Augustine of Hippo; Ambrose of Millain: all of these most notable instruments for the advancement of God's honour and glory in their days. Finally, from the apostles' days hitherto there never wanted a succession of bishops, neither in the east nor western churches, albeit there have been from time to time both marprelates, and mock-prelates, to supplant their states, and illprelates abusing their functions and places, to the discredit of their calling and profession. So provident hath the Almighty been for the augmentation of his glory, and people, by this kind and calling of men. The errors and adversaries unto this truth. This manifesteth the erroneous and evil minds, 1. Of the Anabaptists', who condemn all superiority among men, saying, That every man should be equal for calling; and that there should be no difference of persons among Christians. 2. Of the old heretics, viz. the Contobaptites2, which allowed of no bishops. The Acephalians3, who would not be at the command, or yield obedience unto bishops. The Aerians, that equalled bishops and priests, making them all one. The Apostolicks, which condemned prelacy. 3. Of the late schismatics, namely, [1 Bonorum quoque communionem et humanitati cum primis esse consentaneum, ut et dignitate sint omnes æquales, docebat (Muncerus) et conditione liberi, et promiscue bonis omnibus utantur.-Sleidan. Comment. Argentorat. 1555. Lib. v. fol. 65.] [ ....οὓς (sc. ἐπισκόπους) οἱ Κοντοβαβδίται μόνοι οὐ δέχονται.—Niceph. Eccl. Hist. Lut. Par. 1630. Lib. xv. cap. 49. p. 876. d.] [3 Pertinet et hæc secta ad Severitas, dicta Acephalorum, ut inquit Nicephorus; quia sub episcopis non fuerunt.-Magdeburg. Eccl. Hist. Basil. 1562, &c. Cent. vII. c. 5. fol. 124. Οἱ δὲ καὶ Ἀκέφαλοι ὠνομάζοντο· οἳ τὸ ἑνωτικὸν τοῦ βασιλέως Ζηνώνος οὐ προσίευτο, οἷς μὴ τῷ ἀναθέματι καὶ τὴν ἁγίαν τετάρτην καθυπέβαλε σύνοδον. διὰ δὲ τὸ ὑπὸ ἐπισκόποις μὴ ἄγεσθαι, Ακέφαλοι ωνομάσθησαν.Niceph. Eccl. Hist. Lib. XVIII. cap. 45. p. 869. See also Evagrius, Hist. Eccl. Lib. I. cap. 14.] [...cum esset presbyter (Aerius), doluisse fertur quod episcopus non potuit ordinari.... Dicebat etiam presbyterum ab episcopo nulla differentia debere discerni. -August. Opp. Paris. 1836. Tom. vIII. col. 55. A. Liber de Hæres. cap. 53. See also Epiphan. Opp. Paris. 1622. Tom. 1. Hæres. lxxv. p. 904.] [5 The Apostolici, or Henricians, a sect in the time of S. Bernard. After tuum, &c. The Jesuits, who cannot brook episcopal pre-eminence; Declar. moand in their high court of reformation have made a law for c. 20. Quodlibets, the utter abrogation of all episcopal jurisdiction". p. 142. on Rom. xii. p. 29. The Disciplinarians or Puritans among ourselves. For They abhor, and altogether do loath the callings of arch- Fruct. Ser. bishops, bishops, &c., as the author of the Fruitful Sermon p. 37.. doth, and say, that by the prelatical discipline the liberty Assert. Polit. of the church is taken away, and that, instead of arch- Admon. to bishops and bishops, an equality must be made of ministers 10. They term the differences of ministers, A proud ambitious Discov. of D. superiority of one minister above another11; and archbishops p. 37. and bishops they call the supposed governors of the church Dis. Epist. of England 12. the Parliam. Ban. ser. Demon. of ded. 46, 82, 83. Some of them will not have bishops to be obeyed either Mar. thes. when they cite, or when they inhibit, or when they excommunicate 13. Some of them have not only archbishops and bishops, but also parsons and vicars in detestation. For in the end. Miles Monopodios numbereth parsons and vicars among the Sold, of Bar. hundred points of popery yet remaining in our church 14. charging them with denying infant baptism, purgatory, &c., he proceeds: Jam vero qui ecclesiam non agnoscunt, non est mirum si ordinibus ecclesiæ detrahunt,... Peccatores, inquiunt, sunt apostolici, archiepiscopi, episcopi, presbyteri, ac per hoc nec dandis nec accipiendis idonei sacramentis.-Bernard. Opp. Paris. 1667. Tom. III. col. 111. In Cantic. Serm. LXVI. § 11.] [ This reference the editor has been unable to verify.] [ I told you before, if you remember, that they (the Jesuits) have made a Puritanian division of the ecclesiastical state in their high Council of Reformation for England: wherein, amongst other things, a statute is made for abrogation of all episcopal diguity.-A Decacordon of Quodlibetical Questions, 1602. p. 142.] [8 Even so is it with the church and spouse of Christ in England. For as she is grieved for the lack of those parts which are wanting: so she abhorreth and loatheth such as are abounding: as, namely, the callings, Arch-Bp., Deans, Archdeacons, Deacons, Chancelers, Comissaries, officials, and all such as be rather members and parts of the whore and strumpet of Rome than of the pure virgin and spouse of the immaculate Lamb.-Fruitful Sermon upon the 3, 4, &c. verses of Rom. xii. Lond. 1589. pp. 33, 4.] [ This reference has not been found.] [10 Instead of an Archbishop or Lord-bishop you must make equality (2 Cor. 10. 7. Coloss. 1. 1. Philip. 1. 1. 1 Thess. 1.1.) of ministers.-An Admon. to the Parliament. fol. A. 5.] [ A Brief Discovery of the Untruths and Slanders against Reformation, &c. contained in D. Bancroft's Sermon, p. 37.] [12 See, A Demonstration of Discipline. The Dedication is, "To the Supposed Governours of the Church of England, the Archbyshops, lord Byshops, Archdeacons, and the rest of that order."] [13 See above, p. 310, note 2.] [14 "The Parson” and “the Vicar” are mentioned among “An hundred pointes 1 Admon. to the Parliam. Bar. discov. p. 54. Burges' before his Apology. Others say, That birds of the same feather, viz. with archbishops and bishops, and parsons and vicars1. Barrow publisheth, that parsonages and vicarages be in name, office and function, as popish and antichristian as any of the other 2. It is therefore an egregious untruth, that Puritans (or king James which is equivalent, the good men, the faithful and innocent ministers, for so do they style themselves) affect not any popularity or parity in the church of God, as some of them would make his majesty believe3. D. Fulk against the Rhem. fol. 39. Proposition II. Whosoever be or shall be confirmed or ordered according to the rites of the Book of Consecration of archbishops and bishops and Ordering of priests and deacons, they be rightly, orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered. Archbishops, bishops, and ministers, which according to the Book of Consecration be, or shall be consecrated or ordered, they are consecrated and ordained rightly, orderly and lawfully, because afore their consecration and ordination they be rightly tried or examined; by imposition of hands, needful and seasonable prayers, they be consecrated and ordained: and all this is performed by those persons, that is, by bishops, to whom the ordination and consecration of bishops and ministers was always principally committed1; and also after the same form and fashion (corruptions being afore taken away and removed) as bishops and priests afore the reign of King Edward the sixth formerly were. of poperie which deforme the Englishe reformation."-A pleasaunt Dialogue between a Souldier of Barwicke and an English Chaplaine. 1581. fol. L. 5.] ['And birds of the same feather are covetous patrons of benefices, parsons, vicars, readers, parish priests, &c.--that under the authority of their masters (i.e. the bishops, archbishops) spoil their flocks of the food of their souls.-An Admon. to the Parliament. fol. B. 5.] [2 Barrow's Discovery of the False Church, 1590. p. 54.] [3 This reference has not been found.] [4 The passage intended is probably this: ...for order and seemly government, there was always one principal to whom, by long use of the church, the name of Bishop or Superintendent hath been applied....Therefore although in scripture a Bishop and an Elder is of one order and authority in preaching, &c.....yet in government, by ancient use of speech, he is only called a Bishop....to whom the ordination or consecration by imposition of hands was always principally committed.-Fulke's New Test. I ond. 1617. Note on Tit. i. 5. fol. 718, 19.] The adversaries unto this truth. Well therefore may they disgorge their stomachs, but trouble our consciences they shall never, which condemn or deprave our callings, as do c. 31, § 2. 1. The Family of Love", which dislike, and labour to H. N. Evang. make contemptible, the outward admission of ministers. 2. The Papists, who say their pleasure of the bishops and ministers of the church of England, and of other reformed churches. reas. None is to be admitted for a bishop, (say they) which is Howlet's 7 not ordained by imposition of three or four (Romish) catholic bishops at the least, of which none are to be found among the Protestants 6. An. John x. Whosoever taketh upon him to preach, to minister sacra- Test. Rhem. ments, and is not ordered of a true catholic (that is, a popish) î. bishop, to be a curate of souls, parson, bishop, &c., he is a thief and a murderer". 2 part. 3. 8, Answer to the Exec. Ibid. chap 7, Our bishops and ministers, they are not come in by the Stapl. Fort. door (saith Stapleton); they have stolen in like thieves; they be p.141. unordered apostates, pretended, and sacrilegious ministers, c. 3, p. 41. intruders, mere laymen, and not priests, because, first, they p.148. have received none under 10 orders; and next, they are not or- p. 211. dained by such a bishop, and priest, as the catholic (Roman) p. 171. church hath put in authority 11. 3. The Puritans. For they write, that The bishops of our church have none ordinary calling of [5 Christians signify unto us, Those that are anointed. For the Holy ones of Christ were in times past so named, which were anointed (Act. 2. a.) with the holy Spirit of Christ to priests or elders of the holy understanding.-H. N. Evang. Reg. c. XXXI. § 2, p. 73.] [6...(The Catholic church) admitteth no man for bishop which is not ordained by imposition of three or two catholic bishops' hands at the least. Of all which things none are to be found amongst the Protestants.-A Brief Discours, &c. Douay, 1581. Reas. vII. p. 41. b. See above, p. 239, note 4.] [7 Test. Rhem. Rhemes, 1582. Annot. Joh. x. 1. p. 250, where, to preach without lawful sending, and is not canonically ordered.] [8 Stapleton, Fortresse of the Faith, Antwerpe, 1565. Part II. cap. 8. p. 141, with a slight verbal difference.] [9 (Card. Alan's) Sincere and Modest Defence, &c. against the Exec. of Justice, &c., where in chap. 7, p. 148, pretended ministry: chap. 9, p. 211, sacrilegious ministries: chap. 8, p. 171, First and foremost for the clergy...it is wholly destained and destroyed...as these other good fellows their intruders have lived in joy and felicity.] [10 Other, the later editions.] [ See above, p. 239, note 4.] Ibid. cap. 9, Ibid c. 8, Howl. 7 reas. sect. 1. T. C. def. 21, God, and function in the scriptures, for to exercise1. They are not sent of God; they be not the ministers of Jesus Christ, by whom he will advance his gospel2. Dial of the Strife, præf. 1 Admon. to the Parliament. Fruct. Ser. on Rom. xii. Inferior ministers, they are not (say they) according to God's word either proved, elected, called or ordained3. Hence the church of England wanteth (say they) her pastors and teachers1, and hence they urge divers afore ordained to seek 3B. c. 14, p. at their classis a new approbation", which they term the Lord's Ordinance, and to take new callings from classical ministers, renouncing their calling from bishops. 113. Ibid. ARTICLE XXXVII. Of the Civil Magistrate. (1) The King's Majesty hath the chief power in this realm of England, and other his dominions, (2) unto whom the chief government of all estates of this realm, whether they be Ecclesiastical or Civil, in all causes doth appertain, and is not, nor ought to be subject to any foreign jurisdiction. Where we attribute to the King's Majesty the chief government, by which titles we understand the minds of some slanderous folks to be offended; (3) we give not to our prince the ministering either of God's word, or of the Sacraments; the which thing the injunctions also, sometime set forth by Elizabeth our (late) Queen, do most plainly testify; [1 A Replie to an Answere, &c. by T. C. p. 21.] [2 A Dialogue Concerning the Strife of our Churche. Lond. 1584. Pref. p. 4.] [3 An Admon. to the Parliam. fol. A. 2.] [ The Church of God in England (dear Christians)...wanteth her Pastors, Teachers, Elders, Deacons, and her attenders upon the poor, &c.-Fruitful Sermon on 3, 4, &c. verses of Rom. xii. Lond. 1589. pp. 32, 3.] [5 The first degree they have entered into is this, that, teaching all ministers which are called according to the order of the church of England to be unlawful, they do urge such as they dare trust (and who are ministers already) to seek at their classis a new approbation which they term the Lord's Ordinance.-English Scottizing, for Discipline by Practise, the Third Book of Disciplinary Grounds and Practises, cap. xiv. p. 113. The Title of the work is, Dangerous Positions and Proceedings, &c. for the Presbyterial Discipline, by Richard Bancroft, &c. Lond. 1640.] [They renounce the calling they have had of the bishops: and do take it again from the approbation of the classis.-Ibid.] |