This rule therefore that because it is first in time before another it is in order to bee first treated vpon before an other or because other as yet were not therefore that which was before made a perfect regiment is no perfect nor good argument Which argument being grounded on so vncertaine and weakâ— foundation all that is built thereon is easily shattered The Papistes for the traditions of the Church which they call the vnwritten worde or veritie vnwritten vse the like argument against the authoritie of Gods written word and veritie of the Scripture The word was deliuered by tradition of preaching before it was deliuered by writing therefore traditions are of no lesse authoritie nor lesse to be beleeued then the written worde and holie scripture yea the Churches authoritie is aboue the scriptures and is the iudge thereof Thus doe the Papistes encroche from the time to the authoritie as our brethren heere doe Nowe as this reason faileth both for the Senioritie of time and forestalling the order of place and much more for claiming any prioritie in dignitie and most of all for inferring any such honour as perfection of regiment so for the truthe of this proposition that The Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was any Christian Prince I can not yet sée howe directly it can be iustified For if this were true then there neede no regiment of Christian Princes at all And howe then haue the Christian Princes anie authoritie at all in Eccl. causes Or â—f they haue anie howe came they by it if the Churches regiment were perfect or the Church perfect in all her regiment before there were anie Christian Prince Or whereto serueth the Christian Princes supream authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes if not to make the regiment of the Church in better estate For otherwise the Church were as good without it if she be no better in her Regiment by it then she was before shée had it But it is not so both the church and her regiment is bettered by it Which your selues are faine in part to confesse euen heere in the conclussion of your argument saying of God who hath most mercifully and wisely so established the same to wit the churches regiment that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates it may singulerlie prosper and flourish c. And againe for the church craueth helpe defence of christian Princes to continue and go fore-ward more peaceablye and profiâ—ablye to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christ. Although héere ye will affoorde no more but this yet if there were no more this is inough to ouerthrow your saying that the church of God was perfect in all her Regiment before there was any christian prince For if this comfortable aide helpe and defence to continue and goe forewarde in so great matters as more peaceably and profitably to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe were taken awaie then the church of God though I graunt it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile Yet should she not be perfect in al her Regiment needing this comfortable ayde help and defence of christian Princes And the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe shoulde with more trouble and lesse profit go fore-warde yea rather it should go back-warde and he hindered though it continue and not so singulerly flourish and prosper but decay And is this so smal a matter in your eyes brethren as that it nothing appertained to the Regiment of the church but that crauing all this of christian princes and so without them wanting the same ye dare so boldly auouch that she is perfect in all her Regiment without it Doth she craue that she wanteth not Then is she a wanton Doeth she want it then is she not perfect in all her Regiment Or doeth it not greatly pertaine vnto her Regiment Or doe yee thinke that this shall salue the matter because the churche may continue and againste the aduersaries thereof preuaile without it Our question nowe is not of the substance and beeing of the church but of the Regiment of it Neither yet simply of the Regiment but whether she were perfect in all her Regiment before any christian princes were or no The church I graunt was then and shall continue euer and she had euen then a Regiment also Yea and that Regiment in soone respectes might be called perfecte for that time while there were not such open professed christian princes to be foster fathers and noursing moothers of the church as God bee praysed now there are For concerning the Rectors of the church then as they were then more perfect and singuler persons so had they more perfect and singuler extra-ordinary offices and withall more excellent giftes to be able to gouerne it the better But this argueth so little the churches perfection then in al her Regiment vnderstanding the same of all her ordinary externall Regiment whereupon our question is which Regiment shee was not then so perfectly come vnto that rather their extra-ordinary gifts and offices of Apostles Euangelistes Prophetes c. were added for that time to supplye furnish that part of the Regiment thereof that was afterward to be made more perfect concerning the ordinary state by the accesse of the Christian Princes following Except therefore our Brethren intende vtterlie to shake off all Christian Princes and account their supreame authority in Church causes if not now to be nought yet to be nought worth and altogether vnnecessary to the perfection of the Churches Regiment how can this be any good argument to infirme it now because admitting this also were true there were no ChristiaÌ„ Princes theÌ„ what do they inferre here-upoÌ„ that there is no more néede héerein of Christian Princes now then there was then presupposing that then héerein there was no néede at all of them that were a very suspitious and perrilous conclusion For although theÌ„ there were the lesse néede of them because that néede was then other-wise supplied yet those supplies not continuing and malice increasing both of aduersaries without and of Hipocrites within and the giftes also that remaine decreasing there is now farre more neede of the Christian Princes supreame gouernment to the perfecting of the Churches Regiment And so the state of the time for the regiment of the church differing the argument of the Regiment from the time then to the time now is defectiue But if they néeded then héerein the helpe of christian Princes as they do nowe then was not the church perfect in all her Regiment otherwise than as it was extraordinarylie supplied before the christian Princes helpe and comfortable aide was added Before which time those temporary supplies comming to the church as the Manna and other extraordinary helpes made the Iewes estate to flourish prosper and goe fore-ward in the Desertes though they ceased when they came to the land of promise So the church might bee
giueth him the first place among the pillers of the Church Gal. 2.9 verely neuer any of an inferiour order should haue so excelled aboue the Apostles For Paule adorneth him with the title of an Apostle Neither is it worth the hearing that Ierome alleageth that the name is there generall when of purpose the dignitie of the order is treated vpon howe farre foorth Christe preferred the Apostles before the other Doctors of the Church Moreouer out of this place is easie to gather that he was esteemed of no common price sithe that with his sentence he so confirmeth the wordes of Peter that all yeelde vnto his sentence And afterwarde vpon the 21. chap. ver 18. we shall see againe of how much valew his authoritie was The Auncients thinke that to be done because he was Bishop of the place How-beit it is not probable that the faithfull at their will altered the order by Christ set downe Wherefore I doubt not but that hee was the sonne of Alpheus and of Christes consanguinitie in which sense he is called his brother Whether he were Bishop of Ierusalem or no I leaue it indifferent Neither makes it much to purpose saue that clearely hereupon the impudencie of the Papistes is refelled Sithe that the decree of the Councell is established rather by the authoritie of Iames then of Peter And truelie Eusebius in the beginning of the seconde booke doubtes not to call Iames whosoeuer he were the Bishop of the Apostles Let the Romanistes go now and vaunt their Pope is the head of the vniuersall Church because he is the successor of Peter who suffered another to rule him if Eusebius be beleeued And as Iames at Ierusalem so Peter and Iohn were also pillers indéede as they were counted among their fellowe Apostles And Peter and Paul had a higher authoritie and dignitie of Apostleship the one ouer the dispersed Iewes the other ouer the conuerted Gentiles than the residue of the Apostles had though in the verie function of the Apostleship all were equally alike Apostles And Paule might and did preache vnto the â—ewes also and Peter to the Gentiles and all the residue to either Iewe or Gentile But these two had a more speciall and higher dignitie and GOD their company Which example of the Apostles and Caluines iudgemeÌ„t thereon if we shall well consider we shall not onely finde that Caluine aunswereth himselfe sufficiently in that place albeit he write very moderatly on the matter but that we and all our brethren may be fully satisfied not onely it may well bee that many in one Ecclesiasticall office and in that respect all equals one to an other may safely notwithstanding haue some superiour in dignity and authority of gouernment amongst them without any preiudice at all to one iote of the equality in the nature and substance of their office but withall that it was so euen among the Apostles them selues yea euen from Christs ascension and so continued and that not onele as a specialtie sproong among them and dying with them but deliuered by them to the ordinary office of Pastorall Eldershipp in the Church as we shewed before in the example of Timothie whom Caluine confesseth to be the Pastor of Ephesus and Beza to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Prouost the principall the Prelate or chiefe gouernour of the Ephesine Pastors And that not onely it was and may be but as Caluine saith it must be and ought not nor can be well otherwise which me thinkes fully and clearely satisfieth al this question Neyther doe I sée but as we safely dissented from Beza before not suffering him héere to apply the name of Bishops to his newe Priestes or Elders that are not Teachers so I sée not how we should approue him in that which he concludes thereon neither with anye necessarye consequence to proue his sayings nor according to the verity of the auncient Recordes Fathers nor agréeing with many the best learned of his owne side nor yet correspondent to his owne assertions For Beza proceeding in his obseruation on this place This therefore saith he was the appellation of Bishops vntill that he which for policies sake was placed in the company ouer the residue of his brethren whome Iustine calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a principall ruler or one beeing in chiefest authority began peculierly to be called Bishop All this hetherto I gladly accorde vnto if Beza agrée on the time wheÌ„ it was done and shew the reason of it and allow there-of Or else shew some sufficient reason to the contrary For héere he confesseth that beefore the name Bishop became peculier vnto one the matter that the name importeth to be an ouer-seer yea and a greater matter too and a name that is farre higher than the name Bishop is was before the name Bishop became peculier And what maketh it matter for the name if the matter bee graunted Let them yéelde in the matter héere with Beza that one should bee aboue his brethren and we should soone end the strife for the name Yet some name or other he must haue and if we fynde no peculier name then recorded of this Superiority and yet finde the matter then practised might not the Church make a name so it bee a modest name as the church hath done in other thinges where names wanted matter appeared And may it not muche more take the reuerent and modest name it selfe that the Scripture vseth and by all their consentes that had interest before and yet haue in the same yeeld it vnto that man peculierlye that before was their gouernour but that this must bee made so great a matter beeing but the very expresse title that the scripture vseth and nothing so great indeed and significant in matter as is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Prefecte or Primate a gouernour ouer them But this name and office say they was not continuing in him but for the assemblye What meane they did it cease when the Assemblie ceased and did they chose a newe Prefect at euerye newe Assemblye and so euery day when they came together a newe was chosen or did they continewe the old still But neyther Pastor nor euer Bishop did or could feede or ouersee continuallee without intermission and yet they continued still those Officers though the exercise of the offices nowe and then â—eased And as we haue shewed the Apostles assemblye was daylie which we call continuall And therefore which Caluine also confesseth their Praefecte Iames was their continuall Praefecte And as Caluine rendereth a reason here-of so Beza saith it was for Policie But what policie was it good or bad in hauing such a Praefect ouer them before they gaue him the name of Bishop No doubt if Iames among the Apostles as Caluine saithe and Timothie as Beza saieth were suche 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among the Pastors then could not this Policie be but good yea verye good and necessarie for them els would the one
his sectaries did to the disturbance of the Churches quiet in those dayes For our Brethren do still alleage this sentence of Ierome against Bishops but they still passe ouer all those thinges that should open the grounds the causes the meaning and all the necessary obseruations thereof Now out of this sentence of Ierome first we may plainly sée that although he say Bishops and priestes were at the first all one yet they were not so all one that they had any lawe or institution of God so to remaine all one for then could they neuer haue beene changed And therefore being chaunged by these so holy and so auncient fathers it is apparant that they al iudged it not to be any whitte of the substance of the order and office that they were all one but a méere accessary and changeable thing to be made different as the Church should sée most expedient Secondly that this change was made not onely while the Apostles were aliue but that it drew faste vponthe time after that those factions mencioned by S. P. 1. Cor. 1 3. began to disturbe the Church of Corinth wher it is said Silas was the Bish. it may wel be for it is said of Silas Act. 15.22 that he was one of those that the Apostles appoynted to send to Antioch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Men that were principall Rulers among the Brethren Whome being left at Beroea Act. 17 14. Paule being at AtheÌ„s sent for ver 15 Who came vnto him at Corinth where after these factions hapned it is little inough he was made Bishop being commended in the Scripture for such an able man to be a chiefe gouernour among his brethren Neyther is it vnlikelie that he or some such other was ordayned there where Ierome saith the occasion thereof did spring But whosoeuer was there or in other places the first Bishoppe so ordained this change was not very late ere it began in the Apostles times Thirdlye the occasion arising by reason of these factions that sprang in the time while the name Bishoppe was yet indifferent to euerye Priest or Pastorall Elder and while al among them were alike and equal in dignity if that such and so many factions arose so soone at that time while the Apostles liued what would it haue done if this equallity had continued longer What would it haue done if it had continued after the Apostles dayes If it had câ—ntinued in all the ages following especially in these our factious and licentious times When the very beginning to renue this equality by Aërius in the time of these so reuerend fathers did bréede such troubles in the Church of God as scarse Theodoret Epiphanius S. Augustine S. Ambrose Chrysostome Hierome and other holy and learned men could expresse And it is likelie if it were nowe admitted and that all were reduced to that first equallity of name and dignity that we should now be cumbred with no factions When as the very motion of it brings withall in question so many points of question and it is so eagerly vrged and so peremptorily cried vpon as though all discipline were loste all doctrine professed in vaine yea we are no true Church of Christ without it If the beginning to reduce it make vs thus to leaue the battaile of the Lord against the open enimie and fall to byting and defacing thus one an-other that are brethren verily I feare were it set vp againe we should finde farre more perilous factions in these dayes then euer those fathers either felt or feared when they firste made this ordinaunce And as of the occasion so of the ende wherefore I fowrthly note on these words of Ierome that the cause why they did it was good and necessary It was not directed to any tyrannie to any pride to any ambition or to any ill purpose but cleane contrary Especially to pull vp those factions that were bred and to preuent that other shoulde not so easilye spring and spread in the Church of Christ. To which good purposes nothing in very deede is better than to haue one in moderate order without oppression and vsurpation to be ouer and vnder another As wee sée how it was euen at that time in Ierusalem when factions and questions began to arise and that they could not decide them at Antioche and other places where this equallity yet remayned when they came or sent vnto Ierusalem to the Apostles those that were the pillers and chiefe among their fellowe Apostles did call them and all the Elders of the Church together Which they could not haue done had they had before no superiour authority ouer them Neither read we of any giuen them at any time after they were assembled And therefore it plainly argueth though it be not plainely set downe that their superiour authority was standing and continuing in them By the orderly direction and determination wherof all their controuersies and affaires were the spéedilier dispatched and the easilier composed and they afterward continued the fréeer from all suche factions But who did that among them and in what manner we shall sée afterwards Lastly I note vpon these words of Ierome that these considerations and causes didde so moue them that it was liked generally on all sides Neyther any Pastor did refuse in respect of the publike benefite offered to the Church to become an inferiour to leaue their equallity and surrender their title of Bishop vnto one that should be chosen among them and submit them-selues to his superior dignity Yea that it was so well liked that by little and little it was approoued and decreed in all the worlde Which if it were so as why should we not credite these learned fathers affirmation so many hundreth yéeres néerer to the doing of it then wee are then no doubt but as it was in the Apostles times which by many prooues I hope I haue clearely euicted it must néedes be done by the assent and approbation also of the Apostles and may safely be accounted among those things whereof S. Augustine saith Lib. 4. cap. 24. de Baptismo câ—ntra Donatistas That which the vniuersall Church doth holde neither is instituted in the Councels but hath beene holden alwayes is moste rightly beleeued not to haue bene deliuered but by the authority of the Apostles And more at large in his Epistle ad Ianuarium Epist. 118. Which Ianuarius had moued a question vnto Augustine concerning the obseruation of Customes Rites and Ceremonies To whome Augustine aunswereth saying to those things that thou hast demaunded of me c. First therefore I will that thou hold that which is the heade of this disputation that our Lord Iesus Christe euen as he speaketh in the Gospel hath sette vs vnder a gentle yoake and a light burthen Whereupon hee hath bounde together the society of the new people with Sacramentes in number moste few in obseruation most easie in signification moste excellent As is baptisme consecrated in the name of
that the Church is kept by order and lost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lacke of order For which cause he hath instituted many also and diuerse orders of ministers not onely in times past in Israell but also after-wardes in the Church gathered together of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and also for the same cause hee hath left it free vnto the Churches that they might adde moe orders or not adde them so that the same may be done to aedification Whereas therefore when all the Ministers of the worde were called equally both Pastors and also Bishops also Priests or Elders and whereas they were of equall authoritie one afterwarde beganne to be preferred aboue all his Colleagues howbeit not as their Lorde but as the Rector in the vniuersitie aboue his other Colleagues to this man in principall the care of the whole Church was cōmitted whereupon and by a certaine kinde of Excellencie hee alone was accustomed to be called by the name of bishop and Pastor the residue of his fellow Ministers being contented with the name of Priests or Elders in so much that in euery City there began to be one onely Bishop and many Priestes or Elders This thing we iudge cannot be dissalowed Of which matter the declaration and the sentence of Ierome both otherwhere and also in the epistle to Euagrius and in the commentaries of the Epistle to Titus chap. 1. is of vs approued Who saith all this came rather of custome than of the verity of the Lordes disposing that the plants of dissensions of schismes might be taken away Verily by this reason those things also that were ordeyned concerning Arch-bishops yea and of the 4. Patriarkes euen before the Nicene Councell it selfe wee thinke may be excused and defended although that all thinges in successe of time afterwardes were drawen awaye vnto the greatest tyrannie and ambition which is the cause why that the neerer wee approche in those orders to the Apostolicall simplicitie so muche the more is it also of vs allowed And we iudge that euery where they should endeuour to approch thereto Nowe when Zanchius hath added certaine other Aphorismes concerning the Church and the lawfull Ministers thereof he setteth downe Aphorism 20. their authoritie saying We beleeue also that great authoritie is of Christe giuen vnto the lawfull Ministers to wit to performe those thinges whereunto also they are called to preach the Gospell to interprete the holy scriptures according to the analogie of the faith to catechise to teach the people what is the will of God to reprooue and rebuke as well the great as the small to remitte or reteyne sinnes ministerially to binde the impenitent and to loose the repentant to administer also the Sacraments which Christ instituted and according to his manner deliuered to exercise Discipline after the prescription of Christe and also by the expounding of the Apostles to conclude to all those things also which though they be not expressed in the holy scriptures notwithstanding do appertaine to order and to comlinesse and make to edification but not to destruction according to the generall rule deliuered of the Apostle That all thinges ought to be doone in order decently and to aedification For neither doe we beleeue that any authoritie is giuen to the ministers that ought to be stretched beyonde the boundes of Gods worde or vnto anie other ende than to the aedification of the Church And therefore we vtterly deny that any Bishop yea or that all of them together haue authoritie of ordeyning any thing contrarie to the scriptures of adding any thing vnto them or of takeing any thing from them of making newe articles of the faith of instituting new Sacramentes of bringing into the Church new worships of setting forth lawes that should bind the consciences and that should be made equall in authoritie to the lawe of God or of hauing dominion in the Church and consciences of the faithfull of forbidding those thinges that God hath graunted and would haue to bee free Or finally of commanding any thing that is without the worde of God as though it were necessarie to saluation sithe that it can not truely be sayde that indeede the whole Church hath not this authoritie Hauing thus in euery particuler set downe and limited the authoritie of the lawefull Ministers of the Church according to the worde of God he procéedeth Aphorisme 21. vnto this that the politike authoritie of Bishops which also are Princes is not to be denied for any thing before restrayned In the meane season we denie not that Bishops which with-all are also Princes besides the authoritie Ecclesiasticall should also haue their lawes politike and powers seculer yea euen as the rest of Princes haue the right of the commaunding seculer thinges the right of the sworde some of them the right of Electing and confirming kinges and Emperours and of ordeyning and administring other politike thinges and of compelling the people subiecte vnto them to yeelde them obedience and there-upon we confesse that vnto their politike commaundementes which with-out the transgression of Gods lawe may be kept their subiectes ought to obey not onely for feare but also for conscience For we knowe that all power is of God and who-so-euer resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God And that moreouer kinges are to be honored and we ought to be subiect to Princes and Lords in all feare not onely to those that are courteous and modest but also to the froward and wicked To conclude when he commeth to Ecclesiast Discipline which Aphorisme 36. he deuideth into popular and clericall in the 3. part of the clericall discipline Aphorisme 38. he saith The third is that they should promise peculiar obedience in things that are honest vnto their Bishop and to the Metropolitane of the Bishops Nowe although by all these Aphorismes of this excellent Learned man and great light of our age Zanchius it is most apparant what his Iudgement is of the superioritie of Bishops and with what reasons he prooueth and confirmeth the same to be in all pointes agréeable to Gods worde Yet for the further confirmation of these thinges and to satisfie all suche as shoulde or did mislike anie thing conteyned in them let vs also not thinke it tedious to peruse certaine other obseruations that he hath lastly adioyned to these Aphorismes in the foresaid confession of the faith with the preface of his reasons for the same The obseruations of the same Zanchius vpon his confession Neither fewe nor light are the causes with the which I was drawen that I had leauer adde these obseruations to my confession apart by thē selues than to alter any thing therein There are not a fewe vnto whom it is knowen on what occasion at what time by whose commaundement in whose name and to what ends I being indeede vnwilling and compelled wrote the summe of the Christian Religion But although ech man seeth that this
confession was neuer as it was hoped for set foorth in their name for whose cause it was written notwithstanding how this was done and vpon what causes it was done all men do not clearely vnderstande while many men marueile at the dooing but are ignoraunt of the true causes of the matter Heereupon howe diuerse suspitions might haue hapned vnto many howe diuerse iudgementes might haue beene made both of me and of the confession it selfe I will not say of priuate persons but also of the very Churches to conclude howe diuerse and sinister reportes might haue beene scattered among the common people what one is he among men that doth not knowe It behooueth me therefore before I shall die to stoppe the sinister naughtie supitions iudgements reports concerning my doctrine Which thing I iudged could of me be done by no better meane than if I should prouide that both my confession euen as it was of me written should be set foorth seuerally by it selfe and also seuerally by thēselues my obseruations theron by the which if any things were dark they might be made plaine if any things were doubtful they might bee confirmed and that I should leaue the iudgement of the whole busines vnto the whole true Catholike Church Moreouer I thought that to remoue false suspitions out of mens mindes if any were conceaued I should doe no little good if what iudgementes were made of learned men concerning the cōfession I should euē by their owne letters make them knowen to all the godly especially sithe that also out of the same euery man might easily vnderstande for what causes the confession was not set foorth in that manner that it was purposed A certaine greate man wrote vnto me of that matter in these words Concerning that which you write of your cōfession it was read ouer of me and of N. and of others with great pleasure Which both was written most learnedly with a most excellent Methode And if so be you except that which in the end you adde concerning Archb. the Hierarchy it liked me exceedingly well But when we did deliberate with our brethren N.N. the which are heere concerning the way and manner of entring into a concord among al the Churches of our confession they with one consent did iudge that this was both the only the safest the reddiest way that the cōfessiōs of faith already receiued set forth by the Churches of euerie Prouince should be composed compacted into one harmony because they are all of them one most like another so farre as appertaineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the substance of faith and that their confession was refused of none of the Churches This their counsell when they proued it by many reasons we haue written therof vnto you and to the Reuerende brethren N.N. and to other Churches neighbors to vs who all of them greatly like the selfe same counsell These thinges out of the letters of that great man To the same opinion almost we might produce out of other mens letters also writing of the same matter But sithe it is not necessarie for breuitie sake wee omitte them Zanchius nowe being thus mooued by these considerations to iustifie all these his former Aphorismes in these pointes aforesaid setteth downe among other these obseruations following Vpon the 25. Chap. Aphorism 10. 11. When I wrote this confession of faith I wrote all thinges of a good conscience and as I beleeued so I spake also freely as the holy scripture teacheth vs to doe But my fayth first of all and simplie dothe rely on the woorde of God after which somewhat also on the common consent of the whole auncient Catholike Churche so bee that the same consent striue not with the holy scriptures For I beleeue that those thinges which were of the holy Fathers beeing gathered together in the name of the Lorde determined and receaued with a common consent of them all without any contradiction of the holy scriptures that those thinges albeit they bee not of the same authoritie with the holy Scriptures are also of the holy Ghost Hereupon it commeth to passe that those thinges that are of this sorte neither would I neyther dare I with a good conscience disallowe them But what is more certaine out of the stories out of the Counselles and out of the writinges of all the Fathers than those orders of Ministers of the which we haue spoken to haue beene ordeyned in the Church and receaued by the common consent of the Christian common weale But who am I that I should disalow that which the whole Church hath allowed No neither all the learned men of our time durst disallowe For why they knewe that both these thinges were lawefull vnto the Churche and that all those thinges proceeded and were ordeyned both of godlinesse and to good endes for the edification of the elected And for the cause of confirming this matter I thought good here to inserte suche thinges as Martine Bucer of godly memorie a man moste famous for singuler godlinesse and learning hath left written vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians As for the administration of the woorde when it is doone by the reading and reciting of the deuine scriptures finally by the interpretation and explication of the same and by exhortations taken frō thence and also by repetition and by the Catechisme which is perfourmed by mutuall questions and aunsweres of him that is the Catechiser and of the party that is catechised and by holy conferences and debatings of the harder Questions of our religion according to this manifold dispensation of wholesome doctrine the giftes or offices of this function are also multiplied For whatsoeuer belonged to the moste perfect māner of teaching that in the administration of the doctrine of saluation is to be applied with most great study because that sith thou art a man the knowledge of seeing God or liuing according vnto God which as of al other it is most diuine so also most difficult ought to be set forth they now that teach artes diligently contayned in some certain books as if a man woulde purpose out of Euclide to teach the Mathematicalles first of all they will reade and recite the booke proposed and streight waies they wil expound the particuler words that are not commonly knowe as euery Art hath his proper wordes and names and then if anye collection or argument be more breefely made they expound it by resoluing the partes thereof and make it cleare by many examples out of the generall preceptes they teache particulers and they do enforme them how farre foorth they stretch This it is properlye to teache But he that is indeede a sure or faithfull Doctor is not contente to teache these thinges although by a faythfull deliuerance of the Doctrine but also hee repeateth it and exacteth the thinges that he taughte and offereth him selfe readye to his schollers that they might demaunde a playn explication of
in his Epistle to the Hebrewes Guides such as are appointed to ouersee the flocke with authoritie and vnto them submission and obedience is commaunded in the same chapter ver 17. If this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vsed in that Chap. by S. Paule which not only signifieth a guide but a Captaine going before all the residue with gouernment principalitie may enclude a lawfull authoritie coÌ„mandement of submission and obedience without Imperious and Pompeous dominion our Prelates I hope wil desire no more nor so much neither in al lawfull respects as may in this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be well conteyned But if here in the word flocke wherof the B. is guide they include not the whole congregation and so with all the inferiour Ministers and Pastors in the same as well as the other people then is not this alleaged to the purpose whether any one Pastor may haue Superior authoritie ouer another and be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the residue and then it is but a flocke here to alleage it But iâ— it be vnderstood of the whole particular Church then indéed it is alleaged to the present purpose but it proueth that the Imperious Pompeous dominion excepted one may haue authoritie ouer another Other names are applyed to them in the Scripture but they bee for the most part more generall pertayning to all kinde of teachers in the Church of God both in the time of the lawe of the Gospell as Seers Prophets watchmen Angels Laborers Builders Stewards such like all which with many other serue to expresse some part of their office as their knowledge their diligence their authority their faithfulnes their discretioÌ„ also the necessitie of theÌ„ the coÌ„moditie that coÌ„meth by them Concerning these Titles as not in controuersie I passe them ouer The argument of the 6. Booke THE 6. Booke is of the Pastors or Bishops office For the limiting of him to one only congregation Whether the Pastor may haue Curates or Substitutes vnder him to supply his absence Whether all ministers are to be vtterly expelled be they neuer so Learned or diligent if they haue not the gift of preaching and cannot confute the gaine-sayers Of ministers that are altogether vnskilfull and of their remoouing Whether all be eternally condemned that do not by hearing â—f preaching become faithfull Of the lackâ— of preaching of the impossibility to furnish euery congregation with preachers Of tâ—â— hindrances hereof the indeuors to helpe it of our Breâ—â—rens praeposterous means Of the state of the French Churches â—or abundance of Preachers Of pluralities non residencies Of reading a praescribed forme of prayers Psalmes and chapters Of the students discouragement for the ill bestowing of liuings Of the want of lyuings able to maintaine Learned Preachers Of spoiling the ministers maintenance vnder pretence of better prouiding for theÌ„ of these spoilers mockers of God maÌ„ Of their maintenaÌ„ce in the freÌ„ch churches without such helps as we haue Of the Prophets seÌ„teÌ„ces applied to our vnskilful Pastors reading ministers Of the vse of godly learned homilies whether they may be effectual in the hearers Of the Pastors duty What Ministers our Brâ—impugne we defend Of our Ministers exercises Of three remedies that our Bretheren set downe to helpe the necessities for lacke of liuinges of restoring the Sacrilege of Abbies of diuiding superfluities of some places and of a 3. namelesse and generall remedie Of the remedies to supply the want of Learned men by eneoragers by ouerseers in the vniuersities by tourning out droanes and vnprofitable heads of colleges by placing newe gouernors by erecting new Doctors in as many places as may be by compulsion and by prayer Of the corruption of our state Of our Brethrens dispensation till all these thinges can be brought to passe Of our Brethrens hope to effect all these thinges and in howe short time and of their incouragement hereunto Of their commending her Maiesties most honorable glorious raigne And of their promise to ieopard their liues for the successe and of their mourning threatning and protestation if all these things according to these their deuised meanes be not speedily 〈◊〉 practise BVT concerning the names of Pastors as they are a speciall office in the Church this may suffice But for as much as we haue vndertaken so to describe a Pastor and his office as all other offices of the Churcâ— may be described therewith we must not stay onely in the name buâ— set forth also the whole substance of the person For which intent it shalâ— be necessarie for vs to consider a Pastor or Bishop two wayes in the proper function of his ministerie and in gouernement with his Elders by which we shall vnderstand how this ministerie ought to be reformed and restored among vs. As touching his office something hath beene sayde before generally vnder the description of his seuerall names But now more particulerly we must examine what belongeth to his charge OUr Brethren presupposing they haue in this theiâ— Learned Disc. sufficiently prooued that the nameâ— of Pastor Bishop must alwaies be taken synonymically as diuerse words signifying but one thing and that there may be no such dignitie accessorie to the office as whereby one Pastor or Bishop may haue authoritie ouer another doe nowe procéeâ— to their platforme of prescribing lawes concerning these Pastors and Bishops office and the reformation that they would propose vnto them Whereof I marueile not a little at our Brethrens ouer boldnesse in these things and crauing pardon of my terme least I also be thought ouerbold with them and I would gladly vse a mylder terme for their sakes if the matter could permitte it that they dare take vpon them to sette downe lawes and orders of refourming and restoring these offices of the ministerie imagining they stande nowe deformed yea lost they being as I take them to be for they are namelesse but priuate persons except they alleage that they be ministers but whether authorised or exauthorated yea or no I knowe not If they be exauthorate then are they still as méere priuate being depriued of the publike personage action that they had if they be not then do they contrarie to the state of their owne calling exercising the office of that ministerie which their selues professe to bée deformed and lost And how soeuer the title of their Learned Discourse pretendes in the froont onely a briefe and plaine declaration concerning the desires of all those faithfull Ministers which doe seeke for the Discipline and reformation of the Church of Englande where is pretended nothing but a declaring of the desires that they seeke yet in the seeking they desire it in such a peremptorie fashion that we finde their desires to be a plaine charge and prescription which is both aboue any authoritie that they haue so to doe and were the matters that they woulde haue reformed and restored better than
is decreed amongst themselues that must be called the determination of the whole Synode I meruell that our Bretheren shamed nor feared not to stuffe their learned discourse with so many manifest vntrueths It is most euident that nothing is or can bee decreed in the name of the whole Synodes determination without the whole Synode comprehending at least the greatest number for the whole haue decreed and determined the same So that say they no man must bee suffered to speake any thing agaynst it bee it neuer so reasonable or agreable to the worde of God This is another most great and manifest vntrueth sclaunderous to the Bishoppes and reproachfull to the whole Conuocation There is none of the house but that may in any matter that is propounded to bee debated vppon yea any other though not of the house being knowne to be a reuerent godly wise and learned person either of the Ministerie yea in some cases though he were not any Ecclesiasticall person yet might he also bee freely admitted according to the auncient Canons to speake before the house in such sorte and manner as the order of the house requireth for those that bee or should bee learned men to speake their minde in the Latine tongue for feare some young Sir Iohn lacke latine would bee ouer busie and so to reason freely pro contra obseruing alwaies that modestie and reuerence which beseemeth the assemblie of graue and learned men And in this maner many haue propounded and reasoned vpon diuers matters as those that are auncients in the Conuocations heretofore can witnesse Yea saye they whosoeuer will not subscribe to all such thinges as they decree must bee excluded out of the Conuocation as was practised and threatned in the Conuocation at the foresayde Parliament vnto diuers godly and learned Preachers that offered to speake agaynst diuers grosse and palpable errors that had escaped the Bishops Our Bretheren hauing so often broken the squire of trueth in these matters doe here waxe bold to rappe out vntrueths now by huddles What one Preacher hath bene excluded out of the Conuocation for this that he would not subscribe to all such thinges as the Bishoppes among themselues haue decreed Or can they bring any instance but of such one threat made vnto them And albeit a threat differeth from the putting it in practise yet this also is a notorious sclaunder There was no such thing either practised or threatned at any tyme in our Conuocations namely at that tyme they mention which I remember well and so doe many others when some speaking in English began to bee ouer busie and to vse disordered behauiour with vnreuerent termes they were by the Prolocutor as moderator commaunded to silence or els to departe and not to disturbe the house nor alter the lawdable orders thereof except they would and that in seemely modestie speake in Latine which these godly and learned Preachers that our Bretheren commende liked not to doe Neuerthelesse other being indeede godly and learned Preachers did very reuerently and with great learning discusse those matters And so with generall consent either of all or which sufficed of the most and best parte those Articles were condescended vpon and approoued for good and sound doctrine And so I hope will stand for any thing that our Bretheren or any other shall euer bee able to say agaynst them As for any and much lesse diuers grosse and palpable errours that escaped the Bishops I remember none nor can learne of any The Decrees conteyned in the articles aforesayd are published to the open viewe of of euery man if our Bretheren as yet can burthen them with any grosse or palpable errour or with any errour at all though not grosse nor palpable or but with apparance or suspition of errour it were worth the hearing But if there bee no such errour in them who are then worthie the punishing or at least worthie to acknowledge with repentaunce and reuoking this so great a sclaunder For it toucheth not our Bishoppes and the Conuocation onely but béeing established also as is aforesayde by act of Parliament and so the professed doctrine of all the Realme and Church of England how are wee not all hereby defaced to maynteyne grosse and palpable errours and that in no small poynts of doctrine If Papistes had sayd this it had bene lesse meruell which hate our doctrine and count it stuffe full of errours and heresies too But they neuer were nor are nor euer shall bée God willing able to prooue that we mainteyne any one errour in any one article of doctrine but agree in all the substance of Religion with the true and syncere worde of God Yea our Bretheren their selues bearing vs witnesse who in the Preface of this learned discourse confesse that for the substance of Religion it is resolued and now publikly maynteyned for our true and holy faith How could this bee true if those articles namely these which here they note being matter of faith and publikely maynteyned and resolued by all the Church of England to bee true and holie were grosse and palpable errours But to shewe both vnto them and to all the worlde least the Papistes should take holde hereon when they heare of this our owne Bretherens accusation which will bee euen meate and drinke to them béeing glad to feede vppon such sclaunders that as wee are sounde GOD bée blessed for it in all other articles of doctrine so in these wee maynteyne no errour at all but a most sure and syncere trueth let vs come to the viewe of these two Articles that here they mention for example As for the distinction saye they of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes Although this bee a matter wherein good and godly Fathers haue had some difference yet for our Bishoppes and Conuocations decree thereon I see not how our Bretheren shall bee able to finde that wee holde any error in that matter It is the sixth Article the wordes whereof are these Holy Scripture conteyneth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may bee proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should bee beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite or necessarie to saluation In the name of the holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and newe Testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church Of the names and number of the Canonicall bookes Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomie Iosue Iudges Ruth The first booke of Samuell The 2. booke of Samuell The first booke of Kings The 2. book of Kings The 1. booke of Chroni The 2. booke of Chroni The 1. booke of Esdras The 2. booke of Esdras The booke of Hester The booke of Iob. The Psalmes The Prouerbes Ecclesiast or preacher Cantica or songs of Sal. 4. Prophets the greater 12. Prophets the lesse And the other bookes as Ierome