The ARTICLES.

Item, Kings, Princes, and Lords Temporal may at their own will and pleasure take away the temporal goods from the Clergy if they do offend, and therein continue.

Item, It is against the Scripture, that Ecclesiastical Ministers should have any temporal Possessions.

Item, That Tenths are pure Alms; and that the Parishio ner may for the offence of their Ministers, deteyn and keep them back, and bestow them upon others at their own will and plea­sure, &c.

That Kings and Lords Temporal may take Temporalities from Prelates, the Universitie proves thus: Kings in the Old-Testament took temporal goods from the Clergy, &c. Therefore Kings of the New Testament may do the like, 1 Kings 2.

• 1 Solo­mon. Solomon deposed Abiather the High Priest because he took part with Adonijah, and set up Zadock the Priest in his room, and this (say they) was a greater matter then to take away temporalities, for Abiather was put both from his Priesthood, and from his Maintenance.

• 2 Nebu­chadnez­zer. Also Nebuchadnezzer had power given him of God to lead away the Children of Israel, with the Priests and Levites, into the Capti­vity of Babylon. Hasael King of Syria came against Jerusalem. 2 Kings 12.17, 18. and

• 3 King Jehoash. Jehoash of whom the Scripture witnes­seth that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord all his dayes, and yet for the safety of his Kingdom, without taxing his Subjects, he took all the hallowed things that Jehosaphat, and Jehoram, and Ahaziah▪ his Fathers, Kings of Judah had dedi­cated, and his own hallowed things, and all the Gold that was found in the Treasury of the house of the Lord, and in the Kings house, and sent it to Hazael King of Syria, and he went away from Jerusalem: And this was much more then the taking away of the usurped Temporalities of the Prelates to defray the King­doms Charge, and to relieve the Poor to whom it is due, as is shew­ed in the Epistle.

• 4 Heze­kiah. Again, It is said of the good King Hezekiah, 2 Kings 18.3. that he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord, according to all that David his Father did: he put down Idolatry, as in verse 4. so that after him was none like him among all the Kings of Ju­dah, nor any that were before him, for he trusted in the Lord [Page 3] and clave to the Lord, and departed not from following him, but kept his Commandements, and the Lord was with him, and he prospered, &c. as in verse 5, 6, 7. And when Senache [...]b [...] [...]f Assyria came up against Judah, Hezekiah gave him all the Silver that was found in the house of the Lord, and in the Treasuries of the Kings house, and he cut off the Gold from the doors of the house of the Lord, and from the Pillars which were overlaid with Gold and gave it to the King of Assyria, as verse 15, 16. Any one of these things done by King Jehoash, and King Hezekiah was much more than for our King and Nobles to take the usurped Tempora­lities from the Prelates and Priests to defray the Kingdoms charges, and to relieve the poor; and yet this was not counted Sacriledge in these Religious Kings in taking the Church goods for publick uses, for they are not reproved, but commended for doing that which was right in sight of the Lord.

• 5 Ahaz. Also in 2 Kings 16.8. when Rezin King of Syria, and Pekah son of Remaliah King of Israel came up against Ahaz King of Ju­dah to Jerusalem, Ahaz took the Silver and the Gold that was found in the house of the Lord and in the Treasuries of the Kings house, and sent it as a present to the King of Assyria to come and help him, &c. We do not read that any of these good Kings of Judah laid any Tax upon their Subjects, though it was Lawful for them so to do, but in the first place, for to defray the Kingdoms charges, to secure themselves and their Subjects they took the goods of the Church; much more may our Kings and Nobles take the Temporalities and Tythes for the Kingdoms use, because the Temporalities was their Predecessors, and those that now have them, hold them by usurpation, the conditions for which they were given being broken: And Tythes are pure Alms, or as it were a free will offering of the people, not paid now under the Gospel by any Divine Institution: Therefore the King may at his pleasure have the profits brought into his Treasuries for the publick benefit of the Kingdom.

• 6 In Mat. 12.1, 2, 3. the Disciples on the Sabbaoth being an hungred, pluckt ears of Corn and eat them, the Pharises rebuked them, but Christ answered them; have ye not read what David did when he was an hungred and they that were with him, how he entered into the house of the Lord, and did eat the Shew-bread which was not lawful for him to eat, nor they that were with him, but for the Priests only, and yet Christ did not count [Page 4] this Sacriledge, whereby it doth appear that it is lawful in time of necessity to use any thing, be it never so much consecrated. There­fore if need require, the King and Lords temporal may take the Prelates Temporalities, Gleab Lands and Tythes from them.

• 7 Titus Ves­patian. Titus and Vespasian, secular Princes, had power given them of God twenty four years after the Lords Ascention, to take away Church goods from the Priests that had offended against the Lords holy one, and it seemeth unto many, they did, and might wor­thily do the same according to Gods good will and pleasure: And forasmuch as our Priests may transgress and offend as much, and rather more against the Lords Anoynted; It followeth that by the pleasure of God, our secular Lords may likewise punish our Priests and Prelates offences by taking their Temporalities, &c. from them.

• 8 Ambrose. Our Saviour being King of Kings, and High-Bishop with his Disciples did pay Tribute unto Caesar: Whereby he gave Example to all Priests and Prelates to pay Tribute unto their Kings. Ambrose in his fourth book on Luke 5. saith, If the Son of God pay Tribute, who art thou, that thinkest thou oughtest not to pay? If thou wilt not be in danger of Caesar, possess not those things that are Caesars, for if thou hast Riches thou art in danger of Caesar. In his eleventh Question. Magnum quidem; If thou wilt owe nothing to the King, forsake all Earthly things and follow Christ? If then all Ecclesiasti­cal Ministers having Riches, ought to be in subjection to Kings, and pay them Tribute; it followeth; that Kings may lawfully, by the Authority given them of God, take away their Temporalities, as in Dan. 2.37, 38. The God of Heaven hath given thee a King­dom, Power, and Strength, and Glory; and wheresoever the Chil­dren of men dwell, that is as far as any Kings Empire or Dominion doth extend, the Beasts of the Field, and the Fowls of the Heaven hath he given into thine hand; and hath made thee Ruler over them all; and if so, then the abused and usurped Temporalities in the Clergies hands, are given of God into the Kings hand, and he may lawyfully take possession of them, and imploy the Rents thereof for the defence of his Subjects and Kingdoms, and the relief of the Poor, which was the end for which they were given by our King and Nobles Predecessors.

• 9 Again, St. Ambrose alleageth in the eleventh question, that all things are under the power of the Emperour, and if the Emperour require Tribute, we do not deny, that the Lands of the Church [Page 5] shall pay Tribute: If the Emperour have need of Church Lands, he hath power to challenge them, let him take them if he will, thus (say they) Ambrose expresly declareth that Secular Lords have power at their pleasure to take away the Lands of the Church, and so consequently they have power to take away Temporal goods from Ecclesiastical Ministers, as Tythes, &c.

• 10 Augustine. St. Augustine, in 33. quest. 7. si de rebus, he saith, that Secular Lords may lawfully take away temporal goods from Hereticks, and for so much as it is a Case greatly poseable, that many of the Clergy are users of Simony, and thereby Hereticks; There­fore Secular Lords may lawfully take away their Temporalities from them. The word of the Lord to all wicked men is; That the Kingdom of God shall be taken from them, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. By Kingdom of God in this Text, Mat. 21.43. is meant the priveledges of the visible Church, which shall be taken from wicked men. Robert Grosthead.And here it were fit to consider of Robert Grosttheads, the Bishop of Lincoln who dyed in the year 1253. his definition of Heresie; viz. That Heresie is a Sentence taken and chosen of mans own brain, contrary to holy Scripture, openly maintained and stifly defended: Now consider, whether none of our Prelates do maintan no Canons nor Cere­monies nor Opinions contrary to holy Scripture, nor contrary to the 19, 20, nor 21. Articles of the Church of England, and so stand guilty of Heresie by this definition of Heresie of Robert Grosthead — If any object that it is a desiring of other mens goods; St. Au­stine answers, That by the same rule the seven Nations that did a­buse the Land of promise, and were cast out by the power of God, they might have objected the same to the Children of Israel; We saith Augustine, do not desire other mens goods, for they are ours by the Commandment of him by whom all things were made, by like evidence the Clergy having offended, their temporal goods are made the goods of others; that is lawfully possessed, saith he, in the 14. quest. 4. which is justly possessed, and that is justly possessed which is well possessed; ergo, all that is evilly possessed is another mans, and he doth ill possess it which doth evil use it, and for the evil using of it, it hath been proved in the Epistle that Prelates are unfaithful Stewards, and have converted to their own uses for Coaches, and Horses, and Riotous living, that which belongs to the poor; besides no Clergyman hath any right to Temporalities by any [Page 6] Institution of Christ, and therefore both evilly possessed and evilly used by them.

  If then saith he the Clergy do abuse the temporal goods, as it hath been proved they do, the temporal Lords may at their plea­sure according to the rule of Charity take the temporal goods from the Clergy, for they do not justly possess them; for besides the right that temporal Lords have to temporal lands, as belonging formerly to their Predecessors, and the conditions not performed nor which they were given, which was to the Church and to the Poor. Temporal Magistrates are Gods Ministers and Revengers, to execute wrath upon them that do evil, attending continually upon this very thing, Rom. 13.4.6. which if they neglect they make themselves guilty of the Prelates sins; for the University quotes Gregory, writing to the French King, That he which may correct any sin, and neglect the same, without doubt he maketh himself par­taker of the sin and offence. And John Wickliffe saith in the thir­teenth Article; That it is not only lawful for Lords Temporal to take away goods of fortune from Churchmen sinning usually; But also they are bound so to do under pain of Eternal Dam­nation.

• 11 Gregory. St. Gregory in his 7th book, chap. 9. writing to the French Queen, saith, Forasmuch, as wicked Priests are the cause of the ru­ine of the people; for who shall make intercession for the sins of the People, if the Priests that should do it have committed greater offen­ces themselves, which in your Dominion live wickedly; therefore, that the offences of a few bring not destruction upon many, we ought to seek a remedy. And a little after, to the King he said, Yet once again we move you to command a Synod, and cause all the carnal vices of Priests, and Wickedness and Simony of Bishops to be removed, and that you do not suffer them to possess any more substance than Gods commandment doth allow, and that is neither Temporalities nor Tyths that the Gospel commandments doth allow; Mat. 10.9, 10. for when Christ sent his Disciples to preach, he commanded they should provide neither Gold nor Silver, nor Brass in their Purses, nor Script for their Journey, neither two Coats, nor Shooes, nor staves, for the Workman is worthy of his meat. But how contrary to this Command of Christ are our Bishops and Prelates in these dayes, and yet in words they pre­tend to succeed the Apostles in place and power; But the Apo­stles had not hundreds nor thousands of Gold and silver by the year; they had not Shoos for their Journey, but ours have Shoos [Page 7] and Boots, and Coaches and Horses, and multitudes of Attendants: Is this to obey the Commandment of Christ? and to imitate Christ and his Apostles? Foxes have holes, Mat. 8.20. and the Birds of the Aire have nests, but the Son of Man, which was also the Son of God, hath not whereon to lay his head. But our Prelates have their stately Pa­laces, and great Houses. Our Saviour saith, Mat. 12. He that is not with me is against me; and that the Tree is known by h [...]s fruit. and in Mat. 7.15, 16. Christ bids us to beware of False Pro­phets, and teacheth us how we shall know them, he saith they come in sheeps cloathing, they pretend to be sheep, but inwardly they are Ravening Wolves, ye shall know them by their fruits. I name no man, but leave the people of God to judge by the fruits, by the fruits of mens lives to judge who they are, and one mark to know them by will be, There is no man will be so angry at what I write as they, for by their fruits you may know them; for every one that doth evil hateth the light, he is loath to be brought to tryal by the light of Gods word lest his deeds should be reproved or discovered, John 3.20.

• 12 John Wickliffe. But if upon tryal it be found that Clergy men walk so contra­ry to the Rules and Commandments of Christ, which they ought to obey, and to imitate Christ and his Apostles in their preaching and living, then, as John VVickliffe saith, may Kings and Lords Temporal, both lawfully, and meritoriously take away their Tem­poralities from them, which they abuse with such excess of riot: the Law of nature doth licence all such as have the government of Kingdoms, to correct the abuses of the Temporalities, which would be the chief of the ruine and destruction of their Kingdoms: Whether the Temporal Lords, or any other had endowed the Church with those Temporalities or not, it is lawful for them to take away the Temporalities so abused, as it were by way of Physick to withstand and put a stop to sins, saith the University, for so much as they are not endowed but with Conditions, the which Conditions are broken and the Title of the Gift lost, and they that gave the Alms or their Successors ought to correct the offences; for as in a just War it is lawful to take away the goods of the outward Enemies, so also it is lawful to take away the goods of the Clergy, being the inward Enemy by their evil Example, they not walking according to the Rules of Christ, for inward Enemies are more hurtful than outward, and it is said in the 12th Article, That there is no greater Heretick nor Antichrist than [Page 8] those Clerks which teach that it is lawful for Priests, now under the Law of Grace, to be endowed with Temporal Possessions, and if there be any Hereticks, Apostates, or Blasphemers these Clerks be such.

  A Suppli­cation to K. Hen. 8. If it were thought unmeet by the Apostles that they should leave the word of God and serve Tables, Acts 6.2. which yet was a work of mercy to serve the Poor, can any man be so ignorant as to think it meet and fit that the Prelates should leave the word of God to deal in Temporal matters, to keep Courts, to set Leases, and receive Rents, and keep books of Accompts, and Rent-Rols, &c.? the Apostles did no such things, therefore they cannot be the Successors of the A­postles. It was said in a Supplication to King Henry the eighth, a­bout the year 1544. That the only infection and pestilent poyson of the Prelates, is their great Lordships and Dominion which hath fashioned them with proud Countenances and worldly behaviour, more like Hea­then Princes than Christ and his Apostles, and Christ said to his A­postles, the Princes of the Gentiles exercise Dominion, &c. but it shall not be so among you, Mat. 20.26. For Bishops so love their worldly honour, that they will not preach the Truth for displeasing of men, lest they lose their great Possessions, Riches, and worldly Of­fices, which is the cause of their sins; Thus this pestilent poyson of worldy riches being taken from them, the word of God shall flourish, faith shall be increased, and sin decreased, and true obedience shall be observed, with all humble obedience to your Majesty.

• 13 It is lawful for the Clergy by their power to take away the Sa­crament from the Laity customably offending: It is by the like reason lawful for the Secular power to take away the Temporali­ties from the Clergy, they offending customably in not perfor­ming the conditions for which the Temporalities were given, be­sides other offences, for, say they, the true and easiest way for di­recting the Clergy unto Conformity to the life of Christ and his A­postles, and most profitable for the Laity, the Church, is, that the Clergy should not be suffered to live contrary unto Christs Insti­tutions; to which I shall adde, that the Clergy who make such a bussling about Conformity, are themselves the greatest, and most obstinate Non-conformists in the world, The Pre­lates are the great­est Non-confor­mists. to the Gospel Com­mandements and Institution of Christ; for Christ hath not Institu­ted that any Gospel Minister should have any Temporalities or Tythes, nor to live in such glorious Pomp and State in the world, nor to have such Dignities, nor exercise such Jurisdictions, &c. [Page 9] Therefore it belongs to Christian Magistrates to take those Su­perfluities from them, which occasion their sinful revolt and dis­obedience to the Laws of Christ, for by the abundance of Tem­poralities (say they) the Worm, or Serpent of Pride is sprang up, whereupon unsatiable desire and lust is inflamed, and there­by proceedeth all kind of Gluttony and Leachery: but the Tem­poralities being taken away, every one of these sins will either utterly be taken away, or at the least diminished by the contrary vir­tue induced and brought in.

  The Pro­phesie of Hildegar­dis. This that is said of taking away the Temporalities from the Clergy seems to be prophesied of by Hildegardis the Virgin, whieh Prophecie was approved of in the Council of Trevers by many Bishops of France, Italy, and Almain, St. Bernard being there present, she spake on this manner; The Kings, and other Rulers of the World, being stirred up by the just Judgement of God, shall set themselves against them and run upon them, saying; We will not have these men to rule over us with their rich Houses and great Possessions, and other worldly Riches, over which we are or­dained to be Lords and Rulers; wherefore let us take away from them▪ that which they do not justly, but wrongfully possess, &c. for the Spirituality should not possess more then necessity doth require, that where there is more, it should be taken away▪ and given to the needy. This spake that Virgin Prophetess, plainly foreshewing the taking away the Temporalities from the Clergy by the secular Power.

• 14 Gregory. St. Gregory writ to the Emperour Mauritius when he persecu­ted him, I do believe (saith he) that you please God the better in so persecuting me which have been so evil a servant unto him. And Pope Leo Pope Leo. submitted himself unto Lodovicus the Emperour, as in 2. quest. 7. If we have done any thing incompetently, or that we have not observed the upright path and way of Equity amongst Subjects, we will amend the same, either by your own judgement, or by the advice and judgement of those which you shall appoint for that pur­pose; for if we which ought to correct and punish other mens faults, do commit more grievous our selves, we are not then the Disciples of the Truth, but (as with sorrow we speak it) we shall be above all others the Masters of Error. Thus much concerning the Argu­ments of the University of Prague.

And to confirm the Writings and Opinion of John Wickliffe, the Vice Chancellor of the University of Oxford, with the whole [Page 10] Congregation of the Masters, with one consent gave this Testi­mony of him, and said;

Edmond King of England. King Edmond of England about the Year 940. made a Law that every man should pay Tythes, for Churches Fees, and Almes Fees: Thus here you see that Tythes were then given as well for the relief of the Poor as the Church. He made a Law also, that every Bishop should of his own proper charge see that Chur­ches [Page 11] were repaired.

Bishop of Canter­bury. About the same time the Bishop of Canter­bury in a Letter to the Prelates and Clergy said, If it were, or could be so, that all the Riches of the World were laid before me, so that I were Emperour and had all things universally under my subjection, all these things would I gladly give, and offer my self willingly for the health of Souls. And thus he exhorted the Clergy to their duty, lest the Lord should say of them, The Shepherds fed themselves but did not feed my flock, they have raigned but not by me, they have made themselves Princes of my flock, and I knew it not, that is, he knew it not so as to approve of their do­ings, But where is there a Prelate now that hath such a zeal for the good of Souls.

King Edgar. King Edgar, in an Oration to the Clergy, about the year 959. What negligence, saith he, is in Gods Service, I will speak with sorrow, they be Riotous in Banquetring, in Chambring and Drunk­enness; And now, saith he, the Clerks houses are thought to be Stewes of Harlots, Thus the Goods of Kings and Alms of Princes is mispent, have our Fathers spent their Treasurie for this purpose? Have the Kings liberalities in giving Lands and Possessions been for this intent, that Clerks Harlots should be deck'd with the same? And for riotous feasts, Hauks and Hounds, and other Toyes to con­sume it? Soldiers cry out, the people grudge but ye regard not, &c.

King Hen. 2d. Among other antient Laws of England, in the reign of King Henry the second, this was one, That if any Clergy man did hold any Lay Fee in his hands, he should therefore do the Kings service that belonged thereunto, as upon Juries, Assises of Lands and Judgements, and that no Lands should be given to the Church, nor to any House of Religion without the Kings License: And that the Peter-pence which was used to be gathered for the Pope, should be paied to the King, and that all the Possessions, Goods and Chattels of such as favoured the Pope or Thomas a Becket, to be Seized and Confiscate to the King: And that all such of the Clergy as were absent from their Charge, out of the Realm, and had Rents and Profits in the Land, and did not repair home in three months, their Rents and Goods to return to the King, &c. If it were lawful for the King then in the time of Popery to seize up­on the Rents, Profits, and Possessions of the Pope, Cardinal and others, it is much more lawful now for our King and Nobles to cize upon such Goodss a [...]d Possessions as were given by Papists [Page 12] in the time of Popery, and are now wrongfully possessed and a­busively used by others:

King Edward 3. In a Parliament holden the twentieth year of the raign of King Edward the third; It was propounded that all Alien Monks should depart England, whose Livings the King took into his hands. It was also concluded by the Parliament; That the Livings of all o­thers, Strangers and Cardinals during their lives, the profits should be brought into the Kings hand. The Commons also denyed to pay any payments to Cardinals in France, &c. besides the King took order by two of his Clergy ( viz.) John Stocks, and John Norton, to take into their hands all the Temporalities of all the Deanaries, Prebends, Dignities and Benefices being then va­cant in England and to answer the profits thereof unto the King.

King William Rufus. King William Rufus took certain Lands and Possessions from Can­terbury and disposed of them to secular uses.

King Henry 4. In the eighth year of the raign of King Henry the fourth, it was petitioned to the Parliament, That the King might enjoy halfe the profits of every Parsons Benefice who was not resident thereon: But in the eleventh year of his raign the Commons put up a Bill unto the King to take the Temporal Lands from the Clegie mens hands or Possessions; in which Bill it was declared that the Tem­poralities disorderly wasted by men of the Clergy, might suffice to find to the King with maintenance 15. Earles, 1500. Knights. 6200. Esquires, and 100. Almes houses: To every Earl, 3000. Mark a year, to every Knight, 100. Mark and four plough lands, and to every Esquire 40 Mark a year and two plough lands, and to every Almes house, 100. Mark a year: which lands is now (no doubt) worth double, if not treble to what they were then: For I have credibly informed by a Yorkshire Esquire, That when his Majestie was restored to the Crown, one Bishoprick, that is the Bishoprick of Durham, If it had been set upon the rack rent, it was worth above fifty thousand pounds a year. This story above, you may read in Mr, Fox his Acts and monuments of the Church in the story of King Hen. 4.

King Henry 8. It is there also to be seen in the History of King Hen. 8. That the King did injoyn every Vicar, Clerk, or Benefic'd man that had one hundred pounds a year, that he should find a Scholar at the University, and he that had two hundred pounds a year should find two Scholars at the University: Also in his raign it was complained of by the Commons against the Prelates and Clergie for [Page 13] their cruel proceeding Ex Officio, And for the remedy it was en­acted; That whosoever did, or speak any thing against either their usurped power or their Laws, Decrees, or Constitutions, which is not grounded upon the Holy Scripture, they should there­fore stand in no danger, nor be impeached.

King Richard 2. King Richard the second, propounded to John Wickliffe, Whe­ther the Kingdom of England might lawfully detain the Treasure of the Kingdome from the Pope, He demanded the Church goods un­der pain of Censure— Mr. Wickliffe setting a part the Common Laws of England and the Civi [...] Law; It rests (saith he) to prove the affirmitive part by the Principles of Chists Law thus, E­very natural body hath power given of God to resist against the contrary, and to preserve it self in due estate; inasmuch as Bo­dies without life are indued with such a kind of power, as hardness to resist those things that would break it, and coldness to with­stand heat that would dissolve it, forasmuch then as the Kingdom of England, after the manner of phrase of Scripture ought to be one Body, of which the King is head, and the Commonalty are the members thereof. It seemeth the same Kingdom head and members, hath such power given to them of God, and so much the more apparent, by how much the same body is more precious un­to God, adorned with virtue and knowledge; for so much then, as there is no power given of God unto any Creature for any end or purpose, but that he may lawfully use the same to that end and purpose. It followeth, That our Kingdom may lawfully keep back and detain their Treasure of Temporalities and Tythes, &c. for the defence of it self in what case soever necessity doth require the same.

Secondly, the same is proved by the Law of the Gospel, for the Pope cannot challenge the Treasure of this Kingdom (no more can the Prelates challenge Temporalities or Tythes) but under the title of Almes, and consequently under the pretence of works of mercy, according to the rule of Charity. But in the case aforesaid the title of Alms ought utterly to cease; ergo, the right title of challenging the Treasure of this Kingdom ought to cease also in the presupposed necessity, and the Prelates and Cler­gie challenging Temporalities and Tythes ought to cease also by the same reason: Forasmuch as all Charity, hath its begin­ning of it self; it were no work of Charity, but of meer madness, to send away the Treasure of the Realm unto other Nations, [Page 14] whereby the Realm it self may fall into ruine, under the pretence of such a Charity: and is it not as much madness to suffer so many idle Drones to usurp the Kingdomes, the Churches, and the Poors goods, of temporalities and tythes, to spend on Coaches, and Horses, Hawks, Dogs, and Hounds? (I will not say Whores, Taverns, Cards and Dice;) Why should not such unfaithful Stew­ards give an account of their Stewardship?

It appears also (saith he) by this, That Christ, the Head of the Church. whom all Prelates and Priests ought to follow, he lived by the Alms of devout women, as in Luke 8.2, 3. he hun­gred, and thirsted, was a stranger, and sustained many other mi­series, not only in his members, but also in his own body; He was poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich, 2 Cor. 8.9. Wherefore, in the first endowing of the Church with Alms, what­soever he were of the Clergy that had any temporal possessions, he had the same by way of Almes; as several Writings and Chroni­cles do witness: For, (saith he) the Temporal Lords have pow­er to take away their Alms, when they see their Alms abused to riot and excess by some, and others, who are interested therein, suffer penury and want, by the Prelates and Clergy their unfaith­fulness in their Stewardships.

Carolus Magnus. Carolus Magnus, that famous French King, had decreed in a Council, that only the Canonical Books of Scripture should be read in Churches; and commanded the Bishops, that they should not suffer any other to be read, nor Preach themselves any thing that did not agree with the word of God. And besides, he ordered the goods given to the Church. to be disposed of so, That in wealthy places, two parts of the Church goods should be given to the poor, and the third part to the Clergy: and that in poorer places, there should be an equal division between the poor and the Clergy. The good Lord, if it be his good will and pleasure, put it into the hearts of all Christian Kings and Princes to do the like.

Isidor. Mr. Fox saith, that Isidor hath these words, Let Temporal Kings know, that they must give an account to God for the Church, which they have at the hands of God to govern; and if so, then it lies as a duty incumbent upon them, so that to free themselves from the guilt of other mens sins, there is an absolute necessity, That seeing the Church goods are abused, and not disposed of as they ought to be, as it is proved above; Therefore Kings and Nobles may not only lawfully, but are [Page 15] bound in duty to God, to take care to have such abuses re­formed.

Charles the sixth. Charles the sixth, the French King, made a Law, That the fruits and rents of Benefices, and other Pensions, and Bishops goods, that departed from their charges, should be brought in to the Kings use.

King Phi­lip. About the year 1303. King Philip of France summoned a Par­liament, where all the Bishops were required within eight dayes after notice given, to appear, or else all their Temporal goods should be seized into the Kings hand. By this it appears, That upon their disobedience the King might take their Temporalities from them, if he so pleased. In which Parliament it was de­clared by Sir Will. Negareta:Sir VVilliam Negareta, in behalf of the King, That for his Oaths sake, that he made for defence of the Church, and because the King was the Patron of the Church; Therefore he was bound not only to defend the Church (observe this well) he was bound not only to defend the Church, but to call in the goods of the Church, which was wasted by the Pope and Prelates means: And four years after, the Lord Peter de Cugneriis, in a Parliament, Lord Peter de Cugne­riis. exhibited 65 Articles in the Kings behalf, against the Bishops and Prelates of France, and the misdemeanours of them and their Of­ficers and Courts.

Mr. Fox. Such goods as were given to the Church by our Ancestors (saith Mr. Fox) was neither so given, nor so taken, as to serve the pri­vate use of Church men, but to serve the publick use of the poor and needy; as is to be seen by the Canonical Institution of the Emperour Lodovicus Pius, set forth in the year 830. in these words; Lodovicus Pius. The goods of the Church be the Vows and bequests of the faithful, to ransom such as be in captivity or prison, and the Patrimony to succour them with Hospitality that be needy, &c. Whereas now the Hospitality that is used, is to feast such as need not, such as are able to feast the Prelates again: and the poor and needy, if they get any thing, it is such scraps as they give to their Hounds and Spanniels.

Prosper. To this purpose is the testimony of Prosper; Good men (saith he) took the goods of the Church, not as their own, but to distribute them, as bequeathed to the poor; For whatsoever (saith he) the Church hath, it hath in common with such as have nothing, &c.

The Testi­mony of 54. of the Nobles of Bohemia and Mora­via. There was four and fifty of the Nobles of Bohemia and Mora­via, Confederate together, who in an Exhortation to Kings and Princes to stir them up to the Zeal of the Gospel; they said, ‘That the Devil as he tempted Christ, by shewing him all the King­doms of the World and the glory thereof (but did not prevail) But the Devil hath prevailed and deceived the Pope and all Prelates and Priest, with the Riches of the World and worldly power; and they stir up Kings and Princes to make Warre against us, not that the Christian faith sh [...]uld thereby be defended, but for fear their secret vices and heresies should be discovered: Whereby for reward they pretend that they have power by Prayers and Masses to deliver Souls out of Purgatory: Thus they become Merchants of Prayers and Masses for money, and every one that taketh rewards to Redeem Souls out of Purgatory, do therewith­all cast their own Souls down to Hell, & they that give any thing to that end, do altogether lose their gift, and with such divellish subtil­ties as these, the Pope with all his Prelates and Priests, have de­ceived, spoiled and disinherited, Kings, Princes, Lords and Knights, and good Householders and many others, of their law­ful Inheritances, because their Ancestors and Progenitors gave their Lands to Colledges, Monasteries and Churches, that they might make Memorials of them, and to sing Prayers and Masses for their Souls, that they might be redeemed out of Purgatory: and with such ill gotten goods the Bishops, and Prelates, and the rest of the Clergie are made so rich, that so long as they have such Goods and Lands, they will never teach you the true founda­tion of true Religion, which is against their holding or enjoying such temporal Estates.’ So that now, except our Prelates could prove that there is a Purgatory, and that for the Lands they hold, they both have done, and can deliver Souls out of Purgatory, what claim or title can they, lay to those Lands that were given upon that account, or what reason can they shew why the King and Temporal Lords may not lawfully take their own again for the uses formerly named?

Now therefore say they, ‘Ye Nobles, Kings, Princes, Lords and all ye Commonalty rich and poor, if you have been a sleep, yet now awake, and behold the subtilty of the Divel, how he hath blinded the Prelates for Lucre sake, and take again that which is yours and not theirs; and they also receive Tythes, and say, that men are bound to give them,’ and yet cannot prove, that [Page 17] Christ, the Apostles or the seventy Disciples received any, but their Example Prelates will not follow: They say by Prayers and Masses, they can redeem souls out of Purgatory, and yet by all their Prayers and Masses, they cannot redeem a man out of an Earthly Prison

Having hitherto shewed the Opinion and Practise of twenty Kings, and of the Ʋniversities of Prague and Oxford, and of fifty four of the Nobles of Bohe­mia and Moravia; I shall now produce other Au­thors.

Mr: Lati­mer. MR. Latimer, in a Letter to King Henry the eighth against the Bishops▪ who pretend to be guides and leaders of o­thers (saith he) and yet will neither preach the Truth them­selves as they are bound to do, nor suffer others that would do it, to whom is due that Woe pronounced, Mat. 23.13. for they will not only (saith he) debar the word of God from men, but also by their subtile Wileness the instruct, move, and pro­voke, in a manner all Kings in Christendom, to aid succour, and help them in their mischiefs, and especially in this your Realm as far as in them lyeth, they blind the Kings leige people with their Laws and Customs and Ceremonies, in stead of teaching them the word of God, Therefore he exhorteth his Majestie above all things to consider the life and proceedings of Christ and his Apostles, and to compare these mens doings with theirs, and alwayes to have in his mind this golden rule, The Tree is known by his fruit, for by this you may truly know and discern who are the true follows ers of Christ and his Apostles, in preaching and living, and who are pretenders only, for by their fruits you may know them, whether they imitate Christ and his Apostles, in preaching, in po­verty, and humility: Your Grace may consider what craft the Spiritualty, as they will be called, imagin to break and withstand the Acts made in your last Parliament against their Superfluities; [Page 18] Whhrefore they that so do, your Grace may know them not to be the followers of Christ, for Christ doth not promise true and faithful Preachers worldly promotion and dignity, but tribulati­on, John 16.33. for where the word of God is truly preached, there is persecution.

Therefore pleaseth it your Grace to return to this golden rule, By their fruits you shall know them, for where you see persecuti­on, there is the Gospel and there is the all Truth, and they that do persecute, are void of Grace, and without Truth, they will not abide the light, because their deeds are evil, John 3.20. the rich­es of the world hath blinded the eyes of their hearts, that they see not the clear light of the Scripture, though they bable of it never so much: Wherefore good King (saith he) seeing God hath sent his servants, true Ministers and Preachers of his word, set not these worldly men make your Grace believe that their preaching will cause Insurrection, Heresie or Mischief, as they imagin in their mad brains, lest God be avenged upon you and your Realm, as he hath ever been upon them who hath withstood his word: My purpose is (saith he) for the love I have to God and the true al­leagiance [...]ow unto your Grace, not to hide my Talent, but to chaffer with it that it may increase to the pleasure of God, to ex­hort your Gace to avoid and beware of those mischeivous Flatter­ers, and their abominable wayes and Counsels; for there are some, that for fear of losing their worldly worship & honour, will not be convinced to leave their opinion: But let these men remember, that Paul as well as they, both thought and called Truth Heresie, be­fore his Conversion, but after, he spent his strength and life to de­fend that which before he persecuted, and I am sure (saith he) Paul before his Conversion, was as holy and perfect in the outward works of the Law, as any of these Bishops are now: Wherefore, Gracious King, take heed of them, and do nothing pleasing in your own sight without Gods word; remember your self, and pity your own Soul, and think that the day is even at hand, when you shall give an account of your Office; at which day, that you may stand stedfast, and have your Quietus est, Sealed with the blood of Christ, is my daily prayer to him that suffered death for our sins, to whom be all honour and praise for ever, Amen. Thus much of Mr. Latimer his Letter to King Hen. 8.

Eneas Silvius. Eneas Silvius, before he was Pope, in a Letter to the Rector of the University of Collin, he said, To a true Christian indeed [Page 19] nothing ought to be more desired, than the sincerity and pure­ness of Faith given us of Christ be kept of all men immaculate, and if at any time, any thing be attempted against the true Doctrine of the Gospel, the people ought with one consent to provide lawful remedy and every man to bring with him some water to quench the general fire; neither must we fear (saith he) how we be hated or envyed so we bring the truth with us, we must resist eve­ry man to his face, whether he be Paul or Peter, if he walk not directly to the rule of the Gospel— This is part of Eneas his Letter, which I think, with Mr. Latimer's Letter above, is suf­ficient to justifie my Innocency in what I have done in collecting of so many reverend Authors, to shew what their judgement and practise hath been according to the word of God, though it be not according to the practise of our Prelates now.

Julian Palmer. As all good works are wonderful, saith Julian Palmer, so this in particular, That God hath in all ages stirred up some to bear witness to the Truth against those Usurpers who have, and do rob and spoile both Kings and Kingdoms, by unjust deteyning Lands and Possessions, &c. in their hands, to which they have no right; and do buy false Glosses, Excommunications, Imprisonments, Ba­nishments, Scourging, Pilloring, Persecuting by open violence and secret practises abuse the simple sheep of Christ, that do en­deavour to serve God, and to discover their false usurped wayes, ra­ther then they will depart with their dishonest gain, and have their Kitchin cooled, their Coffers emptied, or their Rents and Reve­nues abated.

The Prote­stant Church at Paris. The fourth of September 1558. Three or four hundred Chri­stians being assembled in Paris in France, to worship God in a private meeting, they were seised upon, and some escaped and some were taken and imprisoned; Who, wrote a Letter to the King, declaring out of divers Histories, what afflictions and calami­ties from time to time had befallen the Enemies and hinderers of Gods worship, for their resisting the free passage of the Gospel: Shewing also, that when the King did by his Edict hinder the free worship and service of God, then did God send War and other Calamities upon him and his Kingdom: and when he ceased the execution of such Edicts, then he prospered according to his own desires, as long as the true worship of God and his Ordinances took place. And in the Primative Church, while Prelates and Mi­nisters were of small Wealth, and sought not their own profit, [Page 20] but the glory of God and his Ordinances, so long the Truth pros­pered and prevailed; but since the Pope and Prelates began to be Prince like, and to usurp Dominion over the Emperour and Kings, they have turned the Scripture from the true sence, and have at­tributed the service to themselves, which we ow unto God, fra­ming a worship according to their own fancy, for their private ad­vantage to maintain their usurped Dignities, Jurisdictions and Pos­sessions: Wherefore your Majaesty may with good and safe Con­science, seize upon all their Temporalities and Benefices, and imploy them to to their right use, which is, for your own affairs, for the safety of the Kingdom, and the easement of your poor Sub­jects, which alone bear the burthen, and for the relief of the poor, whereas now there is an infinite number in your Kingdom which occupie the greatest and chiefest benefices which never deserved a­ny part of them: And consider, that alwayes those Emperours and Kings have the best prospered, that imbraced the true Christi­an Faith, for the Kings Throne is established in Righteousness, Prov. 16.20. & 28.

Anne du Burg. Loys du Farr. The true and only way, Sir, (say they) to remedy and re­dress these grievances is, that you call a general Councel in your Kingdom, your self being the chief, in which, every thing tending to the worship and service of God may be tried by the word of God, in which Council men of parts and faithfulness to God should be heard for God, and those that enjoy such Dignities and Possessions, be heard how they can prove their holding them by the Scripture to be lawful, or else to part with them: And your Majesty, or some whom you may appoint, not corrupted, nor interested to either party, but indifferunt, may report to your Majesty the true sence of the Scripture without partiality, and af­ter, according to the example of David, Solomon, Jehoshaphat, Hezekiah and Josiah, you may remove out of the Church all Ido­latry, Superstition, Will-worship and humane Inventions, which is contrary to holy Scripture, for God will not own any Plant in his Church that is not of his own planting: Here was good Council if it had taken place, but mark what followed; Anne du Burg, a Councellor at Law, Loys du Farr, a Councellor also, who did solicite and intercede in the behalf of those imprisoned Christians, were both apprehended and cast into prison; the King in a rage threatning du Burg, that he with his own eyes would see him burnt, but God prevented him, for the same day that he so [Page 21] threatned, the King in his Justing and breaking their Spears, the King received his Deaths wound, and it was reported, that the King said he was striken for casting the poor Christians wrongfully in prison, This was Henry the second French King— Origen saith, Origen. That Princes will not beleive that others have fallen by such means until they fall themselves.

And they said further, If the Emperour Antonius, a Pagan and an Idolator, seeing himself wrapt with Wars, ceased the Persecution which was against the Christians, and determined to hear their Causes and Reasons, how much more ought you that bear the name of most Chistian King, to be careful and diligent to cease the Persecution against poor Christians, for until you have heard and lawfully debated our Reasons taken out of Scrip­ture, how can your Majesty judge us worthy of such punishments, for while we are governed by the word of God neither Fire nor Sword, nor the cruelest torments can make us afraid.

Observe these Ex­pressions. Christians may learn good Instructions from some of the hea­then; I will name some Christian-like expressions of this Pagan Antonius, he wrot twelve Books, in the first Book he said. Let it be thy incessant care as a Roman, as a man, to perform whatsoever it is that thou art about with true and unfeigned gravity, natural af­fection, freedom and justice, and go about every action as thy last action, free from all vanity, all passionate and wilful aberration from reason, and from all Hypocrisie and self-love: And in another place he saith; Whatsoever thou dost affect, whatsoever thou dost project so do, & so project all as one, who for ought thou knowest may at this present depart out of this Life: And as for Death, If there be any Gods, it is not grievous thing to leave the Society of Men, the Gods will do thee no hurt; and if there be no Gods to take care of the world, why should I desire to live in a world void of Gods, and all divine Providence.

Again (saith he) do nothing contrary to the Community, nor without due examination, nor with reluctancie: Let thy God that is in thee, rule over thee, and find by thee that he hath to do with a man, a sociable man, a Roman, one that hath ordered his life, as expecting nothing but the Trumpet sounding a Retreat out out of this life with all readiness: Again (saith he) without relation unto God, thou shalt never perform aright any thing humane, nor any thing divine without some respect to things humane.

Marcus Aurelius Antonius. If any body (saith he) shall reprove me and make it uppear un­to me, that in any action or opinion of mine I do erre, I will gladly retract, for it is the Truth that I seek after, by which I am sure ne­ver any man was hurt, and as sure that he is hurt that continues in any error of ignorance whatsoever; one thing there is and that only that is worth our while in this world and ought by us much to be esteemed, and that is according to Righteousness meekly and and lovingly to converse with false and unrighteous men.— Thy life is almost at an end, so live henceforth as indifferent to the world and all worldly objects, let them behold and see a man that is a man indeed, living according to the true nature of a man, and if they cannot bear with me, let them kill me, for better it were to dye then to live as they would have me, for all worldly things are but as the smoke that vanisheth away, or indeed meer no­thing— Thus much of Marcus Aurelius Antonius his Christian-like experssions. Mr. Frith.

Paulinus, and his Deacon. Mr. John Frith a Martyr, in his answer to the Preface of Mr. Moor's Book page 116. saith, That before the Church was en­dowed with honours, there was none would be a Bishop but such as had a love and zeale to the Flock, that he could be content to shed his blood for them, for in the Primitive Church the first thir­ty Bishops of Rome, there was twenty of them or more that suffer­ed Martyrdome, but in Constantines time, and since that, they en­joyed peace, and the Church was endowed with temporal possessi­ons, They (saith Mr. Frith) that were worst both in learning and in their lives laboured most for such places, for such as were virtuous would not entangle themselves with the vain Pride of this world.

Amonius cut of his own Eare rather then be a Bishop. It is recorded in Hystories of Paulinus the first Bishop of York, and James his Deacon, that they were so void of care for worldly things, and so free from Coveteousness, that they refused possessions being proffered unto them.

Also about the year 383. Ammonius a holy Monk being at Rome, he was so little taken with their great Pomp, and outward shew of Holyness, that beeing solicited to take a Bishoprick, he fled out secretly and cut off his own Eare, that he might by wanting a member, have a Canonical Im­pediment, not to be a Bishop— This Ammonius came forth of the Desart of Mount Nitria.

Aidanus gave his horse to a Beggar. About the year 638. Oswald King of Northumberland, sent into Scotland for a Bishop named Adanus, a Learned and pious man, and about the year 646. Oswie, brother and successor of Oswald, because the Bishop should go no longer on foot, as he was accu­stomed to do, the King gave him a Horse, bridle, saddle, and trap­pings. But not long after, the Bishop riding abroad, and meeting a poor man, who craved the Bishops charity, and he having nothing else to give, lighted off his horse, and gave him to the Beggar, and went again on foot himself, as he was accustomed to do. These examples do inform us, what manner of persons Bishops were in those dayes, the first 600 years after Christ, in poverty and hu­mility imitating Christ and his Apostles: but Bishops in these lat­ter dayes do rather imitate Lucifer for Pride, Achan and Gehazi for Covetousness, and Balaam, who loved the wages of iniquity, more like than followers of Christ and his Apostles in Patience, Po­verty, and Humility: By their fruits you may know them, saith our Saviour.

Mr. Elmer. Mr. Elmer, in his Harbor for faithful Subjects, Come off, you Bishops, saith he; away with your superfluities; yield up your Thousands, be content with hundreds, as they are in other Reformed Churches, where there be as great Learned men as you are; Let your portion be Priest-like, and not Prince-like; and let the Queen have the rest of your Temporalities to maintain Warrs, and build Schools, that every Parish may have a preach­ing Minister, which will never be, except your Lands be bestowed upon many, which now doth but feed and fat one. When the lame man asked an Almes as Peter and John went into the Temple, Peter answered, Silver and Gold have I none, and Paul was so far from having a Lordship, that the labour of his own hands mini­stred to his necessity. If the Apostles of Christ had no temporal possessions, why should our Prelates have so great?

Erasmus. Of the unfaithfulness of Prelates, Erasmus in Epist. Apologetica, maketh mention of a Noble man, who purposed to see Jerusalem before his death; wherefore he left his wife and family, his Lands and Lordships in trust with an Archbishop to take care of them; but it so happened, the Nobleman died in his journey, whereof, when the Archbishop knew, he seized into his hands all the Noble mans Lordships, Castles, and Possessions; and not therewith content, he laid siege to a Fort into which the Widow was fled for refuge, where she with her child was slain; which [Page 24] story was not so long before Erasmus's time, but that there were Nephews of that Noble man alive, to testifie the truth. And thus have the Prelates done; as touching their Temporalities, they have been intrusted with them as Stewards for the Church of Believers, for those only that believe, are the Church, and for the poor, and they have converted, or rather perverted all to their own use, and to their abuse of all the temporal possessions.

Jasper Bruschio. Jasper Bruschio, in Chronologia Monasteriorum Germany, maketh mention of a Monastery of Cisterian Monks in the borders of Suevia, about the year 1130. which Monastery was endowed with large possessions and great priviledges by the Founders, upon this Condition, that they should receive with free Hospitality, any strangers either horse or foot for one nights lodging, but this hospitality did not long continue, through the subtilty of one Monk, who took upon him to play the Devils part, ratling in chains, and making a fearful noise where the strangers lay to fright them, by reason whereof no traveller durst there abide. At length (as God would have it) one of the Earls of the house of Montfort, a Benefactor to the same Abbey was there lodged, in the Night the Monk did counterfeit to play the Devils part as before, thundring, bouncing on boards, and ratling chains, but after after a while the Earl took heart, and running for his sword, laid about him, and followed the noise: so that the Monk that transformed himself into a Devil in jest, was slain in good earnest.

Clement. John Segovius in the Council of Basil, declared, that it was the saying of Clement, That he that liveth rebelliously neglecting to do good, he is rather a member of the Devil, than of Christ, and rather an Infidel than a true believer; which saying he applyed against Pope Eugenius. Now let all wise and impartial men judge, whether the Prelates do not live in open Rebellion against Christ himself, and against Christ in his members; for they neither obey the words of Christ, who forbids Church Officers, Lordship and Dominion, saying to his Apostles, It shall not be so among you, Mat. 22.25, 26. Neither will they suffer the Servants of Christ to worship him according to his own holy Institutions, but as far as in them lieth, by Censures and Excommunications, by imprison­ment and banishment, &c. John Se­govius. they would compell men to worship God in Ceremonial wayes of their own devising, setting their Thresholds by Gods Threshold, and their Posts by Gods Posts, [Page 25] and so defile the service of God, as in Ezek. 43.7, 8. in equal­ling their own Canons and Institutions with the Canons and Institutions of the Scriptures, or rather above them; so that by Clement, and John Segovius Testimony, they by so doing are rather members of the Devil than of Christ, and rather Infidels than true Beleevers, and if not Beleevers, then no members of the Church, and so have no interest in the Temporalities and Tythes that was given to the Church and for the relief of the Poor.

Cardinal Aralaten­ses. Isidor, in the book of the Councels, declareth that in an Epistle of Clement the successor of St. Peter, that he applyed the saying of Peter unto himself, which was this; If thou be occupyed in worldly cares, thou shalt both deceive thy self, and those that hear thee; for so thou canst not distribute those things which pertain unto Salvation; and it is to be feared, that our Prelates minde the things of this world more than the things of God: For Cardinal Aralatenses said in the Councel of Bassil, at this time (saith he) the more is the pity, it is hard to find a Prelate in the world which doth not prefer his Temporalities before his Spiritualities, with the love of which they are so drawn, that they study more to please Princes, than to please God, and con­fess God in corners, but Princes openly; and upon this account it was that John Wickliffe and John Huss said, that Kings and Princes and Lords Temporal are bound under the pain of Dam­nation, to take away the Temporalities from the Prelates, to free themselves from the guilt of Prelates sins, that they fall not in the same condition with them.

For it is most manifest, that Prelates act against the light of their own Censciences; as Stephen Gardiner the Bishop of Win­chester upon his death bed; the Bishop of Chichester came to him and began to comfort him with the promises of free Institu­tion in the blood of Christ; which the Bishop of Winchester hearing said, What, my Lord, will you open that gap now, then farewel altogether, to me, and to such other in my case you may speak of it, but if you open that window unto the People, then fare­wel altogether. Thus it serves to maintain their dignities by keeping the People in a blind Ceremonial way of Superstitious worship, they had rather all the People should be damned in Ig­norance, than to make the Truth of the Gospel known unto them.

The Bishop of Burden and John Segonius both, in the Councel Bassil said, That the Popes greatest tirle is to be Servant to Gods Servant,, and so of all other Prelates, and not to be Lords over Gods heritage. 2 Pet. 5, 3. It shall not be so amongst you, Matth. 20.26. for Christ came not to be ministred unto, but to minister, and so the Servant is not above his Lord, it is enough that the Servant be as his Lord, and that is, to have no Tempo­ralities, unless they will declaim Christs service, for as Ber­nard said to Pope Eugenius, they cannot have both, Matth. 10.25.

Bernard to Eugenius. St. Bernard declared in his second Book to Pope Eugenius that he could not challenge any secular Dominion by right of Succession to Peter, but be it so, that you challenge it by some other way or means, by right of your Title Apostolical, you cannot challenge it, neither can Prelates as pretending to be the Apostles Successors, for how (saith he) could Peter give that to you which he had not himself: Silver and Gold (saith he) have I none, but such as I have I give thee: that which he had saith Bernard was care over the Church, but he did not give you Lordship and Rule over Gods Heritage, but behaving your self as example to the Flock; and that these words were spoken not only in humility but in verity, mark what Christ saith; The Kings of the Gentiles exercise Dominion, but it shall not be so a­mong you: here Lordship and Dominion is forbidden to the A­postles, and darest thou usurpe the same? If thou wilt be a Lord thou shalt lose thy Apostleship, or if thou wilt be an Apostle thou shalt lose thy Lordship; for truly thou shalt depart one of them; if thou wilt have both, then think thy self to be one of those that God complains of, They hav reigned but not by me, they are become Princes and I know it not, Hos. 8.4. Lordship and Rule is forbidden, Ministration and Service is commanded.

Chrysostom. Chrysostom, in Opere Imperfecto, saith that a true Preacher ought not to swerve from the word of God to the right hand or to the left, for they that do either add or diminish, do endeavour to be wiser than Christ, as if Christ had not in his word laid down sufficient rules both for the matter and the manner of his own worship how he will be worshiped: Christ saith his sheep hear his voice, and a Stranger they will not follow, but flee from him, for they know not the voice of a Stranger, John 10.4, 5. Now our Prelates do not keep close to the word of [Page 27] God as Chysostom saith, but teach us to worship God by Ceremo­nies of Surplices, Crossings, Crouching and kneeling some­times, and by standing up other whiles, and the like, which is not the voice of Christ, that the sheep of Christ do know, but the voice of Strangers which the sheep of Christ know not, and therefore they flee from them: besides to require the Servants of Christ to swear their Canonical obedience to such things, it is not the voice of Christ, but the voice of Strangers to require the same, and those that follow them cannot thereby prove them­selves to be the sheep of Christ, but rather the contrary, for the sheep of Christ do flee from Strangers.

Polecro­nicon. It is recorded by Polecronicon lib. 5. chap. 10. that about the year 610. John Patriach of Alexandria, he was so merciful to the Poor and Needy, that he counted them his Masters, and him­self their Servant and Steward, Patri­arch of Alexan­dria. in distributing the Church goods unto them; he was woont twice a week to sit at his door all the day long, to take up matters and make Peace and Unity where there was variances, nnd waiting all one day and no body came, he lamented, that all that day he had done no good.

Pope Gregory his order to divide Church goods in 4 parts. About the year 600. Austin the Monk, Bishop of Canterbury, sent to Pope Gregory, to know how the Gifts and Oblations gi­ven to the Church ought to be divided; unto which Gregory an­swered, That the manner of the Sea Apostolical, was to warn and charge all such as were Ordeyned Bishops, that of all their Stipends, or what was given to the Church, to divide it into four parts; one part to the Bishop for Hospitality, another to the Clergy, and another to the Poor, and the fourth part for the repairing of Churches: You must, saith Gregory, observe this Institution which was practised by the first Fathers of the Pri­mitive Church, among whom there was not one that counted a­ny thing his own of all that he did possess. But can there be one Bishop now found in all the world that doth so, but what once they get possession of, they make all their own, right or wrong: by this primitive Institution, as Gregory sai [...]h, it appears that our Prelates have broken the Condition for which goods were given to the Church, and therefore our King and Nobles may justly take them again.

Cutbert Bishop of Canter­bury. Also, about the year 747. Cutbert Bishop of Canterbury or­dered that once a year every Bishop should visit all the Parishes in his Dioces, and that Priests should not have the disposing of [Page 28] Secular matters, and that Alms should not be neglected, though at that time they were Apostatised from the primitive Principles, there still remaining some tinctures and smatterings of the primi­tive Institution concerning the Alms of the poor out of the Church goods, that it was not altogether neglected and forgot­ten as it is now.

For now, as Peter Blesensis Arch-Deacon of Bath, said in his Treatise dedicated to the Bishop of Worcester, of the Institution of a Bishop, about the year 1160. That certain Bishops abusive, ly call the Liberalitie and Alms of Kings, &c. bestowed on them, Baronyes and Royalties, and themselves Barons, it being an action of most shameful servitude, the Lord may justly say of them, They have reigned but not by me, Hos. 8.4. but thou must know, thou hast taken upon thee the Office of a Shepherd, and not of a Barron; Let another dispatch thy temporal affairs; for the mind consecrated to divine service ought to be free from worldly imployment: All the care of Prelates is to increase their Rents, but the voice of Christ to Bishops is, If thou love me, feed my sheep; not if thou love me, till thy Land, nor increase thy Rents, and build high houses: no, thou art set over the Souls of men, and not over their Bodies as a Baron or Temporal Lord, therefore thou myst not make thy self a Lord over them but a Servant.

Angelo Cararo. Angelo Cararo, speaking to the Pope and Prelates, saith it is but reasonable that Princes should imploy their Authority to make them leave that base and vile Avarice that is among them, which is displeasing to the whole world: but unless they go about it roundly in express terms, laying aside all Civility, it will be difficult to bring it about; he saith that the affairs of the Cham­ber of Rome is such a Gulfe, that it swallows up all one hath, and whence nothing can be redeemed no more than out of Hell. This Angelo Cararo was a Venetian and had been at Rome, his Book was printed 5 or 6 years agoe.

Richard, Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, about the year 1231. complained to the Pope, That Benefic'd men within Orders had many Benefices joyned with Cure of Souls, and that they also took example of Bishops, and did intermedle with secular mat­ters: It may seem strange that in time of Popery complaint should be made to the Pope against the Clergy for holding Plu­rality of Benefices, and now men can swallow them down with­out [Page 29] straining at such Camels, without check of conscience, yea, in some places a Bishoprick is not thought sufficient without a Commendum of some Parsonage of five or six hundred pounds a year joyned to it; and thus the goods of the Church and poor are wasted.

Simon Fish. In a Book Intituled The supplication of Beggars, written by Si­mon Fish, and presented to King Hen. 8. therein it was declared, that Purgatory is a thing invented by the Covetous Clergy, on­ly to translate the Lands and Temporal Estates of Kings, Princes, Lords, Knights, Esquires, &c, into their own hands, for praying for them to deliver their souls out of Purgatory, for what man is there in the world that is once deluded to believe that there is a Purgatory, and to believe that the Masses and Prayers of the Prelates and Clergy can deliver them out of that burning fire; but that, when he is dying, and can hold his Estate no longer, that will not give one half, or a great part thereof unto these Merchants of mens souls, rather than lye burning in these tor­menting flames for some thousands of yeares after death, as the Prelates make them to believe they must; and by this way of Delusion, the Prelates have gotten the best Lordships into their hands, to the value of well nigh half the Kingdome? Why then should not the King, Princes, and Lords, &c. take again that which is their own, which their Predecessors have been so cheat­ed out of, and the conditions failing for which they were given. And besides, their Doctrine of Justification by works, made others to give Lands for the relief of the poor, thinking thereby to be Justified, which Lands were delivered into the Bishops and Prelates hands, in trust as stewards for the poor, supposing they would be faithful stewards in distributing thereof; the which Lands the Prelates have converted to their own use, and pretend a title thereunto, but it is an usurped title: But what remedy is there to relieve us, your poor, blind, sick, lame, and diseased Beads-men? to make more Hospitals? Nay truly, the more the worse; for the fat of the whole Foundation hangeth on the Pre­lates and Clergies beards; for divers of your Predecessors and Nobles have given Lands, to have a certain sum of Money given yearly to the poor, whereof, for the antiquity of the time the conditions are forgotten, so that they give not one penny; they likewise gave them to have certain Masses said for them daily, whereof they say never a one. If the Abbots of Westminster [Page 30] should sing every day as many Masses as they are bound to do by the Founders, a thousand Monks were too few: Where­fore, if your Grace will build a sure Hospital, never to fail to relieve your poor Beads-men, then take from them all these things: this, with much more to this purpose, was in that Supplication.

Pope In­nocent. Pope Innocent 4th required that all Beneficed men in England which were resident, should pay to the Pope a third part of their goods or Profits, and Non-residents the one half, for three years together. And it is most certain, that our King and Nobles within his Majesties Dominions, have a thousand times more right to receive these profits, than either Pope or Prelate; for Popes and Prelates are Usurpers, their Predecessors having pos­sessed themselves thereof by deceitful Delusion; therefore our King and Nobles may justly require their own Temporalities again, which their Predecessors were so deluded of, the Pre­lates having been such unfaithful Stewards, it is but just that the King, Princes, and Lords do require them to give account of their Stewardship, that they may be no longer Stewards.

The testi­mony of 21 Bi­shops, 8 Arch-deacons, and 17 Doctors. In the Year 1537. or thereabout, Thomas Archbishop of Canterbury, and Edmond Bishop of York and to the number of one and twenty Bishops, and eight Arch-deacons, and seventeen Doctors of Divinity, and of the Common and Civil Law, they did all assert, and sign with their hands to King Hen. the 8th. the which was ratified by the Statute of the 32. of Hen. 8. That there is not in the New Testament any mention made of the Calling, Jurisdiction, Lordliness, or secular employment of Lord Bishops: But the New Testament speaks only of Deacons, and of Ministers, alias Priests or Bishops; and of these two only, that is, Priests or Ministers, and Deacons, the Scripture makes express mention: And that Christ did never institute any distin­ction or difference, or preheminence of power, order, or Juris­diction among the Apostles themselves, but that they were all equal in power, authority, and jurisdiction; and that there hath been any difference since, it is by the invention of men, and not by the institution of Jesus Christ; and therefore no Bishop by the Law of God may take upon him any Jurisdiction in secular Courts; for God did constitute Kings to defend the Faith of Christ, and true Religion, and to cause Bishops or Ministers to execute their Pastoral office truly and faithfully, or for neglect [Page 31] thereof, to put others in their room and place, and not to suffer the Clergy to meddle in secular affairs, for the Kingdom of Christ is a spiritual, and not a carnal Kingdom; as Christ said, No man can serve two masters▪ so I say, No man can faithfully discharge his Mi­nisterial office in Christs Kingdom, which is his Church, if he be entangled in secular affairs in the worldly Kingdom. You cannot serve God and Mammon, Mat. 6.27.

Mr El­mer. Mr. Elmer, in his Harborow for faithful Subjects, Printed at Strasburg, writes thus on the 12 of Luke, Who made me a Judge, &c. As if Christ should say, It belongs not to my office to determine in matters of policy, but to the Civil Magistrate: And if it did not belong to Christ, how dare Prelates take it upon them to do it? for if it had been within the compass of Christs Function, he could not in conscience have refused it, to set them at one which were at strife; if he might do it, and would not, he lacked Charity, and did not his duty, which were blasphemy to say of Christ; and if it belonged not to him, neither did it belong to his Apostles, nor their successors. Had he not as large a Commission as he gave? His Kingdome is not of this world; therefore Bishops by his example cannot give themselves so large a scope in temporal matters; therefore by their fruits you may know them, whether they have their Commission from Christ, or, I had like to have said, from Antichrist? for, saith he, if these two offices, Ecclesiastical and Civil, be jumbled together in one Function, there can be no quiet, nor well-ordered Com­monwealth.

Richard Arma­canus. Richard Armacanus, about the year 1350. in de questionibus Armenorum, book 11. chap. 1. saith, that neither the Dominion nor Ministry of temporal things, belongeth to Ecclesiastical Dig­nity, but rather diminisheth it; for Christ prohibited the Apo­stles of temporal Dominion, saying, It shall not be so among you. And again, Possess neither gold nor silver, nor brass in your purses, nor scrip for your journey, nor two coats, neither shooes, nor staves, Math. 10.9, 10. If thou wilt be perfect, go sell all that thou hast and give to the poor: He saith in chap. 2. that the states and de­gree of Patriarch, Primate, Archbishop, Bishop, &c. were in­vented by men, and not instituted by Christ, nor his Apostles, and that no Prelate of the Church, how great soever, hath any great­er degree of the power of order, than a simple Priest. But how do Prelates observe Christs rule, who commanded that they [Page 32] should possess neither gold nor silver, and as if they would strive to do as contrary as they can devise, they possess thou­sands of gold and silver, coaches and horses, and what not: Is it not high time therefore for Kings and Nobles to take these temporalities from them, which they thus abuse, as if they would set Christ at defiance, and bid him command what he will, they will do what they will; do not their actions tend to this end? the good Lord direct the King, Princes, and Lords, &c. that by connivance they partake not with the Prelates in these sins, lest they, which God forbid, should par­take with them in their punishments.

Cyprian. Cyprian, in his fourth Book Epist. 4. saith, Our Lord Christ observed the will of his Father, but we, speaking of Prelates, ob­serve not the will of the Lord, as appears above, having all our minds set upon Lucre and Possessions, given to pride, full of E­mulation and Dissention, void of Simplicity and faithful dealing, renouncing the world only in word, but nothing in Deed, every one pleasing himself, and displeasing all others.

John Huss. John Huss, in the Council of Constance did affirm that the Clergie ought to have no temporal possessions, and that Temporal Lords may justly, without any offence take them away from the Clergy, and that Kings and Nobles ought to compel the Clergy to observe and keep the Law and Rules of Christ: He al­so saith, that Tythes and Oblations given to the Church are pub­lick and common Alms, and that the Clergy, living wickedly, ought to be reproved by the Laity, by taking away their Tythes and other Temporal Profits from them, and give them to others, &c.

Mr. Tin­dal. Mr. Tindall, in his Book of Obedience of a Christian, page 114, 115. saith, That the Sword is put into the Kings hand to execute vengeance upon all evil dooers; But now saith he, the Bishops minister the Temporal Sword, and the Office of Prea­ching they lay aside, and will neither preach themselves, nor suffer others that would to preach, but slay them with the temporal sword; and as none, (saith he) can preach Christ, except they preach against Antichrist; and as none can heal a disease, unless he begin at the root, so canst thou not preach against any mischief, except thou begin at the Bishops. And in page 124. he saith, Those that are sworn to be true to the Pope, Cardinals, and Bishops, it is as if they should swear to [Page 33] be false to Christ, to the King and to the Realm; for such Pre­lates that will revenge themselves of men for speaking the truth, and for every trifle, they are not fit to preach the patience of Christ.

Henry Stalbridge To the same purpose writeth Henry Stalbridge in his Exhor­tative Epistle to his dear Countreymen of England, he saith, that what blood hath been shed between Emperor and Emperor, Kingdom and Kingdom, Constantinople, Almain, England France, Italy and Spain, who seeth not that the pride of bloody Bishops, is the ground and original foundation of all Controversies, Schismes, Variances and Wars between Realm and Realm; see the fift and sixth part of the Homily of Whitsunday. And to con­firm the truth of this, consider whether the carriage and practice of Prelates, and their Doctrines, such as Godfrey Goodman Bi­shop of Glocester, who in one Sermon at White-Hall before his Majesty delivered five points of flat Popery, and did follow ma­ny Popish practises. And at another time, in the year 1636. he said, that the Church of Rome, and our Church are both as one, for we, said he, (and he said not much amiss) have both the same Hierarchy and Government, the same Liturgie, Holy-dayes, Fasts, Ceremonies, Sacraments, &c. so as those who affirm that Papists are damned, do but through the sides of the Church of Rome, give a deadly blow to the Church of England, and deny that we are saved; with more the like. And also Bishop Laud's silencing and suspending of Ministers, and sending a new book of Common Prayer differing from ours, into Scotland: consi­der whether these, and the like, were not the cause of our late unhappy Warrs in England.

Bernard. Bernard, as touching Bishops having Conusance in their Courts of Tythes, &c. writes thus, For Tythes, Testa­ments, Administrations, Servitude, Legitimations, and such like, saith he to Pope Eugenius, you went beyond your bounds, when you restrained them to your Courts, and without Caesar, made Laws for things that did belong to Caesar; for the Goods, Lands, Livings, Estates of Lay-men, and Clerks also, are Caesars Charge, and not yours nor the Prelates. My Kingdom, saith Christ, is not of this world; If then, the Pope, Prelates, and Priests, will be the servants of Christ, saith Ambrose, they must not challenge any worldly Kingdom, Ambrose. the servant is not above his Master, and if the Master deny it, the servant may not affirm [Page 34] it and usurp it. Souldiers of Christ must not entangle themselves with the affairs of this world, much less to make themselves Lords and Judges of earthly matters.

William Ocham. William Ocham, a famous Schoolman, writ a book about the year 1330. which was printed in London, in which he saith, that Clergie men are liable to pay tribute unto Princes, and that Prin­ces may take away their Lands and Possessions when they abuse them to Luxury, Pomp, and other private uses, and they may imploy them for the defence and peace of the Realm: And af­ter he adds, That all the Revenue of Clergie men, but that which is sufficient to provide them Food and Rayment, with which they ought to be content, as Paul saith; 1 Tim. 6.8. Ha­ving Food and Rayment, let us be therewith content, and the rest ought to be spent in pious uses, and in feeding the poor, which if they be not employed in this sort, Kings ought to take care of them to set some to see it done.

William Prynne. In the second part of Mr. William Prynne's book of the An­tipathy of the English Lord Prelates, both the Regal Monarchy, and Civil Unity, page 311, he saith, that the endowing of the Prelates with great temporel Revenues, was the very bane and poyson of Religion, and one principal cause of Bishops Rebelli­ons, Treasons and Exorbitances he had fore-mentioned; and therefore they may both with good Conscience and reason, be subtracted from them, and put to better uses, and they like o­ther Ministers, be confined to one competent living with Cure, there constantly to reside and instruct the People like Bishops in the Primitive Church; for so long as our Lordly Prelates con­tinue, there will not only be a possibility, but a probability of bringing in Popery and the Pope again amongst us since their Lordly Hierarchy is supported by Popish Doctrine, Canons, Ce­remonies, Liturgie, Godfry Goodman. Holy dayes, &c. as Godfry Goodman Bishop of Glocester said a little above, which they are ingaged to main­tain to preserve their tottering Thrones from ruine.

John Salisbury. John Salisbury, our Country man, flourished about the year of Christ 1140. de nugis Curialium, lib. 8. cap. 17, & 23. writ thus of the pride and sedition of the Bishops: Thou maist ad­mire to see the various Houshold stuff, and Riches, as they say of Craesus, amonst them that preach poor Christ, they live of the Gospel without preaching the Gospel, and it is well if they live only so, as they do not also riot, they so gape after gain, that [Page 35] they contem the things of Jesus Christ, and are neither worthy the honour nor name either of Pastor or Hireling; they do that which makes them to be feared of all, and to be beloved of none; they preach Peace, yet make Division; they make a shew, and counterfeit Humility, that they may challenge Pride; in ful­ness they dispute of Fasting, and what they build up with words, they pull down with deeds, the works, they do bear witness of them; you may know them by their Fruits, they do not only contend, but fight for a Bishoprick, the Antients were dragged against their wills to a Bishoprick, but went willingly to Mar­tyrdome, they feared the chief Chains worse then a Prison or Cross.

Ex Catal. Illyr. There is a Story, that about the year 1228. at Paris in a Synode or Convocation of the Clergie, one that was appointed to preach, was much troubled in his minde what to say; the De­vil came unto him and asked him why he was so careful what to Preach, say thus, quoth the Devil, the Princes of Hell salute you, O ye Princes of the Church, and gladly give you thanks, because that through your default and negligence, all Souls go to Hell, and the Preacher added, that he was inforced by the Command of God to declare the same, yea, and a certain token was given him for a sign whereby the Synode might evidently see that he did not lye. Ex Catall. Illyr. fol. 546.

Alexander Fabricius. Alexander Fabricius a Popish English Writer about the year 1420. in his Destructorium Vitiorum part 6. cap. 79. saith, Who are more horribly inthralled to the Devils servitude, than those who are constituted in the sublimity of Honour; Ecclesiastical men, who ought to be the light of the world, yet where is more abundant darkness of vices? Where more abundant gaping af­ter earthly things, than in modern Prelaet [...] ▪ who are fatted in both powers, as well Temporal or Spiritual? Where is greater Pomp in all appendicles, yea, and that so much, that having left the poverty of the Primitive Church, they are now rather to be termed Princes of Provinces, than Postors of Souls, thus he, and much more to this purpose.

Lucifers Letter to the Pre­lates. Mr. Fox, in Acts and Monuments, makes mention of a De­vice or Letter fained under the name of Lucifer Prince of Dark­ness, written to the persecuting Prelates of England, which Mr. Fox transcribed out of the Regester of the Bishop of Hereford, written, as some think, by William Swinderby; I will only men­tion [Page 36] some few expressions to our purpose:

Lord Cobham: The noble Martyr Sr. John Oldcastle, Lord Cobham profes­sed that the Will of God is, That Priests being secluded from all worldlyness, should conform themselves to the Example of Christ and his Apostles, that is, in Poverty, and teaching the Scriptures purely, and giving good example to others, more than any other sort of people, where (saith he to the Prelates) do ye find in Gods Law, that you should sit in Judgement of any Christian man, but in Annas and Caiphas that sate thus of Christ and upon his Apostles afrer his Ascension; of whom only have ye taken it to judge Christs members as ye do, since the Venome of Judas was shed into the Church, and by Ve­nome (saith he) I mean your Possessions and Lordships, for then an Angel cryed in the Aire, Wo, Wo, Wo, this day is Ve­nome shed into the Church; as your own Churches mention: before that time all the Bishops of Rome in a manner were Mar­tyrs, &c. but since, Popes and Bishops, one hath cursed and poysoned, slain and done much mischief to another: Christ was meek and merciful, but they are proud and tyrannical, Christ was poor, but they are rich, &c.

Arnulphus In the second Tome of the general Councels, mention is made of a Book called Opus tripartium, which Sabellicus and Platina thought to be written by Arnulphus; In which Book he complaineth of the great number of Holy dayes in which Whores and naughty women said, That they vantage more in one of those dayes, than in fifty dayes besides: He complained also of the inconsiderate promotion of evil Prelates, and the wantonness and laciviousness of their Servants, and excess in Aparrel; Also of Prelates mispending the Church goods in superfluity and upon their Kinsfolks and other worse wayes, &c.

Hosti­ensis. Hostiensis, saith in his third book Idecime; That if Priests do not minister of their Spiritualities to the people, the people ought to take away the Almes of their Tythes from them; and John Huss, said, That Tythes and Oblations given to the Church, John Huss. are publick and common Almes, when Kings and Prin­ces, Knights and Citizens, &c. give to the Church or to the Priest for his Stipend, they give it to the Church of God and to the party as a perpetual Alme that they should attend upon the Ministry, otherwise Almes should not be a work of mercy, here­upon (saith he) it appears that Tenths in Gospel times are pure Almes given to the Church for the use of the poor: And here­upon holy men have said, that Tenths are tribute of needy souls, as St. Augustin. August [...]n in a Sermon of the restoring of Tythes, saith, The giving of Tythes, my dear Brethren, are the tributes of poor souls, therefore pay your tribute unto the poor, for whatsoe­ver doth remain more then a competent living and decent clo­thing, it is not to be reserved for riot, but is to be laid in the heavenly Treasury by giving it in Alms unto the poor, for whatsoever is given to us more than we have need of, it is not given us for our selves, but to be bestowed upon others by our hands, and if we do not give it, we invade another mans pos­session.

Augustin. Also, in another place Augustin saith, Forasmuch as every man as doth any work of mercy ought diligently to have re­spect to the ability of them that he bestoweth his Almes upon, lest that by nourishing Loyterers, he be made partaker of their offences: and in 23. quest. 7. Augustin saith, If we possess a­ny thing privately more than what may reasonably suffice us, it is not ours, but the goods of the poor whose Stewards we are, [Page 39] except we challenge to our selves a property by some damna­ble usurpation. The gloss upon this part of the question saith, That Prelates are but only Stewards of the Church goods and not Lords thereof

Hierome o [...] Prague. Hierome of Prague affirmed before the Councel of Constance that the Patrimony of the Church was given for three uses; First, for the use of the Poor. Secondly, for Hospitality. Third­ly, for repairing of Churches, and not to be spent upon Har­lots, great Banquetting or Feasting of those that need it not, nor keeping great Horses and Doggs, nor for gorgeous Apparrel and other things unbeseeming Christians.

Richard Wimbleton Richard Wimbleton, in a Sermon at Pauls Cross, in the reign of King Hen. 4. upon these words; Give an accout of thy Steward­ship. He said, Every Prelate and Priest shall give an account how they entred into the sheep-fold, and how they have ruled the Flock, whether for outward hire, or love as a Father, or as a Wolf that eateth the Sheep; whom hast thou turned from his wicked life, &c. hast thou taught the Law of God, or the Laws of men? how hast thou disposed of the goods of the poor? they shall (saith he) hear grievous complaints of Fatherless Chil­dren, that Prelates and Priests have lived of their Almes and have not done away their Sins, they are not ashamed to waste in the house of Pride and Lechery, and keep to themselves wick­edly and cursedly that which should be the livelihood of the poor: they live not like Priests, but like Beasts, they are cloa­thed like Knights, they ride like Princes, and all they thus spend is the goods of the poor: This, and much more the like did he declare in that Sermon.

William Swinde William Swinderby, a Martyr under King Richard the 2d, had this Article objected against him, that he held that all Priests are of like power in all things, notwithstanding that some of them in the world are of greater and higher honour, degree, and preheminence, but that is mans appointment and not of God; and as concerning the Wealth, Possessions, and Lordships of Prelates, he thus affirmed before the Bishops that convened and examined him, he said, That it was lawful and needful for Se­cular Lords by way of Charity and power given to them of God, for the default of Prelates and cursed Curates, that o­penly misuse the goods of the Church, that be poor mens goods, the which poor men, Lords been holden to maintain and de­fend, [Page 40] to take away and withdraw from such Curates, poor mens goods (which Curates wrongfully holden) in help of the poor, and their own wilful offerings he means, their free­will offerings, and their bodily Almes deeds, and give them to such as duly serve God in the Church, and been needy in up­bearing of the charge that Prelates should do, and do it not: And as anenst taking away of Temporalities, I say that it is lawful for Kings, Princes, Dukes and Lords of the world, to take away from Popes, Cardinals, Bishops and Prelates, pos­sessions in the Church, their Temporalities and their Almes, that they have given them, upon condition that they should serve God the better, when they verily sene that their giving and their taking been contrary to the Law of God, to Christs living and his Apostles, and namely, in that they take upon them that should be next followers of Christ and his Apostles in poor­ness and meekness, to be secular Lords against the teaching of Christ and St. Peter, Luke 22.25.26. and 1 Pet. 5.3. And namely, when such Temporalities makes them the more proud both in heart and in Array then they shoulden been else, and more in strife and debate against Peace and Charrty, and in evil ensample to the world, to be occupied in worldly business which draws them from the service of God and edifying of Christs Church, &c. then he thought upon such misdemeanors to take away their Temporalities, &c.

Anselme. Anselme, also saith that Presbyters are above, and were be­fore Bishops, and are of Divine Institution, but so are not Lord Bishops, and saith, That Presbyters did first elect and institute Bishops and ordeyn them to their office, and not Bishops ordeyn Presbyters as they do now: So Anselme Bishop of Canterbury, on 1 Tim. 4.14. Canon of Africk. Also the Canon of Africk in the year 990. Sect. 17. saith, There is no difference between a Priest and a Bishop, but that the Bishops were constituted by men, to confer orders, A general consent that Mini­sters and Bishops are of equal power. this equality of power in Priests and Bishops according to divine institution hath been also maintained by John Wickliffe and the one and twenty Bishops, and eight Arch-deacons, and seventeen Doctors mentioned above in King Hen. the 8th his reign, who did all declare that there was no preheminence of power, order, or jurisdiction between the Apostles themselves, or between Bishops themselves; but that Ministers or Bishops are all equal in power, authority, and jurisdiction, and that there [Page 41] is now any difference, it is a device of men by the permission of Princes and Civil powers; the same also is maintained by Cy­prian, St. Hierom, Ocham, John Lambert Martyr, John Brad­ford, William Alley Bishop of Exeter, Alexander Nowell Dean of Pauls, Pilkington Bishop of Durham, and innumerable Wri­ters more, hold Ministers and Bishops of equal power by divine Institution.

Henry Stalbridge. Mr. Henry Stalbridge whom I have mentioned once before, in his Exhortative Epistle printed at Basil, saith, I say yet once a­gain, and that in the zeal of the Lord, as he is my Judge, I wish, if his gracious pleasure so were, that first the Kings Majesty, and so all those to whom God hath given power and authority on Earth may throughly see and perceive, how that not only the bloudy Bear and Wolf of Rome, but also the most part of other Bishops and stout sturdy Canons of Cathedral Churches, with other petty Prowlers and prestigious Priests of Baal in all Realms of Christendom, especially in England doe roar a­broad like Lyons, fret like angry Bears, and bite like cruel Wolves, clustring together like swarmes of Adders in a Dung­hil, or most wily subtile Serpents, to uphold & preserve their In­terest, Paul admonished us of them, that after his departing grie­vous Wolves should enter, not sparing the flock, Acts 20.29. These spiritual man-hunters are the very offspring of Cain, Children of Caiaphas, and Successors of Simon Magus as their Doctrine and Living declare: Most cruel enemies have they been in all ages to the Verity of God, and most fierce Persecutors of Christ and his Church. Marvel not ye Bishops and Prelates, saith he, though I thus, in the zeal of Elias and Phineas sto­mach against your sturdy stubborness, for never was any ty­ranny ministred upon Christs mistical members but by your procurement; never did Christ send such bloudy: Apostles and two horned Warriers, but the Devils Vicar-Antichrist sent them, who is the deadly destroyer of faithful Beleivers, &c. and so he goes on. I reckon it therfore (saith he) high time for all Christian Princes which pretend to receive the Gospel of Salvation, and to live in peace and tranquillity for ever, to cast the Bishops out of Privy Councels, and utterly to seclude you from all administrations, till such time as they find you no lon­ger Wolves, but faithful Feeders, no Destroyers, but gentle Teachers; for consider your beginning, never came you in with [Page 42] your Miters, Robes and Rings, &c. it the door, as did the poor Apostles; but by the window unrequired, like Robbers, Thieves and Man-quellers, with Symon Magus, Marcion and Menan­der, never was your proud pontifical power of our heavenly Fa­thers planting, and therefore must be rooted up, Matt. 15.13. If any thing under Heaven hath need of Reformation, let them that minde any Godlyness, think this to be one, for if these be not spiritual Spiritual Thieves, Soul-murtherers, Hereticks, Schismaticks, Church-robbers, Rebels and Traitors to God and man, where are any to be looked for in the world; for nothing can they do but work daily mischief, as well may they be spa­red in the Common wealth (saith he) as Kites, Crows, Buz­zards, Polcats, Rats, Weasles, Otters, Wolves and Foxes, bo­dily Fleas or flesh Flies, or other devouring noysome Vermin; for so long as they sit in the Parliament-house, the Gospel shall be kept under, and Christ persecuted in his faithful mem­bers: take me not here (saith he) that I condemn any Bishop or Priest that is godly, doing those Offices the Scripture com­mandeth, as preaching the Gospel and providing for the poor, &c. but against bloudy Butchers that murther Gods people, and make havock of Christs Congregation, to maintain Jewish Ceremonies and Paganish Superstition in the Christian Church, these are not Bishops, but Sheep-biters, Tyrants, Tormentors, and the Devils slaughter men, but such as in poverty preach the Gospel, provide for the poor, rebuke the wicked world of Pride, Idolatry, Hypocrisie, they are not only worthy of a competent living, but worthy of double honour: but from the inordinate excess of Riches, Bishops and Prelates ought of all men to be sequestred, considering that the wicked nature of Mamon is alwaies to corrupt; yea the very Elect of God were not more merciful, saith he.

Thus as you have heared by these Testimonies above, Lord Bishops standing in the Church with their Dignities and Juris­dictions is not of Gods institution, but by men, yet God suffers such kind of Adversaries in the Church, saith Mr. Fox, in Acts and Monuments page 1440. who under the name of the Church maintain a worldly State and Kingdom; and because they can­not uphold their cause by Scripture, the holy word of God, they bear it out, with outfacing, railing and slandering, making Princes and People believe that all are Scismaticks, Rebels, and [Page 43] what not; and subverters of the Common wealth, who soever that dare, although it be by plain Scripture, to speak against their doings: As it is written of the Emperour, that when he had burned Rome six dayes and seven nights, he made Proclama­tion that the innocent Christians had set the City on fire, to stir up the people against them, whereby he caused them to be burned and destroyed as Rebels and Traitors. See Suetonius in Nerone.

Melancton Melancton, in an Epistle to King. Hen. 8. saith, That long and horrible darkness hath been in the Church of Christ, that mens traditions not only have been a yoak to good mens Con­sciences, but also which is worse, they have been reputed for Gods holy Service, to the great dishonour of God and hindrance of his true worship, and the Keyes were abused to the mainte­nance of usurped tyranny, and Ceremonies, mens inventions; and it is not light offence to set up new kinds of worshiping and serving God, such presumption God doth horribly detest, the manner of his worship is known in his word only, and he will not hale Religion to be invented by mens devise, for so the Alcaron, and all Religion in all Nations might be approved and allowed of: Therefore saith the Wise man, In all thy wayes acknowledge God, and lean not unto thine own understanding. Prov. 3.5, 6. God hath commanded us to hear Christ, Acts 3.22. and not to hear the invention of subtile politick heads which frame Re­ligion for their own Lucre, and advantage; we ought not to dis­semble in Gods matters, but use them as the Scripture speaketh, for no service nor worship pertaining to God ought to be set up by mans device, and Bishops will never cease to rage against the Church of Christ without mercy or pity, for them the Devil useth as Instruments and Ministers of his malice and fury against Christ in his members.

Luther. Luther, in his answer to the Popes Bull, saith, That any Fool, Ass, or Blockhead may condemn a man of Error, by saying, I like it not, I deny it, I will not have it so, without any reason from Scripture: Is not thy whorish face ashamed to dare to set the trifling vanities of your own bare words, of the Canons and Institutions of your own inventions, against the Thunderbolts of Gods Word? if such reasoning were sufficient to condemn men without Scripture, why may we not turn Turks, Hereticks, Jews or Atheists, as well as Papists?

Steven Gardiner. Stephen Gardiner Bishop of Winchester, in his Book de vera Obedientia saith, Though it be granted that Peter had the pre­ferment of the first name or place in the Order of the Apostles, which yet I would deny him, yet it followeth not (saith he) that with this primacy he had also a Kingdom given him, and though the Lord bid him confirm his Brethren, yet was he not bid to exercise an Empire over his Brethren, for so they should not be his Brethren, but his Subjects.

Richard Feurus. Richard Feurus, a Martyr about the year 1554. in the Province of Dolphine, in his disputing against his Adversaries, he affirmed, That the word of God ought to be our Rule, and that nothing is left to Doctors or Councils to be devised without the word of God, and that all things necessary either for government of the Church, off or the Salvation of man, are expressed and prescribed in the word of God, for Paul saith, That he durst not utter any thing but what the Lord had wrought in him and shewed unto him, Rom. 15.18. John willeth us to receive no man, unless he bring the same Doctrine, that we have received from Christ and his Apostles, Let him be accursed: Christs Sheep hear his voice and know his voice, but they know not the voice of a Stranger, and all manner of worship and service that is not prescribed in the word of God, is the voice of Strangers; Hence it will follow, that such Strangers that both com­mand and practice such Ceremonial service of God, as is not prescribed in the Word of God in the New Testament, Kings and Princes, &c. may lawfully take away their Tem­poralities and Tythes, and dispose of them to better uses as hath been said above.

Richard Lovingham, in the reign of King Hen. 4. gathered out of a Book of John Purvey, that the Temporalities of the Cler­gie in England at that time in the hands of such as did no duty for it, belonging their office to do, besides other Temporalities, he said, That the King, Lords, and Commons, might without any other Charge, but these Temporalities, maintain fifteen Garri­sons with fifteen thousand Souldiers having sufficient Lands and Revenues to live upon, and also maintain fifteen thousand Priests and Clerks, and fifteen Colledges more, and an hundred Hospi­tals, and every house an hundred Marks a year, and bring in besides above twenty, thousand Pounds a year into the Kings Coffers. He said also, that the Kings and Lords ought to banish [Page 45] the Pope and his Factors out of their Lands, and all Bishops and their Factors that say it appertaineth not to Kings and secular Lords, but to them and their Officials, to punish Adultery and Fornication, they do fall into manifest Treason against the King, and Heresie against the Scripture, and that it doth appertain to the King to have the ordering of Priests and Bishops, as Solomon and Jehosaphat and others had, saith Mr. Fox Acts and Mo­numents, pag 502. Now if the temporalities at that time would have done so much in England, what will the temporalities and tythes of three Kingdoms do now that Lands are at so high a rate to what they then were.

Augustin. Huldrick, Bishop of Ausburg, in an Epistle to Pope Ni­cholas the first, about the year 867 said, that good correction proceeding from the lesser to the greater, is not to be refused nor disdained, when he that is corrected is found to strive against the truth, to please men, and he mentions Augustin writing to Boniface, that the disputations of all men, be they never so Catholick or approved persons, yet ought not to be received instead of Canonical Scripture; Gregory. so that we may (saith he) dis­prove or refuse any thing that is in their writings contrary to truth, to which he adds a saying of St. Gregory; What shall be­come of the Sheep, when the Pastors themselves become Wolves.

Panarme­tanus. Mr. Rogers, in his Answer to the Bishop of Winchester, said, that all the Laws of men, might not, nor could not rule the word of God, but that all things should be discussed and judged there­by, and obedience given thereunto, and that no Christian mans Conscience could be satisfied without Laws that agree not with Gods word, and he quotes Panarmetanus, which said, That unto a simple lay man that brings the word of God with him, there ought more credit to be given, than to a whole Council, and to what they concluded without or beside the word of God. Walter Mill.

Walter Mill, a Martyr in Scotland, said, that these which we call Bishops, do not the work of Bishops, nor the Office of Bi­shops, as Paul biddeth Timothy, but live after their own sensuali­ty and pleasure, and take no care of the Flock, nor yet regard the word of God to do thereafter, but desire to be called Lords, &c. And Luther saith, that neither Pope nor Prelate can make Articles of Faith, nor Laws of good works and manners, and that we may withstand their doings, and Judg upon their De­crees by the word of God, though their Decrees be approved by a General Council.

Doctor Molius. Doctor Johannes Molius, sometime a gray Fryer, disputed three days together at Rome, against Bishops and Cardinals, by Pope Paul the third his appointment, of Original Sin, of Justi­fication by Faith, and of Free-will and Purgatory, and they all not being able to refell his Arguments, at last they answered him: That what he affirmed was truth, nevertheless it was not meet for that present time, for that it could not be taught nor published without detriment to the Apostolick See: wherefore he should refrain from preaching the Epistles of St. Paul, and return to Bononie, and there profess Philosophy: By this it ap­pears, That Popes and Prelates Act against their Conscience, and will not suffer the truth to take place, least they should lose their honor and wealth, for here they confess that what Do­ctor Molius said was truth, but they might not suffer it at that time; no nor never since to be taught; their reason was, it would be detriment to the Apostolick See; but what detriment the truth received and the soul of men, by hiding the truth from them, these Prelates cared not for: they silenced him from preaching the truth. to profess Philosophy: And thus Prelates in this age Silence Ministrs from preach­ing the truth, lest they should come to dishonour there­by and lose their sweet Morsells, for if all Christian Kings Princes, and Nobles were rightly informed in the truths of the Gospel, and of the unlawfulness of Popes, Bishops and Pre­lates, of their standing in the Church with their titles, dignities and jurisdictions, which Papists themselves have confessed is but from men, and not from God, why then should Kings and Princes by suffering them in such ways become guilty of their Sins, but rather rouse up themselves and take from them that which is not theirs but by usurpation; that is, the temporali­ties and tithes which they unjustly possess, as is shewed above. Neither need they fear the Popes nor Bishops Excommunicati­ons, for they have no more Authority from God to Excom­municate for such things, than the poorest Shepherd or Swineherd hath that keeps Sheep or Swine upon the Com­mons, for as their standing in the Church is not of God, so their Excommunication is not of God.

John Clay­don. Richard Turming. John Claydon and Richard Turming, both Martyrs, they did both affirm, that the chief cause of the Persecution of Christians was the Prelates unlawfull keeping of temporali­ties and other superfluous goods which they are afraid to be deprived of, for they know that they cannot hold them [Page 47] if the truth should take place, and were publickly manifested, by what unlawful means they hold their Temporalities and Tythes, their Courts and Offices, and the unlawfulness of their Dignities and Jurisdictions, and the like.

Eneas Silvius. Eneas Silvius who wrote the Book of the Council Basil, he writing to Jasper Sthlick the Emperours Chancellor in his 54th Epistle saith, That the way to remedy Schisme and make peace in the Church is, for Kings and Princes to unite together and and conclude of Peace, and this way neither Pope nor Council, could withstand, Unity may be concluded whether Pope or Council will or not, and so Kings and Princes in their own Domi­nions may take the Temporalities and Tythes, and so put in order things that are amiss, whether Pope or Council will or not: neither saith he, do I see any of the Clergie so confident to death which will suffer Martyrdome, neither for King or Pope, for all we do lightly hold that Religion which our Princes hold, if they would worship Idols we would do the same, and not on­ly deny the Pope, but God also, if the Secular power straines us thereunto; for Charity waxeth cold, and all Faith is gone, how­ever let us seek for peace, and whether it come by a Council, or a Synagogue, or a Conventicle, call it what you will, I care not, so we have peace.

Cardinal Aralatensis And Cardinal Aralatensis, in the same Council of Basil said, That all Bishops ought to understand that they come to have greater power then Priests only by custome, and not by dispen­sation of the truth of God, and that they ought to rule the Church together, for a Priest is the very same that a Bishop is by divine Institution, for there is such a concordance, saith he, between a Bishop and a Priest, that Paul to Titus calleth Bishops Priests, and Christ saith, Blessed are the Poor in Spirit, neither was there any rich Bishop in the Primitive Church, neither did the antient Church reject Dionysius Bishop of Millan, nor Eu­sebius Bishop of Vercellus, Hillarie Bishop of Pictauia, although they were never so poor, but if we will grant the truth, the poor are more apt to give right Judgement then the rich, because riches causeth fear, lest they should be taken from them, and o­thers poverty causeth liberty, for the poor fear no Tyranny as rich men do, who are given over to all kind of Vanity, Idleness, and sloath, and will rather deny Christ, than lose their riches, whom not love to the Flock, but love to Revenues makes them Bishops.

And farther, to shew that Bishops will not own the truth a­gainst opposition for fear to lose their riches, the same Eneas Silvius in his thirty eighth Epistle to Cardinal Julian saith, those Cardinals which so magnified the Authority of the Church, as though they were ready to spend their lives for the same, and now at the sight of one Letter from their King wherein no death was threatned, but only loss of their Temporalities and for fear of that, they slipt away from the Council of Basil, &c. and in the same Epistle, he said derideingly, That they had rather lose their faith, than lose their flock and preferment, &c.

Hierome. St. Hierome upon these words, Ʋnsavory Salt, saith, That it is no easie thing to stand in the place of Peter and Paul, and to keep the Chaire of them that reign with Christ: This Unsavory Salt, saith he, is foolish and unprofitable Prelates, unsavory in their places, good for nothing but to be cast out and trodden down of Swine, that is, saith he, of wicked Spirits, which have dominion over wicked Prelates, as their Flock and Herd.

Mr. Tindal. Mr. Tindal in his book of the wicked Mamon, page 45. saith, seek the word of God in all things, and without the word of God do nothing though, it appear never so glorious, for what soever is done without the word of God, that count to be Ido­latrous, but by the word of God Prelates have no right to Temporalities, Christ, saith he, took away the violence and power of the Law to make us free, and set us at liberty from Ceremonies and other impositions which do consist in places, persons, garments, meats and dayes, &c. so as their use should be to all men free and indifferent, so that if the Pope would make all observations of Geremonies, as Lent, Fasts, Holy-dayes, Confession, Masses, Matins, Reliques and all the rest free and indifferent, he should not be Antichrist, but the commanding them in the name of Christ, he corrupteth the Church, and sup­presseth the Faith, and whatsoever is not of Faith, is Sin, there­fore by that means he advanceth Sin, and becometh Antichrist, and upon this account we have many inferior Antichrists under the Pope, who, to their power seek to establish the same Cere­monies, &c. and so become Antichrists.

Jacobus Selestadi­ensis. In a Letter of Jacobus Selestadiensis to Maximilian and Em­peror, he said, The goods of the Church as it is alleadged by the Fathers, are the Vowes of the Faithful, and Patrimonie of [Page 49] the poor, for the faithful through the fervency of their faith and love of Christ have enriched the Church with their own goods, that the poor might be refreshed, and Captives redeemed; wherefore such as have the administration of these goods, ought diligently to be looked upon, that they do not convert them to their own proper use, and neglect them in whom Christ is fed and cloathed.— Prosper also saith, That holy men did not challenge the Church goods as their own, but as given to the poor, to be divided to all them that have nothing, neither ought they to give any thing to those that have of their own enough, for that is but to cast things away. Ex Illyrico. Illyrico. Reynold Peacok.

John Broth­wick. Reynold Peacock, Bishop of Chichester said, That the riches of Bishops are the good of the poor, and that spiritual persons by the law of God ought not to have temporal possessions, and that personal tythes is not due by Gods law: that the Universal Church of Rome may erre in matters of faith, and that it is not necessary to Salvation, to believe what General Councils ordain and determine: these points and other to this purpose he confes­sed he held and taught the space of twenty years, and after the Bishop of Canterbury and other Bishops set themselves against him, he was imprisoned during his life.— Also, Sir John Brothwick, Martyr in Scotland in the year 1540. said and did af­firm, that all temporal Possessions and Jurisdiction ought to be taken from the Prelates.

The assembly of the Tigurines at Zurick, affirmed to the Sy­nod of Lucerna, that what now doth maintain the Monasteries and houses of Canons; was first given to the poor and needy, whereas now one hath so much, as might serve a great many, wherefore it seemed to them not inconvenient, that those goods should again be converted to the use of the poor, for it is well a­greeing to the will and service of God, said they, that the poor should be succoured, but this cannot be expected from any Synod nor Council who possess these goods, it must either be done by the King, Lords, or Commons, or it will never be done while the Prelates may be Judges in their own cause.

In the Council of Basil, there was one at the choosing of a new Pope, which seems to be Eneas Silvius, or Cardinal Arala­tensis, who said, he had often in his judgement consented to their opinion, which said it was evident that the temporal Dominion should be divided from the Clergie or Ecclesiastical state, for I do think said he, that the Priests thereby would be made more apt to the Divine Ministry.

Corneli­us Bish. of Rome. About the year 255. Cornelius Bishop of Rome and Martyr under the Tyranny of Dicius the Emperour, this Cornelius in his Epistle to Fabius, alleadged also in Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 43. Cornelius speaking of his Church of Rome how that there ought to be but one Bishop in the same, he maketh mention of 46. Priests, seven Deacons, and seven Sub-deacons, and & 42. Aco­luthes; and of Widdows and other poor afflicted persons to the number of fifteen hundred and above, found and nourished in the same Church by the merciful providence of God out of the Church goods and almes given to that purpose, and yet all that time the Church was not endowed with Temporalities nor Tythes; and yet the Bishop being a faithful Steward of such almes and oblations as was offered, there was 102. Church Offi­cers and above 15 hundred poor relieved out of the Church goods. This is a president sufficient to shew how Church goods was bestowed in the Primitive Church, and this plainly proves all Prelates in this later age to be Sacrilegious persons, by robbing the poor of their right, and converting it to their own use.

S. Lau­rence. In the eighth persecution of the Primitive church, under the Emperour Valerianus, when the Tyrant demanded of St. Laurence the Treasure of the Church, Laurence stretching out his armes o­ver the poor said, these are the pretious treasure of the Church, these are the treasure indeed, in whom the faith of Christ reign­eth, in whom Jesus Christ hath his Mansion places, and what ye do to the least of these, ye do to me, said Christ.

William Thorpe. William Thorpe in the reign of Hen. 4. maintained before the Bishop of Canterbury, that Cisteriensis saith, that Gregory the tenth a thousand years after Christ was the first under the Gos­pel that ordained and commanded by a Law that Tythes should be given to the Priests, but Paul exhorteth all men to follow him as he followed Christ, and that was in patience and poverty to preach the Gospel and to labour with his own hands that he might not be chargeable to others, and though Christ hath or­deyned that those that preach the Gospel should live of the Gos­pel: but we saith Paul, that covet to be faithful followers of Christ, use not that power, he would not make the word of God chargeable, and though Tythes were given to the Levites during the Levitical Priesthood, yet under the Gospel neither Christ nor his Apostles took Tythes, nor commanded the people to pay Tythes, but to give almes and other good works of mercy, for Christ being come, he changed the Priesthood from the tribe of Levi to the Tribe of Judah, to which Tribe never Tythes was [Page 51] paid; for as there was a change of the Priesthood, so there was a change of the Laws, and the Law of paying tythes ceased when the Ceremonial service of the Tabernacle and Temple ceased, for which service tythes were given, so that tythes are not now to be given by any right of the Levitical, and there is no new gos­pel law for paying of Tythes. And Sir, saith he, ye wot well that Priests and Levites who received tythes, were not so perfect as Christ and his Apostles who received no tythes, but preached the Gospel and lived by pure almes of the people, and the Disciple is not above his Lord; it is sufficient that the Disciple be as his Lord. To which the Arch-Bishop was not able to answer, but broke out into cursing, and bid Gods curse and his fall on him for his so teaching. And Sir, saith he, there is a Doctor, I think it is St. Hierom that saith, St. Hie­rome. those Priests that challenge tythes now under the new law of the Gospel, they say in effect that Christ is not become man, nor that he hath yet suffered death for mans love, he means for love to man, nor abolished the Leviti­cal law, wherefore this Doctor saith, seeing tythes was the hire of the Levites in the old law for bearing about the Tabernacle, & slaying & fleying of Beasts, &c. & for keeping of the Temple, and sounding the Trumpets before the Host of the Battle, &c. w ^ch law is now abolished: those Priests that now challenge and take tythes, deny Christ to be come in the flesh, and those that stick to the rights of the Law, Paul saith Christ shall profit them nothing, Gal. 5.2. and as this Dr. saith, they take tythes wrong­fully, for whatsoever dignity any Priest is in, if he do not follow Christ and his Apostles in true preaching, in poverty, and other heavenly virtues, though such be named Priests, they are not Priests but only in name, for the work of a very Priest in such a one is wanting; this sence saith he, is approved by Austine, Gre­gorie, Chrysostome and Lincolne.

Thorps. Testa­ment. There is a writing in the Acts and Mon. of the Church, p. 499. which is called Thorps Testament, but might better be called his complaint against the vicious Clergie, in which he saith, that ei­ther God the Father hath deceived all mankind by the living and teaching of Jesus Christ and his Apostles in poverty-meekness and humility, &c. or else Popes; Cardinals, Archbishops, and Bishops, with all the contagious flock of Priesthood, &c. are deceived, which live so contrary, to Christ and his Apostles, increasing dam­nably in sin, in pride, and are obstinate Symoniack, and so are he­reticks, defiled adulterers, as their works shew, for instead of fol­lowing Christ and his Apostles in poverty and preaching, the Pre­lates and Priesthood challenge and occupie unlawfully, temporal [Page 52] Lordship and possessions, and for temporal favour and advantage they sell benefices to unworthy and unable persons, and sell sins for advantage, suffering men and women to live from year to year in scandalous vices, and they contemn the meekness and poverty of Christ, to take their livelihood of the free will offering of the peoples pure alms, thus by their fruit you may know them, whe­ther they be the followers of Christ, or of Antichrist; wherefore all Emperors, Kings, Lords, Ladies, and common people of every degree and state, that know these things and will not withstand these enemies and traytors of Christ, and of his Church, ye strive saith he, for Antichrist against our Lord Jesus Christ, and shall bear the indignation of God Almighty without end, if in time it be not prevented by repentance and amendment.

Walter Brute. Wal. Brute, before John B. of Hereford in K. Rich, 2d's reign, affirmed that under the Gospel tythes are alms, he denied not but under the old law tythes were given to the Levites for their ser­vice in the Tabernacle and in the Temple, but that service of the Levites ceasing at the coming of Christ, who put an end to that Ceremonial law, how can tyths now be demanded or received for that service which is ceased, they may aswell demand the first fruits which was paid in the old law, as well as tythes; but if they claim tythes by force of the Levitical law, then by the same law, Pre­lates and Priests are prohibited to have any temporalities among their brethren, no more then the Priests and Levites had then when they received tythes: Christ gave no new Commandment of tything any thing, when his Apostles said, we have left all and followed thee, what shall we have? Christ did not say that he would give them temporalities and tythes, and worldly dominion, no that he forbad them, it shall not be so among you, Mat. 20.25, 26. but upon their obedience to his commands, he promised to give them an everlasting Kingdom, they that will have tythes by virtue of the Levitical law, they are bound to keep that law, and by the works of the law no man can be justified.

Hierome. Hierom, writing to Nepotianus saith, how can they be of the Clergie who pretend to be so, who are commanded to contemn & despise their own substance, & yet take the substance of others, to take away from a friend is theft, & to deceive the Church & take away that which should be given to the poor, it is sacriledge, so that by this testimony all Bps. Prelates, & Priests that hold tempo­ralities & tythes, &c. that belongs to the Church & to the poor, they are sacrilegions. Mersiliu. Also, Mersilius of Padua taught, that Bps. & Priests should not enjoy temporal estates, & that the corrupt man­ners of the people did spring from the wickedness of Prelates & Priests, by their evil example.

Nicholas Herford. Philip Ri­pingdon. Robert Rigge. Nich. Herford, Phil. Ripingdon and John Ashton, being alto­gether brought before Wil. Bishop of Cant. in K. Rich. 2d reign, did all affirm and say, that it is against the holy Scripture for Ecclesiastical persons to have temporal possessions, and that tem­poral Lords may at their pleasure take away temporal goods from Church men offending, and that tythes are pure Alms, and that Parishioners may for the offence of their Curates detain the same, and bestow them on others at their pleasure, And Rob. Rigge Vice Chancel. of Oxford was displaced for holding of these truths with these men, the Popish Prelates did so rage.

Pope A­lexander and 310. Bishops. In a Council at Rome, in the year 1179. it was decreed by Pope Alex. and 310 Bishops, that none of the Clergy within or­ders should meale with any temporal business, and that Priests should have but one benefice, and that the Bishops should be char­ged to maintain such Priests as they did ordain, untill they were promoted to some benefice, but how these decrees, as to the Cler­gies not medling with temporalities and maintaining such as the Bishops ordain untill they be promoted, is manifest to the world: for Popes and Bishops will do and undo at their pleasure for temporal profits.

D. Hall. George Cassander. Bishop Hall, not many years ago in his book, pag. 835. saith, that George Cassander, a learned Papist, was set on work by two Emperors (viz.) Ferdinand and Maximillian, to compose the quarrels of the Church: and in his 56. p. he saith, that the prin­cipal cause of the destruction of the Church, is to be laid upon those, who being puffed up with a vain insolent conceit of their Ecclesiastical power, do proudly and scornfully contemn and re­ject them which rightly and moderately admonish their refor­mation, wherefore my Opinion is saith he, that the Church can never hope for any firm peace, unless those which are in Eccle­siastical government will be content to remit somthing of their too much rigour, and yield somthing for the peace of the Church, and correct abuses according to the rule of divine Scripture, from which they have swerved, and if abuses be corrected according according to the rule, then must their temporalities and tythes be taken from them, and their Lordly titles and Jurisdictions, and they made like other men.

By what is said above and proved by many Authors, of Pre­lates worldly mindedness, and their usurped dominion of tem­poralities and tythes which they rob and steal from the poor and needy by breaking the conditions for which temporalities and [Page 54] tyths were given and have falsified the trust reposed in them, so that now there is no hope that they will yield any thing for truths sake, to be reformed according to the Scriptures, except Kings and Princes, Lords and Commons, as Angello Cararo the Venetian Embassador said of the Court of Rome, unless they go about it roundly in express terms laying aside all Civility, saith he, it will be difficult to bring it about, they are so setled upon their Lees: But their is one text of Scripture which I think doth clear this point of the Lawfulness for Kings and Princes to take again their possessions from Bishops Prelates and Priests, which all the forenamed Authors plead for, for it doth not only Justi­fie the King and Princes in taking the temporalities from Prelates &c. but it is a precept and law of God that ought to be obeyed and put in execution, that the Kings inheritance be not imbezled and given away from succeeding Kings, Ez. 46.16, 17. Thus saith the Lord God, Ezek. 46 16.17. If the Prince give a gift unto any of his sons, the In­heritance thereof shall be his sons, it shall be their Inheritance by a possession by an inheritance, but if he give a gift of his Inheritance to one of his servants, then it shall be his to the year of liberty or Ju­bile, which was so named of the long sound of the Trumpet and Joyful shout, because servants that were sold was then at liberty, and joyful to the poor, because their land that was sold or mort­gaged was then at liberty and they returned to their possessions. The year of Jubile or liberty was every fifty years, but many fif­ty years are expired, and still the usurping Prelates hold the tem­poralities both from the King, &c. and from the poor who should be relieved out of the profits of those temporalities, but Prelates have been unfaithful Stewards, and therefore it is high time to compell them to deliver up their Stewardship, that they may be no longer Stewards for the Priests as they call themselves and desire to be called, ought to have no temporal possessions or inhe­ritance for their service as Eze. 44.28. I am their Inheritance, ye shall give them no possession in Israel, I am their possession, yea even the Primate himself as he expecteth to be called, who thinks him­self to be Successor to Aaron, cannot by Aarons example possess any temporalities, as in Num. 18.20. And the Lord spake unto Aaron, then shalt have no inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part amongst them, I am thy part and thine inheri­tance among the Children of Israel, and Josh. 13.33. But unto the tribe of Levi Moses gave not any inheritance, the Lord God of Israel was their inheritance.

If Prelates consciences were not seared as with an hot iron, how could they pretend any right to Temporal possessions, either by ex­ample of the Levitical Priesthood, unto whom you see Temporal possessions was prohibited, neither by the example of Jesus Christ nor his Apostles, if it were not as Cardinal Aralatensis said in the Council of Basil, that Prelates value their Temporalities above their Spiritualities: Therefore if you observe the rule of Christ, by their Fruits you may know them, and their Fruits in that way hath been the occasion to bring in, and to uphold and maintain Antichrist, the Pope in his Throne; for if it were not for his great Temporal pos­sessions, he could not domineer over Emperors, Kings and Princes as he hath done: and whilst Prelates possess their Temporalities, they do uphold him in his Throne, for both of them are one upheld by the other, if once the one fall, the other will shortly follow.

Angelo Ca­raro. Whosoever, saith Angelo Cararo, beholds the surpassing state and magnificence of the Church and Court of Rome, above other Kings and Princes, cannot but wonder that she upon so slender a foundation, and so far from the intention of her Founders, should raise her self to so proud a height, as to turn those benefits she hath received, against, and to the prejudice of them that gave her those possessions, for the Canonists & other Emissaries of that Court, study nothing more, than how to strengthen and extend their Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, and a­base and demolish the power of Secular Princes if they can possible.

A Book of the Image of a Bishop In a Book called, The Image of a Christian Bishop, and of a Counter­feit Bishop, set out in the year 1539. he speaks of some that he calls shadows of Bishops, that have raised themselves to dominion and Lordship, against both God and man, against reason, common sence and judgement, after the nature of Tyrants, which rule only by the wrath and indignation of God; for Prelates, saith he, if they be not good and virtuous, to promote the word of God unfeignedly with all their hearts, they are Wolves and cruel murtherers of Souls, much like as if Satan should have a Mitre on his head, and Rings on his fin­gers, and should sit in a Chair to rule the people; for B [...]shops that do not preach the pure word of God, they are as much to be eschewed as the Devil himself: And whereas Bishops exercise their tyranny over men, under pretence of Conformity to keep men from sedition and strife, he saith, the word of God doth not stir up to sedition and strife, but the stubborn obstinate disobedience of Bishops themselves against the truth, and their rage against the word of God, is the cause of sedition; for whosoever receives the word of God, that man raises not up sedition, albeit he no longer fears such vain Buggs, nor wor­ship such Episcopal Puppets: for since he knows the word of God, he [Page 56] doth not fear nor reverence their vain humane Innovations and Tra­ditions. But wilt thou that I tell thee at one word that they are, they are Wolves, Tyrants, Traytors, Man-quellers, monsters of the World, burthens of the Earth, the Apostles of Antichrist to corrupt and destroy the Gospel: And therefore it is the part and duty of all Christian men, with the word of God, to destroy and pluck up by the roots them and their Kingdom, which our heavenly Father hath not planted, who by their Tyranny destroy the Gospel Institutions of Christ, to establish their own Institutions; so that if there be any Christianity in our minds and breasts, we ought (saith he) to speak unto the King for a Reformation: Thus he, and much more to this purpose. See Mr. Prynns Book of the execrable Treasons, Conspira­cies and Rebellions of Prelates, pag. 389, 390, 394.

William Wroughton, William Wroughton, in his rescuing of the Roman Fox, dedicated to King Hen. 8. We have, saith he, put down some of the Orders of the World, there remains yet two, (viz.) the pompous Bishops and the dependants thereon, and the gray Fryers, which if they were put down also, as well as the other, I reckon that there would not be any Kingdom wherein Christ would more reign than in England; and there he proves at large, the Prelates Canon Law to be the Popes Law, and that so long as the Bishops maintain it in England, they maintain the Pope in his Soveraignty and Legislative power in Eng­land. Thus and more to the same purpose.

Roderick Morce. To the very same purpose Roderick Morce, in his Complaint to the Parliament, the 37 of Hen. 8. writes thus. The whole Body of the pestiferous Canon Law, according to which Judgement is given through the Realm, so that we are still in Egyptian bondage to the Popes Law. And so long as ye walk in those wicked Laws of Anti­christ the Pope, and maintain his Knights the Bishops in such inordi­nate riches and unlawfull Authority, so long ye shall never banish that monstrous beast the Pope out of England; yea and it shall be a means, saith he, in process of time to bring us into bondage to the Pope again, and that knows our forked Caps full well, meaning Mitres: Wherefore if you will banish the Pope, you must fell down to the ground these rotten posts the Bishops, &c. And in another place he said, that one Bishop, one Dean, or Colledge or House of Canons, hath ever done more mischief than ten other Religious Houses. The King, saith he, hath done well in weeding the Garden of England, but yet he hath left the fowlest stinking weeds standing, the pompous Bishops, Canons of Colledges, and Deans, &c. But now, saith he, I will speak no more against the particular Pope, see­ing every Bishop now is a Pope.

Martin Bucer. Martin Bucer professors of Divinity in Cambridge writ to King Ed­ward the sixth, that the reformation of the Church could never be ex­pected from the Bishops and said that the wealth of Princes, which ought to be bestowed upon faithful Ministers, upon Schools, and up­on the Poor, the Prelates sacraligiously spend it in ryot and Princely pomp.

John Hooper And Mr. John Hooper, both Bishop and Martyr, and great opposer of Ceremonies episcopal rochits and vestments, in which he would not be Consecrated, he said that Magistrates that suffered the abuse of Church goods by the Prelates be culpable of the fault, for if the fourth part of the Bishoprick remained to the Bishops it were sufficient, and the third part to School-masters, and the rest to the Poor, and to Souldiers.

Petrus Blesenses Petrus Blesenses Arch-Deacon of Bath, writ to the Bishop of Bangor thus, the Title of Poverty is glorious with Christ, and that which be­came Christ, ought not to misbesem you, St. Peter said Gold and Sil­ver have I none, Acts. 3.6. Yea famous Augustine Bishop of Hippo made no will, because the Poor servant of Christ had nothing to be­queth, it becomes not you to go sumptiously in Ornaments, nor in Pride with great Horses and multitude of attendance, but to cut off all occasions and Foot-steps of such a Conversation, and in another place he saith, the voice of Christ is not, till thy Land, nor build high Houses, nor increase thy Rents, but feed my Sheep.

Thomas Walsin­gam. Thomas Walsingam, In hyst. Angl. Page. 205. Said that Popes, Car­dinals, Bishops, and other Priests, may not rule like temporal Lords, nor bear any civil Office without mortal sin, and that is a sin to en­dow them with temporal possessions, and that no Prelates ought to have Prisons to punish or restrain offenders nor ought they to purchase large temporal possessions or riches, &c.

A name­less Au­thor. A nameless Author in his supplycation to King Hen. 8 saith of Bi­shops, that the only infection and Pestilent poison of Bishops is their great Lord-ships and Dominions with their yearly revenue with super­fluity of goods, which justly belongs to the Poor, and so long as Bishops do possess them, so long will they waste them to maintain their pride and so long as they continue in pride, they shall not receive the holy-Ghost which would teach them to speak the truth, but there is no room in a proud rebellious heart for the holy-Ghost to dwel in where­fore you being our dread Soveraign Lord and King whom God hath set to govern and to redress, enormities and abuses, you are bound in justice and equity, and God requires it from you, to take away from Bishops and Prelates and other spiritual Persons such superfluity of [Page 58] temporal possessions and riches which they abuse and other seculars cures and worldly offices which is the cause of much sin in them.

William Tindall. William Tindall in another place of his book of the obedience of a Christian Page 181. writing of the falshood and jugling of the Pope and Prelates, he saith they have put out the light of Gods truth, and set up their own traditions and lyes, and robbed the world of lands and goods, of peace and Unity, and of all temporal Authority &c. and that as Christs Kingdom is not of this world, even so the officers of Christs Kingdom may have no temporal dominion or jurisdiction, nor exercise any temporal authority; for Christ commanded his Apostles that they should not exercise any worldly authority saying it shall not be so among you, Mat. 20.25, 26. And when he sent them out to preach he com­manded them that they should not provide neither Gold nor Silver nor brass in their purses &c. for the workman is worthy of his meat, Math. 10. And Paul commanded that if any would not work, neither should they eat, 2 Thes. 3.10. Why then should non residents and others have such large possessions that work very little or not at all, except it be works of darkness their wages should be proportionable to their work, and the overplus should be to the King and the publick use of the Common wealth for Clement, Clement the suc­cessor of Peter. Bishop of Rome and successor of Peter saith of Pre­lates if thou be occupyed in worldly cares, thou shalt both deceive thy self and them that hear thee, for so thou canst not fully distribute those things which pertain unto salvation:

Mr. Mead. Mr. Mead, in his book of the Apostacy of the latter times saith as in Deut. 7.6. the Lord chose Israel to be a peculiar people unto himself above all the people of the world. And Amos. 3.2. you only have I known of all the families of the Earth, therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities: the more light of truth God reveals to any people, if they walk not suit­able thereunto, the more there sin is increased. The Lord was head and husband to the Church of Israel, but when Israel forsook the Lord and followed their own inventions, God cast them off, and chose a­nother Spouse namely the Church of the Gentiles; And the first Churches of the Gentiles, as the seven Churches of Asia and others, for falling from their first love, as the Church of Ephesus, and the Church of Smyrna, that said they were Jews, as our Prelates say they are the successors of the Apostles, and were the Synagogue of Satan: and the Church of Pergamos, who held the doctrine of Baalim, who loved the wages of unrighteousness, as our Prelates do in their unlawful hold­ing of temporalities, and it were well if we were free from the forni­cation of Thyatyra, and lukewarmness of Laodecea, I fear that in the general we are like the Church of Sardice, that we have a name to live [Page 59] and are dead, now God for their sins hath cast off all these Churches, and chosen himself another Spouse in these northern Nations, &c. But if we continue in the same and other sins we cannot assure our selves of any long continuance of the Gospel, except God put it into the hearts of our King and Nobles to endeavour a thorow Reformation especially in the Bishops and Prelates, and other of the Clergy, and their reformation will be a leading way to reform the rest.

Volusia­nus. In the Epistle of Volusianus to Pope Nicholas for Priests marriage he saith, the great Shepherd and Prince of the Apostles doth declare how all Pastors ought to intreat the flock of Christ in love, and to remove all tyrannical Lordship from Bishops for that they ought not to be Lords, but fathers over their flock, and not imperiously to com­mand them as exercising Stately Authority and power over them, but gently to admonish and beseech them, in zeal and piety according to the strength of every person, after the Lord, and not after their own will and ambition, to see forth their power and jurisdiction, whereas they should be ensamples to the flock, first doing that themselves which they command others to do, but some, and that many saith he, are in­flamed with affection not of Charity, but of covetousness, greediness, ambition, who covet to be their Masters and more to rule over them than to profit them, they oppress the weak by force and violence of their authority and compel them to their obedience, pretending a zeal for God, but like Uzzah stretch forth their hands and authority beyond the rule, further then God hath allowed them, but Uzzah died for his presumption, to have a zeal according to knowledge as the Apostle saith, is to do all things in Gods matters prudently and circumspectly according to the rule of Christ and his Apostles institutions and not according to Mens traditions nor humane inventions of Cannons &c.

Whichcot I heard a Doctor I think his name was Whichcot preach in Black-fry­ers about seven years ago, a conformable man, and he said that if you would have men to conform, you should first convince their conscien­ces by plain Texts of Scripture of the lawfulness of those things which you would have them conform unto, otherwise to force men to con­formity and not convince them by plain Scripture Arguments of the lawfulness of what they conform unto, he said it was to make men outwardly hypocrites and inwardly atheists, now according to this, by the neglect of duty in our Bishops and Prelates, how many thousands, if not hundred thousands hypocrites and atheists have our Prelates made in England within ten years, by pressing ceremonies and obser­vation of things which many hundred thousands do question whether they have any warrant in the word of God, and in the 20. and 21. ar­ticles [Page 60] of the Church of England, it is said, that it is not lawful neither for the Church, The 20. and 21. Articles. nor for general Councels to ordain any thing contrary to the word of God written, which word excludes all unwritten tradi­tions and customes, and that things so ordained have neither strength nor authority, unless it may be declared that they are taken out of holy Scripture, and yet our Prelates will have such things observed without clearing them by Scripture or hearing what may be said against them by Scripture.

And further Volusianus said from Jer. 48.10. Cursed be he that doth the work of the Lord negligently, that is saith he, not to do the work of the Lord carefully and with a willing mind, for whereas the Lord wil­leth us not to offer any thing to him against our wills, so doth he for­bid us to compel any man to offer any thing against our wills, and he proves it, Ex. 20.21. Thou shalt not vex nor oppress thy neighbour or a stran­ger, now it is an oppression & wrong to our neighbours to be corrected for his fault when it is done with disdain, and upbraiding, and not in compassion and mercy towards him, to inform him in the spirit of meekness and not to destroy him in the spirit of bitterness and rigor, much more is our neighbour oppressed when he is corrected for well doing, for endeavouring to follow the Laws of Christ rather than the Laws of men, thus Valusianus.

Norfolk [...]nd Suf­ [...]lk m ns [...]pplica­tion. And in a Supplication of Norfolk and Suffolk men to Queen Mary and her Commissioners, they thus writ, is not this the time say they among other times that Satan rides upon the red horse to take peace from the Earth, for can man go into any place where the sons of wickedness are not ready to search out a mans deeds, and mark his words, and if he agree not with them, in despising Gods word, in swearing, lying, whoring and drinking, &c. Then will they spitefully and hatefully rail against him, calling the truth of God error and heresie, and the pro­fessors of it hereticks and Schismaticks, with other odious and despiteful names, as Traytors, and not the Queens friends, as if to love Gods word were heresie, as though to talk of Christ and Religion were Shismatical, as though none could be true to the Queen but such as are false to God, as though none could be the Queens friends, but such as despitefully rail against her Graces Father and Brother, and the word of God, as though none were truly Religious but such as blaspheme against the purity of Religion, as though none favoured the Queen but such as hate all Godly knowledge, wherefore we learn that true obedience to God the King of Kings, and for him, and in him, and not against him, to obey Princes and Magistrates, who are not truly obeyed when God is disobeyed, nor yet disobey'd when God is truly obey'd, wherefore [Page 61] we pray that God may move your hearts to weigh these things and take the word of God unto your Councel, and then you shall see how Gods commands, and Bishops commands agree, or rather disagree, to which I shall add that by the word of God you may see clearly that neither Bishops nor Prelates &c. ought to have either temporallities or tythes.

Christ hath said Rev. 11.3. That he will give power to his two witnesses to bear their testimony and witness against the Beast or Ante-christ, there­fore they that endeavour to suppress this witness bearing against An­te-christ are themselves Ante-christian, and whether is not Christs Priestly office invaded by urging men to the observation of ceremonies and a form of worship which Christ hath not instituted, but contrary to Christs institutions and so against mens consciences, and his Kingly office invaded by exercising a Government over men that hath no ground nor warrant in the word of God, but is of mans devising, and yet punish men that would gladly observe the word of God, for not observing the devices of men.

Daniel 6 and 7. What an odious thing is it said one to call out obedience to God by the name of disobedience to men, as in Dan. 3.12. and Dan. 6 10. For his obedience to God in praying three times a day, he was accused for diso­bedience to the King, and thus it hath been with others, for there is a generation of men, who charge all with Schism that dare not subject their selves to the usurpation and arrogant impositions of the sons of pride, that neither have authority nor ability from God to govern us, who lay snares for mens Consciences, and then accuse men for falling into those snares as the Pagans did against Daniel, who make Laws for the Church unnecessary in their own opinions, and sinful in other mens opinions, and command things which they know others think the Lord forbids, and then load men with reproaches of disobedient, turbulent, heretical, schismatical persons, for not yeilding to their imperious commands against their consciences, to call men factious if they will not be of their faction against the Catholick unity and simplicity of the Gospel, how easie and how common is it to call a meeting of sober Christians, for prayer and mutual edification, by the name of a factious and schismatical conventicle, and a meeting of drunkards or game­sters, or harlots, by a far less disgraceful name, if men will but turn their Religion into forms of words or beads, or canonical hours and days outward shews and ceremonies, which have no ground nor warrant in the Scripture, few or none will let, or reproach or perse­cute you for being too precise or strict for so doing, for by such a Re­ligion it is that Prelates have so long enjoyed their usurped tempo­rallities and tythes.

[...]timer. In Ezek. 44.24. It is said in controversies the Priest shall stand in judge­ment and they should judge it according to my judgement saith God, but the Bishop of Glocester had written a book, and for his own and other Prelates advantage he had changed the meaning of the Text from judging according to Gods judgement declared in the word of God to this, they shall judge as the Priest shall decide the matter, therefore La­timer reproved him, saying what gelding of Scripture is this, what clipping of Gods coyn, nay my Lord the Clergy must not rule accord­ing to their own wills, I would there were more faithful dealing with Gods word and not leave out a part, and snatch a part here and there &c. If Prelates may thus interpret Scripture they may easily maintain their usurped hierarchy & what not that they have a mind to maintain.

[...]rmaca­ [...]us. [...]ilus Richard Armacanus saith, that to speak, and seek to procure any high place in the Church, it is a point of pride and ambition, and Nilus Bishop of Thessalonica, saith that the Pope himself hath no dignity a­bove other Bishops, but by humain Laws and institutions given by Councels and Emperors, [...]nselm and Anselm saith that Presbiters are above Bi­shops and were before Bishops and did elect them, and Cardinal Ara­latensis and several others more saith that Priests or Presbiters are of e­qual power and authority with bishops, [...]ralaten­ [...]. so that all their Lordly Titles dignities and jurisdictions, their temporallities and tythes are all hu­main devices and not of any Gospel institution, for Christ hath for­bidden their Lordliness, saying it shall not be so among you, Mat. 20.26.

[...]hn [...]erson. John Gerson declares that the neglect to observe an antient Canon, viz. that bishops should have poor apparel, lodging, and dyet and should not strive for transitory things, but to imitate the Apostles, also he saith their making of laws such as they have no authority from God to make and their enjoyning men by censures and excommunications to observe their Laws, their Courts with the oath ex officio and many other things the like, which is the cause of division, which he saith will never be appeased until the heads spiritual be reformed.

Episcopacy when it first crept into the Church, was not so inconsistant with the Gospel rule as now it is, for the bishops that are now, are other kind of Creatures than those were, as the records of antiqui­ty do shew that at the first original of them they were chosen by the people and Ministers who were to live under their inspection and Government, yea even the Popes themselves in antient times were chosen by the people and Priests, and after confirmed by the Emperour, and were not chosen by Cardinalls and Curtesans as they are now, neither had they then either temporalities or tyths, but now they intrude themselves with a high hand over the Church [Page 63] and people of God and makes themselves Lords over Gods heritage which the word of God forbids, 1. Pet. 5.3. And yet all this the giving both the Pope and Bishops and other Prelates temporalities and tyths, is but an Antechristian humain invention, and not of divine institution, neither do the Bishops now observe the antient Canons in their ordi­nations, as Distinct 70. T. ordinationis. which saith. Distinst. 29. quan­do. Distinct 70. T. or­dinatio­nis. Let not the Bishop presume to ordain any without the Councel of the Clergie and testi­mony of the people, and again Distinct 70 T. ordinationis, see that so­lemnly at convenient time in the presence of many standers by, you make ordination, and especially Distinct. 64. T. Si forte, which saith he shall be no Priest henceforth, who neither Clergy nor people of his own City hath elected: so that if the Clergy or people of any other place elect, and not the Clergy and people of the City or place where he is to serve, by this Canon he is no Priest: And by Acts 1. verse 23. dist 64. Si forte to the 20 and Acts 6.3. to 7. compared with this Canon, there is are thrust upon the people without their electing of them, and there­fore have no right to officiate unto, nor to rule such a people.

Extra­vag de institu cap ex frequen­tibus Extra­vag de prescript c. 51. diligent et cum omne ex de qualit pen [...]ls 50 de­stinct For a Sole possession is not sufficient in Eclestical benefices, unless there concur a Canonical institution Extravag de institu Cap ex frequen­tibus, a Sole possession maketh not one a Senator or Captain, but a lawful election a prescription doth not profit, in case it be grounded upon an evil consequence, and therefore Sithence men so ordained be unjust possessors, their deceit and collusion ought not to support them, Extravag. de prescript. T. 51. dilligenti, &c. cum omne. In these Laws in another place it is provided that both the promoter and the promo­ted, as well the abetters as the deed doers, are to sustain equal punish­ment, there is a Law, that as well the man unworthily promoting, as the man unworthily promoted shall be deposed ex de qualit c. ponuis, again it is decreed, that if they shall henceforth presume to ordeyn any that are unskilful and ignorant, that both the ordeyners and the ordeyned be subject to grievous punishment, upon which decree and the word ordination the gloss flatly concludeth that the Law ever­more is that whosoever promoteth an unworthy man deserveth to be deposed: Well then upon this account, that neither the Bishop him­self not being elected nor ordeyned in the presence of those over whom he doth rule, nor those whom he doth ordain and send forth, they both ought to be deposed, both by the Scriptures, decrees, and extra­vag, above named, so that if there were no other ground or reason but this only, it were sufficient to depose them and to take away their temporalities and tyths from them.

Cod offic prefec orient lib. 3. For the Emperour Justinian commanded Signos judicis, according to what is said above, if thine excelencie find any judges for their negli­gence or any other like defect, to be unprofitable, thou mayst remove them from their Administrations and place others in their stead: Cod offic prefec orient lib. 3. And saith the said Emperour in another place in bello &c. A Souldier in time of warr that doth any thing forbidden by his Captain, or doth not keep his Generals Commandment is to be punished with death, though his enterprize take good success, and shall then a pretended Minister that forsaketh his standing to walk according to the rules and institutions of Christ and weareth only the Ensign of Antechrist, the proclaimed enemy of Christ his Lord and Master, Mauger the law of his Lord and Master and Mauger the Laws of men above specified and other the like, and shall he enjoy Life and Lands, Panor­metane and Livings, and tyths, and all? Panormetane a famous Cano­nist concludeth, that a Doctor allowed may be disallowed again, yea rather saith Bartol a famous Civilian, he may be degraded as a Soul­dier, Bartol and as a Clerk, for those things saith he, which I have spoken in degrading of a Souldier, the same is to be verified touching the degra­ding of Doctors and Clerks.

Herenius Modesti­mus Hereneus Modestimus said, that a Senator was not therefore a Se­nator because his name only was in the Table or Regester where the names of Senators was written, unless he also were made a Senator according to Law, and the gloss upon that Law verifieth the same to be an argument against those who are not rightly placed in the Chur­ches, and it is manifest that none of our Bishops nor Prelates accord- to their titles and jurisdictions, are rightly placed in the Churches of Christ, because they are not of the institution of Christ as themselves do confess, both Protestants and Papists, and also not having the Seal of divine approbation upon them, they are not rightly placed in Churches nor are not lawful Ministers of Jesus Christ according to his holy institution in truth, but only in name, but in real truth they are the Ministers of Antechrist the Pope, for their titles and juris­dictions is of the Popes Hierarchical institutions, they cannot deny it, and therefore it is a work of mercy to their souls to unlord them and being them into the right way to imitate Christ and his Apostles, by taking the temporallties and tythes from them, as once an Emper­our said and did: That which we unadvisedly have done, we will advisedly revolve and undo.

And Prelates to excuse their tyrany pretend decency in imposing their unnecessary Ceremonies upon the People, but let it be considered, whether the people who are turned unto God and endeavour to ob­serve the rules of Christ rather than the rules of men, or the Prelates [Page 65] who have forsaken the rules of Christ as appears above all along, to imbrace and follow the rules and devices of Men, let wise men judge which of these walk most undecently, and let Bishops consider and examine themselves, whether there robbing the Poor and murthering of Souls, by granting dispensations to none residence, and in giving pluralities be not an undecent walking, can any but those whose Con­sciences are seared, count these and Covetousness, Pride, hypocrisie, ambition, hatred, mallice and revenge, decent and comely in them­selves, and the endeavouring to observe the rules of Christ, to be un­comely and undecent in others, if Bishops and Prelates would first re­form themselves and take the beam out of their own eyes, or if the King and Nobles would compel them to a reformation according to the word of God, then what the people were required to do, that is decent and comly according to the word of God, they would readily obey, provided as Paul saith, they cast not a snare upon them, but for that which is comly, 1 Cor. 7.35. But now our Bishops take as much upon them as the Pope, (viz.) to make nothing something, and to make the rules and institutions of Christ which is something, nothing in respect of their own traditions and Canons, and to make nothing somthing, that is to make their own Canons and traditions &c. which are nothing in comparison of the word of God, to set them above the word of God and punisheth the transgressors thereof with sorer punishments than the transgressors of the word of God, and thus they make their nothing something, and Christs something nothing. And thus they make sin to be no sin, and no sin to be sin, by their unjust Laws, and their diso­bedience to the Laws and institutions of Iesus Christ, may, not God justly complain as once he did of Israel, they have defiled the Land by their own way and by their doings, their way is before me as the uncleanness of a removed Woman, Ezek. 36.17. and chap 22.13. I have smitten my hand at thy dishmest gain which thou hast made, there is a conspiracy of her Prophets like roaring Lyons ravening the Prey, they have devoured Souls, they have taken the Treasure and pretious things, can our Prelates think that God will not thus charge them who have taken the treasure of the Church from those who are the true Church indeed and from Widows fatherless and other poor that should be releived with that treasure, it follows her Priests have violated my Law, as you see in this page above, they have prophaned mine holy things, they have put no difference between the holy and prophane, neither have shewed difference between the unclean and the clean, except it be in countenancing the prophane and unclean and discountenancing the holy and the clean, see the 25. and 26. vers.

Mr. Tin­dall. Mr. Tindall an English Man, and a Martyr in Flanders, petitioned to King Hen. 8. to have compassion on his Subjects, that the Realm should not utterly perish, through the wicked counsel of his pestilent Pre­lates, for saith he, the cause of false Preachers is the cause that the people have not love to the truth, being kept ignorant of the truth through their neglect in not preaching the truth

Mr. Hoo­kers E­piscopus Divinus. Mr. Hooker in the second part of his Survey of Church disciplin page 23. he saith Episcopus is threefold, Divinus Humanus, Satanicus.

First a Bishop by divine Institution is such an Officer as Christ hath set in his Church whose Office is set forth and discovered in the word of God, and such are Pastors and Doctors and Teachers. Tit. [...] 7. and 1 Tim. 5.17. Episcopus and Presbyter is one thing in Scripture sence.

Episco­pus Hu­manus. Secondly Episcopus Humanus is a president or moderator chosen by consent of Ministers meeting and consulting about the affairs of their Churches in their common consociations, to whom it appertaineth to moderate the actions of the assembly, to propound things to be agi­tated to gather voices, to pronounce the Sentence which passeth by com­mon approbation, and he had no more but his equal suffrage with the rest and when the action was ended he was but in equal honour with the rest, and it may be in less respect, in regard of years or gifts and yet to leave this constantly upon one man it is perillous and might be an inlet to worse inconveniences than at first could have been suspected.

Episco­pus Sa­tanicus. Thirdly Episcopus Satanicus is such an Episcopus, which the enemy Satan, acting the Pride and suiting the Soveraignity of the Spirits of men hath by a misterous way successively and secretly brought into the Church that so he might Midwife Antechrist into the world, this being the next step to that man of sin, and he becomes Princepe Episcopus who by his Insolencie hath arrogated and assumed and at last confirmed even a Monarchicall power unto himself, and however the Pope who is Universal Bishop, is the man of sin, yet the Bishop especially when he is ascended to his Arch Bishops Chair is the same, but only con­sidered in his minority as the Child of sin, or the man of sin in his Childhood, for laying aside the rankness of those extravagancies of the Popes temporal power, or that power in temporalities, it will appear that the Arch Bishops power in spiritualibus is of the same kind for he assumes a peerless power unto himself, that look what the King is to his Counsell which he takes unto himself for consultation, but the final determination and resolution lyes in his own bosome, Downam even so the Bishop is to his Inferior Clergie, he will hear them speak when he pleaseth to give them allowance, Bilson but it is in his own brest to [Page 67] cast the ballance which wayes seems best to himself: so say Downam Bilson and Saravia. Saravia

It is incredible that Christ should appoint such an high Officer in the Church; as the Lord Bishop or Diocosan Bishop, or Lord Primate or Lord Metropolitan to bear such an high handover the Church and people of God, and yet never give them any name in all the new Testa­ment whereby they should be known and distinguished from other Church Officers which Christ at his Assention gave for the perfecting of the Saints, for the work of the ministry, and for the edifying of the body of Christ. Eph. 4.11, 12, 13. Hence it is clear that they are no Gospel Creatures, nor their Authority and Jurisdictions were never instituted by Christ nor his Apostles, for Paul saith, Acts 20.20. that he kept back nothing that was profitable for the Church, but taught them both publickly and from house to house, and shunned not to declare unto them all the Counsel of God. verse. 27. And yet Paul hath not in all his Epistles named one of these Officers nor their offices.

God himself in the time of the Law prescribed all the Circumstances and Ceremonies, Officers and Offices that was to be used in his wor­ship and service and left not any thing to the will and devising neither of Moses nor Aaron nor any other, & God hath given Christ to be head to the Church Eph. 1.22. he is the head of all Principallity and power. Col. 2.10. So that Christ is Soveraign and Supream, the Sole and on­ly Lawgiver to the Church which is his Mistical body, to give Laws unto his Church both for the outward polity and inward purity of the same, in the duties of his worship and service; And I think it doth argue a very unworthy, If not blasphemous carriage towards Christ, for any man or men Inconsiderately to intrude upon Christs pre­rogative, to alter or change, to add or diminish from Christ the Lawgivers institutions, either for matter or manner, for Circumstan­ces or Ceremonies, Officers or Offices other than Christ gave at his Assention for the perfecting of the Saints. Eph. 4 11, 12, 13. For so to do is to condemn Christ of ignorance or of negligence, as if he knew not or cared not for ordering the affairs of his own house which God hath intrusted him with, but should leave it to sinful men who pre­sume to command things that Christ hath not prescribed to be done, under the name of indifferency, but I conceive that things indifferent, ought to be left to mens free choice to be done, or not to be done, but when those things which they call in­different are imposed by Mulcts and penalties, it changeth the nature of the thing and makes that which before was indif­ferent, [Page 68] to be of absolute necessi y, the which thing for any man or men to do (viz) to impose and command in the duties of Gods wor­ship that which Christ hath not commanded, it is to exalt them­selves above Christ, to impose and give Laws to the Church which Christ hath not given.

Mr. Per­kins Mr. Perkins saith in his first Volum Page 676. That if God be either represented or worshiped in at or before an Image he is presently transformed into an Idol and in Hab. 2.18. He saith that Images, which also in the same verse he calleth dumb Idols, they are teachers of lyes, because assoon as God is represented in an Image, he is deprived of his glory and changed into a bodily visible Circumscribed and finite Majesty, for so when the Children of Israel intended to worship God in the Golden Calf, they proclaimed to morrow is a holyday unto the Lord. Exod. 32. And yet the Psalmist saith in so doing, they changed or turned the glory of God into the Simi­litude of a beast that eateth Grass, Psal. 106.20.

Humain devised worship is Idola­trous Worship Now if to represent or worship God in at or before an Image be an Idolatrous worship, because God hath not any where in his word appointed nor required such a kind of worship, doth it not hence follow upon the same ground and reason, that to worship God by the traditions and devices and inventions of men, in a way that Christ nor his Apostles never instituted nor appointed, and this kind of worship also to be celebrated by Officers in the Church which neither Christ nor his Apostles did ever institute or appoint unto such Office, but they are also of mens devising, as Lord Pri­mate, Lord Metropolitan, Lord Arch-B shop, Lord-Bishops, Deans, Sub-Deans Dean and Chapter, Arch-Deacons, Sub-Deacons, Chancel­lors, Vice-Chancellors, Chanter, Sub-Chanter, Prebends, resident and non resident, Canons resident and non resident, Vicars-Corrals, Vicars Choristers, Curates, and a rabble of the like, the Spawn of Antechrist, and is not this as Idollatrous to worship God by such usurping Officers in a way of their own devising, as to worship God in at or before an Image, let wise impartial men judge for Mr. Perkins saith Page. 696 That the worship of God which is devised and taken up by men it is in deed and effect Idolatry, because it is a worship that God doth abhor and detest, who will precisely be worshiped according to his own word and institution, without any addition detraction or change, and it is so much the more Idolatrous because the Officers that do the service have not their Authority from God, but from men, as themselves have confessed.

Bishops and Pre­lates are the abo­minatie of desola­tion In 2 Cor. 44. Satan is called the God of this world because men obey his suggestions rather than Gods word, and in this respect also Antechrist the Pope is called God, because he more strictly en­joyneth men to obey his own traditions, then the very word of God saith Mr. Perkins Page. 681. And in this respect also our Bishops and Prelates make themselves Gods, because they presume to pre­scribe a form of worship to God which God hath not prescribed nor appointed, and so they set themselves in Gods stead, to order the affairs of Gods house as God, for none but God himself can prescribe the matter and manner of Gods worship, and yet our Bi­shops and Prelates do alter and change, do add and diminish in the duties of Gods worship both for matter and manner of worship and so make themselves Gods, and do a so more strictly enjoyn men to observe and obey their own Canons and constitutions than the very word of God, and do punish the transgressors of their Canons with greater punishments, than the transgressors of the word of God, and thus they do not only set themselves in Gods stead, and make them­selves Gods, but they exalt themselves above God, by punishing men for disobedience to their Canons, more than for disobedience to the Canons of holy Scripture, and thus our Lord Bishops and Prelates by their abhominable usurpation, they are the very abomination of desolation standing in the holy place, Matthew 24.15. VVhose readeth let him understand, and you will find that Bishops and Prelates are the ve­ry same.

Bishops ought to conform them­selves [...] the rule of Christ And therefore is it not high time, for Kings and Princes and Lords temporal &c. And a duty which God requires from them, having in­vested them with power to reform such abuses, the which can­not be done but by taking the usurped temporallities and tyths from Bishops and Prelates, and so to call them back from their erronius usurped wicked wayes and compel them to conform themselves and submit unto the rules and institutions of Jesus Christ and no longer suffer them by their usurped power to tyranize and constrain men against their Consciences to decline or forsake their conformity to the rules and institutions of Christ, and to conform to their wicked usurped Authority in their Idola­trous way of worship of their own devising, for mans inten­tion maketh not Gods worship saith Mr Perkins, but doing Gods will, and Gods will, is not to be worshiped by an immaginary devised formality of worship, which is but as an Image or represen­tation of Gods divine instituted worship, for we may not think to [Page 70] bind the presence of God, the operation of his Spirit, and his hearing and accepting of us, to any thing to which God hath not bound himself, either by word of Commandement or pro­mise, or both; now God hath not any where bound himself either by word or promise to hear us nor accept us in a formal way of worship of mens devising, but according to his own institution, for God is not worshipped, but when it is his will to accept of our worship, and it is not his will to accept of our worship, but when it is according to his own will and institution, and not according to our will and devising, for what God hath not instituted, he will not ac­cept of in any part of his worship, therefore we ought not to add nor diminish from Christs institution, though our pretences seem never so plausible in the conceit of men.

It was the real intention of the Israelites to worship the God of their Fore-fathers in the Golden Calf, and is was the intention of Je­roboam to do the like in the Calves at Dan and Bethel, and yet the holy Ghost gives his judgement upon them, that the Israelites worshipped the Molten Image, Psal. 106.19. And that Jeroboam sacrificed to the Calves that he had made, 1 King. 12.32. The reason why their worship was esteemed the worship of the Calves was, because they worshipped ac­cording to their own invention, and not according to Gods divine in­stitution, as in Psal. 106.39. They were defiled with their own works and went a Whoring with their own inventions, and can any Prelate give a reason why they might not as well worship after their own inventi­ons as our Bishops and Prelates may worship after their own inventi­ons and compel others to worship so too, was such a worship counted Idolatry in them, and will it not be counted Idolatry in us, what assu­rance can our Bishops give us to the contrary that in so worshipping we shall not be Idolaters by their invented way of worshiping an Idol.

For thus you see, that to worship according to mens inventions, it is by the holy Ghost counted Idolatry, therefore if you would have a right reformation, and a right conformity and unity in the Church in Religion, the right way to do it is to compel the Bishops and Prelates especially, and all others to conform themselves to the rules and insti­tutions of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. And this belongs especially to the King to cause it to be done, for he beareth not the Sword in vain, saith the Apostle, he is the Minister of God for good to those that do well, and for terror to those that do evil, for saith the Text, He is Gods Minister attending continually upon this very thing, Rom. 13. to verse the 7. He primarily hath power given him of God to break the power of wicked [Page 71] usurping Prelates and their carnal traditions and cannons, except by conniving at their usurped wickedness, we endanger our selves to par­take with them in their punishments, which God forbid.

Again when God is adored and worshipped according to mens in­vention, the worshippers are said to forget God, Psal. 106.21. though they think that they well remember him, the reason is because they forget his Commandements and institutions, for God commandeth that we shall not add nor diminish from his institutions, Deut. 4.2. Nor turn aside to the right hand or to the left, Deut. 28.14. And that if we do turn aside, all the curses from verse 15. to the 68. shall come upon thee, and o­ver take thee, for those that worship with a devised worship of their own invention, they do also worship a devised God of their own inven­tion, for such as the worship is, such is the God that is worship­ped: The Samaritanes worshipped the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and yet Christ saith of them, ye worship ye know not what, because they worshipped the true God in a way devised by men, Gods worship must be according to this na­ture, Heavenly, Divine, and Spiritual, but all devised wor­ship is according to the nature and disposition of the deviser, foolish, carnal, and vain, as Christ saith, In vaine do they worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Commandements of Men, Mat. 15.9 God will not have nor accept of any worship but such as himself hath appointed, mens intention to worship God is no­thing, unless they worship him according to his own will and appointment.

It is said 1 Cor. 10.20. The things which the Gentiles sacri­fice, they sacrifice unto Devils and not to God, and yet the wi­ser sort of the Gentiles, their intention was to sacrifice unto God in Images, and the Children of Israel who by the Commandement of God were to offer sacrifices unto the Lord yet they might not offer their sacrifices in every place as Deut. 12.13. Nor in any City or Field, but in the place which the Lord had chosen, name­ly at the Door of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, as in Leviticus 17.3, 4, 5. They must neither sacrifice any thing but what God had appointed to be sacrificed, nor in any other place but where God appointed, for if they did their sacrifice was accounted as sacrificing unto Devils. Leviticus 17. and 7. and in Deut. 32.17, 18. They sacrifice unto Devils, not to God, and forget God that formed them; now if the not observing of the place appointed for to sacrifice in did make such a diffe­rence, [Page 72] that the sacrifice offered in one place was accepted as offered unto God, and the same sacrifice offered in another place appoint­ed by men and not where God had appointed made the sacrifice to be reputed as offering sacrifice unto Devils as these Texts and others do prove.

Then is not this sufficient to convince any reasonable man, that to alter and change the worship of God from the rules and instituti­ons of Christ to the rules and Cannons of mens devising, and to force men so to worship, doth make a greater difference in the worship of God, than in the time of the Law to offer the same sacrifice in any other place but where God had appointed it to be sacrificed, and yet the very alteration and change of the place made the same thing sacrificed to be esteemed the sacrificing unto Devils, and not to God, have we not need then to take care that we keep close to the rules and institutions of Christ? I beseech all, especial­ly those who would have us to worship after the precepts and Com­mandements of men, to consider this, and to remember what our Sa­viour Christ saith, In vain do they worship me, teaching for Doctrine the Commandements of men, Mat. 15.9.

Christ saith, Matth. 11.29. Take my yoke upon you, now this yoke of Christ is, subjection to Gods word and will, and such as do not worship him according to his word and will, but according to their own will and humain devices and traditions, such persons casts off the yoke of Christ, and deny their subjection to him, which is the property of wicked men, and is as much as if they should say, who is the Almighty that we should serve, or be subject unto him, for true subjection is a resignation of our selves to the will and word of God; and that in all things and this is the right serving of God.

Mr. Perkins saith, Page. 699. That nothing may go under the name and worship of God, which God hath not ordained in his word and commanded us as his own worship, for when the Jews worshipped God after the devised fashion of the Gentiles, though their meaning was to worship nothing but God, yet they worshipped nothing but Devils, saith he; for all voluntary Religion and will worship is utterly condemned, therefore nothing may go under the name of Gods worship, but what God hath prescribed for the rule of divine worship, is not the will of him that worshippeth, but the will of him that is wor­shipped.

Again, if there be such a God, who will be worshipped ac­cording to the traditions and devices of men and hath promised his presence to hear and answer us in such a way of worship, then he hath either revealed himself, that he will hear us and accept us in such a way or he hath not revealed himself, let the Bishops and Prelates shew us the Scripture, where God hath promised his presence to hear and accept us in a way of worship of mans devising, and let the Commandement be shewed that bindeth us to worship so, but if the Bishops and Prelates cannot shew us any such Commandement that bindeth us so to worship, nor shew, us any promise of Gods presence to hear and accept of us in such a way, then ought not the Prelates to force us to such a kind of worship, neither ought we to obey them, nor have we any pro­mise to ground our faith upon, and whatsoever is not of faith is sin, Rom. 14.23. Radulph calls it Idolatry in manners to prefer the creature before the Creator, and so in Prelates to prefer their Canons and Inventions before the Canons of Scripture, and in­stitutions of Jesus Christ.

We all know that under the Law God required that Sacrifice Oblations and Incense should be offered unto him, but when they did not observe Gods way and order which he had or­dained and appointed, how they should be offered, but devised a way of their own, you shall hear what the Prophet Isaiah saith of such a devised worship, Isa. 66.3. He that killeth an Oxe, is as if he flew a man, he that sacrificeth a Lamb is as if he cut off a Dogs neck, he that offereth an Oblation as if he offered Swines blood, and he that burneth Incense as if he blessed an Idol, God esteem­eth no better of mens devised way of worship, as appears in the latter part of the verse. (viz.) They have chosen their own way, &c. Hence we may take notice how dan­gerous a thing it is for any, either to do it themselves, or to enjoyn others to worship God in a way of mens de­vising by humane traditions and Ceremonies and not to keep close to the rules and institutions of Christ, for Christ is the alone Soveraign Governour and Law-giver to prescribe Laws and rules to his Church, how he will be worshipped, he will have no [Page 74] fellows nor partners joyned with him in that work, and Christian Magistrates have power and authority given them by Christ, to command their Subjects and all under them to observe the rules and institutions of Christ, and that they turn not aside to the right hand or to the left, for Christ saith, in vain do they worship him, that worship him according to the Commandements of Men.

But perhaps some men may think, that men may prescribe rules for the outward form and duties of Gods worship by the example of David, in 1 Chron. who ordered the courses of the Priests and Levites, &c. How they should serve in the temple when Solomon had built it, and gave the pattern thereof unto So­lomon. But with submission to better judgements, I think David did not that as he was a King only, but as he was a Pro­phet and received the pattern thereof form God by his spirit, for so he saith, 1 Chron. 28.12. He gave to Solomon the pattern of all that he had by the Spirit, and in verse 19. All this, said David, the Lord made me understand in writing by his hand upon me even all the works of this pattern.

Some men think it a matter of nothing to frame a form of worship of their own devising, and think that God will be satis­fied and well pleased therewith, whereas God will accept of no worship neither for matter nor manner but what he hath institu­ted as you may see in Levit. 10.1. Nadab and Abihu, they thought it no great matter to take common fire, instead of fire from the alter to offer incense with unto the Lord, and yet for this very thing in not observing Gods appointment, in the man­ner of their burning of incense, there went out fire from the Lord and devoured them that they dyed, verse 2. For God will be sanctified, saith Moses, in them that come nigh unto him, ver. 3. This may teach all generations to the end of the world, how jealous God is in every part of his worship, that it be performed according to his own in­stitutions without alteration, or adding or diminishing after the devises of men, and shews us what need there is in reforming the Church, to make the word of God our Rule.

Hence it will follow that those that decline and forsake the means appointed us of God, for our edification and salvation, to imbrace other means prescribed by men, or to mix them with the institutions of Christ, how specious soever they seem to be in our eyes, and carnally flattering to be of more strength and effi­cacy to attain the end, yet they cannot, because they want the seal of divine approbation upon them, they will fail, as it is said of King Ahaz in his distress, he sent for Tilgath Philazer King of Assyria for to help him, and he came unto him, but distressed him, and helped him not, 2 Chron. 28.20.21. For unto the wicked, God said, what hast thou to do to declare my statutes or that thou shouldest take my covenant into thy mouth seeing thou hatest instruction and castest my word behind thee. Psal. 50.16.17. If thou wilt not be reform­ed to observe the Law of Christ thou hast no right nor authority from Christ to preach his Law nor to take his covenant in thy mouth.

Holing­shead. Hollingshead in his History of Scotland, pag. 183. saith that the superfluous possessions of the Church as they are now used are not only occasions to evil Prelates to live in most insolent pomp and corrupt life, but is as a N [...]t to draw Gold and Silver out of the Realm.

The Nobles of Bohemia in the councel of Basil propounded 20. Articles against the Prelates, of which there was four, which they said they would maintain until death, and one of those four was that the Pope, the Prelates and Clergy from the highest to the lowest, their temporal possessions and riches ought to be taken from them, and that they ought to be made poor as the Disciples of our Lord Jesus Christ was, who had no possessions in this world, neither worldly power, for the Clergy are but Admini­strators or Stewards of the Temporallities of the Church for the use of the poor, and what Temporallities the Clergy hath that doth not belong to the poor they have gotten by false indirect ways, either by promising that their prayers and masses should deliver the Souls of those that gave such Lands, out of purgatory, which they never could nor never can do, and therefore the condition failing, the Lands ought to return into the hands and possession of the King and Nobles, who are the successors of [Page 74] [...] [Page 75] [...] [Page 76] them that gave them, or else some of those Lands were gotten, by cursings and excommunications, as Pope Gregory the ninth ex­communicated Frederick the Emperour until he gave one hundred and twenty thousand ounces of Gold for his absolution, in Mr. Prynns book of the rebellion, conspiracies, treasons and seditions of Bishops, between page 293. and 298, you may read that the Bishops of Landusse from time to time excommunicated 7 or 8. Kings, and 12 other of the Gentry, and some gave 2. some 3. or 4. or 5. peices of Land to the Bishops for their absolutions, and this was one way how bishops and Prelates come by their Tem­porallities, and therefore the King and Lords, &c. may justly take their unjust gotten lands from them and make them more conformable to Christ and his Apostles.

Arch bi­shop of St. Andrews his Re­cantation And to shew the unlawfulness both of bishops Temporallities and jurisdictions, some of the bishops when they were in their right wits recanted, as Patrick Adamson, Arch-bishop of St. An­drews in Scotland, made his Recantation in the Synod of Fife. A­pril the 8. 1591. in these words following I confess with a sincere mind, without colour or fraud, that I have formerly erred in this, that I thought the Goverment of the Church to be like the Regiment of Terrene Kingdoms, expresly against the precept of Christ our Lord, and that the monarchy whereby the Church is governed did not rest in the person of Christ our Saviour alone, as it doth in truth, but likewise in the Ministers, who yet are no­thing else but vassals and Clerks under Christ and equal among themselves, and lastly, I confess that the office of a bishop as now it is used and claimed is destitute from all authority from Gods word, and founded only upon the politick device of men, out of which the primacy of the Pope or Ante-christ is sprung, and it is deservedly to be condemned, &c.

bishop of Dunkel his recan­tation. In like manner Alexander Lindsay bishop of Dunkell in the year, 1639. did also make his recantation at St. Andrews the 24 of Janu­ary, as he had formerly done at Glascow the 21 of November, where he did freely submit himself, and lay down saith he my pretended office of Episcopacy as pretended bishop of Dunkell, and declare the said office of Episcopacy as it hath been used in the kirk of Scotland, to be adjured by the confession of faith, therefore wit [Page 77] ye me to have demitted quite claim, &c. the foresaid pretended office of Episcopacy of Dunkel, with the whole title, stile, name, and dignity thereof, power of ordination, jurisdiction, voice in Parliament and all usurpation of the same in time to come, and do faithfully promise, and by these presents bind and oblige me ne­ver to exercise nor use the said pretended office, nor any other power ecclesiastical, belonging, usurped, or claimed to belong to the same pretended office, which I acknowledge ought to be ab­jured and removed, and the whole premisses I heartily acknow­ledge as I will answer to God, in testimony hereof I have subscri­bed these presents with my hand, &c,

Now to conclude; John Huss a Martyr at constance, he prophesied that the light of the Gospel should break out a hundred years after his death, which was fulfilled in Lu­ther, whom God stirred up a hundred years after, there is another Antient Prophesie which some think was by John Huss also, which Prophesie is, That the Church cannot be reduced to its former dignity and reformed untill all things be made new, the former dignity of the Church is, to have the same Officers for quality that Christ and his Apostles instituted, and to have Episcopacy and all the rabble depend­ing thereon, plants which our heavenly Father hath not plant­ed, rooted up, for so long as they stand the Church cannot be reduced to its former dignity, neither in doctrine nor disci­pline, because these Church Officers, as they are esteemed, are not of God, but usurpers and other the like in the Roman Church, who are not of Gods, but of humain institution, they mix their humain devices with the Laws and institutions of Christ, and so defile and polute the Ordinances of Christ, much like un­to those Nations which Sholmanezer King of Assyria placed in the Cities of Samaria, every Nation made Gods of their own and yet it is said of them that they feared the Lord and served their own Gods, 2 Kings 17.29 33. Just so the Pope and Prelates make Gods of their own, or devise a way of their own to worship God by, which is all one, for a devised wor­ship of men, which Christ hath nor appointed may justly in Scripture fence be said to be an Idol worship, and so they may be said to fear the Lord and serve or worship their own Gods or Idols, a worship of their own making; for did ever Heathen dote more upon their Idols, than Popes and Prelates dotes on their own devised way of worship: ye shall saith Moses from God, walk after the Lord your God and keep his Commandments and obey his voice, and that Prophet or dreames of dreams shall be put to death that speaks to [...]hou [...] [...] out of the way which the Lord thy God commanded thee to walk in, Deut. 13.4, 5. What then shall be done to those dreaming drones that not only speak but make Laws and command Gods people to turn out of the way that Christ [Page 79] hath appointed them to walk in, to have them to walk in the Ceremoniall wayes and appointments of men. This doth imply as much as to say, go and serve other Gods, serve him with a worship which he hath not appointed, for to be com­pelled by Laws and penalties to leave the Commandments of Christ, to follow the Commandments of men, is no other than to serve other Gods, the Lord saith, that such an one, if it be a Brother, a Son or a Daughter, or a Wife, thine eye shall not pity, neither shalt thou spare nor conceale, but thou shalt kill him, thou shalt stone him with stones that he dye, because he hath sought to thrust thee away from the Lord thy God, ver. 8.10.

The Lord threatened by the Prophet Zeph. that he would cut off Man and beast, and the stumbling block with the wicked and them that worship and that swear by the Lord, and that swear by Malcham, Zeph. 1.3.5. To swear by the Lord in truth in judgement and in righteosness as Jer. 4.2. Being Law­fully called to swear, it is one part of Gods worship, but to swear by Malcham or other things is Idolatrous, for so the thing that is sworn by is made an Idol and set in Gods stead and honour given unto it as to be the searcher of the heart and to witness that, what is sworn is truth, and so it is in other parts of Gods worship, if we keep not close to Gods word, but devise a way of worship which Christ hath not prescribed, it is Idolatrous as well as to swear by Malcham, it is the stumbling block of the wicked, for diminish ought from his word, which also is to be under­stood of his worship, for it is not found in the Scripture that Christ hath given power to any man or men to add or dimi­nish to any part of his worship from his institutions either in the old Testament or the New, to swear by Mal­cham &c. The thing that is sworn and affirmed may be true and yet the oath is sinful and Idolatrous, because it is not Gods way that he hath instituted that oaths should be given and taken, God saith of the Rebellious and wicked Jews, though they swear the Lord liveth surely they swear falsly, why so, because their [Page 80] swearing was vain and customary and not in such a way as God had appointed oaths to be taken, and therefore he reckon'd it a false oath though the thing they swore was true: The Lord doth live, and so men may devise a way to worship God, and snatch here and there a sentence or two of Scripture and mangle it in pieces and then patch it together to make up a form to please themselves and it may be some others, and though the words for the matter of them are words of truth, yet this also is sinful as to swear by Mal­cham or as the wicked Jews to swear the Lord liveth, Because Christ hath not any where instituted such a way of worship to jumble a many texts fetcht here and there together to make a form of worship, though the words themselves be good yet they were not ordained for such an end, nor we have neither precept nor ex­ample from Christ nor his Apostles so to use them, but from An­techrist the Pope such example may be taken by them that please; Conjurers, Witches and Charmers use or rather abuse good words, for they often times mutter over the Creed and our Lords Prayer and several texts of Scripture to work their feats, but God hath not trusted us with the Scriptures for such ends especially not that those who can please themselves with such a form, should im­pose the same upon all others by penalties of imprisonment or banishment or the like as hath been done to some.

And therefore it is impossible that ever there can be any right reformation or that the Church can be reduced to its primitive purity and dignity so long as the Bishops and Prelates bears such a sway both in the Church and Common wealth, until God put it into the hearts and minds of Kings, Princes, and Lord [...] &c. and to take away the temporalities and tyths from Bishops, Pre­lates, and Clergie which they have so long usurpingly and unjust­ly detained from the King and Nobles and not performed the con­ditions for which their predecessors gave them, and sacraligiously kept to their own use what was given for the use of the Poor, and so reduce them first to live after the examples of Christ and his Apostles according to the rule of the new Testament of Jesus Christ which is the thing I am now to shew, and not after the exam­ple of Antechrist as now they do and will do if they may be suffered.

It may rationally be imagined that the Prelates and Clergy will say, that if temporallities and tythes be taken from them how shall they then live.

I answer, that such an objection will argue want of faith in the objector, for can they pretend that they can trust God with the salvation of their Souls, and can they not trust God with their bodies, for food and rayment in the way of Gods appointment, unless they carve out a portion for themselves by dishonest gain, we must not presume to be wiser then God, to think that we can prescribe a better way for the maintenance of Gospel Ministers, than Christ hath prescribed to his Apostles, and they practiced, indeed I confess that mans way to be maintained by Lands and Tythes is a fit way for Theeves and Robbers that comes not in an the door by Christ into the Sheep-fold, but comes in at the Win­dow or some other way by Anti-christs invention to rob and steal, as I knew a pretended Minister that said, he cared not if the De­vil had the flock, so that he had the fleece, maintenance by Lands and Tythes are fit only for such and none else, and Christs way of maintenance, which I shall shew anon, is most fit for Christs Ministers, who come into the Sheep-fold at the door by Christ, for such Ministers will neither teach nor provoke the people to any manner of Ceremonial worship, which they have not learned from Christ, and which he and his Apostles hath not instituted, nei­ther will they presume to seek their maintenance in unwarrantable ways, contrary to the precepts and example of Christ and his Apostles, for if they do, they do thereby lay an imputation upon the wisdom and holiness of Christ, as if he had not in his word sufficiently provided for his own worship, and for their mainte­nance except men will presume to be wiser then God.

If Ministers would approve themselves to be true Gospel Mi­nisters of Jesus Christ, by following his example, and live as he lived, then here is an example for them to follow, first Christ was poor as to worldly things, for he saith of himself, the foxes have holes, and the birds of the Air have nests, but the Son of Man, who is also the Son of God, hath not where to lay his head, Mat. 8.20. but thus it pleased him to be an example of poverty and humility to all Gospel Ministers to follow his steps, that we by his poverty might be made rich in faith and good works.

Secondly, he suffered hunger, and went to the Fig-tree expect­ing to find fruit thereon but found none, Mark 11.12.13. and at another time after his Resurrection he asked his Apostles, have ye here any meat, and they gave him a piece of a broyled fish, and of an honey comb, and he did eat, Luk. 24.42.43. Thirdly, he was wearyed with travelling on foot, he had not his Coach and 4 or 6 horses as our Bishops have, you may know them by their fruits, whether they belong to Christ or Anti-christ, Christ was also thirsty, and asked water of a woman to drink, Joh. 4.6.7. but our Prelates drinks the best Wines. Fourthly, Christ had his maintenance by the charitable bounty and benevolence of the people, amongst whom was Mary Magdalen, and Joanna the Wife of Chusa Herods Steward, and Susanna and many others who ministred to him of their substance, Luke 8.3. And this is the way that Christ hath ordained should have their maintenance, namely by the bountiful and cha­ritable devotion of the people unto whom they minister, Learn of me saith Christ, for I am meek and lowly in heare, and ye shall find rest to your Souls, for the Disciple is not above his Master, nor the Ser­vant above his Lord, Mat. 10.24. If Christ were so poor, why should Prelates and Priests be so rich, if Christ and his Apostles suffered hunger and thirst as Paul saith of himself and the rest of the Apostles, 1. Cor. 4.11. That they did both hunger and thirst and were naked and buffeted, and had no certain dwelling place, why then should Prelates and Priests be so full and so gorgeously apparrelled and have such stately pallaces setled on them for their lives. If Christ and his Apostles were wearied with travelling on foot, as Paul faith, 2 Cor. 11.27. That he was often in weariness and painfulness, &c. Why should Prelates and Priests have their Coaches and great horses, and if Christ and his Apostles had their maintenance by the charitable devotion of the people, why should Prelates and Priests have such large revenues of temporallities and tythes, this is to make the Disciple above his Master and the Servant above his Lord, contrary to the words of Christ, Mat. 10.24.

For according to this example, when Christ sent forth his twelve Apostles to preach, he commanded them, and in them all others that are right Gospel Ministers, saying, Provide neither [Page 83] Gold nor Silver nor Brass in your Purses, nor Scrip for your journey, neither two Coats &c. for the workman is worthy of his meat, Mat. 10.9.10. and in Luk. 10.7. Eat and drink such things as they give, but Christ did not bid them, if the people did not give, that they should take it by force of Law, as the practice of Prelates and Priests is, whereby they, like the Sons of Eli, make the offering to be abhorred, this is not Christs but Anti-christs way for main­tenance of ministers, Christ only bids the Apostles, that those who would not receive them, to shake off the dust of their feet for a testimony against them, but yet with this threatning, that it shall be more tol­lerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the day of Judgement, than for those people that receive not Gods messengers, nor allows them not main­tenance out of their substance. Thus you see men are bound under pain of damnation, to give Christs Ministers sufficient mainte­nance, for God hath ordained that they which preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corn, for saith Paul, if we have sown unto you spiritual things, is it a great thing if we reap your carnal things, 1 Cor. 9.9.11.14. And yet this must not be exacted by Law or constraint, but as a matter of bounty, that every man as he purposeth in his heart, so saith the Apostle, Let him give, not grudg­ingly, or of necessity for God loveth a chearful giver, 2 Cor. 9.7. but this I say, He that soweth sparingly, shall reap sparingly, and he which soweth bountifully shall reap bountifully, God will prosper his endea­vours so much the more.

If Churches might have leave from the supream magistrates according to the word of God to elect and chuse their own mini­sters, then as Paul saith, If any provide not for their own, he hath de­nyed the faith and is worse then an Infidel, 1 Tim. 5.8. for their choo­sing of him to be their pastor, makes him to be related to them as one of their house, and as he layes out his time and strength and tallent for the good of the Church, so the Church should joyntly make provision for him and his family for the things of this life, that as he sowes unto them spiritual things so he ought to reap their car­nal things, and this is not a matter of liberty or courtesie which may be done or left undone, but it is a duty, a work of justice un­to which the Church is called and bound in conscience to perform, [Page 84] so that provision in this kind is wages and not benovolence, so when Christ sent forth his Apostles, he bids them not to be solicitous for relief, for the workman is worthy of his wages, Luke 10.7.

The Apostle Paul in 1 Cor. 9. determines this by the verdict of all Laws, look at the law of nature, Thou shalt not muzzle the mouth of the Oxe, &c. Look at the Law of Nations who goeth a warfare a [...] his own charge, look at the Law of God, he hath ordained that those who preach the Gospel should live of the Gospel, this is the way to make good and laborious Ministers, for no preaching, no wages and this wages ought to be so plentiful and comfortable, col ected by the people and given to the minister that he may im­ploy his time, his strength and study, and attend upon the work of the Lord without destraction, 1 Cor. 7.35. For if he should be straitned so as to be put to bestow his time and thought on the week dayes to provide Bread for his family, how shall he be able to provide spiritual food for the Church upon the Lords day.

And such Ministers as can live by faith in a holy dependance upon Christs promise, that in seeking first the Kingdom of Heaven and the righteousness thereof, that all other things shall be added. Mat. 6.33. No doubt but God will both open the hearts and hands of the people to give bountifully unto such Ministers; And indeed, he that is a right Gospel Minister called of God to his Office, his faith will bear him up against all difficulties and opposition whatsoever, with the Prophet Habbakkuk, who said, although the Fig-tree should not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the Vine, the labour of the Olive shall fail, and the Fields shall yeild no meat, the Flock shall be cut off from the Fold, and there shall be no Herd in the Stalls, yet saith he I will rejoyce in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation. Hab. 3.17, 18.

Now as touching the order how this maintenance may be rai­sed for the Ministers, there is one text most pregnant and carries most conclusive evidence to direct and determine in this case, Gala. 6.6. let him that is taught in the word communicate to him that teacheth in all good things, that is of all good things that is commu­nicable, and may Lawfully be communicated, A man may have one room to lodge in, one servant to attend him, one Coat to co­ver him, so much provision as will only supply his own necessity, and these cannot be made common.

But whatsoever good things we may make common, if we have to serve our selves and to spare, every man should commu­nicate according to his place and portion, that God hath bestowed upon him, whether Mony, Corn, Cattle, the Fruit of Orchards, Gardens, Wool, Flax, or Cloathing for him and his, &c. whatso­ever may be either for necessity, or comfort, that God casts in occasionally which may be communicated, they should give some part thereof, towards the maintenance of their Ministers, yet this is not to be levyed by compulsion, but every man is to give as God shall inlarge their hearts, and open their hands to so good a work, for he that Soweth liberally shall Reap liberally, and he that Soweth sparingly shall Reap sparingly, he that giv­eth saith Paul let him do it with simplicity or liberally, and he that sheweth mercy with chearfulness, 1 Tim. 6.8. And our Saviour saith give and it shall be given unto you, good measure, &c. Luk. 6.38. And as he said in another case, freely ye have received, freely give, for whatsoever we have it is the gift of God, charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not high minded, nor trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy, 1. Tim. 6.17. And if we use not well what he hath given us, he can when he will take it from us, unless he give it as a snare to try how men will use it.

This I conceive to be the Gospel rule for maintenance for Ministers, that every one that is taught in the word, ought to communicate to him that teacheth according to their abillity this may be further inlarged upon if there be occasion, but there is a­nother Gospel duty which is too much neglected, and that is the ministring to the poor Saints, which was so frequently and so li­berally used in the Apostles days, that Paul in 2 Cor. 9.1. said as touching the ministring to the Saints, it was superfluous for him to write unto them, for he knew the forwardness of their minds to that duty, for he had in his former Epistle given them direction, how this duty should be performed in 1 Cor. 16.1, 2. Now concerning the Colection for the Saints, as I have given order to the Churches of Gallatia, even so do ye, upon the first day of the week, let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him that their be no gathering when I come. The giving of alms is a duty well pleasing to God, to do [Page 86] good and to distribute forget not, for with such sacrifice God is well pleas­ed. And Solomon saith there is that scattereth and yet increaseth, and there is that with holdeth more then is meet, but it tendeth to poverty the liberall soul shall be made fat, and he that watereth, shall be watered also himself, Prov. 11.24, 25. again he saith, cast thy bread upon the waters thou shalt find it after many days, by waters is meant peoples and multitudes, as in Rev. 17.15. Give a potion to seven and also to eight for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon earth, Eccles. 11.1, 2. Some have thought that this Colection ought to be the tenth part of every mans profit, but whether it be so or not, this the Scriptures assure us off, that he which soweth sparingly shall reap spa­ringly, and he that soweth bountifully, shall reap bountifully, 2 Cor. 6.6. as it is written, he hath dispersed and given to the Poor, his righte­ousness remaineth for ever, Psal. 112.9.