businesses or affaires appertaining to the Royall administration or ciuill policie as shall afterward appeare This Westerne coast contained the Tribe of Iuda Beniamin and Simeon Which Tribes of those that are on this hand Iordan doo lie Westward The other which are attributed to Israel are Northerne Hasabias his brethren are accounted 1700 Hee ordeined also that out of the Hebronites the brethren or the next a kinne of Ierias the Prince of all his familie to the nuÌ„ber of 1700. should gouerne the Rubenites the Gadites and the halfe Tribe of Manasses For euerie matter of God that is Ecclesiasticall and for the matter of the ning that is the ciuill Of the same familie therefore were adhibited to gouerne the Church and to gouerne the ciuill policie neuerthesse in such sort that there was no confusion and permixture as it appeateth out of those things that were restored of Iosaphat It seemeth therefore that then and from thence vpward euen to the times of Iosue there were certaine Ecclesiastical assemblies of the Leuites at euerie one of the Synagogues of euerie one of the Cities or verely at tho e cities which were proper to the Leuites as in the 15. chap. we shall more at large declare Thus was the state againe rightly restored to the originall as Bertran sayth in Dauids time and that by his industrie and supreme authoritie Wherein we see what those Seniors onely were that here medled not onelie with Ecclesiasticall but ciuill gouernment to wit all of them Leuites And such as might teach the lawe For the other which were the Elders of other Tribes dealt onelie in ciuill-matters except the Prince alone that had the principall charge ouer both the Tables though not to execute yet to sée executed by the persons competent in both founctions as wel the Ecclesiasticall as the ciuill policie And thus as Dauid did dispose the regiment of these Seniors a little before his death so no doubte but that his sonne Salomon did all his life obserue it After whome sayth Bertram concluding that Chapter In the time of Ieroboam the iudgementes began to degenerate especiallie after the Empire was diuided But entering againe into a fresh reâ—toring thereof in the 11. Chapter he procéedeth saying Iosaphat hauing taken possession of the kingdome proceeded both in restoring the Ecclesiasticall and ciuile policie To this purpose therefore hee thought it verie expedient if first of all he remoued the high places and the groues as a little after wee shall throughlie handle it And then that he should send fiue of his Princes Beuchail Abdias Zacharias Nathaniel and Micheas vnto whom he adioined two of the Priests and nine Leuites And he sent them throughout all the Cities of the kingdome of Iuda c. beginning at Beer-sheba and ending at the mount of the Tribe of Ephraim to reclaim his people to the worship of God To confirme this he is said to haue ordained Iudges in all the defenced Cities Citie by Citie that is in euerie of the Cities or for Citie and Citie City He placed the iudgement in the chiefeft Cities to the which iudgementes the causes of the lesser Cities Pages and Ilandes should be referred These Iudges are to be taken in that manner as they were instituted at Hierusalem to wit Ecclesiasticall ciuile So that they appointed ciuil iudgements out of the Seniors of euerie Citie and the Leuites are sayd to be adhibited to be the gouernours vnto either of the iudgements to wit after the same manner whereby Dauid hadde assigned them to that office as appeareth out of the ende of the Chapter Hee also ordained Iudges at Ierusalem out of the Leuites and the Priests and heads of the Fathers of Israel partlie for the iudgementes of the Lord that is the Ecclesiasticall partlie also for plea that is for the ciuile iudgement In these words the two iudgements to wit the Ecclesiasticall and the ciuile are distinguished The ciuil as it seemeth to consist on the heades of the Fathers of the people seemeth to bee the Synedrion of the three score and ten Elders In those heads of the Fathers we may place the Priests and the Leuites for the institution of the seauentie themselues had their gouernours which were the Leuites But those seuentie were not now taken out of those seuentie families of whome we spake before But of those onelie that were vnder the dominion of Iosaphat Wherevpon also at the length they were chosen out of the onelie house and familie of Dauid As concerning those Iudges being chosen are sayde to returne vnto Ierusalem This may bee so vnderstoode that leauing the allottmeÌ„t of their Tribe those Iudges came to abide at Ierusalem or that they vsed to meete at Ierusalem where the iudgement was to be entered It is likely that the Ecclesiasticall iudgement did then consist of the Priests and Leuites onely These two iudgements were the chiefe and principal whereunto the more difficult causes were referred as the Lorde had commaunded in the Lawe For the King in his exhortation set foorth vnto the same Iudges confirmeth this sufficientlie while hee sayth And yee shall iudge euerie strife which shall come from your Brethren that dwell in their Cities c. The matter of either iudgemeÌ„t may seem to be al one but in a diuerse respect that is to wit Ecclesiasticall and ciuil according as in the same cause somewhat was Ecclesiasticall somewhat ciuil as in a pawne deuided c. Moreouer the high Priest was sometimes demaunded concerning the Law that it might at length bee determined concerning the fact To conclude as these iudgements were the highest they had at Ierusalem their municipal iudgement which seemeth to appertain to the king and to his officers or rather to the Chiliarks Centurions c. of that territorie Notwithstanding so that the whole iurisdiction should be subiect to either of those iudgements By these things therfore this King seemeth rather than anie other iudge or King to haue come néere to the naturall institution of the Lawe prescribed concerning this matter Heere againe doe we sée a cléere example of that Seniory which Caluine and our Brethr. doe so much vrge drawing néerest to that verie institution of the old lawe without the corruption that they except against And they saith Bertram that were the gouernours of the supreme ciuil iudgemeÌ„t do seeme for the same cause to be those which with the later kings are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarim that is princes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorim that is Patricians or noble Fathers That these Princes wer out of the heads of the Fathers and out of the ordinarie Iudges it appeareth out of the things aforesayde and especiallie out of these things that are declared in this restitution of Iosaphat yea rather out of the Prophets often reprehensions beeing so conuerted and composed to these Princes that they altogether respect their iudgements Verilie of this so greate Empire or
like to this for the administration of gouernment and to haue the hearing of all difficult waighty matters amoÌ„g vs as the Sanedrin had among the Iewes if this be as our Brethren in the title of this their Learned Discourse do say a breefe plain declaration of the desires of al those faithful Ministers that haue do seeke for the discipline reformation of the Church of England If our Br. aske to mary this Abisag her Maiesty then in-déedâ— may quickly say as Solomon did Let them aske the kindom too For what is here left in temporal politike and worldly matters or in the gouernment and state of the kingdome wherein these Seniors will not haue a stroke yea and a negatiue voice and that in euery parish which is cleane different froÌ„ the Sanhedrin For both their lesse kind of Sanedrin either greater as they afterward deuided it was only in one place for all the realm As first at Sylo and then at Ierusalem the head citie vntill these last alterations came Where as our Br. would haue the like if not the same to be erected in euery congregation which is the playne ouerthrowe of a kingdom to make euery congregatioÌ„ a kingdoÌ„ in it self For if it be not such a Senate as was their Sanedrin then is it not the same nor like the same that Christ they say did heere allude vnto And if it be not then do they plainly delude vs and wrest Christes wordes in gathering such allusions and building on them and inforcing on vs this their Seniory by force hereof And say that here Christe also translated the same into his church in the newe Testament And yet when all is done they must néeds confesse that it is cleane different For in both these consistories of the Sanedrin the greater of the 70. and the lesse of the 23. They were all eyther Preestes or Doctors of the Lawe and teachers the King and the Princes or noble peeres onlie excepted So that except they will be Kings Princes or noble Peeres all these Seniors must not bee gouernors not teaching but Interpreters Doctors teachers of the Law of God or else they be neither the same nor the like nor fiâ—te at all to be any Seniors in this Senate And whereas Beza saith in his Christian Confession cap. 5. artic 32. but we must know that this Iurisdiction hee speaketh of these Seniors doth not appertaine to earthly and transistory matters and is altogether different from the ciuile as witnesseth Christe and after Christe Paul although eyther of them particularly comprehendeth all the faithfull without exception for al are also thral to â—he ciuil Magistrate whose power also in respect is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an edifying or building power so farre forth as it ought to procure peace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good order or discipline especially inthose things that respect the first table And on the other side ther is none which should not be subiect to the word of God so of coÌ„sequeÌ„ce vnto the eccl discipline Howbeit I confesse the apostle willeth that for the cause of auoiding offence Christians should iudge their coÌ„trouersies priuatly without the ciuil magistrate But it appeareth sufficiently that Paul which followed the steps of Christ and of all the saintes would not therefore withdraw any thing from the ciuil iurisdiction nor confound those things that the Lord hath distinguished but only haue consideration of the time in the which it could not be that the faythfull should contend before infidel Iudges but that they should bee thrall to diuerse slaunders For the which cause hee admonisheth the Corinehians that all such kinde of controuersies should rather be eyther once taken away or taken vp by domesticall debating of them This admonition therefore of Paule doth nothing fauour the furious and giddi-brayned Anabaptistes which leaue no place to the Ciuill Magistrate in a Christian Church To returne therefore to the matter there is a certaine ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction but vtterly distinguished from the ciuill Thus writeth Beza of the Iurisdiction of these Seniors to be mere Ecclesiasticall and cleane different from the ciuill Iurisdiction Yea Danaeus also concludeth as is foresaide in the 10. chapter saying For although the Presbytery or Synedrion of the Iewes which was the same Act. 22. verse 5. 30. in Math. 5. ver 22. seemeth to aunswere to our presbytery iudged often of certaine causes notwithstanding our Presbyteries doe not iudge and thereupon are different from those of the Iewes Because they had partly politicall partly Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction both together as appeareth Esd. 10 verse v. But our presbyteries haue only Ecclesiasticall it pertaineth indeede to their office and function to reclaim if they can to peace and concorde the faithfâ—â—â—â—leading or about to plead Verily they ought to exhort them to mâ—tuall charity Cor. 6. verse 1. Mat. 5.25 But to sit Iudges in their pleaes they ought not for this is the office of the ciuill magistrate Yea neither the whole presbytery neither any part of the presbytery ought so much as to be chosen arbytrators but onely as priuate men if any of the presbytery be taken to be arbytrators If this be true than is all this deuise of translating the Sanedrin of the Iewes into the newe testament and Church of Christe or of willing the like thereof to be established in his Church for administration of gouernment quite ouerthrown For what the Iewes eldership was we haue seene at large already And yet there were then also Ciuill Magistrates aswell as now And therfore if Christ had translated their Sanedrin vnto vs ours might haue like authority as theirs had notwithstanding our ciuill Magistrates But besides this in generall that Danaeus here confesseth that the presbyteries of the Iewes Iudged often in some causes and mixed together the temporall and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction which our brethren mislike in the Bishops and ministers Chytraeus also vpon the 17. of Deut. Tit. de Iudiciis doth confirme the moste of that which we haue shewed at large out of Bertram Sigonius for the Iewes Iudgements and Sanhedrin saying Three kindes of iudgements are written to haue beene distinguished among the Iewes vnto whome it is agreeable that Christ alludeth Math 5 in the declaration of the ten commaundements setting down the degrees and differences of sinnes repugnant to the Lawe thou shalt not kill And that he woulde declare the same out of the forme of the ciuill iudgements accustomed to the people Heer 's he 〈…〉 of Christes more proper alluding to the Iewes orders in thâ—se thinges But doth he gather thereupon that the same ciuile iudgements were either translated or the like to them established amongst vs The first was Triumuirall ouer the which were Gouernors in euerie Citie three men In the which money matters and the lighter trespasses of bearings of priuaâ—e iniuâ—ies of theâ—â— c. wer decided They suppose that Christe signified that
Mat. â— in the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of iudgement Another was called the Little Synedrium consisting of 23. Iudges Wherein the greater and the capitall causes were heard It is thought that Christe Mat. 5. named that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hâ— tâ—at â—aith to his brother Racha sâ—albe guiltie of a Counsell or of the Synodrion The third was the great Synedrium or Sâ—nate of 70. Seniors ordeyned of Moses Num. 11. ouer which sate the high B. and the Elders excelling in wisedome vertuâ— leâ—â—ning and authoritie chosen out of the Priests and Leuites and of euerie Tribe were the assistants or sitters with him Vnto whom afterward by the ordinance of Dauid the chief of the Royall â—ooke which weâ—e called 〈◊〉 â—â—at is the Kings brâ—thren â—arrâ—â—ttiuâ— that is endowed with the right of succession were adioyned as the highest Counsell of the â—â—ole Common-weale chief Senate of the Kingdome To whom beloâ—ged the power of iudgeing the most weightie causes pertaining to the summe of the CoÌ„mon-weale aâ—d of Religion of the King and the Kingâ—ome of warre and peace of aunswering and pronouncing of the most difficult controuersies of opinions of other businesses To conclude of what manner the forme â—nd iâ—â—isdiction of this most high Senate was to the which they appealed from the other inferiour Iudgements in whose sentence and decrâ—e they must hold themselues coÌ„tented without anie gainsaying may for the most part cleerelie be gathered out of the reformation of the iudgements made by King Iosaphat For these are the words of the storie 2. Paral. 19. In Ierusalem also Iosophat appointed Priests c. But as in highest Senâ—te of the Iewish people the Priests and Princes of the Families gouerned together the Counsels of the Common-weale the two chiefe Presidents were the B. which gouerned the causes of religion and the ecclesiasticall businesses and the Kinges Cousin which gouerned the businesses Politicall euen so almost is the like forme in the chiefe Senate of the Kingdome of Germanie consisting of 7. Electors whereof three are Priests or Archbishops which ought to inâ—truct and with their counsels and labors ought to helpe the Emperor and conserue the CoÌ„mon-weale concerning the lawes of God for religion and the worship of God or the first Table of the x. Commandements 4. politike Princes which ought to instruct and with their counsels and labors to help the Emperor and to conserue the Common-weale concerning the Politike Lawe office of the Emperor in ordeining iudgements in warre and peace in taxes c. Thus more grauelie in my simple iudgement doth Chytreus allude not on these words Dic Ecclesia to the Sanedrin of the Iewes to haue the same or the like translated and established in euerie or in anie Congregation of the Church of Christe for that were cleane to ouerthrow all the States in Christendom But that in those places which he meÌ„cioneth Mat. 5. he alluded to the order of their lowest Senate of 3. Elders which was in euerie Citie and of their lesser Sanedrin that was of 23. in Ierusalem not of the 70. which was the highest instituted by God Num. 11. But not that Christe translated anie of all these Senates into him Church or established anie lawe thereon for adminâ—stration of gouernment in his Church Although he say almost the like form is in the highest Senate of the Kingdome of Germanie But not simplie that it is the like and much lesse the same and least of all that it was grounded on the Iewes forme otherwise than that all Estates and Kingdomes take their generall grounds from Gods lawe but wee are not tieâ— to this or that forme of Senate and Iudicials of the Iewes And so haue we also our chiefest Senate of Parliament and oâ—her Senates Sesâ—ions or Assemblieâ— both of the Clergie and of the Temporaltie and Counâ—els and Iudgements in some respects not much vnlike to the Iewes Assemblies Senates Councels and Iudgements And they draw néerer a great deale to the vncorrupted orders of the Iewes and are more fit requisit and 〈◊〉 for the State and condition of our Realms then thesâ— Consistories or Senates would be of these Seniors that our Brethren call for and thus hale the words of Christe to presse them vpon vs to be established in euerie Congregation for the administration of gouernmeÌ„t in the hearing and determining of all difficult and weightie matters amongst us 〈◊〉 so to continue for euer as long as the Church continueth in this world 〈◊〉 the great bondage of our Christian libertie by reducing vs to these Iudicials of the Iewes and to the quite ouerthrowe of ours and of all Kingdomes by reducing this Senate of the 70. Elders into all Congregations throughout Christendome Hauing nowe thus farre considered as I take it the verie grounde wherean Caluine and all our Brethren following him woulde say the foundation of this Consistorie Senate of Elders in euerie Congregation to wit vpon this construction of these words of Christ Dis Ecclesia Tell the Church that is to say Tel the Segniorie Seâ—ate or CoÌ„sistorie â—et vs now returne to the processe of our Br. learned discourse 〈◊〉 And the name of Elders dooth most aptlie agree vnto them that bee Gouernors in the Church now euen as it did to the Auncients of Israel so that the Pastors seeme to haue borrowed the name of Elders especialy in respect of their gouernment The name of this Consistorie also in the new Testament we finde to be agreable with that of the Iewes whereof our Sauiour Christe speaketh when he saith Tell the Congregation or assemblie S. Paul 1. Tim. 4.14 Despise noâ— the gift which was giuen thee through Prophecâ—â— wish iâ—position of hands of the Eldership Where the Greek word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the assemblie or Consistorie of the Elders Which word was vsed also by S. Luke in his Gospel speaking of the Consistorie of the Iewish Elders Luke 22.66 As soone as it waâ— day the whole Eldership or Assemblie of Elders came together both chiefe Priests and Scribes and brought him into their Councell In which saying their CouÌ„cell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Also S. Paul Act. 20.5 â—hat he had ben a persec of christiaÌ„s taketh witnes of the high Priest and of the whole Consistorie of Elders vsing the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By which it is euident that our Sauiour Christe by this word Ecclesia in that place meaneth a Consistorie or assemblie of Elders whose authoritie c. This is but descant on the name and we woulde rather heare of the 〈◊〉 The name of Elders serued to more than to those of the Segniorie which were of the Sanedrin or Synedrion And we graunt it most aptly agreeth to them that be Gouernors in the Church new and those Ecclesiasticall Gouernors to and was but borowed as well in respect of the gouernment as of the
ministerie of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be prositable for aedifying of the Church of Christe and the aduauncement of the glory of God If any shall offend against the Lawes whether he be a Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which hee shoulde not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate They haue not yet eyther by these or by ought else before spoken made it appeare howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermedle with causes ecclesiasticall And howe their supreme authoritie therein which is farre higher then onely intermedling stretcheth As for the things which heere as a recapitulation they set downe are nothing so much as they graunted before For although they say that it is the cheefest point of their duetie to haue especiall regard that God may bee glorified in their Dominion yet that doth not shewe what especiall authoritie they haue therein and how farre foorth they haue it If they say that they do this in the conclusion following these wordes And therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the Sacraments and to all Eccl. orders What haue they graunted heere to her Maiestie but the onely making of ciuill Lawes and thus the conclusion when all comes to al is not so much as that they graunted before or at leaste made vs a shewe thereof And yet they made to great daintie in the graunt thereof with so many exceptions which graunt notwithstanding we gladly accepted at their handes and made much of it that it is not onely lawfull but also necessarie for princes if they will doe their duetie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so that we confounde not the offices of the Prince and the Pastor Heere euerie man that meaneth no subtiltie woulde straight haue thought that as the pastor hath some part of looking to the reformation of religion and of making Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall pertayning to the office of a pastor distinct from the office of a prince so the prince also hath some parts of looking to the reformation of religion of making lawes of matters Eccl. pertaining to the office of a prince distinct from the office of a pastor And that although the partes of eyther of their offices be distinct yet in the verie looking to that reformation of Religion and to the verie making of those Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall they both of them dointermeddle which is the terme that their selues euen héere do vse But see nowe what a fayre gift our Brethren haue héere graunted It is lawfull and necessarie for Princes to make Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall What Lawes Forsooth they ought to make ciuill lawes to bind the people vnto the confession of true faith and the right administring of the Sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders Yea forsooth in this last and third point lieth chiefely the question of making lawes But haue they any stroke in making lawes of any those Eccl. orders No but onely that they being instructed by the word of God through the ministery of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be profitable to the edifyeng of the Church and the aduancement of the glorie of God should bynde the people to them What should they make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to them before that they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall or howe can they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall doth the scripture make all the lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall that are made or is the ministerie of the preaching of the same a sufficient instruction for the Prince to take them for Ecclesiasticall lawes bycause they put him to vnderstand that they be profytable for edifying the Church of Christ and aduancement of the glorie of God so that what they shall say as profitable héereunto that is a lawe or he must so take it or else still I demaund who had the authoritie to make those lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall except they shall say they were all made before there were any christian Princes which was theyr former refuge Albeit Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon c. will ouer-reach that shift for they had a stroke euen in the verie making of Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders them selues and not onely in the making of ciuill lawes for Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders to bynde the people vnto them and so had also dyuers Christian Princes since Christes time many of whose lawes are Ecclesiasticall lawes themselues and Canons of the Church in the Canon lawe and not onely ciuill lawes made to binde the people to keepe the Canon lawes or Ecclesiasticall orders and such also are diuers lawes of the auncient Bryttish and English Kings in this Realme and the Epistle of Eleutherius himselfe if it be his giueth Lucius no lesse authoritie But is this all that our Brethren will allow to Christian Princes and no further authoritie than this yes If any shall offend against the lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer beside the Ecclesiastical censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate And is this againe all that we shall get more than before we got for the supreme authoritie of the Christian Prince in Ecclesiasticall matters and what more is héere graunted to the Prince than the verie Papists yea than the Pope himselfe as proude and iniurious to Princes as he is will graunt vnto them to make ciuill lawes for the defence of the lawes Ecclesiasticall that he and his Cleargy onely do make making the Princes to be the onely punishers and as it were their executioners of iustice vpon them that shall offend against their lawes This they can well allow and like that Princes should haue authority to punish the offender in body besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which the offender shall not escape at their hands and for this cause they call the Emperour the Churches aduocate and the Pope himselfe yéelded this title to King Henry the eyght to be called the defender of the faith and will our Brethren yéeld no better supremacy nor greater authority to christian Princes and so to her Maiesty than the Papists and the very Pope wil offer to yéeld her so that her Maiesty will but make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to their lawes and Ecclesiasticall orders that the Pope and his Cleargie shall make and that if any shall offend in body against his lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate all this doth the Pope offer to all the Princes in theyr dominions that haue not cast off the yoke of his subiection but liue in greatest seruitude vnder him and yet our new Pastors make all this mincing to graunt but thus
A DEFENCE OF THE GOVERNMENT ESTABLISHED IN THE CHVRCH OF ENGLANDE FOR ECCLESIASTICALL MATTERS Contayning an aunswere vnto a Treatise called The Learned Discourse of Eccl. Gouernment otherwise intituled A briefe and plaine declaration concerning the desires of all the faithfull Ministers that haue and do seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of Englande Comprehending likewise an aunswere to the arguments in a Treatise named The iudgement of a most Reuerend and Learned man from beyond the Seas c. Aunsvvering also to the argumentes of Caluine Beza and Danaeus with other our Reuerend learned Brethren besides Caenaiis and Bodinus both for the regiment of women and in defence of her Maiestie and of all other Christian Princes supreme Gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes Against The Tetrarchie that our Brethren would erect in euery particular congregation of Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons with their seuerall and ioynt authoritie in Elections Excommunications Synodall Constitutions and other Ecclesiasticall matters Aunsvvered by Iohn Bridges Deane of Sarum Come and See Ioh. 1.36 Take it vp and Read Aug. lib. conf 8. ca. 12. AT LONDON Printed by Iohn VVindet for Thomas Chard 1587 The Preface to the Christian Reader WHereas in a Sermon preached at Paules Crosse about two yeares past I had touched on occasion some part of this Learned Discourse then lately set foorth and for the peoples satisfaction I had aunswered some principall argumentes of the same in defence of her Maiesties supreme gouernment in Eccl. causes and for our Bishops iurisdiction as appeareth by the Sermon it selfe which for the further manifesting the occasion hereof I haue set forth also and recommend deare Christian Reader to thy fauourable interpretation which Sermon according to the diuerse affections of the auditorie tooke diuerse effectes some beginning to relent and be resolued which before had beene greatly carried away in the contrary perswasion of these matters and promising reconcilement vnto their Bishops whose state before they had misliked some on the otherside tooke such offence at that part of the Sermon which touched these thinges that they ceased not to deface it and to chalenge mee for it I then promised not only the anowing of that I had spoken but also God assisting me the publishing both of the whole sermon and the aunswering atlarge of all the Learned Discourse For discharge of which promise and because this booke pretendeth such a plausible title and withall is reckoned of so great account as I afterwarde could get oportunitie and leasure thereunto proceeding by little and little in the same and by the way taking withall some parts of the like argument that other our Brethren haue since composed and partly passing vp from them to the very fountaines as I take it from whence all our Brethren fetch their chiefest motiues or the groundes of them especially in these three reuerendâ— and learned Fathers Caluine Beza Danaeus I haue now thankes be to God at length after many delaies and stoppes thereof thus farre forth accomplished set out the same It is no small griefe to me I protest that on this occasion I was thus drawen into these questions with those whom otherwise in Christe I humbly acknowledge to be our deare Brethren And much gladlier the Lord knowes would I be to haue wholly obiected my selfe as before to my mediocritie I haue endeuoured against the publike aduersaries of Gods truth And would God all we which are of the houshold of faith professing the light and libertie of the Gospell would againe bende our forces that wayes against the errours and tyrannie of Antichrist In which course a while we did runne well but as the Apostle sayth to the Galathians who hath let vs For so long as we ioyntly followed the quest of that vncouth beast and of the purple Harlot on his backe God mightely prospered vs in all our affayres Yea it is wonderfull to consider if we haue grace to acknowledge it how God hath still hetherto aboue any Nation in the worlde in this last age thereof and yet doth not cease to blesse vs his name of vs againe ineessantly be blessed and magnified for it Howbeit the shadowe is not more concomitant to the bodie than enuie is aemulous of vertue and glory As there is no state so happy on all partes in this life but it shall euer be crossed with some or other daunger or disturbance so doth the enuious man in these our Alcions dayes labour nothing more than to impugne and to ouerthrowe this our blessâ—d state yea to haue bereft vs of the Lordes annoynted his holy handmayden our most gratious Soueraigne by whom vnder our Lord Iesus Christ God hath vouchsafed vs all these blessinges In which practise although the aduersaries attempts haue beene so perilous and vnnaturall that the very remembrance of them breedeth horrour yet the Lords continuall deliuerance from them hath bin so admirable and almost miraculous that we can not but all reioyce together breake forth into the prayses of our so gratious father our most mightie righteous mâ—rcifull God and cast all our repose vpon his prouidence But as the holy Apostle S. Peter prudently forwarneth vs be sober and watch for your aduersarie the diuell as a roaring Lyon walketh about seeking whom he may deuour so see the malice and craft of this old serpent That thing which he could neuer atcheiue by himselfe withall the subtleties of his smooth temptations nor by his grand deputie the man of sin sonne of perdition withall his stratagems violent forces SathaÌ„ eftsoones hath now not only crept in among the childreÌ„ of God but hath so broken a sunder the bondes of Gods peace hath sowen the cockle of such contentions diuisions among vs that are brethren wherby such discord hath also risen euen among those that sowed before the good seed wheat that no small hindrance hath growen therby to the course of the Gospell as great hazard to the state of all our Church Realme as could haue bin inflicted by the open hostilitie of the publike enemie Yea what could lay vs more open to his iniuries thaÌ„ to fall out thus amoÌ„g our selues into these garboyles Or how freely can we nowe oppose our faces to confront our aduersaries when euermore we must haue a skew eye to the awke blowes of our own fellowes Brethr. hard at our elbowes Which double fight is so daungerous so distrustfull that it maketh many amongst vs to râ—uolt or at least to hoouer and is such an incouragemeÌ„t aduantage to the enemies to be more coÌ„firmed in their errors strengthned in their confederacies that they insult vpon vs both yea they blaspheme the very gospel it selfe which we professe and all by occasion of these intempestiue but too tempestious disagrements When Abraham saw the falling out between his and Lots heardmen fearing the euill euent of such discorde he sayth vnto Lot let there be I pray thee no strife betweene
full well discerne how farre our verball contentions with our ouer zealous Brethr. differre from their verberall persecutions of them our ouer furious aduersaries and are indeede no sufficient cause to confirme or stay them in their errours Albeit I graunt they do so of the which I am the sorier if it otherwise pleased God And would to God our Brethren with vs wou'd better thinke hereon that wee might both of vs being Brethren once againe bâ—â—therly ioyne and combine our selues together 〈◊〉 in the vnitie of â—â—r doctrine so in the vniformitie of our discipline against the professed aduersaries of the Gospel and of vs both either to their conuersion or confusion And I doubt it nor but that if our brethren shall yet now at length enter with vs into a more aduised viewe and circumspect examination of these matters either they will remitte their further contention or debate them with more deliberate moderation to the better stopping of the â—duersaries mouthes and to our owne fuller resolution Which sequele if it please God to effect I haue thus farre hazarded in this iust and necessarie defence to expose my selfe to the hartburning hard speaking God knowes of howe many a one whome in the Lord these opinions herein set aside I loue and honour in all duetie and glad would I haue beene that some other had employed their trauailes in this businesse wherof many on our side the Lord be praised for them had beene able to haue discharged the same a great deale better And I lingred the longer expecting if any would preuent me but when none did it or did vouchsaâ—e it and I was drawen into the action on the foresaid prouocation and was afterward of diuers requested not to withdrawe my selfe from this occasion considering withall that I had before opposed my selfe against the publike aduersarie in the like argument of the Christian Princes supreme gouernement in Ecclesiasticall causes which our brethren here also though in another manner but no lesse perillous call againe in question that nowe I should likewise beare my selfe on euen hand yea were it against mine owne deare brethren in Christ and her maiesties loyal and louing subiectes though greatly ouer reached in the heate preposterous earnestnes of their pursuite herein How leuelly I haue borne my selfe without gaule or splene in affection or stile my duitie to God to his trueth to his church and to her maiestie reserued hauing my quarell onely to the matters not to the persons I referre me to the equitie of the reader My purpose God he knoweth is not wittingly to giue iust offence to any of our brethren Which if notwithstanding any shall take for that I spare not to discouer the defectes of their arguments for that I admonish them albeit I trust in spiritu lenitatis of their vntempered speaches aswell against our and their most gratious Soueraigne and all Christian Princes soueraignetie as against the authoritie and persons of our prelates and of vs their fellowe ministers in the Gospell and against our ministerie and prescribed forme of prayer and sacraments or for that I obserue more narrowly now and then their absurdities and contâ—adictions to them selues and their dangerous positions to our state or for that I sende home againe vnto themselues those foule-mouthed slaunders wherewith vntruely they burden our church and vs or for that I dissent from the iudgement or interpretation of those famous late writers whome our brethren stand so much vppon or for that I go to the pitche of the controuersies and so largely prosecute the chiefest of them If our brethren shall thinke these things too hardly followed their owne importunitie being the cause and their full at least their further satisfaction being my drift I hope they will the easilier affoord me their excuse And I humbly beseech all our good meaning Brethr. that are otherwise persuaded herein than we are to suspend their sentence but for the while that they shall with indifferencie and without partialitie read and ponder these debatings to and fro betwixt our brethren and vs and then a gods name giue their verdict as God shal moue them hauing the feare of God before their eyes and a right zeale of his trueth and glorie in their hearts with â—n vnfeined loue and reuerence to his church Which done if I for my part haue herein â—ffended any I hartily crie them mercie and shall be readie by the grace of God on all â—ue warning and conuincing to the vttermost of my skill and power to retract or amend 〈◊〉 and so I trust and craue of all our brethren that they will not disdaine to doe the like Not regarding the person of the defender but the proues of the defence whereby God â—illing we shall the sooner finde and the better conclude the cleere true and full deterâ—inations of all these questions And to the intent gentle reader thou shouldest the readilier finde out anie of the â—ointes here in controuersie I haue distributed all this answere to our brethrens learned â—iscourse into seueral books prefixing their arguments to euery of them besides the titles of the pages and the marginall quotations which in stâ—ede of an Index may serue 〈◊〉 lead thee And though directly it pertaine not to me yet I craue the Printers and 〈◊〉 owne pardon for a great number of petit and some grosse escapes in the impression 〈◊〉 haue fallen out the more for the difficultie of my coppie vnto him and by so often â—â—terchanging of the character either in citing our brethrens wordes or some other testimonie or the text it selfe of scripture as Pag. 146. lin 34.35 Pag. 227. lin 6.7 where the letter of the text is not distinguished Besides the Hebrue wordes for the most part some Greeke with wrong letters And many wordes and sentences which the composer nor corrector did well conceiue and haue so passed I being not alwayes present at reuising the prooues But the learned and discreete reader may discerne them of which escapes the chiefe and most are noted The residue I pray the reader vouchsafe to amend with his penne sith I cannot do it with mine in all the copies And so committing it to the good successe that God shall send it and to the gentle construction of all our learned and other good brethren in the Lord and of euery indifferent Christian reader that is rightly desirous in the feare of God and loue of his trueth for tâ—â— benefite of his Church and stay of him selfe to fadome the bottom of these controuersies and wisheth the final pacification of them I conclude with the holy Apostles most godly prayer Phil. 1. And this I praye that your loue may abound more more in knowledge in all iudgement that ye may discerne things that differ one from another that ye may be pure without offence vntil the day of Christ being fulfilled with all the fruites of righteousnes which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie praise of
and a point very necessary to haue beene firste if not decided yet treated on and better considered or if not firste of all albeit in good right euen first of all in this matter of Ecclesiasticall gouernment yet at least or euer yee had procéeded thus farre in the treating determining and giuing full and onelie authority to all and euerie of these 4. Tetrarks For yee can-not pleade ignorance that yee thought not thereon before nowe That yee were called to a suddaine and tumultuous reasoning where the fynest witte the beste memorye the moste filed speeche shall carrie awaye the truthe at leaste maruelouslye moue the vngrounded hearers as in your Preface yee complayned For euen there yee fore-sawe that it woulde bee obiected and among other thinges yee mentioned that obiection saying If anye shall obiect c. that it shall bee preiudiciall to the estate of Gouernement established And doe yee nowe vppon mature deliberation hauing professed to set foorth A Learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernement and hauing entred into it laide your principles and distributed all â—he parts and persons that must be Gouernours of it as though ye bethought your selues come dropping in with this obiection saying But while we speake of Ecclesiasticall gouernement As who woulde say Good Lorde howe haue wee forgotten our selues Wee speake of Gouernment and haue treated nothing of the Prince which is the supreme Governour Wel while it is in memory and while we are speaking of it let vs say something to that obiection that our selues partlye haue already moued and it is most likelie wil be by other obiected let vs therefore aunswere before hand to that obiection while we speake of Ecclesiasticall gouernment And it may bee when yee wrote this that yee thought on some suchâ— like matter Notwithstanding this is but my coniecture peraduenturâ— yea peraduenture nay but I take it this is not the worst construction Howbeit to say while yee are speaking of it and haue already giuen your resolute sentence on the matter who haue the only gouernment it may be thought your obiection and your aunswere therevnto commeth verie tardie to helpe the Princes title Except ye will reuoke or suspende your deâ—nitiue sentence or except yee haue some further warrant from the experience of their example that they say haue a custome first to giue iudgement and put it in execution and then to enquiure whether the party were guilty yea or no. But Hysterâ—n Proteron former or later let it come in question now a Gods name that wee maye see what is left to the Prince and whether the Princes supreme goueâ—nement be any whit preiudiced by this conclusion already passed foâ— the direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters to bee made onely by these foresaid Tetrarcks But while we speake say they of Ecclesiasticall Gouernement Nâ—â— sofâ—e my good and learned discoursing brethren since yee haue stayâ—â— to speake heereof al this while let mee craue pardon for a few wordeâ— to stay your speech heereon a little while more I pray you what meâ—â— yee by this tearme heere Ecclesiasticall gouernment And a three linâ—â— before yee called it also Ecclesiasticall regiment For there maie bee a great caption in these speeches which our common aduersaries vâ— against vs in all their writings and inuectiues concerning the Princâ—â— Supremacie And therefore you beeing her Maiesties true subiectes 〈◊〉 dissenting from the Papistes errours I am lothe to haue you either â—â—tangle your selues or vs with their captious and sclaunderous tearâ—â—â— which not onely darken the matter but touche her Maiesties honour 〈◊〉 sclaunder her Royall person and right of her cheefest office very neare 〈◊〉 be it you do it I dare say it for you of an ouershott zeale and not of 〈◊〉 malice as they do They slaunder her Maiestie to take vpon her an Ecclesiasticall regiment or gouernment as though she tooke vpon her to be an Ecclesiasticall person or to exercise a function or office Ecclesiasticall and to do the actions that appertaine to the Regiment Ecclesiasticall This is a manifest sclaunder of her Maiestie who neither exerciseth nor claymeth anie such Ecclesiasticall Gouernement nor the statute nameth or intendeth anyâ— such Ecclesiasticall Gouernment of her Maiestie but onelie that her Maiestie hath the Supreame Gouernement ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall and is the Supreame Gouernour of them in all Ecclesiasticall causes to ouersée and gouerne the right direction of al the persons and causes Ecclesiasticall So that where the direction of the consultation and fynding out the causes the execution and gouernement of the actions belongeth to the persons the Supreame gouernment and direction of the causes to bée authorized and the actions by the persons to be put in due execution principally pertaine to her Maiestie And if ye thinke otherwise of her Maiesties not Ecclesiasticall Gouernment but supreame Gouernment in or ouer Ecclesiastical persons causes ye do greatly mistake it And this may serue also for your third Tetrarke whoÌ„ ye cal Gouernours to whome yee attribute amisse an Ecclesiasticall Gouernement Except ye intend by the word Eccl. anie manner of wayes perteyning to the Churche And thus the widdowes of whome the Apostle speaketh 1. Tim. 5.9 Had Eccl. offices also by which reckoning weomen with you might be Ecclesiasticall persons and haue an Eccl. gouernment in the church And so your Ecclesiasticall Gouernours are notwith-standing populer and plebeian persons which commonly are called the laye people And by the Scottish Churches election of them and of the Deacons where they saye The Friday after iudgement is taken what persons are elected for elders and Deacons to serue for that yeere It shoulde séeme they account them not properlie Ecclesiasticall persons but rather lyke â—ur Syde-men or Church-wardens But howsoeuer yee confound these â—earmes in these your Gouernours it is not good confounding them in the Prince And yee see that great captions sclaunders and cauils may â—rise vppon such great personages by such intricate and dâ—â—btfull â—earmes Non bene definit qui non bene diuidit Speake distinolye and plaine and then we shall better vnderstand your meaning and either you or we shal quickly be driuen to a final conclusion without al starting holes or euâ—â—â—ons If yee meane by Ecclesiasticall gouernment that her Maiestie taketh vppon her an Ecclesiasticall office or to be an Ecclesiasticall person and so execute the actions of the causes that as you say are commonlie called Ecclesiasticall ye incurre the common aduersaries slaunder of her Maiestie although I trust vnwittingly and therefore will not I hope vnwillingly reclaime your errour If ye meane by Ecclesiasticall Gouernement her Maiesties Gouernement in or ouer Ecclesiasticall matters or causes we admit your sense and now procéede on concerning the obiection and your aunswere It may be thought of some that wee shoulde intreate first of the Supreame authority of Christian Princes And good reason to as I take it if you will needes take vppon yoâ— by what
warrant or licence thereto I doe not knowe to intermeddlâ— in matters of state and Gouernement Whether there were anyâ— thought the contrarie as I hope there are not many amongst vs Protestants come you in saying It maye bee thought of some as though you misliked that anie shoulde so thinke or thought not your seluâ—â— that manye amongest vs thought not so But go to some were perhaps of such a straunge opinion and what I praye you is the oâ—â—nion That we should first intreate of the supreame authoritye of Christiaâ— Princes Héere againe I craue yet another interruption for my learniâ—â— of so Learned discoursers Doe yee héere afforde Christian Princes thâ—â— title of Supreame authority by way of supposition As whether they haue anie Supreame authority in Ecclesiastical matters or no let thâ—â— fall out in the Treatie as it shall or by way of assertion acknowleâ—ging a Supreame authoritye in them For your woordes séeme rathâ—â— to carrie that they haue a Supreame authoritie Howbeit not to be first treated vpon and so likewise do your wordes in the next page saying But of the Supreame authority of Christian Princes in Ecclesiasticall causes how farre it extendeth by the worde of God we shall haue better occasion to intreate heereafter when we shall haue described the Ecclesiasticall state So then Christian Princes haue supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall causes by your own assertion But how now doth this agrée with your former conclusion There remaineth therefore of these before rehearsed onlie in the Church these Ecclesiasticall offices instituted of GOD namely Pastors Doctors Gouernours and Deacons By which the Church of God may according to his worde bee directed in all matters which are commonly called Ecclesiasticall If Christian Princes haue supreame gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes howe are all Ecclesiasticall matters or causes directed onelye by these Tetrarcks Shall the Prince be one of these fowre and bee included in the compaâ—â—â— of the Gouernours No these gouernours are such Elders as are chosen out of the people How shall we reconcile these sayings then well inough say they For these 4. are the onely Ecclesiasticall officers now we name not the Christian Prince an Ecclesiasticall officer but the supreame gouernour This is very well reconciled indéede for that point saue that it falleth out hardlie in an other that still the Lay people are made persons Ecclesiasticall But what aunswereth this the pointe in hande For if the Christian Princes haue the supreame gouernment in Ecclesiasticall matters or causes then none of all these fowre officers or offices call them Ecclesiasticall or what yee will neither diuisim nor coniunctim haue the onelie direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters or causes For the Christian Princes haue héere some direction Nay the chiefe and supreame direction in them Except yee finde out yet some other quirke betwéene matters and causes or betweene directing and gouerning But as heere Ecclesiasticall matters and Ecclesiasticall causes are taken indifferentlie so for directing and gouerning I goe plainelye and simply to worke He that dirâ—cteth he gouerneth and he that gouerneth he directeth The Christian Prince therefore beeing as our brethren graunt the supreame gouernour in Ecclesiasticall causes is also the supreame director in Ecclesiasticall matters But if now they stoppe on this point and will distinguish between direction and gouernment and they that is to saie these 4. officers will direct all the matters and the Prince must gouerne them according onlie to their direction who aâ—e indéed the Gouernours then The Prince or they when he must gouerne nay say rather when hee muste obey according to their direction For they vnderstande by directing not their counseling or shewing their iudgemente and aduise and such direction we freelie graunt belongeth vnto them But by directing they meane setting downe order prescribing commaunding decréeing and determinining and what is this else but gouerning Who hath now the more supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall matters the Prince or these fowre estates But the Prince by their owne confessions is the supreame gouernour in Ecclesiastical matters and not they except our brethren giue the prince this title onelye for a shew and kéepe the matters to them-selues For so the Pope calleth the Emperour Emperour of Roome and yet yet can hee haue no more roome in Rome then it pleaseth the Pope to permit vnto him who indeede hath all the Empire and gouernment of Rome Now if these our learned discoursing brethren graunt christian princes this title to be the supreame gouernour in Ecclesi matters in such a fashion that is a planie mockerie before God and man Nâ—n est bonum ludere câ—â— sanctis But if they trulie acknowledge the Christian Prince to beare the chiâ—â—â— stroake among them in directing prescribing decréeing confirming forbidding and commaunding· Ecclesiasticall matters then is the Prince indéede the supreame gouernour in them and not they But then stoope gallant All these iiij estates which as they said before muste beare such sway that all Ecclesiasticall matters maie be directed by them and by them onlie are topsie turnie ouertourned Wet may the Christian Prince by them though not by them onely bee directed by waye of counsell and information but when all is done hee is still the Supreame Gouernour and all they muste bee chiefly directed and gouerned by the Christian Prince in all such Ecclesiasticall matters and causes as are amongst them to be established Sith therefore our Learned discoursers haue graunted this wâ—â—â— yeelde they not without further discoursing on the matter to hâ—â— Maiesties supreame gouernement that hath confirmed by her Supreame authoritye the decision of these Ecclesiasticall causes and controuersies long agoe and maintayneth the Ecclesiasticall gouernement now established And if now Christian Princes haue supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall causes while these our Learned brethren discoursers take on them not to speake onelie but to set downe directions of Ecclesiastical gouernement maye not some thinke nay maye not moste men thinke that they shoulde treate firste of thâ— Supreame authoritye of Christian Princes If they haue the firste degree in dignity whye may they not haue the firste place in this Treatise Howbeit because this woorâ—â— Supreame may bee taken as-well for the last in order though the first in dignitie as the Princes giue their voyces and Royall assent last of allâ— and when euery bodie hath saide their voice strykes deade or quickens 〈◊〉 the matter If our brethren héere meane to reserue the Treatie of the Christian Princes Supreame authority to the purpose so to acknowledâ—â— them to bee the supreame gouernours then a Gods name procéede on Let them say as doe the Gentlemen-vshers before Princes On aforâ— my Lordes Let all these fowre estates take their places before because that these our Learned discoursers so assigne them We will not greatly stryue with them about the roome where they please to place Christâ—an Princes firste or laste or middlemoste if Christian Princes maâ—
entirely retaine their supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall causes Neuerthelesse there is no reason to the contrary but it may be thought of some or of moste if not of these Learned discoursers that they shoulâ— haue treated first on the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes that the reader might first haue knowen what Gouernement perteyneth to them and howe farre it extendeth by the worde of God that haue the Supreame authoritie of Eccl. causes and then to haue treated on those in their orders dignities and places that are vnder them and séene likewise the differences of their inferiour Gouernements And so should the reader of these controuersies haue eastly plainely perceaued whether any of their inferior Gouernments authorities had incroached on the Christian Princes Supreame gouernment authoritie yea or no. This mee thinketh had béene the better the simpler and more direct Methode then first to bring in all the other inferiour persons and to assigne this and that Gouernement vnto euerie of them and when all haue had their places offices and gouernementes assigned to them then to come to the Christian Princes and tell them this is the place and office of Supreame Gouernement left for you Your Maiesties come late these 4. are your Seniours ye are but their punies and therefore be content there is no remedie you must take that which by them is not forestalled howe farre your Supreame authoritie extendeth we shall haue better occasion to entreate hereafter when we haue described the Eccl. state Me thinketh that Christian Princes may take griefe hereat yea euerie indifferent Reader may suspect that Christian Princes might haue great wrong offered them by this dealing But whether our brethren Discoursers meane thus or no by bringing in first all the inferiour persons and taking vp before hande ere the Princes be so much as mentioned the direction of all Eccles. matters to bee directed onely by them and bid the Princes be content they shall haue the Supreame place of authoritie that is the last place as they perhaps meane it and the Princes vnderstande it for the chiefest place let them now go on and tell their owne tale and shewe their reasons for thus placing of the Christian Princes Where-uppon it seemeth that all the regiment of the Churche dependeth Where-upon And where-upon I pray you brethren speake you this eyther vpon the giuing to Christian Princes the first treatise or vpon the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes The supreame authoritie you haue graunted But the first place of the treatie yee will not graunt Where-upon it may be taken that this your where-upon seemeth as if ye sayde If we should first intreate of the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes then it might seeme that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on them But construe your owne words wherevpon ye please eyther vpon the one sense or the other Here is nothing yet alleaged but that onely it seemeth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on it But if it be vnderstoode for the onely first place of the treatie it can not so much as seeme to depende all vppon the first treating of the same If it be vnderstoode of the Christian Princes supreame gouernement in Ecclesiasticall causes which you haue graunted and we take holde thereon and that some what yet in time least all be cleane giuen from them if all be not giuen away alreadie but yet will wee take as good holdfast as we can for the Princes right that Christian Princes haue supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes which once beeing graunted then whether yee treate there-upon first or last whatsoeuer would seeme to fall out will seeme so still But what is this that would seeme to fall out hereupon That all the regiment of the Church dependeth on the Christian Princes supreame authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes Would this seeme if the Prince had the first place Doeth it seeme that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on the Pastor And yet here you assigne the Pastour the first place Though afterwarde vppon further aduisement you put him backe and make him come downe with shame and take the lower roome giuing the first place to the Doctor notwithstanding your selues doe thus heere for a while exalt the Pastour But it seemeth ye haue a greater Iealousie of the Christian Prince then of anie of all these foure Tetrarkes For howsoeuer yâ—â— set them one before or after another the Christian Prince must come behind them all for feare it might seeme that the regiment of the Church dependeth thereon But shall the Christian Princes be debarred of the right of their place in the treatie of their authoritie because it seemeth that there-upon the Regiment of the Church dependeth It seemeth that these wordes are suspitiouslie cast foorth as though her Maiestie would haue all the Ecclesiasticall functions and all their ministerie of the worde and sacraments and all the mysticall state of Christes militant Church in her Maiesties Dominions to depende on her Maiesties supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters It seemetht his is not verie good dealing to burthen her Maiestie with suspition of such thinges But we will suspende our iudgâ—ment for all this that seemeth to depende for if wee shoulde not but streight condemne a thing because it seemeth this or that what if this dealing of our brethren seemed harde to the Christian Prince What if it seemed to her Maiestie that the bringing in of all these foure Estates before her Maiestie and the giuing vnto them onely the direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters might be greatly preiudiciall to the state of gouernement established to make a mutenie in the common-weale to sâ—â— vs all together by the eares to make an infinite number of factions and alterations yea to take from her Maiestie the best part of her supreame authoritie and to bréed many mo mischiefes and inconueniences then she or you or we or any yet sawe If I say it should seeme so vnto her Maiestie and to a great number besides which thinke themselues as sounde Protestantes and as good subiects as you either would seeme to be or are would ye not straight wayes aunswere What though it seemeth so yet it is not so it is but onely your surmise and though it seemeth so to you yet it seemeth not so to vs ye will say nor to many other But sure it is not so whatsoeuer it seemeth vnto anie If nowe we replie well yet it seemeth not so of nothing There can be no smoake where there is no fire and if it be not smoake indéede yet since it seemeth to be smoak it is not amisse to feare fire We must abstaine from all appearaunce of evill 1. Thes. 5. Would ye be content to haue the matter ouerruled thus against your Learned discourse for this Tetrarchie because these daungers might so seeme to insue yea to depende there-upon And I pray you brethren what stronger reason call ye this It may
be thought of some that we should first intreate of the supreame authoritie of Christian Princes whereupon it seemeth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth Yea but you will say if it seemeth so then it commeth not of nothing There is no smoake where there is no fire We must abstaine from all appearance of euill Who saide this Forsooth brethren that did euen I and hardily returne mine owne wordes to mine owne selfe Lege Talionis For ye sée I am bolde with you brethren in so doing Well then will you say it seemeth that all the Regiment of the Churche dependeth on the supreame authoritie of the Christian Prince in Ecclesiasticall causes and this seeming commeth not on nothing No verely doth it not For to set aside your partiall suspition and goe to the matter it selfe The Christian Prince hauing supreame authoritie in Ecclesiast causes doeth no Regiment of the Churche at all though not all the Regiment of the Church depende thereon Tush this is a thing which is such a myste say you to dazell the eyes of the ignorant persons that they thinke all thinges in the Eccles. state ought to be disposed by that onely high authoritie and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate A ha brethren I thought it would prooue somewhat It seemed as the saying is either a foxe or a fearne brake I tooke it for smoake and it was a myste So that I myst my marke And yet till it came it reeked like a smoake And a myste will not onely dazell the eyes but so darken the obiect that wee cannot discerne the trueth till the myste bée dissipated and then if we haue good eyes we shall sée all thinges as they are But what is this which is such a myste forsooth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on the authoritie of Christian Princes This is a foule thicke stincking sclannderous darke myste indéede Whence riseth this myste Doe we raise anie such spéeches on the Prince Doth the statute yéelde anie such authoritie to the prince Doeth her Maiestie claime or take vpon her anie such authoritie I heare of none but of the common aduersaries and you nowe which arâ— our brethren that cast foorth anie such spéeches Al-be-it I ioyne not you and them in like condition For they most malitiously doe anowe and blase it you onely say it seemeth but whether to them or to the people or to your selues it seemeth that you tell vs not But it seemeth ye will exempt your selues and I am glad thereof for I would not haue it that you who are our brethren in Iesu Christe and her Maiesties truâ— meaning subiectes as we are should haue either your eyes dazeled or the verie paper whereon you write to be stayned with the supition or but with seeming to suspect such false foggie and infectiue mystes aâ— those are If ye be Iealouse of them to driue this myste away it is well done so that in this Iealousie to driue away the myste ye driue not away withall our Mistresses Supreame authoritie It is no reason her Maiestie should loose her cleare right vnder pretence that a myste dazeleth the eyes of ignorant persons But if they be ignorant then it is for that they knowe not the trueth hereof and then is the truth of the matter cleane contrarie And although the ignorant be deceaued yet they that be not ignorant hiâ— not deceaued And can not the ignoraunt bée taught the trueth by them that are not ignoraunt The ignoraunt persons were deceaued in manie moe thinges of which ignorant persons then manie nowe thankes be to God doe knowe the trueth except such as loue mystes and darkenesse more then light But let not vs suppresse the trueth for feare of what may seeme to ignorant persons For to them truthe seemes falshoode and all that we say both of vs may seeme starke lyes But it lyeth vs vppon so much the rather to tell them the truthe and then if they will be ignorant let them be ignorant still But what is the point wherein by this myste the eyes of the ignorant persons are thus dazeled That all thinges in the Ecclesiasticall state ought to be disposed by the only high authoritie absolute power of the Christian Magistrate This indéede is a daungerous errour of ignorant persons But if any be so ignorant would this error be confirmed in them if the authoritie power of the Christian Princes were first treated vpon and throughly viewed And not rather if there be any such as holde that opinion as by our brethrens spéeches it seemeth shâ—re should hâ—â—â—nie I take it were the best waye which could be taken that this myste were first cleared and the Treatie of the Christian Princes first treated vppon least eyther the Princes should take anie such onely high authoritie and absolute power vppon them or that the people should so grossely and erroniously conceaue anie such matter of theÌ„ This is my opinion in such cases And I woulde wish you brethren to take héede howe in these your discourses let them carie what name of learning soeuer ye wil sith that the people are taught no such matter sith that her Maiestie taketh no such absolute power vppon her but as becommeth a good Christian Prince that which of right pertaineth to her Maiesties royall office and most godly with all humilitie patience and â—uldenes tempereth the Iustice of the same you abuse not too much her Maiesties clemencie that deserueth no such sclaunders nor suspitions at your hâ—ndes Whâ—e put you such surmises in the peoples heads if they were ignorant to deceaue them worse For this is the way to make the people eyther become Atheistes as only and absolutely to depende on the Prince in all matters and causes Ecclesiasticall or to grudge against her Maiestie as taking on her such an onely highe authoritie and absolute power to dispose all thinges in the state Ecclesiasticall What could her open professed enemies haue sayde worse Saue that they no lesse impudently then falsely like arrant Traytors doe not shame to affirme it and should you brethren come after those shamelesse children of Beliall and say But while we speake of Ecclesiasticall gouernment it may be thought of some that we should intreate first of the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes where-upon it seemeth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth which is such a myste to dazell the eyes of ignorant persons that they thinke all thinges in the Eccles. state ought to be disposed by the onely high authoritie and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate What suspicious spéeches and byous glaunces vnder the name of some and of it seemeth and of they thinke are heere cast â—oorth and all this thinking and seeming to some is turned to the people and to ignorant persons they poore soules must beare the fault of all What is raysing of mystes dazeling of eyes walking in cloudes yea daâ—â—sing naked in a net and when all the worlde
looketh on to thinke no 〈◊〉 séeth vs if this be not And whie is the Soueraigne Prince called hereby no better terme then the ciuill Magistrate who before was acknowledged in more reuerent manner to be the Christian Prince and to haue also Supreame authoritie What and did you likewise meane herebie to graunt vnto Christian Princes that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on their Supreame authoritie and that all thinges in the Ecclesiasticall state ought to be disposed by that onely high authoritie and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate What do ye hâ—â—e grant theâ— all this Or graunt them some thing or denie them all this and graâ—nt them nothing nor any regiment nor anie disposing at all Yee saye the ignorant persons thought thus and thus and would you for all that giue so much vnto Christian Princes as the Supreamâ— authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes Did not you feare also least yee should raysâ— a myste to dazell the eyes of ignorant persons And what did yoâ— meane when you gaue the direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters to your foure estates onely in the Church And among other termes herâ— speaking of the Christian Princes ye call their estate the onely highâ— authoritie and absolute power but it sufficeth vs if ye will abide by your graunt that Christian Princes haue supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes as for the termes onely and absolute which are due onlie vnto Christ in talking of anie others vsurpation of them we knoâ—â— no Christian Princes that doth vsurpe them It is manifest that our most gratious Soueraigne the mirrour of all Christian Princes of this age claimeth or vsurpeth no such onely highe authoritie or absolute power whereby all thinges in the Ecclesiasticall state ought to be disposed Bestowe the vsurpation of these termes on the Pope or of some tyrant or looke your selues brethren better vnto it For you giue thrée thingâ— here to your foure Tetrarkes First direction and then of all Ecclesiâ—sticall matters and that onely to these foure in the Church And werâ— ye not afraide least the fourth terme that is to saye absolute power would followe in a myste to dazel the eyes of ignorant persons Well if after absolute Absolon follow not also it is the better But let vs now with-drawe our selues out of these mystes and comâ— to clearer coasts concerning some particuler pointes what is here grauâ—ted or denied to the Christian Princes by these our Learned discoursing brethren Others there be with more colour of reason that referre only indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes but in determining indifferent matters they shewe themselues not to be indifferent Iudges For whatsoeuer it shall please the ciuill Magistrate or themselues to call or count indifferent it must be so holden of all men without any further inquirie But of the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes in Eccles. causes how farre it extendeth by the worde of God we shall haue better occasion to intreate hereafter when we haue described the eccl state When vnder the name and blame of ignorant persons these Learned discoursers haue answered as they thinke sufficiently that they haue not first treated on the Christian Princes estate for feare least in giuing thâ— Prince place before they had inuested in full seazure and possession these foure Tetrarks in their offices assigned alreadie vnto them the Christian Prince might be thought to haue gotten too great aduauntage as hauing his share set â—ut before theirs and therefore hee is put backe till all these foure be serued vnder pretence that if the Prince were serued first ignorant persons would thinke that al the other had their shares froÌ„ him and all depended on him and that his power might be thought absolute and that this were a myste to dazell the eies of ignorant persons which might sound to the Princes great reproch Least now the Christian Prince or any other his wel-willers should espie that this indéede were but a myste to dazell the Princes owne eyes that pretending to staye him for feare he might séeme to haue too much they might leaue him no authoritie at all in the directing and disposing those matters wherein his Supreame authoritie most of all consisteth to wit be they politike morall or Ecclesiasticall thinges in matters indifferent least they might thus séeme to spoyle the Prince of all they come nowe to answere those men that yet would leaue to the Christian Prince a Supreame authoritie in disposing of these indifferent matters Others say they there be with more colour of reason that referre only indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes Who those others are they doe not name but we may well perceaue that these our brethren discoursers fauour not greatly those mens opinion that the Christian Princes should haue anie disposing of indifferent matters Notwithstanding because they dare not in plaine wordes denie it it is worth the sight to sée howe pretyly they fetch it about in the answering to the opinion of those others And first they clawe these others how-beit with a harde curricombe that they at least haue more colour of reason yet not reason but colour of reason Which rough or gentle yéelding somewhat to them at least of a colour must serue for a reasonable colour to seeme to giue them something though saue a colour nothing both to bereaue these others of their reason the Chr. Princes of all their Supreame auth in indifferent matters And indéede as they tell their tale they driue it to as little reason as they can for in saying they referre onely indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes they plainely insinuate that these others should say that the Princes are not onely the chiefe or Supreame but also the only disposers of indifferent matters and this also our brethren affirme of indifferent matters indefinitely as though not some but all indifferent matters were in the onely disposition of Princes at their pleasure Nowe although that in some thinges which of their nature are indifferent all lawes of God and man haue had no small regarde of those that are called Principum placita drawing néere to the kinde of her Maiesties Proclamations yet what good Prince hath euer reigned were he neuer so wise euen Salomon himselfe but he had his counsell Not to giue authoritie and life to his decrées in such indifferent matterâ— which lieth I graunt onelie in the Princes disposition but to giâ—e â—â—uise and counsell vpon waightie and mature deliberation what wâ—re beâ—â— in all respectes according to the Analogie of Gods worde the groundes and rule of reason and all other thinges to be considered for the aduancâ—ment of Gods glorie the establishment of the Princes estate and the bâ—nefite of the common-weale But howsoeuer anie other Princes haue â—bused their authoritie and followed their owne disposition rather thâ—n reason in these matters or their owne reason according to Machiauelleâ— rule rather then the aduice or consents
of their wise and goodly Counselâ—â— shall we so déeme rashly and beyonde our dutie of her Ma. our most gratious Soueraigne or of any other godly Christian Princes Well then what say our brethren these Learned discoursers here-unto hauing moued this case For it is at this day a great question toucheth the matter to the quicke what the Christian Princes authoritie is in the dispositioÌ„ of indifferent matters Let vs now listen to their answer determination in this point Wherby we shall sée what they leaue to the Christian Prince all or somewhat ought or nought in the disposing of these things Their motion is this Others there be with more coulour of reason that referre only indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes Their answer is this But in determining indifferent matters they shewe themselues not to be indifferent Iudges This answere they confirme with this reason For whatsoeuer it shall please the ciuill Magistrate or themselues to call or count indifferent it must be so holden of all men whithout any further inquirie And with this answere they breake off the matter saying But of the supreame authoritie of Christian Princes in Eccles. causes howe farre it extendeth by the word of God we shal haue better occasion to intreate here-after when we haue described the Eccl. state And is this al then that we shal looke for here concerning this so greâ—â— and important matter Who mooued here this point now Indéede it wâ—â— looked for before But why at the length was it nowe mooued and shall not nowe be throughlie answered but thus be posted off till better occasion here-after Heere was a verie good occasion and mooued by your selues and the matter waightie and necessarie and who would not nowe euen haue saide to him selfe although some great busines or frienâ—â— had called him away Nay soft I will stay a while and here these oâ—â— brethrens Learned discourse and answere in prouing and determining of this great point then be gone But we may now be gone when we liâ—t we haue our answer héere alreâ—die such an one as it is and till better occasion heereafter we must be content with this Well and there be no remedie then content we will liue in hope But then Brethren forget not the matter quite and â—leane when that better occasion hereafter commeth But it is an old saying Omne promissum est aut debitum aut dubium I doubt wâ— must take this answer for all in this Learned Discourse For heereafter when our brethren at the end of all this their Learned Discourse take their better occasion as they thinke to treate more largelée of the supreame authoritie of Christian Princes in ecclesiasticall causes how farre it exâ—endeth by the worde of God there is faire and well better and worse more and lesse ne gry quidem not so much as one word mentioned of indifferent matters And is this indifferent dealing in such a matter But since it is so least we should go emptie awaye we muste take this or none for an answer The obiection propounded by themselues was this Others there be with more coulour of reason that referre onelie indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes To this they answer But in determining indifferent matters they shew them-selues not to be indifferent iudges This answere beginning with a But is giuen rhetoricallie Ex abrupto Vttering as it were for quicker â—â—spatch in a Learned Discourse the one halfe or parte of the answere by which they would haue vs to gather their whole minde as who should saye it is tâ—ue which these others affirme that referre onlie indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes all this we gladlie graunt and yéeld vnto But in determining indifferent matters they shewe themselues noâ— to be indifferent iudges Is not this brethren the meaning of your answere For I would be loath wittinglie to misconster you Howbeit to all that shall be indifferent iudges of vs bothe I hope they will say I haue more then coulour of reason thus to conster your wordâ— You haue mooued héere a waightie obiection Your full plaine and resolute answere is expected If ye saye nothing at all vnto it either it might be thought that ye reiected it as a matter not worthie to be answered and whye then did ye mooue it Or â—lse saying nothing therevnto the old rule may hap to fasten on you Qui tacet videtur consâ—ntire He that holdeth his peace dooth seeme to consent Notwithstanding that is but seeming which though it inforce not yet still it carieth more then coulour of Reason that by all probabilitie the partie yéeldeth And it is commonlie and in some cases necessarilie taken pro confessâ— as a cléere graunt But if a man of purpose will take vpon him to â—nswere to that which is obiected either by others or by himselfe and answere onelie by waye of exception as you héere expresselie beginne with this exception But what can that intend but that ye fréelie graunt to all the obiection so farre foorth as is not expreâ—â—ed nor contâ—ined wiâ—â—in the compasse of your exception And this goeth beyond your mist of videtur it seemeth and I plainelie take it for a plaine graunt Now if ye graunte to the opinion of these whom ye call others that referre onelie indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes why do ye so minceinglie or rather odiouslie saye of them they doo it with more coulour of reason as though they had no reason but a coulour of reason for it And what reason or coulour of reason haue you to propose iâ— and graunt it and yet to finde fault with them that doo auouche it If yâ— say ye finde faulte with the abuse of it that is nothing to the obiection which was whether onelie indifferent matters were to be referred to the Princes disposition But say you in determining indifferent matterâ— they shew themselues not to be indifferent iudges So that if they shewed themselues to be indifferent iudges in determining indifferent matters then they did well and ye will allow Christian Pâ—inces to haue authoritie in the disposition of indifferent matters Who are these now that in determining indifferent matters shew themselues not be indifferent iudges If yée meane those others with their coulour of reason with what coulour of reason referre ye this to them who as ye saye referre onelie indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes And how then are they become such determiners and iudges of indifferent matters referring them onelie to the Princes disposition What iudgement or determination is that in these others that hath no disposition of the matters whereon they should iudge and determine but referreth the disposition to the Prince And what disposition is that of the Prince if these others and not the prince be the iudges and determiners of it If ye say these others finde out onelie what be indifferent matters and the Prince onelie dooth
disposed Or were by the most and best part of the assemblie so evicted that the matter hath béene sufficientlie inquired of examined Iudged determined and resolued alreadie and therevpon by the Prince also disposed Will not all this yet content you No no we will then say and still crye out that In determining indifferent matters they shew themselues not to be indifferent Iudges And whye will ye thus complaine on them For whatsoeuer it shall please the ciuill Magistrate or themselues to call or count indifferent it must be so holden of all men without any further inquirie This then I perceaue must be the fa-burden of all this song The Prince shall haue a title of supreme authoritie to dispose indifferent matters and others shall inquire iudge and determine which be and which be not indifferent matters But if the Prince or these others whosoeuer they be either inquire of or Iudge or determine or dispose otherwise of them then shall please such as these our brethren the Learned Discoursers not onelie they may course them for it and discourse these matters againe more learnedlie but it must be still free for all men when and as often and how they please to inquire further on all that is doone and reuoke all their former inquiries iudgements determinations and dispositions or else they shall haue this peale roong them In determining indifferent matters they shewe themselues not to be indifferent Iudges For whatsoeuer it shall please the Ciuill Magistrate or themselues to call or count indifferent it must be so holden of all men without anie further inquirie And now if there be any indifferent Iudge let him Iudge I beséech him indifferentlie If they deale thus with indifferent matters wherein the Princes supremacie hath the greatest force what is left to the Prince or to any of these others to enquire iudge determine or to dispose vpon And how now may not this also reach by as much not coulour of reason but substance of reason to all politike matters in the common-weale as well as to these Ecclesiasticall so farre foorth as both of them be indifferent Whereby they may as well when the Prince and all the states of the realme haue determined iudged and disposed of any such indifferent matter crie out on the Prince and all others in the Parlement and repeate this sclander in their former leoden that in determining indifferent matters they shew themselues not to be indifferent iudges For whatsoeuer it shall please the Ciuill Magistrate and themselues to call and count indifferent it must be so holden of all men without any further inquirie And thus may all the supreme authoritie of the Christian Prince both in politike and ecclesiasticall matters be cleane ouerthrowne and euerie man set at libertie to exclaime with open mouthe on their soueraigne and of all others in authoritie and vnder pretence of further inquirie God knowes how farre they will runne We sée a turbulent Comicall beginning but we sée not the lamentable Tragicall ending of these things Principiss obsta serò medicina paratur But of the Princes authoritie in these matters thus roughlie hewed at the entrie they will héere for this time make a pawse and promise for a while to go no further hauing indéed at this verie first steppe gone ouer the shooes alreadie more then a little to farre and yet would God they could héere haue made a cleanlie stoppe and not made the matter a great deale worse but haue rested at these words saying But of the supreme authoritie of Christian Princes in Ecclesiasticall causes how faâ—â—e it extendeth by the word of God we shall haue better occasion to intreate hereafter when we haue described the ecclesi state And I pray God better intreating and treating to for this was but a harde intreating of Christian Princes and a sorie treatie of their supreame authoritie But belike the moouing héere of these matters for the Prince though indéed mooued by themselues in the course of their Learned Discourse of ecclesiasticall gouernement by their foure estates to be thus but a little interrupted by touching onelie rather then by treating of the christian Princes supreame authoritie did some what perhaps disturbe and mooue their patience And therefore as they héere till heereafter take their leaue so in this perturbation at the parting declaring the cause of their departure now from them and whye they néed not and will not talke further with them at this time in stéed of shaking or rather wringing handes they giue them such a parting blow for a farewell such a volie for a vale that it were inough vnlesse they handle them gentlier heereafter at their better occasion to dashe all Christian Princes for all their magnanimitie out of countenance yea to thrust them cleane out of Christendome except they will holde themselues contented with such places and authoritie as they after they haue at large described the ecclesiast state and fullie serued all their foure Tetrarks shall please to assigne vnto them And now declaring their reasons héereof to euerie man thinking belike that euerie man hath an interest in the further inquirie of these matters they saye as followeth And that it is neither needfull nor agreeable to good order of teaching to begin first therewith it may be plaine to euerie man by this reason The church of God was perfect in all hir regiment before there was any Christian Prince yea the churche of God may stand dooth stand at this daie in most blessed estate where the Ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers By which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernement thereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of Princes but vpon the ordinance of God who hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable aide of Christian Magistrates it may singulerlie flourish and prosper so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile For the church craueth helpe and defence of Christian Princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe but all her authoritie she receaueth immediatlie of God In these words our bretheren the Learned Discoursers to breake off this matter hauing alledged one of their reasons as we haue heard why they will not make their first treatie on the supreame authoritie of Christian Princes which reason was this that they would not seeme to confirme the opinion of those to whom it seemeth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on the Christian Princes supreme authoritie and by the way answered as we haue likewise heard the opinion of others that referre indifferent matters to the Princes disposition They now conclude this point with another answere saying It is neither needefull nor agreeable to good order of teaching to beginne first therewith This scruple I perceaue sticketh yet in their stomakes peraduenture suspecting that they had hetherto sayd nothing oughtes-worth
This rule therefore that because it is first in time before another it is in order to bee first treated vpon before an other or because other as yet were not therefore that which was before made a perfect regiment is no perfect nor good argument Which argument being grounded on so vncertaine and weakâ— foundation all that is built thereon is easily shattered The Papistes for the traditions of the Church which they call the vnwritten worde or veritie vnwritten vse the like argument against the authoritie of Gods written word and veritie of the Scripture The word was deliuered by tradition of preaching before it was deliuered by writing therefore traditions are of no lesse authoritie nor lesse to be beleeued then the written worde and holie scripture yea the Churches authoritie is aboue the scriptures and is the iudge thereof Thus doe the Papistes encroche from the time to the authoritie as our brethren heere doe Nowe as this reason faileth both for the Senioritie of time and forestalling the order of place and much more for claiming any prioritie in dignitie and most of all for inferring any such honour as perfection of regiment so for the truthe of this proposition that The Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was any Christian Prince I can not yet sée howe directly it can be iustified For if this were true then there neede no regiment of Christian Princes at all And howe then haue the Christian Princes anie authoritie at all in Eccl. causes Or â—f they haue anie howe came they by it if the Churches regiment were perfect or the Church perfect in all her regiment before there were anie Christian Prince Or whereto serueth the Christian Princes supream authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes if not to make the regiment of the Church in better estate For otherwise the Church were as good without it if she be no better in her Regiment by it then she was before shée had it But it is not so both the church and her regiment is bettered by it Which your selues are faine in part to confesse euen heere in the conclussion of your argument saying of God who hath most mercifully and wisely so established the same to wit the churches regiment that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates it may singulerlie prosper and flourish c. And againe for the church craueth helpe defence of christian Princes to continue and go fore-ward more peaceablye and profiâ—ablye to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christ. Although héere ye will affoorde no more but this yet if there were no more this is inough to ouerthrow your saying that the church of God was perfect in all her Regiment before there was any christian prince For if this comfortable aide helpe and defence to continue and goe forewarde in so great matters as more peaceably and profitably to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe were taken awaie then the church of God though I graunt it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile Yet should she not be perfect in al her Regiment needing this comfortable ayde help and defence of christian Princes And the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe shoulde with more trouble and lesse profit go fore-warde yea rather it should go back-warde and he hindered though it continue and not so singulerly flourish and prosper but decay And is this so smal a matter in your eyes brethren as that it nothing appertained to the Regiment of the church but that crauing all this of christian princes and so without them wanting the same ye dare so boldly auouch that she is perfect in all her Regiment without it Doth she craue that she wanteth not Then is she a wanton Doeth she want it then is she not perfect in all her Regiment Or doeth it not greatly pertaine vnto her Regiment Or doe yee thinke that this shall salue the matter because the churche may continue and againste the aduersaries thereof preuaile without it Our question nowe is not of the substance and beeing of the church but of the Regiment of it Neither yet simply of the Regiment but whether she were perfect in all her Regiment before any christian princes were or no The church I graunt was then and shall continue euer and she had euen then a Regiment also Yea and that Regiment in soone respectes might be called perfecte for that time while there were not such open professed christian princes to be foster fathers and noursing moothers of the church as God bee praysed now there are For concerning the Rectors of the church then as they were then more perfect and singuler persons so had they more perfect and singuler extra-ordinary offices and withall more excellent giftes to be able to gouerne it the better But this argueth so little the churches perfection then in al her Regiment vnderstanding the same of all her ordinary externall Regiment whereupon our question is which Regiment shee was not then so perfectly come vnto that rather their extra-ordinary gifts and offices of Apostles Euangelistes Prophetes c. were added for that time to supplye furnish that part of the Regiment thereof that was afterward to be made more perfect concerning the ordinary state by the accesse of the Christian Princes following Except therefore our Brethren intende vtterlie to shake off all Christian Princes and account their supreame authority in Church causes if not now to be nought yet to be nought worth and altogether vnnecessary to the perfection of the Churches Regiment how can this be any good argument to infirme it now because admitting this also were true there were no ChristiaÌ„ Princes theÌ„ what do they inferre here-upoÌ„ that there is no more néede héerein of Christian Princes now then there was then presupposing that then héerein there was no néede at all of them that were a very suspitious and perrilous conclusion For although theÌ„ there were the lesse néede of them because that néede was then other-wise supplied yet those supplies not continuing and malice increasing both of aduersaries without and of Hipocrites within and the giftes also that remaine decreasing there is now farre more neede of the Christian Princes supreame gouernment to the perfecting of the Churches Regiment And so the state of the time for the regiment of the church differing the argument of the Regiment from the time then to the time now is defectiue But if they néeded then héerein the helpe of christian Princes as they do nowe then was not the church perfect in all her Regiment otherwise than as it was extraordinarylie supplied before the christian Princes helpe and comfortable aide was added Before which time those temporary supplies comming to the church as the Manna and other extraordinary helpes made the Iewes estate to flourish prosper and goe fore-ward in the Desertes though they ceased when they came to the land of promise So the church might bee
Iudges at home in our seuerall Congregations bicause S. Paule prescribed the Corinthians so to haue and that all such publike Iudges to serue a whole realme or countrie were not lawfull or were néedlesse bicause in the Primitiue Church they had no suche publike Christian Iudges for a whole realme or countrie might not this growe to the manifest iniurie not onelie of th◠Iudges but of all the whole common-weale Yea might not the Christian Prince feare that by the same rule if it were true that ye saye there was no Christian Prince then when the Churche was perfect in all her regiment he might be driuen cleane out of his ciuill regiment too and out of all not supreame onelie but anye authoritie at all among the Christians and cleane dispossessed of his kingdome except he would content himselfe to be a Iudge chosen in one particuler citie So that neither inheritance nor a whole Realme or Realmes to bee ruled by anye one christian Prince could hold any plea if such rules might be coined on such examples And then forsoothe the churche of GOD as before there was anye christian Prince so after they are all thrust out or reduced to that state that they were in might be saide to be perfect in all hir regiment once againe And that the Churche of God may stande and dooth stande in moste blessed state where the ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers nor beare the greatest rule but all is brought againe to the estate it was in before in the Apostles time Doo ye not sée what a most blessed estate the churche of God would come vnto by this rule And I pray you bretheren what warrant haue you more or so muche for the prescription of your Seniorie in euerie congregation as is héere prescribed by S. Paule for the choosing of this Iudge or ruler among the perticuler congregations of the christians We must take héed therfore how we stand on such examples or how we enlarge any rule that was particuler to the time or state then or to the place or persons there to be-come an ordinarie generall absolute or perpetuall rule to vs and to the whole Churche whether it be by S. Paule or by S. Peter or by any or by all the Apostles or by our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe him-selfe practised yea or commanded For diuerse examples and commandements were but for certeine times states places and stretch no further As the Disciples to carrie neither golde nor siluer nor money nor scrippe nor two coates nor shooes nor staffe Matth. 10. To abstaine from things offered to Idols and from bloud and from that that is strangled Acts. 15. And that men should praye bare headed c. 1. Cor. 11. And albeit that in the commandements and rules prescribed of these things and of the like neither Christe nor his Apostles tell that they were to continue but for a time yet leueling the same by the analogie of our faithe and by the proportion of our Christian libertie we find no such necessitie in these thinges nor of any other such like orders as in the regiment of the Primitiue churche was vsed For though they were vsed as orders or as ornanaments to beautifie the blessed estate of the Churches regiment then yet neither the blessednes nor the estate therof consisted in them when they had them And if any church that now flourisheth haue any of them it is neuer the more blessed for them as of anye necessitie to the estate thereof And if any haue them not and haue other good orders of regiment established among them it is neuer the lesse blessed of God for the not hauing of them If they haue what is necessarie that sufficeth Prooue either this Seniorie to be necessarie for vs imagining there had béene any such or els all this most blessed estate resolues to nothing But neither of these is yet prooued nor I feare mee euer will bee that there were any such Gouernours at all or that we are bound in euerie particuler congregation to obeye or to haue suche a Segniorie But we are bound to haue and to obeye in all lawfull ordinances our Princes and Magistrates especiallie being Christians and fauourers and fosterers of the Churche of God defenders of the faithe setters foorth and professors of the Gospell Where suche Princes are as wee muste néedes confesse we haue except we be too vnthankefull there indéed the Churche of GOD may stand and standeth at this day in farre more blessed state with-out this Segniorie then where this Segniorie standeth and the Ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers or to speake plaine English are no fauourers at all but haters and persecuters of the Gospell And thus wee sée how weake and vntrue both these propositions of these reasons are by the which as a notable great reason in the end scars◠woorth a little currane these our Learned Discoursers auouched that it might be to euerie man so plaine that it was neither needfull nor agreeable to good order of teaching to begin first to treate of the supreame authoritie of Christian princes in ecclesiasticall causes Now a◠we thus haue séene the valor and truthe of these two propositions whereon their reason is made so let vs sée their conclusion of this reason Their conclusion is this By which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernment thereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of princes but vpon the ordinance of God who hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrats it may singulerlie flourish and prosper so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile For the churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe but all her authoritie she receaueth immediatlie of God Is this then the conclusion of their reason What is this to the present question Or how hangeth this vpon the premisses Maye not th◠princes supreame authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes be first treated vpon except this must streight be concluded on it by which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernment of the churche dependeth not vpon the authoritie of princes but vpon the ordinance of God Wherefore is this so farre fetched conclusion brought in héere Before you sai◠it seemeth not yet telling to whome but now it seemeth that it seemeth so to you and that for a manifest and plaine conclusion that if the princes supreame authoritie be first spoken of then all the churches regiment dependeth on it But I cannot tell how it seemeth to you to be a manifest and plaine consequence I promise you it séemeth not so to me Nor I thinke to any man that will way the reason with any reason And yet you threape such kindnesse on vs that are God be thanked reasonable creatures also that it now goeth beyond it
seemeth for it is manifest Whereas indéed not onelie it seemeth but is manifest to be a manifest violent and extorted conclusion Yea a manifest iniurie both to God to his churche and to all the authoritie of all godlie Christian Princes and most manifest wrong vnto her Maiestie Dooth her Maiestie in claiming the supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes in that portion of the churche of God committed to her Maiesties gouernement or in not yéelding to this your desired regiment claime this that the regiment and gouernement of the churche dependeth vpon her authoritie And if ye say ye meane not her Maiestie but speake still vpon Princes at large though ye mend not the matter but make it worse yet would to God ye would once name soone to put the matter out of all suspition and let them beare the blame that claime such highe authoritie and absolute power that all the regiment of the Churche dependeth thereon No I am sure ye can name no godlie Prince that dooth so And yet sée not onelie how ye make this a manifest conclusion but how to aggrauate the matter and make it more odious ye conclude it also with an opposition betwéene the Princes authoritie and Gods ordinance saying by which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernement thereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of Princes but vpon the ordinance of God As though the Princes authoritie were not also the ordinance of God As the Apostle expresselie saith Rom. 13. Let euerie soule be subiect to the higher powers for there is no power but of God And the powers that be are ordeined of God Whosoeuer therefore resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God And shall we now make an opposition betwixt the authoritie of Princes especiallie speaking of Christian Princes and Gods ordinance How could the verie enimies of vs both either the Papists or the Anabaptists haue roughe hewen a sharper conclusion against Christian Princes authoritie than this is Notwithstanding least Christian Princes should take iust offence not onelie to haue their authoritie thus cleane cut off but cast out of the doores also of the Churche of God with such a contumelie as an authoritie opposite to Gods ordinance and yet claiming all the Churches regiment to depend thereon This conclusion shall bee afterward smoothed with gentler termes and Christian Princes shall haue somewhat graunted to appease them And what in this conclusion is that authoritie that shall be now yéelded vnto Christian Princes Forsooth that God hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates it may singulerlie florish and prosper so without it it may coÌ„tinue and against all the aduersaries thereof preuaile For the Churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes to go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe but all hir authoritie she receaueth immediatlie of God Whye what againe is this to thâ— supreame or to any authoritie of Christian Princes in ecclesiasticall causes Héere is some-what indéede for the Churches authoritie but we speake not now of the Churches authoritie so much as of the princes authoritie in the Churche except they will héere make a double oppositioÌ„ not onelie betwéene the princes authoritie and Gods ordinance but also betwéene the prince and the Churche and either of their authorities the princes and the churches and so enter into a new question which of these is greater But this is another great iniurie offered to christian Princes who are by this meanes as it were thrust out not onlie of their authoritie in the Churche but as being either none at all of the Churche saue as an opposite part thervnto or if a parte of the Churche yet a contentious parte for authoritie striuing with the Churche of the which them-selues are a principall parte and member For what else meane they by these wordes the Churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian Princes but that they seperate the Christian Prince and the Church And whom meane they then by the name of the Churche the whole oâ— particuler bodie thereof But all the people deale not with the gouernement of them-selues nor are their owne Gouernours which would bréed a great confusion in their gouernement and quickelie come to no gouernement at all If they meane these foure Tetrarches as it séemes they doo they likewise be but partes to the Churche as are the Princes and inferior parts of the Prince also except they will contend for superioritie aboue the Prince But inferior or superior they be but partes and cannot claime to them-selues any more the name of the Churche being but the Churches Ministers if all be so then the Prince or the people may Nor so much neither the Prince representing the head and the people being the bodie And if they say they bee Christes ministers so is the Prince also no lesse in his function then anye of them in theirs And let them looke to it thus vnder the name of the Churche to part all the churches authoritie among them and so oppose their authoritie as the churches to the Princes authoritie For thus played euen the verie popish Priests the common enemies to vs bothe And vnder pretence of the churches authoritie and that they were the churche the Ecclesiasticall persons and the churche men and that the Prince and the people were but méere laye and ciuill persons seperate from the churche they not onelie kept the people downe but also wroong all authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes from the Prince And vsed euen the same tearmes of the churche and the Ciuill Magistrate that héere these our brethren vse Yea and the same reason and giue the christian Princes as much yea the selfe-same titles that héere our brethren doo While thus betwéene them bothe the christian Princes are spoiled of all their authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes For what is all that is giuen to christian Princes héere but to be onelie aiders helpers and defendors of the churche And doo not the Papists vse the same tearmes And giue as goodlie titles as these to christian Princes Yes and more and better too But what is this vnto regiment gouernement and authoritie No héere is nothing mentioned but the regiment and gouernement thereof Wherof Of the Prince No of the churche And the churche craueth helpe and defence of christian Princes but all her authoritie is immediatlie of God So that of the Prince she receiueth no authoritie at all For if sâ—ée receiue all immediatlie of God then shée receaueth none immediatlie nor mediatlie of the Prince And if the receaue none from the Prince but all of God immediatlie without anye authoritie of the Prince then is she exempted from all the authoritie of the Prince and all her authoritie is aboue all the authoritie of the Prince Yea the prince hath no authoritie at all ouer her And so not onelie the Prince for anye not supreame but any authoritie
at all ouer the churche in Ecclesiasticall causes maye goe séeke it else-where for the churche is sped alreadie of all her authoritie from God immediatlie with-out any from the Prince but also the prince hazardeth his ciuill authoritie too For if the churche finger any of that also it is as good as a Mort-maine against the Prince For why the prince may helpe her make her flourish and prosper but all hir authoritie is immediatlie of God Haue not Christian princes héere a faire supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes left them If the churche deale thus with christian Princes is that churche woorthie of the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates and to haue it when it craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes that will acknowledge her selfe to receaue no authoritie at all of christian princes If shée saith shée will acknowledge that shée receaueth that is to say comfortable aide of christian Magistrates with the which it may singularlie flourish and prosper and that shée acknowledgeth the helpe and defence that shée craueth of Christian princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe This is yet some-what more then before was graunted So that the churche hath néede of Christian princes comfortable aide helpe and defence And then with-out them shée is not so perfect in all her regiment nor in moste blessed nor so much blessed estate but that I perceaue shée is more blessed with them and where the princes are fauoures of the churche and Gospell and kingdome of Christe there it may flourish and prosper and that singulerly which is some-what more yet by one ace then where the princes are not the greatest fauorers But where they are fauorers there the church that belike stood still before or went backeward or went forward more difficultlye may goe forward not onlie more peaceablie but also more profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe This is much more then was before graunted Yea but say they as it may haue all these benefits by the princes helpe so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile GOD forbid else But dooth it nota great deale better preuaile with it Yes but what is all this vnto anye gouernement regiment or authoritye in the Prince ouer the Churche My fréende maye helpe me that hath no authoritie ouer me yea so may my seruants that are vnder my gouernement and with their comfortable aide helpe and defence when I craue it I may singulerlie flourish and prosper Yea the prince himselfe be he neuer so high and mightie may craue comfortable aide helpe and defence of an other prince or of his owne subiects wherby he may both singularlie flourish and prosper And also continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie not onelie to the maintenance of his owne estate but also to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe what shall we conclude héereon that such persons therefore haue any authoritie ouer him And this is all that is héere affoorded to anye Christian prince ouer the churche of God And how much is this Forsoothe for any authoritie more or lesse when it comes all to all none at all And why so For the churche receiueth all hir authoritie immediatlie of God What and nothing mediatelie of man No Not of the Apostles Nor by all or by any of these foure estates Or are they onelie the churche and haue all the authoritie Yea are they God himselfe if they onelie be not the churche Or dooth God giue them still that power that they haue or pretend to haue of him immediatelie and by his owne selfe without any mediation and that in all the authoritie not onelie of preaching the word and ministring the Sacraments and binding and losing but also of electing imposition of handes and ordeining ministers and of calling Councels and of making anye ordinances and constitutions concerning any Ecclesiasticall matters What if some of these be of God but yet mediatelie of God by Gods Ministers And what if some of them be of God also but mediatelie from the Christian Prince Yea what if the Christian princes authoritie be of God also as much immediatlie as the churches authoritie Yea and more immediatlie then can be prooued for all these foure estates But be the princes authoritie of God immediatlie or mediatlie of God by man hath not the Christian prince as much authoritie now since Christes and his Apostles time héere in earth as it had ordinarilie before Or did the churche of Christe begin onelie then and not rather from the beginning of the worlde as Gellius prooueth against the Anabaptists that the churche still not onelie in substance of the mysticall bodie and of doctrine but also of the authoritie of gouernment was euen from the beginning of the world one and the same Adam Abraham Moses Iosue the Iudges Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Iosias Ezechias Zorobabell c were all christian princes Had all of them authoritie from God either immediatlie or mediatelie and haue christian princes no more authoritie then is héere allowed Or howe and when where haue they since lost it When we reason against the papists that still pretend the churches Authoritie meaning thereby their popish Hierarchie that they might bereaue all christian princes of their supreame authoritie in Ecclesiast causes we bring foorth the examples of Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon Iosaphat c. If they had not béene in substance grounds of one the same faith with vs Chri. Princes then though not so called as well as these that are called Christian Princes now or if ChristiaÌ„ Princes haue not as much authoritie now as the Princes in and ouer the Churche of God had then then are these examples and the arguments drawne from them nothing to the purpose but the Papists and the Anabaptists will deride them Yea as Saint Paule saithe of the Resurrection of Christe 1. Corin. 15. If Christe bee not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faithe is also vaine and wee are found false witnesses of GOD. So if these arguments for the Princes authoritie from the Olde Testament to the New are not substanciall and good arguments then our preaching and alleadging of them against the Papists and against the Anabaptists is in vaine c. But these arguments of their examples are firme and good standing vpon one and the same perpetuall rule of the Princes charge and gouernement in bothe Testaments so confute bothe the Papists and the Anabaptists Christiâ—n Princes therefore according to the examples of Adam Moses Iosue Dauid c. Haue as much authoritie both mediate and immediate from God as the Ministers of the Churche or the Churche it selfe hath to be Gouernours in the Churche and ouer the Churche of God also or ouer any other of Gods Ministers Not to haue the Ecclesiasticall Ministers peculiar offices and Ecclesiasticall authoritie or to execute the actions
proper to their Ecclesiasticall functions but to ouer-sée gouerne and direct all Ecclesiasticall persons to doo their duties in all Ecclesiasticall causes and to haue the highest authoritie in the Churche for the ordering disposing and authorizing any order or constitution Ecclesiasticall in indifferent matters notwithstanding any assertion reason or proofe in this Learned Discourse as yet alledged to the contrarie And as the Christian Prince hath immediatlie vnder Christe this supreame first and principall authoritie so ought the Christian Prince by as good reason in the treatise of the gouernment of the churches Ecclesiasticall matters to haue had that supreame place which is first and principall and not that supreame place which is last and least of all or rather which is none at all while all Ecclesiasticall matters must be firste distributed among these foure estates and be onelie directed by them But vntill these foure be all serued in their places and orders her Maiestie and all Christian Princes must hold themselues contented with this and in the ende they shall sée further if any more authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters be left vnto them In the meane season let vs now returne whether our Bretheren leade vs to the producing of these foure Tetrarkes what their offices are how necessarie and important they be and what seuerall authoritie or in common is assigned vnto them The second Booke of the Doctor or Teacher The Argument of the second Booke THE second Booke is of their first Tetrarche called the Doctor or Teacher wherein after their resolutions of all the 4. Tetrarches with the effects necessitie thereof with chalenge of the Fathers alteration and the vnhappie successe of our disordered state after their Apologie for their methode of this Learned Discourse they come to their treaty of their Doctors That this D. is the cheefest office in the Church most necessarie and to be had in euery congregatioÌ„ And of their name institution office whether they be a seuerall office necessarilie distinguished from Pastors whether the Apostles words Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12. Eph. 4. do infer such distinction of office the interpretation of the ancient fathers and of the late writers on these places for this question especiallie whether the Doctors or Teachers must onelie teach true doctrine and confute false or may with their teaching ioine exhortation and application to their hearers Whether there were euer in the Olde Testament or in the New any suche Doctors as our Bretheren suppose with the examination of the examples they alleage What was the maner of the Doctors and Catechisers teaching in the Primitiue and auncient churches and what now in the churches reformed LET vs therfore returne to those offices of Ecclesiasticall Regiment which remaine to be exercised in the Churche of God being instituted and ordeined by Christe himselfe which before wee haue prooued out of the Scriptures to be onelie these Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons whereof some apperteine to doctrine some to gouernement and discipline The dutie of Doctors and Pastors is cheefelie to teache and instruct the people of God in all things that God hath appointed them to learne The office of Elders and Deacons is to prouide that good order and discipline be obserued in the Churche IN this returne to these foure offices of Ecclesiasticall regiment these Learned Discoursers firste set downe as a cleare rase these resolutions That onelie thâ—se Doctors Pastors Gouernours and Deacons doo remaine to bee exercised in the Churche of God That these foure offices of Ecclesiasticall regiment be instituted and ordeined by Christe himselfe and that they haue prooued this out of the scriptures Softe a while Brethren let vs returne with you Where I pray you and when and how and out of what places in the scriptures haue yée prooued this It was saide so indéed but not prooued Ye alleaged onelie thrée places Rom. 12. ver 6.1 Cor. 12. ver 28. and Eph. 4. ver 11. But neither haue ye Prooued out of any or all of those testimonies all these foure offices of Ecclesiasticall Regiment neither can ye doo it What these Gouernours were whether the same that Bishops or Pastors and Teachers or your supposed Seniors or any Ecclesiasticall or ciuill officers is not there or in any other place that ye haue yet cited either in the Text of scripture expressed or by any argumeÌ„t that you haue made Prooued Neither haue yée prooued that all these foure Ecclesiasticall offices were instituted and ordeined by Christe himselfe as héere you affirme Neither haue ye prooued that all these foure offices now remaine to be exercised in the Churche of God None of all these things are yet prooued as maye appeare by that we haue séene in all this your Learned Discourse hetherto and by all the places them-selues in the Scriptures And therevpon I put me to the veredict of euerie indifferent Readers iudgement And yet sée how boldlie you dare avowe all this and flatlie say thereon which we haue prooued out of the scriptures where neither the Scriptures which ye haue cited haue it nor yée haue prooued it out of them yea neither with them nor with-out them ye haue prooued it at all Now concerning the distribution of this foure squared gouernement to the which these offices are seuerallie to bee assigned whereas these Learned Discourses saye Whereof some apperteine to doctrine some to gouernement What doo ye héere deuide these foure officers into thrée wardes or into two If ye say into two for the distribution is manifest some to doctrine and some to gouernment discipline and not some to doctrine and to gouernement and some to discipline but the latter two gouernement and discipline not deuiding the same by a seuerall some but by the copulatiue and conioyning them togither gouernement and Discipline we conteyne vnder one of these two seuerall somes Verye well sayde and canne you thus your selues deuide these thinges and conioyne and it must bee holden for a good deuiding and conioyning and can you not bee content with Saint Paules like distribution where he saith Ephes. 4. ver 11. Hee therefore gaue some Apostles and some Prophets and some Euangelists and some Pastors and Teachers The Apostle héere distributeth them by somes as you doo when he comes to this and some to be Pastors he addeth not as an other different office and some to be Teachers but as you doo héere saye some to gouernement and discipline including bothe togither without any further distribution vnder one some bothe apperteining to one office and yet you will solemnelie breake this order of Saint Paule contrarie to your owne order héere of distribution and where he makes but one office in two diuerse wordes you will deuide them into another some and make Pastors one office and Teachers another office by it selfe as that of the Euangelists distinct from the Apostles or from the Prophets But of your reasons why ye thus deuide these things
plainely set foorth by any man Prooue the necessitie of the matter and we will not greatly stick vpon your Methode And would to God that which you say here of yâ— Methode ye would say it or rather obserue it of the plaine truthe it selfe and for the matter of the regiment concerning these offices that except yee can hereafter shewe which is yet not done that we are bounde by any commaundement of Christ or his Apostles vnto this your regiment of all and onely these 4. offices ye would say likewise with vs for the Gouernement established in the Church of Englande that as wee controll not other mens gouernement by ours so we would not that other mens manner of gouerning should be preiudiciall vnto ours But if ye will not haue vs controll your Methode vtter the same also in plaine wordes Our controuersie is all of the gouernement of the Church and you tell vs what Methode ye will obserue in describing the ministerie of the Churche as by which both the distinction and communication of all offices and seruices in the Church might most plainly appeare What doe ye make all offices and seruices in the Church to be of ministers Or al the offices seruices to be of gouernors How the distinction or communication of these may plainely appeare woulde haue béene somewhat more distinctly and plainely spoken As touching the reason of your request why ye would not haue your Methode controlled nor other mens methodes preiudiciall to yours I thinke it reasonable if there were no further difference then in the sorme and order of teaching of diuerse men when in matter of substance they all agree Anâ— yet in such matters as these are and so precisely vrged an vniformitie not onely of matter but also of the Order and Methode in teaching of them might perhaps haue made the matter lesse offensiue Howbeit if they all agree in matter of substance and the matter of substaunce bee true be good be necessarie which they all agree vpon so that they séeke the truthe indéede and plainnesse in their Teaching then is as they say it is but either for lacke of wit or through too much wilfulnesse if any exclaime there is no vnitie and therefore no truthe among them But when in matter and substance they differ not onely one from an-other but from themselues also then blame not men nor impute it to them that either for lacke of wit or that through too much wilfulnesse they say there is not so much vnitie and truthe among them as in matters so earnestly vrged there ought to be But now to the particuler viewe of these 4. offices Let vs then proceede in our purpose The office of Teaching is the chiefe and principall office that is in the Church By that we are taught to knowe God and howe to serue him and what benefits to looke for at his hande without which knowledge there can be no felicitie but only destruction looked for according to the saying of the wise man where prophecying faileth there the people perish Albeit the office of teaching in these respectes as to know God and how to serue him and what benefites to looke for at his handes as the ordinary cause sine qua non without which there is no knowledge and without knowledge there can be no felicity but c. may wel be said to be the chiefe and principall office that is in the Church yet in respecte of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment which is the title of all this Learned discourse vnderstanding the same truly and plainly for the gouernment in of or ouer al Ecclesiastical causes how they should be ordeined directed or disposed I take it that this office of teachers admitting it were such a distinct office by it selfe from the office of Pastors as they woulde haue it is not the chiefe and principall office in the Church In Christe him selfe are the offices of a King of a Prieste and of a Prophete And in that he was a Prophete he was a Teacher also or Doctor Which office was so necessary to reueale the will of his heauenly father that both God the father said from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Mat 17 And Christ of himselfe Luc. 4. did reade this sentence The spirite of the Lord is vppon mee because he hath anointed mee that I shoulde preach the Gospell to the poore c. So that where no man saw God at any time except the onely begotâ—en Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father had declared him Io 1 As he saith also Io. 17. I haue giueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receaued them and beleeued them c. without the which teaching there can be no felicitie but only destruction looked for as he said before in the same prayer This is life eternall to know thee to be the onelie very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet not-with-standing the chiefe and principall office of gouerning the Churche of God was neither this high and necessary office of his teaching nor yet that of his Priesthoode which was as necessary yea and higher in the actions of the office then the other But his royall and kingly office was and is the chiefe and principall office in him And much morâ— is it in the outward regiment of the Church in Ecclesiasticall causes wherein Moses was aboue Aaron Iosue Dauid Solomon c. were aboue the high-priestes them-selues And so remaines it still except ye can shew the order of these offices of the church inuerted Of which the Papistes would be glad and vrge it harde especially from Peter wrestling there-to the thréefold saying of Christ to him Ioan. 21. Feede my Lambâ—s feede my sheepe feede my sheepe Meaning not only his gouerning but his office of Teaching which was his especial feeding of them and they driue it all to gouerning aduauncing them-selues before all Christian Princes And yet we graunt that in the action of their seuerall Ecclesiasticall function or Church ministery they are aboue all Christian Princes representing God vnto them teaching and admonishing them and all other But not aboue them in gouernment of all Ecclesiasticall causes Which is the question in controuersie now betwixt vs on the one parte and the Papists and these our owne Learned discoursing Brethren seuering them-selues from vs and adhering though not to them yet to their errour by a new deuise on the other parte The Ministery is deuided into two functions they that exercise the firste are called Pastors the other are called Doctors or Teachers I pray you my Learned discoursing Maisters for my learning héere againe let me aske this When ye desired not to bee controlled for your methode differing from others did ye include this not to be controlled though ye differ from your selues also and speake yee care not what contradictions both one against an-other and against your
which was the first Bishop ordayned vnto you euen of the Apostles And anon after speaking to the Priestes or Pastorall Elders that he left at Antiochia behinde him hee sayth Ye Priestes or Elders feede the flocke that is committed among you vntill God declare who hee shall be that shall be the Gouernour among you As for me I nowe make haste that I may gayne Christe Let the Deacons acknowledge of what dignitie they be and studie to be vnreproueable that they may be the followers of Christ. Let the people be subiect to the Priestes or Elders c. And after he hath saluted manie and doone salutations from manie both Bishops Pastors and Deacons c. that accompanied him for he was of highe estimation ouer all Asia I salute him sayth be which in my place shall be-come your Prince Primate or chiefe Prelate whome I haue also begotten in Christe Which hee meant of Heron that did succéede him in the Bishoprike who was a Deacon in the Churche of Antioche These Epistles of what credite euerie thing conteyned in them is I will not pleade for them But thinke verilie that there are some Popish foystinges crept into them as also is founde out in the woorkes of other famous men But that the whole Epistles should bee vtterlie denied or suspected especially those that are not onely mentioned but parts of them also worde for worde set downe according to their manner by other Ecclesiasticall writers both by Ierome that was verie curious in finding out forgeries and also by Eusebius that was within two hundred yeares of Ignatius yea Irenaeus that was Polycarpus Scholler to whome Ignatius writeth one of these Epistles and diuerse other auncient Fathers of greate credite make mention of some of the woordes contayned in them it can not bee that they should all be forged especially this point for the distinction of the Bishops from Priestes or Pastorall Elders and the superioritie of the Bishoppe ouer them béeing concordant with all the other writers And especially to bée obserued almost in euerie one of these Epistles In the Epistle ad Trallianos hée sayeth I knowe yee haue an vndefiled minde and without deceite in perseuerance not on doubtfulnesse but on the possession of sayth as Polybius your Bishop hath signified to mee who came to Smyrna by the will of God the Father and of Iesus Christe his sonne by the woorking togeather of the holie-Ghoste and did so congratulate vnto mee beeing bounde in Christe Iesu that in him I might see all fulnesse Receauing therefore him according vnto GOD I haue by him acknowledged your beneuolence finding you to bee the followers of Iesus Christe our Sauiour Bee yee subiecte to the Bishoppe as to the Lorde for he watcheth for your soules as he that shall giue account to GOD. For which thing yee shall seeme vnto mee not to liue according to the fleshe but to liue according to Iesus Christe who dyed for vs that wee beleeuing in his deathe might by baptisme bee made partakers of his resurrection For it is necessarie that you shoulde doe nothing nor take ought in hande he meaneth concerning Ecclesiasticall causes with out the Bishoppe But submitte your selues to the Priestes or Elders as to the Apostles of Iesu Christe our hope in whome abiding wee shall be founde in him you must also therefore by all meanes please the Deacons which are for the Ministerie of Iesus Christe Eor they are not ministers in meate and drinke he alludeth to the Tables whereon they attended but they are the Ministers of the Churche of God Yee must therfore obserue that which they commaund you euen as if it were fire burning As for them let them be suche And as for you reuerence ye them euen as the Lord Iesus Christe For they are the keepers of his place Euen as the Bishop is the forme or type of him that is father of all But the Priests euen as the assemblie of God and the coniunction of the Apostles of Christe c. And againe after he hath warned them to take héede of Scismes of Seducers and those that are puffed vp with pride and exhorted them to humilitie he saithe and yet reuerence your Bishop euen as Christe according to which the blessed Apostles haue commaunded you For hee that is placed betweene the altare which worde altare is often vsed of the auncient Fathers for the Lords Table and is héere meant for the participation of the holye Communion he is cleane For the which obey your Bishop and Priests or Elders For he that is placed without the aultar is dooing somewhat without the Bishop the Priests and the Deacons Hee that shall be suche an one that is excludeth him-selfe from the participation of the diuine misteries deliuered by the Bishop the Priests and Deacons is polluted in his conscience and is woorse then an Infidell For what is the Bishop but one holding a principalitie and power ouer them all thus farre foorth as becommeth a man to holde that is made the follower of God according to vertue What is Priesthood or the Eldership but a holie institution of a counsellor and confessor of the Bishop What also are the Deacons but the followers of Christe ministring to to the Bishop as Christ to the Father and working vnto him that cleane and vndefiled worke as S. Stephan to the most blessed Iames and Timothie and Linus vnto Paule and Anacletus and Clemens vnto Peter Therefore he that shall be disobedient to these shall be altogither without God and wicked and contemning Christe and an abaser of his ordinance And in the next Epistle of Ignatius to the Magnesians Howbeit I deserued to haue seene you by the worthie in God your Bishop Damas and the woorthie in God your Priests or Elders to witte Bassus and Appollonius and my ghest Socion whome I haue nourished bicause he is subiect to the Bishop and to the Priests in the grace of GOD and in the lawe of Jesus Christe and it behooueth you also not to contemne the age of the Bishop and according to God the Father to giue him all reuerence according to which I haue also knowne the holye Priests to haue yeelded it him Not thinking him to be contemned for the age that appeareth in him but in the wisedom of God to obeye him Sithe that not the auncient in yeares are the wisest neither the old men vnderstand prudence but the spirite which is in men c. And in the next Epistle ad Tharsenses Yee Priestes or Elders be subiect to the Bishop Ye Deacons to the Priests yee people to the Deacons And in the Epistle to the Philadelphians Yee Princes be subiect to Caesar or to the King Yee Souldiors to the Princes Deacons and to the Priests or Elders as to the administrators of the holye things But let the priests and the Deacons and all the cleargie togither with all the people and with the souldiors and
him selfe wheresoeuer he reckoneth any byshop or succession of bishops except where there were some sectes in any City that had seuerall bishops of their owne factions hee mentioneth still but one bishop ouer the true beléeuing Christians in one City And in this sort he reckoneth vp the bishops of Ierusalem Lib. 2. Tom. 2. writing against the Manichaeans saying The generation of the apostles hath passed from Peter I say euen to Paule and to Iohn who also was a great while in the worlde euen vntill the times of Traiane Iames also is past the first bishop in Ierusalem surnamed the brother of the Lorde but the sonne of Ioseph begotten on her that was his owne proper Wife with the residue of his brethren with whome was conuersant the Lord Iesus Christ borne according to the flesh of the euer-virgine Mary who in the order of brethren got this that he was called their brother There haue passed also out of the same his seate all the saints and with them Symeon the sonnes of his Vnkle the sonne of Cleophas the brother of Ioseph Whose times consequently and according to the rowe from Iames the bishop I haue vnder ioined the bishops by succession in Ierusalem and with them euery king euen vntill the time of the foresaid Aurelian and Probus wherein this Manes was known being a man of Persia which begat this straunge doctrine into the worlde and thus it is 1. Iames who with a peece of woode suffered martyrdome vntil Nero. 2. Simeon who was crucified vnder Traiane 3. Iude and so forsoothe vntill he come to Hymenaeus the 37. bishop of Ierusalem vnder Aurelian In summe from the assumption of Christ vntill Manes and Aurelian and Probus Kings are 276 yeares according to some chronicles according to others 246. c. And as of this so of any other Church that he nameth as he doth an infinit number other on diuers occasiōs of one church he euer nameth but one bishop so that the church of Alexandria and all other churches for any thing héere spoken by Epiphanius or any where else may well ynough iustify their hauing ordinarily but one bishop at one time though some churches which Epiphanius wordes here do séeme to note now and then vpon some extraordinarie occasion might haue had two bishops at once But were there one or two they alwayes had superior dignity and authority ouer all the residue of the Priestes or Elders in their churches And in the same treaty where Epiphanius noteth the order of Ierusalem he telleth also of a disputation holden betwéene Triphon a Priest and the Heretique Manes at Caschara in Mesopotamia Whereat the bishop being present when he would haue holpen the priest Manes sayd vnto the Byshop suffer me to dispute against Triphon for thy dignity by reason of the bishops office exceedeth me Whereby it appeareth that then also in Mesopotamia there was a great difference in the dignity and state of a Priest of a bishop And because this most reuerend and learned man alleageth Epiphanius against the Meletians this also appeareth no lesse if not so much more euē in that treatise of Epiphanius Besides that in the story by him ther recorded of the sect that sprang from this Meletius we may sée a liuely if it may not rather be called a deadly verily a dolefull paterne of this Schisme nowe occasioned by our Brethren There is a certaine company sayth Epiph. lib. 2. to 2. haer 68. in the coast of Aegipt from Meletius a certain B. in Thebaida of the Catholik Church and of the right faith for his fayth was not chaunged at any time from the holy catholike church this Meletius was of one time with the foresaid Hierax and afterward did succeede him He was also of one time with the holy Peter bishop of Alexandria and all these were in the time of the persecution which was made in the time of Dioclesian and Maximian But the cause of Meletius was in this manner he made a sect but he departed not from the faith This man in the time of the persecution together with Peter the holy Bishop and martyr and with other martyrs was taken of those that were sent of the King to wite of the Dukes or captaines of Alexandria and of Aegipt at that time The President of Thebaida was Cultianus and Hierocles of Alexandria and Meletius was deteyned in prison together with the foresaide martyrs with Peter the Archb. of Alexandria But Meletius seemed also to excell among the bishops of Egypt as he that had the second place after Peter in the Archbishopricke as it were for because of helping him being vnder him and vnder him taking heede vnto the ecclesiastical affayres for this is the custome that the bishop of Alexandria hath the ecclesiastical administration of all Egypt and of Thebais and of Mareota and of Lybia and of Ammoniaca and of Maroeotis and of Pentapolis Now when as al these captiues liued in prison to the ende they shoulde bee martyred and had remained shut vp along time albeit others before thē being deliuered had suffered the testimony of Martyrdome and had obtayned the honour of the reward were layde asleepe but these as the princes and greater were reserued till afterwarde when as some had indeed susteyned martyrdome but other some had falne away from their martyrdome and had committed the wicked worship of Idolles and being compelled had also sacrificed they indeede which fell and sacrificed and transgressed came to the Confessors and to the martyrs that by repentance they might obteine mercy being partly souldiers partly Clearkes of diuerse callings partly Priestes and Deacons and others A commotion was made among the Martyrs and no vulgare tumult when as some sayde those that once were falne and that had renied and aboade not in their fortitude neither had striued oughte not to bee made worthye of repentaunce leaste that those also which yet remained shoulde care the lesse for rebuke and punishment by reason of such pardon to soone giuen vnto them and shoulde so transgresse and fall to the deniall of God and to the wicked worke of Graecisme And this in deede was very agreeable to reason that was spoken of these Confessours And they that so sayde were Meletius and Peleus and certayne other martyrs more and Confessours together with them They therefore declaringe their zeale to God spake these thinges and they pronounced that the persecution beeinge ended place to repentaunce shoulde long time after bee graunted to these foresayd parties in the time of peace beeing made if so bee in-deede they doe repent them and declare the fruite of their repentaunce Notwithstanding not that euery one shoulde bee receyued into his proper calling but after a space of time shoulde be gathered into the Churche and into the community and into the fellowshippe but not into their callinges And this proceeded of the loue of the trueth and was full of zeale But the moste holy Peter
endued with mercy and being as it were the father of them all entreated and besought them saying let vs receiue those that are repentaunt and let vs appoint them a penaunce that they maye sitte with other at the church and let vs not cast them off nor their calling as the fame is that is come vnto vs least peradueÌ„ture those that once were of the deuil shattered and broosed vnto confusion through imbecillity and infirmity should also by reason of delaying the time bee cleane subuerted and not healed as it is written The lame ought not be ouerthrowne but rather to be cured and in deed the speech of Peter was for mercy and humanity but the speech of Meletius for the truth zeal Hereupon for the face or shew of the argument which seemed in both of them to bee godly a sect or scisme was made these affirming this thing and those that thing which was the other But when the Archbishop Peter sawe that Meletius with his company beeing too much mooued with a godly zeale resisted his counsell of humanity Peter lift vp a veyle and spreading abroade his cloake to witte a sheete or couering in the prison made an out-cry they that think with me saith he let them drawe to me and they that cleaue to Meletius opinion let them goe to Meletius and the multitude of the B. and of the monks of the Preests and of the other orders parted to Meletius very few B. at all a fewe other turned to Peter the archb after that these made their praiers by theÌ„selues also those by them selues yea and they perfourmed also their other sacrifices eyther of them seperately by themselues But it hapned that Peter suffered martyrdome and that blessed man departed leauing Alexander his successor in Alexandria for he succeeded in the throne after the foresayde Peter But Meletius and many other were sent into exile being banished into the Phenecan mines then after that those which followed were Confessors with Meletius and Meletius him-selfe in his trauaile in prisonment passing through euery region and euery place did constitute Clearks and bishops and priests and Deacons and did builde vp Churches to him-selfe neither those communicated with them nor they with those and euery of them wrote in his own Church those that succeeded Peter hauing the auncient Churches The Catholike Churche but those that cleaued to Meletius the Martyrs Churche Whereuppon also in Eleutheropolis and in Gaza and Aelia when the same Meletius came thither he elected many in this manner and it hapned that he spent much time in the foresayde mynes But in the meane season the Confessors were set at liberty from the mynes Those also that were of Peters part for many yet were aliue that were followers of Meletius and neither had they any communitie one with another in the mines or made their prayers together But it fell out that Meletius yet for a while liued in the worlde yea that he flourished vnder Alexander Peters successor and was in friendship with him and tooke heede to the affayres of the Church and of the fayth For hee often-times sayde I haue had nothing diuers and alterated This Meletius beeing in Alexandria and tarying there for a time hauing his communion with his company by himselfe founde out Arius and brought him before Alexander because he had found Arius in his declarations to haue passed the bounds of the fayth For he was a priest or Elder in Baucalide a Church so called in Alexandria for there a priest or elder was appointed for euerie day for there were manie Churches but now there are more and a Church was deliuered vnto him howbeit there was another with him but for what cause this was done we shall declare exactly in his place when neede thereunto shall be c. But now when the blessed Alexander in Alexandria after the death of the foresayde Meletius the Confessor hauing taken a zeale against the sect and discord of the Church began to seeme to trouble in all places those that were left of Meletius that had priuate community among them-selues and to restrain and compell them that they shoulde not dissent from the Church but they beeing not willing moued troubles and stirred vp tumults and when they were so pressed and restrayned of the blessed Alexander certein of the princes among them and those that helde the cheefe places both in godlinesse and also in life assembled and went vnto their company for because of communing together to the end to obtayne both that they might offer and haue communion priuately and not be impeached but there was one Paphnutius a great man an Anchoret who also was the sonne of a woman that had made the confession yea he himselfe also had in a certain sort atteyned to the Confession and Iohn their bishop being also him selfe a most reuerend man Callinicus bishop in Pelusium and certain other that did this thing who indeede going foorth beeing brought vnto the king were repulsed and reiected For those that were in the palace hearing of the name of the Meletians and being ignorant what such a kinde of name should be suffered not them to speake with the king And heerein it hapned that Paphnutius Iohn and the residue consumed much time in the parts of Constantinople and Nicomedia But then they grewe in friendship with Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia and declared their cause to him for they knewe that he had free liberty of speech with the king Constantine they besought him that by him they might be made knowne vnto the king Buâ— he after he had promised that he would bring them to the knowledge of the king and would procure the matter that they desired requireth againe of them this petition that they shoulde receiue Arius with them into their societie to wit him that faynedly and by a mockerie had made his repentance and they promised that they woulde receiue him Whereupon Eusebius presenteth them vnto the king and openeth to the king their cause and it was graunted to the Meletians that from that time foorth they shold haue their communion by them selues and be hindred by none And would to God these Meletians who shewed foorth the extreamest iustice of trueth had rather had communion with those that fell after their repentaunce made than to haue it with Arius and his sectaries For it happened to them according to the prouerbe that fleeing the smoake they fell in the fire For neither coulde Arius haue had his state nor his libertie of speeche but by this manner of occasion Which ill coniunction hath hapned to them euen vntil this day For they which in times past liued purely and were moste iust and in faith Meletians are intermingled with the disciples of Arius being in these times remoued from the fayth And although some of them abide in the true faith neuerthelesse they are not estranged from foule vncleaâ—nesse by reason of the society
the first Chapiter is that a Byshop ought Towne by Towne to ordayne Ministers of blamelesse life and of sounde doctrine Whereby he may stop the seducers mouthes and blame such as teache peruerse thinges that they may at length become sounde and repent In which wordes he signifieth that both Titus was a bishop and that generally all such as are Bishoppes haue a Superiority ouer Pastors and Ministers both to ordeine them and to correct them And vpon these wordes For this cause I left thee in Creta c. Hee saith Hauing finished the Preface and salutation he treateth of well ordeyning those thinges that were of Paule omitted by reason of his sudaine departure and of ordeining byshoppes in euery Towne Because hee woulde not haue a want of gouernment in the Churche but that all might bee doone in order and decentlye hee woulde that some man notable in life and Doctrine shoulde bee the gouernour to ordeyne the Ministers and to dispose all thinges rightly in the Church which shoulde take heede that no heresies shoulde arise Which to conclude shoulde studye that all things should bee done orderly neyther yet heereupon is the primacy of the Pope nor their tyrannicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or freedome of liuing after their owne lawes and iurisdiction of the papistes which they challenge to themselues established For they serue not our Lorde Iesus Christe but endeuour them selues with all their might to extinguish the light of the gospell that by the goodnesse of God is kindled Albeit they are greatly defeated of their opinion for the bloude of the martyrs is as it were the best oyle for it causeth that the light of the gospell being kindled doth burne the more That thou mayest correct the thinges that are desired that is that thou shouldeste rightlye dispose those thinges that are desired in the ecclesiasticall ordination For Paule as it seemeth hauinge layde the foundation went vnto some other place as hee that was the Apostle and Doctoure not of one Nation but of the Gentiles leauing in the meane season among the Cretensians Titus which shoulde set in order those thinges that hee him selfe in so short a time had not furnished Note that the office of a Byshoppe in generall is to dispose rightly all thinges in the Churche And that thou shouldest in euery Towne ordeyne Preestes or Elders And the cheefest part of the Episcopall office is to ordeyn fitte Ministers of the worde c. Neyther onely doth Hemingius write thus on the occasion of these wordes of the Apostle to Titus then the which wee neede no playner testimony but also vppon the fourth of the Ephesians concerning Pastors vnder which name our Brethren woulde shelter Preestes or Elders and byshoppes not onely to bee alwayes equall but all one and the same Hemingius sayth Pastours were those whome at this day wee call Parochos Parish Preestes these were placed ouer certayne Churches that by preaching by administring the Sacramentes and by a certayne holy Discipline they mought gouerne them These are not for a time but their office is necessary in the Church euen vntill the Iudgement Doctours are these whome the Churche in times past called Catechizers whose office was to prescribe the forme of Doctrine and to deliuer the foundations of the Doctrine which the Pastours afterwardes shoulde followe Such as at this day teache the youth Religion in the schooles These haue regarde that the true interpretation and a iust measure of teaching bee reteyned in the Churche Howbeit notwithstanding in the time of the Apostles the manner of promoting as it is nowe in vse was not yet receiued Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand that the godly gouernors of the Churches and of the schooles ordeyned the degrees of promotions vppon good and profitable counsayl both that the arrogaunte shoulde not vsurpe to them-selues this Title of honoure without the Iudgemente of the Churche and also that suche as were fit men mighte bee acknowledged by the publike testimonie and bee had in price Neyther this contrary to the dignity of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy which is commendeth order and comelinesse to the Church it leaueth vnto her the righte of ordeyning the customes which seeme to make for order and decency Wherefore there is no cause that wee shoulde regarde these speeches of the proude spirites of suche as contemne these Ecclesiasticall degrees if so bee that they vnto whome such degrees are collated shall remember that they are not the badges of the contempte of others or of arrogaunte Supereminency but rather the publike Testimonies of the duety that they owe to the Church and whereunto as it were with a publike Sacrament they be bounde But perhappes the aduersaries obiect that the Churche maye not knowe Pompe but shoulde haue the triall of Fayth and of holye life of prayer and the laying on of handes I aunswere it is nothing vnfitting for Christians to bestowe or collate the Testimonyes of learninge and honestye vppon those that are godlye and learned men that the Churche maye knowe vnto whome shee mighte safely commende the gouernment and the care of Doctrine Neyther hindreth it that such promotions haue nowe of long time beene abused so that the defilings of them being wiped away wee maye retayne the thinges that to the Churches and to the Schooles are profitable Again they make exception and say that the Lorde prohibited to be called Rabbi and Masters on the earth because one is Master I aunswere the same L. saith we must not call father on the earth who notwithstanding in his Lawe commaundeth the parentes to bee honoured Wherefore that forbidding is not to bee vnderstoode of the appellation or naminge but of another matter besides that the circumstaunce of the place doth sufficiently conuince what is the meaning of that forbidding For hee addeth He that is greatest of you shall be your minister Again he that exalteth himselfe shal be humbled The Lorde therefore woulde not that the appellation of Father or of Master or of Doctoure shoulde bee taken awaye but the arrogant trust therein Hee woulde not haue that wee shoulde like of our selues if wee seeme to excell in anye giftes Hee woulde haue vs that wee shoulde not arrogantlye preferre oure selues before others but rather that hee whiche is the greatest shoulde make him selfe the Minister vnto all Hee woulde not haue vs deuise anye newe Doctrine but that in matters of saluation vve shoulde followe our onelye Master Iesus Christe But as for that they vrge the sayinge of the Apostle Iames who sayth My Brethren bee yee not many masters knowinge that yee shall receiue the greater iudgement It is easily refelled For Iames in his forbiddinge setteth downe this reason For wee slippe all of vs in many things The sense therefore of this forbidding is that we woulde not bee rough controllers of other mens manners Thus sayth this excellent learned man Hemingius of these degrées and Titles of Schooles and Ecclesiasticall promotions and in his Sintagma
suche rest and peace with free preaching of the Gospell by this protection all this while from the disturbance of our forraine enemies haue at home continuallye not ceased to disturbe this rest and peace with these contentions and diuisions and defaming the cheefest preachers in this realme haue therebye not a little hindred the free preaching of the Gospell and how again may they yet bee more ashamed that being not content to liue in this rest and peace of our Church nor with the free preaching of the gospel although they themselues acknowledge it yet they exclaime contrary to that their selues doe héere acknowleâ—â—e that they haue no rest nor peace nor the free preaching of the gospell but cal the state of our church a deformed state and deface it with far worse contumelies so both disturbe the preaching of the gospell which otherwise their selues confesse is preached freelie and grieue her Maiestye Yea some of them in their Pamphlets also breake foorth into verye disloyall speeches which I now forbeare to name but all of them disobey her Maiest lawes and yet héere confesse her to be a most gratious Queene that they enioy al these excellent benefits vnder her Maiesties protection Surely if we were so vnfurnished of learned Pastors as they exclaime which notwithstanding is nothing so much God be praysed for it as they to make it séeme more odious pretend it is for if we be so vnfurnished of learned Pastors howe is the gospell freely preached and yet we wish we were still better better furnished than we be and our Prelates put to their helping handes as they may thereto yet if we were worse furnished then we are considering these benefits it might be some what better borne withall than that the lack of the greater learning in some of our Pastors should be thus vpbrayded to the whole state But now if there be any thing to be holpen héerein is this a reason to alter the Ecclesiasticall gouernement and to punish the Learned pastors and all the Bishops bicause of some vnlearned Pastors among them And admit that diligence hath not beene vsed of all partes that mighte and should haue bene employed of all them that vnfainedlye seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse Must all these partes that seeke vnfainedlye the kingdome of God and his righteousnes though not with imploying that diligence therein that they should haue done be therefore deposed of al their authority yea and that there must be no such authority at all but all Pastors in authority must be aequall Is this the readiest waye to make more Learned Pastors or not rather to make fewer than there be if not to make them all the more vnlearned and is this our learned brethrens vnfained seeking the kingdome of God his righteousnesse And we haue yet to thanke God for this that although that diligence had not bene vsed of all partes that might and should haue bene employed of all them that seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse yet sith it is graunted and cannot be denied that they seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse though not with that diligence that they might and shoulde haue done This lack of diligence is farre better at least wise lesse euil in all those parts than is the double diligence of these our brethren that employ themselues and seeke by all meanes to deface the learned Pastors which God be praysed are not a fewe by the remainder of the vnlearneder sorte and would cleane ouerthrow not onely them that be diligent or negligent in authoritie but the authority it selfe vnder complaint of lack of diligence in all partes that haue the authoritye And this diligence indéede of our brethren hath bene such an hinderaunce to a great many that might and would haue prooued learned Pastors that they haue cleane diuerted their studies professions from the Ministery on this offence or else in halfe yea in a quarter of all this time this necessity might haue beene well supplyed But our Brethren to turne vs from the consideration of these hinderaunces doe drawe vs another way and say If wee seeke experience what diligent and carefull prouision is able to do with the blessing of God looke to our neihhbours and brethren in Christ of Fraunce who although they neuer enioyed one day of such peace as we haue done so many yeares yet howe plentifullye are they furnished with all kindes of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and namelye with godly and learned Pastors it would reioise any Christian hart to behold in them and lament to see the lack in vs. Yet once againe we must seeke experience from our neighbours and brethren in Christe of Fraunce when as these our brethren their selues confesse that at home for the free preaching of the Gospell wee are and haue béene all the raigne of our most gratious Queene in farre happier case than they and conâ—â—sse withall that héerein they neuer enioyned no not one day of such peace as we haue done so many yeeres And yet cannot our brethren be thankfull for all this except we also be as plentifully furnished with all kinde of Ecclesiasticall Ministers and namelye with godly and Learned Pastors as they be What they meane by their plentifull furniture of all kind of Ecclesiasticall Ministers they do not tell vs and therefore it maketh the lesse matter As for these specified namelye godly learned Pastors albeit we were not so wel furnished as they for our parts though our harts reioyce to behold this plentifull furniture in them yet is there no cause that either they or wee shoulde lament this want in vs. Notwithstanding what wanteth we both acknowledge and lament and wish and endeuour to supply that our and their ioy mighte be full both in them and vs. It is much hindred in Fraunce by the open hostility of the publike aduersaries of the Gospell and with vs by our brethrens vnnecessary molestations which are both lamentable to any true Christian heart to thinke on and do much hinder the plentifull furniture of godly and learned Pastors among vs And although to make the comparison more odious against the state of our Ecclesiasticall Ministers our Brethren set a better face vpon the matter for our neighbours and brethren in Christe of France how plentifully they are furnished with all kinde of Ministers and namelye with godly Learned Pastors that it would reioyse any Christian hart to beholde it in them though the hearing of it is a ioyfull hearing to euerye Christian hart yet I doubt mée we may rather wish it were so than that in very déede there is such great furniture of learned Pastors as is héere pretended And that also we should quickly behold in them if they might haue were it the good will of God as God be praysed for it we haue and enioye such peace and rest with free preaching of the Gospell vnder the protection also of their Kinges and Magistrates
Church For some of these and such like meanes it hath pleased God alreadie to graunt that they may and doe take place and woulde take more place were it not for their importune hindering as I sayd before not so much of the open aduersaries of the Gospell as of our owne Brethren that fauour and professe it and yet preposterouslie doe stop the course thereof As for some of these meanes heere deuised it hath pleased God in his greate wisedome not to graunt them And therefore when we sée the will and graunt of God alreadie it were fitter we applied our wâ—lls to his than to wish hiâ— contrarie to his ordinance to become appliable vnto our wils And wheâ—e our Brethren would haue God graunt these their petitâ—ons to take place by the high authoritie of our dreade Soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie sith we manifestlie sée that by her Maiesties high authoritie GOD hath graunted such good successe to his Gospell and repaired his Church by such lawfull means of discipline as God hath both allowed and blessed which withall is by her Maiesties high authoritie established and confirmed amongst vs what a tentation is this to God not to bee content but to craue that he would graunt other new meanes And what obedience is this to her Maiesties high authoritie If her Maiestie herein haue any authoritie at all why do not we obey it If her Maiesties authoritie héere be high why doe we abase and bring it lowe If shee bee our dread Soueraigne why dreade we not thus to ouerthwart al her lawes and ordinances and without all dreade to contemne them and to cast forth such contumelious and slanderous spéeches on all the state of the Church to be most corrupt If her Maiestie be the Soueraigne that is the Supreame gouernor under Christ of this portion of the Church How doth not this defamatioÌ„ more blemish her Maiesties gouernment thaÌ„ al these faire spéeches can suffer to salue it And how call they her Maiestie Soueraigne and not acknowledge her soueraigntie or supremacie And if we inioy this coÌ„fortable peace vnder her most gracious gouernmeÌ„t why do not we coÌ„tinue it and be thankfull to God and to her Maiestie for it Why disturbe wée it and make it vncomfortable To conclude if it be a most gracious gouernment how is the state of the Church being gouerned vnder her Maiestie most corrupted Can most gracious and most corrupt agrée together What fellowship hath righteousnesse saith Saint Paule 2. Cor. 6.14 with vnrighteousnesse and what communion hath â—ight with darknesse what concord hath Christ with Belial Or hath her Maiestie no gouernment at all ouer the Church but onelie ouer the Realme and ciuile pollicie Are these tearmes then giuen her as a méere ciuile Prince or is her Maiestie acknowledged indeede the supreame gouernour in all Ecclesiasticall causes in the Church of England If she be how doth shee looke vnto her gouernment in the Church of England the state of the Church standing most corrupt These things hang together like Germaines lippes Who seeth not that they speak cleane contradictions in this stammering While they woulde thus plaie on both handes and giue onelie these fayre titles to her Maiestie for fashion sake and to auoide suspition or to winne fauour but if in verie déede they meant as they saie they woulde neuer thus impugne the established gouernment orders lawes and proceedings of her Maiestie They confesse that vnder her most gracious gouernment the time hath alreadie prosperouslie passed and yet they inferre vnder hand that it hath passed so vnprosperouslie that in lesse than halfe the time they dare ieopard their liues if they might haue their deuises broght to passe that the necessitie of learned Preachers shall bee so well supplied as wee shall haue no great cause to complaine for lacke of them And yet withall they saie her Maiesties raigne is most honourable and glorious Which if it be then haue they no cause to complain But they complaine of these things with great outcries and saie they haue great cause to complaine as though her Maiesties raigne were so dishonourable and ignominious that it nothing tended the honour and glorie of God which they saie they onelie seeke in this their Ecclesiasticall regiment So that in commending her Maiesties most honourable and glorious raigne what meane they but of such an externall honour and glorie of the world as little or nought respecteth the honour and glorie of the Lorde This is not well done of our Brethren thus to slander her Maiesties gouernment and the whole state of the Church of England vnder these faire and coulourable spéeches least our Breth might séeme in anie shew to come néere to those dissembling hypocrites whome Dauid so grieuouslie complaineth on Psal. 54. saying If mine enimie had defamed me I could haue borne it and if mine aduersarie had exalted himself against me I would haue hidden me from him But it was thou O man euen my companion my guide and my familiar which diddest eate sweete meate together with mâ— yea wâ— walled together in the house of God as companions And shall it be sayde of those that not onelie liue in one Realme and are or should be gouerned by one lawe vnder one most gracious Soueraigne yea her Maiestie and wee and all vnder one Iesus Christ in profession of our religion and of one Church of God that we deale thus one against another and that as Dauid there saich verse 21. The wordes of his mouth were softer than butter and yet warre in his heart his wordes â—ere more gentle than oyle and yet they were swoordes Now as these things beséeme not the â—hildren of God so is not this commendable in our Brethren that to set the better face of zeale vppon these foresayde spéeches thus tempered with no lesse gall than honie they offer thus freshlie to ieopard their liues that this which they promise and imagine shal be done in lesse than halfe the time that is alreadie passed Well may our Brethren blemish the time that is alreadie passed as not verie prosperouslie passed though for a shewe they saie so but to determine De futurâ— contingenti for that which may happe to come to passe hereafter and to prescribe it a time saue that they presume of her Maiesties clemencie not to take the aduantage of the forfaiture they might peraduenture hazarde too farre theyr best ioyntes if theyr happe were not better in this bargaynes euent than eyther theyr learning or their wisedome in the bargens making But what good lucke so euer would betide them to haue their desires graunted or their hope and promise come to passe yet their words sauour so suspitiouslie that for all this they would not holde themselues fullie satisfied For when they saie The necessitie of learned Pastors shall be so well supplied as we shall haue no no great cause to complaine for lacke of them they séeme in these words
but to the woman And as for Christes and the Apostles wordes are so generall that they are apparantly to be applyed to all that professe the name of Christ whether they be man or woman Both of them must haue their speeches seasoned with salt that is with such wisedome as will permitte no corruption For ill wordes sayth the Apostle corrupt good manners And all must be salted with fire and euery sacrifice sayth Christ shall be salted with salte Salte is good but if the salt be vnsauorie wherewith shall it be seasoned Haue salt in your selues and peace one with an other By which salte meane hee wisedome or faith or discipline or the worde c. as he alludeth to the olde sacrifices and would haue our selues to be come such sacrifices so the â—ordes are generall and therefore sayth Caluine Christ extendeth this generally vnto all whom once God hath vouchsafed to season with his worde And exhorteth them to retayne alwayes their relishe And where the text is onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all or euerie one the interpreter sayeth Brentius hath added of his owne homo man Which worde also comprehendeth woman So that by these originalles or resemblances of the Salike lawe if there be but mica salis euen one grayne of salte to season the same with wisdome and reason from putrefaction it can not debarre women from that right of gouernement that by the inheritance of the lawe of God and nature they are borne vnto except their owne demerites or some stronger harre than the pretence of the law salike debarre or depriue them of it As for this lawe salike sayth Caenalis procéeding on among other things hath thus Titulo de Allodijs 62. cap. 1. Nulla portio haereditatis de terra Salica mulieri veniat sed ad virilem sexum tota haereditas peruentat No portion of enheritance of the salike lande may come to a woman but the whole enheritance should come to the male sexe If this lawe be that whereupon all the sturre is made first it is manifestly against the Iudiciall lawe of inheritance in the worde of GOD. For whereas it appeareth Numb 26. ver 33. that Salphahad the sonne of Helpher had no sons but daughters c. If followeth chap. 27. v. 1. c. Then came the daughters of Salphahad the sonne of Hepher the sonne of Galaad the sonne of Machir the sonne of Manasses the sonne of Ioseph and the names of his daughters were these Malhah Noah Hoglâ—h Milchah and Thirsah and stoode before Moses and before Eleazar the Priest and before the Princes and all the assembly at the dore of the Tabernacle of the congregation saying Our Father died in the wildernesse and he was not among the assembly of them that were assembled againâ—t the Lorde in the companie of Corah hut died in his sinne and had no sonnes Wherefore should the name of our father be taken away from his family because he hath no sonnâ— Giue vs a possession among the brethren of our Father here againe women speake and pleade their right of inheritance both before the Ecclesiasticall the Ciuill assembly Then Moses brought their cause before the Lord and the Lorde spake vnto Moses saying the daughters Zelophaad speake right thou shalt giue them a possession to inherite among their fathers brethren and shalt tourne the inheritaunce of their Father vnto them Also thou shalt speake vnto the children of Israell saying if a man die and haue no sonne then ye shall turne his inheritance vnto his daughter And if he haue no daughter ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his brethren And if he haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance vnto his fathers brethren And if his father haue no brethren ye shall giue his inheritance to the next in kynne of his family and he shall possesse it And this shall bee vnto the children of Israell a lawe of iudgement as the Lorde hath commaunded Moses Here againe we sée how God not only accepteth their speaking in the congregation but approueth their cause to be right And not only alloweth the enheritance of their father vnto them but on this occasion maketh a generall law Which law is not simply one of those Iudiciall lawes that were proper onely to the Iewes state and policie but is drawen from the right of lineall descent direct or collaterall in the order of nature to the néerest of the bloud without respect especially in the direct line to the prerogatiue of the male sexe in the lines transuersed Neither is there here any respect had of the greatnesse or smallnesse superioritie or inferioritie of the inheritance but that if the King had had none issue but daughters the daughter had béene heyre to the kingdome before any Vncles or Cousines neuer so excellent and worthie men And if we shoulde denie this in the inheritance of a kingdome more than in other inheritaunces how can we make it good that our sauiour Christ according to the flesh albeit he tooke it not vpon him was in right of inheritance the true and naturall king of the Iewes as he was called both at his birth and the title named him at his death except in the right of the virgine Marie his mother and not of Ioseph that was but his reputed father Therefore it is most cleare that this lawe of womens right in inheritance stretched to the inheritaunce of a kingdome And since this was Gods lawe and it standes on naturall reason and Christ on whome all Christendome haue their name had that right hereby though for other considerations he abased himselfe both from claiming that right and from the open declaring of the power and glorie of his Godheade for the time of that dispensation here on earth and since all or the most part not onely of heathenesse but namely of Christendome acknowledge the title right of this lawe what priuilege haue the French to exempt themselues therfrom to debarre any Prince of this right that by inheritance accreweth to them vnder pretence of an heathen lawe pretended from inâ—idels onely for a shew of antiquitie against the most ancient most reasonable most naturall and most right lawe made of God the father himselfe and confirmed by our sauiour Iesus Christ If this law had no greater force than one of their méere Iudicials had it not béene better than any lawe that is méerely of man And much more of blinde Papistes that saw not the vertue and equitie of Gods lawe much farre better than any lawe of the Infidels as was Pharamund from whoÌ„ the French pretende to fetch this Salike lawe so direct contrarie to Gods lawe But let them goe Shall our Brethren Protestantes in the Churches reformed holde with these Popish deuises too And yet pretend that so néere as possiblie we can we should drawe to the Iudicialles of Gods lawe giuen by Moses Let vs therefore sée also what Caluine sayth
great and waightie causes will be a sufficient starting hole to saue all vpright themselues froÌ„ pronouncing the definitiue sentence against themselues that their doing is not the dutie of true Pastors No that will not helpe them For these matters beeing but ceremoniall matters as they call them and so not great and waightie what great waightie causes should moue a true Pastor by his priuate iudgement to controll publike order in those thinges that are concluded by lawefull authoritie of the Church concerning ceremonial matters for order and comlines sake for aedification Shal any priuate man thinke if he think them to be indéede the Church of God that the Churches concluding of those thinges by lawefull authoritie proceeded not of greater and waightier causes than his controllment And therefore except men shall make so litle light account of the true Church of God and of her conclusions and orders by lawefull authoritie as to preferre euerie priuate mans or Pastors priuate iudgement before hers our Brethren by this their owne conclusion must either néedes yéeld to the Church of Englandes publike conclusion and lawfull authoritie concerning these ceremoniall matters that they are to be obserued for order and comelines sake and for aedification as the Church of England hath decréed them and not to controll publike order by priuate iudgement or else let our Brethr. herken to their owne conclusiue sentence and determination that they do not the dutie of true Pastors And thus much also for these ceremonies We haue hetherto intreated of the proper dutie of a Pastor himselfe now it followeth that we likewise set foorth his authoritie in common gouernement with the Elders But least any man should mistake that which we purpose to say of his authoritie we haue need to expresse what we meane by this worde authoritie For euen those things that we haue shewed before to be the dutie of a Pastor may also be called his authoritie as to preach and teach wherein is included his authoritie to forgiue and reteine sinnes Also his authoritie to minister the sacraments and to doe other thinges in the Church which none may doe but he But in this place we vnderstande authoritie for power of gouernement in the Church Whereof the Apostle speaketh that it is one of the graces and giftes of God necessarie for the building of his Church This authority of regiment we haue declared that it ought not to be a Lordly ruling neither ouer their flocke nor yet ouer their fellow seruants and brethren and least of all that they ought to haue dominion or Lordship ouer the faith of the Church Our Brethren here promise to sette foorth that part of the Pastors authoritie which they say he hath not of the proper dutie of a Pastor himselfe but in common gouernement with the Elders But because these wordes as they are grounded on the presupposall of that Eldershippe which they make one part of their Ecclesiasticall Tetrarchie not dealing with the woorde so promising â—o treate of the authoritie of the Pastor in common gouernement they séeme their selues to doubt that except they should expounde what they meane thereby it might easily bee mistaken what they meant Neither doubt they this mistaking without a cause which of purpose shunne the plaine and vsuall approoued distinction of the authoritie or power of the order and of the iurisdiction But what-so-euer authoritie of the Pastor they will nowe sette foorth and make playne what they meane thereby when as they faye For euen those thinges which wee haue shewed before to be the dutie of a Pastor may also bee called his authoritie as to preache and teach wherein is included his authoritie to forgiue and retaine sinnes if this authoritie of the Pastor to forgiue and retayne sinnes bee included in his authoritie of preachinge and teaching and withall this bee a thing appertaining to the proper dutie of a Pastor himselfe as also is his authoritie to minister the Sacramentes and to doe other thinges in the Churche which none may doe but hee then haue not the Elders to deale in the authoritie of forgiuing and retayning sinnes For if they shoulde they shoulde intermeddle with the worde For this is included in preaching and teaching But our Brethren exclude the gouerning Elders from preaching and teaching therefore withall they exclude them from the authoritie of forgiuing and retayning sinnes And this by the way is not vnnecessarie to bee héere obserued because afterwarde they giue authoritie of forgiuing and retayning sinnes vnto the gouerning Elders which they confesse are not Teachers nor Preachers nor dealers at all with the worde But doeth not this authoritie of the Pastor belong to iurisdiction And therefore not onely the authoritie of his order to which properly preaching and teaching and ministring the Sacramentes doe appertayne but the authoritie also of iurisdiction to which the power of forgiuing and retayning sinnes appertayneth is the proper dutie of the Pastor himselfe which none may doe but he and is an authoritie separate from that his authoritie which is in common gouernment with the Elders or with any other which are not Pastors in the Church And as for that power of gouernment in the Church whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 12.28 That it is one of the graces and gifte of God necessarie for the building of his Church S. Paule maketh not all the graces and giftes of God which there he speaketh of necessarie for the building of his Church if we speake of such perpetuall necessitie as that the Church can neuer be without them For S. Paul reckoneth vp there great offices graces and giftes of God that are not necessarie in that sense As euen the first office that he beginneth there withall of Apostles besides the giftes of healinges the giftes of powers or of working mightie myracles and the gifts of diuerse kinds of languages All which are not now so necessary in our dayes nor many hundreth yeres sithence to the building of Gods Church Neither is it agréeed vppon by the best interpreters what manner of grace and gift of God this power of gouernment in the Church was which S. Paule in that place speaketh of For albeit Beza say he declareth the order of Elders that were keepers of the Discipline and policie Ecclesiasticall yet sayth Aretius it is a politicall facultie of administring the common weale and of ruling others commodiouslie and of conseruing them in order which gift is necessarie in Magistrates And while the Churche wanted a politique Magistracie certaine choosen Elders gouerned the assemblyes of the faithfull as it were an ordinarie Magistracie Héere in déede hée sayeth this gifte is necessarie but he addeth in whome to witte in Magistrates and yet he specifieth in what kinde of Magistrates to witte politicall and in the administring of the common wealth not the Ecclesiastical discipline And withall he limiteth a time how long this gift of
No man may take vpon him any honoure in the Churche of God but hee that is called of God as was Aaron Insomuch that Christe him-selfe did not giue himselfe to be an high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Hee saith in another place Thou art a preest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Nowe seeing these rules are so general that the Sonne of God him-selfe was not exempted from them but shewed foorth the decree wherein he was authorised by what rule can any man retaine that authority in the church of God which is not called thereto by the word of God All this againe being graunted vnto beateth more our Brethren the Learned Discoursers that it doth our Bishops Our Brethren take vpon them more in these their pretended reformations than eyther they haue hetherto done or I think euer wil be able to shew their warrant and calling authorizing them thereunto by the worde of God Likewise we can alleage againe against the supremacy of the Pope to proue that Peter was not superior to the other Apostles that which our sauiour Christe saith to his Apostles Luke 22.26 And Math. 20.25 Marke 10.42 It shall not bee so among you but hee that is greatest amongst you shal be as the yongest and he that ruleth as he that serueth And Mat. 23.8 You haue but one Master which is Christ and all you are all brethren If these places prooue that the Pope ought not to bee aboue other Ministers of the Church why doe they not likewise prooue that the Ministers are equall among them-selues And for the moste part all those arguments and authorities of Scripture that are vsed to confute the vsurped authority of the Pope are of as great force against all other vsurped authorities of one pastor ouer another These sentences of our sauiour Christe hauing béene before alleaged by our Brethren page 28. 29. haue beene already sufficiently aunswered that they neither forbid the titles nor the authority that we acknowledge in our Bishops by the confession of the best writers euen among our Brethren themselues Which sentences as they are rightly alleaged against the supremacy of the Pope to prooue that Peter was not such a superior to the other Apostles as the Papistes doe pretend so are they not rightly alleaged to prooue that he haâ— neuer any kinde of superiority but no such kinde of superiority as the pope falsely claymeth in the name of Peter For not onely all the auncient Fathers and all the best writers acknowledge as we haue séene some superiority in Peter such as contrarieth not these sentences but also S. Paule is moste plaine herein that S. Peter had a kinde of superiority if not to all yet to many of the other Apostles And for these sentences as we haue already at large considered the peyse of them so the first sentence heere cited alloweth in playne words both a Ruler among them and a greatest so that hee bee in humilitie and seruiceablenesse as courteous and diligent as if he were yongest or as hee that serueth The other place here cited You haue but one Master which is Christe and al you are Brethren prooueth clearely that the Pope ought not to claime that mastership which he requireth but it proueth not that were he otherwise a true a true faithfull Bishop hee might haue no Mastership at all for than our Brethren might not be called Masters neither as we and that worthily call M. Caluine M. Beza c. Masters But this sentence is against the Pope not against them because the pope not they woulde intrude him-selfe into that absolute and supreme Mastership and Lordship Which properly and onely belongeth to our Lorde and Master Iesus Christ. But our brethren demaund why doe they not likewise prooue that the Ministers are equall among themselues And so they do in respect of the supreme Mastership of Christe and in respect simply of their Ministery but the reason why they proue not such an equality as our brethren surmise is because they are spoken absolutely against all kinde of superiority and Mastership among them And therefore where they say that for the most part al those arguments and authorities of scripture that are vsed to confute the vsurped authoritie of the pope are of as great force against all other vsurped authorities of one pastor ouer another Although this be but a loose consequent yet we may well graunt this conclusion for vsurped authorities But till our Brethren can prooue some such among vs as are vsurped al these sentences argumeÌ„ts and authorities are but vsurped and wrested against their authority which is lawfull Therefore while we entreate of the authority of the Pastors we must take heede that we open not a Windowe to popish tyranny in steede of Pastorall authority and that wee enlarge not the bounds of authority without the boundes of the scripture We also like well the caueat of this conclusion Woulde God our brethren would in-déede take heede vnto it For if it be not taken heede vnto in time their Pastorall authoriâ—â— wâ—ll so enlarge the boundes thereof that it will not onely tyrannize ouer the authority of the Doctors whom they cleane debarre from all publike exhortation reprehension conselation and application and ouer all their Seniory of newe Gouernors as wee shall God willing see in this Discourse but ouer all the Church And it beginneth pretily well to abbridge the Christian Princes and ciuill Magistrates supreme authority in ecclesiasticall causes as in part wee haue already seene and al without the bounds of the scripture But this their Pastorall authority by that time their gouerning Seniory were euery where setled and established and had enlarged her boundes in euerye Congregation woulde bee méetely well repressed as we haue séene in the forme of prayers printed at Geneua And thus woulde one enlarge it self â—uer another which might open not a windowe but the broad gates to a worse than Popish tyrannie and still all without the boundes of the Scripture Wherefore while we search the scripture the onely rule whereby the Church of God ought to be gouerned we finde that in regiment gouernance of the Church the pastor B. or elder hath none authority by himselfe seperated from other For in the Church there ought to be no Monarchie or sole absolute gouernment but that is referred particularly to our sauiour Christe onely â—2 Tim. 6.7 Iude. 4. Christe sayth search the scriptures for in them ye reckon vnto your selues that ye haue eternall life and they bear witnesse of me Iohn 5.39 In searching the scripture we finde this rule where the Apostle warneth Timothy But abide thou in those thinges which thou haste learned and which are of trust committed vnto thee Knowing of whome thou hast learned them and that thou hast from a childe knowne the holy
inquirie must bee made by witnesses Signifieng that the complainers must not easilie bee beleeued Moreouer that the fame and name of those that are good must bee fauoured that they bee not openlie defaced with euerie small rumour First heere I take Priest or Elder by office and age that is the Ministers must not bee condemned except diligent inquisition be had Neiâ—her onely the Ministers but all persons of graue yeeres For vnto whome God hath giuen a good name and grauitie of age it behoueth to worshippe them in the place of parents Therefore diligent heede is to be had that the defamers bee not rashlye beleeued against such persons Moreouer because such Priests or Elders were Iudges and Senatours Ecclesiasticall that corrected other for their sinne according to the reason of their fault it is credible that they incurred the offence of many insomuch that they shoulde not want backbiters It was therefore a matter worthy of admonition that nothing shoulde rashly bee credited against them Neither followeth it therevpon that witnesses shoulde bee had onely in these and in other they must proceede without witnesses yea rather because in these grauitie is required he teacheth that the same must be had in euery Ecclesiasticall iudgement In the meane time there are many light and childish matters in which neither the integritie of the fame nor name is touched wherein there is no neede of like rigour Let vs therefore establish this for a common rule that in all Ecclesiastical iudgement the president or gouernour must haue care that in a godly and holy sorte inquisition may be made of mens sinnes Thus doth likewise Aretius drawe this precept of Paule to Timothie to a generall rule that in the consistorie in criminall causes euen agaynst a Minister whome he calleth also a Praesident ouer the people the hearing that the Bishop is a higher Praesident aboue him and hath the admittance and his iudging of the matter And what differeth Beza herein from these Against an Elder sayth he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Greekes referre this to men of more auncient yeeres which to mee seemeth verie absurde For although somewhat ought to be giuen to the hoare head yet I see no cause why in this point the condition ought not to be alike But in a Priest there is a farre other reason because it is certaine that Sathan layeth his snare chieflie against this sort of men And for that cause none are so much thrall to slaunders and backbitings In hearing therefore the accusations of them there is most neede of great heedfulnesse But thou wilt saie what is that Heere mee thinkes some haue stumbled while they thinke that nothing is heere praescribed of Paule which in all iudgements is to bee obserued And therefore they sweate much in vntying this knotte and doo manifestlie wreast the wordes of the Apostle insomuch verily that some which thing Erasmus out of a certayne Epistle written by Saint Ierome to Marcella rehearseth doo cleane blotte out all that member following and then expounde it receiue not that is receiue not easilie Howbeit I doo not suppose anie difficultie to bee heere for it is one thing to admit the accusation and anotherthing to absolue or condemne the accused But this is the office of a iudge to heare anie that will accuse whom afterward if they shall not throughly proue him guiltie he may chastise according to their deserts But for all this when as a Priest is accused the Apostle would haue a certaine peculiar thing to be obserued that no man shoulde bee admitted no not so much as to accuse him except before hand afore two or three witnesses he shall cause his accusation that is to come to bee beleeued So that the Priest be not straight waie condemned or the cause heard in his absence But that after it shal appare that it wil not be a friuolous accusatioÌ„ That then at the length the guiltie partie shall be called and that it shall bee lawfullie determined on the whole matter But I finde the cause of this Apostolicall constitution to be two folde to wit because as I said right now none are alike thrall vnto slaunder as are godly Doctors And then because in a manner no priuate iudgement can bee ordained against a Priest sith that it must needes bee ioyned with the publike offence of the whole Church Insomuch that although hee bee absolued notwithstanding some imfamie therevpon shall redound to the whole Church and that there should bee neede of great caution not onelie in iudging him but also in admitting his accuser Moreouer we must note out of this place that Timothie in the Ephesine Presbiterie was then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Antistes the Bishop as Iustine calleth him not that he should doe all things as he listed but that for his godlinesse and wisedome hee shoulde moderate all things that all things in the assemblie should bee well done and in order Thus doth euen Beza also not onelie acknowledge Tymothie to haue bene the Bishop of the Church of Ephesus but also that both he had and euerie Bishop by this rule ought to haue this authoritie of moderation whether anie accusation and how farre forth shoulde be admitted against a Pastoral Elder and in hearing and determining the cause to be his iudge Which authoritie in so great a Consistorie as then and there was beeing singled and separated out from other vnto him how had other anie parte with him of the same And as it was thus in triall of matters pleaded before him so if anie Pastors were found to haue openly offended Timothie againe in the next verse and in Timothie euerie Bishop hath authoritie giuen him ouer anie such pastors openly to reproue them And the reason is aâ—ded by the Apostle That the other also speaking especiallie of the otheâ— Pastors may haue feare From hence saith Aretius is this noble argument drawen Feare in the church is to be confirmed therfore Ecclesiastical iudgemeÌ„ts are grauely to be administred so that sith the Bishops authoritie should be such as shoulde strike feare in the other pastors it is apparant they had not the same nor equall authoritie with him And so Hyperius referreth all this in generall to the authoritie of Bishops though the matter be brought before the Church and that the Bishops should seeme to fauour their sinnes if he dealt not thus And hée concludes in these wordes But of what matter the Priests or Elders may be accused and reproued before the Bishop it were long to dispute And the next verse declares yet further his separate authoritie I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these things without preferring one before another and do nothing partially This contestation saith Hemingius wherwith as it were with an oathe Paul bindeth Timothie declareth howe harde the office of a Bishop is And it containeth a verie serious admonition least that in
because they doo not by and by admit those that vaunt themselues by anie manner of commendation Of which thing at this daie wee haue too much experience Paule therefore exhorteth Timothie not to goe from his grauitie nor suffer himselfe to bee ouercome with preposterous studies Not that Timothie had so much neede of such admonition as that by his authoritie hee might represse those which otherwise might bee troublesome vnto Timothie First the imposition of hands signifieth the ordination that is the signe is taken for the thing it selfe For hee forbiddeth that he shoulde of too much facilitie admit anie which as yet is not so tried a man For some there are which for the studie of noueltie would haueeuerie man though most vnknowen to bee promoted so soone as euer he hath set forth anie one shew or other that liketh them It behoueth a graue prudent Bishop to resist this importunate desire euen as Paul heere commendeth Timothie to do In which wordes Caluine draweth this especiall rule to Timothie to a generall rule to all Bishoppes to doe the like As likewise heerevpon doth Hemingius He addeth saith he another Counsell or an other Canon concerning those that are to bee ordained to Ecclesiasticall offices that he shoulde not laie handes vpon anie that is not fit or proued inough that is that hee shoulde ordaine none to an Ecclesiasticall functioÌ„ For by the Figure called Metonimia the signe is put for the thing signified Hee requireth heere a stoute Bishop which shoulde not admit euery one by and by vnto an Ecclesiasticall office but onely tryed euen according to the former Canons Aretius likewise draweth this precept to an ordinarie and general rule for Bishops A Bishop saith he must doo his diligence to be heedfull and wary in Ministers that are to bee chosen For heerein also is a fault euen in celerity and rashnesse of iudgement that a man shuld iudge him to bee fit which is nothing so Thus doe all these and a number moe of excellent Protestantes agree that not onelie Saint Paule giueth this power of gouernement in the Church as a peculiar authoritie to Timothie to ordaine Ministers and to repell those that hee thought vnméete but also that heerein and in the pointes aforesayde Timothy is a pattâ—râ—e for all other Bishops to follow Sith therefore Saint Paule maketh a rule heereof and this rule stretcheth to the duetie and so to the authoritie of all Bishoppes I meruaile how our Brethren can iustifie that which heere they affirme That while wee search the Scripture the onely rule whereby the Church of God ought to be gouerned we finde that in the regiment and gouernance of the Church the Pastor Bishop or Elder hath no authoritie by himselfe separated from other As for the reason which our Brethren render for in the Church there ought to be no monarchie or sole absolute gouernment but that is referred peculiarly to our sauiour Christ onelie 2. Tim. 6.7 Iudae 4. If their meaning all this while bee onelie of such gouernment wee gladlie graunt the same that none other than our Sauiour Christ hath such a monarchie or sole absolute gouernment neither by himselfe separated from other nor yet ioyned with other in the Church Nor anie except the Pope onely that I heare of takes it vpon him But this debarreth not but that there may well be and is some monarchie as in Christian Princes and also of Bishoppes some absolute gouernment of our Sauiour Christ also And therefore these two quotations 1. Tim. 6 15. and Iudae 4. are cited in vaine And that regiment which he hath left vnto his Church is a consent of his householde seruauntes to doo all things according to his prescription as hee witnesseth Matth. 18.19 If two of you consent vpon earth vpon anie matter whatsoeuer yee shall aske it shall bee graunted to you of my Father which is in heauen For wheresoeuer two or three bee gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them Seeing therefore that our sauiour Christ hath neither authorized nor promised to blesse anie other forme of regiment than that which consisteth of the consent and gathering together of his seruaunts in his name wee hold vs content with this simplicitie and therefore wee are bolde to saie that the authority of the pastor in publik regimeÌ„t or discipline separate from others is nothing at all These wordes that regiment which he meaning Christ hath left vnto his Church is a consent of his householde seruants c. are spoken too generally If they had sayd that Ecclesiasticall regiment it had yet ben the more tollerable For Christ hath left other politicall and ciuill regiment vnto his Church besides the Ecclesiasticall regiment of it True it is that in that also there is a consent of his householde but neither so that it debarreth the ciuill Princes monarchie in the Church and his gouernment in many things by himselfe neither hath Christ praescribed al orders and lawes in particular for the Princes and Magistrates to doe all things according to his praescription of them And this sentence Matth. 18. if it shoulde be thus opposed to the regiment of Princes is manifestlie wreasted and daungerouslie concluded That our Sauiour Christ hath neither authorized nor promised to blesse any other forme of regiment than that which consisteth of the consent and gathering together of his seruants in his name Neither yet helpeth it the matter to vnderstande all this for the onely Ecclesiasticall regiment For although we denie not but that those causes which appertaine either to the ciuill or ecclesiasticall regiment of the Church should not be ordained nor imposed vpon the Church without any fully spoken and much more that which our Brethren adde it is a consent of his householde seruants to doo all things according to his praescription For by this rule the Ecclesiasticall regiment of the Church is in no other thing than Christ hath prescribed But our Brethren haue graunted page 76. euen in their last point of ceremoniall matters that the Church had lawfull authoritie to conclude a publike ordinance of them for order and comelinesse sake and for edification and it is euident that many things are of their owne nature indifferent which may be so ordered and authorized by the Church as our Brethren alreadie haue confessed But the Church coulde haue no such authoritie of them or of anie thing if it be alreadie by Christ praescribed and therefore the Churches regiment is not onely a consent as our Brethren saie to doo all things according to his praescription For hée hath made no praescription of these thinges whether they shoulde bée done or no. Except they vnderstand this to be his prescriptioÌ„ that they shal be done for order and comlinesse sake and for edification But those pointes concerne the endes wherefore and the manner how they should be done not the things and matters that are done or
thus indefinitlie and in generall that the authoritie of Christ is lefte vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church But that certayne partes of the authoritie of Christe is lefte and that in a certain legantine and ministeriall manner vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church And yet not so that euerie Church that is euerie particular congregation hath as full authoritie of that part as the whole Church hath but that the whole or to euerie Church it is so lefte that none maie chalenge Episcopall or Metropoliticall authoritie as it is with vs at this day ouer other without great tyrannie and manifest iniurie This indéed is a méere we saie it not we proue it Against this our Brethrens we saie as though all laie on their bare saying and that whatsoeuer they saie we must holde it by and by for an oracle or for such a principle as the Pythagoreans did the saying of their Maister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said it Wee haue heard at large what Saint Paule hath said to Timothie and what a number of most excellent men in the primitiue Church and some immediatlie after the Apostles times by the cléere testimonies of the vnsuspected histories and auucientest fathers and by the graunt of the best late writers in the reformed Churches haue had both Episcopall and also Metropolitical authoritie as it is with vs at this daie ouer other without anie tyrannie great or little without anie iniurie manifest or hidden at all And if they might haue it they might chalenge it Yea to chalenge them for it much more to take it from them were rather not onelie the greater tyrannie and more manifest iniurie of the twain but to saie the authoritie of Christ is left vnto his whole church so to euery church that none in the church hath anie power or exercise thereof ouer other is the greatest and most manifest confusion that can be For by this rule we must not saie as our Br. héere doe Let vs then see what is his authoritie ioyned with others first who are so ioyned in commission with him that without their consent he can doe nothing but we must rather saie Let vs then see what is his authoritie ioyned with others and first who are not so ioyned in commission with him that without their consent he can doo nothing if the authoritie of Christ be left vnto his whole Church so to euery church that none may chalenge it ouer other So that now there shuld not only be no Metropolitical authority ouer Bishops nor Episcopal ouer Pastors but also no pastorall authoritie ouer the people For the people are some bodie as I take it both in the whole Church and in euerie Church also Yea if these words which our Brethren so generally saie we saie therefore that the authoritie of the Church is left vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church be not restrained to that parte of his authoritie that consisteth onelie in the Ecclesiasticall regiment of his Church it will as much indanger all Magistrates ciuill estates that they haue no authoritie neither ouer other For they hold that also of Iesus Christ and it is a part of his authoritie ouer his Church But howsoeuer that may stande or fall héereby the Princes supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall and ciuill in their dominions is cleane taken awaie from them euen as wel as the Metropolicall ouer the Bishops or the Bishops authoritie ouer the Pastors Nowe although this moste absurd and moste daungerous confusion of all authorityes Ecclesiasticall and ciuill might ensewe heereon Yet our Brethren hauing promised héerein that they woulde be bolde to say these sayings and hauing hethereto though boldly yet but barely saide them they will nowe bée bolde as good reason is they shoulde to assay to proue them For seeing our Sauiour Christe promised his presence and authority to euery Churche indifferently Mathewe 18.19.20 None may challenge any such prerogatiue afore other but as the churches are limitted out for order and conueniency so is euery one of them of like authority in it selfe but because they make all but one Church and one body of Christe therefore there is but one authority in them to determine of matters concerning them all This argument still relying on this former cited sentence Mathew 18.19.20 which properly treateth of the efficacy of prayer where the faithfull although they be in neuer so small a number assembled to make their petitions in Christes name are promised that God the Father will graunt their requestes and that Christ also will bée present among them neither comprehendeth all the authority that Christe hath left vnto his whole Church or to any especiall persons in the same neither if it bée drawn to matters of gouernment and authority is any debarre against any particular auth of any Pastor more thā of any Christian Prince or magistrate For how followeth this Christ will be present where 2. or 3. are gathered together in his name therfore wher but one maketh his praiyers alone vnto him he will not be present except our bre can bring this exclusiue only or at the least into this promise of Christ that where 2. or 3. only or two or three at the least are gathered together in his name hee will bee present with them If then this followe not in prayer wherof this sentence properly is spoken howe much lesse doth it holde if wée stretch this promise of Christe to matters of gouernment in the church as I graunt it reacheth also thereto As to reason thus Christ hath promised that where two or three bee gathered together in his name to consent on the establishment of any authority or gouernment of his Church his presence and authority shall bee among them therefore if the Christian Prince eyther by him-selfe and his supreme authority doe establish any thing in the Church or though hee ioyne other with him yet not in authority but as counsellors or though in authority also yet not as equall in authority with him except hee and they and all gathered together in the name of Christe bee of the like authority in giuing their consents vnto the matter neither Christes presence will bee with them nor his authoritie will ratifie their doing If this reason holde not but bee an vntrue and moste daungerous resolution in these matters that are done of the christian Prince neither yet of him alone but of other in cōsultation with the prince but the only superior and supreme ouer all other which are all partes of the Church and assembled about matters of the Churches Gouernment doth it holde anye more against Bishops and Pastors How agréeth this euen with their own assertions afterward Pag. 114. of Iames his prerogatiue in the assembly of the Elders at Ierusalem Was not the holy ghost among them because one had this prerogatiue Neither helpeth it that they say this
Elders How the auncient Fathers that haue expounded this Epistle Chrysost Oecumenius Theodoret Theophilact and Ambrose haue interpreted this place especially because Caluin Beza Danaeus alleage Ambrose for these Elders How Beza further alleageth Cyprian with a full examination of Cyprian for them How Snecanus likewise alleageth Cyprian Tertullian with parsel of Tertullian for them besides the examining of Clemens Alex Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Ignatius Policarpus How Danaeus alleageth the Ecclesiasticall histories cheefely Socrates with his allegations out of Augustine Basil Dionisius Ierome and the canon Lawe with the examination of the ecclesiasticall histories the Fathers and the canons for these Elders and of the cause of these so learned mens mistaking in all these searchings for them making all not only nothing for them but cleane against them nor being euer able to prooue not one such consistory no not one such Elder Howe Danaeus with Beza and Caluine return back again to search the Scriptures better for them Rom. 12.1 Corinthians 12. Ephes 4. Act. 20.1 Peter 5. And of Caluines and Danaeus contradictions Of Danaeus return again to the Ecclesiasticall history in Sozomen in which speeding as il as before if not worse for any practise that he would find he comes again to the scripture searching for these Elders Acts. 15. Acts. 21. Philip. 4 1. Tim. 3.1 Pet. 3.1 Corinth 14. Iac. 5. And so home again to that wherwith our bret began the inquiry for them at Act. 14. Lastly of the second point of moderating these Elders authority by propounding all their actions to the people to confirm them And of the popular state our Bret. fear But not auoiding of horrible confusion And of the example they seek to auoid it by in the manner of Saint Pauls excommunication of theincestuous Corinthian AND first say our Brethren let vs examine whether this authoritie be so diffused ouer the whole Churche that the hearing trying and determining of all matters pertayneth to the whole multitude or to some speciall choosen persons amonge them meete for that purpose COme they now in almost at the last casts saying and first let vs examine whether this authoritie be so diffused ouer the whole Church c. What meane our Brethren hereby That the first shall be last and the last shall be first Should they not haue examined this before They sayde in the former page 82. that the authoritie of Christ is left vnto his whole Church And also before that page 81. That regiment which he hath left vnto his Church is a consent of his householde seruants And that our sauiour Christ hath neither authorized nor promised to blesse anie other forme of regiment than that which consisteth of the consent and gathering together of his seruantes in his name What else can any of the seruantes of the housholde of Christ suppose when they heare of this but that where-so-euer they be diffused they must gather themselues together either the whole church vniuersally or euery whole Church particularly and giue their consent thereunto or else the matter whatsoeuer is not authorized by the authoritie that Christ hath left vnto his Church And that he hath blessed none other forme of regiment And must it nowe be called in question and examined whether this authoritie be so diffused ouer the whole Church that the hearing trying and determining of all matters perteyneth to the whole multitude And why not if the former sayinges bée true Do our Brethren begin now to call this a diffused authoritie Diffused commeth néere confused And I Thinke shortly they will finde it confused too And as they nowe beginne to encline to some speciall chosen persons amongst them meete for that purpose so by little and little they will peraduenture come downe at length to some authoritie of gouernement euen of one Pastor afore other in one congregation and perhaps in one Diocesse also which is the thing that they nowe so peremptorilie denie Let our Brethren nowe therefore in their good moode procéede The authoritie â—s the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ graunted vnto the Church Our Brethren sayde in the page before that the authoritie of Christe is left vnto his whole Church here yet they say more circumspectly the authoritie is the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Not that Christe hath left his authoritie vnto the Churche but that the authoritie which hee hath left vnto his Church is not so the Churches but that it still remaineth his authoritie Nor that he hath left that his autoritie to his whole Church as they sayde before but as they say here it is graunted vnto the Church Which may well stande if any parte or persons of the Church haue it although the whole Church haue it not But say they because the iudgement of the multitude is confuse whereas God is not the author of confusion but of order and that we finde in the worde of God certaine officers appointed for gouernment we are bold to affirme that that charge belongeth vnto those that are such Here our Brethren in this Learned discoursing of the matter hauâ— now at length found out not diffusion but plaine confusion in the iudgement of the multitude So that we may now I hope with our Bretherens good leaue dismisse in peace the gathering together of the housholde seruantes nor enquire after their consentes but for the consent only of certaine officers appointed for gouernment And here our Brethr. say they are bold to affirme that that charge belongeth vnto those that are such This boldnes of our Breth is here yet the more coÌ„mendable that they feare not to repell the peoples consent and iudgement for feare of confusion Whereas God is not the author of confusion but of order But it had béene better in my simple iudgement not at all to haue sette the multitude a-gogge as hauing an interest of consent and authoritie to heare trie and determine all matters onely to bridle the Pastors and the Bishops authoritie than nowe hauing brought them in to thrust theÌ„ out Turpius eijcitur quaÌ„ non admittitur hospes Will the multitude hearing that Christ hath giuen his authoritie to his whole Church and so to euerie Church indifferently that that regiment which he hath left vnto his Church is a consent of his housholde seruauntes and that he hath neither authorized nor promised to blesse any other forme of regiment than that which consisteth of the consent and gathering together of his seruantes if they thinke themselues to be any part of his whole church or of anie particular Churches and seruauntes of his housholde suffer themselues after they are gathered together to vse their authoritie and to giue their coÌ„sent to be this mocked in the end be told it pertayneth not to the whole multitude but to some special chosen persons amoÌ„gst theÌ„ because the iudgement of the multitude is confuse and God is not the author of
expounde it that Elders are heere called those vnto whome the office of teaching was enioyned For that there were certaine which were onely censors or controllers of manners appeareth out of Paule 1. Tim. 5.17 So that euen here where Caluine alleageth the other testimonie that our Brethren also doe yet he clearely cutteth off this Testimonie Act. 14. 23. to inferre any profe at all of these Consistorie gouernors and Elders that are not teachers Neither do our Brethren here thus violently draw in their Gouernors vnder the name of Elders where it is apparant that Pastors are ment onely but also the word which should yet better proue that it is ment of Pastors that is to wite 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordeyning of them by handes to carrie the better shewe that it was not of Pastors onely but of Gouernours they translate it thus They did ordeyne Elders by election of the congregation Where the worde neither speaketh of nor necessarily inferreth any election at all and much lesse of the congregation but onely of ordeyning or creating with handes signifying the consecration of them by laying on of handes vppon them Which ceremonie was not vsed in those that were Gouernours onely as were these controllers of manners For although there might be suche at that time ciuill Elders the people being in such case elected among them yet can it not be shewed that they had also the imposition of hands Although peraduenture that prophane or ciuill order of holding vppe their handes among the Grecians for which Beza citeth Cicero might be well vsed in the election of them And albeit Caluine also interprete 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quum creassent suffragiis when they had by suffrages or voyces created Elders and mention also as we haue séene before the heathen manner of holding vp of the handes yet as noting this to bee too prophane he sayth notwithstanding the Ecclesiasticall writers vse the name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of ordeyning by handes in an other sense to wite for the solemne custome of ordeyning that in the Scriptures is called the laying on of handes And therefore where he applyeth this to election and that also to the peoples election although he giue the moderation of the election not to the people but to the Apostles yet if the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be vnderstoode Ecclesiastically as the Ecclesiasticall writers vse the name for the solemne custome of ordeyning that in the scriptures is called laying on of handes then cannot this woorde betokening ordeyning be drawen to election and much lesse to the election of the people that had no authoritie of the laying on of hands neither in ordeyning nor in electing This therefore may suffice hetherto to aunswere the minor of our Brethrens argument But they as though all were safe and sure if they only strengthen their Maior goe about to confirme it by an other place saying Because the name of Elders is common to both to Pastors and Gouernors and is vsed in the scripture to comprehende both at once as it appeareth manifestly by S. Paule 1. Tim. 5.17 those Elders that gouerne well are woorthie of double honour especially those that labour in the word and doctrine This confirmation of the maior is here néedles to proue that the name of Elders is common to both that is to wite Pastors and Gouernors and to comprehende them both at once For as we haue sayde euen so it doth in euery place where the pastors are called Elders Because that in the nature of their Pastorship an Eccl. gouernement is comprehended Especially Hebr. 13. ver 7. and 17. Where the pastorall Elders are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernors So that pastors and Gouernors may both of them at once be very well comprehended in the name of Elders But our Brethren meane it here not onely so but that the name also comprehendeth sometime as well Elders that were Gouernours and not Pastors as Pastors and Gouernours For I thinke they will not say Pastors are not also Gouernors though no such Gouernours as they meane Neither doe we denie that the name of Elders comprehendeth Gouernours that are no Pastors For as we haue sayde before the name of Elders was an ordinarie and generall name for the iudges the head officers and Magistrates of the people But that either this place 1. Tim. 5.17 confirmeth that place Act. 14. 23. to be vnderstoode of both sortes of Elders especially of Elders that were Gouernors and not Pastors as it is of Pastors that were Gouernors that will be too harde I thinke for our Brethren to proue Yea to let alone the confirming of that place Act. 14. I doubt it will bee somewhat harde also except they will presse me with the authoritie of our Brethren onely themselues that so thinke to proue any necessitie of vnderstanding this place 1. Tim. 5. vnderstanding Ecclesiastical officers for such a double kind of Elders some medling with teaching and some not medling with teaching as they gather thereupon and inferre saying Of which testimonie wae learne these three thinges first that there be Elders in the Church which meddle not with teaching but are occupied altogether in gouerning Secondly that the Elders which labour in teaching otherwise called Pastors are ioyned also in gouernment with them which teach not And thirdly that the name of Elders comprehendeth both sortes of Elders Oportet discentem credere The learner must beleeue And we are bound and that of necessitie to learne and to beléeue all that the holie Scripture teacheth vs but not all that men shall gather thereon except they proue vnto vs with all that their teaching followeth in necessitie of consequence thereupon This place neither in expresse wordes teacheth these three thinges nor they teache nor can teache that these three thinges which here they sette downe followe by any necessitie of consequence on this testimonie And howe then doe wee learne thereon these three thinges For my part I will offer my selfe to become their scholler to learne them gladly if they substantially as Learned discoursers should can teach them And thus forewarde as one readie to learne I will shew my selfe before hande concerning the first and chiefest point that here in this inuersed order of these three thinges is proposed that I denie not but fréely graunt Saint Paules woordes may indéede bee well inough vnderstoode of suche Elders in the Churche as meddled not with ordinarie and publike administration of teaching the woorde but onely with gouernement beeing chosen among them-selues in those dayes as their ciuill Christian rulers or petite Magistrates to compose and take vppe their controuersies that they should not striue and goe to lawe before the heathen superiour and publike Magistrates to the obloquie of the Gospell And that they were not onely as Caluine calleth them controullers of manners onely but meddling also in the ouersight of Ecclesiasticall causes as the ciuill Christian Magistrates doe
Bishop hear the cause of none without the presence of his Clearkes otherwise the bishoppes sentence shall bee voyde except it be established by the presence of the Clearkes Heere the Bishop is restrayned that albeit he may doe some thing alone vnto his Clearkes Ministers Seniors and Elders yet that he may not alone and without the presence of their assembly depose any of them from his liuing c. But who are these Clearkes Ministers Seniors and Elders in whose presence he must doe these thinges Doth hee admitte any other then Bishops them-selues or at least the Sacerdotall Preestes the glosse disputing this matter who should be this Counsel or Chapter or sitters by with the Bishops to proue that they must be all Clearkes referreth vs to the sixt cause Quest. 3. Scitote Knowe yee that to be a certayne prouince which hath ten or eleuen Cities and one King and as many inferior potestates vnder him one Metropolitane and other suffraganes 10 or 11. Bishops being Iudges vnto whose Iudgement all the causes of the Bishops and of other preestes and Cities may bee referred That matters may be discerned by all these Iustly and with consonant voice except they that are to be iudgd do appeal to a higher authority It must not bee that euery prouince shoulde be debased or dishonoured but shoulde haue in it selfe Iudges euery of the Preestes and Bishops That is to wit according to their orders Whereby it appeareth that these Ecclesiasticall Senates of such as sat in the Councelles and Iudgementes of Preestes were eyther Bishops or at leaste Sacerdotall preestes onely and not persons of inferior orders but euery one was Iudged according to their estate by them that were at the least of their owne orders and not Teachers by such as were no Teachers Nowe after this fiftéenth cause wherein hee treateth of Clearkes Elders Seniors Ministers and Priests indifferently This next cause to wit the sixteenth Which Danaeus citeth is altogether of Monkes and especially that first Question which he alleageth Whether they may doe that thing in respect simply they be Monkes that secular Clearkes and preests or Elders may doe This first Question is this Vtrum Monachis liceat officia populis celebrare poenitentiam dare baptizare Whether Monkes may celebrate the Diuine seruice to the people enioyne penitence and baptise To the which the answere is this They can-not And anon amongst other reasons he alleageth this out of Hierome also Ad Riparium desiderium Monachus non docentis sed plangentis habet officium A Monke hath not the office of a Teacher but of a mourner And euen immediatly before that which Danaeus citeth are these wordes Alia causa The cause of a Monke is another and another the cause of a Clearke The Clearke feede the Sheepe sayth the Monke I am fedde they liue of the Altar the Axe is put to me as at the roote of an vnfruitfull tree If I bring not my gift vnto the Altar It is not lawfull for me to sitte before an Elder if I shall sinne it is lawfull for him to deliuer me to Sathan for the destruction of the Flesh that the spirite in day of the Lorde might bee safe Idem ad Rusticum The same is in Hieroms Epistle vnto Rusticus And here commeth in that which Danaeus citeth Ecclesia The church hath a Senate the assembly of Elders without whose councell it is lawfull for the Monkes to doe nothing All this now duely considered it is manifest that by this the Churches Senate or assembly of Elders is meant onely a Senate of such Elders as did feede both the people and the Monkes also with the Worde and Sacramentes For so the glosse expoundeth the Monkes wordes Ego pascor I am fedde A sacramentis ipsorum of their Sacraments And that these Elders liued of the Altar and that the very Monks in those days were not exempted from paying tythes or offerings vnto them And that these Elders might excommunicate these Monkes so well as they might other men By all which it appeareth that this Ecclesiasticall Senate was none other but an assembly Colleage or Consistory of Preestes or Pastorall Elders And as for any other Ecclesiasticall Presbyters or Elders in all or any of the Canons either of the Councells Generall or Prouinciall or of the Bishops or of the whole body of the Canon Lawes Decrees or Decretals then such Elders as were Ministers of the Worde and Sacramentes Our Brethren shall finde but sory comfort No nor in any of the Doctors of the Church And therefore it is their best as I take it to leaue all further search that wayes for anie proofe or practise at all of such Ecclesiasticall Gouerning and not teaching Elders in the Church euen from the verie Apostles times And this withall is to be obserued that where our Bret. would now beare the worlde in hande there were such Senates and Segniories of these gouerning and not teaching Elders in the Primitiue in the auncient Church and for proofe heereof dare aduenture to cite all these testimonies and if I coulde finde that they cited any mo I woulde craue pardon to search them likewise which when they are all viewed examined there is not one Father not one Historiographer not one Canon that maketh any whit for any such kinde of Elder as our Brethren pretende to vs is worne out of vse and they nowe endeuour to haue again euiued I knowe that these our reuerend Brethren beeing both godly and learned men doe not cite these authors of any set purpose to deceiue vs in Fathering that on them which they neuer spak nor thought nor knew but as the prouerbe sayth mistaking makes misse-reckoning so they hauing conceiued this with them-selues that such a kinde of Gouerning and not teaching Ecclesiasticall Elders there was in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church so often as they reade in the Fathers the name of Presbyters of Elders especially if there bee any mention of Senate College or company of them and that these in any matters ioyned with the Bishop to whome they apply onely the name and office of Pastorall Elder straight-way they conceiued that which they fancied that these Elders were those Ecclesiastical Elders gouerning only and not medling with teaching Which too quick conceiuing vpon their forestalled opinion especially in the heate of zeale to haue thinges amended may fall out nowe and then for lacke of more mature deliberation and examining euen to the best learned and most holy men And that I thinke hath beene the cause of our Brethrens misliking and misseporting the Fathers meaninges in the Eldership Which when their selues shall apperceiue I doubt not for the reuerent opinion I haue of them and of all our Brethren but that they will relent in this behalf at leastwise for these fathers thus cited amisse and eyther let them all goe or séeke further in them or in other for other and better Testimonies
the Lawe written or as we might call them Masters of the Rolles which were after called Scribes were instituted of Moses in the Wildernesse first by the authoritie of Iethro his Father in lawe and afterward by commaundement of God For when Moses the first yeere in the Wildernesse sate to heare causes hee was warned by Iethro his Father in lawe that he should spare that labour and appoint wise men skilfull and prudent to iudge in his steede and reserue to himselfe onelie the vnderstanding of matters that were of more importance He therfore appointed them the Princes of whome after shall be spoken Tribunes Centurions Gouernors of fiftie Gouernors of ten or as the Greeke setts them out Chiliarks Hecatontarks Pentecontarks Decadarks to bee introducers of the causes to the Iudges or preferred them to be Grammatoisagogeos the Chauncelors or the Primitories or the enterers in writing of the actions Exod. 18. And choosing valiant men out of all Israel he appointed them Princes of the people Tribunes and Centurions and Captaines ouer fiftie and Captaines ouer ten which should iudge the people at all times Wherefore after the 40. yeare rehearsing to the people the actes that he had done he alleadgeth in the first of Deuteronomie I said vnto you I am not able alone to sustaine your businesses and burden and brawlings giue ye out of your selues wise men and skilfull and whose conuersation is approued in your Tribes that I might place them to be Princes Then ye aunsâ—ered me It is a good thing that thou wilt doo And I tooke wise men and noble out of your Tribes and appointed them to be Princes Tribunes and Centurions and Rulers ouer fiftie and Rulers of tenne which should teach you all things And I commaunded them saying Heare yee them and iudge ye that which is righteous whether he be a citizen or bee bee a straunger let there be no difference of persons Ye shall as well heare the small as the great neither shal ye accept the person of anie whosoeuer because it is the iudgment of God But if anie thing shall seeme difficult vnto you referre that to me and I will heare it But the Graecians haue it more plaine and more apte to vnfolde the manner of these Iudgements And I appointed them to rule ouer you Chiliarkes or Rulers of thousands Hecatontarks or Rulers of hundreds Pentecontarks Quinquegenariens or Rulers of fiftie Deacharks or Rulers of tenne and Grammatoisagogists or the enterers in writing or inrollers of the pleas vnto your Iudges For in steede of that which the latine interpreter translateth which should teach you al thinges the greeke rehearseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the informers in writing vnto your Iudges the text it selfe is and Gouernors to your tribes Afterward the law of God came hereunto wherein concerning these iudges it was enacted chap. 16 in these wordes Thou shalt ordeine vnto thee Iudges and Maisters in all thy Cities which the Lorde God shall giue to thee according to the Tribes And they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement neither shall they wrest the iudgement neither shall they acknowledge the person of anie neither shall they take giftes And in this place for Maisters the Greeke setteth out Grammatoisagogeos the informers in writing or of the Lawe written This Law Iosephus so rehearseth that he sheweth the Iudges were also chosen by lot Let those also which by lotte haue come foorth to iudge be in chiefest honor in the cities let no reproches be spoken in their presence Let the iudges haue the right of pronouncing that which they thinke except that anie shall shew that they haue receiued rewards to iudge or shall alleadge anie other cause of wrong iudgement But as Moses ordained them so afterward king Iosophat confirmed them in the kingdome of Iuda as is declared in the 19. Chap. of the second booke of Chronicles Hee ordained Iudges of the lande in all the dedefenced Cities throughout all places And commaunding the Iudges hee sayde Take heede what yee doo for yee exercise not the iudgement of man but of the Lorde And whatsoeuer you shall iudge shall redound vppon your selues Let the feare of the Lorde bee with you and doo all thinges with diligence VVith our Lord GOD there is no iniquitie nor accepting of persons not desire of rewards After this the iudgements beeing disturbed in the lande of Babylon the Iewes when they returned into their Countrie as they did other matters so they restored these Which thing that it shoulde come to passe Esaie Chap. had forewarned when as hee vttered these speeches of God And I will restore thy Iudges as they were before And after that the king Artaxerxes commaunded that it should be so done For so he wrote in the sixt of Esdras Ordeine thou Iudges and Scribes that they might iudge all the people For he called them Scribes whome wee haue named Grammatoisagogeos the informers of the writings or written Lawe Wherevpon that they were restored the Psalmist reioyced as saith Saint Athanasius which when the citie of Ierusalem was reedified and the iudgementes restored euen as it was foretolde of the Lorde breaking foorth for ioy he song in the Psalme 121. I was gladde in those things that were spoken to me wee will goe into the house of the Lorde our feete standing in thy Courts O Hierusalem Ierusalem which is built as a Citie whose participation is in it selfe For thether the Tribes ascended The Tribes of the Lorde the testimonie of Israel to confesse the name of the Lorde because they set the seates there in iudgement or into iudgement as the Greeke hath it the seates vppon the house of Dauid And so afterwarde euen vntill the laste times of the Iewes But these Iudges seeme to haue bene chosen out of the bodie of the Senators of euerie citie Euen as from the first times also among the Romanes the iudgements were executed of the Senators The Lawe it selfe in many places teacheth it Deut. 19. If the smiter shall flie into one of the foresayde Cities the Senate of that Citie shall sende and take him out of the place of refuge And in 21. VVhen a corps is founde and the slaier shall not be knowen the Senate of the Citie shall go out and measure from that place c. Whervppon Ruth 4. â—ooz taking ten men of the Seniors of the Citie of Bethleem sayd vnto them Sit yee heere and be witnesses The people that was in the gate and the Seniors answered we are witnesses and before them hee tooke the possession of Elimelech Moreouer Philo in lib. de Iudice gathereth out of the Law four conditions of good Iudges c. Furthermore that the Iudgements were exercised in the gate of the Cities that was called the gate of Iudgement the Lawe Deuteronomi 21. declareth c. and 25. and also Iosue 8. c. and Ruth 4. c. Prouerbes 22. and 31. and Psalme 126. c. These Iudgements were made
their sentence for the reducing of the Arke Yea rather than the Princes state should not be thus translated it must be conformed to that example also of the Israelites state of the ten Tribes For they as Bertram saith cap. 12. had their Sanhedrin too The policie sayth he of the ten Tribes came verie neere to the ciuil policie of the kingdome of Iuda For it had the king their head and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorim that is the men which were the Patriciens or noble Fathers which otherwise we said were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarim that is Princes which made also the Synedrion and chiefe Consistorie of Iudges of that kingdome Here the Consistorie sate most commonlie at the Kings pallace such as was Iesrael in the time of Achab. It had also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Zechonium Seniors or Elders to wit Chiliarks CeÌ„turioÌ„s c. Either of these magistrates is so called in Nehemias That also argueth the peoples power that the witnesses suborned against Naboth are sayd to haue giuen their witnesse before all the people But that policie seemeth to bee so mixt of the Regall Aristocratical and Democraticall power that was altogether Tyrannicall as appeareth by the gestes of the Kings of the tenne Tribes True indéede those Kings for the most part of them did degenerate into a kind of Tyrants But this argument is but weake that the state was mixt with the peoples gouernment because the witnesse of the Elders was giuen before the people for what witnes in so waightie a iudgement should not rather be giuen before the people than in secret or in priuate But may we not better finde fault with those wicked Elders which gaue that iudgement And yet what difference betwéene these among the Israelites and those among the Iewes that by al meanes sought the murthering of the prophet Ieremie And if such good Elders came in the time while they say whatsoeuer the persons were their state was intier and according to the first and auncient institution whereunto our Breth would haue our state translated might not we feare also that when these Seniors should become such Princes that might peraduenture breake out into such parts Which least they shuld do how they might be repressed or rather preuented wold be better thought on before they were put in possession especiallie of the estate which is here so expreslie by Caluine and our Brethren chalenged that they should be admitted vnto As for the state of the regiment following in the time of the Iewes captiuitie afterward vntill Christs comming was more disturbed And yet Bertram telleth cap. 13. that first Darius Artaxerâ—es Longimanus permitted to the Iewes some part of their former power whereby Esdras did so againe let in order the ciuil policy that in the place of a king it had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Pechah that is a presideÌ„t prouinciall that gouerned Iurie vnder the direction of the Persian Monarke and of him he was sent thether As appeareth out of the storie occasion of sending Zerubbabel Ezr. 3. 4. out of Nehe. 5.14 In the second place they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sarim that is Princes which are ofteÌ„ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chorim that is PatritiaÌ„s And somtimes also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ari aueth that is the Princes of the Fathers or of the families and these made the SynedrioÌ„ of the 70. Thirdly it had their ordinary Iudges the Chiliarks Centurions c. which were not onely called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iekonim that is Seniors or Elders c. In the 4. place it had the assembly and iudgement of al the Citizens this kind of assemblie is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kaalah Gedolah that is the great company or great gathering together Thus were all these orders retained so wel as that troubled and tributary state would permit it Ouer whom in all their assemblies iudgements stil were much more thaÌ„ before the Leuites the prefects gouernours of theÌ„ Of which State saith Bertram in the same Chap pag 69. To conclude if euer that Policie of Magistrates and Iudges which our Thalmudistes doo recorde had place verelie it is to be referred to the processe of this time For they tell that the chiefe Senate of the Hebrues to wit of the 70. the power which they had of the sword or putting to death which they had in the greater causes such as were of the Tribe of the high Priest of a false Prophet and of Treason they communicated the same to three twentie headmen c. Whereby it appeareth what great authoritie they still reteined or had then moste of all hauing no King among them And in the next page he saith The Presidents prouinciall excelled in greatest authoritie insomuch that they had the chiefe gouernment as it appeareth by those things which Nehemias did To proue Nehemias had chiefe auth that last fact of his dooth argue wherein he reioyceth that he had banished a certaine man of the posteritie of Ioiada the sonne of Eliazib the chiefe Priest because he had married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite to proue also that he had the cheefest gouernment in that he had rebuked he had coÌ„manded to be excommunicated to be beaten with roddes and to be made bald in token of greatest reproch the residue of the Iewes that had married women strangers Iosephus chap. 11. in the 7. booke of the Iewes antiquities doth so touch the foresaid story that he saith the elders of Ierusalem that is the chiefe Magistrates and the synedrion it selfe decreed commaunded Manasses the brother of the high Priest Iaddi to sende away and put from him his wife an alien borne that is a Samaritan the daughter of Samballat c. Such auth had this synedrion albeitnot so called among them vnder Nehemias Iaddi the high Priest but Bart. saith in the page following of the state declining after Nehemias Neuerthelesse it might be that Iaddus and the other Guides of the Iewes didde choose one of the Tribe of Iuda that shoulde beare the principalitie in the chiefe Synedrion howbeit rather for name-sake than indeed when as all things depended on the high Bishops And on this sort continued the State till the time of the Macchabees in whose time saith Bertram pa. 79. Yea Ionathas that he might the better reteine safe and sound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vse of their own lawes and state of their owne power he sent Ambassadours to Rome and to Lacaedemonia which should renue the league with the Romanes and the Lacaedemonians But that their auncient policie was restored appeareth in this that the Ambassadours expresselie signified to the Romanes that they were sent of Ionathas the high Priest and of the Nation of the Iewes also by the verie superscription of the letters which by the same Ambassadours he sent vnto Lacaedemonia which was endited in
by their greeuous apostacy so the fault beeing so heighnous and offensiue to the people no maruell if Cyprian woulde not permit that they shoulde be receiued into the Church before the offended people their-selues were content And for this cause they had made before their requestes vnto the people that they might on their repentaunce be receiued And the people examined and Iudged their requests to be reasonable But because it lay not in them to admit them both they and other that had beene constant in their persecutions whom Cyprian calleth Martyrs wrot vnto him being their Bishop that hee at his returne vnto them woulde receiue them Which although Cyprian of himselfe were willing to doe yet hee maketh this his conclusion I pray them that they woulde patiently heare our Counsayle Let them expect our returne and when as by the mercy of God wee shall come vnto you calling together more of our fellowe-Bishops according to the Discipline of the Lorde and the presence of the blessed Martyrs we may examin the Letters and the requests And to the confessors I haue writteÌ„ Letters which I haue coÌ„manded to be read to you So that Cyprian writeth not to the people for them as though the people had had the cheefe authority or anie power heerein but contrariwise the people had written to him that whereas neither they nor the Martyrs among them nor yet the Preestes without him coulde receiue them hee hauing the cheefe power heereof woulde vouchsafe to doe it Whereupon hee writeth this Epistle to stay their desire heerein till it might be done more orderly at his comming to them This therefore being no ordinary matter wherein so many Bishops shoulde appeare to the more solemne receiuing of these so greeuous lapsed persons whereas diuerse of the Preestes or Elders of Carthage had already receyued these offenders and administred the Sacramentes vnto them Hee complayneth heereof saying I heare notwithstanding that certaine of the Elders neither mindfull of the Gospell neither thinking what the Martyrs haue written to vs neither keeping to the Bishop the honour of his sacerdotall preesthoode and of the Chaire haue begunne alreadie to communicate to them that are falne and to offer for them to witte the publike prayers and to giue them the sacrament of thankesgiuing When as they ought to haue come by order to these thinges Whereby it appeareth that these Elders were Ministers of the Worde and Sacraments and yet distinct from those which after he calleth Bishops that shoulde all be ioyned with him in the receiuing of these so great offenders As for that Aretius addeth of the seniors mentioned in Tertullian I aske no better witnesse than Aretius himselfe euen the leafe before what they were Where he saith after the example of S. Paul Excommunicating Alexander and Hymenaeus Postea vsi sunt illa pij Episcopi vt videre est apud Tertullianum Apolog. cap. 39. Afterwards the Godly Bishops vsed it to wit Excommunication as is to see in Tertullian c. Beza himselfe that referreth Christes wordes to a translation of the Synedrion from the Israelites to the Christian Church in his Confession Cap-5 De Ecclesia Artic. 43. saith Secondlie wee must knowe that this power resteth not vpon mans ordinaunce but vpon the expresse worde of God For this is part of the iurisdiction of the Keyes deliuered to the Apostles and to all true preestes or Elders in the person of the Apostles Which Paul himselfe exercised at Corinth in other places So that if these Presbyters preestes or Elders be not such as vse the keies deliuered to the Apostles and doe it not in the person of the Apostles as their Successors it is not the true Ecclesiasticall Excommunication by Beza his owne Confession But they bee not the Apostles successors if they be not teachers of the word ministers of the sacrameÌ„ts as Paul saith 1. Cor. 4.1 Let a man so esteem vs as Ministers of Christ Stewards of the Mysteries of God And therefore of good consequence it doth followe that the sentences of Excommunication made by such Seniors as are not teachers nor Ministers of the word and sacramentes is no lawfull Excommunication nor is the power of the keyes that Christe deliuered Gellius Snecanus de Disciplina ecclesiast 1. methodi parte fol. 437 saith Thirdly by the Institution and promise of Christe Math. 18. ver 18. VVhatsoeuer yee shall bind c. is as wel added to this Discipline as to the Ministery of the word Math. 16. ver 19. VVe may call it the binding and the loosing key of the kingdoÌ„ of heauen in respect that it is a part of the Ecclesiasticall Gouernment For by the Figure of the keye is signified the administration of the Church as appeareth by conferrence of places Esay 22. ver 22. I will giue or I will lay the keye of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder And Math. 16. ver 19. cap. 18. verse 19. Hereupon we learn that this Discipline is not to be administred according to our priuate affections but according to the vse in the scripture prescribed of the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen For Christe ratifieth onely those thinges that are bounde and loosed with his keyes of the Ministerie of the Gospell VVe may amplifie the same more largelie by the figure of the keies and of their signification Math. 16. ver 19. Marke 16. ver 15. Preach yee the Gospel c. And Iohn 20. ver 21. c. FroÌ„ the example of Peter vnto the citizens of Ierusalem c. Whereby it is plaine that this key consisting in the Ministerie of the worde is coÌ„mitted to those only that are the Ministers of the same word This do his exaÌ„ples proue that he alleageth for proof why this gouernmeÌ„t of the presbytery is called spirituall Whereby saith he sinnes are punished not by bodily force but by the Ministery of the worde The testimonies which he adioyneth Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12.1 Tim. 4. 5. Was haue sufficiently considered that they enforce nothing for any other Elders that medled not in teaching and ministring the Worde The examples which hee alleageth to prooue that this Spirituall Discipline may be exercised without the offence of the politike Magistrate dâ—e all of them prooue that the Ministers of the Spirituall Discipline shoulde beâ— Ministers of the Worde First from the example saith he of the distinct function of Moses and Aaron and of all the Godly kings that neuer mingled themselues with the Sacerdotall offices Yea Moses respecting the ordinaunce of God by the counsell of Iethro his Father in Lawe ordeyned seuerally by themselues ciuill iudgements Exod. 18. ver 25. Describing in other places what were the proper offices and Iudgementes of the Preestes in spirituall causes distinct from bodily causes Deut. 17. ver 9. As also the Scripture 1. Paral. 9. ver 22. Ezech. 44. This two-folde order the godly King Iosaphat obserueth also distinctly who expressely 2. Chron. 19.
sâ—ripture may not be thus eluded But why should we not thinke that S Paule did it by his owne authority For as for these captions wordes The captions term of priuate authority his priuate priuate authority I reckon not on them for he did it in the person of God and by his apostolicall and Ministeriall authority which was publike and not priuate notwithstanding proper to him selfe and to such as were of the Apostleship and ministers of the worde as hee was Doth S. Paule make mention any where else of the Churches consent in these mens Excommunication taking consent of the Church How the Churches might consent in the Excommunicâ—tion of Hymenaeus Alâ—xandâ—r â—hileâ—us as our Brethren herein doe that he could not doe it at all except they had consented and giuen their suffrages before hande that he shoulde do it for otherwise wee deny not but that they consented Howbeit their consent came after the thing was done or at the moste it was not the authorising of his dooing but an allowing of it because it was their duty so to do séeing that hee abused not his authority nor erred in the exercise of the same Which if he had done Singular authority then might they iustlie haue disobeyed his doing As they migâ—â— also refuse the doctrine of him that preached any other Gospell And yet it followeth not therupon that in preaching the pure and sincere gospel the Church had ioint authority with the Preacher to preach the same But why would our Brethren haue vs thus to thinke If so high an Apostle could not by his priuate authority excommunicate that Corinthian We must not think that by his priuate authority but by consent of the Church of Ephesus hee Excommunicated Hymenaeus and Alexander although he doe not make expresse mention of the consent of the Church in that place This conclusion runneth vpon their former assumptions Our Br. conclusions on their owne assumptioÌ„s that S. Paul coulde not by him selfe Excommunicate that Corinthian Whereas that place mencioneth not at all what he coulde or he could not do in that matter but onelie what he did and would haue them to do And if the other place 1. Tim. 2.20 concerning the Excommunication of Hymenaeus and Alexander be to be measured by this place 1. Cor. 4. Then as we haue seene howe both he him selfe coulde and did Excommunicate that Corinthian both in their Churches absence they beeing not made priuie of his doing Our Br. referring the other Excommunication to this 1 Cor. 5 do yetmore confute themselues till he had done it and written to them therof willing them to solemnize and denounce the publike execution of the same which if they woulde not haue done had no whit impayred the bertue of his censure but aggrauated an other offcence in them And therfore in measuring the Excommunication at Ephesus by that at Corinthus our expresse instaunce of S. Paules Excommunicating by him-selfe in the absence of the congregation and the congregations dutie of obedience afterwarde in approouing obeying and consenting to the same is a good instance that neither the whole Congregation nor any Seniory among them had any necessary ioint authority with S. Paule in the inflicting of this censure So likewise where hee speaketh to Timothie in the singular number The learned disc pag. 98. 1. Tim. 2.20 concerning the hearing and determining of matters pertaining to Discipline we ought to acknowledge that hee teacheth in Timothies person the duty of Elders and neuer ment to giue to Timothie an absolute or singular authority to bee Iudge in those matters without consent of the Eldership whereof hee maketh mention but a little before To conclude therefore the Pastor with the aduice and consent of the Elders hath authoritie to heare and examine matters perteining to Ecclesiasticall Discipline and as the case requireth to Excommunicate offenders and vppon their repentaunce and amendment to receyue them agayne into the bosome of the Church approoued by the word of God Those testimonieâ— likewise where Saint Paule speaketh to Timothie in the singular number giue vnto Timothie though no absolute yet a singular authoritie Bridges not singular I graunt as though hee shoulde single out him-selfe to doe all thinges alone but singular in préeminence aboue all What single authoritie S. Paul giueth to Timothie which preeminence was allonely in Ephesus singular and proper vnto Timothie And this hath Beza himselfe euen where he speaketh against the vsurpation of the Popish Bishops Pastors confessed saying aâ—â—â—e haue also heard before on these wordes of the Apostle against an Elder receiue no accusation c. Moreouer we must note out of this placc Bezaes confession of the singular authority of one Timothie in the Ephesine eldership to haue then beene the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is the Bishop as Iustine calleth it not that hee did all thinges as he list but which according to his godlinesse and prudence moderated all thinges that all thinges might be well done and in order in the assemblie Neither is this any hindrance hereunto that S. Paule teacheth in Timothies person the duetie of Elders but rather confuteth our Brethrens shift in saying that Timothie had a prerogatiue as an Euangelist and prooueth that such Elders as Timothie was that is to say with Beza and Iustine such Bishops notwithstanding his prerogatiue of Euangelist haue a like singular authoritie as Timothie had concerning the hearing and determining of matters pertaining to Discipline And if as heere they say Saint Paule in Timothies person taught the duety of Elders then shoulde these Elders whose duetie is heere taught in the person of Timothie bee suche as shoulde bee aunswerable to the person of Timothie and not such Gouerning Elders as are no Teachers And so saith Caluine on these wordes 1. Timoth. 5. verse 21. I testify before the Lorde c. This protestation was interposed of Paule not onely as in a matter moste waightie but also for the greate difficultie thereof For there is nothing more harde than to exercise Iudgementes with such equity that neyther thou art moued at any time with fauour nor giuest entry vnto suspition nor art mooued with tales Timothy in his Ecclesiasticâ—l iudgements represented onely the person of Pastorall Elders nor yet art ouerstraight in rigour nor lookest on anie other thing in all causes than the cause it selfe For from thence shall spring an equall right when the eies are shut vnto the persons But we must remember that vnder the person of Timothie all Pastors are admonished So that this admonition comprehending the dignity and the duety of an ecclesiasticall Iudge the same is here made vnto Timothy and in his person only vnto such gouerning Elders as are Pastorall elders In whome their teaching though it be done publikely All iurisdiction of one is not Antichristian is notwithstanding their singular authority as Saint Paule also gaue vnto Timothy singuler precepts therâ—of and
â—et in Timothies person he gaue those precepts to all Bishops and Pastors wherein no other kinde of Elders ordinarily nor the congregation doâ— ioyne with the Bishops or Pastors in the authority of teaching though in obedience and consent of hearing And so in these matters concerning the hearing and determining of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and iudicial causes he giueth Timothy and in Timothies person other Bishops and such superior pastors as he was the charge and authority of a righteous Iudge But the Iudges authority is singuler to the Iudge and not communicated with other no though they sit on the Bench with him as his assistantes but such onely as are of his function Iudges as hee is and ioyned in the same commission with him How this authoritie was was not singular therefore S. Paule giueth to Timothy and in his person to Bishops and such Pastors a singular authority in hearing and determining of such matters Not singular I graunt as though none might heare them but hee alone or that hee might aske no counsell or consent of any other for such singularity were rather a deharre than a graunt of authority or were an insolent abuse thereof Neither so doth any Iudge if any assistants be on the bench with him But the Iudge onely hath the cheefe authority and that is his singuler authority though not absolute As for the Eldership whereof Saint Paul maketh mention a little before We haue heard also Caluines opinion thereon that it may be aswel vnderstoode in that place for the office of the Eldership as for any consistorie or company of the Elders And therfore vpon the vncertainty of that Worde they can builde little certaintie for their consistoriall Elders The conclusion which heere they make depending all vpon the premisses is no further to be graunted than the premisses do inferre The learned disc Pag. 98. 99. In steede of which Antichriste hath set vp a tyrannicall Iurisdiction of one Bishop to bee iudge of Excommunication which is practized neither for causes sufficient nor by sufficient authority insomuch as it hath bene already testified by the Scripture that the power of Excommunication is in no one man no not in an Apostle but is common to the whole Church and ought to be executed by lawfull delegats of the Church also The tyrannicall iurisdiction that Antichriste hath set vp we no more acknowledge Bridges than our Brethren But that all Iurisdiction of one B. to be Iudge of Excommunication which is practized for causes sufficient not onely to want sufficient authority but to be called tyrannical and set vp by Antichriste Is not truely spoken nor Christian like Except they will make S. Paul Antichriste As for that which they haue already testified by the Scripture doth manifestly confirme that one man as the Apostle and Timothy and in his person Slaunderous speeches Bishops and pastors in like manner may execute the power of excommunication For although this ecclesiasticall power be giuen to the Church as likewise the ciuil power is giuen to the assemblies and congregations of men How the power of Excommunication is giuen to the Church yet is neither of them common to the whole Church as our Brethren heere say but is proper to those persons in or of the Church and of the assemblies of men which persons are of God or man lawfully called therunto Neither are the persons that haue the practise and executing of the power of excommunication to be so properly calleâ— the Churches delegates as Gods delegates or Ministers in the same and represent God therein not the Church But admitting it be common to the whole church and yet ought onely to be executed by lawfull delegates of the church if that whole perticular church The Excommunicator is more properly Gods delegate than the Churches do make him that is their onely Lawfull Bishop to be also their onely Lawfull delegate in executing the power of Excommunication and doe not delegate a number of more with him then by their own confession some one man and that the Bishop may alone execute the authority and power of excommunication But so much that vsurped authoritie presumeth that the Bishoppe as an absolute owner thereof The learned discourse Pag 99. committeth it ouer to his Chauncellor or Archdeacon and the Archdeacon to his Officiall and he to his register and hee agayne to his substitute and his substitute to his seruaunts man or boy as it hapneth in so much that a learned Preacher may be excommunicated by a foolish boy If this matter seeme not to require speedy reformation God hath blinded our eyes that wee can not see the cleare light of the Sonne shining in our faces These terms of vsurpation presumption and to be as an owner and as an absolute owner of this authority Bridges are speeches considering the vntrueths and reprochfulnesse of them little beséâ—ming learned preachers And much lesse the other of committing this authorty to Registers and to substitutes and to the Substitutes seruantes man or boy I verily beleeue thad our Brethren if they were well apposed coulde not prooue any such Excommunication to bee made Which in-déede if it were done is no Excommunication at all Slanderous speeches if it bee not rather their bare surmise But perchance at the fourth or fift hand they heard of such a thing and they by and by for the good liking and opinion they haue of Bishops their chauncellers Archdeacons and Officials Charitas non est suspicax did beléeue it For the tale caried greate credit Some boy tolde them that some seruaunt tolde him that some Substitute tolde him that he had heard it tolde of some Register But who the Register Substitute Seruaunt man or boy was or is that we must go looke as the boy sayth to his dog séeke out It is proofe ynough for our Brethren that some boy tolde them that he heard say so And therefore as a matter nowe out of all doubt it must in all hast to the presse and be confirmed in print with this exclamation Insomuch that a learned preacher may be excommunicated by a foolish boy If a foolish boy had written this it had béene the more tollerable But should such Learned Preachers in the name of all the faythful Ministers Our Br. vnequall dealing in this slaunder that haue and doe seeke for the reformation of the Church of England in this their Learned Discourse of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment thus solemnly alleage such boyish slaunders or if there shoulde by corruption haue hapned any such like thing shoulde they thus heighnously burthen or chalenge the state and authority of the Bishops for such an abuse or odde escape stollen out which our Bishops doe no lesse detest than do our Brethren their-selues No likelihood in this slaunder and would punish and reform if they can name the parties and proue the offence but that I thinke before hand they can not do Nay there is
these thinges before The Synode preaching with more eloquence and knoweledge too than many of these our Learned Discourses and yet bee no Preachers of the same vnto all others But what is their reason that they imagine none is able to knowe these thinges but teachers and Preachers of the same vnto all all others For say they it is absurde that they shoulde bee taught by such in these small thinges as ought to learne the trueth of them in all matters To an humble minded man and glad to learne this is no absurditie A godly and learned Preacher may eyther bee as ignoraunt or not so skilfull expert or prouident in some thinges yea nowe and then in some of these small things as some other may be that are no Preachers And if controuersies of them be mooued in the Synode consisting of Pastors it is a signe that all the Preachers haue not such knowledge of them but that they also may be to seeke and learne Yea the smaller things they be the Preachers may perhaps haue lesse imployde themselues in the study or search of of such smal thinges or not remember themselues so well as an other lesse learned which is no preacher may And a lowly spirit will not disdaine to learne great matters of his inferior in learning though he be no Preacher Moses learned of Iethro how to dispose his iudgemeÌ„ts more orderlie both in small matters and in great Neither is there indeede if the Preacher set aside all haughtie conceits of his owne singular doings and deuises any absurditie at all or shame herein but that it may beseeme him wel inough and he were better then he is sometimes to take notice and to bee taught of some godly wise learned and experient men that are no Preachers yea and of some women too now and then not only in some such small things but also in matters of great importance as Iudith taught the Elders and Pastors of Bethulia Although I graunt they againe ought to learn of the Preachers the trueth of Gods word in all matters Neither in these diuers kindes of teaching is any absurditie so long as their manner of teaching is not opposite nor that these laâ— persons be take vpon them as an ordinarie office nor do it of arrogancie and controulment nor do it as publike teachers preachers vnto the publike preachers and teachers of them nor do it to defaceand blemish the estimation or authoritie of their teachers and preachers nor doe it in all things but in these thinges Which heere their selues confesse are but small thinges being done in this order they ought to take no scorne to be reueuerently remembred or to be taught of them were it neuer so true that they which are no teachers and preachers ought to learn the trueth of them that are teachers and preachers in all matters which notwithstanding thus again generallie to auouch is a great ouer ouershot For there are many and those good matters besides religion and Eccl. matters and there is also a truth of them and yet men are not bound to learn the truth of them onely at the mouth of the preacher no nor the preacher is bound to know them or can or if he could ought to teach them And therefore this again is too largely spoken for all matters and seemeth to proceede of too great a reach and too high a liking of them-selues and too much incroching vpon others But what now is their conclusion hereupon This authoritie therefore cannot bee graunted vnto anie ciuill Christian Magistrate that without consent of the Learned Pastors and Elders yea against their consent of whome as in some respect hee is a feeling member hee may lawfully make caeremoniall Constitutions whereby the Church must bee gouerned in meere Ecclesiasticall matters Is there no meane but the drift of this conclusion must needes hee directed against the Ciuill Christian Magistrate howe chaunce our Brethren did not looke a litle neerer among them-selues and then they shoulde haue séene howe they had throughly payde and cleane ouerthrowne their Gouernours that are not teaching Elders whome they make to bee a greate part of the Synode in examining and determining Ecclesiasticall causes and Ecclesiasticall regiment and that the pastors can doe nothing without them But when this question commeth blustring in Who shoulde bee able to knowe what order comelinesse and aedification requireth according to Gods worde but they that bee teachers and Preachers of the same vnto all others Dare these Seniors nowe peepe out their heades and say like Gouernours indéede who shoulde we shoulde You what are you we wit ye well we are the Gouernours of all the Ecclesiasticall Discipline and regimeÌ„t Tush tush are ye teachers preachers of the same vnto al others No indeede that wee be not wee can not preach nor teach but wee can rule the matter with you that be teachers and Preachers No no go seeke your rule and Gouernment in other matters If yee bee no Teachers and preachers ye meddle not heere No wit yee well againe yeâ— are not able and much lesse worthie so much as to know what order comelinesse aedification requireth according to Gods worde and so least of all to examine decide and determine the same What ought not you though yee bee Seniors and gouernours to learne of vâ— that are your teachers and preachers wee tell you plainly and roundly at a worde It is absurde that they that are teachers and preachers shoulde be taught by such in these small thinges and it were much more absurde in greater thinges as ought to heare and learne the trueth of them in all matters Loe Howe these bigge and loftie wordes haue vtterlie blanked and giuen checke mate to these our gouerning Elders that we not teachers and preachers But whust wee pray you no more of this for we meant not this against our gouerning Elders though they be neither Preachers nor teachers but wee direct it altogether against the Ciuill Christian Magistrate Yea forsooth my learned Brethren macte virtuâ—e now ye shewe your selues indeede Yerke at the ciuill Christian Magistrate and euer so far as ye may do it with safetie spare not but still come in with one byous â—ling or another at the prince For this is plauâ—â—ble to the people as thogh ye were no accepters of persons in daring to speake almost any thing against the ciuill Christian Magistrate And doth your teaching and preaching tend to this that for feare the ciuill Christian Magistrate shoulde teach you though hee preach not to you another lesson you woulde haue it thoughâ— absurde that they shoulde teach you that shoulde be taught by you as heere you say in all matters yea that they are not able to know what order comelinesse and ediffcation requireth according to Gods worde except they them-selues were teachers and preachers I looked all this while when yet now at the length our Br. would begin to enter in
what shoulde we thinke nowe if any other were made a newe by the Queenes Maiesty if at least they would graunt her thus much authoritie that thee might make such caeremoniâ—â—â— constitutions as shoulde not be against them but with the consent of these Pastors and Elders nowe woulde this howe and these newe Constitutions be firme and vnuiolable Yea if it shoulde please the Pastors that shall come after these to giue their consent also vnto them And so wee must runne on in infinitum while the worlde lasteth continuall chaunging or at leaste continuall dependaunce on the Pastors and Elders consent or else all former constitutions are cut cleane off For if those that our Brethren shall now consent vnto be good against those that shall be Pastors to come hereafter then may these caeremoniall constitutions which haue beene made by her Maiestie heretofore with the consent of her Learned Pastors and Elders that were them good and strong against these our Brethren that pretend to be the Learned Pastors and Elders nowe And why cannot her Maiestie do as much nowe as she could then And can she not maintayne those nowe that so lawfully she coulde and did make them And what hath shee made since or of late but that wherein shee had and hath the consent of the Learned pastors and Elders of the Church And if our Brethren doe not consent vnto her Maiestie and to the other Learned pastors and Elders of the realm consenting This no doubt caÌ„not be but a greef vnto her Maiesty to all vs with consent herein to her auth that anie true louing subiects vnto her deare Br. vnto shold thus dissent both from her and vs. Notwithstanding this is no sufficient debarre against her Maiestie but that she had and hath full authoritie vnder God with consent both of other ciuill Christian Magistrates vnder her and with the consent of the cheefe and moste part of the Learned pastors and Elders of the Churches whereof they haue the seuerall charges Ecclesiasticall and shee God contiue it the Ciuill generall and supreme Gouernment ouer all them and in all causes aswell ecclesiasticall as politicall to make lawfull ceremoniall constitutions wherby the Church both may and must be gouerned What our Brethren meane by these tearmes that they knit vp this section withall whereby the Church must be gouerned in meere Ecclesiasticall matters is somwhat a doubtful and captioâ—s speech But if they meane by meere Ecclesiasticall matters such matters as they speak of before that is to say time place and forme of preaching and praying and administring the Sacramentes I see no reason to thâ— contrarie if it were lawful for Constantine other godly auncient Princes too designe both time place and forme of proceeding vnto the generall Counselles and moste famous assemblies of Bishops and Pastors in their Dominions though the Bishops and Pastors did not first giue their consent hereto but afterward obeyed it and so consented when the Emperoures had before designed it but that with as good reason the Princes hauing the consent and that before-hande of all or the moste part of those Bishops and Pastors they may lawfully with their consent appoint both times and places and formes also euen of preaching and praying and administring the Sacramentes Yea many of the sanctions that the Emperours haue made and the making of them is good and authenticall are of matters a great deale more meere Ecclesiasticall as we shal be ready God willing to shewe a greate number of them if our Brethren shall desire to sée them As for the reason that our Brethren heere include in this Parenthesis of whome as in some respect he is a feeling member This is but a weake reason to debarre the authoritie of the Ciuil Christian Magistrate in making caeremoniall Constitutions For though in some respect the Prince is but a feeling member as they terme him yet is hee vnder Christ in some respect the principall member and reprâ—senting in some respect a farre higher estate then any or than all the Pastors doâ—else let them denie with the Papistes that the Prince is next vnder Christe the supreme gouernor in Ecclesiasticall and temporall matters which they cannot say of any or al their Pastors If they shal recommend the pastor in this respect that he representeth Christe in his Eâ—clesiasticall Ministerie which the Prince though he also do in his ciuilâ— Ministerie yet in that respect is the inferiour notwithstanding in that some respect of the Princes supreme gouernment both Bishops and pastors and all as Chrysostome saith are vnder the Prince And what then when men shall reade this will they thinke of these high and lostie speeches that our Brethren heere make the Christian Soueraigne prince a feeling member of the pastors and Elders If they had sayd thus that the Christian prince is a feeling member of the Church not meaning as the Papists do by the Church only the Pastorâ— but the whole corporation of it or actiuely to feele and sounde the Pastors by gouerning of them then had their meaning béene plaine and good but their argument had béene neuer the better But that the Prince is made as a part subiected to them a member of the Pastors and Elders is too farre to aduaunce themselues aboue the Prince aboue the church and all For if the Prince be a member of the Pastors and Elders then much more all those are so that are vnder the Prince And if in ioyning here the Pastors and Elders they meane by these Elders their Eccl. gouernors that are not teachers then in saying Pastors Elders of whom the ciuill christian Magistrate is a member they bring the Prince vnder those Gouernors also and they being 2. seuerall functions we shall haue 2. heads like a spread-eagle whereof all the people are the body and the ciuill Christian Magistrate is in some respect but a feeling member But what respect he can be a member to them both that let them expound it in I haue but little feeling of it And yet is this also as darkely spoken as the other is presumptuous to call the Prince their feeling member For though it be somewhat that in the worde feeling they giue him life and sense at least yet whether they compare the Prince vnto the hande wherein the sense of feeling is most sensible or to anie other inferiour part or member that must also be referred to their further exposition In the meane season these spéeches being so offensiue to any that haue any feeling in them I maruell that they which cry out so much of the titles of Lord and Archbishop doe vnder pretence of these titles Pastors and Elders thus exalt them selues and in respecte of themselues thus debase the high authoritie of the ciuill Christian Magistrate that they make him their feeling member But to confirme this they proceede saying It is out of all controuersie that before there were any Christian
Who sayth hereon Lib. 4. Instit. cap. 10. sect 29. in these wordes Of the former kind that is to say of those ceremoniall constitutions that are for comelines Paule hath examples as that no prophane banquetes be mixed together with the holy supper of the Lord. That women except they couer their heads come not forth into a publike place and many other thinges are had in 〈◊〉 vse That wee pray kneeling and bare headed that wee administer the Sacramentes of the Lorde not vncleanely but with some dignitie that in burying the dead wee giue thereto a certaine honestie and such other thinges as pertayne thereto In the other kinde that is to say for order there are houres designed to the publike prayers to the sermons and to the mysticall actions In the sermons themselues there is quiet and silence and places appoynted thereunto the tunes or singing together of the hymnes and daies prefixed for celebrating of the L. supper that which Paule forbiddeth that women teach not in the Church and if there be any such like thinges But chiefely those that conserue discipline as the Catechizing the Eccl. Censures excommunication fastes the thinges that may be referred to that cataloge Thus may we referre all the Eccl. constitutions which we receaue for good and wholesome vnto two heads for the one sort of them haue respect to rites and ceremonies the other to discipline and peace Howebeit because here is daunger least of the one parte the false Bishops shoulde snatch a pretence hereupon to excuse their wicked and tyrannicall lawes he speaketh of those Popish Bishops whome he before described and on the other part least there should be anie too much fearefull which being warned by the former euils would leaue no place at all to lawes bee they neuer so holy it is a thing woorth the labour here to testifie that to conclude I doe allowe those humane constitutions which are founded on the authoritie of God and which are taken out of the scripture and so are wholly diuine Let the example be in the kneeling which is made while the solemne praiers are had The question is whether it be an humane tradition that is lawefull for euerie one to refuse or neglect I saye it is suche an humane tradition as that with all it is a diuine tradition It is of God in respect it is a part of that comelinesse the care and conseruation whereof is commended vnto vs by the Apostle But it is of man in respect that it designeth out in specialtie that which generally was ordeined rather than expounded By this one example wee may esteeme what wee ought to thinke of this whole kinde to witte because the Lorde hath faythfully comprehended with his holie eyes and clearely declared both the whole summe of true righteousnesse and all the partes of the worship of his godhead and whatsoeuer was necessarie to saluation in these he onely is our Master that must be heard but because in externall Discipline and Ceremonies he would not particularly prescribe what we should followe neither iudged he one forme to be conuenient for all ages of the worlde we must here flee vnto the generall rules that he gaue that what thinges so euer the necessitie of the Churche shal require to be commaunded for order and comelinesse may be driuen to them Thus among other these ceremoniall constitutions writeth Caluine of kneeling at the times of solemne prayers which are then most requisite while wee are participating the heauenly mysteries of the Lordes supper And therefore kneeling though it be not necessarie with any simple necessitie in it selfe yet as it is a reuerent and diuine ceremonie it is necessarie as conuenient at the times of solemne prayer and thankesgiuing and of consequence at the communion both for order and comelinesse of the bodies gesture and for testification and edification also of the mindes deuotion But least a surplusse here should be left out that a surplusse say they in common prayer is more necessarie than a deuoute minde I do not thinke that any man is or euer was of that opinion For were he neuer so blinde a Papist yet till he chiefely stoode on his blinde deuotion And I appeale euen to our Brethrens consciences whether they thinke indéede as I beleeue they doe not that any man is of that minde But what shall the reader and and all the people thinke of this that the surplusse being here one of the ceremonies brought in for instance to admitte varietie as times persons and occasions serue to bee diuerse and so of consequence may well be vsed yea and by the correlation of this rule should be vsed ordinarily though it admitte sometimes such occasion of leauing it off And this also is become one of the desires in this Learned Discourse of all the faithfull ministers that seeke the reformation of the Church of Englande that the surplusse may be accounted but as a ceremonie that admitteth such varietie And yet we sée there are many amongst them so deuoted against a surplusse that rather than they will weare it at any time they will forsake all the ministerie and make great sturre and trouble about it notwithstanding the iudgement of all the reuerende and learned men that haue testified as euen heere their selues also are faine to doe the indifference of it and of the vse thereof But our Brethren not thinking of this contradiction betwéene their owne writing and their doing but thinking if at least wise they so thinke indeed that there be but what number they tell not that thinke these ceremonies are more necessarie than they be let vs nowe see what reason moueth our Brethren to thinke that there be such as do thinke so And great occasion say they offered to the ignorant so to thinke when they see them that preach most diligently praye most feruently and minister the Sacraments most reuerently according to Christes institution to bee displaced of all ministerie for a crosse or a font or a surplusse or some such other trifle Euery thing here that misliketh our Brethr. is but a trifle with them And thus they pretende vnto the world that they be displaced but for trifles But what soeuer these are is all the communion booke and publike prescribed forme of diuine seruice but a trifle too And is the ciuill Christian Magistrates authoritie and so the Queenes Maiesties supreme gouernement in all Ecclesiasticall causes so well as temporall and of consequence in all these and other causes in controuersie betweene vs but a trifle with our Brethren too and is all the superior authoritie of the Bishops all the controuersies about Discipline and the Ecclesiasticall Regiment of their tetrarchie for Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons offices which they contende for and all the other particular matters in question both in this Learned Discourse and in all their other treatises which they still set foorth nothing but trifles For these
and condemned the authors and mainteiners of them which the particular Churches could not doe Of which examples there are store in the Ecclesiastiâ—all Histories For which causes Synodes ought oftentymes to bee assembled though not generall of the whole Realme but particular of euery Prouince or Shire as it may bee most conueniently that such things as are to be refourmed may be redressed with speede To this we graunt with such exception as before and it is in vse also for such petite and particular Synodes as euery Bishoppe hath in his Dioces and in the partitions thereof as Dioceses be now taken in the Ecclesiastâ—cal acceptation of the word differing from the ciuill acceptation For in the ciuill Lawe as Bernardus Waltherus noteth lib. 1. miscell cap. 19. the worde Diocese is now and then taken for a Prouince as in lib. 1. c. de priua Carcer where Aegyptiaca Diocoesis is vsed for the Prouince of Egypt But he thinketh rather there is a great difference herein for that many Prouinces were conteyned vnder a Diocese as were many Dioceses vnder a Prefecture But wee vnderstand these termes of Diocese and Prouince otherwise for a Prouince to conteyne vnder it some number of Dioceses and a Diocese to conteyne some number of particular Churches or Parishes which now and then are bounded or parted in diuers Shires And looke how the lawes Ecclesiasticall and the common lawes of this our Realme haue deliuered vnto vs the distinction and acceptation of these names ratified by custome in the same sence doe wee accept them without alteration or contention So that although we haue not Prouinciall Synodes so oftentymes yet haue we Episcopall Synodes and Synodes of other ordinaries such as are thought if they bee well vsed most conuenient for our state and Churches if they be abused the fault is not in the lawe but in the officers These smaller Synodes as they haue their ordinarie tymes appoynted and are limited for the number of the particular Churches that are in them to assemble together so is their authoritie limited accordingly For if we shall consider all the premisses what our Brethren haue giuen vnto the Synode If any controuersie say they of doctrine doe arise the lawfull Synode hath to consider that it bee determined by the word of God and to determine of the vse of ceremonies pag. 116. And that also for order and comelinesse and best edification the Synode hath to determine what shall bee obserued in particular charges as of the tyme place and forme of preaching and ministring the Sacraments pag. 117. That to make ceremoniall constitutions whereby the Church must be gouerned in mere Ecclesiastical matters it is out of al controuersie c. This authoritie was proper vnto the Synode pag. 118. Yea that the Church was lawfully vested with absolute authoritie and the Synode hath to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church whereof some may be generall to all congregations some particular to certeyne churches pag. 119 120. That the Synode ought to haue such regard of all Churches that they haue speciall regarde of euery one pag. 120. That the ouerseers and Elders of the Church should come together to consider of this matter what orders were most fit for diuers places to bring them to the obedience of Christ what for the furtherance of theÌ„ that are newly come and what for the continuance and encrease of theÌ„ that are very well come on pag. 121. Thus the Synode therefore ought to bee carefull in ordeyning of ceremonies not onely that they be pure and agreeable to the word of God but also that they be expedient for the time persons for whose vse they are ordeined pag. 122. That the Synode hath further authoritie concerning discipline to refourme and redresse by Eccl. censure all such defaults and controuersies as cannot be determined in the particular Churches both to punish seuerely the Pastor himself and the Elders that should be refourmers of others Here is great authoritie giuen to the Synode And what now is this Synode that hath all this so great authoritie Is it a generall Synod No. Is it a nationall Synod No neither But what of that though it bee not generall of the whole but particular of euery Prouince A then is it yet at least of a Prouince that hath so great authoritie Nay soft not so but particuler of euery Prouince or Shire as it may be most conueniently What and is this Synod that we haue talked of all this while a Synod of a Shire And do our Bre. think this may be most conuenient that euery Synod of euery Shire may do all these things as seemeth best to their wisedomes one Shire one way and another Shire another way and so many diuers orders of ceremonies and disciplines in euery Shire as it pleaseth the Synode of that Shire to determine Well yet this is somewhat better than it was before when vniformitie of ceremonies was cleane condemned for an vntrue principle For by that vntrue principle of theirs not only all the authoritie therein of all Synodes was ouerthrowne but euery Church yea euery man for ceremonies might alter or chaunge theÌ„ at his pleasure for feare he might bee thought to holde an vntrue principle that there should be an vniformitie in them But yet would this breede a meruestlous diuersitie and a number of continuall garboyles and contentions in this Realme if euery Shire therein had their Synod which Synode had full authoritie to do all these things aforesayd Howsoeuer our Brethren thinke this may be conuenient it cannot sirke into my dull head but that if euery of these Shire Synods had this authoritie it would soone be a sorie England the whole Realme consisting of so many Shires and all the Shires ruled by so many Synodes and all the Synodes hauing so much authoritie yea full authoritie euery one of them as much as hath the whole in all For what is here left to the whole nationall Synod yea were it to a generall oecumenicall and vniuersall councell that this Shire councell or Synode cannot doe if it haue all this foresayd authoritie And if one Shire then determine one thing another Shire determine the coÌ„trary to what higher Synod shall the appeale be made Or what neede the other care for such appeale Or what authoritie hath any other Synod more thaÌ„ that Synod had And might not al be theÌ„ in a wise pickle cal they this a redressing with speed I pray God sende vs better speede than I feare mee wee should finde by such a redressing But I hope our brethren wil either helpe vs againe with some more speedie meanes and good deuise how we may shake of the doubtes of these absurdityes and inconueniences or else their selues on better aduisementes of them will neyther seeke quirks to salue and colour them nor yet maintaine them anye longer but renounce them when they shall
followeth how can our brethren excuse them selues that they be not in danger of this Act if they haue beneâ—ices or haue they not done and doe cleane contrary to this their learned discourse in agreeing to the statute that they might holde their liuings if they haue not lost them againe by setting out this their learned discourse and by their maintenance of these opinions and assertions that are so direct against the statutes marke the wordes of the act and as they call it the godly meaning of the parliament And that if any person ecclesiasticall or which shall haue ecclesiasticall liuing shall aduisedly mainteyne or affirme any doctrine directly coÌ„trary or repugnant to any of the sayd articles and being conuented before the Bishop of the diocoese or the ordinarie or before the Queenes highnesse commissioners in causes ecclesiasticall shall persist therein or not reuoke his errour or after such reuocatioÌ„ eftsoones affirme such vntrue doctrine such mainteyning or affirming and persisting or suche eftsoones affirming shal be iust cause to depriue such persons of his ecclesiasticall promotions And it shal be lawfull for the Bishop of the diocoese or the ordinary or the said commissioners to depriue such persoÌ„ so persisting or lawfully conuicted of such eftsoones affirming vpoÌ„ such sentence of depriuation pronounced he shal be indeed depriued Now if we shall withal consider how our brethren haue aduisedlie that is to say of deliberate and aduised purpose directly in this their learned discourse pag. 135 challenged the doctrine of the sayd booke of Articles saying As was practised in the conuocation of the foresaid parliament vnto diuers Godly and learned preachers that offred to speake against diuers grosse and palpable errours that had escaped the Bishops decrees as for the distinction of Canonicall and apocriphall bookes for explication of the clause in the article of predestination where it is sayde the elect may fall from grace and such like matters how truly this is spken of that conuocation and howe trulye also they haue in these wordes burdened both the Bishops and the articles of no lesse than grosse and palpable errours and that in principall pointes of doctrine I reserue that till I come to the proper place where it is to be answered But howe haue not our brethren aduisedly affirmed and if they will stand to it maintayned doctrine directlye contrarye and repugnant to some of the the Articles of the sayde booke For to affirme and maintaine that that which is good doctrine is a grosse and palpable errour what is that but to affirme and maintaine the doctrine that is directly contrary and repugnant thereto and what remayneth But that if the Bishops will not pitifully abuse that authority of the statute that was committed vnto them they or the ordinarye or the Queenes Maiesties highe commissioners in Ecclesiasticall causes ought to conuent these oure learned discoursing Bretheren before them if they had anye names that they might knowe them and if any of them shall persist and not reuoke his errour c that this shal be iust cause to depriue such person of his Ecclesiasticall promotions And besides these Articles aforesaid that they challenge for grosse palpable errours how do they not also impugne the 34.35 36. articles of the said booke Yea diuerse of theÌ„ haue beene also conueÌ„ted before the Bishop the Ordinary or the Commissioners aforesayd and haue persisted in the contrarye to those articles and these our learned discoursing bretheren haue gone further to put their contradictions foorth to the worlde in print The wordes of the 34. article which they inpugne are these Who soeuer throughe his priuate Iudgement willingly and purposelye doth openlye breake the traditions of the Church which bee not repugnaâ—t to the worde of God and be ordeyned and approued by common authoritye oughte to be rebuked openly that other maye feare to doe the lyke as hee that offendeth against the common order of the Church and hurteth the authoritye of the Magistrate and woundeth the consciences of the weake bretheren If our Brethren would agrée vnto this article there should not be such troubles as there are amongst vs. The 35. article is of Homilies The second booke of homilies the seuerall titles wherof we haue ioyned vnder this article doth conteyne a godly and wholesom doctrine necessary for these times as doth the former boke of homilies which were set forth in the time of K. Edward the 6. therfore we iudge them to be read in churches by the ministers diligently distinctly that they may be vnderstood of the people Our brethren say pa. 49. that a prescript forme of reading of praiers of homelies such like when they are alleaged to maintain the ignorance of vnskilful pastors as though that were the vse they are alleaged for are but the instrumeÌ„ts of folish Idoll shepherds which haue a certaine preteÌ„ce of Pastorall office but in effect are altogether vnmeete for the same The 36. article is for ConsecratioÌ„ of B. ministers The booke of consecration of Archbishops B. ordering of priestes deacons lately set foorth in the time of Edward the 6. confirmed at the same time by authority of parliament doth conteyn al things necessary to such consecration ordering neither hath it any thing that of it selfe is superstitious or vngodly therefore whosoeuer are consecrated or ordered according to the rites of that boke since the secoÌ„d yere of the aforenamed king Edward vnto this time or hereafter shal be consecrated or ordered according to the same rires we decree all such to bee rightly orderly and lawfully consecrated and ordered And is not now the greatest part of this our brethrens learned discourse for the consecrating ordering or ordeyning of Archbishops B. Priestes or Elders and deacons directly contrary and repugnant to the doctrine and decree of this article and what followeth hereupon but that eyther our brethren must renounce this their learned discourse or must denie the authority and godly meaning of this act Anno. 13 which here they haue approued or else if the B. and other offâ—cers shall not pitifully abuse that authority which by the same statute is committed to them they must by the godly meaning and wordes of this act pronounce them to bee iustly depriued yea theirselues haue pronounced sentence against themselues But this and all other inconueniences before rehearsed shoulde vtterly bee auoided if wee might once establish the lawfull election of Pastors according to the woorde of God It were also greatlye to bee wished that it might bee brought to passe that in euery congregation there shoulde bee two Pastors at the leaste both bicause the charge is greate and also for supplying the lacke of the one if the other were sicke or absent vppon necessitye or anye such lyke case Which thing were both agreeable to the example of the Apostolike church and also verye profitable for the congregation Wee doe not
being out of that place And that where such preachers are not there can bee no publike prayers nor sacraments administred c. What one of these points and a number moe hath bin prooued by anie one cleere testimonie or necessarye consequent of the Scripture or by any one substantiall reason for the proofe of them and what else in effect is this than but to order all these thinges at their pleasures And when they take on with all the Bishops as though by their former industries and labours they their selues had not receaued this light of the Gospell which God bee praysed wée haue if wee can vse it thankfully or as though they were not by the Bishops made Ministers of the Gospell if they haue anye Ministerie at all thereof and be not meere lay men is not this euen as though the Gospell so far as the light of these controuersies commeth vnto and their Ministerie thereof sprang first from them or had come vnto them onely if not to our Bishops nor to anye of our conuocations nor to all the clergie of our Church of England but onely to them that set these thinges abroache and what now shall wée conclude on them as they do on the Bishops it sauoureth nothing so much as of popish tyranny whereof sauoreth this first to put backe the Princes supremacie in Ecclesiasticall causes till all their Eccl. tetrarchie be parted among them in such maner as wee haue alredy heard and then to pull downe all the dignities and authorities of Archebishops Bishops and all other Ecclesiasticall superiour Prelates And to set vp themselues euerye one to bée a full Bishoppe in his owne seuerall congregation what though not Lordeship in name but M. Bishop yet in rule and authoritye ouer all in his congregation to bée euen a Lordeship to suffer no superiour Pastor ouer him in his iurisdiction but eche one equall to the best and hée as though hée were in his terrytorie euen another newe little Pope sitting in his pontificalibus with his consistorie of gouernors as though it were a Colledge or Senate of a newe kinde of Cardinalles as the hingins that holde vp the dores of Ecclesiasticall regiment and discipline with a new mixte kinde of gouernors semi-secular and dimi-ecclesiasticall Seniors to sit by the themselues rounde aboute this Episcopall Pastor ouer ruling all the congregation yea whosoeuer were inhabiting in the parish Knight Lord Earle Duke Prince Queene King or Emperour they must all of them for all discipline and Ecclesiasticall regiment be ouer-ruled by him by these his Gouerning Elders sitting about him Of what sauoureth this Of dominion of Poperie of tyrannie of confusion of pride of ordering all things at their pleasures besides what dangers else or worse thaÌ„ yet we see not if our bishops shoulde thus retallie these thinges vnto our Bretheren woulde they not trowe you pay home the reckoning But as thoughe they were not yet on euen handes but that there were a greate oddes in this reckoning and as though the Bishoppes were not to bee accompted comparable nor for Learning Studye Iudgemente Zeale Example they were so woorthy of their authoritye as these our Bretheren are to haue this newe kind of Eccl. gouernment they obiect vnto the bishops their non sufficiencie in these thinges Whereas otherwise saye they it is well knowne they are not all of the best learned nor all of the longest study nor all of the soundest Iudgement nor all of the greatest zeale nor all of the best Example and therefore not meetest to be the onelye determiners in Ecclesiasticall matters to the preiudice of the whole Synode As for this conclusion wee shall come to it in his turne This comparison in the antecedent is somewhat odious to vpbraide to the Bishoppes that they are not all of the best in these thinges as though there were some other in the Synode better heerein than they Belike they meane those diuerse godlye and learned Preachers that they sayde before before offered to speakâ— or else some other of themselues that they woulde haue to bee also of the Synode For although it were a pretie pollicie to commit vs together among our selues with an emulation agaynste our bishops as not so learned c. as they would haue vs of the Conuocation house thinke our selues to bée yet they lightly giue not this to â—â—y of vs to be counted eyther learned or studious or sounde in iudgement or of greate zeale or of best example But they oftentimes commende themselues for all these thinges to bée godlie wise graue and zealous men they are those that Preache moste diligentlye praye most feruentlye and minister the Sacramentes moste reuerently they are the faithfull Ministers that seeke the Churches reformation and still looke vp to the top of euery leafe and there hangeth vp this Iuie Garland to tolle on the reader A Learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment As for our Bishops tush for them it is well knowne they are not all of the best learned nor all of the longest studie nor all of the greatest zeale nor all of the best example I praye you bretheren of what sauoureth this Surely it sauoureth not all of the best learning neyther in my iudgement if not rather of that learning whereof Sainct Paule sayth scientia inflat Well howe vnsounde soeuer they shall accounte my simple Iudgement woulde God their learning sauoured a little more of lowlie humility and of Christian charitie than it doth to thinke better of other their brethren in these qualities namely of their betters than of them selues And yet if one shall examine these qualities particularly what cause haue they to vpbrayde their Learning to the Bishops Iwisse they may easilie enter comparison with many of these our Bretheren And if they shoulde all bée measured by this Learned discourse might not these wordes returne to their Maisters that neyther they are all of the best learning except they haue better learning that they keepe yet in store for an after reckoning And as for long studie in the moste of them there néede no long studie for an aunswere All the worlde may see that in the yeares of the studentes do not their selues in their preface confesse If any shal obiect that the graue authority of Archbishops Bishops shall receaue a checke whilste they are brought to deale with those whom they iudge few yong vnlearned not comparable to themselues but now they dare compare both in long studie in learning too with the B. and giue the check too as yong as they be yea in their opinion to giue theÌ„ check-mate and that with a pawne But what sayd they there to this obiection did they not say let vs graunt the greate difference which they make of yeares and learning yet the speeche of Elihu giueth them sufficient aunswere that this vnderstanding is not tyed to such outwarde respectes but to the reuelation of Gods spirite Here as it were
decide al our other controuersies For first we confesse with our Brethr. that this Antichrist the Pope did and doth chalenge vnto himselfe all authoritie both that which is proper to God and that which is common to men But so doth not her Maiestie chalenge nor acknowledg any other authoritie but that that is due and properly appertayning to the Prince vnder God common onely to those persons or rather peculiar to them that vnder God are the chiefe Soueraignes in their Dominions We confesse also with our Brethr. that this Antichrist the Pope claimeth to be that only heade of the Church frō which the whole bodie receaued directiō was kept in vnitie of faith this his claime was is blaspemous against Christ therefore may not be vsurped by any ciuill Magistrate no more than by the Pope Neither doth her Maiestie or euer did neither did her foresayd most royall Father Brother claime or vsurpe any such authoritie ouer vs or we acknowledge any such authoritie in them We confesse with our Brethren likewise where he meaning this Antichrist the Pope chalengeth authoritie to alter change dispense with the commaundementes of God to make newe articles of fayth to ordayne newe Sacramentes c. this is also blasphemous and ought not to be vsurped of any ciuill Prince Neyther doth her Maiestie or did her foresayde most noble Father and brother vsurp or chalenge any such authoritie or we yéelde it Caluine indéede did at the first so mistake it that the most noble Prince K. Henrie the 8. tooke vpon him the like authoritie and therefore wrote against it verie inconsiderately But afterwarde both in K. Edw. in her Ma. perceiuing no such authoritie giuen or taken he tooke no such offence at the claime of their authoritie but approoueth the same and in all due manner writeth to them We confesse also with our Br. on the otherside where he to wit this Antichrist the Pope chalengeth authoritie ouer all Princes so ouer all the Clergie that he did exempt them frō the ciuill iurisdiction this is contumelious iniurious against al Christian kings Neither doth her Maiestie or did her foresayde most noble Father brother chalenge any such authoritie ouer all Princes nor ouer all the Clergie except a due authoritie ouer al such inferiour Princes because some states in the Realm may be included in the name of Princes vnder her Ma. ouer al those of the clergie which are within her Ma. dominiōs are her lawful subiects neither exempteth she the Clergie frō al the ciuil iurisdiction nor offreth in this her authority any contumely or iniurie to al or against any christian Kings or against other Soueraignes in their Dominions neither do wee acknowledge any other than such as is a lawefull authoritie in her Maiestie And here as her Maiestie is frée her title and authoritie right due in her own dominions ouer all vnder vassaile Princes in or of the same dominions and ouer all the Clergie also in or of all her Maiesties dominions aforesaide concerning the ciuill iurisdiction wherof so farre as the Clergie hold any portion or any other ciuill priuiledge prerogatiue franchesse or immunitie they hold it reacknowledge it in all due obedience and thankefulnesse as deriued frō the munificence of her Ma. and her royall Progenitors So let our Brethren herein take héede how they their new Clergie of consistory gouernors in their Sanedrins vnder pretence of enquiring examining determining iudging and punishing all offences in their seuerall congregations encroch not vpon the Princes ciuil iurisdiction For this also is contumelious and iniurious both against her Maiesties authoritie against al christian Kings Princes and against the most of the ciuill Magistrates Iudges Iustices officers vnder the chiefe and soueraigne Princes besides the Eccl. Prelates their officers And therefore we conclude as our Brethr. here do euery Prince in his own dominion ought to cast off the yoake of his to wit the Popes subiection to bring all Eccl. persons vnto his or her obedience iurisdiction And we conclude a little further that in the number of these Eccl. persons the Prince ought to bring in presupposing there were any such all this new kinde of Doctors all these new Bishops in euery parish all these new Gouernors and all these new Deacons in euerie congregation in his or her dominions vnder his or her obedience iurisdiction and to cast off the yoake of their subiection which if they ought to doe then let our Brethr. againe take héede how they impugne the obedience and iurisdiction of her Maiestie and her lawes established and cast among her subiectes such repugnant discourses as this is vaunt they neuer so much therein of Learning Here haue we say they the first part of the title of supreme gouernment ouer all persons And thus farre both our Brethren we agrée concerning the persons In matters or causes Eccl. likewise the Pope doth not onely presume against God as we sayd before but also against the lawfull authoritie giuen by God vnto men For he forbiddeth Princes to meddle with reformation of Eccl. matters or to make any lawes pertayning to causes of religion aunswering them that those thinges do appertaine only to him and the generall Counsell But when he cōmeth to debate any thing with his Clergie then al lawes and knowledge are inclosed in the closet of his breast When any generall Councell must be holden all that they do receiueth authoritie from him For except he do allow it is nothing And hee is so wise that neither with the Councell nor without the Councell he can erre or thinke amisse in matters Eccl. when as it is not onely lawefull but also necessarie for Princes if they will doe their dutie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall But so that wee confounde not the offices of the Prince and Pastor For as it is not lawefull for the prince to preach nor administer the Sacraments no more is it lawfull for him to make lawes in Eccl. causes contrarie to the knowledge of his learned Pastors For as these three partes of the pastors dutie are graunted to him by God preaching ministring of Sacramentes and Eccl gouernment he may no more take from a Pastor the third than he may the two first They are now come from the persons to the matters or causes Eccl. wherein and how farre foorth they will acknowledge the title and authoritie of the Princes supremacie All this that our Brethr. say here against the popes claime of supremacie for matters or causes Eccl. the same say we And we gladly accept that which our Brethren do condemne in the popes presumption and vsurpation both against God and man and his forbidding princes to meddle with reformation of Eccl. matters or to make any lawes pertayning to causes of religion aunswering them that
haue they haue it of the Bishops and of their authoritie that gaue them authoritie and now they reward them well for their labour that would eate them vp that brought them vp as did the wolfe eate vp the Goate of whome she suckt or rather as God complayneth I haue nourished children Yea they are growne now so cranke on this little authoritie that they fall vnto prescribing abridging limitting and setting downe lawes euen to their soueraigne Princes But quo warranto by what new authoritie they can do all these things against all these states and degrées of men in all these matters though it be beyond my authoritie to examine them yet bycause it is beyond my learning I would but gladly know it if they can teach it But since they begin héere to relent somewhat to the Princes supremacy without further ripping vp of former matters except they begin againe to shrinke backe after their former manner let vs take them now in their good moode and most ioyfully we accept this our Brethrens graunt which héere they yéeld vnto that it is not onely lawfull but also necessary for Princes if they will do their duty to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall Yea forsooth this is another manner of matter than we heard of any yet of our Brethrens mouths towards the reformation of these things that it is lawfull and necessary for Princes besides their looking to it euen to make lawes of Eccl. matters so indéede did Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon and other good Princes before Christes coÌ„ming and so did Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Martian Zeno Iustinian and diuers others godly Princes since Christes comming and such Eccl. lawes haue we in this Realme of the auncient Bryttish Kings héeretofore and euen so did some Kings also since the Conquest make some such lawes of Eccl. matters for all their authority was much impugned incroched vppon and in the end â—ppressed by the intrusion and tyrannie of the Pope till God moued the heart of that most heroicall Prince King Henry the eyght and after him of his most vertuous sonne King Edward the sixt who both of them regayned this supreme authoritie and thereby made many most godly and excellent lawes for the reformation of religion and of Eccl. matters and so the Lord be glorified for her our most excellent Soueraigne Lady Queene Elizabeth whose dayes God long prolong in all felicitie verie dutifully carefully and religiously to the vttermost of her power hath done and doth looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall if our Brethren would on the other side do their dutie and in thankefulnesse be contented with her Maiesties reformation of religion and with the lawes Eccl. that her Maiesty hath already made yéelding their dutifull obedience in the reuerent accepting and obseruing of them If now our Brethren would thus hold on in the acknowledgement of the Princes authority we should soone agrée and as they say moue no controuersie neyther on this nor other matters But this confession that commeth thus in a good moode vpon them on a suddaine it is too good to continue long For streight they begin for feare they might séeme to haue graunted the Prince too much to come in and pinch it on the backe with new conditions and prouisoes But so say they that we confound not the offices of the Prince and of the Pastor Well if there follow no worse than this we accept also of this exception prouided againe on our part to fall to indenting on euen hands so that they rightly vnderstand this tearme of offices for her Maiestie neuer attempted nor the Statute admitteth any such attempt of confounding these offices of the Prince and the Pastor would God and it were his will our Brethren themselues were as farre off from confounding of these offices and that they and their new gouernors would encroch no more vpon her Maiesties royall office and on the offices of her officers vnder her than she or they do vpon the office of the Pastors But now least we should yet houer in suspense what they meane héere by these offices that should not be confounded they specifie the same and say For as it is not lawfull for the Prince to preach nor administer the Sacraments no more is lawfull for him to make lawes in Ecclesiasticall causes contrary to the knowledge of his learned Pastors I thought by little and little the winde would turne about and sit ruffling againe in his old place what néede these caueats héere so suspiciously cast out as though these offices or at least some of them were confounded or in hazard to be confounded by this supremacie that her Maiesty claimeth or that is yéelded to her whereas neyther the Statute giueth her Maiesty any such authority as whereupon any suspicion of such confusion of these offices should arise nor her Maiesty or her father or her brother did euer by this title claime or take vpon theÌ„ any such thing as either to preach or to administer sacraments or to do any other actions properly apperteining to the Bishops or to the Pastors or to any other Ecclesiasticall officers neither yet did make any lawes in Ecclesiasticall causes either contrary to the knowledge or without the knowledge and the consent also but with the knowledge aduice counsell and consent of her learned Pastors and so far likewise as reacheth to their Eccl. authority with their determination resolution and decree thereon which thing since her Maiesty hath so done satisfying all these caueats and exceptions how followeth it not by our Brethrens owne confession that it was and is lawfull for her so to do yea that it was and is necessary for her Maiesty if she would do as God be praysed she hath done and her duty to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Eccl. and how then if our Brethren will looke to themselues and to do their duty is it lawfull for them any more than for the Papists to disobey to deface to controll to impugne to violate to alter the lawes in Ecclesiasticall matters that her Maiesty hath thus made If they thinke she made them contrary to the knowledge of her learned Pastors bycause they take it that it is contrary to their knowledge if they were not Pastors at all wheÌ„ her Maiesty made these lawes or if that they which be Pastors now either be not or renounce to be such Pastors and of such ordeyning as her Maiestie and the Lawes of the Realme acknowledge to be Pastors or if these our Brethren be noâ— Pastors of such learning and knowledge as they pretend nor of any such number or estimation as the other learned Pastors in her Maiesties dominions are is she bound to take such knowledge of them that when all those whome she acknowledgeth to be her lawfull Pastors both the most and most estéemed
both the best and best learned of them haue consulted vppon and consented vnto haue agreed vpon and decreed also the same lawes that yet it shall not be lawfull to her Maiestie bycause of the dissent of a few other whome she knoweth not to be her Pastors to make any lawes at all of Ecclesiasticall matters or to looke to the reformation of religion why might not the Papists vse this reason as well as our Brethren to debarre her Maiesties right and authoritie héerein yea did not they vse the selfe-same reason pleading that they were the Pastors of the Realme and so her Maiesties Pastors also and that she could not looke to the reformation of Religion nor make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall contrarie to their knowledge and consenting for at her Maiesties first entrie into her raigne as she carefully looked before all other things to the reformation of Religion and to make godly lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so the Popish Pastors which then were most in number and greatest in power and were in dutie her Pastors also if they had perfourmed their dutie dutifully which they did not neyther can we denie but that they or many of them were learned also if they had had grace aunswerable to learning and had submitted their learning to truth and not deteyned others in blindnesse of ignorance to mainteine their errors was it not lawfull therefore vnto her Maiestie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall bycause it was contrarie to their acknowledging and to their consenting yes she perfourmed all this mawger their withstanding and she did well yea most excellent well in her so doing not yet as the Papists cried out and still crie that she did contrarie to the knowledge of her learned Pastors for they accounted none to be learned Pastors nor at all to be Pastors but themselues But her Maiestie did these things with the consent of those that were both Pastors and her Pastors too and her learned Pastors and euen by learning it was tried and by the better learning of her better learned Pastors vicit veritas the truth had the victorie and Poperie was confounded And so her Maiestie made her lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and reformation of Religion with the consent of her learned Pastors and established them with the approbation and authoritie of all the states of the Realme and Church of England and hath God be praysed happily continued till now of late as though we had not inough to do with the continuall maligning sclaunders and practises of the Popish Pastors and their adherents we fall out vnhappily among our selues and as her Maiesties godly and learned Pastors ioyned then with her Maiestie against the Popish Pastors in displacing them with all their errors and superstitious Ecclesiasticall lawes and reformed religion and made these lawes Ecclesiasticall that are now as yet in force so a new kinde of Pastors begin a new stur and are weary of these Ecclesiasticall lawes and of this reformation and of all these Pastors calling themselues the faithfull Ministers that seeke the reformation of the Church of England and would trie these matters againe by learning and so among other theyr bookes writings thereon haue now at length set forth to all the realme this learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and her Maiestie must now reuoke all the reformation and Ecclesiasticall lawes that she hath then and since made with her learned Pastors that then were and begin afresh both to turne out all those Pastors for no right ordeyned Pastors and to make new lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and a new reformation with their consents that say they be now her learned Pastors and on these conditions they wil admit her title of supremacy and her authority to do these things or else not If her Maiesty now shall heare of this what may she thinke thereon how may she comfort her selfe and warrant her actions in all things that she hath done already for if they were well done they may well continue if they may not well continue but must be vndone it is an argument they were not well done But her Maiesty though this be no small grief vnto her to haue all her doings thus ript vp againe by her owne subiects and professors of the same Gospell that she professeth and though it be no small triumph to the aduersaries of the Gospell and argument for them to descant vpon against her Maiestie and against both our Brethren and vs and all true Protestants yet let not her most excellent Maiesty be disinayed hereat though indéede it be a great corsie but when her Maiesty looketh on the grounds of the matter and not on the vnthankfulnes and mutabilitie of men and lifteth vp her eyes to heauen from whence commeth her saluation how mightely God hath blessed and defended her and prospered these things vnder her hands her Maiesty shall receyue a greater comfort and confirmation against all the treasonable practises of those her deadly aduersaries of the one partie and all the dangerous innouations of these her ouer-zealous subiects on the other party and represse them both in iustice and mercie with safe continuance and good successe God willing of all her Maiesties reformation and lawes that she hath made of Ecclesiasticall matters hetherto with the knowledge and consent of those that then were or yet are her learned Pastors And except these our new Pastors that would be haue any better learning not yet reuealed than is conteyned in this their learned discourse the learned Pastors that are now in place and in Pastorall authoritie will by Gods grace maynteyne and defende by truth and sound learning their authorities and the Ecclesiasticall lawes that her Maiesty hath made with their knowledge consents welynough I warrant them And let our Brethren to begin withall looke to this point better For sith they graunt it is her Maiesties authoritie to make Lawes of Eccl. matters so that she take from the Pastor none of these 3. offices Preaching Ministring the Sacraments nor the Eccl. Gouernment from them the Queenes Maiestie hauing made her Lawes without doing any of these thrée thinges nor hauing taken from the Pastor the thirde any more then the two first Let them looke to it both how they disobey the Lawes she hath made and how they cast foorth such suspitious sclaunders on her Maiestie as though in making her Lawes she did take the Pastors Ecclesiasticall gouernment from him By this it appeareth howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermeddle with causes Ecclesiasticall namely that it is the cheefest point of their duty to haue speciall regard that God may be glorified in their dominion and therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders that they being instructed by the worde of God through the
much authoritie at length vnto their Princes But now if they will beare so hard a hand that we shall get no more authoritie for the Prince and so for her Maiestie but bare and hardly this which would make a man to maruell that they which so often talke of her Maiesties supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes haue now brought it from a supremacie to such an inferioritie that the Pope will offer as much authoritie to Princes to mainteine his errors as these Pastors will offer to mainteine the Gospell yet I maruell the lesse considering all things for they haue great cause to be afrayde to graunt the Prince but thus much For haue the Prince but this authoritie ouer all the persons that if any shall offend against the lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall or against the Princes ciuill lawes made to bind the people to them whether he be Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape that he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate If this be so then it stands our Brethren vpon to take great héede for howsoeuer they shall despise our Prelates Ecclesiasticall censure how will they escape this bodily punishment Yea how do they not pronounce this sentence thereof against themselues do they thinke that they offend not her Maiesties lawes that thus deface them breake them and write against them or do they thinke they be not her Maiesties Lawes but the Churches or the Cleargies Did not her Maiesties approbation of them quicken confirme them to become Lawes and hath she made no other ciuill Lawes also with the whole authoritie of the Realme to establish those Lawes Or do they thinke her Maiesties Lawes to be no Lawes neyther Ecclesiasticall nor yet Ciuill so they may indéede make a wise match and finde that not onely her Maiesties Lawes be Lâ—wes and good and lawfull lawes also but that her punishments be punishments and that iust and seuere punishments too But her Maiestie is most mercifull and I hope they will be more dutifull and bethinke themselues better on these things This we see that all Christian Emperours obserued that when any controuersie arose eyther of doctrine or of order and ceremonies they commaunded the Cleargie to consult and determine thereof according to the Scripture who assembling together in counsell obeyed theyr commaundement theyr conclusion then by the authoritie of the Emperour was commaunded euery where to be obserued and those that impugned it to be punished The same order we reade to be obserued by the Christian Kings of Fraunce and Spayne yea of this our Bryttannie also in gouerning their Ecclesiasticall state by the aduice of the Cleargie of their dominion Her Maiestie taketh not on her nor desireth any more neyther do we acknowledge any lesse authoritie in her then had the auncient Christian Emperours Constantine Theodosius Valentinian Martianus Honorius Arcadius Iustinian c. And we graunt that all Christian Emperours obserued this that when any controuersie arose eyther of doctrine or of order and ceremonies if the importance of that controuersie did so require they commaunded the Cleargie to consult and to determine thereof according to the Scripture this is most true and it was well done of them Howbeit they their selues made many good Ecclesiasticall lawes and sanctions besides those which they confirmed with their supreme authoritie that by occasion of great controuersies were consulted vpon and determined in generall or prouinciall Counsels And yet euen in those Counsels the Emperour did not onely commaund the Cleargie to consult and determine of the controuersies eyther of doctrine or of order and ceremonies and when the Cleargie had consulted vpon and determined the same and had declared theyr determination to the Emperour then he allowed it and commaunded that euery where it should be obserued and those that impugned it to be punished for this indéede were no more then as I sayd before the verie Pope hymselfe saue for the commaunding of him and them could be content the Emperour yet should do so that he would intermedle nothing in the matters themselues that are in controuersie but let him and his Cleargie alone with the consulting and determining of all the controuersies and the Emperour onely to allow of their Decree and to commaund all his subiects whether they be Preachers or hearers to obserue the same and to punish those that do impugne it But that which the Pope can in no wise abide the Emperour went further than all this commeth to for besides that he did all those things in the Counselles which we haue before declared though he had also Presidents whome he appointed according as he thought méete to gouerne the Counsell and all the order and actions thereof yet now and then as the importance of the matter required and other affayres hindered him not he sate himselfe in the Counsell among them debated and consulted on the matters with them and ioyned also with them euen in the determination of the matters themselues And that this is true the Emperour Constantines owne wordes do witnesse of his owne dooings in the most famous Nicene Councell and that both in the chiefest controuersie of our faith and also in that great controuersie of the order and ceremonie of kéeping Easter day after the order that we now kéepe it whereof Constantine writing his Epistle vnto all Churches as appeareth in Socrates historie lib. 1. cap. 6. he sayeth on this wise When as I perceyued by the prosperous and flourishing estate of the common weale how greatly we are beholden to the goodnesse of Almightie God conferred vpon vs I iudged that aboue all things it behoued me of dutie to foresee that in the most holie and sacred assemblyes of the Catholike Church vnder heauen there should one faith sincere loue and charitie vniforme consent and agreement touching the religion and seruice of Almightie God inuiolably be reteyned but sithence that the same could by no other meanes be settled in sure and firme place except all the Byshops or the greatest part of them had assembled together and that euery one had giuen his iudgement of the matters perteyning to the most holie religion when as for the same cause so great an assemblie as possiblie could be made was gathered together I my selfe euen as one of your number was present together with you for neyther did I refuse to ioyne my selfe with you in that ministerie of which doing I conceyue great ioy and so farre were all the matters exquisitely sought out vntill the sentence gratefull and acceptable vnto God for the concord and consent of mens minds was openly pronounced in so much that nothing at all remayneth heereafter that may tend to discord or controuersie of the faith When as at that time it was disputed vpon concerning the feast day of Eeaster it was thought meete by the common sentence of all that all men euery where should celebrate the same
vpon one and the selfe-same day for what could be better or more honorable than that thys feast by which we haue the hope of Immortalitie set foorth vnto vs should be continually kept of all men after one manner and order c. And so he entereth into many excellent perswasions to the Churches to moue them to forsake the Iewes order and to ioyne all in obseruing the order that he with the Counsell had decreed But sayth he if these thyngs had not beene set foorth by me yet were it your wisedomes to imploy your diligence and with prayers to wish that for no manner of cause ye should be compelled to intermingle the integritie of your mindes with the customes of wicked men And euen as Constantine the great and most godly Emperour ioyned thus with â—he Byshops in these Ecclesiasticall causes and in many other so did the other godly Emperours in all the approoued generall Counselles if they were not present themselues they appoynted Deputies and those ciuill Magistrates also that now and then improued all the whole Counselles Decrées as in the Counsell of Chalcedone when all the Counsell had decréed Bassianus Byshop of Ephesus to be restored the Iudges appoynted by the Emperour Martian reiected that sentence and appoynted them to chose another whose commaundement therein they obeyed And many tymes the Emperour hymselfe nameth the Byshops and appoynteth the Counsell to ordeyne them as Theodosius did at the second vniuersall Counsell holden at Constantinople when they could not agrée in the election of the Byshop of Constantinople they deliuered vp a number of names for him to chose one and he appoynted Nectarius to be Byshop which Emperour also when he had called before him a number of Heretikes by the councell and aduice of Nectarius who also was counselled thereunto Sisinius the Emperour in the Counsell reasoned with them seuerally demaunding of them all whether they allowed not of such and such godly and famous Fathers whome when they extolled and sayd that he allowed of them be â—â—â—â—â—â—ded if they would stand to their opinions in those controuersies whereat when they began to varie and stagger he willed them euery one seuerally to bring to him a coppy of their faith in writing and then he would deliberate and determine among them all which he would accept and follow whereupon drawing out the copies thereof they presented them all before the Emperour who hauing first made his prayers to God and afterward perusing and deliberating of their copies he approued onely the right and true faith of the consubstantiation or ioyntsubstantiation of the sonne with the father and tare all the other copies in pieces before their faces Socrates lib. 5. cap. 10. And when in the Generall Counsell at Constantinople they had concluded all their Decrees all the whole Counsell write thus vnto the Emperour Sithence the time of our assemblie at Constantinople by your godly commaundement we haue renewed concord amongst our selues and haue prescribed certayne Canons which we haue annexed vnto this our writing we beseech therefore your clemencie to commaund the decree of the Counsell to be established by the letters of your holynesse and that ye will confirme it and as you haue honored the Church by the letters wherewith you haue called vs togither so ye would also vouchsafe to ratifie the finall conclusion of the decrees with your owne sentence and seale So that the Emperour yea though he were absent had the ratification or the improuing of all the Synodall actes as Theodosius the yonger writeth to the first Ephesine Counsell we allow of the condemnation of Nestorius Cyrillus and Memnon the other actes and condemnations which you haue made we dissalow Which Emperour also sent to be his Deputy in the Counsell at Constantinople about Eutyches controuersies a noble man of his Court Florentius writing thus vnto them We will that he shall be present in your Synode bycause the controuersie is of the faith which Florentius sitting with the Byshops examined Eutyches in the points of his faith and pronounced also his owne determination on the controuersie saying He which doth not beleeue that in Christ there be two natures doth not beleeue aright And in the cause against Dioscorus Eusebius Byshop of Dorolanu writeth vnto the Emperour Martian whose Supplication is sette downe in the Calcedon Counsell Act. 2. in these wordes Wee beseeche your clemencie that you will commaund him to aunswere to the matters that wee shall obiect agaynst him wherein wee will prooue hym to bee out of the Catholike faith defendyng Heresyes full of vngodlynesse Wherefore wee beseeche you to directe your holy and honorable commaundement to the holy and vniuersall councell of the most religious Byshops to examine the cause betwixt vs and Dioscorus and to make relation of all things that are done to be iudged as shall seeme good to your clemencie Thus do the Byshops not onely desire the Emperour to commaund the Counsell to examine the matter being a matter méere Ecclesiasticall and of faith but also to commaund the Counsell to make relation of all their doings to the Emperour and the Emperour euen as it should séeme good to him to be the iudge and finall determiner of the controuersie Now vpon this occasion this Emperour Marcianus and Valentinian with the Empresse Pulcheria that also being a mayden had the gouernment of the Empire and chose Martian to be Emperour in gouernment of the same with Valentinian and her summoned a Counsell to be holden first at Nice whether when the Byshops were assembled but the Emperours could not come they adiourned the same to Calcedon appoynting to be the Iudges of the Counsell 24. noble men And afterward when Martian with Pulcheria comming thether were entred into the Counsell he prescribeth both to the Byshops and to the Iudges an order how they should procéed which order they following it is set downe in the first Act of this Counsel that when the Iudges and Senate had duly examined the causes they gaue sentence to depose Dioscorus and others so that this their iudgement should séeme good to the Emperour to whome they referred the whole matter In which Counsell when they came to the setting downe of an vniforme Decrée of the christian faith conformable to the first Nicen Counsell after much trouble that the Iudges the Emperours had to appease their disorders by appointing committies to whose resolution when all the Counsell had consented this being done the Emperour with Pulcheria the mayden Empresse entreth againe into the Counsell and after he had declared the cause of his calling the Counsell and of his personall comming into the same to be for none other end than to confirme the faith and to remoue for euer héereafter all dissention in religion when the publike Notary of the Counsell had humbly demaunded if it pleased him to heare the Counsels definition the Emperour hauing willed him to recite it openly
God except hee haue inwardlie to GOD a right Fayth And verilie hee that will not learne these thinges neyther shall haue his part of rest with the Christians after his death neyther shall heere aliue bee admitted to receiue the Communion neyther shall hee bee counted worthye to beare the name of a Christian man neyther shall hee vndertake for any other at the Font nor at the Bishops hande except hee learne these thinges and shall knowe them well We also admonish them that eche one of them studiouslie auoyde deadlie crimes and wicked deedes And if peraduenture they haue offended through the instigation of the deuil that by instruction of the preeste they amend it Moreouer wee admonish euery one to flee filthie whoredome and the vnlawful vse of the flesh and violating of the couenaunt of wedlock so long as they liue Moreouer we teache them that the feare of God be always throughly setled in the mindes of them all that day and night they feare the punishments due to wicked deeds and dread the day of iudgement and abhorre hell And suppose euen their ending day approcheth As for the Bishops they shall be the Bedels of God and the interpreters of Gods Lawe and they must openly teache the benefites of diuine matters and to set foorth them-selues to bee examples of liuing for others to followe whosoeuer will giue eare to them For hee is but an euill keeper which with his voice at least if he can do no more shall not defende the flock committed vnto him against him that commeth to spoile it But none is so euill as the Deuill him-selfe which alwayes laboureth in this one point howe hee may moste destroy mens soules Wherefore it behooueth the pastors to bee watchfull and to giue warning that by their aduertisementes the people may haue knowledge thereof The pastors wee call the Bishops and the preestes whose partes are with erudition and Doctrine to watche and defend the Lordes flock that the furious and wilde Wolfe doe not foorthwith teare nor byte the flocke of God And if there bee any that will not listen vnto the commaundements of God hee hath to reckon for that with God himselfe The name of God for euer bee glorified and loue him and praise him and honor him through out all worldes Thus did this Dane King heere in England euen at that blinde time take vpon him as it were like a Bishop or preacher him-selfe to set forth these Lawes and decrees of Ecclesiasticall matters After which hee procéedeth to those that hee calleth his worldly lawes And yet euen among them also hee inserteth some Ecclesiasticall lawes as the 3.5.36.37.38.39.40.44.46 Besides causes of Matrimonie and fornication And in the ende of all his Lawes of both sortes Ecclesiasticall and temporall hee concludeth all with a religious and diuinlike charge commaunding moste streightly in Gods name all his subiectes to conuert them selues whole to God and to â—eare their pastors and the pastors to teach and preach the worde of God vnto his people This authoritie and intermedling in the making of Ecclesiasticall Lawes both aswell for the Clergy as for the temporaltie had the Kinges in this lande before the conquest What they haue had since diuerse other haue set foorth more largely and I craue pardon that I haue beene so large in the collecting and setting downe of these But I haue doone it to this ende that we might more fully perceiue this point that the Princes did not onely make ciuill Lawes for Ecclesiasticall causes or for matters that by the Clergy onely were decreed that they should be obserued in their Dominions and appoynted bodily or pecuniarie punishmentes for offending the same of which sort I graunt many of these Lawes are that we haue collected but also that they them-selues with the aduice of their Clergie made Eccl. Lawes and that mere Ecclesiasticall or altogether pertaining to Church persons or to Church matters yea to matters of religion and Doctrine Neyther diminished it their authoritie anie whit that they did none of all these thinges without the aduise and determination of their Clergie for alwaies the Clergy so conditionally determined the same before if it were a matter but of order or ceremonie and not of Doctrine which is inflexible neyther dependeth vpon man eyther of the Prince or of them that the supreme authoritie lay still in the Prince so to conclude the finall determination that the Princes sentence doe knit vp all the matter and made that order or ceremonie to haue the life or force of a decree Lawe or constitution among them And other supreme authoritie than this with the consultation deliberating aduising and determining what Ecclesiasticall matter of order or ceremonie her Learned Clergy thinke moste méete for â—ur time and state to bee moste agreeable to order comelinesse and aedification to giue her royall assent to the confirmation and establishment of the same that it may haue the full force and nature of a decree Lawe or constitution Ecclesiasticall her Maiestie otherwise neuer tooke vpon her nor claymeth or desireth to haue nor the Statute giueth nor wee acknoweledge And if our Brethren woulde graunt thus much as I hope vpon better aduisement they will not deny it wée shoulde néede no controuersy in this matter and all these examples that wee are nowe driuen to bring foorth to satisfie them wee and they shall more cheerefully turne against the Papistes that are the professed enemies of her Maiestie and of our Brethren and of vs. But it will perhaps be sayde that for Princes to subscribe to the determination of Preestes as they call them is no supremacie but a subiection Wee aunswere it is no subiection vnto men but to God and his worde to doe nothing in these matters but by the faythfull aduise of them that knowe his will and are bounde to teache it vnto all men no more than it is to bee counted a subiection for a Prince in Ciuill affayres to followe the aduice of wise and faythfull Counsellers Wee haue shewed before in the examples of diuerse Emperours and Kinges how Princes subscribed to their clergies determinations in such sort as they beeing humblie requested thereunto had in ceremoniall matters their free choyse and might haue dashed all or in subscribing thereto they ratified the same and made it authenticall But if Princes were so to subscribe to the determination of Preestes â—s wee may well without errour or superstition call them that the Princes their selues had no kinde of determination in any Ecclesiasticall causes neyther aboue the preestes nor yet at all with them then indéede it were no supremacie but a subiection And what else doe our Brethren heere giue to Princes neither doe they heere deny but in playne wordes confesse that it is a subiection and so not a supremacie saue that they coulour it ouer with this faire shadowe Wee aunswere it is no subiection vnto men but vnto God
and aduise of them that be learned in those matters Neither any good reason nor any ordinaunce of God plaine or not playne in the Scriptures willeth any person taking such aduise leaste of all willeth the Prince on that aduise giuen or taken to thinke that because hee shoulde do nothing without their aduise that he can do nothing without their authority Neither is there any reason or ordinaunce of God in the Scriptures that any which are but aduisers to the prince shoulde fall from aduising him so to incroche vpon him And if I were worthy to aduise princes I would aduise them to take good aduisement howe they aduised themselues by such aduisers and as I am thus aduised mee thinketh it reason And if all princes by heathen wise mens iudgements are so rulers that they are seruantes of the Lawes and of the common wealth why shoulde it bee accounted for any dishonour vnto princes to bee obedient to the Lawes of God their Father and to serue to the commoditie of the Church their Mother It is a greater honour to bee the Sonne of God and the Childe of the Church than to bee a Monarke of all the earth All princes I graunt are such seruauntes of the common wealth not onely by Heathen wise mens iudgementes hut also by all Christian wise mens iudgements too that neuerthelesse their supreme authority in gouerning of the common wealth is not one whit diminished by that seruice And as for their seruice to the Lawes which Lawes either they haue made them selues or were made Lawes before they were made rulers serueth I graunt also to the maintenaunce of those Lawes and to the punishment of the impugners of them howbeit this hindreth not but that princes haue another ruling and not seruing seruice or as wee may well terme it a seruing rule and gouernment besides the conseruing of the Lawes euen to make Lawes as our Brethren haue before confessed And as Saint Augustine excellently well doth say in his 48. epistle ad Vincentium And in his 50. Epistle ad Bonifacium as we haue séene at large before And in his fift Booke De ciuit Dei cap. 24. Hee reckoneth this seruice among the princes cheefest vertues hee sayth that they make their power which they haue to bee a seruaunt vnto the Maiestie of God moste largely to spreade abroad his seruice And of this seruice as Eusebius reporteth in the seconde Booke of Constantines life doth Constantine glory saying I reclaymed mankinde beeing instructed by my seruice or ministery to the religion of the holye Lawe and I caused that the moste blessed fayth shoulde more and more growe vnder a better ruler For I woulde not be vnthankfull especially to neglect my principall seruice which is the thankes that I owe euen of duetie Sith therefore the princes seruice is so high and principall a seruice stretching to the making of Eccl. Lawes and to all these matters which seruice as Saint Augustine sayth Epistola 50. None can doe but princes This seruice is no debarre but rather an aduauncement and prerogatiue of the princes supreme authority in these matters Wee doe not therefore accounte it anie dishonour vnto princes to bee obedient to the Lawes of GOD the Father and serue to the commoditie of the Church their Mother It is rather the greatest honour that in this Worlde and in their royall estate they canne attaine vnto Neyther can any of their subiects Clergie or other compare with them in the supreme degree of that authoritie that onelye Christian princes haue heerein But rather our Brethren woulde abase this authoritie with telling princes they must account no dishonour to obeye the lawes of GOD their Father and serue to the commoditie of the Churche their Mother what lawes of God the Father haue they as yet alleaged either for this matter or for any of their tetrarches that inferre anye of these new Lawes which they all without and besides the authoritie of a prince woulde presse both vpon the prince and vs Or what one thing that beeing better considered serueth to the commoditie of the Churche their and our Mother but rather to the greate disquieting of her in the calme harbour God bee thanked heere in Englande and to the discrediting of her name to all other Churches and peoples rounde about vs and to the great hazarde of her estate amongst vs And is this the way to serue her commoditie If not rather to serue their owne turnes and humors both to the great dishonour of God our father and to the no little damage of the Church our mother besides the dishonour and disobedience of our so gratious Prince with the trouble and endaungering of all the whole Realme But let our Brethren take good héede that they abuse not Princes thus vnder these high titles of God their Father and of the Churche their mother for euen with these termes did the Papistes deceaue Princes and all the world When they sought their owne honour or profite then they alwayes pretended the honouring of God their father and seruing the commoditie of the Church their mother in whose names as Gods and the Churches deputies they tooke on them selues to be honored and their owne commoditie serued both of all Princes and of all people as much if not much more than eyther their father or their mother It is a greater honor say they to be the sonne of God and the child of the Church than to be a Monarke of all the earth And so it is indeede who denieth it and this is also as one of the papists blearing the eyes of princes But any man woman or child neuer so pore or priuate may by the grace of God be so well ynough though he haue no publike auth at all But can not a man be a Monarch though not of al the earth but in his owne dominions be also the Sonne of God and child of the Church and yet with all in his owne Dominions be the supreme gouernor ouer all persons in all matters and causes eccl so wel as temporall Of this honourable subiection to God and his Church Esay prophesieth Chapter 49.23 Kings shall be thy nourssing Fathers and Queenes shall bee thy Nourses They shall worship thee with their faces towards the earth and licke the dust of thy feete and thou shalt knowe that I am the Lorde The Prophet meaneth that Kinges and Queenes shall be so carefull for the preseruation of the Churche that they shall thinke no seruice too base for them so they maye profite the Churche of Christe withall Vnto this honorable subiection the holie ghost exhorteth Princes in the second Psalme after that they haue tried that they preuayle nothing in striuing against the kingdome of Christe Bee nowe therefore wise O yee Kinges bee learned that iudge the earth serue the Lorde with feare and reioyce to him with trembling declaring that it is a ioyfull
the Princes authority that none but the Prince can doe and this prerogatiue be to make such Ecclesiasticall lawes as some of these Princes Lawes were howe doeth not this seruice plainely include the Princes supreme gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes And sith this seruice of the Princes vnto Christ consisteth principally in making lawes for Christ no maruell then if the holy ghost exhort Princes to be wise and to be learned and to vnderstand as the most necessary thing for them to vnderstand the state of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment So that if their Clergie forstowe to doe their duetie yet the Prince by this wisedome learning and vnderstanding might as well be able to giue aduise againe if néede be euen to his Cleargie in the making of many Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders as to take aduise of them As wee sée how diuers of the forenamed Princes did and that by their authoritie with the aduice of wise and learned men both make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and haue a supreme gouernment in the maintenance and direction of them Musculus writing on these woordes And now ye kings vnderstande c. The nations and people saith he and much more say I the Clergie are not excluded but Kings Iudges are by name called to bethinke them selues euen for this cause that they are the heads of the nations and of the people conteyning in the nation Clergie and al to whome it principally apperteineth to be subiect vnto the Lord and to giue themselues to bee leaders of the people that are their subiects vnto this true obedience For in two respects it standeth them vpon to be obedient to the Lord first bicause they are subiect to his power as are all other mortall men and then because they are made his peculier Ministers to this purpose that hauing receaued power ouer their subiectes they shoulde both their selues the will of God and cause their subiects to be obedient to it And Marlorate vpon these wordes Serue the Lord in feare noting out of Caluin saith Princes therefore in this place are admonished that they shall then raigne happilie when their power is nothing else but Gods seruice That is to say where in commaunding and bidding they serue not their owne lust but gods will neither vsurpe that tyrannical speech Sic volo sic iubeo stet proratione voluntas Thus wil I haue it thus I bid it be it stands for reasō that it pleaseth me But they say Sie volo sic iubeo quia sic divina volunt as mandat cui soli cuncta subesse decet thus will I haue it thus I bid it be because this is the will of Gods decree He bids it bee to whome what ere he say all creatures will they nill they ought obey Let them also note this place which deny the power of the king secular Magistrat as they cal him to haue ought to do in a cause of a religion For although the kingdom of Christ be in the harts of the beleeuers notwithstanding it apperteineth to the Magistrate to haue a care that the doctrine of the word may be retined in the Church that Idolatry and false worship may bee taken awaye that the Ministers of the church may be commodiously mainteined that the aduersaries may be repressed then to forbid the name of God to be blasphemed to bring to passe that such as leade a godly life may liue in safety but the wicked persons those that are vnquiet may be punished restrained ned This then is the Princes seruice vnto God And is not this as much as to make good Eccl. lawes orders with the aduice counsell of the wise godly learned clergy as hath done and doth her Maiestie But now our brethren after they haue tryed whether they shoulde preuaile by these two aforesaid testimonies least these should not preuail in striuing against the Princes authority in Eccl. matters they adioyn a third vnto them out of the new testament saying And especially it is to be noted where S. Paule commaundeth prayers and supplications to be made for the conuersion of kings vnto the knowledge of the truth and their own saluation that he alleageth this reason that we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines honesty vnder their protection A godly honest life we may liue vnder enimies of the church persecutors but a peaceable and quiet life in all godlines honesty onely vnder a christian Prince If they do it as paraphrasts by way of some part of exposition they adde these words well vnder their protection But in that they set them downe as the words of the text me thinketh it somwhat ouer bold so to cite the holy scripture or yet as paraphrasts if they so limite the end of our prayers and supplications for Kings Princes which in these three benefites that the Apostle citeth stretcheth a great deale farther than to protection onely For as Dauid and other godly Princes were they may be both protectors and procurers of the same yea the chiefe gouernors and directors in the setting foorth and maintenance of them Neither is S. Paules exhortation to pray for Princes to be restrained onely to the praiers supplications to be made for the conuersion of kings vn the knowledge of the truth but it stretcheth further yea generally as well for those that are conuerted as those that are to be conuerted as well to giue thanks for the one as to pray for the other not onely for their owne saluation but that by their meanes all their subiects likewise may attaine to the way of saluation He reckoneth vp saith Caluine the fruits that spring vnto vs out of a principality that is well ordered the first is a quiet life For the magistrats are armed with the sword to kepe vs in peace Except they should beate downe the audaciousnes of wicked men al things would be ful of robberies slaughters c. The second fruit is the conseruation or saluation that is to wit while the Magistrats indeuour to nourish religion to plant the worship of God to require the reuerence of holy thinges The 3. is the care of publike honestie c. If these 3. things be taken away what is the state of mans life if any care therfore either of publike tranquility or of Godlines or of honesty touch vs let vs remember to haue consideration of them by the ministery of whom so excellent things do come into vs. Thus doth Caluin confesse that the Ministery of the Prince stretcheth as far foorth in procuring vnto vs the benefit of religion as of the other twain therfore he concludeth that we must pray for Princes aswell as much if not much more for this benefite as for the other Yea saith he If any man shall aske whether prayer ought also to bee made for the Kings of whom we receaue no such thing I
vpon the most sure foundation of the canonicall Scriptures That saye I is a most sure foundation indeede and yet withall they must build well and surely and with good matter not with stubble sticks and combustible stuffe vpon it But that they haue neither built the forme set forth in this learned discourse onely vpon this most sure foundation nor where they haue taken any plot of ground out of scripture as their foundation to build vpon any peece of this litigious frame they haue done otherwise than to enforce that platforme on that ground with no right nor proprietie thereunto nor yet haue builded thereon as good and skilfull builders should haue done nor with such firme stuffe and mettall as will abyde the tryall of the fire I referre it to the Surueyers of the woorke and to all such as are expert in this kind of Architecture to giue their iudgements both of the whole modill of this plotforme and of euery parcell thereof and of all their stuffe workmanship and maner of their building But our Bretheren put vs in better comfort that if all this learned discourse will not serue they are not mynded to leaue off so But intending say they more at large if occasion shall serue hereafter to set foorth the practise and consent of the godly fathers in their acts Councels and writings following the same rule and interpretation of the Scripture that we haue done Verely neither this learned discourse nor any other of our Bretherens as yet set forth no nor any thing in Caluin Beza or Danaeus for I take it that our Bretheren haue most followed these three or any other treatise that is extant at least that I could euer see or reade doth nor can proue the forme of reformation that our Bretheren haue here in this learned discourse prescribed So that they do well to be intending of some other peece of worke for I see no other remedie to perswade vs so throughly as they say they are but that we must intend also on their further intending when and whatsoeuer they shall more at large hereafter set foorth as occasion shall serue Which what occasion they intend it shall be I remit to God And if they shall truely set foorth this that here they solemnly promise of the practise and consent of the godly fathers in their acts Councels and writings I dare by preuention say thus much before hand let me prooue it as I shall be able that they shall neuer be able to prooue that those godlie fathers followed the same rule and interpretation of the scripture that our Bretheren haue followed in the fourme of this their learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment or that herein either Caluin or Beza or Danaeus and other our Bretheren haue so done Not that I burthen them as falsaries whom I honor as godly fathers also and deere bretheren with all due reuerence but as mistakers of those auncient godly fathers as we haue partly seene alreadie and shal see further by Gods grace when the performance of this promise shall come foorth to examine throughly how they interpreted or practised the office of Doctors not exhorting nor applying the Scriptures to search more narrowly how they interpreted the rules and practised the office of Bishops and Pastors and whether one among the Pastorall Elders were not in dignitie and iurisdiction a continuing superiour to whom the residue yéelded a proprietie of the name of Bishoppe yea whether it were practised otherwise among those godly fathers in any Church in all Christendome from the Apostles tymes vntill Constantines yea whether other of our Bretheren themselues both Caluin Beza Danaeus and diuers others doe not confesse as much in playne words And therefore if they shall hereafter when occasion shall serue them alleadge those godly fathers to the contrary that is to wit to proue all Pastorall Elders to haue bene all in dignitie and iurisdiction equall and Bishops all alike one as much as another except onely for a prerogatiue to some one Pastor in some Synodall assembly let them also intend to this whether they should not manifestly hale thâ—se godly fathers interpretations and practise cleane contrary to their meaning and doing yea cleane contrary to their owne consciences and open assertions that should so alleadge them To peruse likewise the writings acts and counsels of those godly fathers how they vsed their Consistories of Elders where they had any as in great Cities they had whether they were of such Presbyters Priestes or Elders as being Ecclesiasticall persons they had not to meddle in publike teaching but were gouernours onely and not how many of those godly fathers but whether any of them interprete those words of Christ Math. 18. Tell the Church as Caluin and our Bretheren do interpret them And further to consider the interpretations writings acts and Councels of those godly fathers for the vse and practise of the Deacons whether besides the collections and distributions for the poore they might not also be imployed to the publike teaching of the word of God as occasion serued nor to the ministring of the Sacraments nor to the attendance in the diuine seruice on the Bishops and Pastors whose proper office consisted therein If our Bretheren shall proue all these things to haue bene so vsed to haue bene so interpreted and so practised in the practise and consent of the godly fathers in their acts CouÌ„cels and writings following the same rule and interpretation of the Scripture that our Bretheren in the forme of reformation prescribed in this learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment haue done when they shall haue performed all this and shall as they intend more at large as occasion shall serue hereafter set it forth that we may also be throughly perswaded by it then will I say also for these our Bretheren that they shal haue better acquit themselues than as yet they haue done yea than any hetherto haue done If not rather in attempting this they shall not doe yet worse than they haue done and worse than any other haue done if they shal be manifestly found to wrest the interpretations writings practise consents acts and Councels of those godly Fathers What wee haue heard alreadie in those godly Fathers cited the more at large and the greater number of them euen to the tedious tyring both my selfe and the reader but chiefly to auoyd all suspition of wresting or abusing them and to shewe the greater consent of them and the more continuall and vniuersall practise of them and how in all these things those godly Fathers doe hetherto appeare at least wise in my simple iudgement cleane contrarie to this forme of our Bretheren set forth in this learned discourse for all these matters of this their quadripartite gouernment in Ecclesiasticall causes being the greatest poynts or next the greatest here in controuersie I referre all past on both parts to God and the reader praying the reader till this
what nuÌ„ber they were why those Elders had that number The preceps the prâ—ctise of this Seniory The Leuites with their offices The matters wherin the Elders gouernors dealt * Leuirationis The vniuersall assembly of the Tribes and families Iosues orders for all these Elders * Expeditionem The proces of the story Iud. 19.20 The necessity of a king or one cheefe Gouernour The beginning of these elders corruption The Elders flattery of the people The Concion of the elders Our Brethr. defacing the state of a king Carolus Sigonius de rep Haebrae orum lib. 6. Cap. 2. The Iewes Councels Three â—â—ateâ— of the Iewes then 3. kinds of Conciouâ— Sigonius of the Iewes Senates Three kinds of the Iewes Senates Our Br. will be Seniors of the highest sort The Elders in the time of the kings The Elders since the captiui tie Sigonius The Kinges authority besides the Senate Cap. 5. The Synedrion at Ierusalem Cap. 6. What elders the Iudges of the cities were What princes the Elders were inferior to the SynedrioÌ„ Elders The Elders in the time of Iosaphat These Elderships restored after the captiuitie FroÌ„ whence the Synedrian Elders wer chosen Petrus Galatinus of the processe in the courtes of iudgment Petrus Galaâ—tnus collection of the Thalmudists concerning the Sanedrin * occidere The authoritie of the Synedrian Elders The Elders chosen with imposition of hands The power of the Sanedrin diminished in Christes time They lost their place dignitie after their fals iudging of Christ. The Romanes destruction of these Elders Gods ordinaunce Deut. 17. of these Elders power in iudgement Iosephus Iosephus li. 2. ad Appionem Philo. li. 3. de vita Mosis What manner of persons the Elders were in the Sanedrin The power of the preests in the Sanedrin The order and processe in the Sanedrin The appealants accusation The foâ—me of the accusation in Ieremy and of his acquitall The formâ— of the Synedrion in coÌ„demning Christ. Bertramsâ— confirmation of these thinges â—ert de politia Iudaica ca. 10. pag. 56 The Leuites were the gouernors in the Iewes Senats The matters that the Leuiâ—es iudged Bertram 1. Chro. 26.29 How Dauid distributed the gouernments and bounds of the Leuites Seniories Solomon maintained herein Dauids orders Iosaphats restoring â—he Iewes Seniories 2. Chro. 19. * Ad Liâ—â—m The Synedrion The diuerâ— respect of Eccl. ciuil in one and the same cause The great principality of these Elders Ierem. 2. Ieremie acquitted by those Elders Bertrams 2. example of those Elders power Ierem. 36. Bertrams 3. example Ier. 37. 38. The Elders superiour to the king The state of the tenne tribes The state of the Iewes regiment after the captiuity The speciall time of the Elders gouernment The auth of Nehemias Iosephus antiq Iud. li. 7 cap. The high Bishops authoritie 1. Mach. 12.6 The mixt estate of the Iewes common weale Gabinius erecting of mo Synedrins The SynedrioÌ„ Elders slain by Herod Our Br. assertioÌ„ of the Iewes Synedrion alters al the states in Christendome and bindes vs to the IuÌ„diciall Lawe Our Br. pretence vnder the name of eccl regiment driue at the ciuill regiment Chytreus of the Synedrion When all is done our Br. Elders that are goueâ—nors and notteachers are here also excluded except they will bee Princes Beza in confess Christ. cap. 5. Art 32. Danaetus in Iâ—ag Christ. 3. part cap. 10 Danaeus Confession for the difference of the Iewes SynedrioÌ„ our Presbyteries for gouernmeÌ„t of ciuil causes Chytraeus in Deut. 17. titulo de Iudicijs Three kindes of iudgements among the Iewes The iâ—dgemeÌ„t Triumuiral of thâ— 3. Elders The little Synedrion of 23. The great Synedrion of 70. Chytreus resemblance of the chief Senate in Germanie to the Sanedâ—in The elders of the new Testament How moderatelie Chytreus alludeth on Christes words Mat. 5. to our Senates Our Breth peremptory wresting of Christes words The learned disc pag. 88. Bridges The vse of the name Elder Christe alluded not to the Iews Sanedrin or Presbytery mencioned in the newe Testament By the name Church is not meant Senate Caluinus in 1. Tim. 4.14 Bezaes testimonie that by those elders were meant onely the Ministers of the word Our Br. coÌ„clusion of these Elders Bezaes nip of Castalion for the terme Senate The Presbyteries of the Iewes Luc. 22. Act. 20. Our Brethr. chiefe euidence for their Eldership howe weake it is The power of the keies The learned Dis. Bridges The sentences of christ Mat. 18. ver 19. and 20. not to be restrained to a Consistorie Brentius on Math. 18. Brentiuâ— in Math. 18. How these words Die ecclesiae haue ben abused A small assemblie wâ—ting a ciuile Magistrate The occasioÌ„ of Christes sentence That this rule of Chr. serueth onlie among priuate meÌ„ This senteÌ„ce cannot be vnderstood of hainous sinnes Brentius The Incestuous Corinthian The last remedy is to tell the ordinary magistrate and not to constitute an Eccl. Senate Excommunication A priuate Ecclesiasticall excommunication To whome the proper Eccl. exc doth pertaine Two kindes of Exc. ciuiâ— and Eccl. Cal in Mat. 18. The ministery of the powre of the worde pertaineth to the Minister in the expounding the worde Cal. in Mat. 18. The Minist are publishers of Gods word and setters foorth of his iudgementes How the froward are punished the repentaÌ„t receiued by them that haue the word of God Aretius 2. parte problem Tit. de Excom Ciuil and Eccl. Exc. Syntagma Tit. de clauibus The definition of the Eccl. binding The definition of the Eccl. absoluing The censure of Exc. renued by Christ. Mat. 16. Iohn 20. Tertul. In Apolog. cont Gent. cap. 39. Ext. in the Eccl. history Wherein Victors exc was reprooued What Exc. by Victor was allowed Eusebius li. 6. cap. 25. The Exc. of Philip the Emperour Theodosius of Excom Theodoreâ—us li. 5. cap. 17. Cyprianus vt supâ—a Iunii ecclesiasticus cap. 3. Hierom. in Math. 16. August of excom Aug. ad Auxilium epistola 75. Math. 16. Exech 18. S. Aug. erâ—or in the Infants dying without baptisme Iames. 1. What S. Aug. dissaloweth in this B Exc. Chrysost. Homil. 2. de Dauide Saule How Chrysost woulde Excom the contemners of the word Chrysost. of Excom Chrysost. in Homil. 70. homil 4. in Hebr. 2. The Praesidents and Elders of whome Chrysost. speaketh Chrysost. â—hreat againe to Excom Matst 18. The B. seperate authoritie in excom The excommunicator such a person as may teach Melancthon Kemnitius in exam Trident. Conâ— To. cap. 6. Melanct. in locis com de regno Christi Melanct. in aâ—not locorum com The Churches power of order Iurisdiction The poweâ— of order The poweâ— of Iurisd Aretius Aretius in locis com parte 2. de excomm The definition of excommunicâ—tion The Minister is the excommunicator and the Church consenteth Cyprianus The Eccl. Senate of Gouernors not teachers reiected The example of Saint Paul 1. Coâ— 5. Cyprian epist. li. 3. epist. 16. 2. Co. 11.29 1. Co. 12 2â— Aretius
suffice for him if he holde the place of a sheepe in the Lordes folde But if so bee that anye suche one shall bee endewed with learning and dexteritie yea and with affection to teach also heere-after let him firste of all make a confession of his faythe and holily testifie that he cleaueth faste vnto the pure and syncere Religion and furthermore that he acknowledge that his vocation to haue beene ioyned with meere abuse and that hee desire a newe approbation and namely that he professe that to be frustrate that he was instituted before by the Popes authoritie and withall that he renownce all meanes vnlawfull and repugnant to the order which the Lord Iesus hath ordeyned in his Church These thinges praemised I see not what should let that hee may not bee admitted to the office of a Pastor so that hee promise and doe in verie deede performe that faith which is required to the executing of the office and especially that he ioyne him-selfe with the companie of the Ministers that purelie teache the woorde and submitte him-selfe to the Discipline and polycie which hath place among them As for the memorie of his former life let that remaine buried neither let any thing be imputed vnto him that then was committed onely that he be admonished of the performing of his duetie hereafter lawefully If that Canon of Paule bee obiected wherein is deliuered that a Bishop must be vnreprooue-able I aunswere here is not delt with in my iudgement concerning a simple and absolute election but concerning the approbation and restitution to a certaine office because of the corruption passing betweene c. Here after he hath prooued that point hee commeth to the conclusion saying These thinges beeing presupposed the partes shall be of suche a Bishop as this to doe his endeuour so farre as in him shalt lie that all the Churches which appertaine vnto his Bishopricke shall be repurged from all errors and worships of Idolles while hee him-selfe shall by his example goe before all the Curates of his Diocâ—sse and shall induce them to admitte the reformation vnto the which by the woorde of GOD wee are inuited and the which shall wholely aunswere both to the state and to the vse of the primitiue Churche As for that which appertayneth to those goods which are called temporalties whether they coÌ„sist in Iurisdiction or in annual rent although the originall of them sprange out of that corruption that is by no meanes to bee borne with the pure simplicitie of the spirituall ministerie notwithstanding so long as things remayne thus confessed the possession after a sorte of suffering them may be left vnto them So be that exhortation be giuen vnto them that they looke to it howe they dispose those thinges which they shall haue knowen to bee dedicated vnto God both that they profane not thinges consecrated to god and also that they conteyne themselues in the modestie which may beseeme true Bishops c. Thus by Caluines plaine opinion for a reformed Bishop to haue a Diocesse and gouernement therein of Curates and Pastors vnder him is not contrarie to the state and vse of the primitiue Churche nor to the reformation vnto the which by the worde of God we are inuited nor any vnlawfull meanes or repugnant to the order which the Lorde Iesus hath ordeyned in his Churche but may aunswere wholely there-vnto And so that Bishops doe these thinges both for themselues and for their office and for their Diocesse and for their goods and temporalties and iurisdictions that Caluine here would haue them doe though he doe but tollerate the dispensation of their temporalties c. yet he manifestly alloweth them to remaine Bishops still and to retayne their Diocesses and to goe before or guide the Curates and Pastors and all the Churches appertayning to their Bishoprickes And he seeth no let but they may so continue Thus sayeth Caluine of these Protestant and Refourmed Bishops But aboue all other Reuerende and Learned mens iudgementes from beyonde the seas in anye refourmed Churches that notable and godlie Learned man Zanchius who is also yet liuing hath moste pythily to this point mée thinkes be it spoken with-out contempt of any other set downe his graue iudgement on these matters In his last booke of the confession of his faith concerning Christian Religion Who first in the 24. Chapter in the title of the Militant Church the 6. Aphorisme or distinction being this From what kind of succession of Bishops can it be shewed that any Church is Apostolicall To which he answereth We do so acknowledge that from the perpetuall succession of B. in any Church not what kind of succession soeuer but that which hath adioyned therwith a continuance of the Apostolicall doctrine may rightly be shewed to be an Apostolicall Churche Suche an one as in the olde time was the Churche of Rome and the succession of the Bishops thereof vntill the time of Irenaeus of Tertullian and of Cyprian and of certaine others In so much that not vnwoorthily those fathers were woont to appeale and cite the Heretikes of their time vnto that Churche and to other men like to them c. But in all these Fathers times and manie other like to them as we haue shewed this perpetuall succession of Bishops was of suche as were superiour in dignitie to the residue of the Pastors in those Churches Therefore this continuance of superioritie in Bishops and suche titles of dignitie in the Ministerie is not repugnant to the Apostolicall Church nor to the Apostolicall doctrine Nowe this Zanchius may the better be allowed of these our Bretheren for that in some of the fore-saide pointes hee fauoureth in some parte their opinion as for their Elders that were not Pastors cap. 25. Aphorism 7. For their diuision of Doctors distinct from Pastors And for the name and order of Elders to bee vsed in the Scripture as all one with Bishoppes and Catechizers Aphorism 9. Which thing also we graunt as before is noted the substance of the order to bee all one and the difference onely to be in the degree of dignitie and authoritie And also for Doctors to teache onely but not with suche teaching but that they did withall exhort as he sheweth after Aphorism 10. yet notwithstanding sayth hee we doe not in the meane season disallowe the Fathers for that according to the diuerse manner both of dispensing the woorde and of Gouerning the Churche they multiplyed the orders of the Ministers when as that thing was free for them euen as also it is for vs. And when as it is apparant that that was doone of them for causes which were honest pertayning according to that time to order to comlinesse and to the edification of the Church Aphorisme the 11. The confirmation of the same sentence with the explication of certaine Ecclesiasticall orders in the primitiue Church For we knowe that our God is the God of order not of confusion and
that the Church is kept by order and lost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lacke of order For which cause he hath instituted many also and diuerse orders of ministers not onely in times past in Israell but also after-wardes in the Church gathered together of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and also for the same cause hee hath left it free vnto the Churches that they might adde moe orders or not adde them so that the same may be done to aedification Whereas therefore when all the Ministers of the worde were called equally both Pastors and also Bishops also Priests or Elders and whereas they were of equall authoritie one afterwarde beganne to be preferred aboue all his Colleagues howbeit not as their Lorde but as the Rector in the vniuersitie aboue his other Colleagues to this man in principall the care of the whole Church was cōmitted whereupon and by a certaine kinde of Excellencie hee alone was accustomed to be called by the name of bishop and Pastor the residue of his fellow Ministers being contented with the name of Priests or Elders in so much that in euery City there began to be one onely Bishop and many Priestes or Elders This thing we iudge cannot be dissalowed Of which matter the declaration and the sentence of Ierome both otherwhere and also in the epistle to Euagrius and in the commentaries of the Epistle to Titus chap. 1. is of vs approued Who saith all this came rather of custome than of the verity of the Lordes disposing that the plants of dissensions of schismes might be taken away Verily by this reason those things also that were ordeyned concerning Arch-bishops yea and of the 4. Patriarkes euen before the Nicene Councell it selfe wee thinke may be excused and defended although that all thinges in successe of time afterwardes were drawen awaye vnto the greatest tyrannie and ambition which is the cause why that the neerer wee approche in those orders to the Apostolicall simplicitie so muche the more is it also of vs allowed And we iudge that euery where they should endeuour to approch thereto Nowe when Zanchius hath added certaine other Aphorismes concerning the Church and the lawfull Ministers thereof he setteth downe Aphorism 20. their authoritie saying We beleeue also that great authoritie is of Christe giuen vnto the lawfull Ministers to wit to performe those thinges whereunto also they are called to preach the Gospell to interprete the holy scriptures according to the analogie of the faith to catechise to teach the people what is the will of God to reprooue and rebuke as well the great as the small to remitte or reteyne sinnes ministerially to binde the impenitent and to loose the repentant to administer also the Sacraments which Christ instituted and according to his manner deliuered to exercise Discipline after the prescription of Christe and also by the expounding of the Apostles to conclude to all those things also which though they be not expressed in the holy scriptures notwithstanding do appertaine to order and to comlinesse and make to edification but not to destruction according to the generall rule deliuered of the Apostle That all thinges ought to be doone in order decently and to aedification For neither doe we beleeue that any authoritie is giuen to the ministers that ought to be stretched beyonde the boundes of Gods worde or vnto anie other ende than to the aedification of the Church And therefore we vtterly deny that any Bishop yea or that all of them together haue authoritie of ordeyning any thing contrarie to the scriptures of adding any thing vnto them or of takeing any thing from them of making newe articles of the faith of instituting new Sacramentes of bringing into the Church new worships of setting forth lawes that should bind the consciences and that should be made equall in authoritie to the lawe of God or of hauing dominion in the Church and consciences of the faithfull of forbidding those thinges that God hath graunted and would haue to bee free Or finally of commanding any thing that is without the worde of God as though it were necessarie to saluation sithe that it can not truely be sayde that indeede the whole Church hath not this authoritie Hauing thus in euery particuler set downe and limited the authoritie of the lawefull Ministers of the Church according to the worde of God he procéedeth Aphorisme 21. vnto this that the politike authoritie of Bishops which also are Princes is not to be denied for any thing before restrayned In the meane season we denie not that Bishops which with-all are also Princes besides the authoritie Ecclesiasticall should also haue their lawes politike and powers seculer yea euen as the rest of Princes haue the right of the commaunding seculer thinges the right of the sworde some of them the right of Electing and confirming kinges and Emperours and of ordeyning and administring other politike thinges and of compelling the people subiecte vnto them to yeelde them obedience and there-upon we confesse that vnto their politike commaundementes which with-out the transgression of Gods lawe may be kept their subiectes ought to obey not onely for feare but also for conscience For we knowe that all power is of God and who-so-euer resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God And that moreouer kinges are to be honored and we ought to be subiect to Princes and Lords in all feare not onely to those that are courteous and modest but also to the froward and wicked To conclude when he commeth to Ecclesiast Discipline which Aphorisme 36. he deuideth into popular and clericall in the 3. part of the clericall discipline Aphorisme 38. he saith The third is that they should promise peculiar obedience in things that are honest vnto their Bishop and to the Metropolitane of the Bishops Nowe although by all these Aphorismes of this excellent Learned man and great light of our age Zanchius it is most apparant what his Iudgement is of the superioritie of Bishops and with what reasons he prooueth and confirmeth the same to be in all pointes agréeable to Gods worde Yet for the further confirmation of these thinges and to satisfie all suche as shoulde or did mislike anie thing conteyned in them let vs also not thinke it tedious to peruse certaine other obseruations that he hath lastly adioyned to these Aphorismes in the foresaid confession of the faith with the preface of his reasons for the same The obseruations of the same Zanchius vpon his confession Neither fewe nor light are the causes with the which I was drawen that I had leauer adde these obseruations to my confession apart by thē selues than to alter any thing therein There are not a fewe vnto whom it is knowen on what occasion at what time by whose commaundement in whose name and to what ends I being indeede vnwilling and compelled wrote the summe of the Christian Religion But although ech man seeth that this