lives and practises of our Bishops that I speake not of any others how they now openly fight against God his Word his Ministers Ordinances worship people grace holines yea morall vertue honesty civility and that with both hands both swords at once wee may rather wonder that the Lord himselfe doth not visiblie descend from heaven and raine downe fire and brimstone on us as hee once did on Sodome and Gomorrah and then tumble vs all headlong into hell yea our Archbishops Bishops and Prelates specially may justly feare hee will strike them all quite dead with Plague as hee did Pope Lucius the second who died of the pestilence Pope Caelestine the second swept away with the same disease both within the compasse of two yeares Wichardus Arch-bishop of Canterbury elect who going with great presents from King Oswy unto the Pope to Rome to fetch thence his pall and conse 〈…〉 ion hee and most of his company there perished with the Pest Thomas Bradwardin Archbishop of Canterbury An. 1348. The Bishop of Marselles and all his Chapter An. 1348. Daniel the 13 Bishop of Prague Anno 1116. The Bishope of Par 〈…〉 Rhegium and Millain Anno 1085. with many other Archbishops and Bishops forecited heretofore that they might no longer be an insufferable Plague and burthen to the earth or provocation and greivance even to heaven it selfe or else deale with them in that exemplary way of Iustice as hee did with Thomas Arundle Archbishop successively both of Yorke and Canterbury one of their predecessors a greivous persecutor of Gods people and great silencer and suspender of his Ministers who occupying both his tongue his braines and Episcopâ—ll power as too many of his successors have done since to stop the mouthes and tye vp the tongues of Gods Ministers and hinder the preaching course of Gods word was by Gods just judgmeÌ„t so stricken in his tongue with which hee had oft staundered the poore Ministers Saints of God as seditious factions people rebels Conventiclers to K. Henry the fourth as some of his Rochet doe now to his Maiesty that it swelled so bigge he could neither swallow nor speake for some dayes before his death much like after the example of the rich glutton and so hee was starved choked and killed by this strange tumor of his tongue This say all the marginall writers was thought of many to come upon him by the iust hand of God for that hee so bound and much stopped the word of the Lord that it might not be peached in his dayes Our Prelates now have farre greater cause then hee had then to feare Gods Iudgements in this or a more grievous nature and that in these regards First Because they have his Example with many other like Presidents of divine revenge upon persecuting truth-suppressing Prelates to wante and terrifie them which this Prelate never heard of and so are more inexcusable then hee Secondly Because his silencing of the Preachers and hindring the preaching of the Gospell proceeded rather from error ignorance of the truth and misguided zeale then malice or hatred against the Gospell Ministers and professors of it But our Bishops proceedings in this kinde proceeds from direct and willfull malice and emnity against the truth Gospell Ministers and Saints of God against inward conviction and the testimony of their owne consciences staring them in the face the very sinne against the holy Ghost himselfe or next degree thereto into which they are dangerously fallen Thirdly Because hee persecuted silenced or suspended none that professed the same truth faith and doctrine which hee and the Church of England then embraced but onely those whom hee and the Church of England then deemed both heretickes and Schismatickes But our Prelates now silence suspend excommunicate deprive imprison persecute those who professe and maintaine the established doctrine and discipline of the Church of England which themselves pretend to defend and strive for those who are members yea pillars of our owne Orthodoxe Church and neither seperate from it in point of doctrine nor discipline being likewise altogether spotles innocent undefiled in their lives even because they preach and defend Gods truth and the Doctrines the Articles of the Church of England against Papists Arminians and superstitious Romanizing Novellers A thing so strange that the like was never heard or read off in any age Church State but ours onely yea a thing so detestable as not found among the Savage b 〈…〉 ite beasts as Tygers Lyons Wolves Beares who ever hold together and prey not one upon the other Parâ—it cognatis maculis similis fera being as old as true and therefore most monstrous most detestable in our Christian Church and Prelates who must needs expect the extremity of Gods Judgements to light upon them for it Fourthly Because hee put downe preaching and silenced Gods Ministers in times of health and prosperity onely but our Prelates even now in this time of sicknesse and mortality when God in speciall maner cals upon them To crie aloude and spare not to lift up their voyces like a trumpet and shew the people their transgression and the howse of Jacob their sinnes yea which is the hight and upshot of all impiety they take advantage of this present pestilence and mortality to put downe all Lectures and preaching when as all former ages have set them up together with prayer and fasting to as a speciall anti 〈…〉 and preservative * against the Plague which they now pretend to be a meanes to spread it An impiety that heaven and earth may well stand amâ—azed at and future ages will hardly credit yea the very capitall sinne of which the Iewes were guilty f who both killed the Lord Jesus and their owne Prophets and persecuted and chased out as the margin renders it the Lords Ministers forbidding them to preach to the Gentiles that they might be saved to fill up their sinnes alway for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost A text which should smite through the loynes and hearts of all persecuting Prelates and silencers of Gods Ministers who prohibit and put downe preaching the cheife and most principall office whereunto Preists or Bishops be called by the auehority of the Gospel as all the Bishops and whole Clergy of England have resolved in the Institution of a Christian man dedicated by them to King Henry the 8. and subscribed with all their names as the very Councell of Trent it selfe hath deemed in these words Praedicationis munus Episcoporum praecipuum est as the Church of England herselfe in the Homily of the right use of the Church p. 3. 4. 5. and before them all our Saviour Christ himselfe his Prophets and Apostles have past all dispute concluded I shall therefore desire these dumbe silencing and silent Prelates who would have all other Ministers as lasie mute and silent as themselves favouring all dumbe dogs that
his but theirs and hee if hee should chance to chalenge and resume them as his owne might not henceforth owne or claime them to be his they have litle reason now to attempt and his Majesty farre lesse to suffer and so having neither God nor the King divine nor humaine Right to support them they must as the proverbe is between two stooles the arse goes to the ground now at last in the middest of their usurped greatnes fall flat upon the ground and this their fall q proove very great because they now of late are growen so not being content with the office of a Bishop but they must be also Kings temporall Lords and cheife state officers against Christs expresse commaund and Gods owne Law to sway both Church and state at pleasure so they may ingrosse into their sacred hands the sole rule and government of the world having great possessions and being great Lords also as they are Prelates and yet doing nothing therefore at all in point of preaching fecding and instructing the people committed to their spirituall charge but onely playing the part of a Bishop as a Christmas game-player doth of a King and as a Poppet which springeth up and downe and cryeth Peepe Peepe and goeth his way as Doctor Barnes writes wittily of the Bishops of his age Which swelling greatnesse 〈◊〉 ambition of theirs as it will make their downefall the greater so the speedier being a sure prognosticke of their approaching ruine as the greatnesse of any unnaturall swelling in the body is of its present ensuing rupture u Pride ever going before destruction and a lofty spirit before a fall and they usually dogging them at the heeles because God himselfe resisteth the proud but then most of all when they are at the highest according to that of the Psalmist Thou puttest away all the wicked of the earth like drosse which assoone as ever it hath gotten up to the top of the pot and elevated it selfe above the 〈◊〉 mettle is then scummed off and cast away Towards which their desired speedy downfall if these my unworthy labours shall through Gods blessing on and thy prayers for them contribute any assistance for the ease releife or comfort of Gods poore people who are every where most wrongfully without yea against all Law and reason oppressed and cast out of their benefices freeholds possessions imprisoned fined excommunicated silenced suspended vilified crushed and troden under feet by their intolerable tyrannie might and unbounded extravagant power I shall neither repent me of the penning nor thou thy selfe of the reading of it wherefore here humbly prostrating it to thy impartiall Censure and commending it to the blessing of that omnipotent God who to shew the infinitenes of his wisedome and power doth oft times choose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise the weake things of the world to confound the things that are mighty and base things of the world and things that are despised yea and things that are not to bring to nought things that are that no flesh should glory in his presence I shall take my leave of thee till some further occasion Farewell and pray for me To the Right Reverend Fathers in God William Lord Archbishop of Canterbury And Richard Lord Archbishop of Yorkes Primates and Metropolitanes of all England MY Lords I have sundry times heard both of you joyntly and severally protesting even in open Court not onely in the High-Commission but in Dr. Laytons and two other cases since Starchamber too whether seriously or vauntingly onely let the event determine That if you could not proove your Episcopall Iurisdiction and function which you now claime and exercise over other Ministers and your selves as you are Bishops to be superior in power dignity and degree to other Ministers Iure Divino a doctrine which Patricke Adamson Archbishop of S. Andrewes in Scotland publikely recanted in the Synod of Fiffe Anno 1591. as directly repugnant to and having no foundation at all in the word of God you would forthwith cast away your Rochets of your backes lay downe your Bishoprickes at his Majesties feet and not continue Bishops on ehower longer What your Lordships have so oft averred and publikely promised before many witnesses I hope bonâ fide because judicially in full Court upon goodadvise not rashly on some sodaine fitt of choler I shall make bold to challenge you to make good without more delay either by giving a solid satisfactorie speedy answere to this short Treatise consisting onely of 2. Questions which you may devide between you and so speedily reply to if your great secular occasions not your praying and frequent preaching which are onely truly Epicopall though you deeme them overmeane imployment for Arch-bishops interrupt you not which manifests all that Jus Divinum which hitherto both or either your Lordships have pretended for your Episcopalities to be but a meere absurd ridiculous faction having not the least shadow of Scripture to support it or in case you either cannot or faile to give such an Answer to it in convenient time by pulling off your Rochets and resingning up your Archbishoprikes which without all question are but a meere humaine and no divine Institution as I have evidenced into his Majesties hands from whom you dare not deny you onely and wholly received them with all your Episcopall Jurisdiction and Authority thereunto annexed whereby you difference your selves from or advance your selves above your Fellow-Ministers as their supreme Lords unlesse you will split your selves against the hard rocke of a Praemunire and the Statutes of 26. H. 8. c. 1. 31. H. 8. c. 9. 10. 37. H. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz. c. 1. 5. Eliz. c. 1. 8. Eliz. c. 1. which Acts as they will informe your Lordships notwithstanding all your former vaunts and brags of divine right That the Archbishops Bishops Arch-deacons and other Ecclesiasticall persons of this Realme HAVE NO MANER OF IVRISDICTION ECCLESIASTICALL BVT BY VNDER AND FROM THE KINGS ROYALL MAJESTY to whom by holy Scripture ALL AVTHORITY AND POWER IS WHOLY GIVEN to heare and determine all maner causes Ecclesiasticall and to correct vice and sinne whatsoever and to all such persons as his Majesty shall appoint thereunto That all authority and Iurisdiction spirituall and temporall is derived and deducted from the Kings Majesty as supreme head of the Church and Realme of England and so justly acknowledged by the Cleargy thereof That all Courts Ecclesiasticall within the Realme were then and now ought to be though they are not kept by no other power or authority either forraigne or within the Realme but by the authority of his most excellent Majesty onely and that by vertue of some speciall commission or letters Patents under his Majesties great Seale and in his name and right alone That all power of Visitation of the Ecclesiasticall State and Persons much more then of our Vniversities
lecture no wayes overburthen some to your memories which I shall here read unto you for your good if you please either so to interpret it or come with a sincere conscience for to heare it It may be that in regard of your sacred Episcopall Order you conceit your selves altogether plague-free and as wholly exempt from divine as you now strive to be from temporall Iurisdiction which makes you neither to dread the plague which hath seised upon sundry Kings and laid them in the dust nor as yet any way to endeavour by fasting and prayer to prevent either it or that famine likely to accompanie it But to instruct you how you are still but men and so exposed to all those mortall sicknesses which continually assault the crazy fortresses of our earthly Tabernacles Non obstante your Rochets Miters Crosiers and all other your Episcopall harnesse give me leave in a word or two to acquaint you That Pelagius the second though a Pope and Bishop of Rome notwithstanding his Pontificall Robes Exorcismes Pompe and Charmes was both seised upon and devoured of this impartiall disease Anno Dom. 591. as Platina Onuphrius Anastatius Stella Fasciculus Temporum Balaeus Luitprandius Vitelius and others testify in his life which Plague as Petrus Blesensis Archideacon of Bath records was sent by God as a just Judgement upon the Romans and Italians for giving themselves to drinking feasting DAVNCING sports and Pastimes even on Easter day and other following Holy-dayes after their participation of the blessed Sacrament of Christs body and blood many of them being consâ—med and dying of the plague in the very midst of their sports mirth ales ord posâ—â—mes and on this Pope himselfe for not restraining them from this prophanes A president which should make your Lordships feare and tremble this present Plague beginning here on Easterweeke last as that Plague then did no doubt for the selfesame prophanation of Gods owne day and Sacraments with those abuses sports sinnes pastimes for which they then were plagued which your Lordships have not onely not restrained but countenanced patronized and propagated all you could this Pope going not so farre Cantinus Bishop of Avernium Cato his Successor in the same See Rupertus Bishop of Triers Hermannus Bishop of Verdâ—num Rainold Bishop of Colen Conrade Bishop of Augusta Walricus Bishop of Spiers Ruggerus Bishop of Herbipolis and Sigsridus of the same Eberhardus Bishop of Ratisbon Gerion Bishop of Halberstat all died of the plague In the great Plague that happened in the Emperor Frederike Barbarossa his armie in Italy many Germane Prelates and some German Princes which came with him died of the Pestilence neither their consecration nor their function being any antidote against this disease In the great Councell of Basil Anno 1431. to name no more forraigne examples Lodovicus Patriarke of Aquilcia the Bishops of Ebron Lubecke Constance and others died of the Plague Aencas Silvius himselfe afterwards Pope being there stricken with this disease where of bee lay three dayes together at the point of death all men despairing of his life but yet by Gods helpe escaped If any of your Lordships should thinke these forraigne Presidents proove not that any English Prelates are obnoxious to the selfe-same disease to rectify this mistake I shall present you with some domesticke examples worthy your most serious consideration Ann. Dom. 664 on the 26. day of October Ceadda the second Bishop of London with all the Monkes of his new erected Monasterie at Lestinghen were taken away with the Plague The very next yeare following Anno 665. Tuda the fourth Bishop of Durham died of the Pestilence Anno 1258. Fulco Basset the 45. Bishop of London was smitten to death with the same fatall disease Michael Northbrooke his Successor the 57. Bishop of London Anno 1361. perished of the Plague and the same yeare Reginald Brian Bishop of S. Davids being translated to Ely deceased of the Plague before his translation could be perfected And to cite no more in so plaine a case Anno 1500. Thomas Langhton Bishop of Winchester then Archbishop of Canterbury elect but not enstalled and Thomas Rotheram Archbishop of Yorke were both in the selfe same yeare swept away together with this pestilentiall disease These severall Presidents to omit all others may be a good Memento and Monition to your Lordships being Bishops and Archbishops to put you in minde both of your mortality in generall which most feare you seldome seriously consider off being so over-much taken up with secular imployments not compatible with your spirituall functions that you though Bishops are subject to this disease this stroke of God as well as others as these your Predecessors therfore should now at length after so many weekes delay endeavour to appease Gods wrath and cease this plague begun among us which every day spreads it selfe more and more by publike fasting prayer preaching and humiliation the remedy not onely prescribed in Scripture by God himselfe but likewise by the whole Church and State of England in the two last great plagues both in 1. Iacobi and in the first yeare of our present Soveraignes raigne as the severall Bookes of common prayer and order of fasting then published by these noble Princes speciall commaund yet testifie on record both of these bookes joyntly confessing and bewayling that among other sinnes occasioning these two dreadfull man-eating Pests this was not the least That the SABBATH DAY was not kept holy but prophaned and therfore no wonder that these plagues breake in upon us And may not your Lordships and the whole Kingdome justly feare that this very Sinne of Sabbath-breaking and prophaning Gods owne sacred day by sports WAKES MAYGAMES DAVNCING drunkennesse chambering wantonnesse idlenesse travelling unnecessary labor and the like which drew on these two former plagues upon us hath been one maine cause of this present Pest which beginnes thus freshly to destroy us It being most apparant to our shame and I feare to all our smart that the Lords-day Sabbath for so our owne Homilies ten times stiled it before the Troubles of Frankfort Anno 15â—4 when Doctor Pocklington or Doctor Boundes Booke Anno 1595. when Doctor Heylynfables that the Lords day was first anabaptized a Sabbath day and Christned with this name by some Jewish Godfather to overthrowe the Liturgie and discipline of the Church of England who yet gave it this Title long before these ignorant Doctors dreame both in her Homilies and approoved writers workes hath of late beene more generally publikely audaciously prophaned in most places of the Realme by the fore named Pastimes abuses and disorders then beforethose two sweeping plagues not onely in point of practise which is ill but even in point of Doctrine which is worse many late authorized Histories Treatises and Discourses of the Sabbath not fearing publikely to maintaine the Lawfullnesse of dauncing morrises maygames dedication
Feastes pastimes sports and ordinary labor even in Gods owne day as the Doctrine of the Church of England when as acute Master Iohn Sprint in his proposition for the Christian Sabbath day printed by license London 1607. p. 4. newly reprinted and learned Doctor John White in his way to the true Church 5. times printed by Authority yea sett forth and defended by Doctor Francis White now Bishop of Ely expresly brand it not onely as a Popish and Heathenish practise but likewise as a point of Popish religion which directly tends to the maintenance of open sinne and liberty of life and expresly allowes most palpable wickednesse directly tending to the desolation of publike government and private honesty being that which hath made the Papists the most notorious Sabbath-breakers that live Zanchius and Musculus also branding this very Doctrine of liberty they now teach and the practise of 〈◊〉 as Popish and all the Bishops Cleargy King Lords Commons and Parliament of England in King Henry the S. his raigne condemning it in two severall bookes as meerly Iewish to checke the dotage of those Novell Doctors who defi 〈…〉 the strict sanctification of the Lords day by abstinence from dauncing sports and pastimes Iudaizing when as that they plead for is truly such This grosse prophanation therefore of the Lords day both in Doctrine and practise aggravated with the late suspending silencing excōmunicating pursevaning vexing persecuting depriving croushing of many learned painfull godly conscionable Ministers both against all the Rules of Canon Law Common Law Statute Law conscience reason piety charity justice and the Presidents of all former ages meerly for refusing out of conscience upon their Episcopall Mandates to have any hand or finger in acting in proclaiming any thing which might animate their people to this pestiferous sinne punished within these three yeares with many memorable particular judgements of God immediately executed from heaven hath no doubt so farre provoked our most gracious God that now he can hold off his hands no longer from smiting us with his dreadfull Iudgements which some of us have allready felt and most of us now feare who questionlesse will never take off his Pests and Iudgements from us till your Lordships shall take off your most unjust Suspensions and censures from those who have thus suffered in his quarrell and all of us repented of this our crying sinne of prophaning Gods owne sacred day both in point of Doctrine and practise An abhomination never more rife in any then this our present age by reason of your Lordships patronizing propagating and defending of it in such a publike shameles violent maner as no former age can ever paralell to Gods dishonor your owne eternall infamie and the fitting of your selves and this whole Kingdome for those publike judgements not onely of a late extraordinary cold winter and two successive drie summers which threaten a famine of bread to recompence that Famine of Gods word that you have lately caused to omitt all other miseries which we suffer but likewise of that plague which is now dispersed In the pulling downe whereof as your Lordships have had nodoubt a deeper hand then others so you have great cause to feare you shall feele the irresistable mortiferous stroke thereof as much or more then others The Plague you well know is Gods owne Arrow Psal 91. 5. who ordaineth his arrowes against the Persecutors Psal 7. 13. And are not some at least of your Lordships such It is Gods owne hand 2. Sam. 24. 14. 15. Ier. 21. 6. Now Gods hand shall finde out all his Enemies his right hand shall finde out those that hate him Psal 21. 8. And are not many of your Lordships in that number It is Gods owne brandished sword Psal 8. 6. And whom doth God wound and slay therewith but the †head of his Enemies and the hayry scalpe of those who goe on still in their trespasses And are not to many of your Lordships such who even now in the very midst of Gods Iudgements proceed on still in your malicious violent implacable hatred enemities and persecutions against Gods faithfull Ministers Saints and the very power of holinesse in your Lordly Pompe ambition avarice pride envy arrogance cruelty oppression injustice luxury secularity suppression of preaching prayer fasting Communion of Saints and what ever savours of piety and in profaning of Gods owne sacred day both in your doctrine practise which is seldome worse solemnized or more prophaned as Master Bucer long since observed Quam in ipsis Episcoporum aulis then in Bishops owne Pallaces where neither Lord nor Chaplaine nor servant make any great conscience of prophaning it sundrie wayes to give the better example of piety and holinesse unto others How then being heavy laden with these many sinnes and having the prayers the cries the clamours the teares the sighes and groanes of all Gods people against you if not of the whole Kingdome to the dayly imprecations of many distressed Ministers people whom you have most injuriously and inhumanely handled without any lawfull cause can you but feare Gods vengeance and expect his plagues to sweepe such Clods of sinne and mischiefe such Pests and Prodigies as you are cleane away Be wise now therefore O yee Kings for such are you now become by giving absolute Lawes and prescribing what Ceremonies Articles Rites Oathes and Novelties you please even in your owne names and rights alone unto his Majesties people and executing all Lordly Kingly Soveraignity and Dominion over mens bodies and estates as well as soules contrary to your Saviours expresse Inhibition Math. 20. 25. 26. be learned O yee Iudges of the earth for such are you now in many temporall Courts and would be gladly such in more in steed of being preaching Bishops in our Pulpits and Pastors of mens soules Serve the Lord in feare for that is in truth your duty not to be Lords your selves or reverenced and served with feare as Lords are wont to be and rejoyce unto him not with Organes Choristers Pipes and Daunces but with trembling kisse the sonne whom you have hitherto buffeted persecuted in his faithfull Ministers and Servants least he be angry and ye perish in the way even now when his wrath is kinded but a litle and his plagues but newly kinded least if ye refuse to turne from all your former sinnes and wickednesses hee begin at last to bruise you with this his rod of Iron and dash you in peeces like a Potters vessell and there be none to deliver you from this his raging fury Remember I beseech you that of the Prophet Nahum God is jealous and the Lord revengeth the Lord revengeth and is furious the Lord will take vengeance on his adversaries and he reserveth wrath for his enemies And though he hath a long time suffred you with much patience as he doth other vessels of wrath fitted to destruction to spoyle oppresse and
to Troas Acts. 20. 4 5. and from thence to Italy Philippi and Rome Heb. 13 23. Phil. 1 1 c. 2. 19. Col. 1 1. 2 Tim. 4. 9 13. hee being never resident at Ephesus for ought appeares in Scripture or authentique story after Paules returne out of Macedonia His abode therefore at Ephesus being but for so short a time and hee so great a Nonresident from it afterward cannot possibly argue him to be a Diocaesan Bishop of that Church Answ 3. Thirdly Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to abide is oft applyed in Scripture to a short abode for a day or two or some little space as well as to a perpetuall fixed residence as Math. 15 32. Marke 8. 2. So it is in the objected text where it is put only in opposition to Paules journey into Macedonia in respect whereof Timothy continuing at Ephesus till his returne might be truely said to abide there though after his returne hee remooved thence to other Churches as Gersonius Bucerus De Gubernatione Ecclesiae p 502. to 518 observes Answ 4. Fourthly Paul did not injoyne but beseech Timothy to abide at Ephesus therefore his residence there was but arbitrary at his owne pleasure not coactive not injoyned by vertue of any Episcopall office this Text therefore cannot proove Timothy to be Bishop of Ephesus no more then his stay at Corinth and other places whether Paul sent him proove him to be Bishop of those Churches Answ 5. Finally Admit Timothy to be both the first and sole Bishop of Ephesus which is false yet this makes nothing for but against our Hierarchicall and Diocaesan Bishops for Ephesus was but one City one Parish one Church one flocke and Congregation as is evident by Acts. 20. 17 28 29 c. 18 24 25 26 c. 19 1. to 18 Ephes 1 1 c. 4 4 16 c. 6 21 22 23. 1 Tim. 1 3 c. 5 17 to 23. Rev. 1 20 c. 2. 1. So that the argument from this example is but this Timothy was onely Bishop of one City Parish Church Flock and Congregation not of many Therefore all Bishops ought to be so too as well as hee Obj. If any object that the City of Ephesus was a Dioces for it had many Elders therefore many Parishes and severall Congregations Acts. 20 17 28. 1 Tim. 5. 17. Answ 1. I answer that the argument followes not For first in the Apostles times and in the primitive Church every particular Church and Congregation had many Elders Ministers and Deaâ—ons in it who did joyntly teach and instruct it and likewise governe and order it by their common Counsell and consent as is evident by Acts 1. 14. to 26. c. 2. 1. to 47. c. 3. 1. c. 4. 3. 8. 9. 20. 21. 23 31. to 37. c. 5. 18. to 33. 42. c. 6. 1. to 9. c. 11. 29. 30. c. 14. 23. c. 15. 2. to 23. 25 32. c. 20. 17. to 30. c. 21. 18. Phil. 1. 1. 1. Tim. 5. 4. to 14. c. 5. 17 Tit. 1. 5. 7. Jam. 5. 14. 1. Cor. 14. 23. to 33. Ignatius Epist 5. 6 8. 9. 10. 11. 13. 14. Policarpus Epist. ad Philippenses Irenaeus contra Haeres l. 3. c. 2. l. 4. c. 43 44. Tertull. Adversus Gentes Apolog. c. 39. Hieronymus Sedulius Chrysostomus Primasius Remigius Haymo Kabanus Maurus Oecumenius Theophylact Anselmus Petrus Lombardus and sundry others in their Commentaries and expositions upon Philip. 1. 1. 1. Tit. 5. Acts. 15. and 20. 17. 28. The fourth Councell of Carthage Can. 22. 23. 24. 25. The Councell of A 〈…〉 en under Ludovicus Pius Can. 8. 10. 11. The 12. Councell of Toledo Can. 4. and all writers generally accord Secondly wee at this day have many Prebends Canons and Ministers in every Cathedrall and Collegiate Church yea in every Colledge in our Vniversities and elsewhere yet but one Church and Congregation Thirdly We have in many other Churches in the Country where the Parishes are large and there are divers Chappels of ease many Curates and Ministers yet but one Church one Parish not a Dioces neither is the cheife Minister either a Bishop or Diocaesan though hee have diverse Curates and Ministers under him to assist him in his Ministery yea in many places where there is but one Church no such Chappels of ease and the Parish great we have severall Ministers Lecturers and Curates in some 4 or 5 in most 2 or 3 yet no Dioces no Bishopricke Neither is this a Novelty but an ancient constitution not onely instituded by the Apostles and continued ever since but likewise enjoyned by the Councell of Oxford under Stephan Langhton Archbishop of Canterbury in the yeare of our Lord 12 22. which decreed that in all Parish Churches where the Parish is great there should be 2 or 3 Presbyters at the least according to the greatnes of the Parish and the value of the Benefice least that one onely Minister being sicke or otherwise debilitated Ecclesiasticall Benefits which God forbid should be either withdrawne or denied to the Parishioners that were sicke or willing to be present at divine offices The multitude or plurality therfore of the Elders in the Church of Ephesus is no argument at all to proove that is was a Dioces or that Timothy was a Diocaesan Bishop because hee had Ministers and Curates under him for then our Deacons Archdeacons and Pluralists who have many livings Chappels and so many Curates and Ministers under them should be Diocaesan Bishops too by this reason Secondly I answer that admit there were divers Churches and Congregations in Ephesus which is very improbable the greatest part of the Citizens being Idolaters and the Citty itselfe a worshipper of the great Goddesse Diana and of the Image which fell downe from Jupiter Acts. 19 21. to 41. yet it can not be prooved that Timothy was cheife Bishop and Superintendent over all these Churches but onely of one of them as every Minister and Bishop of England is a Minister and Bishop of the Church of England but not a Minister and Bishop in and over all the Curches of England but in and over his owne Parish Church and Dioces onely For Paul himselfe who planted that Church and resided in it for three yeares space during which time it is like there was no Diocaesan Bishop of it but himselfe expresly cals the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Bishops and Overseers of that Church and that by the Holy Ghostes owne institution and thereupon exhorts them to take heed to all the flocke and to feed and rule that Church of God which hee had purchased with his owne blood Acts. 20. 28. 1. Tim. 5. 17. Since therefore every one of these Elders by the Holy Ghostes institution and Paules resolution was no other but a Bishop over his owne flocke if severall both to instruct and rule it it is certaine that Timothy if hee were a Bishop of Ephesus and there were many Churches there was onely Bishop of one of them not of all and
Reformatione Can. 7. 8. it enjoynes that according to the ancient Canons when Ministers or Deacons are to be ordained that the Bishop calling to him the Preistes and other prudent men skilfull of the divine Law and exercised in Ecclesiasticall constitutions should diligently enquire and examine before them the stocke person age institution maners doctrine and faith of those that were to be ordained and that those orders should be publikely conferred and celebrated in the Cathedrall Church the Canons of the Church being called to and present at it or if in any other place or Church of the Diocesse Praesenti Clero Loci the Clergy of the place being present Pope Anacletus and the Canon Law having long before that time ordained That Preists and Deacons should be ordained by their owne Bishop Ita ut Cives Alij SACERDOTES assensum praebent So as the Citizens and other Preistes assented thereunto which they usually did and ought to doe as Gratian with others proove at large So that though this Councell and the other Canons and Constitutions debarre Presbyters and Ministers from the act and exercise of ordination which yet they ever use and practise as assistants to the Bishops who can ordaine none but by their assent since they ought to joyne with them in the imposition of hands yet they deprive them not of their inherent right nor yet of the exercise of it as assistants to the Bishop which they have ever used I passe now from these Councels and Constitutions to the Fathers who jumpe in judgment with them It is true that S. Hierome Epiphanius * Isidor Hispalensis Ambrose Augustine Leo and ‡ others affirme that Bishops onely in their time did use to ordaine Ministers and Deacons and that Presbyters might doe all things that Bishops did except the conferring of Orders and some other trifling toyes as consecrating of Altars Churches virgins Chrisme c. not warranted by Gods word yet none of them determine that the right and power of ordination belongs onely to Bishops by divine institution and appointment that Presbyters have no right at all by the word of God to conferre Orders or that they might not doe it in any case but they expresly averre the contrary For as they did joyne with the Bishop in the imposition of hands as appeares by the third Canon of the fourth Councell of Carthage forecited so in S. Ambrose his time in Egypt if the Bishop were absent the Presbyters use to consigne and conferre Orders as this Father testifieth and S. Augustine records That in Alexandria and throughout all Aegypt if the Bishop were wanting the Presbyter did consecrate and give orders Hence Aërius as Epiphanius reports his words reasoned in this maner What is a Bishop to a Presbyter one differs nothing from the other it is one order saith hee one honor and one dignity Imponit manus Episcopus ITA ETIAM PRESBYTER The Bishop imposeth his hands or ordaines Ministers so likewise doth the Presbyter The Bishop baptizeth so also doth the Presbyter The Bishop sitts in a throne so also doth the Presbyter And hee alleadged that the Apostle saith to a Bishop Neglect not the gift that is in thee which thou hast received by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery Epiphanius there denieth not directly that Presbyters then did use to ordaine but demaunds how it is possible for a Presbyter to ordaine not having imposition of hands in the election of Ministers or to say that hee is equall with a Bishop A false and miserable shift since all Histories Fathers Authors Councels testifie that in that age Presbyters had alwayes their voyces in the Elelection yea their hands in the ordination of Ministers and Deacons S. Hierome in his Commentary on Zeph. c. 2. Tom. 5. p. 218. D. writes exprefly SACERDOTES and that Preists and Presbyters who give baptisme and imprecate the Lords advent to the Eucharist make also the oyle of Chrisme MANVS IMPONVNT impose hands instruct the catechumeny LEVIT AS ET ALIOS CONSTITVVNT SACERDOTES ordaine Levites and other Preists Therefore Presbyters in S. Hieronymus time ordained Ministers Deacons and layd on hands as well as Bishops Yea Anastatius in the life of Pope Pelagius the first recordes that this Pope An. Christi 555. for want of three Bishops to ordaine him was ordained Pope by John Bishop of Perusia and Bonus Bishop of Florence and Andreas Presbyter de Hostia and Andrew Elder or Minister of Hostia which Luitprandius de Vitis Pontificum p. 84. and Albo Floriacensis in his life p. 140. likewise testifie Loe here a Presbyter or ordinary Minister ordaining not onely another Elder but a Bishop yea a Pope and supplying the place of a Bishop the generall Councell of Nice Can. 4. the first Councell of Arelat Can. 21. the second Councell of Carthage Can. 12. the third Councell of Carthage Can. â—9 the Councell of Aphricke Can. 16. the Councell of Rhegium An. 472 the Councell of Arausica Can. 21. the Councell of Chalcedon Act. 13. p. 187. with sundry Popes Decrees ordaining that no man shall be consecrated a Bishop but by three Bishops at least and that a consecration made onely by two Bishops shall be voyd and so this Pope no lawfully ordained Pope rules this Presbyter supplyed the place of a Bishop in his consecration and his Ordination good and valid by the Law of God though invalid and a meere nullity by the Canons An. 1390. about Wicklifs time there arose in England certaine bold Clerkes who affirmed that it was lawfull for them to make new Presbyters and Clerkes and conferre orders like Bishops teaching likewise that they were endued with the same power in Ecclesiasticall affaires as Bishops were whereupon they layd hands on many and ordained divers Ministers who affirmed likewise that they had equall and the selfesame Ecclesiasticall power with Bishops which was the constant Doctrine of Wicklife and the Waldensis which Doctrine of theirs was true but their practise discommended yet the Ministers thus ordained by them their ordination held lawfull by Gods Law yea and their ordination of others in those times in darknesse and persecution when no Wickilvists Lollards or other orthodox professors of the Gospel could be admitted into orders by the Bishops of that age unlesse they would subscribe to their Popish assertions as some of our Prelates now will admit none to receive orders unlesse they will first subscribe to such private positions and Ceremonies as are directly contrary to the established Doctrine and discipline of the Church of England by meanes whereof many godly men are kept from the Ministery And though Chrysostome Primasius Theodoret Ambrose Rabanus Maurus Oecumenius Theophilact Haymo with some others interpret that of the 1. Tim. 4. 14. By the Laying on of the hands of che Presbytery to be meant either of Paul himselfe or of the Senate of the Apostles or
prooved by Scripture reason and Authors of all sorts that none which read these passages of his can ever hereafter call this into question more Having runne thus long abroade I now in the last place returne to our owne Church and writers The Booke of ordination of Ministers ratified by two severall Acts of Parliament namely 3. Ed. 6. c. 12. and 8. Eliz. c. 1. and subscribed to by all our Prelates and Ministers by vertue of the 36. Canon as containing nothing in it contrary to the word of God expresly orders that when Ministers are ordained ALL THE MINISTERS PRESENT AT THE ORDINATION SHALL LAY THEIR HANDS TOGETHER WITH THE BISHOP ON THOSE THAT ARE TO BE ORDAINED And the 35. Can. made in Convocation by the Bishops and Clergy An. 1603. prescribes that the Bishop before hee admit any person to holy Orders shall diligently examine him in the presence of those Ministers that shall ASSIST HIM AT THE IMPOSITION OF HANDS And if the said Bishop have any lawfull impediment hee shall cause the sayd Ministers carefully to examine every such person so to be ordered Provided that they who shall assist the Bishop in examining AND LAYING ON OF HANDS shall be of his Cathedrall Church if they may be conveniently had or other sufficient preachers of the same Diocesse to the number of three at the least And according to this Booke of Ordination and Canon when ever any Ministers are ordained all the Ministers there present joyne with and assist the Bishop in layng on of hands on every one that is ordained So that both by the established Doctrine and practise of the Church of England the power of laying on hands and right of ordination is common to every of our Ministers as well as to our Bishops who as they cannot ordaine or lay hands on any without the Bishop so the Bishop can ordaine or lay hands on no Ministers without them so that the power and right of ordination rests equally in them both With what face or shadowe then of truth our Prelates now can or dare to Monopolize this priviledge to themselves alone against this Booke of Ordination their owne Canons subscriptions yea their owne and their Predecessors common practise to the contrary which perchance their overgreat imployments in temporall businesses secular state affaires have caused them wholly to forgett at least not to consider let the indifferent judge But to passe from them to some of our learned writers Alcuvinus De Divinis Officiis c. 37. writes that Bishops Presbyters and Deacons were anciently and in his time too elected by the Clergy and people and that they were present at their Ordination and consenting to it That the Bishops consecration in his dayes used in the Church of Rome wherein two Bishops held the Gospell or New Testament over the head of the Bishop consecrated and a third uttered the blessing after which the other Bishops present layde their hands on his head was but a Novelty not found in the old or new Testament nor in the Roman tradition And then heâ— prooves out of Hieroms Epistle to Evagrius and his Commentary on the first to Titus that the ancient consecration of Bishops was nothing else but their election and inthronization by the Elders who chose out one of their company for a Bishop and placed him in a higher seat then the rest and called him a Bishop without further Ceremony just as an Army makes a Generall or as if the Deacons should choose one from among them and call him an Archdeacon having no other consecration but such as the other Deacons had being advaunced above others onely by the Election of his fellow-brethren without other solemnity By which it is plaine that in the primitive Church Presbyters did not onely ordaine Presbyters and Deacons before there were any Bishops elected and instituted but likewise that after Bishops were instituted they ordained and consecrated Bishops as well as Elders and Deacons and that the sole ordination and consecration of Bishops in the Primitive and purest times was nothing but the Presbyters bare election and inthronization of them without more solemnity So that the other Rites and Ceremonies now used are but Novelties Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury on the 1. Tim. 4. 14. expounds these words with the laying on of hands of the Presbytery in this maner Hee cals that the laying on of hands which was made in his ordination which imposition of hands was in the Presbytery because that by this imposition of hands hee received an Eldership that is a Bishopricke For a Bishop is oftentimes called a Presbyter by the Apostle and a Presbyter a Bishop which in his Commentary on the third Chapter on Phil. 1. 1. Tit. 1. 5. 7. hee prooves to be but one and the same in the Apostles time and in the Primitive Church So that by his resolution the imposition of hands and power of ordaining Elders and Bishops belongs to Presbyters as well as to Bishops Our English Apostle John Wickliffe and his Coaetanean Richard Fitzralphe otherwise called Richardus Armachanus Arch-bishop and Primate of Ardmagh in Ireland if we beleeve either their owne writings or Thomas Walden who recites their opinions arguments and takes a great deale of paines though in vaine to refute them affirmed and taught First that in the defect of Bishops any one that was but a meere Preist was sufficient to administer any Sacrament or Sacramentals whatsoever either found in Scripture or added since Secondly That one who was but a meere Preist might ordaine another and that hee who was ordained onely by a simple Preist ought not to doubt of his Presbytership or to be ordained againe so as hee rightly performed his clericall office because the ordination comes from God who supplies all defects Thirdly That meere Preists may ordaine Preists Deacons and Bishops too even as the inferior Preists among the Jewes did ordaine and consecrate the High Preist as Bishops consecrate Archbishops and the Cardinals the Pope Fourthly That the power of order is equall and the same in Bishops and Preists and that by their very ordination they have power given them by Christ to administer all Sacraments alike therefore to conferre orders and confirme children which is the lesse as well as to baptise administer the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and preach the Gospell which is the greater Fiftly That Christ sitting in heaven hath given the power of consecrating and ordaining Preists and Deacons of Confirmation and all other things which Bishops now challenge to themselves to just Presbyters and that these things were but of late times even above 300. yeares after Christ reserved and appropriated to Bishops onely by their owne Canons and Constitutions to increase their Caesarian Pompe and pride And Waldensis himselfe who undertakes to refute these propositions saith expresly That no man hitherto â—ath denied that God in an urgent case of necessity gave the power of ordination to any one that is
writes thus For this cause the Apostle saith Hee that desires a Bishopricke desires a good worke Hee would expound what a Bishopricke is it is a name of labour not of honor For it is a Greeke word and derived from hence that hee who is made an Overseer overseeth those over whom hee is set namely by taking care of them For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is over but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is intention overseeing or care therefore if we will render 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine we may say it is to play the Superintendent that hee may understand that hee is not a Bishop who delights to be over others but not to profit them On which words Ludovicus Vives thus Comments The name of a Bishop is derived either from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to consider or from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth the same and to visit Whence Sâ—idas saith there were some sent from the Athenians to the Cities under them who should looke into their affaires and these were called Bishops that is as it were Overseers or Visitors and Observers In Holy Scriptures a Bishop is commonly called a Watchman as in Ezekiel 3. 17. c. 33. 2. 6. 7. and in Hosea 5. 1. The Lord complaineth that the Bishops were made a snare on Mizpah or in the watch tower and a net spread upon Tabor as if hee had spoken of the Bishops of this age who lay snares in their Bishoprickes and large nets to catch many but not with thinne holes or threades least the gift should swim thorough yea now it is so provided by the diligence and wits of certaine men that without evasion of this Law a Bishopricke may not onely be lawfully desired but likewise bought and sold S. Chrysostome in his 10. Hom. upon the 1. Tim. S. Hierom in his Epistle to Evagrius Beda on the 1. Pet. 2. 25. Anselme on Phil. 1. 1. Aquinas secunda secundae Qu. 184. Art 6. Petrus de Palude de Potest Coll. Apostol Art 1. all cited by Bishop Iewell in the Defense of the Apologie of the Church of England part 6. c. 2. Divis 1. p. 523. and S. Bernard also de Consideratione ad Eugenium l. 2. 3. joyntly resolve that a Bishop is nothing else but a Superintendent Watchman or Overseer and that hee is called a Bishop from hence that hee overseeth survaieth or watcheth over others with which all other ancient and moderne writers whether forraigne or domestique Papists or Protestants accord Heare onely Doctor Iohn Ponet Bishop of Winchester in his Apology against Doctor Martin in defence of Preists mariage c. 4. 5. p. 44. 52. 53. 54. who as hee there expresly reckons up Popes Cardinals BISHOPS Preists Monkes Canons Friers c. to be the Orders of Antichrist taxing them likewise severely and comparing them with the Eustathian heretickes for refusing to weare usuall garments and putting upon them garments of strange fashions to vary from the common sort of people in apparell So hee thus determines of the name Bishop and Superintendent And further whereas it pleaseth Martin not onely in this place but also hereafter to est at the name of Superintendent hee sheweth himselfe bent to condemne all things that be good though in so doing â—ee cannot avoyd his open shame Who knoweth not that the name Bishop hath so beene abused that when it was spoken the people understood nothing else but a great Lord that went in a white Rochet with a wide shaven Crowne and that carrieth an oyle boxe with him where hee used once in 7. yeare riding about to confirme children c. Now to bring the people fâ—â—m this abuse what better meanes can be dâ—vâ—sâ—d then to teach the people their error by another word out of the Scriptures of the same signification which thing by the terme superintendent would in time have beene well brought to posse For the ordinary paines of such as were called superintendents should have taught the people to understand the duty of their Bishop which you Papists would faine have hidden from them And the word Superintendent being a very Latine word made English by use should in time have taught the people by the very Etymology and proper signification what things was meant when they heard that name which by this terme Bishop could not so well be done by reason that Bishops in the time of Popery were Overseers in name but not indeed So that their doings could not teach the people their names neither what they should looke for at their Bishops hands For the name Bishop spoken amongst the unlearned signified to them nothing lesse then a preacher of Gods word because there was not nor is any thing more rare in any order of Ecclesiasticall persons then to see a Bishop preach whereof the doings of the Popish Bishops of England can this day witnesse but the name superintendent should make him ashamed of his negligence and afraid of his idlenes knowing that S. Paul doth call upon him to attend to himselfe and to his whole flock of the which sentence our Bishops marke the first pecce right well that is to take heed to themselves but they be so deafe they cannot hearken to the second that is to looke to their flock I deny not but that the name Bishop may be well taken but because the evilnes of the abuse hath marrid the goodnesse of the word it cannot be denied but that it was not amisse to joyne for a time another word with it in his place wherby to restore that abused word to his right signification And the name superintendent is such a name that the Papists themselves saving such as lack both learning and wit cannot finde fault withall For Peresius the Spaniard and an Archpapist out of whom Martin hath stolen a great part of his Booke speaking of a Bishop saith Primum Episcopi munus nomen ipsum prae se fert quod est spperintendere Episcopus enim Superintendens interpreta 〈…〉 visitans aut supervidens c. That is to say The cheife office of a Bishop by interpretation signifieth a Superintendent a Visitor or an Overseer Why did not Martin as well steale this peece out of Peresius as hee did steale all the common places that hee hath for the proofe of the Canons of the Apostles and of Traditions in his second and third Chapters Martin in the 88. leafe is not ashamed in his Booke to divide the significations of the termes Bishop and Superintendent as though the one were not signified by the other But it may be that Martin as the rest of the Popish Sect would not have the name of Superintendent or Minister used least that name which did put the people in remembrance of sacrificing and bludsapping should be forgotten Since therefore this Title Bâ—shop is thus promiscuously used both in prophane and Christian writers and in the Scripture it selfe for any Officer Overseer Survayer Superintendent Watchman Guardian Pastor or Keeper
neither will not nor cannot preach and persecuting none but the most painefull Preachers a thing well worthy noting discovering their emnity to be directly against preaching and the Gospell to remember that of Master Tyndall our godly Martyr That Bâ—shops who persecute their owne office of preaching for and by which they hold their 〈◊〉 Bishoprickes are not worthy of it nor sufferable in it and that Bishops or Preists that preach not or that preach ought save Gods word are none of Christs nor of his anointing therefore not Jure divino but Servants of the Beast whose marke they beare whose word they preach whose Law they maintaine cleane against Gods Law and therefore both Ministers and people must and will henceforth call and deeme them such As for those Ministers most unjustly silenced suspended and excommunicated by them who now basely sit downe silent under their Suspensions when as they should goe 〈◊〉 couragiously in their Ministery in despite of them I shall desire them onely to consider First the example and answer of the Apostles themselves who when they were commaunded by the High Preists Elders and whole Councell of the Jewes who had as much or more power over them then any Bishops have over Ministers at this day not to speake at all or teach in the name of Jesus gave this answer Wee ought to obey God rather then men whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto God more then unto you judge yee for we cannot but speake the things which we have seene and heard and though they were thrice expresly inhibited from preaching yea imprisoned and beaten for violating these prohibitions yet they dayly in the Temple IN EVERI HOWSE which now forsooth must be a Conventicle I am sure an Apostolicall one they ceased not to preach and teach Jesus Christ filling Jerusalem and every place with their doctrine the very Angel of God himselfe commaunding them to doe it If then the whole Senate of the High Preists and Elders their terrible Prohibitions and Suspenâ—ions yea their imprisonments and stripes could neither keepe nor deâ—erre the Apostles from preaching why should our Bishops threats suspentions 〈◊〉 most unjust illegall Censures warranted by no Statute Law ot Commission from his Majesty hinder our Ministers from their duty Secondly The example of our owne godly Martyrs who both their Doctrine and example taught and professed That Ministers ought not to give over preaching for any unjust suspension excommunication inhibition Censure or persecution whatsoever either of the Pope himselfe or of any other Prelate going on boldly to preach the Gospell maugre all inhibitions menaces imprisonments and penalties to the contrary though fire and death it selfe Whereupon they never would give over their preaching upon any Prelates inhibition no not in their prisons where Master Bradford and others preached twice every day And shall our eminentest Ministers now in the Sunne shine of the Gospell under a most gratious Prince be more pusillanimous base and cowardly then these godly Martyrs were even in times of darknesse under Popish Princes Prelates and Tyrants when it was death to professe and preach the truth which now God be thanked it neither is nor can be God forbid Thirdly That position of our Godly Martyr Master John Wicklife excellently defended and notably proved by Iohn Hus at large in the Schoole of Prague as all may read at leisure in Master Fox That they which lea 〈…〉 off preaching and hearing of the word of God for feare of any excommunication threatning persecution or imprisonment threatned or inflicted by the Pope or any other whatsoever are already excommunicate by God himselfe and in the day of Iudgement shall be accounted the betrayers of Christ which is so well prooued and defended by Hus that all Godly Ministers and people must subscribe thereto And who of all our late suspended Ministers would be either accounted here or adjudged hereafter a man excommunicated of God and a betrayer of Christ yea of the very Word of God of Religion it selfe and of the soules committed to his Cure who are slaine for lacke of spirituall food whiles they out of a slavish feare of I know not what or whom sitt mute and silent and become so many laughing stockes to our Prelates who would be terrified daunted and repulsed by their Godly courage Fourthly That Popish Preists and Iesuites dare say Masse and preach in a maner publikely though a thing unlawfull and expressely prohibited both by the Lawes of God and the Realme and no lesse then high treason for which capitall punishments are prescribed If these Miscreants and generation of vipers then have so much courage for their false and trayterly religion that they will not be silenced nor scared from preaching neither by Lawes nor capitall punishments how much lesse then should zealous faithfull Ministers of the Gospell contrary to Gods Lawes and the Realmes give over their Ministrie and preaching upon the bare illegall suspension or excommunication of a Lordly Bishop warranted by no Law nor Statute of the Realme nor any Patent or Commission from the King and so no colour for any to obey or submit thereto Fiftly What a great blow and wound they have given to religion what great discouragement and ill example to their people and fellow Ministers what losse and prejudice to their flockes what encouragement to Iesuites Seminaries Papists and domineering Prelates who gett heart head by their faintheartednes yeelding silence and submission encroaching every day further on their liberties consciences and Religion so that they have brought themselves and others into a meere vassalage to the Bishops unruly lusts and pleasures all which their opposition and contemning of these their suspenâ—ions and excommunications beeing meere nullities in Law for want of a Commission from his Maiesty a lawfull ground a due maner of proceeding and his Maiesties stile and seale had prevented and may yet chance to remedie Sixtly That a necessity is layd upon them euen by God and Christ himselfe to preach the Gospell and to be instant in season and out of season and a temporall and eternall woe denounced against them if they forbeare or give over to doe it upon any unjust inhibition whatsoever which can neither nullify controll nor dispense with the commaunds of God How then can they avoyd or shunne this woe if the frowne or unjust suspension of a prophane unpreaching domineering Prelate may restraine them from this duety or dispense with this most serious taske imposed on them from heaven it selfe Seaventhly That solemne charge that was given them in the name and behalfe of Christ himselfe yea of the whole Realme and Church of England and that solemne promise they made before God and the Congregation when they were first made Ministers to wit that as they would answer it before Christs tribunall at the great day of judgement they should and would teach premonish feed and provide for the
Lords flocke for whom hee shed his blood AND NEVER THEIR LABOVR CARE AND DILIGENCE HEREIN untill they had done all that lyeth in them according to their bounden duety to bring all such as were or should be committed to their charge unto that agreement of faith and knowledge of God and to that ripenes and perfectnes of age in Christ which none of them hath yet done that there should be no place left among them neither of errour in Religion or for viciousnes of life and that for the same cause they should and would forsake and sett aside as much as in them lyeth all worldly cares and studies and give themselves WHOLLY to this thing and draw all their cares and studies this way and to this end and that they should and would preach and be faithfull dispensers of Gods Word in their Congregations which charge being layd upon them by the Bishop at their ordination in the name of Christ by the whole Church and State of England and the Booke of Ordination confirmed by three severall Acts of Parliament the 8 Canon and their owne subscriptions to it and they particularly promising in a most solemne maner to performe it to the â—ttermost of their power How any Bishop can by Law suspend them from preaching as long as they continue Ministers and are not actually degraded or deprived of their livings for some just or lawfull cause warranted by an expresse Act of Parliament or how any godly Minister in point of Law or Conscience can give over his preaching or Ministry upon any unjust suspenâ—ion inhibition excommunication or commaund of any Bishop Visitor or Ordinary who cannot countermaund this charge or Booke of Ordination ratified by 3 Acts of Parliaments I cannot conjecture Finally That if Ministers will thus suffer every Bishop at his pleasure without any speciall Commission from his Maiesty vnder the great Seale of England or any just cause in point of Law upon every humor fancy or new minted Article of his owne which by the Statute of 25. H. 8. c. 19. and the 13. Canons resolution yea and his Maiesties too in his Declaration before the 39. Articles hee hath no power to make to suspend excommunicate and put them downe from preaching then it will be in the Bishops power to suppresse and alter Religion at their pleasure without his Maiesties or a Parliaments assent and so all shall hang vpon their wills who have no power at all either by the Lawes of God or the Realme to institute any new rites Ceremonies Articles Canons or Injunctions or to alter or innovate any thing in Religion much lesse to suspend or silence Ministers Wherefore in case our Prelates presently revoke not these their anti-christian illegall suspenâ—ions inhibitions injunctions or other Censures to hinder Ministers from preaching I hope every Godly Minister who hath any care either of his owne soule liberty people any love at all to God or Religion any zeale or courage for the truth or desire of the good either of Church or State taking these considerations into his thoughts and finding the Bishops Jurisdiction and proceedings to have no lawfull warrant either from the Lawes of God or man will readily protest both against their usurped authority and proceedings as meere nullities and vanities and proceed to preach pray and doe his duetie as the Apostles and Martyrs did of old without any feare or discouragement that so Gods judgements Plagues and punishments which the Prelates late practises with the Ministers silence and cowardize and all our sinnes have drawen downe upon us may be asswaged and remooved and wee may ever retaine the Ordinances and Word of God among vs in purity power sincerity and plenty both to our present and future happines I shall close all with this Syllogisme That calling authoritie and jurisdiction which obliterates persecutes suppresseth oppugneth the very Law Gospell and word of God with the frequent powerfull preaching preachers and professors thereof is doubtles not of divine right or institution but Anti-christian and Diabolicall 1. Thess 2. 14. 15. 16. Rom. 2. 13. 10. Iohn 8. 39. to 48. 1. Tim. 3. 1. to 7. Tit. 1. 5. to 10. But this doth the calling authority and jurisdiction of Lord Archbishops and Bishops as the premises and all stories witnes especially our Booke of Martyrs Therefore it is doubtles not of divine right or institution but Anti-christian and Diabolicall If the Minor be not sufficiently evidenced by the Premises by the silencing of many Ministers suppressing of so many Lectures throughout the Realme give me leave to instance but in two fresh examples more The first in Doctor Peirce Bishop of Bath and Wels who in his Visitation in the midst of August last expresly prohibited all Ministers in his Diocesse to preach on the Lords day afternoone threatning some Ministers to suspend them both from their office Benefice if they durst presume to preach any more on the Lords day afternoone without alleadging any Law or Canon which there is none or any danger of bringing or spreading the plague which there is not feared but onely out of his malice to preaching and to deprive poore people of the sprituall food of their soules to affront the Staâ—utes of 5. and 6. E. 6. c. 1. 3. and 1. Eli. c. 2. which require OFTEN PREACHING AND HEARING of the Gospell upon every Sunday and Holy day and prescribe preaching twice a day as well as much as Common-prayer coupling them together in the same words to oppugne the Homily of the right use of the Church p. 3. 4. 5. which prescribes and enforceth the dayly and continuall preaching of Gods word and specially on the Sabbath-dayes from our Saviours and his Apostles owne Precepts and Examples to make all Ministers perjured who at the time of their Ordination make a solemne promise and covenant before God diligently and painefully to instruct their people never to give over preaching c. as the Booke of Ordination and the Church and State of England both in and by it injoyne them and to spite S. Paulâ— himselse who as by the space of three yeares together hee ceased not to warne every one Night and Day therefore hee preached Evenings as well as mornings publikely from howse to howse Acts. 20. 20. 31. So hee chargeth Timothy and in him all Ministers To preach the word instantly in season out of season that is on Lords dayes and weekedayes Morning and Evening yea and at Midnight to if need be in times of prosperity and adversity of health and pestilence when preaching is most seasonable to raise men from their sinnes 2. Tim. 4. 2. which Apostle were hee in this Bishops and some other of his Brethrens Diocesse they would schoole him roundly for such good doctrine and stop his mouth to prevent the great mischeife of often preaching yea 〈◊〉 our Saviour Christ himselfe and his Apostles were now among our Prelates and should preach DAYLY in our temples as they
〈…〉 4. 3. 16. 1. Sam. 10. 1. c. 26 6. 11. Ps 92. 10. 1. Kings 1. 39. c. 19. 15. 16. * Bishop Iewell Reply to Harding Article 4. Divis 5. 6. 18. Richaâ—dus Armachanuâ— De Quaest Armenorum l. 11. c. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. ‡ Contr. haer l. 3. haer 75. ‡ Anselmuâ— Haymo Rabanus Primasius Calvin Deering and David Dickson on this text * Heb. 4. 14. 15. c 8. 1. c. 9. 11. c. 10. 21. ‡ Heb. 13. 20. 1. Pet. 5. 4. * Ephes 4. 10. 11. 1. Cor. 12. 28. Math. 9. 37. 38. ‡ Acts. 1. 25 26. Gal. 2. 8. 9 11. 14 1. Cor. 12. 28. 29. 2. Cor. 11. 5 * Canon 33. 35. An. 1603. ‡ Canon 31. ‡ 1. Tim. 4. 6. 2. Tim. 4. 5. 1. Thes 3. 2. * 3. Ed. 6. c. 12. 8. Eliz. c. 1. * Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 3. c. 39. p. 55. ‡ Bibliotheca Patrum Tom. 1. p. 96. * Apolog. c. 39. Tom. 1. p. 692. 693. 694. * Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 16. ‡ Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 23. * Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 5. c. 20. o Ibid. e. 26. * Eusebius Eccles Hist l. 7. c. 8. p See his life before his workes * Aretius Theolog Problemata Locus 62. De Officiis Eccl. Sex 9. p. 184. 186 Chenmitius Examen Concilij Tridentini pars 2. De Sacramento Ordinis c. 4. p. 223. 224. ‡ Iliad 1. 10 * De Vita Constantini l. 4. c. 24. * So is the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 used by Basil Epist 52. not to ride in visitation like a Lordly Prelate but to consider of the miserable state of the Church to be carefull for it as Bishop Iewell witnesseth in his Defence of the Apology of the Church of England part 2. c. 3. Divis 5. p. 107. ‡ Enarratio in Psal 126. Tom. 8. pars 2. p. 726. 727. * Let our great Prelates marke this well * De Civitate Dei l. 19. c. 19. Tom. pars 2. p. 516. †Note this * fol. 116. Act. 20. * See Fulke and Cartwright Ibid. m. ‡ Bishop Iewel Defence of the Apology part 2. c. 3. Divis 5. p. 107. * Marsilius Patavinus Defens Pacis pars 2. c. 15. 16. Richardus Armachanus Resp ad Quaest Armenorum l. 11. c. 1. to 8. Fox Acts and Monum p. 1009. 1116. 1465. * Bishop Iewell Defence of the Apol. part 2. c. 3. Divis 7. part 111. Thomas Beacon his Catechism Vol. 1. f. 499. 500. Chrysost Opus Imperf in Matth. Hom. 3. 43. Ambros de Dign Sacerd c. 4. ‡ August De Civ Dei l. 19. c. 19. Hier. Ambr. Sedul Primas Haymo Rab. Maur. Chrysostom Theodoret. Theophylact. Oecumenius Anselmus Beda in 1. Tim. 3. 1. 2. Bernard De Consid ad Eugen. 2. 3. * Math. 10. 1. to 16. Marke 6. 7. to 12. Luke 9. 1. to 6. compared with Luke 10. 1. to 21. ‡ Clemens Epist apud Surium Tom. 1. p. 141. and others who have since followed this forgery of his * L. 3. c. 4. Eccl. Hist. ‡ See Mercator Atlas Minor p. 812. * Math. 7. 26. 27. ‡ The Instit of a Christian man Ch. os Orders and Thomas Beacons Catech. f. 499. 500 * See the Fastbookes then printed ‡ Ioel. 2. 14 to 20. 4. 2. 1. to 28. Isay 22. 12. 13. 14. 2 Chron. 6. to 24. to 40. c. 7. 13. 14. 15 Zeph. 2. 1. 2. 3. Ionah 3. 5 to 10. Ezech. 9. 4. Mal. 3. 16. 17. Ezra 9. 10. †See Bishop Wrens Injunctions for Norwich and his Visition Artiles and yet this Can. bindes them not strictly to any forme as the Words Or to this Effect declare f Ier. 7. 16. c. 11. 14. c. 14. 11. c. 29. 7. c. 37 3. 4. c. 42. 2. 4. 20. Ioel. 2. 17. * Isay 22. 12. 13. g Ps 119. 21. Iudg. 5. 23. Mal. 2. 2. c. 3. 9. 1. Cor. 16. 22. h Luke 18. to 3. Rev. 6. 9. 10. Psal 28. 4. 5. ‡ 1. Sam. 4. 18. * Fox Acts Monuments London 1610. p. 502. ‡ Platina Onuphrius Bale Stella Volateranus Celestin 5 Bonifac. 8. * Georgius Pontan Bohemiae piae l. 3. p. 36. Godwin Catalog of Bps. p. 212. 216 460. 564. 585. Mathew Westminst An. 932. p. 361. Newbrigens l. 1. c. 14. ‡ De Sacram. l. 3. c. 1. l. 5. c. 1. e Tract 9. 16. 20. 21. 25. 27. 29. 35. 37. in Ioan. f Hom. 5. 6. 8. 9. 10. 13. 28. in Genes g Catech. Orat. 7. 14. Catech. Mystag 14. h Socr. Eccl. Hist. l. 7. c. 2. i Fox Acts. Monum p. 1366. k Fox Acts Monuments p. 15. 59. See p. 1115. 1153. 1457. 1579. 1696. ‡ See his Visitation Articles and injunctions for Norwich †Before the 39. Articles of the Dissolution of the last Parliament p. 20. 21. 22. 42. 43. * Magna Charta c. 29 25. Hen. 8. c. 19. 21. 27 H. 8. c. 15. 37. H. 8. c. 17. 1. Ed. 6. c. 2. 1. Eliz c. 12 5. Eliz. c. 1. 12. Eliz. c. 13. 8. Eliz. c. 1. o Inconformity therefore it notâ— the thing the Bishops ayme at but the suppression of the Gosple p 1. Cor. 9. 16. q Isay 56. 7. Ier. 7. 11. Math. 21. 13. Marke 11. 17. Luke 19. 46. See Dr. Boyes Postill on the first Sunday after the Epiphany p. 132 and on the 10. Sunday after Trinity p. 446. 447. ‡ To wit for affirming That his Majesty and the Lords of the Councell would be heartily glad if all those that went over to New-England were drowned in the bottom of the Sea A most trayterly seditious speech as of his Majesty the State delighted in the destruction of his faithfull subjects whom hee is bound by Oath and duty to protect and preserve p Of the right use of the Church of the time and place of prayer q Dr. Boyes Postill on the 10. Sunday after Trinity p. 448. r Hom. of the repairing keeping cleane of Churches p. 80 of the time place of prayer p. 131. s Hom. of the right use of the Church of repairing Churches of the time place of prayer * Hom. 1. 2. 3. 5. 10. 29. in Gen. Hom. 5. in Math. †Defence of the Apology part 5. c. 3. Divis 4. p. 449. 450 * O Blasphemy b See Doctor Iames his Treatise of the corruption of the Scriptures c. by the Prelates of Rome part 2. 3. 4. c See the Homilies of the Right use of the Church of the time and place of prayer of keeping cleane of Churches d Ier. 23. 13 14. 15. * Gen. 18. 19. See 2. Chron. 36. 15. 16. 17. * Fasciculus Temporum 1144. Cent. Magd. 12. Col 1407. stella a Antiq. Eccl. Brit. p. 13. Godw. p. 53. * Fox Acts Monuments p. 364. b Alberti Argentinensis Chron. An. 1348. p. 147. * Georgius Pont. Bohemiae piae l. 3. p. 34. * Behold Constantiensis ad Herman Appendix An. 1085. p. 357. * Thomas