue his iudgement expounded vnto vs. The which although it hath beene curstly censured by a certaine suspicious and suspected Criticke emulous of his betters credite who in his professed lectures hath vsed the remembraunce of his name in disdaine with Sarauia nescio quis Yet his best auditors there and others his betters elsewhere haue found this difference betweene Sarauia and him that besides his great learning and no lesse experience of the which this great Censor neuer had the one neuer will haue the other Sarauia hath made knowen to him and the whole world by this his resolute definitiue who he is whereas the other in one whole tearme hath so behaued himselfe in the same cause that albeit wee all know who he is yet we could neuer tell where to finde him So hoppeth he betweene the stone and the Altar that as a man distract betweene feare and flattery he maketh vp his doubtfull resolution with this harmelesse confession Sentio quod sentio quod nescio I know what I know what I doe not know I but now we see the aduerse part partly by theyr lawlesse outrage and partly by theyr lawfull restraint to be nowe as impotent in their faction as they are odious in their opinion to be at this time as vnable as they were at all times vnworthy to preuaile and then what neede we any longer striue when the ennemy can no longer stand I aunswer that their increase was seene long since to be at the full and their credite appeareth euen now to be in the Waine For the which as we are to giue God thankes who in taking Iustice vpon some of them hath taken pitty vpon the whole Church so likewise are we to pray for the rest that in good time we may see eyther theyr speedy amendement or their present preferment For it is time O Lord that thou haue mercy vppon Sion yea the time is come Notwithstanding in the meane time wee haue entertained this profered aide not so much to inuade the seditious brethren or to bring home the resolued recreant as to strengthen the godly Subiect and to bring forward the well affected Protestant With the which if any man finde himselfe agreeued let him shew for it but so that Sarauia may vnderstand what he saith For my part if I haue conceiued him right the fruite is yours if I haue deliuered him not right the fault is mine Sure I am the Author meant you well and my Authors And so doe I. The Translator TO THE MOST REuerend father in Christ John by the prouidence of God Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of al England and Metrapolitane To the renovvmed and most honored Heroicke Sir Christopher Hatton Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and high Chauncellour of England As also to the noble and right honorable Sir William Cecill Baron of Burghley Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and high Treasurer of England of her Maiesties most Honorable priuy Counsell my very good Lordes true felicity THe auncient receiued custome of dedicating books to men of name and authority is growne and grounded vppon many reasons great waighty all which it shal be needelesse for me to reuise in this place But for my part there are chiefly three causes mouing me to consecrat this my small trauell to you the most Honorable and honored of me my good Lordes First that thereby I might testifye vnto you the duety and deuotion of a loyall and gratefull minde towards you that find my selfe seuerally and singularly bound vnto you all and euery one of you For first one of you vppon my repaire into England disdained not to entertaine me a stranger with no straunge countenance and straunge courtesie The other also dained to accept me vnworthy into his owne family And the other of his especiall fauour brought to passe that by her Maiesties priuiledge and preferment I might be made of a forreiner a freeman of an alien a Cittizen And seeing I haue receiued all these fauours without any deede or desert of mine God thou knowest mine vnworthines I were but too ingrate and vnkinde if I should bury in darke and deepe silence your so rare and religious demerites But whereas I haue no other thing to render or repay vnto your Honors but a mine of thanks and a thankfull minde that mind wil I alwaies beare and that duety in minde so that I will not cease to worship the sacred memory of your religious loue towardes me Another cause is the very nature of the argumente I vndertake the which I could not well prosecute without some particular mention of the Church of England In the which seeing I haue now my part and portion of a pastoral prouince and praised be the Lord my lotte is fallen vnto me in a faire ground might I not seeme vnmindfull of my good neglecting my duty if when I vndertake the cause of those Churches which are alien and outlandish I should ouerslip the state of mine own Church now gremiall to me and mere English But when mine hearts desire and praier to God is that I may some waies benefite my countreymen if I forget thee O Ierusalem And yet if I should forget my duety herein the meere alliance and relation of the matters them selues is such and so great as that by ordinary course of necessary consequence I must be inforced to inferre and praefer the mention thereof in my bookes But because I am but new made of Flemish sterling that is of Outlandish English it may be happely that they which are home-bred will thinke I deale not wel with them to deale with them and that I meddle too farre when I come so neare For which cause I thought it necessarye for mee to commend and commit my selfe vnto your Honorable patrocinie that this stranger book might freely passe vnder your safe conduct Neither shall it grieue me much though it be vniustly cast by most voices if it may iustly passe your accoumpt neither shall it hurt me much though the inraged multitude in disordered throngs cast stones at mee only if your Honors vouchsafe to giue me the white stone But the last cause is for that I am in some doubt how this discourse will be taken of them for whose sakes especially it was vndertaken For it is to be feared that they
greater ignominy by how much the more fondly they abuse their owne authority and the peoples simplicitie such therefore I must necessarilie and may worthelie accuse of Atheisme and irreligion the rest I cannot excuse of errour and ignorance onely Indeed error and ignorance doe sometime mitigate the guilt of the offender but neuer can it obliterate the staine of the offence It will seeme a hard matter I know vnto some that sacrilege should be openly reprehended and vnto some an absurd thing that in the policy of the Church Bishoppes should be required For there are here in England a certaine number of wicked men and I am very sorie for them who are so farre out of order with that order as if no Ecclesiasticall Discipline were to be had vnder them Amongst whome the quarrell is growen so farre that nowe they deuorce themselues from the communion of the English church as Papisticall and Antichristian and so betake themselues to their priuate and not permitted conuenticles VVhome I could doe no lesse then lightly note in this place because they seem to patronage their odious scisme and mutinous huggor-muggar by the precedent presidents of our foraine Churches O God thou knowest and themselues cannot bee ignoraunt that the first peregrine churches which were heere in England had their Lord Bishop Alasco and these which at this day are vnder the protection of the most gracious Elizabeth doe acknowledge the Bishops of those Diocesses in the which they are and to them they supply But thankes be vnto God there are others who being somewhat more milde and moderate in their proceedings doe not altogeather estraunge themselues from the assemblies of their churches but yet they haue the Bishops in emulation also and promise vnto themselues a golden worlde could they but once bring to passe that by a preposterous Alchymy of earthly pollicy they could turne gold into drosse that is Bishops into Presbiters their reuenues into annuities But to them I dare say and can foreshew that they shal bring themselues The whole state Ecclesiastik into deepe disdaine disdaine worse then themselues deserue And whereas the Lord be praised for it we haue now some good Discipline it will come to passe that then they shall haue none at all but voluntary which as soone as it is begone will be gone I omit the tumults and contentions with the which they shall first trouble and turmoyle both heauen and earth But this is plaine and I dare promise them that they which were the first authors thereof will proue their first enemies so sone as vnder these colours they shal haue obtained their desires The calamities of your present churches your selues see and suffer but from whence they arise or what is the true remedy pardon me I beseech you if I speake as I thinke you seeme not to see or conceiue at all Doe you not heare of the turbulent state of other Churches and you know what they were from the beginning Where if they had intertained for a popish Prelat a true BB. for Romish masmongers Euangelique Ministers contented and contenting themselues with the rites and reuenues of their owne Churches no doubt all thinges amongst them had continued more peaceable and prosperous aswell in Church as Common-wealth The like I affirme of other prouinces from whence is exiled the tyrant of Churches But what can be done where the mindes of men are foreseasoned with preiudice and alreadie resolued That to bee ruled by bishops and to be releeued by Tythes and other oblations of the people is a point of Poperie But may I not be so bolde to tell them and I will tell them but the truth that these and such like medicines as they go about to administer vnto the Church maladies are like to prooue but prouocations vnto further mischiefes Admit the drugs they concoct be not simplie offensiue yet is it to be considered and wise men wil consider whether the faintnes and infirmitie of the whole body of the common-wealth may abide the same Here there is need of great wisedome no lesse moderation the which as it may be in many so must it be in one which may execute the same and this is he which is not to looke ouer one part but to watch ouer all not of the whole worlde which neuer any mortall thing or could or can but of one Cittie or prouince so farre forth as the power of man may extend it self And may wee not also more saflie walke in the steppes of the auncient fathers then rashlie to step aside into tracts of our owne treading Now how you will accept of this my libertie I cannot well tell but I hope well of you and commit the whole cause vnto God himselfe This I am perswaded and this haue I learned that in an vnstayed estate it is not the part of a good Cittizen to suspend his censure of the Common-wealth nor of a faithfull Christian to suppresse his opinion of the Church of Christ For mine owne part if in this daungerous enterprise I shall obtaine that onelie which I haue propounded vnto my selfe I shall haue iust occasion to giue thankes vnto my GOD but if it fall out otherwise yet shall I haue discharged my duetie vnto my Brethren and performed my vowe to the Church of GOD. Vnto the whiche I haue hitherto thought my selfe indebted as muche as this comes vnto That a knowen errour ought not to bee ouer-slipped in the silence of mee But put case I doe smale good vpon those for whose sakes especially I haue traueiled in this duetie yet shall their remaine a perpetuall note of that notorious errour vnto all posteritie that they yet at the length may amend that in the which they haue found their Fathers to haue bene faultie London the fourth of the Kal. of Aprill Desirous of your welfare Hadrian Sarauia To the curteous Reader WHosoeuer thou bee gentle Reader into whose hands this booke shall come in any case I would not haue thy minde troubled with this discourse as if we did reuerse som graund Article of thy faith when wee doe but restore for so we holde it behofefull the graue Senat of Bishops into the reformed Churches so called Doe we crosse herein the iudgement of some late writers of great name Why then iudge you and iudge me worthie of double blame if I should be either so frontlesse or so forgetfull at least as to aduenture vpon this contradiction of mine own head suppose ye me at the least backt with the piller of truth the sacred scripture and borne out with the consent of the auncient Fathers and countenaunced with the continued custome of the whole Church What then Will you saye did they whome you cal men of name see nothing I answere they did see indeede that which I see But as they which take vppon them to repaire an old house albeit within dores there bee many pretie romes and necessarye corners which they would willinglie and might well bee
nestled with this as if with that one word he had vtterly ouerthowen that equality which they expected in the French churches and which they thought requisite in all Ministers O griefe to me they made knowen their griefe and pittifull complaining they complained to me thereof But what should I heere do defend him I dared not and yet I liked well the cause of his opinion least I should incur the like suspicion of aspiring thoughts But from that time forwarde that conference gaue mee occasion to search and sift out more narrowlye those matters by my selfe And that which then happened to me I doubt not but is incident to many others with me who in wisedome see also and consider that the authority of Bishops is greatly wanting in ours and al Churches There are some which can indure nor equall nor superiour I giue God thanks I can see my superiour without enuy and sustaine my inferior without contempt But now seeing I am heere in England no man can chalenge my affection as guiltie of a Bishoppricke or as if I seeke dominion ouer my brethren the calling I affect but not to be called And therefore now I dare more boldly and will more freely speake what I thinke then before I thought it requisite neither was it conuenient when I conuersed among brethren neuer-a better Yea but I may seeme in this action to sooth vp the Byshops and seeke their countenance countenance nay then must I seeke further and neuer look the Bishops in the face whose condition in this thankles age is more subiect to the enuie and obliquie of men then my selfe am And indeed if that were all and all but so little it were the part of a warie child and him that would husband his credite to make the most of it rather with safetie and silence to say nothing and with patience and pollicy to expect the issue of these things The which I dare saye I also could haue doone as well as others without displeasure to my selfe or disfauour to anie But what moued me God knoweth men may construe my fact as themselues affect but it is the Lord that iudgeth my soule Notwithstanding let the curteous Reader conceiue my meaning in few words I desire to benefite the churches alreadie and to be reformed to extirpate Scisme where it is rooted and to preuent it where it is rising He that thinketh this cannot be done by these meanes shall haue his own saying for me but yet the euent of things mother of fooles will one day make it plaine howe good and profitable my meaning was and in the meane while the Church if it beware not maye receiue that detriment which it cannot repaire The ground of our saluation is to know God whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour the Bishop of of our soules But as in euerie thing which men goe about whether weauing caruing or any other craft of the which either the Citie or the ciuill Magistrate hath any care that it should bee well done there must bee a decent order kept and a diligent ouer-sight had of the works the which by how much the more curious it is by so much the things themselues doe flowrish the better and continue the longer So likewise in Religion the same order and ouer-sight ought to be had if we wil haue the same to flowrish amongst vs or to continue pure and intemerate for euer But that al men doe not agree about the maner of ordering and gouerning the Church why should that trouble the quiet of anie peace-able man Doe yee not know that the more profitable and necessarie a thing is to bee vsed the more lets and delaies are made by the enemy either to infect or els to interrupt the vse thereof Was there euer at any time anie thing so cleare and manifest among men that was out of all controuersie How then knowest thou this that thou knowest nothing Or how commeth it in question among men whether a man seeth or doth that which in very deede hee both seeth and doth Without controuersie there is no part of Philosphie or precept of Diuinitie no point of Religion which hath not bene called into controuersie This sore traueile hath God giuen to the sonnes of men that they might be exercised therein But the vanitie of mans will detracteth nothing from the veritie of anie thing And therefore goe to gentle Reader be doing with the sequell and doe well by it THE PRAEAMBLE THe surprising of the Bishop of Rome his tyrannie to whose scepter a croisier all churches and kingdomes and empires were enthralled is now of late growen so hotte that now a daies all Primacie and the name of Primacie is found guiltie not guiltie and thought worthie to bee exiled the Church of Christ wisely For by that meanes all the tyrranie of Prelates may be subdued But they are farre wide in my iudgement The Tarquines once exiled Rome the very name of King becam odious amōg them as if for-sooth with the name of those tyrants tyrannie had ceased But were they not afterwardes and then iustlie thralled and threshed as men thresh corne with more more kinds of tyranny then if they had retained still the soueraine name of Kings and their princely authoritie Neither indeed is there any tyrāny at all in the name of a King but in the nature of a Tarquine And the like wee may iustlie say in this action that the pride and tyranny with the which the Church of Christ was wearied and wasted was not in the Primacie of Bishops and Archbishoppes but in the persons which did abuse their authoritie and going beyond their commission extended the bounds of their Prouince further then might lawfully stand with the modestie and moderation of christian Religion by which meanes indeede the power of Rome is become excessiue and insupportable But shall I now vppon this bare presumption indite of tyranny the more auncient forme of Church pollicie and so many godly men or rather Gods amongst men of rare learning sincere liues and sound Religion Or shall I condemne of error those sacred and religious Synodes in the which holy men of God did ratifie that auncient pollicie of the Church which with reuerence as they ought they receiued of their godlie predecessors Farre bee that sinne from my thoughts as far as is this impure age from their perfections For albeit I am not ignorant that both Fathers and Councels may erre if they enact against the will and word of God notwithstanding it followeth not that therefore they erred in this But if so be we were thus equally affected towards others and our selues that as we know a natural infirmitie to be vniuersallie infused in the natures of all men so with all we wold acknowledge the same to be particularlie imprised in our selues also we would then more diligently search and prie into the reprehension of our selues rather then of others But now it is far otherwise with vs. Is
laboreth to bring the prelats of the Church into contempt for by that meanes he thinketh to imbecil the doctrine of fayth and to bring that into suspect that so at the last he might if possible he could bring an vtter ruine and a ruined ouerture to the whole state of the Church To which purpose whosoeuer they be that make themselues the Diuell his stipendaries vnder what colour so euer they doe it they discerue but badly not onely of the whole Church but also of the common wealth That which a rebell is in the state the same is a scismaticke in the Church How iust cause the aduerse part here in England hath to bring theyr Bishops into the obloquy and enuy of the people it smally cōcerneth me I set not as arbiter between both parts But this I say that the same things which betideth the Bishops here in England doth vsually befall all the best of the Ministery in Holland also who are in no lesse enuy with the people there then our Bishops are here How malapartly and the sacrifice had men do rail and raue in their publicke writing 〈◊〉 the deare seruants of Christ and that by name their shameful and shameles libels doe testifie at large Of which wrongs seeing I my selfe whiles I conuersed with them bate not the least share yet bear no wonder to any if for my part I like the better of Bishops For I am not ignorant of this that this is but the ordinary condition of al Gods seruantes and that Satan of old and long since hath by all possible and pestilent meanes endeuored to make the presidents of Christ his Church odious and infamous among men that so their credit especially being either altogether crackt or very sore crased himselfe might with more facility and lesse iealosie set abroach and cast abroad all manner hideous and hellish Heresies In so much that I am perswaded if Moyses himselfe if Peter if Paul were resident among vs and were in that honour and esteeme which were fit and well-beseeming their so honorable a calling they could not possible escape the cankred chaps of these foule-mouthed Hell houndes But so long as the seruantes of Christ are in authority in the Church it is not much that the instruments of Satan can atchieue but are they once brought vnder the hatch alas what is it that the seditious dare not attēpt This matter need no great proof it hath too much Wherefore of that degree of Honor which the Prelats of Religion ought to inioy in an established christian common wealth the very vilenes of this age doth inforce me to speak more at large For if base men cannot abide that Religion should be in any Honor and villanous minds endeuor their worst that the credit thereof may be none at all or worse then it is I thinke it no great wonder but that religious men as they would seeme should attempt the same euen they which ought to be patrones and preseruers of the Church dignities it is a thing odious preposterous and too bad absurd Doe they not yell in vaine and cry out against abuses to no purpose whose end is not so much to mittigate the abuse of thinges as to abolishe the whole vse If the gouernours of the Church haue not so beautified theyr Ministery with that integrity of manners and innocency of life which reason the reuerence of Religion doth require I defend them not but that according to the lawes they may be seuerely punished and theyr betters surrogat into theyr places Neyther are they exempt from the iurisdiction of the chiefe Magistrates whereby they may not censure vppon them theyr liues and theyr goods as vppon other cittizens No question it greatly concerneth both Prince and people that good men be placed ouer the Church and euil men remoued theyr places So that whatsoeuer crimes are here or else where obiected and proued against the Prelates of Religion they are staynes to the chiefe Magistrate which tollerateth such Ministers in the Church or aduanceth such like to be Church officers There is not the like reason of the Romish cleargy For they haue theyr peculiar Magistrates nor liue they vnder the common law of other Cittizens neyther yet are they accounted any part of them any longer then may stand with their owne commodity There the ciuill Magistrate chalengeth no right to conuert nor any power to amend what so euer they committe But notwithstanding if the Magistrate thinke best to winke at these publique slaunders I wil complain my selfe no further onely if the slanderers wil so moderate themselues as that they onely finde fault with the fault not with the state and whiles they rate abuses the honor of the calling may be left intemerat Let it be no mans slaunder that he is a Bishop or a Minister But of the two-folde order of Elders according to the Lorde his institution and the Apostolique tradition and the perpetuall vse of the Church so much as the state of the argument doth require these thinges I haue sayd may suffice Now it remayneth that wee say some thing also concerning Doctors Of Doctors Chap. XXVI WHen the Apostle in the fourth to the Ephesians nameth Pastors and Doctors a man cannot certainely gather from the manner of his speech whether hee would haue thē diuerse in office or but one and the same and that because a Pastor is necessarily a Doctor or teacher but not so conuersiuely Wherefore the thing it selfe must help vs out For not euery one whome the Lord hath endewed with learning and with a sound gift of teaching hath presently withal receiued the authority of a Pastor The knowledge and science of sacred Scripture may be giuen to any man Kings Nobles Knights may be learned who notwithstanding are not fitte to be ouer any Churches And albeit the administration of the Sacraments and gouernance of the Church are so combined with the office of teaching that he cannot be a Pastor which is not a teacher notwithstanding that followeth not in good conuersion that euery one who hath receyued the power to teach should forthwith be an Elder or Bishop of the Church these thinges are distinct each from other From among those which are apt to teach Elders and Bishops are chosen and of old the Priesthood was neuer without power to interpret but yet the gift of prophecie and the ability to interpret did not make a Priest The Priest was of duety an interpreter of the law and a Doctor a Prophet but yet euery doctor of the law or prophet was not a priest An Apostle in deed was both Prophet and Doctor and Pastor but euery Prophet or Doctor was not an Apostle or Pastor Seeing therefore that Doctors are distinguished from Pastors the knowledge of the mysteries of God with the faculty to expound them is the gift of the holy spirit whosoeuer excell in that gift and can as wel by writing as word of mouth edify the Church they are
or an especiall benefite with the Latines so that a Fendotarye with them is the same that a free Tenant is with vs who holdeth by fealty and homage onely But a Fee is defined among the Lawyers diuers waies First that it is a military seruice imposed and vndertaken vppon this condition that the tenant for the benefite receiued performe his seruice in warre and therein shewe his fealty and fidelity to his patrone and his benefactor By which we may vnderstand what was the original of tenures in Fee Notwihstanding for as much as there are some fees which are not military neyther stand vppon knights seruice this may serue for a more generall definition that a Fee is a benefite or a priuiledge giuen vnto some man vppon this condition that he which receyueth the benefite shall in lieu thereof performe some duty or seruice as a testimony of his thankefulnes But here there are three things of necessity to be obserued the Persons the Things and the Right The Persons are the Lord and the Vasall that I may so speake with the Feudist betweene whom the seruice is contracted The which for the most part in deede is military or knights seruice I say for the most part because of the Ecclesiastike or church seruice But the Thing is the matter substance of the benefite receiued as fields fermes iurisdictions immunities courts or whatsoeuer else is held in Fee But last of all the Right accrueth from these both For the Fee in respect of the Lord is a benefite giuen to the Vasall vpon that condition that he should recognise the autor therof in some kind of seruice but in respect of the Vasall the Fee is the right of vsing and manuring another mans thing vpon that condition that some seruice of duety and testimony of his fealty be due for the sayd thing But now is there any of these three more crosse of contrary to the calling and condition of Ministers then of other Christians But that it may the more plainely appeare what is the nature of the whole matter and what therein is repugnant to the state of a Minister we will more diligently examine the particulars of these pretended Fees Chap. XVIII A distinction of Fees THis title of Fees is many waies deuided but that which maketh for the presēt purpose is this Of Fees som are meere Ciuill some are Military The ciuill Fee is againe sub-deuided into an Ecclesiasticall or Church Fee or a temporall or Lay Fee In the nature of Ecclesiasticall or Church Fees are our Parsonages our Bishoprickes Archbishoprickes Abbies and such like which are giuen to hold in free tenure by the Princes Scepter In the manner and nature of Ciuill Laye Fees are those secular dignities and ciuil offices of the common wealth as Lieutenancies Mairolties Consulships and such like of the which we doe not purpose in this place to make any particular discourse It sufficeth for this time that we haue noted howe all Fees are not giuen for military dueties neyther doe all hold vppon Knights seruice Moreouer this also is most manifest that the lawes of Fees haue often times altered and the nature with the lawes so that ther is nothing more variable then that title And that the whole matter dependeth vppon certaine customes and the vncertaine pleasures of the Lords who vppon any condition or without any condition if it please them may freely giue the things they haue to be held and vsed In deed the first occasion of Fees was Knights seruice that the Prince might alwayes haue a sufficient host Captains competent for the defence of the common wealth So that Fees no doubt in the beginning were no other thing but stipēds for war not hereditary but temporary not vnlike to Princes annual pensions at this day And then no question neyther young children nor youthes vnder the age of fourteen were capiable of those Fees nor generally any whosoeuer was not apt able for seruice of war yet we see afterwards how they were made Hereditary also so that in many places they now differ litle or nothing from ordinary inheritance Whereby we may see that those lawes conditions of Fees which determine that a Clerke is no hable person to hold in Fee are to be vnderstood no otherwise thē of knights Fee In the which notwitstanding if it seeme good to the Lord of the Fee to alter the law thereof as he iustly may by his absolute authority he may also graunt the same Fee vppon any condition vnto the Church in generall or to anye of the cleargy in particular In the meane while those Lawes which serue to restrain cleargy men from these Fees do in like manner by the same reason exclude women and children and young men and old men and all men that are not fit for military seruice Who when as at this day they are notwithstanding admitted what reason that Clergy men alone should be excepted For they also may performe by an other man or supply with another duety that duety of Chieualry if it be a duty as wel as womē boies wherfore seeing that at this day the Pastors and Prelats of the church doe liue vnder the same Magistrat the same lawes neither do challenge vnto themselues any peculiar immunity from the burdens of the common wealth any otherwise then other Cittizens surely to depriue them of the like benefits or to depose them from the like priuiledges with other cittizens is an action no lesse odious to al then iniurious to thē But as of old for good cause it seemed necessary to them which had the chiefe place in the common wealth to giue lands and Lordships in Fee to their Nobles and noble warriours for military attendance and the peaceable continuance of the common wealth so also did they take it no lesse necessary and as great reason for them to giue vnto Pastors and Bishops in the like name and nature of Fees both towns and towres and parkes woods and pooles and fishings and fermes and fields and tenths and tithes for the sacred ministery of Gods Church and the reuerend administration of things sacred thereby to aduance the honor and support the worthines of that most honorable heauenly calling As for those things which the Bishops and other Ecclesiastical persons in England doe hold in Fee they are for the most part of that nature as that they require no military seruice for they are giuen in Franke almoigne as they terme it and yet notwitstanding all ancient Bishopricks haue frely graunted many Fees and such like tenures vnto theyr Tenants in fee to hold in Knights seruice Who by this means doe performe vnto the kings of England as well military as other necessary seruices in the Bishops behalfe by the which the Bishops are enlarged and set free from them Chap. XIX An aunswere to the obiection That ciuil iurisdiction outward pompe and honors which are annexed with these fees doe not agree with the
and more-ouer he commandeth that the execution of their iudgements be done by his ciuil iudges By reason of the statute of Praemunire as they call it against the which whosoeuer offend they are punished with is a matter of verie great daunger in England for Church-men to inuade the office of the ciuill Magistrates and therefore there is kept a most circumspeact distinction betweene the affaires of the Ciuil and the Ecclesiastical Court If at anie time anie of the Bishops or anie other of the cleargie are thought meet men to vndertake any ciuill charge they doe it not by the especiall commaundement and commissiō of the King vnder the broad seale of England But those charges are alwayes accompanied with some honour so that they may be accounted rather a help then a hurt to the proceedings of the Gospell as are the offices and dignities of a priuie Counseller a Commissioner a Iustice of peace and such like Neither as I doe thinke will any man of sound iudgement say that those charges are eyther imposed vpon any Cittizen without the chiefe Magistrate or if they be so imposed that they can of any man be deposed or laide aside If any man except that this is more abhorring from the office of a Bishop then was of olde the charge of the poore from the which notwithstanding the Apostles did abdicate themselues because they could not attend vppon that and their owne charge too and therfore vrge that it is not possible for Bishops that they should discharge both charges well for which cause they ought to sequester themselues from the one I answer first that the Apostles did not so far foorth discharge themselues of the poore mans boxe that that they thought it not appertaining to them to haue any further care thereof for they alwayes continued patrons of the poore as doe the Bishops also whom we will not so intangle with ciuill causes that they forsake their owne but that as it especially concerneth their office vpright dealing and sincere charitie may bee maintained among them whose soules health is committed vnto them But how much a godly and diligent Bishop may doe in this matter Austine alone may serue for many examples who wrote so many excellent volumes when as yet he imployed no small part of his time in these troublesome affaires Whose words I will heere infer for that they inforce a sufficient confutation of this their cauill I call the Lord Iesus witnesse to my soule saith hee in whose name I boldly speake these thinges that for so much as concerneth my commoditie I had rather worke euerie day with my hand as it is vsed in wel ordered Monasteries and reserue the other houres free to read and to pray and to exercise my selfe in the Scriptures then to sustaine the tumultuous perplexities of other causes in determining secular controuersies by iudgement or in taking them vp by arbitrement To the which troubles the same Apostle hath appointed vs not of his owne will but of his that spake in him The which notwithstanding we read not that he himselfe susteined for indeed the course of his Apostleship stood not with it Neither did he say If therefore you haue any secular controuersies bring them before vs or appoint vs to giue iudgement of them but those which are least esteemed in the Church set them vp saith he And I speak to your shame is it so that there is not any wiseman among you which can iudge betweene his brother but the brother goeth to lawe with the brother that before infidels Wherfore those wise men which were resiant in some certaine place beeing faithfull and godly not those which discoursed this way and that way for the Gospel sake I say such would hee haue to bee the examiners of those matters For which cause it is no where written of him that he at any time attended vpon any such busines from the which notwithstanding we cannot bee excused albeit wee bee of the number of those which are least esteemed because he would haue those also set vp if wise men were wanting rather then that the controuersies should bee brought into the open and ordinarie Court The which labour notwithstanding we vndertake not without comfort in the Lorde for the hope of eternall life that we may bring forth fruit with patience Thus saith Augustine whose reasons in my iudgement may satisfie any reasonable man verely they satisfie mee neither can I finde anie thing to mislike in this action of his This is one generall maxime in the rules of Christianity That whatsoeuer wee reade in the word of God eyther forbidden beeing not euill of his owne nature or commaunded beeing of it selfe not good in those thinges Christian charitie dispenseth and disposeth of the matter as the time the place and the cause doth require Vnto the which whosoeuer doth refuse to subscribe he doth it of stubborne and froward hypocrisie not of any religion or deuotion he hath of the precept Neyther is the Diuines rule vnknown concerning those things which are bidden or forbidden in the word of God namely That some thinges are forbidden because they are euill and some thinges are euill because they are forbidden suppose for some especiall purpose And againe on the contrary part That there are some things commanded because they are good and some thinges therefore to bee accounted good because they are commaunded by God who requireth such thinges of men for some especiall causes Now those things which are of the first sort and section are vnder a constant and perpetual law and not to be changed by any means but there is not the like condition of the other sort neither do they bind anie man any further then the reason and occasion of the law doth require Examples of this matter wee haue in the obseruation of the Sabaoth and the vse of the Shew-bread of the which it was not lawfull for any man to eate but the Priests onely besides many other things of like nature which we read to be either commaunded or condemned In this our case it is no crime to be a King nor to be a Magistrate a capitall sinne And therfore the reason of the commandement abating the thing it selfe abideth free and it remaineth lawfull for Princes and other Magistrates to be of power to command the Bishops of the Church in a Christian common-wealth those things which would rather be an aide and an ornament then any hurt or impediment to their holy calling I speake of calling in generall not of any one mans calling which haplie may be hindred and shall haue neede of others which may helpe him but of all theirs which are in the same calling vnto whome there ariseth any honour and authoritie from the rest So that if all things be throughly examined and all commodities with all discommodities compared together which may any waies accrue vnto the Church and common wealth I doubt not but that which wanteth in one parte shall be requited
day do gouern the Church of England And yet neither the zeale of my duty nor the conscience of their demerits will suffer me to passe ouer in thankles silence the sacred memory of that most reuerend Father Iohn L. Archbishop of Canterbury with that godly Diocessan VVilliam L. Bishop of Couentry mine own Ordinary As for the rest they are all known to me alike I knew some-times neither shall they euer bee vnknowen that most reuerend L. and Father Edward Grindall the memorye of which man is renowned in all the Churches of Christ and two other BB. no lesse famous for their learning and religion Iewell L. Bishop of Salisburie and Horne L. Bishop of VVinchester whose religious godlines rare knowledg I could wish that al the BB. euil-pleased emulists had among them euery man his part What other Bishoppes and Archbishops happy England hath bred within our memory their lerned works declame in our studies and their inflamed bloud doth yet speake in the booke of Martyrs That they were men both of sincere life and singular learning what man if a man that will deny it I testifie therefore that I do not defend Bishops if there be any euill but the calling of Bishops which in my conscience I iudge before God who shall iudge my conscience to bee godly christian ancient Apostolike profitable and necessary As for the crimes and abuses with the which the euil spirits charge our Bishoppes they touch their person not their function The tyranny of Rome being surprised the authority of Princes restored to their right places wherin so-euer any Bishop offendeth if indeed hee offendeth it may easily be corrected and it chiefly concerneth the chiefe Magistrate to see that godly men well noted for their virtues such as the word of God doth commend be set ouer the churches If the Princes neglect this let the peple know that scisme is a remedy worse then the malady for what sedicion is in the Common-welth the same is scisme in the Church of Christ And albeit these things doe litle concerne those churches which are committed to your charge reuerend Brethren where there are no Bishops or rather where they are all Bishops notwithstanding I haue more largely dilated of these things that the whole matter may be made manifest vnto al you and that you all may vnderstand that the honor which is giuen vnto Bishops is both an aid and an aduauncement to the Church or christian Common-wealth and that you may take aime by this how farre wide they are which inuey them this honor desire to make them or to make no more of them then of ordinary men That which I am perswaded Satan with a certain wile hath procured that so he may bring downe all the Pastors into contempt togeather that so the whole authority of religion being little or naught woorth himselfe might freely cast forth al manner contumelies and blasphemies against Christ For who are they which durst oppose or could preuaile against the enterprises of his more mightie complices I know what I speake neither can you beloued bee ignorant thereof But I haue said enough of this matter for this time and wil one day if God wil speak more plainely of that which remaineth CHAP. XXX Whether it be better for Ministers to liue of the stipends of the Magistrate or of the oblations of the faithfull AL they which thinke that the Ministers of the Gospell may liue of the Gospell are not of one iudgement For there bee some which hold that Ministers ought to liue of the tythes and oblations onely of Christians renouncing all temporall goods and surrendering them to the Prince and people Other are of opinion that they ought so to liue for so long onely as the Magistrate is an enemy to christianitie who so soone as he hath receaued the Gospel ought to prouide that Ministers may be allotted their sufficient stipends the which thing when hee hath once performed from thence foorth there ought to be no more oblations For my part I am of a contrary opinion for that I am taught by the word of God that oblations ought to continue in the Church and that because they are the exercises and testimonies of our religion towards God and his seruantes by the which wee not onely pay our vowes to the Almighty but therewith also the Pastors to the people and the people to the Pastors are mutually deuoted the one to the other For I know not how a man doth not onely binde with his bounty but is bound himselfe also after a secret manner And as the benefactor maketh him his owne of whome hee doth deserue so likewise himselfe becommeth his and they both if so be there be a free and an ingenious disposition in both reioyce in the same benefit as wel he which giueth as he which receiueth Now therefore me thinks theyr reasons are too too politicke and prophane by the which oblations are abrogat in som Churches For albeit religion ought not to be measured by allowance yet is it not to be without a reward As for that they so hotly alledge of the many and manifold abuses thereof it is to no purpose vnles we should say that the ceremonies also which were commaunded were to be abrogated euen then while they were commanded and all other sacred rites which God hath ordained were together to be abolished because Hypocrites haue and doe wickedly abuse the same For what is there so sacred which the impiety of men will not prophane Wherefore we are rather to inquire what God hath commaunded not what this or that man thinketh most commodious If any man obiect that oblations are antiquated as are also tithes and all other sacrifices and ceremonies of the old lawe I would haue him to know if he be yet to learne that they are not exacted at this day in that manner neyther were so exacted of our Fathers as it may appeare by those theyr testimonies which I haue before noted but that they are onely required as testimonies of a thankfull mind towards God and a propensiue deuotion towards his Church But this kinde of duety hath no temporall prescription it is perpetual and bindeth the faithfull to the worlds end It is also obiected that where the Pastors are abundantly prouided for by the ample reuenews of the Church or other set certaine stipends there oblations ought to cease I aunswere that the oblations may be the lesse or not so often as otherwise they ought to be where the Church hath no fermes or receyueth no annuall increase of theyr fieldes but not that there ought to be none The end of oblations is not only the necessary reliefe of the Ministers but our dutifull deuotion towards God And hence is it that the wise man sayth in the third of his Prouerbes Honor the Lord with thy riches and with the first fruits of thine increase c. He doth not say Honor the Priest who notwithstanding was to bee honored and