but of deacons which were appointed to make prouision for the poore only as you say neither did the multitude of the disciples for so they be called electe them before they were willed so to do by the twelue Apostles It may be that some vse to run and ryde and by vnlawfull sute and buying preuent others and it may be that you haue experience hereof all doe not so this is the faulte of the man not of the callyng you may not ascribe mens infirmities to a lawfull order The rule may be good though it be by some broken The sixth Then no minister placed in any congregation but by the consente of the people nowe that authoritie is giuen into the handes of the Bishop alone who by his sole authoritie thrusteth vpon them suche as they many tymes as wel for vnhonest life as also for lack of learning may and do iustly dislyke To proue that no minister was placed in any congregation but by coÌ„sent of the people you alledge the. 14. of the Acts and of the. 2. to the Corinth the. 8. chapter In the 14. of the Acts vers 23. for the which you haue quoted the 13. it is thus written when they that is Paule and Barnabas had ordeyned them elders by election for so is some traÌ„slatioÌ„ in euery church prayed fasted c. The text is plain that Paule Barnabas did ordeyn them elders the gréek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 although it signify to elect by putting vp of hands yet it is the common opinion almost of al ecclesiastical writers that this word in scripture is vsed for the solemn maner of ordring mynisters by the imposition of hands Surely howsoeuer the word is taken yet here is no generall rule prescribed of electing ministers You may as well conclude that al thinges ought to be common among Christians bycause wée reade Acts. 2. that all those whiche beléeued had all things coÌ„mon among them and that those whiche be conuerted to the Gospell oughte to sell their goodes and landes to bée distributed at the discretion of the mynisters bicause they did so Art. 2. 3. In the. 2. to the Corinthians 8. The Apostle declareth how the Churches had chosen Luke or as some thynke Barnabas to bée his companion in his iourney â–ª But what makes thys for electing of Mynisters Howe followeth this argument The Churches had chosen Luke or Barnabas to bée Paules companyon in hys iourney therfore ministers of the woorde muste be elected by the people These thrée last reasons are all one the places of scripture which I haue set downe answered be alledged of you to proue that the election of ministers was then made by the coÌ„mon consent of the people and that euery coÌ„gregation had authoritie to cal their ministerie I doe not denye but in the apostles tyme and after euen to Cyprians tyme the peoples consent was in many places required in the appointing of ministers But I saye that in the whole Scripture there is no commaundement that it should so be nor any example that maketh therein any necessarie or generall rule but that it may be altered as tyme and occasion serueth For in suche matters not commaunded or prohibited in Scripture touching ceremonies discipline and gouernement the Churche hath authoritie from tyme to tyme to appoynte that whiche is moste conuenient for the presente state as I haue before declared And I adde that howesoeuer in the Apostles tyme that kinde of electing and calling ministers was conuenient and profitable now in this state of the Church it were most pernicious and hurtfull First bicause in the apostles time the church was vnder the crosse and therfore very few in comparison was there that embraced the gospel and commonly they kept together or at the least met oftentimes so that one of them was thorowly knowne to another and they themselues could best iudge who amoÌ„g them was the â—ittest to teach and instruct hauing always diuers fit for that function Now the church is in prosperitie and therfore the number that professeth great and dispersed into dyuers places and in moste parishes not one fit for the ministerie among them or knowne vnto them so that they should call they knowe not whome Secondly in the Apostles tyme all or the moste that were Christians were vertuous and godly and such as did sincerely professe the worde and therefore the election of their pastour might safely be committed to them nowe the churche is ful of hypocrites dissemblers drunkardes whoore mongers c. so that if any election were committed to them they would be sure to take one like to themselues Thirdly in the Apostles time al that professed Christ had knowledge and were able to iudge who were méetes to be their pastour Now the most be ignorant and without iudgement in suche matters Fourthly in the Apostles tyme there was in the Churche no Idolaters no superstitious persons no Papistes nowe the Churche is full of Papists Atheistes and suche lyke Who séeth not therfore what straunge ministers we should haue if the election of them were committed to their seuerall parishes Fifthly in the Apostles time there was no Churche established béeing then no christian Magistrates and therefore the state of the Churche was popular nowe there is christian Magistrates and a Church established and subiect to rulers c. Therefore this diuersitie of the state of the Churche requireth a diuers kinde of gouernement and an other kinde of ordeyning Ministers For this cause in Concilio Laodicensi which was Anno. 334. it was decréed that the election of Ministers should not be permitted to the people This alteration of gouernement and orders in the Churche of Chryst is well set out by Ambrose in the. 4. to the Ephe. vpon these words Et ipse dedit c. where he saith on this sorte That the nuÌ„ber of Christians might encrease and be multiplied in the beginning it vvas permitted to euery one to preache the Gospel to baptise and to expounde the Scriptures but vvhen the Churche vvas enlarged there vvere certaine parishes appoynted and gouernours and other officers ordeined in the Churche c. Therfore the vvritings of the Apostles do not in al things agree vvith the orders that are now in the Church Thus farre Ambrose Musculus also in his coÌ„mon places answering to this question why that ministers of the word are not chosen nowe by the ministers and the people as they were in the primatiue Church but appointed by the Magistrate sayth thus Talis tum Ecclesiarum erat statiu vt aliter non essent eligendi ministri quia Christiano magistratu destituebantur Sireuocas temporum illorum mores primum conditiones statum quoque illorum reuoca Such vvas then the state of Churches that they coulde choose their Ministers no othervvise bicause they had no christian Magistrates If thou vvouldest haue the maners and customes of those times obserued then must thou call backe their condition and
not wasted vpon loyterers and idle vagabounds Nowe it is the first steppe to the ministerie nay rather a mere order of priesthoode Answere In the whole .xij. chapiter of the Epistle to the Romanes there is not one worde to proue the office of a Deacon to consist in gathering almes and distributing the same neither yet dothe he speake there of the office of a Deacon no more dothe he in the thirde Chapiter of the seconde Epistle to the Thessalo Lorde God what meane you thus to play with the scriptures It is true that in the primatiue Churche the office of a Deacon was to collecte and prouide for the poore but not onely for it was also their office to preache and to baptise for Stephen and Philippe béeing Deacons dyd preache the Gospell Act. 6.7.8 And Philip dyd baptyse the Eunuche Act. 8. Iustinus Martyr one of the moste auncient writers in his seconde Apologie sayth that in the administration of the Supper deacons did distribute the bread and the wine to the people The same doth master Caluine affirme of deacons in his Instit. ca. 19. It may well be compted the first steppe to the ministerie as it hath bene from the Apostles time and S. Paule ioyneth them togither 1. Tim. 3. Admonition For they may baptise in the presence of a Bishop or priest or in their absence if necessitie so require minister the other sacrament likewise reade the holy scriptures and homilies in the congregation instruct the youth in the Cathechisme and also preache if he be commaunded by the Byshop Answere I know not what you meane by your Ponti tit in the margent of your booke but if you meane the booke entituled the forme and maner of making and consecrating Byshops c. now allowed in this Church of Englande then do you vntruely reporte it for there is no mention of baptising in the presence of a Byshop or Priest neither yet of ministring the other sacrament in their absence if necessitie require onely the booke sayth that a deacon may baptise or preach if he be thervnto admitted by the Byshop and that he may so do by the worde of God I haue proued before As for reading the holy scriptures and Homilies in the congregation also for instructing the youth in the Cathechisme who doubteth but that a deacon may do them Admonition Agayne in the olde Churche euery congregation had their Deacons Answere O how aptely you haue alledged the Scriptures to proue that euery congregation had their deacons In the first to the Philip. these be the words Paule and Timotheus c. to all the Saincts which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons Paule and Timotheus salute the Byshops Deacons which were at Philippi Therfore in those dayes euery congregation had their Deacons a straunge kind of reasoning you might well haue thus concluded Ergo at Philippi there was Deacons But surely this argument is too muche out of square there was Deacons at Philippi therfore euery congregation had their Deacons In the .13 of S. Iohn verse .27 these be the wordes And after the soppe Sathan entred into him then sayde Iesus vnto him that thou doste do quickly After supper Sathan entred into Iudas and Iesus sayde vnto him that thou doste do quickly Therefore euery congregation had their Deacons No maruell though your margent be pestred with Scriptures when you take libertie to make ex quolibet quidlibet Peraduēture you meane that Iudas was a Deacon as he was not but an Apostle bicause he carried the bagge and that some of the Apostles thought that Christ had bid him giue somwhat to the poore belike whosoeuer giueth a peny to the poore at his masters commaundement is with you a Deacon In the sixt of the Acts we learne that there were chosen seauen Deacons but there is not one worde to proue that euery congregation had their Deacons In the third of the first to Timothie S. Paule sheweth what qualities and conditions a Deacon ought to haue but not one worde of deacons béeing in euery congregation This is great audacitie thus manifestly to wring the scriptures without all colour or shew of reason Admonition Now they are tyed to Cathedrall Churches only what do they there gather the almes and distribute it to the poore nay that is the least peece or rather no parte of their function What then to sing a Gospell when the Bishop ministreth the Communion If this be not a peruerting of this office and charge let euery one iudge Answere I am sure you are not offended that there be Deacons in Cathedrall Churches For if they ought to be in euery congregatiō they ought to be there also and yet I know no such order now in Cathedrall Churches that they be more bounde to Deacons in the respecte of reading the Gospell thā other Churches be But admitte they were it is no peruerting of the office of a Deacon being incident to his office aswell to reade the Scriptures in the congregation and to exhorte as to giue almes and distribute to the poore For the state of the Churche is not nowe as it was in the Apostles tyme neyther is that parte of the office of a Deacon so necessary nowe as it was then being lawes and orders otherwise to prouide for the poore than there either was then or coulde haue bene Admonition And yet least the reformers of our time shold seeme vtterly to take out of gods Church thys necessarie function they appointe something to it concerning the pore and that is to search for the sicke needy and impotent people of the parrish and to intimate their estates names and places where they dwell to the Curate that by his exhortation they may be releeued by the parrish or other conuenient almes And thys you see is the nighest parte of his office and yet you must vnderstande it to be in suche places where there is a Curate and Deacō euery parrishe cannot be at that cost to haue both nay no parrish so farre as can be gathered at thys present hath Answere And what faulte can you finde herewith is not thys greatly to be commended If euery parrishs cannot be at the cost to haue both Curate and Deacon why do you require them both in euery parrish Why do you not thinke well of suche lawes as appoint collectours for the poore which may aswell prouide for them and better too than could the Deacon who must be susteyned himselfe with that which the poore should haue Admonition Now then ▪ if you will restore the Churche to his ancient officers this you must do In stead of an Archbyshop or Lorde Byshop you must make equalitie of ministers Answere I haue proued before that aswell the name as office of an Archbishop is both most auncient and also most necessarie in the Church of Christ and that this equalitie of ministers which you require is both flatly against the scriptures and all aunciente authoritie of councells and learned
this reason is alledged among other euen in the boke of Common prayers And that it is not to make baptisme perfect the boke of common prayers it selfe declareth in these words And that no man shall thinke any detriment shall come to children by deferring of their confirmation he shall know for truth that it is certaine by Gods vvorde that children being baptised haue all things necessarie for their saluation and be vndoubtedly saued You adde as though the Byshop coulde giue the holy Ghost the Byshop may vse the ceremonie vsed by the Apostles that is imposition of handes may safely say this godly prayer conteyned in the boke Defend O Lord this child vvith thy heauenly grace that he may continue thine for euer and dayly encrease in thy holy spirite more and more vntill he come vnto thy euerlasting kingdome Amen And other such godly praiers ther conteyned Of any other kinde of giuing the holy ghost there is no mention in that booke and therefore these additions myght very wel haue bene left out of your libell But of the Bishops benedictiō by laying on of his hands heare Master Caluines iudgement in his Instit. cap. 19. secti 4. Talem manuum impositionem quae simpliciter loco benedictionis fiat lando et restitutam hodie in purum vsum vilim Such imposition of handes as is simplie made in the steade of blessing I do commend and vvish that it vvere restored at this day to the pure vse There shall you also reade the very self same for me manner of confirmation allowed which is now vsed in this Church of England To the ende of the eleuenth reason these wordes be added and open our eyes that we may see what that good and acceptable will of God is and be more earnest to prouoke his glorie to the which I only answere Amen In the ende of the twelfth there is something left out which they haue placed in the 13. reason but it is answered before Fol. 6. There is nothing added or altered worth the noting only in the fiftenth reason where they sayde before that we honored Byshoppes by the titles of Kings nowe they haue recanted that and condemned themselues of an vntruth for they haue left out that title In the ende of that fiftéenth article or reason this is added and whiche of them haue not preached against the Popes two swords nowe whether they vse them not thēselues Touching the Popes two swords we are of the same minde stil for the Pope contrary to the worde of God taketh from Princes vnto him selfe that authoritie whiche is due vnto them by the worde of God and woulde haue them to receiue that authoritie from him whiche he hath no power to gyue the Pope also requireth the full authoritie of a ciuill magistrate and exempteth him selfe from all subiectiō which is flat contrary to the word of God our Byshops in this Church do not challenge as of their owne right any such ciuill authoritie but only according to their duty execute that that by the Prince lawes of this Realme for iust considerations is layde vpō them Neither do they medle in all ciuill causes or exercise all ciuill iurisdiction but such only as helpeth to discipline and to the good gouernment of this church and state Wherefore we may safely preache against the Popes two swords and yet lawfully defende that iurisdiction and authoritie that any bishop hath in this Church for any thing that I knowe Fol. 7. Wheras before it was thus in the margent and. 19. reason to proue that the regiment of the church shoulde be spirituall reade Eph. 1.23 1. Thess. 5.13.1 Ti. 5.2 Heb. 10.30 now it is thus altered to proue that the regiment of the church should be spirituall read Caluine in his cōmentaries vpon these places Eph. 1.23 1. Thes. 5. 13.1 Ti. 5.2 Heb. 10.30 Belike bicause the scriptures thēselues do not sufficiētly proue your assertiō therfore you would haue vs to leaue them to reast vpon Caluines interpretation which is nothing else but to prefer mans iudgemēt before the word of god or to giue master Caluine authoritie to conclude that which is not determined by the scripture If this be not your meaning why flye you frō those places themselues to master Caluines interpretatiō vpon them But what if you now abuse master Caluines cōmentaries vpon these places as you did before the places themselues In his commentaries vpon Ephe. 1. vse 23. This is all that he sayth touching this matter Nam vtcunque Christus omnia perficiat nutu virtuteque sua tamē specialiter loquitur hic Paulus de spirituali ecclesiae gubernatione Quanquam nihil interea impedit quo minus de vniuersali mundi gubernatione accipias For howsoeuer Christ maketh perfecte all things with his becke and by his power yet Paule speaketh here especially of the spiritual gouernemēt of the church Although that in the meane time it is no hinderance why thou mayest not also vnderstād it of the vniuersall gouernement of the world These words serue litle for your purpose There is no man that doubteth but that Christe doth spiritually gouerne his Churche and raigne in the hartes of the faithfull by hys sprite But your meaning is that the gouernement of the Churche is only spirituall which you can no more gather of these wordes of Caluine than you may that the gouernemente of the whole world ought only to be spirituall The same Caluine writing vppon .1 Thessa. 5 vers 12. for the which you haue noted the .13 saith on this sorte Hoc additum videtur ad notandum spirituale regimen tametsi enim Reges quoque magistratus Dei ordinatione prosunt quia tamen ecclesiae gubernationem dominus peculiariter vult suam agnosci ideo nominatim praeesse in Domino dicuntur qui Christi nomine mandato ecclesiam gubernant This seemes to be added to note the spirituall regiment For although kings also and Magistrates do gouerne by the ordinance of God yet bycause the Lorde would haue the gouernemente of the Churche knowne peculierly to be his therefore namely they are saide to rule in the Lorde whiche gouerne the Churche in the name of Christe and by hys commaundemente Hitherto Caluine also affirmeth that whiche no man denieth that God doth by the ministerie of his worde spiritually gouerne his Church But this taketh not away the ciuill Magistrate neyther yet ciuill lawes made by the Magistrate externally also to gouerne the Churche In his Commentaries 1. Ti. 5. verse 2. he speaketh not one word of this matter for any thing that I can perceiue Vppon the place to the Hebrewes he onely sheweth that God dothe gouerne hys Churche the whiche I thinke no man is so wicked as to denye You muste more plainly sette it downe what your meaning in this matter is before you can be fully aunswered For to proue that God dothe spiritually gouerne his Churche is néedlesse being denied of none either Papiste or Protestant
imprisonements banishmentes such like extremities yet is these poore mens cause neuer the worse nor these chalēgers the better nor God his hande the further of to linke in with his against them nor you christian brethren must neuer the rather without examination condemne them But thankfully take this taste which God by these treatises offreth you weigh them by the word of god and do your endeuor euery one in his calling to promote his cause And let vs al with more earnest prayer than wee are wont earnestly cōmend it to God his blessing and namely that it will please him by his spirite to lighten the heart of our most gratious soueraigne and the rest in authoritie to the benefite of his small flocke and the ouerthrowe of their proude enimies that godlinesse maye by them proceede in peace and God his glorie thorowe Jesus Christ be throughly aduaunced Whiche wee call God to witnesse is our onely laboure and suite And so presently we leaue you heartily beseeching God to graunt it Amen An answere to the Preface of the Admonition THESE TVVO treatises conteyned in this admonition as they be voyde of sounde learnyng so are they full of blynde affection and stuffed with vncharitable and vnchristian terms and phrases wherfore it is to bée feared that they procéede not of loue but of hatred not of zeale but of malice not of humilitie but of arrogancie not of myndes desirous to reforme but of stomackes séekyng to deforme and confounde that whiche is in due forme and order by lawfull authoritie established For what charitable zealous and humble spirite woulde so spitefully and slaunderously speake of their brethren whose doctrine is pure whose zeale is feruent whose suffering for the Gospel hath ben in time of triall comparable with any mans that nowe liueth who haue also paynfully taughte the worde of God in this realme and do at this day and by whose ministerie the Gospel hath taken roote and is come to that encrease that now God be thanked appeareth Surely these opprobrious termes proude generation tyrannous lordships vngracious cruel Popelike wicked raigne proude enimies c. applied to brethren procéede not from the humble and mylde spirite of GOD but from the proude and arrogante spirite of Sathan Therfore by this vnséemely preface it may appeare from what spirite the reste of thys admonition spryngeth Touchyng the crueltie and rigeure these men complayne of I shall néede to speake little béeing manyfeste to all that bée not with synister affections blynded that lacke of seueritie is the principall cause of their licentious libertie But who séeth not their hypocrisie whiche would make the worlde beléeue that they are persecuted when they be with too much lenitie punished for their vntollerable contempt of good lawes and other disordered dealings Naye suche is their peruersenesse or rather arrogancie that if they be debarred but of the least part of their will and desyre by and by they crie out of crueltie and persecution It is to be doubted what these men will do when persecution commeth in déede whiche now make so muche of a little or rather of nothing As for this great brag For how so euer learned and many they seeme to be they should and may in this realme fynde inowe to matche them and shame them too if they hold on as they haue begonne Satis arroganter dictum est And verifieth that to be true that is commonly spoken of these kinde of men that is that they contemne all other in comparison of themselues that they thinke thēselues only zealous only learned c. But it is possible they may be matched and I know no man of learning afrayde to encounter with them eyther by word or writing Touching the ministerie and gouernement of the Church what faults there is to be therin found we shall vnderstand when we come to their reasons God graunt vs humble and méeke spirites that godly vnitie may be maynteyned in the Churche One thing I must desire thée to note gentle reader wherin the follie of these men maruellously appeareth how they haue paynted the margent of their booke with quoting of scriptures as though al were Scripture they write when as in déede they abuse both the Scripture and thée For what one place of scripture is in all thys preface alledged to any purpose and yet howe many is there quoted To proue that wée muste reade these two Treatises without parcialitie or blinde affection here is noted in the margēt 1. Thess. 5. vers 21. James 1. James 2. The place to the Thessalonians is this Trie all things and keepe that vvhiche is good The place of the first of James is this VVherfore my deare brethren let euery man be svvifte to heare slovve to speake and slovve to vvrath And the seconde place of James is this My brethren haue not the faithe of our Lorde Iesus Christe in respecte of persons And to what purpose are these places alledged What proue they Or what néede is there to alledge them These Apostles in these places speake not of rayling libels but of hearing the word of God and iudging of matters of faithe according to the truth and not to the persons To proue that tyrannous lordship can not stand with Christs kingdom they alledge the .15 of Mat. and Luc. 16. The place in the 15. of Mat. vers 23. is this But he answered hir not a vvorde Then came to him his disciples and besought him saying Sende hir avvay for she cryeth after vs. In the sixtéenth of Luke it is thus Then he sayd vnto them ye are they vvhiche iustifie youre selues before men but God knovveth your hartes for that vvhiche is highly estemed among men is abhomination in the sight of god I would gladly know how their assertion and these two textes hang together I allowe not tyrannous Lordshyp to stande with Christes kingdome But it may well inough for any thyng in these two places to the contrarie Tyrannous Lordship is not estéemed among men but hated To proue that they whose authoritie is forbidden by Christe will haue their stroke without their fellowe seruauntes c. is quoted Math. 20. Math. 23. Mark. 10. Luke 22. In the .20 of Math. it is thus written Yee knowe that the lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them c. In the .23 of Mathew But be ye not called Rabbi for one is your doctor or teacher to wit Christ. The places in Marke and Luke be all one with that in the 20. of Mathew The conclusion that is gathered of these places is very darke and generall they should◠haue declared who they be that haue this authoritie forbidden and what the authoritie is Touching these places alleaged in the 20. of Mat. 10. of Mar. 22. of Luke Musculus and diuers other learned men think that they extende not onely to the Apostles and men of the Clergie as we call them but to all Christians of what state soeuer they
that which is written in this booke is nothing else but Scripture it selfe They haue delt very subtilly to cote the places onely and not to set them downe in playne words for by this meanes they thinke that of the moste parte it shall neuer be vnderstanded howe vnaptly and to what small purpose they be alleaged This name Puritane is very aptely giuen to these men not bicause they be pure no more than were the Heretikes called Cathari but bicause they think them selues to be mundiores cateris more pure than others as Cathari dyd and seperate them selues from all other Churches and congregations as spotted and defyled Bicause also they suppose the Church which they haue deuised to be without all impuritie An answere to the admonition Admonition SEing that nothing in this mortall life is more diligently to be sought for and carefully to be looked vnto than the restitution of true religion reformation of Gods church it shall be your partes dearly beloued in this present Parliament assembled as muche as in you lieth to promote the same and to employ your whole labour and studie not onely in abandoning all Popish remnants bothe in ceremonies regiment but also in bringing in and placing in Gods churche those things onely which the Lord himselfe in his word cōmandeth Because it is not enough to take paynes in taking away euil but also to be occupied in placing good in the stead therof Now because many men see not all things and the worlde in this respect is maruellously blinded it hath bene thoughte good to prosfer to your godly considerations a true platforme of a Churche reformed to the ende that it beeing layd before your eyes to beholde the great vnlikenesse betweene it this our English church you may learne either with perfect hatred to detest the one and with singular loue to embrace and carefull endeuour to plant the other or else to be without excuse before the maiestie of oure God who for the discharge of our conscience and manifestation of his truth hath by vs reuealed vnto you at this present the sinceritie and simplicitie of his Gospell Not that you should either wilfully with stande or vngratiously tread the same vnder your feete for God doth not disclose his wyll to any suche end but that you should yet now at the length with al your mayne and might endeuour that Chryst whose easie yoke and lyghte burthen we haue of long time cast of from vs mighte rule and reigne in his Church by the scepter of his worde onely Aunswere I Will not aunswere words but matter nor bare affirmations or negations but reasons and therfore in as few words as I can I will comprehende many lines But before I enter into their reasons I thinke it not amisse to examine that assertion which is the chiefe and principall grounde so farre as I can gather of their Booke that is that those things onely are to bée placed in the Churche which the Lorde him selfe in his worde commaundeth As though they shoulde say nothing is to be tollerated in the Churche of Chryste touching either doctrine order ceremonies discipline or gouernement except it he expressed in the worde of god And therfore the most of their argumentes in this booke be taken ab authoritate negatiuè which by the rules of Logique proue nothing at all It is moste true that nothing ought to be tolerated in the Churche as necessarie vnto saluation or as an article of faith except it be expresly conteined in the worde of God or may manifestly therof be gathered and therfore we vtterly condemne reiect Transubstantiation the sacrifice of the Masse the authoritie of the bishop of Rome woorshipping of Images c. And in this case an argumente taken Ab authoritate Scripturae negatiuè is most strong As for example It is not to be found in Scripture that the Bishop of Rome ought to be the head of the Church and therfore it is not necessarie to saluation to beléeue that he ought to be the head of the Churche c. It is also true that nothing in ceremonies order discipline or gouernement in the Churche is to be suffered béeing against the worde of God And therfore wee reiect all ceremonies wherein there is any opinion to saluation woorshipping of God or merite As créeping to the crosse holy breade holy water holy candle c. But that no ceremonie order discipline or kynde of gouernement may be in the Churche except the same be expressed in the worde of God is a great absurditie and bréedeth many inconueniences The Scripture hath not prescribed any place or time wherin or when the Lords Supper shoulde be celebrated neyther yet in what manner The Scripture hath not appoynted what tyme or where the congregation shall méete for common prayer and for the hearing of the worde of God neyther yet any discipline for the correcting of suche as shall contemne the same The scripture hath not appoynted what daye in the wéeke should be moste méete for the Sabboth day whether Saterday whiche is the Iewes Sabboth or the day now obserued which was appointed by the church The Scripture hath not determined what forme is to be vsed in Matrimonie what woordes what prayers what exhortations The Scripture speaketh not one woorde of standing sitting or knéelyng at the Communion of méetyng in Churches fieldes or houses to heare the word of God of preaching in pulpets chaires or otherwise of baptizing in fontes in basons or riuers openly or priuatly at home or in the churche euery day in the wéeke or on the Sabboth day only And yet no man as I suppose is so simple to thinke that the Church hathe no authoritie to take order in these matters I pray you what mente Sainct Paule in the .1 Corinth 14. after he had prescribed certayne orders vnto them to bée obserued in the Churche thus generally to conclude Omnia decenter ordine fiant Lette all things be doone decently and in order Dothe hée not there giue vnto them authoritie to make orders in the Churche so that all thynges hée doone in order and decently The best interpreters doo vnderstande this as a general rule giuen vnto the churche to examine hir traditions and constitutions by And therefore without all doubte their iudgemente is that the Churche hath authoritie in external things to make orders and appoynte lawes not expressed in the woorde of GOD so that thys rule of the Apostle bée obserued Nowe if eyther godly Councels or auncient fathers were any thing at all regarded of these men as they be not suche is their arrogancie this controuersie mighte soone be decided For the most auncient fathers and best learned as Iustinus Martyr Irenaeus Tertulian Cypriā and other do expresly declare that euen from the Apostles tyme the Churche hath always had authoritie in suche matters and hath obserued diuers orders ceremonies not once mencioned in the worde of God.
or callyng so that those qualities be founde in him which in that office are to be required I maruel to what purpose the twelfth chapiter of the first booke of Kings is here quoted for Ieroboam is there reproued bicause he toke the préesthood from the tribe of Leui to the whiche onely it did apperteyne The Papists neuer toke so great occasion of sâ—andring the gospel at the ignoraÌ„ce of the ministers for they haue of them selues those that be as ignorant and inore as they do at your schismes and fonde opinions wherewith you disquiet the peace of the Churche and lay stumbling blockes before the weake for the whiche God wil surely call you to accompte The second chapter to the Romaines is here quoted only to paynt the margent The second In those days no idolatrous sacrificers of Heathenish priests were appoynted to be preachers of the Gospell but we allowe and lyke well of Popish masse mongers men for al seasons King Henries priests King Edwards preestes Queene Maries preests who of a truth if Gods word wer precisely folowed shold froÌ„ the â—ame be vtterly remoued The place in the fifth chapter of the Hebrues quoted in the Margent speaketh nothing of Idolatrous sacrificers or Heathenish priests but only by the example of Aaron proueth that no man ought to intrude himselfe into the office of a Bishop or Préeâ—t except he be called of god Lord how dare these men thus wring the scriptures In the .23 of the Prophete Hieremie there is muche spoken againste false Prophetes but not one woorde for any thing that I sée to proue that idolatrous sacrificers maye not be admitted to preache the Gospell The places of the .44 of Ezechiell haue some shewe in them for there the Lorde commaundeth the Leuites whiche had committed Idolatrye to bée put from theyr dygnitie and not to bée receyued into the Preestes office but to serue in inferioure mynisteryes I thinke you wyll not make thys a generall rule to debarce such from preaching of the gospel as haue through infirmitie fallen and be nowe with hartie repentance retourned Wée haue many examples to the contrarie Peter forswore his maister Chryste whyche was as euill as sacrifising to idolles and yet hée was not put from hys Apostleshippe Wée haue dyuerse examples in the Primitiue Churche of suche as by feare béeyng compelled to sacrifise to straunge gods after repented and kepte still the office of preaching the Gospell and did moste constantly dye in the same I pray you what say you to maister Luther Buâ—er Cranmer Latimer Ridley c. were not all these somtymes Massemongers yet singuler notable instrumeÌ„ts of promoting the Gospel and preaching the same wherof many haue giuen testimonie by sheding their bloud And by whose Ministerie especially hathe the Gospell bene publyshed and is as yet in thys Churche of Englande but by suche as haue ben Massemongers and nowe zealous godlie and learned preachers God in that place of the Prophet Ezechiel sheweth how gréeuous a sin idolatry is especially in the préests but he prescribeth no generall rule of secluding them from theyr ministerie if they falling afterwarde repent Besides this there is a great difference betwixt the seueritie of the lawe and the lenitie of the Gospell betwixte the externall regimente of the Churche before Christe and the Churche after Chryste neyther can you make the one in all poyntes correspondent to the other Lykewise betwixt the declining of those Préests which was wholly from God to Gentilitie and the falling of ours to Papistrie which confesseth the same articles of fayth that wée doe althoughe not syncerely It is one thing wholly to worshippe false gods an other thing to worship the true God falsly and superstitiously But among all other things I woulde gladly knowe wherein king Edwards préestes haue offended you It is happie you let Quéene Elizabeths préestes alone I maruell whose Préests you are The thirde Then they taught others now they must be instructed them selues and therfore lyke yong children they muste learne Catechismes God be thanked there is a great number of ministers that can teache others and may be your schoolemasters in all kinde of learnyng excepte you haue more than you vtter in these treatises If they that fynde some want of learning in themselues or that be crepte into the ministerie vnlearned eyther of theyr owne accorde or by commaundemente of their ordinarie reade and learne godlie and learned Cathechismes they are to be commended and so is he that prouoketh them therevnto That Catechisme whiche you in derision quote in the margent is a booké fit for you to learn also and I know no man so wel learned but it may become him to reade and learne that learned and necessarie booke But some arrogant spirites there be that thinke them selues of all men best learned and disdayne to learne of any That place of the fourth chapter of the first to Timothie dothe not forbid a man to learne He that is a good and modest preacher wil not disdayn as well to be taught as to teache The fourthe Then election was made by the common consent of the whole Churche nowe euery one picketh out for himselfe some notable good benefice he obteyneth the nexte aduouson by money or by fauour and so thinketh himselfe sufficiently chosen To proue that the election was then made by the coÌ„mon consent of the whole Churche you quote the fyrst of the Acts. I tolde you before maister Caluines iudgement of that place There is no mention of electing by any common consante And in the place by you quoted whiche is the. 26. verse it is declared howe they gaue foorth their lottes and that the lot fell on Mathias and that he was by a common consent compted with the eleuen Apostles here is no mention of any election But when he was extraordinarily through Gods prouidence by lot appoynted then they all compted him and estemed him as one of the Apostles where as before some of them would haue had Barsabas I thinke your meaning is not to haue always two at once to be presented to the ministerie and then one of them to be chosen by lot I knowe none of that opinion Wherfore this example is singular and extraordinarie and therfore no generall rule to be folowed If any man seeketh a benefice extraordinarily or vnlaufully If any man desire honorem the honor not onus the burthen opes the ryches not opus the vvoorke hée hathe to aunswere for it but I truste you will not accuse all though perhaps you knowe some I meane of youre selues and peraduenture your owne selfe The fifth Then the coÌ„gregation had authoritie to call ministers in steede therof now they runne they ride and by vnlawful sute and buying preuente other suters also To proue that the congregation had then authoritie to call ministers you alledge the sixte of the Acts which place of the Acts I touched before It speaketh not of ministers of the worde
like manner well gouerne twentie parishes Surely an Archbishop may well gouerne one prouince but the Pope can neuer well gouerne the whole church And yet an Archbishop hath not the the charge of gouernement ouer the whole prouince generally but onely in certain cases exempted therfore may do it more easily You borowed these arguments from the very Papists who by the selfe same reasons go about to proue the Popes supremacie for thus they argue Among the Israelites ther was one high Priest whiche had authoritie ouer the rest therfore ther must be one high Priest which is the Pope ouer the whole Churche of christ Master Caluin in his Institutions chap. 8. doth answere this reason on this sort Quod in vna natione fuit vtile id in vniuersum orbem extendere nulla ratio cogit imo gentis vnius totius orbis longe diuersa erit ratio That whiche is profitable in one nation can not by any reason bee extended to the whole worlde for there is great difference betwixt the whole worlde and one nation And a little after Perinde enim est ac si quis contendat totum mundum à praefecto vno debere regi quia ager vnus non plur◠praefectos habeat It is euen as though a man should affirme that the whole worlde may be gouerned of one kyng bicause one fielde or towne hath but one ruler or maister An other of their reasons is this Peter was the chiefe among the Apostles therfore there ought to be one chief ouer the whole Churche The same maister Caluine in the book and chapter before rehersed maketh this one answere to that Argumente Vnus inter Apostolos summus fuit nempe quia pauci erant numero Si vnus duodecim hominibus praefuit an propterea sequetur vnum debere centum milibus hominum praefici There was one chief among the Apostles bicause they were but few in number but if one man rule ouer twelue shall it therefore followe that one maye rule ouer a hundred thousande And a little after Quod inter paucos valet non protinus traehendum est ad vniuersum orbem terrarum ad quem regendum nemo vnus sufficit That which is of force among few maye not by and by bee drawen to the whole worlde the whiche no one man can gouerne ▪ Euery hyue of Bées hath one chéefe master Bée euery companie of Cranes hath one principall guyde must there be therfore but one Bée one Crane to direct al the Bées and the cranes that be in the whole worlde you see therfore how weake this reason is The rest of this reason I haue answered before Admonition The fiftéenth Agayne in that they are honoured with the titles of kings and great rulers as Lorde Lordes grace Metropolitane primate of all England Honor. c. it is agaynste the worde of god Moreouer in that they haue ciuile offices ioyned to the Ecclesiasticall it is agaynst the worde of god As for an Archbishop to be a Lorde president a Lord Bishop to be a Countie Palatine a prelate of the Garter who hath much to doe at Saint Georges feast when the Bible is caried before the Procession in the Crosses place a Iustice of peace or Iustice of Quorum an high Cōmissioner c. And therfore they haue their prisones as Clinkes Gatehouses Colehouses towres and Castles which is also against the Scriptures This is not to haue keyes but swordes and playn tokens they ar that they exercise that which they would so fayne seeme to want I meane dominion ouer their brethren Answere All this is without the booke and therfore I néede not to answere it no more than you néede to absteyn frō subscribing to the booke for things not cōteyned in the booke But I meane a little to examine your places of scripture to sée if you haue any better lucke in applying of them than hitherto you haue had in others To proue that it is agaynst the worde of God to honor Byshops with titles of great rulers as Lorde Lords grace Metropolitane primate of all Englande honor c. for I doe not remember that we call them kings you first quote Math. 23. which place is very ofte by you iterated and sufficiently by me answered before In the .13 of Iohn which you vse also for the same purpose Chryst after he had washed his disciples feete tooke an occasion thervpon to exhorte them to humilitie which vertue is very necessarie in all degrées of men aswell in rulers and Magistrates as in inferiours And therefore that place requireth humilitie in all especially in the ministers of the worde but it disaloweth superioritie in none When Chryst addeth and sayth the seruaunt is not greater than his master c. he armeth them agaynst persecutions and willeth them to looke for afflictions for in the .15 chapter he addeth to the same words If they haue persecuted me they vvill persecute you also And to this are Archbyshops and Lordbyshops aswell subiect as other men examples whereof we haue of our owne as Cranmer Ridley Hooper c. That in the .5 chapter of S. Iohn is not spoken to the Apostles but to the whole company of Iewes in reproofe of their vayne glory for so is that place to be vnderstoode else it were altogither vnlawfull for any man to receyue honor yea euen for Princes them selues To the like purpose tende the words of the Apostle 2. Cor. 10. vse 16.17.18 Surely bothe the names of Archbyshops Lordebyshops c. and their offices may aswell stande with these places of the scripture as the names offices of kings nobles and any other persons in estimation or dignitie In déede the mother of all heresies and sectes that is vayne glory and arrogancie in all these places is vtterly condemned But I pray you dothe Christ condemne superioritie in all those whom he exhorteth to humilitie is not humilitie aswell required in Princes and great rulers as it is in meaner persons yes surely and a great deale more Wherfore Christ in suppressing ambition pride arrogancie and exhorting to humilitie doth not condemne superioritie neither yet titles of reuerence but requireth humblenesse of spirite lowlinesse of mynd in al degrées of persons especially in superiors whō this vertue dothe moste adorne the mightiest and noblest Prince in the worlde may come nearer this admonition of Christ than the poorest slaue It is therfore the affection of the minde that Christ here condemneth not superioritie not titles of honor and dignitie yea he reproueth in this place such hautie proude stomakes as yours be which contemne and disdayne those whom they ought both in words and déedes both in titles and subiections to reuerence To proue that ciuill offices ioyned to the ecclesiasticall is agaynst the worde of God first you note Luke 9. v. 60.61 where it is thus written And Iesus sayde vnto him let the dead bury their dead but goe thou and preache the kingdome of