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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    therefore take awaye authoritie and honor from the magiftrates either temporall or fpirituall, and ouerthrowe the fame altogither. If authoritie fliould not be dignified, as well with glorie and eternall pompe the better to grace the fame, & to fliew forth the maieftie thereof, would it not foone grow to be difpifed, vilipended, and naught fet by ? And therefore the more to innoble and fet foorth the excel- lencie of this honorable calling of a bifliop, hath the prince & the churches thought it good to befliow fuch authoritie, dignitie, and honor vpon them, and not for anie other caufe whatfoeuer. And therefore, feeing it is the pleafure of the prince to beftowe fuch dignitie, authoritie, and honor vpon them, me thinke, any fober chriftians fliould eafely tolerate the fame. Theod. Yea, but they faie, that there ought to be no fuperioritie in the minifterie, ^bringing in the example of the apoftles themfelues, amongft whom was no fuperiority, inequalitie, or principallitie at all ? Amphil. Indeede amongft the apoftles there was no fuperioritie, I grant, neither in office, calling, authoritie, nor otherwife, but al were equall in ech refpedte, one to another. But what than ? The apoftles were fent to preach to the churches, and not to gouerne (and there- fore they choofe elders to rule the fame) but our bifliops are as well to gouerne and to rule the churches in fome refpedts, as to preach the worde. And therfore, though there were no fuperioritie amongft the apoftles, yet maye there be amongft our bifliops in refpedt of gouer[n]ment, dignitie and authoritie. And wheras they faie there ought to be no fuperioritie in the minifterie at all, I aiifweare, no more there is in refpedl of euerie ones fundtion, forme of calling, and office to preach the word and minifter the facraments. But in refpeft of gouernement, authoritie, dignitie, and honor, there is fuperioritie, and I 'am perfwaded fo ought to be. In which opinion, vntill they haue difprooued it, I meane, Chrift willing, to perfifte. Theod. But they adde further, and fay that it ftrengtheneth the hands of the aduerfaries, ^the papifts. For, faie they, the papifts may as well affirme that chriftian emperours, kings and potentates, and euen the churches of God themfelues, haue giuen to the pope that authoritie, that dignitie, and honor which he hath or claimeth aboue his fellowe brethren, as well as the bifliop may fay fo. Befides, it coiifirmeth the opinion of foueraigntie ouer all the churches in the Sober Christians should tolerate Bishops. [‘ Sig. O. 3.] Bishops have to rule as well as preach. Sig. O. 3. back] The Papist argument that the