Clavi Trabales OR NAILES FASTNED by some Great MASTERS of ASSEMBLYES Confirming The KINGS SUPREMACY The SUBJECTS Duty Church Government by BISHOPS The Particulars of which are as followeth I. Two Speeches of the late LORD PRIMATE USHERS The one of the Kings Supremacy The other of the Duty of Subjects to supply the Kings Necessities II. His Judgment and Practice in Point of Loyalty Episcopacy Liturgy and Constitutions of the Church of England III. Mr. HOOKERS Judgment of the Kings Power in matters of Religion advancement of Bishops c. IV. Bishop ANDREWS of Church-Government c. both confirmed and enlarged by the said PRIMATE V. A Letter of Dr HADRIANUS SARAVIA of the like Subjects Unto which is added a Sermon of REGAL POVVER and the Novelty of the DOCTRINE of RESISTANCE Also a Preface by the Right Reverend Father in God the Lord Bishop of LINCOLNE Published by Nicholas Bernard Doctor of Divinity and Rector of Whit-church in Shropshire Si totus orbis adversum me conjuraret ut quid quam moliret adversus Regiam Majestatem ego tamen Deum 〈◊〉 ordinatum ab eo Regem offendere temere non auderem Bern. Ep. 170. ad Ludovicem Regem An. 11â—0 London Printed by R. Hodkginson and are to be sold by R. Marriot at his Shop in St. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleetstreet 1661. THE PREFACE THese two learned Speeches of the late Lord Primate Usher have been by some prudent persons judged seasonable to be thus published together The one Of the Kings Supremacy may not only be instructive to those of the Church of Rome but to some of our own Communion who have been and are too scanty in the acknowledgment of it The other Of the duty of Subjects to supply the Kings necessities was occasioned by the slowness in Ireland of contributing to the King for the maintenance of the Army continued there for their own defence the great imprudence of which parsimony we felt to our own loss not many years after wherein that distinction in point of Loyalty made between those descended of the antient English race though differing from us in point of Religion and those of the meer Irish which is there much enlarged may be now worthy of observation The whole Speech is full of Loyalty Prudence and Learning for which as he had his late Majesties of Blessed Memory gracious thanks so he had as little from others who were then as backward in assenting to the like Propositions here conceiving he had pressed their duty too high in that point Both these Speeches thus tending to the defence of Regal Power and the duty of Subjects hath in submission to the judgments of those whom I much reverence occasioned the putting forth a Sermon of mine upon the like Subject which I have the rather adventured so near this eminent Primate as having had his approbation occasioned by the censure of some at Dublin anno 1642. when it was first delivered of which more is said in an Advertisement before it Hereupon I have been further induced unto a vindication of the said most eminent Prelate not only of His Judgment in this Subject but in point of Episcopacy Liturgy and Constitutions of the Church of England from the various misapprehensions of such who being of different opinions the great respect given him by the one hath been a scandal to the other But by this impartial relation of his Judgment and Practice in each it may be hoped that both sorts will be so fully satisfyed as to unite in the exemplary observance of that Piety Loyalty Conformity and Humility found in him And whereas some do much appeal to that Accommodation of his in relation to Episcopacy wherein he was not single proposed Anno 1640. which then they did not hearken unto they are herein remembred what was that which caused it even the pressing violence of those times threatning the destruction of the whole with the sole end of it a pacification whose readiness in yielding up so much of his own Interest then for the tranquility of the Church like Jonas willing to be cast overboard for the stilling of the Tempest would be worthy of all our Imitations now The appeale here is from that Storm unto what his practice was in calme and peaceable times which if followed would give a check to most of those disputes which have of late taken up so much time amongst us The Fruite expected to be reaped from this declaration besides the satisfaction of mine own mind which was not at rest without it is the due honor of him for whose I am oblieged to sacrifice mine own That as he is admired abroad so he may not want that love and general esteem he hath deserved at home And as the peace and unity of the Church was studied by him in his life time so there might not be the least breach continued by a misapprehension of him after his death And surely if such of us who think him worthy of being our copy would but now upon the sight of this writ after him the Arke of our Church would cease to be tossed too and fro in this floating uncertain condition and immediately rest upon firm ground Heretofore having an occasion to vindicate this most Learned Primate in point of Doctrine so unhappy often are persons of his eminency as after their deaths to be challenged Patrons to contrary partyes I had An. 1658. a Letter of Thanks from the late Reverend Bishop of Durham Bishop Morton in these wordes viz. I acknowledge hereby my obligation of Thankfulness to you not only for the book it self but especially for your pains in vindicating that admirable Saint of God and Starr primae magnitudinis in the Church of God the Primate of Armagh c. In which high esteem of the Primate the now Reverend Bish. of Durham succeeds him who hath often signified it in divers of his Letters which I receiued from Paris to that purpose Hereunto two other Treatises have been thought fit to be added mentioned in the foresaid vindication but then not intended to be published which the Eminent Primate had a hand in The one Mr. Hookers Judgment of Regal Power in Matters of Religion the advancement of Bishops and the Kings Exemption from censure c. Left out of the common copyes inlarged and confirmed by the Primate all the marginal notes of the quotations out of the Fathers being under his own hand are noted with this mark* The other a Treatise of the Form of Church Government before and after Christ c. The main aime of it is to shew that the Government of the Christian Church established by the Apostles under the New Testament was according to the pattern of that in the Old then which scarce any book in so little speaks so much for the preheminency of Episcopacy It first appeared Anno 1641. under the Title of the rude draughts of Bishop Andrews which though I was in doubt of by the contrary opinion of an
of words used by the Bishop in the Ordination of the Church of England His sufferings for it The right sense of that gradual superiority of a Bishop above a Presbyter His confirmation of Books tending to the Preheminency of Episcopacy 3. Of the Liturgy His dayly observing of the Book of Common-prayer At Drogheda the Service sung upon Sundays before him as in Cathedrais of England His observing of the Ceremonies and causing them so to be His pains in reducing and satisfying the scrupulous His Constancy in the above-mentioned to the last The falsehood of some Pamphlets since his death Some specialties observed in him as to decency and Reverence in the Church at publick prayer c. 4. The Constitutions and Canons c. His subscription to the 3. Articles in the 36. cap. of the book of the Canons of England The severity put in with his own hand in the first Canon of Ireland against such as should refuse to subscribe to the Articles of England Observation of the annual Festivals Good-Friday c. Confirmation of Children Church Catechisme Canonical decency of Apparrel in the Clergie Consecration of Churches c. IV. Mr. Hookers Judgment confirmed by the Primate 1. The Kings power in matters of Religion 2. Of his Power in advancement of Bishops to their Rooms of Prelacy 3. The King exempt from Censure and other Iudicial power V. Bishop Andrews Judgment as it is conceived of Church Government before and after Christ c. confirmed and enlarged by the Primate In the Old Testament 1. Before the Law 2. Under Moses 3. Among the Priests 4. Under Joshua 5. Under David where is much added by the Primate 6. Under Nehemiah A Recapitulation of the whole c. with some new enlargements by the supposed Author answering the objections made against having the like government now and giving reasons why it may be now In the New Testament 1. In the time of our Sáviour 2. In the dayes of the Apostles and after Of Deacons Evangelists Priests and Bishops Of the persons executing those Offices Of the promiscuous use of their names The use of the Bishops office and the charge committed to him The choice of persons to their Callings VI. A Letter of Dr. Hadrianus de Saravia to the Island of Garnzay Of the first Reformation in the Island Subjection to Episcopal Iurisdiction Difference in the Case between them and France and the Low-Countries Their Synodicall meetings not justifiable The Kings Power in making of a Law Of Ordination otherwise then by Bishops Of the Scotch Reformation D. Hadr. Saravia with other learned mens Subscriptions to the Articles and Liturgy of the Church of England A Pamphlet printed under the name of the late Archbishop of Armagh coucerning the Liturgy and Church Government declared to be none of his As he hath been also injured and is still by another Book intituled a Method of Meditation or a Manual of Divine Duties which though by his own direction in his life time 1651. I did in his name declare to be none of his but falsly put upon him and have done so twice since his death yet is still reprinted and sold up and down as his to the great injury of him The late Lord Primate Ushers Iudgment of the signe of the Cross in Baptisme confirmed by the Bishop of Lincoln in his Preface VII The Contents of the Sermon Regal Power of Gods Ordination That of 1 Pet. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every Ordinance of man c. Answered Sauls Election not by the People Difference in Religion quits not the due of Obedience The Novelty of the Doctrine of Resistance The Pharisies the first among the Iews The Arguments for it taken out of Bellarmine and the Jesuites which many other Writers of the Church of Rome do contradict The Antient Fathers Loyalty to the worst of Emperors 1. Constantly praying for them Tertullian c. 2. Not giving the least Offence in word or writing St. Hillary Nazianzen c. 3. Not stirring up the people in their own defence St. Augustines Commendation of the Christians under Julian Tertullians under Severus St. Ambrose Athanasius and others That Evasion viz. That the Christians then wanted Power to resist cleared out of Eusebius Tertullian St. Ambross Theodoret Rebellion always found the Ruine of the Actors The Speech of Rodolphus upon his mortal wound in taking up Armes against the Emperor A Conclusive Application An Animadvertisement SUch of the Bishops and Clergy as by Gods Mercy escaped with their Lives to Dublin in that Bloody Rebellion in Ireland Anno 1641. and 1642. did conceive fitting at a so great though sad meeting to have somewhat like a Commencement in that University The Doctors part pro gradu was the Concio ad clerum The Text Rom. 13. 2. was taken out of the Epistle appointed for the day being the Tuesday after the Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany The day according to that account of the late Kings of Blessed Memory murder The Doctrine delivered was then so offensive to some potent persons newly landed that he was forced to send a Copy to the L. Primate Usher who gave his approbation of it And upon the Thirtieth of Ianuary last 1660. the day of Humiliation for the abovesaid Murder it was preached in English at the Honorable Society of Grayes-Inn London The Intention was to have published it in that Language it had its first being but by the Printers Experiment of the slowness of the Sale in that as the better suiting with these other Tracts and that the Profit intended would be of a farther extent the latter was resolved of ERRATA PAge 24. line 29. read the. p. 25. l. 8. r. 2. marg l. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 27. l. 3. r. him l. 4. thee p. 29. l. 19 r. thus p. 31. 10. Jehu p. 39. marg l. 1. r. Julianus l. 5. r iniquus p. 40. marg l. 27. r. fletibus l. 35. r. injuriam p. 45. marg l. 6. r. pontisicumque p. 43. l. 24. dele for marg l. 8. r. per regiam 52. l. 31. r. waited p. 56. l. 20. r. calls p. 60. l. 9. r. commendam p. 81. 6. r. consecratus l. 7. r. gratias p. 90. l. 9. r. scarce l. 10. r. inexcusablae p. 95. 11. r. Potiphera Job 1. 5. 42. 8. p. 96. l. 3. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 97. 16. r. fisties l. pen. Merari l. ult after these r. the. p. 100. l. 14 r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 101. l. 5. r. camp l. 15. r. Asher p. 102. l. 12. r. Further. p. 103. l. 9. r. Gibethon p. 105. l. 2. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 107. l. 22. r. Gershon l. 23. r. Ethan l. ult 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 109. l. 12. r. Benaiah l. 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 112. l. 7. r. Governors of the. p. 113. l. 25. r. Priest
that which is well and orderly Acts 15. 41. Rev 3. 2. II. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Manatseach the redressing which is otherwise Tit. 1. 5. To him was committed principally I. Authority of Ordaining Tit. 1. 5. and so of begetting Fathers Epipha Haeres 75. See Ambros. Theodoret and Oecumentus in 1 Tim. 3. Damasus Epist. 3. Jerem Epist. 85. ad Evagr. Leo Epist. 88. Concil Ancyran Can. 12. al. 13. For though St. Paul should mention a Company * together with him at the Ordaining of Timothy 1 Tim. 4. 14. yet it followeth not but that he only was * the Ordainer No more then that Christ is the only Judge although the XII shall sit with him on Thrones Luke 20. 30. II. Authority of enjoyning or forbidding 1 Tim. 1. 3. Ignatius ad Magnesia Cyprian Epist. 39. III. Authority of holding Courts and receiving accusations 1 Tim. 5. 19. 1 Cor. 5. 12. Revel 2. 2. Augustin de opere Monachor cap. 24. IV. Authority of Correcting 1 Tim. 1. 3. Mâ—cro Episcopalis Tit. 1. 5. Hieron contra Lucifer cap. 4. Epist 53. ad Riparium Cyprian Epist. 38. ad Rogatianum V. Authority of Appointing Fasts Tertullian adversus Psychicos The Choice of persons to their calling 1. The Apostles were immediately called by Christ. 2. For the calling of Matthias the Apostle Peter gave direction two persons were propounded by the 120. the chief and constant disciples of Christ but he was designed to his place by a sacred Lot 3. Some were chosâ—n and appointed to their callings by the Holy Ghost Acts 11. 12. Acts 13. 2. Acts 8. 29. Acts 20. 28. 4. In choice of the Seven Deacons who were credited with the provision for such as wanted the multitude of the Chief and constant Disciples of Christ and the Apostles who were contributers of the same present 7. persons the Apostles ordain them Deacons 5. The Apostles chose to themselves Helpers fellow Servants of Christ fellow-Souldiers and the like Acts 15. 5. Rom. 16. 9. 2 Cor. 8. 23. Coll. 4. 7. Tit. 1. 5. So Timothy well reported of is taken by Paul Act. 16. 2. 3. 6. The Apostles chose such as were their Attendants or Ministers and sent them to severall Churches and People Acts 19. 22. 2 Tim. 4. 10. 12. 2 Cor. 12. 17. 1 Thess. 3. 2. and left some to abide in Churches where was need of their help Tit. 1. 5. Col. 20. Acts 18. 19. 1 Tim. 1. 3. A LETTER of Dr. Hadrianus Saravia to the Ministers of the Isle of Garnsay written in French and translated into English Grace and Peace from Jesus Christ our Lord. GEntlemen and wel-beloved Brethren in the Lord my calling doth oblige me to procure the good and the true edification of the Churches of Christ Jesus and chiefly of those which I have formerly had to doe with as their Minister such are those of the Islands where I was one of the first and know which were the beginnings and by which means and occasions the preaching of Gods word was planted there But you hold now to my thinking a course quite contrary to that which we have held All the favour we then obtained was through the Bishops means and without them I dare confidently assure you that you will obtain nothing of what you look for In the beginning there was no other Reformation in the Islands then that common throughout the whole Kingdome of England The Priests which a little before had sung Mass became suddenly Protestants but yet not one of them was appointed to preach the word of God They were but ignorant blockheads continuing still in â—eart and effection Papists and enemies to the Gospel Now such as were sincerely affected to the Gospel prevailed so far as that they obtained Ministers with whom the Priests could not agree they retained their Service and the Ministers preached and had the exercise of Religion asunder following the order of the Churches of France In those beginings at the pursuit of Mr. John After Dean I was sent by my Lords of the Councell to the Islands as well in regard of the School that was newly erected as to be a Minister there At that time the Bishop of Constance was sent Ambasadour from the French King to Queen Elizabeth from whom and from her Councell he obtained Letters to the Governors of the Islands whereby they were enjoyned to yeild unto him all authority and right which he pretended did belong unto him as being the true Bishop of the Islands But how this blow as was warded let your Fathers tell you Upon this occasion the Bishop of Winchester as their true Bishop took upon him the protection of the Churches of both Islands representing to the Queen and unto her Councel that of old the Islands did belong to his Bishoprick and that he had ancient Records for it yea an Excommunication from the Pope against the Bishop of Constance whenever he would challenge any Episcopall Jurisdiction over the Islands So through the means of the said Bishop and Mr. John After Dean two places only were priviledged of my Lords of the Councell St. Peeter-haven for Garnzay and St. Helier for Jarnsay with prohibition to innovate in ought in the other Parishes Then were the Court and Chapter of the Bishop held which afterwards were supprest how by whom and by what authority I know not I fear the Authors have run themselves into Premunires if premunires have power within the Islands The Consistories Classes and Synods of Ministers have succeeded them yet without any Episcopall Jurisdiction Now so it is that your Islands want Episcopall Courts for proving of Wills for Divorces and Marriages and for the Tythes which are causes and Actions Ecclesiasticall and have so been these 600. years and upwards as well under the Dukes of Normandy as the Kings of England The Reformation and change of Religion hath altered nothing neither is there any one that hath power or authority to transferre the said causes to any other Judges then to the Bishop but the Kings Majesty so that your Civil Magistrates have nothing to doe with such causes if they meddle with them 't is usurpation The French Ministers are so rash as to say that the Bishops of England have usurpt this Jurisdiction and that it belongeth not unto them because it is Civil making no difference between what some Bishops have heretofore usurpt what the King and Soveragn Magistrates have freely given for certain reasons moving them thereunto and conferred upon Bishops therefore though the matter be civill yet can they not be held for usurpers Truly the present state and condition of the Kingdom of England doth bely such slanderers of our Bishops I fear that your Magistrates being seasoned with this Doctrine have carried themselves in this point more licentiously then the Laws of this Kingdome and of their Islands will warrant them I pass over the debates that might be made upon this matter as a thing impertinent in the place and
authority in the outward government which disposeth the affairs of Religion so farre forth as the same are disposable by humane authority and to think them uncapable thereof only for that the said religion is everlastingly beneficiall to them that faithfully continue in it And even as little cause there is that being admitted thereunto amongst the Jews they should amongst the Christians of necessity be delivered from ever exercising any such power for the dignity and perfection which is in our Religion more then theirs It may be a question Whether the affairs of Christianity require more wit more study more knowledge of Divine things in him which shall order them then the Jewish Religion did For although we deny not the forme of external government together with all other Rites and Ceremonies to have been in more particular manner set down yet withall it must be considered also that even this very thing did in some respects make the burthen of their spiritual regiment the harder to be born by reason of infinite doubts and difficulties which the very obscurity and darkness of their Law did breed and which being not first decided the Law could not possibly have due execution Besides in as much as their Law did also dispose even of all kind of civill affairs their Clergy being the Interpretors of the whole Law sustained not only the same labour which Divines doe amongst us but even the burthen of our Lawyers too Nevertheless be it granted that more things do now require to be publickly deliberated and resolved upon with exacter judgment in matters divine then Kings for the most part have their personal inhability to judge in such sort as professors do letteth not but that their Regal authority may have the self same degree or sway which the Kings of Israel had in the affairs of their Religion to rule and command according to the manner of supreme Governors As for the sword wherewith God armed his Church of old if that were a reasonable cause why Kings might then have Dominion I see not but that it ministreth still as forcible an argument for the lawfulness and expedience of their continuance therein now As we digrade and excommunicate even so did the Church of the Jews both separate offendors from the Temple and depose the Clergie also from their rooms when cause required The other sword of corporall punishment is not by Christs own appointment in the hand of the Church of Christ as God did place it himself in the hands of the Jewish Church For why he knew that they whom he sent abroad to gather a people unto him only by perswasive means were to build up his Church even within the bosome of Kingdomes the chiefest Governors whereof would be open enemies unto it every where for the space of many years Wherefore such Commission for discipline he gave them as they might any where exercise in a quiet and peaceable manner the Subjects of no Common-wealth being touched in goods or person by virtue of that spirituall regiment whereunto Christian Religion embraced did make them subject Now when afterwards it came to pass that whole Kingdomes were made Christian I demand whither that authority served before for the furtherance of Religion may not as effectually serve to the maintenance of Christian Religion Christian Religion hath the sword of spiritual Discipline But doth that suffice The Jewish which had it also did nevertheless stand in need to be ayded with the power of the Civil sword The help whereof although when Christian Religion cannot have it must without it sustain it self as far as the other which it hath will serve notwithstanding where both may be had what forbiddeth the Church to enjoy the benefit of both Will any man deny that the Church doth need the rod of corporall punishment to keep her children in obedience withall Such a Law as Macabeus made amongst the Scots that he which continued an excommunicate two years together and reconciled not himself to the Church should forfeit all his goods and possessions Again the custom which many Christian Churches have to fly to the Civil Magistrate for coertion of those that will not otherwise be reformed these things are proof sufficient that even in Christian Religion the power wherewith Eeclesiastical persons were indued at the first unable to do of it self so much as when secular power doth strengthen it and that not by way of Ministry or Service but of predominancie such as the Kings of Israel in their time exercised over the Church of God Yea but the Church of God was then restrained more narrowly to one people and one king which now being spread throughout all Kingdoms it would be a cause of great dissimilitude in the exercise of Christian Religion if every King should be over the Affairs of the Church where he reigneth Supream Ruler Dissimilitude in great things is such a thing which draweth great inconvenience after it a thing which Christian Religion must always carefully prevent And the way to prevent it is not as some do imagine the yielding up of Supream Power over all Churches into one only Pastors hands but the framing of their government especially for matter of substance every wher according to one only Law to stand in no less force then the Law of Nations doth to be received in all Kingdoms all Soveraigne Rulers to be sworn no otherwise unto it then some are to maintain the Liberties Laws and received Customs of the Country where they reign This shall cause uniformity even under several Dominions without those woful inconveniencies whereunto the State of Christendom was subject heretofore through the Tyranny and Oppression of that one universal Nimrod who alone did all And till the christian world be driven to enter into the peaceable and true consultation about some such kind of general Law concerning those things of weight and moment wherein now we differ If one church hath not the same order which another hath let every Church keep as near as may be the order it should have and commend the just defence thereof unto God even as Judah did when it differed in the exercise of Religion from that form which Israel followed Concerning therefore the matter whereof we have hitherto spoken let it stand for our final conclusion that in a free christian State or Kingdom where one and the self same people are the church and the common-wealth God through christ directing that people to see it for good and weighty considerations expedient that their Soveraign Lord and Governor in causes Civil have also in Ecclesiastical Affairs a Supream Power Forasmuch as the Light of reason doth lead them unto it and against it Gods own revealed law hath nothing surely they do not in submitting themselves thereunto any other then that which a wise and religious people ought to do it was but a little over-flowing of wit in Thomas Aquinas so to play upon the words of Moses in the old and of
the English Reformation then will they make you leave the French Reformation You fail against wind and tyde you think that the Governors you shall have hereafter will be like Sir Tho. Layton you are deceived Though this day you had compassed your wish to morrow or the next day after at your Governors pleasure all shall be marred again Finally the Ecclesiasticall Government which you aske hath no ground at all upon Gods word 'T is altogether unknown to the Fathers who in matter of Christian Discipline and censure of manners were more zealous and precise then we are But you cannot of all the learned and pious antiquity shew one example of the Discipline or Ecclesiasticall order which you hold as your Bishop in his book of the perpetuall government of the Sonne of Gods Church doth learnedly teach I pass over what I have my self written concerning it in my book De diversis Ministrorum gradibus and in my Defence against the Answer of Mr. Beza and more largely in my Confutation of his book De triplicigenere Episcoporum I cannot wonder enough at the Scotchmen who could be perswaded to abolish and reject the state of Bishops by reasons so ill grounded partly false partly of no moment at all and altogether unworthy a man of such fame If the Scots had not more sought after the temporal means of Bishops then after true Reformation never had Mr. Beza's Book perswaded them to do what they have done And I assure you that your opinion concerning the government of the Church seems plausible unto great men but for two reasons the one is to prey upon the goods of the Church the other for to keep it under the Revenues and authority of Bishops being once taken away For the form of your discipline is such that it will never be approved of by a wise and discreet supreme Magistrate who knows how to govern Ye see not the faults you commit in your proceedings as well Consistoriall as Synodals men well versed in the Lawes and in government do observe them But they contemn them so long as they have the law in their own hands and that it is far easier for them to frustrate them regard neither Consistorie nor Synodes then for you to command and make Decrees Were your Discipline armed with power as the Inquisition of Spain is it would surpass it in tyranny The Episcopall authority is Canonical that is so limitted and enclosed within the bounds of the Statutes and Canons of the Church that it can command nothing without Law much less contrary to Law And the Bishop is but the Keeper of the Lawes to cause them to be observed and to punish the transgressors of your Consistories and Synodes For the present I will say no more only take notice of this that it is not likely the King who knows what Consistories and Synodes be will grant that to the Islands which doth displease him in Scotland This Gentlemen and Brethren have I thought good to write vnto you intreating you to take it well as comming from him that loves the Islands and the good and edification of the Church of Christ as much as you can doe Upon this occasion I have thought fit to add thus much concerning Dr. Hadrianus Saravia HIs learning is sufficiently known by his works his judgement in relation to the Liturgy and Discipline of the Church of England is declared by this Letter which doth further appear by his Subscriptions following 1. In Queen Elizabeth's time the form required was in these words We whose names are here underwritten do Declare and unfainedly Testify our assent to all and singular the Articles of Religion and the Confession of the true Christian Faith and the Doctrine of the Sacraments comprized in a book imprinted intituled Articles whereupon it was agreed by the Arch-bishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the whole Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year of our Lord God 1562. according to the computation of the Church of England for the avoiding of the diversities of opinions and for the establishing of Consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queens Authority And in testimony of such our Assents we have hereunto subscribed our names with our own proper hands as hereafter followeth Unto this Doctor Hadrianus de Saravia the sixth Prebend of the Church of Canterbury being conferred upon him subscribes in these words Per me Hadrianum de Saravia Sacrae Theologiae Professorem cui sexta Prebenda in Ecclesia Cathedrali Christi Cantuariens conferenda est sexto December is 1595. Wherein I find he did immediately succeed Doctor Whitaker whose Subscription is in these words viz. Per me Gulielmum Whitaker sacrae Theologiae Doctorem ejusdemque Professorem Regium in Academia Cantabrigiensi cui sexta Praebenda in Ecclesia Cathedrali Chrstl Cantuarens conferenda est Decimo Maii 1595. According unto which I find Mr. John Dod of Hanwell in Oxfordshire who wrot upon the Commandements to have subscribed in these words Per me Johannem Dod in Artibus Magistrum praesentatum ad Ecclesiam de Hanwell Oxon. Dioces 28. Julii 1585. unto whom abundance more and about that time might be added Mr. Richard Rogers Doctor Reynolds of Oxford c. among whom it pleased me to find the hand of the Reverend and Learned Mr. Hooker thus subscribing Per me Richardum Hooker Clericum in Artibus Magistrum praesentatum ad Canonicatum et Praebendam de Neather-haven in Ecclesia Cathedrali Sarum 17. Julii 1591. 2. In King Jame's time and since the form of the Subscription was thus To the three Articles mentioned in the 36. Chapter of the Book of Canons First that the Kings Majesty under God is the only supreme Governor of this Realm and of all other his Highness Dominions and Countries as well in all Spirituall or Ecclesiasticall things or Causes as Temporall and that no foraign Prince Person Prelate State or Potentate hath or ought to have any Jurisdiction Power Superiority Preheminence or Authority Ecclesiasticall or Spirituall within his Majesties said Realms Dominions and Territories That the Book of Common Prayer and of Ordering of Bishops Priests and Deacons containeth in it nothing contrary to the word of God and that it may lawfully so be used and that he himself will use the form in the said book prescribed in publick prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other That he alloweth the book of Articles of Religion agreed upon by the Arch-bishops and Bishops of both Provinces and the Clergy in the Convocation holden at London in the year of our Lord One thousand five hundred sixty and two And that he acknowledgeth all and every the Articles therein contained being in number nine and thirty besides the Ratification to be agreeable to the word of God To these three Articles Doctor Hadrianus de Saravia being instituted unto the Rectory of Great Chart in the Diocess of Canterbury anno 1609. subscribes in these words Ego Hadrianus