he hath a knowne accuser and perfect understanding of the cause or crime objected and therewithall is permitted to haue a copye of the bill of complaint or information and allowed more over both time convenient and councell learned well to consider advise of his oth answer and if his adversaryes complaint be either in sufficient in forme or such as the Court hath no jurisdiction to determine the defendant upon demurrer without othe is dismissed and that with costs And admtit the accusation be such as is every way aunswerable yet if the interrogatoryes ministred be impertinent to the matter of complaint the defendant without offence to the Court may refuse to make answer to the same Therefore no similitude or likenes between this oth used in these Honorable courts of Iustice that constreyned oath ex mero officio Iudicis 1 Since the former sort be orderly taken in courts of justice the other without all course of judgement 2 The one where the plantiff and matter of complaint are manifest the other where neither accuser nor matter of accusation doeth appeare unlesse the bare suspicion of the Iudge fame unproved or private insinuation may be allowed for competent persons in judgement against whom the party defendāt is deprived of all legall exceptiōs is often after great trouble dismissed and though innocent yet dampnified and slaundered and without recompence there being no complanant found but the Iudge himselfe 3 The one made upon certaine knowledge and good advisment the other soddenly without all discretion uppon uncertaine demaunds 4 The one wisely restreined to certaine limits boūds the other foolishly wandring at the doubtfull will of a sly and subtill opposer 5 Upon the one the deponent aunswereth to the accusation of his adversarye by the other he is compelled to be his owne accuser and condemner 6 The one requyreth an answer to matter in fact done either to the injury of some private person or hurt of the publicke state the other constreineth revealing of words deeds and thoughts though never offensiue to any That which is objected that the saide proceeding is warranted by the Canon law or Civill law is answered many wayes but breifely by the positiue law it selfe that banisheth all Canon Civill or other law or preheminence or power whatsoever which is contrary or repugnant to the common law of the land But this proceeding by the partyes owne othe ex officio mero is contrary and repugnant to the common law of the land Ergo Thus we see that this proceeding by oth ex officio was a meere straunger in England Conclusion and how it arrived heerein Anno 2. H 4. but yet as a masker disguised marching in the rowte of Cannonicall sanctions obscured from the veiw of the State under that name but after being discovered as an adder in the grass was damned and expelled by the Statute of 25. H. 8. as a traytor to the King and his lawes and hath no lawfull or warrantable interteynment by the statute of primo Elizab For that there by no jurisdiction excercised by the Bishop of Rome in this kingdome is annexed to the crowne but that which was then lawfully vsed and excercised within this kingdome Then for any Ordinary or Iudge Ecclesiasticall to enterteine it and use it in their courts proceedings is a high misprision against the King his Crowne and dignity and punishable by the Statute of the 16. yeere of K. R. 2. Now to passe from the oth ex officio to the Canons of the Canōs and yet not to deale with those that are of indifferent sorte but with those onely that are either contrary to Gods word or repugnant to the lawes of the land neither also to say all of these in this place that might be sayd but only for brevities sake to giue a tast and to poynt at some may it please the Christian reader yea the answerer himselfe yea all our adversaries in this cause that are not too much blinded with mallice to consider that all such Canons generally as pronounce a man ipso facto excommunicate for saying thus or thus against the Canons themselues against the Ceremonies against the booke of Common prayer and the strict observation thereof etc cannot be justified in this behalfe by the word of God For as to prevent an objection that might be made from the commaundement for reading of them publikly in Churches albeit the sacreed scriptures be dayly publikely read and preached yet many things are both wittingly and unwillingly spoken and actually committed against the sayd sacreed scriptures for which notwithstanding such persons are not presently to be held ipso facto excommunicate so certeinly except the authoritie of the Church be greater then the authority of God and the Canons of this last Synod more authenticall then the holy scriptures given by inspiration from God it must be acknowledged of these Canons and all other constitutions of the Church whatsoever that every word spoken or act committed against thē especially unwittingly is not so heavily to be punished Agayne wheras the sayd Canons doe forbid any man by speech so offending without publike revocation of his sayd pretended wicked error to be restored sith the sayd offence may be committed as well privatly as publikely and sith the Canons speake generally whosoever shall affirme etc without any exception of private affirmations how can the sayd Canons in this respect be warranted by the word of God 1 Tim 5.1 If all offences against Gods word at least of man against man be not publikely to be reprehēded much lesse are all affirmations in disgrace of any Ecclesiasticall cōstitutions of men to be punished with publike pennance Furthermore whereas divers of the sayd Canons doe forbid many offenders by such affirmations to be restored by any other meanes then onely by the Archbishop sith the sayd offence may not onely be unwitting private but also by a poore ignorant man yea perhaps a lame impotent man dwelling also it may be an hundred myles or almost 200. myles from the Archbishop What equity is there that svch an offender should be debarred from all restoring by any other And so for want therof be deprived perhaps all his life from all publike communion with the Church and from all spirituall comfort for his soule therby Is this the mercy that is better then sacrifice And wherby we doe represent our heavenly Father The 13. Canon commaundeth the celebration of holy dayes as well as of the Lords day and that as equally agreyng to Gods holy will and pleasure I deny not but that as Gods word is to be preached at all tymes in season and out of season so it is also to be heard as oft as men haue opportunity but yet that the holy dayes now commaunded to be celebrated are as equally according to Gods holy will and pleasure as the Lords day especially so to be celebrated as they are injoyned with greater solemnities
the officers thereof increased When were the Preists of the law of greater outward authority and tooke more upon thē then when the church of the Iewes touching true beuty was in worst case Serch the scriptures for they beare witnes heerof Yea were there ever so many degrees of dignitie in the Church and doe we ever reade of so great state and pompe of the Preistes in the former tymes as there was of the Preists Scribes Pharises at the first commyng of Christ And were ever things in so bad case before as thē they were So also sinc that the more that truth of doctrine and puritie of Discipline decayed in the Church after the golden and most glorious age of the Apostles the more did the Church grow unto and swell in outward riches pomp and glory Experience also teacheth that the more glorious Prelats are in their outward state the lesse benefite the rest of the Church hath by them because they take the less paynes at the least such paynes as are most agreable to the true Episcopall and ministeriall calling described in holy scripture Wherein then is the true glory of the Church 1 in such ministers of the word and other officers as Christ hath commended 2 In the performance of such dutyes by them as he requyreth that is in preaching the word faithfully in administring the Sacraments sincerely in praying zealously and aptly according to the necessityes of the Church and in executyng Discipline wisely and justly 3 In the effects of the former two viz in true knowledge faith loue zeale humility patience temperance righteousnes peace etc. Touching these thinges the more we want som of those officers that Christ hath cōmended by his Apostles to the Church and the more negligent those that we haue are in their duties the more lamentable it is to see the carved pillers of the temple broken downe and the faithfull workmen in Gods house to be cast out by whose labors it had been before built brought to some good bewty Touching the last what christian heart is so stony that it doth not mourne What eye so drye that it doth not shead teares yea rather gush out with teares to consider and behold the mesery of our supposed glorious Church by the spirituall nakednes blindnes poverty therof I meane the great ignorance the superficiall worship of God the fearfull blasphemies and swaringes in houses and streates so also the direfull cursings the open contempt of the word Sacraments the wicked profanations of the Lords dayes the dishonor of superiours the pride the cruelty the fornications adultryes and other uncleannesses the dronkennes the covetousnes the usuryes and other the like abominations almost as grevous as either heertofore in the tyme or now in the places of Popery when and where there was no preaching at all of the gospell O M. Powel and yee my Reverend Fathers and brethren in the ministery even of the conformable sorte flatter not your selues in this behalfe but behold and pity the wofull and lamentable stat of our Church in these things But to returne heerin you erre not a litle in that you confound the state of the Church and of the common wealth of the Iewes The Common wealth was indeed at that time in much misery But was the Church also amongst them for such thinges as wheerin cheifely consisteth misery in as bad condition Had they not those officers that God had prescribed Were the Preists and Levits either so ignorant or so idle or so scandolous as many called Ministers amongst us Were the faithfull and paynfull Preists and Levites so urged to the observation of mens traditions and Ceremonyes in the worship of God and otherwise so molested as now many godly ministers are Were the people so blind so irreligious so unrighteous as now they are Were the godly forced to heare dumme dogges or corrupt teachers Or restrayned from hearing of those that preached wholsome doctrine or urged to communicate with the Preistes in humaine Ceremonyes to the greife of their soules and wounding of their consciences as many now are The Lord giue you all such consideration of these thinges that yee may not so much labour for outward pompe preferments honors dignityes etc. As for the true felicitie of our English Ierusalem and Sion that God may build up the walles therof and still loue and delight therin G. Powel As Nehemiah having by prayer and fasting found favour with an heathen King for the building of Ierusalem was resisted and hindred by Sanballat Tobiah Geshem etc. So worthy Nehemiah in the beginning of our religious Soveraignes reigne finding grace for the continuance of the prosperous estate of our Church begunne in the dayes of our blessed Queene so many Sanballats Tobiahs and Geshems as there be refractary ministers and Papists deryding and despisyng us labor to hinder our ministery etc. The ods that before he spake of Reply now he maketh likes Is this to dispute ad idem and to the purpose Touching his worthy Nehemiah whom he compareth to auncient good Nehemiah let this be observed that although he speake of the prayer and fasting of the auncient Nehemiah yet he speaketh not of any prayer and fasting of his newe Nehemiah What may be suspected or noted heerin I leaue to the consideration of the wise and judicious reader that remembreth what opposition many of the Prelats haue alwayes made to true fasting and that also knoweth what be the thinges which men may safely commēd in prayer unto God especially for which they may humble themselues extraordinary in fasting before God Touching the Tobiahs Sanballats and Geshems whom fayne he would haue to be those that he calles refractary ministers as well as the Papists let him not deceaue himselfe heerin For the wise Christian readers are able to discerne thē to be most worthy of these nāes that striue most for mens precepts that study more to please men then God that preach not themselues and hinder them that would whose cheefe worke is not to encrease God his kingdome but to uphold their owne fearing nothing more then the downefall therof which also feed not the Lords people with the bread of eternall life but their owne bodyes with the meate that perisheth and with all carnall delights who care not to enrich the Lords people with durable riches that shall not be taken away but plod day and night to enrich themselues in this world and to build great house for their posteritie Such are indeed the Sanballats Tobiahs and Geshems that doe most oppugne the spirituall building of the spirituall Ierusalem Now although this answerer other not much vnlike those before described for a tyme reproch and scorne vs by such odious names and comparisons yea plough upon our backes and make long furrowes yet the righteous Lord in the end shall plead our cause against them and bring forth our righteousnes even as the mornyng Sunne it may be in this world that even
conscience of keeping Gods commaundements and observing his word Answer Deut. 4.6 The which to reject is the greatest folly Ierem. 8.9 We haue made no breach or division at all But as Ioseph for telling his divine dreames was hated of his brethren and at the last sold a way to strangers by themselues and as the blinde man Iohn 9. for confessing Christ and stoutly standing in that confession was throwne out of the Iewish Synagogue by the Pharises so to use the words of this answerer we are violently and unjustly broken of and divided and thrust out of the ministery by other and yet charged that we haue made a folish breach and division G. Powel And therefore I cannot allow the opinion of such as giue out Answer Yet we doe all as hartily and faithfully loue and affect our Prince and King yea of whatsoever religion and are as ready and willing to defend his person honor against all adversaryes etc. that these our factious brethren are as dangerous enimyes vnto the state as the papists etc. Neither you nor any other haue ever yet had or ever I hope shall haue cause justly to speake write or thinke otherwise concernyng either our loue loyalty towards our Soveraigne or our duety to any of his governors yea though we should cunningly be solicited to some vndutifull practises as some not many yeares since were in the dayes of late Q. Elizab. of most Honorable memory who were so farr from enterteyning any such motions as that most dutifully they discovered the same to other in higher authority Though I say we should be cunningly solicited to any undutifull practises or to the approbation of any such practise yet I trust that never any of vs shall be found so to offend against his Majesties meanest and lowest officers G. Powel D. Elmer late B. of London gravely sayd If I were in the company but of one Papist I might justly feare the losse of my life but being amongst ten thousand Precisians well might I be afrayd of my Bishopricke but never of my throate the one would cut my coate and the other my throate The Precisians as it pleaseth B. Elmer to call them never desired the Bishopprickes of any of their adversaryes Answer but onely that they would giue glory to him that sitteth vpon the Throne and cast their miters at the feete of the Lambe acknowledging him worthy of all rule and Dominion contenting themselues with the places and Honors commended in the scriptures according to an other apothegmaticall exhortation of the sayd Bishop both made openly at Paules crosse and also printed before himselfe was so advanced in the world viz. that Bishops and other Prelats should come downe from their thowsands and content themselues with an hundred vntill which abasing of themselues and resignyng that which uniustly they hold reigning as Lords Kings over the Lords inheritance neither the Church of God in generall neither our Soveraigne in speciall shall haue so much service and good by their service neither themselues so much peace and comforte of conscience as otherwise would be G. Powel Though they be free from suspition of treason and rebellion yet it cannot be denyed but that presumptuously and willfully they contend with the Magistrat impugning his authority in things indifferēt Cannot that be denyed which never was neither ever can be proved against us Answer 1 We deny that it is the Magistrats meere pleasure that we should conforme otherwise then by mis information of our adversaryes against us as David upon the like mis information of Ziba against Mephibosheth gaue all to Ziba that had been Mephibosheths 2 Sam. 16.2 Yea they doe not only giue all the mis informations them-selues against us which they can jmagine or wherwith they are informed by other but also they labour what they can to keep the Magistrats from all right information in our behalfe by any other yea they indeavour their vtmost to keep both Parliament and all other from mediation for us 2 Though we yeeld not in all thinges required of us yet it is not presumptuously and wilfully but in all humility modesty we contend not by the sword nor any violence but onely by word yea pleading the word of God for our cause Our contentiō also is in a patient suffering with a duetifull cleering of our innocency against the false imputations wherewith we are burdened The things in question haue been said but never substantially proved to be indifferent in such sorte and to such vses as now they are urged Our adversaries haue so long strivē to maintayne the things which they call indifferent for such uses as to which they are not indifferent that they haue made religion it selfe an in different thing to many men In things truely indifferent it is already justified and shal be further justified if neede requyer that we attribute no lesse to the magistrat then our adversaryes doe Let them name in what sense and degree the Papists deny the Soveraignty of Princes in any thinge and I doubt not but that it may be proved that themselues holding their owne principles doe deny the same in the same sense and degree G. Powel All of them make a faction and schisme in the Church for carnall respects some because they know not otherwise how to be mainteyned some to gratifie their benefactors and Patrons and to please their frends some for discontentment and want of preferment some for giddines of innovation etc. What all M. Powell How doe you forget your selfe Answer You should haue left this generall judgment of all to the generall judge of all There is none of these of whom you speake but for the world and outward things they might liue better conformyng then not cōforming themselues What benefit haue any by gratifying their Patrons Will their Patrons giue them better mayntenance otherwise Nay some Patrons are their adversaryes and are gratified by them that put such Ministers out that so they may present againe etc. Some so displease their frends heerby that by their displeasure they loose more in one day then they get all their life by any Ecclesiasticall living Some also by displeasing their frends doe not only lose temporall benefits for them and theirs but doe also hinder themselues of as great Ecclesiasticall promotion as many or the most of the conformable sort doe ateyne unto Some by their troubles for this cause having had good patrimonyes haue consumed wasted them so that in their age when they need most comfort they liue in penury and want and at their death leaue not so much to their wiues many children as was left to themselues alone Some by want for this cause are forced to take their children of very great hope and forwardnes for learnyng frō the schoole and to make them apprentises to their owne great greife and in time to the detriment of the Church Agayne this imputation of
all for the reasons and causes before specified It is therefore erroniously alleadged that that which was done by jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall when Magna Charta was granted was not at that tyme taken to be done by the King or by his authority and that the lawes which Ecclesiasticall Iudges practised were not then held to be the lawes of the land or the Kings lawes For the Kings progenitors did both thinke and held that jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall did in right belong unto their Crowe and therefore in fact by right of their crownes did they both exercise and commaund to be exercised in their Kingly names their Kingly right authority and jurisdiction Ecclesiasticall within their Realmes For how could those Kings haue commaunded and how could their subjectes haue obeyed if the Kings themselues had thought and held that the Ecelesiasticall courts lawes or jurisdiction were not in right no more then in fact at that tyme belonging unto the Crowne as the answerer vaynly and childishly fancyeth Which fancy also seemeth sufficiētly confuted by the very title of S. Edward Cooks booke de iure regis Ecclesiastico For how could the Kings before and after the Conquest unto Magna Charta have been justly intituled to Kingly right of Ecclesiasticall jurisdiction if the Kings had no Kingly Ecclesiasticall right or jurisdiction at all G. Powel Breifely the lawfullnes of they deprivation of the refractary Ministers is a plaine case adjudged in open Court as appeareth in S. Edward Cookes Report part 5 in Cawdries case according to a Statute of I. Elizab. cap 2. c. It is a most playne and cleere case that neither the case of Cawdrie Reply is the case of sundry the late deprived Ministers nor that the case of sundry the late deprived Ministers is the case of Cawdrie Cawdrie was deprived not by his Ordinarie but by the Queenes Ecclesiasticall high Commissioners not for not subscribing to the 3 Articles not for the not use of rits and Ceremonyes not for the not exact S. Edward Cook de jure regis eccl Cawdries case fol. 3 and precise observation of the booke of Common prayer But as well for that he had preached against and depraved the said book as also for that he refused to celebrate divine service according to the sayd booke Agayne in his cause it being found before the High Commissioners that he had uttered verba convitiosa and contumeliosa convitious and contumelious words looke sent against Caw against the boke of Common prayer the case was not whither his fact were punishable by the Statute for of that no man then doubted but whether his depravation and preaching against the booke of Common prayer beyng the first offence committed by him against the Statute he was punishable by tenor of the statute for the same his first offence by depravatiō yea or no Lastly Cawdries offence was punishable as well before the Queenes Iustices by imprisonment and losse of one whole yeares profites of his spirituall promotions as by deprivation before his Ordinary None of all which things were within the cōpass of sundry the late deprived Ministers For non of thē ever preached against the booke nor depraved the same They never refused to obserue the same booke according to the proeme of the booke tenor of the statute They were so farr from claymyng any immunitie from being depraved for their first offence as that they stood and yet doe stand upon their innocencyes not to haue committed any offence at all against the statute punishable with deprivation by the statute they alleadge that they were not punishable before the Kings Iustices by the statute for these facts which they were charged by their Ordinaries to haue committed against the statute and for which they were deprived Lastly some of them were deprived not for any fact done committed or perpetrated but for not promissing heereafter to obserue the whole booke And what an unconsiderate part therefore is it to avowe the lawfulnes of the deprivation of all the late silenced Ministers to be a playne case adjudged in open Court when neither their case nor any like case to som of theirs was ever yet brought or argued before the Kings Iustices in any of the Kings open courts at all Touching the statut alleadged 1. Elizabeth it helpeth nowhitt at all the late deprivations of sundry Ministers First because such Ministers as haue been deprived onely for not conformyng themselues to the use of the booke provided by the parishioners cannot truly be charged to haue refused the booke commaunded by the statute Because the same booke was never provided for them Secondly the statute punisheth not every refuser but wilfull and obstinate refusers They then that upon conscience onely of Gods word doe refuse to obserue al things conteyned in the booke cannot be iustly called obstinate refusers till their groundes out of the word be by the word removed Thirdly the statute requyreth some Act done committed or perpretrated against the Statut but some Ministers haue been deprived only for not promising c as before was sayd Fourthly the statute appoynteth the Ordinaries to proceed by inquisition accusation or information But many of us haue been deprived without any of these meanes and onely upon Proces Ex officio mero Heerby therfore appeareth how unjustly and directly contrary to the words of the statute you insert this Parenthesis which they may doe Ex officio as if they might by vertue of this Statute proceed Ex officio wheras the Statute expresly requyres inquisition accusation or information Is this good interpretation If you doe so interprete the scripture directly contrary to the wordes of scripture in the same place you make but mad interpretations Touching that which is objected against all hitherto spoken in the poynt of the law of the opinion of the Iudges to be against the same may it please the reader to remember the saying of an Honorable and most renowned Counseller in that behalfe viz. that in such cases and all other men are not so much to respect what judges speake standing bare headed 2 chro 19 6 as what they say sittyng upon the judgment seate representing the Kings person yea not executing the iudgment of man but of the Lord when all men stand bare headed before them Concernyng the oth Ex officio of the othe ex officio we affirme that the law of the land is against the exercise of the same oath by Ordinaries and other judges Ecclesiasticall The Common law of this kingdome which is grounded upon the law of God and of reason doth hate and abhorre it First in respect of the fraylty of man who for the safitie of his life libertie credit and good name will not spare to prophane even that which is most holy and by committing sinfull perjury hazard his soule which the subtle serpēt wel knew in generall though he were deceaved in the perticuler in that he sayd unto God concerning Iobskinne for skinne and
sometimes then the Lords day it selfe this is contrary both to the 4 commaundement and also to many other Scriptures Gal 4.10 Coloss 2. 16 which condemne such observation of dayes and tymes The holy dayes also now commaunded to be kept may be abrogated by the Magistrate as wel as other that were wont to be observed But I hope that although some are bold to say as much of the Lords day yet our Prelats will not publikly allow of any such rash impious opinion The 14. Canon commaunding all divine service prescribed in the booke of common prayer to be read upon the dayes appoynted without any diminishyng in regard of preaching or in any other respect is agaynst charity and consequently agaynst the word For the weaknes of some mens body at all tymes is such that they are not able to reade all and to preach At sometime also the strongest man may haue such an infirmity that he may not be able to endure the performāce of both In winter many times the extremity of cold will not permit the whole auditory to continue so long at Church Then will some say let preaching by such persons as are so weake or at such times be omitted This indeed is that which many would haue But this is to performe bare reading before preaching ignorance before knowledge and the ordinances of man before the commaundements of God The 18 Canon for bowing at the mention of the name of Iesus is absurd in that respect because the place whereon it seemeth to be grounded philip 2.10 is not literally so to be understood First for that it speaketh of things not only in earth but also in heaven and under the earth in which places ther are no knees 2. It speaketh not onely of men but also of all other creatures For it saith of all things By the literall interpretation therefore all creatures at the mention of the name of Iesus should bend their knees 3. By this interpretation no man must sit whilst any thing is read that hath that name or else the must rise at the mention thereof to bowe their knee 4. It is superstition to giue more reverence to the name Iesus then to the name Christ God Iehovah or the Holy Ghost 5. If the knee be so to be bowed at the name of Iesus why not also at the name Saviour For what doeth Iesus signifie but Saviour 6. The place speaketh not of that which is due to the name but of that which is due to the person of Iesus So the Canonists are deceaved with that fallacy which is a rebus ad voces 7. It speaketh of that which is due to him as well in private as in publike places in our houses at our tables in our beds as we sit as we walke as we ly If then we sit at table or ly in our beds etc we must not speake of Iesus but we must arise to make a legge Lastly this name Iesus is no more then Ioshua who therfore is called Iesus Act. 7.45 It is also the name of Iozadak Zech. 3.1 compared with Ecclesiasticus 49.12 and Ezra 3.2 and of the Sonne of Syrach and of one Iustus Coloss 4.11 The common people therefore for want of preaching and by their owne negligence being so ignorant that they cannot well discerne the name Iesus our Saviour from the same name of other they may mistake themselues and bowe the knee as well at the mētion of other so named as of Iesus our Lord and Saviour and so ignorantly they should commit blasphemy That which is said for defence heerof by some that we should the rather bowe at this name to testifie our hatred against Arrianisme is more dotage thē divinity and therfore not worthy any answer The Deitie of Christ is more manifest by other names especially by the name Emmanuell then by the name Iesus Touching the Canons for Coapes Surplices Crosse and other Conformitie as also touching the present Hierarchie and manner of ordaynyng Archbishops Bishops Preists Deacons etc and for Subscription it is too long in this place to set downe perticular reasons against them Therfore I referr the reader to perticular treatises of those things both hertofore and also lately written The 49. Canon for no Minister to preach or expound any Scripture or matter of doctrine without a speciall licence in that behalfe is a most lamentable contrariety to the word which commaundeth every Minister both to be apt to teach and to teach indeede And I would gladly know of such Canon-makers whither those that they call by the name of Ministers be Ministers of the word or no If they be Ministers of the word shall they not haue power to expound and preach the word by vertue of the said Ministery Yea doe not they themselues when they ordayne them Ministers bid them take power to preach the word It is yet more lamentable in the sayde Canon that they commaund all Ministers not specially licensed to preach or expound in their owne chardges onely to study to read plainely and aptly without glozing or adding the Homilies already set forth or heerafter to be published etc. For doe not these words plainely import that some Ministers are not able to read without studiyng for it even after they be made Ministers Yea doe not the words onely to study to read plainely and aptly the Homilies etc. implye a precept against studiyng to read the scriptures which are harder then Homileis especially against studiyng to preach heerafter O miserable condition then of such people as haue such Ministers as must goe to schoole to learne to read the Homilies not the scriptures yea and which must not study at all ever to Preach The 53. Canon against confuting of any publike doctrine how hereticall or dangerous so ever before the Bishop be made acquainted with the said doctrine is most prejudiciall to the salvation of the hearers of such erroneous teaching For the soules of men beyng by nature as capable of any errors as their bodyes are of any infectious disease and the Bishop of the same Diocesse sometime perhaps dwelling or beynge an hundred myles from the Church wherein such errors were delivered and the life of man being most uncertaine and Bishops themselues being sometime erroneous and therefore not very hastie to haue errors confuted may not many a soule be infected with such error yea and dye in them before any remedy can be had against them This shall suffice for a tast of the contrariety of divers Canons to Gods word If I should perticularly runne over other that haue like cōtrariety this volume would much exceed both my owne purpose and also the likyng of all readers Before I proceed to the Canons repugnant to the lawes of the land let me here interlace one reason in a word generally to proue both the Canons and also the booke of Common prayer now imposed upon Ministers not yet to be established by law and so consequently all the proceedings of the
or by the Bishop of the Diocess or by one of the two Universities under their hands and seale Let the King then under his broad seale graunt licence to any of his Chapleines to preach within his owne chapple this licenc by this Canon is of no value then the which what can be more derogatory to the Soveraigne dignity of the King in causes Ecclesiasticall Unto the mould of this Canon agreeth the 47. Canon before mētiōed which cōcludeth that no Minister not licēsed a Preacher under the hand seale of the Bishop of the Diocess or Archbishop of the Province or under the seale of one of the Vniversities shall take upon him to expound in his owne cure any scripture or matter of doctrine but shall onely study to read playnely and aptly without glosing or addyng the Homilies already set forth or heerafter to be published by lawfull authority The King then by this Canon may not licence a Minister to preach or to expound any scripture no not in his own cure no though the ministers Cure be the Kings owne houshold or the houshould of the Prince or any other of the Kings children Nay by these two Canons and the Canon of subscription it is evident that the Prelats intended that every Scotish Minister havyng renounced the Hierachie and embraced the single forme of Goverment in Scotland should be barred from preaching at any time before the King in England unless he should subscribe to the Hierarchy of England For with out a licence may none preach and without subscription may none be licenced And not onely is this 47. Canon derogatorie to the Kings prerogatiue but it is also repugnant to other the Kings lawes and statuts For whereby that statute made against Lolardy and Heresie it was enacted that none should presume to Preach openly or privily without the licence of the Diocesan first requyred obtayned yet by the same Act Curats in their owne Churches and Parsons priviledged were excepted and by the Provinciall Constitutions confirmed and ratified by Parliament it is provided thus We establish that no secular or regular not authorised by written law or protected by speciall priviledg to preach the word of God may take upon him the preaching or exercise of the same word within any Church or without any Church unless first he present and submit himselfe to the examination of the Diocesan etc But concernyng aperpetuall Curate we understand such a one by law and right to be sent to the place and people of his Cure And that we may understand whom the Canon meaneth to be a perpetuall Curate the gloss sheweth us that a Bishop in his Diocess a Parson and Vicar in his Parish and every other Person intituled to any benefice whereunto apper teyneth cure of soules is to be understood to be a perpetuall Curate and that he may preach in his owne Cure without the Bishops licence Moreover by the booke of ordering Bishops Ministers and Deacons every one made a Minister promiseth that he will giue all faithfull diligence alwayes to minister the doctrine etc as the Lord hath commanded etc so that he will teach the people committed to his cure and chardg withall dilligence to keepe and obserue the same But how can a Minister instruct and teach the people committed to his chardge according to his publicke vowe if as it is sayd in this Canon he shall not take upon him to expound in his owne Cure any scripture or matter of doctrine at all but shall onely study to read plainely and aptly without glosing or adding the Homilies etc Lastly the wordes of the Bishops institution are these Teque rectorem eiusdem ac de et ineadem instituimus canonice et investimus cum suis iuribus et pertinentiis universis curamque et regimen animarum prochianorum ibidem in Domino cōmittimus per-presentes And we speaking of a Clarke to be instituted into a benefice Canonically institute thee rector of the same Church and of Cure goverment by law ought to go together in a minister and in the same doe invest thee withall her rights appertinances and by these presents we in the Lord commit unto thee both the cure and goverment of the soules of the Parishioners in that place The Clearke then instituted into a benefice by these wordes of the Bishops institution by the booke of ordering of Bishops Ministers and Deacons and by the Provinciall Constitutions having not a private but a publicke office of cure and regiment of soules committed unto him how can it seeme reasonable that he should be countermanded by reason of a Provinciall decree not cōfirmed by Act of Parliament not to excercise the same his publicke office without a Bishops licence For what if the Bishops refuse to grant him a licence Or what if the Bishops and his officers see for graunting writing sealyng his licence be greater then the poore Minister is able to disburst is it reason that his chardg by this meāes should be left uninstructed Nay is it not as if a Sergiant at law called to the barr of the Common pleas by the Kings writ solemly created a Sergiant and publickly admitted to the same barr should afterward be forbidden by the cheife Iustice of that Court to pleade at that barr without licence otteyned under his hand and seale Or is it not as if a Doctor of Phisicke solemnely created in the Vniversity and publickly admited to practise artem medica should notwithstanding without a new faculty from the Doctor of the Chayre be inhibited to minister any Pill or Portion to any pacient The 53. Canon before also mentioned viz. against publicke opposition between preachers is not only repugnāt to the doctrine of (a) levit 5.1 2 Tim. 4.2 holy Scripture cōtrary to the practis of the (b) 2. Chron. 18.7 Ierem. 27.9 28 7 Acts 13.10 Galat. 2 11 Prophets Apostles but also crosseth the Ministers vow solemly made at his ordination Whos 's promise is that he wil be ready with all faithfull diligence to banish driue away all erroneous and strang doctrin contrary to Gods word and to use both publicke and private motions and exhortations as well to the sicke as to the whole within his cure But upon occasion given by any false Prophet publickly broaching false doctrine in a Ministers chardg how shall the Minister with all faithfull dilligence drive away the same false doctrine and publickely teach the truth if he may not teach admonish or exhort his people without a licence first obtayned from the Bishop of the Diocess For what if the Bishop be upon an embassadg in Denmarke Or what if the Bishop himself be of the same judgment with the false teacher The 91. Canon entituled Parish Clearks to be chosen by the Ministers is contrary and regugnant to the customes of the Realme in many Parishes of the Realme And in this regard this Canon hath been blowen to peeces at the barr of the Common
great difference betwixt bonum bene good and well iustum and iuste that which is iust and justly For he teacheth that good just things may be done by evill and ujust men which haue not the habit eyther generally of goodnes or perticularly of Iustice but he sayth that only good and just men which haue the habit of goodnes and justice Marc 6 20 can doe things well and iustly And this distinction is agreable to holy writ For Herod is saide to haue done many thinges viz. that were in themselues good the like may be sayd of Saule and divers other But certaine it is that evil men can doe any good or just thīg well and iustly This commeth onely from the spirit of regeneration and from a true faith wrought thereby without which it is impossible to please God For as much therfore Heb 11 6. as this answerer doth here testifie generally of the Supplicants that they doe discourse in this Argument not onely of many worthy and Christian poyntes but also worthily and Christianly yea very worthily and Christianly contraritie yea also for as much as he setteth this downe for a certeynty saying certeynly how doth this or can this agre with all the reproch full termes before given by him unto them of Schismatiks Refractaryes wilfull contenders with the Magistrate presumptuous censurers wilfull and malicious confronters of the Magistrat boasters lyars impudent blind and ignorant persons false Prophets fowers of sedition disturbers of the Church etc For can it be sayd of such men and that for a certeynty that they discourse very worthily and Christianly of sundry things Let it not be sayd that to discourse is but a matter of wordes For their is the same reason of words and works No man can say well and rightly that Iesus is the Lord 1 Cor 12 3. but by the Holy Ghost Though an evill man therfore may speake many good and Christian things yet onely good men speake good and Christian things well and christianly G. Powel Doth God plague us because of the proceedinges against the refractary Ministers And not rather for our horrible sinnes of security pride unthankfulnes etc This is certeyne and the rest unproved I haue told you Reply of your mistaking your Logike before The author disputeth not perticularly of the sinnes that moved the Lord to visite vs etc but of the generall end wherfore he did both correct us but also magnifie his mercy towards us The which he applied to the particular poynt of favor for the Ministers molested Notwithstanding to answer your question though it cannot be denyed that for other sinnes the Lord hath so heavily scourged us yet why should the suppressing of the Ministery of the gospell be concluded Was not to receiue and heare the Disciples of our Saviour which were sent out by two two but for a time to prepare men for the gospell so great a sinne that our Saviour pronounceth that it should be easier for Sodom and Gonorrha in the day of iudgement then for such a City Mat. 10 14. 15 as should not so receyue and heare his Disciples and shall the silencyng and depriving of so many Ministers setled in perticular Congregations and all ready blessed in their labors be accounted no sinne Yea not onely the silencyng of them etc but also providyng that they shall haue no other meanes whereby to maynteyne themselues their wiues and children God open your eyes to see and moue your hearts so to cōsider hereof that yee may not flatter your selues but see your sinne herein Yea because your selfe speake of unthankfulnes as one speciall sinne provokyng Gods indignation what greater unthankfullnes can there be then so to intreate his servants whom he hath so graced and blessed Iudge your selues yee Reverend Fathers that are principall actors in this matter that yee may not be iudged of the Lord. 1 Cor 11.31 Take heed I humbly beseech you in the feare of God take heed I say in time least fire breake forth frō the Lord and there be none to quench the same In the destruction of Ierusalem by Nebuchadnetzer 2 Chron 36 16 and the carying of the people away captiue to Babell and in the last desolation of the same City by the Romans the like misusing of the Lords Prophets is set downe as one principall cause therof Mat 21.35 23 37 And who I beseech you in such misusage of the Lords messengers had alwayes a principall hand Had not the Priests of the Lord that should haue done the contrary Serch the scriptures and see if they bare not witnes in this behalfe If God once set things in order before you Psal 50.12 shall it be sufficient to pleade that the Ministers of his word against whom yee haue so proceeded were Schismatikes refractaryes etc. Alas alas this wil be but a weake plea. Yee haue herd before that the Prophets were so termed Lastly concernyng the particular sinnes by you mentioned and other the like from whence doe they more proceede then frō the restraint of the word by the Preaching wherof they would be eyther repressed or restrayned If the libertie and free passage of the gospell worke an holy feare humility and duetifull thankfulnes yea if the preaching of the word doe restrayne the most wicked and reprobate themselues that they bite in their lips hold their hands and refrayne from many sinnes which otherwise they would commit as it cannot be denyed doe not security pride unthankfulnes all other sinnes come from the restraint of the word The answer to the Second supposed Argument in this 17 conteyned hath in part been answered before because it hath been proved that we are no Schismaticall Ministers Touching the rest of the sayd answer we deny not but that there are other meanes wherby that Honorable Court may testifie their thankefulnes yet this hindreth not but that this may also be one yea if it be granted that there are other then by vertue of relation this also must be granted to be one Yea if mercy to the soule be more then mercy to the body as the soule is better then the body and the misery of the soule greater then of the body and cruelty to the soule worse then to the body then it followeth that this is a speciall principall meanes wherby to testifie their thankfulnes His answer to the third supposed argument in the 17 Argument hath also been answered The same I say of his answer to the 5 supposed argument Onely therin the answerers censure of the Parliament if they should restore us is to be observed viz. that they shall not onely attract guilt and remorse of Conscience but also preiudice their Honorable age and make their names reprochfull to all posterity This toucheth not only the Lords of the upper house and body of the Commons in the Netherhouse but also his most excellent Majestie without whose Princely authoritie nothing can be