Clergy and our Nazarites to whom either wholy or chiefly such choices ought to be referred so should the Churches neuer take harme and not to to the richest and mightiest and to the throng and indiscretion of the multitude yea euen to the basest persons amongst them The Emperour at last was forced by publike laws to restraine the people and take the election of bishops from them and giue it to the Clergie and certaine chiefe men of euerie Citie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We decree saith Iustinian that as often as neede requireth to ordaine a Bishop the Clergie and principall men of the Citie for which a Bishop must be prouided shal meete together and set downe in writing three persons and taking their oth vpon the holie Euangile shal expresse in their writing that they haue chosen them neither for reward promise fauour or any other cause but knowing the persons to bee of the right and Catholike faith and of honest life c. that of those three so named the best may be ordained at the election and iudgement of the ordainer If any man be ordained a Bishop and this not obserued we command him by all meanes to be remooued from his Bishopricke and likewise the other that presumed to impose hands against this our Lawe If three sufficient persons coulde not be found in the Clergie of that Citie which wanted a bishop the Electours might name two or one so it were dâ—one within sixe moneths and the men such as the Lawes requires otherwise the Metropolitanâ— to choose for them A Lay man amongest others the Emperour saith they might name but the Canons did not permit a Lay man to be elected but onely to be desired I do not thinke the peoples presence or testimonie were debarred by this Law for that continued a long time after I take it rather the Electours might offer none without the peoples liking but by this meanes the multitude were excluded from electing whom they would and the power thereof translated to the Clergie and Gouernours of eche Citie to name certaine if the people could like of their choice otherwise within sixe moneths the right to deuolue to the chiefe Bishop of the Prouince Then beganne this rule to be more straitely vrged Docendus est populus non sequendus the people in electing of Bishops must be taught and guided not obeyed and followed For Popes themselues could say though the election belong to Priests yet the consent of Gods people must be had When saith Leo you goe about the election of the chiefe Priest or Bishop let him be aduanced before all whom the consent of the Clergie and people with one accord desireth If their voices be diuided betwixt twaine let him be preferred before the other in the iudgement of the Metropolitane which hath more voices and merites onely let none be ordained against their wils and petitions lest the people despise or hate the Bishop which they neuer affected and they lesse care for religion when their desires are not satisfied The like regard of the peoples desires and petitions was had in Gregories time long after If it be true saith Gregorie to Antonius that the Bishop of Salona be dead hasten to admonish the Clergie and people of that City to choose a Priest with one consent that may be ordained for them And to Magnus about the election of y t bishop of Millan Warde saith he the Clergy people that they dissent â—ot in chusing their Priest but with one accord elect some such as may be consecrated their bishop The order of choosing their bishops in the primitiue Church by the Clergie and people was neuer so much respected but that they might many waies forsake and loose their right as by petition when they had none of their owne by compromise when they could not agree by deuolution when they neglected their time aboue sixe moneths or transgressed the Lawes or Canons either in the fourme of their election or in the person elected specially vpon any corruption disorder or violence the election was vtterly voide and the parties depriued of all power to elect for that turne and when they could not agree they were to send some to the Metropolitane to yeelde him the reasons of their dissenting on both sides and he to strike the stroke betwixt them or else they did referre their consents to two or three that should repaire to the chiefe bishop of the Prouince and there make choice with his aduise and consent for the whole citie If you can find saith Gregorie no fit person amongst yourselues on whome you can agree then chuse three wise and in different men and send them to this city in the name of the whole to whose iudgement the people wil stand And againe ConueÌ„t the Clergy of the church of Naples to chuse 2. or 3. of themselues and not to slacke to send theÌ„ hither about the election of their Bishop And in their certificat to vs let theÌ„ signifie that those whom they send haue authority to supply al their places in this election So that the peoples right to elect their bishop neuer depeÌ„ded on Gods expresse coÌ„mandement but on the foundation reason of humane gouernement was subiect both to the Canons of Councils and lawes of Princes might be moderated and restrained by either of them by the peoples consent default or abuse be transferred relinquished or forfeited and without their wils by superior powers and publike Lawes for iust cause be abridged altered or abrogated for the power freedome of the people is not only submitted to the sword which god hath authorized but wholy closed in y t sword neither is any thing lawful for the people setting aside the coÌ„mandements of God which are subiect to no mortall mans wil or power which the laws of their country restraine or prohibite Wherfore there can be no question but the people may willingly forsake and worthily loose the right which they had in the choice of their bishops and the Prince either way bee lawfully possessed of the peoples interest you must rather if you will needes be so inquisitiue examine the causes that induced the lawe whether they were iust or no and so shall you see whether this manner of election be a wise and good preuention of such corrupt factions and fearefull tumultes as our desperate age woulde easely breede or a rigorous encrochment on the peoples right without cause or consent which you can not offer to thinke without euident wrong to the Prince and Realme It cannot be denied but the Prince of right hath and euer had as great interest in the choice of bishops as the people There can no reason be pretended for the multitude but it concludeth more strongly for the Magistrate If the people by Gods Lawe were to chuse their bishop the king as the principall part and head of the people by the same Lawe must be
men from amongst themselues to looke into the trueth of euery crime before they would beleeue the accuser or reiect the accused from their company then must your laie Elders claime not from Christ as authorized by him to vse the keyes and dispose of the Sacraments but from the people as their committies to heare and report what they found detected and proued in euery such offence as deserued separation from all Christian societie and their delegation from the people must vtterly cease where he that beareth the sword embraceth the faith For though by the lawes of God and nature where there is no magistrate euery multitude may both order and gouerne themselues as they see cause with their generall consent so they crosse not superiour lawes and powers yet we must beware when God hath placed Christian Princes to defend and preserue Iustice and Iudgement amongst men that we not erect vnder a shew of discipline certaine petit magistrates in euery parish by commission from Christ himselfe in crimes and causes ecclesiastical iudicially to proceed without depending on the princes power I seeke not to charge the fauourers of this new discipline with any dangerous deuise I had rather acknowledge mine owne weakenesse that cannot conceiue how laie Elders should bee Gouernours of Christes Church and yet be neither ministers nor magistrates Christ being the head and fulnesse of the Church which is his body gouerneth the same as a Prophet a Priest and a King and after his example all publike gouernement in the church is either Prophetical Sacerdotal or Regall The Doctors haue a Prophetical the Pastours a Sacerdotal the Magistrates a Regal power and function what fourth regiment can we find for laie Elders Prophets they are not they haue no charge of the word much lesse haue they priestly power which concerneth sinnes and Sacraments If they haue any they must haue Regall and consequently when the magistrate beleeueth laie Elders must â—eliâ—quish all their authoritie to him or deriue it from him except they will establish an other regiment against him What you giâ—e onely to Pastors making them Monarches to rule the Church at their pleasures we impart to laie Elders as Associates with them in the same kinde of gouernement so that laie Elders with vs doe no more preiâ—dice the Princes power then Pastours do with you Inpreaching the word dispensing the Sacramentes remitting sinnes and imposing hands I trust your laie Elders are not associated vnto Pastours If in these things they be ioint-Agents with Pastours then are they no laie Elders but Pastours You must giue them one name if you giue them one office the same deedes require alwayes the same wordes If you ioyne not laie Elders in those Sacerdotall and sacred actions with Pastours but make them ouerseers and moderators of those things which Pastours doe this power belongeth exactly to Christian magistrates to see that Pastours doe their dueties according to Christes will and not abuse their power to annoy his Church or the members thereof Neither is the case like betwixt Pastours and laie Elders Pastors haue their power and function distinguished from Princes by God himselfe in so much that it were more then presumption for princes to execute those actions by themselues or their substitutes To preach baptize retaine sinnes and impose hands Princes haue no power the Prince of Princes euen the sonne of God hath seuered it from their callings and committed it to his Apostles and they by imposition of hands deriued it to their successors but to cause these actions to be orderly done according to Christes commaundement and to preuent and represse abuses in the doers this is all that is left for laie Elders and this is it that we reserue to the Christian magistrate The power of the sword in crimes and causes ecclesiasticall wee wholie yeeld to the Christian Magistrate and yet laie Elders may censure the Pastours actions by liking and allowing them if they bee good or by disliking and frustrating them if they bee otherwise God hath not giuen Princes the sword in any causes temporall or ecclesiasticall to goe before or without iudgement but to folow after and support iudgement The sword without iudgement is force and furie with iudgement it is iustice and equitie You cannot yeeld the sword to the magistrate and reserue iudgement in these cases to the laie Elders you then binde the Magistrate to maintaine what your laie Iudges shall determine and â—o the sworde is not soueraigne aboue them but subiect vnder them Wherefore in ouerseeing the Pastors doings and redressing their abuses you must leaue the examination determination and execution to the Christian magistrate and not deuide stakes betweene the Prince and the laie Presbyterie Princes haue no skill in such matters and in that respect it is not amisse for them to take their direction from the Presbyterie A noble consideration and woorthie to be registred The Church wardens and Side-men of euery parish are the meetest men that you can finde to direct Princes in iudging of ecclesiasticall crimes and causes A most wretched State of the Church it must needes bee that shall depend on such sillie Gouernours I omit how farre gentlemen and landlords can preuaile in euery parish with their neighbours and tenants both to rule them and ouer-rule them at their pleasures Uiew the villages in England and tell me how farre you shall seeke before you shall finde laie Elders that in any reason ought to be trusted with the gouernement of the Church I will not aduauntage my selfe by the rudenesse and ignorance of most part I hope for very shame you will admit that Princes are farre fitter in their owne persons if they would take the paynes to determine ecclesiasticall matters then husbandmen and Artisants And if they want direction or will giue Commission to that purpose they neede not descend to the plough and carte for helpe or aduise The world will greatly doubt of your discretion and suspect you sauour of popular faction and ambition if by Gods lawe you presse Princes against their wils to accept such counsellers and substitutes in ecclesiasticall gouernement If they bee at libertie to make their choice they haue store of learned and able men of all sortes within their Realmes whom they may trust with the censuring and ouerseeing of Clergie mens actions so as to preferre Ploughmen and Craftesmen to vndertake that weightie charge for Christian Princes were ridiculous if not infamous follie Wherefore the laie Presbyterie must either claime to haue their power and authoritie from Christ without the Prince and before the Prince which is somewhat dangerous if not derogatorie to the Princes right or els they must staie till the Magistrate giue them power in euery place to gouerne the causes of the Church and moderate the actions of the Pastours For since they will needes concurre with the Prince in the same charge and ouersight of Ecclesiasticall crimes and causes they must deriue their warrant either from the
come Of Lay men the Councell of Hispalis sayeth Indecorum est Laicum vicarium esse Episcopi Seculares in ecclesia iudicare Vndâ— oportet nos diuinis libris sanctorum Patrâ—m obedire praecepâ—is constituentes vt hij qui in administrationibus ecclesiae Pontificibus sociantur discrepare non debe ant nec professione nec habitu It is an vnseemely thing for a laie man to be vice gerent to a Bishop and for Secular men to iudge in the Church Wherefore we must obey the bookes of God and the precepts of our fathers being holy men decreeing that they which are ioyned with the Bishops in the administrations of the Church should not differ from them neither in profession nor habite Iflaie Elders had bene currant in Gregories time and assisted the Bishop in Clergie mens causes as his Coassessors the Councill of Hispalis not long after him did open wrong to the trueth in saying it was against the booke of God and rules of their forefathers that laie men should bee ioyned with Bishops in any causes or matters of the Church but for any thing we yet see they spake the trueth and no more then was long before confirmed as well by the decrees of Councils as publike lawes of the Romane empire Si ecclesiastica causa est nullam communionem habeant Iudices â—iuâ—les circa talem examinationem sed sanctissimus Episcopus secundum sacr as regulas causae finem imponat If it be an ecclesiasticall cause saieth Iustinian the Emperour let not the ciuill or temporall Iudges any way intermeddle with the examination thereof but according to the sacred rules let the most holy Bishop determine the matter Nowe who were to be present with the Bishop when he sate in iudgement and assist him the fourth Councill of Carthage declareth in these wordes Episcopus nullius causam audiat absque praesentia Clericorum suorum alioquin irrita erit sententia Episcopâ— nisi Clericorum praesentia confirmetur Let the Bishop determine no mans cause without the presence of his Clergie otherwise the sentence of the Bishop shall bee voyde that is not confirmed with the presence of the Clergie With the Bishop sate no laie Elders in iudgement but his owne Clergie and those not all but the grauer and elder sort of them The Deacons and the rest of the Clergie beneath their degree might not sit with the Priests much lesse with the Bishop The Council of Nice saieth Sed nec sedere Diaconis licet in medio Presbyterorum The Deacons may not sit in the company or assemblie of Priests So that onely Clergie men and Priests sate with the Bishop in Church and Consistorie and their presence and aduise was required as we see by the Council of Carthage before the Bishop might giue iudgement against any man This course Gregorie willeth the Bishop of Panormus in Sicelie to obserue as neerest to the Canons and freest from all chalenge wheÌ„ he conuented any Clergie man not rashly to pronounce but aduisedly to deliberate with the wisest and eldest of his Clergie and then to proceed accordingly for Priests and Deacons the case is cleare the Bishop alone might not depriue them The Councill of Hispalis saieth Episcopus Sacerdotibus ac Ministriâ— solus honorem dare potest solus auferre non potest The Bishop alone may giue Priests and Deacons their honour but hee can not take it from them alone They may not be condemned by one neither may they loose the priuiledge of their honour by the iudgement of one but being presented to the iudgement of a Synode let them bee ruled and ordered as the Canon prescribeth Ouer the rest the Bishop alone might sit Iudge without the assistance of other Bishops but not without the Elders of his owne Church and Clergie for so the Councill of Carthage decreeth and Gregorie aduiseth If any Priestes or Deacons bee accused let the Bishop of the parties accused discusse their causes taking to him a lawfull number sixe in a Priests three in a Deacons of the Bishops adioyning such as the defendants shall require The causes of the rest of the Clergie the Bishop of the place alone shall heare and determine Laie Elders I trust are excluded by this Canon from deciding or debating the causes of any Priestes Deacons or other Clergie men and so are they by all the Canons that were euer made in any Councill Prouinciall or Generall since the Apostles times Lastlie the Canon lawe itselfe is produced for the name of laie Elders I might take iust exception against the Compiler of those decrees his corruptions and ouersights doe passe the number of his leaues Hieromes name is twise abused by him and twise alleaged by you without any regard whether those authorities bee found in his workes or make to your purpose The first is 16. quaest 1. § ecclesia which place is no where found in Hierome though his booke ad Rusticum bee extant prescribing the maner how a Monke should order his life Some of the wordes were patched out of his Commentaries vpon Esaie and the rest touching Monkes added which are not at all in Hierome The second place distinct 95. ecce ego is a lustie tale not of Hieroms but of some others in his name beginning with a forged inscription and ending with a presumptuous vntrueth and fraighted in the middle with vnsauourie rayling Hierome wrate in deede to Rusticus a French man but as yet no Clergie man that euer he wrate vnto him after he was Bishop of Narbon neither doe we reade it in any of his workes neither is it likely for so much as Leo Bishop of Rome more then thirtie yeeres after Hieromes death wrate Ad Rusticum Narbonensem Episcopum to Rusticus Bishop of Narbon And touching the matter of which this counterfeit Hierome talketh Leo writing vnto the Bishops of France and Germanie conuicteth this prater of manifest falsehood for where this forged Hierome saieth it was vsed in Rome in Africa in the East in Spaine France and Britaine and calleth them proud enuious and most iniurious Prelates that otherwise doe Leo with a Council of Bishops affirmeth it was not vsed but where men were altogether ignorant of the ecclesiastical rules and expresselie forbiddeth it by a Synodall consent as contrarie to the Canons Whosoeuer were the author of that sturdie epistle he turneth your laie Elders cleane out of doores for as hee affirmeth that Presbyters or Elders were at first Iudges of the Churches affaires and present at the Bishops Councils so hee saieth the same Elders must preache in the Church blesse and exhort the people consecrate Christ at the Altar restore the Communion visite the sicke At que omnia Dei Sacramenta complere and finishe all the Sacramentes of God I shall not neede to put you in minde that heere is no roume for Laie Elders the woordes bee so playne that if you but reade them I thinke you will quickely resigne all
Church Nowe if the execution of Lawes bee Dominion and Imperie in your conceite when as there is a present remedie by appeale to the Princes audience if anie wrong or hard measure be offred what will you call it to iudge by discretion as your Presbyteries doe ' which is the greater kind of Imperie to determine all matters as you list or to be limited in euery point by the Lawes of the Realme what you shall doe and if you transgresse neuer so little to giue account thereof to the supreme Magistrate ' If I vnderstand any thing it were more livertie for Bishops to bee referred to Synodes where they shoulde beare some sway then to be restrained to Lawes from which they may not shrinke The execution of your Presbytericall decrees you giue to the moderatour of your Presbyterie and yet you giue him no dominion nor imperie Why then are you so inconsiderate or so intemperate as to cal the execution of ecclesiastical Lawes by the Diocesane or Metropolitane a tyrannicall power and dominion ouer their brethren ' Would you haue no Lawes at all but euery case as it falleth out so to be censured at the pleasure of the Presbyters ' That were a right tyrannie in deede and not tolerable in any common wealth that hath a Christian Magistrate If you admit euery matter to be ruled by writtten Lawes and leaue appeales in all causes for such as find themselues grieued to the Prince which is obserued in this Realme the execution of Lawes is rather a burden imposed then an honour to be desired and but that some men must needes vndertake that charge it were more easie for Bishops to bee without it then alwayes to trouble and often to endanger themselues with the difficulties and penalties of so many Lawes as we haue and must haue to guide those causes that are committed to their Consistories They haue others to discharge it for them They must haue some to assist them except you wil haue Bishops to bestow more time in learning humane lawes then in meditating y t diuine Scriptures And therefore your inueighing at the Arches and other places of iudgement she weth you litle vnderstand what you say Were your Presbyteries or Synodes at their perils to handle and determine so manie so weightie causes as they are you woulde reuerence them as much as euer you disgraced them and see your own follie in impugning that which cannot be wanted But what stand I on these things which experience wil proue to be requisite in a Christian common wealth better then speech It sufficeth me that Metropolitanes were long before the Nicene Council accepted and vsed in the Church of Christ as necessarie persons to assemble the Synodes of eche Prouince vpon all occasions and to ouersee as well the election as ordination of Bishops within their charge This if you graunt necessitie will force you to yeeld them the rest as it did y t Councils Princes that were long before our times If you like not the wisedome and order of the vniuersal and auncient Church of Christ you must tell vs in your new platforme who shall call and moderate Prouinciall Synodes when occasion requireth or whether your Presbyters shall bee supreme Moderators of all matters without expecting or regarding any Synodall assemblies or Iudgements Synodes we admit some to gather and gouerne those assemblies but to preuent ambition we would haue that priuiledge to goe rounde by course to all the Pastors of euery Prouince You may doe well to change Deacons euerie day Bishops euery weeke Presbyters euery moneth and Metropolitanes euery quarter that the gouernment of the house of God may goe round by course And surely you misse not much of it Deacons and Presbyters dure with you for a yeere Bishops you thinke in the Apostles times were changed euerie weeke what space you wil appoint to Metropolitanes wee yet know not longer then one Synode I presume you wil haue no man to continue But what reason or example haue you for it ' Examples perhaps as you care for none so you seeke for none for if examples might preuaile with you wee haue the setled and approued order of the primitiue Church against you that Metropolitanes neuer went by course Yea the name it selfe doeth inferre as much for if he be Metropolitane that is Bishop of the Metropolis or Mother citie the mother Citie remayning alwaies one and the same the priuiledge of the Metropolitane could neuer change by course To aske you for reason which leane onelie to your willes and regarde no mens iudgements but your owne will seeme straunge yet heare the resolution of one that highly fauoureth your newe founde discipline who positiuely concludeth that this circular regiment by course as it is not able to resist ambition and adulation so it will breede contempts and factions in the Church of God His words be Dicamus ergo primatum illum ordinis per mutuae successionis vices ipsa tandem experieÌ„tia compertum fuisse non satis virium nec aà ambitiosos Pastores nec ad auditores alios quideÌ„ vanos alios verò adulatorio spiritu praeditos compescendos habuisse communicata videlicet singulis Pastoribus per vices huius primatus dignitate Itaqâ—e quod singulorum se cundum successionem commune fuit visum fuit aa vnum eum quidem totius Presbyterij iudicio delectum transferre quod certè reprehendinec potest nec debet quum praesertim vetustus hic mosprimum Presbyterum deligendi in AlexaÌ„drina celeberrima ecclesia iam inde à Marco Euangelista esset obseruatus Alteram causam affert Ambrosius longè maximi momenti nempe quòd primatu sic ad singulos per vices perueniente singulis Pastoribus non semper ad hanc gubernationem suscipiendam sdoneis compertis it a fieret vt indigni inter dum praeessent quaeres tum Presbyterij contemptum secum trahebat tum aditum factionibus aperiebat Let vs then auouch that this Primacie of order going round by course of mutuall succession was at length by very experience found not to haue force inough to represse ambitious Pastors neither vaine and flattering Auditors whiles euery Pastour in his course enioyed this superioritie Therefore that which was common to all by succession it seemed good to transferre to one chosen by the iudgement of the whole Presbyterie the which neither can nor ought to be reprehended especially since this ancient maner to choose the chiefe of the Presbyterie was obserued in the famous Church of Alexandria euen from Marke the Euangelist Another cause of greatest waight without comparison doeth Ambrose alleage that this Primacie so going round to euery one by course some Pastours sometimes were found vnfit to vndertake this gouernment and thereby it came to passe that such as were vnwoorthie oft times ruled the rest which brought with it the contempt of the Presbyterie and opened a gappe vnto factions How farre Ambrose is mistaken I haue shewed before hee saieth
more particularly and effectually then Pastours doe or may by their doctrine Such labyrinths they leape into when they seeke for those things in y e sacred Scriptures which were neuer intended But were the word of God in this point indifferent which for ought I yet see is very resolute against them the generall consent of alantiquitie that neuer so expounded S. Pauls words nor euer mentioned any laie Presbyters to gouern the Church is to me a strong rampire against all these new deuises I like not to raise vp that discipline from the dead which hath lien so long buried in silence which no father euer witnessed no councill euer fauoured no Church euer followed since the Apostles times till this our age I can be forward in things that be good but not so foolish as to thinke the church of Christ neuer knew what belonged to the gouernment of her selfe till now of late that the sonne of God hath bin spoiled of halfe his kingdome by his owne seruants and Citizens for these 1500. yeeres without remorse or remembrance of any man that so great wrong was offered him I can yeelde to much for quietnes sake to this I can not yeelde They must shewe mee their Lay Presbyteries in some ancient Writer or else I must plainly auouch their Consistories as they presse them to be a notorious if not a pernicious nouelty Ierome Ambrose and others are brought to depose that the first Church had her Senate and Elders without whose aduise nothing was done but how wrongfully the deuise of Lay Elders is fathered on them I haue declared in a special discourse I wil not heere repeate it onely this I say if any of them affirme that in the Primitiue or Apostolike Church Lay Presbyters did gouerne Ecclesiasticall affaires I am content to recall all that I haue written of this present matter if not it is no great praise nor good policie for them to abuse the names and wordes of so many learned Fathers to the vtter discredite of themselues and their cause in the end Since then the Church of Christ in and after the Apostles times was not gouerned by Lay Presbyters as this newe discipline pretendeth it resteth that we declare by whom both the Apostolike church and the Primitiue after that were directed ruled which I haue not failed to performe in many chapters as farre foorth as the Scriptures doe warrant and the vndoubted Stories of Christs Church do leade In the Apostles I obserue foure things needefull for the first founding and erecting of the Church though not so for the preseruing and maintening thereof and foure other points that must be perpetuall in the Church of Christ. The foure extraordinary priuiledges of the Apostolike function were Their vocation immediate from Christ not from men nor by men Their commission extending ouer all the earth not limited to anie place Their direction infallible the holie Ghost guiding them whether they wrate or spake and Their operation wonderful as wel to conuert and confirme beleeuers as to chastice and reuenge disobeyers Without these things the Church could not beginne as is easily perceiued but it may well continue without them for now God calleth labourers into his haruest by others not by himselfe Pastors take charge of those Churches that are already planted they seeke not places where to plant new Churches The Scriptures once written serue all ages for instruction of faith and the myracles then wrought witnesse the power and trueth of the Gospell vnto the worldes ende Wherefore those thinges had their necessary force and vse to lay the first foundations of the gospel before Christ was knowen but the wisedome of God will not haue his Church still depend on those miraculous meanes which serue rather to conquere incredulitie then to edifie the faithfull signes being as the Apostle saith not for such as beleeue but for such as doe not beleeue The other foure points of the Apostolike delegation which must haue their permanence and perpetuitie in the Church of Christ are the Dispencing the word Administring the sacraments Imposing of hands and Guiding the keys to shut or open the kingdome of heauen The first two by reason they be the ordinary meanes and instruments by which the spirite of God worketh ech mans saluation must be general to al Pastors and Presbyters of Christs Church the other two by which meete men are called to the ministerie of the word and obstinate persons not only repelled from the societie of the saints but also from the promise and hope of eternall life respect rather the cleansing and gouerning of Christes Church and therefore no cause they should be committed to the power of euery Presbyter as the word and sacraments are for as there can be no order but confusion in a common wealth where euery man ruleth so woulde there be no peace but a pestilent perturbation of all thinges in the Church of Christ if euery Preshyter might impose handes and vse the keyes at his pleasure How the Apostles imposed hands and deliuered vnto Satan and who ioyned with them in those actions I haue handled in places appointed for that purpose whereby we shal perceiue that though the Presbyters of eache Church had charge of the worde and Sacraments euen in the Apostles times yet might they not impose handes nor vse the keys without the Apostles or such as the Apostles departing or dying left to be their substitutes and successors in the Churches which they had planted At Samaria Philip preached and baptized and albeit he dispenced the word and sacraments yet could hee not impose handes on them but Peter and Iohn came from Ierusalem and laide their hands on them and so they receiued the holie Ghost The Churches of Lystra Iconium and Antioch were planted before yet were Paul and Barnabas at their returne forced to increase the number of Presbyters in each of those places by imposition of their handes for so the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth with al Greeke Diuines and Stories as I haue sufficiently proued and not to ordaine by election of the people as some men of late had new framed the Text. The churches of Ephesus and Creete were erected by Paul had their Presbyteries yet could they not create others but Timothie and Tite were left there to impose handes and ordaine Elders in euerie Citie as occasion required Herein who succeeded the Apostles whether all Presbyters equally or certaine chiefe and chosen men one in euerie Church and City trusted with the gouernment both of people and Presbyters I haue largely debated and made it plaine as well by the Scriptures as by other ancient Writers past all exception that from the Apostles to the first Nicene Councill and so along to this our age there haue alwayes bene selected some of greater gifts then the residue to succeede in the Apostles places to whom it belonged both to moderate the Presbyters of ech Church and to take the
teâ—â—ests of this world Order then and discipline the very nurse and mother of all peace and quietnesse as well in diuine as in humane societies and assemblies though it be not the life or spirite that quickneth the Church yet doeth it faâ—en and knit the members thereof as ioints and siâ—e wes doe the partes of our bodies in so much that the vnitie of the spirite is not kept as the Apostle noteth without the band of peace and where there is dissention nourished or confusion suffered no peace can be preserued or expected Hence we must not frame what kind of regiment we list for the ministers of Christes Church but rather obserue and marke what maner of externall gouernment the Lord hath best liked allowed in his Church euen from the beginning The externall regiment of Pastours and Teachers among themselues and ouer their flocks I distinguish from the internall that God hath by his spirite and truethih the hearts of the faithfull which cannot be varied and is not questioned in the Church of England That I acknowledge to he the true kingdom of Christ whereby he inwardly and effectually worketh in his Saints the faith of his trueth and feeling of his grace according to the purpose of his owne will for the prayse of his glory in which no earthly creature concurreth or ioyneth with him yet câ—â—se he hath left the sound of his word and seale of his Saâ—râ—ments as externall meanes for vs to be made partakers of his heauenly graces there must be sitpersons to teach the one and dispence the other and a power in them to admit the woorthie and remooue the vnwoorthie least holy things be defiled whiles they â—e proiected to dogs and swine Hence riseth the necessitie of externall gouernment in the Church of God which respecteth the appointing of meete men and repelling of vnmeete to be trusted with these heauenly treasures as also the good vsing and right diuiding of sopreciousie wels committed to their charge What kinde of externall gouernment God setled in his Church euen at the first beginning will soone appeare if wee consult the Scriptures FroÌ„ Adam to Iacob as the Church was contained in certaine families mentioned by Moses so was the discipline of the Church Domesticall and the gouernment Paternall God leauing the father to be teacher and ruler of his houshold and of spring and changing the children and their issues to honour with reuerence and obedience their fathers deliuering and prescribing vnto them the true worship of God agreeable to his will reuealed to their fathers The right and power the father had ouer his children and houshold before the Lawe is expressed in these wordes I know saieth God that Abraham will command his sonnes and his house after him to keepe the way of the Lord which no doubt all the Patriarkes that were faithfull euen from Adam carefullie performed and the children that were religious reuerently obeied the blessing of God passing by the fathers mouth vnto the children in reward of their submission or curse in reuenge of their rebellion So Noah blessed Sem for couering his nakednesse and by that blessing made him heire of the promise and cursed Cham for deriding the shame of his father and insulting at it So like wise Isaac and Iacob transmitted the blessing of God to their children and childrens children that were duetifull and pronounced his heauie iudgements on their children that were wicked and obstinate As the Patriarkes were Prophets to declare to their children the promises and menaces of God so were they magistrates to rule their families with fatherly coercion such as God best allowed in the first world to gouerne his Saints And for that cause did God comprehend Princes vnder the name of Parents in the Decalogâ—e of Moses and euery where in the olde Testament chiefe men and gouernours are called Fathers and to this day by Gods lawe Princes ought to haue the same care and respect of their subiects that fathers haue of their children by reason the first fountaine of princely power by Gods allowance was fatherly regiment Neither were the Patriarkes onely Princes within their tentes and dwellings but also Princes in the Church of God God alwayes reseruing the eldest and chiefest in those generations to serue him with sacrifice and thanksgiuing To which end God did consecrate the first borne of their familie as holy to himselfe to be Priests in his Church and encreased their dignitie with this princely prerogatiue that they should be Lords ouer their brethren and honoured of their mothers children as succeeding their fathers in the gouernment and Priesthood vnlesse they were repelled from that honour by Gods secrete counsels or manifest iudgements and others named by God himselfe to sustaine that charge In Isaac shall thy seed be called sayd God to Abraham when hee refused Ismael The elder shall serue the yonger said God to Rebecca when he preferred Iacob Ruben mine eldest sonne said Iacob the beginning of my strength excelling in dignitie excelling in power thou shalt not excell because thou wentest vp to thy fathers bed For otherwise this was the blessing due to the elder brother in the first world and part of his birthright as well before as after the flood which Isaac vttered to Iacob when he tooke him for his eldest sonne Be Lord ouer thy brethren and let thy mothers children honour thee Which priuiledge of the first horne God renewed and confirmed in the lawe of Moses throughout the common wealth of Israel that as they were eldest so should they be chiefest in their fathers houses except their impietie prouoked the contrary This then was the regiment of Gods Church from Adam to Sem the most ancient was alwayes the most excellent both in priesthood and ciuill gouernment in the Church of God and in his roume deceasing succeeded his eldest sonne vnlesse he were reiected from it for his wickednesse as Cain was that killed Abel And to the first Patriarkes God gaue so long life that they might witnesse his trueth by word of mouth vnto their children and childrens children that would heare and regard the will of God for this precept expressed in the law Teach them thy sonnes thy sonnes sonnes was the perpetuall charge of all fathers as well before as after the deluge and then most needfull when children had no teachers nor gouernours saue fathers as whiles the worde was yet not written but the true worship of God was deliuered by hand from the father to the sonne During which time as each father that inherited the promise was eldest so was he chiefest in directing and commanding his ofspring that beleeued of whom the Church then consisted Adam gouerned the Church 930. yeeres confirming to all posteritie the creation and fall of himselfe and all mankind with him and likewise redemption and victorie by the promised seede that should come of the woman Seth the sonne of Adam
of the people with him assist him in hearing ordering all matters of weight and difficultie Besides these God named twelue princes of euery Tribe one for oftener meeting quicker dispatch to be alwayes present with Aaron and Moses that is with the high Priest and the Magistrate Thus had euery Tribe their Iudges and officers Elders and Princes to direct and rule the rest of the multitude The same order was by Moses prescribed against they should recouer and enter the land of promise and was likewise there obserued Iudges officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities throughout thy Tribes they shal iudge the people with righteous iudgement And if there arise a matter too hard for thee in iudgement within thy gates thou shalt arise goe vp to the place which the Lord thy God shall choose where the seuentie Elders were to abide and attend such matters as were of greatest moment both ciuill sacred and their sentence by Gods law no man might refuse without punishment of death This maner of gouernement Iehosaphat restored together with religion when hee set Iudges in the land throughout all the strong cities of Iudah citie by citie Moreouer in Ierusalem he placed of the Leuites and of the Priests and of the chiefe of the families of Israel for the iudgement and cause of the Lord and sayd Behold Amariah the priest is chiefe ouer you in all matter of the Lord and Zebediah the sonne of Ishmael a ruler of the house of Iudah for all the kings affaires and the Leuites are officers in your presence Iosephus repeateth the summe of these lawes of Moses in this sort In euery Citie let there be seuen rulers men chiefly regarding vertue the loue of iustice To euery Magistâ—acie let there bee allotted two of the Tribe of Leui for assistance If these Iudges cannot pronounce of any matter brought before them let the whole cause be sent to the holy Citie the high Priest the Prophet and the Senate or councill of Elders assembling determine what they thinke right The Iewish Thalmud varieth from Iosephus in the number of their Iudges and saieth that on small and pecuniarie matters in euery citie sate three Iudges on criminall and capitall three and twentie on the highest affaires of the common wealth and causes sent from other Cities sate at Ierusalem the lxxi Elders and rulers of the people The booke of Ruth witnesseth that ten of the Elders of the citie sate with Boaz in the gate when the matter was ended betwixt him and his kinsman for the inheritance of Elimelech and marrage of Ruth The Princes and Elders of Succoth euen of one Citie were 77. whose flesh Gede on did teare with thornes for refusing to relieue his wearied souldiers The iarre in the number of the Iudges I labour not to reconcile they may speake of diuers times and places without repugnance of each to other this I obserue that Moses appointed neither Iudges nor Elders in Citie or Synedrion but they were magistrates to execute the iudgements of the lawe and had the sword to chastice the body and punish with death The supreme Synedrion of Ierusalem heard and decided matters pertaining to God and the king and the man that presumptuouslie disobeied them was by Gods lawe to die Under Esdras the punishment of him that neglected their commandement was the forfeiture of all his goods and separation from the people of God The Elders of their Cities were to inquire and sweare for vnknowen murder to deliuer the wilfull murderer vnto the hand of the auenger of blood to adiudge to death disobedient children to a merce and chastise the slanderer of his wiues virginitie and to stone the adulteresse to death and in like maner to performe all the punishments and penalties of Moses lawe By which it is euident that their Elders in euery Citie were the Magistrates and rulers of the people and might inflict both losse of limme and life and determine all causes saue such as for distinction of holy and vnholy were peculiar to the Priest or for weight and difficultie were reserued to the councill of Ierusalem In the dayes of our Sauiour though many things were corrupted and altered from Moses lawe and the power of their Elders and Sanhedrin much decreased first by the kingdome of Herode then by the Romane Presidents who not regarding Moses lawes could not endure the soueraigne authoritie of the high Priest and Elders so neere their noses yet for the better containing the people in obedience to their countrey rites and lawes without which they would in no wise be gouerned or quieted the Elders of each place were suffered to retaine some shew of their former power as to heare and redresse the priuate wrongs and iniuries of their brethren and the Councill of Ierusalem had authoritie left them to imprison and chastice with rods the contemners and disturbers of their religion as appeareth by their binding and buffeâ—ing of Christ and beating his Apostles as also by Pauls letters from the high Priests and Elders to prison and beate in euery Synagogue such as beleeued I send you saieth Christ to his disciples as sheepe among wolues they will deliuer you vp to Councils and scourge you in their Synagogues Yea by shewing themselues zealous for Caesar and by false suggesting that the Apostles vnder colour of religion laboured to stirre sedition among the Iewes as Theudas and Iudas not long before had done the Elders so preuayled with the Romanâ—s that not onelie the Presidents themselues persecuted the faythfull to content and gratifie the people but suffered the Synedrion at Ierusalem to haue power of life and death when they same cause and to exercise the same in cases of defection from their lawe or rebellion against their lawe Our Sauiour saieth of the Scribes and Pharises sitting in Moses chaire Fulfill ye the measure of your fathers Behold I send vnto you Prophetes and wise men and some of them shall you kill and crucifie and some shall you scourge in your Synagogues and pursue from Citie to Citie Paul confessing how hote hee was against the Christians in the time of his ignorance saieth I persecuted this way vnto the death binding and imprisoning both men and women And when the blood of Steuen the Martyr was shed hee stoode by and consented vnto his death and kept the clothes of the witnesses that slew him At that time also when Steuen was stoned there was a great persecution agaynst the Church which was at Ierusalem and Saul entered into euerie house and drewe out both men and women and put them in prison breathing out threates and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord and making hauocke of his Church The stoning of Steuen some men suppose was done in a tumult without all lawfull authoritie because the chiefe Priests not long before sayd to
Pilate It is not lawfull for vs to put any man to death Tumultuous it was by reason of their immoâ—erate rage shewed in the ende of their iudgement yet so that the witnesses were produced though false the partie suffered to answere for a season Saul trusted to see execution done and the witnesses as by the lawe they were bound the first that cast stones on Steuen And when the tumult was ceased the persecution increased and Saul afterward Paul appointed by Commission from the high Priest and Elders to bee a chiefe Actor for the slaughter of Christes Saintes both there and else where Their wordes to Pilate It is not lawfull for vs to kill any man might bee spoken either in regard of the present time which was so sacred vnto them that they would not that day goe into the iudgement hall where Pilate sate or in respect of the crime they accused him of which was affectation of the kingdome and so no where determinable but in Caesars court or lastly by reason of Pilates presence without whose assent being there in person they could not proceede on life and death Whatsoeuer power the Romanes limitted or enlarged to the Elders of the Iewes after they were lordes ouer them I greatly force not this is euident they were Magistrates by Moses lawe and had the sword from God to execute his iudiciall ordinances as I shewed before more might the Ammonites or Moabites the children of the Edomites and Egyptians were receiued in the third generation Altens were not admitted to be of the number of the Lordes people and any vncleannes of the flesh did separate for a season the Iewes themselues from approaching neere to the Congregation or Tabernacle of God but neither of these is excommunication The straÌ„gers which were not yet admitted could not be eiected the naturall weakenes vncleannes of the bodie as leprosie pollution of feede touching of the dead and such like are no iust causes of excommunication but rather remembrances of our corruption For greater sinnes committed if they could be prooued God by his law appointed corporal punishments for wrongs he required recompence for smaller matters he accepted sacrifices of confession and repentance Other censuring in Moses I reade none commanded This phrase He shalbe cut off from the mids of his people so much vsed in the law seemeth to some men to expresse a kind of excommunication Anathematization from the people of God but they must pardon me if I beleeue it not vntill I see it prooued by the Scriptures The Rabbins write many things touching the traditions and customs of later times but what Moses ordained or intended by this speach I looke for proofes out of Moses himselfe and not out of Rabbins And long wee shal not neede to search the places are so often euident In the 18. of Leuiticus God threatning incest adulterie Sodomitrie buggarie and offering of children vnto Molech concludeth Whosoeuer shal commit any of these abominatioÌ„s the persons that do so shalbe cut off from among their people Whereby God meaneth they shall die the death as is expressed in the 20. of Leuiticus in the very same sins also that if man spare such and leaue them vnpunished God himselfe from heauen by his dreadfull iudgements will roote them and theirs out of the earth Whosoeuer shal giue his children vnto Molech he shall die the death the people of the land shal stone him to death And I will set my face against that man and cut him off from among his people And if the people of the lande doe hide their eyes and wincke at that man and kill him not then wil I set my face against that man and his familie and cut him off So for incest They shall be saieth God cut off in the sight of their people that is openly put to death And likewise for any wilfull breach of Gods law The person that doeth presumptuously the same blasphemeth the Lorde therefore shall he be cut off from among his people or suffer death for when this speach is referred to the Magistrate execution is enioyned and such malefactors must be cut off from the earth by the losse of their liues but when it is referred to God it is a commination denounced that he will plague them with violent and hastie destruction and roote out themselues and their posterities and euen their remembrances from the people of God Hereof are euery where examples The sworde shall cutte thee off Let vs cut him off from the land of the liuing and destroy the tree with the fruite that his name may be no more in memorie I will set my face sayth God against that man and make him an example and a prouerbe and will cutte him off from the middest of my people So againe I will come against thee and drawe my sword out of his sheathe and cutte off from thee both the righteous and wicked This signification is euery where occurrent but no where excommunication In Esdras after the returne of y â— people from Babylon I find a separation froÌ„ the Congregation threatned to the disobedient in Nehemias a chasing away of some that maried straÌ„ge wiues but either of these proceeded froÌ„ the magistrate and so neither serueth for y â— ministers of Christs Church The separatioÌ„ in Esdras is ioyned with the forfeiture of al their substance which offended for so we reade is rather an exiling banishing from the countrey then barring from the Temple In Nehemias the curse of Gods law coucurred with the Magistrates power which no Pastour may imitate I reproued them saith he and cursed them smote certaine of them and pulled off their haire tooke an othe of them by God not to commit the like one of the hie priests nephews that married the daughter of Sanballat the Horonite I chased him from me This seazing of their goodes smiting of their bodies separating them from the people and chasing them from the place shew the ciuil vse of the sword in the Princes hand not the spiritual force of the word in the Priests mouth And therfore the one is no president for the other The casting of men out of their synagogues first deuised by the Pharises to serue their prowd aspiring humor for that y e chiefest power of the sword was transiated vnto strangerâ— and the highest digâ—ities remained vnto the Sadduces and not only deuised but sharply pursued by them against our Sauior and his disciples was no spirituall curse but rather a temporall losse of all such honor office priuilege and freedome as the parties had in the Countrie Citie or Synagogue where they liued and a plaine thraldome to prisoning whipping and such other chastising as their Synedrion by their Lawes might inflict Saint Iohns report is that Ioseph of Arimathea was Christs Disciple but secretely for feare of the Iewes and that
of the Romane Soueraigntie If thy brother trespasse thee tell him priuately of the wrong offered thee If hee regarde not thy voyce take one or two with thee that may bee men indifferent betwixt you This the rule of charitie requireth in secret and friendly manner yea by the mediation of wel-willers and neighbours to compose all priuate quarrels as much as in vs lieth If this take not place tel it vnto the Church that is vnto the assemblie and gouernours that are in thy Citie For euery Citie by Gods Lawe was to haue her Iudges and Magistrates there to iudge the people with righteous iudgement And their manner was to sit in the gates of their cities whither the whole multitude did assemble vnto thē not onely to heare and see what they did but in weightie matters to ioyne with them and giue their consents Our Sauiour then meaneth that if charitable and brotherly admonitions be neglected they should seeke their remedie from the Iudges and Elders of their Cities as by Gods law the Iewes were directed and permitted to do Tell it vnto the Church then is as much as tel it not vnto the Church of Christ which as yet was not seuered from the Iewes nor assembled together and therefore had then neither places nor persons specified or authorized for that purpose but vnto that Councel of Magistrates which God by Moses commanded to haue the hearing and ending of those causes For Christ by this precept doth not establish new Iudges nor erect new Consistories but referreth the people to Gods ordināce expressed in the law of Moses and already receiued and vsed in that common wealth thereby meaning that if the doers of wrong to their brethren would not be reformed by priuat and friendly admonition intercession the parties grieued might with good conscience aske the aid and assistance of those Magistrates whom God had appointed ouer them to compell and force the trespassers to surcease their iniurious dealings If it seeme strange to any man that the word Ecclesia should be taken heere not for the Church of Christ as we commonly vse it but for the assemblie of any place or citie where the Rulers and Commons be they Christiās or Infidels are gathered together to consult or determine as well of ciuil causes as of religion besides that the Septuagint do often vse the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for any kind of meeting as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I haue hated the assemblie of the wicked and againe I was almost ouerwhelmed with al euil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the middes of the Church Synagogue S. Luke in the 19. of the Acts vseth the word in that sort thrise in one chapter Beza a man of great learning and one whome none can mistrust as not addicted enough vnto discipline writing on this place saith Wee must note they are fouly deceiued which would conclude out of this place that the hearing of al matters must be referred to the assembly of the whole multitude The name of the Church say they is neuer otherwise vsed which euen out of this place is proued to be false For surely it appeareth that this is spoken as it were of the Iewes by that which is added Let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane Now that iudgements amongst the Iewes were exercised by the Elders and that their manner was not euer to assemble the whole multitude all the writers of those matters do witnes And truely vnlesse Christ had fitted all this speach vnto the vse that was in his time who coulde haue vnderstoode him what hee saide It is lastly to bee obserued that in this one place of all the new Testament the name of the Church is spoken of the Iewes The words which followe if he heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane must import either the punishing his obstinacie which obeyed not the Iudgement of the Rulers and Magistrates that were of the Iewes or a further pursuing him before others y ◠had more power to represse such insolencie If they expresse any punishment for his wilfulnes that must proceed either publikely frō the Iudges or priuately frō the plaintife The punishment of him y ◠disobeied the Magistrate by Gods Law was death that Christ would not alter For he came not to change the ciuil gouernement or qualifie the iudicall punishments of Moses Law but to leade them the way to the celestiall and eternall kingdome of God The chiefe Rulers and Gouernours of the Iewes being his capitall aduersaries and not acknowledging his authoritie would neuer respect his counsell nor commandement The wordes themselues haue reference to a particular person Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane Christ therefore in these words decreed no publike punishment As for priuate reuenge he was farre from liking it and further from teaching it False Prophets we must beware and with notorious wicked persons we must not keepe companie but priuate iniuries we must rather suffer with patience then resist with violence or requite with disdaine Resist not euill saieth Christ to all his disciples but whosoeeer shall smite thee on the right cheeke turne to him the other also and if any will sue thee at the law to take away thy coate let him haue thy cloake also Then may wee not reiect detest our brother that doth vs wrong as the Iewes did an Ethnike and Publicane The mind that must quietly beare wrong once twise and oftner if neede be must not abhorre and shunne the person of his brother that wrongeth him as prophane It resteth then that our Sauior in these words did permit the partie oppressed to seeke further remedie when neither charitie nor equitie could preuaile with the oppressour And that was to doe as they did to strangers and Publicanes which was to conuent him before y ◠Roman Magistrate who had power to force him that did wrong to abide the iudgement that shoulde be giuen And so I suppose y e words may be taken Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane that is pursue him in those Courts where thou wouldest a Pagan and Publicane that should do thee wrong If any man like not to vnderstand those words of a further pursute before the Magistrate he may referre them to a priuate forsaking of all companie with the wrong-doer vntill he reforme himselfe Let him be to thee as an Ethnicke and Publicane that is shunne such wilfull oppressours as much as thou doest Pagans and Publicanes but without bitternes of minde or breach of patience And so S. Augustine sometimes expoundeth them If hee heare not the Church let him be to thee as an Ethnike Publicane that is account him no longer in the number of thy brethren yet neglect not his saluation So the Lord warneth when he by and by addeth Verely I say vnto you whatsoeuer you binde on earth shall be bound in heauen
Churches In the Gospell he nameth his Apostles The Salt of the earth and Light of the worlde The Scripture which cannot be broken calleth them Gods to whome the word of God came How beautifull are the feete of them saith Paul which bring glad tidings of peace Our eies if it were possible are not too deare for them We owe them not onely honour but euen our selues And to speake vprightly if euery man on earth be measured by the degree of his master and dignitie of his seruice I see no cause why Christs Embassadours and the Stewards and Rulers of Gods houshold should be contemptible in the eyes of their fellow seruants that should obey them and be subiect to them as vnto their spiritual Leaders Teachers and Fathers Is this assertion strange or new in the Church of Christ Esto subiectus Pontifici tuo quasi Parentem animae suspice Be subiect saith Ierome to thy Bishop and reuerence him as the father of thy soule For good cause ought we saith Chrysostome not only to stand in more awe of Priests then of Kings and Princes but also to giue them more honour then our naturall Parents The king saith Austen beareth the Image of God euen as the Bishop doth of Christ. As long then as he holdeth that office he is to be honoured if not for himselfe yet for his order And Ambrose Honor sublimitas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari The honour and height of a Bishops function can be matched by no comparison the sheep that are committed to Priests or Pastours are truely said to be vnder their Leaders the Gospel determining that the Scholler is not aboue his Master And againe Haec cuncta c. vt ostenderemus nihil esse in hoc seculo excellentius Sacerdotibus nihil sublimius Episcopis reperiri All this to shew that no condition in this world can be found more excellent then a Priests no calling higher then a Bishop If you compare it to the brightnes of Kings or diadems of Princes that is more inferiour to it saieth Ambrose then lead vnto gold yea they haue that power giuen them saith Chrysostom which God would not giue to Angels nor Archangels Iesus Christ saith Cyprian our King Iudge and God euen vnto the day of his death yeelded honor vnto the Priests and Bishops of the Iewes though they retained neither the feare of God nor knowledge of Christ teaching vs lawfully and fully to honour true Priestes by his behauiour vnto false Priests These Fathers in your iudgement doe not meane that externall and ciuil honour should be yeelded to the persons of Teachers and Bishops but spirituall and inward reuerence to bee due to their calling Much lesse doe they meane that contempt and reproch should be requited them for their paynes If wee sticke at titles Christ himselfe calleth them Starres Angels and Gods if wee doubt of their power or honour they haue more power then the Angelles as Chrysostome sayeth and must haue more honour then the Fathers of our flesh If anie like not the conclusion let him reade Chrysostomes probation more at large in the place afore cited As for the distinction of outward or inward honour due to their persons or professions if the men bee good it is superfluous wee must honour both if the men bee badde their vocation must bee honoured though their vices bee condenmed and that honour as I saide before must appeare in heart worde and deede For if one of these faile it is not honour but neglect and contempt which God will reuenge Non te reiecerunt sed me They haue not reiected thee but mee is an ancient verdict of Gods owne giuing Hee that despiseth you in heart worde or deede despiseth mee Honourthy father bindeth the whole man not this or that parte of man and duetie to Parentes and superiours is violated euen with wordes and lookes But godlie Teachers must looke for reward and honour at Gods handes and not from men I knowe it well the worlde shall vse them as it vsed their Master yet doeth not that excuse the neglecters and contemners of them yea rather it is an euident signe hee loueth not God that despiseth his Prophets and reprocheth Christ that dishonoureth his Ministers God is my witnesse I smoothe no mans pride I seeke no mans fauour I wade as sincerely as my simple learning will suffer mee and by that as I finde Christ for biddeth his Disciples all affectation of honour and desire of superioritie and requireth the greatest after his example to serue the lowest so I see no reason why it shoulde grieue any godlie minde to heare a Bishoppe called by that name with which Saint Peter willeth euerie woman to houour her husband For to mee it is strange it shoulde bee a prowde and Antichristian Title in a Pastour which may be giuen to euerie Artisant with duetie and humilitie Howbeit what externall appellation or honour is meete or vnmeete for the Pastours and Fathers of Christes Church I leaue it wholie to the wisedome and consideration of the State who are fit Iudges therefore and not euerie curious head or couetous heart to order the Cleargie at their pleasures With trueth and sobrietie I may affirme this that the first Christian Princes and Emperours to cause religion the more to flourish did what they coulde to make the people honour and reuerence their Bishops permitting them to heare and determine all quarrels and strifes betweene man and man for debts goodes or lands and confirming the iudgements of the Bishops euen in such cases by publike Lawes and by their owne example teaching all men to submit their heads vnder the Bishops hands Place you such a one in the Episcopall seate saith Valentinian to the Synode assembled for the choise of a Bishop of millan to whom we our selues the Rulers of the Empire may sincerely or willingly submit our heads and whose reproofes we may receiue as an wholesome medicine Thou mayest see saith Ambrose the necks of Kings and Princes bowed downe to the Priests knees and kissing the right hands of Priests thinke themselues garded with their prayers To a King saith Chrysostome are bodies committed to a Priest Soules the one hath sensible armor the other spiritual he fighteth against the Barbarians I against Diuels This is the greater soueraigntie therefore the King submitteth his head to the Priests hands Constantine the great by his Lawes gaue leaue that those which would decline the ciuil Magistrates might appeale to the iudgement of their Bishops and commaunded the sentence of the Bishoppes to take place before the sentence of other Iudges as if it had bene pronounced by the Emperour himselfe and to be put in execution by the Presidents and their officers And lest wee shoulde thinke this Lawe reached onely to spirituall things Saint Augustine sheweth in his time with what matters they
ashamed to say I could easilie presume I can not easilie prooue what they were The maner and order of those wonderfull giftes of Gods spirite after so many hundreds may be coniectured cannot be demonstrated Why should they not bee laie-Elders or Iudges of maners Because I finde no such any where els mentioned and here none prooued Gouernours there were or rather Gouernements for so the Apostle speaketh that is giftes of wisedome discretion and iudgement to direct and gouerne the whole Church and euery particular member thereof in the manifold dangers and distresses which those dayes did not want Gouernours also they might bee called that were appointed in euery congregation to heare and appease the priuate strifes and quarels that grew betwixt man and man least the Christians to the shame of themselues and slaunder of the Gospell should pursue each other for things of this life before the Magistrates who then were infidels Of these S. Paul speaketh 1. Cor. 6. Dare any of you hauing matters one against another seeke for iudgement before the vniust and not before the Saints If you haue any quarels for things of this life appoint the worst in the Church to be your Iudges I speake this to your shame Is there neuer a wise man amongst you that can looke into his brothers cause but brother goeth to lawe with brother and that before Infidels These Gouernours and moderators of their brethrens quarels and contentions I finde others I finde not in the Apostolike writings but such as withall were watchmen and feeders of the flocke None fitter then those Gouernours which you last named to restraine the vnrulie and chastise the vngodly for they censured the misbehauiors and disorders of men against men and why not likewise the sinnes and offences committed against God These Gouernours had neither authoritie necessitie nor perpetuitie in the Church of God Rather then the Christians should eagerly pursue one another before Pagans and by their priuate brabbles cause the vnbeleeuers to deride and detest the doctrine of Christ the Apostle willeth them to suffer wrong o◠els to referre the hearing and ending of their griefes to some wise and discreet arbiters within the Church but he giueth those iudges no leaue to chalenge the determining of other mens matters nor power to commaund or punish the disobeier that were to erect magistrates in the Church and to giue them the sword euen in temporall and ciuill causes which the Apostle neither did nor could warrant Besides in Christian common wealthes where there can bee no doubt of despising or scorning the Gospel for going to lawe those iudges must cease since there is no cause to decline the Tribunals of beleeuing Princes to whom the preseruing of all mens rights and punishing of all mens iniuries and enormities doeth by Gods lawe generally and wholy appertaine If these were the laie-Presbyters and Gouernours which you so much stand on they must giue place to the magistrates sword where the state vpholdeth the Christian fayth as in England it doeth and God graunt it long may Thinke ye that Pastours and Prophets in the Apostles times were hindered from their callings combred with examinations of parties principall exceptions and depositions of witnesses and such like Consistorie courses as were needfull for the triall of the trueth when any man accused How far better is it to refer these things to the hearing of certain graue good men chosen frō amongst the Laitie rather then to busie ouerload the Preachers labourers in the word with those tedious and superfluous toiles The Iudiciarie paines in the Apostles time were not great nor the processe long They medled with no matters but with so notorious that they scandalized the Church and infamed the doctrine of our Sauiour with Infidels and in those cases where euery man could speake the proofe was soone made Againe the Prophets and Pastors in those daies had the gifts of discerning spirits and knowing secrets so that malefactors were soone discouered and conuinced if the case were doubtfull S. Paul is a witnesse that to know secrets was then incident to the gift of prophesie If you all prophesie and there come in one that beleeueth not hee is rebuked of all men and iudged of all men and so are the secretes of his heart made manifest and hee will fall downe on his face and worship God and say plainly that God is in you in deed A litle before he ioineth them both together Though I had prophesie and knew all secrets To reueale things hid and foresee things to come were then annexed to the gift of prophesie not generally and perpetually but when and where the necessitie of the Church or Gods glory required it should be so Thirdly the Apostle hath plainely committed the receiuing of accusations euen against Elders and open rebuking of such as sinned vnto Timothie and he in sight was no laie man What warrant haue you then to take that from Pastours and Teachers as a burden to their calling which Paul chargeth them with and to giue it to laie Elders vpon pretence of some better policie as if the spirit of God in Paul had missed his marke in establishing the worst way to gouerne the Church That Pastours must iudicially examine and rebuke such as sinne we prooue by the euident wordes of S. Paul shew you the like for laie Elders and wee will quietly resigne you the cause Lastly since the power of the keyes and ouersight of the Sacraments did and doe clearely belong to Pastours and not is laie Elders I see not how laie men that are no magistrates may chalenge to intermeddle with the Pastours function or ouer-rule them in their owne charge without manifest and violent intrusion on other mens callings against the word and will of Christ who gaue his Apostles the holy Ghost to remit and retaine sinnes and so ioyned the word and Sacraments together that he which may not deuide the one may not dispose the other and so both word and Sacraments must pertaine to laie Elders or neither I call no man Laie in contempt or derogation either of his gifts or of that state in which I know the Church of God hath alwayes had and hath many graue and woorthie men fit for their wisedome and grauitie to be are as great or greater charge then clergie men I vse that name for distinction sake which I find in the best 〈◊〉 ancient writers for such as were not by their calling dedicated and deuoted to the publike seruice and ministerie of the Church in the word and Sacraments notwithstanding they were and bee the people of God and his inheritance euen a chosen generation and royall Priesthood by the inward sanctification of the holie Ghost to offer vp spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God by Iesus Christ. And so the learned know the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whence Laie is deriued importeth euen the Lords peculiar people which distinction of
weè not Ambrose opinion else where deliuered that in cases of faith and manners Lay men neuer did neuer might iudge of Priests of whome yet the Presbyterie might and did iudge what one worde is heere sounding for Lay Elders They were aged that were called to the regiment of the Church in former times and not one but many Ambrose misliketh that in his time some whiles they would seeme alone to rule had excluded or neglected the rest that were wont to bee ioyned with them in consulting and caring for the Church By this you may prooue that ancient good Bishops in guiding their flocks vsed the helpe and aduise of their Cleargie that Lay men were coupled with them to gouerne the Church you cannot prooue He doth not blame them for refusing Lay Elders to be their Colleagues but for affecting to be so wise that they needed not the aide and counsel of their brethren who were wont to aduise and assist their Bishops as well in doctrine as in discipline What Ambrose thought of Lay Iudges ouer persons and â—aâ—ses Ecclesiasticall his Epistle to Valentinian the Emperour will quickely resolue No man ought to thinke me obstinate sayth Ambrose when I auouch that which your father of sacred memory not only answered in words but established by his lawes in causa fidei vel ecclesiastici alicuius ordinis eum iudicare debere quinec munere impar sit nec iure dissimilis in a matter of faith or touching any Ecclesiasticall order hee ought to bee iudge that hath neither his calling diuers nor his right different Those are the very wordes of the rescript that is hee woulde haue Priests to be Iudges ouer Priests Yea if a Bishop bee to bee reprooued for any other thing and his manners to be examined this also would hee haue pertaine to the iudgement of Bishops When euer heard you most gratious Emperour in a matter of faith that Lay men iudged of Bishops Shall we then so bowe with flatterie that wee forget the right of Priestes and what God hath giuen to mee shall I commit to others If a Bishop must be taught by a lay man what to followe let the Lay teach the Bishop heare let the Bishop learne at a Lay mans hands Your father a man of ripe yeeres saide Non est meum iudicare inter Episcopos It is not for mee to sit iudge amongest Bishops you shall be olde by Gods grace and then shall you finde what a Bishop he is qui Laicis ius Sacerdotale substernit that casteth the right of Bishops vnder Lay mens feete Woulde hee call it pride in Bishops to refuse Lay men for their Consorts in censuring all persons and causes of the Church that greatly praised the Emperour for saying it was not his part to iudge amongest Bishops and highly commended the Law that barred all Iudges ouer Priests saue such as were pari munere simili iure of the same calling and right that Priests were The longer we seeke the further we are from finding Lay Elders Wee haue nowe a publike and Emperiall Law that with Ecclesiasticall causes and persons no Lay man should meddle but leaue them to Bishops as best acquainted with the Rules and Canons of the Church by which such men and matters must be guided Tertullian Austen and Gregorie admit all three one answere They vse the Latin word Seniores for those whom Hierome and others cal by the Greeke name Presbyteros such Elders as were Pastours and Priests Presbyter in Greeke saieth Isidore is in Latine Senior Presbyters and Elders being so called not for yeeres and olde age but for the honour and dignitie which they tooke when they entred that order This name the Translatour of the new Testament giueth them euen in those places where the Greeke calleth them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seniores qui in vobis sunt obsecro consenior The Seniors that are amoÌ„g you I beseech being my selfe a Senior feede ye the flocke of God that is with you And againe Senior electae Dominae Senior Gaio charissimo The Senior to the elect Ladie and the Senior to the most deere Gaius and yet I trust Saint Peter and Saint Iohn were no Lay Elders At first Pastours and Teachers were vsually chosen by their age as to whome the rather for their wisedome and grauitie reuerence and honour should bee yeelded in the execution of their office and afterward when some of rare gifts though yonger in yeeres were elected to that charge they retained the name which vse had accustomed and so generally men of that profession were and are called Presbyters and Seniors which in English are Elders What proofe is this then for Lay Elders if Latine writers now and then call them Seniores which is common to all Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacraments The circumstances perchance will somewhat induce that those Fathers spake of Lay Elders They will the contrarie verie well but this they will neuer Tertullian opening to the Gentiles the manner of the Christian assemblies and what they did when they were gathered together saieth Wee meete in a companie that wee may ioyne as an armie in our prayers to God Wee meete to the rehearsing of the diuine Letters where with sacred woordes wee nourish faith wee stirre vp hope and fasten confidence and neuerthelesse confirme discipline by the often instructions of our teachers There are also exhortations reprehensions and diuine censures Iudgement is vsed with great deliberation as being out of doubt that God seeth vs. There haue wee an euident foreshewing of the Iudgement that shall one day come if any so offend that hee bee banished from the fellowship of our prayers assemblie and all holie companie The Rulers of our meetings are certaine approoued Seniours such as gate this honour not by rewarde but by good reporte for nothing that is Gods may be bought Praying reading of the Scriptures teaching exhorting reproouing in their publike assemblies were Pastourall dueties why shoulde not censuring bee the like The selfe same persons that were in one were Rulers in all these actions Againe the honour which they had to sitte before the rest in the Church and was so sacred that it coulde not be procured by rewarde but by good reporte sheweth they were Cleargie men and not Lay persons that did moderate their meetings The verie worde Praesidere with Tertullian is an euident distinction betweene the Pastours and the people Disciplina ecclesiae praescriptio Apostoli digamos non sinit praesidere The discipline of the Church and precept of the Apostle suffer not a man that hath moe wiues then one praesidere to be a Bishop which by reason of their function did sit before all others in the Church Quot digams praesident apud vos insultantes vtique Apostolo How many with the second wife are presidents and Bishops amongest you insulting on the Apostle that saieth a Bishop shoulde be the husband of
discipline exercised against wicked and dissolute liuers Cùm eis per quos ecclesia regitur adest salua pace potestas disciplinae aduersus improbos auâ— nefarios exercendae c. When they that rule the Church may without breach of peace that is daunger of schisme exercise discipline vpon lewde and wicked offendours then are wee to bee stirred vp with the sharpenesse of those preceptes that leade to seueritie of repressing euill that directing our steppes in the way of the Lorde wee neither slacke vnder the name of patience nor rage vnder the shewe of diligence But Saint Austen in his hundreth thirtie and seuenth Epistle writeth Clero Senioribus vniuersae plebi ecclesiae Hipponensâ—â— to the Cleargie Elders and whole people of the Church of Hippo where the Elders are reckoned by themselues as no part of the Cleargie If naming Elders by themselues make them no parte of the Cleargie by that consequent they be likewise no parte of the people for they be reckoned asimder from the people But these inferences haue no sufficient ground they must be eyther of the Cleargie or people and yet heere they bee named betwixt them The rules of ciuilitie are not alwayes bound to the rules of Logike They that haue preeminence aboue others may be saluted aparte from others though the generall salutation before or after by force of reason doth include them Wherefore if any man answere that Austen naming the whole Cleargie of his Church in that Epistle thought to make a more speciall remembraunce of the better sorte of them by the title of Elders it can not be refuted the wordes doe well endure it If any dislike that exposition let him take Elders in Gods name for the better sorte of the Laitie I meane for the Rulers and Gouernours of the people as if a man shoulde write to the Cleargie Aldermen and Commons of any good Citie for an Alderman is the right English for Senior in Latine when it doth not import an Ecclesiastical function and it is not vnlikely that Austen then absent and writing to the whole Citie diuided the superiour sorte of the Laitie from the Inferiour by that stile Howsoeuer you bestowe the worde it is euident by the whole course of that Epistle those Elders had no power in the Church more then the rest of the people Yea the hearing of the cause then in question about the accusation of Bonifacius a Priest for a foule crime obiected vnto him by an other of the Cleargie did so little concerne them that Austen heard the matter himselfe alone and tooke order in it as hee thought good and kept it from the knowledge of them all And in this Epistle giuing a reason why he did not remooue Bonifacius from his degree at the first examining of the matter hee saieth Nomen Presbyteri proptereà non sum ausus de numero Collegarum eius vel supprimere vel delere ne diuinae potestati sub cuius examine causa adhuc pendet facere viderer iniuriam si illius iudicium meo vellem iudicio praeuenire The name of his Priest I durst not suppresse or strike out from the number of the Colleagues lest I shoulde seeme to offer wrong to Gods iudgement vnder whose triall the matter yet dependeth if I shoulde preuent his iudgement with my censure Reade the Epistle if he attribute any more to those Elders then hee doeth to the lowest of the people and Cleargie if he did not take the whole cause into his owne hands and set an order in it without their consents or priuities I wil agnise your Lay Elders Happely you thinke Saint Austen did the Lay Elders wrong to keepe this cause from them and to deale in it without them I can not let you from so thinking but all that be well aduised will rather suppose Lay Elders had nothing to doe with such cases in Saint Austens time and that the good Bishop did not close up such horrible offences by wrongfull withholding the cause from the knowledge of the Elders to whome by order of the Church it then appertained but hee kept it from them and the rest with good conscience vsing his owne right ne atrociter inaniter contristando turbaret as himselfe saieth Lest hee shoulde trouble their mindes with a grieuous sorrowe to no purpose Gregories authoritie is quoted out of the Canon Lawe for name of Lay Elders which sure were verie strange that sixe hundreth yeeres after Christ the power of Lay Elders shoulde remaine in the Church and their name all this while not heard of but I thinke we shall finde no more heere then wee did before If saieth Gregorie anie thing come to thine eares of anie Clerke whomsoeuer which may iustly offend thee beleue it not easely sed praesentibus ecclesiae tuae Senioribus but in the prefence of the Elders of thy Church search out the truth diligently and if the qualitie of the matter shall so require let the offendour be punished according to the rigour of the Canons Elders of the Church I heare Lay Elders I heare not and by the Lawes Imperiall long before this established euen in Ambroses time a Clergie mans cause could not be examined and determined but by men of the same right and the same calling And of all others Gregorie is the vnfittest man to prooue that Lay Elders should haue the hearing and deciding of Cleargie mens causes who could not endure that any thing whatsoeuer pertaining to the Cleargie shoulde bee committed to the hands of Lay men Cauendum est à fraternâ—â—ate vestra ne Secularibus viris at que non sub regula nostra degentibus res ecclesiasticae committantur Your brotherhoode must beware that Ecclesiasticall matters bee not committed to Secular men and such as liue not vnder our profession The punishement which by the very wordes must be Canonicall or according to the Canons sheweth that these Elders were the discreetest and wisest of his Clergy For what haue Lay men to do either with the knowledge or execution of the Canons What reason to charge theÌ„ with the Canons to whom the Canons were not written Hee meaneth therefore the Elders of his Church that is such Cleargie men as were of best account and greatest experience in his Church And so the Councell of Turon decreed Quem negligentia eijcit cum omnium Presbyterorum consilio reâ—utetur whom negligence maketh vnworthie of his place let him bee remooued by the aduise of all the Presbyters And Gregorie himselfe saieth Lest there be any dissention amongst brethren lest any discord be nourished inter Praepositos Subiectos betweene the Rulers of the Church and those that be vnder them in vnum conuenirâ— Sacerdotes necesse est It is needful for the Priests to meete in one place together that they may discusse such causes as happen and wholsomly conferre about Ecclesiastic all rules so as things past may bee amended and an order set for thinges to
should shew themselues penitent no maÌ„ hastilie giue peace to such as did not penitence yet they sacrilegious against God caried headlong with a wicked rage against the Priests of God forsaking the Church and lifting vp particidiall armes against the Church doe all they can to accomplish their intent with a diuelish malice that Gods mercy should not cure in his church such as are wounded And againe What danger is not to bee feared when some of the Presbyters neither remembring their place neither thinking there is a Bishop ouer them with the reproch and contempt of the chiefe chalengâ— the whole vnto them The disgraces of my office I can dissemble and beare as I alwayes haue But now is no time to dissemble when our brethren are deceiued by some of you which seeke to be plausible without regard of restoring them to the health of their soules What maruell if Cyprian thus besieged thus impugned and banished from his Church and charge did not onely purpose and professe to doe nothing without the full consent of the Clergie and people but persisted in that course which he sawe to bee safest for himselfe and surest against his maligners to decrease their number and defeate their expectance but whether hee were bound by Gods lawe so to doe and all others tied to the same rule that is the greatest part of this doubt If it were but a priuate moderation and prouision for his owne securitie no man is obliged by his example to doe the like If it bee a generall fourme of gouerning the Church prescribed by the holie Ghost then neither might Cyprian nor any man els swarue from that direction without transgressing the will and worde of God then all Councils both Prouinciall and Generall that assembled and concluded in the Primitiue Church without the liking and agreement of the people did wilfullie breake the commaundement of the liuing God and all Christian Princes that in former Ages by their lawes and Edicts intermedled with matters of the Church without the knowledge and consent of their subiectes presumed without warrant and offered open wrong to the kingdome of Christ yea Cyprian himselfe was the first that cassiered his owne confession and when cause so required yea sometimes without cause excluded and ouer-ruled the peoples iust desires One example may seruc for the present your owne allegations will afterward more at large euince as much Vix plebi persuadeo imo extorqueo vt tales patiantur admitti iustiâ—r factus est fraternitatis dolor ex eo quòd vnus atque alius obnitente plebe contradicente mea tamen facilitate suscepti peiores extiterunt quà m prius fuerant With much adoe perswade I the people yea rather extort from them to suffer such to bee admitted and the griefe of the brethren is the iuster for that one or two being by my facilitie receyued the people striuing agaynst it and contradicting it waxed worse then they were before Cyprian admitted some to the Church after repentaunce when the people withstoode it and gainesaied it and were iustlie grieued with his ouer much remissenesse Wherein Cyprian did not violate the duetie which hee ought to God nor tyraâ—nize in the Church with the contempt of his brethren but relented from his purpose to doe nothing without the peoples consent for reasons then moouing him or of his owne iuclination leading him to hope their amendment that were thus admitted with fauour and facilitie to the Church of God See whether your owne examples do not prooue as much The first place you alleage is this In ordinandis Clericis fraâ—res charissimi solemus vos antè consulere mores ac merita singulorum communi consilio ponderare In ordering of Clerkes most deare brethren our maner is to consult you first and to weigh the behauiour and desertes of euery one with common aduise This vse notwithstanding where iust occasion serued he ordered Clerkes without their consents and so much is expressed in the very next wordes Sed expectanda non sunt testimonia humana eumpraecedant diuina suffragia but the witnesse of men must not be expected when Gods approbation is precedent The conclusion is That where one Aurelius a youth had twise in stockes and torments professed Christ Cyprian his Colleagues that were present with him for hee was not then at Carthage had made the said Aurelius thought yong in yeeres a Reader in the Church and so much he signifieth by his letters to the Presbyters Deacons and people of Carthage not doubting but they would embrace him though they gaue no consent to his ordering Hee deserued a further degree of Clericall ordination but in the meane time it hath pleased vs hee should begin with the office of a Reader Know you therefore most beloued brethren that I and my Colleagues which were here with me haue ordered him a Reader which I know you will gladlie accept and wish many such to be ordered in our Church Cyprian was absent from his owne Church by reason of persecution then raging and without the consent either of his Clergie or people he did order Aurelius and sent him with letters to bee receiued as a Reader in the Church of Carthage The like he did for Optatus Saturus Caelerinus and Numidicus as your owne authorities doe witnesse for as by them you prooue Cyprian was woont to take the good report and testimonie of the people concerning such as should bee admitted to the Clergie and with common aduise to examine their woorthinesse so by the selfe same places I she we that Cyprian brake that custome when hee sawe time and cause require and without the consent of his people or Clergie ordered such as hee found to be meete for that calling Whereby wee collect that the consent of the people and Clergie is no essentiall point in ordering Ministers without the which they may not bee called but a very Christian and commendable course to keepe off all notorious and enormous persons from that function and the surest way to saue the Bishop from communicating with other mens sinnes whiles hee trusted not his owne iudgement or knowledge but vsed the eyes eares and consciences of the whole Church for the better view search and triall of their integritie grauitie and industrie to whome the flocke of Christ was to bee committed This which I say will appeare to bee true euen by your owne authorities Because many of the Clergie of Carthage were wanting and those fewe that remained did skant suffice for the dailie worke of the Ministerie for which cause it was requisite to haue moe Know you saieth Cyprian writing to the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church that I haue made Saturus a Reader and Optatus a Subdeacon whom a good while since by common aduise we appointed to bee next placed in the Clergie I haue then in your absence done no new thing but that which long agoe tooke a beginning with all our aduises
with the Churches at the first erecting thereof is that which Epiphanius remembreth and Paul toucheth in many places I trust to send Timotheus shortly vnto you I haue no man like minded who will faithfully care for your matters For all seeke their owne and not that which is Iesus Christes And to Timothie This thou knowest that all they which are in Asia bee turned from me At my first answering no man assisted mee but all forsooke mee Demas hath forsaken mee and embraced this present worlde Wherefore Epiphanius surmise that the scarcitie of tried and approoued men was some cause why euerie place was not furnished at the first with a Bishop is neither vnlikelie nor vnpertaining to the purpose The third reason I take to be this that as Presbyters to labour in the word and augment the Church were presently needefull the haruest being no lesse then the whole world and Bishops to moderate the number of Teachers and to ouersee as well the feeders as the flocke were not so requisit whiles the Apostles who tooke care of those things themselues preached in or neere the places so the wisedome of God woulde not impose that fourme of gouernement on the Church but after long triall and good experience what neede the Churches should haue of it This course he obserued with the people of Israel not straightway to associate the seuentie Elders vnto Moses but to let them alone vntill Moses was wearied with the burden and the multitude grieued for want of dispatch and Iethro seeing the Iudge afflicted with paines and the people discontented with delayes aduised an other way which the whole assemblie liked God confirmed and Moses executed In like manner Christ suffered his Church to trie whiles his Apostles yet liued what equalitie and plentie of Gouernours would worke in euerie place and when it fell out in proofe vpon the Apostles absence that so many leaders so many followers so many Rulers so many factions out euerie Church in sunder the Apostles were forced the world as Ierom faith decreing it that is the faithful throughout the world being therewith contented and thereof desirous to commit their places and Churches not to Presbyters in common and equall authoritie but to their Disciples and followers whome afterward they called Bishops in a superioritie leauing vnto them as vnto their successors the chiefest honor and power of imposing handes and vsing the keyes and resting specially on their care and paines to ouersee both Teachers and beleeuers though the Presbyters were not excluded from helping and assisting them to feed and guide the flocke of Christ. This you say but Ierome saith It was not the Lords disâ—osition by his Apostles but rather a decree and custome of the Church that first made Bishops to differ from Presbyters Ierome saieth it was decreed throughout the world to change the equalitie of Presbyters into the superioritie of Bishops by whome it was so decreed hee doeth not mention in this place but if I prooue as well by the Scriptures as by Ierome himselfe and the rest of the Fathers that this change began in the Apostles times and was both seene and approoued by them I euince it to bee an Apostolike ordinance Then must it also be diuine which Ierome denyeth What Ierom meaneth by the trueth of the Lords ordinance I wil after examine I must prooue in order I shall else but confound both myselfe and the Reader In the meane time I make this reason out of Ierome When the schismes of Presbyters beganne dangerously to teare the Churches in peeces then were the Churches committed to the chiefe and preeminent charge of one but those schismes and factions troubled all the Churches euen in the Apostles times vnder them therefore beganne the change of gouernement which Ierome speaketh of At Corinth indeede there were contentions who were baptized of the greatest men which Ierome doeth exemplifie but the factions must be more generall and deadly that should cause an alteration of gouernement throughout the world So there were euen in the Apostles times To those of Corinth he saith When you come together in the Church I heare there are dissentions amongest you and I beleeue it in part for there must be heresies euen among you that they which are approoued amongst you might beknowen And wheÌ„ he saith there must be heresies amongst you to manifest the good from the bad he meaneth not only at Corinth but euery where which came to passe accordingly To the Romanes he saith Marke them diligently which cause diuisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine which yee haue learned and auoyde them Amongest the Galathians were some that intended to peruert the Gospel of Christ and to carrie them into an other doctrine bewitching them that they shoulde not obey the trueth To the Philippians Beware of dogges beware of euill workemen many walke of whome I tolde you often and tell you now weeping that are enemies of the crosse of Christ whose ende is damnation whose God is their bellie and glorie to their shame which minde earthly things With the Colossians were some that burdened the Churches with traditions euen with the commaundements and doctrines of men and holding not the head aduanced themselues in those things which they neuer sawe and rashly puft vp with fleshly mindes beguiled the simple with a shew of humblenesse and worshipping of Angels At Thessalonica the resurrection of the dead was impugned and some troubled the people with visions with fained messages and forged letters in the Apostles name as if the day of Christ were at hand It came to passe in euery place which Paul foretolde the Presbyters of Ephesus This I know saith he that after my departure shall grieuous wolues enter in amongst you not sparing the flocke Yea of your owne selues shall rise men speaking peruerse thinges to draw Disciples after them Neither were the Gentiles onelie subiect to this danger but the Iewes also as Peter forewarned them There shalbe false teachers amongst you which priuily shall bring in damnable heresies euen denying the Lord that hath bought them many shal follow their damnable waies through couetousnes with fained wordsshal they make marchandise of you And so Iohn Euen now there are many Antichrists many false prophets and deceiuers are gone out into the world To preuent these deceiuers and represse these peruerse Teachers Paul was forced whiles he liued laboured in other places to send speciall substitutes to the Churches most endangered and by their paines ouersight to cure the soares heale the wounds which these pestilent and vnquiet spirits had made So at Ephesus when the teachers and doctors began to affirme they knewe not what euen prophane and doting fables whose word did fret as a canker and crept into houses leading captiue simple women laden with sinnes and led with diuers lusts and others hauing itching eares gate them teachers after
in the Apostles time did not impose handes on a Bishop Yea saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters then coulde not impose handes on a Bishop Chrysostome doeth not reason from his owne age vnto the Apostles and conclude because they might not doe it in that world wherein he liued by a custome of the Church ergo they coulde not doe it in Paules time that were a verie senselesse and vnsauerie collection but he vrgeth that in Paules time Presbyters might not ordaine a Bishop and therefore those words must be vnderstoode of Bishops which by the Apostolike rules might impose handes whereas Presbyters might not The verie same point he repeateth and presseth when he giueth a reason why Paul in his Epistle to Timothie went from describing Bishops straight to Deacons omitting cleane the order of Presbyters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters is not great for they also were admitted to teach and rule the Church and what Paul saide of Bishops that agreeth vnto Presbyters Onely in laying on of hands Bishops go beyond them and haue that Onely thing more then Presbyters Theodoret. The Presbyterie Paul calleth heere such as had receiued Apostolicall or Episcopall grace for by Theodorets opinion Bishops were then called Apostles and Presbyters called by the name of Bishops Oecumenius Lay handes hastily on no man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Paul treateth of imposing hands for he wrate to a Bishop Ambrose rendreth the same reason why Paul mentioning Bishops and Deacons did cleane ouerskip Presbyters and noteth the same difference betwixt Presbyters and Bishops that Chrysostome doth Timothie because hee had none other before him was a Bishop Wherefore Paul sheweth him how he shal ordaine a Bishop Neque enim fas erat aut licebat vt inferior ordinaret maiorem Nemo enim tribuit quod non accepit For it was neither lawfull nor permitted that the inferiour should ordaine the greater No man giueth that which he hath not receiued That Timothie was a bishop is confessed by the rest of the Fathers I alleaged them before Paul calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his Copartner in the Gospell and ioyneth Timothie with himselfe in writing to the Corinthians Philippians Colossians and Thessalonians thereby to shew that he had receiued Timothie not only into the fellowship of his Ministerie but giuen him part of his authoritie and made choice of him to abide at Ephesus to establish and confirme the Church when hee thus wrate vnto him Wherefore Timothie had not this prerogatiue by order or senioritie hee was no Presbyter of Ephesus but there left with Episcopall authoritie which hee had by the laying on of Paules handes before he stayed at Ephesus But howsoeuer hee came by it by Paules choice or otherwise Ambrose acknowledgeth hee was a bishop and therefore superiour to Presbyters because hee was inuested with power to ordaine bishops which Presbyters had not His wordes be full Neque fas erat neque licebat vt inferior ordinaret maiorem It was neither lawfull nor agreeable to religion for fas is that which is consonant to the seruice of God as ius expresseth that which is right amongst men for the inferiour to ordaine the superior to wit that a Presbyter should ordaine a bishop We greatly care not who should ordaine Bishops for as we thinke there neede none in the Church of Christ but touching Presbyters that is Ministers of the worde and Sacraments the fourth Councill of Carthage is verie cleere they may be ordained by Presbyters Their wordes are these Presbyter quum ordinatur Episcopo eum benedicente manum super caput eius tenente etiam omnes Presbyteri qui presentes sunt manus suas iuxtamanum Episcopi super caput illius teneant When a Presbyter is ordained the Bishop blessing him and holding his hand on the parties head let all the Presbyters that are present hold their hands neere the Bishops hand on his head that is ordered Presbyters are sufficient to create Presbyters and they may discharge all Ecclesiasticall dueties in the Church for Bishops let them care that like them The Councill of Carthage doeth not tell you that Presbyters might ordaine Presbyters without a bishop looke better to the wordes such Presbyters as were present must holde their handes on the parties head neere the bishops hand but without the bishop they had no power of themselues to impose handes Nowe to what ende they imposed handes whether to ordaine and consecrate as well as the bishop or because the Action was sacred and publike to consent and blesse together with the bishop this is all the doubt If they had power to ordaine as well as the bishop and without the bishop all the Fathers which I before cited were vtterly deceiued For they say no. Yea Ierome that neither coulde forget nor woulde suppresse being one himselfe anie part of their power knewe not so much For hee confesseth that bishops might ordaine by imposing handes Presbyters might not And therefore though they held their handes neere the bishops hand yet did they not ordaine as the bishop did Howe knowe you to what ende they ioyned with the Bishop in imposing handes The action was common to both and no difference is expressed in that Councill betweene their intentes Unlesse you bee disposed to set Councills and Fathers together by the eares you must make their imposition of handes to bee a consent rather then a consecration and so may the authorities of all sides stand vpright otherwise by an action that admittteth diuers endes and purposes you ouerthrowe the maine resolution not onelie of other Councils and Fathers but of the same Synode which you alleadge for that giueth Presbyters no power to ordaine without the bishop but to conioyne their handes with his Many things were interdicted Presbyters by the Canons which were not by the Scriptures but you must shew vs that Presbyters and Bishops differ by the word of God afore we can yeeld them to be diuers degrees If Presbyters by the worde of God may ordaine with imposing handes as well as Bishops howsoeuer by the custome of the Church they bee restrained or subiected vnder Bishops they bee all one in degree with Bishops though not in dignitie for all other things as Ierome auoucheth are common vnto them but if that power be graunted by Gods Lawe to Bishops and denied to Presbyters then struggle whiles you will you shall finde them in the ende to be distinct and diuers degrees That Bishops may ordaine the Apostles words to Timothie and Tite exactly prooue Lay hands hastely on no man for this cause I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ordaine Presbyters in euery Citie You must now prooue by the sacred Scriptures that Presbyters may ordaine as well as Bishops if not they bee distinct degrees that haue by Gods Lawe distinct powers and actions Our proofes are cleere Neglect not the gift which
disallowed If Presbyters might impose handes Maximus was lawfully called to that degree by Gregorie Nazianzen and then had the Councill no cause to mislike such as were ordained by him but they lay this for their ground that he was neuer a lawfull bishop and therefore all that he did in imposing handes was vtterlie voide By this I trust you see it pertained onely to Bishops to ordaine by imposition of hands and not to Presbyters you haue the cleere decision of the Primitiue Church that Presbyters might not ordain Presbyters much lesse might they lay hands on bishops Their meaning is that Presbyters without a Bishop coulde not impose hands but with the Bishop they might and did as the Councill of Carthage which wee brought you confirmeth And as they might not do it without a Bishop so the Bishop might not doe it without them It is wel yet we haue obtained thus much that without a bishop there can be no imposition of hands to make Presbyters how thinke you then must there be bishops in the church of Christ or no and are they all one with Presbyters or a seuerall degree from them They both concurre in ordaining and neither may impose hands without the other You must for sake this fort as well as you did the former for in that Coūcil of Carthage which you cite neither is there any nūber of Presbyters prefired nor their presence required only this is prescribed if any be present they shall approue the bishops doings with laying their hands next his The bishop imposeth not hands either in their names or at their perils if any thing be done against y e Canons but as he alone blesseth consecrateth y ◠person that is ordered to the seruice of God so if ought be otherwise then well he alone is in danger for it The Councill of Hispalis saith Episcopus Sacerdotibus ac Ministris solus dare honorem potest solus auferre non potest The Bishop alone may giue Priests and Deacons their honor but he can not alone take it frō them Neither had Bishops alwaies such store of Presbyters eyther present or pertaining to thē as you imagine In greater churches they had greater numbers in smaller they had oftē two somwhere one somtimes none yet for all this defect of Presbyters the Bishops there did not refraine to impose hands without them The number of Presbyters in many places were two in a Church as Ambrose writeth sometimes but one In the third Council of Carthage when it was agreed that the Primate of that Citie might take the Presbyters of euerie Diocese and ordaine them Bishops for such places as desired them though the Bishop vnder whom the Presbyter before liued were vnwilling to spare him Posthumianus a Bishop demaunded What if a Bishop haue but one only Presbyter must that one be taken from him Aurelius the Bishop of Carthage answered One Bishop may ordaine many Presbyters but a Presbyter fit for a Bishopricke is hardly found Wherefore if a man haue but one onely Presbyter and fit for the roume of a Bishop he ought to yeelde that one to be ordained Posthumianus replied Then if an other Bishop haue a number of Clearks anothers store should relieue me Aurelius concluded Surely as you helped an other church so he that hath many Clearks shal be driuen to spare you one of them to be ordained by you Three things are euidēt by the purport of this speech first that some bishops had oftentimes but one Presbyter and he might be taken from them Next that a Bishop hauing no Presbyter left might make many when he would if he had fit men of his owne for the place Thirdly that if hee wanted meet men another Church should allow him according to his losse some to be ordained by him A Bishop then hauing no Presbyter left to ioyne with him might alone ordaine both such of his owne church as were meet and such as were sent him from other places Againe when any thing was done in ordering of Ministers against the Lawes or Canons not the Presbyters but onely the bishop was punished for imposing his hands and transgressing the discipline of the Church Nowe had the Presbyters bene Agents in ordaining as well as the bishop no reason to let them goe free that were parties to the contempt as well as the bishop but for that his handes did ordaine and authorize theirs did nothing but allow his fact which by dissenting they could not hinder therefore the Lawes and Canons as they did charge the Bishop and not the Presbyters to see those rules obserued that were required for the making of Ministers so they did chalenge the Bishop and no man else for violating the same with imposition of his handes if ought were otherwise then well And for that cause both Laws and Canons speake singularly to one not plurally to many when they represse disorders in creating Presbyters Deacons to shew there was one chiefe and principall Actor amongst them in those cases whose fact it was the rest only following witnessing his doings For the Clergie of the Paulianists when they returned to the Church if they were without fault and blamelesse the Councill of Nice thus decreed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let them receiue imposition of hands from the Bishop of the Catholike Church The Councill of Antioch Euerie Bishop shall haue power in his Dioecese 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to ordaine Presbyters and Deacons If any Bishop saieth the Councill of Chalcedon shall for money ordaine either Bishop Presbyter or Deacon or any other reckoned amongst the Clergie he shall being conuicted thereof endanger his owne degree And againe None neither Presbyter nor Deacon nor generally any within the Ecclesiasticall order must be ordained 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is affixed to no certaine place If any be so made the sacred Councill hath decreed their ordination shall be voide but it shall not returne to the reproch or detriment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of him that imposed handes If thou speake of Paulinianus saieth Ierome against the errors of Iohn of Ierusalem thou seest him subiect to his owne Bishop liuing in Cyprus and comming nowe and then to visite vs not as any of your but of another Bishops Clergie eius videlicet à quo ordinatus est euen his of whome hee was ordained Wee permit not any Clergie man of what degree soeuer saieth the Emperour dare aliquid ei à quo ordinatur to giue any reward to him of whome hee is ordained And so generally for the breach and neglect of any of the Emperiall Lawes prescribed for the ordering of Bishops Presbyters and Deacons the Presbyters were not punished which ioyned with the Bishop but qui ordinat or qui ordinationem imponit the bishop that ordained them was punished because it lay in him alone by with-holding or unposing his handes to frustrate or finish the whole action Wherefore I see
as the people that were under them Our answere is easie and readie to all that you haue brought first the Bishops of the Primitiue Church which succeeded one another in euery place were all one with Presbyters as Ierome telleth you and then we graunt without exception all that you haue alleaged out of these ancient Fathers and Writers Next â—hen they make any difference betwixt Bishops and Presbyters as sometimes they doe by Bishops they vnderstand all Pastours and Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and by Presbyters they meane the laie Elders which wee seeke to restore Thirdly if you could prooue that Bishops were aboue other Ministers of the worde and Sacraments yet that superioritie was nothing els but a power to call the rest together to propose matters in doubt vnto them and to aske their voyces and consents by which the Bishops of those times were directed and from which they might by no meanes diuert to their owne wils and pleasures I know how easie readie a thing it is with you to say what you list if you may be trusted without any further triall but if it please you substantiallie to prooue these things which you afffirme or but any one of them you shal find it is a matter of greater difficultie and longer studie then you take it for Did you pleade before the poorest Iurie that is for earthly trifles they would not credite your worde without some witnesse and in matters of religion that touch the peace safetie of the whole Church of Christ do you looke your voluntarie should bee receiued without all authoritie or testimonie to warrant it if your follie be such as to expect so much at other mens hands their simplicitie is not such as to yeeld it In deed to my conceiuing the summe of your answer is very like the form of your discipline for neither of theÌ„ hath any proofe possibilitie nor cohereÌ„cie Toprooue the Bishops calling to be different from the Presbyters that yet helped in the word and Sacraments I shew that Bishops ordained ministers which Presbyters by the iudgement and assertion of the Primitiue Church might not doe and that in euery Church there were or might be many Presbyters according to the necessitie of the place but no more then one Bishop in euerie Church did or might succeed the Apostles in their chaires Hence I conclude that Bishops euer since the Apostles times were distinguished from those Presbyters that assisted the Pastour of each place in the word and Sacraments You answere that either Bishops were all one with Presbyters or if there were any difference betwixt them Presbyters then were laie Elders In which words you close not onely a monstrous falsitie but a manifest contrarietie For in effect you say Presbyters were Bishops and no Bishops Presbyters were no Laie men and yet Laie men If Presbyters were Bishops they were no Laie Elders if they were Laie Elders they were no Bishops You must therefore choose the one and refuse the other as false and repugnant to the former Take which you will the choise must be yours what you will answere The Bishops which succeeded the Apostles were the Pastors and ministers of euery parish the Presbyters were the Laie Elders that together with the Bishop gouerned the Church in common Could you make any proofe for laie Elders either in Scriptures or Fathers you had some shew to mistake Presbyters for laie Elders but I haue alreadie perused the weakenesse of your ghesses and withall made iust and fullproofe for the contrarie that the Primitiue Church of Christ had no Presbyters but ministers of the worde and Sacramentes If you bee loth to turne backe to the place heare what the great Affrican Councill saieth wherein sate besides S. Augustine 216. Bishops In the former Councill saieth Aurelius We thought meete that these three degrees tied to a kind of continencie by reason of their consecration I meane Bishops Presbyters and Deacons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as becommeth Bishops Priests of God Leuites seruiters about the diuine SacrameÌ„ts shold be continent in all things All the Bishops answered we like wel that all which stand or serue at the aultar should bee continent Then Presbyters were consecrated and Priests to God and approched to the aultar and ministred the diuine Sacraments The Imperiall lawes say as much Touching the most reuerend Presbyters and Deacons if they be found to giue false euidence in a pecuniarie cause Sufficiat pro verberibus tribus annis separari à sacro ministeria it shall suffice for them in stead of whipping to be three yeeres separated from the sacred ministerie but if in criminall causes they beare false witnesse clero nudatoâ— legitimis poenis sub di praecipimus wee commaund them to bee degraded of their Clergie and subiected to the penalties of the lawe Then Presbyters in the Primitiue Church were both of the Clergie and sacred ministerie as the very lawes of the Romane Empire doe testifie Ierome on whose words you so much depend saieth Hac vt ostenderemus apud veteres eosdem fuisse Presbyteros quos Episcopos All these places prooue that in ancient times Presbyters and Bishops were all one And againe Episcopi Presbyteri Diaconi debent magnoperè prouidere vt cunctum populum cui praesident conuersatione sermone praecedant Quia vehementer ecclesiam Christi destruit meliores esse Laicos quà m Clericos The Bishops Presbyters and Deacons ought greatly to prouide that they excell all the people which are vnder them in conuersation and doctrine because it vehemently destroyeth the Church of Christ to haue the Laie men better then the Clergie men And Augustine Quicunque aut Episcopus aut Presbyter aut Laicus c. Whosoeuer either Bishop Presbyter or Laie man doth declare how eternall life may be gotten hee is worthily called the messenger of God Then if Bishops were no Laie men no more were Presbyters You must therefore send your laie Elders to the New-found land the Christian world neuer heard of any such ecclesiasticall Gouernours before some men in our age began to set that fansie on foote As for Presbyters that were Clergie men and ministers of the word we shew you both by the Scriptures and stories they were many in one Church and yet was there in euery Church and Citie but one of them that succeeded the Apostles as Pastour of y â— place with power to impose handes for the ordaining of Presbyters and Deacons Those successours to the Apostles the Church of Christ euen from the Apostles age hath distinguished from other Presbyters by the two proper markes of episcopall power and function I meane Succession Ordination and called them bishops Thus much is mainlie prooued vnto you by all those Apostolike Churches that had many Presbyters as helpers in the word and neuer but one Bishop that succeeded in the Apostolike chaire At Alexandria this succession began from Marke the Euangelist and
great loue in you towardes vs that wee dare not offend you for the gaine of our soule Some of the Presbyters saieth Cyprian to his Clergie neither remembring the Gospel nor their place neither thinking on the judgement of the Lorde to come nor on the BISHOP THAT IS SET OVER THEM which was neuer doone vnder any of my predecessours with contempt and reproch of their Ruler take vpon them to doe anything euen to communicate with those that fall in time of persecution Let those rash and vnwise among you know that if they persist any longer in such actions I will vse that admonition which the Lord willeth mee in suspending them from the ministerie of the Lordes Table and at my returne make them answere before vs and the whole people for their dooings Some ripe youthes will thinke all these Fathers were infected with humane deuises in attributing so much vnto bishops but the grauer sorte will remember these learned and godly men were as like to knowe what in Christian duety they were to yeelde or to aske as the plotformers of our time that affirme the bishop must be subiect and obedient to the greater part of his Presbyters and do nothing but what they determine The bishop then or President of the Presbyters for I stand not on names whiles I discusse their powers is by Christs owne mouth proneunced to bee the Angell of the Church that is the chiefe Steward ouer Gods housholde and ouerseer of his flocke and the authoritie that hee hath in the Church is Pastorall and Paternal euen the same that hath continued in the church since the beginning of the world This fatherly kinde of regiment began in the Patriarks dured in the Priests and Prophets of Moses Lawe was deriued to the Apostles and so descended to the chiefe Pastours of Christs church to this day who are to be honored and obeyed in the word and Sacraments as Fathers of all their children This power and honour I trust is so tolerable and Christian that you dare not spurne against it If you did not giue it onely to them and take it from all others wee would not gaine say it so much as we doe That which is common to euery Pastour in regard of those that are vnder them cannot be denyed the chiefe to whose ouersight and charge the whole church in euerie place is committed If you thinke the name of Pastour cannot be common to many in one and the same Church then the bishop must be Pastour alone for he is the Angel of Gods Church If the pastorall charge may be common to many then must he haue it chiefly and aboue all because he is Gods Angell and superior to all You remember your owne positions it is Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance that one shoulde be chiefe as well ouer Presbyters as people He cannot be chiefe in the Presbyterie but he must be chiefe in the Church and consequently if the Presbyters be Pastours he is chiefe Pastour We giue him no power but to moderate the meetings and execute the decrees of the Presbyters That we are well content the Bishop shall enioy but further we giue him none Blessed are your Presbyters that must haue their betters to execute their decrees but I pray you sirs for Gods decrees who shall execute them Must the Presbyters voyces be asked before Gods Lawes shalbe executed Take heede not of tyrannicall but of Satanicall pride if Gods will shal not take place in your Churches till the Presbyterie be assembled and agreed You haue prouided a president to execute your owne pleasures now let God haue one amongst you to execute his Execution in all things we reserue to him that is chiefe for as to consult and decree a number is fittest so to execute that which is decreed one is the surest lest if execution be committed to many their excusing themselues one on another or dissenting from eche other do hinder the whole You beginne to be wise The honour to determine you keepe to your selues the paines to execute you lay on your chiefe Ruler to make him the gladder to be rid of his office that another by course may succeede in his roume And so where by Gods ordinance you must haue one chiefe you take such order with him that he shal neuer be willing to stay long in it Wee doe it to preuent ambition in such as woulde seeke for the highest place You decrease the ambition of one that shoulde be highest and increase the pride of an hundred that should be lowest for where wee haue one bishop in a Diocese tied to the Lawes of God the Church and the Prince you woulde haue three hundred in a Diocese in some more all of equall power and set at libertie to consult and determine of al matters at their pleasures We subiect our Presbyteries to the Lawes of God the Church and the Realme as well as you doe your Bishops and giue them no leaue to resist or reuerse the decrees of any superiour powers You doe well For when the God of heauen hath declared his will or the Church by her prouinciall or generall Councils determined doubts and made rules or Christian Magistrates by their Lawes redressed and ordered things amisse besides the loâ—se of your paines it were more then pride for your Presbyters in their assemblies to consult afresh and bring the selfe same things againe to the question What is decreed by superiours must not by inferiours be debated whether it shall take place or no but be rather obeyed with readinesse So that in all cases determined by the Lawes of God the Church or the Prince consultation is both superfluous and presumptuous execution is onely needefull and that must be committed to some persons that may precisely be chalenged and punished for the contempt if that which is commanded be not performed now whom appoint you to execute the decrees of God the Church and the prince The whole Presbyterie Then vpon the not execution of Gods or mans Lawe by any one Prebyter all must be punished aswell innocent as nocent diligent as negligent The blame must lie on all where the charge is in common Were you but once or twise well followed for other mens faultes you woulde soone ware weary of this generall and confused execution And though you woulde not yet neither the equity nor prudency of Gods or mans Lawes endure that wandering kinde of execution they note and specifie the persons that shall haue the charge and ouersight to execute their decrees that vpon any neglect or defect the right offendours may be chalenged And since to auoide confusion and preuent delayes you committe the execution of your owne decrees to the care and circumspection of your President what cause can there be why the lawes of God the Church and the Prince should not like wise be executed by the bishop or chiefe Pastour of eche place There can be no doubt but the Canons of Councils and Lawes of Christian princes
touching Church causes from the Aposiles age to ours haue bene committed to Episcopall audience and execution the question is for Gods Law who shoulde be trusted with the execution thereof And who rather say we then hee that is authorized by God to be the Angel of his Church and steward of his house at whose mouth the rest should aske the Law and be rather subiect vnto him then perch ouer him The execution of Gods Lawe by no meanes wee grant to the Bishop for then wee yeelde him all but in that case though ech Presbyter be inferiour to him yet the whole Presbyterie is aboue him and may both ouer-rule him and censure him That is as much as if you had said when the sheepe list to agree I will not say conspire they must leade their sheepeheard and when the children are wilfull they must rule their father Otherwise if the bishop be Pastor and father to eche Presbyter hee is the like to the whole Presbyterie consequently they must heare obey him as Gods Angel so long as he keepeth within the bounds of his message Nay euery Presbyter is a Pastour and Father as well as the Bishop and equall with him neither hath hee by Gods Lawe any right ouer them but onely by mans deuise Fie on this wauering Sometimes the Bishop shall bee chiefe ouer the Presbyterie by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance Sometimes againe euerie Presbyter shall bee equall and euen with him and hee not chiefe ouer them and when you are a little angrie hee shall bee subiect vnto them and bee censured by them This tapesing to and fro I impute rather to the rawnesse of your discipline not yet digested then to the giddinesse of your heades This it is to wander in the desert of your owne deuises without the line of Gods worde or leuell of his Church to direct you But can you shewe vs by what authoritie you claime this power of your Presbyteries aboue and against their Bishops if by Scriptures produce them if by Fathers then shrinke not from them when they tell you on the other side what power the Bishop had should haue ouer his Presbyters Wee haue both Scriptures and Fathers but specially Scriptures First the Apostles Peter and Paul acknowledge the Presbyters to be Pastours and giue them the feeding ouerseeing and ruling the flock Next the Presbyterie did excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian and imposed hands on Timothie Thirdlie they are the Church which if a man heare not he must bee taken for a Publicane and an Ethnike by Christes commandement Fourthly the common wealth of Israel had apparantly that kind of gouernment which Christ and his Apostles did not alter Lastly the fathers confesse the Churches at first were gouerned with the common counsell of the Presbyters and without their aduise nothing was done in the Church These be the fortes of your late erected Consistorie if these be taken from you you haue no place left whither your maimed discipline may retreat and these are most easilie razed to the ground in order as they stand For FIRST the same power which you claime by Peters and Pauls words vnto Presbyters as Pastours in respect of the flocke committed to their trust you must yeeld vnto Bishops as chiefe Pastors in comparison both of Presbyters and people and so you prooue against your selues for the Bishop is as well chiefe in the Church where he is Gods Angel as in the Consistorie where hee gouerneth the Presbyterie NEXT you cannot conuince that the Presbyterie did either excommunicate the malefactor of Corinth or lay hands on Timothie I haue cleared the inferments of both places before And if you could conclude any such thing which you cannot yet most apparantly the Apostle Paul with his owne mouth adiudged the one and with his owne hands ordained the other THIRDLIE what is meant by the Church in those wordes of Christ if he heare not the Church let him bee as an Ethnike vnto thee I haue alreadie discussed I need not reiterate If you will with the Fathers apply that censure to excommunication you must with the Fathers vnderstand by the Church the Bishops chiefe Rulers of the Church FOVRTHLIE neither had the Iewes that kind of gouernment which you would establish in the Church neâ—did our Lord and Master or his disciples euer prescribe to the Gentiles the iudiciass part or fourme of Moses Iawe more then they did the ceremoniall if Moses policie be abrogated Moses Consistor is may not be continued The Judges cease where the lawe faileth the change of the lawe ceremoniall worketh as the Apostle reasoneth a chaunge of the Priesthoode and euen so the disanulling of their penall iudgements dischargeth all their Iudges and Consistories And were it otherwise what winne you by that against Bishops If your Presbyters must be the Iewes Elders your Presidents must answere to their chiefe Priestes and then haue you spunne afair threed for where you thought to diminish the power of Bishops ouer Presbyters you triple it by this Argument It must be death to disobey the chiefe Priest in all points and parts of Gods Iawe Would you stand to your tackling I would neuer wish a better reason against you for the power of bishops then your owne comparison but you vse to giue backe so fast when you bee pressed that my labour would be but lost to follow you In deede Cyprian doeth vehemently vrge that precept of Deuteronomie and many others of the olde Testament for obedience to be yeelded to himselfe and other Bishops as well by Presbyters as people he that will may see the places LASTLIE for Fathers as your fashion is you take a paring of one or two of theÌ„ where they speake to your liking but reiect both the same and all other ancient writers whenthey mainlie depose against your new discipline That the aduise of Presbyters was at first vsed in the regiment of the Church Ierome and Ambrose seeme towitnesse but that they might ouer-rule or censure the Bishop they neuer said nor meant The safetie of the Church as Ierome thinketh standeth on the dignitie of the chiefe Priest or Bishop to whom except there be giuen a power without any equal and eminent aboue all there will bee as many schismes in the Churches as there be Priests And so Cyprian Thou makest thy selfe Iudge of God and of Christ which sayd to his Apostles and thereby to all Rulers that succeed the Apostles in being ordained their substitutes he that heareth you heareth me and hee that reiecteth you reiecteth me For whence haue heresies and schismes heretofore risen and dailyrise but whiles the Bishop which is but one ruleth the Church is despised by the proud presumption of some and that one Bishop he calleth the Leader of the people the Pastour of the flocke the gouernour of the Church the Bishop of Christ and Priest of God Infinite are the testimonies of the Catholike Fathers against the
it voideth the gifts sales and exchanges of ecclesiastical goods made by the Bishop without the subscription of his Clarks The Councill of Hispalis We decree according to the rule of the ancient fathers that none of vs presume to degrade a Presbyter or Deacon without the examination of a Councill for there are many that condemne them without discussing their causes rather by tyrannicall power then by Canonicall authoritie Manie like cases there are in which the bishop might not meddle without his Presbytery or a Synode whereof some are altered by laws some rest in force at this present Against this tyrannicall power which you mention wee repine that Bishops alone should excommunicate and depriue Presbyters at their pleasures Did you acknowledge the Canonicall authoritie of bishops we should soone conclude for the tyrannicall but vnder the shew of the one you impugne the other and when you come to redresse it you establish a plainer tyrannie in steade of it True it is that the frequencie of Synodes did first rebate the credite and decaie the vse of Presbyteries For when the bishops of eche prouince as by the generall Councils of Nice and Chalcedon they were bound met twise euerie yeere to heare and moderate Ecclesiasticall griefes and causes Presbyters were lesse regarded and lesse emploied then before Synodes as superiour Iudges entring into the examination and decision of those things which were wont to be proposed in Presbyteries And when priuat quarrels questions increasing Synodes began to be tired with continuall sitting about such matters and the bishops of most Churches to be detained from their cures and attend the debating deciding of griefs displeasures betwixt man and man the burden grew so intollerable that Synodes were forced to settle an appeale froÌ„ the bishop to the Metropolitane commit it to the care of the Primate what causes were fit for Synodall cognition The Council of Sardica If any Bishop in a rage hastily mooued against a Presbyter or Deacon will cast him out of the Church we must prouide that an innocent be not condemned and depriued the Communion All answered Let the partie so eiected haue libertie to flie to the Metropolitane of the same prouince and desire his cause to be more aduisedly heard The great Councill of Affrica finding howe troublesome it was for the bishops of that whole Region to meete and staie the hearing of all matters chose out three of euerie Prouince to end causes vndetermined and by reason they could not assemble twice a yeare for the length of the way they were contented with one full Councill in the yeere and left the causes and complaints of Presbyters Deacons and other Clergie men first to the bishops that were nearest and then to the Primate or Metropolitane of the same prouince We decree that Presbyters Deacons and other inferiour Cleargie men if in any matters they finde themselues agreeued with the iudgements of their own Bishops the Bishops that are neerest shall giue them audience And if they thinke good to appeale from them they shall not appeale to the Tribunals beyond the Seas but to the Primates of their owne Prouince euen as wee haue often decreed of Bishops These Canons did not establish but represse tyrannicall power in bishops if any did assert it and required the bishop before he proceeded against Presbyter or Deacon to take vnto him assessours of the neerest bishops such as the parties conuented should demand and if they coulde not ende the cause with the liking of both sides then the Primate to haue the hearing of it and lastlie the Councill if either parte woulde appeale from the Primate Thus did the Bishops of the Primitiue Church order the hearing of causes within their prouinces neither prowdly nor Antichristianly but in my iudgement soberly and wisely referred them from the Bishop to the Primate thereby to ripen causes and search into the trueth of eche complaint with a great deale lesse trouble and no lesse indifferencie then if it had bene immediatly brought to the Councill And were you as moderate as you be resolute you woulde perceiue what a tedious labour it is and in our State superfluous for a Synode of Bishops to sit all a yeere long hearing priuate griefes complaints and contentions If you be so desirous of it I would you were for a while fast tied to it that you might learne to be wise you would bee the willinger as long as you liued to let courts alone and spend your time better then in examinations depositions and exceptions of witnesses Howbeit in our realme vnlesse you change all your Ecclesiasticall lawes I see not how Synodes or Presbyteries should intermeddle with any such matters for how shal your Presbyters iudge by discretion or by law Your discretions I know no man so foolish that wil trust What greater tyranny iniury can be vrged on a christian realme then instede of Laws to offer the determinations of your Presbyteries Shal ech mans safetie and soule depend on your pleasures But your Presbyteries you meane shall be tied to execute the same Lawes that are alreadie settled Alas good men howe many hundred yeres will you aske before your Presbyteries in cities and villages will be able to reade them and howe many thousand before they vnderstand them Are you well in your wiâ—â—es to claime the execution of those Lawes for your Presbyteries which they neither doe nor euer will conceiue first set them to schoole and when they can reade law send them to the vniuersities and vpon their growing to such perfection that they can heare decide eche mans case by the Lawes of this realme make petition for them to haue them authorized in euerie parish insteade of the Arches If otherwise you will haue them sit Iudges in all mens cases before they can reade either Latin or Law the world will muse at your madnesse Your Bishops are no such great Lawyers And therefore they haue the more neede of Chancellors and Registers that are better acquainted with the Lawes then themselues are and as for appeales vnlesse you looke to treade gouernement vnder your feet and ouer-rule all things by the meere motions of your owne wils though they sometimes aduantage offendours yet were they prouided to protect innocents and are Christian remedies to do euerie man right that thinketh he hath wrong They doe not maintaine the Antichristian pride of bishops there can bee none other nor better waie to represse it then by appeale to bring the iudgements of all their Courts and Officers to bee tried and examined by the princes power and delegates which I trust you take to bee no tyrannie If corruption sometimes creepe in through mens fingers to bolster bad causes the Lawes are farre from allowing and I as farre from defending it What hath bene so sacred that couetousnesse hath not expugned and your Presbyteries except they consist of Angels and not of men will soone shew both what affections and
punishments of his sinnes who art the occasion of them for remitting the former offences out of time thou shalt answere for those that are after committed as being the cause of them and likewise for those that are past as not letting him alone to lament and repent them And Ambrose Paul chargeth Timothie before God the father and Christ his sonne and the elect Angels Vnder this charge he commandeth those things to be kept which pertaine to ordination in the Church least easilie any man should get an ecclesiasticall dignitie but in quisition be first had of his life and maners that a meete and approoued Minister or Priest may be appointed neither any to be ordained whose faults deserue suspicion least the ordainer be defiled with his sinnes and offences for hee sinneth which ordaineth and trieth not Occumenius Where Paul saieth to Timothie I prayed thee to staie at Ephesus addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there had Paul ordained him a Bishop Let no man despise thy youth for a Bishop must speake with authoritie Hee giueth precepts not to Timothie alone but to euery Bishop And vpon these words Lay hands bastilie on no man Paul treateth of ordinations for he wrate to a Bishop And so writing on the epistle to Tite he saieth Paul left Tite to make Bishops in euery Citie hauing first made him a Bishop Primasius likewise Timothie was a Bishop and Pauls disciple to him by writing hee giueth authoritie to correct all ecclesiasticall discipline and to ordaine Bishops and Deacons And againe Be not partaker of an other mans sinnes Paul saieth It is a communion with another mans sinnes when one is ordained and not examined As therefore in ordaining euill men he is partaker of their sinnes which ordaineth such so in the ordaining of the holy he is partaker of their righteousnes which did make choise of so good men The perill of ordaining Bishops and Presbyters by Pauls owne confession lieth ineuitablie on such as impose hands and therefore by Gods lawe they must haue power to examine who bee fit and libertie to refuse those that be vnfit For as without them there can bee none ordained so if rashly or corruptly they lay hands on any they be partakers of their sinnes Further with elections of the Scriptures doe not meddle saue that Timothie as the Fathers affirme by occasion of Pauls words was chosen Bishop by prophesie that is by the direction and appointment of the holy Ghost and not by voyces Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By the commaundement or appointment of the spirite were Bishops at first made and not at randon So Theodorete Thou vndertookest this order by diuine reuelation Chrysostome Paul to stirre vp Timothie putteth him in minde who choose him and who ordained him as if he had sayd Thou wast chosen of God hee himselfe put thee in trust 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou wast not made by mens voices And Theophilact Anciently by the oracles appointment of the Prophets that is by the holy Ghost Priests were straight way ordained So was Timothie chosen to be a Priest Ambrose saieth Timothie was predestinated when he was taken by the Apostle to this end that he should bee ordained as iudged woorthie to be a Bishop This kinde of election I take was vsuall in the Apostles times the spirite of God directing them on whom they should lay their hands other election of Pastours and Teachers I read none specified in the sacred writings Popular election of Bishops I find afterward practised in the Primitiue Church but not mentioned in the Scriptures and therefore well may the peoples interest stand vpon the grounds of reason and nature and bee deriued from the rules of Christian equitie and societie but Gods lawe doeth not meddle with anie such matter nor determine more then I haue tolde you which is that such Bishops as ordaine them shall answere for them with the perill of their owne soules if they doe not carefullie looke into the abilitie and integritie of all that they authorize with imposition of handes to guide or teach the flocke of Christ. When I say the people can not chalenge by Gods lawe the right to choose their Bishop I meane no such thing is expressed and commaunded in the Scriptures excluding thereby the false conceites of some fanaticall spirites in our dayes which affirme our Bishops and Teachers to bee no true Pastours because they are not chosen by the particular voyces and personall Suffrages of the people and by consequent our Sacraments to bee no Sacramentes and Church no Church and so this whole Realme to bee drowned in confusion without assurance of saluation whose madnesse is rather to bee chastised by the Magistrate then to be refused by doctrine the authors being voyde not onely of learning which they despise but of reason to weigh what is sayde against them Otherwise I acknowledge each Church and people that haue not by lawe custome or consent restrained themselues stand free by Gods lawe to admit maintaine and obey no man as their Pastour without their liking and so the peoples election by themselues or their rulers dependeth on the very first principles of humane fellowships assemblees for which cause though bishops by Gods law haue power to examine ordaine before any may be placed to take charge of soules yet haue they no power to impose a Pastour on any Church against their wils nor to force them to yeelde him obedience or maintenaunce without their liking How farre authoritie custome and consent may preiudice and ouer-rule this libertie which Gods lawe leaueth vndiminished shall anone be handed when once we see what order the Primitiue Church obserued in her elections of Bishops and Presbyters The Churches of Christ had aunciently two wayes to bee prouided of Bishops and Presbyters the one Election the other Postulation When the Bishop of any Citie died whose Church had store of Clergie men to succeede the Bishops of the same Prouince that were neerest to the place by conference amongst themselues appointed a day to resort thither and aduertised both people and Presbyters thereof At which time the Clergie and Laitie assembling in the Church so many Bishops as conuenientlie might but vnder three they could doe nothing came thither and there heard both whom the Clergie named and whom the Citie liked If all or the most of euery sort agreed the partie was pronounced chosen another day prefixed to ordaine him the Bishops proposing his name and the time on the Church doores and requiring euerie man that could or would obiect any thing against him to bee then and there readie with his proofes and witnesses At their next repaire the Bishops that came to giue imposition of handes heard aduisedly what each man could charge him with and if in their consciences the elect prooued to bee such as the Apostle prescribed they ordained him in the eies of all men Pastour of that
and Bishops that they should receiue inuestiture from him So that if any were chosen Bishop by the Clergie and people except he were also approoued inuested by the said king he should not be consecrated Which priuâ—lege to giue Bishoprikes and Abbeys by a ring and a staffe continued in the Romane Emperors more then 300. yeeres after Charles and was restored to Henry the fift 1111. yeeres after Christ by Paschalis the second not afterward wrested froÌ„ him his successors by the bishop of Rome but with extreme treacherie bloodshed and violence As the Emperours of Rome vsed this superioritie in elections of bishops foure hundred yeeres before Charles so the kings of France continually practised the same three hundred yeeres before the Empire came to their handes After Licinius the ninth bishop of Turon in the tenth place Theodorus and Proculus were surrogated by the commandement of Queene Chrodieldis wife to Chlodoueus the first christian King of France The eleuenth was Dinifius who came to the Bishopricke by the election of the said king The twelfth was Ommatius who was ordained by the commandement of king Clodomere one of Chlodouees sonnes At Aruerne foure yeeres after Chlodouees death Theodorike another of his sonnes commaunded Quintianus to be made Bishop there and al the power of the Church to be deliuered vnto him adding hee was cast out of his owne Citie for the zeale and loue hee bare to vs. And the Messengers straite way departing called the Bishops and people together and placed him in the chaire of the Church of Aruerne And when Quintianus was dead Gallus by the kings helpe was substituted in his chaire After whose decease Cato elected by the Clergie and most part of the people bare himselfe for bishop but when king Theodoualdus heard it certaine Bishops were called vnto Mastright and Cautinus ordayned Bishop and directed by the kings commaundement to Aruerne was gladly receiued of the Clergie and Citizens there The same Cato was afterward chosen by the precept of King Chlotharius to the bishopricke of Turon for so the Clergie tolde him non nostra te voluntate expetiuimus sed Regis praeceptione We desired thee not of our owne wils but by the kings commandement which hee refused and thereupon they of Turon suggested another to the King to whom the king replied Praeceperam vt Cato Presbyter illic ordinaretur cur est spreta nostra iussio I commanded that Cato the Presbyter should be ordained Bishop there and why is our commaundement despised They answered We requested him but hee woulde not come And whiles they were with the king Cato himselfe came and besought the king that Cautinus being remooued hee might be placed at Aruerne At which the king smiling hee then secondly requested he might be ordained at Turon which before he had neglected To whom the king saide I first commanded they shoulde consecrate you to that Bishopricke but as I heare you despised the place and therefore you shal be farre enough from it When Pientius bishop of Poicters was dead Austraphius hoped to succeede in his place But king Charibert one of Chlothaâ—ius sonnes turned his minde and Pascentius succeeded by the kings commandement The like precepts of diuers christian kings of France 1000. yeeres before our dayes for the making of Iouinus Domnolus Nonnichius Innocentius Sulpitius Promotus Nicetius Desiderius Gundegisilus Virus Charimeres Fronimius and other bishops of France in sundry churches of that realme he that liketh to see may reade in the storie of Gregorie made Bishop of Turon before Gregorie the first was placed to the See of Rome By which it is euident that other Princes besides the Romane Emperours haue from their first profession of Christianitie not onely ruled the elections of Bishops as they saw cause but appointed such as were meete for the places to be consecrated without depending on the voyces of the people or Clergie And what should hinder christian Princes to take this right into their owne handes from the people since there is no precept in Gods Lawe to binde the church that the people shoulde elect their bishops and consequently the manner of electing them must bee left to the lawes of eche Countrie without expecting the peoples consent Bullinger a man of great reading and iudgement alledging both the examples of the Scriptures and the words of Cyprian which are before repeated at large and also the vse of the primitiue Church in choosing their Bishops cócludeth thus Quanquam ex illis omnino colligere nolim deligendi Episcopiâ—us ad promiscuae plebis suffragia esse reducendum Utrum enim totius ecclesiae comitijs an paucorum suffragijs Episcopum designari melius sit nulla potest certa omnibus praescribi ecclesâ—is constitutio Sunt enim alijs regionibus alia Iura alij ritus instituta Si qui abutuntur iure illo per tyrannidem cogantur in ordinem à sancto Magistratu vel transferatur ab eis ius designandi Ministros Satius est enim eligendi munere seniores aliquot ex regis vel magistratus iussu defungi aduocatis consultisque c. Notwithstanding I woulde not collect by these that the right to chuse a Bishop should be recalled to the voyces of the people Whether it were meeter to haue a bishop appointed by the asseÌ„bly of the whole church or by the suffrages of a few there can bee no certaine rule prescribed to all Churches for diuers Countries haue different Lawes and customes But if any tyrannically abuse their right they may be punished by the godly Magistrate or the right of electing taken from theÌ„ for it were better that some graue men by the Magistrates or the kings commaundement made the election calling to them and consulting with such as know what belongeth to the function of a bishop what is fit for the people and church where he shalbe placed and how to iudge of euerie mans learning and maners Beza that holdeth hard for discipline giueth ouer popular elections as no part of Gods ordinance and confesseth that in Geneua it selfe though their state be popular yet they allow the people no such power The erecting of the Deconship saith he was essential neuer to be abrogated in the church of God And the maner of appointing some for that function in the Church to wit by election was likewise essential but that the whole multitude was called togither gaue their voices that was neither essential nor perpetual for after when experience taught that confusion ambitioÌ„ rising by occasioÌ„ of the multitude increased was to be preuented the Synode of Laodicea being indeed but prouincial yet approued by the sixt Oecumenical council prudently took order by their 13. canon that the electioÌ„ of such as were chosen to the sacred ministery should not be permitted to the multitude or to the people not
haue a good testimonie of those that are without If this were the reason why the people were called to the election of their bishops then the cause ceasing why should not the effect likewise cease If they can giue no testimonie as in our case they cannot what neeveth their presence If the authoritie of the people were requisite to place their pastour as when there was no belecuing prince happily it was in that respect also the Magistrate is more sufficient then the multitude to assure the election and assist the elect If consent be expected lest any man should be intruded upon the people against their willes the peoples consent is by the publike agreement of this realme yeelded and referred to the princes liking If iudgement to discerne betweene fit men and vnfit be necessarie I hope the grauitie and prudencie of the Magistrate may woorthely be preferred before the rashnesse and rudenesse of the many that are often ledde rather with affection then with discretion and are carried with manie light respectes and lewd meanes as with faction and flatterie fauour and fansie corruption and briberie and such like baites from which Gouernours are if not altogether free yet farre freer then the intemperate and vnrulie multitude And so take what respect you will either of DISCERNING ASSISTING or MAINTAINING of fitte passours and you shall finde the choice of ishops lieth more safelie in the princes then in the peoples hands The Clergy vsed to discerne and elect the people did like and allow their Pastours and to say the truth men of the same profession if they be not blinded with affections can best iudge of â—ch mans fitnes Indeeee the Canon Law ruleth the case thus Electio clericorum est coÌ„sensus Principis petitio plebis Clergy meÌ„ must elect the Prince may coÌ„sent the people must request the late bishops of Rome neuer left cursing and fighting til they excluded both prince people reduced the election wholy to the Clergie whom they might command at their pleasures but by your leaue it was not so from the beginning The forme of election prescribed by y t Roman laws 1000. yeeres since willed the Clergie the gouernors or chiefe men of the city to come together taking their oths vpon the holie gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to decree that is to elect or name 3. persons of which y e ordainer was to chuse y e best at his discretioÌ„ The fullest wordes that the ancient Greeke Writers vse for all the partes of election 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to propose to name to choose to decree are in the stories ecclesiasticall applied to the people When Eudoxius of Constantinople was dead and the Arrianâ— had chosen Demophilus in his place the Christians there is Socrates writeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chose one Euagrius Sozomene saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they decreed Euagrius to be their bishop Nazianz. speaking of y e election of Eusebius saith the people were diuided into many sides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some naming one and some an other which word also Socrates vseth of the people in the choice of Ambrose and repineth that in his time 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the first naming of the bishop was permitted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the headie and vndiscreete multitude At the choice of Paulus to the Bishopricke of Constantinople Socrates saith the people were diuided into two partes and the Omousians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 elect Paulus to the Bishopricke The Council of Nice was content that such as were ordained by Miletius shoulde be reâ—rdered and placed in the countes of other bishops that died 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they were found worthie and the people elected them Upon the dâ—â—th of Auxentius at Millan◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the multitude saith Sozomene fell to â—edition not agreeing on the election of any one When Nectarius was dead and Chrysostome chosen in succeâ—â—e him Sozomene saieth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the people and Cleargie decreeing it the Emperour consented Socrates saieth he was chosen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the common decree of the Cleargie and people Upon the depriuing of Nestorius many â—amed Philip 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but more chose Proclus and Proclus election had preuailed had not some of the mightiest pretended a Canon against him that being named Bishop of one Citie hee coulde not bee translated to another Which being heard and beleeued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 forced the people to hold their peace So that in the primitiue church the people did propose name elect and decree as wel as the Clergie and though the Presbyters had more skill to iudge yet the people had as much right to choose their Pastour and if the most part of them did agree they did carrie it from the Clergie so the persons chosen were such as the Canons did allow and the ordainers could not iustly mislike If it seeme hard to any man that the people in this point should be preferred as farre forth as the Clergie let him remember the Apostles in the Actes when they willed the Church at Ierusalem to choose the seuen that vndertooke the care of the widowes did not make any speciall remembrance or distinction of the seuentie Disciples from the rest who were then present and part of that company but committed as well the discerning as electing of fit men in common to the whole number of brethren reseruing approbation and imposition of hands to themselues for calling the multitude of Disciples together they said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consider of seuen men of your selues that are well reported of and full of the holie ghost and of wisedome whome wee may appoint ouer this businesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they chose Steuen and the other sixe whome they set before the Apostles Since then the Apostles left elections indifferently to the people and Clergie of Ierusalem if you make that choice a president for elections what warrant had the Bishop of Rome to exclude them if their vnrulinesse deserued afterward to haue their libertie diminished or their â—way restrained that belonged not to the Popes but to the Princes power and therefore he was but an vsurper in taking it both from Prince and people without their consents and christian Princes vse but their right when they resume elections out of the Popes hands by conference with such as shal impose hands on them within their â—wn realmes name whom they thinke fit to succeede in the episcopal seate So did the ancient Emperors and Princes that were in the primitiue church as I haue shewed They neuer tooke the whole into their hands but onely gaue their consents before the election could take place It was a most tedious and trouble some worke for one man to name and elect all the Bishops in the Romane empire and therefore the Emperours left the Magistrates of each Citie to performe that
places forced the Bishops to assemble but once in the yeere so the Councill of Toledo determined for Spaine This holy generall Council decreeth that the authoritie of the former Canons standing good which command Synodes to be kept twise in the yere in respect of y e length of the way and pouertie of the Churches of Spaine the Bishops shal assemble once in the yere at the place which the Metropolitane shal appoint The 2. Council of Turon tooke the same order for France in cases of necessity It hath pleased this holy council that the Metropolitane the bishops of his Prouince shal meet twise euery yere in Synode at the place which the Metropolitan by his discretiō shal chuse or if there be an ineuitable necessitie then without all excuse of persons and occasion of pretences once in the yeere shall euery man make his repaire And if any Bishop faile so to come to the Synode let him stand excommunicate by his brethren of the same Prouince vntill a greater Synode and in the meane time let no Bishop of an other Prouince presume to communicate with him There is no Christian Realme nor Age wherein the vse of Synodes hath not bene thought needfull as well vnder beleeuing magistrates for consultation and direction as vnder Infidels for the stopping of irreligious opinions withstanding wicked enterprises and procuring the peace and holynesse of the Church as appeareth by the Councils that haue bene kept in all kingdoms and countries since the Apostles times when any matter of moment came in question which are extant to this day and likewise by the Synodes that euery Nation and Prouince did yeerely celebrate according to the rules of the great Nicene and Chalcedon Councils which can not be numbred and were not recorded Neither is the continuance of Prouinciall Synodes prescribed onely by Councils the Imperiall lawes commaund the like That all the ecclesiasticall State and sacred rules may with more diligence be obserued we require saith the Emperor euery Archbishop Patriarch Metropolitane to call vnto him once or twise euery yeere the Bishops that are vnder him in the same Prouince and throughly to examine all the causes which Bishops Clerkes or Monkes haue amongst themselues and to determine them so as what so euer is trespassed by any person against the Canons may bee reformed The lawes of Charles alleaging the Councils of Antioch and Chalcedon that the Bishops of euery Prouince with their Metropolitane should assemble in Councill twise in the yeere for the causes of the Church commaund that course to be continued and twise euery yeere Synodes to be assembled And vnlesse you giue the Pastor and Presbyters of euery parish full and free power to professe what religiō they best like to offer what wrongs they will to vse what impietie and tyrannie they themselues list without any restraint or redresse which were an heathenish if not an hellish confusiō you must where there is no christian magistrate as oftentimes in the Church of Christ there hath bene and may be none yeeld that libertie to the Church of Christ which euerie humane societie hath by the principles of nature to wit that the whole may guide each part and the greater number ouer-rule the lesser which without assembling in Synode can not be done We neuer meant to denie the authoritie or vse of lawfull Synodes we confesse they are a sure remedy against all confusion but this we dislike that you giue the power to cal Synodes from the Magistrate to the Metropolitane thereby maintaining a needelesse difference amongst Bishops and suffer none but such as you terme Bishops to haue voyces in Councils whereas euerie Pastour and Preacher hath as good right to sit there and by consent and subscription to determine as they haue What right wee yeelde to Christian Magistrates to call Synodes within their Territories shall soone appeare in the meane time you must tell vs who called Synodes in the Primitiue Church before Princes fauoured Christian Religion was it done by Magistrates who then were Infidels or by Metropolitanes And when Princes protected the truth did they moderate prouinciall Councils by their substitutes or was that charge committed to the Bishop of the chiefe and mother Church and Citie in euerie prouince you challenge to bee men of learning and reading speake of your credites who called in ancient times prouinciall Synodes or at any time who moderated them besides Metropolitanes If your Presbyteries by Gods essential and perpetual ordinance must haue a President to rule their actions for auoyding of confusion howe can Synodes be called gouerned without one to prescribe the time and place when and where the Pastours shall meete and when they are met to guide and moderate their assemblies perceiue you not that men liuing in diuers cities and countries and assembling but seldome haue more neede of some chiefe to call them together then those that liue in one place and euery day meete And if confusion and disorder in Presbyteries be pernicious to the Church is it not far more dangerous in Synodes Wherefore you must either cleane reiect Synodes and so make the Presbyters of eache parish supreme and soueraigne Iudges of all Ecclesiasticall matters or if you receiue Synodes you must withall admit some both to conuocate and moderate their meetings The Magistrate may callthem together and themselues when they are assembled may choose a director guider of their actions But when the Magistrate doeth not regard but rather afflict the Church as in times of infidelitie and heresie who shall then assemble the Pastours of any prouince to deliverate and determine matters of doubt or danger Shall error and iniurie ouerwhelme the church of God without any publike remonstrance or refusance In questions of faith cases of doubt matters of faction offers of wrong breach of all order and equitie shall eche place and Presbyterie be free to teach and doe what they please without depending on or so much as cōferring with the rest of their brethren Cal you that the discipline of Christes Church and not rather the dissolution of all peace and subuersion of all trueth in the house of God I thinke you be not so farre besides your selues that you striue for this pestilent kinde of anarchie to be brought into the worlde our age is giddie enough without this frensie to put them forward Howbeit we seeke not what newe course you can deuise after fifteene hundred yeeres to gouerne the Church but what meanes the ancient and Primitiue Church of Christ had before Princes embraced the trueth to assemble Synodes and pacifie controuersies as well touching religion as Ecclesiasticall regiment and if in the Church stories you finde any other besides Metropolicanes that called and gouerned Prouinciall Councils name the men and note the places and we yeeld you the prize Metropolitanes were first established if not deuised by the Council of Nice before that we reade nothing of any Metropolitane
If that were their first originall they neede not be ashamed of it all Christendome these twelue hundred yeeres hath reuerenced and followed the decrees and iudgement of the Nicene Fathers the founders of your newe discipline compared with them in antiquitie and authoritie come a great way behinde them but if you looke better about you you shall finde that Metropolitanes are farre elder then the Nicene Council They are not deuised but acknowledged in the Councill of Nice by these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the ancient vsage continue still in Egypt Libia Pentapolis that the bishop of Alexādria haue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 power and authoritie ouer all these places Likewise at Antioch and in other prouinces 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let the churches keepe their prerogatiues What those prerogatiues were which anciently belonged to the Metropolitane Churches and their Bishops though the Councill doeth not expresse them all yet these two are there mentioned In the 4. Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The chiefe authoritie or ratification of things done must belōg in euery prouince to the Metropolitane and in this very Canon the next words are In al places or prouinces this is euident that if any man be made a bishop without the knowledge or consent of the Metropolitane this great Council determineth he must be no Bishop So that neither could Synodes be called nor Bishops ordained without y ◠Metropolitan by the Canons of the Nicene Council their power prerogatiue within their own prouince began not first in that Council but is there witnessed to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient vse as they speake in the 7. Canon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an ancient tradition The Councill of Antioch that assembled fifteene yeeres after the Council of Nice concluded as much as I do out of the Nicene Canons A Bishop must not be ordained without a Synode and the presence of the Metropolitane the Bishops of eache Prouince to make a Synode the Metropolitane by his letters must call together It is very requisite that in euery Prouince Councils be kept twise in the yeere to the which Presbyters Deacons and all others that thinke they haue wrong may repaire to receiue iustice from the Synode It is not lawfull for any to assemble Synodes of themselues without those to whom the in other Cities are committed For that is a perfect Council where the Metropolitane is present What power the Metropolitane had aboue the rest they likewise expresse The Bishops of euery prouince must agnise the Metropolitane to haue the ouerfight and care of the whole Prouince Wherefore wee thinke it meet that in honor he be afore them the rest of the bishops do nothing without him according to the canon of our fathers that hath anciently preuailed but onely such thinges as pertaine to their owne charge and Dioecese Further they shall enterprise nothing without the Metropolitane nor the Metropolitane without the consent of the rest The generall Councill of Ephesus affirmeth that Metropolitanes had their preeminence from the beginning of the Church It seemeth good to this sacred Occumenicall Council to reserue vnto euery prouince vntouched and vndiminished the rights which they haue had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 frō the first beginning euery Metropolitan hauing libertie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take the copie of our Acts for his owne security according to the vse anciently confirmed These 3. Councils confesse that Metropolitanes were no late nor newe deuise first authorized by the Council of Nice but their right and preeminence was an ancient vsage and Canon of the Church euen from the beginning Nowe that all Christendome euer after the Nicene Councill embraced this kinde of gouernement by Metropolitanes is a case so cleare that no shift can refuse it The second Councill of Arle in France that immediately followed the Councill of Nice saith Nullus episcopus sine Metropolitani per missa nec Episcopus Metropolitanus sine tribus Episcopis comprouincialibus praesumat Episcopum ordinare Let no Bishop presume to ordaine a Bishop without the permission of the Metropolitane nor the Metropolitane himselfe without three Bishops of the same Prouince For this is first euident that hee which is made a Bishop sine conscientia Metropolitani without the consent of his Metropolitane he ought to be no Bishop according to the great Councill of Nice And so for Synodes The Synode shall be assembled at the discretion of the Bishop of Arle and if any being summoned cannot come by reason of sickenes hee shall send another to supplie his place But if any shall neglect to be present or depart before the Councill be dissolued let him know he is excluded from the communion of his brethren and may not be receiued vnles he be absolued in the next Synode The Council of Laodieea in Phrygia Let Bishops be appointed to the regiment of the church by the iudgement of the Metropolitane and the Bishops adioyning being called to the Synode they must not neglect it but go thither and teach or learne what is requisite for the direction of the Church and the rest of their brethren The second Councill of Carthage in Affrica We all thinke good that the Primate of euery Prouince being not first consulted no man presume though with many Bishops in what place soeuer without his precept to ordaine a Bishop but if necessitie force three Bishops wheresoeuer with the Primates precept may ordaine a Bishop The fift Council of Carthage Wee thinke good that the Primates of euerie Prouince be written vnto that when they assemble Councils in their owne Prouinces they hinder not the day limited for the generall meeting The Mileuitane Councill Aurelius Bishop of Carthage saide This is a common cause that euery one of vs should acknowledge his order allowed him by God and the lower Bishops yeeld to those that are aboue them and not presume to doe anything without them Wherefore they which attempt to do ought without regard of their superiors must be accordingly repressed by the whole Synode Al the Bishops answered This order hath bin kept by our fathers and forefathers and by Gods grace shall be kept of vs. The Councill of Rhegium in Italie The ordination which the Canons define to be voyde we also determine to bee frustrate wherein since there were neither three present nor the Letters of the Comprouinciall Bishops nor the Metropolitanes good will obtained there was vtterly nothing that shoulde make a Bishop And againe Let no Bishop repaire to the Church which hath not her chiefe priest except he be inuited by the letters of the Metropolitane lest he be circumuented by the people The Council of Tarracon in Spaine If any Bishop warned by the Metropolitane neglect to come to the Synode except he be hindered by some corporal necessitie let him be depriued of the cōmunion of all the Bishops
vntil the next Council as the Canons of our fathers haue decreed The Epaunine Councill Prima immutabili constitutione decretum est vt cùm Metropolitanus fratres vel Comprouinciales suos ad Concilium vel ad ordinationem cuiusque Consacerdotis crediderit vocandos nisi causa euidens extiterit nullus excuset By an immutable constitution we first decree that when the Metropolitane shal thinke good to call his brethren the Bishops of the same Prouince either to a Synode or to the ordination of any of his fellow Bishops none shall excuse without an euident cause The like aswel for ordaining of Bishops as calling of Synodes by the Metropolitane may be seene in the Councils of Agatha ca. 35. of Taurine ca. 1. of Aurelia the second ca. 1. 2. the fift ca. 18. of Turon the second ca. 1. 9. of Paris ca. 8. of Toledo the third ca. 18. the fourth ca. 3. and in diuers others All which testifie that as the Metropolitanes power in the gouernement of the Church was a thing receiued and confirmed by vse long before the Nicene Council so it continued throughout Christendome till the bishop of Rome wholy subuerted the freedome of the church and recalled all things to his owne disposition The power of Metropolitanes was rather lengthened then shortned by the Bishop of Rome for who suppressed Prouinciall Synodes and brought Bishops and Archbishops to this height of pride they are at but onely the Romish Decretals of Antichrist If your wisdome serue you to call that Antichrists pride whereto godly councils were forced for their owne ease wherewith religious Princes were contented for the better execution of their lawes my dutie to the church of God and the magistrate stayeth me from reueiling or disliking that course which I see both Councils and Princes by long and good experience were driuen vnto As for Antichrist he vsurped all mens places and subiected all mens rights to his will and pleasure otherwise I doe not finde what increase hee gaue to the power of Metropolitanes Let them eniâ—y that which the councils and princes of the Primitiue church by triall sawe needefull to be committed to their care and we striue for no more I trust you will not call that Antichristian pride when they are required by christian Princes to see their Lawes and Edicts touching causes Ecclesiasticall put in practise The fault we find is that Archbishops haue suppressed the libertie of Synodes and reserued all things to their owne iurisdiction A greater fault then that is you be so inflamed with disdaine that you know not what you say Who I pray you prohibiteth the vse or abridgeth the power of Synods to make rules determine causes ecclesiastical the Metropolitane or the Prince Take good heed lest by eager and often calling for the indictioÌ„ and decision of Synodes at the Metropolitans hands without the princes leaue you erect a new forme of Synodes not to aduise guide the Magistrate when they be thereto required but to straighten or forestall the Princes power True it is that with vs no Synodes may assemble without the Princes warrant as well to meete as to consult of any matters touching the state of this Realme and why They be no Court separate from the prince nor superiour to the Prince but subiected in all thinges vnto the Prince and appointed by the Lawes of God and man in trueth and godlinesse to assist and direct the Prince when and where they shall be willed to assemble Otherwise they haue no power of themselues to make decrees when there is a christian Magistrate neither may they chalenge the iudicial hearing or ending of Ecclesiastical controuersies without or against the princes liking Now iudge your selues whether you do not grosely betray your own ignorance I am loth to say malice when you declaime against the Metropolitane for want of that which is not in his power to performe but in the princes and be more silent hereafter in these cases if you be wise lest you traduce the Princes power vnder the Metropolitanes name If waspishnesse woulde suffer you soberly to consider not onely what things are changed in our times but also why and by whom you should better satisfie your selues and lesse trouble the realme then now you do Afore princes began to professe christianitie the church had no way as I noted before to discusse right and wrong in faith and other ecclesiastical causes but by Synodes and assemblies of religious wise pastors that course always continued in the church euen when the sword most sharply pursued the church from the Apostles deaths to Constantines raigne and was euer found in the church when christian Princes were not Those Synodes were assembled and gouerned by the Bishops of the chiefe and mother churches and cities in euerie prouince who by the ancient Councils are called Metropolitans When princes embraced the faith they increased the number of Synods and confirmed not onlie the canons of generall Councils but also the iudgements and decisions of prouinciall Synodes as the best meanes they coulde deuise to procure peace and aduance religion in euerie place for as by their lawes they referred Ecclesiasticall causes to Ecclesiasticall Iudges so lest matters shoulde hang long in strife they charged eache Metropolitane to assemble the Bishops of his Prouince twise euerie yeere and there to examine and order all matters of doubt and wrong within the Church The rules of the Nicene Councill touching that and al other things Constantine â—atified as Eusebius witnesseth and like wise the sentences of Bishops in their Synodes kept according to that appointment 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The decrees of the Nicene council Constantine confirmed with his consent seale or authoritie And reporting the lawes made by him in fauour of Christians Eusebius saith The determinations of Bishops deliuered in their Synodes he sealed or ratified that it might not be lawfull for the Rulers of Nations to infringe their decrees since the Priests of God as he thought were more approoued or better to be trusted then any Iudge yea whatsoeuer is done in the holie assemblies of Bishops 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that saith Constantine must bee ascribed to the heauenly wil or counsell of God Concerning the foure first general Councils Iustinian saith We decree that the sacred Ecclesiastical rules which were made and agreed on in the foure first holie Councils that is in the Nicene Constantinopolitane Ephesine and Chalcedon shall haue the force of Empertall Lawes for the rules of the foure aboue named Councils we obserue as Lawes In tract of time when causes multiplied and Bishops coulde neither support the charge they were at in being abroade nor bee absent so long from their Churches as the hearing and concluding of euerie priuate matter would require they were constrained to assemble but once in the yeere and in the meane space to commit such causes as could abide no such delay or were too tedious for their
short meetings vnto the hearing and iudgement of the Metropolitane or Primate of the prouince country where y â— strifes arose The Councill in Trullo saith The things which were determined by our sacred Fathers wee will haue to stand good in all points and renue the Canon which commaundeth Synodes of Bishops to be kept euery yeere in euery Prouince where the Metropolitane shall appoint But since by reason of the inuasions of the Barbarians and diuers other occasions the Gouernors of the Church cannot possibly assemble in Synode twise euery yeere wee decree that in any case there shall be a Synode of Bishops once euery yeere for Ecclesisticall questions likelie to arise in euery Prouince at the place where the Metropolitane shal make choice The second Nicene Councill Where the Canon willeth iudiciall inquisition to be made twise euery yeere by the assemblie of Bishops in euery Prouince and yet for the misery and pouertie of such as should trauell the Fathers of the sixt Synode decreed it should be once in the yeere and then things amisse to bee redressed we renue this later Canon insomuch that if any Metropolitane neglect to doe it except he be hindered by necessitie violence or some other reasonable cause he shall be vnder the punishment of the Canons The Council of Affrica The decrees of the Nicene Councill did most plainely leaue both inferiour Clerkes and Bishops TO THEIR OVVNE METROPOLITANES They did wisely and rightly perceiue that all causes ought to be ended in the places where they did first spring for they dâ—d not thinke any Prouince shoulde bee destitute of the grace of the holy Spirit whereby iustice shoulde bee prudently discerned constantly pursued by the Priests of Christ specially when as euery man hath libertie if he find himselfe grieued with the censure of those that examine his cause to appeale to the Synodes of the same Prouince or to a general Council And againe It hath pleased vs that Presbyters Deacons and other inferiour Clergie men if they complaine of the iudgements of their owne Bishops shall be heard by the Bishops adioyning And if they thinke good to appeale from them let them not appeale but either to the Synodes of Africa OR TO THE PRIMATES of their owne Prouinces So the Council of Sardica If a Bishop in a rage wil by and by cast a Presbyter or Deacon out of the Church we must prouide that being innocent he be not condemned nor depriued the communion Al the Bishops answered Let him that is eiected haue liberty TO FLIE TO THE METROPOLITANE of that Prouince The Emperor confirmed the same If the Bishops of one Synode haue anie matter of variance betwixt themselues either for Ecclesiastical right or any other occasions first the Metropolitane with other Bishops of that Synode shall examine and determine the cause and if either part dislike the iudgement THEN THE PATRIARKE of that Dioecese shall giue them audience ACCORDING TO THE ECCLESIASTICALL CANONS AND OVR LAVVES neither side hauing libertie to contradict his iudgement But if anie of the Cleargie or whosoeuer complaine against his Bishop for anie matter LET THE CAVSE BE IVDâ—ED BY THE METROPOLITANE answerable to the sacred Rules and our Lawes And if any man appeale from his sentence let the cause be brought TO THE ARCHBISHOP Patriarke of that Dioecese and he according to the Canons and Lawes shall make a finall end So that not Antichrist but ancient Councils and Christian Emperours perceiuing the mightie troubles and intolerable charges that the Bishops of euery prouince were put to by staying at Synodes for the hearing and determining of al priuate matters quarrels occurrent in the same Prouince and seeing no cause to busie and imploy the bishops of the whole world twise euerie yeere to sit in iudgement about petite and particular strifes and brables till al parties were satisfied but finding rather that by that means all matters must either be infinitely delayed or slenderly examined and hastily posted ouer as well the Princes as the Bishops not to increase the pride of Archbishops but to settle an indifferent course both for the parties and the Iudges referred not the making of Lawes and Canons but the execution of them alreadie made to the credite and conscience of the Archbishop And though the Fathers leaue an appeale either to the Councils or to the Primates of euerie Nation and Countrie yet the Emperour seeing howelong causes woulde depend before Councils coulde duelie examine and determine them and that to bring all priuate matters from Prouinciall Synodes to Nationall Councils were to breede a worse confusion then the former was decreed that all appeales should go to the Archbishop If you murmure at this alteration first established by the Romane Emperours and stil continued by the Lawes of this realme now in force remember how vnreasonable and intolerable a matter it were for al the bishops of this realme to assemble and at their owne charges to stay the hearing examining and sentencing of all the doubts wrongs quarrels and contentions which al the Consistories throughout England at this day do handle and determine Did you exclude matters of tithes testaments legacies contracts marriages and such like which the ancient Lawes of all Nations commit to episcopall audience and reserue onely matters of correction for Synodes see you not by experience how long causes by reason of the number and weight of them depend in the Arches in the Audience afore the high Commission though the Iudges thereof sit all the yeere long at the dayes prefixed without intermission were it not a proper peece of work for your pleasures to bring all the pastours of this land to keepe continually in one place and to doe nothing else but attend for appeales that must and woulde bee sent from all the shires and quarters of this realme who shoulde teach and administer the Sacraments to the people in the meane time who shoulde defray the expences of so many hundred pastours as are not able to maintaine their families at home and themselues abroade who shall instruct them in the knowledge of the Lawes without which they shalldoe more wrong then right How long will it be afore so great a number or the most part of them concurre in one minde to conclude euerie cause that is brought vnto them And when all these inconueniences be endured and absurdities digested to what purpose since euerie man may presently appeale from them to the Princes power and delegates If Synodes were supreme Tribunals though it were not worth their paines and expences yet they shoulde ende strifes but now you would haue them waste their time spend their liuings and wearie themselues in loosing their labour whiles euerieman that liketh not their order may foorthwith appeale and frustrate their proceedings We could deuise many ways to preuent al this that you obiect if we might be suffred for we would haue standing Synodes in euery Citie that should
the Presbyters succeeded in order when the place was voyde but that they chaunged by course hee saieth no such thing It was a plaine ouersight I will say no worse in him that first wrested Ambroses wordes to that conceite In the meane time we haue master Bezaes full confession that the going round by course to gouerne the Church doeth maintaine disorder and faction and no whit decrease ambition and the choosing of one to continue chiefe for his life began at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist sixe yeeres before Peter and Paul were martyred and sixe and thirtie before the death of Saint Iohn in which there is NOTHING THAT can or ought to be misliked Howe truely hee speaketh if he should recall or you refuse his wordes reason and experience wil easily teach vs. for first in this circular change it is not casuall but essentiall that all in their course be they fit or vnfit must haue the ruling of the rest Now if to choose one good amongst many be a matter of difficultie howe impossible then is it that all should be good And yet by your rolling regiment all be they neuer so wicked or vnwoorthie must haue as much time and power to neglect and hurt the Church of God as the well minding and godly Pastours shall haue to assist and helpe the same Againe what good can be done by any when in euerie action one must beginne and another proceede and a third conclude If an euill man light on the beginning middle or ending he may soone marre all And be the men not euill except they be like affected and like instructed when will they agree in iudgement or tread one in anothers steppes If any faction arise I neede not put you in minde what contradicting and reuersing will be offered by your weekely or monethly Gouernours Who shall dare doe anie thing to a Presbyter or Bishop but he must looke for the like measure when their course commeth What can be one weeke made so sure but it may be the next weeke vndone by him that presently followeth This is the right way to make a mockerie of the Church of Christ and to permit it to euerie mans humour and pleasure whiles his time lasteth If you trust not me distrust not your selues It breedeth contempt and openeth the high way to factions As for Ambition which is an other of the mischiefes that you would amend by your changeable gouernement you cure that as he doeth which to coole the heate of one part of the bodie setteth all the rest in a burning feuer To quench the desire of dignitie in one man you inflame all the Pastours of euerie prouince with the same disease for you propose the like honor and power for the time vnto all which we do to one And so you heale ambition by making it common as if patients were the lesse sicke because others are touched with y ◠same infection for if one man cannot haue this Metropoliticall preeminence without some note of pride the rest cā neither expect it nor enioy it in their courses but with some taint of the same corruption fruition and expectation of one the same thing are so neere neighbors that if one be vicious the other cannot be vertuous Wherefore either grant the superioritie and dignitie of Bishops and Metropolitanes may be christianly supported by one in euerie Presbytery and prouince as we affirme or else we conclude it can not be expected and enioyed of all euerie where by course as you would haue it but very vnchristianly You giue more to your Bishops and Metropolitanes then we do and that increaseth their pride We giue them no power nor honor by Gods Law but what you must yeeld to your Pastors presidents if you wil haue any And as for Magistrates we may not limite thē on whom they shal lay the execution of their Lawes nor what honor they shal allow to such as they put in trust so no part thereof be contrarie to the doctrine of the Scriptures Agnise first their callings then measure their offices by the ancient canons of Christs Church and if they haue any other or further authoritie then standeth with good reason and the manifest examples of the Primitiue Church we striue not for it reseruing alwaies to christian princes their libertie to vse whose aduise and help they thinke good and to bestow their fauours where they see cause without crossing the voice of the holie Ghost or the wisdome of the Apostolike and Primitiue Church of Christ. for the gouernement of the Church is committed to them not that they should alter and ouerthrow the maine foundations of Ecclesiasticall Discipline at their pleasures but that they should carefully and wisely vse it to the benefite of Gods Church and good of their people for which they must giue account to the dreadfull Iudge It was long after the Apostles times before Prouinces were diuided and Mother Cities appointed and therefore Metropolitanes are not so ancient as you make them as may appeare by the 33. canon called Apostolike where the chiefe dignitie ouer eche Prouince is not attributed to any certaine place or Citie I stand not precisely for the time when Mother Cities were first appointed in euerie Prouince howbeit the general Council of Ephesus saith Euerie Prouince shal keep his rights vntouched and vnuiolated which it hath had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning vpward according to the custome that hath anciently preuailed euery Metropolitan hauing libertie to take a copie of our acts for his owne securitie for so the wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may well be interpreted though some embrace another sense Yet if in this point you presse those Canons called Apostolike I will not reiect them not that I take to haue bin written by the Apostles for then they must be part of the Canonicall Scriptures but that some of them expresse the ancient discipline of the Church which obtained euen from the Apostles times by whomsoeuer they were collected though many things since be inserted and corrupted in them and therfore are iustlie refused further then they agree with the stories of the first times and the decrees of the eldest Councils The Canon which you quote is this The Bishops of euerie Nation must know or acknowledge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him that is first or chiefe amongst them and esteeme him as their head and attempt no matter of waight without his opinion and iudgement neither let him doe any thing without al their aduises and consents Hereby you would prooue there was a time after the Apostles deaths when as yet the first place amongst the Bishops of the same Prouince was not affixed to anie certaine Church or Citie Grant it were so though this Canon doe not exactlie prooue so much then yet in euerie nation there was a Primate before there was a Metropolitane and consequently the authoritie of one to be chiefe in a prouince is elder the◠the priuiledge