seuerall Pastors who in that age without distinction were called Bishops and Elders And of all these we purpose to speake particularly so soone as I shall haue shewed you my minde concerning the diuerse kindes of Calling to the Ministery Of ordinary and extraordinary calling to the Ministery Chap. II. NO man not lawfully called may intrude himselfe into the holy Ministery of the Church For it is belonging vnto God alone to choose his owne Ministers and to prescribe lawes vnto men by the which he would haue them chosen Wherefore there are now two kinds of lawful callings to the Ministery one when a man is called of God himselfe an other when he is ordained of men according to the lawes prescribed of God This we call ordinary the other extraordinary That which is extraordinary commeth to passe two sundry wayes and at two seuerall times namely eyther immediatly from God without any inter-meane or else from God but yet by means of his Prophet And that also is of two sorts eyther when ther was no certaine order set downe in the same matter or else when there was a certaine order appoynted for the same Of the first we haue an instance in Moyses and Aaron both called extraordinarily Moyses immediatly from God without any inter-mean and Aaron by his brother Moyses Who being so commanded of God preferred to the Priesthood Aaron with his sons and the whole Tribe of Leuy But then there was no lawe written so that from them the order and function of Leuy had theyr foundation Of the latter wee haue an example in Samuel whō God called after the order of Priesthood was receyued and confirmed amongst the people of God So was Elias the Thesbite raysed besides the common order when an order was set downe and so were for the most part al the Prophets of the olde Testament But Elizeus and others were so called of God extraordinarily that he vsed in this busines his Prophet Elias as a meane thereof So likewise in the new Testament Christ called his twelue Apostles vnto whome also he added seuenty other Disciples when as yet there was no certayn order set down for the Ministery of the Gospell But Paul and Mathias he added to the twelue after the institution of the Ministery The Priuiledge of an extraordinary calling is this that as it hath God the only autor so it hath the same God the only director of the same For alwayes extraordinary gifts do accompany an extraordinary calling in so much that they which are so called of God haue no neede to be informed of man in those things which concerne the execution of theyr charge as it appeareth in Moyses and the Prophets as also in the Apostles and Euangelists The ordinary calling is that which is made of men according to such lawes as God hath set downe for the same As was the Priesthood of the family of Aaron and the Ministery of the Leuites in the olde Testament and as is at this day the calling of Bishops and Elders who both of the Apostles themselues and also of their successors were chosen assistants for the founding of Churches and appoynted presidents ouer them being founded and so for euer so long as there is a Church are to endure As for men they haue no power not cōmanded of God to cal any mā to the Ministery extraordinarily Wherfore they are deceiued that thinke Titus or Timothy or Iohn Mark other the Apo. followers fellow-laborers extraordinarily called seing they were called no otherwise then were the other Elders and Bishops whom the Apostles ordayned ouer diuerse Churches Was there any thing in them singular or extraordinary impute not that to theyr extraordinary calling but to theyr ordinary conuersing with tutors and instructors excellent and extraordinary the Apostles and Euangelists I admit theyr giftes were rare and theyr perfections extraordinary yet notwithstanding no dispraise to any they wanted much of that manhood of strength which was in theyr instructors neither were they wiser then their teachers Neuer did Apostle giue Apostle instructions as Paul did to Timothy and Titus who as they supplied the Apostles places so they followed not theyr own but the Apostles precepts So were they at once together both schollers and maisters for as they did conforme the Churches informe theyr pastors with wholesome doctrine so themselues also were informed of the Apostles the Apostles immediatly from God and our Lord Iesus Christ So that Paul might boldly say as he sayd truely What things I haue receyued of the Lord I haue deliuered vnto you but Timothy might say with vs and we with him what things wee haue receyued of the Apostles we haue deliuered vnto you And albeit both he and we haue receyued of the Lord that which we haue deliuered to the Churches yet notwithstanding our receipt is after another sort They liued with the Lord and those things which they heard and saw and handled with theyr handes of the word of life they deliuered to the Church but Titus and Timothy and all they which succeeded taught and teach with vs such things as were deliuered by theyr hands vnto vs. Besides Titus and Timothy Paul had his fellowes and ioint laborers Sylas and Barnabas I say his fellowes not his followers his schoole-fellowes not his schollers For why they had theyr calling as he had extraordinary from God and therefore vnto them he set downe no precepts of wholesom doctrine he gaue no instructions of Church gouernement as he did vnto Titus and Timothy Where I leaue it to euery indifferent mans iudgement what difference there was betweene the calling of those and of these As for the calling of those whom it hath pleased God to rayse vp for the reformation of his Church there be many which moue manye questions and make more to doe then they neede out of the which when they can no wayes winde themselues at al aduenture they cast anker in this vnknowen coast of extraordinary calling But vnlesse I be wonderously deceyued they doe but ride in a shallow and they neede not For to oppose himselfe against a false and corrupt opinion concerning the Sonne of God or of the chiefe grounds of religion euery good Christian well seene in sacred writte both can and ought Wherefore amongst so many as God hath stirred vp to so singular a purpose as he hath stirred vp many how few I pray you haue they beene whose calling was extraordinary except a few And what then can the aduersary obiect in this case against the Church of England Or wherein can it iustly be challenged May it not defend her calling ordinary as may also many other Churches in Germany Say that irreligion hath vniuersally possest some certain Church I say ther need no calling extraordinary to recal the same The Church may be extraordinarily reformed if so it be required by them which haue ordinary autority to performe it We haue heard of many reformations in the kingdome of Iuda to the
with those which were Elders in calling whom he had about him and who gouerned the Churches vnder him but he greeueth that such graue and auncient men in yeres whome the Apostle would not haue reprooued any thing roughly should not remaine in the like esteeme with the Pastors and Elders of the Church as they were of olde For expounding those wordes of Paule to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.1 Rebuke not an auncient or an Elder but exhort him as a father hee writeth thus That in reuerence of his yeares an ancient man is to be prouoked with mildnes to goodnes that hee may the rather take warning for beeing gentlie admonished hee will be afraide least afterwards hee should bee more roughly dealt withall which were a shame for an Elder For among all nations age is honoured for which cause both the Synagogues of olde and afterwards also the Church had alwayes certaine auncient men without whose aduise nothing was done in the Church The which by what negligence it was lefte off I cannot tell except haplie it were through the sloth or rather the pride of some Pastors because they alone would seeme to bee some thing Thus much sayth Ambrose who I dare bee bound for him thought nothing lesse then that anie order of the Ministery set downe by the Apostles was nowe worne out For himselfe had Elders which did also rule the Church with him or vnder him besides that the words doe shew as cleare as noone-day that hee spake heere of Elders not in office but in age If any vouchsafe certaine auncients experienced in many thinges the senate of the Church I say not against it but this I auouch that such were they all more auncient then Iaphet are not to bee accounted among the Church officers and Elders which the Apostles ordained And I dare be bolde further to affirme that they are in no small errour who thinke that the Elders and auncients in certaine reformed Churches in this our age are of the same sute with those whome the Apostles ordained in the fourteenth of the Actes and Paule sent for from Ephesus in the twentie chapter Whose order and office is described at large in the Epistles to Timothie and Titus I perceiue here the reformation of the English Church appointeth in euery place certaine Church officers which represent in some sort those auncients and Elders and they are commonly called Church-wardens Notwithstanding these come short of that authority in Ecclesiasticall censure To excommunicate but if any excommunicate person shall disorderly presse into the holy assembly they are to endeuour by the aduise of the Minister to remoue him Their ordinary office according to law is this To gather collect to lay vp and lay out the rents and reuenews of the church to keepe the bodie of the Church and the rest in repayre to keepe the Church booke together with the Minister to admonish offendors and vnruly fellowes and as for the stubborne infamous and offensiue to present them to the Bishop or his deputie that vpon their othes furthermore also to note who they are that absent themselues from diuine seruice vpon the Saboth or holy-daies and to set a fine on their heads according to the law prouided in that case and also to looke that due silence and all other kind of honest seemlines bee obserued in the time of diuine seruice If the ancient Primatiue Church had any such kind of Elders they were not I am sure at any time accounted of our elders among the Elders Bishops of our Church for they alwaies made a difference in the Church betwene the laike officers and the Church Ministers In Tertullian his Apologie the Elders which wee reade were present president in christian assemblies were Bishops and Elders no temporall men vnles wee would make him contrary to himselfe who iustly vpbraided the Heretikes of that time with that fault That they prophaned Church functions with lay persons Neither are these things so spoken of me neither wold I be so taken as if I chalenged those reformed Churches that vse some such like Seniors for so they suppose as Ambrose seemed to wish for I my selfe did vse them when I supplied the place of a Minister in some reformed Churches For the tyrannie of Popish Bishops beeing ouerthrowne when as they which are indeed the true Elders doe themselues in like manner sustaine the office of a Bishop they could not well take vnto themselues the intire gouernment of the Church without some suspicion of the like if no lesse tyrannie And therfore it was necessarie for them to ioyne with themselues certaine godly men out of the whole corps of the Church for that without the assistance of their associates it was not possible for them alone to counter-checke the immodestie of bad men and to bring them into some Coram That place of Paule expounded in his first to Timothie the fift chapter What it is to labour in the worde and doctrine Chap. XIII IT neede not greatly trouble any man when Paule saith That those Elders especially are worthie double honour which labour in the word and doctrine as if it followed therupon that there were other Elders also in the church which taught not For these two do not signifie one the same thing to Labour in the worde and to Teach seeing there was no Elder ordeined of the Apostles that was not apt to teach But for as much as the measure of the gifts of Gods spirit are not alike in all for there be which haue receiued fiue talents who must also pay vse for fiue vnto the Lord there be againe which haue receyued but two To whom much is giuen of him manie things are required If the dolours Paule suffered for preaching the Gospell were compared with other mens labors we might wel conceiue how well worthy he was of greater honour then they whose labors were farre vnlike in the like labour Some enioy their office haue ioy therof in rest peace teach their people at home and indure no hardship abroad whose doctrine is determined within the precincts of theyr own precession But others there be which teach not one onely Church but the whole Church with theyr learned laboures and that not once for all while they liue onely but also a great deale more after many generations The which that they may the better performe they let for no labour they spare nor oyle nor toile nor health nor wealth nor life it selfe in that regard Besides there be that for the Gospels sake set light by the losse of friends and fauors and riches and reuenewes they ouercome daungers not to be numbred and vndergoe slaunders not to be suffered onely that they may inforce and set forewards the Gospell of Christ And such doth the Apostle seem to vnderstand in this place not euery ordinary and perfunctory Teacher that gouernes in the Church and instructeth with wholesom doctrine the people of God committed to his charge The
daies did euer either so think or write The Fathers haue testified in their writinges what they receiued of their fore-fathers that Iames an Apostle was ordained of the rest Bishoppe of Ierusalem The which thing also seemeth to haue bene done vpon iust and necessarie occasion namely for the necessary good of the Church For when as that was the mother of all other churches that the Iews resorted thither out of al the parts of the world it ought not but to haue an Apostle resiant among thē so long as might be who might resolue the brethren in such doubtes as were likely to arise among them Although indeede to pilgrime through diuers regions to preach the gospel is most properly appertaining to the office of an Apostle so that they may not abide in one place but where necessitie requireth As therefore the Apostles discharged the duty of a Bishop when as they took vpon them the particuler charge of some on special church namely when the necessity of the church vniuersall did so require neither did thinke they did anye thing therin contrarie to their Apostolik calling so likewse if that which wholy pertaineth to the Apostles be cōmitted to the Bishops it need not seme a thing either vnreasonable or not profitable when the good order of church gouernement doth require the same But whereas the Canon sayth that we should keepe the old custome not the Lords institution it may seme that the power of Patriarks crept into the church of a contrarie custome rather then of any diuine institution I answere that the canon doth not gaine-say that the power Apostolique in church-gouernment was not left vnto the church of the Apostles but that besides or aboue the rest these or they shuld inioy it as namely he of Antioch Alexandria Ierusalem Rome that indeed was of the mere custome and at the sole disposition of the church For those particular Bishops did not receiue their Apostolique power immediatly from GOD as did the Apostles but from the church and by the church the which as it is not restrained to any certaine situate places or persons citties or Bishops so neither is the autority Apostolik Who doubteth but that the Nicen coūcell or any other like to that might haue translated the Patriarkie of the Romain BB. to some other place haue giuen it to the BB. of Rauenna or of Aquiline for good cause if their had bene any The like I say of the Patriarks of Antioch and Alexandria But that the councels of Bishops had this authority they declared then sufficiently when as they made him of Constantinople com-peer in all things with him of Rome By the which also it may euidently apeare that the prerogatiue of the power Apostolique was not giuen by succession but as it was best befitting the commodity of the church by those especial cities And therfore in that the Canon giueth that to custome it doth not therby take from it the diuine institution But that I may return to the next successors of the Apostles and Euangelists Titus and Timothy and the rest whom sacred writ recordeth were ioyned with the Apostles as assistants that they were Bishops had charge of many churches the most ancient and authentike tradition approoueth the same neither are those thinges so far at variance betweene themselues as some would haue them to be a Bishop to do the worke of an Apostle or an Euangelist For this is the common consent of all the fathers that the office of a Bishop and an Apostle or Euangelist are all one onely that the office of the one is more ample and augustious Cyprian in his 10. epistle writeth thus The Deacons ought to remember the Lord himself did chuse Apostles that is Bishops Prelats but the Apostles themselues ordeined them Deacons after hee was receiued vp into heauen Thus saith Cyprian out of whose words we may learne that a Bishoprick is an Apostleship as also an Apostleship is a kind of bishopricke Herevpon the Apostle Peter in the Acts calleth the Apostleship of Iudas a bishopricke And in like maner speaketh Augustine For no man is ignorant saith he that our Sauior ordeined bishops in the church For before he ascended into heuen he layd his hands vpon his Apostles made them bisheps And Ambrose vpon that in the 4. to the Ephesians some were giuen to the church Apostles writeth thus The Apostles are BB. but the Prophets are expounders of the scriptures which may now be called Priests For in a BB all the orders are contained becaus he is first a priest who is chiefe of ths priests and a Prophet an Euangelist to the furnishing of the rest of the offices of the church Theodoret also vpō the 1. to Tim. cap. 3. saith thus Of old they called the same men Priests and BB. but those that are now called BB. they then called Apostles but long since they left the name of Apostles to thē which were indeed apostles but the additiō of BB. they imposed vpon such as of old were called Apostles so was Epaphroditus the Apostle of the Philip so Titus of the Cretensians Timothy of Asia All the fathers which succeeded the Apostles were not of opinion that the forme of gouernement they had receiued of the Apostles should euer haue bene altered or exauterate the which verelye they could neuer haue perswaded themselues had they knowen that the gouernement of Titus and Timothie had bene but Temporarie and Extraordinarie But is it credible nay is it possible that Timothie Titus and others vnto whome the like prouince was demised should be ignoraunt of this themselues Augustine expounding that in the 44. Psalme Instead of thy Fathers thou shalt haue children sheweth that our Bishoppes inherited the Apostles as children their fathers And were it not a point of frontles and vngracious in solencie to deny that our fathers had their Bishops and Prelats euen from the Apostles times and a part of needles and superfluous diligence to proue a thing so manifest I might easilie and would willingly staie vpon the citing summoning of many more fathers vntil we were fully compassed with a cloud of witnesses But this is not the question but rather it is nowe doubted whether the ordinance of Bishops bee of God or of men as an order that slipt into the church rather of humaine custome then diuine cōstitution Wherfore of things confessed granted let vs decide and determin things doubted and in question That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apolique tradition Chap. XXI THere is nothing more certaine then this That the Apostles ordained nothing in the Church which they receiued not of the Lord. But they created Bishops as Titus and Timothie wheresoeuer need was in the Church And indeed had not the Apostles created Bishops as they dispersed themselues thorough out the whole worlde how could euer the calling of Bishoppes haue bene so vniuersallie approoued by so general an assent of all
they are able to say for themselues and to gaine-say their accusers onely I lament that the antique order of church gouernement of great and long esteeme with our fore-fathers should be negligentlie lost or violently taken from vs and I feare me greatly least in the infelicitie of this age it be vtterly taken from vs. For who seeeth not and greeueth not to see how men are set together vpon mischiefe euen to reduce the whole Ministerie of the church to the bare Ministerie of the word But this our present controuersie can by no meanes better bee decided then by conferring the orders of the Ministery in that order as they were ordained of God and deliuered of the Apostles according to their singular degrees and seuerall seasons as they were then in vse So shall we easily learne what order is consonant to the word of God and what dissonant the which that I may the better performe there are two thinges which affoord me fit ingresse thereunto The first is the first institution of those seuerall orders The second is that one place of S. Paule to the Ephesians the fourth chapter where he setteth downe the diuerse Ministeries of the church distributed into their seuerall degrees Wherein the first place are inuested as the chiefe Patrons and first Patriarches of the gospel Apostles in the second Prophets in the third Euangelistes in the fourth Pastors and Doctors Of all the which we are now to discourse in their due order And albeit Paul seeme to write of the functions giuen to the church after the Assention of Christ Notwithstanding wee will looke backe a little further for this matter neither will we cease our diligent persute vntil wee come to that time and place in the which Christ selected his twelue Apostles and so returne by the seuentie and two Disciples whom hee ordained also and added to the Apostles for the preaching of the gospell throughout Iewrie And albeit this discourse doe chieflie intend the distinction of Ministers yet by the way we haue somewhat to say of Deacons also For whereas the doctrine of life doth not nusle vs vppe in anie idle contemplation of good things but rather traineth vs vp in the practise of all goodnes especially of christian charitie Therefore of the Ministerie of the gospel there ariseth an other Ministery which exerciseth it selfe about bodely necessaries of this life and consequently hath imposed vppon it the dispensation of the church stocke whereby it commeth to passe that there is a twofold Ministery of the church One which only respecteth the glory of God ou souls helth An other which regardeth the procuration of earthly thinges and the preseruation of this present life After these thinges handled and set out of hand as I may in the sequel of this my trauell I wil intreat of that honor and reuerence which by the lawe of God instinct of nature and right of nations is proper and peculier to the sacred Minister And last of all against the gourmandiers of church goods I will set downe and lay before their eies the odious sin of Sacrilege with the dires and punishments accompaning the same And these three things according to the variety of their natures I haue distinguished into three bookes but because they are of some affinitie and rise togeather insequence I haue also laied them togeather in this one volume Doctor Sarauia of the diuers degrees of Ministers What the Ministery of the Gospell is and what bee the partes thereof Chap. I. ALthough this present Treatise doth chiefly aime at the inequality of Ministers yet notwithstanding I take it a good way or not much out of the way if we set on first with the definition of the Ministery that thereby it may the better appear what is common to the Ministers among them all and what is proper to euery one in his particular order Vppon diuerse groundes of the Scripture diuerse definitions may be diuersely framed but I comprise them all in one word or two of the Apostle Paul and vppon his bare word I affirme 1. Cor. 4.1 1. Tim. 3.16 That the Ministery of the Gospell is a certaine dispensation of the mysteries of God which were reuealed vnto the world by the comming of Christ Where I cal a mystery not only that doctrine of the wonderful coūsaile of God in the redemption of mankinde but also all other things which God hath annexed vnto that doctrine And those I resolue into three sortes Whereof the first is The preaching and publication of the Gospell the second is The vse and administration of the Sacraments the third is The exercise and execution of Ecclesiastical gouernment The preaching of the Gospell is a sacred Embassee in the name of Christ in the which sinners are intreated to reconcile themselues to God or thus It is the publishing of that doctrine of free pardon of sinnes which Christ himselfe sued forth from his Father and purchased with his precious death or otherwise also thus It is the doctrine of the free iustification sanctification of the holy Ghost which is obtained by faith in Christ Iesus Many other definitiōs might be added were it not that I delight to be briefe Of these if you couceiue what the Gospel is and the preaching therof it sufficeth I am satisfied To the second part of this ministery do appertaine the commands of the Lord to baptise the faithfull and to administer the Lords Supper Mat. 16.19 and 18.18 But to the third part which is of gouernmēt is reserued the power of the keies of heauē the preheminence of binding losing vpon earth And this authority hath two branches whereof the one cōpriseth the Ordaining of Ministers the other cōprehendeth the Censure of maners Act. 14.13 By this power the Apostles ordained Bishops and Elders in the church vnto whom they demised their authority that all things might be done duely and decently and that good order might be mantayned in the Church of Christ In the assurance of this power the Apostle deliuereth vnto Sathan the stiffe necked and selfe willed enemies of the truth of this power in his Epistles he many times inter serteth imperious menaces with gentle admonitions But of this matter there is some controuersie in these daies haue you not heard of it neither did our fathers For there be some of strange opinion but strongly opinionat that the whole Cēsure of maners is to be set ouer to the Magistrate and how so because it appertayneth to his duty to take care for good order and publicke honesty and to take punishment of disordered persons pernicious offēces But to the Pastor vnder a christian Magistrat no such matter Let him only teach vertue and taxe vice and administer the Sacraments hand ouer head In deed he may admonish al men to proue thēselues before they eat of that bread and drinke of that cup to the which if they do obay it is so much the better but if not yet
which neyther ciuill Magistrate was ordayned more then ordinary nor nouell Priesthood Did not the Priests themselues which before were defiled with foule Idolatry purify the Temple the people and thēselues together from foule Idolatry And at this day if the Bishops of the French Churches would redeeme themselues from the Popes tiranny and sweepe theyr Churches cleane of all error and Idolatry what need should they haue of any other calling then that which they haue The like I affirme of all other Churches in what part of the world soeuer which through the iniquity of these dayes and the subtilty of the ennemy are inuolued and ouercast with the most daungerous mists of error and ignorance If they please to send for our Countreymen and vse theyr counsel they may but if otherwise they will not they are to vsurpe no authority ouer theyr Churches but rather to reioyce and congratulate with them for theyr conuersion making profer vnto them of theyr company and theyr countenance Of the twelue Apostles Chap. III. THe twelue which were the first preachers of the Gospell were chosen of the Lorde himselfe With them he deyned familiarly to conuerse and friendly to acquaint with all his counsels which according to the time they were capiable of that afterwards they might the better testify of those thinges which they both saw heard Theyr first prouince extended not it selfe beyond the confines of Iewry for they were then forbidden to goe into the way of the Samaritanes or to enter into the streetes of the Gentiles And in this theyr first circuit the Lord vnto the office of preaching ioyned the power of Baptisme and the working of miracles But so long as no end was imposed vnto the ceremonies of the olde Church neyther yet the order of Aarons priesthood was abrogated they founded no particular Churches but retained company and communion with the rest of the Iewes in such things as concerned the seruice of God But what the peculiar office of the Apostles was is easely vnderstood by the commaunds which our Sauiour gaue them after his resurrection and also by those promises which he made in Iohn concerning the comforter which he would send them after his ascention In the last of Mathew these are the words of our Sauiour to his Disciples Al power saith he is giuen to me in Heauen and in earth Goe therefore and teach al nations baptising them in the name of the Father and the Sonne and the holy Ghost Teaching them to obserue al things what so euer I haue commaunded you And behold I am with you vntill the end of the world In which words the chiefe parts of theyr Apostolique function are thus to be discerned The first is that Legacy which is immediatly giuen them of God vnto all nations and not restrayned within any limitte an other is the publication of that doctrine which they receiued of the Lord the third is the administration of those Sacraments which were instituted of God the last is the protestation of that especiall aide which albeit generally it concern the whole church yet particularly it respecteth the Apostles them selues Likewise in the fourteenth and sixteenth of Iohn the gift of the holy Ghost is promised vnto them for the better performance of their Apostolike function And that was it which did so moderate theyr tongue and theyr talk as that they should vtter no doctrine of theyr owne but of theyr maister Christ And albeit the commission of teaching with the power of working miracles were graunted out vnto others also yet this alwaies remayned proper to the Apostles and intire to theyr calling that theyr onely doctrine was a paragon and a patterne by the which al others doctrine was to be tried And also that they alone in the beginnings of the Church conferred the holy Ghost vnder a visible signe by the laying on of handes as it is in the eight of the Actes and the seuenteenth verse Wherefore as Moyses had God the first author of the law so was it requisit the Apostles should haue the same ground of theyr cōsecration that the foundation of the Church might be layd sure and indefeyseble As for the authority of the Apostles among themselues it was one and the same and theyr honour alike there was no ods between them but that which eyther gifts or grauity did make And albeit Peter be euery where called the first yet was that primacy in the order only of his vocation not in the preheminence of his commission For if so bee that out of those words of the Lord Thou art Peter and vppon this rocke will I builde my Church and such other like the Apostles had conceyued any especiall authority committed to Peter they would neuer haue moued the question twise after that which of them should seeme the greatest And albeit the Lord vouchsafed Peter Iames and Iohn the participation of some greater secrets yet notwithstanding he bare himselfe so indifferently towardes them all in the donation of any especiall place as that themselues could not tell among themselues whome to prefer before his fellow But from this degree of Apostolique dignity Iudas through his treasonable and sacriligious auarice fell and into his place was Mathias inuested after the ascention of Christ and last of al other was Paul also ascribed into this holy society after a right wonderfull and miraculous manner Of the seuenty Disciples Chap. IIII. ALbeit Paul for honour sake haue placed Prophets in the second place yet notwithstanding vppon iust occasion I haue domised them to the third For that I am here to obserue not the honour but the order of theyr calling and to take them as they fall not in regard of the preheminence of theyr titles but in respect of the priority of those times in the which they were called in the new Testament Wherefore when as the Lorde perceiued that for the smalnes of the time the Haruest was great and for the greatnes of the Haruest the laborers were but few he elected seuenty other Disciples to preache the Gospell and to publish the glad tidings of peace Vnto whome albeit he gaue the power of miracles also no lesse priuiledge then had before the twelue Apostles to bee honored of them vnto whom they preached yet notwithstāding he vnited them not together with the Apostles to make of them al one order or society For yee shall alwayes read that the twelue were euer seperate from the seuenty Who in this regard seemed inferiour to the Apostles For why they were not in ordinary with the Lord as were the Apostles so that they could not be witnesses of such things as he dyd and sayd If there were any any more familiar then the rest they were but few namely two Iosephe surnamed the iust and Mathias of the which one God being gouernor of the lottery was inuested into the place of Iudas Barnabas also was appoynted Apostle-like to discourse through diuerse countryes and to plant certaine Churches who
names and titles of Apostles Euangelists and Prophets were giuen also vnto other Pastors and Doctors of the Church CHAP. VI. ALbeit by that which I haue already written it maye sufficiently bee vnderstoode whome I call by the name of Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes yet notwithstanding because those names are for good causes giuen vnto others also some what must be said of them in like maner In the Epistle to the Romains the sixteenth Chapter Andronicus and Iunius are called notable among the Apostles and out of the eight Chapter of the last to the Corinthians Titus and the brethren which were with him are called Apostles and in the Epistle to the Philippians Epaphroditus is called their Apostle The deriuation of the greeke word is well knowen that Apostles are called of sending for that they are Postes or speedie messengers sent of especiall purpose as Legates or Embassadours into diuers parts of the worlde according to this signification whosoeuer is sent as a messenger in anie busines may be called an Apostle In this sense our Sauiour himselfe who is Prince and Lord ouer the Apostles in the epistle to the Hebrues is called an Apostle But to be short this name is no where giuen in the newe Testament to any so far as euer I could learne but to the ministers of the gospell onely Amongst whome because there was great inequalitie Paule calleth those first twelue Apostles the chiefe Apostles as it is in the eleuenth chapter of the last to the Corinthians where he saith I suppose that I was not inferiour to the chiefe Apostles as it is also in the 11. verse of the 12. chapter By the which it appeareth most plainely that besides those chiefe Apostles who helde the commission of their ambassage immediatly from God ther were many other also which were in like manner called Apostles either for that they were accounted of the Apostles as fellow-labourers in their sea-apostolique or els for that they were sent as Legates in the same busines by the church of Ierusalem which was the mother Metropolitane church Among whom somtime there foisted in of their own heads certaine other iolly fellowes false Apostles whom Paul calleth false brethren and deceiptfull labourers who vnder a coppie of faire semblance could transforme themselues into the colours and companies of Christ his Apostles And these were they which sought by all possible meanes to impaire the authority of Paule as of one forsooth that sawe not the Lord in the flesh and therefore not worthy to mate and match with the other Apostles in like equipage of authoritie But doe you see their purpose Or doe you conceiue their policy By this meanes they ment to thrust Paul into the last and lowest forme of Apostles that themselues being mate with Paule might more easily giue the trueth a checke Against the malapertnes of these men the Apostle maintaineth the authoritie of his power Apostolique affirming that he was chosen apostle not by men but of God To how great or rather to how smal purpose should the Apostle haue vrged this had not the name of Apostle bene common vnto others also which were not of that company and conuent of the twelue Apostles but were sent from men and by men were not immediatly from God among whome are to bee accounted Titus Andronicus Timothie Marke and many other whom al posterity hath reuerenced and accounted for Bishops and Archbishops of the church May not the like be sayd of the name of Euangelists For who knoweth not that the same name was giuen vnto manie other besides those seuentie two because indeede they were called to the same function both vnder the seuenty vnder the Apostles True it is they had not the like measure of Gods spirite and yet according to the moytie of their seuerall talent they did much edifie the church and magnifie the foundation which the Apostles had laid And therefore are they called Apostles and Euangelists not only in respect of the sense and signification of the wordes but also in regard of the Apostolique Euangelike function into the which they were associate and assumed by the Apostles as helpers and fellow-labourers But as for the name of Prophets not only they are so called in the scriptures vnto whome God hath reuealed the secrets of things to come but they also which doe faithfullie reueile the secrets of Gods eternal truth to others and know howe to apply auncient prophesies to present circumstances In which sense all Euangelique teachers and interpreters of sacred scripture may be sayd to be Prophets Of Deacons Chap. VII IF my purpose had beene in recounting the degrees of Ministers to haue followed the course of honour I would haue set next vnder Prophets Pastors and Doctors But for as much as I haue tied my selfe vnto the order of time in the which they were first ordained of force I must first speake of Deacons before I come to Bishops and Elders for we read that they were first created when as yet besides the Apostles and those Euangelists and Prophets of the which wee haue lately spoken the Church had no Elders and reason to For when as the Ministery of the gospell according to Gods holy institution hath annexed vnto it a religious care and consideration of the poore the Apostles tooke that vnto themselues as a thing pertayning to their charge vntill the murmure and mutinie of the Greekes against the Hebrewes gaue occasion of the Deacons Election But were there not at the beginning dispensers and disposers of the common treasure When Christ himselfe kept residence here vpon earth who but Iudas discharged that pension and doubtlesse if the Apostles coulde haue performed both they woulde neuer haue giuen charge that others should haue beene chosen for that charge And yet that charge was not so wholie giuen ouer of the Apostles to the Deacons as that afterwardes they thought the same nothing at all appertaining vnto themselues Haue wee not read what Paule and Barnabas did beeing requested to bee mindfull of the poore how vigilantly they vndertooke that care themselues And therefore they thought it requisite that the men to be chosen into that charge should be men ful of the holy Ghost But doe you not wonder now that these new elects did not imploye themselues in gathering and giuing of almes onely Why men forgetfull of themselues they take vpon them the office of teaching also See how Phillip preacheth the gospell to the Samaritanes also and baptiseth them that beleeue how while Stephen preached Christ more feruentlie he is become the first martyr of Christ May we not conceiue by these presidents what the rest of them did or shall we be so foolish as to think because there is nothing writtē of the rest that therefore they did nothing or not this Of the greatest part euen of Christ his Apostles is there not deepe silence or little sayd of whom notwithstanding there is nothing more cleare then that they performed their imposed
But that churches were for a time without Priests or Elders it is more manifest out of the epistle to Titus the fourteenth of the Acts then that it can be denied But how long they were so I wil not define In this matter I suppose the Apostle had not at anye time so great a regarde of the time as of the persons and their perfections For it was not for the wisedome of the Apostles rashly to lay their hands of any or to appoint them ouer the church whom God had not anointed with those graces which are required in a Pastor of the church Wherefore when as the churches which were newly conuerted to the faith did consist but of nouices there was no remedy but they must stay a time vntill they had made triall of their dispositions and taken notice of their abilities vnto whom the church-gouernment was to be committed In the meane while all things were moderated by the vigilant ouer-sight of the Apostles and Euangelists and such as they intertained to their succours as helpers and fellow-labourers No doubt the Apostle Paul is like vnto himselfe in all his Epistles therefore it was not hap-hazard that in the Epistle to the Philippians only he saluteth Bishops Deacons in none of the rest By the which as we are put out of all doubt that the church of the Philippians had their Elders and Deacons so are wee left in suspence for any of the rest If so be as els where we are to gather of his stile the state of the church Here therefore it behoueth the reader to be very attent that wil learn to know what churches had their Priests and what not Is it likely that hee which ordinarilie accustometh to greet so louinglie in all Epistles all that hee knew to be indued with any vertue so willingly to commēd al that he knew to be of any desert in the church and also so freely to note all that he knew to be in any defect I say is it likely that of all other he would haue left the Bishops and elders vnsaluted in the epistle to the Rom. he saluteth many whom albeit he cal his fellow-laborers yet ar they no wher said to haue borne any sway in the church of Rome He remembreth Aquila the church which was in his house who was now at Corinth then at Ephesus sometimes again at Philippos neither forgetteth he Andronicus Vrbanus wherof the one he commendeth as notable among the Apostles and the other he confesseth as his fellow laborer These and all other whom hee knew resiant at Rome hee deygneth with titles of condign prayses because they labobored together with the Apostles And therefore no doubt if so be any of them had beene the proper Pastor of that Church he would surely haue taken some knowledge or made some remembraunce of it As we reade that he did in his Epistle to the Philippians of Epaphroditus and to the Colossians of Epaphras and Archippus Moreouer when Paul came to Rome we read how he was receiued of the brethren and of the Elders the which thing might euen as well haue beene there if there had beene any such Elders there as in the fifteenth of the Actes and the one and twenty also it is well noted how he was intertayned of the Elders But by these it may appeare what the state of the Church was at Rome when the Apostle did write vnto them The like may bee declared out of either Epistle to the Corinthians that I name not any other namely That they had not theyr proper Pastors or peculiar incumbents when those Epistles were written For who knoweth not that Paul did write vnto new born Churches which eyther were then but in the mould or as yet in theyr nonage Who besides Timothy and Titus Apollo Lucas Stephanus and Fortunatus Achaicus and such like whom the Apostle did send to them in common had no other Elders nor yet any other Bishop but the Apostle himselfe And although the Churches were not without order yet ther was not that order as afterwards they had when they were not set in order vnder Elders that had taken orders In meane season the Apostles Euangelists and other religious teachers did visit them by turns as theyr opportunity serued And hence is it that Paul and Apollo doe excuse themselues vnto the Corinthians that they did not visite them so often as they could haue wished The which was also very well noted of Ambrose and Epiphanius Epiphanius aduersus hereses in the 75. heresie hath these wordes When the Gospell was young the holy Apostle wrote according as the matter then stood For where there were Bishops appointed he wrote to Bishops and Deacons Neyther could the Apostles appoynt all thinges at the first In deed the greatest neede was of Priests and Deacons for by these two all Ecclesiasticall functions may be discharged But where there was not any man found worthy a Bishopricke there they remayned without a Bishop But where neede was and there were that were worthy of it there were appointed Bishops But where there was no great multitudes ther were not found among them that might be made priests so they contented themselues with one Bishop in that place c. And he addeth So the Church receiued the fulnes of hir functions for euery thing had not all things at the first but in processe of time those things were prouided which were requisite to the perfection of things necessary Ambrose vpon the 4. of the Epistle to the Ephesians writeth thus In al things the writings of the Apostle doth agree with the order which is now in the Church because these things were written about the beginnings of the Church For he calleth Timothy also a Bishop whom he had ordayned a Priest because the first Priestes were called Bishops that one going away the next might succede him Thus sayth Ambrose And therefore the writings of the Apostles are to be vnderstood according to the seasons in the which they were written In deede the Apostles layd the foundations but others raised the worke Paule planted Apollo watered And therefore so soone as with the time the Church increased and the number of beleeuers multiplyed they were not sufficing for the multitude whome the Lorde himselfe had sent for which cause the Apostles took vnto themselues fellow-laborers in the Ministery first Deacons then Priests or Elders Of whō we are now to speake Of Priests or Pastors and Bishops Chap. IX THe Apostle Saint Paul next after Euangelistes placeth Pastors and Doctors but whether he ment by them two distinct orders or but one only there is the question and that because whosoeuer is a Pastor ought also to be a Doctor but it is not so conuersiuely on the other part For it may be that he is a Doctor which not any where is a Pastor This is once that as by the three former names of Apostles Prophets and Euangelists the Apostle seemeth to note
those which had an extrordinary vocation from God immediat and not from men so by these two last names of Doctors and Pastors whether wee take them as both one or otherwise hee seemeth to vnderstand those which by men were preferred to the Church And that Bishops and Elders are those whome Paul calleth Pastors it sufficiently appeareth by that in the twentith Chapter of the Actes where Paul intertaining the Elders hee had sent for from Ephesus telleth them that they were appointed of god Bishops to feede the Church And thereuppon wee also acknowledge no Elder or Bishop in the Church of Christ that is not a Pastor or feeder For it is in the essence of an Elder his office with wholesome doctrine to feed the flocke of Christ Presbyter is a Greeke word and aunswereth to that which the Hebrewes call Zachen which signifyeth not onely an Elder in yeares who for his age is to be reuerenced but also an auncient in the common wealth who for his place and authority is to be honored yea it is a title of honour with the which the Nobles and Magistrates of the old Testament are graced from whence also it is deriued to the Rectors of the Church in the new Testament who are called Bishops by reason of their ouersight and watchfull care which is a title of work labor but the name of Pastor is a title declaring a speciall charge office so called of feeding the Lords flock with the Angel-like food of his heauenly word Albeit ther are many other titles also common to the said Pastors in the Scriptures as that they are called Stewards Presidents Prelats Guids Gouernors Ministers and such like The vertue property of which titles I will not here stand to explaine it is that you may haue else where Only I will enforce from thence such arguments as the occasion shall serue and the matter which I handle shall require In the meane time you shall vnderstande that the office of these Pastors and doctors albeit ordained of men doth not differ in kinde from that of the Apostles For the chiefe part of them both is to instruct exhort reprehend and refell the aduersaryes of the truth Besides the administration of the Sacraments a thing no lesse pertaining to Pastors then Apostles Neyther is a Pastorall ouersight disiusticed of that Apostolick authority of Ecclesiastical censure which remayneth and is requisite for the edifying of the Church For why they succeede that I may vse Hierome hys owne wordes the Apostolique order and in another place It is no easy matter to stand in Paul his place or to mayntaine the dignity of Peter now raigning with Christ Of two diueas degrees of Pastors Chap. X. BVt now for as much as there is not the same or the like proportion of charge committed to all Elders there is also no smal difference among those whom the Scripture calleth by the same name of Bishops and Elders The which seeing it must be discerned rather by themselues as they are in deede then by their names as they are called let vs alwayes chiefely regard what they are then what they are called that we may truely distinguish betweene thinges that differ not so much in name as in nature The first Elders therefore whome the Apostles ordayned were theyr fellow-laborers in the Lord his vineyard as Iohn Marke Titus Luke Timo hy Demas Siluanns and many others of whō we read in the Scriptures Al the which by the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery were created Ministers no otherwise then the rest who afterwards were placed ouer their seuerall Churches Notwithstanding that which wee read of Timothy wee conceyue of the rest and therefore that charge which was giuen vnto these was rather prouinciall then particular seeing they were the associats and assistants of the Apostles themselues But when as daily the number of the faithfull increased and the increase of Churches was thereby more and more aduaunced together as supply could be made of able men for the Ministerie the Apostles and Euangelistes or their associates installed into particular Churches particular Pastors who beeing placed in their wardes as it were should not range at large from thence but vnder the Apostles as faithfull Pastors should keep watch and ward ouer the vineyard of the Lorde And yet they were not so inuested into those their seuerall charges that the sole and whole authoritie being demised to them they should rule the Church alone and the charge thereof should thence-forth concerne the Apostles no more but to this ende were they so disposed that seeing the Apostles themselues could not bee alwaies resident in euery place there might notwithstanding by their good meanes be nothing wanting in anie place If twelue men could haue beene suffising for all Churches there should neuer haue beene leuied any newe increase of other seuentie But when they altogether could not serue to serue the turne both these and they both had need of more abettors to helpe them out withall And albeit the Ministerie of the Gospell vnder Christ be onely one as the priest-hood of the law vnder Moses was one yet notwithstanding as in one priest-hood there were diuers degrees of gouernement so likewise in one Ministerie of the Gospell there are as you haue heard diuers degrees of Pastors For haue you not seene how of the Lorde himselfe there were two degrees of Ministers ordeined of them the one was superior to the other How afterwards of the Apostles there were in like manner ordeyned two orders for to some they gaue in commission the Churches of one whole prouince and to some againe the single rectorie of one onely Church That Titus and Timothie had a superior intendencie ouer many Churches as also ouer them which were alreadie or were to be preferred thereunto it is sufficiently manifest vnto euery indifferent sense For otherwise why was hee so diligently admonished to beware that he lay not his hands vpon any man extemporie And againe to what purpose is hee so cautionately forbidden to admit any accusation against an Elder without the testimonie of two or three witnesses This therefore leadeth vs thus farre as it were by the hand that of force wee must confesse how that vnder the Apostles of the Apostles there were ordeined two degrees of Ministers they of diuers authority though not of diuers titles vnto whom albeit the Scripture for the present gaue no proper or distinct denomination yet in good time Posteritie did it wel aduised For although the names of Pastor and Bishop were commonly giuen to all Ministers of old yet presently vpon the Apostles time the name and title of Bishop was imparted as a proper addition to the first chiefe order of Elders And yet they were not destitute of their distinction by their more sacred titles euen in the Apostles time For did not the Apostles themselues grace the chiefe Elders with the title of their fellow-laborers their fellow-labourers with
verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour vsed by him not in this place onely signifieth properly great and grieuous labour And therefore they are far wide that thinke Paul meant in thys place the bare preaching of Gods word and take this to be the ods betweene theyr Elders that some teach the people others gouern only and that for a while onely and therein supplying also and applying themselues to the Ministers of the word More proportionable to those times and proper to this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such Elders are to be vnderstood as were at that present among them as Titus and Timothy and Tithitus Marke Luke and such like Paul his legates and ioynte labourers which in deede feared no daunger refused no labour wherby they might aduance and diuulge the blessed doctrine of the sacred trueth Of Timothy Paul testifyeth in the last Chapter of the first to the Corinth when as he thus writeth If Timothy come vnto you see that hee be without fear among you for he worketh the worke of the Lord euen as I doe By which we may perceiue that Timothy was not without feare nor yet without daunger neyther that without cause A while after speaking of Stephanus and Aechaicus and Fortunatus who had giuen themselues to minister vnto the Saints he sayth And bee yee subiect vnto such and to all that helpe with vs and labour After which sort I also expound that place in the first to the Thessalonians the first chapter the twelfth verse VVe beseech you brethren that ye know them that labour among you and are ouer you in the Lord and admonishe you In all which places the Apostle vseth the same word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to labour by the which he vnderstandeth no ordinary vulgar or trifling exercise but an extraordinary vehement difficult and troblesome labour And therefore Paul his meaning is that how much greater trouble and more troblesome turmoyle the Elders vndertake in their office they are so much the more worthy to be graced with the greater Honors So that Paul in these wordes respecteth the singular care of some not the single preaching of all Writing to Timothy he defineth a Bishopricke to bee a worke of the which it followeth that the greater the Bishoprick is the greater is the labour the greater is the work If he which is ouer one onely Church shall finde himselfe somewhat to doe what shall we say of them vnto whome the care of many Churches is committed So was it with Titus and Timothy and diuerse other Bishops and Elders of that order The whole sum therefore of our assertion resolueth into thus much that among the Bishops or Elders in the Scripture which gouerned Churches vnder the Apostles there were diuerse degrees in deed by what names soeuer ye please to call them of the which some were ouer one Church only and that vnder the direction of an other and some againe ouer many Churches suppliant to none of the same order as it is wel knowen of Titus and Timothy and the rest I know there are many who in the secret preiudice of their foreseasoned opinions wil not sticke to say that Titus and Timothy and the rest of that forme were Euangelistes and inuested with an extraordinary kinde of a not immitable authority To whom I aunswere that I haue heard so in deede and read it to but without reason or proofe at al of any credit For where as Paul writeth to Timothy and chargeth him that he doe the worke of an Euangelist 2. Tim 4.5 1. Cor. 16.10 it doth no more conclude that Timothy was an Euangelist so properly called then that other place of Paul to the Corinthians He doth the work of God euen as I doth proue that he was an Apostle That that order is of God which appoynteth superior Elders Bishops And that but of man where all Pastors and Elders are alike Chap. XIIII WEe haue shewed before what was the extraordinary calling and the efficacy thereof which was to bee found in Titus and Timothy To the which I adde that all auncient and autentike writings held Titus and Timothy for Bishops vnto whome the Elders of inferiour orders were suppliant and subiect In whose footings our fathers insisting which next succeeded the Apostles reteyned in vse that forme of gouernement which they receyued of the Apostles Now a dayes there bee some of this beliefe that there were onely these two degrees of Ministers left vs by the Apostles namely Pastors and Doctors who cutting short that difference of Pastors which I haue noted and casting of that auncient decency of Church gouernement which I haue proued doe christen a new a forrayne and a forged kind of Presbitery and with much boldnes stand forth to auouch that this theyr newe deuise is diuine that other continuing a lawful discent frō the Apostles time is but humaine Wherefore here beloued it is time to looke about vs. For they easely auoyd all that wee haue already auowed of the Apostles Euangelists and Pastors when they aunswere that the gouernement Apostolique was but temporanie and momentary and determined with the Apostles and Euangelists themselues long since deceased so that now there is no more any one Apostle before another But that the trueth of this question may the better appeare we must now haue an especiall eye to all those giftes which were especially pregnant in the Apostles and Euangelists that thereby we may know what was proper to the Apostles and theyr times and what common to all Pastors vnto the worlds end To which end the first thing we are to reuise in the Apostles is that theyr extraordinary calling for they had it immediatly from God then also theyr generall Embassee and commission without restraint or limitation Thirdly that in all things which concerned theyr function they had a neuer-errant director the spirite of trueth who suggested vnto them whatsoeuer they before had heard of the Lord or should otherwise be requisite for them to know And the last thing is theyr power Apostolique Of these the first three were necessary for laying the ground-worke of Churches vppon the which others should build the which vnlesse they had been semented as it were with the more sure ioynts and strongest sinewes of Gods spirite what soeuer should haue ben raysed reared thereuppon by others must needs haue reeled and ruined together with the same As for the gift of miracles I stand not vpon that seeing that was bestowed vpon many other of the faithfull also as it pleased God Of all these gifts they could communicate nothing vnto theyr successors besides the Ministery of the Gospell The which seeing it was inherent in the power Apostolique they surrendered that also to theyr subsecutors and that because it is a thing necessary not only for the increase but also for the continuance of Churches For without the word preached the Sacraments administred and the Church gouerned there can no Church well continue Wherefore as
out of fashion I meane without their Deacons and Doctors and Pastors and Presbyters as were somtime the Churches of Creet vnder the Apostle Paule Who then followed the work that was vnfinished Was there no need then of some Timothie or Titus to make perfect that which was yet not performed The Apostles yet liuing it was needfull that Titus and Timothie and diuers such others should haue a larger commission how much rather after their death Wherefore to conclude either the worke of God begun of the Apostles was altogether to bee left off or else to bee followed a fresh by those whom for that purpose they left behind them By the testimonie of Eusebius his Ecclesiasticall historie the former chapiter is confirmed Chap. XIX EVsebius in the third booke and fourth chapter of his Ecclesiasticall historie writeth thus But that Paule preaehed the worde of God vnto the Gentiles and that hee laide the foundation of Churches from Hierusalem and the confines thereof euen vnto Illyricum it sufficiently appeareth not onely by his owne wordes but also out of the booke of Luke intituled The Actes of the Apostles Furthermore in what Prouinces or dominions the Apostle Peter preached the Gospell vnto them which were of the Circumcision and deliuered the worde of the newe Testament it is plaine and euident enough out of his owne wordes taken out of that Epistle we haue truly proued to be his by the consent of all men and which he wrote to the Iewes dispersed throughout Pontus Galatia Cappadocia Bithinia c. And againe in the same place But how many and who were the true natural followers of the Apostles which were accounted able and fit men to gouerne the Churches which they had founded it is not easie to say they only excepted whō some perhaps may gather by the way out of Paul his writings For the which purpose Luke also maketh not a little who reckoneth by name the Disciples of Paule whilest he laboureth to record them in the Acts. Among whom was Timothie who is said to be the first that obtained the Bishopricke of the Church which is at Ephesus Titus also was ouer the churches which are in Creet And in the same place he saith That among the rest of Paule his companions and Disciples Crescens was one whom Paule himselfe witnesseth was gone into Galatia Linus was another whō in his second to Timothy he witnesseth to haue been with him at Rome whom also we haue declared before to haue been the first Bishop of the Church of Rome after Peter And another was Clement who was the third Bishop of Rome whom Paule affirmeth to haue beene his copartner and fellow-labourer in the Lord. Vnto which we may adde that Areopagite Dionisius by name of whom Luke in the Actes reporteth that he was conuerted to the faith after that sermon of Paule which he made in Mars street at Athens and of whom an other Dionisius pastor of the Church at Corinth a verie auncient writer doth record that he was the first Bishop of the Church at Athens The same Eusebius in the same booke the one thirtie chapter hath these wordes And besides these there were manie other of that age very famous who both immediately succeeded the Apostles and also as the Disciples of so great and excellent Maisters being adorned with many singular and diuine vertues raised a most comely edifice vpon the the foundations of the Apostles which they had well laid in all places who both amplified more fully and plentifully the preaching of the Gospell and sowed the seedes of the kingdome of heauen far and neare throughout the vniuersall world For all the Disciples for the most part which liued in that age being inflamed with a more ardent Zeale and earnest loue of the heauenlie wisedome and beeing rauished in minde with a rare kinde of desire after Gods worde executed verie exquisitely the commaundement of our Sauiour which before was giuen and to them which wanted their helpe they willingly vnfoulded all their treasures Afterwards straying farre from their owne home they performed the pensions of Euangelists and to those which had not as yet so much as heard of the word of faith they laboured with all care and constancie to preach Christ and to deliuer the Scripture of the holy Gospell Who when as in diuers farre and foreine countries they had laide the foundations onely of the faith and had ordained other Pastors and committed the care to them of those which were newly brought to the faith that they might be diligently trayned vp in the doctrine of Christ themselues departed into other regions and countries with the grace and power of God For many wonderfull powers and miracles by the helpe of the holy spirite were done by them euen vnto that day so that throngs of people beeing perswaded euen at the first hearing of the Gospell preached with readie wils enterteined and imbraced that religion and worshippe which is onelie due vnto God the author of all things Thus farre Eusebius I could alledge other particulars out of the same author and others of diuers Bishops sent by diuers Churches at diuers times to conuert the Gentiles In whome it was necessarie that they should haue the like authority with that which Titus Timothie receiued of the Apostles That some heere flie vnto their old starting hole of extraordinarie calling when they are called vppon with these reasons they haue small reason For an ordinarie Ministerie beeing established in the Church it is as badly as boldly done of them and it will proue but an euill example to others to alleadge an extraordinary calling vnlesse they could make some certaine profe thereof Wherefore if we would but a litle more attentiuely conceiue and consider what the state of the Churches was thorow out the world when the Apostles departed from hence wee should soone find that in many places they left well ordered Churches in the which there was nothing a wanting that is which had there one Bishop ouer them as were the seuen Churches of Asia vnto whome the spirit of the Lorde speaketh in the Reuelation and again we should find some other Churches as yet not finished and throughly fashioned which wanted many thinges to their perfection some more some lesse according to the time the place the plentie scarcitie of the people which had giuen their names to Christ And besides all this wee shall finde innumerable places whether the Apostles could not come where were no Churches at all But whatsoeuer or of what manner soeuer they were they were all dependant vppon the Apostles gouernment whome if no man did succeede with like authoritie it must needes bee that they were all left as widdowe Churches and Orphans which is an absurd thing to say But if wee shall say that they chaunged that manner of gouernment with the which they were acquainted vnder the Apostles how could that possiblie bee permitted without the great mischiefe and miserie of all those
citties But when as many Churches were infinitely distant from others is it not straunge that not any one Church retayned that diuine kinde of gouernement as it is thought which is adored at this day in some reformed Churches Doubtles Churches so diuerse and distant could not but greatly differ in things indifferent where there was no certaynty sette downe by the Apostles And therefore this could not bee without a miracle of eyther part Namely that eyther they should so vniuersally consort in this one gouernement if it were not receiued by tradition frō the Apostles or that with so generall a consent they should alter the same if it were For all the world knoweth that in all the world the gouernment was one and the same for all the world This is without question and beyond all exception that all the auncient autentike fathers so many as held the right faith were of this beliefe that in this onely plot they did follow the Apostolique tradition and diuine institution Ireneus in his thirde booke the third Chapter against Heresies writeth thus It is easie for all men to see that will see the truth the auncient tradition of the Apostles in the Church through the whole worlde and we can recken vp those which were ordayned Bishops of the Apostles themselues and theyr successors also euen vnto our selues which neyther taught nor knew any such thing as these men doate of Out of the which it appeareth That what thing was receyued in al Churches which were founded of the Apostles was an Apostolique tradition and diuine institution but the order of Bishops was receyued euery where in all Churches and therefore an Apostolique tradition and a diuine institution Ciprian in his fourth booke the ninth Epistle From whence sayth he are scismes bred and yet do breed but where the Bishop which is one and ouer the Church is condemned by the proud presumption of some and the man which is honored by the acceptance of God is dishonored by dishonest men c. The same Ciprian in his seuen and twenty Epistle according to the order of his Epistle citing that of Mathews Thou art Peter vpon this work c. he inferreth That euē frō thence according to the course of time and succession of ages the ordination of Bishops the computation of the Church doth run So that the Church may seeme to be grounded vppon Bishops and euery action of the Church to be gouerned by the same Presidents Wherefore seeing this is thus founded vpon the diuine ordinance of God I cā but wonder at som That it was the opinion of Aerius That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest which was condemned for an Heresie by the Fathers Chap. XII THus haue we heard of the acceptance of God the diuine ordinance vpon which the authority of Bishops relied as our Fathers beleeued To the which I now adde that had not the orthodoctike fathers belieued that the order of Bishops was grounded vpon the word of God they would neuer haue recounted the opinion of Aerius among other Heresies Who three hundred yeares long after the Apostles times was the first that durst affirm That there was no difference between the holy Bishop and an ordinary Priest Of whom Epiphanius recordeth that hee spake more like a fury then a man who as hee also reporteth was wont to say VVhat is a Bishop to a Priest there is no difference betweene them for there is but one order and one honor and one dignity The Bishop layeth on his hands the Bishop sitteth on his throne so likewise doth the Priest Thus sayth Aerius But of the other side Epiphanius first sheweth That a Bishop may create Priestes and that he cannot be created of Priests The order of Bishops sayth he is the begetter of Fathers for be begetteth Fathers vnto the Church but the order of Priests cannot beget Fathers by the regeneration of Baptisme it begetteth children to the Church but not Fathers or Teachers For how shoulde he create a Priest who hath not the power of laying on of hands in the election And he aunswereth Aerius for his cauels That his trifling emulation deceiued him and that he was ignoraunt of the nature of antique histories For that when the preaching of the word was but a new thing the holy Apostle writ according to the state of the thing as it then stoode And therefore where there were Bishops appoynted he wrote to Bishops and Deacons neyther could the Apostles doe all at once But they had present vse of Priests Deacons For by those two all Ecclesiasticall functions are to be performed But where there were not any found worthy a Bishopricke there the place was voyd of a Bishop but where neede was and there were that were worthy there they placed Bishops But where as ther were not many there were not many to be found among them to be made Priests and therfore they contented themselues with a Bishop onely in that place But it is not possible that a Bishop shoulde bee without a Deacon and the Apostle had an especiall care of that that he should not be without his Deacons And thus the Church receyued the fulnes of his functions according as the conditiō of time and place did require For euery thing was not furnished with all things at the first but in processe of time such things were prouided as were requisite to the performance of things necessary c. These things he confirmeth by the example of Moyses who finished hys common wealth not all at once but after a time But as of old he should haue taken a wrong course who to reform the Churche of Israell would haue taken his patterne from the imperfect and not composed state thereof So likewise at this day they maintayn but too foul an error that would bring the state of a Church well growen in yeares backe againe to the swathling clouts And therefore Epiphanius very well inferreth thus So likewise sayth he are those things which are written in the Apostle vntill the Church be enlarged vntill it come to her ripe years vntil it be most perfectly preyzed with the or-nature of wisedome by the Father Son and holy Ghost Epiphanius perceyued that there were many things wanting and that al things were not in theyr perfect temper that after a time one and the same man was not both Priest and Bishop as it well appeared by that which Saint Paul writ to Timothy who was a Bishop Against a Priest or Elder receiue no accusation without two or three witnesses He sayd not to any Elder receyue no accusation against a Bishop c. Augustine in like manner mightily confirmeth this the censure and sentence of Epiphanius who also mustereth this error of Aerius among the mid-ranke of olde confused Heresies Hierom his opinion confuted Chap. XXII THat which is obiected out of Hierome vppon the first Chapter of the Epistle to Titus namely that Bishops are greater then
Priests rather by the custome of men then the constitution of God c. I aunswere that it was the priuate opinion of Hierome consenting with Aerius dissenting from the worde of God Wherefore we are now diligently to examin his reasons for that his assertion least wee might seeme without cause to haue forsaken him These therefore are his wordes Before that through the instigation of Satan there were parts taking in the Church and the people sayd I holde of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were gouerned by the common consent of Eldres but after that once euery man thought those that he baptised were his owne and not Christs it was decreede throughout the whole worlde that one chosen from among the Priests should be placed ouer the rest vnto whome the whole care of the Church should appertaine and by whom al occasion of Scisme should be taken away c. That here he saith how that at the beginning the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the Elders I will not greatly stand with him and yet that proueth not that the Bishops were not afterwards preferred by the Lord his institution For then might we not as well say and with as good reason that the Elders thēselues and the Doctors which the Apostles created were not according to the Lord his institution because at the first the Church was gouerned of the Apostles without Elders or Deacons when as yet there were neyther Elders nor Deacons But that the Apostles themselues gouerned the Churches by themselues and some other theyr coadiutors before there were any Elders there is no man but knoweth or may learne to know out of the Epistle to Titus And likewise whosoeuer is of any iudgement or hath not his iudgement blinded may easely gather of the thing it selfe that in those beginnings while yet the Churches might bee visited euer and anone of the Apostles themselues and theyr associats so long it was not needeful they should annoint any other Bishops ouer the Churches the Elders might serue the turne Who also so long as there were no other besides the Apostles might likewise be called Bishops So also I confesse that there was a time when the Churches were gouerned by the common counsell of the people as in Creete before the creation of Elders and at Corinth and at Rome which afterwards hauing theyr Elders as at Philipos and at Ephesus were then ruled by their more sacred counsel but yet vnder the care and ouersight of the Apostles and Euangelists Wherfore hitherto it followeth not of all this that rhe Apostles as God afforded able men did not prefer ouer seueral Churches seuerall Bishops them ouer the other Elders that they succeeding in place of the Apostles might performe those very same things which the Apostles them selues would if they could eyther haue liued alwayes or haue been euery where resident But in deede what need had they of Bishops so lōg as the Apostles themselues discharged the duty of Bishops And yet when as in the whole world the number of Churches did daily increase so that the Apostles could not stay in one place nor goe to all places of force and as soone as neede was they created Bishops vnto whome they committed that charge as were Titus and Timothy and many other no doubt with the same power and according to the same diuine institution of God by the which before they created Elders But that Hierom saith how that Bishops became greater then Elders of custome rather then of any diuine institution it hath no semblaunce of truth Which challenge I make good vppon him first from the time when he saith this custome began Before sayth he through the instigation of the diuell they began to make sects in the Church aad it was sayd among the people I holde of Paul I of Apollo I of Cephas the Churches were ruled by the common counsell of Elders c. But now those factions began vnder the Apostles and therefore that custome began in good time and the Apostles themselues for the auoyding of scisme altered if not abrogated the Lord his institution The which me thinks were more then absurde to say Our Sauiour no doubt who is the wisedome of his father knew much better then the Apostles what was needfull and commodious for the preuenting of scisme Whome as it did not beseeme to seeme more wise then their master so was it not theyr partes for the default of one Church to alter Gods institution Againe how knewe Hierome that before those scismes brake foorth the Church of Corinth had theyr Elders by whose councell they were ruled It is more likely by Paul his Epistles all circumstances considered that they had as then none especiall and peculiar Elders If any man come in and say that these thinges happened after the Apostles time and that Hierome did not so much respect the Church of Corinth as diuerse others and therefore speaketh not of Corinth but of the people who were fallen into diuerse scismes I come vppon him againe and tell him it is not enough for him to say so but it must bee proued out of approued Histories what those scisms were and how and where and when they began and how from that time this foresayd custome began We read in the Reuelation of seuen Angels the Prelates of seuen Churches of the which one was Ephesus the which as it is manifest had many Bishops before that time as were also at Philippos all which as I haue shewed were Elders also I say therefore that in the originall of the Church there was a time when they had nor Elders nor Bishops besides the Apostles themselues the Euangelists and theyr fellow-laborers as in Creete for the beginnings of all were alike Shall wee therefore say that those Elders were set ouer the Church of custome not of any diuine constitution because the Churches at the first vnder the Apostles gouerned thēselues without Elders or that after they had abused that their popular kinde of gouernaunce that thereuppon the gouernment was committed to the councell of Elders of custome Moreouer if this argument were good we might argue in like manner against the institution of Deacons and say they were not ordained according to any diuine institution because that in the beginning there were none of that order namely so long as the faithful were of one hart one soule and no man said the things he possessed were his owne but after that through the instigation of Satan the Greeks began to mutiny against the Hebrews For the auoiding of contention there were some chosen to be Deacons among them So therfore ordained of custome not of any diuine institution the which how wekely it followeth hee is but a weke man that cannot well iudge For albeit the Apostles alledge som other secundary causes yet it is most certaine the creation of Deacons did chieffy begin of that And therefore I say in like manner that albeit I should confesse
that the first occasion of creating one Bishop ouer aboue the rest of the Elders was by reason of scisme notwithstanding it therfore followeth not that it was done for that cause onely or that it was not done of any diuine institution But the occasion of creation of Bishops alledged by Hierom is a coniecture but too vncertain grouÌ„ded vpon no likelihood of reasoÌ„ that for the offence of one Church the Apostles contrary to the Lord his institution should place one Bishop ouer al the Churches which had not offended that throughout the whole world This were very hard Neyther doe wee read at any time that the Elders of the Church of Corinth gaue the occasion of this scisme but that it was taken of the people by reason of that opinion they had of their Pastors and Elders by whome they were eyther baptized or brought to the faith But for men to swell in the vanity of theyr humors with an ouer-prised conceyt of theyr Teachers as also of theyr parents and place of theyr naâ—â—uity and such like singularities it is as you know an ordinary thing among men And yet they for whose sake this scisme was set abroache at Corinth were not at Corinth so that for the auoyding of this scisme the Elders which were to be set in som better order vnder one Bishop were Paul himselfe Apollos and Cephas and such disordered fellowes by whome the people were drawen to such a singularity Without doubt me thinks this was a vayne motion and an idle conceite of Hierome as is also that which he addeth of a decree made throughout the whole world Good now let me aske him this question When or of whom that decree could be made or at least wise how or by what possible means so generall a consent could be obtained agaynst the will of the Lorde in the first ordinaunce of Elders For presently in all the Churches throughout the whole worlde Bishops were aboue Elders both in honour and authority That blessed Paul would change the Lord his own institutitutioÌ„ or if he would that he could it is not likely The other Apostles dispersed throughout diuers regions were ignorant of those thinges which were done at Corinth so that they cannot be suspected to haue giuen theyr voyces to the ratifying of this decree But that we may imagin that this scisme at Corinth came to theyr knowledge at the length that after some miraculous manner they all met together from diuerse foreine and the farthest partes in the worlde I say to imagin all this yet can any man euer imagine that for the auoyding of this one scisme they all would conspire together for the ouerthrow of the Lord his owne institutioÌ„ And much lesse could this be done after the Apostles time that all Churches should assemble and consent to alter and exautorate that which was both ordayned of the Lord and deliuered of the Apostles At the least some of them would haue still receyued the first institution But of the antiquity of this custome we will call Hierome himselfe for a witnes and we shall finde him not onely in this place but also in his Epistle to Euagrius At Alexandria sayth he euen to Heraclas Dionisius Bishops the Elders chose one from among themselues and placed him in a higher degree and named him their Bishop In like manner as if an armie should name them an Emperour And yet by the way I would not the people should here be deceaued thinke by these words of Hierome that the Elders alwaies placed one of their owne companie ouer them There are innumerable examples where the Elders being discarded the people and the cleargie haue elected either Deacons or some others which were not reputed among the cleargie By the which also it may appeare that the churches were not acquainted at all with that generall decree or that they had any such regard therof in their elections of Bishops that they must alwaies choose from among their Elders their ordinarie Bishop Yet be it so and let vs yeeld thus much to Hierome that there was such a decree made then must wee needes say that either they made the same contrary vnto the Lord his institution and so wee must also say that al those fathers al their councels shamefully erred which wee cannot saye they did in anye other thing and we haue shewed they could not do in this or els we must say that they made it in a thing indifferent neither with the institution of God nor against it but in the meere power and sole disposing of them from whome it proceeded And then what are we sillie men that we should once dare to condemne that decree vnto the which all Christendome did condescend Wherefore as before I now againe inferre that this censure was but the priuate conceit of Hierome repugnaunt to the generall iudgement of all the fathers which either went before him or liued after him And therefore when as he knew full wel that it would be obiected against him that this was but his bare censure not the sentence of the holy Scripture he assaieth to make good the same with scripture and therupon he first pawneth Paul his Epistle to the Philippians in the which hee greeteth the Byshops Deacons of that church as also the 20. of the Acts and the 1. of Titus where they which were Elders are called Bishops To the which places before I make any further answer it shal not be amisse to heare what Theodoret saith of this matter he expounding this place of Paul writeth thus they call Bishops Elders for that at that time they had hoth the names as it well appeareth in the 20. of the Acts and the 1. to Titus For with Bishops he ioyneth Deacons when he had made no mention of elders neither could it otherwise be that there should he many Bishops the Pastors of one citty by which means it commeth to passe that they were the Elders of one cittie whom he calleth Bishops But in this Epistle hee calleth the blessed Epaphrodite then Apostle for hee saith your Apostle and my companion in labour So that he manifestly sheweth that he had the dispensation of a Bishop committed to him when he had the denomination of an Apostle Thus much Theodoret Now you shal vnderstand that the error of Hierom and Aerius grew of the not different and confused vse of these titles a Bishop and an Elder as they were then in vse But when as the same thing befalleth the title of an Apostle also is it not strange that they should rather erre in the one then the other For where as Barnabas Epaphroditus and manie others are called Apostles yet no man thereby euer thought that there was no difference betweene them and the twelue Apostles but because the history of the calling of the twelue Apostles and those other which were likewise called Apostles is better knowen vnto them and more familiar with them then is that of the
a secrete consent as it were of the whole world and so that certain portions were designed for the Bishops allowance others also for the other Priests and Ecclesiasticall persons which were in ordinarie residence in euery Cathedrall Church and last of all other Priestes also were ordained by the Bishops euerie where through the cuntrie ouer parish Churches with standing titles who were by that meanes called to a perticular part of the coÌ„mon charge with the Bishop least that which was to bee cared for by all should bee neglected of euerie one as it commonly commeth to passe there is no doubt had none of the Church goodes beene taken from the Cleargie but by this meanes the poore and needie should haue beene much better prouided for by the seueral Cleargie-men of euery particular territorie then when the fourth part of the remaines of the Church goodes were imployed to their vse in common and that also with more ease and much lesse murmure But the trumperie not the pouertie of the Church Munkes and Nunnes and such others which were called religious persons purloyning that fourth part vnder the title of Euangelike pouertie which they professed haue vtterly robbed both the Cleargie and the pouertie and haue brought in a straunge and wonderfull disorder into the auncient ordering of Church goodes so that that part which of olde was due vnto the poore is now in the winding vp deuolued to the rich that I may omit the manifold abuses of Impropriations and Commendams such other shifting sacrilegious titles Ambrose in his thirtie and one Epistle the fift booke The possessions saith he of the Cleargie are the prouisions of the needie and therefore let the Churches keepe reckoning of this how many captiues they haue redeemed how many poore they haue refreshed how many exiles they haue harbored For the Church hath golde not to purse but to disburse and to releeue the necessities of the needie What profite is it to keepe that which profiteth not Augustine also in his treatise vppon Iohn the one and twentith chapter disputeth of that right which the Apostles and Ministers haue by the worde of GOD to receyue carnall things of them vnto whom they minister spirituall things They giue gold saith he and they receyue grasse And in his tenth Tome there is extant no lesse then a whole Homilie concerning the paying of tythes as of dutie Hierome also in his third chapter vpon Malachie amongst other thinges which concerne this opinion hath these wordes That which we say of tythes and first fruits which of olde were giuen of the people to the Priestes and Leuites vnderstand yee also to concerne the people of the Church who are commaunded not onely to pay tythes and first fruites but also to sell all that they haue and giue to the poore and to follow the Lord. The which so great a matter if we will not performe yet at the least lets vs imitate the beginnings of the Iewes that wee may giue part of all vnto the poore and affoord the Priests and Leuites their due honour For which cause the Apostle sayth Honour the widdowes which are true widowes And That the Elder is to bee honored with double honour especially he which laboureth in worde and doctrine the which dutie who so now will not performe hee is proued thereby to defraude and supplant God himselfe and hee is cursed therefore of God in the penurie of all things so that he which soweth sparingly shall reape sparingly and hee which soweth liberally shall reape liberally c. Many other thinges of like sort may wee read in that place to this sense But if I should repute vnto you whatsoeuer the Fathers haue written of this argument I should but repeate the same things and be tedious to the Reader in a matter of no controuersie Chap. XIII A distinction of Church goods THe goods of the Church are not all of one fort for there are some which coÌ„sist in the oblations of the people some in proper possessions some in rents and reuenewes some in lawfull fees and ancient roialties Al the which are commonly distinguished into two seuerall kinds whereof some are called Spirituall and some accounted Temporall But seeing these tearmes do neyther so fitly nor yet so fully expresse the nature of these things more proper words were to be deuised by more perfect Ciuilians For vnto that which is Temporall there is nothing in nature opposite but that which is Eternall and to that which is Spiritual nothing is contrary but that which is Carnal or corporal They therefore speak more aptly of these thinges who for the worde Temporall vse the words Ciuil and humane and for Spiritual the words Sacred holy and diuine Now albeit that ought generally to be accounted holy sacred whatsoeuer is consecrated to God and his Ministerie yet notwithstanding they cal oblations because they more nearely concerne God and his seruice more properly sacred and diuine thinges not so much for distinction sake as for that the condition and proprietie therof is such But humane and ciuil goods they account the fields and possessions of the Church for that in nature and condition they are not vnlike vnto those which other Citizens possesse and are therefore giuen vnto the Cleargie that not onely in the Church but also in the common-wealth they may be of good estate and wel able to maintaine the credit of the place and person they sustaine the which by no good meanes they can be able to vphold if in worldly welth they be so curtold and kept so thread-bare as that they cannot be in case to be as bountifull as other men Great matters are looked for at the hands of the Cleargie as hospitalitie releeuing the poore and such other thinges which Christ himselfe not onely taught but in person performed in some good sort And is it not a shame for a Bishop to exhort others vnto charitie towards the poore and needie and himselfe neither to put the same in practise nor yet to be able But least any man should thinke that this distinction came out of the Popes Mint and therefore to bee reiected he shal vnderstand by those things we haue now cited that it is the Fathers the autentike Fathers Ambrose in his Epistle de tradendis basilicis maketh mention of the collations of the people and the fields which the Church possessed Wherefore the gifts and oblations of the faithfull which they offer of their owne accord are to be accounted holy goods goâ—â—s sacred and diuine because in that case the chiefe respect is not of man but of God Vnder this kinde we comprise the paiment of tenthes and tythes also albeit there bee great difference betwene those tythes which eyther now the people pay of their owne voluntarie not constrained or haue of olde religiously vndertaken by a lawe imposed vpon themselues and their posteritie to pay vnto the Ministers those tythes which Princes gaue vnto them and laid out for them by their
D. SARAVIA 1. Of the diuerse degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell 2. Of the honor vvhich is due vnto the Priestes and Prelates of the Church 3. Of Sacrilege and the punishment thereof The particular Contents of the aforesaide Treatises to be seene in the next Pages Iob. 8. 8. Inquire I pray thee of the former age and prepare thy selfe to learne of the Fathers 9. For we are but of yesterday and are ignorant 10. Shall not they teach thee LONDON Printed by Iohn VVolfe and are to be sold by Iohn Perin at the signe of the Angell in Paules Church-yard 1591. The Contents The first Booke 1 WHat the Ministery of the Gospell is and what be the parts thereof 2 Of ordinary and extraordinary calling to the Ministery 3 Of the twelue Apostles 4 Of the seuenty Disciples 5 Of Prophetes 6 That the names and titles of Apostles Euangelists Prophets were giuen also vnto other Pastors and Doctors of the Church 7 Of Deacons 8 That the Churches in their beginnings had no other Bishops and Elders besides the Apostles them selues their fellow-laborers 9 Of Priests or Pastors and Bishops 10 Of two degrees of Pastors 11 That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuary Elders to rule onely and not to teach in the Church 12 The place of Ambrose expounded 13 The place of Paul expounded in his first to Timothy the fift Chapter what it is to labour in the word and doctrine 14 That that order is of God which appointeth superior Elders Bishops and that but of man where all Pastors Elders are alike 15 That our Sauiour by no statute repealed the supereminent authority of Pastors among them selues 16 That the forme of the Apostles gouernement did not end with the death of the Apostles 17 That the commaundement To preach the Gospell to all nations the Apostles being now receyued vp into Heauen doth in like manner bind the Church to the which the authority Apostolique is also requisite 18 That the Apostolique authority is as necessary for the conseruing and confirming as for the founding first planting of Churches 19 By testimony of Eusebius his Ecclesiasticall history the former Chapter is confirmed 20 That the authority of Bishops ouer Priestes or Elders is approued by the consort of all Churches throughout the whole world 21 That Bishops are ordained by a diuine institution and Apostolique tradition 22 That it was the opinion of Aerius That there is no difference betweene a Bishop and a Priest which opinion was condemned for an Heresie by the Fathers 23 Hierome his opinion confuted 24 Of one Bishop in one Diocesse 25 Of the names of Patriarches Archbishops and Metropolitanes 26 Of Doctors The second Booke 1 THat by a certaine Law of nature among all nations the Presidentes of Religion were esteemed worthy great honor 2 How great the reuerence of Priestes hath beene in all nations 3 What the honour of the Priesthood was among the people of God 4 Of that double honor which is due vnto those Elders which rule well and the argumentes of those which thinke the contrary 5 An answere to the arguments of the former Chapter 6 That the honour which is giuen to the Pastors of the Church is ioyned with a certaine Religion towardes God 7 Certayne other reasons confuted and the truth confirmed by many testimonies of Scripture 8 That the good examples of our fore-Fathers prescribe a Law to theyr successors 9 That the oblations of Christians are part of Gods worship 10 An aunswere to certaine obiections with the which it is confirmed that the Ministers of the Gospel are worthy no lesse honor then were the Priests of old among the people of God 11 The iudgement of the Fathers concerning the oblations of the faithfull 12 That the Church had no small reuenewes and certayn places in the which they did celebrate theyr assemblies before the time of Constantine 13 A distinction of Church goods 14 That the Prelates of Churches are not maintayned of almes but of the due reward of theyr labours 15 Of those landes which are held in fee and haue annexed with them any ciuill authority or iurisdiction 16 That Bishops and other Pastors are not forbidden to be Lordes of Fees and sometimes to vndertake secular and ciuill charges 17 What a Fee is and what are the lawes and conditions thereof 18 A distinction of Fees 19 An aunswere to the obiection that ciuill iurisdiction outward pompe and honors which are annexed with these Fees doe not agree with the simplicity of the Euangelique Ministery 20 That it is lawfull for Bishops to heare ciuill causes and to determine vppon them 21 An exposition of that place of Luke the two and twenty Chapter 22 That the Pastors of the Church for the necessity of the common wealth may attend some times vppon worldly affaires 23 That diuerse functions are not confounded albeit vndertaken of one man 24 That Dauid and Solomon vsed the aide of Priests and Leuites in ciuill affaires 25 Theyr error confuted that think no ciuill affaires of the common wealth ought to be committed to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church 26 That wher the Church is the common wealth the same man as Bishop may take charge of the Church for the Lord Iesus and render fealty and obeisance to the king as one that holdeth by faith and homage 27 An other argument against the endowment of Fees confuted 28 Of the honorable titles which are giuen vnto Bishops 29 Of the Bishops family and retinue 30 Whether it be better for Ministers to liue of the stipends of the Magistrate or rather of the oblations of the faithfull 31 The Stipendaries cald to account and confuted 32 Certain reasons why Stipendaries are disproued The third Booke 1 OF Sacrilege the punishment therof 2 What Sacrilege is 3 The reasons with the which they commonly excuse theyr Sacrilege 4 An aunswere to the reasons of the former Chapter 5 A distinction of those Church goods which the Church of Rome possesseth at this day 6 That the goods of Monasteries are not al of one kind 7 That it is another thing to come from Paganisme to Christianity then to come from Popery or some other Heresie 8 How greeuous and incurable the sin of Sacrilege is 9 Certaine examples of Gods vengeance against Sacrilegious persons FINIS To the Reader YOu will say what neede all this wast this labour might haue beene well spared For seing the same argument hath ben handled long since and of late learnedly and at large by men of our ownes what neede this foraine ayde In such aboundance of wits and writings to transport Sarauia out of Latine into English is to bring owles to Athens and to carry stickes to the wood as it is in the Prouerbe True it is the cause hath ben vndertaken long since but it was late first and of late but it was long first And the same hath ben maintayned learnedly enough if not with learning too much
are so far from turning stones vnto bread that they will make stones of bread and that which I haue done to relieue their weakenes they will account as deuised to vndermine their estate and so take that with the left hand which I proffer with the right And in deede what other thing shoulde I looke for at their hands who in lieu of my well deseruing towards them haue sought heretofore rather to cast me off with disgrace then to giue me vp with reward How desirous I haue alwaies beene of publique peace and howe zealous ouer them that layd snares for my life I dare appeale vnto God and men and yet for my good will what great reward haue I receiued at their handes but sharp reuenge or what better meede for my paines then bitter malice But no reason I should take this kinde of cruelty vnkindly seeing it is so common a case and commonly incident to me with many my betters And therefore far be it from me that the iniuries of a few though no fewe iniuries should so far preuaile with me that I should therefore lesse regard the better health of the whole Church Should I be for priuate wronges so far inraged beyond all sence and besides my selfe as to study to bee reuenged vppon many good men being offended but of a few bad fellowes After I was last called frō hence by the Belgike Churches I conuersed among them in diuers places ten whole yeares together in what time I found by aduised experience that there were two thinges of great moment greatly missed in those Churches the which I could not then without grief and cannot now without sin conceale namely That the ministery of the Gospell receiued of them by publike authority is not adorned by them with due honor And againe That wealth and worshippe in the order of the ministery is thought a needlesse thing to aduaunce the estimation thereof in a ciuill society Men that we are misconceauing is the cause of all this For now a daies for sooth no Church is thought reformed vnlesse First all Church dignities be either thrust out at the Church porch or thrust downe to the belfry and then all the Church goods be either put in the great bagge or giuen to the greedy baggage The which errour if it doe proceed as it will if it be not nipt in the head it will one day reuele not only vpon the church but also vppon the whole state a greater misery then can easely be driuen into euery common mans head To the which this also may be added that there are many of opinion and they are of many opinions That the abolishing of Bishops is not the least part of reformation and That their authority in the Church is crept in not of any diuine institution of Gods word but that which not any Church before this time did euer auouch of the onely errour and ambition of mans wit Our elders all auncient diuines for the preuenting of Scisme and conuenting the head-strong and giddy headed rashnes of many helde the prudent moderation of one in one Citty or prouince to be ordained from aboue And they knew very well that albeit the quirke of speaking for so they speak be found in many yet the art of gouerning and the rule of well ruling is knowen but of a few How great a stay a godly and prudent Bishop may bee to any troubled or distressed State auncient histories doe plainly teach present experience might make vs learne Doe you not knowe I know you are not ignorant howe that many times many things betide in a christian common wealth which require the aduise of Ecclesiastical Prelates As also where the Gospell is publiquely authorised that there are many thinges requisite for the Church which cannot be effected with out the ciuill Magistrate And how then are not they in a peeuish and a peruerse errour which either exclude the Magistrate from causes Ecclesiasticke or sequester the Minister from affaires politike silly men that they are as if either the Christian Magistrate were no part of the Church or the sacred Minister not Cittizen of the same common wealth And yet neither the Magistrate if he be Christian is to neglect the safety of the Church nor the Minister if he be godly not to regard the safegard of the state But these two the Magistrate and the Minister so long as they shal be distracted into partes and as it were diuorsed in state the one from the other and shall not take sweete counsell together like friends or not communicate in consent for their common benefite they cannot but conceiue diuers and doubtfull surmises fonde yea and some times false opinions of each others gouernement The Magistrate that keepeth fresh in memory the new broken yoke of the Popes tiranny feareth least by any meanes he should fall againe into the like though vnlike And therfore is iealous ouer the counsels and conuenticles of the Cleargy suspecteth alwaies some snare to be laid in them to entangle his liberty Of the other side the Pastors so many as are or will bee accoumpted faithfull in their Ministery cānot but be careful for the welfare of their flocke and therefore seeke by all meanes to benefite the Church and to shun those things which may preiudice the same who when they see diuers kindes of people to preuaile in the Common-wealth and they some of them open professed enemies to the Church some but suspicious and suspected fauorites few faithfull and vnfeined friendes no woonder though they dare hardly commit their cause and their credites them selues and their safeties to such Gouernours Besides they being ignorant of the common counsels how should they bee good interpreters of such thinges as are done in the Common-wealth neither can such counsels be well communicated to the common people and yet reason would they should seeing they are common If the States in the Low-countries brought to lowe estate had their learned and reuerend Bishoppes in that estimation they ought to be in euerie well ordered state no doubt with their vigilancye and moderation they might more easily haue remedied their present miseries I did complaine not without cause to see the Church goods pilde and pilferd and learned Pastors set to their stipēds Of the which some in deed do liue releeue their families though porely God knowes and some againe for the moity of their stipēds the multitude of their familiars are by no means able to keepe open shop windowes I speake not or neede not of them which are denied their wages or serue like our soldiers for cheese flemish if that they can get it But by this meanes when as to the griefe of al good men I did see the most sacred studie of Diuinity to languishe that young wits were affraid of it and old heads a weary of it Churches without Pastors Schooles wanting professors I lamented with my selfe and sorrowed for these mischiefes and those wee might easily coniect would
at the most that they may be good in their office And by this meanes that which I account worse then all the rest the beautie of the Church is vanished and that vnited force of the brethren which in placed in one Bishop who dare with confidence and may with authoritie controule the wicked in their enterprises is vtterlie lost and languished For whilest euerie one is dispised all are contemned and likewise whilest euerie one taketh care of his owne Curch onelie they altogeather neglect the good of the whole Church generallie I spare to exemplifie this your selues suppose what and where vpon I speake it But doe you not see or can you not conceiue how that many things may daily chance in the Church which concerne all Churches in common and for the which a present remedie must be had In this case no priuate man dare vndertake the cause and why he seeth and considereth that the matter pertaineth not to him or to anie one or to a few but vnto all the rest of that whole Prouince in common But whilest hee which could find in his heart to put himselfe vpon the action for the common good yet findeth many doubts in his hart and is stil affeard least either himselfe should not be allowed or that he should perform not confirmed by the rest of necessitie the time is deferred in this necessitie and needs must a further time be expected vntil the brethren may bee assembled That a Synode should bee called for euerie such matter it is both costly and inconuenient and many times also before either they could be called or come togeather either the mischief that was feared would be receiued or the occasion that was profered would be ouer-passed whereby the euil might ether altogether or more easily haue bene remoued Amongst you the Church-goods are rifled and ruined without anie reuerend regard of sacred or prophane as if forsooth it were religion for the Church of Christ to bee woorth one dodkin in a christian Common-wealth or as if indeed it were the onely errour of the Church of Rome that they are rich Doth anie thing remaine yet vnransackt in any of your Churches the better for those Burgreeues and Burgomaisters in whose handes it is As for your selues there is not so much as one mite left to bee at your disposing you that stand so much in your ownlight and haue put out two lights with your too much lightnes can you put out mine with an half penie alas good souls if you were euerie one pore yet might you be all rich But now it is the cōmon opinion that Pastors ought of congrutie to be poore and needie and that is so deeplie infixed in the harts of the simple peple that they can hardly be perswaded to the contrary Is it possible but by such meanes it shuld one day come to passe if they thus proceed that the whole Ministery of the Church shuld fal ether into vtter decay or wretched contēpt I was purposed if I had staied with you to haue conferred about this matter with the States themselues And verely I would haue exhorted and intreated thē that they would take some better course in this cause I would haue taught them that they had no right at all vnto the church-goods I would haue prooued and protested vnto them that whatsoeuer calamities haue befallen the Low-countries they are al but the iust vengeance of God for their sacrilege that the goods of Cathedrall and Collegiat churches and also of many Monasteries were destinate and consecrated to the vse of sacred studies And last of all I would haue informed them and confirmed to them that whatsoeuer hath varied from the first institution therof ought not to be destroyed but restored by the christian Magistrate But this my good purpose was hindered first by the vntimely death of the Prince of Orange and then also for the Earle of Leycester his sake Least I might seeme to haue attempted the same either at a bad time in the greatest tumult of the countrey or els by bad means presuming vpon the fauour and furtherance of my L. the Earle In the meane while I might greatly wonder at the error of many and they not meanely conceited towards the Gospel neither should I cease to wonder were it not that I knowe the Ministers themselues whome the matter doth more neerly concerne to bee the authours of that error But when I consider with my selfe the iniquitie of these euill daies and the bad meaning of euil men I cannot wel tell whether I might rather lament or reioyce in that their foule ouersight For albeit to haue the churches spoyled left desolat of such helps with the which it ought to be releued may bring vpon both Church and State a greater misery then many can suspect or any can auoyd notwithstanding that in the beginnings of reformation there was nor mention nor motion made for the Church-goods it greeueth me the lesse for that by this meanes the aduersarie cannot well say that we rather sought the treasure of the Church then the glorie of God For had they made anie question of the Church-goods these cauils and quarrels might haue taken some aduantage of them But now when as they esteemed of whatsoeuer the Papists possessed as of things nothing pertaining vnto them and referred all the whole matter to the moderation of the Magistrate by this meanes Suspicion it selfe could not but cleare them of suspicion So God sometimes doth vse the verie ignorance of his seruants to some good end namelie when as a truth taught out of time would doe more hurt then good Notwithstanding that which sometimes hath beene obiected can neither be denied nor defended that there were some which tooke our part in hope of the pray onely And albeit these things were not altogether vnknowen vnto the godlie at that time as their writings doe witnesse yet in wisdome they chose rather to suffer and say little to that iniurie then that in hast they should goe about to offend any And in this they did imitate Saint Paule who in the rich Cittie of Corinth had rather labour with his hands and so get his maintenaunce then otherwise to giue anie occasion of suspect to a nouice people not seene into the dignitie of his right Apostolique And shall I tell you that onely consideration was not the least cause why my selfe dared not bewray vnto euery one the silence of my thoughts And yet such was my natiue weakenes or my foole-hardie forwardnes I could not hide my selfe from my brethren and companions and some also of the Magistrats of Gaunt But I spake not then so freely as I meane to doe in this discourse For I alwaies feared as I ought to do least such as were but newly wonne to the faith of Christ might be haplie lost by my indiscreet libertie and my selfe brought into a needlesse gealosie of auarice and ambition But now seeing I am in that place and condition in the
which no man can iustly accuse me as if I sought any especiall commoditie for my selfe or desired any other thing then that which is commodious and necessary for the Church I thought it my duty to speake plainely what I thinke of the goods and possessions of the Church Neither is it enough for mee that I am heere well prouided for my selfe I wish the like vnto my brethren And although I may iustlie complain my self to be iniuriouslie forsaken of you whom I ought to haue found the chief Patrons of mine innocency yet notwithstāding my loue and my Zeale both towards the Church and also vnto you-wards is not therefore either altered or alienated And how then shuld I be lesse carefull for yours your Churches good then when my selfe was in the same ship with you VVherefore seeing we haue now sufficientlie wincked at this errour as well of the people as the Magistrate which if it be suffered will bring to the Church either a deadly ruine or a desperate mischiefe we may no longer dissemble the matter the Church it selfe must be taught hir duetie towards hir Ministerie It is a perilous pernitious thing to bequeath an euill president vnto our posteritie who shall take all for reformation whatsoeuer they receaued in the name of Reformation for what cause so euer it was done Men as you know for the most part vse rather to regard the deed then to respect the cause what is doone euerie man can tell but for what cause it was doone there are few which can conceiue or well consider I must needes confesse I haue proceeded some-what farther into this matter then my purpose was when I came first hither For that I see heere in England by the euill presidents of other Countries most men are carried away with the same errors Some streine their consciences so farre and open their mouthes so wide that like dronken men they stretch and yawne after the Church-liuings and doe euen gourmandize them already in their hopes mercilesse and bottomeles conceits And some againe while they grutch the Pastors their fields and enuie the Euangelique Bishops the riches of Romish Prelates as if it were not lawefull for vs to succeed them and not exceed them would seme to eat their hearts in garlike as they say while they eat and spit their owne gall in malice A strange opinion they hold that the place power and authoritie it hath pleased her Maiestie and the rest of the states the Bishops should reteine in this kingdome is a grant vtterly auerse vnto the reformation of religion VVherefore now what honour is due in a Christian Common-wealth to the Ministers of the Church and how forforth the same may extend is to be examined more at large But it is to be feared least some will be scarcely well pleased especially such as be ignorant of the auncient Church gouernment with this my treatise of the diuers degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell and the rather for that I haue noted in their newe-come reformation two things not to be liked of namely that the autentique order of Bishops is abrogated and a nouell kinde of Presbyters intruded The which I haue the rather noted for that the common sort of people are of opinion that not the least part of reformation consisteth in the dilapidation of Church-goods in the extirpation of Prouinciall Bishops and in the creation of Demi-laicall and mongrell Presbyters The which opinion of the people I doe therefore reprehend not that I dissallow that certaine graue seniours and godlie men should consort with the Pastors that is the true Presbyters of the Church but that they may know as they shall be taught not to mistake them for those Elders of the which in the Actes of the Apostles and in Paules Epistles there is often mention and is it not needful also to point at an error betimes least it beeing by time confirmed should not afterwardes be easilie corrected If any man shall thinke my selfe in the error or that I haue gone further then he liketh well of let him teach me that which is better I will presently alter my iudgement and giue ouer the bucklers vnto him that can do best The which I speake not as if I doubted or were not thorowlie resolued that those things of the which I affirme in this book were not assumed out of gods book For I do verely beleeue that I haue not swarued frō that rule which God hath giuen me to follow But yet if any man presume he can teach the contrary out of the word and make not the word contrarie I am more ready to attend and be taught then to teach and had rather bee ouercome then ouercome condition that that onely truth may preuaile which in truth ought to preuaile In the meane while as I haue alwaies borne and beare with such as dissent in opinion from me so long as they holde intire the Lorde Iesus so likewise in the same charity may they beare with me if I dissent from them I hartelie wish and intreat earnestly If it shall please God by the counsel of christian Princes that there may be a generall and a free councell celebrated that as it becommeth me I refuse not to bee iudge of my iudgement but if otherwise neither I can bee perswaded by others nor perswade others let vs expect with one accord the iudgement of Almightie God when euery one shal render according to the moitie of his talent a reason of his Ministerie For me to contend with my brethren after a bitter manner it is no part of my meaning If in any place my stile shall seeme more sharpe beleeue me I will not fable with you the greatnes of the mischiefe not any priuat griefe hath set an edge on it And to speake reason what reason haue I to be violent or virulent in this question Seeing whatsoeuer is helde amisse I impute it to the error and ignorance of art not to the malice or euill meaning of men The horrible sacrilege of men is not so manifest to the world as the execrable authors thereof are vnknown vnto me and it greueth me not that they are vnknowen Of whome then should I exclaime Against whome should I declaime But whereas certaine vngodly men are craftely crept in amongst vs who make a shewe of religion and would seem to fauor the Gospell and that not so much of any deuotion towards God as in detestation of all godlines I am constrained many times more earnestly to inueigh against the subtiltie and impietie of such let them be of what estate they may be if they be of that condition For neither are our owne colours cleare of such staines against whome can there bee anie worme-wood too bitter This I note that if at any time I name the Hollonders I note not the whole nation God forbid but onely those that degenerate from the naturall integrity of their owne nation But are not they so much the more worthy
greater ignominy by how much the more fondly they abuse their owne authority and the peoples simplicitie such therefore I must necessarilie and may worthelie accuse of Atheisme and irreligion the rest I cannot excuse of errour and ignorance onely Indeed error and ignorance doe sometime mitigate the guilt of the offender but neuer can it obliterate the staine of the offence It will seeme a hard matter I know vnto some that sacrilege should be openly reprehended and vnto some an absurd thing that in the policy of the Church Bishoppes should be required For there are here in England a certaine number of wicked men and I am very sorie for them who are so farre out of order with that order as if no Ecclesiasticall Discipline were to be had vnder them Amongst whome the quarrell is growen so farre that nowe they deuorce themselues from the communion of the English church as Papisticall and Antichristian and so betake themselues to their priuate and not permitted conuenticles VVhome I could doe no lesse then lightly note in this place because they seem to patronage their odious scisme and mutinous huggor-muggar by the precedent presidents of our foraine Churches O God thou knowest and themselues cannot bee ignoraunt that the first peregrine churches which were heere in England had their Lord Bishop Alasco and these which at this day are vnder the protection of the most gracious Elizabeth doe acknowledge the Bishops of those Diocesses in the which they are and to them they supply But thankes be vnto God there are others who being somewhat more milde and moderate in their proceedings doe not altogeather estraunge themselues from the assemblies of their churches but yet they haue the Bishops in emulation also and promise vnto themselues a golden worlde could they but once bring to passe that by a preposterous Alchymy of earthly pollicy they could turne gold into drosse that is Bishops into Presbiters their reuenues into annuities But to them I dare say and can foreshew that they shal bring themselues The whole state Ecclesiastik into deepe disdaine disdaine worse then themselues deserue And whereas the Lord be praised for it we haue now some good Discipline it will come to passe that then they shall haue none at all but voluntary which as soone as it is begone will be gone I omit the tumults and contentions with the which they shall first trouble and turmoyle both heauen and earth But this is plaine and I dare promise them that they which were the first authors thereof will proue their first enemies so sone as vnder these colours they shal haue obtained their desires The calamities of your present churches your selues see and suffer but from whence they arise or what is the true remedy pardon me I beseech you if I speake as I thinke you seeme not to see or conceiue at all Doe you not heare of the turbulent state of other Churches and you know what they were from the beginning Where if they had intertained for a popish Prelat a true BB. for Romish masmongers Euangelique Ministers contented and contenting themselues with the rites and reuenues of their owne Churches no doubt all thinges amongst them had continued more peaceable and prosperous aswell in Church as Common-wealth The like I affirme of other prouinces from whence is exiled the tyrant of Churches But what can be done where the mindes of men are foreseasoned with preiudice and alreadie resolued That to bee ruled by bishops and to be releeued by Tythes and other oblations of the people is a point of Poperie But may I not be so bolde to tell them and I will tell them but the truth that these and such like medicines as they go about to administer vnto the Church maladies are like to prooue but prouocations vnto further mischiefes Admit the drugs they concoct be not simplie offensiue yet is it to be considered and wise men wil consider whether the faintnes and infirmitie of the whole body of the common-wealth may abide the same Here there is need of great wisedome no lesse moderation the which as it may be in many so must it be in one which may execute the same and this is he which is not to looke ouer one part but to watch ouer all not of the whole worlde which neuer any mortall thing or could or can but of one Cittie or prouince so farre forth as the power of man may extend it self And may wee not also more saflie walke in the steppes of the auncient fathers then rashlie to step aside into tracts of our owne treading Now how you will accept of this my libertie I cannot well tell but I hope well of you and commit the whole cause vnto God himselfe This I am perswaded and this haue I learned that in an vnstayed estate it is not the part of a good Cittizen to suspend his censure of the Common-wealth nor of a faithfull Christian to suppresse his opinion of the Church of Christ For mine owne part if in this daungerous enterprise I shall obtaine that onelie which I haue propounded vnto my selfe I shall haue iust occasion to giue thankes vnto my GOD but if it fall out otherwise yet shall I haue discharged my duetie vnto my Brethren and performed my vowe to the Church of GOD. Vnto the whiche I haue hitherto thought my selfe indebted as muche as this comes vnto That a knowen errour ought not to bee ouer-slipped in the silence of mee But put case I doe smale good vpon those for whose sakes especially I haue traueiled in this duetie yet shall their remaine a perpetuall note of that notorious errour vnto all posteritie that they yet at the length may amend that in the which they haue found their Fathers to haue bene faultie London the fourth of the Kal. of Aprill Desirous of your welfare Hadrian Sarauia To the curteous Reader WHosoeuer thou bee gentle Reader into whose hands this booke shall come in any case I would not haue thy minde troubled with this discourse as if we did reuerse som graund Article of thy faith when wee doe but restore for so we holde it behofefull the graue Senat of Bishops into the reformed Churches so called Doe we crosse herein the iudgement of some late writers of great name Why then iudge you and iudge me worthie of double blame if I should be either so frontlesse or so forgetfull at least as to aduenture vpon this contradiction of mine own head suppose ye me at the least backt with the piller of truth the sacred scripture and borne out with the consent of the auncient Fathers and countenaunced with the continued custome of the whole Church What then Will you saye did they whome you cal men of name see nothing I answere they did see indeede that which I see But as they which take vppon them to repaire an old house albeit within dores there bee many pretie romes and necessarye corners which they would willinglie and might well bee
reserued yet notwithstanding when they beholde on euery side the most partes rotted and ruinated and those good partes to hang togeather by putrified and imperfect ioyntes they are in dispaire that the house can not bee well turguised except the whole frame should be ouerturned Euen so the reformers of gods house albeit they did see to their greife manye excellent things which might well and well worthie bee reserued yet perceiuing them to be either vtterly disteined with superstition or doubtfullie entangled therewith and consequentlie dispairing that they could not roote out the grounded superstition and tyrrany of the pope vnlesse they plucked vp by the roots many singular ornaments of the church in the anguishe of their zeale they cried at once downe with it downe with it euen to the ground And so is it come to pas that togeather with impietie and Idolatrie if not before them both such and so many instruments are taken away as might haue beene verie great helpes to the Church both for the preseruing of Discipline and also for the retaining of that dignitie to the Ministerie which is decent and requisite in a ciuill societie But to the purpose although in materiall thinges that which we haue exemplified before many times must be so of necessitie yet in morall causes there is no such necessity The state therefore of this question friend reader is not of thy faith in Christ or of thy souls health but by what guides especiallye and gouernours thou maist bee best lead in the way of truth and kept in the path of eternall life And vpon this point is all this variaunce For there are some of opinion that all discipline of maners is to be referred to the Magistrate and that the Minister is to be restrained to the bare Preaching of the worde and ministring of the Sacraments The which fancie of men seeing it hath neither the word of God to confirme it nor any president of our Elders to giue countenance to it I can but wonder howe so friuelous an opinion could once either creepe in or peepe out of the heads of Diuines But there are other which yeild as they ought to doe the power of Ecclesiasticall censures to those Bishoppes and Elders which are such both in name and indeede vnto whome they deny not that authoritie which God gaue vnto his Apostles and their successours the Bishops And last of all there is a third kinde of them which reiecting the order of Bishops ioyne with the Pastor certain annuall Elders vnto whome they commit the regiment or the Church and the ordering of Ecclesiasticall Discipline Thus did the Philosophers of old when it came in question what kinde of Gouernment was best Of whome some preferred the Monarchie of one and that as it is indeed they iudged the best yet others maintained that an Oligarchy or ioynt gouernment of a few was as good as the best again there were others who for a Democratie or state popular would yeeld to none of the rest And last of all there were some who to the former three added a fourth which they indifferently not equally mixed of all three and that they would make good to be as good as they al and better then any of the rest But in the meane while they considered not this that any kind of gouernment as it is in it selfe is not so much to bee considered in gouernance as is the nature and condition of them who are to be gouerned and for whose good that kind of gouernment is ordained So that nowe that forme of pollicie is to bee accounted best not which is such in his owne nature but that which is most necessary for the people the time and the place For which cause as I conceaue GOD himselfe in the secrecie of his wisedome hath not set downe vnto any nation any perpetual forme of gouernment the which it was not lawful to alter according to the incidencie of time place and persons But in the gouernment of the which we dispute the case is far otherwise for in that it proceedeth immediatly from God men maye not alter the same according to their fancies neither is it necessary For the wisedome of God hath so tempered the same that it repugneth no form of ciuil gouernment In deede where any one whole state is become Christian the gouernment happelie may receiue some kind of alteration but not such as shal alter the nature of it Were they before in gouernment diuerse and in no one thing alike nowe they consort in one and lend each other their mutuall aide Wherefore whatsoeuer other men thinke in this matter doubtlesse the Christian Magistrate in a well ordered state ought not to bee held as a priuate person either in Church or common-wealth The which distinction beeing not sufficientlie looked into hath distracted vs into diuerse errors in Church Discipline For my part and the best wil take my part I hold that the state of Bishops is necessary in the Church that Discipline is best and from aboue in the which godly Bishoppes with the not nick-named Elders do sit at the helme And yet when I consider with my selfe the badnes of these times and the badde condition of some places in the which it hath pleased God by the hands of learned and religious men to gather togeather his dispersed flocke out of the captiuity of Babilon I doe not see indeed how the true Bishops could haue bene restored In the Churches of Flanders and Holland my selfe haue susteined the office of a Pastor but shall I tell you I cannot easily tell how many impediments I there found in this busines But shal that which was done extraordinarily and partly of necessity and that but in a certaine fewe places and that but in our age onely prescribe a law to the world besides This diuorce of minds and opinions had neuer bene were it not for the tyrrany of some misrulie Bishops a nouell opinion is crept vp opposing it selfe against all antiquitie which holdeth all Bishops generally in iealousie and yet the like and no lesse suspicion is raised of our newe consistories also wheather rightlye or wrongfully I will not say Wherefore he that will vndoubtedly attaine to the certaine knowledge of these thinges indeed must bee sure that he examine and try the cause him selfe deuoyd of all passion or preoccupation of affection Many times within these sixe and twentie yeares haue I deliuered my minde vnto my friends in familiar conference though not at all times nor to all concerning the gouernment of Bishops What they would conceiue of mee for so doing I might easily coniect by others who had in like maner reueiled themselues vnto their brethren For as it happened a certaine disputation fel out between certaine Ministers concerning the same position in the which M. Doctor Villerius whose name I cannot remember without due reuerence assumed that the authority of Bishops was not so rashly to haue bin reiected But Lord how they were netled and
nestled with this as if with that one word he had vtterly ouerthowen that equality which they expected in the French churches and which they thought requisite in all Ministers O griefe to me they made knowen their griefe and pittifull complaining they complained to me thereof But what should I heere do defend him I dared not and yet I liked well the cause of his opinion least I should incur the like suspicion of aspiring thoughts But from that time forwarde that conference gaue mee occasion to search and sift out more narrowlye those matters by my selfe And that which then happened to me I doubt not but is incident to many others with me who in wisedome see also and consider that the authority of Bishops is greatly wanting in ours and al Churches There are some which can indure nor equall nor superiour I giue God thanks I can see my superiour without enuy and sustaine my inferior without contempt But now seeing I am heere in England no man can chalenge my affection as guiltie of a Bishoppricke or as if I seeke dominion ouer my brethren the calling I affect but not to be called And therefore now I dare more boldly and will more freely speake what I thinke then before I thought it requisite neither was it conuenient when I conuersed among brethren neuer-a better Yea but I may seeme in this action to sooth vp the Byshops and seeke their countenance countenance nay then must I seeke further and neuer look the Bishops in the face whose condition in this thankles age is more subiect to the enuie and obliquie of men then my selfe am And indeed if that were all and all but so little it were the part of a warie child and him that would husband his credite to make the most of it rather with safetie and silence to say nothing and with patience and pollicy to expect the issue of these things The which I dare saye I also could haue doone as well as others without displeasure to my selfe or disfauour to anie But what moued me God knoweth men may construe my fact as themselues affect but it is the Lord that iudgeth my soule Notwithstanding let the curteous Reader conceiue my meaning in few words I desire to benefite the churches alreadie and to be reformed to extirpate Scisme where it is rooted and to preuent it where it is rising He that thinketh this cannot be done by these meanes shall haue his own saying for me but yet the euent of things mother of fooles will one day make it plaine howe good and profitable my meaning was and in the meane while the Church if it beware not maye receiue that detriment which it cannot repaire The ground of our saluation is to know God whom hee hath sent Iesus Christ our Lorde and Sauiour the Bishop of of our soules But as in euerie thing which men goe about whether weauing caruing or any other craft of the which either the Citie or the ciuill Magistrate hath any care that it should bee well done there must bee a decent order kept and a diligent ouer-sight had of the works the which by how much the more curious it is by so much the things themselues doe flowrish the better and continue the longer So likewise in Religion the same order and ouer-sight ought to be had if we wil haue the same to flowrish amongst vs or to continue pure and intemerate for euer But that al men doe not agree about the maner of ordering and gouerning the Church why should that trouble the quiet of anie peace-able man Doe yee not know that the more profitable and necessarie a thing is to bee vsed the more lets and delaies are made by the enemy either to infect or els to interrupt the vse thereof Was there euer at any time anie thing so cleare and manifest among men that was out of all controuersie How then knowest thou this that thou knowest nothing Or how commeth it in question among men whether a man seeth or doth that which in very deede hee both seeth and doth Without controuersie there is no part of Philosphie or precept of Diuinitie no point of Religion which hath not bene called into controuersie This sore traueile hath God giuen to the sonnes of men that they might be exercised therein But the vanitie of mans will detracteth nothing from the veritie of anie thing And therefore goe to gentle Reader be doing with the sequell and doe well by it THE PRAEAMBLE THe surprising of the Bishop of Rome his tyrannie to whose scepter a croisier all churches and kingdomes and empires were enthralled is now of late growen so hotte that now a daies all Primacie and the name of Primacie is found guiltie not guiltie and thought worthie to bee exiled the Church of Christ wisely For by that meanes all the tyrranie of Prelates may be subdued But they are farre wide in my iudgement The Tarquines once exiled Rome the very name of King becam odious amōg them as if for-sooth with the name of those tyrants tyrannie had ceased But were they not afterwardes and then iustlie thralled and threshed as men thresh corne with more more kinds of tyranny then if they had retained still the soueraine name of Kings and their princely authoritie Neither indeed is there any tyrāny at all in the name of a King but in the nature of a Tarquine And the like wee may iustlie say in this action that the pride and tyranny with the which the Church of Christ was wearied and wasted was not in the Primacie of Bishops and Archbishoppes but in the persons which did abuse their authoritie and going beyond their commission extended the bounds of their Prouince further then might lawfully stand with the modestie and moderation of christian Religion by which meanes indeede the power of Rome is become excessiue and insupportable But shall I now vppon this bare presumption indite of tyranny the more auncient forme of Church pollicie and so many godly men or rather Gods amongst men of rare learning sincere liues and sound Religion Or shall I condemne of error those sacred and religious Synodes in the which holy men of God did ratifie that auncient pollicie of the Church which with reuerence as they ought they receiued of their godlie predecessors Farre bee that sinne from my thoughts as far as is this impure age from their perfections For albeit I am not ignorant that both Fathers and Councels may erre if they enact against the will and word of God notwithstanding it followeth not that therefore they erred in this But if so be we were thus equally affected towards others and our selues that as we know a natural infirmitie to be vniuersallie infused in the natures of all men so with all we wold acknowledge the same to be particularlie imprised in our selues also we would then more diligently search and prie into the reprehension of our selues rather then of others But now it is far otherwise with vs. Is
there anye thing in the Fathers for some especiall cause moouing vs misliked of vs By and by we haue this theoreme at our fingers end We must remember they were but men and because men may easilie erre we muster whatsoeuer we mis-conceiue of them among the errors of that age In the meane while wee neuer remember our selues that we also are but men and therfore may erre with them yea we are such men neither are we exempt from the common infirmitie of men who may then er when we thinke amisse of them and in that verie thing may wee erre for the which we condemne them This is once that against the constant and consonant conclusions of the ancient church we ought not to attempt or admit anie innouation without a plaine commission from Gods holie writ and this also I dare boldly say that whosoeuer taketh away al authoritie from the Fathers he leaueth none for himselfe Indeed it must bee confessed that the Fathers were men and that they had their wrinckles yet can it not be denied that to haue our Fathers to bee our Patrons in the principal points of faith and externe pollicy of our church things controuerted betweene the Popelings and vs is a matter of no small moment and of especiall account And albeit the vniforme consent of Gods children from the Apostles times vnto this day may not be compared with the eternall word of God Notwithstanding of right it may come in and stand for the second place The custome of gods people receiued of all Churches thorow out the whole world is in maner of a lawe sacred and inuiolable Neither is there any likelihood that there could euer haue beene an vniuersall consort of all Churches and ages without either the authoritie of gods word or the tradition of the Apostles Notwithstanding for as much as no consent no custome no auncient prescription can or ought to preuaile in the Church of Christ against the word of God Therefore those reasons are to be weighed and those Scriptures to bee examined which mooued the Fathers to intertaine and continue that Church gouernment which our newe reformers will in no case agree vpon that we may certainelie know whose is the error theirs or ours The time hath bene when no good men disallowed of Bishops and Archbishops but now in despite of the Popes tyranny his complices it is come to this passe that their very names are called into question and that of diuerse men for diuerse causes Some because they are as they suppose the deuises of Antichrist or his fore-runners thinke them vnworthie thee Church and worthie to be cast ouer-boorde Others yet more modest in some reuerence of antiquitie thinke they may be borne with all for a time although in the mean time they allow not of them vntill such time as commodiouslie the names may bee antiquate with the thinges themselues In the meane while for that they know neither can they be ignorant to what singular effect the Church of God hath bin gouerned by graue and godlye Bishops they haue not the face to condemne them openly yet because they see certaine reformed Churches of this age to be gouerned without Bishops It is enugh they haue not the power any longer to tollerat the more auncient gouernment O the regiment of Pastors and Elders passing all antiquitie our soules haue longed for thee and we haue a desire vnto thee for that thou alone art grounded vppon the Lord Iesus his institution and thou if any art wholy purified of all tyranny and ambition O but by your leaue good brethren the shadowe you imbrace is no substance neither is the plot you conceaue a priueledged place Are you so far in loue with your liuelesse Pigmalion the worke of your owne hands I know who is not hee hath reason for his why not For neither is your newe draught of straunge gouernement sufficientlye prooued by the word of God neither is it yet or can at any time bee confirmed by the example of our Elders And how should it if we should iudge aright of it seeing it was partly vnknowen vnto them as a thing insolent and not heard of and partlie condemned of them as a thing Heriticall and not approoued of Wherefore to speake the plaine truth without flatterie or partialitie I thinke of this new forme of Church gouernment as some thinke of our Bishops regiment Namely that it is but a deuise of mans conceit and there to be tollerated where a better cannot bee obtained And contrariwise that which is disallowed of some as deuised by man seemeth vnto me to bee the verie ordinance of God and the onely true gouernment of the Church as that which hath his institution from God not only in the old but in the new Testament But because it is defiled with the manifolde abuses of men that which were to be layd vppon the person is imputed to the function as if forsooth no such miscariage might befall this their nouell kinde of gouernement The Romish Antichrist with his Bishops Archbishops Patriarches and Metropolitanes hath so troubled and intangled the Church of Christ that tyranny it selfe is thought to bee masked vnder those honest and honorable titles It is most true He that is once stong of a Serpent suspecteth euery stone and once bitten of a dog is affraid of euery cur Some therefore that they might apply some remedy to this maladie haue reuersed those names and yet retained the same things and for Bishops haue anoynted Superintendents and for Archbishops generall or prouinciall Superintendents as if the controuersie were not for the thing it selfe but for names sake But wise as we are seeing the signification of wordes is variable and voluntarie when we agree in truth what neede these garboyles about termes If the formes of gouernment which are signified by those termes are contained in gods worde Is there anie reason or sense that in disgrace of those names these formes should not be retained of vs If any man obiect that in the gouernment of Bishops there are many corruptions I make no question of that So wee might cauill with the gouernment of the ciuill Magistrate hath it not his corruptions Haue they not their infirmities Yet was there neuer anye that had his fiue wits who thought that a sufficient reason to remooue those from their place that are president in the state Wherefore our question is not how the Bishops haue abused their authoritye but whether the Lorde hath so forbidden this their Primacy that there may bee nor Pastor ouer Pastor nor Bishop ouer Bishop in the outward pollicie of the Church As for the rest if any will accuse the Bishops or their Consistories either of neglect dutie or corrupt dealing no man will be their hinderance why they may not prosecute that and persecute them before the chiefe Magistrate I take not vppon mee the apologie of anie Bishop I am not so worthie they are not so weake as that they need my Patrocinie
notwithstanding most certayne was none of the Apostles Phillip likewise may be taken for one of this order and many other who laboured with the Apostles in the work of the Gospel And seeing it is so plain a case that these all were called immediatly from God and that as we read God gaue vnto his Church Euangelists who shall wee say were those Euangelists if not these Resolue then that those seuenty Disciples were Euangelists and those Euangelistes inferior to the Apostles For why they were giuen as Legats or Lieutenants vnder those graund Capitains to vndertake with like authority theyr taske and theyr turnes And yet besides these the Apostles tooke vnto them diuerse others as fellow laborers with them But in them ther was not that valour as was in those whom the Lord himselfe did choose and infuse with an Apostolike spirite We haue read of Barnabas Iude and Sylas theyr great trauel and no smal autority in the Church In which respect they came neare and were next in deede vnto the Apostles themselues But how might this haue beene if so be the spirit of God had not wholly possessed them as it did the Apostles But we knowe how that they all met that were at the election of Mathias the same day in the same place with the Apostles themselues when the Lord poured forth of his spirite a visible shape And albeit Barnabas was no Apostle none of the twelue yet can we make no lesse of him then an Euangelist one of the seuenty As for Marke and Luke albeit theyr authority in the Church were great and theyr desertes great for their perfect and well penned Histories of the Gospell yet are they not to be reputed with the seuenty Euangelistes by reason theyr calling was by men vnto the Ministery Tertullian in in his fourth booke against Marcion writeth thus Luke saith hee not an Apostle yet Apostolique not a maister but a scholler as he was lesse then his Maister so likewise was he so much the more lesse then an other for that he was follower of a lesse Apostle As for Marke Papias in his Commentaries as Eusebius reporteth in his thirde booke hath left vs this testimony Marke the interpreter of Peter wrote in deede very diligently what so euer hee remembred yet not altogether in that order as they were spoken and performed by the Lorde Neyther in deede did hee heare the Lorde himselfe neither was hee any follower of his but afterwards as I haue sayd became the companion of Peter c. VVherefore Marke did not amisse in this that he diuulged in writing such things as before hee committed to memory seeing aboue all thinges he chiefely regarded this one thing that neyther hee would omitte any thing he heard to be true neyther committe any thing hee knew to bee false Thus saith hee of him And it is well knowen that hee was inferiour vnto Barnabas also in authority for hee was his follower and in a manner his scholler as he was also Pauls and Peters and that in no other order then were Titus and Timothy And yet notwithstanding the name and credite both of Marke and Luke for their faithfull register of the Apostles preceptes is such and so reuerend as that their Gospels are recorded among the canonical scriptures and are equaled in authority with the more exquisite labours of Mathew and Iohn And reason too For in their Euangelike recordes whome had they for theyr patternes or their patrones but the Apostles and Euangelistes So that whereas the Gospell of Ma hew may seeme to bee onely Mathewes and that of Iohn to bee Iohns onely these theyr Gospels may be reputed the Gospels not of Mark and Luke but of all the Apostles and Euangelists In the which thing verily they are worthy great commendations that they sauoured no whit at all of men as commonly they doe which pen Histories but they so nearely and narrowly followed the very spirit of the Apostles and Euangelistes as if the Apostles themselues had beene rather the penners then perusers of so greate a worke Wherefore Luke is for good cause commended of Paul in the second to the Corinth the eight chapter and eighteenth verse when as he saith VVe haue also sent that brother whose praise is in the Gospell throughout all Churches But by these you may easely conceiue who were properly Euangelistes and who not Of Prophets Chap. V. AS wee reckon none in order with the twelue Paul onely excepted so with the seuenty find we not any that may be compared And albeit we doubt not that God could haue added to the 70. others also no way their inferiors yet seeing we haue no record of sacred writte to auouch the same it were hard for man to affirme that there were any such But now when as besides the twelue Apostles and those seuenty Euangelists we read of other also who in like manner haue been honoured with the first fruits of the holy Spirite by what name or title shall they be called or by what addition shal we distinguish thē from the rest Of the number of an hundred and twenty men there remayn fix and thirty stil whom seeing we neither account with the twelue Apostles nor yet with the seuenty Euangelistes it remayneth that wee adorne them with the name of Prophets For this it is which Peter doth insinuat vnto the people out of the Prophet Ioel in his Apology for himselfe and his fellowes namely That the spirite of Prophesie promised of olde to be giuen out in the later dayes was then poured forth vppon that assembly whom then they heard preaching and prophesying in diuerse tongues to theyr great astonishement Wherefore those thirty sixe men which neyther are ascribed into the company of the twelue Apostles nor yet are recounted in the society of the seuenty Euangelists were those first Prophets whom God gaue into his Church after our Sauiour was receyued vp into Heauen In which order as it might very wel be was Ananias of Damasco reputed and Agabus both of them renowmed Prophets Iudas and Sylas are also called Prophets and for that cause are they sent by the Apostles to Antioch to exhort confirme the brethren And I am of opinion that these and such like were properly called Prophets not Metaphorically seeing they did foresee thinges to come by the spirite of God and by the same spirite reuealed things secret and recondite And albeit the interpreting of the Scripture bee a kinde of prophecying yet is that kinde more proper to the Doctor then the Prophet and more truely may a man account Doctors interpreters of the Scripture then Prophets But doubtlesse God restored to his Church in those latter dayes that true kinde of Prophecy which in Israell was familiar from the beginning and in singular wisedom did erect three kindes of Doctors in his Church and gaue them to his new people Apostles Euangelists and Prophets And these were the first Elders and Bishops of the Church of Ierusalem That the
pensions with impeachable diligence The like president therefore hath bene well followed of our godlie predecessours who did also imploy their Deacons in the ministerie of the word and holy mysteries For why they doubted and that not without cause least that profitable function should become contemptible be had in esteeme as stewardish and too homely and not at all belonging or not beseeming the sacred ministerie Wherfore that they might be of greter reuerence regard in the clergy they were permitted to read the gospel to the people to minister the cup in the Sacramental symposy And at the length their autority incresed so far that no BB. wold want his Deacon yea sooner would a Bishop want his Priest then be without this Deacon But now how this kind of Deaconie deceased it is nothing to our purpose It sufficeth mee that I haue shewed what was of olde the office of Deacons I need not adde that what thinges the Apostle requireth in Deacons are in a manner equall with those he desireth in a Priest But this I maye say that by that onely one thing it may full well appeare that the office was then esteemed as a charge of no small import And therefore it neede not seeme so strange a matter to any man if some greater thing then a Church-warden-ship was committed to the order of Deacons by our honorable predecessors The which I note to this end that al men may know how the churches of old committed no absurd thing in this nor we if there be any which at this day doe immitate them when they make the Deacony a degree to a further ministerie This therefore is the fourth order of the ministery acording to the order of time and the first that was deuised of man when as yet there were no other Priestes created then those whome the Lord himselfe had inuested with his own hands Now whether this order be obserued euery where that they should bee created Deacons before they be ordained Priests I cannot tel In the epistle to Titus in the which Paul commandeth that hee should retaine Pastors in euerie citie there is no mention made of Deacons And in the 19. chapter of the Acts where it is said of Paule and Barnabas that they ordained Pastors in the churches there is nothing said of Deacons And indeed for asmuch as there are greater parts required in a Priest then in a Deacon a competent Deacon might sooner be had where need was then a sufficient Priest whose present want the Apostles and Euangelistes themselues for a time could better supply then of Deacons because the function Apostolique is further from procuring the Church treasuries then from Preaching the meere sacred mysteries With the which this also is to be considered that the necessities of the poore are not patient of any long delaies That Paule in his fourth chapter to the Ephesians maketh no mention of this order it need not greatly to trouble any seeing his purpose was not to specifie al the degrees of the ministery but only to note the especial Our Sauior himselfe taught that care compassion shewed to the poore was a most blessed worke when hee said That was giuen or not giuen to himselfe that was graunted or grudged the poore But in the reformatiō of some churches in these dais it is now no more a church office but a ciuil duty The care of the poore ouer-sight of the hospitals and widowes and orphans which was wont to be the Bishops charge the Magistrate hath taken to himselfe But vpon what occasion it first grew to this vnder the Bishop of Rome I will declare els where No doubt the Magistrate that desireth to restore the church to her first beauty will refer that function to Ecclesiasticall persons For if they shall find any corruption in them it shall be alwaies in their power to punishe the offenders and to amend the fault but it is not in the Bishops or Pastors power to doe the like if it shall fal out that the Magistrates themselues or they which are deputed by them in these affaires shall in like manner offend Ought they not to consider that the same thing may befall themselues which they feare in the ministerie No question the ministerie of the poore is a religious thing part of gods seruice Wher I find two thinges greatly to be complained of First that in some reformed churches the whole office of a Deacon is made oeconomicke rusticall and not vnlike vnto an annuall baliwick then That the order of Deaconisses atending vpon the poore impotent sick of the which there is yet some shadow remaining in the Papacie is among vs altogeather relinquished It is much to the purpose in my iudgement how and of whom the necessities of the pore be relieued in the house of God I am not ignorant indeed that the old custom of the church is growen to some smacke of superstition but this of ours which we now haue whether a Gods name wil that grow Wee are apt to fall from superstition to prophanation but to keepe the golden meane we haue no meanes It hath bene of olde the greatest beauty of the Church the greatest praise of the Pastors bountie towards the needy and mercy towards the distressed And what should I say of noble women and no lesse renowmed maids and widows Queenes and Empresses who of their earnest deuotion towards God their inward compassion towards the poore haue wholy consecrated themselues vnder their superuigill Bishops vnto this holy ministery When I looke into our churches I cannot but prefer the commendable care of them who continue in the church the true Deaconie before those who as if it were some vile and ciuill charge trauerse it ouer to men of life and profession vnhallowed and prophane For so they range the collectors for the pore among the basest drudges of the cittie But in this I pittie them that satisfiyng if not rather deceiuing themselues with the bare name they seeme not sufficientlie to conceiue the true and full nature of a Deacon Of the which there are yet many thinges to be spoken but my discourse plies it and applies it selfe to the order of Elders and Bishops That the churches in their beginnings had no Bishops Elders besides the Apostles themselues and their fellow-labourers CHAP. VIII IN the eleuenth chapter of the Acts is the first mention made of Elders in the church of Ierusalem In the which so long as the Apostles and Euangelists did thēselues cōtinue they had no need of any other elders But after they once began to be dispersed Iames their head being cut of and Peter slipt aside then they began to haue their Elders whome from that time forwards Luke alwaies ioyneth with the Apostles which were at Ierusalem but when and how and of whome they were ordained it is not read Notwithstanding this order although it was ordained in the church after Deacons in time yet is it before thē in regard
their owne titles In the which notwithstanding we find their posteritie very sparing and that for iust cause namely for that obsequious reuerence and religious regard they had of the Apostles lately deceased the chiefe instruments and ornaments of Gods Church That the doctrine of the Apostles acknowledgeth no annuarie Elders to Rule onely in the Church and not to Teach Chap. XI OVt of that place of S. Paul not well vnderstood it is in the fift chap. of the first to the Corinthians there are many now adayes which haue deuised a fond and new-found distinction clean contrary to the Apostles meaning Alâs for them hee thought nothing lesse then of anie temporall Elders to play the bugs in the Church like speciall bailyes for a spurt and be gone whereas in the whole schoole of the Apostles you shall not finde the worst Elder that is not placed in one of the two foresaid formes Generally in all Elders the Apostle requireth thus much That they be apt to teach And 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.9 that they may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improue them which say against it If in this nouell kind we looke for parts agreable to these sure I am we shall neuer finde that dumbe Elders of a yeeres grouth mute to instruct made to commaund in the Church are any where comprised in this forme As for that gouernment the Apostle numbreth among the giftes of Gods spirit it is to bee vnderstood indeed of a singular and supereminent gift For no doubt the right art of gouernment is a rare and a religious thing the which albeit there are scarse anie that will not boldly arrogate vnto himselfe yet is it truly to be found but in a few Wherefore as I rather iudge this so exquisite a gift of gouernement is to be reserued vnto the more excellent order of Elders as namely the Apostles and Euangelists and others the principall Ministers of that time as were Titus and Timothie and such other which gouerned many Churches with power Apostolike And therefore me thinkes that they of all other are farre wide who thinke so rare and singular a gift of Gods spirite ought to be impropriate to so base an order of Elders mute and momentarie which gouerne not long and teach not at all Sure I am that the Apostolike Churches and the sequel of many yeares after neuer interteined anie such kinde of aldermen for Church officers And had not the Apostles and Euangelistes and their associates sole preheminence ouer the Elders of particular Churches in the absolute authority of Church gouernment True it is I find certaine Sages and Seniours who did vsually sit in counsell with the Priests of the olde synagogue who were not Priestes but I reade not of anie in the Church of counsell with the Pastors but the Pastors And in verie deed in the Apostles daies and many ages after there were not in Esse any Christian Magistrats which could consult with the Elders of the Church in matters concerning the Church As for those Elders and Seniors whom we read to haue beene ioyned with the Priests in councell and commission they were the ordinary Magistrates of Israel which lawfully could not be sequestred or secluded from the coūsels and constitutions of the Priestes no more then at this day the Christian Magistrate is to bee restrained from the Sinods and assemblies of the Church For albeit there bee two kindes of gouernement one of the Cittie an other of the Church yet are they both deriued from one and the same author The which also although they bee executed after a diuers manner and that the one proceed of God as he is the creator and moderator of all things and the other of one and the same GOD as hee is the restorer and redeemer of mankind and each of them haue their seuerall ende also yet notwithstanding seeing the same societie is both Church Cittie and the authority of them both is drawen from the same head so likewise are they driuen to one end and come all to the same passe And of this it commeth to passe that they both haue many thinges in common which cannot easily be propounded without a common assembly nor concluded without a generall assent The Minister hath authoritie from the Lord our Sauiour to gouerne the Church the Magistrate from the same Lord our creator hath the like soueraigntie to rule the Cittie The which two diuers and distinct estates so often as they doe friendly consort together in one vnisone direct all their counsels to the same end I say so long the Cittie must needs thriue and the Church cannot doe amisse As for anie other Elders in the Church besides these of the which I haue now spoken and you heard I would to God some man would shew me which be they if there be any such Doubtlesse it passeth my cunning to finde any such Church-bugs or Burgesses in the word of God Doe you not knowe that the offices of the Church are gifts of the spirit and as it were talents of the Lord laid out to loane among men of the which there must one day an account be rendred to the Lorde I tell you it is not at the pleasure of anie seruant in the house of Christ rashly to exonerate himselfe of anie office he hath vnder-taken He that once putteth his hand to the plough and afterwards looketh backe is not fitte for the kingdome of God For my part I could neuer yet read that there was at anie time in the Church anie office temporarie if it were ordinarie I admit that Deacons may afterwards be made Ministers but that cannot be accounted a defection from the office which is the perfection of the same neither is that offfice forsaken when in the same order a higher is vnder-taken they fall not from that they were but rise to that they were not This custome Tertullian sometimes reprehended in his booke De praescriptionibus contra haereticos in these wordes Their giuing of orders is rash light and inconstant sometimes they praefer yonglinges sometimes wordlinges and sometimes recreant reuolters that they may bind them with their titles whom they cannot hold with the truth A man can neuer gaine more or with more ease then in the raunges of recreantes where the onely beeing there is to deserue pay Therefore one is to day a Bishop to morrow another to day a Deacon to morrow a Parson to day a Priest to morrowe a lay man for they giue to lay men also Church offices The place of Ambrose expounded Chap. XII THat which is alleadged out of Ambrose to confirme that kinde of Elder-shippe which some reformed Churches in this our age haue receiued is nothing at all to this question For Ambrose there speaketh of Elders in age not in office Such indeed the Bishops and Elders in times past tooke in counsel with them as did also of old the auncient Synagogue And yet Ambrose bringeth them not into any equipage
were the churches of olde planted watered and increased It is a thing better knowen and commended then that I need to repeat it or themselues to repent it Notwithstanding there be some in these daies which take vp but to shrewdly this sentence of ours as if it were some Anabaptisticall fancie when it is said that the Church hath at this day if not Apostles yet Apostolique Ministers but as for the fancie if Anabaptisticall let themselues looke to that least they take themselues by the nose For my part I would but know whether the gospel yet at this day now after a 1500. yeares be come to the eares of all Nations In the meane time let them consider howe many nations whom the Apostles neuer saw by the paines and preaching of godlie Pastors who in this labour succeeded the Apostles haue receiued the Lord Christ I will not nowe stand to tell them onely this I conclude that the commaund and commission of preaching the Gospell standeth yet in his ful strength and force in the church of God and shuld so long as there is any nation that knoweth not the Lord. That at this day there is none sent by the churches of Christ to the nations which haue not knowen Christ it is not long of the lacke of sufficient power to send but of sufficient persons to be sent or at least wise of a better zeal to aduāce the kingdom of Christ Indeed no man ought to tempt the Lord Did not himselfe forbid his Apostles to stir one foot out of Ierusalem to discharge their duty before they had receiued the holy Ghost So requisite is it that a man bee throughly furnished for so great an enterprise before he vndertake it And therefore because the iudgement of one man may be ouer-weening and deceiued especially if he may be his owne iudge it is requisite that the authoritie of the church in that case be expected But here is required an Authority Apostolique the which if the Church haue not although it haue fit men neither hath it the power to send For who can giue that to another which hee hath not himselfe Whosoeuer therefore is sent whether you please to call him an Apostle or an Euangelist or a Bishop hee hath need of the like and no lesse power then Timothy and Titus had in the like and no lesse charge This therefore is the authoritie which is assigned to the church by the Keies the which the Lord our Sauiour gaue not so much to Peter and his collegiats as to the Church it selfe so that of right it maye doe that at this daye which it could of old namely wher occasion serueth to giue in commission vnto sufficient men the publishing of the Gospell with Authoritie Apostolique That the Apostolike authoritie is as necessarie for the conseruing and confirming as for the founding and first planting of Churches Chap. XVIII BVt for as much as the power Apostolike is no lesse needfull and necessarie for the conseruing and confirming as for the planting and first placing of churches we must also haue a special regard to that For by reason as it is thought of Bishops and Arch-bishops Primats and Metropolitanes which haue succeeded the Apostles and the Euangelists there is now some controuersie moued for that And verely I haue oftentimes wondered with my selfe what it is that should make anie learned or religious man thinke that the office of Apostles and Euangelistes is ceased in the Church and that at this day there are none possessed of any authoritie Apostolike to whom the other Elders ought to supply in the gouernance of the Church and I wonder the more that there bee any that should thinke the power Apostolike a thing so extraordinarie as if it were not possible that it should be deuolued to their posteritie Indeed the Church hath not continued those names amongst vs but is that sufficient to prooue that with those titles the authority also is surceased First if a man would but well marke the latter daies of the Apostles of Paule especially he should find that the Apostolike gouernment could not possibly end with the Apostles For by those things the sacred Scripture doth testifie of Paule wee may iudge of the rest who no doubt were no lesse carefull for the good of the Church euen to their last gaspe wheresoeuer it pleased God to translate them out of this life But the second Epistle of S. Paul to Timothie indited about the last of his daies doth witnesse abundantly what an vniuersall care hee had euen then of the Churches There hee maketh mention of his fellow-labourers whereof some he had sent to goe vnto diuers Churches and some hee sent for to come vnto himselfe that beeing now readie to flit out of this life he might giue them his last charge of all things concerning the welfare of the Church and the furnishing of that building himselfe had left vnfinished This his last will and Testament hee left with them The which had beene to no purpose had the power Apostolike died with him or had the authoritie of that their legacie beene compelled within the circuit of euery particular parish For they all whom Paul there remembreth as Titus Marke Luke Crescens Tithicus and Timothie himselfe were associate with Paule in his Apostolike sea as vnto whose seuerall charge hee had demised many and sundry Churches The which if it were not free for them with that recreant Demas to cast vp and giue ouer while Paul yet liued how much lesse after he was dead Wherefore now they were made and remaine his heires as before they were his peeres of his Apostolike paines and praeheminence That the other Apostles had also their consorts and collegiats in their Apostolike charge vnto whom themselues discontinuing this life they demeaned the no lesse care of the Churches with the like authoritie there was neuer wise man that doubted of it And furthermore that their lawfull authoritie with the which they prosecuted and perseuered in the Lord his affaires could no more be extinguished with them then it was abolished with the Apostles so long as there was any church remaining But as they succeeded the Apostles so had they their successors vpon whom if themselues did not bestow the power they had receiued the Church did which is heire generall of the power Apostolike But goe to nowe let vs imagine if there can bee such a conceit that it is not so as I haue saide let vs suppose also for a while that the Apostles left all vnto Pastors and Elders of equall authoritie who had onely the charge of their seuerall Churches and their prouinces limited within the precincts of their owne onely parishes What then shall we say became of those Churches in the which the Apostles intercepted by death or they which with the Apostles did gouerne the Churches could not ordeine anie Pastors Did their death fal out so pat that euerie Church had their Pastors and Doctors and that none of them was left
Churches Of these things therefore I inferre That there was left of the Apostles Authoritie Apostolike to their successors whom they had disposed ouer many Churches and that partly for the establishing of such Churches as were throughly finished and partly for the finishing of such as were left not throughly formed and partly also for the planting of newe where as yet there was none founded And this was the cause why Paule beeing shortly to take his leaue of his life sent Crescens into Galatia and Titus into Dalmatia and sent for Timothie and Marke to make their repaire vnto himselfe Euen as the Lord himselfe being now readie to giue vp this life prouided for his Disciples in like manner the Apostles tooke great care for those Churches which were gathered and were to bee gathered from among the Gentiles otherwise how should the Churches haue receiued their so great increase after the Apostles Verely it is with teares to bee lamented that their holy Apostolike zeale is at this day so cooled amongst vs that no man so much as once thinketh of publishing the Gospell vnto Nations altogether estraunged from the faith of Christ But now seeing there were manie Churches lefte of the Apostles but newe begun and more not yet begun according to that power they had receyued of the Lord the work of the Gentiles conuersion which was begun by them was to be followed to the ende Of the which it followeth that the Apostolike power giuen of the Lord for the edifiying of his Church doth yet remaine in the Church And those parts of Apostolike gouernment as they were giuen of old to certain singular Bishops so are they to be giuen at this day where they are not giuen and so are they to remaine where they are giuen If any man desire some reformation to bee had in that kind for my part I am not against it The disposing of this power the Church hath as it alwayes had yet so as where the Lord hath giuen a Christian Magistrate hee bee not left out nor loose his part For they doubtlesse are those Seniors Auncients and Elders of the which there is so often mention in the Bible whom we read to haue beene ioyned of old with the Priests and Leuites in weightie matters for they are in stead of the whole people That the authoritie of Bishops ouer Priests or Elders is approued by the consent of the Churches throughout the whole world Chap. XX. THat which we read to be done of al Churches from the Apostles times and of the Fathers throughout the compasse of the whole earth and the same continued euen vnto these our daies I do alwaies holde as a sacred Canon of the Apostles not to bee repealed Neyther is it a smal presumption to abrogate that which hath beene receyued with so greate and vniuersall consent from the which to reuolt besides that it is in it selfe an vncouth declination of a conceit giddie and head-strong it will also bring with it a greater mischiefe and misery to the Church then many at the first will conceiue or any in the end can releeue Among the old Canons which for their antiquity are called the Apostles wee read this that followeth It becommeth the Bishops of euery nation to know who is the chiefe among them which is to bee accounted as it were the head without whose opinion these ought to do nothing of any great moment but that euerie man doe those things which belong vnto his owne parish and the villages which are of the same Neither let himselfe doe any thing without the knowledge of all for so there shall be concord and God shall be glorified through our Lord in his holy spirit This Canon a worde or two translated is renued in the Councell of Antioch in these wordes The Bishops which are in seuerall prouinces ought to know that he which is Bishop in the Metropolitane Cittie hath charge also of the whole prouince for that they which haue any businesse recourse from all places to the Metropolis or mother Cittie Wherefore it seemeth expedient that hee excell the rest in honour and that the other Bishops doe nothing of anie great moment without him according to the auncient decree of our Fathers but onely those things which pertaine vnto their owne precincts the Parishes subiect to the same For let euerie Bishop haue authoritie ouer his owne prouince and let him gouerne the same according to his owne deuotion and let him haue charge of the whole prouince which is subiect to his Cittie that hee may create Priestes and Deacons and dispose all things with iudgment besides this let him doe no other thing without the Bishop of the mother Church neyther hee himselfe without the opinion of the rest In which Canon renewed and reestablished I obserue two thinges the first is the Antiquitie of the Canon the other is That the prouince was not alwaies committed to the Bishop of the Metropolitane Cittie seeing a cause is added why Ecclesiasticall controuersies are to be presented to the Bishop of the Metropolitane Cittie rather then to any other of the which seeing the Apostles Canon made no mention the first Fathers seemed not alwaies to haue had that respect of the said Metropolis The antiquitie of this custome is sufficiently declared in the seuenteenth chapter of the Nicene councel as followeth Let the auncient custome preuaile which was in Egypt Lybia and Pentapolie that the Bishops of Alexandria haue an excellency supreme dignitie ouer all these Seeing that this is also the custome with the Bishop of Rome In like manner at Antioch and in other Prouinces primacie dignitie honor authoritie is giuen vnto those Churches But this is most plaine that if any man he made a Bishop without the consent of the Metropolitane The great Councell defineth that he ought not to be a Bishop Thus goeth the Law neither were it anye great matter to confirm the same with the Canons of other Councels and Ecclesiasticall histories But by this it may appeare what was the iudgement of all those auncient fathers concerning this matter That some are of opinion that Patriarches and Archbishops were first created of the Nicene councell or as some will haue it of the first Constantinopolitane Councell their opinion is their errour for the Nicene councell which was called about the twentie yeare of Constantine the great testifieth that it enacteth no new thing when it commaunded that the olde custome should bee continued so that it was no new thing at that time for some one Bishop to haue superiour authority ouer the rest of his brethren his authoritie being limited by certaine lawes But that some argue how that to be president ouer diuers Prouinces to haue charge of them belongeth to the office of an Apostle and an Euangelist and that one and the same man cannot bee an Apostle and an Euangelist and a Bishoppe for that these are distinct offices I may answere them that neuer yet any before these our
Elders and Bishops so commonlie called therefore this whole matter seemeth inuolued in more darke and thicke mistes of obscuritie vnto such as are not expert in searching out hidden and vnknowen histories in the acts and monuments of the Apostles For by reason of the interchangeable communitie of names they think not that there is any difference or conceiue not what it is between those distinct persons which are called by names not distinct As for exemple this name Apostle would haue deceiued him fowly that should haue gone about to haue equaled all of this name with the twelue Apostles so stands the case also with the name of Bishops for that it is in danger to deceiue if it doe not daungerouslly deceiue those which indistinctly apply that one name to the two degrees of Elders Wherfore they must know that the same name is not alwaies of the same nature and many times one word is significant as well for the general as the particuler And this must we conceiue of this word Elder that in the capacity of his signification are indifferently intertained all degrees of Pastors so that the Apostles themselues may generally be called Elders when as properly the lowest degree of Pastors is best knowen and most fitly called by that name Besides all this there is in many wordes an Etimology or proper interpretation according to the which also it so falleth out that many times diuerse names haue the same vse by which meanes not onely Elders but Apostles also may be deriued into the same name of Bishops This may very easily bee exemplified in ciuill things and names where we may wel perceiue the like vse of no lesse titles as Dukes Earles Knights Lordes and Barons all which titles are giuen to many which differ much in honour and dignitie neither is it any new or insolent thing for one mightie King to haue many meaner Kinges vnder him of his name but not of his power The like wee may say of Dukes who haue also vnder them other Dukes of whome they receiue due fealtie and homage and some Earls also as the Count Palatine of Rhene Flanders are Lords also ouer other Earles What should I speake of Knights Lords Barons which vnder the same titles haue not the same tipe of honor or autority He would be laughed to scorne of very children for his labour that should inferre an equality of their callings from the qualitie of that they are called I but will some say there is not that reason of the Ecclesiasticke ministerie and the ciuill policy I also tell them that I doe not compare office with office but name with name that all the world may see how childish a reason it is for the community of names and titles to take away the diuersity of things persons Albeit there be some new writers of this age who hold opinion that the presidency of on ouer many elders is to be abolished as a thing that hath preuailed in the church of custom vpon the curtesie of mē only that against the groūded verity of gods sacred constitution yet for al that the vniuersal consent of alchurches in the world consorting with gods word shal further with me then the opinion male-content of the heretik Aerius or the misconceited iudgement of Hierome alone hauing lost himselfe in the ambiguity of doutful words not foūd out the antiquity of the first age of the church For this is manifest out of the word of God that in the time of Iohn the Apostle those 7. Cathedral Churches of Asia had their seuen Bishops and they imposed ouer them by a certaine diuine not any humaine ordinaunce For when as the holie Ghost there conceileth nothing in the which either the Angels themselues or they which were vnder there gouernement had offended he would neuer haue passed ouer without iust reprehension so insolent and ambitious an innouation for so it seemeth vnto some as then but newly subborned and boldly brought forth into the church of God and that confronting the flat ordinaunce of God himselfe No doubt those so famous and renowmed Churches had many Elders and happely a colledge of Elders and yet the defaults of those churches were not laid vppon the many Elders but hee calleth vpon the seuerall and principall Elder of euery particular church whose autority in the church gouernment vnlesse it had bene somewhat more then ordinarie they alone should neuer haue borne the blame of that function not well performed A certaine writer of this age goeth about to defend or at least to excuse this heresie or error if you had so rather of Aerius but his reasons with the which hee would doe it are so slanderous scandalous and reprochfull against the councels and against the fathers as of truth I am altogether ashamed of them Aerius like a good honest fellowe is excused the fathers poore soules or openly accused of no small faults ambition and tyranny who seeing he bringeth nothing woorth any thing besides that we haue before touched out of Hierome I will not vouchsafe his cauils the confuting How much more christian-like modestly hath that most famous man and thrise reuerend father Zanchius neuer sufficiently renowmed for his rare learning and religion how much more like a good christian hath he written in his Confession what hee thought concerning the controuersie These are his wordes My faith is grounded chiefly and simply vpon the word of God and then somewhat also vpon the common consent of the whole Catholike Church if so bee it repugne not the sacred writ For I doe beleeue that what things were concluded and receiued of the holie Fathers assembled in the name of the Lord by a common consent of all without anie contradiction to the holie scriptures that those things also althogh not of like authoritie with the scripture are of the holy Ghost Hence it commeth that whatsoeuer things are of this sort I nor will nor dare with a safe conscience disallow them But what one thing is more certaine out of histories out of Councels out of the writings of all the Fathers then that those orders of Ministers of the which we haue spoken were receyued and established in the Church by the common consent of the whole Christian common-wealth And who am I that what the whole Church hath allowed I alone should disallowe Neither yet haue all the learned men of our time dared to disallow them for that indeed they knew that both these things were lawfull in the Church also that they all were ordeined and performed of a godly religion and to good ends for the good of the elect Besides that reason was I should haue regard of those Churches also the which although they haue imbraced the Gospell yet they retaine their Bishops both in deed and name And what shall wee say of the Churches of the Protestants also where they want not their Bishops and Arch-bishops in deed whom hauing cast their good Greeke names
into bad Latine they call Superintendentes and generall Superintendentes But where also nor those good old Greeke nor these bad Latin names are in vse there notwithstanding are commonly certaine priuate especial men in whose hands in a maner is all the authoritie Wherfore now the controuersie is concerning names but seeing we doe agree in deed what doe we contend about names In the mean while as I haue not disalowed the Fathers in this matter which is nowe in question so also I cannot but loue the zeale of our brethren who therefore were out of loue with those names because they feared least with the olde names the olde ambition also and tyrannie should bee called in againe to the ruine of Churches Thus grauely diuineth that reuerend olde Zanchius with whom I could ioyne manie more testimonies if it were needfull of the best writers of our time to confirme this matter who are either wholie of our opinion or very sparingly of the contrary But for this time lonely Zanchius shal stand for the rest least I should ouercharge this smal volume with a multitude of witnesses Of one Bishop in one Diocesse Chap. XXIIII NOw that we haue proued that gouernement of the Church to be of God in the which Pastors are subiect to Pastors and Elders suppliant to their Bishops we are in the sequele of this our discourse to see and examine Whether one Church or diocesse is not capiable of two or more Bishops at the same time of the same tipe and authoritie True it is that the Church of Hierusalem had the twelue Apostles the seuentie two Disciples with the Prophets their Bishops neither are examples wanting of diuers churches which haue had ioyntly together diuers Bishops Epiphanius writing against the Arrian heresie falling into some mention of the Church of Alexandria seemeth to intimate thus much That in that age there was this custome in diuers Churches that they might haue two Bishops at once when as notwithstanding in the church of Alexandria he affirmeth there was no such custome To the which I thus answer First that the twelue Apostles the rest remained at Hierusalem for a certaine time but they were appointed Bishops Teachers not for that one Cittie onely but for the whole world Now for the custome of certaine Citties which at one time had their two bishops what manner custome that was how rare extraordinarie it was we may sufficiently learne by that one election of Augustine who was made Bishop while Valerius Bishop of Hippon yet liued The which thing was done as extraordinarie so contrary to the decree of the Nicene councel But what rule so general that suffereth no exception It is no sin I confesse for one Church to haue many Pastors of equall power but whether it be conuenient it should bee so experience will teach Indeed of old the Bishops being of great yeares sometimes would name their successor and assume a fellow-laborer in office with them and that partly to preuent the tumults which commonly infested their elections and partly also because sometimes the Bishops being disabled by age sicknes were not sufficing to discharge their duties in their owne persons for which cause it was lawfull for the new Elect to supply the aged his place sit together in the same chaire As for Valerius the Bishop of Hippon hee beeing moued thereunto by the example of foreine Churches got Augustine with much adoe to be ioyned with him but how vnwillingly hee vndertooke that place albeit hee were importuned therunto as well by the praiers as by the presidents of others he expressely testifieth in his 110. Epistle Wherein are reported what things were done at the assignement of Eradius Priest to succeede Augustine in his Bishoprike as they were taken by the notarie the people consenting and confirming the same to whom hee thus speaketh I know that you know saith he Eradius to be a fit man and worthy of a bishoprike but I would not there should bee that done by him that was done to me but what was done your selues can many of you witnes they onely cannot tel which either were not as then born or as yet had not the capacitie to know While as yet my Father and bishop Valerius of famous memory liued in the flesh I was ordeined then bishop and I sate together with him the which thing I then knew not that it was inhibited by the Councel of Nice neither did he know Wherefore that which was reprehended in me I would not should be reprehended in my sonne And thus saith Augustine Gregorie Nazianzen in an epistle to Gregorie Nyssen writeth of this custome in these wordes But if anie man contend that whilest one Bishop is liuing an other ought to bee elected let him knowe that these thinges are of no force against vs. For it is manifest and apparant vnto all the worlde that wee are president not onelie at Naziantz but also at Sosrie and that setting apart the reuerence of our auncient Fathers and graue Doctors and those that laboured the same of vs with their vrgent prayers we tooke vpon vs that presidencie as straungers Thus saith Nazianzene By the which we may vnderstand how insolent and extraordinarie a thing it was that one Church should haue two Bishops Epiphanius also made some small mention of this custome that he might shew the cause why Athanasius did not immediately succeed Alexander seeing hee was deputed thereunto by Alexander namely for that the custome of the Church of Alexandria did not permit that hee should be chosen Bishop while their Bishop yet liued Most true it is indeed that both the Bishops and the people were perswaded of this That one Church did admit but one Bishop when it was otherwise Necessitie which hath no lawe did excuse it When Constantius at the request of certaine noble Matrons had called Bishop Liberius from exile and would haue had him to gouerne the Church of Rome together with Foelix who was then surrogate and substitute in his place the people hearing the Emperours letters and scorning the contents thundred together with one voice One God one Christ and one Bishop Cyprian also writing of the lawfull election of Cornelius Seeing that after the first saith he there cannot bee a second whosoeuer is made after one who ought to be one and alone he is now no more second but none at all like manner Ignatius who was in the age before Cyprian and is accounted the second or third Bishop of Antioch after the Apostles reducing the gifts of the onely one God to an vnitie in the Church writeth thus There is one flesh of the Lord Iesus one bloud that was shed for vs also one bread which is broken to vs all and one cuppe which is giuen to vs all there is one Altar for the whole Church and there is one bishop with the companie of Elders The Fathers reason was this because God would whose will is a law to vs that there should bee
but one high Peiest in the old Testament with whome so long as he liued no other might bee surcharged vnlesse haplie hee had defiled himselfe with anie notorious crime or by chaunce had fallen into some vncleane disease which might make him eyther vnapt or vnable to perform his sacred dutie The which although it contained in it a secrete mysterie of the which the Church at this day retaineth no present memorie yet the policie of this mysterie which by no meanes is to be diuorsed from it ought not to be controlled of any that professe Christianitie If anie man heere suppose that by this reason the tyrannie of the Bishop of Rome may bee maintained to him I say that he taketh the matter amisse For there is great ods betweene a pastoral prefecture ouer one region and an emperiall prerogatiue ouer the whole world So ample and augustious is that his supreme empire and superlatiue degree in the Church as that it dilateth it selfe ouer all Christian churches wheresoeuer throughout the whole world but was the whole world at anie time demised to anie one Apostle Peter had the sea Apostolike ouer the circumcision and Paule ouer the vncircumcised but yet so as they excluded not their compeers and copartners in the same power with them For Iames also was the Apostle of the Iewes which liued at Hierusalem and in all Iudea but Peter ouer those which were dispersed among the Gentiles onely So likewise Paule limited his sea Apostolike among the Greeks of Asia and Europe leauing in the meane while other prouinces for other Apostles If in like manner the Bishop of Rome had contented and conteined himself within the precincts of his owne territorie how should any man haue accused him of any impious or vsurped tyrannie Againe for as much as it appeareth that the Apostolike traditiō so much as concerneth the regiment of the church and the outward policie thereof was taken of our Sauiour and afterwards also of the Apostles from out of the old Testament so far forth as the condition of time and place the state of the people and persons might permit can there bee any errour in this if the Fathers their successors seeme in like manner to borrowe from the same foundation certaine politike constitutions for the edifiyng of the Church Vpon this occasion Hierome thus writeth to Euagrius And in that we knowe that the Apostolike traditions were taken out of the old Testament that which Aaron and his sons and the Leuites were in the Temple the same are the Bishops Elders and Deacons in the Church I conclude therefore that ouer euery seuerall prouince or precinct which make as it were one Cittie they verie well and worthily placed seuerall Bishops and likewise ouer euery whole cuntry or regiō either Patriarchs or Archbishops or Primates or Metrapolitanes call them as you please moreouer that this was done of the antique Coūcels Fathers to singular purpose well consorting with Gods holy ordinance With the which that I may at the last determine this controuersie of those things which I haue already declared and concluded as well of the offices of the Gospell which were ordeined of the Lord and left vnto the Church by his Apostles as also of the vniforme consent of the Councels and continuall practise of the Church in all ages it shal be easie for all men to know That that gouernment is not of man or from man in the which the Elders ar subiect to their elder Bishops the Bishops to their higher Patriarchs Metropolitanes but contrarywise that the same is diuine and ordeined of God and that as well in the old as the new Testament Of the names of Patriarchs Archbishops Metropolitans Chap. XXV HAuing laid downe my reasons and proofes by the which I am taught to dissent from them vnto whom in other things I yeeld not a litle I take it now time to answere the cursing and cursed slanders of some who casting aside the modestie of ciuill Christians and neglecting the mediocritie of all learned writers do teare like mad dogs and torment the most reuerend names and religious functions of Bishops Archbishops Patriarches Metropolitans as pampred and proud titles antichristian prophane But wil you heare the reasons of vnreasonable men They alledge that the Apostle Paul in recounting the degrees of the Ministers of the Gospell in his Epistle to the Ephesians the 4. chap. maketh no mention of Patriarches Archbishops To the which before I goe any further I make them this answere That those offices are there comprised and contained in the names of Apostles Euangelists and in the 12. to the Rom. verse 8. in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruler or he that ruleth and in the first to the Corinthians the 12. chap. and 28. verse in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gouernors by all which tearmes and titles the sacred order of superior Pastors are vnderstoode But that the aforesaid offices of Apostles Euangelists are perpetuall wee haue already proued and it may also sufficiently appeare by the sequele of that enumeration of those offices namely when he setteth down to what end our Sauiour gaue to the Church some Apostles and other Euangelists Was it not for the work of the Ministery for the edification of the body of Christ So that so long as the Church is to be edified so long those offices are to be continued in the Church which are there conteined If the Church could haue beene edified without them they should neuer haue ben ordeined in the Church But againe that part of them are thought to be temporal part particular that thought is ouerthrown by the onely end of that for the which they were ordeined which end is to be sought for continually of all the faithful euen vntill the comming of the Lord. For are they not still to edifie by these offices to grow together into one mystical body of Christ Now albeit the office of bishops archbishops primates patriarchs doth not extend it selfe so far as did the office of the twelue Apostles neither are they inriched with the like treasure or measure of the holy Ghost yet are wee to consider that this difference is in the qualitie not in the quidditie of the same function in the measure not in the matter of their commission And therfore whom at this day we call Bishops Archbishops Paul the Apostle called Apostles for that as we haue said they are ioyned in the same combinatiō made partakers of that cōmission And for this cause the calling of Archbishops Patriarchs hath beene alwaies called and is yet to be accounted Apostolike in all places Yet for as much as these names and titles doe seeme in some mens eyes to be puffed vp with the tumors of pride and ambition let vs take a further view of those principall obiects and friuolous obiections by the which they are cast into this no lesse straunge then strong
Bishops by the name of Pastors and Doctors seeing that properly Christ alone is our Maister and Teacher and indeede that onelye good Shepheard which gaue his life for vs. In like manner albeit God and the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ be also our Father which is in heauen yet notwithstanding wee may call men also our Fathers and in so doing offer God no wrong at all And therefore whosoeuer hee be that knoweth as well as I can tell him that these names and titles are in sense manifolde and ambiguous in signification so that they may be giuen to diuerse things in diuerse respectes and yet holdeth plea in this sort hee doth but seeme to holde himselfe play in a serious matter to make an idle shewe of his vaine wit and a sinfull spoyle of the simple reader For my part hauing resolued vppon that which before wee haue taught namely That in the regiment of the Church Bishoppes were placed ouer Bishoppes according vnto God his diuine ordinance and institution I cannot see howe that methode of Gods distinct order coulde haue beene expressed in more apt and fit termes after the Apostles decease then by these reuerend titles of Patriarks and Archbishops In the which also setting aside the arrogancy and tyrannie of those which haue abused their authority and doe abuse there is not so much state or pride as some presume I but will some say our Bishops and Archbishops doe entertaine secular charges and inuade ciuill honours and are imbost with temporall titles all the which how crosly they confront the doctrine of the Apostles and the good meaning of their titles who so blinde as may not see it To this I would answere before I proceed any further but it is not for this place neither dooth this question fall into this treatise Wherefore hereafter I will set down what I thinke of this matter when I come to his proper place In the meane while gentle Reader suppose I here defend not those which now liue who whiles they ar in view are enuied but those faithfull seruants of Christ Iesus who heereto-fore haue ruled the church with great fruit before the tyranny of Rome abused the Church of God namely Gregory Nazianzen Gregorie Nysen Basil the great Athanasius Chrisostome Cyprian Ignatius Polycarpus Ambrose Augustine and such like whose liues as they are further from our eies so from our enuye These cannot I with any good conscience doe not you of any conceit condemne of pride ambition tyranny or Anticristianisme for whome all the world will stand vp witnes that they were Bishops Archbishops and Patriarches and gouerned the churches after a singuler maner and with an especiall power ouer the rest If any man thinke hee haue a single gift in these thinges and suppose he haue the spirit of discretion as his familiar to discerne spirits good leaue hath hee let him vse it but let him take heed his spirit of discretion proue not the spirit of presumtion I verely can finde no such spirite of Antichrist in those most christian fathers I find they were men and had their errors and yet in this argument their writings are of greater authority with me then are they which haue written of the same matter in this age and within our memorie But nowe concerning the last exception against their names I meane of Arch bishops I answere and deny that they were the inuētions of Antichrist this first then also that whatsoeuer was inuented or is vsurped either of Antichrist is hand ouer head to be reiected of vs for of necessity a necessary pollicy he deuised rather then inuēted some good things that with them he might ouercast many bad So doth Satan many times transforme himselfe into an Angell of light that he may deceyue without suspect hee fayneth holines that he may draw into wickednes hee defendeth the truth that he may driue into error For he should bewray himself too grossely if he should teach nothing but leasings But yet can there bee a more witlesse conclusion then this Antichrist taught this ergo it is false Antichrist deuised this ergo it is naught vnlesse it should be interserted or at least vnderstood that the same is contrary also to the worde of God As for example that which Peter was taught of the holy Ghost hee confessed with a liuely faith namely That Iesus was the very Christ and the onely sonne of the liuing God But now doth not Antichrist also confesse the same with his mouth yea whosoeuer dare deny the same he condemneth to the fagot Doth he not also imbrace the sacred volumes of Gods holy word yes and more then that forasmuch as the Lord hath taught vs in his word that we should pray continually he hath of himselfe deuised to deuide the whole day in matinges and euen song But now to come to the poynt because hee abuseth vnto superstition both fasting and prayer and the holy Bible and the blessed confession of the sonne of God shall we therfore all in a fling renounce these thinges Admit it be his desire that the ministery should be of som reckoning in the world and that it should be aduanced to no meane degree of honour in the common wealth And what then that we may not be like vnto him shal we requite the Ministers of Christ with shame for fame and with slaunders for honours And because he seeketh to magnify them without meane shall we suffer them to lie subiect and abiect among the basest routs of the common meany If braine-sicke men vppon a quarelous minde may presently gainesay whatsoeuer the Bishop of Rome hath sayd or don I fear me in the end they wil in their great hast ouerrun all christian religion leaue it far behinde them Wherfore whosoeuer shall think euery thing forthwith to be reiected for that eyther the author thereof abused the same to tyranny or the Bishop of Rome inuerted the same to superstition he is easely to be carried with euery shallow streame into any deepe error What things soeuer are in the Church of Rome that now is may iustly be distinguished into three parts Wherof ther are some things that wel consort with the word of God and some that do flatly contradict the same but the most things are such as there vse is eyther good or bad which thinges are called things indifferent Now albeit bad men may make a bad vse of good thinges yet can they not inuert the nature therof Baptisme the word of God or whatsoeuer else of that kinde the Romanists haue in vse no wise man will therefore reiect as if they were euil because they haue not vsed thē wel As for things vtterly euil because no man at any time vseth them well they are vtterly to be reiected of vs as is all kind of Idolatry whatsoeuer doth either vndermine or ouerthrow the sound substātiall doctrine of truth But as for things indifferent seeing they are such as is he that vseth them they are
left in our power to vse them as time occasion shal require An indifferent thing is commonly that whatsoeuer is nor cōdemned nor commended in the word of God is left free to euery mans choise either to vse or not vse vnles some other thing interchaunce which altereth the vse of that which otherwise was free by reasō of the time or place or the person wher the same is in vse For my part I think things mediat indifferent might better be defined thus if we shall say those thinges are indifferent which by no law either Gods law or mās law are bidden or forbidden For by the command of him which hath the authority ouer our persons the vse of a thing which otherwise is free may many waies vppon many occasions be restrained or ouerruled But of these things in this place we are not now to discourse at large Onely thus much I chiefly note would haue iust notice taken of it that indifferent thinges may bee vsed of vs although the same things haue ben abused by the bishop of Rome or any other Antichrist Is our liberty to be preiudiced by an other mans religion specially where publique authority hath any thing to do in the matter suppose it either giueth vs in charge or putteth vs in choise to vse those things which the superstitious haue abused Wherfore whensoeuer anything shal come in question among vs that hath bene vsed among the Romanists or other enemies of the truth it is our part to examine and consider the matter as it is in selfe not as it was with them There are some in England at this day who take vpon thē more sowrely then seuerely against outward vestementes cap surples musicke and organs and such like rites of the Church the which because they were of some vse in the Romane Church now out vppon them they are sacriligious prophane In like maner and with no lesse modesty do they proceede against Bishops Archbishops their honors and reuenews Al the which vnles they could be proued contrary to the word of God what reason is this they bring and it is al they bring for the abolishing thereof when they say the author or inuentor therof was Antichrist No doubt indifferent things which he abused for his tyranny may be returned to a better vse for the good of the Church Now as for contētious natures such in whose brests this error hath taken fast footing namely That the authority of Bishops is a thing pernitious in itself and preiudicial to the church I know this my aunswere as it fitteh not their humors so it serueth not their turns Neither yet will they vouchsafe of that which I haue said of the natural signification of words compound with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherfore albeit the plainest interpretation of the names of Patriarchs and Archbishops like me best yet notwithstanding I dare say thus much further if we should grāt that which they shal neuer euince that by force of composition a kind of principallity were to be inferred yet doth it not theruppon follow that it is therefore a title abhorring from the state of our BB. For let it be lawfull for men to vrge the signification of euery sillable in this sort it shal forthwith be vnlawful for any to be called a monarch or to be inuested with the title of an Emperour for why forsooth these names in theyr proper sense are common to none but to God onely These and such like titles of lawful and necessary vse among vs must vppon this quirk be vtterly abolished neyther may it be lawfull for vs from henceforth to call our Ministers as the Scripture doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Rectors or Rulers Prelates or Presidentes nay we shall not be able to auouch the name of Elders because this and these all in sacred Scripture are proper to Magistrates and Princes and the Nobles of sundry prouinces and and yet for all this we see that Ministers of the Church are called by these names Last of all if the authority of the Fathers may be of any preuail let vs hear what great dainty they make of the name of Prince in the titles of the cleargy Origen reprehending the clownishe sourenes of some Bishops writeth thus A man may see in some Churches especially in the greatest Citties how the Princes of the christian people shew no manner affability to any esteeming thereof as a thing nothing at all pertaining vnto them c. And aftewards againe We speake not these thinges as if we meant to discharge the Ecclesiasticall Principality In like manner vppon the Epistle to the Romanes the thirteenth Chapter By the which it appeareth saith he that the Iudges of the world do performe the greatest part of Gods law For all the defaults that God would haue punished he punisheth not by the Prelates and Princes of the Church but by the Iudges of the worlde And vpon the twenty seuen Chapter of Numbers the two and twenty Homily Let the Princes saith hee of Churches learne not to appoynt their successors after them such as are allied vnto them eyther in affinity of kindred or consanguinity of bloud neyther that they ought to make the Principality of Churches hereditary c. Ignatius no lesse godly then grauely My Son saith hee honour God and the King and I say further honor God as the author of al things and the owner and honor the Bishop as Prince of the Priests bearing the image of God by reasō of his principality the image of Christ by means of his Priesthood He that honoreth the Bishop shall be honored of God as also he that dishonoreth him shall be punished of God c. Besides many other things in the same place to the same sence The same man in an other place Therefore saith he let all things be performed among you according to a direct order in Christ Let Lay men be subiect to Deacons Deacons to Priests Priests to Bishops the Bishop to Christ as he is also to the Father Againe to the Church of Antioch You Elders feede the flocke which is committed vnto you vntill God manifest him which shal reign ouer you For I am now sacrificed that I may gaine Christ c. By which words the holy Martyr hath sufficiently testified the authority of a Bishop ouer the rest of the Elders Doubtlesse in auncient time the authority of Bishops was great in the Church theyr reuerence great and theyr fauour great among the people the which of al other things made most for the benefit and increase of the Church Euen as in the common wealth the fauour of the Magistrats and authority is beneficiall to the people so likewise of Bishops in the Church And therefore for good cause thought Hierome that the welfare of the Church did depend of the honour of the chiefe Priest c. Neyther in deed is this the least slight of Satan when he
laboreth to bring the prelats of the Church into contempt for by that meanes he thinketh to imbecil the doctrine of fayth and to bring that into suspect that so at the last he might if possible he could bring an vtter ruine and a ruined ouerture to the whole state of the Church To which purpose whosoeuer they be that make themselues the Diuell his stipendaries vnder what colour so euer they doe it they discerue but badly not onely of the whole Church but also of the common wealth That which a rebell is in the state the same is a scismaticke in the Church How iust cause the aduerse part here in England hath to bring theyr Bishops into the obloquy and enuy of the people it smally cōcerneth me I set not as arbiter between both parts But this I say that the same things which betideth the Bishops here in England doth vsually befall all the best of the Ministery in Holland also who are in no lesse enuy with the people there then our Bishops are here How malapartly and the sacrifice had men do rail and raue in their publicke writing 〈◊〉 the deare seruants of Christ and that by name their shameful and shameles libels doe testifie at large Of which wrongs seeing I my selfe whiles I conuersed with them bate not the least share yet bear no wonder to any if for my part I like the better of Bishops For I am not ignorant of this that this is but the ordinary condition of al Gods seruantes and that Satan of old and long since hath by all possible and pestilent meanes endeuored to make the presidents of Christ his Church odious and infamous among men that so their credit especially being either altogether crackt or very sore crased himselfe might with more facility and lesse iealosie set abroach and cast abroad all manner hideous and hellish Heresies In so much that I am perswaded if Moyses himselfe if Peter if Paul were resident among vs and were in that honour and esteeme which were fit and well-beseeming their so honorable a calling they could not possible escape the cankred chaps of these foule-mouthed Hell houndes But so long as the seruantes of Christ are in authority in the Church it is not much that the instruments of Satan can atchieue but are they once brought vnder the hatch alas what is it that the seditious dare not attēpt This matter need no great proof it hath too much Wherefore of that degree of Honor which the Prelats of Religion ought to inioy in an established christian common wealth the very vilenes of this age doth inforce me to speak more at large For if base men cannot abide that Religion should be in any Honor and villanous minds endeuor their worst that the credit thereof may be none at all or worse then it is I thinke it no great wonder but that religious men as they would seeme should attempt the same euen they which ought to be patrones and preseruers of the Church dignities it is a thing odious preposterous and too bad absurd Doe they not yell in vaine and cry out against abuses to no purpose whose end is not so much to mittigate the abuse of thinges as to abolishe the whole vse If the gouernours of the Church haue not so beautified theyr Ministery with that integrity of manners and innocency of life which reason the reuerence of Religion doth require I defend them not but that according to the lawes they may be seuerely punished and theyr betters surrogat into theyr places Neyther are they exempt from the iurisdiction of the chiefe Magistrates whereby they may not censure vppon them theyr liues and theyr goods as vppon other cittizens No question it greatly concerneth both Prince and people that good men be placed ouer the Church and euil men remoued theyr places So that whatsoeuer crimes are here or else where obiected and proued against the Prelates of Religion they are staynes to the chiefe Magistrate which tollerateth such Ministers in the Church or aduanceth such like to be Church officers There is not the like reason of the Romish cleargy For they haue theyr peculiar Magistrates nor liue they vnder the common law of other Cittizens neyther yet are they accounted any part of them any longer then may stand with their owne commodity There the ciuill Magistrate chalengeth no right to conuert nor any power to amend what so euer they committe But notwithstanding if the Magistrate thinke best to winke at these publique slaunders I wil complain my selfe no further onely if the slanderers wil so moderate themselues as that they onely finde fault with the fault not with the state and whiles they rate abuses the honor of the calling may be left intemerat Let it be no mans slaunder that he is a Bishop or a Minister But of the two-folde order of Elders according to the Lorde his institution and the Apostolique tradition and the perpetuall vse of the Church so much as the state of the argument doth require these thinges I haue sayd may suffice Now it remayneth that wee say some thing also concerning Doctors Of Doctors Chap. XXVI WHen the Apostle in the fourth to the Ephesians nameth Pastors and Doctors a man cannot certainely gather from the manner of his speech whether hee would haue thē diuerse in office or but one and the same and that because a Pastor is necessarily a Doctor or teacher but not so conuersiuely Wherefore the thing it selfe must help vs out For not euery one whome the Lord hath endewed with learning and with a sound gift of teaching hath presently withal receiued the authority of a Pastor The knowledge and science of sacred Scripture may be giuen to any man Kings Nobles Knights may be learned who notwithstanding are not fitte to be ouer any Churches And albeit the administration of the Sacraments and gouernance of the Church are so combined with the office of teaching that he cannot be a Pastor which is not a teacher notwithstanding that followeth not in good conuersion that euery one who hath receyued the power to teach should forthwith be an Elder or Bishop of the Church these thinges are distinct each from other From among those which are apt to teach Elders and Bishops are chosen and of old the Priesthood was neuer without power to interpret but yet the gift of prophecie and the ability to interpret did not make a Priest The Priest was of duety an interpreter of the law and a Doctor a Prophet but yet euery doctor of the law or prophet was not a priest An Apostle in deed was both Prophet and Doctor and Pastor but euery Prophet or Doctor was not an Apostle or Pastor Seeing therefore that Doctors are distinguished from Pastors the knowledge of the mysteries of God with the faculty to expound them is the gift of the holy spirit whosoeuer excell in that gift and can as wel by writing as word of mouth edify the Church they are
to be reputed for Doctors of what estate soeuer they be the king shal derogat no more from his royall Maiesty if for the edifying of Gods people he compose any godly worke then did Dauid or Solomon of old who in there time were no les renowmed for their heauenly wisdome then for their princely power Although the Apostle forbid a woman to speake in the congregation yet if shee bee learned shee may write and priuately instruct her familie Wherefore now if we will come to the true vnderstanding of the Apostolike writings wee must with sound iudgement put difference between Pastors Doctors who besides the teaching interpreture of the word did not otherwise intermedle with any thing in the church For albeit in the infaÌ„cy of the church those first christiaÌ„s had no publik professed schooles yet was it alwaies lawfull for Prophetes and Doctors to teach publicklie in the church vnto whose graue aduice the faithfull were no lesse bound to obey then to their Pastors But all this while they had not the power of the Church censure nor the right to redres whatsoeuer was amisse Wee read of Stephanus Fortunatus and Achaicus that they taught in the church of Corinth but wee finde not that they had there the authority of Bishoppes and Elders And therefore no woonder though the corruptions and abuses which raigned among them were not giuen them in charge to correct or that it was not layde to their charge that they did not correct for there was no remedye they must suffer that they could not remedy and in the meane while expect Paule his comming amongst them Likewise in the Epistle to Titus a man might well wonder why Paule ioyned not in like commission with Titus Zenas and Apollos expounders of the lawe they beeing then also in Creat except it were for this that they were Doctors onely for hee was not ignorant that they were then also with Titus Doubtlesse had they bin of the same order and power they should also haue receiued the same charge And might it not better haue bene performed of three then of one But yet wee see that the Apostle gaue the charge of Teaching there to many the power of Ruling to one alone By the which it appeareth that the Doctors and Prophetes of those times were an aide vnto the Pastors that they taught vnder their direction For indeed it chiefly concerneth the dutie of a Bishop to teach the church committed to his charge by himselfe and by others 〈…〉 such things are there in the Apostles writings 〈…〉 we may take no smal view of the beginnings of 〈◊〉 and of that forme of gouernment which was vsed of the Apostles and receiued of the next immediate ages deliuered to Apostolique men their successors It is very wel â—â—â—ed of Epiphanius that there are certaine histories hidden in the Apostles writings the ignorance whereof many times hath bene the cause of much error in the church But thus it came to passe that the Bishops gaue liceÌ„ce to teach the scriptures vnto those which the Grecians call Lay-men The which thing Eusebius recordeth in his sixt booke the 13. chapter concerning Origen That when as yet he was not priested hee did notwithstanding set vp schoole at Caesaria and was there in treated of the Bishops there abouts not onely to dispute but to open the scriptures also The which thing Demetrius Bishop of Alexandria Origen his riuall did greatly reprehend when as notwithstanding himself was the man that had sent him before into Arabia to the same end neither yet did hee except against him when hee was catechiser in his owne church But when as of mere enuy he cold no longer indure that the renowmed fame of Origen should daily increase seeking all manner occasions to picke a quarrell against him he laid blame in the Bishops that they would seeme to licence a Lay-man publikly to professe the scriptures To the which his malitious cauils Alexander then Bishop of Ierusalem and Theodistus Bishop of Caesaria make answere in these words For that you vrge in your letters that it was neuer hard of before nor is vsed as yet that lay-men should dispute and expound the Scriptures in the presence of Bishoppes In that thing you seeme I know not how to auouch a manifest vntruth For where fit and able men are found that may be any aid to the brethren in the word they are requested of the holy Bishops that they would instruct the people in the same as was Eusebius of Nero at Larandy Paulinus of Celsus at Iconium and Theodorus of Atticus among the Synadines all the which were blessed godly bretheren and it is verie likely although it bee vnknowen to vs that the same thing is done in other places Thus for Eusebius Wherefore albeit the Primatiue churches had not their vniuersity schooles like vnto those we haue at this day yet that they were not altogeather without schooles Alexandria alone is witnesse sufficient which brought out Doctors before Origen Pantaeus and Clemens Alexandrinus and many others Neither is it to be doubted but that custome also was deriued from the Apostles We know the knowledge of scriptures to bee the gift of Gods spirite but shall that therefore take away the exercises and the traueils of deuoted students Amongst the people of God the Prophets had their Colledges in the which Samuell and Elias and Elizeus and such others were Maisters neither was it any disparagement for the other Prophetes to liue vnder their discipline God was neuer the authour of tumultuous confusion but of order nor were the men of God a company of furious bedlames but a societie of sage and wise men of a milde and a moderate spirite They which at this day holde schooles and their orders in contempt are franticke in their owne conceit and ignorant of al good societie and godly ciuilitie nor do they know nor can they conceaue what infinite good they onely doe in all estates Who can sufficiently commend the religious purpose of those men which were the first founders of Vniuersities Are they not the fruitfull seminaries of all good litterature and the holsome nurses of al honourable virtues The which being taken away all humanity and ciuill curtesie would languishe togeather and not that onely but within a short space we our selues nowe learned and religious should strangely degenerate into minds and manners more sauadge and barbarous then are any of the nations But no neede I should digresse any further into the praise of our well renowmed Vniuersities onely this I say that the Doctors and Teachers they send forth into the Church of Christ and whosoeuer els by their priuate labours and diligent traueils in the scriptures haue attained to the knowledge therof ought not by any means to take vpon them any thing in the Church against the good will or without the good leaue of their BB. 〈◊〉 why They are priuate men vnder their gouernance But yet being requested or
commanded by them as of old so nowe they may professe alwaies remembred that they doe it for the good of the church A degree of the vniuersity or any other testimony of learning ought not to impair the authority of the Pastors or to disturbe the good order of the Church That at this day they which are created Doctors are for the most part Elders I doe not mislike it for of olde also it was but a very rare and extraordinary thing for lay-men to professe the woorde publiquelie But time place and necessitye may limite this matter and prescribe an order therevnto not to bee ordered by head-strong and desperate temeritie Yong mē must here take heed least they presuming for their learning vpon the Vniuersities testimony they should therefore thinke that they are already adopted into the orders of the holy ministery vnlesse they be otherwise ordained then so the which I would haue thought scarse worthy the noting were it not that I haue found some to farre ouershot in this error There are also some others at this day who disclaiming the office of Pastors and that ordination which is solemnised by the Bishops will notwithstanding be accounted Doctors in the church but to baptise to minister the sacraments to visite the sicke to bury the dead to read publique prayer in the Church they think it stands not with their credit And why For sooth because they see these parts of the ministery performed sometimes by some not deeply learned Againe there are other which thinke it no smal part of reformation that euery church should haue with their Pastor a Doctor as if good men one Pastor who of duetye is also a Doctor could not discharge both parts Many such fancies I wittingly omit and recount them amongst the wel-pleasing dreams of such as learne to feed themselues whome verely I cannot so well like of For albeit I confesse that certaine Doctours publiquely professed in the Church which were not Pastors yet I find how that was vsed in the Apostles times of necessity and afterwards very extraordinarily onely then when either the vrgent necessity or the present commodity of the Church did so require For the ordinarye Doctours of the church are the Bishops themselues who if they could suffise to perform al duties alone they needed nor Elders nor Deacons to ioyne with them We know how in a small Church one Elder is enough And that the greatnes and great increase of Churches made this diuersity of ministers both for order and number But if anye man desire to see more of this argument he may read the writers of this age These thinges as I thinke may serue for this turne who purpose not to treat of euery thing exactly but onely to shew what I find wanting in some Churches which would seeme the best reformed To the which end I haue recounted vnto you the diuers degrees of the ministers of the church euen as they were ordained of the Lord and deliuered of the Apostles and receiued of our first fathers and Apostolik predecessors In whose foot-steps we may more safely continue then by not containing our selues therin to intangle our proceedings in some other new and strange extrauagants The second Booke Of the honour which is due vnto Prelats and Elders in the Church Chap. I. That by a certaine law of Nature among all nations the Presidents of Religion were esteemed worthie great honour HOw great the dignitie and excellencie of the Gospell is aboue all the vnhalowed mysteries of prophane nations and how farre it excelleth the Leuiticall Priest-hoode of Moses also and consequently in how great regarde of honour the same ought to be amongst all that professe Christianity the time hath bene when it was needlesse to tell but now more then necessary to proue For the lewdnes I might say the irreligion of some men in this our age doth of force compell me somewhat more earnestly to lay to their charge the neglect dutie of ingrate mindes towardes Gods Ministers whome while they depriue of their due honour they bring Religion it selfe into deepe disdaine and withall they bewray that they make no great account of God himself whose Legats they depraue For there be which think it were not a poinct matter if they were not left woorth a poinct and thinke it neuer the worse for the common-welth if they had no place at all in the common-wealth Because forsooth it is said of our Sauiour his Apostles that they renounced all worldly honours therefore are they thought worthy no honour in the world any vile or vulgar esteeme if so bee they may haue that is enough for them least haplie they should bee exalted in their owne sence and become proud of nothing Thus they thinke none worthie of honour that either doe not affect it or are not infected with it This errour is to bee confuted in this discourse in the which it shall bee shewed that by all rights both of God and man the sacred ministerie in a well ordered common-wealth hath alwaies beene had in greatest honour and estimation amongst all nations and that Christians aboue all others doe owe no lesse to their Pastors then did of olde the people of God to their Priests Albeit the life of man bee inuolued and ouer-cast with darke and thicke mistes of errour and ignoriunce insomuch that manie times it is dazeled at the view and sight of such thinges which of themselues are cleare enough notwithstanding there are yet some thinges so cleare and so manifest as in the which no man beeing not sencelesse or besotted can pleade or pretend any ignorance Such are those generall notions of sinne which GOD the author of nature hath imprinted and imprized in our heartes and mindes as thinges which are ingendred and congenerate with vs such is Religion towardes GOD loue towardes our parentes and reuerence towardes our progenitors And albeit the relique of God his Image is many waies disteyned in vs since the attaindour of our first parentes yet is it not altogether destroyed there alwayes remayned such a resplendent light of that diuine nature as by the which men might naturally and clearely see both what was good and what was not good and conceaue in some sort also what was godly and what was godlesse Indeede the Gentiles aberred from the true knowledge of the Godhead and the true worship thereof yet notwithstanding in this one thing they were well resolued that there was a GOD and that hee was to bee honoured Their Religion was depraued by them yet were not they depriued of Religion but now where it is come to that passe that men thinke eyther that there is no God or no worshippe of God there the minde may bee sayde not to erre but to raue for they alone offend against that notion of God which is ingrauen in the mindes of all men and which ingrafteth a voluntarie Religion and a religious inclination will they nill they in the heart of euerie man Nor was
prerogatiue which by the lawes of nature did belong to God onely should be a stipend vnto the Priests for their sacred ministery besides first fruits redemtions of their first borne head-pence subsidies such like were by his lawes referred to the vse benefit of the Priests and tabernacle of the Lorde And last of all hee appointed them onely the dispensation both of diuine and humaine lawes in honor whereof he did by law enact that the iudgment of the Hie-priest should be held sacred and inuiolable in all controuersies vnto the which if any man were so obstinate as not to supply his death was the lieu of his contumacie Chap. IIII. Of that double honour which is due vno those Elders which rule wel and the arguments of those that hold the contrarie THat the Elders which rule well in the Church are worthy of double honor according vnto the saying of Saint Paule all that will be accounted christians doe confesse in wordes but when it once commeth vnto deedes they can hardly award them a single God knowes and a simple honour But verelie if there bee a meed due for euery merite then doubtlesse there is an especiall dutie to be yeelded vnto the Ministers of the church Doth not the onely regard of honesty decree that Parents should haue of their children the merite of their education Lawyers of their clyents the fees for their counsell Phisitions of their patients the reward for their direction the Tutor of his people the stipend for his instruction But who so faithfullie administreth vnto the faithfull seruantes of God in sacred thinges he doth largely containe all these benefites in one Seeing that God hath imposed vppon the Pastors of the Church the persons of all these For which cause doubtles the irreligion and ingratitude of some Magistrats in this age is worthy the greater dishonor who while they will seeme to be fauourites of christian Religion defeat the Ministers thereof of theyr due Honor so far are they from imparting any thing of their owne thereunto that what so euer of old hath beene consecrate to sacred vses they are ready to distract vnto prophane Ministeries These men that they may seeme to haue some colour for theyr craft will cunningly reason the case thus That there is not the like regard to be had of the Ministery of the Gospell in this age as was of old of the Priesthood vnder the law of Moyses That God did cocker them in those Honors he spared them but the Ministers of the Gospell are out of that age they are past seuen they may shift for themselues and learne to liue in the world poore and inglorious And of this Christ gaue them a good example and his followers the Apostles who of purpose did choose a poore life and neglected the honors and pleasures of this world Besides all this they preach to vs the contēpt of earthly things why should they not lead the other way them selues which they lay out vnto others This you heare is a popular and plausible speech well pleasing all greedy and mis-begetting men who regard not so much that the Church may be furnished with godly and learned Ministers such as Christ requireth as that vnder this colour they them selues may be excused of theyr irreligious contempt of Gods seruants and theyr sacriligious imbecilling of Gods Church But these men being obdurate in their base conceite seeme for their fained and interfected religion not vnlike vnto those who with a counter-contempt of wealth hunt currant after hid treasure that so they may make a gaine of their beggery and a sweete smell of theyr druggery The nature of Cynicks is not clean worne out together with the name nor yet the cowherdly affectiō of those that thinke fryerly beggarlines to be Apostolique holines Doe you not see here how the same error hath put on sundry shapes least by any means he himselfe should appeare in it whom no man liketh in his own likenes In deed the very colour of contemning those thinges which commonly al men do admire as pleasures riches and honors doth bring the simple people into a religious wonderment who for the most part worship with greater reuerence the bare counterfeit of vertue then vertue it selfe which cannot counterfeit But if so be they do as they say so greatly delight in the imitable vertues of Christ and his Apostles why doe they not also take view of those forward christians in the Primatiue Church and goe presently and sell all theyr landes and lay the price at the Apostles feete But now I must haue a saying also to those other colours which they lay on to countenance this error least the mind being fore-seasoned with preiudice should auerre an approued truth without iust triall For my part I will not willingly conceale any of those things which are layd to our charge by the patrons of this Hypocrisy Wherefore say they as riches do bring with them certaine prouocations to sin administer nourishmēt to the same so pouerty is the mother of all vertue and the stepdame of all vice For that brideleth bringeth vnder the vntamed wildnes and wilfullnes of mās sinfull nature And that this is so the aduised sentence of the best Philosophers confirme the same For when as they giuing ouer themselues to the study of Philosophy were not ignorant that worldly wealth would be but theyr hinderance they spared not either to leaue them or to lose them The Euangelike precepts subscribe together to this opinion the which in euery place doe incite vs to the lothing of riches to the liking of pouerty and more then that they do euen thunder out against the rich the woes of all wretchednes Contrariwise our Sauiour promiseth his blisse to the poore and affirmeth that it is more easie for a Cammell to daunce through the eye of a needle then for a rich man to aspire to the kingdome of Heauen Did not him selfe choose to be borne poore to liue poore to dye poore of him selfe he sayd The birds of the ayre haue nests and the foxes haue holes but the sonne of man hath not where to put his head Also if he entertayned any into his discipline the first lesson was to sell al they had and giue to the poore For that in deed riches are but as certayne shakels to such as follow Christ with which they being intangled can not possibly keepe pace with him Neither can the minde surcharged with the burden of externe things mount vp and soare aloft into the highest Heauens Moreouer to these it is more probably added that in the time of Constantine there was a voice heard from Heauen which sayd That poison was infused into the Church The which was thought to be vttered because of those riches that great wealth with the which the godly Emperour Constantine is sayd to haue honored the Pastors and Bishops of the Church But these things you must consider are commonly trikt vp and set forth after
vpon iust account to haue liued rich against whom he hath pronounced the woe of his eternall curse they all shall perish euerlastingly and they onely which shall bee found among the poore in spirit vnto whom the kingdome doth appertaine shall liue eternally The precept of Euangelike pouertie which Christ followed and left in charge to be folowed of vs is this namely Lowlines of minde which is the most peremptorie contemner of al visible things The pore in spirit is he which beareth not a hautie spirit neyther honereth after dishonest desires which liueth content with his estate and committeth his whole life vnto God if hee haue nothing or if it be little which hee hath he is not solicited with disquiet cares but trusteth in God his maker of whom he hopeth for his daily bread Againe if he be rich his spirit is not exalted by reason of his riches but well remembreth that he brought nothing vnto this world neyther shall carrie any thing away hee knoweth that riches are but wash and waxe wayward that they may easily bee translated from him that they may many waies perish with him he acknowledgeth that he hath receyued them of the Lord neither to be kept in ward nor to be spent in wast All which partes of spirituall pouertie the Apostle requireth in his first to Timothie the sixt chapter where he admonisheth Timothie to exhort the rich vnto this pouertie Charge them that are rich saith he in this world that they be not high minded that they trust not in vncertain riches but in the liuing God which giueth vs abundantly all things to enioy that they doe good and be rich in good workes readie to distribute Heere haue we that pouertie which our Sauiour requireth to be in rich men which as you may see doth nothing at all inuert the vse and proprietie of earthly thinges This I say is that pouertie the mother of vertue which all the holy Patriarches and Prophets with all the Apostles first Christians and last of all which all the godly haue alwayes obserued and our Sauiour himselfe both in word and deede both in plentie and pouertie taught to be obserued But is not this the verie Atheisme of Iulian the recreant and the onely Saracisme of the enemies of Christian religion when they haue robbed and rifled the Churches of their wealth and dignities to insult ouer the poore Ministers and to say they ought to be poore after the example of Christ and his Apostles As for that they fetch in the vncertaine sound of a certain voice heard in the time of Constantine it is to be vnderstood if it be to be beleued of Arrius and his inuenomed doctrine not of the forged donations of Constantine .. The wealth and riches which Constantine vouchsafed could not bee offensiue to the Church seeing they were neither so great as they make them nor yet seduced the Bishops and Elders from their Ecclesiasticall functions as they would haue them But then the husbanding disposing of them was after such a sort as might easely cleare the Bishops from all suspition of auarice Chap. VI. That the honour which is giuen to the Pastors of Christ his Church is ioined with a certaine Religion towards God THat the Priests and Leuites vnder the olde law were exceedingly well prouided for that according to Gods owne ordinance and institution it is a thing better knowne then that any man can make any question of it The same is as plain a case also for the Ministers of the Gospell vnder the new Testament and that by the same authoritie and for the same reasons were it not for the sacrilegious impiety of some who while as they say they seeke to shun one occasion of euill in the Church they bring vpon the same many miserable extreems Neither is want lesse to be feared then abundāce to breed the bain of the church In what things our Fathers as we thinke offended we see verie clearely but where wee offend our selues we wil not grope with our hands Lynces in other mens faults Moules in our owne That there is an honor due vnto Parents Lawyers Tutors physitions it is most manifest neither is there any man that is not a bad man that will denie it How much rather are all Christians deuoted vnto the Ministers of the Gospell seeing they alone doe beare the person the burden of these all For they are both Fathers Tutors Lawyers and Physitions therfore how much more they excell in worthines so much more worthy to be preferred in worship Besides all this the reuerence which is giuen to these and such like is onely of curtesie common ciuilitie and respecteth man onely and our duties to men but the honor which is due vnto Gods Ministers respecteth God himself his heuenly ministery They are the seruants of God his legates the dispensers of the mysteries of God are sent of God to discharge an heuenly embassie for God in the person of Christ whō whosoeuer contemneth contemneth the Lord Iesus God the Father their iudge and reuenger The countenance or contempt of God his seruantes toucheth God himselfe verie nearely who is alwaies most honored or dishonored in his Minister Wherefore that prerogatiue in the Church with the which not man so much as God him selfe is honored is sacred and religious and hath the promise of reward not onely in this life but in the life to come Mathew the tenth and the fifteenth chap. He which receiueth you receiueth me he which receiueth me receiueth him that sent me He which receiueth a Prophet in the name of a Prophet shal receiue a Prophets reward and he that receiueth a iust man in the name of a iust man shal haue a iust mans reward whosoeuer shall giue drinke to one of these little ones euen a cuppe of cold water onely in the name of a Disciple verely I say vnto you he shall not lose his reward The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Philippians calleth those presents which were sent to him an odour that smelleth sweet a sacrifice acceptable and pleasant to God So that in the poore whose wants we releeue Christ is worshipped but in the Ministers whose calling we maintain Christ is honored The Leuitical sacrifices haue had their end but the Euangelical sacrifices shal haue no end vntil the worlds end The Euangelike sacrifices are the confessiō of faith vnfained thāks giuing and all the trophees of prayse which wee erect and direct vnto the glorie of God as also the chearefull bountie and charitable good workes wee shew foorth vnto the comfort of men For which cause the Apostle to the Hebrues exhorteth all men that they would continually offer the sacrifice of prayse vnto God through Christ that is the fruit of the lips which confesse his name and moreouer that they would not forget to doe good and to distribute for they are the sacrifices saith he with the which God is
to be paid vnto God also as well as to Caesar as a testimony of our loyall subiection to his diuine Maiestie And is not the reason also as great for our heauenly King as an earthly Caesar Solomon in his Prouerbs among many other religious precepts hath giuen vs this Honour the Lord in thy riches and in the first fruits of all thy increase and thy barnes shal be filled with aboundaunce and thy wine presses shall burst themselues with new wine For no doubt we owe a tribute to the Lord as vnto the great King no otherwise then to an earthly Prince vnto whom wee may pay tribute for two respects both that hee may be able for those charges he vndertaketh for the common-wealth also that we may testifie vnto him our fealty and subiection as to our lawfull King the first being for our vse the second for his honour But now the first of these hath no place in God neither doth hee require any thing of vs in that behalfe but the latter is so much the more due to God by how much the more God is greater than man and the profession of subiectiō is necessary in euery faithful christian Wherfore after the Lord had appointed Israel a peculiar people to himselfe forthwith as Prince and chiefe Lord ouer his people he demanded the tenth of all their increase with orher rites and royalties of his supreame power And wheras it was alwaies an heinous matter among the Esterne Monarks to appear before the King without a present God required the like honor of his people namely for that hee was both king and Lord ouer his people For which cause in the law where all the males are commanded to appeare before the Lord they are forbidden to come neere without an offring Moreouer is there not yet extant in Malachy a shamfull rebuke against the Iewes which practised deceit in their first fruits and in their tythes That sacrilege the Lorde iustlie punished in them with the dire of a contagious dearth the which notwithstanding hee promiseth if they will amend that fault that hee would open the windowes of heauen and powre out vppon them a gracious plentye of all thinges The wordes of the Prophet are these VVill a man spoyle his Iudges but yee haue spoyled mee and say in what what things haue we spoiled thee in tythes and first fruits Yee are cursed with cursing it selfe for ye the whole nation haue spoiled me Bring ye all the tithes into the store-house and let there bee meat in mine house and proue me now saith the Lord of hosts if I wil not open vnto you the windowes of heauen that I may poure vpon you a blessing that their may be no end of aboundance c. Among the people of God it was alwais reputed an special exercise of gods religion to pay tithes truly of all that they possessed which they knew to be giuen not so much to a mortall priest as to the immortall God Doth not the Pharisie in the gospel glory in his fidelitie of true tything as in a rare virtue CHAP. X. An answere to certaine obiections the which it is confirmed by that the ministers of the gospel are worthy no lesse honor then were the priests of old among the people of God BVt it is excepted that the times are altered that at this day vnder the gospel the Priesthood is trāslated into Christ whose shadow it was that hee hath imposed an end to all outward rites by which means the right of tything is also antiquated with the Priest-hoode and all that outward glorie which made the antique Priests more honorable is therwithall ecclipsed Neither is there any man at this day which can arrogate to himselfe without impiety those auncient honours of the former priest-hood Is it not regestred among the chiefe errors of Antichrist that he vaunteth and aduanceth himselfe for Hic-priest Because that honour at this day is proper and peculiar to Christ alone In place of the auncient Priest-hood which was accompanied with an externall and a religious maiestie our Sauiour hath substituted the Ecclesiastical ministery base and abiect in great disgrace and cleane out of countenance And hath hee not giuen them their christning also according to their calling For therefore he gaue them the seruile names of Apostles and Ministers and Deacons and Bishops and Pastors setting aside all titles of Honor and dignity as are the names of Fathers and Doctors and Lords and such like that they might knowe what they were to conceyue of them selues their Ministery and that the people might likewise learne what reckoning to make of theyr paines and theyr persons Here is a faire tale surely and well soothed But what of all this that the Pastors and Bishops of Christ his Church are worthy lesse Honor in a christian common wealth then were of yore the Elder Priests Why then let vs conclude with al a lya or too that the leuitical priesthood is more honorable thē Christs that the ministery of the law is more glorious then that of the Gospell then the which if there can be any assertion more absurd this conclusion of theirs shall goe for no bad confection For if the Honor due to the Minister be to be measured according to the outward shew we may well conclude that Aaron was worthy double reuerence and our Sauiour the high Priest thrise sacred none at all For why he was inuestured with no mitre no labels nor did he glister with gold and precious stones But let vs first take that they giue vs in good worth namely that the Priests of olde were to be honored with no small obsequy then let vs examine the case what is to be deducted therof from the Euangelique Minister You are to vnderstand therefore that in most parts of the old ceremonies many times two things did meete in one which notwithstanding were diuerse and distinct in them selues of which the one did containe the shadow and promise of that which was to be exhibited in Christ the other did pertayn to some proper and especiall duety in the Church the shadowes are ceased those things being performed which in Christ were promised but the bond of especial duty remaineth as yet not cancelled For example sake the commaundement of keeping the Sabaoth hath a promise of eternall rest and a shadow of the rest of our bodies the seuenth day and besides that it includeth a morall dutie of seruing of God and ceasing from our labours The other precepts also do cōtain that duety of external worship which is due vnto God together with the rites of that time the rites being relinguished the worship of God to be retained The like we may say of the Priesthood in the which ther were sundry respects Whatsoeuer was typical was determined in Christ but of the other partes which were morall namely such as concerned the instructiō of the people the ministery of the Sacraments the regiment of the church the
Temple and Altar for diuine seruice might receaue no portion of that deuotion but while the rest did husband the earth they should honor the Lord onely and therfore for their liuing and allowance they were to receaue tenthes of the eleuen Tribes of those fruites which did increase The which reason and order is now obserued amongst the Cleargie at this day that they which in the Church of the Lord are promoted vnto anie Ecclesiasticall dignitie should by no meanes bee called away from their deuine function neither shuld be intangled with troubles and worldlie affaires but according vnto the honour of the maintained brethren as they which receiue tenthes of fruits should not depart from the Altar and the sacrifices but daye and night should attend vpon heauenly and spirituall busines c. About the same time there were maintained at Rome vnder Cornelius the Bishop sixe and fortie Priests seauen Deacons Eusebius lib 6.25 so manie Subdeacons as also two and fortie Seruaunts Exorcists Readers and Doore-keepers all togeather two and fiftie The number of the whole Cleargie was an hundred fiftie and fiue men all the which no doubt for the most part had their proper families and yet besides al these the widowes and other which were afflicted either with pouertie or infirmitie were a thousand and fiue hundred all the which as Cornelius himselfe doth witnes in an Epistle to Fabian Bishop of Antioch the grace and bountie of the Lorde did aboundantlie releeue and least any man should thinke that this was done penuriously or sparingly hee addeth that so great a number of Ministers so great a multitude of poore by the prouidence of God were made rich and abounding in all plenteousnes The historie of Laurence deacon of Rome is sufficiently knowen whome the tyrants of that time held in suspicion that he had the custodie of the church treasure And their suspicion was true in part for the church had treasure and in part it was false for that it was not the maner of the church to lay vp but to lay out the treasure they had By the which meanes Phillips oblations also and donations to the church were repealed all to late for the ministerie of the Deacons by the handes of the poore had there laid them vp where neither rust nor moath nor any caterpiller of the Church could breake through and steale Neither was this the least praise of the churches of that age that as they were priuatelie poore so were they commonly rich after the example of the church at Hierusalem CHAP. XII That the church had no small reuenues and certaine places in the which they did celebrate their assemblies before the time of Constantine THat professed Christians had farms possessions the increase whereof they distributed to the cleargy pouerty of the Church the edicts of Constantine the great doe sufficiently testifie True it is that vnder Dioclesian the christians were spoyled of al they possessed either priuatly or in cōmon but the godly cristiā Emperor giueth in charge to the presidentes of the prouince that those places in the which Christians did celebrate their assemblies and all other things whatsoeuer they possessed or any waies pertained to the right of their societie should againe be restored vnto them Enead 7. 8. Sabellicus maketh mention of one Lucina a noble and rich matrone that was exiled by Maxentius for that she had named the Church of Rome to be her heire Indeed it is to be acknowledged that from the time of Constantine the state of the Church was no wayes impaired neither doe I speake of the false and fained donations of Constantine but this is a thing most certaine that he was a bountifull Prince towardes the Church and worthily renowned for his bountie Sozomenus reporteth of Constantine his honorable liberalitie towards the Church of Christ Lib. 1.8 that of those grounds which in euerie Cittie were tributarie hee reserued a certaine pension which accustomably was wont to bee paide into the Exchequer and distributed the same vnto the Churches and the Cleargie the which his great gratious larges he afterwards ratified by law to stand good for euer De vita Cōstant li. 4. 28 Eusebius in the life of Costantine witnesseth the same That therefore all men may vnderstand what the welth of the Church was in those times I will produce a few presidentes of that age and begin with that which Augustine hath left in recorde concerning his owne Church at Hippon For he was himselfe also of an honourable house of great wealth I saith hee according to the common conceit of manie Epist 225. which compare themselues with themselues seeme not to haue come from wealth but to haue come to wealth for my fathers inheritance can hardly be reckoned the twentith part in comparison of the churches reuenewes the which nowe I am accounted to possesse as chiefe Lord. Whence that Church had that great wealth it is to bee seene in the same Epistle Prosper in his booke De vitae contemplatiua reporteth of Hilarie Bishop of Arelat to his euerlasting praise that hee had did not only retain those things which the church then but that he did also inlarge the same by the manifold heritages of the faithful which he receiued Among Basil his epistles there is one whole one which testifieth that there were manie at that time which vsed to leaue by testament a great part of their inheritance vnto the Church and some sometimes which did make free gift of all But what neede I to stande vppon the manifolde reports of such thinges The lawes of the Emperours concerning this whole matter are sufficiently knowne Nay this one thing I would admonish the Reader least at any time hee bee deceiued when as manie times hee may reade in the Fathers that the goods of the Church are not onely the goodes of the Bishops and the goodes of the Priestes but the goodes of the poore also I say there hee shall but note howe the auncient custome of the Church hath beene disordered through auarice and hypocrisie When all the Church goodes of euerie Diocesse were in common vnto all the Church-men of the same territorie to bee diuided to euerie Church-man according to the discretion of the Bishop then was that saying in force The goodes of the Church are the goodes of the poore Not that the whole substance of the Church was to be consumed vppon the poore but because the fourth part therof was their due by right For the first part was for the Bishop himselfe the second for the other Church-men the third for the Church workes the fourth for releeuing the poore and redeeming the captiue But when as by reason of the manifolde inconueniences which did dayly arise by meanes of this communitie and the great multitude of Churches which now began to bee euerie where erected and set vp throughout the countrie and indowed with peculiar commodities they began to depart from this communitie by
Iniunctions For wee must vnderstand thus much also that tenthes haue beene paide of olde not onely to the Priestes but vnto the chiefe Magistrate also Haue wee not heard of certaine tributes wont to bee paid to the common treasurie which afterwardes were giuen by the Emperour Constantine vnto the Churches Namely for that albeit the superstition of the Gentiles were in many places put down by publike authoritie yet the Nobles and richer sort with the greater part of the people hauing not forthwith receyued the faith of Christ the bare oblations of the faithfull althogh bountiful were not sufficing to relieue the poore and to maintaine the state of their Pastors So that vnlesse I quite lose mine ayme those tributes were eyther tenthes or tithes For there is nothing better knowne then that the Romanes imposed the paiments of tenthes vpon those prouinces they conquered and what proportion could they more fitly giue vnto professed Churches then the tenthes of those they conquered This example did Charles the great follow who hauing ouercome the Saxons and hauing put to flight their King Windekind hee commaunded tenthes to be paid vnto him part whereof the Bishops and other Pastors of the Church had and part the Kinges officers also receiued As for the coniecture of Crantz in his Metropolis who thinketh that tenthes were giuen vnto Nobles in fee by the Bishops I cannot for my part allowe thereof seeing it so euidently appeareth out of the approued Annalies that those tenthes were receyued of the Kinges Officers before there were any Bishops and whereas yet there were none But whereas tythes seemed not to suffice the state of the Cleargie the godly Prince of a religious and wise purpose added glebes and landes vnto the vse of the Church For indeed that wilde Nation tamed onely by force armes receiued the Christian Religion for feare but in affection were so estraunged from it that they would sooner suffer the Bishops and those preachers which the Emperour sent vnto them rather to sterue among then then to thriue by them But who so desireth to reade more of this matter may reade Crantz his Metropolis and the Saxon Chronicles In the meane while wee haue thus learned that those tenthes and tythes which no religion of the Christian people but the liberalitie of the religious Magistrate hath giuen vnto the Church were properly to bee accounted among the Churches Ciuill goodes But when as at this day they are so intermingled that the manner of their first donations is not known for good cause they are now called by the more certaine and the more singular part of them and are therefore accounted among those Church goods which are not ciuill but sacred and diuine As for those goods of the Church which wee distinguish by the name of ciuill goods and humane they may be distinguished into the possession of such fearms and rents which the Church had euen vnder heathen Emperors before Constantine and into the possession of such fees and mannors which vnder the Christian Magistrate haue annexed vnto them some ciuil iurisdiction The which because some contend that no Ecclesiasticall person ought to inioy wee are in like manner to examine that matter the rather for that there are some which thinke they ought rather to liue of other mens Almes Chap. XIII That the Pastors of churches are not maintained of almes but of the due reward of their labours SOme haue beene of opinion you will very hardly beleeue it neither doe I their opinion that our blessed Lorde and his Apostles did not onely liue very bare but verie beggers and therefore that the Ministers of the Church ought to liue of meere almes according vnto their godly example But the law of God defieth this errour and forbiddeth the whole trade of begging among his people Neither doe wee read that the Lord at any time repealed this lawe and sure we are that there haue beene alwayes extant among vs certaine lawes of the Emperours also against vpright beggers Almes are giuen for pittie sake to helpe and cheare the needie but whatsoeuer is giuen as a testimonie of any vertue is eyther a stipend for certaine paines taken or a present for a certaine reuerence conceiued albeit the party be poore vnto whom it is performed When the Lord therefore sent forth his Disciples to preach hee gaue them a commission to take vp their mainteinance of them to whome they preached and hee therefore compared them to labourers and their stipend to a reward not to an almes which being due is to be charged and discharged as of right Whereby the nature of those things which the godly did contribute vnto the Lord his vse and his Apostles is easely vnderstood to be of the condition not of almes but of fees Euen as the offerings and certaine parts of the sacrifices were alotted to the Priests not as free almes but as the fruites of their labours so the godly Pastors doe receiue of the faithfull people not a doale but a duetie the one beeing of right the other of meere pittie If any man vrge that the sense of this worde Almes doth extend it selfe more largelie amongst learned Diuines that it is taken for all kind of beneuolence which is shewed for Gods cause vnto the benefit of our neighbor Howe truly they so affirme I leaue that to them which are but meanely seene in the Greeke tongue In the meane while I will not sticke with them for so much as this commeth to that in such a sense those thinges which are giuen to the Church for the benefite of the Ministers may bee called Almes also this alwaies reserued that they still differ white and blacke from those almes with the which the poore are releeued For what haue they deserued You remember where I sayd that there is no other law imposed vpon the Minister by the Lord then vnto the rest of the faithfull excepting onely the condition of their function Neither doth any man doubt that the faithfull are forbidden by any religion to become the free tenaunts of their Princes But as for the lawes and conditions which perticularlie concerne the estate of Ministers there is not any one which inhibiteth them to vse the benefite of Princes and to be deuoted to them as far as other Citizens Ouer and besides all this the Euangelique precepts are in no case an excuse vnto the right of nations or the equity of Moses law but they all and all the worlde shall witnes the same haue appointed for the Priests and sacred Ministers both fields and farmes and other ciuill estates And can they by any law or equity be sequestred from the generall priuiledges of all cittizens which are to liue now among citizens and to sustaine vnder the same Magistrate the same burdens of the commonwelth with other Cittizens And hath not God himselfe commaunded by his law that there should be giuen vnto the Priests and Leuites not onely tythes and offerings but Cities also with
their towns and teritories Or had they any lesse authority ouer these their townes and Citties then had the other Tribes ouer their Citties and fields which fel vnto them by lot The Gospell beeing receaued by publique authority the Lord hath no where forbidden the Ministers of the Gospell to possesse fields and farmes after the same manner neither hath hee inhibited that anie such realties should bee giuen them to possesse But is it possible there should bee any so base and bad minded towards religion that he could once wish the Ministers thereof to be of worse estate in a christian society then were of olde the Priestes and Leuites in the Common-wealth of Israell It is well knowen that Ministers hauing to conuerse in a ciuill societie had neede also of those helpes which are requisite in a ciuill society may reconcile them into fauor and maintaine them in authority with the common people as wisedome and wealth especiallie Seeing that whosoeuer hee bee that neglecteth either of these can by no meanes liue and liue well in a ciuill societie The wise man in his Ecclesiastes the seuenth chapter hath verie well noted the practise of this For wisedome is good saith he with an inheritaunce and the excellencie of them which see the Sunne because that man shall rest in the shadowe of wisedome and the shadow of siluer And indeed vppon these two pillers doth rest the chiefe strength and stay of a ciuill life There is one kind of life which is publique and in the common prospect of men and hath necessarilie to doe with men of all sortes and there is an other kinde of priuate and priuie life vnder an heathen Magistrate full of danger so that there hee is to deale as wel with Magistrates as with priuate men heere he may well deale with none at all I say in this case there is no comparison to be made of these two kinds betweene themselues that without distinction wee should make the like condition of the Ministers life in all places and subiect vnto the like conditions Chap. XV. Of those Lands which are held in fee and haue annexed with them anie ciuill authoritie and iurisdiction AND that which maketh all the doubt for those Landes which are helde in fee by the Church is this that manie times they haue annexed with them some Ciuill iurisdiction and Knights seruice The which thing is forbidden the Pastors of the Church by the lawes of the Church vnto whome also the power of the sword seemeth to bee forbidden by the Lord himselfe The ancient Canons which are accounted the Apostles allow not a Bishoppe to be busied in the seruice of warre or anie ciuill function The sixt Canon standeth thus A Bishop Priest or Deacon shall not take vppon him anie worldlie cares neither shall hee defile himselfe with such Cyprian also in an Epistle vnto the Priestes of Furnam writeth against one Victor for that he made one Geminus Faustinus ouer-seer of his last wil and forbiddeth them that there should bee anye oblation made amongst them for his death His wordes are these The Bishoppes our predecessours religiouslie considering and prouidentlie fore-casting of thinges enacted that no brother departing this life should appoint anie Clearke to be his guardian or supra-visor and if anie so did there should bee no offering for him neither should anie Sacrifice be celebrated for his departure Neither indeed doth he deserue to bee once named in the praier of the Priestes at the Altar of God who sought by all meanes possible to with-draw the Priests Ministers from the Altar of God These decrees of the reuerend Fathers are confirmed by that example of the Apostles who sequestred themselues from the ouer-sight of the poore which notwithstanding is a godlie and a religious action and resigned that charge vnto other godlie men least themselues should bee with-drawen from the ministerie of the woorde which thing chiefly was imposed vpon them by the Lord. Moreouer for so much as pertaineth vnto Knights seruice or anie other ciuill function the foure-score and second of the Canons which are called the Apostles decreeth thus The Byshoppe Priest or Deacon that giueth himselfe vnto war-fare and will occupie himselfe both in the Romaine regiment and also in the Ecclesiasticall gouernement let him be diuested Giue vnto Caesar those thinges which are Caesars and vnto God those thinges which are Gods The councell of Chalcidon in the seuenth Canon the fifteenth action hath laid a cursse also vppon those that dare presume to doe these things The wordes of the Canon are these VVee doe decree that those which are once ordained in the Cleargie as also all Monks shall neither come vnto anie militarie seruice or to anie secular promotion But they which dare do these things and do not with repentance returne to that of the which they made their first choyce for Gods cause they are accursed To these Canons wee maye adde the conditions of the fees themselues the which are such as by them all manner free-tenure is taken away from the Cleargie and companie of Moonks For a fee is defined by the Lawyers to bee a Militarie seruice but seeing the lawes of the Church doe forbid Church-men and Moonkes to exercise anie Militarie seruice they cannot by any right either receiue or retaine the benefite of the seruice Chap. XVI That Bishops and other Pastors of the Church are not forbidden to be Lords of fees sometimes to vndertake secular and ciuill charges TO the former obiections I first aunswere according to that I haue already proued as well by the lawes of the first christians as by the testimony of the ancient fathers that the Church long before Constantine his time had both fields and farmes the commons and commodities pertaining to the same But is there now any other reason why Ecclesiasticall persons may not also hold the same in fee if they be giuen in fee as well as did of old these Priests and Leuits those Townes and Cittyes which they receiued of theyr brethren As for those Canons before cited I aunswere and affirme that we allow nor Elder nor Bishop to be detained or withdrawen with secular cares from theyr spiritual function any further then may be beneficial to the Church and common wealth or may satisfie the necessity of our christian neighbour That the charge of domestique secular affaires is here forbidden by any Canō that a man should neglect his own family vnto whom he is bound by the right of alyaunce or affinity nor godly charity nor christian faith will suffer vs so to thinke But that the charge of a Lordship or Mayrolty or such like that a Bishop should be Consul in the field Maior of a Towne Clarke of the market Chamberlaine to the King or Factor for the state and such like we hold them to bee forbidden by that sixt Canon and we vtterly renounce the same To the fourescore and second Canon I aunswer and affirme that seruice of war is forbidden by
the same not that which is necessary but that which is voluntary Vppon which ground I hold this for a sure principle that that Priesthood or Bishop doth both against the honor and the honesty of the sacred ministery whosoeuer without commaund of supreme autority or constraint of extreme necessity shal take vppon him any seruice of war eyther as leader or as souldier But when such time and places betide as shall exact this at our handes we are vnwillingly to yeeld to vnwelcome necessity Theodoret in his second Booke the third chapter writeth of one Iames Bishop of the Citty of Nisib which of som is called Antioche Migdon that he was vppon occasion both Bishop and Captaine of the same his Citty the which by the helpe of God he manfully defended against Sapor King of Persia and deliuered the same as well with his prowes as his prayers The same Theodoret in his fourth booke the twelfth Chapter recordeth as much and much more of the warlike power and prowes of Eusebius Bishop of Samosis who mannaging himselfe with all manner warlike abilements ranged along throughout Syria Phenicia and Palestine wher he erected Priests and Deacons and performed such other Eccesiasticall pensions Neyther did I euer read of any that found himselfe offended with this action or thought his action offended against that Canon I doe not so thinke nor will I say so much of Theophilus and Cyrillus Bishops of Alexandria who tooke vppon them a secular principality ouer that Citty the Emperour not noting it but not commaunding it As for the Canon which Cyprian citeth I must needs confesse that I cannot attayne vnto the reason thereof onely this I am assured of that it was but a particular and a prouinciall decree seruing onely for that time and that place For no doubt to take charge of Widowes and Orphanes is an especiall worke of piety and commaunded of God in euery place of his Lawe and so that they incurre no small blame that deferre to take vppon them not the patrimony but the patrociny of such For good cause therefore was the old custome continued in the Chuch that Bishops should be the patrons of Widowes and the Fathers of Orphanes and that they especially before all others were to take charge of them without any shame to theyr calling without any breach of the Canons You shall heare how the Councell of Sardis doth allowe and recommend the same in plaine wordes For this is the speeche which Osiris then Bishop there made Much importunity and too much confluence with vnlawful sutes hath brought the matter to this passe that we haue not so much either fauor or credit committed vnto vs whiles there are some which cease not to repayr to the Court of the Bishop and especially they of Africa who as we know reiect and contemn the wholesome directions of our most holy brother and fellow Bishop Gratus Who do not only present diuers and sundry matters not materiall to the Church as many times it commeth to passe that widows orphans and the poore might be succoured but they doe further craue for certaine secular dignities and ciuill offices This bad order therefore stirreth vp not onely much muttering but many offences also Notwithstanding this is a commendable thing that Bishops should be a meanes for those which are oppressed with wrongfull violence as if so bee a widow be molested or an orphan defrauded and yet so that these parties haue some iust cause of complaint and some honest petition to praesent Wherefore if it so please you my beloued brethren let this be a decree that Bishops come not to the Court except happely they whom the Religious Emperour shall by his letters inuite But because oft times it commeth to passe that they which suffer wrong flye to the Church for succour and they also which doe wrong and are adiudged therefore to some I le or exile or in deede what sentence of iudgement soeuer they receiue they ought here to be relieued and without al doubt their pardon to be craued Therefore if it so please you as I haue sayd so let it bee decreed They all gaue a placet and let it be enacted This Canon containeth a certaine exposition of the sixt Canon of the Apostles and it teacheth vs what secular cares a Bishop or a Priest may vndertake and what not The Bishops in this point were imitators of their Fathers the Prophets which alwayes gaue their helping hand to widdowes orphanes and other afflicted people Doe we not read how fatherly and friendly the Prophet Elizeus greeteth the Sunamite after his entertainment 2. Reg. 4. VVhat wouldest thou that I should doe for thee is there any thing to he spoken for you to the King or to the Captaine of the host Nor neede this seem to any man any such a strange duety of religion that Bishops or other Ministers should repaire to Princes to intreate for the distressed Ambrose vndertaking an honorable Embassee for Valentinian the Emperour being yet a child to Maximus the tyrant spake thus in his case as himselfe reporteth to Valentinian in an Epistle VVhom sayth he ought Bishops rather to defend then orphanes For it is written Iudge the cause of the fatherlesse and defend the widow and deliuer him that suffereth wrong and in an other place Ye Iudges of widowes and fathers of fatherlesse As for that which is vrged from the example of the Apostles ther is no childe so simple so to conceiue therof as if when the Apostles had once chosen Deacons the care of the poore and the widow did no more pertayne to them I noted before how the necessity of the poore was commended to Paul and Barnabas after that and we reade how Paul also caried the beneuolence of the Corinthians and other Churches to Hierusalem Wherefore to conclude if it be lawfull as it is for bishops and Pastors and that according to the rules of charitye to imploye their labour in outward affaires and to detract some what from that time which otherwise were to be spent in reading of holy writ and other sacred trauels and that onely for our priuate necessities or our neyghbours what labour shall we thinke too much or what paines not to be performed in the commendable affaires of the King or common wealth for a publique necessity and a greater commodity Chap. XVII What a fee is and what are the conditions thereof NOw it remaineth that I make answere for those Church goods which are held in Fee of which terme before the irruption of the more barbarous nations into into the Romain Empire there was no wher any mention that phrase taking his original frō the Goths Vandals and Longobards What may be the etimology thereof and what is signified thereby the learned at large discourse discusse whose iudgements and opinions it were now too long to repeate But for our purpose this is enough and this is a cleare case that a Fee with the Lombards doth signify a priuiledge
or an especiall benefite with the Latines so that a Fendotarye with them is the same that a free Tenant is with vs who holdeth by fealty and homage onely But a Fee is defined among the Lawyers diuers waies First that it is a military seruice imposed and vndertaken vppon this condition that the tenant for the benefite receiued performe his seruice in warre and therein shewe his fealty and fidelity to his patrone and his benefactor By which we may vnderstand what was the original of tenures in Fee Notwihstanding for as much as there are some fees which are not military neyther stand vppon knights seruice this may serue for a more generall definition that a Fee is a benefite or a priuiledge giuen vnto some man vppon this condition that he which receyueth the benefite shall in lieu thereof performe some duty or seruice as a testimony of his thankefulnes But here there are three things of necessity to be obserued the Persons the Things and the Right The Persons are the Lord and the Vasall that I may so speake with the Feudist betweene whom the seruice is contracted The which for the most part in deede is military or knights seruice I say for the most part because of the Ecclesiastike or church seruice But the Thing is the matter substance of the benefite receiued as fields fermes iurisdictions immunities courts or whatsoeuer else is held in Fee But last of all the Right accrueth from these both For the Fee in respect of the Lord is a benefite giuen to the Vasall vpon that condition that he should recognise the autor therof in some kind of seruice but in respect of the Vasall the Fee is the right of vsing and manuring another mans thing vpon that condition that some seruice of duety and testimony of his fealty be due for the sayd thing But now is there any of these three more crosse of contrary to the calling and condition of Ministers then of other Christians But that it may the more plainely appeare what is the nature of the whole matter and what therein is repugnant to the state of a Minister we will more diligently examine the particulars of these pretended Fees Chap. XVIII A distinction of Fees THis title of Fees is many waies deuided but that which maketh for the presēt purpose is this Of Fees som are meere Ciuill some are Military The ciuill Fee is againe sub-deuided into an Ecclesiasticall or Church Fee or a temporall or Lay Fee In the nature of Ecclesiasticall or Church Fees are our Parsonages our Bishoprickes Archbishoprickes Abbies and such like which are giuen to hold in free tenure by the Princes Scepter In the manner and nature of Ciuill Laye Fees are those secular dignities and ciuil offices of the common wealth as Lieutenancies Mairolties Consulships and such like of the which we doe not purpose in this place to make any particular discourse It sufficeth for this time that we haue noted howe all Fees are not giuen for military dueties neyther doe all hold vppon Knights seruice Moreouer this also is most manifest that the lawes of Fees haue often times altered and the nature with the lawes so that ther is nothing more variable then that title And that the whole matter dependeth vppon certaine customes and the vncertaine pleasures of the Lords who vppon any condition or without any condition if it please them may freely giue the things they haue to be held and vsed In deed the first occasion of Fees was Knights seruice that the Prince might alwayes haue a sufficient host Captains competent for the defence of the common wealth So that Fees no doubt in the beginning were no other thing but stipēds for war not hereditary but temporary not vnlike to Princes annual pensions at this day And then no question neyther young children nor youthes vnder the age of fourteen were capiable of those Fees nor generally any whosoeuer was not apt able for seruice of war yet we see afterwards how they were made Hereditary also so that in many places they now differ litle or nothing from ordinary inheritance Whereby we may see that those lawes conditions of Fees which determine that a Clerke is no hable person to hold in Fee are to be vnderstood no otherwise thē of knights Fee In the which notwitstanding if it seeme good to the Lord of the Fee to alter the law thereof as he iustly may by his absolute authority he may also graunt the same Fee vppon any condition vnto the Church in generall or to anye of the cleargy in particular In the meane while those Lawes which serue to restrain cleargy men from these Fees do in like manner by the same reason exclude women and children and young men and old men and all men that are not fit for military seruice Who when as at this day they are notwithstanding admitted what reason that Clergy men alone should be excepted For they also may performe by an other man or supply with another duety that duety of Chieualry if it be a duty as wel as womē boies wherfore seeing that at this day the Pastors and Prelats of the church doe liue vnder the same Magistrat the same lawes neither do challenge vnto themselues any peculiar immunity from the burdens of the common wealth any otherwise then other Cittizens surely to depriue them of the like benefits or to depose them from the like priuiledges with other cittizens is an action no lesse odious to al then iniurious to thē But as of old for good cause it seemed necessary to them which had the chiefe place in the common wealth to giue lands and Lordships in Fee to their Nobles and noble warriours for military attendance and the peaceable continuance of the common wealth so also did they take it no lesse necessary and as great reason for them to giue vnto Pastors and Bishops in the like name and nature of Fees both towns and towres and parkes woods and pooles and fishings and fermes and fields and tenths and tithes for the sacred ministery of Gods Church and the reuerend administration of things sacred thereby to aduance the honor and support the worthines of that most honorable heauenly calling As for those things which the Bishops and other Ecclesiastical persons in England doe hold in Fee they are for the most part of that nature as that they require no military seruice for they are giuen in Franke almoigne as they terme it and yet notwitstanding all ancient Bishopricks haue frely graunted many Fees and such like tenures vnto theyr Tenants in fee to hold in Knights seruice Who by this means doe performe vnto the kings of England as well military as other necessary seruices in the Bishops behalfe by the which the Bishops are enlarged and set free from them Chap. XIX An aunswere to the obiection That ciuil iurisdiction outward pompe and honors which are annexed with these fees doe not agree with the
simplicity of the Euangelike ministery IF any man obiect that these tenures in fee are accompanied with certaine Royalties ciuill iurisdictions secular titles honors and retinewes in which thinges the auncient Nobilitie are an ornament vnto the King and the Countrey and therefore not agreeable vnto the simplicitie of the ministerie which thing the Lord him selfe taught as well by expresse doctrine as especiall example Because indeede such thinges they doe but intangle a man in extearne vanities and solicite their heartes with the cares of this world in the which it becommeth a Bishop to be secure And furthermore for that the Lord himselfe beeing requested to sit but as arbiter betweene two brethren denied the same And againe when the Apostles made the question which of them should bee the greatest hee made aunswere and sayd The Kings of the Gentils raigne ouer them and they which beare rule ouer them are called gracious Lordes but yee shall not be so but he that is greatest amongst you let him be as the least and he which is Prince as he which ministreth By which the wordes and examples of our Sauiour wee are taught that the Ministery of the Gospell hath nothing common with the Common-wealth It may suffice for an answere vnto this obiection which wee haue before noted namely that all this they talke of hath his place in that estate in the which our Sauiour and his Apostles liued not in that common-wealth in the which the chiefe Magistrates acknowledge Christ Iesus their chiefe Lord and soueraigne King For as the Magistrate is of an other calling now in the Church then before he had so is it reason also that the seruaunts of the Lorde should bee of better estate in the Common-wealth then before they were The Magistrate which before was an enemie and a persecutour according vnto the prophesie of Esaias is become a Foster-father of the Church and a religious worshipper of the Lorde Christ vnder whome were it not an absurd thing that the seruaunts of Christ should haue no more honour then vnder a persecutor But because it is not set downe expreslie in the Scripture what of what sort and how great the same ought to bee many mens mindes are heere at a maze and some are of mind so to leaue it as at a dead losse and yet notwitstanding the thing it selfe is not so hard to find out and it is in his owne nature wel enough knowen and that both by the written lawe of God and the vniuersall censure of all nations were it not for the awkewarde interpretation of those scriptures which I haue nowe cited Out of the which notwithstanding there is nothing els directie concluded but that it is not any part of the Ecclesiasticall function to intermedle in ciuil affaires the which indeed is out of all controuersie Neither is that the question but whether the same man that is a Pastor may not togeather with the ministery of the Gospell bee lawfully imployed in politique affaires for the benefite of the Church and good of the Common-wealth For when as the Minister of the church is cittizen also of the common-wealth he ought not thinke any thing not pertaining to him that pertaineth to the Common-wealth so that beeing lawfully called hee may not vndertake some part of the ciuill estate As for that which I lately cited concerning our Sauiour who refused to be an arbiter it is nothing to this question For the spirite of Christ in the mouth of Paul doth plainly teach vs that the meanest of the church are good enough to iudge of earthlie causes for that one day they shall iudge the worlde yea the Angels themselues a iudgement farre greater then this The which seeing the Apostle affirmeth of any Christian is it to bee thought that onely Christ alone was no fit man to take vp a small matter betweene two brethren if they both had bene content to stand vnto his iudgement Wee cannot therefore imagine that our Sauiour Christ simplye refused the office of an arbiter but that hee denied himselfe to bee that iudge which might command both parties to stand vnto his arbiterment And is not this then a slight testimonie for to proue it not lawfull for a Bishop who is both a Cittizen and a subiect to exercise anye ciuill iurisdiction the Magistrate so commaunding him or to execute some other pension of the Common-wealth not abhorring altogeather from his profession beeing furnished with sufficient authority to discharge it That the foure-score and second Canon commandeth him to be disordered who vndertaketh both Prouinces the Ecclesiasticall power and the secular principality for my part I say not against it if so be that it bring no inconuenience vnto the Bishoppes of the Church and that it may bee done with the good leaue of the Prince and without anie great hurt to the Church and Common wealth And thereupon we are also bolde to say that Theophilus and Cyrill Byshops of Alexandria transgressed that Canon of whome Socrates reporteth that of themselues they tooke vnto themselues the principality of that citty In like manner doe the Bishops of Rome when as they improoue vnto themselues those things which are Caesars For when as they are the vassals and subiectes of the Emperour they haue notwithstanding extolled themselues aboue their Lords and aduanced the sheepheardes croysier aboue the royall scepter But for those Bishops which vaile their bonnet to their Soueraigne and obey their Princes in honest and godly things there is not the like reason And many things many times are done in the Common-wealth extraordinarilye so that there can no lawe bee published or made which it is not lawfull for to gain-say at some time or other for the good of the Common-wealth Neither is the other example that they vrge of anye force For had our Sauiour meant to haue inthronized himselfe in that earthly kingdome which he neuer ment yet would hee haue refused that tumultuous course For what power had that part of the people to annoint him King CHAP. XX That it is lawfull for Bishops to heare ciuil causes and to determine vpon them THat Bishops had to deale in ciuill causes when as the parties submitted themselues to their iudgement it is sufficiently known by the writings of the Fathers the works of Iustinian The which although it were a matter of no smal trouble vnto the godlie Bishops yet the iniquitie many times of secular Iudges their delayes demurs and cauils in lawe were such as that the Bishops of meere charity were moued vnto this labour Neither are they therein to be so censured as if they vsurped the place of the ciuill Magistrate for he did it by the consent of the chiefe Magistrate as it appeareth in the writings of Iustinian in his first booke de Episcopali audientia the fourth title where hee commaundeth that there should be that reuerence giuen vnto their iudgement which is due vnto the hiest powers from whome it is not lawfull to appeale
and more-ouer he commandeth that the execution of their iudgements be done by his ciuil iudges By reason of the statute of Praemunire as they call it against the which whosoeuer offend they are punished with is a matter of verie great daunger in England for Church-men to inuade the office of the ciuill Magistrates and therefore there is kept a most circumspeact distinction betweene the affaires of the Ciuil and the Ecclesiastical Court If at anie time anie of the Bishops or anie other of the cleargie are thought meet men to vndertake any ciuill charge they doe it not by the especiall commaundement and commissiō of the King vnder the broad seale of England But those charges are alwayes accompanied with some honour so that they may be accounted rather a help then a hurt to the proceedings of the Gospell as are the offices and dignities of a priuie Counseller a Commissioner a Iustice of peace and such like Neither as I doe thinke will any man of sound iudgement say that those charges are eyther imposed vpon any Cittizen without the chiefe Magistrate or if they be so imposed that they can of any man be deposed or laide aside If any man except that this is more abhorring from the office of a Bishop then was of olde the charge of the poore from the which notwithstanding the Apostles did abdicate themselues because they could not attend vppon that and their owne charge too and therfore vrge that it is not possible for Bishops that they should discharge both charges well for which cause they ought to sequester themselues from the one I answer first that the Apostles did not so far foorth discharge themselues of the poore mans boxe that that they thought it not appertaining to them to haue any further care thereof for they alwayes continued patrons of the poore as doe the Bishops also whom we will not so intangle with ciuill causes that they forsake their owne but that as it especially concerneth their office vpright dealing and sincere charitie may bee maintained among them whose soules health is committed vnto them But how much a godly and diligent Bishop may doe in this matter Austine alone may serue for many examples who wrote so many excellent volumes when as yet he imployed no small part of his time in these troublesome affaires Whose words I will heere infer for that they inforce a sufficient confutation of this their cauill I call the Lord Iesus witnesse to my soule saith hee in whose name I boldly speake these thinges that for so much as concerneth my commoditie I had rather worke euerie day with my hand as it is vsed in wel ordered Monasteries and reserue the other houres free to read and to pray and to exercise my selfe in the Scriptures then to sustaine the tumultuous perplexities of other causes in determining secular controuersies by iudgement or in taking them vp by arbitrement To the which troubles the same Apostle hath appointed vs not of his owne will but of his that spake in him The which notwithstanding we read not that he himselfe susteined for indeed the course of his Apostleship stood not with it Neither did he say If therefore you haue any secular controuersies bring them before vs or appoint vs to giue iudgement of them but those which are least esteemed in the Church set them vp saith he And I speak to your shame is it so that there is not any wiseman among you which can iudge betweene his brother but the brother goeth to lawe with the brother that before infidels Wherfore those wise men which were resiant in some certaine place beeing faithfull and godly not those which discoursed this way and that way for the Gospel sake I say such would hee haue to bee the examiners of those matters For which cause it is no where written of him that he at any time attended vpon any such busines from the which notwithstanding we cannot bee excused albeit wee bee of the number of those which are least esteemed because he would haue those also set vp if wise men were wanting rather then that the controuersies should bee brought into the open and ordinarie Court The which labour notwithstanding we vndertake not without comfort in the Lorde for the hope of eternall life that we may bring forth fruit with patience Thus saith Augustine whose reasons in my iudgement may satisfie any reasonable man verely they satisfie mee neither can I finde anie thing to mislike in this action of his This is one generall maxime in the rules of Christianity That whatsoeuer wee reade in the word of God eyther forbidden beeing not euill of his owne nature or commaunded beeing of it selfe not good in those thinges Christian charitie dispenseth and disposeth of the matter as the time the place and the cause doth require Vnto the which whosoeuer doth refuse to subscribe he doth it of stubborne and froward hypocrisie not of any religion or deuotion he hath of the precept Neyther is the Diuines rule vnknown concerning those things which are bidden or forbidden in the word of God namely That some thinges are forbidden because they are euill and some thinges are euill because they are forbidden suppose for some especiall purpose And againe on the contrary part That there are some things commanded because they are good and some thinges therefore to bee accounted good because they are commaunded by God who requireth such thinges of men for some especiall causes Now those things which are of the first sort and section are vnder a constant and perpetual law and not to be changed by any means but there is not the like condition of the other sort neither do they bind anie man any further then the reason and occasion of the law doth require Examples of this matter wee haue in the obseruation of the Sabaoth and the vse of the Shew-bread of the which it was not lawfull for any man to eate but the Priests onely besides many other things of like nature which we read to be either commaunded or condemned In this our case it is no crime to be a King nor to be a Magistrate a capitall sinne And therfore the reason of the commandement abating the thing it selfe abideth free and it remaineth lawfull for Princes and other Magistrates to be of power to command the Bishops of the Church in a Christian common-wealth those things which would rather be an aide and an ornament then any hurt or impediment to their holy calling I speake of calling in generall not of any one mans calling which haplie may be hindred and shall haue neede of others which may helpe him but of all theirs which are in the same calling vnto whome there ariseth any honour and authoritie from the rest So that if all things be throughly examined and all commodities with all discommodities compared together which may any waies accrue vnto the Church and common wealth I doubt not but that which wanteth in one parte shall be requited
that there had beene no other kingdome to bee expected No doubt the calling and state of the Apostolike function was for iust cause great and honourable and their authoritie in the spirituall kingdome autentike and inpregnable and yet all that did not aduaunce them aboue the state of priuate men in the common-wealth and being priuate hee would not haue them president therein And verely these thinges were thus ordained of GOD in a verie prudent manner and vppon a verie especiall purpose For why should anie occasion bee giuen for the heathen to cauill at the doctrine of the Gospell as a thing seditious to the gouernement and pernitious to the common-wealth The Lord without doubt did in great wisedome foresee that the wicked would bee ready to picke many quarrels at the doctrine of the Gospell when as notwithstanding all this there is no politike Philosophie no imperiall constitution that doth more strictly binde the consciences of men vnto subiection and obedience then the doctrine of the Gospell doth The principles of Philosophie and the lawes of Nations doe permit many thinges against Tyrants which the Religion of Christ doth flatly inhibite But the prudent aduise of this precept of Christ wil more manifestly appeare if wee shall for a time but imagine the contrarie namely that the Apostles had followed that errour in the which they were found and then let vs admit that the whole worlde had beene wonne and wasted by them with warre and robberie for they must of force haue followed that forcible course which that renowmed theefe Mahomet kept a course farre differing from the means and manners of our Sauiour Christ But should not thus the Iewes haue bene confirmed in their errour And should not by these meanes iust cause haue beene giuen to the Kings of the earth to haue armed themselues against Christ and his Gospel After the subuersion of Hierusalem there was a diligent inquisition made by the especiall commandement of Vespasian if anie could bee found that were of the stocke of Dauid For the Iewes notwithstanding their ouerthrowe gaue not ouer their hope still expecting their Messias They did see that the times which Dauid had foretold were then fulfilled and thereupon they did argue that the Messias was borne and that the time was now at hande in the which the Romane Empire should impaire and themselues preuaile The which thing gaue the occasion that so great and cruell a persecution was afterwardes raysed against the same Nation The like we reade of Domitian who had the posteritie of Dauid in no small iealousie For casting the worst and fearing least some new Messias should arise and break the scepter of their Romane Empire he caused inquirie to be made after all that were of that kindred Wherupon one Iocatus by name brought before him the nephews of Iudas who was the Lord his brother according to the flesh who did not only draw their pedegree from Dauid but were thought to be very nearely allyed to the Lord himself But when they were examined what possessions they had and of what wealth they were were found to be of very mean estate the hardnes of their skinnes warranting the labour of their hands and when they further vnderstood howe they beleeued that the kingdome of Christ should not bee an earthly Monarchie but an heauenly Hierarchie neither yet that he should come before the consummation of the worlde to iudge the quicke and the dead They were foorth-with reiected base and simple men and were without suspicion set at libertie In like maner no question the priuate estate of the first Apostles was both a testimonie vnto them of their innocency and a safe conduct among the nations for their security But what would not the Romaine Caesars and other like Magistrates haue doone if the Ministers of the Gospell had bene sent and set forth with power of warre and other abiliments of like power These the precepts of our Sauiour may therefore worthely be alledged against the tyrannique Bishoppe of Rome who chalengeth the right of all Empires and holdeth the Romaine Empire as his proper fee but they cannot be alledged against those Bishops which liue subiect vnto lawes and Magistrates and keepe themselues in a proportionable order with other Cittizens Wherefore where the Gospell of Iesus Christ is honorablie receaued by publique authority how should this abatement of our Sauiour be wrested against all Bishops that they should not be in that reuerend account vnder a Christian Magistrate which the lawes of all nations and euen the very lawe of nature it selfe and the written lawe of God also doth expresly award them As for those places of scripture about the which we now contend this only may be gathered That the Pastors of churches in respect of their ministerie haue no power ouer the bodies or goods of Christians Neither that they can chalenge vnto themselues those rights which God hath placed in the power of the Magistrate onely But that the same Magistrate in no place at no time for no cause may commit no portion of the Common-wealth vnto the Bishoppes of the Church it is not as yet prooued neither can be if I bee not deceiued Chap. XXII That the Pastors of the Church for the necessitie of the Common-wealth may attend some times vpon worldlie affairs IF it bee allowable to detract some part of that time which otherwise were to be imployed in the studie of the Scriptures that the Minister of the Church may the better prouide for the priuate good of his owne familie much more may the same bee conuerted to the good of the Common-wealth the man beeing able to assist the same either by his aid or his aduice Where either the want or the vnwillingnesse of anye Church is such that either it cannot or wil not afforde the Minister his due honour it is lawfull for him to haue recourse vnto the labour of his hands Where-vpon the Elibertine councell often-times pretermitted Bishops Priestes and Deacons to trafficke for their better maintenance The which thing is also allowed by diuerse other Canons which I suppose superfluous to rehearse seeing that one instaunce of Paule may suffice for all But nowe if so bee that priuate necessitie may priuelege the detenee of the Ministerie what may publique necessitie doe And yet if at any time the Minister bee exercised for his priuate commodity in base and wretched busines thereis no man greatly offended with it But if hee bee imployed in any honest and honourable affairs of the Common-wealth now a daies there is no man that dooth not inuie it and inuey against it And whence for Gods-sake is this of deuotion from loue or from enuie I say not these things as if I thought that Bishops or other Pastors were rashly to bee incombred in their holie course But where the necessitie or greater commoditie of the Church or Common-wealth dooth require the same there is nor reason nor religion against it Are not Bishops Cittizens also and
subiect to Lawes and Magistrates as well as other men Or may they not bee commaunded if they cannot be entreated by them vnto whome they are subiect to doe good to the Church or Common-wealth Neither is that of Paule to Timothie any thing at all against this assertion No man that warreth intangleth himselfe in the affaires of this life For the affaires of this life are those with the which we get thinges needfull for this present life not those things which appertaine to the publique estate of the Prince or Common-wealth War-fare it selfe is one of the publike affaires of the Common-wealth vnto the which whosoeuer is leuied must leaue his domesticall affaires so that if a man would vrge the similitude thorowly Hee which warreth vnto God must leaue all his domestical affairs against that example of Paule of whom no man wil doubt but that he discharged his Pastorall duty faithfully yet notwithstanding intangled himselfe in the affaires of this life when necessity constrained him to get his liuing with his handie labor and to spend that time in the affaires of this life which other-wise he might better haue imployed either in praier or in Preaching Beeing ready no doubt to haue done the like in publique affairs which he did in priuate had the Magistrates commanded and the good of the people required the same Wherefore the sense of the similitude is this that we must abstaine from those things which do so hinder the VVarre to the which wee are called as that they force vs to for-sake the same That the vse of certaine things which doe perteine vnto the Common-wealth as to haue a Ciuill iurisdiction in certaine Citties or townes which a man may discharge by another to be of the Kings councel in certain causes to be present at the publik assemblies of the kingdome to deliuer his iudgement in thinges concerning the state to vndertake and discharge a royall Embassee at certaine times of the yeare to be present at sessions and assises and to vndertake all these by the Kings especiall commaundement or generall commission that these things I say and such like are of that wicked nature that whosoeuer vseth them cannot be a Bishop or a Minister this I say should haue bene prooued and this also that the Minister which intermedleth in any of these things for a publique commoditie beeing there-vnto called and commanded by the Magistrate dooth commit a wicked thing and vnworthy his calling CHAP. XXIII That diuerse functions are not confounded albeit vndertaken of one man THAT which is commonly said of the state Ecclesiastique that it is distinct from the Ciuil estate is altogeather impertinent to this question seing both callings become not one though one man be called to them both Are not the parts of of a Lawyer diuerse and the partes of a Physicion diuerse yet the same party may play both partes and prooue as good a Lawyer as a Physicion In like manner the same man may be both Physicion and Diuine and cure the body as a leach and comfort the soule as a spirituall Father Spiridion was a husband man and got his liuing by graizing yet was hee a Bishop of the Church and a Pastor of soules shall we thinke that he confounded both these functions I but a Bishop requireth the whole man neither yet is one man sufficing for more charges I but this indefinite censure is vncertainelie true and certainely false and there are manye presidentes to the contrary both in the old Testament and in other antique histories First I would know whether Spiridion both Pastor of sheepe and of souls were not a man able for both these charges No man as yet so far as I can learne hath enuied him his ferme with his Bishoprick No man hath dared to condemne that holy men but all men haue worthely admired both his simplicity and his sanctimony and yet might hee haue beene more greedy of graizing then of gaining soules had his mynde ben set vppon coueteousnes But why then might not the same man haue beene both Bishop and the kings Counseller as well No doubt the greatnes of euerye charge is chiefely to be considered and then also the supply of necessary ayde which a man may haue in either charge whereby he may well discharge the same There are some Churches more great then other som som haue more busines some lesse in so much that the Pastor may haue much time sometime to spare from his ordinary charge And in a great Church where the Bishop hath many and great affayres it may be he hath many and great helps Had these two functions beene so aduerse and contrary the one to the other that they could neuer be exercised together by the same man Moyses would neuer haue beene both Prince and Priest ouer the people of God But I feare me some silly shrewd fellow wil haue his action against me for that I haue called Moyses a Priest And yet I would haue him first to vnderstand that after he had created Aaron himselfe stil continued both Prophet and Pastor as he was before But that Ely Samuel were both Iudges and Priests together it cannot be denied You will say that was a thing extraordinary and I say that I do not speak of any ordinary thing neyther of all the Pastors of the Church onely I vrge what may lawfully be done where the welfare of the Church or common wealth requireth the same and in the meane while these examples shal proue that the same thing hath beene done But if so be you would haue a view of a ciuill authority which was also ordinary may it please you consider those forty eight Citties of the Leuites and the gouernement thereof For they could not be gouerned without a Magistrate and ordinary Iudges shall we say that they chose them Magistrats out of other Tribes to determine theyr controuersies when as themselues were ordinary Lawyers and not onely present but president at ordinary Iudgements Deutronomy the one and twenty Chapter and first verse euery question and controuersie is determined according to theyr censure And is there not the like reason of those royalties which are giuen to clergy men in a christian common wealth with those Citties and suburbs the old Israelites gaue the Priests and Leuites by the commandement of God Chap. XXIIII That Dauid and Solomon vsed the aide of Priestes and Leuits in ciuill affaires ANd as the most renowmed and religious Princes Dauid Salomon others vsed the Priests and Leuites at their command as other subiects in ciuill gouernement so likewise may christian kings vse the ayde of Bishops other Pastors of the church if there be any among them which may stand either them or the common wealth in any stead In the first of the Cronicles the three and twenty Chapter at the commaundement of Dauid there is a suruey made of al the Leuites from thirty yeares of age and vpwards and ther were found eight and thirty
thousand Of the which foure and twenty were appointed to bee ouerseers of the workes for the house of the Lord and sixe thousand were ordayned Rulers and Iudges in all Israell And least any man shoulde thinke that they were Iudges onely in Ecclesiasticall causes as some now a dayes would hold men in hād forcing the Scriptures to that forme of gouernement they see in some Churches let the six and twenty Chapter of the same Booke be wel read and aduisedly perused and he shal find that the Isharites Chenanas and his brethren men of might were deputed officers and Iudges for the businesse without ouer Israell Of the Hebronits Hesabias and his brethren men of might a thousand and seuen hundred were appointed Officers for Israell beyond Iordan westward in all the businesse of the Lord and for the seruice of the King And in the same Chapter it is sayd that Dauid appoynted the kinse-men of Iedijas men of might two thousand seuen hundred Princes of families ouer the Rubenites and the Gadites and the halfe tribe of Manasses for euery matter pertaining to God and the King To these I may adde that which I read in the nineteenth of the 2. of the Chronicles of king Iehosophat who intending the restauration of Gods worship and the reformation of the common wealth appointed Iudges Leuits and Priests and Princes of the families of Israell for the iudgement and cause of the Lord. And where as some thinke by that in the last verse of this Chapter That the Priests and Leuites were onely deputed ouer Ecclesiasticall causes because it is there written Behold Amarias the Priest shall be the chiefe ouer you in all matters of the Lord and Zebadias the sonne of Ismaell a ruler of the house of Iuda shall be for all the Kings affaires c. As if he had there put some difference betweene matters ciuill and Ecclesiastitall It is an errour growen as I haue sayde of a certaine fore-seasoned opinion of that gouernment which we see now in the Church or Rome and some other reformed churches For who seeth not that in this place the kings affaires and in the sixe and twenty of the former booke the seruice of the King doth not signify al one with ciuil matters and politique affaires but what so euer pertayned to the Kings right Such as were first described by Samuel and afterwards eyther imitated or augmented by the consent of the people as it often commeth to passe of the which ther was nothing prescribed by Moyses But what the businesse of the Lord was the tenth verse going before declareth by particulars For the Priests were interpreters of the law as well ciuill as ceremoniall and the King so appointing they were also the ordinary Iudges thereof These things I doe therfore remember that all men may know what is lawfull for the Ministers of the Gospell who succeede the Leuiticall Ministery in ciuill causes vnder a christian Magistrate not that I would wishe them intangled therewith any otherwise then the necessity of time and causes may require and that we may also know that those precepts of our Sauiour were giuen to no other end then that as I haue sayd that misconceite of his kingdom should not be strengthned in the mindes of his Disciples Least they should thinke the power which was giuen them were annexed with such autority as that they might alter at their pleasure and innouate publique estates by theyr peculiar power Chap. XXV Theyr error confuted that thinke no ciuill affaires of the common wealth ought to be committed to the Bishops and Pastors of the Church NOw a dayes this common error hath inuaded the mindes not onely of the common sort but of some part of the learned also so that there are manye of that side very strongly opinionate that the ciuill affaires of the common wealth doe nothing at all appertaine to Bishops and Ministers no more then if they were neyther cittizens nor any suppliment of the common wealth Curriers Diers Weauers Beere-brewers Smithes Fullers Marchauntes and Pedlers furnish the common house and giue their voyce in things concerning the common wealth neyther can I dissalow the same in a common wealth but that the Pastors of Churches shoulde stande excommunicate out of their generall assemblies it is a thing vtterly against the equal right of al Cittizens Seeing they liue vnder the same lawes obey the same Magistrate beare the same burdens of the common wealth Seeing in such publique assemblies they doe consult as wel of theyr liues and goods and what so euer else vpon the which not onely theyr owne estate but the publique good of theyr Churches also doth depend seeing I say they doe consult of these no lesse then of cloth and wooll and fish and felles importing and transporting any other commodities is ther any light of reason or light reason why godly Ministers ought to haue lesse care of the common wealth then common Burgomaisters If they can alledge no reason what colour can they set vppon theyr mishapen ground Why they aboue all others should be excluded the ciuill assemblies or Parliaments prouincial whom it chiefely concerneth to see least the flocke committed to theyr charge be layd open to Wolues In those things which concerne the safety of theyr soules nay but in those things also which touch the security of theyr bodies Are they not appointed of God watchmen and ouerseers as it were in a hie tower or heedeful centrenel as they which are to see from far what mischiefes are like to insue that they may admonish as well the people as the Magistrats themselues of such things as are to be auoided The which in deed they cannot doe so long as they are kept fasting from the conscience and conference of such thinges as are done in the common wealth If the Church could stand safe though the cōmon wealth fell to decay or if the one might rise by the ruines of the other I had the lesse to say but when as Church and common wealth are imbarked in the same vessell saile together in the same danger how should the deuout minister be lesse solicited for the safety of the common state then are the common Burgesses who for the most part iudge one thing cōmodious for the Church an other for the common wealth another for themselues and their own estate These are in office but for a year they neuer forsake theyr charges These may prouide many waies for themselues theyr own estate with the detriment of the Church danger of the commō wealth they can by no means preserue themselues or theirs vnlesse both Church common wealth together be preserued These consult that the common wealth sustaine no domage in corne and cattell in wares and marchaundise least themselues at any time should want their sweet return They doe not a little regard these things but besides these theyr especial care is that iustice faith godlines and true religion decay not in the
common wealth least at any time the kingdom of Christ should want his due increase But do learned BB. vnderstand lesse what belongeth to the good of the cōmon wealth then illiterat Burgreeues rank chapmen Very vnprofitably haue they consumed thēselues in their head-paine vigils and heart breaking studies if they haue learned nothing whereby they may benefite the common wealth I but Ministers are of priuate estate Burgreeues are Magistrates It is not conuenient that the same man should vndertake both an Ecclesiastique and a politique office Truth it is neyther doe I knowe any ignoraunt except them selues what is decent in this matter and what is not But to be present at the sacred Parliaments to giue a voyce and to giue aduice is not to be a Magistrate The books of the Prophets are plentifull in the precepts of peace in the policies of war and in the best counsels for al things which concerne the common wealth and sacred histories doe record of purpose how the people of God neuer aduentured vppon any action of weight and moment before they had well consulted with the Priests and the Prophets Such was the custome also of other countreis wheresoeuer there was any religion or reuerence of God What need I now againe put you in mind of the Chaldees and theyr Wise men the Egyptians and theyr Priests the Grecians their Prophets the Romaines and their Sooth-saiers the French with theyr Druidists without whose more sage aduice it was alwaies thought a thing ominous once to attēpt any notable thing in the common wealth Neither were they deceiued in their opinion For was the neglect of God euer left without reuenge Yea the opiniō of false gods contemned hath found the true God a sharp reuēger wherfore al antiquity thought well that nothing could goe well in the common wealth without due reuerence done to Religion they began theyr wars with Religion they ended their wars with Religion But whence in Gods name if it can be in Gods name is this error sprong vp among those which glory in the true religion that they disdayn in their counsels to take counsell of religion Verily where God is banished publike assēblies religion is made but a scorn to the wicked the commō wealth a priuate gayne to euery varlet happy Bishops happy Ministers of the Church which are farthest off from such Godlesse and irreligious conuenticles Blessed is that man that hath not walked in the counsell of the vngodly and hath not stood in the way of sinners hath not sit in the chair of the scornful The time hath ben vnder our Lord Christ when Bishops thought it not agreable with their honor to sit in the counsels of Emperors whether it were of any superstitious error of thēselues or of any contagious misdemeanor of the consistorians I cannot wel tell but this I am sure of that it is no indecorum for the seruāt of Christ to be seen in the congregations of God God standeth in the congregation of Gods the iudgeth among Gods But it ther the counsels were held for priuat gain or priuy deceit for wicked treasons or bloudy murthers no wonder though the godly BB. were ashamed to stand in the vngodly assemblies For albeit God be there also as iudge reuenger yet the diuel is ther present as Presidēt of the coūcel otherwise ther was no reasō why it might not be a thing decent conueuient too for a B. to stand in the consistory Admitte him as a Doctor to giue aduice according to the word as Legat for the Prince or the estate as a Solicitor for the widow the orphan for the poore the oppressed for the traduced and condemned This was then also a religious custom among the most ancient best conceiued Bishops What Ambrose did what he thought in this case himself witnesseth of himselfe in his first Booke the 27. Epistle who euen then whē as he excused himself to the Emperor Valentinian for that he would not dispute with Auxētius the Arriā B. in his Pallace yet euen ther also he acknowledgeth his duty in that behalfe saing Wherfore take it in good worth gratious Emperour that I can not now come to the Consistory For I haue not acquainted my selfe to stād in the Consistory but on your behalfe Neyther can I willingly contend within the compasse of your Court who nor know nor seeke to knowe the the secretes of the Court. So that albeit Ambrose thought it not beseeming the dignity of a Bishop to stand as an ordinary man in the throng of the consistorians yet he thought it pertaining to his duety to be there present in the Princes causes and the affaires of the cōmō welth Wherfore whencesoeuer this perswasion sprong whosoeuer they be which thinke it either an vnlawfull or an vnseemly thing for any Minister to intermedle in ciuill causes they doe greatly wrong the honour of religion the welfare of Princes and the publique state whome they enuy the good vse graue aduice and louing fidelity of so necessary Cittizens and subiects of the common wealth If the honest examples of ancient Bishops might be of any autority at this day I would reckon vp many honorable Legacies vndertaken by most reuerend Bishops in ciuil causes but ther are two presidents which may sufficiently serue for our purpose The first is that of Ambrose who was twise Embassador for the Emperor Valentinian to the Tirant Maximus that not without great successe the other is that of Marutha Bishop of Mesapotamia whom the Romaine Emperour sent Embassador to the king of Persia as Socrates recordeth in his seuēth boke of Ecclesiasticall histories the which his one Embassee was aboundantly beneficiall both to the Church and also to the Emperour himselfe By these reasons and examples I am drawen to this conclusion that it is both lawful and requisit for Princes to demise certaine ciuil causes affairs to the ancients of the Clergy and that it is but the error of them which lust to go alone though they goe awrye that thinke that the Minister ought to bee sequestred from all ciuill affayres in a christian common wealth As for those wordes of our Sauiour and the tradition of the Apostles they teach vs no other thing then this That no publique ciuil authority is ioyned with the Eccesiasticall Ministery as any part thereof But the state of the Church being altered where the Church is the Common-wealth and the Common-wealth the Church there the state of the Euangelique Ministers may lawfully bee the same which was of olde in the Priests and Leuites among the people of God CHAP. XXVI Where the Church is the Common-wealth the same man as Bishop may take charge of the Church for the Lorde Iesus and render fealtie and obeisance to the King as one that holdeth by faith and homage SOme there bee which thinke that the Churche is in the Common-wealth as a certaine part thereof that the whole Common-wealth it selfe
is not the Church But this distinction hath no place in a Christian people In times past when christians were mingled with the heathen as at this day they are among the Mahometists it was then of force a part by it selfe and it might be said the Church is in the Common-welth as the people of Israell were sometimes in Aegypt or at Babylon I touch not now that state of a Common-welth in the which the head-strong people are distracted into diuerse factions and the headlesse Churches are dismembred vnder the same Magistrate That is a waightie matter indeed and such as requireth a proper treatise of it selfe But where the whole nation hath giuen their names vnto Christ and there is no man which is not sprinckled in his Baptisme there doubtles the Church is the Common-wealth and the Common-wealth the visible Church vnder the which who so supplieth whether in respect of the one onely or in regard of both names the order appointed by God being kept and those things remaining diuerse which in nature are distinct there is nothing in the Gospell that forbiddeth the same In that a man is Pastor of the people or Bishop of the Church hee holdeth of Christ in that hee is a subiect and a tenaunt to the Common-wealth hee holdeth of the Prince that he may performe his dutie to both these he is not constrained to giue ouer either of these the same man may giue vnto Caesar those things which are Caesars and neuerthelesse performe that vnto God which is due vnto God A Bishop as hee is a Pastor doth owe vnto Christ a vigilant care ouer the flocke committed vnto his charge and as hee is a subiect and free Cittizen hee oweth vnto his Prince faithfull obedience dutiful homage and all other kinds of lawfull seruice If it should so fall out at this day as it hath doone full oft and full well that some noble-man holding in fee of the King should bee called vnto the Ministery as one which hath sufficient learning and no lesse deuotion the doctrine of the Gospell doth not prohibit that such a man should be made a Bishop and yet retaine his free holde and the royalties belonging there-unto Alwaies to bee considered that the lawes of the Common-wealth permit the same Neither is there any cause why any man should thinke that this Bishop would be caried away with his secular affaires from his pastorall charge For if there be any feare of God in him and if he haue any care of the Church hee will honestly and may easily prouide that such things be discharged by his seruants and wil gouerne his Church himselfe We see that noble-men haue the surplusage of as much time from their secular affairs to dispend in idle repasts as might well suffice a Pastorall charge And therfore it is not the possessions of the Kings farms and fees which do so alienate a man as that he cannot be both Lord of them and a good Bishop too And therfore if any christian King shal thinke it behooful either for the honor of his estate or the stay of the Cōmon-wealth that certain BB. of the church shuld hold in fee either manors or honors by their priuilege I cānot find that ether he is forbidden to grant demise or that they are commaunded not to receiue inioy the same And that which I read not to be prohibited I vnderstand to be permitted nether can that be preiudicial to the Church which is beneficial to the cōmon-wealth especially when the Church is the Common-wealth CHAP. XXVII An other argument against the donation of fees confuted IF so be any man vrge vs any further and say that the oblations which are made in the Church with the which as well God himselfe as his seruants are honored are vtterly opposit to the nature of fees because they are offered to testifie the gratefull memory of some benefite receiued But contrariwise a fee is graunted by the Lorde thereof vpon that condition that the tenant in fee acknowledge the doner in some kind of duty for a benefit bestowed And therefore seeing these two are opposite between themselues and in condition crosse each other it seemeth that Bishops and Pastors are not rightfully indued with the title of fees and this also is made good vppon them by this reason Those thinges which are giuen to the Pastors of the Church in regard of their ministery are in the nature of certain presents and are reputed amongst the holy actions of religion which are to be rewarded of God onely And therfore to require in lieu of them any temporal recompence or ciuil obsequie is a thing no lesse preposterous then irreligious but fees are granted vpon that condition that the feudatory recognize his Patron in some kind of personall or proportionable dutie therefore our auncestors haue not wel done to honor the Church with their indowments of fees The distinction of Church-goods which before I remembred doth containe a very easie plaine answer to all this namely that the goods of the Church are partly sacred and diuine partlie ciuill and humaine For fees are ciuil goods therefore not to be numbred among oblations but donations neither were those Cities and suburbs which were giuen by the people of God to Priests Leuits at any time recounted among their offeringes Besides this there is a difference betweene these things to offer som thing to God to giue any thing to the church Things mooueable which do perish togeather with their very vse are said to bee offered vnto God when they are giuen to his Ministers or to his poore members for Gods-sake albeit the one hath the name of a gift the other of an Almes The which thing for that the benefit thereof hath the nature of an oblation or sacrifice for neither are they giuen for any reward nor receaued vppon any condicion therefore in nature they are nothing alike vnto the donation of fees as themselues very well confesse I admit they also oblige a man to a gratefull memorie of that they haue receaued yet are they not giuen vppon that condicion that there-vpon some dutie should be performed Wherefore seeing that the donation of fees are neither in vse nor in sense like vnto the religion of oblations why shuld they be confounded with them Or how should a man honestly argue from thence that the Ministers of the church may not be endewed ther with Are they not Cittizens and subiectes and liue vnder the same lawe and obey the same Magistrate and beare the same burdens of the Common-wealth By what equity then can they be abridged the possessions of ciuill goods by the benefit of the Prince common-wealth Besides seeing it is thought but equall by the consent of the holy Fathers that the fieldes and farmes of the Church should yeeld a tribute vnder the most Christian Princes that the increase and benefite of those fees should serue for the good partly of the Church partly of the
Prince partly of the Common-wealth it is not repugnant to the state of the Church or stay of religion And indeed why should not the same thing betide their fields which befall the persons thēselues who albeit they are dedicate to God mancipate to his seruice yet they commit nothing vnworthy their function or not beseeming their calling when as according vnto the dignity of their place they performe due seruice to their Prince and other duties to the common-wealth That which is added of the pension or stipend of Ministers is easily answered by the same reason for it differeth not from the other Wherfore as a man may consecrate him selfe and his labours to God and the Church yet reserue his due obsequie to his Prince and the common-wealth so likewise may the Church inioy both fields and fearms and fees in the common-wealth and yet make no claime to any extraordinary immunity from seruice nor euer think much of any ordinary fealtie due to the patrōs therof The Bishop and euery other Minister of the Church is subiect to the lawes and Magistrate of the common-wealth and seeing he oweth homage to the Prince as to the cōmon parent of the people there is no absurditie committed if by the accesse of some especial benefit he become more nearly bound vnto him then the common sort How many and how bloudie wars the Bishops of Rome haue made vpon the Emperours and other Christian Princes euen for the onely inuestiture of those fees which they chalenge vnto themselues as consecrate to God therefore as they perswaded themselues free from all ciuill seruice all histories can well witnesse Wherefore those Magistrates at this day doe shew themselues very ingrate I may say vngodly to the present Ministerie who when as by defending the authoritie of the ciuill Magistrate which the Bishop of Rome had impayred they haue now at the length brought to passe that they haue recouered the same by their means doe now notwithstanding enuie them their poore estate in the Church and their small authoritie in the common-wealth May not that of the Apostle 2. Cor. 11.19 be truly said of this people They suffered those gladly which brought them into bondage which tooke of their goodes which exalted themselues which smote them on the face I more which afflicted them with fire and sworde and made them runne through Purgatorie glad that they might get to Hell But the faithfull seruantes of Christ which set them free frō the captiuitie of the Pope and gaue them that libertie which they nowe abuse against the Church those they doe not onely not reward with that honour they well deserued but they depriue them of those dignities they once possessed They lay baites for the bane for some set snares for the liues of others contriue plots for the deposing and disparaging of all Is this the thankes they giue to their Pastors And is this the reward for so many benefits receiued by their preaching O God forgiue them this sin if it be possible But thou wilt one day iudge betweene them and vs and reuenge this infamie done vnto thy selfe Chap. XXVIII Of the honorable titles which are giuen vnto Bishops NOw we haue spoken of fees and of that ciuill iurisdiction which is annexed vnto them it remaineth that wee speake somewhat also of their titles of honour Neither will I seeke into all but will shew you vnto a few of them and comprise in one or two all the rest which either the custome of the time place or the curtesie of Kings and Princes doe giue vnto the chiefe states of the kingdome With the which here are some in England which find themselues not a little offended would hold others in hand thogh they dare not hold their hand that such titles are not to bee giuen to the greatest Bishops The first that displeaseth them is the title of Lord which yet at this day is vsed to be giuen rather for honor sake then for homage The proper signification thereof is sufficiently known to haue relation to the possession proprietie of a thing In which sense euery man is Lord of that hee hath It hath a secondary relatiō also to a Seruant in which sense the Romane Emperours would not be called Lords or Maisters Suetonius reporteth of Octauius that he abhorred the name of Lord Maister as curse and a slaunder Indeed the Barbarians acknowledge no other distinction of persons but of Maisters Seruants therfore their Kings also do domineer ouer their subiects as maisters ouer their seruants the fathers of families haue the same authoritie ouer their wiues children as ouer their seruāts This would seem might well a very vnreasonable thing to vs being not as they are a people base seruile And yet the Moschouites rule at this day after this manner neither is the Empire of the Turkes much vnlike the same And generally all the Easterne kingdoms were once of this gouernment kept this foule rule ouer the nations wher they conquered Whether the Kings kindred had any priuilege besides the rest it is to be doubted so I leaue it But these a man might truly cal Dominos Lords or Maisters in which sense our Kings themselues wil not be so called nor will they take it in good part to be so slandered for their subiects are not their slaues or seruants neither do they so vse them They hold it their chiefest glory to haue a free people subiect vnto them and thinke it more honorable to command ouer a free then a seruile nation And albeit the King may truly be called Lord and indeed the only chiefe Lord in his own kingdom referring the signification of that title either to the subiection of the whole people or the propriety of his own kingdome yet contenting himself with the royal title of King which glory he wil cōmunicate with no subiect he enuieth not his subiects the name of Lords but whō he thinketh worthy hee honoureth with that title Neither do inferior persons only cal superior personages Lords but they also which are Nobles of equall authoritie do so salute their peeres And doth not the King himselfe vouchsafe to greet the Honors of his lande by the names of Lords The name of Lord is of many significations and is as I haue said a title rather of honour and of fauor then of rule and of Empire the which argueth the no smal malice or otherwise the great ignorance of them which hold the title of Lord to bee of so great authoritie as that it is not conuenable to the calling of Bishops And yet at this day among the best Latinistes the same name ordinarily is giuen to any man of any ordinary esteeme So doth the signification of this title varie according to the diuersitie of regions and persons and proprieties They which in England do make the same a signification of greater honor then that it may any waies agree with
power or hath he by any counsell aduised them to withdraw their bountie from his seruantes or that they should haue no regard of those duties they haue performed or not to grace with titles of honour their honest demerits of whose truth wisdom they haue made great vse had great experience Nabuchadnezer preferred Daniel amongst the Babilonians Darius aduanced Mardocheus among the Persians and shall it not be lawfull for a Christian King to honor the seruants of Christ for their religion that vpon a certain religion forsooth That the meane may be exceeded no man doubteth namely when as diuine honors are giuen to mortal men or where immoderate dignities are ambitiously affected of them who ought to be the patterns of modestie the Doctors of humilitie but yet that ciuil honour cannot bee thought immoderate but of immoderate men which according to the custome of the Cuntry is giuen for iust causes by the aduised Prince to his approued Subiects How many most holy men whose liues were only priuat yet publikly renowned which haue suffered themselues to be called Lords witnesse the two Testaments 3. Reg. 18. Did not Abdias the seruant of K. Achab meeting with Elias salute him by the name of Lord 4. Reg. 4. Was not Elizeus honored of the Sunamite by the name of Lord Did not the keeper of the prison call Paul and Barnabas by the name of Lordes Acts. 16. And yet the modestie of their mindes notwithstanding was no lesse then that of Peter who would not suffer himselfe to bee honored of Cornelius aboue measure We read of Paul Barnabas how they rent their clothes and ran into the throng repealed the diuine honors which Iupiters Priest with the peple would haue done vnto them and verely if so bee in the name of Lord ther had bene any such eminent honor or imminent danger as som think they would haue refused that I conclude therefore that in a Christian common-wealth which is the Church of Christ all externe things as wealth riches preferment and ciuill honours may bee referred of all and euerie the faythfull of any calling or condition whatsoeuer to the glorie of GOD and the good of the Church and the benefite of the common-wealth For so indeede they ought to bee referred With the which I include this also that the seruantes of Christ ought so to prepare themselues both for honour and ignominie both for wealth and want as that they may vse all thinges aright to the honour of God and edifiyng of his Church Chap. XXIX Of the Bishop familie and retinue BEsides all this the Bishops retinue ordinarie attendants are no small motes in the eies of some that cannot without enuie behold the same For doe they not therein imitate the peeres and potentates of the lande Not Christ I warrant you not Peter not Paule were euer thus garded But alâs poore popular and child-pleasing speech simple are the men whom these faire wordes make faine for I dare be bold to say that the retinue of Christ his Apostles was as honorable as it might be in respect of the time the thing for the which he came into the world much more honorable should haue beene if God had meant to restore mankind after an other sort then he did And yet as it was our Lord and Sauiour was not without aboue fourescore men in his family which waited vpon him whither he went or went before him whither he was to come I but there were no gallant Gentlemen to braue it in their chains of gold there were no barbed steeds to praunce it in their siluer studded raynes In that solemne pompe when Christ would shewe his glorie vnto the Cittie hee was well mounted vppon a sorie Asse attended with the simple companie of his weake Disciples I but this againe is but a popular perswasion in the which ther is nor pith nor rind against the thing in question Will they neuer learne that our Sauiour after that manner prouided for that season least eyther hee should incurre the suspicion of affecting an earthly kingdome or other-wise might haue hindered the worke of our redemption Doubtles had he bene knowen in his kind to Herod to Pilate and to the chiefe Priests that which the people did of a good zeale they would haue done for their own aduancement but then would they neuer haue crucified the Lord of glorie Neither would he which tooke in good worth the honor of that oyntment which was powred vpon him and receiued royall presents of the wise men golde myrhe and frankincense haue euer refused that honour which was due vnto him from all earthly Princes might it haue stoode with the saluation of mankind But is not this a worthy kind of arguing which is vsed aswel against the Papists as against vs to reason from the times actions of a faithles people to the times and duties of a christian nation neither doe I commend in our Bishops either pride or ryot or any superfluous excesse but this I say that that retinue is not to be disalowed which the receaued and continued custome of the countrey requireth It was an auncient custome in the Church that a Bishop should neuer walke forth alone or be alone hee had records and eie-witnesses of al his actions Now they which are more indifferent to Bishops had rather they should bee attended with gown-mē the which I also had rather But let vs weigh the matter in an euen ballaunce for they which would haue the Bishops retinue to be men of his owne quality seeme to say some-what and to stand to the examples of the ancient Fathers But it is wel knowen that our BB. are neuer without such also Wherefore the question is now of the number which cannot bee prescribed to all alike for that their reuenues are not all alike But go too let vs once againe alow Bishops their ancient attendants The more there is of them the greater is his family so a greater number of seruants and so a greater retenue by ods then is as this day and shall not their enuy also increase with the company for company But the seruing mens swords and the Gentlemens chains do gall them at the heart and paine them in their eies as if good men it were a thing misbeseming the calling of christians that a Bishop shuld be attended by Gentlemen whether old or young That yong Gentlemen and wel nurtered should be preferred to some godly BB. that they may attend his person and marke his maners therby become the better and better learned there no is no man without an enuious eye that can mislike the same Bishops houses haue bene alwaies Colliges of learned men and schooles of al virtue and what hindreth that they may not now be But least I should seme to haue taken vpon me the patrociny rather of BB. then of their calling I may not seeme to set forth the virtues of any which at this
day do gouern the Church of England And yet neither the zeale of my duty nor the conscience of their demerits will suffer me to passe ouer in thankles silence the sacred memory of that most reuerend Father Iohn L. Archbishop of Canterbury with that godly Diocessan VVilliam L. Bishop of Couentry mine own Ordinary As for the rest they are all known to me alike I knew some-times neither shall they euer bee vnknowen that most reuerend L. and Father Edward Grindall the memorye of which man is renowned in all the Churches of Christ and two other BB. no lesse famous for their learning and religion Iewell L. Bishop of Salisburie and Horne L. Bishop of VVinchester whose religious godlines rare knowledg I could wish that al the BB. euil-pleased emulists had among them euery man his part What other Bishoppes and Archbishops happy England hath bred within our memory their lerned works declame in our studies and their inflamed bloud doth yet speake in the booke of Martyrs That they were men both of sincere life and singular learning what man if a man that will deny it I testifie therefore that I do not defend Bishops if there be any euill but the calling of Bishops which in my conscience I iudge before God who shall iudge my conscience to bee godly christian ancient Apostolike profitable and necessary As for the crimes and abuses with the which the euil spirits charge our Bishoppes they touch their person not their function The tyranny of Rome being surprised the authority of Princes restored to their right places wherin so-euer any Bishop offendeth if indeed hee offendeth it may easily be corrected and it chiefly concerneth the chiefe Magistrate to see that godly men well noted for their virtues such as the word of God doth commend be set ouer the churches If the Princes neglect this let the peple know that scisme is a remedy worse then the malady for what sedicion is in the Common-welth the same is scisme in the Church of Christ And albeit these things doe litle concerne those churches which are committed to your charge reuerend Brethren where there are no Bishops or rather where they are all Bishops notwithstanding I haue more largely dilated of these things that the whole matter may be made manifest vnto al you and that you all may vnderstand that the honor which is giuen vnto Bishops is both an aid and an aduauncement to the Church or christian Common-wealth and that you may take aime by this how farre wide they are which inuey them this honor desire to make them or to make no more of them then of ordinary men That which I am perswaded Satan with a certain wile hath procured that so he may bring downe all the Pastors into contempt togeather that so the whole authority of religion being little or naught woorth himselfe might freely cast forth al manner contumelies and blasphemies against Christ For who are they which durst oppose or could preuaile against the enterprises of his more mightie complices I know what I speake neither can you beloued bee ignorant thereof But I haue said enough of this matter for this time and wil one day if God wil speak more plainely of that which remaineth CHAP. XXX Whether it be better for Ministers to liue of the stipends of the Magistrate or of the oblations of the faithfull AL they which thinke that the Ministers of the Gospell may liue of the Gospell are not of one iudgement For there bee some which hold that Ministers ought to liue of the tythes and oblations onely of Christians renouncing all temporall goods and surrendering them to the Prince and people Other are of opinion that they ought so to liue for so long onely as the Magistrate is an enemy to christianitie who so soone as he hath receaued the Gospel ought to prouide that Ministers may be allotted their sufficient stipends the which thing when hee hath once performed from thence foorth there ought to be no more oblations For my part I am of a contrary opinion for that I am taught by the word of God that oblations ought to continue in the Church and that because they are the exercises and testimonies of our religion towards God and his seruantes by the which wee not onely pay our vowes to the Almighty but therewith also the Pastors to the people and the people to the Pastors are mutually deuoted the one to the other For I know not how a man doth not onely binde with his bounty but is bound himselfe also after a secret manner And as the benefactor maketh him his owne of whome hee doth deserue so likewise himselfe becommeth his and they both if so be there be a free and an ingenious disposition in both reioyce in the same benefit as wel he which giueth as he which receiueth Now therefore me thinks theyr reasons are too too politicke and prophane by the which oblations are abrogat in som Churches For albeit religion ought not to be measured by allowance yet is it not to be without a reward As for that they so hotly alledge of the many and manifold abuses thereof it is to no purpose vnles we should say that the ceremonies also which were commaunded were to be abrogated euen then while they were commanded and all other sacred rites which God hath ordained were together to be abolished because Hypocrites haue and doe wickedly abuse the same For what is there so sacred which the impiety of men will not prophane Wherefore we are rather to inquire what God hath commaunded not what this or that man thinketh most commodious If any man obiect that oblations are antiquated as are also tithes and all other sacrifices and ceremonies of the old lawe I would haue him to know if he be yet to learne that they are not exacted at this day in that manner neyther were so exacted of our Fathers as it may appeare by those theyr testimonies which I haue before noted but that they are onely required as testimonies of a thankfull mind towards God and a propensiue deuotion towards his Church But this kinde of duety hath no temporall prescription it is perpetual and bindeth the faithfull to the worlds end It is also obiected that where the Pastors are abundantly prouided for by the ample reuenews of the Church or other set certaine stipends there oblations ought to cease I aunswere that the oblations may be the lesse or not so often as otherwise they ought to be where the Church hath no fermes or receyueth no annuall increase of theyr fieldes but not that there ought to be none The end of oblations is not only the necessary reliefe of the Ministers but our dutifull deuotion towards God And hence is it that the wise man sayth in the third of his Prouerbes Honor the Lord with thy riches and with the first fruits of thine increase c. He doth not say Honor the Priest who notwithstanding was to bee honored and
neede knowen to euery man and with what face can they of the familye goe doore by doore to gather things necessary verily their credite is indangered and theyr modesty But did you euer heare that the Ministers of the Church were brought to such an exigent as that of force they must gather their relief from dore to dore among their own people In deed there was such a custome in the time of Popery for mendicant Friers brought vp among them of a certayne superstition without any precedent president of the auncient Fathers But is there no other way to gather christian oblations but so and are they not eyther brought by the faithfull of theyr own voluntary or collected by some of the honest neighbours appointed for that purpose But of the other side by the certaine stipends which depend vppon the vncertaine pleasures of the Magistrates it is very badly prouided both for the necessity of the family and the modesty of the Ministers where either so small wages are allowed or their allowance so slenderly paied that the poor Pastors pittifull complayning for meere pouerty are constrained to giue ouer theyr trade and to forsake theyr Ministery Where the people are perswaded that they owe nothing to theyr Pastors and that it pertaineth to the Magistrate onely to prouide for the Ministers alâcke poore Pastors I am ashamed to report how both people and Magistrate beare themselues towards them But furthermore they dispute that in these stipends the Ministers can vse no deceite when it shal be sufficiently knowen how much they receiue when as otherwise a couetous Minister may pretend that eyther he receiueth lesse then he receiueth or not so much as sufficeth To this I aunswere that the oblations of the which we argue the case are not so secretly giuen or so closely kept but that it is commonly knowen how much they are and what the Minister receiueth But to what purpose is al this or to what end should al know how much the minister either receyueth or hath or who can prescribe a meane for that matter The Pastor layeth out as well as he taketh in must that also needs be knowen That which they adde of the coueteous Minister who may pretend that he receyueth lesse then either he receiueth or may well suffice it proceedeth of the same errour I haue knowen many Ministers in my time among whome there is not one whose wealth is not commonly knowen and what he ordinarily receyueth euery year so that there is no other means for them to lie here then there vnlesse you would lie for them But to what end are these reasons or how thinke they did the ancient Bishops of the Church liue Ignatius Ireneus Cornelius Cyprian and such like whose memorial wil continue with their glory to the worlds end A man shall neuer preuent the cauels of malitious men whether the Ministers liue of tithes and oblations or whether they stick to theyr certain allowance both here and there whatsoeuer is receiued wil be thought too much of some A Flemishe florence or gilderne is 2. shillings sterling I haue often times heard the Boores groyn and grunt to this effect that a stipend of two three or foure hundred Flemish Florences was great wages I sayd they can keepe my family for lesse Neyther do I receyue so much of all the gayne that I can make thus vnequally comparing not them selues with them selues but theyr styes with the state of they Ministers As if ther were no difference betweene a priuate man of the basest rout a publique Minister at the hie Altar And yet two or three years wages wil scarce serue to buy him books bsides of duty he ought to be boūtifull intertainable to the needy But now they say that by this means it is well prouided for the subiects who for the most part are but poore liue hardly in theyr Villages For how should they maintain the Minister who are themselues to be maintained Here in deed is the error of our age to be noted which in some places giue to the ciuill Magistrate the goods of the Church and permitteth them to gather vp tithes which are due to the Minister But to the purpose In villages the poor which haue nothing giue nothing if it be litle which a man hath he giueth litle euery man payeth his tith according to his wealth and according to the greatnes of his increase whether the commodity lie in tillage or in herbage And in deed the poore could no waies better be prouided for that they should not relieue theyr Pastors themselues being to be relieued then thus for by this means the Pastors are mainetayned by them which haue much they maintaine them which haue nothing The increase of theyr fields for the most part keepe a certain scantline euermore the number of them is greater which receiue then of the poore which want the same But these their reasons are too blame that both poore Pastors are so badly prouided for as they are for by thē the goods which are consecrate to holy vses are betraied to prophane wretches of whom themselues must now goe beg their allowance and be glad to serue and flatter in most slauish sort for their iust reward But yet again they argue that men will seek occasion to discharge their Minister when they shal see that they must giue often shal hear their vices inueighed against so wil fain causes with greater autority contentiō to thrust him out But who seeth not here how weakely this argument is grounded euen vppon an euil grounded gouernment of the Church who leaue in the peoples hands to place displace their Pastors at their pleasure yet if it so falleth out at any time as it falleth out so often as they fall out the christian Magistrat must be but an idle auditor in this iniury haue no autority at all to compell the wicked in this case to theyr duty But let Cornelius Bishop of Rome an holy Martyr aunswere this who being destitute of the ayde of the christian Magistrate and being infested by Nouatus his faction so far forth as that he was not far from giuing vp his hold and yeelding to the wicked yet did he euer want of those his ordinary oblations euen in the midst of so much euil will and so many dissentions so that he could not maintain therewith his 500. and 50. clerkes and a 1000. 500. poore people Neither were any of the Fathers which liued of oblations euer fearefull of the wicked but were euer fearfull to the wicked and were feared Of no greater force is that which they say that euil men being reprehended wil giue nothing but will rather suffer their Minister to famish for hunger As if that were not rather to be feared least it should be done as we haue experience of the doing by the Magistrat which payeth them wages when so euer a good Minister shal displease a bad
this without any iust knowledge or further trial of the cause a quicke course must be taken the Chequer if it were the Chequer swopt at al. But if the Church-men were found ready to renounce all Popery and to receiue the true profession of Christ his religion what cause was there lefte or what occasion might be found why Bishops and Pastors should be expelled their parishes possessions vnlesse haply they did reckon the Church goods among the other heresies which error is already confuted But where now shall I lay the blame vpon the ignorance of the Ministers or the auarice of certaine Officers No doubt they were both in great fault But certaine craftie vngodly men who not in the zeal of godlines but for the desire of goods presuming of a pardon for the contempt of all religion ioyned themselues vnto vs and while they would seem the more serious fauorites of the Gospell they became the most sacrilegious instrumentes of this mischiefe so that the same which of som was thought to be done of error or ignorance in these was brought to passe of a malitious wickednes For who can excuse them of most hainous sacrilege who vnder colour of reformation in some partes of Germany the Low Countries haue made a pray of whatsoeuer was giuen for holy necessary vses to the Church and Church Ministers With due reuerence I acknowledge the chiefe Magistrates as the chiefe patrons of religion and I hold it alwayes lawfull for them according to their royal right to make lawes for the Church and Church goodes alwayes prouided that they so take not the matter vpon themselues that they take al vnto themselues For it is not the part of a patron to spoile his clyent neither was it euer heard of before these dayes that any Christian Magistrate brought into his Chequer all the Church goods made no bones therof They which vpon occasion rifled the Church onely of some small part therof that when the Chequer was in some great consumption are but euil spoken of for their labour in all histories What then may we iudge of thē who haue set the cards drawne the Church of euery penny I name none But I mean them who by their example haue giuen the hint to their neighbors and set them a patterne of an holy robbery Lord how like are these ranke professors to Iulian the recreant or the Turkish tyrant which make no difference betweene thinges sacred prophene how vnlike to any Christian Magistrate so far as I know either of this age or our fore-fathers But is it a foule matter for sacrilege to be obiected to a Christiā Magistrate a more filthy thing is it to be committed Chap. II. What Sacrilegeis THere are some found now adaies not far to seek who thinke that no sacrilege can now bee committed because the difference betwene sacred prophane in externe thinges was taken away by the death of our Sauiour which seemeth to mee not the iudgement of a Diuine but the opinion of an Atheist For albeit to the holy all things are holy and to the prophane all things prophane yet that distinction of things is not taken away which they haue in their appointed vse There was alwayes among all nations a great difference put betweene those thinges which were dedicated vnto diuine seruice and those thinges which serue men for their common vses Thinges for the most part take their denomination from their ende for the which they were ordained So priuate men haue their treasure and the common-wealth her treasure If you doe respect the matter they are both of one nature namely gold and siluer and whatsoeuer else is of any price but if you respect either the end or the possessor you shall finde a great difference betweene them The end of a priuate man his treasurie is the commoditie of a familie but the end of the publike treasure is the benefite of the Prince and the whole Country In like manner the treasure which is giuen or gatheted to the worship of God it hath his proper end diuerse and distinct from both those before mentioned the which ende seeing it is sacred it giueth the name also to the treasure and it is called sacred Furthermore because the inuiry is greater which is committed against a Prince or a publike state then if the same be done against a priuate mans person or his estate therefore the robbing of a priuate treasure is called plain Theft but of the common treasure a Robbery of the commonwelth So likewise how much the more horrible the offence is which is committed against God then against man so much more detestable is the direption of the sacred treasurie then common theft or the robbing of the cōmon treasurie For which cause they call that also by his proper name Sacrilege which is commonly defined to bee the theft of a thing sacred The deformitie of which theft is so much the more notorious by how much the more sharper punishments God himself as also the laws of al nations haue deuised against the same Albeit the definitiō cōteineth not only things sacred to the worship of the true God but of false gods also for that it is the conscience that maketh the sacrilege an opiniō of the holy godhead contemned But how all those goods the Romish Cleargie did possesse vnder the title of the poore the Church haue beene translated to priuat prophane vses I need not tel for it is too manifest Chap. III. The reasons with the which they commonly excuse their Sacrilege BVt sacrilegious persons and their patrons will not onely maintaine themselues with their theft but they will maintaine their theft that is was well and worthily done for the ouerture of the Pope and the inuestiture of the true Church Their reasons are these That the goods of the Church did serue to Idolatry prophane vses the which beeing taken away they could by lawe deuolue no man but onely to the common treasury of the which the Christian Magistrate hath the care and custodie And as the godly Emperours Constantinus Theodosius Honorius and Areadius hauing by their lawes put downe the Idolatry of the Gentiles had the places and reuenues of their temples and their prebends in their owne power to dispose of them as they thought best and that without any sinne of Sacrilege so likewise at this day the Papacie being exiled the goods annuities of Munks Nuns and Masse-Priests may be chalenged by the same right to the Christian Magistrate But that wast goods pertaine to the common treasurie by way of excheate it is a knowne point in the lawe and a common case Neyther were the Bishops of olde of this opinion that the Church had nay right to those goods which were destinate vnto the seruice of Idols so that it may seeme a verie straunge thing to vs that at this day there should be found any faithfull Minister of the Gospel which should once
presume to make chalenge to the goods of the Popish Church to the vse and behalfe of reformed Churches In the first of the Codices de paganis sacrificijs the 14. title there is an imperiall decree extant the words wherof are these We wil commaund that all places which in the olde time of errour were deputed to sacred vses be ioyned to our substance But what so euer by that right either the liberalitie of former Princes or our Maiestie would haue come to the hands of any particular persons her soeuer let that remaine in their inheritance with an euerlasting assurance but those things which by many decrees our pleasure is should appetaine to the hly Church Christian religion shall chalenge that vnto it selfe Giuen the 3. of the Calend. of September at Rauenna Honorius 10. Theodosius 6. A A. Coss By which decree it is manifest that it was alwaies in the power and right of the Emperour to giue those things which were wast by the abolishing of Idolatry vnto whom it pleased them And Dig. the 23. bookes ◠title Da vsu vsu fructu Legalis Leg. 16. Legatum We read of Legacies giuen to the setting foorth of Pageants which might not beset forth the which chaunging but the name of Pageantes into the name of Popish-Masse are all alike the words are these A Legacie is left to a Cittie that of the yearely neuenewes therof a Pageant might be solemnized in that Cittie for the sacred memorie of the deceased which thing it is not lawfull to celebrated I aske therfore what you thinke of that Legacie Modestinus maketh answere Seeing the testator his will was that a Pageant should be set foorth but such as was not lawfull there to bee set foorth that it is no reason such a quantitie of money which the deceased bequeathed to the shew should returne the benefite of the heire And therefore the heires of the deceased and the chiefe of the Cittie being gathered together they are to consider vnto what vse the thing commised to their trust may bee conuerted that the memorie of him that made the testament may be solemnized in another and more lawfull kind These thinges siath Mode inus in the ninth of his answeres By which law any man may see what is to bee though of such behestes as are bequeated to the celebrating of vnlawfull Masses To these thinges it may bee added that the auarice of Church-men was insatiable procuring to themselues infinite donations both superstitious and superfluous Yea when liberalitie waxed colde they purchased of themselues both fieldes and fearms and many times whole countries so that at last they would haue incroached vppon all Christendome had not the lawes of aduised Kinges and Emperours limited them who did perceiue that thier ouer-thriuing was to the ouer-turning of the Common-wealth And therefore euery wise Magistrate had need to take heed that they dash not their feet against the same stone Chap. IIII. An answere to the arguments of the former chapter I May answer that we haue no lesse need to beware least while like wise men wee plie vs to run from one fault we rush like fooles into another Haue not our fore fathers kept a meane Why then let their errour bee a warning vnto vs. For wee are men also and it is a more ordinary thing among vs to slide into a contrarie vice then to keepe a commendable meane and therefore it may also come to passe that too much niggard-lines may carrie vs whither wee ought not But to admitte the vtmost that the Cleargie would haue raked together their wealth to the ruine of the Common-wealth and that of olde donations were made partly superstitious partly superfluous yet of all this it followeth not that there were none lawfull none religious none acceptable vnto GOD and a greeable vnto his worde and profitable vnto his Church But was there any thing in their goodes superfluous it might haue beene cut off was there any thing in his vse superstitious it might haue beene taken away or turned to better vse That they say it was doone for the ouer-ture of the Popes tyrāny the inuestiture of true christianity it is but a meere colour and that but a bad one neither Craftie men abused the preaching of the Gospell and the simplicitie of godlie men whome it was easie to hold so in hand that so themselues might gourmandize the goods of the Church as a fat pray that hung fit for their lips That it was so the thing it selfe preacheth vnto vs. Neyther will I any longer stay therin least this sinke beeing stirred should exhale a vapour too filthie and vnsauorie But that which is aleged for the defence of sacrilege may not so passe vnexamined The first is That the church goods serued to idolatrous prophane vses which being taken away could by no lawe deuolue to any but to the publike treasury Now that the fallacie of this proposition may the better appear I assume that to me which themselues cannot deny me namely that there is a difference to be found betweene those thinges which are dedicated to idolatry and excesse and those thinges which are abused to idolatry and excesse There is nothing so holy which the wicked may not abuse and yet the abuse of a good thing dooth not inuert the nature thereof As for the welth of the Romish Cleargy it was not all giuen to idolatrous and vngodly vses for there were many thinges giuen of old to the vse of the poore and Pastors of the Church The which albeit the Popish Cleargy haue abused yet the nature of the donation is not thereby altered Of the donations which were made to Churches some were before the corruption of the Church and some after For I shewed before that the oblations and donations of the faithfull had their beginning euen with the Apostles But that these which were made before the corruption are sacred to God no godly man will deny the same Now the Bishop of Rome and other heretical Pastors found the churches founded by the Apostles and furnished according to those times with sufficient riches to the which albeit they added much by much naughtines yet the same is not to be esteemed of alike but so to bee accounted of as the rest was No question in the Church of Rome and other heretique Churches there are diuerse and sundry thinges the which if they be taken in their proper kind are very christian and commaunded by God himselfe such is the sacred Ministery of the Church holy care of the poore So that whatsoeuer was bequeathed to either of these or vnto them both hath a godly end and may haue a godly vse As for the prophanation of things it ought not so much to mooue vs as the nature of things against the which there is no litle to be gained ether by prescription of time or abuse of the thing But if it so fall out that the prophane vse be abolished they
rest which had nor cause nor end erronious was to be testored the Church againe If so be in any place all is come to the common treasury whatsoeuer the Monkish professors had in possession and that not so much with the consent as by the counsel of those whoÌ„ the matter it selfe did concerne and ought rather to haue intercessed and taught the Magistrate the contrary let them beare the blame for that part themselues worthy also to bear the burthen We know that the prophanation and abuse of Church goods could not be such as that they could inuert the nature of things giuen or infring the vertue of the donation it selfe That which the Arke of God was was it not still euen among the Philistines Neyther were the vessels of the Lorde his Temple vnhallowed though they were in the midst of Babylon That the Pope of Rome with his clergy haue abused and doe abuse the true and lawfull goods of the Church it ought not to be any preiudice to the godly Ministers of the Church Seeing the possessors thereof are not Lords but stewards onely who haue the vse benefite and bestowing of the Church goods not the propriety As for that they say that the Bishops of old thought that the Church had no right to those things which were dedicated to the seruice of the Heathen gods it maketh nothing at all against the truth of our position For neyther do we hold that the Church hath any right to those things which are immediatly destinate to vngodly vses I haue already confessed that those things are in the second order of Church goods therfore in the power and at the pleasure of the christian Magistrat I remember that I sayd that I did not dislike the decree of Honorius and Theodosius and other godly Emperours whose better examples if they had imitated whose error hath vrged me to write thus much there had beene no neede of this discourse Chap. VII That it is an other thing to come from Paganisme to Christianity then to come from Popery or some other heresie MOreouer this also is not to bee omitted that it is one thing for a people to be conuerted from Paganisme to Christianity and an other thing to come froÌ„ Popery that is froÌ„ Heresie to true Christianity The difference which is between Paganisme and Christianity is much greater then that which is betweene Christianity Popery Paganisme hath nothing in common with Christianity Popery is Christianity Christianity alayed alaied or rather rackt with foule Idolatry and that I may so speake it is a certayne medley or a kinde of mongrel and motley Christianity For the sacred Scripture both of the old and new Testament the couenant of God the Baptisme of Christ the remission of sins and the name of a christian with many other things of the same profession are there peculiar to the Church which are notes of christianity are no wher to be found out of the Church Not in Paganisme not in Iudaisme not in Nahumetisme So that the Heresies Superstition which being substracted are added to the Romish Church the remainder is meere Christianity Very Popery is but a botch of the Church not the very Church but that which the foule Leprosy is or any other deadly contagion in the body of man the same is Popery in the body of the Church So that to forsake Popery is not to forsake the Church but to fly froÌ„ the infection of the church Now then when an Ethnicke becommeth a Christian an Alyen and a straunger is receyued and inserted into the newe people then beginneth he to be a member of the Church But in the reformatioÌ„ of any erronious or stragling Church an adulterous Church becommeth a chast spouse and base christians are made lawfull the wife being reconciled to her husband and therefore what things so euer the adulterous Church vsurped of the goods of her husband the lawfull Church as true spouse doth challenge the same to her selfe by his right In Theodosius Records the sixteenth Book and the foure and forty title against the Donatistes thus it goeth But those places in the which cursed superstition as yet remayneth let them be ioyned to the holy Catholique Church so that theyr Flamines and Priests theyr Prelates and all theyr Ministers be spoyled of all theyr goods and exiled into diuerse Iles and sundry prouinces There also in the fourth Booke we reade of a decree from the same Emperours Honorius and Theodosius against the Montanists in these wordes If there now remayneth any proper edifices which ought to bee called rather dens then Churches let them bee awarded to the holy Churches of the Orthodoctike sect with all theyr indowmentes Before our times there haue beene not a fewe alterations in the Church In the which when godly Emperours put downe the Heretikes they robbed not the Churches of theyr possessions but restored them to the true professors Of the which thing Sainct Austine in his fifty Epistle to Boneface a certayne Capitayne writeth thus VVhat so euer was possessed of the Donatistes parte in the name of theyr Churches christian Emperours by their religious lawes haue commuanded that they come with the Churches them selues to the catholicke Church Thus sayth Austine And were it not as he sayth I would confirme the same with many witnesses Wherefore that I may now comprise those thinges I haue sayd Those Church goods which were gotten eyther by fraude or by force and vsurped without right or else if they were freely giuen but to a superstitious end are in the power of the chiefe Magistrate But those thinges which are lawfully graunted and receyued of the Church to no such end by no such meanes are consecrate to GOD neyther can they bee any wayes transuersed without sinfull Sacrilege Sainct Austine in his Treatise vppon Sainct Iohn the twelfth Chapter Behold Iudas sayth hee is among the holy men and that you shall not need to contemne him a Sacrilegious Church-robber not a petty Lassoner hee was a thiefe of the Tresure but the Lordes Treasure of the Treasure but the sacred Treasure And if crimes are distinguished in the Court whether it be theft or publique robbery for publique robbery is sayd to be a theft from the common Treasury howe much more sharpely is a Sacriligious thiefe to bee iudged which presumeth to steale not from euery place but from the holy Church Doubtlesse he that taketh from the Church may bee compared to Iudas the wretch So sayth good Father Austine Chap. VIII How gracious and inâ—â—â—â—ble the sin of sacrilege is PLato being to set downe a law against Church-robbers beginneth the matter with a large preface and first concludeth that the sin of Sacrilege is vncureable and that he which is infected with any such wretched couetise is not moued thereunto eyther for Gods euill or for mans so much as for his owne and that by reason of some other old and odious sinne not yet punished nor euer to be expiat