or house of God ought to be directed in all thinges according to the order prescribed by the housholder himselfe Which principle is true within the boundes thereof that is to say in all thinges that he hath prescribed But if he haue not prescribed all thinges appertayning to the externall gouernment of his Church or house then are those thinges which are not prescribed by the housholder himselfe not to be so vrged as that they ought necessarily this way or that way to be alwayes directed The Apostle Hebr. 8. verse 5. saith out of Exod. 25. verse 40. Moses was warned by God when he was about to finish the Tabernacle See sayde he that thou make all thinges according to the paterne shewed to thee in the mount But the Apostle proceeding in the ninth Chapter verse 11. applying this first Tabernacle to the second which he calleth a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building meaning the naturall bodie of Christe referreth not this to the mysticall bodie which is the Church or house of God and much lesse to the externall forme of regiment in all matters ecclesiasticall or belonging to the Churches gouernment No not when before chap. 3. verse 1. c. he speaketh both of Christ himselfe and of his house or Church also Therefore sayeth he holy brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Christ Iesus who was faithfull to him that hath appointeâ— him euen as Moses was in all his house For this man was counted woorthie of more glorie thâ—n Moses in asmuch as he that hath builded the house hath more honour than the house For euery house is builded of some man and hee that hath built all thinges is God Nowe Moses verelie was faithfull in all his house as a seruant for a witnesse of the thinges which should be spoken after but Christe is as the sonne ouer his owne house whose house wee are if we holde fast the confidence and the reioysing of the hope vnto the ende Here againe we sée that this faithfulnesse in all his house as Moses was faithful is not to be reckoned as though he went about to shewe vs that all pointes of the externall regiment of the house or Churche of Christe haue a prescribed order by which they ought to bee directed in all thinges but that in the inwarde and spirituall regiment thereof we should acknowledge Iesus Christ the sonne of God to be the Lord and owner of this house and to consider him as the Apostle and high Priest of our profession that is of our Christian faith and religion and to confirme our faith in him that wee are his house or Church if wee holde fast not this or that externall forme of Ecclesiastical gouernment but the confidence and reioysing of hope vnto the ende And thus farre foorth and not furder we admit this second principle or proposition And this is necessarie to be obserued because this principle is here set downe in such captious order as insinuating that Christ had prescribed an order in all thinges in his house or Church according to the prescription whereof all thinges ought to be directed In which sense it is no principle but a question betwéene vs which wâ— denie and our brethren affirme but as yet they haue not prooued it The thirde saye they is a manifest trueth beleeued of all them that acknoweledge the Scripture of God to bee a perpetuall rule of all our life and able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes Here againe another caption is to be taken héede of in this their thirde principle which order is not to bee learned else-where but in his holie woorde For if they meane it of the order that in his holie worde he hath prescribed true it is that order is not to be learned any where else as anie necessarie prescription otherwise then as an exposition of the same order for our more cleare and fuller learning thereof And so alwayes kéeping the foundation the godlie fathers and expositors may builde there-on and the godlie gouernours of the Church may beautifie and adorne the same so that all be doone to Gods glorie and to the true edifying of the Church And so this third proposition is a manifest trueth beleeued of all them that acknowledge the scripture of God to be a perfect rule of all our life and able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes But it followeth not héere-upon that all generall or particuler orders in the externall gouernement of the Church are not else-where to bee learned but in Gods holie woorde except they meane by Gods holie worde such as are inclusiuely comprehended and not expresselie specified in his holie worde For they their selues haue not all their orders expressely mentioned and in all thinges prescribed in Gods holy worde For example their owne communion booke entituled The forme of Common prayers administration of the Sacramentes c. They dare not auowe that all thinges therein conteyned haue not beene learned else-where but in his holie worde and are there to be founde eyther in plaine woordes or necessarie implication but because they thinke that they are not contrarie they dare auouch thus farre to call them Agreeable to Gods worde And yet as though the agreeablenesse also might be called in question they adde héere-to And the vse of the reformed Churches And as their owne booke of Common prayers vseth all these helpes to saue all vpright for feare they might be chalenged in this poynt euen so this booke which our bretheren commende vnto vs to be A learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment prooued by the worde of God wee shall finde in the discourse thereof that the learned discoursers learned not all the orders prescribed there-in out of Gods holie worde but somewhat else-where Except they will likewise say it is agreeable or not contrarie to Gods holie worde Wherein also we shall God willing sée how they faile But if that answer may thus serue them I sée not whie it may not as well serue vs if we haue no other gouernement established but such as is agreeable and not contrarie to the holie word of God although it be not in his holie word expresselie prescribed Neither dooth this text of S. Paule 2. Tim. 3.17 anie more infringe euerie order in the churches gouernement that it maye not be learned else-where but in Gods holie worde then it dooth infringe euerie other order in the ciuill policie or administration of euerie mans morall behauiour that their orders also are not to be learned else-where but in Gods holie word Bicause thiâ— is a manifest truth beleeued of all them that acknowledge the scripture of God to be a perfect rule of all our life and able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes But it sufficeth for such orders as
those matters whereof they doubt Moreouer hee propoundeth the thinges that hee hath taught to bee discussed in publike disputations that there might no doubt at all remayne Besides these thinges he maketh oftentimes exhortations to profit them well in the Doctrine proposed Héere again the Doctor not onely teacheth but also exhorteth And hee addeth dissuasions from those things whereby they might bee hindred and also admonitions and reprehentions and generall rebukinges Last of all such a master marketh diligently what may profite euery one of his schollers And if he shall marke any to be slack in learning he both correcteth him priuily and admonisheth him of his duety If hee perceiue any to goe lustily forward in learning hee often times calleth him commendeth him and enflameth him that hee might followe his studye more and more Christ the Lorde him selfe did also keepe all these seuen manners of teaching In the synagogue at Nazareth hee read the 61. Chapter of Esay and interpeted it Luc. 4. in the mount he expounded the commaundementes of God Math. 5. and taught euery where and exhorted and reprehended and rebuked out of the worde of God He answered also vnto all both good and bad that asked him questions and on the other side he demaunded Questions as Math 22. He often catechized the Disciples he himselfe was also present at the catechising Luke 2. Sith therfore the ministery of teaching requireth a work so manifold there are also many orders of Ministers deputed vnto this Ministery And first of all Readers whose office was in a pulpit a place somewhat higher to recite the diuine scriptures But this recitall of the diuine scriptures was ordeyned to this purpose that both the tongue the manner of speaking of the scripture and the whole scripture it self might be made more knowne and familiar to the people For within a year they recited all the holy bookes vnto the people When as those that opened the scriptures coulde not by expounding finish but some part of the scriptures and that no great part neither in one yeare While in the meane season by the onely reciting of the diuine bookes vnto the people the knowlege of all the pointes of our saluation was meruelously confirmed for they are oftentimes in euery one of the holy bookes repeated and are by diuers and other names expounded so that alwayes the people out of the lesson following shoulde learne manye thinges which they coulde not as yet playnely perceiue by the former lesson and by that worke was the peoples iudgement confirmed concerning all our Religion as also concerning the expositions of the scriptures and concerning all doctrine that was brought foorth before them eyther by the lawfull Curates and Doctors or else by others For these causes this office also of reciting simply the diuine scriptures vnto the people was in the auncient Churches highly esteemed Neyther were any chosen to this ministery but such as were commended for their singuler godlinesse the which both we may vnderstande by other monumentes of the auncientes and also is perceiued cheefely by one Epistle or twayne of Saint Cyprian as out of the fift Epistle in the seconde booke concerning Aurelius that was ordeyned a reader And Epistle 22. in the third booke concerning Saturus And in the fourth booke concerning Celerinus Celestine To these readers were afterward adioyned Psalterists who had the gouerning of the Psalmes and hymmes that were to be sung Concerning the Scriptures to bee reade the Lorde bee thanked it is well ordered in the Englishe Churches so that there might bee fitte readers which shoulde adde thereto a grauitie and religiousnesse worthy of the diuine mysteries that were recited in the holy Lessons Let it therefore bee pondered diligently whose mouth they represent them-selues to bee which in the sacred assembles reade the diuine bookes vnto the people that is to wit they represent the mouth of God almighty then of what moment of what dignity the matters are that are recited which are the wordes and preceptes of life eternall last of all to what manner of men and to what purpose the readers of the holy scriptures ought to serue For they ought to minister vnto the sonnes of God for whose saluation the first begotten sonne of God shedde his owne bloude by the which thinges the same saluation maye more and more bee made open and bee throughly perfourmed vnto them Which thinges if a man with a true fayth consider with him selfe what grauity decency religion can bee yeelded in any action that such a reader shoulde ouerslippe But they which exercise this function ought alwayes to haue that in the sight of their minde that those thinges which are reade before them ought effectually to serue to the edification of fayth in the hearers the which also shall then at the length bee brought to passe when as both those thinges are well vnderstoode and also are receiued as the wordes of God But vnto both of these a moste cleare well spoken religious pronunciation is required Whereupon is gathered that they are not the Ministers of Christe which doe so recite the diuine scriptures as though that were the onely thing which shoulde be required that the shortest leysure that can be may be spent in such kinde of recitall Now there is another office the interpretation of the Doctrine that is to be dispensed that this to wite a more simple explication of words and sentences This ministery did the bishoppes execute and the priests or Elders Notwithstanding sometimes they admitted vnto this function out of the order of Deacons and of Sub-deacons yea and sometime of the layty such as they founde to bee by the holy Ghoste made fitte profitable to exercise the same So Origene beeing also a lay man was called to this office in the Church of Cesarea of Palestine by Alexander byshop of Hilta and by Thertistus bishoppe of the same Church of Cesarea Euelpis also by Neonus bishoppe of the Larandians and Paulinus bishop by Celsus bishop of Iconium and Theodorus by Atticus bishoppe of the Sinadians These thinges are reade in Eusebius in the sixt booke the tenth Chapter of his Ecclesiasticall history And out of the Epistle of those two bishops Alexander of Ierusalem and Theoctistus of Cesarea bishops in Palestine to Demetrius bishop of Alexandria who reprehended the fact of these two bishops concerning Origene as though it were a thing neuer hearde off for a lay-man while bishoppes were present to speake in the Churche vnto the people But these B. manifestly affirme that this was not true but that the holy Bishops were accustomed to exhort them whome among the laytye they knew to be fitte that they would bring foorth some profite vnto the people of interpreting the scripture and in teaching and that they would exercise this ministery euen while they their-selues also were present And the seconde and so the thirde part of the Ministery to wit interpretation and Doctrine the bishops and the
multitude to the like gulf of mischiefs For what other thing should a B. be interpreted to be but an Ouerseer chiesly when he siateth in a higher seate in the Ch. and so looketh vpon al that the eies of all may looke on him So that héere at least the bishop is made a Praesident that sitteth though among them yet higher then all his fellowes And is this sitting higher onely to looke on them or this beholding and looking on them for no gouerning of them But let Ambrose tell his whole meaning who after he had highly commended the honor and dignity of the high calling both of Bishop and Prieste both aboue the prince and people in his spirituall function cap. 2. and shewed the daunger if their life were not aunswerable thereunto cap. 3. Therefore brethren saith he vnto the Bishops Priestes vnder him as the Roab setteth forth the Senator as the tillage the Husbandman as the Barbarian his armour as the skill of sayling the shipman and the qualitye of euerye Artificers worke declareth the Authors So nothing betokeneth a Bishop but a bishoplie worke That he might be knowne rather by his good worke than by his profession and more to be a Bishop by his wel deseruings than by the name whereby he is so called For as wee haue saide there is nothing more excellent then a Bishopp so nothing is more wretched if the Bishop be in hazard of his holy life And as it is lighter to runne on the plaine so is it more heauye when one falleth from highe dignitie For the ruine that is from an high is frushed with the more waighty fall Indeed the bishoply honor before men is renowmed but if it sustaine a fall it is a great griefe For how much the degree of a bishoppe is higher than others so much the more greeuous is the fall if that by negligence he should slippe A great height muste haue great heede The greater honor must be enuironed with the greater circumspection To whome more is of trust committed of him as it is written is more demaunded For the thinges that are mingled are with the worste And in an other place The mightie shall suffer more mighty tormentes And to him that knoweth the Lawe and doeth it not the sinne is heighnous And the seruaunt that knoweth the will of the Lorde if he shall not doo it shall bee muche beaten For it is another thing that God requireth of a bish and another that of a prieste and another that of a Deacon and another that of a Clerke and another that of a laie man either else of euery singuler man And albeit GOD shall examine in his iudgement the workes of all men yet shall more bee required for of him to whome more is committed For he shall suffer greater punishmentes to whome a cure hauing greater multitude of people to bee gouerned shal bee committed Thus muche saith Ambrose in that Chap. of this matter not onelye for the honor and charge of a bishoppe more than other but also of the seuerall and distinct degrées of bishoppe of priest of Deacon of Clerke and of the Laye people In the Chapter following hee describeth thė properties of a bishoppe out of S. Paule to Timothye And in the◠1. Chap. he inueigheth most against the Arch-bi in his time that made bishops for money and the bishops also for money made priests Deacons All which as it sheweth their abuses so it necessarilie inferreth both their degrées and also their dignities to bee different and euen confuteth that that Danaeus in the same place principally defendeth Last of all S. Ambrose commeth to this sentence by Danaeus cited For thou art called of all men a Bishop without doubting Especially when thou art esteemed by the very name if so be that the action agree to the name and the name associate it selfe vnto the action For what other thing doth he interprete Bishop but an ouer-looker vpon chiefly whē he sitteth in a higher seate and so looketh upon all men that the eyes of all men also do looke on him This is in very déede both the sentence and meaning of S. Ambrose that he is set in a higher seate than other in the Church because of his higher dignity in the Church And that his action should so aunswere to his name that as he ouerlooketh whereon he hath his name so should he ouer-rule them in the discipline of the church And therefore he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a president or one that sitteth highest as Hierome confesseth in his epistle ad Euagrium For also at Alexandria from Marke the Euangeliste vnto Heraclas and Dionysius Bishops the Priestes doe alwaies take one chosen among them-selues whome being placed in a higher degree they called the Bishop Whereby withall it manifestly appeareth that this Bishop of man as they tearme him is of good antiquitie euen from Marke the Euangelist and so an Ecclesiasticall Bishop so that if he could pleade for his higher chayre no better title but onely so faire a prescription from S Marke mée thinketh he should be delt too hardly withall to be turned out now Neither was this first begunne at Alexandria from S. Marke There is yet a more auncient recorde than Ieromes testimonie For saith Eusebius lib 7 cap. 15. To conclude also the Chayre of Iames who was euen of our Sauiour himselfe and of the Apostles in Ierusalem elected the first Bishop in the earth whom bookes do note to be the brother of the Lord is yet to this day there kept And in the same chayre do all they sitte which vntill this present time do enioy the sacred Priesthood of that Seate It is kept therefore with great diligence as a memory of holinesse deliuered from the auncestors and is had in due reuerence either in pretence of the antiquity or of the first sanctification of the sacred Priesthoode Neither doth Eusebius write this of the common estimation of the people and his owne assertion whereof he also spake before libro secundo cap. 2◠That vnto Iames an Episcopall seate in Ierusalem was geuen of the Apostles but also cited out of Clemens which likewise he ha◠done more at large before lib. 2. cap. 1. and hee addeth for furder confirmation héereof saying But Egesippus which was straightwayes after the very first successions of the Apostles with more assured searche rehearseth of him in the fifte booke of his commentaries after these woordes Iames sayth hee the brother of the Lorde who of all men was called the Iuste receaued with the Apostles the Church who endured from the verie times of the Lorde vntill our dayes And so at large Egesippus declareth the maner of his Martyrdome and in conclusion sayth These thinges more at large but agreeable vnto Clement hath Egesippus recorded that Iames was so meruelous a man and among all men so highlie thought of in the obseruing of all righteousnesse that all that were wise among
forth laborers into his haruest And is not publike praier as effectuall hereunto where 2. or 3. yea the whole congregation is gathered together in the name of Christe to beg this amoÌ„g other things of our heauenly father by their publike and formal praier as wel as priuate But say our brethren preaching is neglected Not by publike formal prayers say wee but by some other meanes But if we contniue say they to vpholde it that preaching bee neglected it will come to passe that neither shal be regarded Indéede if we should continue or vphold it to that purpose then it might so come to passe that neither of them shold be regarded And may we not say as much on the other side that if we shold continue to vpholde preaching that publike formal praier be neglected theÌ„ it might also come to passe that neither praier nor preaching shall bee regarded And our Brethren are more earnest heere to haue the publike and formall praiers neglected than are wee to haue preaching neglected So that their selues go nerer then wee doe to haue neither of them both regarded As for vs wee hope that either of these both the publike preaching and the publike praiers which they in scorne call formall prayers may be stil coÌ„tinued vpholden regarded established without any neglect or preiudice yea rather with mutuall help and establishment the one of the other And I like better of that our brethr said before that as we are taught by the worde of God the right vse of publike prayer so by publike praier when wee are taught it the establishment of the worde of God which is taught is the better continued vpholden And if praier discontinue bee neglected the neglect of preaching will followe of like necessitie As when Moses heauy hands fell down the Amalekites preuailed against the Israelites And therfore we may rather conclude that if we continue to vphold publike formal praier that publike preaching shall more formally proceede and be the lesse neglected both praier preaching be more and better regarded But our brethren wil confute our forme of publike praier by this instance For what did thrust out preaching from the Romish Churche but long prescript formes of reading of singing of praying so that their ordinarie was ynough and too much to occupy the whole day though there were no sermon VVhereas contrariwise there woulde be no ordinarie publike praier without preaching This instaunce non facit ad idem it serueth to prooue a cleane contrarie matter Haue our Brethren in such contempt and despight our ordinarie and prescript forme of publike praier that they can alleadge against it no â—itter example than the long prescript formes of reading of singing of praying in the Romish Churche True it is in-déede they did thrust out preaching beeing such an euill reading singing and praying as besides the length thereof their forme was so fraught poysoned with false doctrin errors lies Idolatries superstitions blasphemies c. that for very shame they durst not shewe their faces but were masked in a language vnknowen to the vulgare people although euen that also the stuffe being no better might be some benefite with the moâ—e danger For as their trecheries might be the harder espied so the lesse be learned Which corruptioÌ„s ignorance so traÌ„sformed their reading their singing their praying that as they had béen far better not read nor song so deserued they not the name of anie true priuate or publike prayer at all but were farre worse then the Pharisees vaine lippe labour So that these readings singings and prayings beeing cleane contrary to the worde of God no meruell though they thrust out preaching For what fellowship is there of light with darkenesse 2. Cor 6.14 And shall now those formall prayers that were indeede no true forme of prayers at all but had a forme and name of that they were not bee brought for an instance against our formall publike prayers that in all pointes are agreeable to the proportion of faith to the rule of life to the acceptable will of God and to the greate edifying of all the Congregation and cleane voyde of all false doctrine errours lies Idolatries blasphemies and superstitions either of the papists or of any others Is this a charitable or a true exemplification If our Brethren say they doe not resemble our Publike prayers to theirs for any of these pointes but onely for the long prescript formes of reading of singing and of praying So that their ordinary was ynough and too much to occupy the whole day And is the onely length then the onely cause wherefore the prescript formes of reading of singing of praying in the Romish Church should be compared vnto ours or ours to theirs but this length as they haue oftentimes before complained on it so haue we sufficiently answered that as ours are most free from all their other dangerous corruptions so are they nothing like in length to theirs as all the world may soone see by conference of them If their ordinarie was inough and too much to occupy the whole day Who séeth not that neither the reading of the Lessons and other exhortations and sentences nowe prescribed nor the saying or singing of the hymnes or Psalms nor the praying and making any supplications or thanksgiuings in our ordinarie publike prayers wil hold vs passing two or thrée houres of the whole day at the moste accounting both the morning and the euening prayer But so often as they complaine vpon the long prescript formes of reading of singing and of praying and therein compare our Churches to the Romish Church May wee remember our Brethren of their owne long prescript formes of readinâ— of singing and of praying are not the confessions that they reade in their prescribed forme of prayer a greate deale longer then ours are Their first confession to be 〈◊〉 being aboue thirteene-score lines besides their Chapters Our Ordinarie hauing but two where as they say in their booke of Common prayer Page 22. vpon the dayes appointed for the preaching of the worde when a conuenient number of the Congregation are come together that they may make fruit of their presence till the assemblie bee full one appointed by the Elderishppe shall reade some chapters of the Cannonicall bookes of Scripture singing Psalmes betwene at his discretion And this reading to bee in order as the bookes and chapters followe that from time to time the holie scriptures may be read through In these words they prescribe so indefinite a number of chapters to be read and of psalmes to be sung that we may easily coniecture they doe or may doe at their liking occupy more time than all our prescribed reading or singing néede to doe And as for their Prayers as wee haue shewed already and they are easily to sée some one or two of them beeing as much as 20. of ours besides the prayers that they leaue vnto
is decreed amongst themselues that must be called the determination of the whole Synode I meruell that our Bretheren shamed nor feared not to stuffe their learned discourse with so many manifest vntrueths It is most euident that nothing is or can bee decreed in the name of the whole Synodes determination without the whole Synode comprehending at least the greatest number for the whole haue decreed and determined the same So that say they no man must bee suffered to speake any thing agaynst it bee it neuer so reasonable or agreable to the worde of God This is another most great and manifest vntrueth sclaunderous to the Bishoppes and reproachfull to the whole Conuocation There is none of the house but that may in any matter that is propounded to bee debated vppon yea any other though not of the house being knowne to be a reuerent godly wise and learned person either of the Ministerie yea in some cases though he were not any Ecclesiasticall person yet might he also bee freely admitted according to the auncient Canons to speake before the house in such sorte and manner as the order of the house requireth for those that bee or should bee learned men to speake their minde in the Latine tongue for feare some young Sir Iohn lacke latine would bee ouer busie and so to reason freely pro contra obseruing alwaies that modestie and reuerence which beseemeth the assemblie of graue and learned men And in this maner many haue propounded and reasoned vpon diuers matters as those that are auncients in the Conuocations heretofore can witnesse Yea saye they whosoeuer will not subscribe to all such thinges as they decree must bee excluded out of the Conuocation as was practised and threatned in the Conuocation at the foresayde Parliament vnto diuers godly and learned Preachers that offered to speake agaynst diuers grosse and palpable errors that had escaped the Bishops Our Bretheren hauing so often broken the squire of trueth in these matters doe here waxe bold to rappe out vntrueths now by huddles What one Preacher hath bene excluded out of the Conuocation for this that he would not subscribe to all such thinges as the Bishoppes among themselues haue decreed Or can they bring any instance but of such one threat made vnto them And albeit a threat differeth from the putting it in practise yet this also is a notorious sclaunder There was no such thing either practised or threatned at any tyme in our Conuocations namely at that tyme they mention which I remember well and so doe many others when some speaking in English began to bee ouer busie and to vse disordered behauiour with vnreuerent termes they were by the Prolocutor as moderator commaunded to silence or els to departe and not to disturbe the house nor alter the lawdable orders thereof except they would and that in seemely modestie speake in Latine which these godly and learned Preachers that our Bretheren commende liked not to doe Neuerthelesse other being indeede godly and learned Preachers did very reuerently and with great learning discusse those matters And so with generall consent either of all or which sufficed of the most and best parte those Articles were condescended vpon and approoued for good and sound doctrine And so I hope will stand for any thing that our Bretheren or any other shall euer bee able to say agaynst them As for any and much lesse diuers grosse and palpable errours that escaped the Bishops I remember none nor can learne of any The Decrees conteyned in the articles aforesayd are published to the open viewe of of euery man if our Bretheren as yet can burthen them with any grosse or palpable errour or with any errour at all though not grosse nor palpable or but with apparance or suspition of errour it were worth the hearing But if there bee no such errour in them who are then worthie the punishing or at least worthie to acknowledge with repentaunce and reuoking this so great a sclaunder For it toucheth not our Bishoppes and the Conuocation onely but béeing established also as is aforesayde by act of Parliament and so the professed doctrine of all the Realme and Church of England how are wee not all hereby defaced to maynteyne grosse and palpable errours and that in no small poynts of doctrine If Papistes had sayd this it had bene lesse meruell which hate our doctrine and count it stuffe full of errours and heresies too But they neuer were nor are nor euer shall bée God willing able to prooue that we mainteyne any one errour in any one article of doctrine but agree in all the substance of Religion with the true and syncere worde of God Yea our Bretheren their selues bearing vs witnesse who in the Preface of this learned discourse confesse that for the substance of Religion it is resolued and now publikly maynteyned for our true and holy faith How could this bee true if those articles namely these which here they note being matter of faith and publikely maynteyned and resolued by all the Church of England to bee true and holie were grosse and palpable errours But to shewe both vnto them and to all the worlde least the Papistes should take holde hereon when they heare of this our owne Bretherens accusation which will bee euen meate and drinke to them béeing glad to feede vppon such sclaunders that as wee are sounde GOD bée blessed for it in all other articles of doctrine so in these wee maynteyne no errour at all but a most sure and syncere trueth let vs come to the viewe of these two Articles that here they mention for example As for the distinction saye they of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes Although this bee a matter wherein good and godly Fathers haue had some difference yet for our Bishoppes and Conuocations decree thereon I see not how our Bretheren shall bee able to finde that wee holde any error in that matter It is the sixth Article the wordes whereof are these Holy Scripture conteyneth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may bee proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should bee beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite or necessarie to saluation In the name of the holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and newe Testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church Of the names and number of the Canonicall bookes Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomie Iosue Iudges Ruth The first booke of Samuell The 2. booke of Samuell The first booke of Kings The 2. book of Kings The 1. booke of Chroni The 2. booke of Chroni The 1. booke of Esdras The 2. booke of Esdras The booke of Hester The booke of Iob. The Psalmes The Prouerbes Ecclesiast or preacher Cantica or songs of Sal. 4. Prophets the greater 12. Prophets the lesse And the other bookes as Ierome
sayth the Church doth reade for example of life and instruction of maners but yet doth it not applye them to establish any doctrine Such are these following The 3. booke of Esdras The 4. booke of Esdras The booke of Tobias The booke of Iudith The rest of the booke of Hester The booke of Wisdome Iesus the sonne of Syrach Baruch the Prophet The song of the 3. children The storie of Susanna Of Bell and the Dragon The prayer of Manasses The 1. booke of Machab. The 2. booke of Machab. All the bookes of the newe Testament as they are commonly receiued we doe receiue and account them for canonicall This is the whole article especially for the distinction of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes And is there any grosse and palpable errour or any errour at all in this distinction that any godly and learned Preacher should haue offred to speake agaynst in the Conuocation Well if he could not be suffered to speake then let him do it yet doing it in seemely order Yea if it be a grosse and palpable errour that all we grossely maynteine in this distinction he is bound to shewe it orderly comiter monstrarier viam erranti if he will be a faithfull Minister And if wee cannot bee able to defend this distinction we will then by Gods grace yéeld it to be an error and forsake it But I meruell if it be so grosse and palpable that we cannot yet feele nor vnderstande it which were indeede a great grosnesse in vs all But because I confesse my selfe to be but grosse that cannot so quickly find out this palpable error neuerthelesse since that it is palpable or may be groped and yet out learned Bretheren will not vouchsafe to set it downe I will therefore grossely grope after it if perhaps I may finde it and giue others warning of it For by the grace of God wee shall not be so grosse as defend any error if we may finde it and perceiue that it is indeede an error that is to say a wrong and false opinion Is this grosse error in these wordes holie Scripture conteyneth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may bee proued thereby is not to bee required of any man that it should be beleeued as an article of faith or be thought requisite or necessarie to saluation I trust they will acquit this parte of the article from all error Neither is it properly of the distinction of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes which are to bee accounted of the one sorte or of the other but of eithers validitie or inualiditie in the articles of faith and matters requisite or necessarie to saluation What then Is this grosse and palpable error for the distinction of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes in the wordes of the article following In the name of holy Scripture we doe vnderstand those Canonicall bookes of the olde and newe Testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church What grosse and palpable error or any error at all is in these words that wee doe vnderstand those bookes in the name of holy Scripture of whose authoritie there was neuer any doubt in the Church Is there any reason to the contrary why wee should not vnderstand these bookes for holy Scripture If they replye that is true indeede for those bookes but not for those bookes onely then are these wordes also of the article acquit by their owne mouthes As for the so vnderstanding of them onely to be accounted in the name of holy Scripture of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church this article hath no such worde as this word onely nor any such meaning Yea least their meaning or wordes might be misconstrued they goe also particularly to worke and booke by booke till which is to be vnderstoode for the holie or canonicall Scripture and which not in the olde Testament And in the newe Testament they haue reckoned all for Canonicall If they yet replye that diuers bookes of those which the articles name and vnderstand for the holie and canonicall Scripture haue bin doubted of I graunt it and the articles doe confesse as much in these playne wordes All the bookes of the newe Testament as they are commonly receiued we doe receiue and account them for canonicall Do they not here plainly enough inferre that there hath bene some doubt and not receiuing of some of them when they say as they are commonly receiued so doe wee receiue them though some doe not so receiue them And will our learned Bretheren bee so â—â—remptorie that if they had not so fully or cléerely expressed their meaning in the former wordes they will not giue them leaue to bee their owne expositors but bee so cutted and short with them that they may not tell out their owne tale but a worde and a blowe or euer they haue tolde halfe their tale to crye out by and by errour errour yea grosse errour and palpable errour Ha bretheren ye are a little to hastie to bée Parrish Priestes yée giue too short and too sharpe a iudgement in this matter Take the whole article together to conferre the later woordes with the former and if a worde escape incommodiously What my Maisters will yée take vauntage of euery sillable or if ye will néedes prie so narrowly goe to it then hardlye and spare not I mislike not your industrye therein spye a Gods blessing èuery mote in your bretherens eyes and note euery tittle in their writinges and weigh their woordes euen in the Goldesmithes balance Yet when yée haue all done ye confesse your selues it is but a scape whereas indéede weighe it well and trulye it is not so much But admitte it were a scape will ye make a mountayne of a mole hill that it is a grosse and palpable errour Verely whether we shall weigh the woordes with graue and indifferent iudgement as we ought to doe or but euen grossely or sleightly consider of them except our opinion be too grossely forestalled against them wée coulde neuer giue so grosse a iudgement of them as for a grosse and palpable errour to condemne them for in very déede there is no errour at all in them But it maye be such is my grosse pate that yet wee haue not light vpon this grosse and palpable errour indéede there are other woordes also especiallye these after the cataloge of the Canonicall bookes in the olde Testament And the other bookes as Hierome sayth the Church doth reade for example of the life and instruction of manners but yet it doth not apply them to establish any doctrine Is there any thing heere that our Bretheren can challenge of errour Is the sence of Hierome cyted amisse Or is Hieromes sentence it selfe Erroneous The words of Hierome in his praeface on the bookes of Salomon are these as therefore the Churche readeth indeede the bookes of Iudeth Tobie and the Machabies but receaueth them not among the canonicall
God So be it Blessed are the peace makers for they shall be called the children of God Math. 5.9 AA A DEFENCE OF THE GOVERNEMENT ESTABLISHED IN THE CHVRCH OF ENGLAND FOR ECCLESIASTICALL MATTERS The Preface of the learned discourse vnto the Christian Reader THE holie Prophets hauing oftentimes but searched when and at what time the foreseeing spirit of God declared vnto them the manifold afflictions and troubles of the Church to come haue therevpon entred into great lamentations for the same and haue not only wept and fasted themselues but haue compiled for the Churche whole bookes of Lamentations therein instructing them what waye to take for appeasing the wrath of God breaking out against them The Defence c. IN this applying the great lamentations weepings and fastings of the holy Prophets for the manifolde afflictions and troubles of the Church to come either in their daies or the timeâ— succeeding wherof they prophecie◠〈◊〉 the semblable manner of weeping â—asting compiling like bookes of Lamentations by the fore-seeing Spirit of God reuealing vnto these our brethren â—â—e liâ—e manifolde afflictions now to inâ—â—â— vpon the church for the like offences our brethren héere in 〈◊〉 both too much abuse the fore-seeing spirit of God and take too farre vpon them 〈◊〉 be such Prophets and offer too great an iniury to Gods Church 〈◊〉 time God be praised héere in England both in threatning vs 〈◊〉 like calamities and in burdening vs with the like causes 〈◊〉 â—hey can shew in them selues the like warrant of the fore-seeing 〈◊〉 and shew also that we prouoke the â—ierce wrath of God in like offâ—nces But what speake I of their abussingthus the applicationof tâ—â—se holâ— Prophetes when they dare also abuse the Apostle S. Peters words and his application of those Prophetes and of the for-seeing Spirite of God in them Doth Peter applie it to any such manifolde afflictions and troubles of the Church to come to prouoke any to enter into great lamentations for the same to weepe and faste and to compile for the church whole bookes of lamentations and not rather in that place heere quoted cite onely the Prophets fore-telling of our saluation and of the comming of Christ and although withall of his sufferings yet of his glorye c. to confirme our faith in him whose wordes are these 1. Pet. 1.9 c. Receiuing the ende or rewarde of your faith euen the saluation of your soules of which saluation the Prophets haue inquired and searched which prophecied of the grace that should come vnto you searching when or what time the spirite which testified before of Christ which was in them should declare the sufferings that should come vnto Christ and the glory that should follow vnto whome it was reuealed that not vnto themselues but vnto vs they shoulde minister the thinges that are nowe shewed vnto you by them which haue preached vnto you the Gospell by the holye Ghoste sente downe from heauen the which thinges the Angels desire to beholde What is héere in this application of S. Peter that is not cleane contrary to that wherto our brethren do applie it This therefore is too foule a wresting of the Scripture and that in the veryâ— first entrie into the matter to stumble vpon such an vntruth or rather so to enforce it to discourage the people and to slaunder al the state of the Church thereby I note not this that we on the other side should instifle our selues as though we were not sinners or as though our sinnes were not manifold and grieuous sinnes or as though we wouldflatter any in their sinnes or lay pillowes vnder their armes lull them in the sleepe of security with singing vnto them Peace Peace No howsoeuer they burthen vs vntruly with that poynt we do by the grace of God as much acknowledge our manifold wickednesse and heauie prouocation of Gods wrath as doe our brethren though in other respectes then they doe For that which they impute to the lawes orders established in our Churche we sée not any iust cause so to diuerte the faulte from vs but rather to acknowledge in repentaunce the disorders to bee in our selues in not submitting our selues as we ought to doo in the duetie of our obedience to the lawes and orders For when we consider the sincerity of our faith whiâ—h God hath giuen vs grace by his Gospel to professe and beholde the â—â—â—uelous light of his kingdome into the which out of the power of darknâ—sse and shadow of death wherein we sat he hath translated vs the vnâ—â—ekeable ioy and consolation of the spirit of God that we receiue héereby doth recomfort and confirme vs against the feare of our sinnes and terrour of the wrath of God But when againe we consider how we walke not in this light that shineth to vs but professe to be the children of light and commit the works of darkenes how our laws be good and our liues be euill this is a great touche vnto our conscience which rebating our ioy bringeth feare least the kingdome should be taken from vs and giuen to a nation that shall bring foorth better fruits thereof When we see how these three capitall vices of the world whereof S. Iohn complaineth The lust of the flesh the lust of the eies the pride of life doth so mightily cary away the greatest parte this we crie out vpon and bewaile the euent whereof indeede wee feare and giue warning of it as much we hope to our powers as any of our brethren do at least we confesse this is our duty offer to ioyne with our brethren in the earnest reprehension of these and al other vices and in denouncing Gods righteous iudgements on all those that continue vnrepentant in their sinnes and we reioyce with them that reioice and mourn with them that thus do mourn wishing to god herein that they also would ioine with vs. But their mourning is not for such grieuances nor their thretnings for such vices For we sée many that are great fauorites of their plotformes both dwell swel in these vices and nothing by our brethreÌ„ said vnto them yea they are of theÌ„ to all apparaunce not a little esteemed as of whom they are most maintained and vpholden But our brethrens chiefest mourning is a grudging repining at their brethren preachers as themselues are professors of the Gospel with theÌ„ and the chiefest spirituall fathers in our Church be they neuer so learned godly yet are they grieued at their superior dignitie better mayntenance and greater authority Yea they maligne and burden the lawes orders and gouernment it selfe not the abuses onely Yea they spare not the authority that is giuen to the Prince their most gratious Soueraigne but are offended therewith that they cannot thereby haue the entry which they séeke for into those lawes orders authority offices and discipline which they would bring in and wherof they haue
denie the habilitie of many of our brethren to be able to interpret the scriptures in the deliuerie of the doctrine thereof to be equall either with the Bishops or with any other For it is not the accesse of the Bishops dignitie that maketh the person a better interpretor then he was before he was called to the dignitie it sufficeth if being in the dignitie he imploie himselfe in his former faithfulnesse And would God our brethren also would restraine their emulation to this comparison to be equall or better in interpreting and in the deliuerie of the scripture then the Bishops as Ierome contended with Augustine And though Augustine were a Bishop Ierome but a Prieste which Ierome confesseth and yet euer sharplie threatned the conflict with Augustine if he were prouoked thereunto Neuerthe-lesse Augustine reuerently aunswereth Quanquam c For although according to the tearmes of honour which the vse of the Church hath now obtained the office of a Bishop be greater then the office of a Priest or elder notwithstanding Augustin is in many things lesse then Ierome yea correction is not to be fled from or disdained though it come from any that is the lesser And in this behalfe of interpreting the scripture Cyprian honored Tertullian and diuerse Bishops specially Alexander Theoctistus reuerenced Origen And yet these men for all their giftes in interpreting the Scriptures and deliuery of doctrine being farre superiour to the most part of the Bishops did not therefore encroch further into any superiority or equallity of authority and dignity with the Bishops Let our brethren interprete the Scriptures and deliuer the doctrine sincerelie and therein excel the Bishops as they may easily do both by cause of the Bishops great age and great imploying in the gouernment and iurisdiction of the Church As Augustine modestly confesseth of himselfe vnto Ierome saying Nam neque in me c. For I neither see in my selfe so much knowledge of the diuine scriptures yea or that now there can be as I see there is in you And if I haue any facultie in this matter I imploy it as I may to the people of God But to apply my selfe more diligentlie to my studies then for the furniture of the thinges that the people heare I cannot by any meanes for the Ecclesiasticall businesse So that héerin the inferior as these our brethren may haue more opportunity in interpreting and deliuery of the Scripture And I warrant then the Bishops will not refuse them euer a whit for their so doing but helpe encourage and defend them Which although any Bishop fore-slowed or enuied to doe yet ought not any of our brethren hauing such equal giftes with the Bishops in the interpreting of the scriptures and deliuerye of doctrine and withal being lawfully called by the Bishops into the ministery to exauthorate and withdrawe themselues from the ministery for these controuersies of equall gouernment with the Bishops But sée how captiously our brethren deale in citing the testimony ofthe Arch. for where he saith It is not to be denied but that there is an equallity of al ministers of Gods word quoad ministeriuÌ„ touching the ministery for they haue all like power to preach the word to minister the sacraments that is to say the word preached or the sacraments ministred is as effectuall in one in respect of the ministery as it is in an other But quoad ordinem politiam towching order and gouernment there hath alwayes bene and must be degrees and superiority amongst them These words do our brethren drawe to this obiection that they are not comparable in learning to the Arch-bishops and Bishops at leaste say they let their owne opinion that in interpreting the Scriptures deliuery of doctrine we are equall with them perswade them But who seeth not that these words of the Arch-bishop do not inferre an equallity of the giftes in the ministers as hauing these giftes equally but an equalitie of their ministery in the hability to haue them and doo distinguishâ— onely betweene the power of order and of iurisdiction And therefore this is but haled to aunswere the obiection of this comparison betwéen the learning of the Arch-bishops and Bishops and the learning of our brethren in the interpreting the scriptures and deliuery of doctrine to be equall But our brethren saie Who if they could straine their consciences to subscribe to the Archbishops articles they would gladly receaue them to be the Embassadors of Iesus Christ. These words againe are somewhat intricate so that wee might misse our brethrens meaning while they neither plainly expresse who they are that would gladly receaue nor whome nor what neither yet to whome these wordes to be the Embassadors of Iesus Christ are referred whether to them selues or to the Arch-bishops and Bishops But I coniecture their meaning to be this that if these our brethren could straine their coÌ„sciences to subscribe to the Arch-bishops articles they would gladly receaue those articles that they might thereby haue liberty to preach and so to be the Embassadors of Iesus Christ. If our brethrâ—n héere meane by the Arch-bishops articles the articles where-upon it was by the Arch-bishops and bishops of both prouinces the whole Cleargie in the conuocation holden at London c. 1562. Put forth by the Queenes authority some of which articles our brethren afterwarde in this learned discourse pag. 135. do roughly challenge for diuerse grosse and palpable errors how truly or falslie and with what gâ—â—d conscience they burden them therewith I reserue to the examination of the proper place But bicause they séeme not so much to meane those articles for then they should straine their consciences apparantly to farre in calling those articles the Arch-bishops articles which were the articles not onely of Arch-bishops but also of the bishops and of the whole Cleargie and sett forth by her Maiesties authority therfore I rather take it that our brethren meane by the Arch-bishops articles The Articles where-unto all such as are admitted to preach reade cathechyse minister the sacrameÌ„ts or execute anie other Eccl. function do agree and consent testifie the same by the subscription of their hands viz. 1. That her Maiestie vnder God hath and ought to haue the soueraigntie and rule ouer all manner of persons within her realmes dominions and countries of what state either Ecclesiasticall or temporall soeuer they be and that none other forraine power prelate state or potentate hath or ought to hâ—ue any iurisdiction power superiority preeminence or authority Ecclesiasticall or spirituall within her Maiesties said realmes dominions or countries 2. That the booke of common prayer and of ordering Bish. Priests Deacons contayneth in it nothing contrary to the word of God that the same may lawfully be vsed And that I my self who do subscribe wil vse the forme of the said booke prescribed in publike prayer and administration of the Sacraments and none other 3.
often one and the same man did susteine and execute all those offices that apperteyned to the Ministerie The which thing is manifest by the Apostolicall History This third note againe cleane ouerthroweth all your Learned Discourse and fullie answereth all the bitter out-cries of our Bretherens Fruitefull Sermon as they terme it on the 1. Cor. 12. for encroching confouÌ„ding foolish pernicious shuffling togither of diuerse duties Which termes sauor of more zeale to say the best thereof then of charitie or knowledge Now saith Kemnitius vpon these thrée admonitions These ordinances therfore in the Apostles times were free consideration being had of order comlinesse edification saue that at that time certeine peculiar giftes as of toongs of prophesie of Apostles and of miracles were giueÌ„ of God to certeine persons As for these degrees wherof we haue hetherto spoken were not any thing besides and without the ministerie of the word and Sacraments but the same and the verie offices of the ministery were distributed into those degrees for the causes now declared So that all this that is before spoken is not so much to be noted for the extraordinarie offices as for these that you make ordinarie Nowe vpon this libertie of the Apostles times howe the Primitiue Churche next succéeding them did followe or alter anye of these orders Kemnitius still procéedeth saying That example of the Apostles the Primitiue Churche with the same reason and the like libertie did imitate For the degrees of the offices of the Ministerie were distributed Howbeit not altogither by the same reason as in the Churche of Corinthe or in the Churche of Ephesus but according to the reason of the circumstances of euerie Churche Wherevpon is gathered what a libertie there was in the distribution of those degrees And this requireth no lesse to be marked then all the other thrée admonitions For if there were suche a libertie in the Primitiue Churche immediatlie after the Apostles times and that on the imitation of the Apostles and that in these two and so famous Churches Corinthus and Ephesus and yet different in these degrees and orders of the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie one from an other and other from them according not to any commaundement prescribed but to the reason of the circumstances of euerie Churche haue not wee as muche libertie now in the distribution of the degrees and orders of the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie Well let vs procéede with Kemnitius to his perticuler examples of these orders Dionisius cap. 5. of hys Hierarchie expresselie numbreth onelie three orders Firste 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the principall diuine Minister to whome hee giueth the cheefe and moste perfect office of teaching in the declatation of all the mysteries of Christe and administration of the Sacraments Secondlye 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotum of the sacred Ministers or the giuers of holye giftes or as we vsuallie for penurie of proper words improperlie saye Priests which is deriued properlie of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as is aforesaide and you call Elders whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth a sacred person dedicate to the Temple and the diuine offerings or ministerie which doo more fullie instructe him in the Catechisme and bring him to the Bishop and helpe in those things that perteine to the administration of the Sacraments Thirdlie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ministrorum of the publike Ministers to whome he giueth the office of cleansing and preparing those that are to be entred that is to saye of Catechising And cap. 3. he saith by the office of the Ministers the reading of the holye Scripture in the order thereof is recited Againe of the Ministers some stand to shut the dores of the Temple while they which are learners of the Catechisme which are poenitents which are possessed or vexed with a spirite are thruste out Other haue an other office to strippe him that it to be Baptised c. Thou seeest that he reckoneth manye offices of the Ministerie and yet he dooth not giue to euerie one of them peculiar orders but reckoneth vp onelie three orders The Canons of the Apostles namelye Bishoppe Priest or Elder and Deacon Reader and Singer But there is no mention made of doore-keeper exorciste and acolyte Ambrose on the 4. chapter to the Ephesians describing the degrees of the offices of the Ministerie of his time rehearseth Bishops Priests or Elders Deacons Readers exorcists In the booke which is ascribed to Hierome of the seauen degrees of the Churche Exorcists and Acolytes are not reckoned therefore the opinion of those seauen orders is not Catholike But some of the auncients number mo orders aboue those seauen the Epistle of Ignatius reckoneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Labourers whome Epiphanius calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the little booke of Hierome calleth them Fossores diggers to witte which attended on the corsses of the dead and buried them The Graecians haue a peculiar office of those that are syngeli or rather as I take it sygeli silensaries or kéepers of silence or bidders of the congregation to holde their peace Ignatius reckoneth vnto the orders Confessors Clement Catechists the Canonists reckon nine orders for they reckon in Psalmists and Bishops But the multiplication of Ecclesiasticall orders from thencefoorth arose afterward For Cyprian in the 3. booke Epistle 22 sheweth that nothing that was to be doone in the Church and in matters of the Churche although â—hey properlie perteined not to the Ministerie of the word should be doone by any other than by clearkes And so it behooued the waiting houshould seruants of the Bishops and of the Priests or Elders to be Clearkes From thence afterwards Stewards Defenders Vidoms those of the houses which were the greater or Bowrgraues were taken from the Clearkes Clearkes therefore were those which by a peculiar and more streight discipline were framed and prepared to the Churches Ministerie And they were first appointed to certeine lesser offices that the studie diligence faithe and grauitie of them might bee tried whether they would become fit for greater and more waightie offices And in the Churches more frequented when as especiallie out of the fields villages and little townes cheefelie in the more solemne feasts they must come from all partes to the Metropolitane Churche as many auncient canons or rules doo commaund this one or a fewe were not able to execute all and euerie of the offices of the Ministerie Therefore degrees and orders were distinct not in idle titles but in certeine offices apperteyning to the ministerie of the Church The Bishop was treating of the word of GOD and caring for the discipline of the Churche the Priests were teaching and ministring the Sacraments And héere note this difference betwixt the Bishops the Priests not meaning your Priests that ye call Gouernours onelie but Priests that taught and ministred the Sacraments that is to saye were bothe Doctors and Pastors with-all note the superioritie ouer the Priests of
indéed and so were called in the office of the Ministerie and Eldership his fellow Elders And how auncient the originall of this superior authoritie was For this I take to be the ground and principall substance of this controuersie Concerning the etimologie of the name of Bishop bicause I haue so largelie begoone with him I will onlie set downe Kemnitius tom 2. pag. 1181. But that those things which in this place coÌ„cerning Bishops may the rightlier be vnderstood certeine thinges before hande out of the Scriptures and out of the true testimonies of antiquities are in briefe to be repeated The names therefore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Bishop and Bishoplie office are in the Aposticall writing read to be vsed for the Ecclesiasticall ministerie Act. 1. 20. Phil. 1. Tit. 1.1 Tim. 5.1 Pet. 5. But those names are taken from the vse of the vulgar toong and are applied to the Ministerie of the Churche for the care of administration and of viewing Suidas saith that in the common-weale of Athens there were Bishops and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Keepers or watchemen that were sent to the cities subiect vnto them not to gouerne them with an absolute gouernement as Lindanus dooth interprete it But 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is as Budeus out of Liuie translateth it to viewe their fellowes matters Plutarch in the life of Pericles saithe Phidias was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishop of all the workes that is the viewer of them c. And so noting out of Homer Plutarche Tullie and the Pandects The Apostle saith hee did the more gladlye applye those names to the Ecclesiasticall Ministerye bicause they were knowne and common by reason of the Greeke translation of the Olde Testament For the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pakad Pekudah and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pekudim which signifieth a visitation a viewing an office a care an administration committed a dutie giuen in charge The Graecians translated it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ouersee an ouersight and ouerseers or surueiors Num. 31. the ouerseers of the armie Iudic. 9. Abimelech hath Zebull his Bishop or ouerseer 4. Reg. 11. The Bishops or ouerseers that are ouer the armie Ibid. the custodies placed ouer the house of the Lord are thus expounded of the Graecians he hath placed Bishops ouer the house of the Lord 2. Par. 34. The viewers of the workers are called Bishops Num. 4. The office or dutie of Eleazar in the Tabernacle of the Lord is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishoprike So Psal. 109. The function of Iudges is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Bishoprike I haue rehearsed these examples that I haue obserued that it might be considered from whence the Apostles tooke that name The force whereof also may be gathered and vnderstood of those places Hierome translateth it a super-attendent Ambrose a Super-inspector Thus farre Kemnitius on the name Nowe in this sense euerie one to whome an Ecclesiasticall charge was committed at the firste might well be called a Bishop In which sense the name Bishop stretcheth especiallie to the Apostles Act. 1. as likewise all the Apostles were Deacons Yea the name Deacons conteins all the Ecclesiasticall Ministerie But when these offices began more seperatlie to be deuided then the name of Deacon began to growe peculier vnto those that attended especiallie on the tables the name Bishop remaining as it did vnto the Apostles And when the Apostles planted the faithe of Christe in any Churches and ordeined in the same Pastorall elders in respect of this their ouerseeing the people and good orders among them they indifferentlie communicated this name of Bishop vnto them And so the name continued taken indifferentlie and was well vsed by S. Paule to these Pastors mentioned Acts. 20. admitting they were all of Ephesus onelie vntill factions rising among the people as they were affected to some Elders more then to other so the name of Bishop which was before indifferent became more appropriate vnto one who as haueing the ouerseeing not onelie of the people but also of his fellow Pastors began by their consentes more especiallie to bee called Bishops than the residue Which title of being the Ouer-seer of them as it could not but carrie with-all a iurisdiction and authoritie ouer them nor could be wrong from them with-out all their consents that were before inuested with this title and authoritie so who were the first that began the appropriating of this title Bishop vnto one aboue his fellowe Pastors and when and where it first began though it bee not purposelie expressed in the Scriptures yet that the occasion and introduction of it had his entrie euen in the Apostles times manie reasons and those I hope of substance may induce vs therevnto And that not onelie of the testimonies of the auncient Fathers and practise of the Churche of Christe in all the ages néerest succéeding the Apostles which should some what mooue vs but euen by the conference and examining the Scripture it selfe we shall finde more then probalitie of the same For if wee shoulde goe no further then this Churche of Ephesus of which ye make all these to be Pastors all these Pastors Bishops and all these Bishops equall hauing iointlie an ouer-sight ouer the people or parted into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which we call parishes yet notwithstanding for all these Bishops it dooth plainelie appeare they had afterwards in S. Paules time one Bishop that had an ouersight ouer all these Bishops ouerseers And what I praye you importeth that if it bee prooued but that either he was an Archbishop or cheefe Bishop ouer them if they were Bishops or if they were not and did but for the time portake the name of Bishop that was but late taken vp among them yet at the last he had a superior episcopall iurisdiction ouer them And first what meaneth in the end of the later Epistle of S. Paule to Timothie this subscription 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. The second Epistle written from Rome vnto Timothie the first Bishop ordeined of the Churche of Ephesus True it is the former parte of this subscription is omitted in the common Latine translation But since it is in the Greeke and not omitted either by Erasmus or by our Geneua translation though Beza likewise translating the same do adde his censure-saying This member is not extant in some old bookes and indeed I thinke it is put in vnderhand yet since he shewes no reason at all wherefore he should so thinke it is frée for other not to thinke so lightlie of it Timothie being of so manie learned and auncient Fathers and interpreters so repâ—â—ted and called Bishop of Ephesus Now if Timothie were the first ordeined Bishop of Ephesus what Was he first in time and before all these or was he any of these whome S. Paule Act. 20. calleth Bishops the text is manifest to the contrarie For as Paule tooke him to goe with him
principall beeing or standing office ouer them to a Superintendent or ouerseer of them which was a lower title of superiour dignitye and therfore not giuen or taken of any il purpose so withal it argueth the antiquity both of the matter and of the appropriating of the name Episcopus more peculierly vnto one then before it had bene to be either in or immediatly following the Apost times euen by Bezaes owne testimony out of Iustine and by examining of this worde and title in the Scripture And as Caluine and Beza héere confesse the matter so Gellius Snecanus also de Disciplina Ecclesiastica pag. 440. speaking of the ministerye of the worde concludeth out of 1. Tim. 5. uer 19 20. Whereupon it manifesthe appeareth that euen then a certaine order was ordayned at Ephesus Cui Praefectus erat Timotheus ouer the which Timothie was the Praefect Whome Iustine calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Beza translateth AntistiteÌ„ whome wecall Bishop All this being considered with the subscription afore-said vnto Timothie argueth that this name Bishop to become peculiar vnto one aboue his brethren and fellow Pastors was neither so late as diuerse take it nor was meerely and altogether mans inuenâ—ion and yet if it had beene ordayned of man being not other-wise prescribed of God it may well be called also euen Gods ordinaunce as we shall see after God-willing upon Peter The Centuriographers writing of the gouernment of the Churche in the time next succeeding the Apostles do say Cent. 2. ca. 7. pag. 125. and 126. But as there was no certaine and prescribed number of Minist of the Church commaunded in the holie Scriptures so according as the necessitie of the Churches required they had moe or fewer And as among them to the intent that there should be some order and that the Ecclesiasticall offices shoulde bee better administred among many by a certaine reason or consideration and that the succession of Ministers might be made in order necessity compelled them to ordayn and to keepe certain degrees of persons But in that matter and also in thys age the most part of the Churches kept a small number and a simplicitie For moe orders than these 3. that is to witte Bishoprick Priesthoode and Deaconrie are not found with approued Authors And the offices which afterwards were distributed to dore-keepers to Readers to Exorcists and to Acolyts were al names ioyned to the office of Deacon and Subdeacon So in the French Church as appeareth by the Epist. of theÌ„ that were of Lions vnto the East churches are reckoned vp more Ministers of the Church then Bishop Priests and Deacons the other are called brethren Euseb. lib. 4. cap 1. Clemens of Alexandria in the bokes of him that are at this day extant maketh no where mention of moe then of Bishop of Priestes and of Deacons except that in some places hee adioyne Widdowes Neyther yet doeth hee in playne wordes ascribe vnto them a Ministery in the Church muche lesse a degree Also Hierome in his Epist. to Euagrius doth testifie that in the Church of Alexandria there were no moe degrees from Marke vnto Dionise then bishopricke Priest-hoode and Deaconship And so proceeding to other Churches and to Antioche and Rome where out of Iustine they note vnum perfectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fratrum and certaine Deacons the other brethren Nicâ—phorus li. 3. cap. 29. declareth that Eleutherius which was taught the holy Scriptures of Anicetus or rather of Anaclecletus was enrolled in the sacred number of the Cleargy And in the 15. yeere of his age tooke the degree of Deacon and three yeare after was made Priest and in the 10 yeere of his age was chosen Bishop Whereupon may be gathered what degrees were in Rome vnder the raigne of Hadrian c. It is woorthy memory that of euery one Church is onlye found a Bishop in the Priesthoode and in the Deaconship are alwayes found many according to the necessity of euery place or Church Hierome testifieth in his epistle to Euagrius that in the time of the Apostles the degrees of Bishops and Priestes were not distinct but afterward for remedie of schisme one was chosen out of the Priestes and placed in a higher degree and called bishop Which onely in the office of ordeyning should differ from the Priestes Whereuppon it appeareth that about these times this chaunge began in the Church and the office of a bishop higher then the degree of Priesthood not so much by the institution of God as by humane authority for bicause of good order aedification and succession Heereupon it is that Irenaeus calleth Soter Anicetus Hyginus Pius Telesphorus Priestes Euseb. lib. 5. cap 24. And this indifferent vsurpation of this worde bishop and Prieste is also found with others Vnder Traiane as yet liued Iohn the Apostle which was the chiefest founder of the Churches that were in Asia and which also was woont to goe out of Ephesus to the places neere adioyning both partly to ordayne bishops partly to chose the Cleargie by lotte as Clement telleth in Eusebius lib. 3. ca. 23. but he being dead the Apostleship ceased in the Church bicause that vnto their doctrine and writings God would haue the Church at all times to be bounde But the Apostles gaue Churches to Bishops in euerye one place as Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 63. doeth testifie But bicause the doctrine of the Gospel was to be published throughout many nations therefore the Churches were wonte to choose famous and constant men prest to trauell and ready to teach and to suffer for the Gospell and to impose on them this office that according to the imitation of the Apostles forsaking their goods or disposing them they should trauel through many and farre places of the Gentiles preach the Gospell These were called Euangelists or Apostolicall men and Eusebius testifieth lib. 5. cap. 9. that very many of them were yet vnder Commodus In the number of whome is Pantenus reckoned who was sent of Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria into India c. Out of these obseruations of these Centuriographers vppon the auncient fathers coÌ„cerning the gouernment of the Churches in this age which was partlie in the time and life of some of the Apostles we also may note these thinges appertayning vnto our controuersie First that there were ordinarily but three degrees of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery Bishoppes Priestes or Elders and Deacons by which Priests or Elders they meane such Priestes or Elders as were ministers of the worde For they speak of those Priests or Elders whose office at the first was not distincte from Bishops So that in the ordinary regiment of the most famous Churches in that age and while some of the Apostles liued and immediatlye after their death these vnpreaching Prelates Preests or Elders that medled not with teaching but were al in gouerning were not accounted any offices or degrees of the Ecclesiasticall ministery But they had onely three as we haue Bishops
to Miletum the Elders of the Ephesians he telleth also the thinges that were spoken to them for sayth saith he looke to your selues and to the whole flocke in which the holie-Ghost hath placed you Bishops to feede the Church of Christe He named the same men both Priests Bishops So also in the Epistle to blessed Titus therefore haue I left thee at Creta that thou shouldest by the Cities ordaine Priestes or Elders as I haue disposed vnto thee And when he had tolde what manner of men they ought to be that are ordayned he addeth vnder it for a B. must be without crime eueÌ„ as the steward of God Moreouer he sheweth this here also for he ioyneth Deacons vnto Bish. wheÌ„ as he had made mention of Priestes Otherwise it could not be that manie Bishops should be the Pastors of one Citie Whereupon it comes to passe to wit that they were Priests whoÌ„ he called Bishops But he called in his Epistle the blessed Epaphroditus their Apostle For your Apostle saith he and the helper of my necessitie Therefore he plainely taught that the Episcopall dispensation was committed vnto him when as he had the appellation of Apostle Thus also plainely saieth Theodorete that although the other Pastorall Elders were called by the name of Bishops yet the matter which he calleth the Episcopall dispensation was commited ouer all the other but to one And with these accordeth Theophilactus saying Hee calleth the Priestes Fellow-bishops for there were not manie Bishops in one Citie for as yet the names were notdistincte but that also Bishoppes were called Deacons and Priestes For writing to Timothie beeing a Bishop fulfill sayth hee thy Deaconship that is thy Ministerie And againe that which was giuen thee by the laying on of the hande of the Eldership that is of the Bishops for priestes or Elders did not ordaine a Bishop Againe Priestes were also called Bishops as those that looke also vpon the people and bore a care of them to cleanse and to lighten those whom it was needefull Thus doth Theophilact with all the other agrée that it was but a partaking of the name improperly as the name of Deacon was vsed till they were more properlie distinguished But all that while the matter and office was not so confounded as one or equall but distincte and one Superiour and inferiour to another And howsoeuer Ambroses iudgement on these wordes is lightlie cast off by some of our Brethren because he taketh these wordes with the Bishops and Deacons not for such Bishops and Deacons as were among the Pphilippians to whom he wrote but for him-selfe and Timorhie and other with them yet is hee plaine also of this opinion with the residue For saith he he wrote to the people for if he had writteÌ„ to Bishops and Deacons he would haue writteÌ„ to their persons he should haue writteÌ„ to the Bishop of that place not to 2. or 3. euen as also he wrote to Titus and to Timothie So that he verely thought there was but one Bishop of that place to whoÌ„ when he wrote he expounded these words of S. Paules salutation with the Bishops c. to be vnderstoode of ioyning him-selfe and Timothie c. in the participation of the grace and peace that he wished to them Thus do the auncient holy and most learned Fathers agrée all other that I reade of before these from the Apostles times not only such as were Bishoppes their-selues but also all other Pastors and Doctorâ— that the name of Bishop was properlie peculier but to one Pastor that had superiour dignitie gouernement and authoritie ouer the residue of the Pastors in the Churches Cities and Diocesses assigned to them And that this was the practise of the primitiue Churche from the Apostles age vniuersally both for times and places the Fathers owne testimonies conferred with the auncient Ecclesiasticall hystories doe sufficiently recorde Which as we haue séene it begunne in the practise among the Apostles and Disciples themselues at the first Metropoliticall or Mother Church of Ierusalem so for confirmation thereof Eusebius lib. 2. cap. 1. citeth Clement of Alexandria to prooue that Iames was Bishop there Euen this selfe same Iames I saye sayth Eusebius which of the auntientes was surnamed the Iuste by the woorthinesse of his vertues and priuilege of his notable life The stories haue declared that he obtayned the first seate or was the first which receaued the seate of the Churche that is at Ierusalem as Clement he speaketh not of Clement Bishop of Rome whose workes are manifestlie forged and fathered in his name but he speaketh of Clement Priest Doctor and Pastor in Alexandria in his 6. booke of Informations affirmeth saying For Peter sayth he and Iames and Iohn after the ascension of our Sauiour although they were preferred before all notwithstanding they claimed not to them-selues the glorie of the Primacie but they ordayne Iames that was called the Iust the Bishop of the Apostles Which wordes of Eusebius liuing within thrée hundred yeares after Christe are yet not so much as this testimonie that hee alleageth out of Clemens Alexandrinus that liued in the verie next age to the Apostles and therefore could not lightly be deceaued in this point Neither doeth he onely ascribe vnto Iames the Episcopall office but he calleth eyther him the first or the seate the first as a Primacie ouer all his fellowe Apostles and Bretheren in that seate Whose Bishoprike is also confirmed by Ierome citinge Egesippus more auntient than Clement thereunto Eusebius reckoneth vp diuerse Bishops of Ierusalem succéeding Iames till he come to Narcissus and Alexander who were both at once Bishops there and it is noted for a rare example and fell out when this Clement came thether Of whom and of this Alexander saith Hiâ—rom in Catalog illustr virorum There is extant an Epistle of Alexander Bishop of Ierusalem who together with Narcissus ruled the Church c. In the ende of which Epistle he setteth downe these writinges My Lordes and Brethren I haue sent ouer vnto you by Clement the blessed Priest or Elder a man renowmed and approued whom ye also knowe and nowe yee shall more fully reacknowledge Who when he came thether according to the prouidence and visitation of God he confirmed and encreased Gods Church Which sheweth that this Clement being Presbyter as also Ierome calleth him a Priest or Pastorall Elder of the Church of Alexandria and yet with all sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctor of the teaching or Catechising in the Ecclesiasticall schoole of Alexandria it appeareth that those offices which our Bretheren make to be distinguished were not distinguished And these offices that they make not distinguished but all one were distinguished For Clement was a Doctor or teacher and yet withall a Presbyter a Priest or Pastorall Elder And though he were a Pastorall Elder yet was hee no Bishop Neither was his Pastorall Eldership so tyed to
confession was neuer as it was hoped for set foorth in their name for whose cause it was written notwithstanding how this was done and vpon what causes it was done all men do not clearely vnderstande while many men marueile at the dooing but are ignoraunt of the true causes of the matter Heereupon howe diuerse suspitions might haue hapned vnto many howe diuerse iudgementes might haue beene made both of me and of the confession it selfe I will not say of priuate persons but also of the very Churches to conclude howe diuerse and sinister reportes might haue beene scattered among the common people what one is he among men that doth not knowe It behooueth me therefore before I shall die to stoppe the sinister naughtie supitions iudgements reports concerning my doctrine Which thing I iudged could of me be done by no better meane than if I should prouide that both my confession euen as it was of me written should be set foorth seuerally by it selfe and also seuerally by thēselues my obseruations theron by the which if any things were dark they might be made plaine if any things were doubtful they might bee confirmed and that I should leaue the iudgement of the whole busines vnto the whole true Catholike Church Moreouer I thought that to remoue false suspitions out of mens mindes if any were conceaued I should doe no little good if what iudgementes were made of learned men concerning the cōfession I should euē by their owne letters make them knowen to all the godly especially sithe that also out of the same euery man might easily vnderstande for what causes the confession was not set foorth in that manner that it was purposed A certaine greate man wrote vnto me of that matter in these words Concerning that which you write of your cōfession it was read ouer of me and of N. and of others with great pleasure Which both was written most learnedly with a most excellent Methode And if so be you except that which in the end you adde concerning Archb. the Hierarchy it liked me exceedingly well But when we did deliberate with our brethren N.N. the which are heere concerning the way and manner of entring into a concord among al the Churches of our confession they with one consent did iudge that this was both the only the safest the reddiest way that the cōfessiōs of faith already receiued set forth by the Churches of euerie Prouince should be composed compacted into one harmony because they are all of them one most like another so farre as appertaineth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the substance of faith and that their confession was refused of none of the Churches This their counsell when they proued it by many reasons we haue written therof vnto you and to the Reuerende brethren N.N. and to other Churches neighbors to vs who all of them greatly like the selfe same counsell These thinges out of the letters of that great man To the same opinion almost we might produce out of other mens letters also writing of the same matter But sithe it is not necessarie for breuitie sake wee omitte them Zanchius nowe being thus mooued by these considerations to iustifie all these his former Aphorismes in these pointes aforesaid setteth downe among other these obseruations following Vpon the 25. Chap. Aphorism 10. 11. When I wrote this confession of faith I wrote all thinges of a good conscience and as I beleeued so I spake also freely as the holy scripture teacheth vs to doe But my fayth first of all and simplie dothe rely on the woorde of God after which somewhat also on the common consent of the whole auncient Catholike Churche so bee that the same consent striue not with the holy scriptures For I beleeue that those thinges which were of the holy Fathers beeing gathered together in the name of the Lorde determined and receaued with a common consent of them all without any contradiction of the holy scriptures that those thinges albeit they bee not of the same authoritie with the holy Scriptures are also of the holy Ghost Hereupon it commeth to passe that those thinges that are of this sorte neither would I neyther dare I with a good conscience disallowe them But what is more certaine out of the stories out of the Counselles and out of the writinges of all the Fathers than those orders of Ministers of the which we haue spoken to haue beene ordeyned in the Church and receaued by the common consent of the Christian common weale But who am I that I should disalow that which the whole Church hath allowed No neither all the learned men of our time durst disallowe For why they knewe that both these thinges were lawefull vnto the Churche and that all those thinges proceeded and were ordeyned both of godlinesse and to good endes for the edification of the elected And for the cause of confirming this matter I thought good here to inserte suche thinges as Martine Bucer of godly memorie a man moste famous for singuler godlinesse and learning hath left written vpon the Epistle to the Ephesians As for the administration of the woorde when it is doone by the reading and reciting of the deuine scriptures finally by the interpretation and explication of the same and by exhortations taken frō thence and also by repetition and by the Catechisme which is perfourmed by mutuall questions and aunsweres of him that is the Catechiser and of the party that is catechised and by holy conferences and debatings of the harder Questions of our religion according to this manifold dispensation of wholesome doctrine the giftes or offices of this function are also multiplied For whatsoeuer belonged to the moste perfect māner of teaching that in the administration of the doctrine of saluation is to be applied with most great study because that sith thou art a man the knowledge of seeing God or liuing according vnto God which as of al other it is most diuine so also most difficult ought to be set forth they now that teach artes diligently contayned in some certain books as if a man woulde purpose out of Euclide to teach the Mathematicalles first of all they will reade and recite the booke proposed and streight waies they wil expound the particuler words that are not commonly knowe as euery Art hath his proper wordes and names and then if anye collection or argument be more breefely made they expound it by resoluing the partes thereof and make it cleare by many examples out of the generall preceptes they teache particulers and they do enforme them how farre foorth they stretch This it is properlye to teache But he that is indeede a sure or faithfull Doctor is not contente to teache these thinges although by a faythfull deliuerance of the Doctrine but also hee repeateth it and exacteth the thinges that he taughte and offereth him selfe readye to his schollers that they might demaunde a playn explication of
other debility doth so weaken him that he cannot so lowde so cleane reddily reade as a childe or a woman may do But the holy auncient Fathers did not therfore contemne the office of Readers No they considered the person whome for their calling and office they represented and permitted neither childe woman nor any man neuer so prompt a Reader in such publike and autentike manner to reade these thinges but onely those men that were lawfullye called and authorized thereunto and did greatly reuerence and estéeme this office of Readers although they were not yet made Pastors but were Readers only And shall we now contemne them condemne them when these Readers are Pastors also and say that such a Pastor reading doeth the thinges which a childe of ten yeeres olde may do as well as he And yet it followes not if there were some such Pastors whome a childe didde excell that if any such vpoÌ„ some especiall consideration were born withall we shall neuer lacke vnlearned Pastors ignorant and vngodly people simonicall and sacrilegious Patrones c. Whereas mée thinkes and I speake it bonafide and I hope bona cum venia that rather of the twaine if these our brethrens deuises should take place we should haue more coÌ„teÌ„pt of learning and greater number of vnlearned Pastors and so more ignorant and vngodly and contentious people more simonicall and sacrilegious patrones if any patrones at all should be allowed more slow forwardnesse of the building of Gods church beside other many moe new superstitious fantasies which for shortnes we omit to speake of than eyther now there is or euer was or euer would be by any direct occasion of reading a prescript number of psalmes and chapters of the Scriptures with other appointed formes of prayer as now we haue But our brethren supposing they haue héere so full confuted this publike reading of prescribed formes of prayer psalmes and chapters that wee our selues would séeke to haue it yet for a while at least to be tollerated they would cut of this also and say What though some say formall reading might be borne withall for â— time vntill the Church might be prouided of sufficient pastors which yet is not graunted shall it therfore continue alwayes to the perpetuall decay of knowledge and hurte of the Church of God Who are those some that so say that formall reading might bee borne withal for a time vntil c And what is héere meant by formal reading If it be a comelie and reuerent forme of reading a prescript number of Psalmes Chapters of the Scriptures with other appointed formes of prayer before mentioned Why shoulde anie saie it might bee borne withall for a time vntill the Church might be prouided of sufficient pastors as though the reading of these thinges should no longer be suffered but that afterward those that shoulde be thought to be sufficient pastors should haue no appointed formes of Prayer at all nor any number at all of Psalmes or chapters of the scriptures prescribed vnto them but that euery sufficient pastor might be free to vary in his formes of prayer and number of Psalmes and chapters of the scripture at his pleasure What sufficiency shall be appointed for such Pastors is not here set downe For my part I thinke there is no sufficiency in a Pastor to be counted a sufficient priuiledge so clearely to acquite him but that although he may now and then leaue out or adde or alter some part of the prescribed and appointed forme vpon occasion at his discretion yet were it not conuenient were he neuer so sufficient learned that there shoulde be no forme at all appointed For wee must not onely consider the sufficiency of the Pastor but withall the sufficiency or insufficiency of the people and the order and comlinesse of the Church Which is best obserued especially in these licentious and perillous times full of errors and corruptions not when wee are moste at libertye but when Orders appointed doe restraiue vs. But these our Brethren the Learned discoursers reiecte all suche formes of prayer and say What though some saye formall reading might be borne withall for a time vntill the Church might be prouided of sufficient Pastors which is not yet granted No is who are they that haue of late set forth this Pamphlet intituled A booke of the forme of common prayer and ministration of the sacramentes c. agreable to Gods word and the vse of the reformed Churches Is not formal reading and numbers of Psalmes and chapters of the scripture héere prescribed And if this booke of the forme of common prayer be agreable to Gods word and the vse of the reformed Churches howe is this our brethrens Learned Discourse which they call a breefe and playne declaration concerning the desires of all those faithful ministers that haue and doe seeke for the reformation of the Church of Englande agreeable to Gods word and to the vse of the reformed Churches and how do these our Brethren heere affirme that if this formall reading shoulde continue alwayes it shoulde redounde to the perpetuall decay of knowledge and hurt of the Church of God which as Bucer sayth is to the great encrease of knowledge and manifolde benefite of the Churche of God God What greater discouragement is there vnto Studentes then to see the rewardes of learning bestowed as commonly vpon the ignoraunt as vpon the Learned What encouragement is it to idlenesse and slouthfulnesse in them that be already in that vocation to beâ—old them that take no paine to liue in wealth and ease without punishment of their negligence And with what necessary consequence doth this hang vpon the continuance of an appointed forme of prayer Psalmes and Chapters May not the rewardes of learning be bestowed vpon Studentes and yet formall reading of these thinges still continue yea may not Students imploy their time more continually in their studies and haue the more leasure to study better about the expositioÌ„ of the Scriptures when the publike forme of prayer is already appointed and prescribed vnto them True it is that this is a great discouragement vnto Studentes to see the rewardes of Learning as commonlye bestowed vpon the ignoraunt as vpon the learned But woulde not euill Patrones doe so more then they doe except the superior authority of the Bishoppes did not restraine them and if it were so that all were equall and the bestowing of the rewardes of Learning lay in the election of the vnlearned and vulgar people woulde not the same discouragement as commonlye or more commonly fall out then And is this the waye to encourage Studentes vnder pretence that the rewardes of learning are not so well bestowed to spoyle and pull downe Bishoprikes Colleages Cathedrall Churches Glebes and Tythes c. And to take all this cleane away both from the vnlearned and learned too And are these men nowe so carefull of the greate discouragement of
serued for good excellent purposes as out of Zāchius Bucer is declared yet notwithstanding if these reading Ministers perched into higher places of the Ministerie than they should as comming some what néere to the touch of these tearmes they might perhaps better deserue to be remoued But if they simplie meane all reading Ministers wheras the most part are able to giue good counsaile instruction admonition exhortation in priuate conference besides their publike formall reading though they haue no dexteritie in publike preaching yea there is none so learned a preacher in this land or in anie other Church but it may beséeme him well inough to reade the publike forme of common praier in the Church and to reade the Chapters and Psalmes appointed and so all sorts of Ecclesiasticall persons being comprised in this tearme Reading Ministers it were ouerhard to remoue all and to condemne all reading Ministers for Idoll shepheards It will be answered no doubt that to supplie their ignoraunce there are added to their appointed seruice many godlie and learned Homelies which if they reade with their seruice there is not so greate neede of preaching and interpretation of the Scriptures And if this be answered for anie thing that is héere replied the answere might satisfie anie reasonable man that were not too litigious and importune Why may not many godlie and learned Homelies bee added to supplie their ignorance that are not learned pastors Is not an Homelie a sermon also And if they be godlie and learned many such Sermons although they be but read plainlie and distinctlie vpon the booke and not conned or spoken without the booke may it not be safelie sayde at least thus much that where they are orderlie and often read there is not so great neede of other preaching and of other interpretation of the Scriptures Whē as indéed the reading of thē being read as they ought to be is also a kind of preaching and oftentimes no vnfruitfull interpreting of the Scriptures But now what doe our brethren héere replie vnto the answere of this supplie We will derogate nothing heere from the dignitie of those Homelies we will not accuse heere the vnsensible reading of vnlearned Ministers neither yet the vnreuerent contempt of the ignorant hearers but which all godlie and wise men must needes confesse those exhortations that are not applied to the proper circumstances of times places persons occasions are of smal power to persuade anie man and least of all the ignorant people What our brethren heere doe meane in saying wee will derogate nothing here from the dignitie of those Homelies it is vncertaine because that this restraint heere séemeth to infer that some where els they wil derogate from the dignitie of them Which if they doe wee must answere it then take this in the meane season that is granted here And yet here let vs friendlie forewarne our brethren to remember what they haue granted heere least they derogate there from that which they haue acknowledged here that those Homilies are godlie and learned Homilies yea let them take héed that euen here they controll not themselues for if they will heere derogate nothing from the dignitie of them how then will they not allow them to be read Is it no derogation to the dignitie of thē to prohibite the reading of them And sith they heere confesse them to bée both godlie and learned why may not such profit be reaped by them that they may be a good and necessarie supplie when other kinde of preaching wanteth As for the vnsensible reading of vnlearned Ministers may both here and anie where else be worthelie misliked and also the vnreuerent contempt of the ignorant hearers But what is this against the godlie and learned Homelies when they are sensiblie read and when they are reuerentlie heard and not contemned and when the ignorant hearers attaine to knowledge by the hearing and marking of them But whatsoeuer they will derogate other where or contrarie themselues there or here What a daungerous saying is this that followeth as a reason here of thē alleaged But that which all godlie and wise men must needes confesse those exhortations that are not applied to the proper circumstances of times places persons and occasions are of small power to persuade anie man and least of all the ignorant people For these generall spéeches take not onelie awaie the benefit that many to their comfort and increase of knowledge féele by the reading and hearing of many godlie and learned Homilies but also of all other writers Fathers Commentaries Cōmon places Apologies Confutations Treatises Sermons Postills Homilies or whatsoeuer neuer so godlie and learned discourses yea it would make the holie Scripture it selfe which is the power of God to saluation to all them that beleeue it Rom. 1. which is quicke and forcible and more pearcing than a two edged swoord reaching euen to the parting of the soule and the spirit and of the ioyntes and marow and a separater of the thoughts and intentions of the heart Heb. 4. to be of small power And what are anie godlie and learned Homelies but written Sermons expositions and preachings of Gods word to make the same more plaine and so to persuade more effectuallie the ignorant hearers But be it that godlie and learned Homilies are but of small power to persuade anie man yet if they be of some power though the smaller then may they be added as some supplie though the smaller when the greater supplie of godlie learned preaching is not alwaies so redie albeit that many godlie and learned Homilies are not so destitute neither of application to diuers proper circumstances of times places persons and occasions but that the diligent hearer and marker may perceiue him selfe sufficientlie and often times with more moderation and no lesse pithilie to be touched and moued than perhaps with many moe vehement lesse considerate exhortations or reprehensions of diuerse yea that very godlie and learned preachers Let long experience the mistres of fooles teach vs if knowledge the instructor of wise men cannot moue vs. How many Papists conuerted How many ignorant instructed How many wicked reformed are ye able to shew by this ignorant and vnlearned Ministerie with al the helpes of reading of formall Praiers Homilies without preaching applying the Scriptures to the proper circumstances before rehearsed If long experience bee the mistres of fooles whose mistres is late short Experience And why then doe our Brethren crie so fast to haue vs looke vpon and follow the late experience and that in other Countries as a rule for vs and all to imitate The question here demaunded how many Papists conuerted c is verie captions As though we allowed of ignorant and vnlearned Ministers or allowed of such reading of formall praiers and Homilies as neuer hath the helpes of preaching or applying the Scriptures to the proper circumstances
our Brethren héere set downe and all their platforme in this their Learned Discourse of Ecclesiastical gouernment to be the increasing of the glorious kingdome of our sauiour Christ and wilâ—uâ—lie and wittinglie contemne it or neglect it I hope none of vs doth so and if we could sée anie substantiall grounded reasons of our Breth to moue vs therevnto we praie God and hope God woulde heare our praiers that wee might forsake all worldlie liuings yea life and all rather than we should not ioyne with theÌ„ And brotherlie charitie moueth me to thinke so of them likewise that they doe not striue against their consciences or haue no conscience in that they shouâ—d but that they make conscience of that which they shuld not rather mistake than of purpose they would wittinglie misleade themselues or others Howbeit heerein they are in the greater fault that take on them to controll and teach the teachers and all and doe misteach vs and tell vs Gods word teacheth that which it doth not teach and terrifie vs with the expection of the heauie vengeance of God for this manifest contempt of his expresse commandement yet for these deuises and Learned Discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and discipline which they so much pretend and vrge they haue not hetherto nor hâ—ere doe nor I beleeue euer can shew and proue in expresse wordes anie expresse commandement of our sauiour Christ or anie necessarie consequence to infer it which if we might once see and then should make a manifest contempt or anie contempt at all thereof then should we haue right good cause to tremble and quake to mourne and expect the heauie vengeance of God except God in the infinite treasurie of his mercies surmounting all his workes al our sinnes did giue vs his comfort and forgiue vs our sinnes through our Lord onelie sauiour Iesus Christ. But vntill this expresse commandement or anie other necessarilie inferred for this Ecclesiasticall gouernment that our breth in this Learned Discourse prescribe be shewed and made manifest I hope that in the testimonie of a good conscience being iustified by faith wee may haue peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue aceesse by faith into this grace or fauour â—herin we stand and glorie in the hope of the glory of the sonnes of God Rom 5. And as this is the anker of our hope so good Breth once againe in the feare of God I exhort you to take heed how ye pretenâ— Christs expresse commandement so peremptorilie and cannot shew it to consider with what boldnesse ye may take vpon you that sentence of S. Paule saying In the meane time we may boldlie saie with the Apostle Act. 20. VVe testifie vnto you this day that we are clâ—aâ—e froÌ„ the bloud of you al for we haue not failed to shew you the whole counsell of God concerning the regiment of his Church And dare ye indeede this boldlie vsurpe vpon you these wordes of the Apostle and adde withall vnto them as a distinct part of the sentence that in the same seuerall Charecter as the verie expresse words of the Apostle which were neither his wordes nor yet his meaning for anie thing that can be necessarilie gathered on those wordes of the Apostle these words of your owne more superfluous addition concerning the regiment of the Church But see how affection many times may carry wise learned men awaie But if this platforme be either councell or commandement either expressed or of necessitie implied Shew it as Saint Paule saith that he shewed all the councell of God and straight we yeeld Or else giue vs leaue in the name and peace of God and in the freedome of the Gospell with a safe conscience to dessent from it The Argument of the 7. booke THE 7. Booke concerneth the ministration of the Sacraments first whether they may he ministred by a Minister that is no Preacher and without a Sermon at the ministration of them Whether this be alwaies in Baptisme any necessarie part contained in the institution of it Whether the Apostles or other Preachers were alwaies their selues the baptizers of such as they conuerted How neere our Breth assertions heerein drawen to the positions of the Anabaptists Whether the Lords supper may not be truly administred though by no preacher or if by a preacher yet not preaching at the ministration thereof Whether Christ preached at the ministration of it Whether preaching were alwaies necessary in Circumcision and the Pascall lambe What the word shewing foorth the Lords death inferreth and that all the communicants are such preachers Whether the Homilies exhortations in the booke prescribed set not fully forth the Lords death What was the practise for this point in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church Whether the worde that is ioyned to the element to make a Sacrament is to be necessarilie vnderstod of preaching Whether our formes praescribed in the Sacraments ioyne the word and the element sufficientlie or no. Whether the Papists though they wanted the true Supper of the Lord had not true Baptisme for all their corruption of the same How many kindes of preaching Caluine maketh and what kinde is necessarie in the Lordes Supper What words by Caluine Musculus Beza Olleuian Hellopaeus c. make a true perfect Cosecration Whether in the reformed Churches of Heluetia c they are preachers onelie that minister the Sacraments How the seale and writing are to be ioyned alwaies together and we so haue them Whether our Breth prohibite none to preach whom they prohibite not to minister the Sacraments Whether we inferre womens Baptisme whether Baptisme on occasion of necessitie may be ministred in priuate places and whether there be anie necessitie at all of Baptisme and of the dangerous positions contradictions inconueniences absurdities of our Breth in these matters especiallie of this their Canon where there is no minister of the word there ought to bee no minister of the Sacraments What is principall what necessarie in the Sacraments of the affinitie coniunction separation of preaching and administring the Sacraments HEtherto saie our Brethren we haue somewhat at large set forth the principall parte of a Pastors office which is to preach the worde of God and to instruct the people committed to his charge in the same Heere followeth now in the second part of his duti which confisteth in right administration of the SacrameÌ„ts of God For seeing it hath pleased God to adde such outward signes to be helps of our infirmitie as seales for confirmation of his promises vttered by his word Rom. 4.11 Hee hath appointed Ministers of the same to deliuer them vnto his people Matth. 28.19 Luke 22.19 For no man may take vppon him anie office in the Church but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 3 4. Seeing therefore that God hath giuen some to be Pastors in the Church Ephes
sacraments are the same that are the dispēsers of the word so that they execute both the parts of the ministery Otherwise it shold be cōuenient that according to the saying of the apostles act 6 they shoulde apply them-selues to praiers administring doctrine leauing the ministery of the tables Seeing that many mo may be had that can dispense the sacraments than those which can rightly cut sound doctrine in the church By which testimony of Musc by the very order prescribed euen in Geneua It plainly appeareth that not only in these reformed Churches many are admitted to minister the Sacr. that are not able to preach but that also this was the vse of the primitiue Church in the apostles times Which ouerthrows al that our breth haue hereon alleaged Neither helpeth it to say that yet stil this taketh not away but that there should be preaching vsed at the administratiō of the sacramēt thogh the minister of the sacramēt be no preacher For our breth said the administration of the sacramentes ought to be committed to none but vnto such as are preachers of the worde c. pag. 60. But for this that they say here also It is no better then sacriledge to seperate the ministratiō of preaching of the worde from the sacramentes so harde a spéeche following Musculus procéeding with the minister of this Sacrament though hée bée no preacher of the worde yet he requireth in him such a competency as hath a triple respect both to the person that he sustaineth and of the matter that he administreth and of the people to whome he communicateth After he hath shewed for the first part howe he shoulde be no lewd person but sober and vertuous comming to the secōd respect in him he saith Furthermore hee ministreth it competently if hee haue a consideration of those thinges which hee dispenseth and doe worthily frame himselfe vnto them Hee dispenseth the communicating of the bodye and bloude of Christe The breade which wee breake saith the Apostle Is it not the communicating of the body of the Lorde And the Cup of the blessing ouer which wee blesse is it not the communicating of the bloude of the Lorde 1. Cor. 10. Thus therefore shall hee competently administer this sacrament that it may be a communicating not that it shoulde be a holy priuate thing He dispenseth the remembrance of the Lorde or as Augustine in a certaine place speaketh the sacrament of memory This shall he do competently if he shall adioin vnto the mysticall communicating the shewing forth of the L. death according to the worde of the Apostle who sayth so often as ye eate this bread and drink of the Cup yee shewe foorth the Lordes death till he come For so did hee ordaine this custome in the Church of the Corinthians It is not fit that it should be a dumb communicating Either let some thing be read before the people or bee sung concerning the historye of the death of the Lorde as it is begun to be done in very many churches in our age Hee dispenseth the Euchariste he Euchariste is a giuing of thankes and a sacrifice of prayse Let him therefore haue a care that this holy communion may be closed vp with publike giuing of thanks He dispenseth the loue feast that is the banquet of brotherly loue It is meete therfore that a cleare exercise of Christian loue and mutuall communicating shoulde bee adhibited Vnto the which hee ought not onely with exhortations in the act it selfe to enstruct and accustome them but also with constitutions of a certaine order These are the principall thinges of which the dispenser of the Lordes table ought cheefely to haue a care and consideration whereby hee may apply him-selfe competently vnto this sacrament The third respect is of the people communicating which the more simple ruder they are so much the simplier must the minister speake of the mystery of the Lordes supper that he may apply him-selfe to their capacity But he must by all meanes take heede of those two vices that entrap the people to witte superstition and contempt Superstition least the people worship and adore that for the thing it selfe that is the signe thereof contempt least they sticke onely in the breade and Wine not discerning the body and bloude of the Lorde and therefore contemne it vnderstanding nothing beyond the iugdement of the eyes because by sight and taste they perceiue it to bee bread and Wine Such a point did Augustine giue warning of in his booke of Catechizing the rude in the ninth chapter where he saith thus Concerning the sacrament that they shall receiue it sufficeth for those that are more prudent to heare what that thing signifieth but with the duller sort it must with more wordes and similitudes be treated vpon least they contemne that which they see These thinges wrot he To conclude hee must take heede that hee swerue not either to the Corinthians or to the papists in this cause of the Lordes Supper And to the entent that the people not onely with the hande and mouth but with faith and heart may receiue that which is giuen let him declare all thinges that are to bee spoken in the vulgare and vsuall tongue not onely the exhortations but also the wordes of the Lordes institution the Prayers also and the thankesgiuing whereby the people may vnderstand all and in their heart assent thereto according to the Apostles admonition 1. Cor. 14. Thus wée sée how although the Minister be no preacher but beeing a discreete and vertuous man in all these foresaide respectes and obserue these exhortations which are both plentifully set out in Homilies and in the Communion Booke it selfe and the other thinges here noted in such order as the communicantes may vnderstande and beléeue the same although there bee no other sermon preached yet is the Sacrament truely and effectually administred Neyther can these thinges with the residue that he setteth downe bee vnderstood for the onelie action of a Preacher confessing and allowing that manie Ministers not Preachers may minister this Sacrament and yet in euery one that ministreth the same al these thinges are requisite For what is plainer than this argument out of Musculus sayinges Musculus thinketh and prooueth that it is not necessarie that euery one which administreth the Sacraments should be a Preacher and preach at the ministration of them But Musculus thinketh and prooueth it necessarie that all thinges ought to bee done by the minister at the Ministration of them which here he reckoneth vp Therefore Musculus thinketh and prooueth that all these thinges might bee done of one that is no preacher and without a sermon then preached of these matters If our Brethren wil denie the maior for the minor I thinke they wil not I referre them to Musculus and his reason out of Actes 6. and to the reformed Churches that hee meaneth It sufficeth for vs to prooue both by him and by
title be this Of them that are baptised in priuate houses in time of necessity yet afterward saith the book also they shall warn them that without great cause and necessity they baptise not children at home in their house And when great need shal compell theÌ„ so to doe that they minister it on this fashion c. But go to let vs say as they would onely haue vs say that if it be permitted of vs to be administred in any priuate place it is only but in case of necessity what say they hereto As though say they there were such necessity of the outward signe when it cannot be ministred according to the Institution of Christe What do our breth here mean that there is no necessity at al of baptism although there be no such necessity is there no necessity of consequence of condition nor of conueniency aswel as absolute simple and ineuitable necessity If generally there were no necessity at all of baptizing then it were frée whether we woulde be baptized or no But it is not free Christe did institute baptisme vnder flat commandement therefore there is a necessity and an important necessity of it Did not baptism succéed circumcisioÌ„ as Paul clearly setteth out Col. â— 11 12. In whom also ye are circâ—mcised saith he c. And was there no necessity at al of circumcision we grant this necssity was not so absolute that it reached to them before their time assigned no nor yet after was it so absolute necessity that it reached to them while they trauelled in the wildernesse God dispeÌ„sing for other manifold necessities in that long iourney with the necessity of that Sacrament And yet Gods commaundement remaining intire and they with such a necessity seuerly bounde that they shoulde not contemne on their partes the obedience and execution of it And therefore sayeth Zanchius in this very well in his confession of Christian Religion concerning Baptisme Capite decimo quinto Aphor. 5. Wee beleue that baptisme is altogether necessary in the Church as a sacrament instituted of Christ which the Church can so little want that where it is not when it may be had there we may not acknowledge the Church of Christ. Howbeit we thinke it neede-full vnto saluation in this wise that notwithstanding if any for the defaulte of the Minister but not through contempt depart this life not sprincled with the water we beleeue not that he is therfore damned and wrapped in eternall destruction For the children of the faithfull are therefore saued because they are in the couenant but they that be of ripe yeeres because they beleue in Christe with a true faithe which verilye cannot suffer the contempt of Christs commandement Gellius Snecanus whome we haue before often and at large cited that we might sée how our brethren aunswere them-selues in his method of baptisme the sixt part sayth The sixt circcumstaunce remaineth when baptisme should be administred Here we must note although the time be free yet by Gods threate Gen. 17. where the neglect of circumcision is esteemed the violating of Gods couenant it consequently followeth that fit occasion being offered baptisme ought forth with to be administred Whereunto exhorteth vs the daunger that was imminent on Moses by the delay of Circumcision in his childe The same doe the examples of the godly teach those that were Act. 2. baptised of Peter Act. 8. of Philip. Act. 16. of Paule Here is to be reprehended the abuse of many and cheefely of great men in this our age deferring baptizme vnto some moneths I knowe not for what causes c. The examples of the ancients sheltereth neither these lingerers neither the Anabaptists as it shall be noted in his place Thus writeth Gell. on this necessity And eueÌ„ immediatly he procéedeth to the lawful manner of administring baptizm which because it commeth next to hand I will also heere set downe Let vs come at length saith he vnto the lawfull manner Here is required that baptisme should be administred intirely with all his partes according to the circuÌ„stances of the Institution of the administration In the administration therfore of baptism let the summe of the doctrin concerning the couenant imputation of faith coÌ„prehending as wel the children as the pareÌ„ts be repeated To these let ther be added an explication of the general commandement of baptizing all nations and of the finall causes of baptism instituted according to the summe and order of a method For the signes of their owne nature signify nothing but by the institution of God Therfore it is necessary that all things be referred to the will of God which is made manifest in the holy scriptures Afterward let the examples of circumcision and of the baptism of the Israelites c. come hereto Finally let al this doctrine be concluded with the inuocation of the name of God Thus writeth hee also of the full manner and forme that hee woulde haue obserued in the sacrament And is not the forme that is prescribed vnto vs in effect the same Hellopaeus agréeinge hereunto both for the necessity of this sacrament so farre forth as we do vrge the same and for the places circumstances and order that here wée stand vpon For the necessity in his 5. chapter concerning the efficacy of baptisme whether it wash away sinnes or conferre grace Among other thinges after his proofes pag. 120. he saith Neither must we thinke Baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation Neuerthelesse me thinkes I heare the papistes some other who notwithstanding will not seeme to bee Papistes arise against me affirming that baptisme is so muche necessary that they teach except this sacrament bee adioyned they cannot attain vnto saluation no not by faith But we also verily do confesse that by the ordinance of God the sacrameÌ„t of baptism is a certain thing correquisite to saluation Neither can it be omitted without sacrilege Yea rather if it be omitted by contempt this shold be a deadly heinous offence except vpon earnest repentance following Howbeit to say it is so necessarie that if any be excluded by necessity whereby he cannot vse it that he should be in danger of his saluation we affirme it to be a manifest error Neither say we it is the depriuing of the sacrament but it is the contempt that is the deadly thing And again Cap 8. page 155. he bringeth in these wordes against the Papistes that our brethren iuiuriously obiect to vs. And after he hath alleaged his reasons against Women and lay persons administring baptisme whose doing we allowe not neither yet doth our booke allow it for any such persons to haue done it Though if it bee done be done in such order that they obserued both for the matter and the forme the element of Water and the wordes that Christ assigneth to be vsed with other godly prayers at the doing the Booke to anoyde all cauilles of Anabaptists only
residue of the Scripture both of the old and new testament as in the chap before ver 16. Paul charged theÌ„ Let the word of Christe dwell in you plentâ—ously in al wisdome teaching and admonishing one another in Psalmes and himnes and spiritual songs singing wiih grace in your harts to the lord and likewise Eph. 5.19 Speaking vnto your selues in psalmes himmes spirituall songs singing making melody to the lord in your hearts sith therefore they vsed to speak to sing these prayers praises of God in their publike not only banquets as some expound it but also assemblies of their diuine seruice as appeareth plain by S. Paules teaching the Corinthians the vse of these psalms prayers 1. Cor. 14.26 What is to be done then brethren when ye come together according as euery one of you hath a Psalm or hath doctrine or hath a tong or hath reuelation or hath interpretation let al things be done vnto edifying It followeth heereupon that howsoeuer the Corinthians abused this order of their publike praiers and psalmes euery man to sing or say his owne psalme or prayer in straunge languages bréeding confusion and no edifying yet that in the godly vse thereof they vsed some prescribed forme as of the Scriptures which they red or interprepated so of the psalmes hymnes or prayers that they saide or sung besides the Lords prayer and were not the makers conceiuers of all the publike prayers that they vttered Plinius secundus hauing examined certaine of the reuolted Christians that were brought before him what the maner of the Christians was in their assemblies because they were accused of high crimes and such numbers murdred writeth to the emperor Traiane that their maner was this that on a day appointed they vsed to come together beefore the day light Carmenque Christo quasi deo dicere secum inuicem and to say among themselues a verse or a prescript prayer vnto Christ as vnto God and to bind themselues with a sacrament or othe not vnto any mischieuous deed but that they should neither commit theft nor robbery nor adultery that they should not break their faith that being called vpon they should not deny the pledge committed vnto them which things beeing done it was their maner to depart Wherebye it plainly appeareth that both their custome was not alwayes to haue a sermon at the receiuing of the sacrament which it shold séeme Pliny aimeth at yet that in their publike praiers they vsed some ordinarie prescribed form among them Tertullian in the end of his booke De velandis virginib hath these words How great chasticement shal those virgins deserue which among the Psalmes or in any mention of God continue vncouered do they not worthily yea that in the prayer lay gently a welt a hair or any thred vpon their brain imagin they are couered By which saying though in mocking of those women again it appeareth that not only the men but women and maideÌ„s all did say or sing psalms were present at some form order of publike prayers Which though he set not down the form yet the chéefe points he reckoneth vp in his apologie against the Gentiles ca. 39. wher defending the assemblies of the Christians against the slanders of the heathen he saith I wil now my self set foorth the businesses of the Christian factioÌ„ that as I haue refuted the ill thinges to wit the thinges that the heathen slaundred them withall I may shewe the good thinges Wee are a bodie of the conscience of religion and of the trueth of discipline and of the couenaunt of hope Wee come together into an assembly or congregation that praying vnto God we might by praiers make sute for deeds or good workes This violence is acceptable to God Wee pray also for the Emperours for their Ministers and powers for the state of the Worlde for the quiet of the affaires for the prolonging of their ende Wee are gathered together to the commemoration or rehearsing of the diuine scriptures If that the quality of the present â—imes doe enforce as either to giue forewarning or to reacknowledge them Verilie with holy voices or sayings wee feede our faith wee erect our hope wee fixe our trust Notwithstanding wee thicken or close fast with inculcations or often repeating the Discipline of our teachers There also are exhortations chastisements and the diuine censure she meaneth Excommunication And before cap. 30. The Christians looking thither to wit vp to God in heaueÌ„ with their hands cast abroad because they are vnhurtful with their head bare because we blush not to conclude without an admonisher because we pray from the heart we are all alwayes praying for al the Emperours that they may haue a long life a safe Empire a sound house strong armies a faithful senate a godly people a quiet worlde and what soeuer are the desires of man and of Caesar. c. Whereby we may well perceiue that they had both in behauiour and in matter some certaine vsuall formes of publique prayers Especially by that hee sayth they needed no admonitor of them Which seemeth to cut of this that all their prayers depended on the pastors conceiuing Which also we may well gather of that we heard before out of Iustine howe they brought him that was baptized vnto the Brethren where the assemblies were That we might pray say they as well for our selues as for those that are newely illumined whereby wee might bee founde through true Doctrine and good workes worthy obseruers and keepers of the commaundements that wee may obteine eternall saluation Such were the ordinary formes of publique prayers in the most ancient Churches Bullinger vpon 1 Tim. 2.1 Concerning the auncient form of publike prayer writeth on this wise And leaste in this matter I shoulde dissemble any thing the Ecclesiasticall assemblies before a 1000 yeares agoe were on this manner The people flocked together into the holy house to the entent to worship God But while they were entring into the Churche certaine psalmes in some Churches were sung of those that were already come in other they were onely recited vntil the whole assembly was fully come together And this beginning of the Diuine seruice they called the Introit of entring Nowe when the Church waâ— come together all of theÌ„ cried with one consent Kâ—riele-eison Lord haue mercy To the which was added of some the hymne which is called the Angelles whose beginning Glory bee to God on high This hymne perteyneth to gratulation or to deprecation This being ended some minister of the Church recited the Collect the same was a kinde of prayer wherein the desires of the whole Church and their necessities collected together were recited vnto God Then was there red before-hand of the more learned Deacons some place either of the propheticall bookes or of the apostolicall Epistles chosen out according to the consideration of the time of the place or of
the people This being finished the Bishop assembled into a higher place by steps to preache the Gospell of Christe The people in the meane while with a song conceiued called vpon the grace of the holy ghoste which of those steppes begunne to be called the Graduell But heere the Bishop did reade the Gospel before with great authority and then interpreted the same at the ende of the holy sermon he recited the Creede that they called the Apostles or else the Nicene or that which secondly was made Moreouer hee inuited the whole Church vnto mercie that euery man according to their abilities shoulde put somewhat into the poore-mens boxe That portion of the holy sermon they called the offertory And Pontius Paulinus teacheth that a table was wont to beset in the Church for the refection of the poore which also they called the Lordes Table and placed of the Lorde In this manner I say with these ceremonies and rites did the auncient exercise their prayers and sounde doctrine How beit this custome was not by all pointes common to all For some began the holy assembly not with the psalmes but with the crying together Kyrieâ—leison They that so did had not in vse either the Angels hymne or the collects or the Graduels verse To this agayne other sung the Alleluiah of the Hebrues as in another place Ierome sheweth Among some the bishop himselfe without all these thinges both beginneth with the sacred sermon and publique prayers added thereunto and dismisseth the assembly But no Church was compelled to sweare into the rites and ordinances of another so bee that the prayers and the holye sermons were entire and exercised holily and alwayes the best beeing contented with most few employed the cheefest partes to doctrine and to prayers Moreouer in the mysticall supper this rite was obserued well neere of all Churches The preest came foorth into the assembly The mysticall table stoode in the sight of the people furnished with bread and Wine He standing at this table blessed the people saying The lorde bee with you the people answered and with thy spirit Then he stirring vp the people vnto the most high matters and preparing the mindes of euery one of them cried Lift vp your hearts the people aunswered wee haue them lifted vp vnto the Lorde For Cyprian in his sermon of the Lords prayer saith Therefore the priest also making a praeface before the prayer prepareth the mindes of the brethren saying Lift vp your hearts while the people aunswereth VVe haue â—hem lift vp vnto the Lorde That they might be admonished how they ought to thinke on nothing but on the Lorde Thus saith Cyprian After this the preest moouing them to thanksgiuing saith Let vs giue thankes vnto the Lorde our God The people answered it is meet right we should so doe here sayd the preest It is very meete and iust right and healthfull that we should at all times euery where giue thaÌ„ks vnto thee O L. the Lord the holy father almighty eternall God through Iesus Christ our Lord For almoste all these thinges doth Aug. also in his book De bono Perseuerantiae mention cap. 13 saying That therefore which is said in the sacraments of the faithfull that we should haue our heartes lift vp to the Lord it is the gift of the Lord. Of which gift they are of the Prieste admonished to giue thanks to our God vnto whome after this speech this is said And they aunswere It is meete and iust c. But after these words the priest sayde who the day before he suffered tooke the breade gaue thanks brake it and gaue it to his Disciples saying take eate this is my body which is giuen for you and the residue which are read in the Gospell These things with great religion being accomplished the Lords prayer was sayd Which also Ierome testifieth in his 3. book against the Pelagians But also it is vulgarly receiued that the apostles did coÌ„secrate .i. celebrate the mistical supper at the praiers only of the L. praier after the L. praier the people receiued the holy mysteries by the communion of the sacraments of the body and bloud of the Lorde they grewe together into one mysticall bodye wherof Christ is the head To conclude al these things being orderly accomplished after this manner the assembly was dismissed Thus writeth Bullinger not to confirme but to confute the Popish Masse thereby And is not here a plain prescribed form of the diuine seruice both for the maner of their publike prayers and of the administration of the holy communion yea almost euen the very selfe same forme of order wordes that our book prescribeth vnto vs and although some Churches differed yet euery Church kept alwaies some one certain form or other which euery Minister might not alter at his pleasure But because after these times corruptions began to alter these ancient and holy prescribed forms of publike praier and of the sacraments Let vs nowe come euen to our dayes What Church reformed is there now where they haue not some forme of publike prayers prescribed ordinary among them and yet if there were nothing else but our Brethrens owne booke set out called the book of the form of common prayers administration of the sacraments c agreeable to Gods word and the vse of the reformed Churches It is inough sufficiently to prooue this point that there ought to be a prescribed ordinary form of diuine seruice and publike praiers not that the pastor shuld be the only maker and conceiuer of the publike prayers and the people only to approoue them and say Amen to such prayers as the pastor at that instant maketh or conceiueth Which conceptions of our brethren if they were suffered great inconuenience might grow thereon For either the people which perhaps vnderstood not his tearmes and phrases should rather stand marking and weying his words if they did so much as mark them and houer in suspence of any asâ—ent til they vnderstood the full drift of them than haue themselues any deuotion al the meane time vnto God so much as in hart silence to ioin with him till it come to the parts of closing vp their Amen vnto that wherein their harts were not in ful assent before ioyned vnto him Which when they haue marked attentiuely vnderstoode yea finally assented with their Amen neuer so frankly may rather in the end be called an aâ—sent vnto him then any publike or priuate praier vnto God with him So that that which they say here of publike praier as it pertaineth to the pastor to conceiue publike prayers so it is the duty of the whole church in the name of the whole church to ioyne in heart with the pastor in the same prayers that they knowing and vnderstanding what he hath praied may in the end geue their coÌ„sent by answering Amen This I say bangeth not together for any praier
but to praye that all ordinarye formes of prayer shoulde bee altogether expelled that preaching may occupy all the time and place thereof Wee will not neither dare wee praye that ours or any other ordinary formes of praier shoulde in all places be in steede of preaching but that preaching shoulde rather be more often than it is and that in all places if it would please God that all places mighte be so furnished If not yet in as many places as may be But to wish all ordinarye formes of prayer to be in all places or in any place wholly displaced to place preaching God forbid it should so be or we should so with it Surely in my opinion and vnder correction this is eyther a very greate ouershot in our brethren or else it sauoureth of some woorse purpose than I would gladly surmise our brethren went about Although they not onely héerein go about to ouerthrowe all the ordinary formes of prayer that are already with vs established by all the estats and highest authority of the Church of Englande or any other that wée can make if there be any defect herein but also their own ordinary forms both that in Scotlande and that of Geneua and that of Middleborough and that which now last of all they haue renewed in London and to the which their selues haue prefixed this title A booke of the forme of cōmon prayers administration of the sacraments c. agreable to Gods word and to the vse of the reformed Churches All this booke and these their owne ordinary formes of prayers are héere prayed for by these our brethren the Learned Discoursers to be as wel as ours extinguished Yea they make no exception of the Lords owne Prayer which also is a prescribed ordinary forme of prayer But against this prayer of theirs which we pray and hope God will neither graunt nor heare we haue already at large sufficiently séene good euidence and warrant for ordinary formes of prayer in Gods Church The second thing that we haue to obserue is this that althoughe wee make it the dutie of the Pastor to pray in the name of the whole congregation yet do we not so meane but that the whole congregation with one heart and with one voice may praise God with singing of Psalmes all at once For this custome hath continued in the Church from the beginning that the congregation haue praysed God with Psalmes singing altogether If the whole cōgregation with one hart with one voice may praise God with singing of Psalms al at once or altogether then may the whole congregation with one heart with one voice al at once or altogether make their prayers to God For wheron do the Psalmes consist but euen of those parts that S. Paule 1. Tim. 2. v. 1. speaketh of to witt Deprecatiōs petitions intercessions thankesgiuinings All which if they may of all the whole congregation al at once or altogether be sung why maye they not as well of them be saide as sung if they be said distinctly and without confusion Singing I grant doth wel where it may be had where they haue tunable voices and sufficient skill to keepe their notes in tune and order But is singing more fit for prayer than is saying I am glad to heare our Brethren to fauour singing of prayers But can they not do but they must ouer-do all the whole Congregation can not sing so wel all at once or altogether or perhaps manye of them not at all except they shoulde sing a blacke sanctus But they may all at once a great deale more easily say those prayers or some psalmes that they cannot sing not onely if they can reade but if they can follow the Minister that saith the same before them And yet they be not put either to the singing or saying of all or of halfe a quarter but of some fewe and short and easy and those that they are acquainted well withall which if they can sing it is well and a good hearing But looke what they can sing that I thinke they can as easily say and as orderly too if they be so disposed But how do our brethren proue they should thus sing altogether For say they this custome hath continued in the Church from the beginning Yea and is this then a good plea with our brethren of such a custome as hath continued from the beginning Then I thinke they will bethinke them-selues a little better for the continuing superiority of one priest or Elder aboue his fellowe priests or Elders Which also hath continued in the Church from the beginning as we haue at large before declared And haue we not séene this custome also that the whole Congregatiō as wel saying as singing and that oftner saying than singing made altogether at once as with one heart so with one voice their prayers and thankesgiuings vnto God Of which continuance we haue séene the custome both in the olde testament and in the newe euen from the begining As for that our Bre make it the duty of the pastor to pray in the name of the whole congregation we deny it not that this is his duety but this debarreth not but that the whole Congregation also may now and then ioyne with the pastor with one heart and with one voyce and so well as sing so likewise may they pray altogether at once if not in their owne names but in the name of Iesus Christ yet in their owne voices and for their own selues as wel as the minister also to pray for them and in their names Which debarre of the whole congregation so to do more than debarring them of singing is too nice and precise a Scruple in our brethren without warrant either of commandement or of custome continued in the Church from the beginning for the same And these three partes of a pastors duety to preache to Minister the sacraments and to pray are so necessarily required of him in the worde of God as no man may rightly execute the office of a pastor but he that performeth all these eche one in their due time And to this part of praier may be referred the blessing of Mariages not of necessity but of ancient vse of the Church To all these three partes of a Pastors duty we assent in this manner For the first that it is his duty to preach either distinguishing of the māner of the preaching or the necessity of the duety as we haue before declared And likewise for the other two wee graunt them as necessary as our brethren doe require them and as partes of his duety Howbeit as our Brethren here at length do confesse not alwayes either these two and much lesse all these three to bee necessarily executed and performed all at once but each one in their due time So that although preaching in the sense as our Brethren vnderstand distinct from teaching want vpon any necessary or conuenient
alleage for examples Act. 8.14.15 18. But say our Brethren Wheras the Ministration of Baptisme is permitted to euery hedge-preest minister and deacon Our Brethren when they enueighed against the superiority of Bishops made them and all préests or pastorall elders in dignitie equall And nowe in dignity they are so vnequall that they terme some hedge preests What they meane by this contemptuous terme let them selues expounde but they here séeme to excuse vs pretily well for committing the administration of Baptisme vnto Women when they name though in contempt these thrée Hedge-preest Minister and Deacon to whome the ministration of baptisme is permitted No we permit it not to euery Deacon But doth this argue that confirmation is extolled aboue baptisme because the B. doth onely confirme and euery Minister may baptize Doe they measure the dignitie of the Sacrament by the minister what cal they this is not this a manifest error or do we maintain any such opinion of coÌ„firmatioÌ„ yea how doth not this the more recoÌ„mend the dignity of baptism that it may be administred by euery neuer so meane a minister yet not léese his dignity being a sacrament The dignity whereof depeÌ„deth not on man but on God Whereas confirmation being no sacrament which if it were were appertaining to euery minister is reserued to the B. not for any higher dignity of the action compared with any Sacr. but vsed for the trial of the baptised parties profession of the truth by another higher person than the minister that baptised him The apostles that were sent to confirme them that were baptised by Philip took not vpon them to extoll their confirmation aboue the baptisme that Philip had administred and yet were they higher than he in office and dignity For any of these reasons therfore here alleaged against our order of Confirmation as it had place before the errors and superstitious of the papistes did defile it so may it wel haue place still amongest vs in Gods Church And as for churching of Women say our Brethren because it sauoureth of the Iewish purification and of popish Institution it ought altogether to bee omitted for it breedeth and nourisheth many superstitious opinions in the simple peoples heartes as that the woman which hath born a child is vncleane or vnholy whereas the Apostle pronounceth that Godly women are sanctified saued by bearing of children 1. Tim. 2.15 that it is vnlawful for her for any necessity to go out of her dores before she be churched that this churching is a necessary part of the pastors office that she must weare a white rayle ouer her head when she goeth to Church by the Mid-wife waighted home with the parishe Clearke with diuers such like Bables which in a well reformed Church are not to be suffered The first reason héere alleaged against Womens publique thankesgiuing in the Church for their deliuerance after the birth of their children commonly called Churching is because it sauoureth of the Iewish purification and of popish institution In déede for the Iewish purification I thinke it hath some sauour of it so farre foorth onely as the Woman then gaue God thankes for his speciall benefite of her deliueraunce and for her childe For so farre it sauoureth of the morall Lawe Euen as our sabaoth also sauoureth of the Iewishe Sabaoth onely in respect of the moral part thereof though not with any like bonde or necessity of the time Other Iewish sauor it hath none to any whose smell or taste is not distempered As for popish Institution meaning for any popish errour or superstitious ceremony much lesse hath it any sauour at all thereof Our brethren affirme it hath And why For it breedeth and nourisheth many superstitious opinions in the simple peoples hearts as that the Woman which hath borne a childe is vncleane or vnholy There is no occaosin at all in the order prescribed by the booke to giue the least suspition in the worlde to any neuer so simple a person that the Woman which hath borne a childe shoulde therefore bee accounted the more vncleane or vnholy What one worde or sillable tendeth thereunto If the simple people will take or nourish such an opinion â—n no occasion giuen but onely for that the aduersaries of the Gospell held such an opinion and therefore it ought altogether to bee omitted wée might â—ltogether omit the soleâ—nizing of mariage by the Minister in the Churche because the simple people might therby nourish many erronious and superstitious opinions which the aduersaries of the Gospell before taught them and confirmed them in at the administration of mariages True it is that S. Paule pronounceth of the woman 1. Tim. 2.15 That she shall be saued by bearing of children adding this caution thereunto if she shall abide in faith and loue and sanctification with sobrietie But what doth this hinder or not rather muche more inferre that she ought so much the more for her child-byrth to giue the more solemne and publike thankes to God both for her children and for her deliuerance from her trauell and that he hath vouchsafed the same to be among other his especiall graces a meanes also towardes her saluation and to beséech him that as he hath preserued her in the one so he would strengthen her to abide also in the other to witte in faith and loue and sanctification with sobrietie So that me thinkes this sentence is a better inducement to haue such a solemne forme of thankesgiuing as our booke prescribeth vnto women in such a case than to say it ought altogether to be omitted But they alleage also that it breedeth and nourisheth another superstitious opinions in the simple peoples heartes that it is vnlawefull for her for anie necessitie to goe out of her doores before shee bee Churched Our Brethren séeme to haue enquired more curiously of womens demeanour in such a time than euer I heard of or than I thinke was vsed among any neuer so simple or superstitious people I beléeur none haue now a dayes among vs any such opinion or so strict vsage And yet a reuerend order herein is to be retayned which though our learned Brethr. would denie yet our sober sisters I hope would euen for the modestie and commendation of woman-hoode haue respect vnto And not so soone as God shall haue strengthned them againe rather goe foorth vnlesse any great necessitie vrge them which as it is sayd hath no law to other vnnecessarie worldly affayres or companie than before all other thinges to repayre in solemne and reuerend manner to the house of God and there present themselues before the congregation to giue God publike thankes for his great goodnes extended vnto them Which order doth much recommende their deuotion and is a good example to all other Besides this our Brethren not another superstitious opinion which it bréedeth that this Churching is a necessarie part of the Pastors office For such
the manner of the Nouatians that are at Constantinople In like manner at Caesarea of Cappadocia and in Cyprus the Elders and the Bishops expound the Scriptures euermore on Saterday and on Sonday at euening by candle light The Nouatians that are at Hellespont keepe not in all pointes the like manner as doo the Nouatians that are at Constantinople but for the more parte they followe the order of the chiefe Church among them To conclude in all the formes of religions sects you shall neuer finde two that in the maner of their praiers agree among themselues Furthermore at Alexandria an Elder preacheth not which custome hath had his beginning since the time that Arius disturbed the Church And here at length is noted where onely and vppon what occasion the Elders preached not Howbeit he saith not that heerevpon they were prohibited vtterlie the ministerie of the word and Sacramentes For as hee shewed before lib. 2. cap. 8. the verie Deacons out of whole order the Elders were made did saie the publike praiers before the people But this the Elders ceasing of preaching how long tiâ—e after Arius troubles it began at Alexandria how long time it continued he declareth not But in noting the same as such a strange and diuerse order different from al other Churches it declareth that it directly belonged to their office and that in al other Churches the Elders were such as were not prohibited to preach that they preached there also before that occasion did fall out And whereas as a little after hee citeth for not troubling the Church about indifferent things the decree made by the Apostles the Elders and the brethren Act 15.23 it appeareth that Socrates tooke also those Elders that are therâ— mencioned to be no other kinde of Elders than such as medled with teaching And so doth the verie text insinuate that those Elders were when it saith Act. 15.6 The Apostles and Elders came together to looke to this matter Which matter was a great controuersie in doctrine And Caluine himself saith tâ—ereon Luke saith not that the whole Church was gathered together but those that excelled in doctrine and iudgement they that by reason of their office were lawfull Iudges of this cause it may be that the disputation was holden before the people but least anie shoulde thinke that the people wer admitted indifferentlie to meddle in the cause Luke expresly nameth the Apostles and the Elders as those that were more fit to take notice therof And to shew further who these Elders were he saith on these words When there was great disputing when as the graue men and publike Doctors of the Church were chosen neither yet could they agree among themselues c. And to shew that these Elders in all other Churches werâ— still of thiâ—â—orte Socrates procéeding to his 6. booke chap. 2. telleth that when the Bishoprick of Constantinople was vacant by Nectarius decease which tooke awaie the penitenciarie Elder aforesayde and that they laboured much about the choosing of a Bishoppe and some sought one and some another for that office that they had consulted often thervpon at length it was thought good to call from Antioche for Iohn an Elder of Antioche For the fame of him was great that he was meete to teach them very skifull in the gift of vtterance And in the seuenth booke which Danaeus citeth cap. 2. speaking of Atticus which was afterward likewise made Bishoppe of Constantinople he saith When he first obtained the degree of the Presbyterie Priesthood or Eldership the Sermons which he recited in the Church he made them with great studie and conned word by word afterward by often vse and diligence getting more audacitie he beganne to preach ex tempore on the sodaine occasion and attained to a more popular manner of teaching And in the 5. Chapter he â—eâ—â—eth of Sabatius an Elder among the Nouatians preaching in his Sermon this false doctrine Cursed bee he who soeuer celebrateth the feast of Easter without vnleauened bread In the sixth Chapter be telleth of two Arian Elders preachers and interpreters of the Scriptures Besides that Chap. 16. hee telleth of three Elders Philip Proclus and Sisinius that â—tooâ—â—or the Bishoprike of Constantinople of which Sifinius by the desire of the people hee beeing an Elder not ordained in anie Church within the Citie but of Elea a suburbe of the Citie obtained the Bishoprike Wherby it appeareth also that these Elders had seueral Congregations and Churches in and about the Citie and were Ministers of the worde and Sacraments in them And although Proclus was afterward made Bishop of Cizicum whom the Citie would not receiue but chose onâ— Dalmatius a Monke and so Proclus went not thether but continued in preaching at Constantinople and afterward was made Bishoppe of that Citie after Maximianus which did leade a monasticall life yet by degree of dignitie he was an Elder So that these Presbyters Priestes or Elders were not as Danaeus supposeth a Senate or a Consistorie chosen from among the people assistant to the Bishop and much lesse to euerie Pastor as our Brethr. affirme gouerning onelie the discipline of the Church but not medling with teaching Socrates neuer speaketh of such kinde of Elders but simplie and plainely of such as we call Priests and our brethren call Pastors To conclude this no lesse appeareth in the last Capter saue two of all Socrates Historie euen in Paulus the Bishoppe of the Nouatians Who before his death calling together all the sacred Priestes of the Churches that were vnder him sayde vnto them Prouide yee while I am yet aliue that a Bishoppe may bee appointed vnto you When they aunswered The power of choosing the Bishoppe is not to bee permitted vnto vs. For saie they while one of vs thinketh this another that we shal neuer name one and the same man But wee desire that you woulde designe whome you would haue vs choose Deliuer me then sayd hee this your promise in writing that yee will choose him whom I will name vnto you Which writing beeing made and subscribed with their hande raising vp himselfe a little in his bedde he secretlie they that were present not priuie thereto wrote therein the name of Martian which was one that had obtained to the order of the Elders and therein had learned a rigorous kinde of life and at that time by chance was absent And when hee had sealed vp the writing and had brought the chiefe of the Elders to confirme the same also with their seales he deliuered it to c. I note this onelie that these Nouatians also which were a kinde of Praecisians in that antiquitie hauing for their precise austeritie of life cut off and diuided theÌ„selues from all other Churches albeit in substance and groundes of faith and doctrine not dissenting but in profession of more seuere discipline not onely had their Bishops in the chiefe Cities and many Elders vnder them but
in Basil His booke De Institutione Monachorum translated by Ruffinus an Elder also of Aquilegia but withal a teacher of the word liuing in Hieromes time dooth sufficientlie declare Where Cap. 16. and treating of a gouernor of the Church he maketh the Monke for he procéedeth dialogue wise to aske this question Monachus What ought hee to thinke of himselfe which is a gouernor And what manner of man ought he to be towards them whom he commandeth and gouerneth Basilius Verilie before God euen as the minister of Christ the stewarde of the ministeries or rather the mysteries of God fearing least that besides the will of God or besides that which is euidently commanded in the holie Scriptures he either speak any thing or coÌ„mand any thing or bee found as a false witnes of Christ or a sacrilegious person or a bringer in of anie thing that is strange froÌ„ the doctrine of God yea or leuing out or going beyoÌ„d any of those things that are acceptable vnto God But to the brethren he ought to be as it were a nurse that cherisheth her litle ones And he must be ready according to the will of God according as is expedient for euery one to coÌ„municate with them not onely the Gospell but his life also Being mindfull of the commandement of the Lord and our God saying I giue you a new commandement that ye loue together as I haue loued you No man hath a greater loue than this that hee should giue his life for his friends Wherby it appeareth that Basil acknowledgeth no other Eccl. gouernors of the Church but such Elders as were ministers of the worde Sacraments And this also be saith of those that were the correcters or their breca 17. Mo. How shal we O Father reproue ameÌ„d him that offeÌ„deth Ba. As it is written the Lord speaking it If thy broâ—her shal sinne against thee go and reproue him betweene thee and him alone If he shall heare thee thou hast won thy brother But if he will not heare thee take with thee another or two that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euerie word may stand But if so hebe will not heare them tell the Church And if he wil not heare the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike or publicane If perhaps this rebuking which is made of many may fall out vnto him for his health And as the Apostle sayd reproue beseech comfort in all patience and doctrine And againe if anie man obey not the worde note him by an Epistle and keepe not fellowship with him Without doubt he meaneth for the participation of the table Thus writeth Basil of his dutie especially to whome the reprouing of faultes doth belong that he should not onlie be a priuate admonisher but such a publike reprouer also as occasion requireth and that with doctrine as Saint Paule prescribeth to a Pastor And if our Brethren will vnderstâ—â—â— these wordes Dic Ecclesia tell the Church to be the onelie of Elders then let those Elders be such reprouers as heere Basil applyeth the Apostles sentence vnto that they teach doctrine with their reprehensions So that if they bee not with all teachers of doctrine they cannot be the Churches officers for publike Ecclesiasticall reprehension And as we sée Basils iudgement sufficiently by these his writings so for his owne estate and his life set out by Gregorie Nazianzen that was also an Elder vnder Basil is apparant in Gregories Monodia who hauing before declared the parentage the youth the studie of Basil at length he commeth to this Eldership and sayth Illum verò dei dispensatio peâ— Sacerdotij gradus illustrem ac notum oâ—nibus fecit ac inter Presbyteros constituit non c. As for him the dispensation of GOD made him famous and knowen by the degrees of the sacred Priesthoode and placed him among the Elders howbeit not by and by and besides order but by little and little proceeding and beeing promoted by degrees and courses In which wordes he manifestlie sheweth that to heâ— preferred from one degree to another till he come to a gouerning Presbyter Priest or Elder was not to come to bée one that medled not with teaching but to bee Sacerdos to wit a Minister of the sacred worde of God and of his Sacramentes For sayth Gregorie I praise not them that without order are by and by promoted in the Church I rather commend the Mariners custome For they make not their gouernour at the first dash and on a sodaine but first they exercise and trie him by all the offices of a Seaman They will before see howe hee can rowe and then placing him in the fore-parte of the shippe to knowe and perfectlie to learne the windes acquainting himselfe cunninglie to shunne the cliffes and rockes Last of all hauing bene exercised in all the offices they place him in the hinder parte of the shippe and giue him the stearne in his hande and make him gouernour Likewise also in the discipline of warre first hee is made a souldier then a wiffler to set them in their rankes and lastly he is made a Captaine The same is the manner both of the Phisition and of the Painter the one that before hee make his profession hee haue conned manie rules and haue seene and had in handling manye diseases the other to know how to mixe and temper his coulours before and then to drawe his lines and last of all to giue perfect figures vnto his coullors But we see which is a ridiculous matter or rather a lamentable how a Bishop is made with tumult and confusion hee speaketh of that time when the Bishops were choosen by the election and voyces of the people as the Ecclesâ—â—â—â—icall Histories are full of such tuâ—â—â—ts coâ—â—â—â—â—ous neyther in order nor directly but by viciousnes and crafte not hee that is worthie but he that is mightier For he is not promoted that is exercised before but he that is ignorant and rude of the Churches affayres in so much that he commeth fresh from the seculer life as the Giantes at Thebes for as the Poetes feigne when Cadmus at Thebes in Boeocia had sowed the teeth of Dragons suddenly there sprange vp Giantes armed downe to the nauell and so making battell one with an other were slaine the same daye And euen so we make Prelates of one dayes breede And wee hauing not learned what they be doe beleeue that they be wise men which were fortified before with no degree with no vertue with no eloquence hauing susteyned no trauayle for righteousnesse nor any thing at all for the Churche For hee which onely meditateth diuine matters and subdueth his bodie to the spirite that hereafter he may be fitte for a place in heauen is gladly content to holde a lowe and inferiour place among men But he that is ignoraunt and without learning beeing puffed vp and loftie is aduaunced aboue his betters nor is mooued with the
than of whom it followeth And a witnesse of the suffringes of Christe and a communicatour of the glorie to come that shall be reuealed feede the flocke of God that is amonge you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. ouer-seeing it c. doth he speake here of any elders or fellowe elders that medled all with gouerning and not with teaching And euen so doth this Dionysius vse the name of Elder and of fellowe Elders in this place For not onely in the woordes before these are both of them called Bishops but what a teaching Elder Timothie was and was commaunded to be the scripture is plaine and we haue hearde at large out of S. Paule in both his Epistles written to him among other thinges namely for that purpose Therefore héere is nothing yet for any such Elders as our Brethren séeke for distinct from both Bishop and Pastor medling not with teaching but all with gouerning nay this name of Elder as it is here taken maketh cleane against them And the like stile he vseth in his ecclesiasticall Hierarchie or holy gouernment of the Church and in the stile of his booke of the diuine names Saue that there he calleth Timothie Bishop of Ephesus As also in the stile of his mysticall Theologie But when we come to the viewe of all the bookes and of all the Epistles that he wrote where shall wee finde these thrée reckoned vp Bishops Elders and Deacons He hath in some séeldome places the name of Bishop as for the name of Elder except it be in one onely place besides the title aforesayd which is the 8. Epistle we shall neuer finde it But once is as good as a 1000 times if it be to the purpose Let vs therefore sée what this Dionysius sayth in that place for profe that there were any such eccl officers as these gouerning and not teaching Elders And to speake plainely sayeth this Dionysius in all thinges that are they are distributed from the first to the second according to their dignitie concerning the god order most righteous prouidence of theÌ„ And that those which are appointed of God to gouerne others should giue to them that are their inferiors and their subiects the thinges that are according to their worthinesse As for Demophilus let him with reason cutte off wrath and concupiscence according to their woorthinesse And let him not violate his owne dignitie but let reason bearing the rule gouerne her subiectes For if in the market we see an housholde seruant reuiling his Maister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. and a yong man reuiling an Elder eyther also the sonne râ—uiling the Father and with all rushing on him and laying on stripes we also should seeme to be godlesse if we should not running to them hasten to helpe them that are the better c. What can we gather on this worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place but simplie by the name of Elder an Elder man in age and the other a younger man the relation of the one to the other the termes of Master and housholde seruant of father and sonne the one going before the other comming after and both vnderstoode in their literall naturall sense to conclude the whole drift and circumstance of the place considered who would fetch this so farre as to thinke that he spake here or so much as dreamed of either an eccl or a ciuill Elder If it be replyed that the whole argument of this Epistle arose vpon a Priest that was beaten and misused true it is indéede But by what name calleth he the Priest or any priest Presbyterum or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sacerdotem he that giueth the sacred word and Sacramentes Which worde not onely hee vseth more than halfe a score of times in this Epistle and he hath once also euen here the name of Bishop but neither here nor any other where that I can finde he hath the name of Deacon Not that he acknowledgeth no Deacons but that he comprehendeth them as I take it in the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a minister or worker of the publike seruices And as in all places where he treateth therof he maketh indéede most especiall mention of three eccl orders namely in his eccl Hierarchie cap. 2.3 and 5. resembling them to the proportion of his celestiall Hierarchie in these thrée pointes of perfecting illuminating purging of whome the Bishop is still called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the priest or Elder 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the thirde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And so euen in this example within a fewe lines after he had named the Elder that is the old man afore-sayde hee sayth of all these thrée 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou thy selfe therefore distribute to thy concupiscence and to thine anger and to thy speech the thinges that are according to their worthinesse But to thy selfe let the diuine publike ministers distribute and vnto them the Priestes vnto the Priests the Byshoppes and vnto the Bishops the Apostles and the successors of the Apostles Where are here these Elders that meddle not with teaching If they be neyther conteyned in the Bishops nor in the Priests both which medle principally with teaching then eyther they haue no place at al or they must be included in the 3. number of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wherein he comprehendeth not only all the inferiour officers of the Church but Monkes also So that I thinkâ— these gouerning Elders would be loath to be thrust down into so base a companie Although the purging be giuen vnto them which is somewhat aunswerable to the correction of manners that they would meddle with all Saue that Dionisius also maketh these purgers but to pull off the clothes of those that should be baptized and to voyde the Churche at the communion of those that were possessed with foule spirites or were not throughly taught their Catechisme and to kéepe backe the laye people and such other seruile offices If nowe they disdayne to be of the number of these purgantes and will not become ministers of the worde and Sacramentes nor with the Bishops be perficientes nor with the Priestes be illuminantes then Dionisius cleane renounceth these Seniors that would be tantuÌ„ dominantes and will haue none such in his eccl Hierarchie And therefore if I might counsell such an excellent learned man as is Danaeus he should neuer bring in Dionysius for these Elders But eyther race his name out of his booke or else how so euer an other haue at his perill counterfeited the name of Dionysius the Areopagite mentioned Act. 17. let not vs cuunterfeite any thing in his name but alleage his wordes rightly as he vttered them For he is wrong inough of himselfe But right or wrong sithe we shall neuer wring any thing out of him that may make so much as a shadowe for these gouerning and not teaching Ecclesiasticall Elders let vs nowe go to be better resolued of that
be pronounced by a Bishop or by a Pastor except a Consistorie of that Congregation shall first trauaile in examining the cause and then determine and agree what iudgement ought to passe vpon the matter then also propound it before the whole multitude that it may bee confirmed by their consent and last of all the Bishop Pastor or Minister to denouÌ„câ— it For this is the discipline that our Brethren would drawe out hereon But who may not see that this is to drawe this example cleane contrarie If they would directly gather aught herevpon they should gather that in manifest facts and crimes the Bishop or Pastor though in his absence may iudge determine pronounce the sentence of excommunication and by the authoritie of our Lord Iesus Christ committed vnto him may command the whole multitude Church or Congregation or anie Consistorie of them if they haue anie to gather theâ—selues together with his spirit and charge them in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that they fulfill obey and execute his sentence in deliuering such an excommunicated person â—0 Sathan that is exclude him from the fellowship and communion of the faithfull by separating themselues from his company him from theirs but this would cleane dash all the imagined authoritie of their gouerning Segnorie if they should become such executioners onelie vnto the sentence of the Bishop or Pastor and that in his absence also he being the iudge and determiner of the matter But what is this anie more than al the residue for the proofe of any such Ecclesiastical Elders in the Church of Corinth as were Gouernours onely and not Teachers Of the which point so much vrged and sought for we haue hetherto séene not one testimonie nor example But our Br. will now and God before go to higher more important proues heereof The argument of the 12 Booke THE 12. Booke proceedeth further to our learned Brethr. proues of their third Tetrarches whome they call Gouernours Whether their institution be grounded on Christe whereunto they alleadg as their Capitall place the wordes of Christ Matth. 18. ver 17. Tell the Church Whether Christ in the name of Church meant simplie a Congregation of the faithful people or a Senate of gouerning Elders And namelie whether he alluded to the Iewes Sanedrim or Synaedrion How the auncient Fathers haue expounded those wordes The expositions of the Protestant writers especially Caluins with the examinatioÌ„ of Caluines reasons laboring to proue that Christ in those words did renue and translate to his church the Iewes Sanedrim Whervpon is laide forth a full view of the Iewes estate out of Bertram Sigonius and Chytraeus for all their sorts of gouerning Elders Senates especially their Sanedrim After which followe these our Learned Brethrens proues of this translation and of the Elders mencioned in the new TestameÌ„t Moreouer for the authoritie of these Elders our Brethrens proceeding Matth. 18. to the 18. verse for the power of the spirituall keies Whether they appertaine to these gouerning Elders that are not Ministers of the word Brentius interpretation of those words how farre they reach and how farre the Ecclesiasticall Excommunication is requisite and of the ciuill excoÌ„munication of Caluines exposition of those words Aretitius concerning the parties that may excommunicate Wigandus and Matheus Index for the vse of the keyes in the Iewes Church The practise of excommunication in the Apostles times The practise in the primitiue church shewed foorth by Tertullian Eusebius c. The testimonies of the auncient Fathers Cyprian Ierome Augustine Chrisostome c. The iudgements of the Protestants namelie Kemnitius Melancthon Aretius Beza Snecanus chieflie Danaeus examining his proues reasons for the Presbyterie that may excommunicate Our Bre. conclusion concerning discipline The weighing againe at our Brethrens request of Saint Paules excommunicating the incestuous person 1. Cor. 5. Of the Popish excommunication Of Excommunication for waightie or light offences Of the offences excommunicable Of our Brethrens answere to our obiection that this Presbitery is not mencioned in Saint Paules excommunicating Hymenaeus Alexander Philetus and the Corinthian How farre the Congregation may deale in this power Whether the Minister haue anie singular power heerein And lastlie of our Brethrens glimpses as they call them inueighing against the excommunications and iurisdiction in our Church NOw therefore to proue that there ought to bee a Consistorie of Elders in euerie Church for gouerning of the same it is manifest by the commandement of our Sauiour Christe touching him that despiseth priuate admonition If hee heare not them tell the Congregation if he heare not the Congregation let him be vnto thee as an Heathen and Publicane Verily I saie vnto you whatsoeuer you shall binde vpon earth shall be bound in heauen In which saying of our Sauiour Christe this word Congregation is not so largelie taken as in other places for the whole multitude but for the chosen assemblie of Elders OUR Brethren heere woulde proue their Consistorie of ruling Seniors out of Christs wordes Matth. 18. v. 17. which if they shall be able to proue God forbid but we shoulde bee as readie to yeeld And if they cannot proue it I woulde wish our Brethren to take good heede howe they waxe so bolde not to feare to writhe Christes owne wordes Which least wee also might mistake let vs set them downe more fullie than our Bre. doe Math. 18.15 But if thy brother shall sinne against thee goe and rebuke him betweene thee and him alone If he shall heare thee thou shalt winne thy brother But if he shall not heare thee take yet with thee one or two that in the mouth of two or three witnesses euerie word may stande But if he shall neglect them tell the Church but if so be also he shall neglect the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnicke or a Publicane Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer ye shall binde vpon earth shal be bounde in heauen and whatsoeuer ye shall lose vpon earth shal be losed in heauen Againe I say vnto you if two of you shal consent vpon earth of all things whatsoeuer they shall aske it shal be done vnto them of my Father which is in heauen For where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Héere first the grounde of the matter vpon which Christ spake these words that our Bretheren cite is priuate offence And therefore first he willeth as our Bretheren say well therein priuate admonition to be made Which if it shall be neglected then that the partie offended reprooue the offender before the witnesse of one or two besides themselues And then it followeth if he shall not heare them inferring that they shoulde also admonish him that then he shoulde tell the Church or Congregation Héere say our Brethren This worde Congregation is not so largely taken as in other places for the whole multitude but for the chosen
receaued c. And afterward comming to the Ministers he saith the Ministers of excommunication were the Priestes and the churche approuing it Deut. 27. the Leuites shall pronounce and say vnto all the men of Israel with a high voyce accursed is the man that maketh a graâ—en and â— moultâ—n Image the abhomination of the Lorde the worke of the artificers and setteth it in a secrete place And all the people shall aunswere Amen In the seconde booke of Esdras chap. 13. Eliasis the preest separateth the straungers from Israell And likewise for the other Key of losing The key absoluing is a power ordeyned of God and committed to the Preestes and Prophetes of pronouncing to sinners beeing penitent the remission of sinnes for the Womans and Abrahams seede and the sonne of Dauid that is for the Messias c. The author and the Ministers are these Eyther God him-selfe immediatly hath denounced the forgiuenesse of sinnes as Genesis 3. When hee setteth foorthe the promise of the VVomans seede hee doth nothing else buâ— thaâ—â—ee mought absolue Adam and Eue from their sinne c. Or else by the Patriarkes So Genesis 30. God sayth â—o Abimelech of Abraham c. Or else by the Prophetes The seconde of Kings 12. Nathan said to Dauid the Lord hath translated thy sinne c. or else by the Preesâ—â— which offering sacrificeâ— expiatory for the people for their sinns afterward blessed them which what was it â—â—so 〈◊〉 a denunciation of the forgiuenes of their sinnes Leui. 4.5.6 9. Leuit. 19. And the Priest shall pray for him and for his sinne and it shall bee forgiuen him and his sinne remitted and Num. 6. Speake to Aaron to his sonnes thus shall ye blesse the children of Israel say vnto themâ— the Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord shew his face vnto thee and haue mercie vpon thee This waâ— the state of Excommunication and absolution in the old Testament denounced by the â—outh of the Minister of the worde For to whom the Absoluing belonged the Excommunicating belonged also The steps whereof sayth Aretius are in the newe Testament Ioh. 9.12 16. For although that Discipline was administred then of wicked men notwithstanding it is for an argument of the antiquitie And in the olde time the Institution was honest and profitable This corruption Christe corrected when he drewe backe this Discipline to his Church Math. 16.18 Ioh. 20. The Apostles also vsed it laudably as it is 1. Cor. 5.1 Tim. 5. Whereby also it appeareth that 〈◊〉 the wicked Iewes vsed it in Christes time Christe reducing into his church the olde Instituâ—ion of God for Excommunicating and absoluing he committed this spirituall censure to such onely as were spirituall Ministers of the Worde Howsoeuer the other that were not Ministers did allowe and approoue the same And this sentence Math. 18. Being ouer ruled by the other before Math. 16. 〈◊〉 Iohn 20. comming after and put in practise by these examples 1. Cor. 5. And 1 Tim. 5. â—here S. Paul being a Minister of the Worde pronounceth the sentence and the Iudgement If the vse of the other Apostles bee to be leueled by these examples it is cleare that in the Apostles times though the Church 〈◊〉 thereunto the action was 〈◊〉 by such onely as were Ministers of the Worde of God What the practise was of Excommunication in the Primitiue church succéeding the Apostles partly appeareth by that we hâ—â—e cited out of Tertullian saying There are also exhortations chasticementes and the Diuine censure For iudgement is there giuen with great wâ—ight as among those which are certayne that God beholdeth them And it is the cheefe fore-iudgement of the iudgment to come if any shall so offend If any be banished from the communicating of prayer and of the meeting together and of all the holy partaking euery of the approoued Elders haue the Gouernment Here is Excommunication mentioned and the Gouernment to appertayne to euery of the approoued Elders But in adding withall the publique prayers and Exhortations that he â—nneâ—eth to the gouernmeÌ„t of these Elders it is apparant that he meant none other but such as were Ministers of the Worde Which we haue also shewed yet more playâ—â— in his booke De Coronae militis where after he hath spoken of Baptisme receiued Sub antistitis vnder the Bishops and Prelates speaking of the Lordes supper he sayth Nec de aliorum manu quam Praesidentium sumimus Neyther receiue we it at the handes of any other than of the gouernors So that he maketh these Seniors and Gouernours to bee all one with the prelates and Ministers of the Worde and sacraments Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 24. telleth howe Victor Bishop of Rome Excommunicated the Churches of the East For keeping their manner of celebrating Easter day Wherein although he greatly abused this power of binding yet if he had rightly with discretion vsed it within his boundes Irenaeus nor any other did reprooue him but only for his rash ouer-reaching himselfe in the same For sayth Eusebius Irenaeus also writing with the other Bishops of Fraunce ouer whome hee had the gouernment for he was Archbishop of Lions Anno Domini 169. doth in-deede confirme it that the Mystery of the Lordes resurrection shoulde bee celebrated on the sunday Notwithstanding hee reprooueth Victor that hee did not well to cut off from the Vnity of the body so many and so great Churches of God that kept the custome deliuered to them of the auncient time And to shew this better that when he vsed this power better he was not misliked for the vse thereof Eusebius sayth afterward in the last chap. of the fift booke But howe can they lay a slaunder vnto Victor concerning this sith they knewe that Victor expelled from the communion of the Church Theodorus the tanner which was the prince Father of this their impiety which durst first at Rome auouche that Christ was but onely a man For if Victor as they say did so beleeue how did he cast out of the Church Theodorus the inuentor of this blasphemy So that Eusebius approueth this doing of Victor for his Excommunication of this heretike I heere passe ouer all the Canons and decrees mentioned in the councelles in the names of the Apostles and of diuers auncient Bishops because their credite may be called in question though diuers of them mentioning the Excommunications made onelie by Bishops and sacerdotall preestes be no doubt of great antiquity Onely I note that which Eusebius recordeth of the Emperor Philip. Of this man saith he It is reported vnto vs that he was a Christian. And on Easter day to wit euen in the Vigilles when he woulde haue beene present amongest them and communicated in the mysteries hee was of the Bishop of the place not suffered before he had confessed his sinnes and stoode among the penitent persons Neither by any meanes coulde hee haue leaue to receiue the mysteries
in Christ. I gaue you milke to drinke and not meate for ye were not able to beare it neither yet now are ye able and yet for all this Sainct Paule setteth downe among them an vniformitie in diuers ceremoniall orders and constitutions to the obseruation whereof all of them were alike bounden albeit that all were not alike in knowledge among them for some of them were Prophets some had of them more and greater gifts then other had some of them were stronger in faith and grace than other were Although therfore this similitude may be well applied to the diuers manner of teaching the doctrine of the word as S. Paule likewise applyeth it Hebr. 5. vers 12.13 and 14. and S. Peter 1. Peter 2. verse 2. yet neyther serueth it to prooue any diuersitie in the vnitie of doctrine nor to inferre any such diuersitie of any lawfull ceremoniall constitutions as should in any Church impeach the vniforme obseruation of them As this similitude therefore of one kinde of meate for old men and sucking infants serueth not their turne so much lesse doth this comparison in their other similitude Or as though say they we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize And why also do they not apply this resemblance against all the ciuill and temporall lawes of the realme for whereas there is an vniformitie prescribed in them and that the due obedience of all the subiects in the Realme little and great yong and olde according to their degrées and estates is alike required of them all might they not say this were euen as though we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize And if we may thus iest out the matter with such vnfit similitudes the vnitie euen of doctrine and the vniuersall obedience vnto it of all alike may with a light mocke be shaken off also Are we not all bidden to cast off the cloakes of vnrighteousnesse to put off the old man and put on the new and to be cloathed with the white reynes and righteousnes of Iesus Christ and shall we thus scorne out these generall precepts and say whow this is as though we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize yea verily would we as néere as we could euen cloath all ages of them in the one assize of such a dutifull obedience as is both requisite to the kindes of these roabes and aunswerable for their age and calling worthie although indéede this be not one assize but one liuerie one cloath one colour one cognizance prescribed to all alike of the which euery one hath his portion seuered according to the measure of his scantling And that which is more absurd say they compell men of ripe age to sucke the dugge to weare their biggings and to carry rattles and other childish bables If their ripe age be but onely of the bodily age and not the ripe age of the new man in the knowledge and growth of Iesus Christ they may yet be such as not onely well ynough may sucke the dugge at the brest of the Church their Mother or as may feede on milke againe as the Apostle speaketh but howsoeuer they thinke scorne or count it absurd or impossible as did Nichodemus yet as Christ sayd if they be not already they must euen be borne againe and may be such as of whome S. Paule saith Galath 4. ver 19. my little children of whome I trauell in birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you But if they be of ripe age in the inner man they are not compelled either to sucke the dugge or to weare biggins or to carrie rattles and other childish bables by any their due obedience to the vniforme conformitie of such rites ceremonies and constitutions as a lawfull and godly Synode with the confirmation of the ciuill christian Magistrates authoritie shall thinke conuenient and fit to prescribe vnto them for neither are such ordinances to be thus vnreuerently beeing not superstitiously prescribed compared to such base things neyther are they set foorth to foade or dallie the people like babies or bables but for edifying of them in order and comelinesse And although there be also some vse of them for helping the weaker notwithstanding all be not weake alike nor strong alike but some weaker some stronger than another yet while they that are strong do not glorie in their strength but in the Lord the godly stronger will beare with the infirmitie of the godly weaker nor will take the aduantage of all the christian libertie which other wise they might and may still vse in fréedome of conscience without any controllment of those ordinances and yet were it but for feare of offending the weaker and following Christ that would not breake the broosed reede they will still checke themselues with this sentence of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient which though they be lawfull in their owne nature by the lawe of God yet if we must submitte our selues to an vniformitie with our Brethren to edifie and winne them to greater matters as Sainct Paule sayth He became all to all that he might winne all how much more when to these good purposes a godly Synode hath made such ceremoniall constitutions to restrayne or compell those that in arrogancie disdaine or obstinacie would not thus drawe together by one rule in one vniformitie ought the godlie people yea although all were strong and none weake among vs yet for feare of opening a gappe to licentiousnes and disorder or to the breach of publike concord or to the contempt both of the Synode and also of the Magistrate to yéeld all due obedience and reuerence to the vniforme obseruation of such lawfull ceremoniall constitutions And those especially being priuate persons as should call these vniforme ordinances biggins bables and rattles deserue to be rattled vp with other rattles for so vnreuerent contempt and disobedience How much better and with more graue aduisement than these our learned discoursing Bréethren writeth Caluine on these Constitutions of the Church who in the tenth Chapiter of the fourth Booke of hys Institutions Section 1. speaking of the power of the Church in making Ecclesiasticall lawes he sayeth euen in these wordes Haec potestas tractanda nunc est c. This power is now to be treated vpon whether it be lawfull for the Church to binde the consciences with her lawes in which disputation the politicall order is not touched but onely this is handled that God may be orderly worshipped according to the rule that he hath prescribed and that the spirituall libertie which respecteth God may remayne safe vnto vs the vse hath obteyned that those things are called the traditions of men whatsoeuer Edicts of the worship of God besides his word haue proceeded from men Against these is our strife not against the holy and profitable constitutions of the Church which make either to keepe
pitie But say they he was carryed first to the Bishop whom he chose if hee might for his purpose such one as had bin a priest of his owne order cared least what ministers serue in his diocoese From the disdayning of poore sir Iohn our brethren mount vp againe to another slaunder of the Bishop burdening him also not onely with the popish priesthood and so to be one for the popish priestes purpose as a fauorer of popery but also to be carelesse what ministers serue in his diocoese But till they name and proue any to haue then bene or yet to be suche euill Bishops this againe may go for so a foule slaunder that it deserueth for answere a due rewarde of so great an obloquie But to come downe againe from the Bishops to olde sir Iohn lacke Latine that was carryed about on his mare or in a carte if hée was so poore to bée carryed thus baselye aboute howe is it sayd that hée had not seene some of his benefices in a dozen yeare before and that hée was carryed from shire to shire one benefice beinge distante from another 100. mile mumbling vp his articles in his morrow masse voyce in euery Church where he had liuing It might haue beene that this olde popish priest sir Iohn lacke latine might haue serued some smale cure or perhaps in some odde corner haue got a benefice but if hee had so many it is not likely that he was but a sir Iohn lacke latine if not rather had he had withall grace and truth that he had latine inough and siluer ynough also if not too much so that hée néeded not to be carryed about on his mare or in a carte for the matter There is no probability in this tale But what liuinges soeuer he had or hauing liuinges how beastly soeuer he spared his money and rode thether on his widge beaste when hee came there if he mumbled vp his articles in his morrowe masse voice meaning heereby that he did it also in such a beastely sorte that the people did not vnderstand him or that he did it not in the best reuerent hartie maner he could but that he shewed himself to doe it against the hart and for fashion sake only to saue his liuing and so returned if he came such a beaste thither as very a beast as he came this was no sufficient satisfaction to the intendement and godly meaning of the lawe And therefore if anye godly disposed persons were iustly offended at his mockery and manifest eluding of the godly meaning of this act cryed out vpon him for a counterfeite or but orderly coÌ„playned on his misdemeanor they might most easily haue had him punished the matter amended euen with the losse of all his liuinges for so apparant mocking of the statute But now howsoeuer this old sir Iohn lacke latine shifted since our brethren here cite this act of parliament anno 13. And withall doe so greatly commend the godly meaning of the sayd parliament and pitie that the authority of the same statute was abused and would haue the priestes made by the popish Priesthood and with good reason to haue bin seuerelye looked vnto in the full accoÌ„plishment of that which the said statute of so godly meaning did enact sith I hope our Bre. also meane as they speake may it please them to consider with me or with their pillow a little better of this godlye meaning of the act of the words therof then tell me whether that some if not all of their owne selues might not haue bin shrewdly touched yet may be by their manifest breach thereof And for to begin with the entendment godly meaning of the act to repeate the wordes againe marke them better The words are these That the churches of the Queenes Maiesties dominions may be serued with Pastors of sound religion beit enacted by the authority of this present parliament that euery person vnder the degree of a B. which doth or shall pretend to be a Priest or minister of gods holy word sacrameÌ„ts by reason of any other forme of institution consecration or ordering than the forme set foorth by parliament in the time of the late king of most worthy mermory king Edward the 6. or now vsed in the raigne of our most gracious soueraigne Lady c. Doe these words and the godly meaning of them reache onely to the popish Priesthood do they not plainely reache also to any fourme of institution consecration or ordering of any other neuer so much reformed churches beyond the seaâ—â— or in this realme other than the forme set foorth by Parliament in the raignes of king Edward of our now most gratious soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth so that the forme of institution consecration or ordering ministers Priestes or Elders which our brethren doe pretend and vrge in this learned discourse the forme that they haue prescribed in their new boke of coÌ„mon prayer these words godly meaning of the statute comprehend theÌ„ And what now if any protestation were ordeined in any reformed churches beyond the seas according to their formes of institution consecrating or ordering or according to that our brethren desire yet read not the articles nor were depriued will our brethren crie out how pitifully that authority was abused which was by the same statute committed to the B. by the negligence of the Bishops and bribery of their officers And although that braunche touche not so much these our Bre. now bicause it saith which doth or shal preteÌ„d to be a Priest or Minister of gods holy word sacraments by reason of any other institution consecratioÌ„ or ordering sith our Bre. as I take it do not pretend to haue bin ordered or made ministers by anye other forme but onely that they should or would bée made ministers by another that is by the forme following the Geneua order set out in their communion booke so that withall it haue the additions of this learned discourse and be in a Synod so escape the danger of the statutes words yet therin they both do much discredite themselues in holding by that ordeyning which they desire to leaue writing against it yet retaining it calling theÌ„selues faithful ministers are made ministers by the very same forme of a B. ordeining them which they condemne to be an vnfaithfull forme of ordeining ministers or rather no ordeining at al except Antichristian being done by the authority of one man besides that they manifestly oppose themselues to the godly meaning of the statute But how soeuer for that point of the Statute ordeined as is aforesaid they will flee for holding their Benefices from the meaninge thereof which neuerthelesse they confesse to be godly to the wordes of the statute that they pretend not to haue bin ordeined by another forme that is allowed in the statute notwithstanding in that part of the statute that
followeth how can our brethren excuse them selues that they be not in danger of this Act if they haue beneâ—ices or haue they not done and doe cleane contrary to this their learned discourse in agreeing to the statute that they might holde their liuings if they haue not lost them againe by setting out this their learned discourse and by their maintenance of these opinions and assertions that are so direct against the statutes marke the wordes of the act and as they call it the godly meaning of the parliament And that if any person ecclesiasticall or which shall haue ecclesiasticall liuing shall aduisedly mainteyne or affirme any doctrine directly coÌ„trary or repugnant to any of the sayd articles and being conuented before the Bishop of the diocoese or the ordinarie or before the Queenes highnesse commissioners in causes ecclesiasticall shall persist therein or not reuoke his errour or after such reuocatioÌ„ eftsoones affirme such vntrue doctrine such mainteyning or affirming and persisting or suche eftsoones affirming shal be iust cause to depriue such persons of his ecclesiasticall promotions And it shal be lawfull for the Bishop of the diocoese or the ordinary or the said commissioners to depriue such persoÌ„ so persisting or lawfully conuicted of such eftsoones affirming vpoÌ„ such sentence of depriuation pronounced he shal be indeed depriued Now if we shall withal consider how our brethren haue aduisedlie that is to say of deliberate and aduised purpose directly in this their learned discourse pag. 135 challenged the doctrine of the sayd booke of Articles saying As was practised in the conuocation of the foresaid parliament vnto diuers Godly and learned preachers that offred to speake against diuers grosse and palpable errours that had escaped the Bishops decrees as for the distinction of Canonicall and apocriphall bookes for explication of the clause in the article of predestination where it is sayde the elect may fall from grace and such like matters how truly this is spken of that conuocation and howe trulye also they haue in these wordes burdened both the Bishops and the articles of no lesse than grosse and palpable errours and that in principall pointes of doctrine I reserue that till I come to the proper place where it is to be answered But howe haue not our brethren aduisedly affirmed and if they will stand to it maintayned doctrine directlye contrarye and repugnant to some of the the Articles of the sayde booke For to affirme and maintaine that that which is good doctrine is a grosse and palpable errour what is that but to affirme and maintaine the doctrine that is directly contrary and repugnant thereto and what remayneth But that if the Bishops will not pitifully abuse that authority of the statute that was committed vnto them they or the ordinarye or the Queenes Maiesties highe commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes ought to conuent these oure learned discoursing Bretheren before them if they had anye names that they might knowe them and if any of them shall persist and not reuoke his errour c that this shal be iust cause to depriue such person of his Ecclesiasticall promotions And besides these Articles aforesaid that they challenge for grosse palpable errours how do they not also impugne the 34.35 36. articles of the said booke Yea diuerse of theÌ„ haue beene also conueÌ„ted before the Bishop the Ordinary or the Commissioners aforesayd and haue persisted in the contrarye to those articles and these our learned discoursing bretheren haue gone further to put their contradictions foorth to the worlde in print The wordes of the 34. article which they inpugne are these Who soeuer throughe his priuate Iudgement willingly and purposelye doth openlye breake the traditions of the Church which bee not repugnaâ—t to the worde of God and be ordeyned and approued by common authoritye oughte to be rebuked openly that other maye feare to doe the lyke as hee that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the authoritye of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weake bretheren If our Brethren would agrée vnto this article there should not be such troubles as there are amongst vs. The 35. article is of Homilies The second booke of homilies the seuerall titles wherof we haue ioyned vnder this article doth conteyne a godly and wholesom doctrine necessary for these times as doth the former boke of homilies which were set forth in the time of K. Edward the 6. therfore we iudge them to be read in churches by the ministers diligently distinctly that they may be vnderstood of the people Our brethren say pa. 49. that a prescript forme of reading of praiers of homelies such like when they are alleaged to maintain the ignorance of vnskilful pastors as though that were the vse they are alleaged for are but the instrumeÌ„ts of folish Idoll shepherds which haue a certaine preteÌ„ce of Pastorall office but in effect are altogether vnmeete for the same The 36. article is for ConsecratioÌ„ of B. ministers The booke of consecration of Archbishops B. ordering of priestes deacons lately set foorth in the time of Edward the 6. confirmed at the same time by authority of parliament doth conteyn al things necessary to such consecration ordering neither hath it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious or vngodly therefore whosoeuer are consecrated or ordered according to the rites of that boke since the secoÌ„d yere of the aforenamed king Edward vnto this time or hereafter shal be consecrated or ordered according to the same rires we decree all such to bee rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered And is not now the greatest part of this our brethrens learned discourse for the consecrating ordering or ordeyning of Archbishops B. Priestes or Elders and deacons directly contrary and repugnant to the doctrine and decree of this article and what followeth hereupon but that eyther our brethren must renounce this their learned discourse or must denie the authority and godly meaning of this act Anno. 13 which here they haue approued or else if the B. and other offâ—cers shall not pitifully abuse that authority which by the same statute is committed to them they must by the godly meaning and wordes of this act pronounce them to bee iustly depriued yea theirselues haue pronounced sentence against themselues But this and all other inconueniences before rehearsed shoulde vtterly bee auoided if wee might once establish the lawfull election of Pastors according to the woorde of God It were also greatlye to bee wished that it might bee brought to passe that in euery congregation there shoulde bee two Pastors at the leaste both bicause the charge is greate and also for supplying the lacke of the one if the other were sicke or absent vppon necessitye or anye such lyke case Which thing were both agreeable to the example of the Apostolike church and also verye profitable for the congregation Wee doe not
Scriptures so also it maye reade these two volumes hee speaketh of Iesus the sonne of Syrach and the booke of wisdome to the aedification of the people not to confirme the authoritye of Ecclesiastical opinions or decrees Or are they offended that yet thus much should be giuen to the apocryphall Scriptures that they should bee read at all in the Churche for a dification in example of life and instruction of manners but to be vtterlye neglected or defaced as some haue not spared to bestowe very grosse speeches on all the apocriphall Scripture but bicause this againe is not so much for the distinction of Canonicall and Apocriphall bookes as for the estimation of them I thinke they meane not of anye grosse or palpable error in these words If they doe by the grace of god wee shall the eaâ—â—ier cleare them by the testimonie of manye whome our brethren I hope wil not burden with so grosse speeches Especially when the whole Frenche Churche in their confession goeth as far foorth héerein as we doe where hauing reckoned vp the whole Canonicall Scripture of the olde Testament and the newe agreeing in all the particuler bookes with vs in the fourth article they saye These bookes wee acknowledge to bee canonicall that is wee haue them as the squire and rule of our Fayth and that not onely by the common consent of the church but also much more by the testimonye and inwarde perswasions of the the holye ghoste by whose suggestion we are taught to discerne them from other Ecclesiasticall bookes which as they may be profitable neuerthelesse they are not of that sort that any article of the faith may be established out of them To whome accordeth the confession of the churches of Bâ—lgia or the lowe Countries Who after their lyke enumeratioÌ„ of the canonicall bookes in the fiue and sixe articles saye on this wise These onelye bookes wee receaue as holy and canonicall vppon which our fayth may staye bee confirmed and established c. Moreouer wee make a difference betweene these holy bookes and those which they call appocrypha that it to wit because the appocryphall may indeede be read inthe church and it is laweful also so farre foorth to take instructions out of them as far as they agree with the canonicall bookes Howbeit they haue not that authoritye and force that any opinion of the fayth and christian Religion can bee certainelye builded on their testimonye So farre is it off that they can infringe or diminishe the authoritye of others And if after these I maye alleage any priuate mans confession I commend the Reuerende Zanchius Who in his confession chap. 1. Aphorisme 4. after the like particular rehersall that our Articles make of the bookes canonicall and not Canonicall in the olde Testament he sayth Thus much of the olde But out of the newe Testament wee except none For although there bee some of them of which it was doubted in the olde tyme notwithstanding euen they also were afterwarde no whit lesse acknowledged than were the other to bee the writinges of the apostles vnto whose iudgement we also subscribe Of the former sorte are the Gospels after Matthew Marke Luke Iohn the actes of the apostles the Epistles of Paule the former of Peter the former of Iohn Of the later sorte are the Epistle to the Hebrues the Epistle of Iames the later of Peter the seconde and thirde of Iohn the Epistle of Iude the Apocalypse For although they maye seeme after a kinde of sorte to bee of a certayne greater authoritye of the which it was neuer doubted than those of which sometymes it was doubted notwithstanding wee beleue as well the one as the other euen as the certaine word of God As for the Apocryphall bookes that are conteyned in the Bybles volume wee giue them the firste place after the Canonicall And therefore wee vse onelye the Canonicall bookes to prooue the opinions or decrees of Fayth and with the Fathers wee teache that they are to bee vsed as for the other wee thinke that they haue no small authoritye to confirme afterwarde those thinges that already are prooued Thus writeth Zanchius agreeing with our articles And heereto also he quoteth Hierome in Praef. in Salo. Cyp. in Symb. pag. 377. conc Load cap. 59. But what neede I labour thus to cléere our Article herevpon when the Geneua Bible it selfe hath as much as this comes too saying the bookes that followe in order after the Prophetes vnto the newe Testament are called Apocrypha that is bookes which were not receaued by a common consent to be read and expounded publikelye in the Churche neyther yet serued to prooue any poynte of Christian Religion saue in as much as they had the consent of other scriptures called canonicall to confirme the same or rather whereon they were grounded but as bookes proceeding from godlye men were receaued to be read for the aduauncement and furtherance of the knowledge of the historie and for the instruction of Godly maners Is not this as muche héere as is in anye thing conteyned in these wordes of our bookes article for the vse and credite of the Apocriphall bookes and wherein then for these wordes doeth lye suche grosse and palpable errour as they burthen this article withall for nothing remayneth nowe therein not examined but the enumeration of the bookes themselues which are counted of vs for Canonicall which for Apocryphall And doe not these Articles keepe the same accompte both for the number and for the Bookes of both sortes that all these aforesayde and the verye Geneua translation doth except they will take aduauntaâ—e heerein that where the Geneua calleth Ezra and Nehemiah as Zanchius calleth them the two former of Esdras our article reteyneth still the vsuall calling of them the firste booke of Esdras the seconde booke of Esdras because it treateth also muche of Esdras But I trust that our Bretheren will not in anye wise accounte of that for a grosse and palpable or anye Errour at all considering howe ordinarilye it hath gone by these names and in Ieromes preface hee saythe Neyther let it mooue anye bodye that one booke is of vs set foorth nor let him bee delighted in the dreames of the third and fourth booke Bicause also among the Hebrues the speeches of Esdras and Nehemiah are straightened into one Volume c. As the bookes matter we keepe iust reckoning if their offence be bicause wee counte none Appocryphall in the newe Testament what do wee otherwise than Zanchius doth Than the Geneua Testament doth yea than the Frenche the Heluetian and the Dutch reformed Churches doe and therefore where these grosse errours and palpable shoulde bee in this article they are so grosse and palpable that we can yet neyther see nor feele them When our bretheren can shewe and prooue them I for my parte will by Gods assistance wilfullye defende no knowne errour Now since we cannot find this let vs come to their
seconde instance which is as they say For explication of the clause in the article of predestination where it is sayde that the elect may fall from grace and such like matters Whether it bee negligence or willfull peruerting that I knowe not but I conster it rather to the gentler faulte notwithstanding for those that professe themselues to be faythfull Ministers and to sette foorth a learned discourse and thus grosselye to burthen the articles yea one of the chiefest articles in doctrine agreed vppon by all the learned Clergye of the Realme and aprooued by all the authoritye and states of the realme with grosse and palpable errour and to charge the Article with an euident vntruth if this discourse maye vaunt of learning yet I woulde with that the learned discoursers were a little more faythfull Ministers leaste this parte thereof might of any be termed not a learned but a lewde and vndiscreete discoursing Where it is sayde in the article of predestination which is the seuenteenth article that the elect may fall from grace or any such lyke matter in that article the wordes of the article are these Predestination to lyfe is the euerlasting purpose of GOD whereby before the foundations of the worlde were layde hee hath constantlye decreede by his Counsaile secrete to vs to deliuer from cursse and damnation those whome hee hath chosen in Christe of mankinde and to bring them by Christ to euerlasting saluation as vessels made to honour Wherefore they which bee endewed with so excellent a benefite of God be called according to Gods purpose by his spirite woorking in due season they through grace obeye the calling they bee iustified freely they bee made sonnes of GOD by adoption they bee made like the Image of his onelye begotten sonne Iesus Christe the walke religiouslye in good woorkes and at length by Gods mercie they atteyne to euerlasting felicitye As the Godlye consideration of predestination and our election in Christ is full of sweete pleasan◠and vnspeakeable comforte to godlye persons and such as feele in themselues the woorking of the spirite of Christ mortifying the workes of the fleshe their earthly members drawing vp their minde to high and heauenly thinges aswell because it doth greately establish and confirme their fayth of eternall saluation to bee enioyed through Christ as because it doth feruently kindle their loue towardes God so for curious and carnall Pastors lacking the spirite of Christ to haue continually before their eies the sentence of gods predestination is a most daungerous downefall wherby the diuell doth thrust them eyther into desperation or into rechlesnes of most vncleane liuing no lesse perilous than desperation Furthermore we must receaue gods promises in such wise as they be generally set foorth to vs in holy scripture and in our doinges that will of God is to be followed which we haue expressly declared vnto vs in the word of God This againe is the whole article of predestination and election worde by word set downe as it is in the booke And now what one sentence or but one worde is here that our brethren can prooue to bee erroneous not grosse and palpable as they say but to haue any spice neuer so couertly conueyed of any the least errour in the worlde if our bretheren be of sounde iudgement in this article as I hope they be Or what doubtfull spéeches are there in this article that néede explication for feare they might be vnderstoode erroneously But where are heere these words that our bretherē haue by name burdened this article of predestination withall saying for explication of the clause in the article of predestination where it is sayde that the elect may fall from grace and such like matters May not our bretheren be ashamed so grossely and palpablie to fall from this grace of telling the truth so oftentimes before but specially heere in so great a matter challenging one of the principall articles of our religion for grosse and palpable errours or vntruths and their selues to fall intoso open so vntrue and foule a sclaunder But to helpe our brethren as much as we may with the true cleering of our selues from so great and dangerous a sclaunder for our brethren harpe here about some thing they meane be like in the 16 article which is not as they saye of predestination but of sin after baptisme where it is sayde thus Not euery deadly sin willingly committed after baptisme is sin against the holy ghost and vnpardonable Wherefore the graunt of repentance is not to bee denyed to such as fall into sin after baptisme After wee haue receaued the holy ghoste we maye departe from grace giuen and fall into sin and by the grace of God we may arise againe and amende our liues and therefore they are to bee condemned which say they can no more sinne as long as they liue heere or denye the place of forgiuenesse to such as truely repent Héere indéede this article sayth that after we haue receaued the holy ghoste wee maye departe from grace giuen and fall into sinne and by the grace of God wee maye arise agayne and amende our liues And is there any errour or anye darkenesse or doubtfulnesse or suspicion or inclination to errour in these woordes for although they speake here generally and mention not the elect of whome they speake in the article following which wée haue alreadye perused yet neyther speake they of falling from grace which woorde falling might perhaps bée construed of them in the harder sence as though they were destitute of all grace and cleane voyde of the spirite of God neyther the woordes nor the sence tendeth to any suche matter but are onely these that after weehaue receaued the holy ghost we may depart from grace giuē fal into sin c. Nowe whether this bee vnderstoode of the Elect or not maye not such as are not of the number of the Elected bée truely sayde also to haue receaued the holye Ghoste in the giftes of some graces of the holye Ghoste giuen vnto them The Apostle saythe 1. Cor. 12. No man can say Iesus is the Lorde but by the holye Ghoste And yet sayth Christ. Matthew 7.21 c. Not euerye one that sayth vnto mee lord Lorde shall enter into the kingdome of Heauen but hee that doth the will of my Father that is in Heauen and manye will saye to me in that day Lorde Lord haue wee not by thy name prophecied and by thy name caste out Deuilles and by thy name done manye greate woorkes And then I will professe to them I neuer knewe you departe from mee yee that woorke iniquitye And yet those that receaued these giftes of working miracles c. They were graces giuen thē of the holy Ghoste And Sainct Paule calleth them Charismata and spirituall giftes the administration operation and manifestation of the spyrite the diuersities of whose giftes he reckoneth vp as wée haue seene 1. Cor. 12. And did
giltlesse And of these I trust we haue sufficiently acquit our selues as for other we are to aunswere in our defence when we shall haue heard their accusation But and they be such as these bicause they tel vs before hand such like I hope in God we shall do well enough and had those matters that they suppresse bin worse than these I suppose they would not haue opened these and folded vp those on this fashion But if they be foorth comming wée neede not long to héere of them we shall haue them I warrant you with a recumbentibus all in tyme in the meane time welcome be the grace of God But let vs now sée how our brethren conclude and rattle vp our Bishops for these articles and for all the other matters that they haue charged them with If this say thâ—y be not to practise Lordship ouer Faith to set downe decrees of religion which must be accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimonie of the scripture to prooue them and no man permitted to shewe any reason or scripture that enforceth his conscience to the contrarie but onely to hang vpon the authority of bishops let some other declare what Paule meaneth 2. cor 4. where he denieth that he woulde exercise anye Lordship ouer the Fayth of the Corinthians Our bretheren shewe heere a manifest proofe howe true that Article is which they saye was set dowâ—e by the Bishops and the conuocation that the elect maye departe from grace For I account of our bretheren as of the number of Gods elected Yet if they had not in this their learned discourse departed or fallen to much from grace woulde they or coulde they haue so fallen from the truth heerein by such vntrue and notorious sclaunders thus to seeke the vtter disgracing and defacing of the Bishops haue they prooued or can they prooue anye one article or decree of Fayth and Religion wherein the bishops haue taken vpon them any such Lordeship or anye Lordeship at all ouer our Fayth doth not euen the very former article of these two last cyted by our bretheren themselues against the Bishops for the distinction of the Canonicall bookes fully discharge the Bishops of this sclaunder that holy Scripture conteyneth all thinges necessary to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued therby is not to be required of any maÌ„ that it should be beleued as an Article of Fayth or be thought requisite or necessary to saluation Doe they which with their bretheren in the conuocation doe set downe this decree for faith and Religion practise Lordeship ouer our fayth or set downe decrees of religion which must bee accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimonie of the Scripture to prooue them and no man permitted to shewe anye reason or Scripture that inforceth his conscience to the contrarie but onely to hang vpon the authoritie of Bishops When the Bishops in most plaine woordes renounce all such authoritie and referre it onely to the canonicall Scripture who may not see if he will not wilfully of too too much affection blindfold himselfe the apparance of this sclaunder But our Bretheren say they haue set downe the decrees without eyther reason or testimony of the scripture to proue theÌ„ I graunt it that for some they haue so done neyther is it the nature of briefe suÌ„marie Articles which in Synodes are agreed vppon after that they haue bin by reason and Scripture cléerely proued and are apparant to haue them set out with their proues annexed to them which is another point beside the Articles In the ordinances Ecclesiasticall of the Church of Genena and the orders of the schole of the said Citie set out in french An. 1578. of the which many are of faith and religion and in their summarie of the Christian Doctrine annexed do they still adioyne their prooues by reasons testimonies of the Scripture And haue not all the most auncient councels which are greater than our conuocations in all their articles and decrees kept the selfe same order most briefely and plainely to set downe the naked article by it selfe so thus haue they set downe also the articles of their créedes And so is the summary of our Faith commonly called the Apostles Creede set downe in most short plaine and simple wordes and sentences without annexing the reasons or testimonies of Scripture that confirme them For when these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or principles gathered as capitall conclusions and resolutions of the scripture are thus set downe if they bee not such nor haue the cléere proofe and grounde of Scripture for them they will quickelye appeare in this their nakednesse and quickelye shewe their shame to all the worlde as doe the Papistes decrees whiche they set foorth so soone as euer they come to the touchstone to bée examined and prooued by the Scripture they molter away and resolue to vanitie Let our bretheren nowe a Gods name take this our booke of articles and whette all their wittes and with all their learned discourses set vppon it examine and trye it peecemeale thorowe and through euerye sentence woorde syllable and tytle in it if they finde anye thing contrarye to good and sounde reason yea contrarye too our dissonant from the Canonicall Scriptures then saye our Bishops practise Lordeship ouer our Fayth and set downe orders of Religion which must bee accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimonie of Scripture to proue them and no man permitted to shewe any reason or Scripture that inforceth his conscience to the contrary but onely to hang vppon the authority of Bishops But if they cannot finde anye thing in these decrees orders and Articles nor anye coulde finde it then nor coulde euer since nor euer shal be able and there was then in the conuocation libertye enough and hath euer bin since and still is being vsed in that lawefull and reuerent manner that is requisite for the treaty of such matters which yet coulde neuer nor I hope shall euer be conuinced of errour then let our bretheren for verye shame or rather for loue of truthe yeilde and reuoke these soule sclaunders on the Bishops and indeede on all the conuocation and on all the realme and Churche of Englande that hath established the allowance of these articles or rather on the Articles themselues which they sclaunder to bée decrees of Religion without eyther reason or testimonie of the Scripture to prooue them and that they onely hang vppon the authoritye of Bishops and so are méere doctrines of men and that they are Errors grosse and palpable Thus through the sides of the Bishops are these Articles and our Faith and Religion wounded by these our Bretheren as though not onelye our Bishops but all the Cleargie the realme the doctrine and all were as ill or woorse than the Papistes so farre hath this immoderate beate of their inconsiderate zeale inflamed their passions and patience
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
persons being Protestants being faithfull Ministers being learned discoursers would God they would better bethinke themselues It is beyond my learning and a great scruple it is in many mens consciences that think our Br. haue set their conscience on the tenters much charged it rather then any whit discharged it do not according to their dutie therein nor that this their doing is any true or good way of reformatioÌ„ but if ought were amisse to make it much worse if not to marre it quite and to giue licence vnto such a way as would or might bring all things to an vtter deformation and confusion And here it followeth prettely at the hard heeles that might set the matter well forward And to mooue them say they that haue authoritie to put it in practise and to seeke by all lawfull and ordinary meanes that it may take place that it may please God to giue it good successe What meane they here by these perilous spéeches And is this also a part of conscience dutie and the true way of reformation to mooue them that haue authoritie to put it in practise Who are these that haue authoritie whom our Br. would by this their writing moue to put in practise this forme of reformation Would they haue any that haue authoritie in the Realme committed vnto them by and vnder the Queenes most excellent maiestie to attempt this without her maiesties authoritie therevnto whom they called before our most gracious soueraigne when they made their last protestation No wee hope there is none that in her maiesties dominions hath any authoritie committed vnto him will be moued by this writing or by any other writing or solliciting of our Bretheren to put this forme in practise without â—e haue her maiesties authoritie so to doe she hauing now God be praysed long continue it the supreme authoritie of these matters Neither should they that haue but inferiour authoritie to her maiestie yea all the Magistrates in the Realmes of her dominions holding all the authoritie that they haue immediatly or mediatly from her Maiestie and her Maiestie immediatly from God seeke any lawfull and ordinary meanes but vnlawfull and beyond extraordinarie if they should practise that this may take place without her authoritie thereunto especially it being with all the direct ouerthrowe of her chiefe authoritie They doe well to say that they would haue them do it by lawfull and ordinarie meanes wherein our Bretheren differ from the Papists that seeke vijs modis by all meanes to put in practise their desperate resolutions Which as God defeateth and our Bretheren detest so what lawfull and ordinary meanes can they imagine to put this their forme in practise agaynst her Maiesties will that may stand with her supreme authoritie And therefore in my opinion this is very ill done and daungerously spoken of our Br. to cast foorth such suspitious words as to moue them that haue authoritie so to abuse it or as though they would or should be mooued to this practise And for my parte I protest that I like all this whole learned discourse the worse that in the ende and conclusion of all it should come to this drift which verely is not pleasing vnto God nor God will euer I dare warrant it giue it good successe if the winde begin once to blow in at that doore which God forbid that euer we should see that tyme. But what is the tyme that here they speake off At this tyme to be imbraced It should seeme to be at the time of the Parliament as may appeare by the last part of their protestation saying We protest before the liuing God c. and the whole assemblie of all estates of this Realme I meruell much at this practise of our Bretheren that they are so eager in their pursuite to haue their platformes put in practise that they see not how they crosse in this doing their owne writings They are still at euery Parliament offering vp their little bookes for I forbeare to call them Libels to auoyde offence of the reformations that they call vpon vnto the high and most honourable Court of Parliament Wherein although if wee should lay together and conferre all their bookes and formes of reformation that they haue offred vp vnto the Parliaments wee should finde great varieties and some contrarieties among them yet let them agree or disagrée in other things how they shall what doe they meane herein by putting them vnto the Parliament Would they haue these controuersies to bee disputed vpon and determined by the Parliament That is cleane contrary to the chiefe materiall poynts of the very bookes themselues that they offer vp vnto the Parliament For except they will make all the Burgesses in the nether house and all the Lords in the higher house to bee Ecclesiasticall persons and either Doctors and Pastors whom also they make all Bishoppes teachers and Preachers of the word and Sacraments at least wise such Presbyters Priestes or Elders not teaching whom they call Gouernours if they shall be present as any parts and members or necessarie regents of the assemblie and not only as spectatores or auditores tantum if they shall remayne still as lay ciuill or politicke persons so that they can not by their owne Canons haue any voyces at least not determine any thing in Eccl. matters especially so great and important matters as they make them And what would they haue the Parliament then to doe in these things Nay whaâ— will they suffer them to doe Yea what would the Parliament doe when they should finde that in the very bookes offred vnto them of these matters they are prohibited to deale in these matters Yea how can they deale in these matters and allow these Pastors to come in and take them vp for their labour saying vnto them yea my Lords and Maisters dare ye take vpon you or are ye able to deale in these matters or so much as to knowe them For who should be able to know what order comelinesse and aedification requireth according to Gods word but they that bee teachers and preachers of the same vnto all others For it is absurd that they should bee taught by such in these small things as ought to learne the trueth of them in all matters pag. 117. and much more absurd that they should be taught by such in greater matters Yea they ought to learne the truth of them in all matters If the Parliament once heare this thunder cracke conticuere omnes intemtique ora tenebunt If some one among them perhaps doe replie and say If they will not suffer vs to haue any thing to doe in debating and determining of these matters why then a Gods name doe they put them vp to vs or what would they haue vs to do in them except they will giue vs some authoritie of them But they are so farre from giuing vs any such authoritie that they
the present age when they conclude thus that they either desire this or the like forme to be receiued Can this present age or doo theirselues in this preset discourse see the vttermost of these indefinit desires of the like till they shall further open it or till experieÌ„ce the mistresse of fooles shall reueale it They saie that the reformation which they desire hitherto for lacke of such a publike testimoniall meaning as this learned discourse hath beene subiect to infinit sclanders deuised by the aduersaries of Gods truth and hinderance of godlie proceedings vnto reformation If our brethren haue cause to take offense for sclanders as they say deuised against their reformation doo they not see here what a foule and intollerable sclander they cast vpon all the professors of the Gospell that are not of their opinion in this their deuised reformation to terme vs the aduersaries of Gods truth that fauor the truth of God as much by the grace of God euen for their liues as they Are we not their brethren in the profession of the Gospell Haue they not confessed that in substance of religion we agree and it is resolued publikelie mainteined for our true and holie faith Were we thus professors of Gods truth in the preface of this learned discourse andare we now in the peroration of the same the aduersaries of gods truth Indéed in the verie first title to the booke of this forme discoursed vpon they began roughlie and set it out to serue for a iust apologie as they said against the false accusations sclanders of their aduersaries there also they mentioned sclanders and false accusations and called vs aduersaries All which were heauie words and a rough beginning of such as are or should be brethren It was but malum omen to stumble on such foule terms at the verie threshold it did prognosticat we should haue some storms and so we haue had indéed in passing through this learned discourse and yet this is but a mild booke in comparison of manie other of theirs albeit our brethren haue not béene verie meale mouthed but haue vsed verie brode language God wot and all the world maie see too vnséemelie for ministers faithfull ministers learned discourses against their brethren in Christ for no greater matters than these are But we haue borne them off with head and shoulders as well and with as much pacience forbearance as we mought saue that we haue turned againe now and then for our necessarie defense and laid I trust in modestie before our bretheren onelie how ill they haue doone therein and how the most of the same sclanders were such stones cast as could rebound But now when we haue got out of the whole plotforme and building of this learned discourse bearing off all the blowes taunts in the seuerall lodgings of all these new Eccl. officers and thought now on the backside of this building all had béene past and doone naie soft we shall haue like farewell to our hansell yea where we were called before but their aduersaries we shall now be driuen out with another maner of peale as not onlie hinderances of their proceedings to reformation but to all the present age that the posteritie maie know it too as a perpetuall blot of infamie we are now hissed out cried out vpoâ— not for their aduersaries onlie but for the aduersaries of gods truth they complaine of our false accusations and infinit sclanders to let go all their other complaints on vs this one is vnum prâ—mille To whom shall we complaine of this so apparant vntrue and withall so hainous an accusation made on vs It deserueth indéede for the indignitie thereof to haue shaken our garment with silence as cléere therefrom to haue gone our way But because it toucheth God his truth in which case we maie yet at least returne saie with Christ our sauiour ego daemonium non habeo we are not the aduersaries of Gods truth It is vntrulie and vnbrotherlie spoken neither toucheth it vs alone but all the holie and ancient fathers in the primitiue church whom we haue plainlie shewed to be of the same opinion in all or the greatest of these coÌ„trouersies that we defend in our own daies present age it spotteth the fresh memorie of our late godlie fathers Cranmer Latimer Ridley Hooper Ferrar Philpot c. all blessed martyrs and all that consented vnto them and diuers reuerend godlie Confessors of later memorie as Bishop Iuell Horne Pilkinton Grindall Cox Bentham Parkhurst and others which were all notablie known both on this side and beyond the seas to be great professors of gods truth and no lesse earnest impugners of the aduersaries of the truth of God And albeit they liked not these desires and deuises of our brethreÌ„s forms of reformation yet for their great learning and sinceritie in the gospell the most notable men of late in the reformed churches beyond the seas doe highlie honor them and thinke and speake well of them giuing full testimonie of their liking Yea both Bucer and Peter Martir two chéefe lights and pillers of Gods church in these our last daies forsooke their owne countries and all other reformed churches liued vnder the forme of reformation of this our English church with all due reuerence both to the state than being to the bishops then liuing without any impugning or defacing of theÌ„ Yea Caluine himselfe as we haue shewed alloweth well both of the ancient bishops and Archbishops before the tyrannie and eâ—rors of the pope began and of the bishops of these daies to continue still in their bishopriks so they be professors of Gods truth and not aduersaries to it How vnaduisedlie then is this spoken of our brethren and how reprochfullie to call our Bishops and all vs that ioine with them the aduersaries of Gods truth Could they bestow any fouler terme vpon the rankest of al the Papists or vpon the Pope himselfe For they indéed are the aduersaries of Gods truth And so S. Paule saith 2. Thes. 2. of that man of sin son of perdition which is an aduersarie and exalteth himselfe against all that is called God And this terme as a parting blow for a token of remembrance our bretheren vouchsafe to giue our bishops vs to be the aduersaries of Gods truth this is too too bitter zeale Mors in olla there is Coloquintida in this pot that boils ouer such froth Gods truth is not in this accusation no brootherhood of Christ no linke of loue no bond of peace no bowels of mercie no affection of compassion but all of passion in this too blacke Rhethorike But it sufficeth vs to cleare our selues GOD forgiue it our bretheren and wée doe And whereas withall they burthen our Bishops and vs that we are an hinderance of godlie proceedings vnto reformation this is another great vntruth and sclander These procéedings indéed of our bretheren our Bishops and
great aduersarie both of the King Christ and of all Christian kinges And yet you thinke to vse these argumentes well against all Christian Princes that the Pope vsed against them but ye do verie ill for herein ye take not these reasons and testimonies of the Papistes but ye take of the Poperie of the Papistes Yea euen where ye condemne the Pope there ye both iustifie his doinges and would professe to followe them Doth not your booke of obedience pag. 52. and 53. breake foorth in these wordes Although the Pope for sundrie enormities haue deposed Princes by their vnlawefull authoritie yet the reason that moued them so to doe was honest and iust and meete to bee receaued and executed by the body or state of euerie common-wealth See heere in what a daungerous matter you say the Popes reason is to be receaued yea and his doing to be executed and that by the body of euery common-wealth And thus as the Pope did excommunicate and pronounce Princes to be deposed such excommunications and depositions woulde you pronounce in all kingdoms Is not this a new kind of popery if not far more daungerous Yee say our forme of regiment is translated from Rome to Canterbury But this new Poperie comes directly as we sée euē from Rome would enter into euerie parish would come to our owne doores would enter into the Princes pallace would trample downe her Maiesties most principall and supreme authoritie and turne it out of doores to place these new Parishionall Bishops and their Consistories of vnteaching Priestes or Gouernors But this is no Poperie That was ill I graunt and too bad but God graunt this be not a great deale worse But such is our corrupted nature when we haue wel amended that that was amisse our fingers itch still to be mending it as wee thinke better and better till we haue made it as ill as it was before or quite marde it altogether But our Bretheren are further offended with our forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment that it is say they deliuered to our children without contradiction And why should it be deliuered with contradiction if the matter deliuered be lawefull and good Doe our Brethren loue contradiction so well that they would haue it vsed in good and lawefull matters And where no necessitie is And to nousell vp our Children also in contradiction S. Paule teacheth vs another rule 1. Cor. 11.16 If any man lust to be contentious we haue no such custome neither the Churches of God Wee shall finde contradiction inough against the aduersaries of Gods truth against wicked liuers and abusers or corrupters of the forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment establied And yet among the very enemies sayth the Apostle Haue peace with all men so much as in you lyeth So that wee néede not contend one with another so vnbrotherly about these matters if we shal do well saue in the necessarie defence maintenance of the right vse and authoritie of them and least of all ought we to teach and trayne vp our children to vse contradiction against their spirituall fathers in the Ecclesiasticall gouernment that they deliuer vnto them for that were to make them disobedient and rebellious children to their fathers But lesse maruaile it is if they haue herein contradiction with vs that haue so many contradictions in these matters among themselues But our Brethren would haue our forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement not to be deliuered to our children without contradiction that say they our example should not be preiudiciall vnto them As though it were a preiudice to our children not to be fleshed in contradiction against our forme established of Ecclesiasticall gouernement euen as Hanniball was deuoted in his child-hoode to be a perpetuall deadly enemie to the Romaynes So that these faithfull Ministers doe not thinke they can bee spirituall fathers to their naturall children except they bring them vp in this spitefull contradiction And if they shoulde not shewe their children this example they should bee preiudiciall to them and their children might degenerate and not loue contention as they doe And so they would haue contention growe by inheritance For that will not out of the flesh that is bredde in the bones cat after kinde a good mouse hunt Is not this a godly care of fathers and a godly education of children As the example say they of our godly fathers which in this point neglected their dutie hath beene preiudiciall vnto vs. They complayne of their fathers that they brought not them vp thus nor gaue not them such example of contradiction as they will bring vp their children and giue them better example by their contradiction They accuse their Fathers of negligence herein and yet they call them godly But doe they not herein accuse themselues of many great crimes both in vnthankefull accusing of their fathers for negligence and for neglecting that matter which if they shoulde not haue neglected yea if they should not diligently haue shunned and taken héede of least they should haue giuen them any example they should indéede not haue done the partes and duties of godly fathers to them if they had nousled them vp in these contradictions Which because they did not they were the more godly fathers to them and they the worse children that followe not therein their godlie fathers godly example But are such as vngodly degenerate from them and that is more vngodly giue ill example to their children wherein they neglect their dutie both to the honour of their godly fathers and to the charge of their tender children And as this their ill example to their children may be daungerous both to themselues and to their children so this accusing of their fathers and yet acknowledgement of them to be godly doth conuince and condemne their fathers For if the forme of the Ecclesiasticall regiment which they haue here discoursed vpon so learnedly that they make their boast of it in the toppe of euerie leafe to be a Learned Discourse bee so high so vrgent and so necessarie howe doe they call their and our fathers godly hauing neglected their dutie in so high vrgent and necessarie matters If they may be godly and neuerthelesse neglecte this their forme prescribed of Ecclesiasticall gonernement for which they contende with vs their Brethren then is not the same so important as they would make it to be nor the want or neglect thereof so preiudiciall but that wee their sonnes may be godly also well inough without it as our Fathers were godly fathers notwithstanding they had it not or did neglect the same But this they say is preiudiciall vnto this their forme and vnto them herein that our godly fathers did neglect it Indéede it is not a little preiudiciall thereunto But it sheweth withall that they accounted it not to be of that importance that our Brethren make it nor to be any part of their dutie which if they had being godlie fathers they neither would nor
ministers Of subscribers with limitation Of Dissembâ—eâ—s Of secret lamenters of their open subscribing The practise of Arius the Priscillianistes Preface Bridges Our bretherens aunswere to the 2. later ob vnder shewe of pâ—rspicuity is very intricate Our bretherens distinction of matter and manner Our Bretherens our agreemeÌ„t in the SubstaÌ„ce of Religion Our difference concerning gouernment Oâ—r bretherens vrging thâ— alteration of The state Our Brethrens preteÌ„ce of remooving Ignonoraunce Poperie Rebellion VVhether this alteration would not be occasioÌ„ of more ignortnce in the ministery The feare of more breeding Pop. by this alteration This alteration more inclinable to sedition Our bretherens aunswer for the manner VVho call the matter to the manner of a tumultuous reasoning we or they The ornaments of wit memory and vtterance The manner of reasoning that our brethreÌ„ set downe The moste part of these matters haue beene already decided by this maÌ„ner Whether our brethreÌ„ would staÌ„â—e to this manner What is heere assigned to her Ma. their honours The communicating thereof to the people These matters alreadiâ— determined ratified All that was graunted to her Ma. and their H. was but onelie for maÌ„ners sake and resolues to nothing The momeÌ„t of the gouernment pretended Our bretherens desires preiudicial to her Maiesties chiefest authoritie Preface Bridges Our bretherenâ— 3. obiection not satisfied of preiudice to the state eâ—tablished Our bretherens confident opinion of recouering fauour and exercise of their ministerie How our brethren became ministers Our bretherens offer to be tyed to haue speciall regard to the peace of the church and publike orders The epiloge of the preface exhorting to praier for these thinges The title of our bretherens booke Page 1. The vaunt of learning in the discourse The proofe by the word of God The learned discourse Page 1. 1. Tim. â— 15 The definition of the Church 2. Tim. 3.17 Bridges Three principles or propositions whereon all this learned discourse is grounded First that the Church is Gods house 1. Tim. 3.17 The Church the piller of â—he truth 2. that all things shold be directed by the housholders prescribed order Howe farre this rule holdeth Hebr. 8.5 Hebr. 9.11 Hebr. 3.1 The captious setting downe of the 2. principle The 3. principle That the scripture teacheth all the Churches gouernment The caption of this third principle The forme of common prayer by our bretheren prescribed Agreable to Gods worde though not prescribed The learned discourse Page 2. What ministers are apointed in the church Bridges The issue of these three principles Our bretherens foundâ—â—ion and the fouÌ„dation that â— Cor. 13.11 It sufficeth not to build on Christ but also to take heede howe we bâ—ild on him Diligence and reuerence in searching the scriptures Vrging of things read in the scripture as necessarie to saluatâ—oÌ„ that are not necessarie Our bretherens to hard a censure of tâ—e greatest paâ—te of Christes church Our bretheren heerin are of Harrisons opinion against â—artwright The learned discourse Page 2. Ephâ—s 4.11 1. Cor. 12.28 Bridges Thâ— gifâ—â— offices meÌ„tâ—oneâ— Ephes. 4.11 Pastor and teacher The Apostles neither words nor scope set downe a perpetuall forme of externall gouernement in thâ— church 1. Cor. 12.28 Gouernors Neither in this place the example sets downe any perpetuall order of the churches externall gouernment The examples scoâ—e The learned discourse Page 2. and 3. Bridges The confusednesâ—e of our bretherens wordâ— The distribution of offices in regions cities and townes for orders sake and for verie necessitie Paule and Barnabasses ordeâ—ning elders Titus limited to the region of Creta Titus office and authoritie in his limited region The giftes c. what office the elders had that Titus ordeined The proofe in Titus of Episcopall and Archiepiscopall iurisdictioÌ„ The learned discourse Page 3. Bridges The diuerse giftes mentioned in these places The leaâ—ned discourse Page 3.4 5 6 Matt. 28.19 Mark 16.25 Acts. 1.25 Acts. 1â— â—â— Acts. 13.2 Acts. 8.5 Act. 8.14 Act. 21.8 â— Tim. â— 5 Bridges What gifts and offices were temporall what perpetuall Moe ordinarie gifts then our brethren mention The giftâ— of rulinâ— The learned discourse Page 7. 8 VVhat offices remainâ— in the church Bridges Our Bretherens Terrarchie of 4. Persons their dissent from those our other Bretheren which make à Pentarchy of 5. or a Tritarchie of 3. A greater Mysterye in contending for this Cater-gouernment of these 4. cornered Persons then the contention was before against the 4. cornerd caps The necessitie that they make of this Tetrarchie Mens following the deuises of their owne braine No warrant of this Tetrarchie in Gods word Tetrarchy The exercise of the primitiue church The bringing in of all kinde of fals doctrin The beginning of the mysterie of iniquitie The pure Church When Gods ordinance was changed Archb. B. â—boue all these Teâ—rarkes Archb. The office of Archb. B. the readiest way to represse Antichrists pride and tyranny The breach of the Arch. and B. offices authorities was the readiest way to Antichristes pride and tyrannie The Archb. office a better stop against antichrist then thâ—se Tetrarkes The euil officers not the office of Archb. B. brought in false doctrine The state of the refor Churches The Tetrarchy commended The restoring Eccl. gouernmeÌ„t in the reformed Churches The bewtiful state of our neighbours refoâ—med Churches The state of the ref Churches Our bretheâ—ens defacing of our estate The state of the Primitiue churches governement not restored Resoning the office of gouernours Arch. Bi. not to bee displaced by restoring the state of the Primit church VVho deface the bewty of the reformed Churches The state of our neighbors No reformed Churches but in some points of gouer diffâ—r one froÌ„ another Differences eueÌ„ in their booke of common prayer Our neighbours experience no necessary paterne to vs. The demur of this question Emulation of our neighbours state Our owne â—stâ—te Our vnthaÌ„kfulnesse for our estate The harde-state of our neighbours Churches The defacing of our state Oâ—r bretherens disordered speeâ—hes of our disordered state Tâ—e vpbraiding of our labors Our coÌ„forte of our labours The cause of our labours hinderance The Christian prince repelled What would indeede make the state disordered Our bretherens conclusion cleane excludeth the Prince and geueth the directioÌ„ of al Eccl. matters to their 4. Tetrarckâ— The Christian prince excluded The learned discourse Page 8. Bridges The obiection why the treatise of the Christian princes supremacy is not first coÌ„sidered Our bretheren foresaâ—â— the obiect in their Preface The Christian prince repelled The tardie comming of this obiection The CaptioÌ„ of these wordes Eccles goverâ—ement The Princes supr gouernmeÌ„t The Papists selaunder of her Ma. The princes supreame gouernmeÌ„t ouer al Ecc. persons in al Ecclesi matters VVhat belongeth to the Eccl. persons and what to the Prince Good reasoÌ„ that al Protestants should think that the Princes supremacie should bee first treated on Christian princes haue a supreame authority in
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
50. lib. 5. de ciuit dei cap. 24. How highly good princes esteeme the seruice of God Euâ—eb in li. de vita Constant The King seruing the Churches commoditie The greateâ—â— honor of Princes Our Br pretence of honoring God our Father and seruing to the commoditie of the Church our mother How the Papists vsed these pretenses that our Brethren do A Prince may bee Gods child and yet supreme gouernor The Prophecie of Esay 49. The learned disc pa. 143.144 145. Esai 49.23 Psa. 2.10.11 1. Tim. 2.12 Bridges All these 3. cited testimonies make also against theÌ„ The Papists abuse of this testimonie of Esay Esay 49. The wordes of Esay not spoken so much to fore-tell of Princes abasing them vnder the church as of gouerning it A third part of this testimonie left out whereto the other parts be referred Cal. exposition of the testimonie of Esay The duetie of Princes aboue al other Christians Psalm 2.10 The papists mis. vnderstanding of this place The Christian Princes nourishing of the Church The Princes seruice Psal. 2. Our Br. â— testimonie Psa. 2.10.11 Our Br. that promised to treate of Princes gouerning are nowe all in Princes obeying Our Br. wrong appliyng this testimonie Psalm 2. Psalm 2. How all the Cleargy are inferior to the Prince Aug. in epis 50. ad Bonifacium How the K. serueth God as a man howe as a king The example of the Kinges seruice The seruice that none can do but Princes The Christian Princes supremacie in Eccl. matters The wise christian Prince may aswell giue aduice to his Clergie as take aduice of them Musculus in 2. Psal. Why Princes are most especially called vpon Marloratus in psal 2. The benefits by Princes 1. Tim. 2 In what matters Princes serue the Lord Our Br. third testimonie out of 1. Tim. 2. for the restraynt of the Princes supremacie The Princes authoritie stretcheth further than to protection 1. Tim. 2. Caluin in 1. Tim. 2. The benefites that we haue by the Princes ministerie Why wee should pray for Princes of whome we haue not these benefites The Princes office How hardly we may leade a godly life vnder persecutors Our br renew their old defacing of the Princes authority The excellent benefit that we receaue by a godly prince In the worde godlines S. Paule vnderstandeth the worship of God The Princes duty before all things to set foorth true religion The peaceable quiet life that our Bre. graunt we haue by Princes Our Bre. here confute their former saying Pag 9. Our Bre. sâ—t not foorth the best parts of the benefites by a godly Prince The benefites that we receiue from God by her maiesty Beza in Christ confesse ca 5. act 44. The chiefest office of Christian Magistrates The learned disc pag. 145. Bridges Our Br conclusion better then all their premisses The doubtfull reâ—â—â—eaâ—e of our Bâ—eâ—hrens speeches Our Bre. our graunt to the priâ—ce Princes the meanes to sâ—luatioâ— 1. Sam. 2 30â— The pitch of the controuersie betweene vs concerning this question Thâ— difference betweene vs. How the Prince is a nurse Our Brethrens similitude of a nurse against them The learned disc pag. 145. The Epilogue of this learned disc Bridges Our Brethrens Epilogue of this learned discourse Our Brethrens perswasion that this their forme is agreeable to Gods word We depend not on our Brethrens perswasion but on their proues Our Brethrens perswasion of our Bishops and most of the Clergie Our Br. perswasion of this forme Our bre their selues not perswaded of this forme but dissenting froÌ„ it Our bre condemning all ministers disagreeing from them to be vnfaithfull Our bre begin to shrinke in their perswasion agreeable form â—o gods word Agreeabl or disagreeable to gods word What our Br. say they are able to prooue consenting with the example of the primitiue church What they meane by the primitiue Church Euery exaÌ„ple neither inferreth a rule nor generall practise Our Br. warie speeches Why our Br. doe thus now in the end restrayne their speeches Agreeable and consenting are not the same Our Br. dissent and disagreeablenes Our Br. forme not coÌ„senting with the Primitiue church Our Brethren can shewe no example in the Primi Church for the most of their chiefest positions Our Bretheren say they are able to proue it It had bin better if thei could haue sayd they haue proued it Our Br. abilitie of proofe A token of grace not to boast they haue done that they haue not done How our Brethren haue builded on the foundation of the Scripture Our Bre. promise to set forth the auncient Fathers of these things What our Bretheren haue performed What our Br. shall do if they shall truly performe this promise Doctors Bishops and Pastors Consistorie of Elders Math. 18. Deacons The godly fathers agaynst our Bretheren in all these things The learned disc pag. 146. Our Br. protestation Our Br. protestation of the causes of this learned discourse Bridges The maner of our Br. protestation Our Br. protesting for all the faitâ—full ministers Diuers of our bretheren misliking these desiâ—es in whose names this protestation is made The varietie vncerteyntie of our br desires A more warie protestation had bin better Why our br conclude with so solemne a protestation What our Br. seeke They protest that they seeke not their own profite c. Our br seeke rather their owne and others hurt Our br are instruments to other Our Br. wrong seeking of Gods glorie his Churches profite How Gods glorie truth is defaced hereby How the Church is hindered by this our br seeking Psal. 124. True way of reformation How our Br. should indeed seeke Gods glorie and the Churches profite Psal. 126. The true way of reformation Our Br. maner of putting their forme in writing is not the tâ—ue way of reformatioÌ„ Discharge of conscience The discharge of conscience or rather charge thereof Seeking meanes that this form may take place The moouing them that be in authoritie to put it in practise Daungerous meanes Offring vp bookes to the Parliament Good successe Oâ—r Brethrens offring vp their Pamphlets euery ParliameÌ„t do therein coÌ„trary to their own principles The Parliament about these matters Our Brethrens words pa. 117. agaynst the Parliament all that are no Pastors How the Parliament may râ—iect all their Pamphlets The Parliament not without the Prince These matters to be rather debated in the Conuocation than in the Paâ—liament Clergie men to determine Clergie matters The Parliaments determining without the Prince These matters alreadie determined and by the ParliameÌ„t ratified Ours and our brthrens disputation Our readines to approue these matters being ordâ—â—lie called thereto neuer so often The euent of all disputation which our brethren refâ—se except their selues be dâ—â—â—â—miners of these matters The 〈…〉 shoâ—ld take place Our br desire of this or the like The learned disc pag. 147. Bridges The cause why this desired forme is not to be receaued The vttermost of their desires Our brethrens conclusion of their desires that either this or the like forme should be receaued If it suffise to receaue the like then there is no necessitie of this forme What is ment by the like forme It is not hurtfull that all churches forms of gouernment be not like In substance of doctrine they must bee all one The seeing iudging the vttermost of our br desires Aduersaries of Gods truth Our brethrens grecuous slandering of their brethren to be the aduersaries of Gods truth This learned discourse begun continued and concluded in foule language Our answer to this foule sclander 10.8 How manie besides vs this sclander toucheth Hinderance of our br proceedings Who are the aduersaries of Gods truth Our hinderaÌ„ce of our br proceedings in this forme What dâ—formed confusion among vs this forme of reformation would breede Deformed refomation The French and Belgike churches Deut. 22.10 Our bretherens publike testimoniall Our brethrens pretense onlie tâ— cleere themselue from sclander Our brethrens publike testimoniall The disagreement of our br testimonials Our brethrens intendment for the posteritie Knowledg and sestification of the truth The posteritie can knowe no certain true forme by this Learned Discourse An vncertaine conclusion The vncertaine conclusion of al our Brethr. desires Our Brethr. disordred speeches against our forme of Ecclesiastical gouern Disorder a speeches Abuses disordering good forms and orders Our Brethr. forme not grounded on Gods worde Reasons taken out of Poperie Our Brethr. receiuing from the Papistes their popish arguments for their Pastors gouernmeÌ„t Example of contradiction How our Brethren would noâ—sle vp their children in contradiction Our Brethrens accusation of our godly fathers Our Brethr. accusation of their godly fathers Our godly fathers neglect of this forme and of noâ—sling vp their childreÌ„ in these contradictions Our fathers â—eglect of this â—oâ—me Our Brethr. preiudice by their godly fathers neglect Our Brethr. conclusion with prayer Pag. 212. Pag. 700. Pag. 747. Pag. 844.