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
of the oâ—der of the church at that time among the Iewes which was forthwith to bee dissolued than for the state of the church that he would erect that shoulde among the christians bee continued But what nowe was this order among the Iewes that Caluin and our Brethren say Christe alluded vnto and looked vpon Moreouer saith Caluine when as the power of excommunication belonged to the Iewes that were seniors which susteyned the person of the whole church aptly doth Christe say that those which haue sinned if they shall eyther proudly contemne the first admonitions or scoffingly exclude them are then at length to be brought foorth publikely vnto the church That the Seniors among the Iewes had the power of excommunication is not in question but what Seniors they were which had that power Whether a chosen number out of the auncients of the people or such as were onely of the Preestes and Leuites I speake it for that power of denouncing excommunication Not but that I grant they had other Elders for other matters But that either or both these Elders represented the person of the church beeing the heades and Gouernours of the church I sée no such aptnesse in the representation The head representeth not the body nor the body the heade And yet the subiectes may more aptly represent by substitution the person of the gouernors than the gouernors may be sayde to represent the person of the Subiectes And no doubt Christes wordes were moste apt and proper for the matter that he spake of For as Caluine sayth of bringing foorth the matter publikely to the church if he had meant of them that were but Elders or gouernours or admit also they were representers of the church yet shoulde he not haue spoken so aptly as if he had sayde if he had so meant tell the Elders or gouernors or represeÌ„ters of the church And not tel the church which is a great deale more improper and vnapter spéech We knowe saith Caluine that from the time that the Iewes returned out of the captiuity of Babylon the censure of the manners and of the doctrine was committed to a chosen counsell which they called Synhedrin in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was a lawfull regiment approued of God and this was a bridle to reteine in their duety the froward and such as would not learne To prooue that there were such a chosen councell among the Iewes to whome the sensure or controlment of manners and of doctrin was committed Caluine heere assigneth the time after the returne from the captiuity of Babylon which councell was called Sinhedrim in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he sayth God approoued it and that it was a lawful regiment and a good Bridle against the wicked I meruell that Caluine fetcheth these Seniors among the Iewes from so late time as after their returne from Babilon And yet hee nameth no time when after their return they were created that we might haue turned to it and séen what persons they were and what office was committed to them Danaeus to make this more cleeare in his foresaide introduction 2. part lib. 2. cap. 10. saith But to determine strifes and as out of Socrates li. 7. cap. 37. may be gathered which example we haue before perused to take vpon theÌ„ to be Iudges and Arbitrators I neuer read that it was the office of Elders or part of their office For although the presbytery or Synedrion of the Iewes which was the same Act. 22. vers 5. 30. And Math. 5. verse 22. seeme to aunswere to our presbytery and iudged oftentimes of certain causes Notwithstanding our Presbyteries do not iudge and therefore are different from those from Iudaicall because those partly had political and partly Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction both at once as appeareth Esd. 10. ver 8. But ours haue onely ecclesiasticall If this which Danaeus saith be true that that Presbeytry Act 22. be the same Presbytery with that mentioned Esdras 10. We finde it then indéede as Caluine saith after the returne out of the captiuity of Babylon But how then doeour Learned discoursing Brethren say The like whereof he willed to be established in his Church Will these our brethrens Seniors contrarie to that which Danaeus saith take vpon them politike and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction both at once And so in-déede these our Bret. plainly say the Synedrion had the hearing and determining of all difficult and weighty matters among the Iewes Here is nothing left out bee it in politike or Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction so it be a waighty and difficult matter And our brethren apply it to vs saying The like whereof hee willed to be established in his Church for administration of Gouernment So that nothing here remaineth entiere to the Prince and nobles to the Iudges and Magistrates for our Gouerning Seniors must haue all or a stroke in all But the authority of the Presbytery Act. 22. was much abridged concerning the Politike Iurisdiction as we shall God willing sée anon And yet who were those Seniors in that presbytery Actes 22. ver 5. Paule sayth the cheefe preest doth beare me witnesse and all the Presbytery of whome I receyued letters vnto the Brethren and went to Damascus to bring them that were there bounden to Ierusalem that they might be punished And in the thirteenth verse speaking of the capteine that kept paule prisoner he sayth on the next day because he wold haue knowne the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Iewes he losed him from his bonds and commanded the high preestes and all their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Councell to come together And he brought Paule and set him before them Here are both these tearmes Presbytery or Eldership 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Councell These were all in-déede Controllers of Doctrine as Marlorate well noteth out of Brentius commending the aequity and prudent doing of this Tribune Who because hee was ignoraunt of the Iewish religion he woulde referre the cause of religion to the Councell of them that were the Prelates of religion So that here this councell séemeth to haue beene all of those that were teachers of Doctrine for such are or shoulde be the Prelates of religion But did God allow of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it were all one with that before mentioned Esdras 10. Wee may well say with Caluine It was a Lawfull regiment and approoued of God But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actes 22. was not a Lawfull regiment nor approoued of God and therefore it was not the same that is mentioned Esdras 10. But a degenerate corruption of it Neither was that in-déede called eyther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sanedrin or Synhedrin nor any such Greeke name or any corruption of that name begun among the Iewes in Esdras time The Babylonians had no dealing with the Graecians Neither the Iewes till after the conquestes of Alexander the great who translated the Monarchie to the Graecians and so withâ—l
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
theÌ„selues it is in this their humor for this Presbyterie What is héere for so excellent and godly learned men to haue alledged this tyrannical Decree or rather this very doctrine of Diuels in this superstitious Council against the law of God against the lawfulnesse of Bishops Elders and Deacons mariage against the verie Antiquitie of the Church which they pretend â—ind yet what is there in this Decree to inferre that this power and Censure of excommunication apperteineth onelie and alwaies to a Presbyterie ioyned with the Bishops But since Danaeus hath alledged this CouÌ„cill let vs sée how this CouÌ„cill directlie euen in this matter of excommunication maketh cleane against him For in the 8. chap. following it is sayd Alipius the B. of the Church of Tagasta the Legate of the Prouince of Numidia did say Neither must that be praetermitted that if perhaps anie Priest or Elder which is corrected or excommunicated of his B. being puffed vp with swelling or pride shall thinke that Sacrifices are separatelie to be offred vnto God or shall beleeue that anie other altare should be erected contrarie to the eccl faith and discipline let him not go vnpunished Valentinus of the first seate of the Prouince of Numidia said The thinges that our brother Alipius hath prosecuted are necessarilie agreeable to the eccl discipline and faith Declare ye therfore what thereupon seemeth good vnto your louingnesse Whether if anie Priest or Elder shall make a scisme against his B he should be accursed It was said of all the Bishops If anie Priest or Elder shall be excommunicated or corrected of his Prelate he ought to complaine to the Bishops adioyning that his cause may be heard of them and by them he may be reconciled to his B. Here both we sée what these Presbyters Priests or Elders were to wit such as celebrated the L. supper also that vpon iust occasion the B. himselfe might excom eueÌ„ these Priests or Elders And if we may gather an argument of absoluing or recoÌ„ciling to the Church which is equiualent to excoÌ„municating we might haue séene before in the 4. chap. that not onlie a Bishop by himselfe but also anie particular Priest or Elder in some cases might doo it Aurelius the B. that propâ—â—ded the decrée against Bishops Priests Deacons wiues which Danaeus citeth said If any man shal be in danger shal desire to be reconciled to Gods altars if the B. shal be absent the Priest or Elder ought to take couÌ„sell of the B. so at his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t to recoÌ„cile the partie that is in danger If the Priest or Elder can absolue the repeÌ„tant partie at the coÌ„mandement of the B. being absent is it not likelie the B. could doo it himselfe being present And if the B. or anie one Priest could thus absolue coulde neither Priest nor B. by theÌ„selues not haue excoÌ„municated the said partie being a manifest notorious offeÌ„der So that by examining this couÌ„cil further it maketh more against Danaeus in this point thaÌ„ for him The like Decrée vnto this for a Priests absoluing restoring a penitent in the absence of the B. is also in the 3. CouÌ„cil of Carth. cap. 32. These CouÌ„cils being about the time of Siritius which Siritius was in the time of Ambrose as Danaeus coÌ„fesseth Ambrose himself without any Presbyterie ioyned with him excoÌ„municating the Emperor Theodosius how is it not apparant that in those daies a B. by himself might excoÌ„municate his excoÌ„municatioÌ„ holdeÌ„ for good lawful But Danaeus to coÌ„firme it better that a B. might not excom by himself addeth the 4. Council of Carth. chap. 22. 23. where it is said that a B. shal not ordeine Clearks without the Council of his Clerkes so that he seeke the assent the sufferance and the testimonie of the Citizens Againe that the Bishop heare the cause of none without the presence of his Clerkes otherwise the Bishoppes sentence shal be frustrate except it bee confirmed by the presence of his Clerkes What is héere that the Bishop may not by himselfe excommunicate The former chap. is onlie of ordeining Clearks yet it doth not take the power of ordeining from them but it manifestlie giueth the power thereof vnto him Though in ordeining a Priest the Council say that all the Priests present should lay their hands also on the head of him that is ordeined But the B. hand onelie on a Deacon c. chap. 3. 4. c. As for this Decrée chap. 22. is but of the Clearkes counsel to the B. And though they say also hee should seeke the assent sufferance testimonie of the Citizens yet in the action of ordeining they haue no power As for the 23. cha requireth onelie the presence of the Bishops Clerkes in the processe of his iudiciall sentences But this proueth not that they ioyne with him in the authoritie of the Iudiciall proceeding and giuing the sentence There is no Iudge can iudiciallie heare and determine anie causes temporal but he must haue his Clearkes and Registers about him to witnesse and recorde the same but neither their presence nor yet their inrolling of the acts giueth them anie authoritie in the Iudgement He is Dominus Iudex for all their presence And that doth the 28. declare saying The vniust condemnation of the bishops is voyde therefore to be retracted of a Synode But what is this to excommunication it is said euen in the next Decrée to that Danaeus héere citeth chap. 24. that the sacerdotall priest making â— speech or preaching in the Church he that shall depart out of the audience shal be excommunicated Might neither the priest nor the Bishop if they saw anie person to vse this dooing obstinatelie mainteine the same pronounce this sentence of excoÌ„munication on him But that the Bishop might so doo in this and in other greeuous crimes we may well conclude by the 55. chap. of that Council that a Bishop shal excommunicate those that are the accusers of their Brethren if they shall amend their fault he may receaue them to the Communion not to the Clergie Héere â—o is the excommunication and absolution made by the Bishop without anie ioyned with him in these actions were they present at the dooings neuer so much And that this was allowable by the ancient custome of the Church the Councill of Eliberis holden almost an 100. yeres before anie of these CouÌ„cels approoueth the excommunicating made by a Bishop himselfe saying chap. 53. It pleased them all that euerie one should receiue the CoÌ„munion of that Bishop of whom being in anie fault hee was Abstentus that is put backe separated or excommunicated But if so be anie Bishop shall presume to admit him he being not yet willing or consenting of whom he was depriued of the communion let him knowe that he shall aunswere these causes among the Brethren with the danger of his estate Concerning Cyprians Epistles we haue perused them
which before they had receaued â—s wée haue heard Caluines prescription Epist. 373. and so continued still in the office or ministery thus repurged And therefore since the masse was taken away and all â—he other corruptions of the Ministerie that were vsed in the popish priesthood an other Ministration appointed as is sette downe in our booke of publike prayer by the godly lawes of the realme and Church of England established which was done so soone as conueniently it could be done forthwith after her Maiesties moste happy entrance into this kingdome this is not truly sayd that the popish priesthood being the greatest blasphemie that euer was was alowed for a lawfull Ministerie vntill by the godly meaning of the sayd parliament Anno. 13. some brande-marke of shame was sette vppon it As though the sacrificing Priesthoode had continued with allowance therof for thirteene yere together of the Queenes Maiesties raigne which was as long a time as before they mencioned for the inforcing of the ministers to studie Yea by this rule it continueth still though disallowed or rather as they say but noted onely with a brand-marke of shame set vpon it So that this is not the taking of it awaye but the continuing of it with more shame to the parliament and to all the states of the Realmâ— that haue marked it with a brand-marke of shame and yet shame not to continue it though we disallow it And this withall is but a shamefull and vnreuerent terme that here they vse in calling eyther the statute or the booke of articles agreed vppon by all the clergie of the Churche of England and approued in the high courte of parliament by al the states of the realme and by the statute commaunded to be read a brand-marke of shame But our brethren to mittigate the matter say the parliament had a godly meaning in making that statute for Priestes that had bin made in the tyme of Popery to professe their consent to the true doctrine agreed vpon in the booke of articles by their publike reading of the same booke in their benefices Yea verily the parliament had therein a very godly meaning and it was also as godly an act â—s meaning of the parliament But saye they how pitifullye that authority was abused which by the same statute was committed to the Bishops in allowing of Priestes that came to doe their pennance by negligence of the Bishops and bribery of their officers the country cryeth out of it and the state of the Church is little amended by it There is no such crying out in the country as are these outcries of our brethren If it be but little amended yet little is somewhat But if it bee not greate that is not to be unputed to the good lawe but to the euill and indirect accidents For it was not pitifull that that authority was committed to the Bishops in allowing of Priestes that came not as our brethren here say to doe their pennance or to haue a brand-marke of shame set vpon them but the statute it selfe more reuerently and rightly setteth downe the cause and order of their act saying That the Churches of the Queenes Maiesties dominions maye bee serued with Pastors of sound religion be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that euerye person vnder the degree of a Byshop which doth or shall pretende to be a priest or Minister of gods holy worde and Sacramentes by reason of anye other fourme of institution consecration or ordeyning than the forme set foorth by Parliament in the tyme of the late King of most worthye memorye King Edwarde the sixte or now vsed in the raigne of our moste gratious Soueraigne Ladye before the feaste of the Natiuitie nexte following shall in the presence of the Bishop or gardian of the spiritualties of some one diocoese where he hath or shall haue ecclesiasticall liuing declare his assent and subscribe to all the articles of religion which onely concerne the confession of the true Christian Faith and the doctrine of the SacrameÌ„ts comprised in a booke imprinted intituled Articles wherupoÌ„ it was agreed by the Archbish. Bish. of both prouinces the whole Clergy in the Conuocation holden at London in the yeare of our lorâ— God 1562. According to the computation of the Church of england for the auoyding of the diuersities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queenes Authoritye And shall bring from suche B. or gardian of Spiritualties in wryting vnder his Seale authentike and testimoniall of such assent subscription openly on some Sonday in the time of publike seruice afore noone in euery church wher by reasoÌ„ of any Ecc liuing he ought to atteÌ„d reade both the said Testimoniall the said articles vpon paine that euery such persoÌ„ which shal not before the said feast do as is aboue appointed shall be ipso facto depriued al his Eccl. promotions shal be voyd as if he then were naturally dead These are the very words of the statute Wherein what could they better haue prouided than whatsoeuer they should ordeyne for the bringing of those persons to the more sure confession and consent of sound Religion firste to come before the Bishoppe or the Gardian of the â—pirituall iurisdiction in the Bishops vacancie in some one Diocoese where hee had any ecclesiasticall promotion or liuing and there before him declare his consent and also subscribe to all the articles of religion which onelye concerne the confession of the true Christian Faith c. Before whom should he haue done this if he should doe it authentically than before the Bishop or the bishops gardian being the publike officers that haue competent authority ouer him in those matters which withall confuteth our brethrens equall authority of all Pastors If the bishops were negligent or the officers take bribes this was the bishops the officers fault not any default in the lawes Wise men should not doe like WilliaÌ„ Summer strike one for another But if the bishops negligence and the bribery of the officers be so great that the countrye cryeth out of it and the state of the Church is little amended it is then so much the easier to be knowne who are the offenders that so pitifâ—lly abused this godly meaning of the statute that authority committed to them and not they to be thus disorderly cried out vpon and that in this vncharitable maner by inuectiue libelles vnder the tytle of learned discourses to be thus discoursed vpon with taunts slaunders defamed to all the worlde so much as lyes in them If the matter be little amended this is not to amend it more but to make it worse for this is naught worth but to norishe malice suspitioÌ„ sclaunder yet the fault not knowne much lesse ameÌ„ded Let the negligence briberies with true desire of reformation as the title of this learned discourse pretendeth
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