dominus vt filios Israel secundò circumcideret Frat autem circumcisio signum faederis dei omninò ad religionem pertinens Sequitur in persona Samuelis cohaesere quidèm magistratus sacerdotium veram moderandae religionis curam sustinuit ille quoque non vt sacerdos sed vt magistratus quo tum non erat in Israele superior vt magistratus indicabat Israelem ac disponebat publica omnia tam sacrae quam prophana vt sacerdos sacrificabat pro populo orabat illumque docebat Moses the first Catholique Magistrate in Israel bearing the person not of a priest which was imposed vpon Aaron but of an higher power like vnto a Kings appointed order for all manner of Religion in the people of GOD and prescribed to Aaron himselfe and to the order of the Leuits both what they should doe and what they should auoide and leaue vndone Wherein we see euidently that the care of ordering Religion doth more pertaine to the higher magistrate then to the order of the Priests After the death of Moses the care of Religion together with the Magistracie was devolued not to Eleazar the Priest but to Iosuah the sonne of Nun who was not of the Tribe of Leui but of Ephraim To him God gaue coÌ„mandement that he shoâ—â—â— circumcise the second time the children of Israel But circuâ—cision doubtlesse was the signe of Gods couenant which pertaineth wholy to religioÌ„ In the person of Samuel there did cohere both the Magistracie the Priesthood but he receiued the charge of moderating religion not as hee was a Priest but as hee was a Magistrate greater then whom there was none at that time in Israel As a magistrate he did iudge Israel and ordered all publique affaires as well sacred as prophane ecclesiastical as ciuill but as a Priest hee offered sacrifice prayed for the people and taught them Out of these wordes of this great learned writer I note these golden lessons for the good of the well affected Reader First that Moses was a ciuill magistrate hauing authoritie like vnto a king Secondly that his power was greater then was the authoritie of Aaron the hie Priest Thirdly that Moses ordered all matters in religion and not Aaron who was the hie Priest Fourthly that he appointed to Aaron and to the whole order of the Leuites both what they should doe and what they should leaue vndone Fiftly that the charge care of religion doth appertaine more neerely to the magistrate then to the order of the Priests Sixtly that the magistrate hath the charge and care of ordering religion inseparably annexed to his ciuill office in that hee is a magistrate Seuenthly that a Bishop may haue authoritie to deale in ciuil causes as Samuel did Eightly that Samuel disposed all ecclesiasticall affaires not as hee was Priest but as hee was the ciuill Magistrate All which obseruations this learned writer proueth by the examples of many kings of Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Ezechias and others And of King Dauid hee addeth this most golden and memorable sentence Dauid quoniam sciebat hanc primam curam pertinere ad reges magistratus vt religio Deiritè disponatur hortatus cos est ad id offiâ—ij Dauid because he knewe this chiefe care to pertaine to magistrates to see religion rightly ordered he exhorted them to that office saying Now ô Kings vnderstand be learned yee that iudge the earth Whosoeuer readeth this learned writer seriously throughout his whole discourse can no longer stand doubtfull of the truth of this question Zanchius a most learned writer and a man of singular iudgement in that booke which he left for a testimonie of his faith and Christian beliefe vnto the world and therefore the more to be regarded hath these expresse wordes Improbamus illos qui authoritatem in religione necis tantum causa attribuuÌ„t magistratibus dum illos negant authoritatem habere convocandi synodos deliberandide religione reformandiecclesias quae ad populorum salutem pertinent e sacris literis statuends aliudque eo esse nolunt quà m eorum quae ab episcopis definiuntur exequntores Wee reproue in like manner all those who yeelde and giue authoritie in religion vnto Magistrates onely in Capitall matters touching death whilest they denie them authoritie to call Synodes to consult of religion to reforme Churches and to appoint out of Gods word the things that pertaine to the saluation of their subiects and will onely haue them to bee the bare exequutors of those things which the Bishops doe decree Thus writeth this learned Doctor a man of as great a iudgement as any is in the christian world Out of whose words I note first that he condemneth many who now adaies thinke themselues very wise Secondly he auoweth that magistrates haue authoritie to call Synodes Thirdly that they haue power to deliberate of religion Fourthly that they haue authoritie to reforme the ministers and church-affaires Fiftly that they haue power to order those things which pertaineth vnto mans saluation Maister Martyr a very learned writer discourseth at large both of the authoritie of the minister and of the magistrate He sheweth most excellently both how the minister ought to exhort and rebuke the magistrate and how the magistrate ought to reforme gouerne and punish the minister Some part of his golden discourse I will briefely set downe referring the reader for the rest to the place quoted in the margent Nihil est in toto mundo ad quod verbâ— dei se non extendat quocirca longè falluntur qui clamitare solent quid conscionator cum rep quid cuÌ„ armis quid cum pharmacopolis quid cuÌ„ cocis at dicat c. There is nothing in the whole world to which the word of God doth not extend it selfe Wherefore they are farre deceiued that are wont to exclaime and say What hath the Preacher to doe with the Common-weale what hath he to doe with warres what with the Apothecaries what with cookes but let these good fellowes tell vs why the Minister of Gods word when he perceiueth Gods law to bee transgressed in these things may not rebuke the same out of Gods word why hee may not admonish the malefactors why he may not exhort them to desist from sinne it is his part doubtlesse to reproue sinners not with the sword not with Pecuniarie mulct not with imprisonment not with the sword not with exile but with the force power of Gods word Then this learned man proceeds and telleth vs that the ciuill Magistrate must see and prouide that the Bishops Pastors Doctors of the Church doe teach Gods word purely rebuke sinners fatherly and administer the Sacraments reuerently After this he telleth his Reader that kings haue not charge onely of the bodies of their subiects but of their soules also For saith this great learned Doctor we must not make princes swineheards and heardmen for keepers of cattell who haue care onely of the bellies flesh
writing in this manner Nemo autem est qui non vi◠deat hac vocabula invicem confundi alterum accipi pro altero Nam apostolus etiam propheta doctor evangelista presbyter atque episcopus est Et episcopus evangelista propheta est Propheta doctor presbyter evangelista Proinde apostolus paulus varijs hisce vocabulis varia illa dona significavit qua dominus ecclesiae suae importijt ad salutem Euery man seeth that these wordes are confounded and that one of them is taken for an other For an Apostle is also a Prophet a Doctor an Euangelist a Priest and a Bishop And a Bishop is an Euangelist and a Prophet A Prophet is a Doctor an Elder and an Euangelist Therefore the Apostle Paul by these diuers names signifieth those diuers gifts which our Lord bestowed on his Church vnto saluation I therefore conclude that the pillers whereupon the presbyterie is builded are sandie rotten and vnsound and consequently that that building which is reared vpon them cannot but be vnstable and ruinous The sixt Proposition THe newe English presbyterie was not knowne or heard of in the Christian world for the space of fifteene hundred yeares together at the least This proposition is sufficiently proued by this precedent discourse if it be well marked from the beginning Yea my bare assertion is a good proofe thereof vntill the patrons of the contrarie opinion can and shall name the time and place when and where such a presbyterie was to be found The seuenth Proposition ALL Ministers created and made by the newe presbyterie are meere lay-persons and cannot lawfully either Preach Gods word or administer the sacraments This is alreadie proued I will therefore salute our Brownists Barrowists and such like as the learned and famous Writer Maister Bullinger did the Anabaptists His wordes are these Quod si dicitis vos instar apostolorum peculiarem vocationem habere probate eam signis miraculis dono linguarum doctrina apostolica quemadmodum apostoli fecerunt Hoc autem nunquam facietis ideoque vocatio vestra nihili imò pernitiosa est ecclesiae Christi Now if you say you haue a speciall and peculiar calling as the Apostles had then must you prooue the same by signes and miracles by speaking diuers languages and by doctrine apostolicall as the Apostles did Saint Hierome saith Ecclesia non est quae non babet sacerdotem Where there is no priest or minister there can bee no Church The first Obiection That not Kings Monarches and other independant ciuil magistrates haue the supreame and highest authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall but that Bishops and Priests haue that charge committed to them as their proper and peculiar function it may appeare euidently to all indifferent readers by the facts and proceedings of Bishops in the old testament Ieroboams hand dried vp Ozias was smitten with the leprosie and thrust out of the Temple king Saul deposed from his kingdome and all this befel vpon these kings because they tooke vpon them the supreame authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall Yea Iehoiada the Priest commaunded to put Queene Athalia out of the ranges and to execute the iudgement of death vpon her And king Iehosaphat affirmeth plainly that Amariah was chiefe ruler in all matters of the Lord as Zebadiah was the ciuill gouernour of all the kings affaires The Answere This obiection containeth a question of great moment and is very obscure intricate and difficult Wherefore I admonish and aduise the gentle Reader to reade my answere againe and againe and to ponder it seriously before hee giue his iudgement therein My answere standeth thus First that Ieroboams hand was dried vp and Saul deposed from his royall throne not for that they challenged a soueraigntie aboue the Priests and supreame authoritie in causes ecclesiastical but because they attempted arrogantly and presumptiously to execute priestly functiō in offering incense vpon the Altar burnt offerings peace offerings Secondly that Vzziah or Ozias was smitten with the leprosie because hee would needes burne incense to the Lord which was the Priests proper function Neither did the Priests for all that thrust him out of the Temple but dutifully as it become them told him what was his dutie and that he had offended God and therefore they willed him to surcease from his wicked enterprise and to goe foorth of the sanctuarie Which was no other vsage then S. Iohn the Baptist afforded Herode the Tetrach when he told him it was not lawfull for him to haue his brothers wife Thirdly that the fact of Iehosaphat proueth euidently the Kings supreame power ouer all his subiects as well in causes ecclesiasticall as ciuill The reason hereof is euident because King Iehosophat by vertue of his prerogatiue royall placed both Amariah and Zebadiah in their seuerall functions and prescribed the limits of their iurisdictions Neither will it helpe to say that Amariah was ruler in the matters of the Lord and Zebadiah in the Kings affaires For the meaning is not that the Kings affaires are not the matters of the Lord seeing as is alreadie proued that the King at his inauguration receiueth the whole booke of the law and charge to see Gods true worship and seruice euery where maintained But the true sense of the text is this and no other viz. that those things which the King in his owne person may execute are precisely called the Kings affaires to distinguish them from his other affaires which himselfe cannot put in execution For albeit in the preaching of the word administratiō of the Sacraments the chosen minister hath onely the charge and authoritie to execute them neuerthelesse Gods annointed Prince hath the supreame charge souereigne authoritie to command the execution thereof as also to correct and to punish the Minister for the neglect of his dutie in that behalfe Of which point I haue spoken sufficiently in my other bookes and therefore deeme it a thing needlesse now to stand long vpon the same Fourthly touching the fact of Iehoiada the Priest I answere that it can no way proue the superioritie of Priests ouer kings For first Iehoiada was not a priuate man but the high Priest in the cōmon weale of the Iewes whose office it was to iudge not ecclesiasticall matters onely but also ciuill For the Iewes had no other lawes but the holy scriptures Secondly Iehoiada did nothing against Athalia of himselfe but with the aduise assent and helpe of the Centurions and Peeres of the Realme all which were bound by the lawe of Deuteronomie to defend the kingdome from strangers Thirdly Iehoiada was bound by the right of affinitie to defend king Ioas and to establish him in his Kingdome For his wife was the kings Aunt Fourthly God had assured by his infallible promise the Kingdome to the familie of Dauid Now Athalia was not of the stocke and Progenie of David but a stranger to the Kingdome For her mother was a Sydonian and her father
to the Arch-bishop of Canterburie ouer the other Bishops and Ministers in England Now for aunswere to the other part of the obiection touching high Commissioners Iustices of Peace and Quorum I haue referued the next Chapter CHAP. VI. Of civill offices in Ecclesiasticall persons THe authoritie in ciuill matters committed to the ministers of the Church is not made a thing intrinsically incideÌ„t to the ministerie or as a part thereof but it is coÌ„mitted to them by the Prince whom his subiects are not to limit what persons he shall vse in counsell or to whom hee shall commit the execution of his lawes and it is added to their ministerie as profitable and necessarie for the present state and good of the Church Which good to bee procured by that meanes rather then by any other imployment besides it may appeare both by experience and practise By experience for that wee see those Kingdomes Princes and people most blessed of God where learned and godly Bishops haue beene receiued into the Princes Counsell By practise because I haue both heard and read that maister Caluin and maister Beza were admitted to be Counsellours of the seate at Geneua being thought sit men for that place Who doubtlesse would neuer haue yeelded thereunto if they had thought it a thing either vnlawfull in it selfe or incompatible to their function No no it is neither vngodly nor yet vnseemely for a Minister to come from the Pulpit to the correction of vice sinne and wickednesse But contrariwise it is so godly so comely and so necessarie that it euer hath beene vsuall both in the Lawe of nature in the Lawe of Moses and in the Lawe of grace for First in the lawe of nature Melchisedech was both King and Priest So reporteth holy Moses in his booke of Genèsis and Saint Paul to the Hebrewes And Saint Hierome telleth vs that all the eldest sonnes of the holy Patriarches were both Kings and Priests Aiunt hunc esse Sem filium Noe supputantes annos vitae ipsius ostendunt eum ad Isaac vsque vixisse omnesque primogenitos Noe donec sacerdotio fungeretur Aaron fuisse pontifices The Hebrewes saith Saint Hierome affirme this Melchisadech to bee Sem the sonne of Noah and reckoning the yeeres of his life they shewe vs that he liued vntill Isaac and that all the first begotten of Noah vntill Aarons Priest-hood began were Bishops Yea whosoeuer will denie that Noah Abraham Isaac Iacob and others did rule ouer those who were committed to their charge as wel in ecclesiasticall as ciuill causes they may truly be said to knowe nothing in the scriptures Secondly in the Lawe of Moses Moses himselfe was both the ciuill Magistrate and a Priest For Moses iudged the people from morning vnto euen Hee put the Malefactors to death who had committed Idolatry Hee consecrated Aaron and his sonnes and burnt sweet incense on the golden Altar Heli was both the high Priest and iudge of the people for the space of 40 yeares together Samuel likewise was both a Priest and iudge ouer the people for the space of 30. yeares together The good king Iosaphat made the Priests iudges both in ecclesiastical and ciuil causes And after the captiuitie of the Iewes the Machabees were rulers aswel in ciuil as in ecclesiastical causes Read the books of the Machabees Iosephus Egesippus and this truth will soone appeare But what neede many words in a case so cleere and euident God himselfe made a general law that the priests the ciuil magistrate shuld iontly determine iudge and decide all controuersies These are the expresse wordes of the Law if there rise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement betweene boold and blood betweene plea and plea betweene plague and plague in the matters of controuersie within thy gates then shalt thou arise and goe vnto the place which the Lord thy God shall chuse And thou shalt come to the Priestes of the Levites to the iudge that shall be in those dayes and aske and they shall shewe thee the sentence of iudgement These wordes are so plaine as all interpretation may be thought needlesse Thirdly in the Gospell and newe Testament wee haue a pluralitie of examples in this behalfe S. Paul when he made his abode at Corinthus with Aquila and Prescilla whom Claudius the Emperour had driuen from Rome he wrought with his hands being of the same craft with them and made tents as they did S. Augustine thought it a thing so lawfull for a Bishop to be iudge in causes Ecclesiasticall that I wonder how any man hearing or reading his owne words can any longer stand in doubt thereof Thus doth he write Quis plantat vineam de fructu eius non edit Quis pascit gregem de lacte gregis non percipit Tamen Dominum Iesum in cuius nomine securus haec dico testem invoco super animam meam quoniam quantum attinet ad meum coÌ„modum multo mallem per singulos dies certis horis quantum in bene moderatis monasterijs constitutum est aliquid manibus operari caeteras horas babere ad legenduÌ„ orandum aut aliquid de divinis litteris agendum liberas quam tumultuosissimas perplexitates causar uÌ„alienarum patide negotijs secularibus vel iudicando dirimendis vel interveniendo praecidendis quibus nos molestijs idem affixit Apostolus non vtique suo sed eius qui in eo loquâ—batur arbitrio quam tamen ipsum perpessum fuisse non legimus Aliter n. se habebat apostolatus eius discursus Sequitur quem tamen laborem non sine consolatione domini suscipimus prospe vitae aeternae vt fructum seramus cum tolerantia Servi n sumus cius Ecclesiae maxime infirmioribus membris quanta libet in eodem corpore membra sumus Omitto alias innumerabiles ecclesiasticas curas quat for tasse nemo credit nisi qui expertus est Non ergo alligamui onera gravia humeris vestris imponimus quae nos digito non attingimus quandoquidem si officil nostri sarva ratione possemus videt ille qui probat corda nostra mallemus haee agere quae vt agatis hortamur quà m ea quae non agere cogimur Who planteth a vineyard and eateth not of the fruite thereof who seedeth a flocke and receiueth not of the milke of the flocke Yet I call the Lord Iesus to witnesse vpon my soule in whose name I boldly vtter these words that touching mine owne commoditie I had much rather euery day to worke some thing with mine hands as it is appointed in well gouerned Monasteries and to haue the houres free to read and to pray and to doe some exercise in the holy Scriptures then to suffer the tumultuous perplexities of other mens causes touching secular affaires either in determining theÌ„ by iudging or in cutting theÌ„ off by intreating to which molestations the Apostle hath tyed vs not by
an Israelite more addicted to idolatrie then were the Gentiles Besides this the wicked pretensed Queene Athalia had traiterously murdered and wholy extinguished all the lawfull royall blood the yong childe king Ioas onely excepted whom God contrarie to her knowledge had miraculously preserued and withall shee had set vp the worship of Baal Wherefore it was the parts of the Priests and Peeres of the Kingdome to protect the King to defend his royall right to suppresse the vsurped power of Athalia and to deliuer the King his kingdome and themselues from the confused Ataxia Idolatrie bloodie tyrannie which she had brought vpon them by her violent intrâ—sion and vniust vsurpation of the royall right of Ioas their Lawfull King and vndoubted soueraigne So then albeit the Ministerie of feeding of Preaching Gods word and of the administration of his Sacraments pertaine onely to his ministers neither may the meere ciuill magistrate in any wise intermedle therewith yet for al that most true it is that the prouision for the food the ouer sight that the children of God be duly fed and that the ministers doe exercise their functioÌ„s in vigilant dutifull manner belongeth to the ciuil independant and absolute princes For this respect is it that Kings and Queenes haue the names of nurses not for that they nourish their children in ciuil matters onely but as in ciuil so also in spirituall that is to say in lacte verbi dei in the milke of the word of God For though the execution pertaine to the ministers yet the prouision direction appointment care and ouer-sight which is the supreame gouernmeÌ„t indeed belongeth onely soly and wholy to the prince For this cause is it that King Ezechias highly renowned in holy Writ though he were but yong in yeares did for all that in regard of his prerogatiue royall and supreame authoritie in causes ecclesiasticall call the Priests and Leuits his sonnes charging them to heare him and to followe his direction and commandement for so are the words of the text This notwithstanding I graunt freely and willingly that ministers in the action of their ecclesiastical function church-ministerie are aboue all christians aboue Queenes Kings and Monarches representing God vnto them teaching admonishing rebuking them euen as all others following the godly example therein of S. Iohn that Baptist. Yea if need so require and that the vices of the princes kings and monarches be notorious scandalous to the whole church the Bishops may denounce such potentates to be enemies to the truth aduersaries to GOD and no true members of the Church but forlorne people to be reputed as Ethnicks publicans vntill they giue true signes of vnfeyned repentance But withall this must euer be remembred and most loyally obserued of all Bishops in Christs Church viz. that the prince though full of manifest vices most notorious crimes in the world may neuer be shunned neither of the people nor of the Bishops seeing God hath appointed him to bee their gouernour Much lesse may the people forsake their obedience to his sacred prerogatiue royall and supereminent authoritie And least of all for it is most execrable damnable and plaine diabolicall may either the people alone or the Bishops alone or both ioyntly together depose their vndoubted soveraigne though a Tyrant Heretique or Apostata For all loyall obedience and faithfull seruice in all civil affaires and whatsoever els is lawfull they must euer yeeld vnto him He may bee admonished by the Ministers in the Court of conscience concerning his publique offences but he may neuer bee iudged in the court of their Consistorie touching his power royall and princely prerogatiue their power is only to admonish and rebuke him and to pray to God to amend that is amisse Hee hath no iudge that can punish him but the great iudge of all euen the GOD of heauen Note the answeres to all the obiections following marke them seriously The 2. Obiection Great learned men doe hold that there were vnpriested Seniors in the Primitiue Church who together with the Pastors did gouerne the Church And the same is this day practised in many reformed Churches The Answere I answere First that I doe not condemne the practise of other reformed Churches but teach plainly and Christianly that euery Church hath freedome libertie and authoritie to make such canons orders ordinances and constitutions as shall bee thought most meete fit and conuenient for the external gouernment thereof Which thing I haue already proued not onely by the practise of the Church in all ages but also by the vniforme assent and constant verdict of best approoued Patrons of the reformed Churches in this age Secondly that those great Patrons of the reformed Churches who deeme vnpriested Elders to be convenient for their particular precincts free cities and common weales doe for all that thinke an other gouernment more fit for Christian Monarchies and doe highly commend the same I might alledge the ioynt testimonies of M. Gualter M. Hemingius M. Bucer and of many other famous late Writers But in regard of breuitie onely M. Musculus shall content me for the present These are his expresse words Principio vt constituat ecclesiarum ministres vbi illi desiderantur sive eligat eos ipse five ab alijs iussu ipsim electos confirmet Neque n. convenit vt praeter authoritatem potestatis publicae public a quisquaÌ„ numer a in ecclesia obeat Dices at secùs factuÌ„est in primis ecclesiis in quibus a ministris ac plebe eligebantur ecclesiarum antistites Respondeo talis tum ecclesiarum erat status vt aliter non essent eligendi ministri propterea quod Christiano magistratu destituebantur Sirevocas temporum illorum mores primùm conditiones ac statum quoque illorum revoca First it is the dutie of the ciuil magistrate to constitute the ministers of the church where they be wanting whether he choose theÌ„ himselfe or confirme those which others by appointment haue chosen For it is not meete that any minister execute any function in the Church without the authoritie of the publique Magistrate You will say But it was otherwise in the Primitiue Church where the Ministers and the people did choose their Gouernours I answere the state of the Church was then such that the Ministers of the Church could not be chosen otherwise because then they were destitute of a Christian Magistrate If thou wilt vse the manners of that time thou must first call againe the condition and state of that time Out of these words I note many golden obseruations First that the ciuill Magistrate may appoint and elect the ministers of the Church Secondly that none can lawfully execute any Church-foundation or bee a Minister of the Church without election assent authoritie or confirmation of the ciuil magistrate Thirdly that the ciuil magistrate may either choose the ministers himselfe or appoint others to doe it Fourthly that the gouernment of the
proportionally of all inferiour magistrates To which I must needs adde that the honour wealth and preseruation of a king is indeede the honour wealth peace and good of his people So that euery way the kings owne loue is respected and his own honour and good procured Obiection 2. If the king by his vngodly gouernment may become a tyrant then may his subiects resist his proceedings then may they depose him from his royall Diademe Scepter and Regalitie The Answere I answere that a kingdome may be possessed two waies viz by election and by succession or discent of blood royall They that are kings the first way as the Emperour of the Romans the king of Polonia and if there be any others of like sort if they change their gouernment into tyrannie and violate the lawes to which by couenant oath and promise they stand obliged in their election they I say may be deposed by the same power authoritie by which they were inuested into their throne The reason hereof is euident because the possession right and vse of their regall authoritie is not independant absolute but conditionall and relatiue and consequently such a King degenerating from his oath and promise standeth at the curtesie of his electors concerning the interest possession and vse of his prerogatiue royall But they who are Kings by discent and succession in blood royall as is our most wise pious learned and religious Soueraigne who happily this day raigneth ouer vs haue an absolute and independaÌ„t soueraigntie ouer their subiects which neither doth nor euer did stand in the curtesie power and pleasure of their people For Kings by succession and discent in blood royall are Kings Ipso facto so soone as their auncestors are deceased euen before the act of their annointing and Coronation as also before the oathe which vsually they take for the godly administration of their kingdomes Such ceremonies though they be very comely and expedient for sundrie respects yet are they not any essential part of their princely rights and royall prerogatiue how necessarie soeuer some esteeme the same deeming them no Kings without them And consequently their proceedings may not vndutifully be resisted much lesse may their authoritie begain said and least of all may their sacred persons be deposed from their Sâ—â—ptâ—rs and prerogatiues royall No no not though they should degenerate and fall into tyrannie or flat Atheisme and Apostaâ—â—â— And yet I freely graunt that as the king is aâ—â—â—â— his Bishops in respect of his royall Regiment and hath power to correct and punish them yea euen to depose and displace them as King Salomon deposed Abiathar if the cause so require So semblably is the Bishops power in respect of his Ministrie touching exhortation and rebuking aboue the Princes In regard whereof the good Bishop Saint Ambrose is highly commended for his Godly zeale and Christian courage in reprehending the Emperour 〈…〉 But withall this must euer be remembred and most loyallie obserued of all Bishops in Christes Church that the Prince though full of notorious crimes may neuer bee shunned neither of the people nor yet of the Bishops because he is appointed of God to be their gouernour Much lesse may the people for sake their obedience to his authoritie because they must forsake their obedience to his vices Hee may be shunned priuatelie and his vices detested generallie but loyall obedience and faithfull seruice may neuer be denied him Hec may bee admonished by the Bishoppes in the court of Conscience concerning his publique offences but he may neuer be iudged in the court of their Consistorie touching his Royal power and Princely prerogatiue He may be reprooued if his faults be publique and notorious but his subiects may neuer depose him because their authoritie stretcheth not so farre Hee hath no Iudge that can punish him but the great Iudge of all euen the God of Heauen Of which subiect I haue elsewhere disputed more at large The generall councel of Constance where was present that great learned Doctor Iohannes Gerson then Chauncelour of Paris condemned it for a notorious heresie and him for an Heret que that held the same viz. to holde and maintaine it to be a thing lawfull for the subiects to kill euery Tyrant that reigned tyrannically ouer them Where wee must obserue marke seriously the word euery For the Councell condemneth not the killing of those Tyrants which raigne tyrannicallie by violent intrâ—sion and vnlawfull vsurped possession but the killing of those Princes though raigning tyrannically and liuing most licentiously who were inuested and â—thronized into their kingdomes by lawful descent of blood royall and auncient hereditarie succession CHAP. II. Of the chiefest and best kinde of Gouernment ARistotle that famous Philosopher hauing reckoned vp the three former kindes of Gouernment adjoyneth forthwith these golden wordes Atque harum optima quidem est regnum deterrima verò censuum potestas And the best of these Gouernements is a Monarchie or Kingdome but the worst is a Democratie The Israelites and people of the Iewes were euer gouerned by a Monarchie euen from Adam vnto Christes most sacred Aduent For first the Patriarkes had the rule and gouernment Secondly Moses and Iosua were the leaders and gouernours of the people Thirdly Gedeon Iair Samson and others did rule and iudge the Israelites Fourthly Kings Saul Dauid Salomon Iehosaphat Ezechias Ioas and others Fiftly Zorobabel and the Machabees were gouernours And this gouernment continued euen from the Captiuitie vntil Christ. This kinde of gouernment to bee the best may easilie be prooued as well by the manner of Mans creation as by the naturall propension giuen vnto him Touching the manner wee are all framed of one not of many The Protoplast Adam of the earth of him Eue of them twaine all the rest Herevppon Saint Chrysostome who for his great learning and Eloquence was surnamed the golden mouthed Doctor concludeth a Monarchie or Kingdome to bee the best kinde of Gouernment vppon earth His wordes are these Equidem si quanquam hoc sint pacto geniti primus tamen statim hominum semine parentum procreatus adeo insaniuit tantam rixam tantam inuidiam Diaboltes seminauit quid put as fecisset si non ab eadem prorsus radice pullulasset genus hâ—marum deinde hunc imperare illam subesse iussit esse n. inter aquales amulationem nouit itaque noâ—uit esse Democratiam sed Regnum For although they be thus be gotten yet if hee that was the first man produced by the seede of his parents did so rage and was so furious and if the Diuell also did raise vp such contention and enuie what thinkest thou would hee haue done if mankinde had not issued out of the same â—oote He therefore commanded the one to rule the other to obey For he knew that emulation would arise among equalls He therefore would not haue a Democratie or popular state but a Kingdome Thus writeth this learned â—ather
and skinnes of their subiects because kings must prouide see that their subiects liue vertuously and in the feare of God yea he saith further that if the Ministers teach not aright or doe not administer the Sacraments orderly theÌ„ the Magistrate must reduce them into order and see that they teach sincerely and doe not abuse the Sacraments nor deliuer theÌ„ otherwise then Christ hath commanded And if they liue wickedly and disorderly he must depose them from the Ministerie Thus writeth this Doctor and much more he hath to the like effect but I studie to be briefe M. Bucer an other great learned Clerke in that worthy worke which he dedicated to king Edward the 6. of happy memorie telleth him resolutely that euery soule is subiect to his Empire aswell the Bishops as the rest of the Clergie and that therefore he must be the more vigilant and carefull to reforme them and their Ministerie And M. Caluin in his Epistle to Queene Elizabeth of happie memorie ascribeth vnto her the same prerogatiue in causes Ecclesiasticall very earnestly exhorting her Maiestie in the bowels of Christ Iesus to bee carefull in purging the Church from superstition and poperie See the xj Chapter in the sixt proposition in the answere to the first Obiection and note it well CHAP. V. Of the Degrees of Ministers Bishops Arch-bishops Metropolitanes and Patriarches and of their Antiquitie in the best and purest times of the Church Paragraph first of the degrees and superioritie of one Minister ouer an other SAint Austin that famons writer and strong pillar of Christs Church who liued aboue 1200. yeares agoe affirmeth resolutely and plainly vnto S. Hierome beeing then an Elder or Presbyter of Christes Church that his authoritie and degree was aboue S. Hieromes because hee was a Bishop These are S. Austins owne words Quanquam n. secundum honorum vocabula quae iam vsus ecclesiae obtinuit episcopatus presbyterio maior sit tamen in multis rebus Augustinus Hieronymo minor est licet etiam a minore quolibet non sit refugienda vel dedignanda correctio For although according to the wordes of honour which now are of force by the custome of Christes Church the degree office of a Bishop is greater theÌ„ the degree office of a Priest or Elder yet Austin is in many things inferiour to Hierome neither may the superiour disdaine to be rebuked of his inferiour Out of these wordes of S. Austin I obserue first that to be a Bishop in S. Austins time at which time it cannot bee denied but the Church was in good state and order was an higher degree then to bee a Priest or Elder Secondly that Bishops were in those dayes honourable and called Lord Bishops which I gather out of these words secundum honorum vocabula according to the wordes of honour Thirdly that this superioritie amongst Ministers had been a long time in the Church euen before S. Austins dayes because Saint Austine saith this superioritie came by the custome of the Church S. Hierome who liued in S. Austins dayes confirmeth S. Austins testimonie touching the superioritie of one minister ouer an other these are his wordes Nam Alexandriae à Marco Euangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionysium Episcopos presbyteri semper vnum ex se electum in excelsiori gradu collocatum episcopum nominabant quomodo si exercitus imperatorem faciat aut diaconi eligant de se quem industrium noverint archidiaconum vocent quid nâ—facit excepta ordinatione episcopus quod presbyter non faciat sequitur presbyter episcopus aliud aetatis aliud dignitatis est nomen sequitur quod Aaron filij eius at que Levitae in templo suerunt hoc sibi episcopi presbyteri diaconi vendicent in ecclesia For at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist vnto Heraclas and Dionysius being both Bishops the Priestes did alwayes choose one among them whom they placed in an higher degree and called him Bishop as if an host of men should make a Generall ouer them or the Deacon chuse one of themselues whom they sawe more vigilant and should call him Arch-deacon For what doth a Bishop sauing the ordination that a Priest doth not Touching a Priest and Bishop the one is the name of age the other of dignitie That which Aaron and his sonnes and the Leuites were in the temple the same may the Bishops and Priestes and Deacons challenge in the Church Out of these wordes of this holy Father and learned writer I note first that a Bishop hath an higher degree in the Church then hath a Priest or Elder I note secondly that this superioritie among Ministers hath euer beene in the Church since the time of Saint Marke the Euangelist Thirdly that the name of a Bishop is the name of dignitie honour Fourthly that as Aaron had a degree aboue the Priestes in the time of Moses so haue Bishops now a degree aboue the other Ministers or Elders Fiftly that a Bishop onely ordeyneth Ministers Saint Chrisostome who liued in Saint Austines time had very great superioritie ouer Bishops for hee was not onely Bishop of Constantinople but also ruled many other Churches both in Thracia Pontus and Asia These are the expresse words of Theodoretus in his historie concerning this matter Atque hoc modo prospexit non illi solum civitati verum etiam totâ— Thratiae quae est in sex episcopatus divisa cunctae etiam Asiae quae vndecim habet antistites Ponticam praeterea ecclesiam quae eundem habet episcoporum numerum quem Asia eisdem legihus adornavit And Chrysostome the Bishop of Constantinople did by this meanes not onely prouide for that citie but also for all Thracia which is diuided into sixe Bishoptickes as also for the whole Countrey of Asia which hath in it eleuen Bishops He also ruled Pontus which hath the same number of Bishops with Asia and beautified it with the same Lawes Out of these words of this holy Father worthily surnamed the golded mouthed Doctor I obserue first that hee was the Arch-bishop of Constantinople Secondly that hee had also iurisdiction Archiepiscopall ouer 28. Bishops in Thracia Asia and Pontus And that the Reader may fully know what iurisdiction this holy Father vsed ouer these Churches two things must be remembred which are set downe in the place quoted in my Margent The one that he commaunded the Priests to liue after the Lawes The other that he did â—â—ptiue them of their Priestly function which did violate and transgresse the lawes So then it is cleare and euident that there are degrees of superioritie amongst Ministers yea that one Bishop hath iurisdiction ouer another as S. Chrysostome being a Patriarch had ouer 28. other Bishops S. Ignatius who was Bishop of Antioch and S. Iohns disciple and liued in the Apostles time A. D. 97 sheweth euidently that in his time one Minister had rule ouer another the Bishops ouer the
episcopus antequam diabeli iâ—stinctu studia in religiene sierent diceretur in populis ego sum Peuli ego Apolio ego verò Cephae communi presbytererum 〈◊〉 ecclesiae gubernabantur Postquam verò vnusquisque eos quoâ— baptizaverat suos putabat esse non Christian toto orbe accrâ—â—um est vt vâ—usde presbyteris euctus svperponeretur caeteris ad quem omnis ecclesiae cura pertineret sâ—â—iâ—matum scmina tellereâ—tur An Elder and a Bishop are all one and before dissention by the diuels procurement arose in the Church and the people began to say I am of Paul I of Apolle and I of Cophas the churches were gouerned by the common consent of the Pastorall Elders Ministers or Priests But after that euery one did thinke those to be his and not Christs whom he had baptized it was decreed throughout the whole world that one of the ministers or Priest should bee chosen and set ouer the rest to whom the whole care of the Church should appertaine that the seeds of schisme might be taken away Out of these plaine aslertions of this holy learned and auncient father I obserue first that in the very beginning of the primitiue church al the ministers were equal in degree and did gouerne the church with a general coÌ„mon consent Secondly that in very short time the diuell raised vp such dissention in the church that it was thought meete to alter the kind of gouernment to set one minister ouer the rest Thirdly that this was done to take away schisme Fourthly that this alteratioÌ„ was made euen in the Apostles dayes viz. wheÌ„ one said he held of Paul an other he held of Peter an other he held of Apollo at what time S. Marke the Euangelist was made the Bishop of Alexandria Fiftly that this superioritie among the ministers of the church was decreed by a settled lawe throughout the whole world S. Irenaeus hath these wordes Omnes n. hij valaë posteriores sunt quam episcopi quibus Apostoli tradiderunt ecclesias For all these come farre after Bishops to whom the Apostles committed the charge of churches Maister Zuinglius a famous and zealous defender of the Gospell is wholy consonant to these holy and ancient Fathers His wordes shall be set downe at large when I come to the ordering of Ministers Saint Timothy and S. Titus had superioritie ouer all other Ministers both at Ephesus and at Creta and consequently they were made Arch-bishops by Saint Paul himselfe This is constantly affirmed both by Saint Crysostome Theodoritus Oecumenius and many other famous writers Saint Chrysostome hath these expresse wordes Vnus ex Pauls socijâ— hic fuit vir probatus nequeâ—n profectò ills integram insulam permisisset neque ea quae aeerant praecepisset imâ—lenda tam multorum episcoporum iudicium commisisset nisi multùmilli confideret This worthy man was one of S. Pauls fellowes for doubtlesse he would neuer haue committed one whole Iland vnto him neither haue commanded things wanting to be accomplished nor yet haue coÌ„mitted the iudgemeÌ„t of so many Bishops vnto him vnlesse he had had great confidence in him Thus writeth this holy learned and ancient father touching the superioritie of Titus Of Timotheus the same father writeth thus Quaeri mevitò potest quomodo Timotheum adse vocet cui ecclesiae gentisque totius crediderat gubernacula It may worthily be demaunded how hee calleth Timothy vnto him to whom he had committed the gouernment of the Church and of the whole nation Marke well these wordes gentis totius of the whole nation and these wordes likewise integram insulam the whole Iland and these wordes withall Muitorum episcoporum iudicium the iudgement of many Bishops For out of the said wordes it is cleerely and euidently deduced that both Timotheus and Titus were Arch-bishops in Saint Paules time the one hauing iurisdiction ouer all Asia the other ouer all Creta two great and large countries Illyricus a very famous late writer and a most worthy defender of Christian truth iumpeth with S. Chrysostome in his iudgement and opinion These are his expresse words Harum autem tres priores scriptae ad duos praestantes doctores plurimarumque ecclesiarum episcopos Timotheum Titum potissimùm informant episcopum aut superintendentem per cum etiam totam ecclesiam ab ipso gubernandam ac instruâ—ndam But the three former of these written to two excellent Doctors and Bishops of many churches Timotheus and Titus doe specially informe a Bishop or superintendent and by him the whole Church also which must be gouerned and instructed by him Loe here gentle Reader Timothie and Titus were Arch bishops that is to say the Bishops of many Churches I here let passe the wordes of Theodoretus Oecumentus and others in regard of breuitie Saint Cyprian that holy learned and auncient Father who liued aboue one thousand and three hundred yeares agoe was not only the Bishop of the famous citie of Carthage but he had also the gouernment both of Numidia and of Mauritania two goodly regions in Affrica So doth S. Cyprian himselfe write of himselfe and therefore the storie is of good credite Many Councels of Nice Antioch Carthage Mileuitane Chaicâ—doâ— and others make mention of Arch-bishops Metropolitans Primate and Patriarches It shall suffice in regard of breuitie to relate onely master Calnius testimonie of the famous Councel of Nice These are maister Caluins expresse words Quod autem singulae provinciae vnum habebant inter episcopos archiepiscopum quod item in Nicaena synodo constituti sunt patriarchae quiessent ordine dignitate archiepitscopis superiores id ad aâ—sâ—iplinae conservationem pertinebat Quanquam in hac disputatione praeteriri non potest quod rarissimi erat vsus Ob hanc igitur causam potissimum iustituti sunt illi gradus vt si quid in ecclesia qualibet incideret quod non posset bene a paâ—cis expediri ad synodum provincialem referretur Siâ—nagnitudo aut difficultas causae maiorcÌ„ quoque discussioâ—â—◠〈◊〉 adâ—iâ—ebantur patriarchae vaa cum synodis a qubuâ— esset provocatio nisi ad vniversaie concilium 〈◊〉 sic constitutam non ulli Hierarchâ—am vocaruÌ„t nomine 〈…〉 improprio â—erè 〈…〉 veteres episcâ—pos non aliam regendae ecelesiae formam volnisse fingere ab ea quam deus verbo suo praescripsit That euery prouince had an Arch-bishop among their Bishops and that the Councell of Nice did appoint Patriarches which should be in order and dignitie aboue Arch-bishops it was done for the preseruation of discipline Although in this discourse wee may not forget that it was a thing of very rare vse For this cause therefore were those degrees especially appointed that if any thing should happen in any particular church which could not there be decided the same might be referred to a general Synod If the greatnesse or difficultie of the cause required yet greater consultation then were added
into his Court and gaue him an honourable charge to ouersee his house where his purple was dyed at Tyrus Nicephorus Callistus in his Ecclesiasticall Historie telleth vs of one Philaeas a famous Bishope and blessed Martyr who as hee reporteth got great credite for his dexteritie in deciding ciuil causes committed to his charge But to let others passe let vs heare what a famous late writer saith who fauoured the presbyteriall Discipline so farre foorth as either by learning or safe conscience hee could agree therevnto These are his expresse wordes Interim non diffitemur episcopos qui simul etiam principes sunt praeter authoritatem ecclesiasticam sua etiam hebere iura politica seculare sque potestates quemadmodum reliqui habent principes ius â—â—perands secularia ius gladij nonnullos ius eligendi confirmandique reges imperatores aliaque politicae constituends administrandi subditosque sibi populos ad obedientiam sibi praestandam cogendi Ac proinde jatemur politicis horum mandatis quae sine transgressione legis divinae servari possunt a subditis obtemperandum esse non solum propter timorem sed etiam propter conscientiam Neuerthelesse wee doe not denie that Bishops which are also Princes may besides their authoritie ecclesiasticall haue also politicall right and secular power like as other Princes haue right to commaund secular matters authoritie to vse the sword authoritie to choose and confirme Kinges and Emperours to constitute and administrate other ciuill affaires as also to compell their subiects to yeelde obedience to them in that behalfe And therefore wee graunt that their subiects must obey their civill commandes which may be kept without offence of Gods law and that not onely for feare but also for conscience sake The same Zanchius in an other place hath these wordes Quis autem illis omninò obediendum esse quo iure quaque iniuria principes suerint creats ex testimonijs a me allao us non videat apertè demonstrari cur n. qui subdits sunt Moguntino Colontensi Trevirensi principibus imperij simul archiepiscopis in rebus cum pietate christiana non pugnantibus non obtemperent seditiosorum certè fuerit non obtemperare Quodsi istis cur non etiam Romano ijsdem in rebus candem ob causam qui sub eius vivunt imperio eadem n. horum omnium est ratio And who cannot see it euidently proued by the examples which I haue alledged that they must bee obeyed vndoubtedly whether they be by right or no right created Princes For why shall not subiects obey in things not against Christian pietie the Princes of the Empire being also Arch-bishops of Moguntia Colen and Trevers it is doubtlesse the properietie of sedicious persons not to yeelde obedience vnto them And if these must bee obeyed why not also the Bishop of Rome in the same matters and for the same cause of those that liue within his Empire for there is the like reason of them all Thus writeth the famous and great learned Doctor Zanchius Out of whose resolution I obserue these points for the good of the gentle Reader First that Ecclesiasticall and Civill iurisdiction are compatible and may both be in one and the same subiect at once Secondly that Bishops which are also Princes may together with their Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction haue also secular power and authoritie to vse the sword and such like Thirdly that the people within their dominions and liberties are bound to obey them Fourthly that they must obey not onely for feare but euen for conscience-sake Fiftly that whosoeuer shall disobey such Bishops and Arch-bishops doe shewe themselues thereby to be seditious fellowes To which I adde that this doctine of this great learned man who was a most zealous professour of Christes Gospell doth flatly confound and euen strike dead pronouncing a sharpe vae vobis to all such as shall obstinately refuse to obey our Bishops and Arch-byshops here in England For whatsoeuer can be obiected against our Bishops why wee shall not obey them the same may be alledged against those Bishops of which Zanchius speaketh in this place Yea our Bishops are as lawfully created Barons and doe this day as lawfully enioy their temporall Baronries for ought I know by the free donation of the Kings of this Realme of famous memorie as doe the Bishops of Germanie I therefore conclude from a good foundation surely layd that Bishops and Arch-bishops aswell concerning their names and titles as their authoritie iurisdiction and superioritie ouer other Ministers are both lawfull necessarie and agreeable to the practise of the Catholique Church in all Ages and consequently that none will or can denie the same but such as are either wholy ignorant in the auncient Councels holy Fathers and ecclesiasticall histories or else maliciously bent to speake against their owne knowledge and wittingly and willingly to oppose them selues against the knowne truth Yea Maister Calvin graunteth freely that hee which is Lorde of a Village or Citie may exercise the office of teaching CHAP. VII Of the Churches authoritie in things indifferent The first aphorisme of things de facto altered in the Church MAny things being in their owne nature indifferent haue beene changed in the Church by her authoritie as the circumstances of times places and persons did require First our Lord Iesus did celebrate the holy Communion and memoriall of his sacred passion in the euening after Supper Yet the Churches custome this day is and euer was to celebrate the same in the morning before Dinner Secondly Christ did celebrate the same vsing vnleauened bread therein but the reformed Churches doe this day vse leauened bread without offeÌ„ce in so doing Thirdly Christs Apostles receiued the blessed Eucharist fitting but the custome of the Church hath euer beene to receiue the same kneeling And they that would seeme to haue most spiced consciences will not sticke to receiue it standing or walking Fourthly Christ washed his Apostles feete willing them to followe his example and to wash one anothers feete Fiftly the Apostles made a solemne Decree affirming it to proceede from the holy Ghost to abstaine from blood that which is strangled And yet the church many yeares agoe haue wholy altered that holy ordinance and Apostolicall constitution Sixtly Saint Paul after hee had willed the Corinthyans and vs in them to be followers of him euen as he was of Christ telleth them and vs plainly that euery man praying or Prophesing hauing any thing on his head dishonoureth his head And yet at this day smalaccount is made therof This point will be made more plaine when I come to speake of the oath Ex officio The second Aphorisme of things not expressed in the Scriptures and yet decreed by the Church to be obserued and kept IN the church of the Hebrewes wee read of many approoued constitutions for which there was no warraÌ„t in the written word First King Salomon appointed a solemne
committed the managing of his house Which point is likewise proued aboundantly in the Chapters aforegoing The 4. Aphorisme of ceremonies vsed id Wed. locke or marriage IN the solemnization of Matrimonie two things are much reproued viz the Ring and the simbolicall signification To the former I answere that seeing Wed-locke is a vassible ciuill contract there is great reason that it should be assured with some ciuill permanent and externall signe Hereupon the Church which hath authoritie to ordaine ceremonies as is alreadie proued doth appoint a round Ring as a ceremonie best beseeming such a contract For the Ring being round and without end in it selfe is very fit and meete to signifie to the married couple that they ought to be ioyned in the perpetual band of loue the one to the other To the latter I answere semblahly that S. Paul may as iustly be reproued therein as the Church of England For after he hath discoursed at large of the high misterie of matrimonie assuming the husband and the wife to be one flesh hee foorthwith addeth that hee speaketh of the great misterie betweene Christ and his Church Which symbolicall signification â—s approued by Saint Austin S. Chysostome S. Ambrose S. Hierome and many others It shall suffice in this so cleere a case to alleage S. Ambrose his words for all the rest Thus doth bee write Mysterij Sacramentum grande in vnitate viri ac foeminae esse signifiâ—at sed aliam causam quae non discordet a memorato mysterio flagitat quam scit ad prosectum humani generis pertinere hoc est ecclesiae salvatoris vt sicut relictis parentibus home vxori suae adhaerdt it a relicto omni errore ecclesia adhaereat subijciatur capiti suo quod est Christus He signifieth that there is a great mysterie in the vnitie of the wife and her husband Neither doth hee reveale this onely but he also requireth an other cause which differeth not from the said mysterie which hee knoweth to appertaine to the profit of mankinde that is of the Church and of our Saviour That as man forsaking his parents adhaereth to his wife so the Church leauing all errour must adhaere and be subiect to her head which is Christ. M Bucer approveth and highly commendeth euery ceremonie which our church vseth coÌ„cerning holy wedlock Hieronimus Zanchius a most zealous and learned writer singeth the same song with Saint Ambrose These are his words Talis fuit eductio Evae ex latere Adae dormientis Item coniunctio Evae cum Adamo in matrimonium Res in se fuit visibilis sub sensum cadens sed aliam occultam representabat eductionem creationem ecclesiae ex latere Christi in cruco mortui vnionem ecclesiae cum Christo. Such was the eduction of Eve out of the side of Adam when he was a sleepe So also was the coniunction of Eve with Adam in the matrimoniall contract the thing in it selfe was visible and subiect to our sence but it did represent another secret thing euen the eduction and creation of the Church out of Christes side being dead vppon the Crosse and the vnion of the Church with Christ. The fift Aphorisme of the Symbolicall signe vsed in the confirmation of Children IT is greatly disliked and highly reprooued that our Bishops doe lay their hands vpon children to certifie them by this signe of Gods fauour towards them To which I answere that the fact and vsage of our Bishops in confirming children is according to the practise of the church in al former ages and therefore ought it not either to bee so lightly reiected or so rashly condemned S. Cornelius writing to his brother Fabius sheweth evidently how one Novatus being baptitized in his bed regarded not after his recoverie the rest of the ceremonies whereof he should haue bene partaker according to the rule of the Church no not so much as to be sealed or confirmed by the Bishop for that cause did he not receive the holy ghost Now this Cornelius liued above 1100. yeeres agoe at what time the church was free from all herisies errours superstition And yet did the church even then vse to confirme children in the selfe same maner now vsed in our English Church S. Augustin deliuereth the custome of the Church in his time in such golden excellent words as I verely thinke he is able to satisfie every one that shall with a single eye and vpright iudgement all parcialitie set apart duely ponder the same These are his words Numquid modo quibus impenitur manus vt accipiant spiritum sanctum hoc expectatur vt linguis loquaÌ„tur aut quando imposuimus manus istis infantibus attendit vnusquisque vestrum vtruÌ„ linguis loquerentur cùm videreâ— cos linguis non loqui ita perversocorde aliquis vestruÌ„ fuit vt diceret non acceperunt isti spiritum sanctum naÌ„si accepissenâ— linguis loquerentur quâ—aamodum tunc factum est si ergo per haec miracula non fiat modo testimonium praesentiae spiritus sancti vnde fit vnde cognoscit quisque se accepisse spiritum sanctum interroget cor suum si deligit fratrem spiritus Deimanet in illo Is it this day expected that they speake with tongues vpon whoÌ„ the Bishop hath laid his hands that they should receiue the holy Ghost or when we imposed hands vpon Infants did euery one of you marke if they spake with tongues and when he sawe they spake not with tongues was then any of you so way wardly affected as to say they haue not receiued the holy Ghost for if they had they would speake with tongues as it came then to passe If therefore we haue not the testimonie of the presence of the holy Ghost by miracles how knoweth euery one that hee hath receiued the holy Ghost Let him dispute the matter with his owne heart and if he loue his brother the spirit of God abideth in him Thus write these holy Fathers shewing plainly vnto vs the practise of the Church in their dayes and that the holy Ghost is giuen in confirmation as also that the imposition of hands is a signe thereof in Gods children though not giuen in such miraculous manner as in the Apostles-time Saint Hieromie teacheth the selfe same doctrine which Cornelius and Saint Austin haue deliuered These are his words Quod si hoc loco quaeris quare in ecclesia baptizatus nisi per manus episcopi non accipiat spiritum sanctum quem nos asserimus in vero baptismate tribui disce hanc observationem ex ea authoritate descendere quod post ascensum domini spiritus sanctus ad Apostolos descendit Et multis in locis idem factitatum reperimus ad honorem potiùs sacerdotij quà m ad legis necessitatem If thou heere demaund why hee that is baptized in the Church receiueth not the holy Ghost but by the hands of the Bishop which
is granted to the Church in the Election of her Ministers This veritie may easily be proued by foure reasons of great importance viz. By apostolicall practise decrees of auncient Councels the testimonie of the holy Fathers and the consent of best approoued late Writers The first Reason drawne from the practise of Christ and his Apostles CHrist himselfe as his holy Gospell teacheth vs did of himselfe alone without the consent and voices of his people both call and choose his Apostles And in like manner himselfe alone did cal choose his disciples whoÌ„ he sent abroad to Preach the Gospell into euery citie and place whither he himself should come But most certain it is that we are bouÌ„d to imitate Christs facts deeds before all other mens For euery his action is and ought to be our instruction For this cause doth the Apostle exhort the E phesians and in them all other Christians to be followers of God as deare children And the same Apostle willeth vs to be followers of him euen as he followed Christ. The Apostles themselues in their Elections of ministers did not euer obserue one and the same manner For in one place we reade that they presented two Barsabas Matthias whereof the one was chosen by Lot In an other place we find that this course was altered For the people presented seuen to the Apostles who all were chosen without Lots vpon whom the Apostles also laid on their hands Wee reade in an other place that this forme was like wise changed and that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas ordained ministers in euery citie in which ordaination they neither obserued casting of Lots nor yet any presentment by the people We find in an other place that S. Paul Elected and ordained both Timothy and Titus and gaue them authoritie to ordaine others Hereupon I inferre this euident conclusion that there is no certaine forme prescribed for the Election of ministers which is to be obserued for euer in the Church but that euery Church is free to change the same according to the circumstances of times places and persons Which doctrine wil better appeare when I shal come to the fourth Reason The second Reason drawne from the Decrees of auncient councels THe Councell of Laodicea holden in the yeare of our Lord 370. hath these wordes Non est permittendum turbis electionem eorum facere qui sunt ad sacerdotium promovends The people may not be permitted to haue the Election and choise of them who are to be preferred to the Ministerie of the Church The Councell of Cabilon hath these wordes Si quis episcopus de quacunque civilate fuerit defunctus non ab alio nisia comprevâ—ncialibus clero civibus suis alterius habeatur electio Sin autem huius ordinatio irrita habeatur If any Bishop shall dye of what citie soeuer he be let not an other be chosen by any other saue onely by the Citizens Cleargie and bishops of the same prouince If it be done otherwise the ordination shall be of no effect The Councell of Antioch teacheth the selfe same Doctrine The councell of Nice after it hath pronounced the Election of the people to be voide and of none effect addeth these wordes Oportet n. eum qui est promo vendus ad episcopatum ab episcopis eligi For he that shall be made a Bishop must be chosen of the Bishops And this second Councell of Nice alledgeth the first Councell of Nice vpon which they ground this their Decree This reason therefore is consonant to the former that there is no certaine prescript rule for the Election of the Ministers of the Church The third Reason drawne from the Testimonie of the holy Fathers SAint Hierome in his Epistle to Evagrius hath these expresse wordes Nam Alexandriae a Marco evangelista vsque ad Heraclam Dionisium episcopos presbiteri semper vnum ex so electum in excelsiori gradu collocatum episcopum nominabant For at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist vntill the Bishops Heraclas and Dionisius the pastorall Elders did alwaies choose one among them whom they placed in an higher degree and called him Bishop Marke these words well Saint Hierome saith heere that the Priests or Pastorall Elders did in Saint Markes time which was in the time of the Apostles choose one of themselues to be their Bishop He maketh no mentioÌ„ at al of any interest that the people had in that Election He that can and list may reade in the Ecclesiasticall Histories that when Anxentius the Arian was depriued of the Bishopricke of Millan then Valentinianus the Emperour called the Bishops together and willed them to place such a one in that Bishopricke as was fit for the place Which motion of the Emperour did no sooner sound in the eares of the Bishops but they forthwith humbly requested the Emperour that he himselfe would choose one whom hee thought most meete in that behalfe Yet the Emperour both grauely prudently and most Christianly answered that it were much better for them to choose one for that they were best able to iudge and discerne of his meetnesse for that place In the ende the good Emperour seeing the people tumâ—â—tuously deuided aboâ—t the Election was content to interpose his authoritie and to commaund Ambrose to be ordâ—ined Bishop there These are the wordes of Theodoretus Hac dissensione cognita Ambrosius vrbis praefectus veritus ne qui â—novarum rerum molirentur propâ—re ad ecclesiam coÌ„tendit Illi sedâ—tione compressa vno ore omnes postulant vti Ambrosius qui adhuc sacris Baptismi mâ—sterijs non erat initiatus ipsiâ— designetur episcopus Quare audua 〈◊〉 iubet illum egregium virum extemplo initiari episcopum ordinari So soone as this dissention was knowne Ambrose the gouernour of the Citie fearing least they should 〈◊〉 some new tumult commeth with speede vnto tâ—e Câ—urch The people beholding him made an end of their variance and all with one assent desired that Ambrose not as yet Baptized with the holy Lauer might bee designed their Bishop Which when the Emperour heard hee commaunded that forthwith that worthy man should be Baptized and then created their Bishop Thus writeth this auncient and learned father Out of these wordes I obserue first that in the time of Theodoret who liued almost 1200. yeares agoe the people had voices in the Election of the Ministers of the Church Secondly that such vsage of popular Election was the cause of great tumults and sedition in the Church Thirdly that it was lawfull for the Bishops to haue kept the authoritie and interest of Election in themselues Fourthly that the confirmation of Bishops was then in the power of the Emperour Fiftly that it greatly skilleth not who doe chose so fit men be chosen for the places Eusebius Caesariensis affirmeth constantly that two excellent Bishops in Palestine Theoctistus Bishop of Caesarea and Alexander Bishop of
Iohanne euangelista christi discipulo dicere possumus Cùm n. multis varijs periculis obiectus apostolieam functionem longo tempore administravisset tandem Ephesiorum episcopus factus in ea vrbe anno ab ascensione domini sexagesimo octavo è vivis excessit This also must be marked that they laid away the name of Apostles so soone as they were tyed to any one church and had the continuall charge thereof To wit when they being either hindered with old age or afflicted with diseases were no longer able to endure troubles and molestations of trauaile For then they were no longer called Apostles but Bishops We may bring Saint Iames the yonger for an example or rather for a witnesse of this matter For Hierome and all the auncient Fathers call him the Bishop of Hierusalem and for no other cause saue onely that he had placed himselfe in that citie For when in former times hee as the rest of the Apostles being giuen to peregrination had taught the faith euery where the Apostles made him as a diligent watchman the Bishop of Hierusalem The same we may say of Saint Iohn the Euangelist and disciple of Christ. For when he being exposed to many dangers had executed the apostolicall function a long time hee was at length made the Bishop of Ephesus and died 68 yeares after our Lords ascension Out of these words of this excelleÌ„t discourse I note first that in the Apostles something was extraordinarie and temporarie and something likewise ordinarie and perpetuall This is an obseruation of great moment well worthy to be engrauen in Marble with a Penne of Gold Secondly that the Apostles were some time Bishops and that their function in that respect was perpetuall Thirdly that so soone as they betooke themselues to an ordinarie calling they ceased to bee called Apostles and were named Bishops And this their ordinarie calling remaineth this day in the Church and shall continue vntill the worlds ende Hence commeth it that all the holy Fathers affirme with vniforme consent that Bishops this day succeede the Apostles in their ordinarily calling This graue Writer deliuereth his opinion for ceremonies most plainly and prudently in these expresse wordes Iam obijciebant odiose nimis salem butyrum salivam lutum alia id genus imo ipsas quoque orationes quae super infantibus fiunt quod neque Iohannes neque apostoli legerentur orationibus baptismo praeivisse Ad quae sic respondimus primùm ad ceremonias Christum interim caecos quosdam visui restituisse mediantibus tactu aut luto interim solo verbo respice neque tamen eos minùs vidisse qui tactu vel luto mediante aciem recepissent quà m qui solo verbo at nihil morari nos externa ista si ecclesia iubeat resâ—indi factumque est vt protinus iuberet non ignorantibus nobis qui verbo praesumus iam inter exordia ecclesiae horum fuisse vsum tametsi eis non tantum tribueretur atque his nostris temporibus vndè citrà negotium recidimus Now they obiected too odiously Butter Salt spittle Cley and such like yea the very praiers made ouer infants because neither Iohn nor the Apostles are read to haue preuented baptisme with prayers To which wee answered and first to the ceremonies that Christ sometime cured the blinde by touching and Clay sometime by his word onely neither for all that did they see lesse who receiued sight by Clay and touching then they which sawe by his onely word but we make no reckoning of these externall things if the church command them to be taken away and wee obeâ—ed as shee appointed albeit wee ministers are not ignorant that in the beginning of the church these ceremonies were vsed though not in such sort as now adaies and therfore without contradiction we reiect them Out of this dicourse we may learne sufficiently howe to behaue our selues touching ceremonies viz. to vse or refuse signes and ceremonies as beeing thinges indifferent as the church shall thinke it expedient and appoint to be done Hemingius an other famous late writer hath these words Augustinus Ambrosius non offenduntur ex coque aliae Remae aliae Mediolani essent ceremoniae Nam inter se iunguntur pij spiritis Christi non humanis ceremonijs Vt pios gubernatores ecclesiarum velim magno studio cavere ne ceremoniae scandalo sint infirmis it a privatos nolim quicquam mutare in ceremonijs gravi authoritate a maioribus institutis approbatis Neque est quod exactissima ratio singularum ceremoniarum inquiratur modo non manifestam superstitionem impietatem redoleant Quidam offenduntur ceremonijs nostris quas clamitant papisticas esse Dicunt nos habere sacerdotes altaria vectes candelos imagines exorcismos signationes crucis planè papistico more His ego respondeo ecclesiam veram a falsae dictingunendam doctrina cultu non ceremonijs quae per se adiaphorae sunt Neque n ceremonias adiaphoras tanti momenti esse indicamus vt propter illas schismata moveantur in ecclesia Retineatur doctrinae sinceritas retineatur purus dei cultus Alia serviant partim tranquillitati partim infirmitati hominum relinquamus prudentia quberuatorum de his rebus dispiciant Austen and Ambrose are not offended that Rome had one kind of ceremonies and Millan an other For the godly are lincked together by the spirit of Christ not by humane ceremonies As I wish the godly gouernours of Churches to be very circumspect that ceremonies doe not scandalize weakelings so would I not haue priuate persons to alter any thing in ceremonies which our auncestors with graue authoritie haue ordained approued Neither is there any cause why we should require an exact reason of euery ceremonie so that they imply not any manifest superstition and impietie Some are offended with our ceremonies crying out that they are papisticall They say we haue Priests Alters Vestures Candels Images Exorcismes Crossings euen after the Popish manner To these good fellowes I aunswere that the true Church is distinguished from the false in doctrine and worship but not in ceremonies which are of their owne nature things indifferent For we thinke not ceremonies indifferent to be of such moment that for them wee may make a Schisme in the Church Let vs retaine the sinceritie of Doctrine and hold fast the pure worship of GOD. Let other things serue partly peace and tranquillitie partly the infirmitie of men and let vs leaue these things to the prudent consideration of our superiours and let them dispose thereof Out of these wordes of this great learned Writer wee may gather all things necessarie for the decision of all controuersies about rites and ceremonies of the Church For first hee telleth vs that the varietie of ceremonies at Rome and Millan did not offend Saint Austen and Saint Ambrose Secondly that priuate persons must bee obedient to the lawes of their superiours and
same Canon is confirmed as very authenticall both by the councell of Antioch and by the first councell of Nice celebrated in the time of Constantine the great The auncient and famous councel of Sardica hath these wordes Hoc quoque omnibus placeat vt siue diaconus siue presbyter siue quis clericorum ab episcopo suo communione fuerit privatus et ad alterum perrexerit episcopum et scierit ille ad quem confugit cum ab episcopo suo fuisse abiectum non opertere vt ei communionem indulgeat Let vs all agree hereunto that if a Deacon or a Priest or any of the Cleargie be excoÌ„municated of his own Bishop and shall flee to an other Bishop then he may not giue him the communion if he knewe that his owne Bishop did excommunicate him The secoÌ„d councell holden at Carthage hath these words Placet vt si presbyter excommunicatut aut correctus a suo episcopo sacrificare praesumpserit anathematizetur We agree that if a Priest being excommunicated or punished by his owne Bishop shall presume to celebrate accursed be that man And the selfe same decree is to be read in the sixt councell of Carthage Ex Patribus Saint Ambrose that graue learned and holy Bishop did alone excommunicate the Emperour Theodosius Theototus Bishop of Laodicea did himselfe alone excommunicate two Apolliâ—aries the father being a Priest and the sonne being a Reader The cause thereof was this viz. because they kept companie with a prophane Sophister Epiphanius and heard his vngodly rimes which he had made in the honour of Bacchus Alezander that godly and famous Bishop of Alexandria did by himselfe alone excommunicate Arrtus as both Sozomenus and Nioephorus doe contest in their stories Nicephorus hath these expresse wordes Alexander illum et cum eo qui partes cius sequereÌ„tur clericos omnes excoÌ„munie avit Alexander did both excommunicate Arrius and all the clerkes that held his opinion Yea this was a rule so receiued and a practise so common in the auncient Churches that when a controuersie arose about the celebration of Easter Victor that zealous Bishop of Rome about one thousand and foure hundred yeares agoe would haue excoÌ„municated all the Bishops of Ausâ— if Irenaeus the good Bishop of Lyons had not disswaded him from that attempt The first Obiection Saint Paul did not alone excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian but together with the whole congregation For he saith when ye are gathered together and my spirit The Answere I answere first that though Christ gaue the keyes and the power of remitting and retaining sinnes vnto the whole Church yet did he commit the vse and execution of that power vnto his Apostles and their successors til the worlds end Secondly that the Apostle himselfe alone did excommunicate the Corinthian and required the presence of the people no otherwise then the same is this day required in our English Churches viz that the sentence be pronounced in the hearing of the congregation that they may therby auoid his companie that is excommunicated and be terrified from the like offence I proue it because Saint Paules words are these for I verely as absent in body but present in spirit haue determined alreadie as though I were present By which words it is most apparant that the determination of the matter resteth onely in himself and not in the people For otherwise he could not haue dicided the matter in their absence and without their assent And it is confirmed to be thus because he alone excommunicated Alexander the Copper Smith and the same may bee thought probably of Hymeneus and Philetus The second Obiection Theodosius confessed his fault before the congregation and asked forgiuenesse of the same and thereupon was obsolued And so it appeareth that Ambrose alone did not excommunicate the Emperour The Answere It is the vsuall practise in our English Church that no excommunicate person be receiued into the Church again vntill he haue made publike confession and asked pardon for his offence And this notwithstanding the Bishop alone doth excommunicate as S. Ambrosius did the Emperour The Replie You say that the execution of excommunication pertaineth onely to the successours of the Apostles so consequently it must pertaine to all Ministers of Gods holy Word and Sacraments and not onely to your lordly Bishops The Answere I answere first that no such consequence can be inferred vpon my graunt For though I graunt and that truly that none but Ministers of Gods word and Sacraments can lawfully denounce the sentence of excommunication yet will it not follow thereupon that I giue the same power to euery Minister in generall For it is one thing to say that none but Ministers can doe it an other thing to affirme that euery Minister Promiscuè may doe it Secondly that all Ministers haue power habituall to excommunicate but those Ministers onely haue actuall power to doe it to whoÌ„ the Church hath committed that iurisdiction For seeing the Church hath all the power graunted to her dispensation shee may giue to this or that Minister more or lesse as shall be thought conuenient in her discretion CHAP. XIII Of Preaching and other things coincident The first Section of the vocation of Ministers which cannot Preach ALthough it were to be wished that all Ministers of Gods worde and Sacraments should be able to Preach and to deuide Gods word aright vnto the people yet where and when sufficient men of that abilitie cannot be had others of meaner talents and honest behauiour may not be reiected And to hold that none may be ordered and admitted to administer the Sacraments and to reade the Scriptures and godly Prayers in the Church for the comfort and edisication of the people is not onely against Christs institution but also against the vsual practise of the church in all ages Neither is it possible to alledge for the ground of the contrarie opinion either any sound reason out of holy Writ or any one testimonie of any of the holy fathers or any canon out of any ancient councell The latter member viz. that it is against the continuall practise of the church is as cleere as the Sunneshning at noone day therfore I deem it a thing needlesse to spend wordes in that behalfe The former member viz. that it is against Christs holy ordinance I prooue out of Christs owne words in his last supper when he said to his Disciples Hoc facitè in mei memoriam Doe this in my remembrance By these wordes as all the holy fathers and Doctors affirme constantly Christ made his Apostles Priests or Ministers giuing them power and authoritie onely to consecrate the blessed Sacrament of his body and blood and to deliuer the same vnto his people Neither could they lawfully haue either baptized or preached remitted and retained sinnes vntill they had receiued further authoritie so to doe which was not granted to them indeede vntill Christs
glorious resurrection Whereupon it followeth by a necessarie and ineuitable consequâ—tion which neuer can be answered that the Preaching of GODS word and the administration of his holy Sacraments are not so inseperably vnited and linked together but that the one may stand intiere and peâ—fect without the other For Christs will and holy ordinance is that onely rule by which and after which all the actions policie and gouernment of his Curch must be measured ordered and disposed And this reason ab authoritate legislatoris is confirmed by an other argument drawen ab exemplo Wedlocke or Marriage instituted for a triple ende viz. for procreation of children for the avoyding of fornication and for mutuall helpe and societie is perfect and lawfull for the secondarie ends though the first cannot be atchieued For marriage is lawfull in old women quib desinunt muliedria which are past the date of bearing children as all learned men doe graunt Ergo the institution and ordering of Priests or Ministers for a triple end viz. for Preaching of Gods word for administration of his holy Sacraments and for reading of the holy Scriptures godly prayers for the comfort edification of the congregation is godly perfect lawfull for the last second ends albeit the first caÌ„not be attained The same argument is further confirmed by the testimonie of the reformed churches in Helvetia whose iudgement I think the patrones of the English desired presbyterie wil not easily reiect or coÌ„demne Their expres words are these domnanius ministros ineptos non instructos donis pastori necessarijs Interim agnosâ—omus quorundam in veteri ecclesia pastorum simplicitatem innocuam plus aliquando profuisse ecclisiae quam quorundam eruditionem variam exquisitam delicatamque sed paulo fastuo siorem Vnde ne hodie quidem reijcimus simplicitatem quorundam probam nec tamen omuino imperitam We condemne vnmeete Ministers which are not indewed with gifts necessarie for a shepeheard Howbeit we acknowledge that the harmelesse simplicitie of some shepheards in the olde Church did sometime more profit the Church then the great exquisite and delicate but a little to proud learning of some others Wherefore we reiect not now adayes the good simplicitie of certaine Ministers so that they be not altogether ignorant Loe the great learned men the maisters and rulers of the reformed Churches in Helvetia allow and approue as much as we desire The cass is cleere it cannot be denied The first Obiection Saint Paul commandeth expressely that euery Bishop or pastor should be able to teach and to conuince the gainsayers Ergo no mortal man can dispense with vnpreaching Ministers The Answere I answere first that if euery pastor must of necessitie be able to conuince the gainsayers so as otherwise he caÌ„not be a lawfull pastor then doubtlesse must many of those who are of high esteeme with the fauourrs of the presbyterie be vtterly forsaken and deposed from their ministery Secondly that hospitalitie is required in a Minister euen as is his preaching and aptnesse to conuince And yet many pastors are allowed within the presbyterie which for all that can keepe no hospitalitie Thirdly that by Saint Pauls canons he is as vnlawfull a Pastor that is an angry Minister as he that cannot Preach For Saint Pauls wordes are as plaine for the one as they are for the other me orgilon not angrie But if all bee vnlawfull Pastors that be angrie howe can wee bee assured to finde any lawfull Pastors either in the presbyterie or else where Many other conditions doth Saint Paul require in pastors which will hardly be found in the elders of the Presbyterie The true sense and meaning of Saint Paules wordes is this and no other viz. that it is meete and conuenient that a Pastor of the Church haue those qualities and conditions which he reckoneth but withall he meaneth nothing lesse then that he is no lawfull Pastor which wanteth some of the saide conditions Yea the originall Greeke word doth confirme this mine exposition For deioun ton Episcopon doth onely signifie vnto vs that a Bishop or Priest should of congruitie and if it may be haue such conditions and qualities as the Apostle reckoneth vp to Titus and Timothy not that none can be true and lawfull pastors of the Church which are not indewed with all the aforenamed qualities No no the latin word oportet and the Greeke word dei haue no other sense and meaning but that it behooueth or that it is meete and conuenient not that it must of necessitie be so or else no lawfull ordination The second Obiection Christ sent his Disciples forth to preach the kingdome of God and to cure the sicke The Answere I answere that this was a speciall charge giuen onely to the Apostles and that it proueth as well that all Ministers must be curers of diseases as Preachers and conuincers of gainsayers The second Section of Preaching without licence and authoritie The patrons of the Presbyterie affirme those canons ordinances and constitutions to be vngodly wicked and plaine diabolicall which prohibite all Ministers to preach Gods word that are not lawfully licenced thereunto And they cry out against the most reuerend Fathers because they put som to silence whom they had licenced to preach in former times But I answere to these vnworthy complaints and vnchristian exclamations first that no man may take vpon him the ministerie but he onely that is lawfully called therunto Secondly that the Church to whom this authoritie is graunted may place and displace giue licence to preach and prohibite from preaching as it shall be thought most conuenient for the peaceable gouernment thereof and for edification of the people For this cause did King Salomon Depose Abiathar the high Priest and placed Sadock in his roome But doubtlesse he that hath power to displace the Minister which is a greater thing hath power a fortiori to suspend the Minister from execution or to prohibite him to Preach seeing that is a thing that requireth lesse authoritie Againe if the Church had not power to displace suspend and prohibite Ministers from Preaching as their demeanours and circumstances of times places and persons shall require then doubtlesse would the Church abound with schismes confusion and all ataxia contrarie to the Apostolike canon which prescribeth all things to be done decently and in order Yea I protest vnto the world that I deeme the prohibition of Preaching without licence to be one of the most necessary and profitable Canons that euer were ordained constituted and established by this our English Church For since euery man tooke vpon him to Preach at his owne pleasure and was permitted to doe it when and where he would lawfull authoritie hath binso impugned new-sangled conceits so vsuall vnsound doctrine so coÌ„moÌ„ the text it self either scantly touched or so rawly vnclerkly handled that the auditors were as ignorant of the true meaning of
Saint Chrysostome in these golden wordes Neque ideo solum sed vt tu disceres quontam super te quoque cum Sacro Fonte dilueris Sanctus Spiritus veniat iam vero non visibils specie qua vtique non egemus cum nobis pro cunctis sola fides sufficiat Nam signa non credentibus sed incredulis dantur Neither did the Doue appeare onely for that end but that thou also mayst learne that the Holy Ghost commeth vpon thee when thou art washed in the holie Font bu that appearance is not nowe adayes in any visible shape whereof wee haue no neede seeing sole faith sufficeth for all For signes are not giuen to the faithfull but to the incredulous persons These things well pondered the obiection against the booke of Common prayer will bee to no purpose vnlesse perhaps it will bee a caueat for the Author which I heartilie wish to write and speake more circumspectly in time to come For I verily am perswaded that all things contayned in the booke of Common prayer are agreable to the holy Scriptures the practise of the Church in the purest times and composed with such Iudgement Pietie Learning and Religion that all the wisedome in the worlde is not able iustlie to controll the same In so much that I wonder and greatly admire the audacious temeritie of manie who being of small reading and learning and of no iudgment and experience if they bee compared to those auncient graue Godly wise and learned fathers that compiled the booke of common prayer dare presume to condemne the same with theyr bitter invectiues vntimely censures and vnchristianlike Anathematizations True it is that Saint Hierome saith Nec sibi blandiantur si de Scripturarum capitulis videntur sibi affirmare quod dicunt cum Diabolus de Scripturis aliqua sit locutus Scripturae non in legendo sed in intelligendo consistunt Neyther must they slatter themselues if they seeme in their owne conceits to prooue so much as they say seeing the Deuill himselfe alleadged Scripture against our Lord Iesus and the Scriptures doe not consist in bare reading but in true Sense and meaning Would God this graue aduise giuen by this holy auncient and learned Father might be a president and constant rule in this doleful age to all nouices superficiall diuines and young students in Diuinitie who more rashly then Clerklie take vpon them to controll not onelie our most Reuerend Fathers the graue wise and learned Byshops but euen the whole Synode assembled in the Conuocation house yea and the King himselfe to walke circumspectlie to liue obedientlie to think modestlie of their own gifts not to esteeme better of themselues and their iudgements then there is cause but to thinke that a learned Synode can see as farre as they and would as gladly goe to Heauen as they and consequently to ponder with themselues seriouslie that it is a too too malepeart saucinesse for young heads and superficiall Diuines of slender Iudgement and lesse reading of the holy Fathers auncient Councells and Ecclsiasticall hystories to censure and controll not onely the Godlie setled Lawes of our Christian Kingdome but euen of the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages I my selfe am about three score yeares of age I haue endeuoured by Prayer and painefull Studie to attayne good literature euer since I was fiue yeares of age I haue liued conuersed studied disputed in manie famous Vniuersities aswell in England as in forraine Countries I haue employed my whole care industry and diligence now for the space of thirty yeares and odde to vnderstand Gods word aright to know what hath bene the practize of Christes church in all former ages and for that ende and purpose I haue for the space of thirtie yeares and odde prouided all the auncient Fathers Councells Hystories Ecclesiasticall and Chronographycall so far forth as my abilitie was able to extend and reach and that nothing should be wanting in this behalf I haue borrowed bookes where I could and haue also had recourse to the best Libraryes both in the Vniuersities els where to the end I might gather notes out of such bookes as I was not able to buye and prouide In which behalfe not my selfe onely but all such as reape anie commoditie by my painfull labours are more then a little beholden to these most Reuerend Fathers Iohn the late Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie Richard now the L Arch-byshoppe of Canterburie and Tobye the L Bysh. of Durham who haue for themselues the good of others most excellent costly and goodly Libraries to which I haue found free accesse at all times when I desired All this beeing performed I haue verie seriouslie weighed pondered and considered what the Papists Arrians Macedonians Eutichians Nestorians Donatists Carpocratians Ebionites Tatians Manichees Brownists and other Sectaries doe and can say for their opinions and this notwithstanding I finde the Doctrine and the Godlie setled Lawes of this Church of England amongst which I place the late Canons of Anno. 1604. to bee consonant to Gods word to the vsuall practise of the Church in all former ages These things I vtter in these tearms because I heartilie wishe to perswade all such as are carefull of their saluation to yeeld obedience to higher Powers and not to bee carryed awaye with the Sugred words of superficiall Diuines but to learne that obedience is better then Sacrifice I am now likelie euen by the course of Nature shortly to forsake this worlde and therfore I doe not seeke any preferment for my paines which I neuer to this daye hunted after and much lesse doe I seek to draw men into errrours and so to make shipwracke of mine owne Soule No no my purpose God is my witnesse is farre otherwise as who am perswaded so fullie of the Doctrine which I deliuer that I am not affrayde to ende my life in the same The second member of certaine Rites and Ceremonies vsed in Baptisme New-fangled oddely conceited persons do scornfullie inueigh against interrogatories ministred at Baptisme against Godfathers Godmothers Fonts and otherlike Ceremonies as things vnknowen in the time of the Apostles To whome I answere in this manner First that manie things are this day lawfully done in the Church which were not in vse in the Apostles time This is already prooued Secondly that the custome of the Church in things indifferent is to be esteemed among Christians for a Law This is likewise prooued And let him that holdeth the contrarie opinion tell mee by what lawe hee can iustifie that formall coniunction of men and wemen in holy wedlock which is vsed not onely in our Church of England but also in purest reformed Churches euerie where Hee shall neuer bee able to alleadge any ground in that behalfe but the vnwritten traditions of the Church Of which traditions th' Apostle spoke as learned interpreters tell vs when he said he would set other things in