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
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
Clergy and our Nazarites to whom either wholy or chiefly such choices ought to be referred so should the Churches neuer take harme and not to to the richest and mightiest and to the throng and indiscretion of the multitude yea euen to the basest persons amongst them The Emperour at last was forced by publike laws to restraine the people and take the election of bishops from them and giue it to the Clergie and certaine chiefe men of euerie Citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We decree saith Iustinian that as often as neede requireth to ordaine a Bishop the Clergie and principall men of the Citie for which a Bishop must be prouided shal meete together and set downe in writing three persons and taking their oth vpon the holie Euangile shal expresse in their writing that they haue chosen them neither for reward promise fauour or any other cause but knowing the persons to bee of the right and Catholike faith and of honest life c. that of those three so named the best may be ordained at the election and iudgement of the ordainer If any man be ordained a Bishop and this not obserued we command him by all meanes to be remooued from his Bishopricke and likewise the other that presumed to impose hands against this our Lawe If three sufficient persons coulde not be found in the Clergie of that Citie which wanted a bishop the Electours might name two or one so it were dâ—one within sixe moneths and the men such as the Lawes requires otherwise the Metropolitanâ— to choose for them A Lay man amongest others the Emperour saith they might name but the Canons did not permit a Lay man to be elected but onely to be desired I do not thinke the peoples presence or testimonie were debarred by this Law for that continued a long time after I take it rather the Electours might offer none without the peoples liking but by this meanes the multitude were excluded from electing whom they would and the power thereof translated to the Clergie and Gouernours of eche Citie to name certaine if the people could like of their choice otherwise within sixe moneths the right to deuolue to the chiefe Bishop of the Prouince Then beganne this rule to be more straitely vrged Docendus est populus non sequendus the people in electing of Bishops must be taught and guided not obeyed and followed For Popes themselues could say though the election belong to Priests yet the consent of Gods people must be had When saith Leo you goe about the election of the chiefe Priest or Bishop let him be aduanced before all whom the consent of the Clergie and people with one accord desireth If their voices be diuided betwixt twaine let him be preferred before the other in the iudgement of the Metropolitane which hath more voices and merites onely let none be ordained against their wils and petitions lest the people despise or hate the Bishop which they neuer affected and they lesse care for religion when their desires are not satisfied The like regard of the peoples desires and petitions was had in Gregories time long after If it be true saith Gregorie to Antonius that the Bishop of Salona be dead hasten to admonish the Clergie and people of that City to choose a Priest with one consent that may be ordained for them And to Magnus about the election of y t bishop of Millan Warde saith he the Clergy people that they dissent â—ot in chusing their Priest but with one accord elect some such as may be consecrated their bishop The order of choosing their bishops in the primitiue Church by the Clergie and people was neuer so much respected but that they might many waies forsake and loose their right as by petition when they had none of their owne by compromise when they could not agree by deuolution when they neglected their time aboue sixe moneths or transgressed the Lawes or Canons either in the fourme of their election or in the person elected specially vpon any corruption disorder or violence the election was vtterly voide and the parties depriued of all power to elect for that turne and when they could not agree they were to send some to the Metropolitane to yeelde him the reasons of their dissenting on both sides and he to strike the stroke betwixt them or else they did referre their consents to two or three that should repaire to the chiefe bishop of the Prouince and there make choice with his aduise and consent for the whole citie If you can find saith Gregorie no fit person amongst yourselues on whome you can agree then chuse three wise and in different men and send them to this city in the name of the whole to whose iudgement the people wil stand And againe ConueÌ„t the Clergy of the church of Naples to chuse 2. or 3. of themselues and not to slacke to send theÌ„ hither about the election of their Bishop And in their certificat to vs let theÌ„ signifie that those whom they send haue authority to supply al their places in this election So that the peoples right to elect their bishop neuer depeÌ„ded on Gods expresse coÌ„mandement but on the foundation reason of humane gouernement was subiect both to the Canons of Councils and lawes of Princes might be moderated and restrained by either of them by the peoples consent default or abuse be transferred relinquished or forfeited and without their wils by superior powers and publike Lawes for iust cause be abridged altered or abrogated for the power freedome of the people is not only submitted to the sword which god hath authorized but wholy closed in y t sword neither is any thing lawful for the people setting aside the coÌ„mandements of God which are subiect to no mortall mans wil or power which the laws of their country restraine or prohibite Wherfore there can be no question but the people may willingly forsake and worthily loose the right which they had in the choice of their bishops and the Prince either way bee lawfully possessed of the peoples interest you must rather if you will needes be so inquisitiue examine the causes that induced the lawe whether they were iust or no and so shall you see whether this manner of election be a wise and good preuention of such corrupt factions and fearefull tumultes as our desperate age woulde easely breede or a rigorous encrochment on the peoples right without cause or consent which you can not offer to thinke without euident wrong to the Prince and Realme It cannot be denied but the Prince of right hath and euer had as great interest in the choice of bishops as the people There can no reason be pretended for the multitude but it concludeth more strongly for the Magistrate If the people by Gods Lawe were to chuse their bishop the king as the principall part and head of the people by the same Lawe must be
short meetings vnto the hearing and iudgement of the Metropolitane or Primate of the prouince country where y â— strifes arose The Councill in Trullo saith The things which were determined by our sacred Fathers wee will haue to stand good in all points and renue the Canon which commaundeth Synodes of Bishops to be kept euery yeere in euery Prouince where the Metropolitane shall appoint But since by reason of the inuasions of the Barbarians and diuers other occasions the Gouernors of the Church cannot possibly assemble in Synode twise euery yeere wee decree that in any case there shall be a Synode of Bishops once euery yeere for Ecclesisticall questions likelie to arise in euery Prouince at the place where the Metropolitane shal make choice The second Nicene Councill Where the Canon willeth iudiciall inquisition to be made twise euery yeere by the assemblie of Bishops in euery Prouince and yet for the misery and pouertie of such as should trauell the Fathers of the sixt Synode decreed it should be once in the yeere and then things amisse to bee redressed we renue this later Canon insomuch that if any Metropolitane neglect to doe it except he be hindered by necessitie violence or some other reasonable cause he shall be vnder the punishment of the Canons The Council of Affrica The decrees of the Nicene Councill did most plainely leaue both inferiour Clerkes and Bishops TO THEIR OVVNE METROPOLITANES They did wisely and rightly perceiue that all causes ought to be ended in the places where they did first spring for they dâ—d not thinke any Prouince shoulde bee destitute of the grace of the holy Spirit whereby iustice shoulde bee prudently discerned constantly pursued by the Priests of Christ specially when as euery man hath libertie if he find himselfe grieued with the censure of those that examine his cause to appeale to the Synodes of the same Prouince or to a general Council And againe It hath pleased vs that Presbyters Deacons and other inferiour Clergie men if they complaine of the iudgements of their owne Bishops shall be heard by the Bishops adioyning And if they thinke good to appeale from them let them not appeale but either to the Synodes of Africa OR TO THE PRIMATES of their owne Prouinces So the Council of Sardica If a Bishop in a rage wil by and by cast a Presbyter or Deacon out of the Church we must prouide that being innocent he be not condemned nor depriued the communion Al the Bishops answered Let him that is eiected haue liberty TO FLIE TO THE METROPOLITANE of that Prouince The Emperor confirmed the same If the Bishops of one Synode haue anie matter of variance betwixt themselues either for Ecclesiastical right or any other occasions first the Metropolitane with other Bishops of that Synode shall examine and determine the cause and if either part dislike the iudgement THEN THE PATRIARKE of that Dioecese shall giue them audience ACCORDING TO THE ECCLESIASTICALL CANONS AND OVR LAVVES neither side hauing libertie to contradict his iudgement But if anie of the Cleargie or whosoeuer complaine against his Bishop for anie matter LET THE CAVSE BE IVDâ—ED BY THE METROPOLITANE answerable to the sacred Rules and our Lawes And if any man appeale from his sentence let the cause be brought TO THE ARCHBISHOP Patriarke of that Dioecese and he according to the Canons and Lawes shall make a finall end So that not Antichrist but ancient Councils and Christian Emperours perceiuing the mightie troubles and intolerable charges that the Bishops of euery prouince were put to by staying at Synodes for the hearing and determining of al priuate matters quarrels occurrent in the same Prouince and seeing no cause to busie and imploy the bishops of the whole world twise euerie yeere to sit in iudgement about petite and particular strifes and brables till al parties were satisfied but finding rather that by that means all matters must either be infinitely delayed or slenderly examined and hastily posted ouer as well the Princes as the Bishops not to increase the pride of Archbishops but to settle an indifferent course both for the parties and the Iudges referred not the making of Lawes and Canons but the execution of them alreadie made to the credite and conscience of the Archbishop And though the Fathers leaue an appeale either to the Councils or to the Primates of euerie Nation and Countrie yet the Emperour seeing howelong causes woulde depend before Councils coulde duelie examine and determine them and that to bring all priuate matters from Prouinciall Synodes to Nationall Councils were to breede a worse confusion then the former was decreed that all appeales should go to the Archbishop If you murmure at this alteration first established by the Romane Emperours and stil continued by the Lawes of this realme now in force remember how vnreasonable and intolerable a matter it were for al the bishops of this realme to assemble and at their owne charges to stay the hearing examining and sentencing of all the doubts wrongs quarrels and contentions which al the Consistories throughout England at this day do handle and determine Did you exclude matters of tithes testaments legacies contracts marriages and such like which the ancient Lawes of all Nations commit to episcopall audience and reserue onely matters of correction for Synodes see you not by experience how long causes by reason of the number and weight of them depend in the Arches in the Audience afore the high Commission though the Iudges thereof sit all the yeere long at the dayes prefixed without intermission were it not a proper peece of work for your pleasures to bring all the pastours of this land to keepe continually in one place and to doe nothing else but attend for appeales that must and woulde bee sent from all the shires and quarters of this realme who shoulde teach and administer the Sacraments to the people in the meane time who shoulde defray the expences of so many hundred pastours as are not able to maintaine their families at home and themselues abroade who shall instruct them in the knowledge of the Lawes without which they shalldoe more wrong then right How long will it be afore so great a number or the most part of them concurre in one minde to conclude euerie cause that is brought vnto them And when all these inconueniences be endured and absurdities digested to what purpose since euerie man may presently appeale from them to the Princes power and delegates If Synodes were supreme Tribunals though it were not worth their paines and expences yet they shoulde ende strifes but now you would haue them waste their time spend their liuings and wearie themselues in loosing their labour whiles euerieman that liketh not their order may foorthwith appeale and frustrate their proceedings We could deuise many ways to preuent al this that you obiect if we might be suffred for we would haue standing Synodes in euery Citie that should
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 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
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
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