Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

  • Stubbs, Philip, active 1581-1593.
Date:
1877-1882
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    609/682 (page 71)
    And though I grant the prince to haue the foueraigntie and primacie ouer the church of GOD, within his dominions, yet my meaning is not, that it is lawful! for the prince to preach the word, to minifter the facramentes, or to execute the fentence of excommunication, and other ecclefiafticall difcipline and cenfures of the church, but (as before) to fee them done, of them to whom it apperteineth. For faith the apoftle, nemo fumat fbi honorem, nifi qui legittime vocatus fuerit, vt fait Aaron. And againe, vnufquifqiie in ea vocatione, qua vocatus ejl, maneat apud deum? But in times paft the papifts bare the worlde in hande, that no temporall power whatfoeuer coulde, nor ought not, to ^meddle wyth the clergie, and therefore made they valfals of moft chriltian Princes. Yea, that pernicious antichrift ot Rome, in thofe daies of ignorance hath not beene alhamed to make Kings, Queenes, Einperours, Dukes, Lords, and all other, how honorable or noble foeuer, his lackeis, his pages, his horfekeepers, and compelled them to hold his ftirups, to leade his horfe, and to proftrate them- felues before him, whileft he trod vpon their neckes. But God be praifed, this great antichrift is difcouered to all the world, and his lhame fo laid open, as euery childe iuftlie laugheth him to fcorne. Theod. You faid before, that the churches there were gouerned by bifliops, and paftors : how by them ? Amphil. The bilhops are graue, ancient, and fatherlie men, of great grauitie, learning, and iudgement (for the moft part) conftituted by the Prince ouer a whole country or prouince, which they call their dioces. Thefe graue fathers hauing authoritie aboue all other of the minifterie, in their dioces, do fubftitute vnder them in euerie particular church a minifter, or minifters according to the neceflitie of the fame. And thus doelh euery biflioppe in hys owne dioces thorow out the ^ whole realme. So that no church, how fmall foeuer, but it hath the truth of Gods word, and of his facraments, truly deliuered vnto it. Theod. Are thofe preaching prelates, that the biftiops do place in euerie congregation, or elfe reading minifters ? Amphil. It were to be wiftred that all were preaching prelates, and not reading minifters only, if it could be brought to pafle, but though all be not preachers, yet the moft part be, God be praifed therefore. Theod. Be any, readers onlie, and not preachers: that is a great and the Church’s orders carried out. V- Sig. K. 4.] The Antichrist of Rome formerly had kings as lackeys, but his shame is laid open now. The Bishops are grave and learned men, set over Dioceses. [’ Sig. K. 4, back] All our ministers don’t preach, some read only.