and the contentions of the Governors: because every one leaving the doctrine of our Lord Jesus Christ, did challenge to himself, by his own authority, certain rules and orders: Also J perceived dissentions to arise from hence, because there was no discipline, no knowledge of God, or it was perverse if any. Chrysostome; Neque immeritos solum adleg• sed & idone [Greek or Hebrew]. The Toletan Councils complain, ⟨p. 23⟩that for eighteen years, no Synod was held, Whence came gross ignorance, and corruption of the Ministers. It would be too long to set down at large the grave, sharp and lamentable complaints, that Nicholas de Clemang; Petrus de Aliaco, 1Bernard, and our Gildas, have published against the Ecclesiastical Governors of their times, for their ignorance, pride; luxury, riot, drunkenness, persecution of all true godliness, covetousness, rapine, contentions, brawls, simony, and what not? And since the time of Reformation, not the Inconformists only, but the godly Bishops, and Martyrs themselves, have observed, bewailed, and reproved these abuses. Father Latimer, in his Sermons generally, but in his Sermon of the Plough, is plain and large against the pomp and idleness of Bishops, who Lord it over, but feed not the Flock of Christ, muzzle the people in ignorance and profaneness, live riotously, hunt after preferment, but seek not the winning of souls unto God. Bishop Hooper complains, saying, It is great pity to see how far that office of a Bishop is degenerated from the original in the Scripture, it was not so at the beginning, when Bishops were at the best, as the Epist. of Paul to Titus testifieth; that willed him to ordain in every City of Crete a Bishop. And as sharply and closely he censureth the Bishops of his days, for arrogating to themselves so much wit, as to Rule and serve in both States, in the Church, and in the Civill Policy, and to the contrary, professeth, That one of them is more than any man is able to satisfy; and that it is not possible that one should do both well, and that it is a great oversight of the Princes, and higher Powers of the earth, so to charge them with two burdens, when none of them, as he saith, is able to bear the least of them both.
and the contentions of the Governors: because every one leaving the doctrine of our Lord Iesus Christ, did challenge to himself, by his owne authoritie, certaine rules and orders: Also J perceived dissentions to arise from hence, because there was no discipline, no knowledge of God, or it was perve•se if any. Chrysostome; Neque immeritos solum adleg• sed & idone 〈non-Latin alphabet〉. The Toletan Councells complaine, ⟨p. 23⟩that for eighteen yeeres, no Synod was held, Whence came grosse ignorance, and corruption of the Ministers. It would be too long to set downe at large the grave, sharpe and lamentable complaints, that Nicholas de Clemang; Petrus de Aliaco, 1Bernard, and our Gildas, have published against the Ecclesiasticall Governours of their times, for their ignorance, pride; luxurie, riot, drunkennesse, persecution of all true godlinesse, covetousnesse, rapine, contentions, brawles, simonie, and what not? And since the time of Reformation, not the Inconformists only, but the godly Bishops, and Martyrs themselves, have observed, bewailed, and reproved these abuses. Father Latimer, in his Sermons generally, but in his Sermon of the Plough, is plaine and large against the pompe and idlenesse of Bishops, who Lord it over, but feed not the Flock of Christ, muzzle the people in ignorance and profanenesse, live riotously, hunt after preferment, but seek not the winning of souls unto God. Bishop Hooper complaines, saying, It is great pity to see how farre that office of a Bishop is degenerated from the originall in the Scripture, it was not so at the beginning, when Bishops were at the best, as the Epist. of Paul to Titus testifieth; that willed him to ordaine in every Citie of Creete a Bishop. And as sharply and closely he censureth the Bishops of his daies, for arrogating to themselves so much witt, as to Rule and serve in both States, in the Church, and in the Civill Policie, and to the contrary, professeth, That one of them is more than any man is able to satisfie; and that it is not possible that one should doe both well, and that it is a great oversight of the Princes, and higher Powers of the earth, so to charge them with two burdens, when none of them, as he saith, is able to beare the least of them both.
- 1See Nichol. Clemang. speculum Eccles. Petrus de Aliaco. reformat. Eccle. Bern. in Conv. S. P. ser. 1. Heu Heu Domine Deus. Ipsi sunt in persecutione tua primi, qui videatur in Eccl sia tua primatum genere: Id. in Cant. ser. 76. Parum est nostris vigilibus, quod non servant, nisi & perdant, Gildas. See Usser de primord. Eccles. Br••. H•oper on the 8 Command. pag. 74 79. Whitaker. de pont. Rom. presat. ad Audito res. In sch smatis remedium hoc primo inven•um est, quod ipso morbo magis pericudesum fuisse, molti virt sancti & prudentes judicarunt. Quod quamquam non statim apparuit, tamen misera experientia demceps demonstravit. Tum enim ambitio irepsit in Ecclesiam, & Episcopi caeperunt non minus de dignitate suarum sedium, quam de Christi grege cogitare, &c. Gregor. Nazianz. orat 2. pag 399. They intrude themselves unto the most holy Ministries with unwashen hands and minds, as they say, and before they are worthy to come unto the Sacraments, they affect the Sanctuary it self, & circum sacrasanctam mensam premuntur & protenduntur, esteeming this order not an example of virtue, but a maintenance and help of life.See Nichol. Clemang. speculum Eccles. Petrus de Aliaco. reformat. Eccle. Bern. in Conv. S. P. ser. 1. Heu Heu Domine Deus. Ipsi sunt in persecutione tua primi, qui videatur in Eccl sia tua primatum genere: Id. in Cant. ser. 76. Parum est nostris vigilibus, quod non servant, nisi & perdant, Gildas. See Vsser de primord. Eccles. Br••. H•oper on the 8 Command. pag. 74 79. Whitaker. de pont. Rom. presat. ad Audito res. In sch smatis remedium hoc primo inven•um est, quod ipso morbo magis pericudesum fuisse, molti virt sancti & prudentes judicarunt. Quod quamquam non statim apparuit, tamen misera experientia demceps demonstravit. Tum enim ambitio irepsit in Ecclesiam, & Episcopi caeperunt non minus de dignitate suarum sedium, quam de Christi grege cogitare, &c. Gregor. Nazianz. orat 2. pag 399. They intrude themselves unto the most holy Ministeries with unwashen hands and minds, as they say, and before they are worthy to come unto the Sacraments, they affect the Sanctuarie it selfe, & circum sacrasanctam mensam premuntur & protenduntur, esteeming this order not an example of vertue, but a maintenance and helpe of life.
