speciall charge of imposition of hands and this their singularitie in succeeding and superioritie in ordaining haue bene obserued from the Apostles times as the peculiar and substantial markes of Episcopal power and calling I knowe some late Writers vehemently spurne at this and hardly endure any difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters vnlesse it be by custome and consent of men but in no case by any order or institution of the Apostles whose opinions together with the authorities on which they builde I haue according to my small skill examined and find them no way able to rebate the full and sound euidence that is for the contrarie for what more pregnant probation can be required then that the same power and precepts which Paul gaue to Timothie when hee had the charge of Ephesus remained in all the Churches throughout the worlde to certaine speciall and tried persons authorized by the Apostles themselues and from them deriued to their after-commers by a generall and perpetuall succession in euery church and citie without conference to enlarge it or Councill to decree it the continuing where of for three discents the Apostles saw with their eyes confirmed with their handes and Saint Iohn amongst others witnessed with his pen as an order of ruling the Church approoued by the expresse voyce of the Sonne of God When the originall proceeded from the Apostles mouth and was obserued in all the famous places and Churches of Christendome where the Apostles taught and whiles they liued can any man doubt whether that course of gouerning the Church were Apostolike for my part I confesse I am neither so wise as to ouer-reach it with policie nor so wayward as to withstand it with obstinacie Against so maine and cleere proofes as I dare vndertake will content euen a contentious minde when hee readeth them are pretended two poore places the one of Ambrose the other of Ierome the first auouching that in the beginning the Episcopall prerogatiue went by order before it came by way of election vnto desert the other resoluing that Bishops are greater then Presbyters rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lords disposition Both these authorities I haue throughly discussed and laide forth the right intent of those Fathers not onely by comparison of other Writers but euen by their owne confession lest any shoulde thinke I drawe them to a forraine sense besides their true meaning for when Ierome and Austen alleage the vse and custome of the Church for the distinction betwixt Bishops and Presbyters if it be vnderstoode of the names and titles of honor which at first were common to both and after diuided by the vse of the Church as Austen expresseth we can absolutely grant the places without any preiudice to the cause if it be applied to their power and function in the church it is most true that Ierome saith Presbyters were subiect in such fort as the Primitiue Church obserued rather by custome then by the trueth of the Lords ordinance For Presbyters in the Primitiue Church as appeareth by Tertullian Ierome Possidonius and others might neither baptize preach nor administer the Lords supper without the Bishops leaue especially in his presence which indeede grewe rather by custome for the preseruation of order then by any rule or commandement of the Lord. By the word of God a Bishop did nothing which a Presbyter might not do saue imposing of hands to ordaine That is the onely distinction in the Scriptures betwixt a Bishop and a Presbyter as Ierome and Chrysostome affirme other differences which the church kept many as to impose hands on the baptized and conuerted to reconcile penitents and such like were rather peculiar to the Bishop for the honour of his calling then for any necessitie of Gods Law If any man vrge further out of Ierome that there was no Bishop at all nor chiefe Ruler ouer the Church and Presbyterie of each place in the Apostles times I answere him with the resolution of one of the greatest patrones of their newe discipline Non ita desipuisse existimandus est vt somniaretneminem illi coetui praefuisse Icrome is not to bee thought to haue beene so vnwise as to dreame the Presbyterie had no chiefe Ruler or President It is a perpetuall and essentiall part of Gods ordinance that in the Presbyterie one chiefe in place and dignitie shoulde gouerne eache action or meeting And againe Tales Episcopos diuinitùs quasi ipsius Christi voce constitutos absit vt vnquam simus inficiati that such Bishops as were Pastours in euerie Citie and chiefe of their Presbyteries were appointed from heauen and as it were by the voyce of Christ himselfe God forbid wee shoulde euer denie This saieth hee on the behalfe of the newe Discipline On the other side I say God forbid I should vrge any other but such as were Pastours ouer their Churches and Gouernours of the Presbyteries vnder them If wee thus farre agree what cause then had those turbulent heades I speake not of them all which to ease their stomackes or to please their maintainers iested and railed rather like Stage-players then Diuines on those whome the wiser sorte amongst them can not denie were ordained by God and appointed by the voyce of Christ himselfe If their reasons bee not the stronger and weightier howsoeuer they flatter themselues in fluaries let them remember who saide hee that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me They will haply saue themselues for that our Bishops differ from the Apostolike Bishops in manie thinges as namelie theirs succeeded in order ours by election the dignitie was in the Apostles times common to euerie Presbyter in his course nowe it is proper to one with them it dured for a season as a weeke or a moneth with vs for life except by iust cause any deserue to bee remooued lastly they had but prioritie of place and authoritie to moderate the meetings and consultings of the rest ours haue a kinde of imperie ouer their fellow-Presbyters These bee precisely the points wherein one of the best learned of that side contendeth the ancient and Apostolike institution of Bishops was changed by processe of time into an other fourme established by custome and confirmed by consent of men these be his own words I haue not altered or inuerted the sense or sentence If any of these differences were true yet are they no causes to discredit the custome of the Primitiue Church in electing her Bishops to hold their places so long as they gouerned well for the same writer pronounceth of these very things setting the last aside neque in istis quicquam est quod reprehendi possit neither in these things is there ought that can be misliked but in deede there is not one of al these diuersities that can bee iustly prooued either by Scripture
what corruptions are in men as wel as other Consistories Mans lawes wee leaue to such as are skilled in them we would haue our Presbyteries meddle no further then with rebuking and censuring of vice as Gods Law requireth To admonish those that erre reiect thâ—se that persist and rebuke those that sinne are Pastorall and not Presbyteriall dueties by the wordes of S. Paul And he that is Pastour hath both worde and sacraments committed vnto his care within his owne Church Wherefore without their pastour the Presbyters may not iudicially rebuke nor publikely excommunicate any man within his charge They may preach the word and so generally applie it in the pulpit they may dispence the Sacraments and so not deliuer them where they find men impeniâ—ent but personally to conuent them or openlie to seuer them from the fellowship of the church that belongeth to the Pastour and not to the Presbyters Saint Paul committed that power and care to Timothie and his successours not to the Presbyterie of Ephesus The words are plaine Against an Elder receiue thou no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses those that sinne rebuke thou openly that the rest may feare I charge thee before God and the Lorde Iesus and his elect Angels that thou obserue these thinges without proiudice or partialitie that is without oppressing or fauouring any side She withus much for your Presbyteries and bring them in with full faile Paul made Timothie no Monarch at Ephesus to doe all this without the Presbyterie but appointed him to be chiefe in these actions and the Presbyters to ioyne with him Much lesse did Paul make him a voice-asker to knowe whether it should please the Presbyters to haue these things done or no. The charge is precisely and exactlie Timothies and not the Presbyteries the power therefore must be his and not theirs All this notwithstanding you affirme against the wordes of the Apostle and against the vse of the Primitiue Church that the Presbyters might ouer-rule and censure Timothie if he would not be quiet and in spite of Timothy doe in all these things as they saw cause and this you barely suppose without anie kinde of proofe But either shew what warrant you haue to claime this prerogatiue of Presbyters aboue and ouer their bishops and pastours or giue vs leaue to beleeue the whole Church of Christ expounding and practising those wordes of S. Paul as we doe before your slender and naked supposals The priuate vse of the keyes in appointing offendors vpon the acknowledging of their sinnes for a time to for beare the Lordes Table we denie not to Presbyters but the publike vse of the keies to exclude an impenitent and obstinate person from al fellowship of the faithfull as well sacred as ciuill that the Church of Christ allowed alwaies and only to bishops Origen saith By falling from trueth faith and loue a man geth out of the tents of the church though he be not cast our by the BISHOPS VOICE Cypr. writing to a bishop that was reproched by his Deacon saith Vse against him the power of your honour either TO DEPRIVE HIM or REMOOVE HIM from the communion The affection of a good Bishop saith Ambrose wisheth to heale the sicke to remooue cankred sores to cauterize not to cut off lastly that which can not be healed TO CVT IT OF with sorrow I maruel saith Ierom against Vigilantius the BISHOP in whose charge he is said to be a Presbyter DOTH NOT CRVSH this vnprofitable vessel with the Apostolike rod and deliuer him ouer to Satan for the destructioÌ„ of the flesh that the spirit may be saued There is no greater punishmeÌ„t in the Church saith Austen then that daÌ„nation which THE EPISCOPAL IVDGEMENT pronounceth yet the Pastor must needs seuer the sick sheepe from the whole lest deadly infection reach vnto others If saith Chrysost giuing y â— people admonition of a certaine abuse crept in amongst theÌ„ we be despised we shalbe coÌ„pelled to bring these threats to effect to chastise you by the laws of the church Be angry who list I wil keepe them from the church a long space as Idolaters Beare with mee neither let any man despise the bandes of the church It is not maÌ„ that bindeth but Christ which hath giueÌ„vs this power made men masters of so great honor wee desire not to be brought to that extremity if we be we wil do our duetie If any man breake those bands I haue done my part thou shalt answer to him that COMMANDED ME to bind thee The Council of Nice willed Synodes to be kept twise euery yeere to examine whether any Lay men or Clergy men were excommunicated by the IMBECILITY PERTINACY OR INSOLENCIE OF THE BISHOP and such as were founde to haue OFFENDED THEIR BISHOP to stand excommunicate til the Synode released them The Council of Antioch likewise decreed that if any Lay man Presbyter or Deacon were excoÌ„municated BY HIS OWNE BISHOP no man should receiue him to the coÌ„munion afore he were restored by his own Bishop or by a Synode The Council of Sardica in the same maner If any Deacon Presbyter or Clergy man be excoÌ„municated flie to another Bishop of his acquaintance that knoweth he is depriued of the coÌ„munion BY HIS OVVNE BISHOP the other must not with reproch to a Bishop and his brother receiue that person to the coÌ„munion The Council of Taurine to which Ambrose wrace decreed touching Exuperantius a Presbyter that had reproched Triferius his bishop was therfore by him put from the coÌ„munion vt in eius arbitrio sit restitutio ipsius in cuius potestate eius abiectio hoc est vt quando velideÌ„ Exuper antius satisfecerit vel episcopo Triferio visum fuerit tuÌ„c gratiam communionis accipiat That his restitution should BE IN THE Bishops DISCRETION in whose power the reiecting of him was And therefore when Exuperantius the Presbyter should make satisfaction or Tâ—iferius the bishop be so content then he should be receiued to the communion The Council of Affrica taketh order for such as complaine against the iudgements of their owne bishops that they shalbe heard by the next bishops but if any man flie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE CANONICAL SENTENCE OF HIS OVVNE BISHOP no man should receiue him to the communion By which it appeareth that Gregories words are very true where he saith THE BISHOPS now in the Church holdethe places of the Apostles THEY which haue that degree of regiment HAVE AVTHORITIE to bind and loose And Theophilacts THEY HAVE POVVER to binde and loose which haue the grace of a BISHOPS OFFICE as Peterhad The publike vse therefore of the keies to excommunicate from al Christian company belonged to the bishop as pastor of the place the Presbyters sate with him at first as assessors and consenters before Synodes vndertooke such causes but after when once Councils beganne to haue the
punishments of his sinnes who art the occasion of them for remitting the former offences out of time thou shalt answere for those that are after committed as being the cause of them and likewise for those that are past as not letting him alone to lament and repent them And Ambrose Paul chargeth Timothie before God the father and Christ his sonne and the elect Angels Vnder this charge he commandeth those things to be kept which pertaine to ordination in the Church least easilie any man should get an ecclesiasticall dignitie but in quisition be first had of his life and maners that a meete and approoued Minister or Priest may be appointed neither any to be ordained whose faults deserue suspicion least the ordainer be defiled with his sinnes and offences for hee sinneth which ordaineth and trieth not Occumenius Where Paul saieth to Timothie I prayed thee to staie at Ephesus addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there had Paul ordained him a Bishop Let no man despise thy youth for a Bishop must speake with authoritie Hee giueth precepts not to Timothie alone but to euery Bishop And vpon these words Lay hands bastilie on no man Paul treateth of ordinations for he wrate to a Bishop And so writing on the epistle to Tite he saieth Paul left Tite to make Bishops in euery Citie hauing first made him a Bishop Primasius likewise Timothie was a Bishop and Pauls disciple to him by writing hee giueth authoritie to correct all ecclesiasticall discipline and to ordaine Bishops and Deacons And againe Be not partaker of an other mans sinnes Paul saieth It is a communion with another mans sinnes when one is ordained and not examined As therefore in ordaining euill men he is partaker of their sinnes which ordaineth such so in the ordaining of the holy he is partaker of their righteousnes which did make choise of so good men The perill of ordaining Bishops and Presbyters by Pauls owne confession lieth ineuitablie on such as impose hands and therefore by Gods lawe they must haue power to examine who bee fit and libertie to refuse those that be vnfit For as without them there can bee none ordained so if rashly or corruptly they lay hands on any they be partakers of their sinnes Further with elections of the Scriptures doe not meddle saue that Timothie as the Fathers affirme by occasion of Pauls words was chosen Bishop by prophesie that is by the direction and appointment of the holy Ghost and not by voyces Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the commaundement or appointment of the spirite were Bishops at first made and not at randon So Theodorete Thou vndertookest this order by diuine reuelation Chrysostome Paul to stirre vp Timothie putteth him in minde who choose him and who ordained him as if he had sayd Thou wast chosen of God hee himselfe put thee in trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wast not made by mens voices And Theophilact Anciently by the oracles appointment of the Prophets that is by the holy Ghost Priests were straight way ordained So was Timothie chosen to be a Priest Ambrose saieth Timothie was predestinated when he was taken by the Apostle to this end that he should bee ordained as iudged woorthie to be a Bishop This kinde of election I take was vsuall in the Apostles times the spirite of God directing them on whom they should lay their hands other election of Pastours and Teachers I read none specified in the sacred writings Popular election of Bishops I find afterward practised in the Primitiue Church but not mentioned in the Scriptures and therefore well may the peoples interest stand vpon the grounds of reason and nature and bee deriued from the rules of Christian equitie and societie but Gods lawe doeth not meddle with anie such matter nor determine more then I haue tolde you which is that such Bishops as ordaine them shall answere for them with the perill of their owne soules if they doe not carefullie looke into the abilitie and integritie of all that they authorize with imposition of handes to guide or teach the flocke of Christ. When I say the people can not chalenge by Gods lawe the right to choose their Bishop I meane no such thing is expressed and commaunded in the Scriptures excluding thereby the false conceites of some fanaticall spirites in our dayes which affirme our Bishops and Teachers to bee no true Pastours because they are not chosen by the particular voyces and personall Suffrages of the people and by consequent our Sacraments to bee no Sacramentes and Church no Church and so this whole Realme to bee drowned in confusion without assurance of saluation whose madnesse is rather to bee chastised by the Magistrate then to be refused by doctrine the authors being voyde not onely of learning which they despise but of reason to weigh what is sayde against them Otherwise I acknowledge each Church and people that haue not by lawe custome or consent restrained themselues stand free by Gods lawe to admit maintaine and obey no man as their Pastour without their liking and so the peoples election by themselues or their rulers dependeth on the very first principles of humane fellowships assemblees for which cause though bishops by Gods law haue power to examine ordaine before any may be placed to take charge of soules yet haue they no power to impose a Pastour on any Church against their wils nor to force them to yeelde him obedience or maintenaunce without their liking How farre authoritie custome and consent may preiudice and ouer-rule this libertie which Gods lawe leaueth vndiminished shall anone be handed when once we see what order the Primitiue Church obserued in her elections of Bishops and Presbyters The Churches of Christ had aunciently two wayes to bee prouided of Bishops and Presbyters the one Election the other Postulation When the Bishop of any Citie died whose Church had store of Clergie men to succeede the Bishops of the same Prouince that were neerest to the place by conference amongst themselues appointed a day to resort thither and aduertised both people and Presbyters thereof At which time the Clergie and Laitie assembling in the Church so many Bishops as conuenientlie might but vnder three they could doe nothing came thither and there heard both whom the Clergie named and whom the Citie liked If all or the most of euery sort agreed the partie was pronounced chosen another day prefixed to ordaine him the Bishops proposing his name and the time on the Church doores and requiring euerie man that could or would obiect any thing against him to bee then and there readie with his proofes and witnesses At their next repaire the Bishops that came to giue imposition of handes heard aduisedly what each man could charge him with and if in their consciences the elect prooued to bee such as the Apostle prescribed they ordained him in the eies of all men Pastour of that
other side shunning as much popular tumult and Anarchie preferred a middle course betwixt them of Aristocracie thinking the Church would then bee best guided when neither one for danger of tyrannie nor all for feare of mutinie did beare the swaie but a number of the grauest and sincerest vndertooke the managing of all matters incident to the Ecclesiasticall Regiment And for that there was no possibilitie in euerie Church and parish to finde a full and sufficient companie of Pastours and Teachers to consider and dispose of all causes occurrent and the people as they thought would the better endure the proceedings and censures of their Consistories if some of themselues were admitted to bee Iudges in those cases as well as the Preachers they compounded their Presbyteries partlie of Pastors and partly of Laie Elders whome they named GOVERNING PRESBYTERS and by this meanes they supposed the gouernement of the Church would bee both permanent and indifferent To proclaime this as a fresh deuise of their owne would be some what odious and therefore they sought by all meanes as well with examples as authorities to make it seeme auncient for the better accomplishing of their desire first they tooke hold of the Iewish Synedrion which had Laie Elders mixed with Leuites in euery Citie to determine the peoples causes and that order being established by Moses they enforced it as a perpetuall paterne for the Church of Christ to folow To that end they bring the wordes of our Sauiour Tell it the Church if he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane Next they perused the Apostles writings to see what mention might bee there found of Elders and Gouernours and lighting on this sentence of Saint Paul The Elders which rule well are woorthie of double honour speciallie they that labour in the worde and doctrine they resolutelie concluded there were some Elders in the Church that gouerned and yet laboured not in the worde and doctrine and those were Laie Presbyters After this place they made no doubt but Laie Elders were Gouernours of the Church in the Apostles times and so setled their iudgements in that behalf that they would heare nothing that might be said to the contrary Thirdlie because it would bee strange that Laie Elders euerie where gouerning the Church vnder the Apostles no Councill storie nor Father did euer so much as name them or remember them or so conceiue the wordes and meaning of Saint Paul vntill our age they thought it needefull to make some shewe of them in the Fathers writings least otherwise playne and simple men should maruell to see a new sort of gouernours wrenched and forced out of S. Pauls wordes whome the Church of Christ in fifteene hundred yeeres neuer heard of before And therefore certaine doubtfull speaches of the Fathers were drawen to that intent as where they saie The Church at first was gouerned by the common aduise of Presbyters and the Church had her Elders without whose counsell nothing was done yea some of them were so forward and willing to heare of their laie Presbyters that wheresoeuer anie Councill or Father mentioned Presbyters they straightway skored vp the place for laie Elders This is the warpe and webbe of the laie Presbyterie that hath so enfolded some mens wits that they cannot vnreaue their cogitations from admiring their newe founde Consistories And in deede the credite of their first deuisers did somewhat amuse mee as I thinke it doeth others till partlie enclined for the causes aforesayd and partlie required where I might not refuse I began more seriouslie to rip vp the whole and then I found both the slendernesse of the stuffe and loosenesse of the worke that had deceiued so many mens eies As first for the Iewish Synedrion I sawe it might by no meanes bee obtruded on the Church of Christ. for the Iudiciall part of Moses law being abolished by the death of Christ as well as the ceremoniall the Tribunals of Moses must no more remaine then the Priesthood doth Moses Iudges were appointed to execute Moses lawe the punishments therefore and iudgements of Moses law ceasing as vnder the Gospel there can be no questiō but they do all such Consistories as Moses erected must needs be therewith ended determined Again they were ciuill Magistrates that Moses placed in euery Citie to iudge the people and had the sword to punish as the lawe did limite Leuites being admixed with them to direct them in the doubts and difficulties of the lawe Such Presbyteries if they frame vs in euery parish without the magistrates power and leaue they make a faire entrie vpon the Princes sword and scepter vnder the colour of their Consistories which I hope they will be well aduised before they aduenture Lastlie that laie Elders in Moses lawe did meddle with discerning or iudging betwixt trueth and falsehood things holy and vnholy persons cleane and vncleane or did intermeddle with the sacrifices or seruices of the Tabernacle I doe not read but rather the execution and superuision of sacred things and dueties belonged to the Prophetes Priests and Leuites So that laie Presbyteries vnder the Gospell can haue no agreement with the Synedricall Courtes of Moses much lesse anie deriuement from them vnlesse they will tye all Christian kingdomes to the Tribunals and Iudicials of Moses lawe and giue their Elders the sworde in steade of the word which God hath assigned to Princes and not to Presbyters The wordes of Christ in the 18. of Mathew Tell it to the Church which they vrge to that ende if they were spoken of such Magistrates as Moses appointed and to whome the Iewes by the prescript of his Lawe were to make their complaints then pertaine they nothing at all to the Church of Christ but were a speciall direction for those times wherein our Sauiour liued and those persons that were vnder the Law If they be taken as a perpetuall rule to strengthen the iudgement of Christes Church then touch they no way the Synedrions of the Iewes or any other Courts established by Moses Let them choose which they will neither hurteth vs nor helpeth them The place of Saint Paul at a glimce seemed to make for them but when I aduisedly looked into it I found the text so little fauouring them that in precise termes it excluded Lay Elders as no Gouernours of the Church for the Apostle there chargeth that all Presbyters which rule well should haue double honor His wordes be plaine The Presbyters that rule well 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them bee thought woorthie of double honour Honour in this place is apparantly taken for maintenance as the proofes following doe import Thou shalt not musle the oxe that treadeth out thy corne and the workeman is worthy of his wages Now by no precept nor example will it euer be prooued that Lay Presbyters had in the Apostles times or shoulde haue by the word of God at any time double honour and
should bee giuen but to satisfie their consciences and to preuent schismes In offering the sacrifice of a troubled heart let the deuote and suppliant doe not onely that which helpeth for the recouering of his owne saluation but that also which may doe others good by example when his sinne hath greatlie hurt himselfe and scandalized others atque hoc expedire vtilitati ecclesiae videtur Antistiti and the Bishop or chiefe Priest thinke it expedient for the good of the Church let him not refuse to repent in the sight of many yea of the whole people How daungerous it is to offend the least of those that beleeue in Christ the Gospell doeth witnesse Great reason then had those godlie fathers to see the whole Church satisfied before they released the sentence of excommunication or time of repentance and in so doing they shewed not what right the multitude or laie-Elders had to sit Iudges with the Bishop but what care themselues had to remooue from the people all occasions of stumbling diligentlie teaching their flockes neither to stagger at other mens falles to their owne subuersion nor to bee straight laced agaynst repentance through presumption of their owne standing which were nothing els but to insult at other mens miseries The like course S. Augustine aduiseth to bee vsed for auoiding seditions and factions When any mans fault is so knowen to all and abhorred of all that it hath no partakers or not such by whom a schisme may rise slacke not the seueritie of discipline And then may it bee done without breach of peace and vnitie and without harming the corne when the whole multitude of the Church is free from that â—inne for which the offender is excommunicated for then the people rather helpe the Gouernour or Pastour nebuking then the guiltle resisting Then do the people keepe themselues from his societie so as not one of them will eate with him not of an hostile rage but by brotherly correction Then the offender is striken with feare recouered with shame when seeing himselfe held accursed of the whole Church he can finde no number to ioyne with him to insult on the good and reioyce in his sinne But all this not withstanding the censure proceeded from the Bishop and Pastour of the place and not from the people or laie-Elders associated with him in pronouncing that iudgement Examples and testimonies whereof are euery where to bee had both in Austen and Cyprian When Rogaâ—ianus a Bishop contumeliously abused by his Deacon complained vnto Cyprian and others of that iniurie Cyprian wrate backe in this wise You did vs great honour and shewed your accustomed humilitie in that you choose rather to complaine of him to vs Cumpro Episcopatus vigore Cathedrae authoritate haberes potestatem quia possis de illo statim vindicari whereas by vigour of your Episcopall function and authoritie of your chaire you had power enough to bee straightway reuenged of him And after a long discourse that honour and obedience is due to the Priests and Pastours by Gods law he concludeth Therefore the Deacon of whom you write must shew himselfe penitent for his boldnes and acknowledge the honor of your Priesthood and with full humilitie satisfie you being his Bishop Gouernour And if he shall offend prouoke you any more with his contempts vse against him y e power of your calling honor either in deposing or excommunicating him And because you wrate of an other that toke part with your Deacon in his pride and stiffenes him also and if there be any more that set themselues against Gods Priest you may either represse or remooue froÌ„ the Communion Yet we wish desire with mild patience to conquere the reproches and wrongs of euery one potiùs quà m sacerdotali licencia vindicare rather then to reuenge them in such sort as it is easie for Priestes to doe Speaking of himselfe and his owne cause hee saieth The Church here is shutte agaynst no man the Bishop with-holdeth himselfe from none my patience facilitie and mildenesse are open to such as come I remitte all things I conceale many things I doe not examine trespasses against God with a religious and exact iudgement for the verie desire and care I haue to keepe the brethren together I my selfe doe almost sinne with remitting offences more then I should Auxilius a fresh yoong Bishop hauing excommunicated a person of good account with his whole family for infringing the liberties of his Church as he supposed Saint Augustine treateth with him by letters to know what ground he had out of the Scriptures to excommunicate the sonne for the Fathers the wife for the husbands the seruants for their masters offence and amongst others vseth these wordes Loe I am readie to learne an olde man of a yong a Bishop of solong continuance from my Colleague not yet a yeeres standing what good reason we may yeelde to God or to men if for another mans sinne we indanger innocent soules with a spirituall punishment If you can giue a reason for it vouchsafe by writing to acquaint me with it that I may be able likewise if you cannot what is it for you to doe such a thing vpon an vnaduised motion of the minde whereof being asked you are not able to yeelde a iust reason Neither thinke that vniust anger cannot ouertake vs because we are Bishops but let vs rather remember wee liue dangerously amidst the snares of temptations because we are men Saint Austen blameth neither people nor Presbyters for the deede but the Bishop whose hastie iudgement it was and willeth him not them to be thinke himselfe what account he can yeelde to God or man for that Ecclesiasticall censure And that excommunication pertained to the Pastorall charge and proceeded from the Episcopall power and seate the same Father euery where witnesseth Upon the wordes of Saint Iohn I sawe seates and some sitting on them and iudgement was giuen he writeth thus Non hoc putandum de vltimo iudicio dici sed sedes Praepositorum ipsi Praepositi intelligendi sunt per quos ecclesia nunc gubernatur Iudicium autem datum nullum melius accipiendum videtur quà m id quod dictum est quaecunque lig aueritis in terra erunt ligata in caelo c. This must not be thought to be spoken of the last iudgement but the seats of the Presidents and the Presidents themselues by whom the Church is now gouerned are thereby to be vnderstoode And iudgement giuen can no better way be taken theÌ„ for that which is spoken of in these wordes Whatsoeuer you binde in earth shalbe bound in heauen what you loose in earth shalbe loosed in heauen May not the word Praepositi signifie the Lay Elders aswel as Bishops since they also are set ouer the Church to gouerne the flocke in their kinde as well as Pastours The Fathers vse many words to expresse the calling and office of
men from amongst themselues to looke into the trueth of euery crime before they would beleeue the accuser or reiect the accused from their company then must your laie Elders claime not from Christ as authorized by him to vse the keyes and dispose of the Sacraments but from the people as their committies to heare and report what they found detected and proued in euery such offence as deserued separation from all Christian societie and their delegation from the people must vtterly cease where he that beareth the sword embraceth the faith For though by the lawes of God and nature where there is no magistrate euery multitude may both order and gouerne themselues as they see cause with their generall consent so they crosse not superiour lawes and powers yet we must beware when God hath placed Christian Princes to defend and preserue Iustice and Iudgement amongst men that we not erect vnder a shew of discipline certaine petit magistrates in euery parish by commission from Christ himselfe in crimes and causes ecclesiastical iudicially to proceed without depending on the princes power I seeke not to charge the fauourers of this new discipline with any dangerous deuise I had rather acknowledge mine owne weakenesse that cannot conceiue how laie Elders should bee Gouernours of Christes Church and yet be neither ministers nor magistrates Christ being the head and fulnesse of the Church which is his body gouerneth the same as a Prophet a Priest and a King and after his example all publike gouernement in the church is either Prophetical Sacerdotal or Regall The Doctors haue a Prophetical the Pastours a Sacerdotal the Magistrates a Regal power and function what fourth regiment can we find for laie Elders Prophets they are not they haue no charge of the word much lesse haue they priestly power which concerneth sinnes and Sacraments If they haue any they must haue Regall and consequently when the magistrate beleeueth laie Elders must â—eliâ—quish all their authoritie to him or deriue it from him except they will establish an other regiment against him What you giâ—e onely to Pastors making them Monarches to rule the Church at their pleasures we impart to laie Elders as Associates with them in the same kinde of gouernement so that laie Elders with vs doe no more preiâ—dice the Princes power then Pastours do with you Inpreaching the word dispensing the Sacramentes remitting sinnes and imposing hands I trust your laie Elders are not associated vnto Pastours If in these things they be ioint-Agents with Pastours then are they no laie Elders but Pastours You must giue them one name if you giue them one office the same deedes require alwayes the same wordes If you ioyne not laie Elders in those Sacerdotall and sacred actions with Pastours but make them ouerseers and moderators of those things which Pastours doe this power belongeth exactly to Christian magistrates to see that Pastours doe their dueties according to Christes will and not abuse their power to annoy his Church or the members thereof Neither is the case like betwixt Pastours and laie Elders Pastors haue their power and function distinguished from Princes by God himselfe in so much that it were more then presumption for princes to execute those actions by themselues or their substitutes To preach baptize retaine sinnes and impose hands Princes haue no power the Prince of Princes euen the sonne of God hath seuered it from their callings and committed it to his Apostles and they by imposition of hands deriued it to their successors but to cause these actions to be orderly done according to Christes commaundement and to preuent and represse abuses in the doers this is all that is left for laie Elders and this is it that we reserue to the Christian magistrate The power of the sword in crimes and causes ecclesiasticall wee wholie yeeld to the Christian Magistrate and yet laie Elders may censure the Pastours actions by liking and allowing them if they bee good or by disliking and frustrating them if they bee otherwise God hath not giuen Princes the sword in any causes temporall or ecclesiasticall to goe before or without iudgement but to folow after and support iudgement The sword without iudgement is force and furie with iudgement it is iustice and equitie You cannot yeeld the sword to the magistrate and reserue iudgement in these cases to the laie Elders you then binde the Magistrate to maintaine what your laie Iudges shall determine and â—o the sworde is not soueraigne aboue them but subiect vnder them Wherefore in ouerseeing the Pastors doings and redressing their abuses you must leaue the examination determination and execution to the Christian magistrate and not deuide stakes betweene the Prince and the laie Presbyterie Princes haue no skill in such matters and in that respect it is not amisse for them to take their direction from the Presbyterie A noble consideration and woorthie to be registred The Church wardens and Side-men of euery parish are the meetest men that you can finde to direct Princes in iudging of ecclesiasticall crimes and causes A most wretched State of the Church it must needes bee that shall depend on such sillie Gouernours I omit how farre gentlemen and landlords can preuaile in euery parish with their neighbours and tenants both to rule them and ouer-rule them at their pleasures Uiew the villages in England and tell me how farre you shall seeke before you shall finde laie Elders that in any reason ought to be trusted with the gouernement of the Church I will not aduauntage my selfe by the rudenesse and ignorance of most part I hope for very shame you will admit that Princes are farre fitter in their owne persons if they would take the paynes to determine ecclesiasticall matters then husbandmen and Artisants And if they want direction or will giue Commission to that purpose they neede not descend to the plough and carte for helpe or aduise The world will greatly doubt of your discretion and suspect you sauour of popular faction and ambition if by Gods lawe you presse Princes against their wils to accept such counsellers and substitutes in ecclesiasticall gouernement If they bee at libertie to make their choice they haue store of learned and able men of all sortes within their Realmes whom they may trust with the censuring and ouerseeing of Clergie mens actions so as to preferre Ploughmen and Craftesmen to vndertake that weightie charge for Christian Princes were ridiculous if not infamous follie Wherefore the laie Presbyterie must either claime to haue their power and authoritie from Christ without the Prince and before the Prince which is somewhat dangerous if not derogatorie to the Princes right or els they must staie till the Magistrate giue them power in euery place to gouerne the causes of the Church and moderate the actions of the Pastours For since they will needes concurre with the Prince in the same charge and ouersight of Ecclesiasticall crimes and causes they must deriue their warrant either from the
weè not Ambrose opinion else where deliuered that in cases of faith and manners Lay men neuer did neuer might iudge of Priests of whome yet the Presbyterie might and did iudge what one worde is heere sounding for Lay Elders They were aged that were called to the regiment of the Church in former times and not one but many Ambrose misliketh that in his time some whiles they would seeme alone to rule had excluded or neglected the rest that were wont to bee ioyned with them in consulting and caring for the Church By this you may prooue that ancient good Bishops in guiding their flocks vsed the helpe and aduise of their Cleargie that Lay men were coupled with them to gouerne the Church you cannot prooue He doth not blame them for refusing Lay Elders to be their Colleagues but for affecting to be so wise that they needed not the aide and counsel of their brethren who were wont to aduise and assist their Bishops as well in doctrine as in discipline What Ambrose thought of Lay Iudges ouer persons and â—aâ—ses Ecclesiasticall his Epistle to Valentinian the Emperour will quickely resolue No man ought to thinke me obstinate sayth Ambrose when I auouch that which your father of sacred memory not only answered in words but established by his lawes in causa fidei vel ecclesiastici alicuius ordinis eum iudicare debere quinec munere impar sit nec iure dissimilis in a matter of faith or touching any Ecclesiasticall order hee ought to bee iudge that hath neither his calling diuers nor his right different Those are the very wordes of the rescript that is hee woulde haue Priests to be Iudges ouer Priests Yea if a Bishop bee to bee reprooued for any other thing and his manners to be examined this also would hee haue pertaine to the iudgement of Bishops When euer heard you most gratious Emperour in a matter of faith that Lay men iudged of Bishops Shall we then so bowe with flatterie that wee forget the right of Priestes and what God hath giuen to mee shall I commit to others If a Bishop must be taught by a lay man what to followe let the Lay teach the Bishop heare let the Bishop learne at a Lay mans hands Your father a man of ripe yeeres saide Non est meum iudicare inter Episcopos It is not for mee to sit iudge amongest Bishops you shall be olde by Gods grace and then shall you finde what a Bishop he is qui Laicis ius Sacerdotale substernit that casteth the right of Bishops vnder Lay mens feete Woulde hee call it pride in Bishops to refuse Lay men for their Consorts in censuring all persons and causes of the Church that greatly praised the Emperour for saying it was not his part to iudge amongest Bishops and highly commended the Law that barred all Iudges ouer Priests saue such as were pari munere simili iure of the same calling and right that Priests were The longer we seeke the further we are from finding Lay Elders Wee haue nowe a publike and Emperiall Law that with Ecclesiasticall causes and persons no Lay man should meddle but leaue them to Bishops as best acquainted with the Rules and Canons of the Church by which such men and matters must be guided Tertullian Austen and Gregorie admit all three one answere They vse the Latin word Seniores for those whom Hierome and others cal by the Greeke name Presbyteros such Elders as were Pastours and Priests Presbyter in Greeke saieth Isidore is in Latine Senior Presbyters and Elders being so called not for yeeres and olde age but for the honour and dignitie which they tooke when they entred that order This name the Translatour of the new Testament giueth them euen in those places where the Greeke calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seniores qui in vobis sunt obsecro consenior The Seniors that are amoÌ„g you I beseech being my selfe a Senior feede ye the flocke of God that is with you And againe Senior electae Dominae Senior Gaio charissimo The Senior to the elect Ladie and the Senior to the most deere Gaius and yet I trust Saint Peter and Saint Iohn were no Lay Elders At first Pastours and Teachers were vsually chosen by their age as to whome the rather for their wisedome and grauitie reuerence and honour should bee yeelded in the execution of their office and afterward when some of rare gifts though yonger in yeeres were elected to that charge they retained the name which vse had accustomed and so generally men of that profession were and are called Presbyters and Seniors which in English are Elders What proofe is this then for Lay Elders if Latine writers now and then call them Seniores which is common to all Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacraments The circumstances perchance will somewhat induce that those Fathers spake of Lay Elders They will the contrarie verie well but this they will neuer Tertullian opening to the Gentiles the manner of the Christian assemblies and what they did when they were gathered together saieth Wee meete in a companie that wee may ioyne as an armie in our prayers to God Wee meete to the rehearsing of the diuine Letters where with sacred woordes wee nourish faith wee stirre vp hope and fasten confidence and neuerthelesse confirme discipline by the often instructions of our teachers There are also exhortations reprehensions and diuine censures Iudgement is vsed with great deliberation as being out of doubt that God seeth vs. There haue wee an euident foreshewing of the Iudgement that shall one day come if any so offend that hee bee banished from the fellowship of our prayers assemblie and all holie companie The Rulers of our meetings are certaine approoued Seniours such as gate this honour not by rewarde but by good reporte for nothing that is Gods may be bought Praying reading of the Scriptures teaching exhorting reproouing in their publike assemblies were Pastourall dueties why shoulde not censuring bee the like The selfe same persons that were in one were Rulers in all these actions Againe the honour which they had to sitte before the rest in the Church and was so sacred that it coulde not be procured by rewarde but by good reporte sheweth they were Cleargie men and not Lay persons that did moderate their meetings The verie worde Praesidere with Tertullian is an euident distinction betweene the Pastours and the people Disciplina ecclesiae praescriptio Apostoli digamos non sinit praesidere The discipline of the Church and precept of the Apostle suffer not a man that hath moe wiues then one praesidere to be a Bishop which by reason of their function did sit before all others in the Church Quot digams praesident apud vos insultantes vtique Apostolo How many with the second wife are presidents and Bishops amongest you insulting on the Apostle that saieth a Bishop shoulde be the husband of
come Of Lay men the Councell of Hispalis sayeth Indecorum est Laicum vicarium esse Episcopi Seculares in ecclesia iudicare Vndâ— oportet nos diuinis libris sanctorum Patrâ—m obedire praecepâ—is constituentes vt hij qui in administrationibus ecclesiae Pontificibus sociantur discrepare non debe ant nec professione nec habitu It is an vnseemely thing for a laie man to be vice gerent to a Bishop and for Secular men to iudge in the Church Wherefore we must obey the bookes of God and the precepts of our fathers being holy men decreeing that they which are ioyned with the Bishops in the administrations of the Church should not differ from them neither in profession nor habite Iflaie Elders had bene currant in Gregories time and assisted the Bishop in Clergie mens causes as his Coassessors the Councill of Hispalis not long after him did open wrong to the trueth in saying it was against the booke of God and rules of their forefathers that laie men should bee ioyned with Bishops in any causes or matters of the Church but for any thing we yet see they spake the trueth and no more then was long before confirmed as well by the decrees of Councils as publike lawes of the Romane empire Si ecclesiastica causa est nullam communionem habeant Iudices â—iuâ—les circa talem examinationem sed sanctissimus Episcopus secundum sacr as regulas causae finem imponat If it be an ecclesiasticall cause saieth Iustinian the Emperour let not the ciuill or temporall Iudges any way intermeddle with the examination thereof but according to the sacred rules let the most holy Bishop determine the matter Nowe who were to be present with the Bishop when he sate in iudgement and assist him the fourth Councill of Carthage declareth in these wordes Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque praesentia Clericorum suorum alioquin irrita erit sententia Episcopâ— nisi Clericorum praesentia confirmetur Let the Bishop determine no mans cause without the presence of his Clergie otherwise the sentence of the Bishop shall bee voyde that is not confirmed with the presence of the Clergie With the Bishop sate no laie Elders in iudgement but his owne Clergie and those not all but the grauer and elder sort of them The Deacons and the rest of the Clergie beneath their degree might not sit with the Priests much lesse with the Bishop The Council of Nice saieth Sed nec sedere Diaconis licet in medio Presbyterorum The Deacons may not sit in the company or assemblie of Priests So that onely Clergie men and Priests sate with the Bishop in Church and Consistorie and their presence and aduise was required as we see by the Council of Carthage before the Bishop might giue iudgement against any man This course Gregorie willeth the Bishop of Panormus in Sicelie to obserue as neerest to the Canons and freest from all chalenge wheÌ„ he conuented any Clergie man not rashly to pronounce but aduisedly to deliberate with the wisest and eldest of his Clergie and then to proceed accordingly for Priests and Deacons the case is cleare the Bishop alone might not depriue them The Councill of Hispalis saieth Episcopus Sacerdotibus ac Ministriâ— solus honorem dare potest solus auferre non potest The Bishop alone may giue Priests and Deacons their honour but hee can not take it from them alone They may not be condemned by one neither may they loose the priuiledge of their honour by the iudgement of one but being presented to the iudgement of a Synode let them bee ruled and ordered as the Canon prescribeth Ouer the rest the Bishop alone might sit Iudge without the assistance of other Bishops but not without the Elders of his owne Church and Clergie for so the Councill of Carthage decreeth and Gregorie aduiseth If any Priestes or Deacons bee accused let the Bishop of the parties accused discusse their causes taking to him a lawfull number sixe in a Priests three in a Deacons of the Bishops adioyning such as the defendants shall require The causes of the rest of the Clergie the Bishop of the place alone shall heare and determine Laie Elders I trust are excluded by this Canon from deciding or debating the causes of any Priestes Deacons or other Clergie men and so are they by all the Canons that were euer made in any Councill Prouinciall or Generall since the Apostles times Lastlie the Canon lawe itselfe is produced for the name of laie Elders I might take iust exception against the Compiler of those decrees his corruptions and ouersights doe passe the number of his leaues Hieromes name is twise abused by him and twise alleaged by you without any regard whether those authorities bee found in his workes or make to your purpose The first is 16. quaest 1. § ecclesia which place is no where found in Hierome though his booke ad Rusticum bee extant prescribing the maner how a Monke should order his life Some of the wordes were patched out of his Commentaries vpon Esaie and the rest touching Monkes added which are not at all in Hierome The second place distinct 95. ecce ego is a lustie tale not of Hieroms but of some others in his name beginning with a forged inscription and ending with a presumptuous vntrueth and fraighted in the middle with vnsauourie rayling Hierome wrate in deede to Rusticus a French man but as yet no Clergie man that euer he wrate vnto him after he was Bishop of Narbon neither doe we reade it in any of his workes neither is it likely for so much as Leo Bishop of Rome more then thirtie yeeres after Hieromes death wrate Ad Rusticum Narbonensem Episcopum to Rusticus Bishop of Narbon And touching the matter of which this counterfeit Hierome talketh Leo writing vnto the Bishops of France and Germanie conuicteth this prater of manifest falsehood for where this forged Hierome saieth it was vsed in Rome in Africa in the East in Spaine France and Britaine and calleth them proud enuious and most iniurious Prelates that otherwise doe Leo with a Council of Bishops affirmeth it was not vsed but where men were altogether ignorant of the ecclesiastical rules and expresselie forbiddeth it by a Synodall consent as contrarie to the Canons Whosoeuer were the author of that sturdie epistle he turneth your laie Elders cleane out of doores for as hee affirmeth that Presbyters or Elders were at first Iudges of the Churches affaires and present at the Bishops Councils so hee saieth the same Elders must preache in the Church blesse and exhort the people consecrate Christ at the Altar restore the Communion visite the sicke At que omnia Dei Sacramenta complere and finishe all the Sacramentes of God I shall not neede to put you in minde that heere is no roume for Laie Elders the woordes bee so playne that if you but reade them I thinke you will quickely resigne all
his presence and very often to expound the Gospell in deed against the maner and custome of the Churches of Africa whereupon some Bishops were offended with him This is the whole narration of Possidonius touching S. Austens Presbytership which was no laie function as we see by the sequele neither giuen him by any Laie Elders but motioned and vrged by all the people and consummated by Valerius that ordered him without the helpe or assistance of any other to ioyne with him Cyprian I reserued to the last though in yeeres he were first because hee is largest as being alleaged no lesse then sixe times howbeit the number of allegations doe not helpe foorth the matter but the trueth and force of them is more to bee regarded Of these sixe there is one place of some importance the rest are soone answered Cyprian writing to the Presbyters and Deacons of Carthage where hee was Bishop saieth Ad id quod scripserunt mihi Compresbyteri nostri Donatus Nouatus Curdius solus rescribere nil potui cùm à primordio Episcopatus mei statuerim nihil sine consilio vestro sine consensu plebis mea priuatim sententia gerere To that which Donatus Nouatus and Curdius our Compresbyters wrate vnto vs I alone could answere nothing forsomuch as I haue resolued with my selfe euen from my first entrance into the Bishoprike without your counsell and the consent of the people to doe nothing vpon my priuate opinion If the Presbyters to whom Cyprian wrate had bene Laie Elders it were somewhat to the purpose but Cyprian neuer heard of any such They were Clergie men to whome hee wrate and Clergie men of whome hee spake They sate with him in the Church with them hee treated in common of the Church affaires their counsell and aduise hee vsed in all things This if you reade Cyprian cannot bee strange vnto you if you peruse but the places which your selues haue quoted you will confesse it Writing to the whole Church of Carthage of one Numidicus that in persecution was scorched with fire ouerwhelmed with stones and left for dead amongst many that were slayne and yet after found halfe aliue by his daughter and recouered Cyprian saieth Know yee brethren your selues to be admonished and instructed by this fauour of God Vt Numidicus Presbyter ascribatur Presbyterorum Carthaginensium numero nobiscum sedeat in Clero c. That Numidicus the Presbyter should bee adioyned to the number of the Presbyters of Carthage and sit with vs amongst the Clergie for this as wee see was the cause of preseruing him that the Lord might adde him to our Clergie and adorne with glorious Priests the perished honour of some of our Presbyters The Presbyters or Elders then of Carthage were the Clergie that sate with the Bishop and with him consulted of matters concerning the good of the Church To Lucius bishop of Rome he saieth The Lord by persecution shewed which was his Church who was his Bishop qui cum Episcopo Presbyteri Sacerdotali honore coniuncti who were Presbyters ioyned with the Bishop in Priestlie honour which the true people of Christ. And againe Presbyteris Diaconis non defuit Sacerdotis vigor c. To the Presbyters and Deacons there wanted not the vigor of Priesthood to compresse those that being vnmindfull of discipline and rashly running on began to communicate with such as were fallen in persecution These Presbyters Elders were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Counsellers and Coassessors to the Bishop as Ignatius remembreth they ruled the Church in common as Hierome auoucheth and without their counsell was nothing done in the Church as Ambrose asserteth and they had euen the honour and vigor of Priesthood as Cyprian witnesseth Of these speaketh Cyprian in euery epistle of laie Elders no â—illable can bee found in all his writings These Elders be as rare as the other be rife the one euery where the other no where to be prooued or pretended If the people must consent before any thing may be done why not also the late Elders Nay if the peoples assent must be sought to euerie thing what needed laie Elders Where the whole multitude should be asked why dee you take a part to exclude the rest Laie Elders are not the people but part thereof all both old and yong are comprised in that name and yet Cyprian maketh this rule of consulting the people in euery thing neither generall for others nor necessarie for himselfe He doeth not say that he and others by Gods Iawe were bound to doe nothing without the people but that hee from the beginning determined in all things to take the counsell of the Presbyters and consent of the people And why he was vehemently impugned from his first ingresse to the bishoprike all occasions were sought to drawe the people from him many aduantages by reason of his absence from the place in time of persecution were taken against him to disgrace him and crosse him in all his doings To strengthen himselfe and retaine the Ioue of his Clergie and people towards him what better way could hee take then in all his enterprises to depend on the counsel of the Clergie consent of the Laitie for by that means he stood assured that neither Schisme could arise nor faction preuaile against him You aske where I finde that I say Euen in Cyprian himselfe and that not once or twise That I could not come to you before Easter the malice and perfidiousnesse of some of the Presbyters hath brought to passe whiles mindfull of their conspiracie and retaining their former venime against my being Bishop yea rather against your suffrages and election they begin a fresh their auncient maner of impugning vs and renew againe their sacrilegious deuises with their woonted lying in waite for vs. Against our counsell they rebell and all Priestly authoritie and power is destroyed by their factious conspiracies Is it not sufficient that I haue now bene two yeeres banished from your presence and separated from your sight that teares fall night and day from me because my lucke was not as yet to salute you or embrace you whom you made Bishop with so great loue and zeale A greater griefe oppresseth my languishing minde that in so great a distresse and neede I can not my selfe come vnto you whiles I beware least at our comming through the threats and secret practises of perfidious persons a greater tumult rise among you His epistle to Cornelius largely rehearseth and lamenteth their erecting an other Bishop after him their maintaining a faction against him their reiecting his letters and despising his threates their peruerting and intising to take part with them as many as they could with sundrie other practises and conspiracies too long to recite We saieth he in the verie time of persecution wrate our letters but we were not regarded after often consulting we not onely with our consent but with our commination decreed that our brethren
should shew themselues penitent no maÌ„ hastilie giue peace to such as did not penitence yet they sacrilegious against God caried headlong with a wicked rage against the Priests of God forsaking the Church and lifting vp particidiall armes against the Church doe all they can to accomplish their intent with a diuelish malice that Gods mercy should not cure in his church such as are wounded And againe What danger is not to bee feared when some of the Presbyters neither remembring their place neither thinking there is a Bishop ouer them with the reproch and contempt of the chiefe chalengâ— the whole vnto them The disgraces of my office I can dissemble and beare as I alwayes haue But now is no time to dissemble when our brethren are deceiued by some of you which seeke to be plausible without regard of restoring them to the health of their soules What maruell if Cyprian thus besieged thus impugned and banished from his Church and charge did not onely purpose and professe to doe nothing without the full consent of the Clergie and people but persisted in that course which he sawe to bee safest for himselfe and surest against his maligners to decrease their number and defeate their expectance but whether hee were bound by Gods lawe so to doe and all others tied to the same rule that is the greatest part of this doubt If it were but a priuate moderation and prouision for his owne securitie no man is obliged by his example to doe the like If it bee a generall fourme of gouerning the Church prescribed by the holie Ghost then neither might Cyprian nor any man els swarue from that direction without transgressing the will and worde of God then all Councils both Prouinciall and Generall that assembled and concluded in the Primitiue Church without the liking and agreement of the people did wilfullie breake the commaundement of the liuing God and all Christian Princes that in former Ages by their lawes and Edicts intermedled with matters of the Church without the knowledge and consent of their subiectes presumed without warrant and offered open wrong to the kingdome of Christ yea Cyprian himselfe was the first that cassiered his owne confession and when cause so required yea sometimes without cause excluded and ouer-ruled the peoples iust desires One example may seruc for the present your owne allegations will afterward more at large euince as much Vix plebi persuadeo imo extorqueo vt tales patiantur admitti iustiâ—r factus est fraternitatis dolor ex eo quòd vnus atque alius obnitente plebe contradicente mea tamen facilitate suscepti peiores extiterunt quà m prius fuerant With much adoe perswade I the people yea rather extort from them to suffer such to bee admitted and the griefe of the brethren is the iuster for that one or two being by my facilitie receyued the people striuing agaynst it and contradicting it waxed worse then they were before Cyprian admitted some to the Church after repentaunce when the people withstoode it and gainesaied it and were iustlie grieued with his ouer much remissenesse Wherein Cyprian did not violate the duetie which hee ought to God nor tyraâ—nize in the Church with the contempt of his brethren but relented from his purpose to doe nothing without the peoples consent for reasons then moouing him or of his owne iuclination leading him to hope their amendment that were thus admitted with fauour and facilitie to the Church of God See whether your owne examples do not prooue as much The first place you alleage is this In ordinandis Clericis fraâ—res charissimi solemus vos antè consulere mores ac merita singulorum communi consilio ponderare In ordering of Clerkes most deare brethren our maner is to consult you first and to weigh the behauiour and desertes of euery one with common aduise This vse notwithstanding where iust occasion serued he ordered Clerkes without their consents and so much is expressed in the very next wordes Sed expectanda non sunt testimonia humana eumpraecedant diuina suffragia but the witnesse of men must not be expected when Gods approbation is precedent The conclusion is That where one Aurelius a youth had twise in stockes and torments professed Christ Cyprian his Colleagues that were present with him for hee was not then at Carthage had made the said Aurelius thought yong in yeeres a Reader in the Church and so much he signifieth by his letters to the Presbyters Deacons and people of Carthage not doubting but they would embrace him though they gaue no consent to his ordering Hee deserued a further degree of Clericall ordination but in the meane time it hath pleased vs hee should begin with the office of a Reader Know you therefore most beloued brethren that I and my Colleagues which were here with me haue ordered him a Reader which I know you will gladlie accept and wish many such to be ordered in our Church Cyprian was absent from his owne Church by reason of persecution then raging and without the consent either of his Clergie or people he did order Aurelius and sent him with letters to bee receiued as a Reader in the Church of Carthage The like he did for Optatus Saturus Caelerinus and Numidicus as your owne authorities doe witnesse for as by them you prooue Cyprian was woont to take the good report and testimonie of the people concerning such as should bee admitted to the Clergie and with common aduise to examine their woorthinesse so by the selfe same places I she we that Cyprian brake that custome when hee sawe time and cause require and without the consent of his people or Clergie ordered such as hee found to be meete for that calling Whereby wee collect that the consent of the people and Clergie is no essentiall point in ordering Ministers without the which they may not bee called but a very Christian and commendable course to keepe off all notorious and enormous persons from that function and the surest way to saue the Bishop from communicating with other mens sinnes whiles hee trusted not his owne iudgement or knowledge but vsed the eyes eares and consciences of the whole Church for the better view search and triall of their integritie grauitie and industrie to whome the flocke of Christ was to bee committed This which I say will appeare to bee true euen by your owne authorities Because many of the Clergie of Carthage were wanting and those fewe that remained did skant suffice for the dailie worke of the Ministerie for which cause it was requisite to haue moe Know you saieth Cyprian writing to the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church that I haue made Saturus a Reader and Optatus a Subdeacon whom a good while since by common aduise we appointed to bee next placed in the Clergie I haue then in your absence done no new thing but that which long agoe tooke a beginning with all our aduises
the bishops office since which time euery Citie diocesse adioyning had but one Bishop The Council of Sardica for y â— West disliked prohibited the making of Bishops in villages small Cities Licentia danda non est ordinandi Episcopum aut in vico aliquo aut in modica Ciuitate cui sufficit vnus Presbyter None must be permitted to ordaine a Bishop either in a village or smal Citie where one Presbyter wil suffice The Councill of Laodicea did the like for the East 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 None must place Bishops in townes villages those that are alreadie placed must do nothing without the consent of the Bishop of the Citie As then there were no Bishops but in Cities so was there no Presbyterie to attend and assist the Bishop but in the same place where the Bishop had his chiefe charge and Church And therefore your vrging of Presbyteries in euery parish and village is a thing vtterly dissonant from the regiment of the Primitiue Church In each populous Citie there was a Bishop to gouerne the people committed to his charge and a Presbyterie that is a number of Priests to helpe the Bishop in all sacred actions and aduise him in all Iudiciall and ecclesiasticall proceedings and these are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Priests of the Citie by the ancient Councils of Ancyra and Neocesaria The villages and countrey Townes as they were conuerted to the faith and by reason of the number that beleeued needed a minister of the word and Sacraments to bee a resident amongst them and were able and willing to maintaine one so repaired they to the Bishop of the Citie next to them and desired of him a fit man to serue their necessities and became subiect both the people and Priest to that Bishop who first gained them to Christ or who first erected and ordered their Churches By which meanes each Bishop had not onely his principall Church and chaire in that Citie where hee was Pastour which the ancient Councils and Stories call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but had the care and ouersight of the Townes and villages round about that Citie which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doeth not import a countrey parish as our age abuseth the word and whereon some vnwiselie haue collected that euery such parish had and should haue a Bishop but the greatest Cities with their suburbes and the chiefest Churches in the world were so termed as appeareth by Eusebius calling Alexandria Corinth Ierusalem Ephesus Lions Carthage Antioch and such other famous Cities and Churches by the name of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the like is extant in the same writer li. 4. ca. 1. 4. 5. 15. 19. 23. li. 5. ca. 22. 23. 27. li. 6. ca. 1. 8. li. 7. ca. 28. and in many other places And so much the very composition of the wordes importeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 containing not only the citizens but all such borderers strangers as dwelt neere and repaired to any chiefe Church or Citie and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprising all the villages and Churches that were dispersed in diuers places but vnder the regiment of one Bishop Ierome sheweth that in his time and long before not onely a citie but also a Prouince or Region belonged to eche Bishop in which though Presbyters and Deacons baptized with his leaue yet he alwayes imposed hands and examined and confirmed their baptisme Tuin eo quod recipis Laicum vnam animam recipiendo saluas ego in recipiendo Episcopum non diâ—am vnius ciuitatis populos sed vniuersam cui praeest Prouinciam ecclesiae socio You in admitting a Lay man to repentance saue one soule by receiuing him I in receiuing a Bishop ioyne to the Church I say not the people of one Citie but the whole Prouince or Dioecese which is vnder him Then Bishops had not onely the people of one Citie but of one Prouince or Countrie committed to their charge and subiect vnto them and their diâ—ceses did reach euen to farre townes and villages where Presbyters and Deacons had cure of soules vnder them as Ierom else-where remembreth Non abnuo hanc esse ecclesiarum consuetudinem vt ad eos qui longè in minoribus vrbibus per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati sunt episcopus ad inuocationem Spiritus sancti manum impositurus excurrat I deny not saieth Ierome but this is the custome of the Churches that the Bishop shall go euen to those that a farre off in lesser Townes were baptized by Priestes and Deacons and impose handes to inuocate the holie Ghost on them But this imposition of hands on parties baptized Ierome saith was reserued to the Bishop rather for the honor of his priesthoode then for necessitie of their saluation Otherwise if the holie ghost come only at the Bishops prayers lugendi sunt qui in vinculis aut in castellis aut in remotioribus locis per Presbyteros Diaconos baptizati ante dormierunt quà m ab Episcopis inuiserentur Their case saith he were lamentable that being baptized by Priestes and Deacons in villages castels and places farre distant die before the Bishop can visite them No Bishop might order or confirme but in his owne diocese to do any such thing in an other mans diocese was no custome of the Church but repugnant to all the Canons of the Church There belonged therefore to the Bishops not onely the Cities where their chiefe Churches were but also Uillages Townes Castles and remote places in which Priests and Deacons discharged diuine seruice and Sacraments and those places the Bishop vnder whome they were did at certaine times visite to examine the faith of the baptized and the manner of their baptisme lest to Churches and Chappelles farre distant heresie might haue the easier accesse by the bishops absence Cleargie men then there were in euery diocese that ministred the word and sacraments in villages and smaller Townes but none were of the Presbytery that assisted and aduised the Bishop in Ecclesiasticall causes saue onely the Clergie and Priests of that Citie where the Bishop had his Church and Seate The rurall Bishops for such you confesse there were had they no Presbyteries to assist them in ecclesiasticallactions and censures They needed none for they were Bishops in word but not in deede they enioyed the name not the power and preeminence of Bishops but were in all things restrained as other Priests were and subiected to the Bishop of the Citie in whose circuite they were The Councell of Antioch saieth of them Those that are in Townes and Villages called rurall Bishoppes though they haue receiued imposition of handes as Bishops yet it seemeth good to this sacred Synode they shoulde acknowledge their degree or measure content themselues with the care of their own churches not to presume to impose hands on a Priest or Deacon without the Bishop of the Citie
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to which both himselfe and his charge are subiect The Councell of Laodicea commanded the rurall Bishops to doe nothing without the liking of the Bishop of the Citie So that they were in all things ruled and gouerned by the Bishops of their Cities vnder whom they were and not directed by any Presbyters of their owne If it seeme strange to any that the ancient Councels shoulde endure the name title of a Bishop to be giuen to whome the power and office of a bishop was not giuen he must consider for what causes they first permitted rurall Bishops to be made The one was to supplie the wants that often happen in the absence or sickenesse of the Bishop In which cases being but vicegerents in some things there was no reason they should haue the same power and prerogatiue the right Bishops had without their leaue or liking For that had beene to erect another Bishop in the same Diocese besides and against the true Bishop and not to place a substitute vnder him The next cause was to content such as were Bishops amongest Schismatikes who woulde rather persist in their factions then returne to the catholike church with the losse of that honour and calling they had before And therefore to such the Bishop of the citie might either allowe the name and title of Bishops if it so pleased him or else appoint them the places and charges of rurall Bishops And so the councell of Nice decreed If any of the Nouatians will returne to the Catholike Church either in Village or Citie where there is already a Bishop or Priest of the Catholike Church it is cleere that the Bishop of the Church shall haue the authoritie and dignitie of the Episcopall function and hee that was reputed a Bishop amongst the Nouatians shall retaine the honor of a Priest vnlesse it please the Bishop of the Church to imparte with him the honour of that title If hee like not so to doe let some place of a rurall Bishop or Priest be prouided for him that hee may seeme to continue in the Clergie and yet not be two Bishops in one Citie Touching Presbyteries then though they were needefull for greater cities where they might well be maintained yet in villages and smaller Townes there was neither vse of them nor prouision for them by reason the countrie churches were smal and could not finde many and the parties that liued in such places were subiected to the bishop of the diocese and in all things directed by him The citie of Rome at the first had vnder one Bishop 46. Priests 7. Deacons 7. Subdeacons 42. Acoluthes Exorcists Readers and Sextens 52. in the whole 155. all founde through the goodnesse and grace of God at the charges of the church there besides 1500. widowes and afflicted persons in like sort sustained by the oblations of the people The number of Priests so encreased afterward that Ierome saith of them Diaconospaucitas honorabiles Presbyteros turba contemptibiles facit The scarcitie of Deacons maketh them to bee more esteemed the multitude of Priests causeth them to be lesse regarded In Constantinople the number of the Clergie was growen so great y â— the church was not able to maintaine theÌ„ therefore the Emperor by his laws was forced to limite how many there should be of euery degree and so he appointed 60. priests 100 deacons 90. subdeacons 110. readers 25. singers 100. sextens in summe 485. Clergie men to attend the seruice of the Church vnder the bishop The number of Clergie men that were in other Cities is not so precisely described but the proofe of their Presbyteries is euerie where occurrent The Presbyteries of Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist to the killing of Proterius after the great Councell of Chalcedon and of Antioch from the preaching of Paul to the burning of the saide citie by the Persians are often remembred in the Ecclesiasticall histories and diuerse Presbyters of either Church that were famous men and writers in the Church of God named by Eusebius Ierome and Gennadius as in the Church of Alexandria amongst others Clemens Origen Heraclas Pierius in the Church of Antioch Geminus Malchion Lucianus Chrysostome and diuerse uch The Church of Carthage had Tertullian and Cyprian who being after made Bishop of the same Citie and forced to bee absent wrate many Letters to the Presbyters and Deacons of Carthage In the Church of Lions in France was Irenaeus a Presbyter vnder Pothynus whome he succeeded in the Bishopricke At Hippo Saint Austen was first a Presbyter vnder Talerius and being Bishop himselfe had vnder him a number of Presbyters that were Colleagues and Clearkes Ignatius remembreth the Presbyteries of Smyrna Philodelphia Philippi Magnesia Trallis and Ephesus in his Epistles to the same Churches Of other Cities and ages the like might be shewed but because it is a thing rather vrged then doubted by you I will spare that paines as superfluous He that readeth either the Councels or the Stories of the Church shall soone perceiue euery Bishop had Presbyters and Deacons in the same Citie with him and vnder him We be far from denying there were Presbyteries in euery Church but that they consisted onely of Cleargie men neither do we beleeue it nor can you prooue it Wee neuer learned to prooue the negatiue we affirme they were Clergie men and that we proue you thinke there were also Lay men amongst them which wee denie that must you prooue Your want of proofe in that point maketh our assertion good You haue all this while scanned the Fathers and ouer-looked the Councels bring now but one for lay Elders we giue you the rest Their generall silence is a full inference against you which aâ—ouch they had such and can not shewe where they mention any such Yet this will I doe name me but one father or Councell that speaketh of the office and duetie of Presbyters and you shall presently see he meaneth Clergie men Or if that please you not looke to the maner of ADMITTING Presbyters into the Church their SITTING SERVING and CONVERSING in the Church their MAINTAINING by the Church and their REMOVING from the Church and you shall cleerely finde there were no Presbyters ioyued with the Bishop in any Ecclesiasticall affaires but Clergie men They were ordained by imposition of hands and so were not Lay Elders they sate with the Bishop in the chancels apart from all Lay men they baptized and consecrated the Lords Supper and so might not Lay men they liued vnder stricter rules then Lay men did as not to haue strange women about them not to change Cities not to resort to spectacles or vittailing houses not to trauell without letters of licence and such like which al lay men were free from they were maintained at the charges of the Church and so were not Lay men and when they
matters to whom the Apostolike power and charge which must alwayes remaine in the Church may be communicated and imparted and those are Presbyters and Bishops By Presbyters I meane those whom all the Catholike Fathers and Councils with one consent call Presbyteros placing them in the middle betweene Bishops and Deacons when they deuide the Clergie into Episcopos Presbyterosâ— Diaconos Bishops Presbyters and Deacons Laiâ— Elders I ouerskip as meere strangers to all antiquitie So that when I speake of Presbyteries I vnderstand thereby the assemblies of such Presbyters as were Clergie men and in euery Citie assisted the Bishop in the seruice of God and aduised the Bishop in all other affaires of the Church Thus much I premonish least the often vse of the word Presbyter in this chapter should either perplexe or vnsettle the Reader The times must like wise be remembred The Apostles both in teaching and gouerning the Churches when they were present had helpers when they were absent had substitutes after their finall departures or deathes left successours So that the things originally descending from the Apostles and continuallie remayning in the Church are the charge of the worde and Sacraments and the power of keyes and handes the persons to whom they were committed either Presbyters or Bishops the times when the presence absence departure or death of the Apostles If wee neglect or confound these partes wee shall but roaue in the aire at the right gouernement of the Church if wee obserue them wee shall force the Question to an Issue that will not deceiue vs. And first for the worde and Sacraments It may not bee deuied but as the worde and Sacraments are the most essentiall seedes of the Church so the handling and sowing thereof in the Lordes ground must bee the generall and principall charge of all Pastours and Presbyters that eyther feede or rule the flocke of Christ. for whether they be Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastours or Teachers I meane such as Paul reckoneth to the Ephesians for the worke of the Ministerie or as the holy Ghost in other places calleth them Bishops and Presbyters this power is common to them all Without the worde and Sacraments the Saintes are not gathered the Church is not edified faith is not perfited heauen is not opened wherefore in preaching the worde and administring the Sacramentes the Scriptures know no difference betwixt Pastours and Teachers Bishops and Presbyters Had not our Sauiour deliuered both in one ioynt Commission to his Apostles when he willed them to goe and teach all Nation baptizing them Paul sheweth that preaching the worde was of the twaine the greater and woorthier part of his Apostolike function Christ sent mee not to baptize but to preach the Gospell not that hee might not or did not vse both but the latter was the chiefer So Iohn preached the baptisme of repentance not deuiding the offer of the worde from the confirmation of the Sacrament but ioyning them both together as coherent and consequent the one to the other for God doeth not send his messengers to make emptie promises but ratifieth the trueth of his speach with the seales of his word which are the Sacraments And therfore hee that hath charge from God to preach the one hath also leaue to performe the other Whom God hath placed in his church that by his mouth we should beleeue by his hands also we may bee baptized as appeareth by Philip conuerting and baptizing not onely the Eunuche but the whole Citie of Samaria and for that cause S. Austen iustly calleth as well Presbyters as Bishops Ministers of the word and Sacraments A newe distinction is lately deuised that Pastours in Saint Paul were such as had not onely the word and Sacraments but also the Church and charge of soules committed vnto them and Teachers those that laboured in doctrine but receiued no charge neither of Sacramentes nor soules In deede Ambrose taketh them for Catechizers of Infants and at Alexandria there were moderators of Schooles resembling our Uniuersities for the training and instructing of such as in time were likely to profit the Church of God but these were not ecclesiasticall functions in the Church they were profitable members of a common wealth that so did but no necessarie workemen in the ministerie And though there were such for a season at Alexandria yet all other Cities and Churches had not the like and they that gouerned those Schooles and taught the Catechumes there as Pantenus Clemens and Origen were Laie men and neuer vsed at Alexandria to teach the people in the Church as appeareth by Demetrius wordes then Bishop of Alexandria finding great fault with the Bishops of Ierusal in and Cesaria for suffering Origen after hee had bene Catechist at Alexandria to expound the Scriptures before the people in the Church His wordes are these It was neuer heard nor euer suffered that Laie men should teach in the Church in the presence of Bishops With no face could the Bishop of Alerandria haue disliked Origens fact if it had bene vsuall in his owne Church and the Bishops that wrate in defence of the matter doe not auouch it was a generall or perpetuall rule in the Church of Christ for a Catechizer to teach in the Church but alleage three instances where they sawe the like vsed and confesse they knew no more Wherefore vnlesse their examples and reasons were stronger and surer I preferre the iudgement of Ierome Augustine Chrysostome Theodorete and others before this late conceite who thinke the Apostle expressed one office by two names to shew what things belonged to the Pastorall charge Austen Pastours and Doctours whom you greatly desired I should distinguish I thinke to bee all one as you doe not that wee should conceiue some to be Pastours others to bee Doctours but therefore he subioyned Doctours to Pastours that Pastours might vnderstand doctrine pertained to their office Euery Pastour is a Doctour saieth Ierome Pastours and Doctours saieth Chrysostome were they to whom the whole people were committed and they were inferiour to those that went about preaching the Gospell because dwelling in more quietnesse they were employed onely in one place Paul calleth them Pastours and Doctours saieth Theodorete which were deputed and fastened to a Citie or village Oecumenius by Pastours and Teachers Paul meaneth Bishops to whome the Churches were committed But grant Pastours and Doctours were distinct offices in the Church as you imagine what gaine you by it You may thereby prooue an inequalitie of ecclesiasticall functions you prooue nothing els Obey your Ouerseers saieth Paul and bee subiect to them they watch ouer your soules to giue account for them Obedience and subiection to the Pastour is due from the whole flocke and all degrees thereof which are no Pastours but Teachers as you say were no Pastors they were therfore inferiour to Pastors and subiect to their ouersight Now take your choice if Pastors
places and offices distinguished or digested they tooke an other order then at beginning And why The first regarde the Apostles had was to gaine vnbeleeuers to Christ the second to gouerne such as were gained And these two respects might best be perfourmed by two contrarie courses To encrease the Church the more workemen the better For when the Haruest is great if the Labourers bee fewe the roumes can not be filled To guide the Church the fewer the better except it bee with counsell to aduise For diuerse men haue diuers minds and diuers meanings and in a multitude of Gouernours emulation and dissention are no rare springs Wherefore no maruell though the Apostles tooke besides themselues as many helpers as they coulde to conuert the worlde vnto Christ and yet tooke not vnto themselues as many Rulers as they coulde in euerie place to gouerne the beleeuers By order of nature men must bee gotten together afore they neede bee gouerned and so in the building of the Church the number of Preachers at the first was more requisite then the choice of Gouernours And for that cause Epiphanius second position is verie true That Presbyters and Deacons the one to labour in the worde and dispence the Sacraments the other to releeue the poore and attend to diuine Seruice were euerie where appointed by the Apostles These were sufficient to beginne the Churches and these were fittest to increase the Church And therefore in many places the Apostles left none other but these If you aske who then gouerned the Churches in those beginnings I answere the flocke was both augmented and directed by the Presbyters that laboured in the worde The chiefe gouernement to impose handes and deliuer vnto Satan rested yet in the Apostles who often visited the Churches which they planted and ordained Presbyters as they passed to supplie the wantes of euerie Church The third point in Epiphanius reporte is this that although it be not extant in the Apostles writings that in euerie place where they came at first they left Bishops yet the Scriptures do witnesse that Paul furnished some places with Bishops as Ephesus and Creete with Timothie and Tite Thus farre I see not what you can refell in Epiphanius Perchance you will deride Epiphanius simplicitie that coulde not discerne betwixt an Euangelist and a Bishop for as you maintaine Timothie and Tite were Euangelists and not Bishops and had an extraordinarie and no ordinarie calling You can not charge Epiphanius with ignoraunce in this behalfe but you must doe the like to the eldest and best learned Fathers of the Primitiue Church namely Eusebius Ambrose Chrysostome Ierome Oecumenius Primasius and others which affirme as Epiphanius doth that Timothie was a Bishop ordeined by S. Paul but thereof anon as also whether an Euangelist might bee a Bishop or no which conclusions of yours though they be most feeble and vnsure yet they be lately taken up for Oracles That which may be doubted in Epiphanius is this The cause why Bishops wanted in some places was saith he the lacke of fit men to beare the office It may be some will thinke it strange that amongest so many Prophets Pastours and Teachers as were in most of those Churches which Paul planted not a fit man could be found for the Episcopal function and yet afterward meete men were found for all the Churches in the worlde but as that which Epiphanius saith might be some cause of wanting Bishops at the first so if I be not deceiued there were other causes that mooued the Apostles not straight wayes to place Bishops in euerie Church where they preached which I will specifie when the testimonies of Ambrose and Ierome be throughly perused Ambrose at first sight seemeth somewhat to dissent from Epiphanius in that he thinketh the Churches had both Presbyters and Bishops left them by the Apostles and the Presbyters were placed in an order according to the deserts and worthines of eche man by the Apostles and others that founded the Churches and this rule deliuered that as the first and chiefest Presbyter who was Bishop in name and superiour in calling to the rest failed so the next should succeede in his roume and enioy the Episcopall chaire and power after his departure And when some Presbyters did not answere the expectation which was had of them but scandalized the Church that course of standing in order to succeede was changed and Bishops were chosen by the iudgement and liking of many Priests to cut off vnworthie and offensiue men from the place I could admit this report of Ambrose but that he expresseth not when and by whome this change beganne he saieth Prospiciente Concilio A Council fore seeing or prouiding that not order but merite should create a Bishop but what Council If he meant a Councill of the Apostles which is not expressed but may well bee intended for the wordes stand indifferent to any Councill no testimonie can be weightier for Bishops then this of Ambrose which is brought against them If he meant others after the Apostles deaths what authoritie had they to change the Apostolike gouernment or by their decree to bind the whole world But this I reserue till Ieromes witnesse bee repeated and examined Ierom in his words before cited auoucheth three special things first that til dissentions sprang in the Church Bishops and Presbyters were all one and the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of Presbyters amongst whom the care of the Church was equally diuided Next that to roote out schismes rising verie fast through the Preachers and Presbyters factions by a decree throughout the whole worlde one of the Presbyters was chosen in euery Church and set ouer the rest and to him the whole care of the Church did euer after appertaine Thirdly that this subiection of the Presbyters vnder the Bishop and maioritie of Bishops aboue Presbyters grewe rather by the custome of the Church then by the trueth of the Lords disposition for they should rule the Church in common These wordes of Ierome may be either verie true according to the time that they be referred vnto or verie false If you so conster Ierome that all the while the Apostles liued Bishops were al one with Presbyters and had no more charge nor power in the Church then Presbyters you make Ierome contradict the Scriptures himselfe the whole aray of all the ancient Fathers and Apostolike Churches that euerwere since Christs time for all these affirme and proue the contrarie But if you so expound Ierom that the Apostles for a time suffred the Presbyters to haue equall power and care in guiding the Church themselues alwayes sitting at the sterne and holding the helue whiles they were present in those parts of the worlde till by the factions and diuisions of so manie gouernors the Churches were almost rent in peeces and thereupon the Apostles forced did set an other order in the Church then was at first and with the good liking of all the
Churches either troubled with contentions or iustly fearing the like euents in time to come did commit eche place to one Pastour leauing the rest to consult and aduise with him for the health and peace of the people and by this example taught the whole Church what perpetuall rule to obserue after their deaths Ierome saieth as much as I can or doe desire I come nowe to the quicke let the Christian Reader marke this issue well in Gods name and what side bringeth soundest and surest proofes there let the verdict go Ierome prooueth by many Scriptures that a Presbyter and Bishop were names indifferent and often vsed to the same persons Paul calling for the Presbyters of Ephesus saide vnto them Take heede to your selues and to all the flocke in which the holie Ghost hath set you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ouerseers or Bishops to feede the Church of God Inscribing his Epistle to the Philippians he saieth To all the Saintes which are at Philippi with the Bishops and Deacons And so to Tite I left thee in Creete to ordaine Presbyters in euery Citie if any be vnreprooueable for a Bishop must be vnreprooueable Peter like wise writing to the Iewes dispersed saieth The Presbyters which are amongst you I beseech which am also a Presbyter feede the flocke of God committed to you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ouerseeing it not constrainedly but willingly All the Presbyters that fed the flocke are in these places called Bishops I grant it fully the words are cleere What hence conclude you ergo the offices were then all one Nay ergo the names then were common Otherwise how thinke you by this argument Peter calleth himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow Presbyter with the rest are therefore the Apostleship and the Presbytership both one office Of Iudas Peter saieth in the Acts 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Bishoprike let an other take Will you grant that an Apostle doth not differ from a Bishop Admit you the one and I will receiue the other Names may be common though offices be distinct There were then at Ephesus and amongst the dispersed Iewes no Bishops but such as were Presbyters and they many not one Distinguish the times and the Scriptures will agree There was a time as Ierome telleth you when the Churches were gouerned by the common aduise of the Presbyters In this time spake Paul to the Presbyters of Ephesus in this time wrate Peter to the Presbyters amongst the Iewes After this the factions of the Teachers caused the Apostles to establish an other kinde of gouernement and to commit the chiefe care of eche Church which they had planted to some chosen person that should ouersee the flocke as Pastour of the place the rest being his helpers to disperse the word and aduisers to gouerne the Church If you prooue that you say somewhat to the matter If I prooue it not better then you doe your Laie Elders I am content to renounce the one as I doe the other Will you prooue it by the Scripture I will so prooue it as you shall not refuse it vnlesse you reiect both the Booke and Church of God What will you prooue That the Apostles in their life time did institute one Pastour to take the chiefe care of one Church and consequentlie the change which Ierome speaketh of from the common and equall regiment of Presbyters to the particular and preeminent moderation of the Churches in eche place by Bishoppes was not made after the Apostles were dead but whiles they liued and then of force by their decree for during their times none might interpose themselues to change and alter the fourme of the Church Discipline setled by them without their leaue and allowance If it were euer decreed by them it would bee founde in their writings and that it can not Besides had it beene their doing it might iustly be called Gods disposition and ordinance which Ierome saieth it may not Their doctrine in deede doeth plainelie appeare by their writings their successours doe not For howe should the Apostles declare by their pennes who succeeded them after their deaths Is not the whole Church of Christ a lawful and sufficient witnesse in that case If wee beleeue not the Churches that were directed and ordered by the Apostles preaching and presence nor their Schollers that liued with them and next succeeded in their rouines who that wise is wil beleeue our bare surmises seelie coniectures of things done 1500. yeeres before we were borne Yet if the Scriptures do not signifie so much we wil loose it But before I enter to proue it I wil search out the right cause why the Apostles did not not in euery place where they came presently erect Bishops to gouerne the Churches which they planted The reasons why the Apostles did not at the first preaching of the Gospell commit the Churches to the regiment of Bishops I finde were these three First they reserued the chiefe power of imposing hands and punishing notorious offendors to themselues whom Christ made bishops ouerseers of his Church For though to feede leade and attend the flocke they tooke the Presbyters to be their helpers yet the weightiest matters of the church as giuing the graces of Gods spirite and deliuering vnto Satan they retained in their owne handes so long as they were in those places or parts of the worlde The second is that which Epiphanius noted that although there were many endued with excellent gifts to preach the word yet the Apostles would trust none with the chiefe charge of the Churches till they had fully seene and perfectly tried as wel the soundnes of their mindes as greatnes of their gifts Thirdly lest they should seeme to seeke the aduancing of their followers more then the conuerting of vnbeleeuers they suffered the Churches to take a triall what equalitie of many Gouernours would doe and when the fruites thereof prooued to be dissention and confusion the Apostles were forced to commit the Churches at their departures to certaine tried approoued men to be chiefe Pastours of the seuerall places and the Churches were all as willing to receiue them finding by experience what continuall schismes and heresies grew by the peruersnesse of Teachers and could not be repressed by the confused gouernment of the Presbyters which were many in number and equall in power None of these things are expressed in the Scriptures If the fathers alone did witnesse them say we not much more for Bishops then you do for Lay Elders but you shall see the grounds of their reports testified euen in the Scriptures That the Apostles at the first planting of the Churches kept to themselues the power of imposing hands and deliuering vnto Satan which the Fathers call Episcopall power is no newes in the Scriptures they could not loose that vnlesse they lost their Apostleship withall you must shew by the Scriptures where they committed this power to the Presbyters of euery place or else our assertion
standeth good that they retained it to themselues For of their hauing it there is no doubt of their committing it to the Presbyters of euery Church there is no proofe And therefore the Fathers doe vtterlie denie that the Apostles deliuered that power to any but to Bishops Their proofes be stronger then you take them for howsoeuer you will shift them There were Presbyters at Ephesus besides Timothie and in Creete besides Tite and yet Paul left the one at Ephesus to impose handes and the other in Creete to ordaine Presbyters in euerie Citie If without them the Presbyters of either place might haue doone it superfluous was both Paules charge they should do it and direction how they should do it But his committing that power and care to them prooueth in the iudgement of the ancient Fathers that the Presbyters without them coulde not doe it Euangelists you say they were and not Bishops Admit they were Then as yet neither Ephesus nor Creete had anie that might impose hands and yet had they Presbyters And consequently this power to impose handes was at that time reserued from the Presbyters to the Apostles and their deputies Saint Paul saieth most apparantly the Presbyterie might impose hands for Timothie receiued from them imposition of handes I haue tolde you alreadie that take the worde how you will you can prooue no such thing thence If it signifie there the degree of a Presbyter which Timothie then receiued as Ierome expoundeth the place it commeth nothing neere your purpose If you take it for the assemblie then gathered when Timothie was ordained Chrysostome telleth you they were more then Presbyters for otherwise they could not lay hands on Timothie to make him a Bishop Chrysostome you thinke erred in not expounding the place as you doe Then giue Saint Paul leaue to tell you that hee was present in the Presbyterie when Timothie was ordained and that he imposed hands on Timothie But this I haue handled before to which I referre you I onely nowe put you in minde that place will be are no such conclusion And as the Apostles reserued imposition of handes from the Presbyters to themselues so did they keepe the deliuering of offendours vnto Satan in their owne power If any obey not our sayings note him by a letter saith Paul and keepe no company with him To what ende should they note him by a letter vnto Paul vnlesse Paul had reserued the punishing of such offendours vnto himselfe Shall I come vnto you with a rodde or in the spirite of meekenesse If I come againe I will not spare such as haue heeretofore sinned and not repented I trust this be plaine enough to prooue that the Apostles kept the punishing of sinnes to themselues and referred them not ouer to the Presbyters The Apostles hauing of this power doth not exclude the Presbyters from hauing the same for at Corinth Paul not onely willeth the Church to excommunicate that incestuous sinner but rebuketh them for not doing it before he wrate Paul doth not reprooue them for not deliuering that sinner vnto Satan but for not sorrowing that he might haue beene put from among them Had they written of this notorious offence when they wrate of other things to the Apostle that he might haue considered of the offendours punishement they had doone their dueties they could maintaine factions and swell one against another through pride of their gifts but they did not sorrow to see so grieuous a crime committed and continued in the eyes both of beleeuers and Infidels nor so much as signifie the same by their letters as desiring to haue such a one excluded from their Christian fellowship This the Apostle chargeth them with hee goeth no further They shoulde haue noted him by a letter vnto Paul and kept no companie with him til the Apostle had decreed what to do with him All this doeth you no good for the Apostles neither were nor could be Bishops I am sure all the Fathers with one mouth affirme the Apostles both might be and were Bishops Cyprian Apostolos idest Episcopos Dominus elegit The Lord himselfe chose the Apostles that is the Bishops Apostoli Episcopi sunt The Apostles are Bishops saieth Ambrose Romae fuerunt primi Petrus Paulus Apostoli ijdem ac Episcopi At Rome the first were Peter and Paul both Apostles and Bishops saieth Epiphanius Iames saieth Chrysostome had the office of a Bishop at Ierusalem And so Eusebius Iames was the first that after the ascention of our Sauiour had the Episcopall seate at Ierusalem Ierome himselfe that is thought to speake much against the state of Bishops saith Peter after the Bishopâ—ike of Antioch helde the Sacerdotall chayre at Rome And againe Iames called the Lordes brother after the Lordes passion was straight ordained Bishop of Ierusalem by the Apostles Theodoret. Paul sheweth plainely that Epaphroditus had the Episcopall function committed to him by calling him an Apostle What neede wee more I remembred you before Peter himselfe calleth the Apostleship a Bishopship And why not if 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be to ouersee the Lords flocke who better deserued that name then the Apostles They were more then Bishops So were they more then Presbyters and yet Saint Peter coulde tell howe to speake when hee called himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Presbyter as well as others Bishops are ouerseers but of one place Apostles of many Bishops were fastened to one place not by the force of their name but by the order of the holie Ghost who sent Apostles to ouersee manie places and settled Pastours to ouersee one but hee that is ouerseer of twentie Cities is ouerseer of euerie one And therefore the Apostles were Bishops and more then Bishops euen as Iohn was more then a Prophet and yet a Prophet Confound you their offices I keepe them distinct in that I say euerie Apostle was a Prophet a Bishop and a Presbyter but not euerie Presbyter Bishop or Prophet was an Apostle They were all the Ministers of Christ feeders of his flocke and stewardes of his mysteries but the Apostles in a greater measure of grace higher manner of calling and mightier force of Gods Spirite then the rest And whatsoeuer becommeth of the names it can not be denyed but the Apostles had that power of imposing handes and deliuering vnto Sathan which they after imparted vnto Bishops And therefore whiles they remayned in or neere the places where they planted Churches there was no such need of Bishops the Apostles alwayes supplying the wantes of those Churches with their presence Letters or Messengers as the cause required But when they were finally to forgoe those parts then began they to prouide for the necessitie and securitie of the Churches and left such fitte men as they had with Episcopall power as their substitutes to guide the Churches which they had founded The second cause why Bishops were not euery where trusted
with the Churches at the first erecting thereof is that which Epiphanius remembreth and Paul toucheth in many places I trust to send Timotheus shortly vnto you I haue no man like minded who will faithfully care for your matters For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christes And to Timothie This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia bee turned from me At my first answering no man assisted mee but all forsooke mee Demas hath forsaken mee and embraced this present worlde Wherefore Epiphanius surmise that the scarcitie of tried and approoued men was some cause why euerie place was not furnished at the first with a Bishop is neither vnlikelie nor vnpertaining to the purpose The third reason I take to be this that as Presbyters to labour in the word and augment the Church were presently needefull the haruest being no lesse then the whole world and Bishops to moderate the number of Teachers and to ouersee as well the feeders as the flocke were not so requisit whiles the Apostles who tooke care of those things themselues preached in or neere the places so the wisedome of God woulde not impose that fourme of gouernement on the Church but after long triall and good experience what neede the Churches should haue of it This course he obserued with the people of Israel not straightway to associate the seuentie Elders vnto Moses but to let them alone vntill Moses was wearied with the burden and the multitude grieued for want of dispatch and Iethro seeing the Iudge afflicted with paines and the people discontented with delayes aduised an other way which the whole assemblie liked God confirmed and Moses executed In like manner Christ suffered his Church to trie whiles his Apostles yet liued what equalitie and plentie of Gouernours would worke in euerie place and when it fell out in proofe vpon the Apostles absence that so many leaders so many followers so many Rulers so many factions out euerie Church in sunder the Apostles were forced the world as Ierom faith decreing it that is the faithful throughout the world being therewith contented and thereof desirous to commit their places and Churches not to Presbyters in common and equall authoritie but to their Disciples and followers whome afterward they called Bishops in a superioritie leauing vnto them as vnto their successors the chiefest honor and power of imposing handes and vsing the keyes and resting specially on their care and paines to ouersee both Teachers and beleeuers though the Presbyters were not excluded from helping and assisting them to feed and guide the flocke of Christ. This you say but Ierome saith It was not the Lords disâ—osition by his Apostles but rather a decree and custome of the Church that first made Bishops to differ from Presbyters Ierome saieth it was decreed throughout the world to change the equalitie of Presbyters into the superioritie of Bishops by whome it was so decreed hee doeth not mention in this place but if I prooue as well by the Scriptures as by Ierome himselfe and the rest of the Fathers that this change began in the Apostles times and was both seene and approoued by them I euince it to bee an Apostolike ordinance Then must it also be diuine which Ierome denyeth What Ierom meaneth by the trueth of the Lords ordinance I wil after examine I must prooue in order I shall else but confound both myselfe and the Reader In the meane time I make this reason out of Ierome When the schismes of Presbyters beganne dangerously to teare the Churches in peeces then were the Churches committed to the chiefe and preeminent charge of one but those schismes and factions troubled all the Churches euen in the Apostles times vnder them therefore beganne the change of gouernement which Ierome speaketh of At Corinth indeede there were contentions who were baptized of the greatest men which Ierome doeth exemplifie but the factions must be more generall and deadly that should cause an alteration of gouernement throughout the world So there were euen in the Apostles times To those of Corinth he saith When you come together in the Church I heare there are dissentions amongest you and I beleeue it in part for there must be heresies euen among you that they which are approoued amongst you might beknowen And wheÌ„ he saith there must be heresies amongst you to manifest the good from the bad he meaneth not only at Corinth but euery where which came to passe accordingly To the Romanes he saith Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them Amongest the Galathians were some that intended to peruert the Gospel of Christ and to carrie them into an other doctrine bewitching them that they shoulde not obey the trueth To the Philippians Beware of dogges beware of euill workemen many walke of whome I tolde you often and tell you now weeping that are enemies of the crosse of Christ whose ende is damnation whose God is their bellie and glorie to their shame which minde earthly things With the Colossians were some that burdened the Churches with traditions euen with the commaundements and doctrines of men and holding not the head aduanced themselues in those things which they neuer sawe and rashly puft vp with fleshly mindes beguiled the simple with a shew of humblenesse and worshipping of Angels At Thessalonica the resurrection of the dead was impugned and some troubled the people with visions with fained messages and forged letters in the Apostles name as if the day of Christ were at hand It came to passe in euery place which Paul foretolde the Presbyters of Ephesus This I know saith he that after my departure shall grieuous wolues enter in amongst you not sparing the flocke Yea of your owne selues shall rise men speaking peruerse thinges to draw Disciples after them Neither were the Gentiles onelie subiect to this danger but the Iewes also as Peter forewarned them There shalbe false teachers amongst you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them many shal follow their damnable waies through couetousnes with fained wordsshal they make marchandise of you And so Iohn Euen now there are many Antichrists many false prophets and deceiuers are gone out into the world To preuent these deceiuers and represse these peruerse Teachers Paul was forced whiles he liued laboured in other places to send speciall substitutes to the Churches most endangered and by their paines ouersight to cure the soares heale the wounds which these pestilent and vnquiet spirits had made So at Ephesus when the teachers and doctors began to affirme they knewe not what euen prophane and doting fables whose word did fret as a canker and crept into houses leading captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts and others hauing itching eares gate them teachers after
no cause why some Writers in our dayes should discredite the report and reason which Epiphanius maketh against Aerius that a Presbyter could not be equal with a Bishop for so much as the order of Bishops engendreth Fathers vnto the Church and the order of Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not able to beget Fathers by the regeneration of baptisme begetteth children vnto the church but not fathers or teachers and so no possibilitie to make a Presbyter that hath not receiued power to impose handes equall with a Bishop For what doth Epiphanius auouch in these words which Athanasius Ierom Chrysostome and Ambrose do not like wise auouch or what saieth he more then the Primitiue Church in her generall and Prouinciall Councils decreed against Colluthus Maximus and others and obserued without alteration euer since the Apostles died If wee reiect this assertion of Epiphanius that onely Bishops should impose handes to ordaine and not Presbyters wee reiect the whole church of Christ which interpreted the Scriptures in this behalfe as Epiphanius did and confirmed the verie same resolution with the continual practise of all ages and countries where the Gospell hath bene preached and beleeued for by power to ordaine the christian world hath alwayes distinguished bishops from Presbyters as it is easie to be seene by all the monuments of antiquitie that are extant to this day either of Councils Stories or Fathers And as by imposing oâ— haÌ„ds so by succeeding in the chaire haue Bishops euer since the Apostles times beene seuered from Presbyters in the Church of Christ which to all that doe not eagerlie seeke to captiuate the trueth to their owne desires is an argument vnrefellable that the first placing of Bishops aboue Presbyters was Apostolike Tertullian saith Constabit id esse ab Apostolis traditum quod apud ecclesias Apostolorum fuerit sacrosanctum It is certaine that came from the Apostles which is sacredly obserued in the Churches of the Apostles And Austen Quod vniuersa tenet ecclesia nec concilijs institutum sed semper retentum est non nisi authoritate Apostolica tradituÌ„ rectissime creditur That which the whole Church keepeth and was not appointed by Councils but always retained that is most rightly beleeued to haue descended from the Apostles Now that in the Churches planted by the Apostles their coadiutors one hath bene seuered from the rest of the Presbyters and placed aboue the rest in the honour of y t Episcopal chaire before there were any general Councils to decree that maner of gouernment so continued euen from the Apostles persons hands to this present age the perpetuall succession of bishops in those principall Churches where the Apostles their helpers preached and gouerned like wise in all other churches of the world following their steps will strongly and fully confirme If the Apostles placed bishops with their own hands if departing ordying they left bishops to succeede them if their Disciples and Schollers embraced vsed that course to set bishops aboue Presbyters for sauing the church from schismes left it to their after-commers I trust there are few men so deepely drowned in their owne conceits or wholy addicted to their fansies but they will acknowledge the first distinction institution of bishops from and aboue Presbyters was if not commanded imposed by the Apostles precepts on the Church yet at least ordained deliuered vnto the faithfull by their example as the best way to maintaine the peace and vnitie of the Church and consequently the custome of y â— church which Austen speaketh of that the bishops office should be greater theÌ„ the Presbyters the the decree of the whole world which Ierome mentioneth were deriued from the Apostles and confirmed by them and may not be reuersed and reâ—ealed after 150. yeers vnlesse we chalenge to be wiser and better able to order and gouerne the Church of Christ then the Apostles were Eusebius the first and best collector of auncient and Ecclesiasticall momunents Egesippus and Clemens being lost deriueth the successions of bishops in the foure principal churches of the world Ierusalem Antioch Rome and Alexandria from the Apostles age vnto his owne time by which as by a line we may be directed to see what maner of Episcopall successions the rest of the Churches had from whom the first originall of bishops descended I wil set them downe as it were in a Table euen from the Apostles their followers vnto the time they met in the great Councill of Nice about 320. yeeres after Christ and then examine more exactly whence they tooke their first beginning In the Church of Ierusalem Iames the Apostle Simeon Iustus Zacheus Tobias Beniamin Iohannes Mathias Philippus Sâ—nnecas Iustus Leui Ephrem Ioseph Iudas Marcus Cassianus Publius Maximus Iulianus Caius Symmachus Caius Iulianus Capito Maximus Antoninus Valens Dolichianus Narcissus Dius Germanion Gordius Narcissus iterum Alexander Mazabanes Hymeneus Zambdas Hermon Macarius Maximus Cyrillâ—s Iohannes Iuuenalis In the Church of Antioch Peter the Apostle Euodius Ignatius Heros Cornelius Eros Theophilus Maximinus Serapion Asclepiades Philetos Zebinus Babilas Fabius Demetrius Paulus Samosatenus Domnus Timeus Cyrillus Tyrannus Vitalius Philagonius Eâ—stathius Paulinus Miletius Flauianus Porphyrius Alexander Iohannes In the Church of Rome Peter and Paul Linus Anacletus Clemens Euaristus Alexander Sixtus Thelesphorus Higinus Pius Anâ—cetus Soter Eleutherius Victor Zepherinus Calixtus Vrbanus Pontianus Antâ—rus Fabianus Cornelius Lucius Stephanus Xistus Dionysius Felix Eutichianus Caius Marcellinus Marcellus Eusebius Meltiades Syluester Marcus Iulius Liberius Damasus Siricius Anastasius In the Church of Alexandria Mark the Euangelist Anianus Abilius Cerdo Primus Iustus Eumenes Marcus Celadion Agrippas Iulianus Demetrius Heraclas Dionysius Maximus Theonas Petrus Achilles Alexander Athanasius Petrus Timothius Theophilus Cyrillus These Catalogues of the Bishops of Ierusalem Antioch Rome and Alexandria Eusebius pursueth vnto the beginning of his owne time leauing off at Hermon Bishop of Ierusalem Tyranous bishop of Antioch Marcellinus bishop of Rome and Peter Bishop of Alexandria the rest are supplied out of others as in the See of Alexandria Achilles Alexander Athanasius and Peter out of Socrates Vitalius Philagonius and Eustathius out of Theodoret as also Macarius for Ierusalem In the See of Rome Marcellus and those that follow out of Optatus and Augustine The foure bishops of these Churches that met and sate in the Councill of Nice were Syluester for Rome by Vitus and Vincentius his Presbyters Sozomene faieth it was Iulius Alexander for Alexandria Macarius for Ierusalem and Eustathius for Antioch as appeareth by their subscriptions vnto the saide Council Now when these successions beganne and who were the first Authors and ordainers of them let vs see what proofe can be brought That Iames the Apostle was the first bishop of Ierusalem Clemens Egefippus Eusebius Ierome Chrysostome Epiphanius Ambrose and Augustine confirme Clemens in his sirt Booke
great loue in you towardes vs that wee dare not offend you for the gaine of our soule Some of the Presbyters saieth Cyprian to his Clergie neither remembring the Gospel nor their place neither thinking on the judgement of the Lorde to come nor on the BISHOP THAT IS SET OVER THEM which was neuer doone vnder any of my predecessours with contempt and reproch of their Ruler take vpon them to doe anything euen to communicate with those that fall in time of persecution Let those rash and vnwise among you know that if they persist any longer in such actions I will vse that admonition which the Lord willeth mee in suspending them from the ministerie of the Lordes Table and at my returne make them answere before vs and the whole people for their dooings Some ripe youthes will thinke all these Fathers were infected with humane deuises in attributing so much vnto bishops but the grauer sorte will remember these learned and godly men were as like to knowe what in Christian duety they were to yeelde or to aske as the plotformers of our time that affirme the bishop must be subiect and obedient to the greater part of his Presbyters and do nothing but what they determine The bishop then or President of the Presbyters for I stand not on names whiles I discusse their powers is by Christs owne mouth proneunced to bee the Angell of the Church that is the chiefe Steward ouer Gods housholde and ouerseer of his flocke and the authoritie that hee hath in the Church is Pastorall and Paternal euen the same that hath continued in the church since the beginning of the world This fatherly kinde of regiment began in the Patriarks dured in the Priests and Prophets of Moses Lawe was deriued to the Apostles and so descended to the chiefe Pastours of Christs church to this day who are to be honored and obeyed in the word and Sacraments as Fathers of all their children This power and honour I trust is so tolerable and Christian that you dare not spurne against it If you did not giue it onely to them and take it from all others wee would not gaine say it so much as we doe That which is common to euery Pastour in regard of those that are vnder them cannot be denyed the chiefe to whose ouersight and charge the whole church in euerie place is committed If you thinke the name of Pastour cannot be common to many in one and the same Church then the bishop must be Pastour alone for he is the Angel of Gods Church If the pastorall charge may be common to many then must he haue it chiefly and aboue all because he is Gods Angell and superior to all You remember your owne positions it is Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance that one shoulde be chiefe as well ouer Presbyters as people He cannot be chiefe in the Presbyterie but he must be chiefe in the Church and consequently if the Presbyters be Pastours he is chiefe Pastour We giue him no power but to moderate the meetings and execute the decrees of the Presbyters That we are well content the Bishop shall enioy but further we giue him none Blessed are your Presbyters that must haue their betters to execute their decrees but I pray you sirs for Gods decrees who shall execute them Must the Presbyters voyces be asked before Gods Lawes shalbe executed Take heede not of tyrannicall but of Satanicall pride if Gods will shal not take place in your Churches till the Presbyterie be assembled and agreed You haue prouided a president to execute your owne pleasures now let God haue one amongst you to execute his Execution in all things we reserue to him that is chiefe for as to consult and decree a number is fittest so to execute that which is decreed one is the surest lest if execution be committed to many their excusing themselues one on another or dissenting from eche other do hinder the whole You beginne to be wise The honour to determine you keepe to your selues the paines to execute you lay on your chiefe Ruler to make him the gladder to be rid of his office that another by course may succeede in his roume And so where by Gods ordinance you must haue one chiefe you take such order with him that he shal neuer be willing to stay long in it Wee doe it to preuent ambition in such as woulde seeke for the highest place You decrease the ambition of one that shoulde be highest and increase the pride of an hundred that should be lowest for where wee haue one bishop in a Diocese tied to the Lawes of God the Church and the Prince you woulde haue three hundred in a Diocese in some more all of equall power and set at libertie to consult and determine of al matters at their pleasures We subiect our Presbyteries to the Lawes of God the Church and the Realme as well as you doe your Bishops and giue them no leaue to resist or reuerse the decrees of any superiour powers You doe well For when the God of heauen hath declared his will or the Church by her prouinciall or generall Councils determined doubts and made rules or Christian Magistrates by their Lawes redressed and ordered things amisse besides the loâ—se of your paines it were more then pride for your Presbyters in their assemblies to consult afresh and bring the selfe same things againe to the question What is decreed by superiours must not by inferiours be debated whether it shall take place or no but be rather obeyed with readinesse So that in all cases determined by the Lawes of God the Church or the Prince consultation is both superfluous and presumptuous execution is onely needefull and that must be committed to some persons that may precisely be chalenged and punished for the contempt if that which is commanded be not performed now whom appoint you to execute the decrees of God the Church and the prince The whole Presbyterie Then vpon the not execution of Gods or mans Lawe by any one Prebyter all must be punished aswell innocent as nocent diligent as negligent The blame must lie on all where the charge is in common Were you but once or twise well followed for other mens faultes you woulde soone ware weary of this generall and confused execution And though you woulde not yet neither the equity nor prudency of Gods or mans Lawes endure that wandering kinde of execution they note and specifie the persons that shall haue the charge and ouersight to execute their decrees that vpon any neglect or defect the right offendours may be chalenged And since to auoide confusion and preuent delayes you committe the execution of your owne decrees to the care and circumspection of your President what cause can there be why the lawes of God the Church and the Prince should not like wise be executed by the bishop or chiefe Pastour of eche place There can be no doubt but the Canons of Councils and Lawes of Christian princes
man the execution whereof is chieflie committed to his charge that is the Leader and ouerseeâ— of all the rest whom wee call a Bishop His power I call a moderation and not a domination because the wisedom of God hath likewise allowed and prouided Christian meanes as well to bridle him from wrongs as to direct him in doubts That is right the power which we giue to our Presbyteries Did you not put laie men instead of Pastours to bee Presbyters and make them controllers where they should bee but aduisers your Presbyteries might haue some vse in the Church of God though farre lesse now then when they first began but your disdaining Bishops and taking from them that which the Apostle giueth them and your exâ—olling Presbyteries the most part whereof if not all be laie Elders to determine all cases and censure all persons in the Church which the Scriptures neuer speake of are the spottes and staines of your discipline which you will neuer wash away Presbyteries wee acknowledge were in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church seruing to religious and needfull vses but no such Presbyteries as you pretend neither erected to any such end as you conceiue nor endued with any such soueraigne power as you imagine I finde many vses of Presbyteries ordained in Cities by the Apostles and after by them conioined in one Church with the Bishop whereof some are extinguished by the alteration of times others remaine in force to this day The first was the conuersion of the world vnto Christ. In great Cities where none yet beleeued how long would it be before one man should gain any great number vnto the faith persecutions especiallie growing so hote that none might publikely shew himselfe to bee a Christian without danger of life Wherefore the holie Ghost disposed and appointed many labourers in euerie Citie to carie the knowledge of the trueth from house to house As at Ephesus Paul at one tinie furnished twelue with the gifts of Gods spirite for the spreading of the Gospell in that place at Rome hee saluted twentie that were of his acquaintance besides those he knew not who planted themselues and their households in that Citie to winne the multitude to the obedience of the faith And so wheresoeuer the Apostle erected any Church they did store it with as many meete men to teach the worde as they could finde that the trueth of Christ might disperse it selfe not onely throughout their Cities but into the Townes and countries that bordered neere them The next vse of Presbyteries was to continue such as they had conuerted by instructing exhorting and encouraging the beleeuers from house to house and from man to man to stand fast in the doctrine receiued and neither to shrinke at the bloudie stormes of tyrants nor to giue eare to the wilâ—e charmes of Satan nor folow the deceitfull baites of this world but constantly with trueth and holinesse to serue God in spite of all aduersaries that exalted themselues against the knowledge of Christ. And as the people did encrease so did the paines in each place and consequently the number of Presbyters one man being no more able to serue the necessities of a great Citie then to beare the burden of the earth on his backe Wherefore the spirite of wisedome so guided the Church that to procure the conuersion and attend the saluation of men there was euery where as occasion required store of Pastours and Teachers and yet to mainetaine vnitie and keepe both Preachers and people in peace there was in each Church and Citie one chiefe amongst them that as principall Pastour of the place looked into all their doings staied them from dissentions rebuked the vnrulie and with the helpe of the rest reiected the vntollerable least many Teachers by chalenging vnto themselues such as they had conuertes should rent the faithfull into as many Churches as there were Presbyters in euerie Citie for which cause each place were it neuer so great had but one Church and one chiefe Pastour or Bishop elected to succeed in the Pastorall charge and chaire aboue the rest that were his brethren in office children in honour helpers in labour and assessours in counsell and iudgement The third vse was the trapning vp and trying of men that were meete to haue the care of soules committed vnto them and the regiment of the Church reposed on them At first the wonderfull power of the holy Ghost supplied all wantes and defectes of learning and knowledge so that by the laying on of the Apostles handes men afore vnfit were made meete ministers of the newe Testament but because these giftes were not alwayes to continue or not in so plentifull maner as at the Prime tide of the Gospell the Apostles setled in euery Church and Citie needing their seruice and able to giue them maintenance by reason of the populousnesse of the place a Presbyterie that is a conuenient number of Deacons to serue about diuine matters and mysteries and of Pastours to intend for the word and Sacraments from whence as from a fountaine both the Cities themselues might at all times after haue sufficient men to furnish their owne turnes and to helpe the smaller Townes and Uillages within their circuite which for the slendernesse of their state could neither maintaine Presbyteries nor nourish vp meete men to supplie their neede vpon the death of the former Incumbents This to vs that haue Uniuersities for that purpose founded by the bounteousnes of Christian Princes and other benefactours may seeme superfluous but the Church of Christ after her first supplie made by the Apostles handes had no meanes to continue the succession of fitte and able Pastours in each place but onely her Presbyteries in greater Churches and Cities that were her nurceries of learning and Seminaries of sound religion and holy conuersation which stored both the Cities where they were supported and the countrey round about that was vnder the charge and ouersight of the Bishop of each Citie The fourth vse of Presbyteries which you much grate on but neuer rightlie hit was the aduising and assisting the Bishop or Pastour of each Church and Citie in all doubts and dangers At first there were no Councils to make Canons nor Christian Princes to establish lawes for the good guiding and ordering of the Church but each place was left to direct it selfe Least therefore the Bishops onely will should bee the rule of all things in the Church the gouernement of the Church was at first so proportioned that neither the Presbyters should doe any thing without their Bishop nor the Bishop dispose matters of importaunce without his Presbyterie The Presbyters sate not with the Bishop as equall in power with him much lesse as superiour aboue him when the more part consented agaynst him you would faine haue it so but the Church of Christ from the Apostles to this present neuer vsed or endured any such presumption As Christ saith Ignatius doeth nothing without his
it voideth the gifts sales and exchanges of ecclesiastical goods made by the Bishop without the subscription of his Clarks The Councill of Hispalis We decree according to the rule of the ancient fathers that none of vs presume to degrade a Presbyter or Deacon without the examination of a Councill for there are many that condemne them without discussing their causes rather by tyrannicall power then by Canonicall authoritie Manie like cases there are in which the bishop might not meddle without his Presbytery or a Synode whereof some are altered by laws some rest in force at this present Against this tyrannicall power which you mention wee repine that Bishops alone should excommunicate and depriue Presbyters at their pleasures Did you acknowledge the Canonicall authoritie of bishops we should soone conclude for the tyrannicall but vnder the shew of the one you impugne the other and when you come to redresse it you establish a plainer tyrannie in steade of it True it is that the frequencie of Synodes did first rebate the credite and decaie the vse of Presbyteries For when the bishops of eche prouince as by the generall Councils of Nice and Chalcedon they were bound met twise euerie yeere to heare and moderate Ecclesiasticall griefes and causes Presbyters were lesse regarded and lesse emploied then before Synodes as superiour Iudges entring into the examination and decision of those things which were wont to be proposed in Presbyteries And when priuat quarrels questions increasing Synodes began to be tired with continuall sitting about such matters and the bishops of most Churches to be detained from their cures and attend the debating deciding of griefs displeasures betwixt man and man the burden grew so intollerable that Synodes were forced to settle an appeale froÌ„ the bishop to the Metropolitane commit it to the care of the Primate what causes were fit for Synodall cognition The Council of Sardica If any Bishop in a rage hastily mooued against a Presbyter or Deacon will cast him out of the Church we must prouide that an innocent be not condemned and depriued the Communion All answered Let the partie so eiected haue libertie to flie to the Metropolitane of the same prouince and desire his cause to be more aduisedly heard The great Councill of Affrica finding howe troublesome it was for the bishops of that whole Region to meete and staie the hearing of all matters chose out three of euerie Prouince to end causes vndetermined and by reason they could not assemble twice a yeare for the length of the way they were contented with one full Councill in the yeere and left the causes and complaints of Presbyters Deacons and other Clergie men first to the bishops that were nearest and then to the Primate or Metropolitane of the same prouince We decree that Presbyters Deacons and other inferiour Cleargie men if in any matters they finde themselues agreeued with the iudgements of their own Bishops the Bishops that are neerest shall giue them audience And if they thinke good to appeale from them they shall not appeale to the Tribunals beyond the Seas but to the Primates of their owne Prouince euen as wee haue often decreed of Bishops These Canons did not establish but represse tyrannicall power in bishops if any did assert it and required the bishop before he proceeded against Presbyter or Deacon to take vnto him assessours of the neerest bishops such as the parties conuented should demand and if they coulde not ende the cause with the liking of both sides then the Primate to haue the hearing of it and lastlie the Councill if either parte woulde appeale from the Primate Thus did the Bishops of the Primitiue Church order the hearing of causes within their prouinces neither prowdly nor Antichristianly but in my iudgement soberly and wisely referred them from the Bishop to the Primate thereby to ripen causes and search into the trueth of eche complaint with a great deale lesse trouble and no lesse indifferencie then if it had bene immediatly brought to the Councill And were you as moderate as you be resolute you woulde perceiue what a tedious labour it is and in our State superfluous for a Synode of Bishops to sit all a yeere long hearing priuate griefes complaints and contentions If you be so desirous of it I would you were for a while fast tied to it that you might learne to be wise you would bee the willinger as long as you liued to let courts alone and spend your time better then in examinations depositions and exceptions of witnesses Howbeit in our realme vnlesse you change all your Ecclesiasticall lawes I see not how Synodes or Presbyteries should intermeddle with any such matters for how shal your Presbyters iudge by discretion or by law Your discretions I know no man so foolish that wil trust What greater tyranny iniury can be vrged on a christian realme then instede of Laws to offer the determinations of your Presbyteries Shal ech mans safetie and soule depend on your pleasures But your Presbyteries you meane shall be tied to execute the same Lawes that are alreadie settled Alas good men howe many hundred yeres will you aske before your Presbyteries in cities and villages will be able to reade them and howe many thousand before they vnderstand them Are you well in your wiâ—â—es to claime the execution of those Lawes for your Presbyteries which they neither doe nor euer will conceiue first set them to schoole and when they can reade law send them to the vniuersities and vpon their growing to such perfection that they can heare decide eche mans case by the Lawes of this realme make petition for them to haue them authorized in euerie parish insteade of the Arches If otherwise you will haue them sit Iudges in all mens cases before they can reade either Latin or Law the world will muse at your madnesse Your Bishops are no such great Lawyers And therefore they haue the more neede of Chancellors and Registers that are better acquainted with the Lawes then themselues are and as for appeales vnlesse you looke to treade gouernement vnder your feet and ouer-rule all things by the meere motions of your owne wils though they sometimes aduantage offendours yet were they prouided to protect innocents and are Christian remedies to do euerie man right that thinketh he hath wrong They doe not maintaine the Antichristian pride of bishops there can bee none other nor better waie to represse it then by appeale to bring the iudgements of all their Courts and Officers to bee tried and examined by the princes power and delegates which I trust you take to bee no tyrannie If corruption sometimes creepe in through mens fingers to bolster bad causes the Lawes are farre from allowing and I as farre from defending it What hath bene so sacred that couetousnesse hath not expugned and your Presbyteries except they consist of Angels and not of men will soone shew both what affections and
own Bishop The Councill of Aurelia All the Churches that haue beene or are daily builded in sundrie places wee decree according to the rule of the former Canons that they shall be in the power of that Bishop in whose territorie they stand As the vse of Dioceses was antient so the reason that first occasioned them was ineuitable euen by the paterne of the Apostolike Discipline For when country townes and villages first beganne to receiue the faith howe were they furnished with fit Pastours and how were their Churches gouerned but by the Bishop and Presbyterie of some citie adioyning Lay Presbyteries the church of Christ neuer had any yea the Scriptures permit none to rule Pastourall actions other Presbyteries those places were neither able to haue nor to maintaine What nowe was left but onelie to submit and incorporate themselues to the Bishop of some Citie neere them by whome their Churches might be both guided and supplied when any neede required euen as the churches in cities were If to auoyde schisines rising euery where by the multitude of Teachers and Pastours Bishops were in the Apostles times placed throughout the worlde in all the cities that accepted the Gospell to guide and moderate the Presbyters that were many shall wee thinke this order was needefull onelie for cities and needelesse for Townes and Uillages Were not the Presbyters of so many parishes as one shire doeth yeelde as like to trouble the Region with Schismes and heresies as the Presbyters of the citie You lacke sense if you thinke that dissention and errour could not creepe as well into Uillages as into Cities or that the Apostles prouided one kinde of regiment for cities another for country parishes If all the churches in one citie which at Rome were aboue fourtie in Optatus time were gouerned by one bishop why might not the Uillages and Parishes conftning round about the Citie be gouerned after the same maner So that for Dioceses as well the necessitie as the antiquitie of them is euident It was not possible in the Primitiue church to haue Presbyters to succeede in the rounâ—es of such as died in countrie parishes but from the bishop in whose Diocese the churches were He supplied their wants out of his owne church and Presbyterie which serued to store the whole Diocese Otherwise within his circuite none other bishop coulde ordaine a Presbyter nor without his leaue might any Clergie man depart his church The Councill of Antioch A Bishop may not inuade an others Citie that is not subiect to him nor Countrie not pertaining to him to ordaine anie neither hee appoint Presbyters or Deacons in places that are vnder an other Bishop vnlesse it bee with the liking or consent of the Bishop of that Region or Countrie The Councill of Nice If any Presbyters or Deacons or other Clergie men not hauing the feare of God before their eyes nor knowing the Ecclesiastical Canon leaue their owne Church they must not by any meanes bee receiued in another Church And if any shall with-holde a Clergie man belonging to another and ordaine him in his owne Church the Bishop from whome hee departed not agreeing his ordering shall be vtterly voyde This was the generall and perpetuall discipline of Christs church in al the coasts and quarters of the worlde as may appeare to him that will take paines to view these places The Councill of Constantinople 1. ca. 2. and 3. of Chalcedon ca. 8. of Carthage the first ca. 5. the second ca. 11. the third ca. 20. and 21. the fourth ca. 27. of Orleance ca. 22. of Sardica ca. 18. 19. of Taurine ca. 6. of Aurenge ca. 8. of Venice ca. 10. of Tours ca. 9. 11. And so the Mileuitane Council ca. 15. Affricane ca. 21. Aurelian the third ca. 15. the Epaunine ca. 5. the Valentine ca. 6. and Aruernine ca. 9. and 10. If these rules were vniuersally and anciently obserued that no Presbyter might remoue from one church to another nor departe from the church where he was first called without the consent of his bishop neither might any other man impose hands on him or admit him and inuest him into any church without the liking and goodwil of the bishop in whose diocese the church stoode and of whose Clergie the partie was by no means could any country parishes in the primitiue church haue any Presbyters but from some city that not without the liking and assent of the Bishop which forced all country townes and villages to matriculate and incorporate themselues into the church of some city by whose bishop their Presbyters liuing were gouerned and dying were supplied euen as the churches in cities were The reason of their doings is as euident as their fact for if Bishops were placed by the Apostles handes to ordaine Presbyters and containe them in their dueties lest in so great a number emulation might breede confusion which all the Fathers were fully resolued was the Apostles deede they must needes bee of opinion the Apostles meant to haue Countrey Townes and Uillages guided and assisted the very same way that they left for Cities and the same men that gouerned the one all things considered were the fittest to be trusted with the other If you obiect that the bishops of the Cities could imploy no pastorall care but where they were present I answere that all the Councils and Fathers of the Primitiue Church were not so ignorant as not to vnderstand what Pastorall ouersight a bishop might yeelde to townes and Churches farre distant from him though hee were not present to dispence the word and Sacraments amongest them To see them alwayes stored with a sound and able Pastor that should watch ouer their soules to take care that they were rightly taught and soberly guided to keepe both Presbyters and people from schismes heresies and open impieties to direct in dangers and determine doubts without troubling the whole prouince to meete vpon euerie particular occasion and contention these be good parts of pastorall vigilancie and very needefull effects of episcopall regiment which may be performed as well in a Diocese as in a Citie In any mans haruest he that laboureth himselfe and ouerseeth the rest doth more good then any other In eche mans house the steward that well ordereth and guideth the familie is more profitable then any of his fellowes In Gods house and haruest shall the ouerlooking of others be counted either needelesse or fruitlesse Saint Paul himselfe knewe not these curious positions when hee appointed Tite to take the charge and ouersight of the whole Iland of Creete and saw no cause why one man might not performe many Pastorall and Episcopall dueties to all that were in the same Countrie with him But what seeke I more examples when we haue the paterne from the Primitiue Church that first allotted Dioceses to bishops and the liking and approbation of all prouinciall and generall Councils that ratified and confirmed as wel the partition as distinction of territories and
are manifest Thou Lord shew whether of these twaine thou hast chosen to take the roume of this Apostleship To the choise of the Seuen I haue oftentimes spoken I shall not need to distrust your memorie You haue not forgotten the Apostles words to the people It is not meete that we should leaue the worde of God to serue the tables They meant not the Lordes table the care thereof the Apostles did not transferre from themselues to any others but because the Grecians murmured that their widowes were neglected in the dailie ministring that care the Twelue committed to such as the people would like and elect What can be vrged out of these Scriptures let those that be wise iudge my capacitie is so slender that I see vtterly nothing euinceable by these examples Neither doeth Cyprian stretch the places to giue the people by Gods lawe the election of their Bishops hee sawe the precedents would enable no such consequent hee vrgeth by Scripture the peoples presence to this ende that their testimonie should bee had touching the life and behauiour of the partie that shall bee chosen least an vnworthie and wicked person should secretlie steale to the office and function of a Bishop Hee saieth it contineth from diuine authoritie vt Sacerdos plebe praesente deligatur that a Priest should bee chosen in the presence of the people and that ordinations ought not to bee made nisi sub populi assistentis conscientia but with the knowledge of the people standing by Nowe why the people should bee present hee noteth in these wordes vt vel bonorum merita praedicentur vel malorum crimina detegantur that as well the merites of the good might bee acknowledged as the faults of the lewd discouered by the presence of the people quae singulorum vitam plenissimè nouit vniuscuiusque actum de eius conuersatione perspexit which knoweth each mans life most exactly and hath tried his behauiour by his conuersation Though Cyprianâ— proofes doe not conclude the peoples presence by Gods lawe to â—ee required in the choise of Bishops yet Cyprians meaning is verie good and agreeth both with the order of the Primitiue Church and with Saint Pauls prouiso that a Bishop must bee well reported of euen of them that are without as also that hee must bee no follower of wine no fighter no brawler no filthie gayner no desirer of money but ruling his house honestlie and hauing his children in obedience in effect one whose lyfe and conuerâ—ation the whole Church commended and the aduersarie coulde not chalenge Notwithstanding you may not hence collect that the principall and essentiall right of electing by Gods lawe consisteth in the peoples voyces you nor no man liuing can deduce any such thing out of the Scriptures The Apostle that we read vsed no such fourme of elections as in the chapter before I was occasioned more at large to shew And since wee haue neither precept nor example of the Apostles for the people to choose their bishops I thinke you will hardly make any demonstration for your popular elections by the Scriptures Wee haue places ynow in the newe Testament but that you eleuate and elude them and besides wee haue the general and ful consent and vse of the Primitiue Church to iustifie our interpretation of those places to be agreeable to the trueth of the word but sometimes you do alleadge and esteeme the vniuersall custome of the Church and exposition of the Fathers when they make for you and sometimes when they please you not you reiect them as fast Do vs no wrong we refuse nothing that the ancient and Primitiue church of Christ vniuersally obserued and practised as expressed or intended in the Scriptures It is your maner it is not ours to thinke no churches councils nor Fathers euer vnderstoode the necessary points of doctrine and discipline mentioned in the word before your selues If the whole church of Christ made any such conclusion out of the Scriptures for the popular election of bishops as you doe we will presently receiue it if not stay your vaunts till you bring their warrants and by that time your heate will be well delayed you shew one that after his maner is eloquent and vehement for that he taketh in hand but his proofes are weake if not mistaken his purpose is to haue the peoples presence and testimonie to witnesse their liues that shall be chosen his confession is that this was not generall though in fauour of his cause he saith Apud nos ferâ— per Prouincias vniuersas tenetur It is so obserued with vs and almost in al Prouinces The whole Church afterward kept that order in electing their Bishops What course they kept wee shall quickely finde all the question will be whether they required the peoples voyces as necessarie by Gods commaundement which may not be broken neither for Prelates nor Princes or whether they vsed that kinde of election as an order in Christian assemblies fittest to preserue the peace of the Church and to maintaine the good liking of the people towards their Pastors It shall therefore be best first to consider where the holie Ghost layeth the burden and charge of these elections then what freedome the wisedome of God leaueth to the multitude or Magistrates of each Citie and Countrey These things well marked will deliuer vs from wandering and erring as touching Gods ordinance The Apostle writing to Timothie and Tite first describeth what maner of men must bee admitted to the office of a Bishop and then assureth the Ordainers that if they laie handes on any other then on such they communicate with the sinnes of as many as they aduaunce vnfit for that place Laie handes hastilie on no man neither be partaker of other mens sinnes keepe thy selfe pure Let the Bishops heare saieth Ierome that haue power to appoint Presbyters in euery Citie with what condition the order of ecclesiasticall constitution is tied neither let them thinke they are the Apostles wordes but Christes Whereby it is euident that they which contemning the Apostles precept giue any man an ecclesiasticall degree for fauour not for desert do against Christ. Chrysostome Paul meaning to intreat of a Bishops office sheweth what maner of man in all things a Bishop must be not giuing it as a warning to Timothie but speaking vnto all and by him directing all And againe vpon those wordes I charge thee before God and Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou keepe these precepts Laie hands hastilie on no man hee saieth Paul terrifieth Timothie and hauing so done hee mentioneth that which is most needfull and chieflie holdeth the Church together 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen ordination Lay hands hastilie on no man neither communicate with other mens sinnes What is hastilie not vpon the first triall not vpon the second not vpon the third but oftentimes examining and exactlie sifting the partie The case is dangerous thou shalt beare the
as if the whole Church ought not to be acquainted with sacred elections and to allowe them but for that a meane therein is to be obserued the prerogatiue being yeelded to assembly of Pastours and the second place to the liking of the godly magistrate and lastly the people to be certified openly of the whole matter and leane giuen theÌ„ if they haue any reason of dissenting to propose their causes orderly Which course being hitherto religiously and wisely obserued in this City when one Morellius a fanaticall spirite in fauor of the people presumed to reprehend his writing was worthily condemned both in this church and in many Synodes of France The choise of the seuen in the Acts maketh no perpetual nor essential rule for elections in the Church of God The Council of Laodicea did wel and wisely prohibite the people to haue the choise of such as should be called to the sacred ministery The Pastors elect the magistrates consent open report there of is made to the people and if they haue any iust cause to alleage against the parties chosen they must propose and prooue their exceptions and when Morellius woulde haue challenged more interest then this for the people in the election of their Pastours his opinion was condemned both by the censure of Geneua and by the Synodes of France All this is confessed by Master Bezaes owne testimonie Wee differ you thinke in some pointes from the manner of Geneua wee haue great reason so to doe They liue in a popular state we in a kingdome The people there heare the chiefest rule here the Prince and yet there the people are excluded from electing their Pastors If the multitude haue any cause to dislike their allegation is heard and examined by the Pastours and Magistrates but they haue no free power to frustrate the whole by dissenting much lesse to elect whome they like Nowe that our state hath farre better cause to exclude the multitude from electing their Bishops then theirs hath is soone perceiued The people there maintaine their Pastours our Bishops are not chargeable to the Commons but endowed by the liberalitie of Princes without any cost to the multitude Their Pastours are chosen out of the same Citie and their behauiour knowen to al the Inhabitants our Bishops are taken from other places of gouernement and not so much as by name knowen to the people which they shall guide With vs therefore there is no cause why the people should be parties or priuie to the choosing of their Bishops since they be neither troubled with the maintaining of them nor haue any triall or can giue anie testimonic of their liues and conuersations which were the greatest reasons that inclined the Fathers of the Primitiue Church to yeelde so much vnto the people in the choyce of their Bishops And lastly if Princes were not heades of their people and by Gods and mans law trusted with the direction and moderation of all externall and publike gouernement as well in Religion as in policie afore and aboue al others which are two most sufficient reasons to enforce that they ought to be trusted with elections if they please to vndertake that charge whereof they must yeelde an account to God yet the people of this realine at the making of the Law most apparantly submitted and transferred al their right and interest to the Princes Iudgement and wisedome which lawefully they might and wisely they did rather then to endanger the whole common wealth with such tumulets and vproates as the Primitiue Church tasted of and lay the gappe open againe to the factions and corruptions of the vnsettled and vnbrideled multitude Thinke you all corruptions are cut off by reseruing elections of Bishops to Princes Faceions tumultes I hope you will grant are by that means abolished and vtterly extinguished As for briâ—erie howsoeuer ambitious heads and couetous hands may lincke together vnder colour of commendation to deceiue and abuse Princes â—ares yet reason and duetie bindeth mee and all others to thinke and say that Princes persons are of all others farthest from taking money for any such respects The words of Guntchrannus Chlotharius sonne king of France more then a thousand yeeres agoe make me so to suppose of all Christian and godlie Princes who wheÌ„ Remigius bishop of Bourges was dead and many gifts were offred him by some that sought the place gaue them this answere It is not our princely maner to sel Bishopriks for mony neither is it your part to get them with rewardes lest wee bee infamed for filthie gaine and you compared to Simon Magus In meaner persons more iustly may corruption be feared then in Princes who of all others haue least neede and so least cause to set Churches to sale Their abundance their magnificence their conscience are sureties for the freedome of their choice And therfore I see no reason to distrust their elections as likelier to be more corrupt then the peoples It is farre easier for ambition to preuaile with the people then with the Prince And as for the meetnesse of men in learning and life to supplie such places Princes haue both larger scope to choose and better meanes to knowe who are fit then their people for since Bishops are not and for the most part cannot be chosen out of the fame Church or Citie what course can the people take to be assured of their abilitie or integritie whom they neither liue with nor whose doctrine or maners they are any whit acquainted with This difference betwixt our times and the former ages of the Primitiue Church whiles some marke not they crie importunely for the peoples presence and testimonie in the choice of Pastors neuer remembring the people before there were any Christian Magistrates must needes haue greater interest in the election of their Pastours then afterward they could haue and when godlie Princes beganne to intermeddle with Ecclesiasticall matters the peoples testimonie was still required because the parties chosen conuersed alwaies with them euen in their eies and eares whereby they coulde witnesse the behauiour of the electees to be sincere and blamelesse which in our dayes is cleane otherwise by reason the Uniuersities and other places of the Realme traine vp men meete for Episeopall charge and calling and not the same Churches and Cities where they shall gouerue Requiritur in ordinando Sacerdote etiam popâ—li praeseâ—tia vâ—sciant omnes certisint quod qui praestantior est â—â— omni populo qui doctior qui sanctior qui omni virtute emâ—entioâ— ille eligitur ad sacerdotium hoc attestante populo The peoples presence saith Ierome is required in ordaining a Priest or Bishop that all may knowe and bee sure that out of the whole people the better the holier the learneder the higher in al vertue euen he is chosen to the Priesthoode the people witnessing as much for that is it which the Apostle commandeth in the ordaining of a Priest saying hee must
care together with the Clergie thereby easing themselues of infinite labour and danger yet where occasion so required they shewed what right they had to elect and name such as should gouerne the Churches When Nazianzene had resigned and relinquished the bishoprike of Constantinople to the Fathers assembled in the second generall Councill Theodosius the elder commanded the Bishops to giue him the names of such written in a paper as euery of them thought fit to bee ordained reseruing power to himselfe to choose one out of that whole number The Bishop of Antioch being the chiefest man then present put their names in writing whom hee and the rest thought fittest and in the last place set Nectarius to gratifie Diodorus Bishop of Tarsus that had commended him for his grauitie and person though otherwise vnknowen The Emperour reading the Catalogue of those that were written stood at the name of Nectarius and holding his finger there read them all ouer againe and at length choose Nectarius Euerie man marueiled and asked who this Nectarius was and of what profession and of what place And vnderstanding that hee was not yet baptized they marueiled the more at the Emperours iudgement Diodorus himselfe vnderstood not so much for had he knowen it hee duâ—st not to haue giuen his voyce to one vnbaptized to be made a Bishop The Emperour hearing that hee was not yet baptized stood in his resolution notwithstanding many Bishops laboured against it And so was Nectarius baptized and whiles he was in his christening vesture declared to be Bishop of Constantinople by the common decree of the Councill The people intermedled not with this choise the Bishops named euery man his friend whom he sought to preferre Nectarius came by chance to know whether Diodorus would any thing vnto Tarsus whither he was then trauelling who fell on the sudden in liking with him being an auncient and graue man but had no further knowledge of him and shewed him to the Bishop of Antioch praying him to remember the man when hee wrate the names for the Emperour The Bishop of Antioch derided the conceite of Diodorus by reason many woorthie men were nominated for this election and for fashions sake to please Diodorus placed Nectarius last The Prince not knowing the one nor the other fastened on his name and would not be remooued though by the Canons he could not haue bene elected and many Bishops bent themselues to alter the Emperours minde This election was made wholy by the Prince not onely without the Clergie and people but against both the Canons and the liking of the Bishops then assembled and yet the generall Councill tooke it to be their dueties to pronounce him and ordaine him Bishop of Constantinople according to the Emperours choise The Bishopâ— you see deliuered the names which Princes nowe doe not obserue The Bishops you see knew not the man for had they knowen him they could not by the Canons haue named him and had the Emperour of himselfe knowen any other to bee fit besides those named in his paper he might as well haue chosen one of them as hee did Nectarius Howbeit I doe not gainesay but Princes should be wel aduised whom they choose and assured either by their priuate experience or by the publike commendations of others that the men are likelie to liue vnspotted and doe good in the Church of Christ. For since the holy Ghost hath pronounced that such as impose handes on any Presbyters or Bishops are partakers of their sinnes if they doe not throughly examine and refuse such as they find vnfit I must confesse that if Princes will not endure to haue the persons whom they choose to be tried by such as shall ordaine them they vndertake that burden themselues which otherwise lieth on the ordainers No power on earth may frustrate or abolish the precept which the holy Ghost giueth Laâ—e hands hastilie on no man if handes be hastilie laied on that is if men apparantlie vnwoorthie be called to the gouernement of the Church of God be it people Prelate or Prince that is wittingly the cause thereof God will not so be answered The suffering of wicked men to infeâ—t or trouble the Church is euill the commanding of such to bee placed in the Church is worse I doe not speake as if Christian princes might not safely elect and name Bishops without danger or scruple onely they must remember as it is an honour in preheminence to choose those that shal guide the Church vnder them so is it aburden of conscience to prouide by the best meanes they can that no venemous nor vncle an thing so much as enter the house of God to defile it with his presence or disorder it with his negligence The ancientest lawes of our Countrey witnesse that Elections were free from force feare or intreatie of all secular powers and the kings of this Realme consented it should be so As ancient lawes of this Realme as those witnesse that the kings of England had the gift and collation of bishoprikes and other dignities of their aduourie before free election was granted And when Princes first yeelded that the Clergie should make free elections they restrained theÌ„ to these conditions that they should aske licence of the king to choose and when their election was made it was not good without the roiall assent The statute of Prouisors of benefices made at Westminster the 25. of Edward the 3. will tell you so much the wordes bee Our soueraigne Lord the King and his heires in case the Bishop of Rome doe intermeddle against the lawe shall haue and enioy for the time the Collations to the Archbishoprikes and other dignities electiue which be of his aduourie such as his progenitors had before that free election was granted sithence that the first elections were granted by the kings progenitors vpon a certaine forme and condition as to demaund licence of the king to choose and after the election to haue his roiall assent and not in other maner which condicions not kept the thing ought by reason to resort to his first nature By which it is euident the kings of England had right to conferre bishoprikes and other dignities before free elections were granted and when they graunted free elections should be made they did neuer dispossesse themselues of these two prerogatiues First that the kings licence must be asked to choose next the kings consent to make the election good yea Henry the first the Conquerors sonne sent the Pope word in great earnest that he would not lose the inuestiâ—ure of his Churches not for the losse of his kingdom and so neither Clergie nor people had euer any right in this realme to choose their bishops since the kings of this land began to endow them with lands and liuings for the ease of their people and benefit of their Church but by the kings grant and with the kings leaue consent For Gods law prescribing no
vntil the next Council as the Canons of our fathers haue decreed The Epaunine Councill Prima immutabili constitutione decretum est vt cùm Metropolitanus fratres vel Comprouinciales suos ad Concilium vel ad ordinationem cuiusque Consacerdotis crediderit vocandos nisi causa euidens extiterit nullus excuset By an immutable constitution we first decree that when the Metropolitane shal thinke good to call his brethren the Bishops of the same Prouince either to a Synode or to the ordination of any of his fellow Bishops none shall excuse without an euident cause The like aswel for ordaining of Bishops as calling of Synodes by the Metropolitane may be seene in the Councils of Agatha ca. 35. of Taurine ca. 1. of Aurelia the second ca. 1. 2. the fift ca. 18. of Turon the second ca. 1. 9. of Paris ca. 8. of Toledo the third ca. 18. the fourth ca. 3. and in diuers others All which testifie that as the Metropolitanes power in the gouernement of the Church was a thing receiued and confirmed by vse long before the Nicene Council so it continued throughout Christendome till the bishop of Rome wholy subuerted the freedome of the church and recalled all things to his owne disposition The power of Metropolitanes was rather lengthened then shortned by the Bishop of Rome for who suppressed Prouinciall Synodes and brought Bishops and Archbishops to this height of pride they are at but onely the Romish Decretals of Antichrist If your wisdome serue you to call that Antichrists pride whereto godly councils were forced for their owne ease wherewith religious Princes were contented for the better execution of their lawes my dutie to the church of God and the magistrate stayeth me from reueiling or disliking that course which I see both Councils and Princes by long and good experience were driuen vnto As for Antichrist he vsurped all mens places and subiected all mens rights to his will and pleasure otherwise I doe not finde what increase hee gaue to the power of Metropolitanes Let them eniâ—y that which the councils and princes of the Primitiue church by triall sawe needefull to be committed to their care and we striue for no more I trust you will not call that Antichristian pride when they are required by christian Princes to see their Lawes and Edicts touching causes Ecclesiasticall put in practise The fault we find is that Archbishops haue suppressed the libertie of Synodes and reserued all things to their owne iurisdiction A greater fault then that is you be so inflamed with disdaine that you know not what you say Who I pray you prohibiteth the vse or abridgeth the power of Synods to make rules determine causes ecclesiastical the Metropolitane or the Prince Take good heed lest by eager and often calling for the indictioÌ„ and decision of Synodes at the Metropolitans hands without the princes leaue you erect a new forme of Synodes not to aduise guide the Magistrate when they be thereto required but to straighten or forestall the Princes power True it is that with vs no Synodes may assemble without the Princes warrant as well to meete as to consult of any matters touching the state of this Realme and why They be no Court separate from the prince nor superiour to the Prince but subiected in all thinges vnto the Prince and appointed by the Lawes of God and man in trueth and godlinesse to assist and direct the Prince when and where they shall be willed to assemble Otherwise they haue no power of themselues to make decrees when there is a christian Magistrate neither may they chalenge the iudicial hearing or ending of Ecclesiastical controuersies without or against the princes liking Now iudge your selues whether you do not grosely betray your own ignorance I am loth to say malice when you declaime against the Metropolitane for want of that which is not in his power to performe but in the princes and be more silent hereafter in these cases if you be wise lest you traduce the Princes power vnder the Metropolitanes name If waspishnesse woulde suffer you soberly to consider not onely what things are changed in our times but also why and by whom you should better satisfie your selues and lesse trouble the realme then now you do Afore princes began to professe christianitie the church had no way as I noted before to discusse right and wrong in faith and other ecclesiastical causes but by Synodes and assemblies of religious wise pastors that course always continued in the church euen when the sword most sharply pursued the church from the Apostles deaths to Constantines raigne and was euer found in the church when christian Princes were not Those Synodes were assembled and gouerned by the Bishops of the chiefe and mother churches and cities in euerie prouince who by the ancient Councils are called Metropolitans When princes embraced the faith they increased the number of Synods and confirmed not onlie the canons of generall Councils but also the iudgements and decisions of prouinciall Synodes as the best meanes they coulde deuise to procure peace and aduance religion in euerie place for as by their lawes they referred Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall Iudges so lest matters shoulde hang long in strife they charged eache Metropolitane to assemble the Bishops of his Prouince twise euerie yeere and there to examine and order all matters of doubt and wrong within the Church The rules of the Nicene Councill touching that and al other things Constantine â—atified as Eusebius witnesseth and like wise the sentences of Bishops in their Synodes kept according to that appointment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The decrees of the Nicene council Constantine confirmed with his consent seale or authoritie And reporting the lawes made by him in fauour of Christians Eusebius saith The determinations of Bishops deliuered in their Synodes he sealed or ratified that it might not be lawfull for the Rulers of Nations to infringe their decrees since the Priests of God as he thought were more approoued or better to be trusted then any Iudge yea whatsoeuer is done in the holie assemblies of Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that saith Constantine must bee ascribed to the heauenly wil or counsell of God Concerning the foure first general Councils Iustinian saith We decree that the sacred Ecclesiastical rules which were made and agreed on in the foure first holie Councils that is in the Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedon shall haue the force of Empertall Lawes for the rules of the foure aboue named Councils we obserue as Lawes In tract of time when causes multiplied and Bishops coulde neither support the charge they were at in being abroade nor bee absent so long from their Churches as the hearing and concluding of euerie priuate matter would require they were constrained to assemble but once in the yeere and in the meane space to commit such causes as could abide no such delay or were too tedious for their
the Presbyters succeeded in order when the place was voyde but that they chaunged by course hee saieth no such thing It was a plaine ouersight I will say no worse in him that first wrested Ambroses wordes to that conceite In the meane time we haue master Bezaes full confession that the going round by course to gouerne the Church doeth maintaine disorder and faction and no whit decrease ambition and the choosing of one to continue chiefe for his life began at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred and sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in which there is NOTHING THAT can or ought to be misliked Howe truely hee speaketh if he should recall or you refuse his wordes reason and experience wil easily teach vs. for first in this circular change it is not casuall but essentiall that all in their course be they fit or vnfit must haue the ruling of the rest Now if to choose one good amongst many be a matter of difficultie howe impossible then is it that all should be good And yet by your rolling regiment all be they neuer so wicked or vnwoorthie must haue as much time and power to neglect and hurt the Church of God as the well minding and godly Pastours shall haue to assist and helpe the same Againe what good can be done by any when in euerie action one must beginne and another proceede and a third conclude If an euill man light on the beginning middle or ending he may soone marre all And be the men not euill except they be like affected and like instructed when will they agree in iudgement or tread one in anothers steppes If any faction arise I neede not put you in minde what contradicting and reuersing will be offered by your weekely or monethly Gouernours Who shall dare doe anie thing to a Presbyter or Bishop but he must looke for the like measure when their course commeth What can be one weeke made so sure but it may be the next weeke vndone by him that presently followeth This is the right way to make a mockerie of the Church of Christ and to permit it to euerie mans humour and pleasure whiles his time lasteth If you trust not me distrust not your selues It breedeth contempt and openeth the high way to factions As for Ambition which is an other of the mischiefes that you would amend by your changeable gouernement you cure that as he doeth which to coole the heate of one part of the bodie setteth all the rest in a burning feuer To quench the desire of dignitie in one man you inflame all the Pastours of euerie prouince with the same disease for you propose the like honor and power for the time vnto all which we do to one And so you heale ambition by making it common as if patients were the lesse sicke because others are touched with y ◠same infection for if one man cannot haue this Metropoliticall preeminence without some note of pride the rest cā neither expect it nor enioy it in their courses but with some taint of the same corruption fruition and expectation of one the same thing are so neere neighbors that if one be vicious the other cannot be vertuous Wherefore either grant the superioritie and dignitie of Bishops and Metropolitanes may be christianly supported by one in euerie Presbytery and prouince as we affirme or else we conclude it can not be expected and enioyed of all euerie where by course as you would haue it but very vnchristianly You giue more to your Bishops and Metropolitanes then we do and that increaseth their pride We giue them no power nor honor by Gods Law but what you must yeeld to your Pastors presidents if you wil haue any And as for Magistrates we may not limite thē on whom they shal lay the execution of their Lawes nor what honor they shal allow to such as they put in trust so no part thereof be contrarie to the doctrine of the Scriptures Agnise first their callings then measure their offices by the ancient canons of Christs Church and if they haue any other or further authoritie then standeth with good reason and the manifest examples of the Primitiue Church we striue not for it reseruing alwaies to christian princes their libertie to vse whose aduise and help they thinke good and to bestow their fauours where they see cause without crossing the voice of the holie Ghost or the wisdome of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church of Christ. for the gouernement of the Church is committed to them not that they should alter and ouerthrow the maine foundations of Ecclesiasticall Discipline at their pleasures but that they should carefully and wisely vse it to the benefite of Gods Church and good of their people for which they must giue account to the dreadfull Iudge It was long after the Apostles times before Prouinces were diuided and Mother Cities appointed and therefore Metropolitanes are not so ancient as you make them as may appeare by the 33. canon called Apostolike where the chiefe dignitie ouer eche Prouince is not attributed to any certaine place or Citie I stand not precisely for the time when Mother Cities were first appointed in euerie Prouince howbeit the general Council of Ephesus saith Euerie Prouince shal keep his rights vntouched and vnuiolated which it hath had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning vpward according to the custome that hath anciently preuailed euery Metropolitan hauing libertie to take a copie of our acts for his owne securitie for so the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be interpreted though some embrace another sense Yet if in this point you presse those Canons called Apostolike I will not reiect them not that I take to haue bin written by the Apostles for then they must be part of the Canonicall Scriptures but that some of them expresse the ancient discipline of the Church which obtained euen from the Apostles times by whomsoeuer they were collected though many things since be inserted and corrupted in them and therfore are iustlie refused further then they agree with the stories of the first times and the decrees of the eldest Councils The Canon which you quote is this The Bishops of euerie Nation must know or acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is first or chiefe amongst them and esteeme him as their head and attempt no matter of waight without his opinion and iudgement neither let him doe any thing without al their aduises and consents Hereby you would prooue there was a time after the Apostles deaths when as yet the first place amongst the Bishops of the same Prouince was not affixed to anie certaine Church or Citie Grant it were so though this Canon doe not exactlie prooue so much then yet in euerie nation there was a Primate before there was a Metropolitane and consequently the authoritie of one to be chiefe in a prouince is elder the◠the priuiledge
THE PERPETVAL GOVERNEMENT OF CHRISTES CHVRCH Wherein are handled The fatherly superioritie which God first established in the Patriarkes for the guiding of his Church and after continued in the Tribe of Leui and the Prophetes and lastlie confirmed in the New Testament to the Apostles and their successours As also the points in question at this day Touching the Iewish Synedrion the true kingdome of Christ the Apostles commission the Laie Presbyterie the Distinction of Bishops from Presbyters and their succession from the Apostles times and hands the calling and moderating of Prouinciall Synodes by Primates and Metropolitanes the allotting of Dioeceses and the Popular electing of such as must feed and watch the flocke And diuers other points concerning the Pastorall regiment of the house of God By THO. BILSON Warden of Winchester Colledge Perused and allowed by publike authoritie 1. Cor. 14. Came the word of God first from you or did it spread to you alone Iren lib. 3. ca. 3. We can reckon those that were ordained Bishops by the Apostles in the Churches and their successours to this present which neuer taught nor knew any such thing as these dreame Imprinted at London by the Deputies of CHRISTOPHER BARKER Printer to the Queenes most excellent Maiestie An. Dom. 1593. TO THE CHRISTIAN READER IHaue bene very vnwilling good Christian Reader to enter into these controuersies of Discipline that haue now some space troubled the Church of England I remembred the wordes of Abraham to Lot Let there I pray thee be no strife betwixt thee and me nor betwixt my men and thine for we be brethren and did thereby learne that all strife betwixt brethren was vnnaturall I could not forget the saying of our Sauiour Peace I leaue with you my peace I giue you and so collected how carefull we should be to keepe the vnitie of the spirite in the band of peace Prophane writers could tell me by concord the weakest things growe strong by discord the mightiest states are ouerthrowen and that made me loath to increase or nourish the dislikes and quarels that haue lately fallen out in this Realme betwixt the Professours and Teachers of one and the same Religion yet when I sawe the peace of Gods Church violated by the sharpnesse of some mens humours and their tongues so intemperate that they could not bee discerned from open enemies I thought as in a common danger not to sit looking till all were on fire but rather by all meanes to trie what kind of liquor would restinguish this flame Another reason leading mee to this enterprise was the discharge of my duetie to God and her Maiestie for finding that some men broched their disciplinarie deuises vnder the title of Gods eternall trueth and professed they could no more forsake the defence thereofthen of the Christian faith and others defaced and reproched the gouernement of the Church heere receiued and established as vnlawfull irreligious and Antichristian for what lees are so sower that some hedge wines wil not yeelde I was mooued in conscience not to suffer the sacred Scriptures to be so violently arrested and ouer-ruled by the summons and censures of their newe Consistories as also to cleere this state of that iniurious slander as if not knowing or neglecting the manifest voyce of Christes spirite we had entertained and preferred the dregges of Antichrists pride and tyrannie These causes of great and good regard led mee to examine the chiefe groundes of both Disciplines theirs and ours and to peruse the proofes and authorities of either parte that by comparing it might appeare which side came neerest to the synceâ—itie of the Scriptures and societie of the auncient and vncorrupte Church of Christ. The which wholie to propose by way of Preface woulde bee exceeding tedious shortely to capitulate that the Reader may knowe what to looke for will not altogether bee superfluous The maine supportes of their newe deuised Discipline are the generall equalitie of all Pastours and Teachers and the ioyning of Lay Elders with them to make vp the Presbyterie that shall gouerne the Church On this foundation they build the power of their Consistorie that must admonish and punish all offences heare and determine all doubts appease and ende all strifes that anie waie touch the state and welfare of the Church Against these false groundes I shewe the Church of God from Adam to Moses from Moses to Christ and so downeward vnder Patriarkes Prophetes and Apostles hath beene alwayes gouerned by an inequalitie and superioritie of Pastours and Teachers amongst themselues and somuch the very name and nature of gouernement do inforce for if amongst equals none may chalenge to rule the rest there must of necessitie be superiours before there can bee Gouernours It was therefore a ridiculous ouersight in our new platfourmers to settle an ecclesiasticall gouernment amongst the Pastours and Teachers of the Church and yet to banish all superioritie from them Some finding that absurditie and perceiuing confusion of force must follow where all are equall and no Gouernour endured confesse it to bee an essentiall and perpetuall part of Gods ordinance for each Presbyterie to haue a chiefe amongst them and yet least they should seeme to agnise or admit the auncient and approued maner of the Primitiue Church retained amongst vs which is to appoint a fitte man to gouerne each Dioecese they haue framed a Running regencie that shall goe round to all the Presbyters of each place by course and dure for a weeke or fome such space for the deuise is so newe that they are not yet resolued what time this changeable superioritie shall continue With this conceite they maruelouslie please themselues in so much that they pronounce this onely to be Gods institution and this ouerseer or Bishop to be Apostolike all others they reiect as humane that is as inuented and established by man against the first and authentike order of the holie Ghost Thus farre wee ioyne that to preuent dissention and auoid confusion there must needes euen by Gods ordinaunce bee a President or Ruler of euerie Presbyterie which conclusion because it is warranted by the groundes of nature reason and trueth and hath the example of the Church of God before vnder and after the Lawe to confirme it wee accept as irrefutable and laie it as the ground-worke of all that ensueth But whether this Presidentship did in the Apostles times and by their appointment goe round by course to all the Pastours and Teachers of euerie Presbyterie or were by election committed to one chosen as the fittest to supplie that place so long as hee discharged his duetie without blame that is a maine point in question betwixt vs. Into which I may not enter vntill we haue seene what the Apostolike Presbyteries were and of what persons they did consist at the first erecting of the Church Certaine late writers men otherwise learned and wise greatlie misliking in the gouernement of the Church the Romish kind of Monarchie and on the
more particularly and effectually then Pastours doe or may by their doctrine Such labyrinths they leape into when they seeke for those things in y e sacred Scriptures which were neuer intended But were the word of God in this point indifferent which for ought I yet see is very resolute against them the generall consent of alantiquitie that neuer so expounded S. Pauls words nor euer mentioned any laie Presbyters to gouern the Church is to me a strong rampire against all these new deuises I like not to raise vp that discipline from the dead which hath lien so long buried in silence which no father euer witnessed no councill euer fauoured no Church euer followed since the Apostles times till this our age I can be forward in things that be good but not so foolish as to thinke the church of Christ neuer knew what belonged to the gouernment of her selfe till now of late that the sonne of God hath bin spoiled of halfe his kingdome by his owne seruants and Citizens for these 1500. yeeres without remorse or remembrance of any man that so great wrong was offered him I can yeelde to much for quietnes sake to this I can not yeelde They must shewe mee their Lay Presbyteries in some ancient Writer or else I must plainly auouch their Consistories as they presse them to be a notorious if not a pernicious nouelty Ierome Ambrose and others are brought to depose that the first Church had her Senate and Elders without whose aduise nothing was done but how wrongfully the deuise of Lay Elders is fathered on them I haue declared in a special discourse I wil not heere repeate it onely this I say if any of them affirme that in the Primitiue or Apostolike Church Lay Presbyters did gouerne Ecclesiasticall affaires I am content to recall all that I haue written of this present matter if not it is no great praise nor good policie for them to abuse the names and wordes of so many learned Fathers to the vtter discredite of themselues and their cause in the end Since then the Church of Christ in and after the Apostles times was not gouerned by Lay Presbyters as this newe discipline pretendeth it resteth that we declare by whom both the Apostolike church and the Primitiue after that were directed ruled which I haue not failed to performe in many chapters as farre foorth as the Scriptures doe warrant and the vndoubted Stories of Christs Church do leade In the Apostles I obserue foure things needefull for the first founding and erecting of the Church though not so for the preseruing and maintening thereof and foure other points that must be perpetuall in the Church of Christ. The foure extraordinary priuiledges of the Apostolike function were Their vocation immediate from Christ not from men nor by men Their commission extending ouer all the earth not limited to anie place Their direction infallible the holie Ghost guiding them whether they wrate or spake and Their operation wonderful as wel to conuert and confirme beleeuers as to chastice and reuenge disobeyers Without these things the Church could not beginne as is easily perceiued but it may well continue without them for now God calleth labourers into his haruest by others not by himselfe Pastors take charge of those Churches that are already planted they seeke not places where to plant new Churches The Scriptures once written serue all ages for instruction of faith and the myracles then wrought witnesse the power and trueth of the Gospell vnto the worldes ende Wherefore those thinges had their necessary force and vse to lay the first foundations of the gospel before Christ was knowen but the wisedome of God will not haue his Church still depend on those miraculous meanes which serue rather to conquere incredulitie then to edifie the faithfull signes being as the Apostle saith not for such as beleeue but for such as doe not beleeue The other foure points of the Apostolike delegation which must haue their permanence and perpetuitie in the Church of Christ are the Dispencing the word Administring the sacraments Imposing of hands and Guiding the keys to shut or open the kingdome of heauen The first two by reason they be the ordinary meanes and instruments by which the spirite of God worketh ech mans saluation must be general to al Pastors and Presbyters of Christs Church the other two by which meete men are called to the ministerie of the word and obstinate persons not only repelled from the societie of the saints but also from the promise and hope of eternall life respect rather the cleansing and gouerning of Christes Church and therefore no cause they should be committed to the power of euery Presbyter as the word and sacraments are for as there can be no order but confusion in a common wealth where euery man ruleth so woulde there be no peace but a pestilent perturbation of all thinges in the Church of Christ if euery Preshyter might impose handes and vse the keyes at his pleasure How the Apostles imposed hands and deliuered vnto Satan and who ioyned with them in those actions I haue handled in places appointed for that purpose whereby we shal perceiue that though the Presbyters of eache Church had charge of the worde and Sacraments euen in the Apostles times yet might they not impose handes nor vse the keys without the Apostles or such as the Apostles departing or dying left to be their substitutes and successors in the Churches which they had planted At Samaria Philip preached and baptized and albeit he dispenced the word and sacraments yet could hee not impose handes on them but Peter and Iohn came from Ierusalem and laide their hands on them and so they receiued the holie Ghost The Churches of Lystra Iconium and Antioch were planted before yet were Paul and Barnabas at their returne forced to increase the number of Presbyters in each of those places by imposition of their handes for so the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with al Greeke Diuines and Stories as I haue sufficiently proued and not to ordaine by election of the people as some men of late had new framed the Text. The churches of Ephesus and Creete were erected by Paul had their Presbyteries yet could they not create others but Timothie and Tite were left there to impose handes and ordaine Elders in euerie Citie as occasion required Herein who succeeded the Apostles whether all Presbyters equally or certaine chiefe and chosen men one in euerie Church and City trusted with the gouernment both of people and Presbyters I haue largely debated and made it plaine as well by the Scriptures as by other ancient Writers past all exception that from the Apostles to the first Nicene Councill and so along to this our age there haue alwayes bene selected some of greater gifts then the residue to succeede in the Apostles places to whom it belonged both to moderate the Presbyters of ech Church and to take the
consult the priests and take direction from them The priests the sonnes of Leui saieth God shall come foorth out of the Cities where they were placed in euery Tribe and by their word shall all strife and plague be tried Remembring alwayes that doubtfull and weightie matters were referred to the counsaile of priests and Iudges that sate in the place which the Lord did choose for the Arke to rest in If there come a matter too hard for thee either by reason of the waight or doubt thereof in iudgement betweene blood blood cause and cause plague and plague of matters in question within thy gates thou shalt arise and goe vp to the place which the Lord thy God shal choose and shalt repaire to the Priests of the Leuites and vnto the Iudge that shall be in those dayes and aske and they shall shew thee the sentence of iudgement And thou shalt doe according to that which they of the place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and shalt obserue to do according to all they informe thee Thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shall shew thee neither to the right hand nor to the left And the man that will doe presumptuously in not hearkening vnto the Priest that standeth before the Lord thy God to minister there or vnto the Iudge that man shall die This Councillor Senate of Elders residing at Jerusalem in Iehosaphats time who no doubt did not infringe but rather obserue the tenor of the lawe consisted of Leuites and of Priests and of the heads of the families of Israel had Amariah the high priest chiefe ouer them in all matters of the Lord and Zebediah a ruler of the house of Iudah chiefe for all the kings affaires and was a continuance of the 70. Elders which God adioyned vnto Moses to beare the burden of the people with him From these superiour inferiour degrees amongst the priests and Leuites vnder Moses happily may no necessarie consequent be drawen to force the same to bee obserued in the Church of Christ. First for that the tribe of Leui might not be vnguided without manifest confusion and was not subiected to the regiment of any other Tribe but had the same maner of gouernment by her Prince Elders Iudges and Officers ouer 1000. 100. 50. and 10. which other Tribes had in that common wealth Next the ciuill policie of the Iewes being contained and expressed in the bookes of Moses the Iudges and rulers of other Tribes were to be directed and assisted by thâ—se that were most expert and skilfull in the writings of Moses such as the priests and Leuites by their profession and function were which in Christian kingdoms is not so requisite For the Gospell doeth not expresse the maner and fourine of ciuill regiment and positiue lawes as the bookes of Moses doe but leaueth such things to the care and conscience of the Magistrate so long as their policie doeth not crosse the rules of pietie and charitie prescribed in the Gospell and therefore the Pastours and preachers of the new Testament must not chalenge to sit Iudges in those cases which the Priests and Leuites vnder Moses did and might heare and determine Thirdly this preheminence grewe vnto them according to their families by inheritance and birthright The father was chiefe of his ofspring whiles he liued and after him his eldest sonne which is no way imitable in the Church of Christ. And though sometimes the father for good respect made the yonger the chiefer as it is written of Shuri one of the line of Merari that though hee were not the eldest yet his father made him the chiefe yet the contrary was vsually obserued and the priuiledge of the first-borne might not be changed for affection without iust cause Lastly the seruices about the Sanctuarie and Sacrifices which none might doe but Leuites were of diuers sortes and therefore not without great regard were there diuers degrees established amongst them though to serue God euen in the least of them was honourable Now in the Church of Christ the word and Sacraments committed to the Pastours and Ministers haue no different seruices and so require for the discharge thereof no discrepant offices Notwithstanding for the better ordering ouerseeing and containing such in their dueties as be called to be the guiders and leaders of Gods people that they may walke worthie their vocation without reproch of life and be sound in faith without all leauen of false doctrine the wisedome of God in appointing some amongst the priests and Leuites to guide and gouerne the rest of their Tribe as well in the ceremoniall as iudiciall part of Moses lawe is not hastilie to be refused nor lightly to bee neglected For if gouernement be needfull amongst them that will liue in any societie and auoyd disorder whereof God is no way author we cannot get nor need not seeke a fitter or better paterne to follow as farre as the difference of states and persons will permit then that which God himselfe allowed and confirmed in the Church and common welth of Israel And though the certaine forme of their ecclesiasticall gouernment be neither exactly knowen in euery point nor preciselie to be vrged in the Church of Christ by reason of many dissimilitudes betwixt vs and them yet this is euident that God appointed the Church of Israel to be guided not by a generall equalitie of the priests and Leuites but by certaine superiorities among them in euery calling and that as wel in their conuersation as administration and their 70. Elders supreme Council called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisted not of all that were and would be present but of certaine of the chiefest who for their nobilitie and authoritie were preferred aboue the rest and admitted to be of that number So that the Leuiticall discipline vnder Moses doeth cleerely confirme a diuersitie of degrees amongst Pastours and ministers in the Church to be more agreeable to the wisedome of God reuealed in his lawe then a generall equalitie or paritie CHAP. III. The personall and perpetuall kingdom of Christ after he tooke flesh THe externall regiment of the Church the Lord declined whiles he liued here and relinquished to others as a thing meeter for the sonnes of men then for the sonne of God No doubt he was euen then the chiefe corner stone elect and precious laied in Sion by God himselfe the Archpastour ouer the whole flocke and high Priest ouer the house of God the Prophets foretold the gouernment should be on his shoulders and he should order the throne of Dauid with iustice and iudgement the Apostle saieth he is and then was the head of his Church yea the head of all power and principalitie he said of himselfe to his disciples ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am the Angels of God were to worship him wheÌ„ he was brought into
as of the rest yea so farre was hee from allowing it in the Iewes and proposing it to his Church that by his life and doctrine as I haue shewed he openly disliked and dissuaded the contempt which the Priests and people had of the Publicanes As for Ethnikes and Gentiles though they were strangers to the common wealth of Israel when as yet they knew no God yet neuer were they persons excommunicate and since the appearing of our Sauiour in flesh through his mercy vouchsafed to be partakers of his promises the true members of his Catholike church So that this can be no rule for Christs Church to measure persons excommunicate by Gentiles and Publicanes since amongst the Iewes Publicans beleeued and entred the kingdome of God and after the reiection of that Nation the Church of Christ consisted chiefly if not wholy of Gentiles and Ethnikes This then can not be the true intent and purpose of our Sauiour in that place to authorize his Church vpon priuate quarrels betweene man and man to excommunicate if her verdict be not obeyed Where there is a Christian Magistrate the Church may not claime or presume to decide such matters by publike audience and sentence without encroching on the Princes sword and scepter whose right and charge it is to relieue the oppressed to iudge the fatherles and defend the widow to execute iudgement and iustice as wel in priuate wrongs iniuries as in publike crimes and enormities But Paul reproueth some of Corinth for going to law vnder the vniust Magistrates and not rather vnder the Saints though priuate persons Paul did not debarre the Magistrates that were Infidels of their iurisdiction nor create new Iudges for ciuil offences in the Church it was beyond his calling and commission to doe either of them but perceiuing that Christians pursued eche other for priuate quarrels before vnbeleeuers to the shame of the Church and slander of the Gospel he saith they were better suffer wrong losse in earthly things theÌ„ expose the doctrine of Christ to be derided of his their enemies And to appease their brabbles end their strifes if they were so contentious hee willeth them to choose if not the wisest yet the woorst and least esteemed in the Church to arbitrate their causes rather then to lay themselues their whole profession open to the mockes and taunts of heathen and profane Iudges To preserue peace loue in the Church the godly might then and may now mediate betweene brethren as friends and welwillers to both parties and likewise debate and conclude their cases as Arbiters chosen by consent of either side but they may not interpose themselues as Iudges authorized by Christ to excommunicate all that will not heare them in priuate griefes and ciuil suites that were to take the sword which is not giuen them and to thrust themselues by this pretence into Princes places which neither Christ prescribed nor Paul imagined nor the Church assumed And yet was here giuen vnto Paul a iust occasion to repeate and renew that order if Christ had ordained any such in his Church For the Christians trespassed one an other and Paul by no meanes permitted them to pursue their brethren at the Tribunals of Infidels What sayeth he then doeth he wil them to tel the Church and if the wrong doer heare not the Church to account him as an Ethnike and Publicane If Christ prouided this as a reoresse for priuate wrongs and offences in his Church shal we thinke the Apostle durst alter his masters order and abrogate the course that Christ layd down to pacifie contentions in his Church No doubt he would rather haue recalled them toit then auerted them froÌ„ it What doeth he now If ye haue iudgements saith he for things touching this life tell the Pastour and Presbyterie No but set vp or choose out the worst in the Church and make them Iudges of your causes and quarrels Then certainely our Sauiour neuer meant the faithfull shoulde for priuate trespasses complaine to the Pastour and Elders of euery parish and they shoulde haue power sufficient to heare and determine all such matters as were so offered vnto them and to excommunicate those that would not stand to their sentence and iudgement What then is the meaning of our Sauiours words what euer it be this it can not be to authorize the Church to intermeddle with matters pertaining to the Magistrate and to exclude them aâ— from the societie and communion of the Sacraments and Saints that obey not her resolution in ciuil and priuate trespasses Yetlest I should returne a Text without any interpretation though the sense seeme hard to hit by reason the â—â—ate of the Iewish Church is not so well knowen in our dayes as when our Sauiour spake the wordes I will not refuse to set downe what I thinke if any bring better I am ready to learn We must first conceiue that in the time of our Sauiour and a litle before his birth the Romanes had taken the Scepter and Soueraigntie from the Iewes as Iacob prophecied shoulde come to passe in the dayes of the Messias leauing them in priuate suites betweene man and man and in smaller cases of correction that kind of regiment and forme of Lawes which God by Moses ordained and excepting from their Lawes and Tribunals al strangers that were amongst them or had any thing to do with them whom the Iewes called Ethnikes and abhorred as prophane persons and like wise Publicanes that is such of the Iewes as did any seruice to the Romanes in collecting and answering the tributes taxes and toles due to the Romane Empire whome the Iewes pursued with greater dislike and despite then they did strangers for keeping companie with the heathen and seruing their turnes against their owne Nation Both these sortes of men as well Publicanes as strangers for the detestation and hatred the Iewes had of them were exempted from the Lawes and Iudgements of the Iewes and if any man had ought against them hee must conuent them before the Romane President and not in any Court of the Iewes nor before any Magistrate of the Iewish profession The like libertie was left to any Iew that woulde appeale to the Romane Gouernour or impeach and molest his brother in anie of the Roman Consistories For though the Iews in many things were left to their Countrie Lawes yet were the Romane Courts amongst them so priuiledged that who would might haue recourse thither and there recouer his right or redresse the wrong offered him In this confusion of the Iewes estate lately begunne and euery day increasing our Lorde and Master liuing directeth the people what way they shall take neither to breake the law of God which Moses gaue them nor to impugne the Romane Empire which then gouerned them In their priuate quarrelles and actions therefore hee proposeth three degrees of proceeding First the rule of charitie Next the order of Moses policie Lastly the helpe
such sort that thereby they should serue euen the meanest of their brethren to doe them good and become all things to all men that they might winne some This he caught them that very time not in wordes onely but by deeds also for hauing washed their feete and wiped them drte he saieth vnto them Vnderstand you what I haue done to you you call me Master and Lord and you say well for I am so Then if I your Lord and Master haue washed your feete you ought to wash one an others feete I haue giuen you an example that as I haue done to you you should also doe the liked They should be so farre from striuing who should be greatest that euen the greatest and chiefest should striue to preuent the lowest and meanest with honour and seruice after the example of their Master These texts then conâ—â—â—â—e two speciall doctrines vnto vs. The 〈◊〉 that Apostles and Preachers may not chalenge by vertue of their office any compulsiue dominion or violent iurisdiction ouer their brethren but leaue that to Princes The next the greater our calling is in Christes Church the readier we should te to make our selues euen with those of the lowest degree to gaine them thereby but that Christ intended in those places to giue all sortes of Minister and helpers in his Church equall power and authoritie with his Apostles I am not perswaded and that for these causes What Christ had alreadie giuen or after meant to giue to his Apostles he would neuer crosse with any speach of his The sonne of God cannot repent his fact or alter his mind but the same kingdome that was appointed to him he appointed to them and as his father sent him so sent he them into all the world with a larger warrant from his mouth and greater power and wisedome of his holy spirit to teach all nations what he commanded them and to open all the counsell of God vnto them then was giuen to other teachers and helpers in the Church He therefore neuer recalled nor rebated any part of their Apostolike prehâ—â—nnence aboue others but onely taught them to vse it to Gods glory and the edifying of his Church Againe what Christ had prohibited no Apostle guided by his spirite would euer haue vsed or chalenged but Paul in his writings hath chalengeth and vseth an Apostolicall power and preheminence aboue other Pastours and Teachers in the Church as is alreadie declared It was therefore neuer intended by our Sauiour to make all others equall with his Apostles in the direction and regiment of his Church Lastly if those places did conclude any thing for an equalitie that must bee referred to the Apostles amongst themselues to whom Christ gaue equall power and honour as Cyprian noteth of them The Apostles were endued with like fellowship of honour and power And Ierome All the Apostles receiued the keies of the kingdome of heauen and the strength of the Church is equally grounded on them But Paul speaking of himselfe saieth not that wee haue dominion ouer your fayth but are helpers of your ioy and Peter admonisheth all Pastours to feede the flocke of God not as if they were lordes ouer Christes inheritance but as examples to the flocke Qui vocatur ad Episcopatum faieth Origene non ad Principatum vocatur sedad seruitutem totius Ecclesiae Hee that is called to bee a Bishop is called not to the soueraigntie but to the seruice of the whole Church Episcopi sacerdotes se esse nouerinst non Dominos saieth Ierome Let the Bishops vnderstand they are Priestes not Lordes or Masters And Bernard Forma Apostolica haec est Dominatio interdioitur indicitur ministratio The paterne for the Apostles themselues is this dominion is interdicted a ministration is enitâ—ned These and such like speaches in the Scriptures and fathers doe neither prooue all ministers to haue equall power and honour with the Apostles nor impugne the regiment which the Pastours haue ouer their flocks but as wee 〈◊〉 before by the wordes of our Sauiour they distinguish betweene pastorall and princely regiment and direct both Apostles and Pastours how they shall gouerne The thing so much prohibited by Christ and his Apostles whose wordes the auncient fathers doe follow is that Preachers and Pastours should 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 behaue or thinke themselues to be lords and masters ouer their brethren What word is opposed to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Scriptures and wherein consisteth the relation betwixt them if we call to mind we shall not be deceiued in the right sense of these wordes Christ saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The seruant is not aboue his lord or Master and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 no seruant can serue two masters The power of lordes masters ouer their seruants is likewise expressed by our Sauiour The seruant that knoweth his masters will and doeth not according to his will shall bee beaten with many stripes And againe I say to my seruant doe this and he doeth it Yee seruants faieth Paul obey the masters of your flesh in all things for know yee not that his seruaunts you are whom you obey whereby as by infinite other places it is euident that opposite to lord and master are neither children nor brethren but seruants and he is a seruant that is vnder the yoke and bound to obey his masters will euen as he is a lord or master that may commaund his seruant to execute his will or thereto compell him with stripes for that is the right of a lord and master to commaund and punish his seruant that disobeieth What maruell then if Christ forbade his Apostles to bee lordes and masters ouer their brethren that is to commaund them and compell them aâ— their vassals since the beleeuers are no servaunts but brethren and the Pastours no lordes ouer Gods inheritance but fathers vnto the faithfull Whereby the honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 of Christes flocke is not diminished but augmented and the people not licenced the sooner to 〈◊〉 theâ— but thereby required the rather to regard them for 〈…〉 honour due to master or father and who loueth most a seruant or a sonne Amare filiorum timere seruorum est A sonne doeth loue a seruant doeth feare which God expresseth by his Prophet when he â—aith If I be a father where is mine honour If I be a Master where is my feare Wherefore to increase the loue of his sheepe towards their shepeheards Christ would not haue his Apostles to be feared as masters but to be honoured as fathers and consequently Pastours not to force but to feede not to chase but to lead the flocke committed to their charge neither toughly to intreat them as seruants but gently to perswade them as coheires of the same kingdome If at any time they require and commaund they doe it in Gods name as messengers sent to declare his will who
onely and rightly may commaund in such cases and as fellow seruants set ouer their masters household to diuide them meate in due season and to put the rest in minde of their masters pleasure For which cause their office is rather a seruice then a soueraigntie in the Church of Christ as Origene noteth and as Ierome saieth Si quis Episcopatum desiderat bonum opus desiderat opus non dignitatem laborem non delitias opus per quod humilitate decrescat non intume scat fastigio If any man desire the office of a bishop he desireth a good worke if he desire the worke not the dignitie the paynes not the case the labour whereby he should waxe lowe with humilitie not swell with arrogancie Nomen est operis non honoris vt intelligat se non esse Episcopum qui praeesse dilexerit non prodesse The office of a bishop saieth Austen is a name of labour not of honour to let him vnderstand that he is no bishop which loueth the preferring of himselfe not the profiting of others So Bernard Specula est sonans tibi Episcopi nomine non dominium sed officium It is a watch sounding vnto thee in the name of a bishop not an imperie but a ministerie If any man thinke I debase the office of a Bishop more then needs in that I say he must rather serue then rule in the Church of Christ let him remeÌ„ber the sonne of God though he were heire and lord of all came to serue not to be serued to whose example all his disciples must conforme themselues by his expresse commandement and the elect Angels though greater in power and excellency then we yet are they al ministring spirits for ouâ— sakes that shall be heires of saluation yea Kings and Princes are not approued of God if their hearts be lifted vp aboue their brethren but rather in all societies of the righteous and faithfull as Austen obserueth Qui imperant seruiunt ijs quibus videntur imperare Non enim dominandi cupiditate imperant sed officio consulendi nec principandi superbia sed prouidendi misericordia They that rule serue those whom they seeme to rule for they rule not with a desire to master them but with a purpose to aduise theÌ„ neither with pride to be chiefe ouer them but with mercifull care to prouide for them It is no shame then for a Christian Bishop to say with the Apostle We preach not our selues but Iesus Christ to be the Lord and our selues to be your seruants for Iesus sake We are not Bishops for our selues sayth Augustine but for their sakes to whom we minister the worde and Sacraments of the Lord. If therefore any man desire the office of a Bishop saith Chrysostome non principatus ac dominationis fastu verùm cura regiminis charitatis affectu non improbo bonum quippe opus desiderat not for pride to be chiefe and beare rule but for care to gouerne and charitable desire to doe good I mislike it not he desireth a good worke Our Sauiour you will say forbiddeth his disciples not onelie the power but the very name of Lord in saying They that beare rule are called gratious Lords but you shall not be so I heare the Translator but I finde no such Text. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which word S. Luke vseth is a benefactor or a bountifull man it soundeth nothing neare neither Grace nor Lord. The simple may so be deceiued the learned cannot so be deluded but they must finde it is a gloze besides the text If so small a title be denied them it is cleere you thinke that higher stiles as Gratious Lordes can not be allowed them That is an illation out of the wordes no translation of the wordes Besides it is more cleere that the name of matter is forbidden them Christ saieth in precise wordes Nolite vocari Rabbi Be not called Master and yet I weene the meanest Presbyter will looke sowerly if he be not vouchsafed that name If we were disposed to quarrel as some are we could say no man may be called father for Christ saieth Call no man father on earth there is but one euen your father which is in heauen no creature man nor Angell may be called lord Nobis vnâ—s est Dominus Iesus Christus To vs there is but one Lord Iesus Christ. The trueth is if we attend either the right or force of the creator or the worthier pâ—rte of the creature which is the soule no man on earth can iustly be called Master Father or Lord for none doth effectually fashion teach and gouerne man specially the soule of man saue onely God who worketh all in all but if wee respect the proportion and resemblance deriued from God and approoued by God in his word then those that beget or gouerne our bodies as Gods instruments and substitutes on earth may be called Masters Lordes and Fathers yea for submission or reuerence strangers vnknowen and knowen superiors either spirituall or temporall may be called by those names which as well the custome of the Scriptures as the consent of all Nations will confirme vnto vs. The French haue no higher worde for Lorde then Seigneur which they attribute to Christ and God himselfe as Le Seigneur Iesus The Lord Iesus Le Seigneur Dieu The Lord God and yet they call euery one by that name which is of any credite or reputation with them With vs euery meane man is Lorde of his owne Tenants haue no name for the owner of the land or house which they inhabite but their Lord yea euery poore woman that hath either maid or apprentise is called Dame and yet Dame is as much as Domina and vsed to Ladies of greatest account as Dame Isabel and Madame In Latin Dominus soundeth more then Master and yet the boyes in the Grammer schoole do know how common the stile of Dominus is and vsually giuen to euery man that hath any taste of learning shew of calling or stay of liuing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the chiefest word the Grecians haue for Lord either on earth or in heauen and yet S. Peter willeth euery christian woman after Sarahs example to call her husband whatsoeuer he be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Marie Magdalene supposing she had spoken to the keeper of the garden where Christ was buried said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is Lord if thou hast taken him hence tell mee where thou hast layed him The Greekes that were desirous to see Christ came to Philip the Apostle and said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord we would see Iesus The Hebrewe word Adoni my Lord which otherwise the Iewes did attribute to Kings and Princes and euen to God himselfe was for honor reuerence yeelded to any superior or stranger When Loth prayed the two strangers whom he then did not thinke to be Angels to lodge with him that
Whatsoeuer the Apostles did that had a most plentifull measure of Gods spirite farre aboue Pastours Prophets and Euangelists yet their followers for example Timothie and Tite were not to impose hands without the people and Presbyterie concurring with them I haue heard this often and earnestly asserted but I could neuer yet see it prooued The greatest ground of this presumption is for that the Apostles themselues did so from whose example their scholers would not rashlie depart But as we finde by better view the Apostles did not so by lots and by Prophets directed not by mens wils but by Gods spirit the Apostles choose Elders or rather by laying on their hands as the holie Ghost guided them they did furnish such as before were neither meete nor able to sustaine that charge with the gifts of the spirit fit for that calling by the voyces and liking of the people they made no Pastors nor Prophets that I read and therfore I must haue leaue to thinke that Tite and Timothie vsed rather the helpe of Prophesie to finde whom the spirit would name theÌ„ the consents or suffrages of the people for in their times the gifts of the spirite were not quenched yea the Prophets that were vnder the Apostles continued vnder them and these two gifts the reuealing of secrets and discerning of spirites which the Prophets and Euangelists had though in lesse measure then the Apostles serued chiefly to distinguish who were fit or vnfit for the seruice of Christes Church WheÌ„ Prophets failed the Church was forced to come to voices but so long as the spirite declared by the mouthes of the Prophets whom hee had chosen the consent of the people or Presbyterie might not be required The Apostle giueth rules to Timothie and Tite what maner of men must be chosen how they must be qualified before they be elected Paul doeth not teach the people whom they should elect but appointeth Timothie and Titus whom they should admit To preuent ambition and emulation in the competitors affection and dissention in the electors lots were first liked by the Apostles and retained a long time after by S. Iohn and to disappoint seducing and lying spirites then crept into the world and into the Church these rules were prescribed as a touchstone for Timothie and Titus to discern the spirit of trueth speaking sincerely from the spirit of errour flattring and admiring the persons of men for aduantage sake for as God gaue the power grace of his spirite to his Church in great abundance to illustrate the glorie enlarge the kingdome of his sonne so the deuill ceased not to intermixe whole swarmes of false and deceitfull workemen to obscure the brightnes and hinder the increase of Christes Church and therefore the Apostle setteth downe what manner of men Tite and Timothie shall lay hands on whom they shall refuse left they be partakers of their sinnes Paul could not feare lest the holy Ghost speaking by the Prophets would name men vnworthie the place Paul saw the nuÌ„ber of false Prophets already risen and euery day likely to rise and foresaw the poyson and danger of their deceits and pretences and for that cause setteth down a perpetuall canon to the Church for euer what vices must be shumed and vertues required in a Pastour and Preacher Such did the holie Ghost name whiles hee ruled the mouthes of the Prophets and such for euer should be called euen when the gift of prophesie was decayed The Primitiue Church vsed alwayes to elect her Pastors by the suffrages of the people and Cyprian saieth it is none other then a diuine tradition and Apostolike obseruation I shall haue place and time anone to speake of the custome of the Church and opinion of the fathers till then I reserue the handling of both I am now searching the Scriptures and viewing the word of God whether it can thence be prooued that Pastours and Elders were or ought to be chosen by the consent of the people and for my part I professe I finde none I see some men men zealously bent to authorize it by the will and commandement of God I dare not professe to bee sopriuie to his will without his word In the old Testament Aaron was called of God and al the Leuites according to their families were like wise assigned to their places the children succeeded in their fathers roumes the Prophets were inspired from aboue and none elected Moses Ioshua and the Iudges were appointed by God as also the Princes of the twelue Tribes The seuenty Elders were such as were knowen not chosen to be Elders and Rulers of the people and to make Captains ouer 1000. 100. and 10. Moses tooke the chiefe of euery Tribe to Saul God gaue the kingdome by lottes and after to Dauid by voyce their successours inherited or intruded I see in all these neither amongst the rest of the Gentiles which till then the spirite had deferred but he receiued no power from them to be an Apostle nor to preach vnto the Gentiles Paul saith of himselfe that he was an Apostle neither of men nor by man and that the chiefest gaue him nothing or added nothing vnto him that is neither authoritie nor instruction much lesse did these three of a meaner calling then the Apostles lay hands on him to make him an Apostle that power belonged onely to Christ. Againe he receiued his Apostleship of the Gentiles long before as he saith When it pleased God to reueale his son in me that I might preach him amongst the Gentiles I did not straightway conferre with flesh and blood but went into Arabia and after three yeeres came first to Ierusalem He had beene at Ierusalem and was presented by Barnabas to the Apostles before he came to Antioch For after the first sight of the Apostles he went from Ierusalem to Tarsus and thence Barnabas fet him as a chosen vessell to carrie the name of Christ vnto the Gentiles when he first brought him â—â— Antioch And at Antioch where he preached a whole yeere â—â—fore he receiued this imposition of hands to whome preached he but to the Grecians that is to the Gentiles Wherefore they did not impose handes on him to giue him authoritie to preach to the Gentiles he receiued that commission from Christ long before had then twelue moneths and more preached vnto the Gentiles in the very same place where they imposed hands on him To what ende then did they impose hands on Paul and Barnabas They had preached there a good time and furnished the Church with needful doctrine and meete Pastours to take charge of their soules and then the holie Ghost minding to haue them do the like in other places willed the Prophets and Teachers there to let them go for so the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie and the words following import as much that the Prophets and Pastours laying hands on
him he did not first conferre with flesh and blood neither went hee to Ierusalem vnto those that were Apostles before him least hee shoulde seeme to derogate from the voyce and trueth of Christ but straightwaie preached the Gospell which he learned by reuelation and stoode alwayes resolued that what the sonne of God had taught him the sonnes of men ought not to reuoke and could not amend Why then repaired he at length to Ierusalem to the Apostles and Elders to haue his doctrine examined confirmed vnto the Churches by their letters Many false brethren came from Ierusalem and pretending the Apostles names impugned both the credite and doctrine of Paul and taught that except the Gentiles were circumcised they could not be saued and by enforming the brethren that this course was obserued at Ierusalem for they counted Paul fa◠inferiour to the chiefe Apostles they hindred the weake from beleeuing and caused the strong to stagger at the truth of Paules doctrine To stop the mouthes of these seducers and to retaine the Churches in their stedfastnes and remooue this stumbling blocke from before the simple that Paul taught contrarie to the rest of the Apostles the holie Ghost willed him by reuelation to goe vp to Ierusalem and declare to the rest the Gospell which hee preached that by their generall confession and letters the doctrine which he preached might be acknowledged vnto the Gentiles to be sound and sincere This was the intent of Paules iourney thither Not to haue his doctrine reuised and approoued by their authorities but to haue it heard and acknowledged by their confessions that the false report of their discording euery where spread by those deceiuers might no longer trouble the mindes of the Gentiles I ascended saith Paul of that his iourney to Ierusalem by reuelation when he came thither what did he I declared saith he the Gospell which I preach among the Gentiles and particularly to the chiefest for the false brethrens sake which crept in to spie out our libertie which we haue in Christ Iesus to whō wee gaue no place by yeelding no not an houre that the trueth of the Gospel might remaine amongst you that are Gentiles And they that were chiefest added nothing vnto mee but contrariwise when they saw that the Gospel ouer the Gentiles was committed vnto me as the Gospel ouer the Iewes was vnto Peter when Iames Cephas and Iohn which are counted to be Pillars knewe the grace which was giuen mee they gaue to mee and Barnabas their right hands in token of fellowship What needed the presence of the Elders at this meeting Some of them had come from Iewrie to Antioch as sent from the church at Ierusalem and troubled the minds of the Gentiles with vrging circumcision Wherefore to knowe the reason of their so doing and to preuent the like in time to come the Apostles woulde not haue the matter priuatly handled but in the audience and presence of the whole Church and with a generall consent letters were written in all their names as well to disclaime the sending of any such as also to confirme the Gentiles in the course which they had begunne For these two points their letters importe The Apostles Elders and brethren which in the verse before are called the whole Church to the Brethren of the Gentiles at Antioch c. Because we haue heard that certaine comming from vs haue troubled you with words entāgled your minds saying you must be circumcised to whom we gaue no such cōmandement it seemed therfore good vnto vs when we were together with one accord to send chosen men vnto you with our beloued Paul and Barnabas which shall tell the same by word of mouth The Apostles wanted neither authoritie nor sufficiencie to determine the matter How many doubts doth Paul himselfe resolue to the Romans to the Corinthians to others without a Councell This very question when after this meeting it troubled the church of Galatia did Paul alleage the Apostles letters vnto them or the decision made at Ierusalem No he resteth on his owne Apostleship and saith Beholde I Paul say vnto you that if you be circumcised Christ shal profit you nothing For I testifie vnto euery man which is circūcised that he is bound to keep the whole Lawe ye are abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law ye are fallen from grace The Councell at Ierusalem decreed it was not needefull for the Gentiles to be circumcised before they could be saued It seemed good to the holie Ghost and to them not to lay that burden on their neckes But Paul goeth a degree furder and telleth them they are cut off from Christ and fallen from grace if they seeke or admit circumcision Hee is so farre from standing on the credite of that assemblie that hee vtterly denieth they added any thing to him and auoucheth hee withstoode and reprooued Peter to his face for the same cause at Antioch Yea in that Councell who decided the controuersie but Peter Iames yet because it touched the whole Church of Iurie and for that many of the Elders then present were after to preach vnto the Gentiles and to liue amongst them with them the Apostles no doubt directed by Gods spirit brought y ◠matter to be fully discussed in the open hearing of the whole Church thereby to satisfie quiet the consciences of those Iews that were zealous of the Lawe though they beleeued and wholy to quench if it were possible the heart-burning and detestation the beleeuing Iewes had of the Gentiles which well appeared by their striuing with Peter for entring into the Gentiles and eating with them and by their owne report made to Paul long after this Councell was ended The last thing wherein the people or Presbyterie seeme to ioyne with the Apostles authoritie is the putting the wicked from among the faithfull and deliuering them ouer to Satan of purpose to reduce them to repentance or by their example to feare others from the like offences Of the incestuous Corinthian Saint Paul writeth thus I verely as absent in bodie but present in Spirite haue already decreed as if I were present that he which hath doone this when you are gathered together and my Spirite in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ by the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ to deliuer such a one vnto Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the Spirite may bee saued in the day of the Lorde Iesus Put away therefore from among your selues that wicked man By this it is collected that the Apostle alone could not excommunicate nor deliuer vnto Satan but the Church must ioyne with him and then for not hearing the Church the offendor might be taken for an Ethnike and a Publicane This place breedeth two great doubts first what it is to deliuer vnto Satan next by whome this incestuous person was deliuered vnto Satan whether by Saint Paul or
to doe must needes bee theirs you must free them from both or leaue both vnto them If it shall be required at their hands they may not be forced by others if none can excuse them none may compell them We may plainely perceiue as well by their calling which they haue from God as by the account they shall yeeld vnto God that the deliuering or with-holding the Sacraments is in the Pastours power and charge and not in theirs which haue neither vocation nor commission to meddle with the word or Sacraments No small punishment saieth Chrysostome to those that ministred the Communion hangeth ouer you if knowing any man to be wicked you suffer him to be partaker of this Table His blood shall be required at your hands If he be a Captaine a Consul or a crowned king that commeth vnworthily forbid him and keepe him off thy power is greater then his If any such get to the Table reiect him without feare If thou darest not remooue him tell it me I will not suffer it I wil yeeld my life rather then the Lords body to any vnwoorthy person and suffer my bloud to be shed before I will graunt that sacred blood to any but to him that is woorthie Againe it cannot be doubted but the moderation of the keies and imposition of hands were at first setled in the Apostles and exercised by them as I haue already made proofe by the Scriptures and neither the people nor laie-Elders succeed the Apostles but onely the Pastours and ministers of the worde and Sacraments They can haue no part of the Apostolike commission that haue no shew of Apostolike succession They must looke not onely what they chalenge but also from whom they deriue it if from the Apostles then are they their successours if from Christ as Colleagues ioyned with the Apostles wee must finde that consociation in the Gospell before wee cleare them from intrusion No man should take this honour vnto himselfe but he that is called of God as the Apostles were If they be called by Christ read their assignation from Christ if they bee not surcease that presumption But in deede how should they bee called to denie the Sacramentes that are not licenced to deuide the Sacramentes or what right haue they to staie the seale that haue no power to affixe the seale The worde of God is sealed by his Sacramentes and whom he hath sent to denounce the one those hath hee chosen to annexe the other If in preaching the word laie-men were no publique parteners with the Apostles in directing the Sacraments which are the seales of the Gospell they could not bee linked with the Apostles They must be trusted with both or with neither And so are Pastours receiuing by succession the power and charge both of the word and Sacramentes from and in the first Apostles and messengers of Christ. The Elders that are among you I exhort saieth Peter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a Co-elder with you feede yee the flocke of God committed to you Pastours then which feede the flocke haue coparcinerie with the Apostles Laie-men haue not and consequently the power and right granted by Christ to his Apostles and their successours may not be chalenged or communicated to them that haue no fellowship with the Apostolike function God forbidde saieth Ierome that I should speake any euill of those who succeeding the Apostolike degree make the body of Christ with their sacred mouth by whome we become Christians who hauing the keies of the kingdome of heauen in sort iudge before the day of iudgement A monke hath one calling a Clergie man another Clergie men feede the flocke I am fed It is not lawfull for me to sit before a Priest he may if I sinne deliuer mee to Satan for the destruction of the flesh that the spirite may be saued With imposing of hands it may be the people had nothing to doe but the electing of Pastours when they came once to bee chosen pertained chieflie wholie to them as the storie of the primitiue Church declareth and so the retaining and remitting of sinnes the multitude might not chalenge but with casting notorious and scandalous offenders out of their company the whole Church did intermeddle as appeareth by Pauls wordes written to the Church and not to the Pastours or Elders of Corinth I come not yet to the maner of electing Pastours vsed in the primitiue Church when prophesie failed and the miraculous gifts of the spirite ceased I reserue it as time and order lead me to the next age after the Apostles but with the Apostles as there was no cause the people should so is there no proofe they did concurre in choosing their Pastours for the people might not appoint on whom the holy Ghost should bestow his gifts that were to tie Gods graces to their pleasures but if they were to choose they must elect such as were meete and able which then were none vntill by the Apostles handes they had receiued the wonderfull and extraordinarie giftes of the spirite to prepare and fit them for the care and charge of the Churches where the holie Ghost would make them ouerseers Against this if any thing can be obiected out of the Scriptures I would gladly heare it as yet I finde there neither example of it nor reason for it The election of the seuen Deacons is the onely precedent that can bee found in the word and that conuinceth vtterly nothing for the choice of Pastours With money matters not onely at Ierusalem but in all places the Apostles refused to meddle auoiding thereby all occasion of sinister reports and suspicion that they did any way increase or regard their priuate gaine and for that cause Paul would not so much as carrie the beneuolence of the Gentiles to the poore saints at Ierusalem without some specially trusted and chosen by the Churches to see it faithfully done All seeke their owne and not that which is Christes had poisoned so many thinking gaine to be godlinesse that Paul to cleare himselfe of that suspicion and to shew that he sought them and not theirs did not vse the power he might in liuing on the Gospell where he preached the Gospell but his owne hands ministred to his necessities And for the same reason the Apostles at Ierusalem would not haue the goods and lands of the disciples passe through their hands but to be dispensed by some such as the people liked and named to that purpose Now for choosing of Pastours or rather making them fit to be Pastours which before were not fitte the people had litle to say and lesse to doe but the holy Ghost directed the Apostles by prophesie or otherwise on whom hee would bestow his giftes and they should lay their handes in which case I cannot so much as imagine how or why the people should ioyne with the spirite of God to powre his heauenly giftes on such as hee furnished for the
accipiat satisfactionis suae modum Let him come to the Presidents by whom the keies are ministred vnto him in the Church and receiue of them that haue the ouersight of the Sacraments the maner of his satisfaction It seemed vnpossible that by repentance sinnes should be remitted saith Ambrose but Christ graÌ„ted this to his Apostles from the Apostles it descended to the Priests function Loe saith Gregory the Apostles which feared the district iudgement of God are made iudges of soules Their places now in the Church the Bishops keepe They haue authoritie to bind loose that are called to that degree of regiment A great honour but a great burden followeth this honour Let the Pastour of the Church feare vndiscretely to binde or loose but whether the Pastour binde iustly or vniustly the Pastours sentence is to be feared of the flocke The Councils generall prouinciall reserue both excommunication and reconciliation to the iudgement conscience of the Pastout Bishop and by no means impart either of them to the people or laie-Elders The great Council of Nice Touching such as are put from the Communion whether they be Clergie men or Laie by the Bishops in euery place let this rule be kept according to the Canon that they which be reiected by some be not receiued by others but let it be carefully examined that they be not cast out of the church by the weaknes waspishnes frowardnes or rashnes of the bishop And y â— this matter may the better be enquired of we like it wel y â— twise euery yere there should be kept a Synode in euery Prouince y â— all the Bb. of the Prouince meeting together may examine those matters such as haue cleerly offended their bishop let theÌ„ be held iustly excoÌ„municat by all vntil it shall seeme good to the bishops in coÌ„mon to giue an easier iudgement of them This was the ancient and vniuersall rule of Christes Church for the Pastour or Bishop to haue the power of the keyes to admit and remooue from the Sacraments such as deserued it and for the examination and moderation of their doings neither people nor laie-Presbyters were ioyned with them but a Synode of Bishops in the same Prouince euerie halfe yeere heard the matter when any found himselfe grieued with the censure of his Bishop and they according to the right of the cause were to reuerse or ratifie the former iudgement yea the Bishop had power at the time of death or otherwise vpon the vnfained repentance of the partie to mitigate the rigour of the Canons as appeareth in the 12. and 13. of the same Councill It shall be lawfull for the Bishop to deale more gently with them And againe generally for euery excommunicate person that is readie to depart this life and desireth to bee partaker of the Eucharist let the Bishop vpon triall giue him the Communion And so the generall Councill of Chalcedon We determine the Bishop of the place shall haue power to deale more fauourablie with such as by the Canons should stand excommunicate The Councill of Antioch If any be depriued the Communion by his owne Bishop let him not be admitted to the Communion by others afore he appeare and make his defence at the next Synode and obtaine from them another iudgement except his owne Bishop or Dioecesan bee content to receiue him This rule to be kept touching laie-men Priests Deacons and all others within the compasse of the Canon The Councill of Sardica If a Bishop be ouer caried with anger which ought not to be in such a man and hastily mooued against a Priest or Deacon wil cast him out of the church we must prouide that he be not condemned wheÌ„ he is innocent nor depriued the Communion And the Bishop that hath put him from the Communion must be content that the matter bee heard that his sentence may be confirmed or corrected But before the perfect exact hearing looking into the cause hee that is excommunicated may not chalenge the Communion The third Councill of Carthage Let the times of repentance be appointed by the discretion of the Bishops vnto y â— Penâ—ents according to the difference of their sinnes And that no Presbyter reconcile a penitent without the liking of the Bishop vnlesse necessitie force in the absence of the Bishop And if the fault be publike blazed abroad and offend the whole Church let hands be imposed on him before the railes or Arch which seuereth the people from the ministers Concerning those which worthily for their offences are cast out of the assemblie of the Church Augustine then Legate for Numidia sayd May it please you to decree that if any bishop or Presbyter receiue them to the Communion which are worthily throwen out of the Church for crimes committed he himselfe shall be subiect to the same chalenge that they were declining the lawful sentence of their owne bishop Sozomene declaring after what penitentiall maner the excommunicate persons in the Primitiue Church stood in an open place whence the whole assemblie might see them addeth that in this sorte euery one of them abideth the time how long soeuer which the bishop hath appointed him A thousand other places might bee noted both in Fathers and Councils to shewe that from the Apostles to this day no late person was euer admitted in the Church of Christ to ioyne with the Pastours and Bishops in the publike vse of the keies and therefore the fathers haue exceeding wrong to be made fauourers and vpholders of the late discipline and laie Presbyterie Cyprian confesseth the people consented and concurred with him in the receiuing of Schismatikes such lewd offenders to the church and Communion vpon repentance His words to Cornelius be these O if you might be present here with vs when peruerse persons returne from their schisme you should see what labour I haue to perswade patience to our brethren that suppressing their griefe of heart they would consent to the receiuing and curing of these euil members I hardly perswade the people yea I am forced to wrest it froÌ„ them before they wil suffer such to be admitted It is an easie matter to make some shewe of contradiction in the writings of the ancient fathers diuers occasions leading them to speake diuerslie but it will neuer be prooued they thought it lawfull for Laie men to chalenge the publike vse of the keyes in the Church of Christ. The causes of excommunication and times of repentance were wholie referred to the iudgement of such as had the chiefest charge of the worde and Sacramentes as wee mayperceiue by the former authorities yet in notorious and scandalous offenses when the whole Church was grieued or when a schisme was feared the godlie fathers did both in remoouing and reconciling of such persons â—taie for the liking and approbation of the whole people to concurre with them not to warrant or confirme the sentence that
Bishops as Antistites Praesules Praesidentes Praepositi Rectores Sacerdotes and such like but of all these Praepositus with Cyprian and Austen is the most vsuall word for a Bishop and hath best warrant from the Scriptures Ob hoc ecclesiae Praepositumpersequitur vt gubernatore sublato atrociui atque violentius circa ecclesiae naufragia grassetur For this cause sayeth Cyprian doeth Christes enemie pursue him that is set ouer the Church that the Gouernour being made away hee may with more violence and furie make hauocke in the shipwrackes of the Church And againe in the same place We may not bee so vnmindefull of the diuine doctrine vt maiora esse furentium scelera quà m Sacerdotum iudicia censeamus as to thinke the wicked enterprises of the desperate to bee of more force then the iudgements of Priestes Shall wee lay aside the power and authoritie of Priestes vt iudicare vâ—lle se dicant de ecclesiae Praeposito extra ecclesiam constituti de indice rei de Sacerdote sacrilegi To let them that are ought of the Church say they will iudge of the Ruler of the Church the guiltie of him that is their Iudge sacrilegious persons of their Priest And else-where what daunger is not to bee feared by offending the Lorde when some of the Priestes not remembring their place neither thinking they haue a Bishop set ouer them chalenge the whole vnto themselues cum contumelia contemptu Praepositi euen with the reproch and contempt of him that is set ouer them And so almost euery where Apostolos id est Episcopos Praepositos Dominus elegit The Lorde himselfe chose the Apostles that is the Bishoppes and ouerseers And againe Episcopo praeposito suo plena humilitate satisfaciat with al humilitie let him satisfie the Bishop being set ouer him Saint Augustine vseth the word in the same manner Their case is farre woorse saith he to whom it is said by the Prophet He shal die in his sins but his blood wil I require at the watchmanâ—hands Ad hoc enim speculatores hoc est populorum Praepositi constituti sunt in ecclesiis vt non parcant obiurgando peccaâ—a For to this ende are watchmen I meane the Pastours of the people placed in the Churches that they should not spare to rebuke sinne Our heauenly master saith he in another place gaue vs warning before hand vt de Praepositis malis plebeÌ„securaÌ„ redderet ne propter illos doctrinae salutaris Cathedra desereretur to make the people secure touching euil ouerseers lest for their sakes the chaire of wholsom doctrine should be forsaken And again Habet ouile Domini Praepositos filios mercenarios Praepositi auteÌ„ qut fily sunt Pastores sunt The Lords folde hath some ouerseers that be children some that be hirelings The ouerseers that be children are Pastors Diuina voce laudatur sub Angeli nomine Praepositus ecclesiae By Christes owne mouth the ouerseer of the Church is praised vnder the name of an Angel Attendit ouis etiam fortis plerumque Praepositum suum The sheep that is strong for the most part marketh his Leader saith in his heart si Praepositus mens sic vâ—uit If my leader so liue why should not I doe that which he doth The old translation of the new Testament hath y e very same vse of the same word Praeposits Mementote PraepositeruÌ„ vestroruÌ„ qui locuti sunt vobis verbum Dom. RemeÌ„ber your Leaders or ouerseers which spake vnto you the word of God And agame Obedite Praepositis vestris ipsi enim peruigilant quasi ratione pro animabus vestris reddituri Obey your ouerseers for they watch ouer your souls as those that shal giue accouÌ„t for them And as the vse of the word is cleere in S. Austen so is this assertion as cleere that excommunication is a Pastorall and Episcopall iudgement and no Laicall or popular action or censure Ipsa quae damnatio nominatur quam facit Episcopale iudicium qua poena in ecclesia nulla maior est potest si Deus voluerit in correptionem saluberrimam cedere Pastoralis tamen necessitas habet ne per plures serpant dira contagia separare ab outbus sanis morbidam That which is called condemnation an effect of the Episcopall iudgement then the which there can be no greater punishment in the Church may if it so please God turne to a most wholsom correction Yet the Pastour must needes separate the diseased sheepe from the sound lest the deadly infection creepe further But what neede wee moe priuate testimonies when the publike Lawes of the Romaine Empire will witnesse as much We charge all Bishops and Priests saieth the Emperour by his authentike constitution that they separate no man from the sacred Communion before they shewe the cause for which the holie Canons will it to be doone If any doe otherwise in remoouing any from the holie Communion hee that is vniustly kept from the Communion let him bee absolued from his excommunication by a superiour Bishop or Priest and restored to the Communion and he that presumed to excommunicate without iust cause let him be put from the Communion by the Bishop vnder whose iurisdiction he is as long as the Superior shall thinke good that he may iustly abide that which hee vniustly offered No man ought remooue an other from the Communion but a Bishop or a Priest and he that vniustly did it was by a superiour and higher Bishop to be put from the Communion for such time as he thought meete Euery priuate man by Saint Austens confession might admonish and reproue yea bind and loose his brother and Theophilact saith Not onely those things which the Priests do loose are loosed but whatsoeuer we being oppressed with iniurie do binde or loose those things are bound loosed also Echman by word of mouth and with griefe of heart might and shoulde detest sinne and reprooue sinners and hee that is afflicted with any wrong hath best right to release the same But this doeth not touch the publike vse of the keyes in Christes Church whereby wicked and impenitent persons are excluded or remooued from the Sacraments vntill they shew themselues sorrowfull for their sinnes and willing to amend their lewd course of life With preaching the word and deliuering the Sacraments neither people nor lay Elders might intermeddle but onely Pastours which had the charge and care of soules committed vnto them To whome then did Paul speake when he said to the Corinthians Remooue that wicked one from among you If he spake to the people he meant they should refraine all societie with that incestuous person and not so much as eate with him if he entended to haue the malefactor remooued from the Lordes Table hee spake to the Prophets and Pastours that had power and charge so to do S. Austen doth often expound it as if
part of Christs spiritual kingdom without the which no Church can be Christes no more then it may without the trueth of his doctrine But whether the wordes of Saint Paul 1. Timoth. 5. inferre any such thing or no this is the matter wee haue now in hand Some learned and late writers do so conceiue of that place for my parte I see so many iust and good reasons against their supposall that I can not yeelde to their iudgement The first reason I haue of the weakenes of this place to vpholde the Lay Presbyterie is that many learned and ancient Fathers haue debated and sifted the force of these wordes and not one of them euer so much as surmised any such thing to be contained in this Text. Chrysostome Ierome Ambrose Theodoret Primasius Oecumenius Theophilact and diuers others haue considered and expounded these wordes and neuer dreamed of anie Lay Presbyterie to be mentioned in them If then the wordes of Saint Paul stand faire and cleere without this late deuise as in the iudgement of these learned and ancient Writers they doe What reason after fifteene hundred yeeres to entertaine a newe platforme of gouerning the Church by Lay men vpon a bare conceit that the words of Saint Paul may sound to that effect as some imagine The second reason of my dissenting is for that Saint Paul naming the Presbyterie but once in al his Epistles excludeth al Lay Elders from that Presbyterie Neglect not the grace which is in thee which was giuen thee by Prophesie with the imposition of hands of the Presbyterie This is the onely place in all the Scriptures where the Presbyterie is namely mentioned and Lay Elders are most plainely remooued hence as no parte of this Presbyterie For this Christian Presbyterie gaue imposition of haÌ„ds to ordaine Ministers but Lay-Elders had no right to impose hands to that purpose Ergo. Lay men were no part of this Presbyterie That imposition of hands to make Ministers is a kinde of Sacrament and reserued solely to Pastours if Saint Austens authoritie were not sufficient Caluins confession is very euidâ—nt which I noted before They must be Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and succeede the Apostles in their Pastorall charge and function that must ordaine others by imposing handes and giue them power and grace to dispence both the word and Sacraments This Lay Elders in the Apostles times neither did nor might do they were therefore no part of that Presbyterie which Saint Paul speaketh of in his writings Must we take the worde not for the Colledge of Elders but for the degree and office which Timothie receiued Neither so is the force of my reason auoided For choose which you wil to be the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either collectiue for the whole coÌ„panie of Elders or distributiue for the degree office of euery Elder if collectiue none could be of that Colledge that might not giue imposition of hands if distributiue none might take that function and calling on him but must receiue imposition of handes as Timothie did Then Lay men which neither did giue nor receiue impositioÌ„ of hands are barred both from the degree and from the societie of Presbyterie which was in Saint Pauls time Beza thinketh best to take it for a nowne collectiue and addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ordinis Presbyterorum quo nomine coetus ille omnis significatur qui in verbo laborabant in ea ecclesia vbi hoc factum est The Presbyterie that is the order or company of Elders by which name the whole company is signified that laboured in the word in that Church where this was done Then the whole Eldership or company of Elders in S. Pauls time labored in the word Where now were the Lay Elders that laboured not in the worde What Presbyterie were they of Had euerie Church two Presbyteries I trust not This whole Presbyterie consisted of Pastours and Teachers An other Colledge of Lay Elders and no Pastours will neuer be found My third reason is for that the Text it selfe doth clearely refuse the sense which they inforce For as they conclude there were ergo some Elders that did not labour in the word and doctrine and yet gouerned well so the wordes are more euident that they all were worthie of double honour whether they laboured or gouerned Which by Saint Paules proofes presently following and by the consent of all old and new Writers is meant of their maintenance at the charges of the Church Honour in this place saith Chry sostome Paul calleth reuerence and allowance of thinges needefull Paul will haue the rest yeelde carnall thinges to them of whome they receiue spirituall because being occupied in teaching they can not prouide thinges needefull for themselues Good faithfull Stewards saith Ambrose ought to be thought worthie not onely of high but of earthly honour that they bee not grieued for lacke of maintenance Paul willeth maintenance to be chiefly yeelded to the Pastours that are occupied in teaching For such is the ingratitude of the world that take small care for nourishing the Ministers of the worde As the poore so the Elders seruing the whole Church are to be mainteined by the goods of the Church Paul mentioning the Church treasure presently exhorteth the Ministers of the Church to be thence maintained By the name of honour is signified al godly duty and reliefe after the vse of the Hebrewe speach Now that Lay Iudges and Censors of maners were in the Apostles time found at the expenses of the Church or by Gods Law ought to haue their maintenance at the peoples hands is a thing to me so strange and vnheard of that vntil I see it iustly proued I can not possibly beleeue it S. Paul hath laied downe this rule They that serue at the Altar should be partakers of the Altar and by Gods ordinance they that preach the Gospell must liue of the Gospell Where shall we finde the like for the Lay Iudges that laboured not in the worde They were if any such were as the sagest so euery way the sufficientest men that were amongest the people for feare of faction contempt and corruption which easily grow when the weaker and baser rule ouer the richer and better sort If the Apostle will not haue the poore widowes so long as they might otherwise be succoured or employed grieue the Church would he then put the burden of the Lay Iudges and Elders in number many in state able to relieue others on the necks of the meaner and poorer brethren there is neither cause nor commandement in the word so to charge the Churches of Christ with maintaining the Lay Senate which yet must be done before this construction can be admitted The fourth reason that holdeth me from receiuing this construction is that I find diuers and sundrie interpretations more agreeable to the Text and more answerable to S. Pauls meaning then this which is
people from Priests is neither prophane nor strange in the Scriptures There shall be saieth Esay like people like Priest And so saieth Osee as also Ieremie diuideth the Church into the Prophet Priest and People As for the name of Clergie men Ierome saieth Proptereà vocantur Clerici vel quia de sorte sunt Domint vel quia ipse Dominus sors idest pars Clericorum est Therfore are they called Clergie men or Clerkes either because they are the Lordes portion to serue the Church of Christ or for that the Lord is their portion part to liue on such things as are dedicated to the Lord. The Laie hee calleth Seculares Secular men which word is not so good as Laici the Laitie or people The name of Presbyter I vse not thereby meaning aged and ancient men of what calling soeuer they be as the word sometimes signifieth and wherewith I see many that fauour the Presbyterie deceiued and deceiuing others but I vse it for those whom the Apostles call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters whence our tongue following the French long since deriued Priests who for their age should be Elders and by their office are ministers of the word and Sacraments and ouerseers of the flocke of Christ. And though there can be no doubt but very often in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Seniores in English Elders are taken for Pastours Teachers and such as laboured in the word and dispensed the Sacraments yet some more zealous then discreet no sooner he are of the word Presbyter or Senior an Elder in Scriptures or Fathers but they straightway dreame of their laie Presbyterie which is the greatest ground of all their errour and lightest proofe that may possiblie be brought For which cause I am forced often to distinguish the ministers of the word from such as some men would haue to bee Gouernours of the Church by the name of Presbyter and not of Elder which in our tongue is more common to aged men then to Clergie men But howsoeuer they may play with wordes to make some the we that Elders were Gouernours of Christes Church in the Apostles times assuredly no man is able to 〈◊〉 that laie men were publike Gouernours to ordaine ministers or remooue sinners from the Lordes table while the Apostles liued and after their deaths the longer we search the further we are from finding any such Elders The whole Church by the very wordes of our Sauiour might exclude disobedient and froward persons from their felowship as Etâ—nikes and Publicanes and bind them both in heauen and earth I haue answered alreadie that those wordes of Christ by the verâ—â— confession of such as are the greatest defenders of this newe discipline were spoken of the Iudges and Magistrates of the Iewes And if by the credite and authoritie of the fathers wee will needes haue them spoken of Christes Church wee must then take the Church for the Pastours and leaders of the Church that haue receiued power from Christ to binde and loose in heauen and earth Lastly if we intend nothing els by those wordes Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane but refraine all company with him and eate no more with him then thou wouldest with an Ethnike and Publicane this charge pertaineth rather to the whole Church then to any laie Elders or Gouernours in the Church The Apostles wordes When you are gathered together put away from among you that wicked man are rather directed to the whole Congregation then to any laie Elders in the Church of Corinch as are also these that folow I wrate vnto you that you should not company together with fornicatours but nowe I haue written vnto you if any man that is called a brother bee a fornicator or couetous an Idoâ—ater railer drunkard or extortioner with such an one eate not Must onely the laie Elders or all the multitude auoyd the companie of such enormous persons I beseech you brethren saieth Paul obserue those which cause diuisions and offences against the doctrine which you haue learned and decline them Should none but Elders and Teachers shunne Schismatikes and hainous malefactours or must the people and hearers doe the like If any man obey not our sayings keepe no companie with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not an enemie but admonish him as a brother Shall wee thinke the Apostle thought it sufficient for soâ—â— fewe laie Elders to forbeare the company of such disordered persons or doeth hee will the whole Church with one consent to shunne all societie with such vnrulie ones that they may bee ashamed Then yet the whole Church might excommunicate and not Pastours onely With open reproouing by the word and excluding from the Sacraments such as notoriouslie sinned Pastours and Prophets might intermeddle the people and laie Elders might not it was no part of their charge but in banishing malefactours from all fellowship and companie both ciuill and sacred with the faithfull the Pastours were to direct the people to assist and execute that iudgement The Apostle doeth not leaue it to peoples liking as a matter indifferent till they haue consented but enioineth it as a necessarie duetie and commandeth them in the name of Christ Iesus to withdraw themselues from euery brother that walked inordinately For as S. Iohn warneth vs He that receiueth to his house the bringer of another doctrine or biddeth him good speede is partaker of his euill deedes And so is euery one that with countenance fauour or familiaritie doeth embolden the wicked to goe on in any other lewdnesse when by Christian dutie he should reproue such offenders if they persist renounce al societie with them yea where there wanteth a beleeuing magistrate the Pastours shall not doe wisely to proceed to any such rigour against wilfull and obstinate sinners without the knowledge and consent of the people for feare of contempt if the most part mislike or factions if the multitude be deuided If Pastours in such cases were to staie for the liking of the whole Church is it not more likely that the people did referre the hearing and censuring of all such matters to certaine chosen Elders of themselues rather then in a tumult confusedly without any Iudiciall forme determine such causes That if wee euict wee make no doubt that laie Elders were Gouernours in the Church of Christ as well as Pastours Indeed likelihoods and surmises were the best demonstrations that euer were made for your supposed discipline but if this hee all you will neuer euict any thing The people might well relie themselues on the credite and conscience of their Pastours and beleeue them in other mens cases whom they trusted with their owne soules Againe they might approoue and confirme their Pastours iudgement in an open assemblie without an vprore things were at that time handled in the Church religiously not tumultuously Lastly if the people did appoint certaine wise and sufficient
Bishop must bee vnreprooueable as Gods Steward holding fast the faithfull worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhorte with founde doctrine and conuince the goinesayers No Teachers no Elders by this rule For they were Gods Stewards to exhort and conuince with found doctrine before they tooke that name Elders might not be appointed in any Citie but so qualified as is heere prescribed there was no place then in Creete for your newe founde Elders And as for Lay Gouernours of the Apostolike Church to bee mentioned by Saint Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians and twelfth Chapter the ancient and learned Fathers are further from admitting any such then I am howsoeuer our late writers bee lighted on them Nazianzene expounding the wordes of Saint Paul which our men imagine concerne Lay Gouernours sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernements that is ouer-ruling the flesh Chrysostome maketh Helpes and Gouernements all one and saith It is a great blessing of God in matters of the Spirite to haue an helper and exhorter Ambrose saieth In the fift place is giuen the gift of vnderstanding For they bee Gouernours that with spirituall raines doe guide men Theophilact referreth it to the Deacons Helpes gouernements that is to receiue the sicke and guide and dispence the goodes of our brethren Then neither doe the Scriptures any where mention Lay Presbyters nor the Fathers expounding the places that are brought for them did euer giue so much as an inkeling of any such persons The words of Paul to Timothie be not only cleared from them by diuers sound interpretations but produced against them For they admit no Elders but such as were for their worke sake maintained at the costes of the Church and so were neuer anie Lay Presbyters The two other places name Rulers and Gouernours but expresse neyther what persons or thinges they gouerned neyther who they were that did gouerne whether Lay men or Pastours Lay men had Christian gouernements but ouer their families ouer the Church and house of God none had in the Apostles daies that wee reade saue Pastors and Teachers I meane such as did feede and watch the flocke committed to their charge And yet if wee shoulde graunt that in the Apostles time for want of a Magistrate to vpholde the discipline of the Church and punish the disorders and offences of loose brethren there were certaine graue and wise Elders ioyned with the Prophets and Pastours to admonish the vnrulie examine the guiltie and exclude infamous and scandalous persons from the common societie of Christians Is it anie consequent the like must bee vsed with vs in a Christian kingdome vnder a beleeuing Prince The Apostolike Churches were planted in populous Cities where they coulde not lacke meete men to sustaine that charge ours are dispersed in rurall Hamlets where there can bee no hope to finde so many fitte Gouernours as shall bee requisite To the first Churches came none but such as were willing and zealous without all compulsion to ours come all forces Atheistes Hypocrites and howe manie rather forced by Lawe then ledde with deuotion yea woulde God it did not often so fall out that in manie places the richer and wealthier men eyther regarde no Religion or secretely leane to the woorst Euerie Church with them had manie Prophetes Pastours and Teachers the number and neede of the people and tyme so requiring so that their Presbyteries might bee indifferently weighed without ouerbearing either side Wee haue but one in eche Parish and to exact maintenaunce for moe at the peoples handes in euerie Uillage woulde breede that sore which no playster would heale To giue that one a negatiue voyce in all thinges against the Laie Elders were to fill the whole Realme with infinite contentions and questions To giue him no voyce but as one amongest the rest is to shake the Church in sunder with euerie faction and fansie of the multitude Lastly those Churches vnder persecution had none that coulde iustly chalenge to rule the rest ours hath a lawfull Monarch professing the faith to whome by Gods Lawe the gouernement of all crimes and causes Ecclesiasticall doeth rightly belong and therefore the priuate and popular regiment of the afflicted Churches must cease since God hath blessed this realme with a publike peaceable and princely gouernement The greater and stronger power doeth alwayes determine and frustrate the lesser and weaker in the same kinde What neede we priuate men to punish vices when we haue princes to doe it What neede wee Suffrages of Lay Elders to reforme disorders and abuses in Pastors when wee haue open and knowen lawes to worke the same effect with more force and better speede In popular states and persecuted Churches some pretence may be made for that kinde of discipline In christian kingdomes I see neither neede nor vse of Lay Elders Howbeit for my part I doe not beleeue that Lay Elders were vsed in the Apostls times to gouerne the Church With imposition of hands remission of sinnes distribution of Sacraments I am right assured no iust proofe can be made they did or should intermeddle yea the ouersight of those things could not belong whiles the Apostles liued to Lay men and after their deaths the Churches planted by them and ages succeeding them neuer vsed nor acknowledged any Lay Elders Which is to me an inuincible demonstration that the Apostles left them none For would all the Churches in the worlde with one consent immediatly vpon the Apostles deaths reiect that fourme of gouerning the Church by Lay Elders which was setled and approoued by the Apostles and embrace a new and strange kinde of gouernement without precept or precedent for their so doing Howe others can perswade themselues that the whole Church of Christ felt so generally and presently to a wilfull Apostacie I knowe not for myselfe I confesse I had rather forsake the deuise and conceit of some late Writers were they in number moe then they are before I will proclaime so many Apostolike men and ancient and learned fathers to be manifest despisers of the Apostolike discipline and voluntarie supporters if not inuentors of Antichrists pride and tyrannie Wherefore if they shew me Lay Elders vniuersally receiued for gouernours in the Churches and ages next folowing the Apostles I wil agnise they came from the Apostles if there were no such after the Apostles I cannot beleeue they were in the Apostles times CHAP. XI What Presbyterie the primitiue Churches and Catholike fathers did acknowledge and whether Lay Elders were any part thereof or no. MAny men thinke and write that the first Churches and fathers after the Apostles retained and vsed Lay Elders for Gouernors and so witnes as they say obscurely Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Augustine more cleerely Ambrose Hierome Possidonius and the Canon law and therefore I doe not well in their opinions to pretend the authoritie of Christes Church against them If all these Fathers or any of them did clearely mention or witnesse Lay Elders
discipline exercised against wicked and dissolute liuers Cùm eis per quos ecclesia regitur adest salua pace potestas disciplinae aduersus improbos auâ— nefarios exercendae c. When they that rule the Church may without breach of peace that is daunger of schisme exercise discipline vpon lewde and wicked offendours then are wee to bee stirred vp with the sharpenesse of those preceptes that leade to seueritie of repressing euill that directing our steppes in the way of the Lorde wee neither slacke vnder the name of patience nor rage vnder the shewe of diligence But Saint Austen in his hundreth thirtie and seuenth Epistle writeth Clero Senioribus vniuersae plebi ecclesiae Hipponensâ—â— to the Cleargie Elders and whole people of the Church of Hippo where the Elders are reckoned by themselues as no part of the Cleargie If naming Elders by themselues make them no parte of the Cleargie by that consequent they be likewise no parte of the people for they be reckoned asimder from the people But these inferences haue no sufficient ground they must be eyther of the Cleargie or people and yet heere they bee named betwixt them The rules of ciuilitie are not alwayes bound to the rules of Logike They that haue preeminence aboue others may be saluted aparte from others though the generall salutation before or after by force of reason doth include them Wherefore if any man answere that Austen naming the whole Cleargie of his Church in that Epistle thought to make a more speciall remembraunce of the better sorte of them by the title of Elders it can not be refuted the wordes doe well endure it If any dislike that exposition let him take Elders in Gods name for the better sorte of the Laitie I meane for the Rulers and Gouernours of the people as if a man shoulde write to the Cleargie Aldermen and Commons of any good Citie for an Alderman is the right English for Senior in Latine when it doth not import an Ecclesiastical function and it is not vnlikely that Austen then absent and writing to the whole Citie diuided the superiour sorte of the Laitie from the Inferiour by that stile Howsoeuer you bestowe the worde it is euident by the whole course of that Epistle those Elders had no power in the Church more then the rest of the people Yea the hearing of the cause then in question about the accusation of Bonifacius a Priest for a foule crime obiected vnto him by an other of the Cleargie did so little concerne them that Austen heard the matter himselfe alone and tooke order in it as hee thought good and kept it from the knowledge of them all And in this Epistle giuing a reason why he did not remooue Bonifacius from his degree at the first examining of the matter hee saieth Nomen Presbyteri proptereà non sum ausus de numero Collegarum eius vel supprimere vel delere ne diuinae potestati sub cuius examine causa adhuc pendet facere viderer iniuriam si illius iudicium meo vellem iudicio praeuenire The name of his Priest I durst not suppresse or strike out from the number of the Colleagues lest I shoulde seeme to offer wrong to Gods iudgement vnder whose triall the matter yet dependeth if I shoulde preuent his iudgement with my censure Reade the Epistle if he attribute any more to those Elders then hee doeth to the lowest of the people and Cleargie if he did not take the whole cause into his owne hands and set an order in it without their consents or priuities I wil agnise your Lay Elders Happely you thinke Saint Austen did the Lay Elders wrong to keepe this cause from them and to deale in it without them I can not let you from so thinking but all that be well aduised will rather suppose Lay Elders had nothing to doe with such cases in Saint Austens time and that the good Bishop did not close up such horrible offences by wrongfull withholding the cause from the knowledge of the Elders to whome by order of the Church it then appertained but hee kept it from them and the rest with good conscience vsing his owne right ne atrociter inaniter contristando turbaret as himselfe saieth Lest hee shoulde trouble their mindes with a grieuous sorrowe to no purpose Gregories authoritie is quoted out of the Canon Lawe for name of Lay Elders which sure were verie strange that sixe hundreth yeeres after Christ the power of Lay Elders shoulde remaine in the Church and their name all this while not heard of but I thinke we shall finde no more heere then wee did before If saieth Gregorie anie thing come to thine eares of anie Clerke whomsoeuer which may iustly offend thee beleue it not easely sed praesentibus ecclesiae tuae Senioribus but in the prefence of the Elders of thy Church search out the truth diligently and if the qualitie of the matter shall so require let the offendour be punished according to the rigour of the Canons Elders of the Church I heare Lay Elders I heare not and by the Lawes Imperiall long before this established euen in Ambroses time a Clergie mans cause could not be examined and determined but by men of the same right and the same calling And of all others Gregorie is the vnfittest man to prooue that Lay Elders should haue the hearing and deciding of Cleargie mens causes who could not endure that any thing whatsoeuer pertaining to the Cleargie shoulde bee committed to the hands of Lay men Cauendum est à fraternâ—â—ate vestra ne Secularibus viris at que non sub regula nostra degentibus res ecclesiasticae committantur Your brotherhoode must beware that Ecclesiasticall matters bee not committed to Secular men and such as liue not vnder our profession The punishement which by the very wordes must be Canonicall or according to the Canons sheweth that these Elders were the discreetest and wisest of his Clergy For what haue Lay men to do either with the knowledge or execution of the Canons What reason to charge theÌ„ with the Canons to whom the Canons were not written Hee meaneth therefore the Elders of his Church that is such Cleargie men as were of best account and greatest experience in his Church And so the Councell of Turon decreed Quem negligentia eijcit cum omnium Presbyterorum consilio reâ—utetur whom negligence maketh vnworthie of his place let him bee remooued by the aduise of all the Presbyters And Gregorie himselfe saieth Lest there be any dissention amongst brethren lest any discord be nourished inter Praepositos Subiectos betweene the Rulers of the Church and those that be vnder them in vnum conuenirâ— Sacerdotes necesse est It is needful for the Priests to meete in one place together that they may discusse such causes as happen and wholsomly conferre about Ecclesiastic all rules so as things past may bee amended and an order set for thinges to
as the people that were under them Our answere is easie and readie to all that you haue brought first the Bishops of the Primitiue Church which succeeded one another in euery place were all one with Presbyters as Ierome telleth you and then we graunt without exception all that you haue alleaged out of these ancient Fathers and Writers Next â—hen they make any difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters as sometimes they doe by Bishops they vnderstand all Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and by Presbyters they meane the laie Elders which wee seeke to restore Thirdly if you could prooue that Bishops were aboue other Ministers of the worde and Sacraments yet that superioritie was nothing els but a power to call the rest together to propose matters in doubt vnto them and to aske their voyces and consents by which the Bishops of those times were directed and from which they might by no meanes diuert to their owne wils and pleasures I know how easie readie a thing it is with you to say what you list if you may be trusted without any further triall but if it please you substantiallie to prooue these things which you afffirme or but any one of them you shal find it is a matter of greater difficultie and longer studie then you take it for Did you pleade before the poorest Iurie that is for earthly trifles they would not credite your worde without some witnesse and in matters of religion that touch the peace safetie of the whole Church of Christ do you looke your voluntarie should bee receiued without all authoritie or testimonie to warrant it if your follie be such as to expect so much at other mens hands their simplicitie is not such as to yeeld it In deed to my conceiuing the summe of your answer is very like the form of your discipline for neither of theÌ„ hath any proofe possibilitie nor cohereÌ„cie Toprooue the Bishops calling to be different from the Presbyters that yet helped in the word and Sacraments I shew that Bishops ordained ministers which Presbyters by the iudgement and assertion of the Primitiue Church might not doe and that in euery Church there were or might be many Presbyters according to the necessitie of the place but no more then one Bishop in euerie Church did or might succeed the Apostles in their chaires Hence I conclude that Bishops euer since the Apostles times were distinguished from those Presbyters that assisted the Pastour of each place in the word and Sacraments You answere that either Bishops were all one with Presbyters or if there were any difference betwixt them Presbyters then were laie Elders In which words you close not onely a monstrous falsitie but a manifest contrarietie For in effect you say Presbyters were Bishops and no Bishops Presbyters were no Laie men and yet Laie men If Presbyters were Bishops they were no Laie Elders if they were Laie Elders they were no Bishops You must therefore choose the one and refuse the other as false and repugnant to the former Take which you will the choise must be yours what you will answere The Bishops which succeeded the Apostles were the Pastors and ministers of euery parish the Presbyters were the Laie Elders that together with the Bishop gouerned the Church in common Could you make any proofe for laie Elders either in Scriptures or Fathers you had some shew to mistake Presbyters for laie Elders but I haue alreadie perused the weakenesse of your ghesses and withall made iust and fullproofe for the contrarie that the Primitiue Church of Christ had no Presbyters but ministers of the worde and Sacramentes If you bee loth to turne backe to the place heare what the great Affrican Councill saieth wherein sate besides S. Augustine 216. Bishops In the former Councill saieth Aurelius We thought meete that these three degrees tied to a kind of continencie by reason of their consecration I meane Bishops Presbyters and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becommeth Bishops Priests of God Leuites seruiters about the diuine SacrameÌ„ts shold be continent in all things All the Bishops answered we like wel that all which stand or serue at the aultar should bee continent Then Presbyters were consecrated and Priests to God and approched to the aultar and ministred the diuine Sacraments The Imperiall lawes say as much Touching the most reuerend Presbyters and Deacons if they be found to giue false euidence in a pecuniarie cause Sufficiat pro verberibus tribus annis separari à sacro ministeria it shall suffice for them in stead of whipping to be three yeeres separated from the sacred ministerie but if in criminall causes they beare false witnesse clero nudatoâ— legitimis poenis sub di praecipimus wee commaund them to bee degraded of their Clergie and subiected to the penalties of the lawe Then Presbyters in the Primitiue Church were both of the Clergie and sacred ministerie as the very lawes of the Romane Empire doe testifie Ierome on whose words you so much depend saieth Hac vt ostenderemus apud veteres eosdem fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos All these places prooue that in ancient times Presbyters and Bishops were all one And againe Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi debent magnoperè prouidere vt cunctum populum cui praesident conuersatione sermone praecedant Quia vehementer ecclesiam Christi destruit meliores esse Laicos quà m Clericos The Bishops Presbyters and Deacons ought greatly to prouide that they excell all the people which are vnder them in conuersation and doctrine because it vehemently destroyeth the Church of Christ to haue the Laie men better then the Clergie men And Augustine Quicunque aut Episcopus aut Presbyter aut Laicus c. Whosoeuer either Bishop Presbyter or Laie man doth declare how eternall life may be gotten hee is worthily called the messenger of God Then if Bishops were no Laie men no more were Presbyters You must therefore send your laie Elders to the New-found land the Christian world neuer heard of any such ecclesiasticall Gouernours before some men in our age began to set that fansie on foote As for Presbyters that were Clergie men and ministers of the word we shew you both by the Scriptures and stories they were many in one Church and yet was there in euery Church and Citie but one of them that succeeded the Apostles as Pastour of y â— place with power to impose handes for the ordaining of Presbyters and Deacons Those successours to the Apostles the Church of Christ euen from the Apostles age hath distinguished from other Presbyters by the two proper markes of episcopall power and function I meane Succession Ordination and called them bishops Thus much is mainlie prooued vnto you by all those Apostolike Churches that had many Presbyters as helpers in the word and neuer but one Bishop that succeeded in the Apostolike chaire At Alexandria this succession began from Marke the Euangelist and
coÌ„fortably in it she like wise put a differeÌ„ce betwixt her Bishops and Presbyters Which of these things can you chalenge as vnchristian and vnlawfull or what warrant had Aerius to reproue the whole church of God for so doing Iust as much as you haue now to defend him which is none at all He reprooued praying and not thanks giuing for the dead He reprooued the naming of the dead and would needes know to what end they rehearsed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the names of the dead To whome Epiphanius answereth As for the repeating of the names of the dead what can be better or more opportune then that they which are yet behind in this world beleeue the deceased liue and are not extinguished but are and liue with God and as the diuine doctrine hath taught that they which pray haue hope of their brethren absent as in a long voiage from them We also make mentioÌ„ of the iust as of the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelists Martyrs Confessors Bishops and of all sortes to separate the Lord Iesus from the order of men and to giue him his due honour and worship Thus farre Epiphanius speaketh soundly and giueth good reasons why the Church named her dead euen her hope of their welfare and faith of their life with God and separation of al men from the Lord Iesus the Redeemer and Sauiour of the world Chrysostoms liturgie sheweth what commemoration of the dead was vsed in the Greeke Church We offer this reasonable seruice that is the Eucharist of praise and thankesgiuing vnto thee O Lord for all that are at rest in the faith of Christ euen for the Patriarkes Prophets Apostles Euangelists Bishops Martyrs Confessours and euery soule initiated in the faith But chiefly for the most holy vndefiled and most blessed virgin Marie He that thinketh all the Patriarkes Prophets Martyrs Apostles and the virgin Marie were in Purgatorie had neede of purgation himselfe to be eased of his melancholy yet for these and specially for the blessed virgin the Church offered hir praiers and sacrifice to God It is therfore most euident y â— church meant the sacrifice of thanksgiuing howsoeuer Epiphan Austen and some others to extend the prayers of the Church to all Christians departed doubtfully suppose their damnation might be mitigated though their state could not be altered But these priuat speculations were neither comprised in y â— praiers of the church nor confirmed by them and for that cause Aerius is iustly traduced as frantikely impugning the religions and whole some customes of the primitiue catholike Church of which Saint Austen saith Siquid tota hodie per orbem frequent aâ— Ecclesia hoc quin ita faciendum sit disputare insolentissimae insanâ—ae est If the whole Church throughout the world at this day obserue any thing to reason for the reuersing of it is most insolent madnes If you thinke S. Austens censure too sharpe for the matter in question betwixt vs heare the iudgement of the general Councill of Chalcedon where were assembled 630. Bishops and marke what they determine of your assertion Photius Bishop of Tyrus had ordained certaine Bishops within his Prouince whom Eustathius his successour for some secret displeasure remoued from that degree and willed them to remaine Presbyters This case comming before the Councill of Chalcedon the resolution of Paschasinus and Lucentius was this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 To bring backe a Bishop to the degree of a Presbyter is sacrilege Whereto the whole Councill answered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We all say the same the iudgement of the fathers is vpright You may do wel to make more account of the Martyrs and Fathers that were in the Primitiue Church least if you condemne all men besides your selues posteritie condemne you as void of all sinceritie sobrietie for my part what I finde generally receiued in the first Church of Christ I wil see it strongly refuted before I wil forsake it God forbid I should thinke there was neuer Church nor faith on the face of the earth since the Apostles times before this miserable age wherein though I acknowledge the great blessing of God restoring vs to the trueth of his Gospell farre aboue our deserts yet I cannot but lament the dangerous factions eager dissentions and headie contempts whereby the Church of God is almost rent in sunder whiles euery man will haue his deuise take place and when they want proofes they fall to reproches We make that account of the primitiue Church that Caluin and other learned men before vs haue done You do not No learned meÌ„ of any age haue shewed themselues like to the spiteful disdainful humors of our times And of all others you do Caluin wrong who though in some things he dissented from the Fathers of the Primitiue Church in expounding some places that are alleaged for this new discipline yet grauely wisely he giueth them that honor and witnes which is due vnto theÌ„ His words treating of this very point are these It shall be profitable for vs in these matters of discipline to reuiew the forme of the ancient or primitiue Church the which will set before our eies the image of the diuine ordinance for though the Bishops of those times made many Canons in which they seeme to decree more then is expressed in the sacred Scriptures yet with such warinesse did they proportion their whole regiment to that only rule of Gods word that you may easily see they had almost nothing in their discipline different from the word of God I could wish that such as seeme to reuerence so much his name would in this behalfe followe his steps He declared himselfe to beare a right Christian regarde to the Church of Christ before him and therefore is woorthie with all posteritie to be had in like reuerend account though hee were deceiued in some things euen as Augustine and other Fathers before him were The wisedome of God will haue no man come neere the perfection of the Apostles and therefore no blemish to him that wrate so much as he did to bee somewhat ouerseene in Lay Elders and other points of discipline being so busied as he was with weightie matters of doctrine and interpreting the whole Scriptures But such as haue had better leisure to examine this matter since his death persist still in the same opinion that he did But not in the same moderation they would else not charge the primitiue church of Christ with inuenting and vpbolding an humane bishop this is deuised by man and not allowed by God whereas Caluin granteth the ancient regiment of bishops was agreeable to the worde of God and rule of the sacred Scriptures If wee looke into the thing it selfe he meaneth the gouernment of the Primitiue Church we shal finde the ancient Bishops neuer intended to frame anie other forme of gouerning the Church then that which God in his word prescribed Now what kind of gouernment
perpetuall ordinance as your selues confesse there must be one chiefe and Pastour of ech Church and Presbyterie to guide aswel the Presbyters that are Teachers as the flocke that are hearers with that power which Gods Law alloweth vnto Pastours Tell me now I pray you what difference betwixt chiefe Pastors established in euery City by Gods law as you are forced to grant and Bishops succeeding the Apostles in their Churches chaires as the Fathers affirme If you mislike the worde Bishop it is Catholike and Apostolike if you mislike the office it is Gods ordinance by your owne assertion We grant the name of a Bishop and regiment of a Pastor are confirmed by the holie Ghost but you yeeld more to your chiefe Pastours and Bishops then the word of God alloweth them as namely you suffer them to continue for life where they should gouerne but for a moneth or a weeke you alotte them Dioeceses which should be but parishes you giue them not onely a distinction from Presbyters but a iâ—risdiction ouer Presbyters who shoulde bee all one with Presbyters and subiect to the most voyces of the Presbyters all which things wee say are against the Scriptures You frame Churches to your fansies and then you straight way thinke the Scriptures doe answere your deuises If we giue Bishops any thing which the ancient and Catholike Church of Christ did not first giue them in Gods name spare vs not let the world knowe it but if we preferre the vniuersall iudgement of the Primitiue Church in expounding the Scriptures touching the power and function of bishops before your particular and late dreames you must not blame vs. They were neerer the Apostles times and likelier to vnderstand the Apostles meanings then you that come after fifteene hundred yeres with a new plot of Church gouernment neuer heard of before All the churches of Christ throughout the world could not at one time ioyne in one and the selfe same kind of gouernment had it not bene deliuered and setled by the Apostles and their Schollers that conuerted the world So many thousand Martyrs and Saints that liued with the Apostles would neuer consent to alter the Apostles discipline which was once receiued in the Church without the Apostles warrant Wherefore we conster the Apostles writings by their doings you measure the Scriptures after your owne humours Whether of vs twayne is most likelie to hitte the trueth As for your repining at the things which we giue to bishops we greatly regard it not so long as the Scriptures doe not contradict them wee smile rather at your deuises which say that a bishop should gouerne for a weeke and then change and giue place to the next Presbyter for an other weeke and so round by course to all the Presbyters What Scripture confirmeth that circular and weekely regiment of yours By what authoritie do you giue it the name of a diuine institution when it is a meere imagination of yours without proofe or trueth She we one example or authoritie for it in the newe Testament and take the cause Succession by course was ordained by God after the example of the Priests of Aaron Did the sonnes of Aaron loose their Priesthoode when their courses were ended No but they serued in the Temple by course and so were Bishops appointed by Gods ordinance to guide the Presbyterie Is this all the ground you haue vpon this slender and single similitude to make Gods ordinance what please you If such reasons may serue we can sooner conclude the perpetual function of bishops then you can the weekly for not onely the high Priest kept his honour during his life but likewise euery Priest that was chiefe of his order Indeede their courses being ended they departed home but they lost not their dignitie But what rouing is this in matters of weight Will anie wise men be mooued with such ghesses Make vs good proofe out of the Scriptures or leaue tying Gods ordinance to your appetites Ambrose is the man that affirmeth it If you come once to Fathers I hope we haue tenne to one that affirme otherwise If Ambrose did say so wee coulde not beleeue him against all the rest of the Fathers yea and against the Scriptures themselues election of Bishops being prescribed by Paul to Timothie and Tite and not succession in order but I denie that Ambrose saith anie such thing He saieth the next in order succeeded He nameth neither change nor course It is your owne deuise it is no part of Ambroses meaning Anianus the next after Marke that was Bishop of Alexandria sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were put to death was hee made by order or by election Ierome saith expresly A Marco Euangelista Presbyteri semper vnum ex se electum c. they of Alexandria euer since Marke the Euangelist did alwayes choose their Bishop hee neuer succeeded in order Neither did Anianus gouerne for a weeke or a yeere hee sate Bishop there two and twentie yeeres as Eusebius writeth and Abilius the next that was chosen after his death sate thirtene yeeres more before hee died and then succeeded Cerdo and the rest in their times all chosen and all sitting in the Pastorall chaire so long as they liued The like you may see in the first Bishops of Rome who kept the Episcopall chaire during life and not by course Linus sate twelue yeres Anacletus twelue Clemens nine Saint Iohn the Apostle liuing and ordering the whole Church whiles the three first Bishops of Rome and of Alexandria succeeded by election and gouerned without chaunging for the terme of their liues Wherefore it is euident this vp-start fansie is far from Gods ordinance If you trust not me marke how your owne friends I wil not say your selues do crosse and confute your owne inuentions You say It is Gods disposition that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or chiefe of your Presbyterie should go by course and that order you call Diuine they say it is accidentall and no part of Gods ordinance Accidentale fuit quod Presbyteri in hac 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 alij alijs per vices initio succedebant It was accidentall that the Presbyters did in this chiefdome at the first beginning succeede one an other by course You tell vs the electing one to continue chiefe of the Presbyterie was an humane order but they assure vs that election in all sacred functions is the commaundement of God and may not be altered Aliud est electionis mandatvm quam immotaÌ„ non tantùm in Diaconis sed etiam in sacris functionibus omnibus seruatam oportuiâ— aliud electionis modus The commandement of election is one thing which must be obserued not onely in Deacons but in all sacred functions the maner of election is an other thing The precept cannot be immutable vnlesse it be diuine and Apostolike others haue no such power to command Now for my learning I would faine know this ruling by
touching Church causes from the Aposiles age to ours haue bene committed to Episcopall audience and execution the question is for Gods Law who shoulde be trusted with the execution thereof And who rather say we then hee that is authorized by God to be the Angel of his Church and steward of his house at whose mouth the rest should aske the Law and be rather subiect vnto him then perch ouer him The execution of Gods Lawe by no meanes wee grant to the Bishop for then wee yeelde him all but in that case though ech Presbyter be inferiour to him yet the whole Presbyterie is aboue him and may both ouer-rule him and censure him That is as much as if you had said when the sheepe list to agree I will not say conspire they must leade their sheepeheard and when the children are wilfull they must rule their father Otherwise if the bishop be Pastor and father to eche Presbyter hee is the like to the whole Presbyterie consequently they must heare obey him as Gods Angel so long as he keepeth within the bounds of his message Nay euery Presbyter is a Pastour and Father as well as the Bishop and equall with him neither hath hee by Gods Lawe any right ouer them but onely by mans deuise Fie on this wauering Sometimes the Bishop shall bee chiefe ouer the Presbyterie by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance Sometimes againe euerie Presbyter shall bee equall and euen with him and hee not chiefe ouer them and when you are a little angrie hee shall bee subiect vnto them and bee censured by them This tapesing to and fro I impute rather to the rawnesse of your discipline not yet digested then to the giddinesse of your heades This it is to wander in the desert of your owne deuises without the line of Gods worde or leuell of his Church to direct you But can you shewe vs by what authoritie you claime this power of your Presbyteries aboue and against their Bishops if by Scriptures produce them if by Fathers then shrinke not from them when they tell you on the other side what power the Bishop had should haue ouer his Presbyters Wee haue both Scriptures and Fathers but specially Scriptures First the Apostles Peter and Paul acknowledge the Presbyters to be Pastours and giue them the feeding ouerseeing and ruling the flock Next the Presbyterie did excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian and imposed hands on Timothie Thirdlie they are the Church which if a man heare not he must bee taken for a Publicane and an Ethnike by Christes commandement Fourthly the common wealth of Israel had apparantly that kind of gouernment which Christ and his Apostles did not alter Lastly the fathers confesse the Churches at first were gouerned with the common counsell of the Presbyters and without their aduise nothing was done in the Church These be the fortes of your late erected Consistorie if these be taken from you you haue no place left whither your maimed discipline may retreat and these are most easilie razed to the ground in order as they stand For FIRST the same power which you claime by Peters and Pauls words vnto Presbyters as Pastours in respect of the flocke committed to their trust you must yeeld vnto Bishops as chiefe Pastors in comparison both of Presbyters and people and so you prooue against your selues for the Bishop is as well chiefe in the Church where he is Gods Angel as in the Consistorie where hee gouerneth the Presbyterie NEXT you cannot conuince that the Presbyterie did either excommunicate the malefactor of Corinth or lay hands on Timothie I haue cleared the inferments of both places before And if you could conclude any such thing which you cannot yet most apparantly the Apostle Paul with his owne mouth adiudged the one and with his owne hands ordained the other THIRDLIE what is meant by the Church in those wordes of Christ if he heare not the Church let him bee as an Ethnike vnto thee I haue alreadie discussed I need not reiterate If you will with the Fathers apply that censure to excommunication you must with the Fathers vnderstand by the Church the Bishops chiefe Rulers of the Church FOVRTHLIE neither had the Iewes that kind of gouernment which you would establish in the Church neâ—did our Lord and Master or his disciples euer prescribe to the Gentiles the iudiciass part or fourme of Moses Iawe more then they did the ceremoniall if Moses policie be abrogated Moses Consistor is may not be continued The Judges cease where the lawe faileth the change of the lawe ceremoniall worketh as the Apostle reasoneth a chaunge of the Priesthoode and euen so the disanulling of their penall iudgements dischargeth all their Iudges and Consistories And were it otherwise what winne you by that against Bishops If your Presbyters must be the Iewes Elders your Presidents must answere to their chiefe Priestes and then haue you spunne afair threed for where you thought to diminish the power of Bishops ouer Presbyters you triple it by this Argument It must be death to disobey the chiefe Priest in all points and parts of Gods Iawe Would you stand to your tackling I would neuer wish a better reason against you for the power of bishops then your owne comparison but you vse to giue backe so fast when you bee pressed that my labour would be but lost to follow you In deede Cyprian doeth vehemently vrge that precept of Deuteronomie and many others of the olde Testament for obedience to be yeelded to himselfe and other Bishops as well by Presbyters as people he that will may see the places LASTLIE for Fathers as your fashion is you take a paring of one or two of theÌ„ where they speake to your liking but reiect both the same and all other ancient writers whenthey mainlie depose against your new discipline That the aduise of Presbyters was at first vsed in the regiment of the Church Ierome and Ambrose seeme towitnesse but that they might ouer-rule or censure the Bishop they neuer said nor meant The safetie of the Church as Ierome thinketh standeth on the dignitie of the chiefe Priest or Bishop to whom except there be giuen a power without any equal and eminent aboue all there will bee as many schismes in the Churches as there be Priests And so Cyprian Thou makest thy selfe Iudge of God and of Christ which sayd to his Apostles and thereby to all Rulers that succeed the Apostles in being ordained their substitutes he that heareth you heareth me and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me For whence haue heresies and schismes heretofore risen and dailyrise but whiles the Bishop which is but one ruleth the Church is despised by the proud presumption of some and that one Bishop he calleth the Leader of the people the Pastour of the flocke the gouernour of the Church the Bishop of Christ and Priest of God Infinite are the testimonies of the Catholike Fathers against the
father so doe you nothing without the Bishop whether you be Presbyter Deacon or Laie man And againe Presbyters bee subiect to your Bishop Deacons to your Pesbyters and Laie men to both My soule for theirs that obserue this order the Lord will be alwayes with them The Canons reporting the ancient discipline that obtained in the Church from the Apostles times say Let the Presbyters and Deacons doe nothing without the consent of the Bishop for the Bishop is hee to whose charge the people are committed and who shall render an account for their soules Tertullian that liued in the next age after the Apostles prooueth that in his time neither Presbyter nor Deacon might baptize without the Bishops leaue The right to giue baptisme hath the high Priest which is the Bishop then the Presbyters and Deacons Non tamen sine Episcopi authoritate propter ecclesiae honorem quo saluo salua pax est but not without the Bishops authoritie for that honour the Church yeeldeth to Bishops which being preserued peace is maintained Emulation is the mother ofschismes The Councill of Ancyra that was elder then the Councill of Nice sheweth It was not lawfull for Rurall Bishops to ordaine Presbyters or Deacons nor for the Presbyters of the Citie to doe any thing out of their charge without the licence and letters of the Bishop The Councill of Laodicea expressing the Bishops preeminence saieth The Rural Bishops that are alreadie made must doe nothing without the consent of the Bishop of the Citie Likewise the Presbyters must do nothing without the liking of their Bishop The Councill of Arle in Constantines dayes Presbyteri sine conscientia Episcoporum nihil faciant The Presbyters may do nothing without the knowledge or consent of the Bishop Ierome giueth the same reason for it that Tertullian doeth if the chiefe Priest should not haue power eminent aboue all without partner there would be as many schismes as there be Priests Inde venit vt sine Episcopi missione neque Presbyter neque Diaconus ius habeant baptizandi Thence is it that without the Bishops leaue neither Presbyter nor Deacon may baptize If Presbyters by the discipline of the Primitiue Church were to obey their Bishop and might doe nothing no not baptize without the bishops leaue how farre were they frō ouer-ruling censuring their bishop by number of voices which you attribute to your Presbyters This was that custome of the Church which Ierome confessed was against the Diuine disposition If this were the custome of the Primitiue Church then were their Presbyteries nothing like your Consistories neither did the Bishop as a Consul in the Senate aske voices and execute what the most part decreed but as a Pastour he gouerned ouer-looked as well the Presbyters as the people and without his consent and liking the Presbyters might doe nothing no not haptize nor administer the Lordes supper neither doeth Ierome say that this custome of the Church was against the diuine disposition hee is so farre from condemning it that he saieth the safetie of the Church dependeth thereon but Ierome willeth the Bishops to remember that though the whole care and ouersight of the Church bee now giuen to them and taken from Presbyters for preuenting of schismes yet they should vse them with honour and consult with them for the good of the Church because by the trueth of the diuine disposition afore schismes began they were trusted in common with the regiment of the Church That disposition which hee calleth diuine wee seeke torestore By pretence of those wordes you proclaime your owne deuises vnder the title of Gods ordinance Otherwise the charge that Paul giueth Timothie maketh stronglie for Bishops against your Presbyteries but that we interprete his wordes by the practise of the Church and thereby conceiue that though the chiefe power and care were committed to Bishops yet their Presbyteries were not excluded for as then Bishops had no meanes to bee directed or assisted but onely their Presbyteries Afterwards when vpon the generall preuailing of the Gospell on the face of the earth Synodes began to assemble and the Pastors of diuers Churches vsed by letters and meetings to conferre about such orders and rules as they thought needfull to bee obserued in all their Churches the Presbyteries of euery particular place had more leasure and leaue to play by reason prouinciall Councils vndertooke the debating and resoluing of those doubts and difficulties that before troubled the Presbyteries And as you tie your President to the execution of such things as your Presbyters shall decree so the Primitiue Church of Christ had greater reason and better ground to binde her Bishops to see those things perfourmed which were concluded by generall assent of the Bishops and Pastours of any Prouince Where you may see vpon what occasion the power of Presbyteries first decreased not that Bishops wrongfully encroched on their liberties and violentlie ouer-mastered them but what things were before handled and debated in the Presbyteries of each place came nowe to be discussed and concluded in the Synodes and full assemblies of all the Bishops and Pastours of one kingdome or Countrey So that Synodes in consultation and determination of all ecclesiastical griefes and causes were preferred by the Primitiue Church of Christ as Courtes of greater iudgement higher power better experience and more indifferencie then Presbyteries and if malice doe not blinde you you will confesse the same Was it possible to finde in any Presbyterie so many graue wise learned and sufficient men as in a Prouince In Presbyteries affections and factions mightilie preuaile by reason men that liue together vpon liking or disliking soone linke togither In Synodes where all were strangers to themselues and to the parties no such thing could be feared In Presbyteries it was easie for the Bishop to haue his forth for that the rest were subiect vnto him and might many wayes be displeased by him if he would seek reuenge In Synodes they were all his brethren and equals no way in danger to him and therefore the more likelie to bee sincere and indifferent Iudges And as for authoritie I trust your selues doe not meane in euery Parish to erect a Pope and a Colledge of Cardinals from whom there shall be no appeale of whose wrongs there shall be no redresse whose censures must stand indissoluble that were of all tyrannies the most intollerable In all Christian societies the whole of like power and calling is greater then any part and a Prouince must bee respected before a Parish Wherefore Presbyteries must yeeld to Synodes and the Bishop of each place is more bound to regard and execute Synodal then Presbyterall decrees This whiles you marke not you imagine the whole Church of Christ conspired against Presbyters to suppresse them to change the Apostolicall forme of regiment where in deed the decrees of Councils and lawes of Christian princes moderating and determining all those doubts and
and Bishops that they should receiue inuestiture from him So that if any were chosen Bishop by the Clergie and people except he were also approoued inuested by the said king he should not be consecrated Which priuâ—lege to giue Bishoprikes and Abbeys by a ring and a staffe continued in the Romane Emperors more then 300. yeeres after Charles and was restored to Henry the fift 1111. yeeres after Christ by Paschalis the second not afterward wrested froÌ„ him his successors by the bishop of Rome but with extreme treacherie bloodshed and violence As the Emperours of Rome vsed this superioritie in elections of bishops foure hundred yeeres before Charles so the kings of France continually practised the same three hundred yeeres before the Empire came to their handes After Licinius the ninth bishop of Turon in the tenth place Theodorus and Proculus were surrogated by the commandement of Queene Chrodieldis wife to Chlodoueus the first christian King of France The eleuenth was Dinifius who came to the Bishopricke by the election of the said king The twelfth was Ommatius who was ordained by the commandement of king Clodomere one of Chlodouees sonnes At Aruerne foure yeeres after Chlodouees death Theodorike another of his sonnes commaunded Quintianus to be made Bishop there and al the power of the Church to be deliuered vnto him adding hee was cast out of his owne Citie for the zeale and loue hee bare to vs. And the Messengers straite way departing called the Bishops and people together and placed him in the chaire of the Church of Aruerne And when Quintianus was dead Gallus by the kings helpe was substituted in his chaire After whose decease Cato elected by the Clergie and most part of the people bare himselfe for bishop but when king Theodoualdus heard it certaine Bishops were called vnto Mastright and Cautinus ordayned Bishop and directed by the kings commaundement to Aruerne was gladly receiued of the Clergie and Citizens there The same Cato was afterward chosen by the precept of King Chlotharius to the bishopricke of Turon for so the Clergie tolde him non nostra te voluntate expetiuimus sed Regis praeceptione We desired thee not of our owne wils but by the kings commandement which hee refused and thereupon they of Turon suggested another to the King to whom the king replied Praeceperam vt Cato Presbyter illic ordinaretur cur est spreta nostra iussio I commanded that Cato the Presbyter should be ordained Bishop there and why is our commaundement despised They answered We requested him but hee woulde not come And whiles they were with the king Cato himselfe came and besought the king that Cautinus being remooued hee might be placed at Aruerne At which the king smiling hee then secondly requested he might be ordained at Turon which before he had neglected To whom the king saide I first commanded they shoulde consecrate you to that Bishopricke but as I heare you despised the place and therefore you shal be farre enough from it When Pientius bishop of Poicters was dead Austraphius hoped to succeede in his place But king Charibert one of Chlothaâ—ius sonnes turned his minde and Pascentius succeeded by the kings commandement The like precepts of diuers christian kings of France 1000. yeeres before our dayes for the making of Iouinus Domnolus Nonnichius Innocentius Sulpitius Promotus Nicetius Desiderius Gundegisilus Virus Charimeres Fronimius and other bishops of France in sundry churches of that realme he that liketh to see may reade in the storie of Gregorie made Bishop of Turon before Gregorie the first was placed to the See of Rome By which it is euident that other Princes besides the Romane Emperours haue from their first profession of Christianitie not onely ruled the elections of Bishops as they saw cause but appointed such as were meete for the places to be consecrated without depending on the voyces of the people or Clergie And what should hinder christian Princes to take this right into their owne handes from the people since there is no precept in Gods Lawe to binde the church that the people shoulde elect their bishops and consequently the manner of electing them must bee left to the lawes of eche Countrie without expecting the peoples consent Bullinger a man of great reading and iudgement alledging both the examples of the Scriptures and the words of Cyprian which are before repeated at large and also the vse of the primitiue Church in choosing their Bishops cócludeth thus Quanquam ex illis omnino colligere nolim deligendi Episcopiâ—us ad promiscuae plebis suffragia esse reducendum Utrum enim totius ecclesiae comitijs an paucorum suffragijs Episcopum designari melius sit nulla potest certa omnibus praescribi ecclesâ—is constitutio Sunt enim alijs regionibus alia Iura alij ritus instituta Si qui abutuntur iure illo per tyrannidem cogantur in ordinem à sancto Magistratu vel transferatur ab eis ius designandi Ministros Satius est enim eligendi munere seniores aliquot ex regis vel magistratus iussu defungi aduocatis consultisque c. Notwithstanding I woulde not collect by these that the right to chuse a Bishop should be recalled to the voyces of the people Whether it were meeter to haue a bishop appointed by the asseÌ„bly of the whole church or by the suffrages of a few there can bee no certaine rule prescribed to all Churches for diuers Countries haue different Lawes and customes But if any tyrannically abuse their right they may be punished by the godly Magistrate or the right of electing taken from theÌ„ for it were better that some graue men by the Magistrates or the kings commaundement made the election calling to them and consulting with such as know what belongeth to the function of a bishop what is fit for the people and church where he shalbe placed and how to iudge of euerie mans learning and maners Beza that holdeth hard for discipline giueth ouer popular elections as no part of Gods ordinance and confesseth that in Geneua it selfe though their state be popular yet they allow the people no such power The erecting of the Deconship saith he was essential neuer to be abrogated in the church of God And the maner of appointing some for that function in the Church to wit by election was likewise essential but that the whole multitude was called togither gaue their voices that was neither essential nor perpetual for after when experience taught that confusion ambitioÌ„ rising by occasioÌ„ of the multitude increased was to be preuented the Synode of Laodicea being indeed but prouincial yet approued by the sixt Oecumenical council prudently took order by their 13. canon that the electioÌ„ of such as were chosen to the sacred ministery should not be permitted to the multitude or to the people not
of his labour they that beget vs nourish vs and continue vs in Christ deserue farre greater honour then they that bring vs into this worlde and prouide onelie for the things of this life Agayne the Church is the bodie of Christ and in that respect as in our bodies so in his not onelie the members haue a common care for the whole but the principall partes must direct and guide the rest namelie the eyes to see the eares to heare and the mouth to speake for the whole body Such therefore as Christ hath placed to be the watchmen leaders the light and salt of his Church must not onely warne and guide but also lighten and season in their measure the whole body for what commission they haue from Christ seuered single in their proper charges the same they must needs retaine assembled and ioined throughout their circuites Yea the Lord so much tendereth the fatherly care and brotherlie concord of the Pastors of his Church that he hath promised to be present in the midst of their assemblies and with his spirite to direct them so they come together not to accomplish their owne lusts and desires but to sanctifie his name by detecting errour resisting wolues maintaining trueth curing the sores and maladies that pester and poison the members of his body Celestinus writing to the generall Council of Ephesus saieth The assemblie of Priestes testifieth the presence of the holie Ghost It is true that is written since the trueth cannot lie and in the Gospel are these wordes Wheresoeuer two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of them This being so if so small a number be not destitute of the holie spirite shall wee not much more beleeue that he is nowe in the midst of you where so great a multitude of holy men are assembled The Councill of Chalcedon applieth the same wordes to the same purpose We sawe say they as we thought the heauenly spouse conuersant amongst vs. For if where two or three are assembled in his name he hath promised hee will bee in the midst of them what peculiar regard thinke we hath he shewed toward those Priestes which haue preferred the knowledge of his confession before Countrey and children So Reccaredus king of Spaine that first abiured the Arrian heresio 589. yeeres after Christ wrate to the Councill of Toledo I perceiued it to be very necessarie that your blessednesse should assemble together in one place giuing trust to the Lordes words when he saieth where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the midst of thē for I beleeue the Godhead of the holy and blessed Trinitie to be present in the sacred Synode and therefore I haue presented my faith in the midst of you as in the presence of God This course the Apostles taught the Church of Christ to follow by their example when about the question that troubled the Church of Antioch the Apostles and Elders came together to examine the matter and to verifie their masters words to be true not onely the Apostles but the whole assemblie wrate thus in their letters It seemed good to the holy Ghost to vs. for if it be sure which the Apostle said the holy Ghost made you ouerseers to feede the Church And if our Sauiour could not be deceiued when hee said he that heareth you heareth me c. this must be verified as well of Pastors assembled as singled yea Pastors gathered together in Christes name are rather assured of his direction and assistance then when they bee seuered vnlesse there bee any that thinketh God inspireth one particular person with righteousnesse and forsaketh a number of Priests assembled in Synode which the Council of Africa reputeth to be very absurd and repugnant to Christes promise so long as they meete together in his name and not to deface his trueth nor oppresse their brethren This hath in all Ages as well before as since the great Councill of Nice bene approoued and practised as the lawfullest and surest meanes to discerne trueth from falshoode to decide doubtes end strifes and redresse wrongs in causes ecclesiastical yea when there were no beleeuing magistrates to assist the Church this was the onely way to cleanse the house of God as much as might be from the lothsome vessels of dishonour and after Christian Princes began to professe and protect the trueth they neuer had nor can haue any better or safer direction amongst men then by the Synodes of wise and godly Pastours A Synode at Antioch about three score yeeres before the Councill of Nice condemned and deposed Paulus Samosatonus for heresie and when he would not yeeld the Church but kept it by violence vpon complaint made to Aurelianus the Emperour though he were an Ethnike Samosatenus was with extreme shame driuen from the church by the worldlie Prince Three score and ten yeeres before that many Synodes were assembled in diuers places for the keeping of Easter as in Palestine vnder Theophilus and Narcissus in Rome vnder Victor in Pontus vnder Palinas in Fraunce vnder Irenaeus in Asia vnder Polycrates The like wee finde in the dayes of Dionysius Bishop of Alexandria of Cornelius Bishop of Rome of Cyprian Bishop of Carthage and the like no doubt was obserued in all Ages of the Church euen from the beginning as necessitie forced and the safetie of the time permitted The great Nicene Councill perceiued and by their decree witnessed how needfull the vse of Synodes was and would bee in the Church of Christ. It seemeth vnto vs very requisite say they that in euerie Prouince twice euery yeere there should be a Synode that all the Bishops of the Prouince meeting together may in common examine such questions as are occurrent in euerie place The Councill of Antioche continued the same course for ecclesiasticall businesses and the determining of matters in controuersie we thinke it very fit that in euery Prouince Synodes of Bishops should bee assembled twise euerie yeere So did the generall Councill of Constantinople It is euident that the Synode in euerie Prouince must gouerne the causes of euery Prouince according as it was decreed in the Councill of Nice The great Councill of Chalcedon reprooued the slacknesse of Bishops in omitting the prescribed number of Synodes It is come to our eares that in some Prouinces the Synodes of Bishops are not kept which are appointed by the Canons and thereby many ecclesiasticall matters which need reformation are neglected This sacred Councill therefore determineth according to the Canons of our godly Fathers that the Bishops of euery Prouince shall twise euery yeere assemble together at the place where the Bishop of the Mother Citie that is the Metropolitane shall appoint to amend all matters emergent within their Prouince The tedious length of the iourney and pouertie of the Churches in some
places forced the Bishops to assemble but once in the yeere so the Councill of Toledo determined for Spaine This holy generall Council decreeth that the authoritie of the former Canons standing good which command Synodes to be kept twise in the yere in respect of y e length of the way and pouertie of the Churches of Spaine the Bishops shal assemble once in the yere at the place which the Metropolitane shal appoint The 2. Council of Turon tooke the same order for France in cases of necessity It hath pleased this holy council that the Metropolitane the bishops of his Prouince shal meet twise euery yere in Synode at the place which the Metropolitan by his discretiō shal chuse or if there be an ineuitable necessitie then without all excuse of persons and occasion of pretences once in the yeere shall euery man make his repaire And if any Bishop faile so to come to the Synode let him stand excommunicate by his brethren of the same Prouince vntill a greater Synode and in the meane time let no Bishop of an other Prouince presume to communicate with him There is no Christian Realme nor Age wherein the vse of Synodes hath not bene thought needfull as well vnder beleeuing magistrates for consultation and direction as vnder Infidels for the stopping of irreligious opinions withstanding wicked enterprises and procuring the peace and holynesse of the Church as appeareth by the Councils that haue bene kept in all kingdoms and countries since the Apostles times when any matter of moment came in question which are extant to this day and likewise by the Synodes that euery Nation and Prouince did yeerely celebrate according to the rules of the great Nicene and Chalcedon Councils which can not be numbred and were not recorded Neither is the continuance of Prouinciall Synodes prescribed onely by Councils the Imperiall lawes commaund the like That all the ecclesiasticall State and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch Metropolitane to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same Prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clerkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as what so euer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may bee reformed The lawes of Charles alleaging the Councils of Antioch and Chalcedon that the Bishops of euery Prouince with their Metropolitane should assemble in Councill twise in the yeere for the causes of the Church commaund that course to be continued and twise euery yeere Synodes to be assembled And vnlesse you giue the Pastor and Presbyters of euery parish full and free power to professe what religiō they best like to offer what wrongs they will to vse what impietie and tyrannie they themselues list without any restraint or redresse which were an heathenish if not an hellish confusiō you must where there is no christian magistrate as oftentimes in the Church of Christ there hath bene and may be none yeeld that libertie to the Church of Christ which euerie humane societie hath by the principles of nature to wit that the whole may guide each part and the greater number ouer-rule the lesser which without assembling in Synode can not be done We neuer meant to denie the authoritie or vse of lawfull Synodes we confesse they are a sure remedy against all confusion but this we dislike that you giue the power to cal Synodes from the Magistrate to the Metropolitane thereby maintaining a needelesse difference amongst Bishops and suffer none but such as you terme Bishops to haue voyces in Councils whereas euerie Pastour and Preacher hath as good right to sit there and by consent and subscription to determine as they haue What right wee yeelde to Christian Magistrates to call Synodes within their Territories shall soone appeare in the meane time you must tell vs who called Synodes in the Primitiue Church before Princes fauoured Christian Religion was it done by Magistrates who then were Infidels or by Metropolitanes And when Princes protected the truth did they moderate prouinciall Councils by their substitutes or was that charge committed to the Bishop of the chiefe and mother Church and Citie in euerie prouince you challenge to bee men of learning and reading speake of your credites who called in ancient times prouinciall Synodes or at any time who moderated them besides Metropolitanes If your Presbyteries by Gods essential and perpetual ordinance must haue a President to rule their actions for auoyding of confusion howe can Synodes be called gouerned without one to prescribe the time and place when and where the Pastours shall meete and when they are met to guide and moderate their assemblies perceiue you not that men liuing in diuers cities and countries and assembling but seldome haue more neede of some chiefe to call them together then those that liue in one place and euery day meete And if confusion and disorder in Presbyteries be pernicious to the Church is it not far more dangerous in Synodes Wherefore you must either cleane reiect Synodes and so make the Presbyters of eache parish supreme and soueraigne Iudges of all Ecclesiasticall matters or if you receiue Synodes you must withall admit some both to conuocate and moderate their meetings The Magistrate may callthem together and themselues when they are assembled may choose a director guider of their actions But when the Magistrate doeth not regard but rather afflict the Church as in times of infidelitie and heresie who shall then assemble the Pastours of any prouince to deliverate and determine matters of doubt or danger Shall error and iniurie ouerwhelme the church of God without any publike remonstrance or refusance In questions of faith cases of doubt matters of faction offers of wrong breach of all order and equitie shall eche place and Presbyterie be free to teach and doe what they please without depending on or so much as cōferring with the rest of their brethren Cal you that the discipline of Christes Church and not rather the dissolution of all peace and subuersion of all trueth in the house of God I thinke you be not so farre besides your selues that you striue for this pestilent kinde of anarchie to be brought into the worlde our age is giddie enough without this frensie to put them forward Howbeit we seeke not what newe course you can deuise after fifteene hundred yeeres to gouerne the Church but what meanes the ancient and Primitiue Church of Christ had before Princes embraced the trueth to assemble Synodes and pacifie controuersies as well touching religion as Ecclesiasticall regiment and if in the Church stories you finde any other besides Metropolicanes that called and gouerned Prouinciall Councils name the men and note the places and we yeeld you the prize Metropolitanes were first established if not deuised by the Council of Nice before that we reade nothing of any Metropolitane
this cause all the scruple is what kinde of Presbyters they were Lay Presbyters I reade of none therfore I can admit none to be of that Council Besides such of the seuēty and such other Prophets as assisted Iames in the regiment of the church of Ierusalem are in all reason expressed by that name for since the whole church there is diuided into Apostles Presbyters and Brethren the helpers coadiutors of the Apostles were they Prophets or Euangelists that either came with Paul Barnabas from Antioch or were commorant with Iames the rest at Ierusalem must rather be contained in the name of Presbyters thē sorted with the general multitude for if they were of the many what men of more worthines were there to be honored with the title of Presbyters I hope the next degree to Apostles are not your Lay Elders S. Paul was then fowly ouershot to set first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Teachers and to reiect Gouernours which you take for your Lay Presbyters into the 7. place Howbeit vnles you make some fresher and better proofe for them then yet I see your Lay Elders are no where numbred by S. Paul for church gouernors As for Presbyters y ◠were beneath Apostles vnderstand by that name prophets euangelists pastors teachers or whom you will so no lay Elders we deny thē neither places nor voices in Synods so long as they haue right to teach or speake in the church for we esteeme Synodes to be but the assemblies conferences of those to whom the Churches of any prouince or nation for the word doctrine are committed And therefore to our Synodes are called as your selues know not only bishops but deanes archdeacons other clerks aswel of the principall cathedrall Presbytery where the episcopall seate church is as of the Diocese at large And though some Romish writers do stifly maintaine that none but bishops haue voices in Councils yet you see the ancient institution of our synodall assembly in this realme ouerthroweth their late new assertion Neither lacke we examples of the course which we keepe euen from the beginning The Synode of Rome called by Cornelius against Nouatus about the yeere of Christ 255 consisted of 60. Bishops and many Presbyters and Deacons as Euseb. noteth From the Synode of Antioch that deposed Paulus Samosatenus about the yere of our Lord 270. wrate not only Bishops but Presbyters Deacons as appeareth by their epistle In the Council of Eliberis about the time of the first Nicene Council sate besides the Bishops 36. Presbyters In the second Councill of Arle about the same time subscribed 12. Presbyters besides Deacons other Clergy mē The like may be seene in the Councils of Rome vnder Hilarius vnder Gregory where 34. Presbyters subscribed after 22. Bishops in y ◠first vnder Symmachus where after 72. bishops subscribed 67. Presbyters so in the third fift sixt vnder the same Symmachus Felix also bishop of Rome kept a Councill of 43. bishops 74. Presbyters after the same maner haue diuers other Metropolitanes assembled in their prouincial synods aswel Presbyters is bishops The council of Antisiodorum saith Let al the Presbyters being called come to the Synode in the city The 4. council of Toledo describeth y ◠celebrating of aprouinciall council in this wise Let the bishops assembled go to the church togither sit according to the time of their ordination After all the bishops are entred and set let the Presbyters be called and the Bishops sitting in a compas let the Presbyters sit behind them and the Deacons stand before them The Councill of Tarracon 1100. yeeres agoe prescribed almost the verie same order that we obserue at this day Let letters be sent by the Metropolitane vnto his brethren that they bring with them vnto the Synode not only some of the Presbyters of the Cathedral church but also of eche Dioecese And why should this seeme strange euen to the Romish crew when as in the great Council of Lateran as they call it vnder Innocentius the third there were but 482. Bishops and of Abbats and Priors conuentuall almost double the number euen eight hundred If Presbyters haue right to sit in Prouincial Synodes why are they excluded from generall Councils Many things are lawful which are not expedient I make no doubt but all pastours and teachers may sit and deliberate in Councill yet would it breede a sea of absurdities to call all the pastors and preachers of the world into one place as often as neede should require to haue any matter determined or ordered in the Church As therefore in ciuill policie when a whole realme assembleth not al y e persons there liuing are called together but certaine chiefe ouer the rest or chosen by y e rest to represent the state and to consult for the good of the whole common wealth so in the gouernement of the Church it were not only superfluous and tedious but monstrous to send for all the Pastors and Presbyters of the whole worlde into one Citie and there to stay them from their cures and Churches till all things needeful could be agreed and concluded It is more agreeable to reason and as sufficient in right that some of euerie place excelling others in dignitie or elected by generall consent shoulde be sent to supplie the roumes of the rest that are absent and to conferre in common for the directing and ordering of the whole Church And therefore Christian Princes in wisedome and discretion neuer sent for all the Presbyters of the world to anie generall Council but onely for the chiefest of euery principall church and citie or for some to be sent from euery realme far distant as legates in the names of the rest and by that meanes they had the consent of the whole world to the decrees of their Councils though not the personall appearance of all the Pastours and Presbyters that were in the world So to the Council of Nice the first christian Emperor sent for by his letters not all the Preachers Presbyters of the world but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Bishops of euery place and there came from all the Churches through Europe Asia and Africa 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the best or chiefest of the Ministers of God each countrey sending not all their Bishops for then would they farrc haue exceded the number of 318. but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most speciall and selected men they had and though there were present an infinite number of Presbyters and Deacons that came with the Bishops yet the Council consisted of 318. Bishops and no more by reason the Emperour sent not for the Presbyters of each place but for the Bishops The like examples are to be seene in the three generall Councils that folowed where onely Bishops determined matters in question and the Presbyters that subscribed in the Councils
of Constantinople and Chalcedon supplied the places of Bishops as their Legates and substitutes which in the Council of Chalcedon is more fully expressed But what need we rip vp these things at large which pertaine not so much to our purpose we seeke nowe for the antiquitie and authoritie of Metropolitanes and those we find not onely receiued and established in the foure first generall Councils but confessed by them to haue anciently continued in the Church euen from the beginning And surely if you graunt Prouinciall Synodes to be ancient and necessarie in the Church of Christ which you cannot denie Metropolitanes must needs be as ancient and requisite without whom the Synodes of each Prouince can neither be conuocated nor moderated If to auoid Metropolitanes you would haue the prerogatiue of calling and guiding Synodes to run round by course which order you fansied before in Bishops our answere is easie we looke not what you can inuent after 1500. yeeres to please your owne humours but what maner of ecclesiasticall gouernment the Church of Christ from the Apostles times established and continued by the generall consent of the whole world and that we prooue was not onely in euery Church and diocesse to haue a Bishop chiefe ouer the Presbyters but in euery Prouince to appoint a Mother Church and Citie and the Bishop thereof to haue this honour and dignitie aboue the rest of his brethren that hee might by letters consult or call together the Bishops of his Prouince for any question or cause that touched the faith or peace of the Church and not onely moderate their meetings but execute their decrees and see them perfourmed throughout his Prouince This was the ancient and originall vse of Christes Church long before any Princes professed the trueth and when they began to vse their swordes for the doctrine and Church of Christ then did Synodes serue for the direction of Christian Princes and Metropolitanes had the execution as well of Princes lawes as Synodall decrees committed to their power and care throughout their Prouince This course if you disdaine or dislike you condemne the whole Church of Christ from the first encreasing and spreading thereof on the face of the earth to this present age and preferre your owne wisedome if it be worthie that name and not rather to be accounted selfe loue and singularitie before all the Martyrs Confessors Fathers Princes and Bishops that haue liued gouerned and deceased in the Church of God since the Apostles deaths How well the heigth of your conceites can endure to blemish and reproch so many religious and famous lights of Christendome I knowe not for my part I wish the Church of God in our dayes may haue the grace for pietie and prudencie to follow their steppes and not to make the world beleeue that all the seruaunts of Christ before our times fauoured and furthered the pride of Antichrist till in the endes of the world when the faith and loue of most men are quenched or decaied we came to restore the Church to that perfection of discipline which the Apostles neuer mentioned the auncient Fathers and Councils neuer remembred the vniuersall Church of Christ before vs neuer conceiued nor imagined We want not the witnesse of auncient Fathers and stories that reprooue the ambicious and tyrannous dominion of Metropolitanes and Archbishops Socrates saieth The Bishoprike of Rome as likewise that of Alexandria were long before his time growen frō the bonds of Priesthood vnto worldly dominion Nazianzene not onely lamenteth the mischiefs which follow these diuersities of degrees but heartilie wisheth there were no such thing that men might be discerned onely by their vertues His words are worth the hearing For this presidencie of Bishops all our estatetottereth shaketh for this the endes of the earth are in a ielousie and tumult both sencelesse and namelesse for this we are in danger to be thought to be of men which in deed are of God and to loose that great and newe name Would God there were neither prioritie of seate neither superioritie of place nor violent preheminence that we might be discerned onely by vertue But the right hand and the left and the midst the higher and lower seate the going before and going euen with haue to no purpose done vs much hurt and cast many into the ditch and brought them to be goates and those not onely of the inferiour sort but euen of the shepeheards which being masters in Israel knew not this You may soone find of the auncient Fathers that misliked the contention ambition and pride of many Bishops in the Primitiue Church but any that misliked their calling you cannot finde The sharper they were in reproouing their vices the sounder witnesses they are in allowing their office If either Socrates or Nazianzene had opposed thēselues against the iudgement of the Nicene Council yea against the whole church of Christ before after them their credites would not haue counteruailed the weight of that antiquitie authoritie which the others caried but in deed neither of thē dispraiseth the wisedom of the Council or custome of the church only they taxe the vices of some persons ambitiō of some places which not content with the christian moderation of their predecessors daily augmented their power and their pride by all meanes possible Socrates saith the bishops of Rome and Alexandria were growen beyond the limits of their Episcopal function 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto power dominion The fault he findeth in that place with Celestinus bishop of Rome was for taking from the Nouatians their churches and compelling their bishop to liue at home like a priuate man But herein Socrates leaned a litle too much in fauour of the Nouatians to mislike more then he sheweth cause why Would God the bishop of Rome had neuer worse offended then in so doing He toucheth Cyrillus bishop of Alexandria with like words for the same cause how iustly let the wise iudge If otherwise either of them aspired aboue the compasse of their calling I am farre from defending any pride in them or in whomsoeuer Nazianzene lighted on very tempestuous troublesom times heresie so raging on the one side discord afflicting the Church on the other that he thought best to leaue all and betake himselfe to a quiet solitarie kind of contemplation Of the councils in his time he saieth I am minded if I must write you the trueth to shunne all assemblies of Bishops because Ineuer sawe a good euent of any Councill that did not rather encrease then diminish our euils Their contention and ambition passeth my speach not that hee condemneth all Councils for what follie had that bene in so wise a man but he noteth the diseases of his time the Church being so rent in pieces vnder Valens that it could not be restored nor reformed in many yeeres after Euen so in the wordes which you alleage he traduceth not the vocation or
hearing of such griefes then â—ate the Presbyters with the Bishop onely as beholders and aduisers of his iudgement that the matter being publike might be handled with the more grauitie and sinceritie not withstanding to examine it or reuerse it pertained only to the assemblie of the bishops of the same prouince If none but Bishops may ex communicate how do your Iudges of the ciuill Law which are no Ministers take vpon them to do it They take not vpon them the power of the keies committed to the Apostles and their successours but inâ—â—icâ—â— punishment for disobedience containing all those penalties that by lawe were ordained for such as contemned the keies of the Church by what name soeuer they call it be it a suspension condemnation or excommunication it greatlie skilleth not so long as they claime it not by Gods Law but by mans and yet if the sentence of the Canon wrappe all contempt within the band of excommunication I see no cause but lay Iudges may denounce the offendour to be within the compasse of the Canon for that is more then if they pronounced him wilfully obstinate and consequently to haue incurred the sentence of excommunication which the Canon decreeth And of all men you should not be so curious which giue your laie Presbyters power to consure their Pastour by number of voices and make excommunication to be the iudgement of the whole Church comprising as well the people as the Presbyters for our parts though we take the power of the keies to be common to al that haue Pastorall charge of soules in their degree yet to auoide the infinite showers of excommunication which would ouerslow all Churches and parishes and the intollerable quarrels and brabbles that would ensue if euerie Presbyter might excommunicate at his pleasure we praise the wisedome of Gods Church in suffering no inferiour to excommunicate without the Bishops consent and licence and for ought that I knowe we followe the same rule Surely had we two or three hundred excommunicatours where we haue one lightnings â—â—ie not so fast about in a tempest as excommunications would in euerie diocese To increase the power of Bishops you make them Pastours ouer Churches but when it commeth to the discharging of Pastorall care they be furthest off but grant them to be Pastours they can be but ouer those Churches that are in Cities ouer whole shires they cannot be since they can not be present in so many places to do any Pastoral dueties Had we first deuised or else diuided dioceses for bishops you might well haue chalenged vs for making them larger then Pastorall care might extend vnto but your quarel in deede is not to the length or breadth of their dioceses which must wholy bee referred to the wisedome and consideration of the State you dislike that a Bishop should haue any Diocese at all or gouerne any Church besides that one wherein he teacheth and administreth the Sacraments which nice conceit of yours not onely condemneth the whole primitiue Church of Christ that assigned Dioceses vnto bishops but contradicteth the verie grounds and examples of that gouernement which the Apostles left behind them Did the Apostles appoint Dioeceses for Bishops that were newes indeede No such newes but that your owne Principles wil confirme the same for what order say you did the Apostles leaue behind them to gouerne the Church Did they trust one Pastour or Presbyter alone in eche place to doe as hee thought good Or else did they prouide direction and assistance in dangerous and doubtful cases to guide him and helpe him in the gouernement of the church The power of one man in ech church to doe what he will be he Pastour or Presbyter your selues affirme is Antichristian and diuelish And I thinke you say trueth if he will haue neither associats to restraine him nor superiours to ouerlooke him That were to plant a Pope in euerie parish with plenitude of power to do what pleaseth himselfe What you detest in Bishops I hope you will not endure in the Presbyter or Pastour of euery parish church in the Countrey that hee shall take vpon him alone to guide his flocke as hee seeth cause without consent or ouersight of anie man You may be sure we abhorre it as the poyson of all pietie and the very roote of Antichristes pride Meanes to auoyde it I see none but that euery rurall Pastour must haue either a Presbytery in the place with him or the Bishop of an other church appointed ouer him that may both direct him and rule him as he doth the Presbyters of his owne citie If he haue no helpe at home he must needes seeke it abroad one of the twaine is ineuitable Nowe for Presbyteries there is no possibilitie to haue either so many meete Clergie men or so much maintenance as will serue them in euery country parish fit Pastours for so many places putting one to a Parish coulde neuer yet be founde Whence then shall wee get so many thousand able Presbyters as to furnish â—ch parish with three or foureâ— which are few enough and too few respecting the burden that they must be are in the sight of God and man Againe had we store of men which wee haue not nor no age before vs had from whome shall we haue maintenance for them and theirs From the people Halfe the realme of England employed to that vse will etten but serue The people nowe yeelde a tenth part vnto God and their Minister which proportion is so moderate that where the parishes are small the Pastour hath worke enough to liue thereon then must they consequently giue fiue parts of ten which is iust the halfe of allthey haue before there can be any shew of a Presbyterie in euerie parish I doe not aske you how wel the people that are God knoweth poore enough in many places with these nine parts which they haue will like to spare so much to the furthering of your fansies or howe a Christian Prince can bigest to haue all her subiects so disabled and halfe the realme allotted to support your conceits these blockes and a hundred such you neuer stumble at whiles you runne your selues out of breath to pursue the perfection and profit of your discipline but this I would know did the Apostles besides the reliefe of the poore which indeede is a diuine precept impose this charge on euerie parish by Gods commandement or did euer any Christian kingdome or common wealth since Christes ascension abide this yoke If they did shew the instance and claime your maintenance if you can shewe no such thing doe you not perceiue that your little fingers are heauier to Gods people then the Apostles loynes were and that your discipline is farre greeuouser to the faithfull then their doctrine The best is you may talke long enough before either Prince or people rich or poore will admit or endure this chargeable frame of your needlesse and proofelesse gouernement To amend these flawes which rend the