those men that Robbed and destroyed their mother, the Church of England; The Pope perswaded the Kings of
England, that he was the universal Governour of the Church, and he received the revenue of first Fruits and Tenths
from the Clergie which was due to the Crown, and the four orders of Fryars perswaded the people that tythes were
given ex debito Charitatis, and not ex debito Justiciae to the Secular Preists, and so got several grants of them to
themselves for their Spiritual labours, the other supernumerary orders of Monks and Nuns further perswaded
the Layety to make Arbitrary Consecrations of Tythes to their Abbies, and Monastries, and to appropriate several
Churches and Lands to their foundations of reputed Clergie, Who by allowing severall salaries to their stipendaries
for serving the Cure, gave advantage to Covetous men (upon the dissolution to dispoyle the Church) who
took grants of those impropriate Tythes, and turned them into Lay-••ees, which was done more through
the defect of Councils then any force of Adversaries, in subjecting that Revenue of the Church to their humane
titles, supposing the property that God hath in them might be changed to their own uses by such contracts.
Whereupon several poor scandalous Livings have since made scandalous Ministers. That in many parts of the North, and
West, of England, the Vicars are necessitated to sell Ale, or go to their day-labour, for the subsistance of themselves, and
their Families. A grave Spaniard landing in King Edward the Sixths time, neer the Ruins of an old Abbie by the sea
coast, perceived a poor Clergie-man hedging in of his Glebe land, the Spaniard to satisfie his curiosity, desired the
Vicar to shew him his Church, demanding what was his maintenance, he told him he had twenty Nobles a Year,
being some part of God's revenue and inheritance, which was reserved to himselfe; the Spaniard wept bitterly, and
gave the poor Clergie-man all the mony he had, saying, That God had not been so provident for his Church in En∣gland
as in other parts of the World.
The Offices, Dignities, and Possessions of
BISHOPS, DEANS, and PREBENDS,
VINDICATED.
EPiscopacy was practised in the Apostles time, and it was the constant Doctrine of all the Fathers, that Bishops
succeded the Apostles in the first, and best ages of the Church, and ordeyned Preachers in every City: Presbyterian
Government was not thought on, before the Reformation at Geneva, which is Aristocrary. And the Independant sprung
up with the New-England Faction; whose Government is Democracy. At the first General Council (after Christ)
Bishops were planted in all parts of Christendom; both for the purity in Doctrine, and the safety, and external state of
the Church, and have continued, ever since in England, untill these late violent times of Interruption, that brought their
Bishopricks into Abeyance and Consideration of the Law. Before the Foundations of Parliaments were layd,
the Kings of England called onely their Prelates, and Nobles to Council with them; and the Affaires of the King∣dom,
was ordered by Edicts to the Officers, and Governours of the several Counties. King Henry the First, in the
Year of our Lord, 1102. invested the Bishops by giving them a Pastoral Staff, and a Ring, testifying that their Dona∣tion,
was from their Sovereign. The Pope (at that time) questioning the Kings Authority, and Right to investitures;
the King sent expressly then to Rome, Herbert Bishop of Norwich, and Robert Bishop of Lichfeild, to acquaint him,
that he would rather loose his Kingdom, then his Right, to Donations of Churches. Asius the Oldest Bishop of his
time (being about 300. Years after Christ,) framed the Nicen Creed for the whol Christian World. Which much
improves the Benefit that the Church receives by Episcopacy.
Bishops have been Antiently Barons by Tenure, and had their Votes in Parliament by a double right, the
one to advise in framing of Laws, that they were not made repugnant to God's word, and the other for their Tempo∣ralities,
having Estates and Families of their owne, subject to the Laws and Statutes of the Kingdom. It is a question
whether such Prerogatives can be taken away, which were originally annexed to their Dignities, and Orders
of their Persons and Offices. By the same Rule the Lords temporal may lose their Privileges, prerogatives, and
Preheminences (held of the Crown) which they have above other men? Honours are rather Burthens then advantages,
rendring men obnoxious to great expences, and offices do bring more trouble then Profit, not acquiring any
thing without Danger or envie; no man should in reason envie his happiness that is rather a steward, and servant to
the people, then Master of himself, or his own Fortune. Non nobis nati sumus; every man serves God, his King,
and Country, in some Capacity or other, moving in his station accordingly: And since the Bishops have been in∣terrupted,
and kept from their Votes in Parliament, there hath been disorders and Confusions both in Church, and
State, the Pulpets filled with Blasphemy, the people taugh•• rebellion, and Witchcraft, the Press open to all manner of
seditions, and Heresies, and nothing but violence, and oppression raging throughout the whole Land, no man Conside∣ring
that the cause of all these Calamities proceeded from the Sacrilege, Pride, Envie, and Covetousness, of those
Persons that made such strange returns for all the labours, and Studies of so many learned Divin••s of this Kingdom,
by whose lives and Doctrines the Crown, and Scepter of England hath been exalted above the Pontifical Chaire, and
the people freed from the Jurisdiction, and slavery of the Pope.
The Lands, and possessions of Bishops, Deans, and Prebends, were given by Pious Kings, and other 〈◊〉〈◊〉 Benefactours▪
Originally in Franck-Almoyne for the service of God, and the Church, and were insep••rably annexed to the offi••e and
Dignity of those orders, that they might have honourable support, answerable to the great care, and ••harge they wer••
intrusted withall. Their Maintainance ought to be sufficient to keep them from Corruptions, and Sinister affections,
and to do acts of Hospitality, giving good examples to all men. Poverty breeds Contempt, although the persons have
extraordinary parts, and deserts above other men. The meanest Corporations, and Civil societies of ••en, are allowed
their Presidents, Mayors, Councils, and Officers, to bear rule, and Government over the rest, and they hold their
Authority by the Kings Charter. It were very unreasonable in Cities, Provinces, and 〈◊〉〈◊〉▪ to deny God
a reverend Worship and esteem, and the King his Prerogatives, in governing the Church according to order, and dea∣cency.
The Heathen when they would secure their Treasure from Violence, layed it in the Templ••s, Consecrated to
their Gods, knowing that the most inhumane men amongst them would not take any thing out of those places that
were dedicated to their Deities.