Priests rather by the custome of men then the constitution of God c. I aunswere that it was the priuate opinion of Hierome consenting with Aerius dissenting from the worde of God Wherefore we are now diligently to examin his reasons for that his assertion least wee might seeme without cause to haue forsaken him These therefore are his wordes Before that through the instigation of Satan there were parts taking in the Church and the people sayd I holde of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were gouerned by the common consent of Eldres but after that once euery man thought those that he baptised were his owne and not Christs it was decreede throughout the whole worlde that one chosen from among the Priests should be placed ouer the rest vnto whome the whole care of the Church should appertaine and by whom al occasion of Scisme should be taken away c. That here he saith how that at the beginning the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the Elders I will not greatly stand with him and yet that proueth not that the Bishops were not afterwards preferred by the Lord his institution For then might we not as well say and with as good reason that the Elders thēselues and the Doctors which the Apostles created were not according to the Lord his institution because at the first the Church was gouerned of the Apostles without Elders or Deacons when as yet there were neyther Elders nor Deacons But that the Apostles themselues gouerned the Churches by themselues and some other theyr coadiutors before there were any Elders there is no man but knoweth or may learne to know out of the Epistle to Titus And likewise whosoeuer is of any iudgement or hath not his iudgement blinded may easely gather of the thing it selfe that in those beginnings while yet the Churches might bee visited euer and anone of the Apostles themselues and theyr associats so long it was not needeful they should annoint any other Bishops ouer the Churches the Elders might serue the turne Who also so long as there were no other besides the Apostles might likewise be called Bishops So also I confesse that there was a time when the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the people as in Creete before the creation of Elders and at Corinth and at Rome which afterwards hauing theyr Elders as at Philipos and at Ephesus were then ruled by their more sacred counsel but yet vnder the care and ouersight of the Apostles and Euangelists Wherfore hitherto it followeth not of all this that rhe Apostles as God afforded able men did not prefer ouer seueral Churches seuerall Bishops them ouer the other Elders that they succeeding in place of the Apostles might performe those very same things which the Apostles them selues would if they could eyther haue liued alwayes or haue been euery where resident But in deede what need had they of Bishops so lōg as the Apostles themselues discharged the duty of Bishops And yet when as in the whole world the number of Churches did daily increase so that the Apostles could not stay in one place nor goe to all places of force and as soone as neede was they created Bishops vnto whome they committed that charge as were Titus and Timothy and many other no doubt with the same power and according to the same diuine institution of God by the which before they created Elders But that Hierom saith how that Bishops became greater then Elders of custome rather then of any diuine institution it hath no semblaunce of truth Which challenge I make good vppon him first from the time when he saith this custome began Before sayth he through the instigation of the diuell they began to make sects in the Church aad it was sayd among the people I holde of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were ruled by the common counsell of Elders c. But now those factions began vnder the Apostles and therefore that custome began in good time and the Apostles themselues for the auoyding of scisme altered if not abrogated the Lord his institution The which me thinks were more then absurde to say Our Sauiour no doubt who is the wisedome of his father knew much better then the Apostles what was needfull and commodious for the preuenting of scisme Whome as it did not beseeme to seeme more wise then their master so was it not theyr partes for the default of one Church to alter Gods institution Againe how knewe Hierome that before those scismes brake foorth the Church of Corinth had theyr Elders by whose councell they were ruled It is more likely by Paul his Epistles all circumstances considered that they had as then none especiall and peculiar Elders If any man come in and say that these thinges happened after the Apostles time and that Hierome did not so much respect the Church of Corinth as diuerse others and therefore speaketh not of Corinth but of the people who were fallen into diuerse scismes I come vppon him againe and tell him it is not enough for him to say so but it must bee proued out of approued Histories what those scisms were and how and where and when they began and how from that time this foresayd custome began We read in the Reuelation of seuen Angels the Prelates of seuen Churches of the which one was Ephesus the which as it is manifest had many Bishops before that time as were also at Philippos all which as I haue shewed were Elders also I say therefore that in the originall of the Church there was a time when they had nor Elders nor Bishops besides the Apostles themselues the Euangelists and theyr fellow-laborers as in Creete for the beginnings of all were alike Shall wee therefore say that those Elders were set ouer the Church of custome not of any diuine constitution because the Churches at the first vnder the Apostles gouerned thēselues without Elders or that after they had abused that their popular kinde of gouernaunce that thereuppon the gouernment was committed to the councell of Elders of custome Moreouer if this argument were good we might argue in like manner against the institution of Deacons and say they were not ordained according to any diuine institution because that in the beginning there were none of that order namely so long as the faithful were of one hart one soule and no man said the things he possessed were his owne but after that through the instigation of Satan the Greeks began to mutiny against the Hebrews For the auoiding of contention there were some chosen to be Deacons among them So therfore ordained of custome not of any diuine institution the which how wekely it followeth hee is but a weke man that cannot well iudge For albeit the Apostles alledge som other secundary causes yet it is most certaine the creation of Deacons did chieffy begin of that And therefore I say in like manner that albeit I should confesse
conception Their first argument is forced from the composition of the Greek words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which as they take it signifieth that principalitie and power which is proper to the ciuill Magistrate only impertinent to that modestie and simplicitie which the doctrine of the Gospel requireth of a Pastor To the which they also adde the sentence of the Councell of Carthage which forbad anie Bishoppe to bee called Prince of the Priests The wordes of the Canon are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The which Gratian in his ninetie nine distinction translateth thus The Bishop of the chiefe place shall not be called prince of the Priestes or high Priest or any other such thing but onely Bishop of the chiefe place Besides all this say they the word Archbishop differeth nothing from the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince of Pastors the which name or title seeing it is only proper to Christ alone we cannot see how he should bee excused of heinous sacrilege that doth any way vsurpe the same And therefore all such names are to be cast ouer bord and vtterly to be exiled the Church of Christ Neither is the arguing of these names to be taken for trifling when as they seem so greatly to derogate from the name of Christ And last of all those names which Antichrist himselfe or the spirit of Antichrist hath either inuented or inuested into the Church are to bee auoyded but that Antichrist was the forger of these titles it is a plaine case and therefore to be auoided To that I answer That the sence true meaning of these names titles by way of composition with the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 conteineth nothing in it eyther arrogant for ambition or for custome insolent For I will teach them if they bee to learne that the greeke worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth not onely signifie Principality and Magistracie but also the first the beginning and original cause of any thing and besides this that in composition it foloweth the nature of that word with the which it is compounded and so seeing the name of a Bishop doth signifie of it selfe and in his owne nature nothing that is insolent or ambitious take the name Archbishoppe which way you wil it cannot any waies sound of any vaine or vain-glorious sense as it plainely appeareth in other wordes of like composition as Architectos Archiatros Architriclinus Archibubulcus which signifie a Maister-worke-man a Arch-phisition a Gentleman-vsher a chiefe Herds-man and such like By all which we may manifestly see that the name of Bishop being in nature good the name of Archbishop cannot be in composition euill seeing that thereby it signifieth rather the first and chiefe Bishop then the Lord and Prince of Bishops Albeit I would not nor need I greatly sticke with him for the name of Prince neither were it in vse with vs as in sense it is with the Latines onely for a chiefe and principall man But now seeing that name is aduanced to a more roiall and imperiall sense from hence-forth I will either not vse it or vse it verie thriftely The like may wee say of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that among good Grecians it doth not alwaies signifie a Magistrate or a man in authority but many times also it standeth for the first author or originall cause of any thing So that Patriarche doth no more signifie him which gouerneth in the Magistracy or exerciseth authoritie ouer others then doth Heresiarch who is so called for that hee is the first brother and brocher of that heresie not that hee exerciseth anye dominion ouer the rank kamiel of that poysonous rable In very deed a Patriark signifieth the first parent of any people or ofspring in which sence also the same word is deriued to our vse to signifie an Archbishop because that he among the other Bishops which are counted Fathers is as it were the Graundfather and that thereby also wee might further conceiue that the gouernement he hath ouer others is meere father-like not tyrannik So that for modesty sake wer they called rather Archbishops and Patriarkes then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Princes of the Priests that all the world might know that their power ouer their brethren and fellow-bishoppes was no other then that which Paule had ouer Titus and Timothy and they ouer others And thus at the last it may appear at the ful that here is no name giuen to the Bishop of the chief place which was forbidden by the Carthaginian Canon seeing that a Patriarke Archbishop in their proper sense doe signifie no other then the chief Bishop who if he be called Prince of the Bishops among them which write more pure Latine no man ought to bee agreeued therfore for that as I haue alredy noted the word Prince among them is no more but as principall and chiefe among vs. And this is that which Ambrose hath written vpon the fourth of the Ephesians In a Bishop saith hee are all the orders contained because hee is the chiefe Priest that is the Prince of Priests and a Prophet and an Euangelist But now againe that they say the word Archbishop doth signifie the same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Peter which signifieth the Arch-pastor I can but greatly wonder and yet not sufficiently that any such thing should proceed from men that would bee accounted learned and linguists too I shewed but euen now what this worde Archbishoppe signified and what might be made of the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in composition Wherefore seeing that in the construction of this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as also in other wordes it may bee taken as well for the first and chiefe Pastor of any people as for the chiefe Lord and Prince of all Pastours I see no reason why that also may not bee giuen to that man which obtaineth the chiefe place among the Pastors of any place But when as it signifieth Christ and that for his supreame gouernement which he alone hath ouer all Pastors as the Lord of all both people and Pastors the sense is altered and the case so that in that sense there are none of our Archbishops which in any case will suffer himselfe to bee called Archbishop Christ is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Archpastor absolutely aboue al comparison beyond all exception without any limitation when as our Archbishoppes are not so called simply and absolutelie but such and such Archbishops Archbishoppes of this or that sea whose Suffraganes and Sub-bishops of such or such a Prouince are sufficientlie known Among whome onely they are accounted the Primates or principall moderators and ouer whom onely and not ouer all absolutely they are called Archbishops Wherefore seeing that by this name is onely signified the chiefe and principall Pastour of some one Prouince it doth no more derogat from the glory of Christ then when wee call other Elders and
left in our power to vse them as time occasion shal require An indifferent thing is commonly that whatsoeuer is nor cōdemned nor commended in the word of God is left free to euery mans choise either to vse or not vse vnles some other thing interchaunce which altereth the vse of that which otherwise was free by reasō of the time or place or the person wher the same is in vse For my part I think things mediat indifferent might better be defined thus if we shall say those thinges are indifferent which by no law either Gods law or mās law are bidden or forbidden For by the command of him which hath the authority ouer our persons the vse of a thing which otherwise is free may many waies vppon many occasions be restrained or ouerruled But of these things in this place we are not now to discourse at large Onely thus much I chiefly note would haue iust notice taken of it that indifferent thinges may bee vsed of vs although the same things haue ben abused by the bishop of Rome or any other Antichrist Is our liberty to be preiudiced by an other mans religion specially where publique authority hath any thing to do in the matter suppose it either giueth vs in charge or putteth vs in choise to vse those things which the superstitious haue abused Wherfore whensoeuer anything shal come in question among vs that hath bene vsed among the Romanists or other enemies of the truth it is our part to examine and consider the matter as it is in selfe not as it was with them There are some in England at this day who take vpon thē more sowrely then seuerely against outward vestementes cap surples musicke and organs and such like rites of the Church the which because they were of some vse in the Romane Church now out vppon them they are sacriligious prophane In like maner and with no lesse modesty do they proceede against Bishops Archbishops their honors and reuenews Al the which vnles they could be proued contrary to the word of God what reason is this they bring and it is al they bring for the abolishing thereof when they say the author or inuentor therof was Antichrist No doubt indifferent things which he abused for his tyranny may be returned to a better vse for the good of the Church Now as for contētious natures such in whose brests this error hath taken fast footing namely That the authority of Bishops is a thing pernitious in itself and preiudicial to the church I know this my aunswere as it fitteh not their humors so it serueth not their turns Neither yet will they vouchsafe of that which I haue said of the natural signification of words compound with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore albeit the plainest interpretation of the names of Patriarchs and Archbishops like me best yet notwithstanding I dare say thus much further if we should grāt that which they shal neuer euince that by force of composition a kind of principallity were to be inferred yet doth it not theruppon follow that it is therefore a title abhorring from the state of our BB. For let it be lawfull for men to vrge the signification of euery sillable in this sort it shal forthwith be vnlawful for any to be called a monarch or to be inuested with the title of an Emperour for why forsooth these names in theyr proper sense are common to none but to God onely These and such like titles of lawful and necessary vse among vs must vppon this quirk be vtterly abolished neyther may it be lawfull for vs from henceforth to call our Ministers as the Scripture doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectors or Rulers Prelates or Presidentes nay we shall not be able to auouch the name of Elders because this and these all in sacred Scripture are proper to Magistrates and Princes and the Nobles of sundry prouinces and and yet for all this we see that Ministers of the Church are called by these names Last of all if the authority of the Fathers may be of any preuail let vs hear what great dainty they make of the name of Prince in the titles of the cleargy Origen reprehending the clownishe sourenes of some Bishops writeth thus A man may see in some Churches especially in the greatest Citties how the Princes of the christian people shew no manner affability to any esteeming thereof as a thing nothing at all pertaining vnto them c. And aftewards againe We speake not these thinges as if we meant to discharge the Ecclesiasticall Principality In like manner vppon the Epistle to the Romanes the thirteenth Chapter By the which it appeareth saith he that the Iudges of the world do performe the greatest part of Gods law For all the defaults that God would haue punished he punisheth not by the Prelates and Princes of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde And vpon the twenty seuen Chapter of Numbers the two and twenty Homily Let the Princes saith hee of Churches learne not to appoynt their successors after them such as are allied vnto them eyther in affinity of kindred or consanguinity of bloud neyther that they ought to make the Principality of Churches hereditary c. Ignatius no lesse godly then grauely My Son saith hee honour God and the King and I say further honor God as the author of al things and the owner and honor the Bishop as Prince of the Priests bearing the image of God by reasō of his principality the image of Christ by means of his Priesthood He that honoreth the Bishop shall be honored of God as also he that dishonoreth him shall be punished of God c. Besides many other things in the same place to the same sence The same man in an other place Therefore saith he let all things be performed among you according to a direct order in Christ Let Lay men be subiect to Deacons Deacons to Priests Priests to Bishops the Bishop to Christ as he is also to the Father Againe to the Church of Antioch You Elders feede the flocke which is committed vnto you vntill God manifest him which shal reign ouer you For I am now sacrificed that I may gaine Christ c. By which words the holy Martyr hath sufficiently testified the authority of a Bishop ouer the rest of the Elders Doubtlesse in auncient time the authority of Bishops was great in the Church theyr reuerence great and theyr fauour great among the people the which of al other things made most for the benefit and increase of the Church Euen as in the common wealth the fauour of the Magistrats and authority is beneficiall to the people so likewise of Bishops in the Church And therefore for good cause thought Hierome that the welfare of the Church did depend of the honour of the chiefe Priest c. Neyther in deed is this the least slight of Satan when he
common wealth least at any time the kingdom of Christ should want his due increase But do learned BB. vnderstand lesse what belongeth to the good of the cōmon wealth then illiterat Burgreeues rank chapmen Very vnprofitably haue they consumed thēselues in their head-paine vigils and heart breaking studies if they haue learned nothing whereby they may benefite the common wealth I but Ministers are of priuate estate Burgreeues are Magistrates It is not conuenient that the same man should vndertake both an Ecclesiastique and a politique office Truth it is neyther doe I knowe any ignoraunt except them selues what is decent in this matter and what is not But to be present at the sacred Parliaments to giue a voyce and to giue aduice is not to be a Magistrate The books of the Prophets are plentifull in the precepts of peace in the policies of war and in the best counsels for al things which concerne the common wealth and sacred histories doe record of purpose how the people of God neuer aduentured vppon any action of weight and moment before they had well consulted with the Priests and the Prophets Such was the custome also of other countreis wheresoeuer there was any religion or reuerence of God What need I now againe put you in mind of the Chaldees and theyr Wise men the Egyptians and theyr Priests the Grecians their Prophets the Romaines and their Sooth-saiers the French with theyr Druidists without whose more sage aduice it was alwaies thought a thing ominous once to attēpt any notable thing in the common wealth Neither were they deceiued in their opinion For was the neglect of God euer left without reuenge Yea the opiniō of false gods contemned hath found the true God a sharp reuēger wherfore al antiquity thought well that nothing could goe well in the common wealth without due reuerence done to Religion they began theyr wars with Religion they ended their wars with Religion But whence in Gods name if it can be in Gods name is this error sprong vp among those which glory in the true religion that they disdayn in their counsels to take counsell of religion Verily where God is banished publike assēblies religion is made but a scorn to the wicked the commō wealth a priuate gayne to euery varlet happy Bishops happy Ministers of the Church which are farthest off from such Godlesse and irreligious conuenticles Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly and hath not stood in the way of sinners hath not sit in the chair of the scornful The time hath ben vnder our Lord Christ when Bishops thought it not agreable with their honor to sit in the counsels of Emperors whether it were of any superstitious error of thēselues or of any contagious misdemeanor of the consistorians I cannot wel tell but this I am sure of that it is no indecorum for the seruāt of Christ to be seen in the congregations of God God standeth in the congregation of Gods the iudgeth among Gods But it ther the counsels were held for priuat gain or priuy deceit for wicked treasons or bloudy murthers no wonder though the godly BB. were ashamed to stand in the vngodly assemblies For albeit God be there also as iudge reuenger yet the diuel is ther present as Presidēt of the coūcel otherwise ther was no reasō why it might not be a thing decent conueuient too for a B. to stand in the consistory Admitte him as a Doctor to giue aduice according to the word as Legat for the Prince or the estate as a Solicitor for the widow the orphan for the poore the oppressed for the traduced and condemned This was then also a religious custom among the most ancient best conceiued Bishops What Ambrose did what he thought in this case himself witnesseth of himselfe in his first Booke the 27. Epistle who euen then whē as he excused himself to the Emperor Valentinian for that he would not dispute with Auxētius the Arriā B. in his Pallace yet euen ther also he acknowledgeth his duty in that behalfe saing Wherfore take it in good worth gratious Emperour that I can not now come to the Consistory For I haue not acquainted my selfe to stād in the Consistory but on your behalfe Neyther can I willingly contend within the compasse of your Court who nor know nor seeke to knowe the the secretes of the Court. So that albeit Ambrose thought it not beseeming the dignity of a Bishop to stand as an ordinary man in the throng of the consistorians yet he thought it pertaining to his duety to be there present in the Princes causes and the affaires of the cōmō welth Wherfore whencesoeuer this perswasion sprong whosoeuer they be which thinke it either an vnlawfull or an vnseemly thing for any Minister to intermedle in ciuill causes they doe greatly wrong the honour of religion the welfare of Princes and the publique state whome they enuy the good vse graue aduice and louing fidelity of so necessary Cittizens and subiects of the common wealth If the honest examples of ancient Bishops might be of any autority at this day I would reckon vp many honorable Legacies vndertaken by most reuerend Bishops in ciuil causes but ther are two presidents which may sufficiently serue for our purpose The first is that of Ambrose who was twise Embassador for the Emperor Valentinian to the Tirant Maximus that not without great successe the other is that of Marutha Bishop of Mesapotamia whom the Romaine Emperour sent Embassador to the king of Persia as Socrates recordeth in his seuēth boke of Ecclesiasticall histories the which his one Embassee was aboundantly beneficiall both to the Church and also to the Emperour himselfe By these reasons and examples I am drawen to this conclusion that it is both lawful and requisit for Princes to demise certaine ciuil causes affairs to the ancients of the Clergy and that it is but the error of them which lust to go alone though they goe awrye that thinke that the Minister ought to bee sequestred from all ciuill affayres in a christian common wealth As for those wordes of our Sauiour and the tradition of the Apostles they teach vs no other thing then this That no publique ciuil authority is ioyned with the Eccesiasticall Ministery as any part thereof But the state of the Church being altered where the Church is the Common-wealth and the Common-wealth the Church there the state of the Euangelique Ministers may lawfully bee the same which was of olde in the Priests and Leuites among the people of God CHAP. XXVI Where the Church is the Common-wealth the same man as Bishop may take charge of the Church for the Lorde Iesus and render fealtie and obeisance to the King as one that holdeth by faith and homage SOme there bee which thinke that the Churche is in the Common-wealth as a certaine part thereof that the whole Common-wealth it selfe
and it hath ben handled at large also yet all little enough Such is the female misconceit of the lasciuious malecontent and the male miscontent of the learned ignoraunt of this age euer learning and neuer able to come to the knowledge of the truth Notwithstanding seeing in the iudgement of the most wise and best learned this Germane Booke seemed for sound iudgement inferiour to none and for graue discourse equall to any it was therfore thought by them an action no lesse commodious to the people then commendable to the Author that he who in the causes of present controuersie hath propounded his iudgement vnto all shoulde haue his iudgement expounded vnto vs. The which although it hath beene curstly censured by a certaine suspicious and suspected Criticke emulous of his betters credite who in his professed lectures hath vsed the remembraunce of his name in disdaine with Sarauia nescio quis Yet his best auditors there and others his betters elsewhere haue found this difference betweene Sarauia and him that besides his great learning and no lesse experience of the which this great Censor neuer had the one neuer will haue the other Sarauia hath made knowen to him and the whole world by this his resolute definitiue who he is whereas the other in one whole tearme hath so behaued himselfe in the same cause that albeit wee all know who he is yet we could neuer tell where to finde him So hoppeth he betweene the stone and the Altar that as a man distract betweene feare and flattery he maketh vp his doubtfull resolution with this harmelesse confession Sentio quod sentio quod nescio I know what I know what I doe not know I but now we see the aduerse part partly by theyr lawlesse outrage and partly by theyr lawfull restraint to be nowe as impotent in their faction as they are odious in their opinion to be at this time as vnable as they were at all times vnworthy to preuaile and then what neede we any longer striue when the ennemy can no longer stand I aunswer that their increase was seene long since to be at the full and their credite appeareth euen now to be in the Waine For the which as we are to giue God thankes who in taking Iustice vpon some of them hath taken pitty vpon the whole Church so likewise are we to pray for the rest that in good time we may see eyther theyr speedy amendement or their present preferment For it is time O Lord that thou haue mercy vppon Sion yea the time is come Notwithstanding in the meane time wee haue entertained this profered aide not so much to inuade the seditious brethren or to bring home the resolued recreant as to strengthen the godly Subiect and to bring forward the well affected Protestant With the which if any man finde himselfe agreeued let him shew for it but so that Sarauia may vnderstand what he saith For my part if I haue conceiued him right the fruite is yours if I haue deliuered him not right the fault is mine Sure I am the Author meant you well and my Authors And so doe I. The Translator TO THE MOST REuerend father in Christ John by the prouidence of God Lord Archbishop of Canterbury Primate of al England and Metrapolitane To the renovvmed and most honored Heroicke Sir Christopher Hatton Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and high Chauncellour of England As also to the noble and right honorable Sir William Cecill Baron of Burghley Knight of the most noble order of the Garter and high Treasurer of England of her Maiesties most Honorable priuy Counsell my very good Lordes true felicity THe auncient receiued custome of dedicating books to men of name and authority is growne and grounded vppon many reasons great waighty all which it shal be needelesse for me to reuise in this place But for my part there are chiefly three causes mouing me to consecrat this my small trauell to you the most Honorable and honored of me my good Lordes First that thereby I might testifye vnto you the duety and deuotion of a loyall and gratefull minde towards you that find my selfe seuerally and singularly bound vnto you all and euery one of you For first one of you vppon my repaire into England disdained not to entertaine me a stranger with no straunge countenance and straunge courtesie The other also dained to accept me vnworthy into his owne family And the other of his especiall fauour brought to passe that by her Maiesties priuiledge and preferment I might be made of a forreiner a freeman of an alien a Cittizen And seeing I haue receiued all these fauours without any deede or desert of mine God thou knowest mine vnworthines I were but too ingrate and vnkinde if I should bury in darke and deepe silence your so rare and religious demerites But whereas I haue no other thing to render or repay vnto your Honors but a mine of thanks and a thankfull minde that mind wil I alwaies beare and that duety in minde so that I will not cease to worship the sacred memory of your religious loue towardes me Another cause is the very nature of the argumente I vndertake the which I could not well prosecute without some particular mention of the Church of England In the which seeing I haue now my part and portion of a pastoral prouince and praised be the Lord my lotte is fallen vnto me in a faire ground might I not seeme vnmindfull of my good neglecting my duty if when I vndertake the cause of those Churches which are alien and outlandish I should ouerslip the state of mine own Church now gremiall to me and mere English But when mine hearts desire and praier to God is that I may some waies benefite my countreymen if I forget thee O Ierusalem And yet if I should forget my duety herein the meere alliance and relation of the matters them selues is such and so great as that by ordinary course of necessary consequence I must be inforced to inferre and praefer the mention thereof in my bookes But because I am but new made of Flemish sterling that is of Outlandish English it may be happely that they which are home-bred will thinke I deale not wel with them to deale with them and that I meddle too farre when I come so neare For which cause I thought it necessarye for mee to commend and commit my selfe vnto your Honorable patrocinie that this stranger book might freely passe vnder your safe conduct Neither shall it grieue me much though it be vniustly cast by most voices if it may iustly passe your accoumpt neither shall it hurt me much though the inraged multitude in disordered throngs cast stones at mee only if your Honors vouchsafe to giue me the white stone But the last cause is for that I am in some doubt how this discourse will be taken of them for whose sakes especially it was vndertaken For it is to be feared that they
are so far from turning stones vnto bread that they will make stones of bread and that which I haue done to relieue their weakenes they will account as deuised to vndermine their estate and so take that with the left hand which I proffer with the right And in deede what other thing shoulde I looke for at their hands who in lieu of my well deseruing towards them haue sought heretofore rather to cast me off with disgrace then to giue me vp with reward How desirous I haue alwaies beene of publique peace and howe zealous ouer them that layd snares for my life I dare appeale vnto God and men and yet for my good will what great reward haue I receiued at their handes but sharp reuenge or what better meede for my paines then bitter malice But no reason I should take this kinde of cruelty vnkindly seeing it is so common a case and commonly incident to me with many my betters And therefore far be it from me that the iniuries of a few though no fewe iniuries should so far preuaile with me that I should therefore lesse regard the better health of the whole Church Should I be for priuate wronges so far inraged beyond all sence and besides my selfe as to study to bee reuenged vppon many good men being offended but of a few bad fellowes After I was last called frō hence by the Belgike Churches I conuersed among them in diuers places ten whole yeares together in what time I found by aduised experience that there were two thinges of great moment greatly missed in those Churches the which I could not then without grief and cannot now without sin conceale namely That the ministery of the Gospell receiued of them by publike authority is not adorned by them with due honor And againe That wealth and worshippe in the order of the ministery is thought a needlesse thing to aduaunce the estimation thereof in a ciuill society Men that we are misconceauing is the cause of all this For now a daies for sooth no Church is thought reformed vnlesse First all Church dignities be either thrust out at the Church porch or thrust downe to the belfry and then all the Church goods be either put in the great bagge or giuen to the greedy baggage The which errour if it doe proceed as it will if it be not nipt in the head it will one day reuele not only vpon the church but also vppon the whole state a greater misery then can easely be driuen into euery common mans head To the which this also may be added that there are many of opinion and they are of many opinions That the abolishing of Bishops is not the least part of reformation and That their authority in the Church is crept in not of any diuine institution of Gods word but that which not any Church before this time did euer auouch of the onely errour and ambition of mans wit Our elders all auncient diuines for the preuenting of Scisme and conuenting the head-strong and giddy headed rashnes of many helde the prudent moderation of one in one Citty or prouince to be ordained from aboue And they knew very well that albeit the quirke of speaking for so they speak be found in many yet the art of gouerning and the rule of well ruling is knowen but of a few How great a stay a godly and prudent Bishop may bee to any troubled or distressed State auncient histories doe plainly teach present experience might make vs learne Doe you not knowe I know you are not ignorant howe that many times many things betide in a christian common wealth which require the aduise of Ecclesiastical Prelates As also where the Gospell is publiquely authorised that there are many thinges requisite for the Church which cannot be effected with out the ciuill Magistrate And how then are not they in a peeuish and a peruerse errour which either exclude the Magistrate from causes Ecclesiasticke or sequester the Minister from affaires politike silly men that they are as if either the Christian Magistrate were no part of the Church or the sacred Minister not Cittizen of the same common wealth And yet neither the Magistrate if he be Christian is to neglect the safety of the Church nor the Minister if he be godly not to regard the safegard of the state But these two the Magistrate and the Minister so long as they shal be distracted into partes and as it were diuorsed in state the one from the other and shall not take sweete counsell together like friends or not communicate in consent for their common benefite they cannot but conceiue diuers and doubtfull surmises fonde yea and some times false opinions of each others gouernement The Magistrate that keepeth fresh in memory the new broken yoke of the Popes tiranny feareth least by any meanes he should fall againe into the like though vnlike And therfore is iealous ouer the counsels and conuenticles of the Cleargy suspecteth alwaies some snare to be laid in them to entangle his liberty Of the other side the Pastors so many as are or will bee accoumpted faithfull in their Ministery cānot but be careful for the welfare of their flocke and therefore seeke by all meanes to benefite the Church and to shun those things which may preiudice the same who when they see diuers kindes of people to preuaile in the Common-wealth and they some of them open professed enemies to the Church some but suspicious and suspected fauorites few faithfull and vnfeined friendes no woonder though they dare hardly commit their cause and their credites them selues and their safeties to such Gouernours Besides they being ignorant of the common counsels how should they bee good interpreters of such thinges as are done in the Common-wealth neither can such counsels be well communicated to the common people and yet reason would they should seeing they are common If the States in the Low-countries brought to lowe estate had their learned and reuerend Bishoppes in that estimation they ought to be in euerie well ordered state no doubt with their vigilancye and moderation they might more easily haue remedied their present miseries I did complaine not without cause to see the Church goods pilde and pilferd and learned Pastors set to their stipēds Of the which some in deed do liue releeue their families though porely God knowes and some againe for the moity of their stipēds the multitude of their familiars are by no means able to keepe open shop windowes I speake not or neede not of them which are denied their wages or serue like our soldiers for cheese flemish if that they can get it But by this meanes when as to the griefe of al good men I did see the most sacred studie of Diuinity to languishe that young wits were affraid of it and old heads a weary of it Churches without Pastors Schooles wanting professors I lamented with my selfe and sorrowed for these mischiefes and those wee might easily coniect would
the which it doth appeare that by that prohibition of violent dominion which Kings may vse ouer theyr subiects the power of gouernement in the Church is not inhibited by the which one Minister is eminent in authority ouer another no more then the power of the Pastor is thereby intercepted which is ordinary and ought to be ouer his people Will any man say that the Lord hath so confounded those two distinct orders of Ministers that the Apostles should differ in nothing from the seuenty Disciples I doe therefore greatly wonder that men learned should so far ouer-shoote themselues as once to perswade or to be perswaded that out of this place so often aledged to so little purpose the superior authority of Bishops ouer Priests was forbiddē by Christ the which they can by no means do without the reproofe reproch the preiudice and impeachment of all the most auncient best learned Fathers whose persons they may soner accuse then conuince of Tyranny and whose gouernement they may more easely discommend then mend The Lorde his purpose was to take that error from the Apostles which was in their minds not to take that power from the Apostles which he had giuen into their hands That the forme of the Apostles gouernment did not end with the death of the Apostles Chap. XVI THat the gouernment of the Apostles is sayde by some to haue deceased with the death of the Apostles it is neyther grounded vppon true authority of Scripture nor proued by any consequence of reason nor maintayned by any president of the Fathers Neither is it of any greater force nor haue they any greater reason that say the Apostles authority was extraordinary For by the same reason they may at this day deny that any man hath any authority to baptise and to preach If what things were extraordinary in the Apostles they could not returne to theyr posterity may not the same reason serue to proue that ther is no authority left vnto vs after the Apostles either to preach or to baptise I would gladly then hear some iust cause why rather the Church gouernment should cease with vs which was vnder the Apostles then the preaching of the Gospell or the administring of the Sacraments For in them ther was as much extraordinary as in the other This is much like as if of olde a man should haue sayde that after the death of Moyses and Aaron the Priests and Leuites had not the same power with Moyses and Aaron because theirs was extraordinary Wherefore as after theyr decease the same order of gouernment which was vsed of Moses and Aaron remayned to their posterity In like manner the Apostles and Euangelists were a lantherne and a law vnto vs which should come after them of perfect Church gouernement And that which our Sauiour sayd of the Priestes of the Iewes That they did sit vppon the chayre of Moyses and Aaron may be sayd of our Bishops that they sit in the chayre of Peter and Paul that is that they haue succeeded them in the same seate and state of gouernment There are two words which being not well taken may be very offensiue namely Temporarie and extraordinary For it is to be vnderstood that there are not ioyntly to be giuen alike to the whole function Apostolick and euery part therof And yet some are made to beleeue that whatsoeuer was in them extraordinary the same was also temporarie When as indeed whatsoeuer was in them extraordinary was not temporarie For all things in the Apostles were extraordinary of the which many things in processe of time became ordinary Onely those things which deceased with the Apostles were temporarie But what things those were I haue already declared at large And nowe that I may first begin with the preaching of the gospell it were very hard to restraine that to the persons of the Apostles and their age onely For albeit so large a legacie as was the Apostles bee not committed vno any yet is there some such like of the same kinde with the like authoritie That the commandement To preach the gospell vnto all nations the Apostles beeing now receiued vp into heauen doth in like manner bind the Church to the which the Authoritie Apostolique is also requisite Chap. XVII THe command to preach the gospell and the commission to all nations wee vnderstand to bee so giuen in charge to the Apostles that withal it obligeth the church also nether did the charge of preaching the gospell to the incredulous heathen respect the apostles only but al future ages to the worlds end In the last of Mathew when the Lord had sayd that all power was giuen vnto him in heauen and in earth and had commanded that they should go forth and teach al nations c. he added I am with you vnto the worlds end Which cannot be restrained to the Apostles onely seeing it concerneth all whom he commandeth to preach and to whom he promiseth his diuine presence for euer neither can this promise be deuorced from the former command and thereby it appeareth that Christ commanded the church also that Apostles hauing takē heauen order might be taken that the gospell might be preached to the Gentiles in all coastes vpon al occasions And verelie if the Apostolique authority had bin Temporarie that also had bene a personal gift and particuler neither would they haue presumed to haue taken themselues companions and co-partners in that Apostolik charge to the which themselues only were appointed of the Lord. But when as they knew that their office whatsoeuer authoritie they had receaued was rather giuen to the whole church then to their sole selues they therevpon were bolde to make others ioynt partners with them in their Apostolike power whom they also knew should be their successors Neither in nature could so great a worke bee finished of so few labourers and therfore also the commandement of the Lord could no further bind the Apostles then for the terme of their mortalitye in the which time the Lorde did not purpose to determine either the promise of his helpe or the preaching of his word The Apostles then had need of many helpers in the Lord and fellow-labourers for the busines of the Lord the which when they could not accomplish themselues they left their posteritie to finish that which themselues could not effect Had the Apostles carried their commission to heauen with them and besides the priuate care of perticular Churches the Bishops whome the Apostles left their successours had thought the further propagation of the gospel did nothing pertaine to them I doubt me the cōfines of Christ his kingdome had neuer bene enlarged to so great a monarchie as it is What neede I remember you of the rare and memorable examples of the thrise reuerend fathers in the Primatiue church With what serious studie with what earnest desire with what constant endeuour and last of al with what great labours and many streaming showers of the bloud of Martyrs
daies did euer either so think or write The Fathers haue testified in their writinges what they receiued of their fore-fathers that Iames an Apostle was ordained of the rest Bishoppe of Ierusalem The which thing also seemeth to haue bene done vpon iust and necessarie occasion namely for the necessary good of the Church For when as that was the mother of all other churches that the Iews resorted thither out of al the parts of the world it ought not but to haue an Apostle resiant among thē so long as might be who might resolue the brethren in such doubtes as were likely to arise among them Although indeede to pilgrime through diuers regions to preach the gospel is most properly appertaining to the office of an Apostle so that they may not abide in one place but where necessitie requireth As therefore the Apostles discharged the duty of a Bishop when as they took vpon them the particuler charge of some on special church namely when the necessity of the church vniuersall did so require neither did thinke they did anye thing therin contrarie to their Apostolik calling so likewse if that which wholy pertaineth to the Apostles be cōmitted to the Bishops it need not seme a thing either vnreasonable or not profitable when the good order of church gouernement doth require the same But whereas the Canon sayth that we should keepe the old custome not the Lords institution it may seme that the power of Patriarks crept into the church of a contrarie custome rather then of any diuine institution I answere that the canon doth not gaine-say that the power Apostolique in church-gouernment was not left vnto the church of the Apostles but that besides or aboue the rest these or they shuld inioy it as namely he of Antioch Alexandria Ierusalem Rome that indeed was of the mere custome and at the sole disposition of the church For those particular Bishops did not receiue their Apostolique power immediatly from GOD as did the Apostles but from the church and by the church the which as it is not restrained to any certaine situate places or persons citties or Bishops so neither is the autority Apostolik Who doubteth but that the Nicen coūcell or any other like to that might haue translated the Patriarkie of the Romain BB. to some other place haue giuen it to the BB. of Rauenna or of Aquiline for good cause if their had bene any The like I say of the Patriarks of Antioch and Alexandria But that the councels of Bishops had this authority they declared then sufficiently when as they made him of Constantinople com-peer in all things with him of Rome By the which also it may euidently apeare that the prerogatiue of the power Apostolique was not giuen by succession but as it was best befitting the commodity of the church by those especial cities And therfore in that the Canon giueth that to custome it doth not therby take from it the diuine institution But that I may return to the next successors of the Apostles and Euangelists Titus and Timothy and the rest whom sacred writ recordeth were ioyned with the Apostles as assistants that they were Bishops had charge of many churches the most ancient and authentike tradition approoueth the same neither are those thinges so far at variance betweene themselues as some would haue them to be a Bishop to do the worke of an Apostle or an Euangelist For this is the common consent of all the fathers that the office of a Bishop and an Apostle or Euangelist are all one onely that the office of the one is more ample and augustious Cyprian in his 10. epistle writeth thus The Deacons ought to remember the Lord himself did chuse Apostles that is Bishops Prelats but the Apostles themselues ordeined them Deacons after hee was receiued vp into heauen Thus saith Cyprian out of whose words we may learne that a Bishoprick is an Apostleship as also an Apostleship is a kind of bishopricke Herevpon the Apostle Peter in the Acts calleth the Apostleship of Iudas a bishopricke And in like maner speaketh Augustine For no man is ignorant saith he that our Sauior ordeined bishops in the church For before he ascended into heuen he layd his hands vpon his Apostles made them bisheps And Ambrose vpon that in the 4. to the Ephesians some were giuen to the church Apostles writeth thus The Apostles are BB. but the Prophets are expounders of the scriptures which may now be called Priests For in a BB all the orders are contained becaus he is first a priest who is chiefe of ths priests and a Prophet an Euangelist to the furnishing of the rest of the offices of the church Theodoret also vpō the 1. to Tim. cap. 3. saith thus Of old they called the same men Priests and BB. but those that are now called BB. they then called Apostles but long since they left the name of Apostles to thē which were indeed apostles but the additiō of BB. they imposed vpon such as of old were called Apostles so was Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philip so Titus of the Cretensians Timothy of Asia All the fathers which succeeded the Apostles were not of opinion that the forme of gouernement they had receiued of the Apostles should euer haue bene altered or exauterate the which verelye they could neuer haue perswaded themselues had they knowen that the gouernement of Titus and Timothie had bene but Temporarie and Extraordinarie But is it credible nay is it possible that Timothie Titus and others vnto whome the like prouince was demised should be ignoraunt of this themselues Augustine expounding that in the 44. Psalme Instead of thy Fathers thou shalt haue children sheweth that our Bishoppes inherited the Apostles as children their fathers And were it not a point of frontles and vngracious in solencie to deny that our fathers had their Bishops and Prelats euen from the Apostles times and a part of needles and superfluous diligence to proue a thing so manifest I might easilie and would willingly staie vpon the citing summoning of many more fathers vntil we were fully compassed with a cloud of witnesses But this is not the question but rather it is nowe doubted whether the ordinance of Bishops bee of God or of men as an order that slipt into the church rather of humaine custome then diuine cōstitution Wherfore of things confessed granted let vs decide and determin things doubted and in question That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apolique tradition Chap. XXI THere is nothing more certaine then this That the Apostles ordained nothing in the Church which they receiued not of the Lord. But they created Bishops as Titus and Timothie wheresoeuer need was in the Church And indeed had not the Apostles created Bishops as they dispersed themselues thorough out the whole worlde how could euer the calling of Bishoppes haue bene so vniuersallie approoued by so general an assent of all
manner is changed but the kinde remaineth ther is not the like order in circumstance but the same ordinance in substance of the office The chiefe parts of the Priests function were these to teach religion to interprete the law to gouerne the Church to administer the Sacraments to stande between God and the people to make sacrifice to purge sins All which parts albeit our Lord and Sauiour hath only wholly discharged and some of them also so peculiarly improued to himselfe as that they cannot be imparted with any mortall thing besides him selfe yet notwithstanding he hath made many of them of that nature as that without any disparagement to his person they might be left in common to others In deede no sinner can bee made a sufficient mediator between God and man Neyther can he which is not pure from the guilt of sinne him selfe expiat with bloud the sinnes of man or auert by death the wrath of God The auncient Priests bare the figure onely of those more then diuine functions but the thing it selfe was in Christ alone And therfore whosoeuer at this day shal challenge to himself the one of these committeth blasphemy against Christ But as the Lord did nothing in derogation of his heauenly dignity when he gaue power vnto all christians to offer spirituall sacrifice namely the sacrifice of praise and praier c. For al they which in a true faith worship God are made Kings and Priests euen so likewise without any prophanation of his peculiar Priesthood hath he committed the other parts thereof which I touched before namely the teaching of religion the expounding of the law the ministring of the Sacraments the gouerning of the Church and such like I say he hath graunted and demised these and such like parts of his diuine Priesthood to his Apostles Chuch ministers who in this respect may participat the honor of the old Priesthood without impiety may also be called Priests without gealosie The which name although in the first age of the Church we doe not read that it was giuen to the Ministers of the Church least happely the Ministers of the olde Synagogue the new Church might be confounded For as yet the old Priesthood remayned or the flesh memory thereof continued yet afterwards the Fathers did not amis when they renewed the same againe in themselues the Prophet Esay being their author the spirit of God their warrant who diuined long before that God should raise to him selfe Priests Leuits out of the Gentiles Neyther is there any daunger at all in the name at this day were it not for the sacrilege of the Bishop of Rome who hath set vp Altar against Altar Priesthood against Priesthood the sacrifice of the Masse against the sacrifice of Christ inuading by all meanes those partes of the Priesthood which are peculiar to Christ alone of which matter we are not to speake in many words at this time Briefly this we desire may be made knowen to all that we detest the impiety of the Romaine Antichrist for so much as pertaineth to this part of the Priesthood we acknowledge no other Priest but the Lord Iesus In the other parts which we haue noted wee hold that the Apostles other Pastors of the church haue lawfully vndertaken the dignity as of their legacy so of the Priesthood also Now then I ioyne more chosely with them for the issue of their whole argument answere That whatsoeuer in the leuiticall Priestood did fore-shadow the office of Christ is vtterly abolished by the bloudshed of Christ of the which no part may be vsurped by any mortall man Againe that the rites ceremonies outward pomp of the Priesthood as wel in the ornature of the body as the ordinaunce of tithes as they were then challēged are togither deceased by the same meanes but yet that honor which was due to thē in regard of the worthines of theyr holy ministery is by no means impaired perished much lesse The Priesthood of Aaron being abrogated the rights of that Priesthood after their seuerall manner are also abrogated and with them the ministery of the Church is translated from the Tribe of Leuy to the company of Apostles and their successors In whom seeing all things which merit any Honor are greater then they which were in the Leuiticall Priests doth it not necessarily follow that a christiā doth owe no lesse honor to his Pastor then the Iew did perform to his Priest I confesse the duty of tithes oblations after that manner and order they were offered vnder Moyses are ceased vnder Christ Not that christiā people should be lesse bounteous towardes their Pastors then were the Iewish nation towards their Priests but rather that the free people should exceede the seruile and that a christian should doe that of his owne accord which the Iew did by constraint For where as christians haue receyued of the Lord not onely the like graces but farre greater blessings then the Iewes and seeing the Ministery of them whom the Lord hath set ouer his church is in nothing inferior or lesse necessary then the Ministery of the law of force if not rather of duety there remaineth as great a necessity of due honor for this as for that at the least no lesse seeing that what soeuer was ceremonious in the olde oblations of tithes and offerings is so diminished as that what so euer was morall therein reteyneth his force still Had there been no proportion between both these Ministeries the necessary duties of them both the Scripture would neuer haue sayd that As they which minister about holy thinges eate of those thinges whicb are of the Temple and they which waite at the Altar are partakers with the Altar So the Lord hath ordained that they which preach the Gospell should liue of the Gospell That our Sauiour ordayned the Ministery of the Gospell with no ornature of outward beauty no magnificence of worldly statelines as he did of old the Mosaicall ministery it was not to this end that Christians should doe lesse Honor to theyr Pastors then did of old the Israelites but for that the worthines thereof is such that it needeth no outward ornaments The which notwithstāding if it may haue it is not magnified therin if it may not haue it is not diminished therefore But where the ministery of the Gospell is receyued in a triumph as it were of publique authority there al worldly goods ought to supply to the Honor of our Sauiour and the health of his seruants so that they may be denied where they are proffered and requested where they they are denied according as the cause the time the place the people doe require As for the seruants of Christ they ought to be ready for all assayes for honor and dishonor good report and euill report plenty and pouerty life and death for that they are to vse this world as not vsing it the fashion whereof passeth away God vnder
a secrete consent as it were of the whole world and so that certain portions were designed for the Bishops allowance others also for the other Priests and Ecclesiasticall persons which were in ordinarie residence in euery Cathedrall Church and last of all other Priestes also were ordained by the Bishops euerie where through the cuntrie ouer parish Churches with standing titles who were by that meanes called to a perticular part of the coÌ„mon charge with the Bishop least that which was to bee cared for by all should bee neglected of euerie one as it commonly commeth to passe there is no doubt had none of the Church goodes beene taken from the Cleargie but by this meanes the poore and needie should haue beene much better prouided for by the seueral Cleargie-men of euery particular territorie then when the fourth part of the remaines of the Church goodes were imployed to their vse in common and that also with more ease and much lesse murmure But the trumperie not the pouertie of the Church Munkes and Nunnes and such others which were called religious persons purloyning that fourth part vnder the title of Euangelike pouertie which they professed haue vtterly robbed both the Cleargie and the pouertie and haue brought in a straunge and wonderfull disorder into the auncient ordering of Church goodes so that that part which of olde was due vnto the poore is now in the winding vp deuolued to the rich that I may omit the manifold abuses of Impropriations and Commendams such other shifting sacrilegious titles Ambrose in his thirtie and one Epistle the fift booke The possessions saith he of the Cleargie are the prouisions of the needie and therefore let the Churches keepe reckoning of this how many captiues they haue redeemed how many poore they haue refreshed how many exiles they haue harbored For the Church hath golde not to purse but to disburse and to releeue the necessities of the needie What profite is it to keepe that which profiteth not Augustine also in his treatise vppon Iohn the one and twentith chapter disputeth of that right which the Apostles and Ministers haue by the worde of GOD to receyue carnall things of them vnto whom they minister spirituall things They giue gold saith he and they receyue grasse And in his tenth Tome there is extant no lesse then a whole Homilie concerning the paying of tythes as of dutie Hierome also in his third chapter vpon Malachie amongst other thinges which concerne this opinion hath these wordes That which we say of tythes and first fruits which of olde were giuen of the people to the Priestes and Leuites vnderstand yee also to concerne the people of the Church who are commaunded not onely to pay tythes and first fruites but also to sell all that they haue and giue to the poore and to follow the Lord. The which so great a matter if we will not performe yet at the least lets vs imitate the beginnings of the Iewes that wee may giue part of all vnto the poore and affoord the Priests and Leuites their due honour For which cause the Apostle sayth Honour the widdowes which are true widowes And That the Elder is to bee honored with double honour especially he which laboureth in worde and doctrine the which dutie who so now will not performe hee is proued thereby to defraude and supplant God himselfe and hee is cursed therefore of God in the penurie of all things so that he which soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee which soweth liberally shall reape liberally c. Many other thinges of like sort may wee read in that place to this sense But if I should repute vnto you whatsoeuer the Fathers haue written of this argument I should but repeate the same things and be tedious to the Reader in a matter of no controuersie Chap. XIII A distinction of Church goods THe goods of the Church are not all of one fort for there are some which coÌ„sist in the oblations of the people some in proper possessions some in rents and reuenewes some in lawfull fees and ancient roialties Al the which are commonly distinguished into two seuerall kinds whereof some are called Spirituall and some accounted Temporall But seeing these tearmes do neyther so fitly nor yet so fully expresse the nature of these things more proper words were to be deuised by more perfect Ciuilians For vnto that which is Temporall there is nothing in nature opposite but that which is Eternall and to that which is Spiritual nothing is contrary but that which is Carnal or corporal They therefore speak more aptly of these thinges who for the worde Temporall vse the words Ciuil and humane and for Spiritual the words Sacred holy and diuine Now albeit that ought generally to be accounted holy sacred whatsoeuer is consecrated to God and his Ministerie yet notwithstanding they cal oblations because they more nearely concerne God and his seruice more properly sacred and diuine thinges not so much for distinction sake as for that the condition and proprietie therof is such But humane and ciuil goods they account the fields and possessions of the Church for that in nature and condition they are not vnlike vnto those which other Citizens possesse and are therefore giuen vnto the Cleargie that not onely in the Church but also in the common-wealth they may be of good estate and wel able to maintaine the credit of the place and person they sustaine the which by no good meanes they can be able to vphold if in worldly welth they be so curtold and kept so thread-bare as that they cannot be in case to be as bountifull as other men Great matters are looked for at the hands of the Cleargie as hospitalitie releeuing the poore and such other thinges which Christ himselfe not onely taught but in person performed in some good sort And is it not a shame for a Bishop to exhort others vnto charitie towards the poore and needie and himselfe neither to put the same in practise nor yet to be able But least any man should thinke that this distinction came out of the Popes Mint and therefore to bee reiected he shal vnderstand by those things we haue now cited that it is the Fathers the autentike Fathers Ambrose in his Epistle de tradendis basilicis maketh mention of the collations of the people and the fields which the Church possessed Wherefore the gifts and oblations of the faithfull which they offer of their owne accord are to be accounted holy goods goâ—â—s sacred and diuine because in that case the chiefe respect is not of man but of God Vnder this kinde we comprise the paiment of tenthes and tythes also albeit there bee great difference betwene those tythes which eyther now the people pay of their owne voluntarie not constrained or haue of olde religiously vndertaken by a lawe imposed vpon themselues and their posteritie to pay vnto the Ministers those tythes which Princes gaue vnto them and laid out for them by their
and more-ouer he commandeth that the execution of their iudgements be done by his ciuil iudges By reason of the statute of Praemunire as they call it against the which whosoeuer offend they are punished with is a matter of verie great daunger in England for Church-men to inuade the office of the ciuill Magistrates and therefore there is kept a most circumspeact distinction betweene the affaires of the Ciuil and the Ecclesiastical Court If at anie time anie of the Bishops or anie other of the cleargie are thought meet men to vndertake any ciuill charge they doe it not by the especiall commaundement and commissiō of the King vnder the broad seale of England But those charges are alwayes accompanied with some honour so that they may be accounted rather a help then a hurt to the proceedings of the Gospell as are the offices and dignities of a priuie Counseller a Commissioner a Iustice of peace and such like Neither as I doe thinke will any man of sound iudgement say that those charges are eyther imposed vpon any Cittizen without the chiefe Magistrate or if they be so imposed that they can of any man be deposed or laide aside If any man except that this is more abhorring from the office of a Bishop then was of olde the charge of the poore from the which notwithstanding the Apostles did abdicate themselues because they could not attend vppon that and their owne charge too and therfore vrge that it is not possible for Bishops that they should discharge both charges well for which cause they ought to sequester themselues from the one I answer first that the Apostles did not so far foorth discharge themselues of the poore mans boxe that that they thought it not appertaining to them to haue any further care thereof for they alwayes continued patrons of the poore as doe the Bishops also whom we will not so intangle with ciuill causes that they forsake their owne but that as it especially concerneth their office vpright dealing and sincere charitie may bee maintained among them whose soules health is committed vnto them But how much a godly and diligent Bishop may doe in this matter Austine alone may serue for many examples who wrote so many excellent volumes when as yet he imployed no small part of his time in these troublesome affaires Whose words I will heere infer for that they inforce a sufficient confutation of this their cauill I call the Lord Iesus witnesse to my soule saith hee in whose name I boldly speake these thinges that for so much as concerneth my commoditie I had rather worke euerie day with my hand as it is vsed in wel ordered Monasteries and reserue the other houres free to read and to pray and to exercise my selfe in the Scriptures then to sustaine the tumultuous perplexities of other causes in determining secular controuersies by iudgement or in taking them vp by arbitrement To the which troubles the same Apostle hath appointed vs not of his owne will but of his that spake in him The which notwithstanding we read not that he himselfe susteined for indeed the course of his Apostleship stood not with it Neither did he say If therefore you haue any secular controuersies bring them before vs or appoint vs to giue iudgement of them but those which are least esteemed in the Church set them vp saith he And I speak to your shame is it so that there is not any wiseman among you which can iudge betweene his brother but the brother goeth to lawe with the brother that before infidels Wherfore those wise men which were resiant in some certaine place beeing faithfull and godly not those which discoursed this way and that way for the Gospel sake I say such would hee haue to bee the examiners of those matters For which cause it is no where written of him that he at any time attended vpon any such busines from the which notwithstanding we cannot bee excused albeit wee bee of the number of those which are least esteemed because he would haue those also set vp if wise men were wanting rather then that the controuersies should bee brought into the open and ordinarie Court The which labour notwithstanding we vndertake not without comfort in the Lorde for the hope of eternall life that we may bring forth fruit with patience Thus saith Augustine whose reasons in my iudgement may satisfie any reasonable man verely they satisfie mee neither can I finde anie thing to mislike in this action of his This is one generall maxime in the rules of Christianity That whatsoeuer wee reade in the word of God eyther forbidden beeing not euill of his owne nature or commaunded beeing of it selfe not good in those thinges Christian charitie dispenseth and disposeth of the matter as the time the place and the cause doth require Vnto the which whosoeuer doth refuse to subscribe he doth it of stubborne and froward hypocrisie not of any religion or deuotion he hath of the precept Neyther is the Diuines rule vnknown concerning those things which are bidden or forbidden in the word of God namely That some thinges are forbidden because they are euill and some thinges are euill because they are forbidden suppose for some especiall purpose And againe on the contrary part That there are some things commanded because they are good and some thinges therefore to bee accounted good because they are commaunded by God who requireth such thinges of men for some especiall causes Now those things which are of the first sort and section are vnder a constant and perpetual law and not to be changed by any means but there is not the like condition of the other sort neither do they bind anie man any further then the reason and occasion of the law doth require Examples of this matter wee haue in the obseruation of the Sabaoth and the vse of the Shew-bread of the which it was not lawfull for any man to eate but the Priests onely besides many other things of like nature which we read to be either commaunded or condemned In this our case it is no crime to be a King nor to be a Magistrate a capitall sinne And therfore the reason of the commandement abating the thing it selfe abideth free and it remaineth lawfull for Princes and other Magistrates to be of power to command the Bishops of the Church in a Christian common-wealth those things which would rather be an aide and an ornament then any hurt or impediment to their holy calling I speake of calling in generall not of any one mans calling which haplie may be hindred and shall haue neede of others which may helpe him but of all theirs which are in the same calling vnto whome there ariseth any honour and authoritie from the rest So that if all things be throughly examined and all commodities with all discommodities compared together which may any waies accrue vnto the Church and common wealth I doubt not but that which wanteth in one parte shall be requited