Our Breth Gouernors and Pastors and their elections haue no proofe in Gods word Our Breth vnthankfulnesse to the Byshops Princes making lawes Our Breth prescribing lawes to the Prince Our Breth yeelding to the Prince to make lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters The examples of Princes that made such lawes Our Breth restraining of they graunted before to Princes Restraine of Princes making lawes Laws made contrary to the Pastors knowledge Her Maiesties lawfull making laweâ— for Eccl. matters Her Maiesties lawes not made contrarie to the Pastors knowledge Princess lawes in Eccl. matters The Papists vsed the selfe-same reason that our Breeth do against the Princes lawes Her Maiesties lawes against the Papists errors Our Breth dealing against her Maiesties lawes in Ecclesiastical matters On what conditions our brethren will admit her Maiesties supremacie Her Maiesties comfort against these dealings Our Paâ—tors defence of her Maiesties authoritie and lawes against these new Pastors The learned disc pa. 141. Bridges All our Br. graunt of making lawes of Eccl. matters is turned only to ciuill lawes The auncieÌ„t Princes intermedling What intermedling in Eccl. matters our Br. allow to Princes The auncient Princes intermedling The Popes and our Brethrens allowance to Princes Our Breth allowance to Princes for bodily punishments The Popes allowance to Christian Princes The auncient Princes lawes Our Brethren incur bodily punishment by their own grauÌ„t The learned disc pa. 141. 142 Bridges The examples of the auncient Christian Princes authoritie The Princeâ— commaunded the Cleargie to consult and determine on the truth of controversies in doctrine and ceremonies The Emperours dealing The Emperours doingâ— in the Counâ—els Socrates lib. 1. cap. 6. The Empeâ—ours Epistle to the Byshop for the keeping of Easter day The Emperours ownâ— confession of his dealing in the Nicene Counsell The doingâ— of the Emperours deputies iâ— the Counsels The Empâ—rour his selfe appointeth the Byshop of Constantinople The Emperour his selfe disputeth with Heretikes in the Counsell The maner of the Emperours approuing the confession of the true beleeuers The Byshops letters desiring the Emperour to ratify their decrees The Emperour ratiâ—yeth or â—eiecteth all the actes of the Counsell The Emperours Deputies doing in the Counsell The Empresse and the Emperour The Emperour requested to coÌ„maund the Byshop to examin the controuersies and to haue them referred to him as Iudge The Empresse together with the Emperour summoneth the generall Counsell The Emperours presumption of the proceeding in the Counsell The Emperour and Empresse in thâ— Counsell and the cause of their comming thether Iustinian The Emperours dealings Constantinus Pogonatus The Byshop of Romes obedience to the Emperour in the Counsell The Byshop of Romes obedience to the Emperour The Byshop of Romes confession that the Emperour is Christs Vicar in carth c. The Emperour confirmeth the Counsels definition with his total assent The french Kings gouernment of the Ecclesiasticall state Clodoueus in the Counsell at Orleance Guntranus in the Counsell of Matiscone The King had the appointing of the Bishops The Kings decree for annuall Synodes The Kâ—ngs within the Churches discipline The french kings dealings The Counsell refer all their Decrees to the amending of the Prince The Edict of Charles the great to the Bishops and Pastors of Churches The Kings commissioners ioined with the Byshops for the Churches discipline The King taking vpon him the correction of Eccl. maâ—ters is no presumption The Christian Kings ought to follow the examples of the good Kings in the old Testament The princes charge for preaching Alcuinus in praefas lib. de Trinitate Of the princes preaching and priestly power Ludonicus pius his authoritie and dealing in Eccl. matters Ludouicus charge to the Bishop The kinges of spaynes dealinges The examples of the Christian Princes authoritie in the kings of Spayne Richaredus in the CouÌ„cell at Toledo The kinges performing the office of an Apostle The care charge and auth of the Prince for discipline The kinges decree for the peoples confession of their faith at the communion The Spanish kings dealings The dooings of diuerse kinges of Spaine in Councels eccl matter 's The authoritie and dealings of the auncient kinges in this our Britannie Eleutherius acknowlegment of tâ—e kings authoritie in this Realme The Saxon kings dealinges and lawes The lawes of the Saxon kings in eccl matter 's The lawes of king Inas Cap. 1. of the ministers liues Cap. 2. of Infantes Cap. 3. of working on sunday The lawes of the SaxoÌ„ Kings Chap. 4. of the first frutâ— of the seedes Chap. 5. of the Churcheâ— libertie The lawes of Aluredus in eccl matters Act. 15. Aluredes lawes The imposing of pecuniarie mulctes Why a traitors punishment should be capitall King Aluredes owne writing of his sanctions The kings abrogating vnprofitable constitutions The lawes of Edw. the Senior King Alureds collection of the former kings lawes The auth of the other kinges here mentioned The eccl lawes that Aluredus set forth The lawes in eccl mat of Edward the elder of Athelstan king of the east Angles The Princes penall lawes ioyned to the eccl K. Ethel staneslawes 8. and 9. The lawes of Ethelstan in eccl matters The kinges B. Nobles and all the subiectes to pay their iust tithes The lawes of Edmund in eccl matters The Clergies chast life which chastitie was shewed before that it debarred not in B Pastors matrimonie Tythes first fruts almes Reparations of churches Periury and idolatrie The lawes of Edgar in Eccl. â—atters Howe farrâ— these decreeâ— are are not allowable Canutuâ— his Lawes of Eccl mâ—tâ—ers The peace honor of God next after the Princes The Churches orders and digniâ—ies to bee maintained Canutus Lawes for the purgatioÌ„ of a preeste â—ccused The Lawes of Canutus Apurgation of a DeacoÌ„ sclaundered Canuâ—â—â— Lawes for degrees of mariâ—ge Receiuing the Communion thrise a yere Fayth life Duties of Lords to tâ—eir vassâ—iles Obedience to the Teachers Charge to euerie christiaÌ„ to learn â—he L. praier the articles of their beleefe None that hath not learned these things to be admittâ—d to the Communion c. Auoidance of greeuous crimes and repentaunce To flee whoredom The feare of Gods iudgementes The duty of B. Pastors The king tâ—acheth all estates Eccl. and lay The Clergies aduise to the K. This auth of Princes confuteth our Br. restraint therof The Princes doing all by the Clergies aduise debarreth not their supreme authoritie Her Maiestâ—es supremacie The learned disc pa. 142. Bridges The K. follouing of aduise It is no subiection to follow Counsaile How the Counsellers determine how not Vnfaithfull Counsellers The learned disc pa. 143. Bridges The K. dealing by aduise Their examples of the Empire Fraunce Spaine and England cleane against them Their conclusion of reason froÌ„ Counsell aduisement Their reason either against all reason or against themselues The learned disc pa. 143. Bridges Princes seuaunts to the commoÌ„ weale and Lawes This seruice no debasing of their authoritie Aug. in Epist. 48.
plaine meaning that none may publikly teach other but he that is of power higher degree thaÌ„ are those whom he teacheth If this be true how is his own obiectioÌ„ true that Prop. Doct. are subiects to Kings other Magist. May they not teach Princes their other Magistrates Or wil they exalt themselues aboue their Kings Magisttes and exempt themselues from being subiectes bicause they are their teachers As the Pope vnder that pretence likewise did For what helpeth this aunswere of Caluine but to ouerthrowe his owne principle I aunswere saith he there is no absutditie but that one may gouerne and withall obey according to diuerse respectes If this his aunswere bee good as indéede it is doth it not cleane ouerturne Caluines owne Maior that none may teach but that is of power higher degree than those ar whom he teacheth If he say are they not of power higher degree in that respect they teach No verily not always euen in that respect of teaching neither No teaching is a matter of power higher degree I denie that since we must driue the matter so narowly to respectes that in that respect it is teaching it is a matter of power or of hygher degree For teaching properly of it self is but a matter of instruction and informing What power did Ietro take vpon him or superiour degree when he taught Moses how he should choose and appoint out Iustices to ease him in the gouernment of the people Exod. 18.14 What power or superiour degree tooke Ioathan on him ouer the Sichemites when hée stoode on the topp of mount Garrizim and cried vnto them and saide Hearken vnto mee yee men of Sichem c Iud. 9.7 What power and superior degree tooke Sampsons mother ouer her husbande when she shewed him reasons that the appearing of the Angell of the Lorde vnto them was no argument that he woulde kill them Iud. 13.23 When Dauid taught Saule how ill he didde in persecuting him being an innocent did he take any power vpon him ouer Saule or any higher degree aboue him 1. Sam. 24. ver 10. 26. ver 18. When the poore handmaide taught her Maistresse Naamans wife by what meanes her Lorde might be cleansed from his leprie 2. Reg. 5. ver 2. and Naamans seruaunts perswaded their Maister to follow the Prophetes commaundement Did they take any power or superior degree vpon them And when Counsellors teache their Princes what they should doe for what is counselling but informing or teaching When the King said to Elisaeus seruaunt tell mee I pray thee of all the great actes that Elisaeus hath done when the seruaunt shewed the same vnto him did he take vppon him a power and higher degree aboue the King whome hee enformed Doth Iob when he biddeth Eliphas the Themanite teach him giue him power and higher degre aboue him Iob 6. ver 24. Or when he sayth to Sophar Aske the beastes and they shall teach thee and the fowles of the heauen and they shall tell thee Iob. 12.7 Neyther letteth it that some of these are priuate teachings for be they priuat or be they publike in respect they are teachings they consider not the authority of the Teacher but the matter taught or the manner of the teaching As for the power and superiority of degree that hee hath who is the teacher respecteth the partie whose doctrine he teacheth and the commission he hath from him Which in this heauenly doctrine commeth from heauen hauing his authority and warrant from the Almighty God as it is saide of Christe hee taught as one hauing power and not as the Scribes In which consideration I graunt all power yeeldeth or oughte to yéelde when the hearers whosoeuer vnderstand that the Teachers doctrine is of God and that they haue authority of God to teach them And so those Teachers do in the name of God charge their Princes and yet in all other respects remain as other do their subiects And caÌ„ these respects be thus together in a Prophet can they not be in a Prophetesse And how doth not this withall ouerturne Caluines Minor But the woman saith he is a subiect as though the man were not a subiect wheÌ„ he saith Prophetes and Doctors are subiect to Kinges and other Magistrates But in a woman saith Caluine this holdeth not No doth and why not in a woman as well as in a man being both of â—â—em in respecte of Kings and other Magistrates alike subiect for a woman saith he by nature is borne to obey What the Kings and other Magistrates more than those men are which also are subiects what meaneth Caluine here that a woman is borne to obey by nature Doth he meane it in such sort that the woman is a seruaunt or bondslaue by nature or of a seruile nature But that is both falseand odious For a woman may bée and is as much ingenua libera of as franke and free nature and condition or as we tearme it borne of as gentle bloud as the man is And althoughe that the seruitude of sinne and thraldome to mortality and other calamities comming to the man by meanes of the woman she hath loste by the law and malediction of God that equallity of honnour that she was in before being ioyned to the man in matrimony with equall degree of power and dominion and be now made subiect to her husbands gouernemeÌ„t in respect of that Deconomicall or housholde gouernment of which estate properly that law was geuen and of whome S. Paule both in his epistle to the Corinthians speaketh willing them to aske their husbands at home and that which he speaketh to Timothy that she should not vsurp authority ouer the man it hath a manifest relation onely to her husband as also haue the words of Gods law giuen in penaunce vnto her thy desire shall be subiect to thine husband he shall rule ouer thee so that though this law be the ordinary lawe of God as Caluine saith in respecte of the state of mariage yet in other respects it is not so absolute True it is that a virgine in respect also of her parents is subiect in her non-age vnto them no lesse than the wife vnto her husband and yet we sée héere these virgines for all their subiection to their father Philip that was also an Euangelist yea some call him an Apostle did neuerthelesse prophecy and that which is most likelie euen in his presence and in S. Paules presence and in the presence also of many other notwithstanding any inferiority or subiectioÌ„ in other respectes Yet diuerse of the named Prophetesses other womeÌ„ that spake in publike assemblies were not all widdowes and so of their owne iurisdiction or power but euen wiues too But Caluine vrgeth this that by nature they are borne to obey And what of that also commeth this authority of teaching whatsoeuer authority they haue therto or any gift of prophecying by the law of nature or not
neuerthelesse the number of the 70. Elders was preserued For Ezechiel in the 8. chap. said And the threescore and tenne men of the Elders of Israel when notwithstanding in the Age of Ezechiel the 10. Tribes of Israel were in Assyria And Ieremie in the 19. named the Elders of the people Take an earthen bottell of the Elders of the people and of the Priests Neither onelie did this Senate flourishe while the kingdome stoode but also the kingdome being ouerthrowen after the Iewes returne out of the captiuitie of Babylon the same was restored For in the 1. of Esay it is written I will restore thy Iudges and thy Counsellours as in the auncient time And in the 10. of Esdras which place we haue hearde cited by Danaeus Euerie one that shal not come within three daies according to the coūsell of the Princes and of the Elders all his substance shall be forfaised And the 12. of the first of the Machabees Ionathas the high Priest of the Nation and the Elders and the residue of the people of the Iewes And in the first of the 2. booke The people that is at Ierusalem and the Senate and Iudas to Aristobulus the Maister of King Prolomeus sendeth greeting And in the 11. King Antiochus to the Senate of the Iewes and to the other Iewes And in the 14. To Simon the Bishop and to the Seniors and to the whole people And Saint Luke 22. The Seniours of the people being called in Greeke the Presbyterie or Eldershippe of the people Iosephus also sheweth that in last times of the Citie Florus the Procurator of Iurie calling vnto him the Princes of the Senatours and the Senatours and the Senate he said that he woulde depart out of the Citie And hee addeth that with the Temple the Court also was set on fire which Court he calleth Buleuterion the Counsell-house But although this Senate for consultation sake remained alwaies notwithstanding we haue to vnderstande that the Kings which haue had the Common-weale in their power were not thrall vnto the Lawes although they made Decrees without the authoritie of the Senate as those that were in chiefest authoritie not such as God had prescribed but such as their selues wished Moreouer that the Tribes had euerie one their Senatours different from those that were the Senatours of the Common-people it is more probable by coniecture than certaine by authoritie For although it be written in the 20. chap. of the 4. booke of the Kinges All the Seniors of Iuda and Ierusalem were gathered together to the King Iosias and in the 30. of the first booke Dauid sent giftes of the Pray◠to the Seniors of Iuda his neighbours and 19. of Hieremie God said I will destroy the Counsell of Iuda notwithstanding it may bee that they that were the Seniors of Iuda were all one with the Seniors of the people But without doubte euerie one of the Cities had gotten their Senatours separate from those whome we haue spoken of Whereupon are these speaches All the Seniors of Iuda and Hierusalem were gathered together to the King Iosias And Iosephus lib. 2. The Seniors of Ierusalem tooke it greeuouslie that the brother of Iaddi the Bishop maried a straunger And Iudges 11. the Seniors of Galaad proceeded to take Iephthe for their aide said vnto him Come and bee our Prince And in the 8. Hee tooke a childe of the men of Sucoth and asked of him the names of the Princes and Seniors of Sucoth And Ruth 4. Booz taking tenne men of the Seniors of the Citie of Bethleem said vnto them c. Thus dooth Sigonius deuide the Seniors into three sortes The Sēniors of all the people the Seniors of euerie Tribe and the Seniors of euerie Citie And if Christe had meant anie of these Seniors it is farre more likelie that he shoulde haue meant this last sort if not some yet of lower degrée than these of euerie Synagogue of the Citie than the highest of all that sate with the Prince in Counsell and had the consultation of all the summe and principall points of all the Churches Common-weales affaires which were the manifest endaungering of her Maiesties estate and the cleane altering of all the Common-weale In the next Chapter Sigonius procéedeth to their Iudgements saying cap. 5. We haue spoken of the Counsells in which chiefelie the Cities profite is disputed vpon After which we haue to speake of the Iudgements wherin the singular or particular equitie is defined that could not either be prouided for or prescribed by the Lawe But these iudgments the Greeke Interpreters of the Bible haue now and then translated them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit respecting the double force it selfe of Iudgements in which condemning and acquiting is conteined which by these two wordes Iudgement and Iustice or iustification they expressed as we haue shewed before Furthermore among the Hebrues there were two Tribunall seates of the Iudgements the one in euerie of the Cities called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other chiefelie at Hierusalem named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latine Interpreter translated Iudgement and Counsell Whereupon in S. Mathew Christe saith Euerie one that is angrie with his brother shall be guiltie of Iudgement But he that shall say Racha shal be guiltie of a Counsell But that the Iudgement was an other thing from the Counsell Dauid in the first Psalme sheweth when hee saide Therefore the wicked shall not arise agayne in Iudgement neither the sinners in the counsell of the righteous And héere commeth in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptlie called Sanedrin that Caluine and our Brethren applie Christes wordes vnto Which Synedrion was the Iudiciall Consistorie of the seuentie Elders that with the Prince as Counsellors had the gouernment of all the policie of the Iewes But because the other called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Iudgement of euerie Citie if Christe had meant to haue alluded to the Iewes orders and to haue translated and established the same or the like in euery Congregation among the Christians is it not more likelie of the twaine he would haue taken that which was the Iudgement of euerie Citie than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was onelie in Ierusalem the head Citie a chiefe Iudgement to ouer rule all the other But yet for our further resolution let it not be tedious to heare also Sigonius testimonies at large for both these Iudgements of these Seniors Let vs first saith he chap. 6. treate of the Iudgements of the Cities and then of the Counsell of Ierusalem when they were instituted and confirmed who they were that entred into them who were Gouernours of them where they came together and to conclude in what order they tooke notice of the causes I say therefore that the Iudges of the Cities with their Princes which in Greeke were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 introducers informers or teachers of the writings or of
in this manner Hee that desired to commence an action against another resorted to one of the Princes of of the Iudges which were called Grammato-isagogei the Scribes or informers of the writtes or writings and shewed foorth his cause and requested of him that hee woulde bring it in vnto the Iudges But if he receiued the controuersy for hee might also reiect it hee brought in the same at a day appoynted before the Iudges Whereupon he receaued the name Introductoris of an introducer c. But the Thalmudistes haue shewed that the matter was handled on this wife They that demaunded the Lawe came to the Iudges of their Citie who if they heard them not they went to them of the next Citie But and if so bee that neither yet they hearkened vnto them then they went vnto the Iudges of Hierusalem which sate in two gates After whom from them if that yet they obtained not their purpose they fledde to the Councell the which they called Sanhedrin Their wordes such as are rehearsed by Petrus Galatinus a man in time past an Hebrue are these In the beginning there was no controuersie in Israel but the house of the Iudgement of the threescore and tenne Iudges sate in diuers places For one of the houses sate in the gate of the Mount that is of the Temple but another in the gate of the Porch As for the other houses of the three and twentie Iudges fate in euerie of the Cities of of Israel But when anie thing was to be demaunded it was demaunded of the house of Iudgement which was in the selfe same Citie If they heard it Dicebant they declared it or gaue sentence thereon but if not they came to that order that was in the next Citie Who if they heard it they declared it vnto them or gaue sentence If not they went to that order which was in the gate of the Porche of the Lordes house and saide Sic exposui sit socij mei exposuerunt sic docui sic socij mei docuerunt Thus haue I shewed it and thus haue my fellowes shewed it thus haue I taught and thus haue my fellowes taught it Who if they heard it they declared it vnto them If not then both these and those went to the Consistorie Gazith wherein the Sanedrin sate from the morning till the euening But in the Sabbothes and first daies they sate in the wall Thus farre the Thalmudistes And thus farre also Sigonius for the iudgements of the Seniors in euerie Citie Whereby agayne wee perceiue the authority that these Seniors had The next and seuenth chapter is all of this Senat that Caluine and our Brethren say Christ alluded vnto and hath translated vnto vs. But the Consistorie Gazith saith Sigonius which the Graecians haue named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Chayre the Latines Councell the Thalmudists Sanhedrin was the ample or honourable Tribunall or iudgement seate of all the Iudges both in number and in dignitie in that Citie which the Lorde hath chosen and decreed to be the head both of holinesse and of the Empire that is first in Silo and afterward at Ierusalem or else first in the Tribe of Ephraim and afterwarde in the Tribe of Iuda In that Councell it was established that those thinges which could not bee defined of the Iudges of euerie of their Cities varying in their sentences concerning the Lawe or concerning the fact shoulde in conclusion be referred heerevnto But nowe beeing about to treate of this Tribunall I will first shewe foorth all those thinges that are declared of the Thalmudists And then I will adde what I my selfe haue founde by reading in the holie Writers Thus therefore haue they in diuers places In the time of Moses by the commaundement of God seuentie Elders of auncient yeeres and tried in knowledge were chosen out which shoulde bee Coadiutors of Moses himselfe in the gouernment of the people vnto whome it pertained both to declare all the difficulties of the Lawe and to define them and also in weightie matters and harde causes to giue iudgement Of whome is written that in the Deuteronomie If thou shalt perceiue that a difficult and doubtfull iudgement is before thee arise and goe vp to the place which the Lorde thy God shal haue chosen and there shalt thou call vpon his name As for these they were called by the tearme Sanhedrin and they sate in the Consistorie Gazith to iudge the iudgements of the liues and they were called Meokekim that is Scribes or Lawe-makers because that whatsoeuer they deliuered and wrote was holden of others as a Lawe The College of whome represented the Scepter giuen of the holie Ghost to the house of Iacob And the scepter it selfe depended on theÌ„ Wherevpon not onelie they that were resiant vnder the kings and Captaines or Dukes exercised the power of iudging but also while there was no king nor Duke extant among the Iews neuerthelesse the authoritie of them endured But ther wer 4. maners of putting to death deliuered to them To stone them to burne them to wound them to death and to strangle them Whereupon their vse was that when they hadde destroyed anie bodies life that is when they had iudged anie to bee slaine all that day they tasted nothing Moreouer the Iudgementes concerning money or goods mooueable were made by three Iudges the Iudgements of the liues by three and twentie But none iudged the Scepter or a false Prophet or the high Priest but the house of the 70. Iudges Neither did they goe foorth to warre except according to the mouth or sentence of the house of the Iudgement of the 70. Iudges Nec addebant Ciuitaâ—â— neither encreased they the citie or indenized anie nor the salaries or stipends of the Temple except by them Neither made they the Sanhedriâ—th that is the meetings or Sessions of the Iudges for the Tribes but by them The great Colledge was of 71. Iudges the lesse of 23. But the 70. Seniours were those of whome it is said Num. 11. Gather to me three-score and tenne Elders and Moses one Their lesser Sanedrion assemblie or meeting of them could not be ordeined but of the assemblie or meeting of the 70. that were the greater For those 70. Iudges ordeined the assemblies of the other Iudges which in other Cities places rouÌ„d about gouerned the people howbeit on this condition that euerie Assemblie of whatsoeuer Region it were shoulde bee vnder the Assemblie in Ierusalem and in the place called Gazith But the Iudges were chosen with the imposition of handes insomuch that fiue were necessarie for the dooing of that office But these Sanhedrins Herode the King tooke away Other after that were substituted but without the power of blood or of life and death whereupon they aunswered Pilate It is not lawfull for vs to kill anie man From thence foorth for their false iudging of Christe they were expulsed out of the Consistorie Gazith fortie yeeres before the Temple
these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ionathas the high Priest and the Senate or Eldership of the Nation and the other people of the Iewes send greeting to the Spartanes their brethren And in Iosephus Ant. itq Iud. 13. c. 9. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Ionathas the high Priest of the Nation of the Iewes and the Eldership and the Comminaltie of the Iewes c. These things doo manifestlie argue what was then the forme of the Iewes Common-weale how they were returned to that former mix Policie For first Ionathas is set downe as the Prince then the Senate which terme comprehendeth the superior and inferior Iudges last of all the people it selfe And that in these tearmes it is apparant they did it not to the Romanes and Lacaedemonians to make a shewe it is said 1. Macchab. 12.35 that Ionathas called together to an assemblie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Elders of the people to treate of building the Fortresses in Iurier c. But those whome the author of the booke booke of the Machabees calleth the Elders of the people Iosephus calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the whole people So that either in their names come all the Citizens which is properlie called the people or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Senate to wit that superiour Senate which when it representeth the people is called the people it selfe This sense of the Senate especiallie of the superiour Seniors is héere verie violentlie by Bertram wrested as I vnder correction take it for the People Being the Gouernours of the people and so cléerelie distinguished from them betwéene the Prince and the People But his conclusion is this Heere certainlie it seemeth that this former time of the Machabees had somwhat more of the popular state and of the best mens gouernment than of a kingdome For when all is done both Bertram Caluine Beza Danaeus and these our Learned Discoursing Brethren enâ—line moste to this estate that moste declineth from a kingdome And so we should quickly come to a good estate of Regiment the Prince being ouerruled by the Senate and the Senate representing but the people and so all comes to the state popular as it was among the Graecians and the Romaynes Which in short time would bring England and all Christendome into a proper state And of this estate he alleageth further many mo instances 1. Mat. 13.36.14.20.27 41 42. c. Besides still his confirmations out of Iosephus And so lesse or more the authority of the Synedrion continued for by this time after the Gretian Monarchie it had gotten that corrupt Sanhedrin of Synedrion til Gabinius subdued the Iews vnder the Romanes Who restoring Hyrcanus to the high preesthood distinguished saith Bertram pag. 84. The nation of the Iewes into fiue Courts or session places of these Elders and to euery court assigned his Synedrion And here loe began the corruption of the state by making many Synedrions as our Br. now would do The Synedrions of Ierusalem ministred the Lawe in the territory of Ierusalem Gadarens in Gaderene territory c. So that saith Bertram nowe their affayres might be lawfully administred not by the gouernment of one but by the decree of the cheefe persons But nowe when in this goodly estate Iulius Caesar had made Antipater the Father of Herode to be Hyrcanus procurator and that these Elders and cheefe persons complayned to Hyrcanus of Antipaters his sons affectation of tyranny especially saith Bert. pag 85 taking occasioÌ„ hereupon that Herod had coÌ„mitted many things in Galile against the country lawes of the Hebrues and right of the Synedrion and that for the same he was a little afterwardes cited vnto the cheefe Synedrion at Ierusalem moreouer saith he Iosephus treating of these matters teacheth that in those times the right of that cheeâ—e Synedrion endured which sate at Ierusalem and that the dignity tâ—ereof together with the principality of the nation was plainly restored vnder Hyrcanus c. When it was thus in the cheefest estate Antonie setting vp Herod to be a Tetrarch Augustus afterward making him a King all this state and cheefe power of the Synedrion was ouerthrown For saith BertraÌ„ pag. 86. Herod prouided that all the Iudges of the cheefe Synedrion except one or two were slaine and all other that excelled in any authority or obteined the degree of any dignity so that hee placed in their steedes whome he pleased After which Herods death when Augustus diuided all that state into four gouernments there followed of necessity this distracting saith Bertram pag. 87 of the Iewes kingdom into Tetrarchies a new distinction of Synedrions euery Tetrach no doubt vpholding separately his own Iurisdiction Which occasioÌ„ we see that Pilate greedily snatched wheÌ„ he sent Christe as a Galilean in which dooing hee verilye pleased the Iewes nothing at all vnto Herod the Tetrarch of Galilaea whome notwithstanding Luke calleth King Thus haue wee seene all the state of the Iewes Seniors in the Sanhedrin so much pretended and vrged by our Brethren from the time that their selues fetch it Numb 11. And before descending downe euen vntill Christes time who gaue this precept Math. 18. Dic Ecclesia Tell the Church In which wordes they say Christe translated the Iewes Synedrion as it was ordeined of God but not as it was then in Christes times altered to bee restored renewed and continued in his Church If this be true howe must not all the state of the Realme and all realmes Christian bee quite altered Yea if this bee true howe did not Christe translate withall restore renewe and continue the Iudiciall ciuill and politike Lawe of Moses Our Brethren pretend at the superficiall view nothing but the restoring of the Eccl. regiment and Discipline but when wee come thus to the sounding of thâ— matter we finde it is indéed the alteration of all the whole state Yea it is litle or leaste of all Ecclesiasticall Regiment Discipline or policie I graunt the Iewes had also their Ecclesiasticall Regiment Discipline and policie whereof Bertram treateth at large afterwarde But what was that to the Sanedrin or Synedrion of the Iewes either corrupted or in the best estate Ecclesiasticall persons also did deale therein but was not their authoritie most in the cheefest matters of estate if our Brethren meane but the state Ecclesiasticall why doe they vrge so peremptorily that Synedrion and those Elders before it had that name of the 70 ordained of God Numb 11. All these therefore duelie and thus at large considered to say nowe that Christe alluded to this order of the Iewes senate to this Sanedrin or Synedrion among them to this consistory and councell of seniors not so much corrupted by their vices as instituted approued of God that Christ translated this into the Church in the new Testament and that to continue while the world endure to be established now in euery Church or congregation either the same or the
decide al our other controuersies For first we confesse with our Brethr. that this Antichrist the Pope did and doth chalenge vnto himselfe all authoritie both that which is proper to God and that which is common to men But so doth not her Maiestie chalenge nor acknowledg any other authoritie but that that is due and properly appertayning to the Prince vnder God common onely to those persons or rather peculiar to them that vnder God are the chiefe Soueraignes in their Dominions We confesse also with our Brethr. that this Antichrist the Pope claimeth to be that only heade of the Church frō which the whole bodie receaued directiō was kept in vnitie of faith this his claime was is blaspemous against Christ therefore may not be vsurped by any ciuill Magistrate no more than by the Pope Neither doth her Maiestie or euer did neither did her foresayd most royall Father Brother claime or vsurpe any such authoritie ouer vs or we acknowledge any such authoritie in them We confesse with our Brethren likewise where he meaning this Antichrist the Pope chalengeth authoritie to alter change dispense with the commaundementes of God to make newe articles of fayth to ordayne newe Sacramentes c. this is also blasphemous and ought not to be vsurped of any ciuill Prince Neyther doth her Maiestie or did her foresayde most noble Father and brother vsurp or chalenge any such authoritie or we yéelde it Caluine indéede did at the first so mistake it that the most noble Prince K. Henrie the 8. tooke vpon him the like authoritie and therefore wrote against it verie inconsiderately But afterwarde both in K. Edw. in her Ma. perceiuing no such authoritie giuen or taken he tooke no such offence at the claime of their authoritie but approoueth the same and in all due manner writeth to them We confesse also with our Br. on the otherside where he to wit this Antichrist the Pope chalengeth authoritie ouer all Princes so ouer all the Clergie that he did exempt them frō the ciuill iurisdiction this is contumelious iniurious against al Christian kings Neither doth her Maiestie or did her foresayde most noble Father brother chalenge any such authoritie ouer all Princes nor ouer all the Clergie except a due authoritie ouer al such inferiour Princes because some states in the Realm may be included in the name of Princes vnder her Ma. ouer al those of the clergie which are within her Ma. dominiōs are her lawful subiects neither exempteth she the Clergie frō al the ciuil iurisdiction nor offreth in this her authority any contumely or iniurie to al or against any christian Kings or against other Soueraignes in their Dominions neither do wee acknowledge any other than such as is a lawefull authoritie in her Maiestie And here as her Maiestie is frée her title and authoritie right due in her own dominions ouer all vnder vassaile Princes in or of the same dominions and ouer all the Clergie also in or of all her Maiesties dominions aforesaide concerning the ciuill iurisdiction wherof so farre as the Clergie hold any portion or any other ciuill priuiledge prerogatiue franchesse or immunitie they hold it reacknowledge it in all due obedience and thankefulnesse as deriued frō the munificence of her Ma. and her royall Progenitors So let our Brethren herein take héede how they their new Clergie of consistory gouernors in their Sanedrins vnder pretence of enquiring examining determining iudging and punishing all offences in their seuerall congregations encroch not vpon the Princes ciuil iurisdiction For this also is contumelious and iniurious both against her Maiesties authoritie against al christian Kings Princes and against the most of the ciuill Magistrates Iudges Iustices officers vnder the chiefe and soueraigne Princes besides the Eccl. Prelates their officers And therefore we conclude as our Brethr. here do euery Prince in his own dominion ought to cast off the yoake of his to wit the Popes subiection to bring all Eccl. persons vnto his or her obedience iurisdiction And we conclude a little further that in the number of these Eccl. persons the Prince ought to bring in presupposing there were any such all this new kinde of Doctors all these new Bishops in euery parish all these new Gouernors and all these new Deacons in euerie congregation in his or her dominions vnder his or her obedience iurisdiction and to cast off the yoake of their subiection which if they ought to doe then let our Brethr. againe take héede how they impugne the obedience and iurisdiction of her Maiestie and her lawes established and cast among her subiectes such repugnant discourses as this is vaunt they neuer so much therein of Learning Here haue we say they the first part of the title of supreme gouernment ouer all persons And thus farre both our Brethren we agrée concerning the persons In matters or causes Eccl. likewise the Pope doth not onely presume against God as we sayd before but also against the lawfull authoritie giuen by God vnto men For he forbiddeth Princes to meddle with reformation of Eccl. matters or to make any lawes pertayning to causes of religion aunswering them that those thinges do appertaine only to him and the generall Counsell But when he cōmeth to debate any thing with his Clergie then al lawes and knowledge are inclosed in the closet of his breast When any generall Councell must be holden all that they do receiueth authoritie from him For except he do allow it is nothing And hee is so wise that neither with the Councell nor without the Councell he can erre or thinke amisse in matters Eccl. when as it is not onely lawefull but also necessarie for Princes if they will doe their dutie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall But so that wee confounde not the offices of the Prince and Pastor For as it is not lawefull for the prince to preach nor administer the Sacraments no more is it lawfull for him to make lawes in Eccl. causes contrarie to the knowledge of his learned Pastors For as these three partes of the pastors dutie are graunted to him by God preaching ministring of Sacramentes and Eccl gouernment he may no more take from a Pastor the third than he may the two first They are now come from the persons to the matters or causes Eccl. wherein and how farre foorth they will acknowledge the title and authoritie of the Princes supremacie All this that our Brethr. say here against the popes claime of supremacie for matters or causes Eccl. the same say we And we gladly accept that which our Brethren do condemne in the popes presumption and vsurpation both against God and man and his forbidding princes to meddle with reformation of Eccl. matters or to make any lawes pertayning to causes of religion aunswering them that
haue they haue it of the Bishops and of their authoritie that gaue them authoritie and now they reward them well for their labour that would eate them vp that brought them vp as did the wolfe eate vp the Goate of whome she suckt or rather as God complayneth I haue nourished children Yea they are growne now so cranke on this little authoritie that they fall vnto prescribing abridging limitting and setting downe lawes euen to their soueraigne Princes But quo warranto by what new authoritie they can do all these things against all these states and degrées of men in all these matters though it be beyond my authoritie to examine them yet bycause it is beyond my learning I would but gladly know it if they can teach it But since they begin héere to relent somewhat to the Princes supremacy without further ripping vp of former matters except they begin againe to shrinke backe after their former manner let vs take them now in their good moode and most ioyfully we accept this our Brethrens graunt which héere they yéeld vnto that it is not onely lawfull but also necessary for Princes if they will do their duty to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall Yea forsooth this is another manner of matter than we heard of any yet of our Brethrens mouths towards the reformation of these things that it is lawfull and necessary for Princes besides their looking to it euen to make lawes of Eccl. matters so indéede did Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon and other good Princes before Christes coÌ„ming and so did Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Martian Zeno Iustinian and diuers others godly Princes since Christes comming and such Eccl. lawes haue we in this Realme of the auncient Bryttish Kings héeretofore and euen so did some Kings also since the Conquest make some such lawes of Eccl. matters for all their authority was much impugned incroched vppon and in the end â—ppressed by the intrusion and tyrannie of the Pope till God moued the heart of that most heroicall Prince King Henry the eyght and after him of his most vertuous sonne King Edward the sixt who both of them regayned this supreme authoritie and thereby made many most godly and excellent lawes for the reformation of religion and of Eccl. matters and so the Lord be glorified for her our most excellent Soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth whose dayes God long prolong in all felicitie verie dutifully carefully and religiously to the vttermost of her power hath done and doth looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall if our Brethren would on the other side do their dutie and in thankefulnesse be contented with her Maiesties reformation of religion and with the lawes Eccl. that her Maiesty hath already made yéelding their dutifull obedience in the reuerent accepting and obseruing of them If now our Brethren would thus hold on in the acknowledgement of the Princes authority we should soone agrée and as they say moue no controuersie neyther on this nor other matters But this confession that commeth thus in a good moode vpon them on a suddaine it is too good to continue long For streight they begin for feare they might séeme to haue graunted the Prince too much to come in and pinch it on the backe with new conditions and prouisoes But so say they that we confound not the offices of the Prince and of the Pastor Well if there follow no worse than this we accept also of this exception prouided againe on our part to fall to indenting on euen hands so that they rightly vnderstand this tearme of offices for her Maiestie neuer attempted nor the Statute admitteth any such attempt of confounding these offices of the Prince and the Pastor would God and it were his will our Brethren themselues were as farre off from confounding of these offices and that they and their new gouernors would encroch no more vpon her Maiesties royall office and on the offices of her officers vnder her than she or they do vpon the office of the Pastors But now least we should yet houer in suspense what they meane héere by these offices that should not be confounded they specifie the same and say For as it is not lawfull for the Prince to preach nor administer the Sacraments no more is lawfull for him to make lawes in Ecclesiasticall causes contrary to the knowledge of his learned Pastors I thought by little and little the winde would turne about and sit ruffling againe in his old place what néede these caueats héere so suspiciously cast out as though these offices or at least some of them were confounded or in hazard to be confounded by this supremacie that her Maiesty claimeth or that is yéelded to her whereas neyther the Statute giueth her Maiesty any such authority as whereupon any suspicion of such confusion of these offices should arise nor her Maiesty or her father or her brother did euer by this title claime or take vpon theÌ„ any such thing as either to preach or to administer sacraments or to do any other actions properly apperteining to the Bishops or to the Pastors or to any other Ecclesiasticall officers neither yet did make any lawes in Ecclesiasticall causes either contrary to the knowledge or without the knowledge and the consent also but with the knowledge aduice counsell and consent of her learned Pastors and so far likewise as reacheth to their Eccl. authority with their determination resolution and decree thereon which thing since her Maiesty hath so done satisfying all these caueats and exceptions how followeth it not by our Brethrens owne confession that it was and is lawfull for her so to do yea that it was and is necessary for her Maiesty if she would do as God be praysed she hath done and her duty to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Eccl. and how then if our Brethren will looke to themselues and to do their duty is it lawfull for them any more than for the Papists to disobey to deface to controll to impugne to violate to alter the lawes in Ecclesiasticall matters that her Maiesty hath thus made If they thinke she made them contrary to the knowledge of her learned Pastors bycause they take it that it is contrary to their knowledge if they were not Pastors at all wheÌ„ her Maiesty made these lawes or if that they which be Pastors now either be not or renounce to be such Pastors and of such ordeyning as her Maiestie and the Lawes of the Realme acknowledge to be Pastors or if these our Brethren be noâ— Pastors of such learning and knowledge as they pretend nor of any such number or estimation as the other learned Pastors in her Maiesties dominions are is she bound to take such knowledge of them that when all those whome she acknowledgeth to be her lawfull Pastors both the most and most estéemed
much authoritie at length vnto their Princes But now if they will beare so hard a hand that we shall get no more authoritie for the Prince and so for her Maiestie but bare and hardly this which would make a man to maruell that they which so often talke of her Maiesties supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes haue now brought it from a supremacie to such an inferioritie that the Pope will offer as much authoritie to Princes to mainteine his errors as these Pastors will offer to mainteine the Gospell yet I maruell the lesse considering all things for they haue great cause to be afrayde to graunt the Prince but thus much For haue the Prince but this authoritie ouer all the persons that if any shall offend against the lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall or against the Princes ciuill lawes made to bind the people to them whether he be Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape that he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate If this be so then it stands our Brethren vpon to take great héede for howsoeuer they shall despise our Prelates Ecclesiasticall censure how will they escape this bodily punishment Yea how do they not pronounce this sentence thereof against themselues do they thinke that they offend not her Maiesties lawes that thus deface them breake them and write against them or do they thinke they be not her Maiesties Lawes but the Churches or the Cleargies Did not her Maiesties approbation of them quicken confirme them to become Lawes and hath she made no other ciuill Lawes also with the whole authoritie of the Realme to establish those Lawes Or do they thinke her Maiesties Lawes to be no Lawes neyther Ecclesiasticall nor yet Ciuill so they may indéede make a wise match and finde that not onely her Maiesties Lawes be Lâ—wes and good and lawfull lawes also but that her punishments be punishments and that iust and seuere punishments too But her Maiestie is most mercifull and I hope they will be more dutifull and bethinke themselues better on these things This we see that all Christian Emperours obserued that when any controuersie arose eyther of doctrine or of order and ceremonies they commaunded the Cleargie to consult and determine thereof according to the Scripture who assembling together in counsell obeyed theyr commaundement theyr conclusion then by the authoritie of the Emperour was commaunded euery where to be obserued and those that impugned it to be punished The same order we reade to be obserued by the Christian Kings of Fraunce and Spayne yea of this our Bryttannie also in gouerning their Ecclesiasticall state by the aduice of the Cleargie of their dominion Her Maiestie taketh not on her nor desireth any more neyther do we acknowledge any lesse authoritie in her then had the auncient Christian Emperours Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Martianus Honorius Arcadius Iustinian c. And we graunt that all Christian Emperours obserued this that when any controuersie arose eyther of doctrine or of order and ceremonies if the importance of that controuersie did so require they commaunded the Cleargie to consult and to determine thereof according to the Scripture this is most true and it was well done of them Howbeit they their selues made many good Ecclesiasticall lawes and sanctions besides those which they confirmed with their supreme authoritie that by occasion of great controuersies were consulted vpon and determined in generall or prouinciall Counsels And yet euen in those Counsels the Emperour did not onely commaund the Cleargie to consult and determine of the controuersies eyther of doctrine or of order and ceremonies and when the Cleargie had consulted vpon and determined the same and had declared theyr determination to the Emperour then he allowed it and commaunded that euery where it should be obserued and those that impugned it to be punished for this indéede were no more then as I sayd before the verie Pope hymselfe saue for the commaunding of him and them could be content the Emperour yet should do so that he would intermedle nothing in the matters themselues that are in controuersie but let him and his Cleargie alone with the consulting and determining of all the controuersies and the Emperour onely to allow of their Decree and to commaund all his subiects whether they be Preachers or hearers to obserue the same and to punish those that do impugne it But that which the Pope can in no wise abide the Emperour went further than all this commeth to for besides that he did all those things in the Counselles which we haue before declared though he had also Presidents whome he appointed according as he thought méete to gouerne the Counsell and all the order and actions thereof yet now and then as the importance of the matter required and other affayres hindered him not he sate himselfe in the Counsell among them debated and consulted on the matters with them and ioyned also with them euen in the determination of the matters themselues And that this is true the Emperour Constantines owne wordes do witnesse of his owne dooings in the most famous Nicene Councell and that both in the chiefest controuersie of our faith and also in that great controuersie of the order and ceremonie of kéeping Easter day after the order that we now kéepe it whereof Constantine writing his Epistle vnto all Churches as appeareth in Socrates historie lib. 1. cap. 6. he sayeth on this wise When as I perceyued by the prosperous and flourishing estate of the common weale how greatly we are beholden to the goodnesse of Almightie God conferred vpon vs I iudged that aboue all things it behoued me of dutie to foresee that in the most holie and sacred assemblyes of the Catholike Church vnder heauen there should one faith sincere loue and charitie vniforme consent and agreement touching the religion and seruice of Almightie God inuiolably be reteyned but sithence that the same could by no other meanes be settled in sure and firme place except all the Byshops or the greatest part of them had assembled together and that euery one had giuen his iudgement of the matters perteyning to the most holie religion when as for the same cause so great an assemblie as possiblie could be made was gathered together I my selfe euen as one of your number was present together with you for neyther did I refuse to ioyne my selfe with you in that ministerie of which doing I conceyue great ioy and so farre were all the matters exquisitely sought out vntill the sentence gratefull and acceptable vnto God for the concord and consent of mens minds was openly pronounced in so much that nothing at all remayneth heereafter that may tend to discord or controuersie of the faith When as at that time it was disputed vpon concerning the feast day of Eeaster it was thought meete by the common sentence of all that all men euery where should celebrate the same
contayning withall his care industrie in these matters For the which doing the Councell reacknowledgeth the king to deserue the reward of an Apostle because he had performed the office of an Apostle And when al the nobilitie had giueÌ„ vp also their confessions in writing and subscribed openly vnto theÌ„ then the king commanded the Synode to go in hand with the repayring and establishing some forme of eccl discipline saying that the care of a king ought to stretch forth it selfe not to cease till he haue brought the subiects to a full knowledge perfect age in Christ. And as a king ought to bend al his power authoritie to represse the insolencie of the euill and to nourish the common peace tranquillitie euen so ought he much more to studie to labour and be carefull not only to bring his subiectes from errors false religion but also to see theÌ„ instructed taught trayned vp in the truth of the cleare light And hereupon by this his authoritie he maketh a decree coÌ„mandeth the Bishops to sée it put in executioÌ„ that euery time at the receiuing of the coÌ„munioÌ„ al the people together do distinctly with a lowde voice recite the Nicene creede Which being done that the Synode had coÌ„sulted about the orders of their discipline exhibited the same vnto the king he considering the same ratifieth and confirmeth al their doings And first he himselfe and after him all the Synode subscribeth to those orders The like wee read in the Councell of diuerse kinges of Spayne afterwardes Sisenandus that called the fourth Councell of Toledo Chintillanus that called the 5. and 6. Chinaswindus that called the seuenth Reccessinuthus that called the 8.9 and 10. Councels at Toledo Bamba that called the 12. 13. Egita that called the 14.15 and 16. all which kinges of Spayne as they summoned the Councelles their selues and commaunded thâ— Bishops to assemble so they sate in the Councels with them and when the Councels had consulted and agreed vpon any Ecclesiasticall matters thâ—y offred the same to the Prince to be ratified and confirmed This authoritie had the Christian kinges of Spayne not only in gouerning of all the eccl persons but in making together with the Bishops and in ratifying and confirming all their Synodall decrees and constitutions of Eccl. matters And no lesse authoritie had the kings of this our Britannie also in gouerning their Eccl. state by the aduise of the Clergie of their dominion For profe whereof we haue séene the Bishop of Romes owne letter to king Lucius that is reputed to be the first Christian king of Brytannie Who when he wrote to Eleutherius then Bishop of Rome to haue the Romaine and the Imperiall lawes to vse them in his kingdome the Bishop returneth him this aunswere as we haue séene those lawes wee may disprooue but not the lawes of God You haue receaued lately through the goodnesse of God in your kingdome the faith and law of Christ. You haue there in your kingdome both the testamentes out of them by Gods grace and the aduise of your Realme take a Iawe and thereby patiently gouerne your kingdome You are in your kingdome the Vicare of God c. In which wordes hee plaiâ—ely confesseth that the Christian kinges authoritie stretcheth euen to the very making and ordeyning of Ecclesiast lawes with the aduise of the Realme and so withall of the Clergie And that thiâ— supreme authoritie of thâ— king was so practised in this lande not only by Lucius but also by the Christian kinges that succéeded him while the Brittaines had the kingdome which rather were not full kinges but vnder the soueraigntie of the Romaine Emperours which beeing at that time the most of them Paganes the Princes in Brytannie hadde the lesse authoritie whereby there grewe manie corruptions especiallye the Heresie of Pelagianisme in this realme till the Brytaynes were expulsed by the Saxons And therefore what with the oftâ—n warres eyther with the Romaines or with the Pictes or with the Saxons little or no certaine recorde remayneth of anie Councelles helden or of anie Ecclesiasticall Lawes made in the times of those brittish Princes Except we shall account Constantine the great as one of them beeing the sonne of Constantius Chlorus by the most noble and Christian Queene Helena who being excellently learned in the tongues wrote diuerse treatises of Religion and Ecclesiasticall matters of the prouidence of God of the immortalitie of the soule of the rule of godly life c. As Bale reporteth of this Queene of whose husband and sonne we haue heard sufficiently before But to come to the Saxon kinges after they had receaued the faith of Christ for perhaps our Brethren also comprehende them in the name of the Christian Kinges of this our Brytanie William Lambert hath much helped vs in gathering and translating though rather to the sense than to the wordes the auncient lawes of those kinges whereby we also may gather what great authoritie they hadde in these matters who beginning with the Lawes of Kinge Inas setteth them downe in these wordes I Inas by the benefite of God King of the West Saxons through the persuasion and institution of Cenrede my father of Lyedda and Erknwalde my Bishoppes and of all mine Aldermen or Senators and of the most auncient wise men of my people in the great assemblie of the seruauntes of God I studied both for the saluation of our soules and for the conseruation of our kingdome that lawefull contractes of matrimonie and that right iudgementes might be founded and established throughout all our dominion and that hereafter it be not lawfull to any Senator or to any other inhabiting our dominion to breake these our iudgementes This preface béeing made by all their aduice and consentes but as is aforesayde by his authoritie he setteth downe his Lawes in Chapters both for Ecclesiasticall and ciuill matters And first he beginneth with Ecclesiasticall of the forme howe the ministers of God should liue First of all wee commaunde that the Ministers of GOD doe care for and keepe the appointed forme of lyuing And afterwarde wee will that among all our people the lawes and iudgementes be thus holden An infant shal be baptized within 30. daies after it is come forth into the worlde Which thing if it be not done the default shal be punished with the paying of 30. s. but and if it die before it be baptized he shall forfaite all his goods If a bondseruant be put to any seruile worke on the Lordes day his Master shall make him free and his Maister shall paye thirtie shillings but if he did that worke without the commaundement of his Maister the seruaunt shall bee beaten with stripes or at least let him redeeme with a price of money the feare of his beating If a free man labour on this day without his Maisters commaundement let him eyther bee made a bonde
their owne gouernors The Prince excluded Our Br. dealing against the ciuill Christian Magistrate How our Br. here begin to draw to the treatise of the Princes authoritie Her Maiesty slaundered by these suspitious negatiues The Princes authoritie in ceremoniall Constitutions The pastors consent Against what pastors consent or Constitutions haue bin made Whom our Br. mean by learned Pastors and Elders The constitutions depend not on the consent of the Pastors to come Her Maiesties authoritie now is as great as it was before Synodes before Christian Princes Meere Ecclesiasticall matters The designing of time place forme of proceeding to generall Councelles and other ceremoniall constitutioÌ„s The Prince termed a feeling member of the Pastors Pastors and B. all are in some respect vnder the Prince The Prince brought vnder these Pastors and Eccl. gouernors What feeling part they make the Prince to bee The learned disc pa. 118. Bridges 23. Q. 4. Non inuenitur August in Epist. 48. ad vincentium Christian Princes prefigured Nabuchod figured the states of the Kinges after Christe The times figured of Kings persecuting The times figured of faithful setting foorth godly constitutions Paulus Sergius the Emperours liefetenant Our Br. argument froÌ„ meere monarkes The arg froÌ„ the Synodes auth then without the Prince to the same nowe is a false most daungerous argument Constantius Caesar. The learned disc pa. 118. 119. Bridges Constantius Chlorus a Christian Emperour Euseb. lib 8. Eccl. hist. cap. 14. Philip a Christian Emperour Lucius The letter of Lucius a Christian king in this Island a 100 yere before Constantine The Christian king is Gods vicare The kings preheminence autoritie and charge 〈…〉 Princes authoritie The authoritie that the Christian Princes had The learned disc pa. 119. Bridges The examples of the Princes supremacie in the scripture The Chr. Princes before Christs comming Christian Magistrates before Christs comming The want of such persons at some times is no barre to the right at all times Our Brethr. still renuing of the Donatistes Anabapt and Papistes argumentes against christian Princes The Christian Princes haue not their authoritie by the Synodâ—s resâ—â—nation 〈◊〉 of Christian Princes The promise of the Christian Princes authoritie Aug. in Epist. 50. ad Bonif. 23 Q. 4 si Eccl. All things to be done in their times Psal. 2. How kings serue the L. in feare The kinges seruice of God as he is a man and as he is a king Ezechias Iosias The king of the Niniuites Darius Nabuchodonozer Christian Princes care The time of persecution Ioh. 16. Psa. 71. The king ought not to think the care of the first table pertaineth not to him lesse than the second The learned disc pa. 119. Bridges Our brethr slaunder of absolute authoritie 〈◊〉 authoritie The authoritie ouer synodes that Beza alloweth to Christian Prinâ—es The obiections in Beza to the conâ—rarie Princes not to be so separated from the ministers as though they were prophane Bezâ—es aunswere to our Brethr. obiecâ—iâ—â— that there were no Pâ—â—nceâ— in tâ—e Apostâ—es time Bezaes graunt to Christian Prince The office in seuerall and in common of the Prince and of the synode The Princeâ— confirming of the councels decreeâ— Bezaes circumscribing the Princes boundes in the Counceâ— Bezaes obiections against the auncient synodeâ— as flattering the Princeâ— Mo offences in the councels by the Princes absence than by his presence 〈…〉 in councels Bezaes deuise what he would haue all Princes do in ordaining and gouerning a generall councell The authoritie that Beza alloweth to the prince in the councell confuâ—eth our brethren How our brethren caÌ„impugne the things alreadie decreed in the Synods and by the prince confirmed No absollute authoritie The learned disc pa. 119. Bridges 〈…〉 authoritie excluded The Churches authority not absolute Oâ—r Brethren excluding of the Princes authority from prouinciall Synodes The Decâ—ees of euery or any Prouince not generall to all congregations The learned disc pa. 120. Bridges Perfection of vnity in all places concerning doctrine to be wished for Vnitie 〈◊〉 Ceremonies How farrâ— it were requisite all ceremoniall constitutions in one prouince were alike The vnity of ceremoniall matters helpeth the vnitie in substantiall matters The hurt of varietie in one Prouince Zanchius in confes Christ. rel cap. â—4 Aphoris 14. 15. Wherein the vnity of the Church consisteth for the substance thereof Vnitie of ceremonies how farre requisite Vnitie of things in the word of things not expressed in the word 〈…〉 Why vnitie of things not expressed in the word is to be kept 1. Cor. 14.10 The learned disc pa. 120. Bridges Our Brethren heere all for the Synode nothing for the Magistrate If Ceremonies should be made by respecting euery one either person or Church in a Prouince there should be no vniformitie at all The learned disc pa. 120. Our church prescribeth not vniformity to any places or Churches in other Princes dominions Vniformitie If particular Churches might altâ—r ceremonies then were the Synodes constitutions of no authoritie The similitude of feeding old men and sâ—cking infants with one meate The vnfitnes of this siâ—ilitude Our Brâ—threâ—s similitude is agaiâ—st themselues Milke â—ay bâ— eaten both of old and yoâ—g 1. Cor. 3.1 S. Paule prescribeth vniforâ—itie to the Cor. for all some were as babeâ— among theÌ„ The similitude of cloathing all ages in a roabe of one assize The ouerthrow of all the political orders The ouerthrow of all vnity in life doctrine Sucking the dugge The ripenesse or infancy of the inner or new mans age Vnreuerent comparisons The stronger ought to beare with the weaker Caluine of the Churches constitutions Caâ—uine in Instâ—t lib 4. ca. â—0 sect 1. What constitutions of the Church are to be impugned s and what are not Sect. 4. How Gods law doth binde the conscience in the breach thereof In matters indifferent the conscience is free though the bodie obey for auoyding offence Obedience for conscience sake To what end humane lawes may be or may not be made How princes must be obeyed for conscience The princes lawes touch the conscience in generalitie though not in specialty How good lawes made of the Magistrate or of the Church are to be kept Concord in constitutions Sect. 27. All the Churches lawes are not to be counted humane traditions Some rite or ceremonie ought euer to florish No Churches at all without concord The force of lawes Order and comelinâ—sse mainteined by obseruations Sect. 28. Comelines and order Either decencie or order or both are the notes of difference betweene good and euill constitutions Caluines definition of comelinesse and order The end of comelinesse The false and vayne comelines True and fruitefull comelines â—reath of orders True and false order Sect. 30. Discipline and ceremonies are to be diuersly applied to edification according to the manners of euery nation and age Sect. 31. Haughtie disdeyne and frowardnesse in violating ceremonies How we are all bound to these constitutions to obserue them though all of vs haue no neede
his wrath from vs. Now my sonnes be not deceaued for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serue him and to be his ministers and to burne incense Then the Leuites arose Mahath c. and they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselues and came according to the commandement of the King and by the wordes of the Lord for to clense the house of the Lord and the priests went into the inner partes of the house of the Lorde to clense it c. Here indéede the King refuseth not the Leuites but calleth them vnto him and maketh vnto them this memorable oration and those that otherwise in their offices were his fathers hée calleth his sons in respect of his supreame authoritie ouer them himselfe being but a young man and they againe speake verse 18. And they went in to Ezechiah the king and sayd we haue clensed all the house of the Lord c. but here is nothing wherein they appoint or charge the King but all still of the Kinges commaundementes vnto them Verse 20. And Hezechias the king rose earlie and gathered the Princes of the citie and went vp to the house of the Lord and they brought seauen bullocks c. And he commanded the Preests the sonnes of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord c. Then they brought the hee Goates for the sinne offering before the King c. For the king had commanded for all Israel the burnt offering and the sinne offering And he appointed also the Leuites in the house of the Lord with Cymbals with Violes with Harpes according to the commandement of Dauid and Gad the kings seer c. And Hezechiah commanded to offer the burnt offering vpon the altar c. verse 30. And Hezechias the king and the princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and Asaph the seer so they prayed with ioye and they bowed themselues and worshipped And Hezechias spake and said Now yee haue consecrated your selues to the Lord come neere and bring the sacrifices and offerings of praise into the house of the Lord and the congregation brought sacrifices c. Héere the King still commandeth both the Priests and Leuites and the people and they all obeyed But the Leuites are commended vers 34. To be more vpright in hart to sanctifie themselues then were the Priests As for the 30 chapter which our brethren cite after the foresaid first verse wherein the King writeth to all Israel and Iudah It followeth in the second c. And the king and his princes and all the congregation had taken councell in Ierusalem to keepe the passeouer in the second moneth For they could not keepe it at this time bicause there were not priests enough sanctified neither was the people gathered to Ierusalem And the thing pleased the King and all the congregation and they decreed to make proclamation through-out all Israell c. So the Posts went out with letters by commission from the King and his Princes throughoâ—t all Israel with the commandement of the King saying Yee children of Israel turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac c. And at this sacrifice the King praied for the people saying verse 18 c. The good Lord be mercifull towards him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God the God of his fathers though he be not clensed according to thepurification of the sanctuarie and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people And verse 22. Hezechiah spakâ— comfortablie to the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lord c. And in the chapter following verse 2. Hezechiah appointed the courses of the Priests and Leuites for the burnt offerings and peace offerings to minister and giue thankes and to praise in the gates of the tentes of the Lord And verse 4. He commanded the people that dwelt in Ierusalem to giue part to the Priests and Leuites that they might be incouraged in the lawe of the Lord. And when the commandement was spred the children of Israell brought aboundance of fruites c. And when Hezekiah and the Princes came and sawe the heapes they blessed the Lord and his people Israel And Hezechiah questioned with the Preists concerning the heapes And Azariah the cheefe preest of the house of Sadoch answered him and said Since the people began to bring offerings we haue eaten and haue beene satisfied and there is left aboundance For the Lord hath blest his people and the aboundance that is left And Hezechiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord c. And Iehiel c. were ouerseers by the appointment of Cononiâ—h and Shimer his brother and by the commandement of Hezechiah the king and of Azariah the cheefe of the house of God c. And thus did Hezechiah through-out all Iuda and did well and vprightlie and truelie before the Lord his God Thus haue we séene both in the chapter quoted by our brethren and the chapter going before and the chapter following how the King directed all those Ecclesiasticall matters commanded ordered and gouerned both the Leuites and the Priests But what is anye thing héere to our brethrens purpose Did the Leuites debate anye controuersies with the King and Princes or with the high Priest before the King And the king the princes or the high preest yeeld therein vnto the Leuites Or not rather they yeeld vnto the king and to the princes and to the high preest in those matters If now this be so memorable an example why doo not our brethren if they will be like the Leuites yeeld to hir Maiestie her counsell and hir Bishops Except they will be rather héerein like the king his princes and the high priest then like these Leuites As for the elders in the assemblie and conference Act. 15. They also yeelded vnto the Apostles not the Apostles vnto them Although the Apostles refused not the elders no more doe our Bishops refuse our brethren or anye other ecclesiasticall persons that are lawfullie appointed and called to the conuocations or to anie other ecclesiasticall assemblie or conference Neither do they denie the accepting euen of the people in some manner to be heard to speake But whereto doe our brethren mention héere the people in this debating This is againe cleane contrârie to their ownâ— rules as we shall sée in this learned discourse Would they haue the people also to be debaters or to be Iudges of these controuersies And to ouer-rule the Bishops and cleargie in the determination of them But they haue yet one example more At least saye they let â—â—eir owne opinion that in interpreting the scriptures and deliuerie of doctrine we are equall with them persuade them And héereto they quote this marginall note and Whitegifts booke pag. 389. If the Archbishop that now is dooth graunt this it is the greater signe of his reuerent modestie Neither do anâ—e of our Bishops or any of vs
That I allowe the booke of Articles of religion agreed vpon by the Arch. and Bi. of both prouinces and the whole Cleargy in the conuocation holden at London in the yeere of our L. God 1562. set foorth by her Maiesties authority and do beleeue al the articles therein contained to be agreable to the word of God In witnesse where-of I haue subscribed my name If now these articles be the articles whereof our brethren say If they would straine their consciences to subscribe to the Arch. articles they woulde gladly receaue them to be the Embassadours of Iesus Christe These forée articles indéed the Arch-bishop hath set downe wherof the third comprehendeth the articles set out 1562. But what mattet is there of any of all these 3. articles that our brethren without straining of their consciences may not subscribe vnto First wil they not subscribe vnto the for-most of these 3. articles which is the summe and content of An acte restoring to the crown the auncient iurisdiction ouer the state Eccl. spirituall and abolishing all forrayne power repugnant to the same Anno 1. Eliz. cap. 1. But I thinke our brethren will not deny to subscribe to this article As concerning the second article for the booke of common prayer of ordering Bishops Priestes and Deacons these two pointes are 〈◊〉 wise enacted and authorized by like authority The one in an Acte for the vniformitie of common prayer and seruice in the church and the administration of the Sacraments Anno Eliza. 1. cap. 2. The other An acte declaring the manner of making and consecrating the Arch-bishops Bishops of this realme to be good lawful and perfect compriâ—ing therin also the ordering and consecrating of Priests ministers of Gods holy word and Sacraments and of Deacons Anno Elizab. 8. cap. 1. To all which enactings and authorizings by these our high courts of ParliameÌ„t we being the true church of God and our brethren subiects in our state although they ought to haue no small respect least they straine their coÌ„sciences in refusing to subscribe there-to and with all in renouncing their charge and office of the Embassie of Iesus Christ being so vrgent important a function Yet if they could shewe anie greater or but equivalent reasons whereas héere they shew none at al for their refusall of subscribing to these Articles then might their refusal carry at least some shewe of probability But till they shall so doe I sée not but that while they pretend the straining of their consciences if they should receaue this article they straine their consciences a great deale more if they do it indéede on conscience in that they refuse their subscription Hath the whole corporation of the realme trow ye and al the church of England and all the states thereof no conscience or no knowledge what they did Or did they contrary to their knowledge straine their consciences in the enacting and establishing these things which conteinâ— al that is comprised in this article Yea and all thinges conteined in the third article also concerning the booke of Articles agreed vpon by the Arch-bishops and Bishops of both prouinces and the whole Cleargie in the conuocation holden at London 1562. and set foorth by her Maiesties authoritie and also expresly ratified and commaunded to bee subscribed vnto and openly reade and assented vnto Anno Elizab xiâ— ca. 12. What a preiudice then is this refusall of these our brethren what a slaunder what a touche to the consciences of al these estates and person 〈◊〉 when our brethren refuse that of pretence on conscience to subscribe to all these thinges which vpon so mature deliberation both her Ma. all the estrates of the realme Eccl. Temp. haue lawfully decréeed established and authorised If our brethren haue any parts among these either represented or included I see not how they also haue not so far foorth authorized that which here they refuse to subscribe vnto For if they seclude themselues from being any parts authorising the acts autorized in Parliament conuocation they do not onely seclude them-selues from vs their brethren which I hope are as faithful ministers as they haue as gâ—od consciences also but froÌ„ the whole body of the Realme church of Eng. the haue most cléerly in al these acts aforesaid enacted and authorised all the points coÌ„teyned in these 3. art therfore they may indéed be better called in my opinion the art of the whole church realm of Eng. than the Arch. articles And when such points as are contayned in any of these art were thus by Act of Parlia enacted likewise in the reigne of K. Ed. 6. of blessed memory did the godly reuereÌ„d Preachers ministers refuse to subscribe to that which the whole church realm had so decréed authorised No the forme of their frée plaine subscription is apparant in these words Liber qui nuper c. The booke which is of late set forth by the authority of the King and of the Parl. of the Church of Engl. appointing a manner and forme of praying administring the Sacraments in the church of EnglaÌ„d Likewise also that booke set forth by the same authority of the ordination of the ministers of the church are godly repugne in nothing to the wholsom doctrine of the Gospell but they well agree and they do cheefly furder the same in very many things Therefore they are of al the faithfull members of the Church of Eng. and most of al of the ministers of the word with all readinesse of mindes and thankesgiuing to be receaued to bee approued and to be commended vnto the people of God Thus did the godly learned preachers faithful ministers theÌ„ subscribe more expresly furder then is now required of these our brethren bicause we would beare with our brethren the more sith they pretend such scruple and strayning of their consciences But I aduise them in the feare of God to beware of such preteÌ„ces on coÌ„scieÌ„ce With what coÌ„scieÌ„ce can they now not look back but turn back from the plough of God whereunto they haue bene lawfully called haue already laid to their hand now cast it quyte vp into the hedge and clean forsake it yea disclaime the most honor Embassy of Iesus C. vtterly suppresse the declaring the matter of their message because they cannot be suffered to declare it after their manner And yet crie out of such poore ministers as would faine preach if they could these can wel inough if they would but except they may as they lift they wil not Are these the parts of good faithfull Embas. and especially Embassadors of Iesus Christ Do they not feare to strain their consciences in these dealings and pretend feare of straining their conscience in subscribing to these articles but what strains of coÌ„scieÌ„ce make they to spare no reproches be they neuer so vntrue against their brethreÌ„ no not sparing
if they would indeede that the matter should not be communicated vnto the people vntil the manifest light of truth first appeare vnto theÌ„ whom then meane they here that it should first appeare vnto Must it not firste appeare to them that are chosen by her Ma their honours to receaue examine the allegations on both sides what good maÌ„ner then is this for themselues before hand to break this manner by clapping out this learned discourse other so many treatises abroad in print and so peremptorily before hand to determine vpon al the points in controuersie betwene vs to coÌ„municate them vnto the people before the manifeste light of the truthe appeare either vnto her Ma. their Ho. or to any whosoeuer they shal chose to receaue examine the allegations of both sides consequently to determine of the same â—are our brethreÌ„ frée froÌ„ tâ—eir own prescribed manner to set out such bokes vnto the people both coÌ„trary to the lawes coÌ„trary to that light of the truth that hath already appeared to her Maiesty and to her deputies determination Yea contrary also to the authority that hâ—ere in this manner is giuen to her Maiestie denying in this learned discourse pag. 141. that her Maiestie hath any other authority in these matters then to make ciuill lawes to binde the people to the confession of true faith and to the right administring and receiuing of the sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders that they being instructed by the worde of God through the ministery of the preaching of the same which preaching commeth after all the matter is established and which preaching is made also before the people shal vnderstand to be profitable for the edifying of the Church of Christ c. So that for all their godly pretence héere in the Preface of deliuering the matter to her Maiestie their Honors and whosoeuer they shall choose to receaue and examine the allegations on both sides so that it need not bee communicated vnto the people til the manifest light of truth appeare first vnto them yet when it commeth to the matter indéed this was spoken but for manners sake For the learned discourse maketh no deliuery of it vnto the Prince till it come by the Pastor preached in the pulpit and so the people heare it as soone as the Prince and then the Prince vnderstanding it out of the pulpit must obey it and make ciuill lawes only to maintaine and to punish with bodily punishment the offenders Neither doth our brethrens quirke héere help the matter in that they say not so that it should not bee communicated to the people vntil c. but they say so that it need not they say wel therin that it need not why néed it not Forsooth indede because it should not Neither could it be coÌ„municated vnto the people before it were firste communicated to her Ma. or to her deputies by the manner order héere prescribed For elsâ— what meane these words the matter deliuered vnto her Ma c. so thâ—t our brethren themselues haue so broken this manner that in a manner it is no more manner at al then was the matter And in this respect our brethren haue prettily knit vp togither their aunswere to these 2. obiections by the matter and the manner For both matter and manner commeth all to one effect And wher-to serueth all this manner but to try the matter and in matter concerning the substance of religion we differed not Wherfore must then this manner be obserued Forsoth not for any matter of the substance of Religion but say they concerning the gouernment of Christ of great moment indeede Nay indeede brethren is it not of any great moment indeede to vrge necessarily oblige all times and places no nor any time or place as to the perfection of the estate of the church For then it were not onely a manner but a matter that vâ—ry material coÌ„cerning the substaÌ„ce of religioÌ„ wherein our brethren câ—â—fesse that they agrée with vs and dissent only in the gouernment But where will our brethren shewe this gouernement which they pretende to be the gouernment of Christ that is to say the gouernment prescribed by Christ to be the perpetuall or to be the best or to be any ordinarie gouernement at all of his Church It is not yet shewed that I can perceaue by any other of our brethren nor by this their learned discourse And if this could be shewed it were matter indeede euen concerning the substance of religion and a verie religious point to stande vpon But since it is confessed that all this a-doe about gouernement is not of the matter concerning the substance of Religion dare our brethren aduenture so farre to vrge that had it béene a gouernement of Christ and that of great moment indeed in his time on the earth and yet not of the substance of Religion as to alter the gouernement established for such a matter or rather not for a matter but a manner of gouernement not established Yea for this be-it matter or manner of gouernement so to shake our whole estate of gouernement established that in their gouernment which they would establish her Maiestie which nowe hath a supreame gouernement by the cleare worde of God and after all mature deliberation by all our owne consentes lawes and actes in all our assemblies synodes councels and Parliamentes disputed resolued determined enacted maintayned continued and by all these good meanes established shal now haue her Maiesties authority called againe in question and a new examined yea so abased and set down nay rather cleane set by and put out For what title soeuer of her most excellent Maiestie or bare terme of supreame authoritie is not denied although I hope our brethren doe it of no ill meaning but onely are ouershot there-in and when they perceaue it will reclaime it yet the very thing that is here so much desired vrged is euen as Salomon fore-saw more then his good and simple mother Bethsabee did who thought no hurt vnto her sonne but meant and wished all well when she required so instantly of him 3. Reg. 11. I desire of thee a small request saye mee not naye and the King sayde vnto her Aske on my mother for I will not say thee nay then sayde shee let Abysag the Sunamite be giuen to Adoniah thy brother to wife But King Salomon aunswered and sayde vnto his mother and why doest thou aske Abysag the Sunamite for Adoniah aske for him the kingdome also Verelie verelie which is Christes owne asseueration and therfore not rashlie to be vsed nor vncharitably I beléeue and mee thinkes I fore-sée that although these desires of our brethren stretch not to preiudice her Maiesties life and person which the dogged deadlie enemies doe séeke the Lorde still defende her Maiestie from them and yet I thinke that manie of them séeke it not so much for anie malice to her person as in
they should not hale one another before the iudgment seates of the vnfaithfull I answere Paule did not absolutely and by it selfe condemne here the iudgements ordained of God Deut. 16. 17. sithe Paule himselfe without any reuenging of himself appealed to the iudgement of Caesar. Nether forbiddeth he those things to the Christians in generall but reprehendeth the Corinthians in respect of circumstances of their vices As those who prosecuted the extreme rigour of the law against their neighbor that before infidel Iudges Yea rather they thēselues endamaged their brother Whom notwithstanding he did not by by therfore excōmunicate much lesse did he disallow the function of the Magistrate in respect of it selfe or denied that it might be administred of the Christians but rather contrariwise permitted vnto them Arbiters and Iudges wished that the Magistrate were a christiā in that he requireth holy Iudges And this he clearely setteth out by a comparison from the more to the lesse affirming that the Saintes shall Iudge the world yea and the Angels Lo Christian Reader here the controuersie is most euidently decided The aduersaries require an vniust and Infidell Magistrate Paule would haue a Saint and a beleeuing person to be appointed If Paule permitted Arbiters to be chosen out of the faithfull in deciding controuersies among the brethren and saith that those al-be-it the basest of the faithfull are fitter than the infidell Iudges howe much more then are the greatest faithfull ones wise ones fit persons to be set in the publike Iudgement seates Besides that the Apostle expressely vnder-hand setts out a shew wherein whensoeuer better times should shine vpon them those Iudgement seates should be brought into a more happie order and more holy Iudges should be ordayned For what-soeuer is graunted to an vnfaithfull can much lesse be denied to a faithfull person Howsoeuer it be Paule wisheth not as doe the aduersaries Infidell but holie and faithfull Iudges Yea except the Iudge be holie he can scarse with good conscience before God be a Iudge Here-unto we may applie that S. Paule wisheth Kinge Agrippa to be a Christian. Whereby wee perceaue that wheresoeuer anie of these Christian Princes were at that time among the Christians they had no finall authoritie in decision of such controuersies as rose among them Neither onely in titles of lande breaches of peace ciuill cases and other worldly matters but also in matters pertayning to the Regiment of the Churche and Ecclesiasticall as were the matters for the which Saint Paule so often pleaded against the Iewes euen before suche Iudges as were not Christian. And al-be-it Actes 18. When Paule was accused before Gallio by the Iewes saying This fellowe perswadeth men to worshippe God contrarie to the lawe as Paule was about to open his mouthe Gallio sayde vnto the Iewes If it be a matter of wronge or an euill deede O yee Iewes I would according to reason maintayne you But if it be a question of wordes and names and of your lawe looke ye to it your selues for I will be no Iudge of these thinges Yet Paule when he came before Felix and he also woulde heare the plea betwéene his aduersaries and him Actes 24. After that the Gouernours had beckned vnto him that he should speake hee aunswered I doe the more gladlie aunswere for my selfe for as much as I knowe that thou hast beene of manie yeares a Iudge vnto this Nation perhapps thinking that in all that time hee might as Cornelius and others haue attayned to the knowledge of God and so béene the fitter Iudge of these matters And although he was but a corrupt Iudge both in affection and religion and Festus also that succéeded him yea Nero the Emperour was worst of all yet because he occupied the roome of him that should haue béene a better yea the highest Iudge in earth vnto him albeit Paul were himselfe an Ecclesiastical person an Apostle and one of the chiefest pillers in the Church of God yet he appealed euen to Neroes Iudgement seate And when Festus brought him foorth to pleade before Agrippa he so reioyced of it that he sayth Act. 26. I thinke my selfe happie King Agrippa because I shall aunswere this daye before thee of all the thinges whereof I am accused of the Iewes Chiefely because thou hast knowledge of all customes and questions which are among the Iewes Wherefore I beseech thee heare me patiently and when he was euen in the chiefest pointe of his plea concerning the resurrection of Iesus Christe ver 24 As he aunswered thus for himselfe Festus who had little skill of those matters sayde with a loude voyce Paule thou art besides thy selfe much learning doeth make thee madde But he sayde I am not madde O noble Festus but I speake the wordes of truth and sobernesse For the king knoweth of these thinges before whom also I speake boldely for I am perswaded that none of these thinges are hidd from him For this thing was not done in a corner O King Agrippa beleeuest thou the Prophets I knowe that thou beleeuest Then Agrippa sayde vnto Paule almost thou perswadest mee to become a Christian. Then Paule saide I would to God that not only thou but also all that heare me to day were both almost and altogether such as I am except these bondes So that if Paule did thus submit him-selfe vnto them in the decision of these Ecclesiasticall controuersies hoping they had béene more faithful Iudges thē they were did not other Christians to other Princes that were indéede Christian Princes submit themselues also to the decision of such their Ecclesiasticall controuersies arising among them And though S. Paule missed in the person yet he wished those persons to haue béene such as he hoped and as they ought to haue béene But as Gellius saith if they were not such yet this expressely insinuateth a shewe vnto vs of those better Iudges that should come after and better employ those places that they abused So that although no Prince had béen good or Christian at those dayes yet this argument had not béen good nor Christian. And there being no doubt euen at that time some if not many it is not only no good argument but an vntrue and wrong assertion to ground vpon that the Church of God was perfect in al her regiment before there was any Christian Prince But would God these our brethren would haue made the matter no worse against Christian Princes then that they had not yet béene come into the Church of God But it followeth at the harde héeles with so hoate a pursute euen to the estate at this day saying yea the Church of God may stande and doth stande at this day in most blessed estate where the ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers What haue we here O Lorde who would haue looked for such spéeches at the handes of our brethren in so Learned a discourse of the Churches gouernment Yet was it much better sayde before
Bishoppe he meaneth not onely a Pastor but a Doctor and not onely a Doctor but also a Priest or Elder whose office ye say consisteth onely in gouernement and not in publike teaching Ergo a Doctor and a Pastor and a gouernour for so ye call your not teaching Priest or Elder are all one and equall Which is the cleane ouerthrowe of all this your Learned discourse of Ecclesiast Gouernment Likewise as on this former worde Bishop Beza and the Geneua Testament comprehend Doctors Pastors and Elders not teaching but only gouerning so also on the other word Deacons But saith Beza he vnderstandeth Deacons to be the stewards of the Eccles. treasurie and the college of the widdowes And 1. Tim. 3 Deacons These are they that haue the care of the poore c. And the Geneua note By Deacons such as had the charge of the distribution and of the poore and sicke Yea Beza here procéedeth further and saith when otherwise this name is sometime vniuersall in so much that it comprehendeth euen the Apostles themselues also So then we must againe conclude that the name Deacon comprehendeth the treasorers the widdowes the Apostles yea and all the Ecclesiasticall ministers and so Doctors and Pastors too Ergo all together are but all one office and all alike equall in the same Who séeth not the euill sequence of this conclusion And surely though your argument faile and your selues also are not comparable to the excellent Learned Master Beza yet of twaine in my iudgement ye holde the truer opinion in not vnderstanding here by the name of Bishops Elders those that are onely Gouernours and not Teachers but vnderstanding thereby Pastorall Elders contrarie to Beza and to the Geneua Testament And as we will all ioyne with you thus farre-foorth herein that by the name of Bishops he comprehendeth Pastors and not those that were not Pastors so shall wee haue Caluine on our side yea and Danaeus too who is also of Geneua and a most earnest fauorer of your opiniō and one that hath written best in my fancie of all our side for the maintenance of it And yet where he goeth about of set purpose to 1. Tim. 3.1 to prooue Bishops and Pastors to be all one and maketh your last example Act. 20 his seconde argument and this your present example Phil. 1. to be a part of his fourth argument and where he distinguisheth of Elders as you do euen there saith he of these Elders therfore that haue here their name of dignitie not of age there are two sortes in the Scripture The one of thē that watch on manners onely the other of them that attende both on doctrine and on manners and labour in both The which may be easily gathered out of this Epistle cap. 5. ver 17. Concerning therefore the first sorte as it is distinguished from the second so it is to be seuered frō the Bishops and Doctors And so he entreth into his processe the whole beginning whereof was this which I should haue set before But Paule in all this chap. treateth of Bishops and Deacons Howbeit there are other Ecclesiasticall and necessarie dignities besides Deacons Bishops as are Elders of whom some thinke that Paule spake nothing at all in this place But reiecting their opinion distinguishing of these two sorts of Elders he encludeth only Pastorall Elders as you doe in the name of Bishops The like doeth Caluine in this place Phil. 1. vppon the worde Bishops He nameth the Pastors by themselues for honours sake Moreouer it is lawefull to gather hereon the name Bishop to be common to all the ministers of the worde when he attributeth manie Bishoppes to one Church Therefore the name of Bishoppe and Pastor are Synonyms or diuerse wordes meaning one thing c. And on the name Deacon he saith also in the saide place This name may be taken two wayes eyther for the ministers and carers for the poore or for the Elders that were appointed to gouerne the manners But because it is more commonly taken of Paule in the former sense I rather vnderstande it for the stewardes that had the ouer-sight of distributing the almes Thus you and we herein haue these two most famous men of our side against Beza and the quoters of the Geneua Testament And to say the truth all respect of persons set aside our opinion is the better hauing the manifest not example onely but rule of Gods woorde in both places that the Bishops there mentioned Act. 20.28 must feede which ye say inclusiuely is as much as Pastor And 1. Tim. 3.2 he must be apt to teach which appertayneth not vnto an onely Gouernour Nowe although ye doe well herein to dissent from Beza and from the notes of the Geneua translation vnto whom if ye would haue agréed you might easilier perhaps haue founde manie Bishops both there in one Citie and here in another but then must you eyther amende this your argument or else ye should confound all offices in one and make all equall yet still your argument euen as theirs also is not of sufficient force that because Pastors are there named included vnder the name of Bishop therefore simplie Bishop and Pastor are all one and yet I will gladlie graunt both you and them also more than the argument can make good That in the nature of the Pastorall Eldership and Episcopall ouer-sight though ratione they differ in this or that consideration one from the other yet re and indéede they are so ioyned together in one office that the one might then verie well till the name Bishop grewe to a more proper signification yea may yet well inough interchangeablie be spoken the one of the other a Pastor is a Bishop a Bishop is a Pastor notwithstanding it doth not followe hereupon that in all respectes they are now or were then simplie and absolutely all one and the same offices and especially that in dignitie they were all a like and equall For that is the chiefe point that should herein be prooued Must al that be of one order or office of necessitie be of one equall dignitie in the same What degrée or calling haue you of Gentlemen Esquiers Knightes Barons Lordes Earles Dukes Princes or Kinges but that being in any one of these estates orders degrees or offices as they may be equall so one may haue dignitie authoritie gouernement and superioritie well-inough ouer another euen of the same estate order degree or office that themselues be If ye say we must not bring examples of offices in the ciuill policie and applie them to Ecclesiasticall though your selues brought in such examples a little before out of Numb 11.16 how God ordeyned 70. auncients to assist Moses in his gouernment which were ciuill Seniors and applie them to these Ecclesiasticall and Pastorall Elders yet will not you graunt this that when it shall come to anie assemblies of Synodes or Councels one of these equalles may
Priestes or Elders that were teachers of the worde Deacons Secondly and that which they call worthie memorie that alwayes there was but one Bish of one Church and that the placing of Bishops one in euery Churche was the doing of the Apostles while they liued But alwaies in euery Church meaning al the faithful of one Citie there were moe Priestes or pastorall Elders and moe Deacons Ergo These Bishops and these Priests or pastorall Elders were not all one Thirdly that albeit at the first in the Apostles times Ierome testifie they were not distinct degrees some other fathers take the name indifferently of Bish. and Priest as Irenaeus that calleth so many Bish. of Roome Priestes yet this alteration of the name and this setting of him to whom they gaue it in a higher degree was done at the furdest if not in Pauls time yet in the time of Iohn the Euangelist so continued And therfore though these Bish. of Rome are by Irenaeus called priestes as Eusebius reporteth although indéede the words of Irenaeus are not priestes but biâ—h as is mafest in Irenaeus him-self in the translation that we haue extant Lib. 3. cap. 3. Although in the Chapter before hee generally calleth the Apostles successors priests and in Li. 4. cap. 44. c. yet it followeth not that eyther Eusebius or Irenaeus tooke a bishop and a priest to be al one and of aequal dignity though now and then they vse the name indifferently after this appropriating of the name because the persons which they speak of were both priests and Bishops For though euery priest or pastoral Elder after the name Bishop was made peculier to one was not properly a bishop yet euery Bishop was properlie a priest or pastorall Elder and therefore might be well called by that name And bicause they are now and then vsed one for an other it rather argueth we should not marke so muche the interchaungeable vsing of the name as whether the parties be all alike equall in degree of dignity that many times communicate in like name And then shall we finde that these Bishops were not onelye Superiours in Dignitie aboue pastorall Elders but aboue all the Euangelistes remayning after the Apostles times And that Bishoppe Alexander as we shall afterward sée sent the Euangeliste Pantenus into India to preach the Gospell Fowrthly that this application of this name Bishop to this one placed in higher authority among the Pastorall Elders though it were not somuch done by any diuine institution or ordinaunce of God as by the authority of man as Ierome saith yet these words debarre not but it might be though not somuch yet in some part so done or not cleane reiected from Gods ordinaunce For although no such ordinance appropriating the name Bishop be expressed in the manifest word of God yet the ordinaunce of the matter is plainely expressed as we haue shewed out of Timothie Caluines and Bezaes plaine confession of the same And the name also applyed to Timothie in the subscription of the 2. epist. if that may go for Scripture But let the application of the name be not so much the expresse ordinaunce of God as of godly men and those in the Apost times And now the Apostles aliue being not vnwilling thereunto was this ordinaunce of man good or ill First that it was done to good purposes héere are plaine wordes that it was done for good order aedification and succession yea that very necessity did compell them so to do Could there be any necessitie good order aedification against the institution of Christ It is then apparant not that it is not lawfull bicause Christ gaue to or fro no institution of it but bicause hee gaue none and that there is no institutioÌ„ of Christ against it which had it bene material to saluation or had it beene of doctrine no doubt had beene expressed and commaunded but being none this ordinaunce of man was a thing that man might do And being done for so good and necessary purposes it was requisite also that man should do And so though it be not expresly so much the ordinaunce of God as of man yet bicause it is not forbidden but allowed of God it is in a sorte euen the ordinaunce of God also and to be conteyned vnder Peters sentence 1. Pet. 2.13.14 For though hee apply it in particuler to Kings and those that are sent of him yet the words are generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto all or euery humane creature or ordinance so that whatsoeuer good law is made by lawful authoritie of man not contrary to Gods worde we are héere bidden to submit our selues vnto it And therefore either proue this law and ordinaunce of man to make the name Bishop more peculier to one then to all the other among a number of Pastoral Elders to be contrary to Gods lawe or else except this law be as lawfully remoued as it was made I see not how we may lawfully disobey or contemne the same Well may we now and than vse the word indifferentlie as did the fathers but to denie them both the title and the dignity also that none of the fathers that I read of did vntil Aërius came Who holding other more perilous points than this and perceauing him-selfe ouer-matched with a Bish. as ill as himself when he could not haue his owne will be an as a mal-content misâ—â—king with the Superioritye of Bishoppes to call this selfe-same matter into question About the yéere of our Lorde 340. And went about vnder pretence of the first acceptation of these names Bishop and Priest vsed at the first indifferently in the Apostles times to reduce them altogether there-unto and in all respect to make them alike and equall euen for all the worlde as now our Brethren would do And although Aërius opinion had it béene maintayned no furder of him then that in the Apostles times they were sometimes vsed for all one and had bene or stâ—ll were in the substance and nature of the office equall and all one had bene no matter worthy such great contention Yet when he did simply condemne this auncient order of superioritie instituted in the Primitiue Church and in the Apostles times forgood order-sake among the Pastors stiffly with all contention maintayned his opinion the question grew from brawling to schisme and not so resting Aërius opinion was at length reiected and condemned for an herisie And so stands for any thing I know to the contrarie Neither was it thus iudged of the Bishops onely them-selues that might be thought partiall to their owne part albeit we may not so iudge of all the holy Fathers that were Bish. in those dayes which vniuersally condemned this opinion that they did it for ambition or partiality or pride or ignorance which were too harde a iudgement of Epiphanius Chrysost. Ambr. August c Whose learning as it was able to reache the depth of this question or else God wot
in Ignatius or other auucient writers whosoeuer they be whatsoeuer they speake or write neuer so-good neuer so holie neuer so true what though it were when the bishop of Sathan was not yet founde out if it once be towching the authority of bishops Ouer-seers it is all to be reiected with this contumelie It is to be vnderstode of this kinde of bishoppe whiche is called The bishoppe of Man that is to say brought into the Church by the alone wisedome of man besides the expresse word of God Thus doth this moste Reuerend and Learned man froÌ„ beyond the Seas in a round conclusion giue his iudgement of them and so he leaueth them Let vs now therefore leaue him also to returne a Gods blessing beyond the Seas from whence he came and with all due reuerence taking our leaue of him in expectation of other reuerend and learned Fathers Iudgements from beyonde the Seas also Let vs now for the present returne home to our Brethren where we left them in their Learned Discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment THE ARGVMENT OF THE FIFT BOOKE PROCEEding still further on the Pastors THis booke treateth specially on the Iudgements of other reuerend and godly learned men from beyonde the seas also in the late reformed Churches concerning this superiour authority dignity of one pastor in a citie or Diocesse or Prouince ouer his brethren and fellow pastors Which one was called in a citie or diocesse bishop in a prouince Archb. To the proofe whereof are alleaged vpon our brethrens allegation of Titus What superiour authoritie he had ouer all the pastors of Creta with the iudgements of Bullinger Caluine Aretius Hemingius Herebrande with the orders of other reformed Churches for their Superintendents speciall and generall The B. and Archb. of the fathers and other canons of the auncient churches regiment approoued by Caluine in Geneua with the approbation of Ieromes sentence and that this order was in the Apost times and not contrary to the Apostolicall Doctrine with Caluines epistles to diuerse B. and Archb. to the King of Polonia approouing this superior authority and his generall rules for all popish B. conuerted to the gospell The iudgement of Zanchius and Bucer for those olde orders specially of bishops Archb. for the old clericall discipline and regimente due vnto them of the obiections to the contrary out of Peter and of the Titles proper to Christe and whether the name Archb. be coÌ„petent to any Minist of Peters Title of fellow Elder and of Christs prohibitions of Titles rule of his example of washing his Disc. feet c. and of humility Lordship of bishops holding temporalities royalties of obedieÌ„ce vnto them in the same of Diotrephes with caueats for the Ministers lawful authority and against vnlawfull liberty by aequality lastly of Bezaes iudgement on these matters for the Apostles and the auncient orders of the renuing those orders in the state of Geneua The Learned Discourse IN the same manner of speaking he describeth the qualities of those which were to be chosen Bishops and Deacons Likewise vnto Titus 1.5 Hee calleth them elders and immediately after describing the qualities of such as were meet to be ordeyned elders hee calleth them bishops saying For this cause did I leaue thee in Creta that thou shouldest continue to redresse the thinges that remayne and that thou shouldest ordeyne elders in euery City if any bee vnreprouable the husband of one wife hauing faithfull children which are not accused of riot nor are disobedient For a bishop or ouerseer must be vnreprouable as the steward of God not froward c. COncerning the communicating of these names Pastors Priestes or elders and byshops indifferently or the being of the office all one and the same vntill furder order in the Apostles times were taken we haue at large before declared But as for the matter that among these Pastors Elders or bishops some one Pastor elder or bishop had a superior gouernment ouer many of the residue in the same order as wee haue plainly prooued it by Saint Paule through-out all the same his Epistle to Timothy héere alleaged and also out of the other Epistle vnto him so for this Epistle likewise vnto Titus 1.5 Which Epistle appeareth to be so late written by Saint Paule that there is no such iourney or aboade in any such place mentioned in all those iourneyes which Saint Luke so diligently in the Actes recordeth therfore it should rather séeme to be written after that time Bullinger in his Preface on this Epistle to Titus sayth when it was written eyther before or after the Apostle was taken it is not euident ynough Theophilacte thinketh it written before his bondes and before the later to Timothie were published Certainely hee that wil search it more diligently shall not want coniectures whereby it may be gathered that it was written after that by the sentence of Caesar hee was at Rome acquitted But were it written then or after or before or as Chytreus also in his Onomastichon gathereth yet maketh it no lesse if not much more vnto this purpose that euen at that time while the name of Preest or Elder and Bishop was yet vsed in common notwithstanding there was yea and that no small difference among these Preestes or elders and Bishops in the degree of superiour gouernment which is apparant by the text it selfe wherein Saint Paule giueth Titus beeing a priest or elder or pastor or Bishop a greate deale more authority and superior dignitie then ordinarilye appertayned to euery Preest or elder or Pastor or Bishoppe or by what name soeuer they were tearmed Which Caluine himselfe vpon these wordes For this cause haue I lâ—ft thee in Creta c. doth note saying This beginning doth clearely shewe that Titus is not so muche admonished for his owne sake as commended vnto others leaste any shoulde hinder him the Apostle committeth vnto him his owne turnes Wherefore it behooueth that hee bee acknowledged of all men for the Apostles Vicar and bee reuerentlye receyued For sithe that no certayne station was assigned to the Apostles but an office enioyned to them of spreading the Gospell through-out all the worlde whereas therefore they trauayled out of one city into another they vsed to substitute fitte men in their place by whose labour that which they beganne shoulde be finished So Paule boasteth that he founded the Church of Corinth but other were the master workman which ought to builde therupon that is to further the building This indeede belongeth to all Pastors â—or the Churches shall alwayes haue neede of encreasinges and of furderaunce so long as the worlde endureth But beyonde the ordinary office of pastors a care of ordeyning the Churche was committed to Titus for pastors are wont to bee placed ouer Churches that bee already ordeyned and formed in a certayne manner But Titus susteyned a certayne burden more that it is witte
occupie and what a charge is imposed vpon you Adde this that the enemies of godlinesse while in their clutterie darkenesse they can not abide the small sparkes of your godlinesse they as it were thrust you out of their faction which you voluntarily should haue fledde from Pardon me of your courtesie if in one worde I be more sharpe because that to profite you I must speake freelye that I thinke when you shall come to the heauenlie iudgement seate the offence of betraying can not be washed away except in time you with-drawe your selfe from that bande that openlie conspireth to oppresse the name of Christe But if nowe it bee greeuous to you to be diminished that Christ may increase in you thinke on Moses example which vnder obscure shadowes did yet not doubt to prefer the rebuke of Christ before the delightes and riches of the Aegyptians But although peraduenture I haue beene more bolde with your Excellencie then was meete not-withstanding sithe my purpose was to regard your saluotion I hope my libertye shall not be odiousto you c. Fare you wel most excellent man illustrious and Reuerend Lord c. But here againe least we might thinke hee goeth about to persuade him to leaue his B. as a dignitie that he could not lawefully retaine with the profession of the gospel which was not his drift but to haue himretain still his place and dignitie so farre as hee might doe it without houering betwéene the Papistes and the Epicures and thereto he willeth him to thinke on the place he occupied and what charge was layde vpon him and yet to renounce it rather than to ioyne with those enemies of the Gospel to shew this better Caluine setteth downe more fully in his Epistle to the King of that countrey of Polonia Epist. 190. what manner of superiour dignitie and authoritie he not onely alloweth to remaine in a Bishop but also in an Archb. so little shunneth he or disaloweth either the name or the office of them To conclude saith he onely ambition and pride hath forged that Primacie that the Romanistes oppose vnto vs. The auncient Church indeede did institute Patriarchies did appoint also to euery of the Prouinâ—â—â—â—ertaine Primacies that the Bishops by this bonde of concorde migh◠〈◊〉 better knitte together among themselues Euen as if so be at this day in the most noble kingdome of Polonia one Archbishop were ouer the residue Not that he should ouerrule the residue or snatching the right or Lawe from them arrogate it vnto him-selfe but that for because of order he should in the Synodes hold the first place and nourish an holie vnitie among his collegues brethren And furthermore there should bee either Prouinciall or Citie Bishops which peculierly should giue attendance to the conseruing of order Euen as nature suggesteth this vnto vs that out of al Colleges one ought to be chosen vp on whom the chiefest care should lie But it is one thing to beare a moderate Honor to wit so farre as the facultie or power of man extendeth it self another to comprehende thâ— whole compasse of the world in a gouernmeÌ„t vnmeasurable Thus doth Caluine most clearely though he condemne the Popes vsurpation approue both the superioritie of Pastorship not onely in Bishops ouer Cities and Prouinces where manie Pastors be but also of Archb. and of one Archb. the chiefe and primate of a mightie kingdome more thâ—n fiue times as bigge as Englande to bée ouer all the residue And this being well vsed without offring iniurie to the right of other bishops vnder him hee thinketh to be both good and necessarie So farre off is he as our Brethren here doe from condemning the very name of Archbishops No he alloweth both the office and the name euen here in Englande also as appeareth by his letter vnto the Archb. of Canterburie Epist. 127. Caluinus Cranmero Archiepisc. Cantuariensi salutem When as at this time it was not to be hoped which was most to bee wished that euerie one of the chiefest teachers out of diuerse Churches which haue embraced the pure doctrine of the Gospell shoulde come together and out of the pure word of God should set foorth to the posteritie a certaine and cleare confession of euerie one of the capitall pointes at this day in controuersie I doe greatly commende right Reuerende Lorde the counsell which you haue begunne that the English men might ripely establish religion among them that the mindes of the people should not sticke longer in suspence while thinges are vncertaine or lesse orderly composed than were meete To which purpose it behooueth all those that haue the gouernment there to apply in common their studies notwithstanding so that the chiefest parts be yours You see what this place requireth or rather what God according to the reason of the office which hee hath enioyned vnto you doeth by his right require of you In you is the chiefest authoritie which the noblenesse of honor doth not more procure vnto you than the opinion long since conceaued of your prudence integritie c. Thus doth Caluine where he still calleth vpon for increase and spéede of further and full reformation acknowledge both his title of Arch-bishop and his office of Primacie with the honour and authoritie thereof aboue all other in the Churches ministerie to be good and lawfull And to shewe further howe he alloweth the generall practise of Episcopall authoritie where when and whosoeuer Bishop shoulde receaue the Gospell whether he should giue ouer or reteyne still a Superiour authoritie in his Diocesse ouer the other Pastors in the same hée hath fully decided this Question Epist. 373. Si Episcopus vel curatus ad Ecclesiam se aediunxerit If a Bishop or a Curate shall adioyne himselfe vnto the Church Caluine aunswereth on this wise Being asked my sentence or opinion concerning Bishops Curates and others of like degree or whome they call Graduates if that the Lorde shoulde vouchsafe any of them his grace that they would adioyne themselues vnto the Church howe must they behaue themselues towardes them c. Here after his excuse for breuitie by reason of his rewme he sayth If therefore it shall happen that in Poperie anie to whome the cure of soules shall haue beene committed that is to wit a Bishop or a Curate shall receaue the grace of the Lorde so that he professe the pure doctrine of the Gospell if he shal be founde not to be so fitte for the office of a Pastor nor to be endewed with that knowledge and dexteritie that is requisite hee shoulde altogether doe very rashly if he would intermitte himselfe into so great a matter The fruite therefore of his conuersion shall consist in that if so be hee discharge him-selfe of all cure and doe so acknowledge that grosse abuse that he did beare before a voide title with-out matter and thereuppon giue place to a fitte successor that may lawefully be instituted it shall
it so ill was permitted thereunto For if it had bene so vtterlie against the law that by no manner of meanes it had bene lawfull for anie woman bad or good not heire or heire to haue gouerned at all then had shee sought the onelie waie to haue her selfe presentlie cleane put downe and to be reduced into a priuate state by the introduction of another line And then the line of Nathan had entered as some also following Philo affirme it did that this Ioas was of Nathans line that she had cleane destroied saue Iosaba all the line of Salomon But because the gouernment of a woman was a thing that long before the people were well acquainted withall as lawfull vsuall yea in some respect though there were kings liuing and of full age and strength good Kings too as appeareth 1. Reg. 15.13 How Asa put downe his grandmother Maachah from her estate because she had made an Idoll in a groue Wherevpon saith Peter Martyr for the committing of this wickednes he abrogated from his grandmother her principalitie For the mothers of kings were wont to bee of great authoritie in the common weale Which though it proue not that women had the soueraigntie when there were Kings able to sustaine the same yet argueth it that commonlie they were not without some authoritie euen of publike gouernment in the common weale ouer Gods people Which authoritie Asa no doubt would haue let his grandmother to haue still inioyed but that as Peter Martyr sayth the good Asa was afraid least if anie power should appertaine vnto his grandmother detestable Idolatrie should bee fostered Which late example of the grandmothers deposition for Idolatrie Athalia peraduenture setting before her eies more than either the feare of God or man or than anie naturall or womanlie affection being blinded with Idolatrie and kindled with ambition extraught from the bloudie race of Iesabel and perhaps desiring as great a slaughter of the roiall bloud of Iuda as Iehu had made of the bloud of her Father Achab she brake foorth into this cruell massacre and vsurpation of the kingdome thinking that nowe none remained that coulde or durst make néerer title than she therevnto Athalia therefore as Peter Martyr well concludeth got the kindome the kingdome by tyrannicall violence which was not lawfull Sith that she was a stranger and drew her mothers kindred from the Tyrians and Sidonians except peraduenture she would pretend inheritance succession from her sonne Ochozias which was slaine But in the kingdome of Israel such right had no place For in Deu. 17. it is commanded that the king shuld not be chosen out of those that were strangers but out of the number of their brethrē And in Iuda the familie of Dauid was appointed which perpetually should haue such succession The reason of which lawe was both for the preseruation of Gods true religion also for the establishing of Gods promise prophesied by Iacob Gen. 49. ver 10. made vnto Dauid his seed 1. Chron. 17. v. 14. prefiguring directly leading vnto Iesus Christ. So that the Iewes were bound vnto the stocke of Dauid that in Salomon And therfore I thinke not the Ioas which here was saued came of Nathan For although Nathan were Dauids sonne and so Salomons brother as appeareth 1. Chro. 3. v. 5. yet I take it not as Tremelius drawes his table that Nathan came of Bethsabee For where Tremelius table puts Salomō first Nathan next so Shobab Shimea it is a manifest inuersion of the text which is thus And these former were borne vnto him in Ierusalem Shimea and Shobab Nathan Salomon of Bathshebaha the daughter of Ammiel And the like order also is set down 1. Re. 5. v. 14. in which words is no necessitie that the naming here of her after them unporteth she was mother to them all foure but that the other wer named without mencion at all of their mothers as well as all those his other sonnes in the thrée lines following are also named without mencioning of their mothers Onely when he came to the naming of Salomon among the childrē that Dauid had in Ierusalem as he mencioned the names of the mothers to the sonnes which he had in Hebron so he maketh mencion of Salomōs mother as Mathew also doth emphatically or with greater force of signification because of Gods especiall promise vnto Salomon And Salomon was the next sonne to that which died begotten in adulterie as appeareth 2. Reg. 12. v. 24. and as for the note of the Geneua Bible vpon 1. Chro. 3. v. 5. to salue the matter it makes the matter far worse in saying Onelie Salomon was Dauids natural sonne the other wer Vriahs whom Dauid made his by adoption For the text is not onelie cleane contrarie plainly telling how they were his sonnes borne vnto him in Ierusalem not adopted vnto him but borne vnto him And the verie same wordes the holie Ghost vseth also 1 Reg. 5. v. 14. And if it were not so that hee had beene one of Dauids naturall sonnes indéede except we helpe the matter better by some mariage of the mothers line from Salomon or from Dauid all the pedegrée mecioned by S. Luke chap. 3. moūting vnto Dauid by Nathan also the holy Ghosts promise to Dauid of Salomon his séede is cleane defeated But as the text is manifest that Nathan was Dauids natural son though his mothers name be not expressed so might he come into this line well inough by mariage of the daughter heire of some of those that after the kingdome was lost haue their name so changed in that pedegrée that we cannot certainlie tel in whom that line of Nathan did begin For that it began in Ioas and that he was not the natural sonne of Ochosias as diuerse imagine vpon this occasion of this daughter I yéeld not thereto for diuerse reasons following although Flacius Illiricus faith in his Glosse on Matthew Iorā begat not Ozias but Ochosias who beeing slaine without children although Athalia attempted to destroie the whole stocke royall yet was Ioas saued of Ioiada beeing a childe comming of Nathan For Dauid hee ordained that the posteritie of Salomon beeing extinguished the issue of Nathan shoulde succeede and to that purpose as witnesseth Philo Nathan was called Achisar that is my brother the Prince so that plainelie hee was not a priuate person sith Salomon called him so for the ordinaunce of Dauid Ioram therefore begate Ochozias who beeing slaine and the interraigne of Athalia beeing ouerpassed Ioas of the stocke of Nathan did succeed who begate Amazias and he Ozias This Ioram therefore begate Ozias to wit because this was his heire raigning in the fourth place at length after him And so was both he and his ancestors as it were the adoptiue sonnes of Salomon and of his posteritie But Matthew dooth therefore proceede by Salomon and other kings not so
whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto the Gouernors as vnto theÌ„ that are sent of him c. here he first nameth this generall word euery humane ordinace or creature For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„prehend both the ordinaÌ„ce created also the creature or person either of maÌ„ or womaÌ„ And though he afterward specifie the name of king which rather séemeth to be limited to a man yet his reason includeth both sexes though according to the coÌ„mon phrase he meÌ„tion only the more worthy sexe As wheÌ„ he sayth afterward ver 17. honor all men he excludeth not the honor due to womeÌ„ but includeth it And v. 18. 19. Seruants be ye subiect to your Masters withal feare not only to the good courteous but also to the frowarde For this is thaÌ„ke worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffring it wrongfully here these words Master maÌ„ are not limited to the sexe but are rather spoken of the persons So by a courteous or a froward M. is ment also a courteous or a froward Mistresse by maÌ„ either any seruaÌ„t or any person he or she that suffreth wrongfully Neither only doth Peter in the terme of one sex include both but méeteth also with this reason that it is no disobedience to the king but only to his deputie therfore sayth he or vnto gouernors as vnto those that are sent of him Which word him if we refer to the king If he may haue such gouernors as sent of him so also may a Queene as sent of her Caluin rather referreth it as vnto those that are seÌ„t of God But this again makes for vs. He signifieth saith Caluin al sorts of Magistrats as though he should say there is no kind of gouernmeÌ„t to which they ought not to subiect themselues He coÌ„firmeth this because they are Gods ministers For they that refer this Pronoune him to the king are much deceaued This therfore is a coÌ„moÌ„ reason to coÌ„mend the authority of all Magistrats that they rule by the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God are sent of him So that what sorts of Magistrates so euer they be we neither respect the difference of their states whether in a Monarchie or in an Aristocratie or in a popular coÌ„mon wealth nor yet respect we the sexes of the gouernors but God that placed them in authoritie for his ordinance sake we must obey them and their ordinances if they be not contradictorie but subalternall to God their principall that did sende them So that the inabilitie of the sexe is no more lawful pretence to repell the autoritie of the person theÌ„ is the inability of age or of health or of streÌ„gth or of knowledg to administer personally many functions that pertain to the administratioÌ„ of a kingdome Pharao could not do many things pertaining to the administratioÌ„ of his kingdome that Ioseph could do neither Nabuchodonozer that Daniel could do nor Saul that Dauid nor Oziah that his tutors in his naÌ„e could do yet was this no impechmeÌ„t to their states But here Danaeus pickes out two things that he thinkes by all meanes to be vtterly inconuenient for women to haue anie dooing at all in them that is to witte to be ouer an armie and to pronounce lawe sitting in publike place of iudgement These two functions are such I grant as appertaine vnto a supreme gouernour and are necessarie both for warre and peace the two chiefe estates of euery common weale the one to defende theÌ„ from their enemies the other to maintaine them among themselues Howbeit neither of these two functions eyther to be a gouernour in warre or to bee a Iudge in peace are such functions that if a Prince can not personally exercise the same he should therfore be debarred from his right or hauing it he should surcease it For if the king be a childe well may they liue in hope of his riper yeares but in that infirmitie of his age neither the actiuitie of his bodie nor the skill of his mind will reach to the administring of these two functions Yea when he comes to mans estate he may both be so weake in bodie so faint in heart and so vnexpert in the feates of warre he may againe be so simple in iudgement so vnlearned in the lawes and maye proue altogether so vnapt for discerning and deciding of controuersies that neither childe nor man hee may be able or apt for the personall administration of these functions And what then Shall he be cleane excluded or deposed from his kingdome for his only vnabilitie or vnaptnes in these functions Or on the other side if we shall more safely conclude that deputies may supply his imbecilitie herein as we haue séene how Azarias remayned king being a â—eper separate and shut vp from the people neither able to gouerne an armie nor to sitte in iudgement but to doe these functions and al other bâ—longing to the administration of a kingdome by his sonne Iotham who gouerned the house and iudged the people of the lande 2. Reg. 15 ver 5 can then not Christian Princes where any imbecilitie of nature or of sexe maketh them lesse able to doe these things themâ—elues supply them also by their deputies Did Dauid guide all his armies by his personall conducte or not his greatest most daungerous battels by his liefe-tenant Ioab Yea 2. Sam. 18. ver 3. the army would not suffer him to goe to battell with them but sayde Thou shalt not goe foorth for if wee flee they will not regarde vs neither will they passe for vs though halfe of vs were slaine But thou art nowe worth ten thousande of vs c. And yet Dauid ceased not to be their king still Yea he was the safer froÌ„ daunger in his person for the matter he made no lesse noble conquestes by his Captaines The Senate and people at Rome conquered the most famous partes of all the worlde and all or most by their deputies whom they sent foorth with their armies while they sate still debated the matters in the Capitoll And although that the sitting in publik iudgement and pronouncing right be easier for the bodie of the twaine yet sith it requireth the knowledge of the lawes except Princes should sitte for a shewe or according to lawe will I or resolue the doubt as Alexander vndid Gordias his knotte how many Salomons are there that sit their selues in iudgement some of them good Princes too hauing learned vncorrupt iudges to administer those functions for theÌ„ But can any of theÌ„ therfore be sayd that he is not a lawfull Prince or no Prince at all yea although he were also a dissolute and vniust Prince If now these functions in men Princes can be thus administred by the deputations of other men experienced approued in these functions why should this supply be debarred froÌ„ a womaÌ„
c. We haue alreadie heard of many better haue seene also what is to be sayd of the most worst of these women But hee ought not for more odiousnesse to slander anie as that Cleopatra to raigne alone slue her brother so many credible stories testifieng the contrarie These are the best of the arguments that be maketh For all the other saue that which he hath of the Salik law are not arguments but his ouermuch intermedling in matters of estate As for the vrging of the Salike lawe wee haue séene before many better confutations of it than he alleageth anie confirmations First after he hath set downe the words of the law it self De terra vero Salica nulla portio Haereditatis Mulieri veniat sed ad virilem sexum tota tertae Haereditas perueniat to proue this law page 745. he saith At etiam Childeberti c. But also by the edict of Childebert king of the French the which is comprehended in the Salik lawes wherin the nephues are called to the succession of the grandfathers the women are remoued a farre off How doth not this deuise bewray it selfe euē as the asse in the lions skin by his ouer long eares saue that this forgerie by his ouershort reckoning of Childeberts time she weth that these Salik lawes are nothing so ancient as they pretend For if this Edict of Childebert be comprehended in the Salike laws and the Salike laws were made by Pharamund Here is not the nephue succeding the grandfather but rather the grandfather succeding the nephues nephue If not the great grandlie father to these Salike laws intruding it selfe to exclude womens gouernment But to fortifie this better saith Bodinus And verily if there were no Salike lawe when as for the tipe of the gouernmēt there was strife between Philip earle of Valois king Edward Philip maintained the Salik law Lege Voconia by the law of Voconius but Edward maintained the protection of his cause by the hereditarie laws of the Romanes a decree was made by the consent of all the Fathers and Princes that no man in that disputation should vse the authoritie of forain laws but that euery man should study to interpret the Salike lawe for his right To what purpose should they so doo if there had bene no Salike lawe What kind of reason shall we call this Might not Philip and his associates faine such a law or might they not wreast it or misconster it if there had bene anie such an one Or might it not haue ben as well antiquated and altered as long before that time Voconius lawe was For if Voconius Lawe had at that time stoode in force howe coulde King Edward haue pleaded his right frō the Hereditarie lawes of the Romanes Was not Voconius and his law Romane But such broken stuffe as Voconius lawe was good plea for Philips broken title and for the Salike laws defence As for king Edwards plea from the Romane hereditarie laws thē in force sheweth that the Romane laws were not against womens titles And that they wer in force also euen in France which was a good plea. Albeit King Edward pleaded higher euen from the law of nations and from the written lawe of God Yea but faith Bodinus when Philip made a decree with the consent of all the Fathers Princes that none should vse in this disputation the authoritie of foraine lawes but euerie one studie to interpret the Salike law for his right why wold they so haue done if there had ben no Salike lawe This is a proper proofe of the autentike force and truth of the Salike law and praise of their vpright lawes that they set out to vphold their Salike law withall When Philip sawe that king Edward pleaded the law of God the lawe of Nations and the ciuill lawe of the Romanes which law stood then forcible euen in France by by he forbad such pleas and calleth them all foraine lawes So that for this Salike lawe the French nation renounceth the lawe of all nations yea maketh Gods lawe a foraine lawe to bring in this Heathen Salike lawe Was not this Philip a most Christian king that made this decree And why thē vsed he Voconius law was not this forain But in forbidding al foreine laws did he not forbid the Salike lawe withall Which was a law if there were anie sueh of the olde Francons at that time as yet now long before of the germaines bordering on the riuer Sala not néere anie part of Gallia He forbiddeth al men to vse anie so much as disputation in these other lawes that were not forein Where learned he this example of them that forbad the Disciples to speake anie more in Christs name But Philip goeth further charging not onely to vse onlie the Salike law but to studie also how to interpret it for his right What meant he by that would he haue them studie to hale and writhe with their misconstructions the interpretation of the lawe for his purpose What a foule practise was that and indéed if we confer this with their own Chronicles we have heard how when he could not stop their mouths thus that among the French defended king Edwards title he put them to death Yea but saith Bodinus could they haue done this had there bene no Salike law And is this then Bodinus his best conclusion God wot this is but a sorie conclusion to proue the truth of this law or the force of it when Philip was faine with such vnlawfull lawes yea with death it selfe to restrain thē that called the credit therof in questiō But I wold learne what Philip meant by this law that they shuld studie to interpret the Salik law for his right Doth this law thē admit diuers interpretations that such interpretations that it may be interpreted otherwise thā Philip cōmanded thē to studie how they might interprete it for his title And that they must bee fain to studie out such an interpretation of the law Yea verilie For if we shall reade Hottomans Francogallia cap. 8. although hee also be against womens gouernment He sheweth how greatly both the Hystoriographers also the Lawiers haue erred Insomuch saith he that almost the errour hath mede the lawe To the confutation whereof after he hath shewed of the second kingdome of the Francons the one in Gallia now called Fraunce the other beyond the Rhene at the riuer of Sala from whence those Francons were called Salij or Salikes whose both kingdome name is now well neere worne out of vse he telleth of their foure peeres and Indges Wisogast Arbogast Salogast Windogast and that frō this Salogast they saie that the law was found which of him euen to this daie is called Salike of his name whereby theyr errour may bee reproued that name the Lawe Salike of Salte that is prudence or that thinke the word Gallica to be corrupted into Salica then the which
not doe their duety But those men ought first to haue made demonstration that their seniors haue this power whereof in present Paul speaketh Which thing when as by no argumēt it appeareth and neuerthelesse they deliuer to Sathan whome they will they do alike as if any would attempt to cleanse the lepers to rayse the dead to worke such other myraclous worke For because that in the olde time suche thinges were commonlye doone in the primitiue Church Thus agayne Gualter and on these graces and giftes of of God grounding this Ecclesiasticall Seniory not of the Worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernmentes but on the former worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers betokening such power as is myraculous which although some Seniors in the Church than had it yet he alleageth the examples heereof that such onely exercised the same in Ecclesiasticall matters as were Ministers of the Word But howsoeuer these Seniours were or what power soeuer they had he maketh them and their power not to bée perpetuall but abiding a while onely for the state of that time and so to haue ceased after that the publike state of Christendome was setled and gouerned by such princes and Magistrates as openly professed Christianity and that from thence foorth the Churches were not tyed to such Seniors but that wee after thus many ages of Christian princes be frée from them So that where our Brethren say they will not nowe set foorth the pastors authority in common Gouernment with the Elders If there bée no néede of such Elders to ioyne in commons with him in his gouernment then as the other authority was proper to him-selfe so may this authority for power of gouernment in the Church for any thing héere to the contrary bee as proper also to him-selfe as the other For if these graces and giftes whereof the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.28 speaketh were such distinct offices as our brethren say can not be but in distinct officers without confusion of thē then eyther these giftes pertaine not to the Pastors so well as to these Elders as here our Brethren say they doe or else if the Pastors haue authority in them than haue not Elders to deale with them except wee shoulde inferre this confession that they woulde haue vs shunne But nowe our brethren giuing this authority in common with the Elders procéede to the limittation of the same and say This authority of regiment we haue declared that it ought not to bee a Lordly ruling neither ouer their flocke nor yet ouer their fellow-seruants and bret and least of all that they ought to haue dominion Lordship ouer the faith of the Church Dominion and Lordship ouer the faith of the Church we graunt none hath but almighty God and Iesus Christe only that is both God and Man As for the other authority which they cal Lordly ruling ouer their flocke or ouer their fellowe-seruauntes and Brethren as they referre vs to that they haue declared so I referre them to that we haue declared And among other I hope I haue sufficiently declared what manner of ruling they may haue both ouer their flocke and ouer their fellow-seruaunts and brethren both by the worde of God by the practise of the Primitiue Church and by the approbation of diuerse the best learned protestants in the reformed Churches of our age But how this authoritie of Gouernment which here they giue in common to the pastors with the Elders shall be parted among them is not yet determined For albeit our Brethren acknowledge that the Pastors haue rule and authority herein yet the forme of prayers in the English congregation at Geneua doth deny it and say Pag. 43. Because the charge of the Worde of God is of greater importaunce than that any man is able to dispence therewith and S. Paul exhorteth to esteem them as Ministers of Christe and disposers of Gods mysteries not Lordes or rulers as Peter saith ouer the flocke therefore the Pastors or Ministers cheef office standeth in preaching the word of God and Ministring the sacraments So that in consultations iudgements elections and other politicall affayres his counsell rather then authority taketh place So that by this rule he is so far from al lordly ruling that he hath no rule nor authority at all in Common with the Elders in these matters But of the twaine our Brethren here say better that hee hath authority vnderstanding it for power of gouernment in the Church But say our Brethren In all these the man of sinne hath exalted him selfe contrary to the worde of God so that hee woulde bee heade of all the Church Bishop of all Bishops and haue authority to make newe articles of Fayth Whose intollerable presumption as wee haue long since banished out of this land so wee wish that no steppes of suche Pride and arrogancy might be left beyond him namely that no elder or Minister of the Church shoulde challenge vnto him-selfe or accept it if it were offered vnto him any other authority than that is allowed by the spirite of God but cheefely to be ware that he vsurpe no authoritie which is forbidden by the word of God For wherefore doe we detest the Pope and his vsurped supremacy but because he arrogateth the same vnto him-selfe not onely without the warrant of Gods word but also cleane contrary to the same All this section we confesse with our Brethren and gladly subscribe vnto it saue that we wish it not as though it were onely to be done and is not done but we trust it is perfourmed already If it bee not let our Brethren prooue the contrary Nowe if the reasons and authorities that haue banished the Pope doe serue to condemne all other vsurped authority that is practized in the Church why shoulde not all such authority be banished as well as the Pope And good reason too that all other vsurped authority that is practized in the Churche shoulde bee as well banished as the Pope But doe our brethren meane by these spéeches of all other vsurped authoritie that is practized in the Church that there is any such practised in the Church meaning the church of England For these words are vttered so couertly that we might seeme in granting the consequence that such shoulde be banished to graunt withall that there is some such in the church of England remaining and practised yet among vs. But we deny that there is any such to our knowledge or by the Lawes approoued in this Realme And if there bée any steppes thereof I doubt they will rather bee founde in the trake of our Brethren themselues sooner than in any part of that authoritie which is allowed to our prelates We can alleage against the Pope and rightly that which S. Iohn baptist did aunswere to his Disciples No man can take vnto him-selfe any thing except it be giuen him from heauen Iohn 3.27 And that saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes
No man may take vpon him any honoure in the Churche of God but hee that is called of God as was Aaron Insomuch that Christe him-selfe did not giue himselfe to be an high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Hee saith in another place Thou art a preest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Nowe seeing these rules are so general that the Sonne of God him-selfe was not exempted from them but shewed foorth the decree wherein he was authorised by what rule can any man retaine that authority in the church of God which is not called thereto by the word of God All this againe being graunted vnto beateth more our Brethren the Learned Discoursers that it doth our Bishops Our Brethren take vpon them more in these their pretended reformations than eyther they haue hetherto done or I think euer wil be able to shew their warrant and calling authorizing them thereunto by the worde of God Likewise we can alleage againe against the supremacy of the Pope to proue that Peter was not superior to the other Apostles that which our sauiour Christe saith to his Apostles Luke 22.26 And Math. 20.25 Marke 10.42 It shall not bee so among you but hee that is greatest amongst you shal be as the yongest and he that ruleth as he that serueth And Mat. 23.8 You haue but one Master which is Christ and all you are all brethren If these places prooue that the Pope ought not to bee aboue other Ministers of the Church why doe they not likewise prooue that the Ministers are equall among them-selues And for the moste part all those arguments and authorities of Scripture that are vsed to confute the vsurped authority of the Pope are of as great force against all other vsurped authorities of one pastor ouer another These sentences of our sauiour Christe hauing béene before alleaged by our Brethren page 28. 29. haue beene already sufficiently aunswered that they neither forbid the titles nor the authority that we acknowledge in our Bishops by the confession of the best writers euen among our Brethren themselues Which sentences as they are rightly alleaged against the supremacy of the Pope to prooue that Peter was not such a superior to the other Apostles as the Papistes doe pretend so are they not rightly alleaged to prooue that he haâ— neuer any kinde of superiority but no such kinde of superiority as the pope falsely claymeth in the name of Peter For not onely all the auncient Fathers and all the best writers acknowledge as we haue séene some superiority in Peter such as contrarieth not these sentences but also S. Paule is moste plaine herein that S. Peter had a kinde of superiority if not to all yet to many of the other Apostles And for these sentences as we haue already at large considered the peyse of them so the first sentence heere cited alloweth in playne words both a Ruler among them and a greatest so that hee bee in humilitie and seruiceablenesse as courteous and diligent as if he were yongest or as hee that serueth The other place here cited You haue but one Master which is Christe and al you are Brethren prooueth clearely that the Pope ought not to claime that mastership which he requireth but it proueth not that were he otherwise a true a true faithfull Bishop hee might haue no Mastership at all for than our Brethren might not be called Masters neither as we and that worthily call M. Caluine M. Beza c. Masters But this sentence is against the Pope not against them because the pope not they woulde intrude him-selfe into that absolute and supreme Mastership and Lordship Which properly and onely belongeth to our Lorde and Master Iesus Christ. But our brethren demaund why doe they not likewise prooue that the Ministers are equall among themselues And so they do in respect of the supreme Mastership of Christe and in respect simply of their Ministery but the reason why they proue not such an equality as our brethren surmise is because they are spoken absolutely against all kinde of superiority and Mastership among them And therefore where they say that for the most part al those arguments and authorities of scripture that are vsed to confute the vsurped authoritie of the pope are of as great force against all other vsurped authorities of one pastor ouer another Although this be but a loose consequent yet we may well graunt this conclusion for vsurped authorities But till our Brethren can prooue some such among vs as are vsurped al these sentences argumeÌ„ts and authorities are but vsurped and wrested against their authority which is lawfull Therefore while we entreate of the authority of the Pastors we must take heede that we open not a Windowe to popish tyranny in steede of Pastorall authority and that wee enlarge not the bounds of authority without the boundes of the scripture We also like well the caueat of this conclusion Woulde God our brethren would in-déede take heede vnto it For if it be not taken heede vnto in time their Pastorall authoriâ—â— wâ—ll so enlarge the boundes thereof that it will not onely tyrannize ouer the authority of the Doctors whom they cleane debarre from all publike exhortation reprehension conselation and application and ouer all their Seniory of newe Gouernors as wee shall God willing see in this Discourse but ouer all the Church And it beginneth pretily well to abbridge the Christian Princes and ciuill Magistrates supreme authority in ecclesiasticall causes as in part wee haue already seene and al without the bounds of the scripture But this their Pastorall authority by that time their gouerning Seniory were euery where setled and established and had enlarged her boundes in euerye Congregation woulde bee méetely well repressed as we haue séene in the forme of prayers printed at Geneua And thus woulde one enlarge it self â—uer another which might open not a windowe but the broad gates to a worse than Popish tyrannie and still all without the boundes of the Scripture Wherefore while we search the scripture the onely rule whereby the Church of God ought to be gouerned we finde that in regiment gouernance of the Church the pastor B. or elder hath none authority by himselfe seperated from other For in the Church there ought to be no Monarchie or sole absolute gouernment but that is referred particularly to our sauiour Christe onely â—2 Tim. 6.7 Iude. 4. Christe sayth search the scriptures for in them ye reckon vnto your selues that ye haue eternall life and they bear witnesse of me Iohn 5.39 In searching the scripture we finde this rule where the Apostle warneth Timothy But abide thou in those thinges which thou haste learned and which are of trust committed vnto thee Knowing of whome thou hast learned them and that thou hast from a childe knowne the holy
in his seuerall church in which hee may doe nothing without the consent of the church Our Brethren doe here deuide againe or subdiuide the Pastors authoritie They deuided it before Page 76. 77. into the authority or power of gouernment in the churche or authoritie in common Gouernment with the Elders and into the authority or power that belongeth to the proper duety of the Pastor him-selfe Which was somewhat an intricate Diuision Sith the authoritye or power belonging to his proper duetye is a great part of his publique Gouernment in the church This authority nowe which before they sayde that they vnderstoode for power of Gouernment in the churche they diuide againe into a double authority the one with the seuerall congregation in which hee is Pastor the other with the whole Synode or assemblie whereof hee is a member If nowe their selues doe héere finde and that twise together that in one function there is not onely a former double and different authority but also of one of the former deuided partes a redoubled and different authority in the Pastors howe then did they auouche immediatly before that there is but one autority in them to determine of matters concerning them all but perhaps they mean that of the churches authority and here they speak of the authority pertaining to the pastors of the churches But that helpes not For if the Pastors authority which he hath in common with the Elders whom they make the church be thus deuided then is the churches authority diuided also First therefore say they wee will speake of his authority in his seuerall Church in which hee may doe nothing without the consent of the Church I woulde gladly learne where our Brethren haue all these diuisions and subdiuisions all these Canons and limitations of a Pastors authority For although it bee heere promised that wee finde them sufficiently authorized in the scripture yet hetherto heere is no Scripture cited for them saue 1. Tim. 6.15 that God is blessed and onely mighty the king of kings and Lord of Lordes And Math. 18.19.20 Which was before alleaged to other purposes although God wot very impertinently But they promise vs further that both these authorities we finde sufficiently authorized in the scripture as shall plainly appeare in the seuerall discourses of them So that héere is yet nothing that we can finde which may be counted a sufficient authorizing in the scripture of these things And therefore our Brethren in this their Learned Discourse made hereupon doe well and learnedly in my opinion to let all this passe that they haue already alleaged as insufficient and referre vs to the hope of better proofes in their more Learned Discourse to come as shall plainly they promise vs appeare in the seuerall Discourse of them But when we shall come also God willing vnto those seuerall Discourses of them to searche whether these authorities and assertions of our Brethren bée sufficiently authorized in the Scripture I doubt wée shall finde that this sufficient authorizing in Scripture is not any expresse and and plaine testimony of the scripture but onelye their owne collection thereon And if this be sufficient to make vs reckon a thing sufficiently authorized as in some cases we deny it not if they can make it plainlye appeare that it followeth by necessity of consequence though verbatin◠it be not expressed in the Scripture if wée must permit this in them that their collections on the Scripture must goe for authorizings in the Scripture why must not the same manner of authorizings where wee proue necessary consequence bee of as good authority on our parties In the meane time betwéene vs both for any thing yet by these oure Learned Brethren alleadged till I sée better proofe thereof either out of expresse and plaine Scripture or out of some necessary consequence of Scripture I yéeld not to this their dubble Canonized Canon as shooting off nothing but a bare bolde wee say not any Testimonye or proofe sufficientlye authorized in the scripture that the Pastor by his authority in his seuerall Church may doe nothing without the consent of the Church Nothing they say hath no sauour and this hath no trueth It is so farre from béeing sufficiently authorized that it is more then sufficiently confuted as already hath often appeared and playnely in the manifest example of Saint Paules preceptes to Timothie euen by Caluines and Bezaes owne cleare Confessions besides diuers others on the same Not that wee deny but that Paule and Timothie had the churches consentes for the better part among them in what thinges soeuer they did by their authoritie in their churches but that in all thinges they asked not their consentes before nor that they which gaue their consentes had such a negatiue authority but that if they woulde not haue giuen them Saint Paule and Timothie might haue procéeded in some thinges against their consentes which when they were giuen were not the sufficient or any authorizing at all of Paule and Timothies doinges among them The argument of the 11 Booke THE 11. booke is of the third kind of Tetrarkes which our Brethren call Gouernors beginning first with the Churches diffused authority of confusion in the multitude of the appointing to auoide it certaine officers for gouernment how the name of Gouernors and Rulers is vnderstoode Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. how these gouernors must rule euery seueral congregation how their gouernment stretcheth to al matters Howe these Gouernors authority is to bee moderated And first for the election of these gouernors who should chose them what qualities they must haue What elders were elected Act. 14. And what elders are mentioned 1. Tim. 5.17 of the 3. conclusions that our brethren would haue vs learn out of that testimony How the name elders is common to Pastors gouernors how the words may be well vnderstood of relation betwene the ciuil officers then among thē the pastors How the wordes inferre not such gouernors as our brethren imagine and how that although they might be so vnderstood yet they inferre no perpetuity as well of the one sort of Elders gouerning not teaching as of the other of gouerning teaching elders Howe the words infer no such distinction of eccl elders the one teaching gouerning the other not at al teaching but only gouerning but rather seem to infer a distinctiō of the trauels than of the function or if of the functiō to encline to the distinctiō betwene past deac or betwene those Pastors that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antistates B. and others that laboured more in ministring the Sacraments then in preaching How Caluine dare not inferre any such necessary sense as he conceiueth on this place but only saith it may be collected How our brethren inueighing against them make these gouernor◠dumb not teaching Bishops preaching prelates How the Apostles words infer not their ioint gouernment with the Episcopall
haue declared who are worthy of pardon and who of punishment But some there are that thinke this counsell to haue beene chosen out of the family of Dauid and that they were afterward taken away of Herod the King Which if it bee so whether the wordes of the Psalme sung as S. Athanasius witnesseth in the restoring of the City of Ierusalem may be referred thereunto because there that is in Ierusalem sate the seates vnto iudgement the seates vpon the house of Dauid that is the seate out of the house of Dauid But eyther the King or the Bishop called this counsel according as the crime brought before them eyther touched the City or Religion But the order of executing the matter was almoste in this manner He that desired to put vp the name of another for the moste part came eyther to the king or to the Bishop or to the Princes and declared the guilty party Which done they sent Ministers to take the man And if the matter required they added a band also receiued from the gouernour of the Temple And hauing brought him they kept him for the moste part eyther in prison or in souldiers custody vntill iudgement passed on him The whole Councell beeing afterward called together they gaue them-selues to the vnderstanding of the matter As for the crime and the punishment was of the accusant called vpon in these wordes The Iudgement of death is due to this man because hee hath done this or that But the Defendant repelled it with these wordes The Iudgement of death is not due to this man because hee hath not done it or because hee hath doone it righteously But when the cause hath beene throughly pleaded vpon then were the suffrages or voyces giuen of the iudges and either hee was condemned or absolued according to the number of the sentences But when the matter was brought to the Romaynes the onely condemnation was left to the Councell but the the punishment was taken away but permitted vnto the Roman procurator Which hapned in the iudgement of Christe For the Councell condemned Christe and adiudged him to death But the people being stirred vp of the Councell demaunded of Pilate the Procurator that he might be crucified he gaue iudgement that it should so be done The forme of laying the accusation or of repelling the crime as in the 26 of Hieremie the preestes and the prophetes spake vnto the princes of Iuda saying the iudgement of death is vnto this man because he hath prophecied against this City And the princes sayde vnto the preestes the iudgement of death is not vnto this man because he hath spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde our God A forme of the condemnation is in S. Math. 26. Beholde now yee haue heard blasphemie what seemeth it to you and they answering sayde he is guilty of death the which thing Marke saith Who all of them condemned him to bee guilty of death but these things which we haue spoken shall all be more cleare knowne if euery one of the iudementes made after this order whereof record is left in writing shall be shewed foorth And here he proceedeth to the manifolde testimonies and examples hereof in the Scripture and in Iosephus but especially in the newe testament By al which it appeareth for this Senate or council of the 70 Seniors which after the Iewes mixture with the Graecians of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was corruptly called Sanedrin what persons they were except the King and the Princes all of them either preestes or teachers of the Lawes of God And how they sat but in one and the heade Citie assistant with the King and the princes in al matters of plea and controuersie of Lands goods of warre and peace of life and death c. Nor the King coulde rule these matters without them and that their autority herein grewe not so much by the late corruptions as it was rather thereby abridged in the age of Christe by the Romaynes and by Herod If nowe our Learned discoursing Brethren shall reiect all these so industrious collections of Sigonius as an aduersary what proofes reasons and authorities soeuer he auouch let vs then sée howe farre foorth Bertram also doth confirme it For besides that which wee haue alleaged out of him for the original and the first practise thereof before the gouernment of the Kings after the negligence of Saule speaking of Dauid chap. 10. Page 56. he saith Moreouer Dauid restored the municipall iudgementes altogether into their auncient order Howbeit but about the last times of his reigne because that being hindred with warres and diuers businesses hee was content with those Iudgementes which for a greate part beeing decayed perseuered but litle constantly in euery of the Cities and tribes euen from the times of Iosue vntill then But yet so that the more waighty causes especially the appeales were referred to him as it appeareth out of 2. Sam. 15.2 But at the length he also restored this part of the common weale so that vnto the Leuites reckoned vp he established to be firm their changable and vncerteine offices both in the holy or Ecclesiasticall policy and also in the ciuill In the ciuill policie hee is saide to haue appointed out of the Leuites 6000. Iudges and praefectes or Gouernors Out of the Leuites the Iudges and praefectes were assumed for this reason That first there shoulde bee certayne out of the Leuites which should bee assistors or sitters together with the ordinary and municipall iudges that were called seniors Who some-times also De plane vt Vulgo loquuntur Iudicarent de rebus leuioribus shoulde Iudge after a playne sorte as is the common saying of the lighter matters such as were the pecuniarie either they alone or taking some one vnto them of the Seniors of the place or City And moreouer that there should also be some other which should execute the matters adiudged Or else that which is indeed the more likely they that were the Assisors of the ordinarie Iudges who also their selues tooke notice of the pecuniarie matters iudged them and executed the matter it selfe that they had iudged He ordained therefore that Chanenias and his sonnes or his posterity should be designed for iudges and Prefects for the outward worke that is to saie for the outward holie offices that we necessarie for the making of sacrifices in the house of the Lord or Tabernacle in Israel that is among the Israelites that dwelt on this side Iordan except the Tribes of Iuda Beniamin and Simeon The number of these is nor prescribed He also ordained out of the Hebronites Hasabias and his brethren that they should gouerne the Western coasts side-long or on the side of Iordan that is on the hether-hand Iordan as well in the businesse of the Lord as in the seruice or ministerie or obeisance of the king In French Pour le seruice du Roy that is in the
principalitie there seeme to bee extant in Ieremie most cleere examples So that except these Elders which our Brethren pleade for to bée renued after the example and patterne of the ancient laws of the Iewes would take this Princelie Empire and authoritie vpon them their appealing to these auncient lawes orders make nothing for them But yet to see their authoritie better let Bertram procéede with his examples though some of them we haue heard before in Sigonius The first example is extant Iere. 26. Chap. where after that Ieremie was coÌ„demned of the Priests Prophets that is of the ecclesiastical CoÌ„session or Consistorie of them that professed the knowledge interpretatioÌ„ of the diuine letters or of diuinitie as we terme it as though the knowledge of doctrine pertained vnto them whervpon they also which of Ieremie are called Prophets of Ionathas the Paraphrast are expounded Scribes and also was condemned of the whole people that is of the ordinarie aduocates of the people the Iudges or Seniors to wit the Chiliarkes Centurions c. Which represented the whole people insomuch that verse 9. the whole people is gathered to the congregation or concioÌ„ And in the 17. verse mencioned is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caal That is of the gathering together or of the vniuersall concion it selfe or certainlie the verie people their selues that heard Ieremy being called together to beare witnesse against him to subscribe to the sentence pronounced against him and to command it to be executed as it appeareth in the end of the Chapter that the same was declared to the Princes of Iuda that were assembled at the kings pallace to wit to the ciuil Consistorie of three score and ten Elders these kinde of Princes came to the Temple where they are sayd to haue sitten at the tribunal or iudgement seate at the new gate of the Temple and the people being admitted thereto according ao the manner to wit that we haue now declared they heard the Prophet absolued him also euen as though in that their iudgement they had condemned corrected Iohakim the king himselfe which had most cruelly murthered Vrias the Prophet Héere againe is a liuelie paterne of the great authoritie in cases of lyfe and death for matter of religion that the Consistorie of the Elders hadde Which here notablie and sincerelie by reason of some good men among them acquitted Ieremie according to the auncient manner of Gods law This then is the authoritie that Caluine and our Brethren pretend Christ translated to his Church stretching so farre as not onelye to the acquitting of the Prophets but to the condemning and correcting euen of kings and Princes The second example is Chap. the 36. where Baruch hauing recited before the people the writing that he had writâ—en out after Ieremies mediting thereof he is called to for the Kinges pallace vnto these kind of Princes before whom he readeth a fresh that same writing When it was read they laie it vp in the chamber of the Scribe or Chauncellour as the Geneua Bible translates it they inquiring how it was written doe admonish Baruch to hide himselfe together with the Prophet The Princes goe to the king they report to him the summe of the writing The King himselfe commaunds the writing to be brought to him And when hee had heard three leaues thereof he cut out the writing with a Scribes penknife And when he was besought of three of them onelie that he would not burne the booke hee ceased not to burne it as a matter that did not displease the residue of the Princes who also euen for that point are noted of the Prophet that they trembled not nor yet rent theyr garments at the reading of that writing Heere againe we sée their great authoritie in this matter of doctrine and how the king at their silence or consent of the writing presumed to cut out the leaues and burne them in spite as a thing that no whit displeased the greatest parte of these Consistorie Princes although that some fewe among them intreated him to the contrarie The third example is extant Ierem. 37. and 38. where it is sayde that Ierusalem hauing beene besieged of the Chaldees Ieremie was apprehended of Ierias a certaine watchmaÌ„ at the gate of Beniamin as though he were a runne-awaie and being brought to these kind of Princes who â—ere verie much chafed against the Prophet hauing beaten him they cast him into a most filthie prison Sedechias which was the next King â—â—ccéeding secretly called for Ieremie out of that filthie prisoÌ„ he so feared those Princes and remoueth him into a more gentle custodie where he continued dutifullie Whereupon it commeth to passe that those Princes goe about to wring from the king the sentence of deaeh against the Prophet to wit that the king should consent vnto his death Pretending that hee discouraged the peoples mindes and that hee studied not for their benefit The King answered that Ieremie was in their handes neyther that the king might preuaile against them in anie thing as though he confessed that he was farre their inferiour Which he sheweth inough when afterwards he saith that he is afraide least those Princes should inquire what speeches hee had with the Prophet too and fro wherevppon also he faineth a lie as though hee had beene to giue an account to them of the thinges that hee had done By these meanes it is brought to passe that the order of the iudgementes thus restored endured vntill the times of the Babylonicall captiuitie This was the state of that Consistorie of the Iewes which of all other our Brethren haue picked out and vrge so earnestlie to haue it set vp amongest vs pretending that Christe restored it and translated it from them to his Church and all by the vertue of these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell the Church as forcible wordes in their imagination to make this Metamorphosis of the state of all Christian Kings and kingdomes as euer the Papistes pleaded for those wordes of Christ Hoc est Corpus meum they for their Transubstantiation in the Sacrament and these for this translatioÌ„ in the Regiment Pretending as Bertram sheweth herevpon that the state was not onelie Monarchicall but chiefly Aristocraticall the gouernment of the best men to the which purpose he alleadgeth these examples Although God wot these three last examples in this state that he calleth restored were of men for the most parte of them whome he might haue lesse praised if it had pleased him these enimies of Ieremie and too much ouer-rulers of the Prince And also it was in part Democraticall or the gouernment of the people Whereto he alleadgeth 1. Samuel 14.38 c. How the people deliuered Ionathas from his Fathers iudgement And 1. Chron. 13. verse 1.2 4. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chol Caal Israel al the coÌ„gregation of Israel and all the whole people gathered themselues together and that Dauid demaunded
their sentence for the reducing of the Arke Yea rather than the Princes state should not be thus translated it must be conformed to that example also of the Israelites state of the ten Tribes For they as Bertram saith cap. 12. had their Sanhedrin too The policie sayth he of the ten Tribes came verie neere to the ciuil policie of the kingdome of Iuda For it had the king their head and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorim that is the men which were the Patriciens or noble Fathers which otherwise we said were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarim that is Princes which made also the Synedrion and chiefe Consistorie of Iudges of that kingdome Here the Consistorie sate most commonlie at the Kings pallace such as was Iesrael in the time of Achab. It had also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zechonium Seniors or Elders to wit Chiliarks CeÌ„turioÌ„s c. Either of these magistrates is so called in Nehemias That also argueth the peoples power that the witnesses suborned against Naboth are sayd to haue giuen their witnesse before all the people But that policie seemeth to bee so mixt of the Regall Aristocratical and Democraticall power that was altogether Tyrannicall as appeareth by the gestes of the Kings of the tenne Tribes True indéede those Kings for the most part of them did degenerate into a kind of Tyrants But this argument is but weake that the state was mixt with the peoples gouernment because the witnesse of the Elders was giuen before the people for what witnes in so waightie a iudgement should not rather be giuen before the people than in secret or in priuate But may we not better finde fault with those wicked Elders which gaue that iudgement And yet what difference betwéene these among the Israelites and those among the Iewes that by al meanes sought the murthering of the prophet Ieremie And if such good Elders came in the time while they say whatsoeuer the persons were their state was intier and according to the first and auncient institution whereunto our Breth would haue our state translated might not we feare also that when these Seniors should become such Princes that might peraduenture breake out into such parts Which least they shuld do how they might be repressed or rather preuented wold be better thought on before they were put in possession especiallie of the estate which is here so expreslie by Caluine and our Brethren chalenged that they should be admitted vnto As for the state of the regiment following in the time of the Iewes captiuitie afterward vntill Christs comming was more disturbed And yet Bertram telleth cap. 13. that first Darius Artaxerâ—es Longimanus permitted to the Iewes some part of their former power whereby Esdras did so againe let in order the ciuil policy that in the place of a king it had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pechah that is a presideÌ„t prouinciall that gouerned Iurie vnder the direction of the Persian Monarke and of him he was sent thether As appeareth out of the storie occasion of sending Zerubbabel Ezr. 3. 4. out of Nehe. 5.14 In the second place they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarim that is Princes which are ofteÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorim that is PatritiaÌ„s And somtimes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ari aueth that is the Princes of the Fathers or of the families and these made the SynedrioÌ„ of the 70. Thirdly it had their ordinary Iudges the Chiliarks Centurions c. which were not onely called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iekonim that is Seniors or Elders c. In the 4. place it had the assembly and iudgement of al the Citizens this kind of assemblie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kaalah Gedolah that is the great company or great gathering together Thus were all these orders retained so wel as that troubled and tributary state would permit it Ouer whom in all their assemblies iudgements stil were much more thaÌ„ before the Leuites the prefects gouernours of theÌ„ Of which State saith Bertram in the same Chap pag 69. To conclude if euer that Policie of Magistrates and Iudges which our Thalmudistes doo recorde had place verelie it is to be referred to the processe of this time For they tell that the chiefe Senate of the Hebrues to wit of the 70. the power which they had of the sword or putting to death which they had in the greater causes such as were of the Tribe of the high Priest of a false Prophet and of Treason they communicated the same to three twentie headmen c. Whereby it appeareth what great authoritie they still reteined or had then moste of all hauing no King among them And in the next page he saith The Presidents prouinciall excelled in greatest authoritie insomuch that they had the chiefe gouernment as it appeareth by those things which Nehemias did To proue Nehemias had chiefe auth that last fact of his dooth argue wherein he reioyceth that he had banished a certaine man of the posteritie of Ioiada the sonne of Eliazib the chiefe Priest because he had married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite to proue also that he had the cheefest gouernment in that he had rebuked he had coÌ„manded to be excommunicated to be beaten with roddes and to be made bald in token of greatest reproch the residue of the Iewes that had married women strangers Iosephus chap. 11. in the 7. booke of the Iewes antiquities doth so touch the foresaid story that he saith the elders of Ierusalem that is the chiefe Magistrates and the synedrion it selfe decreed commaunded Manasses the brother of the high Priest Iaddi to sende away and put from him his wife an alien borne that is a Samaritan the daughter of Samballat c. Such auth had this synedrion albeitnot so called among them vnder Nehemias Iaddi the high Priest but Bart. saith in the page following of the state declining after Nehemias Neuerthelesse it might be that Iaddus and the other Guides of the Iewes didde choose one of the Tribe of Iuda that shoulde beare the principalitie in the chiefe Synedrion howbeit rather for name-sake than indeed when as all things depended on the high Bishops And on this sort continued the State till the time of the Macchabees in whose time saith Bertram pa. 79. Yea Ionathas that he might the better reteine safe and sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vse of their own lawes and state of their owne power he sent Ambassadours to Rome and to Lacaedemonia which should renue the league with the Romanes and the Lacaedemonians But that their auncient policie was restored appeareth in this that the Ambassadours expresselie signified to the Romanes that they were sent of Ionathas the high Priest and of the Nation of the Iewes also by the verie superscription of the letters which by the same Ambassadours he sent vnto Lacaedemonia which was endited in
no likelihood of any such matter We suffer not either Officiall or Archdeacon or Chancelor to excommunicate any without a Minister of the word ioyned with him do denounce the sentence of Excommunication And can then a Register yea the Registers substitute and the Substitutes man or the mans boy Excommunicate I will not say Preacher learned or vnlearned but any one man or women in all England I deny not a boy may write the sentence and forme of wordes and counterfait or clap to the right seale also of the office and may pack with the sommoner to cary it forth If such an abuse were it were no com and so there might happen by such ill dealing a shewe and terror of Excommunication But as this is not any Excommunication indéede and therefore our Brethren say not truely that the authority is thus committed from one to another that a learned preacher may be excommunicated by a foolish boy so when it shoulde come to aunswering in the court it woulde soone be found out to be a meere false and sauing your reuerence knauish forgery But if they may discredite lawfull authorities for such abuses The state not to bee slaundered for the abuses they may endaunger the power and authority of all courtes and offices when any false varlets practise such corruptions and if there be any such abuses of this high power of excommunication It is our brethrens dutie to make the offenders knowe and not to impugne or discredite the aucthority by picking such quarrels if such speeches may be thus freely cast forth atraÌ„doÌ„ on bare surmises or rather on mere slanders till they bring forth the persons if this slaundering seeme not vnto them to require as speedy reformation as any such facts if any such were coÌ„mitted what shal I return their words on their own selues that God hath blinded their eyes that they can not see the cleare light of the Sunne shining in their faces verily affection hath so dazeled at the leaste these our Br. eyes that they doe not I will not say they will not see the difference of the Lawful authority of the accidentall abuses of the same beeing as plaine set affection aside as the cleare Sunne shining in their faces For if we looke to bannish the tyranny of the Pope out of all mens heartes The learned disc Pag. 99. wee must vtterly remoue all his detestable enormities out of the realme as it was wont to be said in the coÌ„mon prayers of the church in the time of K. Henrie and Edward where as now by reteining still all the detestable enormities of his prerogatiue and faculties and whol course of his Canon law the papacy is not so much banished in name as translated in-deede from the sea of Rome to the sea of Canterbury vnder the shadowe of the Princes Supremacy with as heighnous iniurie and contumelie of the lawfull authority and Godly Supremacie of the Prince as ioyned with the greate dishonor of God and the miserable disorder of the Church But wee meane not in this place to prosecute our iust complaints nor to inueigh against the abuse of these thinges with such vehemency of wordes as the worthinesse of the matters deserueth but onely in setting foorth the plaine trueth to giue a glimpse by the way of the contrary falshood Are these our Br. glimpses what should we looke for Bridges if they woulde as they say with vehemencie prosecute their complaints What foule daÌ„gerous slanders our Brethren here breake foorth into Not only al the Prelates but all the Church of England accused as good as with high treason that when they giue but a glimpse by the way burthen all the state of the Church and Realme of England to retaine still all the detestable enormities of the Popes prerogatiue and faculties and the whole course of his Canon Lawe And that the papacie is not so much banished in name as translated indeede from the Sea of Rome to the sea of Canterburie With what conscience can our Brethren affirme these thinges is not the Popes Supremacie a preÌ„rogatiue of his detestable enormities which being banished out of the Realme and Church of England how can it be sayde that all the detestable enormities of his prerogatiue are still reteined and whereas to retaine the prerogatiue of the Popes Supremacie is high treason what is this any other than to accuse all the Church and Realm of Eng. besides theÌ„selues to be high traitors against her Maiesty And what a like slaunder is this that we retain his faculties yea the whole curse of his Canon Lawe If this be true then doth the Realme and Church of England as much acknowledge the Supremacie of the Pope as euer it did Which if it do not then is this a moste vntrue and shamefull slaunder The verse Papistes their selues are able to controule them and all the worlde may see the cleane contrary Yea Our Br. own conuincing themselues of this their slaundering of vâ— howe agreeth this with that which their-selues haue confessed and prefixed in the Preface of this their Learned Discourse for our acquitance against this slander that the substance of religion hath in diuers assemblies abroad and at home bin dispatched resolued now publikely maintained for our true and holy fayth If the whole course of the Canon Law be still mayntayned which hath many errors superstitious Idolatries and open blasphemies how maintaine we the true and holy faith and if papacy be but banished in name and not in-deede how do our Brethren and wee agree in the substance of Religion Do they accuse them selues herein also Our Br. too vndutifull slaunder of her Maiesty Yea howe do they not accuse withall most vnnaturally the Queenes moste excellent Maiesty For if papacy be but translated from Rome to Canterbury It is not gone very farre from the Court. And who translated it thether coulde this translation be made without her Maiesties authoritie or did that most renounâ—ed prince King Henry the eight or that moste vertuous Prince his sonne King Edward the sixt both of them Kings of moste worthie memorie whome these our Learned Discoursers so breefely here in their haste snap vp by the tearmes onely of King Henry and Edward make this translation of the papacy from Rome to Canterbury and her Maiestie approoue onely and confirme this translation Translation of Papacy to Canterbury But they say it is translated thether vnder the shadow of Princes the supremacie What mean they by this hath the Prince translated it to the Sea of Canterburie for a shadowe or doth the prince maintain or reteyâ—e it or doth the Princes supremacie shadowe Papacie These speeches are so daungerous so reprochfull so spitefull so vndutifull and not subiect-like so manifest vntrue without all shadows but not without as heighnous iniury and contumely of the lawfull authority and Godly supremacy of the Prince as ioyned with great dishonour of God and the miserable
disorder of moste slaunderous speeches cast foorth on the Prince on the Peeres on the Prelates on the people on the whole Church and Realme of England that I much maruaile that they would euer let them escape their lippes or conceiue them in their hearts and much more penne them in writing and publish them in print and commende them to the worlde with the title of a Learned Discourse Surely this a verie vnlearned vnaduised vngodlie and disloiall part Whatsoeuer they had in the gaule of their zeale powred foorth on vs would God they had neuer attempted so vntruely to deface both their and our so gracious godlie louing and most blessed soueraigne Do they thinke to shadowe them-selues and to salue vp all againe in saying Our Br. mockery of her Maiesties supremacy this is done with as heighnous iniury and contumely of the lawfull authority and godly supremacy of the Prince In-deede this is more subiect-like to bee offended that any iniury or contumely should be offered to the Lawfull authority and godly supremacy of the Prince But when they say withall that all the detestable enormities of the Popes praerogatiue and faculties and whole course of Canon Lawe is nowe still reteined and that the Papacie is not so much banished in name as translated in deede from the sea of Rome to the sea of Canterbury and that all this is done vnder the shadow of the Princes Supremacie what lawfull authoritie or godlie supremacie of the Prince make they this to be And is not this dooing and saying then of theirs a méere mockerie and contradiction with an heighnous iniurie and contumelle of the lawfull authoritie and godlie supremacie of the Prince Yes verelie and ioyned with great dishonor of God and miserable disorder of the Church that euer such disordered speaches should be suffered But we may soone gesse whether for these parts of the Papacie We maywel see by these speeches whether for diuerse pointes the papacy wold be traÌ„slated to wit soule-mouthed slanders not sparing to offer iniuries and contumelies to their naturall and Souereigne Prince for making and imposing another Canon Lawe and a new kinde of Supremacie of pastors and Seniors should be translated not from Rome to Canterburie though neither we nor they can well tell from whence but whether euen to euerie seuerall Parish and Congregation For what could all the papistes or the Pope himselfe haue said more or worse against the Prince the Church and the Realme of England than these out learned Discoursing Brethren haue comprehended in these distempred speaches And now when they haue thus disgorged all this choller for verie anger that they can not haue their gouerning Presbyters and not not preaching Priests to exercise this power of the keyes and discipline of the Church they conclude as it were slinging away in a chase from further treatise of their Gouernors saying But we minde not in this place to prosecute our iust complaints nor to inueigh against the abuse of these thinges with such vehemencie of words as the worthinesse of the matters deserueth but onelie in setting foorth the plaine truth to giue a glimpse by the way of the contrarie falshoode All that our Br say must be plaine truth iust complaints all our sayings and doings are with them contrarie falshoods abuses All these foul speeches are but our Br. glimpses by the way and yet these al their other so foule speaches are forsooth but their glimpses by the way What will these fellowes doo trow we wheÌ„ they come directlie vpon vs with such vehemencie of words as they say the worthinesse of the matters deserueth But since they threaten vs as it were bidde vs expect in some other place where belike they minde to prosecute these complaints inuectiues with greater vehemencie Our Br. for warning â— greater â—â—â—ectiues we may yet thanke them for this curtesse that they giue vs before hande so faire a warning Praeuisa leuiùs feriunt mala He that is ful warned is halfe armed We shal make our selues readie for the push of their vehemencie so well as God shall giue vs grace thereto And thus with this foule blast and threatning sling they knit vp this their Learned Discourse of their third Tetrarke these Gouernors Presbyters Preestes or Elders that are all in ruling and not teaching And since they are not hetherto able to alleage better proofes for their Consistory of these Elders neyther yet Caluine Beza nor Danaeus as for other I account not of them more than these I hope wee shall neede to feare the lesse our Brethrens threates of any greater vehemencie to come that shall be materiall to the controuersy The argument of the 13 Booke THE 13. Booke is of the last tetrarke called the Deacons with a Preface exhorting to releeue the poore in what sort the Deacons office is perpetuall of the first occasion of ordeyning Deacons for the distribution of temporall goods of the occasion ceassing how that part of the office is changeable how the office had another part remayning to be imployed in the attendanâ—s on the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments of the examples heereof in the first seauen Deacons namely Stephen and Philip with the iudgements of Gualter Aretius and the Magdeburgenses heereupon how the part perteining to distribution of goodes was altered and ioyned with other functions and not any peculiar office in many well ordered Churches after the ordeyning of Deacons at Ierusalem of our Brethrens deuiding the office of Deacons in diuers partes and whether the distributers showers of mercie and helpers mentioned Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12. were seuerall and distinct offices with the interpretations of Ambrose Bullinger Beza Caluine and Aretius on the same of the good politike lawes for the poores reliefe and the cause that they take not so good effect of the multitude of disordinate walkers and practisers against the State and whether these deuises of Deacons would represse them or increase them of the election of Deacons and of tyrannie and confusion whether the Deacons trayning vp to the Ministerie be a prophaning of the office and making the Deacons to be idolles of the diuers names and offices of the auncient and holie Churches that Danaeus mentioneth for the attendance on the poore of the Collectors for the poore amongst vs of their qualities and difference from Deacons of the exception of Philips beeing an Euangelist and so a preacher of Deacons to be as woorshipfull men as conueniently may be gotten of the manner of ordeyning Deacons whether the Deacons consisteth onely in the ministration to the poore with the iudgements of Beza Caluine Aretius and Bullinger for the same and of the playner vnderstanding of Ambroses words about the diuers kinds of Deacons WE must therefore returne to the authoritie of the Pastor which he hath ioyned with the Elders of the Church whereof he is Pastor The Church hath alwayes had great care of prouision for the poore by which
after a Bishop he setteth vnder him the ordination of a Deacon Wherefore nisi quia episcopi Presbyteri vna ordinatio est vterque enim sacerdos But because the ordination of the Bishop and of the Presbyter Preeste or Elder is one for eyther of them is a sacerdotall or sacred Preeste But the Bishop is the first that euery Bishop might be a Presbyter Preest or Elder but not euery presbyter Preeste or Elder a Bishop For he is the Bishop which is the first or cheefe among the Presbyters Preestes or Elders To conclude hee signifieth that Timothie was ordeyned a Presbyter Preeste or Elder But because hee had no other before him he was a Bishop Whereupon he sheweth also in what manner he shoulde ordeyne a Bishop for it was not right or lawfull that the inferior might ordeyne the greater For no man giueth that that be hath not receyued c. And anone after he saith Let the Deacons bee the husbandes of one wife gouerning well their children and their owne houses For they that haue ministred well get vnto them selues a good degree and great confidence in the fayth which is in Christe Iesu. Those thinges that he spake of lesse in the ordeining of the deaconship hee hath nowe set them vnder and also sheweth that they ought their selues to bee the Husbandes of one Wife to the ende that they may bee chosen to the Ministerie of God that haue not gone beyonde the constitution of God For God decreed one Wife vnto a man with which wife hee shoulde be blessed For none is blessed with the second Who if they gouerne their children well and their houses that is their seruaunts and domesticalles they may be made worthy of the sacred preesthood I set not downe these wordes of Saint Ambrose that I allowe of his opinion against the second mariage or prohibition from the vse of the first in those that are Deacons But I alleage him to shewe howe hee is heere misse-vnderstoode to make two kindes of Deacons Whereas in very deede heere hee properly rather acknowledgeth but one kinde of Deacon which hee calleth the Minister or attendant on the Preeste or Elder Hee sayth in-deede But nowe there ought to bee seuen Deacons and some fewe Presbyters Preestes or Elders that throughout the Churches there may bee twayne and but one Bishop in a City So that he maketh heere but two distinct kindes of Ecclesiasticall ordeyninges the one of the Presbyters Preestes or Elders the other of the Deacons As for the Bishops hee maketh them to bee of the same ordeyning that are the Presbyters Preestes or Elders but the difference to bee in the dignitie of them That the Bishop is the first or cheefe aboue all the rest and but one Bishop in a Citie whereas the Elders are moe and all in dignity inferiour to the Bishop And these Elders not to bee Gouernours not medling with teaching but sacred or sacerdotall Elders both teaching and ministring the Sacramentes As for the Deacons hee maketh them all and alwayes so attendant on the Ministerie of the Bishops and Sacerdotall Elders and so continually giuen to Prayers that he woulde haue though to be maried yet altogether to absteine from their wiues Which though it were a greate ouershooting in so holy a father and direct contrary to the state of matrimonie and to the law of God and to the examples of all the holie auncient Preestes Prophets and Apostles and of the Bishops and Pastorall Elders as wee haue seene yet it clearely sheweth howe these Deacons were imployed not onely in the ministration vnto the poore but also in the attendaunce on the Bishop and on the Pastorall Elders in the deuine seruice and vpon necessitie or occasion to exercise the same their selueâ— also In so much that Hyperius calleth the Pastorall Elders and all vnder thâ— Bishops by the name of Deacons though hee distinguished Deacons into two kindes All which Testimonies both of this auncient Father and other so notable late writers duely considered it appeareth that this heere is not truely sayde of our Brethren that truely the Deacons office consisteth onely in ministration vnto the poore in that they be Deacons And this is all that their Learned Discourse discourseth on these Deacons From whome they nowe proceede to another Learned Discourse concerning Synodes The argument of the 14 Booke After all the foure Tretrarches haue all their seuerall ioynt offices and authorities assigned vnto them our Brethren heere enter the treatise of their Synods and assemblies First of the arising and repressing controuersies and of calling the ayde of Synodes there-vnto Of the promise of Christes presence Math. 18. Of the Pastors authoritie with the Synode Of the authoritie of calling and directing Councels and of the authoritie in determining controuersies Of the example in the assembly of the Apostles and Elders Acts. 15. And what the multitude did in that assemblie Of what persons a Synode consisteth of the order in that assemblie obserued Of the preheminence of one aboue the residue and whether this preheminence be of order only and not of authoritie Whether Iames his preheminence continued not but for the time onely of the Synode Of the Presidentes of Councels and of the Prolocutors authoritie Of the seuerall and ioynt-authoritie of Bishops and Arch-bishops Of the supremacie of Christian Princes ouer Counselles Of Bezaes graunt for this supremacie of the Prince and for the superioritie of Arch-bishops Metropolitanes and with what conditions Of the authoritie of Prouinciall councelles and that the matters lawfully decided in them are not to bee reuoked or controlled by inferior persons The rules of determining ceremonies The auoyding offences The Pastors knowledge of comelinesse order and aedification How farre the laity may herein informe the Pastors The Pastors dealing heerein toward the Elders that are not teachers Our Br dealing herein especially against christian Princes The christian Princes authoritie in ceremoniall constitutions Howe the Prince is vnder and ouer the Pastors in these matters How our Brethren reiect the Pince from hauing authoritie in making any Eccl. Constitutions with the Synodes because Synodes were holden before there were any Christian Emperors and of the force of that argument Of the Christian Princes before Christes comming and since his comming but before Constantine the great of the prefiguring their authoritie til they came Of the slaunder for absolutâ— authoritie Of Bezaes aunswers to this reason that there were no christian Princes And of the authoritie that Beza alloweth to Princes ouer Synodes The vnitie of ceremoniall constitutions Of our Brethrens reasons against vniformity in ceremonies as feeding and clothing yong and olde alike and as compelling men of ripe age to sucke the dugge to were biggins to carrie rattles and other childish bables Of Caluines rules for vniformitie in ceremoniall constitutions Of our brethrens reason against it that the land is not yet wholy conuerted to Christe Our brethrens assemblies for new orders
three yea their consistorie in their seuerall Churches or assemblies by this their owne confession haue diuers cases among them that I perceiue all they may bee so cumbred withall that they may bee driuen to pray the ayde of the Synode and may not a Synode yea a generall counsell disagree or agree and not conclude in diuerse cases and graunt they bee gathered together in the name of Christe and that hee is among them too Howebeit according to such measure of his grace and knowledge that perhaps they may not haue all cases reuealed vnto them or not agree vpon them And yet are Synodes and Counselles a verie excellent good meanes if they be gathered together in his name indeede and that it please God to open also those cases vnto them But nowe to let vs vnderstande further of whome this Synode shall consist and who shall determine these cases and gouerne the same they proceede and say With the Synode the Pastor hath authoritie to determine concerning the regiment of the Church Wherefore wee haue to inquire of what persons a Synode doth consist for which intent we finde in the historie of Actes 15.6 That when a greate controuersie arose concerning the ceremonies of the Lawe whether they were to bee vsed by those Christians that were conuerted of the Gentiles the Apostles and Elders came together to consider of this matter and that the people was not excluded appeareth by the twelfth verse the whole multitude beeing perswaded by the argumentes alleaged by Peter helde their peace and quietlie heard Paule and Barnabas declare what signes and wonders God had wrought by them amongest the Gentiles And leaste yee should vnderstande the multitude in that place for the multitude of the Apostles it followeth in the 22. verse Then it pleased the Apostles and Elders with the whole Church to choose certain men c. By which scripture we learne that the Synod◠consisteth principally of pastors Elders Teachers and men of Wisedome Iudgement and grauitie as it were of necessarie regents For although the whole multitude came together yet the Apostles Elders came together to inquire and consider of the matter in controuersy the multitude heard and for their better instruction and modestie submitted their consent vnto the determination of the Apostles and Elders All mens reasons were heard For there was greate disputation but the authoritie of Gods worde preuayled good order was obserued So after the matter was throughly discussed by the godlie argumentes alleaged by Peter and Barnabas and Paule the controuersie was concluded by the sentence of Iames to whome that prerogatiue was graunted not of singular authoritie but for orders sake Heere are three points touched by our Brethren First for the Pastors authoritie Secondlie of what persons the Synode consistes and thirdly who hath the prerogatiue therein aboue all the residue And first for authority of the Pastor they say with the Synode the Pastor hath authoritie to determine concerning regiment of the Church They begin heere mee thinkes vnder correction verie preposterously with the authority to determine in the Synode Whereas more orderlie they might haue begun with the beginning of the Synode and who hath authoritie to summon or call the same By authoritie of which summons they ought to assemble and meete together at time and place assigned and to direct them an order to proceede by For if the seuerall Churches and Bishops thereof be as our Brethren say all alike equal in the authoritie of these thinges then hath no one among them any authoritie to prescribe these thinges to any other and much lesse to many other or to all the seuerall Churches and Bishops in a kingdome The godly and auncient Emperors and Kinges had the cheefe partes of this authoritie in their Dominions ouer all Bishops and Churches in the olde time All the foure generall Councelles were summoned and assigned both time and place yea and the reuerende manner of their proceeding voyde of friuolous contentions by the godly Emperours Constantinus Theodosius Martianus c. Besides diuers prouinciall counselles All which is here not expressed but suppressed by our Brethren And I maruaile what they meane hereby Is it to put the Christian Prince out of this authoritie and to take and part it among these tetrarkes or to giue it to some one or fewe among them besides the Prince the Prince hauing so fayre presidents to shewe for it in the foresayd examples yea in the paterne of the olde Testament by Moses Iosue Samuel Dauid Solomon Iosaphat Iosias c. But of this we shall God willing anone see further what they giue or leaue to the Prince when we shall come thereto And since that heere we must skip ouer all the beginning and processe of the synode or councell and come to the determining or ending of it and the controuersies in it Let vs see vpon whome our Brethren will nowe bestowe this authoritie The Pastor say they hath authority to determine Whome meane they heere by the pastor any one pastor alone for that they say the pastor not the pastors or haue the pastors onelie this authoritie No say they but with the synode And hath the synode then the authoritie of determining with the pastor they sayde before that in their seuerall consistories the Elders or Gouernors had both the hearing examining and determining of all matters pertaining to discipline and gouernment of the congregation pag. 84. and the matter heere in hande is also of the authoritie to determine concerning regiment of the Church But what if the doubtfull and diuerse cases bee of doctrine and not onelie of the Regiment of the church shall the Elders or Gouernours that are no Teachers nor pastors determine then those cases as they say heere with the synode the pastor hath authoritie to determine whome meane they by this word synode which heere they doe thus distinguish from the pastor though in this authority they ioyne the one with the other Wherefore say they we haue to inquire of what persons a synode doth consist This indeede is the second point here touched and it is necessarie to be considered For if the synode shoulde consist of such persons as bee pastors then they can-not say the pastor hath authoritie with the synode the pastors them-selues beeing the synode for that were as much as to say a man hath ioint authoritie with him-selfe And did not they their selues confesse before euen on the other side of the leafe that a generall assemblie of all the pastors is called a synode or generall councell is it called so and is not so and if it bee so How is not the assemblie of the pastors themselues the synode it selfe But of whome nowe if not of the pastors doe they make a synode to consist For which intent say they wee finde 〈◊〉 Acts. 15. That when a controuersie arose concerning the ceremonies of the Lawe whether they were to bee vsed by those Christians that were
all thinges tyrannie be auoyded This preheminence and prerogatiue which they call of order can not be but of authoritie is the preheminenence and prerogatiue of the prolocutor in the conuocation or of the speaker or L. Chauncellor in the parliament of no authoritie This therefore is but méere dalliaunce of nice tearmes to say he hath preheminence and prerogatiue of order not of authoritie For what authoritie so euer it be or how farre so euer it stretcheth or is abbridged yet such as it is authoritie it is As for the tempering of this prerogatiue that in all thinges tyrannie be auoyded we like well of it And it is the thing that Beza before excepted But what meane they hereby Should it by and by be tyrannie if it be authoritie Is there no differâ—nce with our Brethren iâ— this preheminence betwéene authoritie and tyrannie Yea rather if it be of authoritie it is not of tyrannie Which say they meaning tyrannie wee see by experience easilie creepeth in vppon proude natures to whome if you graunt an ynche they will bee readie to take an ell according to the prouerbe This prouerbe indéede is so true that wee smartly abie the experience thereof At the first our Brethren striued for apparell and when some fauourable forbearance of them was for quietnesse sake winked at herein did they stay there No. But from thence they haue procéeded so farre as that nowe not onely the authoritie of the Bishoppes but the whole Communion booke must be turned out Not onely the exection of Consistorie Gouernors in euerie congregation must be brought in but the Princes supremacie must nowe giue place vnto them Yea of an inch that they desired before what a number of elles doe they nowe challenge and shall wee conclude as they doe that this is the tyrannie which easilie creepeth in vpon proude natures No I will not conclude so peremptorilie for charitie and reuerence sake against our Brethren but I conclude thus farre that this their incroching from one matter to another and to so important and daungerous matters is not good nor indéede sufferable And it is more than high time that it were by all godly and Christian meanes repressed But let vs returne to the authoritie of the Synode which consisteth in deciding and determining such matters as can not otherwise in particular Churches bee concluded eyther because they concerne the common state of all Churches or because they lacke sufficient authoritie in some one Churche First therefore the lawefull Synode hath to consider if anie controuersie of doctrine doo arise that it be determined by the woorde of GOD For in the controuersie of byndinge the Gentiles to the obseruation of the ceremoniall lawe was a matter of faythe and doctrine For the authoritie of the Synode vnderstanding the same to bee a synodall assemblie of pastorall Elders we graunt it consisteth especially in deciding and determining such Ecclesiasticall matters as can not otherwise in particular Churches be concluded And among other we allowe also of these reasons eyther because they concerne the common state of all Churches or of all Churches of that Diocesse Prouince or Realme or because they lacke sufficient authoritie and perhaps sufficient knoweledge in some one Churche to decide and determine them And thereupon wee also conclude that when the Synode hath in such godly manner 〈◊〉 is aforesaiâ—â— decided determined and concluded such matters that then it is not lawefull for â—â—y particular Churche of that Diocesse Prouince or Reâ—lme and much lesse to anie particular Ministers or Pastors and least of al to any of the people and lay men to call those matters so decided determined and concluded a fresh in question Of which thing if our Brethren shall well bethinke them it will I hope dissuaâ—e them from the renewing of â—any of those selfe same controuersies that in our lawfull Synodes hauing had sufficient authoritie thereunto haue béene alreadie after the foresaide godly manner decided determined and concluded Or if any of these controuersies haue not yet so expressely béene procéeded vppon they may at all times by Gods grace be so decided and determined to the tryall whereof wee are alwaies as readie as our Brethren if they wâ—uld then hâ—ld themselues sufficiently contented with the sufficient authoritie of the lawfull Synodes deciding determing and concluding of them And hereupon we ioyne againe with them in condition of this their owne conclusion That first therefore the lawfull Synode hath to consider if any controuersie of doctrine doe aâ—se that it be determined by the worde of God Iâ— this most willingly wee subscribe But where they adde For in the controuersie of binding the Gentiles to the obseruation of the ceremoniell lawe was a matter of faith and doctrine as we also graunt this that in that controuersie was a matter of faith and doctrine and a doctrine is also to be learned in all the ceremonies so with all we may not graunt that all the obseruations of the ceremoniall lawe were properly matters of faith and doctrine except we should confounde ceremonies and faith shadowes and substance thinges transitorie and permanent altogether Secondly it hath to determine of the vse of the ceremonie not of will without reason or grounde of scripture but vppon necessarie causes of auoyding offence and similitude of superstition of bearing with the weake of order and comelinesse and aedification So did the synode of the Apostles and Elders commaund for a time abstinencie from meate offred to Idols otherwise lâ—wefull in it selfe for offences sake and for auoyding of all pollution of Idolatrie Act. 6.20.29 And forbearing the weakenesse of the Iewes in abstinencie from eating of bloude and of strangled which was forbidden by God before Moses time to teach that childishe age of Gods people to abstaine from crueltie as in Gen. 9.4 such ceremoniall constitutions are but temporall and so long are to bee retayned as the cause continueth for which they were made So that if the weakenesse cease or be turned to obstinacie they are no loâ—ger to be retayned For this seconde point of the Synodes â—uthoritie we likewise graunt as much that it hath to determine of the vse of ceâ—emonies not of will without reason or grounde of scripture Neither haue done or doe our Synodes determine any vse of ceremonies to be vsed among vs of will without reason or without grounde of scripture but eyther they haue good ground of scripture or good reason or both for them But say they it must also be vpon necessarie causes of auoyding offence and similitude of superstition So farre as the causes shall be founde indéede to be necessarie causes they say well I conâ—esse But here againe we may not debarre the authoritie of Synodes determination of the vse of ceremonies for the auoyding of euery particular persons taking offence or miâ—taking the similitude of superstition They adde also of bearing
word this absolute authoritie wherewith by their leaue both vnciuilly and neyther so christianlike nor subiectlike as should beséeme them they burthen the ciuill christian Magistrate which is God be praysed ouer vs her most excellent Maiestie we shall then neuer reclayme them from their opinion nor let them to hold still what they please For we professe before hand at least I for my part that I can shew none nor I knowe of any such absolute authoritie that either we yéeld to the Prince or that the Prince claymeth in â—his our Church but set absolute aside and then that the ciuill christian Magistrate hath had and ought to haue some authoritie and that in the boundes thereof a supreme authoritie also we haue shewed by sufficient warrant of Gods holy word and euen héere not onely by the auncient Father Augustine but also euen by Bezaes owne approbation and pâ—oues therof where he minceth it most neyther can they nor all the woâ—ld elude this that we haue shewed thereon and this is it that we hold aâ—so of the Princes authority concerning the calling and gouerning of the Synodes what we holde further we shall come to it orderly afterwards but héere they tell vs what they hold We hold say they that the Synode of euery Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church Before of absolute authoritie they sayd they would be glad to learne how this authoritie was translated from the Church in which it was once lawfully vested vnto the ciuill christian Magisâ—rate These were too high words nor they can euer be able to shew it by sufficient warrant out of Gods holy word that the true Church of Christ was euer vested with absolute authoritie but alwayes reserued that vesture to her Lord and husband Iesus Christ. The Pope indéede and his Popish Church he like a proude Prelate and she like a malapert Maâ—ame striued which of them should reuest themselues with absolute authoritie a more royall robe then became them or any creature to be vested with The Queene sayth Dauid Psal. 45.10 did stand on thy right hand in a vesture of the golde of Ophir But least she should thinke her selfe vested with absolute authoritie he saith vnto her Hearken O daughter and consider and bow downe thine â—are forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord and reuerence thou him so that she is still vested with obedience and though with authoritie not with absolute But it seemeth that our Brethren aâ— better aâ—uised will now let go their former hold that they sayd the Church did hold for the vesting her with this vesture For héere they leaue out the word absolute and say onely that the Church hath authoritie which is a great deale more truly and warily spoken than before And yet héerein also me thinkâ— in another point they greatly ouer shoote themselues for where they say that the Synode of euery Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church leauing out quite and cleane the Prince whome they include not in the name of Synode but making the Prince another partie besides the Synode moue the question what is due to the Prince what to the Synode This is very much if I might not rather say this is very little or nought at all to make now the Christian Magistrate to haue no authoritie at all but be cleane excluded And that is more if the Christian Magistrate haue diuers Prouinces in his Dominions the Synode of euerie Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church he or his authoritie neyther in all nor in any of those his Prouinces being once so much as mentioned But what they meane by these spéeches following whereof some may be generall to all congregations some perticuler to certaine Churches let themselues a Gods name make their meaning playner for as yet I perceyue not such is my bulnesse how all congregations are bound to obserue the Decrees concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church that are decreed in the Synode of euery Prouince or that euery Prouince consisting but of certayne perticular Churches hath authoritie to make Decrees whereof some may be generall to all congregations What they intend héerein I can scarse ghesse except they would haue all Churches and congregations be bound to receyue the Decrees of the Synodes holden in Geneua or in some other Prouince that they like better and say they were of the number of those Decrees which they made to be generall to all congregations But as our Synodes prouinciall cannot make any such ceremoniall order to binde them or to binde generally the congregations or Churches of any other Princes Prouinces so haue they no more authoritie to make ceremoniall orders to binde our congregations and Churches thereunto For as it were to be wished that all places might be brought to one perfection so is it not alwayes necessarie that they bee lyke in all things This wish for perfection of vnitie in all places if the matter might go by wishing is to be liked so farre-foorth as perfection may be wished though hardly hoped for in the imperfection of this life in the Church militant and in the great varietie of ceremoniall orders in the sundry parts and Prouinces of the same howbeit in doctrine especially in the grounds and principles thereof it is to be wished for euen as necessary and although it be not alwayes necessary that all places be like in all things meaning ceremoniall orders and constitutions whereof before they spake yet for all places that be of one countrey state realme dominion or prouince it is farre better that all places were alike For although varietie in those things may stand with the vnitie of the faith and with the substance of our communitie in the corporation of the mysticall bodie of Christ which is his true and holy Catholike Church the communion of the Saincts yet if they be knit together in one order of these ceremoniall things also where they liue together vnder one Christian Magistrate it doth more confirme them in the other substantiall vnitie And the varietie is daungerous in one Church or kingdome euen in these more frée and inferior matters as with gréefe we sée in England at this day what destructions and contentions haue risen and dayly do rise in our Churches that otherwise in doctrine are vnited and yet the varietie of these ceremoniall orders hath with some called in suspition the vnitie of religion and with many hath disturbed if not broken the vnitie of our christian peace and concord And therefore excellently well are these two knitte together Cor vnum via vna one hart one way Zanchius noting the difference of these vnities in his Confession of Christian Religion Cap. 24. de Eccl. militante aphoris 14. 15. writeth thus For with what things
they not here make their Ecclesiasticall Gouernours and Elders to be no teachers and yet principall parts whereof the Synod consisteth and necessary regents yet when it commeth to the regencie indeede to be cleane excluded from all regencie and determining of these matters except they should determine that they knowe not What shall we say then whatsoeuer is decreed amongst them that is to say among these Bishops that must be called the determination of the whole Synode So that no man must be suffred to speake any thing agaynst it be it neuer so reasonable or agreeable to the word of God pag. 135. Tush what reason you any longer of reason or of agreeablenesse to the word of God Haue ye not your aunswere alreadie Who should bee able to knowe what order comelinesse and edification requireth according to Gods worde but they that be teachers and preachers of the same vnto all others What and will you take vpon you to bee teachers and preachers because ye are Ecclesiasticall gouernours and because ye are parts whereof the Synode consisteth or are ye so cranke that ye be necessarie regents What of all this we tell you agayne that since ye bee not teachers and preachers and so no Pastors nor Bishoppes It is absurd that they should bee taught by you which ought to learne the trueth of vs the Pastorall Bishops in all matters And therefore whosoeuer of you all will not subscribe to all such things as we the Bishops decree must bee excluded out of the Conuocation If this bee not to practise Lordship though not ouer the faith yet ouer al the Synode and ouer all the Churches in these matters no man being permitted to shewe any reason or scripture that inforceth his conscience to the contrary no not their Gouernors themselues to quitch for feare they should heere be snatched vp for halting but onely to hang vpon the authoritie of these newe vpstart Pastorall Bishops let some other declare what this meaneth and how farre this differeth from tyrannicall dominion from ordering all things at their pleasures as though the Gospell sprang from them or had come to them onely It sauoureth of nothing so much as of Popish tyrannie except of somewhat worse whereas otherwise it is well knowne that they are not all of the best learned but many of them very simple schollers nor all of longest studie but méere children or no students in Diuinity euen the other â—ay nor all of soundest iudgement nor able to iudge of many controuersies nor to iudge of or sound to the depth of these nor al of them sound nor soundly agreeing together in iudgement of them Nor all of the greatest zeale though it bee the greatest thing in them but according to knowledge not so great as testie Nor all of the best example but some good some bad and one with another as all other men and what followeth And therfore not meete how fayne soeuer they would and take it heâ—evpon them to bee the onely determiners in Eccl. matters to the preiudice of the whole Synod and of all the gouerning Elders that are parts of the whole Synode with them So playnly in all these thinges doe our Brethren euen in their owne words with a very little windlasse turning theÌ„ home agayne while they would powre out all these reproches on our Bishops reaching short of them spill them by the way and all to defile and beray them selues therewith As for our bishops as they neither take any such authoritie in the Synod vpon them ouer the Pastors as these Episcopall Pastors take vpon them ouer their gouerning Elders and so our Bishops preiudice not the whole Synod nor any part thereof as they do theirs nor our Synodes finde themselues preiudiced or agreeued with the authoritie of our Bishops but both our Bishops and our whole Synodes finde themselues sclaundered iniured defaced and so much preiudiced by these speeches and deuises of our Bretheren As among other this conclusion following is a great sclaunder of them Wherefore it is greatly say they to be desired that our Synodes also which are so farre out of order may bee reformed according to the Scripture and the example of the Primitiue Church That our Synodes are so farre out of order as our Bretheren pretend except they haue some fresh proues to come they haue not yet proued it This is but an apparant vntrueth and infamie of them The refourming of Synodes according to the Scripture and the example of the Primitiue Church so farre as the Scripture giueth either rule or example of them is alreadie in practise if our Bretheren would bee thankfull to God for it As for the particuler abuses they may much more easily be refourmed than by such Synodes and Councels as are heere deuised That all things say they may bee done with such modestie grauitie and iudgement as they were by the Apostles and Elders Act. 15. Yea forsooth this at length is a good finall conclusion and determination of this matter I am glad our Bretheren yet after all these ruffling stormes end thus caulmelie with this wholesome aduice of modestie grauitie and iudgement Which three poynts if they had all this while set before them at least wise if they had followed them they would neuer thus lauishly haue defaced all our Synodes and Conuocations with all the Bishops the Pastors and other officers in them albeit there had bene some defects or abuses of them which might with modestie grauitie and iudgement bée well reformed the lawes and orders of them already established with the Bishops Pastors and officers authorities reserued remayning intier and still continuing The argument of the 16. Booke IN this last Booke after their profession that they haue now set forth the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie with all the dueties and authorities perteyning to these fower tetrarches they here graunt that the place requireth to treate of the Ciuill Magistrates authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters First of the right vnderstanding the title of the Princes supremacie and how farre forth they will moue no controuersies thereof Of their graunt to the Princes supremacie ouer the Ecclesiasticall persons with their cautions of the Popes supremacie and of Princes casting off the Popes yoke Of the Princes supremacie also in the matters Ecclesiasticall and of the Pastors supremacie therein aboue the Prince and of the Popes presumption in these matters Of the Princes authoritie in making lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and of their exception for not confounding the Princes and the Pastors offices and of the Pastors consent VVhether the Princes authoritie reach no further than to make ciuill lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters And how farre the Pope also allowed Princes to make such lawes VVhether the Princes authoritie stretch not to their dealing in the making of Ecclesiasticall lawes but onely for the charge to obserue them that by the Clergie are alreadie made and for the bodily punishment of those that violate them whether this bee
any more than the very Papistes and the Pope graunteth and whether euen this also doe not touch these learned discoursers Of the authoritie and dealing of the auncient Princes besore Christes comming and of the Christian Princes since his comming Of our Bretherens reuerence to the auncient Christian Princes in the Romaine Empyre and in the Kingdoms of France Spayne and of this our Britanie Of the Emperours authoritie dealings in Ecclesiasticall matters in the greatest Councels and of their Ecclesiasticall sanctions Of the French Kings authoritie and dealing in the same Of the authoritie and dealings of the Kings in Spayne Of the authoritie and dealing of the Kings in England and of tâ—e Ecclesiasticall lawes of the auncient Saxon Kings Of the Princes dealing herein by the aduice of their learned Clergie and whether their aduice inferre their sole superiour authoritie Of the Princes seruice of God their father and seruing the coÌ„moditie of the Church their mother Of the testimonies of Esa 49.23 Psalm 2.11 1. Tim. 2.2 and of the Papistes and our Bretherens applying the same How farre the endes and benefites of a Prince doe stretch and how the Prince is both a childe and yet withall a foster father or Nurse vnto the Church All which being declared for the authoritie of the Prince our Bretheren make their Epilogus of all this learned discourse First concerning their owne perswasion for this prescribed forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment to bee agreeable to Gods word and coÌ„senting to the example of the Primitiue Church And of their auouching that they be able so to proue it and of their promise that when occasion shall serue they will proue it so to bee Of their solemne protestation why in the meane tyme they set foorth this learned discourse and what they seeke herein And of the true way to reformation And of their mouing them that be in authoritie to put this prescribed forme in practise And of their offering vp their bookes hereof vnto the Parliament And how this doing is cleane contrary to the chiefest positions in this learned discourse And of renewing agayne these controuersies by disputation And of the euent of this forme if it should be embraced And of their desire that either this forme prescribed or if not this yet the like may be receiued and how vncerteyne this desire of theirs is and how we may or may not see and iudge what is the vttermost of their desires herein Of their sclaunders of the present state and that wee are the aduersaries of Gods trueth and how wee be hinderers of their proceeding to reformation And of this learned discourse to be their publike testimoniall to the present age and that the posteritie may know that the trueth in this tyme was not vnknowne nor vntestified concerning the right regiment of the Church and whether this can be knowne hereby yea or no. Of their disordered speeches agaynst our regiment of the Church and whether it be receiued of the most parte of Poperie and how this redoundeth on our Bretheren How they accuse theirs and our godly fathers of neglecting in this poynt for deliuering our Ecclesiasticall regiment to their children without contradiction and how preiudiciall they complayne that this is vnto them Last of all of their conclusion by prayer to God for the pacification of these matters AND now that we haue set forth the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie according to the word of God with all the dueties and authorities that perteyneth vnto it the place requireth that wee should also intreate of the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate in matters Ecclesiasticall THankes bee giuen to God that now at length our Bretheren here confesse for I hope they say it not for a vaunt that they haue set foorth the whole Ecclesiasticall Ministerie with all the dueties and authorities that perteyne vnto it So that if now either they themselues or any other among them adde any thing or alter any thing of the dueties or of the authoritie of the Ecclesiastical Ministerie then is either this or that conuinced not to bee the whole Ecclesiasticall ministerie nor all the dueties and authorities that perteyne vnto it as here they say this is But we haue seene in perusing this their learned discourse in how many things and those of moment materially perteyning to the Ecclesiasticall ministerie and to the dueties and authorities of the same how they haue often altered and varied one from another and runne into playne contradictions besides a number of other and other manner of poyntes that I could gather and set downe and GOD willing shall at large if our Bretheren shall call for them onely now I note a fewe of those that this learned discourse hath led me vnto And therefore either their other discourses or this their learned discourse is not altogether as here they say according to the word of God And now sith that they haue discoursed and set foorth the whole and all that they could or would for their Ecclesiasticall ministerie and all the dueties and authorities perteyning vnto it I beseech thee which art the Protestant reader hereof in the feare of God bearing thy selfe euen indifferently as to those that on either parte though dissenting in these matters the one from the other yet in the substance of Religion and vnitie of faith are both of vs thy deare and true Bretheren in Christ because wee on either hand may fauour too much our owne parties and be caried away in the heate of our disputes that thou wilt vouchsafe so neere as God shall giue thee grace and an vnderstanding heart to bee a true Iudge and an vpright vmpeere betweene all them God knowes who and how many that call them selues all the faithfull ministers that seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of England on the one partie and euen poore myne owne selfe God wotte in this action on the other partie and betweene their learned discourse as they intitle it of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and my vnlearned as I confesse and course aunswere thereunto setting aside for the whyle all fauour and partialitie which disturbe a cleere iudgement euen as GOD shall helpe thee and be thy true Iudge and so I commit and commend it to Gods good speeding and to thy indifferent reading weighing and iudging of it And here now when our Bretheren haue thus to the full discoursed on the whole Ecclesiasticall ministerie and all the dueties and authorities that perteyne vnto it at length they begin to finde some leisure to bethink themselues of the Christian Prince and to giue him yet some remaynder at least in the last lapping vp of all this learned discourse So that if the Christian Princes haue not the blessing before hande so plentifully powred foorth as vppon Iacob to haue the dewe of heauen and fatnesse of the earth and to bee Lordes ouer their Bretheren and honoured of their mothers children yet as one borne out of tyme as
they say by three hundred yeeres and comming later they shall not yet bee cleane forgotten but shall haue at least a portion of Esaus blessing so farre foorth that they shall haue also a dwelling place in the fatnesse of the earth and somewhat also of the dewe from heauen aboue Yet they shall haue their liuing by the sworde but they must serue their Brothers till they get the maystrie and breake their Brothers yoake from their neckes And if they hold not themselues content with this blessing let them goe further and fare worse they get no more heere For their Bretheren haue come before them and gotten away the blessinges from them All the whole gouernment of Ecclesiasticall matters is giuen and parted into fower partes and is made a fayre tetrarchie of Doctor the Pastor the Gouernour and the Deacon these fower haue forestalled in their seuerall shares and Iurisdiction the gouernement and ordering of all Ecclesiasticall matters But yet since there is a fifte parte of something left and reserued for the Christian Prince let vs see what that portion is and how our Bretheren will also ordeyne and dispose thereof And now saye they that wee haue set foorth the whole Ecclesiasticall ministerie c. The place requireth that wee should also intreate of the authoritie of the Ciuill Magistrate in matters Ecclesiasticall The place required this long before But let vs now take it while it is offered least no place at all be left to the Christian Princes Of the title of the Princes supremacie if it be truely vnderstood we moue no controuersie but that it doth properly apperteyne to the ciuill Magistrate to bee the highest gouernour of all persons within his dominion so that the soueraigne Empyre of GOD bee kept whole If the authoritie of the Christian princes supremacie be good the title expressing the same authoritie is good also And so vise versa if the title be good the authoritie of the princes supremacie is likewise good But what meane they by this caution that they say of the title of the Princes supremacie if it be rightly vnderstood For if they denie the vnderstanding of it as her Maiestie her predecessors and the Parliament and the whole Realmes and Churches both of England and of Ireland do vnderstand it then do they flatly deny that supremacie which her Maiestie claimeth and hath and that both her Predecessors her Maiesties most renowmed Father claimed recouered and had and which also her Maiesties most godly Brother claymed and had and that the Parliament and the whole Realmes Churches of England and Ireland doe owe acknowledge and yéeld vnto her Maiestie as they did before to her foresaide most noble predecessors And how then do they mooue no controuersie of it Which to call in question considering withall besides the manifest right in the law of God the daunger of the penall lawes of this Realme prouided by statute were very dangerous for theÌ„ to do besides the euill offence and example to the Papists that would gladly lie in the wind for such aduantage that some of the Protestants themselues should now beginne to moue controuersies first of the title and then of the authoritie of the christian Princes supremacie in Eccl. matters and then of the vnderstanding of it as though it had bin all this while not rightly vnderstood or but ambiguously which is so cleare both in the matter it self by the statutes thereon by diuerse that haue written set forth the same plainly against the wrangling Papists and by open declaratioÌ„s in arraignments of those that haue worthily suffred for their obstinate deniall of the same that almost no controuersie is made more cleare plaine than is the vnderstanding therof And do our Br. come in now at length after all their putting backe the speaking of it with granting to it with this exception If it be rightly vnderstood Then I perceaue they moue controuersie also of it for the right vnderstanding thereof Well what then For we would not haue them yéeld to it otherwise If it be rightly vnderstood say they we moue no controuersie of it but that it doth properly appertaine to the ciuill Magistrate to be the highest gouernor of all persons within his dominion so that the soueraigne Empire of God be kept whole This is a verie good vnderstanding of yâ— caueat so that the soueraigne Empire of God be kept whole God forbid that should be violated inuaded or any iot thereof diminished by the Prince Neither doth her Ma. or did her most worthy father or brother take vpon them or we acknowledg any other supreme gouernment And therefore for our Brethr. her Ma. loyall subiectes to cast forth such exceptions vnnecessarily and where no cause is thereby although to moue no controuersie yet to ingender suspition that her Maiesty her Father and her Brother claymed the title of supremacy otherwise than that the soueraigne Empire of God might be kept whole this being one of the chiefest causes of their and her claime euen that the soueraigne Empire of God might be kept whole or that we do otherwise yéeld to any supremacy of the Prince this is neither here in them or in any other dutifully done but iniurious both to her Maiesty and to all her obedient subâ—ects that do yéeld it But since they will néedes héere make this exception protesting that they moue no question of the title of the Princes supremacy if it be rightly vnderstood and that this right vnderstanding is onely this so that the soueraigne Empire of God be kept whole go to then and let vs also haue this rightly vnderstood withall so that none of all these four Tetrarcks Doctor Pastor Gouernor nor Deacon for whome they contend be vnderstood to be God nor their Empire for Gods Empire If they say this can not well be graunted bycause though they be not God personally nor so their Empire Gods Empire yet they be God representatiuely as Gods Ministers and deputies ouer his houshold and so their Empire or authoritie is Gods Empire bycause it is Gods ordinance and therefore Gods Empire is still by them kept whole doth not all this fitte the Prince also are not Princes in that representatiue sense called Gods as Dauid sayth Psalme 82. God standeth in the assembly of Gods and iudgeth among Gods and I sayd ye are Gods and so God himselfe sayd to Moses concerning Aaron He shall be as thy mouth and thou shalt be to him as God Exod. 4. ver 16. and Rom. 13. It is sayd of the Prince he is Gods minister and his power is the ordinance of God But our Brethren haue yet another restraint for they will graunt all this in manner aforesaid howbeit they go no further héere than for the persons for which they will moue no controuersie but that it doth properly apperteyne to the ciuill Magistrate to be the highest Gouernor of all persons within his
dominion And do they héere acknowledge then in this vnderstanding the title of the Princes supremacie nothing else but that it doth properly appertaine to the ciuil Magistrate meaning the soueraigne Christian Prince to bee the highest gouernour of all persons within his dominion Well this is yet farre more than the blind and rebellious Papists will graunt Howbeit in some respect they will graunt thus much also But shal the Prince be gouernor likewise of them that properly must be called Gouernors And why not if he must be aboue the Pastor also which is aboue them Howbeit all this is granted here as yet no further than for the persons No is This is but halfe of the title of the Princes supremacie Where is the matter wherin this supremacy doth consist that is to say in al matters or causes so well eccl as tēporall This is the materiall part of this title no lesse necessary than other of the persons is the chiefest point of this controuersie betwixt the Papists vs. And do our Br. now begin to stay here another while at this Thē we may make a faire piece of work What is this part forestalled vp already by any of the former tetrarkes Indéede they saide very suspitiously to the matter pag. 84. Therefore there ought to be in euery Church a Consistory or Seignory of Elders or Gouernors which ought to haue the hearing examination and determining of all matters pertaining to discipline and gouernment of that congregation Yea but say they that sentence goeth further which authoritie of theirs neuerthelesse ought to be moderated Or else say I farwell cleane the Princes supremacy in al eccl matters if these Gouernors authoritie in all matters pertayning to discipline gouernmēt of that cōgregatiō be not moderated and y◠wel moderated Yes say they it ought to be moderated that their iudgement may be rightly accounted the iudgement of the holy Church Yea but say I how is it moderated that it do not debarre the supremacie of the Prince in all these matters Which thing say they cōsisteth in these 2 points first that the Elders be elected chosen by consent of all the cōgregation mē of godlines wisdom in whō the whole church reposeth such cōfidence that they cōmit vnto thē their authoritie in hearing determining such matters as without horrible confusion they can not performe themselues Why but al this while what is this to any point of the Princes autoritie in all this matter Is there no better prouiso for the Prince in the 2. point of moderating the authority of these gouernors in Eccl. matters The 2. point say they for moderation of the Elders authoritie in such sort that their sentence may be the sentence of the Church is this that whē the Consistory haue trauelled in examining of causes pertaining to Eccl discipline agreed what iudgmēt ought to passe vpō the matters they propound it to the whole multitude that it may be confirmed Yea is all the wind in that dore Still the whole multitude The whole Church The whole congregation As though all the authoritie in Eccl. matters commeth from them as from the spring and floweth to thē as to the Sea They make the gouernors which gouernors must with the Pastors make all the lawes must heare determine of all matters pertayning to discipline to gouernment of that congregatiō and whē they haue so don al must be again referred to that cōgregation to the whole multitude of them that it may be confirmed by their consent What and must it not come a litle higher after them to be at least propounded also to the Prince that it may be also confirmed by his consent No no no beware that of all things if it be once confirmed by the multitude of that congregation it hath passed all his confirmations and can haue no more godfathers except it come to a Synode But there we haue already heard how the Prince hath sped except that now we shall heare of any more For there are some matters yet left to the Prince for his supremacie to consist in or else besides a bare title it is meere nothing no not of the persons neither vnlesse withall it be in some matters Well but they will not yet tell vs of these matters til afterwards But thus farre they haue acknowledged for the persons that the Prince is the highest gouernour of all persons within his dominion Would not this haue bin very well necessarily ioyned together vnto it to know in what matters he is the highest of all the persons Or else they may moue what controuersie on the supremacie they shall please or cleane deny it But since they will stay a while vpon the supremacie ouer all persons in the Princes dominions that with this prouiso if it be rightly vnderstood so that the soueraigne Empire of God be kept whole let vs stay also to go together with them and consider what stop or limax this is that stayes them here in their procéeding from the persons to the matters But herein resteth all the doubt how this is truly to be vnderstood that shall wee best vnderstand by the contrarie namely by the vsurped tyrannie of Antichrist For Antichrist did chalenge vnto himselfe all authoritie both that which is proper to God and that which is common to men Therefore that the Pope claymed to be the onely head of the Church from which the whole bodie receiued direction and was kept in vnitie of faith this was blasphemous against Christ therfore may not be vsurped of any ciuil Magistrate no more than by the pope Likewise where he chalengeth authoritie to alter change dispence with the commandement of God to make new articles of fayth to ordaine new Sacraments c. This is also blasphemous ought not to be vsurped of any ciuill prince on the other side where he chalengeth authoritie ouer all princes and so ouer all the Clergie that hee did exempt them from the ciuill iurisdiction this is contumelious and iniurious against all Christian kinges And therefore euerie prince in his owne dominion ought to cast off the yoake of his subiection and to bring all Eccl. persons vnto his obedience and iurisdiction Here haue we the first part of the title of supreme gouernment ouer all persons If all the doubt resteth herein how this is truly to be vnderstoode that the soueraigne Empire of God may be kept whole then is the supremacie that her Ma. holdeth and that we acknowledge due properly appertayneth to the Prince without all doubting of the matter And if our Brethren wil acknowledge all that supremacie vnto the Prince saue that supremacie which is proper to God and saue that supremacie or rather tyrannie which the Pope chalenged and vsurped or which is agréeable thereunto we should soone agrée herein without moouing any controuersie or doubt of this matter Yea this should soone
those thinges do appertaine onely to him and the generall Councell And here we beséech our Brethren confessing thus much against the pope as it becommeth good subiectes to their prince to aduise theÌ„selues withall of their former vnaduised spéeches pag. 9 10.84.85.117.1â—8.119 in which places besides their hard termes of Christian princes doe they not giue vnder the name of the Church her authoritie the knowing the hearing the examining the determining the iudging and the punishing of all matters and causes pertayning to discipline gouernment of the Church either to their pastors and teachers or to the Seignories of their gouernors And what differeth this from forbidding princes to meddle with reformation of Eccl. matters or to make lawes pertayning to causes of religion aunswering them that those thinges do appertayne only to them and to their consistories and to their particulaâ— Synodes or generall Councell But when he say they meaning the pope coÌ„meth to debate any thing with his Clergie theÌ„ all lawes and knowledge are inclosed in the closet of his breast And is this any more than to say not onely to the Prince but also to their owne consistorie gouernors of whom their Synodes consist as well as of themselues pag. 117. who should be able to knowe what order comlines aedification requireth according to Gods word but they that be teachers preachers of the same vnto all others For it is absurde that they should be taught by such in these small thinges as ought to learne the truth of in all matters This authoritie therfore can not be graunted vnto any ciuill Christian Magistrate that without consent of the learned Pastors and Elders yea against their consent of whom as in some respect he is a feeling member he may lawfully make ceremoniall constitutions whereby the Church must bee gouerned in meere Eccl. matters Sith therfore they turne al this against the Prince is not this as much as when they come to debate any thing with their Clergie Gouernors that theÌ„ all lawes knowledge is inclosed in the closet of their breasts both from the Prince and from their owne Clergie and Eccl. Gouernors Is not this as much as when they holde their generall Counsels or Prouinciall that all the authoritie must come from them For except they doe allow it it is nothing And how farre differs this froÌ„ the Popes conceit that they also are growen so wise that neither with counsell nor without the Councel they can erre or think amisse in Eccl matters Had they a generall Councell of all those that they call the faithfull ministers that composed this Learned discourse of Eccl. gouernment Well yet there is here some good hope that when our Brethr. shall haue better bethought theÌ„ of these things which they mislike in the Pope debarring the right interest of Christian Princes the verie vggly sight thereof will be as a glasse vnto theÌ„ to sée mislike their owne spéeches and doings in taking vpon them though not the verie same yet so like presumption and vsurpation especially so many and so little states as they are farre inferiour to the Pope and at the verie first péeping out of them yea before they are come to that they would haue thus to insult not onely on the Bishops and to come and set out lawes before themselues are called vnto such authoritie but also thus to blemish and deface the Christian Princes authoritie to abase and debarre it to examine and determine yea to encroch vpon the right and interest in these matters of all Christian Princes and of their owne most godly and gracious Soueraigne But since the sight of their own description of the Popes presumptioÌ„ vsurpation doth begin here to make them stoupe somwhat to the Princes supremacy let them now in good time likewise remember their own sayings pag. 77. 78. where speaking also of the Pope whose intollerable presumption say they as we haue long since banished out of this land so wee wish that no steppe of such pride and arrogancie might bee left behinde him namely that no Elder or Minister of the Churche marke these your owne wordes well good Brethren and turne them not so off against our Bishops that ye forget your selues should chalenge vnto himselfe or accept it if it were offered vnto him any other authoritie than that is allowed by the spirit of God but chiefely to beware that he vsurpe no authoritie which is forbidden by the word of God For wherefore do we detest the Pope and his vsurped supremacie but bycause he arrogateth the same vnto himselfe not onely without the warrant of Gods word but also cleane contrarie to the same Now if the same reasons and authorities that haue banished the Pope do serue to condemne all other vsurped authoritie that is practised in the Church why should not all such vsurped authoritie be banished as well as the Pope we can alleage against the Pope and rightly that which S. Iohn Baptist did aunswere to his disciples No man can take vnto himselfe any thing except it be giuen him from heauen Ioh. 3.27 and that saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes No man can take vpon him any honor in the Church of God but he that is called of God as was Aaron in somuch that Christ himselfe did not giue himselfe to be an high Priest but he that sayd vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee He sayth in another place Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Now seeing these rules are so generall that the Sonne of God himselfe was not exempted from them but shewed foorth the decree wherin he was authorized by what rule can any man reteyne that authoritie in the Church of God that is not called therunto by the word of God All these words haue our Brethren alleaged triumphantly against the Bishops whose authoritie we haue séene to be throughly grounded on the word of God But for their Consistorie Gouernors to whome they giue such great authoritie we haue as yet after all this shuffling coniecturing pulling and haling of the Scripture of the auncient Fathers and of the old Churches practise to found it vpon we could not yet finde vpon better view therof so much as one good and substantiall proofe or authoritie for it or the example but of one such man And as for their Pastors if none be Pastors but such as are ordeyned after the forme by themselues set downe Pag. 125. saying this is the right election and ordeyning of Pastors grounded vpon the word of God when we come to search better in the word of God we finde not one Pastor so elected and ordeyned And as for their selues these faithfull Ministers none of them neyther that I can learne of were so elected and ordeyned and so they haue eyther no right calling nor authoritie at all but are méere intruders yea méere lay men or else that authoritie that they
ministerie of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be prositable for aedifying of the Church of Christe and the aduauncement of the glory of God If any shall offend against the Lawes whether he be a Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which hee shoulde not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate They haue not yet eyther by these or by ought else before spoken made it appeare howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermedle with causes ecclesiasticall And howe their supreme authoritie therein which is farre higher then onely intermedling stretcheth As for the things which heere as a recapitulation they set downe are nothing so much as they graunted before For although they say that it is the cheefest point of their duetie to haue especiall regard that God may bee glorified in their Dominion yet that doth not shewe what especiall authoritie they haue therein and how farre foorth they haue it If they say that they do this in the conclusion following these wordes And therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the Sacraments and to all Eccl. orders What haue they graunted heere to her Maiestie but the onely making of ciuill Lawes and thus the conclusion when all comes to al is not so much as that they graunted before or at leaste made vs a shewe thereof And yet they made to great daintie in the graunt thereof with so many exceptions which graunt notwithstanding we gladly accepted at their handes and made much of it that it is not onely lawfull but also necessarie for princes if they will doe their duetie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so that we confounde not the offices of the Prince and the Pastor Heere euerie man that meaneth no subtiltie woulde straight haue thought that as the pastor hath some part of looking to the reformation of religion and of making Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall pertayning to the office of a pastor distinct from the office of a prince so the prince also hath some parts of looking to the reformation of religion of making lawes of matters Eccl. pertaining to the office of a prince distinct from the office of a pastor And that although the partes of eyther of their offices be distinct yet in the verie looking to that reformation of Religion and to the verie making of those Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall they both of them dointermeddle which is the terme that their selues euen héere do vse But see nowe what a fayre gift our Brethren haue héere graunted It is lawfull and necessarie for Princes to make Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall What Lawes Forsooth they ought to make ciuill lawes to bind the people vnto the confession of true faith and the right administring of the Sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders Yea forsooth in this last and third point lieth chiefely the question of making lawes But haue they any stroke in making lawes of any those Eccl. orders No but onely that they being instructed by the word of God through the ministery of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be profitable to the edifyeng of the Church and the aduancement of the glorie of God should bynde the people to them What should they make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to them before that they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall or howe can they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall doth the scripture make all the lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall that are made or is the ministerie of the preaching of the same a sufficient instruction for the Prince to take them for Ecclesiasticall lawes bycause they put him to vnderstand that they be profytable for edifying the Church of Christ and aduancement of the glorie of God so that what they shall say as profitable héereunto that is a lawe or he must so take it or else still I demaund who had the authoritie to make those lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall except they shall say they were all made before there were any christian Princes which was theyr former refuge Albeit Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon c. will ouer-reach that shift for they had a stroke euen in the verie making of Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders them selues and not onely in the making of ciuill lawes for Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders to bynde the people vnto them and so had also dyuers Christian Princes since Christes time many of whose lawes are Ecclesiasticall lawes themselues and Canons of the Church in the Canon lawe and not onely ciuill lawes made to binde the people to keepe the Canon lawes or Ecclesiasticall orders and such also are diuers lawes of the auncient Bryttish and English Kings in this Realme and the Epistle of Eleutherius himselfe if it be his giueth Lucius no lesse authoritie But is this all that our Brethren will allow to Christian Princes and no further authoritie than this yes If any shall offend against the lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer beside the Ecclesiastical censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate And is this againe all that we shall get more than before we got for the supreme authoritie of the Christian Prince in Ecclesiasticall matters and what more is héere graunted to the Prince than the verie Papists yea than the Pope himselfe as proude and iniurious to Princes as he is will graunt vnto them to make ciuill lawes for the defence of the lawes Ecclesiasticall that he and his Cleargy onely do make making the Princes to be the onely punishers and as it were their executioners of iustice vpon them that shall offend against their lawes This they can well allow and like that Princes should haue authority to punish the offender in body besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which the offender shall not escape at their hands and for this cause they call the Emperour the Churches aduocate and the Pope himselfe yéelded this title to King Henry the eyght to be called the defender of the faith and will our Brethren yéeld no better supremacy nor greater authority to christian Princes and so to her Maiesty than the Papists and the very Pope wil offer to yéeld her so that her Maiesty will but make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to their lawes and Ecclesiasticall orders that the Pope and his Cleargie shall make and that if any shall offend in body against his lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate all this doth the Pope offer to all the Princes in theyr dominions that haue not cast off the yoke of his subiection but liue in greatest seruitude vnder him and yet our new Pastors make all this mincing to graunt but thus
which done asking of them if euery man consented thereunto when with great acclamations and prayses of him they aunswered that it was the consents of them all then he confirmeth the same and setteth out a Statute thereupon As for particular lawes and orders Eccl. that both he and diuers other Emperors especially Iustinian made I referre them to the declaration of the ciuill Canon Lawyers There is almost no Church matter whereof the Emperours namely Iustinian hath not some Ecclesiasticall constitution or other on the same which Iustinian also in the Counsell that he held at Constantinople where he made the Archb. Mennas President Mennas concluding the Counsell saith that none of those things that are to be moued in the Church ought to be done without the Princes will and commaundement Thus as we sée that the Emperours had this authoritie in Eccl. matters so graunt this to be lawfull in them and this lawfulnesse stretcheth to all Christian Princes in their dominions And therefore where our Brethren say the same order we reade also to be obserued by the christian Kings of Fraunce and Spayne yea of this our Brittanie also in gouerning their Eccl. state by the aduice of the Cleargy of their dominion it was the same order indéede that was obserued of these Emperours which these Kings also did obserue and bycause it was the same therefore was it not the same that our Brethren say it was but a farre greater authoritie and intermedling and not onely to allow that that the Cleargy had determined and to punish them that impugned those orders but also to deale so farre-foorth in ioyning with the Cleargy for the very making of Ecclesiasticall lawes as the foresaid Emperours had before done and for a while after did still continue as we reade of Constantine Pogonatus who called together the Byshops to a generall Counsell at Constantinople against the Monothelits sitting as President with his Nobles in the same Counsell where the Deputy for the Byshop of Rome among other also agréed and acknowledged the Sea of Rome to be subiect vnto him and humbly besought the Emperour to commaund those that tooke part with the Byshop of Constantinople to shew from whence they receyued their new speeches and erroneous opinions whereupon the Emperour commaundeth Macarius Byshop of Antioch to aunswere and in the next Session he reasoneth himselfe with Macarius and in the third action when the Byshop of Romes Legate being there but a partie plaintise had espied forgerie in the Synodall bookes that were read of the fift generall Counsell the Iudges though lay men examined and found out the same by the Emperours commaundement and when the Byshop of Constantinople besought the Emperour that the letters of Agatho Byshop of Rome might also be read the Emperour graunted thereunto In which letters the Byshop of Rome sheweth his obedience to the Emperour for the effectuall accomplishing of his precepts in sending of méete persons to that Counsell excusing himselfe that he could do it no sooner by reason of the great circuit of hys Prouince protesting withall that he sendeth his Legates euen for the dutifull obedience that he oweth to the Emperour And after the confession of his faith in the controuersie he acknowledgeth the Emperour to occupie heere in earth the place and zeale of Iesus Christ and that he ought to giue the right iudgemēt for the Euāgelical Apostolical truth Now after the Emperour had thus sitten his selfe in the examining and discussing of diuers actions sessions in that Counsell as at large in the discourse therof appeareth and after his departure his deputes in the end when all was done Macarius deposed and the chosing of another Archbishop in his place referred to the Emperours pleasure and that the whole Synode offered vp to the Emperour their definition of the controuersie subscribed with all their hands and be séeching him to examine and confirme the same the Emperour hauing perused it and demaunding whether it were their vniforme consent vpon their confessions therof the Emperour aunswereth we haue read this definition and we also do giue our consent thereto And euen as much as all this commeth to we reade of the christian Kings both of Fraunce and Spaine and of this our Britany also in gouerning their Eccl. state which are the thrée kingdoms that our Brethren héere specifie Clodoueus euen the first Christian King of Fraunce in the Counsell that he called and held at Aurelia when he had propounded matters for the Counsell to consult and determine vpon they obeying the Kings commaundement refer againe their conclusions to the Kings iudgement And this authoritie doth Gunthranus the French King declare in his Edict set foorth in the Counsell of Matiscone concerning the Princes office in causing his people to be trained vp in true Religion and godly discipline protesting this charge is of God committed vnto him wherein also he declareth vnto the Byshops their office and concludeth that it was he which caused the Decrees to be made that were determined vpon in that Counsell touching discipline and ceremonies to be defined he confirming the same by his Edict thereon Charlemaine likewise as Nauclerus sheweth in a Counsell that he called sitting with many of his Nobles in the Counsell not only sayth he called the same that they should giue him good aduice how the law of God and the Churches Religion should be restored but he declareth also what ordinances he together with them had made to thateffect We did saith he ordeyne Byshops throughout the Cities by the counsell of the Priests and of my Noblemen and we did constitute Bonifacius to be the Archb. ouer them We haue also decreed a Synode to be called together euery yeere that the Decrees of the Canons and lawes of the Church may in our presence be reformed c. We haue degraded the false Priests Deacons and Clearks being adulterers and fornicators and haue driuen them to penance We haue vtterly forbidden all manner of hunting and hawking to the Cleargy We also decree that euery Preest dwelling in the Diocese be subiect vnto his owne Byshop and that alwayes in Lent he make an account and shew to the Byshop the manner and order of his ministerie c. In like manner Charles the great calling a Synode at Arles when they had decreed all their matters they decree this withall that all their doings should be presented to Charles the great that where any defects are in their Decrees he would supply the same by his wisedome and if any thing be otherwise than well that he would amend it by hi◠iudgement and that which is well he would ratifie and assist it by his authoritie Where they say in the 45. Canon that for the amending of all those abuses which the Counsell found to be in Eccl. matters the kings mind must be knowne The like they do at the Counsell which he called
at Cabellinum especially in the Counsell that he held at Mentz where the Counsell craueth his ayde and confirmation of such Articles as they had agréed vpon so that he iudge them worthy to be confirmed beséeching him to cause that to be amended that is found to be worthy of amendment Which Counsell also giueth God thanks that he had giuen vnto his Church a Gouernour godly and deuout in his seruice who in his time opening the fountaine of godly wisedome doth continually feede the sheepe of Christ with holy foode instructeth them with diuine knowledge c. And in his Edicts set out not only to the Layty but to the Cleargy he writeth thus Charles by the grace of God King and Gouernour of the Kingdome of Fraunce c. Wherefore I thought good to moue you O yee Pastors of Christes Churches ye leaders of his flocke and cleere lights of the world that ye would trauaile with vigilant care and diligent admonition to guide Gods people through the Pastures of eternall life c. Therefore they are with earnest zeale to be admonished and exhorted yea to be compelled to keepe themselues in a sure faith reasonable continuance within and vnder the rules of the Fathers In the which worke and trauell wit ye right well that our industrie shall workâ— with you For the which cause we haue also addressed vnto you our messengers which by our authoritie shall with you amend and correct those things that are to be amended and therefore we haue also added such Canonicall constitutions as to vs were thought to be most necessarie Let none iudge this to be presumption that we take vpon vs to amend that which is amisse to cut off that which is superfluous For we reade in the bookes of the Kings how the holy King Iosias trauelled in going about the circuits of his Kingdome correcting and admonishing his people to reduce the whole Kingdome vnto the true religion and seruice of God I speake not this to make my selfe equall to him in holinesse but bycause we ought alwayes to follow the examples of the holy Kings and so much as we can we are bound of necessitie to bring the people to follow a vertuous life to the prayse and glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. And so he entreth into his rules exhortatioÌ„s to the B. and Priests how they should guide their Diocesses and Churches both by reading and preaching and the Bishops to sende foorth the Priests to preach It belongeth saith he vnto your office O ye Pastors guides of Gods churches to sende foorth through out your Dioceses Priests to preach vnto the people and to see that they preach rightly and honestly that ye do not suffer new things that are not canonicall but forged of their owne minde not according to the holy scriptures to be preached vnto the people yea you your own selues preach the things that are true and honest and that lead vnto euerlasting life And instruct ye other that they doe the same c. Yea Alcuinus in his preface of his treatise on the trinitie which he being his Chaplaine dedicated vnto this French king being then also made Emperour maketh the Prince to haue so farre authoritie aboue all other ciuill persons in Ecclesiast matters that he calleth him also a Preacher and sayth that he hath as it were a priestly office in these thinges And least sayth he I should seeme not to helpe and further your preaching of the faith I haue directed and dedicated vnto you this booke thinking no gift so conuenient and worthy to be presented vnto you seeing that all knowe this most plainely that the Prince of the people ought of necessitie to know all things and to preach the things that please God Neither doth it pertaine to any man to know better or mo things than it doth to an Emperour whose doctrin ought to profite all the subiects c. All the faithfull haue great cause to reioyce of your godlines seeing that you haue a Priestly power as it is meete so to be in the preaching of Gods worde a perfect knowledge in the Catholike faith and a most holy deuotion to mens saluation This authoritie and interest euen in the chiefest Eccl. matters doth that famous Alcuinus a countriman of our owne acknowledge vnto the Christian Prince And the like doth this Emperours sonne Lewes take vppon him and it was yéelded vnto him both in the Councell that he called at Aquisgraue in Germanie and afterwarde in Italy at Ticinum where hee giuing in charge to the Bishops and Councel to consult among other matters concerning the conuersation of the Bishops the Priestes and other Eccl. persons of their doctrine and preaching to the people of writing out of bookes c. He concludeth I am very much desirous to knowe and couet to reforme them according to Gods will and your holy aduise in such sort that neither I bee founde reproueable in the sight of God neither you nor the people incurre the wrathfull indignation of God for these things How this may be searched found out brought to perfection that I committe to be treated on by you and so to be declared vnto me The lesser matters which in generall touch all but that touch some in speciall and neede reformation I will that yee make enquirie also of them and make relation thereof vnto me Whereby we sée that these Princeâ— had the chiefe authoritie in those Councelles and both made Ecclesiasticall lawes them selues with the Bishops aduise and counsell and also all the Bishops decrées and determinations depended on the Princes ratifying This then was the order and not that onely which our Brethren here say we read to be obserued by the Christian Kings of France And euen as much do we read to be obserued by the Christian kings of Spayne by whose authoritie the first second third Councell at Brachara were called and many pointes for doctrine and discipline disposed After whom Richaredus commaunded a Councel to be assembled and holden at Toledo where the king sitting among the Bishops deâ—lareth vnto them how he called them together that he might by the common consultation in the Synode repayre and make a newe forme of Eccl. discipline which had bin long time hindred by Arianisme The which impedimeÌ„t sayth he it hath pleased God to put away by my meanes whereupon he exhorteth them to giue God thankes for his so doing and admonisheth them before they enter into the consultation to fast and pray to God that he would vouchsafe to open vnto them a true order of discipline And so after a thrée dayes fast appointed vnto them the Synode beginning to enter into consultation the king commeth in with his Queene and nobles and sitteth amongest them and causeth the confession of his faith which he had written and subscribed with his and the Quéenes hands to be publikely reade before them
man or paye 60. shillings if a Prieste offende in this behalfe the penaltie shall bee augmented double The first frutes of the seedes shall be paide at Saint Martyns tyde He that then shall not haue payde them shall be fined 40. shillings and besides pay 12. times as much as the frutes come to If any man giltie of death shall flee to the Church he shall enioy his life and make recompence according to right and lawe If anie man haue deserued beating and flee to the Church the beating shall be forgiuen him These arâ— all the Eccl. lawes of Inas which are there sette downe sauing that in the next lawe after the Penaltie of fighting in the Kinges Court he adioyneth also the forfeite of 120. shillinges for fighting in the Church and in the 11. lawe the forfaite of as much to him that bringeth in false witnesse before a Bishop His other lawes are méere ciuill and politike But by these we sée his supreme authoritie euen to the making the decree it selfe of the Ecclesi lawes so well as of the temporall As for the last decree of killing ones gossippe or of the Kings godsonne or of the sonne of a Bishop for Bishops and all the Clergie might then marry are méere temporall The next lawes that Lambert translateth are of that excellent Prince Aluredus Where first he setteth downe the ten commaundementes of Almightie giuen by Moses Exod. 20. and from thence procéedeth to the most of the lawes mentioned in the 21.22 and some in the 23. chapters of Exod. which done he sayth These are the lawes that Almightie GOD himselfe deliuered to Moses to bee kept As for the onely begotten sonne of God our saluation Iesus Christe when hee came into the worlde hee openly declared that hee came not to violate the lawe giuen but with all meekenesse and goodnesse to fulfill it For hee deliuered the discipline of true godlinesse After whome when hee was crucified his Disciples while they were as yet together nor were seuered a sunder to preach the Gospell ioyned vnto Christ manie Nations and sent their legates and Interpreters of the will of God to Antiochia Syria and Cilicia which were conuerted vnto Christ from the bondage of the Gentiles The Apostles and the Elders Brethren sende greeting vnto you For as much as we haue heard that certaine men which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and when as they would declare vnto you certaine thinges whereof they had no commaundement from vs they haue rather weakenâ—d your mindes with error than instructed then with sounde and entire doctrine â— it was thought good vnto vs being gathered together to sende vnto you chosen men Barnabas and Paule which haue aduentured their life for Christe together with whome wee haue sent Iudas and Sylas who shall also by wordes declare the same thinges vnto you For it seemed good to the holie Ghoste and to vs to laye vppon you nothing more of necessarie burden than this that ye must abstayne from those thinges that are offered to Idols and from bloud and from that that is strangled and from fornication And that which yee would not haue to be done vnto you ye should not doe the same to others Out of this one precept it euidently appeareth that right must bee rendered to euerie bodie for there needeth no other iudiciall booke saue onely this whosoeuer sitteth beeing a Iudge vppon other that he would not pronounce any other sentence vppon others than he would haue to bee giuen vppon him selfe But where as when the Gospell of GOD was spread abroade manie Nations yea and that the English-men adioyned theyr fayth vnto the worde of God manie assemblyes were made through-out the worlde and also in Englande there were holden meetinges together of the Bishoppes and of other most notable wise men and these men beeing informed of the mercie of God did at the first impose vpon euerie offender a punishment of money and gaue vnto the Magistrates the office of taking the same without all prouocation of offending GOD hauing giuen them pardon before saue onely vppon a Traytor and forsaker of his Lorde they thought not this beeing a milder penaltie to bee inflicted which manner of man they thought good that hee shoulde not bee spared at all both because God woulde haue the dispisers of him-selfe to bee vnwoorthie of all mercie and also for that Christe forgaue not them that were betrayers of him to death but he decreed that the Lorde shoulde bee worshipped before other These men therefore in manie of their assemblies appoynted punishmentes of euerie one of the offences and committed them to the monumentes of writing These sanctions I Alured the king haue gathered together into one and haue put them in writing a great part of which our auncestors kept religously and mee-thinketh that manie of them are woorthie to bee in this age kept of vs with like righteousnesse Notwithstanding some of them which seemed to bee lesse profitable vnto vs I haue by the consultation of wise men prouided partly that they shoulde bee abrogated and partly innouated And because it might bee thought rashnesse for any man to recorde in the monumentes of writing manie of his owne decrees and also it might be vncertaine what credite they shoulde haue with the posteritie which thing we do highly esteeme whatsoeuer thinges I haue founde worthy to be obserued in the actes of my countrey-man Inas of Offa king of the Mercians or of Ethelbert which was the first king of the Englishe men that was baptized I haue collected them all The other I haue vtterly omitted And also in the discerning of these actes I Aluled king of the west Saxons haue vsed the Counsell of the most prudent of our men and they all liked the obseruation of the same to bee sette foorth Thus writeth Alured of his doing both concerning his owne decrees and the decrees of all those kinges his auncestors in these matters which were not onely ciuill and politike but also Ecclesiasticall In all which though he vsed the counsell and aduise of the Clergie and of other learned and wise men yet as he did the action himselfe so hee did it by his owne supreme authoritie and reckoning vp all these other kinges decrees also it argueth that they in their times and dominions had the like authoritie in eccl matters The Eccl. lawes of Alurede are the seconde and the fift of the priuileges of Churches the 6. of robbing Church goods the 8. of violating Nunnes the 16. of teaching them in dissolute manner the 21. of Priests that kill any man the 29. of them that enter into religion being indebted the 39. of the festiuall and solemne dayes After this Alurede his sonne Edwarde surnamed the elder ioyning with Guthrune the Dane king of the east Angles who changing his name at his baptisme was called Athelstane doe sette foorth diuerse Ecclesiasticall Lawes which the
same Guthrune and Allfred had before made but belike not till then sette foorth which lawes were these Before all thinges they enact that one God onely should be honorably and holily worshipped dispising and renouncing all the barbarous worship And then because they certainely knewe that many would not be kept in the boundes of their dutie nor obey the Eccl. discipline without them they prouided humane lawes to be written out and they sette forth the lawes pertayning to Christe in common together with the lawes pertayning to the king that by these the rashnes of them might be restrayned that would not obey the commandements of the Bishop This therefore did they first decree That the peace of the Church within her walles and that the tranquillitie which is deliuered by the hande of the king should be kept godly and inuiolably And so they procéede against them that forsake the Christian fayth Against eccl persons that robbe the Churches that fight or periure themselues or commit fornication c. And against incest If anie being condemned desire to confesse himselfe to the Priest that all doo-earnestly and diligently promote all the lawes of God c. For payment of tithes for the money â—hat then was payde to Rome called the Peter pence for the Church lightes for the plowe almes or as I take it almes giuen by the rate of their plow lande and if any Dane denied or suppressed the diuine rightes or duties Of them that doe their businesses on the Lordes daye of fastinges And iudiciall swearinges on the festiuall dayes and against witches Of those that are entred into orders and are deceaued of their goods Next of these are the lawes of Ethelstane I Ethelstane the king by the prudent Counsell of the Arch-bishop Vlfhelme and of other my Bishoppes doe verie straightly charge and commaunde all the Gouernours that are in my dominion by the holie diuine powers of God and of all the Saintes and for my loue that I beare to them that before all other thinges they paye the iust and due tenthes or tythes of that that is mine owne in proper as well of liuing beastes as of the yearely profites comming of the earth which thing besides mee euerie one of my Bishops Senators and Gouernors shall do c. After Athelstane followeth Edmunde In the solemne feast of Easter king Edmunde did celebrate at London a great assembly as well of the Ecclesiasticall persons as of the Laye in the which were present Oda and the Arch-bishop Wolstane and many other Bishops to consult about the health of their soules and all them that they had care of First they that haue entred into holy orders and of whom the people of God ought to require the example of vertue to followe the same they shall leade their life chastly as the reason of their order shall suffer be they men or women which thing if they shall not doe they shall be punished according to the rules of their orders that is to witte they shall forfeit all their earthly possessions so long as they liue and beeing dead they shall not be buried with holy buriall except that they amended their manners Euery Christian shall religiously pay their tythes and the first fruites of their seedes and the money that is due for the plowe almes He that payeth it not let him be accursed Euerie Bishop at his owne charges shal repaire the house of God and may admonish the king that the other Churches may be decently adorned which is a very necessary matter Whosoeuer forswere themselues or make any barbarous sacrifices except they repent and amend their minde the sooner they shall for euer be debarred of all the diuine seruices I Edmund the King to all that are in my Dominion and power yong and olde doe clearely signify that I haue earnestly inquired of the moste skilfull of my kingdome in the assembly as wel of the Ecclesiasticall as lay persons by what meanes Christendome might be moste aduaunced and it seemed best vnto vs all that we should nourish loue and mutuall good will amongst vs through out all our Dominions for we are all wearie of these continuall fightinges And therefore we ordeyne in this manner And so hee procéedeth to Lawes for these matters After this follow the Lawes of Edgar The Lawes which Edgar the King decreed in the great Senate God to loue and him-selfe to preserue and to benefite all his Lordship or Dominion And so hee also procéedeth to the making of Lawes Eccl. Of the rightes immunities and tithes of the Church Of the manner of their tything to them that haue a place of buriall in the Church Of the times when the tythes of all sortes are due to payde of the Penie to Rome out of euery house Of the Feast dayes and fastings And then he commeth to humaine and politike Lawes Thus did all these Saxon Kinges with the aduice of their Bishops Cleargy make as well Ecclesiasticall Lawes as temporall with the aduice of the Lordes and other their officers temporall And this they did their selues and by their owne authoritie and not onely allowed of that which the Bishops and Cleargie before had decreed All which I alleage not to allowe of all those their Ecclesiasticall decrees for many of the thinges especially in the Kings following were full of superstition and error as by Gods permission the blindnesse of the time then was but I note them onely for the point in question of the Princes authoritie not onely in making Ciuill Lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters but in making Lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and so in making Ecclesiasticall Lawes themselues And thus it continued heere in Englande till the Danes got the Kingdome Neither did Canutus the Dane take vpon him any whit lesse the dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters than the Saxon Kings had done but rather sheweth it more liuely than all the other as appeareth in the collection of his Lawes as well Ecclesiasticall as temporall The decree that Canutus King of the English men of the Danes and of the Norwayes to the loue of God to his own ornament and to the profit of his people enacted at Winchester on the feast of Mid wintertide or the natiuitie of Christe First that all men shall through out all ages honourablie and aboue all other thinges worship one God And holde religiously the onely Christian religion and loue the king Canutus with all fidelitie and obseruaunce Let vs maintain the temple of God with Godly continuall peace let vs all often frequent it both for the health of our soules and for the encrease and profite of other things for the onely peace of Christ comprehendeth all the Churches and therefore it is meete that all Christians holde the Church in greate worship and honour For the peace of God ought to bee desired and retayned aboue other thinges And next after that the kings peace ought to bee
kept It behooueth therefore that the peace of the Church of God within the walles therof and the tranquilitie deliuered by the hande of the Christian king bee euer cheefely kept firme and inuiolated If any therefore shall violate any of these two Gods Churches and the kinges peace forfetting his Lands he shall be put to death except the king shall pardon his offence c. And if the Churches peace bee broken without man-slaughter let the punishment followe according to the manner of the offence c. It greatly behooueth all Christian men moste religiously to maintayne in peace the holinesse the orders and the places consecrated vnto God and to giue to euerye order his owne dignitie For let euery one knowe at leaste hee that will or may knowe that it is a matter of greate waight and moment which the Preeste must doe â—or the health of the people if so bee hee shall studye to please GOD aright Greate is the sanctifying and more is the sanctifying or consecrating with the which in consecratinge baptisme and the Sacrament of thankes-giuing the Deuill is driuen away Yea the Angelles keepe the holye mysteries and depending on the Diuine prouidence assist the preest so often as he serueth God aright Which thing they do at all times when as the preeste doth humblie from his heart beseeche Christe and begge of him those thinges that are necessarie for the peoples life these men therefore for the fear of God for the dignitie of their order are to bee discerned from other men If therefore anye man shall accuse of any crime a Preeste liuing according to some certayne rule of Religion and if hee witte himselfe to bee cleane thereof let him say Masse if hee dare and with his once receyuing of the sacrament of thankes-giuing hee alone shall dash all the slaunder But if hee shall bee accused by three then receiuing the Communion if so be hee dare and taking with him two other of his owne order hee shall wipe away the suspition of the supposed crime If any man shall accuse with some speciall sclaunder of crime a Deacon liuing after some certayne forme of â—eligion the Deacon shall purge himselfe of the crime by taking two other with him of his own order But if hee haue beene accused thrise he shall purge him selfe with sixe other men of his owne order c. Wee also doe bidde or pray and doe teache all the Ministers of GOD and especially the preestes that they obey GOD and loue cleannesse and auoyde the wrath of GOD and flee from the lake of Hell fire c. Moreouer wee teache and wee pray and in Gods name wee commaunde that no manne can contract mariage with in the sixt decree of kindred neyther yet mary the Widowe of his coosine that was within sixe degrees vnto him neyther that hee mary any that was of kinne to his Wife that hee had before neyther that any Christian mary his Gossippe nor any that is deuorced To conclude hee that hath any care to keepe Gods Lawe and will study to haue his soule saued froÌ„ hell fire let him shunne harlots and keepe him to his onelie wife ioyned vnto him in lawfull mariage and haue no more so long as his wife liueth Let euery man pay vnto God yeerely his rightes and his iust duties orderly let him pay the almes of his plowing the fift day after Easter The tenth of his Cattell at Whitsontide and the tenth of his fruites at Alhollow-tide But if so be that any wil not pay their tenthes in manner as we haue afore-sayd concerning the acre that is tythe-able then let the kinges officer the Bishoppe and the Lorde of the soyle and the seruing preeste of the Churche come together and whether hee will or no deliuer the tenth part to the Churche whereunto it is due and leaue the ninth to him as for the other eyght partes the Lorde of the soyle shall haue the one moytie of them and the Bishoppe of the diocesse shall haue the other be he the Kings man or any Noble mans And in this order he proceedeth to a great number of other Ecclesiasticall matterâ— mingling as in these a great deale I graunt of foul chaffe but good and badde one with anâ—ther all shewe his authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters But when hee commeth to the nineteenth and so forwarde because the Laws are of better matters I will craue the readers patience further in setting them downe also And let euery Christian man doe all those thinges that are profitable to his saluation Let him applie him-selfe with all his thought and care to the Christian fayth and Religion and whosoeuer will conceiue in his soule and minde those things that are nâ—â—essarie for his saluation as indeede it ought to bee the desire of all men let him prepare his minde to receiue the Sacrament of thankesgiuing at leaste thrise a yeare And if hee will hope to finde fauour let him well bestowe all his wordes and deedes and dispose them orderly let him keepe his othe and fayth giuen moste religiously And let euerie man to the vttermost of his abilitie driue away from the boundes of our Dominion all vnrighteousnesse and hereafter earnestly follow the righteousnes of God both in wordes and deeds and so at the length we shall all bountifully obtain the mercie of God Besides this let vs our selues put that in execution that we commaunde other Let vs alwayes bee of a firme and faythfull minde to God Let vs vpholde his honour with all our forces and abilities and obey his will For what soeuer wee shall doe towardes the Lorde beeing mooued with that faythfulnesse that is ioyned with vertue and our office that shall be to our great aduantage For in this thing God the cheefe ruler and Lorde of all will bee exceeding faythfull vnto vs it standeth vs therefore cheefely vpon that they which are Lordes behaue themselues rightly to their vassailes And wee earnestly admonishe all Christian men that inwardly withall their heart they loue God that religiously they holde the right Christian fayth and that gladly they obey their Diuine Doctors that moste diligently they search the Lawes and Doctrine of God and that they searche for it often and much for their owne commoditie And wee admonish that euery Christian man doe so throughlie learne that at the leaste hee doe well knowe the right Fayth and can say the Lordes Prayer and the Articles of his beleefe For by the one all Christian men doe call vpon God and by the other they professe a right fayth Christe him-selfe did first set foorth the Lordes prayer and taught the same vnto his Disciples Which diuine prayer consisteth of seuen petitions the which whosoeuer shall vtter not faynedlie but from his heart hee conferreth with God him-selfe of all thinges that are necessarie either for the life present or to come But by what meanes can any man heartily pray vnto
God except hee haue inwardlie to GOD a right Fayth And verilie hee that will not learne these thinges neyther shall haue his part of rest with the Christians after his death neyther shall heere aliue bee admitted to receiue the Communion neyther shall hee bee counted worthye to beare the name of a Christian man neyther shall hee vndertake for any other at the Font nor at the Bishops hande except hee learne these thinges and shall knowe them well We also admonish them that eche one of them studiouslie auoyde deadlie crimes and wicked deedes And if peraduenture they haue offended through the instigation of the deuil that by instruction of the preeste they amend it Moreouer wee admonish euery one to flee filthie whoredome and the vnlawful vse of the flesh and violating of the couenaunt of wedlock so long as they liue Moreouer we teache them that the feare of God be always throughly setled in the mindes of them all that day and night they feare the punishments due to wicked deeds and dread the day of iudgement and abhorre hell And suppose euen their ending day approcheth As for the Bishops they shall be the Bedels of God and the interpreters of Gods Lawe and they must openly teache the benefites of diuine matters and to set foorth them-selues to bee examples of liuing for others to followe whosoeuer will giue eare to them For hee is but an euill keeper which with his voice at least if he can do no more shall not defende the flock committed vnto him against him that commeth to spoile it But none is so euill as the Deuill him-selfe which alwayes laboureth in this one point howe hee may moste destroy mens soules Wherefore it behooueth the pastors to bee watchfull and to giue warning that by their aduertisementes the people may haue knowledge thereof The pastors wee call the Bishops and the preestes whose partes are with erudition and Doctrine to watche and defend the Lordes flock that the furious and wilde Wolfe doe not foorthwith teare nor byte the flocke of God And if there bee any that will not listen vnto the commaundements of God hee hath to reckon for that with God himselfe The name of God for euer bee glorified and loue him and praise him and honor him through out all worldes Thus did this Dane King heere in England euen at that blinde time take vpon him as it were like a Bishop or preacher him-selfe to set forth these Lawes and decrees of Ecclesiasticall matters After which hee procéedeth to those that hee calleth his worldly lawes And yet euen among them also hee inserteth some Ecclesiasticall lawes as the 3.5.36.37.38.39.40.44.46 Besides causes of Matrimonie and fornication And in the ende of all his Lawes of both sortes Ecclesiasticall and temporall hee concludeth all with a religious and diuinlike charge commaunding moste streightly in Gods name all his subiectes to conuert them selues whole to God and to â—eare their pastors and the pastors to teach and preach the worde of God vnto his people This authoritie and intermedling in the making of Ecclesiasticall Lawes both aswell for the Clergy as for the temporaltie had the Kinges in this lande before the conquest What they haue had since diuerse other haue set foorth more largely and I craue pardon that I haue beene so large in the collecting and setting downe of these But I haue doone it to this ende that we might more fully perceiue this point that the Princes did not onely make ciuill Lawes for Ecclesiasticall causes or for matters that by the Clergy onely were decreed that they should be obserued in their Dominions and appoynted bodily or pecuniarie punishmentes for offending the same of which sort I graunt many of these Lawes are that we haue collected but also that they them-selues with the aduice of their Clergie made Eccl. Lawes and that mere Ecclesiasticall or altogether pertaining to Church persons or to Church matters yea to matters of religion and Doctrine Neyther diminished it their authoritie anie whit that they did none of all these thinges without the aduise and determination of their Clergie for alwaies the Clergy so conditionally determined the same before if it were a matter but of order or ceremonie and not of Doctrine which is inflexible neyther dependeth vpon man eyther of the Prince or of them that the supreme authoritie lay still in the Prince so to conclude the finall determination that the Princes sentence doe knit vp all the matter and made that order or ceremonie to haue the life or force of a decree Lawe or constitution among them And other supreme authoritie than this with the consultation deliberating aduising and determining what Ecclesiasticall matter of order or ceremonie her Learned Clergy thinke moste méete for â—ur time and state to bee moste agreeable to order comelinesse and aedification to giue her royall assent to the confirmation and establishment of the same that it may haue the full force and nature of a decree Lawe or constitution Ecclesiasticall her Maiestie otherwise neuer tooke vpon her nor claymeth or desireth to haue nor the Statute giueth nor wee acknoweledge And if our Brethren woulde graunt thus much as I hope vpon better aduisement they will not deny it wée shoulde néede no controuersy in this matter and all these examples that wee are nowe driuen to bring foorth to satisfie them wee and they shall more cheerefully turne against the Papistes that are the professed enemies of her Maiestie and of our Brethren and of vs. But it will perhaps be sayde that for Princes to subscribe to the determination of Preestes as they call them is no supremacie but a subiection Wee aunswere it is no subiection vnto men but to God and his worde to doe nothing in these matters but by the faythfull aduise of them that knowe his will and are bounde to teache it vnto all men no more than it is to bee counted a subiection for a Prince in Ciuill affayres to followe the aduice of wise and faythfull Counsellers Wee haue shewed before in the examples of diuerse Emperours and Kinges how Princes subscribed to their clergies determinations in such sort as they beeing humblie requested thereunto had in ceremoniall matters their free choyse and might haue dashed all or in subscribing thereto they ratified the same and made it authenticall But if Princes were so to subscribe to the determination of Preestes â—s wee may well without errour or superstition call them that the Princes their selues had no kinde of determination in any Ecclesiasticall causes neyther aboue the preestes nor yet at all with them then indéede it were no supremacie but a subiection And what else doe our Brethren heere giue to Princes neither doe they heere deny but in playne wordes confesse that it is a subiection and so not a supremacie saue that they coulour it ouer with this faire shadowe Wee aunswere it is no subiection vnto men but vnto God
And what else doe the very popish preestes aunswere when they takâ— from the prince his authoritie bring him in subiection to their pope to theÌ„ selues but that this subiection is a subiection not vnto theÌ„ as vnto men but to God and to his word and to his Church And so vnder thâ— reuerende names of God and of his worde and Churche they greatly abuse those Princes that thinke their sayinges to bee true make them thrall to their subiection and to that which they pretend to be Gods worde and to them that call them-selues the Church men as our Br. also haue distributed the name of Eceles or Church persons onely among their tetrarkes As for the faythfull aduise of those that knowe Gods will and are bounde to teache it vnto all men Wee denie not but that the Prince is againe bounde to aske faythfull aduice in matters of such importaunce as the making of Lawes And of whome shoulde hee rather aske it than of those that best knowe or shoulde knowe Gods will and haue moste experience in Ecclesiasticall matters which is their proper profession and shoulde teache the same vnto all men but this is no rebatement to that right of the princes supreme authority by which the matter so aduised vpon should be enacted and authorized for a Lawe And this we haue seene not onelye in all the fore-sayde examples howe for all the princes aduise with their Clergy their authority still remayned entier but also our Brethrens owne example that heere they alleage doth confirme the matter cleane against our Brethren For although it is not to be counted a subiection for a Prince in ciuill affayres to followe the aduise of wise and faythfull counsellers but for all their duetie of giuing him faythfull aduise and his duety to follow their aduise yet when the matter shall come to the making of a Lawe his voice hath the authoritie to strike vp all the matter they determine thus it shoulde be and then it is hee that determineth thus it shall bee So that their determination is in-deede properlie no determination of the matter but deliberation and aduisement as our Brethren doe here more aptlie terme it or their determination is rather of the nature of the matter than of authorizing the same For the resolute determining with authoritie is more properlie in the Prince if wee respect the making of the matter to bee a Lawe in force amongest vs But if these Councellers to the Prince will goe beyonde aduise and turne their aduise into authoritie and such authoritie that whatsoeuer they determine that must the Prince maintaine and set foorth to be obserued euery where in his Dominions and commaunde those that impugne it to bee punished and that his Counsellers will let the prince to haue no further authoritie than this call yee this the aduise of wise and faythfull Counsellers well may they be wise to themselues but they be not so faithfull as they should be to the prince neyther take they vpon them as Counsellers according to their name but rather as Princes But no wise prince will so suffer them nor any faythfull Councellers will so take vpon them And therefore if our Br. will but marke this their owne example better they neede no better satisfaction that although they woulde in the making of Eccl. Lawes be her Maiesties wise Counsellers and giue her as they say faithfull aduise therein yet if their aduise shall growe so peremptorie that they will prescribe and the Prince must subscribe that they will determine the Prince must execute that it shall not be good without their consent the prince must not dissent from them and that it is they that make it a law when they haue so decreed it then the princes must command it to be obserued euery where in their dominions and command them to bee punished that impugne it this is plus satis pro imperio and were verie daungerous to her Maiestie and to the whole state to admit it Whereby we see that if Gods ordinance were not plain in the scriptures yet reason it selfe would conclude that if in temporall matters a wise prince wil do nothing of weight without the counsail of wise men how much more in Gods businesse which are of greatest importaunce should they not decree any thing without the aduise of them that bee learned in those matters Our Br. haue as yet shewed no ordinaunce of God either plaine or obscure in the Scriptures against the princes supreme authoritie that her Maiesty claymeth or that wee acknowledge or for anie thing that they haue as yet aouched since they entred into this matter of the title or authority of the princes supremacy And therefore hauing alleaged nothing at all out of the Scriptures no not the examples that are apparant in the scriptures of Moses Iosue Dauid c. Which might much haue cleared the matter but fled to the examples of the Emperors of the Christian Kinges of Fraunce and Spaine yea and of this our Brittannie and hauing only thus bumbased vp the matter with their foresaid reasons they are now fallen in such a liking with these reasons that as it were vaunting they say of them Whereby we see that if Gods ordinaunce were not playne in the scriptures yet reason it selfe woulde conclude And what woulde reason it selfe conclude in this matter against that supreme authoritie and gouernment that her Maiestie claimeth and enioyeth or that we acknowledge and yeelde vnto her as for the reason they last alleaged wee see nothing yet but it maketh much against them and that verie daungerouslie against all such aduisers as woulde from aduising fall to commaunding and from Counselling of the Prince woulde seaze vpon the Princes authoritie But if they will driue their reason to conclude onely of counsell and aduisement I graunt them that then it is a good reason but it helpeth them nothing in this matter â—ea rather it maketh cleane against them It is good reason that in all the Princes temporall matters and businesse of managing the common-weale but in Gods businesse as I grant also Eccl. Lawes may wel be so called and that some of them are matters of greatest importaunce that the Prince shoulde not decree any thing without the aduice of them that bee learned in those matters Howebeit this giueth not the authoritie and much lesse all and the onely authoritie of determining those matters vnto the aduisers of them no more than it doth in temporall matters from whence they still vrge their reason by this comparison that a wise Prince will doe nothing of weight without the counsell of wise men I graunt that not onely reason it self will conclude this but that also the ordinaunce of God is plaine in the scriptures for euery man namelie a wise Prince in all matters bee they Ecclesiasticall or temporall to doe nothing rashly but if the matters bee doubtfull with good counsell
seruice to bee obedient to Christe yea to serue God is indeede to reigne And especially it is to bee noted where S. Paule commaundeth prayers and supplications to be made for the conuersion of Kinges vnto the knowledge of the truth and their owne saluation that hee alleageth this reason That wee may lead a quiet peaceable life in al godlinesse and honestie vnder their protection A godlie honest life we may liue vnder enemies of the church and persecutors but a peaceable and quiet life in all godlinesse and honestie onely vnder a Christian prince This thing therefore the Church most humbly desireth of the prince for this end the Church continually prayeth to God for the prince in this respect the Church most obediently submitteth her selfe vnto the prince as a childe to his Nursse that both Prince and people may honor God in this life and after this life reign with Christ euerlastingly We shall nowe haue after these reasons some testimonies of the scripture alleaged but if we shall still holde vs to the point in controuersie whether the Christian prince hath authoritie with the aduise and counsell of his learned clergy to make and set foorth ecclesiasticall decrees and lawes for all persons in his dominion to obserue not one of all these three testimonies here cited out of the scripture do gain-say it yea rather euery one of them doth confirme it The Papistes also alleage this Testimonie of Esay for the superiority of the pope and of the Church ouer all Christian princes and will our Brethren abuse it likewise for their newe clergies authority but who may not see that euen in the resemblaÌ„ces of these metaphors a great authoritie not vnder but ouer the Church is giuen here of God to Christian princes yea eueÌ„ as much in the new testament as was in the olde but by our Brethrens drift they shoulde haue lesse See what an interpretation they make of this prophecye as though the Prophets meaning were altogether to abase the authoritie of Christian princes and not rather cleane contrarie to exalt and extoll it though withall in some respects it be inferiour For except he had called Kinges and Queenes Fathers and Mothers by what neerer title could the Prophet haue called them than Kings to be the nourishing Fathers and Queenes to be the nourishing Mothers of the Church Ioseph was but a nourishing Father vnto Christ and yet sayth the text as well of him as of the Virgine Marie his naturall Mother Luke 2. verse 51. that hee was Subiect vnto them So honorable is the title of a nourishing Father and comprehendeth in it such authoritie Not but that the Princes againe in respect that the Church is the spouse and wife of Christe do humble them selues as Children vnto her And so as they acknowledge God to be their Heauenlie Father they reacknowledge her to bee their mysticall Mother Which not onely they but euerie Ecclesiasticall person also must doe as well and as farre foorth as they though in some other respects the pastors are again spirituall Fathers euen as well to the Princes as to any other of Gods people And so are both the partes of this Prophecie ioyned together that the Princes superioritie is declared in the former part of the sentence Kinges shall bee thy nursing Fathers and Queenes shall bee thy Nurses that neuerthelesse in the other respect they againe bee the Churches Children and therefore it is added They shall worship thee with their Faces towardes the earth and licke the dust of thy feeete But both these partes of prophesy are againe referred to a thirde that followeth And thou shalt knowe that I am the Lorde for they shall not bee ashamed that waite for me As though he sayde to the Church Doe not thou ascribe this vnto thy self but vnto mee by whom and for whom it is done neyther let the Princes bee ashamed as though they did abase them-selues in doing this to thee for they doe it to thee not for thee but for me for whome they waite and haue respect vnto therefore this reciprocall obedience neither of thee to them nor of them to thee for mee shall be anie shame or dishonor either vnto thee or vnto them nor any abasing of their Soueraigne authoritie ouer thee for they shall not bee ashamed that wayte for mee Which last wordes of the sentence our Brethren cleane cut off and leaue out And thus doth Caluine him-selfe expounde the wordes For they shall not be ashamed c. I take this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for a particle causall for it is a continuing speeche which of some is ill cut off and by this argument hee prooueth it to bee equitie that Princes shoulde cheerefully addict them-selues to the Empire of God nor bâ— agreeued to humble themselues before the Church because God doth not suffer them to bee shamed that put their trust in him But hee ioyneth his trueth with our health as though hee should say this shall be an amiable and pleasant subiection c. So that this is no diminishing nor abasing of the Princes authoritie and therefore Caluine also called them before vpon the first words And Kinges shall bee thy noursing Fathers Patrons and Tutors Whereupon sayth hee it is to bee noted that a certayne singular matter is heere required of Princes besides the vulgar profession of the fayth because authoritie and power is of God giuen vnto them that they shoulde defend and procure the glorie of God This in-deede pertayneth vnto all but Kinges howe much greater their power is so much the more ought they to employ them-selues and more studiouslie to haue care thereof And this is the reason why Dauid by name calleth on them exhorteth them to be wise and serue â—he Lorde and kisse the Sonne Heereupon it appeareth howe madde their dotages are which affirme that Kinges can-not bee Christian except they renounce that office For these thinges were fulfilled vnder Christe when as by thâ— preaching of the Gospell Kinges beeing conuerted vnto GOD they atteyned vnto this moste noble degree of dignity wherewith all kinde of Dominions and principalities are excelled that they shoulde bee the noursing Fathers and Tutors of the Church The papistes doe vnderstande that Kinges are noursing Fathers of the Churche none otherwise then that they haue left vnto their sacrificing preestes and Monkes moste large reuenewes wealthie possessions and wide demaynes by which they are fedde fatte as Hogges in a Stye But this education tendeth to a farre other matter then to glutte such vnsatiable gulfes For neyther treateth hee heere of enritching their houses that vnder a false pretext vaunt them-selues to bee the Churches Ministers which was nothing else but to corrupt the Church of God and to destroy it with deadly poyson but of taking away superstitions of remoouing all wicked and naughty worship of promooting the kingdome of Christe of conseruing the purity of Doctrine of
the Princes authority that none but the Prince can doe and this prerogatiue be to make such Ecclesiasticall lawes as some of these Princes Lawes were howe doeth not this seruice plainely include the Princes supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes And sith this seruice of the Princes vnto Christ consisteth principally in making lawes for Christ no maruell then if the holy ghost exhort Princes to be wise and to be learned and to vnderstand as the most necessary thing for them to vnderstand the state of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment So that if their Clergie forstowe to doe their duetie yet the Prince by this wisedome learning and vnderstanding might as well be able to giue aduise againe if néede be euen to his Cleargie in the making of many Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders as to take aduise of them As wee sée how diuers of the forenamed Princes did and that by their authoritie with the aduice of wise and learned men both make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and haue a supreme gouernment in the maintenance and direction of them Musculus writing on these woordes And now ye kings vnderstande c. The nations and people saith he and much more say I the Clergie are not excluded but Kings Iudges are by name called to bethinke them selues euen for this cause that they are the heads of the nations and of the people conteyning in the nation Clergie and al to whome it principally apperteineth to be subiect vnto the Lord and to giue themselues to bee leaders of the people that are their subiects vnto this true obedience For in two respects it standeth them vpon to be obedient to the Lord first bicause they are subiect to his power as are all other mortall men and then because they are made his peculier Ministers to this purpose that hauing receaued power ouer their subiectes they shoulde both their selues the will of God and cause their subiects to be obedient to it And Marlorate vpon these wordes Serue the Lord in feare noting out of Caluin saith Princes therefore in this place are admonished that they shall then raigne happilie when their power is nothing else but Gods seruice That is to say where in commaunding and bidding they serue not their owne lust but gods will neither vsurpe that tyrannical speech Sic volo sic iubeo stet proratione voluntas Thus wil I haue it thus I bid it be it stands for reasō that it pleaseth me But they say Sie volo sic iubeo quia sic divina volunt as mandat cui soli cuncta subesse decet thus will I haue it thus I bid it be because this is the will of Gods decree He bids it bee to whome what ere he say all creatures will they nill they ought obey Let them also note this place which deny the power of the king secular Magistrat as they cal him to haue ought to do in a cause of a religion For although the kingdom of Christ be in the harts of the beleeuers notwithstanding it apperteineth to the Magistrate to haue a care that the doctrine of the word may be retined in the Church that Idolatry and false worship may bee taken awaye that the Ministers of the church may be commodiously mainteined that the aduersaries may be repressed then to forbid the name of God to be blasphemed to bring to passe that such as leade a godly life may liue in safety but the wicked persons those that are vnquiet may be punished restrained ned This then is the Princes seruice vnto God And is not this as much as to make good Eccl. lawes orders with the aduice counsell of the wise godly learned clergy as hath done and doth her Maiestie But now our brethren after they haue tryed whether they shoulde preuaile by these two aforesaid testimonies least these should not preuail in striuing against the Princes authority in Eccl. matters they adioyn a third vnto them out of the new testament saying And especially it is to be noted where S. Paule commaundeth prayers and supplications to be made for the conuersion of kings vnto the knowledge of the truth and their own saluation that he alleageth this reason that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines honesty vnder their protection A godly honest life we may liue vnder enimies of the church persecutors but a peaceable and quiet life in all godlines honesty onely vnder a christian Prince If they do it as paraphrasts by way of some part of exposition they adde these words well vnder their protection But in that they set them downe as the words of the text me thinketh it somwhat ouer bold so to cite the holy scripture or yet as paraphrasts if they so limite the end of our prayers and supplications for Kings Princes which in these three benefites that the Apostle citeth stretcheth a great deale farther than to protection onely For as Dauid and other godly Princes were they may be both protectors and procurers of the same yea the chiefe gouernors and directors in the setting foorth and maintenance of them Neither is S. Paules exhortation to pray for Princes to be restrained onely to the praiers supplications to be made for the conuersion of kings vn the knowledge of the truth but it stretcheth further yea generally as well for those that are conuerted as those that are to be conuerted as well to giue thanks for the one as to pray for the other not onely for their owne saluation but that by their meanes all their subiects likewise may attaine to the way of saluation He reckoneth vp saith Caluine the fruits that spring vnto vs out of a principality that is well ordered the first is a quiet life For the magistrats are armed with the sword to kepe vs in peace Except they should beate downe the audaciousnes of wicked men al things would be ful of robberies slaughters c. The second fruit is the conseruation or saluation that is to wit while the Magistrats indeuour to nourish religion to plant the worship of God to require the reuerence of holy thinges The 3. is the care of publike honestie c. If these 3. things be taken away what is the state of mans life if any care therfore either of publike tranquility or of Godlines or of honesty touch vs let vs remember to haue consideration of them by the ministery of whom so excellent things do come into vs. Thus doth Caluin confesse that the Ministery of the Prince stretcheth as far foorth in procuring vnto vs the benefit of religion as of the other twain therfore he concludeth that we must pray for Princes aswell as much if not much more for this benefite as for the other Yea saith he If any man shall aske whether prayer ought also to bee made for the Kings of whom we receaue no such thing I
might full easelie be deceiued Doe they not rather seeke their owne hurt trouble and ouerthrowe Not wittingly I thinke and yet they may seeke it and finde it too as some of them haue done and haue now leisure enough to repent them of it But if some of them seeke it not there is a shrewde likelihoode that some other doe seeke hereby their owne profite ease and aduauncement a little or rather a great deale too much with the hinderaunce disquiet and spoyle of many others And would GOD if they also seeke not these things that they were not the instruments vnto others that doe seeke them But if they seeke not these things what seeke they then For soothe but onely the glorie of GOD and the profite of his Church Still the glorie of God and the profite of his Church must carie the name Prooue it to be so and there an end But what stand we seeking what they seeke If they seeke Gods glorie why doe they thus open the mouthes of the aduersaries to deface the glorie of God and discredite his Gospell by these vnnecessarie dissentions If they seeke the profite of his Church what greater hinderance to the Church can they offer than thus to breake the vnitie and deuide the force thereof Than thus to cast abroade to the wide world to the deadly enemies these bitter defacings and sharpe oppugnings of the same Church whereof their selues professe to bee the parts and members Than thus to wound the weake Bretheren that stande betweene vs and make many that were comming on to start backe and that were among vs to fall from vs yea to discourage the hearts of the strongest of vs yea to reproach all the Bishoppes and Prelats of the Church with all despites yea to disarme their most gracious Soueraigne and bereaue her of the best parte of her supreme authoritie and to expose her Maiestie to all daungers of her estate besides those that the Papistes practise agaynst her person yea to innouate and turquish all the whole state of both the Realmes of England and Ireland the very Parishes and all must bee newe transformed While in the meane tyme the professed enemie lyeth houering for the aduauntage of all occasions doe euen drawe and whet their swordes to sheath them in the bowelles of vs all except the liuing God through his mightie power and superabundant mercie did euen myraculously defend vs from them So that If the Lord had not bin on our side may Israell now say if the Lord had not bin on our side when men rose vp agaynst vs they had then swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled agaynst vs. Nay when our owne wrath is not yet slaked against our owne selues And is this to seeke the glorie of God and the profite of his Church that our Bretheren say they seeke onely But if they seeke indeede Gods glorie and the profite of his Church let them reclayme and leaue off all these euill practices and if all things bee not as they would haue them yet remembring what in common together we haue which is the principall and which the common aduersarie seeketh most of all to take either it from vs or vs from it and the roring Lyon goeth a pace about seeking how he may deuoure vs all let vs both without disturbance of the present state ioyne our selues together and vnite all our forces agaynst the publike enemie of vs both especially of Gods truth till that after we shall be out of all daunger of that man of sinne that great aduersarie and his confederates we may parlie of these matters more brotherlike And then the whole world might plainly see and say that there were more likelihood our Bretheren did only seeke the glorie of God and profite of his Church as they protest they doe Yea where we make our enemies now to laugh and leape for ioye and our selues to weepe and fall for sorrowe Then should our mouth bee filled with laughter and our tongue with ioye yea then would they say with greefe or admiration among the heathen the Lord hath done great things for them and our selues confesse with ioy and thankfulnesse the Lord hath done great things for vs whereof we reioyce But if our Br. will not seeke Gods glorie his Churches profite in such order as they ought tâ— seeke it but thus vnorderly although they seeke it only and nothing els yet seeke they neuer so much they shal neuer finde it But as they protest that these are the things which they onely seeke so by this present writing say they we discharge our coÌ„science according to our dutie which is to shew vnto al men the true way of reformation That this is the true way of reformation is not yet prooued in all this learned discourse They tolde vs they are able to prooue it and they promised also that they will proue many things hereafter when occasion shall serue their turne But if this forme of theirs were as they imagin vaunt the true way of reformation what and is this the true way of reformation too and the discharge of their conscience and according to their dutie to shewe it to all men and that in this maner I speake it not so much for putting it in writing for so it might well be done with more aduisement and be better conceiued and all times the readier to be perused and pondered of those that should haue to consider the same and their selues with lesse ambiguities alterings and tergiuersations be more streightly bound to iustifie their writing nor only for vaunting their selues of that they had written to be such a profound peece of worke such a learned discourse for that might be or seeme but an ouerliking of their owne babie and proceede of too good an opinion of thâ—ir owne learning But when they pester their writing with such reproches to other their Br. and that in authoritie when they enter into matter of state yea deale withal states and with publike gouernment and will shew such matters vnto all men that concerne not all men but is aboue many mens callings to intermeddle in them especially to alter the lawes established and the powers of so many persons setting vp as they say newe Lords newe lawes newe Doctors newe Bishops new Gouernors new Deacons new Segniories new Synods new authorities new Parishes and remoue al the old or new transpose them yea bring in a newe supremacie of the Prince also with the olde authoritie halfe clipt away and to put all these in print the more to shew this present writing to al men as who say Be it knowne to al men by this present writing yea by this present printing and to doe al this without any authoritie or license or knowledge of the Magistrate yea agaynst the Magistrate too if this bee the discharge of their conscience and according to their duetie being subiects being priuate
what nuÌ„ber they were why those Elders had that number The preceps the prâ—ctise of this Seniory The Leuites with their offices The matters wherin the Elders gouernors dealt * Leuirationis The vniuersall assembly of the Tribes and families Iosues orders for all these Elders * Expeditionem The proces of the story Iud. 19.20 The necessity of a king or one cheefe Gouernour The beginning of these elders corruption The Elders flattery of the people The Concion of the elders Our Brethr. defacing the state of a king Carolus Sigonius de rep Haebrae orum lib. 6. Cap. 2. The Iewes Councels Three â—â—ateâ— of the Iewes then 3. kinds of Conciouâ— Sigonius of the Iewes Senates Three kinds of the Iewes Senates Our Br. will be Seniors of the highest sort The Elders in the time of the kings The Elders since the captiui tie Sigonius The Kinges authority besides the Senate Cap. 5. The Synedrion at Ierusalem Cap. 6. What elders the Iudges of the cities were What princes the Elders were inferior to the SynedrioÌ„ Elders The Elders in the time of Iosaphat These Elderships restored after the captiuitie FroÌ„ whence the Synedrian Elders wer chosen Petrus Galatinus of the processe in the courtes of iudgment Petrus Galaâ—tnus collection of the Thalmudists concerning the Sanedrin * occidere The authoritie of the Synedrian Elders The Elders chosen with imposition of hands The power of the Sanedrin diminished in Christes time They lost their place dignitie after their fals iudging of Christ. The Romanes destruction of these Elders Gods ordinaunce Deut. 17. of these Elders power in iudgement Iosephus Iosephus li. 2. ad Appionem Philo. li. 3. de vita Mosis What manner of persons the Elders were in the Sanedrin The power of the preests in the Sanedrin The order and processe in the Sanedrin The appealants accusation The foâ—me of the accusation in Ieremy and of his acquitall The formâ— of the Synedrion in coÌ„demning Christ. Bertramsâ— confirmation of these thinges â—ert de politia Iudaica ca. 10. pag. 56 The Leuites were the gouernors in the Iewes Senats The matters that the Leuiâ—es iudged Bertram 1. Chro. 26.29 How Dauid distributed the gouernments and bounds of the Leuites Seniories Solomon maintained herein Dauids orders Iosaphats restoring â—he Iewes Seniories 2. Chro. 19. * Ad Liâ—â—m The Synedrion The diuerâ— respect of Eccl. ciuil in one and the same cause The great principality of these Elders Ierem. 2. Ieremie acquitted by those Elders Bertrams 2. example of those Elders power Ierem. 36. Bertrams 3. example Ier. 37. 38. The Elders superiour to the king The state of the tenne tribes The state of the Iewes regiment after the captiuity The speciall time of the Elders gouernment The auth of Nehemias Iosephus antiq Iud. li. 7 cap. The high Bishops authoritie 1. Mach. 12.6 The mixt estate of the Iewes common weale Gabinius erecting of mo Synedrins The SynedrioÌ„ Elders slain by Herod Our Br. assertioÌ„ of the Iewes Synedrion alters al the states in Christendome and bindes vs to the IuÌ„diciall Lawe Our Br. pretence vnder the name of eccl regiment driue at the ciuill regiment Chytreus of the Synedrion When all is done our Br. Elders that are goueâ—nors and notteachers are here also excluded except they will bee Princes Beza in confess Christ. cap. 5. Art 32. Danaetus in Iâ—ag Christ. 3. part cap. 10 Danaeus Confession for the difference of the Iewes SynedrioÌ„ our Presbyteries for gouernmeÌ„t of ciuil causes Chytraeus in Deut. 17. titulo de Iudicijs Three kindes of iudgements among the Iewes The iâ—dgemeÌ„t Triumuiral of thâ— 3. Elders The little Synedrion of 23. The great Synedrion of 70. Chytreus resemblance of the chief Senate in Germanie to the Sanedâ—in The elders of the new Testament How moderatelie Chytreus alludeth on Christes words Mat. 5. to our Senates Our Breth peremptory wresting of Christes words The learned disc pag. 88. Bridges The vse of the name Elder Christe alluded not to the Iews Sanedrin or Presbytery mencioned in the newe Testament By the name Church is not meant Senate Caluinus in 1. Tim. 4.14 Bezaes testimonie that by those elders were meant onely the Ministers of the word Our Br. coÌ„clusion of these Elders Bezaes nip of Castalion for the terme Senate The Presbyteries of the Iewes Luc. 22. Act. 20. Our Brethr. chiefe euidence for their Eldership howe weake it is The power of the keies The learned Dis. Bridges The sentences of christ Mat. 18. ver 19. and 20. not to be restrained to a Consistorie Brentius on Math. 18. Brentiuâ— in Math. 18. How these words Die ecclesiae haue ben abused A small assemblie wâ—ting a ciuile Magistrate The occasioÌ„ of Christes sentence That this rule of Chr. serueth onlie among priuate meÌ„ This senteÌ„ce cannot be vnderstood of hainous sinnes Brentius The Incestuous Corinthian The last remedy is to tell the ordinary magistrate and not to constitute an Eccl. Senate Excommunication A priuate Ecclesiasticall excommunication To whome the proper Eccl. exc doth pertaine Two kindes of Exc. ciuiâ— and Eccl. Cal in Mat. 18. The ministery of the powre of the worde pertaineth to the Minister in the expounding the worde Cal. in Mat. 18. The Minist are publishers of Gods word and setters foorth of his iudgementes How the froward are punished the repentaÌ„t receiued by them that haue the word of God Aretius 2. parte problem Tit. de Excom Ciuil and Eccl. Exc. Syntagma Tit. de clauibus The definition of the Eccl. binding The definition of the Eccl. absoluing The censure of Exc. renued by Christ. Mat. 16. Iohn 20. Tertul. In Apolog. cont Gent. cap. 39. Ext. in the Eccl. history Wherein Victors exc was reprooued What Exc. by Victor was allowed Eusebius li. 6. cap. 25. The Exc. of Philip the Emperour Theodosius of Excom Theodoreâ—us li. 5. cap. 17. Cyprianus vt supâ—a Iunii ecclesiasticus cap. 3. Hierom. in Math. 16. August of excom Aug. ad Auxilium epistola 75. Math. 16. Exech 18. S. Aug. erâ—or in the Infants dying without baptisme Iames. 1. What S. Aug. dissaloweth in this B Exc. Chrysost. Homil. 2. de Dauide Saule How Chrysost woulde Excom the contemners of the word Chrysost. of Excom Chrysost. in Homil. 70. homil 4. in Hebr. 2. The Praesidents and Elders of whome Chrysost. speaketh Chrysost. â—hreat againe to Excom Matst 18. The B. seperate authoritie in excom The excommunicator such a person as may teach Melancthon Kemnitius in exam Trident. Conâ— To. cap. 6. Melanct. in locis com de regno Christi Melanct. in aâ—not locorum com The Churches power of order Iurisdiction The poweâ— of order The poweâ— of Iurisd Aretius Aretius in locis com parte 2. de excomm The definition of excommunicâ—tion The Minister is the excommunicator and the Church consenteth Cyprianus The Eccl. Senate of Gouernors not teachers reiected The example of Saint Paul 1. Coâ— 5. Cyprian epist. li. 3. epist. 16. 2. Co. 11.29 1. Co. 12 2â— Aretius
Whether our bretheren theÌ„selues satisfie the godlie meaning of the statute The Statute Anno 13. The godlie meaning of the statute flâ—â— against our Bretherens discourse How our Bretheren ouerthrow their own ministery How our Bretheren are in daunger of losing their lyuinges by the godlie statute Our bretheren impugning the booke of articles Our brethereÌ„s aduised impugning the articles and maintaining doctrine contrarie thereunto The 34 article of the traditioÌ„s of the church The 35. article of homilies The 36. article of consecrating of Bishops ministers Two pastors in euery congregation How directlie our bretherens learned disc is against these articles The learned disc pag. 130 131. Bridges Two Pastors at least in euerie congregation One Doctor also at least in euery congregation The Number of the gouernors and Deacons not determined At whose charges all theâ—e must be maintayned The factions arising by 2 equall pastors A new disposing of all the parishes in England New disposing of parishes The learned disc pag. 131. Bridges Our Bretheren hauing all thinges at their pleaâ—ure Abuses creeping in after our bretheren haue all thinges at their pleasure Grounds of Gods word Difference of the order grounded vpon gods word and abuses rising of mans corruption What grouÌ„des of Gods word our bretheren alleage The pastors members of the synod The learned disc pag. 132. Bridges What the pastors haue as members of the synod The reformation of the corruptions in Poperie Reteyning corruptions How we reteine anyething that hath bin corrupted The learned disc pag. 132 â—33 and 134. Particular Synods Bridges Corruptions of paâ—ticuler Synods Ordinarie fees of officers The endes of liuings offices and fees The fault of the officer and not of the office Our Brethrens pitie on the poore ministers Our Brethrens mockerie Faultes in Officers Extorting money for â—eâ—ing letters of Orders The dutie of lawefull fees in Registers c. Our bretheren loth to shewe their letters of orders Buying of Bookes For dinners such like matters Selling buying of bookes The presentâ—eâ—â—s not â—eformed PresentmeÌ„â—â— The presentment no more hearde of Reformation of faultes The Summoner caryinge forth the citations and excoÌ„muications The presentment hearde of Bribes not preuayling General coâ—â—â—â—â—ions Absolution not for money The learned disc pag. 123.125.136 137. Choosing of Clearkes of the conuocation house Act. 15. 2. Cor. 4. Bridges Our generall conuocations Our Brethrens contumelious speaches of Chauncelors Lawyâ—â—s Chauncelors and Lawyers Chauncelors or Lawyers in our conuocationâ— Whether our Chauncelors or Lawyers in conuocations be more lay vnlearned in diuitie then our bretherens gouernors our brethenâ— obiecting to chauncelors Lawyers The Bishops seuerall place that th◠〈◊〉 learned 〈◊〉 ninitie Chauncelors Lawyers beare not the greatest sway in our conuocations The Bishops seuerall place in the conuocation Seuerall place The Apostles example Act. 15.6 The Apostles were seuerall by themselues and yet ioyned with the Pastors and the multitude The Bishops higher in thoritie The decrees arâ— of the whole synod not of the Bishops â—â—lie Speaking in the conuocation How euery oÌ„e of the house may speake in the conuocation None excluded the house for not subscribing to the Bishops dâ—cree Subscribing to the articles Whether the booke of articles conteyne any errouâ— Our Brethrens owne acquittaunce for the truth of our religion The distinctioÌ„ of the Canonicall and Apocryphall booâ—es The booke of articles not erroneus The names number of the Canonicaâ—l bookes The numbeâ— and namâ—s of the Apocâ—yphall bookes in the old testâ—ment The canonicall scripture In what words this grosse error should lye The bookes that were neuer doubted of Some of the canonicall doubted of The apocrpha Our Brethrens to quicke censure Ieronimus in prefarioneÌ„ in libros Salamo The eâ—â—â—matioÌ„ of the â—pocâ—phall bookes In 〈◊〉 confesâ—ion 〈…〉 1 de scâ—iptura pag. 10. Aâ—t 6. 〈…〉 Aphoris â— The 1. 2. booke of Esdras Hieronimi pâ—satio in 1. Esdras 〈…〉 Our Brethrens 2. challeng of of the booke of articles for grosse and palpable errours The 17. article of predestination electioÌ„ Election Nothing in this article of Predestination and Election but sounde doctrine The 16 article of sinne after Baptisme Departing from grace How we may depart from grace Diuerse graces of the holy ghost may bee geuen to those that are not elected How the elected may depart or fall â—rom grace The state and coÌ„fidence of the elected Our Brethrens sclaunder of the Bishops for diuers grosse palpable errours The articles with proues The learned disc pag. 136. Bridges Article 6. The articles briefelie set down without their proues testimonies Articles not erronious Satisfying the ignoraunt How any in the conuocation house may be heard How our bretheren ofâ—eâ—ed to be satisfied Satisfiing our Bretheren Confuting the Bishops How â—arâ—e of our bretheâ—en are from those partes wherewith they burden the bishops The state of our brethrens new pastorship The true pastors description Our Brethrens accusation of our Bishops Our Brethrens commendatioÌ„ of themselues Defacing our Bishops Learning Longe studie Our Bishops accusation Sound iudgment The best example Determining in Synods Determining Ecclesiasticall matters The Pastors determining How our bretheren deale in synods with their owne gouernors Our Brethrenâ— wordes returned home Preiuaâ—ceâ—â— the synod Whether our Bishops or these Pastors do more preiudice the synod Our brethrenâ— conclusion The whole ministrie The learned disc pag. 137. Bridges The whole ecclesiasticall ministerie and all the duties and authorities pertayning The diuersities of our Bretherens discâ—â—ries The reâ—ders dutie in these controuersies The treatise of the princes authorithie Our Brethrens entrie into the treatise of the Princes authoritie Our Brethrens dealing with Christian princes in these matters The learned disc pag. 138. Gods soueraigne Empire Bridges The title of the Princeâ— supremacie The vnderstanding of the title of supremacie Our Brethr. exception of Gods soueraigne Empire Gods Empire entire Gods empire kept whole by the Princes supremacie Our Brethr. graunt of the Prince to be highest ouer the persons The Eccl. Gouernors How farre our Brethr. graunt the Princes supremacie ouer their Eccl. gouernors Supremacy ouer all persons Our Brethr. reseruation of the Princes supremacie in the matters The learned disc pa. 138. 139 Bridges The Clergies temporalties The Christian Princes supremacie farre different from the Popes The blasphemous chalenge of the Pope 〈…〉 and these Tetrarkes yoake The Clergies holding their temporalties of the Prince Our Brethr. gouernors incroching on the Prince Euery prince ought to cast off the yoake of the Popes and of these new tetrarks subiection The learned disc pa. 139. 140 The Princes supremacie in Eccl matters Bridges The Princes authoritie for Eccl. matters Our Brethr. speeches against Princes dealing in eccl matters How our Brethren incâ—rre the lâ—ke dealing that they repâ—chende in the Pope for nâ—iâ—sing Princes and the Clâ—â—gie The Pastors supremacie in Eccl. matters Our Brethr. owne sayings rightly returned on themselues These Gouernors Pastors not in Script
remoouing offences and of purging the filthes which corrupt Godlinesse and obscure the maiesty of God If nowe the authoritie of the Prince stretcheth it selfe to all these thinges in the name of nourishing the Churche which is farre aboue all bodilie nourishment or mayntenaunce of liuing then is not the Christian princes authority abased any whit thereby in the making of Ecclesiasticall Lawes for these Eccl. matters but much more confirmed and encreased so that the prophetes meaning was not as our Br. heere say the prophet meaneth that kinges and Queenes shall bee so carefull for the preseruation of the Church that they shall think no seruice too base for them so they may profite the Churche of Christe withall For it is no proâ—iâ—â— at all vnto the Churche for princes to abase them-selues as they haue done vnto the Pope and his Ministers who no lesse shamefully abused 〈◊〉 prophesy than the Princes simplie in beleeuing of them did thinke indeede no seruice too base for them that they might as they thought profit the Church of Christe withall But the prophetes meaning was rather of twayne besides the comforting of the Church to foretell not onely the Princes honorable reuerencing of the Church but also that by their exaltation greate authoritie aboue it they shoulde becom of persecutors as it were euen parents to it But now if this testimonie wil not serue to make Princes stoupe vnto their bent they haue another at hand Vnto this honorable subiection say they the holy Ghost exhorteth princes in the 2. psalme after that they haue tried that they preuayl nothing in striuing against the kingdome of Christe Be nowe therefore wise O yee kinges bee learned that Iudge the earth serue the Lord with feare and reioyce to him with trembling declaring that it is a ioyful seruice to be obedient to Christ yea to serue God is indeede to reigne Our Brethren where they shoulde yet nâ—wâ— at length according to their promise wâ—en all their other tetrarcheâ— were serâ—ied haue declared vnto vs howe farre the Princes authoritie in the gouernment of Eccl. matters stretcheth they are nowe altogether fallen from describing vnto vs the Princes authoritie of which God wot wee haue hearde full litle yet to the descriptâ—â—n all of the Princes subiection For although they commende it with the name of honourable yet still it is but subiection that they speake of not authoritie Albeit I graunt this is moste true that it is a ioyfull seruice to bee obedient to Christe yea to serue God is indeede to reigne better than to reigne in any worldly kingdome without Gods seruice and therefore the holy ghoste â—oth well therein exhort those Princes which haue tried that they preuayl nothing in striuing against the kingdome of Christ to be wise and learned and to serue the Lorde But let our Br. withall remember this that they abuse not this exhortation of the holy ghost spoken to those Princes that resisted Christs kingdome by applying it here altogether to the Princes that we speak of that only are true Christian Princes haue already subiected their kingdoms to Christs kingdom For nowe we enquire of godly Princes what auth they haue by Christ allowed theÌ„ in the gouerning of his kingdoÌ„ Otherwise if they apply this sentence thus as though her Maiestie in not submitting herself and her auth to these their decrees orders did as yet resist the kingdome of Christe they offer her Maiestie no small 〈◊〉 nor she may well abase her authoritie so farre nor any other Christian Prince that hath subiected his kingdome to the obedience of the kingdome of Christe as her Maiestie God bee praysed hath doâ—nâ— Not but that I graunt there is still an vse of this exhortation euen to all Princes neuer so godly to continue in this Wisedome learning and seruice of the Lorde But her Maiestie God be praysed being wise and Learned indeede hath Learned and found out a great diffâ—rencâ— betwéen thâ— seruing of the Lorde himselfe and the seruing of the seruaunts of the Lorde For although there bee a seruice that the Prince oweth to them also in respect that they in their diuine seruice of Gods worde and Sacraments represent God yet the Princes being also the seruaunts of God as they again represent him in their seruice so their seruice is such a high and supreme gouernment as set the verie action of the spiritual seruanâ—s diuine seruice aside they are all inferiour to the Princes seruice and in some respects not onely Subiects but seruaunts also to their Princes and not the Princes seruaunts vnto them Yea euen in those diuine seruices which the Ministers Stewards or seruants of God professe the Christian Princes being also the Ministers and seruaunts of God haue an higher seruice ministerie and Stewardship in the general ouer-sight of those particular ouer-seers to ouer-see and ouer-rule them to doe their dueties and with their aduise and counsell deuising and determining what is fittest to make lawes and orders with them and aboue them not onely to rule all his temporall subiects but all his Eccl. subiects too and euen him selfe in all due subiection to those his Lawes orders that he hath made And that this seruice of the Prince to God stretcheth hereunto and to the Prince especially aboue all other we haue heard how S. Augustine expoundeth this testimonie And yet because our Br. lead vs heere vnto it let vs again mark it a little better whether it more infirme and abase or confirm and augment the princes authoritie in making decrees lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters S. Aug. in his 50. Epistle ad Bonifacium vpon this verse And nowe yee Kings vnderstand c. Howe then saith he doe kinges serue the Lorde in feare but in forbidding with a religious seueritie and in punishing those thinges which are done contrary to the commaundementes of the Lorde For hee serueth otherwise in that hee is a man and otherwise in that he is a King For in that he is a man hee serueth in liuing faythfully But in that hee is also a King hee serueth in the enacting with a conuenient vigour Lawes that commaunde righteous matters and forbidde the contrary Euen as Ezechias serued in destroying the groues and Temples of the Idolles and those high places that were builded contrary to the commaundement of God Euen as Iosias serued he also doing the same things Euen as the King of the Niniuites serued in compelling the whole Citie to appease God Euen as Darius serued in giuing it into Daniels power to breake the Idoll and in casting the enemies to the Lyons Euen as Nabuchodonozor serued of whom we haue already spoken in forbidding by a terrible Lawe all that were placed in his kingdome from blaspheming God In this therfore kings doe serue the Lord when they doe those thinges to serue him that none but Kinges can doe If this seruice then be the onely prerogatiue of