THE PERPETVAL GOVERNEMENT OF CHRISTES CHVRCH Wherein are handled The fatherly superioritie which God first established in the Patriarkes for the guiding of his Church and after continued in the Tribe of Leui and the Prophetes and lastlie confirmed in the New Testament to the Apostles and their successours As also the points in question at this day Touching the Iewish Synedrion the true kingdome of Christ the Apostles commission the Laie Presbyterie the Distinction of Bishops from Presbyters and their succession from the Apostles times and hands the calling and moderating of Prouinciall Synodes by Primates and Metropolitanes the allotting of Dioeceses and the Popular electing of such as must feed and watch the flocke And diuers other points concerning the Pastorall regiment of the house of God By THO. BILSON Warden of Winchester Colledge Perused and allowed by publike authoritie 1. Cor. 14. Came the word of God first from you or did it spread to you alone Iren lib. 3. ca. 3. We can reckon those that were ordained Bishops by the Apostles in the Churches and their successours to this present which neuer taught nor knew any such thing as these dreame Imprinted at London by the Deputies of CHRISTOPHER BARKER Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie An. Dom. 1593. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IHaue bene very vnwilling good Christian Reader to enter into these controuersies of Discipline that haue now some space troubled the Church of England I remembred the wordes of Abraham to Lot Let there I pray thee be no strife betwixt thee and me nor betwixt my men and thine for we be brethren and did thereby learne that all strife betwixt brethren was vnnaturall I could not forget the saying of our Sauiour Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you and so collected how carefull we should be to keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the band of peace Prophane writers could tell me by concord the weakest things growe strong by discord the mightiest states are ouerthrowen and that made me loath to increase or nourish the dislikes and quarels that haue lately fallen out in this Realme betwixt the Professours and Teachers of one and the same Religion yet when I sawe the peace of Gods Church violated by the sharpnesse of some mens humours and their tongues so intemperate that they could not bee discerned from open enemies I thought as in a common danger not to sit looking till all were on fire but rather by all meanes to trie what kind of liquor would restinguish this flame Another reason leading mee to this enterprise was the discharge of my duetie to God and her Maiestie for finding that some men broched their disciplinarie deuises vnder the title of Gods eternall trueth and professed they could no more forsake the defence thereofthen of the Christian faith and others defaced and reproched the gouernement of the Church heere receiued and established as vnlawfull irreligious and Antichristian for what lees are so sower that some hedge wines wil not yeelde I was mooued in conscience not to suffer the sacred Scriptures to be so violently arrested and ouer-ruled by the summons and censures of their newe Consistories as also to cleere this state of that iniurious slander as if not knowing or neglecting the manifest voyce of Christes spirite we had entertained and preferred the dregges of Antichrists pride and tyrannie These causes of great and good regard led mee to examine the chiefe groundes of both Disciplines theirs and ours and to peruse the proofes and authorities of either parte that by comparing it might appeare which side came neerest to the synceâ—itie of the Scriptures and societie of the auncient and vncorrupte Church of Christ. The which wholie to propose by way of Preface woulde bee exceeding tedious shortely to capitulate that the Reader may knowe what to looke for will not altogether bee superfluous The maine supportes of their newe deuised Discipline are the generall equalitie of all Pastours and Teachers and the ioyning of Lay Elders with them to make vp the Presbyterie that shall gouerne the Church On this foundation they build the power of their Consistorie that must admonish and punish all offences heare and determine all doubts appease and ende all strifes that anie waie touch the state and welfare of the Church Against these false groundes I shewe the Church of God from Adam to Moses from Moses to Christ and so downeward vnder Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles hath beene alwayes gouerned by an inequalitie and superioritie of Pastours and Teachers amongst themselues and somuch the very name and nature of gouernement do inforce for if amongst equals none may chalenge to rule the rest there must of necessitie be superiours before there can bee Gouernours It was therefore a ridiculous ouersight in our new platfourmers to settle an ecclesiasticall gouernment amongst the Pastours and Teachers of the Church and yet to banish all superioritie from them Some finding that absurditie and perceiuing confusion of force must follow where all are equall and no Gouernour endured confesse it to bee an essentiall and perpetuall part of Gods ordinance for each Presbyterie to haue a chiefe amongst them and yet least they should seeme to agnise or admit the auncient and approued maner of the Primitiue Church retained amongst vs which is to appoint a fitte man to gouerne each Dioecese they haue framed a Running regencie that shall goe round to all the Presbyters of each place by course and dure for a weeke or fome such space for the deuise is so newe that they are not yet resolued what time this changeable superioritie shall continue With this conceite they maruelouslie please themselues in so much that they pronounce this onely to be Gods institution and this ouerseer or Bishop to be Apostolike all others they reiect as humane that is as inuented and established by man against the first and authentike order of the holie Ghost Thus farre wee ioyne that to preuent dissention and auoid confusion there must needes euen by Gods ordinaunce bee a President or Ruler of euerie Presbyterie which conclusion because it is warranted by the groundes of nature reason and trueth and hath the example of the Church of God before vnder and after the Lawe to confirme it wee accept as irrefutable and laie it as the ground-worke of all that ensueth But whether this Presidentship did in the Apostles times and by their appointment goe round by course to all the Pastours and Teachers of euerie Presbyterie or were by election committed to one chosen as the fittest to supplie that place so long as hee discharged his duetie without blame that is a maine point in question betwixt vs. Into which I may not enter vntill we haue seene what the Apostolike Presbyteries were and of what persons they did consist at the first erecting of the Church Certaine late writers men otherwise learned and wise greatlie misliking in the gouernement of the Church the Romish kind of Monarchie and on the
seuenth yeere of their Empire and Irenaeus testifieth that he came to Rome vnder Anicetus the tenth Bishop there declared the trueth which he had receiued from the Apostles Did he through ambition retaine the place to which the Apostles called him longer then he shoulde and so altered the Apostolicall kinde of gouernement I had rather chalenge the Consistorians for mistaking Ambrose then Polycarpe for inuerting the Apostolike Discipline The Church of Smyrna called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolicall and Propheticall Teacher of their times Irenaeus saith of him Hic docuit semper quae ab Apostolis didicerat quae ecclesiae tradidit sola sunt vera hee alwayes taught those things which he learned of the Apostles which he deliuered vnto the Church and they onely are true And if he were not a man of farre more authoritie and certainer fidelitie then any that contradict him yet haue we al the Churches of Christendome their successions of Bishops from the Apostles and all histories and monuments of antiquitie to concurre with him that Bishops liuing in the Apostles daies made by the Apostles hands continued their places til they died neither is there any man liuing that is able to shewe one example to the contrary Let the Christian Reader then say whether it be not a vaine and false surmise which some in our age so mightily maintaine that the Bishops which the Apostles ordained to rule the Presbyteries dured for some short space changed by course that superioritie going round in order to euerie Presbyter the election of Bishops to gouerne the Churches and Presbyters committed to their charge so long as they did it carefully was mans inuention and no Apostolike institution The domination of bishops wil be their last refuge otherwise in elections of Bishops to continue whiles they do their duties the best learned of them confesse there is nothing that can or should be reprehended onely they repine that a Bishop shoulde haue iurisdiction ouer his Copresbyters And heere they are plentiful with places of Scripture as if we went about to make Bishops Lords and Masters ouer the Church and all the rest to be their seruants They alleage the words of Christ Great men exercise authoritie you shall not doe so and of Peter Feede the flocke not as Lords or commanders ouer Gods inheritance but to what purpose I see not Meane they by these places to prooue that the Apostles had no superioritie nor authoritie in the Church of God or that Pastours haue no power ouer their flockes It were more then childish to impugne one trueth by another They themselues do agnise that the Apostles had superioritie and authoritie by Christs owne commission aboue and ouer all other degrees to erect and order the Churches where they preached and they yeelde Pastours authoritie ouer their flockes to commaund in the name of the Lord. Then neither these places nor any other in the Scriptures doe barre Pastoral power ouer the flocke nor distinction of degrees betwixt the Teachers Superior and inferior degrees if Christs wordes did exclude no man might admit them or defend them as lawfull If the Apostles to whom and of whom Christ there spake did not withstanding his speech retaine diuersities of degrees in the Church it is euident our Sauiour did not forbid Superiority but Imperie not Pastorall but Regall authoritie not Fatherly but Masterly preeminence and that in respect aswell of the people as of the Presbyters Peter calling the people Gods heritage and before and after naming them the Lords flocke And how should it possibly be otherwise for since the holy Ghost requireth the faithfull to obey their Leaders and to bee subiect to them no Scriptures do crosse the authoritie and inspection which the guiders of Christes Church shoulde haue ouer their flockes and God by his eternall Lawe comprising Pastours vnder the name of Fathers and assigning them the honour due vnto Parents we may not by colour of any wordes bereaue them of obedience and reuerence no more then of maintenance which are the parts and effects of Fatherly power and honour So long then as wee giue Bishops no charge but Pastorall no power but paternall wee are not in danger of violating either our Sauiours or his Apostles precept and consequently this kinde of superioritie may not bee called or supposed to be Dominion nor Imperie without wrong to the spirite of trueth that hath confirmed it as needefull and healthfull for the house of God euen from the first foundation of the worlde They will easily grant fatherly moderation and Pastorall power vnto Bishops ouer the people but not ouer the Presbyters on this they set vp their rest that no Pastour shoulde haue power ouer others of the same calling and hope assuredly to haue the victorie But they must first reconcile their owne contrarieties they will triumph else before the conquest for ech Presbyterie as themselues confesse must haue a President by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance I aske now whether God giue any man a bare title without any trueth and a Regiment without all authoritie or whether in Gods Lawe deedes and wordes concurre and he be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a President that is appointed and authorized by God to execute that office The mouth of God intendeth not for mockeries as mans doth and therefore the name neuer goeth without the thing he is iust in his speach and wil not vtter the worde that shall delude the hearer If then by Gods Law there must be Presidents ouer Presbyteries ineuitably there must be Gouernours and Superiours ouer them If some must moderate the meetings of Presbyters and execute their decrees of force they must haue power and authoritie ouer Presbyters and so it is mainly consequent out of their owne positions which they most refuse Againe when Paul left Timothie at Ephesus to impose hands to receiue accusations against Presbyters and openly to rebuke such as sinned did hee not giue him power ouer Presbyters and euen the selfe same that is challenged at this day to belong to Bishops if it were lawful and needful at Ephesus for Timothy to haue that right and authority ouer the Presbyters that were ioynt-Pastors with him how commeth it now to be a tyrannical and Antichristian power in his successours Timothie they will say was an Euangelist and coulde haue no successours If none could succeede him in that power how come their Presbyteries to haue it will they be Euangelists what Lay Elders and all and shall the Presbyteries of the whole world succeede Timothie in his charge at Ephesus That were newes in deede if this authority to impose hands to receiue accusations and rebuke sinnes must remaine in the Church for euer as it is euident it must then was it no Euangelisticall authoritie but a generall and perpetuall function in the Church of Christ that might and did admit others to succeede
were all one with Doctors you haue lost one of those offices which you affirme to bee perpetuall in the Church if they were distinct from them they were superiours vnto them and so betwixt ministers of the word for such were Teachers by Saint Pauls rule you establish a difference of degrees Thus much for the worde and Sacraments the dispensing whereof no doubt was common to all Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastours and Teachers and so to Presbyters and Bishops not withstanding the moderatioÌ„ and ouersight of those things were still reserued to the Apostles as well absent as present euen when the power and charge thereof was imparted to others The discipline and gouernement of the Church I meane the power of the keies and imposing hands are two other partes of Apostolike authoritie which must remaine in the Church for euer These keyes are double the keie of knowledge annexed to the word the keie of power referred to the Sacraments Some late writers by vrging the one abolish the other howbeit I see no sufficient reason to counteruaile the Scriptures and Fathers that defend and retaine both The keie of knowledge must not bee doubted of our Sauiour in expresse wordes nameth it Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe for yee haue taken away the keie of knowledge yee entered not in your selues and those that were comming in you forbade The keie of power standeth on these words of Christ to Peter I will giue thee the keies of the kingdome of heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt binde on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And likewise to all his Apostles Whatsoeuer ye binde in earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer ye loose on earth shall be loosed in heauen And after his resurrection in like maner to them all Receiue ye the holie Ghost whose sinnes soeuer yee remit they are remitted vnto them and whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained And least we should vnderstand these places of the preaching of the Gospell as some new writers doe Saint Paul hath plaine wordes that cannot be wrested to that sense Speaking of the incestuous Corinthian that was excommunicated and deliuered vnto Satan he saieth Sufficient for that man is this rebuking of many so that now contrary wise yee ought rather to forgiue him and comfort him least hee bee swallowed vp with too much sorowe To whom you forgiue any thing I also forgiue for if I forgaue ought to any I forgaue it for your sakes in the sight of Christ. As Paul deliuered this offender to Satan and shut both the Church and heauen against him so now vpon the detesting and forsaking of his sinne hee restored him to the peace of the Church communion of the Lordes table and hope of Gods kingdome from which before hee was excluded And this Paul did not by preaching the word vnto the penitent for as then hee was absent from Corinth but by forgiuing him in the sight of Christ and his Church as by his Apostolike power hee might Both these keyes the one of knowledge the other of power Ambrose mentioneth in his 66. Sermon and likewise Origen in his 25. tractate vpon Matthew adding a third keie where hee saieth Blessed are they that open the kingdome of heauen either by their word or by their good worke for liuing well and teaching rightly the word of trueth they open the kingdom of heauen before men whiles they enter themselues and prouoke others to follow The meaning of these late writers it may bee is not wholie to cast away the keie of power but onely to drawe the wordes of Christ spoken to Peter and the rest of his Apostles rather to the preaching of the Gospell then to excluding from the Sacraments and yet to the Church or Presbyterie they reserue the power of the keies that is ful authoritie to excommunicate notorious and rebellious sinners These men foresee that if the power of the keies bee giuen to the Apostles and their successours then haue laie Elders who doe not succeed in the Apostles roumes and functions nothing to doe with the Apostles keies Because this was enough to marre the Laie Preâ—â—â—terie therefore the Patrones thereof conueie the wordes of Christ to another sense and builde the ground-worke of excommunication vpon the 18. chapter of Saint Matthewes Gospell where the Church is named and not the Apostles But this deuise is both a preiudice to the Apostles and a Preamble to the laie Presbyterie which all the Catholike Fathers with one voyce contradict as I haue before at large declared Omitting the Laie Burgesses of the Church as hauing no interest in the Apostles keies it resteth in this place to bee considered to whom those keies were committed whether equallie to all Presbyters or chieflie to Pastours and Bishops The like must bee done for imposition of handes whether that also pertained indifferently to all or speciallie to Bishops Before wee make a full resolution to these questions we must search the time when Bishops first began and by whom they were first ordained and authorized In which inquisition wee will begin with the report and opinion of the auncient Fathers and so descend to the positions and assertions of such as in our age impugne and gainesay the vocation and function of Bishops Epiphanius report is this The Apostles could not suddenlie settle all things There was present need of Presbyters and Deacons for by those two the necessities of the Church might bee supplied Where there was none found woorthie of the Bishoprike the place remayned without a Bishop But where there was neede and fitte men found for the Episcopall function Bishops were ordained Euerie thing was not perfect from the beginning but in processe of time things were fitted for the furnishing of all occasions the Church in this wise receiuing the perfection of her gouernment Ambrose somewhat differing from Epiphanius saieth Apostolus Timotheum Presbyterum a se creatum Episcopum vocat quia primi Presbyteri Episcopi appellabantur vt recedente eo sequens ei succederet Sed quia coeperunt sequentes Presbyteri indigni inueniri ad primatus tenendos immutata est ratio prospiciente concilio vt non ordo sed meritum crearet Episcopum c. Paul calleth Timothie created a Presbyter by himselfe or with his owne handes a Bishop because the first Presbyters were called Bishops so as the first departing the next succeeded him But for that the Presbyters which followed beganne to bee found vnwoorthie to beare the chiefe regiment the maner was chaunged a Councill prouiding that not order but desert should make a Bishop appoynted by the iudgement of many Priestes least an vnfitte person should rashlie vsurpe the place and bee an offence to many Ieromes opinion is euident by his words which I repeated before in effect hee affirmeth thus much Before there were factions in religioÌ„ a Presbyter a
with the Churches at the first erecting thereof is that which Epiphanius remembreth and Paul toucheth in many places I trust to send Timotheus shortly vnto you I haue no man like minded who will faithfully care for your matters For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christes And to Timothie This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia bee turned from me At my first answering no man assisted mee but all forsooke mee Demas hath forsaken mee and embraced this present worlde Wherefore Epiphanius surmise that the scarcitie of tried and approoued men was some cause why euerie place was not furnished at the first with a Bishop is neither vnlikelie nor vnpertaining to the purpose The third reason I take to be this that as Presbyters to labour in the word and augment the Church were presently needefull the haruest being no lesse then the whole world and Bishops to moderate the number of Teachers and to ouersee as well the feeders as the flocke were not so requisit whiles the Apostles who tooke care of those things themselues preached in or neere the places so the wisedome of God woulde not impose that fourme of gouernement on the Church but after long triall and good experience what neede the Churches should haue of it This course he obserued with the people of Israel not straightway to associate the seuentie Elders vnto Moses but to let them alone vntill Moses was wearied with the burden and the multitude grieued for want of dispatch and Iethro seeing the Iudge afflicted with paines and the people discontented with delayes aduised an other way which the whole assemblie liked God confirmed and Moses executed In like manner Christ suffered his Church to trie whiles his Apostles yet liued what equalitie and plentie of Gouernours would worke in euerie place and when it fell out in proofe vpon the Apostles absence that so many leaders so many followers so many Rulers so many factions out euerie Church in sunder the Apostles were forced the world as Ierom faith decreing it that is the faithful throughout the world being therewith contented and thereof desirous to commit their places and Churches not to Presbyters in common and equall authoritie but to their Disciples and followers whome afterward they called Bishops in a superioritie leauing vnto them as vnto their successors the chiefest honor and power of imposing handes and vsing the keyes and resting specially on their care and paines to ouersee both Teachers and beleeuers though the Presbyters were not excluded from helping and assisting them to feed and guide the flocke of Christ. This you say but Ierome saith It was not the Lords disâ—osition by his Apostles but rather a decree and custome of the Church that first made Bishops to differ from Presbyters Ierome saieth it was decreed throughout the world to change the equalitie of Presbyters into the superioritie of Bishops by whome it was so decreed hee doeth not mention in this place but if I prooue as well by the Scriptures as by Ierome himselfe and the rest of the Fathers that this change began in the Apostles times and was both seene and approoued by them I euince it to bee an Apostolike ordinance Then must it also be diuine which Ierome denyeth What Ierom meaneth by the trueth of the Lords ordinance I wil after examine I must prooue in order I shall else but confound both myselfe and the Reader In the meane time I make this reason out of Ierome When the schismes of Presbyters beganne dangerously to teare the Churches in peeces then were the Churches committed to the chiefe and preeminent charge of one but those schismes and factions troubled all the Churches euen in the Apostles times vnder them therefore beganne the change of gouernement which Ierome speaketh of At Corinth indeede there were contentions who were baptized of the greatest men which Ierome doeth exemplifie but the factions must be more generall and deadly that should cause an alteration of gouernement throughout the world So there were euen in the Apostles times To those of Corinth he saith When you come together in the Church I heare there are dissentions amongest you and I beleeue it in part for there must be heresies euen among you that they which are approoued amongst you might beknowen And wheÌ„ he saith there must be heresies amongst you to manifest the good from the bad he meaneth not only at Corinth but euery where which came to passe accordingly To the Romanes he saith Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them Amongest the Galathians were some that intended to peruert the Gospel of Christ and to carrie them into an other doctrine bewitching them that they shoulde not obey the trueth To the Philippians Beware of dogges beware of euill workemen many walke of whome I tolde you often and tell you now weeping that are enemies of the crosse of Christ whose ende is damnation whose God is their bellie and glorie to their shame which minde earthly things With the Colossians were some that burdened the Churches with traditions euen with the commaundements and doctrines of men and holding not the head aduanced themselues in those things which they neuer sawe and rashly puft vp with fleshly mindes beguiled the simple with a shew of humblenesse and worshipping of Angels At Thessalonica the resurrection of the dead was impugned and some troubled the people with visions with fained messages and forged letters in the Apostles name as if the day of Christ were at hand It came to passe in euery place which Paul foretolde the Presbyters of Ephesus This I know saith he that after my departure shall grieuous wolues enter in amongst you not sparing the flocke Yea of your owne selues shall rise men speaking peruerse thinges to draw Disciples after them Neither were the Gentiles onelie subiect to this danger but the Iewes also as Peter forewarned them There shalbe false teachers amongst you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them many shal follow their damnable waies through couetousnes with fained wordsshal they make marchandise of you And so Iohn Euen now there are many Antichrists many false prophets and deceiuers are gone out into the world To preuent these deceiuers and represse these peruerse Teachers Paul was forced whiles he liued laboured in other places to send speciall substitutes to the Churches most endangered and by their paines ouersight to cure the soares heale the wounds which these pestilent and vnquiet spirits had made So at Ephesus when the teachers and doctors began to affirme they knewe not what euen prophane and doting fables whose word did fret as a canker and crept into houses leading captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts and others hauing itching eares gate them teachers after
their owne lusts and turned their eares from the trueth to fables Paul sent Timothie thither to stay these prophane and vaine bablings to commande that they taught no strange doctrine to impose hands on such as were fitte to receiue accusations against sinnefull and vngodly Presbyters and to rebuke them openly according to their deserts to reiect yong and wanton widowes and to see true Labourers in the word honored and cherished and finally to ouersee the whole house of God and euerie part thereof as well Teachers and Presbyters as Deacons widowes and hearers And not onely instructed him how he shoulde behaue himselfe as a Gouernour in the Church but charged him before the liuing God and his elect Angels that hee obserued those things without respecting persons or any inclining to partes Likewise in Creete when many vaine talkers and deceiuers of minds subuerted whole houses and loaded the Church with Iewish fables and commaundements of men Paul left Tite there to redresse things amisse to stop their mouthes that taught things which they ought not for filthie lucres sake to stay foolish questions and contentions about the Law to reiect heretikes after one or two admonitions and sharply to rebuke with all authoritie not suffering any man to despise him as also to ordaine good and religious Presbyters and Bishops in euerie Citie that shoulde be able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and improoue gainesayers And here first did Paul by writing expresse that he placed substitutes where need was with Episcopall power and honour to guide and rule the Church of God These examples make nothing to your purpose for first they did none of these things but with the aduise and consent of the Presbyterie which Bishops do not Next they were Euangelists and no Bishops and in that respect might haue this speciall deputation from the Apostle It may bee your learning will serue you to say that Paul left both these to rule the Church in Creete and at Ephesus for a weeke and in their order as the rest of the Presbyters did but such tests if you dare aduenture them will cracke both your cause and your credite Paul belike prayed Timothie to stay at Ephesus to call the Presbyterie together and to aske voyces and to doe iust what pleased the rest to decree but if you elude and frustrate the wordes of the Apostle with such additions not onelie besides but against the Text you can deceiue none saue such as will not beleeue Saint Paul himselfe if hee shoulde speake against the Lay Presbyterie For our partes wee take the wordes as they stand and so did the Catholike Fathers before vs being persuaded that Paul had witte enough to discerue to whome hee shoulde write for the performaunce of these things and not to mistake Timothie for the Presbyterie If Timothie had nothing else to do but to consult what pleased the Presbyters to determine in euerie of these pointes howe childish an ouersight was it for Paul to skip the whole bench of them and to charge and adiure him to see these preceptes inuiolably kept without sparing or fearing anie man For thus you must expound or rather imprison and fetter euerie worde that Paul speaketh in those three Epistles Commaunde with all authoritie receiue not an accusation against a Presbyter but vnder two or three witnesses rebuke them that sinne reiect heretikes after two warnings refuse yoonger widowes staie vaine contentions and vnprofitable questions ordaine Elders in euerie Citie impose handes hastily on no man that is as you interprete call the Presbyterie together and aske them whether they be contented it shall be so or no. And so I adiure and charge thee before God and Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these precepts inuiolable and vnblameable that is obserue them if the Presbyterie will consent and agree vnto thee else not But I thinke you dare not stand to these mockeries of the Scriptures and therefore you will rather flie to the second part of your answere that they were authorized to do these things as Euangelists and not as Bishops We expressed so much that they were Euangelists and no Bishops Euangelists you should say and Bishops for when they left following the Apostles and were affixed to certaine places with this power and authoritie which I haue mentioned what els could they bee but Bishops They assisted the Apostles present and supplied their absence and did continue the Churches in that state in which the Apostles left them Nowe if the Apostles in respect of this power and care were Bishops when they staied in any place much more the Euangelists If the same â—idelitie and authoritie be still needful and therefore perpetuall in the Church of God they did these things not by their Euangelisticall calling which is long since ceased but by their Episcopall which yet doeth and must remaine for if this power and preheminence descended from them to their successours it is euident this commission and charge was Episcopal since no part of their Euangelship was deriued to their after-commers We cannot endure to haue them called or counted Bishops In deed if succession of Episcopall power came from the Apostles to them and so to their successours we shall soone conclude that Bishops came from the Apostles and therefore you doe wisely to resist it but by your patience you must endure it the best Stories and Writers of the Primitiue Church doe make them Bishops and likewise Pauls precepts to them the very paternes of Episcopall charge and duetie Timothie saieth Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the stories reported to bee the first that tooke the bishoprike of Ephesus as Tite also did of the churches in Creete Ierome whose wordes you strongly presse to prooue there were no Bishops in the Apostles times but such as were equall with Presbyters and not superiours vnto them saieth Timothie was ordained Bishop of Ephesus by blessed Paul and Tite Bishop of Creete preached the Gospell there and in the Islands round about Ambrose Paul by his epistle instructeth Timothie now created a Bishop how he ought to order the Church And so of the other The Apostle had consecrated Tite to be a Bishop and therefore he warneth him to be carefull in ecclesiasticall ordination Chrysostome Paul saieth in his epistle to Timothie Fulfill thy ministerie when he was now a Bishop for that Timothie was a Bishop Paul declareth by his writing thus vnto him Laie hands hastilie on no man And againe which was giuen thee by the imposition of handes of the Presbyterie for by no meanes Presbyters could ordaine a Bishop And shewing how Euangelists might become Bishops he saith Why doeth Paul write onlie to Timothie and Tite where as Silas and Luke were also his Disciples and endewed with marueilous vertues Because hee had nowe deliuered to them the gouernement and charge of the Church the others as
elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preiudice or parcialitie And in the very close of his epistle I charge thee before God and Iesus Christ that thou keepe these precepts without spot or reproofe In like maner to Titus an other of his helpers and coadiutors in the Gospell For this cause I left thee in Crete to supplie those things y t want orrectifie those things which remaine to ordain Elders in euery city as I appointed thee There are many vaine talkers deceiuers of minds whose mouthes must be stopped that subuert whole houses for filthy lucres sake Rebuke y â— Cretians sharply that they may be sound in faith not take heed to Iewish fables coÌ„mandements of meÌ„ These things speake exhort reprooue with all authoritie Let no man despise thee Reiect him that is an hereâ—ike after the first second admonition By these the like precepts she wing himselfe euery where to speake as Christes embassadour and in matters of faith good behauiour and needfuâ—l discipline to be the Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles for in all these things not onely the people that were beleeuers but euen the godly Pastours Prophets and Euangelists perceiuing his sinceritie and reuerencing his authoritie obeied the Apostles voyce as hauing the spirite of Christ giuen him for the perfect directing and guiding of the Church amongst the Gentiles Much more might be sayd to this effect but by this it is euident that the Apostles function and calling was superiour to all other degrees and offices of the Church of Christ were they Deacons Doctors and Pastours Prophets or Euangelists or of the 70. Disciples and this their superioritie was giuen them by Christ himselfe whiles he liued on earth and confirmed vnto them by the mightie gifts and power of his holy spirite after his ascending into the heauens and acknowledâ—ed and honoured by all the faithfull so long as the Apostles liued none spurning at it or contradicting it but such as drew disciples after them to raigne ouer their brethren or seduced the simple to serue their owne bellies S. Iohn noteth Diotrephes for not acknowledging his Apostleship in this wise I wrote to the Church but Diotrephes that loueth to be chiefest among them receiueth vs not wherefore when I come I will declare his workes which hee doeth prating against vs with lewd wordes Farre otherwise were the godly Pastours and Teachers minded in the Church of Christ yeelding with all submission vnto the Apostles as vnto the expresse messengers of Gods will and disposers of his mysteries and putting a great difference betwixt the Apostolike function and theirs as Ignatius confesseth in his epistle to the Romanes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I prescribe or enioyne nothing vnto you as Peter and Paul did they were the Apostles of Iesus Christ but I the least And agayne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I commaund not as an Apostle but keepe my selfe within my measure Whereof we neede no further nor surer proofe then this that the whole Church then and euer since did and doeth hold all the precepts rules orders and admonitions of the Apostles contained in their epistles for authenticall oracles of the holy Ghost and partes of the Canonicall Scripture and they no doubt had the same authoritie speaking which they had writing and consequently no Pastour or Teacher might then more resist or refuse the Apostles doctrine decrees or doings then we may now their letters sermons or epistles This Prerogatiue to be best acquainted with the will and meaning of our Sauiour and to haue their mouthes and pennes directed and guided by the holy Ghost into all trueth as well of doctrine as discipline was so proper to the Apostles that no Euangelist nor Prophet in the new Testament came neere it and therefore the stories written by Marke and Luke were not admitted to be Canonical in respect of the writers but for that they were taken from the Apostles mouthes and by the Apostles perused and confirmed as true and sincere So saieth Luke of his owne Gospell As they deliuered vnto vs which from the beginning were eie witnesses and ministers of the word as soone as I searched out perfectly from the first all things it seemed good to me in order to write them And those his writings S. Paul saieth were ratified and receiued in all Churches I haue sent the brother whose praise is in the gospel throughout all the Churches which could not haue so generally bene accepted with good liking but that the Apostles who then gouerned and directed the Churches had first viewed approued the same els neither would the faithfull haue so esteemed it nor S. Paul so commended it The Gospel of Marke had the like approbation froÌ„ Peter as Ierome others doe testifie Marke the disciple interpreter of Peter according as he had heard Peter make relatioÌ„ wrote a short gospel being therto desired by the brethren at Rome The which Gospell when Peter heard he allowed it by his authoritie published it to be read of y e church as Clemens in his first booke Hypotypωseωγ writeth Can any man doubt reading the words of S. Paul which I haue cited but the Apostles had in the Church of Christ right to require and command power to rebuke and reuenge authoritie to dispose and ordaine in all such cases as touched the soundnesse of faith syncerenesse of life or seemlinesse of order amongst the faithfull and that in so doing they did not vsurpe vpoÌ„ their brethren nor tyrannize ouer them but were guided by Gods spirit and obeied as Christes messengers and Legates in euery place where the trueth was admitted Neither did Paul resolue conclude in such cases by number of voyces or assent of the Presbyterie but as himselfe speaketh so I teach in all Churches if an Angel from heauen teach otherwise hold him accursed some are puffed vp as if I would not come to you but I will come to you shortly by Gods leaue and know not the wordes but the power of those that swell thus if any man obey not our sayings note him by a letter and keepe no companie with him Under the Apostles were a number of their disciples whom the Apostles caried with them as companions of their iourneis and helpers of their labours and whom when they had perfectly trained and throughly tried they left any where behind them at their departure or sent any whither in their absence to finish things imperfect to redresse things amisse to withstand or preuent false prophets and seducers to suruey the state of the Churches and to keep theÌ„ in that course which was first desiuered by the Apostles These men for their better instruction serued with the Apostles as children with their fathers So Paul saieth of Timothie Yee know the proofe of him that as a sonne with his father he hath serued with me in the Gospel Touching
accipiat satisfactionis suae modum Let him come to the Presidents by whom the keies are ministred vnto him in the Church and receiue of them that haue the ouersight of the Sacraments the maner of his satisfaction It seemed vnpossible that by repentance sinnes should be remitted saith Ambrose but Christ graÌ„ted this to his Apostles from the Apostles it descended to the Priests function Loe saith Gregory the Apostles which feared the district iudgement of God are made iudges of soules Their places now in the Church the Bishops keepe They haue authoritie to bind loose that are called to that degree of regiment A great honour but a great burden followeth this honour Let the Pastour of the Church feare vndiscretely to binde or loose but whether the Pastour binde iustly or vniustly the Pastours sentence is to be feared of the flocke The Councils generall prouinciall reserue both excommunication and reconciliation to the iudgement conscience of the Pastout Bishop and by no means impart either of them to the people or laie-Elders The great Council of Nice Touching such as are put from the Communion whether they be Clergie men or Laie by the Bishops in euery place let this rule be kept according to the Canon that they which be reiected by some be not receiued by others but let it be carefully examined that they be not cast out of the church by the weaknes waspishnes frowardnes or rashnes of the bishop And y â— this matter may the better be enquired of we like it wel y â— twise euery yere there should be kept a Synode in euery Prouince y â— all the Bb. of the Prouince meeting together may examine those matters such as haue cleerly offended their bishop let theÌ„ be held iustly excoÌ„municat by all vntil it shall seeme good to the bishops in coÌ„mon to giue an easier iudgement of them This was the ancient and vniuersall rule of Christes Church for the Pastour or Bishop to haue the power of the keyes to admit and remooue from the Sacraments such as deserued it and for the examination and moderation of their doings neither people nor laie-Presbyters were ioyned with them but a Synode of Bishops in the same Prouince euerie halfe yeere heard the matter when any found himselfe grieued with the censure of his Bishop and they according to the right of the cause were to reuerse or ratifie the former iudgement yea the Bishop had power at the time of death or otherwise vpon the vnfained repentance of the partie to mitigate the rigour of the Canons as appeareth in the 12. and 13. of the same Councill It shall be lawfull for the Bishop to deale more gently with them And againe generally for euery excommunicate person that is readie to depart this life and desireth to bee partaker of the Eucharist let the Bishop vpon triall giue him the Communion And so the generall Councill of Chalcedon We determine the Bishop of the place shall haue power to deale more fauourablie with such as by the Canons should stand excommunicate The Councill of Antioch If any be depriued the Communion by his owne Bishop let him not be admitted to the Communion by others afore he appeare and make his defence at the next Synode and obtaine from them another iudgement except his owne Bishop or Dioecesan bee content to receiue him This rule to be kept touching laie-men Priests Deacons and all others within the compasse of the Canon The Councill of Sardica If a Bishop be ouer caried with anger which ought not to be in such a man and hastily mooued against a Priest or Deacon wil cast him out of the church we must prouide that he be not condemned wheÌ„ he is innocent nor depriued the Communion And the Bishop that hath put him from the Communion must be content that the matter bee heard that his sentence may be confirmed or corrected But before the perfect exact hearing looking into the cause hee that is excommunicated may not chalenge the Communion The third Councill of Carthage Let the times of repentance be appointed by the discretion of the Bishops vnto y â— Penâ—ents according to the difference of their sinnes And that no Presbyter reconcile a penitent without the liking of the Bishop vnlesse necessitie force in the absence of the Bishop And if the fault be publike blazed abroad and offend the whole Church let hands be imposed on him before the railes or Arch which seuereth the people from the ministers Concerning those which worthily for their offences are cast out of the assemblie of the Church Augustine then Legate for Numidia sayd May it please you to decree that if any bishop or Presbyter receiue them to the Communion which are worthily throwen out of the Church for crimes committed he himselfe shall be subiect to the same chalenge that they were declining the lawful sentence of their owne bishop Sozomene declaring after what penitentiall maner the excommunicate persons in the Primitiue Church stood in an open place whence the whole assemblie might see them addeth that in this sorte euery one of them abideth the time how long soeuer which the bishop hath appointed him A thousand other places might bee noted both in Fathers and Councils to shewe that from the Apostles to this day no late person was euer admitted in the Church of Christ to ioyne with the Pastours and Bishops in the publike vse of the keies and therefore the fathers haue exceeding wrong to be made fauourers and vpholders of the late discipline and laie Presbyterie Cyprian confesseth the people consented and concurred with him in the receiuing of Schismatikes such lewd offenders to the church and Communion vpon repentance His words to Cornelius be these O if you might be present here with vs when peruerse persons returne from their schisme you should see what labour I haue to perswade patience to our brethren that suppressing their griefe of heart they would consent to the receiuing and curing of these euil members I hardly perswade the people yea I am forced to wrest it froÌ„ them before they wil suffer such to be admitted It is an easie matter to make some shewe of contradiction in the writings of the ancient fathers diuers occasions leading them to speake diuerslie but it will neuer be prooued they thought it lawfull for Laie men to chalenge the publike vse of the keyes in the Church of Christ. The causes of excommunication and times of repentance were wholie referred to the iudgement of such as had the chiefest charge of the worde and Sacramentes as wee mayperceiue by the former authorities yet in notorious and scandalous offenses when the whole Church was grieued or when a schisme was feared the godlie fathers did both in remoouing and reconciling of such persons â—taie for the liking and approbation of the whole people to concurre with them not to warrant or confirme the sentence that
people from Priests is neither prophane nor strange in the Scriptures There shall be saieth Esay like people like Priest And so saieth Osee as also Ieremie diuideth the Church into the Prophet Priest and People As for the name of Clergie men Ierome saieth Proptereà vocantur Clerici vel quia de sorte sunt Domint vel quia ipse Dominus sors idest pars Clericorum est Therfore are they called Clergie men or Clerkes either because they are the Lordes portion to serue the Church of Christ or for that the Lord is their portion part to liue on such things as are dedicated to the Lord. The Laie hee calleth Seculares Secular men which word is not so good as Laici the Laitie or people The name of Presbyter I vse not thereby meaning aged and ancient men of what calling soeuer they be as the word sometimes signifieth and wherewith I see many that fauour the Presbyterie deceiued and deceiuing others but I vse it for those whom the Apostles call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters whence our tongue following the French long since deriued Priests who for their age should be Elders and by their office are ministers of the word and Sacraments and ouerseers of the flocke of Christ. And though there can be no doubt but very often in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Seniores in English Elders are taken for Pastours Teachers and such as laboured in the word and dispensed the Sacraments yet some more zealous then discreet no sooner he are of the word Presbyter or Senior an Elder in Scriptures or Fathers but they straightway dreame of their laie Presbyterie which is the greatest ground of all their errour and lightest proofe that may possiblie be brought For which cause I am forced often to distinguish the ministers of the word from such as some men would haue to bee Gouernours of the Church by the name of Presbyter and not of Elder which in our tongue is more common to aged men then to Clergie men But howsoeuer they may play with wordes to make some the we that Elders were Gouernours of Christes Church in the Apostles times assuredly no man is able to 〈◊〉 that laie men were publike Gouernours to ordaine ministers or remooue sinners from the Lordes table while the Apostles liued and after their deaths the longer we search the further we are from finding any such Elders The whole Church by the very wordes of our Sauiour might exclude disobedient and froward persons from their felowship as Etâ—nikes and Publicanes and bind them both in heauen and earth I haue answered alreadie that those wordes of Christ by the verâ—â— confession of such as are the greatest defenders of this newe discipline were spoken of the Iudges and Magistrates of the Iewes And if by the credite and authoritie of the fathers wee will needes haue them spoken of Christes Church wee must then take the Church for the Pastours and leaders of the Church that haue receiued power from Christ to binde and loose in heauen and earth Lastly if we intend nothing els by those wordes Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane but refraine all company with him and eate no more with him then thou wouldest with an Ethnike and Publicane this charge pertaineth rather to the whole Church then to any laie Elders or Gouernours in the Church The Apostles wordes When you are gathered together put away from among you that wicked man are rather directed to the whole Congregation then to any laie Elders in the Church of Corinch as are also these that folow I wrate vnto you that you should not company together with fornicatours but nowe I haue written vnto you if any man that is called a brother bee a fornicator or couetous an Idoâ—ater railer drunkard or extortioner with such an one eate not Must onely the laie Elders or all the multitude auoyd the companie of such enormous persons I beseech you brethren saieth Paul obserue those which cause diuisions and offences against the doctrine which you haue learned and decline them Should none but Elders and Teachers shunne Schismatikes and hainous malefactours or must the people and hearers doe the like If any man obey not our sayings keepe no companie with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not an enemie but admonish him as a brother Shall wee thinke the Apostle thought it sufficient for soâ—â— fewe laie Elders to forbeare the company of such disordered persons or doeth hee will the whole Church with one consent to shunne all societie with such vnrulie ones that they may bee ashamed Then yet the whole Church might excommunicate and not Pastours onely With open reproouing by the word and excluding from the Sacraments such as notoriouslie sinned Pastours and Prophets might intermeddle the people and laie Elders might not it was no part of their charge but in banishing malefactours from all fellowship and companie both ciuill and sacred with the faithfull the Pastours were to direct the people to assist and execute that iudgement The Apostle doeth not leaue it to peoples liking as a matter indifferent till they haue consented but enioineth it as a necessarie duetie and commandeth them in the name of Christ Iesus to withdraw themselues from euery brother that walked inordinately For as S. Iohn warneth vs He that receiueth to his house the bringer of another doctrine or biddeth him good speede is partaker of his euill deedes And so is euery one that with countenance fauour or familiaritie doeth embolden the wicked to goe on in any other lewdnesse when by Christian dutie he should reproue such offenders if they persist renounce al societie with them yea where there wanteth a beleeuing magistrate the Pastours shall not doe wisely to proceed to any such rigour against wilfull and obstinate sinners without the knowledge and consent of the people for feare of contempt if the most part mislike or factions if the multitude be deuided If Pastours in such cases were to staie for the liking of the whole Church is it not more likely that the people did referre the hearing and censuring of all such matters to certaine chosen Elders of themselues rather then in a tumult confusedly without any Iudiciall forme determine such causes That if wee euict wee make no doubt that laie Elders were Gouernours in the Church of Christ as well as Pastours Indeed likelihoods and surmises were the best demonstrations that euer were made for your supposed discipline but if this hee all you will neuer euict any thing The people might well relie themselues on the credite and conscience of their Pastours and beleeue them in other mens cases whom they trusted with their owne soules Againe they might approoue and confirme their Pastours iudgement in an open assemblie without an vprore things were at that time handled in the Church religiously not tumultuously Lastly if the people did appoint certaine wise and sufficient
Bishop must bee vnreprooueable as Gods Steward holding fast the faithfull worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhorte with founde doctrine and conuince the goinesayers No Teachers no Elders by this rule For they were Gods Stewards to exhort and conuince with found doctrine before they tooke that name Elders might not be appointed in any Citie but so qualified as is heere prescribed there was no place then in Creete for your newe founde Elders And as for Lay Gouernours of the Apostolike Church to bee mentioned by Saint Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians and twelfth Chapter the ancient and learned Fathers are further from admitting any such then I am howsoeuer our late writers bee lighted on them Nazianzene expounding the wordes of Saint Paul which our men imagine concerne Lay Gouernours sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernements that is ouer-ruling the flesh Chrysostome maketh Helpes and Gouernements all one and saith It is a great blessing of God in matters of the Spirite to haue an helper and exhorter Ambrose saieth In the fift place is giuen the gift of vnderstanding For they bee Gouernours that with spirituall raines doe guide men Theophilact referreth it to the Deacons Helpes gouernements that is to receiue the sicke and guide and dispence the goodes of our brethren Then neither doe the Scriptures any where mention Lay Presbyters nor the Fathers expounding the places that are brought for them did euer giue so much as an inkeling of any such persons The words of Paul to Timothie be not only cleared from them by diuers sound interpretations but produced against them For they admit no Elders but such as were for their worke sake maintained at the costes of the Church and so were neuer anie Lay Presbyters The two other places name Rulers and Gouernours but expresse neyther what persons or thinges they gouerned neyther who they were that did gouerne whether Lay men or Pastours Lay men had Christian gouernements but ouer their families ouer the Church and house of God none had in the Apostles daies that wee reade saue Pastors and Teachers I meane such as did feede and watch the flocke committed to their charge And yet if wee shoulde graunt that in the Apostles time for want of a Magistrate to vpholde the discipline of the Church and punish the disorders and offences of loose brethren there were certaine graue and wise Elders ioyned with the Prophets and Pastours to admonish the vnrulie examine the guiltie and exclude infamous and scandalous persons from the common societie of Christians Is it anie consequent the like must bee vsed with vs in a Christian kingdome vnder a beleeuing Prince The Apostolike Churches were planted in populous Cities where they coulde not lacke meete men to sustaine that charge ours are dispersed in rurall Hamlets where there can bee no hope to finde so many fitte Gouernours as shall bee requisite To the first Churches came none but such as were willing and zealous without all compulsion to ours come all forces Atheistes Hypocrites and howe manie rather forced by Lawe then ledde with deuotion yea woulde God it did not often so fall out that in manie places the richer and wealthier men eyther regarde no Religion or secretely leane to the woorst Euerie Church with them had manie Prophetes Pastours and Teachers the number and neede of the people and tyme so requiring so that their Presbyteries might bee indifferently weighed without ouerbearing either side Wee haue but one in eche Parish and to exact maintenaunce for moe at the peoples handes in euerie Uillage woulde breede that sore which no playster would heale To giue that one a negatiue voyce in all thinges against the Laie Elders were to fill the whole Realme with infinite contentions and questions To giue him no voyce but as one amongest the rest is to shake the Church in sunder with euerie faction and fansie of the multitude Lastly those Churches vnder persecution had none that coulde iustly chalenge to rule the rest ours hath a lawfull Monarch professing the faith to whome by Gods Lawe the gouernement of all crimes and causes Ecclesiasticall doeth rightly belong and therefore the priuate and popular regiment of the afflicted Churches must cease since God hath blessed this realme with a publike peaceable and princely gouernement The greater and stronger power doeth alwayes determine and frustrate the lesser and weaker in the same kinde What neede we priuate men to punish vices when we haue princes to doe it What neede wee Suffrages of Lay Elders to reforme disorders and abuses in Pastors when wee haue open and knowen lawes to worke the same effect with more force and better speede In popular states and persecuted Churches some pretence may be made for that kinde of discipline In christian kingdomes I see neither neede nor vse of Lay Elders Howbeit for my part I doe not beleeue that Lay Elders were vsed in the Apostls times to gouerne the Church With imposition of hands remission of sinnes distribution of Sacraments I am right assured no iust proofe can be made they did or should intermeddle yea the ouersight of those things could not belong whiles the Apostles liued to Lay men and after their deaths the Churches planted by them and ages succeeding them neuer vsed nor acknowledged any Lay Elders Which is to me an inuincible demonstration that the Apostles left them none For would all the Churches in the worlde with one consent immediatly vpon the Apostles deaths reiect that fourme of gouerning the Church by Lay Elders which was setled and approoued by the Apostles and embrace a new and strange kinde of gouernement without precept or precedent for their so doing Howe others can perswade themselues that the whole Church of Christ felt so generally and presently to a wilfull Apostacie I knowe not for myselfe I confesse I had rather forsake the deuise and conceit of some late Writers were they in number moe then they are before I will proclaime so many Apostolike men and ancient and learned fathers to be manifest despisers of the Apostolike discipline and voluntarie supporters if not inuentors of Antichrists pride and tyrannie Wherefore if they shew me Lay Elders vniuersally receiued for gouernours in the Churches and ages next folowing the Apostles I wil agnise they came from the Apostles if there were no such after the Apostles I cannot beleeue they were in the Apostles times CHAP. XI What Presbyterie the primitiue Churches and Catholike fathers did acknowledge and whether Lay Elders were any part thereof or no. MAny men thinke and write that the first Churches and fathers after the Apostles retained and vsed Lay Elders for Gouernors and so witnes as they say obscurely Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Augustine more cleerely Ambrose Hierome Possidonius and the Canon law and therefore I doe not well in their opinions to pretend the authoritie of Christes Church against them If all these Fathers or any of them did clearely mention or witnesse Lay Elders
power which you giue to your Presbyters but because you turne them all ouer the barre as tainted with humane pollitie and neglecters of Gods ordinance let vs see whether wee can say more for the power of Bishops ouer Presbyters by the Scriptures then you haue done for your Presbyteriall censures which in my iudgement are very flenderlie and weaklie prooued All that wee can say for the power of Bishops aboue Presbyters out of the Scriptures is this That the holie Ghost by the mouth of S. Paul hath giuen the Bishop of each place authoritie to ordaine such as be woorthie to examine such as be faultie and reproue and discharge such as be guiltie either of vnsound teaching or offensiue liuing Thus much he saieth to Timothie and Tite and in them to their successours and to all other Bishops of Christes Church for euer The places bee plaine and neede no long discoursing till we heare your answere Of admitting Presbyters Paul saieth to Timothie Lay hands hastily on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes And to Tite For this cause I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in euerie Citie such as I appointed thee Of conuenting them hee saieth Receiue no accusation agaynst a Presbyter but vnder two or three witnesses those that sinne rebuke openlie that the rest may feare Of dismissing them hee saieth I prayed thee to abide at Ephesus to commaund certaine that they teach no strange doctrine Their mouthes must bee stopped that teach things they ought not for filthie lucre The Presbyters that doe their dueties let them bee counted woorthie of double honour Staie foolish questions and contentions An heretike after one or two warnings reiect These things speake and exhort and rebuke with all authoritie See no man despise thee I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without carying any preiudice or inclining to either part The wordes bee singular the charge is vehement the parties were Bishops to whome the Apostle wrate the case therefore is cleare that the Bishops power ouer Presbyters in these pointeâ— is ratified by the expresse commandement of the holy Ghost You be mightily deceiued This power belonged to Euangelists not to Bishops and therefore it dured but for their time and exceeded not their persons to whom the Apostles â—rate See you how easilie the very foundations of your Prelacie are shaken and ouer throwen If your replie be sound you say somewhat to the purpose but if it be false absurd repugnant to the very Text and refuted by your own positions then take you heed what answere you will make to God for disturbing his Church despising his ordinance and deriding his messengers that himselfe hath placed and authorized with his own mouth And here I must pray the Christian Reader aduisedlie to marke what is said and answered on either side This in deed is the maine erection of the Episcopal power and function if our proofes stand or subuersion if your answere be good For if this faile wel may Bishops claime their authoritie by the custome of the Church by any diuine precept expressed in the scriptures they cannot But if these rules be deltuered by the Apostle to Bishops as we say they are and not to Timothie and Tite in respect of their Euangelship as the Presbyterists affirme then can there be no question but this new discipline is a very dreame and the auncient and Primitiue Church of Christ held the right and Apostolicall fourme of gouerning the house of God according to the prescript of his word Out reioinder therefore is as foloweth No power proper to Euangelists is or ought to be perpetual in the Church of Christ their calling was both extraordinarie and temporarie but power to ordaine fit ministers to conuent and discharge vnfit is and ought to be perpetuall in the Church of Christ. This therefore was no power proper to Euangelists which S. Paul in these places prescribed vnto Tite and Timothie Againe your Presbyters may not claime Euangelisticall power since your Presbyters are no Euangelists but your Presbyteries claime this power which Paul here committeth to Timothie and Tite euen to ordaine examine censure and depriue Pastours and Teachers ergo this power was not proper to Euangelists Let all this bee nothing if Saint Paul in expresse wordes say not as much I charge thee saith he to Timothie in the sight of God and before Iesus Christ that thou keepe this commaundement without spot and vnrebukeable VNTIL THE APPEARING of our Lord Iesus Christ. For Timothie to obserue these things vntill the comming of Christ in glory was vtterly vnpossible hee was to die long before these preceptes therefore are deliuered to him and those that should succeed in his place vnto the ende of the world Ergo Timothies power and function in this behalfe must be perpetuall in the Church of God and not faile before the day of iudgement With great vigilancie and prouidence saieth Ambrose vpon this place doeth the Apostle giue percepts to the Ruler of the Church for in his person doeth the safetie of the people consist He is not so circumspect as fearing Timothies care but for his successours that after Timothies example they should obserue the ordering of the Church Now let the Christian Reader iudge whether this were a temporarâ—e function in Timothie that died with his person or a perpetuall charge to him and his successors for euer Surely Timothie was an Euangelist Timothie was no Bishop You say he was no Bishop Eusebius Ierome Ambrose Chrysostome Theodoretus Epiphanius Oecumenius Primasius affirme he was a Bishop and in that respect S. Paul by this epistle directed him and all other Bishops in him how to impose handes on Presbyters and receiue accusations against them yea the whole Church of Christ since the Apostles times without exception hath so constred and obserued the Apostles words in suffering none but Bishops either to ordaine or degrade Presbyters yet all this with you is nothing your bare fansie must ouer beare both fathers were they neuer so learned and Churches were they neuer so auncient And though you auouch this power must not exceed their two persons to whom S. Paul wrate yet you are so liberall and beneficiall to your Presbyteries that against all trueth and authoritie you make them succeede Timothie and Tite in their Euangelisticall power And so according to your maner you will haue this power to be proper and yet common to be extraordinarie and yet vsuall to cease with their persons and yet to dure for euer with your Presbyteries Fire will better agree with water then you with your selues except you leaue this rolling too and fro at your pleasures We say the Euangelists had this power for a time the Presbyteries for eâ—er What you say no wise man will regard vnlesse you make better proofes then I yet
what corruptions are in men as wel as other Consistories Mans lawes wee leaue to such as are skilled in them we would haue our Presbyteries meddle no further then with rebuking and censuring of vice as Gods Law requireth To admonish those that erre reiect thâ—se that persist and rebuke those that sinne are Pastorall and not Presbyteriall dueties by the wordes of S. Paul And he that is Pastour hath both worde and sacraments committed vnto his care within his owne Church Wherefore without their pastour the Presbyters may not iudicially rebuke nor publikely excommunicate any man within his charge They may preach the word and so generally applie it in the pulpit they may dispence the Sacraments and so not deliuer them where they find men impeniâ—ent but personally to conuent them or openlie to seuer them from the fellowship of the church that belongeth to the Pastour and not to the Presbyters Saint Paul committed that power and care to Timothie and his successours not to the Presbyterie of Ephesus The words are plaine Against an Elder receiue thou no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses those that sinne rebuke thou openly that the rest may feare I charge thee before God and the Lorde Iesus and his elect Angels that thou obserue these thinges without proiudice or partialitie that is without oppressing or fauouring any side She withus much for your Presbyteries and bring them in with full faile Paul made Timothie no Monarch at Ephesus to doe all this without the Presbyterie but appointed him to be chiefe in these actions and the Presbyters to ioyne with him Much lesse did Paul make him a voice-asker to knowe whether it should please the Presbyters to haue these things done or no. The charge is precisely and exactlie Timothies and not the Presbyteries the power therefore must be his and not theirs All this notwithstanding you affirme against the wordes of the Apostle and against the vse of the Primitiue Church that the Presbyters might ouer-rule and censure Timothie if he would not be quiet and in spite of Timothy doe in all these things as they saw cause and this you barely suppose without anie kinde of proofe But either shew what warrant you haue to claime this prerogatiue of Presbyters aboue and ouer their bishops and pastours or giue vs leaue to beleeue the whole Church of Christ expounding and practising those wordes of S. Paul as we doe before your slender and naked supposals The priuate vse of the keyes in appointing offendors vpon the acknowledging of their sinnes for a time to for beare the Lordes Table we denie not to Presbyters but the publike vse of the keies to exclude an impenitent and obstinate person from al fellowship of the faithfull as well sacred as ciuill that the Church of Christ allowed alwaies and only to bishops Origen saith By falling from trueth faith and loue a man geth out of the tents of the church though he be not cast our by the BISHOPS VOICE Cypr. writing to a bishop that was reproched by his Deacon saith Vse against him the power of your honour either TO DEPRIVE HIM or REMOOVE HIM from the communion The affection of a good Bishop saith Ambrose wisheth to heale the sicke to remooue cankred sores to cauterize not to cut off lastly that which can not be healed TO CVT IT OF with sorrow I maruel saith Ierom against Vigilantius the BISHOP in whose charge he is said to be a Presbyter DOTH NOT CRVSH this vnprofitable vessel with the Apostolike rod and deliuer him ouer to Satan for the destructioÌ„ of the flesh that the spirit may be saued There is no greater punishmeÌ„t in the Church saith Austen then that daÌ„nation which THE EPISCOPAL IVDGEMENT pronounceth yet the Pastor must needs seuer the sick sheepe from the whole lest deadly infection reach vnto others If saith Chrysost giuing y â— people admonition of a certaine abuse crept in amongst theÌ„ we be despised we shalbe coÌ„pelled to bring these threats to effect to chastise you by the laws of the church Be angry who list I wil keepe them from the church a long space as Idolaters Beare with mee neither let any man despise the bandes of the church It is not maÌ„ that bindeth but Christ which hath giueÌ„vs this power made men masters of so great honor wee desire not to be brought to that extremity if we be we wil do our duetie If any man breake those bands I haue done my part thou shalt answer to him that COMMANDED ME to bind thee The Council of Nice willed Synodes to be kept twise euery yeere to examine whether any Lay men or Clergy men were excommunicated by the IMBECILITY PERTINACY OR INSOLENCIE OF THE BISHOP and such as were founde to haue OFFENDED THEIR BISHOP to stand excommunicate til the Synode released them The Council of Antioch likewise decreed that if any Lay man Presbyter or Deacon were excoÌ„municated BY HIS OWNE BISHOP no man should receiue him to the coÌ„munion afore he were restored by his own Bishop or by a Synode The Council of Sardica in the same maner If any Deacon Presbyter or Clergy man be excoÌ„municated flie to another Bishop of his acquaintance that knoweth he is depriued of the coÌ„munion BY HIS OVVNE BISHOP the other must not with reproch to a Bishop and his brother receiue that person to the coÌ„munion The Council of Taurine to which Ambrose wrace decreed touching Exuperantius a Presbyter that had reproched Triferius his bishop was therfore by him put from the coÌ„munion vt in eius arbitrio sit restitutio ipsius in cuius potestate eius abiectio hoc est vt quando velideÌ„ Exuper antius satisfecerit vel episcopo Triferio visum fuerit tuÌ„c gratiam communionis accipiat That his restitution should BE IN THE Bishops DISCRETION in whose power the reiecting of him was And therefore when Exuperantius the Presbyter should make satisfaction or Tâ—iferius the bishop be so content then he should be receiued to the communion The Council of Affrica taketh order for such as complaine against the iudgements of their owne bishops that they shalbe heard by the next bishops but if any man flie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE CANONICAL SENTENCE OF HIS OVVNE BISHOP no man should receiue him to the communion By which it appeareth that Gregories words are very true where he saith THE BISHOPS now in the Church holdethe places of the Apostles THEY which haue that degree of regiment HAVE AVTHORITIE to bind and loose And Theophilacts THEY HAVE POVVER to binde and loose which haue the grace of a BISHOPS OFFICE as Peterhad The publike vse therefore of the keies to excommunicate from al Christian company belonged to the bishop as pastor of the place the Presbyters sate with him at first as assessors and consenters before Synodes vndertooke such causes but after when once Councils beganne to haue the
speciall charge of imposition of hands and this their singularitie in succeeding and superioritie in ordaining haue bene obserued from the Apostles times as the peculiar and substantial markes of Episcopal power and calling I knowe some late Writers vehemently spurne at this and hardly endure any difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters vnlesse it be by custome and consent of men but in no case by any order or institution of the Apostles whose opinions together with the authorities on which they builde I haue according to my small skill examined and find them no way able to rebate the full and sound euidence that is for the contrarie for what more pregnant probation can be required then that the same power and precepts which Paul gaue to Timothie when hee had the charge of Ephesus remained in all the Churches throughout the worlde to certaine speciall and tried persons authorized by the Apostles themselues and from them deriued to their after-commers by a generall and perpetuall succession in euery church and citie without conference to enlarge it or Councill to decree it the continuing where of for three discents the Apostles saw with their eyes confirmed with their handes and Saint Iohn amongst others witnessed with his pen as an order of ruling the Church approoued by the expresse voyce of the Sonne of God When the originall proceeded from the Apostles mouth and was obserued in all the famous places and Churches of Christendome where the Apostles taught and whiles they liued can any man doubt whether that course of gouerning the Church were Apostolike for my part I confesse I am neither so wise as to ouer-reach it with policie nor so wayward as to withstand it with obstinacie Against so maine and cleere proofes as I dare vndertake will content euen a contentious minde when hee readeth them are pretended two poore places the one of Ambrose the other of Ierome the first auouching that in the beginning the Episcopall prerogatiue went by order before it came by way of election vnto desert the other resoluing that Bishops are greater then Presbyters rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lords disposition Both these authorities I haue throughly discussed and laide forth the right intent of those Fathers not onely by comparison of other Writers but euen by their owne confession lest any shoulde thinke I drawe them to a forraine sense besides their true meaning for when Ierome and Austen alleage the vse and custome of the Church for the distinction betwixt Bishops and Presbyters if it be vnderstoode of the names and titles of honor which at first were common to both and after diuided by the vse of the Church as Austen expresseth we can absolutely grant the places without any preiudice to the cause if it be applied to their power and function in the church it is most true that Ierome saith Presbyters were subiect in such fort as the Primitiue Church obserued rather by custome then by the trueth of the Lords ordinance For Presbyters in the Primitiue Church as appeareth by Tertullian Ierome Possidonius and others might neither baptize preach nor administer the Lords supper without the Bishops leaue especially in his presence which indeede grewe rather by custome for the preseruation of order then by any rule or commandement of the Lord. By the word of God a Bishop did nothing which a Presbyter might not do saue imposing of hands to ordaine That is the onely distinction in the Scriptures betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter as Ierome and Chrysostome affirme other differences which the church kept many as to impose hands on the baptized and conuerted to reconcile penitents and such like were rather peculiar to the Bishop for the honour of his calling then for any necessitie of Gods Law If any man vrge further out of Ierome that there was no Bishop at all nor chiefe Ruler ouer the Church and Presbyterie of each place in the Apostles times I answere him with the resolution of one of the greatest patrones of their newe discipline Non ita desipuisse existimandus est vt somniaretneminem illi coetui praefuisse Icrome is not to bee thought to haue beene so vnwise as to dreame the Presbyterie had no chiefe Ruler or President It is a perpetuall and essentiall part of Gods ordinance that in the Presbyterie one chiefe in place and dignitie shoulde gouerne eache action or meeting And againe Tales Episcopos diuinitùs quasi ipsius Christi voce constitutos absit vt vnquam simus inficiati that such Bishops as were Pastours in euerie Citie and chiefe of their Presbyteries were appointed from heauen and as it were by the voyce of Christ himselfe God forbid wee shoulde euer denie This saieth hee on the behalfe of the newe Discipline On the other side I say God forbid I should vrge any other but such as were Pastours ouer their Churches and Gouernours of the Presbyteries vnder them If wee thus farre agree what cause then had those turbulent heades I speake not of them all which to ease their stomackes or to please their maintainers iested and railed rather like Stage-players then Diuines on those whome the wiser sorte amongst them can not denie were ordained by God and appointed by the voyce of Christ himselfe If their reasons bee not the stronger and weightier howsoeuer they flatter themselues in fluaries let them remember who saide hee that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me They will haply saue themselues for that our Bishops differ from the Apostolike Bishops in manie thinges as namelie theirs succeeded in order ours by election the dignitie was in the Apostles times common to euerie Presbyter in his course nowe it is proper to one with them it dured for a season as a weeke or a moneth with vs for life except by iust cause any deserue to bee remooued lastly they had but prioritie of place and authoritie to moderate the meetings and consultings of the rest ours haue a kinde of imperie ouer their fellow-Presbyters These bee precisely the points wherein one of the best learned of that side contendeth the ancient and Apostolike institution of Bishops was changed by processe of time into an other fourme established by custome and confirmed by consent of men these be his own words I haue not altered or inuerted the sense or sentence If any of these differences were true yet are they no causes to discredit the custome of the Primitiue Church in electing her Bishops to hold their places so long as they gouerned well for the same writer pronounceth of these very things setting the last aside neque in istis quicquam est quod reprehendi possit neither in these things is there ought that can be misliked but in deede there is not one of al these diuersities that can bee iustly prooued either by Scripture
Timothie in the same place and power and the rest of the Apostolike Churches had the like order as appeareth by their successions of Bishops fet euen from the Apostles and their followers Of Timothies successours if any man doubt the Councill of Chalcedon will tell him the number of them A sancto Timotheo vsque nunc 27. Episcopi facti omnes in Epheso sunt ordinati from blessed Timothie vnto this present the 27. Bishops that haue bin made haue bin al ordained at Ephesus Other Apostolike Churches as Tertullian saith had the like order of Bishops so deriued by succession from the beginning that the first Bishop had for his Author and Antecessor one of the Apostles or some Apostolike man which had continued with the Apostles So the Bishops of Cyprus in the third generall Councill of Ephesus did witnesse for their Iland Troylus say they Sabinus Epiphanius and the most holie Bishops that were before them and all that haue beene euen from the Apostles were ordained by such as were of Cyprus If Timothies commissioÌ„ dip too deep for the Presbyters store howbeital the ancient fathers with one consent make that Epistle a very paterne for the Episcopall power and calling yet the authoritie which so many thousand learned and godly Bishops haue had and vsed with the liking and allowance of all Churches Councils and Fathers euen from the Apostles times should to no reasonable man seeme intollerable or vnlawfull except we thinke that the whole church of Christ from her first planting til this our age lacked not onely religion but also vnderstanding to distinguish betwixt Pastorall moderation tyrannical domination to which humor if any man encline I must rather detest his arrogancie then stand to refute so grosse an absurditie I wil therefore set downe in a word or two the summe of that power which Bishops haue had aboue Presbyters euer since the Apostles times if the Disciplinarians thinke it repugnant to the worde of God I woulde gladly heare not their opinions and assertions which I haue often read and neuer beleeued but some quicke and sure probations out of the sacred Scriptures and those shall quiet the strife betwixt vs. The Canons called Apostolike alleaged by themselues as ancient say thus The Presbyters and Deacons let them doe nothing without the knowledge or consent of the Bishop He is the man that is trusted with the Lords people and that shall render account for their soules Ignatius Bishop of Antioch almost thirtie yeres in the Apostles times agreeth fully with that Canon and saith Do you nothing neither Presbyter Deacon nor Lay man without the Bishop neither let any thing seeme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 orderly or reasonable without his liking 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for it is vnlawfull and displeasant to God Ang againe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Without the Bishop let no man do anything that pertaineth to the Church The ancient councils of Ancyra Laodicea Arle Toledo and others acknowledge the same rule to be Christian and lawfull yea no Councill or father did euer attribute any such power to the Presbyters as by number of voyces to ouer-rule the Bishops in euery thing as our late reformers haue deuised rather to retriue the world to their pleasures then to imitate any former example of Christes Church or to reuerence the rules that are deliuered in holy Writ If then wee seeke for right Apostolike Bishops they were such as were left or sent by the Apostles to bee Pastours of the Churches and Gouernours of the Presbyteries in euerie Citie that beleeued so long as they ruled well and in their steade as their successours to receiue charge of ordaining others for the worke of the Ministerie and guiding the keies with the aduise and consent of such as laboured with them in the worde and doctrine These partes if I be not deceiued are fully proued in their conuenient places thither I remit the Reader that is desirous to see more It sufficeth mee for this present that no parte of this power can bee iustly challenged as tyrannicall or intollerable by the groundes of Diuine or humane Lawes and therefore the obiecting of domination is a superfluous if not an enuious quarrel of theirs declaring they either do not or will not vnderstand the matter for which we chieflie contend Touching Synodall decrees and Princes Lawes for Ecclesiasticall causes since they must of force be committed to the care and conscience of some that shall execute them I haue examined who are the meetest men to be put in trust with those matters in whom there can be iustly no suspition nor occasion of tyrannicall dealing so long as Dioecesanes and Metropolitanes are limited by written Lawes in eche case what they shall do and euery man that findeth himselfe grieued permitted to appeale from them to Synodes or Princes one of the which must needes take place howsoeuer the Church be either in persecution or peace I haue like wise shewed the necessitie and antiquitie of Dioeceses of Synodes of Primates or Metropolitans as also whether the people by Gods Lawe must elect their Pastors afore they can be rightly and duly called Of these things and many such questions pertaining to the gouernement of Christes Church I haue made speciall and full discourses not omitting any point that was worth the searching In all which as throughout the whole booke when I obiect anything that is or may bee saide on their behalfe that maintaine these newe found Consistories I haue caused it to bee printed in another letter and distinguished from the rest of the Texâ— with this maâ—ke as it were to enclose it What I haue performed the Christian Reader shall best perceiue if he take the paines to peruse it All mens humors I do not hope I do not seeke to satisfie Such as are deceiued with ignorance of the truth may haply by this be some what occasioned if not directed to a further search singular conceits that are in loue with their owne deuises swelling spirites that endure no superiors couetous hearts that hunt after spoiles when all is saide will haue their dreames if they can not haue their wils these diseases are so desperate they passe my skil if it were a great deale more then it is My purpose was and is the peace of Gods Church so farre as it may stand with the trueth of his worde and fellowship of his Saints that haue gone before vs with wonderfull graces of his spirite as well for the greatnes of their learning as holinesse of their liues and to that ende haue I so tempered and delayed my stile that I might not iustly offend such as are otherwise minded vnlesse the refusing of their priuate fansies will prouoke the heate of their displeasures I haue alwayes had before mine eies the most of them are brethren for the trueths sake howsoeuer some of them fall to open enmitie for this humour of Iewish Synedrions and Lay
Thou beginnest to account thy brother as a Publicane thou doest binde him on earth When thou doest correct and make agreement with thy brother thou hast loosed him on earth and when thou loosest him on earth hee shall be loosed in heauen Which of these twaine be preferred I force not so the first be not impugned as disagreeing from the Text. Some thinke our Sauior would not prescribe how the Iewes should proceede in their priuat suits and quarels that care belonging rather to Counsellers at the law then to Preachers of y â— word I conclude then there can be no proportion nor imitation neither of the higher nor of the meaner Synedrion amongst the Iewes expected or admitted in the Church of Christ and as for the words of Christ in the 18. of Mathew whereon some new writers build the foundation of their laie-Presbyterie they be free farre from any such construction or conclusion and the Catholike fathers expounding that place be further from the mention or motion of any such regiment CHAP. V. The Apostolicall preheminence and authoritie before and after Christes ascention ALbeit the sonne of God assembled no Churches whiles he liued on earth nor setled the Iewes Synedrion to remaine amongst the faithfull for ought that we find by the sacred Scriptures yet least the house of God should be vnfinished and his haruest vngathered in his own person whiles he walked here he called and authorized from and aboue the rest certaine workemen and stewards to take the chiefe charge care and ouersight after his departure of Gods building husbandrie for which cause he made when as yet hee was conuerfant with men a plaine distinction betwixt his disciples choosing Twelue of them to be his Apostles and appointing other 70. to goe before him into euery Citie and place whither he should come and to preach the kingdom of God giuing those Twelue larger Commission perfecter instruction higher authoritie and greater gifts of his holy spirite then the rest of his disciples which hee made labourers also in his haruest and messengers of his kingdome The Twelue not the 70. were the continuall and domesticall hearers of all his sermons and beholders of all his wonders as chosen to witnesse his doctrine doings and suffrings to the world the Twelue and no more were present when he did institute his last supper and they alone heard and had those heauenly praiers and promises which then he made To the Eleuen apart from the rest was giuen in mount Oliuet the Commission to teach all Nations and looke how God sent his sonne so sent he them as Apostles that is Ambassadours from his side not onely to preach the trueth and plant the Church throughout the world but in his name to commaund those that beleeued in all cases of faith good maners to set an order amongst them in all things needfull for the gouernement continuance peace and vnitie of the Church sharply to rebuke and reiect from the societie of the faithfull such as resisted or disobeied to commit the Churches to sound and sincere Teachers and ouerseers to stop the mouthes of those that taught things they should not for filthie lucres sake and to deliuer them to Satan that persisted in their impieties or blasphemies As for the gifts of Gods spirite they were so great in his Apostles that they both preaching and writing deliuered infallible trueth to the Churches of God and that in all languages of the world and euen the shadowes and the napkins that had touched their bodies did heale the sicke and cast out deuils these miraculous workings of the holy Ghost not onely themselues had in greater measure then any others but they gaue them vnto others by laying their hands on them When Philip had conuerted and baptised the people of Samaria in the name of the Lord Iesus yet none of them receiued the gifts of the holy Ghost vntill two of the Apostles came downe to them praied for them and laid hands on them and then was the holy Ghost giuen them through laying on of the Apostles hands Philip though he preached and baptized the beleeuers as well as the Apostles did yet could he not bestow on them the gifts of the holy Ghost that was reserued to the Apostles as to persons of an higher calling in the Church of Christ then Philip was and yet was he one of the seuen deacons also an Euangelist as S. Luke witnesseth and wel appeareth by his dispensing the word Sacraments WheÌ„ Paul laid his hands on the 12. disciples at Ephesus they straight way spake with diuers tongues and prophesied So that our Sauiour as well liuing on earth as ascending on high kept a differeÌ„ce betwixt his Apostles the rest of his disciples that were preachers both in hauing them alwayes with him the better to acquaint them with the mysteries of the kingdome of heauen and in leauing vnto them at his departure the conuerting and instructing of all nations and in powring on them after his ascension a greater aboundance of his holy spirite then on the rest for the better execution of the charge committed vnto them For the plainer proofe whereof we may remember that when our Lord and Master elected 12. Apostles to be with him other 70. disciples to goe before him at the first gathering of his Church hee did imitate the choice which God made in the wildernesse of twelue chiefe Princes and seuentie Elders to guide and gouerne the people of Israel by their two seuerall numbers distinguishing their two seuerall degrees and when Iudas by transgression fell from his Apostleship an other was taken out of the 70. to supplie his roome which needed not if the 70. had had before equall place and calling with the Apostles Ierome saieth Qui prouehitur de minore ad maiâ—s prouehitur hee that is promoted is promoted from the lesse to the greater Now that Iudas successor was taken out of the 70. and not out of the Laitie appeareth by this that euery Apostle was to haue his calling from Christ as the 70. had and not from men and on Matthias the Apostles imposed no hands which argued that hee was called before by Christ himselfe amongst the 70. And so saieth Ierome Matthias being one of the 70. was chosen into the order of the eleuen in the place of Iudas the traitour And Epiphanius Christ sent 72. to preach of whose number was Matthias which in Iudas place was numbred amongst the Apostles Eusebius also confirmeth the same report that Matthias which was chosen to be an Apostle in the place of Iudas the traitor had before that the calling of one of the 70. Paul numbring the diuersities of gifts and administrations in the Church saieth God hath ordained in the Church first Apostles next Prophets thirdly Teachers then those that do miracles after that the gifts of healing helping gouerning c. reckoning
the Apostles first not in order onely but in excellencie also as appeareth by his similitude of mans body whose partes are some comelier some feebler and his comparison of spirituall gifts whereof some be more excellent and some of lesse regard and account in the Church of Christ. And so Chrysostome well obserueth Because some did mightily swell with the gift of tongues he placeth that last of all for first and second are not vsed here fortales sake but he noteth what is higher in degree and what is lower Wherefore hee set the Apostles before as those that were endewed with all sortes of gifts Hee saieth not God hath placed some to bee Apostles some to be Prophets but he saieth in the first place in the second in the third And Ambrose The chiefe in the Church hee placeth the Apostles which are Christes Embassadours Hierome writing of the 12. fountaines and 70. palme trees that the Israelites found in Elim saieth There is no doubt but the 12. Apostles are hereby ment from whose fountaines the streames running along doe water the drynesse of the whole world Neere to these springs grewe 70. palme trees whom we vnderstand to be the teachers of the second order Luke the Euangelist witnessing that there were 12. Apostles and 70. Disciples of a lower degree whom the Lord sent two and two before him And Augustine As when the sunne riseth it first shineth on the hils and thence the light descendeth to the lowest places of the earth so when Christ Iesus our Lord came he first spred his beames on the height of the Apostles he first lightened the mountaines and so his light went downe to the valleis of the earth The palme trees saieth Theophilact alluding as Hierome doth to the twelue fountaines and seuentie palme trees in Elim are these 70. disciples which are to bee nourished and taught by the Apostles for though Christ also choose those 70 yet were they inferiour to the twelue and afterward their scholers and followers Which we may the rather beleeue because Eusebius and Clemens long before testified that Christ deliuered the full knowledge of himselfe to the Apostles and the Apostles afterward to the 70. Disciples And that the Apostles had a superiour vocation aboue Prophets Euangelists Pastours Teachers and whomsoeuer in the Church of God and euen the gouernement and ouersight of them will soone appeare if we consider what Paul the Apostle writeth of himselfe and vnto them directing appointing and limiting as well Prophets as Euangelists and therefore much more Pastours and Teachers what to doe and how to be conuersant in the Church of God what to refraine in themselues and what to represse in others in which cases we must not dare say or thinke the Apostle presumed aboue his calling or had a seuerall Commission from the rest of the Apostles to doe that hee did but in his doings and writings we may perceiue the height and strength of Apostolike authoritie so guided and tempered with the spirit of wisedome and humilitie that it grieued or displeased none in the Church but such as did either swell with pride diuerted to fables or troubled the Church with their contentions From an Apostolike spirite and power proceeded these speaches that follow and many such that may euery where be obserued in his epistles We charge you brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that you withdrawe your selues from euery brother which walketh vnorderly and not after the rule or direction which hee receiued of vs. Wee are perswaded of you in the Lord that you doe and will doe those things which wee charge you Brethren I commend you that you remember all mine hold fast the ordinaÌ„ces as I deliuered them to you Other things when I come I will set in order Concerning the gathering for Saints as I haue ordained in the Churches of Galatia so do you And redressing abuses both in Pastours and Prophets he faieth If any speake with tongues let it be by two or three at most and let one interprete if there bee none to interprete let him keepe silence in the Church The Prophets let them speake two or three and the rest iudge Your women let them keepe silence in the Churches and if they will learne any thing let them aske their husbands at home If any seeme to be a Prophet or to haue the spirite let him agnise the things that I write to be the commandements of the Lord. And hearing of the strife enuie contentions back bitings whisperings swellings discords sundry other enormities that were at Corinth not in the people alone but euen in such as came to preach the Gospel amongst them and vndermined the Apostles credite and authoritie with them he saieth The weapons of our warrefare are not carnal but mightie through God to cast down fortes all heigth that lifteth it selfe against the knowledge of God hauing in readines wherwith to reuenge all disobediece when your obedieÌ„ce is fulfilled If I should boast som what more of our authoritie which the Lord hath giueÌ„ me for your edification not subuersion I should not be ashamed I write now being absent to theÌ„ which heretofore haue sinned to all others y â— if I come again I wil not spare for so much as you seeke experience of Christ y â— speketh in me I write these things being absent lest wheÌ„ I am present I should vse sharpnes according to y e power which y e Lord hath giueÌ„ me to edificatioÌ„ not to destruction Directing Timothie how to guide the Church of Ephesus he giueth him this instruction and this commission As I prayed thee to staie at Ephesus when I went to Macedonia that thou mightest command certaine not to preach any strange or other doctrine and that they intend not to fables so this charge I commit to thee sonne Timotheus Hymeneus and Alexander I haue deliuered vnto SataÌ„ that they may be taught not to blaspheme And expressing at large in the third chapter how the bishops deacons ought to bee qualified before they bee admitted he addeth These things I write to thee that if I â—arie long thou mayest know how to behaue thy selfe in the house of God Refuse the yonger widowes I wil that they marrie gouerne their household Let not a widow be chosen vnder the age of 60. Receiue no accusation against an Elder but vnder two or three witnesses those that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare Laie handes hastily on no man neither bee partaker of other mens sinnes And hauing deliuered diuers and sundrie points of wholesome doctrine godly life and seemely gouernement too long to be here inserted he authoriseth and requireth Timothie to see them performed in this sort These things command and teach Let no man despâ—se thy youth I require thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and his
these the Churches had commandement if they came to receiue theÌ„ that is to beleeue them trust them as men sincerely minded sent from the Apostles yea to admit them with all gladnesse and highly to esteeme of them From their mouthes as perfectly vnderstanding the Apostles doctrine doings and meaning by reason of their continuall societie with them were other Pastours of the Church to be directed and instructed Persist thou saieth Paul to Timothie in those things which thou hast learned and are committed to thee knowing of whom thou hast learned them And what things thou hast heard of me in the presence of many witnesses the same deliuer to faithfull men that they may be able to teach others And againe I haue sent vnto you Timotheus which is my beloued sonne and faithfull in the Lord who shall put you in remembrance of my wayes as I teach euery where in euery Church These were charged by Paul to require and command the Pastours and Preachers to refraine from false doctrine and to stop their mouthes or reiect them that did otherwise to ordaine Elders according to the necessitie of the places and receiue accusations against them and sharplie openly to rebuke them if they sinned and that with all authoritie These things the Apostle earnestly requireth and before Christ and his elect Angels chargeth Timothie and Tite to doe It is then euident they might so doe for how vaine and friuolous were all those protestations made by S. Paul if Timothie and Tite had onely voyces amongst the rest and nothing to doe but as the rest How farre was the Apostle ouerseene to adiure them and not the whole Presbyterie to keepe his prescriptions inuiolable if the Elders might euery houre countermaund them and ouer-rule them by number of voyces Since then they were willed and consequently warranted by the Apostles to ordaine examine rebuke and reiect Pastors Elders as iust occasion serued equal ouer equal hath no power nor preheminence It is certaine that as wel the Apostles authorizing as their disciples authorized so to do were superiors in the Church of Christ to Pastours and Elders and likewise that they might and did perfourme and execute the Apostles rules and prescriptions without expecting the consent of Pastours or Presbyteries and the Churches of Christ knew they were bound to obey and bee subiect to them in those cases guided by the Apostles mouthes or letters as well as if the Apostles had bene present and that to resist them was to resist the order which the holy Ghost had approoued in gouerning the Church CHAP. VI. What dominion and titles Christ interdicted his Apostles THe power and prerogatiue of the Apostles aboue Euangelists Prophets Pastours Doctors and all others in the Church would the sooner bee granted were it not that certaine places in holie Scripture seeme repugnant to it as where Christ forbade his Apostles all dominion ouer their brethren and the Apostles in electing to offices assembling in councell to determine of faith imposing of handes and putting the wicked out of the Church seemed not to chalenge all to themselues but to associate others with them as if the right thereof appertained so well to the Church Presbyterie as to the Apostles which particular actions cause many men to thinke that alone the Apostles could not execute these things but iointly with others It shall therefore not be amisse to consider the places In the contention amongst the disciples for superioritie wee must obserue the occasion of their strife and the affection of the striuers The occasioÌ„ was ministred by Iames and Iohn the sonnes of Zebedee who by their mother importuned Christ that in his kingdome her sonnes might be the chiefest men about him and sit the one at his right hand the other at his left These two dreamed as the rest of the Jewes and also the other Apostles did whiles they were weake vntill they were endued with the power of the holy Ghost from heauen that the Messias should restore the temporall kingdom to Israel and sit as an earthly prince in great glorie on the throne of Dauid his father and rule all nations with a rod of iron receiuing of them subtection seruice and tribute as other Princes vsed and whatsoeuer the Prophets foretold of the wonderful plentie tranquilitie excellencie of the kingdome of Christ these two not sauouring as yet the things that were Gods nor vnderstanding any thing of the spiritual kingdom of Christ applied to fit their earthly desires hoped for great promotions by seruing their master and looked to beare rule to be chiefe men about him when he came to his glory The other ten being deceiued with the same error caried with the like hope though not expressed in so ambitious maner disdained the two brethren the neerer their master drew towards his death y â— sharper grew the strife amongst them who should be greatest chiefest about him when he came to his kingdom which they supposed should be earthly This vaine expectation and contention of his disciples the Lord vtterly suppresseth at his last supper for there the strife reuiued by assuring them that his kingdom was no worldly kingdom and therefore they might not looke to be great Commanders and Rulers ouer others for so his words import Princes of the Gentils beare rule ouer them and great States exercise authoritie on them with you it shall not be so that is you shall not haue any such rule or dominion as they haue He doeth not say you shall haue no prerogatiue nor preheminence aboue others but you shall haue no such or it shall not be so with you as it is with them By this all ciuill iurisdiction power of the sword to command compell punish by losse of life liâ—â—â—e or libertie is secluded from the ministers function and reserued to the Magistrates but Christ neuer meant by those words to barre all degrees and diuersities of gifts and administrations in his Church he rather expresseth the coutrarie euen in the same place Ye are they saieth he to his Apostles which haue continued with me in my tentations and I for recompense appoint you a kingdom as my father hath appointed to me that you may eate drinke at my table in my kingdom and sit vpon thrones iudging the twelue tribes of Israel And not depriuing them of that honour which he had or would bestow on them to be chiefe in his kingdome but instructing them how to vse it without offending God or grieuing their brethren he addeth He that is greatest amongst you let him be as the least and he that is chiefest as he that serueth In which wordes the Lord noteth amanifest distinction amongst his of some greater some lesse some chiefer some lower and chargeth his Apostles to vse that greatnesse and authoritie which they had in
Whatsoeuer the Apostles did that had a most plentifull measure of Gods spirite farre aboue Pastours Prophets and Euangelists yet their followers for example Timothie and Tite were not to impose hands without the people and Presbyterie concurring with them I haue heard this often and earnestly asserted but I could neuer yet see it prooued The greatest ground of this presumption is for that the Apostles themselues did so from whose example their scholers would not rashlie depart But as we finde by better view the Apostles did not so by lots and by Prophets directed not by mens wils but by Gods spirit the Apostles choose Elders or rather by laying on their hands as the holie Ghost guided them they did furnish such as before were neither meete nor able to sustaine that charge with the gifts of the spirit fit for that calling by the voyces and liking of the people they made no Pastors nor Prophets that I read and therfore I must haue leaue to thinke that Tite and Timothie vsed rather the helpe of Prophesie to finde whom the spirit would name theÌ„ the consents or suffrages of the people for in their times the gifts of the spirite were not quenched yea the Prophets that were vnder the Apostles continued vnder them and these two gifts the reuealing of secrets and discerning of spirites which the Prophets and Euangelists had though in lesse measure then the Apostles serued chiefly to distinguish who were fit or vnfit for the seruice of Christes Church WheÌ„ Prophets failed the Church was forced to come to voices but so long as the spirite declared by the mouthes of the Prophets whom hee had chosen the consent of the people or Presbyterie might not be required The Apostle giueth rules to Timothie and Tite what maner of men must be chosen how they must be qualified before they be elected Paul doeth not teach the people whom they should elect but appointeth Timothie and Titus whom they should admit To preuent ambition and emulation in the competitors affection and dissention in the electors lots were first liked by the Apostles and retained a long time after by S. Iohn and to disappoint seducing and lying spirites then crept into the world and into the Church these rules were prescribed as a touchstone for Timothie and Titus to discern the spirit of trueth speaking sincerely from the spirit of errour flattring and admiring the persons of men for aduantage sake for as God gaue the power grace of his spirite to his Church in great abundance to illustrate the glorie enlarge the kingdome of his sonne so the deuill ceased not to intermixe whole swarmes of false and deceitfull workemen to obscure the brightnes and hinder the increase of Christes Church and therefore the Apostle setteth downe what manner of men Tite and Timothie shall lay hands on whom they shall refuse left they be partakers of their sinnes Paul could not feare lest the holy Ghost speaking by the Prophets would name men vnworthie the place Paul saw the nuÌ„ber of false Prophets already risen and euery day likely to rise and foresaw the poyson and danger of their deceits and pretences and for that cause setteth down a perpetuall canon to the Church for euer what vices must be shumed and vertues required in a Pastour and Preacher Such did the holie Ghost name whiles hee ruled the mouthes of the Prophets and such for euer should be called euen when the gift of prophesie was decayed The Primitiue Church vsed alwayes to elect her Pastors by the suffrages of the people and Cyprian saieth it is none other then a diuine tradition and Apostolike obseruation I shall haue place and time anone to speake of the custome of the Church and opinion of the fathers till then I reserue the handling of both I am now searching the Scriptures and viewing the word of God whether it can thence be prooued that Pastours and Elders were or ought to be chosen by the consent of the people and for my part I professe I finde none I see some men men zealously bent to authorize it by the will and commandement of God I dare not professe to bee sopriuie to his will without his word In the old Testament Aaron was called of God and al the Leuites according to their families were like wise assigned to their places the children succeeded in their fathers roumes the Prophets were inspired from aboue and none elected Moses Ioshua and the Iudges were appointed by God as also the Princes of the twelue Tribes The seuenty Elders were such as were knowen not chosen to be Elders and Rulers of the people and to make Captains ouer 1000. 100. and 10. Moses tooke the chiefe of euery Tribe to Saul God gaue the kingdome by lottes and after to Dauid by voyce their successours inherited or intruded I see in all these neither amongst the rest of the Gentiles which till then the spirite had deferred but he receiued no power from them to be an Apostle nor to preach vnto the Gentiles Paul saith of himselfe that he was an Apostle neither of men nor by man and that the chiefest gaue him nothing or added nothing vnto him that is neither authoritie nor instruction much lesse did these three of a meaner calling then the Apostles lay hands on him to make him an Apostle that power belonged onely to Christ. Againe he receiued his Apostleship of the Gentiles long before as he saith When it pleased God to reueale his son in me that I might preach him amongst the Gentiles I did not straightway conferre with flesh and blood but went into Arabia and after three yeeres came first to Ierusalem He had beene at Ierusalem and was presented by Barnabas to the Apostles before he came to Antioch For after the first sight of the Apostles he went from Ierusalem to Tarsus and thence Barnabas fet him as a chosen vessell to carrie the name of Christ vnto the Gentiles when he first brought him â—â— Antioch And at Antioch where he preached a whole yeere â—â—fore he receiued this imposition of hands to whome preached he but to the Grecians that is to the Gentiles Wherefore they did not impose handes on him to giue him authoritie to preach to the Gentiles he receiued that commission from Christ long before had then twelue moneths and more preached vnto the Gentiles in the very same place where they imposed hands on him To what ende then did they impose hands on Paul and Barnabas They had preached there a good time and furnished the Church with needful doctrine and meete Pastours to take charge of their soules and then the holie Ghost minding to haue them do the like in other places willed the Prophets and Teachers there to let them go for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie and the words following import as much that the Prophets and Pastours laying hands on
him he did not first conferre with flesh and blood neither went hee to Ierusalem vnto those that were Apostles before him least hee shoulde seeme to derogate from the voyce and trueth of Christ but straightwaie preached the Gospell which he learned by reuelation and stoode alwayes resolued that what the sonne of God had taught him the sonnes of men ought not to reuoke and could not amend Why then repaired he at length to Ierusalem to the Apostles and Elders to haue his doctrine examined confirmed vnto the Churches by their letters Many false brethren came from Ierusalem and pretending the Apostles names impugned both the credite and doctrine of Paul and taught that except the Gentiles were circumcised they could not be saued and by enforming the brethren that this course was obserued at Ierusalem for they counted Paul fa◠inferiour to the chiefe Apostles they hindred the weake from beleeuing and caused the strong to stagger at the truth of Paules doctrine To stop the mouthes of these seducers and to retaine the Churches in their stedfastnes and remooue this stumbling blocke from before the simple that Paul taught contrarie to the rest of the Apostles the holie Ghost willed him by reuelation to goe vp to Ierusalem and declare to the rest the Gospell which hee preached that by their generall confession and letters the doctrine which he preached might be acknowledged vnto the Gentiles to be sound and sincere This was the intent of Paules iourney thither Not to haue his doctrine reuised and approoued by their authorities but to haue it heard and acknowledged by their confessions that the false report of their discording euery where spread by those deceiuers might no longer trouble the mindes of the Gentiles I ascended saith Paul of that his iourney to Ierusalem by reuelation when he came thither what did he I declared saith he the Gospell which I preach among the Gentiles and particularly to the chiefest for the false brethrens sake which crept in to spie out our libertie which we haue in Christ Iesus to whō wee gaue no place by yeelding no not an houre that the trueth of the Gospel might remaine amongst you that are Gentiles And they that were chiefest added nothing vnto mee but contrariwise when they saw that the Gospel ouer the Gentiles was committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer the Iewes was vnto Peter when Iames Cephas and Iohn which are counted to be Pillars knewe the grace which was giuen mee they gaue to mee and Barnabas their right hands in token of fellowship What needed the presence of the Elders at this meeting Some of them had come from Iewrie to Antioch as sent from the church at Ierusalem and troubled the minds of the Gentiles with vrging circumcision Wherefore to knowe the reason of their so doing and to preuent the like in time to come the Apostles woulde not haue the matter priuatly handled but in the audience and presence of the whole Church and with a generall consent letters were written in all their names as well to disclaime the sending of any such as also to confirme the Gentiles in the course which they had begunne For these two points their letters importe The Apostles Elders and brethren which in the verse before are called the whole Church to the Brethren of the Gentiles at Antioch c. Because we haue heard that certaine comming from vs haue troubled you with words entāgled your minds saying you must be circumcised to whom we gaue no such cōmandement it seemed therfore good vnto vs when we were together with one accord to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Paul and Barnabas which shall tell the same by word of mouth The Apostles wanted neither authoritie nor sufficiencie to determine the matter How many doubts doth Paul himselfe resolue to the Romans to the Corinthians to others without a Councell This very question when after this meeting it troubled the church of Galatia did Paul alleage the Apostles letters vnto them or the decision made at Ierusalem No he resteth on his owne Apostleship and saith Beholde I Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing For I testifie vnto euery man which is circūcised that he is bound to keep the whole Lawe ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law ye are fallen from grace The Councell at Ierusalem decreed it was not needefull for the Gentiles to be circumcised before they could be saued It seemed good to the holie Ghost and to them not to lay that burden on their neckes But Paul goeth a degree furder and telleth them they are cut off from Christ and fallen from grace if they seeke or admit circumcision Hee is so farre from standing on the credite of that assemblie that hee vtterly denieth they added any thing to him and auoucheth hee withstoode and reprooued Peter to his face for the same cause at Antioch Yea in that Councell who decided the controuersie but Peter Iames yet because it touched the whole Church of Iurie and for that many of the Elders then present were after to preach vnto the Gentiles and to liue amongst them with them the Apostles no doubt directed by Gods spirit brought y ◠matter to be fully discussed in the open hearing of the whole Church thereby to satisfie quiet the consciences of those Iews that were zealous of the Lawe though they beleeued and wholy to quench if it were possible the heart-burning and detestation the beleeuing Iewes had of the Gentiles which well appeared by their striuing with Peter for entring into the Gentiles and eating with them and by their owne report made to Paul long after this Councell was ended The last thing wherein the people or Presbyterie seeme to ioyne with the Apostles authoritie is the putting the wicked from among the faithfull and deliuering them ouer to Satan of purpose to reduce them to repentance or by their example to feare others from the like offences Of the incestuous Corinthian Saint Paul writeth thus I verely as absent in bodie but present in Spirite haue already decreed as if I were present that he which hath doone this when you are gathered together and my Spirite in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ to deliuer such a one vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirite may bee saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Put away therefore from among your selues that wicked man By this it is collected that the Apostle alone could not excommunicate nor deliuer vnto Satan but the Church must ioyne with him and then for not hearing the Church the offendor might be taken for an Ethnike and a Publicane This place breedeth two great doubts first what it is to deliuer vnto Satan next by whome this incestuous person was deliuered vnto Satan whether by Saint Paul or
by the Corinthians And because the latter point is of more importance to the matter we haue in hand let that first be examined then after what is meant by deliuering vnto Satan The least we can imagine of these words is that Paul being absent requireth them to put the malefactor out of their societie and to keepe no company with him For that rule he giueth touching all notorious offendours in the same Chapter If any man that is called a brother be a fornicatour or couetous person or an Idolater or a railer or a drunkard or an extortioner with such a one eate not As else-where he charged the faithfull to withdrawe themselues from euery brother that walked disorderly and not after the instruction which he gaue them And if any man saith he obey not our wordes keepe no company with him that he may be ashamed If the Apostle did but this that is require them because he was not present to remooue that incestuous person from their fellowship this sheweth he had authoritie ouer them after that sort in Christes name to command them but the wordes which he vseth are farre more forcible Reproouing their negligence for not doing what in them lay to put that offendour from among them he addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue already decreed or determined as if I were present by the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer this wicked one to Satan He asketh not their consents he prayeth not their ayde he referreth not the matter to their liking he sayeth I haue already decreed afore he wrote and afore they read that part of his Epistle What to doe To ioyne with them in deliuering the Trespassour to Satan No I haue already decreed to deliuer this sinner vnto Satan By what meanes By the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Then for ought that wee yet finde in this place the Apostle though absent decreed as present to do the deed himselfe and that by the power might of our Lord Iesus Christ not by the consent or helpe of the Corinthians But their assembling thēselues was required withall For he saith When you are assembled in the name of the Lord Iesus and my spirit with you The Apostle would then doe it when the whole Church might beholde it and be afraide of the like And though hee were absent in bodie yet shoulde they finde the force of his Spirite present euen the might and power of the Lorde Iesus to deliuer that hainous sinner vnto Satan Nowe howe should the power might of Christ be shewed in excluding a man from the word and sacraments Pronouncing a few words is sufficient for that matter Which maketh me to be of Chrysostomes minde that he was deliuered vnto Satan vt eum percelleret vulnere malo aut morbo aliquo to strike him with some greeuous plague or disease This power in the Apostles was neither strange nor rare Whē Ananias and his wife lied vnto Peter and thereby would try whether the holie Ghost in Peter knew the secrets of their doings Peter strake them both dead with the very breath of his mouth I meane with the sound of his words When Elymas the sorcerer resisted the preaching of the trueth and sought to turne away Sergius Paulus from beleeuing the same immediatly the hand of the Lord was vpon him at Paules worde and tooke his eie sight from him That which the Apostle saide of himselfe wee haue vengeance in readinesse against all disobedience and euen his wordes next before the rebuking and punishing of this incestuous person shal I come vnto you with a rodde or in the spirite of mildnes and If I come againe I will not spare This rodde This vengeance This not sparing importe they no more then a plaine remoouing them that sinned from the fellowship of others or as the words lie had Saint Paul the mightie power of Gods Spirite to reuenge the disobedient and to chastice the disordered The tokens saith he of an Apostle were wrought among you with signes and wonders and great workes or mightie powers And when some of them abused the Lordes supper for this cause saith he many are weake and sicke among you and many be dead or sleepe Whereby it is euident that in the Apostles times when as yet there were no Christian Magistrates to correct and punish the disorders of such as professed the Gospell the hand of God sometimes by himselfe sometimes by the Apostles did afflict and scourge the wicked and irrepentant sinners that thereby they might learne not to detaine the trueth of God in vnrighteousnes and the rest feare to prouoke his wrath with the like vncleannes And this is no such new found or vaine exposition that it should be scorned Not only Chrysostome but Ierome Ambrose Theodoret Oecumenius Theophilact diuers others embrace it as most coherent with the Text. Ierome saith To deliuer him vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh vt arripiendi illum corporaliter habeat potestatem That the diuel may haue power corporally to possesse him or afflict him Ambrose saith This is the deliuering vnto Satan when the Apostle pronounceth the sentence the diuell which is readie to take into his power those that are forsaken of God hearing the sentence seazeth on them forthwith to let them vnderstand they are therefore tormented because they haue blasphemed Theodoret. Paul sheweth that the Lord pronounceth sentence and deliuereth him to the tormenter and appointeth how farre he shall proceede to chastise the body onely By this place we are taught that the diuell inuadeth them that are seuered from the body of the Church as finding them destitute of grace The Commentaries collected by Oecumenius For the destruction of the flesh Hee appointeth limits vnto Satan that he should touch the body only and not the soule And he wel saieth for the destruction of the flesh that is to waste him or pine him with some sickenesse Theophilact For the destruction of the flesh He doeth restraine the diuel to certaine bounds euen as he was restrained in holie Iob to touch the body onely and not the soule If we scanne the circumstances I see no cause why this exposition should be reiected That he was excommunicated I make no doubt these words of Saint Paul lead me so to thinke You haue not rather sorrowed that he which hath doone this lewd fact might bee put from among you Purge out therefore the olde leauen Put away from among you that wicked man For his excommunication these words had beene sufficient there needed no further nor other circumstances but because the fact was heinous and horrible and such as the very heathen abhorred and therefore tended to the great slander and reproch of Christs name the Apostle not content as I take it to haue him onely remooued from the company of the godly addeth that hee had already decreed to make him
Christes resurrection without either Presbyterie or people to concurre with them O you blessed and holie men saith Hilarie speaking of the Apostles that for the desert of your faith gate the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and obtained right to binde and loose in heauen and earth I suppose then it is not much to be contradicted that the Apostles had from their master a larger commission fuller instruction higher power and greater gifts then the rest of the Doctours Pastours Prophets and Euangelist in the Church of Christ and that the Churches in their time were not gouerned by the voyces and consents of the greater part concurring with them before any thing could be done but by their precepts and rules deliuered by speach or expressed by writing which the faithfull in euery place as well Pastors as people with all readinesse obeyed And that in appointing and ordeyning Pastors and Elders as likewise in reteyning sinnes and binding offenders by deliuering them vnto Satan or reiecting them from the felowship of Saints they needed not the helpe or agreement of the people or Presbyterie but had power sufficient with imposing their handes as the Spirite directed to make Prophets and Pastors by giuing them the gifts of the holy Ghost needefull for their seuerall callings and by the same power coulde yeeld the bodies of such as sinned and repented not to be punished and afflicted by Satan or remooue them from the Communion of Christes Church and exclude them from the kingdome of heauen as their wickednes or wilfulnes deserued This superioritie they reteined whiles they liued so moderating their power that they sought rather to winne the euill disposed with lenitie then represse them with authoritie saue when the wicked might no longer be endured lest others should be iufected and vsing such meekenes and mildnes towards al that no schisme disordered the Church by their rigour nor soule perished by their default labouring more to profit many with their paines then to preferre themselues before any by their priuiledge and vtterly forgetting their owne dignitie whiles they serued and aduanced Christes glory I obserue as well their patience as their preeminence lest any man should thinke I goe about to make them Princes in the Church of Christ to commaund and punish at their pleasures and not rather faithfull Stewards and careful Shepheards to feede and guide the Church committed to their charges CHAP. IX What parts of the Apostles power and charge were to remaine in the Church after their decease and to whom they were committed IT will happely be graunted the Apostles had their prerogatiue and preeminence aboue others in the Church of Christ but that limitted to their persons and during for their liues and therfore no reason can be made from their superioritie to force the like to be receiued and established in the Church of Christ for all ages and places since their office and function are long since ceased and no like power reserued to their successours after them I doe not denie but many things in the Apostles were personall giuen them by Gods wisedome for the first spreading of the fayth and planting of the Churches amongst Jewes and Gentiles that all nations might be conuerted vnto Christ by the sight of their miracles and directed by the trueth of their doctrine yet that all their gifts ended with their liues and no part of their charge and power remained to their after-commers may neither be confessed by vs nor affirnted by any vnlesse we meane wholy to subuert the church of Christ. To be called by Christes owne mouth and sent into all nations to be furnished with the infallible assurance of his trueth and visible assistance of his spirit not onely to speake with tongues cure diseases worke miracles know secretes and vnderstand all wisedom but to giue the holy Ghost to others that they might doe the like these things I say were needfull at the first preaching of the Gospell to conuert infidels that neuer heard of Christ before to confirme the beleeuers compassed with diuers temptations and to store the whole world then presently with meete Pastours and Teachers but to maintaine the Church once setled and faith once preached there is no cause why either the immediate vocation or generall commission or mightie operation and sudden inspirations of the Apostles should alwayes endure The Scriptures once written suffice all ages for instruction the miracles then done are for euer a most euident confirmation of their doctrine the authoritie of their first calling liueth yet in their succession and time and trauell ioyned with Gods graces bring Pastours at this present to perfection yet the Apostles charge to teach baptize and administer the Lordes Supper to bind and loose sinnes in heauen and in earth to impose hands for the ordaining of Pastours and Elders these partes of the Apostolike function and charge are not decaied and cannot bee wanted in the Church of God There must either be no church or els these must remaine for without these no church can continue The Gospell must be preached the Sacraments must be frequented for which purposes some must bee taken to the publike seruice and ministerie of the Church for how shall they inuocate in whom they haue not beleeued or how shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard or how shall they heare without a Preacher and how shall they preach except they bee sent without sending there can bee no preaching without preaching the word there is no ordinarie meanes for faith and without faith there is no Church Neither onely the lacke of the word and Sacraments but the prophanation and abuse of either how greatly doethit endanger the state and welfare of the whole Church of Christ yea the casting of holy things vnto dogges and of pearles before swine how dreadfull a iudgement doeth it procure as well to the consenters as presumers A little leauen so wreth the whole masse So that power to send labourers into Gods haruest and to separate prophane persons for deâ—iling the mysteries and assemblies of the faythfull must be retained and vsed in the Church of Christ vnlesse we will turne the house of God into a denne of theeues and make the Temple a cage for vncleane and hatefull birdes As the things be needfull in the Church of Christ so the persons to whom they were first committed cannot bee doubted Goe teach all Nations baptizing them sayd our Sauiour to the eleuen in mount Oliuet whenhe ascended Doe this in remembrance of mee sayd hee to the twelue that sate at supper with him After his resurrection when hee appeared to the eleuen sitting together hee sayd As my father sent me so send I you Receiue yee the holy Ghost whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted whose sinnes yee retaine they are retained for though the Lord before his death promised the keyes of the kingdome of heauen vnto Peter and as then sayde nothing vnto the
were depriued of their honor and office they were suffered to communicate amongst Lay men These were the Presbyters of the Primitiue Church other then these no Councell no Father doeth any where mention that were vnited or associated vnto the Bishop and these in sight coulde bee no Lay men Proofes if you require I protest without vaunting a whole volume might soone be made of them Some you had more you shall haue if they seeme tedious I must be pardoned your importunitie hath thereto forced me Of Origen Eusebius saieth the Bishops of Ierusalem and Cesaria manus illi ad Presbyterium imposuerunt had layed handes on him to make him one of the Presbyterie Cornelius saith Nouatus was aduanced to the Presbyterie by the fauour of the Bishop qui manus ipsi ad sortem Presbyterij imposuit that laied hands on him to giue him the lot of the Presbyterie The fourth Councell of Carthage sheweth the manner how a Presbyter shall be ordained with imposition of handes Presbyter quum ordinatur Episcopo benedicente manum super caput eius teneâ—te etiam omnes Presbyteri ast antes manus suas tuxta manum Episcopâ— super caput illius teneant When a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing the partie and holding his hand on the parties head let al the Presbyters that are present hold their hands on his head neere the Bishops hand Of Sabatius when hee was aduanced to the dignitie of a Presbyter Marcian said Satius fuisseâ— sispinis manum imposuissem quam quòd Sabbatium ad Presbyterium euexi I had beene better haue layed my hands on thornes then on Sabbatius when I made him Presbyter Ordination theÌ„ with the Latin Fathers importeth as much as laying on of handes doth with the Greeke and was an essentiall ceremonie taken from the Apostles words and vsed from the Apostles times in making of Presbyters and calling any to be of the Presbyterie which if your Elders must receiue they be no Lay men if they must not they be no Presbyters More authorities that Presbyters were made with imposition of hands if any desire let him reade the 13. Canon of the Councill of Ancyra the 9. Canon of the Councill of Neocefaria and likewise of the Councill of Antioch the 6. of the Council of Chalcedon the 10. of the Council of Sardica the 27. and 56. of the Affricane Councill In sitting in the Church the Presbyters were like wise seuered from the people For they had a place enclosed from all the Laitie where the Lords table standing in the middest the Bishops chaire and the Presbyters seates were round about This place Sozomene calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Sacrarie which diuided the Bishop and Presbyters from the people and of this Cyprian saieth Let Numidicus be ascribed to the number of the Presbyters of Carthage and sit with vs amongst the Cleargie The councill of Laodicea calleth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by reason it was somewhat higher then the rest of the church that all the people might beholde it and saith The Presbyters must not go and sit in their stalles before the Bishop come but enter in with the Bishop vnlesse the Bishop be sicke or from home The Canon Law calleth it Presbyterium the place for Presbyters Into this place when Theodosius the Emperour would haue entred to receiue the communion S. Ambrose then busie in diuine seruice sent him this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These inclosures O King onely Priests may enter they are shut vp and exempted from all others The Deacons might not sit amongest the Presbyters but stand as the generall councill of Nice telleth vs much lesse was there any place there for Laie Elders The seruice of the Presbyters in the Church declareth also there were no Laie men amongest them For they blessed baptized and ministred the Lordes Supper in the absence of the Bishop and assisted him being present in those actions It is come to the hearing of this sacred and great Synode saith the council of Nice that in some places and cities the Deacons deliuer the sacraments to the Presbyters This neither the Canon nor custome alloweth that they which haue no power to offer the sacrifice should giue the bodie of Christ to theÌ„ that offer I heare saith Ierom that some are growen so senslesse that they preferre Deacons before Presbyters What meaneth the seruant of tables and widowes to extoll himselfe aboue them at whose prayers the bodie and blood of Christ are consecrated To all Lay men the Deacons might deliuer the Sacraments to Presbyters they might not the Presbyters therefore were no Lay men And if Presbyters were therefore better then the Deacons because they did offer the sacrifice at the Lords table which the Deacons might not it is euident the Presbyters were no lay men Besides this the Presbyters were tied to many rules to which no Lay man was tied For example no Presbyter might go from his owne Church and Citie to any other place by the great council of Nice ca. 15. and the council of Antioch ca. 3. but Lay men I trust might change their dwellings Againe no Presbyter by any means might haue any strange woman in his house that was not his mother sister aunt or such like but Lay men in that case were left to their libertie There are a number of such rules to which all Presbyters were bound and from which all Lay men were free The councils therefore neuer comprised any Lay mâ—n vnder the name of Presbyters For their maintenance the case was first ruleâ— by Saint Paul as I haue touched before and after duly obserued in the primitiue Church as we may perceiue by the allowance yeelded to Presbyters in Cyprians time by Cornelius letters reporting the number of Presbyters that were maintained in the Church of Rome likewise by y â— Emperors Laws limiting what number should be maintained in the Churchs of Constantinople This mainâ—enance since all the Elders of 〈◊〉 â—ie Church had 〈◊〉 Lay men neither by the Canons of the Church had nor by Gods law could haue it is certaine the ancient Councels and Fathers did not attribute the honor and place of Presbyters to lay Elders And wheÌ„ Presbyters were depriued of their office and function for any fault committed they might vpon their submission be receiued amongest Lay men to the communion as Cyprian and Athanasius testifie but in no wise be restored to the degree and calling of Presbyters and consequently they might bee Laie men when they coulde not be Presbyters by the Canons But why labour I so much to exclude Lay Elders from the Presbyters of the Primitiue Church when as you haue neither reason nor authoritie to include them It may suffice any sober minde that where Presbyters are so many thousand times named in Councels Fathers and Stories and so sundrie Rules and Canons extant describing and limiting euerie part of
If I seeme to take a nice aduantage of the time let Ierome expresse his owne meaning In his epistle to Euagrius debating at large that bishops and Presbyters were all one in the Apostles time and alleaging both the same and sundry other proofes for his intent he addeth Quod autem postea vnus electus est qui caeteris praeponeretur in Schismatis remedium factum est ne vnusquisque ad se â—rahenâ— Christs ecclesiam rumperet Nam Alexandriae à Marco Euangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper vnum exse electum in excelsiori graducollocatum Episcopum nominabant That after one was elected and aduanced aboue the rest this was to remedie Schismes least euery man drawing the Church of Christ to himselfe should rent it in pieces So at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist to Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops there the Presbyters alwayes chose one of themselues and placed him in an higher degree and called him a Bishop Laie Elders Ierome neuer knew any to bee Gouernours of the Church the Pastours and Teachers that vnder the Apostles gouerned the Church by common aduise were forced for the preuenting and repressing of schisines to transferre the whole care of the Church to one whom they called a Bishop this began at Alexandria euen from Marke the Euangelist Ieromes testimonie you haue heard Now choose whether Ambrose shall contradict him and giue him the lie or rather be reconciled and expounded by him Ambrose saieth the Church had Seniores quorum sine consilio nihil agâ—batur in ecclesia Elders without whose counsell nothing was done in the Church These say you were laie Elders If wee aske you how you prooue they were Laie you be at a non plus They were Pastours and Teachers say we If you aske how we prooue our assertion wee first shew you the iudgement of Ambrose else where that in matters of faith or any ecclesiasticall order Laie men should not iudge and gouerne Priestes which yet the Gouernours of the Church must doe I speake still of the priuate regiment of Elders not of the publike power of the Magistrate Next we shew you the verdict of Ierome confirming his resolution by many places of the Scriptures that the Churches at the first were gouerned by Presbyters which were Pastours and Teachers Made we no further proofe then this I conuent your owne consciences which of our auouries standeth on the surest ground yours that leaneth onely to your owne wils and wordes or ours that besides the confession of the same father hath a most euident attestation of another father as ancient and learned as the former You would seeme to be religious and wise craze not your credites with a non obstante that your fansies must preuaile whatsoeuer Councils or fathers say to the contrary For the rest we need no better expositor then Ierome in the very place which your selues alleage Nos habemus in ecclesia Senatum nostrum coetum Presbyterorum We haue in the Church our Senate euen the assemblie of Presbyters Els where he saieth Iudices dòmâ—s Israel non sunt alij nisi Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi The Iudges ouer the house of Israel are none other but the Bishops Presbyters and Deacons And these three wordes when they come together import the order and degrees of ecclesiasticall offices Episcopus Presbyter Deaconus non sunt meritorum nomina sed officiorum Bishop Presbyter Deacon are not names of desertes but of offices and those Clericall not Laicall Fit Clericus per solitos gradus Presbyter saieth Ierome of Nepotianus He became a Clergie man and so a Presbyter by the accustomed degrees And againe Qui pascitis greges Episcopi Presbyteri omnis ordo ecclesiâ—sticus You Bishops and Presbyters and all the ecclesiasticall order which feed your flockes If therefore Gregorie call the Presbyters Seniores ecclesiae the Elders of the Church in respect of the rest of the Clergie or if Austen write vnto them Clero Senioribus to the Clergie and Elders or if Tertullian writing to the Ethnikes who vnderstood not the order and offices of the Church say in commendation of the Christian meetings Praesident probati quique Seniores The Rulers of our assemblies are certaine approoued Elders what inference can hence be made that they ment laie Elders since they vse neither words nor circumstances but such as will agree to the grauer wiser and Elder sort of the Clergie otherwise called Presbyters Yea Ambrose himselfe will tell you that amongst the Clergie the Presbyters were called Seniores the Elders as next in honour age and iudgement to the Bishop Speaking of ecclesiastical officers and ministers he saith Viduarum â—â— virginum domos nisi visit and gratia Iâ—nâ—â—tos adire non est â—pâ—is hoc cum Senioriâ—as hoc est cum Episcopo vel sigrauior est causa cum Presbyteris Quid necesse est vt demus obtrectandi locum Secularibus There is no cause for the yongers to resort to the houses of widowes virgins except it bee to visite them and that with the Elders I meane with the Bishop or if the matter be vrgent with the Presbyters What need wee giue occasion to secular or Laie men to backbite How thinke you were there not Elders amongst the Clergie and those the same men that were otherwise called Presbyters Yet my demonstration is vnanswered Your mistaking of Ambroses both meaning words is a very simple kinde of demonstration you do not marke the Text which you bring Ambrose doeth not say the Church had once Elders which now are vanished but nothing at the first was done in the Church without their aduise which now is out of vse whiles the Pastours wil seeme alone to be wise The men remained that were before but lesse regarded and lesse consulted then at first And so your demonstration is nothing els but a misconstruction of your Authors words Since you leaue me no better handfast in Ierome and Ambrose for laie Elders I will requite you with the like for Bishops which is this that as the Church at first was gouerned by Presbyters without laie Elders so was it likewise without Bishops If I forgoe the one you must also forgoe the other and then gaine you litle if Bishops must be remooued from the gouernement of the Church as well as late Elders And this is so cleare that no cunning can obscure it I did all this while looke when you would reuiue your spirits with this Mythrâ— date you were euen at last cast with your laie Elders But if wée cannot iustifie the state of bishops by the Scriptures and Fathers better then you doe laie Elders we will quietly disclaime them Ieromes wordes are wonderfull plaine that Bishops in the Apostles times did not differ from Presbyters and are nowe aboue them rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lorde disposition and ought
to rule the Church in common I am so farre from reiecting or declining Ieromes authoritie in this point though he seeme very fauourable to you that if you will stand to his censure I will doe the like but before wee wade deeper let vs laie foorth the state of the question that we may thereby perceiue what the sacred Scriptures and auncient Fathers doe confesse or confute CHAP. XII To whom the Apostles departing or dying left the gouernement of the Church whether equally to all Presbyters or chieflie to some and how farre the conceites of late writers herein varie from the auncient Fathers whose wordes they pretend to follow THat order and discipline are not onely profitefull but also needfull in the Church of God and as well amongst Pastours and Teachers as learners and hearers might many wayes be confirmed if it were not on all sides concorded They that most dissent in the kind of gouernement doe first agree on the vse of gouernment they would els not striue for that which might still be wanted and neuer missed in the Church of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order saieth Nazianzene is the mother and preseruer of all things The vtilitie and necessitie whereof as in all states and creatures so specially in the Church of God and in the Pastours and Gouernors thereof hee that liketh at large to examine let him read Nazianzens oration plentifully and purposely written of that Argument Onely I aduise with him that vnder a shew of religion and zeale No man bee wiser then hee should no man vprighter then the lawe clearer then the light straighter then the rule nor forwarder then the commandement If order and discipline be necessarie for all persons and ages in the Church of Christ the gouermnent of the Church must not cease with the Apostles but dure as long as the Church continueth that is to the worlds ende and consequently so much of the Apostolike power as is requisite for the perpetuall regiment of the Church must remaine to those that from time to time supplie the Apostles charge and succeed in the Apostles roomes Afore we enter to intreat of the first institution of Bishops we must carefully distinguish these there points The things which must be deriued from the Apostles to their helpers and successours in all Ages and Churches the persons to whom they were committed and the times when If we wander in these wee shall neuer get any certaine resolution of the matter in question What the things are which must abide for euer in the Church I shewed before it shall suffise now to rehearse them namelie power to preach the word and administer the Sacraments the right vse of the keies and imposition of hands for the placing of fit men to vndertake the cure of soules and remoouing of vnfaithfull and vnfit men from infecting and offending the Church These must not faile in the Church so long as there is a Church for the want of any one of them is the confusion if not subuersion of the Church These foure partes in this chapter for breuities sake I often reduce to two branches which are Doctrine and Discipline Comprising in doctrine the deuiding of the word and dispensing of the Sacraments and referring the rest I meane the publike vse of the keies and imposition of hands to the discipline or regiment of the Church The parties to whom these ecclesiasticall duties might possiblie be committed wee then also numbred and found foure sortes of them the people the laie Elders the Presbyters the Bishops The people must needs be excluded from intermedling with Pastorall duties for if all should be Teachers who should be hearers if there were none but shepeheards what should become of the flocke Hee that hath put a difference betwixt the Stewards and the household the labourers and the haruest the watchmen and the Citizens the builders and the stones the Sower and the ground the husbandmen and the tillage the leaders and the folowers euen the same Lord hath prohibited these degrees to bee confounded which he hath distinguished Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all teachers I thinke not If the whole bodie were the eie where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling Intrusâ—â—n vpon men is iniurious vpon God is sacrilegious The examples of Korah whome the earth swalowed of Vzzah â—â—riâ—en to death and Vzziah plagued with the leprosie for affecting and inuading the Priests office are well knowen Chrysostome saieth of the last Hee entered the Temple to vsurpe the Priesthood and hee lost his kingdome He entred to become more â—ener able and hee became more execrable So euill a thing it is not to abide within the boundes that God hath appointed vs either of honour or knowledge What I say of the people I say likewise of laie Elders for so much as they are but a part of the people and looke what the whole is prohibited euery part is interdicted If Laie men may intermeddle with ecclesiasticall functions why not the people If the people may not why should the Elders since both are Laie If they renounce the execution and chalenge the superuision of ecclesiasticall dueties they flie from one Rocke and fall on another they cleare themselues from the worde and entangle themselues with the sword Gouernours of the Church that bee neither ministers nor Magistrates I yet conceiue none if any mans skill bee so good that hee can describe vs a gouernement betwixt both that shall wrong neither I would gladly giue him audience Howbeit wee need not trouble our heads with the maner of gouernement that laie Elders must haue distinct from the Priestes and Princes calling before we haue better proofe for the persons that shall enioy this priuiledge When you make it appeare there were such officers in the Church of Christ wee will then intreat you to bound out their office by the word of God or writings of the auncient fathers till then wee stand resolued there were neuer such Gouernours nor gouernement established by the Apostles nor acknowledged by their after-commers in Christes Church The places pretended both in Scriptures and Fathers for such Elders wee haue leasurablie perused and examined and wee finde not so much as the footesteps of any Laie Elders Presbyters we find and Rulers but no reason to leade they were laie Presbyters or Rulers Against theÌ„ we find all the Christian ancient Councils lawes and fathers y t euer mentioned any Presbyters If I shuffle any writers wordes or dazel the Readers eies shew me the place I will yeeld to mine errour In the meane time I take him to witnesse that is Iudge of all secrets I endeuoured to walke soundly and simplie without swaying or leaning to either side more then the euidence of the trueth enforced me Two sortes are left for I still professe that laie Elders were neuer admitted to meddle with any such
places and offices distinguished or digested they tooke an other order then at beginning And why The first regarde the Apostles had was to gaine vnbeleeuers to Christ the second to gouerne such as were gained And these two respects might best be perfourmed by two contrarie courses To encrease the Church the more workemen the better For when the Haruest is great if the Labourers bee fewe the roumes can not be filled To guide the Church the fewer the better except it bee with counsell to aduise For diuerse men haue diuers minds and diuers meanings and in a multitude of Gouernours emulation and dissention are no rare springs Wherefore no maruell though the Apostles tooke besides themselues as many helpers as they coulde to conuert the worlde vnto Christ and yet tooke not vnto themselues as many Rulers as they coulde in euerie place to gouerne the beleeuers By order of nature men must bee gotten together afore they neede bee gouerned and so in the building of the Church the number of Preachers at the first was more requisite then the choice of Gouernours And for that cause Epiphanius second position is verie true That Presbyters and Deacons the one to labour in the worde and dispence the Sacraments the other to releeue the poore and attend to diuine Seruice were euerie where appointed by the Apostles These were sufficient to beginne the Churches and these were fittest to increase the Church And therefore in many places the Apostles left none other but these If you aske who then gouerned the Churches in those beginnings I answere the flocke was both augmented and directed by the Presbyters that laboured in the worde The chiefe gouernement to impose handes and deliuer vnto Satan rested yet in the Apostles who often visited the Churches which they planted and ordained Presbyters as they passed to supplie the wantes of euerie Church The third point in Epiphanius reporte is this that although it be not extant in the Apostles writings that in euerie place where they came at first they left Bishops yet the Scriptures do witnesse that Paul furnished some places with Bishops as Ephesus and Creete with Timothie and Tite Thus farre I see not what you can refell in Epiphanius Perchance you will deride Epiphanius simplicitie that coulde not discerne betwixt an Euangelist and a Bishop for as you maintaine Timothie and Tite were Euangelists and not Bishops and had an extraordinarie and no ordinarie calling You can not charge Epiphanius with ignoraunce in this behalfe but you must doe the like to the eldest and best learned Fathers of the Primitiue Church namely Eusebius Ambrose Chrysostome Ierome Oecumenius Primasius and others which affirme as Epiphanius doth that Timothie was a Bishop ordeined by S. Paul but thereof anon as also whether an Euangelist might bee a Bishop or no which conclusions of yours though they be most feeble and vnsure yet they be lately taken up for Oracles That which may be doubted in Epiphanius is this The cause why Bishops wanted in some places was saith he the lacke of fit men to beare the office It may be some will thinke it strange that amongest so many Prophets Pastours and Teachers as were in most of those Churches which Paul planted not a fit man could be found for the Episcopal function and yet afterward meete men were found for all the Churches in the worlde but as that which Epiphanius saith might be some cause of wanting Bishops at the first so if I be not deceiued there were other causes that mooued the Apostles not straight wayes to place Bishops in euerie Church where they preached which I will specifie when the testimonies of Ambrose and Ierome be throughly perused Ambrose at first sight seemeth somewhat to dissent from Epiphanius in that he thinketh the Churches had both Presbyters and Bishops left them by the Apostles and the Presbyters were placed in an order according to the deserts and worthines of eche man by the Apostles and others that founded the Churches and this rule deliuered that as the first and chiefest Presbyter who was Bishop in name and superiour in calling to the rest failed so the next should succeede in his roume and enioy the Episcopall chaire and power after his departure And when some Presbyters did not answere the expectation which was had of them but scandalized the Church that course of standing in order to succeede was changed and Bishops were chosen by the iudgement and liking of many Priests to cut off vnworthie and offensiue men from the place I could admit this report of Ambrose but that he expresseth not when and by whome this change beganne he saieth Prospiciente Concilio A Council fore seeing or prouiding that not order but merite should create a Bishop but what Council If he meant a Councill of the Apostles which is not expressed but may well bee intended for the wordes stand indifferent to any Councill no testimonie can be weightier for Bishops then this of Ambrose which is brought against them If he meant others after the Apostles deaths what authoritie had they to change the Apostolike gouernment or by their decree to bind the whole world But this I reserue till Ieromes witnesse bee repeated and examined Ierom in his words before cited auoucheth three special things first that til dissentions sprang in the Church Bishops and Presbyters were all one and the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of Presbyters amongst whom the care of the Church was equally diuided Next that to roote out schismes rising verie fast through the Preachers and Presbyters factions by a decree throughout the whole worlde one of the Presbyters was chosen in euery Church and set ouer the rest and to him the whole care of the Church did euer after appertaine Thirdly that this subiection of the Presbyters vnder the Bishop and maioritie of Bishops aboue Presbyters grewe rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lords disposition for they should rule the Church in common These wordes of Ierome may be either verie true according to the time that they be referred vnto or verie false If you so conster Ierome that all the while the Apostles liued Bishops were al one with Presbyters and had no more charge nor power in the Church then Presbyters you make Ierome contradict the Scriptures himselfe the whole aray of all the ancient Fathers and Apostolike Churches that euerwere since Christs time for all these affirme and proue the contrarie But if you so expound Ierom that the Apostles for a time suffred the Presbyters to haue equall power and care in guiding the Church themselues alwayes sitting at the sterne and holding the helue whiles they were present in those parts of the worlde till by the factions and diuisions of so manie gouernors the Churches were almost rent in peeces and thereupon the Apostles forced did set an other order in the Church then was at first and with the good liking of all the
Hypotyposeon writeth thus Peter Iames and Iohn after the Assumption of our Sauiour though they were preferred by the Lord before the rest yet did they not chalenge that glorie to themselues but made Iames the Iust Bishop of Ierusalem Eusebius The feate of Iames the Apostle which was the first that receiued the Bishopricke of the Church of Ierusalem from our Sauiour himselfe and the Apostles whome also the diuine Scriptures call the Lordes brother is kept to this day and euidently shewed to all men by the brethren which haue followed him in ordinarie succession Ierome Iames the Lordes brother surnamed Iust straight after the Lordes passion ordained Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles wrate one onely Epistle which is one of the seuen Catholike Epistles Egesippus that liued neere to the Apostles times in the fift Booke of his Commentaries speaking of Iames saieth James the Lords brother surnamed Iust receiued the Church of Ierusalem in charge after the Apostles Chrysostome writing vpon these wordes of the fifteenth Chapter of the Actes After they held their peace Iames answered saieth Hic erat Episcopus ecclesiae Hierosolymitanae This Iames was Bishop of the Church of Ierusalem Epiphanius Iames called the Lordes brother was the first Bishop in Ierusalem Ambrose Paul sawe Iames the Lordes brother at Ierusalem because he was made Bishop of that place by the Apostles Augustine The Church of Ierusalem Iames the Apostle was the first that gouerned by his episcopal office From Iames to Macarius that sate in the Councill of Nice were forty bishops of Ierusalem succeeding eche other in a perpetuall discent and sitting eche for his time in that chaire in which Iames the Apostle sate wheÌ„ he taught gouerned the Church of Ierusalem Their order and succession froÌ„ Iames is collected by Eusebius Epiphanius out of elder former Writers which now are perished by the iniurie of time The succession of Bishops at Antioch and Alexandria began in the Apostles time as we find testified by ancient incorrupt witnesses Euodius was the first that succeeded at Antioch after Peters departure of whom Ignatius that was next to him writeth in this wise to the Church there Remember Euodius your blessed Pastor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which first receiued from the Apostles the chiefe ouersight or regimeÌ„t of vs. So saith Euseb. Of those that were bishops at Antioch Euodius was the first that was appointed Ignatius the next who not only conuersed with the Apostles but also saw Christ in the flesh after his resurrection when he appeared to Peter the rest of the disciples His own words as Ierom alleageth them are Ego verò post resurrectionem in carne â—um vidi quando venit ad Petrum ad eos qui cum Petro erant I sawe Christ in the flesh after his resurrection when he came to Peter those that were with Peter said to them handle me see A spirit hath not flesh bones as you see me haue Of him Origen saith Ignatium dico episcopum Antiochie post Petrum secunduÌ„ I meane Ignatius the 2. bishop of Antioch after Peter Ierom maketh Ignatius to be the third bishop of the church of Antioch froÌ„ Peter the Apostle reckoning Peter for the first after whom succeeded Ignatius in the second place as Eusebius writeth Ignatius so much spoken by most men to this present day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the second that enioyed the Bishopricke in the succession of Peter at Antioch Touching the Sees of Antioch Alexandria and Rome Gregorie saith Petrus sublimauit sedem in qua etiam quiescere praesâ—ntem vitam finire dignatus est ipse decorauit sedem in qua Euangelistam discipulum misit ipse firmauit sedem in qua septem annis quamuis discessurus sedit Vnius atque vna est sedes cui ex authoritate diuina tres nunc Episcopi praesident Peter aduanced the â—eate of Rome where he thought good to rest and end this present life he also adorned the seate of Alexandria to which he sent his disciple Marke the Euangelist he fastned the seate of Antioch in which he rested seuen yeares though with purpose to depart It is one seate and of one Apostle in which three Bishops now sit by diuine authority For the first bishop of Alexandria Ierom Eusebius concurre with Gregory Marcus interpreâ— Petri Apostoli Alexandrinae ecclesiae primus episcopus Marke the Interpreter of Peter the Apostle the first bishop of the church of Alexandria who dying 6 yeeres before Peter left his church place vnto Anianus as Euseb writeth Nerone 8. regni annum agente 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nero being in the 8 yeere of his raigne Anianus a very godly man euery way admirable first vndertooke the publike administration of the Church of Alexandria after Marke the Apostle Euangelist And as the succession at Antioch began in Euodius that was ordained by the Apostles so at Alexandria they continued the same course from Marke downeward by Ieroms owne confession Alexandriae à Marco Euangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos Presbyteri semper vnum ex se electum in excelsiori gradu colloâ—atum episcopum nominabant At Alexandria froÌ„ Mark the euangelist vnto Heraclas Dionysius the Presbyters did alwayes choose one of theÌ„selues whoÌ„ being placed in an higher degree they called their bishop Of the succession at Rome Irenoeus saith Fundantes igitur instruâ—ntes beati Apostoli ecclesiam Lino episcopatum administrandâ— ecclesiae tradiderunt Succedit ei Anacletus post cum tertio loco ab Apostolis Episcopatum sortitur Clemens qui vidit ipsos Apostolos contulit cum eis The blessed Apostles Peter and Paul founding and ordering the Church of Rome deliuered the ouersight or charge of gouerning the Church to Linus Anacletus succeeded him and in the third place after the Apostles Clemens which sawe the Apostles themselues and conferred with them vndertooke the Bishops office Next to this Clement succeeded Euaristus after Euaristus Alexander and then in the sixt place from the Apostles was appointed Sixtus then Telesphorus then Higinus then Pius after whoÌ„ was Anicetus Next to Anicetus succeeded Soter now wheÌ„ Irenaeus wrote in the 12. place from the Apostles Eleutherius hath the Bishoprike And likewise Optatus Negare non poteâ— scire te in vrbe Roma Petro primo Cathedram episcopaleÌ„ esse collocatam c ergo Cathedra vnica sedit prior Petrus cui successit Linus Lino successit Clemens Clementi Anacletus c. Thou canst not deny saith he to Parmenian but thou knowest that in the city of Rome the episcopall chaire was conferred first to Peter c. In that chaire which was but one sate first Peter whom Linus succeeded and after Linus Clemens after Clemens Anacletus after Anacletus Euaristus then Sixtus Thelesphorus Iginus