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.

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    Bishops repre- sent the Apostles. [‘ leafN 8] But a Church should have a voice in its Pastor’s call. Seignory or Eldership in every Church is not needful now. [’ leaf N 8, back] A Seignory in every Congrega- tion, as in the Apostles’ time, lOO II. 2. JVo sole right in a Church to appoint its Pastor. to eleft their paftor, to choofe him, to cal him orderly in fuch forme as is appointed in the word, obferuing all kinde of rites, ceremonies, & orders belonging thereto. Neither was it euer feene that any church did euer pratSfife the fame. For in the dais of the apoftles, did the churches any more than choofe foorth certeine perfons of a tried conuerfation, & prefented them to the apoftles ? And did not the apoftles then, (whom our hi (Imps now in this aftion do reprefent) lay their hands vpon them, approue them (after triall had of their fufhciencie in knowledge) and fent them foorth into the Lords vine- yard ? The churches laid not their hands vpon them, or as fome call it, confecrated them not, nor vfed not any other ceremoniall rite in the leledion of them, as the apoftles did. But as I grant that the church for fom caufe, and in fom refpefts, is not to be excluded from a confult- atiue voyce (as before) or from being made priuie at al to the eledion of their paftor, fo I denie that the church may abfolutely of his owne plenarie power cal their paftor, all ceremonies and rites thereto belonging obferued, for that is to be done and executed of the bifhops & elders, and not of the churches confifting of lay men, and for the moft part rude, and vnlearned. Theod. What fay you to a feigniorie or elderfliip ? were it not good for the ftate of the church at this day that y® fame were eftablillied in euery congregation, as it was in the apoftles dales. Amphil. The feueral eftates and conditions of the apoftolicall churches, and of ours (al circumftances duly confidered) are diuers and much different one from another, and therefore, though a feigniorie or elderfhip then in euerie particular church were neceffarie, yet now vnder chriftian princes it is not fo needfull. The churches then wanted chriftian princes and magiftrates to gouerne the fame, and therefore had need of fome others to rule in the church. But God be thanked, we haue moft chriftian kings, princes, and gouernors, to rule and gouerne the church, & therfore ^we ftand in lelfe need of the other. And yet notwithftanding, I grant that a feigniorie in euery congregation were to be wiffied, if it could be brought to pafle, yet cannot I perceiue, but that it would rather bring confufion, than reformation, confidering the ftate of the church at this day. For in the apoftles limes when feigniories were ordeined, we read not of any fliires, dioces, or precinfts, where bilhops and ecclefiafticall magiftrates