inquirie must bee made by witnesses Signifieng that the complainers must not easilie bee beleeued Moreouer that the fame and name of those that are good must bee fauoured that they bee not openlie defaced with euerie small rumour First heere I take Priest or Elder by office and age that is the Ministers must not bee condemned except diligent inquisition be had Neiâ—her onely the Ministers but all persons of graue yeeres For vnto whome God hath giuen a good name and grauitie of age it behoueth to worshippe them in the place of parents Therefore diligent heede is to be had that the defamers bee not rashlye beleeued against such persons Moreouer because such Priests or Elders were Iudges and Senatours Ecclesiasticall that corrected other for their sinne according to the reason of their fault it is credible that they incurred the offence of many insomuch that they shoulde not want backbiters It was therefore a matter worthy of admonition that nothing shoulde rashly bee credited against them Neither followeth it therevpon that witnesses shoulde bee had onely in these and in other they must proceede without witnesses yea rather because in these grauitie is required he teacheth that the same must be had in euery Ecclesiasticall iudgement In the meane time there are many light and childish matters in which neither the integritie of the fame nor name is touched wherein there is no neede of like rigour Let vs therefore establish this for a common rule that in all Ecclesiastical iudgement the president or gouernour must haue care that in a godly and holy sorte inquisition may be made of mens sinnes Thus doth likewise Aretius drawe this precept of Paule to Timothie to a generall rule that in the consistorie in criminall causes euen agaynst a Minister whome he calleth also a Praesident ouer the people the hearing that the Bishop is a higher Praesident aboue him and hath the admittance and his iudging of the matter And what differeth Beza herein from these Against an Elder sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greekes referre this to men of more auncient yeeres which to mee seemeth verie absurde For although somewhat ought to be giuen to the hoare head yet I see no cause why in this point the condition ought not to be alike But in a Priest there is a farre other reason because it is certaine that Sathan layeth his snare chieflie against this sort of men And for that cause none are so much thrall to slaunders and backbitings In hearing therefore the accusations of them there is most neede of great heedfulnesse But thou wilt saie what is that Heere mee thinkes some haue stumbled while they thinke that nothing is heere praescribed of Paule which in all iudgements is to bee obserued And therefore they sweate much in vntying this knotte and doo manifestlie wreast the wordes of the Apostle insomuch verily that some which thing Erasmus out of a certayne Epistle written by Saint Ierome to Marcella rehearseth doo cleane blotte out all that member following and then expounde it receiue not that is receiue not easilie Howbeit I doo not suppose anie difficultie to bee heere for it is one thing to admit the accusation and anotherthing to absolue or condemne the accused But this is the office of a iudge to heare anie that will accuse whom afterward if they shall not throughly proue him guiltie he may chastise according to their deserts But for all this when as a Priest is accused the Apostle would haue a certaine peculiar thing to be obserued that no man shoulde bee admitted no not so much as to accuse him except before hand afore two or three witnesses he shall cause his accusation that is to come to bee beleeued So that the Priest be not straight waie condemned or the cause heard in his absence But that after it shal appare that it wil not be a friuolous accusatioÌ„ That then at the length the guiltie partie shall be called and that it shall bee lawfullie determined on the whole matter But I finde the cause of this Apostolicall constitution to be two folde to wit because as I said right now none are alike thrall vnto slaunder as are godly Doctors And then because in a manner no priuate iudgement can bee ordained against a Priest sith that it must needes bee ioyned with the publike offence of the whole Church Insomuch that although hee bee absolued notwithstanding some imfamie therevpon shall redound to the whole Church and that there should bee neede of great caution not onelie in iudging him but also in admitting his accuser Moreouer we must note out of this place that Timothie in the Ephesine Presbiterie was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Antistes the Bishop as Iustine calleth him not that he should doe all things as he listed but that for his godlinesse and wisedome hee shoulde moderate all things that all things in the assemblie should bee well done and in order Thus doth euen Beza also not onelie acknowledge Tymothie to haue bene the Bishop of the Church of Ephesus but also that both he had and euerie Bishop by this rule ought to haue this authoritie of moderation whether anie accusation and how farre forth shoulde be admitted against a Pastoral Elder and in hearing and determining the cause to be his iudge Which authoritie in so great a Consistorie as then and there was beeing singled and separated out from other vnto him how had other anie parte with him of the same And as it was thus in triall of matters pleaded before him so if anie Pastors were found to haue openly offended Timothie againe in the next verse and in Timothie euerie Bishop hath authoritie giuen him ouer anie such pastors openly to reproue them And the reason is aâ—ded by the Apostle That the other also speaking especiallie of the otheâ— Pastors may haue feare From hence saith Aretius is this noble argument drawen Feare in the church is to be confirmed therfore Ecclesiastical iudgemeÌ„ts are grauely to be administred so that sith the Bishops authoritie should be such as shoulde strike feare in the other pastors it is apparant they had not the same nor equall authoritie with him And so Hyperius referreth all this in generall to the authoritie of Bishops though the matter be brought before the Church and that the Bishops should seeme to fauour their sinnes if he dealt not thus And hée concludes in these wordes But of what matter the Priests or Elders may be accused and reproued before the Bishop it were long to dispute And the next verse declares yet further his separate authoritie I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preferring one before another and do nothing partially This contestation saith Hemingius wherwith as it were with an oathe Paul bindeth Timothie declareth howe harde the office of a Bishop is And it containeth a verie serious admonition least that in
Ecclesiast matters Difference betweene the Prince and his gov and the 4. Tetrarcks Directing gouâ—rning What our brethren meane by directing The Prince called supr gover in a bare title If the prince be indeed the supreme Gouernour then must our brethreÌ„ submitte them-selues to the gouernement established The worde Supreame The Princessupreme gov sclan The iniurie offered to the Prince in the last place Our breth captious sclaunder of the Princes supreame gouermeÌ„t A sclaunderoussurmise of the Christian Prince Things not to be measured by seeming Some regiment of the Church dependeth on the Princes supream gouernement A sclanderous myste The eyes of the ignorant dazeled with this myste The casting foorth of such false suspitions is not wel done The terme of ciuil Magistrate How farre our breth denie or graunt this sclaunder Her Ma. claimeth no such absolute power The learned discourse Page 8. Bridges The Princes auth in indifferent matters Indifferent matters referred to the Princes disposition Princes couÌ„sellers to giue aduise The Princes authoritie in disposing indifferent matters Our bretherens motion of this point Our breth answere The reasons of their answere The breaking off the further answere till hereafter The weighing of our brethrens answere How far our bretheren grauÌ„t to the Princes disposing indifferent matters Our brethren grauÌ„t it and yet finde faulte with them that grauÌ„t it Who are these not indifferent iudges Mistaking indifferent for not indifferent The Princes right heereby not preiudiced The Prince slandered Her maiest right and dooings vnworthilie defaced The ciuill magistrate The subiects accusatioÌ„ of the Prince The heighnousnesse of this slander â—ot to be an indifferent iudge The cheefest pointâ— of a Iudges office The dangâ—r of this accusation The Prince sclandered The Prince directlie accused so wel as others in authoritie The greeuousnesse of our brethoffence in this slander The Prince Slandered Inconsiderate zeale Lessening the cause dooth aggrauate the faulte This accusation reacheth further then we accuse the Pope It helpeth not that heâ— Maiestie is not by name accused The Prince with others sclandered Our bretherens accusation of others with the Prince Where in these others are accused The Princes clearing not to dispose these matters all alone Whether the faulte be in these others Rebels practise These otherâ— giue the Prince no absolute power c. These others feare God These others intrude not themselues into the office of iudging These others take not the disposing to themselues but giue it to the Prince Both these others and the Prince cleered How indifferentlie these others are thus accused for these indifferent matters The further parts of this accusation Whether things lawfullie determined are not so of the subiects to be holden inuiolablâ—e How farre they are further to be inquired vpon The calling things determined into further questioâ— â—he conclusion of all this accusation How this toucheth all politike matters How daâ—gerouslie this accusation reacheth from indifferent matters in eccle causes to all politike matters The learned discourse Page 9. and 10. Bridges To beginne with the Princes author needfull VVhether it be needefull to beginne with the Princes authoritie Needefull necessarie conuenienâ— Good order of teaching The beginning with the Princes treatise agreeable to good order of teaching The order of our brethren in placing their Tetrarkes The argument to put backe the Princes treatise Our bretherens strife for the first place The argument to put backe the treatise of the Princes authoritie The argument A Learned discourse The hurt of too much affection The argument a priore Our bretherens arg frâ— senioritie Our bretherens conclusion not in question The argument à Priore A thing is saide to be before another in diuers senses Former in time inferreth not former in order much lesse in honour Former in time Examples of the later in time former in order Former in honour not alwaies former in order Former in dignitie The Papists argument à pâ—iore for traditions The propositioÌ„ vntrue The Churches regiment bettered by Christian princes The Churches regiment c. The healps that Our Bretheren graunt the Churche receyveth by the ChristiaÌ„ Prince Our bretheren straye from the question by them sâ—lues propounded The diffeâ—ence of the Churches â—â—rfeâ—â—ion in regiment The Anabaptistes arguments confuted The state of the time differing the argument faileth for the regimeÌ„t Difference of peculiar regiment for a special time ordinary regiment to coÌ„tinue It is not meete our BrethreÌ„ shoulde vse the same Argum that the Ana-Baptists doâ— against Princes Gellius Snecanus de Magistratu The Ciuill Magistrate hath euer from the beginning bin ioyned with the Eccl. ministery The Testimonies Rom 12. 1. Cor. 12. for Rulers serue aswel to the Magist. as to the Eccl. gouernours The ciuill Eccles. power alwaies ioyned in the Church Gellius confutation of our bretherens argumentes Our neighbours state commended before so much by our bretheren see how it is trobled with the Anabaptists Christian Princes froÌ„ the beginning The state of the old Testament and new all one Of the extraordinary power of punishing where they wanted the ordinary The Anabaptists obiection Christian Princes in the Apost times The vntruth of our brethrens asseâ—tion that there were no Magist. in Christs his Apostles times One the same ordinaunce in both Testa for Magist. The fallatioÌ„ and the aunswer the reto Distinction between the ordinance of God the vice of men The necessitie of a Magistâ—ate among Châ—â—stians A Church without magistracy neuer seene The godlye haue neede of the Mag Rather no common-wealth without a christian Magistrate then a Magist excluded c. The Magist. office necessary to the Church Certaine of the Proph. Apostles exercised also the office of the Magistrate Why God distinguished these Offices Pag. 599. The exaÌ„ple of Christian Magistrats in Christs the Apost times Our Bretherens exception of Emperours Christiaâ— Princes froÌ„ the beginning The Magist. lost no authoritie by professing Christianity Actes 25. The Ch. Regim more happy where Christ. Princes are The Churches state Our bretherens harde speeches of Christian Princes Paules wish of Christian Princes The Churches perfection and most blessed state 2. Pat. 2. The Church in better state vnder Christian Princes theÌ„ c. To great vnthankfulnes towards her Maiestie Her Maiest fauour of the Gospell How her Maiestie vnder pretence of commendation is discommeÌ„ded The primitiue state Good Princes a great blessing c. ill Princeâ— a great curse of God Isai. 49.23 How God can turne his curse to a blessing How the Primitiue state was blessed and yet pitifull No such Eccl. Gouernours in the Apostles times as our Brethren pretâ—nd What the Gouernourâ— were mentioned 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 6. The Corinthians had no ordinarie consistorie of eccle Gouernors among theÌ„ We hauing Christian Princes are not bound to such Iudges as the Corinth did choose The danger of imitating the Primitiue Churches regiment heere in Caution in mutation CautioÌ„ in imitating examples or prescribing
séeme to haue for all their Learned discourse hereon and to those that haue more authoritie than we both from this let vs comr to an other principle that our Brethren as a correlatiue set downe hereupon who to confirm that they haue sayde do further say And first he may no more lawfully haue charge of 2. or 3. Churches then he can possibly be in diuerse places And is not this possible for him well inough to bee in diuerse places Therfore for any thing here alleaged to the contrary he might haue 2. or 3. Churches possiblie and lawefully well inough If they saye it is not possible to be in diuerse places alwayes and together at once that is another matter And sooth indéed it is plaine impossible But is this required with such absolute necessitie in euery Pastor may not sickenesse prisonment banishment sute of lawe attendance on the Princes commaundement repaire to prouinciall nationall or oecuimenicall Synodes and a number of such like occasions make a Pastor be in other places other whiles than where he is Pastor And yet be Pastor there still in vertue of his office though not in action of his person while he is thus absent If our Brethren say this absence is not ordinarie but rather his spirite and heart is present with them for all the inuoluntarie detention of his bodie what doth that helpe the matter Since we plainely sée héereby that he may on so many-folde occasions remaining notwithstanding a true and faithfull Pastor be both possibly and lawefully in other places Neyther are anie permitted to be at anie time absent ordinarile except vpon lawefull and expedient considerations and necessarie prouisions of supplie If our Brethren reply that euen because there may fall out such extraordinarie occasions of the Pastors absence they would therefore rather of the twaine that there shoulde bee moe Pastors in one place than to haue but one Pastor in moe places because the one in such cases may supplie the others absence although we must not so muche alwayes attende what wée would haue as what wee may haue and what euerie congregation may sustaine yet is not this againe in effect all one as when the Pastor findeth at his charges and is so bounde by lawe to doe if vppon anie consideration hée him-selfe be licensed to be absent his lawefull and sufficient Substitute to the instruction of all and euerie member of the same Churche in the time of his absence And is not this the néerer way to bring two Pastors also to one congregation yea euen in those that are the lesser congregations And yet were there two or moe Pastor in euerie congregation if ech Pastors continuall presence must be still with all euery member of the same Church what one Pastor can there be that shall alwaies bee still present with euery one but be absent from some while he is present with other Yea if as S. Paul calleth diuers families diuers churches Rom. 16.5.1 Cor. 16.19 Colloss 4.15 and Philem. ver 21. If he goe but as S. Paule saide he did at Ephesus Act. 20. ver 20. from one house to another how might not this be spokē against any that shold do the like that he may no more lawfullie haue charge of two or three Churches that is two or thrée families than he can be possible in diuerse places But if he may be possiblie well inough in diuerse places though not at once but at diuerse times then as the diuerse places bee néerer or easier to bee looked vnto so the charge of two or three Churches as to the state hauing authoritie to prouide therefore shal be thought conuenient may lawfullie inough be of him sustained But to inforce this vnlawfulnesse and impossibilitie further they adde this similitude No more than a shepheard of whom he taketh his name may haue the leading of sundrie flockes in diuerse places neither may hee be absent from his charge with better reason that a shepheard from his flock Although this similitude be too preciselie here by our brethren vrged in this pount yet to ioyne with them therein whie maye not also the verie shepheards of the brute beasts haue the leading of sundrie flockes in diuerse places Had not Iacob so both of Labans flockes of sheepe and of his owne which flocks went not alwaies together And how much easier may he be a ringleader or chiefe maister-shepheard hauing other inferior shepheards vnder him to leade the diuerse flockes whereof he hath taken charge vpon him and though al haue charge also and be shepheards of the same function that he is yet as he may haue a greter skil so he may haue a greater dignitie both ouer diuerse flocks of sheepe ouer the diuerse perticular shepheards of thē Yea for the absence of the shepheard was not Dauid appointed by his father to kéepe his sheep And yet he was both called from thē to be annointed of Samuel he remayned shepheard still euen after he was made Sauls Esquire as it is saide 1. Sam. 17.15 Dauid went and returned from Saule that he might feede his Fathers flocke in Bethlehem And when he was there his father sent him with victuals gifts to his Brethren to their Captaine in the armie And saith the text verse 20. So Dauid rose vp early in the morning and left the sheepe with a keeper Montanus translates it Et reliquit pecus super custodientem Saith Vatablus Iuxta custodem 1. commendauit gregem custodi As is the vulgar he commended the sheepe to a keeper The 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremelius saith deserto grege penes custodem So that Dauid heere being his Fathers shephearde did appoint a substitute shepheard in his absence And though his Brethren vpbrayded him as our Brethren here doe vs and sayde verse 28. VVhy camest thou downe hether VVith whom hast thou left those fewe sheepe in the wildernesse c. Yet Dauid iustly defendes himselfe and saide VVhat haue I nowe done Is there not a cause So that hauing a cause he iustifies his absence and atchiued therby a worke no lesse necessarie and farre more beneficiall to Gods Church while his substitute attended in his shéepe But say our Brethren As for substitutes or hyrelinges will not be allowed in this case for Pastors are substitutes of God and haue an office of credite cōmitted vnto thē Therfore by no good reason may they make any substitutes in their place or cōmit their charge vnto another This reason not onely toucheth Eccl. Pastors but ciuill Princes that are called Substitutes of God and Pastors also of their people not onely of Homer but in the scripture 3. Reg. 22. Micheas prophecying of Achabs death though a wicked king saieth I sawe all Israell scattered on the mountaines as sheepe that had no Pastor And Esa. 44.28 the Lorde himselfe sayth to Cyrus Thou art my Pastor and he shall performe all my desire And
haue declared who are worthy of pardon and who of punishment But some there are that thinke this counsell to haue beene chosen out of the family of Dauid and that they were afterward taken away of Herod the King Which if it bee so whether the wordes of the Psalme sung as S. Athanasius witnesseth in the restoring of the City of Ierusalem may be referred thereunto because there that is in Ierusalem sate the seates vnto iudgement the seates vpon the house of Dauid that is the seate out of the house of Dauid But eyther the King or the Bishop called this counsel according as the crime brought before them eyther touched the City or Religion But the order of executing the matter was almoste in this manner He that desired to put vp the name of another for the moste part came eyther to the king or to the Bishop or to the Princes and declared the guilty party Which done they sent Ministers to take the man And if the matter required they added a band also receiued from the gouernour of the Temple And hauing brought him they kept him for the moste part eyther in prison or in souldiers custody vntill iudgement passed on him The whole Councell beeing afterward called together they gaue them-selues to the vnderstanding of the matter As for the crime and the punishment was of the accusant called vpon in these wordes The Iudgement of death is due to this man because hee hath done this or that But the Defendant repelled it with these wordes The Iudgement of death is not due to this man because hee hath not done it or because hee hath doone it righteously But when the cause hath beene throughly pleaded vpon then were the suffrages or voyces giuen of the iudges and either hee was condemned or absolued according to the number of the sentences But when the matter was brought to the Romaynes the onely condemnation was left to the Councell but the the punishment was taken away but permitted vnto the Roman procurator Which hapned in the iudgement of Christe For the Councell condemned Christe and adiudged him to death But the people being stirred vp of the Councell demaunded of Pilate the Procurator that he might be crucified he gaue iudgement that it should so be done The forme of laying the accusation or of repelling the crime as in the 26 of Hieremie the preestes and the prophetes spake vnto the princes of Iuda saying the iudgement of death is vnto this man because he hath prophecied against this City And the princes sayde vnto the preestes the iudgement of death is not vnto this man because he hath spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde our God A forme of the condemnation is in S. Math. 26. Beholde now yee haue heard blasphemie what seemeth it to you and they answering sayde he is guilty of death the which thing Marke saith Who all of them condemned him to bee guilty of death but these things which we haue spoken shall all be more cleare knowne if euery one of the iudementes made after this order whereof record is left in writing shall be shewed foorth And here he proceedeth to the manifolde testimonies and examples hereof in the Scripture and in Iosephus but especially in the newe testament By al which it appeareth for this Senate or council of the 70 Seniors which after the Iewes mixture with the Graecians of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was corruptly called Sanedrin what persons they were except the King and the Princes all of them either preestes or teachers of the Lawes of God And how they sat but in one and the heade Citie assistant with the King and the princes in al matters of plea and controuersie of Lands goods of warre and peace of life and death c. Nor the King coulde rule these matters without them and that their autority herein grewe not so much by the late corruptions as it was rather thereby abridged in the age of Christe by the Romaynes and by Herod If nowe our Learned discoursing Brethren shall reiect all these so industrious collections of Sigonius as an aduersary what proofes reasons and authorities soeuer he auouch let vs then sée howe farre foorth Bertram also doth confirme it For besides that which wee haue alleaged out of him for the original and the first practise thereof before the gouernment of the Kings after the negligence of Saule speaking of Dauid chap. 10. Page 56. he saith Moreouer Dauid restored the municipall iudgementes altogether into their auncient order Howbeit but about the last times of his reigne because that being hindred with warres and diuers businesses hee was content with those Iudgementes which for a greate part beeing decayed perseuered but litle constantly in euery of the Cities and tribes euen from the times of Iosue vntill then But yet so that the more waighty causes especially the appeales were referred to him as it appeareth out of 2. Sam. 15.2 But at the length he also restored this part of the common weale so that vnto the Leuites reckoned vp he established to be firm their changable and vncerteine offices both in the holy or Ecclesiasticall policy and also in the ciuill In the ciuill policie hee is saide to haue appointed out of the Leuites 6000. Iudges and praefectes or Gouernors Out of the Leuites the Iudges and praefectes were assumed for this reason That first there shoulde bee certayne out of the Leuites which should bee assistors or sitters together with the ordinary and municipall iudges that were called seniors Who some-times also De plane vt Vulgo loquuntur Iudicarent de rebus leuioribus shoulde Iudge after a playne sorte as is the common saying of the lighter matters such as were the pecuniarie either they alone or taking some one vnto them of the Seniors of the place or City And moreouer that there should also be some other which should execute the matters adiudged Or else that which is indeed the more likely they that were the Assisors of the ordinarie Iudges who also their selues tooke notice of the pecuniarie matters iudged them and executed the matter it selfe that they had iudged He ordained therefore that Chanenias and his sonnes or his posterity should be designed for iudges and Prefects for the outward worke that is to saie for the outward holie offices that we necessarie for the making of sacrifices in the house of the Lord or Tabernacle in Israel that is among the Israelites that dwelt on this side Iordan except the Tribes of Iuda Beniamin and Simeon The number of these is nor prescribed He also ordained out of the Hebronites Hasabias and his brethren that they should gouerne the Western coasts side-long or on the side of Iordan that is on the hether-hand Iordan as well in the businesse of the Lord as in the seruice or ministerie or obeisance of the king In French Pour le seruice du Roy that is in the
what nuÌ„ber they were why those Elders had that number The preceps the prâ—ctise of this Seniory The Leuites with their offices The matters wherin the Elders gouernors dealt * Leuirationis The vniuersall assembly of the Tribes and families Iosues orders for all these Elders * Expeditionem The proces of the story Iud. 19.20 The necessity of a king or one cheefe Gouernour The beginning of these elders corruption The Elders flattery of the people The Concion of the elders Our Brethr. defacing the state of a king Carolus Sigonius de rep Haebrae orum lib. 6. Cap. 2. The Iewes Councels Three â—â—ateâ— of the Iewes then 3. kinds of Conciouâ— Sigonius of the Iewes Senates Three kinds of the Iewes Senates Our Br. will be Seniors of the highest sort The Elders in the time of the kings The Elders since the captiui tie Sigonius The Kinges authority besides the Senate Cap. 5. The Synedrion at Ierusalem Cap. 6. What elders the Iudges of the cities were What princes the Elders were inferior to the SynedrioÌ„ Elders The Elders in the time of Iosaphat These Elderships restored after the captiuitie FroÌ„ whence the Synedrian Elders wer chosen Petrus Galatinus of the processe in the courtes of iudgment Petrus Galaâ—tnus collection of the Thalmudists concerning the Sanedrin * occidere The authoritie of the Synedrian Elders The Elders chosen with imposition of hands The power of the Sanedrin diminished in Christes time They lost their place dignitie after their fals iudging of Christ. The Romanes destruction of these Elders Gods ordinaunce Deut. 17. of these Elders power in iudgement Iosephus Iosephus li. 2. ad Appionem Philo. li. 3. de vita Mosis What manner of persons the Elders were in the Sanedrin The power of the preests in the Sanedrin The order and processe in the Sanedrin The appealants accusation The foâ—me of the accusation in Ieremy and of his acquitall The formâ— of the Synedrion in coÌ„demning Christ. Bertramsâ— confirmation of these thinges â—ert de politia Iudaica ca. 10. pag. 56 The Leuites were the gouernors in the Iewes Senats The matters that the Leuiâ—es iudged Bertram 1. Chro. 26.29 How Dauid distributed the gouernments and bounds of the Leuites Seniories Solomon maintained herein Dauids orders Iosaphats restoring â—he Iewes Seniories 2. Chro. 19. * Ad Liâ—â—m The Synedrion The diuerâ— respect of Eccl. ciuil in one and the same cause The great principality of these Elders Ierem. 2. Ieremie acquitted by those Elders Bertrams 2. example of those Elders power Ierem. 36. Bertrams 3. example Ier. 37. 38. The Elders superiour to the king The state of the tenne tribes The state of the Iewes regiment after the captiuity The speciall time of the Elders gouernment The auth of Nehemias Iosephus antiq Iud. li. 7 cap. The high Bishops authoritie 1. Mach. 12.6 The mixt estate of the Iewes common weale Gabinius erecting of mo Synedrins The SynedrioÌ„ Elders slain by Herod Our Br. assertioÌ„ of the Iewes Synedrion alters al the states in Christendome and bindes vs to the IuÌ„diciall Lawe Our Br. pretence vnder the name of eccl regiment driue at the ciuill regiment Chytreus of the Synedrion When all is done our Br. Elders that are goueâ—nors and notteachers are here also excluded except they will bee Princes Beza in confess Christ. cap. 5. Art 32. Danaetus in Iâ—ag Christ. 3. part cap. 10 Danaeus Confession for the difference of the Iewes SynedrioÌ„ our Presbyteries for gouernmeÌ„t of ciuil causes Chytraeus in Deut. 17. titulo de Iudicijs Three kindes of iudgements among the Iewes The iâ—dgemeÌ„t Triumuiral of thâ— 3. Elders The little Synedrion of 23. The great Synedrion of 70. Chytreus resemblance of the chief Senate in Germanie to the Sanedâ—in The elders of the new Testament How moderatelie Chytreus alludeth on Christes words Mat. 5. to our Senates Our Breth peremptory wresting of Christes words The learned disc pag. 88. Bridges The vse of the name Elder Christe alluded not to the Iews Sanedrin or Presbytery mencioned in the newe Testament By the name Church is not meant Senate Caluinus in 1. Tim. 4.14 Bezaes testimonie that by those elders were meant onely the Ministers of the word Our Br. coÌ„clusion of these Elders Bezaes nip of Castalion for the terme Senate The Presbyteries of the Iewes Luc. 22. Act. 20. Our Brethr. chiefe euidence for their Eldership howe weake it is The power of the keies The learned Dis. Bridges The sentences of christ Mat. 18. ver 19. and 20. not to be restrained to a Consistorie Brentius on Math. 18. Brentiuâ— in Math. 18. How these words Die ecclesiae haue ben abused A small assemblie wâ—ting a ciuile Magistrate The occasioÌ„ of Christes sentence That this rule of Chr. serueth onlie among priuate meÌ„ This senteÌ„ce cannot be vnderstood of hainous sinnes Brentius The Incestuous Corinthian The last remedy is to tell the ordinary magistrate and not to constitute an Eccl. Senate Excommunication A priuate Ecclesiasticall excommunication To whome the proper Eccl. exc doth pertaine Two kindes of Exc. ciuiâ— and Eccl. Cal in Mat. 18. The ministery of the powre of the worde pertaineth to the Minister in the expounding the worde Cal. in Mat. 18. The Minist are publishers of Gods word and setters foorth of his iudgementes How the froward are punished the repentaÌ„t receiued by them that haue the word of God Aretius 2. parte problem Tit. de Excom Ciuil and Eccl. Exc. Syntagma Tit. de clauibus The definition of the Eccl. binding The definition of the Eccl. absoluing The censure of Exc. renued by Christ. Mat. 16. Iohn 20. Tertul. In Apolog. cont Gent. cap. 39. Ext. in the Eccl. history Wherein Victors exc was reprooued What Exc. by Victor was allowed Eusebius li. 6. cap. 25. The Exc. of Philip the Emperour Theodosius of Excom Theodoreâ—us li. 5. cap. 17. Cyprianus vt supâ—a Iunii ecclesiasticus cap. 3. Hierom. in Math. 16. August of excom Aug. ad Auxilium epistola 75. Math. 16. Exech 18. S. Aug. erâ—or in the Infants dying without baptisme Iames. 1. What S. Aug. dissaloweth in this B Exc. Chrysost. Homil. 2. de Dauide Saule How Chrysost woulde Excom the contemners of the word Chrysost. of Excom Chrysost. in Homil. 70. homil 4. in Hebr. 2. The Praesidents and Elders of whome Chrysost. speaketh Chrysost. â—hreat againe to Excom Matst 18. The B. seperate authoritie in excom The excommunicator such a person as may teach Melancthon Kemnitius in exam Trident. Conâ— To. cap. 6. Melanct. in locis com de regno Christi Melanct. in aâ—not locorum com The Churches power of order Iurisdiction The poweâ— of order The poweâ— of Iurisd Aretius Aretius in locis com parte 2. de excomm The definition of excommunicâ—tion The Minister is the excommunicator and the Church consenteth Cyprianus The Eccl. Senate of Gouernors not teachers reiected The example of Saint Paul 1. Coâ— 5. Cyprian epist. li. 3. epist. 16. 2. Co. 11.29 1. Co. 12 2â— Aretius
of them * Carbaso Ceremonies In what extraordinary and necessary cases ceremonies and constitutions may be omitted Womens couering oâ— vncouering their head Womens speaking Praying standing or kneeling Buryall The custom of the region to be regarded in â—hese thingâ— The breach by coÌ„â—empt or contumacy of â—hese things Festiuall dayes Manner of building Churches Singing Psalmes The changing of these thingâ— by euery body is the occasion of contempt Caluineâ— reâ—erent writing of Ceremonies how far dâ—fferent from these our Breeth The Constitutions Actes 15. Why euery particular person or congregation may not alter ceremoniall constitutions True or vntrue principles of vniformity The learned disc pa. 120. Bridges The Apostlâ— decree Acts 15. generall and to be kept vniformally during the time therof Conuersion to Christ. Whether all the Churches were wholy conuerted Whether the Church at Ierusalem were wholy conuerted All the Church of Corinth not wholy conuerted and yet all vniformally subiect to the Apostls orders By our Breeth reason no land nor Church in the world should haue vniformity How our land is wholy conuerted Our Breeth confession that for religion we conuerted to the whole substance therof The land not wholly conuerted Vniformity in other matters the rediest way to win such as are not yet conuerted Our Breeth their selues vrge vniformitie against this principle How we are and are not wholy conuerted to Christ. Our Breeth accusation of negligence Our Breeth too double diligence These sturs moued by our Breeth a great cause that many are not conuerted Assemblies for new orders The learned disc pa. 121. Bridges The Prince still omitted The Elders assembly to consider of orders meet for diuerse places Whether the orders that shal be deuised shal be kept vniformely How the new orders should kept Diuers orders kept vniformly in the degrees of diuerse persons Some ceremonies may serue both olde and young Our br prescription of ordinances and ceremonies to be vsed in generall vniformly The learned disc pa. 121. 122 Varietie of ceremonies Bridges How the same partes of doctrine are not to be taught euery where How ceremonies admit variety and vniformitie much better Varietie admitted in constitutioÌ„s ceremonial accidentally How the christian libertie in ceremonies necessarie to be restified sometimes at all times Things necessary and not necessarie Sometimes ceremonies altered for their sakes that knewe not the difference of necessarie and not necessarie thinges Not only simple persons but learned haue erred in this matter Our Brethr. errour in not knowing necessarie and vnnecessarie thinges Baptizing with a cross and a font The signe of the crosse in Baptisme Baptizing in a font If these ceremonies admit variety then they may be vsed Our Brethr. incroching vpon the libertie of varietie Kneeling at the communion â—neeling at the CoÌ„munion How preaching is or is not simply necessarie at the communioÌ„ How kneeling is or is not necessarie at the communioÌ„ How kneeling at the communion may well admit a decree of vniformitie Calu. in Inst. lib. 4. cap. 10. sec. 29. Ceremonial constitutions for comlinesse Caluine for kneeling Al eccl constitutions either pertaine to rites and ceremonies or to discipline and peace Sec. 30. How kneeling is both an humane and diuine tradition No one forme of discipline ceremonies not particularly prescribed to all ages Wearing the surplusse The wearing a surplusse Of the occasion that some thinke these ceremonies are more necessarie than they be Our Brethr. are not displaced for trifles Displacing of Ministers The chiefe matters wherefore our Br. are displaced Some not displaced but forsaking their calling Faithfull Ministers should rather yeelde to trifles then be displaced for them Our Br. praisiug themselues Our Br. moste diligent preaching Discretion with diligence Our Br. moste seruent prayer Too fiery ferâ—encie Our Br. moste reuerend Ministration of the same The Synods making pure caeremonies Our ministration of the sacraments Our Br. the cheefe causes or their owne displacing The learned disc pa. 122. Bridges The Synods carefulnesse in ordeinâ—ng ceremonies Caeremonies not vtterlie abolished though they haue beene defiled Caeremonies expedient for the time and persons Our Br. caeremonies not expedient for our time and persons Yeelding obedience Intanglingmens consciences To what indifferent matters obedience is to be yeelded The Synods Eccl. censure The learned disc pag. 122. 123. Bridges The Sinods ecclesiasticall ceÌ„sure for faultes and controuersies Faults coÌ„trouersies woulde be still as many worse if not moe thaÌ„ nowe there are Moe pastorsin a congregatioÌ„n mo controuersieâ— A liuely late example of 2. Pastors equall in one congregation Fleeing to Synodes The misgouerning of these newe Gouâ—â—nors Our Brethrens continuall fleeing to Synodâ— The inconueniences by the want of the iurisdictions alreadie established The assembly act 15. The assembly act 15. was not a Synode of diuers particular Churches Ver. 1. Beza in Act. 15.2 Vers. 3. Vers. 4. When a Synod is requisite The Exam. of punishing by eccle Câ—nsure in the aucthority giuen to Timothie The first seeking of redressâ— by eccl Cens. is of the Bish. or Archbishop not of Synods When a Syn. or councel is requisite Danaues in Christ. Isag. Part. 3. li. 3. cap. 38. Coitionis Notice and leaue graunted of the ChristiaÌ„ Prince to haue a Synode or counsell How the generall and prouinciall counc were called holden Particular Shire Synods The learned disc pag. 124. Bridges Particular Synodes Bernar Waltherus lib. 1. miscell cap. 19. The acceptatioÌ„ of the termes Prouince and Diocese ciuilly and Ecclesiastically Our triennall and annuall Synods in euery Dioces As the Synods are limited so are their authorities What great authoritie and in how many things is by our bretheren giuen to the Synodes The danger by these shire Synods To what Synode all this great authorrie is giuen All this authoritie giuen to the particular Synode of euery Shire Though this be daungerous to the state of the whole yet better than to abolish all vniformitie The daunger growing by this authoritie of these Shire Synodes The Synods election of Pastors The learned disc pag. 124. Bridges The Synodes election of Pastors Christes and S. Paules besides Tim. Tit. c. manner of electing Pastors Election without Synodes The exception of Christes example It is not simply euill to appoint a Pastor whom the people before haue not chosen The exception that the Apostles had no certaine places assigned to them The Bishops and Pastors made by Timothie and â— Titus without calling synods Our brethrens contradiction in the election The Synods iudgement in election The learned disc pag. 124. 125. Bridges Act. 14.23 Paule and Barnabas chalenged to themselues the prerogatiue of ordeyning Elders No mention of common or any election 1. Tim. 4.14 Act. 14.23 The proper signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paule and Barnabas ordeyning To whom the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is referred Vers. 21. Vers. 22. Vers. 23. Vers. 24. Vers. 25. Howe the peoples actioÌ„s were ioyned withe Paules Baâ—nabas
here prescribed a forme vnto vs. All their chiefest mourning and lamentation is for this if indéed they weepe and mourne at all and that euery teare be not as they say as big as a milstone For God be praised they are merry inough and in good liking saue that they put on a sower visour of mourning and terrour But since their griefe and al their threats of plagues and destructions are not for our sins or contempt of Gods word but for that we followe not their misconceaued forme of reformation we are the lesse to be moued with this tragicall beginning that they tell vs héere of their mourning and lamenting as those that made their faces looke sadde and pale or for that they would take vpon them as Micheas Ieremie Ioel the auncient Prophets to prognosticate great calamities and destructions to come vpon vs for that we admit not their formes of reformation O would God that we needed to mourn for no worse matter that we néeded to feare nothing else but that But let vs lament and abhorre in vnfeined repentaunce our manifold sins and amend our liues and then recomforting our selues in the trueth of God which we professe and better estéeming and liuing after our lawes and orâ—ers of gouernnment established let vs put our whole affiauncâ— in God that for Christs sake he will extend such mercies vnto vs that he will not laie greater tentation on vs then he will make a waye for vs to passe through the same eueÌ„ to that consolation of the comforter in the militant state of his Church in this present life eueÌ„ that ioy that none shalbâ— able to take from vs til we attaine to those ioyes that we hope for though we cannot yet conceaue them that in his Church triumphant he hath for euermore prepared for vs. Which duetie in semblable manner should now long agon haue bin done of vs did not the hope we conceaued in the middest of many teÌ„pests confirme vs in such expectation of her Maiestie and her most honorable Counsel as that according to their clemency towards the poore ministers and their families but most especially according to their holy and zealous care which ought to abound for the cleane driuing out of the Cananites and planting hedging pruning and continuall preseruing of the Lords vineyard from foxes yea little foxes this ciuill warre as a man may say of the Church wherein so much of that bloud wherof S. Paule speaketh is powred on the ground should by their holy and iust authority fully be ended See how quickly our brethren haue wiped away their teares they say this duty in semblable manner should haue bene done of them now long ago did not the hope that they had otherwise conceaued so tourne their mourning from this semblable manner and whereunto to a dissemblable shewe of that which indéed they did not but made vs afrayed of For if they meant good sadnesse what was the reason that they did it not but made onelie a coppy of their countenance to do it Forsooth the hope that they had conceaued and such expectation of her Maiestie and her most honourable Councel c. Sée againe after they haue not spared to wrest Gods holy Scriptures how vnduetifully our brethren héere also forgette themselues euen almoste in the beginning of their Preface or euer they come to their learned discourse on these matters to burdeÌ„ her Maiesty her most honourable counsell for frustrating their hope and deceiuing their expectation and that they do not that which they ought to haue done should by this time haue fully ended This is a sharp onset that is héere laid vnto their charges for the breach of their duty No maruel though they spare not the lawes nor the Bishops nor the residue of their brethreÌ„ wheÌ„ they adueÌ„ture at the first dash so hardly to challenge both the Queenes Ma. al her most honorable Counsel for not answering their hope expectation as they say that by this time yea long agoe they should and ought to haue done Yea and whereas they say that they conceaued this hope expectation of them in the middest of many tempests how do they not also burden them though with a little more biows as though they had beene the causes or at least the sufferers of them to be tossed in the midst and that of many tempestes But what tempests and those many haue they bene tossed with God be praised her Maiesties raigne hath bene the daies of the Alcions sitting in the neste most frée from tempests of all other parts of Gods church insomuch that it hath euer bene a refuge and hauen to harbour at anchor many other churches that haue indéede bene tossed in the midst of many tempests al which are strangers borne to vs saue in the new birth and commonwealth of the Israel of God and hath denied succour to none and are now our own natiue people yea the pore Ministers and faithfull ministers too and their families also denied this clemency that they onely should be tossed in the midst of many tempests It is said there is a lake in Ireland in the which if a man caste but a stone it causeth tempestes and are these ministers of that nature verely it is contrary to the nature of her Maiesty whose clemencie is knowne to all Churches yea to all the world and to her enemies especially to al her louing and obedient subiects chiefly to godly Ministers be they rich or poore And also her most honorable Counsell are most ready to helpe and comfort any such godly Ministers and if any should offer any wrong vnto any the poorest of theÌ„ would vpon iust complaint quickly help the matter They should not néede to complain that they also deceaued them of their hope and expectation whiche were a great blot vnto their honours if they should so do or should willingly suffer any such wronges to be done And if this be not done of them nor by them suffered to bee done what a greate fault and vnfaithfulnesse is this then in these faithfull ministers so vntruely to burden her Maiesty and her moste honorable counsell with so greate a crime If therfore any of our brethren or any poore Minister haue bene tossed in many or any tempests in these calme daies of her Maiesties peaceable mercifull prosperous and most godly reign it is most likely that there is some matter in themselues that either they are not so faithfull and godly as they pretende nor of so quiet disposition or so obedient to her Maiesties lawes and to their superiors as they ought to be or else there is in them some such other matter as whereby they haue done or do procure their owne trouble And till we enter furder into the examining of the cause we may a while rather suspect such matter in them-selues then to beleue this their accusation of her Maiesty her most honorable Counsell to haue bene the
causes or permitters of their tempestes which they complaine they haue suffered or that her Maiestie and her most honorable Counsell haue not extended their clemency vnto them as they ought to haue done in not satisfiyng the hope and expectation of these Ministers But besides that thus no lesse vndutifully then vntruly our brethren do burden her Maiesty and her most honorable Counsel not so content they charge them further and in a higher matter saying But most especially according to their holy and zealous care which ought to abouÌ„de for the cleane driuing out of the Cananits c. No â—oubt her Maiesties her most honorable counsels care is both zealous and holy because it is so it hath we trust to their habilities abounded in performing that they ought to haue done héerein and euen therfore our brethren offer thâ— another iniury Yea if the driuing out of the Cananits had bene indéede their hope and expectation it had bene satisfied long a-go What Cananits are there remayning that should haue bene driuen out that in such sortâ— as they ought to do and might haue done they haue not done it and who are these Cananits Do they meane the Papists but they are more aptlâ— compared to the Idolatrous Israelits and Iewes not to the Cananits that were méere heathen And although in some sense they may be so coÌ„pared yet were not the Cananites so vtterlye to be driuen out but that if anyâ— would become in religion true Israelits as Rahab and the Gibeonits c. they were permitted to abide notwithstanding the expresse commaundement giuen them to the contrary Whereas Christians haue no such especiall or generall charge to driue cleane out all that haue beene Papistes or superstitious or Idolatrous or Heritikes or Insidels if they were truely conuerted to the faith and religion of Iesus Christe or else how haâ— Christ translated his Church from the Iewes to the Gentiles And so God be praised for it hath he conuerted in these last daies infinite Papists to the Gospell But if they meane those that remaine Papists I doe not thinkâ— that they can shew any such to be maintained in the Ministery Although their wordes runne at large of the cleane driuing out of all Cananits or Papistes out of the realme of what state or condition soeuer they be How much better is it in my opinion and more agréeable to the mercye of the Gospell and to the clemency of her Maiesties most holy zealous care so to abound that her Maiesty hath assayed to haue woonn those Cananits to the Gospell by letting them abide so driue out from them their Cananitisme rather than to driue out al the Cananits except they obstinatly professe themselues to be Cananites to driue out such at least out of al authority and publike Ministery Ecclesiasticall or ciuill or to restraine or punish them otherwise as they deserue although dissembling Cananits can neuer sufficiently be cleane driuen out that shew such outward conformity to the Gospell that they deceaue her Maiesty her most honorable Counsell al other saue God only Quis hominuÌ„ scit quae sunt hominiâ— nisi spiritus hominis qui in eo est As for planting hedging pruning continuall preseruing of the Lords vine-yard from foxes yea little foxes we trust also as becommeth vs and as we haue found by the benefite therâ—f good cause so to thinke that her Maiesties and her most honorable couÌ„sels holy and zealous care hath not a little abounded héerein And this before we shall enter into this learned discourse is a good hearing that they acknowledge her Maiestie ought to haue with her most honorable counsell a holie and zealous care to abounde in the planting hedging pruning and continuall preseruing of the Lords vine-yarde from foxes yea little foxes For when we shal come to this learned discourse we shal there sée that our brethren so abridge restraine this their authority héere in that they their selues haue bene a great occasion if there haue bene any defect that the Lords vine-yard hath not bene planted hedged pruned continually preserued with so full effect as her Maiesties and her most honorable Counsels holy care zeale hath endeuored to bring to passe For vnder pretence of these Cananits and foxes great or little our brethren meane not indeede so much to challenge the Papists as our Bishops and Prelates to be the great foxes and other the poore ministers of gods word the little foxes and in generall al those to be Cananits bee they neuer so zealous protestantes if they acknowledge the lawes and orders of our Church of England by her Maiesty established And to shew this they mention not the open warre with the common aduersary which is the Papist but say they this ciuil warre as a man may say of the church wherein so much of that bloud whereof S. Paule speaketh is powred to the ground should by their holy and iust authority fully be ended And so say I it might haue bene ended long ago had it not bene more by the importunity of our brethren themselues who as the old saying accordeth the Foxe the first fynder haue both made continually reniued this ciuil warre more then either the Bishops or any of vs who haue bene and are conformable to the lawes nowe established or any negligence in the behalfe of her Maiestie or of her most honorable Counsel that thei should be thus wrongfully burdened to haue bene the nourishers as it were of this ciuill warre but haue still employed all their holy and iust authority to the full ending of it And sith they giue it rightly this tearme of ciuill warre which is a great deale more daungerous warre than the forren warre with the open and common aduersarie who hath raysed this so daÌ„gerous ciuill warre We that in all due obedience acknowledge the lawes and orders established of the Churche of England Or they that haue and doo impugne them and who hath contended against her Maiesties and her most honorable Counsels holy and iust authority we or they yea indéede they haue not onely not yeelded to her Maiesties supreme authority herein but they plainly deny the full ending and determining of this ciuil warre consisting in these controuersies to appertaine vnto them but onely to themselues as God willing we shall see when wee come in this learned discourse to the examining of the authority that they giue to the ciuill Christian Magistrates in these matters Now say they when as wee at this time are subiect almost vnto all the afflictions which can come vnto a church blessed of God with such a Christian and happie regiment as to the prophane scoffing of the Hâ—monits at the building of the church as at a wall which a foxe shoulde destroy to the conspiracies of the Arabies and those of Asshod to the false charges of sedition contempt of all good lawes and proceedings like to that