that the first occasion of creating one Bishop ouer aboue the rest of the Elders was by reason of scisme notwithstanding it therfore followeth not that it was done for that cause onely or that it was not done of any diuine institution But the occasion of creation of Bishops alledged by Hierom is a coniecture but too vncertain grouÌ„ded vpon no likelihood of reasoÌ„ that for the offence of one Church the Apostles contrary to the Lord his institution should place one Bishop ouer al the Churches which had not offended that throughout the whole world This were very hard Neyther doe wee read at any time that the Elders of the Church of Corinth gaue the occasion of this scisme but that it was taken of the people by reason of that opinion they had of their Pastors and Elders by whome they were eyther baptized or brought to the faith But for men to swell in the vanity of theyr humors with an ouer-prised conceyt of theyr Teachers as also of theyr parents and place of theyr naâ—â—uity and such like singularities it is as you know an ordinary thing among men And yet they for whose sake this scisme was set abroache at Corinth were not at Corinth so that for the auoyding of this scisme the Elders which were to be set in som better order vnder one Bishop were Paul himselfe Apollos and Cephas and such disordered fellowes by whome the people were drawen to such a singularity Without doubt me thinks this was a vayne motion and an idle conceite of Hierome as is also that which he addeth of a decree made throughout the whole world Good now let me aske him this question When or of whom that decree could be made or at least wise how or by what possible means so generall a consent could be obtained agaynst the will of the Lorde in the first ordinaunce of Elders For presently in all the Churches throughout the whole worlde Bishops were aboue Elders both in honour and authority That blessed Paul would change the Lord his own institutitutioÌ„ or if he would that he could it is not likely The other Apostles dispersed throughout diuers regions were ignorant of those thinges which were done at Corinth so that they cannot be suspected to haue giuen theyr voyces to the ratifying of this decree But that we may imagin that this scisme at Corinth came to theyr knowledge at the length that after some miraculous manner they all met together from diuerse foreine and the farthest partes in the worlde I say to imagin all this yet can any man euer imagine that for the auoyding of this one scisme they all would conspire together for the ouerthrow of the Lord his owne institutioÌ„ And much lesse could this be done after the Apostles time that all Churches should assemble and consent to alter and exautorate that which was both ordayned of the Lord and deliuered of the Apostles At the least some of them would haue still receyued the first institution But of the antiquity of this custome we will call Hierome himselfe for a witnes and we shall finde him not onely in this place but also in his Epistle to Euagrius At Alexandria sayth he euen to Heraclas Dionisius Bishops the Elders chose one from among themselues and placed him in a higher degree and named him their Bishop In like manner as if an armie should name them an Emperour And yet by the way I would not the people should here be deceaued thinke by these words of Hierome that the Elders alwaies placed one of their owne companie ouer them There are innumerable examples where the Elders being discarded the people and the cleargie haue elected either Deacons or some others which were not reputed among the cleargie By the which also it may appeare that the churches were not acquainted at all with that generall decree or that they had any such regard therof in their elections of Bishops that they must alwaies choose from among their Elders their ordinarie Bishop Yet be it so and let vs yeeld thus much to Hierome that there was such a decree made then must wee needes say that either they made the same contrary vnto the Lord his institution and so wee must also say that al those fathers al their councels shamefully erred which wee cannot saye they did in anye other thing and we haue shewed they could not do in this or els we must say that they made it in a thing indifferent neither with the institution of God nor against it but in the meere power and sole disposing of them from whome it proceeded And then what are we sillie men that we should once dare to condemne that decree vnto the which all Christendome did condescend Wherefore as before I now againe inferre that this censure was but the priuate conceit of Hierome repugnaunt to the generall iudgement of all the fathers which either went before him or liued after him And therefore when as he knew full wel that it would be obiected against him that this was but his bare censure not the sentence of the holy Scripture he assaieth to make good the same with scripture and therupon he first pawneth Paul his Epistle to the Philippians in the which hee greeteth the Byshops Deacons of that church as also the 20. of the Acts and the 1. of Titus where they which were Elders are called Bishops To the which places before I make any further answer it shal not be amisse to heare what Theodoret saith of this matter he expounding this place of Paul writeth thus they call Bishops Elders for that at that time they had hoth the names as it well appeareth in the 20. of the Acts and the 1. to Titus For with Bishops he ioyneth Deacons when he had made no mention of elders neither could it otherwise be that there should he many Bishops the Pastors of one citty by which means it commeth to passe that they were the Elders of one cittie whom he calleth Bishops But in this Epistle hee calleth the blessed Epaphrodite then Apostle for hee saith your Apostle and my companion in labour So that he manifestly sheweth that he had the dispensation of a Bishop committed to him when he had the denomination of an Apostle Thus much Theodoret Now you shal vnderstand that the error of Hierom and Aerius grew of the not different and confused vse of these titles a Bishop and an Elder as they were then in vse But when as the same thing befalleth the title of an Apostle also is it not strange that they should rather erre in the one then the other For where as Barnabas Epaphroditus and manie others are called Apostles yet no man thereby euer thought that there was no difference betweene them and the twelue Apostles but because the history of the calling of the twelue Apostles and those other which were likewise called Apostles is better knowen vnto them and more familiar with them then is that of the
to be reputed for Doctors of what estate soeuer they be the king shal derogat no more from his royall Maiesty if for the edifying of Gods people he compose any godly worke then did Dauid or Solomon of old who in there time were no les renowmed for their heauenly wisdome then for their princely power Although the Apostle forbid a woman to speake in the congregation yet if shee bee learned shee may write and priuately instruct her familie Wherefore now if we will come to the true vnderstanding of the Apostolike writings wee must with sound iudgement put difference between Pastors Doctors who besides the teaching interpreture of the word did not otherwise intermedle with any thing in the church For albeit in the infaÌ„cy of the church those first christiaÌ„s had no publik professed schooles yet was it alwaies lawfull for Prophetes and Doctors to teach publicklie in the church vnto whose graue aduice the faithfull were no lesse bound to obey then to their Pastors But all this while they had not the power of the Church censure nor the right to redres whatsoeuer was amisse Wee read of Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus that they taught in the church of Corinth but wee finde not that they had there the authority of Bishoppes and Elders And therefore no woonder though the corruptions and abuses which raigned among them were not giuen them in charge to correct or that it was not layde to their charge that they did not correct for there was no remedye they must suffer that they could not remedy and in the meane while expect Paule his comming amongst them Likewise in the Epistle to Titus a man might well wonder why Paule ioyned not in like commission with Titus Zenas and Apollos expounders of the lawe they beeing then also in Creat except it were for this that they were Doctors onely for hee was not ignorant that they were then also with Titus Doubtlesse had they bin of the same order and power they should also haue receiued the same charge And might it not better haue bene performed of three then of one But yet wee see that the Apostle gaue the charge of Teaching there to many the power of Ruling to one alone By the which it appeareth that the Doctors and Prophetes of those times were an aide vnto the Pastors that they taught vnder their direction For indeed it chiefly concerneth the dutie of a Bishop to teach the church committed to his charge by himselfe and by others 〈…〉 such things are there in the Apostles writings 〈…〉 we may take no smal view of the beginnings of 〈◊〉 and of that forme of gouernment which was vsed of the Apostles and receiued of the next immediate ages deliuered to Apostolique men their successors It is very wel â—â—â—ed of Epiphanius that there are certaine histories hidden in the Apostles writings the ignorance whereof many times hath bene the cause of much error in the church But thus it came to passe that the Bishops gaue liceÌ„ce to teach the scriptures vnto those which the Grecians call Lay-men The which thing Eusebius recordeth in his sixt booke the 13. chapter concerning Origen That when as yet he was not priested hee did notwithstanding set vp schoole at Caesaria and was there in treated of the Bishops there abouts not onely to dispute but to open the scriptures also The which thing Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria Origen his riuall did greatly reprehend when as notwithstanding himself was the man that had sent him before into Arabia to the same end neither yet did hee except against him when hee was catechiser in his owne church But when as of mere enuy he cold no longer indure that the renowmed fame of Origen should daily increase seeking all manner occasions to picke a quarrell against him he laid blame in the Bishops that they would seeme to licence a Lay-man publikly to professe the scriptures To the which his malitious cauils Alexander then Bishop of Ierusalem and Theodistus Bishop of Caesaria make answere in these words For that you vrge in your letters that it was neuer hard of before nor is vsed as yet that lay-men should dispute and expound the Scriptures in the presence of Bishoppes In that thing you seeme I know not how to auouch a manifest vntruth For where fit and able men are found that may be any aid to the brethren in the word they are requested of the holy Bishops that they would instruct the people in the same as was Eusebius of Nero at Larandy Paulinus of Celsus at Iconium and Theodorus of Atticus among the Synadines all the which were blessed godly bretheren and it is verie likely although it bee vnknowen to vs that the same thing is done in other places Thus for Eusebius Wherefore albeit the Primatiue churches had not their vniuersity schooles like vnto those we haue at this day yet that they were not altogeather without schooles Alexandria alone is witnesse sufficient which brought out Doctors before Origen Pantaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus and many others Neither is it to be doubted but that custome also was deriued from the Apostles We know the knowledge of scriptures to bee the gift of Gods spirite but shall that therefore take away the exercises and the traueils of deuoted students Amongst the people of God the Prophets had their Colledges in the which Samuell and Elias and Elizeus and such others were Maisters neither was it any disparagement for the other Prophetes to liue vnder their discipline God was neuer the authour of tumultuous confusion but of order nor were the men of God a company of furious bedlames but a societie of sage and wise men of a milde and a moderate spirite They which at this day holde schooles and their orders in contempt are franticke in their owne conceit and ignorant of al good societie and godly ciuilitie nor do they know nor can they conceaue what infinite good they onely doe in all estates Who can sufficiently commend the religious purpose of those men which were the first founders of Vniuersities Are they not the fruitfull seminaries of all good litterature and the holsome nurses of al honourable virtues The which being taken away all humanity and ciuill curtesie would languishe togeather and not that onely but within a short space we our selues nowe learned and religious should strangely degenerate into minds and manners more sauadge and barbarous then are any of the nations But no neede I should digresse any further into the praise of our well renowmed Vniuersities onely this I say that the Doctors and Teachers they send forth into the Church of Christ and whosoeuer els by their priuate labours and diligent traueils in the scriptures haue attained to the knowledge therof ought not by any means to take vpon them any thing in the Church against the good will or without the good leaue of their BB. 〈◊〉 why They are priuate men vnder their gouernance But yet being requested or
notwithstanding most certayne was none of the Apostles Phillip likewise may be taken for one of this order and many other who laboured with the Apostles in the work of the Gospel And seeing it is so plain a case that these all were called immediatly from God and that as we read God gaue vnto his Church Euangelists who shall wee say were those Euangelists if not these Resolue then that those seuenty Disciples were Euangelists and those Euangelistes inferior to the Apostles For why they were giuen as Legats or Lieutenants vnder those graund Capitains to vndertake with like authority theyr taske and theyr turnes And yet besides these the Apostles tooke vnto them diuerse others as fellow laborers with them But in them ther was not that valour as was in those whom the Lord himselfe did choose and infuse with an Apostolike spirite We haue read of Barnabas Iude and Sylas theyr great trauel and no smal autority in the Church In which respect they came neare and were next in deede vnto the Apostles themselues But how might this haue beene if so be the spirit of God had not wholly possessed them as it did the Apostles But we knowe how that they all met that were at the election of Mathias the same day in the same place with the Apostles themselues when the Lord poured forth of his spirite a visible shape And albeit Barnabas was no Apostle none of the twelue yet can we make no lesse of him then an Euangelist one of the seuenty As for Marke and Luke albeit theyr authority in the Church were great and theyr desertes great for their perfect and well penned Histories of the Gospell yet are they not to be reputed with the seuenty Euangelistes by reason theyr calling was by men vnto the Ministery Tertullian in in his fourth booke against Marcion writeth thus Luke saith hee not an Apostle yet Apostolique not a maister but a scholler as he was lesse then his Maister so likewise was he so much the more lesse then an other for that he was follower of a lesse Apostle As for Marke Papias in his Commentaries as Eusebius reporteth in his thirde booke hath left vs this testimony Marke the interpreter of Peter wrote in deede very diligently what so euer hee remembred yet not altogether in that order as they were spoken and performed by the Lorde Neyther in deede did hee heare the Lorde himselfe neither was hee any follower of his but afterwards as I haue sayd became the companion of Peter c. VVherefore Marke did not amisse in this that he diuulged in writing such things as before hee committed to memory seeing aboue all thinges he chiefely regarded this one thing that neyther hee would omitte any thing he heard to be true neyther committe any thing hee knew to bee false Thus saith hee of him And it is well knowen that hee was inferiour vnto Barnabas also in authority for hee was his follower and in a manner his scholler as he was also Pauls and Peters and that in no other order then were Titus and Timothy And yet notwithstanding the name and credite both of Marke and Luke for their faithfull register of the Apostles preceptes is such and so reuerend as that their Gospels are recorded among the canonical scriptures and are equaled in authority with the more exquisite labours of Mathew and Iohn And reason too For in their Euangelike recordes whome had they for theyr patternes or their patrones but the Apostles and Euangelistes So that whereas the Gospell of Ma hew may seeme to bee onely Mathewes and that of Iohn to bee Iohns onely these theyr Gospels may be reputed the Gospels not of Mark and Luke but of all the Apostles and Euangelists In the which thing verily they are worthy great commendations that they sauoured no whit at all of men as commonly they doe which pen Histories but they so nearely and narrowly followed the very spirit of the Apostles and Euangelistes as if the Apostles themselues had beene rather the penners then perusers of so greate a worke Wherefore Luke is for good cause commended of Paul in the second to the Corinth the eight chapter and eighteenth verse when as he saith VVe haue also sent that brother whose praise is in the Gospell throughout all Churches But by these you may easely conceiue who were properly Euangelistes and who not Of Prophets Chap. V. AS wee reckon none in order with the twelue Paul onely excepted so with the seuenty find we not any that may be compared And albeit we doubt not that God could haue added to the 70. others also no way their inferiors yet seeing we haue no record of sacred writte to auouch the same it were hard for man to affirme that there were any such But now when as besides the twelue Apostles and those seuenty Euangelists we read of other also who in like manner haue been honoured with the first fruits of the holy Spirite by what name or title shall they be called or by what addition shal we distinguish thē from the rest Of the number of an hundred and twenty men there remayn fix and thirty stil whom seeing we neither account with the twelue Apostles nor yet with the seuenty Euangelistes it remayneth that wee adorne them with the name of Prophets For this it is which Peter doth insinuat vnto the people out of the Prophet Ioel in his Apology for himselfe and his fellowes namely That the spirite of Prophesie promised of olde to be giuen out in the later dayes was then poured forth vppon that assembly whom then they heard preaching and prophesying in diuerse tongues to theyr great astonishement Wherefore those thirty sixe men which neyther are ascribed into the company of the twelue Apostles nor yet are recounted in the society of the seuenty Euangelists were those first Prophets whom God gaue into his Church after our Sauiour was receyued vp into Heauen In which order as it might very wel be was Ananias of Damasco reputed and Agabus both of them renowmed Prophets Iudas and Sylas are also called Prophets and for that cause are they sent by the Apostles to Antioch to exhort confirme the brethren And I am of opinion that these and such like were properly called Prophets not Metaphorically seeing they did foresee thinges to come by the spirite of God and by the same spirite reuealed things secret and recondite And albeit the interpreting of the Scripture bee a kinde of prophecying yet is that kinde more proper to the Doctor then the Prophet and more truely may a man account Doctors interpreters of the Scripture then Prophets But doubtlesse God restored to his Church in those latter dayes that true kinde of Prophecy which in Israell was familiar from the beginning and in singular wisedom did erect three kindes of Doctors in his Church and gaue them to his new people Apostles Euangelists and Prophets And these were the first Elders and Bishops of the Church of Ierusalem That the
their owne titles In the which notwithstanding we find their posteritie very sparing and that for iust cause namely for that obsequious reuerence and religious regard they had of the Apostles lately deceased the chiefe instruments and ornaments of Gods Church That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuarie Elders to Rule onely in the Church and not to Teach Chap. XI OVt of that place of S. Paul not well vnderstood it is in the fift chap. of the first to the Corinthians there are many now adayes which haue deuised a fond and new-found distinction clean contrary to the Apostles meaning Alâs for them hee thought nothing lesse then of anie temporall Elders to play the bugs in the Church like speciall bailyes for a spurt and be gone whereas in the whole schoole of the Apostles you shall not finde the worst Elder that is not placed in one of the two foresaid formes Generally in all Elders the Apostle requireth thus much That they be apt to teach And 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.9 that they may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improue them which say against it If in this nouell kind we looke for parts agreable to these sure I am we shall neuer finde that dumbe Elders of a yeeres grouth mute to instruct made to commaund in the Church are any where comprised in this forme As for that gouernment the Apostle numbreth among the giftes of Gods spirit it is to bee vnderstood indeed of a singular and supereminent gift For no doubt the right art of gouernment is a rare and a religious thing the which albeit there are scarse anie that will not boldly arrogate vnto himselfe yet is it truly to be found but in a few Wherefore as I rather iudge this so exquisite a gift of gouernement is to be reserued vnto the more excellent order of Elders as namely the Apostles and Euangelists and others the principall Ministers of that time as were Titus and Timothie and such other which gouerned many Churches with power Apostolike And therefore me thinkes that they of all other are farre wide who thinke so rare and singular a gift of Gods spirite ought to be impropriate to so base an order of Elders mute and momentarie which gouerne not long and teach not at all Sure I am that the Apostolike Churches and the sequel of many yeares after neuer interteined anie such kinde of aldermen for Church officers And had not the Apostles and Euangelistes and their associates sole preheminence ouer the Elders of particular Churches in the absolute authority of Church gouernment True it is I find certaine Sages and Seniours who did vsually sit in counsell with the Priests of the olde synagogue who were not Priestes but I reade not of anie in the Church of counsell with the Pastors but the Pastors And in verie deed in the Apostles daies and many ages after there were not in Esse any Christian Magistrats which could consult with the Elders of the Church in matters concerning the Church As for those Elders and Seniors whom we read to haue beene ioyned with the Priests in councell and commission they were the ordinary Magistrates of Israel which lawfully could not be sequestred or secluded from the coūsels and constitutions of the Priestes no more then at this day the Christian Magistrate is to bee restrained from the Sinods and assemblies of the Church For albeit there bee two kindes of gouernement one of the Cittie an other of the Church yet are they both deriued from one and the same author The which also although they bee executed after a diuers manner and that the one proceed of God as he is the creator and moderator of all things and the other of one and the same GOD as hee is the restorer and redeemer of mankind and each of them haue their seuerall ende also yet notwithstanding seeing the same societie is both Church Cittie and the authority of them both is drawen from the same head so likewise are they driuen to one end and come all to the same passe And of this it commeth to passe that they both haue many thinges in common which cannot easily be propounded without a common assembly nor concluded without a generall assent The Minister hath authoritie from the Lord our Sauiour to gouerne the Church the Magistrate from the same Lord our creator hath the like soueraigntie to rule the Cittie The which two diuers and distinct estates so often as they doe friendly consort together in one vnisone direct all their counsels to the same end I say so long the Cittie must needs thriue and the Church cannot doe amisse As for anie other Elders in the Church besides these of the which I haue now spoken and you heard I would to God some man would shew me which be they if there be any such Doubtlesse it passeth my cunning to finde any such Church-bugs or Burgesses in the word of God Doe you not knowe that the offices of the Church are gifts of the spirit and as it were talents of the Lord laid out to loane among men of the which there must one day an account be rendred to the Lorde I tell you it is not at the pleasure of anie seruant in the house of Christ rashly to exonerate himselfe of anie office he hath vnder-taken He that once putteth his hand to the plough and afterwards looketh backe is not fitte for the kingdome of God For my part I could neuer yet read that there was at anie time in the Church anie office temporarie if it were ordinarie I admit that Deacons may afterwards be made Ministers but that cannot be accounted a defection from the office which is the perfection of the same neither is that offfice forsaken when in the same order a higher is vnder-taken they fall not from that they were but rise to that they were not This custome Tertullian sometimes reprehended in his booke De praescriptionibus contra haereticos in these wordes Their giuing of orders is rash light and inconstant sometimes they praefer yonglinges sometimes wordlinges and sometimes recreant reuolters that they may bind them with their titles whom they cannot hold with the truth A man can neuer gaine more or with more ease then in the raunges of recreantes where the onely beeing there is to deserue pay Therefore one is to day a Bishop to morrow another to day a Deacon to morrow a Parson to day a Priest to morrowe a lay man for they giue to lay men also Church offices The place of Ambrose expounded Chap. XII THat which is alleadged out of Ambrose to confirme that kinde of Elder-shippe which some reformed Churches in this our age haue receiued is nothing at all to this question For Ambrose there speaketh of Elders in age not in office Such indeed the Bishops and Elders in times past tooke in counsel with them as did also of old the auncient Synagogue And yet Ambrose bringeth them not into any equipage
the which it doth appeare that by that prohibition of violent dominion which Kings may vse ouer theyr subiects the power of gouernement in the Church is not inhibited by the which one Minister is eminent in authority ouer another no more then the power of the Pastor is thereby intercepted which is ordinary and ought to be ouer his people Will any man say that the Lord hath so confounded those two distinct orders of Ministers that the Apostles should differ in nothing from the seuenty Disciples I doe therefore greatly wonder that men learned should so far ouer-shoote themselues as once to perswade or to be perswaded that out of this place so often aledged to so little purpose the superior authority of Bishops ouer Priests was forbiddē by Christ the which they can by no means do without the reproofe reproch the preiudice and impeachment of all the most auncient best learned Fathers whose persons they may soner accuse then conuince of Tyranny and whose gouernement they may more easely discommend then mend The Lorde his purpose was to take that error from the Apostles which was in their minds not to take that power from the Apostles which he had giuen into their hands That the forme of the Apostles gouernment did not end with the death of the Apostles Chap. XVI THat the gouernment of the Apostles is sayde by some to haue deceased with the death of the Apostles it is neyther grounded vppon true authority of Scripture nor proued by any consequence of reason nor maintayned by any president of the Fathers Neither is it of any greater force nor haue they any greater reason that say the Apostles authority was extraordinary For by the same reason they may at this day deny that any man hath any authority to baptise and to preach If what things were extraordinary in the Apostles they could not returne to theyr posterity may not the same reason serue to proue that ther is no authority left vnto vs after the Apostles either to preach or to baptise I would gladly then hear some iust cause why rather the Church gouernment should cease with vs which was vnder the Apostles then the preaching of the Gospell or the administring of the Sacraments For in them ther was as much extraordinary as in the other This is much like as if of olde a man should haue sayde that after the death of Moyses and Aaron the Priests and Leuites had not the same power with Moyses and Aaron because theirs was extraordinary Wherefore as after theyr decease the same order of gouernment which was vsed of Moses and Aaron remayned to their posterity In like manner the Apostles and Euangelists were a lantherne and a law vnto vs which should come after them of perfect Church gouernement And that which our Sauiour sayd of the Priestes of the Iewes That they did sit vppon the chayre of Moyses and Aaron may be sayd of our Bishops that they sit in the chayre of Peter and Paul that is that they haue succeeded them in the same seate and state of gouernment There are two words which being not well taken may be very offensiue namely Temporarie and extraordinary For it is to be vnderstood that there are not ioyntly to be giuen alike to the whole function Apostolick and euery part therof And yet some are made to beleeue that whatsoeuer was in them extraordinary the same was also temporarie When as indeed whatsoeuer was in them extraordinary was not temporarie For all things in the Apostles were extraordinary of the which many things in processe of time became ordinary Onely those things which deceased with the Apostles were temporarie But what things those were I haue already declared at large And nowe that I may first begin with the preaching of the gospell it were very hard to restraine that to the persons of the Apostles and their age onely For albeit so large a legacie as was the Apostles bee not committed vno any yet is there some such like of the same kinde with the like authoritie That the commandement To preach the gospell vnto all nations the Apostles beeing now receiued vp into heauen doth in like manner bind the Church to the which the Authoritie Apostolique is also requisite Chap. XVII THe command to preach the gospell and the commission to all nations wee vnderstand to bee so giuen in charge to the Apostles that withal it obligeth the church also nether did the charge of preaching the gospell to the incredulous heathen respect the apostles only but al future ages to the worlds end In the last of Mathew when the Lord had sayd that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth and had commanded that they should go forth and teach al nations c. he added I am with you vnto the worlds end Which cannot be restrained to the Apostles onely seeing it concerneth all whom he commandeth to preach and to whom he promiseth his diuine presence for euer neither can this promise be deuorced from the former command and thereby it appeareth that Christ commanded the church also that Apostles hauing takē heauen order might be taken that the gospell might be preached to the Gentiles in all coastes vpon al occasions And verelie if the Apostolique authority had bin Temporarie that also had bene a personal gift and particuler neither would they haue presumed to haue taken themselues companions and co-partners in that Apostolik charge to the which themselues only were appointed of the Lord. But when as they knew that their office whatsoeuer authoritie they had receaued was rather giuen to the whole church then to their sole selues they therevpon were bolde to make others ioynt partners with them in their Apostolike power whom they also knew should be their successors Neither in nature could so great a worke bee finished of so few labourers and therfore also the commandement of the Lord could no further bind the Apostles then for the terme of their mortalitye in the which time the Lorde did not purpose to determine either the promise of his helpe or the preaching of his word The Apostles then had need of many helpers in the Lord and fellow-labourers for the busines of the Lord the which when they could not accomplish themselues they left their posteritie to finish that which themselues could not effect Had the Apostles carried their commission to heauen with them and besides the priuate care of perticular Churches the Bishops whome the Apostles left their successours had thought the further propagation of the gospel did nothing pertaine to them I doubt me the cōfines of Christ his kingdome had neuer bene enlarged to so great a monarchie as it is What neede I remember you of the rare and memorable examples of the thrise reuerend fathers in the Primatiue church With what serious studie with what earnest desire with what constant endeuour and last of al with what great labours and many streaming showers of the bloud of Martyrs
daies did euer either so think or write The Fathers haue testified in their writinges what they receiued of their fore-fathers that Iames an Apostle was ordained of the rest Bishoppe of Ierusalem The which thing also seemeth to haue bene done vpon iust and necessarie occasion namely for the necessary good of the Church For when as that was the mother of all other churches that the Iews resorted thither out of al the parts of the world it ought not but to haue an Apostle resiant among thē so long as might be who might resolue the brethren in such doubtes as were likely to arise among them Although indeede to pilgrime through diuers regions to preach the gospel is most properly appertaining to the office of an Apostle so that they may not abide in one place but where necessitie requireth As therefore the Apostles discharged the duty of a Bishop when as they took vpon them the particuler charge of some on special church namely when the necessity of the church vniuersall did so require neither did thinke they did anye thing therin contrarie to their Apostolik calling so likewse if that which wholy pertaineth to the Apostles be cōmitted to the Bishops it need not seme a thing either vnreasonable or not profitable when the good order of church gouernement doth require the same But whereas the Canon sayth that we should keepe the old custome not the Lords institution it may seme that the power of Patriarks crept into the church of a contrarie custome rather then of any diuine institution I answere that the canon doth not gaine-say that the power Apostolique in church-gouernment was not left vnto the church of the Apostles but that besides or aboue the rest these or they shuld inioy it as namely he of Antioch Alexandria Ierusalem Rome that indeed was of the mere custome and at the sole disposition of the church For those particular Bishops did not receiue their Apostolique power immediatly from GOD as did the Apostles but from the church and by the church the which as it is not restrained to any certaine situate places or persons citties or Bishops so neither is the autority Apostolik Who doubteth but that the Nicen coūcell or any other like to that might haue translated the Patriarkie of the Romain BB. to some other place haue giuen it to the BB. of Rauenna or of Aquiline for good cause if their had bene any The like I say of the Patriarks of Antioch and Alexandria But that the councels of Bishops had this authority they declared then sufficiently when as they made him of Constantinople com-peer in all things with him of Rome By the which also it may euidently apeare that the prerogatiue of the power Apostolique was not giuen by succession but as it was best befitting the commodity of the church by those especial cities And therfore in that the Canon giueth that to custome it doth not therby take from it the diuine institution But that I may return to the next successors of the Apostles and Euangelists Titus and Timothy and the rest whom sacred writ recordeth were ioyned with the Apostles as assistants that they were Bishops had charge of many churches the most ancient and authentike tradition approoueth the same neither are those thinges so far at variance betweene themselues as some would haue them to be a Bishop to do the worke of an Apostle or an Euangelist For this is the common consent of all the fathers that the office of a Bishop and an Apostle or Euangelist are all one onely that the office of the one is more ample and augustious Cyprian in his 10. epistle writeth thus The Deacons ought to remember the Lord himself did chuse Apostles that is Bishops Prelats but the Apostles themselues ordeined them Deacons after hee was receiued vp into heauen Thus saith Cyprian out of whose words we may learne that a Bishoprick is an Apostleship as also an Apostleship is a kind of bishopricke Herevpon the Apostle Peter in the Acts calleth the Apostleship of Iudas a bishopricke And in like maner speaketh Augustine For no man is ignorant saith he that our Sauior ordeined bishops in the church For before he ascended into heuen he layd his hands vpon his Apostles made them bisheps And Ambrose vpon that in the 4. to the Ephesians some were giuen to the church Apostles writeth thus The Apostles are BB. but the Prophets are expounders of the scriptures which may now be called Priests For in a BB all the orders are contained becaus he is first a priest who is chiefe of ths priests and a Prophet an Euangelist to the furnishing of the rest of the offices of the church Theodoret also vpō the 1. to Tim. cap. 3. saith thus Of old they called the same men Priests and BB. but those that are now called BB. they then called Apostles but long since they left the name of Apostles to thē which were indeed apostles but the additiō of BB. they imposed vpon such as of old were called Apostles so was Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philip so Titus of the Cretensians Timothy of Asia All the fathers which succeeded the Apostles were not of opinion that the forme of gouernement they had receiued of the Apostles should euer haue bene altered or exauterate the which verelye they could neuer haue perswaded themselues had they knowen that the gouernement of Titus and Timothie had bene but Temporarie and Extraordinarie But is it credible nay is it possible that Timothie Titus and others vnto whome the like prouince was demised should be ignoraunt of this themselues Augustine expounding that in the 44. Psalme Instead of thy Fathers thou shalt haue children sheweth that our Bishoppes inherited the Apostles as children their fathers And were it not a point of frontles and vngracious in solencie to deny that our fathers had their Bishops and Prelats euen from the Apostles times and a part of needles and superfluous diligence to proue a thing so manifest I might easilie and would willingly staie vpon the citing summoning of many more fathers vntil we were fully compassed with a cloud of witnesses But this is not the question but rather it is nowe doubted whether the ordinance of Bishops bee of God or of men as an order that slipt into the church rather of humaine custome then diuine cōstitution Wherfore of things confessed granted let vs decide and determin things doubted and in question That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apolique tradition Chap. XXI THere is nothing more certaine then this That the Apostles ordained nothing in the Church which they receiued not of the Lord. But they created Bishops as Titus and Timothie wheresoeuer need was in the Church And indeed had not the Apostles created Bishops as they dispersed themselues thorough out the whole worlde how could euer the calling of Bishoppes haue bene so vniuersallie approoued by so general an assent of all
Priests rather by the custome of men then the constitution of God c. I aunswere that it was the priuate opinion of Hierome consenting with Aerius dissenting from the worde of God Wherefore we are now diligently to examin his reasons for that his assertion least wee might seeme without cause to haue forsaken him These therefore are his wordes Before that through the instigation of Satan there were parts taking in the Church and the people sayd I holde of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were gouerned by the common consent of Eldres but after that once euery man thought those that he baptised were his owne and not Christs it was decreede throughout the whole worlde that one chosen from among the Priests should be placed ouer the rest vnto whome the whole care of the Church should appertaine and by whom al occasion of Scisme should be taken away c. That here he saith how that at the beginning the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the Elders I will not greatly stand with him and yet that proueth not that the Bishops were not afterwards preferred by the Lord his institution For then might we not as well say and with as good reason that the Elders thēselues and the Doctors which the Apostles created were not according to the Lord his institution because at the first the Church was gouerned of the Apostles without Elders or Deacons when as yet there were neyther Elders nor Deacons But that the Apostles themselues gouerned the Churches by themselues and some other theyr coadiutors before there were any Elders there is no man but knoweth or may learne to know out of the Epistle to Titus And likewise whosoeuer is of any iudgement or hath not his iudgement blinded may easely gather of the thing it selfe that in those beginnings while yet the Churches might bee visited euer and anone of the Apostles themselues and theyr associats so long it was not needeful they should annoint any other Bishops ouer the Churches the Elders might serue the turne Who also so long as there were no other besides the Apostles might likewise be called Bishops So also I confesse that there was a time when the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the people as in Creete before the creation of Elders and at Corinth and at Rome which afterwards hauing theyr Elders as at Philipos and at Ephesus were then ruled by their more sacred counsel but yet vnder the care and ouersight of the Apostles and Euangelists Wherfore hitherto it followeth not of all this that rhe Apostles as God afforded able men did not prefer ouer seueral Churches seuerall Bishops them ouer the other Elders that they succeeding in place of the Apostles might performe those very same things which the Apostles them selues would if they could eyther haue liued alwayes or haue been euery where resident But in deede what need had they of Bishops so lōg as the Apostles themselues discharged the duty of Bishops And yet when as in the whole world the number of Churches did daily increase so that the Apostles could not stay in one place nor goe to all places of force and as soone as neede was they created Bishops vnto whome they committed that charge as were Titus and Timothy and many other no doubt with the same power and according to the same diuine institution of God by the which before they created Elders But that Hierom saith how that Bishops became greater then Elders of custome rather then of any diuine institution it hath no semblaunce of truth Which challenge I make good vppon him first from the time when he saith this custome began Before sayth he through the instigation of the diuell they began to make sects in the Church aad it was sayd among the people I holde of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were ruled by the common counsell of Elders c. But now those factions began vnder the Apostles and therefore that custome began in good time and the Apostles themselues for the auoyding of scisme altered if not abrogated the Lord his institution The which me thinks were more then absurde to say Our Sauiour no doubt who is the wisedome of his father knew much better then the Apostles what was needfull and commodious for the preuenting of scisme Whome as it did not beseeme to seeme more wise then their master so was it not theyr partes for the default of one Church to alter Gods institution Againe how knewe Hierome that before those scismes brake foorth the Church of Corinth had theyr Elders by whose councell they were ruled It is more likely by Paul his Epistles all circumstances considered that they had as then none especiall and peculiar Elders If any man come in and say that these thinges happened after the Apostles time and that Hierome did not so much respect the Church of Corinth as diuerse others and therefore speaketh not of Corinth but of the people who were fallen into diuerse scismes I come vppon him againe and tell him it is not enough for him to say so but it must bee proued out of approued Histories what those scisms were and how and where and when they began and how from that time this foresayd custome began We read in the Reuelation of seuen Angels the Prelates of seuen Churches of the which one was Ephesus the which as it is manifest had many Bishops before that time as were also at Philippos all which as I haue shewed were Elders also I say therefore that in the originall of the Church there was a time when they had nor Elders nor Bishops besides the Apostles themselues the Euangelists and theyr fellow-laborers as in Creete for the beginnings of all were alike Shall wee therefore say that those Elders were set ouer the Church of custome not of any diuine constitution because the Churches at the first vnder the Apostles gouerned thēselues without Elders or that after they had abused that their popular kinde of gouernaunce that thereuppon the gouernment was committed to the councell of Elders of custome Moreouer if this argument were good we might argue in like manner against the institution of Deacons and say they were not ordained according to any diuine institution because that in the beginning there were none of that order namely so long as the faithful were of one hart one soule and no man said the things he possessed were his owne but after that through the instigation of Satan the Greeks began to mutiny against the Hebrews For the auoiding of contention there were some chosen to be Deacons among them So therfore ordained of custome not of any diuine institution the which how wekely it followeth hee is but a weke man that cannot well iudge For albeit the Apostles alledge som other secundary causes yet it is most certaine the creation of Deacons did chieffy begin of that And therefore I say in like manner that albeit I should confesse
into bad Latine they call Superintendentes and generall Superintendentes But where also nor those good old Greeke nor these bad Latin names are in vse there notwithstanding are commonly certaine priuate especial men in whose hands in a maner is all the authoritie Wherfore now the controuersie is concerning names but seeing we doe agree in deed what doe we contend about names In the mean while as I haue not disalowed the Fathers in this matter which is nowe in question so also I cannot but loue the zeale of our brethren who therefore were out of loue with those names because they feared least with the olde names the olde ambition also and tyrannie should bee called in againe to the ruine of Churches Thus grauely diuineth that reuerend olde Zanchius with whom I could ioyne manie more testimonies if it were needfull of the best writers of our time to confirme this matter who are either wholie of our opinion or very sparingly of the contrary But for this time lonely Zanchius shal stand for the rest least I should ouercharge this smal volume with a multitude of witnesses Of one Bishop in one Diocesse Chap. XXIIII NOw that we haue proued that gouernement of the Church to be of God in the which Pastors are subiect to Pastors and Elders suppliant to their Bishops we are in the sequele of this our discourse to see and examine Whether one Church or diocesse is not capiable of two or more Bishops at the same time of the same tipe and authoritie True it is that the Church of Hierusalem had the twelue Apostles the seuentie two Disciples with the Prophets their Bishops neither are examples wanting of diuers churches which haue had ioyntly together diuers Bishops Epiphanius writing against the Arrian heresie falling into some mention of the Church of Alexandria seemeth to intimate thus much That in that age there was this custome in diuers Churches that they might haue two Bishops at once when as notwithstanding in the church of Alexandria he affirmeth there was no such custome To the which I thus answer First that the twelue Apostles the rest remained at Hierusalem for a certaine time but they were appointed Bishops Teachers not for that one Cittie onely but for the whole world Now for the custome of certaine Citties which at one time had their two bishops what manner custome that was how rare extraordinarie it was we may sufficiently learne by that one election of Augustine who was made Bishop while Valerius Bishop of Hippon yet liued The which thing was done as extraordinarie so contrary to the decree of the Nicene councel But what rule so general that suffereth no exception It is no sin I confesse for one Church to haue many Pastors of equall power but whether it be conuenient it should bee so experience will teach Indeed of old the Bishops being of great yeares sometimes would name their successor and assume a fellow-laborer in office with them and that partly to preuent the tumults which commonly infested their elections and partly also because sometimes the Bishops being disabled by age sicknes were not sufficing to discharge their duties in their owne persons for which cause it was lawfull for the new Elect to supply the aged his place sit together in the same chaire As for Valerius the Bishop of Hippon hee beeing moued thereunto by the example of foreine Churches got Augustine with much adoe to be ioyned with him but how vnwillingly hee vndertooke that place albeit hee were importuned therunto as well by the praiers as by the presidents of others he expressely testifieth in his 110. Epistle Wherein are reported what things were done at the assignement of Eradius Priest to succeede Augustine in his Bishoprike as they were taken by the notarie the people consenting and confirming the same to whom hee thus speaketh I know that you know saith he Eradius to be a fit man and worthy of a bishoprike but I would not there should bee that done by him that was done to me but what was done your selues can many of you witnes they onely cannot tel which either were not as then born or as yet had not the capacitie to know While as yet my Father and bishop Valerius of famous memory liued in the flesh I was ordeined then bishop and I sate together with him the which thing I then knew not that it was inhibited by the Councel of Nice neither did he know Wherefore that which was reprehended in me I would not should be reprehended in my sonne And thus saith Augustine Gregorie Nazianzen in an epistle to Gregorie Nyssen writeth of this custome in these wordes But if anie man contend that whilest one Bishop is liuing an other ought to bee elected let him knowe that these thinges are of no force against vs. For it is manifest and apparant vnto all the worlde that wee are president not onelie at Naziantz but also at Sosrie and that setting apart the reuerence of our auncient Fathers and graue Doctors and those that laboured the same of vs with their vrgent prayers we tooke vpon vs that presidencie as straungers Thus saith Nazianzene By the which we may vnderstand how insolent and extraordinarie a thing it was that one Church should haue two Bishops Epiphanius also made some small mention of this custome that he might shew the cause why Athanasius did not immediately succeed Alexander seeing hee was deputed thereunto by Alexander namely for that the custome of the Church of Alexandria did not permit that hee should be chosen Bishop while their Bishop yet liued Most true it is indeed that both the Bishops and the people were perswaded of this That one Church did admit but one Bishop when it was otherwise Necessitie which hath no lawe did excuse it When Constantius at the request of certaine noble Matrons had called Bishop Liberius from exile and would haue had him to gouerne the Church of Rome together with Foelix who was then surrogate and substitute in his place the people hearing the Emperours letters and scorning the contents thundred together with one voice One God one Christ and one Bishop Cyprian also writing of the lawfull election of Cornelius Seeing that after the first saith he there cannot bee a second whosoeuer is made after one who ought to be one and alone he is now no more second but none at all like manner Ignatius who was in the age before Cyprian and is accounted the second or third Bishop of Antioch after the Apostles reducing the gifts of the onely one God to an vnitie in the Church writeth thus There is one flesh of the Lord Iesus one bloud that was shed for vs also one bread which is broken to vs all and one cuppe which is giuen to vs all there is one Altar for the whole Church and there is one bishop with the companie of Elders The Fathers reason was this because God would whose will is a law to vs that there should bee
but one high Peiest in the old Testament with whome so long as he liued no other might bee surcharged vnlesse haplie hee had defiled himselfe with anie notorious crime or by chaunce had fallen into some vncleane disease which might make him eyther vnapt or vnable to perform his sacred dutie The which although it contained in it a secrete mysterie of the which the Church at this day retaineth no present memorie yet the policie of this mysterie which by no meanes is to be diuorsed from it ought not to be controlled of any that professe Christianitie If anie man heere suppose that by this reason the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome may bee maintained to him I say that he taketh the matter amisse For there is great ods betweene a pastoral prefecture ouer one region and an emperiall prerogatiue ouer the whole world So ample and augustious is that his supreme empire and superlatiue degree in the Church as that it dilateth it selfe ouer all Christian churches wheresoeuer throughout the whole world but was the whole world at anie time demised to anie one Apostle Peter had the sea Apostolike ouer the circumcision and Paule ouer the vncircumcised but yet so as they excluded not their compeers and copartners in the same power with them For Iames also was the Apostle of the Iewes which liued at Hierusalem and in all Iudea but Peter ouer those which were dispersed among the Gentiles onely So likewise Paule limited his sea Apostolike among the Greeks of Asia and Europe leauing in the meane while other prouinces for other Apostles If in like manner the Bishop of Rome had contented and conteined himself within the precincts of his owne territorie how should any man haue accused him of any impious or vsurped tyrannie Againe for as much as it appeareth that the Apostolike traditiō so much as concerneth the regiment of the church and the outward policie thereof was taken of our Sauiour and afterwards also of the Apostles from out of the old Testament so far forth as the condition of time and place the state of the people and persons might permit can there bee any errour in this if the Fathers their successors seeme in like manner to borrowe from the same foundation certaine politike constitutions for the edifiyng of the Church Vpon this occasion Hierome thus writeth to Euagrius And in that we knowe that the Apostolike traditions were taken out of the old Testament that which Aaron and his sons and the Leuites were in the Temple the same are the Bishops Elders and Deacons in the Church I conclude therefore that ouer euery seuerall prouince or precinct which make as it were one Cittie they verie well and worthily placed seuerall Bishops and likewise ouer euery whole cuntry or regiō either Patriarchs or Archbishops or Primates or Metrapolitanes call them as you please moreouer that this was done of the antique Coūcels Fathers to singular purpose well consorting with Gods holy ordinance With the which that I may at the last determine this controuersie of those things which I haue already declared and concluded as well of the offices of the Gospell which were ordeined of the Lord and left vnto the Church by his Apostles as also of the vniforme consent of the Councels and continuall practise of the Church in all ages it shal be easie for all men to know That that gouernment is not of man or from man in the which the Elders ar subiect to their elder Bishops the Bishops to their higher Patriarchs Metropolitanes but contrarywise that the same is diuine and ordeined of God and that as well in the old as the new Testament Of the names of Patriarchs Archbishops Metropolitans Chap. XXV HAuing laid downe my reasons and proofes by the which I am taught to dissent from them vnto whom in other things I yeeld not a litle I take it now time to answere the cursing and cursed slanders of some who casting aside the modestie of ciuill Christians and neglecting the mediocritie of all learned writers do teare like mad dogs and torment the most reuerend names and religious functions of Bishops Archbishops Patriarches Metropolitans as pampred and proud titles antichristian prophane But wil you heare the reasons of vnreasonable men They alledge that the Apostle Paul in recounting the degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell in his Epistle to the Ephesians the 4. chap. maketh no mention of Patriarches Archbishops To the which before I goe any further I make them this answere That those offices are there comprised and contained in the names of Apostles Euangelists and in the 12. to the Rom. verse 8. in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruler or he that ruleth and in the first to the Corinthians the 12. chap. and 28. verse in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gouernors by all which tearmes and titles the sacred order of superior Pastors are vnderstoode But that the aforesaid offices of Apostles Euangelists are perpetuall wee haue already proued and it may also sufficiently appeare by the sequele of that enumeration of those offices namely when he setteth down to what end our Sauiour gaue to the Church some Apostles and other Euangelists Was it not for the work of the Ministery for the edification of the body of Christ So that so long as the Church is to be edified so long those offices are to be continued in the Church which are there conteined If the Church could haue beene edified without them they should neuer haue ben ordeined in the Church But againe that part of them are thought to be temporal part particular that thought is ouerthrown by the onely end of that for the which they were ordeined which end is to be sought for continually of all the faithful euen vntill the comming of the Lord. For are they not still to edifie by these offices to grow together into one mystical body of Christ Now albeit the office of bishops archbishops primates patriarchs doth not extend it selfe so far as did the office of the twelue Apostles neither are they inriched with the like treasure or measure of the holy Ghost yet are wee to consider that this difference is in the qualitie not in the quidditie of the same function in the measure not in the matter of their commission And therfore whom at this day we call Bishops Archbishops Paul the Apostle called Apostles for that as we haue said they are ioyned in the same combinatiō made partakers of that cōmission And for this cause the calling of Archbishops Patriarchs hath beene alwaies called and is yet to be accounted Apostolike in all places Yet for as much as these names and titles doe seeme in some mens eyes to be puffed vp with the tumors of pride and ambition let vs take a further view of those principall obiects and friuolous obiections by the which they are cast into this no lesse straunge then strong
the old Testament framed to him selfe a peculiar cōmon wealth the which although afterwards it might receiue diuerse formes of gouernement yet he did alwaies so prouide for the honour of the Priesthood that they alwaies retained that degree of dignity which the Lord would haue them maintain among the people of God God vnder the Gospell hath impropriated no peculiar people neyther hath he planted any certaine forme of gouernment He sent vnto all nations preachers of the Gospell priuate men without any warlike accutrements Them he appointed not to alter any form of gouernment least they might seeme to be sent rather for the subuersion then for the conuersion of the Gentiles And yet this hindereth not but that they may take vppon them a greater state and better beseeming the worthines of theyr calling where Religion it self is aduaunced by publique authority and in wisedome is made the ground-work both of the lawes and the common wealth In the old lawe the Priests Honor was especially set downe what how great after what sort in what things it should consist In the new Testament that limitation coulde not bee layd forth because it could not would they neuer so faine be like it selfe or the same among all people in all places at all times But as good christians doe take vnto them selues many other imitable examples out of the old Testament and the law of nature and the orders of nations by the which they may the better be brought vnto a ciuill conformity and a conformable ciuility of life so likewise ought we to doe in this case The minority vnder-reckoning of the ministery is not so held in the iudgements of those christians that haue their cōsciences acquainted with diuine causes but in the sight of carnall professors and the censure of the Churches enemies All indifferent harts eies may see and conceiue that how much greater Christ is then Moyses and the Gospel more excellēt then the law so much more honorable is the Euangelike ministery then the Aaronicall Priesthood the which we are abundantly taught by the manifest arguments of the Apostle Paul we may very well learne by the manifold Sermons of our Sauiour Christ Of old among the people of God it was for good cause held a great matter for any man to be like vnto Moyses or Elias For after the receite of the law and his familiar conference with God in the mount the face of Moyses is sayd to haue ben so radiant with passing all wonderous bright some rayes that the eyes of the amased Israelites by no means might indure the Sun bright lustre of his resplendent countenaunce After him was Elias no lesse honored and renowmed as well for his wonderfull acts atchieued in the zeale of God his law as also for his miraculous end translated aliue into the Paradise of Heauen Notwithstanding all this the Apostle in his latter to the Corinthians doth learnedly maintaine that the Ministery of Moyses was of the letter and of death but the Ministery of the Gospell of the spirite and of life and so much the more glorious As for the rest our Sauiour himselfe preferreth Iohn Baptist alone before all the Prophets whom he affirmeth to be more then a Prophet and yet he resolueth that the least Minister of the Church is greater then hee And therefore if Christ may be Iudge the least Minister of the lowest degree in the Church is more honorable to be honored more in his office then are any or al the Priests of the old Testamēt As for the low titles the Lord gaue to his Ministers for bidding the glorious insignes of honor as of Lord Father and Doctor I aunswere that it was not done that the Ministers should be of lesse honor among the people then were of old the Priests Leuits or that they should be debased beneath all estates be of no esteem in a christian common wealth but rather that they might retain a lowly an humble conceit in so lofty so honorable an estate For vnlesse the Lord in wisdome should temper keep vnder the ouer-weaning waiwardnes of mans nature euen in his dearest seruantes Such is the excellency of the Ecclesiasticall calling that the conceit thereof might easely ouercharge light mindes with lofty thoughts sodenly ouerturne rash heads into ruined estates But as humility is taught them in their inglorious titles so is their excellency taught vs by their magnificall statues For are not these they which are called the Salt of the earth the Light of the world Stars in the firmamēt Angels and Legats Stewards dispensers of the mysteries of God Ministers of the spirit of life what and how great is that honor and power they haue receiued of the Lord that they can binde and lose in earth what things are bound and losed in Heauen that they can remit and retaine sins that they can open and shut the highest Heauen Can there be any thing giuen to men more Honorable in this mortality As for the vse of those names Doctor Lord Father we will speake therof hereafter Now that I may determine this disputation of those things we haue here set downe I conclude That christian people are no lesse deuoted to their Pastors in al duty then were of old the Israelites to their Priests and Leuits And Where christian religion is publikely authorised that there the same degree of honor is to be giuen to the Ministers in the common welth which was vsed to the Priests Prophets among the people of God But if so be it so fall out that among vngodly people vngracious Magistrats there be no reuerend regard had of this honor due to the Minister that there the professors be not offended therewith seeing the worthines of ther Ministery is such as that no iniury of man can any waies diminish it For it becommeth them to be at this point with themselues that if so be the honor due to their ministery be giuen them they may reioyce in the religious godlines of the faithfull towards God but if it be denied them they may not grieue thereat as if them selues had lost any thing Neyther are they greatly to contend with the Magistrate for their right especially at any intempestiue season but they are to commit their causes vnto God and with Paul to expect a more conuenient time to expostulate In the mean while let them pray vnto God that he would vouchsafe thē better mindes that would be accounted for good christians The chief care of a faithfull Pastor must be this to gaine many soules vnto Christ not much riches or many honors First let them seek the kingdome of God and al these things shal be cast vppon them Wherefore seeing there are many parts of that honor which is due to the Minister I will chiefely prosecute those which the ciuil society of life doth require in a christian cōmon wealth and that aboue all others which consisteth in the maintenance of
the same not that which is necessary but that which is voluntary Vppon which ground I hold this for a sure principle that that Priesthood or Bishop doth both against the honor and the honesty of the sacred ministery whosoeuer without commaund of supreme autority or constraint of extreme necessity shal take vppon him any seruice of war eyther as leader or as souldier But when such time and places betide as shall exact this at our handes we are vnwillingly to yeeld to vnwelcome necessity Theodoret in his second Booke the third chapter writeth of one Iames Bishop of the Citty of Nisib which of som is called Antioche Migdon that he was vppon occasion both Bishop and Captaine of the same his Citty the which by the helpe of God he manfully defended against Sapor King of Persia and deliuered the same as well with his prowes as his prayers The same Theodoret in his fourth booke the twelfth Chapter recordeth as much and much more of the warlike power and prowes of Eusebius Bishop of Samosis who mannaging himselfe with all manner warlike abilements ranged along throughout Syria Phenicia and Palestine wher he erected Priests and Deacons and performed such other Eccesiasticall pensions Neyther did I euer read of any that found himselfe offended with this action or thought his action offended against that Canon I doe not so thinke nor will I say so much of Theophilus and Cyrillus Bishops of Alexandria who tooke vppon them a secular principality ouer that Citty the Emperour not noting it but not commaunding it As for the Canon which Cyprian citeth I must needs confesse that I cannot attayne vnto the reason thereof onely this I am assured of that it was but a particular and a prouinciall decree seruing onely for that time and that place For no doubt to take charge of Widowes and Orphanes is an especiall worke of piety and commaunded of God in euery place of his Lawe and so that they incurre no small blame that deferre to take vppon them not the patrimony but the patrociny of such For good cause therefore was the old custome continued in the Chuch that Bishops should be the patrons of Widowes and the Fathers of Orphanes and that they especially before all others were to take charge of them without any shame to theyr calling without any breach of the Canons You shall heare how the Councell of Sardis doth allowe and recommend the same in plaine wordes For this is the speeche which Osiris then Bishop there made Much importunity and too much confluence with vnlawful sutes hath brought the matter to this passe that we haue not so much either fauor or credit committed vnto vs whiles there are some which cease not to repayr to the Court of the Bishop and especially they of Africa who as we know reiect and contemn the wholesome directions of our most holy brother and fellow Bishop Gratus Who do not only present diuers and sundry matters not materiall to the Church as many times it commeth to passe that widows orphans and the poore might be succoured but they doe further craue for certaine secular dignities and ciuill offices This bad order therefore stirreth vp not onely much muttering but many offences also Notwithstanding this is a commendable thing that Bishops should be a meanes for those which are oppressed with wrongfull violence as if so bee a widow be molested or an orphan defrauded and yet so that these parties haue some iust cause of complaint and some honest petition to praesent Wherefore if it so please you my beloued brethren let this be a decree that Bishops come not to the Court except happely they whom the Religious Emperour shall by his letters inuite But because oft times it commeth to passe that they which suffer wrong flye to the Church for succour and they also which doe wrong and are adiudged therefore to some I le or exile or in deede what sentence of iudgement soeuer they receiue they ought here to be relieued and without al doubt their pardon to be craued Therefore if it so please you as I haue sayd so let it bee decreed They all gaue a placet and let it be enacted This Canon containeth a certaine exposition of the sixt Canon of the Apostles and it teacheth vs what secular cares a Bishop or a Priest may vndertake and what not The Bishops in this point were imitators of their Fathers the Prophets which alwayes gaue their helping hand to widdowes orphanes and other afflicted people Doe we not read how fatherly and friendly the Prophet Elizeus greeteth the Sunamite after his entertainment 2. Reg. 4. VVhat wouldest thou that I should doe for thee is there any thing to he spoken for you to the King or to the Captaine of the host Nor neede this seem to any man any such a strange duety of religion that Bishops or other Ministers should repaire to Princes to intreate for the distressed Ambrose vndertaking an honorable Embassee for Valentinian the Emperour being yet a child to Maximus the tyrant spake thus in his case as himselfe reporteth to Valentinian in an Epistle VVhom sayth he ought Bishops rather to defend then orphanes For it is written Iudge the cause of the fatherlesse and defend the widow and deliuer him that suffereth wrong and in an other place Ye Iudges of widowes and fathers of fatherlesse As for that which is vrged from the example of the Apostles ther is no childe so simple so to conceiue therof as if when the Apostles had once chosen Deacons the care of the poore and the widow did no more pertayne to them I noted before how the necessity of the poore was commended to Paul and Barnabas after that and we reade how Paul also caried the beneuolence of the Corinthians and other Churches to Hierusalem Wherefore to conclude if it be lawfull as it is for bishops and Pastors and that according to the rules of charitye to imploye their labour in outward affaires and to detract some what from that time which otherwise were to be spent in reading of holy writ and other sacred trauels and that onely for our priuate necessities or our neyghbours what labour shall we thinke too much or what paines not to be performed in the commendable affaires of the King or common wealth for a publique necessity and a greater commodity Chap. XVII What a fee is and what are the conditions thereof NOw it remaineth that I make answere for those Church goods which are held in Fee of which terme before the irruption of the more barbarous nations into into the Romain Empire there was no wher any mention that phrase taking his original frō the Goths Vandals and Longobards What may be the etimology thereof and what is signified thereby the learned at large discourse discusse whose iudgements and opinions it were now too long to repeate But for our purpose this is enough and this is a cleare case that a Fee with the Lombards doth signify a priuiledge
and more-ouer he commandeth that the execution of their iudgements be done by his ciuil iudges By reason of the statute of Praemunire as they call it against the which whosoeuer offend they are punished with is a matter of verie great daunger in England for Church-men to inuade the office of the ciuill Magistrates and therefore there is kept a most circumspeact distinction betweene the affaires of the Ciuil and the Ecclesiastical Court If at anie time anie of the Bishops or anie other of the cleargie are thought meet men to vndertake any ciuill charge they doe it not by the especiall commaundement and commissiō of the King vnder the broad seale of England But those charges are alwayes accompanied with some honour so that they may be accounted rather a help then a hurt to the proceedings of the Gospell as are the offices and dignities of a priuie Counseller a Commissioner a Iustice of peace and such like Neither as I doe thinke will any man of sound iudgement say that those charges are eyther imposed vpon any Cittizen without the chiefe Magistrate or if they be so imposed that they can of any man be deposed or laide aside If any man except that this is more abhorring from the office of a Bishop then was of olde the charge of the poore from the which notwithstanding the Apostles did abdicate themselues because they could not attend vppon that and their owne charge too and therfore vrge that it is not possible for Bishops that they should discharge both charges well for which cause they ought to sequester themselues from the one I answer first that the Apostles did not so far foorth discharge themselues of the poore mans boxe that that they thought it not appertaining to them to haue any further care thereof for they alwayes continued patrons of the poore as doe the Bishops also whom we will not so intangle with ciuill causes that they forsake their owne but that as it especially concerneth their office vpright dealing and sincere charitie may bee maintained among them whose soules health is committed vnto them But how much a godly and diligent Bishop may doe in this matter Austine alone may serue for many examples who wrote so many excellent volumes when as yet he imployed no small part of his time in these troublesome affaires Whose words I will heere infer for that they inforce a sufficient confutation of this their cauill I call the Lord Iesus witnesse to my soule saith hee in whose name I boldly speake these thinges that for so much as concerneth my commoditie I had rather worke euerie day with my hand as it is vsed in wel ordered Monasteries and reserue the other houres free to read and to pray and to exercise my selfe in the Scriptures then to sustaine the tumultuous perplexities of other causes in determining secular controuersies by iudgement or in taking them vp by arbitrement To the which troubles the same Apostle hath appointed vs not of his owne will but of his that spake in him The which notwithstanding we read not that he himselfe susteined for indeed the course of his Apostleship stood not with it Neither did he say If therefore you haue any secular controuersies bring them before vs or appoint vs to giue iudgement of them but those which are least esteemed in the Church set them vp saith he And I speak to your shame is it so that there is not any wiseman among you which can iudge betweene his brother but the brother goeth to lawe with the brother that before infidels Wherfore those wise men which were resiant in some certaine place beeing faithfull and godly not those which discoursed this way and that way for the Gospel sake I say such would hee haue to bee the examiners of those matters For which cause it is no where written of him that he at any time attended vpon any such busines from the which notwithstanding we cannot bee excused albeit wee bee of the number of those which are least esteemed because he would haue those also set vp if wise men were wanting rather then that the controuersies should bee brought into the open and ordinarie Court The which labour notwithstanding we vndertake not without comfort in the Lorde for the hope of eternall life that we may bring forth fruit with patience Thus saith Augustine whose reasons in my iudgement may satisfie any reasonable man verely they satisfie mee neither can I finde anie thing to mislike in this action of his This is one generall maxime in the rules of Christianity That whatsoeuer wee reade in the word of God eyther forbidden beeing not euill of his owne nature or commaunded beeing of it selfe not good in those thinges Christian charitie dispenseth and disposeth of the matter as the time the place and the cause doth require Vnto the which whosoeuer doth refuse to subscribe he doth it of stubborne and froward hypocrisie not of any religion or deuotion he hath of the precept Neyther is the Diuines rule vnknown concerning those things which are bidden or forbidden in the word of God namely That some thinges are forbidden because they are euill and some thinges are euill because they are forbidden suppose for some especiall purpose And againe on the contrary part That there are some things commanded because they are good and some thinges therefore to bee accounted good because they are commaunded by God who requireth such thinges of men for some especiall causes Now those things which are of the first sort and section are vnder a constant and perpetual law and not to be changed by any means but there is not the like condition of the other sort neither do they bind anie man any further then the reason and occasion of the law doth require Examples of this matter wee haue in the obseruation of the Sabaoth and the vse of the Shew-bread of the which it was not lawfull for any man to eate but the Priests onely besides many other things of like nature which we read to be either commaunded or condemned In this our case it is no crime to be a King nor to be a Magistrate a capitall sinne And therfore the reason of the commandement abating the thing it selfe abideth free and it remaineth lawfull for Princes and other Magistrates to be of power to command the Bishops of the Church in a Christian common-wealth those things which would rather be an aide and an ornament then any hurt or impediment to their holy calling I speake of calling in generall not of any one mans calling which haplie may be hindred and shall haue neede of others which may helpe him but of all theirs which are in the same calling vnto whome there ariseth any honour and authoritie from the rest So that if all things be throughly examined and all commodities with all discommodities compared together which may any waies accrue vnto the Church and common wealth I doubt not but that which wanteth in one parte shall be requited
that there had beene no other kingdome to bee expected No doubt the calling and state of the Apostolike function was for iust cause great and honourable and their authoritie in the spirituall kingdome autentike and inpregnable and yet all that did not aduaunce them aboue the state of priuate men in the common-wealth and being priuate hee would not haue them president therein And verely these thinges were thus ordained of GOD in a verie prudent manner and vppon a verie especiall purpose For why should anie occasion bee giuen for the heathen to cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell as a thing seditious to the gouernement and pernitious to the common-wealth The Lord without doubt did in great wisedome foresee that the wicked would bee ready to picke many quarrels at the doctrine of the Gospell when as notwithstanding all this there is no politike Philosophie no imperiall constitution that doth more strictly binde the consciences of men vnto subiection and obedience then the doctrine of the Gospell doth The principles of Philosophie and the lawes of Nations doe permit many thinges against Tyrants which the Religion of Christ doth flatly inhibite But the prudent aduise of this precept of Christ wil more manifestly appeare if wee shall for a time but imagine the contrarie namely that the Apostles had followed that errour in the which they were found and then let vs admit that the whole worlde had beene wonne and wasted by them with warre and robberie for they must of force haue followed that forcible course which that renowmed theefe Mahomet kept a course farre differing from the means and manners of our Sauiour Christ But should not thus the Iewes haue bene confirmed in their errour And should not by these meanes iust cause haue beene giuen to the Kings of the earth to haue armed themselues against Christ and his Gospel After the subuersion of Hierusalem there was a diligent inquisition made by the especiall commandement of Vespasian if anie could bee found that were of the stocke of Dauid For the Iewes notwithstanding their ouerthrowe gaue not ouer their hope still expecting their Messias They did see that the times which Dauid had foretold were then fulfilled and thereupon they did argue that the Messias was borne and that the time was now at hande in the which the Romane Empire should impaire and themselues preuaile The which thing gaue the occasion that so great and cruell a persecution was afterwardes raysed against the same Nation The like we reade of Domitian who had the posteritie of Dauid in no small iealousie For casting the worst and fearing least some new Messias should arise and break the scepter of their Romane Empire he caused inquirie to be made after all that were of that kindred Wherupon one Iocatus by name brought before him the nephews of Iudas who was the Lord his brother according to the flesh who did not only draw their pedegree from Dauid but were thought to be very nearely allyed to the Lord himself But when they were examined what possessions they had and of what wealth they were were found to be of very mean estate the hardnes of their skinnes warranting the labour of their hands and when they further vnderstood howe they beleeued that the kingdome of Christ should not bee an earthly Monarchie but an heauenly Hierarchie neither yet that he should come before the consummation of the worlde to iudge the quicke and the dead They were foorth-with reiected base and simple men and were without suspicion set at libertie In like maner no question the priuate estate of the first Apostles was both a testimonie vnto them of their innocency and a safe conduct among the nations for their security But what would not the Romaine Caesars and other like Magistrates haue doone if the Ministers of the Gospell had bene sent and set forth with power of warre and other abiliments of like power These the precepts of our Sauiour may therefore worthely be alledged against the tyrannique Bishoppe of Rome who chalengeth the right of all Empires and holdeth the Romaine Empire as his proper fee but they cannot be alledged against those Bishops which liue subiect vnto lawes and Magistrates and keepe themselues in a proportionable order with other Cittizens Wherefore where the Gospell of Iesus Christ is honorablie receaued by publique authority how should this abatement of our Sauiour be wrested against all Bishops that they should not be in that reuerend account vnder a Christian Magistrate which the lawes of all nations and euen the very lawe of nature it selfe and the written lawe of God also doth expresly award them As for those places of scripture about the which we now contend this only may be gathered That the Pastors of churches in respect of their ministerie haue no power ouer the bodies or goods of Christians Neither that they can chalenge vnto themselues those rights which God hath placed in the power of the Magistrate onely But that the same Magistrate in no place at no time for no cause may commit no portion of the Common-wealth vnto the Bishoppes of the Church it is not as yet prooued neither can be if I bee not deceiued Chap. XXII That the Pastors of the Church for the necessitie of the Common-wealth may attend some times vpon worldlie affairs IF it bee allowable to detract some part of that time which otherwise were to be imployed in the studie of the Scriptures that the Minister of the Church may the better prouide for the priuate good of his owne familie much more may the same bee conuerted to the good of the Common-wealth the man beeing able to assist the same either by his aid or his aduice Where either the want or the vnwillingnesse of anye Church is such that either it cannot or wil not afforde the Minister his due honour it is lawfull for him to haue recourse vnto the labour of his hands Where-vpon the Elibertine councell often-times pretermitted Bishops Priestes and Deacons to trafficke for their better maintenance The which thing is also allowed by diuerse other Canons which I suppose superfluous to rehearse seeing that one instaunce of Paule may suffice for all But nowe if so bee that priuate necessitie may priuelege the detenee of the Ministerie what may publique necessitie doe And yet if at any time the Minister bee exercised for his priuate commodity in base and wretched busines thereis no man greatly offended with it But if hee bee imployed in any honest and honourable affairs of the Common-wealth now a daies there is no man that dooth not inuie it and inuey against it And whence for Gods-sake is this of deuotion from loue or from enuie I say not these things as if I thought that Bishops or other Pastors were rashly to bee incombred in their holie course But where the necessitie or greater commoditie of the Church or Common-wealth dooth require the same there is nor reason nor religion against it Are not Bishops Cittizens also and
is not the Church But this distinction hath no place in a Christian people In times past when christians were mingled with the heathen as at this day they are among the Mahometists it was then of force a part by it selfe and it might be said the Church is in the Common-welth as the people of Israell were sometimes in Aegypt or at Babylon I touch not now that state of a Common-welth in the which the head-strong people are distracted into diuerse factions and the headlesse Churches are dismembred vnder the same Magistrate That is a waightie matter indeed and such as requireth a proper treatise of it selfe But where the whole nation hath giuen their names vnto Christ and there is no man which is not sprinckled in his Baptisme there doubtles the Church is the Common-wealth and the Common-wealth the visible Church vnder the which who so supplieth whether in respect of the one onely or in regard of both names the order appointed by God being kept and those things remaining diuerse which in nature are distinct there is nothing in the Gospell that forbiddeth the same In that a man is Pastor of the people or Bishop of the Church hee holdeth of Christ in that hee is a subiect and a tenaunt to the Common-wealth hee holdeth of the Prince that he may performe his dutie to both these he is not constrained to giue ouer either of these the same man may giue vnto Caesar those things which are Caesars and neuerthelesse performe that vnto God which is due vnto God A Bishop as hee is a Pastor doth owe vnto Christ a vigilant care ouer the flocke committed vnto his charge and as hee is a subiect and free Cittizen hee oweth vnto his Prince faithfull obedience dutiful homage and all other kinds of lawfull seruice If it should so fall out at this day as it hath doone full oft and full well that some noble-man holding in fee of the King should bee called vnto the Ministery as one which hath sufficient learning and no lesse deuotion the doctrine of the Gospell doth not prohibit that such a man should be made a Bishop and yet retaine his free holde and the royalties belonging there-unto Alwaies to bee considered that the lawes of the Common-wealth permit the same Neither is there any cause why any man should thinke that this Bishop would be caried away with his secular affaires from his pastorall charge For if there be any feare of God in him and if he haue any care of the Church hee will honestly and may easily prouide that such things be discharged by his seruants and wil gouerne his Church himselfe We see that noble-men haue the surplusage of as much time from their secular affairs to dispend in idle repasts as might well suffice a Pastorall charge And therfore it is not the possessions of the Kings farms and fees which do so alienate a man as that he cannot be both Lord of them and a good Bishop too And therfore if any christian King shal thinke it behooful either for the honor of his estate or the stay of the Cōmon-wealth that certain BB. of the church shuld hold in fee either manors or honors by their priuilege I cānot find that ether he is forbidden to grant demise or that they are commaunded not to receiue inioy the same And that which I read not to be prohibited I vnderstand to be permitted nether can that be preiudicial to the Church which is beneficial to the cōmon-wealth especially when the Church is the Common-wealth CHAP. XXVII An other argument against the donation of fees confuted IF so be any man vrge vs any further and say that the oblations which are made in the Church with the which as well God himselfe as his seruants are honored are vtterly opposit to the nature of fees because they are offered to testifie the gratefull memory of some benefite receiued But contrariwise a fee is graunted by the Lorde thereof vpon that condition that the tenant in fee acknowledge the doner in some kind of duty for a benefit bestowed And therefore seeing these two are opposite between themselues and in condition crosse each other it seemeth that Bishops and Pastors are not rightfully indued with the title of fees and this also is made good vppon them by this reason Those thinges which are giuen to the Pastors of the Church in regard of their ministery are in the nature of certain presents and are reputed amongst the holy actions of religion which are to be rewarded of God onely And therfore to require in lieu of them any temporal recompence or ciuil obsequie is a thing no lesse preposterous then irreligious but fees are granted vpon that condition that the feudatory recognize his Patron in some kind of personall or proportionable dutie therefore our auncestors haue not wel done to honor the Church with their indowments of fees The distinction of Church-goods which before I remembred doth containe a very easie plaine answer to all this namely that the goods of the Church are partly sacred and diuine partlie ciuill and humaine For fees are ciuil goods therefore not to be numbred among oblations but donations neither were those Cities and suburbs which were giuen by the people of God to Priests Leuits at any time recounted among their offeringes Besides this there is a difference betweene these things to offer som thing to God to giue any thing to the church Things mooueable which do perish togeather with their very vse are said to bee offered vnto God when they are giuen to his Ministers or to his poore members for Gods-sake albeit the one hath the name of a gift the other of an Almes The which thing for that the benefit thereof hath the nature of an oblation or sacrifice for neither are they giuen for any reward nor receaued vppon any condicion therefore in nature they are nothing alike vnto the donation of fees as themselues very well confesse I admit they also oblige a man to a gratefull memorie of that they haue receaued yet are they not giuen vppon that condicion that there-vpon some dutie should be performed Wherefore seeing that the donation of fees are neither in vse nor in sense like vnto the religion of oblations why shuld they be confounded with them Or how should a man honestly argue from thence that the Ministers of the church may not be endewed ther with Are they not Cittizens and subiectes and liue vnder the same lawe and obey the same Magistrate and beare the same burdens of the Common-wealth By what equity then can they be abridged the possessions of ciuill goods by the benefit of the Prince common-wealth Besides seeing it is thought but equall by the consent of the holy Fathers that the fieldes and farmes of the Church should yeeld a tribute vnder the most Christian Princes that the increase and benefite of those fees should serue for the good partly of the Church partly of the
this without any iust knowledge or further trial of the cause a quicke course must be taken the Chequer if it were the Chequer swopt at al. But if the Church-men were found ready to renounce all Popery and to receiue the true profession of Christ his religion what cause was there lefte or what occasion might be found why Bishops and Pastors should be expelled their parishes possessions vnlesse haply they did reckon the Church goods among the other heresies which error is already confuted But where now shall I lay the blame vpon the ignorance of the Ministers or the auarice of certaine Officers No doubt they were both in great fault But certaine craftie vngodly men who not in the zeal of godlines but for the desire of goods presuming of a pardon for the contempt of all religion ioyned themselues vnto vs and while they would seem the more serious fauorites of the Gospell they became the most sacrilegious instrumentes of this mischiefe so that the same which of som was thought to be done of error or ignorance in these was brought to passe of a malitious wickednes For who can excuse them of most hainous sacrilege who vnder colour of reformation in some partes of Germany the Low Countries haue made a pray of whatsoeuer was giuen for holy necessary vses to the Church and Church Ministers With due reuerence I acknowledge the chiefe Magistrates as the chiefe patrons of religion and I hold it alwayes lawfull for them according to their royal right to make lawes for the Church and Church goodes alwayes prouided that they so take not the matter vpon themselues that they take al vnto themselues For it is not the part of a patron to spoile his clyent neither was it euer heard of before these dayes that any Christian Magistrate brought into his Chequer all the Church goods made no bones therof They which vpon occasion rifled the Church onely of some small part therof that when the Chequer was in some great consumption are but euil spoken of for their labour in all histories What then may we iudge of thē who haue set the cards drawne the Church of euery penny I name none But I mean them who by their example haue giuen the hint to their neighbors and set them a patterne of an holy robbery Lord how like are these ranke professors to Iulian the recreant or the Turkish tyrant which make no difference betweene thinges sacred prophene how vnlike to any Christian Magistrate so far as I know either of this age or our fore-fathers But is it a foule matter for sacrilege to be obiected to a Christiā Magistrate a more filthy thing is it to be committed Chap. II. What Sacrilegeis THere are some found now adaies not far to seek who thinke that no sacrilege can now bee committed because the difference betwene sacred prophane in externe thinges was taken away by the death of our Sauiour which seemeth to mee not the iudgement of a Diuine but the opinion of an Atheist For albeit to the holy all things are holy and to the prophane all things prophane yet that distinction of things is not taken away which they haue in their appointed vse There was alwayes among all nations a great difference put betweene those thinges which were dedicated vnto diuine seruice and those thinges which serue men for their common vses Thinges for the most part take their denomination from their ende for the which they were ordained So priuate men haue their treasure and the common-wealth her treasure If you doe respect the matter they are both of one nature namely gold and siluer and whatsoeuer else is of any price but if you respect either the end or the possessor you shall finde a great difference betweene them The end of a priuate man his treasurie is the commoditie of a familie but the end of the publike treasure is the benefite of the Prince and the whole Country In like manner the treasure which is giuen or gatheted to the worship of God it hath his proper end diuerse and distinct from both those before mentioned the which ende seeing it is sacred it giueth the name also to the treasure and it is called sacred Furthermore because the inuiry is greater which is committed against a Prince or a publike state then if the same be done against a priuate mans person or his estate therefore the robbing of a priuate treasure is called plain Theft but of the common treasure a Robbery of the commonwelth So likewise how much the more horrible the offence is which is committed against God then against man so much more detestable is the direption of the sacred treasurie then common theft or the robbing of the cōmon treasurie For which cause they call that also by his proper name Sacrilege which is commonly defined to bee the theft of a thing sacred The deformitie of which theft is so much the more notorious by how much the more sharper punishments God himself as also the laws of al nations haue deuised against the same Albeit the definitiō cōteineth not only things sacred to the worship of the true God but of false gods also for that it is the conscience that maketh the sacrilege an opiniō of the holy godhead contemned But how all those goods the Romish Cleargie did possesse vnder the title of the poore the Church haue beene translated to priuat prophane vses I need not tel for it is too manifest Chap. III. The reasons with the which they commonly excuse their Sacrilege BVt sacrilegious persons and their patrons will not onely maintaine themselues with their theft but they will maintaine their theft that is was well and worthily done for the ouerture of the Pope and the inuestiture of the true Church Their reasons are these That the goods of the Church did serue to Idolatry prophane vses the which beeing taken away they could by lawe deuolue no man but onely to the common treasury of the which the Christian Magistrate hath the care and custodie And as the godly Emperours Constantinus Theodosius Honorius and Areadius hauing by their lawes put downe the Idolatry of the Gentiles had the places and reuenues of their temples and their prebends in their owne power to dispose of them as they thought best and that without any sinne of Sacrilege so likewise at this day the Papacie being exiled the goods annuities of Munks Nuns and Masse-Priests may be chalenged by the same right to the Christian Magistrate But that wast goods pertaine to the common treasurie by way of excheate it is a knowne point in the lawe and a common case Neyther were the Bishops of olde of this opinion that the Church had nay right to those goods which were destinate vnto the seruice of Idols so that it may seeme a verie straunge thing to vs that at this day there should be found any faithfull Minister of the Gospel which should once
D. SARAVIA 1. Of the diuerse degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell 2. Of the honor vvhich is due vnto the Priestes and Prelates of the Church 3. Of Sacrilege and the punishment thereof The particular Contents of the aforesaide Treatises to be seene in the next Pages Iob. 8. 8. Inquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to learne of the Fathers 9. For we are but of yesterday and are ignorant 10. Shall not they teach thee LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe and are to be sold by Iohn Perin at the signe of the Angell in Paules Church-yard 1591. The Contents The first Booke 1 WHat the Ministery of the Gospell is and what be the parts thereof 2 Of ordinary and extraordinary calling to the Ministery 3 Of the twelue Apostles 4 Of the seuenty Disciples 5 Of Prophetes 6 That the names and titles of Apostles Euangelists Prophets were giuen also vnto other Pastors and Doctors of the Church 7 Of Deacons 8 That the Churches in their beginnings had no other Bishops and Elders besides the Apostles them selues their fellow-laborers 9 Of Priests or Pastors and Bishops 10 Of two degrees of Pastors 11 That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuary Elders to rule onely and not to teach in the Church 12 The place of Ambrose expounded 13 The place of Paul expounded in his first to Timothy the fift Chapter what it is to labour in the word and doctrine 14 That that order is of God which appointeth superior Elders Bishops and that but of man where all Pastors Elders are alike 15 That our Sauiour by no statute repealed the supereminent authority of Pastors among them selues 16 That the forme of the Apostles gouernement did not end with the death of the Apostles 17 That the commaundement To preach the Gospell to all nations the Apostles being now receyued vp into Heauen doth in like manner bind the Church to the which the authority Apostolique is also requisite 18 That the Apostolique authority is as necessary for the conseruing and confirming as for the founding first planting of Churches 19 By testimony of Eusebius his Ecclesiasticall history the former Chapter is confirmed 20 That the authority of Bishops ouer Priestes or Elders is approued by the consort of all Churches throughout the whole world 21 That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apostolique tradition 22 That it was the opinion of Aerius That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest which opinion was condemned for an Heresie by the Fathers 23 Hierome his opinion confuted 24 Of one Bishop in one Diocesse 25 Of the names of Patriarches Archbishops and Metropolitanes 26 Of Doctors The second Booke 1 THat by a certaine Law of nature among all nations the Presidentes of Religion were esteemed worthy great honor 2 How great the reuerence of Priestes hath beene in all nations 3 What the honour of the Priesthood was among the people of God 4 Of that double honor which is due vnto those Elders which rule well and the argumentes of those which thinke the contrary 5 An answere to the arguments of the former Chapter 6 That the honour which is giuen to the Pastors of the Church is ioyned with a certaine Religion towardes God 7 Certayne other reasons confuted and the truth confirmed by many testimonies of Scripture 8 That the good examples of our fore-Fathers prescribe a Law to theyr successors 9 That the oblations of Christians are part of Gods worship 10 An aunswere to certaine obiections with the which it is confirmed that the Ministers of the Gospel are worthy no lesse honor then were the Priests of old among the people of God 11 The iudgement of the Fathers concerning the oblations of the faithfull 12 That the Church had no small reuenewes and certayn places in the which they did celebrate theyr assemblies before the time of Constantine 13 A distinction of Church goods 14 That the Prelates of Churches are not maintayned of almes but of the due reward of theyr labours 15 Of those landes which are held in fee and haue annexed with them any ciuill authority or iurisdiction 16 That Bishops and other Pastors are not forbidden to be Lordes of Fees and sometimes to vndertake secular and ciuill charges 17 What a Fee is and what are the lawes and conditions thereof 18 A distinction of Fees 19 An aunswere to the obiection that ciuill iurisdiction outward pompe and honors which are annexed with these Fees doe not agree with the simplicity of the Euangelique Ministery 20 That it is lawfull for Bishops to heare ciuill causes and to determine vppon them 21 An exposition of that place of Luke the two and twenty Chapter 22 That the Pastors of the Church for the necessity of the common wealth may attend some times vppon worldly affaires 23 That diuerse functions are not confounded albeit vndertaken of one man 24 That Dauid and Solomon vsed the aide of Priests and Leuites in ciuill affaires 25 Theyr error confuted that think no ciuill affaires of the common wealth ought to be committed to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church 26 That wher the Church is the common wealth the same man as Bishop may take charge of the Church for the Lord Iesus and render fealty and obeisance to the king as one that holdeth by faith and homage 27 An other argument against the endowment of Fees confuted 28 Of the honorable titles which are giuen vnto Bishops 29 Of the Bishops family and retinue 30 Whether it be better for Ministers to liue of the stipends of the Magistrate or rather of the oblations of the faithfull 31 The Stipendaries cald to account and confuted 32 Certain reasons why Stipendaries are disproued The third Booke 1 OF Sacrilege the punishment therof 2 What Sacrilege is 3 The reasons with the which they commonly excuse theyr Sacrilege 4 An aunswere to the reasons of the former Chapter 5 A distinction of those Church goods which the Church of Rome possesseth at this day 6 That the goods of Monasteries are not al of one kind 7 That it is another thing to come from Paganisme to Christianity then to come from Popery or some other Heresie 8 How greeuous and incurable the sin of Sacrilege is 9 Certaine examples of Gods vengeance against Sacrilegious persons FINIS To the Reader YOu will say what neede all this wast this labour might haue beene well spared For seing the same argument hath ben handled long since and of late learnedly and at large by men of our ownes what neede this foraine ayde In such aboundance of wits and writings to transport Sarauia out of Latine into English is to bring owles to Athens and to carry stickes to the wood as it is in the Prouerbe True it is the cause hath ben vndertaken long since but it was late first and of late but it was long first And the same hath ben maintayned learnedly enough if not with learning too much
and it hath ben handled at large also yet all little enough Such is the female misconceit of the lasciuious malecontent and the male miscontent of the learned ignoraunt of this age euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth Notwithstanding seeing in the iudgement of the most wise and best learned this Germane Booke seemed for sound iudgement inferiour to none and for graue discourse equall to any it was therfore thought by them an action no lesse commodious to the people then commendable to the Author that he who in the causes of present controuersie hath propounded his iudgement vnto all shoulde haue his iudgement expounded vnto vs. The which although it hath beene curstly censured by a certaine suspicious and suspected Criticke emulous of his betters credite who in his professed lectures hath vsed the remembraunce of his name in disdaine with Sarauia nescio quis Yet his best auditors there and others his betters elsewhere haue found this difference betweene Sarauia and him that besides his great learning and no lesse experience of the which this great Censor neuer had the one neuer will haue the other Sarauia hath made knowen to him and the whole world by this his resolute definitiue who he is whereas the other in one whole tearme hath so behaued himselfe in the same cause that albeit wee all know who he is yet we could neuer tell where to finde him So hoppeth he betweene the stone and the Altar that as a man distract betweene feare and flattery he maketh vp his doubtfull resolution with this harmelesse confession Sentio quod sentio quod nescio I know what I know what I doe not know I but now we see the aduerse part partly by theyr lawlesse outrage and partly by theyr lawfull restraint to be nowe as impotent in their faction as they are odious in their opinion to be at this time as vnable as they were at all times vnworthy to preuaile and then what neede we any longer striue when the ennemy can no longer stand I aunswer that their increase was seene long since to be at the full and their credite appeareth euen now to be in the Waine For the which as we are to giue God thankes who in taking Iustice vpon some of them hath taken pitty vpon the whole Church so likewise are we to pray for the rest that in good time we may see eyther theyr speedy amendement or their present preferment For it is time O Lord that thou haue mercy vppon Sion yea the time is come Notwithstanding in the meane time wee haue entertained this profered aide not so much to inuade the seditious brethren or to bring home the resolued recreant as to strengthen the godly Subiect and to bring forward the well affected Protestant With the which if any man finde himselfe agreeued let him shew for it but so that Sarauia may vnderstand what he saith For my part if I haue conceiued him right the fruite is yours if I haue deliuered him not right the fault is mine Sure I am the Author meant you well and my Authors And so doe I. The Translator TO THE MOST REuerend father in Christ John by the prouidence of God Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of al England and Metrapolitane To the renovvmed and most honored Heroicke Sir Christopher Hatton Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and high Chauncellour of England As also to the noble and right honorable Sir William Cecill Baron of Burghley Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and high Treasurer of England of her Maiesties most Honorable priuy Counsell my very good Lordes true felicity THe auncient receiued custome of dedicating books to men of name and authority is growne and grounded vppon many reasons great waighty all which it shal be needelesse for me to reuise in this place But for my part there are chiefly three causes mouing me to consecrat this my small trauell to you the most Honorable and honored of me my good Lordes First that thereby I might testifye vnto you the duety and deuotion of a loyall and gratefull minde towards you that find my selfe seuerally and singularly bound vnto you all and euery one of you For first one of you vppon my repaire into England disdained not to entertaine me a stranger with no straunge countenance and straunge courtesie The other also dained to accept me vnworthy into his owne family And the other of his especiall fauour brought to passe that by her Maiesties priuiledge and preferment I might be made of a forreiner a freeman of an alien a Cittizen And seeing I haue receiued all these fauours without any deede or desert of mine God thou knowest mine vnworthines I were but too ingrate and vnkinde if I should bury in darke and deepe silence your so rare and religious demerites But whereas I haue no other thing to render or repay vnto your Honors but a mine of thanks and a thankfull minde that mind wil I alwaies beare and that duety in minde so that I will not cease to worship the sacred memory of your religious loue towardes me Another cause is the very nature of the argumente I vndertake the which I could not well prosecute without some particular mention of the Church of England In the which seeing I haue now my part and portion of a pastoral prouince and praised be the Lord my lotte is fallen vnto me in a faire ground might I not seeme vnmindfull of my good neglecting my duty if when I vndertake the cause of those Churches which are alien and outlandish I should ouerslip the state of mine own Church now gremiall to me and mere English But when mine hearts desire and praier to God is that I may some waies benefite my countreymen if I forget thee O Ierusalem And yet if I should forget my duety herein the meere alliance and relation of the matters them selues is such and so great as that by ordinary course of necessary consequence I must be inforced to inferre and praefer the mention thereof in my bookes But because I am but new made of Flemish sterling that is of Outlandish English it may be happely that they which are home-bred will thinke I deale not wel with them to deale with them and that I meddle too farre when I come so neare For which cause I thought it necessarye for mee to commend and commit my selfe vnto your Honorable patrocinie that this stranger book might freely passe vnder your safe conduct Neither shall it grieue me much though it be vniustly cast by most voices if it may iustly passe your accoumpt neither shall it hurt me much though the inraged multitude in disordered throngs cast stones at mee only if your Honors vouchsafe to giue me the white stone But the last cause is for that I am in some doubt how this discourse will be taken of them for whose sakes especially it was vndertaken For it is to be feared that they
are so far from turning stones vnto bread that they will make stones of bread and that which I haue done to relieue their weakenes they will account as deuised to vndermine their estate and so take that with the left hand which I proffer with the right And in deede what other thing shoulde I looke for at their hands who in lieu of my well deseruing towards them haue sought heretofore rather to cast me off with disgrace then to giue me vp with reward How desirous I haue alwaies beene of publique peace and howe zealous ouer them that layd snares for my life I dare appeale vnto God and men and yet for my good will what great reward haue I receiued at their handes but sharp reuenge or what better meede for my paines then bitter malice But no reason I should take this kinde of cruelty vnkindly seeing it is so common a case and commonly incident to me with many my betters And therefore far be it from me that the iniuries of a few though no fewe iniuries should so far preuaile with me that I should therefore lesse regard the better health of the whole Church Should I be for priuate wronges so far inraged beyond all sence and besides my selfe as to study to bee reuenged vppon many good men being offended but of a few bad fellowes After I was last called frō hence by the Belgike Churches I conuersed among them in diuers places ten whole yeares together in what time I found by aduised experience that there were two thinges of great moment greatly missed in those Churches the which I could not then without grief and cannot now without sin conceale namely That the ministery of the Gospell receiued of them by publike authority is not adorned by them with due honor And againe That wealth and worshippe in the order of the ministery is thought a needlesse thing to aduaunce the estimation thereof in a ciuill society Men that we are misconceauing is the cause of all this For now a daies for sooth no Church is thought reformed vnlesse First all Church dignities be either thrust out at the Church porch or thrust downe to the belfry and then all the Church goods be either put in the great bagge or giuen to the greedy baggage The which errour if it doe proceed as it will if it be not nipt in the head it will one day reuele not only vpon the church but also vppon the whole state a greater misery then can easely be driuen into euery common mans head To the which this also may be added that there are many of opinion and they are of many opinions That the abolishing of Bishops is not the least part of reformation and That their authority in the Church is crept in not of any diuine institution of Gods word but that which not any Church before this time did euer auouch of the onely errour and ambition of mans wit Our elders all auncient diuines for the preuenting of Scisme and conuenting the head-strong and giddy headed rashnes of many helde the prudent moderation of one in one Citty or prouince to be ordained from aboue And they knew very well that albeit the quirke of speaking for so they speak be found in many yet the art of gouerning and the rule of well ruling is knowen but of a few How great a stay a godly and prudent Bishop may bee to any troubled or distressed State auncient histories doe plainly teach present experience might make vs learne Doe you not knowe I know you are not ignorant howe that many times many things betide in a christian common wealth which require the aduise of Ecclesiastical Prelates As also where the Gospell is publiquely authorised that there are many thinges requisite for the Church which cannot be effected with out the ciuill Magistrate And how then are not they in a peeuish and a peruerse errour which either exclude the Magistrate from causes Ecclesiasticke or sequester the Minister from affaires politike silly men that they are as if either the Christian Magistrate were no part of the Church or the sacred Minister not Cittizen of the same common wealth And yet neither the Magistrate if he be Christian is to neglect the safety of the Church nor the Minister if he be godly not to regard the safegard of the state But these two the Magistrate and the Minister so long as they shal be distracted into partes and as it were diuorsed in state the one from the other and shall not take sweete counsell together like friends or not communicate in consent for their common benefite they cannot but conceiue diuers and doubtfull surmises fonde yea and some times false opinions of each others gouernement The Magistrate that keepeth fresh in memory the new broken yoke of the Popes tiranny feareth least by any meanes he should fall againe into the like though vnlike And therfore is iealous ouer the counsels and conuenticles of the Cleargy suspecteth alwaies some snare to be laid in them to entangle his liberty Of the other side the Pastors so many as are or will bee accoumpted faithfull in their Ministery cānot but be careful for the welfare of their flocke and therefore seeke by all meanes to benefite the Church and to shun those things which may preiudice the same who when they see diuers kindes of people to preuaile in the Common-wealth and they some of them open professed enemies to the Church some but suspicious and suspected fauorites few faithfull and vnfeined friendes no woonder though they dare hardly commit their cause and their credites them selues and their safeties to such Gouernours Besides they being ignorant of the common counsels how should they bee good interpreters of such thinges as are done in the Common-wealth neither can such counsels be well communicated to the common people and yet reason would they should seeing they are common If the States in the Low-countries brought to lowe estate had their learned and reuerend Bishoppes in that estimation they ought to be in euerie well ordered state no doubt with their vigilancye and moderation they might more easily haue remedied their present miseries I did complaine not without cause to see the Church goods pilde and pilferd and learned Pastors set to their stipēds Of the which some in deed do liue releeue their families though porely God knowes and some againe for the moity of their stipēds the multitude of their familiars are by no means able to keepe open shop windowes I speake not or neede not of them which are denied their wages or serue like our soldiers for cheese flemish if that they can get it But by this meanes when as to the griefe of al good men I did see the most sacred studie of Diuinity to languishe that young wits were affraid of it and old heads a weary of it Churches without Pastors Schooles wanting professors I lamented with my selfe and sorrowed for these mischiefes and those wee might easily coniect would
at the most that they may be good in their office And by this meanes that which I account worse then all the rest the beautie of the Church is vanished and that vnited force of the brethren which in placed in one Bishop who dare with confidence and may with authoritie controule the wicked in their enterprises is vtterlie lost and languished For whilest euerie one is dispised all are contemned and likewise whilest euerie one taketh care of his owne Curch onelie they altogeather neglect the good of the whole Church generallie I spare to exemplifie this your selues suppose what and where vpon I speake it But doe you not see or can you not conceiue how that many things may daily chance in the Church which concerne all Churches in common and for the which a present remedie must be had In this case no priuate man dare vndertake the cause and why he seeth and considereth that the matter pertaineth not to him or to anie one or to a few but vnto all the rest of that whole Prouince in common But whilest hee which could find in his heart to put himselfe vpon the action for the common good yet findeth many doubts in his hart and is stil affeard least either himselfe should not be allowed or that he should perform not confirmed by the rest of necessitie the time is deferred in this necessitie and needs must a further time be expected vntil the brethren may bee assembled That a Synode should bee called for euerie such matter it is both costly and inconuenient and many times also before either they could be called or come togeather either the mischief that was feared would be receiued or the occasion that was profered would be ouer-passed whereby the euil might ether altogether or more easily haue bene remoued Amongst you the Church-goods are rifled and ruined without anie reuerend regard of sacred or prophane as if forsooth it were religion for the Church of Christ to bee woorth one dodkin in a christian Common-wealth or as if indeed it were the onely errour of the Church of Rome that they are rich Doth anie thing remaine yet vnransackt in any of your Churches the better for those Burgreeues and Burgomaisters in whose handes it is As for your selues there is not so much as one mite left to bee at your disposing you that stand so much in your ownlight and haue put out two lights with your too much lightnes can you put out mine with an half penie alas good souls if you were euerie one pore yet might you be all rich But now it is the cōmon opinion that Pastors ought of congrutie to be poore and needie and that is so deeplie infixed in the harts of the simple peple that they can hardly be perswaded to the contrary Is it possible but by such meanes it shuld one day come to passe if they thus proceed that the whole Ministery of the Church shuld fal ether into vtter decay or wretched contēpt I was purposed if I had staied with you to haue conferred about this matter with the States themselues And verely I would haue exhorted and intreated thē that they would take some better course in this cause I would haue taught them that they had no right at all vnto the church-goods I would haue prooued and protested vnto them that whatsoeuer calamities haue befallen the Low-countries they are al but the iust vengeance of God for their sacrilege that the goods of Cathedrall and Collegiat churches and also of many Monasteries were destinate and consecrated to the vse of sacred studies And last of all I would haue informed them and confirmed to them that whatsoeuer hath varied from the first institution therof ought not to be destroyed but restored by the christian Magistrate But this my good purpose was hindered first by the vntimely death of the Prince of Orange and then also for the Earle of Leycester his sake Least I might seeme to haue attempted the same either at a bad time in the greatest tumult of the countrey or els by bad means presuming vpon the fauour and furtherance of my L. the Earle In the meane while I might greatly wonder at the error of many and they not meanely conceited towards the Gospel neither should I cease to wonder were it not that I knowe the Ministers themselues whome the matter doth more neerly concerne to bee the authours of that error But when I consider with my selfe the iniquitie of these euill daies and the bad meaning of euil men I cannot wel tell whether I might rather lament or reioyce in that their foule ouersight For albeit to haue the churches spoyled left desolat of such helps with the which it ought to be releued may bring vpon both Church and State a greater misery then many can suspect or any can auoyd notwithstanding that in the beginnings of reformation there was nor mention nor motion made for the Church-goods it greeueth me the lesse for that by this meanes the aduersarie cannot well say that we rather sought the treasure of the Church then the glorie of God For had they made anie question of the Church-goods these cauils and quarrels might haue taken some aduantage of them But now when as they esteemed of whatsoeuer the Papists possessed as of things nothing pertaining vnto them and referred all the whole matter to the moderation of the Magistrate by this meanes Suspicion it selfe could not but cleare them of suspicion So God sometimes doth vse the verie ignorance of his seruants to some good end namelie when as a truth taught out of time would doe more hurt then good Notwithstanding that which sometimes hath beene obiected can neither be denied nor defended that there were some which tooke our part in hope of the pray onely And albeit these things were not altogether vnknowen vnto the godlie at that time as their writings doe witnesse yet in wisdome they chose rather to suffer and say little to that iniurie then that in hast they should goe about to offend any And in this they did imitate Saint Paule who in the rich Cittie of Corinth had rather labour with his hands and so get his maintenaunce then otherwise to giue anie occasion of suspect to a nouice people not seene into the dignitie of his right Apostolique And shall I tell you that onely consideration was not the least cause why my selfe dared not bewray vnto euery one the silence of my thoughts And yet such was my natiue weakenes or my foole-hardie forwardnes I could not hide my selfe from my brethren and companions and some also of the Magistrats of Gaunt But I spake not then so freely as I meane to doe in this discourse For I alwaies feared as I ought to do least such as were but newly wonne to the faith of Christ might be haplie lost by my indiscreet libertie and my selfe brought into a needlesse gealosie of auarice and ambition But now seeing I am in that place and condition in the
greater ignominy by how much the more fondly they abuse their owne authority and the peoples simplicitie such therefore I must necessarilie and may worthelie accuse of Atheisme and irreligion the rest I cannot excuse of errour and ignorance onely Indeed error and ignorance doe sometime mitigate the guilt of the offender but neuer can it obliterate the staine of the offence It will seeme a hard matter I know vnto some that sacrilege should be openly reprehended and vnto some an absurd thing that in the policy of the Church Bishoppes should be required For there are here in England a certaine number of wicked men and I am very sorie for them who are so farre out of order with that order as if no Ecclesiasticall Discipline were to be had vnder them Amongst whome the quarrell is growen so farre that nowe they deuorce themselues from the communion of the English church as Papisticall and Antichristian and so betake themselues to their priuate and not permitted conuenticles VVhome I could doe no lesse then lightly note in this place because they seem to patronage their odious scisme and mutinous huggor-muggar by the precedent presidents of our foraine Churches O God thou knowest and themselues cannot bee ignoraunt that the first peregrine churches which were heere in England had their Lord Bishop Alasco and these which at this day are vnder the protection of the most gracious Elizabeth doe acknowledge the Bishops of those Diocesses in the which they are and to them they supply But thankes be vnto God there are others who being somewhat more milde and moderate in their proceedings doe not altogeather estraunge themselues from the assemblies of their churches but yet they haue the Bishops in emulation also and promise vnto themselues a golden worlde could they but once bring to passe that by a preposterous Alchymy of earthly pollicy they could turne gold into drosse that is Bishops into Presbiters their reuenues into annuities But to them I dare say and can foreshew that they shal bring themselues The whole state Ecclesiastik into deepe disdaine disdaine worse then themselues deserue And whereas the Lord be praised for it we haue now some good Discipline it will come to passe that then they shall haue none at all but voluntary which as soone as it is begone will be gone I omit the tumults and contentions with the which they shall first trouble and turmoyle both heauen and earth But this is plaine and I dare promise them that they which were the first authors thereof will proue their first enemies so sone as vnder these colours they shal haue obtained their desires The calamities of your present churches your selues see and suffer but from whence they arise or what is the true remedy pardon me I beseech you if I speake as I thinke you seeme not to see or conceiue at all Doe you not heare of the turbulent state of other Churches and you know what they were from the beginning Where if they had intertained for a popish Prelat a true BB. for Romish masmongers Euangelique Ministers contented and contenting themselues with the rites and reuenues of their owne Churches no doubt all thinges amongst them had continued more peaceable and prosperous aswell in Church as Common-wealth The like I affirme of other prouinces from whence is exiled the tyrant of Churches But what can be done where the mindes of men are foreseasoned with preiudice and alreadie resolued That to bee ruled by bishops and to be releeued by Tythes and other oblations of the people is a point of Poperie But may I not be so bolde to tell them and I will tell them but the truth that these and such like medicines as they go about to administer vnto the Church maladies are like to prooue but prouocations vnto further mischiefes Admit the drugs they concoct be not simplie offensiue yet is it to be considered and wise men wil consider whether the faintnes and infirmitie of the whole body of the common-wealth may abide the same Here there is need of great wisedome no lesse moderation the which as it may be in many so must it be in one which may execute the same and this is he which is not to looke ouer one part but to watch ouer all not of the whole worlde which neuer any mortall thing or could or can but of one Cittie or prouince so farre forth as the power of man may extend it self And may wee not also more saflie walke in the steppes of the auncient fathers then rashlie to step aside into tracts of our owne treading Now how you will accept of this my libertie I cannot well tell but I hope well of you and commit the whole cause vnto God himselfe This I am perswaded and this haue I learned that in an vnstayed estate it is not the part of a good Cittizen to suspend his censure of the Common-wealth nor of a faithfull Christian to suppresse his opinion of the Church of Christ For mine owne part if in this daungerous enterprise I shall obtaine that onelie which I haue propounded vnto my selfe I shall haue iust occasion to giue thankes vnto my GOD but if it fall out otherwise yet shall I haue discharged my duetie vnto my Brethren and performed my vowe to the Church of GOD. Vnto the whiche I haue hitherto thought my selfe indebted as muche as this comes vnto That a knowen errour ought not to bee ouer-slipped in the silence of mee But put case I doe smale good vpon those for whose sakes especially I haue traueiled in this duetie yet shall their remaine a perpetuall note of that notorious errour vnto all posteritie that they yet at the length may amend that in the which they haue found their Fathers to haue bene faultie London the fourth of the Kal. of Aprill Desirous of your welfare Hadrian Sarauia To the curteous Reader WHosoeuer thou bee gentle Reader into whose hands this booke shall come in any case I would not haue thy minde troubled with this discourse as if we did reuerse som graund Article of thy faith when wee doe but restore for so we holde it behofefull the graue Senat of Bishops into the reformed Churches so called Doe we crosse herein the iudgement of some late writers of great name Why then iudge you and iudge me worthie of double blame if I should be either so frontlesse or so forgetfull at least as to aduenture vpon this contradiction of mine own head suppose ye me at the least backt with the piller of truth the sacred scripture and borne out with the consent of the auncient Fathers and countenaunced with the continued custome of the whole Church What then Will you saye did they whome you cal men of name see nothing I answere they did see indeede that which I see But as they which take vppon them to repaire an old house albeit within dores there bee many pretie romes and necessarye corners which they would willinglie and might well bee
there anye thing in the Fathers for some especiall cause moouing vs misliked of vs By and by we haue this theoreme at our fingers end We must remember they were but men and because men may easilie erre we muster whatsoeuer we mis-conceiue of them among the errors of that age In the meane while wee neuer remember our selues that we also are but men and therfore may erre with them yea we are such men neither are we exempt from the common infirmitie of men who may then er when we thinke amisse of them and in that verie thing may wee erre for the which we condemne them This is once that against the constant and consonant conclusions of the ancient church we ought not to attempt or admit anie innouation without a plaine commission from Gods holie writ and this also I dare boldly say that whosoeuer taketh away al authoritie from the Fathers he leaueth none for himselfe Indeed it must bee confessed that the Fathers were men and that they had their wrinckles yet can it not be denied that to haue our Fathers to bee our Patrons in the principal points of faith and externe pollicy of our church things controuerted betweene the Popelings and vs is a matter of no small moment and of especiall account And albeit the vniforme consent of Gods children from the Apostles times vnto this day may not be compared with the eternall word of God Notwithstanding of right it may come in and stand for the second place The custome of gods people receiued of all Churches thorow out the whole world is in maner of a lawe sacred and inuiolable Neither is there any likelihood that there could euer haue beene an vniuersall consort of all Churches and ages without either the authoritie of gods word or the tradition of the Apostles Notwithstanding for as much as no consent no custome no auncient prescription can or ought to preuaile in the Church of Christ against the word of God Therefore those reasons are to be weighed and those Scriptures to bee examined which mooued the Fathers to intertaine and continue that Church gouernment which our newe reformers will in no case agree vpon that we may certainelie know whose is the error theirs or ours The time hath bene when no good men disallowed of Bishops and Archbishops but now in despite of the Popes tyranny his complices it is come to this passe that their very names are called into question and that of diuerse men for diuerse causes Some because they are as they suppose the deuises of Antichrist or his fore-runners thinke them vnworthie thee Church and worthie to be cast ouer-boorde Others yet more modest in some reuerence of antiquitie thinke they may be borne with all for a time although in the mean time they allow not of them vntill such time as commodiouslie the names may bee antiquate with the thinges themselues In the meane while for that they know neither can they be ignorant to what singular effect the Church of God hath bin gouerned by graue and godlye Bishops they haue not the face to condemne them openly yet because they see certaine reformed Churches of this age to be gouerned without Bishops It is enugh they haue not the power any longer to tollerat the more auncient gouernment O the regiment of Pastors and Elders passing all antiquitie our soules haue longed for thee and we haue a desire vnto thee for that thou alone art grounded vppon the Lord Iesus his institution and thou if any art wholy purified of all tyranny and ambition O but by your leaue good brethren the shadowe you imbrace is no substance neither is the plot you conceaue a priueledged place Are you so far in loue with your liuelesse Pigmalion the worke of your owne hands I know who is not hee hath reason for his why not For neither is your newe draught of straunge gouernement sufficientlye prooued by the word of God neither is it yet or can at any time bee confirmed by the example of our Elders And how should it if we should iudge aright of it seeing it was partly vnknowen vnto them as a thing insolent and not heard of and partlie condemned of them as a thing Heriticall and not approoued of Wherefore to speake the plaine truth without flatterie or partialitie I thinke of this new forme of Church gouernment as some thinke of our Bishops regiment Namely that it is but a deuise of mans conceit and there to be tollerated where a better cannot bee obtained And contrariwise that which is disallowed of some as deuised by man seemeth vnto me to bee the verie ordinance of God and the onely true gouernment of the Church as that which hath his institution from God not only in the old but in the new Testament But because it is defiled with the manifolde abuses of men that which were to be layd vppon the person is imputed to the function as if forsooth no such miscariage might befall this their nouell kinde of gouernement The Romish Antichrist with his Bishops Archbishops Patriarches and Metropolitanes hath so troubled and intangled the Church of Christ that tyranny it selfe is thought to bee masked vnder those honest and honorable titles It is most true He that is once stong of a Serpent suspecteth euery stone and once bitten of a dog is affraid of euery cur Some therefore that they might apply some remedy to this maladie haue reuersed those names and yet retained the same things and for Bishops haue anoynted Superintendents and for Archbishops generall or prouinciall Superintendents as if the controuersie were not for the thing it selfe but for names sake But wise as we are seeing the signification of wordes is variable and voluntarie when we agree in truth what neede these garboyles about termes If the formes of gouernment which are signified by those termes are contained in gods worde Is there anie reason or sense that in disgrace of those names these formes should not be retained of vs If any man obiect that in the gouernment of Bishops there are many corruptions I make no question of that So wee might cauill with the gouernment of the ciuill Magistrate hath it not his corruptions Haue they not their infirmities Yet was there neuer anye that had his fiue wits who thought that a sufficient reason to remooue those from their place that are president in the state Wherefore our question is not how the Bishops haue abused their authoritye but whether the Lorde hath so forbidden this their Primacy that there may bee nor Pastor ouer Pastor nor Bishop ouer Bishop in the outward pollicie of the Church As for the rest if any will accuse the Bishops or their Consistories either of neglect dutie or corrupt dealing no man will be their hinderance why they may not prosecute that and persecute them before the chiefe Magistrate I take not vppon mee the apologie of anie Bishop I am not so worthie they are not so weake as that they need my Patrocinie
names and titles of Apostles Euangelists and Prophets were giuen also vnto other Pastors and Doctors of the Church CHAP. VI. ALbeit by that which I haue already written it maye sufficiently bee vnderstoode whome I call by the name of Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes yet notwithstanding because those names are for good causes giuen vnto others also some what must be said of them in like maner In the Epistle to the Romains the sixteenth Chapter Andronicus and Iunius are called notable among the Apostles and out of the eight Chapter of the last to the Corinthians Titus and the brethren which were with him are called Apostles and in the Epistle to the Philippians Epaphroditus is called their Apostle The deriuation of the greeke word is well knowen that Apostles are called of sending for that they are Postes or speedie messengers sent of especiall purpose as Legates or Embassadours into diuers parts of the worlde according to this signification whosoeuer is sent as a messenger in anie busines may be called an Apostle In this sense our Sauiour himselfe who is Prince and Lord ouer the Apostles in the epistle to the Hebrues is called an Apostle But to be short this name is no where giuen in the newe Testament to any so far as euer I could learne but to the ministers of the gospell onely Amongst whome because there was great inequalitie Paule calleth those first twelue Apostles the chiefe Apostles as it is in the eleuenth chapter of the last to the Corinthians where he saith I suppose that I was not inferiour to the chiefe Apostles as it is also in the 11. verse of the 12. chapter By the which it appeareth most plainely that besides those chiefe Apostles who helde the commission of their ambassage immediatly from God ther were many other also which were in like manner called Apostles either for that they were accounted of the Apostles as fellow-labourers in their sea-apostolique or els for that they were sent as Legates in the same busines by the church of Ierusalem which was the mother Metropolitane church Among whom somtime there foisted in of their own heads certaine other iolly fellowes false Apostles whom Paul calleth false brethren and deceiptfull labourers who vnder a coppie of faire semblance could transforme themselues into the colours and companies of Christ his Apostles And these were they which sought by all possible meanes to impaire the authority of Paule as of one forsooth that sawe not the Lord in the flesh and therefore not worthy to mate and match with the other Apostles in like equipage of authoritie But doe you see their purpose Or doe you conceiue their policy By this meanes they ment to thrust Paul into the last and lowest forme of Apostles that themselues being mate with Paule might more easily giue the trueth a checke Against the malapertnes of these men the Apostle maintaineth the authoritie of his power Apostolique affirming that he was chosen apostle not by men but of God To how great or rather to how smal purpose should the Apostle haue vrged this had not the name of Apostle bene common vnto others also which were not of that company and conuent of the twelue Apostles but were sent from men and by men were not immediatly from God among whome are to bee accounted Titus Andronicus Timothie Marke and many other whom al posterity hath reuerenced and accounted for Bishops and Archbishops of the church May not the like be sayd of the name of Euangelists For who knoweth not that the same name was giuen vnto manie other besides those seuentie two because indeede they were called to the same function both vnder the seuenty vnder the Apostles True it is they had not the like measure of Gods spirite and yet according to the moytie of their seuerall talent they did much edifie the church and magnifie the foundation which the Apostles had laid And therefore are they called Apostles and Euangelists not only in respect of the sense and signification of the wordes but also in regard of the Apostolique Euangelike function into the which they were associate and assumed by the Apostles as helpers and fellow-labourers But as for the name of Prophets not only they are so called in the scriptures vnto whome God hath reuealed the secrets of things to come but they also which doe faithfullie reueile the secrets of Gods eternal truth to others and know howe to apply auncient prophesies to present circumstances In which sense all Euangelique teachers and interpreters of sacred scripture may be sayd to be Prophets Of Deacons Chap. VII IF my purpose had beene in recounting the degrees of Ministers to haue followed the course of honour I would haue set next vnder Prophets Pastors and Doctors But for as much as I haue tied my selfe vnto the order of time in the which they were first ordained of force I must first speake of Deacons before I come to Bishops and Elders for we read that they were first created when as yet besides the Apostles and those Euangelists and Prophets of the which wee haue lately spoken the Church had no Elders and reason to For when as the Ministery of the gospell according to Gods holy institution hath annexed vnto it a religious care and consideration of the poore the Apostles tooke that vnto themselues as a thing pertayning to their charge vntill the murmure and mutinie of the Greekes against the Hebrewes gaue occasion of the Deacons Election But were there not at the beginning dispensers and disposers of the common treasure When Christ himselfe kept residence here vpon earth who but Iudas discharged that pension and doubtlesse if the Apostles coulde haue performed both they woulde neuer haue giuen charge that others should haue beene chosen for that charge And yet that charge was not so wholie giuen ouer of the Apostles to the Deacons as that afterwardes they thought the same nothing at all appertaining vnto themselues Haue wee not read what Paule and Barnabas did beeing requested to bee mindfull of the poore how vigilantly they vndertooke that care themselues And therefore they thought it requisite that the men to be chosen into that charge should be men ful of the holy Ghost But doe you not wonder now that these new elects did not imploye themselues in gathering and giuing of almes onely Why men forgetfull of themselues they take vpon them the office of teaching also See how Phillip preacheth the gospell to the Samaritanes also and baptiseth them that beleeue how while Stephen preached Christ more feruentlie he is become the first martyr of Christ May we not conceiue by these presidents what the rest of them did or shall we be so foolish as to think because there is nothing writtē of the rest that therefore they did nothing or not this Of the greatest part euen of Christ his Apostles is there not deepe silence or little sayd of whom notwithstanding there is nothing more cleare then that they performed their imposed
But that churches were for a time without Priests or Elders it is more manifest out of the epistle to Titus the fourteenth of the Acts then that it can be denied But how long they were so I wil not define In this matter I suppose the Apostle had not at anye time so great a regarde of the time as of the persons and their perfections For it was not for the wisedome of the Apostles rashly to lay their hands of any or to appoint them ouer the church whom God had not anointed with those graces which are required in a Pastor of the church Wherefore when as the churches which were newly conuerted to the faith did consist but of nouices there was no remedy but they must stay a time vntill they had made triall of their dispositions and taken notice of their abilities vnto whom the church-gouernment was to be committed In the meane while all things were moderated by the vigilant ouer-sight of the Apostles and Euangelists and such as they intertained to their succours as helpers and fellow-labourers No doubt the Apostle Paul is like vnto himselfe in all his Epistles therefore it was not hap-hazard that in the Epistle to the Philippians only he saluteth Bishops Deacons in none of the rest By the which as we are put out of all doubt that the church of the Philippians had their Elders and Deacons so are wee left in suspence for any of the rest If so be as els where we are to gather of his stile the state of the church Here therefore it behoueth the reader to be very attent that wil learn to know what churches had their Priests and what not Is it likely that hee which ordinarilie accustometh to greet so louinglie in all Epistles all that hee knew to be indued with any vertue so willingly to commēd al that he knew to be of any desert in the church and also so freely to note all that he knew to be in any defect I say is it likely that of all other he would haue left the Bishops and elders vnsaluted in the epistle to the Rom. he saluteth many whom albeit he cal his fellow-laborers yet ar they no wher said to haue borne any sway in the church of Rome He remembreth Aquila the church which was in his house who was now at Corinth then at Ephesus sometimes again at Philippos neither forgetteth he Andronicus Vrbanus wherof the one he commendeth as notable among the Apostles and the other he confesseth as his fellow laborer These and all other whom hee knew resiant at Rome hee deygneth with titles of condign prayses because they labobored together with the Apostles And therefore no doubt if so be any of them had beene the proper Pastor of that Church he would surely haue taken some knowledge or made some remembraunce of it As we reade that he did in his Epistle to the Philippians of Epaphroditus and to the Colossians of Epaphras and Archippus Moreouer when Paul came to Rome we read how he was receiued of the brethren and of the Elders the which thing might euen as well haue beene there if there had beene any such Elders there as in the fifteenth of the Actes and the one and twenty also it is well noted how he was intertayned of the Elders But by these it may appeare what the state of the Church was at Rome when the Apostle did write vnto them The like may bee declared out of either Epistle to the Corinthians that I name not any other namely That they had not theyr proper Pastors or peculiar incumbents when those Epistles were written For who knoweth not that Paul did write vnto new born Churches which eyther were then but in the mould or as yet in theyr nonage Who besides Timothy and Titus Apollo Lucas Stephanus and Fortunatus Achaicus and such like whom the Apostle did send to them in common had no other Elders nor yet any other Bishop but the Apostle himselfe And although the Churches were not without order yet ther was not that order as afterwards they had when they were not set in order vnder Elders that had taken orders In meane season the Apostles Euangelists and other religious teachers did visit them by turns as theyr opportunity serued And hence is it that Paul and Apollo doe excuse themselues vnto the Corinthians that they did not visite them so often as they could haue wished The which was also very well noted of Ambrose and Epiphanius Epiphanius aduersus hereses in the 75. heresie hath these wordes When the Gospell was young the holy Apostle wrote according as the matter then stood For where there were Bishops appointed he wrote to Bishops and Deacons Neyther could the Apostles appoynt all thinges at the first In deed the greatest neede was of Priests and Deacons for by these two all Ecclesiasticall functions may be discharged But where there was not any man found worthy a Bishopricke there they remayned without a Bishop But where neede was and there were that were worthy of it there were appointed Bishops But where there was no great multitudes ther were not found among them that might be made priests so they contented themselues with one Bishop in that place c. And he addeth So the Church receiued the fulnes of hir functions for euery thing had not all things at the first but in processe of time those things were prouided which were requisite to the perfection of things necessary Ambrose vpon the 4. of the Epistle to the Ephesians writeth thus In al things the writings of the Apostle doth agree with the order which is now in the Church because these things were written about the beginnings of the Church For he calleth Timothy also a Bishop whom he had ordayned a Priest because the first Priestes were called Bishops that one going away the next might succede him Thus sayth Ambrose And therefore the writings of the Apostles are to be vnderstood according to the seasons in the which they were written In deede the Apostles layd the foundations but others raised the worke Paule planted Apollo watered And therefore so soone as with the time the Church increased and the number of beleeuers multiplyed they were not sufficing for the multitude whome the Lorde himselfe had sent for which cause the Apostles took vnto themselues fellow-laborers in the Ministery first Deacons then Priests or Elders Of whō we are now to speake Of Priests or Pastors and Bishops Chap. IX THe Apostle Saint Paul next after Euangelistes placeth Pastors and Doctors but whether he ment by them two distinct orders or but one only there is the question and that because whosoeuer is a Pastor ought also to be a Doctor but it is not so conuersiuely on the other part For it may be that he is a Doctor which not any where is a Pastor This is once that as by the three former names of Apostles Prophets and Euangelists the Apostle seemeth to note
those which had an extrordinary vocation from God immediat and not from men so by these two last names of Doctors and Pastors whether wee take them as both one or otherwise hee seemeth to vnderstand those which by men were preferred to the Church And that Bishops and Elders are those whome Paul calleth Pastors it sufficiently appeareth by that in the twentith Chapter of the Actes where Paul intertaining the Elders hee had sent for from Ephesus telleth them that they were appointed of god Bishops to feede the Church And thereuppon wee also acknowledge no Elder or Bishop in the Church of Christ that is not a Pastor or feeder For it is in the essence of an Elder his office with wholesome doctrine to feed the flocke of Christ Presbyter is a Greeke word and aunswereth to that which the Hebrewes call Zachen which signifyeth not onely an Elder in yeares who for his age is to be reuerenced but also an auncient in the common wealth who for his place and authority is to be honored yea it is a title of honour with the which the Nobles and Magistrates of the old Testament are graced from whence also it is deriued to the Rectors of the Church in the new Testament who are called Bishops by reason of their ouersight and watchfull care which is a title of work labor but the name of Pastor is a title declaring a speciall charge office so called of feeding the Lords flock with the Angel-like food of his heauenly word Albeit ther are many other titles also common to the said Pastors in the Scriptures as that they are called Stewards Presidents Prelats Guids Gouernors Ministers and such like The vertue property of which titles I will not here stand to explaine it is that you may haue else where Only I will enforce from thence such arguments as the occasion shall serue and the matter which I handle shall require In the meane time you shall vnderstande that the office of these Pastors and doctors albeit ordained of men doth not differ in kinde from that of the Apostles For the chiefe part of them both is to instruct exhort reprehend and refell the aduersaryes of the truth Besides the administration of the Sacraments a thing no lesse pertaining to Pastors then Apostles Neyther is a Pastorall ouersight disiusticed of that Apostolick authority of Ecclesiastical censure which remayneth and is requisite for the edifying of the Church For why they succeede that I may vse Hierome hys owne wordes the Apostolique order and in another place It is no easy matter to stand in Paul his place or to mayntaine the dignity of Peter now raigning with Christ Of two diueas degrees of Pastors Chap. X. BVt now for as much as there is not the same or the like proportion of charge committed to all Elders there is also no smal difference among those whom the Scripture calleth by the same name of Bishops and Elders The which seeing it must be discerned rather by themselues as they are in deede then by their names as they are called let vs alwayes chiefely regard what they are then what they are called that we may truely distinguish betweene thinges that differ not so much in name as in nature The first Elders therefore whome the Apostles ordayned were theyr fellow-laborers in the Lord his vineyard as Iohn Marke Titus Luke Timo hy Demas Siluanns and many others of whō we read in the Scriptures Al the which by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery were created Ministers no otherwise then the rest who afterwards were placed ouer their seuerall Churches Notwithstanding that which wee read of Timothy wee conceyue of the rest and therefore that charge which was giuen vnto these was rather prouinciall then particular seeing they were the associats and assistants of the Apostles themselues But when as daily the number of the faithfull increased and the increase of Churches was thereby more and more aduaunced together as supply could be made of able men for the Ministerie the Apostles and Euangelistes or their associates installed into particular Churches particular Pastors who beeing placed in their wardes as it were should not range at large from thence but vnder the Apostles as faithfull Pastors should keep watch and ward ouer the vineyard of the Lorde And yet they were not so inuested into those their seuerall charges that the sole and whole authoritie being demised to them they should rule the Church alone and the charge thereof should thence-forth concerne the Apostles no more but to this ende were they so disposed that seeing the Apostles themselues could not bee alwaies resident in euery place there might notwithstanding by their good meanes be nothing wanting in anie place If twelue men could haue beene suffising for all Churches there should neuer haue beene leuied any newe increase of other seuentie But when they altogether could not serue to serue the turne both these and they both had need of more abettors to helpe them out withall And albeit the Ministerie of the Gospell vnder Christ be onely one as the priest-hood of the law vnder Moses was one yet notwithstanding as in one priest-hood there were diuers degrees of gouernement so likewise in one Ministerie of the Gospell there are as you haue heard diuers degrees of Pastors For haue you not seene how of the Lorde himselfe there were two degrees of Ministers ordeined of them the one was superior to the other How afterwards of the Apostles there were in like manner ordeyned two orders for to some they gaue in commission the Churches of one whole prouince and to some againe the single rectorie of one onely Church That Titus and Timothie had a superior intendencie ouer many Churches as also ouer them which were alreadie or were to be preferred thereunto it is sufficiently manifest vnto euery indifferent sense For otherwise why was hee so diligently admonished to beware that he lay not his hands vpon any man extemporie And againe to what purpose is hee so cautionately forbidden to admit any accusation against an Elder without the testimonie of two or three witnesses This therefore leadeth vs thus farre as it were by the hand that of force wee must confesse how that vnder the Apostles of the Apostles there were ordeined two degrees of Ministers they of diuers authority though not of diuers titles vnto whom albeit the Scripture for the present gaue no proper or distinct denomination yet in good time Posteritie did it wel aduised For although the names of Pastor and Bishop were commonly giuen to all Ministers of old yet presently vpon the Apostles time the name and title of Bishop was imparted as a proper addition to the first chiefe order of Elders And yet they were not destitute of their distinction by their more sacred titles euen in the Apostles time For did not the Apostles themselues grace the chiefe Elders with the title of their fellow-laborers their fellow-labourers with
with those which were Elders in calling whom he had about him and who gouerned the Churches vnder him but he greeueth that such graue and auncient men in yeres whome the Apostle would not haue reprooued any thing roughly should not remaine in the like esteeme with the Pastors and Elders of the Church as they were of olde For expounding those wordes of Paule to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an auncient or an Elder but exhort him as a father hee writeth thus That in reuerence of his yeares an ancient man is to be prouoked with mildnes to goodnes that hee may the rather take warning for beeing gentlie admonished hee will be afraide least afterwards hee should bee more roughly dealt withall which were a shame for an Elder For among all nations age is honoured for which cause both the Synagogues of olde and afterwards also the Church had alwayes certaine auncient men without whose aduise nothing was done in the Church The which by what negligence it was lefte off I cannot tell except haplie it were through the sloth or rather the pride of some Pastors because they alone would seeme to bee some thing Thus much sayth Ambrose who I dare bee bound for him thought nothing lesse then that anie order of the Ministery set downe by the Apostles was nowe worne out For himselfe had Elders which did also rule the Church with him or vnder him besides that the words doe shew as cleare as noone-day that hee spake heere of Elders not in office but in age If any vouchsafe certaine auncients experienced in many thinges the senate of the Church I say not against it but this I auouch that such were they all more auncient then Iaphet are not to bee accounted among the Church officers and Elders which the Apostles ordained And I dare be bolde further to affirme that they are in no small errour who thinke that the Elders and auncients in certaine reformed Churches in this our age are of the same sute with those whome the Apostles ordained in the fourteenth of the Actes and Paule sent for from Ephesus in the twentie chapter Whose order and office is described at large in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus I perceiue here the reformation of the English Church appointeth in euery place certaine Church officers which represent in some sort those auncients and Elders and they are commonly called Church-wardens Notwithstanding these come short of that authority in Ecclesiasticall censure To excommunicate but if any excommunicate person shall disorderly presse into the holy assembly they are to endeuour by the aduise of the Minister to remoue him Their ordinary office according to law is this To gather collect to lay vp and lay out the rents and reuenews of the church to keepe the bodie of the Church and the rest in repayre to keepe the Church booke together with the Minister to admonish offendors and vnruly fellowes and as for the stubborne infamous and offensiue to present them to the Bishop or his deputie that vpon their othes furthermore also to note who they are that absent themselues from diuine seruice vpon the Saboth or holy-daies and to set a fine on their heads according to the law prouided in that case and also to looke that due silence and all other kind of honest seemlines bee obserued in the time of diuine seruice If the ancient Primatiue Church had any such kind of Elders they were not I am sure at any time accounted of our elders among the Elders Bishops of our Church for they alwaies made a difference in the Church betwene the laike officers and the Church Ministers In Tertullian his Apologie the Elders which wee reade were present president in christian assemblies were Bishops and Elders no temporall men vnles wee would make him contrary to himselfe who iustly vpbraided the Heretikes of that time with that fault That they prophaned Church functions with lay persons Neither are these things so spoken of me neither wold I be so taken as if I chalenged those reformed Churches that vse some such like Seniors for so they suppose as Ambrose seemed to wish for I my selfe did vse them when I supplied the place of a Minister in some reformed Churches For the tyrannie of Popish Bishops beeing ouerthrowne when as they which are indeed the true Elders doe themselues in like manner sustaine the office of a Bishop they could not well take vnto themselues the intire gouernment of the Church without some suspicion of the like if no lesse tyrannie And therfore it was necessarie for them to ioyne with themselues certaine godly men out of the whole corps of the Church for that without the assistance of their associates it was not possible for them alone to counter-checke the immodestie of bad men and to bring them into some Coram That place of Paule expounded in his first to Timothie the fift chapter What it is to labour in the worde and doctrine Chap. XIII IT neede not greatly trouble any man when Paule saith That those Elders especially are worthie double honour which labour in the word and doctrine as if it followed therupon that there were other Elders also in the church which taught not For these two do not signifie one the same thing to Labour in the worde and to Teach seeing there was no Elder ordeined of the Apostles that was not apt to teach But for as much as the measure of the gifts of Gods spirit are not alike in all for there be which haue receiued fiue talents who must also pay vse for fiue vnto the Lord there be againe which haue receyued but two To whom much is giuen of him manie things are required If the dolours Paule suffered for preaching the Gospell were compared with other mens labors we might wel conceiue how well worthy he was of greater honour then they whose labors were farre vnlike in the like labour Some enioy their office haue ioy therof in rest peace teach their people at home and indure no hardship abroad whose doctrine is determined within the precincts of theyr own precession But others there be which teach not one onely Church but the whole Church with theyr learned laboures and that not once for all while they liue onely but also a great deale more after many generations The which that they may the better performe they let for no labour they spare nor oyle nor toile nor health nor wealth nor life it selfe in that regard Besides there be that for the Gospels sake set light by the losse of friends and fauors and riches and reuenewes they ouercome daungers not to be numbred and vndergoe slaunders not to be suffered onely that they may inforce and set forewards the Gospell of Christ And such doth the Apostle seem to vnderstand in this place not euery ordinary and perfunctory Teacher that gouernes in the Church and instructeth with wholesom doctrine the people of God committed to his charge The
left in our power to vse them as time occasion shal require An indifferent thing is commonly that whatsoeuer is nor cōdemned nor commended in the word of God is left free to euery mans choise either to vse or not vse vnles some other thing interchaunce which altereth the vse of that which otherwise was free by reasō of the time or place or the person wher the same is in vse For my part I think things mediat indifferent might better be defined thus if we shall say those thinges are indifferent which by no law either Gods law or mās law are bidden or forbidden For by the command of him which hath the authority ouer our persons the vse of a thing which otherwise is free may many waies vppon many occasions be restrained or ouerruled But of these things in this place we are not now to discourse at large Onely thus much I chiefly note would haue iust notice taken of it that indifferent thinges may bee vsed of vs although the same things haue ben abused by the bishop of Rome or any other Antichrist Is our liberty to be preiudiced by an other mans religion specially where publique authority hath any thing to do in the matter suppose it either giueth vs in charge or putteth vs in choise to vse those things which the superstitious haue abused Wherfore whensoeuer anything shal come in question among vs that hath bene vsed among the Romanists or other enemies of the truth it is our part to examine and consider the matter as it is in selfe not as it was with them There are some in England at this day who take vpon thē more sowrely then seuerely against outward vestementes cap surples musicke and organs and such like rites of the Church the which because they were of some vse in the Romane Church now out vppon them they are sacriligious prophane In like maner and with no lesse modesty do they proceede against Bishops Archbishops their honors and reuenews Al the which vnles they could be proued contrary to the word of God what reason is this they bring and it is al they bring for the abolishing thereof when they say the author or inuentor therof was Antichrist No doubt indifferent things which he abused for his tyranny may be returned to a better vse for the good of the Church Now as for contētious natures such in whose brests this error hath taken fast footing namely That the authority of Bishops is a thing pernitious in itself and preiudicial to the church I know this my aunswere as it fitteh not their humors so it serueth not their turns Neither yet will they vouchsafe of that which I haue said of the natural signification of words compound with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore albeit the plainest interpretation of the names of Patriarchs and Archbishops like me best yet notwithstanding I dare say thus much further if we should grāt that which they shal neuer euince that by force of composition a kind of principallity were to be inferred yet doth it not theruppon follow that it is therefore a title abhorring from the state of our BB. For let it be lawfull for men to vrge the signification of euery sillable in this sort it shal forthwith be vnlawful for any to be called a monarch or to be inuested with the title of an Emperour for why forsooth these names in theyr proper sense are common to none but to God onely These and such like titles of lawful and necessary vse among vs must vppon this quirk be vtterly abolished neyther may it be lawfull for vs from henceforth to call our Ministers as the Scripture doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectors or Rulers Prelates or Presidentes nay we shall not be able to auouch the name of Elders because this and these all in sacred Scripture are proper to Magistrates and Princes and the Nobles of sundry prouinces and and yet for all this we see that Ministers of the Church are called by these names Last of all if the authority of the Fathers may be of any preuail let vs hear what great dainty they make of the name of Prince in the titles of the cleargy Origen reprehending the clownishe sourenes of some Bishops writeth thus A man may see in some Churches especially in the greatest Citties how the Princes of the christian people shew no manner affability to any esteeming thereof as a thing nothing at all pertaining vnto them c. And aftewards againe We speake not these thinges as if we meant to discharge the Ecclesiasticall Principality In like manner vppon the Epistle to the Romanes the thirteenth Chapter By the which it appeareth saith he that the Iudges of the world do performe the greatest part of Gods law For all the defaults that God would haue punished he punisheth not by the Prelates and Princes of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde And vpon the twenty seuen Chapter of Numbers the two and twenty Homily Let the Princes saith hee of Churches learne not to appoynt their successors after them such as are allied vnto them eyther in affinity of kindred or consanguinity of bloud neyther that they ought to make the Principality of Churches hereditary c. Ignatius no lesse godly then grauely My Son saith hee honour God and the King and I say further honor God as the author of al things and the owner and honor the Bishop as Prince of the Priests bearing the image of God by reasō of his principality the image of Christ by means of his Priesthood He that honoreth the Bishop shall be honored of God as also he that dishonoreth him shall be punished of God c. Besides many other things in the same place to the same sence The same man in an other place Therefore saith he let all things be performed among you according to a direct order in Christ Let Lay men be subiect to Deacons Deacons to Priests Priests to Bishops the Bishop to Christ as he is also to the Father Againe to the Church of Antioch You Elders feede the flocke which is committed vnto you vntill God manifest him which shal reign ouer you For I am now sacrificed that I may gaine Christ c. By which words the holy Martyr hath sufficiently testified the authority of a Bishop ouer the rest of the Elders Doubtlesse in auncient time the authority of Bishops was great in the Church theyr reuerence great and theyr fauour great among the people the which of al other things made most for the benefit and increase of the Church Euen as in the common wealth the fauour of the Magistrats and authority is beneficiall to the people so likewise of Bishops in the Church And therefore for good cause thought Hierome that the welfare of the Church did depend of the honour of the chiefe Priest c. Neyther in deed is this the least slight of Satan when he
well pleased Howsoeuer therefore prophane men make small account of that honour which is due vnto the Elders notwithstanding that the same is sacred and to bee compared with the sacrifices which were offered of olde in the Lords Temple it is apparantly manifest by the manifold testimonies of Scripture CHAP. VII Certaine other reasons confuted and the truth confirmed by manie testimonies of Scripture BVt it shall not bee amisse for vs to see in this place how farre out of all order the frenzie of certaine vngodly men will hurrie it selfe who will not onely not deigne to contribute of their owne to the Ministers but they hardly vouchsafe them those honest stipends which they pay vnto them out of the robberies of their owne Churches Out of that one example of Paule they thinke they may set the Minister to plough and harrow or whatsoeuer mannuarie drudgerie that by this meanes all sacred studie might languish and the little flocke of Christ being left desolate of learned Pastors might lie open to the rapine torture of foxes and cater-pillers and wolues of all sortes There is no great neede say they of any great store of Learning in a Minister it is enough if with a little zeale and a few good wordes they can exhort the people to a certaine kind of verbal deuotion and for this the Bible is extant in the mother toong as for the deepe-sprung-brestes of the learned Muses it sufficeth diuines if they may get but a smacke of them by the way or sucke them as through an hardle O diuine wisedome Christ in thy Fathers bosome is not this with that recreant Iulian to enuy thy Christian people the liberall Artes And that which not And thou seest it But let vs returne to Paule who in an Epistle to the Corinthians recounteth of the labour of his handes by the which hee got his owne liuing as a prayse to himselfe and a reproch to the Corinthians shall it followe of this that all Ministers of the Gospell ought to doe the like for so they thinke But now can not I tell whether I shal rather disclaim the impudencie or disdaine the ignorance of these men seeing the Apostle himselfe doth plainely resolue that hee did more in that case then he needed and lesse then hee might For had he not as great right to put them to as great charges as did the other Apostles But for certaine causes hee would not and therefore spared them But who seeth not heere that this the commemoration of the Apostle is a certaine exprobation vnto the people of that dutie they neglected So long as that Epistle shall bee read among men that shame will sticke fast to the Corinthians that they suffered so excellent an Apostle to want in so plentifull a Cittie Doubtlesse therefore it is but too too bad dealing both with Paule and with vs to vrge that which the Apostle was vrged to doe once or twise vpon occasion of necessitie that he might offend no man or least any being offended should say or thinke he preached the Gospell not so much for the loue of religion as for the hope of reward and to passe ouer as neuer seene the more autentike examples of other Apostles and of Paule also himselfe who else where openly testifieth that the Churches had abundantly ministred vnto him all thinges necessary that hee also freely exacted the same thing of them and that of dutie as in the fourth to the Philippians from the tenth verse to the twentie and to Philemon from the eight verse to the nineteene But what is the reason may we thinke that that one place of the Corinthes should bee so much noted which maketh mention of the labour of the Apostle his handes and that notable place of the Actes should bee so little spoken of where it is reported that the faithfull layde the price of their possessions at the Apostles feete and that they left all their substance in their handes And why is not that example of Ananias and Saphira as well quoted who for detracting somewhat of the price of their owne landes were seuerely punished by present death Ingrating couetousnes no doubt and irreligious ingratitude hath made them there as quicke sighted as Argus but here as bleare-eyed as Oules so that thereat they stare herein they are starke blind But that the intoxicate frenzie of these men may appeare the more outragious it shall well requite our paines if in this place we make regarde to the Euangelike precepts of Christ in this cause In the tenth of Mathew and the tenth of Luke wee reade and wee may remember how the Lorde when hee had sent his Apostles to preach the Gospell gaue them authoritie to feede vpon those things that they found amongst the faythfull The labourer saith hee is worthie of his reward And Paule in his first Epistle to Timothie the fift chapter The Elders which rule well sayth he are worthie of double honour especially they which labour in the worde and doctrine For the Scripture saith Thou shalt not mussle the mouth of the Oxe which treadeth out the corne And in his first Epistle to the Corinthians the ninth chapter from the fift verse to the fifteene he maketh a plaine and a plentifull demonstration by seuen seuerall argumentes that they which preach the Gospell ought to liue of the Gospell His first reason is taken from the Soldiour That no man goeth to warre-fare of his owne costes and charges The second is drawne from the husbandmen Who if they plant a vine it is reason that they should eate of the fruite of the vine The third is borrowed of the shepheard Who feed their flockes and are fedde by their flockes And that no man should thinke the Apostle spake of affection he addeth Say I these thinges according to man Namely as a man moued with auarice or carryed away with couetousnesse Nay then he prouoketh of his side the law it selfe which alwayes inioyned vs a certaine ciuilitie and semblable kindnes euen vnto brute beastes if they doe vs any seruice that wee may well knowe how much rather wee ought to performe the same towards men I say towardes men which aboue all men deserue well of all men And this is the fourth argument in that place which he amplifieth by the similitude of him which ploweth and thresheth out the corne for the commoditie thereof It is written in the law of Moses sayth he Thou shalt not mussle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne Doth God take care for Oxen eyther sayth hee not this altogether for our sakes for our sakes no doubt it is written that hee which eareth should eare in hope and that he which thresheth in hope should be partaker of his hope The fift argument is drawne from them which sowe corne in hope to make a good haruest If we haue sowne to you sayth he spirituall thinges is it a great thing if wee reape your carnall thinges There is no proportion at
Iniunctions For wee must vnderstand thus much also that tenthes haue beene paide of olde not onely to the Priestes but vnto the chiefe Magistrate also Haue wee not heard of certaine tributes wont to bee paid to the common treasurie which afterwardes were giuen by the Emperour Constantine vnto the Churches Namely for that albeit the superstition of the Gentiles were in many places put down by publike authoritie yet the Nobles and richer sort with the greater part of the people hauing not forthwith receyued the faith of Christ the bare oblations of the faithfull althogh bountiful were not sufficing to relieue the poore and to maintaine the state of their Pastors So that vnlesse I quite lose mine ayme those tributes were eyther tenthes or tithes For there is nothing better knowne then that the Romanes imposed the paiments of tenthes vpon those prouinces they conquered and what proportion could they more fitly giue vnto professed Churches then the tenthes of those they conquered This example did Charles the great follow who hauing ouercome the Saxons and hauing put to flight their King Windekind hee commaunded tenthes to be paid vnto him part whereof the Bishops and other Pastors of the Church had and part the Kinges officers also receiued As for the coniecture of Crantz in his Metropolis who thinketh that tenthes were giuen vnto Nobles in fee by the Bishops I cannot for my part allowe thereof seeing it so euidently appeareth out of the approued Annalies that those tenthes were receyued of the Kinges Officers before there were any Bishops and whereas yet there were none But whereas tythes seemed not to suffice the state of the Cleargie the godly Prince of a religious and wise purpose added glebes and landes vnto the vse of the Church For indeed that wilde Nation tamed onely by force armes receiued the Christian Religion for feare but in affection were so estraunged from it that they would sooner suffer the Bishops and those preachers which the Emperour sent vnto them rather to sterue among then then to thriue by them But who so desireth to reade more of this matter may reade Crantz his Metropolis and the Saxon Chronicles In the meane while wee haue thus learned that those tenthes and tythes which no religion of the Christian people but the liberalitie of the religious Magistrate hath giuen vnto the Church were properly to bee accounted among the Churches Ciuill goodes But when as at this day they are so intermingled that the manner of their first donations is not known for good cause they are now called by the more certaine and the more singular part of them and are therefore accounted among those Church goods which are not ciuill but sacred and diuine As for those goods of the Church which wee distinguish by the name of ciuill goods and humane they may be distinguished into the possession of such fearms and rents which the Church had euen vnder heathen Emperors before Constantine and into the possession of such fees and mannors which vnder the Christian Magistrate haue annexed vnto them some ciuil iurisdiction The which because some contend that no Ecclesiasticall person ought to inioy wee are in like manner to examine that matter the rather for that there are some which thinke they ought rather to liue of other mens Almes Chap. XIII That the Pastors of churches are not maintained of almes but of the due reward of their labours SOme haue beene of opinion you will very hardly beleeue it neither doe I their opinion that our blessed Lorde and his Apostles did not onely liue very bare but verie beggers and therefore that the Ministers of the Church ought to liue of meere almes according vnto their godly example But the law of God defieth this errour and forbiddeth the whole trade of begging among his people Neither doe wee read that the Lord at any time repealed this lawe and sure we are that there haue beene alwayes extant among vs certaine lawes of the Emperours also against vpright beggers Almes are giuen for pittie sake to helpe and cheare the needie but whatsoeuer is giuen as a testimonie of any vertue is eyther a stipend for certaine paines taken or a present for a certaine reuerence conceiued albeit the party be poore vnto whom it is performed When the Lord therefore sent forth his Disciples to preach hee gaue them a commission to take vp their mainteinance of them to whome they preached and hee therefore compared them to labourers and their stipend to a reward not to an almes which being due is to be charged and discharged as of right Whereby the nature of those things which the godly did contribute vnto the Lord his vse and his Apostles is easely vnderstood to be of the condition not of almes but of fees Euen as the offerings and certaine parts of the sacrifices were alotted to the Priests not as free almes but as the fruites of their labours so the godly Pastors doe receiue of the faithfull people not a doale but a duetie the one beeing of right the other of meere pittie If any man vrge that the sense of this worde Almes doth extend it selfe more largelie amongst learned Diuines that it is taken for all kind of beneuolence which is shewed for Gods cause vnto the benefit of our neighbor Howe truly they so affirme I leaue that to them which are but meanely seene in the Greeke tongue In the meane while I will not sticke with them for so much as this commeth to that in such a sense those thinges which are giuen to the Church for the benefite of the Ministers may bee called Almes also this alwaies reserued that they still differ white and blacke from those almes with the which the poore are releeued For what haue they deserued You remember where I sayd that there is no other law imposed vpon the Minister by the Lord then vnto the rest of the faithfull excepting onely the condition of their function Neither doth any man doubt that the faithfull are forbidden by any religion to become the free tenaunts of their Princes But as for the lawes and conditions which perticularlie concerne the estate of Ministers there is not any one which inhibiteth them to vse the benefite of Princes and to be deuoted to them as far as other Citizens Ouer and besides all this the Euangelique precepts are in no case an excuse vnto the right of nations or the equity of Moses law but they all and all the worlde shall witnes the same haue appointed for the Priests and sacred Ministers both fields and farmes and other ciuill estates And can they by any law or equity be sequestred from the generall priuiledges of all cittizens which are to liue now among citizens and to sustaine vnder the same Magistrate the same burdens of the commonwelth with other Cittizens And hath not God himselfe commaunded by his law that there should be giuen vnto the Priests and Leuites not onely tythes and offerings but Cities also with
in the other with aduauntage Chap. XXI An exposition of that place of Luke in the two and twentith chapter NOw I come to that place of Luke the two and twentith chapter where it is recorded that there was some question made amongst the Apostles which of them should seeme the greater the which for that it arose of a certaine perswasion of honor and rule our Lord Sauiour the great Maister of humility repressed the same and confuted their misconceite when as hee forbad them to imitate the proceedings of heathen Princes and made himselfe an example of his manner of gouernment For albeit he had called them indeed to a singular kind of dignitie notwithstanding he would haue them vnderstand that the same differed heauen and earth from that which is vsuall in imperiall kingdomes For as the kingdome of God is diuers from the kingdomes of the earth euen so it becommeth the Ministers of that his kingdome to be of diuers conditions also Indeed it is the fashion of the Court to sewe pillowes vnder the elbowes euen of most vile men and commonly they which grind the faces of the people with bloud-thirstie tyrannie and practise vpon them all kind of crueltie are notwithstanding called most mercifull and most gratious Lords Wherefore our Sauiour especially here taxed the manifest misdemeanors of them which then did domineer ouer the people of God noting withall the manifold abuses of other vngratious Tyrants which by force and armes had inthralled mightie kingdomes vnder their dominion vnto whome the grace of Gratiousnes was giuen euen by them whom they oppressed most vngratiously Moreouer there was setled in the mindes of the Apostles a certain conceit that the kingdom of the Lord should be earthly as they did see that of the Romanes to bee and as they had heard that of Dauid and Salomon to haue beene Higher then this could not they aduance their conceits for alâs they were as yet but meere infants in Christ and did but learne as then to goe by ground Whereuppon it came to passe that they imagined very strongly that they could be made no other by the Lord then Lords Lieutenantes at the least from the which their childish ouer-weening our Sauiour doth in this place take them downe a little But that it may be made yet more apparant vnto all what might bee the Lord his very meaning in that his saying I wil yet sound into the cause a little deeper The Apostles seeme to make a verie plaine question demaunding no more but this Who should be the greatest among them but in what things he should be the greatest that is not there expressed No doubt a man may be accounted greatest for sundry causes as greatest in age in experience greatest greatest in learning in eloquence greatest greatest in wisedome in wealth in nobilitie of birth in authoritie and power and such like But now the Apostles were priuate men in nothing singular which commonly maketh mens minds ambitious and causeth mens thoughtes to ouer-reach As for age experience wealth wisedome nobility such like they openly bewray themselues in whom soeuer they are the greatest so that there is seldom any question about those things It remaineth therefore that the question betwene them was for honour and authoritie the which also may seeme a ridiculous thing among the poore fraternitie of the twelue Apostles vnlesse haplie a man would iudge them ambitious rather for their desire then for their honour But farre be it from mee that I should rashly condemne those good men of any sacrilegious ambition seeing the Lord himselfe did not so much correct them as direct them in their demaund It appeareth rather by that the Lord answered thē by any thing the Apostles propounded that they did not regard the present state of thinges as they were then but that they had an eye to that rather which they hoped to see shortly vnder Christ They knewe that the kingdome of GOD was now at hande about the proclaiming whereof they chiefly were sent neyther were they ignorant how honorably the Prophets had written thereof namely that it should be as a most mightie so a most ample kingdome not to bee bordered but with the compasse of the whole earth that all nations should come and acknowledge their fealtie and doe due homage thereunto and that albeit they expected many enemies and aduersaries both tyrants and traytors yet notwithstanding the rebellious of the people should be appeased at the last Wherefore when as they were of beleefe that this kingdome should be restored vnto Israell out of hand their question is who should be next vnto Christ in that kingdome For as the Israelites had borne a long time the heauie yoke of some tyrannous Empires so they were perswaded that all Nations should nowe yeelde to the iust consequence of their renued title And they did see indeed that their present number did well agree with the twelue Princes of the twelue Tribes of Israel and that the seuentie two Disciples did as well resemble the graund Senate of Gods people Whereby as they knewe that amongst them of olde there were diuerse degrees of dignitie vnder King Dauid and other Princes so they perswaded themselues that the like distinction of orders and honours ought to bee continued amongst them Neither could they so soone forget that honorable speach of their Lord when he promised them that one day they should sit vpon twelue thrones and iudge the twelue tribes of Israell These conceites I should conceiue the Apostles had then in their heades being made as yet and not throughly exercised in the censure of heauenly things these I think rather to haue proceeded in them of a certaine weake ignorance and erroneous misconceiuing then of any sacrilegious pride or ambitious ouer-weening But the Lord perceiuing their thoughts correcteth their misconceite teacheth them That he had not called them to sway an earthly scepter but to seeke a spirituall Empire in the which notwithstanding the power they should receiue of him they should still continue and content themselues not Princes but priuate men Wherfore albeit they should be the chiefe and principall of the new people of God yet their principalitie should not bee any thing more magnificent then the estate of other priuate men and therefore in the forme of that gouernment he had appointed for his Church the first and principall ought to imitate his example who liued among them as a seruant and a Minister when as yet they called him as indeede hee was both Lord and Maister And this is the plainest exposition of Christ his words Where we see that our Sauiour because hee would not stirre vp any headstrong innouation in the common welths and kingdomes vnto whom he sent his Apostles of especial purpose he sent them priuate and impotent without either warlike complement or ciuil regiment namely to conuert soules not to inuert states least if hee should haue erected heere any earthlie kingdome they might haue supposed
thousand Of the which foure and twenty were appointed to bee ouerseers of the workes for the house of the Lord and sixe thousand were ordayned Rulers and Iudges in all Israell And least any man shoulde thinke that they were Iudges onely in Ecclesiasticall causes as some now a dayes would hold men in hād forcing the Scriptures to that forme of gouernement they see in some Churches let the six and twenty Chapter of the same Booke be wel read and aduisedly perused and he shal find that the Isharites Chenanas and his brethren men of might were deputed officers and Iudges for the businesse without ouer Israell Of the Hebronits Hesabias and his brethren men of might a thousand and seuen hundred were appointed Officers for Israell beyond Iordan westward in all the businesse of the Lord and for the seruice of the King And in the same Chapter it is sayd that Dauid appoynted the kinse-men of Iedijas men of might two thousand seuen hundred Princes of families ouer the Rubenites and the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasses for euery matter pertaining to God and the King To these I may adde that which I read in the nineteenth of the 2. of the Chronicles of king Iehosophat who intending the restauration of Gods worship and the reformation of the common wealth appointed Iudges Leuits and Priests and Princes of the families of Israell for the iudgement and cause of the Lord. And where as some thinke by that in the last verse of this Chapter That the Priests and Leuites were onely deputed ouer Ecclesiasticall causes because it is there written Behold Amarias the Priest shall be the chiefe ouer you in all matters of the Lord and Zebadias the sonne of Ismaell a ruler of the house of Iuda shall be for all the Kings affaires c. As if he had there put some difference betweene matters ciuill and Ecclesiastitall It is an errour growen as I haue sayde of a certaine fore-seasoned opinion of that gouernment which we see now in the Church or Rome and some other reformed churches For who seeth not that in this place the kings affaires and in the sixe and twenty of the former booke the seruice of the King doth not signify al one with ciuil matters and politique affaires but what so euer pertayned to the Kings right Such as were first described by Samuel and afterwards eyther imitated or augmented by the consent of the people as it often commeth to passe of the which ther was nothing prescribed by Moyses But what the businesse of the Lord was the tenth verse going before declareth by particulars For the Priests were interpreters of the law as well ciuill as ceremoniall and the King so appointing they were also the ordinary Iudges thereof These things I doe therfore remember that all men may know what is lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell who succeede the Leuiticall Ministery in ciuill causes vnder a christian Magistrate not that I would wishe them intangled therewith any otherwise then the necessity of time and causes may require and that we may also know that those precepts of our Sauiour were giuen to no other end then that as I haue sayd that misconceite of his kingdom should not be strengthned in the mindes of his Disciples Least they should thinke the power which was giuen them were annexed with such autority as that they might alter at their pleasure and innouate publique estates by theyr peculiar power Chap. XXV Theyr error confuted that thinke no ciuill affaires of the common wealth ought to be committed to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church NOw a dayes this common error hath inuaded the mindes not onely of the common sort but of some part of the learned also so that there are manye of that side very strongly opinionate that the ciuill affaires of the common wealth doe nothing at all appertaine to Bishops and Ministers no more then if they were neyther cittizens nor any suppliment of the common wealth Curriers Diers Weauers Beere-brewers Smithes Fullers Marchauntes and Pedlers furnish the common house and giue their voyce in things concerning the common wealth neyther can I dissalow the same in a common wealth but that the Pastors of Churches shoulde stande excommunicate out of their generall assemblies it is a thing vtterly against the equal right of al Cittizens Seeing they liue vnder the same lawes obey the same Magistrate beare the same burdens of the common wealth Seeing in such publique assemblies they doe consult as wel of theyr liues and goods and what so euer else vpon the which not onely theyr owne estate but the publique good of theyr Churches also doth depend seeing I say they doe consult of these no lesse then of cloth and wooll and fish and felles importing and transporting any other commodities is ther any light of reason or light reason why godly Ministers ought to haue lesse care of the common wealth then common Burgomaisters If they can alledge no reason what colour can they set vppon theyr mishapen ground Why they aboue all others should be excluded the ciuill assemblies or Parliaments prouincial whom it chiefely concerneth to see least the flocke committed to theyr charge be layd open to Wolues In those things which concerne the safety of theyr soules nay but in those things also which touch the security of theyr bodies Are they not appointed of God watchmen and ouerseers as it were in a hie tower or heedeful centrenel as they which are to see from far what mischiefes are like to insue that they may admonish as well the people as the Magistrats themselues of such things as are to be auoided The which in deed they cannot doe so long as they are kept fasting from the conscience and conference of such thinges as are done in the common wealth If the Church could stand safe though the cōmon wealth fell to decay or if the one might rise by the ruines of the other I had the lesse to say but when as Church and common wealth are imbarked in the same vessell saile together in the same danger how should the deuout minister be lesse solicited for the safety of the common state then are the common Burgesses who for the most part iudge one thing cōmodious for the Church an other for the common wealth another for themselues and their own estate These are in office but for a year they neuer forsake theyr charges These may prouide many waies for themselues theyr own estate with the detriment of the Church danger of the commō wealth they can by no means preserue themselues or theirs vnlesse both Church common wealth together be preserued These consult that the common wealth sustaine no domage in corne and cattell in wares and marchaundise least themselues at any time should want their sweet return They doe not a little regard these things but besides these theyr especial care is that iustice faith godlines and true religion decay not in the
neede knowen to euery man and with what face can they of the familye goe doore by doore to gather things necessary verily their credite is indangered and theyr modesty But did you euer heare that the Ministers of the Church were brought to such an exigent as that of force they must gather their relief from dore to dore among their own people In deed there was such a custome in the time of Popery for mendicant Friers brought vp among them of a certayne superstition without any precedent president of the auncient Fathers But is there no other way to gather christian oblations but so and are they not eyther brought by the faithfull of theyr own voluntary or collected by some of the honest neighbours appointed for that purpose But of the other side by the certaine stipends which depend vppon the vncertaine pleasures of the Magistrates it is very badly prouided both for the necessity of the family and the modesty of the Ministers where either so small wages are allowed or their allowance so slenderly paied that the poor Pastors pittifull complayning for meere pouerty are constrained to giue ouer theyr trade and to forsake theyr Ministery Where the people are perswaded that they owe nothing to theyr Pastors and that it pertaineth to the Magistrate onely to prouide for the Ministers alâcke poore Pastors I am ashamed to report how both people and Magistrate beare themselues towards them But furthermore they dispute that in these stipends the Ministers can vse no deceite when it shal be sufficiently knowen how much they receiue when as otherwise a couetous Minister may pretend that eyther he receiueth lesse then he receiueth or not so much as sufficeth To this I aunswere that the oblations of the which we argue the case are not so secretly giuen or so closely kept but that it is commonly knowen how much they are and what the Minister receiueth But to what purpose is al this or to what end should al know how much the minister either receyueth or hath or who can prescribe a meane for that matter The Pastor layeth out as well as he taketh in must that also needs be knowen That which they adde of the coueteous Minister who may pretend that he receyueth lesse then either he receiueth or may well suffice it proceedeth of the same errour I haue knowen many Ministers in my time among whome there is not one whose wealth is not commonly knowen and what he ordinarily receyueth euery year so that there is no other means for them to lie here then there vnlesse you would lie for them But to what end are these reasons or how thinke they did the ancient Bishops of the Church liue Ignatius Ireneus Cornelius Cyprian and such like whose memorial wil continue with their glory to the worlds end A man shall neuer preuent the cauels of malitious men whether the Ministers liue of tithes and oblations or whether they stick to theyr certain allowance both here and there whatsoeuer is receiued wil be thought too much of some A Flemishe florence or gilderne is 2. shillings sterling I haue often times heard the Boores groyn and grunt to this effect that a stipend of two three or foure hundred Flemish Florences was great wages I sayd they can keepe my family for lesse Neyther do I receyue so much of all the gayne that I can make thus vnequally comparing not them selues with them selues but theyr styes with the state of they Ministers As if ther were no difference betweene a priuate man of the basest rout a publique Minister at the hie Altar And yet two or three years wages wil scarce serue to buy him books bsides of duty he ought to be boūtifull intertainable to the needy But now they say that by this means it is well prouided for the subiects who for the most part are but poore liue hardly in theyr Villages For how should they maintain the Minister who are themselues to be maintained Here in deed is the error of our age to be noted which in some places giue to the ciuill Magistrate the goods of the Church and permitteth them to gather vp tithes which are due to the Minister But to the purpose In villages the poor which haue nothing giue nothing if it be litle which a man hath he giueth litle euery man payeth his tith according to his wealth and according to the greatnes of his increase whether the commodity lie in tillage or in herbage And in deed the poore could no waies better be prouided for that they should not relieue theyr Pastors themselues being to be relieued then thus for by this means the Pastors are mainetayned by them which haue much they maintaine them which haue nothing The increase of theyr fields for the most part keepe a certain scantline euermore the number of them is greater which receiue then of the poore which want the same But these their reasons are too blame that both poore Pastors are so badly prouided for as they are for by thē the goods which are consecrate to holy vses are betraied to prophane wretches of whom themselues must now goe beg their allowance and be glad to serue and flatter in most slauish sort for their iust reward But yet again they argue that men will seek occasion to discharge their Minister when they shal see that they must giue often shal hear their vices inueighed against so wil fain causes with greater autority contentiō to thrust him out But who seeth not here how weakely this argument is grounded euen vppon an euil grounded gouernment of the Church who leaue in the peoples hands to place displace their Pastors at their pleasure yet if it so falleth out at any time as it falleth out so often as they fall out the christian Magistrat must be but an idle auditor in this iniury haue no autority at all to compell the wicked in this case to theyr duty But let Cornelius Bishop of Rome an holy Martyr aunswere this who being destitute of the ayde of the christian Magistrate and being infested by Nouatus his faction so far forth as that he was not far from giuing vp his hold and yeelding to the wicked yet did he euer want of those his ordinary oblations euen in the midst of so much euil will and so many dissentions so that he could not maintain therewith his 500. and 50. clerkes and a 1000. 500. poore people Neither were any of the Fathers which liued of oblations euer fearefull of the wicked but were euer fearfull to the wicked and were feared Of no greater force is that which they say that euil men being reprehended wil giue nothing but will rather suffer their Minister to famish for hunger As if that were not rather to be feared least it should be done as we haue experience of the doing by the Magistrat which payeth them wages when so euer a good Minister shal displease a bad
to excuse the able auditory no excuse to dispence with an expence of duty For that communication of their goods is not so much to releeue the others necessity as to approoue their own duty The poore Christian brother is honoured for his want but the holy Minister of God for the worthines of his office Besides this the good will of the Magistrate is variable who being once offended with the Ministers whether right or wrong they shall be sure to leape short of their stipends But whensoeuer the cōmon treasurie shal shrink as by many meanes it may be brought to a low eb then alack pore Ministers needs must your state be most miserable The people not accustomed to passe any thing to their Pastors wil think it perteines nothing to them wheather they sincke or swim and most men are of that boorish nature as that they wil rather leaue the Pastor destitute then they wil seem to contribute and so hee being forsaken of his flocke of force must needs forsake his flocke as at this day it is come to passe in many places of Holland But how wretched the estate of the Ministery is in that countrey by reason of the basenes of their stipends and the badnes of their paiments they knowe best that smart for it when as poore soules they are constrained to trudge no small iorneis to begge their wages of their good maisters of whome many times they beeing intertained with disdaine are sent away with a mischief and bring nothing home with them but night besides the wearines of their lims the losse of their time the expence of their money and anguishe of their relenting soules To these miseries we may adde this also that the Magistrate accustomed to pay the Ministers their wages out of the common treasury beginneth to take them for ciuill officers and towne-seruants so that base men will not sticke some-times after they are once out of office as Curriers Tinkers Carpenters Pedlers and such like to insult ouer their Pastors with a villanous mind and in a shamelesse maner and to say What sir-priests you are our seruants we are your good maisters we pay you wages I would be ashamed so God mee helpe so disdainefully to shake vp the veriest page or basest drudge in my Lordes kitchin and as soone I should be called to mine answere for it I remember in a solemne banquet made at Gaunt to the Prince of Orange it was my hap to sit ouer against a cople of iolly Burgo-maisters who when they once began to be somwhat warme in their liquor and were now come from neuer a word to neuer a wise word at last they spied me busie in talke with another and thinking I marked not what they said they began to speake their pleasure and by chance I ouer heard thus much of their good talk We must take heed said they least these busie Ministers becom more combersome vnto vs then were euer our corne-fed Papists we must therfore keepe them vnder least they grow too lustie creep too far in fauor with the people and so become a terrour to the Magistrates but especially we must looke to this that their wages be not too great Hee that bringeth vp his seruant delicately at length shall find him maister-full These men a Gods name would seeme the patrons and pillers of Christ his Church but they bee it spoken without any preiudice to any other did afterwards bewray the venome they fostered in their harts when not long after they both became traytors to God and their country Whether Holland harbour any more such mates let them looke to it vnto whom it belongeth but the like effects giue a shrewd gesse of the like affects In the meane while wee see how this disdainefull dealing against Gods Ministers commeth of this because they are so bragge that they pay them their stipends being indeed no other thing then that which they haue before purloined frō the church crambd into their guiltie coffers Wherefore let no man wonder if I like but a little of this manner honoring of the Ministerie for smal is the honor that is braued with contumely And therefore in the name of God let that manner of honoring Gods Ministers bee continued in the Church which was appointed by the better wisedome of the Lord aswell in the olde as in the new Testament I say let it be continued in that manner as it was well conceiued and worthily receiued by the ancient Fathers Neither let the prerogatiue of our owne conceits any longer deceiue vs as if we were the onely men that could deuise a better Let abuses bee corrected but so that the lawful vse be either retained or restored Nor let the iniquitie of those men which haue defiled thinges sacred and prophane so farre preuaile with vs that wee should therefore confound things secular and sacred or that wee should take away that distinction in things which nature reason and religion hath set downe The third Booke Of Sacrilege and the punishment thereof Chap. I. That donations are made firme to Churches by the same lawes by virtue whereof other Cittizens hold their possessions THE studie and bountie of our forefathers in inriching the Church are sufficiently knowne in whome it may seeme no small wonder that euerie where alwayes and at all seasons they should so farre mistake the matter that is so childishly to deale in this matter and that their posteritie should nowe at the last see more and conceiue better then they who in the same cause take a cleane contrary course to them that without any commaund of God any example of former age No doubt as to stand vpon the examples of our Fathers in their offences is foolish and vnreasonable so rashly to condemne the same where iustly they cannot bee conuinced is vtterly godlesse and irreligious True it is wee are all prone to euill Fathers and Fathers children but to whether of these may wee bee more easely perswaded iudge you to giue of our owne or to take away other mens Our Elders gaue which no man can denie of no euill mind our vpstarts take away that our Elders gaue with what mind the thing it selfe doth shew Our Fathers gaue according to law our nouices take away contrarie to law Wherfore seeing the indowments made to the Church haue their strength and assurance from the very same lawes by the which other Citizens possesse their goods is there any man that would not iudge it a tyrannous act if any Mastrate shewing no cause should thrust any subiect out of his possessions Wherfore the Churchmen ought to haue bene first heard and iust cause should haue beene brought in against them why they were not any longer to bee suffered to enioy the possessions of the Church in a Christian common-wealth They also ought to haue bene heard which were to succeed the Masse-Priestes in pastorall charge whome it chiefly did concerne what was to be done with those goods But what need all
ought to be reuersed vnto their lawful vse for the which they first serued The Arke of the Lord was taken of the Philistines and prophaned but it did not therefore cease to be sacred to God being receiued againe from the Philistines it was no lesse to be esteemed then it was before The vessels and ornaments of Solomons temple were translated by Nabucadnezar to Babylon the which things beeing laid vp in the Temple of his Gods after his manner he vsed them religiously But Babylon beeing conquered Cyrus in the right of a conquerour might haue praied vpon them yet when he once knew that they afore-times pertained to the holy worship of the most holy in the temple of Solomon he abstained from them and cōmanded that they shuld bee restored to their former vse againe More wisely or more religiously done least hapiy hee might haue incurred the same crime of cursed sacrilege for the which the Lord had iustly punished prophane Balthasar his predecessour By the which it may appeare that what things are once destined to the vse of the Church are sacred vnto God for euer not is it lawful at any time to distract them to foraine vses CHAP. V. A distinction of those Church-goods which the Church of Rome possesseth at this day BVt when as all the goods which we see in the Church of Rome are not of the same kind we cannot giue the same iudgement of them al. There is therfore a threfold difference of them alwaies to be remembred In the first order I place those which our godly Fathers gaue to the Church for the maintenance of the Pastors and the relief of the poore In the second order I place those which were granted to the church for superstitious vses as for Masses Dirges Monks and Nuns morow Masse-priests And in the last order I place those infinite donations pernitious to the Common-welth which were either rashly made by Kings and Emperors or wrongfully extorted from them by force or fraud of which kinde are the inuestiture of those Ecclesiasticall fees which were giuen by godly Princes to the churches the which when as by that title they do pertaine to them of right yet the BB. of Rome doth chalenge the whole right therof to himselfe But these things seeing that by the lawes both of God man they pertain to Kings alone that which is Caesars is to be giuen to Caesar The Lord hath forbidden ministers to be Kings ouer their churches therefore in the 22. of Luke he purgeth that humor in the heads of his Apostles with this Aloes The Kings of nations rule ouer them and they which haue power ouer them are called bountifull but it shall not be so with you that is you shall not be Kings with which magnificent titles of bountifull and gratious they flatter them which haue smal cause bearing the heauy yoke of their cruell dominion Wherefore in this case christian Kings may lawefully reuerse what-soeuer the Bishop of Rome hath vnlawfully raked to himselfe by fraud or by force But heere I require discretion and moderation to bee vsed that Caesar do not so reuerse those things which are Caesars that together he fal to rifle those things which are Gods Indeed the cleargy of Rome hath rauisht them both but they are not worthy whom the christian Magistrat shuld imitate neither is he a mā of worth that wil punish theft with sacrilege What things the error of our fathers gaue to superstitious vses they ar void I confesse supestition and idolatry being taken away the godly Magistrat may dispose of such goods as hee shall thinke good neither hath the church any right to chalenge in these And yet if the authority of the former law aleadged and the counsel of the learned father Augustine be of any worth those legacies which were giuen for the celebrating of masses the nourishing of Monks may be conuerted to some better vse by the which the memory of the testator may be solemnized in another a more lawful kind In the 16. of Numb the censors with the which the 250. rebels offered vp incense as Priests in sin vngodlines were notwithstanding hallowed before God and therfore that in no wise they might afterwards be imploied in any common vses he commanded them to be drawn into brode plates for a couering to the altar So were the instruments which the irreligious abused conuerted to a sacred and a religious vse The which commandement indeed althogh it be not general yet it conteineth therein an especiall instruction by the which we are taught what ought to be done in such a case Augustine in his 154. Epistle to Publicola is of opinion that the Idols Idol-temples groues which were put down were not to be diuerted to any priuate vse but to bee conuerted into publike seruices and the honor of the true God that the like thing may be done by them which is done in the men themselues who are conuerted from a sacrilegious impious people to the true religion of the liuing God Least otherwise it might seem to be done not of conscience but for couetousnes But seing the law of God prescribeth nothing in this matter and whatsoeuer Moses hath written therof concerneth the people of Israell in perticular I make it no matter of religion why the Magistrate may not determine herein as it shal seeme best to his godly wisedome Nor doe I disauow the decree of the Emperours Honorius and Theodosius but I aduise al Princes and other chiefe Magistrates who haue earst reformed Churches or shall here-after that this one thing be alwais wel considered of them namely that Churches were but robbed of their rights by Monestaries when they gleaned to themselues the duty of tythes and oblations which things christian Princes and people haue consecrated of old to the honor of their Pastors the comfort of the poore For they preposterouslie take vpon them the gouernement of Churches contrary vnto the order of the ancient Church and vnder the title of voluntary pouerty these gathered that to themselues which was giuen to the poore for necessity CHAP. VI That the goods of Monks are not all of one kind AS in those goods which the Pastors and rectors of the Church possesse I haue shewed that ther is great difference so neither are we to think that the goods of Monks are all of one sort It were to long to repeat how they came to so great wealth neither is it needfull onely this I wuld haue wel noted that whatsoeuer the Monks possessed which of right was due to the Pastors of the church that al that did pertaine to the first order of church-goods which I before noted the which indeed after the subuersion of Monasteries are not to be taken for wast so long as there is anie Church remaining Wherevpon I infer that all popish idolatrie being put down onely those things which maintained either tyranny or idolatry do deuolue by right to the Chequer the
rest which had nor cause nor end erronious was to be testored the Church againe If so be in any place all is come to the common treasury whatsoeuer the Monkish professors had in possession and that not so much with the consent as by the counsel of those whoÌ„ the matter it selfe did concerne and ought rather to haue intercessed and taught the Magistrate the contrary let them beare the blame for that part themselues worthy also to bear the burthen We know that the prophanation and abuse of Church goods could not be such as that they could inuert the nature of things giuen or infring the vertue of the donation it selfe That which the Arke of God was was it not still euen among the Philistines Neyther were the vessels of the Lorde his Temple vnhallowed though they were in the midst of Babylon That the Pope of Rome with his clergy haue abused and doe abuse the true and lawfull goods of the Church it ought not to be any preiudice to the godly Ministers of the Church Seeing the possessors thereof are not Lords but stewards onely who haue the vse benefite and bestowing of the Church goods not the propriety As for that they say that the Bishops of old thought that the Church had no right to those things which were dedicated to the seruice of the Heathen gods it maketh nothing at all against the truth of our position For neyther do we hold that the Church hath any right to those things which are immediatly destinate to vngodly vses I haue already confessed that those things are in the second order of Church goods therfore in the power and at the pleasure of the christian Magistrat I remember that I sayd that I did not dislike the decree of Honorius and Theodosius and other godly Emperours whose better examples if they had imitated whose error hath vrged me to write thus much there had beene no neede of this discourse Chap. VII That it is an other thing to come from Paganisme to Christianity then to come from Popery or some other heresie MOreouer this also is not to bee omitted that it is one thing for a people to be conuerted from Paganisme to Christianity and an other thing to come froÌ„ Popery that is froÌ„ Heresie to true Christianity The difference which is between Paganisme and Christianity is much greater then that which is betweene Christianity Popery Paganisme hath nothing in common with Christianity Popery is Christianity Christianity alayed alaied or rather rackt with foule Idolatry and that I may so speake it is a certayne medley or a kinde of mongrel and motley Christianity For the sacred Scripture both of the old and new Testament the couenant of God the Baptisme of Christ the remission of sins and the name of a christian with many other things of the same profession are there peculiar to the Church which are notes of christianity are no wher to be found out of the Church Not in Paganisme not in Iudaisme not in Nahumetisme So that the Heresies Superstition which being substracted are added to the Romish Church the remainder is meere Christianity Very Popery is but a botch of the Church not the very Church but that which the foule Leprosy is or any other deadly contagion in the body of man the same is Popery in the body of the Church So that to forsake Popery is not to forsake the Church but to fly froÌ„ the infection of the church Now then when an Ethnicke becommeth a Christian an Alyen and a straunger is receyued and inserted into the newe people then beginneth he to be a member of the Church But in the reformatioÌ„ of any erronious or stragling Church an adulterous Church becommeth a chast spouse and base christians are made lawfull the wife being reconciled to her husband and therefore what things so euer the adulterous Church vsurped of the goods of her husband the lawfull Church as true spouse doth challenge the same to her selfe by his right In Theodosius Records the sixteenth Book and the foure and forty title against the Donatistes thus it goeth But those places in the which cursed superstition as yet remayneth let them be ioyned to the holy Catholique Church so that theyr Flamines and Priests theyr Prelates and all theyr Ministers be spoyled of all theyr goods and exiled into diuerse Iles and sundry prouinces There also in the fourth Booke we reade of a decree from the same Emperours Honorius and Theodosius against the Montanists in these wordes If there now remayneth any proper edifices which ought to bee called rather dens then Churches let them bee awarded to the holy Churches of the Orthodoctike sect with all theyr indowmentes Before our times there haue beene not a fewe alterations in the Church In the which when godly Emperours put downe the Heretikes they robbed not the Churches of theyr possessions but restored them to the true professors Of the which thing Sainct Austine in his fifty Epistle to Boneface a certayne Capitayne writeth thus VVhat so euer was possessed of the Donatistes parte in the name of theyr Churches christian Emperours by their religious lawes haue commuanded that they come with the Churches them selues to the catholicke Church Thus sayth Austine And were it not as he sayth I would confirme the same with many witnesses Wherefore that I may now comprise those thinges I haue sayd Those Church goods which were gotten eyther by fraude or by force and vsurped without right or else if they were freely giuen but to a superstitious end are in the power of the chiefe Magistrate But those thinges which are lawfully graunted and receyued of the Church to no such end by no such meanes are consecrate to GOD neyther can they bee any wayes transuersed without sinfull Sacrilege Sainct Austine in his Treatise vppon Sainct Iohn the twelfth Chapter Behold Iudas sayth hee is among the holy men and that you shall not need to contemne him a Sacrilegious Church-robber not a petty Lassoner hee was a thiefe of the Tresure but the Lordes Treasure of the Treasure but the sacred Treasure And if crimes are distinguished in the Court whether it be theft or publique robbery for publique robbery is sayd to be a theft from the common Treasury howe much more sharpely is a Sacriligious thiefe to bee iudged which presumeth to steale not from euery place but from the holy Church Doubtlesse he that taketh from the Church may bee compared to Iudas the wretch So sayth good Father Austine Chap. VIII How gracious and inâ—â—â—â—ble the sin of sacrilege is PLato being to set downe a law against Church-robbers beginneth the matter with a large preface and first concludeth that the sin of Sacrilege is vncureable and that he which is infected with any such wretched couetise is not moued thereunto eyther for Gods euill or for mans so much as for his owne and that by reason of some other old and odious sinne not yet punished nor euer to be expiat