any note or spot of suspition noised of him but in his Answering Reading Preaching and Determining he behaved himself laudably and as a stout and valiant Champion of the Faith vanquishing by the force of the Scriptures all such who by their wilful beggery blasphemed and slandered Christs Religion neither was this said Doctor Convict of any Heresie God forbid that our Prelates should have condemned a man of such honesty for a Heretick who amongst all the rest of the Vniversity had written in Logick Philosophy Divinity Morality and the Speculative Art without Peer the knowledge of which all and singular things we do desire to testify and deliver forth to the intent that the Fame and Renown of this said Doctor may be the more evident and had in reputation amongst them unto whose hands these present Letters testimonial shall come Here is to be seen that this Vniversity of Oxford did also maintain the truth of Doctor John Wickliffe's Articles That Kings Princes and Lords Temporal may lawfully take away Temporalities and Tythes from the Clergy In witness whereof we have caused our Letters Testimonial to be Sealed with our common Seal Dated at Oxford in our Congregation-House the 5th day of October in the Year 1406. Edmond King of England King Edmond of England about the Year 940. made a Law that every man should pay Tythes for Churches Fees and Almes Fees Thus here you see that Tythes were then given as well for the relief of the Poor as the Church He made a Law also that every Bishop should of his own proper charge see that Churches were repaired Bishop of Canterbury About the same time the Bishop of Canterbury in a Letter to the Prelates and Clergy said If it were or could be so that all the Riches of the World were laid before me so that I were Emperour and had all things universally under my subjection all these things would I gladly give and offer my self willingly for the health of Souls And thus he exhorted the Clergy to their duty lest the Lord should say of them The Shepherds fed themselves but did not feed my flock they have raigned but not by me they have made themselves Princes of my flock and I knew it not that is he knew it not so as to approve of their doings But where is there a Prelate now that hath such a zeal for the good of Souls King Edgar King Edgar in an Oration to the Clergy about the year 959. What negligence saith he is in Gods Service I will speak with sorrow they be Riotous in Banquetring in Chambring and Drunkenness And now saith he the Clerks houses are thought to be Stewes of Harlots Thus the Goods of Kings and Alms of Princes is mispent have our Fathers spent their Treasurie for this purpose Have the Kings liberalities in giving Lands and Possessions been for this intent that Clerks Harlots should be deck'd with the same And for riotous feasts Hauks and Hounds and other Toyes to consume it Soldiers cry out the people grudge but ye regard not c. King Hen. 2d Among other antient Laws of England in the reign of King Henry the second this was one That if any Clergy man did hold any Lay Fee in his hands he should therefore do the Kings service that belonged thereunto as upon Juries Assises of Lands and Judgements and that no Lands should be given to the Church nor to any House of Religion without the Kings License And that the Peter-pence which was used to be gathered for the Pope should be paied to the King and that all the Possessions Goods and Chattels of such as favoured the Pope or Thomas a Becket to be Seized and Confiscate to the King And that all such of the Clergy as were absent from their Charge out of the Realm and had Rents and Profits in the Land and did not repair home in three months their Rents and Goods to return to the King c. If it were lawful for the King then in the time of Popery to seize upon the Rents Profits and Possessions of the Pope Cardinal and others it is much more lawful now for our King and Nobles to cize upon such Goodss aâ—d Possessions as were given by Papists in the time of Popery and are now wrongfully possessed and abusively used by others King Edward 3. In a Parliament holden the twentieth year of the raign of King Edward the third It was propounded that all Alien Monks should depart England whose Livings the King took into his hands It was also concluded by the Parliament That the Livings of all others Strangers and Cardinals during their lives the profits should be brought into the Kings hand The Commons also denyed to pay any payments to Cardinals in France c. besides the King took order by two of his Clergy viz. John Stocks and John Norton to take into their hands all the Temporalities of all the Deanaries Prebends Dignities and Benefices being then vacant in England and to answer the profits thereof unto the King King William Rufus King William Rufus took certain Lands and Possessions from Canterbury and disposed of them to secular uses King Henry 4. In the eighth year of the raign of King Henry the fourth it was petitioned to the Parliament That the King might enjoy halfe the profits of every Parsons Benefice who was not resident thereon But in the eleventh year of his raign the Commons put up a Bill unto the King to take the Temporal Lands from the Clegie mens hands or Possessions in which Bill it was declared that the Temporalities disorderly wasted by men of the Clergy might suffice to find to the King with maintenance 15. Earles 1500. Knights 6200. Esquires and 100. Almes houses To every Earl 3000. Mark a year to every Knight 100. Mark and four plough lands and to every Esquire 40 Mark a year and two plough lands and to every Almes house 100. Mark a year which lands is now no doubt worth double if not treble to what they were then For I have credibly informed by a Yorkshire Esquire That when his Majestie was restored to the Crown one Bishoprick that is the Bishoprick of Durham If it had been set upon the rack rent it was worth above fifty thousand pounds a year This story above you may read in Mr Fox his Acts and monuments of the Church in the story of King Hen. 4. King Henry 8. It is there also to be seen in the History of King Hen. 8. That the King did injoyn every Vicar Clerk or Benefic'd man that had one hundred pounds a year that he should find a Scholar at the University and he that had two hundred pounds a year should find two Scholars at the University Also in his raign it was complained of by the Commons against the Prelates and Clergie for their cruel proceeding Ex Officio And for the remedy it was enacted That whosoever did or speak any thing against either their usurped power or their Laws
That neither TEMPORALLITIEâ— Nor TYTHES Is due to the Bishops Prelates nor Clergy by a Gospel Rule AND That Kings Princes and Lords Temporal may jâ—â—â—ly take the Temporallities and Tythes from them and dispose of theâ— the defence and benefit of the Kingdom and the relief of the Poor Pâ—OVED By the Laws and practice of twenty Kings of Judah England and France as also by the testimonies of the Universities of Oxford and Prague fifty four oâ—… Nobles of Bohemia and Morania two hundred and fifty years agone and alâ—… one hundred and twenty Authors beside Together with some directions how Gospel Ministers ought to have maintenance according to the Gospel rule and institutions of Iesus Christ By E. K. Thou O King art a King of Kings for the God of Heaven hath given thee a Kinâ— of Power and Strength and glory and wheresoever the Children of Men dwell the 〈◊〉 the Field and the Fowls of the Heaven hath he given into thine hand and hath maâ—… ruler over them all Dan. 2.37 38. And of the Children of Issachar which were Men that had understanding of the timâ— know what Israel ought to do the heads of them were two hundred and all their breâ—… were at their comand 1 Chron. 12.32 Arise therefore and be doing and the Lord be with thee and David commanded aâ—… Princes to help the King 1. Chron. 22.16 17. Arise for this matter belongeth unto thee we also will be with thee be of good câ—… and do it Ezra 10.4 Printed in the Year 1672. 〈…〉 mentioned in this book with their practices and examples as followeth â—…olomon â—…osiash Hezekiah Ahaz Edmond Edgar â—…nry 2. â—…ward 3. â—…lliam â—…nry 4. â—…chard 2. â—…nry 8. â—…lus Magnus â—…arles 6. â—…lip â—…mp Lodovicu â—…chadnezzar â—…ation â—…nius â—…0 Kings â—…estimony of thâ—â—…versities of Oxâ—… and Prague â—…estimony of 54 â—…he Nobles of â—…mia Moravia â—…stin 1 â—…alamus 2 â—…rose 3 â—…m 4 â—…ard 5 â—…bius 6 â—…re 7 â—…ughton 8 â—…osthead 9 〈◊〉 Gregory 10 â—…pplication to K. â—…ry 8. 11 〈◊〉 Prophesie of â—…degard 12 〈◊〉 Leo 13 〈◊〉 Canterbury 14 〈◊〉 Fox 15 Sr. Wil. Negarâ—to 16 Lord Peter de Cugmeriis 17 Prosper 18 Latemir 19 Eneus Silvius 20 Julian Palmer 21 The Protestant Church at Paris 22 Anne du Burg. 23 Loys du Faur 24 Origin 25 Mr. Frith 26 Paulinus 27 James his Deacon 28 Ammonius 29 B. Adaccus 30 Mr. Elmer 31 Erasmus 32 Jasper Bruschio 33 Clemant 34 Jo. Segovius 35 Card. Aralatenses 36 B. of Burgen 37 Chrysostom 38 Polecronecon 39 Patriark of Alexandria 40 Austin Monk 41 Cutbard B. of Canterbury 42 Petrus Blesenses 43 Angelo Caraw 44 Rich. B. of Cant. 45 Simon Fish 46 Pope Innocent 47 The testimony of 21 Bish 8 arch Deac 17. Doc. of Cannon and civil Law 48 Richard Armacanus 49 Cyprean 50 John Hus. 51 Mr. Tindal 52 Henry Stubbridg 53 Wil. Prynne 54 Godfr Goodman 55 Jo. Salsbury 56 Ex. Catal. Illyr 57 Alixander Sabritius 58 The counterfeit of Lucefers Letter to the Prelate 59 Lord Cobham 60 Wil. Ocham 61 Armulphus 62 Hostenensis 63 Rich. Wimbleton 64 Wil. Swinderby 65 Anselm 66 A Cannon of Africk 67 Suetonius 68 Melancton 69 Ste. Gardner 70 Rich. Feverus 71 Rich. Lovingham 72 Huldrick 73 Mr. Rogers 74 Panormetanus 75 Walter Mill 76 Doc. Molius 77 Jo. Câ—â—ydon 78 Rich. Turming 79 Selestudiensis 80 Ilyrico 81 Reynold Pecock Bish 82 Io. Brothwick 83 The Tigurins at Zurick 84 Cornelius Bish of Rome 85 St. Lawrence 86 Wil. Thorpe 87 Walter Brute 88 Mersilius 89 Nichol Herford 90 Phil. Ripingdon 91 Iohn Ashton 92 Pope Alexander and 310 Bishops 93 Doctor Hall 94 Georg. Cassander 95 Iohn VVicklife 96 The Image of Abish 97 Roderick Moâ—ch 98 Martin Bucer 99 Iohn Hooper 100 Th. VValsingam 101 A nameless Aut. 102 Clement next succâ—ssor of St. Peter 103 Mr. Mead 104 Volusianus 105 Dr. whitchcote 106 The 20 and 21 Articles of Church of England 107 Norfolk and Suffolk mens supplications 108 Bish Nilus 109 Iohn Gerson 110 Bartil 111 Henenius Modesteinus 112 Mr. Hooker 113 Dr. Downam 114 Bilson 115 Saravia 116 Holinshead 117 Arch Bishop of St. Andrews 118 Bish of Duncel 119 Bish of Orkneys 120 Mr. Perkins 121 The Epistle Dedicatory TO THE KINGS Most excellent MAJESTY May it please your Majesty Auguâ— ST Augustin in an Epistle to Cassulamus saith that he which for fear of any power hideth the truth which 〈◊〉 learned Chrysostom provoketh the Wrath of God to come 〈…〉 â—nd Chrysostom saith he is not only a Traytor to the◠〈…〉 openly for truth teacheth a lye but he also which doth 〈…〉 shew forth that truth which he knoweth the considerat◠〈◊〉 these sentences so prevailed with me that I durst not be such a Traytor neither to God nor to your Majesty as to conceal what I have learned which as I conceive may tend to the glory of God in the exaltation of the truth of the Gospel of Christ and to the honour of your Majâ—sty and the benefit of your Majesties Kingdom both in Church and Common-wealth whereby your Majesty may be supplyed with Money for the necessary charges of the Kingdom and the relief of the Poor and easing your Subjects something in their Taxations by turning the stream into the right Channel by taking the temporallities from the Prelates c. into your Majesties hands again they being your own Right belonging formerly to your Predecessors and the conditions now failing for which they were given as will appear hereafter in this discourse God willing But perhaps it will be objected that it is sacriledge to take the temporallities c. from the Church I answer if it be granted to be sacralidge to take from the Church yet I hope upon tryal it will appear that the Prelates are not the Church and that the Prelates are sacralidg ous persons in detaining and converting the temporallities to their own private uses which was given to the Church and the Poor and other pious uses the Prelates being only Stewards thereof or Overseers for the use of the Church and the Poor but have proved unfaithful Stewards Now that the Prelates are not the Church will thus appear when the Church of Anteoch sent Paul and Barnabas c. as their Messengers to the Councel at Jerusalem the Text saith Acts 15.4 When they came to Jerusalem * The â—urch â—ot the â—elates â—t the â—ngreâ—â—ons of â—ievers they were received of the Church that is of the Church of believers and of the Apostles and Elders hence we see that the Apostles and Elders are not called the Church they were but particular Chuâ—ch members with other believ rs and according to thâ—s the nineteenth Article of the Chuâ—ch of England describes a visible Church of Christ to be a congregation of faithful m n c. also Paul admonished the Elders of Ephesus to feed the Church of God that is the believing Christians Act. 20.28 â—ug stin St. Augustin saith of himself and all other
Kings 2. 1 Solomon Solomon deposed Abiather the High Priest because he took part with Adonijah and set up Zadock the Priest in his room and this say they was a greater matter then to take away temporalities for Abiather was put both from his Priesthood and from his Maintenance 2 Nebuchadnezzer Also Nebuchadnezzer had power given him of God to lead away the Children of Israel with the Priests and Levites into the Captivity of Babylon Hasael King of Syria came against Jerusalem 2 Kings 12.17 18. and 3 King Jehoash Jehoash of whom the Scripture witnesseth that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his dayes and yet for the safety of his Kingdom without taxing his Subjects he took all the hallowed things that Jehosaphat and Jehoram and Ahaziah his Fathers Kings of Judah had dedicated and his own hallowed things and all the Gold that was found in the Treasury of the house of the Lord and in the Kings house and sent it to Hazael King of Syria and he went away from Jerusalem And this was much more then the taking away of the usurped Temporalities of the Prelates to defray the Kingdoms Charge and to relieve the Poor to whom it is due as is shewed in the Epistle 4 Hezekiah Again It is said of the good King Hezekiah 2 Kings 18.3 that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord according to all that David his Father did he put down Idolatry as in verse 4. so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Judah nor any that were before him for he trusted in the Lord and clave to the Lord and departed not from following him but kept his Commandements and the Lord was with him and he prospered c. as in verse 5 6 7. And when Senacheâ—â—b 〈◊〉 â—f Assyria came up against Judah Hezekiah gave him all the Silver that was found in the house of the Lord and in the Treasuries of the Kings house and he cut off the Gold from the doors of the house of the Lord and from the Pillars which were overlaid with Gold and gave it to the King of Assyria as verse 15 16. Any one of these things done by King Jehoash and King Hezekiah was much more than for our King and Nobles to take the usurped Temporalities from the Prelates and Priests to defray the Kingdoms charges and to relieve the poor and yet this was not counted Sacriledge in these Religious Kings in taking the Church goods for publick uses for they are not reproved but commended for doing that which was right in sight of the Lord. 5 Ahaz Also in 2 Kings 16.8 when Rezin King of Syria and Pekah son of Remaliah King of Israel came up against Ahaz King of Judah to Jerusalem Ahaz took the Silver and the Gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the Treasuries of the Kings house and sent it as a present to the King of Assyria to come and help him c. We do not read that any of these good Kings of Judah laid any Tax upon their Subjects though it was Lawful for them so to do but in the first place for to defray the Kingdoms charges to secure themselves and their Subjects they took the goods of the Church much more may our Kings and Nobles take the Temporalities and Tythes for the Kingdoms use because the Temporalities was their Predecessors and those that now have them hold them by usurpation the conditions for which they were given being broken And Tythes are pure Alms or as it were a free will offering of the people not paid now under the Gospel by any Divine Institution Therefore the King may at his pleasure have the profits brought into his Treasuries for the publick benefit of the Kingdom 6 In Mat. 12.1 2 3. the Disciples on the Sabbaoth being an hungred pluckt ears of Corn and eat them the Pharises rebuked them but Christ answered them have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred and they that were with him how he entered into the house of the Lord and did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat nor they that were with him but for the Priests only and yet Christ did not count this Sacriledge whereby it doth appear that it is lawful in time of necessity to use any thing be it never so much consecrated Therefore if need require the King and Lords temporal may take the Prelates Temporalities Gleab Lands and Tythes from them 7 Titus Vespatian Titus and Vespasian secular Princes had power given them of God twenty four years after the Lords Ascention to take away Church goods from the Priests that had offended against the Lords holy one and it seemeth unto many they did and might worthily do the same according to Gods good will and pleasure And forasmuch as our Priests may transgress and offend as much and rather more against the Lords Anoynted It followeth that by the pleasure of God our secular Lords may likewise punish our Priests and Prelates offences by taking their Temporalities c. from them 8 Ambrose Our Saviour being King of Kings and High-Bishop with his Disciples did pay Tribute unto Caesar Whereby he gave Example to all Priests and Prelates to pay Tribute unto their Kings Ambrose in his fourth book on Luke 5. saith If the Son of God pay Tribute who art thou that thinkest thou oughtest not to pay If thou wilt not be in danger of Caesar possess not those things that are Caesars for if thou hast Riches thou art in danger of Caesar In his eleventh Question Magnum quidem If thou wilt owe nothing to the King forsake all Earthly things and follow Christ If then all Ecclesiastical Ministers having Riches ought to be in subjection to Kings and pay them Tribute it followeth that Kings may lawfully by the Authority given them of God take away their Temporalities as in Dan. 2.37 38. The God of Heaven hath given thee a Kingdom Power and Strength and Glory and wheresoever the Children of men dwell that is as far as any Kings Empire or Dominion doth extend the Beasts of the Field and the Fowls of the Heaven hath he given into thine hand and hath made thee Ruler over them all and if so then the abused and usurped Temporalities in the Clergies hands are given of God into the Kings hand and he may lawyfully take possession of them and imploy the Rents thereof for the defence of his Subjects and Kingdoms and the relief of the Poor which was the end for which they were given by our King and Nobles Predecessors 9 Again St. Ambrose alleageth in the eleventh question that all things are under the power of the Emperour and if the Emperour require Tribute we do not deny that the Lands of the Church shall pay Tribute If the Emperour have need of Church Lands he hath power to challenge them let him take them if he will thus
the Temporalities so abused as it were by way of Physick to withstand and put a stop to sins saith the University for so much as they are not endowed but with Conditions the which Conditions are broken and the Title of the Gift lost and they that gave the Alms or their Successors ought to correct the offences for as in a just War it is lawful to take away the goods of the outward Enemies so also it is lawful to take away the goods of the Clergy being the inward Enemy by their evil Example they not walking according to the Rules of Christ for inward Enemies are more hurtful than outward and it is said in the 12th Article That there is no greater Heretick nor Antichrist than those Clerks which teach that it is lawful for Priests now under the Law of Grace to be endowed with Temporal Possessions and if there be any Hereticks Apostates or Blasphemers these Clerks be such A Supplication to K. Hen. 8. If it were thought unmeet by the Apostles that they should leave the word of God and serve Tables Acts 6.2 which yet was a work of mercy to serve the Poor can any man be so ignorant as to think it meet and fit that the Prelates should leave the word of God to deal in Temporal matters to keep Courts to set Leases and receive Rents and keep books of Accompts and Rent-Rols c. the Apostles did no such things therefore they cannot be the Successors of the Apostles It was said in a Supplication to King Henry the eighth about the year 1544. That the only infection and pestilent poyson of the Prelates is their great Lordships and Dominion which hath fashioned them with proud Countenances and worldly behaviour more like Heathen Princes than Christ and his Apostles and Christ said to his Apostles the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion c. but it shall not be so among you Mat. 20.26 For Bishops so love their worldly honour that they will not preach the Truth for displeasing of men lest they lose their great Possessions Riches and worldly Offices which is the cause of their sins Thus this pestilent poyson of worldy riches being taken from them the word of God shall flourish faith shall be increased and sin decreased and true obedience shall be observed with all humble obedience to your Majesty 13 It is lawful for the Clergy by their power to take away the Sacrament from the Laity customably offending It is by the like reason lawful for the Secular power to take away the Temporalities from the Clergy they offending customably in not performing the conditions for which the Temporalities were given besides other offences for say they the true and easiest way for directing the Clergy unto Conformity to the life of Christ and his Apostles and most profitable for the Laity the Church is that the Clergy should not be suffered to live contrary unto Christs Institutions to which I shall adde that the Clergy who make such a bussling about Conformity are themselves the greatest and most obstinate Non-conformists in the world The Prelates are the greatest Non-conformists to the Gospel Commandements and Institution of Christ for Christ hath not Instituted that any Gospel Minister should have any Temporalities or Tythes nor to live in such glorious Pomp and State in the world nor to have such Dignities nor exercise such Jurisdictions c. Therefore it belongs to Christian Magistrates to take those Superfluities from them which occasion their sinful revolt and disobedience to the Laws of Christ for by the abundance of Temporalities say they the Worm or Serpent of Pride is sprang up whereupon unsatiable desire and lust is inflamed and thereby proceedeth all kind of Gluttony and Leachery but the Temporalities being taken away every one of these sins will either utterly be taken away or at the least diminished by the contrary virtue induced and brought in The Prophesie of Hildegardis This that is said of taking away the Temporalities from the Clergy seems to be prophesied of by Hildegardis the Virgin whieh Prophecie was approved of in the Council of Trevers by many Bishops of France Italy and Almain St. Bernard being there present she spake on this manner The Kings and other Rulers of the World being stirred up by the just Judgement of God shall set themselves against them and run upon them saying We will not have these men to rule over us with their rich Houses and great Possessions and other worldly Riches over which we are ordained to be Lords and Rulers wherefore let us take away from them that which they do not justly but wrongfully possess c. for the Spirituality should not possess more then necessity doth require that where there is more it should be taken away and given to the needy This spake that Virgin Prophetess plainly foreshewing the taking away the Temporalities from the Clergy by the secular Power 14 Gregory St. Gregory writ to the Emperour Mauritius when he persecuted him I do believe saith he that you please God the better in so persecuting me which have been so evil a servant unto him And Pope Leo Pope Leo. submitted himself unto Lodovicus the Emperour as in 2. quest 7. If we have done any thing incompetently or that we have not observed the upright path and way of Equity amongst Subjects we will amend the same either by your own judgement or by the advice and judgement of those which you shall appoint for that purpose for if we which ought to correct and punish other mens faults do commit more grievous our selves we are not then the Disciples of the Truth but as with sorrow we speak it we shall be above all others the Masters of Error Thus much concerning the Arguments of the University of Prague And to confirm the Writings and Opinion of John Wickliffe the Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford with the whole Congregation of the Masters with one consent gave this Testimony of him and said The Testimony of the University of Oxford in behalf of John Wickliffe For the special good will and care which we bear unto John Wickliffe sometime Child of this Vniversity and Professor of Divinity moving and stirring our minds as his manners and conditions required no less with one mind voice and testimony we do witness all his conditions and doings throughout his whole life to have been most sincere and commendable whose honest manners and conditions profoundness of Learning and most redolent Renown and Fame we desire the more earnestly to be notified and known unto all the Faithful for that we understand the maturity and ripeness of his Conversation his diligent Labours and Travels to tend to the praise of God the help and safegard of others and the profit of the Church Wherefore wee signifie unto you by these Presents That his Conversation from his youth upward unto the time of his death was so praise worthy and honest that never at any time was there
Decrees or Constitutions which is not grounded upon the Holy Scripture they should therefore stand in no danger nor be impeached King Richard 2. King Richard the second propounded to John Wickliffe Whether the Kingdom of England might lawfully detain the Treasure of the Kingdome from the Pope He demanded the Church goods under pain of Censure Mr. Wickliffe setting a part the Common Laws of England and the Civiâ— Law It rests saith he to prove the affirmitive part by the Principles of Chists Law thus Every natural body hath power given of God to resist against the contrary and to preserve it self in due estate inasmuch as Bodies without life are indued with such a kind of power as hardness to resist those things that would break it and coldness to withstand heat that would dissolve it forasmuch then as the Kingdom of England after the manner of phrase of Scripture ought to be one Body of which the King is head and the Commonalty are the members thereof It seemeth the same Kingdom head and members hath such power given to them of God and so much the more apparent by how much the same body is more precious unto God adorned with virtue and knowledge for so much then as there is no power given of God unto any Creature for any end or purpose but that he may lawfully use the same to that end and purpose It followeth That our Kingdom may lawfully keep back and detain their Treasure of Temporalities and Tythes c. for the defence of it self in what case soever necessity doth require the same Secondly the same is proved by the Law of the Gospel for the Pope cannot challenge the Treasure of this Kingdom no more can the Prelates challenge Temporalities or Tythes but under the title of Almes and consequently under the pretence of works of mercy according to the rule of Charity But in the case aforesaid the title of Alms ought utterly to cease ergo the right title of challenging the Treasure of this Kingdom ought to cease also in the presupposed necessity and the Prelates and Clergie challenging Temporalities and Tythes ought to cease also by the same reason Forasmuch as all Charity hath its beginning of it self it were no work of Charity but of meer madness to send away the Treasure of the Realm unto other Nations whereby the Realm it self may fall into ruine under the pretence of such a Charity and is it not as much madness to suffer so many idle Drones to usurp the Kingdomes the Churches and the Poors goods of temporalities and tythes to spend on Coaches and Horses Hawks Dogs and Hounds I will not say Whores Taverns Cards and Dice Why should not such unfaithful Stewards give an account of their Stewardship It appears also saith he by this That Christ the Head of the Church whom all Prelates and Priests ought to follow he lived by the Alms of devout women as in Luke 8.2 3. he hungred and thirsted was a stranger and sustained many other miseries not only in his members but also in his own body He was poor that ye through his poverty might be rich 2 Cor. 8.9 Wherefore in the first endowing of the Church with Alms whatsoever he were of the Clergy that had any temporal possessions he had the same by way of Almes as several Writings and Chronicles do witness For saith he the Temporal Lords have power to take away their Alms when they see their Alms abused to riot and excess by some and others who are interested therein suffer penury and want by the Prelates and Clergy their unfaithfulness in their Stewardships Carolus Magnus Carolus Magnus that famous French King had decreed in a Council that only the Canonical Books of Scripture should be read in Churches and commanded the Bishops that they should not suffer any other to be read nor Preach themselves any thing that did not agree with the word of God And besides he ordered the goods given to the Church to be disposed of so That in wealthy places two parts of the Church goods should be given to the poor and the third part to the Clergy and that in poorer places there should be an equal division between the poor and the Clergy The good Lord if it be his good will and pleasure put it into the hearts of all Christian Kings and Princes to do the like Isidor Mr. Fox saith that Isidor hath these words Let Temporal Kings know that they must give an account to God for the Church which they have at the hands of God to govern and if so then it lies as a duty incumbent upon them so that to free themselves from the guilt of other mens sins there is an absolute necessity That seeing the Church goods are abused and not disposed of as they ought to be as it is proved above Therefore Kings and Nobles may not only lawfully but are bound in duty to God to take care to have such abuses reformed Charles the sixth Charles the sixth the French King made a Law That the fruits and rents of Benefices and other Pensions and Bishops goods that departed from their charges should be brought in to the Kings use King Philip About the year 1303. King Philip of France summoned a Parliament where all the Bishops were required within eight dayes after notice given to appear or else all their Temporal goods should be seized into the Kings hand By this it appears That upon their disobedience the King might take their Temporalities from them if he so pleased In which Parliament it was declared by Sir Will. Negareta Sir VVilliam Negareta in behalf of the King That for his Oaths sake that he made for defence of the Church and because the King was the Patron of the Church Therefore he was bound not only to defend the Church observe this well he was bound not only to defend the Church but to call in the goods of the Church which was wasted by the Pope and Prelates means And four years after the Lord Peter de Cugneriis in a Parliament Lord Peter de Cugneriis exhibited 65 Articles in the Kings behalf against the Bishops and Prelates of France and the misdemeanours of them and their Officers and Courts Mr. Fox Such goods as were given to the Church by our Ancestors saith Mr. Fox was neither so given nor so taken as to serve the private use of Church men but to serve the publick use of the poor and needy as is to be seen by the Canonical Institution of the Emperour Lodovicus Pius set forth in the year 830. in these words Lodovicus Pius The goods of the Church be the Vows and bequests of the faithful to ransom such as be in captivity or prison and the Patrimony to succour them with Hospitality that be needy c. Whereas now the Hospitality that is used is to feast such as need not such as are able to feast the Prelates again and the poor and needy if they get any
all vanity all passionate and wilful aberration from reason and from all Hypocrisie and self-love And in another place he saith Whatsoever thou dost affect whatsoever thou dost project so do so project all as one who for ought thou knowest may at this present depart out of this Life And as for Death If there be any Gods it is not grievous thing to leave the Society of Men the Gods will do thee no hurt and if there be no Gods to take care of the world why should I desire to live in a world void of Gods and all divine Providence Again saith he do nothing contrary to the Community nor without due examination nor with reluctancie Let thy God that is in thee rule over thee and find by thee that he hath to do with a man a sociable man a Roman one that hath ordered his life as expecting nothing but the Trumpet sounding a Retreat out out of this life with all readiness Again saith he without relation unto God thou shalt never perform aright any thing humane nor any thing divine without some respect to things humane Marcus Aurelius Antonius If any body saith he shall reprove me and make it uppear unto me that in any action or opinion of mine I do erre I will gladly retract for it is the Truth that I seek after by which I am sure never any man was hurt and as sure that he is hurt that continues in any error of ignorance whatsoever one thing there is and that only that is worth our while in this world and ought by us much to be esteemed and that is according to Righteousness meekly and and lovingly to converse with false and unrighteous men Thy life is almost at an end so live henceforth as indifferent to the world and all worldly objects let them behold and see a man that is a man indeed living according to the true nature of a man and if they cannot bear with me let them kill me for better it were to dye then to live as they would have me for all worldly things are but as the smoke that vanisheth away or indeed meer nothing Thus much of Marcus Aurelius Antonius his Christian-like experssions Mr. Frith Paulinus and his Deacon Mr. John Frith a Martyr in his answer to the Preface of Mr. Moor's Book page 116. saith That before the Church was endowed with honours there was none would be a Bishop but such as had a love and zeale to the Flock that he could be content to shed his blood for them for in the Primitive Church the first thirty Bishops of Rome there was twenty of them or more that suffered Martyrdome but in Constantines time and since that they enjoyed peace and the Church was endowed with temporal possessions They saith Mr. Frith that were worst both in learning and in their lives laboured most for such places for such as were virtuous would not entangle themselves with the vain Pride of this world Amonius cut of his own Eare rather then be a Bishop It is recorded in Hystories of Paulinus the first Bishop of York and James his Deacon that they were so void of care for worldly things and so free from Coveteousness that they refused possessions being proffered unto them Also about the year 383. Ammonius a holy Monk being at Rome he was so little taken with their great Pomp and outward shew of Holyness that beeing solicited to take a Bishoprick he fled out secretly and cut off his own Eare that he might by wanting a member have a Canonical Impediment not to be a Bishop This Ammonius came forth of the Desart of Mount Nitria Aidanus gave his horse to a Beggar About the year 638. Oswald King of Northumberland sent into Scotland for a Bishop named Adanus a Learned and pious man and about the year 646. Oswie brother and successor of Oswald because the Bishop should go no longer on foot as he was accustomed to do the King gave him a Horse bridle saddle and trappings But not long after the Bishop riding abroad and meeting a poor man who craved the Bishops charity and he having nothing else to give lighted off his horse and gave him to the Beggar and went again on foot himself as he was accustomed to do These examples do inform us what manner of persons Bishops were in those dayes the first 600 years after Christ in poverty and humility imitating Christ and his Apostles but Bishops in these latter dayes do rather imitate Lucifer for Pride Achan and Gehazi for Covetousness and Balaam who loved the wages of iniquity more like than followers of Christ and his Apostles in Patience Poverty and Humility By their fruits you may know them saith our Saviour Mr. Elmer Mr. Elmer in his Harbor for faithful Subjects Come off you Bishops saith he away with your superfluities yield up your Thousands be content with hundreds as they are in other Reformed Churches where there be as great Learned men as you are Let your portion be Priest-like and not Prince-like and let the Queen have the rest of your Temporalities to maintain Warrs and build Schools that every Parish may have a preaching Minister which will never be except your Lands be bestowed upon many which now doth but feed and fat one When the lame man asked an Almes as Peter and John went into the Temple Peter answered Silver and Gold have I none and Paul was so far from having a Lordship that the labour of his own hands ministred to his necessity If the Apostles of Christ had no temporal possessions why should our Prelates have so great Erasmus Of the unfaithfulness of Prelates Erasmus in Epist. Apologetica maketh mention of a Noble man who purposed to see Jerusalem before his death wherefore he left his wife and family his Lands and Lordships in trust with an Archbishop to take care of them but it so happened the Nobleman died in his journey whereof when the Archbishop knew he seized into his hands all the Noble mans Lordships Castles and Possessions and not therewith content he laid siege to a Fort into which the Widow was fled for refuge where she with her child was slain which story was not so long before Erasmus's time but that there were Nephews of that Noble man alive to testifie the truth And thus have the Prelates done as touching their Temporalities they have been intrusted with them as Stewards for the Church of Believers for those only that believe are the Church and for the poor and they have converted or rather perverted all to their own use and to their abuse of all the temporal possessions Jasper Bruschio Jasper Bruschio in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germany maketh mention of a Monastery of Cisterian Monks in the borders of Suevia about the year 1130. which Monastery was endowed with large possessions and great priviledges by the Founders upon this Condition that they should receive with free Hospitality any strangers either horse or foot
of Christ that the sheep of Christ do know but the voice of Strangers which the sheep of Christ know not and therefore they flee from them besides to require the Servants of Christ to swear their Canonical obedience to such things it is not the voice of Christ but the voice of Strangers to require the same and those that follow them cannot thereby prove themselves to be the sheep of Christ but rather the contrary for the sheep of Christ do flee from Strangers Polecronicon It is recorded by Polecronicon lib. 5. chap. 10. that about the year 610. John Patriach of Alexandria he was so merciful to the Poor and Needy that he counted them his Masters and himself their Servant and Steward Patriarch of Alexandria in distributing the Church goods unto them he was woont twice a week to sit at his door all the day long to take up matters and make Peace and Unity where there was variances nnd waiting all one day and no body came he lamented that all that day he had done no good Pope Gregory his order to divide Church goods in 4 parts About the year 600. Austin the Monk Bishop of Canterbury sent to Pope Gregory to know how the Gifts and Oblations given to the Church ought to be divided unto which Gregory answered That the manner of the Sea Apostolical was to warn and charge all such as were Ordeyned Bishops that of all their Stipends or what was given to the Church to divide it into four parts one part to the Bishop for Hospitality another to the Clergy and another to the Poor and the fourth part for the repairing of Churches You must saith Gregory observe this Institution which was practised by the first Fathers of the Primitive Church among whom there was not one that counted any thing his own of all that he did possess But can there be one Bishop now found in all the world that doth so but what once they get possession of they make all their own right or wrong by this primitive Institution as Gregory saiâ—h it appears that our Prelates have broken the Condition for which goods were given to the Church and therefore our King and Nobles may justly take them again Cutbert Bishop of Canterbury Also about the year 747. Cutbert Bishop of Canterbury ordered that once a year every Bishop should visit all the Parishes in his Dioces and that Priests should not have the disposing of Secular matters and that Alms should not be neglected though at that time they were Apostatised from the primitive Principles there still remaining some tinctures and smatterings of the primitive Institution concerning the Alms of the poor out of the Church goods that it was not altogether neglected and forgotten as it is now For now as Peter Blesensis Arch-Deacon of Bath said in his Treatise dedicated to the Bishop of Worcester of the Institution of a Bishop about the year 1160. That certain Bishops abusive ly call the Liberalitie and Alms of Kings c. bestowed on them Baronyes and Royalties and themselves Barons it being an action of most shameful servitude the Lord may justly say of them They have reigned but not by me Hos 8.4 but thou must know thou hast taken upon thee the Office of a Shepherd and not of a Barron Let another dispatch thy temporal affairs for the mind consecrated to divine service ought to be free from worldly imployment All the care of Prelates is to increase their Rents but the voice of Christ to Bishops is If thou love me feed my sheep not if thou love me till thy Land nor increase thy Rents and build high houses no thou art set over the Souls of men and not over their Bodies as a Baron or Temporal Lord therefore thou myst not make thy self a Lord over them but a Servant Angelo Cararo Angelo Cararo speaking to the Pope and Prelates saith it is but reasonable that Princes should imploy their Authority to make them leave that base and vile Avarice that is among them which is displeasing to the whole world but unless they go about it roundly in express terms laying aside all Civility it will be difficult to bring it about he saith that the affairs of the Chamber of Rome is such a Gulfe that it swallows up all one hath and whence nothing can be redeemed no more than out of Hell This Angelo Cararo was a Venetian and had been at Rome his Book was printed 5 or 6 years agoe Richard Arch-Bishop of Canterbury about the year 1231. complained to the Pope That Benefic'd men within Orders had many Benefices joyned with Cure of Souls and that they also took example of Bishops and did intermedle with secular matters It may seem strange that in time of Popery complaint should be made to the Pope against the Clergy for holding Plurality of Benefices and now men can swallow them down without straining at such Camels without check of conscience yea in some places a Bishoprick is not thought sufficient without a Commendum of some Parsonage of five or six hundred pounds a year joyned to it and thus the goods of the Church and poor are wasted Simon Fish In a Book Intituled The supplication of Beggars written by Simon Fish and presented to King Hen. 8. therein it was declared that Purgatory is a thing invented by the Covetous Clergy only to translate the Lands and Temporal Estates of Kings Princes Lords Knights Esquires c into their own hands for praying for them to deliver their souls out of Purgatory for what man is there in the world that is once deluded to believe that there is a Purgatory and to believe that the Masses and Prayers of the Prelates and Clergy can deliver them out of that burning fire but that when he is dying and can hold his Estate no longer that will not give one half or a great part thereof unto these Merchants of mens souls rather than lye burning in these tormenting flames for some thousands of yeares after death as the Prelates make them to believe they must and by this way of Delusion the Prelates have gotten the best Lordships into their hands to the value of well nigh half the Kingdome Why then should not the King Princes and Lords c. take again that which is their own which their Predecessors have been so cheated out of and the conditions failing for which they were given And besides their Doctrine of Justification by works made others to give Lands for the relief of the poor thinking thereby to be Justified which Lands were delivered into the Bishops and Prelates hands in trust as stewards for the poor supposing they would be faithful stewards in distributing thereof the which Lands the Prelates have converted to their own use and pretend a title thereunto but it is an usurped title But what remedy is there to relieve us your poor blind sick lame and diseased Beads-men to make more Hospitals Nay truly the more the worse for the fat of
the whole Foundation hangeth on the Prelates and Clergies beards for divers of your Predecessors and Nobles have given Lands to have a certain sum of Money given yearly to the poor whereof for the antiquity of the time the conditions are forgotten so that they give not one penny they likewise gave them to have certain Masses said for them daily whereof they say never a one If the Abbots of Westminster should sing every day as many Masses as they are bound to do by the Founders a thousand Monks were too few Wherefore if your Grace will build a sure Hospital never to fail to relieve your poor Beads-men then take from them all these things this with much more to this purpose was in that Supplication Pope Innocent Pope Innocent 4th required that all Beneficed men in England which were resident should pay to the Pope a third part of their goods or Profits and Non-residents the one half for three years together And it is most certain that our King and Nobles within his Majesties Dominions have a thousand times more right to receive these profits than either Pope or Prelate for Popes and Prelates are Usurpers their Predecessors having possessed themselves thereof by deceitful Delusion therefore our King and Nobles may justly require their own Temporalities again which their Predecessors were so deluded of the Prelates having been such unfaithful Stewards it is but just that the King Princes and Lords do require them to give account of their Stewardship that they may be no longer Stewards The testimony of 21 Bishops 8 Arch-deacons and 17 Doctors In the Year 1537. or thereabout Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury and Edmond Bishop of York and to the number of one and twenty Bishops and eight Arch-deacons and seventeen Doctors of Divinity and of the Common and Civil Law they did all assert and sign with their hands to King Hen. the 8th the which was ratified by the Statute of the 32. of Hen. 8. That there is not in the New Testament any mention made of the Calling Jurisdiction Lordliness or secular employment of Lord Bishops But the New Testament speaks only of Deacons and of Ministers alias Priests or Bishops and of these two only that is Priests or Ministers and Deacons the Scripture makes express mention And that Christ did never institute any distinction or difference or preheminence of power order or Jurisdiction among the Apostles themselves but that they were all equal in power authority and jurisdiction and that there hath been any difference since it is by the invention of men and not by the institution of Jesus Christ and therefore no Bishop by the Law of God may take upon him any Jurisdiction in secular Courts for God did constitute Kings to defend the Faith of Christ and true Religion and to cause Bishops or Ministers to execute their Pastoral office truly and faithfully or for neglect thereof to put others in their room and place and not to suffer the Clergy to meddle in secular affairs for the Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual and not a carnal Kingdom as Christ said No man can serve two masters so I say No man can faithfully discharge his Ministerial office in Christs Kingdom which is his Church if he be entangled in secular affairs in the worldly Kingdom You cannot serve God and Mammon Mat. 6.27 Mr Elmer Mr. Elmer in his Harborow for faithful Subjects Printed at Strasburg writes thus on the 12 of Luke Who made me a Judge c. As if Christ should say It belongs not to my office to determine in matters of policy but to the Civil Magistrate And if it did not belong to Christ how dare Prelates take it upon them to do it for if it had been within the compass of Christs Function he could not in conscience have refused it to set them at one which were at strife if he might do it and would not he lacked Charity and did not his duty which were blasphemy to say of Christ and if it belonged not to him neither did it belong to his Apostles nor their successors Had he not as large a Commission as he gave His Kingdome is not of this world therefore Bishops by his example cannot give themselves so large a scope in temporal matters therefore by their fruits you may know them whether they have their Commission from Christ or I had like to have said from Antichrist for saith he if these two offices Ecclesiastical and Civil be jumbled together in one Function there can be no quiet nor well-ordered Commonwealth Richard Armacanus Richard Armacanus about the year 1350. in de questionibus Armenorum book 11. chap. 1. saith that neither the Dominion nor Ministry of temporal things belongeth to Ecclesiastical Dignity but rather diminisheth it for Christ prohibited the Apostles of temporal Dominion saying It shall not be so among you And again Possess neither gold nor silver nor brass in your purses nor scrip for your journey nor two coats neither shooes nor staves Math. 10.9 10. If thou wilt be perfect go sell all that thou hast and give to the poor He saith in chap. 2. that the states and degree of Patriarch Primate Archbishop Bishop c. were invented by men and not instituted by Christ nor his Apostles and that no Prelate of the Church how great soever hath any greater degree of the power of order than a simple Priest But how do Prelates observe Christs rule who commanded that they should possess neither gold nor silver and as if they would strive to do as contrary as they can devise they possess thousands of gold and silver coaches and horses and what not Is it not high time therefore for Kings and Nobles to take these temporalities from them which they thus abuse as if they would set Christ at defiance and bid him command what he will they will do what they will do not their actions tend to this end the good Lord direct the King Princes and Lords c. that by connivance they partake not with the Prelates in these sins lest they which God forbid should partake with them in their punishments Cyprian Cyprian in his fourth Book Epist 4. saith Our Lord Christ observed the will of his Father but we speaking of Prelates observe not the will of the Lord as appears above having all our minds set upon Lucre and Possessions given to pride full of Emulation and Dissention void of Simplicity and faithful dealing renouncing the world only in word but nothing in Deed every one pleasing himself and displeasing all others John Huss John Huss in the Council of Constance did affirm that the Clergie ought to have no temporal possessions and that Temporal Lords may justly without any offence take them away from the Clergy and that Kings and Nobles ought to compel the Clergy to observe and keep the Law and Rules of Christ He also saith that Tythes and Oblations given to the Church are publick and common Alms and that the Clergy
Apostles which yet I would deny him yet it followeth not saith he that with this primacy he had also a Kingdom given him and though the Lord bid him confirm his Brethren yet was he not bid to exercise an Empire over his Brethren for so they should not be his Brethren but his Subjects Richard Feurus Richard Feurus a Martyr about the year 1554. in the Province of Dolphine in his disputing against his Adversaries he affirmed That the word of God ought to be our Rule and that nothing is left to Doctors or Councils to be devised without the word of God and that all things necessary either for government of the Church off or the Salvation of man are expressed and prescribed in the word of God for Paul saith That he durst not utter any thing but what the Lord had wrought in him and shewed unto him Rom. 15.18 John willeth us to receive no man unless he bring the same Doctrine that we have received from Christ and his Apostles Let him be accursed Christs Sheep hear his voice and know his voice but they know not the voice of a Stranger and all manner of worship and service that is not prescribed in the word of God is the voice of Strangers Hence it will follow that such Strangers that both command and practice such Ceremonial service of God as is not prescribed in the Word of God in the New Testament Kings and Princes c. may lawfully take away their Temporalities and Tythes and dispose of them to better uses as hath been said above Richard Lovingham in the reign of King Hen. 4. gathered out of a Book of John Purvey that the Temporalities of the Clergie in England at that time in the hands of such as did no duty for it belonging their office to do besides other Temporalities he said That the King Lords and Commons might without any other Charge but these Temporalities maintain fifteen Garrisons with fifteen thousand Souldiers having sufficient Lands and Revenues to live upon and also maintain fifteen thousand Priests and Clerks and fifteen Colledges more and an hundred Hospitals and every house an hundred Marks a year and bring in besides above twenty thousand Pounds a year into the Kings Coffers He said also that the Kings and Lords ought to banish the Pope and his Factors out of their Lands and all Bishops and their Factors that say it appertaineth not to Kings and secular Lords but to them and their Officials to punish Adultery and Fornication they do fall into manifest Treason against the King and Heresie against the Scripture and that it doth appertain to the King to have the ordering of Priests and Bishops as Solomon and Jehosaphat and others had saith Mr. Fox Acts and Monuments pag 502. Now if the temporalities at that time would have done so much in England what will the temporalities and tythes of three Kingdoms do now that Lands are at so high a rate to what they then were Augustin Huldrick Bishop of Ausburg in an Epistle to Pope Nicholas the first about the year 867 said that good correction proceeding from the lesser to the greater is not to be refused nor disdained when he that is corrected is found to strive against the truth to please men and he mentions Augustin writing to Boniface that the disputations of all men be they never so Catholick or approved persons yet ought not to be received instead of Canonical Scripture Gregory so that we may saith he disprove or refuse any thing that is in their writings contrary to truth to which he adds a saying of St. Gregory What shall become of the Sheep when the Pastors themselves become Wolves Panarmetanus Mr. Rogers in his Answer to the Bishop of Winchester said that all the Laws of men might not nor could not rule the word of God but that all things should be discussed and judged thereby and obedience given thereunto and that no Christian mans Conscience could be satisfied without Laws that agree not with Gods word and he quotes Panarmetanus which said That unto a simple lay man that brings the word of God with him there ought more credit to be given than to a whole Council and to what they concluded without or beside the word of God Walter Mill. Walter Mill a Martyr in Scotland said that these which we call Bishops do not the work of Bishops nor the Office of Bishops as Paul biddeth Timothy but live after their own sensuality and pleasure and take no care of the Flock nor yet regard the word of God to do thereafter but desire to be called Lords c. And Luther saith that neither Pope nor Prelate can make Articles of Faith nor Laws of good works and manners and that we may withstand their doings and Judg upon their Decrees by the word of God though their Decrees be approved by a General Council Doctor Molius Doctor Johannes Molius sometime a gray Fryer disputed three days together at Rome against Bishops and Cardinals by Pope Paul the third his appointment of Original Sin of Justification by Faith and of Free-will and Purgatory and they all not being able to refell his Arguments at last they answered him That what he affirmed was truth nevertheless it was not meet for that present time for that it could not be taught nor published without detriment to the Apostolick See wherefore he should refrain from preaching the Epistles of St. Paul and return to Bononie and there profess Philosophy By this it appears That Popes and Prelates Act against their Conscience and will not suffer the truth to take place least they should lose their honor and wealth for here they confess that what Doctor Molius said was truth but they might not suffer it at that time no nor never since to be taught their reason was it would be detriment to the Apostolick See but what detriment the truth received and the soul of men by hiding the truth from them these Prelates cared not for they silenced him from preaching the truth to profess Philosophy And thus Prelates in this age Silence Ministrs from preaching the truth lest they should come to dishonour thereby and lose their sweet Morsells for if all Christian Kings Princes and Nobles were rightly informed in the truths of the Gospel and of the unlawfulness of Popes Bishops and Prelates of their standing in the Church with their titles dignities and jurisdictions which Papists themselves have confessed is but from men and not from God why then should Kings and Princes by suffering them in such ways become guilty of their Sins but rather rouse up themselves and take from them that which is not theirs but by usurpation that is the temporalities and tithes which they unjustly possess as is shewed above Neither need they fear the Popes nor Bishops Excommunications for they have no more Authority from God to Excommunicate for such things than the poorest Shepherd or Swineherd hath that keeps Sheep or Swine upon