Crete hauing many Churches and Bishops vnder him witnesse Tit. 1. 5. 1 Tim. 1. 3 Eeseb hist l. 3. c. 4. not onely the Scriptures but also Eusebius his wordes being these Timotheus sanè primus Ephesinae paraechiae sicut Titus Cretensium Ecclesiarum Episcopatum sortitus scribitur Timothy was the first Bishop of the whole praecinct of Ephesus in as ample manner as Titus of all the Churches of Creete Thus haue I freed our Church Gouernment vnder Diocesan and Prouinciall Bishops from that slanderous imputation of idolatry seeing their institution is of God and no way opposite to his commandement In his second argument he defineth that onely to be a visible Church which is indued with outward spirituall gouernment And so concludeth that there can be no Diocesan or Prouinciall or Nationall Church nor by a consequent any such Bishop but onely parish Churches and by the like consequent parish Bishops The reason of this sequell he produceth onely this Because if there might be such Diocesan or Prouinciall or Nationall Churches ministeriall or indued with Church gouernment then also would it follow that there might be a Catholike or vniuersall Church visible ministeriall and so by a consequent the Papists might lawfully inforce a Catholike gouernment and so establish the Papacie againe To the sequell of which sequell I answer it is no good consequence that it being granted one may be a Bishop ouer one Diocesse Prouince or Nation therefore one may bee a Bishoppe ouer the world For first one Bishoppe cannot gouerne the whole worlde consisting of manie Kingdomes Oligarchies and Democraticall states and subiect to seuerall Princes and temporall gouernours as he can one Diocesse Prouince or Nation subiect to one secular Prince And secondly we haue no example of any vniuersall Bishoppe that euer was since the beginning of the world not the Pope himselfe which chalengeth that title For the east part of the world which is the Greeke Church was neuer yet subiect vnto him neither could be induced to vse the same rites ceremonies leitourgie which he vseth But of prouinciall and nationall Bishops wee haue examples out of the Scriptures the high Priestes among the Iewes were so ordained of God that office not only ceremoniall but also politicall which office so farre as it was politicall might as well continew and be executed in the same Temple by Saint Iames the first Archbishop of Ierusalem vnder the Gospel as it was by the high Priests vnder the Law that which was ceremoniall being abolished euen as the obseruation of the Sabaoth beeing partly ceremoniall partly morall the ceremony being out of date that which is morall doth abide Our Sauiour in the Gospel reformed the Temple but he did not plucke it downe to shew that it Ioh. 2. 15. might continue still being lawfully vsed Hauing answered his arguments we will come to his suppositions and bare coniectures which without shew of argument he bringeth in defence of his assertion Hee distinguisheth Bishops into sixe sorts two lawfull a parishionall Bishop or ordinary Pastour and a Diocesan titular Bishop who hath a bare title aboue others but no Episcopall iurisdiction at all these two sortes it pleaseth him to allow A Diocesan ruling Bishop which hath more power than Parsons of parish Churches yet not sole power to rule in his Diocesse a Diocesan Lord Bishop ' which ruleth by his sole authoritie a Patriarke and a Pope which foure sorts he condemneth as repugnant to the lawes of the Scriptures To speake therefore of the first which is but a Parson of a parish what example can he alledge to proue that euer there was or place of Scripture to proue that there ought to be such a Bishop His bare opinion without proofe can be no satisfaction to perswade others howsoeuer in his owne conceit he may please himselfe He alledgeth that all Bishops mentioned in the new Testament and in the Ecclesiasticall writers which were within 200. yeares after our Sauiour Christ were such Bishops But that is his owne assertion without proofe neither doth hee instance in any author which doth affirme the same To disproue him besides that neither parish Churches nor parishes were erected or instituted vntill 260. yeares after our Sauiour Christ in the Platina dvitis pontiofiâ—um Charion Monarch 4. daies of Dionysius Bishoppe of Rome and that they had their institution not from God but from the Pope whereas wee haue examples of Diocesan Churches out of Gods word as before I haue proued that all the Bishoppes mentioned in Ecclesiasticall writers within 200. yeares after our Sauiour Christ were not parish Bishops wee haue for instance Iulian the tenth Bishop of Alexandria in the yeare of our Lord 181. which was Bishop of many Churches For Eusebius Euseb hist l. â— c. 9. writeth Alexandrinarum Ecclesiarum Episcopatum accepit he tooke vpon him the Bishopricke of the Churches of Alexandria And againe Eusebius writeth of a Bishop which was set ouer many Bishops long before that time in the daies of Saint Iohn the Euangelist and by the appointment of St. Iohn himselfe His words are these Post mortuo tyranno quùm Easeb hist l. 3. c. â—0 ex insuâ—â Pathmo Ephesum reuersus esset abijt etiam rogatus ad vicina gentium loca vt partim constitueret Episcopos partim totas Ecclesias componeret partim clerum ex his quos spiritus sanctus indicaâ—aâ— sorte deligeret Quùm ergò ad ciuitatem quandam haud procul dissitam cuiui etiam nomen nonnulli dicunt venisset verso ad cum vultu qui supèr cunctos Episcopos erat constitutus adolescentem corpore valido facie eleganti animoque feruenti conspicatus hunc inquit tibi summo studio testibus Christo Ecclesiâ commendo When the Tyran meaning Domitian was dead hee returned out of Pathmos to Ephesus at the request of others he visited the places bordering there vpon that he might ordaine Bishops constitute Churches and elect clergy men by lots whom the holy Goost had assigned And comming to a Citie not farre of which by many other writers is expressy named hee cast his eye vpon that Bishop which was set ouer all the rest and committed to his tuition a young Gentleman proper in body and faire in face youthfull in courage saying I doe earnestly commend vnto you this young man witnesses Christ and his Church Such pregnant examples all making against him and none for him that ye may know what motiue hath induced him to write that all Bishoppes within 200. yeares mentioned in Eusebius were but parish Bishops surely he suffered himselfe willingly to be deceiued by the fallacye called fallacia figurae dictionis For Eusebius saith he sheweth that the Churches of most famous Cities were but parishes onely as the parish of Ierusalem the parish of Ephesus of Alexandria Assert 2. Euseb hist l. 3 c. 11. l. 3. c. 28. l. 2. c. 13. l. 4. c. 11. c. 22. Hierapolis c.
But all the cunning resteth in the proofe therof to shew that Eusebius did call them parishes Eusebius indeed writeth that Celedion and Agrippa were Bishops in Alexandrinâ paraechia and so that Dionysius in paraechia Corinthiorum Episcopatum tenuit But can Maister Iacob be so simple as to take that weake aduantage of the word and so to interpret that Latine word paraechia parish in the English tongue and to restraine that word in Eusebius to as small limits and confines as a parish is with vs that all the Christians in it might meete together in one place to heare Diuine seruice as with vs for the most part they doe though in some places they cannot doe so Can hee thinke this a good argument that the praecincts of their Bishoprickes were called by this generall name paraechiae bounds or borders containing and including some set compasse of ground and place and this generall name paraechia may also include the small circuit of a parish as well as a larger iurisdiction therefore they were but parish Bishops that the precincts of their Bishoprickes were no larger then the praecincts of a parish and that their Episcopall authoritie was no more then the iurisdiction of euery priuate Pastour In like sort may I as well conclude that paraechia doth also signifie a larger iurisdiction so as it haue confines and a certaine limitation as a Diocesse a Prouince a whole Kingdome therefore that they were Diocesan Prouinciall and Nationall Bishops It is well knowne that Alexandria conteined many Churches as appeareth by Eusebius whom I haue alreadie cited where he saith that Inlian the tenth had Alexandrinarum Ecclesiarum Episcopatum Euseb lib. 5. hist c. 9. the Bishopricke of the Churches of Alexandria And againe where we writeth Primus post Marcum Apostolvm Euangelistam Eeseb hist l 4. ca. 24. Anianus paraechiae Alexandrinae administrationem suscepit Anianus immediately succeeded Marke the Apostle and Euangelist in the gouernment of the paraechia of Alexandria That this parechia was such a limitation as contained in it many Churches it is manifest by the confession of Eusebius where he hath these words that Saint Marke did primuus Ecclesias Alexandriae constituere first institute the Churches of Hist l. 2. c. 16. Alexandria So then if because of the word paraechia Ananias Bishop of Alexandria should be held onely for a parish Bishop by the like absurditie Saint Marke which was an Euangelist and did first conuert the Citizens of Alexandria and instituted many Churches there should not haue authority ouer his owne Churches which his selfe instituted but onely pastorall authority ouer one of them because hee was Alexandrinae Ecclesiae administrator gouernour of the Church of Alexandria as Eusebius writeth And that being an Euangelist and of higher authority which founded many churches should not be Bishoppe ouer as many as Iulian his successour which was no Euangelist nor founded none and therefore was of lesse dignitie and authority because the argument must follow being deriued from the word in the singular number hee did Alexandrinam Ecclesiam administrare gouerne the Church of Alexandria And what is the true grammaticall signification of this Greeke word paroicia of whom paraechia the Latine is deriued no better witnesse then Scapula himselfe which in his Lexicon writeth That it signifieth any iurisdiction which is limitted or any Church bee it great or small or manie Churches His wordes are these paroicia incolam esse item accolarum conuentus accolatus sacraqúe vicinia prò Ecclesiâ vsurpari dicitur Can 18. Concilij Ancyrani And to speake of the Bishoppe without a Bishopricke whom hee calleth Titular Diocesan I would gladly haue for instance when and where there was anie such Bishoppe For proofe thereof hee alleageth nothing else but his owne doubtfull coniecture saying Perhaps Iulian the tenth Bishop of Alexandria was the first of that sort And againe It seemeth to me that this was Ieroms meaning that the first ruling Bishop was Diony sius the thirteenth Bishop of Alexandria And againe At Heracles it is probable there was a period of one sort of Bishops and with Diony sius began another That priority of order of one Bishop ouer a parish seemeth to haue cōtinued from Marcus to Iulianus And againe Nothing letteth vs but that we may thinke c. To which I answer his bare naked coniectures and idle surmises grounded vpon no reason nor authoritie or proofe but onely vpon perhaps it seemeth it is probable nothing letteth but that we may thinke are no warrant to the state to disturbe the peace and discipline of our Church so long established and to ouerthrow the gouernment of Bishops which hath continued among vs since Christian religion was first planted and the land conuerted to the faith And therefore to him may fitly be applied the saying of St. Paul They would be Doctours of the law and vnderstand not what they 1. Tim. 1. 7 speake neither whereof they affirme It is more safe to beleeue with the Church that Iulian the 10. was not the first Bishop which had many Churches vnder him in title and name but that all his nine predecessours Marcus Anianus Albialus Cerdon Pius lustus and the rest had the same praeheminence which hee had and especially Saint Marke being an Euangelist and the first conuerter of that people and founder of those Churches And that in other places Bishoppes were set ouer many Churches before his time because I haue instanced out of Eusebius alreadie in a Bishop in Saint Iohns daies which was suprà cunctes Episcopos constitutus set ouer all the Bishops in that place And it is far safer to beleeue the wordes of Eusebius Alexandrinarum Ecclesiarum Episcopatum accepit suprà omnes Episcopos constitutus est hee was Bishoppe of the Churches of Alexandria and hee was set ouer all the Bishoppes to bee vnderstoode of both title and iurisdiction according to the interpretation vse and practise of all Churches and not of bare title without iurisdiction rather then to subscribe to Maister Iacob his opinion which hath nothing to ground vpon but his owne opinion which hath no better proofe then teste me ipso witnesse my owne selfe And not to passe ouer with silence those foure sorts of Bishoppes whom hee condemneth as vnlawfull Maiority saith he of ruling Bishoppes in the Diocesse seemeth to haue begun with Dionysius the next successour after Heraclas To which I answere as before Quaedam videntur non sunt many things seeme to be otherwise then they are among which this his supposition is one Againe Quoedam videntur paucioribus indoctioribus quaedam pluribus san oribus that may seeme so to the fewest and vnlearnedest but to the most and soundest of iudgement it seemeth otherwise that this maiority of ruling in the Diocesse began in Alexandria not with Dionysius which was the fourteenth but with S. Marke which was the first Bishop of that place and with
si transferatur Concilij Niceni 1. Can 15. 16. mitti debet ad ciuitatem vbi primò oraâ—ââ—us fuit It is against the Canons that Bishops Priests Deacons should bee translated and therefore if any be so translated let them be dismissed and sent backe to the places to which they were first appointed And Qui discedit ab Ecclesiâ fibi commissa ad aliam excommunicetur reuerti cogatur Who so remoueth from one Church to another let him be excommunicated forced to his first charge But these are the ordinances of men we find nothing in the word of God why Bishops may not be translated neither doth it followe that Timothy and Titus were not to be reckoned for Bishops because they remoued from one place to another Last of all Patriarchical Churches saith he beganne sometimes before the councell of Nice I answer therefore they are of more credit then the Presbyterie which beganne but with Maister Caluin And as for that Councell it was in the pure age of the primitiue Church before corruption crept in it was the first general councell and therefore of greater authoritie called by the Emperour and not by the Pope and therefore freest from suspition a Greeke and not a Latine Councel therefore more sincere And whereas it seemeth to him that patriarchical Bishops began but sometime before the Councell of Nice it seemeth to the Councel it selfe that they began long before because the Canon it selfe speaketh in this manner Seruetur antiqua consuetudo vt Episcopus Alexandrinus habeat potestatem in Aegyptum Pentapolin Libiam quià Episcopo Concil Nicen 1. Can. 6. Romano parilis mos est sie apud Antiochiam ceteras Ecclesias sua priuilegia seruentur Let the ancient custome be kept that the Bishop of Alexandria haue his iurisdiction ouer Aegypt Pentapolis and Libia because the Bishop of Rome hath the like custome so let the Church of Antiochia and other Churches keepe their priuiledges But if patriarchicall churches be of such reuerend antiquitie and allowed of by so venerable a councell that maketh much for the credite and dignitie of Diocesan churches which are more ancient and of lesse iurisdiction and not so subiect to enuie and nere vnto Papacie as the Patriarchicall churches are It cannot be denied but the Fathers which were preseÌ„t in that Councel were prouincial Diocesan and patriarchicall Bishops ruling by their sole authoritie And concerning the credit of that councell with the other three following which were oecumenicall as that was Gregory affirmeth that their doctrine and decrees were consonant to the writings of the 4. Euangelists and no way to be impeached And Maister Iacob his owne Doctor whom hee Grëg li. 1. epist 24. Pag. 31. Respons ad 4. Campiani rationem calleth the reuerend Maister Whitaker giueth as large a testimonie of them saying Et nos illorum quatuor Conciliorum saluberimam fuisse authoritatem planissimè confitemur Maister Iacob therefore must either denie the authoritie of his own Doctor and of this Councell which no learned man will doe or else subscribe to the state of Diocesan Bishops ruling by their sole authoritie which hitherto he hath impugned Of Cathedrall Churches IN defence of Cathedrall Churches wee haue to alledge Platima dè vitis PontificuÌ„ Carion in annâ—l monar that till the time of Dionysius Pope of Rome no other kinde of Church ministeriall was euer heard of from the beginning of the world For from Adam to Moses there was no Church ministeriall at all In Moses his time a Tabernacle was erected by Gods commandement which stood in steede of a Church for all the land of Iudaea and was to be caried vp and downe vntill the dayes of Solomon But Solomon erected Exed 25. 40. Act 7. 44 2. Sam 7. 6. Act. 7 47. a Temple as a standing church at Ierusalem to be in the place of the Tabernacle And vntill the time of the Gospell there was no other Church for Gods people through the whole world And that Church was more then Diocesan or Prouinciall for it was Nationall After the Gospell was preached to the Gentiles al nations were conuerted sundry churches ministeriall were erected according to the number of the Bishops so that euery Bishop had his Church after the imitation of the Iewes which hauing but one Bishoprik had also but one Church for that whole nation vntill afterward humane politie vnder Dionysius the Pope deuised parish churches and diuided euery Bishoprik into particular constant congregations which were but members of the Diocesan and prouinciall Churches But saith Maister Iacob Although the Iewish Church were nationall vnder one Bishop or high Priest according to Gods ordinance yet now vnder the Gospell our Sauiour Christ hath changed that forme of gouernment into parochiall Churches which are euery one a particular congregation and euery particular congregation is a diuided body by it selfe and of it selfe a visible Church and being absolute of it selfe ought to vse within it selfe proper Ecclesiasticall gouernment So then two things rest to be proued by him first that euery particular congregation is a diuided body of it selfe and secondly that euery particular congregation is to vse gouernment of it selfe without reference vnto any other aboue it selfe The first hee would proue by this argument There was saith he but one Church at Corinth because the Apostle saith When the whole church is come together in one place c. And the same may be affirmed of Rome Antioch Ierusalem and the other 1. Cor. 14. 23. cities therefore in euery of these cities though they were so populous yet the beleeuers were so fewe that they all assembled in one place Againe saith he Ignatius perswading the Church of Philadelphia to concorde writeth I exhort you to vse one faith one preaching one supper of the Lord for there is Ignatius ad philad but en thusiasterion pase te ecclesia one communion Table to the whole church HERE IN THIS CITIE For answer whereof I deny his argument for a man may in the like manner write to the Citizens of London dwelling in Bowe parish when your whole Church is come together and so to them which dwell in any other parish though there be many other Churches in London and they not diuided bodies absolute of themselues but all subordinate vnto and members of that Church which belongeth to the whole Diocese And so I answer to Ignatius his wordes euery one of them haue one communion Table not euery one collectiue but distributiue not iointly but seuerally But whervnto Ignatius his words he addeth his owne words HERE IN THIS CITIE he dealeth not ingenuously For these words which he alledgeth out of Ignatius as he alledgeth theÌ„ do not import that that whole citie should haue but one Communion Table and by a consequent but one church but that the citie might haue many churches and euery church his proper Communion Table as with vs in this Citie And
A DEFENCE OF Church Gouernment Dedicated to the high Court of Parliament WHEREIN THE CHVRCH GOuernment established in England is directly proued to be consonant to the word of God and that subiects ought of dutie to conforme themselues to the state Ecclesiasticall Together with A DEFENCE OF THE CROSSE IN Baptisme as it is vsed in our Church being not repugnant to the word and by a consequent the brethren which are silenced ought to subscribe vnto it rather then to burie their Talents in the ground By IOHN DOVE Doctour of Diuinity AT LONDON Printed by T. C. for Henry Rockit and are to be sold by Iohn Hodgets in Pauls Church yeard 1606. THE CONTENTS OF THE first Booke Of conformitie to the state Ecclesiasticall Of Eldership Of Diocesan Bishops Of Cathedrall Churches Of Lord Bishops and ecclesiasticall persons exercising ciuill authoritie TO THE RIGHT HONOVRAble the Lords spirituall and temporall of the vpper house with the Knights and Burgesses of the lower house assembled in the high Court of Parliament Of conformitie to the state Ecclesiasticall MAy it please the wisedome of this honourable assembly to weigh our reasons not onely in the ballance of mans wit but also in the skales of the sancturarie why this conformiture is required The Apostle 1. Cor. 1. 10. beseeching vs as brethren in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ that wee all speake one thing that there bee no dissentions among vs that wee bee knit together in one minde and iudgement commendeth it vnto vs as a necessary rule of Ecclesiasticall politie for the better establishing of this consent in doctrine the speedy cutting off of all iarres and discensions the fast knitting and vniting of mindes and iudgements vppon this ground and warrant other states haue vrged their Preachers to conforme themselues to the State vnder which they liued And seeing by this rule apostolicall it cannot stand with the peace and good estate of any Church whatsoeuer to permit such among them as are not of them and to tollerate such in their Ministerie as are aduersaries to their lawes and constitutions much more then is conformitie so grounded vpon Scripture and strengthened by example of other Churches deemed by the godliest and approued by the wisest to be no lesse needfull in this present scisme and rent of the Church of England then was pitch for the Arke of Noah floating vpon the water and morter for the ruines of the Temple exposed to the iniury of wind and weather without which the one could not but presently sinke and the other not long continue And for as much as some fewe among vs in their priuate opinions dissent from vs not onely godly politie teacheth and Christian humilitie requireth but also the Lawe of God which is of highest authority prescribeth and commandeth that these fewe should submit themselues to the wisedome of the State rather then the whole state should yeelde and giue place to the contradiction of those priuate spirits When certaine brethren at Antioch varied about circumscision Act. 15. 1. they were ouerswayed by the censure of the Councell helde at Ierusalem to whom the hearing of such differences and disciding of such coutrouersies did of right belong but the seÌ„tence of the Councel gaue no way at all to those brethreÌ„ And Saint Paule hauing spoken of the ceremonie deuised by 1. Cor. 11. the Church and vsed in his time in prayer and prophesie that men should be bare and women couered noteth them for contentious persons which oppose themselues against this ceremonie alledging that it once being approued and receiued into the Church ought not to bee called into question vel to nomine because the Church had receiued it when hee saith If any man list to bee contentious wee haue no such custome among vs nor the Church of God For the better inlarging of this point that I may not instance in the Turkish Gouernment which suffereth no question to be moued against Ecclesiasticall rises but endeth all such controuersies by the sword neither yet in the Lutheran Church which admitteth none to any place in the ministery without subscription and oath to the reformation of Angsburge nor in the Church of Rome which inioyneth their Clergie to maintaine the doctrine concluded in the councell of Trent the Church of Geneua whose lawes See the laws of the booke of Geneua Chap. 1. and gouernment our brethren would impose vpon vs as â—he onely paterne of holinesse and example of a true Christian reformation inioyneth all their Ministers before their admition not onely to make open protestation that they doe receiue and maintaine the doctrine approoued in Geneua but simply and absolutely to sweare that they will keepe the Ecclesiasticall ordinances which are passed and Chap. 2. in the forme of their oath ordeined by the small great and generall councells of that Citie By which law and practise of theirs it is a cleare case that with them there is no respect of priuate mens opinions no satisfaction to bee yeelded to particular persons no conference or disputation granted with men of contrary iudgements But it must be held pro concesso for a conclusion or principle already proued that all their ordinances are according to Gods word and of that vndoubted truth that they may not be argued sifted or controuerted Chap. 2. Finally if there arise any difference concerning doctrine which hath not beene already reconciled it is inacted by their lawes that the Ministers shall be called to a conference if then it cannot receiue an end the Magistrates shall interpose their authority and so proceede to a finall decision And for the better strengthening of their proceedings it is further inacted that all opposition against their ordinances shall be held for an hainous crime called by the title of rebellion against Ecclesiastical lawes it is set down as punishable among the notorious crimes of heresie scisme blasphemy simony bribery periury and drunkennesse The punishment to be inflicted vppon Ministers thus rebelling is deposition from their ministery and all contempt against Ecclesiasticall orders in what persons soeuer after three admonitions is censured by excommunication Yet I desire that no sinister or vncharitable construction should be made hereof as if a state should vrge them which feele any the smallest check in their tender consciences with shipwrack of conscience rashly to subscribe vnto that which they doe not approue or for worldly respects to allow of that whereof they cannot satisfie well informe themselues For albeit the state which is well aduised hath sufficient warrant to impose yet the bare authority of the state is no warrant vnto them to obey which be not yet resolued but stand in doubt because they must build vpon this ground of the Apostle that be the thing in it selfe neuer so lawfull without faith it is sinne But onely I exhort them better to instruct and informe their weake consciences which if they cannot or will not doe the imputation of this
schisme must not be Rom. 14. 1. Cor. 10. laide vpon the state which is well aduised but vpon their weaknesse which will not be perswaded when they are perswaded which are men wedded to their owne opinions or that I may speake more mildely of them which either cannot or will not reforme their iudgements But for the better satisfaction of our Christian brethren we will not refuse to yeeld reasons of our gouernment albeit it hath beene so long by law established and for the iustification of our state we will by Gods assistance proue it in the chapters following to stand with the lawes of the holy Bible As namely that the state of Archbishops and Bishops which hath continued among vs euer since wee first receiued the Gospel had their institution from God himselfe whereas parish Churches are mans inuention and the gouernment of the Presbitery is not onely repugnant to the lawes of the holy Scriptures but also preiudiciall to the state of a Kingdome A defence of Church gouernment established in England Of Eldership ALl would be in title as high as Aaron all would bee gouernours rather then priuate Ministers but because the keyes of the Church are not committed vnto all which be of the ministerie therfore some of our brethren being discontented with the present state make it now a question whether the Church of right ought to be ordered by elders as it is in Geneua or by Diocesan Lord Bishoppes as it is in England I cannot denie but the gouernment of the Church is committed to Elders in the new Testament where the Apostle saith The elders which rule well are worthy of double honour 1. Tim. 5. 17. especially they which labour in the word and doctrine But the disputation is between vs and our brethren which stand for the eldership whether these elders were lay men of trades worldly vocations as they be now in Geneua or preachers ecclesiasticall persons whether this Eldership was an annuall or a perpetuall office whether they ought their yeare being ended to relinquish that office and so to returne to their trades and occupations as they doe in Geneua or else to continue the whole terme of their liues They alleage for the establishing of their laye Presbyterie that because Saint Paul vseth these wordes especially they which labour in the word therefore two sortes of Elders are there included some learned and preaching Ministers some vnlearned and therefore vnpreaching and silent gouernors Therefore to come to the true construction of this text and due vnderstanding of the words which may be consonant and agreeable both to the analogy of faith and of that place the doctrine of the Apostle includeth two things a thesis or generall conclusion and afterward a particular exposition of that thesis or generall conclusion by a kinde of epanorthosis or reuocation of himselfe by a restraint and limitation of that generall doctrine shewing how farre it is to be vnderstood as namely that if they labour in the word and doctrine they are worthy of double honour but if they labour not in the word hee vouchsafeth them no double honour So that out of these wordes can be collected no such distinction as they doe imagine of preaching elders and gouerning elders which are no preachers but of gouerning elders both of them preachers one sort which laboureth in the word the other which preacheth also but laboureth not in preaching For it is one thing to be a preacher and another thing to labour in preaching And what it is to labour in preaching he expoundeth in an other place where hee saith I charge thee before God and the Lord Iesus Christ which shall iudge the quicke and the dead 2 Tim. 4. at his appearing and in his Kingdome preach the word bee instant in season and out of season The Greeke word is copiontes which is as much as to indure the heate and burthen of the day to take extraordinary paines in the ministery But that the writings of the Apostles acknowledge neither annuall nor lay elders my reasons are these Because eldership is a lawfull ministery therefore it is of God but a man which is called of God vnto the ministerie may not after the expiration of one yeare or at his own pleasure be discharged of that calling or by any warrant from men play the Iordan to start backe againe For that were with Demas to forsake Saint Pauls fellowshippe and to Psal 114. 2. Tim. 4. 1. Cor. 3. Luke 9. 62 imbrace this present world This ministrie is the Lords husbandry that is the Lords plough and hauing once laid their hands to this plough if they looke backe they make themselues vnfit for the kingdome of God God calleth no man whom he furnisheth not with some talents more or fewer and these talents may not rust But Matt. 25. Act. 8. such lay elders haue no talents at all committed vnto them And therefore I say vnto them as Saint Peter did to Simon Magus They haue no part nor fellowshippe in this businesse The Church must be ordered accorcing to the precepts and examples of holy writ but wee haue neither example for instance that euer there was nor precept out of Gods booke for warrant that euer there may be any such lay eldership But to the contrary we abound in examples and 1. Pet. 5. Iohn 2. Epist 1. Act. 20. haue expresse commandements Saint Peter a preacher calleth himselfe an elder and chargeth other elders to feede the flocke Saint Iohn a preacher calleth himselfe an elder in his epistle to the elect Lady Saint Paul chargeth the elders of Ephesus to feede the Church of God which he purchased Tit. 1. with his blood And to Titus he giueth charge that he appoint ouer euery Citie Elders and hee sheweth that by such elders he meaneth Bishops which must be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and to conuince them which say against it Deacons which be of an inferiour calling in the Church must not be lay men but able to preach much more then Elders which haue an higher office and as they be their selues consecrated by imposition of hands so haue their authority to lay their handes vpon Deacons and consecrate them But concerning Deacons the Apostles speake in this manner Choose you out 7. men of honest report full of the holy Act. 6. Ghost and wisedome whom we may appoint to this businesse and we will giue our selues continually to prayer and the ministration of the word In these words full of wisedome they meane not worldly but heauenly wisedome which is the knowledge of the Scriptures but whosoeuer hath such fulnesse of knowledge and vnderstanding of the Bible is very able to preach And where the Apostles say we wil giue our selues continually to praier ministration of the word it doth not follow that therefore the deacons being appointed to their office of Deaonship did wholy neglect preaching and the ministration of the word no more
And no ciuil magistrate in Councels assemblies for Church causes can be chief moderatour Iudge or gouernour And no ciuil magistrate hath such authoritie as that without his consent it should not be lawful for Ecclesiasticall persons to make any Church orders or ceremonies For as much therfore as God hath established kingdomes but a presbytery and a kingdome cannot both stand together because one standing the other falleth They are enemies not onely to Gods ordinance but also to the state of Kings which goe about to establish this Eldership in a kingdome Of Diocesan Bishops MAister Iacob in his Booke of reformation obiecteth against the state of Bishops and Cathedrall Churches that of right there are no Diocesan but onely parochiall Bishops that the authoritie iurisdiction and rites of a Bishop are no other then belongeth to all parsons of parish Churches and consequently that euery parson is a Bishop That there is no visible Church ministeriall besides the parish Churches and that they as depending vpon no other nor subiect to any other nor parts or members of any other haue absolute authoritie and power as wel of gouernment as of teaching within themselues and so consequently there are no cathederal Churches And as one absurditie being granted a thousand will followe so vpon these proemises which without proofe he taketh for granted he inferreth these fiue conclusions to the slander of our state as absord as the proemises were That the case standing thus 1. Our Bishops be no Christians for saith he euery Christian is a pastour or one of the people of the people they denye themselues to be and pastours they are not 2. Being not lawfull Diocesan Bishops much lesse may they be Lord Bishops 3. Hauing no lawfull authoritie nor calling their selues they cannot conferre Ecclesiasticall orders and lay handes vpon others and so consequently our ministers by them ordered haue no lawefull ministerie 4. That by their meanes wee are defrauded of a mayne point of our ordinarie meanes of saluation which is the true Ecclesiesticall discipline 5. That in our state Christ is robbed and spoiled of some parts of his kingly and propheticall office his kingly office being to appoint vs and his prophetical office being to teach vs solely of himselfe the true Ecclesiasticall gouernmēt which our Bishops take from him and ascribe vnto men altering that discipline and gouernment which he alone as king hath appointed and as a Prophet hath taught in his holy word which cōclusions because they are inferred vpō false groūds the grounds being shaken the conclusions will fall of themselues Therefore let vs come to the examination of these grounds to shewe how weake and vnsufficient a foundation they be to build vpon He impugneth the Church state of Bishops first by shew of argument secondly by his own idle conceits vaine coniectures and imaginations He maketh shew of two arguments the first is this that the state of Bishops is a breach of the 2. commandement and by a consequent idolatrie For in this cōmandement Thou shalt not make to thy selfe any grauen image thou shalt not bow down to it nor worship it saith he are forbidden all meanes being humane inuentiōs wherby men would giue honour to the true God But one of these meanes of diuine worship being an humane inuention he saith to be the state of Bishops our Diocesan prouincial Churches vsing gouernment with the ministeries offices proper to them For answer to which argument I denie the MINOR proposition which consisteth of 2. parts meanes of diuine worship humane inuention And because he bringeth no proofe of his MINOR being the subiect of his disputation which all opponents ought to doe I will disproue it and each part of it And first Diocesan prouinciall Churches vsing gouernment and their ministeries which are of Archbishops Bishops were neuer intended by the founders of them nor vsed by the officers ministers of them nor held by the defendours maintainers of them nor conceiued by men of vnderstanding to be any meanes of diuine worship but of gouernment God can be and is worshipped without these and was worshipped as sincerely as now hee is when they were not but the Ecclesissticall state vnder a kingdome cannot be peaceably gouerned without these God is worshipped alike in Geneua and in England though this gouernment and these offices are not in Geneua which are in England And God is worshipped as sincerely and as fully and amplely in our parish Churches as in our cathederal churches and by ordinarie pastors as by Bishops so that their ministeries and high callings doe not afforde them any greater or other meanes to worship God then they had when they were first admitted to be priuate ministers But their places and high callings do strengthen and arme them with authoritie for the better gouerning of the churches which are committed to them wheras being but priuate ministers they had no such charge of gouernment These things therefore are not morall or doctrinall therefore belong not vnto worship but politicall and therefore belong vnto gouernment And according to the course of the holy Bible that which is politicall that which is morall being of sundrie natures are to be distinguished the one from the other God in his word established 3. lawes among his people one politicall which did bind the Iewes to the obseruation of it but it was not imposed vpon other nations that they should be bound to receiue it further then that it might stand with the peace and good of the state The other ceremoniall which was to abide in force till the cōming of our Sauiour and by his death to be abolished so that now ceremonies vnder the Gospell doe cease excepting those only which serue not for worship but decensie comlinesse and good order and so the primitiue Church did in the dayes of the Apostles and the Church of Geneua now doth deuise ceremonies witnes their owne Booke of Lawes and that all 1. Cor. 11. Churches may doe the like witnes Caluin Beza Vrsinus their owne Doctors The third morall which containeth rules of Gods worship which was from the beginning and must continue as a patterne of holines to the ende and bindeth all to the obseruation of it But this is no part of that lawe and all these three Lawes differ in nature one from the other Secondly that such Churches and Church offices are not humane inuentions I proue by euident demonstration For the first Church ministeriall that euer was had ordination from God which was the Church of the Iewes vnder Aaron and his successours and that Church was both Diocesan and prouinciall and also nationall hauing all rites and iurisdiction which a Diocesan or prouinciall or nationall church euer had or coulde haue Also vnder the Gospell Saint Paul by warrant from the holy Ghost appointed Timothy a prouinciall Bishop of Ephesus hauing many Bishops vnder him and Titus a nationall Bishop ouer all the kingdome of
the Apostles in other places and so continued by succession from them vntill these daies vnlesse when their succession was interrupted by warres or schisme or persecution But to come to a Diocesan Lord Bishop ruling by his sole power which is indeed the chiefe matter now in question Such a Bishop saith hee seemeth not to haue beene established in Ambrose Ierom and Augustines time It may be it seemeth not so to Maister Iacob but it seemed so to Zozomene that Saint Ambrose himselfe did rule like a Lord Bishoppe Sozom. l. 7. ca. 24. by his sole authority when meeting the Emperour Theodosius as hee went to Church without any consent or consultation had with other Priests on a suddaine took him by the gowne in the sight of the people interdicted him both from the holy communion the Church for the offence he had committed and the Emperour obeyed his authority His wordes are these Imperator quum Mediolanum venisset ad Ecclesiam processit vt oraret Sed quùm ad ostium iam pernenisset occurrit et Ambrosius eius ciuitatis Episcopus apprehensâ illius purpû-â in praeâ—entiâ populi siste gradum inquit homini enim ob peccata prophano manus innoxio sanguine comaculatas habeÌ„ti faâ— non est antequaÌ„ poenitentiaÌ„ egerit vel sacrum ingredi solium vel ad diuinoruÌ„ mysteriorum communionem admitti Imperator libertatem sacerdotis admiratuâ— cogitationibus conscientiam accusantibus regressus est poenitentia compunctus The Emperour when he came to Millanie went towards the church to pray wheÌ„ he was but at the doore Ambrose the Bishop of that citie ran to him caught him by his purple robe in the presence of the people coÌ„manded him to stay there shewing that it was not permitted him hauing defiled his hands with innocent blood to goe into the Church nor to be partaker of the Sacrament before he had shewed himselfe penitent The Emperour meruailed at the great spirit of the Bishop his conscience pricked him vpon his remorse hee went backe and repented And afterward more plainly he saith Ambrosius Imperatorem insimulans vt consentaneum est ab Ecclesiâ arcuit à communione seclusit Ambrose laying to the Emperour his charge his crime which he committed as it did behooue him thrust him out of the Church secluded him from the communion In this Story that action is ascribed solely vnto the Bishop no mention is made of any other whose consent was required Though soone after we doubt not saith Maister Iacob it tooke place in the Church Therefore by his owne confession the office of Lord Bishop ruling by his sole authoritie is of great antiquitie and therefore to be preferred before the Eldership which is but a nouelty and neuer preuailed vntill our age and that but in some few Churches And that I may speake something for the iustification of Bishoppes ruling by their sole authority Timothy and Titus were such Bishops Maister Iacob replieth two manner of waies First he saith the Apostles did not ordeine Ministers nor censure offenders by their sole authority much lesse then Timothy and Titus which were inferiour to the Apostles For answer to his reply which consisteth of nothing but manifest vntruthes I do instance in S. Peter which by his sole authority censured Ananias Suphira when they lied to the holy Ghost smiting them with present death St. Paul which alone censured Elymas the sorcerer wheÌ„ he smote him Acts. 5. Act. 13. 11 with blindnes for seeking to peruert the deputy froÌ„ the faith And both these censures were then in the place of excommunicatioÌ„ Vide Bucerum dè clauibus 1. Cor. 16. 22. anathema marannatha Politiae Iudaicae c. 2. which is now the ordinarie censure of the church And besides that Saint Paule by his sole authoritie excommunicated in general all that loued not the Lord Iesus euen vnder the time of nature Henoch as Cornelius Berâ—ram writeth in his booke Printed at Geneua and allowed of by that church did alone anathema illud solenne suoe aetatis hominibus proponere quod extat Iudae ver 14 15. pronounce that solemne sentence of excommunication against the men of his time of which mention is made in S. Iude ver 14. 15. Behold the Lord commeth with thousands of his Saints to giue iudgement c. And so did Saint Ambrose by their examples And as for making Ministers our Bishops doe not conferre orders alone but assisted with other ministers which ioyne with them in prayer imposition of hands Yet still the chiefest authoritie resteth in Bishops as S. Paule writeth to Titus For this cause I left thee in Creete that thou shouldest ordaine Elders in euery citie And to Timothy Tit 1 5. lay hands sodainly on no man by which words it appeareth that ordination imposition of hands belong to the Bishops 1. Tit 5. 22. principally and to the inferiour Ministers but as assistants to the Bishop But that it belonged to the same men to censure offenders rule by their sole authoritie the places of Scripture doe make it so plaine that ir may not be denied Rebuke 1. Tim â— v. 1. 9. 11. 17. 19. 21. not an Elder but exhort him as a Father Let not a widdow be taken into the number vnder 60 yeares old Refuse the yonger widdowes The elders that rule wel let theÌ„ be had in doble honor Obserue these things without preferring one before another doe nothing partially Receiue no accusatioÌ„ against an elder but vnder 2. or 3 witnesses Secondly he saith that if these things were granted that Timothy Titus ruled by their sole anthoritie it would not follow that therefore our Bishops might do the like his reason is this For saith he they are not to be reckoned in the catalogue of Bishops neither were they properly called Bishops because they were not affixed to certaine places but often remoued to other churches as the Apostles did Which reason I refute by manifest text for as much as Timothy was affixed to Ephesus as his proper charge and so Titus to Creete as to his peculiar place witnesseth the Apostle I besougbt thee to abide still in Ephesus For this cause haue I left 1. Tim. 1. 3. Tit. 1. 5. thee in Creete that thou shouldest continue there to redresse the things that remaine But what then though they afterward remoued and were called to other places so are our Bishops also and priuate pastours oftentimes called from one congregation to another I cannot deny but the cannon Lawe hath determined that Bishops shal not remoue from one Bishopricke to another without some vrgent cause as when they are required by another Church their gifts beeing thought fitter for a greater charge and the lawe is grounded vpon the decrees of the first generall councell of Nice which so concludeth Episcopus Presbyter aut diaconus non aebet transferri ab vnâ ciuitate ad aâ—iam quia id est contrà regulas
I denie his argument For besides that in the fift page of his booke hee affirmeth that man cannot make a societie to be a visible church but Christ alone and it is proued that all these parishes are the institution of men which onely haue distinguished the bounds of Parishes and that very vnequally making some too large and some too small and so he contradicteth himselfe the multitude haue not the keyes of the Church committed vnto them but onely the ministers where our Sauiour saith to Peter in the behalfe of the rest Tibi dabo claues to thee I will giue the keyes And to the Apostles whose sinnes yee remit they are remitted and whose sinnes ye retaine they are retained And whereas there be two keyes Mat 16. 19. Ioh. 20. 23. of the Church the one of the word and the Sacraments the other of gouernment the key of gouernment witnes Maister Beza himselfe is not giuen to all ministers much lesse to the people but onely vnto such ministers as be magistrates of the Church as Timothy and Titus was For saith he Ecclesia interdum prò Senatu Ecclesiastico vsurpatur vt infrà Cap Mat 18. verse 17. Dic Ecclesiae This word Church is sometimes taken for Beza in annotat maior in Mat 16. the senate or Consistorie Ecclesiastical as Mat 18. 17. where our Sauiour saith Tell the Church And his owne Doctor Maister Beza vpon this place expoundeth these wordes Tell the church more at large in his notes vpon that place shewing that Maister Iacobs exposition is very absurde and that such discipline as that the peoples consent should bee required in excommunications is very far from the discipline receiued in Geneua His wordes are these Dic Ecclesiae spectat ad forum EcclesiasticuÌ„ quia versu proximo fit mentio ligandi soluendi Haec potestas erat penes eos qui archisunagogoâ— vocantur Marci 5. 22. Et huius conscietudinis exemplum extat Iohn 9. 22. 12. 42. 16. 2. Vt apud Iudaeos idem fuisse videatur paenaegenus aposunagogon genesthai atque apud Christianos excommunicari Sed notandum est turpiter errare qui ex hoc confici volunt dè singulis rebus referendum esse ad totius multitudinis caetum Aâ—unt enim Ecclesiae nomen nusquam aliter accipi quod vel ex hoc ipso loco falsum esse counincitur Nam certè tanquà m aè Iodaeis haec dici apparet saitem ex eò quod addit sit tibi ficut Ethnicus publicamus Sed iudicia de his rebus penes seniores fuisse apud Iudaeos nec semper cogi consueuisse totum populi caetuÌ„ omnes illaruÌ„ rerum scriptores testantur Et certè Christus nisi ad suoruÌ„ teÌ„poruÌ„ consuetudinem totuÌ„ hunc sermoneÌ„ accoÌ„modasset quis eum loquâ—nteÌ„ intellexisset Quod si quis excipiat tyrannicaÌ„ fuisse illaÌ„ consuetudineÌ„ ne id quideÌ„ vere dixerit quum Christus sic loqui non potuerâ—t quin eum moreÌ„ vt legitimuÌ„ approbaret These words teâ— the Church belong to the Ecclesiastical court because in the 9 verse mentioÌ„ is made of binding loosing For this power belonged only vnto theÌ„ which Mark 5. 22. were called the Rulers of the Synagogs And we haue example of this custome Iohn 9. 22. where the Iewes had ordeined that euery one which confessed Christ should be excommunicated out of the Synagogue And Iohn 12. 42. Among the chiefe Rulers many beleeued in him but because of the Pharisies they durst not cofesse him lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue and Ioh. 16. 12. They shall excommunicate you and cast you out of their Synagogues And among the Iews to be cast cut of the Synagogue was all one as among the Christians to be excoÌ„municated And it is to be noted that they erre filthity which out of this place conclude that in all matters of excoÌ„munication the multitude must be consulted And where â—â— they obiect that the name of the church is no where vnderstord otherwise then for the multitude their expositioÌ„ is out of this place conuicted to be false erroneous For our Sauiour deliuereth these laws of discipline to ChristiaÌ„s in the same maner as if he spake to the Iewes because he saith let him be to thee as an heatheÌ„ a PublicaÌ„ But only the Magistrates amoÌ„g the Iews did exercise these iudgmeÌ„nts without the coÌ„sent knowledge of the people as all their writers do testifie And surely vnlesse our Sauiour had applied his speech vnto the custome of his times no man could haue vnderstood what he meant by these words And if any shall obiect that this custome was tyrannicall and vnlawfull hee deliuereth an vntruth in so saying because our Sauiour could not haue spoken to christians after this maner of the Iewes vnlesse he had approued this maner of excommunication among the Iewes which was by the Magistrates and not by the people to haue beene also lawfull and to be vsed among christians So farre Theodorus Beza vpon this place And as for popular election which is the other part of gouernment Ecclesiasticall to which hee intituleth the whole multitude let the case be put that sometimes of fact the people had a consent in the election of their Bishops in time of persecution and when the church being not indowed with any landes or maintenance they liued onely by charity and deuotion of the people what proofe hath he that it ought to be so or that euer it was so in any setled estate Hee saith it is plaine the people had their free election of their Bishops in the daies of Ignatius because in one epistle hee writeth these words Prepon esi vmin es ecclesia theou cheirotonesai ton episcopon vmon which ignorantly he englisheth in this maner It is meete for you being the church of God to choose by common consent your Bishop First it is well knowne that when Ignatius liued which was in the very infancy of the Church there was neither any certaine maintenance for the Ministers nor any setled estate of a Church but all liued vpon the beneuolence of the people Secondly this word Church signifieth not the people but the Ecclesiasticall persons as before I haue shewed you out of Mr. Beza Thirdly no learned man would haue translated this word cheirotoneo to choose by common consent as he hath translated it For the very grammaticall signification of this word is not to elect by suffrages or voyces or lifting vp of hands as the people choose their Mairos or Bailiffes and ciuill officers but consecration by imposition of hands as all Ministers are to be consecrated by the rule of the Scriptures That the people should haue any voyce in elections it is so strange a position as was neuer read of in the Scriptures For as no man Matth. 3. Exod 3. Exod. 4. Matth. 4. 1 Tim. 1. Tit. 1. may enter into the ministerie without a lawfull calling for our Sauiour
had his calling from his Father Moses from God Aaron from Moses the Apostles from our Sauiour Timothy Titus from S. Paul so we must consider in whom this authority resteth to call men to the ministery for none of these of whom I haue spoken had any consent of the people This custome of popular election is borrowed out of the Turkes Alcaron and not of the Bible It is saide to the congregation concerning the election of Deacons Looke ye out 7. men of honest conuersation c by which it is iustified which our law doth require that they vpon whom the Bishoppe Act. 6. shall lay hands must bring with them sufficient testimony of their worthinesse but in the words following it is said whom we may appoint to this businesse And afterward verse 6. when they were found out they set them before the Apostles and the Apostles prayed and laide hands vpon them but not the people as our Bishops assisted with other ministers without the helpe of the people ordeine ministers with vs. Therefore in their obiection out of the Acts where they alleage these English words When they had ordeined Elders by Act. 14. election in euery Church c they doe but deceiue themselues For the Greeke word is cheirotoneo of cheir an hand and teino porrigo extendo noteleno to reach or stretch forth or lay on not to eleuate or lift vp so cheirotoneia is not eleuation but imposition of hands in Eccesiasticall writers These words then cheirotonesantes eautois presbuterous is manuum impositione consecrantes sibi ipsiâ— presbyteros when by imposition of hands they had consecrated Elders or Ministers as Moses by imposition of hands conferred the holy Ghost vpon Iosua and sanctified him to be a Magistrate and our Deut. 24. Matt. 19. Sauiour in the Gospel by laying hands on the children blessed them And thâ—â— cheirotoneia is expressed more plainely by another Greeke word in the Acts of the Apostles concerning Act. 6. the consecration of Deacons to be epithesis ion cheiron imposition of hands where the text saith proseuxamenoi opâ—thecan autois tas cheiras when they had prayed they layed hands vpon them And Gualâ—er in his Commentary vpon that place of the Acts which before was alleaged when they had ordeined Elders by election in euery Citie after he hath iustified these popular elections vsed in the Church of Tigurie and dispraised our manner of ordination reuoketh himselfe and confesseth by the word cheirotonesantes magis verisimiliter hîc incelligi manuum impositionem non incerto populo rem tam seriam committendam that in that place imposition of hands is rather to be vnderstoode then any popular election and that a matter of so great importance as the ordination of Ministers is not to be committed to the rude and inconstant common people He commeth now to his ob Sol and obiecteth in our behalfe as we doe our selues commonly alleage that it cannot stand with the state of a Kingdome that there should be a popular gouernment of the Church And he answereth himselfe that it is not requisite that the gouernment of the Church should bee answerable to the gouernement of the Realme To which his answer I reply that if the gouernment of the Church be not answerable to the gouernment of the Realme then our assertion is true that this popular gouernment cannot stand with the state of a Kingdome because the King is by the people excluded out of the Church gouernment With vs Bishops are the Kings Lieutenants in Ecclesiasticall causes and all Ecclesiasticall Courts are the Kings Courts they be held immediately vnder the King his authority in causes Ecclesiasticall being subalternate and immediately subordinate vnto our Sauiour Christ Now for as much as they which hold with the lay Eldership and popular gouernment doe claime their authority immediately from God without the King they derogate from the Kings authority in Ecclesiasticall causes and in Church matters they hold him for no King Lastly whereas we obiect that popular gouernment with vs cannot be but tumultuous and hee answereth that no tumults can arise by their gouernment considering foure circumstances First that it is Gods ordinance Secondly that it is to be executed by no greater multitude then a parish Thirdly that the Church guides being seperated from the people determine the matter and prepare it onely the people consent with them Fourthly if any few be violent and vnruly the next Iustices are to keepe the peace among them It is but an answerlesse answer For first that popular gouernment is not Gods but mans ordinance as I haue shewed Secondly it is apparant that diuers parishes with vs be so populous that they consist of many thousands and are as large in compasse as some Diocesse in other places Thirdly for the guides of the Church priuately to agree vpon the matter and to vrge the people and constraine them by the authority of Iustices of peace to yeelde vnto that which they haue decreed is as much as to make it no popular election at all because then free consents are denied them and all authority resteth in the guides of the Church For if there be no tumult it is wholly in the power of the Church Magistrates to conclude and establish what they list and the people must agree to it if there be a tumult the Magistrates of the Church are to command the Iustices to execute what their selues would haue done so that the people are vsed but as ciphers and haue no liberty in themselues So this is as good as no election Of Lord Bishops and Ecclesiasticall persons exercising ciuill authoritie THe common obiection is that our Sauiour being the chiefe Bishop was not held for a Lord neither had hee any outward pompe or glory in this world To which I answer if so be they inferre this conclusion vpon that example therefore Bishops must not be Lords the weakenesse of that argument will appeare by the like for they may as well conclude against Kings that because our Sauiour being a King yet was no Lord had no pompe nor glorie-therefore Kings must not be Lords c. I could answer further Tit. 2. that he was a Lord and so the Apostle doth call him a great Lord and the head of the Church and the Prince of Eph. 4. 15. Apoc. 1. the kings of the earth and because he is head of the Church all Kings doe holde their Crownes vnder him That the world did not acknowledge him for a Lorde it was their blindnesse Hee came to be crucified and had the world knowne him non Dominum gloriae crucifixissent they had not crucified the Lord of glory And yet in his state of humility hee had an honourable retinew to attend vpon him to the number of eighty two his twelue Apostles and seuenty Disciples Matth. 1â— Luk. 10. Iudas was his treasurer or pursbearer he sent Philip to the market to buy bread he imployed his Disciples in such seruices
force tooke from them all power of life death not onely from the Priests but also from the whole nation 40. yeares before that time as Maister Beza hath well obserued it was not lawfull for them to put any man to death Thirdly if the Iewes had had all their authoritie in their Beza in annot maiorib in Ioh 18. hands without controlment yet it appeareth by the 28. verse of that chapter that the Priests at that time would not be present at that iudgement where seÌ„tence of death was to be pronounced because the feast of Easter was at hand and so doing they should haue made themselues vncleane and by a consequent disinabled themselues from executing their office at that solemnitie Thus you haue heard proued out of the holy Scriptures that among Gods people in that kingdome which was gouerned according to Gods own lawes euen then when it was reformed by godly kings there was no bench of Iustice for hearing and ending of ciuill causes vpon which Priests and Leuites did not sit as Iudges and Iustices Therefore I demand other sound reasons or places of Sctipture to proue why it should not so continue among vs which are also Gods people especially our Ecclesiasticall persons being more honourable vnder the Gospel then they were vnder the law I confesse that the Popes lawes haue decreed the contrarie but Lancelelot iustitut iuris can l 1. Tit 4. Concil Lat 31. partis 1. can 12. it is not fit that wee which are a reformed Church and haue long since abandoned the Popes authoritie should nowe forsake God and the examples of the holy Bible to followe the Pope and his Canons The Popes lawe saith Laici sunt quibus licet temporalia prssidere vxereâ—â— ducere causes agere intèr virum virum iudicare Clerici qui diuinis officijs mancipati sunt quos ab omni strepitu cessare conueuit Lay men are they to whom it is lawful to haue temporal possessions to marie wiues handle causes and controuersies in Law to iudge betweene man and man but as for Clergy men their state and condition is otherwise they are so deuoted and mancipated to the seruice of God that they must not intermeddle with such worldly troubles Some of our brethren giue this answerles answer that arguments drawen from the state of the Ministerie in the olde Testament to that which is vnder the Gospell doe not holde that we must not followe examples of the olde Testament in Church gouernment and that therefore the argument doth not followe that because Bishoppes in the olde Testament were Lords and of the Kings Counsell in the highest place and inferiour Ministers were ciuill Magistrates therefore vnder the Gospell it may be so although what should hinder they cannot shewe But that I may followe them in that course of disputation They say wee must not followe the examples of the olde Testament in Church gouernment and that therefore the argument doth not followe Bishops in the olde Testament were Lords and Kings Counsellers and inferiour Ministers were ciuill Magistrates therefore vnder the Gospel they must be so To whoÌ„ I alledge that by the like reason these arguments which Bishop Iuell and the learned men of the reformed churches haue vrged against the Popes authoritie and for the vpholding of Princes cannot follow when they conclude in this manner Solomon deposed Abiathar the Priest for committing high Treason and placed Sadoc in his roome therefore vnder the Gospell Christian Kings may punish their Ministers for high Treason Ezechias reformed the Church Iosias reade the Lawe before the Priestes in the house of the Lord and commanded Helchias the high Priest and the Priests of the second order to bring forth of the Temple all the vessells made for Baall put downe Idolls 1. Reg 2. 2. Reg 18. slewe the idolatrous Priestes therefore Christian Kings may put downe idolatrie and reforme the Church You see thereforefore the weakenes and great vnsufficiency of this answere Againe why doe the Lawes of Geneua punish adulterie with death after the example of the olde Testament and why doe our brethren which stand for the reformation labour that the same punishment may bee inflicted vpon adulterers with vs vrging vs with the authoritie of that Law if so be that they will holde that the Lawes of the old Testament may not preuaile vnder the Gospell In their simplicitie and want of iudgement they shape this answere as if it were the Trumpet to blowe downe Iericho Dauids sling to kill Golias Sampsons iawe-bone to slay a thousand Philistines that the ceremoniall Lawe is abolished whereas before I haue shewed thal this is not ceremoniall but politicall and that the Priesthood is abolished whereas onely that which is ceremonicall concerning the Priests office is abolished but that which is moral indureth to the end And againe a Minister of the Gospell may with more conueniencie be a ciuill Magistrate then the Priests vnder the Lawe because now the daily sacrifices the great number of feasts and solemnities the infinite number of ceremonies do cease which then procured vnto them a whole world of businesses in their Ministery by which they had lesse vacant time to heare ciuill causes then our Ministers haue vnder the Gospell The answer to the common obiection Luk 22 25. they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious Lords but ye shall not be so FOr the opening of this text these things are to be examined First whether our Sauiour spake these wordes to his Apostles onely or in the name of the Apostles to al Christians For albeit the Apostles onely were personally present and his apostrophe was vnto theÌ„ yet many circumstances do proue that these words doe coÌ„cerne al Christians For first we find else where another speech parallel vnto this The Scribes and Pharisies loue the chiefe places at feasts and to Mat 2. 3. haue the chiefe seates in the assemblies and greeting in the markets and to be called of men Rabbi Rabbi that is Lord Lord but be not yee called Rabbi for one is your Rabbi to wit Christ and all ye are brethren c. but he that is greatest among you let him be your seruant No man can iustly say this was spoken vnto Ecclesiasticall persons onely but also to lay men for so the text saith Then Iesus spake to the multitude and to his Disciples 2. In the same chapter it appeareth that our Sauiour did celebrate his last Supper immediately before he spake these wordes but that storie being set downe more plaine by the other Enangelist hee saide drinke you of this all Mat 26. which wordes were spoken onely to his Apostles and yet none but they of the Church of Rome will so conster them as if they were ment onely of Ecclesiasticall persons For euen as the Cuppe in the holy Communion did not appertaine onely vnto the Ministerie but also vnto the laitie so humilitie which is the Subiect of this speech is not