matter so much vrged and of such importance this had bene requisit that we had heard Christes wordes not their gathering only of Christes meaning for our euidence And yet if we should admit this meaning and all we are neuer the néerer for anie such Consistorie Senate or Segniotie of Elders as our Br. pretend Well might we set vp if not rather ill might we set vp a Iewish Sanedrin and Presbyterie of Princes Priestes in euerie parish to rule the whole estate thereof as a little kingdome in it selfe to the alteration and ouerthrowe of the whole state of the Realme but for these gouerning and not teaching Elders that our Brethr. would bring in héere is neither word nor meaning that they are able to inferre on Christes sentence But our Brethren conceauing that they haue now at least wonne thus much that our Sauiour Christe by this word Ecclesia meaneth a Consistorie or assemblie of Elders they chéerefullie procéede to their authoritie say Whose authoritie he doth ratifie with such power that whatsoeuer is bound or loosed by them on earth in the feare of God and with hartie praier the Lord will bring it to passe yea he himselfe wil be in the middest of them as president of their Councell to direct their consultations to the glorie of God and to the profite of his owne Church Concerning that which our Brethren adde héere out of the 19. 20. verses of Matth. 18. the consent of two or three gathered together in praier or counsell to haue their petitions graunted and Christe himselfe to be in the middest of them as President of their counsell so farre as they do it in the feare of God and in the name of Christ this is so little to be restrained to a Consistorie of Elders that it stretcheth not onelie to all Prouinciall and generall Councels so assembled but to al Congregations gathered to publike praier or to the hearing of Gods word yea to anie particular housholde or persons though they be no greater number than there is mencioned to encourage and confirme them in their faith to God and in their mutuall loue and vnitie one to another As for the authoritie that Christ ratifieth with such power that whatsoeuer is bounde or loosed by them on earth c. meaning this Consistorie of the church the Lord wil bring it to passe we cōfesse cōcerning the Church of the which before he spake that Christe there gaue such power vnto his Church but our question nowe is not whether the power be giuen to the Church as to whom the exercise of this power is committed Whether to the whole Churches assemblie or Congregation or to a Segniorie of the Church gouerning discipline and yet not medling with teaching the word of God or to those to whom the Ministerie of the worde is committed And albeit that neither the Magistrate nor the Senate of Gouernors if there be anie nor yet the whole assemblie of the Congregation are debarred from all kinde of excommunicating yet to speake of excommunication in his proper sense it is the act of him that is a Minister of the word Brentius writing at large on this place not onelie acknowledgeth a kinde of excommunication made by the Magistrate but also affirmeth this speach of Christe Tell the Church to be indéede a good rule but not necessarie for euer and for all Churches Haec Regula c. saith hee This Rule which Christe in this place deliuereth being rightlie vnderstoode and vsed is healthfull to the Churche and bringeth much profite but beeing ill vnderstoode and naughtilie vsed hath brought much hurt to the Common-weale hath diuers times troubled the gouernment of the Church and of the Policie When as the Bishops of Rome with their vnreasonable and naughtie excommunications haue nowe and then stirred vp the children against the parents haue cast out Emperors and Kings out of their Empires and in these dayes also because the Anabaptistes see not in our Churches the like gouernment according to the letter as is heere described they thinke that the true Church is not among vs. Wherefore we must doo our diligence that wee may vnderstande this rule aright and vse the same lawfully according to the manner thereof First wheras Christe saith in this Rule Tell the Church hee speaketh not of such an assemblie of Christians which consisteth of a great multitude of people and of a ciuile Magistracie and wherein the ciuile Magistrate is not onelie a member of the Church but also the Gouernour and Ordeiner of the Ecclesiasticall matters For in such an assemblie it can not bee brought to passe that that which is said Tell the Church can be kept according to the letter without confusion For what a confusion and perturbation of things were that if a man publikelie in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie wherein now and then some thousands of men doo come together should make an out-crie of iniurie offered him of his neighbor and desire that after his neighbour hauing bene twice warned woulde not repent him witnesse may be heard and if he will not obey the voices of the whole assemblie that he should be excommunicated What place would there be in so diuerse willes of men in such a companie of the multitude either vnto honest Councells or vnto right Iudgementes and what either measure or ende woulde there be of brawlings But God as S. Paule saith is not the Authour of confusion but of peace Héere Brentius draweth néere to our Bretheren also in this poynt that it is not meant of euerie great assemblie of the people But what now doth he conclude héereupon that it was spoken of an Ecclesiastical Senate or Consistorie in their names It followeth Moreouer when in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie there is a ciuile Magistrate the office of this ciuile Magistrate is to punish wicked deedes according to their Lawes that by the seueritie of his administration hee remooue offences out of the way Such as sometimes was the administration of the Kinges in the Church of Israel of Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias and of other godly Kings That therefore Christe saith Tell the Church is not bee vnderstoode of a great assemblie of the Church wherein there is a ciuil Magistrate and one that for his vocation laboureth to defend the publike honestie of life but is to bee vnderstoode of a small assemblie whereof the Magistrate is not a member wherein the Magistrate either hath no function or else is holden as though he were a priuate person such an assemblie as was the companie of Christe For fewe accompanied Christe in his Ministery among the Iewes and among these few there was no publike Magistrate Among such therefore being fewe the rule may be holden according to the letter For it appeareth that Christ was moued to the prescribing of this rule on that occasiō that although they were fewe that followed Christ yet now then there arose euen among them
shall binde vpon earth shall bee bounde in Heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose c. In this sentence Christ strengtheneth first the Iudgements of priuate men if the Church shall not haue a publike magistrate For when men are wont tobee stubborne it may come to passe that hee that fayleth in his cause before the Church of priuate men and is iudged an Ethnike and publicane may contemne this iudgement and thinke him-selfe neuertheles to be an inheritor of the kingdome of Heauen although hee bee cast out of the assembly of these as hee thinketh them vile or base persons But Christe strengtheneth their authority and affirmeth that their sentence is approued also in Heauen Furthermore hee strengthneth also in this saying the publike iudgementes of them that are in lawfull Magistracy that we may manifestly knowe that their Iudgementes are not of men but are the Iudgementes of God According to that of Paule hee that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God And verily Christe in other places with the like sentences in Math. 16. and Iohn 20. chapter confirmeth the authority of the Ministery of preaching the Gospell But in this place hee confirmeth the iudgementes of priuate men or of Magistrates against the contemners that the same shoulde bee ratified before God in Heauen Heere lo is the ratifiing whereof our brethren speake but heereupon hee concludeth thus But all these things are to be vnderstoode of a right and lawfull iudgement and of that sentence which is giuen in the ministery of the church according to the Worde of the Gospell and in causes forinsecall according to the publique and ordinary Lawes For if the sentences of the Iudges or Ministers striue with these it is none before God howe greatly soeuer thou shalt be condemned before men So that here he concludeth with these two excommunications a ciuill and an Ecclesiasticall The ciuill eyther in these priuate mens small assemblies or in the publike Magistrate But the Ecclesiasticall to pertaine onely to the Minister and to be in the Ministery of the worde of God such as was mentioned before Math. 16. And afterward againe Iohn 20. And verily if we shall search the ground of this Eccl. Exc. what abuses soeuer be or haue beene or may be by the Ministers or by any other not Ministers committed therein which I take not vpon me to defende and may easily bee helped without the supply of this Seniory and good prouisions there are in that behalfe yet that the act of the proper Ecclesiasticall Excommunication shoulde be executed by such Ecclesiasticall gouernors as are not Ministers nor teachers of the Worde I can not yet see howe it may be sufficiently warranted or howe it may stand with the nature of this spirituall and Ecclesiasticall censure For if this power of binding and loosing be the same that is called the power of opening and shutting called also the power of the keyes then it cheefely consisteth in the Ministery of the Worde For what is the key but Gods Worde Yea if it bee the same that consisteth in remitting and retaining of sinnes towardes God what other power hath the Church thereof than by the prenouncing of Gods Worde So that our Brethren must eyther make these Seniors to bee Ministers of Gods Worde or else they must graunt that in this place Christe meaneth not such a Seniory of Gouerning Elders as are not Ministers of the Word But here saith Caluine Hic locus non omnino c. This place is not altogether like that place which is aboue written Chapter 16. c. 19. But it is to bee vnderstoode in part a little different But wee make them not so diuers that they haue not muche affinitie betweene themselues This first of all on both parts is alike that eyther of them is a generall sentence and the power of binding and loosing is always the same that is to witte by the word of God the same commaundement the same promise But they differ heerein that the former place is peculiarlie of the preaching which the Ministers of the word of God do exercise Here it pertayneth to the Discipline of excommunication which is permitted to the church There Christe woulde auouch the authority of the Doctrine Here hee constituted Discipline which is an appendant vnto doctrine There hee sayde that the preaching of the Gospell shoulde not be frustrate but that it shoulde bee a quickning or a killing sauour here he affirmeth that although the wicked doe scorne the iudgement of the church notwithstanding it shoulde not bee vayne This distinction is to be holden because there it is simply treated vpon the word preached here vpon the publike censures and Discipline Although I doe not altogether deny this difference in respect of the obiect matter wherin the subiect person hath diuers times on diuers occasions and diuers ends to deale yet since Caluine heere him-selfe maketh the power of binding and loosing the promise also and the commaundement to be all one and the same to consist all onely by the ministery of the word although the occasion or purpose of Christe in the former place Math. 16. be more for ratifying the Doctrine of the worde when it is taught or preached than for ratifying the publique censures and Discipline beeing onely the appendants to the Doctrin Yâ—t this letteth not but rather prooueth so much more that he to whome the execution of both or eyther of these actions being both of them powers of the worde and ministeriall pronouncings of the same word doth appertaine ought to be his selfe a Minister of the worde And thus doth Caluine himselfe afterwarde also confesse saying For neither doth Christe auouch authority of or vnto his church whereby he shoulde diminish his or his Fathers right but rather whereby hee may establish the maiesty of his Worde For euen as before hee woulde not confusedly establish euery Doctrine whatsoeuer but that which proceeded out of his mouth chap. 16. c. 19 So neither sayth he in this place that euery Iudgement whatsoeuer shall be stable and ratified but that wherein he himselfe is president or gouerneth Neyther that onely by the spirite but also by the Worde Whereupon it followeth that men bring no preiudice vnto or hinder not God while they pronounce nothing but out of his mouth and stoode onely to execute faithfully that which he hath commanded For although Christe bee the onely iudge of the worlde yet would hee haue in the meane season ministers to be the publishers of his Worde and then he woulde haue his iudgement to be of his Church set foorth So that commeth to passe that it derogateth nothing from him that the ministery of men commeth betweene but that he onely looseth and bindeth And hâ—ere Marlorate coâ—texteth out of Bucer Hereupon it appereth how proposterously or rather how naughtily some gather out of this place that the Church can doe any thing but cheefely can make lawes of religion which whosâ— despiseth shall
despise Gods Lawes Whereas Christe disputeth here nothing of the power of making Lawes but of brotherly admonition of exhortation reprehension correction and of taking away offences and of the iudgement of the church which in all thinges thought to followe the worde of God that it bee not so much an humane as a diuine iudgement And againe Marlorate nâ—teth out of Caluin saying Whereupon wee see howe the spirituall iurisdiction of the church which punisheth sinnes out of the worde of God is the best helpe of health and foundation of order and bonde of vnity And concluding the ratification of their senteÌ„ces he saith For they haue the word of God wherewith they condemne the frowarde they haue the worde wherewith they receiue into fauour the repentant But erre they cannot neither dissent from the iudgement of God because they Iudge not but out of the Lawe of God which is not an vncertain nor earthly opinion but the holy will of God and an heauenly Oracle â—ith therefore all this iurisdiction of the censure and discipline of the Church consisteth in the Ministery of the worde of God and besides the sentence pronounced comprehendeth admonition exhortation reprehension and all out of the word of God And these persons are publike officers and their doingeâ— publike doings howe are not these the publike ministers of the worde medle with the publike teaching of the same But this more playnely appeareth by Christes owne wordes For when Christe had sayde Tell the Church howsoeuer they vnderstand there the name of church when he commeth afterwarde to set downe the manner howe Excommunication shoulde be vsed hee strayght turneth his spéech to his Apostles saying Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer thinges you shall binde vpon earth they shall bee bounde also in Heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in Heauen also So that this place directly is turned to the Apostles both in Math. 16. And here the 18. and Ioh. 20 and so the power and promise thereof continuing continueth directly in those onely that are the successors of the Apostles That is to say that are such as of whome S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so esteeme vs as Ministers of Christe and dispensers of the mysteries of God And of such onely is Excommunication being taken as this spirituall Censure of the Church to bâ— pronounced and of none other kinde of Elders For proofe nowe of the continuall practise and approbation hereof let vs see both howe the Church of God vsed it among the Iewes before Christ came and howe in Christes time in the primitiue Châ—â—ch â—â—tâ—rward in the time of the auncient and holy Fathers and also nowe lastly in this light of the Gospell what are the iudgements of the best learned of our brethren hereupon And first as wee haue shewed before â—ut of Brentius tâ—ere was and is a diuers acceptation of this name Excommunicating Wherâ—pon Aretius among other diuisions of Excommunications good and bad greater and lesser outward and inward hath this diuision Let vs therfore deuide it from the head after this manner There is one Excommunication ciuil another Ecclesiasticall The ciuil is that that is exercised in politike matters against offenders c. And on the Hebrue names therâ—â—f and the Greeke name among the Iewes in and before the time of Christe he saith in Ioh. chap. â— 12 16. He that was excluded is sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to bee made an Alien from the publike assembly Such were abhominable and odious to the residue of the Iewes vntill they were reconciled In the ninth chapter hee sayth that it was ordeyned of the Iewes that if any man confessed him to be Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he should be cast out of the synagog In the 12. chap. that many of the Princes beleeued but they confessed him not least they should be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the 16. chap. They shall make you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is out lawes and vnworthy of their assemblies Heereupon excommunication may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the old Testament it is called Masger a shutting for hee that was of Moses shut out was bound as it were with many Lawes Besides that hee which was boundâ— with any certayne fault was holden vnder the penalty to the which hee was bounden you haue the example Num. 12. where Miriam the sister of Moses for the crime of rebellion is excluded by the commaundement of God 7. dayes out of the campe Let her be shut out seuen dayes abroad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cherem among the Hebrewes is anathema That is a penaltie inflicted of God as Mal. 4. Least I come and strike the land cherem that is anathemate with a curse suspension or separation The same word signifieth a thing consecrated to God and sequestred from the publike vse as it is sayd of the spoyles of Ierico that Achan receaued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minha-cherem that is of the spoyles condemned of the Lorde by a curse of setting apart or suspending Wigandus and Matheus Iudex in their treatise called Syntagma or corpus doctrinae on the title de clauibus in veteri testamento of the keyes in the old Testament do say First that there are such keyes Although in the new Testament Christ institute the keyes by a solemne manner Matth. 16.18 and Ioh. 20. notwithstanding in the old Testament also there was a power of the keyes pertaining to the churche and to the Ministers thereof as appeareth by the thinges folowing What were the kinds That there were two keyes the one binding the other losing appeareth out of Esa. 22. I will geue or laye vpon his shoulder to wit Eliachim the key of the house of Dauid and he shall open and there shal be none that can shut and he shall shut and there shal be none that can open And examples to the Propheticall writinges do witnesse For Caine in the 3. of Gen. is excommunicated But Dauid is absolued of Nathan and the types or figures of thrusting out of the campes the lepers and polluted and receauing of the healed and purged by sacrifice Num. 4. Leuit. 13. concerning the binding key or Excommunication what are the names thereof The binding key in the Propheticall writinges is called Anathema Num. 21. Deut. 7. c. Malediction and detestation Num. 23. Deut. 27. crying out wo Hosee 7. casting out of the land Gen. 4. taking away out of the middest Deut. 13. The definition is this The key bynding is a power ordeyned of God committed to the church and to the Priestes of denowncing the wrâ—th of God to notorious and polluted sinners and of shutting them out of the societie of Gods people and of forbidding other their societie and companie vntill either by the Magistrate they be taken out of the way or els by repentaunce or by the prescribed sacrifices they shal be purged and
be vnder the Ecclesiasticall gouernment of Bishops and Arch-bishops And if they stand not thus to displace the superiour and the old standard to restore an inferiour and to set vp a new reuiued fresh and young Senior would so greatly blemish the bewtifull order of this supposed Ecclesiasticall regiment that as it is said at the second building of the Temple Esra cap. 3. ver 12. that many of the Priestes and Leuites and the chiefe of the Fathers auncient meÌ„ which had seene the firste house when the foundation of this house was laid wâ—pt with a loude voice So those that marke the bewtifull order of the Ecclesiasticall regiment in the Primitiue and pure Church indéede and the most bewtifull order of the Ecclesiasticall regiment that our brethren say the church is now restored vnto or rather vnder a name of restoring is not restored at all in those things for whiche they so contende that they rather hinder the course of the Gospell and decrease not encrease the kingdome of Christe deface his glorye make his Churche euill spoken of rende the vnitie thereof breake the broosed reede and quenche the smoaking flaxe and yet set all the house on fire and call this right reforming and restoring It woulde so little moue anye that seriouslye considereth it to embrace the state and order thereof as most bewtifull that if he did not detest it with the common aduersaries as most deformed yet loued he neuer so well the church yea the more he loued it it would make his eyes not for ioy but for gréefe of the sight to water their plants and his hearte throbbe yea bléede to behold now the moste bewtifull bryde of Iesus Christe howe her beawtie is vaded howe her ornamentes are spoyled howe her bodye is haled and almoste euen pulled in péeces what by her aduersaries what by our brethren her owne children and all vnder pretence of reforming and restoring her all is peace and encrease and glorie and embracing and bewtifull and blessed and prospered for the order and state of the Churche with them and wee that are the Churche of God also our state for sooth is a disordred state we labour long and we reape little profit by our labour Well yet thankes be to God if our state haue such ill lucke that our neighbours haue better and that this moste bewtifull regiment of the Church is restored at least among our neighbours Our neighbours This is a good hearing Aliquod bonum propter vicinum bonum And if they be so neare vs let vs know them that we may receaue some neighborlie comfort and refreshing by them Who are these our neighbors where this state thus happily is restored Do ye aske who they are Euen all the Churches that are rightlye restored Nay for Gods sake my Maisters say not so for then name me almost anie one reformed Church that in one point or other of order offices discipline rites and ceremonies differeth not one from another And which then among all these are these our neighbours which haue restored that regiment and are rightly reformed The Scottish reformed Churches are our néerest neighbours but is their gouernment and orders and making officers and administration of Sacramentes and booke of common Prayers all one with these our Learned discoursers and with the booke of common Prayers by our brethren now lastlie set forth Or rather is there not euen in the booke of common Prayer by them-selues compiled betwéene the written booke and that that is printed at Midleborough and that at London and that at Scotland aboue a hundreth yea 200. yea 300. differences one from an other and all in a booke little bigger then an Almanack but a matter wherin shoulde be greatest agréement of vniformity Nay doe our brethren héere at home agrée among them-selues in these matters of reformation Or if all bee now agreed may we set downe our rest vppon it and resolue our selues that these Learned discourses haue héere restored the onely very true whole perfect and right reformation of that moste bewtifull order of Ecclesiasticall regiment that was appointed and approoued by God himselfe exercised in the Primitiue and pure Church instituted and ordained to continue for euer O my Maisters take heede what yee saye least heereafter ye say had I wist Ye knowe whose saying that is Well well will perhaps our brethren saye some of our neighbors haue it wee name none leaste yee should say wee preiudice any good neighbour of ours as hauing not rightly reformed their Churches For though in all points that most bewtifull order of Ecclesiasticall regimeÌ„t be not restored yet is their state farre better than the disordered state of ours wherein we haue so long laboured with so little profite and contrariwise which GOD so many wayes doth blesse and prosper in our neighbours handes that if not the most yet the bewtifull order of Ecclesiasticall Regiment which they haue Yea the onelie experience of the daily encrease and glorie of the kingdome of Christe and suppression of the tyrannie of Sathan might be a sufficient perswasion for vs. Experientia est Magistra Stultorum as our brethren themselues doâ— afterwards pag. xlviij tell vs. When the Asse that caried Salte falling downe in the water and his salte melting awaie gâ—â— vp agayne discharged of his burden His fellowe Asse being loden with spoonges sawe that and hee fell downe likewise in the water to trie the like experience But his spoonges kept him downe his experience drowned him Non omnia conueniunt omnibus Experience is not alwayes good vppon examples Legibus non exemplis iudicatur Had our neighbours restored it in verye déede yet are not wee bounde to followe their example No not the example of the Primitiue Church it selfe and much lesse those that follow their example For wee séeke not nowe what we may doo or what might bee a sufficient perswasion vnto vs if we would but whetâ—er by any lawe or commaundement of Christe or anye of his Apostles wee be tied and bounde thereto yea or no. Thiâ— is the very point that wee demurr vpon If God haue so prosperously blessed them that would or haue happilie imitated that supposed old order of Ecclesiasticall Regiment God bee blessed for it We reioyce of it and congratulate with them which soeuer of our neighbours they be But neither they nor their imitation prâ—scribe vnto vs nor their experience would fitte vs. Diuerse féete haue diuerse lastes The shooe that will serue one may wring another Neither yet is our state inferiour to theirs or lesse blessed and prospered of the Lord nor hath had lesse encrease glory of the Lords kingdome nor is lesse bewtifull if we looke not with an euill eie and a male-contenteâ— minde on our owne state as he saith Fertilior seges est alienis semper in aruis Vicinumque pecus grandius vber habet There groweth alwayes greater stoare of corne within my Neighbours fieldes The greater
Iudges at home in our seuerall Congregations bicause S. Paule prescribed the Corinthians so to haue and that all such publike Iudges to serue a whole realme or countrie were not lawfull or were néedlesse bicause in the Primitiue Church they had no suche publike Christian Iudges for a whole realme or countrie might not this growe to the manifest iniurie not onelie of th◠Iudges but of all the whole common-weale Yea might not the Christian Prince feare that by the same rule if it were true that ye saye there was no Christian Prince then when the Churche was perfect in all her regiment he might be driuen cleane out of his ciuill regiment too and out of all not supreame onelie but anye authoritie at all among the Christians and cleane dispossessed of his kingdome except he would content himselfe to be a Iudge chosen in one particuler citie So that neither inheritance nor a whole Realme or Realmes to bee ruled by anye one christian Prince could hold any plea if such rules might be coined on such examples And then forsoothe the churche of GOD as before there was anye christian Prince so after they are all thrust out or reduced to that state that they were in might be saide to be perfect in all hir regiment once againe And that the Churche of God may stande and dooth stande in moste blessed state where the ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers nor beare the greatest rule but all is brought againe to the estate it was in before in the Apostles time Doo ye not sée what a most blessed estate the churche of God would come vnto by this rule And I pray you bretheren what warrant haue you more or so muche for the prescription of your Seniorie in euerie congregation as is héere prescribed by S. Paule for the choosing of this Iudge or ruler among the perticuler congregations of the christians We must take héed therfore how we stand on such examples or how we enlarge any rule that was particuler to the time or state then or to the place or persons there to be-come an ordinarie generall absolute or perpetuall rule to vs and to the whole Churche whether it be by S. Paule or by S. Peter or by any or by all the Apostles or by our Lorde and Sauiour Iesus Christe him-selfe practised yea or commanded For diuerse examples and commandements were but for certeine times states places and stretch no further As the Disciples to carrie neither golde nor siluer nor money nor scrippe nor two coates nor shooes nor staffe Matth. 10. To abstaine from things offered to Idols and from bloud and from that that is strangled Acts. 15. And that men should praye bare headed c. 1. Cor. 11. And albeit that in the commandements and rules prescribed of these things and of the like neither Christe nor his Apostles tell that they were to continue but for a time yet leueling the same by the analogie of our faithe and by the proportion of our Christian libertie we find no such necessitie in these thinges nor of any other such like orders as in the regiment of the Primitiue churche was vsed For though they were vsed as orders or as ornanaments to beautifie the blessed estate of the Churches regiment then yet neither the blessednes nor the estate therof consisted in them when they had them And if any church that now flourisheth haue any of them it is neuer the more blessed for them as of anye necessitie to the estate thereof And if any haue them not and haue other good orders of regiment established among them it is neuer the lesse blessed of God for the not hauing of them If they haue what is necessarie that sufficeth Prooue either this Seniorie to be necessarie for vs imagining there had béene any such or els all this most blessed estate resolues to nothing But neither of these is yet prooued nor I feare mee euer will bee that there were any such Gouernours at all or that we are bound in euerie particuler congregation to obeye or to haue suche a Segniorie But we are bound to haue and to obeye in all lawfull ordinances our Princes and Magistrates especiallie being Christians and fauourers and fosterers of the Churche of God defenders of the faithe setters foorth and professors of the Gospell Where suche Princes are as wee muste néedes confesse we haue except we be too vnthankefull there indéed the Churche of GOD may stand and standeth at this day in farre more blessed state with-out this Segniorie then where this Segniorie standeth and the Ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers or to speake plaine English are no fauourers at all but haters and persecuters of the Gospell And thus wee sée how weake and vntrue both these propositions of these reasons are by the which as a notable great reason in the end scars◠woorth a little currane these our Learned Discoursers auouched that it might be to euerie man so plaine that it was neither needfull nor agreeable to good order of teaching to begin first to treate of the supreame authoritie of Christian princes in ecclesiasticall causes Now a◠we thus haue séene the valor and truthe of these two propositions whereon their reason is made so let vs sée their conclusion of this reason Their conclusion is this By which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernment thereof dependeth not vpon the authoritie of princes but vpon the ordinance of God who hath most mercifullie and wiselie so established the same that as with the comfortable aide of christian Magistrats it may singulerlie flourish and prosper so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile For the churche craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe but all her authoritie she receaueth immediatlie of God Is this then the conclusion of their reason What is this to the present question Or how hangeth this vpon the premisses Maye not th◠princes supreame authoritie in ecclesiasticall causes be first treated vpon except this must streight be concluded on it by which it is manifest that the regiment and gouernment of the churche dependeth not vpon the authoritie of princes but vpon the ordinance of God Wherefore is this so farre fetched conclusion brought in héere Before you sai◠it seemeth not yet telling to whome but now it seemeth that it seemeth so to you and that for a manifest and plaine conclusion that if the princes supreame authoritie be first spoken of then all the churches regiment dependeth on it But I cannot tell how it seemeth to you to be a manifest and plaine consequence I promise you it séemeth not so to me Nor I thinke to any man that will way the reason with any reason And yet you threape such kindnesse on vs that are God be thanked reasonable creatures also that it now goeth beyond it
plainely set foorth by any man Prooue the necessitie of the matter and we will not greatly stick vpon your Methode And would to God that which you say here of yâ— Methode ye would say it or rather obserue it of the plaine truthe it selfe and for the matter of the regiment concerning these offices that except yee can hereafter shewe which is yet not done that we are bounde by any commaundement of Christ or his Apostles vnto this your regiment of all and onely these 4. offices ye would say likewise with vs for the Gouernement established in the Church of Englande that as wee controll not other mens gouernement by ours so we would not that other mens manner of gouerning should be preiudiciall vnto ours But if ye will not haue vs controll your Methode vtter the same also in plaine wordes Our controuersie is all of the gouernement of the Church and you tell vs what Methode ye will obserue in describing the ministerie of the Churche as by which both the distinction and communication of all offices and seruices in the Church might most plainly appeare What doe ye make all offices and seruices in the Church to be of ministers Or al the offices seruices to be of gouernors How the distinction or communication of these may plainely appeare woulde haue béene somewhat more distinctly and plainely spoken As touching the reason of your request why ye would not haue your Methode controlled nor other mens methodes preiudiciall to yours I thinke it reasonable if there were no further difference then in the sorme and order of teaching of diuerse men when in matter of substance they all agree Anâ— yet in such matters as these are and so precisely vrged an vniformitie not onely of matter but also of the Order and Methode in teaching of them might perhaps haue made the matter lesse offensiue Howbeit if they all agree in matter of substance and the matter of substaunce bee true be good be necessarie which they all agree vpon so that they séeke the truthe indéede and plainnesse in their Teaching then is as they say it is but either for lacke of wit or through too much wilfulnesse if any exclaime there is no vnitie and therefore no truthe among them But when in matter and substance they differ not onely one from an-other but from themselues also then blame not men nor impute it to them that either for lacke of wit or that through too much wilfulnesse they say there is not so much vnitie and truthe among them as in matters so earnestly vrged there ought to be But now to the particuler viewe of these 4. offices Let vs then proceede in our purpose The office of Teaching is the chiefe and principall office that is in the Church By that we are taught to knowe God and howe to serue him and what benefits to looke for at his hande without which knowledge there can be no felicitie but only destruction looked for according to the saying of the wise man where prophecying faileth there the people perish Albeit the office of teaching in these respectes as to know God and how to serue him and what benefites to looke for at his handes as the ordinary cause sine qua non without which there is no knowledge and without knowledge there can be no felicity but c. may wel be said to be the chiefe and principall office that is in the Church yet in respecte of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment which is the title of all this Learned discourse vnderstanding the same truly and plainly for the gouernment in of or ouer al Ecclesiastical causes how they should be ordeined directed or disposed I take it that this office of teachers admitting it were such a distinct office by it selfe from the office of Pastors as they woulde haue it is not the chiefe and principall office in the Church In Christe him selfe are the offices of a King of a Prieste and of a Prophete And in that he was a Prophete he was a Teacher also or Doctor Which office was so necessary to reueale the will of his heauenly father that both God the father said from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Mat 17 And Christ of himselfe Luc. 4. did reade this sentence The spirite of the Lord is vppon mee because he hath anointed mee that I shoulde preach the Gospell to the poore c. So that where no man saw God at any time except the onely begotâ—en Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father had declared him Io 1 As he saith also Io. 17. I haue giueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receaued them and beleeued them c. without the which teaching there can be no felicitie but only destruction looked for as he said before in the same prayer This is life eternall to know thee to be the onelie very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet not-with-standing the chiefe and principall office of gouerning the Churche of God was neither this high and necessary office of his teaching nor yet that of his Priesthoode which was as necessary yea and higher in the actions of the office then the other But his royall and kingly office was and is the chiefe and principall office in him And much morâ— is it in the outward regiment of the Church in Ecclesiasticall causes wherein Moses was aboue Aaron Iosue Dauid Solomon c. were aboue the high-priestes them-selues And so remaines it still except ye can shew the order of these offices of the church inuerted Of which the Papistes would be glad and vrge it harde especially from Peter wrestling there-to the thréefold saying of Christ to him Ioan. 21. Feede my Lambâ—s feede my sheepe feede my sheepe Meaning not only his gouerning but his office of Teaching which was his especial feeding of them and they driue it all to gouerning aduauncing them-selues before all Christian Princes And yet we graunt that in the action of their seuerall Ecclesiasticall function or Church ministery they are aboue all Christian Princes representing God vnto them teaching and admonishing them and all other But not aboue them in gouernment of all Ecclesiasticall causes Which is the question in controuersie now betwixt vs on the one parte and the Papists and these our owne Learned discoursing Brethren seuering them-selues from vs and adhering though not to them yet to their errour by a new deuise on the other parte The Ministery is deuided into two functions they that exercise the firste are called Pastors the other are called Doctors or Teachers I pray you my Learned discoursing Maisters for my learning héere againe let me aske this When ye desired not to bee controlled for your methode differing from others did ye include this not to be controlled though ye differ from your selues also and speake yee care not what contradictions both one against an-other and against your
the interpretation of the holy scripture For saith Ambrose by Prophets he vnderstandeth the scriptures interpreters which you say are your Doctors for as a Prophet foretelleth things that are not knoweÌ„ so also he is said to prophecie while he openeth the sense of the scripture that to many is hidden c For the church hath nothing greater more profitable then Christian doctrine the interpretation of the scripture c. And again he that prophecieth studieth on euery part to profit his Church For he that prophecieth performeth that for which cause the assembly is gathered together For he speaketh vnto meÌ„ edification exhortation consolation To wit while he expoundeth the secrecies mysteries of the scripture and out of theÌ„ doth either exhort to the studie of godlines or else coÌ„forteth those whoÌ„ faint heart or terror or dispaire or impacience of trauaile hath almost broken And this it is to speake to edification That is to say by speaking to endeuour tende therto that thou mayst profit the hearers But of this place it is cleare that a Prophet is the same with Paul that vnto vs is a Doctor a Bishoppe a Preacher or an Euangelist To this agréeth Aretius and saith Hereupon it appeareth that most great are the profites of interpretation whose partes are so bright And saieth Gualter vppon the same place Heereupon Doctors in the scriptures are called Edifiers And for this cause the Apostle called himselfe a Maister builder It pertaineth to these men before all things to care that they lay a good foundation that is to wit euen Christ which otherwher is called the foundation of the Proph. Apost And theÌ„ that vpon that alone they build nor mingle any stubble hey wood or ought else straunge froÌ„ Christ. Moreouer that diligently they plie the work with all care least sathaÌ„ with his mynes secretly wrought do vndermine it nor that it be ouer-turned with the whirle-windes stormes of tempestes nor finally that any as sande without lime of their owne voluntarie slide and fal away Ministers also must remeÌ„ber that there is need of continuall perpetuall building Partly because the infirmitie of the beleeuers requireth dayly a-new renewing partly because new stones must often be layde vpon this holy edifice that more may dayly be gathered to Christ and his kingdome be enlarged perpetually But in this place is euident the craft of Sathan who that hee might make all men more remisse and slouthfull in this studie deuised certaine edifices of Temples Towers Colleges and Chappels that are called eternall and are builded with great charges the spirituall Temple of the Lorde being in the meane time neglected which lyeth there almost altogether in ruyne where this frantike lust of building raygneth For eyther there are no builders at all or they are trecherous Who as the scripture speaketh of the Priestes of the Iewes hauing reiected that precious stone of the foundation do declare that all their help of saluation is in things improfitable pernitious Let them take heed therfore of their exaÌ„ples that will speake edification The other head of the eccles ministerie is Exhortation There is need of this for those who do not straightway obey when they are taught those things that are necessary to attain saluation For by nature we be more slow to heaueÌ„ly things And that is more hurtful we are delighted with sinnes and errors Wherfore there is need of rebuking our sins errors need of reprouing exhorting Whereof we haue most graue examples in the Prophets whom God in old time commanded as watchmen to blowe the trumpet of his word that they might stirre vppe all men to doe their duetie The Apostles each where followed these to say as nowe nothing of Christe whose most graue exhortations are read in the Euangelistes Therefore they do very greatly erre that at this day will haue none of this to bee done but as though the naked and simple doctrine might suffice do take most greeuously all rebuking and exhorting But howe necessary these are the licentiousnesse of most cruell wickednesse daylie encreasing and the most corrupt manners of all men aboundantly beareth witnesse but because the Church hath many that are exercised with tentation and all kind of afflictions there is added a third head consolatioÌ„ To the which appertaine those things that in Ezechiel are spoken of the office of the good faithfull Pastor when as the Lord promiseth that he will be hee which will require the loste sheepe reduce the expulsed binde vp the wounded strengthen the weake And in consideration of these things the ministers of the Churches ought so to behaue themselues that they alwaies remember they shall then at length be faithfull to God if that being intentiue with all their minde on the peoples studies maners they set foorth all these things most diligentlie according to the consideration of the hearers and of the times To this ought to be referred those things that S. Paule to Timothie writeth of cutting aright the word of God And the things that Christe deliuered vnder the parable of the Steward 2. Tim. 2. Matth. 24. Zuinglius on the 24. verse of the same chapter bréefelie knits vp all the matter saying To prophesie is to teache to admonish to comfort to reprooue and to rebuke And Peter Martyr vpon 1. Sam. 10. ver 9. But in the Primitiue church when Prophecy flourished what difference was there between a Prophete and a Doctor I aunswere that although the office of them both were al one yet were Doctâ—rs instructed by Maisters but Prophets spake on the sudden beeing mooued by the inspiration of the holy Ghost without anie helpe of man Thus doo all these and manie moe late and notable learned writers agréeing with the old Fathers and almoste with all the interpreters of the Scriptures accord that by this Prophet héere mentioned he meaneth a Doctor or Teacher But withall that this Prophet Doctor or Teacher communicateth in his teaching and interpreting of the Scriptures in all the parts of a Pastors office without restraint anye more then the Pastor is restrained from any part that apperteineth to a Doctor Yea as Peter Martyr noteth on the same chapter verse 6 on these words What shall I profite you except I speake vnto you either by Reuelation or by knowledge or by Prophecie or by Doctrine Chrysostome thinketh reuelation prophesie science and doctrine to signifie the same thing And that Paule by a certeine circumlocutioÌ„ expressed a gentle diminution that might easilie be perceiued of the hearers Other beleeue that these are diuerse giftes by which the Churche might be edified and some do fit these wordes thus that reuelation should bee ioyned to prophesie for Prophets doo not treate or speake but that thing that is reuealed to them And likewise they will that knowledge should cleaue to doctrine For no man teacheth right but that which before he knew
principall beeing or standing office ouer them to a Superintendent or ouerseer of them which was a lower title of superiour dignitye and therfore not giuen or taken of any il purpose so withal it argueth the antiquity both of the matter and of the appropriating of the name Episcopus more peculierly vnto one then before it had bene to be either in or immediatly following the Apost times euen by Bezaes owne testimony out of Iustine and by examining of this worde and title in the Scripture And as Caluine and Beza héere confesse the matter so Gellius Snecanus also de Disciplina Ecclesiastica pag. 440. speaking of the ministerye of the worde concludeth out of 1. Tim. 5. uer 19 20. Whereupon it manifesthe appeareth that euen then a certaine order was ordayned at Ephesus Cui Praefectus erat Timotheus ouer the which Timothie was the Praefect Whome Iustine calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Beza translateth AntistiteÌ„ whome wecall Bishop All this being considered with the subscription afore-said vnto Timothie argueth that this name Bishop to become peculiar vnto one aboue his brethren and fellow Pastors was neither so late as diuerse take it nor was meerely and altogether mans inuenâ—ion and yet if it had beene ordayned of man being not other-wise prescribed of God it may well be called also euen Gods ordinaunce as we shall see after God-willing upon Peter The Centuriographers writing of the gouernment of the Churche in the time next succeeding the Apostles do say Cent. 2. ca. 7. pag. 125. and 126. But as there was no certaine and prescribed number of Minist of the Church commaunded in the holie Scriptures so according as the necessitie of the Churches required they had moe or fewer And as among them to the intent that there should be some order and that the Ecclesiasticall offices shoulde bee better administred among many by a certaine reason or consideration and that the succession of Ministers might be made in order necessity compelled them to ordayn and to keepe certain degrees of persons But in that matter and also in thys age the most part of the Churches kept a small number and a simplicitie For moe orders than these 3. that is to witte Bishoprick Priesthoode and Deaconrie are not found with approued Authors And the offices which afterwards were distributed to dore-keepers to Readers to Exorcists and to Acolyts were al names ioyned to the office of Deacon and Subdeacon So in the French Church as appeareth by the Epist. of theÌ„ that were of Lions vnto the East churches are reckoned vp more Ministers of the Church then Bishop Priests and Deacons the other are called brethren Euseb. lib. 4. cap 1. Clemens of Alexandria in the bokes of him that are at this day extant maketh no where mention of moe then of Bishop of Priestes and of Deacons except that in some places hee adioyne Widdowes Neyther yet doeth hee in playne wordes ascribe vnto them a Ministery in the Church muche lesse a degree Also Hierome in his Epist. to Euagrius doth testifie that in the Church of Alexandria there were no moe degrees from Marke vnto Dionise then bishopricke Priest-hoode and Deaconship And so proceeding to other Churches and to Antioche and Rome where out of Iustine they note vnum perfectum 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fratrum and certaine Deacons the other brethren Nicâ—phorus li. 3. cap. 29. declareth that Eleutherius which was taught the holy Scriptures of Anicetus or rather of Anaclecletus was enrolled in the sacred number of the Cleargy And in the 15. yeere of his age tooke the degree of Deacon and three yeare after was made Priest and in the 10 yeere of his age was chosen Bishop Whereupon may be gathered what degrees were in Rome vnder the raigne of Hadrian c. It is woorthy memory that of euery one Church is onlye found a Bishop in the Priesthoode and in the Deaconship are alwayes found many according to the necessity of euery place or Church Hierome testifieth in his epistle to Euagrius that in the time of the Apostles the degrees of Bishops and Priestes were not distinct but afterward for remedie of schisme one was chosen out of the Priestes and placed in a higher degree and called bishop Which onely in the office of ordeyning should differ from the Priestes Whereuppon it appeareth that about these times this chaunge began in the Church and the office of a bishop higher then the degree of Priesthood not so much by the institution of God as by humane authority for bicause of good order aedification and succession Heereupon it is that Irenaeus calleth Soter Anicetus Hyginus Pius Telesphorus Priestes Euseb. lib. 5. cap 24. And this indifferent vsurpation of this worde bishop and Prieste is also found with others Vnder Traiane as yet liued Iohn the Apostle which was the chiefest founder of the Churches that were in Asia and which also was woont to goe out of Ephesus to the places neere adioyning both partly to ordayne bishops partly to chose the Cleargie by lotte as Clement telleth in Eusebius lib. 3. ca. 23. but he being dead the Apostleship ceased in the Church bicause that vnto their doctrine and writings God would haue the Church at all times to be bounde But the Apostles gaue Churches to Bishops in euerye one place as Irenaeus lib. 4. cap. 63. doeth testifie But bicause the doctrine of the Gospel was to be published throughout many nations therefore the Churches were wonte to choose famous and constant men prest to trauell and ready to teach and to suffer for the Gospell and to impose on them this office that according to the imitation of the Apostles forsaking their goods or disposing them they should trauel through many and farre places of the Gentiles preach the Gospell These were called Euangelists or Apostolicall men and Eusebius testifieth lib. 5. cap. 9. that very many of them were yet vnder Commodus In the number of whome is Pantenus reckoned who was sent of Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria into India c. Out of these obseruations of these Centuriographers vppon the auncient fathers coÌ„cerning the gouernment of the Churches in this age which was partlie in the time and life of some of the Apostles we also may note these thinges appertayning vnto our controuersie First that there were ordinarily but three degrees of the Ecclesiasticall Ministery Bishoppes Priestes or Elders and Deacons by which Priests or Elders they meane such Priestes or Elders as were ministers of the worde For they speak of those Priests or Elders whose office at the first was not distincte from Bishops So that in the ordinary regiment of the most famous Churches in that age and while some of the Apostles liued and immediatlye after their death these vnpreaching Prelates Preests or Elders that medled not with teaching but were al in gouerning were not accounted any offices or degrees of the Ecclesiasticall ministery But they had onely three as we haue Bishops
that if we make our question for the forme of Eccl. gouernment to be a matter of necessitie either wee must of necessitie condemne it in them which were next vnto yea and in the Apostles daies or else they vsing such an ordinarie superioritie that so narrowly marked the Apostles and the Apostles againe as we may wel suppose no lesse narrowly marking them How can it be but that of necessitie we must needes allowe it that one among the pastorall Elders should haue a superior dignitie and gouernment to whom the name of Bishop should be more proper and peculier than to the residue as Anicetus Sixtus Telesphorus Higinus Pius Irenaeus Policrates Policarpus and other mentioned had If now on the other side this be not a matter of necessitie but such as may be varied being but a forme and manner of Ecclesiasticall gouernment as the obseruation of this Feast and these Fastes were of accustomed order not of necessity then so long as it is vsed in moderate sorte without tyrannie or pride nor any thing contrary to the proportion of Faithe and Godlinesse of lyfe necessarilye maintayned there-by for otherwise if those Fastes or this Feaste had ben vsed to be kept superstitiously it had béen so farre-foorth to be condemned there is no reason why we should breake the bonde of peace and make such trouble in the Church of God to reiect the Gouernment that in the nature thereof is as much indifferent as the solemnizing this or that day the memoriall of the Lordes resurrection And yet we celebrate the same on the Sunday onely as those Bishops of Rome at that time did Which I hope we doe without all offence though we haue no precept in Scripture for it And therefore as Polycarpus and Anicetus differing in that point notwithstanding did not violate the peace and vnitie of the Church so according to Irenaeus rule while no such excessiue superioritie is maintayned of vs as the Pope since that time hath vsurped but such as we finde practised in the primitiue Church and in the verie Apostles age wee ought neither to condemne or speake or thinke euill of other good Churches that vse an other Eccl gouernement than we doe neyther ought they to doe the like of ours Not that euerie person in one and the same Church should vse this libertie of difference without controlement and restraint of the superior in that Church wherein he liueth For though it were lawfull for one Church to differ from an-other being not so tyed to vniformitie as to vnitie yet is it not méete for one Church to differ from it selfe but to be both in vnitie and be ruled also by vniformitie Especially where Law bindes them to obedience Which argueth that the Bishop of Rome had not the Gouernment and direction of all other Churches for then he would haue brought then vnto his bent But he in his iurisdiction they likewise in theirs had such seuerall superiorities that those which would not obey their orders being thus disposed continued and established before their times might worthily be punished for their contempt should well deserue as sharpe if not sharper reprehension of euerie good Polycrates and Irenaeus than did Victor Now as this was the state of Bishops then euen from the Apostles times till Victor beganne to disturbe the same as we haue séene alreadie in Pantaenus and Clemens of Alexandria that were Doctors or Teachers in the schooles and withall Priestes or Elders pastorall in the Church and yet not Bishops so likewise in Origene Heraclas and Tertullian c. it is no lesse if not a great deale more apparant For when Origene for his singuler reading and preaching beganne to growe so famous that he was of many desired to come to their Churches and that a Prince of Arabia had sent to his Bishop Demetrius to haue him come and preach there of this briefly saith Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 15. being intreated he went thether he taught them they beleeued he returned Howbeit before he went he left Heraclas in his place of whom he him-selfe testifieth as Eusebius noteth Heraclas that now beautifieth the chayre of Preist-hood or Eldership at Alexandria and yet at that time Heraclas was not Bishop but chosen after Demetrius But after a small time ciuill warre arising at Alexandria while other went to other places he to wit Origen withdrew himselfe to the parts of Palestine and taried at Caesarea where the office of disputing in the Church and expounding the diuine Scriptures was enioyned vnto him of the Bishop euen while as yet the order of Priest or Elder was not bestowed vppon him as we fynde recorded in the epistle of Alexander writing againe vnto Demetrius reprouing these things long after But he writeth in this manner As for that yee added in your letters that it was neuer heard of or done at anie time that lay men should dispute where Bishops were present I know not why ye would auouche so manifest an vntrueth Since that the custome is this that if anie where such men bee founde in the Church that can enstructe the brethren and comfort the people they should alwaies be inuited or bidden thereunto of the holy Bishops as Euelpius was of our brother Neon at Larandos Paulinus of Celsus at Iconium Theodorus of Atticus at Synnada Neither also it is doubted but that very many likewise in other places if there be any that competently can fulfill the worke of God in the word and doctrine they shoulde bee inuited of the Bishops Nowe Origen thus trauelling in preaching before he was ordeyned a Priest or Elder and being requested saith Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 18. of the Churches that are at Achaia to come thether and conuince the heretikes that in those places were growne vp more at liberty while he was trauelling thither and of necessity must passe by Palestine hee was ordeyned a Prieste or Elder at Caesarea of the Bishops of that Prouince The Bishops that made him Priest were saith Ierome Theoctistus B. of Caesarea and Alexander B. of Ierusalem who had say the Centuriographers the cheefest authority in those parts Which dignity meaning of Priesthoode and Eldershippe when it brought great admiration vnto Origen and that he was euery where in great authority and reuerence with all men for his learning and wisdome Demetrius enuying his glory fame did grieuously and bitterly accuse those Bishops that had promoted Origene vnto priesthoode c. Being certified therfore in his absence of the enuie and euill will of Demetrius against him he aboad at Caesarea and there taught leauing Heraclas his successor at Alexandria At what time saith Eusebius lib. 6. cap. 19. among the bishops of the nation of Cappadocia Firmilianus of the city of Caesarea was bountiful he bore such reuerence for wisedome and Learning still towardes Origen that he was euer constrayning him to stay with him And he also forsaking his Church made
the first Chapiter is that a Byshop ought Towne by Towne to ordayne Ministers of blamelesse life and of sounde doctrine Whereby he may stop the seducers mouthes and blame such as teache peruerse thinges that they may at length become sounde and repent In which wordes he signifieth that both Titus was a bishop and that generally all such as are Bishoppes haue a Superiority ouer Pastors and Ministers both to ordeine them and to correct them And vpon these wordes For this cause I left thee in Creta c. Hee saith Hauing finished the Preface and salutation he treateth of well ordeyning those thinges that were of Paule omitted by reason of his sudaine departure and of ordeining byshoppes in euery Towne Because hee woulde not haue a want of gouernment in the Churche but that all might bee doone in order and decentlye hee woulde that some man notable in life and Doctrine shoulde bee the gouernour to ordeyne the Ministers and to dispose all thinges rightly in the Church which shoulde take heede that no heresies shoulde arise Which to conclude shoulde studye that all things should bee done orderly neyther yet heereupon is the primacy of the Pope nor their tyrannicall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or freedome of liuing after their owne lawes and iurisdiction of the papistes which they challenge to themselues established For they serue not our Lorde Iesus Christe but endeuour them selues with all their might to extinguish the light of the gospell that by the goodnesse of God is kindled Albeit they are greatly defeated of their opinion for the bloude of the martyrs is as it were the best oyle for it causeth that the light of the gospell being kindled doth burne the more That thou mayest correct the thinges that are desired that is that thou shouldeste rightlye dispose those thinges that are desired in the ecclesiasticall ordination For Paule as it seemeth hauinge layde the foundation went vnto some other place as hee that was the Apostle and Doctoure not of one Nation but of the Gentiles leauing in the meane season among the Cretensians Titus which shoulde set in order those thinges that hee him selfe in so short a time had not furnished Note that the office of a Byshoppe in generall is to dispose rightly all thinges in the Churche And that thou shouldest in euery Towne ordeyne Preestes or Elders And the cheefest part of the Episcopall office is to ordeyn fitte Ministers of the worde c. Neyther onely doth Hemingius write thus on the occasion of these wordes of the Apostle to Titus then the which wee neede no playner testimony but also vppon the fourth of the Ephesians concerning Pastors vnder which name our Brethren woulde shelter Preestes or Elders and byshoppes not onely to bee alwayes equall but all one and the same Hemingius sayth Pastours were those whome at this day wee call Parochos Parish Preestes these were placed ouer certayne Churches that by preaching by administring the Sacramentes and by a certayne holy Discipline they mought gouerne them These are not for a time but their office is necessary in the Church euen vntill the Iudgement Doctours are these whome the Churche in times past called Catechizers whose office was to prescribe the forme of Doctrine and to deliuer the foundations of the Doctrine which the Pastours afterwardes shoulde followe Such as at this day teache the youth Religion in the schooles These haue regarde that the true interpretation and a iust measure of teaching bee reteyned in the Churche Howbeit notwithstanding in the time of the Apostles the manner of promoting as it is nowe in vse was not yet receiued Neuerthelesse we must vnderstand that the godly gouernors of the Churches and of the schooles ordeyned the degrees of promotions vppon good and profitable counsayl both that the arrogaunte shoulde not vsurpe to them-selues this Title of honoure without the Iudgemente of the Churche and also that suche as were fit men mighte bee acknowledged by the publike testimonie and bee had in price Neyther this contrary to the dignity of the Ecclesiasticall Hierarchy which is commendeth order and comelinesse to the Church it leaueth vnto her the righte of ordeyning the customes which seeme to make for order and decency Wherefore there is no cause that wee shoulde regarde these speeches of the proude spirites of suche as contemne these Ecclesiasticall degrees if so bee that they vnto whome such degrees are collated shall remember that they are not the badges of the contempte of others or of arrogaunte Supereminency but rather the publike Testimonies of the duety that they owe to the Church and whereunto as it were with a publike Sacrament they be bounde But perhappes the aduersaries obiect that the Churche maye not knowe Pompe but shoulde haue the triall of Fayth and of holye life of prayer and the laying on of handes I aunswere it is nothing vnfitting for Christians to bestowe or collate the Testimonyes of learninge and honestye vppon those that are godlye and learned men that the Churche maye knowe vnto whome shee mighte safely commende the gouernment and the care of Doctrine Neyther hindreth it that such promotions haue nowe of long time beene abused so that the defilings of them being wiped away wee maye retayne the thinges that to the Churches and to the Schooles are profitable Again they make exception and say that the Lorde prohibited to be called Rabbi and Masters on the earth because one is Master I aunswere the same L. saith we must not call father on the earth who notwithstanding in his Lawe commaundeth the parentes to bee honoured Wherefore that forbidding is not to bee vnderstoode of the appellation or naminge but of another matter besides that the circumstaunce of the place doth sufficiently conuince what is the meaning of that forbidding For hee addeth He that is greatest of you shall be your minister Again he that exalteth himselfe shal be humbled The Lorde therefore woulde not that the appellation of Father or of Master or of Doctoure shoulde bee taken awaye but the arrogant trust therein Hee woulde not haue that wee shoulde like of our selues if wee seeme to excell in anye giftes Hee woulde haue vs that wee shoulde not arrogantlye preferre oure selues before others but rather that hee whiche is the greatest shoulde make him selfe the Minister vnto all Hee woulde not haue vs deuise anye newe Doctrine but that in matters of saluation vve shoulde followe our onelye Master Iesus Christe But as for that they vrge the sayinge of the Apostle Iames who sayth My Brethren bee yee not many masters knowinge that yee shall receiue the greater iudgement It is easily refelled For Iames in his forbiddinge setteth downe this reason For wee slippe all of vs in many things The sense therefore of this forbidding is that we woulde not bee rough controllers of other mens manners Thus sayth this excellent learned man Hemingius of these degrées and Titles of Schooles and Ecclesiasticall promotions and in his Sintagma
that the Church is kept by order and lost 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by lacke of order For which cause he hath instituted many also and diuerse orders of ministers not onely in times past in Israell but also after-wardes in the Church gathered together of the Iewes and of the Gentiles and also for the same cause hee hath left it free vnto the Churches that they might adde moe orders or not adde them so that the same may be done to aedification Whereas therefore when all the Ministers of the worde were called equally both Pastors and also Bishops also Priests or Elders and whereas they were of equall authoritie one afterwarde beganne to be preferred aboue all his Colleagues howbeit not as their Lorde but as the Rector in the vniuersitie aboue his other Colleagues to this man in principall the care of the whole Church was cōmitted whereupon and by a certaine kinde of Excellencie hee alone was accustomed to be called by the name of bishop and Pastor the residue of his fellow Ministers being contented with the name of Priests or Elders in so much that in euery City there began to be one onely Bishop and many Priestes or Elders This thing we iudge cannot be dissalowed Of which matter the declaration and the sentence of Ierome both otherwhere and also in the epistle to Euagrius and in the commentaries of the Epistle to Titus chap. 1. is of vs approued Who saith all this came rather of custome than of the verity of the Lordes disposing that the plants of dissensions of schismes might be taken away Verily by this reason those things also that were ordeyned concerning Arch-bishops yea and of the 4. Patriarkes euen before the Nicene Councell it selfe wee thinke may be excused and defended although that all thinges in successe of time afterwardes were drawen awaye vnto the greatest tyrannie and ambition which is the cause why that the neerer wee approche in those orders to the Apostolicall simplicitie so muche the more is it also of vs allowed And we iudge that euery where they should endeuour to approch thereto Nowe when Zanchius hath added certaine other Aphorismes concerning the Church and the lawfull Ministers thereof he setteth downe Aphorism 20. their authoritie saying We beleeue also that great authoritie is of Christe giuen vnto the lawfull Ministers to wit to performe those thinges whereunto also they are called to preach the Gospell to interprete the holy scriptures according to the analogie of the faith to catechise to teach the people what is the will of God to reprooue and rebuke as well the great as the small to remitte or reteyne sinnes ministerially to binde the impenitent and to loose the repentant to administer also the Sacraments which Christ instituted and according to his manner deliuered to exercise Discipline after the prescription of Christe and also by the expounding of the Apostles to conclude to all those things also which though they be not expressed in the holy scriptures notwithstanding do appertaine to order and to comlinesse and make to edification but not to destruction according to the generall rule deliuered of the Apostle That all thinges ought to be doone in order decently and to aedification For neither doe we beleeue that any authoritie is giuen to the ministers that ought to be stretched beyonde the boundes of Gods worde or vnto anie other ende than to the aedification of the Church And therefore we vtterly deny that any Bishop yea or that all of them together haue authoritie of ordeyning any thing contrarie to the scriptures of adding any thing vnto them or of takeing any thing from them of making newe articles of the faith of instituting new Sacramentes of bringing into the Church new worships of setting forth lawes that should bind the consciences and that should be made equall in authoritie to the lawe of God or of hauing dominion in the Church and consciences of the faithfull of forbidding those thinges that God hath graunted and would haue to bee free Or finally of commanding any thing that is without the worde of God as though it were necessarie to saluation sithe that it can not truely be sayde that indeede the whole Church hath not this authoritie Hauing thus in euery particuler set downe and limited the authoritie of the lawefull Ministers of the Church according to the worde of God he procéedeth Aphorisme 21. vnto this that the politike authoritie of Bishops which also are Princes is not to be denied for any thing before restrayned In the meane season we denie not that Bishops which with-all are also Princes besides the authoritie Ecclesiasticall should also haue their lawes politike and powers seculer yea euen as the rest of Princes haue the right of the commaunding seculer thinges the right of the sworde some of them the right of Electing and confirming kinges and Emperours and of ordeyning and administring other politike thinges and of compelling the people subiecte vnto them to yeelde them obedience and there-upon we confesse that vnto their politike commaundementes which with-out the transgression of Gods lawe may be kept their subiectes ought to obey not onely for feare but also for conscience For we knowe that all power is of God and who-so-euer resisteth resisteth the ordinance of God And that moreouer kinges are to be honored and we ought to be subiect to Princes and Lords in all feare not onely to those that are courteous and modest but also to the froward and wicked To conclude when he commeth to Ecclesiast Discipline which Aphorisme 36. he deuideth into popular and clericall in the 3. part of the clericall discipline Aphorisme 38. he saith The third is that they should promise peculiar obedience in things that are honest vnto their Bishop and to the Metropolitane of the Bishops Nowe although by all these Aphorismes of this excellent Learned man and great light of our age Zanchius it is most apparant what his Iudgement is of the superioritie of Bishops and with what reasons he prooueth and confirmeth the same to be in all pointes agréeable to Gods worde Yet for the further confirmation of these thinges and to satisfie all suche as shoulde or did mislike anie thing conteyned in them let vs also not thinke it tedious to peruse certaine other obseruations that he hath lastly adioyned to these Aphorismes in the foresaid confession of the faith with the preface of his reasons for the same The obseruations of the same Zanchius vpon his confession Neither fewe nor light are the causes with the which I was drawen that I had leauer adde these obseruations to my confession apart by thē selues than to alter any thing therein There are not a fewe vnto whom it is knowen on what occasion at what time by whose commaundement in whose name and to what ends I being indeede vnwilling and compelled wrote the summe of the Christian Religion But although ech man seeth that this
séeme to haue for all their Learned discourse hereon and to those that haue more authoritie than we both from this let vs comr to an other principle that our Brethren as a correlatiue set downe hereupon who to confirm that they haue sayde do further say And first he may no more lawfully haue charge of 2. or 3. Churches then he can possibly be in diuerse places And is not this possible for him well inough to bee in diuerse places Therfore for any thing here alleaged to the contrary he might haue 2. or 3. Churches possiblie and lawefully well inough If they saye it is not possible to be in diuerse places alwayes and together at once that is another matter And sooth indéed it is plaine impossible But is this required with such absolute necessitie in euery Pastor may not sickenesse prisonment banishment sute of lawe attendance on the Princes commaundement repaire to prouinciall nationall or oecuimenicall Synodes and a number of such like occasions make a Pastor be in other places other whiles than where he is Pastor And yet be Pastor there still in vertue of his office though not in action of his person while he is thus absent If our Brethren say this absence is not ordinarie but rather his spirite and heart is present with them for all the inuoluntarie detention of his bodie what doth that helpe the matter Since we plainely sée héereby that he may on so many-folde occasions remaining notwithstanding a true and faithfull Pastor be both possibly and lawefully in other places Neyther are anie permitted to be at anie time absent ordinarile except vpon lawefull and expedient considerations and necessarie prouisions of supplie If our Brethren reply that euen because there may fall out such extraordinarie occasions of the Pastors absence they would therefore rather of the twaine that there shoulde bee moe Pastors in one place than to haue but one Pastor in moe places because the one in such cases may supplie the others absence although we must not so muche alwayes attende what wée would haue as what wee may haue and what euerie congregation may sustaine yet is not this againe in effect all one as when the Pastor findeth at his charges and is so bounde by lawe to doe if vppon anie consideration hée him-selfe be licensed to be absent his lawefull and sufficient Substitute to the instruction of all and euerie member of the same Churche in the time of his absence And is not this the néerer way to bring two Pastors also to one congregation yea euen in those that are the lesser congregations And yet were there two or moe Pastor in euerie congregation if ech Pastors continuall presence must be still with all euery member of the same Church what one Pastor can there be that shall alwaies bee still present with euery one but be absent from some while he is present with other Yea if as S. Paul calleth diuers families diuers churches Rom. 16.5.1 Cor. 16.19 Colloss 4.15 and Philem. ver 21. If he goe but as S. Paule saide he did at Ephesus Act. 20. ver 20. from one house to another how might not this be spokē against any that shold do the like that he may no more lawfullie haue charge of two or three Churches that is two or thrée families than he can be possible in diuerse places But if he may be possiblie well inough in diuerse places though not at once but at diuerse times then as the diuerse places bee néerer or easier to bee looked vnto so the charge of two or three Churches as to the state hauing authoritie to prouide therefore shal be thought conuenient may lawfullie inough be of him sustained But to inforce this vnlawfulnesse and impossibilitie further they adde this similitude No more than a shepheard of whom he taketh his name may haue the leading of sundrie flockes in diuerse places neither may hee be absent from his charge with better reason that a shepheard from his flock Although this similitude be too preciselie here by our brethren vrged in this pount yet to ioyne with them therein whie maye not also the verie shepheards of the brute beasts haue the leading of sundrie flockes in diuerse places Had not Iacob so both of Labans flockes of sheepe and of his owne which flocks went not alwaies together And how much easier may he be a ringleader or chiefe maister-shepheard hauing other inferior shepheards vnder him to leade the diuerse flockes whereof he hath taken charge vpon him and though al haue charge also and be shepheards of the same function that he is yet as he may haue a greter skil so he may haue a greater dignitie both ouer diuerse flocks of sheepe ouer the diuerse perticular shepheards of thē Yea for the absence of the shepheard was not Dauid appointed by his father to kéepe his sheep And yet he was both called from thē to be annointed of Samuel he remayned shepheard still euen after he was made Sauls Esquire as it is saide 1. Sam. 17.15 Dauid went and returned from Saule that he might feede his Fathers flocke in Bethlehem And when he was there his father sent him with victuals gifts to his Brethren to their Captaine in the armie And saith the text verse 20. So Dauid rose vp early in the morning and left the sheepe with a keeper Montanus translates it Et reliquit pecus super custodientem Saith Vatablus Iuxta custodem 1. commendauit gregem custodi As is the vulgar he commended the sheepe to a keeper The 72. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tremelius saith deserto grege penes custodem So that Dauid heere being his Fathers shephearde did appoint a substitute shepheard in his absence And though his Brethren vpbrayded him as our Brethren here doe vs and sayde verse 28. VVhy camest thou downe hether VVith whom hast thou left those fewe sheepe in the wildernesse c. Yet Dauid iustly defendes himselfe and saide VVhat haue I nowe done Is there not a cause So that hauing a cause he iustifies his absence and atchiued therby a worke no lesse necessarie and farre more beneficiall to Gods Church while his substitute attended in his shéepe But say our Brethren As for substitutes or hyrelinges will not be allowed in this case for Pastors are substitutes of God and haue an office of credite cōmitted vnto thē Therfore by no good reason may they make any substitutes in their place or cōmit their charge vnto another This reason not onely toucheth Eccl. Pastors but ciuill Princes that are called Substitutes of God and Pastors also of their people not onely of Homer but in the scripture 3. Reg. 22. Micheas prophecying of Achabs death though a wicked king saieth I sawe all Israell scattered on the mountaines as sheepe that had no Pastor And Esa. 44.28 the Lorde himselfe sayth to Cyrus Thou art my Pastor and he shall performe all my desire And
to yéelde to it in the ende and in a byous manner to acknowledge it that the Ecclesiasticall gouernment order for ouerseeing the Churches which they pretend is not of anie necessitie by GOD commanded nor anie perpetuall order to all ages and Churches by Christ and his Apostles prescribed Which if it be not then our Churches state is not so corrupt as they exclaime Nay let them looke then vnto it how trulie they auouch it so to bee and make such a contentious rupture in the Church for it If it be howe can they héere giue anie extraordinarie and temporall order warrant or plakarde for anie meane time to the contrarie So that both wayes our Brethren apparantlie goe about héerein both to abuse themselues and vs. But now thinking that by this Interim wrought by all these foresayd meanes they should effect many and mightie matters our Bretheren waxing bolde procéede to aunswere euen to anie mannes thoughtes that shoulde doubt so much as anie difficultie in bringing about these things If anie man saie they thinke this is ouerhard to bee brought to passe let him consider that there was neuer woorke of more difficultie than to build vp the Church of God so that the necessitie cōmoditie of the work shuld cause vs to staie nothing at the difficultie therof for with our faithfull endeauour wee shall not want the mightie assistance of God who will blesse our godlie labours with greater successe than wee can looke for How hard many of these things are we haue heard alreadie and easilie may coniecture Yea how dangerous and vnnecessarie some of them be and how some of them are alreadie in experience But nowe to our better incouragement to giue the onset on all these meanes wee must imagine that they are the building vp of the Church of God than the which nothing is more necessarie or commodious and therefore nothing should cause vs to staie at the difficultie thereof Verilie Fortis imaginatio can do much as we sée in our Brethren that imagine these presupposals and thereon dare aduenture to enterprise neuer so difficult attemptes to atchieue this their strong imagination But godlie and staied men must not run on such headstrong fantasies but vppon assured groundes Now when we should come to the ground-worke of this building and finde that which our Brethren imagine hath no better foundation on Gods word for the building vp of such a frame as they and not the word of God prescribeth withall that this their modill which they haue complotted is the manifest scattering and pulling downe of that which in the Church of God is alreadie builded and for the chiefest part is not so necessarie and in some pointes most dangerous besides the difficultie to bring the same to passe no meruaile though so many staie and dare not hazard to build on this platforme and in this manner as our Brethren call vpon vs. For as Saint Paul saith Gal. 2.18 If I build againe the things which I haue pulled downe I make my self a trāsgressor so If I pul down the things that I haue builded if they be wel builded vp I make my selfe also another trāsgressor And sith we haue alredie builded on the onlie foundation Iesus Christ and God hath alreadie blessed our building if now anie other will build thereon and turquise our building except he can bring better proofes that we build amisse and that God allowes not nor likes our building and shewe that not onelie we may more easilie and also with more beautie and profite build after another order that he wil teach vs but that we must and are bound to build on that fashion he presumeth too farre and offereth vs wrong and maye doe more hurt and hinderaunce to the building of the Church of GOD than euer for all his zeale hee shall doe good or bee able to further the same except to put it further off than alreadie it is But saie our Brethren with our faithfull endeauour wee shall not want the mightie assistance of God who will blesse our godlie labours with greater successe than we can looke for Verie true in all faithfull endeauours grounded on a good matter and proceeding by a good order GOD will blesse our godlie labours and his name bee blessed for it so he hath done notwithstanding all the stops both of our foraine enimies and of our owne brethrens domesticall impediments we haue not wanted the mightie assistaunce of God blessing our godlie labors and that with greater successe than they acknowledge or wish or we haue deserued or in these troubles wee could haue looked for So that in this behalf we may wel recomfort our selue◠with that saying of the 124. Psalme If the Lord had not bene on our side maie Israel now saie if the Lord had not beene on our side when men rose vp against vs they had swallowed vs vp quicke when their wrath was kindled against vs. And in the 127. following Except the Lord build their house the labour is in vaine that build it And since God hath thus blessed our handie workes euen beyond all that wee looked for for although wee might well looke for no lesse of the professed aduersaries of the Gospell yet who would haue looked for such vnthankfulnesse to God and such hinderance of the worke of God among our selues at our Brethrens hands the professors with vs of Christs Gospel Shal we now also looke for new deuises and with them contemne and alter all that the Lord hath alredie so mightilie blessed and looke for him also to blesse the labours of our handes in the contrarie to that we haue begun to labour and wherein we haue so prosperouslie proceeded and which God hath alreadie blessed with such mightie assistance and successe But now our Brethren supposing these thinges might bee well compassed most confidenilie they auowe and saie If God therefore will graunt that these and such like meanes may take place by the high authoritie of our dreade Soueraigne the Queenes Maiestie and continue this comfortable peace which wee inioie vnder her most gracious gouernment we dare ieopard our liues that in lesse than halfe the time that is alreadie properouslie passed of her Maiesties moste honourable and glorious raigne the necessitie of learned Pastors shall be so well supplied as we shall haue no great cause to complaine for lack of them if we may vse like diligence to continue them if not wee will spend the rest of our life in mourning expectation of the heauie vengeance of GOD which must needes fall vpon vs for this manifest contempt of his expresse commandement and neglect of increasing the glorious kingdome of our sauiour Christ. In the meane time we may boldlie saie with the Apostle Act. 20. We testifie vnto you this daie that wee are cleane from the bloud of you all for we haue not failed to shew you the whole councell of God concerning the regiment of his
title be this Of them that are baptised in priuate houses in time of necessity yet afterward saith the book also they shall warn them that without great cause and necessity they baptise not children at home in their house And when great need shal compell theÌ„ so to doe that they minister it on this fashion c. But go to let vs say as they would onely haue vs say that if it be permitted of vs to be administred in any priuate place it is only but in case of necessity what say they hereto As though say they there were such necessity of the outward signe when it cannot be ministred according to the Institution of Christe What do our breth here mean that there is no necessity at al of baptism although there be no such necessity is there no necessity of consequence of condition nor of conueniency aswel as absolute simple and ineuitable necessity If generally there were no necessity at all of baptizing then it were frée whether we woulde be baptized or no But it is not free Christe did institute baptisme vnder flat commandement therefore there is a necessity and an important necessity of it Did not baptism succéed circumcisioÌ„ as Paul clearly setteth out Col. â— 11 12. In whom also ye are circâ—mcised saith he c. And was there no necessity at al of circumcision we grant this necssity was not so absolute that it reached to them before their time assigned no nor yet after was it so absolute necessity that it reached to them while they trauelled in the wildernesse God dispeÌ„sing for other manifold necessities in that long iourney with the necessity of that Sacrament And yet Gods commaundement remaining intire and they with such a necessity seuerly bounde that they shoulde not contemne on their partes the obedience and execution of it And therefore sayeth Zanchius in this very well in his confession of Christian Religion concerning Baptisme Capite decimo quinto Aphor. 5. Wee beleue that baptisme is altogether necessary in the Church as a sacrament instituted of Christ which the Church can so little want that where it is not when it may be had there we may not acknowledge the Church of Christ. Howbeit we thinke it neede-full vnto saluation in this wise that notwithstanding if any for the defaulte of the Minister but not through contempt depart this life not sprincled with the water we beleeue not that he is therfore damned and wrapped in eternall destruction For the children of the faithfull are therefore saued because they are in the couenant but they that be of ripe yeeres because they beleue in Christe with a true faithe which verilye cannot suffer the contempt of Christs commandement Gellius Snecanus whome we haue before often and at large cited that we might sée how our brethren aunswere them-selues in his method of baptisme the sixt part sayth The sixt circcumstaunce remaineth when baptisme should be administred Here we must note although the time be free yet by Gods threate Gen. 17. where the neglect of circumcision is esteemed the violating of Gods couenant it consequently followeth that fit occasion being offered baptisme ought forth with to be administred Whereunto exhorteth vs the daunger that was imminent on Moses by the delay of Circumcision in his childe The same doe the examples of the godly teach those that were Act. 2. baptised of Peter Act. 8. of Philip. Act. 16. of Paule Here is to be reprehended the abuse of many and cheefely of great men in this our age deferring baptizme vnto some moneths I knowe not for what causes c. The examples of the ancients sheltereth neither these lingerers neither the Anabaptists as it shall be noted in his place Thus writeth Gell. on this necessity And eueÌ„ immediatly he procéedeth to the lawful manner of administring baptizm which because it commeth next to hand I will also heere set downe Let vs come at length saith he vnto the lawfull manner Here is required that baptisme should be administred intirely with all his partes according to the circuÌ„stances of the Institution of the administration In the administration therfore of baptism let the summe of the doctrin concerning the couenant imputation of faith coÌ„prehending as wel the children as the pareÌ„ts be repeated To these let ther be added an explication of the general commandement of baptizing all nations and of the finall causes of baptism instituted according to the summe and order of a method For the signes of their owne nature signify nothing but by the institution of God Therfore it is necessary that all things be referred to the will of God which is made manifest in the holy scriptures Afterward let the examples of circumcision and of the baptism of the Israelites c. come hereto Finally let al this doctrine be concluded with the inuocation of the name of God Thus writeth hee also of the full manner and forme that hee woulde haue obserued in the sacrament And is not the forme that is prescribed vnto vs in effect the same Hellopaeus agréeinge hereunto both for the necessity of this sacrament so farre forth as we do vrge the same and for the places circumstances and order that here wée stand vpon For the necessity in his 5. chapter concerning the efficacy of baptisme whether it wash away sinnes or conferre grace Among other thinges after his proofes pag. 120. he saith Neither must we thinke Baptism to be absolutely necessary to saluation Neuerthelesse me thinkes I heare the papistes some other who notwithstanding will not seeme to bee Papistes arise against me affirming that baptisme is so muche necessary that they teach except this sacrament bee adioyned they cannot attain vnto saluation no not by faith But we also verily do confesse that by the ordinance of God the sacrameÌ„t of baptism is a certain thing correquisite to saluation Neither can it be omitted without sacrilege Yea rather if it be omitted by contempt this shold be a deadly heinous offence except vpon earnest repentance following Howbeit to say it is so necessarie that if any be excluded by necessity whereby he cannot vse it that he should be in danger of his saluation we affirme it to be a manifest error Neither say we it is the depriuing of the sacrament but it is the contempt that is the deadly thing And again Cap 8. page 155. he bringeth in these wordes against the Papistes that our brethren iuiuriously obiect to vs. And after he hath alleaged his reasons against Women and lay persons administring baptisme whose doing we allowe not neither yet doth our booke allow it for any such persons to haue done it Though if it bee done be done in such order that they obserued both for the matter and the forme the element of Water and the wordes that Christ assigneth to be vsed with other godly prayers at the doing the Booke to anoyde all cauilles of Anabaptists only
of any of both the sacramentes themselues Saue in generall that they must néedes be had in the Church as Zanchius said not onely as necessarie tokens and demonstrances of the true Churches but also as Gods seales ordeined for the confirmation of our faith such parts of his couenant with vs and ours with him as the whole Church is bound to haue vse But wheÌ„ it comes to the particuler vse application we do not so necessarily tie theÌ„ to this or that person of or in the Church that if they haue theÌ„ not be it not by their own default the want of theÌ„ may endanger their saluation the vertue wherof depends not vpoÌ„ any sacrameÌ„t or is included in it Neither acknowledge we any necessitie of it but such only as is agréeable to Christs institution And therfore wheÌ„ we say baptisme maybe ministred in priuate places for necessity our breth reply as though there were such necessity of the outward signe when it caÌ„not be ministred according to the institution of Christ c. This reply is not to the matter in hand For that necessity that is of the institutioÌ„ of Christ is a méere and absolute necessitie and of the substantiall partes of the sacramentes either for the matter or forme of them whosoeuer shall minister or receaue them and when and where soeuer they shall be receaued But thâ—s prescribeth not any time when nor any place where they shal be necessarily receaued No nor the parties that shall receaue nor yet the parties that shall only minister them Howbeit our question is now here not so much for the persons that shall minister them for we yéelde that none orderly ought so to do but he that is lawfully called thereunto Neither permitte we but forbid all other and punish them if any be found so to haue offended nor yet for the person to be baptized whatsoeuer necessitie lies on him to haue it but on the place For although it must néedes be done in some place or not done at all and the most necessarie respecting conueniencie is the pubike place to wite the temple yet this being none of the partes of the sacrament nor this or that place publike or priuate but an accident perteyning to circumstance why should exception be made of this that because it is done in a priuate place and that for necessitie of conueniencie that there can be no such necessitie of the outwarde signe when it can not be ministred according to the institution of Christ Did Christ mention place in his institution Or rather doth he not include al conuenient places without exception when he saith goe ye into all the world to baptize c. and did they it not both in the open riuers and in priuate houses And where and when and how was the Lordes supper instituted if we should vrge the institution on that fashion Let our Brethren proue that the publike place and that the preaching of a sermon by a preacher vnderstanding the worde as they conster it is a materiall part of the substance of the sacrament by Christs institution and straight will I yéelde vnto our Brethren that no kinde of necessitie in the worlde may alter it But good Brethren take good aduice how ye enter into the maintenance of that point Which if it be true then the sacramentes without a sermon preached are not onely corruptly ministred or receaued but not ministred nor receaued at all wanting the substantiall partes that make a sacrament And so it might be further called in question whether we or they be as yet baptized at all yea or no. But I am most assured that we be notwithstanding as Beza sayth all the pollutions of the Pope And if those I meane not his tromperies and trash that he added but his suppressinges of the declaring the verie institution of Baptisme besides his manifolde and horrible errors of doctrine concerning Baptisme that then blinded both the people and the minister were not yet able to make baptisme vneffectuall shall we nowe say or thinke and beate this scruple into the peoples heades that all these superstitions and errors being remoued and hauing Gods pure woorde and promise ioyned to the simple element ordeyned of Christ hauing withall the whole nature of the sacrament so fully and clerely set out that all the people may perceaue it and receaue great edification by it and a lawefull minister doe it and all the congregation ioyne their prayers and thankesgiuing to it and perhaps also some godly and learned homily or exhortation or sermon written and set out by some learned preacher reade vnto the people at that time tush tush what talke ye of all this If if it be not done onely in publike place appointed that is to witte the Church or Temple if it be not ministred only by a preacher yea and if he preach not a sermon at the ministration of it al is corrupt and vnauaileable All is nothing els but a worldly a dead a beggerly element a seale without a writing A separation of the ministration of preaching the worde from the sacramentes and what can it be better than sacrilege Thus do our Brethren shake al off make our sacraments as ill yea worse than the very Papists yea to be none at all and so to be no Church not where preaching is not but where it is not ioyned to the sacramentes As for Beza his wordes from whence our Brethren séeme to haue borowed theirs if they had reteyned the same moderation of spéech that Beza doth we would haue ioyned with them For we say herein as he doth Therefore the necessitie of receauing the sacraments reacheth not so farre foorth that without exception euery one that hath not obteyned them is cleane fallen from saluation but thus farre foorth onely that he which shall haue dispised them sithe that he declareth himselfe to be an infidell is guiltie of eternall death except he shall haue acknowledged it and repented him of it Well therefore doth Bernard testifie not the depriuing but the conteÌ„pt condemneth But he cannot be thought to haue contemned the sacramentes that could not so receaue them as they were ordeyned of the Lorde And God forbid that we should imagine any cases of necessitie in which we might violate the ordinance of the Lorde As indeede they doe as verily vnto me it seemeth which transferre or assigne ouer the ministerie of baptizing vnto women or to any other priuate persons And they that without the publike assemblie and times not prescribed of the Church doe administer the Lords supper So that here he alloweth a necessitie of baptisme but not anye such as were against the Lordes ordinance And he speaketh of them that transferre and assigne ouer the ministerie of baptisme to women or priuate persons as for the other of place time he restayneth to the supper of the Lord not to baptisme From the two former for the acknowledgement
end hereof Are these two preaching and ministration of the sacramentes seuerall offices For else how hang these wordes together For although the office of preaching be more excellent than of ministration of the sacraments as S. Paul speaketh comparatiuely if then they be different Ecclesiasticall offices and that so distinct that Saint Paule speaketh comparatiuely of these two offices and in that comparison separateth the one from the other then although they be of neuer so néere affinitie which soeuer be principall or which accessory if this with all be true that one office requireth one officer that to put 2. offices to one officer were confusion and euerie officer may fully dischâ—â—ge his owne office without the intermedling with any other office why may there not then bee a minister of the sacramentes distinct and seuerall from a preacher and minister the sacramentes to the faithfull people though he preach not being a seuerall distinct office from preaching as wel as a preacher distinct from a minister of the sacramentes and preach the worde to the faithfull people though he minister not the sacraments vnto them But I will not so straightly presse our Brethren These two offices may be well and better in one officer euen as may the doctor and the Pastor and yet they may be separated well inough in some So that hereby with the residue aforesaide I conclude that this conclusion of our Brethren is not a true but a most vntrue be it spoken with due reuerence and a most daungerous conclusion That where there is no preacher of the worde there ought to be no minister of the Sacramentes The argument of the 8. Booke THE 8. Booke consisteth of the Pastors dutie in publike prayers First whether all publike prayer ought onely to be such as is all conceaued and vttered by the minister and not to followe any ordinary prescribed forme with a view of the Iewes publike prayers before Christs comming The order of the Church in the Apostles times and in the primitiue age with the times next succeeding and of the orders of the reformed Churches Whether the people might not ioyne altogether their voyces in some of the publike prayers with the Pastors to auoyde confusion but onely to close with him in their consent by aunswering Amen with another like viewe of the order in the olde and newe Testament for the peoples voyces without confusion and of the primitiue and auncient Churches order therein Whether any seuerall prayers may now and then be vsed in publike congregations with a like perusall thereof in the olde and new Testament Of the abuses that our Brethren complaine vpon for long prescribed formes of publike prayers the ministers ill pronouncing the people 's not attending the vnsensible reading the ministers vnfitte place screenes Rood-lofts organe loftes chauntrey chappels high pewes opinion of well seruing God walking talking in the Church gathering money for the poore priuate prayer and reading neglect of preaching by reason of praying the establishment of both comparison of our publike prayers to the Popish seruice of the seruices giuing place to a sermon and whether publike prayer may be made without a sermon preached therat with another view of the vse throughout the scripture and in the primitiue Church Whether we contemne or thrust out preching for praying or no. Whether morning and euening prayer may be song in the churches Of the order in Cathedrall collegiate churches and mens delight to come and heare the seruice there being moued thereto by the Organes and musicke and their departing at the sermoÌ„ Our Brethrens comparison of our publik praiers to the Masse as a gentle beast that byteth not of the nature effects of our publ prayer Our Brethr. praier that all formes of prayer might be abolished to bring in preaching The peoples singing of Psal. al at once The Pastors duty in ioyning al waies these 3. preaching ministring the sacrameÌ„ts praying the auntient custome of his giuing the blessing at mariages FVrthermore it appertaineth to the dutie of the Pastor to make prayers as Act. 16.16 not only priuate as all men are bound to doe but also publ praiers in the name of the whole church Act. 6.4 1. Tim. 2.1 being the mouth thereof For wheras the spirit of God coÌ„mandeth all things to be done in decent comly order forbiddeth all confusion disorder as it were great confusion and vncomlines for euery maÌ„ to make his seuerall prayers in the publike assemblies so is it orderly for one to pronounce the prayer in the name of the rest the rest to pray with him in silence to answere Amen It is also decent that he which is the shepheard should go before the sheep in prayer the sheepe follow him in lifting vp of their harts in mutuall consent Moreouer for as much as preaching administration of the sacraments ought not to be vsed without publik prayers as it is the Pastors office to preach minister the sacraments so is it his dutie also to go before his flock in publ praiers But here we haue to obserue 2. things The first that as it pertaineth to the Pastor to coÌ„ceaue publ prayers so it is the duty of the whole Church in the name of the whole Church to ioyne in heart with the Pastor in the same prayers that they knowing and vnderstanding what he hath prayed may at the end giue their consent by aunswering Amen ALthough these quotatioÌ„s of our Breth Act. 16. v. 16. Act. 6 v. 4. 1. Tim. 2. v. 1. do not proue that this especially appertaineth to the duty of the Pastor to make the publike praiers in the name of the whole Church yet we gladly coÌ„fesse it And many other more proper places examples proue it our Pastors vse it So that herein we agrée saue for 3. great and material points here touched together For the only Pastors coÌ„ceiuing of all the prayers and so reiecting all prescribed formes For prohibiting the people to ioyne all their voices together in any prayers except onely in aunswering Amen And for their so vtter forbidding of all seueral prayers in publike assemblies All which points require a further declaration And first for these wordes of making prayers beeing vndrstoode as we commonly vse the phrase onely for praying or powring foorth our prayers vnto God as we allowe that sense so we graunt it is the Pastors dutie to make prayers not onely priuate as all men are bound to doe but also to make the publike prayers that in the name of the whole Church hee being in some respectes the mouth thereof But if by making prayers they vnderstande him to be such a maker of them that he may not pronounce any prayers which by any other are alreadie made to his hande and he by publike authority prescribed to make those publike prayers that is publikely to pronounce or say them in the name of
in those publike praiers which the pastor speaketh onelie in all the peoples name the people nowe and then did giue their responses in their courses as if may appeare by that which Ciprian afterward saith But when we stand to praier most dearlie beloued brethren we ought to watch and be intentiue to the praiers with al our heart All worldlie and carnall cogitation must go from vs Neither must the minde thinke then of anie other thing than of that onlie which it praieth Therefore the Preest also giuing foorth a preface before the praier prepareth the breth minds in saying Lift vp your harts whē the people answereth VVe haue them lifted vp vnto the Lord they may be admonished that they ought to thinke on no other thing but on the Lord. So that the people said not only Amen but had other aunsweres also vnto the Minister as may appeare further in the Letanies and Liturges of the auncient Churches And to shewe howe farre the people ioined their voices with the Minister euen long after when the Ministers had gotten a great part of the praiers to their owne pronouncing in Chrysostomes time but yet before the blasphemies Idolatries and superstitions of the Masse began or the praying in a tongue vnknown to the people or in secrete muttering that al the people hard not it is worthy the obseruing to this purpose that which Chrysost. writeth vpon the last vers of the 8. chap. of the ◠epist. of S. Paul to the Cor. Homil. 18. Wherfore shew ye towards them and before the churches the proof of your loue of the reioising that we haue of you Now saith hee receiue ye them euen as indeede ye loue vs Declare ye howe wee not simply nor rashlie do reioyce in you This shall ye do if ye shall shew forth your loue towards them And afterward he maketh his speech more dreadful saying In the sight of the churches for the glory saith hee of the churches for their honor for if ye shal honor thē ye shal honor the churches that sent them For it shall not be only their honor but also their 's that sent them chose them before all it shall be to Gods glorie For when we shall honor them that minister vnto him the glory stretcheth to him For th◠communitie of the churches but this also shal be no smal thing for great is the power of a synode that is of the churches The praier of them loosed Peter from his bondes opened the mouth of Paul Their suffrage or voice not a little beautifieth those that shall attayne to the spirituall principalities And for this cause he that shall giue orders calleth then for the Churches praiers And they giue their sentences and giue their crie thereto Which thing they that are to enter into the Ministerye doe knowe For it is not lawfull to them that are not entred into the ministerie to disclose all thinges But there is that thing wherein the Prieste differeth nothing from him that is vnder him As when the dreadfull mysteries are to be partaked for we are all holden a like worthie to partake them Not as it was in the old law the priest did eate a part the people a part it was not lawful for the people to be partaker of those things wherof the Priest was partaker Howbeit now it is not so but one bodie is brought forth vnto all and one cup. Yea and in the prayers a man shall see that he offereth together with them the full cuppe both for those that are possessed with vncleane spirites and also for those that are the penitentes For the prayers are made in common both of the Priest and of them And all of them say one prayer a prayer full of mercie Againe when we haue shutte out from the Priestes circuites those that can not be partakers of the holy table another prayer is to be made and we all lie vpon the grounde alike and we arise all alike Againe when the peace is to be communicated we salute one another all alike And again euen in the same most dreadfull mysteries the Prieste prayeth for the people and the people prayeth for the Priest For when they say and with thy spirite it is nothing else than this those thinges that are of the Euchariste that is to wit of the giuing of thanks are all of them cōmon For neither he giueth thankes alone but also al the people For hauing before their voyce then they being gathered together that this thing might worthily and iustly be done he beginnes the Euchariste or thankesgiuing And what marueilest thou if the people speake with the Priest Whereas in deede they sound out those holy hymnes in common euen with the verie Cherubines and supernall powers These thinges verily are spoken of vs that all those also which are gouerned might be sober to the end we might learne that we are all one body Onely hauing among vs so much difference as mēbers haue from mēbers And that we should not cast al vpon the Priests but that wee also euen as for a body that is common should thus beare the charge of the vniuersall Church c. By these wordes it manifestly appeareth that the Pastor in the administration of the diuine seruice sayde not all the publike prayers alone though in the name of the whole Church and the rest ioyning in hearte with him in silence to auoide confusion and disorder aunswering him onely with Amen but that they had many responses and manye whole prayers that they prayed all together in common euen in the same manner as he did without any disorder or confusion Thus we sée both that in the whole tenure of all the scripture and in the practise of the primitiue and the auncient Churche succeeding they stoode not thus precisely as neither for the prescription of the forme of publike prayers so neitther for the manner of the vtterance of them but that often they ioyned all their voyces with the minister or followed him or aunswered him with many moe words than with a bare Amen which giueth nothing but as our Brethren confesse a silent consent vnto him which is rather an approbation of his prayers for them than properly any prayers of theirs ioyned with him The thirde thing that I would haue heere further considered in this matter of publike prayer is that our Brethren say it were a great confusion and vncomelinesse for euery man to make his seuerall prayers in the publike assemblies Indeede if euerie man did make his seuerall praiers in the publike assemblies at such times as the publike prayers are openly made by the minister in the name of the whole Churche and did neither openly praye with him nor in silence giue assent vnto him so be they could heare him I confesse it were great confusion and vncomelinesse But if the ministers voyce were so lowe either by nature or infirmitie that in a great assemblie all
the publique Prayers also the forme and manner of things with what authority then do our brethren take vpon them to traÌ„spose in the Church of England that which the Church of England hath disposed with what authority can they abrogate or alter the dayes and times of preaching administring the sacraments that the Church of Engl. in like maner by her authority hath disposed with what authority can they dispose assemblies commâ—â—gs together of the people to bee made in other places than to that purpose are disposed with what authority can they controul or disobey the form manner of the publike praiers vsing those thingâ— in the ordinary seruice that the church of Eng. hath disposed to be vsed yet they wil not only refuse to vse thosethings the form manner of publike prayers nor only deface reuile them as naught but set forth oppose against that which by the churches autority is disposed another forme maner of publike prayers of their own disposing Yea if wee were disposed to examine better their owne positions how standeth this with their prayer on the other side of the leafe pag. 69. saying God graunt therfore that in steed of ordinary formes of praier we may haue preaching in all places If the church haue authority to dispose for publike prayer the form manner so that al things be done comely agreeable to order but especially that in all thinges principal regard be had to edification then not only a forme of publike praiers hindreth no whit but furthereth comlines order edificatioÌ„ but also the church vsing her authority in disposing of an ordinary form of publike praiers so well as in disposing the daies times places for preaching it cannot be that preaching in all places shoulde bee had in steed of publike praiers but that both of them should stil continue in their dayes and times places forme and manner by the Churches authority disposed And what followeth hereupon but that either our brethren must denie the Church of England to be the Church and so not to haue authority of their disposing of these things or els granting it to be the Church that is to say a particuler Church for I think they wil not say that they mean this only of the vniuersal church nor yet of euerie seueral congregation for so our Bre. assertion were not true but speaking heere indefinitely that the church hath authority to dispose these thinges they mean euery whole state of any true particular Church in Christendome As the Church of England in Engl. the Scottish Church in Scotl. the Heluetian the Geneuian the French and the Dutch Church in their owne states Which being confessed our Brethren beeing neither the Church vniuersall nor the whole state of the particular Church of England but priuate members in the Church of England and though some numbers of them heere and there collected may make some seuerall congregations yet are they not of sufficient authority no not so to collect themselues or haue any autority of making any assemblings or commings together at all in any place being but priuate persons without the disposing of them that haue autoritie in the Church or of the whole estate of the church of England therunto then must they néedes confesse withall that they doe greatly offende in going about to gaine-say and ouerthrowe this authority of the whole Church of England which hath by her authority so much as in her lies disposed ordeined and established these thinges as touching the circumstaunces for order and comelinesse sake but cheefely for edification as the dayes and times of preaching and administring the sacramentes the places meete for the same and for publike prayers also for the form and manner of vsing those things that all thinges be done comely and agreeable to order but especially that in all things principal regard bee had to aedification Nowe when the Church of Englande hath by her authority and by the authority of the supreme gouernor of her vnder Christe and of all the gouernors ecclesiasticall or politicall of her whole estate thus disposed these thinges Is it lawfull for any priuate persons bee they learned or vnleâ—rned be they few or many in the same Church to resist this autority whether this be to resist euen God or no and whether that which Saint Paule wrot to the Romaines Chapter 13. charging them beeing Christians to obey their Ciuill Magistrates though euil and Heathen in ciuill and indifferent matters do not much more binde euery particular priuate Christian all Christian subiects to obey their Christian Magistrates and all good Christian both Ecclâ—siastical and politike gouernors the whol particular estate autority of their own church wherof they are but priuate members I refer it to euery indifferent readers iudgement to our Bre. own answere on better aduisement of these thinges If our Bre. deny that they haue euer done or yet doe resist the Church of Englands authoritie in disposing these things what was all this that was last spoken of against the ordinary form of publike praier diuine seruice besides the authority it selfe of the ecclesiasticall gouernors and many other things of circumstances for dayes times places and administrations of Sacraments that they so vehemently impugne If they say that herein yet they doe not resist nor speake against the Church of Engl. for her authority to dispose these things but resist and speak against her onely for this that the she hath abused her authority and that she hath encroched further than shee hath lawfull authority to warrant her doing for that her authority as touching these circumstaunces is but for order and comelinesse sake and cheefely for edification and that it is to bée restrained with this limittation So that all thinges bee done comely and agreeable to order but especially that in all thinges principall regarde bee had to edification which S. Paule so often and so precisely vrgeth in the 14. Chapter of the Cor. Neither do we desire to haue the Churches authoritie in these circumstances to bee enlarged one inche further And euen so God bee praysed hath the Church of Englande had and especiall consideration of al these 3. points of comlinesse of order and of edification If they thinke not so acknowledging her to bee a true Church except they can proue it better than hitherto they haue done and yet should they prooue the same also if they coulde with more modesty and humility than they attempt to doe they both offer too great an iniury to their true and louing Mother the Church of England whose Children if any children of the Church they be and bewray too great a partiality to their owne opion And more séemely of the twain it might be thought to all good men that as they confesse their Mother hath authoritie giuen vnto her by their Faâ—her of disposing these circumstances to these ends and
that wée shoulde make it a matter of the substance of religion yet he driueth it to such a naturall comelinesse and with so greate and vrgent reasons for Ecclesiasticall order sake that hée maketh the comely order thereof and of suche other thinges as he there handleth for speaking in their tournes and courses to be no little aedification to the assemblie And therefore well sayth Caluine on this sentence Let all thinges be done decently and in order the conclusion is more generall he meaneth than that which was before in exhorting them to séeke after prophecie which not onely comprehendeth in briefe the whole state but also the singular partes yea rather it is a rule whereunto it behooueth vs to driue all thinges that appertayne to externall policie Because hee disputed scatteringlye of rites or ceremonies hee therefore heere woulde collecte all into a briefe summe to witte that a comelinesse shoulde be kept and confusion should be auoyded Which sentence sheweth that hee woulde not binde the consciences to the former preceptes as thinges of them-selues necessarie but so farre foorth as they shoulde serue to comelinesse and to peace Heereuppon as I haue sayde wee gather a perpetuall doctrine to what ende the policie of the Churche shoulde bee directed The Lorde hath lefte in our libertie externall rites or ceremonies therefore least wee shoulde thinke his worshippe to bee included in them Notwithstanding hee hath not in the meane season permitted vnto vs a varying and vnbrideled licence but hee hath encompassed rounde about that I may so terme them lattisses or crosse barres eyther else hath he indeed so moderated the libertie which he gaue that at lēgth we may by his worde esteeme what is right This place therfore rightly waighed will shewe the difference betweene the tyrannicall edictes of the Pope which presse the conscience with a cruell bondage and the godly lawes of the Church in which discipline and order is conteyned Besides that hereupon we may reddily gather that these later are not to be holdē for humane traditions sith that they are founded in this generall cōmandement and haue a cleare allowance from the mouth of Christe himselfe Thus notablie sayth Caluine on this sentence And is not this sentence then worthy that we should haue it alwayes in our mouthes whensoeuer we haue occasion to vrge or talke of ceremonies Or doth not this comlinesse and order stretch it selfe also to dification But if we nowe vnderstande it thus to saue our Brethrens credite that the one of these doth comprehende the other our Brethren must giue vs leaue with all to remember those that vrge these thinges which hauing alwayes in their mouthes that sentence of S. Paule 1. Cor. 14.40 Let all thinges be done decently and according to an order doe not so little remember as our Brethren charge them but remember well that the Apostle in that long Chapter laboureth whether altogether or no let that goe to driue all thinges to aedification aedification being conteyned in decencie and order and order and decencie conteyned in aedification And yet we may not simplie graunt to this disiunctiue part of this our brethrens sentence that S. Paule laboured to driue all thinges to aedification or else to driue them out of the Church for S. Paule went not about to driue any of those good giftes of God which in that long chapter hée speaketh of out of the Church of God though they were by some among them then abused and not driuen to aedification comelinesse and order but laboureth to reteine them in their right vse for the time that GOD would haue them vsed And therefore this example also is not so well alleaged of our Brethren in saying as he sayth of him that hath the gifte of tongues being of it selfe an excellent and comely gifte of the holie Ghost being vsed orderly of one or two by course with an interpreter might doe much good in the Church but if there be none interpreter sayth he iet him holde his peace in the congregation Heere is indeede mention made of holding his peace till he had an interpreter but not of driuing this gifte out of the Church And therefore Caluine with more moderation sayth hereon ver 27. he nowe describeth the order and setteth downe the manner If they like to speake with tongues let two onely speake or if not so yet let there not be more then three at the most And withall let there be present an interpreter There is no vse of tongues without an interpreter let them therefore surcease for the time But we must note that hee commaundeth it not but only permitteth it For the Church may want the tongs without any incommoditie saue in respect that they are helpes to prophecie as at this day are the Hebrue and the Greeke tongue but Paule graunteth it least he should seeme to driue away any grace of the spirit from the assemblie of the faithfull Although this also might seeme lesse agreeable vnto reason when as before he sayde that the tongues were conuenient for the vnfaithfull in respect that they were a signe I aunswere howsoeuer a miracle may properly be set forth for the vnfaithfuls sake notwithstanding it followeth not but that in some respectes it perteyneth also to the faithfull If ye vnderstande it that an vnknowen tongue is a signe to the vnfaithfull according as the wordes doe sound of Esay the reason that Paule here prescribeth is different For hee so admitteth the tongues that the interpretation adioyned leaue nothing obscure He correcteth therefore the Corinthians vice with an excellent temperature while he reiecteth not anie gifte of God whatsoeuer that all his benefites among the faithfull may appeare but hee setteth downe a manner least that ambition should creepe into the place of Gods glorie least the gifte that is of lesse moment should hinder those that are the chiefe giftes and he addeth a sawce or seasoning of it least it should become a meere ostentation voyde of fruite Héere then is no commandement of driuing this gift out of the Church no although the Corinthians did abuse it But if nowe this ceasing for the time of this gifte and other like giftes for the abusing of them were the driuing them out of the Church when they tended not to aedification what shall we say of those ceremonies that S. Paule there speaketh of and of those functions and offices not such as they imagine but of whome eyther for the abuse succéeding or the néedelesse vse nowe long since of continuing them both the giftes and the offices or manner of them haue ceased in the Church so many hundreth yeares And beeing thus cleane worne out though not driuen out of the Church haue our Brethren such a warrant and authoritie that they can bring in yea and with contention driue in those ceremonies offices and gifts into the Church againe and to driue out other comely and orderly ceremonies offices and giftes nowe in vse
thing bee reuealed to another that sitteth by let the first hold his peace For sayth Caluine place and liberty while the matter requires it is left vnto all so that no man rush in out of season rather fauouring him-selfe than seruing the necessity But this modesty he requireth of all that euery one giue place to another bringing foorth any better matter and in the next vers For yee may all prophecy one by one that all may learne and receiue consolation First when he sayth all saith Caluine hee comprehendeth not the vniuersall number of the faythfull but only those that were instructed with a faculty Then he signifieth that the turns of them al were equall but as it shoulde bee for the profite of the people euery one of them either oftener or seldomer to come foorth to speake as though hee shoulde say there is none shall lye idly perpetually but the oportunity of speaking shall offer it selfe nowe to these and nowe to those He addeth that all may learne VVhich though it appertaine to the vulgar people notwithstanding it agreeth to the prophets and properly these Paule pointeth out for no man shall at any time be a good teacher that shall not yeelde himselfe to be taught and is alwayes ready to learn c. By all which it is moste apparant that these prophecyinges whosoeuer were the speakers then were not spoken by them in the person and name of all the Congregation nor yet of all those that had the gift thereof but in the person of God whose spirite spake in them This interpretation therefore of Beza cleane ouerthroweth all S Pauls whole treatise of these gifts So that the reuerence reserued of so worthye a man and of other with with him this in my opinion is but a méere euasion so farre it is off from any shewe of a right interpretation of that sentence euerye man praying or prophecying with his heade couered dishonoureth his head And euery woman c. Neither are his reasons as me thinkes of greater weight than the deuise of this interpretation His first reason is this The reasons that the Apostle bringeth are common to all the men that are conuersant in the assembly of the Church and also I graunt of those that are out of the assembly of the Church but for all that the question propounded and the conclusion the head not couered do declare those reasons to be referred to the circumstaunce of the time and place wherein the church assembleth What can bee gathered héereupon but that the Question and conclusion of vncouering the heade doe restrayne his reasons to those that bée in the Churches assembly which otherwise would stretch further and what conclusion is this that this worde praying or prophecying eyther in man or woman praying or prophecying must néedes bée vnderstoode for the action of one in the name and person of the whole assemblye Nay rather howe doth not this reason if it bée any reason ouerthrowe Bezaes interpretation For sithe the Question propounded and the conclusion is of the beeing bare-headed If the Ministers prophecying bee the prophecying of all the men there assembled then must all the men that be there assembled be bareheaded too But this was not the Apostles meaning nor it was not then nor euer in custome that all the men that heare the preacher or prophecier should also be bareheaded Therfore this is not the true interpretation of Paules meaning that his preaching or prophecying is al their preaching or prophecying and that they vsed no other but by his mouth His second reason is this Moreouer saith Beza If ye restore it to the one person of him that prayeth or prophecieth the mēmber of the sentēce opposite cōcerning the womā wil not agree therto And why will not that next sentence concerning the Woman agree to this sense that some one Woman also might prophesy in the assembly forsoothe saith hee Sith that the Apostle permitteth not a Woman to speake in the Church that is in the common assembly What is this else but petitio principij to take that as a clear case to be beforehand granted that all the Question depends vpon howe these words of the Apostle should be vnderstoode whether as a simple debarre in all cases or as but from an ordinary function of speaking in the Church Neither is the Womans couering of her head for that it is common to other women in the church so well as to her that preacheth or prophecieth any reason that she may no more speake than they doe for that is not the reason that she speaketh at all But she speaking vpon some other occasion she is bound much more to keepe that comelinesse that other Women in the Church are bound vnto and so much more bounde than men are in as much as it is free for the men in the Church assembled and not speaking to be either couered or not couered with comelinesse ynough which is not so in women though not speaking But by what warrant doth Beza make these to be membra opposita the Man and the woman indeede here is an opposition made of Paule in the couering or vncouering of their heades But he neither makes any opposition in the persons and much lesse but al resemblāce nay rather one and the same action in them both for the praying and for the prophesying For if the vniuersal particle taketh away the difference of orders and of age in the respect of prayer and prophecying It lesse considereth the person or the sexe but the matter prayed or prophecied and the newe creature in Christe Iesus or the Spirite of God that speaketh in them But let be the opposition in the Pastors or in the praying or prophecying Goe to then saith hee but if the woman pray not publikely nor prophecy in her own person then contrariorum eadem est ratio The prayer and prophecying of the man is not in his owne person But sée now how this reason returned home againe doth beate his Maister The opposition saith he is in the persons of the man of the woman and in the praying or prophesying of them Is it so Go to then say I but if the man pray or prophecy publikly not by the mouth of another but by his owne mouth as I haue I trust so fullye and at large proued and if that will not satisfie I shall God willing being called thereto prooue it better But contrariorum eadem est ratio of contraries there is one and the same order or reason therefore the prayer and prophesying of a woman héere mencioned and opposed to man◠is after th◠same manner and order vttered not by the mouth of another but by her owne mouth Yea if it were not vttered her prayer and her prophesying as well by her mouth as the man by his mouth but a thirde person shoulde vtter it for them both then howe must that person representing both the person of
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
exeept those that either God himselfe hath prescribed or we haue ground and graunt of the lawfull vse of them out of Gods word or that being of their nature méere indifferent haue as mech reason as will for them to be vsed not vnder the coulour but in verie déede onely for order and decencie so consequentlie for edification and not otherwise And may not indifferent ceremonies be so vsed And both the Ministers and the people so farre forth bee bound without scruple of conscience and matter of Religion but onelie for obedience sake as matters of decent comelinesse and the edification of quiet order to vse them and yet neuer vnder the coulour of preiudice to the libertie of Christianitie to disturbe the peace of the Church the course of the Gospell the obedience of the Prince for the resisting of them Verily if anie héereby doe hinder the building of Gods Church our brethren héerein haue to take great héede that make so great and so vnnessarie troubles in the Church for these Ceremonies with great hinderance of Gods building As for our partes if anie such Ceremonies as these indifferent in their owne nature saue that by order they bee appointed were also remoued we doate not on them but could well inough bee content so that by order and lawe they were removed and some other as comelie and decent ceremonies by her Maiesties authoritie and by our whole Churches consent were orderly ordained in their places But thus disorderlie to take these awaie and that with such reproches both of these ceremonies of all those that only in this manner for externall order and obedience sake doe admit theÌ„ to leaue it frée to euery congregation to cast all our ceremonies off or to take what other new they shal like better to alter them also as they list either euery man or euery congregation at their pleasure or though they would ty themselues more strictly to them yet liuing al vnder one state to innouate or abrogate any authorized with out the licence authority of that state this were me thinks not onely an vndecent disorderly thing nothing furthering yea greatly hindring the building of the church but very daÌ„gerous both to the higher powers to the whol realm And as for the hinderers of Gods building by spoiling the church of so many learned pastors we know not any church or learned pastor therein that néed so to be spoiled except that any more vpoÌ„ will than reason or learning be they otherwise neuer so well learned doe wilfully withdraw themselues from doing their more important necessary duty in yéelding vnto though not necessary nor waighty ceremonies in their owne nature yet so necessary waightie in yâ— manner as they are ordained and prescribed that at leastwise they ought to tollerate them for feare of great dangers in these perillous daies although they wished them away not to spoil the Church of themselues of their ministery nor to make such troubles and diuisions in the Church for the remoouing of them Which is nothing according to the duety eyther of faithfull ministers or of 〈◊〉 subiects as they ought to be and these coâ—trouersies set aside I trust they are There are besides these thinges certain other matters as confirmation churching of women buriall of the deade thought to belong to the office of a B. or pastor Whereof the first two are meere deuises of men and ought to haue no place in the Church of Christe The other albeit it be to bee reteined with a certain honesty yet it is not to be tied to the proper office of a pastor Here are now 3. other matters confirmation of those that are baptised Churching or publique thanksgiuing of women after their deliueraunce from child-birth and lastly the buriall of the dead which our brethren find first this fault withall that they should be thought to belong to the office of a B. or Pastor This goeth very hard that none of all these thinges may not only not be tied to a B. or a Pastors office but that they may not bee so much as thought to belong vnto them Their reason is that the first two are meere deuises of men and ought to haue no place in the Church of Christ. And is confirmation to be thus symplie condemned and that as a meere deuise of men If they said such confirmation as the aduersaries of the gospel vsed as to make it a sacrameÌ„t or to tie it to necessity of saluation or to vse it with any of the superstitious trinkets that they prophaned it withall or to hold any of the errors that they maintained about it then indéede this spéeches should haue had good pretence But we vsing none of all these thinges but such a reuerend order as in all pointes is agrééable to the manner of the very Apostles to vnderstande in what sort the parties were baptized to sée that the parties which were baptized because they are included in the couenant that God would also be the God of our séede should nowe beeing growne to vnderstanding openly before that pastor which hath the superiority of Episcopall dignity which we haue proued that from and in the very Apostles times some pastor had among over some other his fellow pastors declare the sumine of their faith and hee especially lay his handes on them and pray for them that God would more and more confirme them in that faith in which they were baptised and haue professed as the Apostles vsed to lay their hands and to pray for the confirmation of such as by other pastors had bin baptised and shall we cal this order a meere deuise of men and say that it ought to haue no place in the Church of Christe True it is that at the so doing of the Apostles they receiued commonly withall the miraculous giftes of the holy ghost according to the dispensation of that time Neuerthelesse that was not their onely ende nor the order of laying on of handes vpon them which were to be confirmed by him that was the foresayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto whomâ— the superiour Episcopall dignity among the Pastors was committed did so cease but was continued both in the Apostles times while any one of them Iames Iude or Iohn were liuing without any contradiction of them and so simply was vsed according to the Apostles maner til the other additions afterward as that of Chrisme c were ioined vnto it Which addition Chrisme though it be very ancient yet we reiecting it as a meere deuise herein of men reducing confirmation to the first simplicity of praier to the ceremony only of laying on of handes especially by those that haue the foresaid episcopall superiority why should our brethren here affirm that it ought to haue no place in the Church of Christ But this so hard censure of theirs neither agréeth with those our Brethren of the Germain and Saxon
also to the repentance of their sinnes and to a firme hope of the blessed resurrection and heauenly life and also to the earnest studie and care of the life to come Which verily is placed in the mortification of the old Adam and restoring the new Whereunto also prayers are to be ioyned for true repentance and confirmation of faith and also for the blessed resurrection both of the dead and of them that be present To conclude almes also are to be giuen Yea Caluine himselfe in his Epistle to the Monsbelgardians Epist. 51 wherein he telleth them what he himselfe would doe if he susteyned their person when he commeth to buriall writeth thus In the buriall of the dead I would haue this moderatioÌ„ to be adhibited that the corps shold not be caried into the Church but straight vnto the Church-yard there also would I haue an exhortation to be made that the companie should acknowledge that which should be spoken in the present matter of the funerall This manner were not much to be disallowed As for the ringing of the bell I would not haue you stifly reclaime against it if it may not be obtayned that the Prince would remitte it Not that I allow it but that I thinke it not a matter worthie of contention Thus writeth Caluine what he would and what he would not haue to choose about the buriall of the dead Yea euen of ringing also though hee mislike it yet would he haue no contention for it but modestly referreth it to the Princes order Neither disalloweth he the buriall in the Church-yarde As for an exhortation to be made it is the speciall thing that he would haue obserued at a buriall Which exhortation if it be a sermon as the English Church in Geneua allowed by Caluine doth also prescribe the same then may that part of prayer which is thankesgiuing be vsed at the buriall of the dead Yea and the other part of petition though not for the dead yet for the liuing for the resurrection of liuing dead both may wel be are alwaies vsed in sermons and a good part of our Brethrens sermons are most what spent in the conceauing of prayers and petitions Now if either exhortations or sermons be to be made at the funeralles of the dead who should rather pronounce or make them than the Pastor And if this be the order of the Church of England in Geneua approued by Caluin who also wisheth it in other Churches haue our Brethr. here in Englande any iust cause now to mislike it If they thinke Geneua the best or any right reformed Church for I presse them not here with the Protestantes Churches in Germanie who haue set foorth diuerse funerall sermons and Spangelberges booke is of the same matter nor with the Churches in Heluetia and Brandmillerus booke composed of 180. funerall sâ—â—â—â—ns how can our Brethren say as here they doe that it is thought good to the best and right reformed Churches to burie their dead reuerently without any ceremonies of praying or preaching at them Me thinkes yet of twaine the Englishe order in Geneua approued by Caluine is farre better than this new English order of our Brethren Zanchius in his confession of Christian religion cap. 25. de Eccl. militantis gubernatione Aphoris 33. treating of the buriall of the dead writeth on this wise As for their bodies we doubt not but that they are to be brought with honour to the sepulcher euen as our Churches both in wordes and in verie deede doe teach openly testifying that they were the temples of the holy Ghost now indeede destroyed but in their time to be againe restored and to be raysed vp to life and that eternally In the meane season the very sepulchers and the Church-yards are to be kept holily and reuerently as among vs it is done As for the children or parentes the kindred and alliance of the dead are to be comforted And both we studie to yeelde all the duties of humanitie that can be yeelded and we teach that they ought to be yeelded And if any thing out of the Psalmes concerning the resurrection of the dead be anie where soong while the corps is borne or if any sermon after the corps is enterred be made to the people wherein honest mention be made of other also which holily haue slept in the Lorde we do neuer a whitte disallowe the same Sith that it is not made for the sauing health of the partie or parties that are dead but for the consolation and vtilitie of the liuing and to the aedification of the whole Church For we doe beleeue that the soules of the faithfull being loosed from their bodies do passe foorthwith to Christe into heauen and thereby haue no neede of our suffragies Howbeit the aedification of the Church is alwayes vpon any occasion giuen to be furthered Thus reuerently writeth Zanchius of the manner of burying the dead not onely allowing a sermon after the buriall but the buriall to be in the Church-yarde Yea not improuing singing of the Psalmes as Caluine before referred ringing to the authoritie and order of the Prince And therefore our publike order of buriall appointed in the Communion booke as no whit inferiour to any of these if not much better may stande well inough in state as it doth for any reason here alleaged to the contrarie Our Brethrens only reason is this Because experience hath taught what inconuenience may grow therof by example of that which hath beene before It is a good saying Happie is he whom other mens harmes do make to beware But both our Brethren and we must againe be as warie least that while we feare to stomble at that which might be occasioÌ„ of like inconuenience we both of vs should mistake non causam prâ—â—â—â—sa that to be a cause or occasion of heresies errors and superstition which is no cause nor occasion of them and so to shunne the one runne on the otherside into as grosse or grosser inconueniences for lacke altogether of preaching or exhortation and that part of prayer which is thanksgiuing at the buriall of the dead as other heretofore haue done by erroneous and superstitious abusing of the same But our Brethren drawing now to the conclusion of these matters say And as they are not to be excused if any for small trifles onely rayse vp hote contentions so they haue much to aunswere before God that suffer the people of God to lacke the only foode of their soules for such humane Constitutions Whether any of these thinges afore-saide for the which our Brethren rayse vp these hote contentions as the burying in the Chauncell Church or Church-yarde the buriall with more pompe or lesse the laying of the corpse towardes the East the womans white rayle the midwiues going with her to Church and the Clerkes atteÌ„dance on her home be trifles and small trifles yea in comparison verie nyfles or no let other Iudge
we shall come to it God willing after warde our Brethren leading vs to that argument But because that standeth rather on a presupposall of an imitation or continuance of the order in the old law among the Iewes than any proofe of institution in the newe among the Christians let vs nowe first go to those argumentes whereby Danaeus will euict both manifest example and institution of these Elders in the newe Testament ca. 10. part Christ. 2. Isagog or introduction he sayth Horum igitur Presbyterorum qui c. The offices therefore of these Elders that rule the manners is to attende vppon the flocke and to watche as well ouer the doctrine as ouer the manners of the Church and of the faithfull that be in the same Act. 20. ver 28. 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. and especially in his parishe that is in that part of the Church or region which is cōmitted peculiarly to him And verily concerning doctrine least anie Haeresie should be brought in and least any errour should be sowed and generally least the substance of the faith should be corrupted Act. 20. ver 29.21 ver 18. which thing may be done and thereupon arise offences and those greeuous Here are thrée testimonies of scripture alleaged of which the two former Act. 20. and 1. Pet. 5. we haue séene sufficiently before concerning those Elders especially those that are mentioned Act. 20. whether they were all Bishops of Ephesus in the proper sense of the name of Bishop but there the question was all of such Elders as whether they were all equall or no yet were they all Pastorall Elders Teachers and Ministers of the worde and Sacramentes And our Brethren in this Learned Discourse in their treatise of the Pastors office haue cited alreadie for suche Elders onely these testimonies Act. 20. 1. Pet. 5. saying pag. 19. Besides Doctors there must be Pastors ordeyned in euerie congregation which haue diuerse appellations in the scripture as Ephes. 4. they are called by the name of Pastors because they ought to feede the seuerall flockes of Gods sheepe committed to their charge As appeareth Act. 20.28 1. Pet. 5.2 they are also called Elders c. Againe page 21.22 and 23. where at large they vrge this that all the functions of the Elders mentioned 1. Pet. 5. and Act. 20. is to be imployed in such gouernement only as is feeding euen as a Pastor doth his sheepe And that therfore they are called Bishops Super-intendentes or Ouer-seers And yet sée how boldly Danaeus citeth teese testimonies for these gouerning and not teaching Elders Wherein although our Brethren holde the truer opinion and the text is plaine inough that the elders there mentioned were onely such as medled with the worde yet the rather to mooue Danaeus with the iudgement of Caluine also thereupon Caluine likewise in his Institutions ca. 8 sec. 4. treating of the Pastors office sayth Of these and other places which here euery where come to hand we may gather also that in the function of the Pastors these are the principall parts to declare the Gospell and to minister the Sacraments But the manner of teaching consisteth not onely in publike sermons but pertaineth also to priuate admonitions So dooth Paule cite the Ephesians to be witnesses that hee shunned none of those things that were for their profit but declared taught them publikely and by euery house c. And in the 42. Section he saith And in the Actes is rehearsed that he called together the Ephesian Elders whom he himselfe in his oration nameth Bishops Heere now is to be obserued that hethertoh we haue reckoned vp none but those offices that consist in the ministerie of the word In his Cōmentarie indéed vpon the same ver 17. he saith Moreouer it shal more cleerly appeere out of the context that the Seniors are called not they which were of olde age but they which ruled the Church But it is vsuall almost in all tongues that they should be called Auncients and Fathers which were the Gouernors to rule others although their Age did not alwaie answere therevnto Heere he speaketh of gouerning Elders or Gouernors which is the terme wherby our Brethr. signifie their Segniorie But now what manner of Gouernors or gouerning Elders maketh he them to be On these woords Vos scitis c. ver 18. In this sermon saith he Paul cheefly with hereunto that those whome he had created the Pastors of Ephesus hee might by his example exhort them to performe their office faithfully For so is the censure or correction of manners made aright and authoritie gotten to the doctrine when the teacher prescribeth nothing with words the which he hath not before in the deede it selfe perfourmed And so he goeth on applying S. Paules words in euery verse to Ministers and Pastors And on the 26. verse he saith Moreouer this place conteineth a briefe summe of teaching orderly and well and he exhorteth the Doctors themselues with a vehement and seuere statute that they should diligently apply their office And to this dutie of the Pastors in the next verse he applieth the sayings of Ezech. 3.18.20 till he come to the 28. verse which Danaeus citeth where he concludeth thus Since the time they were created Pastors they are not their owne men but publikely bound to the whole flock And on these words The holy Ghost hath made you Bishops Furthermore saith he although from the beginning the L. would haue the Ministers of the word chosen by voices neuertheles he alwaies chalengeth to himselfe the gouernment of the Church c. And as he saith We must breefly note this of the name of Bishop that all the Ephesine Elders were of Paule so called so withall we must note that he said before in his Institutions Whosoeuer enioyeth the ministerie of the word hee giueth them the title of Bishops And on these woords To rule the Church The Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to feed but by an apt similitude it is translated to any regiment And on the 29. verse This is verely as it were the perpetual destinie of the Church that it should be vexed of wolues wherfore there is neuer anie time of sleeping Howbeitt he more the more hurtful doo breake in the more attentiue watches must be made of the Pastors c. And on the 30. ver Then doth the synceritie of the word of God flourish when the Pastors with a common studie doo gather disciples vnto Christ c. And in the 31. That he saith he warned euerie one may be as well referred to the common people as to the Elders For sith he had purposed to make his sermō common to the whole Church he speaketh as though the whole bodie were present Notwithstāding if any had rather restraine it to the order of the Pastors c. So that in all this assembly of these Elders hée mentioneth stil none other but such as were Pastors
it or of the like vnto it but that the thing it selfe which they their selues woulde applie the wordes of Christe vnto were most different and cleane contrarie from the Seniors which vnder the name thereof they woulde erect nor their selues could pretend whatsoeuer they entend to haue the like erected which if they should they could not without the great alteration manifest danger of all Christian Princes estates and gouernments and of all their Lawes Policies and Common-weales what shall we then thiâ—â—e not so much of the great ouershooting of our Brethren as of the full stay â—nd resolution of our selues from all these deuices and casting thus about to séeke some ground and warrant for these Seniors And first for Christes wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tel the Church Héere he plainlie speaketh of the Church but of no Synedrion or Sanedrin nor anie of the auncient Fathers that I can finde dâ—â— so expound his wordes or gather any such meaning of them Chrysostome saith Tel the Church that is to say the Bishops and Presidents but of Sanedrim or Consistorie he maketh no mention Neither said he saith Chrysostome vnto the Bishop binde this man with bondes but if thou shalt binde him Hierome vpon these wordes But if he wil not heare the Church saith Hee giueth power vnto the Apostles that they which are condemned of such might knowe that the sentence of man is confirmed by the sentence of God Hilarie indéede maketh an allusion of this word the Church vnto the comming of Christe but not to anie Sanedrin or Senate but rather contrarie in ascribing the keyes to the Apostles Theophilact expoundeth it as dooth Chrysostome and as for the Churches excommunication he thinketh Christe speaketh not of it but onely saith If thou saith he being offended holdest him which hath done thee iniurie as a Publicane and Heathen hee shall bee so holden also in heauen but if thou losest him that is if thou forgiuest him it shall be also forgiuen him in heauen For not onely those thinges that the Priestes doo lose are losed but whatsoeuer we also being iniured shall either binde or lose the same shall be also bound or losed So that he applieth this either to the Priests action or to the priuate partie iniured The olde Glosse expoundeth it thus Tell the Church that is the whole Church that he may sustein the greater shame As for the late Writers Vatablus expoundeth these wordes Tell the Church that is the assemblie or publike Congregation or the multitude And so saith Aretius The third degree hath a prouocation to the whole Church that is vnto the assemblie of the faithfull whereof ye are members But the Church is the assemblie of the faithfull wherin the word of Christ and the Sacraments are rightlie administred This forme afterward the Apostles followed 1. Cor. 5.2 Cor. 2. But neither of those Epistles neither that matter was written to any chosen Consistorie but to the whole multitude Munsterus saith Dic Ecclesiae Let his frowardnesse be shewed to the Church And if he shal not heare the Church being warned of manie let him be holden of them as an Ethnicke and a a Publicane And whatsoeuer they shall so binde shall be holden bound in heauen that is whome they hauing so warned shall haue cast out of their companie they also shall bee holden cast out before the Father and againe whom they shall lose and receiue being penitent into their Companie that shal be ratified with the Father Of this power of binding and losing that is of thrusting out of the Church and receauing into the same we haue said somwhat before ca. 16. Where also he sayd But for that which followeth of the keies it hath this sense By the kingdome of heauen is vnderstood the Church of Christ and this is opened by the key of Gods word But the kingdom of heauen is opened to the beleeuers that is forgiuenes of sinnes and eternall life is promised by the word of God And this is to forgiue sinnes as contrariwise to them that beleeue not the key of heauen is shut by the word that is remission of sinnes is denounced So that all this excomm is referred to the denouncing of the Minister of the word and this execution of thrusting out to the Church And so saith Bucer But and if he shall contemne this let the frowardnesse of this man sinning and not willing to repent be shewed to the Church that hee may the third time be admonished of the whole companie among whom he is conuersant But Caluine expoundeth these words Tell the Church farre otherwise Quaeritur quid per nomen Ecclesia intelligat c. It is demanded saith he what he meaneth by the name of the Church For Paule commandeth it not of any chosen nuÌ„ber but of the whole assembly of the faithfull to excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. b. 6. And therefore it may probably seeme that the iudgement heere is referred to the whole people But because as yet there was no Church which had giuen her name to Christ nor any such manner appointed but the L. himselfe speaketh according to the vsuall and receaued custome there is no doubt but that he alludeth to the order of the olde Church Euen as also in other places he applieth his speach vnto the knowen custome When as he commaundeth the gift which we will offer to be left at the altare vntill we shall be reconciled with our offended brother Mat. 5. d. 23. There is no doubt but that out of the present and legall forme of the worship of God he woulde teach vs that wee can not orderly pray nor offer any thing vnto God so long as wee are at discorde with our bretheren So now therfore he looked vpon the accustomed discipline of the Iewes because it shoulde haue bene absurde to haue proposed the iudgement to the Church which as yet was no Church Furthermore where the power of excommunication appertained to the Iewes that were Seniors which sustained the person of the whole Church aptly dooth Christ say that those which sinned shoulde then at the length be publikely brought footh vnto the Church if proudly they contemne the priuate admonitions or that they elude them skoffingly We knowe that from the time the Iewes returned from their exile in Babylon the censure or controllment of manners and of doctrine was committed vnto a chosen Councill which they called sinhedrim in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Counsel Session or Assemblie of Senators or Iudges This gouernment was lawfull and approoued of GOD and this was a bridle to retaine in dooing their duetie the frowarde and such as woulde not bee taught If anie shall except that in the Age of Christe all thinges were corrupted and peruerted insomuch that nothing ought lesse to haue bene accounted the iudgement of the Church than that tyrannie the aunswere is easie although the manner were
then corrupted and peruerted notwithstanding Christe dooth worthelie praise the Order such as it was in times past deliuered of the Fathers But when as a little after he erected a Churche taking away the corruption hee restored the pure vse of excommunicating But there is no doubt but the manner of discipline which flourished vnder the kingdome of Christe succeeded in the place of the olde discipline and verelie when as the prophane Gentiles also helde a shaddowed custome of excommunication it appeereth this was euen of God engrafted from the beginning in the mindes of men that if there were anie impure and defiled they shoulde bee put backe from the sacred thinges It hadde bene a foule thing therefore and a shamefull for the people of GOD to haue bene altogether voyde of that discipline whereof some steppe remained among the Gentiles But that which was kept vnder the Lawe Christe hath passed ouer vnto vs because the reason or manner is common vnto vs with the auncient Fathers For neither was it the counsell of Christe to sende his Disciples to the Synagogue which when as in her bosome she gladly nourished filthie flatteries shee excommunicated the true and simple worshippers of God whereof wee haue example in that man that was blinde from his natiuitie Iohn 9. f. 34. But hee warned that the order shoulde be holden in his Church which long agoe was holilie instituted vnder the Law If anie either stubbornelie refuse the former admonitions or by going on in his former vices doo shew himselfe to contemne them when as with witnesses brought hee hath bene warned the seconde time Christe commaundeth him to bee called to the iudgement of the Churche that is vnto the Sessions of the Seniours there to bee more greeuouslie admonished as it were by publike authoritie that if hee reuerence the Church hee may submit himselfe and obey Thus sayth Caluine for the proofe of this Segniorie to bée authorized instituted and commaunded in these woordes of â—ur Sauiour Christe Tell the Churche Whole interpretation Beza Stephanus in his newe Glosse alleadging also these reasons of Caluine besides Danaeus and diners other of our Brethren since haue followed and more at large vrged But because Caluine beganne this interpretation as I take it and all their Discourses chiefely stande on these his Reasons and Assertions therefore I haue so fullie and wholly sette him downe And if wée shall finde that this his Interpretation and these his Reasons prooue not this matter wée must crane the same pardon that their selues yeelde to Beza and to other our Reuerend and and Learned Brethren when they also in their interpretations dissent from Caluine or Caluine from other godlie auncient and approoued Fathers Otherwise of all the excellent Interpreters of our Age I professe the honour of Caluine with the chiefest bringing sound proofe and reason of his Sentence Let vs nowe therefore a while consider howe he prooueth this interpretation of the worde Church to be héere necessarilie vnderstoode for a Consistorie of these Seours And first he confesseth that the former place 1. Corinthians 5. concerning The excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian A place which our Brethren applyed to this Consistorie was spoken of Saint Paule to the whole assemblie and multitude of the people and not to anie chosen number of them So that that place is in this place cléere acquited from this Consistories excommunication But if Christe hadde héere before as Caluine sayeth sette downe an order that excommunication shoulde bee made by a Consistorie or Session of such Elders as Caluine héere pleadeth for howe can wee thinke that Paule woulde haue dealt heerein with the whole multitude of the people and not with a certaine number chosen out of them for the gouernance of such matters And therefore this is one good steppe to prooue that héere Christe sette downe no such order But Caluine woulde driue this but to a probable Argument That because Saint Paule referreth it to the whole number and not to anie chosen number therefore it is likelie that Christe also heere should so referre it But Caluine thinketh not this Argument of anie force And whie Forsoothe because then as yet there was no Churche that did professe Christe nor anie such manner ordeined And lesse reason as I thinke to gather it on this place that this name Church shoulde héere signifie a Segniorie or a certaine number chosen out of the Churche when there was yet no such order in the Churche And yet there was a Church of Christe euen when Christe spake these thinges But the Corinthians and diuerse other Churches afterwâ—rdâ— did both openlie professe the name of Christe and had Orders also among them If therefore this order of Discipline for the Gouernment of Seniours had bene héere of Christe founded and ordeyned Saint Paule woulde neuer haue broken it at leaste if he had thought it necessarie Except wée shoulde excuse him by ignorance but that haddâ— béene too grosse an excuse in him if this hadde béene héere ordeyned and that so necessarie as our Bretheren and Caluine â—oâ— pretend the same to be Bucer writing upon these wordes Tell the Church alleadgeth the samâ— reason that Caluine héere doth that There was no such order in the Church when Christ spake these wordes But what Doth he gather thereupon that Christ had an allusion to the Seniors of the Iewes No such thing Moreouer that saith he Tell the Church let no man vnderstande it thus as though it were of Christ commaunded to accuse him in the publike Sermon of them that come together to heare the word of God that shall haue despised two admonitions and then to haue him there openly reprehended of the preacher for when Christ taught these thinges there was no such face of the Church Furthermore the power of binding and losing is not giuen except to them that come together in the name of Christ and that in a certaine order and those going before whome the holy Ghost hath ordeined in the Church the Pastours and the Bishops Whereupon Paule woulde namely also haue those to exercise this power that are gathered together in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ and his spirite present with them 1. Corinthians 5. Now our meetings together are yet too impure and truely there is a small number of them that haue wholly giuen themselues to Christ. Neither is it lawfull by reason of the publike peace to expell from the assemblies of the Church those that are not tried Wherfore in the publike assemblies of the church as for the most part at this day the matter goeth excommunication can not publikely bee exercised except where the Lorde hath bestowed such grace that the greater part of the whole people with the Magistrate shoulde bee conuerted vnto Christe with a full heart Where that is not graunted it is necessarie that they which haue receaued Christe more fully reduce this most holy and most healthfull institution of Christe among
themselues and whosoâ—uer of their familiars or neighboures or by other meanes they haue ioyned to them which haue giuen their name to Christe that diligentlie and freelie they admonishe them And when anie shall proudly contemne their admonitions they shoulde declare the contemners of the admonition vnto the Churche which they haue among themselues either of the companie of their neighbourhoode or otherwise of familiarity or to conclude by reason of kinred or family Which Church if they shall continue to contemne shall declare the matter to the common Ministers of the whole Church that they also in the name of the whol church may warne theÌ„ And if they shal go on to contemne the word of the Lord they shal also excommunicate them or else the selfe same Church in which they are peculiarly known and familier shall then not admit them to the holy communion vntill the Lord shall restore vnto vs a iust policy in the Church and a true censure But howsoeuer all thinges are yet mixed together and perturbed notwithstanding if the Ministers of the Worde will with a good fidelity imploy themselues in their office they shall easilie restore the moste part of the Christian Censure without any disturbance or cutting in sunder of the Church which a faythfull Minister of Christe will by no meanes bring in who knoweth that to him all power is giuen in the Church to aedification not to destruction and that it is more appertaining to his office from euery place to gather them togither vnto the kingdome of God yea the blinde the deafe the weak than to driue them out of it Of the true moderation of the ecclesiasticall censure S. Augustine wrot many thinges against the Donatistes But the cheefest place of this matter is in his thirde booke against the Epistle of Permenian Wherein this man of God moste prudently gaue charge of the correction and excommunication of the euill persons that seeme to be in the Church This place cheefelie at this time were of vs with singuler deligence to bee reade and throughly weighed Thus writeth also Bucer on thiâ— matter where he complayneth most of the lacke of this Discipline and where hee somewhat agréeth with Caluine in alleaging this reason That when Christ spake those words there was no face of a Church that professed his name And yet doth he so litle gather hereupon this vnnecessary consequence that Christe alluded to any Seniory among the Iewes to be reuiued among the Christians when they shoulde haue Discipline in the Church that hee acknowledgeth by the name of the Church nothing else but as the name importeth the whole congregation Neither yet that the whole congregation shoulde excommunicate otherwise than not to permitte the man to receiue the Communion but the common Ministers of the church onely to denounce the excommunication And leaste we shoulde vnderstand thereby any Seniorie not teaching the worde he declareth withall that they be the onely Ministers of the Worde and that to them and to their office the exercise of the power of binding and losing is â—omâ—itted though the power in generall by the churches But Caluin sayth that in the name of the Church the Lord did speak as though it were of the vsuall and receiued manner if he so did then he spake of the present state either of the true Church among those few that professed his name or of the Iewes Synagoue But Caluin saith after that it was not the counsell of Christ to send his disciples to the Synagogue But to allude vnto the old order of the church and not to the present order had not beene to speake according to the vsuall and receiued manner why shoulde we not therefore rather thinkâ— that Christ spake of such order as should be afterward vsed in the Church among the Christians eyther for such states and times as the church was in or to continue then of such order as eyther in the olde time had bene or at that present was in the Synagogue among the Iewes But now if wee should graunt to Caluine and to our Brethren that Christe alluded in these wordes vnto the assembly of Elders that was among the Iewes is this ynough also to inferre that the Law or rule that Christe prescribeth must stretch to the establishment and continuance of the same order or to the erection and Institution of a like order as that was whereunto in these wordes he alluded if this be a good argument let vs see the force of it euen in the present example whereof Caluin himselfe giueth an instance There is no doubt saith he but that Christe alludeth vnto the order of the church euen as also in other places he fitteth his speach vnto the knowne custome when hee biddeth that the gift which we will offer shoulde bee left at the Altar Math. 5. d. 23. There is no doubt but that hee woulde teach vs out of the present and legall forme of the worship of God that wee can not orderly pray nor offer any thing to God so long as we are at strife with our Brethren These words are indéede apparant to be an allusion of these tearmes Altar gift and offering to the present and legall forme nor can be vnderstoode otherwise as the word church may whith is more properly vsed among vs christians than euer it was among the Iewes Whereas the wordes Altar gift and offering were more proper to the Iewes than vnto vs. But doth it followe that because Christe in setting downe this rule of reconciliation alludeth for the plainer vnderstanding of the people to such speeches of Altar gift and offering as were then more vsually receiued and knowne among theÌ„ that therefore he ment withal to establish and cary away in his rule the same maner of Gods worship at an Alter by a gift and offering as was then vsed receiued known among them If it do not in this present instance that Caluine himselfe bringeth in as it is most clear it doth not can Caluine then or any of our learned Br. or al the world infer that if Christ did allude in the term of Church to an Eldershippe or consistory among the Iewes in prescribing his rule of Reconciliation or excommunication that therefore hee continued or renued or constituted the same or the like order among the Christians Or if he looked vpon their Discipline that therefore he ordeined the like to continue for euer did Christe establish euery thing that he onelie speak of or but looked vpon But saith Caluine It should haue bene absurd to haue propounded the iudgement to the church which as yet was no church Although this againe be not altogether so that there was no church yet what if ther had bin none theÌ„ had Christ in these wordes no further respect but to the present time if he had not how shall any perpetual rule be grounded hereon And if he respected a perpetuall order of his church why shoulde we rather vnderstande it
fellow B a B. of so many years of my Colleague not yet of one yeare am ready to learn how we may render a iust account eyther to God or to men if we punish with spiritual punishment the innocent soules for the offence of another of whome they take not as of Adam in whome all haue sinned originall sinne For if the sonne of Classicianus haue taken from his Father the sinne of the first man that is to bee washed away in the fountayne of baptisme Notwithstanding after hee begat him whatsoeuer sinne his father committed wherein he himselfe was not partaker who doubteth that it pertaineth not to him and what then of so many soules in the whole housholde whereupon if one soule by this seuerity whereby this whole house is accursed should perish in departing out of the body without baptisme the death of the bodies of innumerable men if they bee taken out of the church and killed is not comparable to this losse If therefore you can render a reason of this matter woulde to God you woulde also by writing againe yeeld it that we also might be able to do it But if you can not why shoulde you doe that by any vnaduised passion of your minde whereof if you shoulde be demaunded you can not finde a right reason I haue sayde these thinges yea although our sonne Classicianus hath committed ought that may seeme to you to bee moste iustly punished with accursing Howbeit if hee hath written true letters vnto me neither ought so much as hee alone in his house to haue beene punished with this sentence But hereon I meddle nothing with your holines But only request that you woulde forgiue him asking pardon if that hee shall acknowledge a fault But if you shall wisely acknowledge that hee hath not offended because hee is in the house of faith hath more iustly required that fayth ought to bee kept least it shoulde bee broken there where it is taught doe that which an holy man ought to doe that if that haue happened to you as to a man which thing verily the man of God speaketh of in the Psalme Mine eye was troubled for wrath you shoulde crye out to God Have mercy on mee O Lorde because I am weake that he may reache out his right hande and represse your wrath and caulme your minde to see and to doe righteousnesse For as it is written The wrath of Man worketh not the righteousnesse of God But let vs rather thinke that because wee are men wee liue moste daungerously among the snares of tentations Take away therefore the Ecclesiasticall actes that you haue done beeing done peraduenture more on perturbation And let that charity come agayne betweene you which you had with him while you were yet Catechumenus a scholler or Learner of the Catechism Remoue the strife and reuoke peace Leaste both the man that is your freende perish to you and the Deulll that is your foe reioyce ouer you But the mercy of our God is mighty who also graunt to here mee praying leaste my heauinesse ouer you bee encreased But rather that that which is already sprung vp may be healed and that he woulde erect me by his grace and reioyse your youth not contemning mine olde age I haue set downe this whole Epistle as well for the reuerende stile thereof one Bishop thus writing to another about this matter of Excommunication as cheefely that wee may the more fully perceyue what Saint Augustine dissoloweth and alloweth in this matter For although hee finde fault with this young Bishoppes ouer-hasty Excommunicating of this Gentleman and namely of his whole houshoulde condemning other for that which hee misse-conceyued was his fault yet doth hee not dissalowe his Censure for that hee beeing the Bishop did it him selfe and not others ioyned with him But hee alloweth thereof so it had beene done deseruedly and with mature deliberation and gone no further than to the offending party Yea being done as yll as it was hee entreateth him to vndooe this Ecclesiastical act and to release the Censure of his Curse ascribing the binding and the losing to the Bishop Although therefore Saint Augustine doe often affirme the power of the keyes for opening and shutting binding and losing to bee giuen to the Church yet hee maketh the execution of the same to appertayne onely to the Bishops and Ministers of the word Chrysostome likewise in the east where he ascribeth this power vnto the Church Homilia 2. De Dauide Saule speaking against them that went to the stage-playes from the sermon hee sayth Verily I thinke that many of those which forsooke vs yesterday and went away to the spectacles of iniquity are this day present But I wish that I might openly knowe who these are that I might driue them from the sacred porches Not that they should perpetually tarry without but that being corrected they should return agayn Sith that the Fathers also driue out of the doores and from the table their sonnes that oftentimes offend not that they shoulde bee alwayes banished from thence but that beeing made better by this chastisement they may returne to their Fathers housholds company with due commendation Truely the same thing doe the Pastors also while as they separate the scabbed sheep from the whole That they being eased of their wretched disease may returne agayne safe vnto the sound Rather than that the sicke shoulde fill the whole flocke with that their disease For this cause wee desired also to knowe these But although we bee not able to discerne them with our eyes the word notwithstanding that is the sonne of God will knowe them and will easily perswade them by reproouing their conscience that they shoulde returne of their owne voluntary and willingly teaching that he onely is within which can giue a mind worthy of this exercise As on the contrary hee that liuing corruptly is partaker of this congregation although he stande here present in body hee is cast out and is remooued hence more truely than those that are so shut out of the dores that they may not be partakers of the holy Table For they being expulsed according to the Lawes of God and tarying without are yet of good hope if so bee they will amende their faultes They are cast out by the Church that they may returne againe with a pure conscience c. Heere where hee sayth they are cast out by the Church yet hee wisheth that hee might openly knowe them to the ende that he might denounce the sentence of Excommunication against them and doe as the Father with his disobedient Childe and as the shephearde with his infected Sheepe So that this Censure by these comparisons doth properly belong to the Spirituall Father and Pastor of the people But for the better and more full consideration heereof Let vs see what Chrysostome saith in his seuenty Homily against the custome then of hiring Women mourners for the deade which Homilie he also inserteth into his
my dutie and then am I cleere and thou shalt giue an account to him that commaunded me to binde But tell thou me if the King sitting in presence one of the Sergeants standing by be commaunded to binde one of those that stande in the rowe and to lay fetters on him but he not onelie thrust him backe but also breake the bonds is it the Sergeant that hath susteined the iniurie or is it not much more the King that did commaund it For if when anie thing is done against the faithful he account the same done against himselfe how much more when he which is appointed to teach susteineth iniurie will he be mooued as though he himselfe had susteined the contumelie But God forbid that anie of them that are in this Church should come into the necessitie of these bondes For as it is a goodlie thing not to offend so is it profitable to beare the rebuke thereof Lett vs therefore beare the reprehension and let vs endeuor neuer to offend but if we shall haue offended let vs susteine the reproouing For as it is good not to be striken which notwithstanding if it shall happen it is necessarie to lay a medicine to the wound euen so it is heere But God graunt that we neuer need anie such medicines for of you we hope better things and such as appertaine vnto saluation although wee speake thus We haue spoken perhaps more vehementlie but to your greater taking heede For it is better that I should be accounted of you bold cruell and insolent than that you should doo those thinges that please not God But we trust in God that this our admonition shal not be vnprofitable But that you shall be so changed that these speaches shall bee turned into your praises and commendations By this it cléerelie appeareth that not onelie the keies of knowledge and opening the word of God but the keyes of this discipline Censure of excommunication appertained chiefly to the Bishop and to Teachers of the word and not to a Segniorie of such Gouernors as were not teachers ioyned with him And as this was the practise of the Churches Excommunication in the dayes of these holy Fathers so cutting of all the later corruptions of the ages following especially in the time of the Popish tyranny that moste tragically abused these keyes and continueth and encreaseth those abuses of them Let vs come to the Protestantes and to our Brethren themselues in the reformed Churches and see their iudgements also in this Discipline When the late Trident Conuenticle had falsly burdened the Protestant Churches that we gaue this power of the keyes to all Christians indifferently Kemnitius answereth in his Examination of the sixt chapter saying This Chapter hath two partes the first disputeth of the Minister of absolution to whome appertaineth the ordinary ministery of the keyes The other part treateth what absolution is So farre as perteineth to the first part the matter may bee dispatched in fewe wordes For in the Examination of the tenth Canon of the Sacraments in generall those thinges that pertaine heereunto are expounded For although the keyes be deliuered vnto the Church as the auncient Fathers doe well set foorth notwithstanding we thinke that by no meanes euery Christian ought or may indifferently without a lawfull calling vsurpe or exercise the Ministery of the word and sacramentes But as in case of necessity the olde Fathers say that euery lay man may minister the sacrament of baptisme so also Luther sayde of absolution in the case of necessity where a preeste is not present Melancthon in his common places Tit. De Regno Christi Moreouer saith he we must also consider this that the pastors haue the commandement of Excommunicating with the Worde without bodily force those that are guilty of manifest crimes And in his annotations on his common places he saith But after that we haue known the true church by those signes that he haue spoken of that power whereof Christe speaketh Mat. 16. 18. and also Iohn 20. is to be applied to this onely church For neither hath Christ giuen that power to his enemies whom he commaundeth to bee excluded out of the kingdome of heauen according to that saying he that beleeueth not shall bee condemned but vnto this onely assembly that hath not onely his worde but also interpreteth it rightly and according to the proportion of the faith not ouerthrowing the foundation which the Apostles haue layde and before them the Prophets For neither said he to Peter as to the son of Iohn I giue to thee the keyes of the kingdoÌ„ of heauen but because he had sayd thou art Christ the son of the liuing God Therfore the B. of Rome claimeth to himself in vain the keis of Peter sith that he is most vnlike to Peter not a minister of Christ but of Antichrist Of whoÌ„ it is writteÌ„ that about the last time he shal be reproued with the spirit of Gods mouth Neither â—id Peter vsurp the power of binding losing to himself alone any more to him-selfe than to other but iudged the same to bee common to him with all the apostles and the whol church which professeth the same word Saue that for order sake hee committeth the publike administration of the keies to certain to fit persons that they should either absolue meÌ„ or not absolue theÌ„ with this choise that Christ him self hath ordeined that he should rightly distribute the word of God c. Thus doth Melancthon graunt that this power is committed to the church but the dispensation of the power is committed to the right distribution of the ministers And not onely hee speaketh of the power mencioned Math. 16. and Iohn 20 but also Math. 18. To which purpose hee procéedeth saying But it is vsuall to deuide the power of the church into the power of order into the power of iurisdiction The power of order they cal the right of teaching of administring the sacraments which the prophets and thapostles immediatly receiued of God the other doctors or teachers receiued it by men To this power we must hearken simply euen as to the voice of the gospel according to the commandement of God Heare him Howbeit the good doctors or teachers haue liberty of ordeining times of Instituting certain traditions for good order sake VVhich to obey it is the duty of a godly mind To which mind nothing is more ioiful than in all things to agree with the true church without offence of conscience The power of iurisdictioÌ„ is when as those which are defiled with manifest wickednesses being admonished do not desist are excommunicated from the society of the Church not onely the inward and spirituall society Which excom is made by the general voice of the gospel he that shal not beleue shal be coÌ„deÌ„ned but also froÌ„ the externall coÌ„munion of the church by a spirituall sentence to the intent the honor of God
ver 5. c. Commaunded all the iudgements or questions of the Lawe of the commandement of the ceremonies c. to be referred to the Leuites and Preestes Leaste any might except that Moses constitution dealt on sacrifices not on iudgements Secondly from the punishment of King Saule sacrificing against the commaundement of God 1. Sam. 15. And of king Ozias striken with lepry because hee vsurped the preestes office 2. Patal 26 verse 16 c. The extraordinary examples of Melchisedech Samuel and Heli are not to be drawne into vse contrary to the Lawe Thirdly from the office vse of the Preestes and Leuites denouncing the blessinges to the keepers of Gods commaundementes and the cursings to the not keepers Deut. 27 28 Fourthly from the speciall power and ministery of binding and loosing which Christe committed not to the ciuill Magistrate but to the Ministers of the worde in the newe Testament Math. 16. Who also commaunded significantly that they that are not obedient shoulde be shewed to the Church that is to the Presbytery not to the Magistrate Math 18. So that euen here where he expoundeth the Church for a Presbytery Yet he maketh this Presbytery to be onely of those that are the Ministers of the Word Fiftly out of Paule 1. Cor. 5. ver 4 12 Which so farre as pertaineth to the present businesse of all other moste euidently teacheth by two arguments that the presbytery was different from the iudgement of thinges that pertaine to the vse of this life First from the order of the time For that the vse of comming together and of iudging was recâ—yued in the Corinthian Church before the Epistle of Paule was written it is apparant out of his owne words You being gathered â—ogether in the name of the Lord. Againe Do ye not iudge of those things that are within But speaking afterward chap. 6. of priuate controuersies hee saith Appoint you arbiters Not ye haue appoinâ—ed in the preterperfect tense Moreouer of the diuersitie of the spiritual things and ciuile controuersies for when he forbiddeth them to go to the Magistrate in those things that pertein to this life how would he haue granted it in spiritual things That assemblie was a singular ornament of the Church but this iudgement of corporal things is turned to a reproch vnto the Corinthians Insomuch that he adiudgeth each one of the basest to be meere inough thereunto Besides that â— Cor. 10 refelling the slanders of the aduersaries for the seueritie of his former Epistle for his rebuking the fornicator he distinguisheth the Ministery of the word and the reuengement with carnall weapons against the disobedient Thus dooth he stil continue in proouing this Segniorie to be meere spirituall their authoritie wholie to consist in the Ministerie of the worde Sixtlie out of 1. Tim. 5.19 20. whereupon it manifestlie appeereth that euen then there was an order alreadie appointed at Ephesus ouer which Timothie was the Gouernor But that these 2. ver the 19. and the 20. Against an Elder receaue no accusation except in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses and them that sinne reprooue openlie that the other may feare are spoken of such Elders as are pastorall Elders we haue at large before prooued eueÌ„ by the confession of Caluin Beza therfore this place not onlie maketh nothing for not teaching Elders but also prooueth a manifest standing appointed superioritie in the Apostles times among the pastoral Elders as we haue seene Seuenthlie vnto these approcheth the vse of the Apostolicall Church which coÌ„tinued many yeres sound without the help of Kings Princes Yea in the more purer Primitiue Church vnder the ChristiaÌ„ Emperoâ—s the vse of the keies remained apperteining to the Ministers of the word and Elders of the Church distinct from the ciuile Magistrate Heere Snecanus telleth not howe the Church flourished without the helpe of Christian Princes which he shewed before was one of the Anabaptists chiefe arguments but that the vse of the keyes was not helped by them but perteined onelie to the Ministers of the word not to Elders not teachers To coÌ„clude the thinges aforesaid are coÌ„firmed by the distinct properties of their gouernmeÌ„t For the ciuil Magistrate punisheth crimes with external punishmeÌ„ts onlie as with fines of monie imprisonmeÌ„ts c Insomuch that oftentimes it punisheth also the verie poenitent by reason of their ciuile transgressions not correcting in the mean ewhile the impoenitent which do not publikely disturb the peace It stoppeth indeed now and then an euil that it creepe not further abroad but the euil lurking within it helpeth not But the discipline eccl executeth her power against sinners by the word of God alone and by the instrument of the voice and acknowledgeth none among the citizens and members of Christ but those that repent them And is so farre off from compelling anie against their will that it accepteth the repentaunce of none vnlesse it be voluntarie And indeuoreth chieflie in this that offences might be remoued the repentance of minde performed before God and those that are fallen to be reconciled vnto their neighbor to the Church Finallie that the holie things may not be polluted being cast to dogs swine This double limitation is reciprocallie to be obserued for as it is not lawfull for them that attend on the Church in spirituall things to arrogate any thing to themselues of the ciuil power so also is it not lawful for the ciuil Magistrate to passe his bounds The Magistrate is indeed the keeper of either table and ordeined of God the chiefest member of Christ. Howbeit the administration of things in those matters that directlie respect the conscience do not therfore perteine vnto him For it belongeth to God to prescribe in the church how the coÌ„sciences should conuert themselues by repentance it belongeth not to the Magistrate to whoÌ„ it belongeth to teach to administer the sacraments it is their parts also to take notice and to iudge by the word of them that are the despisers of the doctrine and of the sacrament so farre as perteineth to the coÌ„trouersie of the law or right although the execution of the fact in politike matters do apperteine to the ciuil Magistrate What can bâ— plainer spoken than this to prooue that these Seniors either must not deal with this spiritual discipline of excom or they must be such Presbyters Priests or Elders as be Ministers of the word and sacraments Danaeus in his Christian Introduction 3. part in his treatise De potestate Ecclesiae cap. 48. concerning the author of the power of the keies saith on this wise Moreouer this thing it self is able to establish ratifie this power of the Church against the slanders of al men as though this power were a certeine tyrannie besides the word of God vsurped of the Pastors of the Church In which words he plainlie maketh this power to belong by the institution of God to the
Pastors of the Church Thirdlie saith he this is to be obiected against the bitings and scoffes rebellions of obstinate persons to wit that it is giuen to the Church of Christ himselfe being God and not of men neither yet hath this power bene vsurped of the Church Here therfore is this saying in force He that despiseth you despiseth me Mat. 10. For it is not maÌ„ that bindeth but Christ. Chrysost. in the Epist. to the Hebr. whose sayings theron we haue séene at large alreadie it is in the Canon Nemo contemnat 11. quaest 3. Moreouer the charter of this power iurisdiction which pertaineth to the church remaineth in writing in 2. EuaÌ„gelists as two publike Notaries Secretaries of the highest King to wit Matthewe Iohn Matth. 18. v. 18. Io. 20. v. 23. To whom agreeth that which is in Ier. chap. 1. ver 18. Here Danaeus ioyneth vnto Mat. 18. all these testimonies Luc. 10. Ioh. 20. â— Ier. 1. which are all spoken of the Ministers of the word That in Luc. 10. to the which matter also that in Mat. 10. agréeth was spoken to the comfort of the disciples being sent out to preach Concerning that of the keyes giueÌ„ to the disciples Ioh. 20. Caluin himself saith After that Christ hath appoynted ordeined Legates to be sent into the world he nowe more significantlie expreslie describeth the office or ministery of theÌ„ in few words coÌ„prehendeth the summe of the Gospel For this power of remitting sinnes is not to be separated froÌ„ the office of teaching and is annexed to it in one coÌ„text And as for that of Ier. 1. v. 18. Behold this day haue I made thee a defensed Citie an iron piller walls of brasse against the whole land against the kings of Iudah against the princes thereof against the priests therof against â—he people of the land As this was onlie spoken to the prophet so Tremelius expouÌ„ds these words wherin they should be vnderstood Behold I set thee that is I coÌ„firme thee in this thy functioÌ„ that thou shouldest stand firme against the obstinacie of these meÌ„ shouldest coÌ„tinue vnbrokeÌ„ immoouable And the verie note in the Geneua Bible obserueth on this word an iron piller signifieng on the one part that the more SathaÌ„ the world rageth against Gods ministers the more preseÌ„t wil he be to help theÌ„ And this doth the text it self eueÌ„ in the ver next going before declare where God saith Thou therfore gird vp thy loynes arising vp speake vnto theÌ„ all the things that I coÌ„mmand thee Be not afraid at the sigâ—t of theÌ„ least I strike thee before their faces So that this encouragemeÌ„t of God was onlie for the Ministerie of his word And very wel noteth Bullinger theron He declareth to the Prophet what should be his office that thou shouldest I say speak vnto them He constituteth him therfore a Prophet that is a Preacher whose office should be to speak vnto the people And what now he should speak he expresly signifieth All things that I coÌ„mand thee All things I say not only some things Neither shalt thou dissemble any thing neither shalt thou bring the things that seeme good to thee but that that I command thee Marke the things saith he that I command thee not that other coÌ„mand thee or that seeme good to other These things agree with this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the L. which the L. Iesus himself hath prescribed in the last chap. of Mat. sayd Teaching theÌ„ to keep al things that I haue coÌ„manded you c And on this coÌ„fort to him he saith For howsoeuer tyrants would seeme to set the preachers at nought yet theâ—selues witnes that they are afraid of the seruaÌ„ts of god whoÌ„ they haue coÌ„temned Herode feared Iohn Achab Elias c. If now these testimonies of Danaeus be â—it for those to whoÌ„ this power of the keies belongeth who séeth not that it is proper onelie to the Ministers and Teachers of Gods word In the 50. cha Danaeus commeth directly to the partie to whoÌ„ the keies are giuen But saith he this power or iurisdiction of the keies is giuen vnto the whole Church therfore to all singular the Apostles true Pastors of the Church and that indeed equallie but not onlie to Peter alone and to his successors or to himself principallie or chiefelie as some say but vnto other by a coÌ„municating made from Peter It is giueÌ„ therfore vnto the whole Church her self howbeit the same is exercised by the B. Prelates of the Church in her name consent conscience Aug. in 50. Homil. homil 50. Héerupon to confute the Papists error that wold make all this power to be giuen principallie to Peter to be deriued from him he faith The first reason is the authoritie of the scripture For Christ speaking to all his Apostles not onlie to Peter alone saith in the plurall number What sinnes soeuer ye shall binde vpon earth c. Math. 18. v. 18. The same Christ after his resurrection Omnibus hanc eandem potestatem confirmanit quoque confirmed also vnto all of them this self same power not onlie to Peter alone for vpon whom he breathed the holie Ghost to them he said VVhose sinnes soeuer ye shall remit c. Iohn 20. ve 23. If now the power giuen Mat. 18. be the self same power that giuen Io. 22. the power giuen Ioh. 20. is the power of teaching and preaching the word of God as Caluine saith is not to be separated from the office of teaching how foloweth it not that whosoeuer haue this power giuen them Mat. 18. must be all Teachers of the word of God And how then doo our Br. giue this power to such a Senate of Elders as are not Teachers The 2. reason saith Danaeus is drawen froÌ„ the things that are necessarilie annexed Thus wheresoeuer is the true Church of God there the gates of hell doo not preuaile there is remission of sinnes there is the fountaine of grace open and also equallie appeareth out of the word of God Therfore whersoeuer the church is the other equally accord therto that are the Churches giftes follow the same Zach. 13 v. 1. Among the which chieflie is this power of the keies for by it the remission retention of sinnes is denounced Christ said of the Church vniuersallie The gates of hel shall not preuaile against it Wherupon it is rightly gathered that this power of the keyes perteineth to her and that indeed vniuersallie Math. 16. v. 18. For the meane whereby the gates of hell doo not preuaile against the Church is the selfe same power If this also bée the selfe same power mencioned Math. 16. which Caluine also ascribeth to the Ministerie of the word saying Heere Christ beginneth to treate of the publike office that is of the Apostleship whose dignitie is adorned with
Churche Act. 11. ver 31. Of what function these Elders were in the places héere cited we haue alreadie séene at large That they were Ministers and Teachers of the word As for them mencioned Act. 20. it is both in the text apparant and besides Caluine all other Interpreters our Br. in this their learned Discourse beare vs witnesse in all which places they applie the name of Elders still to Pastors The 15. 21. of the Acts doo mencion also as we haue séene both by the text it selfe and by Calu. gathering theron stil such Elders as were Teachers of the word As for those mencioned Act 11. being the same that are spoken of Act. 15. and 21. the consequent is euident what they were So that here yet no Elders appéere that are no Teachers The second reason is saith Daneus To the Pastors and Prelates of the Church apperteineth the cure the viewe the knowledge and the iudgement concerning the manners of euerie of the faithfull And this iurisdiction is a part and appendant of that viewe and care therefore this care and watchfulnesse is proper also vnto them Whereupon it followeth that vnto them this administration dooth properlie belong For why are they called watchmen Ezech. 3. vers 7. Why are they bidden to haue the care of the Church 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. Hebr. 13.17 Why are they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I said before For these titles are not giuen of the holie Ghost in vaine vnto them These titles we graunt are not giuen them in vaine sith therfore they are all titles belonging to Teachers and Ministers of the word more properlie in the Eccl. functions thaÌ„ vnto those that are not Ministers nor teachers of the word It is more likelie that in these places where these titles be giuen are meant Teachers and Ministers of the word The 3. of Ezechiel ver 17. is cléere for a Teacher Thou Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel therefore heare my worde at my mouth and giue warning from me c. The testimonie of 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. besides all other Interpreters the verie Geneua translation hath this marginal note By Elders he vnderstandeth all them which preach teach or minister in the Church And least we should vnderstand it of other Ministers than of the word our Brethren themselues in this their learned Discourse pag. 22.25 32. do still applie the same to pastorall Elders As for the testimonie Hebr. 13.17 we saw how it was to be expounded by the 7. verse for those Guides that are Teachers of the word And the name fitteth verie well for so by S. Luke also S. Paule is called Act. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guider of the word The 3. reason is saith Danaeus it apperteineth to them to iudge out of the word of God the factes life of men and to weigh the manners of men and to marke the fruite of the Gospel to whome the explication and treatie of the same word of God and of the Gospel by the coÌ„mandement of God doth apperteine but they are those that are conteined in the name of the Presbyterie Prepositors Prelates of the Church whereupon it is manifest that vnto them therefore belongeth this power properlie and chieflie whereby this iudgement is made 1. Peter 5. ver 2.1 Tim 4. ver 11.6 ver 2. What can be plainer spoken than this that these Elders of the Presbyterie ought to be Teachers and Ministers of the worde And these testimonies also doo as expresâ—ie proue it The first of Tim. 4. ver 11. Declare these things and teach them And 1. Tim. 6.2 Teach and exhort these things The 4. reason is saith Danaeus The vse it selfe of things and the examples of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Church doo confirme it For Paule while he vseth the power of the keyes against the incestuous Corinthian he asketh not euerie one of the people their sentence or opinion but onelie denounceth to the Church of Corinth and to the assemblie that hee which deserued was excommunicated 1. Cor. 5. ver 4.2 Cor. 2. ver 10. And declareth the same to other to whome that care perteined Paule in deed dooth communicate to the people denounce his iudgement that either the Church shoulde assent or dissent But hee himselfe with the Seniors pronounceth of the matter and claimeth the first and chiefest parts in the exercise of these keies vnto himselfe and to the other Pastors Although héere Danaeus adde this more than the text hath or giueth that he himselfe with the Seniors did pronounce of the matter for the text is plaine that he himselfe and by himselfe without anie Seniors of theirs did pronounce and denounce it to the Corinthians not that he was to be excommunicated but that he was excommunicated as Danaeus saith well therein chose they whether they would assent or dissent Their dissent could not reuoke the excommunication alreadie denounced But admit that Paule did it with anie other Elders ioyned with him yet neither wer they among the Corinthians nor Elders of that Church But whosoeuer they were if ther were anie stil he maketh them no other than pastoral Elders WheruppoÌ„ saith Danaeus it coÌ„meth to passe that we must conclude that the administration exercise power of the keyes which is both in binding losing is properlie first of all to be referred to the Colledge of the Presbyterie or Prelats of the Church notwithstaÌ„ding the same is had of the Church which they ought in the Chur. to exercise with the coÌ„sent notice approbatioÌ„ of the Church Hereunto I referre that which Aug. writeth Serm. 18. de verbis Apostoli If anie man suffred a slauÌ„der of his brother that is of a christiaÌ„ he ran to the B. to the end he might cleere himself of the slaunder All this againe maketh the more that the dealing herein apperteined to those Elders onelie that were Teachers Ministers of the word But saith Danaeus that the power arbitrimeÌ„t of the eccl CeÌ„sure perteined not to anie one appeareth eueÌ„ of that that the eccl regiment should theÌ„ be traÌ„sformed into a meere tyrannie or into a politike Kingdome Therfore neither the B. neither one Eld ought or can alone exercise that power but together at the length with his eccl CoÌ„sistorie as appeareth out of the old discipline Siritius in his 2. Epist. he liued in the Age of Ambrose In the 2. Councill of Carthage the 2. chap. And in the 4. the 22. 23. chap. Cypr. in his 12. Ep. In the first Council of Antioch chap. 23. this selfe same thing is coÌ„firmed This is another question Whether anie one Bishop or Minister may excommunicate or no The question is now betweene our Brethren vs whether one or mo there ought anie other to exercise this Censure of the Church than such Elders as are
abuse and pollution beeing expreslie abolished and onely a good purpose and vse of them decreed the same are as much besides for the goodnesse of the purpose and vse for the verie authoritie of the decree to be for the time as farre foorth receyued as the other meates beeing otherwise lawfull in them-selues yet being for good purposes and vses of them by the authoritie of the decree for the time forbidden were then and for that time to be refused But that was done also say they for the forbearing the weaknes of the Iewes in abstinencie from eating bloud and strangled which was forbiddeÌ„ by God before Moses time to teach that childish age of gods people to absteine from crueltie As in Genes 9.4 Although the time before the comming of Christe bee called of the Apostle Gal. 4. ver 3. a childish age when wee were Children saith he wee were in bondage vnder the rudimentes of the worlde yet when the fulnesse of time was come and Christe reuealed receiued and the Gospell established in calling still that primitiue age a childish age we must take good heede that the Papistes and other Heretikes take not aduantage by these spéeches that say the Church of Christe in the Apostles times was but as weake as a Childe or babie and afterwarde grewe to ripe perfection And albeit I graunt these temporarie degrees were made cheefely in respect of some such persons among them that were but weake and as it were of childish age in the knowledge of Christe and the Christian libertie notwithstanding euen for these weake childrens sake the strongest and all for the time that those decrees were in force were bound to obey them And that priuate person which publikely had broken or controlled these degrees of the Church in these caeremoniall matters which onely for this expediencie were decreed though the matters otherwise in them-selues were such as might lawfully haue beene broken or controlled had greatly offended euen so whatsoeuer these caeremoniall matters that we and our Br. doe nowe striue for are otherwise in their own nature free and indifferent and so might bee receyued or refused or haue otherwise in the vse of them beene abused yet being nowe by the Church of God decreed to be well vsed and that with expresse cautions against all the former abuses of them and that with full freedome of conscience wherein the Christian libertie most consisteth what priuate person soeuer shoulde attempt publikely to breake or controll them shoulde offer manifest iniurie to Gods Church If we be the Church of God as I hope we be that thus haue decreed them They say such caeremoniall Constitutions are but temporall Neyther do we goe about to make them perpetuall And yet heerein wee must note also a difference from those Constitutions that were no longer in force then for a certaine time as the absteining from bloud and strangled and those that may perpetually bee kept if there be perpetuall causes of them And this their selues confesse that they are so long to be retained as the cause continueth sor which they were made And they say true herein But since the cause of the making of our caeremoniall constitutions doth continue howe are they not then to bee still reteined vntill the cause shall cease or that by the same authoritie whereby they were ordeyned they be also aâ—tered or remooued But say they so that if weakenesse cease or be turned to obstinacie they are no longer to be reteyned If the weakenesse say I cease generallie or generally bee turned to obstinacie that were in-deede another matter But if weakenesse cease in some and remayne in other or in some but not generally or in the moste part nor generally be turned to obstinacie but in some then the cause of the Lawe respecting not particulars doth not cease and therefore the caeremoniall constitutions decreed by the lawfull Synode are still as before to be reteined Also for order an comelisse and best aedification the Synode hath to determine what shall be obserued in particular charges as of time place and forme of preaching and praying and administring of the Sacramentes For who shoulde bee able to knowe what order comelinesse and aedification requireth according to Gods worde but they that bee teachers and preachers of the same vnto all others For it is absurde that they should bee taught by such these smaller thinges as ought to learne the trueth of them in all matters Vnderstanding the Synode in his proper sense for the orderlie and lawfull assemblie not of this or that particular Citie Shire or Diocesse but of the whole Prouince Realme or state and withall not preiudicating the supreme autoritie of the Christian Magistrate I grant that the Synode hath to determine for order comelinesse and best aedification what shall bee obserued both in particuler thinges and through out the whole state As not onely of the time place and forme of preaching and praying and administring of the Sacrament but also of Discipline and of Ecclesiasticall Regiment to the ends aforesaid As for the reason héere alleaged For who shoulde be able to know what order comelinesse and aedification requireth according to Gods Worde but they that bee teachers and preachers of the same vnto all others I allowe the same no further than by comparison that they which are the Teachers and Preachers of the same vnto all others haue better cause to knowe in generall what order comelinesse and aedification requireth according to the Worde of God than any other haue But to say simplie as heere our Brethren doe who shoulde be able so much as to knowe it but they that bee Teachers and preachers c. is a greate deale me thinketh vnder their correction too presumptuous a question May not a man bee able by Gods grace to knowe thus much as what order comelinesse and aedification requireth according to Gods Worde except hee bee his selfe a Teacher and Preacher of the same vnto all others Yes verily and to knowe much more euen in the greatest controuersies of Doctrine as God bee praysed there are many godly learned both men and women among vs that are not vnfurnished with such knowlâ—â—ge Yea what were the teachers and Preachers at first them selues Did they take vpon them to teache and preache the same vnto all others before they had the knowledge hereof or did they teache and preach immediatly vpon their getting knowledge or was the knowledge suddenly by inspiration giuen them with their entring into this function as S. Paules wordes to Timothie may be vnderstood Dispise not the gift that is in thee which was giuen thee by prophesy with the laying on of hands of the Eldership 1. Tim. 14. And yet Timothy was able to know these thinges before insomuch that S. Paule sayth to him 2. Tim. 3.15 And that thou haste knowne the holy Scriptures of a childe And some men can excellentlie dâ—clare their knowledge also of
word this absolute authoritie wherewith by their leaue both vnciuilly and neyther so christianlike nor subiectlike as should beséeme them they burthen the ciuill christian Magistrate which is God be praysed ouer vs her most excellent Maiestie we shall then neuer reclayme them from their opinion nor let them to hold still what they please For we professe before hand at least I for my part that I can shew none nor I knowe of any such absolute authoritie that either we yéeld to the Prince or that the Prince claymeth in â—his our Church but set absolute aside and then that the ciuill christian Magistrate hath had and ought to haue some authoritie and that in the boundes thereof a supreme authoritie also we haue shewed by sufficient warrant of Gods holy word and euen héere not onely by the auncient Father Augustine but also euen by Bezaes owne approbation and pâ—oues therof where he minceth it most neyther can they nor all the woâ—ld elude this that we haue shewed thereon and this is it that we hold aâ—so of the Princes authority concerning the calling and gouerning of the Synodes what we holde further we shall come to it orderly afterwards but héere they tell vs what they hold We hold say they that the Synode of euery Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church Before of absolute authoritie they sayd they would be glad to learne how this authoritie was translated from the Church in which it was once lawfully vested vnto the ciuill christian Magisâ—rate These were too high words nor they can euer be able to shew it by sufficient warrant out of Gods holy word that the true Church of Christ was euer vested with absolute authoritie but alwayes reserued that vesture to her Lord and husband Iesus Christ. The Pope indéede and his Popish Church he like a proude Prelate and she like a malapert Maâ—ame striued which of them should reuest themselues with absolute authoritie a more royall robe then became them or any creature to be vested with The Queene sayth Dauid Psal. 45.10 did stand on thy right hand in a vesture of the golde of Ophir But least she should thinke her selfe vested with absolute authoritie he saith vnto her Hearken O daughter and consider and bow downe thine â—are forget also thine owne people and thy fathers house so shall the King haue pleasure in thy beautie for he is thy Lord and reuerence thou him so that she is still vested with obedience and though with authoritie not with absolute But it seemeth that our Brethren aâ— better aâ—uised will now let go their former hold that they sayd the Church did hold for the vesting her with this vesture For héere they leaue out the word absolute and say onely that the Church hath authoritie which is a great deale more truly and warily spoken than before And yet héerein also me thinkâ— in another point they greatly ouer shoote themselues for where they say that the Synode of euery Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church leauing out quite and cleane the Prince whome they include not in the name of Synode but making the Prince another partie besides the Synode moue the question what is due to the Prince what to the Synode This is very much if I might not rather say this is very little or nought at all to make now the Christian Magistrate to haue no authoritie at all but be cleane excluded And that is more if the Christian Magistrate haue diuers Prouinces in his Dominions the Synode of euerie Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church he or his authoritie neyther in all nor in any of those his Prouinces being once so much as mentioned But what they meane by these spéeches following whereof some may be generall to all congregations some perticuler to certaine Churches let themselues a Gods name make their meaning playner for as yet I perceyue not such is my bulnesse how all congregations are bound to obserue the Decrees concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church that are decreed in the Synode of euery Prouince or that euery Prouince consisting but of certayne perticular Churches hath authoritie to make Decrees whereof some may be generall to all congregations What they intend héerein I can scarse ghesse except they would haue all Churches and congregations be bound to receyue the Decrees of the Synodes holden in Geneua or in some other Prouince that they like better and say they were of the number of those Decrees which they made to be generall to all congregations But as our Synodes prouinciall cannot make any such ceremoniall order to binde them or to binde generally the congregations or Churches of any other Princes Prouinces so haue they no more authoritie to make ceremoniall orders to binde our congregations and Churches thereunto For as it were to be wished that all places might be brought to one perfection so is it not alwayes necessarie that they bee lyke in all things This wish for perfection of vnitie in all places if the matter might go by wishing is to be liked so farre-foorth as perfection may be wished though hardly hoped for in the imperfection of this life in the Church militant and in the great varietie of ceremoniall orders in the sundry parts and Prouinces of the same howbeit in doctrine especially in the grounds and principles thereof it is to be wished for euen as necessary and although it be not alwayes necessary that all places be like in all things meaning ceremoniall orders and constitutions whereof before they spake yet for all places that be of one countrey state realme dominion or prouince it is farre better that all places were alike For although varietie in those things may stand with the vnitie of the faith and with the substance of our communitie in the corporation of the mysticall bodie of Christ which is his true and holy Catholike Church the communion of the Saincts yet if they be knit together in one order of these ceremoniall things also where they liue together vnder one Christian Magistrate it doth more confirme them in the other substantiall vnitie And the varietie is daungerous in one Church or kingdome euen in these more frée and inferior matters as with gréefe we sée in England at this day what destructions and contentions haue risen and dayly do rise in our Churches that otherwise in doctrine are vnited and yet the varietie of these ceremoniall orders hath with some called in suspition the vnitie of religion and with many hath disturbed if not broken the vnitie of our christian peace and concord And therefore excellently well are these two knitte together Cor vnum via vna one hart one way Zanchius noting the difference of these vnities in his Confession of Christian Religion Cap. 24. de Eccl. militante aphoris 14. 15. writeth thus For with what things
discipline or honesty or peace The end of our striuing is to restreyne the vnmeasurable and barbarous Empire that they vsurpe vpon the soules which would be counted the Pastors of the Church but in very deede are the most cruell butchers Héere we sée what Ecclesiasticall lawes and constitutions Caluine alloweth and what he impugneth If they be such as be made for matter of the worship of God or to incroch vpon the spirituall libertie of the conscience Caluine proclaymeth warre against them and so do we also but if they be such as tend to any of these thrée good ends discipline honestie or peace Caluine proâ—esseth not to striue with any such constitutions and such only do we defend and eyther our Brethren striue against them or we agrée so farre héerein But héere Caluine least the good and lawfull constitutions also shoulâ— be thought suspected as matters touching the intangling of the consâ—ieÌ„ce after he hath moued the question of Sainct Paules saying Rom. 13.5 how we must obey the Princes lawes not only for wrath but for coÌ„science proprie autem c. but properly conscience respecteth onely God as I haue alreadie sayd Heereupon saith he sect 4. it commeth to passe that a law is said to bind the conscience which bindeth a man simply without mens looking into it or without consideration had of them as for example God commaundeth not onely to keepe the soule pure and chaste from all lust but also forbiddeth any vncleannes of words and outward lasciuiousnes To the obseruation of this law my conscience is subiect although there were no man else in the world aliue Euen so he that demeaneth himselfe intemperately sinneth not only in that he giueth euill example to his brother but he hath his conscience tied with a guiltines towards God in matters that are indifferent the reason is otherwise for if they breede any offence we ought to absteyne howbeit with a free conscience so doth Paule speake of flesh consecrated to Idoles If any saith he cast a scruple touch it not for conscience sake conscience I say not thine but the others The faithful man should sinne if before hand being admonished he would notwithstanding eaâ—e that flesh Neuerthelesse howsoeuer in respect of his brother an abstinence is necessarie for him as it is of God prescribed yet for all that he leaueth not to hold the libertie of conscience we see how this lawe binding the externall worke leaueth conscience vnbound Now to returne to the humane lawes if they be made to this end to cast a religion vpon vs as though the obseruation of them were by themselues necessarie we say that they were imposed vpon the conscience which thing was not lawfull for our conscience hath not to do with men but with God alone whereunto apperteyneth that common difference betweene the earthly court and the court of conscience c. But yet saith Caluine further on this matter that difficultie is not cleered that ariseth out of Paules words For if we must obey Princes not onely for bycause of punishments but of conscience it seemeth to follow thereupon that the lawes of Princes haue dominion ouer the conscience which thing if it be true the same also must be said of the lawes Ecclesiasticall I answere First we must distinguish inter genus species betweene the generall kinde and the speciall fourmes thereof For although the particular lawes touch not the conscience yet are we holden by a generall commaundement of God which commendeth vnto vs the authoritie of the Magistrates and on this hingin or principall point consisteth Paules disputation the Magistrates bycause they are ordeyned of God are to be prosecuted with honor in the meane season he teacheth not that the lawes which are written of them perteyne to the inward gouernment of the soule while in euery place he extolleth both the worship of God and the spirituall rule of liuing iustly aboue any whatsoeuer decrees of men Another thing also is worthy to be noted which yet dependeth on that we haue sayde before the lawes of men whether they be made of the Magistrate or of the Church although they are necessary to be kept I speake of good and iust lawes euen therefore notwithstanding by themselues they binde not the conscience bycause the whole necessitie of keeping them hath respect to the generall ende but it consisteth not in the things that are commaunded from this order they differ farre that both prescribe a new forme of worshipping God and ordeyne a necessity in free things Thus farre doth Caluine shew how farre the Magistrates and the Churches constitutions are good and necessarie to be obeyed of all alyke the christian subiects so farre as they impose no simple necessity of themselues nor any necessitie at all to saluation nor directly touch the court of conscience nor are matter of Gods worship from all which thrée points all our Magistrates and Churches constitutions are frée and therefore except our Brethren will offer them wrong they haue no iust cause to refuse or impugne them When Caluine hath now thus declared how farre-foorth the Magistrates and the Churches constitutions are lawfull and good after he hath at large confuted the traditions of the Papists least rashly we should condemne all alike he sheweth againe in the 27. Section how we must take héede what constitutions of the Church we inueigh against But sayth he since the most part of the vnskilfull persons when as they heare that the consciences of men are wickedly bound to humane traditions and that God is worshipped in vayne they with the same dash include all the lawes wherewith the order of the Church is established we must heere also in good time meete with their error Certaynely we may very soone be heere deceiued bycause it appeareth not by and by at the first shew what difference there is betweene those lawes and these but I will so lay downe the matter in few words that the likenesse of them shall beguile none This first let vs hold if in euery societie of men we see that it is necessary there be some policy which may serue to nourish the common peace and to reteyne concord if in the affayres that are to be atchieued there ought alwayes some rite or ceremonie to flourish which that it should not be cast off apperteyneth to publike honestie yea and to humanitie it selfe The same is to be obserued especially in the Churches which are best of all vpholden with a well set constitution of all things but then without concord they are vtterly no Churches at all for which cause if we will haue good regard to the safety of the Church we must wholy with diligence looke to that which Paule commaundeth that all things be decently done and according to order But when as in the manners of men there is so great diuersitie so great varietie in their mindes so great fight in iudgements
ministerie of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be prositable for aedifying of the Church of Christe and the aduauncement of the glory of God If any shall offend against the Lawes whether he be a Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which hee shoulde not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate They haue not yet eyther by these or by ought else before spoken made it appeare howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermedle with causes ecclesiasticall And howe their supreme authoritie therein which is farre higher then onely intermedling stretcheth As for the things which heere as a recapitulation they set downe are nothing so much as they graunted before For although they say that it is the cheefest point of their duetie to haue especiall regard that God may bee glorified in their Dominion yet that doth not shewe what especiall authoritie they haue therein and how farre foorth they haue it If they say that they do this in the conclusion following these wordes And therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the Sacraments and to all Eccl. orders What haue they graunted heere to her Maiestie but the onely making of ciuill Lawes and thus the conclusion when all comes to al is not so much as that they graunted before or at leaste made vs a shewe thereof And yet they made to great daintie in the graunt thereof with so many exceptions which graunt notwithstanding we gladly accepted at their handes and made much of it that it is not onely lawfull but also necessarie for princes if they will doe their duetie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so that we confounde not the offices of the Prince and the Pastor Heere euerie man that meaneth no subtiltie woulde straight haue thought that as the pastor hath some part of looking to the reformation of religion and of making Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall pertayning to the office of a pastor distinct from the office of a prince so the prince also hath some parts of looking to the reformation of religion of making lawes of matters Eccl. pertaining to the office of a prince distinct from the office of a pastor And that although the partes of eyther of their offices be distinct yet in the verie looking to that reformation of Religion and to the verie making of those Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall they both of them dointermeddle which is the terme that their selues euen héere do vse But see nowe what a fayre gift our Brethren haue héere graunted It is lawfull and necessarie for Princes to make Lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall What Lawes Forsooth they ought to make ciuill lawes to bind the people vnto the confession of true faith and the right administring of the Sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders Yea forsooth in this last and third point lieth chiefely the question of making lawes But haue they any stroke in making lawes of any those Eccl. orders No but onely that they being instructed by the word of God through the ministery of the preaching of the same shall vnderstand to be profitable to the edifyeng of the Church and the aduancement of the glorie of God should bynde the people to them What should they make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to them before that they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall or howe can they be made lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall doth the scripture make all the lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall that are made or is the ministerie of the preaching of the same a sufficient instruction for the Prince to take them for Ecclesiasticall lawes bycause they put him to vnderstand that they be profytable for edifying the Church of Christ and aduancement of the glorie of God so that what they shall say as profitable héereunto that is a lawe or he must so take it or else still I demaund who had the authoritie to make those lawes and orders Ecclesiasticall except they shall say they were all made before there were any christian Princes which was theyr former refuge Albeit Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon c. will ouer-reach that shift for they had a stroke euen in the verie making of Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders them selues and not onely in the making of ciuill lawes for Ecclesiasticall lawes and orders to bynde the people vnto them and so had also dyuers Christian Princes since Christes time many of whose lawes are Ecclesiasticall lawes themselues and Canons of the Church in the Canon lawe and not onely ciuill lawes made to binde the people to keepe the Canon lawes or Ecclesiasticall orders and such also are diuers lawes of the auncient Bryttish and English Kings in this Realme and the Epistle of Eleutherius himselfe if it be his giueth Lucius no lesse authoritie But is this all that our Brethren will allow to Christian Princes and no further authoritie than this yes If any shall offend against the lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer beside the Ecclesiastical censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate And is this againe all that we shall get more than before we got for the supreme authoritie of the Christian Prince in Ecclesiasticall matters and what more is héere graunted to the Prince than the verie Papists yea than the Pope himselfe as proude and iniurious to Princes as he is will graunt vnto them to make ciuill lawes for the defence of the lawes Ecclesiasticall that he and his Cleargy onely do make making the Princes to be the onely punishers and as it were their executioners of iustice vpon them that shall offend against their lawes This they can well allow and like that Princes should haue authority to punish the offender in body besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which the offender shall not escape at their hands and for this cause they call the Emperour the Churches aduocate and the Pope himselfe yéelded this title to King Henry the eyght to be called the defender of the faith and will our Brethren yéeld no better supremacy nor greater authority to christian Princes and so to her Maiesty than the Papists and the very Pope wil offer to yéeld her so that her Maiesty will but make ciuill lawes to bynde the people to their lawes and Ecclesiasticall orders that the Pope and his Cleargie shall make and that if any shall offend in body against his lawes whether he be Preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in body by the ciuill Magistrate all this doth the Pope offer to all the Princes in theyr dominions that haue not cast off the yoke of his subiection but liue in greatest seruitude vnder him and yet our new Pastors make all this mincing to graunt but thus
at Cabellinum especially in the Counsell that he held at Mentz where the Counsell craueth his ayde and confirmation of such Articles as they had agréed vpon so that he iudge them worthy to be confirmed beséeching him to cause that to be amended that is found to be worthy of amendment Which Counsell also giueth God thanks that he had giuen vnto his Church a Gouernour godly and deuout in his seruice who in his time opening the fountaine of godly wisedome doth continually feede the sheepe of Christ with holy foode instructeth them with diuine knowledge c. And in his Edicts set out not only to the Layty but to the Cleargy he writeth thus Charles by the grace of God King and Gouernour of the Kingdome of Fraunce c. Wherefore I thought good to moue you O yee Pastors of Christes Churches ye leaders of his flocke and cleere lights of the world that ye would trauaile with vigilant care and diligent admonition to guide Gods people through the Pastures of eternall life c. Therefore they are with earnest zeale to be admonished and exhorted yea to be compelled to keepe themselues in a sure faith reasonable continuance within and vnder the rules of the Fathers In the which worke and trauell wit ye right well that our industrie shall workâ— with you For the which cause we haue also addressed vnto you our messengers which by our authoritie shall with you amend and correct those things that are to be amended and therefore we haue also added such Canonicall constitutions as to vs were thought to be most necessarie Let none iudge this to be presumption that we take vpon vs to amend that which is amisse to cut off that which is superfluous For we reade in the bookes of the Kings how the holy King Iosias trauelled in going about the circuits of his Kingdome correcting and admonishing his people to reduce the whole Kingdome vnto the true religion and seruice of God I speake not this to make my selfe equall to him in holinesse but bycause we ought alwayes to follow the examples of the holy Kings and so much as we can we are bound of necessitie to bring the people to follow a vertuous life to the prayse and glory of our Lord Iesus Christ. And so he entreth into his rules exhortatioÌ„s to the B. and Priests how they should guide their Diocesses and Churches both by reading and preaching and the Bishops to sende foorth the Priests to preach It belongeth saith he vnto your office O ye Pastors guides of Gods churches to sende foorth through out your Dioceses Priests to preach vnto the people and to see that they preach rightly and honestly that ye do not suffer new things that are not canonicall but forged of their owne minde not according to the holy scriptures to be preached vnto the people yea you your own selues preach the things that are true and honest and that lead vnto euerlasting life And instruct ye other that they doe the same c. Yea Alcuinus in his preface of his treatise on the trinitie which he being his Chaplaine dedicated vnto this French king being then also made Emperour maketh the Prince to haue so farre authoritie aboue all other ciuill persons in Ecclesiast matters that he calleth him also a Preacher and sayth that he hath as it were a priestly office in these thinges And least sayth he I should seeme not to helpe and further your preaching of the faith I haue directed and dedicated vnto you this booke thinking no gift so conuenient and worthy to be presented vnto you seeing that all knowe this most plainely that the Prince of the people ought of necessitie to know all things and to preach the things that please God Neither doth it pertaine to any man to know better or mo things than it doth to an Emperour whose doctrin ought to profite all the subiects c. All the faithfull haue great cause to reioyce of your godlines seeing that you haue a Priestly power as it is meete so to be in the preaching of Gods worde a perfect knowledge in the Catholike faith and a most holy deuotion to mens saluation This authoritie and interest euen in the chiefest Eccl. matters doth that famous Alcuinus a countriman of our owne acknowledge vnto the Christian Prince And the like doth this Emperours sonne Lewes take vppon him and it was yéelded vnto him both in the Councell that he called at Aquisgraue in Germanie and afterwarde in Italy at Ticinum where hee giuing in charge to the Bishops and Councel to consult among other matters concerning the conuersation of the Bishops the Priestes and other Eccl. persons of their doctrine and preaching to the people of writing out of bookes c. He concludeth I am very much desirous to knowe and couet to reforme them according to Gods will and your holy aduise in such sort that neither I bee founde reproueable in the sight of God neither you nor the people incurre the wrathfull indignation of God for these things How this may be searched found out brought to perfection that I committe to be treated on by you and so to be declared vnto me The lesser matters which in generall touch all but that touch some in speciall and neede reformation I will that yee make enquirie also of them and make relation thereof vnto me Whereby we sée that these Princeâ— had the chiefe authoritie in those Councelles and both made Ecclesiasticall lawes them selues with the Bishops aduise and counsell and also all the Bishops decrées and determinations depended on the Princes ratifying This then was the order and not that onely which our Brethren here say we read to be obserued by the Christian Kings of France And euen as much do we read to be obserued by the Christian kings of Spayne by whose authoritie the first second third Councell at Brachara were called and many pointes for doctrine and discipline disposed After whom Richaredus commaunded a Councel to be assembled and holden at Toledo where the king sitting among the Bishops deâ—lareth vnto them how he called them together that he might by the common consultation in the Synode repayre and make a newe forme of Eccl. discipline which had bin long time hindred by Arianisme The which impedimeÌ„t sayth he it hath pleased God to put away by my meanes whereupon he exhorteth them to giue God thankes for his so doing and admonisheth them before they enter into the consultation to fast and pray to God that he would vouchsafe to open vnto them a true order of discipline And so after a thrée dayes fast appointed vnto them the Synode beginning to enter into consultation the king commeth in with his Queene and nobles and sitteth amongest them and causeth the confession of his faith which he had written and subscribed with his and the Quéenes hands to be publikely reade before them
therefore sith they confesse héere and that more truly that this benefite is onely vnder a Christian Prince it followeth that their other saying was not true no nor yet this albeit in part this be the truer of the twaine yet it aunswereth not home to the due commendation setting foorth of a christian Princes authority how far it stretcheth in matters of Religion For although quietnes peaceablenes in these things is no small cōmodity for a man would giue much to buy his peace to liue in quietnes neuertheles since that in these things is not the onely end nor the chiefest end of Christian Princes nor the greatest benefite that we receaue by them but their helpe furtherance supreme authority vnder Christ in setting out godly and honest lawes ordinances decrees with the aduice of their godly learned Clergie in those matters for the establishment maintenance of godly Religion honest life in peace and quietnes therfore our bre do not here sufficiently set foorth all nor the best part of the benefits that we receiue by the authority of a godly Christian Prince nor so much as the auncient examples both in the old testamēt as the allowance of the new Testament or as the foresaid practise of the Emperors Kings in Christendom doth allow nor as we our selues haue both of late felt in the gouernments of that most Heroicall Prince King Henry the 8. and the most vertuous King Edward the 6. or that now especially if we be not to vnthankfull in not recognizing the manifold excéeding benefites that daily we all receiue enioy from the godly raigne of our most gratious soueraigne Queene Elizabeth which now most happily raigneth ouer vs God be highly blessed for her and God vouchsafe still to blesse her and giue vs better grace in all duty thankfulnes to acknowledge it Much better doth Beza euen on this sentence also in his confession cap. 5. article 44. acknowledge these benefites of the Christian Prince saying It remaineth that we treate vppon the Magistrate to wit one of the members of the Church that in his kind placed before the other without any exception As that whose force is architectonicall or building the office therfore of this magistrate is to conserue the publike peace tranquillity But when as that cannot well be done but that in the firste place the true worship of God must flowrish from the which onely all true felicity springeth it followeth that nothing ought of Christian Magistrates to be esteemed higher than that they haue the church ordered according to the prescript of Gods word the authority wherof they ought to defend mainteine against al the froward contemners disturbers therof following the example of Dauid c. This thing say they the Church most hūbly desireth of the Prince for this end the Church continually praieth to God for the Prince in this respect the church most obediently submitteth her selfe vnto the prince as a childe to his nurse that both Prince and people may honor God in this life and after this life raigne with Christ euerlastingly This conclusion is a great deale better than the premisses For in them we had all thinges still driuen to the Princes abasing of themselues vnto the Church Which subiection notwithstanding in the foresaid sense as she is the spouse of Christ the Prince a particular person as she is the mother the Prince her childe so well as any of his subiects we deny it not But here now at length our bre tell vs another tale how the church desireth of the Prince how the Church not onely praieth continually for the Prince but also most obediētly submitteth her selfe vnto the Prince as a child to his nursse In these words is inferred a great authority of the Prince ouer the Church Now if we shal see what the matters are wherin this authority of the Prince ouer the church cōsisteth al this controuersy is forthwith cōcluded And here to the specifying of this point this thing say our bre the church most humbly desireth of the Prince what is this thing For this end the Church continually prayeth to God for the Prince what is this end In this respect the Church most obediently submitteth her selfe vnto the Prince as a childe to his nurse and what also is this respect For we may either refer this thing this end this respect eyther to the words that wēt before or to the words that follow If we shall refer them to the words that follow that both Prince people may honour god in this life and after this life raign with christ euerlastingly our br frō giuing to little may giue too much except they make Princes to be but as meanes instruments herevnto as also be the Eccl. ministers in their callings Both of thē the prince they are the instruments meanes that God hath ordeined to this end in the gouernment of his church by the making of good Eccl. lawes that both Prince and people may honor God in this life of the consequence that God hath vouhsafed to set downe I will honor them that honor me theymay after this life raigne with Christ euerlastingly But if we shall refer this thing this end this respect to the words going before that is a peaceable and a quiet life in all godlines honesty then are we neuer the hearer for the point in question to know how far foorth in procuring a peaceable quiet life in al godlines honesty our br wil graūt the authority of the Prince to stretch whether to make with the aduice of their learned clergy Eccl. lawes cōducing aswel to godlines that is to say to gods true religion worship as to honesty to a peaceable quiet life yea or no. For this is the very pitch of the question in controuersy They say that the Prince with the aduice of the learned clergy maye make ciuill lawes for Eccl. matters And we say that the Prince with the aduice of the learned clergy may make euen Eccl. lawes or lawes not onely for but of Eccl. matters They say that the Pastors onely though for a shew now and then they ioyne with the Pastors those whom they tearm the gouernors must make the decrees lawes Eccl. apperteining to order cōlines aedification of the church yea who but teachers preachers is able to know thē then the prince must make ciuill lawes to bind the people to al eccl orders that they being instructed by the word of god through the ministery of the preaching of the same shall vnderstande to bee profitable for edifying the church of christ to the aduancement of the glory of god And yet somwhat furder If any shal offend against the lawes whether he be preacher or hearer besides the eccl censure which he should not escape he is
perswaded and more mislike them when they view and consider better of the matters of the groundes of the prooues and of the drifts thereof But if they meane this through perswasion to be of them onely that doe openly professe their discontentment and are recusants and accusants of thâ— gouernment established in Ecclesiasticall matters and that speake or write agaynst it and haue set out other bookes or that haue complâ—tted themselues together in deuising and setting foorth this fourme of reformation which they call a learned discourse and a declaration of all the faithfull Ministers c. which who they are and what number they be of God knowes I know not yet this I know and it is apparant that diuers of them are so farre from being throughly perswaded in the forme here set foorth that almost none of their writings bookes in many poynts and some of those very materiall are agreeable either one with another or with this forme as by conference of them will easily appeare And some of their diuers opinions and cleane contrary positions we haue here seene as occasion hath serued to obserue the same Yea we haue séene how their owne selues oppugne their owne selues with diuers and contrary assertions in this learned discourse And then by this title of their forme that it is the desires of all the faithfull Ministers that seeke for the discipline reformatioÌ„ of the Church of England all those different froÌ„ these seeke a wrong discipline reformatioÌ„ are vnfaithfull Ministers call their own faithfulnesse seeking in question too But I verely thinke God forgiue me if I thinke amisse where this learned discourse is set foâ—th in the name of all the faithfull Ministers that desire seeke for the reformatioÌ„ of the Church of England if they would declare their names who they bee and that they were asked their voyces by scrutinie or might deliuer the same as fréely as they their selues would wish our scrutators wheÌ„ they had nuÌ„bred al their voyces would returne vs a fayre Non placet If they would not rather many of them euen openly disclayme their coÌ„sent for their parts professe that this forme is none of their forme nor they desire nor seeke for many of these straunge and daungerous matters that in this learned discourse are prescribed Yea whosoeuer were the writers hereof in the names of all the faithfull Ministers me thinketh they began euen here somewhat to sâ—agger and dare not in playne wordes for a round conclusion say this forme is plat and playne set downe and prescribed or commaunded in the word of God and that they are throughly so perswaded No they haue yet more grace than so they pronounce their words more warylie saying it is agreeable to the word of God Howbeit they deale not well in this cunning coÌ„ueyance of their words that vnder the quarter sayle of agreeable will so compasse the winde till they set vp full sayle and thrust it vpon vs not onely as agreeable but as flatly commaunded and prescribed For if it prescribe not but beâ— onely agreeable as here they say then are not we of any such necessitie bound thereto but that wee may keepe this forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernment that is alreadie established well enough except our Bretheren can proue it to bee disagreeable Yea so disagreeable that it be repugnant to the word of God which as yet they haue not withall their heauing and shouing bene able to doe And yet if they could prooue it to bee disagreeable this inforceth no necessitie of their forme no though we should also admit that it were agreeable to the word of God which neither yet haue they bene able to doe withall their éeching and wringing of Gods word to prooue it But for all this they say they are able to prooue that their forme of reformation here set forth is consenting with the example of the Primitiue Church Indéede they sayd not so much before for the agreeablenes of this forme to the worde of God that they were able to proue it but onely that they were throughly perswaded it is agreeable But for all their perswasion we haue thankes be to God plainly seene it proued that it is much disagreable froÌ„ the word of God euen in euery of the persons of their Tetrarchie and in many other great and important poynts and not onely disagreeable but contrary But now when they come from the word of GOD to the Primitiue Church where they begin to take vppon them somewhat more boldly that they are able to proue what now are they able to proue any rule commaundement or prescription of this forme No. But say they we are able to proue it to be consenting with the example of the Primitiue Church What doe they passe cleane ouer all rule commaundement and prescription as a matter that they dare not so much as touch or looke after but leape at the first choppe into example Or doth euery example in the Primitiue Church make a prescription or is equiualent with a rule or commaundement or if it doe not how doth it binde vs especially vnderstanding the example of the Primitiue Church so as here they doe in a seperate sence from that that is conteyned in the Scripture for so I take it that they ment the scripture only wheÌ„ they spake before of the word of God and that now by yâ— example of the Primitiue Church they meane the tyme immediatly succéeding that time that is expressed in the word of God And yet though they did coÌ„prehend in the name of the Primitiue Church the tyme also expressed in the word of God or any example in the word of God they should hardly vrge a rule or prescriptioÌ„ of some one exaÌ„ple if they haue nothing els but only some such exaÌ„ple for it Wel might an exaÌ„ple be brought for an instance of the practise of some one poynt or matter set foorth in this forme but what would that serue for any exaÌ„ple of all the poynts matters that they haue set forth in this forme Can they prooue a general practise of all these or of any one â—oint vpon which they haue discoursed that the exaÌ„ple thereof was vsed vniuersally and in continuall practise in the Primitiue Church Understand the Primitiue Church how they please they haue not yet shewed vs any such example No in very deede not any one example that is aunswerable to this their prescribed forme Yes say they wee are able to proue this forme to be consenting to the example of the Primitiue Church Consenting what meane they by that So they told vs before of being agreeable to the word of God and doe they now tell vs of consenting to the example of the Primitiue Church Why doe they now begin so sparingly to mince their termes and as it were by ounces thus warily to way their words in the ending of this their learned discourse
What is it now in fundo parsimonia or are they now waxen more wise than before in the discourse of all their learning They had wont to followe the matter so freshly to vrge and presse on euery thing so peremptorily that it was so and it is so and it shall be so euery coniecture was a conclusion euery example was a prescription yea euery word a sentence euery sentence a rule and euery rule without all exception there is no remedie thus and thus it must bee And now when it comes to the vpshot and last reckoning I cannot tell how all is dasht Or doe they misdoubt they haue somewhat ouershot themselues before And it is good to keepe some sober for an after reckoning and therefore they now come in with these more circumspect termes Well yet when all is done it is either at least agreeable to Gods word or at least wee are throughly so perswaded or if it were not in the worde of God yet at least it was in the Primitiue Church or at least there was then the example of it or at least it was consenting with the example Nay then Bretheren and ye can driue it on thus was it not at least your own consent that we should imagine it for an example or at least was it not indéede mere nothing Parturiunt montes nascetur ridiculus mus is all this platforme come now to this that it is consenting to the exāple of the Primitiue Church Well then if it bee but consenting and that but with example and that but of the Primitiue Church then the market is well fallen and perhaps mard for the vtterance of these wares And as we had before nothing but agreeable so it may fall out that it is neither agreeable nor consenting at least this is manifest that agreeable and consenting is not the same Yea indeede this forme of reformation that our Bretheren vrge is neither the same nor agreeable nor consenting And yet admit it were consenting in matters that are not prescribed not only other formes agreeable and consenting but euen disagreeable and dissenting also in some poynts are so little to be condemned that they may be very well allowed or to come downe as they doe they may at least be so well borne withall that the vnitie of doctrine and peace of God should not be broken nor Scismes made for them in his Church But since our Bretheren here after Gods word stand vpon the consenting with the example of the Primitiue Church what tyme will they limite for the Primitiue Church For if we shall vnderstand it as commonly it is vnderstood for all the tyme of the persecutions till Constantines reigne how can they proue the forme of reformation that is here prescribed to bee consenting with the example of the Primitiue Church yea take it for any age after the Apostles yea in the very Apostles tymes Can they name but one Doctor in any place that might not or did not applye his doctrine and exhort and preach they haue not named him Can they name any one Church where al the Pastors were so equall that they had not a Bishop or some one hauing a standing superiour gouernment ouer the residue if there were many Pastors in that Church or if they had not at al times might not haue had as well other Churches had as wee haue seene what a number of such superiour Bishops there were in the Primitiue Church Or can they name the mā that was such a gouerning Elder as might not teach or any Church that had them speaking of such as were Ecclesiasticall or Church Presbyters Priestes or Elders Or if there were any such in some Churches that there was such and a Consistorie of them in all the Primitiue Churches Or can they tel who where and when there were such Deacons as medled onely with the care of the poore and contributions for them or distributions to them that did not also attend vpon the Pastors and might not bee admitted as occasion serued either to preach teach nor administer the Sacraments nor so dispose themselues thereto that they might be prepared to be made Pastors Can they shewe that excommunication was so pronounced by such as were not Ministers of the word that all the people or a Segniorie of them in their names were ioyned with the Pastors in the power of the keyes or for the Spirituall binding and losing Can they shewe that all which were elected and ordeyned Pastors were elected and ordeyned onely in Synodes and the Pastorall Elders of the worde no longer accounted Pastorall Elders than they were onely in the place where their Pastorall charge did lye And a number there are of such thinges in this forme of reformation pretended of which they can neuer shewe in the Primitiue Church any example although perhaps of some thinges they might shewe some example and yet that not generall nor any perpetuall rule thereof to binde all Churches and all ages to that example But they doe well here to tell vs that they are able to prooue all this And why then if they bee able haue they not done it Doe they want the act and esse whereof they tolde vs pag. 126 And haue they now in the end found out to dare vs withall a potentiall abilitie in the Clowdes Doe they tell vs now when they haue finished all their learned discourse thereon that they are able to prooue it Me thinkes it had bene a iolier hearing to haue heard them say we haue proued it And I am throughly perswaded in this that if they had throughly perswaded themselues that they had proued it they would not haue strayned courtesie to haue tolde vs that they had proued it and not haue sayd now they are able to proue it But it is a signe of grace that our Brethren haue this shamefastnesse that yet they will not goe thus farre as to say they haue proued that which their owne consciences witnesseth and all the world may see they haue not proued in all this their learned discoursing on the matter Well what of that though they haue not as yet proued it yet what say we to this They are able to proue it Be they so indeede Let them doe it then say I a Gods blessing begin when they list so they doe it more orderly than they haue hetherto gon to worke But till then I stand still on this prooued it they haue not And for any thing that they haue alreadie sayd we neede not doubt but that we shall by Gods grace bee as well able to improue it as they to proue it except they haue better prooues to come than as yet wee haue seene any And if they shall be able to bring such prooues as shall prooue it indeede I for my parte God willing as I shall bee able will bee also as readie to yeeld most gladly so farre as they shall be able to proue it Building say they onely
are disordered But be this and theirs neuer so well ordered mought they not through abuses or corruptions be disordered Or what warrant can they giue vs that this forme which they prescribe should neuer be disordered And would they be content that any shoulde call this their forme a disordered forme onely because of the abuses and corruptions So that admitting this their owne forme had in it selfe no disorder yet this may touch their owne forme so well as ours But they thinke they haue answered that alreadie pag. 132. That although vpon this their forme there crept in as many or mo abuses than now there are yet God though he condemne abuses would approoue their order Because say they it is grounded vpon Gods worde But we could there finde no such ground but only that it is grounded in their méere fancies it is no more grounded on Gods worde nor yet so much grounded by many parts as our forme is grounded And therefore if they may say God approueth our order though he condemne the abuses then may her Maiestie for her supreme authoritie if any vnder her abuse her Maiesties authoritie thē may our Bishops for their supreme dignitie iurisdiction then may our Doctors for their exhorting and applying then may our Pastors for their ministerie ordeyning then may our Deacons for their attendance on the ministerie and preparing themselues to be made Pastors then may our Eccl. Presbyters Priests or Elders which are not altogether debarred from teaching though most employed in gouerning much better say for our forme of the Churches gouernement we shall be sure that God approoueth our order in these thinges though he condemne the abuses in any of these thinges because the order is grounded vpon Gods worde And so farre our forme of Eccl. gouernment is not disordered But they say of our forme of Eccl. gouernment it is that which we haue receaued for the most part of Poperie These spéeches are againe verie sclaunderous vntruthes that wee haue receaued the most part or any part of poperie or that we haue receaued this forme of poperie for the most part thereof We haue receiued indéede we do confesse at the handes of the Papistes diserse thinges which our Brethren can not denie to be good thinges Neither is the receiuing of a thing that is good from a man that is ill preiudiciall to the goodnesse of the thing Yea although the good thing were defiled or abused by the ill mans ill handling of it if when we receiue it we reiect the defilinges and abuses and reduce the thing to his originall vse or proper nature We haue receaued manie excellent thinges from the Iewes yea many notable thinges also from the verie Heathen but farre better if not the best of all from the Papistes For from whom could wee haue gotte them else As for their Poperie that is the Popes and Papistes abuses and corruptions Such rie we haue not receaued from them reteyning the Poperie If we haue taken the good and left the badde that ought not as a fault to be vpbrayded vnto vs but rather deserueth commendation But what meane they here in these wordes that we haue receiued for the most part of Poperie Doe they acquitte vs yet of some part And why then doe they thus condemne all the whole Ecclesiasticall Gouernement Do they it because they say it is the most part And yet when it commeth to the tryall they shall finde it so much the lesse part that indéed it is no part at all which we haue receiued of the Papistes wherein anie corruption was that considering the establishment of them by the lawes nowe in force wee haue not altered and corrected So that if nowe there bee other abuses rysing yet properly it is not to be called Poperie except to Papistes that vse it still in their popish manner and so they will doe euen the Sacramentes also and Gospell of Iesus Christe and yet may not these thinges but that kinde of abusing them bee called poperie But from whence haue our Brethren to proue this forme of their eccl Gouernment gotten all these arguments That the Church of God was perfect in al her regiment or euer there was any Christian Prince pag. 9. That the authoritie which their Pastors claime was graunted to the Church by our Sauiour Christ practized by the Apostles continued by their successors three hundred yeres before there was any Christian Emperors pag. 118. That the Christian Princes authoritie reacheth no further than to make ciuill lawes to binde the people to the confession of true sayth and the right administring and receauing of the Sacramentes and to all Ecclesiasticall orders that they beeing instructed by the worde of God through the ministerie of the preaching of the same shall vnderstande to bee profitable for aedifying of the Church of Christ and for the aduauncement of the glorie of God If anie shall offende against the lawes whether he be preacher or hearer besides the Ecclesiasticall censure which he should not escape he is also to be punished in bodie by the ciuill Magistrate pag. 141. And againe why should it be counted for any dishonour to Princes to bee obedient to the lawes of God their Father and to serue to the commoditie of the Church their mother It is a greater honour to bee the sonne of God and the childe of the Church than to be Monarke of all the earth pag. 143. and hereto are alleaged for the Princes seruice and subiection Esa 49. to thinke no seruice too base for them so that they may profite the Church Ps. 2. and 1. Tim. 2. What haue we here Is this Sanders or Stapleton or Fecknā or Hosius or some other Papist that speaketh in these voyces and hath all these Popish argumentes Or is it not some Pope himselfe that vseth them against the supreme authoritie of Christian Princes If this bee Iacob may we not say with Isaac Come neere my sonne that I may feele thee whether thou be my sonne Esau or not But what neede we feare that We wish all blessing and good to Iacob and that Esau should serue him Yea we acknowledge no sonne nor brother but Iacob Yea but for all that the voice is Iacobs voice but the handes are the handes of Esau What And haue ye then indeede Brethren got Esaus voice also Or but couered your handes with a beastes rough skinne to get the blessing And doe not those rough handes make the blessing worse Ha Brethren Brethren for shame burden not vs herein if we haue receaued some thing concerning but the forme of the Churches gouernment from the Papistes hauing clensed the same from the roughnesse of it and abuse◠and your selues in so great a matter of the Churches supreme gouernment haue gotten all the fiue fingers yea the whole yea the very rough hande it selfe herein of Esau. Of Esau say I Nay of all these Papistes and of the man of sinne himself that childe of perdition that
Ecclesiast matters Difference betweene the Prince and his gov and the 4. Tetrarcks Directing gouâ—rning What our brethren meane by directing The Prince called supr gover in a bare title If the prince be indeed the supreme Gouernour then must our brethreÌ„ submitte them-selues to the gouernement established The worde Supreame The Princessupreme gov sclan The iniurie offered to the Prince in the last place Our breth captious sclaunder of the Princes supreame gouermeÌ„t A sclaunderoussurmise of the Christian Prince Things not to be measured by seeming Some regiment of the Church dependeth on the Princes supream gouernement A sclanderous myste The eyes of the ignorant dazeled with this myste The casting foorth of such false suspitions is not wel done The terme of ciuil Magistrate How farre our breth denie or graunt this sclaunder Her Ma. claimeth no such absolute power The learned discourse Page 8. Bridges The Princes auth in indifferent matters Indifferent matters referred to the Princes disposition Princes couÌ„sellers to giue aduise The Princes authoritie in disposing indifferent matters Our bretherens motion of this point Our breth answere The reasons of their answere The breaking off the further answere till hereafter The weighing of our brethrens answere How far our bretheren grauÌ„t to the Princes disposing indifferent matters Our brethren grauÌ„t it and yet finde faulte with them that grauÌ„t it Who are these not indifferent iudges Mistaking indifferent for not indifferent The Princes right heereby not preiudiced The Prince slandered Her maiest right and dooings vnworthilie defaced The ciuill magistrate The subiects accusatioÌ„ of the Prince The heighnousnesse of this slander â—ot to be an indifferent iudge The cheefest pointâ— of a Iudges office The dangâ—r of this accusation The Prince sclandered The Prince directlie accused so wel as others in authoritie The greeuousnesse of our brethoffence in this slander The Prince Slandered Inconsiderate zeale Lessening the cause dooth aggrauate the faulte This accusation reacheth further then we accuse the Pope It helpeth not that heâ— Maiestie is not by name accused The Prince with others sclandered Our bretherens accusation of others with the Prince Where in these others are accused The Princes clearing not to dispose these matters all alone Whether the faulte be in these others Rebels practise These otherâ— giue the Prince no absolute power c. These others feare God These others intrude not themselues into the office of iudging These others take not the disposing to themselues but giue it to the Prince Both these others and the Prince cleered How indifferentlie these others are thus accused for these indifferent matters The further parts of this accusation Whether things lawfullie determined are not so of the subiects to be holden inuiolablâ—e How farre they are further to be inquired vpon The calling things determined into further questioâ— â—he conclusion of all this accusation How this toucheth all politike matters How daâ—gerouslie this accusation reacheth from indifferent matters in eccle causes to all politike matters The learned discourse Page 9. and 10. Bridges To beginne with the Princes author needfull VVhether it be needefull to beginne with the Princes authoritie Needefull necessarie conuenienâ— Good order of teaching The beginning with the Princes treatise agreeable to good order of teaching The order of our brethren in placing their Tetrarkes The argument to put backe the Princes treatise Our bretherens strife for the first place The argument to put backe the treatise of the Princes authoritie The argument A Learned discourse The hurt of too much affection The argument a priore Our bretherens arg frâ— senioritie Our bretherens conclusion not in question The argument à Priore A thing is saide to be before another in diuers senses Former in time inferreth not former in order much lesse in honour Former in time Examples of the later in time former in order Former in honour not alwaies former in order Former in dignitie The Papists argument à pâ—iore for traditions The propositioÌ„ vntrue The Churches regiment bettered by Christian princes The Churches regiment c. The healps that Our Bretheren graunt the Churche receyveth by the ChristiaÌ„ Prince Our bretheren straye from the question by them sâ—lues propounded The diffeâ—ence of the Churches â—â—rfeâ—â—ion in regiment The Anabaptistes arguments confuted The state of the time differing the argument faileth for the regimeÌ„t Difference of peculiar regiment for a special time ordinary regiment to coÌ„tinue It is not meete our BrethreÌ„ shoulde vse the same Argum that the Ana-Baptists doâ— against Princes Gellius Snecanus de Magistratu The Ciuill Magistrate hath euer from the beginning bin ioyned with the Eccl. ministery The Testimonies Rom 12. 1. Cor. 12. for Rulers serue aswel to the Magist. as to the Eccl. gouernours The ciuill Eccles. power alwaies ioyned in the Church Gellius confutation of our bretherens argumentes Our neighbours state commended before so much by our bretheren see how it is trobled with the Anabaptists Christian Princes froÌ„ the beginning The state of the old Testament and new all one Of the extraordinary power of punishing where they wanted the ordinary The Anabaptists obiection Christian Princes in the Apost times The vntruth of our brethrens asseâ—tion that there were no Magist. in Christs his Apostles times One the same ordinaunce in both Testa for Magist. The fallatioÌ„ and the aunswer the reto Distinction between the ordinance of God the vice of men The necessitie of a Magistâ—ate among Châ—â—stians A Church without magistracy neuer seene The godlye haue neede of the Mag Rather no common-wealth without a christian Magistrate then a Magist excluded c. The Magist. office necessary to the Church Certaine of the Proph. Apostles exercised also the office of the Magistrate Why God distinguished these Offices Pag. 599. The exaÌ„ple of Christian Magistrats in Christs the Apost times Our Bretherens exception of Emperours Christiaâ— Princes froÌ„ the beginning The Magist. lost no authoritie by professing Christianity Actes 25. The Ch. Regim more happy where Christ. Princes are The Churches state Our bretherens harde speeches of Christian Princes Paules wish of Christian Princes The Churches perfection and most blessed state 2. Pat. 2. The Church in better state vnder Christian Princes theÌ„ c. To great vnthankfulnes towards her Maiestie Her Maiest fauour of the Gospell How her Maiestie vnder pretence of commendation is discommeÌ„ded The primitiue state Good Princes a great blessing c. ill Princeâ— a great curse of God Isai. 49.23 How God can turne his curse to a blessing How the Primitiue state was blessed and yet pitifull No such Eccl. Gouernours in the Apostles times as our Brethren pretâ—nd What the Gouernourâ— were mentioned 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 6. The Corinthians had no ordinarie consistorie of eccle Gouernors among theÌ„ We hauing Christian Princes are not bound to such Iudges as the Corinth did choose The danger of imitating the Primitiue Churches regiment heere in Caution in mutation CautioÌ„ in imitating examples or prescribing
both the best and best learned of them haue consulted vppon and consented vnto haue agreed vpon and decreed also the same lawes that yet it shall not be lawfull to her Maiestie bycause of the dissent of a few other whome she knoweth not to be her Pastors to make any lawes at all of Ecclesiasticall matters or to looke to the reformation of religion why might not the Papists vse this reason as well as our Brethren to debarre her Maiesties right and authoritie héerein yea did not they vse the selfe-same reason pleading that they were the Pastors of the Realme and so her Maiesties Pastors also and that she could not looke to the reformation of Religion nor make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall contrarie to their knowledge and consenting for at her Maiesties first entrie into her raigne as she carefully looked before all other things to the reformation of Religion and to make godly lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters so the Popish Pastors which then were most in number and greatest in power and were in dutie her Pastors also if they had perfourmed their dutie dutifully which they did not neyther can we denie but that they or many of them were learned also if they had had grace aunswerable to learning and had submitted their learning to truth and not deteyned others in blindnesse of ignorance to mainteine their errors was it not lawfull therefore vnto her Maiestie to looke to the reformation of religion and to make lawes of matters Ecclesiasticall bycause it was contrarie to their acknowledging and to their consenting yes she perfourmed all this mawger their withstanding and she did well yea most excellent well in her so doing not yet as the Papists cried out and still crie that she did contrarie to the knowledge of her learned Pastors for they accounted none to be learned Pastors nor at all to be Pastors but themselues But her Maiestie did these things with the consent of those that were both Pastors and her Pastors too and her learned Pastors and euen by learning it was tried and by the better learning of her better learned Pastors vicit veritas the truth had the victorie and Poperie was confounded And so her Maiestie made her lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and reformation of Religion with the consent of her learned Pastors and established them with the approbation and authoritie of all the states of the Realme and Church of England and hath God be praysed happily continued till now of late as though we had not inough to do with the continuall maligning sclaunders and practises of the Popish Pastors and their adherents we fall out vnhappily among our selues and as her Maiesties godly and learned Pastors ioyned then with her Maiestie against the Popish Pastors in displacing them with all their errors and superstitious Ecclesiasticall lawes and reformed religion and made these lawes Ecclesiasticall that are now as yet in force so a new kinde of Pastors begin a new stur and are weary of these Ecclesiasticall lawes and of this reformation and of all these Pastors calling themselues the faithfull Ministers that seeke the reformation of the Church of England and would trie these matters againe by learning and so among other theyr bookes writings thereon haue now at length set forth to all the realme this learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and her Maiestie must now reuoke all the reformation and Ecclesiasticall lawes that she hath then and since made with her learned Pastors that then were and begin afresh both to turne out all those Pastors for no right ordeyned Pastors and to make new lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and a new reformation with their consents that say they be now her learned Pastors and on these conditions they wil admit her title of supremacy and her authority to do these things or else not If her Maiesty now shall heare of this what may she thinke thereon how may she comfort her selfe and warrant her actions in all things that she hath done already for if they were well done they may well continue if they may not well continue but must be vndone it is an argument they were not well done But her Maiesty though this be no small grief vnto her to haue all her doings thus ript vp againe by her owne subiects and professors of the same Gospell that she professeth and though it be no small triumph to the aduersaries of the Gospell and argument for them to descant vpon against her Maiestie and against both our Brethren and vs and all true Protestants yet let not her most excellent Maiesty be disinayed hereat though indéede it be a great corsie but when her Maiesty looketh on the grounds of the matter and not on the vnthankfulnes and mutabilitie of men and lifteth vp her eyes to heauen from whence commeth her saluation how mightely God hath blessed and defended her and prospered these things vnder her hands her Maiesty shall receyue a greater comfort and confirmation against all the treasonable practises of those her deadly aduersaries of the one partie and all the dangerous innouations of these her ouer-zealous subiects on the other party and represse them both in iustice and mercie with safe continuance and good successe God willing of all her Maiesties reformation and lawes that she hath made of Ecclesiasticall matters hetherto with the knowledge and consent of those that then were or yet are her learned Pastors And except these our new Pastors that would be haue any better learning not yet reuealed than is conteyned in this their learned discourse the learned Pastors that are now in place and in Pastorall authoritie will by Gods grace maynteyne and defende by truth and sound learning their authorities and the Ecclesiasticall lawes that her Maiesty hath made with their knowledge consents welynough I warrant them And let our Brethren to begin withall looke to this point better For sith they graunt it is her Maiesties authoritie to make Lawes of Eccl. matters so that she take from the Pastor none of these 3. offices Preaching Ministring the Sacraments nor the Eccl. Gouernment from them the Queenes Maiestie hauing made her Lawes without doing any of these thrée thinges nor hauing taken from the Pastor the thirde any more then the two first Let them looke to it both how they disobey the Lawes she hath made and how they cast foorth such suspitious sclaunders on her Maiestie as though in making her Lawes she did take the Pastors Ecclesiasticall gouernment from him By this it appeareth howe farre it is lawfull for Princes to intermeddle with causes Ecclesiasticall namely that it is the cheefest point of their duty to haue speciall regard that God may be glorified in their dominion and therefore they ought to make ciuill Lawes to binde the people vnto the Confession of the true fayth and the right administring and receiuing of the sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders that they being instructed by the worde of God through the
ringing at burials Caluine prescribeth an exhortation or sermon at funeralâ— Protestantâ— bookes of funerall sermons Zanchius of the buriall of the dead Singing Psalmes at burials A sermon after the buriall The learned disc pag. 75. 76. Hote contentions Bridges Hoâ— vnexcusable they are that contend for small trifles How farrâ— thinges indifferent being authorized are to be contended for Not the defendants but oppugners the raisers of these hote contentions Humane constitutions The vnexcusablenes of our Brethr. in withdrawing altogether of themselues from the ministerie of the word for these constitutions Whether our humane constitutioÌ„s be such as our Brethr. can not receaue with reteyning their functions ControlmeÌ„t of the churches conclusions The learned disc Pag. 76. Bridges what things a true Pastor must obserue and not control Our Brethr. their selues and their iudgement priuate Contâ—mpt of the churches conclusions lawfull authoritie The power of order iurisdiction The learned disc Pag. 76. 1. Cor. 12.28 1. Pet. 5.3 Luke 23.26 2. Cor. 1.14 Bridges The Pastors authoritie in common gouernemeÌ„t with the Elders How our Brethren beginning to include the Elders in the power of binding and loosing do exclude theÌ„â—rom it The Pastors auth in common What that power of gouernment was whereof S. Paule speaketh Cor. 12.28 Aretius in 1. Cor. 12. Elders gouerning till publike Magistrates came Politicall Gouernors Caluine in 1. Cor. 12. Gualter in 1. Cor. 12. No neede of such gouernors in these daies The gifs of powers The abuse of the popish What was the gifts of powers and who had it Elias Elizeas Peter Paule Iurisdiction Why there was need of these offices then not nowe The friuolous imitation of the primitiue Church in the erecting vp of their senate Our brethr confusion by their elder enter-comming in the Pâ—stors iurisdiction Dominion and Lordship Our brethr disagreemeÌ„t about the pastors iurisdiction The learned Dis. Pag. 77. vsurped authority Bridges The learned disc pag. 78. Bridges No such authority nor steps therof except in these new deuises The learned Dis. Pag. 78. Iohn 3.27 Heb. 5.4 Phil. 2.6 Bridges Mastershop The learned disc pag. 79. 80. Luke 22.26 Math. 20.25 Mar. 10.42 Math. 23.8 Bridges Luke 22 â—â— Math. 32.8 All mastership not forbidden in the ministery nor the title therof Vsurped authority The learned disc Pag. 80. Bridges Our breth good caueat against theÌ„selues The learned disc pag. 80. 81. Tyrannizing Bridges Gods word the rule of our faith life Gods word hath not set down an only forme of the Churches gouernment The Princes gouernmeÌ„t of the Churche of God How the authority is not separate from other Separate authority S. Pauls example of the mysticall body compared to the naturall The respects of the community and seperation 1. Cor. 11.34 Our bre reason from Christ debaâ—reth Apostles and all from anie separate authouritie Timothies authoritie giuen him separate to himselfe both in teaching and gouerning Timothies separatâ— authority Hemingius in 1. Tim. 5. Aretius in 1. Tim. 5. The rule giuen to Timothie is generall to all present gouernours and Bishops Beâ—â—ain 1. Tim. 5. A Iudges office By Priest or Elder he meaneth Doctor or Teacher This authoritie was separate vnto Timothie Aretius How the Bishoppe shoulde doe these things The office of a Iudge A Iudges office is an office separate from all the bench Beza restrayning the Bishops authoritie The electioÌ„ of Matthias Act. 14 Erasmus Caluine Beza The wordes of the text mâ—ncâ—oÌ„ not election Election The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referred onelie to Paule and Barnabas Paul Barnabas moderaâ—ors of the election The peoples election no necessary or anie materiall part of making pastors Imposition of hands The imposition of hands of the presbiterie Imposition of hands pertained to pastors Separate authoritie The separat authoritie of one in imposition of hands Caluinus in 1. Tim. 5. Sole absolute authoritie The Bishops authority in set out by the authoriritie of Timothie Hemingius Aretius Politicall regiment The learned disc Pag. 81. Math. 18.19 Bridges The wreasting of Christs sentence Mat. 18. The difference of the Churches consent and of the Bishops and Pastors The senteÌ„ce of Christ Mat. 18.19 more confirmeth our consents thaÌ„ our breth Ioint authoritie The learned Dis. Pag. 81. 82. Bridges The confusion of our bre equality Christes promise The learned disc pag. 82 Math. 18.19.20 Bridges This senteÌ„ce is principally spoken of consent in prayer not is any debâ—â— to the prayer of one alone Our brethr loose conclusion How Christ promised his authority All particuler churches not alike indignity The Churches autority Difference betwene â—he Churches authority and thâ— pastors authority in the Churches The learned Dis. Pag. 82. Bridges Al the parts in one church haue not one and like auth The learned Dis. Pag. 82. 83. Bridges The Pastors authority not one but indifferent Sufficient authority Bridges Our Breth diuision positions besides the scripture Diffused authoritie The learned Dis. Pag. 83. Bridges Our Brethr. beginning to examine their former positions Diffused authoritie The learned disc Pag. 83. Bridges The learned disc pag. 83. Bridges Confusion in the multâ—tudes iudgment How oâ—r Brethren mocke the multitude What offices are appointed in Gods word for gouernment The multitudes confusion Oâ—r Brethr. too bolde presupposals The learned disc Pag. 84. Bridges Seueral offices and yet not seuerall officers Rom. 12. Diuers gifts and offices in one officer The Gouernours This place also 1. Cor. 12. sheweth not whether one might not haue â—o thaÌ„ one of these giftes The Apostle includeth the gouernors in the other officers The learned disc Pag. 84. Bridges Our Brethr. bolde conclusion for their Segnorie vpon the Apostles only naming of Gouernors The ouerthrow of all Princes gouernement Both Bish. and Pastors gouernmeÌ„t excluded Moderating the gouernors How violent the beginning is of this Segnorie The learned disc pag. 84 Bridges The learned disc Pag. 84. Bridges Our Brethr. manner of moderating thâ—ir Segn auth Electing the gouernors How the whole congregation shall choose the Elders The wisdom and godlinesse of the greater part The horrible confusion of the whole congregationâ— dealing here in Gouernors The learned disc pag. 85. 86. Act. 4 23. 1. Tim. 5.17 Act. 14.23 Bridges Our Brethr. to prooue what ought to be tell vs what may be Our Brethr. argument for their gouernors The Elders Act. 14. Our Brethr. own prowes that that place Act. 14. is vnderstoode of gouernors that are Pastors What gouernors those Elders were that medled nothing with the word Acts. 14. WhoÌ„ Calu. vnderstands for Elders Act. 14. The Ciuil officers had not imposition of the Ministers hands The Elders 1. Tim. 5.17 1. Tim. 5.17 Where the name of eldersis common to pastors and gouernors both at once The name of Elders taken generally for gouernors The learned disc pag. 85 Elders Magistrates Bridges We are not bound to learne our Brethr. collections The first thing that our Brethr. say we learn hereon
The Magistrates are the gouerning not teachinh Elders in the Church Perpetuitie of those Elders We learne in the scripture that there were Apostles c but not that there be Difference betweene there be there ought to be Presupposing there were then 2. such kindes of Elders yet though the one were perpetuall it followeth not that the other was so Collection on 1. Tim. 5.17 Our Brethr. owne exposition on their owne wordes Whether these Elders were controllers of maners only Why Caluin gathereth this collection 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 5.17 The example in the Apostles theÌ„selues The example in the Deacons The labouring in the worde Vnpreaching Prelates gouernment The seconde thing that our Brethr. say we learn on this testimonie 1. Tim. 5.17 Our Brethr. call these Elders not teaching Bishops and so make theÌ„ vnpreaching Prelates Two sortes of Elders The pastors authority cleane set out of ioint by the ioint authority of these newe gouernors The third thing to bee learned What the nâ—me of elder comprehendeth Chrysost. in 1. Tim. 5. The conference of this testimony with that that goeth before and after The examination of the auncieÌ„t interpreters of this testimony Chrysost. in 1. Tim. 5. Homil. 15. Theodoret in 1. tim 5. Theodoret mentioneth no such elder interpreting this place Theodoret mentioneth no such elder interpreting this place The commentary on Tim. added to Ierome Ambrose in 1. tim 5 Caluins allegation of Ambr. for the gouerning not teaching Elders Ambr. interpretatioÌ„ of this place 1. Tim. 5.17 Ambrose in 1. Tim. 5.1 S. Ambrose doubtfull speech of other gouerning Elders besides the doctors Cyprian Bezaes testimonies for these Elders Ambr. in 1. Tim. 5. Lib. Epis. 2. Epis. 5. lib. 3. epist. 10.14.15 aliis deinceps Whether Cyprian mention any such Elders This gouernment of the B. was permanent in him 〈…〉 Bezaes confession that these Elders gouerning with the B. were in the time of persecution How Bezaes words confirme Gualters Cyprianâ— Elders Cypr. lib. â— epist. 5. How farre Cyprian dealt with the Elders in giuing Ecclesiasticall orders Cyprians iâ—yning Elders with him in imposition of hands argueth they were elders of the word Cypr. lib. 3. epist. 10. Et hortor mando Vice mea fungamini How Cyprian ioined in common counâ—ell with the elder his authority reserued The Elders councell the peoples conâ—ent Nouaâ—us That these Elders to whoÌ„ Cypr. wrote were ministers of the word One of Cyprians elders was Nouatus a teacher of puritanisme Cypr. epist. li. 2. epist. â— The description of Nouatâ—s Nouatus scisme and seuering the brethren from the B. and from the cleargy Nouatus his making of a B. and of a Deacon Nouatus vnnaturalnesse towardes his father wife childe The Presbytery This presbytery consisted of such Elders as were Sacerdotes Ministers of the word sacraments The college of the Elders a corps of Preestes and pastoral Elders Cypr. Epist. li. 3. epi. 14. The Elders claime of gouernmeÌ„t The Elders claiming all the Churches eccl gouernmeÌ„t to theÌ„selues is the contumely and perill of the people Luke 22. Mark 3. 1. Cor. 10. The Elders presuming to restore the peniteÌ„ts without the Bishop The Eccl. gou teachers The Bishops authoritie ouer these gouernours teachers The gouernours ministers of the Sacrament The Elders and Deacons teachers Cypr. Epist. lib. 3. Epist. 15. Both the Elders and Deacons were teachers The Elders were the ministers of the Sacrament The gouernors Teachers and Pastors Bezaes mistaking How greatly Beza and our Brethr. are deceaued in the college of Elders gouernors that Cyptian mentioneth Epist. lib. 3. Epist. 16. â—pist 17. Their feeding and comforting of the other repentaâ—tes Epist. 18. Cypraians Colleagues Apoc. 2. Epist. 19. Whom Cyprian here meaneth by his colleagues Epist. 22. The Bishop with the Priestes or Elders Doctors readers constituteth a doctor of the hearers Cyprians Clarkes The Elders aboue the Doctors Epist. 24. Epist. lib. 4 Epist. 4. Epist. An Elder chosen to be an Elder at Carthage Cypr. Elders The Eâ—der were maried The Elders that sate in the Consistorie of Carthage were Sacerdotes * Consessus Gell. Sneâ—anus de discip Eccl. 2. paâ—s meâ—hodi Tertulliâ—n Tertulllanus in Apolâ—onâ—r gâ—nt cap. 39. Clemens AlexaÌ„dr Tertuâ—â—de â—â—rona 〈◊〉 Clemens Alexand le 6. Seromat Irenaeus Irenaeus conâ—ra haer li. 1. ca. 12. Lib. 2. ca. 39 Li. 3. cap. 2. Li. 4. cap 43 Iustinus Iustinâ—s mâ—â—tyr in Apolog Christ. ad AntoniuÌ„ Ignatius exâ—mplâ— ad Tâ—allianâ—â— Polycarpus Polycarpus Socrates lib. 7. cap. 37. The Eccl. histories for thâ—se Elders Eccl. hist. Socrati li. 1. cap. 3. Danaeus al legation of Socrates Ruffinus lib. 10. Ecâ—l hist. cap. 1. Theodâ—râ—â—us Eccl. hist. lib. 1. cap. 2. Zâ—zomenâ—â— lib. 1. cap. 14. The Elders in the Eccl historie Socrateâ— lib. â— cap. 18 Socrates li. 5 cap. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 The Elders were expouÌ„ders of the Scriptures * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vpon what occasion the Ministers at Alexandria ceased to preach Socrates lib. 7. cap. 2. Socrates lib. 7. cap. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustis Danaeus his allegation of Aug. for these Elders August de verbis Domini in Matth. Serm. 19. Aug. li. 1. Quaest. super GeÌ„ quaest 70 Aug. li. 6. locutionuÌ„ Iosue Aug. de mori Eccl. Cath. li. cap. 32 Eldâ—ugustine the 〈…〉 August quaest ex viroque mixtim Quest. 101. Aug. in quin quaginta homilijs hom 5 at 7. Basil for the Elders Basilius in 33 vel 34. Psal. ver 15. Baâ—il nor obscurely by the eies meaneth the Bishops Basil Basil ascribeth teching of the doctrine to theÌ„ that haue the gouernment of the Eccl. discipline Basilius de in sâ—itutioÌ„ MonachoruÌ„ c. 16 Cap. 17. The Ecclesiasticall gouernors duty of publik reprehensioÌ„ Monodia Gregorij Nazianzen de vita Basilij The disordred making B. and Elders How Basil ascended to be an Elder or Priest by degrees Basils exercise vnder his Bishop while he was Elder Basils authoritie vnder the Bishop The bishops defect hauing beene before but a lay man Basils gouernment In the Consistorie and order of the Elders one was called the first Elder Socraâ—es lib. 4 câ—p 13. Danaeus alleagation of Dionisius for these Elders Dionisius auncient but not the Areopagâ—te Dionisius The Elders that Dionisius speaketh of were teachers Dionis Epist. 8. The name of Elder not for office but age The 3. degrees of eccles orders that Dionisius acknowledgeth The office of the purgers in Dionisius Danaeus in Christ. Isag. 2. part ca. 7. Hierome Ieronimus in epistola ad Rusticum gallum Erasmus bseruatioÌ„s of Ieromes example for the differeÌ„ce of the Monkes in Ieroms time and the popish Monkes in these dayes The B. separate choosing of Clearkeâ— The clearks were teachers The Censors or Conâ—rollers office Hier. words rather alow a senate of teaching than not teaching Elders The elders that our Br. would erect woulde bee such as Ierom reprehendeth The description of