The Altar of Damascus, Chapter 8
CHAP. 8. Of the administration of Lay-men.
THE laymen having some administration, have it either in a cathedral or collegiat church, or else in a parish church, &c. In the cathedral church, laymen having administration, are the receivers of the rents, Bailiffs, takers up of accounts, overseers and measurers of land, stewards of courts, and liberties, overseers of the fabrick of the temple, of the sa…ctuarie, of the bibliotheke where the book of Homilies, and service-book lye, vergerers, bellmen, singing men and boyes. Many idle and chargeable officers are fed in these dennes to uphold the pompe of a cathedrall church, and that to the great detriment of other churches. In the Parish church they have not a Senat of Elders to joyne with the Pastor for governing the same, but two or three Churchwardens to see the Kirke be watertight, and furnished with all the ornaments and utensils, to provide for the booke of common prayer, and Homilies, and the elements for the communion upon the expenses of the parish, to keep a Register of the christnings, weddings, & burialls, together with the Priest, to intimate any contribution which is to be made for some publick work: and lastly, to be the Bishop and Archdeacons spie, to delate or present offenders, howbeit for the most part they bee perjured, and offences are winked at, and suffered to passe without correction. No wonder, seeing the discipline is taken out of …he hands of the right officers, and put in the hands of Officials, Commissaries, and Chancellors, to whom these perjured Churchwardens are made officers and servants.
The possessions are either publicke, or private, &c.
Heere are reckoned for the possessions belonging to the Church, bookes, vestiments, the ornamentsand implements of the Kirk, the Kirk it selfe, houses, mannours, woods, forrests, parkes, ponds, fountaines, rivers, medowes, pasturage ground, arable ground, Baron courts Hundreds, and Lathis, Tithes, oblations, obuentions, pensions for indemnit…e, procurations, Synodals, fees, immunities, liberties, priviledges, &c. It were …edious to insist upon the use of every one of them in particular. They are either superfluous and excessive, or unlawfull, or bestowed upon the wrong person.
The constitutions anent both persons, and possessions, &c.
There is a controversie among the Lawiers, what Canons and Constitutions of the Canon Law be in force among them. Some of best judgement thinke it to be altogether abrogate, except so much as is particularly ratified by Statute. They themselves doe hold,Mucket p. 299. that all the former canons of the canon law, all the constitutions, and decrees, nationall or provinciall, which were in use before in the Ecclesiasticall Courts, which are not repugnant to the Statutes, and municipall lawes of the Realme, or to the late constitutions established by publiqu authoritie, nor prejudiciall to the Kings prerogatiue and privileges, make up the Ecclesisticall lawes of England, and accordingly put the same in practise. There Canon law, the popes Testament then, is there principall Law booke.
THinke not, good Reader, that I have made a perfect Discoverie of the English Church-policie: for that requireth the skill and paines, of the most judicious and painfull among themselves. Therefore take in good part, that little which I have in great hast gathered for thy information, and consider how dangerous it is to yeeld to a few of their Popish corruptions. Some few will draw on the rest, and the whole will make way for full Poperie to re-enter, in the owne time, which approacheth very neere in outward appearance, unlesse the Lord prevent. Hee that persevereth to the end, shall get the Crown.
BIshop Spotswood hath spread a rumeur, that M David Calderwood is turned Brounist, but I assure thee, good Reader, it is not true. That old impudent …yar, hath together with his supposed Authour, a yong man, trimmed up a tale with many circumstances, to make the mis-report the more credible. But if ever he required by letter, the judgement, either of that supposed Authour, or of any other man else, anent their opinions, then let him never be reputed for an honest man hereafter. If hee had dou…ted, he would not have sought resolution from yong schollers, and unsetled braines. The ground being false, all the rest of the circumstonces builded upon it are knovish forgeries also. If either Spotswood, or his supposed Authour, persist … their caluninie after this declaration, I shall try if there be any bloud in their foreheads.
FINIS.
End of the text · David Calderwood, The Altar of Damascus (1621)