tyrants such wilfull and vnskilful rulers such childish and effeminate persons of all theÌ„ infidels heauy plagues curses and scourges both to Gods people and to all the romaine Monarchie were the supreme gouernors why shoulde it not take place when the supreme gouernors are not Women or children in such vitious senses but onely in nature without all these vices and all other infirmities sufficiently prouided for and supplied but if these wordes of God by the Prophet Esay are to be vnderstood literally then did God performe the same vnto them literally And then it followeth of necessity that the people of God had not onely men but children nor children onely but Women also to be their lawful princes which is the thing that Danaeus before denied If nowe againe this that was threatned héere as a token of a curse do not debarre the right and lawfulnesse of their estate what shall we say then to those where God of his surpassing might and goodnesse so prouideth for these infirmities of nature that he turneth all this dreadfull token of a curse into the comfortable féeling of a blessing for dare Danaeus make a perpetual rule of this sentence that it shall alwayes stande for a token of Gods curse vnto the people where children or Women are their Princes No he dare not But streight way correctes his former saying and sayth Howbeit that same is not perpetuall for oftentimes Kinges beeing children also as for example Solomon and Josias haue moste holily and moste happily reigned and the empire of them was enriched of God withall kinde of good thinges The same may be sayde of certain Women and of their Empire whome the Lord hath in maruellous manner blessed as appeareth out of diuerse histories Ha goe too then this is another manner of matter For recompence of our former tokens of cursing and misery heere are better effectes of happinesse and blessing in the gouernment both of Children and of women neither as a rare but as an often experience put in practise and that among the Lords people But what is this to the lawfulnesse of these parties gouernment No is In-déede as Christe saith Math. 5.45 God maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill on the good sendeth reignÄ— on the iust vniust the wicked many times prosper reigne in that which the worlde estéemeth happines But when as Danaeus so placeth it héeré that holines goeth before happinesse commeth after when their Empire is enriched of God with al kind of good things with the spiritual riches of Gods kingdome if al this may truly be said of childrens gouerment and the same may be sayde also of womens gouernement doth not this importe that their gouernment must néedes be lawfull And as for childrens gouernement these two here by Danaeus alleaged are notable examples For God himselfe giuing him his name appointed Salomon both before his brethren that were his elders who otherwise by nature should haue had the kingdome before him but that God beyonde all their expectations and aspiring aduaunced him vnto it when he was but about 17. yeares of age and did God all this and was it not lawefull And as for Iosias he was but 8. yeares old when he began to reign And yet was his raigne in that age so acceptable to God that he was prophecied vpon by name almost 200. yeare before he was borne 1. Reg. 13. ver 2. And Ioas was yet younger thaÌ„ was Iosias who was worst in his old yeares wheÌ„ he ought to haue béene best and best when hee was young and is therefore commended to do that which was good in the sight of the Lorde all his time while Ioiada the priest did teach him 2. Reg. 12. ver 2. Azaria began his raigne at 16. yeares of age 2. Reg. 15. ver 2. and is also commended to haue done vprightly in the sight of the Lord. Which is vnderstood only of his younger yeares Manasses was 12. yeares old when he began to raigne 2. Reg. 21. ver 1. who though he did euill in the sight of the Lord yet was his raigne as lawefull as the others Now as Danaeus confesseth that the same may be sayde of some women and of their gouernement which is inough to conclude all the matter for we desire no more to be graunted but euen thus much and what more can be sayde of the gouernement of men For who can iustifie all mens gouernement either that they holde the same by right or rightly administer that they came rightly by Yea least we should take this that he sayth of some women to be of some such for whom he might pretend exception of example as that they had some speciall calling as Debora although we haue heard of other also in the scripture and that in commendation of whom we can alleage no such speciall calling but that might well be drawen to an example of our owne times and state and so do his wordes also importe that this some may bee sayde as spoken of some women of this age when not only he sayth as appeareth by diuerse histories as we shall after warde God willing sée how the state of Christendome is not vnfurnished of manie examples neuerthelesse for the more manifest profe hereof he beginneth with our state in Englande as an honorable and present testimonie of the same saying Verily of thâ— most renowmed Queene of England Elizabeth which now most happily reygneth it may be sayde that the whole compasse of the worlde hath seene nothing at any â—ime more happie or more to be wished for than is her reigne The more we consider this testimonie of Danaeus of the which both our selues especially and other forrain regions not a little finde the profe and féele the coÌ„fort the more are we all bounde to glorifie almightie God and to thinke speak well of her Ma. gouernmeÌ„t not only to be lawful but also most necessarie expedient for Gods Church And to pray to God to blesse her Maiesty more more and to defend her and vs by her to whom he hath giuen in these troublesome and daungerous dayes so happie a reigne ouer his people a gouernmeÌ„t so much to be wished after And the more are we also bound both to loue honour her and to obey her gouernment in her lawes And this beeing true which Danaeus here confesseth then how vnthankfully yea how vntruly doe our Brethren report to the world that the state of the Church of England is a disordred deformed corrupt estate As we haue heard their hard spéeches besides other that write a great deale harder Howe doe these here agrée with Danaeus If her Maiestie reigneth most happily and that in all these foresayd happie thinges how reigneth she not lawfully And how vnlawfully then yea how vnhappily doe our Brethren oppose themselues against her so happie reigne I graunt they doe it not
is a far vnlike and vnséemely spéeche for Protestant Minist to bestow vpon their brethren Minist in the Gospell True it is that by the Non residence of some Pastors and the pluralities graunted vnto them some Curates and Ministers of lesser giftes are maintayned and as I take it reason too For as we haue shewed out of Caluine the giftes of the Pastors being not alike there may well bee difference in them both of superiority of maintenance Which may accord also wel inough with the saying of the Apost The Elders that gouerne well especially in the work of the word are worthy of double honor And therfore if some more Learned pastors hauing also a greater gift of the spirit of gouernment haue moe parcels of the Churche of god to gouerne than other haue and thereupon are permitted in consideration of their greater labours in the word to do good in moe places and for their better prouision to haue other besides them and in their absences to attend continuallye to those congregations while their more fruitefull trauailes are other where emploied if these also by order of lawe and by authoritie of Magistracie bee prouided for and yet cannot bee permitted but by the lawe and magistrate so that it is not free to euerye one that liste but to choice and more able men and onelie to so good purposes and alwaies with sufficiēt prouisions for euerie place and person so permitted Is it lawfull for euerie or anie priuate subiect on this publike fashion to exclaime against it and also to inueigh against the Magistrates for maintaining of it But there is a mysterie in this thing more than euerie bodie wéeneth Pluralities and non residents are pretended which if they bee abused are not so maintained but that vpon proofe thereof they are punishable or to bée restrained or reuoked but other matters are shot at to wit the liuings of the Bishops of the Colledges or of anie that haue anie portions of the Church impropriated and allotted vnto them Howbeit our Brethren faile herein of their chiefe purpose for if all these were taken away yet may the power and superiour authoritie remaine though weakened when the liuing is gone and so al Pastors notwithstanding al these byouse deuises are not equall As for that our Brethren adde of the pretence of these thinges which they call grose corruptions of Pastorall office to omit the reconciliation of these sayings that as they may haue some honest pretence so they can haue no better pretence than had the exchangers of money the grasiers and poulterers to make a burse or shambles or a poultrie yea a den of theeues of the Temple of God which were indéede no honest pretences at al This is also too rough a censure of our Brethren so flatlie to condemne all the Magistrates and Ministers in the Church of GOD which in manner aforsayd permit these things to haue no better pretence nor conscience than these deadlie enimies of Christ had The Texts alleaged out of Matthew Marke and Iohn stande onelie on a ranke for a bare shew and proue nothing at all that these matters haue no better pretence and conscience than those grose corruptions of those wicked Iewes had And is this now that which our Brethren meant when they sayde euen the last sentence before they would rather praie to GOD to lighten their heartes than by anie long discourse to discouer their palpable darknesse Indéede Breuis oratio penetrat coelum But this short Prayer pearceth beyond all Gods forboad and this short discourse Si breuis grauis it were better be longer and be leuis Howbeit the burthen of it is but a faburthen of a foule mouth and of an heauie irkesome slander vnfit for our learned Brethren to haue vttered And yet not content therwith our brethren procéede and saie But especiallie while the whole office of a Pastor shall be thought to consist in reading onelie a prescript number of Psalmes and Chapters of the Scriptures with other appointed formes of praier and that hee may be allowed as a sufficient Pastor which dooth the things which a childe of ten yeeres olde may doe as well as hee so long shall wee neuer lacke vnlearned pastors ignorant and vngodlie people simonicall and sacrilegious patrones so long the building of Gods Church shall goe but slowlie forwarde Besides other superstitious fantasies mayntained in the peoples heartes which for shortnesse wee omitte to speake of Of what estimation reading hath béene accounted in the auncient and primitiue Church and the office of readers both of the Psalms and Chapters of the Scriptures we haue alreadie declared out of Zanchius citing Bucer at large for the same And how auncient and allowable appointed formes of Praier haue bene in the Church of God among al the holie Fathers are yet euen in those reformed Churches that are most now commended vnto vs of our Breth yea their selues also haue in print set down vnto vs appointed formes of Praier though with what warrant and authoritie they may prescribe and appoint formes of praier to their Prince and to the whole Church of Englande and reiect that which is by lawfull authoritie of the Prince and of all the states of the Realme and Church of Englande alreadie appointed I doe not yet knowe and faine woulde I learne how they are able to iustifie these dooings and how their owne prescribing vnto others their appointed formes of prayer and ministration of the Sacraments they hauing no sufficient authoritie therevnto dooth not much more confute themselues that controll other for prescribing appoynted formes of Prayer vnto them As for that they saie the whole office of a pastor shall bee thought to consist in reading these things I know none that saith or thinketh so or that hee may bee allowed as a sufficient pastor which dooth the things which a child of ten yeeres olde may doe as well as hee Who alloweth such a one for a sufficient Pastor And what are those things which a child of ten yeeres olde may doo as well as hee May a childe of tenne yeeres olde minister the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lordes supper or pronounce the publike absolution to the people But they meane perhaps that such a childe may reade the appointed formes of prayers Psalmes and Chapters of the Scriptures as well as he Maie hee so in the publike Congregation and haue no lawfull calling therevnto And yet may hee doe it as well as hee that is lawfullie called If they meane onelie in the respect of his reading I easilie graunt it them that anye priuate man woman or childe although younger than tenne yeeres olde if his sight be quicke and his voice cleere he be wel enured to reading may both reade as well farre better than many an old Doctor yea than the most zealous and best learned Pastor in the world when his tongue foltreth or his eies waxe dim or age or
new obedience and of the fruites of faithe which ought chiefly to be regarded in the late baptized is as it were in a painted table set before our eyes And wee see the Apostle in the moste of his Epistles proceeding in that order that in the former parte he treateth of the Faith of those that are to be iustified where all things runne to this head of faith in God and of Baptisme the Sacrament of Faith but in the later parte of the faithe and charity or workes of those that are iustified To witte where he handleeh the offices of a Christian life and all things that are there expounded are rightly referred to that head of doctrine that followeth Baptisme To conclude therefore all the precepts the exhortations the rebukings which are extant in the Apostolicall writings concerning the charitie iustice innocency purity of those that are by faith Iustified baptized were comprehended and such teaching as in times past was in the fowrth place expounded before the learners What is héere left out for the Teaching of the Pastor that is not common with him vnto the Doctor And in the 4 Chapter of the manner of this Doctors Teaching After he hath again at large declared how hauing his audience of all kindes of persons he must apply him-selfe vnto them euery one fol. 488. Hee saith To conclude if there were among the hearers some learned as Philosophers Rhethoricians they were gently warned that they should not dispise nor heare with lothesomnesse the doctrine of the gospell Which in shewe and in the manner of the deliuery seemeth base and somewhat rusticall Nor that they attribute more then is right to mans wisedome and to the bookes of the Philosophers that they were before inured withall But that they should more attentiuely consider the matters themselues and the reuerent largenesse of the mysteries And that they should religiously examine all their rules by the squyre of the holie Scripture And if they had redde ouer any good authours they should constantly cleaue fast vnto them But vnprofitable and stayned with euill opinions they should in time lay them out of their handes And if any thinges were more at length and groselye expounded they should not be grieued thereat for that was not for them who alreadie partlie by priuate reading partly by conference with godly men were pretily entred but ought many times to be done for the ruder sorte And if they seemed to require a more full explanation of any certaine Chapters it was by the waye declared vnto them the reading of what writers was able to satisfie them Which things that they were wont thus to be done S. Augustine in his booke of Catechizing the rude in the 8. and 9. chapters doeth declare According to this manner therefore did the Catechists or Teachers when they did publikely teach applie them-selues wholly vnto all men And as the Apostle saide to become all vnto all to the intent to winne the moste part vnto Christe and to giue no man occasion of starting backe of erring or so much as staggering And if moreouer they perceaued it were expedient oftentimes they asked the Bishops themselues to the ende that of some certaine more difficulte pointes or more needefull to be expounded they might also publikely more fully preach vnto the people Whereunto no doubte those thinges are to be referred bicause the fathers oftentimes do intermingle in their Sermons exhortations c. 497. Againe speaking of their diuersitie in teaching of children and those of riper yeares he saith For children also the same forme of sownde wordes is well vsed which in little bookes that are borne about we see prescribed But with those that are elder there must be a freeer course of speeche and place by yeelding to examples similitudes descriptions amplifications and to the mouings of the mindes If at any tyme anye vices are to be reckoned vp and reprehended which muste needs bee done in the expounding the tenne commandementes those things in children shall bee noted and chastifed with gentle woordes which we know are familier to that age In young old persons verilie it is meete that other vices bee cured with another medicine And euen as these thinges fall out more and more in the eyes of men so muste the reprehension be tempered for they are able to susteine a sharper reprehension In Exhortations the like moderation must bee vsed and duties prudently prescribed that are agreable to euery age and perswasiue argumentes aptly applied vnto them What neede many wordes Whatsoeuer shall be offered to tender mindes that muste bee as though it were milke or delicate pulse Those thinges that shall bee distributed to them of full age they must expresse after a maner the nature of strong meate Generally the Catechist or Teacher must often admonish all his hearers that they often deeply in their mindes consider with him what they once promised to God to the Church in their baptisme What confession of their faith they made How haighnous a thing it is for those that haue geuen their names to fall from their Emperour Christe What life Christe requireth of those that are his Finallye by what bayte arte prudence and counsell so-euer hee can he shall diligently studie to drawe them to the true feare of GOD and loue of vertues and hatred of vices And thus muche of the manner of his teaching in publike All this at large and much more writeth Hyperius of these Doctors and Teachers which in the Primitiue Church were called Catechistes bicause of the sounding of their voice in their teaching And other Ecclesiastical Doctors then these from the Apostles times except the Deacons Priestes Pastors or Bishops I haue readde of none in al the Churche of Christe But what Teachers soeuer haue béene none haue béene debarred till now of exhorting and applying of their doctrine No not the best of the Doctors Teachers Readers or Catechists what name soeuer they shall be tearmed by that God in these our laste dayes hath raysed vp in his Church to reforme the same and to restore the true Teaching of the Gospell which the enemies had suppressed No not one that I can yet reade or heare of but that nowe and then hee exhorteth rebuketh or applyeth in his teaching as appeareth in all the woorkes of Luther Zuinglius Oecolampadius Bucer Musculus Martyr Bullinger Simlerus Gualter Caluine Danaeus Zanchius Hyperius Oleuianus Vrsinus Sadeelus Beza Tremelius Iunius or any other learned godly and famous Doctor Teacher Catechiste Reader interpreter Expositor c but in their teachings by mouth you should haue hear◠and in their teachings by writing yee shal finde more or lesse erhortations reprehensions admonitions consolations and applications c. Only the néerest that mee thinkes I speake it vnder correction doo drawe to this imagined Doctor that these our brethren and Learned discoursers would set vp are the Scholasticall Thomisticall Scotisticall Sorbonicall Cherubinical Seraphical or cal them
gouernment are nowe ioyned together in her Maiesty And the right and honesty hereof hauing place heere it is not so onely in Spayne and Scotland but it may be so not as Danaeus sayth in diuers other regions but quoad ius euery region if they haue not other as good municipall and peculier lawes and those not feigned to debarre the naturall right of any Woman princes regiment Neyther hindreth it this right and honesty that Spayne or any of these diuers other regions not specified by Danaeus haue not yet receyued as we haue God make vs thankfull for it the light and liberty of the Gospel for neyther in some of these regions where this right and honesty of womens regiment holdeth they haue as yet receiued so much as the title and profession of Christs name Notwithstanding as their mariages and other ciuill lawes or morall behauior may otherwise bee good and honest in their kindes so their authority of Magistracy and the person that their Lawes allowe the same authority vnto may likewise be good and honest neither against the generall lawe of nature nor against any speciall Lawe of God For then it were méerelie naught in all regions and with vs in Englande worst of all that knowe the written Lawe of God And therefore I conclude vpon this saying of Danaeus that if it bee righte and honest with vs then it is not an vnnaturall wrong monstrous or vnhonest thing in it selfe or against any of these places Genes 3.1 Corinth 11. and 14.1 Tim. 2. or any other places in all the scripture What meaneth therefore Danaeus heere by specifying onelye of these thrée regions England Spayne and Scotland restraining his generality not to all regions but to diuers other For if it be honest and right in any one except some other region haue other priuate and speciall Lawes against the same such as before I sayde are godly and not made to the iniury of any princes or persons former right then is it by the Law right of God and nature honest and right in all regions But I am affrayde hine illa lachimae that not only Danaeus but euen Caluine also did a litle too much patrissare and were caried away in this matter with the deuise that of later times hath bin set foorth to defeat the naturall right and title of the soueraigne Princes of England by the colour of a lawe Salike as they call it But because vnder pretence of this supposed Lawe the defenders of it toke vpon them not onely to maintaine it and the state of their Country but insult thereby vpon all other Nations and impugne generally the right of Womens regiment as an vnlawfull and vnnaturall state of gouernment therfore crauing pardon not to offend any nor so much impugning as defending it shall be requisit either to remooue out of the way this obiection of the sayde surmised Salike lawe or else it woulde still remayne as a stumbling blocke vnto the reader and a speciall argument vnto all them that not onely among our aduersaries but among our selues by all meanes impugne and vnderâ—â—â—e Womens regiment And because Fraunce onely and that lawe Salike is so much vrged Let vs onely in this our so necessary defence consider better the state thereof and the cheefest arguments for the same And â—â—rst whosoeuer shal peruse the ancient histories of the french natioÌ„ as he shal soon perceiue al this deuise of the law Salike to be vnturue by the pedegrée of diuers of their Princes so shall he find that diuers women haue also had the gouerning of the realme of Fraunce euen with the Kinges their husbands and after their deceasses As Batillidis the widow of Clodoueus which reigned together in the administration of the Kingdome with her sonne Clotharius as witnesseth Aimonius de gestis Francorum lib. â— cap. 43. The french men doe ordeine Clothayr to bee their king the eldest of the three children cum ipsa regina matre regnaturum that hee should reigne together with his mother Blanche the Mother of him whome the French call Saint Loyes which bothe by the Testament of her Husbande as Aemilius testifleth while her sonne was young and after in his captiuity in Syria had the gouernment of the Realme of Fraunce and notably gouerned the same maugre all the nobles in France that conspired against her As for the reasons of Caenalis in the defence of this pretensed Salike lawe how odiousle he being a popish Bishop enucigheth beyond al modesty against womeÌ„ is to apparant And how fondly he craketh of the french for this matter aboue all the nations in the worlde Whome he acknowledgeth for the most part further than Danaeus doth to admit succession and so the regiment of women And therefore he calleth them all Gallinaceos dunghill cocks or hennish cocks in respect of the french lib. 1. Perioche 10. But most of all howe shamelesly he wresteth the scripture thereunto For hauing alleaged Munster to proue the Salike lawe from Pharamund that the succession shoulde not come vnto the distaffe as he contumeliously tearmes it that is saith he women shoulde not be permitted to be made heyres of the kingdome to the which alludeth that Euangelicall sentence Consider ye the Lylies of the field how they grow they labor not in bringing foorth neither spinne they in drawing their taskes of wooll as is peculier vnto that weake sexe whereby it comes to passe that neither Solomon in all his glory is clothed as one of these For that Iewish nation were it right or were it wrong did sometimes will they â—il they sustaine the gouernment of women kinde Which thing is by experiment found in Athalia and in the issue of the Machabees What an impudent wresting of the Scripture is this to prooue the glory of the French Lylies not to admit the regiment of women And yet this bald argument or rather impious in wresting the scripture doth so please the bluide B. that he flourisheth againe vpon it fol. 113. b. saying Gallia in times past was Fennish as appeareth by the armes of the toads but nowe it is turned into a Cuntrie adorned with Lylies by an heauenly benefite vnder Clodoueus the first Christian King thereof Heereunto alluded Esdras lib 4. Cap. 9. saying Such as the Feelde is such are the seedes such as the Flowers are such are the colours Such as is the husband-man such is the tilth And the same Esdras Cap 5. Of all the Flowers of the worlde thou haste chosen to thee one Lyly The Lyon is fierce the Eagle is rauenous the Lyly is capable of the heauenly dewe Is not this a straunge applying of the scripture although this booke of Esdras be not canonicall But nowe where he addeth these two examples If hee had looked further he should haue found more and farre better examples in the Scripture Especially Debora But it séemeth he makes al one reckoning when hee sayth were it right or were it wrong that
against election And in discoursing the daungers of the states that are gouerned by elected Princes I must néedes confesse that hee hath many singular and worthie obseruations and deserueth no small praise and commendations But when he commeth page 738. to womens gouernment the foresayde French toie in the olde iealousie of the English title straight takes him in the head and caries him quite beyond all Gods forboad further than anie of his Countrimen and more fondlie And first he maketh a boistious beginning Hoc amplius oportet ab imperiij maiestate quám longissime foeminas arcere est enim Gynaecocratia naturae legibus inimica c. Moreouer this we must driue women furthest off from the maiestie of Empire or gouernment for the gouernment of women is an enimie vnto the lawes of nature which hath giuen prudence strength magnanimitie force of gouerning vnto men from women hath she bereft theÌ„ How vntrue this ground is we haue heard before at large albeit wee haue not héere to consider simplie the course and force of nature vncorrected which is vicious and defectiue in all men but when nature is with grace reformed and strengthned in such persons as God aduanceth Or if not yet the defects of nature are no good barre against right of inheritance by Gods lawe Or else the inheritance also of many a man Prince might be likewise debarred But Bodinus sayde before page 728. Nec tamen satis est successione regnum dari nisi proximâ— cuique tribuatur c. Neither onely is it inough that the kingdome shoulde bee guien by succession except it bee giuen to any which is the neerest that is to the first begotten male for so not onlie the order of nature of Gods law but also of all nations euery where requireth This is most true if in want of the male issue the female be not excluded for this is neither the lawe of God nor the lawe of nature to exclude the parents naturall issue legitimate from the parents possessions nor the lawe nor practise to which Bodinus appealeth of all nations but a peculiar deuise of France contrarie to all these Lawes But when such deuises take place against the right of succession due by Gods lawe the lawe of nature and the lawe of all nations Sée how Bodinus confuteth himselfe euen by his owne examples page 729. Nam quoties naturae ius illud inter principes violari contigit c. For so often as that lawe of nature shall happen to be violated among Princes most grieuous warres such as wee read there were among the posterities of the progenie of the Ottomans and most lamentable murthers of their kindred did insue as when Amulius the younger brother gate the kingdome of Albania from Numitor Aristobulus gate the kingdome of the Iewes froÌ„ Hyrcanus For the ciuill warre coulde euer finde an ende vntill by the sentence of Pompey the great the kingdome was restored to Hyrcanus notwithstanding Aristobulus seemed to bee borne for gouernment and the other vnfit thereto Which reason hath oftentimes eaused the parents themselues to disturbe the rights of their children For when Ptolomeus the sonne of Lagus breaking the lawe of Nations gaue the kingdome of Aegypt to the younger hee caused the lawes of nature to bee violated by the one brothers murthering of the other Ptolmeus Phisco offended in the same errour Who beeing induced by the perswasion of his wife preferred the younger before the elder But when the Father was dead the people expelled the younger and restored the Scepters to the elder Anaxandrides also the king of the Lacaedemonians tooke the kingdome awaie from Cleomenus his eldest sonne that the younger might raigne not without great griefe of the people because that vnder the shew of vertue the lawes of nations were broken as Herodotus writeth And although Pyrrhus had appointed the most valiant of his sons to bee the king to come the people for all that preferred the eldest which was more vnmeete for the warre For neither the vertues of the body or of the minde ought to be so esteemed that for them we should swarue from the common Lawe of all nations Thus writeth Bodinus and more at large Yea adding this withall page 730. Nec tantum propter ignauiam et inertiam primogenitus ab imperio non est repellendus sed nec propter corporis deformitatem quiaem Neither onelie ought the eldest to be repulsed from the gouernment for his slouthfulnesse and dulnesse no nor yet for the verie deformitie or misshapennesse of his bodie Albeit by the lawes of Romulus and Lycurgus it were lawfull to kill the monstrous births notwithstanding the Lawe of God suffereth not the prerogatiue of the first borne to bee taken awaie by anie deformitie of the bodie Which thing the Senate and people of Hungarie adiudged in an example worthie memorie For when Ladislaus was childlesse hee adopted Almus his brothers younger sonne refusing Coloman whome he commanded to bee entered into holie orders and to be sent as it were banished vnto Parise to take from him all desire of affecting the kingdome For all ouer the whole state of his bodie hee was deformed a stammerer a buzzard a limper a crook back Neuerthelesse when the king was dead the Cities and the people had rather call that monster to the gouernment than suffer the gouernment of the younger and by their Embassadours obtained of the Bishop of Rome that hee might be disgraded of his orders sent home and marie a wife And no otherwise did Agesilaus being a lame dwarfe gette the kingdome of the Lacaedemonians expelling the bastarde Leotichis his aduersaries in vaine complaining that they had a halting Kingdome If nowe these reasons of Bodinus doe holde in the weaknesse of suche men doe they not holde in the weaknesse of a Woman And then howe much lesse debarre is the onelie weaknesse of her sexe when the Woman besides the right of her tile excelleth not onelie in all due proportion naturall gifts of bodie but much more in all heroicall at least in all requisite and princely vertues of the minde and perhappes excelleth most men Princes yea few men at all therein comparable But Bodinus goeth further At etiam diuina lex c. But the lawe of God also hath not onely bereft them the gouernment of the common weale but also the gouernment of the familie When as expresly it subdueth women vnder the gouernment of their husbands And heereto hée quâ—teth Gen. 2. We haue sufficientlie and at large answered alreadie vnto Caenalis and Danaeus for this point concerning the difference of the oeconomicall and policall gouernments The lawe of God speaketh expreslie of the oeconomicall gouernment of the husband And yet euen in the oeconomical gouernment if the woman be a virgin hauing no parents or a widow may she not then be chiefe
house hee drue awaie as many as hee was able And yet to shew further not onely that this order of Elders was aboue the Deacons but that of Deacons they were made Elders Sozomenus li. 1. cap. 14. saith Of these disputations Arius was the author an Elder of the Church of Alexandria which is in Aegypt Who although at the beginning he seemed very studious of the doctrine of Christ yet was hee a furtherance to Meletius attempting new matters Whos◠parts when he forsooke he was of Peter Bishop of Alexandria ordained Deacon And afterward of him cast out of the Church whē Peter deposed the fautors of Meletins and improued Baptisme This Arius inueighed grieuously against the Acts of Peter and could by no meanes bee quiet But when Peter had suffered martyrdome Arius crauing pardon of Achillas was not onely permitted to exercise his Deaconship but also was exalted to the degree of the Eldership Afterward Alexander had him in great estimation c. By this it may not onely appeare that the orders and Senates of Elders in such great Churches as these were Ministers of the worde but also were thereto promoted hauing before ben Deacons When therfore we reade in Socrates as in the restoring of Athanasius lib. 2. cap. 18. th◠Letters of the Emperour Constantinus directed vnto the Bishops and to the Elders of the Catholike Church saying Moreouer vnto the benefit bestowed on him this also we thought good to bee noted that all those that are inrolled into this holie number and companie of the Cleargie may vnderstand that securitie is giuen vnto all be they Bishoppes or bee they Clarkes that haue holden with him it argueth that there was indéed such a companie of Elders whom heere hée calleth Clearks but we cannot gather hereupon that they were such as ministred not at all the word and Sacraments but rather the contrarie For else if Athanasius the Bishop had beene the onely Minister of the word and Sacramente◠all the people of Alexandria had beene destitute of the worde and Sacramentes all the while of Athanasius banishment And to confirme this that these Elders about the Bishops had not onely the publike ministration of the word but also that some one or other of their number was appointed to heare the cōfessions of such as wer penitent and in token of their vnfained repentance to inioyne them to submit themselues to some bodilie chastisement which therevpon was called penance At that time saith Socrates li. 5. ca. 19. the Church thought good that the Elders which had the gouernment of the order of inioyning penitēce in euerie Church was takē awaie And that on this occasion frō the time wherein the Nouatians separated themselues from the Church refused to communicate with those which in the time of the persecution raised in the raigne of Decius had fallen the Bishops of the Churches added vnto the Canon that in euerie of the Churches there should bee one certain Elder which shuld be ouer the Penitencies to the end that those which after Baptisme were fallen should before the Elder appointed for that purpose confesse their offences This Canon as yet among other sects remaineth ratified and firme They onely which confesse the Father and the Sonne to be one in substance and the Nouatians that consent in faith with them reiected this Penitenciarie Elder The Nouatians would neuer from the beginning suffer this to be so much as a hanger by The bishops which now gouern the Churches althogh for a good space of time they haue held this institution notwithstāding in the times of the Bishop Nectarius they chaunged the same by reason of such an offence as then by chance was committed in the Church a certaine noble womā came vnto the Penitenciarie Elder confessing particularlie such faultes as after her Baptisme she had committed The Elder commaunded the woman that she should giue her selfe to fastings and to continuall praiers Wherby together with the acknowledgment of her sinnes shee shoulde declare a worke meete for her repentaunce The woman proceeding further in confessing accuseth her selfe of another fault and declareth that a Deacon had laine with her For the which offence by this meanes beeing made manifest the Deacon was driuen out of the Church and a tumult was made among the multitude of the people For they grudged not onelie against the offence committed but also for the note of the grieuous slaunder and reproch that thereby was raised on the Church Whē as therefore the sacred Priests were verie much euill spoken on for this cause Eudaemon a certaine Elder of the Church a Countrieman of Alexandria gaue counsell to the Bishoppe Nectarius to remoue the Penitenciarie Elder and to giue free power that euery one according to his own conscience should come to the participation of the mysteries For by that onelie meanes it should come to passe that the Church shoulde bee voide of all spot of infamie These things because sayth Socrates euen I my selfe had them of Eudaemon I doubted not plainly to commit them to this our historie In which wordes these Elders hauing this office among them which pertaineth especiallie to the ministration of the worde and all of them indifferentlie called Sacerdotes as well as Presbyteros it is againe apparaunt by Socrates whom◠Danaeus citeth that these Elders were not such as héere our Brethren doe conceiue or pretend but Ministers of the worde and Sacramentes which in the next Chapter saue one following doeth yet more fullie appeare Where Socrates shewing the diuersities in diuerse places concerning Easter daie Fasting Marriage Diuine Seruice and other Ecclesiasticall obseruation amongest other matters saith on this wise Moreouer I my selfe haue knowen another custome to haue growen in Thessalia that there he which is a Cleark if after he be made a Cleark he lie with his wife whom he married while hee was a laie man is deposed from his Cleargie Whereas all the famous Elders in the East yea the Bishops and all are by no lawe compelled to abstaine from their wiues except it please themfelues For euen while they gouerne their Bishoprikes not a few of them beget children of their lawfull wiues Hee that was the author of that custome in Thessalia was Heliodorus of Trica a citie of that region of whose making are the amorous bookes which hee composed when he was a young man and intituled them The Aethiopian historie hee meaneth that of Theagenes and Cariclea The same custome is kept also at Thessalonica and in Macedonia and in Hellas Besides this I haue knowen another custome in Thessalia to wit that they baptize in the dayes of the feast of Easter onely For which cause all of them except a very few die without baptisme The Church of Antioche in Syria is set contrarie to other Churches for the Altar or Communion table is not set Eastward but Westward In Hellas and at Hierusalem at Thefsalia the prayers are made while the candles are lighted after
Deacons is being distinguished onelie in the parts thereof Yea that Brother of ours which made as he tearmeth it the fruitefull Sermon vpon this verie text dooth thus distinguish theÌ„ Officers occupied about their other necessary duties deuided into Deacons rulers attenders on the poore And pag. 34. These members are either Doctors to teach Pastors to exhort Elders to rule Deacons to distribute attenders vpon the poore people and the sicke or els the People and Saints which are taught exhorted ruled and receaue almes and releefe These are all no moe no fewer These are verie resolute speaches and yet as cléerelie as the Author of that Sermon would carrie away the matter hee can not resolutelie set downe what office these shewers of mercie had but onelie that either they were attenders vpon the poore people and the sicke or els the People and Saints which are taught exhorted ruled and receaue almes and releefe What certeine office or officers are heere distinguished when all the people and Saints which are taught c. are comprehended So that while there is such varietie in the iudgements both of the olde and newe Writers héereupon all or the most of them that our Brethren esteemâ— most are in this poynt so cleane contrarie to this our Brethrens learned Discourse we may the better be borne withal if we admit not this their diuision of the Deacons office into these parts For then must we not onelie haue men but women also to be ordinarie and necessarie eccl officers that is to say Deaconesses or Deacons Which terme in Greeke though Saint Paule vse of a woman Rom. 16.1 saying I commende vnto you Phoebe our Sister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is a Minister of the Church of Cenchres yet dooth he so litle meane that she was a Deacon in that signification wherein the word Deacon is appropriated to an ecclesiasticall office in the Church that the Geneua translation dare not English it a Deacon no nor yet a Minister but a Seruant such as the Widowes were that Saint Paule speaketh of 1. Tim. 5. ver 9. 10. But these he calleth Widowes not Deacons And he giueth such general rules to Deacons as are not competible to Women and are flatte forbidden to those Widowes Let the Deacons saith he be the husbands of one wife and such as can rule their children well and their owne housholdes 1. Tim. 3.12 But of the Widowes he saith But refuse the yonger widdowes for when they haue begun to waxe wanton against Christ they will marrie 1. Tim. 5.11 To auoyde which thing he sayd before ver 9. Let not a Widdowe be taken into the number vnder 60. yeere olde But the Deacons haue no prescription of their age Yea if a young man as Timothie was might be an Elder of the word much more might a Deacon be a young man The poore and impotent therefore may be attended vpon wel inough by other men as by Almoners and Masters of Hospitalls and other Widowes and officers as it is yet in Hospitalls and Almes-houses although those officers be no ecclesiasticall officers and much lesse Deaconâ— in the proper acceptation of the name But if now this office of Deacon as héere they say was deuided into diuers partes as necessitie shewed diuers occasions then the poore sicke impotent beeing otherwise charitablie prouided for why may not as necessitie of occasion likewise serueth the Deacons bee imployed vnto other partes as the verie firste Deacons were imployed And as vncerteine as we sée the exposition is what gifte or office or what action or part of gifte or office is certeinlie meant by these that shewed mercie in the 12. of the Romanes so is the other testimonie héere likewise by our Brethren cited 1. Cor. 12. ver 28. as Aretius noteth on the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Helpers Some interpret it of them that sayled with him and the losse is onelie of the shippe But other interpret it of the Churche such as is of Deacons Widowes and Seniors which either lay out the almes to the poore or take the care of strangers attend on the sick and the like officers that take the charge of Hospitals And as vncerteinlie saith Bullinger Hee said Helpers and Deacons to wit he vnderstood the stewards of the poore or els all those that helpe in ecclesiasticall businesses These offices being instituted by the spirite of God for the necessarie vse of the Church which vse still continueth ought also to be reteined among vs. For we see for want of these offices what great inconueniences are among vs concerning the poore For although there be verie good politike lawes made for the prouision of the poore yet small releefe commeth thereby to the poore indeede at least wise manie abuse the releefe which they receaue which commeth of this that there bee not in euerie Church or Congregation such Deacons as tâ—â—â—olie Ghost hath appointed which shoulde take a speciall care and employ a great diligence for the prouision of the poore not onelie some to gather distribute but also to see it well imployed on the poore and to imploy the poore that liue of the almes of the Church to the reliefe of their fellowe poore which are more impotent than â—hey as it was vsed in the Primitiue Church And aboue all things to beware of them that walke disorderlie and labour not if they be able Of which kinde of people when there is so great multitude in this land that they doo euen ouerflowe the Countries and haue bene knowen to bee practisers of great matters against the State it is maruell that neither by Politike nor by Ecclesiasticall lawe they are brought into order and set to labour or els as S. Paule prescribeth so that they should not eate vntill they bee willing to labor 2. Thess. 3 10. I denie not the reteining still among vs the office of Deacons nor denie that the office was instituted by the spirite of God for the necessarie vse of the Church either restraining the vse to that present state of the Church then or vnderstanding necessarie for expedient and conuenient But I denie that that necessarie vse which then was the occasion thereof dooth in all his parts still continue Which if it doo not as we haue séene the proofe or continue but in part then may this office if not cease yet continue but in parte And that vse which was necessarie then ceasing afterward and so not necessarie some part of the office may cease also As for the inconueniences among vs concerning the poore they arise not of this that the Deacons are not imployed to the care of them but on other occassions which woulde still fall out howsoeuer the Deacons were imployed except there be other helpes for it than the DeacoÌ„s are able to supplie They confesse there be verie good Politike Lawes made for the prouision of the poore If these Politike lawes be