equal division between the poor â—d the Clergy and if by the covetous unsatiable desires of the Prelates â—d Clergy they have gotten the Church Lands and tythes setled upon them by many Acts of Parliament yet another Parliament upon better information and better consideration of the Kingdoms necessity and daily charge and the necessity of the poor and the unlawful spending of the Church goods by them which have no right unto them but spend them quite contrary to the intent and meaning of the Donors why may not the King Princes and Lords temporal take again into their hands the Church goods which was given by their Predecessors from them which so sacreligiously abuse and usurp them and imploy them for the benefit of the Church and Kingdom and the relief of the poor If the King commit a power into any mans hand and find that he or they do abuse that power he may not only lawfully but he ought to take that power from them again the whole Popish Clergy of Bishops Prelates Abbots Priors and Monks in England had once their priviledges and temporalities setled upon them by act of Parliament and yet the King and Councel seeing the inconvenience thereof by another Parliament took those priviledges temporallities and tithes from them and so may this or another Parliament do by our Prelates for the benefit of the Church and Kingdom and the relief of the poor For Bishops and Prelates are useless in the Church of Christ because they are none of those Church Officers which Christ gave to the Church at his assention Ephe. 5.11 he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God their is aâ—ed in 1 Co. 12.28 helps that is Deacons to minister to the poor and goverments that is ruling Elders now ruling Elders are inferior to teaching Elders as Paul saith 1 Ti. 5.17 Let the Elders that rule well bâ— counted worthy of double honour especially they who labour in the word and doctrine they who labour in the word and doctrine they especially are worthy of double honour rather then the ruling Elders in Pauls judgement and he had the Spirit of God to teach him now if Christ who is the alone Law-giver to his Church saw these Church Officers sufficient for these four ends for which he ordained them as first for the perfecting of thâ— the Saints 2ly For the work of the ministry 3ly For the edifying oâ— the Church which is the body of Christ 4ly For the time till we alâ— come in the unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God Then all other pretended Church Officers are superfluous and useless besides St. Paul saith that he shuned not to declare unto the Church the whole counsell of God and that he kept nothing back that was profitable for the Church but taught them publickly and from House to House Acts. 20.20.27 And yet in all his Epistles he hath not made mention of any Lord Primot or Metropolitant or Prelate or the like as any of Christs Church officers or of their dignities or jurisdictions as being profitable to the Church but only those Church Officers mentioned above in Eph. 4.11.12 and 1 Cor. 12.28 Therefore all other are strange Creatures which neither Christ nor Paul nor the Scriptures of the New Testament makes any mention off unless those that Paul speaks of verse 29. that after his departure grievous Wolves would enter not sparing the Flock yea the Papists themselves say that there is but three sacred orders in the Church all the rest by their own confession is of human devising Again as Bishops and Prelates are useless in the Church so also they are usurpers of the Kings royal prerogatives in making out their prossess sitations suspentions sensors and excommunications and the liâ—e in their own names and by making Printing and publishing in their own Names New Visitation Oaths Articles Injunctions Cannons Rites and Ceremonies and inforcing them upon Ministers Scoolmasters Church-Wardens and others and have excommunicated suspended Silenced fined imprisoned and persecuted his Majesties faithful Subjects for not submitting to their usurped power as though they were Kings and Governours both of Church and State contrary to several Statutes and to Magna Charta and the Petition of right as Mr. Prinne saith in his Book of the Exorbitances Treasons Seditions and Conspirecies of Bishops c. Your Majesties most humble and obedient Subject and Servant E. K. The General and Vnanimous consent of Antient and Modern Writers against Prelates and Priests their possessing of Temporalities and Tythes HIstories do relate that when Bishops began to be possessed of Temporal Lands then an Angel was heard to cry in the Aâ—re Woe VVoe VVoe This day is Poyson begun to come into the Church and so it proved for many striving for Lordship and Dominion and could not prevail turned Hereticks in malice to be revenged on them that were preferred before them as Donatus who because Cecilianus was preferred before him to the Bishoprick of Carthage Donatus turned Heretick from whom his followers took the name of Donatists and he accused Cecilianus and all the Bishops that Ordeyned him to be Traditories This VVoe and Poyson of Prelates possessing of Temporalities hath made the Possessors thereof in all Ages to maligne and hate even unto death all sorts and degrees of men that have spoken against their worldly gain and profits and admonisheth them to follow the Example of Christ and his Apostles and the Priests of the Levitical Law who had no Possessions of Temporal Lands Yea the Prelates have manifestly declared their malice against such even after death as the Council of Constance who condemned John Wickliffe and his 45. Articles and by a Decree caused his bones to be digged up and burnt one and forty yeas after he was dead which Condemnation the University of Prague would not receive but defended them by Arguments from Scripture and Reason which was about the year 1418. I shall mention two or three of the Articles and some few of the Universities Arguments in defence of them The ARTICLES Item Kings Princes and Lords Temporal may at their own will and pleasure take away the temporal goods from the Clergy if they do offend and therein continue Item It is against the Scripture that Ecclesiastical Ministers should have any temporal Possessions Item That Tenths are pure Alms and that the Parishio ner may for the offence of their Ministers deteyn and keep them back and bestow them upon others at their own will and pleasure c. That Kings and Lords Temporal may take Temporalities from Prelates the Universitie proves thus Kings in the Old-Testament took temporal goods from the Clergy c. Therefore Kings of the New Testament may do the like 1
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
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
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
thing it is such scraps as they give to their Hounds and Spanniels Prosper To this purpose is the testimony of Prosper Good men saith he took the goods of the Church not as their own but to distribute them as bequeathed to the poor For whatsoever saith he the Church hath it hath in common with such as have nothing c. The Testimony of 54. of the Nobles of Bohemia and Moravia There was four and fifty of the Nobles of Bohemia and Moravia Confederate together who in an Exhortation to Kings and Princes to stir them up to the Zeal of the Gospel they said That the Devil as he tempted Christ by shewing him all the Kingdoms of the World and the glory thereof but did not prevail But the Devil hath prevailed and deceived the Pope and all Prelates and Priest with the Riches of the World and worldly power and they stir up Kings and Princes to make Warre against us not that the Christian faith shâ—uld thereby be defended but for fear their secret vices and heresies should be discovered Whereby for reward they pretend that they have power by Prayers and Masses to deliver Souls out of Purgatory Thus they become Merchants of Prayers and Masses for money and every one that taketh rewards to Redeem Souls out of Purgatory do therewithall cast their own Souls down to Hell they that give any thing to that end do altogether lose their gift and with such divellish subtilties as these the Pope with all his Prelates and Priests have deceived spoiled and disinherited Kings Princes Lords and Knights and good Householders and many others of their lawful Inheritances because their Ancestors and Progenitors gave their Lands to Colledges Monasteries and Churches that they might make Memorials of them and to sing Prayers and Masses for their Souls that they might be redeemed out of Purgatory and with such ill gotten goods the Bishops and Prelates and the rest of the Clergie are made so rich that so long as they have such Goods and Lands they will never teach you the true foundation of true Religion which is against their holding or enjoying such temporal Estates So that now except our Prelates could prove that there is a Purgatory and that for the Lands they hold they both have done and can deliver Souls out of Purgatory what claim or title can they lay to those Lands that were given upon that account or what reason can they shew why the King and Temporal Lords may not lawfully take their own again for the uses formerly named Now therefore say they Ye Nobles Kings Princes Lords and all ye Commonalty rich and poor if you have been a sleep yet now awake and behold the subtilty of the Divel how he hath blinded the Prelates for Lucre sake and take again that which is yours and not theirs and they also receive Tythes and say that men are bound to give them and yet cannot prove that Christ the Apostles or the seventy Disciples received any but their Example Prelates will not follow They say by Prayers and Masses they can redeem souls out of Purgatory and yet by all their Prayers and Masses they cannot redeem a man out of an Earthly Prison Having hitherto shewed the Opinion and Practise of twenty Kings and of the Vniversities of Prague and Oxford and of fifty four of the Nobles of Bohemia and Moravia I shall now produce other Authors Mr Latimer MR. Latimer in a Letter to King Henry the eighth against the Bishops who pretend to be guides and leaders of others saith he and yet will neither preach the Truth themselves as they are bound to do nor suffer others that would do it to whom is due that Woe pronounced Mat. 23.13 for they will not only saith he debar the word of God from men but also by their subtile Wileness the instruct move and provoke in a manner all Kings in Christendom to aid succour and help them in their mischiefs and especially in this your Realm as far as in them lyeth they blind the Kings leige people with their Laws and Customs and Ceremonies in stead of teaching them the word of God Therefore he exhorteth his Majestie above all things to consider the life and proceedings of Christ and his Apostles and to compare these mens doings with theirs and alwayes to have in his mind this golden rule The Tree is known by his fruit for by this you may truly know and discern who are the true follows ers of Christ and his Apostles in preaching and living and who are pretenders only for by their fruits you may know them whether they imitate Christ and his Apostles in preaching in poverty and humility Your Grace may consider what craft the Spiritualty as they will be called imagin to break and withstand the Acts made in your last Parliament against their Superfluities Whhrefore they that so do your Grace may know them not to be the followers of Christ for Christ doth not promise true and faithful Preachers worldly promotion and dignity but tribulation John 16.33 for where the word of God is truly preached there is persecution Therefore pleaseth it your Grace to return to this golden rule By their fruits you shall know them for where you see persecution there is the Gospel and there is the all Truth and they that do persecute are void of Grace and without Truth they will not abide the light because their deeds are evil John 3.20 the riches of the world hath blinded the eyes of their hearts that they see not the clear light of the Scripture though they bable of it never so much Wherefore good King saith he seeing God hath sent his servants true Ministers and Preachers of his word set not these worldly men make your Grace believe that their preaching will cause Insurrection Heresie or Mischief as they imagin in their mad brains lest God be avenged upon you and your Realm as he hath ever been upon them who hath withstood his word My purpose is saith he for the love I have to God and the true alleagiance â—ow unto your Grace not to hide my Talent but to chaffer with it that it may increase to the pleasure of God to exhort your Gace to avoid and beware of those mischeivous Flatterers and their abominable wayes and Counsels for there are some that for fear of losing their worldly worship honour will not be convinced to leave their opinion But let these men remember that Paul as well as they both thought and called Truth Heresie before his Conversion but after he spent his strength and life to defend that which before he persecuted and I am sure saith he Paul before his Conversion was as holy and perfect in the outward works of the Law as any of these Bishops are now Wherefore Gracious King take heed of them and do nothing pleasing in your own sight without Gods word remember your self and pity your own Soul and think that the day is even at hand when you
shall give an account of your Office at which day that you may stand stedfast and have your Quietus est Sealed with the blood of Christ is my daily prayer to him that suffered death for our sins to whom be all honour and praise for ever Amen Thus much of Mr. Latimer his Letter to King Hen. 8. Eneas Silvius Eneas Silvius before he was Pope in a Letter to the Rector of the University of Collin he said To a true Christian indeed nothing ought to be more desired than the sincerity and pureness of Faith given us of Christ be kept of all men immaculate and if at any time any thing be attempted against the true Doctrine of the Gospel the people ought with one consent to provide lawful remedy and every man to bring with him some water to quench the general fire neither must we fear saith he how we be hated or envyed so we bring the truth with us we must resist every man to his face whether he be Paul or Peter if he walk not directly to the rule of the Gospel This is part of Eneas his Letter which I think with Mr. Latimer's Letter above is sufficient to justifie my Innocency in what I have done in collecting of so many reverend Authors to shew what their judgement and practise hath been according to the word of God though it be not according to the practise of our Prelates now Julian Palmer As all good works are wonderful saith Julian Palmer so this in particular That God hath in all ages stirred up some to bear witness to the Truth against those Usurpers who have and do rob and spoile both Kings and Kingdoms by unjust deteyning Lands and Possessions c. in their hands to which they have no right and do buy false Glosses Excommunications Imprisonments Banishments Scourging Pilloring Persecuting by open violence and secret practises abuse the simple sheep of Christ that do endeavour to serve God and to discover their false usurped wayes rather then they will depart with their dishonest gain and have their Kitchin cooled their Coffers emptied or their Rents and Revenues abated The Protestant Church at Paris The fourth of September 1558. Three or four hundred Christians being assembled in Paris in France to worship God in a private meeting they were seised upon and some escaped and some were taken and imprisoned Who wrote a Letter to the King declaring out of divers Histories what afflictions and calamities from time to time had befallen the Enemies and hinderers of Gods worship for their resisting the free passage of the Gospel Shewing also that when the King did by his Edict hinder the free worship and service of God then did God send War and other Calamities upon him and his Kingdom and when he ceased the execution of such Edicts then he prospered according to his own desires as long as the true worship of God and his Ordinances took place And in the Primative Church while Prelates and Ministers were of small Wealth and sought not their own profit but the glory of God and his Ordinances so long the Truth prospered and prevailed but since the Pope and Prelates began to be Prince like and to usurp Dominion over the Emperour and Kings they have turned the Scripture from the true sence and have attributed the service to themselves which we ow unto God framing a worship according to their own fancy for their private advantage to maintain their usurped Dignities Jurisdictions and Possessions Wherefore your Majaesty may with good and safe Conscience seize upon all their Temporalities and Benefices and imploy them to to their right use which is for your own affairs for the safety of the Kingdom and the easement of your poor Subjects which alone bear the burthen and for the relief of the poor whereas now there is an infinite number in your Kingdom which occupie the greatest and chiefest benefices which never deserved any part of them And consider that alwayes those Emperours and Kings have the best prospered that imbraced the true Christian Faith for the Kings Throne is established in Righteousness Prov. 16.20 28. Anne du Burg. Loys du Farr The true and only way Sir say they to remedy and redress these grievances is that you call a general Councel in your Kingdom your self being the chief in which every thing tending to the worship and service of God may be tried by the word of God in which Council men of parts and faithfulness to God should be heard for God and those that enjoy such Dignities and Possessions be heard how they can prove their holding them by the Scripture to be lawful or else to part with them And your Majesty or some whom you may appoint not corrupted nor interested to either party but indifferunt may report to your Majesty the true sence of the Scripture without partiality and after according to the example of David Solomon Jehoshaphat Hezekiah and Josiah you may remove out of the Church all Idolatry Superstition Will-worship and humane Inventions which is contrary to holy Scripture for God will not own any Plant in his Church that is not of his own planting Here was good Council if it had taken place but mark what followed Anne du Burg a Councellor at Law Loys du Farr a Councellor also who did solicite and intercede in the behalf of those imprisoned Christians were both apprehended and cast into prison the King in a rage threatning du Burg that he with his own eyes would see him burnt but God prevented him for the same day that he so threatned the King in his Justing and breaking their Spears the King received his Deaths wound and it was reported that the King said he was striken for casting the poor Christians wrongfully in prison This was Henry the second French King Origen saith Origen That Princes will not beleive that others have fallen by such means until they fall themselves And they said further If the Emperour Antonius a Pagan and an Idolator seeing himself wrapt with Wars ceased the Persecution which was against the Christians and determined to hear their Causes and Reasons how much more ought you that bear the name of most Chistian King to be careful and diligent to cease the Persecution against poor Christians for until you have heard and lawfully debated our Reasons taken out of Scripture how can your Majesty judge us worthy of such punishments for while we are governed by the word of God neither Fire nor Sword nor the cruelest torments can make us afraid Observe these Expressions Christians may learn good Instructions from some of the heathen I will name some Christian-like expressions of this Pagan Antonius he wrot twelve Books in the first Book he said Let it be thy incessant care as a Roman as a man to perform whatsoever it is that thou art about with true and unfeigned gravity natural affection freedom and justice and go about every action as thy last action free from
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
living wickedly ought to be reproved by the Laity by taking away their Tythes and other Temporal Profits from them and give them to others c. Mr. Tindal Mr. Tindall in his Book of Obedience of a Christian page 114 115. saith That the Sword is put into the Kings hand to execute vengeance upon all evil dooers But now saith he the Bishops minister the Temporal Sword and the Office of Preaching they lay aside and will neither preach themselves nor suffer others that would to preach but slay them with the temporal sword and as none saith he can preach Christ except they preach against Antichrist and as none can heal a disease unless he begin at the root so canst thou not preach against any mischief except thou begin at the Bishops And in page 124. he saith Those that are sworn to be true to the Pope Cardinals and Bishops it is as if they should swear to be false to Christ to the King and to the Realm for such Prelates that will revenge themselves of men for speaking the truth and for every trifle they are not fit to preach the patience of Christ Henry Stalbridge To the same purpose writeth Henry Stalbridge in his Exhortative Epistle to his dear Countreymen of England he saith that what blood hath been shed between Emperor and Emperor Kingdom and Kingdom Constantinople Almain England France Italy and Spain who seeth not that the pride of bloody Bishops is the ground and original foundation of all Controversies Schismes Variances and Wars between Realm and Realm see the fift and sixth part of the Homily of Whitsunday And to confirm the truth of this consider whether the carriage and practice of Prelates and their Doctrines such as Godfrey Goodman Bishop of Glocester who in one Sermon at White-Hall before his Majesty delivered five points of flat Popery and did follow many Popish practises And at another time in the year 1636. he said that the Church of Rome and our Church are both as one for we said he and he said not much amiss have both the same Hierarchy and Government the same Liturgie Holy-dayes Fasts Ceremonies Sacraments c. so as those who affirm that Papists are damned do but through the sides of the Church of Rome give a deadly blow to the Church of England and deny that we are saved with more the like And also Bishop Laud's silencing and suspending of Ministers and sending a new book of Common Prayer differing from ours into Scotland consider whether these and the like were not the cause of our late unhappy Warrs in England Bernard Bernard as touching Bishops having Conusance in their Courts of Tythes c. writes thus For Tythes Testaments Administrations Servitude Legitimations and such like saith he to Pope Eugenius you went beyond your bounds when you restrained them to your Courts and without Caesar made Laws for things that did belong to Caesar for the Goods Lands Livings Estates of Lay-men and Clerks also are Caesars Charge and not yours nor the Prelates My Kingdom saith Christ is not of this world If then the Pope Prelates and Priests will be the servants of Christ saith Ambrose they must not challenge any worldly Kingdom Ambrose the servant is not above his Master and if the Master deny it the servant may not affirm it and usurp it Souldiers of Christ must not entangle themselves with the affairs of this world much less to make themselves Lords and Judges of earthly matters William Ocham William Ocham a famous Schoolman writ a book about the year 1330. which was printed in London in which he saith that Clergie men are liable to pay tribute unto Princes and that Princes may take away their Lands and Possessions when they abuse them to Luxury Pomp and other private uses and they may imploy them for the defence and peace of the Realm And after he adds That all the Revenue of Clergie men but that which is sufficient to provide them Food and Rayment with which they ought to be content as Paul saith 1 Tim. 6.8 Having Food and Rayment let us be therewith content and the rest ought to be spent in pious uses and in feeding the poor which if they be not employed in this sort Kings ought to take care of them to set some to see it done William Prynne In the second part of Mr. William Prynne's book of the Antipathy of the English Lord Prelates both the Regal Monarchy and Civil Unity page 311 he saith that the endowing of the Prelates with great temporel Revenues was the very bane and poyson of Religion and one principal cause of Bishops Rebellions Treasons and Exorbitances he had fore-mentioned and therefore they may both with good Conscience and reason be subtracted from them and put to better uses and they like other Ministers be confined to one competent living with Cure there constantly to reside and instruct the People like Bishops in the Primitive Church for so long as our Lordly Prelates continue there will not only be a possibility but a probability of bringing in Popery and the Pope again amongst us since their Lordly Hierarchy is supported by Popish Doctrine Canons Ceremonies Liturgie Godfry Goodman Holy dayes c. as Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester said a little above which they are ingaged to maintain to preserve their tottering Thrones from ruine John Salisbury John Salisbury our Country man flourished about the year of Christ 1140. de nugis Curialium lib. 8. cap. 17 23. writ thus of the pride and sedition of the Bishops Thou maist admire to see the various Houshold stuff and Riches as they say of Craesus amonst them that preach poor Christ they live of the Gospel without preaching the Gospel and it is well if they live only so as they do not also riot they so gape after gain that they contem the things of Jesus Christ and are neither worthy the honour nor name either of Pastor or Hireling they do that which makes them to be feared of all and to be beloved of none they preach Peace yet make Division they make a shew and counterfeit Humility that they may challenge Pride in fulness they dispute of Fasting and what they build up with words they pull down with deeds the works they do bear witness of them you may know them by their Fruits they do not only contend but fight for a Bishoprick the Antients were dragged against their wills to a Bishoprick but went willingly to Martyrdome they feared the chief Chains worse then a Prison or Cross Ex Catal. Illyr There is a Story that about the year 1228. at Paris in a Synode or Convocation of the Clergie one that was appointed to preach was much troubled in his minde what to say the Devil came unto him and asked him why he was so careful what to Preach say thus quoth the Devil the Princes of Hell salute you O ye Princes of the Church and gladly give you thanks because that through your
default and negligence all Souls go to Hell and the Preacher added that he was inforced by the Command of God to declare the same yea and a certain token was given him for a sign whereby the Synode might evidently see that he did not lye Ex Catall Illyr fol. 546. Alexander Fabricius Alexander Fabricius a Popish English Writer about the year 1420. in his Destructorium Vitiorum part 6. cap. 79. saith Who are more horribly inthralled to the Devils servitude than those who are constituted in the sublimity of Honour Ecclesiastical men who ought to be the light of the world yet where is more abundant darkness of vices Where more abundant gaping after earthly things than in modern Prelaetâ— who are fatted in both powers as well Temporal or Spiritual Where is greater Pomp in all appendicles yea and that so much that having left the poverty of the Primitive Church they are now rather to be termed Princes of Provinces than Postors of Souls thus he and much more to this purpose Lucifers Letter to the Prelates Mr. Fox in Acts and Monuments makes mention of a Device or Letter fained under the name of Lucifer Prince of Darkness written to the persecuting Prelates of England which Mr. Fox transcribed out of the Regester of the Bishop of Hereford written as some think by William Swinderby I will only mention some few expressions to our purpose Lucifer Prince of Darkness c. To all our Children of Pride and Companions of our Kingdom and especially to our Princes of the Church of this later age and time c. send greeting to all that obey our Commandments and the Laws of Satan already enacted Know ye that in time past certain Vicegerents of Christ following his steps c. in a beggerly life converted in a manner all the world from the yoke of our tyranny to the great derision and contempt of our Prison House and Kingdom but we seeking remedy for time to come instead of those Apostles we have caused you to be their Successors which be Prelates of the Church by our great might and subtilty as Christ said of you they have reigned but not by me once I promised him all the Kingdomes of the world c. but he would not but to you who are fallen from grace co serve us in the earth is that my promise fulfilled therefore fill your selves full and be contrary to those Fathers in your life and conditions and exalt your selves above all other men and neither give to God nor Caesar that which is theirs but exercise you the power of both Swords fight our quarrel entangle your selves in worldly matters and climbe up from the miserable state of Poverty to the highest seat of Honour and Princely places of Dignity by Wiles and Subtilty Flattery Lying and Perjury Treason Deceit and Symony and what our Infernal Furies may devise and after you are advanced thither where you would be then either by Violence Raving or by Ambition subtilly pilfer away and wrongfully wrest and by false Titles possess those goods which should be for the sustentation of the poor members of Christ whom from our first fall we have hated and consume these goods as your selves list with Whores Strumpets and Bauds c. with whom ye ride pompously like mighty Princes far otherwise than those beggerly Priests in the Primitive Church for I would have you to build Palaces fare like Princes to eat the daintiest Ma t s and drink the pleasantest Wines and hoard up Treasure and not be like Peter and Paul who said Silver and Gold have I none Ye fight for us according to your wayes O acceptable Society or Fellowship promised to us when Christ called you the Synagogue of Satan we love you for your deserts which contemn the Laws of Symon Peter and embrace the Laws of Symon Magus Ye regard Money and have no regard to Souls ye have made the House of God a Den of Thieves ye make Laws and keep not the same ye justifie the wicked for reward and take away the just mans desert from him and thus the Sovereignty of our Empire by you hath been reformed and our intollerable loss restored We would also you should do our Commendation to our entirely beloved Daughters Pride Deceit Wrath Avarice Belly-chear and Leachery especially to Lady Symony who hath made you men and given you suck on her own breasts and therefore in no wise shall call her Simon And if any man preach or teach otherwise than you will have him oppress ye him violently with Excommunications and Censures heaped one upon another and let him be condemned as an Heretick or Schismatick and kept in Prison till he die for an example to all such as confess Christ And thus do your endeavour that you may deserve to have the place which we have provided for you Fare ye well Given at the Center of the Earth in that dark place where all the Rabblement of Devils were present Lord Cobham The noble Martyr Sr. John Oldcastle Lord Cobham professed that the Will of God is That Priests being secluded from all worldlyness should conform themselves to the Example of Christ and his Apostles that is in Poverty and teaching the Scriptures purely and giving good example to others more than any other sort of people where saith he to the Prelates do ye find in Gods Law that you should sit in Judgement of any Christian man but in Annas and Caiphas that sate thus of Christ and upon his Apostles afrer his Ascension of whom only have ye taken it to judge Christs members as ye do since the Venome of Judas was shed into the Church and by Venome saith he I mean your Possessions and Lordships for then an Angel cryed in the Aire Wo Wo Wo this day is Venome shed into the Church as your own Churches mention before that time all the Bishops of Rome in a manner were Martyrs c. but since Popes and Bishops one hath cursed and poysoned slain and done much mischief to another Christ was meek and merciful but they are proud and tyrannical Christ was poor but they are rich c. Arnulphus In the second Tome of the general Councels mention is made of a Book called Opus tripartium which Sabellicus and Platina thought to be written by Arnulphus In which Book he complaineth of the great number of Holy dayes in which Whores and naughty women said That they vantage more in one of those dayes than in fifty dayes besides He complained also of the inconsiderate promotion of evil Prelates and the wantonness and laciviousness of their Servants and excess in Aparrel Also of Prelates mispending the Church goods in superfluity and upon their Kinsfolks and other worse wayes c. Hostiensis Hostiensis saith in his third book Idecime That if Priests do not minister of their Spiritualities to the people the people ought to take away the Almes of their Tythes from them and John Huss said That Tythes and Oblations given
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
temporalities but Prelates have been unfaithful Stewards and therefore it is high time to compell them to deliver up their Stewardship that they may be no longer Stewards for the Priests as they call themselves and desire to be called ought to have no temporal possessions or inheritance for their service as Eze. 44.28 I am their Inheritance ye shall give them no possession in Israel I am their possession yea even the Primate himself as he expecteth to be called who thinks himself to be Successor to Aaron cannot by Aarons example possess any temporalities as in Num. 18.20 And the Lord spake unto Aaron then shalt have no inheritance in their land neither shalt thou have any part amongst them I am thy part and thine inheritance among the Children of Israel and Josh 13.33 But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance If Prelates consciences were not seared as with an hot iron how could they pretend any right to Temporal possessions either by example of the Levitical Priesthood unto whom you see Temporal possessions was prohibited neither by the example of Jesus Christ nor his Apostles if it were not as Cardinal Aralatensis said in the Council of Basil that Prelates value their Temporalities above their Spiritualities Therefore if you observe the rule of Christ by their Fruits you may know them and their Fruits in that way hath been the occasion to bring in and to uphold and maintain Antichrist the Pope in his Throne for if it were not for his great Temporal possessions he could not domineer over Emperors Kings and Princes as he hath done and whilst Prelates possess their Temporalities they do uphold him in his Throne for both of them are one upheld by the other if once the one fall the other will shortly follow Angelo Cararo Whosoever saith Angelo Cararo beholds the surpassing state and magnificence of the Church and Court of Rome above other Kings and Princes cannot but wonder that she upon so slender a foundation and so far from the intention of her Founders should raise her self to so proud a height as to turn those benefits she hath received against and to the prejudice of them that gave her those possessions for the Canonists other Emissaries of that Court study nothing more than how to strengthen and extend their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and abase and demolish the power of Secular Princes if they can possible A Book of the Image of a Bishop In a Book called The Image of a Christian Bishop and of a Counterfeit Bishop set out in the year 1539. he speaks of some that he calls shadows of Bishops that have raised themselves to dominion and Lordship against both God and man against reason common sence and judgement after the nature of Tyrants which rule only by the wrath and indignation of God for Prelates saith he if they be not good and virtuous to promote the word of God unfeignedly with all their hearts they are Wolves and cruel murtherers of Souls much like as if Satan should have a Mitre on his head and Rings on his fingers and should sit in a Chair to rule the people for Bâ—shops that do not preach the pure word of God they are as much to be eschewed as the Devil himself And whereas Bishops exercise their tyranny over men under pretence of Conformity to keep men from sedition and strife he saith the word of God doth not stir up to sedition and strife but the stubborn obstinate disobedience of Bishops themselves against the truth and their rage against the word of God is the cause of sedition for whosoever receives the word of God that man raises not up sedition albeit he no longer fears such vain Buggs nor worship such Episcopal Puppets for since he knows the word of God he doth not fear nor reverence their vain humane Innovations and Traditions But wilt thou that I tell thee at one word that they are they are Wolves Tyrants Traytors Man-quellers monsters of the World burthens of the Earth the Apostles of Antichrist to corrupt and destroy the Gospel And therefore it is the part and duty of all Christian men with the word of God to destroy and pluck up by the roots them and their Kingdom which our heavenly Father hath not planted who by their Tyranny destroy the Gospel Institutions of Christ to establish their own Institutions so that if there be any Christianity in our minds and breasts we ought saith he to speak unto the King for a Reformation Thus he and much more to this purpose See Mr. Prynns Book of the execrable Treasons Conspiracies and Rebellions of Prelates pag. 389 390 394. William Wroughton William Wroughton in his rescuing of the Roman Fox dedicated to King Hen. 8. We have saith he put down some of the Orders of the World there remains yet two viz. the pompous Bishops and the dependants thereon and the gray Fryers which if they were put down also as well as the other I reckon that there would not be any Kingdom wherein Christ would more reign than in England and there he proves at large the Prelates Canon Law to be the Popes Law and that so long as the Bishops maintain it in England they maintain the Pope in his Soveraignty and Legislative power in England Thus and more to the same purpose Roderick Morce To the very same purpose Roderick Morce in his Complaint to the Parliament the 37 of Hen. 8. writes thus The whole Body of the pestiferous Canon Law according to which Judgement is given through the Realm so that we are still in Egyptian bondage to the Popes Law And so long as ye walk in those wicked Laws of Antichrist the Pope and maintain his Knights the Bishops in such inordinate riches and unlawfull Authority so long ye shall never banish that monstrous beast the Pope out of England yea and it shall be a means saith he in process of time to bring us into bondage to the Pope again and that knows our forked Caps full well meaning Mitres Wherefore if you will banish the Pope you must fell down to the ground these rotten posts the Bishops c. And in another place he said that one Bishop one Dean or Colledge or House of Canons hath ever done more mischief than ten other Religious Houses The King saith he hath done well in weeding the Garden of England but yet he hath left the fowlest stinking weeds standing the pompous Bishops Canons of Colledges and Deans c. But now saith he I will speak no more against the particular Pope seeing every Bishop now is a Pope Martin Bucer Martin Bucer professors of Divinity in Cambridge writ to King Edward the sixth that the reformation of the Church could never be expected from the Bishops and said that the wealth of Princes which ought to be bestowed upon faithful Ministers upon Schools and upon the Poor the Prelates sacraligiously spend it in ryot and