to the communion which all they that receive orders take together and remaine in the same place where the hands were layd on them untill such time as they have received the communion The celebration of the supper went before in the beginning of the action as is enioyned in the book of ordering Bishops Priests and Deacons but they communicate not till the end of the action The first celebration then was nothing but a consecration as they call it of the bread and wine without the pertaking of the communicants all the rest of the action must intervene before they partake for to what end els is there made twice mention of the communion So the first is like the offering of a sacrifice the last is liker to the supper Is not this great coÌ„fusion betwixt the first and second part of that holy action to intermingle another action yea as some say another sacrament confounding two sacraments together Their Letanies and Collects for brevities sake I passe by The external calling to the benefice or certaine place of the ministerie is either to a parsonage or a vicarage In each of them is to be considered 1. nomination either when the right of presentation is in another person nor his who doth nominate as somtime it falleth out or when the right both to nominate present belongeth to him 2. The Bish. triall of his gifts qualification whether he be capable or not of such a Benefice 3. Admission either to the title it selfe as when the Bishop doth institute at the presentation of another which is called Institution or when the Bishop himselfe who doth institute hath the right of patronage which is called Collation or else admission is to the possession it selfe by inducting which is either done by the Archdeacon himselfe or by his deputie After they have thus received their order of Priesthood and are ordeined at large in nubibus they pay for their letters of Orders for their admission to their Ministerie must not be free of fees and runne abroad through the whole Diocesse where they please preaching any where if they have gotten after their Ordination another licence to preach For they must not preach by vertue of their order of Priesthood in the intendment of the Prelates but must have the Bishops warrant to that end They are put in remembrance at their ordination in the Bishops interrogatories exhortations in the Gospels and Epistles and at the deliverie of the Bible in their hand of the dutie of preaching and teaching But that is onely for a fashion for they read of the booke these Gospels Epistles Exhortations which were used of old and are reteined still in the booke rather to be a monument of that which hath been then for their right use and end For in the Romane Church when the Masse Priest is to receive orders by the Epistles and Gospels c. he is put in remembrance that he must blesse governe preach baptize 〈…〉 doctrine should be spirituall medicine to the people of God that the Church of God is to be edified both by preaching and good example These are peeces of the ancient order which was in the Church lying still in their corrupt pontificals to be rehearsed in the forme of a service But when they come to the action it self wherin the order of Priesthood is actually conferred at the laying on of hands there are no such speeches used So in the English much is said of preaching and teaching before they come to the laying on of hands but then there is a generall word used Be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God not mening to dispens by preaching for they know that many of them cannot teach but to dispense it as it is divided set in order to be read sung in the service book Or else they mock God his word and his Church after the old Popish manner not intending the right dispensing of the word by preaching When he is to be set in a certain place he seeketh the Patrons favour or maketh some simonicall paction with him as we have alreadie heard out of Brightman and a little before out of M. Cartwright The Patron presenteth the man whom he thinketh fittest for his own humour and the Bishop doth try his gifts and qualification Heere the liberty of election is taken from the Congregation and given to the Patron and the Bishop That the Patron should be some way acknowledged for his liberalitie toward the Church we doe not gainesay Therfore jus utile that is if he be redacted to poore estate that he be relieved with the rents of the Church and jus honorisicum right to a fear in the Church and jus onerosum to have a care that the rents be not dilapidate as also to be gardian and keeper of the rents of the Church during vacancie or what other thing else not savouring of superstition or ostentation wee grant unto them but the right of presentation of Clerkes to the pastorall office we cannot grant The Church may not resigne this liberty of election in the hands of another man but is ever bound to retaine in her own hands the freedome to choose the fittest person to have charge of their soules This liberty of Election was acknowledged to be so equitable grounded upon the principles of nature that there should be more Clerkes then one tryed when a Church was vacant where this order might be had that in the Councell of Trent some others also chosen by the Synode beside the Bishop were ordeined to examine and chose the fittest of those who offered themselves or were offered to a tryall and this is called examen per concursum But in our neighbour Church they have no such constitution The Bishop himselfe tryeth or appointeth whom he pleaseth none is depute by a Synode to joyne with him And where the Bishop himselfe is Patron of a benefice he maketh not nor yet receiveth any offer of a leite of many that the worthiest may be chosen but the Church is under the same bondage whether the Bishops or Lay-men be Patrons Now what is this examination of the Bishop surely very superficiall and imaginarie The request of any in authoritie is able to obtain the Bishops institution suppose he be unsufficient And indeed there is no extreme suite the doore is not so hard locked sayth Mr. Cartwright there needeth but the lifting up of the latch And in another place he sayth that many say that for a dish of fruit of the golden griffe they lease out and make all manner of marchandise of the Lord Orchâ—rds that he which hath no gift in the heart yet if he have a gift in the band need no other key to open the Church doore and enter into a benefice He that came to the Bishop of Winchester to serve in his Diocesse borne at Norwich and made a Minister at Peterborow knew not how many Sacraments there were and requested a dayes respite
statute as to receive the Annates or first yeares fruits of every Ecclesiasticall benesice after the vacancie of it and the tenth of all Ecclesiasticall benefices yearly These first fruits and tenths were the Popes due in time of Poperie when the Pope was cast forth they were given to the King and it was enacted That the Kings Maiesty his heirs â—nd successors for the augmentation and maintenance of the royall estate of his Imperiall Crowne dignity of supreme head of the Church of England should yearly have take enioy and receive united knit unto his imperiall crown for ever a yearly rent or pension amounting to the value of the tenth part of all the revenewes rents farmes tythes offerings emoluments and of all other profits as well called spirituall as temporall then appertaining or belonging or that afterward from thenceforth should belong to any Archbishopricke Bishopricke Abbacie Monasterie Priorie Archdeaconrie Deanrie Hospitall Colledge house Collegiate Prebend Cathedral church Collegiate Church couentuall church Parsonage Vicarage Chanterie free chappell or other benefice or promotion spirituall c. It was further enacted That the sayd first fruits and tenths and all the reuenewes and profits thereof should be in the order survey and governance of the Court of first fruits and tenths and ministers of the same This Court was erected in the Parliament begun anno 31. Henr. 8. Marke these words for the augmentation and maintenance of the royall estate of his Imperial crowne and dignity of supreame head of the Church of England for in that respect are the tenths exacted Restored by statute as of right due to the Crowne are either such as have ever been used by the Prince within his dominions or haue not been in use c. Ever in use as the supreme right of patronage called Patronage Paramont so that by lapse of time collation of benefices are transferred to the Prince and no further 2. To reap the tents of vacant benefices to his owne proper use 3. to give licence to choose a Bishop 4. to nominate a fit man to the Chapter whom they shall choose to the Bishopricke 5. to give consent to the person elected 6. to receive the oath of homage from the Bishop 7. to present any Ecclesiasticall persons whatsoever before the civil judges for offences committed against the peace of the kingdome and the Kingsroyall dignity Presentations and collations of benefices whether ordinary and original or extraordinary and transferred by devolution to superiours for the neglect of inferiours postponing times prescribed by law are the inventions of Sathan broched and dressed in his kitchin sayth Beza For when the Patrone presenteth to a benefice and the Bishop giveth collation the libertie of the Church to choose and seeke the worthiest and fittest man one of a thousand as Iob speaketh is taken away and unworthy men thrust upon the Churches When there is any defect through neglect of time this liberty is not restored to the Church but her bondage still increaseth till at last the power of bestowing a benefice by gradation come to the Prince Now to conferre a benefice is to set a Pastor over a flocke for howsoever the person presented have received Ordours before yet he hath not a particular charge but is a minister or as they call him a Priest at Random till he obtaine some benefice The Prince taketh up the rents of vacant Bishoprickes as Superiours of vassals who hold their lands of their Liege Lord. The Bishops See being vacant the Diocesan Church as they call it hath not liberty to choose a Bishop either in a full convention or by their commissioners nor yet the ministers of the Diocie but onely the Dean and Chapter as was the manner in time of Popery Neither may the Deane and Chapter proceed to the election till first a licence bee sent from the Prince and with the licence is sent a letter nominating the person whom they shall choose and then they proceed to the acceptation rather then free election of the person nominated Notwithstanding of this imaginary and feigned processe of election the kings assent and ratification is required Yea without all this imaginary proceeding of Deane and Chapter the Prince may by vertue of the statute above mentioned proceed to the ful election by himselfe and will do it when he thinketh good The clergy nobility gentry communalty of the Diocie are not regarded all this time They must accept whom Deane Chapter at the Princes pleasure shall recommend to them Hence it is that the Church receiveth Pastors Bishops from the Princes palace and he that can give or promise the greatest gift to the greatest Courtier shall win the prise So the prophane courtier setteth these great commanders Pastors over many Churches From Popes and Princes courts as out of the belly of the Trojan horse have been sent forth asses swine Beares Bulls upon the Lords vineyard At the last Parliament 1617. election by Deane and Chapter was established without the consent yea against the acts of our Kirk And the first man that entred this way I mean the Parliament way that is by Deane Chapter was the land of Corce who made it nice to take on a Bishopricke till he had a lawfull calling and the free approbation of the Kirk My Lord elect must make homage to the Prince and sweare not onely fidelity which every subject owe to their Prince but also as a vassall to doe homage to him as his superiour and performe that knight service which he is obliged to for his temporall lands Whereas before they held their lands in pure almes they were either compelled by Princes to hold in knights service or made filthie pactions with them to the end they might get in many temporall lands and for that cause rendred themselves as vassals selling both their owne liberties and the liberty of Ecclesiastical elections Not in use till after the Papall usurped authoritie was utterly driven forth of the bounds of the English Empire These concerne 1 appellations 2 Canons and lawes 3 Benefices As for appellations interposed at the instance of any party 1 The last appellation is made to the Prince and not forth of the kingdome 2 hee delegateth judges by the Chancellour of England under the great seale who shall determine in the cause Appellations ascend by degrees from one to one not from one to many No mediate appellation is heire from one to a Provinciall Synode or Nationall but from the Archdeacon or his officiall to the Bishop from the Bishop or his Commissary to the Archbishop from the Archbishops Archdeacon to the Court of Arches or the Court of Audience from these Courts to the Archbishop himselfe from the Archbishop to the Court of Chancery or to the Prince who by the Chancellors seale appointeth judges 24. Henr. 8. 25. Henr. 8. 1 Elizab So in place of gradation from parish Sessions and Consistories to classicall meetings of the Presbyteries from Presbyteries to Synodes
of Shires from Synodes to Nationall Assemblies they must step up a Popish ladder by Archdeacons Officials Bishops Deane of Arches Archbishops saving that at the top of the ladder they finde the Prince for the Pope to whom they must not appeale nor yet to any greater Councels of many reformed or unreformed Churches or to an oecumenicall Councell whatsoever they talke of Generall Councels Now the causes convoyed by these subordinate appellations are all Ecclesiasticall causes agitated in the Ecclesiasticall Courts Of which causes wee are to treat in the third chapter These which belong to Canons or Ecclesiasticall lawes concerne either the making of them or the administration and execution of them or the relaxation of them As for the making of them 1. in that the Prince may make new lawes anent ceremonies and rites with advice either of his Commissioners in causes Ecclesiasticall or of the Metropolitan 2 Synod provinciall or nationall may not be convocated without the Princes writ direct to the Metropolitan 3. Nothing may be treated or determined in the Synode till the Prince first be made privie and give assent 4. Nothing shall have the force of a law till the Royal assent of the Prince be given to those things which the Synod shall think good to decree Beza in his 8. Epistle to Grindal Bishop of London confesseth that he trembleth and shaketh at the first of these heads And in very deed it may turne upside down the whole government of the Church and outward forme of Gods worship overthrow the one and deface the other Did not the Bishops affirme at the examination of Barow that the Queen might establish what Church government it pleased her Highnes Because they dare not affirm that Princes may change any thing that is unchangeable by divine law therefore they make many unchangeable things both in government and externall ceremonies in Gods worship to bee changeable that they make a change at their pleasure and may bring in all that ever was hatched by the Antichrist a Popish Church government significant rites and symbolicall toyes and ceremonies For what may a corrupt Prince and a corrupt Metropolitan or some few corrupt commissioners not challenge for changeable Nay even rites of order and comelines and lawes of things indifferent for a religious use should be considered by the lawfull and ordinary assemblies of the Church how they agree with the generall rules prescribed in the word how they will edifie the Church how God shall be glorified Christian charitie entertained order and comelines preserved For we must not consider things indifferent onely in â—heir generall kinde but in their particular and circumstantiall use which if we permit to Princes they may abuse indiffereÌ„t things to the great hurt of the Church Synods ought not to be convocate without the Princes privitie or the warrant of the law in generall but if the Prince be wilful in denying his assent and the Church be in extreame danger ready to be overwhelmed or greatly disturbed with heresies schismes divisions enormities we may use the benefit of the law and if the law of man be wanting yet the Church should not cease from doing her dutie and exercising that power which is granted her by Christ who hath also promised his presence when but two or three are convened in his name Salus Ecclesiae suprema lex esto The power of Christian Princes in the Church is cumulative to aid her to execute her power freely not privative to deprive and spoile her of any power Christ hath granted to her And by the same reason the Church may entreate determine and strengthen her decrees and constitutions with Ecclesiasticall censures and punishments notwithstanding the Prince will not assent approve ratifie the Canons of the Church nor confirme them by his lawes and fortifie them with temporal punishments Prudence I confesse is required in the Church to weigh the case of necessity when to put this â—er power in practise As for the administration and execution of lawes in that the Prince may 1. visit the Ecclesiasticall state and their persons 2. reforme redresse and correct them and whatsoever sort of heresies schismes errours abuses offences contempts and enormities of any whomsoever 3. to assigne nominate and authorize when and as often as it is his pleasure such persons being naturall borne subjects as he shall think meet 1. to exercise and execute all manner of jurisdictions privileges and preeminences in any wise touching or concerning any spirituall or Ecclesiastical jurisdiction 2 to visit 3 to reforme correct and amend all such excesses or defects whatsoever which by any maner of Ecclesiasticall power authority or jurisdiction might been have been reformed ordered corrected amended or restrained The Princes power in visiting reforming and correcting abuses enormities errours heresies c. may be seen as in a liuely picture in the high commission to be not onely a temporall power but also a spirituall to inflict Ecclesiasticall censures punishments For the Prince could not communicate this power to his Delegate Commissioners except he claimed it to himselfe as Principall For none can transferre that to others which he hath not himselfe It must follow therefore that the Princes power is Ecclesiastical not onely in respect of the object and matter whereupon it worketh as heresies errours abuses c. but also formally in respect of the manner to wit by inflicting Ecclesiasticall censures and punishments unlesse we will affiâ—me that suspension deposition excommunication are not Ecclesiastical but civill punishments and censures which were absurd We shall entreat of the power of the high commission in the next chapter severally by it selfe As for the relaxation of the Canons or lawes in that 1. first for ever when as they are altogether abrogated by the Prince 2. for a time onely as when hee granteth remission of any crime or transgression of the Canons for times by gone and to come when both infamie is abolished and the transgressor is restored to his former state 4. When the grace of the Canon is granted for time to come to any certaine person upon speciall occasion the cause being tried which grace they call dispensation which is for the most part done when the faculties of this kinde granted by the Archbishop of Canterbury upon whom this office doth lye by statute are confirmed with the great seale of England or when if he without just cause refuseth the Chancellour of England granteth them primarily according to the statute made thereanent If the Prince may abrogate the canons of the Church without consent of the church in vain were the Canons of the Church made Or that the Church may not abrogate any canon when they finde it proveth inconvenient is as great an inconvenience In vaine likewise are canons strengthened and guarded with censures and punishments and the black markes of infamie set upon heynous crimeswith the legall effects thereof if the Prince may abolish the crime as simoniacall paction or any the like
seemes by the 36. article to be that wee are required to subscribe unto and which it may be some of the Bishops doe still use there are other corruptions as that the coape albe surplice tuniâ—le and pistorall staffe are appointed to be used in ordination and consecration There the elected is presented by two Bishops to the consecrator who is sitting and the elder of the two Bishops sayth Most reverend father in God c. So here he is presented by two bishops to the Archbishop or any other bishop having commission to whom one of them sayth Most reverend father in God we present unto you this godly and learned man that he may be consecrate bishop There none is consecrate till the commission be shewed here likewise the Archbishop is carefull to have the Kings mandate anent his consecration to be produced and read There the elected taketh an oath upon his knees to the Pope and another of obedience to the Archbishop so here they must take one oath concerning the supremacie another of canonicall obedience to the Archbish. There the Archbi demandeth some questions so also here There is sayd or song Veni Creatâ—r so here There the Archbishop together with the Bishops then present laying on their hands say Receive the holy Ghost so here also as if the one could give and the other receive the holy spirit from his finger ends By the book of ordaining Prists and Deacons the Archbishop should lay the Bible upon the bishops neck that is to be ordained and put a pastorall staffe in his hand sayth the authour of the petition to the Queenes Majestie but they put the Bible in his hand and observe not the former direction or else follow a later booke of ordinations After these things being done the consecrator and his assistants communicate with the new consecrated bishop so here also The Gospels the Collects the Epistles the Letanie which are here used for the most part are borrowed from the same Pontificall and the Letanie interrupted here also as there There the consecrator sayth nothing more ordesâ—e then is set down in the booke either when he prayeth or demandeth or consecrateth so here There the consecrator putteth gloves on the hands of the consecrated Here the consecrated Bishop dealeth gloves as I heare to his friends for why now he is maried and the mariage betwixt him and the Church which was begun by the election is consummate they say by consecration Should not then the bridegroome deale gloves among his friends That day that our Bishops were first consecrated at London their bride at home understood nothing of the matter In respect of his function either in things concerning Episcopall order or concerning iurisdiction Concerning Episcopall order as 1. to ordaine Deacons and Ministers according to the prescript of the booke of ordinations 2. to dedicate Churches and buriall places 3. to confirme children The power of order as they call it that is a power and authority which is given to men sanctified and set apart from others to performe such acts as belong to the service of God and the discharge of the pastorall function it acknowledged by D. Field as also by the sounder sort of the Romanists themselves to be equall the same in all pastors and that there is not a greater power of order in the Bishops then Presbyters If the power of order and authoritie to intermedle in things pertaining to Gods service be equall and the same in all Presbyters who hath power to abridge this their power and limitate the exercise of it To reserve the exercise of it to the Bishop as if he alone may give orders or if other ministers joyne either casually or by Canon with him that it is not for consecration but for consent and approbation onely or that a whole Presbyterie cannot ordaine that is sanctifie dedicate or set apart any person to the ministery unlesse there be a Bishop present to utter the words of consecration is not onely absurd because it imports that God hath bestowed on them a facultie which they cannot put in execution but also dangerous for the Church of God as experience of the last age hath manifested For then all the Ministers in France and other reformed Churches who received not imposition of hands by bishops should not be lawfull Ministers Their shift of the case of necessitie is no shift at all For if they have that power by divine right as they pretend the other may in no case usurpe it Further seeing nature giveth not faculties in vaine wee must not thinke that Christ gaue a power or facultie to be idle The gifts and faculties he gaue hee gave them to be imployed not onely in time of necessitie but at all convenient times and occasions offered Where do they finde in all scripture this exception of the case of necessitie Where the law of God doth not distinguish ought man to distinguish The prayer out of the mouth of a divine bishop a minister appoynted by the presbyterie to moderate the action is it of lesse efficacie then the prayer out of the mouth either of an human or Satanicall Bishop As for imposition of hands it is a rite onely which is common to all and not essentiall Seeing then to ordaine ministers belongeth to the power of order as to preach the word and minister the sacraments doth and that this power is common to all pastors the validity or invaliditie of ordination ought not to depend upon a bishop set up by mans appointment and invention and that it was but an invention of man is clear in that this reservation restraint came in but by corrupt canons In the councell of Ancyra a canon was made to forbid the presbyters of the Citie to ordaine presbyters and Deacons without the bishops permission wherby appeareth that before that Canon was made they had ordained some without the Bishops either presence or permission and yet their ordinations were not made voyd and that after the making of the Canon they yea it is confessed that this is reserved unto them potius ad honorem sacerdetij quam ob legis necessitatem rather for for the honour of their Priesthood then the necessitie of any law at Hierome sayth Beda sayth in plainer tearmes that for pride aud arrogancie this as many other things were not permitted to Priests but reserved to Bishops That which the Iesuite Swarez sayth concerning confirmation Si prestyteri ex visuae ordinationis haberent sufficientem potestatem ordinis ad hoc sacramentum ministrandum sine causa in universum prohiberentur illud conferre may be applied to that which I affirmed of ordination that God gave not faculties and powers to be idle I have as yet onely supposed this their confirmation to be lawfull But let us now see what it is The bishop or such as he shall appoynt apposeth the children in some questions of a short catechisme for hee taketh not the paines to
of conjunction and dissolution in the word the Church is to see that that order and these caveats bee observed which are contained in the word For it may fall out that both in binding up of marriage they may commit incest and in dissolving without a just cause may offend also It is the Churches duty to prevent and remove such offences But of other lawes civil and municipal they are not executors These lawes which are divine are of a mixt nature These which are civill belong onely to the civill Magistrate The Churches part is transferred to the cognisance of officials to whom it doth not belong And therfore Beza concerning this abuse writeth thus Sed quorsum hoc ad officiales promotores procuratores totam denique illam procorum colluviem quae Ecclesiam Dei iâ—mprideÌ„ devastat quorsum hoc ad illa non Ecclesiae tantuÌ„modo Christianae verumetiaÌ„ universi mundi de But what maketh this sayth he for officialls promoters Proctors and all that filth of swine which now a long time doth waste the Church of God What is this to these shamefull staines not onely of the Christian Church but also of the whole world Further beside the Churches part which is to take heed to offences and breach of Gods law they have taken the Canon law for the rule of their proceedings both in spousalls mariages and divorces And thirdly have taken in debts and dowries goods and chattels which are accessorie to marriage to judge upon and this must be called Ecclesiasticall cognisance Lastly these causes are of such weight that they are not to be committed to the skill or conscience of one base officiall It is observed by the author of the Assertion for Christian policie that mens inheritances many times hang in suspence upon question of lâ—gitimation or illegitimation of their children to be allowed or disallowed by the Canon law and that many Knights Esquires and Gentlemen doe complaine and bewaâ—le the stealing away and mariages of their daughters neeces neere kinswomen or wards Couples have been married and lived together 4 6 or moe yeares as man and wife and upon a new and sudden dislike and discontentment or upon a surmised precontract pretensedly proved by two suborned witnesses by vertue of the Canon law the husband was adiudged no husband the wife no wife Another example he relateth of one solemnly maried to a wife and after by reason of a precontract solemnly divorced from the same wife and compelled by censures of the Church to marry her for whom sentence of precontract was adjudged and yet authorized by the same consistorie about ten or twelve yeares after the divorce to resummon recall and rechallenge his first wife she having a testimoniall out of the same consistorie of her lawfull divorce and being againe solemnly maried to another husband Licences of mariage have been granted out of their Ecclesiasticall Court with a blanke So the partie licenced was enabled if it had been their pleasure to marry another mans wife or his wives sister Many moe grosse absurdities are there alledged by thâ— learned authour which the Reader will sâ—arce beleeve But I omit them and many other things which might be sayd anent the particulars set down in this Table Succesâ—â—on to the goods of the deceased is either or him who hath made his testamâ—nt or who hath died intestate The first 〈◊〉 her universall when the plea is for proving or improving the testament exhibited or particular when the suit is for to obtain a cerâ—ain legaâ—ie The sâ—cond is either properly when no testament is made or by way of inâ—estate as when there is none who will take upon them the burthen of executorie In either of the cases the action is either to obtaine the administration of the goods and that eitheâ— simply or with the later will annexed that it may be fulfilled or witâ— the tutorship and to the use of the Minâ—râ— or else the action is against him that ingyreth himselfe into the administration and intrometteth with the goods of the deceased not being inabled with any warrant Causes testamentarie and their appendicles are meere civill and temporall and therefore do not belong to spirituall Courts It is by the grant of Kings not by Ecclesiasticall right that Church consistories have medled with such causes Because Bishops were supposed to bee men of good conscience and that they would be carefull to see the later will of the deceased performed then others therefore they were reserved to Episcopal audience and cognisance of Ecclesiasticall Courts But this respect was not founded upon Gods word For we must not looke so much to conscience as to a lawfull calling or else all civill causes pleaded before a Iudge should be referred to Church-men because of their supposed good conscience And the truth is it is but supposed indeed For a Bishop or pastor that will medle in matters impertinent to his calling hath but a bad conscience Such a man will never make conscience of it more then another religious Christian. And what conscience they made of the matter may bee seene in that they transferred that which was committed to their trust to a base Officiall who hath as bad a conscience as the Bishop himselfe and badder if badder may be And as for skill in deciding such causes no man will deny but the civill judges are more able to cognosce and determine in them then Church-men By the common law sayth Lindwood these causes were not committed unto the Church but by the free grant of Princes And therefore in the lawes alledged by him approbation and insinuation of testaments are forbidden Clergiemen Et ratio redditur in juribus illis allegatis quia opprobrium est clericis si peritos ostendere velâ—â—t rerum for â—enseâ—â—â— May not matters of legacies and bequests of goods as well as of lands bee determined in remporall Courts Cannot the Iudges in temporal courts discerne upon proofes and other presumptions whether the testator was of perfect memorie or distracted as they doe in questions of lunacie madnesse or idiocie in men living Can they not define of two wills which is the first which is the later will whether the legacie remaine or bee recalled whether it bee pure or conditionall If a creditor may recouer his debt due by the testator in the teÌ„porall Court what should hinder a legatarie to recover his legacie in the same Court This poynt is made cleare and amplified in the Assertion of true and Christian Church policie To conclude then probates of wills committing of Administrations sequestrations of the goods of the intestate recovering of legacies taking up of inventaries c. belong not to a Church Consistorie and it is a very great abuse that such Consistories should be called Church consistories and that spirituall censures should bee put in execution by them Ecclesiasticall dues and rights are 1. tithes which are either Praediall Personall or Mixt. Praediall tithes are such as come of the
generall and officiall principall part that betwixt them To what use then serveth the cathedrall Deane and his Canons or prebendaries c. but to wear copes and caps tippets and hoods rochets surplices to pipe on organs to sing curiously to read gospels and epistles according to their severall offices and in their severall turnes and courses In the 24 canon of the last constitutions when the communion is to be celebrated upon principal feast dayes if the bishop himself be not present then the Dean is to administer the communion with a cope And notwithstanding of all this the Deane must sit in some chiefe place of the Church with his velvet cushion before him and cloth of estate and be brought to his place with a silver Mace before him CHAP. 7. The calling and function of English Priests and Deacons THE name of Priest to signifie a minister of the Gospell is usuall with them even in their latest Canons Howbeit it seemeth to bee derived from the Greek word Presbyter yet seeing it hath been used to signifie a sacrificing Priest such as the Masse-priest was thought to be and is still retained in their latest translations of the Bible to signifie a sacrificing Priest their pretext of the originall of the name is frivolous for either they should translate the Leviticall Priest sacrirficer if they would retaine the proper signification of the word priest or else abstaine from or alter the name of Priest seing they may have choyce of names The Ecclesiasticall persons in the Parish Church are the minister and Deacon In the minister are to bee considered his externall calling and his publicke function His externall calling is either to the order and degree or to the benefice and place of the ministerie The externall calling to the order and degree is seene either in things preceeding the ordination or in the ordination it selfe In things going before the ordination as 1. publick intimation made by the Bishop in the most famous places of the Diocie of the day of ordinations 2. Letters testimoniall to the Bishop ordainer from men of good credit and religion as well of the conversation of him who is to be ordained as of his birth that that he is not a bastard or bond-man 3. the examination of him who is to be ordained either of his education whether hee were brought up in a common Schoole or in an Academie or of his progresse in humane literature or theologie in which is to be considered either the proficiencie it selfe to be tried by the Bishop himselfe or the Archdeacon or some other appoynted for him or else the degree which hee hath taken on in the Schooles The ordination it selfe consisteth in prayers for him who is to be ordained 2. in exhortations to him and 3. in imposition of hands You may see that they make the calling to the ministerie and the calling to the place two divers actions distinguished in time whereas none ought to be admitted to the ministry but when and where there is a place voyd The Apostles ordained not ministers to rove abroad through a whole province but appointed them towne by towne Tit. 1. 5. Act. 14. 23. The Councell of Chalcedon decreed that no presbyter should bee ordered loosely that is unlesse as it is there added it bee in some congregation or citie The word Apoleâ—ymenoâ—s they interpret without a title but then by a title they meane not a particular charge but some possession or living to be maintained by But who will ever admit sayth Mr. Calvin that the title which the Councell requireth is a yearly revenue to maintaine himselfe with In the latest canons this Popish interpretation is approved where are set downe the titles of such as are to be made ministers If he be provided to a place in some cathedrall or collegiate Church or if he be a Fellow or in the right of a fellow or if he be to be a conduct or Chaplain in some colledge in Cambridge or Oxford or if he be a Master of Arts of five yeares standing that liveth of his owne charge in either of the universities or if by the Bishop himselfe that doth ordaine him he be shortly after to bee admitted to some benefice or curatship then voyd is he sayd to have a title howbeit hee have not as yet a particular flocke which was not the meaning of the councell of Chalcedon farre lesse the meaning of the holy Ghost in the scripture They have made 60. 80. or 100. at a clapp and sent them abroad into the countrey like masterlesse men say the authours of the admonition to the Parliament And againe When they have made them either they may tarry in their colledge and lead the lives of loytering losels as long as they live or else gad abroad with the Bishops Bulls like to Circumcellions to preach in other mens charges where they list or else get benefices by friendship or money or flatterie where they can catch them or to conclude if all these faile that they may goe up and downe like beggars and fall to many follies or else as many have done set up bills at Pauls or at the Royall Exchange and such like publike places to see if they can heare of some good masters to entertaine them into service In the late Canons foresayd the Bishop is ordained to maintaine him in all things necessarie who hath not one of these titles till he preferre him to some Ecclesiasticall living which is but one of the rotten Canons of the Canon law If this were kept 3. or 4. Bishops in this realme would have kept such houses as never any did in this land as is sayd in the foresayd admonition Their order in making Priests is this First they must be Deacons before they be made Priests for so they interpret the words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 3. 13. they that have ministred in the office of a Deacon wel purchâ—se unto themselves a good degree that is say they a step to the ministerie The Apostle sayth not that they who doe the office of a Deacon well shall get a good degree or standing but that in so doing they get themselves a good degree that is authoritie and estimation in the church and consequently great boldnesse in the faith For a man may have gifts sufficient for a Deaconship and yet never have gifts sufficient for the ministerie But admitting the office of the Deacon were a step to the ministerie that hee who is a Deacon may be a Minister it followeth not that there is not accesse to the Ministery but by this step of the Deaconship And therfore not to admit a man to the ministerie â—nlesse hee first take upon him the office of a Deacon is a naâ—ghâ—ie device It was decreed in their latâ—st Canons that no Bishop should make any person of what qualities or gifts soever a Deacon and a Minister both together upon one day Not that alwayes every Deacon should be kept from the
Ministerie a whole yeare when the Bishop shall finde good cause to the contrary but that there being now foure times appointed everie yeare for the ordination of Deacons and Ministers there may be ever some time of triall of their behaviour in the office of a Deacon before they be admitted to the order of Priesthood Yet they are not so nice but this order may be dispensed with and that one may take on both the orders upon one day as Mucket doth record When the time of giving orders draweth neere the Bishops Bull is set up upon the Church doore to give warning that if any be minded to receive orders let them repair to the Bishop at such time and place This is sayth Mr. Cartwright like the sound of a trumpet to gather an Armie But the Bill which is set up upon the Church doore is in latine so that the people cannot understand the sound of the trumpet This Bill doth not desire the people to come object against the persons to be ordained And suppose that were the end it wer but a deluding of the people for either they have a Priest or Curat already and then they have not need to object or else the place is voyd but they know not against whom to object for amongst 40 50 or 100. perhaps they know not who is the man that is appoynted for them The Bishop and the patron out of the whole number wil choose afterward when and whom they thinke meete And howbeit there were not one voyd Church in all the Diocie but incumbents in every one of them yet the Bishop will give orders And againe if none of them have ever been conversant in these vacant parts how can they stand up and object against them The day of giving orders being published which is ordinarily upon the Lords dayes after the Ember weekes then there is repaire to the citie or village where the Bishop is to give orders He that can purchase the letters commendatory of some nobleman or knight shall come best speed Then is he to be tried by the Archdeacon who is but a Deacon onely in respect of his Archdeaconrie Howbeit sometimes the Archdeacon be also a Priest beside that it is a confounding of distinct offices it is not by vertue of his Priesthood but of his Deaconship that he trieeth the persons who are to be ordained They are tried by some questioning but as the Archdeacon pleaseth Their pastorall gifts of utterance doctrine and exhortation are not tried either by the Archdeacon or any particular church may these gifts are not needfull in an English priest for a bare reader is sufficient to bee an English minister The Archdeacon is sometime in one part of the countrey and the bishop in another The Bishop making ministers at Exceter and his Archdeacon at Oxenford or the Bishop making ministers at Leichfield and his Archdeacon at Durham When the day of ordination is come after an exhortation made the communion celebrated the Epistle and Gospel read and the hymne Veni creator sung or sayd the Archdeacon presents to the Bishop all those who are to take on the order of Priesthood that day with these words Reverend father in Christ I present to you the persons here present to be admitted to the order of Priesthood Then after some demands and answeres of the Bishop and the other who is to be admitted he demandeth of the people who are present there where he giveth orders if they know any impediment which may hinder any of these present to bee admitted to the order of priesthood which is a manifest mockage For it may be that none there present ever heard or saw any of them or all of them before that day But these words import that ordinations of old were performed before the congregation whereunto he was to bee appoynted Thereafter the oath of the Kings supremacie is taken then againe after an exhortation follow other demands an answers After that the people who are present are desired secretly to commend the businesse to God for which cause they are all silent for a little space After that the Bishop readeth a prayer which being finished they who are to be ordained sitting on their knees at the Bishops feet the Bishop and the rest of the Priests who are present lay hands severally upon the heads of every one of them the Bishop uttering these words Receive the holy Ghost whose sinnes thou doest forgive they are forgiven and whose sinnes thou doest retaine they are retained and be thou a faithfull dispenser of the word of God and of his holy sacraments In the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the Holy Ghost Amen Hee commandeth the ordained to receive the holy Ghost as our Lord and master did when hee breathed on his Disciples bestowing in very deed the gifts of the spirit when hee breathed upon them Ordinary pastors cannot conâ—erre the gifts of the spirit whether breathing as Christ did or by laying on of hands as the Apostles did They may as well imitate Christs breathing as they may usurpe these words Whether the ordained receiveth the holy Ghost or not let the world judge Calvin sayth of the Popish Priests ex equis fieri asinos ex fatuis phre neticos quicunque in sacerdotes consecrantur Is any of their Curats after the pronouncing of these words either the holier or more apt to teach and yet beside this blasphemie they will the ordained to dispense the word of God who cannot divide and cut it aright Where it is sayd whose sinnes yee forgive shall be forgiven c. a power to reteine and forgive is given them separate from the preaching of the word as in the Roman Church an infinite number of Priests cannot preach yet all have power to absolve from sins So may the blind English Curates Sicklike it is a mockage â—hen after that the bishop delivereth to each of them the Bible in his hand saying Take thou authoritie to preach the word of God and to minister the holy sacraments in the congregation where â—hou shalâ— be appointed He should rather have put the service-book in his hand For either they are ignorant and cannot preach yea not tried in that facultie or if they can they may not till they get a licence of the Bish and whether they shal be appointed to any congregation or not they are uncertaine because it dependeth upon the pâ—trons pleasure So that if either the forethinking himselfe like the shop better then the Church or if the Patron will keepe the docâ—e shut against such insufficient men which the Bishop opened so wide or as somtime falleth out they cannot agree of their market it commeth to passe that he is made a minister which either cannot or will not not onely not fulfill but not so much as lay hand of that Ministerie whereunto hee was appoynted sayth Mr. Cartwright When all this is done the companie convened sing the Creed and they goe
THE Altar of Damascus OR THE PATERN OF THE ENGLISH HIERARCHIE AND CHVRCH-Policie obtruded upon the Church of SCOTLAND 2. KING 16. 10. 11. And King Ahaz went to Damascus to meet Tiglath Pileser King of Assyria and saw an Altar that was at Damascus and King Ahaz sent to Vrijah the Priest the fashion of the altar and the patern of it according to all the workmanship thereof And Vrijah the Priest built an altar according to all that King Ahaz had sent from Damascus so Vrijah the Priest made it against King Ahaz came from Damascus Anno 1621. TO THE READER I Have drawen this paterne of the English Altar obtruded upon us out of their owne Tables of the Hierarchy and Church policie Muckets book their Canons and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall the statutes of the Realme the admonitions petitions assertions treatises answers and replies of those who sue for reformation the confessions of their opposites in their own defences I have followed the order of the Tables translated out of Latine and printed with a letter different from the rest I intended not a full refutation for I thought to discover it onely was to refute it sufficiently to any man of sound judgement saving that sometime there iâ— a light touch or poynting at any corruption where I suspected the simpler sort mighâ— be miscaried CHAP. 1. Of the Kings Supremacie IN the Ecclesiasticall policie of England generally are to be coÌ„sidered 1 Persons 2 possessions 3 constitutions concerning both Persons to bee considered are either such as haue some kinde of administration or such as have none at all The persoÌ„s that have some kind of administratioÌ„ have it either as supreme or not so ample The supreme or more absolute administration which is called the Kings supremacie is to be considered 1 generally 2 particularly Generally by which authority the Prince as supreme governor under God can set down in all Ecclesiasticall causes within his dominions whatsoever is not repugnant to the word of God By causes Ecclesiastical are meant not onely matrimoniall and testamentary causes and others abusively called Ecclesiasticall but also these which are in a proper sence Ecclesiastical subject to Ecclesiastical cognition and jurisdiction By the title of Supreme Governour is understood the same power which before was expressed by the title of Head of tâ—e Church of England in the dayes of K. Henrie the 8. and Edward the 6. For howsoever for removing of offence taken at the metaphorical title of Head it was changed in more proper termes of supreme governour under the reigne of Queene Elizabeth yet the sense remaineth still In the first yeare of her reigne it was enacted and ordained That such jurisdictions privileges superiorities and preeminences spirituall or Ecclesiasticall as by any spirituall or Ecclesiasticall power or authority hath heretofore been or may lawfully be exercised or used for the visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state and persons and for reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities shall for ever be united and annexed to the Imperiall crowne of this Realme And that the Queens highnes her heirs and successors shall have full power authority by vertue of this act by letters patents under the great seale of England to assigne name and authorize when and as often as her highnes her heirs and successors shall think meet and conveâ—ient and for such and so long time as shall please her highnesse her heirs and successors such persons being naturall born subjects as her Majestie her heirs and successors shall think meet to exercise use occupie and execute under her highnes her heirs and sâ—ccessors all manner of Iurisdictions priviledges and preeminances in any wise touching or concerning any spirituall or Ecclesiacticall iurisdiction within the Reaâ—â—es of England or Ireland or any other her highnes â—â—minions or countries and to visit reforme redresse order correct and amend all such errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities whatsoever which by any manner of spirituall or Ecclesiastical power authority or jurisdiction can or may lawfully be reformed ordered corrected restrained or amended And for the better observation of this act it was further enacted that every Ecclesiasticall person officer and minister all and every temporall judge Iustice Maior and other lay or temporal officer and minister and every other person having her highnes fee or wages within the Realm of England or any of her highnes dominions shall make take receive a corporall oath upon the Evangelist before such person or persons as shall please her highnes her heirs or successors under the great seale of England to assigne and name to accept and take the same according to the renor and effect hereafter following I A. B. doe utterly testifie and declare in my conscience that the Queens highnes is the onely supreme governour of this Realme and of all other her highnes dominions and countries as well in all spirituall or Ecclesiastical things or causes as temporall and that no forreigne Prince person prelate state or Potentate hath or ought to have any iurisdiction power superiority preeminence or authoritie Ecclesiasticall or spirituall within this Realme and therefore I doe utterly renounce forsake all forraigne iurisdictions powers superiorities and authorities and doe promise that from henceforth I shall beare faith and true allegeance to the Queenes highnes her heirs and lawfull successors and to my power shall assist and defend all iurisdictions privileges preeminences and authorities granted or belonging to the Queenes highnes her heirs and successors or united and annexed to the Imperiall crown of the Realme So helpe me God and by the contents of this book The title then of Supreme Governour in the oath is explained by the preceeding words of the statute to which and for observation of the which the oath is subjoyned viz. that the Prince hath all manner of spirituall or Ecclesiastical jurisdiction and all manner of privileges and preeminences any way touching or belonging to the same which was before or may be lawfully exercised for visitation of the Ecclesiasticall state reformation order and correction of the same and of all manner of errors heresies schismes abuses offences contempts and enormities and that he may commit the exercise of the same to any of his naturall born subjects whom it shall please his highness to constitute commissioners in causes Ecclesiastical to judge discern and correct in matters of Idolatry simonie errour and heresie and all other causes Ecclesiasticall whatsoever This oath of supremacie is different from the oath of fidelity or allegeance devised of late That requireth no further theÌ„ to acknowledge the king to be lawful righteous king and to sweare obedience and fidelitie to him notwithstanding he be excommunicated by the Pope to acknowledge that the Pope notwithstanding of his excommunications cannot depose kings and dispose of kingdomes at his pleasure The Papist is straitned with this oath of
divine service make publick forewarning of these dayes as they are to fall in the weeke following and why are not politick judges appointed to grant such licences It is the old superstition then not new policie which is respected Doe none obtain licences but the diseased aged c. and obtain they licences without money The 101. canon of their last constitutions giveth power to the commissarie for faculties to grant licence for marriage without 3 proclamations preceeding onely to persons of good state and qualitie as if persons of mean estate or quality could not have as necessary a cause to seek relaxation of 3 proclamations But if ther be any quantitie of money in the purse the person is of sufficient qualitie By these licences children are sometime married without consent of their parents and sometime the heire is carried away and married without further notice Precontracts are deluded persons having interest which might take exception not being publickly warned a way given to clandestine mariagesâ— the congregation mocked when two of their members are ioyned in mariage they know not where nor when As for taking caution securitie to make good the conditions required of of them yet saith the defender of the last petion for reformation that licences have been abused as much as before and that the strength of the canon dependeth upon the bonds of the sureties which may be knights of the post and men of no worth In causes which concerne benefices as 1. to abolish irregularitie not wilfully contracted Irregularitie is an impediment of the Canon law which inableth a man to take on orders or to minister into them and consequently to bee admitted to benefices or to enjoy them All the Popish irregularities which are not expresselie taken away either by their late canons or statutes of the Realme stand still in force with them and they may observe them as they please To sit in judgement upon bloud was irregularitie of old yet these Bishops make no scruple of it or any other thing may serve to advance their greatnes That which was reckoned amongst irregularities but was in very deed a divine and not a Canonicall impediment brought in by man they made least account of to wit the irregularity of apostasie For they allowed Popish massemongers men for all seasons K. Henries Priests K. Edwards Priests Qu. Maries Priests to be preachers of the Gospell in the daies of Qu. Elizabeth as the authors of the admonition to the Parliament do testifie When they would cover their Apostasie with Peters fall Mr. Cartwright maketh this distinction Peter denied Christ cast down or in time of his humility they have denyed him risen from the dead ascended up into heaven sitting at the right hand of God in glory Peter did it to save his skin they to save their honour he for his life they for their living I speake favourably for otherwise I might say of some that they did it not onely to save that which they had 〈◊〉 to get more unto it Peter did it privatly and 〈◊〉 corner they in set and open iudgement he onely denied that he knew him or that hee was one of his Disciples but spake no evill of him they affirmed that they knew the Gospell to bee naught and so spake evill both of Christ and it hee did it suddenly and at a push they deliberatly and with time given to consult he although he forsooke his master Christ yet never served the Scribes and Pharisees which were the enemies of Christ they did not onely forsake Christ but served in the courts of his sworne enemie the Antichrist And againe they at one clap have renounced him with mouth and subscribed against him with their hand and where he forsware him once they have forsworn him oft according to the member of Dioceses where they have their livings and diversitie of times wherein such thingâ— have been required Peter was called immediatly by Christ himself and not by man and after his repentance comforted and confirmed in his Apostleship Christ was the Law-maker and might dispense with his owne law But the Levits which went astray after idols shall not come neere unto me to doe the office of a Priest unto me nor â—omâ— neere to any of my holy things in the most holy place but they shall beare their shame and their abominations which they have committed Ezek. 44. 13. Notwithstanding of their repentance they were not restored to the Priesthood again If they do unfainedly repent they may be received againe into the besome of the Church but because of the skar which remaineth after the deep wound of their fearfull Apostasie they ought not to be restored to their degree of office in the Church Men proving inconstant in the faith are not fit to bee made captaines in the Lords armies Bastardy is no true irregularity or just impediment to inable a man to receive orders If it were not too tedious to run over and apply all sorts of irregularities we should finde an huge number of irregulars by the Canon law amongst their Clergie men 2 To abolish likewise simoniacall suing for promotion to benefices or orders Their Simonie cannot bee expressed more vively nor contrived more succinctly then it is already by Mr. Brightman on the Revelation But specially their beggarlinesse in suing for livings is notorious For let us take a view and make a generall muster as it were of the whole Clergie and if you will let us begin it the basest underlings The Curats as they call them are both in very deed and in all mens account a company of beggarly followes In whom a man may see that verified which was threatned against the family of Esi men bowing themselves to the ground for a peece of silver or a morsell of bread and craving to bee put into one of the Priests offices that hee may have a snap at a crust of bread 1. Sam. 3. 36. Now for the rest those that by meanes of their more full purses walke more lustily such as wee call sturdy beggars what running up and down is there among them what bribing what importunat and impudent begging what flattering offers do they make of all their obeysance and dutifull complements that they may come by these Ecclesiasticall promotions You may see many of them that post up to the Court or to the house of the right honorable the Lord keeper of the great seale for these two places are like to the beautifull gate of Salomons temple Act. 3. 2 Men come in this way apace thich and threefold and they are in great hope to carry away some good reliefe Others there are that become followers of Noblemen and Pâ—eres of the land whose Chaplaines they become either houshold or retainers as I may call them that live under their protection for what end trow yee Even for this and no other that as soone as any benefite as they call it shall fall voyd they might enioy it by the Lords
devouring the benefices of Parishes lying farreâ— off in the meane time Others are permitted to take on orders and to receive a benefice and after as unsufficient to go to the universitie to learn for the space of 3 years and all this time the parish doth perish with the famine of the word The beneficed parson who is non-resident oftentimes cannot preach howbeit heâ— were willing many other Non-residents there are wandring vagabonds which are not lurking in any of those dennes Some have hirelings to preach monethly or quarterly sermonâ— for them to their flocks But because they arâ— hirelings they carie not true love to the sheep but onely serve for a little hire to the beneficed parson and performeth the taske agreeâ— on betwixt them not thinking to render account one day to the Sheep-master but answer onely to the Sheepheard the beneficed person whose wages he receiveth Therefore he dealeth not with the conscience but perfunctoriously performeth his prescribed taske for his hire for he thinkes the sheep not his charge but M. Parsons They are like the Philistim Priests which laid the Arke of God upon a cart and hurled it with Oxen which they should have carried themselves Although I speake herein too favourably of the greatest number of them which doe not bestow so much cost as a new Cart and a draft of Oxen will come too saith M. Cartwright For they have learned their husbandry of him saith he which teacheth that alwayes it standeth a man in least which may be done by a poore asse 6. That a Layman studying to letters may retaine a Prebend and yet not be compelled to take on the Ministerie If the office of the Prebendarie be necessarie then the Prebend ought not to bee bestowed to another use Then againe to bestow it on a Lay-man and not to prepare him for the use of the Ministerie is farre from the intention of the donatour 7. That a man entred in holy orders and otherwise qualified according to the Lawes may enjoy two Ecclesiasticall Benefices if they bee Benefices of Cure within a certeine distance if without cure without respect of distance Pluralitie of benefices doth include also non-residence For the pluralist cannot make residence at 2. or 3. divers parishes at once By statute made 21. Henr. 8. it was provided that spirituall men being of the kings Councel may purchase licence or dispensation and take receive and keep three Parsonages or Benefices with cure of soules Chaplaines to the King Queen Prince or Princes or any of the Kings children brethren sisters vncles or Aunts two parsonages or benefices with cure of souls Every Archbishop and Duke may have 6. Chaplaines whereof every one may have two Parsonages or Benefices with cure of soules a Marquise of Earle five Chaplaines whereof every one may have two Parsonages or benefices with cure of soules Every Dutchesse Marquesse Countesse and Baronesse being widowes two Chaplaines the Treasurer and Controller of the Kings houses the Kings secretarie and Dean of his Chappel the Kings Amner and the master of the Rolls two Chaplaines the chiefe Iustice of the Kings bench and the warden of the five ports one Claplaine every one with two benefices of cure of soules Lords sonnes Lords brethren knights sonnes Doctors and Batchelers of divinity Doctors of Law and Batchelers of the Canon law Provided also that every Archbishop because hee must occupie 8 Chaplains at consâ—cration of Bishops And every Bishop because â—e must occupie 7 Chaplains at giving of orders consecration of Churches may every one of them have two Chaplaines over and above the number above limited unto them whereof every one may purchase licence of dispensations and take receive and keepe as many Parsonages or benefices with cure of soules In the Record of the worthy proceedings it is sayd that by the provisoes of that statute the Kings Chaplaines may have as many benefices as they can get without stint and some others may have 4. benefices with cure at one time in severall counties and some two benefices and yet bee resident upon none of them so long as hee attendeth upon his Lord and master which is a thing intollerable in a Christian common wealth One person will have a mastership of a Colledge in one corner of the land a Deanrie in another a Prebend in the third as Mr. Cartwright reporteth The author of the petition to the Queen reporteth that manie have three or foure benefices scattered one from another an hundred miles In the 41. Canon of the late constitutions it is licensed onely to such as have taken the degree of a Master of Arts at the least in one of the universities and be publick and licenced teachers to have moe benefices with cure then one providing the sayd benefices bee not more then 30. miles distant asunder But what saith Brightman to the like Canon made before What hurt have masters of Arts done thee or how have they offended thee that thou shouldst owe and doe unto them this mischiefe to make them in the first place guiltie of so great a sinne Thou confessest that pluralitie is evil and a thing to be suppressed and yet thou givest them leave in thy indulgence to bee infected with this pestilent disease Doubtlesse it is a notable priviledge of their degree that they may bee naught before any others Pluralitie of beneficeâ— distant 30. mile doth include non-residence as well as of an 100 mile The Sun is farther distant from us then the Moon yet it is not possible for us to touch the Moon The last petition for reformation relateth that double beneficed men are suffered to hold some 2 or 3. benefices with cure and some 2 3 or 4 dignities besides The defender of the said petition doth report that their double beneficed men are almost sance number If benefices without cure of soules require notwithstanding an office and attendance upon that office he cannot lawfully enioy it together with a benefice of cure It is observed by some that there is not one almost of their bishops but he was first a Non-resident or pluralist or else hee could not have had sufficient meanes to obtaine the bishoprick Generally whence it is that the Archbishop may dispense in all causes not repugnant to the word if heretofore they have been used or accustomed to bee had at the Sea of Rome or if not accustomed to bee obtained at the Sea of Rome if the Prince himselfe or those who are of his secret councell doe permit We heard of some speciall dispensations before now we heare that the Archbishop may dispense in all causes dispensed heretofore by the Pope of Rome and more also The Pope was never duly qualified to be a lawfull dispenser no more is the Archbishop Where it is sayd if the matter it selfe be not repugnant to the word of God it is to no purpose for the Pope will not say that hee dispenseth in any thing repugnant to the word
de accusat c. 1. in glossa and is ordained to this speciall end that hee suplieth the Bishops jurisdiction and office in the out places of the Diocie or else in such parishes as be peculiars to the Bishop and exempted from the iurisdiction of the Archdeacon For where either by prescription or composition there bee Archdeacons that have iurisdiction within their Archdeaconries as in most places they have there this commissarie is but superfluous and most commonly doth rather vexe and disturbe the countrey for his lucre then of conscience seeke to redresse the lives of offenders And therefore the Bishop taking praestation money of his Archdeacons yearly pro exteriori jurisdictione as it is ordinarily called doth by superonerating their circuit with a Commissarie not onely wrong the Archdeacon but the poorer sort of subiects much more as common practise daily teacheth to their great woe The Bishops Chauncellour and Commissarie and the Archdeacons official are all three termed officialls in the canon law the Chauncellour the principall officiall the Commissarie Officialis foraneus the third the Archdeacons officiall or by the generall name of officiall In the lawes and statutes of England the first is called Chancellour the second Commissarie the third by the generall name of Officiall The name of Chauncellour in this sense is not so ancient as that of Officiall sayth D. Field and that in a generall signification it is used for any one that is employed for the giving of answer to sutors for keeping of records and notes of remembrance and generally for the performance of some principall duties pertaining to him whose Chauncellour he is sayd to be The principall officiall that is the Chauncellour howbeit he be but onely a Deputie yet by fiction of the law when hee cognosceth any cause hee is interpreted to bee but one person with the Bishop and to make but one consistorie with him So that howbeit the Bishop be not present there yet it is his consistorie Such fictions of law have been made by cosening and deceitfull Prelates to deceive the world And therefore say the Canonists there lieth no appellation from the principall Officiall to the Bishop but to the Archbishop yet from the Commissarie who is Officialis foraneus there lieth appellation Regularly appellation also may be made from the Archdeacon and other inferiour Prelates to the Bishop sayth Canisius unlesse the custome of the countrey hath brought in another order The Archdeacon hath a certaine circuit of the Diocie wherein he exerciseth his office and iurisdiction For everie Diocie is divided into certain Archdeaconries comprehending about the fourth part of the Diocies if they be great Diocies But if they be lesser Diocies they haue but one Archdeacon as Canterburie Rochester Glocester Bristow Worcester c. The Archdeacon by vertue of his degree and order hath no jurisdiction but onely by prescription of time that is a papall custome which is yet retained in the English Church In Hieroms time at Rome the Deacons began to exalt themselves above Ministers against which usurpation evil custome of the Church of Rome he inveigheth with great vehemencie as a thing unsufferable that the ministers of tables and to widowes should be lifted up with pride aboue the minister of the word and sacraments and opponeth to the custome of the church of Rome the custome of all the churches in the world And yet the old corruption of that one church wherin ther institutions ye see if they were excellent hath spread over the whole church and grown to a great height So that the Archdeacons will not sayth Mr. Cartwright take the best Ministers of the church as their equalls They are called Archdeacons not of one particular Church but of a whole shire whereas Deacons were appoynted in several churches It is true that many of their Archdeacons are also ministers but yet they exercise their iurisdiction over a whole shire ministers and others within the bounds of their Archdeaconrie not as Ministers but as Archdeacons When the Bishop should have visited his Diocie and inquired into needfull reparations of the church and what other things were out of order hee sent his chiefe Deacons to visit for him At the first they were sent onely to visit and make report but not to sententiate in any mans cause sayth D. Field or to meddle with the correcting and reforming of any thing but afterwards in processe of time they were authorized to heare and determine the smaller matters and to reforme the lighter and lesser offences Hence in time it câ—me that Archdeacons much used by Bishops as most attendant on them in the visitation of their churches and reforming small disorders at length by prescription claimed the correction of greater things at having of long time put themselves into the exercise of such authoritie So the Archdeacons in the end became greater then the Deanes let bee common Ministers The lazie Bishop sent his Deacon to enquire into the life and conversation of the Clergie and Ministers which was not his office yet ye see from what a small beginning he is risen to so great a height It is dangerous to depart from the right paterne shewed upon the mount Againe to make a Preacher of the word a Deacon is to conioyne these two offices which the Apostles did separate Archdeacons then almost through all England by papall prescription have jurisdiction within their bounds and power to visite to inquire into offences to receive presentments to punish with ecclesiasticall censures to substitute officialls to supply their roomes in their Consistories whereby it hath happened that the subjects haue been molested for one and the selfe same fault by the Bishops Chauncelours and the Archdeacon or his officiall In a Canon lately made anno 1603 they haue transacted the matter so that they shall not medle with the presentments received at others visitations how the transaction is kept I cannot tell It is to be observed that Chauncelours and officials are Civilians Ministers doe sometime also beare these offices but utterly ignorant in these faculties For these Courts being confused Courts wherin matrimoniall testamentarie and other causes of temporal matters are handled not belonging to ecclesiasticall cognisance no wonder the Minister be ignorant in them But on the other part it were a shame if a Civilian should know better how to deale with an offender and to bring him to repentance Againe what a grosse absurditie and intolerable abuse is it in the Church of God that Chauncelours Commissaries officialls being Civilians should meddle with the censures of the Church The Bishop hath vendicate to himself the whole power of excommunication and then he transferreth this his power by a generall commission to another which he may not lawfully doe no not to a minister far lesse to a Doctor of the Civill lawe whom he appointeth to be his Chauncelour or the Archdeacon to him whom hee appoynteth to bee his Officiall They
have found out a new trick which will not serve their turn The Civilian the Chauncellour or officiall when he is to excommunicate he hath a minister to assist him who pronounceth the sentence The defender of the last petition telleth us that the minister assistant to the Chauncellour who is for the most part of the meanest and simplest of the clergie is but a cyphar he doth nothing but his masters direction excommunicateth and absolveth at his pleasure The Minister is not judge here the sentence is set downe in writ to him in Latine which he must rehearse A memorable example we have in the Assertion for true and Christian church policie together with the Article made anent this matter Vniusquisâ— Vicarius generalis officialis ceu commissarius qui ordines Ecelesiasticos non susceperit c. Every Vicar general officiall or Commissarie which hath not taken upon him Ecclesiasticall orders shall call and associate unto him some learned Presbyter who being armed with sufficient authority from the Bishop in his jurisdiction or from the Archdea being a presb in his iurisdictioÌ„ shall denounce and that by the prescript of the judge present the sentence of excommunication for contumacie The example and practise of this precept followeth Dr. Hone the Archdeacon of Surrey his officiall being to excommunicate certaine persons had a silly Curat Mr. Rowland Allen to attend his service and to denounce the lesson which was written to him in paper to read Iohannes Hone legum Doctor officialis venerâ—bilis viri Domini Archidiaconi Surr. omnibus singulis Rectoribus c. salutem Cum nos rite legitime procedentes omnes singulos quorum nomina c. in non comparendo â—oram nobis c. ceu saltem in non satisfâ—ciendo mandatis nostris c. pronunciaverimus contuniaces ipsosque ex communicandos fore decreverimus Cumque â—iscretus vir Magister Roul Allen Presbyter 〈◊〉 omnes et singulos subscriptos ex officio nostro ex coÌ„municaverit in scriptis iustitia id exigente vobis igitur committimus c. quatenus eos omnes sicut prefertur ex officio nostro excommunicatos futsse eâ— esse palam denunciâ—tis Datum sub sigiâ—o officialitatis nostrae 19 die Decembris Anno Domini 1587. Iohn Hone Doctor of the lawes official of the venerable man the 〈◊〉 of Surrey to all and singular persons c. greeting Whereas wee otherwise rightly and lawfully proceeding all and singular whose names are 〈◊〉 in not appearing before us or at least 〈◊〉 in not satisfying of our mandates haue pronounced contuâ—ciâ—us and decreed them to be excommunicated And whereas also the discreet man Mr Rowland Allen Presbyter out of our office hath excommunicated 〈◊〉 and singular underwritten â—iâ—stice so requiring Wherefore we charge that openly you denounce and declare them and every of them so as aforesaid out of our office to be excommunicated Given under the seale of our officiality the 19 of December 1587. The poore curate sayth this authour jerked these whose pointes soever the other untied Now in this case it cannot be sayd that it was onely the poore Curate who 〈◊〉 excommunicate For he is but the hangman the other is the Iudge Poore Rowland Allen rehearsed the sentence by the prescript of Doctor Hone. Doctor Hone â—â—ted pronounced them contumaciously absent and upon the conâ—umacie decreed them to be excommunicated prescrived the lesson to poore Rowland Allen without which things the sentence should be a nullsentence D. Hone the Archdeacons officiall hath power to call and associate unto him and to prescribe Rowland Allen presbyter and another mans hireling Curate in Southwarke to excommunicate not onely the parochians of anothers Pastors charge but also any other Pastor whatsoever subiect to the Acchdeacons jurisdiction If it be lawfull at the voyce of a lay stranger that an hireling and stipendiarie Curate should chase another mans sheepe out of his owne fold how much more is it lawfull that a true shepherd should disciplinate his own sheepe feeding and couchanâ— within his owne pasture and within his own fold Ye see then whereto this alteration of discipline will turne in the end The censures of the Church as a matter of no worth or moment shall be put in the hands of base Officialls and blind Rowland Atlens An Oxe and an Asse shall plow together in the Lords field The Chauncellors Commissaries and Officialls have power to convent a minister before them and if hee compeir not first suspend and then excommunicate him as is evident by their latest Canons Thus shall the worthiest of our ministrie bee brought under bondage The Reader may see how unworthily the Archbishops Bishops and Archdeacons deale with the Church which not content themselves to use tyranny over it and to take upon them of their private authoritie which belongeth unto other with them have also brought it into bondage under their servants and servants servants I meane Chauncellours Commissaries c. sayth Mr. Cartwright The Commissarie court is but a little stinking ditch say the authors of the admonition to the Parliament In this Court one alone doth excommunicate one alone sitteth in judgement and when he will can draw back the iudgement which hee hath pronounced having called upon the name of God and that for money which is called the changing of penance In this Court for none payment of two pence a man shall be excommunicate if he appear not when he is sent for This Court pouleth parishes scourgeth the poore bedge-priests ladeth Churchwardens with manifest perjuries punisheth whooredome and adulterie with toyish censures remitteth without satisfying the congregation and that in secret 〈◊〉 giveth out dispensations for unlawfull marriages and committeth a thousand such â—ike abominaâ—â—â— where the Iudges Advocates and Proctors are for the most part papists And as for Scribes and Notaries as greediâ— as Cormorants If they all should perhaps see this writing they would bee as angry as Wasps and sting like 〈◊〉 Three of them would be enough to sting a man to death for why they are high Commissioners Againe who be their Chauncellours but most suspected Papists I heare not of one of them but he is a brâ—â—er Who be their Sumners but the veriest varlets What are the Canonists what are they but suspected Papists and where have they the most countenance but of the Bishops To be their chiefe doers and high Commissioners with them to wrâ—g their brethren if they bee Gods children and to â—et papists passe free or to bee punished lightly How are matters dealt with in their Courts but all for Mistres Money What a charge are they to the Clergie and what a summe have they yearly that might be saved and it is no small matter that maintaineth their Courts Again It would grieve a chast eare to heare the bawdie pleading of many Proctors and Doctors in those Courts and the Sumners yea and Registers themselves Mr. Archdeacon and Mr.
Chauncellour are even faine to laugh it out many times when they can keep their countenance no longer Suppose our high commission were never so odious yet the Bishops shall bee sure of such servile varlets Commissaries Officialls and Chauncellours to sit with them for why they shall be their own creatures It is no wonder they be bribers for the Bishops and Archdeacons set in farme their jurisdiction to them Some Chauncellours and officialls pay 20. some 30. some 50. pounds yearly for their place Registers some an hundred some two hundred pounds some more How then is it possible but they should extort in their office and by unreasonable and untollerable exactions make up their hard rents as it is sayd in the Defence of the last petition for reformation Many greivous complaints have been made against Officialls Commissaries and Chauncellours from time to time in Germanie France and other countries which I might produce to make this bondage yet more sensible CHAP. 6. Of Suffraganes Deanes and Cathedrall Churches WE have seen in the former Tables what persons have judiciall administration Now follow Persons having no Iudiciall administration Those are either Ecclesiasticall persons or lay-men Ecclesiasticall persons are the Deacon and the Minister and they have their function either without perpetuall title as Curates or with title The second sort either have a peculiar function beside their common function or have not a peculiar function These who have a peculiar function beside the common either have it through the whole â—â—iocie or but in a part of it Through ane whole Diocie as the titular Bishops who were of old called Chorepisâ—opi that is Rurall Bishops now they are called Suffraganes They are to bee considered either according to the place which they hold in the Common-wealth to wit next unto Barones or according to the place which they have in the Church to wit that they are Bishops both in calling and order but wanting jurisdiction 2. Dedicate Churches 3. confirme children instructed before in the Rudiments of Christian religion and that in a Diocie allotted unto them That which is here sayd of Suffraganes that of old they were called Chorepiscopi is controlled by Mucket himselfe For hee saâ—th that the Rurall Dâ—â—nes are like the old Chorepiscopi Deâ—â—ni 〈…〉 is Ecclesiae Chorepiscopis Aâ—chipresbyteris Regionarijs haud absimiles And so doth Bleynianus also in his introduction into the theorie and practique of benefices At the first where the Gospell was spread through the Countrey townes and villages as it was through Cities so they had Counâ—rey or rurall Bishops as well as Bishops in cities But ambition and pompe in Citie Bishops increasing it was thought a disgrace that such a dignitie should bee obscured with a meane place of residence Therefore it was decreed that it should not bee lawfull to ordaine any Bishop either in villages little forts or small Cities lest the name and authoritie of a Bishop should waxe vile Sathan was advancing this way the great mysterie of iniquitie Because he would make of Bishops young Princes hee went about as is well observed by Mr. Cartwright with robberie of the rest to lift up the head of one otherwise the great pompe which they were striving for could not be maintained At the first the countrey or Rurall Bishop had the same power in his circuit which the Citie Bishop had in the citie and suburbs of it Hierome sayth that the bishop of an obscure citie hath as much authoritie as hee of the most famous citie The Presbyters who were ordained by them their ordination was not made voyd and reversed untill they were throwne downe through the pride and dispite of citie bishops to the order of priesthood which is an argument sufficient that they were in estimation and judgement of the Church bishops of that same sort and kinde that the citie bishops were Beeing spoyled of the greatest part of their power and name also they there called Archipresbyteri at the last Countrey or Rurall Deanes and were made subject not onely to Bishops but also to their Archdeacons No propter subrogationem in locum Chorepiscoporum superbirent Archipresbyteri idem sibi quod antea Chorepiscopi arrogarent si immediate Episcopis supponerentur sayth Bleynianus a Papist This is his conjecture that the Archpresbyters were thrust downe to a degree lower then Archdeacons lest if they had been immediatly subiect to Bishops they might perhaps have claimed the power of the old countrey Bishops to whom in place they succeeded For justly Archpresbyters may claim by their order that which Archdeac cannot do For howbeit they be inferiour to Archdeac in Popish dignitie yet they are greater then Archdeacons in respect of their order Countrey Bishops at their first erection being equall to Citie Bishops were not their Deputies In the later and corrupt ages proud Prelates and loytering Lords addicting themselves to the world seeking ease or intangling themselves with wordly affaires as they commited the Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction to Chauncellours and Commissaries so that which is most proper to them as they pretend as ordination of Priests and Deacons confirmation of children and dedication of Churches they committed to Suffraganes that they might give themselves to ease and wait upon Councells Parliaments and other civill Courts and reserved nothing belonging to their owne charge that might trouble their ease or draw them from attendance upon Princes Courts and civill employments D. Field alledgeth against these Suffragane Bishops Melchior Canus a papist Such Bishops Melchior Canus entreating of Councells and the persons wherof Councells consist sayth they are so farr from having any place or voyce in councells that they neither have nor ought to have any place in the church at all The Bishops he speaks of he calleth annular Bishops happely for that whereas full Bishops had both staffe and ring expressing their jurisdiction as well as their espousing to the church these had the ring onely That Suffraganes may ordaine Priests and Deacons and confirme in their Church is evident by their latest Canons Now if Bishops may transferre these things which belong to their order to one Suffragane they may transferre it also to moe and consequently to all the Cathedrall and countrey Deanes and restore the countrey Deanes to their old liberties againe It dependeth onely upon some new Canon The Bishop of Spalato sayth Imo si vult Episâ—opus canones non prohiberent potest suos parochos plene Episcopos facere ordinare ut omnes sui or diniâ— actus plâ—ne possint explere simul ac in soli 〈◊〉 cum ipso Ecclesiam gubernare The Bishop may make all his parish priests not onely halfe but full Bishops that they might governe the Church in common with him sayth he if the Canon law were not an impediment The parish priest may curse this Canon law that hâ—ndreth them of that which Gods law alloweth them But that which Divine law hath given
communicate also as was the custome in time of blindnesse where every holy action behoved to have a Masse and so that action which should be common to the whole Congregation who are members of one body is made private and particular to a few howbeit in a publique place Then againe they have their forbidden times to marie in yea moe then the Papists have at least so many as have embraced the decrees of the Councel of Trent from Advent to the Epiphanie from Septuagesima sunday to the octaves of Easter from the Rogation weeke to the octaves of Pentecost amounting in all to the third part of the yeare as if marriage which is called honourable did prophane these holy times The councell of Trent hath dispensed with the Pentecost and the second they beginne at Ashwednesday Now notwithstanding of these forbiddeÌ„ times they may get a dispensation for some money and then it shall be lawfull enough and these holy times shall receive no pollution for mony hath a great vertue with it 2. Thankesgiving after childbirth This is commonly called the Churching of women Iâ— standeth more in Psalmes suffrages and collects wherein help is craved at God not notwithstanding he take upon him authority to 〈◊〉 from sins Then there is a Psasme and 〈◊〉 prayers read The silly curat can give no more comfort then the few set words which he must read can minister to the departing soul. If the 〈◊〉 person can get some to communicatâ—â—â— with him 〈…〉 as being ashamed to looke-up for some folly committed When she commeth to the church shee must kneele downe high unto the place where the table standeth that is nigh unto the Quire dore as the Rubrick in 2. Edward beareth as the women did who after the dayes of their purification were ended were appointed to bring their offering to the dore of the Tabernacle Levit. 12. 6. unto the Priest who shall make attonement for them Then the Priest readeth over her the 121. Psal. and assureth her that the Sun shall not burnâ— her by day nor the Moone by night Is not this a very pertinent Psalme for the purpose The Lords prayer being sayd and some versicles and answeres and then another prayer she doth offer her accustomed offrings and if there be a communion she receiveth the communion Call this churching a thankes-giving yet what reason is there of publick thanksgiving in the Church more for deliverance after childbirth which is ordinarie then from drowning or other extraordinary dangers or diseases and of womeÌ„ more then of men were not that the imitation of the Iewish purification is the Mysterie of it And so was this service intituled in the booke 2 Edw. The order of the purification of women as is reported in the Survey This superstitious service is not voluntarie but enjoyned When they come to the grave while the corpâ— is made ready to be laid into the earth they sing or say againe another parcell of Scripture out of Iob then while the earth is cast upon the body by some standing by the Priest again saith something and confidently affirmeth that God hath taken his soule and is of assured hope 〈…〉 3. The visiâ—a and comfort of the sick The Priest entering into the sickmans house sayth peace be in this house and to all that dwel in it When he commeth to the sickmans presence he kneeleth downe and prayeth his prescript lines for forgivenes of sinnes with two kyrie eleesons and one Christe eleeson the Lords prayer and some other versicles and responsories when as yet he hath not spoken a word to the diseased or understood whether hee bee sleeping or waking After the exhortation read which he may break if need be and the Creed rehearsed he desireth him to make his will and also declare his debts what he oweth and what is owing him Thereafter he moveth him to liberalitie Then shall the sick person make a speciall confession if he feele his conscience troubled with any weightie matter after which confession the priest shall absolve him When he absolveth he sayth By his that is oâ—r L. I. Christ authoritie committed to me I absolve thee from all thy sinnes in the name of the father and of the son and of the H. Ghost Amen He absolveth like a judge as the Popish Priest doth giving out a definitive sentence and absolutel doth forgiue not by way of deolaration This absolution is seuered from the preaching of the word For the dumb Gurat cannot preacâ— in thansgiving This help is to live and walkâ— faithfully in their vocation as if they were made uncleane by their childbirth to enterprise any thing Shee will not stirre out of the house suppose she were never so strong till the compleate time be expired that is a month commonly When she commeth forth she is muffled 〈…〉 him the communion If others may not conveniently come neere him yet the minister and he alone may communicate together and for shortnesse of time they have but one collect pistle and Gospell Thus are the people nourished in an opinion of the necessitie of the sacrament and the action which should be publick and solemne as the institution beareth and the practise of the Apostolicall Church declareth is made private administred peculiarly in a corner as if there were no other meane to eat the flesh and drink the bloud of Christ of that grace were tied to the externall signes 4. The Buriall of the dead They have a threefold peale enjoyned in their latest canons When any is passing out of this life a 〈◊〉 is to be tolled after the parties death a short peal is rung another before the buriall another after the buriall When the time of the funerals draweth neere the Priest the clearks make them ready The Priest putteth on his surplice and then commeth to the Church stile to meet the corps Then the Priest shall say or the Priest and cleark shall sing and so go either to the Church or towards the grave The words which are sayd or read alowd by the Priest or sung by the Priest and clearkes are 2 or 3 small sentences of scripture For any part of scripture is sung by theÌ„ as well as Psalms in their services and the Bishops haue punished women for not being churched sayth the authour of the petition to the Queen Some are churched at home by the Priest and therby saith the Surveyer They confirme women either in pride if they be able to goe to church and will not or in superstition if being not well recovered they yet must needs be chur 〈…〉 of his resurrection to 〈…〉 againe is said or sung a sentence out of the Revelation after the lesson two Kyrie eleesons with one Christe eleeson betwixt them after that the Lords prayer then the Priest prayeth that God might histen his kingdome that we with our brother and all other departed in the true faith of thy holy name may have our perfect consummation and
blisse both in body and soule Is not this to pray for the dead brother When he is laid in the grave he is laid east and west in such manner as that he may rise with his face to the East for why they looke for Christ to come from the East and it is no easie matter to turne about if one rise with his face toward the west This ceremonie is not enjoyned in the booke yet it is usuall as many moe as a white or blaâ—ke crosse upon the mort-cloath candles burning over the dead corpes in the house the â—et-wand cakes sent abroad to friends The priest must have his offering and beside that the â—ortuarie wherof I made mention before VVhosoever is not buried after this manner in church or churchyard howbeit in a peculiar buryall place of his owne he is ill deemed But this you must note saith Barrow neither rich nor poore neither yong nor old can get bury all without money in the church of England Nâ— peny no paternoster there please the Priest and then he will burie his brother and pray for and over him whatsoever he be so far as his booke will goe The minister is so tied to this office that if he neglect it at any time he is to be suspended from his ministerie by the space of three monethes So they make that a part of the Ministers function which is not a ministeriall dutie nor at any time let be ordinarily performed by ministers in the Apostolicall Church Howbeit the Iewes had not so cleare a light in the resurrection as we have yet did not the priest reade prayers and fragments of Scripture at burials nay they are expressely forbidden to be present at them Funerall Sermons cannot be made without acceptation of persons For if it be the Ministers office he ought to make them as well at the buryall of the poore as of the rich It is required and so is made to serve more for pompe or superstition then for edification of the living Men that never were greedie of a sermon all their life long must have one then to grace their funerals in the eyes of the world M. Cartwright testifieth that there are none more desirous of funerall Sermons then the Papists VVhat lying commendations are made of the dead howbeit never so vitious all men doe know Neither doe these hired Orators or Sermon-mongers lie for nothing They must have either a mourning gowne or a noble I will say nothing saith M. Cartwright of the great abuse of those which having otherwise to live on the Church take nobles for every such Sermon and sometime a mourning gowne which causeth the papists to open their mouth wide and to say that the Merchandise of Sermons is much dearer then of the Masse for that they have for a grâ—ate or sixe pence and the Sermon they cannot have under â— rounder summe The Rubricks serving to direct to the maner of administration of the Sacraments are for the administration of Baptisme or the holy Supper that either in the church or in a private house In the administration of the Sacraments there are two things generally to be observed First that power is given to an ignorant Curate or reading Minister who cannot preach to administer the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Lords Supper Next it is said in their Catechisme that there be onely two Sacraments as generally necessarie to salvation that is to say Baptisme and the Lords Supper implying that there are other Sacraments peculiar not generall as matrimonie and orders and others generall but not necessarie to salvation as Confirmation In the Preface before Confirmation are set downe these words And that no man shâ—ll thinke that any detriment shall come to children by deferring of their confirmation he shall know for 〈◊〉 that it is certain by Gods word that children being baptised have all things necessarie for their salvation and be undoubtedly saved These words imply three things first that all children baptised be undoubtedly saved secondly that children unbaptised be not undoubtedly saved thirdly that confirmation is not absolutely necessarie to salvation Estius a papist saith the like of Confirmation That the custome of the universal Kirk doth prove sufficiently that confirmation is not necessarie to salvation otherwise the godly and carefull mother the Kirk would not neglect to see this Sacrament ministred at the point of death 1 Of Baptisme In the preface to baptisme they commend the ancient custome of baptizing onely at Whitsuntide and Easter except in the case of necessity which was a superstitious and damnable custome They say in this Preface they will follow this custome as neere as they can therefore doe ordeine that Baptisme be ministred onely upon Sundaies and holy daies Vpon any ordinarie preaching day then they must not baptise except it be coincident with an holy day as if baptisme were not as holy a Sacrament ministred upon an other day as upon an holy day The child must be baptised at the font and therefore the Priest must come to that part of the Kirck where the font is over against the church dore for that wanteth not a signification to signifie the entry of the child into the church He must not be baptised where the minister stood in time of divine service or with water out of a bason The godfathers and godmothers standing at the font the Priest doth aske if the child be baptised or no. In the first prayer the priest saith that God by the baptisme of his Son did sanctifie the sâ—oud lordan and all other waters to the mysticall washing away of some as though vertue vvere in the water to wash away sinne or as though Christs baptisme at one time and not Christs institution which serveth for all times did sanctifie the element In the second prayer he saith that they comming to thy holy baptisme may 〈◊〉 remission of their sinnes by spirituall regeneration when as the remâ—ssion of our sins doth standin notimputation of them and not in regeneration The questions which were wont to be demanded of converts from paganisme who were able to answer to the questions demaÌ„ded absurdly foolishly now they demand of the infants or their godfathers in their name The interrogatories are these doest thou forsoke the Divill and all his works c. Doest thou beleeve c. Wilt thou be baptised in this faith The child hath not understanding nor faith nor desire of baptisme And how be it the child had faith can the Godfather tell absolutely and in particular that this child whom he presenteth doth beleeve desire baptisme or forsake the Devill It is a foolish thing therefore and great mockerie of Gods service to demand that of infants which was at the first demanded of such as were come to yeares of discretion and were converted from gentilisme The children of faithful parents are within the covenant of grace whereupon it is that they are made partakers of the seale of the covenant
gift And doth not this I pray thee see to be an honest way to get a Church living no such base and beggarly one as you speak of But is not this currying of favour meere beggery Is it any whit a lesse filthie thing to come to a rectorie or Personage by favour then by money If wee will judge indifferently it is all one fault to creep in whether it be by bribing and simonie or by fawning and flatterie The rest of the rout in the Countrey are diligent in attending the common sort of Patrones whose thresholds they lye watching at whose wives they brave and court as if they were their mistresses whose children they cogg with whose servants they allure with faire words and promises to be their spokesmen and in every place and poynt they play the parts of miserable beggars Some there are that begg more craftily like to those that sit in the high wayes or in places where two wayes meet and there they offer pilled rods to passengers to get a peece of moneyâ— therewith as it were a pennieworth for a pennie So doe men make way for their suits by large giving of money in hand or else by compacting to give some of their yerely tithes for a gratification But some man will say all this is not the corruption of the Lawes but the corruptions of men Nay surely as long as that manner of conferring Ecclesiasticall charges taketh place which hath been in use among us to this day there can be no remedie applyed to cure or prevent this beggarliness Doe wee not sufficiently find it to be true in experience In the late Parliament Lawes were enacted severely against it But what came of that nothing truely but that it made men deale more closely and cunningly to cosen the Law We must not thinke to doe any good with our lawes where Christs lawes are not observed But to proceed whence once the living is by beggerie obteined from the Patron what a deale of begging worke is there to come for those Sir Iohn-lack latines that institution might be had from the Bishops Heere hee must supplicate not onely to the right reverend Bishops but to Master Examiner to my Lords Groom of his Chamber his Register the Yeoman of his Butterie and Larder yea the meanest that belongeth unto him Not that want of Latine and learning will keep him from entrance into his benefice but that he that hath need of money for dispatch or speech with my Lord or the like must fee the servants the better whose gaine commeth trowling in this way There is no Castle so defenced which a Latinelesse asse laden with golden mettell may not scale and conquer Neither is there only almost so unfit that hath the repulse but by what engines he prevaileth let them looke to it The like is the condition of Praebendaries Archdeacons and Deanes Nay are the Bishops themselves cleare of this base beggarie What meaneth then that continuall haunting of the court and hanging upon the Nobles Why doe they not stay and wait till they be sent for yea why are they not rather pulled away from their studies against their wills Nay rather if a man should appeale to their consciences whether aâ— not some of those fat demeasnes of their Bishoprickes let out of their own accord to such as they seeke and sue to that might farme and hire them or else are there not other large bribes covenanted to be given to such as shall stand them in stead for attaining of those dignities But are thâ—y onely thus beggarly in their ambitious suing for their promotions Nay truly some of them are grown so extreamly base this way that if they bee to change their See they pay not their first fruits but by racking together in a filtâ—y fashion an almes from the poorest vicars which yet must goe under the name of Benevolence to make a cleanly cloke withall The price of simonie is not onely a gift in the hand of money but also the servile flatterie of the tongue prayers and sollicitations and officious services of the body Some Bishops have made their porters ministers as the authour of the petition to the Queene doth witnesse Simonie is compared to the leprosie of Gebezi but they have a water to cleanse it the Archbishops court of faculties where the Simoniacall person may be washed by a gracious but a costly dispensation 3. To grant a vacant benefice in title of trust which they call a Commendam either for a time or during life Wee alledged before an example of him that was Bishop of Glocester and withall commendatare of the Bishopricke of Bristow 16. yeares altogether by the late Queenes dispensation as witnesseth Godwin of Landaffe in his commentarie of the English Bishops Bishops are not content with commendams of Bishoprickes but to make their Bishoprickss more corpulent fat they take also fat parsonages vicarages and Prebends in commendams 4 That the sonne may succeed immediatly to his fathers benefice If the sonne claime kindnes as we call it to his fathers benefice he ought to be repelled and no dispensation should further him for the ministery doth not now discend by generation as in the tribe of Levi. But if he be sought lawfully chosen and called by the Church he may very well be admitted to his fathers benefice without the dispensation of any Archbishop 5 That for a time and for some weightie cause the beneficed person shall not bee bound to make residence but may serve by another that is sufficient Beneficed men are licenced to take up the rents of the benefice without making residence on their cures and charges The Chaplaines of the King Prince Noblemen and Bishops take up the benefices of their parishes and live notwitstanding at Princes Noblemen and Bishops houses Mr. Leaver preaching before K. Edward 6. sayd Now my Lords both of the Laity and Clergie in the name of God I advertise you to take heed for when the Lord of all Lords shall see his flockes scattered spilt and lost if he will follow the â—racke of blood it will lead him straight way unto â—his Court and your houses whereas those great theeves which murther spoile and destroy the flockâ— of Christ be received kept and maintained Hooper preaching before the said King said that his Majestie should beginne at his owne Court and compell the Chaplaines to serve thâ—se soules that labour for their livings otherwise he should put his owne soule in danger The Courts then of Princes Nobles Bishops and others are the first denns of these soule-murtherers The second rank of dennes wherein they lurke is the universities of Cambridge and Oxford There the fellowes of their Colledges beneficeâ— persons do make residence not at the Churches to which their beneficeâ— belong but as a Countreyman of their own â—aith melting and dying there like snayleâ— within their shelts The third sort of Non-residents are Deanes and Prebendaries lurking in their Cathedrall Churches as in dens