to escape In the end off the same Epistle wherin he is called a Bishop he sendethe for him from Ephesus to Rome which suerly he would neuer haue done yff he had beene appointed Bishopp ther or one off thos elders whom Paule in the twentieth off the Actes sent for to miletum and exhorteth to contynuall watche and ward And Paule hym selfe writeth that he willed him to tary at Ephesus not that he had ordeined him bishopp ther. A like obiection they make out off the Epistle to Titus wher it is written that Paule left him in Creta that he should appoint Elders in euery towne But it may lickwise be annswered that the Apostle saithe not that he ordeineth him Bishopp off the churches off Creta But only that he leaft him in Creta namely so longe vntill he had sett suche thinges in order as Paule beinge otherwise called away could not tarry to do and had appointed Elders in euery citie which apperethe by this that he commanded hym when thos thinges wer done to come to him to Nicopolis into Macedonia Lickwise in an other place he writeth that Titus was gonn into Dalmacia so that yt is cleere enoughe that Titus had no charge off any certen place or church Therfore seing I thinck yt is sufficiently proued that Titus and Tymothie were EuaÌ„gelistes and not Bishoppes how doeth that make for the Bishoppes which we see by ther Epistles was granted vnto theÌ„ For I thinck they will not compare them selues with the Euangelistes or affirme them selues to be off equall authoritie with them which iff they should they might be easelie confuted as after in dew place shal be declared But that we may put the case that Timothie was Bishopp at Ephesus and that we may freely graunt that what so euer may apperre to haue beene lawfull for him to be lawfull also for them Let vs see now what the Apostle graunted to Timothie For soothe say they that he might choose off his owne authoritie the officers off the church Let vs then see whether it be so or not And here is first to be noted that they do yll geue that vnto Election which perteyneth not to Election But to Ordinacion For the laying on off handes was not wonte to be vsed in choosinge off any Officers off the churche But in ordeininge off him Then that we graunt them this also That election hereby is signified I say that ther Tyranny and Lordly authoritie is by no place more confuted then by this which they bring for them selues which that yt may more cleerly appeere I must first take away a certen false exposicion which they bringe off this place that after I may the more easyly convince them by the true and naturall meaninge theroff Heere say they Tymothie is warned that he lay not his handes to hastely vpon any nor communicate with other mens faultes namely with thers say they who allthoughe they be vnworthy seeke to enter into the ministery An interpretacion very vnfytt either for the wordes off the Apostle or for those tymes Will they confesse that euen in thos tymes this ambicion had crept into the churche that as now a dayes so then also they went vnto the Bishop for order and layinge on off handes for otherwise what other menÌ„s fault is this wherwith the Apostle warne the Tymothi that he pollute not him selfe for what fault can this bee Not to be fitt to taky vpon him an ecclesiasticall function But herein is the fault that he that is giltie to him selfe off his owne vnworthines desirethe notwithstandinge to take that vpon him which he is not able to be are with out great offence But who will say that so shamfull Ambicion raigned in the churche in thos daies which many yeeres after was borne and brought vpp at Rome And iff the church had then been steyned with this blott would not Paule expresly haue forbidden this Ambition seinge that he would haue a bishoppe to be blamles and prouided by all meanes that he sholde not swell and wax prowd Therfore this is off smaller waight then it may be allowed and the meaninge off this place is farr otherwise nam y this That Paule foreseyng longe before that greeuous wolues not sparing the flock would ryse vp euen off the Elders off Ephesus them selues and that Tymothie was but off equall authoritie with the Elders in gouerninge off the churche and choosinge off others into the same place and degree and that they that were suche wold choose to bâ— Elders and lay ther handes on suche as wer like them selues he warneth Timothy that he do nothing rashely in this behalffe neyther iff any suche thing happen althoughe other like neuer so well off it yet he shall not suffer him selfe to be led away by ther authoritie to the allowynge off it but iff he could not keep others by his counsell from so doinge at the least he should keepe hym selff pure and innocent for so he addeth emphatically Keepe thy self pure communicate not vvith other mens faultes And this is the true and naturall meaninge off this place wher by yt appeareth that the Apostle not only grauntith him no princely authoritie for then he would not haue warned him to keepe him selfe pure from allowynge any suche Election but haue commanded him off his meer authoritie to haue hindered and stayed yt and to haue made the choise of the rest off no effect by his negatiue voice but contrariwise that he was off so equall authoritie with the rest off the Elders that iff they had chosen one vnfyt in some respect yet he could not off his owne meere authoritie haue put hym back nor done any more in this matter theÌ„ any off the rest And that he could only take heede vnto him selfe that he allowed not any vnripe or vnworthie IudgmeÌ„tes off other officers Therfore ther is no cause which they should make Tymothie the Author off this ambition and tyranny Now let vs examin also the example off Titus whom they do trewly affirme to haue beene commanded to appoint Elders in euery citie but I suppose no man will thinck that Paule graunted more to Titus then eyther he and Barnabas or then all the rest off the Apostles tooke vnto them selues neyther iff he had graunted is it like that Titus being a yonge man and his scholler and as it wer his sonne would haue vsed it For as the Iewes say in a coÌ„mon prouerbe it is enoughe for the seruaÌ„t to be like his maister which sayinge allso Christ him selfe alloweth when he said that the disciple is not aboue his maister And that it owght to be enowghe for the scholer iff he be suche as his maister is But I haue shewed allredy what both Paule and all the rest off the Apostles did Neither is it â—ike that Titus did otherwise ordeine Elders in euery towne then Paule did in euery churche especially seing Paule doth expressly warne him to appoint them as he had commaÌ„ded
voice of his father whereby being declared the Beloued sonne of God in whome only the father was well pleased he might be sent out to goe off his embassage ▪ he had disputed indeede once before with the Doctors in the Tēple but that was no full execuciō off any publique office but as yt were a certeine florishe ād plaieng at wasters whereby he prepared him selfe vnto a full combate and a greater battel Lykewise did the Apostles who did not thrust them selues in to the churche without his cōmanmandement and apointment but waited for that voice Goe preache the Gospell and baptize those which beleue The same modestie appeared in the Bishoppes of the primitiue churche so lōg as it cōtinewed vncorrupted and in goode estate for after as they were not afraide to enter into the churche by fraud and doceyte so being once entred in they behaued them selues in yt with like faithfullnes and modestie that they entred in whie doe we not therfore bridle this posting and spurring for the mynisterie and contenting our selues with the godlie and zealous desire off our mynde and our laboure and studie to prepare our selues thereunto flee and avoide this shamefull ambicion These so notable and worthie examples let vs esteme as a lawe made against Ambicion which yff we shal be so bolde as to transgresse let vs assure our selues that one daie in a most solempne courte and assemblie we shal be charged with Ambicion Neyther only in the office off a Bishoppe but in all other Ecclesiasticall charges this woyng off places and offices owght to be estemed vnmette and vnworthie for the modestie off any Christian man and how muche better were yt to send backe againe this laboring for offices and sutorlike care vnto Rome from whence yt came For as muche then as greate fruite ys lost by this ambicious seking for offices and honor which they reape who are fully persuaded off there calling and off the wille off God appointing them thereunto Seing also the examples off our Sauior Christe off his Apostles off the purer and primitiue churche doe call vs from yt and exhortethe vs to all sobernes and modestie and that hereby greate wrong is done vnto God whose authoritie is not waited for and that bothe the Lordes ordinaunce and our owne proffitte and commoditie calleth vs backe from this hunting after places and and offices Let vs at the lengthe amende the custome which we haue that to come flocking from all partes to that place where orders as we call them by a popishe name are geuen by the bishoppe to seke and sewe for them to bring letters off Lordes or Iustices or some other off our frendes in our commendacion and fauoure Fynally Let vs amend whatsoeuer yt is whereby a lawfull calling may be corrupted and stained and now at the Lengthe which we owght to haue done long agoe Let vs decree according to the worde off God that no man hereafter sewe for any calling in the churche Let euerie man more shamefastlie and modestlie offer his labour and diligence Let all men kepe them selues at home and there abyde and wayte for the voice off God and authoritie off those who are chosers to the taking vpon him off any ecclesiasticall charge or function There do yet remaine certaine thinges to be spooken off ecclesiasticall officers touching the execucion off that office wherunto they be called Off which the first is that the vocacion wandre not freely wher it listethe but be ioined with a charge off some certeine place and churche For yt is not here as yt is in the profession off the arts that we should esteeme thes orders as certein commendacions and the churches allowinge off any mans worthines as it is in them that by the Iudgment and authoritie off the vniuersities are preferred to the profession off the liberall sciences or off the cyuall law or phisick or any other such like For they haue none apointed them whom they should teache or heale or geue counsell vnto or wher they should exercise ther profession but as they see it commodious for them selues go to thos places which they thinck fyttest for them or iff they thinck good sit idle at home But the ministers apointement ought not to be suche that hauinge receiued as it were the commendacion and allowance of lerned men they should after provide a place for them selues as they thought most commodious or ells sit idle all ther life tyme at vome iff they list For thes admissions and allowances off studentes are geuen vnto thē as honors and rewardes which haue no more labor hanginge vpon thē then they list and iudge to be profitable for them But thes honors are suche that men are rather chareged then preferred by them and indeed rather to be esteemed burthens then honors whose nature is suche that as gardaynshipppz are graunted not for his cause who is chosen but rather for theirs who haue neede off their care helpe and labor So that iff ther be no suche in the churche ther is no cause off apointinge any to ecclesiasticall charges Therfore the Apostles did at no tyme appoint mynisters or deacons that afterwards should prouide them selues churches wher they should teache or whos treasury they should ouersee or ells be idle if they would but they ordeined deacons Pastors and Elders as the necessytie off the churche did require Thus we reede in the sixth off the Actes that when the state off the churche off Ierusalem did require the Apostles ordeined deacons ouer the treasury off that churche to see the orderinge off it and the prouision for widowes and pore folkes Thus also Paule and Barnabas in the xiiij off the actes ordeined elders in euery churche and neyther lefte the churches as orphanes with out any to care and prouide for them neither apointed any elders but vnto suche certen chuches as had need off them So also Sainct Paule expressely commandeth Titus whom he hade left in Crete to set the churches in order that he should appoynt Elders in euery citye that is to say wher ther was any churche or nomber off thos that beleeued And for this same cause I thinck ther is scarcely any wher in the holy scriptures mencion made off Elders and Deacous wher together with all is not mencioned the name off the churche place or cytie wher in they did exercise ther office Thus Paule in the Epistle to the Philippians maketh mencion off ther Bishoppes and Deacons Thus also also Sainct Luke writethe in the Actes Sainct Paule sent for the Elders off Ephesus and that the churche off Antioche sent vnto the Aoostles and Elders at Ierusalem aboute the question off Circumcision And also in Saint Peter writinge to the churches wchich wer scattered in Pontus and Galatia in the fifte chapiter I exhort saithe he the Elders which ar amonges yow that is to say the Elders which are set ouer your seuerall churches And in the same place he
mountaines and wandringe in the woodes with out a guyde which he him selfe spared not to spēd his life for to bring yt into the way againe we are in no part inferior to the Papistes them selues Is this then our discipline is this that order which some men often tymes praisinge in wordes desire nothinge less in deed Is this the gouernment and administracion off our churche and yet no man may be suffred freely to speake for the reformaciō of the churche and restoringe againe of the pure and perfit gouernmēt of the Apostles Seinge thes are most manifestly contrary to the example off our Sauior Christ and off the Apostles Seinge they threaten the certeyne ruyne and ouer throw off the churche Seinge they do not only shake but turne vpward the pillers off the same Haue we not Good cause to be moued bothe for the Glory off God and the saluacion of the churche to requyre more holye ordinaunces and a better gouernment off the same Can any man esteeme thes light matters and off small waight that the sacred Lawes off God are openly violated and broken with oute any shame that the churche which Christ hath redemed with his bludd is neglected That ther is no regard had off discharginge off dewties That a man taketh to hym selfe which the Aungelles dare not and that the Archbishopp dare geue the Pastor leaue contrary to the expresse commandement off God to forsake his flock or graunt him suche priuiledges wheroff that same dothe necessaryly follow which no Archangell may challendge to him selff Or shall thos thinges also which I haue handled from the begynninge to this place be esteemed small faultes to ground Ecclesiasticall discipline not vpon the word off God and the will off the Lord Iesus But off the canon lawe Which suerly I doubt not to affirme to be the very fountaine and springe from whence all the rest off the Corruptions do flow that popishe priestes womē Archdeacons and Chauncelers with ther Officialles Commissaryes and the rest off that Trashe do bringe ther impure handes and neuer sanctified vnto God to do his holie seruice to preache his word to handle and distribute his facred mysteries to order and gouerne his churche And nothinge seare any punishement off this ther boldnes and most vnworthie prophanacion off the holie offices That Ionathan the Leuites shamefull example in seekinge a Maister or as we call yt in gettinge the good will off a Patrone is taken to be followed That Dauid and Salomons example in callinge the Priestes and Leuites to ther cyties and townes and the Apostles in ordeininge no ecclesiasticall officer but vnto certen churches is neglected and contemned And last off all that Thes wicked and intollerable faculties Prerogatiues Priuiledges and dispensacions tha◠I haue spoken off at suffered in our churche Are all thee I say to be countid trifles or certen light faultes and tollerable errors For my par e suerly I thincke as allso I suppose all they will do that will were this by the word off God as by the gold smythes ballance that ther is neuer a one off these light and small to be esteemed but that they ar all heynous trespasses and matters off Treason to be examined and iudged off in the highest courtes Therfore in the name off God let vs not seeke to bringe this holie doctrine off reforminge our discipline into hate and displeasur vnder a shew that yt is a newe and a false pretēce that all innouaciōs ād chāges are dangerous but rather abrogating thes most vniust and vnrighteous lawes dispensacions and as I may well call them pardones and indulgencies at the last let vs call agayne that maner off gouerninge the churche and that discipline being now lost which the Lord him selfe by his embassadors and Apostles hathe apointed Thus hauinge described and layd out the lawfull vocacion off all those which occupie any publique place in the churche let vs now come to the partes and members of the same which especially are two wherin the right maner off geuinge thes offices doth consist that is In election and ordinacion which is so properly called Election is the appointinge by the Elders the rest off the churche allowing it off a fitt man to the bearinge off some office in the churche And as for Election that it is necessary to the geuinge off any off thes offices it may appeare euen off that that S. Paul ioineth it with examinacion and trial and diligently warneth Timothie that he lay not on his handes vpon them that be vnworthie but only vpon thos that after a iust triall beinge had are found meet and chosen That same is proued also by the continuall vse off the Apostles who by the iudgmēt and authoritie off the churche apointed Bishopps to teache and Deacons for the orderinge off the Treasury off the churche For Christ hath not chosen any certen hous or famyly as it was in old tyme vnder the law wherin the gouernment off the churche should all wais remaine He gaue herein no right off Petigree stock and blood no ministers by inheritance but he would haue the iudgement left free vnto his churche and the offices theroff to be gyuen by choyse and worthines Off which election for asmuche as it was so necessary for the state off the churche that without yt the churche it selfe could not longe continew Our Sauior Christ was very carefull and therfor declared particularly and distinctly all thinges which apperteined to the orderyng theroff For he hath perfectly and diligently shewed bothe who owght to choose and to whom especially this care ought to belonge and what ought to be followed and regarded in chosinge off euery one For althoughe this question and controuersy off the chosers hathe beene diuersly disputed off by lerned men yet allmost all off them cōsen in this that ther must be moe to deale therin and that so great and so wayghtie a charge and belonginge to the especiall and singuler commodytie or discomoditie off the wholl churche ought not be committed to the authoritie off any one but be ordered and ruled by the iudgement and consent off many And this is the generall opynion off all thos that euer disputed lernedly and wisely in this cause from which I thinck no man can dissent but the Papists and they that haue succeded them in that authoritie which they most vnuistly and not without open iniury and tyranny doe vsurpe For the Bishopps that challeng this power vnto them selues by ther meere authoritie and ther owne only Iudgment and aduise to apoint the officers off the churche cannot challenge this by any right or law off God but exercise a very tyranny thoughe indeed longe agoe browght into the churche which lest I may seeme to haue said with out cause and to haue condemned them with out hearinge them to say what they can let them shew forth from whom and by what right this infynit power and authoritie is come into ther handes yff they say they haue
succeded by inheritance vnto the Apostles and therfore haue receyued yt off them allthoghe I should graunt them the first the second yet is disprouued by most manyfest testimonies and examples of the appostles them selues For let vs see iff euer the Apostles in any election did challendge this power and authoritie vnto them Sainct Luke writeth off thre elections holden by the appostles the fyrst in the fyrst off the Actes wher a new Apostle is chosen The second in the sixth wher the Seacons the third in the fourtenthe wher the Elders ar appointed in euery church For althoughe the Apostles did not choose Matthias But left it to the Lott which should declare the Lordes will and counsell therin because this was proper and peculier for that office off Apostles that they should not be chosen off men nor by men But immediatly from the Lord him selfe yet in settinge forth two ther is a certene kind off choise and election But what is ther in all this actioÌ„ that either Iames whome some say to haue bene Bishopp at Ierusalem or Pâ—â—er or any off the other Apostles doth take vnto him selfe For althoughe that Sainct Luke declareth that Iames was present heere yet we reade not that he was cheefe ther or tooke vpon him as he was Bishoppe authority to appointe an Apostle Or ells thos two off whom one should be chosen by the Lott But contrawise we see that he challenged no more to him selfe then either Andrew or Philipp or any other off the rest off the Apostles In deed Peter as Proloquutor propoundethe all the matter and purteth vp as yt wer this grace vnto the churche off chosinge an Apostle And he him self declareth what one they ought to choose and what especially in ther election they ought to respect and regard But vsed no particuler or special autoritie in choosinge the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They sett forthe Which is off the plurall nomber vsed by Sainct Luke in that place dothe manyfestly declare and proue Therfore in this first and solemne election off the Apostles ther was nothinge done or said from whence this infynite power and authoritie may be deriued vnto the Bishoppes But contrariwise seinge Iames taketh nothinge to him selffe nor Peter nor any other off the rest nay seinge all the Apostles togeether doe nothinge heere off ther owne authoritie nor choose whom yt pleasethe them It is sure and manifest that That Bishopp that will not take him selfe greater then an Apostle or then all the Apostles can by no right challendge to hym selffe any suche power or priuiledge in gyuinge and apointinge the offices off the churche But Let yt be that this election for the choice off Mathias and the great office and callinge wherevnto he was chosen had somewhat singuler and extraordinary and let vs see the next that is the election off the Seacons written by Saincte Luke in the sixthe chapter off the Actes wherin ik is so farr off that Peter or Iames or any other off the Apostles challenged any thinge aboue the rest vnto them selues in choosinge off them that contrariwise ther was nothinge done but by the common consent and agreement off them all For Sainct Luke dothe expressly declare that the multitude off the disciples we called togeether by the twelue that the choosinge off SeacoÌ„s was propouÌ„ded by the twelue and that the election beinge ended the praiers were made and handes laid on by the twelue For allthoughe they did not all call them to geether nor propounde the election nor make the praiers yet so expresse a speakinge as Sainct Luke vseth heere That the tvvelue called the disciples together and the words off the plurall nombre which he vsethe in euery place off this history do manyfestly proue that nothing was done heere by the priuate commandement or counsell off any but that coÌ„trariwise all thinges passed by the comÌ„on consent and authoritie off all the Apostles Therfore in this second and most solemne election bothe for the presence off all the Apostles and multitude off the disciples They take the repulse againe and can not obteyne this immesurable and princely authoritie in the churche which they seeke to haue The last is the election off Elders written in the fourtenth off the Actes which was heeld not by all the Apostles but only by Paule and Burnabas wherin althoughe they two ruled all the actioÌ„ and did moderate and gouerne the Iudgment off those that gaue the voices yet that they vsed no power and authoritie off ther owne in electinge the Elders off the churche euen that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chosinge by liftinge vp off the handes off the people doth manyfestly declare Therfore the Bishopps receyued not this authoritie by inheritance from the Apostles whose elections I haue declared to haue beene furthest off from this lordly authoritie For so they had bene taught off Christ that his kingdome was notlike the kingdomes off this world wherin some one hathe the chiefe authoritie to whome the rest ought to obey and whom they call ther Lord an master But he had appointed â—oir greatest or greater then his fellowes they had lerned that he was only king to whom all ought to be obedient and that they ought to lyue togeether like fellows in equall place and degree one with an other But they flee from the Apostles to the EuaÌ„gelistes And that fauour they could not get off the Apostles they hope to atteyne by them therfore they fetche the begynninge off this power and authoritie from Tymothie and Titus loff whom they say the one was bishop at Ephesus and the other in Candy And Timothie say they was commanded that he should not lay on his handes to rashly vpon any which commandement had bin in vayne iff the election off ministers had not beene in the Bishopps handes But I aske them how they proue that Tymothe was bishoppe at Ephesus For I thinck they will not bringe me that subscriptioÌ„ To Tymothe first chosen bishoppe off Ephesus much lesse Eusebius authorite the Author wheroff is vnknowne and off no great credit which also is not sett at the end off the first epistle against the most manifest testimoni off the Scripture which callethe Tymothie not a Bishoppe but an Euangelist for so Sainct Paule expresly calleth hym in the ende off his secoÌ„d epistle vnto him And the whole history prouethe that it cannot be that he could haue taried long at Ephesus who followed Paule trauelinge throughe so many churches and serued him in his iourny whom Paule himselfe doth witnes in mani places to haue beene an eye witnes off his afflictions whome he sent some tymes to Ephesus namely when he went into Macedonia sometymes to Corinth witnessinge that he did the lordes worck euen as he him selfe As also to the Rom. he calleth him his follow laborer as one that labored to geeâ—her her with him in plantynge and orderinge off churches and last â—ff all that ther may be no way
Testament or the will of the Testator nor that this possession is occupied by them without most vniust fraud and open violence and wronge Therfore seinge as I proued hitherto therbe many and greeuous faults in our discipline seinge the most holy lawes off god left vnto vs by the Apostles for the gouernment off his kingdome are violated and broken Seinge the fancyes off men and the pleasures off seruantes are preferred aboue the cōmaundement of Christ the king Seinge the churche is so destroyed which he redeemed by his blud the holie offices prophaned and all thinges mingled and confounded to geether Let vs at the lenght earnestly and carefully think to amend thes thinges let vs in deed obey his preceptes and lawes whome in wordes we acknowledge to be our kinge Let the churche and the good estate and estimation theroff be deare vnto vs By fetchinge the discipline off the church frō mē and from the Canon law we do wronge to Christ our Prophet and our prince and open a springe and founteine off errors in the churche Let vs therfore stopp thos pittes and go to the founteine off the word off god As subiectes let vs depend vpon the will off our king And let vs make this first the most waightie law in the reformaciō of our discipline that nothinge be doone in it besides his word and commandemēt and that all thinges be framed to this good will and pleasure So that if he hath forbiddē any man to enter into the church to take vpō him any publique person therin or execute any office but vnto which he is chosen and called by him iff he hathe greeuously punished the transgressors off this law who despising his commandement and goinge without the bandes that they were compassed with breake into other mēs ground and haue beene so bold to prophane the holie charges with ther defiled handes let vs see and be carefull that ther be no suche thing emonges vs and at the last let vs commaund thence Popishe priestes women that baptize in secret chauncellors Archedeacons and ther seruantes the Commissaries and Officialles and the rest off that trashe that take vppon them the administringe of discipline to leaue off and do ther owne busines and suffer thes thinges to be executed by thē that are called therunto by the lawfull apointment of god Ther is great fruit and cōmoditie that commeth by a lawfull calling Let vs take heed therfore that we loose it not by ambitiō and bribery Christ hath cōmitted a certen prouince to be gouerned by his embassadors And whō he callethe to any office he apointeth wher and amonges wwhom to execute it why then do so many go wandringe and straying amonges vs Why do we graunt so lose embassages why do we cōmit an office to any man whō we apoint not wher ād amonges whō to execute it especially seinge thes wandringe and vnstable charges are wont to bringe infinit euill after thē But if any man hath an office comitted vnto him if his citie place ād church be assigned wher to exercise it let hī diligētly performe which he hathe taken in hand And iff he do it not willinglie let the magistrat compell hym to amend his dewty or lette him be put out off his office And for thos faculties and dispensacions that exempt suche as will purchase them from this necessary doinge off ther duty let vs take away and abolishe as hauing first proceded from Antichrist him selfe and yet not with out great offence receyued emonges vs and decree accordinge to the word off God that who so euer is chosen to any ecclesiasticall office shall carefully and diligently look vnto it as one that is to geue accompt off the execution theroff in that noble and famous day off the comminge off Christ In elections taking away the vsurped tyran̄y off the Bishoppes and all that confusion which I haue declared wherby dew triall and examinatiō is hindered let the lawful choosers haue ther right restored to thē againe Let ther be diligent and exact examination had off thos that ar to be chosen Let offices be geuen for worthynes and not for other respectes lest bothe the holy offices be prophaned and the churche wanting hir necessary helpes and stayes fall to the ground last off all Let vs restore the right and trew vse off Ordeining ād laying on off handes and abolishe and take away this false and forged abuse theroff Thus farr haue I handled thos thinges that ar to be amended out off the word off god in this parte which equally belongeth to all the offices off the church Now followeth the next part which declareth what is proper and peculier to euery one which also hath merueilous need off correction and amendement Thus therfore hauing fynished that part wherin I haue fully and at large handled thos thinges that perteyne equally vnto all that beare any office in the church It followeth to shew how many sortes off them ther be and what euery man hath cōmon with other or proper or peculier vnto him selffe Off ecclesiasticall offices therfor somme are ordinary and perpetuall in the church and some are extraordnary which were vsed for a tyme but ceased afterwardes to be vsed any more For in the fyrst age off the church by the great goodnes of god towardes his people that was but then yong and tendre many diuers heauenly gyftes were giuen Which after when the church had growen strong and the gospell had been sufficiently confirmed with thos mirackles wer no lenger giuen but a certen firme and stable order was set to gouerne the churche by for euer Which were rather as Sainct Paule calleth them gyftes and Graces then ordinary offices off the churche No man I thinck can doubt but that they are ceased seinge the gyftes are geuen no more The questiō is somwhat harder off the office of Apostles Euangelistes and prophetes which all seinge they are occupied in preachinge off the word I will deferre to proue they also are ceased to that place wher I deinde all thos that haue charge to interpret the word off god into two sortes Therfore in the meane season omittinge the extraordinary I will begynn with the ordinary offices off the church wheroff seinge some be simple and others some compounded I will in the first place more fully and at large as the matter it selffe requirethe speake off the first first and more simple part whence also the latter dothe wholy springe Therfore all the perpetuall and ordinary offices off the church that are symple are conteined in the holi scripture in thes two names off Bishopps and Deacons for all thoughe the wordes them selfes are not so exactly or as I may say so curiously obserued as also it was not needfull they should yet the somme and effect off this deuision is euery wher reteined So Sainct Paule in his first Epistle to Timothe instructinge his scholler how to frame and sett in order the churche off Ephesus for the office off an
Euangelist which Timothy bare comprehendeth all the offices and functions off the church in Bishopps and Deacons So also the same Apostle writinge to the Phillipiās whos church to as allready established and set in order Paule and as followeth To the Saincts vvhich are at Philippi withe the Bishoppes and Deacons c. In which place vnderstandinge hy the name off Sainctes the faithful and as it were the citezens and body off the church vnder Bishopps and Deacons he conteinethe the gouernours ād thos to whom any publique charge in the church is committed Somewhat otherwise in the xij to the Romans but to the same sence he deuideth ecclesiasticall offices into prophesing which is ther office whom he calleth Bishopps in the two places afore named and Deaconshipp which distribution is also kept by Peter in the fourthe of his former epistle But that keeping still the name off Deacon he vseth the word speache for prophesyinge This therfore is the true diuision off ecclesiasticall offices distributed by Christes chiefe Apostles into thes partes wherby yt manifestly appereth that in a perfecte and well established church ther be both partes as it wer the right side ād the left side off the body and that neither off them can be wantinge with out the great deformity and misshapinge off the whole As also off the other part ther ought to be no office no charge or functiō in ther church which is not as it wēr a mēber off one of thes ij partes and inseperably ioined with the rest of the body by which forme and paterne off the Apostles iff we should examin the Romane churche I meane that Romane church that fell from hir first simplicity and that liuelie image off the beast which is described by Sainct Ihon framed and fashioned hir selfe after the fourme and patterne off the Romane Empire as is declared by Clement by other occasions in his Epistles what need haue wee heere off a heauēly kind off surgery to cut off the superfluity off so many and vnnecessary and needles partes what wenns and what blemishes wer to be cut off and cured in this behalffe But ther appereth no lesse deformity in the want of thos partes which are naturall ād necessary seing that in the romane church one whole parte that is off Deacons is wanting Off both which so notable deformities I would our church wer free and that ther wer nothinge in our metropolitane and other mother and cathedrall churches that did imitate the superfluity off needles partes and mēbres for in the other deformitie in wantinge necessary partes we ar nothing inferior to the Papistes them selues for the Deacons are alike wanting in them both as after more plainly shall appere when I come to that place Now let vs examin particularly the seuerall offices And first off all let vs speake off the Bishopp The name off a Bishopp cōminge off the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a watchman or a scoutwatch who is appointed to watche in the campe or citie and to declare the comminge off the enemy which name allso all thoughe yt be sometyme gyuen to the Magistrat for that care he ought to haue off the people subiect vnto him yet oftner and more properly to the chieff charges off the church and to thos that are as it were the watche off the cytie off god to keepe it not frō fire and sword which mortall enemyes can bring against it but from that euerlasting fier and thos fyry dartes as the Apostle calleth them wherby most mighty spirites and most deadly enemyes off the church go about day and night to enflame the cytie with all But seinge that euen off thes some by speciall othe are more streightly bound to cōtinuall watche and ward namely they to whom are cōmitted thos holy siluer trompettes to declare to all men all the word and commandedement off god the com̄inge off the enemyes to thes properly and specially is gyuen in the third off the first to Tymothi the first to Titus and other places the name off Bishopp or wachmam So that in old tyme this was rather a name off labor then off rest off burden then off honor off busines then off ease Now a Bishop iff we will trewly declare what he is is the minister off the churche in heauenly thinges and such as perteine vnto god For this I thinck good to follow the wisdome off the Apostle in declaringe the office off a priest vnder the law seing that bishoppes in the new testament haue succeded as touching the gouernment off such thinges to the priestes off the law As for that I enclose all the office off a Bishopp in deuine seruice I ground vpon the same place off the Apostle who giueth no more to the priestes whose office was nothing lesse honorable then the Bishopes in this behalffe yea had a greater shew off maiesty and honor in certene pointes in respect off thos tymes which had need off suche thinges So the Apostle conteineth the office off Timothe although he were an Euangelist in the gouerment and administracion off the house off god which is the churche And to omytte many other places to this ende the Apostle to the Hebrues cōprehendeth all the charge off the Elders in the cure off soules And what greater and more sufficient witnes can we haue in this mater then off Christ our Sauior and our kinge who throwghly knewe the nature off his kingdome and had appointed to what vse to put euery one how often doth he declare that his kingdome is not off this world but off an other and more heauenly nature and suche as parteineth to the procuringe off the saluacion off men wherin for asmuche as his whole embassage and charge which he receyued off his father did cōsist he was wholy occupied therin his doingt and meditation was allwais vpon it he medled not him selffe with the thinges off his world but day and night had his charge before his eyes and exercised him selffe therin warning also the Apostles that they should not hope to obteine the glorious shew and honor off this world seinge his kingdome was off an other nature yt rulethe the affections yt gouernethe the troublesome mocions off the mynd it morateth inordinate lustes and bringeth euery mā to the doinge of his duty yt lifteth and raiseth vp againe thos that were fallen and beaten to the ground it confirmeth thos that are sick and weake with the grace mercy and goodnes off god it bringeth men from receiued errors wherby they were cast hedlong into all daunger an mishiefe to the true honoringe and worshipping off god he tould them that he would vse ther labor to these endes They should keep his foulds and feed his flock and his lambes This should be ther race to runne in Thes ther listes wherin they should exercise them selues wherin iff they behaued ther selues with praise and commendation they should look for as
the glory off god vnto men And if they declare the creation of the world in ther homelies the dewties of all sortes and degrees off meÌ„ why do they not rather declare it out of Moses and the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles then oute of ther booke off homelies Therfore a worthy Bishop or minister is to be chosen that can interprete the holie scriptures and applie it as occasion shall serue to the vse and necessitie of the churche not a reader to rehearse other mens sayinges and writinges by whos ignorance the church of god may be in daunger of there saluacion They haue found out also an other remedy for this disease which is as ill as the disease it selfe They geue them leaue to go to the vniuersitie and to tary there for three yeres that after they haue bene diligently occupied for that time in the readinge hearinge and meditatiÌ„ge of the scriptures They may returne againe better furnished for the teachinge of the church But what shal be come of the miserable churches in the meane tyme if they be left as shippes without takle and furniture and without a gouernor for the space of thre yeres fletyng vpon the Seas It is not to feared that they shal be drowned or broken or ouerwhelmed or synke beinge subiect to so many daungers of Pirates of rokes of gulfes swallowes sandes stormes and tempestes And why are they wise to late in this point and do not rather send them first to the vniuersitie to learne before they begyn to teache And what an after wit is this to appoint hiÌ„ to teache who must after learne euen in the pulpit Trew it is we can neuer sufficiently profit in the scriptures and that the best lerned of all ought continuallie and diligently to reade and studie them wherby they may encrease ther strenght and abilitie for the discharge of there dewties as we reade that both S. Paule exhorted Timothie to doe and it appereth by the parchementes he sent for to Rome that he did so him selfe But this is it that I reproue and find fault with all that they admit suche to the office off a Bishop that is to say vnto the ministery and expoundinge off the word who are alltogether vnmeete who vnderstand not the scriptures and who take vpon them the place to teache before they haue lerned The lord contrariwise wold haue his will perfectly knowne to his Prophetes before he send theÌ„ out to prophesie in his name Which is set forth in the third chap. of the prophesye of Ezechiel and the x. of the reuelation of S. Iohn vnder a prety similitude of eatinge concoctinge and disgestinge the booke and turninge it in a manner into ther owne substance and bloode So also the Prophet Dauid witnessethe that he layd to his eare to vnderstand the parable before that he went aboute to sing it and play it vpon the instrument in the hearinge of all estates of people declaringe therby that men ought first thorowly to vnderstand that which they will take vppon them to vtter vnto others But this is the nature and propertie of that which is euill That being once let go it cannot be sâ—aide but dayly breedeth and bringeth furth many other euilles Therfore let vs returne vnto the wais of the lord and be obedient to his most iust and holie lawes and ordinaunces and decree that no man be admitted minister or Bishopp who is not so well studied in the holie scriptures before that he is able also to vtter it bothe purely aÌ„d sincerely and faithfully to the profit and edification of the churche For it is not sufficieÌ„t that he be not dombe in the church but he ought also reuereÌ„tlie to handle the holy scriptures and as S. Peter giueth warninge so vâ—ter them as the word and oracles of god that as S. Paule warnethe Timothy he may shewe him selfe a worckman that needeth not be a shamed of his labor Not suche as the same Apostle writeth to haue beene amonges the Corinthes that build strawe and stubble which the Lord will consume to ther losse vpon the precious foundacion but in a word that they may rightly deuide the worde of truthe Neither am I purposed here to appointe any manner off makinge of sermons but generallie to declare that doctrine is to be referred to the edifyinge of the churche and that the holie scriptures are to be expounded simplie and sincerely and vttered with reuerence For some to shew them selues to the people to be lerned stuffe ther sermons with diuers sentences out off Philosophers Poets Orators and scholemen and of the auncient fathers Augustine Hierome and others and thes often times rehersed in greek or latin by which pieces somtime ill fauoredly pached togither they seeke and hunt for commendation and to be esteemed lerned of the people which also some doe that are vnlerned I call them vnlerned touchinge the knowledge of the scriptures who takinge vppon them to teache and hauing not ther mindes well practized with the word off god no nor as the Apostle saithe ther senses well exercised but allwais haue bene occupied in readinge ethnick writers they bring forth to the people off that store which they haue gathered to gether and play rather the Orators and Philosophers then Prophets and interpreters off the holie scripture Other some vse I know not what straunge kind off interpreting and peruert the trew and naturall sence off the scriptures with allegories and foolishe and old wiues tales which Paule admonisheth Timothie and Titus are to be auoided Therfore a great care and respect ought to be had herein that the partie which is to be choseÌ„ be first heard speake by the chosers that they may knowe how he expoundeth the scriptures before they admit hiÌ„ to the ministerie off the word and the office off a Bishopp And thus much for the learinige off him that is to be chosen minister Now let vs go foreward to other thinges For the Apostle thought it not enoughe that a minister should be able to teache who for the merueilous care that he had off the church took great heed that ther wer no daunger secretly hid in some parte that might hurt the churche especially in that which this building staid vppon as a piller Therfore he geueth warninge to take heed that a Bishopp and minister be no new vpstart in religion newly drawen out off Idolatry and superstition which when it cometh to passe must needes be ioyned with great damage and losse off the churche For when a minister or teacher off the word off god doth fall who as I haue saide is as it were a piller off the church or some off the most chifest beames wheron the building doth stay It must needes be that they which stay vpon him being shaken with the same wind shold fall to togither with it Therfore our master Builder wisely and conningly forbiddeth to vse thes yonnglinges and startvppes to the buildlnge off the house off god as
it yeldeth the best fruite and as it were a golden haruest when it is diligently carefully and painfully labored and tilled when ther is a greate and a carefull heede taken off the seedes when the churches are looked vnto with as great diligence as the campe and armie is watched in the feeldes And finally wheÌ„ they are labored by honest men For neither doeth the grownde respect the lawrell garlonde vpoÌ„ the ploughe share nor whither the plowe man weareth riche and costly embroidred garmentes but would haue him painfull laborsome diligent and full off trauell neither dothe the church looke for this outward pompe and shewe in her bishopp but for faithe diligence labor good and precious seedes honest busy and painfull handes and had a great deale rather haue hir husband man godl y lerned and diligent then mitred and Rocheted Whervpon it cometh to passe that when the feelde off Rome was plowed and tilled by Seranus and Cincinnatus and suche like worthie men and the church by Paul and Peter and suche like The encrease was very plentyfull but now as farre as we are gone from there example and paines takinge so much are our churches behinde and inferior to the feeldes off Ephesus and Antioche Therfore it is the deuty off all godlie bishoppes who desire to serue the churche and to be well esteemed in it rather for ther godlines and learninge then for this pompe and shewe seing they haue allready declared that the gospell is dearer vnto them then all the commodities off this life that iff they will discharge ther dewty they wold better fynishe and make perfect that which they haue allreadie well begonn and euen willinglie for the rest off the gospell which yet we want touching discipline once againe leaue and forsake that pompous state and dignitie and be more carefull for the glory off god the saluacion off the churche and keepinge a god conscience vnto them selues then for keepinge or mainteininge this false shewe off honor and glory and the vaine names off titles and dignities and retourne againe to the worcke off the ministerie and not as in a sence somewhat diuerse froÌ„ this the Apostle warnethe the Galathians finishe in the fleshe which they haue begonne in the spirit I knowe in deede how hard it is to perswade them which haue once tasted off this sweet inchaunting cuppe but seing bothe the commandement iff god ther owne callinge and vocacion and the proffit and commoditie off the churche doth require yt It becommeth them for the godlines they are off and for the life they haue spent in the professinge off the Gospell to leaue all for CHRIST and the Gospelles cause and to follow him wither he calleth and leadeth them and as they in a maner first taught and preached vnto vs the doctrine off the Gospell So they would be the first Authors to bring in the Discipline off the Gospell and vse ther estimacion credite and authoritie not to the ouerthrowing off the trewth off God but to the establishing and preseruing off the same But yff there be any for I cannot but hope well off many especially off thos who haue seene other reformed churches but I saie iff ther be any who either for couetousnes for ambicion or because they thinck this lordly state tollerable in Bishoppes will by no meanes be perswaded to rest and quiet them selues in that meane estate which becommethe the men off God they are to be compelled euen against ther willes and to be forced to retourne againe to the first and right institution off Bishoppes And surely iff we serche the fountaine and originall off thes great riches we shall find that they neither in the beginning Gott this wealth by any right nor yet keepe yt to this day not only because they do no duty off a Bishopp or Mynister But also because they wrongfully vsurpe that which belongeth vnto other For a great part off ther Goodes is that which in the beginninge was geuen for the reliefe off the poore which was committed as an almes vnto the Bishopp which as yt apperethe by the old cannons he should distribute by his advise and the consent off the company off the Elders But after when they had abolished the power and authoritie off the Elders and ruled all thinges alone accordinge to ther owne conscience They made them selues those pore men and tooke almes to ther owne vse and so grew riche and welthie by the want and necessitie off others An other part which they haue belongeth to the mynisters off other churches which was vnited to the Bishopprickes by Impropriations besides proxies and other tolles and fees which they take off the ministers Therfore what right haue they to vsurpe that as there owne which was geuen in tymes past for the maynteyninge off ministers in other churches Therfore when they haue restored to the pore and to other ministers that which is ther owne iff yet they haue more then is meete for a Bishop let them bestow it off other ther pore fellowe ministers who in many other places want necessaries by reason off the pouerty off the churches which they serue that at the last being content which an honest and reasonable liuinge they may retourne againe to thâ—r originall and first beginninge Thes wordes off diminishinge the pompe and welthe off Bishoppes as it displeasethe some who thinck that some credite and authoritie is gotten to the gospell therby So it pleaseth verie well thos that think this will be profitable for them and do allreadie gape for this praie and hope for this grea inheritaunce For thei thinking that we seeke only that the bishoppes might be put downe waite for the like praie by ther puttinge downe as they had sometimes at the ouerthowe off â—he abbais For as for Religion they care nor what become off it so they may waxe welthie by sacriledge and robbery And would not stick iff it were possible to crucifie Christ againe that they might cast lottes for his coate and deuide his garmeÌ„tes amonges theÌ„ For this our age hathe many suche souldiours many suche as Denis the king or rather the tyranne off Syra cusa was who think that a golden growne is not fit for God neither in sommer neither in winter and yet that it will serue them well at all tymes and seasons But iff they marck diligently what I saie they shall well perceiue that I fauor not in any respect there couetousnes and greedie desyre For I speake not heere off spoilinge the Bishoppes or robbing the goodes off the church and geuinge them away to most vnworthie men but rather that the neede off a great nombre may be relieued by the aboundance and excesse off a fewe that hospitalles may be mainteined and prouided for and which is the chiefe that the ministery may be established aÌ„d mainteined thorowe ought the realme so that by thes wordes they haue no occasion to hope or looke for any thing but rather to feare they loose not that
might enioye his kingdome euerlastinglie how carefully and how long euen for the space off fortie daies togither did he talke with his disciples touching his kingdome For these are those charges and commandements which S. Luk and S. Mathewe doe write that he gaue to his Apostels and Embassadors off the administracion and gouernment off his empire and whereoff he commaÌ„ded them to giue his subiectes warning to kepe them with all dewtie and reuerence And after he was sette in his kinglie throne doe we not see how he prouided all thinges which were necessarie not only for the first foundacion off the church by meanes off Apostels and prophetes but also for the preseruacion off it foreuer by Pastors and Doctors But that I be not longer then is needefull in so cleare a matter how cam yt to passe that there was one order forme and discipline off all the churches which were founded by the Apostels excepte they receiued the paterne from Christe him selfe which they thowght not lawfull to alter and chaunge And S. Paul seing he had no more receyued this parte touching discipline from the Apostels then the rest off â—he Gospell for he had established many godlye churches many yeres before that he had conferred with them off his doctrine from whence I saie receyued he all that forme and order off establishung the churche by excepte he were taught off Christe by reuelacion as well concerning this as concerning the rest off the Gospell But I will shut vp all this matter touching the originall off discipline that it commeth from god and is therfore vnchaungeable and perpetuall and common to all churches with that earnest charge which S. Paul geueth Timothie touching the keping and manteining theroff who hauing tawght his scholer all the order off ruling the howse off God which is the churche I charge the saithe he in the sight off that God which quickneth all thinges and Iesus Christe who made that worthie confession before Pontius Pilate that thow kepe these preceptes without blaÌ„e or reprofe euen to that notable coÌ„ming off our lorde Iesus Christe and so forth as the Apostle with most earnest wordes doth charge him Off which place I gather first that allmightie God and our Sauiour Iesus Christe are the authors off that discipline which S. Paule had taught in that epistle forasmuche as they are noted to be the punyshers and auengers off all those who shall breake yt I note furder also that this order off discipline is constaunte and vnchangeable which may neyther be broken for any mans power or authoritie nor altered for any mans fauour seing that it is not only called a commandment but is geuen also with suche a charge Tymothie being warned before the allmigtie God and our Sauior Iesus Christe to beare him selfe therin without blame and reprofe Last off all that yt is no commandment belongâ—ng to any certein tyme but perpetuall and perteyning to all tymes and states off the churche Seing yt is so expresselie commanded that it should be kepte vnto the comming off our lorde Iesus Christe But how blame worthie were many afterwardes and how fowlie stained with the transgression off this holie coÌ„mandment for at the last Satan that conning workman to dostroie the churche hauing made them to forgette this earnest charge off the Apostle and hauing laide to the walles off the churche those twoe engines off Couetoussnes and Ambicion which destroye aswell churches as cyties did cast downe the strong holdes whereby it was mayntened and preserued But what did these so greate Patrones and Protectors how grieuouslie did they punyshe not only the necligence off men but there sinfull and vnfaithfull wickednes The stories doe testifie how that by litle and little with the corruption off Discipline Doctrine also beganne to be corrupted vntill that at the last they were bothe allmost cleane taken awaie and the churche abolished For they knowe not I saie plainelie they knowe not who being content with the doctrine off the Gospell neglecte discipline that the disposicion and nature of these two is like the disposicion off twoe sisters who are twines or off those brotherne off whome Hypocrates speaketh who beganne to be sicke together and to amende togither so that fot the naturall inclinacioÌ„ and disposicioÌ„ of the one towardes the other they were affected one with the others healthe and infirmitie Wherefore seing that god of his infinite goodnes gathered togither againe our churche in these daies and that trewe doctrine as the elder syster is recouered let vs not hinder hir as hir nature is iff she be not hindred to affecte also discipline with hir healthe that as it beganne to be sicke togither with doctrine yt maie be also recouered togither with yt And let vs be moued with the remembraunce of the former calamities to the restoring againe of a pure gouernment off the churche excepte we esteme it not to haue the almightie god and our Sauior Iesus Christe readie to punyshe vs and to be reuenged on vs for the neglecte off his discipline and to knowe at the last to our greate perill and daunger how necessarie it is for the churche and how acceptable vnto god But whie doe I saie lest we knowe at the last seing that we haue alreadie proued not many yeres since by the banyshement and fliing off subiectes by sâ— so crewell burnyng and murdryng off our brethren and horrible wastyng of our churche how greatlie the former reformacion being not sincere as it owght to haue bene displeased our Lorde and god But to returne to that from whence I haue digressed I thincke it plaine and manifest by that which hath bene said which I purposed to proue in the beginning that is to saie that the rule and paterne off discipline is not to be drawne from the ordinaunces and fantasies off men but from the worde off god which thing as it hath long tyme preserued puritie and sinceritie in those churches wherin all thinges are reformed according to goddes worde So all the corruptions which are in our churche this daie spring from no other heade then this that we haue followed popishe dreames and fantasies as most stickyng syncks and chanells leauing the pure fountames off the worde off god For I see and perceyue that the master Builders off our churche in repairing off yt againe were so wholy bent vnto the doctrine that they neuer thowght off Discipline and so reteined yt still almost wholie suche as it was amonghest the Papistes whereupon it coÌ„meth that all the gouernmeÌ„t of our churche is not takeÌ„ out of Goddes worde but out off the cannon lawe and decrees off Popes Which wither it were done by reason off the ignoraunce off those daies or off negligence or for ambicion and vaine glorie or because they thought that popishe discipline might be tollerated for a tyme or for what purpose soeuer Surelie no man can doubte but that yt was to the greate hindraunce and discommoditie off the churche which knoweth
it throwglie and with diligeÌ„tlie considereth how small frute hath groweÌ„ off so long trauaile and labor in the preaching off the gospell Out off this CaÌ„non lawe came all that romyshe Hierarchie primates Archbishoppes Lord Bishoppes Chancellors Achdeacons and there seruantes Officialls Commissaries and therest off that Trashe by whom the churche as it were taken prisoner is now off long tyme kepte in prison and bondage From hence commeth also that romische courte wheron a most shamefull markete off vnlawfull and wicked dispensacions and all gainful meanes off destrouing the churche is kepte wold to God that we had rather suffred the papistes when they were cast out to haue gone awaie with there bagge and baggage and that we had not had so greate a desire to be enriched by these spoiles and praies This is not beleue me to he enriched with the Iewells off the Egyptians but to be infected with there boyâ—es and soares These eare ringeâ— and Egyptian ornamentes which we haue gotteÌ„ are fytter to make a golden calfe with then to adorne and beautifie the tabernacle off god Therfore let vs send them backe againe froÌ„ whence they come and at the last take in hand an earnest and sincere reformacion off the churche Let vs abrogate and abolishe the authoritie off this Canon lawe then the which there is nothing lesse canonycall and which is the fyrst and greatest faulte in our discipline and the fountaine and originall off all the rest and Let this be the fyrst article off the newe reformacion that all thinges be exacted as nere as maie be vnto the worde off god That our particular lawes grownde vpon this foundacon and let so much be admitted for Ecclesiasticall discipline as may be confirmed by the voice and authoritie off God him selfe And thus muche let yt suffice generally to haue spoken what discipline is Now let vs devide the rest off this treatise as almost all politique doctrine is wont to be deuaded into two partes whereoff the fyrst declareth that which belongeth vnto them who bare any office or haue any charge in the churche the other part brieflie toucheth the dewtie off the rest off the bodie off the churche For as the Apostle saith all the bodie is not one membre nor all axe not Prophetes or Doctors but there is a certeine diuersite and dinstinction off Offices as off members wherby the whole bodie is preserued All which diuersitie and difference is deuided by the Apostle into two sortes who in the Epistle to the Corrinches calleth some Fellovve helpers and laborers naming the rest off the churche by the name off Sainctes Thus allso the Apostle to the Hebrewes deuideth the churche into those who had the ouersight and into the rest off the Sainctes Now to speake fyrst off the former part it is to be vnderstoode that to the bearing off any ecclesiasticall office there is a certeine vocation and calling to be vsed which a man owght to waite for being necessarie to the taking vpon him off any charge what soeuer which manner off apointing to an office wither we call it Creation or Assignacion or as the ecclesiasticall writers doe most vsually Vocacion It is the apointement off God to the bearing off some office in his churche in suche sorte and maner as he hath ordeined for euerie officer to be apointed by Which calling to the Bearing or the excuting off any ecclesiasticall charge and function hath all tymes bene holdeÌ„ so necessarie that no man hath bene thowght to exercise any lawfull authoritie therin who had not fyrst off all in his owne conscience wytnesse off the calling off God thereunto and after also off the churche apointing him according to Goddes decree and ordinaunce For that sentence off the Apostle is generall that no man owght to take this honor vnâ—o him but he that is called thereto as was Aaron For this doctrine off the necessytie of a Vocaâ—on and Calling did not so once growe ouâ— off that noble rodde off Aaron togither with the Almandes that yt fell afterwardes also from the tree togither with them but this AlmaÌ„d three off Aaron sette and planted by the witte and labor off Moses florisheth euen to this daie So that we maie yet gather this doctrine off yt which is muche more precious then any Almondes or other frute what soeuer Nere to the same place in Moses is rehersed also a notable iudgement off God whereby yt semeth that the lorde ment to ratefie this lawe off the necessitye off Vocation for euer wherein we see that neyther the heauens could abyde to loke vpoÌ„ nor the earthe to beare so shameles boldnes but the one melting consumed with fire such as without a calling would take vpoÌ„ theÌ„ the priesthoode and the earthe gaping and opening it selfe swallowed theÌ„ vp aliue which owght to be a lesson to vs for euer not only as Moses writeth that not man burne incense before the lorde but only they which are off the stocke off Aaron and are thereby called thereunto but also that no man be so bolde as to peruert or alter that order which God hath established in his churche and to arrogate vnto hiÌ„ that honor which he hath by no right or lawfull calliÌ„g obteined Hitherto beloÌ„geth also that which is writteÌ„ off Peres vzzach that is to saie off the breache which the lorde made in vzzach who was stricken sodainlie to deathe only for that beyonde the bondes off his calling he put to his hand and held vp the arcke of God which shaked and was readie to fall which was lawfull only for the Leuites to touche So the the Lord did no more spare Vzza attempting beyonde his vocacion to touche the arke althoughe his entent and purpose were neuer so good then he had pardoned before Aarons kinsmen But if we require yet witnesses of greater authoritie we may reade that king vzziah was stricken with the leprosie for that being not content with his kinglie office he wold haue taken vpon him the Priestes office also Thus the lorde hath ratified and sealed vp this parte of discipline with most grieuous aÌ„d fearfull punyshement and the same not once but oftentimes executed to this entent that this lawe might for euer be off such authoritie in the churche that no man should euer dare to be so bolde and hardie as to breake yt Wherefore seing that god neuer forgaue or lefte vnpunished this faulte in any degree state or person but punyshed the leuites and euen Aarons owne howse and familie SathaÌ„ and Abyram also being Princes off tribes yea Vzziah being a king and that so sharpelie and seuerelie so greate punishemeÌ„t in such personages fire from god the earthe opening hir mowthe Sodaine death and the most fylthie disease off the leprosie owght to stricke such a feare into our hartes that we suffer not sacred functions and offices to be prophaned by voloÌ„tarie officers aÌ„d such as take them vpon them without any lawfull
be suffred to sitte vpon the pompe let this be the faulte off men and not off the lawes I speake off the thing yt selfe But some man will saye that the Bishoppe hath this power by the worde off God And they haue yt off the Bishoppe whose office and authoritie in this behalffe they execute What the Bishoppes power is and that the authoritie which he hath is common also with him to the Pastors and Elders and hath no proper nor peculiar authoritie in this pointe we shall after see in dewe place But let vs put the case that only the Bishoppe had this power and authoritie graunted to him to gouerne his owne churche according to Goddes word Is yt therefore lawfull for him to sitte ydâ—e and dreamyng at home and let an other doe his offâ—ce abroade But admite allso that yt were lawfull for him to haue an other to doe his office yet yt is not lawfull for him to substitute whome he listeth in his place but only some other maÌ„ in the same degree that he is of and that is in equall place and authoritie with him For neyther in olde tyme could the Consulles off Rome leaue any man to doe there office for them but only such as were off the Consulles state and dignitie Nor now adaies can the maire off a towne leaue any Burgesse to execute his office for him but onlie an Aldermen and one off the same degre and companie How muche more vnmeete is it to trust any man with the keyes off the howse off Dauid but onlie suche to whome the Sonne and Heire who is set ouer the gouernment off the howse hath commanded to deliuer them For how greatlie is it to be feared lest that they oppen and shutte they care not how and order all thinges not according to the Sonne and Heires commandment but there owne will and pleasure How greatelie I saie is it to be feared lest they cast the lordes Iewells before swine lest they sette open his holie misteries to be abused by euerye one Lest they receyue and enterteine stranngers and put out aÌ„d refuse theÌ„ off the housholde fynally Lest they prophane and abuse all that they take in hande And suerlie experieÌ„ce teacheth vs how greatlie they haue erred who haue put theÌ„ in trust with the kepiÌ„g of so waightie thinges For we haue ofteÌ„ times sene and trulie doe see these thinges to happeÌ„ which I haue spoken off that some off this courte for a grote or some small dewtie wil excommunicate and as it were banyshe out off heauen the most honest citezens off the kingdome off God and Curse them and cast them headlong into Hell And conterwise accompte off enemies often times as off free men and cytezens and suffer them to be partakers off all the freedomes and liberties off the citie off god For it commeth to passe with them as with the hirelinges off whome our Sauior Christe speaketh in the tenth off Iohn who because they doe not there owne office but an other mans care not how faithfullie nor with what credite they vse theÌ„ selues but rule and order all thinges for ther owne commoditie and pleasure But hereoff I trust we shall speake more at large hereafter Now to goe forwarde Let vs admitte bothe That the Bishoppe hath this authoritie and that he may appointe whome he liste to excute it for him yet how can we thincke it lawfull that a man should be admitted to ordinarie and perpetuall office in the churche without a right and lawfull calling which as after shal be declared consisteth in these twoe poyntes fyrst that he be chosen and after that he be ordeined seing it is generall and belongeth vnto all without exception who doe bare any office in the churche which I laide in the begynning as the foundacion off all this disputacion that is to saie that no man take this honor vnto him but he that is called vnyt as was Aaron But seing Archdeacons and Channcellors are apointed onlie by the Bishoppes pleasure and the other vnder-officiers by theres and seing that nothing is vsed in the apointing off them which shal be shewed to be necessarie in the calling to any eccleasticall function Seing there is no Election no praiers no Ordeining no laiing on off handes and suche life as bothe are wont and owght to be vsed in such a matter naie seing there is not so much as an othe geuen them without the which no office off any waite in the common wealthe is committed to any man It must nedes be confessed as the thing it selfe declareth and I haue proued by sure and vndoubted argumentes That all this rabble and company exercise authoritie in the churche off God without any lawfull vocacion at all or calling Wherfore seing so many voluntarie officers haue without any lawfull calling taken vpon them the gouernment off the churche whereby as I haue shewed the wrath off god is most greuously prouoked against vs why doe we not fiftene yeres after that by the grace off God his holie Gospell is preached emongest vs whie doe we not I saie in the ecclesiasticall officers that which the Romanes did euerie fyue yeres in all degrees that is to saie whie doe we not make a searche and assaie off euerie mans calling That Right and lawfull authorie being discerned from that which is vniust and vnlawfull those impudent officers who were chosen by them selues or crepte in at the backe dore and were not called thereunto by the authoritie off God and off his churche maie be compelled to leaue there places and be put out off office Therfore let enquirie be made into euerie mans calling Let them shewe how they were chosen and ordeined as the leters and seale off ther calling let them rehearse there genealogies and the race off there descente let them bring there roddes and set them before the Arcke off God And they who cannot shewe the markes and tokens off there CreacioÌ„ and Election They that cannot fetche there Pedigree from Aaaron and whose roddes remaine deade before the Arcke and neyther blossome nor florishe let them by the most iust authoritie off the worde off God be displaced and put out off those offices which they most vniustlie and wrongfully haue desyred and vsurped And thus muche maie be sufficient to proue the necessitye off a lawfull vocacion and calling Now let vs see the vse fruite and comÌ„oditie off the same which semeth to me to be so greate that althoughe there were no punishement for the neglecte and contempte off yt yet yt were to be taried and waited for for the meruailous vse and commoditie that yt bringeth with yt For what can so strengthen a man against all daungers which hang ouer hym discharging his dewtie faithfully as the remeÌ„braunce that he is placed in that standing by the coÌ„mandement and authoritie off god which as it placeth him so it will be alwaies readie to defend him against the enmyties and lieng in waite off all men For then only
yt were made and appointed off God especially in this age and in thes daies wherin all thinges ar so corrupted that the most part followinge the pleasures off this life ar smally carefull for the right vse off spirituall giftes wher off notwithstandinge the Apostle would haue no man ignorant And allthoughe many wer able to iudge in other charges who ar meete and vnmeet how fewe be ther that could make triall and assay off a minister that could examyn his gifftes and make due searche and triall what godlines what lerninge or what ability he were off to edefy the churche And suerly iff all men were so taught off god that they could know and iudge off thes thinges then in deed we should neede no certein choosen men who by ther spirituall wisdome and discretion should gouerne and direct the Iudgementes off the people we should not then need to feare the chosinge off any vnworthy or vnable to edifie the churche ther would be no daunger off confusion and vproares Thes in deed should be the bancketes that they commend so highly that ar the dayntier the more ther be that bringe ther dishes to it and the Gosyppe feastes which they praise so muche which when they can prepare for vs we ar so fare off that we would not sit downe beinge bidden that with great thanckes to the host that so should receyue vs we would take great pleasure in the vse off so so exquisite daynties and preferre them before the most deyntie feastes off the Syracusians and such a table before that golden table off the sonne that Herodotus doth mencion But seinge thes thinges ar rather to be wished then hoped or loked for let vs keep that ordre which I haue described beinge most agreable to the decrees of the Apostles to edificacion the chiefest and most sacred lawe off discipline and furthest off from confusion and tumultes which is that the ecclesiasticall counsell when neede shal be prouide fitt men for the churche in euery function and office examin and trie them diligently and carefully then choose them after publishe and make knowne ther election vnto the church and last off all beinge allowed by the church lay ther handes vpon them and so stablishe them in ther place and callinge by ther authoritie But paraduenture I haue taried longer in this part then needed seing we ar not troubled with the lightnes and confusion off populer elections but with lordshipp and tyranny which I cannot se may continue with the safety off the church which it hath already allmost ouerthrowne so that speedie remedy is to befound lest we lament to late the ruine off our decaying church Now as for Elections ther must allwais goo before them a due profe and triall off the worthynes off the partyes that ar to be chosen For that which the Apostle to Timothe commandeth concerninge Deakons That they also be fist examined and then iff ther be no other cause to the contrary admitted to ther deaconshipp doth plainlie proue that examinacion owght to be had before that election and choise be made to any ecclesiasticall office and function for which cause also S. Paule doth no lesse declare the maner how to proue and trie a bishoppe or ministers then to examin the Deacon and ther is the same ende ād vse off examinaciō in all which is That no charge be cōmitted to an vnfit man or not able enoughe for the office wherby it might come to passe that both the church should want hir needfull and necessary helpes and that the holie offices should be prophaned Therfore the churche ought to choose no man but whom they knowe before to be chosen off God for it standeth vppon the gouerment off his house whos keies it is vnlawfull to commit vnto any to whom the Sonne and heyre that great steward off the house off Dauid vpon whose shoulder the master off the house hath laid the keies hath not thought good to credit and commit them vnto But God chooseth no man to any office whom therwith all he doth not indewe with meet giftes for the discharginge off it for otherwise how should he aske accōpt off doinge the office off him whom he compelled to beare and take it vpō him knowinge him vnmeet and vnable for it Therfore no man is sent oute off god without worthie giftes into any parte off his gouerment but for the burthen and function that he laieth vpon him he ministreth also strenght and force to beare it And this is the meaninge off the often repeatinge in the booke off Iudges off that sentence The Spirit off the Lord came vpon him and he iudged Israel ād many suche like examples are to be founde in the olde Testament off Moses and Iosua off the Prophetes Esay and Ieremy and many other whō when the Lord ment to vse in any the lest charge off his churche he therwith all endeweth them with worthy giftes for the good execution theroff And in the new Testament our Sauior Christ him selfe tooke not vpō hī to deale in the mediator his office before he had receiued the holy ghost wherby he might be furnished withmeet giftes for the full discharge and execution off it For so Esay expressely Prophesithe off him The pirit off the Lord is vpon me therfore he hath anoynted me he hath sent me to preach the Gospell vnto the pore c. Out off which place whe see that fyrst he receyued the Spirit or euer that office and embassage was enioyned him and that he was anoynted before he came to the wrestling and exercise So lickewise the Apostles allthoughe they had beene taught by our Sauior him selfe the most heauēly schole master that could be for three yeeres and more and had after a sorte receyued the holie ghost by his breathinge vppon them yet because they had a great battell to fight and muche trauell to be taken and many daungers to aduenture into he geuethe them warninge that they enter not into the listes rashly and vnprouided but commandeth them yet to tary and waite for the promise off the father and more plentifull guiftes off the holie ghost Hither also belongethe the ceremonies vsed in bothe the Testamentes in ordinacion or consecracion as we call it For what ells doth that anoyntinge off the priestes kinges and Prophetes declare But thos guyftes wherwith they who were anoynted were endewed by the holie ghost for the execucion off ther offices To this also the layinge on off handes in the newe testament is to be referred which declareth that the Lord had laid on his handes before and giuen them worthi gyftes for the places they were called vnto But what do I trauelinge so carefully in this behalfe doth not nature it selfe and reason and common experience teach vs this when some ar sett ouer the citie and cōmon wealth that they are choosen counsellors whom greate lerninge and long life and diligēt obseruacion and experience it selfe hath taught that worthie and hard knowledge off
Sainct Peter saithe an euerlastinge crowne off glory This is therfore the dewty off a Bishopp which I will not here curiously enquyre how faithfully they execute seinge they be bownd to no speciall charge but content with a generall ouersight off the Dioces haue exempted them selfes from the necessary charge off rhe Bishoppes dewty Let vs rather see wither I haue iustly compassed in the whole office off a Bishopp in the handlynge off Religion and the seruice off god For it is an old opinion and receiued off long tyme that Bishoppes are not so lymited with doinge off the seruice off God But that they may also handle the thinges off this liffe and gouerne both at once the church and the common welth Heroff yt comethe that our Bishoppes are Iustices off peace and haue authoritie to see the Queenes peace kept and to cast the breakers off yt into prison and bondes That they haue authoritie to heere pleas and also to Iudge off in ther courtes pleas off willes and Testamentes and other cyuill thinges Heroff also it is that the same titles off state and honor that are geuen to the noble men are geuen to them wheras Archbishopes are saluted by the most honorable and Princely title off Grace An other is called Bishopp off the order off the garter An other Counte Palatine And all off them honorable Lordes whervpon some are displeased that the Chauncelorshipp off this realme The Presidentshipp off york and suche like honorable offices which were wont in popery to be there 's are now geuen to horable Lordes off cyuill estate And complayne off yt as thoughe they had wrong offred them Therfore they do vniustly and with out any cause and contrary to ther dewty desyre and vsurp thes thynges or ells I haue not done well to enclose all the office off a Bishopp in the administracion off heauenly and spirituall thinges wheroff let vs se whither is to be thought That that is ould and auncient yt may sufficiently enoughe appere by this that such Ambition and busyinge off them selues is forbidden by the old Cannons yea furder the greuous complaynt off some off the old farthers touchinge this matter are knowen well enoughe and to be found in ther writinges who partly invey and sharpely reproue them that brought in this confusion partly lament that by that meanes they were called from ther owne particuler dewty which also we here saye some off ours do complaine off and confesse that they haue only one houre in the weeke to thincke off preachinge And that in a manner wonne by force out off the importunitie off clieÌ„tes whom TereÌ„cies menedemus worthely would merueyle at to see theÌ„ to haue so much leysure from ther owne busines that they may look to other mens But this that is now so amplified and growen that it is become intollerable and no lesse daungerous for them selues then for thee church sprange at the first as all most all other mischiefes haue done from begynninges that were not so euill For first off all this busines was w holie pryuate and controuersies were frely giuen ouer to the Bishoppes by the consent off the parties who trustinge there conscience thought by this meanes to haue the best issue off ther matter After it grewe by the Authorytie of Princes who partlie off a good mynd but not warie enough and off a desire to adorne and beutifie the churche partly also because they them selues were hindered with warres and externall busines gaue authority to Bishoppes to correct euen suche with ciuill punishment as should troble the churche Last off all it so infinitely spread out her bowghes by the couetousines and ambicion off the Bishoppes that ther was no honorable office in the ciuill state which they did not partly begg partly receyue willingly and with great thanckes being offered till they had myngled the churche and the comon welth ciuill and ecclesiasticall matters and coÌ„founded the kingdome and the bishprick to gether But as that which god hath ioyned no mann can seperate So we may not thinck that any maÌ„ can ioyne or couple to gether that which he hath seuered and deuided a sonder And iff it be vnlawfull to altor and change the boundes that our fathers haue sett how much lesse is it laufull to change those boundes and lymites that the Lord hathe bounde vs with all and wherby he would haue vs seuered and deuided from others and by this deceit to encrease Patrimonies and possessions For that ther is a great difference betwene the cyuill magistrat and them that haue charge off ecclesiasticall matters That sufficiently dothe proue that wheras first off all both powers were confounded togither in Moses The lord leauing him only the charge off the common welth committed the gouerment off the churche to Aaron his brother And set so great distance betwene them bothe that the kingdome could not onâ—y not be gouerned by the highe priest him selfe but also by none off the same familie name or trib Nor contrary wise the priesthood off any off the kinges stock or off the royal bâ—ud house or tribe and fynally off none but a Leuite So they were diuided a sonder not only in ther owne persons but also by families and by tribes which distinction and difference was allwais diligently obserued by all that came after vntil king vzziah being puffed vp with pride as it is expresly noted in the holy history vsurped the priesthood and burnte incense in the temple off god But he weÌ„t not away scotfree with his pride but being sodenly stricken with the leprousy was made an example for all ages to take heed off the like boldnes to confounde and mingle thos to gether which the Lord did deuide and set a sonder But ther was no priest for many yeres after that medled him selfe with the gouerment off the kingdome vntill first Aristobolus most vnaduisedly after the retourne from Babylon ioyned the kingdome and the priesthoode the myter and the crowne togither For wheras we read that Elias Samuel and Daniel exercised both offices It was alltogither extraordinary neither ought to be drawne to the ordinary and perpetuall gouernment off the church All thoughe vnder the law many thinges wer done by the Priestes which cannot be now done by Bishoppes And they wer put to many thinges to which yt wer not lawfull that the Bishoppes vnder the Gospell should be applied which was in respect off the publique law wheroff they wer as well keepers and interpreters as off the morall beinge made and gyuen by the same lord so that it was needfull to vse them to many thinges whereunto ours may not neither ought not to be put As for the Gospell what can be cleerer then the difference that it maketh in this case wheras our sauior him selffe off whose example we ought to lerne refused to deuide the herytage betwene the brethren as a thing not belonginge to his office and offten tymes he reprouethe and repressethe the
brought to nothinge by hym wherby he hathe obteined this infinite and princely power and authoritie so it will one daie come to passe that he shal be destroyed againe by the empyre But wold to god that only the Bramble off Rome had desyred this kingdom and lordshipp and that our olyue trees also and our figg trees and our vynes had not left ther fatnes and ther sweetnes and most excellent fruit for the desyre off lordshipp and gouernment For the preaching off the gospell is in deed most sweet ād pleasaunt fruit and with this ther new wine they reioysed both god and men as also with the oyle off the gospell more precious then any balme and off sweeter and more fragrant smell then that which was poured vpon Aarons hedd For we complaine that euen or bishoppes haue gotten this lordshipp into ther handes and finde great want and long for thos excellent fruites againe off that wyne and thos figgas and Olyues which in old tyme the church was wont to gather off ther Bishopps And surely I am afrayd that we wishe and longe for them in vayne and lest that they beinge delighted now with an other kind off fatnes and off sweetnes that is off Riches and Honor haue allready begonne to neglect and despise the other and will so contynew to despise yt But the Lord will see to thes thinges who off his good will will prouide for his churche either by them iff they will come to the first root and stock againe or ells without them yff they continew to neglect and despise the same But paraduenture I haue beene to longe in this part beinge moued both with the vnworthines off the thing and the daunger off the church Now seing as I suppose yt is sufficiently proued that the office off a Bishopp is lymited in the administration off heauēly and spirituall thinges let vs particulerly declare the seuerall partes off this office Which consist partly in teaching and interpretinge off the word off God and partly in making praiers for the church For thes two are so lincked togither that they may by no meanes be separated For he that takethe cure off teachinge the churche hath layd vpon hym also the prayinge for the church And contrariwise the office off prayinge and makinge solemne and publique praiers for the church in respect off his office can nor ought to be commited to no man but to hym that hathe power allso to teache the churche For we read that thes two wer allways so ioined and knit togither that he that off office did the one was bound to the doinge off bothe Neyther haue thes at any tyme bene seuered or drawen a sonder So the Priestes vnder the law wer bound to bothe as Moses expressely declarethe in the blessing off Leui. They shall teache saythe he Iacob thy iudgmentes and Israell thy law They shall put incense before thy face and bourne offeringe◠vpon thy aulter For that praier and Supplication was shadowed vnder the law by burninge off parfume and incense It ys playne by many other other places and namely by Dauid who without question in the 141. psalme alludeth hereunto and the first off Luke wher it appereth that all the church vnderstood it so wherunto also S. Iohn alludeth in his reuelation Lickwise also the Prophet Samuel answeringe the people that desired him that he would pray to god for them God forbidd saithe he that I should offend against God in ceasinge to pray for yow for I will also teache yow the good and perfit way declaringe ther by both to belonge to his dutie So then in the Priesthood and the Prophesie two off the cheifest offices in the Iewishe churche which our Bishopps do resemble iff we compare the Pastors with the Priestes and the Doctors with the Prophetes Thes two offices off teachying and prayinge were ioyned togither And do not the Apostles in the gospell wher they leaue the ministringe to the pore professing that they did it to this purpose that they might more frely geue thē selues wholy to ther office do they not limit ther office with thes two partes off preaching and Praier Paule also in his epistle to Timothe doth manifestly referre praier to the office off a Bishoppe wheras geuinge order off stablisshinge the churche off Ephesus hauing declared the forme off publique praiers after sheweth at large what man̄er off man he ought to be Therfore seing it is plaine by the perpetuall vse off the scripture that thes two belong both to one and the same office They cannot in any sort be drauen a sonder and an vnlawfull diuorcement it is when as our ministers I speake off thos Curates that are vnable to teache are off this condicion ordeined to the ministerie that they reade ther seruise and prescript praiers out off the booke but that they be not so bold to teache or interpret without newe and especiall authorite graunted to that purpose But some men will say They are not able to interpret the scriptures Surely iff yt be so they are well and worthely and by the commandement off god forbidden to interprete yt But that is not well that they are not al so forbidden to reade the praiers seing that thes two preachinge and praier which are bothe but one office are torne and drawē a sonder cōtrary to the ordinannce off God and a certen new and lame mynistery is brought into the church by the boldnes off men Thus therfore hauing described the whole dewty and office off Bishoppes let vs come to that which is proper and particuler in ther eletion and ordination The Election therfore off Bishoppes that I may be gyn̄ ther because the whole safety of the church is in daunger in that actiō ought to be ioyned with most ernest praier to god that it would please him to direct the iudgemēt off the choosers which his holy spyrit to prouide a worthy and an able Bishopp for his church and not suffer them being ledd away by any blind affection to be deceyued with so dangerous an error For hither both the reasone which I haue allready brought and especially the example off 〈◊〉 Sauior Christ him selffe doth leade vs whom Sainct Luke rehersethe to haue spent the whole might before the choosinge and declaringe off his Apostles in supplicacion and praiers which also the same Luke reherseth to haue bene practized by the Apostles in the election off Mathias Which all men vnderstand ought to be necessarilie restored againe that obserue and marck the successe and fallinge out off our elections farr otherwise taken in hand But I trust I shall not need to take much paines in so cleere a matter Therfore I will go forward and declare what a one he ought to be who shold be chosen a Bishopp It is allready plaine enoughe by that which hathe bene said that in the choosinge off a Bishopp the especiall care and respect ought to be off his learninge seinge he is chosen to teach and
can we conuince thos that speak against it but by the scriptures as it is rehersed in the Actes that Apollos did Finally how shall he be able to do that which Sainct Paule commandeth Timothe namely to enstruct to teache to reprehend reproue and exhorte but by the Scripture which as the same Apostle in an other place teacheth Timothe are able to furnishe the man off god that is to say the minister off his word to do all thes thinges according to his dewty And seing Sainct Peter witnessethe that we are begotten againe into a new life by this seed and being borne are norished and grow vp by this milk how can it be that any man with out this seed should gett children vnto god or norishe and bring vp such as ar begotten off other The kingly Prophet Dauid doth witnes that he knew not which way to go yf this lampe did not shine allwais before hī to direct him in the right way Therfore seing the Ministers off the word are commaunded to lead vs in the right way They ought to be Torch bearers and to cary this light kindled in ther hand which may first geue light vnto them selues and after also to those off whom they haue receiued charge to leade them in the wais off god And off this office off leadinge guiding and geuing light come those worthy names and titles wherby they are called in the scriptures starrs off the heauē the salt off the earthe the light off the world and guides off the blynd and such like But onlesse thes starres do shyne and onlesse a gret deale off light be first gathered into these Sonnes as there was in the first creation when the Sonne was created to rule the day iff I say the sonne yt selffe be not first lighted and kindled It cannot shyne to others nor shew the way by that light it hathe not so likewise yff the salt be vnsauery wherwith shall a manseason yt The like may be said off thes who are guydes of the blinde For as our sauior saithe if the blind lead the blind they must both fall into the ditche And that we may more surely be perswaded off this doctrine Let vs consider some other names and titles for it wer an infinite thinge to gather all wherby ther office and dutie is declared Sainct Paule saithe that the mynister is the Stewarde off god And addeth in the same place A disposer off the mysteries off god Therfore bothe he ought to geue meat to the lords houshold in dew time and the houshold must aske thes Misteries off the steward As the Egyptians when they came to the kinge in the famyn wer sent by him to his highe steward that had the disposinge off the corne As it is also expressely said by Malachy the Prophete That the lippes off the priest keepe knowledge and the lawe shal be asked at his mouthe Therfore this steward ought to be suche an other as Ioseph was that hath gathered togither great store of corne and filled his barnes and granaries and stored the store house off his breast longe before with thes victualles that he may minister to the necessitie ād famin off the people And this is that scribe which the lord him selffe doth witnes to be made ready for the kingdome off god that is for the prechinge off the Gospell that is able to bringe out off his store hous as the houshold shall haue neede bothe newe store and old To the Ephesians S. Paule saith that the pastor and the Doctor wer geuen off Christ to the buildinge off his body as it wer off the temple off god that this most noble frame and more meruelous thē the most beautifull frame off this world might the builded But he that cannot tell how to handle the tooles and instrumetes that he should occupy for his buildinge what his he able to doe worthie the precious foundaciō wherupon he buildeth The same Paule as he calleth the the churche the Building of God so he calleth it his husbādry which allthoughe it receiueth encrease of the only blessinge off god yet ther be som seruantes set to plant it and to water it in respect of which wateringe in other places also they are compared to the heauen and to the cloudes and the doctrine with the raine and with the dewe But iff thes cloudes be such as S. Iude speakethe off Clouds without water and this Heauen such a one as the lord treatnethe in the lawe to his people whē they shall offend hym harder then any yron or steele how shall the field or herytage off the lord florishe or bring fourth fruit But because it wer an infinit thīge to gather all the names off ministers which ar immunerable let vs leaue the rest and consider only the name off a Pastor and Shephard For how many thinges are conteined vnder this one nāe of a Sheppard how infinit a care and wonderfull knowledge off diuers and sondry thinges namely that he keepe the flock day ād night euē with the daunger of his life frō the wolues wheroff S. Paule diligētly warneth the bishoppes off the church of Ephesus that they feede the sheepe rule them with the shepehooke call thē by name and leade thē out to the holesome pastures ād sweet run̄ynge streames and after bringe them to the fold againe which that Archpastor and chefe sheppard did fully and thorowly parforme Furthermore what lerninge were yt needefull to haue to do those thinges which Ezechiel and Zacharie require off the Pastors namely to strengthen the weake to heale the sick and diseased to bind the broken and wind vp thos that ar brused to seek thos that are lost and to brynge home againe to the fould thos that goe astraie Therfore no man may be chosen to be Pastor or sheppard off the lordes flock but he that is endewed with thes diuers and manifold giftes whos voyce may be insteade off a sheephooke to rule his sheepe at the hearing wheroff they may go in and out that knoweth what feadinge and what waters is fittest for the flock and fynallie that perfectly vnderstandeth how to helpe and heale the weake and diseased Neither let any man here complaine that I am more seuere and rigorous then needethe seing that which Paule requireth is nothing lesse that is to say to teache in sound doctrine to raise vp thos that faynt to cōuict thos that resist to strenghten thos that shake and are fallinge to breake the prowd and stubburne to allure the godly by hope of reward to all vertue and honesty and to terrify the wicked from synne by menacinge and thretninges For for the first point that is off doctrine what a man thinck we ought he to be that ought to vnderstand that he be able to teache thos misteries meruaillous to the Angelles themselues and vnknowen in the worlde not longe agoe off god manifested in fleshe iustified in spirit receyued vp
in glory and so forth as Paule most notably reherseth and which he declareth that the good minister off Christ ought to teache vnto the churche Furthermore who but a lerned man and well taught and brought vp in the schoole off Christ is able to discerne betwene sound and corrupt doctrine and to geue that as most holesome foode and pleasaunt waters vnto the flock and that also fitly aceordinge to the varietie of diuers times and of the other part to knowe and perceiue in tyme and wisely to auoide false and corrupt opynions or foolishe and vaine questions which as the Apostle saith like gangrenes doe freat to the ruyne off the churche And doth it not require a merueilous great diligence and singuler knowledge in the holie scriptures to prescribe all orders and degrees off men what they ought to doe what is fitt for euery one and what euery mans dutie is to declare the dewty off kinges and magistrates to shewe the obedience off subiectes to preache the law the gospell repentaunce faith which S Paule in Timothes person prescribeth all ministers to preache and in the person off the Auncientes off Ephesus wherin takinge to witnes that he had done so exhorteth them to followe hym and to do the like How hard a matter it is to stay thos that are fallinge by the comfort off the promises to refreshe and ease thos that ar weary and heauie laden to raise vp them that are beaten downe to the ground as it were from the graue againe Thes thinges had neede off a heauenly kind off cunÌ„inge and knowledge and off that learned tonge wherby Esay witnesseth that he refreshed thos that trauayled and wer weary But that I be not to long in this matter and that I omitt both many other thinges namely thos devine and merueilous secreates off the election off the faithfull and reprobacion off the vngodly how great is that one thinge to be able to answer wheÌ„ he is asked in all matters what the lords will and pleasure is and to be as it wer the oracle off the church which it is not possible any man should be able to doe with out a great and excellent knowledge off the word off god which only is left to vs in steade off the Sainctuary off the Arke and orakle off god vnder the lawe no more then it was possible to execute the priesthoode with out Vrim and Thummim Therfore seinge ther is so great art required to the gouernment off the churche and seinge as it is said by one in an other case that it is a pece off worck that had need off many taklinges helmes and oares no man ought to haue the guidinge heroff committed to him but he that is expert and coÌ„ninge neither is it meet to set a boateman or a skoller to it Who by reason off his ignorance in the starres iff he were in the middest off the Sea cold not tell wher aboutes he were but shold be compelled to crie as it is in the Poet. O Syrs we know no east nor west wher Sonne doth rise or goeth to rest It wer more meet to set heere to the gouernmeÌ„t off the ship the conÌ„ingest master that euer was who lookinge to the word off god in steade off the north starre may bring it with streight and direct cuurse to the hauen Further it is also to be considered in this questioÌ„ that the case is touchinge the gouernmeÌ„t off the churche off feedinge of the flock off the lord of keping HierusaleÌ„ the citie off our god off building the temple off god off the body off Christ then the which ther is nothinge more to be esteemed in heaueÌ„ and earth That we may the rather determin that suche a flock that hath as many goulden fleeces in it as ther be sheepe ought to be committed to the keepinge off none but off a most conÌ„inge painefull and diligeÌ„t man and as it wer an other Iacob For who is he that wer able to answer the Lord for the losse off the lest sheepe off this flock At whos bringinge to the fould againe after it hath wandred and gone astray seinge the Aungelles are so gladd off and reioyce iff it wer lost would they not in a maner Lament and would not heaueÌ„ and eaathe put vpon them mourninge apparell for the same yff then we commit this flock vnto a shepphard that not only seketh not the lost sheepe nor bindeth not that which is brokeÌ„ but caÌ„not if he would howe many would be lost and how greatly do we thinck that the lord off the flock will esteeme so great a losse What would he say not only to the shepherdes but to his stewardes that had set such a one ouer his flock Surely all ther Iudgement is pronounced by Ezechiel namely that both the watchemen that geue not warninge off the enemyes and the cytie also that seteth such watch men ouer them shal be bothe taken and perishe togeether and by our Sauior Christ sayinge that if the blynd leade the blynd both shall fall into the ditche Therfore seinge the Bishopp must speake and preache off so heauenly matters by reason off his office Seinge he is set ouer the gouernment off the church off god Seing that vndoubted daunger hangeth ouer the head both off the minister and churche iff such a one be chosen to rule that is not able and seinge off the other part all this fitnes and abilitie consisteth in holie knowledg off the sacred doctrine and vnderstandinge off the word off God I thinck it is sufficiently proued that no man ought to be admitted Bishopp ot minister who is not godly and lerned And iff any haue bene oâ—herwise by error admitted to be put oute againe For so our Sauior Christ hath allredy pronounced that the vnsauery salt is to be cast out off the dores and the Prophet Zachary prophesied that it should come to passe in the kingdom off CHRIST that they should willingly geue ouer that office againe freely openly professinge that they are in deed not Prophetes but husbandmen and that from ther youâ—h vp they had neuer beene schollers vnto the Prophettes but Neathearedes Porters shepherdes seruinge men and suche like Which seinge yt is so manifest and confirmed by so many Testimonyes off the Scripture that yt can not be denyed I merueile that euer yt could come to passe in a Christian churche that so clere and expresse commandementes off God so proffitable for vs and necessary for the saluacion off the churche should be broken and transgressed But they are not only broken and that commonly and so offten that for one fyt minister a man may find a nomber off vnfit and vnlerned but excuses and preteÌ„ces are sought to defeÌ„d this fault with all as iff in manner it wer lawful to do so And the most hainous crymes that can be wanteth not there lawer and counsell to pleade for them They say that yt is euill in deed but a necessary euill
remaine Then we should not haue had at this day so great coÌ„tencion for ther filthy garmentes But it hathe come to passe by the ignoraunce off the priestes when they wer nor able to Iudge according to the lawe what wer cleane and what were vncleane and thought that the leprosy had not spred it selffe vppon the garmentes that they haue not condemned them to be burned but to be washed only the filthe wheroff no art or conninge off the fuller is able to washe away But this in the way off digression yet I trust not vnprofitablie Now let vs retourne to our purpose and conclude that for suche causes as haue bene alledged we ought to obey the Apostles decree touching thes Novices and grene kinghtes and not admit them to ministerie off the word And thes are thos thinges which are required off a fit Bishopp and which especially the posers and examiners ought to haue respect vnto For wheras the old CanoÌ„s require that he be off a certen age surely the choosers ought wisely to consider off it for it is not allmost possible but by the singuler and especiall grace off off god that youthe should be so well ordered and gouerned that the want off yeeres appere not in some youthfull trick or â—oy that may dishonest the sacred office notwithstandinge seing the Apostle geueth no precept nor commandement touchinge age yea rather forbiddethe any man to condemne and despise Tymothi and Titus for ther youthe godly and lerned yonge men are not to be kept back from this office For somtymes thes first fruites are consecrated to god and then comonly they are more holie then the rest off the lompe And as the Poeth saithe Some tymes on yong mens heades doth grow the hoary heare Before by nature yt be tyme for them such crowne to weare That is to sey They haue hoarie heares off godlines and holines yea and somtimes also hoary knewledge as it appereth in certen notable examples off Daniel Thimothy and Titus and some other which are worthie examples for yonge men to follow often times also they are more inflamed and set on fire with that heauenly fire off the zeale off god then other And I know not howe but thes first fruties off the spirit are oftentimes more holie and thes first begotten guiftes off the holie ghost are more stronge and mightie And thus muche off the particuler election off bishoppes and ministers Now let vs beginne a newe and speake of ther ordinatioÌ„ I said before that all the offices of the churche are to be ordeined and apointed to certen places and persons wher and amoÌ„ges whom ther may exercise ther office But the orderinge off bishopes hathe this thiÌ„g particuler in our times for wheras in times past this was coÌ„mon to them with the rest off the ancieÌ„tes that was for a singuler respect aÌ„d especiall occasioÌ„ off that time that off ther apointinge and ordinacion to a certen place and flock which they ought diligently to defend and loke vnto certen profit and coÌ„modities do depend wherof they may liue and wherby they may be susteined and norished wheroff I shall need to speake more at large that all men may vnderstaÌ„d that they are bound by the coÌ„mandement off god to performe this dewty to ther bishoppes and ministers and that I may represse the couetones of some meÌ„ which haue neuer enoughe And first off all we must remeÌ„bre here that which was proued before that bishops that is so say ministers ought to geue theÌ„ selues continuallie to praier and to the administracion off the word and not suffer them selues to be called from doing that ther dewty by any office be it neuer so honorable either in the church or in the coÌ„mon wealthe For thes idle bellies that wildo none of ther dewty ought also to haue no dewty done to theÌ„ againe but they are rather to be delt with as Paule coÌ„mandeth the Thessalonians to deale with thos that liue disorderly that is say that They that labor not shold not eate But and if they be suche as do ther dewtie and refuse to deale with the affaires off the coÌ„mon welche the handlung wher off might be honorable vnto theÌ„ for the churches cause how great wrong wer it to suffer suche men to be pore an needie and compelled â—o seeke ther liuinge by some haÌ„die crafft or occupatioÌ„ wherby they should be no lesse hindred froÌ„ doing ther duties then by the honorable charges of the coÌ„mon welthe And seiÌ„ge they ar day aÌ„d night carefull for the churche and setting all other thinges a side wholie thinck how they may defend it and promote the saluacioÌ„ theroff what can be more iust or equall then that they againe should not be neglected off those for whose cause they take so great paynes For who did euer as S. Paule notably handlethe this matter to the CorinthiaÌ„s goe to warfare of his owne charges who plaÌ„tethe a vineiard and eatethe not of the fruit therof or who feedeth a flocke and eatethe non off the milck off it But the churche hathe many mortall enemyes and continuall warre with them without any peace or truce and the bishops be they that take vpon them and susteine thes enmyties for the churches cause and striue to ther very great daunger for the saluacion theroff with most mighty princes and potentares as S. Paule callethe them and the monarche and prince off this world For how often thinck we euen for this cause are they assaulted because ther defend the churche how many dauÌ„gers do they put them selues into and with what fiercnes thinck we dothe the enemies pursue theÌ„ knowing that many ar preserued by there life Therfore they that wold suffer this ther souldier or captaine to die for hunger were they not worthie to fall into the handes off ther enemies And what vineiard is ther so painfully trimmed and dressed off the husband man as the churches are dressed of there husbaÌ„d meÌ„ how carefull are they in plantinge what paines take they in pruninge and culting oft aÌ„d other suche like toile and labor if theÌ„ being so well dressed it should not norishe the husbaÌ„d maÌ„ that dressed it might they not worthelie coÌ„plaine off it as the lord by the prophet Esay after an other sorte complainethe off his vine Seinge also ther is nothinge more reasonable then that the shepherd should feede off the milke of his flock should not those shepeherdes be fedde which the milke and clothed with the flece aÌ„d wolle of there flockes who susteine for the flockes cause the assaultes of most greeuous wolues and watch fortheÌ„ day and night suffring the parching heate and chillinge cold for ther cause who feede theÌ„ ouersee theÌ„ and seeke theÌ„ and often tymes put ther life in extreame danger to defend them Nether are these thinges spoken and grounded only vpon humaine and naturall reason or handled according to mans Iudgment only but this is Goddes ordinaunce and appointment and groundeth
vpon that lawe which forbiddeth to mussel the oxe that treadethe out the corne For god in making that lawe had not so great respect to oxen and beastes as he had to men For he teacheth vs therby that the ploughe man may confort him selffe in his troblesome labor with the hope off fruit And that the haruest man ought to be partaker off his hope And finallie that euery man ought to liue off his labor Yea futher the Apostle plainly addethe that as they that ministred the holie thinges vnder the lawe did liue also off the holie thinges and they that serued the Aulter wer partakers of the offeringe off the aulter So the lord did also appoint it that they which preache the Gospell should also liue off the Gospell And in the fift chap. off his first Epistle to Tymothy he alledgethe both thes Testimonies that off the lawe and this off the Gospell in the same place to proue that the Elders that do rule well are to prouided for for saithe he it is in the Scripture Thow shalt not mussel the oxe that treadethe out the corne and againe The worckman is worthie off his wages For so the Euangelistes do reherse that The Lord when he sent out his Apostles to preache the Gospell and cōmanded them not to be carefull for ther meate or apparell tolde thē that the workmā is euery were worthy off his hire and Therfore into what cyty so euery they should enter iff ther were any man worthie he cōmandethe them to goe to his house and to tarie there vntill they departe vpon which ordinaunce off god in the old lawe and off Christ in the new Testament the Apostle growndinge ordeined in the churche off the Galathians that he that was instructed in the word off God should communicate all his goods with hym by whom he had beene instructed And further addethe as one that did forsee the manifolde pretences wherby couetous men notwithstandinge this lawe would goe aboute to defraude them and mock the Lord that the lord cannot be mocked declaring that it shall come to passe that iff they doe not sowe to the Spirit but sowe all ther seed to the fleshe they should not looke at all to reape euerlasting life off the spirit but corruption and destruction off the feeld off the fleshe wherin they had so plentifully sowed and scattered wheroff I thinck it is manifest that the Bishopp ought to be liberally prouided for by the churches lest they be compelled most iniuriously by reason off ther neede and pouerty to distract ther studies and to be hindered in the doinge off their dewty by exercising off other occupacions which cannot be otherwise iff they neede seinge they as well as other men are commanded by the Apostle to norishe and to loke to ther familie and as well as other to be esteemed infidells by the Apostles precept iff they prouide not for ther owne especially for ther owne houshold And allthoughe it be not easie to set a certen rate how they should be prouided for by reason off the great diuersitie off times and persons yet generally it may be saide that we ought not to deale with them sparingly couetously and pinchingly but contrariwise friendly gently and liberally For iff we haue receiued the gospell off Christ with that mind we ought we will also make muche off the ministers off the same which mind and affection Paule him selffe testifiethe that the Galathians had towardes him who saithe that he was receiued off them as an Aungell off God yea as Iesus Christ him selffe So that they wer ready to haue bestowed ther goodes yea iff it had bene possible to haue plucked out ther owne eies to haue dōne him Good. Therfore it is plaine enoughe off that which hathe bene saide that Bishoppes that is to say the mynisters ought to haue an honest reasonable and comodious liuinge to mainteine them that they may more freely applie them selues to ther vocation and callinge But this heauenly holie and most righteous lawe as it is transgressed by the pompe and superfluecry off a fewe So muche more by the want and neede off a great nombre which surely is so great that I am ashamed to speake off it yet It must needes be spoken and the disease disclosed and freely declared what and how great it is that we may think and be carefull to prouide some speedy remedye allthoughe I am afraide that the disease allready be so great that in vayne may we seeke for remedy and geue Medycine to that which is past remedy which Hyppocrates forbiddethe For what remedy may be founde in so trobled and confused a state wher yt wantethe not muche that the ministers go a begginge as in times past the Popishe Priestes wer wont to do And they that are charged in many places with the cure off the churche are allmost in worse condicion then any hired seruanntes then shepherdes or laboringe men who besides ther meate and drinck haue some thing geuen them to cary home towardes the norishment off ther howse and famylie wheras the Teachers off many churches haue scarcely to finde them meate and drinck The cause off which shamefull beggery is a certen prophane vngodlines ioyned with an vnsatiable couetousnes wherby many neglectinge Religion the seruice off god and the saluation off men looke to ther owne proffit only and rake to them selues all that they can with out respect off right or wronge So that they had rather all Religion were banished that all opynion off worshipping and fearing god were abolished that all faithe in Christ and hope and looking for euerlastinge life were forgotten amonges men then to mainteine it with any penny off thers Yea further they will not only geue nothinge to the mayntenance off the Ministerie which beinge in good estate the other fonamed vertues doe florishe and likewise fall awaie by the ruine theroff But most vniustly scrape vnto them selues that which was liberally geuen by others and spoile the churche robbing hir off hir goods For how many churches be there which somtimes wereable to haue mainteined sufficiētly and honestly a godly and lerned man to teache them the gospell which nowe are scarce able to finde a reader and seruice saier by reason that thos goodes are taken away by impropriation as they call it that is to saie by an improper and no right title and distributed into many partes wherin we shewe our selues more barbarous couetous and vngodly then all nacions haue done from tyme to tyme which haue allwais bene carefull and are to this day for mainteininge amonges them the manner that god ought to be serued by and with all to keepe and mainteine ther priestes So we reade in Genesis that Pharo prouided for the Priestes off Egypt And in the story off the kinges that Iesabell prouided for the Priestes off the groues and that with suche loue care and affection that foure hundred off them were norished at hir table And Pharo
continency frugalitie and all moderacion off life but only that I would haue them receiued as the embassadores off Christ for the honor off ther master honestly aÌ„d liberally that we put not theÌ„ downe to the meany to eate with the shepherdes and hired seruantes nor forget those that labor in the Lordes worck as Moses gaue the Iewes warniÌ„ge towchinge the Leuites seing we sit all of vs by the blessinge of the Lord quietly and in peace euerie man vnder his Oliue tree and vnder his vine aÌ„d gather in our hauest and our vintage seinge I say we enioy thes coÌ„modities we ought not to deale couetously sparingly and niggardly with them but louingly liberally and bountifully that they may liue honestly and coÌ„modiously off ther labors that they may norishe and mainteine ther house and familie that they may prouide them selues suche necessary helps as they stand in need off for ther vocation and callinge yea and furder that they may be able to releiue and succor the pore and â—eedy for this is the right waie to preserue the ministerie that bothe it become not vile and conteÌ„ptible thorowghe poueâ—â—y and misery neither that it wax wanton an prophane by great excesse and abundance For as it is a shame for the churches to see ther minister in miserie thoroughe neede aÌ„d necessitie so it is to be feared leste they wax wantoÌ„ by to great pleÌ„ty aÌ„d riches For surely it was a right heauenly voyce and spoken as an Oracle off the maner off gouerninge the church which the story of the primitiue church reherseth was hard from heauen in the time off Constantine the great that godly Emperor that is to say that the churche was poisoned with riches For so it came to passe that they fell froÌ„ labor to idlenes from teÌ„perancie to excesse and wantonnes from the meane estate off bishopes and ministers to affect and desire to imitate aÌ„d follow the magnificence and maiesty off lordes and princes hereof come the ther siluer aÌ„d gilted Crosiers wherby they imitated the sceptres off kinges heroff they got them myters as kinges haue ther crownes hereoff also because the noble men kept great traines of seruaÌ„ts that they might be the beter able to serue the comon wealthe in tyme off need they wold also haue ther traines and began to be delighted and to take pleasure in an vnprofitable nomber off seruantes and waitinge men to adorne and set out ther cuphordes with siluer vessell and plate off gold to array theÌ„selues in costly apparell for now a dais a man may see them that weare soft apparell not only in kiÌ„ges courtes as our Sauior Christe saide but eueÌ„ in the church to be called honorable lords to sit at the right hand off kinges and princes to send them giftes and presentes to bid theÌ„ to ther bancketes and bothe seeke and mainteine ther honor and estimation by a certen courtly pompe and shewe This condicion I not only wishe not to our Bishoppes but iudge it and esteeme it alltogether intollerable and by no meanes to be suffered as a meanes to hindre there labor and diligence in ther office as a meanes to make them wanton lascyuious and proud and agreathe not with that meane estate that ought to appere in Bishopps but is most contrary bothe to the ordinance and also to the examples off Christ our Sauior and off his Apostles Neither in my Iudgmenâ— may any church be esteemed well enoughe reformed that euen in this behalffe doth not obey to the expresse commandement off god and take away all this vaine pompe and shewe and make the Bishoppes be content with the meane estate off ther place and callinge making them able to bidde the pore to ther table and the banished for Christs sake but not to bidd kinges and princes calling them the seruantes and Ministers off Christ and not honorable lordes beinge carefull that they may be suche as may shine in godlines learninge modesty temperaunce continencie and all example of good life not with gold and siluer with traines and trompes off meÌ„ and lordly port and courtly state off honor Thes are the right ornamentes off Bishoppee wherby they may procure to theÌ„ selues an honest report with credite aÌ„d authority in the church off god to there ministerie wherbie also they mvy preserue and mayntene the same Therfore let vs not take to muche pleasure in the outward beautie and faire shewe off this pompe and glory but let vs see iff ther be any vse and proffit off it desyre rather that which is proffitable for others then that which seruethe only for avaine shewe For as the Poet saithe Seeke not the thing that faire is to eye But rather that the cyty may liue by But the church liueth not by this pompe and shewe nor hathe no neede off it but off godlines lerninge symplicitie and modesty by which thinges Christ would haue his kingdome enlarged And I pray yow how do this moue the mindes off men to goe to the church with a great traine off men before him and after him as the Bishoppe that Eusebius speaketh off in the seuenth boke off his ecclesiasticall historie to goe to the pulpit with officers afore him makinge Roume for my lorde to preache in a Rochet and a faire square cappe leaninge opon a quishion off clothe off gold Thes thinges may delight the eyes for a tyme and the outward senses take pleasure in this vaine shewe but I see not how the miÌ„d is more easilie taught beaten downe or raised vp againe by this meanes For it must be a certen heauenly power ioyned with a pure lerned and simple interpretation off the scriptures which must work thes thinges which are Iewells more meet to shyne in a pulpit than siluer or gold Plinie shewinge the cause off the fruitfulnes off the Roman feeldes in times past more elegantly in deed then truly Then saithe he when the fieldes wer tilled by Emperors it is like that the earthe reioysed to be plowed with a share bearing a lawrell garlond vpon it and to be tilled off such a plow man who had before triumphed More pretilie I say then truly for that it is better for tilliÌ„ge off the earthe that the ploughe share be sharpe then that it be crowned with a laurel garlond and that the ploughe man be diligent rather then suche a one as had entred the citie in greate pompe and triumphe Which also the same Author correctinge him selffe addeth after in the same place sayinge Or ells this might haue beene the cause off the fruitfulnes off the feeldes theÌ„ That thos worthie Captaines and Emperors handled ther seedes as carefully as ther battelles and were as diligent ouer ther fieldes as ouer ther tentes Or ells this That all thinges speede more happilie which are done by them who are honest and vertuous because they be also done more painfully and with greater trauell which surely me thincketh is the very cause off the fruitfulnes off the lordes field And that then
the Lord commanded that greater seueritie should be vsed against them off the land off Canaan then against Idolaters off other nacions and cuntries But they saie further that men should be admonished that they are nowe vsed to an other ende then they were by the Papistes and that the abuse cannot take awaye the right vse off theÌ„ and althoughe the popishe priesthoode be a most greuous leprosie yet the apparell which they vsed iff yt be washed againe may be applied againe to our vse but I say that off all the leprous garmentes they haue chosen the filthiest and most polluted and suche as cannot be washed nor made cleane againe by anie art or conning off the fuller For seing it is manifest that Popishe Priestes receiued ther orders by the puttinge on off a surplice and square cappe and that they vsed the coope euen to the singinge off masse who is he that hathe lerned by the lawe off god to distinguishe and discerne betwene sore and sore betwene holie and vncleane and vnderstandethe not and euen seethe with his eies that the leprosie was spredde vpon thes garmentes and that they are polluted and vncleane not only by the contagion off the leprous man but euen by ther owne disease And therfore by the lawe not to be washed but to be burned nor to be purged with water but to be consumed with fier Seinge then it is so and that this lawe off prescripte apparell off ministers hath no grownde not only off no scripture but also off no sownde Iudgment and reason a merueile it is to see howe earnestly and with great contencion yt hath bene defended and mainteined And it makethe me afraide to remember the bitternes of thos daies the churches bereaued of there ministers and most faithfull Pastors and Doctors driuen from there places the troble that came in the vniuersities for this cause and the most toward youth both for godlines and lerninge driuen out off ther colledges finally the commandementes off god transgressed that the preceptes off men might be established But they haue made me to longe in a matter off small waight who do so earnestly vrge these trifles as iff they were matter off great waight and were grounded off the commandement off God But seinge yt appereth manifestly as I suppose by that which I haue said that yt is farre otherwise Let vs conclud that noe certeine kinde forme or fashion off apparell is to be prescribed to ministers neither to be dailie worne nor yet in seruice tyme and that they are only to be admonished that they shewe them selues sober modest and honest both in ther apparell aÌ„d in all the rest off there life and conuersation which iff some shall neglect to doe and beinge admonished by there breethren doe not amend yt let theÌ„ be corrected by the magistrate And thus muche generallie off Bishopps that is to say off ministers Now it followeth to declare the diuers sortes and kindes of them and to shew what euery one hath proper and peculier to hiÌ„ selffe There be therfore two kindes and sortes off Bishopes the one off Doctors the other off Pastors For these are not to be confounded as iff one and the selfe same office were signified by two names as some haue supposed For seinge the Apostle in the iiij to the Ephesians doth seuerally reherse all the ministers off the church which Christ hathe geuen and appointed to the edifyinge theroff and distinguisheth Apostles from Prophets and Prophetes from Euangelistes I do not see why we shold not think also that Pastors and Doctors as they are distinguished and seuered by name to be so also in office and duty which also appereth more manifestly in the xij to the Romans wher they are distinguished not only by names but also by giftes proper to seuerall offices Therfore these are diuers and sundry offices how neere so euer they seeme to be togither Now to proue that only Doctors and Pastors be Bishopps and that no man ells as it hathe bene saide here to fore may or ought to minister the word off god in the church needeth a longer proofe But seing it cannot be doubted that the Apostle rehearseth in the iiij to the Ephesians all the offices and functioÌ„s which haue any thinge to doo with the worck off the ministery and by which Christ would haue his church builded vp and seing that those offices off Apostles Euangelistes aÌ„d Prophetes are ceased as also they were geueÌ„ only to to serue for a tyme and not for the perpetuall gouerment off the churche It is manifest that ther remaine no other Bishoppes or ministers off the word off god but only Pastors and Doctors But that it may the more clerely be shewed that those other offices serued but for a time let vs more at large consider the nature and condition off euery one off them And first for the Apostles office what it was it apperethe by the word off our Sauior wherby he ordeineth them to the Apostleshipp namely This that they should go preache the Gospell in all the world and baptize those which beleue So that an Apostle was not bound to preache the gospell to any one and certeine prouince nacioÌ„ or country but to the whole world So lickwise Christ before his departure commended not to peter and by him to the rest off the Apostles any certen sheepe off some certeÌ„ grownd or pasture but all his flock For as our Sauior Christ had geuen theÌ„ merueilous giftes off the Spirit So he would haue them beare greater offices He assigned them not a fewe acres to plowe and till or a litle feelde not some small porcion off his vyneiard and inheritaunce to dresse but euen all his feeld his whole vyneiard and inheriâ—aunce Suche off all the disciples off Christ ther were only xij to whome afterwardes were added Paule and as some think Barnabas who as certeyne chiefe capitaines should bring the world vnder subiection to the kingdome and Empire off Christ And as Maister builders who should drawe out and describe the patterne and platforme off all the churches and lay the fyrst foundacions and groundes Which so great a charge beinge laid vpon them excellent giftes were also geuen them wherby they might be able to beare and vphold so great a burthen For they were endewed with a merueilous knowledge off heauenly thinges and diuers straung tongues and languages as is yt rehersed off the xij Apostles in the Actes and as Paule testifiethe off him selffe to the Corinthes Furthermore there were many other thinges proper and peculier to this office as that they should be witnesses off the Lordes resurrection that they should be immediatly called and appointed by CHRIST and otherlike Which seing they can be in no man now adayes yt is playne and euident that the Apostleshipp is ceased and that this worthy and excellent office ys no longer remaininge in the churche wherupon the Apostles who did choose Matthias into Iudas place beinge voyd
myracles and suche like Let them bring forthe the commission off this theyr so large embassage to all churches last off all let them proue that they are immediatly called therunto off god For not only one Bishopp but all the Bishops in the world are not able to ordeine and make and Apostle seinge that as it apperethe by the Argument I haue alleadged ther office is allready ceased They cannot be Euangelistes neither seinge that they were as yt were the Legates off the Apostles who in respect off them were as Proconsulles or Presidentes For Prophetes I think they will not say they be seinge they cannot tell vs off thinges to come Besides that we reade not that the Prophetes went thus abroade thoroughe out all churches but it seemethe rather that they were wont to abyde in certen places Wherfore takinge away extraordinary callinges and vocations out off the ordinarie state off the churche Let vs follow that certeine rule which the Lord hathe prescribed Let Pastors and Doctors be assigned vnto churches who are only the ordinary and perpetual ministers of the word off god apointed to the edificacion off the chuâ—che These thinges thus set downe let vs now see what the particuler charges and dewties off these two be And first let vs speake off Doctors whose office is more symple Doctors therfore I call Bishoppes who are occupied in the symple teachinge and expoundinge off the holie doctrine and trew Religion For it semethe that this was the office off Doctors symply to teache oute of god his word what was to be thought off god and off his worshipp and seruice what off Christ what the law is what the Gospell what ys the rule off our life what the hope and expectation off the life to come fynallye what to think off euery point off Religion without those vehement speeches wherby the mindes off men are either raised vp and comforted or beaten downe and made sadd For seing that Sainct Paule dothe lymite and bound the office off a Doctor by Doctrine and attributethe to an other office To exhort he seemethe to shewe that a Doctor is as yt were the schole maister and teacher off the principles off Religion off withe office how great aÌ„d manifold vse there is in the churche off god we shall easely vnderstand iff we consider how many there be emonges vs that be rude and know not the first principles and growndes off religion Which beinge vnworthy and vnseemely for a Christian churche and for our profession off the gospell Let Teachers and Doctors be prouided suche as we haue but a fewe right and lawfull in these our dais to teache the churches and especially the rude and ignorant For allthoughe we inuent a thousand waies we shall neuer promote the edification off the churche but only by those meanes and instrumentes which the Lord hath appointed for his work For with these the blessinge of god is ioyned which is not only wantinge to those who are made by vs how goodly a shewe so euer they haue but coÌ„trariwise they haue Cursinge for Blessinge Now to retorne to Doctors againe In the primitiue churche They were set to instruct in the Doctrine off faithe and Religion suche as were rude and ignorant For so Eusebius telleth that when in the churche off Alexandria many had fled away for feare of persecutioÌ„ so that no man had the charge of Cathechizinge OrigeÌ„ beinge a yonge man and But xviij yeres off age at the request off certen worthy men toke the charge vpon hym Wherwith all thoughe in the beginninge he ioyned also teachinge off grammar aÌ„d other artes yet he afterwards vnderstoode that yt beloÌ„ged not vnto his office so to doe and therfore gaue him selfe wholie to the expoundinge off the scriptures and instructinge off suche as were ignorant in religion The whom after one Hercules succeded in the same office whom before he had taken to him to helpe hym to teache who afterward was chosen from beinge Doctor to be Pastor and Bishopp off the same churche wheroff it may be gathered that in the primitiue churche this was an ordynarie office and that before Pastors and Bishops there were other also appoynted to be Doctors whose office did consist in expounding the scriptures and cathechizinge off the ignorant But as for our Doctorshippe suche as it was in tyme off popery and as coÌ„tynueth yet still I knowe neither from whence it came nor to what vse yt seruethe For they expounde not the scriptures in any certeine churche appointed vnto theÌ„ declaringe the naturall and true sence and meaninge off the word off god they do not teache the youthe nor cathechize the ignorant but lyue idly in the vniuertsities For it is no name off any lawfull office or function in the churche no not as yt is vsed in the vniuersities but only a name and title off honor and a commendacion off a mans knowledge in diuinitie so that it rather seemeth to serue to ambicion and vainglory theÌ„ to any vse and proffit They say there was sometimes an image maker named Passo who did so engraue the image off mercurye in marble-stone that a man could not iudge or discerne whither mercury were within or without the same Suche Mercuries and Images do our vniuersities make vs whose knowledge we cannot tell whither it be within them or without them for they proue not them selues to be right Mercuries by any speache eloquence or vtterance I knowe not what a shadowe and Image off vain contemplacion this is for true and Christian Religion bestowethe the gyftes that are receiued of god to the common vse and proffit off all the bodie Therfore these Mercuries are to be apointed to churches and to be set vp in highe and lightsome places that their speache and talke and other properties may proue them to be right Mercuryes in deed For suerly it is not tollerable that they should bury the lordes treasure in the earthe aÌ„d hid his light vnder a Bushell and as it is saide off one Aspendius a harper that they should playe on ther sweete harpes as they selues may onlie heare it Therfore let these goodly lights be put on caÌ„dlestickes that as Christ commandeth they may shine and geue light not only to them selues but to all that are in the house Let this riche treasure be laid out to the banck that when the Lord commethe he may receiue his owne with aduantage that is to say let these lerned Doctors be assigned and appointed to churches 〈◊〉 expound the Scriptures to Cathechize the rude and ignorant and by the example off Dauid a better and more excellent harper Let them awake in the morning to singe and awake ther harpes togither with them and call bothe riche and pore and all degrees and orders to heare them and sing and play not to them selues only but to the churche and set out there heauenly songes and dities with most plesant tune and melody in the hearinge also off many off
noysom shadowe to those yong and frutefull plantes that growe vp vnder them are in those places which they meant should haue bene Orchiardes off most precious fruite and off the most noble and rare plantes that might be The vniuersities ought to be the seede and the frye off the holie ministerie thorowghe out the realme but now there is scarce one sent out in to the churche in many yeres that is fitte for suche an office It ought in deede to be like the Aple treoff Persia wheroff Theophrastus maketh mencion which doth budde blossome and beare fruit at all times off the yere and bringeth furth some fruit which is allready ripe and some other buddinge and newe geowing out So the vniuersities should haue some allwais fitte and as it wer ripe allready to take the ministery ād some other ripening and budding oute but now neither ripe fruit fallethe from the tree neither is the blossome such as declareth any plenty or store to come hereafter iff furder he should complaine that it is a heauy sight for them to see the vniuersities thoroughe contention and that many times for small occasion so inflamed and set on fire And that as they are greued who do behold ther feeldes and possessions wasted and burnt So they with no lesse sorrowe behold good lerned and worthy men expulsed out off ther vniuersities godlie and lerned younge men driuen from ther places the scholes depriued off most famous professors and Teachers Colledges bereaued of youthe of merueilous hope and towardnes off singuler vertue and learning and the churche deceiued off that which she looked for at there handes Therfore iff they loued god there chiefe founder and Author off all that had bene bestowed vpon them or feared that he would be a punisher and reuenger iff they continewe to abuse the same iff they bare any respect and reuerence to them ther Patrones and founders and wold be ruled by them they should leaue ther striuinge and runninge one against and other with mutuall wronges and iniuries they should banishe out ydlenes and expulsing the droanes out off there hiues fall to laboure and take paines againe they should applie the studie off the liberall artes and off the tongues they shold meditate vpon the Scriptures and exercise them selues therin as the Prophetes and the sonnes off the Prophetes They should think with them selues and remember that the church hangeth vpon ther brestes desyring to suck that sweet milke off heauenlie doctrine and as Peter calleth it the sincere milke off the word that they shold make ready euery yeere a great nōbre off fit interpreters and Teachers off Religiō for the vse of the churche that they would be the Authors and seekers of a more full and perfect reformacion and when they had obteined it constantly to keepe and preserue the same Thes thinges would be acceptable to god ther Arch founder and to them there founders and be most seemely and becomminge the name off an vniuersitie Iff I saie we harde him speake these and suche like thinges vnto vs would we not be a shamed to be so sharply reproued Yet allthoughe we heare not either king Henry the eight or any other off those worthies speake thus vnto vs yet notwithstāding we ought not to be lesse moued with the thīg yt selffe seing these thinges may trewly be obiected vnto vs and cast in our teethe Which neuertherles I speake not off all suche as be in the vniuersities for I knowe there be many suche as we wold wyshe that all shold be and vndoubtedly ther would be many moe iff Samuelles Eliahs and Elishas wer set ouer the sonnes off the Prophetes who as they were wont to doe might liue together with the Schollers be present at there exercises helpe an furder there indeuors and by ther example frame them and stirr them vp to all godlines knowledge zeale and finally to euery thing that is praise worthie Iff our vniuersities had many suche Samuells Eliahs Doctors and Pastors wold be prepared for the churches which are abrode the nomber off studentes as yt did vnder Elizeus would encrease and multiplie and most pleasant streames as out of Eden the garden off the Lord wold flowe from them and water all the Land. But seing that is farre otherwise being cōtent with this moderate reproufe and light shewing off the disease only for helpe and remedy first most humbly I be seeche the Lord god the chiefe chauncellor off our vniuersities ād then also the Magistrates that by his apointemēt and in his name are set to gouerne vs that they would earnestly and carefully thinke off reforminge the vniuersities and restoring them to ther right vse againe that they may serue to the preseruinge polishing and perfiting off all other the liberall sciences and especially off the studie off diuinitie and maintenance off the sacred mynistery And let it be sufficient to haue spoken thus muche off Doctors and therwithall of scholes Colledges and vniuersities Now let vs speake off Pastors whose office and function allthoughe it be neere of kindred vnto the doctors functiō yet it conteinethe in it besides certen other thinges neither off lesse waight nor lesse necessary then these be A Pastor therfore I call a Bishopp who appliethe the Scriptures to the diuers occasiōs and necessities off the church and ministrethe the Sacramentes to those which doe beleue For Pastors touchinge the office they bare in the churches succede the Apopostles and after a sort also the priestes off the lawe wheras Doctors do rather resemble and are more like vnto the Prophetes and the Leuites Therfore Pastors administre not only the word but also the Sacramentes And seale vpp our saluacion with the Lordes signet which they preache by worde For this is the nature off the Sacramentes to seale vp as it were the promises that when we haue them vnder seale we might keepe them more safely and possesse them more securely Wherfore the Pastor to whom the promises are committed to be declared and vttered and as yt were the writinges and indētures off our saluaciō to be made hath also authoritie to sette the seale therunto For so the Lord commaunded his Apostles that they should preache the Gospell and baptize those which sholde beleue Wherfore the administracion off the Sacramentes perteinethe to the office off a Pastor and that in suche sort to a Pastor that no man ells may take yt vppon him and arrogate that to him selffe which the Lord hath committed to an other to doe But besides the administracion off the Sacramentes this is also proper and peculier to the Pastors euen in the ministerie off the word to applie the Scriptures to the diuers occasions and necessities off the churches And as tyme and occasion seruethe to correct reproue and reprehend to raise vp those that be cast downe to breake the stubburne to vse exhortacions and dehortacions to cmofort the godly with the hope off the promises to terrifie the wiked with the
thunder off the iudgement off god whereat they may be cast downe and as yff they had bene stricken with a thunder bolt from heauen and consumed yff they repent not to lift vpp some as yt were to heauen and to cast downe other to the bottom off hell All which Sainct Paule doth signifie to the Romaine figuratiuelie by nanynge one kinde theroff that is to say off Exhortation for all the rest In his Epistle to Timothy he settethe out euery thinge more at large commandinge Timothy to preache the word to correct to reproue to exhort Seing therfore the Pastors office is so wayghty and so diuers I will not shewe that they which be vnable to teache are not to be admitted vnto it for that I haue hādled this before but how weake there defence herein is which they are wont to bring that is to say That the want off these vnable ministers is supplied by the diligence off others whereas they reade and reherse out off the booke vnto the people homelies touching all the necessary pointes off Religion I dispute not heere against homelies nor minde to shew what iniury is done vnto god his worde when the wrightinges off men are redd and rehersed in the churche or howe daungerous a thinge it is for geuinge occasion off bringing in to the churche the writinges and sermons also off other godly men the stories off martyres and at the last also the Popishe Legend For that it belongeth to an other place to speake off thes thinges this one thinge I will shewe that the reading off Homelies is no sufficient excuse for an vnable and vnlearned Pastor seing that it belongethe to the dewtie off a Pastor to applie the doctrine off the Scriptures to the diuers tymes necessities and occasion off the churche For seing that the Homelies be domme and speake only that which hathe beene endited a long time a fore how can they either knowe or vnderstand or cure and remedie the diseases off the churche Therfore let vs not thinke that the Ordeininge of◠vnable Pastors can be excused by this pretence nor that Homelies as it is saide off a sworde in olde time as Delphos which did serue for all vses can serue for all occasions which do arise in the churche Here the Pastor had neede off greate and profounde knowledge to knowe the chaunge off times the diuersitie off thinges the variety off persons and to deale thus or otherwise according to that varietie and difference For a Shephard hathe not only one way both to heale the sike and cure the broken and bruised And the phisicion cureth some men by diet and medicine some by cutting ād surgerie so likewise this only waie off readinge off Homelies can in no wise be sufficient to cure and to remedy all the sondry necessities off the churche To be cōninge in the profession off this kinde off physick a man had neede be perfite in his simples he had need to knowe many kindes off herbes floures rotes an infynite sort off other thinges fynallie he must needes thouroughly knowe all Eden and the whole garden off God that he may knowe what herbes are fit to raise vp those who are cast downe and as it were to cōforte and restore againe suche as be in a consumpcion which also are meet to purge and clense those that are full and stuffed finallie what so euer is proper for the curinge off euery disease and in what sorte and after what manner and at what time yt ys to be ministred and applied Which most worthie and necessary office for the saluacion off mankind and chiefest off all which be vnder the Sonne Good Lord how infinite waies is it prophaned So that now a daies to make a Pastor is nothing ells but to make a seruice saier or reader off praiers out off his booke And this not only emonges the people but euen in the middest off the vniuersities in the scholes and Colledges them selues from whence as frō certen sacred and pure fountaines reformatiō ought to flowe from thence I say euen from thence shamefull examples off this great disorder and prophanacion do springe and come furthe into all the realme iff we seeke thoroughe both the vniuersities what schole is there what Colledge society and fellowshipp off learned men that hathe a right and a lawfull Pastor amonges them But either one or moe chaplaines and conductes as they call them are hired to reade the seruice at the houres appointed or ells the fellowes off Colledges them selues do read yt being bound by othe to enter into the ministery at a certen time appointed after they become Fellowes Wherupon it commeth to passe that a man may finde sometimes ten or a dossen off these Pastors in a litle Colledge But one suche Pastor as the word off God doth set out is hardly or not at all to be found amonges them Further also this fault is made in the apointinge off pastors That vnder pretence off makinge a more full and perfit triall off suche as are to be apointed they ordeine not any man wholy and at once to the office off a pastor but I knowe not by what degrees they leade him vp to this pulpit They must first be Deacons as they call yt for a yere that is to saye they must receyve authoritie to saie praiers and reade the Scriptures But in no case to admynister the Sacramentes or to expounde without furder lycense Then at the last he is fullie admitted to he office off a Pastor Which as I perceiue well enoughe to haue bene translated from the manner off Popishe ordres So knowe I not what ground off Scripture yt hath or can haue But rather cōtrarywise yt semethe to be cleane against the expresse appointement off the Scriptures which make no more degrees to come to the office But the godlines and integritie off his former life in what sort so euer he hathe occupied him selffe vnto that tyme and the knowledge off the holie scriptures So that it is needles for a man to come thoroughe all the offices off the churche before he can euer atteine to this Wherin also ther was to to curious a diligence in Siluester Bishopp off Rome and others who appointed that before a man was ordeyned a Pastor he should first come vp vnto yt as yt were by certen staires steppes and degres thoroughe out all those offices off the churche which they had inuented And first he must be Accolythus twenty yeere Deacon xxvj and so furth That at the last after fyfty or thre score yeres triall thus had he should be admitted to the full priesthood Leauing therfore these vaine inuentions off the braine off man Let vs keepe that certeine ordre which is taught vs by the Apostles which is That after dewe examination had of his life and doctrine he be admitted to this ministery and office off a Bishopp Lest by this drawing a sonder and quarteringe off the right office off a Pastor we be iustly
thought to haue brought into the churche off god with out his word off our owne authority so many newe offices and functions as into how many partes and membres this one office is deuided Touchinge those thinges which besides this are faulty in the Election and Ordinacion off Pastors they haue bene spoken off in other places before neither is it needfull to repeat the same againe Therfore to conclude all this treatise off Bishoppes takinge away extraordinarie functions and offices and abolishing the pompe and tyranny off the Lord Bishoppes Let vs esteeme the office off a Bishopp and minister as yt is declared vnto vs in the word off god Let vs remembre that this is a seruice and Ministery not off the affaires off this life But off the holie word off god Let this most neceessary office amonges all other offices that be in the earthe both for the seruice and Religion off God and for the saluacion off man be ordeined and established thorowgh out this Realme Let an Assay be made that they which beinge vnmeete for the office being put out godlie learned and worthye men be chosen therunto who discharging ther offices faithfully may be sufficiently prouided for concerning the necessaries off this life as the Lord hath commanded Let vs fetche the manner and fashion off our examininge choosinge and ordeininge out off the Scriptures Let Doctors be appoynted to teache and Cathechize the rude and ignorant Let Pastors be ordeyned to Mynister the Sacramentes and to applye the generall Docrine to the particuler vses and occasions off the churche That faultes beinge amended and reformed accordinge to to the right lyne off the word off God a iust and lawfull ministerie suche as the Lord hath appointed may be established amonges vs That Christ powringe his blessing vpon his owne Ordenance and apointment as the Apostle noteth thes to be the endes off the ministery the work off the ministery may be done The bodie off Christ which is the churche may be edified and buylded vp and the Saintes may be fitly orderly and proportionally ioined and knit together one with an other Thus now hauinge finished one part off ecclesiasticall functiōs and charges namely that which consisteth in the dutie off a Bishoppe and the Ministerie off the worde Let vs come to that which remaineth and concerneth deacons But to the ende we may hereī also orderly procede first I say that Sainct Paule in his first epistle to Timothy and thyrd chap. and in the other places before alledged off me to the same ende calleth all those Deacons which do exercise any office or or charge in the churche not belonging to the Ministery off the word For ther be also other offices besides the ministery off the word needfull for the preseruacion off the churche Which what they be we shall see hereafter But iff they were not necessary for the preseruatiō off the whole body Surely Iesus Christ the most wise ruler and gouerner off his churche would neuer haue appointed them yff then this other ordre off Deacons be so necessary why do we want it wholie in our churche deforminge the body no lesse yea a great deale more by so notable want off those partes that are necessary then by the superfluitie off those which are not off the body as hath bene allready before shewed For let them not here speake off there Chauncelors whom I haue allready proued to haue no lawfull place in the church nor off the churche wardens off whom I shall speake more hereafter For I say we want and require Ecclesiasticall Deacons who accordinge to the ordinaunce off god are lawfully chosen created and ordemed to there offices not ciuill and politique men who by the authoritie off the Magistrate deale in some suche matter but what these be we shall see hereafter more at large Here I cannot sufficiently wonder at the boldnes off the braine off man who thus altereth and peruerteth wholie the lordes gouerment in his owne house appointinge some besides those which are appointed by him to the rulinge off his house and putting out those as iff the church off god had no neede off ther labour whō the Lord him selffe had apointed fynally licensing them selues in the lords matters to set downe and take away to adde and diminishe what they list and to rule ād dispose all thinge according to ther owne will and fantasy Thē the which seing ther cā be nothinge more against the honor off our Sauior let vs at the last learne to be modest and to be ruled by his word let vs suffer him to rule his owne house by his owne authoritie and restore againe to the churche those offices and functions which he hath thought meete and profitable for it But that thes thinges may be the better vnderstood and that we proceede the more orderly forewarde As I shewed in the former parte first what was ordeined off God wherby it was easie to vnderstād what was superfluous or to muche So I must likwise doe in this part that yt may be the better vnderstood what we want and what is to to be supplied in this behalffe There be therfore ij sortes off Deacons as they are deuided by Sainct Paule in the xij to the Romans The one sorte are called distributers who also in the sixte off the Actes are properly called Deacons The other ouer seers who also in other places are called Elders and Gouernors off the church Those therfore who are properly called Deacons are officers off the churche sette ouer the bestowing and distributing off the churche goodes and treasurie How great cause there was off institutinge this office in the churche it appereath in the sixth off the Actes wher the the Apostles who in the beginninge administred the treasury off the churche when they perceiued that they were not able to serue bothe that is to saye the preachinge off the word and the caringe for the pore gaue ouer this office to be Treasurers any more and propounded yt to the churche that ther might be a seuerall office appoynted for this charge that might take vppon them the prouidinge for the poore To whome should be giuen what so euer was bestowed for the reliefe off the needy that they might after dispose yt according as euery one had neede That the poore might not be dispised in the church off God whom he declareth to be so deare vnto hym and that all complaintes being taken awaie euery thing might be orderly and honestly gouerned in the house off god Therfore the Treasury off the church whither yt be in daily offringes or in rentes and reuenuews appoynted to that ende is to be cōmitted vnto the Deacons The hospitalles and houses which are appointed for the reliefe off straungers and off the poore are to be ruled by them fynally what other suche like thing ther is belongeth to the office off Deacons In olde tyme in deede in the prymitiue churche this Treasure was committed to the Bishoppes because all men trustinge
to ther conscience whom they thought to haue a speciall care off yt hoped that all thinges wold be more faithfully ordered for the benefit off the churche and maintenance off the poore But they wheras they ought rather to haue followed the example off the Apostes and to haue requested that they might geue them selues to preaching and praier and that they would choose some other to take that charge vppon them did not only suffer them selues to be entreated to take yt But also did vnfaithfullie behaue them selues in disposing the poore mens boxe that at the last they ceased to be Almners any more or distributers vnto others and as yff they had bene the poore men gaue all vnto them selues concerning which matter the Deacons iff we had any ought to deale with the Bishoppes in the behalffe off the poore whose charge is committed vnto them by the churche and enter an action against them for recouering this mony againe to requyre againe ther siluer vesselles and the golden plate wherwith they haue so gorgeously garnished and adorned ther cuphordes and pleade against them that all that belongeth to the poore by whose pouertie they haue waxen riche by whose want and neede they are become full and welthy Therfore seinge the office off a Deacon is so necessary yt may seme a merueile how the churche could suffer that the poore and the straungers who for Christes cause ought to be most deere vnto vs shold want ther Gardyanes and Tutors We haue brought in other Collectors gatherers and church wardēs into ther roume But yt were better that we had none suche at all then that by them so necessarye an office should be abolished For seinge the charge requirethe both a singuler wisdome simplicitie and integrity why shold ther not be choise made as in the other offices off the churche triall had that the wisest may be chosen by the churche and as the Apostle Sainct Peter speakethe suche as be full off the holie ghost and off wisdome Why are not handes laid vppon them that they may knowe that they deale in the Lordes busines Why are they not praid for that they may haue grace to discharge there duty Fynally why had they rather that they should be cyuill then Ecclesiasticall Officers this therfore is the charge and office off Deacons In whose Election and ordynacion seing ther is nothing ells partyculerly to be considered besydes that which hath bene Generallie spoken off all heretofore Let vs come to the Elders which are the second kind and sort off Deacons Elders therfore are Deacons who are appoynted to take heede off the offences that arise in the churche Therfore in well reformed churches euery one off them haue ther warde and as yt were there watche to looke vnto off that porcion off the churche in which they may most fytlye serue Wherin iff any thinge be done otherwise then ought to be that shall deserue iust reproufe yff yt be priuatly committed He Goeth vnto the partie and admonisheth him priuatly for his fault accordinge to the word off God exhortinge him that he do so no more but iff openly he certifiethe the counsell or consistory off the churche lest the faulte off one man be spred to the destruction off all the rest For although after a sort yt is all mens duty to bringe him into his waye which goeth astray yet better and more diligent heed is takē that offences arise not in the churche when euery part off the churche shold haue ther watchmen assigned to them to whose office especially it should belonge to marke ouersee and obserue all mens manners Wheras otherwise ther are many faultes which may easilie escape those who haue not a carefull eye ouerthem For which cause Saint Paule to the Thessalonians attributeth admonitions and reprehensions specially vnto the Elders which notwithstanding afterwardes in an other sorte he declareth to belonge vnto all the faithfull Therfore those Elders be such as those officers off the Athenienses were who had charge to see the lawes kept or as the Censors off Rome who exacted and examined euery citezens life accordinge to the lawes So they marke and obserue euery mans manners and they them selues doe admonishe men off the lighter faultes and bring the greater to the Consistory Finally they take heede by all meanes lest God be offended with the churche by reason off some mans fault and see that thinges be done honestly godly and comely in the churche off God. Therfore yff ther come into there warde any strangers from other places to inhabit whose Religion is not yet knowne They certifie the Ministers that they may haue meanes to talke with thē before they come to the Lordes supper So lykewise iff ther be any children to be baptized they admonishe the minister of it ād finallie off all suche thinges which do belonge to the good and semely gouerment off the churche that the minister shold vnderstand theroff Furder more also in the administration off the Lordes supper for the better commoditie off the churche they helpe the pastor and take heede that none come vnto the lordes supper whose Religion and honestie is not knowen and with whome the ministers haue not delt withall before and other suche like things which allthough they be not all expresly mencioned in the Scriptures yet seing it belongethe not only vnto Order and to comelines But also to the profit and commoditie off the churche that some shold be set ouer thes matters suche as emonges the Iewes were those who were called Cheeff off the Synagoge and seing the Scripture mencionethe no other Elders to whome the charge off these thinges should apperteine I thincke it plaine enoughe that these thinges by the worde off god ought to be referred to the office off Elders And as for that part off there office off taking heede to offences who can doubt that That charge properly apperteineth vnto the Elders seing that they are saide also in the Scriptures to rule to ouersee and to gouerne For this ouersight can haue but two partes only wheroff the first perteinethe to Doctrine and Religion the other to life and māners Seing then that two kindes off Elders are expressly named by Saint Paule wher off the first sort are occupied in preachinge and Doctrine Iris necessary that the other should haue charge off manners and conuersacion which part only remaineth And hitherto the example off the primitiue churche doth leade vs which for asmuche as they were next to the Apostles time might best vnderstand to what vse Elders had bene appointed in the church by them But how the primitiue churche tooke those degrees off the Apostles both Ecclesiasticall histories doe witnes ād reformed churches which in our tyme haue reformed them selues according to there example doe sufficiently declare Therfore seing the office off Elders was apointed in the churche off our Sauior Christ by his Apostles and seing it is so proffitable ād necessarie for the same haue we not
not that that vncleanes wherwith they were polluted by doinge ther necessary dewry to ther frendes and neigbours in burying off them shold be so great that they therfore should be forbidden to eate off the Passeouer with the rest off the church But Moses askinge counsell off god what was to be done in this case Aunswer was made that they shold not eate the passeouer with the rest off ther brethren and a lawe made for euer after touchinge that matter That those kinde off vncleane persons shold not eate the passeouer with the rest of Israell in the first monethe but sholde tarie to eate yt in the second moneth Out off which places we haue many thinges to gather which belonge to the discipline off the churche And first off that which is in the xij off Exodus That no vncircumcised person shold be admitted to eate the passeouer no allthoughe they were Iewes and by nature borne heires off the couenaunt and off the promises but that open profession off trew Religion was necessarilie required as well off Iewe as off straunger before they were admitted to eate off the passeouer Off this I saie we learne that now no maÌ„ ought to be admitted to the Lordes table and to the holie communioÌ„ but he that is knowen by his open profession to be off trewe Religion for Asmuche as the body excelleth the shadowe and the Trewth the figure So muche more carefully ought we to take heed that the Sacramentes wherin we haue the truthe and the body it selffe be not communicated with vncircumcised and vncleane persons So that diligent Inquisicion is to be had off euery man what saythe he holdeth and how he serueth God lest we communicate them with any who professe not the same trewe Religion off Christ Which was so well taken heed vnto in the primitiue churche that Eusebius reportethe in his Ecclesiasticall history that a Romaine Emperour named Philippe who fâ—rst became Christian off all the Emperours and fyrst submitted the romaine Empire vnto Christ desyringe to coÌ„municate with the rest off the churche was not admitted therunto by the Bishop off that churche for that he was yet suspected for diuers causes before that he had openly made profession off trewe Religion And in those our daies in these churches which haue receyued the Doctrine off the Gospell and trewe discipline together as in olde tyme no man was suffered to eate off the Passeouer beinge either a straunger or a hyred seruant onlesse he had his part in the lambe So likewise in the holie Communion off the Lordes supper Christ the trewe paschall lambe is communicated onely to suche as farre as men can iudge by there outward profession vnto whome Christ hym selffe belongethe Now theÌ„ seing we haue a lawe touching this matter off no lesse waight then theyrs why do we suffer yt to Remayne in the book off the gospell as in a scabbard and suffer the edge off yt to wax dull now fyften yeeres together why do we communicate the holie Sacramentes with the Papistes and require not before they be admitted a syncere open and franck Confession off trewe Religion The holie Mysteries off God are prophaned The Gentles enter into the Temple off God The holie thinges are indifferently communicated with cleane and vncleane cyrcuncised and vncyrcuncised and yet we sâ—t no porters at the churche dores nor shut vpp the vncleane and polluted together by them selues Therfore Let this so necessary a part off Eclesiasticall discipline be established Let an open profession off trewe ReligioÌ„ be exacted of those who are admitted to the vse off holie thinges aÌ„d Let no longer the heauenly mysteries off God be prophaned by communycating them with the Papistes The next thing which is to be noted out off these places which I haue alledged belongeth vnto those who are in deede heires off the promises and as Saint Peter speaketh in the Actes Sonnes off the Testament and couenant made withe the Fathers but yet for some fault made are for a tyme excluded from the vse off holie thinges And hitherto belongeth that example which I alledged out off the ix off Nombres off those who were put ouer vnto the second monethe before they might eate the Passeouer Touching which kind off punishment all thoughe ther be nothing expressely mencioned and commanded in the gospell yet seing it is commanded in the fift off Matthew that he at whome a brother is offended bringing an offring to the aulter of the lord should leaue his offring there and goo first aÌ„d be recoÌ„câ—led to his brother how muche more ought this to be done wher the Anger hath bene so hote that it hath broken out into reprochefull and contumelious wordes and suche as our Sauiour manifestly declareth to be suche as the Counsell off the churche hath to deale with that is to saie That they be commanded to abstaine from the aulter off the lord vntill they be reconciled with there brother who is offended For otherwise If without reconciliacion they offer ther gift the offringe is prophaned and they that doe such thinges are giltye off great offence and for a small fauit that was made before haue nowe coÌ„mitted a great aÌ„d a hainous trespasse For so the lawe threateneth to that vncleane person that durst touche the holie fleshe aÌ„d eate of the sacrifices that he should surely pay for it aÌ„d that no other sacrifice sholde serue to take away his sinÌ„e but eueÌ„ his owne blud As also our Sauiour Christ threatneth in the gospell that they which reconcile not them selues shall surely paie for it euen to the vttermost farthing And S Paule saithe that they that drincke and eate the Lordes body vnworthely eate and drinck there owne damnation Seing theÌ„ it is so aÌ„d that the lord is so greuously displeased with the neglectinge off these dewties and prophanation off his holie misteries Seing also that those men theÌ„ selues who do thus boldly prophane them doe make them selues gilty by this meanes of more greuous iudgement and condenmnatioÌ„ this part off discipline also being no lesse necessary then the other which we want nowe to loÌ„ge time is to be restored againe and the keepinge off it to be as muche esteemed as we esteme aÌ„d set by the heauy iudgemeÌ„ts of god and his wrathe punishinge and reueÌ„ginge the prophanatioÌ„ of his holie misteries For let no man here obiect vnto me the Bishops Consistory and the Officiall and CoÌ„missarie geuinge charge from the Bishop to be recoÌ„cyled aÌ„d punishinge by the purse suche as do offend as if we wanted not those thinges that I saie we waÌ„t for all those are but toyes and trifles which seing it hath abolished the lawfull manÌ„er of taking awaie off offences apointed by our Sauiour Christ to be kept in his churche what hope can we looke for to haue any holesome remedie by these meanes off so daungerous diseases Therfore Let ther be a lawfull Counsell establyshed in the churche and Let them vse that authoritie
Paule making oure whole life to answer to those 7. dayes off the Passeouer and Christ to be our Paschall Lambe the house to be the Assembly and Companye off Communicantes as also some off the Hebrew interpretors expound yt Sweate bread to be synceritie and trew the and Leauen to be maliciousnes and wikednes seemeth he not I say to ground and gather herevppon that that same Corinthian who in the tyme off the feast off our trewe Passeouer had that leauen found in his house that is to saye had so greuously synned after the profession off Christian Religion was to be cast out off the church And hauinge chaunged a litle the manner off Speakyng he addeth in the same place that this olde leauen was to be purged out from the church off God which he calleth a newe Lumpe and Sweete or vnleauened bread Herebye therfore as I think yt is plainly proued bothe that the vse offexcommunication hathe bene at all tymes necessarie in the churche and also that is was fyrst translated vnto vs from he Iewes by Lord hym selffe And that yt was afterwardes vsed by the Apostles and synce the Apostles tyme euen vnto this age in the churche off God Allthoughe myserablye depraued and corrupted in this later age wheruppon I conclude that it ought to be vsed in Christian churches when tyme and occasion doth serue Furder it hathe bene declared hereby what excommunication is and what the force and nature off it is namely that yt cutteth off from the church that is to saie that company which professeth the trewe seruice off god the party against whom suche a sentence is geuen and depriueth hym from the blessed hope â—ff the children off God and waiting for the promises togither with the signes and seales theroff which both promises Sacraments are geuen to the churche alone So that by this as it was in that most greuous sentence and condemnacion off the Romaines spoken off before all the rightes priuiledges and freedomes off a citezin off the cyty off God are cleane lost and taken away and so muche the more greuous is this sentence to be esteemed that wheras he that had lost his fredom in Rome might haue bene denyzed into some other free towne or place but he that loseth the freedome off this cytie can not be receiued as Denison into any other free state or common welthe but being cast oute off the kingdome off god is delyuered to the kingdome off darcknes and to extreame bondage seing ther is no meane but that he who is not off the one kingdome must be off the other as doth appeere in the example to the Colossians Therfore our Sauiour Christ declareth that by this senteÌ„ce a man is pronounced to be an ethnick and a publycaÌ„ which being spoken in respect off the Iewes is as asmuche as one should say nowe in respect off the Christians a Panym a Saracene or a Turcke And Saint Paule declareth it to be a delyuering to Sathan wherupon also we are commaÌ„ded in the Epistle to the Thessalonians that we haue not to doe with theÌ„ who are suche which Sentence the more greuous yt is and how much more terrible this sword is then that the Angell shaked before Adam to feare hym with all So muche the more care and heede is to be taken here against whom we pronounce suche a sentence against whom we draw out so sharpe â—n edged sword lest that iff it be against and Innocent or one that is not giltie off some haynous offence and vnrepentant we make our selues by prophaninge the most holie and sacred Iustice off god gyltie off his heauy iudgement and displeasure Therfore this sword is to be handled and ruled by the word and commandement off the highe Iudge and to be drauen out onlie against them against whom he shall commaund it to be drauen neither is so sharpe a kinde off surgerie to be vsed to the curing off the rest off the body except yt euidently appere that some member be cleane rotten and putrified Wherin lest we should offend by any error certen expresse rules are geuen vs which do fully sett out all the ordre whereby we ought to proceede in this case For our Sauiour Christ declareth generallie that euery one who shal be disobedient vnto the churche exhorting him to acknowledge and bewaile his offences shold be holden as an ethnick and a publican And Saint Paule more particulerly declarethe an heretick is be excommunicated A schismatike a Blasphemer an Idolater or he that offendethe so greuously in maÌ„ners that he is an incestuous person or a fornicator or giltie off any of thos crymes which are rehersed in the first Epistle to the Corinthes the v. chap. and the xj verse and to the Thessalonie in the ij Epistle the iij. chap. and ij verse For allthoughe as our Sauiour Christ most wisely and worthelie handleth this matter in the xviij off Math. yt be better that one member be cut off then that all the bodie do perishe yet wher the case is concerninge the cutting off off some part off our bodie or off pulling out the eie we ought to considre first diligently yff there be any hope to recouer yt againe yff there be any medicine that may do yt good yff the publique fast off the churche as a certene spirituall diet off the whole bodie may remedy it fynally wither yt be alltogether putrified and rotten so that the part must needes be plucked awaie or cut of that the rest of the the bodie may be preserued before we suffer yt to be pulled out or cut off from the bodie Yea futhermore allthoughe it plainly appeerethe to be putrified and that the sore be alltogether desperate and past hope of remedie yet notwithstandinge we ought not to mayme the bodye or put out the eye althoughe that part and membre be become vnproffitable nay althoughe yt be hurtfull and and noysome to the rest without great griefe and sorowe off the whole bodye nor without sence and feelinge and naturall compassion off so great a myserie In which behalffe as the Papistes were wont most greuously to offend when as for euery light cause and euen for not payinge the Officiall or some Officer off his court some shillinge or two or other dewties men that were otherwise very honest and godlie had bothe other sentences and euen this most greuous emonges all geuen against them So that to this daye this notable corruption off this deuyne Iustice is not corrected nor amended But euen as yt was wont to be in tyme off darknes matters off lest waight and importance are punyshed with those greuous and fearefull sentences But seing that the Edge both off the other sentences and also off this which is most greeuous is the commanndement off god aÌ„d that not only one off the Bishopps officers but all men alyue are not able to cut off from the churche whom Christ from heauen doth quicken which his spirit as a membre off his bodie
rule ouer the people off god that ther be no violence nor tyranny vsed or suche like as comonly is vsed in that state which degenerating from the gouernment of a fewe off the best commeth to a fewe off the richest but that they adioyne also to ther owne authoritie especially in matters off great waight as in choosinge or deposinge off any Ecclesiasticall Officer or in suspendinge or excommunicatinge any man the consent and agreement off all the people For we reade it to haue bene thus done eueÌ„ froÌ„ the Apostles tymes vntill that Discipline was corrupted as appereth in the Actes off the Apostles written by Sainct Luke and the Ecclesiasticall history off the primitiue churche So that in this respect yt seemeth that the churche is gouerned rather by all then by a fewe And therin to resemble that state off gouernment wherin the coÌ„minaltie is the chiefe Which societie must needes be gouerned by a heauenly ordre for it is the best state off all wheras all these thre meete in one kind off gouerment as both Plato thought and Aristotle and the other chiefe and excellent Philosophers that state I say wherin all the cytezins obediently submit them selues to god which coÌ„mandeth as kinge and monarche and the assembly which decreeth by his will and authoritie where also the assembly decreeth no weighty matter without the coÌ„sent and approbacion off the rest off the churche and people Neither is this the maÌ„ner of gouernment off parish churches onely but the same is also kept where more churches are either for that they be nighe togeether or because they are all subiect to the same Magistrate or for ther coÌ„mon proffit and commodty ioyne togeether and make as yt were one body For off this sort also be all the assemblyes which are gathered for the gouernment off the churche both those which are called Conferences and Synodes wither they be lesse Synodes suche as they were wont to haue twise a yeere in euery prouince or greater which are gathered to geether by the authoritie off any one whole kingdome free state or common wealthe or ells off mo kingdomes and countries For the souerantie allwais reserued vnto Christ by whose word all thinges are gouerned as in a Monarchy The counsell or Assembly off Elders as in the second state off gouernment which I described before decreeth by common counsell and authoritie that which is for the wealth and commoditie off the churche the people with all good will allowing off the godly iust and honest determinacions off the Assembly or making them voide and off none effect yff they be not suche as in the last ststate wherin the people hathe to rule and gouerne Off which Assemblye both Conferences and Synodes of both sortes althoughe many thinges might be said very necessary and profitable for the vse off our churche to which nothing could be more profitable then these assemblies being so vsed as they are apointed to be vsed by the word off god and vsed by other purer and better reformed churches as contrariwise nothinge doth more hurt then these Synodes visitacions and conuocations which are come into ther places which as we vse them are full off infinitie abuses wherin almost no other thiÌ„ge is talked of or detreed but of square cappes copes aÌ„d surplises what fashioÌ„ the ministers gowne and cloke must be off an such like trifles yet seing this hangeth off that which hathe bene allready spoken off the gouernment off particuler churches and the more full handling off those thinges may be taken out of the lerned writinges of some off our daies which haue lately writeÌ„ touching this matter passinge this thus briefly ouer let vs returne againe to the assembly and coÌ„pany off Elders which seing I haue declared both to haue bene instituted by our Sauiour Christ and to be very necessary for the preseruacion off the churche because that therby controuersies are ended offenses are taken away the churche being purged is deliuered from the feare off the punishement off god the Sacraments are kept holie and vndefiled fynally all thinges are done seemely and orderly as the Apostle coÌ„mandeth to be done in the churche off god By what subtelty off Satan and negligence of our selues are our churches bereaued off so singuler aÌ„d heaueÌ„ly a benefit can any maÌ„ deny but that Christ hath thus apointed that this assemblie should thus gouerne in his churche iff ther be any man that can deny it Let hym tell vs what the meanyng ys off thes wordes Tell the Assembly in the xviij off Matthew or what keyes that is to say what power off openinge and shutting off heauen off bindinge or losinge sinne our Sauiour speaketh off in that place Or what that Assembly off Elders is which Paule in his Epistle to Tymothy speaketh off or what Elders they be that he speaketh off in the chap. following And Peter likewise in his Epistle who they be that to the Corinthians he calleth gouernours To the Thessalonians Rulers and Ouersers And who they be whom the Apostle to the Hebrews saith to be set ouer the congregation vnto whom he willeth them to be obedient and to submitt them selues And who they be also whom Sainct Luke in the Actes calleth the Elders off the churche off Hierusalem and off Ephesus wold they haue vs proue that it is necessary Let them teache vs contrary to that which our Sauiour Christ hath geuen vs warning off that yt is not necessary that offenses should arise or ells shewe some better meanes how to redresse them or take away when they be risen then that which our Sauiour hath appoynted which is to be exercised by the Assembly Let them shewe it to be a needles care to kepe the Sacramentes impolluted and vndefyled or iff they confesse yt to be needfull let them teache vs some better way to do yt by then that which our Sauiour Christ hath taught vs allready For I think ther is no man off any sound Iudgement that will say That which we vse nowe is fytter for this purpose that is to say that one Bishopp and he not oftentymes by him selffe but by his Chancellor and he by his Surrogaâ—e should take hym so selffe all this authoritie alone rule as he listeth in steade off a lawfull Assembly off Elders who by common counsell and authoritie should gouerne the church For as I declared before the Bishop tooke vpon him the office off Deacons that they being taken away he might distribute the church goods all alone and how after also takinge vppon him tâ—e office off the Elders when he had likewise thrust ouâ— them he tooke vpon him alone all the care off the churche So here also he hath abolished the whole Assembly that he alone may be asked Counsell off he alone may haue knowledge iudge and determyne off all matters For he spreadeth him selffe ouer all the body euen as the eye which S. Paule speaketh off in the first to the Corinthes For as the eye will haue no
eare nor hearing in the body no nose nor smellinge no handes nor fealinge fynally nothing but the Eye and seinge So the Bishop cutteth off the Deacons as the handes from the body taketh away the Elders who do necessarilie serue to smell out and vnderstand many matters abolisheth the Assembly as if he should stopp vp the eares which are apointed for the hearing off controuersies and fynallie hath destroyed the whole body whiles he will haue yt nothing but an eye neither will suffer either the Deacons or the Elders or the Assembly to do any thing but only himselfe to heare handle and deale with all manner matters But what a body is this which is nothing but an eye for as the Apostle saith The whole body is not one member but many And if ther be nothing but an eie then where is the smellinge wher is the hearinge wher be the handes and wher be the other partes Surely God made the bodie otherwise apointed to euery membre his office and function Neither can the Bishopp say vnto the Deacon no more then the Eye vnto the hand that he hathe no need off him seing we see Apostles who were the clearest Eyes which euer were had neede off the Deacons helpe Muche lesse can I say that he hathe no need off the Elders or off the whole assembly Neither durst the Byshoppes arrogate thus muche to them selues in the begynninge but by litle and lytle as Ambition and dysyre off bearinge rule did encrease in them and the care off the churche did decrease in ther fellows at the last they came to this vnspeakable pride Wherunto this was the first steppe when as the name off a Bishopp which is common to all other ministers and there fellowes as yet appeerethe in the xx off the Actes beganne to be attributed to one alone who was chosen by the rest to this end that he might propound the matters which were to be handled vnto the Assembly and gather the voices and beare as yt were that office which the Consull did in the Senate off Rome But as yet he was chosen by the rest and that not for euer but for a tyme And althoughe he had the honor off the name yet for other thinges he vsed no priuate authority neither toke vnto him selffe any more geuinge off voyces or determyninge off matters then any off the rest he contynewed still in the common care and chardge off all the Assemblie to watche ād ouer see the flock and was carefull also off his owne particuler dewty to preache ād to teache the people neither pretēded the charge off the common care which he had with the rest to make yt a cloke for his ydlenes and to liue at ease and leaue his proper and peculier charge off preaching but kept still his owne churche as his standinge vpon the wall so that yet hether to euery thing But only the Arrogatinge off the name off Bishopp vnto him selfe was tollerable But afterwardes when as by the negligence and ignorance off Bishopps and ministers there were but a fewe who were meete to handle suche matters and many were vnlerned some also idle and negligent and cared not for the churche then began this authority and charge touchinge the Discipline off the churche to be allmost wholie geuen vnto one which occasion Ambition tooke and seing the tyme to serue so fitt for the purpose hoised vp the sailes vnto honor So yt became a perpetuall office wheras before they were chosen vnto yt for a tyme And all matters were gouerned and ruled by one mans Authoritie alone and no more by the voyces off his fellowes and off the Assembly But afterward that darknes encreasinge and couering all the churche when as fewe fit Mynisters were to be found not onely in one towne or cytie But in some whole countrie or prouince the Tyranny grewe greater and encreased still and brought vnder the subiection off one man all the churches which were in a whole Dioces wheruppon the charge off a perticuler and as we will call yt a parishe churche was shaken off vnder pretence off this great burden off the ouersight off so many churches So that they left vnto them selues no more off the trew office off a Bishop and mynistery then that serued for ther honor that is they reserued only so muche that they might speake to the people wher and in what churche and when they wold Thus they vsurped all the authority off the Assembly yea ouer the Assembly ruling them as they listed chosing and putting out whom they would vntill at the last the Assemblies were cleane taken away and the churches off euery Dioces had Lordes set ouer them But ambition which as the flame or fyre goeth vpwardes still and cannot be kept with in any bandes staied not thus in Dioces and small prouinces But ascended vpp to greater from whence come our Metrapolitanes who were called Archbishopps and fyrst begann that Authoritie to be geuen them in theyr name which in deed they had vsurped before Then from the greater prouinces and Archebishoprickes they came higher to the rule off all the churches in a whole kingdome whervppon they wer called primates Then the whole churche thoroughe out the world was ruled by a Quadrumvirat that is by foure who had the chiefe charge off all the world and were called Patriarches vntill at the last Antychrist by thes staires went vpp to the throne off god and sat hym downe in the middest off the churche as Paule had prophesied and boasted him selfe as god This is the trewe hystorie off the confusion off Ecclesiasticall offices This was the cradle and the beginning off the Ambition off churche men Thus they grewe forewardes vpp and encreased wherby iff we perceyue all thinges to be so oute off ordre that the state off the whole bodye is to be feared by yt Let vs at the last geue warninge to our Prymat to our Metropolitanes and to our Lorde Bishoppes that yff they think yt a shamefull and an ambytious thinge and vnbesceminge the modesty off the seruant off Christ and off a trewe Pastor for the pope to take the Authorytye off Generall Counsells and to suffe nothing to be done nor decreed in them but what he only dothe or alloweth that I say yff they think this shamefull in the pope to doe to generall Counsells they would not plaie the petipopes in Conuocations or prouinciall Synods and takinge awaie the libertie off the Ecclesiasticall Synodes and Assemblies rule gouerne and apoint all alone by tyranny lest they seeme not to haue desyred to deliuer the churche cleane out off Bondage but only to chaunge the maister and to make it become subiect vnto them and to haue sought onelie that we should haue no forraine popes not that we should haue none at home or none alltogether and rather to haue abhorred the pope off Rome then the popedome yt selffe Let them remember at the last that they haue as great need iff they do
ther dewties off the helpe off Deacons as the Apostles had Let them remember that the bodye would bee destroyed yff there were no member in yt but the eye And that churche in like manner wherin no man beareth any office but the Bishopp Let them remember that god hathe so made the bodye that there is a merueilous necessary vse off the diuers membres theroff which variety off partes and members must needes be preserued yff we would haue the bodie whole healthfull and stronge Let this infinite Ambition and desyre off rule and off medlinge with euery thinge that is in the Lord Bishoppes be corrected Let the Consistorie and Assembly off the Elders being so necessarie and so profitable for all the affaires off the churche be established wherin they may haue indeede the fyrst place in respect off the worthines off ther office S that they leaue the second to the Doctors and the third to the Elders For the churche perceiue the howe hurt full a thinge yt is that they should take all vnto them selues and can beare yt no longer perceiuinge well that the shamfull prophanacion off the Sacramentes the manifold and intollerable abuses off excommunication which is the highest Iustice off the churche and other innumerable euilles flow and springe from no other fountaine then from this pride off theâ—â—â— and busy medling very hurtfull and daungerous for the state off the churche And thus muche off Ecclesiasticall officers off whom because I haue spoken more at large how they ought to be appointed for that in the appoyntinge off them Ecclesiasticall discipline dothe in a manner wholie consist I will recompense yt with the shortenes off that part which followeth which is touchinge the dewtie off all the Saintes and faithfull Vnder the name off the Sainctes are conteined all the rest off the churche which doe not exercise any publique office or function therin whose dewtie as in all other societies ys only this to suffer them selues willingly to be ruled and gouerned by those whom god hathe set ouer them whervnto there is a short but a notable and pithy exhortacion off the apostle to the Hebrevvs wherin he exhorteth them aÌ„d by them all other churches to obedience vnto them who haue the ouersight off theÌ„ that they may geue vp their accoÌ„pte of the charge off sowles which they haue taken in hand with ioye and comforte and that they maye readilie aÌ„d with good courage beare for the churches sake all suche labor grees cares and sorwes as are ioined vnto ther offices Neither let Magestrates think allthough in respect off ther ciuill authoritie the churche be subiect to them that in this behalffe they are to be exempted from this precept and commanndement off the Appostle who chargeth euery one to be subiect to those who in Lord are set ouer them for seing they ought to be carefull as well off the saluacion off the Magystrate as off others and that the sowle off the magystrate as well as of the rest is committed to theyr charge They must also as well as the rest submit them selues and be obedient to the iust and lawfull authoritie off the Officers off the churche For seinge they not onlie rule by the authoritie off Iesus Christ but in a maÌ„ner do represent his person seing they rule not as they them selues list accordinge to ther owne will but only accordinge to this word and commandement Is it not meete that euen kinges and the highest magystrates should be obedient vnto them For yt is meet that all the princes and Monarches off the world shold geue vpp their sceptres and crownes vnto him whome god had made and appointed the Heyre off his kingdome and Lord off heauen and earthe I might alledge heare oute off the histories off all times diuers examples off godlie princes who submitted them selues to the order and gouernment off the churche apointed by god Who allthoughe as touching this life they did rule and gouerne yet they despised not the discipline aÌ„d correction off the Lord I might name out off the most auncient historye and holie Chronicles off the Hebrevvs kinge Azarias who allthoughe he proudely and boldly vsurped the priesthood yet when he was stryken by the Lord with a Leprosy and was therfore cast out of the temple and seperated from the coÌ„mon society off men by the highe priest accordinge to the lawe which God had made therin He obeied the priest coÌ„mandinge according to God his word and letting his sonne rule is his steade passed the rest of his life in solitarines alone by himselfe Amonges the Christian Emperors allthoughe ther be many worthy examples which now a dayes Princes may set before them to follow yet those two which the ecclesiasticall story reherseth off Philipp the first Christian Emperor and off Theodosius conteine a singuler example aboue the rest off godlie subiection wheroff the one beinge commaunded to absteine from the Sacramentes vntill he had first professed him selffe to be a penitent for that he had committed certen faultes and had made open protestacion off his Religion for that he was suspected He willinglie obeied the Bishopp or rather the word off god And both protested openly his grefe and srowe for the synnes he had committed and professed before all the churche his faithe and Religion The other that is Theodosius being not admitted by Ambrose into the churche into the which he would haue come did likewise so willinglie obeie that prostratinge hym selffe vppon the grownd and pauement off the temple in the sight off god and his Angells and all the churche followinge the meeknes off Dauid reprehended off Nathan declared the wuÌ„derfull sorowe which he had for his wiked fact and the slaughter committed at Thessalonica by his commaundement rehersing these wordes out off the Psalme My soule did cleane vnto the pauement Therfore all the faithfull and euen the princes and magistrates them selues ought to be subiect to the word off god and to Ecclesiasticall Discipline and then is the churche in florishing estate when bothe they who beare rule do commannd according to gods word and theâ— who be subiectes do willingly obeye But the Magistrates haue this proper and peculier to them selues aboue the rest off the faithfull To set in order and establishe the state off the churche by ther authoritie and to preserue and mainteine it according to godds will being once established Not that they should rule the Ecclesiasticall matters by their authoritie for this belongeth vnto Christ alone and to hym he hath committed this charge but for asmuche as the Apostle teachethe that they are apointed off God to th end that we may lyue a godlie aÌ„d a peceable life aÌ„d that the kinges off Israell by the apointement off god had charge to see the execution off all the lawe they ought to prouide and see that the seruice off god be established as he hathe appointed and administred by suche as ought to administre the same and afterwardes preserued
in the same simplicitie and sinceritie vndefiled In which so worthie an office Godlie Princes now a daies may choose out of the holie history many paterns to look vpon and to followe as Dauid Salomon Ezechias Iosias Zerubabell and others whose labor was famous and notable partly in apointinge the ordre off religion accordinge to the word of god and the voice of the prophetes partlie in restoringe yt againe after it had bene decaied By religion I vnderstād not only the doctrine which we professe touching the māner off seruing god and the obteininge of our saluaciō by his sonē but also the māner of gouernīge the churche of apointing the Officers theroff off correctīge and takinge away off offences which all those most noble worthies did trewlie and according to the will off god iudge to belong to the office and dewty off the magistrate Whose worthie examples O most noble Queene Elizabeth iff as your Maiestie hath well begun̄ so yow do continewe to followe I hope surelie that for the godlie disposition theroff both your honorable nobilitie and many notable and famous men off the Ecclesiasticall degree and euen the whole Parliamēt wil be ready to furder your Graces godlie purpose which bote the scriptures do witnes to haue hapned to Dauid Salomon and other Religious Princes and famous euen for Religion and reformacions sake in the like cause And we haue also seene to haue hapned vnto your Maiestie not with out the devine and merueilous prouidence off god at the abolishing off poperie in the beginninge off your raigne Especially your Highnes right honorable Counsellers and chosen by your Maiestie vnto the bearinge off the chiefest offices in your realme wyll furder this noble enterprise who euery one will choose vnto him selffe some worthie patterne out off the godlie courtes off those noble kinges for him to followe in this behalffe and some man peraduēture Eliachim great steward off kīg Ezechias house Some other Shaphan Chan̄cellor in Iosias time other the honorable Secretaries off king Salamon And the rest some other off the godlie officers in Dauids and Salomons courts fynally all off them choosinge to them selues some suche patterns to followe in all vertue and Religion will striue which off them shall be most foreward to promote your Graces godlie decrees and purposes Seing then that all will be so ready O most noble Quene fynishe and make perfit now at the last with the readie wil and consent off all your Highenes subiectes this heauenlie worck off the seruice and Religiō off god which your maiesty hathe begōne and that not onlie by the example of these excellent and famous kinges whom I haue set before your eyes but also by the example off your Graces most noble Father Henry the viij off most famous memory and off the most godlie prince Edvvard the vj. your Highnes brother that in the same familie wherin the praise off religion and reformacion begann to florishe yt may be also perfected and finished by your maiesty For these are allmost the speciall praises off your Highnes house and progenie To banishe Idolatry and to set vp the trewe seruice off god wherby the one that is to say the abolishinge off popery we owe in a great parte to your highnes most noble Father the other that is the restoringe off trew religion first to your Highnes most worthy brother that godlie Prince Edvvard the vj. and after also to your maiesty who as yt is written off the good king Ezechias opened vnto vs againe the dores off the tēple of the Lord which had bene shut ād closed vp before erected vp his aulters againe which had bene beatē downe and lighted againe the cleere lampe off the word off the Lord which had bene put out Which Princely vertewes off your Highnes most worthy house iff your maiesty crowne with restoringe off lawfull discipline vnto the churche which yet remaineth Then shall our churche of Englād most worthelie acknowledg to haue receiued hir full libertie and perfit restoringe againe next after god only to that most noble house wheroff your Highnes is And confesse to haue founde most trew in that one famouse house off Tedder hir estate that worthy prophesie off Esay Kings shal be thy foster fathers Queenes thy Nurces which I pray God moue your Graces hart to performe to the honor off his most holy name the edifying off this our churche off England and the discharge off your Highnes dewty vnto bothe and last off all to the longe and prosperous continuance off your maiesties reigne ouer vs. Thus nowe the lawfull and trew discipline hath bene described which gouernment of the churche off Christ as off the Lords house who so euer diligently and attentiuely consider shall easilie perceiue a merueilous heauēly wisdome to shine in all the gouernmēt of the same And so muche the more merveilous then was the gouernment off the house and court off Salamon weroff mencion is made in the holie history off the kinges as he is wiser then Salomon who did appoint all the ordre and manner off the ordring off it For wither we consider the ordres and degrees off Officers or ther orderly sitting downe or the diuers ornamentes and apparell off euery one according to his diuers estate and degree we shall see that nothing could be wisely inuented nor disposed with Iudgement and reason either forthe preseruacion off the sure and safe estate off the churche or for beautifyinge and adorninge the estimacion off the same which is wanting in this gouernment For as touching the Officers what necessary office is omitted and neglected or what office needles and vnnecessary is appointed or what can be named more seemely and orderly then this appointinge off the offices That those functions ceasinge which serued but for a tyme and were vsed extraordinarily in the first yeeres off the raigne off our Sauiour Christ for the establishing off his kingdome Ordinary and perpetuall offices should be appoynted in two sortes wheroff the first is suche wheras euery man hath his seuerall charge The other where many haue but one and the same charge which they execute by common counsell and Authoritie Wheroff againe the first sort consisteth in ij kindes of Bishopps which expound and teache Religion and the seruice off god that is Pastors ad Doctors and as many Deacons that is to say Deacons Elders so called figuratiuely by names which are more generall Off whō some go watche ouer the life ād conuersatiō off all the churche And the other are carefull to helpe the necessities off wydowes straungers sick folk and generallie off all the poore so that both all the house is sufficiently prouided for aswell touchinge the purity off faithe and doctrine as the honestie and integritie off life and manners and also the neede and necessitie off every one particulerly not neglected Then the consistory or the Assembly off Elders which consistethe of the three first and cheefe Officers off the church Pastors