his wrath from vs. Now my sonnes be not deceaued for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serue him and to be his ministers and to burne incense Then the Leuites arose Mahath c. and they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselues and came according to the commandement of the King and by the wordes of the Lord for to clense the house of the Lord and the priests went into the inner partes of the house of the Lorde to clense it c. Here indéede the King refuseth not the Leuites but calleth them vnto him and maketh vnto them this memorable oration and those that otherwise in their offices were his fathers hée calleth his sons in respect of his supreame authoritie ouer them himselfe being but a young man and they againe speake verse 18. And they went in to Ezechiah the king and sayd we haue clensed all the house of the Lord c. but here is nothing wherein they appoint or charge the King but all still of the Kinges commaundementes vnto them Verse 20. And Hezechias the king rose earlie and gathered the Princes of the citie and went vp to the house of the Lord and they brought seauen bullocks c. And he commanded the Preests the sonnes of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord c. Then they brought the hee Goates for the sinne offering before the King c. For the king had commanded for all Israel the burnt offering and the sinne offering And he appointed also the Leuites in the house of the Lord with Cymbals with Violes with Harpes according to the commandement of Dauid and Gad the kings seer c. And Hezechiah commanded to offer the burnt offering vpon the altar c. verse 30. And Hezechias the king and the princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and Asaph the seer so they prayed with ioye and they bowed themselues and worshipped And Hezechias spake and said Now yee haue consecrated your selues to the Lord come neere and bring the sacrifices and offerings of praise into the house of the Lord and the congregation brought sacrifices c. Héere the King still commandeth both the Priests and Leuites and the people and they all obeyed But the Leuites are commended vers 34. To be more vpright in hart to sanctifie themselues then were the Priests As for the 30 chapter which our brethren cite after the foresaid first verse wherein the King writeth to all Israel and Iudah It followeth in the second c. And the king and his princes and all the congregation had taken councell in Ierusalem to keepe the passeouer in the second moneth For they could not keepe it at this time bicause there were not priests enough sanctified neither was the people gathered to Ierusalem And the thing pleased the King and all the congregation and they decreed to make proclamation through-out all Israell c. So the Posts went out with letters by commission from the King and his Princes throughoâ—t all Israel with the commandement of the King saying Yee children of Israel turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac c. And at this sacrifice the King praied for the people saying verse 18 c. The good Lord be mercifull towards him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God the God of his fathers though he be not clensed according to thepurification of the sanctuarie and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people And verse 22. Hezechiah spakâ— comfortablie to the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lord c. And in the chapter following verse 2. Hezechiah appointed the courses of the Priests and Leuites for the burnt offerings and peace offerings to minister and giue thankes and to praise in the gates of the tentes of the Lord And verse 4. He commanded the people that dwelt in Ierusalem to giue part to the Priests and Leuites that they might be incouraged in the lawe of the Lord. And when the commandement was spred the children of Israell brought aboundance of fruites c. And when Hezekiah and the Princes came and sawe the heapes they blessed the Lord and his people Israel And Hezechiah questioned with the Preists concerning the heapes And Azariah the cheefe preest of the house of Sadoch answered him and said Since the people began to bring offerings we haue eaten and haue beene satisfied and there is left aboundance For the Lord hath blest his people and the aboundance that is left And Hezechiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord c. And Iehiel c. were ouerseers by the appointment of Cononiâ—h and Shimer his brother and by the commandement of Hezechiah the king and of Azariah the cheefe of the house of God c. And thus did Hezechiah through-out all Iuda and did well and vprightlie and truelie before the Lord his God Thus haue we séene both in the chapter quoted by our brethren and the chapter going before and the chapter following how the King directed all those Ecclesiasticall matters commanded ordered and gouerned both the Leuites and the Priests But what is anye thing héere to our brethrens purpose Did the Leuites debate anye controuersies with the King and Princes or with the high Priest before the King And the king the princes or the high preest yeeld therein vnto the Leuites Or not rather they yeeld vnto the king and to the princes and to the high preest in those matters If now this be so memorable an example why doo not our brethren if they will be like the Leuites yeeld to hir Maiestie her counsell and hir Bishops Except they will be rather héerein like the king his princes and the high priest then like these Leuites As for the elders in the assemblie and conference Act. 15. They also yeelded vnto the Apostles not the Apostles vnto them Although the Apostles refused not the elders no more doe our Bishops refuse our brethren or anye other ecclesiasticall persons that are lawfullie appointed and called to the conuocations or to anie other ecclesiasticall assemblie or conference Neither do they denie the accepting euen of the people in some manner to be heard to speake But whereto doe our brethren mention héere the people in this debating This is againe cleane contrârie to their ownâ— rules as we shall sée in this learned discourse Would they haue the people also to be debaters or to be Iudges of these controuersies And to ouer-rule the Bishops and cleargie in the determination of them But they haue yet one example more At least saye they let â—â—eir owne opinion that in interpreting the scriptures and deliuerie of doctrine we are equall with them persuade them And héereto they quote this marginall note and Whitegifts booke pag. 389. If the Archbishop that now is dooth graunt this it is the greater signe of his reuerent modestie Neither do anâ—e of our Bishops or any of vs
but he condemneth ambition as August declareth in the Sermon of the Lords words out of Mat. 11. as Erasinus hath noted Or else by these titles Master or Father in this place he meaneth them not in such senses as we commonly vse to call them but for such as are Doctors or Maisters in teaching and giuing praeceptes and so are the very wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Be ye not called Doctors as who say Be ye not called Doctors of any doctrin of your selues and precepts of your devising nor be ye called fathers as authors originals of doctrin religioÌ„ for that only appertaineth to God Both which expositions as the text yeelds them apparantly so the moste and best of all the interpreters old and new agree vpon them Neither doth the reason that he addeth For you are all Br. meaning both by creation and regeneration vnder God our cheef Master father take away the lawfull vse of this title Mast. Father among men or the being either of Mast. in their subalternall degrees either of Father in nature in yeares or in dignity either ecclesiasticall or political Yea our brethren theirselues if they haue children can be content they call them Father and they call one another Master for all these wordes And therefore this is not so truely inferred For these names agree properly to God Christ except they mean this properly not very properly neither in this speech of God and Christ for though S paul in a fewe places speak thus distinctly God and Christ yet might we more properly vse S. Paules plainer speeches and sith Christe also is God and man to haue said God the father and Christ Neither do these titles Father master agree so properly to God the Father and to Christ. For both Christe is called more properly of the twaine the sonne than the father And God the father of whom is all fatherhood in heauen earth thogh he be properlie called God the father and our heauenlie father yet he is not properlie called father in the proper sense For when wee saie a thing is propâ—r to one we commonlie exclude the proprietie of the same from all but him But God that vouchsafeth as I haue said already to communicate higher more proper names of his than Master or Father alloweth so generallie the vse of these names Maister and Father both to good and bad nor debarreth them from any his ministers that I sée not how in anie sense that we doe vse them they can be aptlie sayd to agree properlie to â—od Christ which if it were true then our vse of these names Maister or Father were not onelie improper but plaine blasphemie As for that that is added here as a reason héereof for the greatest dignitie of an Eccl. person is a ministerie and not a Lordship is a verie improper illation on the premisses Howbeit it may be well graunted without preiudice And may as well be sayde of any ciuill as of anie Ecclesiasticall person that his greatest dignitie is a Ministerie and not a Lordship For in that he is Gods Minister it surmounteth rhe greatest worldly dignitie he can attaine vnto al were he King or Keyser neuer so great And this also is in very déede the greatest dignitie in euery Eccl. person aboue anie degree of externall dignitie which for order sake hee is promoted vnto that he is Gods Minister as S. Paule saide let a man so esteeme vs as the ministers of Christe and stewardes of the mysteries of God 1. Co. 4.1 And in this respect not the greatest prince in the world if he feare God but be â—he Preest neuer so poore or low of degree he humbly acknowledgeth this poore Minister of Gods worde and Sacramentes in his Ministration to be of farre greater dignity than is all his Ciuill power and externall Maiesty But the question is not heere so properly which is the greatest dignity of an Ecclesiastical person whether a Ministery or a Lordship meaning by Ministery the Ecclesiasticall function by Lordship eyther a Title or an estate of some externall superiour gouernment as whether these twayne may bee competible Which point though Caluine on the foresaid sentence of our Sauiour Christ Math. 20. resolue it for a Ciuill Princes or temporall Lordes part that in cases of vrgent necessity hee that hath the Lordshippe of a Village or a city may exercise the office of teaching and the same he shewed in his foresaid Epistle to the king of Polonia and on the other part Brentius on the foresaid exaÌ„ple likewise resolueth this point for him that is a Minister of the Word that he in diuerse respects also may withall hold as the possession of externall goods so an externall Lordship or principality Yet sith that the most famous Zanchius hath euen as it were the other day besides his former confession on this though not directly on neither of these points yet added in his appendix Cap. 25. Aphoris 21. His obseruations also heereupon I will onely here set downe that which he saith whereby we may see howe much more any Lordships that any of our bishops or arch-B haue are allowable and our Brethren should gladlier yeeld vnto them There are two far different questions saith Zanchius whether it bee lawfull for bishops to be princes also and for Princes to be bishops retaying their principalities And whether they which already are both B. princes besides their authority Ecclesiasticall may also haue rightes or lawes politike ouer Citizens being subiects vnto them and thereupon whether the subiects ought to obey them as princes yea or no. In my Aphorisme I spake nothing at all of the former question because it was not necessary but onely of the later But who doth not plainly see that it is made manifest by the testimonies of mee brought foorth that by what right and by what wrong they were created princes they must wholy obeye them For why shoulde not they that are subiectes to the B. of Mentz Coleine and Triers being princes of the Empire and withal Archb. obey them in things that fight nothing at all with Christian godlinesse Certesse it were the part of seditious men not to obey them But if they must obey these why must not they also that liue vnder his gouernmente obeye the bishoppe of Rome in the same thinges and for the same cause For of all these the reason is the same or all one Of the former question as I sayd bfore I disputed nothing nor yet now also in this my briefe confession haue I determined to dispute When as I know that all are not of one opinion and many thinges may be spoken on both parts That place Math. 20. Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles or of the nations doe rule ouer them the great men exercise power ouer them but ye shall not so Some interpreting it one way of the only apostles and Ministers of the word others
the Prophet in the Psalme 78. ver 70. c. He chose Dauid also his seruant and tooke him from the sheepe foldes euen from behinde the ewes with young brought he him to feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israell So hee fedde them according to the simplicitie of his heart and guided them by the discretion of his handes Princes then being Pastors our Brethren say Pastors are Substitutes of God and haue an office of credite committed vnto them Shall wée therfore thus conclude here with our Brethrens consequence Therfore by no good reason may they make any substitutes in their place or coÌ„mitte their charge vnto another Mought not Dauid substitute his deputies both in the teritories he coÌ„quered froÌ„ other Princes out of the bounds of Israell and make Substitutes Liefetenants of his owne Cities Castles Mought not Iosaphat make Zebadiah a ruler of the house of Iudah for all the kings affaires 2. Chron. 19. v. 11. mought not Pharao make Ioseph his substitute ouer all Aegypt mought not Ahasuerus make Mardocheus his Substitute And Darius Daniel And Artaxerxes Nehemias doth the holy Ghost improue this order of substitutioÌ„ vnder the Emperor Luke 3. v. 1. Now in the fift yeare of the reigne of Tiberius Caesar Pontius Pilate being Gouernour of Iudea and Herode tetrarch of Galilee and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the countrie of Trachonitis and Lysanias the Tetrarch of Abilene Did Christ denie Pilates authoritie to be lawfull because hée was the debitie or substitute of Tiberius or S. Paule not acknowledge Faelix and Festus substitutes of Nero and gouernors of those parties in his absence And is not this also the doctrine of S. Peter 1. Pet. 2. ver 13. 14. Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinance of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto Gouernours as vnto them thaâ— are sent of him And are not al these againe both the kings substitutes and the kings theÌ„selues the substitutes of God as Iosaphat said vnto his Iudges that he set through out the lande in euery Citie 2. Chron. 19.6 Take heede what ye do for ye execute not the iudgements of man but of the Lord And S. Paul speaking of the Magistrate Rom. 13. ver 1.4 5. saith There is no power but of God c. He is the minister of God c. they are Gods ministers c. and how his ministers but as substitutes may they therefore make no substituts vnder them nor coÌ„mit their charge vnto another This doctrine of our Breth is very dangerous toucheth not only Eccl. Pastors Bish. all appropriations to the Prince or to whoÌ„ soeuer but also toucheth so néere or rather cutteth cleane off all Princes holding of diuerse realmes dominions signiories by what right of conquest gift inheritance or any other neuer so good title they enioy the same Yea and all nobles or any other priuate persons offices and liuings that as they are all of them what soeuer they haue and whosoeuer they be but substitutes of God and haue offices of credite coÌ„mitted vnto them So if they haue any moe offices or liuings than one and in one place they must cleane forsake them giue theÌ„ all vp And why forsooth because they are but substitutes of God and can not make any substitute in their place Now although this doctrine be so dangerous absurde notwithstanding our Brethren to confirme it do procéed The law of man grounded vpoÌ„ good reason alloweth not substitutes of substitutes nor coÌ„mitting ouer of an office of credite in teÌ„porall matters How shall God almightie then take it in good part wheÌ„ the flock of Christ which he hath purchased with his own bloud shal be so greatly neglected to the endangering of their euerlasting saluation Sith I professe not the study of the law of man I referre the discussing of the same to the learned professors of it But it being grounded as our Breth say vpon good reason and but the law of man speaking but of the substitutes of man it séemes no good reason it should ouer-rule those that by the law of God are the substitutes of God of whoÌ„ our Breth before spake And although I gladly yéelde vnto this rule of the law of man being grounded vpoÌ„ good reason yet in my simple reason it shold séeme not to be so absolute a lawe so generall a rule but that it may both by the law of man it selfe grounded vpon as good reason as it by the lawe of God whereunto all the groundes of good reason giue place admit many exceptions that controll it For although in the Courte of Delegates it might haue some place yet in some cases delegates the are but substitutes of the Prince do substitute delegates and other substitutes as commissioners vnder them to search out matters and circumstances and to call before them and examine such persons factes as they their selues being absent can not inquire vpon But what toucheth this the Prince himselfe that maketh these delegates and yet himself is but a delegate vnder God This rule of the law of man Nemo potest glady putestateÌ„ sibi datam vel cuiuslibet alterius coertionis ad aliuÌ„ transferre No man can passe ouer to another the power of the sword that is the autoritie of putting to death or of any other punishmeÌ„t was an ancient rule among the Romanes tendring the libertie life of man and yet al kings Princes to whoÌ„ God hath giuen the power of the sword though their selues be but the substituts of God they make other their substitutes in this power and thereby the iudges euen as substitutes of substitutes do punish offenders and if Iustice so require euen by death Yea and their substitutes also vnder them doe execute the sentence of those substitutes And hath not also the law of man such an expresse exception Vicarius Vicarium constituere non potest ficut nec delegatus delegatum nisi datus esset à principe He that is a Vicar or a Deputie of another cannot appoint another Vicar or Deputie as neither can a Delegate appoint another Delegate except he be giuen of the Prince So that by the Prince he may And therefore it is also saide in the Lawe of man quando committitur aliquid alicui subdelegato cum authoritate subdelegandi tune potest subdelegare alias non When an other thing is committed to any vnder Deligate or substitute with an authority of substituting an other vnder him theÌ„ may he substitute such a substitute or else not And this againe is a coÌ„mon rule of the law of man grounded also vpon good reason Potest quis per aliuÌ„ ê™ potest facere per seipsum That which a man can do by himselfe the same he can doe by an other in his name True it is in some cases
person wée will not stand in plea she being an Ethnike might the easier as in the end she is recorded to haue done degenerate into great vices yet for a greate while both in the noneage of her sonne and afterwarde also in respect of worldly pollicie power and magnificence sheée wonderfullie gouerned about fortie yeeres that mightie golden and first monarchie of the Assyrians and Chaldeans and the most Hystoriographers that write of her life haue her actes in admiration None accuseth her that I reade of as an vnlawfull gouernour Neither did the people which was in the time of our forefather Abraham condemne her gouernment of that Monarchie as an vnhonest and vnlawfull state But I passe from her the lighter because I had rather consider better Danaeus his other example of Candace Who though she were also an Heathen Princesse notwithstanding her name at least is registered in the holie Scripture that this Candace was the Queene of Aethiopia who not onelie reigning in her owne right and title and not of her husband had the chiefe gouernment of a great monarchie in that Countrie but that also diuerse other Queenes there had the like soueraigntie and that it was an vsuall order Caluine noteth thus thereon The name sayth Caluine of Candaces was not the name of one Queene onelie but as the name of Caesar was common to the Romane Emperours so the Aethiopians as Plinie testifieth called their Queenes Candaces This also maketh to the purpose that the Hystoriographers affirme that it was a noble and a wealthie kingdome Because wee may the better gather by the largenesse and might thereof howe honourable the condition and dignitie of the Eunuch was Meroe was the headand chiefe seate The prophane writers accorde heerein vnto the testimonie of Saint Luke who dooth reporte that Women were wont there to raigne Thus sayth Caluine in his Commentarie vppon the Acts. 8. verse 27. and because he nameth Plinie it shall not be amisse to set downe Plinies owne wordes who speaking of Meroe libro 6. Naturalis Historiae cap. 29 sayth There raigneth the Queene Candace which name hath nowe this manie yeeres passed vnto the Queenes The Temple of Ammon is also there religious and Chappels all that coast along But when the Aethiopians were the rulers that Iland was of greate noblenesse For they saie it was wont to giue 250000. armed men and to maintaine 400000. artificers Whereby it appeareth that it was not anie small Monarchie Vadianus writeth thus The most auncientest Citie in Meroe is Saba which afterwarde the king Cambises in the memorie of his sister named Meroe as Iosephus testifieth in his seconde booke of Antiquities as I suppose imitating Strabo But Plinie also mencioneth therein the Towne of Meroes being seauentie miles distraunte from the entrie of the Iland which was holden for the seate royall of Aethiopia This is Saba that seate of the queene of the South for Iosephus telleth that shee gouerned both Aethiopia and Aegypt of whome wee reade in the tenth Chapter of the thirde Booke of the Kinges That shee being stirred vp with the fame of Salomon came with a mightie troupe and with more than princelike giftes into Palestine Shee is also commended of Christ Matthew 12. and Luke 11. for that shee came to Salomon for the loue of wisedome euen from ehe farthest coastes when as the Pharisies woulde not heare him admonishing them to their faces and by a diuine power witnessing himselfe to be the sonne of God But wee must note that the people of Meroe which were wont to be subiect vnto women in the age that followed called their Queenes Candaces by a name as common to them as wee haue foreshewed that the name of Pharaos and Ptolomeus was vnto the Kings of Aegypt Of which matter also wee vnderstand that the Eunuch mencioned of Luke Acts. 8. Whom Philip baptized beeing taught out of the lesson read in Esaie was one of the Court of the Queene Candace Besides that wee are admonished by the deliuerie of Luke that the reading of the Scripture became familiar and vsuall to that nation euen from the verie age of Candace neither that they vsed for anie other cause yeerelie to visite Ierusalem as a place renowmed for religion how distant so euer it were in iourney Caius Plinius writeth that Publius Petronius one of the order of Knighthood beeing liefetenant of Aegypt in the time of Augustus pierced into Aethiopia with an armie that the Queene Candace wan the victorie which Strabo writeth was a woman that had but one eie but in prudence and equitie of minde comparable vnto great men I knowe not whether that were Candace the Eunuches mistresse which Luke mencioneth or it were another The verie account of the yeeres of the exploites atchieued doo almost admonish vs that it was another Neither is it anie doubt but that the Queenes of Aethiopia were long after called by that name And here Vadianus reciteth that which we haue alreadie alledged out of Plinie Neither ought it sayth hee to seeme merueilous that women doo there beare the chiefe rule sith that the gouernment of women is not a thing vnaccustomed euen to the most valiant nations For Semiramis of Assyrians is knowen and the Queenes of Scithia are knowen and the Romane hystorie dooth celebrate Theuta which gouerned the Liburnians as her that durst make worke for their Citie Neither must wee count it altogether to bee fabulous that the antiquitie hath sonog of that Dido the Affricane As for their religion I haue authours not vnworthie to bee beleeued which affirme that Nation to confesse Christ. Neither that they differ from our orders in anie other thing than in ceremonies that is to wit a verie small matter This also Vadian a reuerend Protestant writeth of this Quéene and other her ancestors and successors called al by the name of Candaces Now although I doe not yet so throughlie assent vnto Vadianus that the Queene of Sabaea and the Queene of Aethiopia were all of one kingdome but rather assent to Peter Martyr that the Queene which came to Salomon was the Queene of Sabaea in Arabia from whence such aromaticall drugs are brought and not from Aethiopia yet not withstanding that there was also such another notable gouernment of women in Aethiopia and so approued by such both authentike witnesses as Iosephus Plinie and Strabo were and allowed by such notable Protestants as were Caluine and Vadianus it is no small confirmation of womens regiment But what stand we vpon men when we sée the approbation of the Scriptures For had it bene an vnhonest matter and vnnaturall for man being in his sere the superiour to haue obeied as superiour to him in the person of her dignitie a womans supreame gouernment can we conceiue by any reason that Philip hauing informed the Eunuch in the faith of Christ wold not also haue admonished him of so necessarie a point for the direction of his conuersation
any Princes somewhat giuen to learning and to godlinesse they deride them Verily this Woman behaued not herself after this manner And therefore as Christe hath forespoken it in the last day he shall iudge them She came to tempt Solomon but not with a pernitious temptation Yea rather with a holie and an honest temptation wherewith shee desired to be enstructed of those things whereof she was ignorant Aenigmata hard sentences properly are called very obscure allegories which are rare in vse the which in dayly speeche doe well-neere alwayes come in vse which are easie But in this place by harde sentences we vnderstande doubtfull and difficult questions which mightily occupy the minde not about light businesse or euery kinde of matters but about great and graue pointes appertaining both to eternall life and also to the ciuile gouernment The Hebrue Worde as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to sharpen from whence the Noune beeing deducted betokeneth an oration or obscure question To the exposition whereof it behooueth to apply the sharpenesse of the witte It is likely that the Queene had aâ— home Philosophers Magitians and wise men which concerning humaine and naturall matters coulde haue easily aunswered her But concerning Diuine and supernaturall matters sithe that in them there is neede of the spirite and of diuine reuelation they were not able to satisfie her VVhereupon shee trauailed her selfe vnto Hierusalem in the which Citye GOD had placed not onely the Castle of Wisdome and pure religion but also Solomon of all Kings the moste wise Thus at large writeth Peter Martyr in the commendation of this noble Queene Whereby it appeareth that not onely shee was for worldly estate a mighty Queene not vnder her husband in that respect but aboue him and hee had shee any but her deputie vnder her in her absence albeit shée was inferior to him in the bandes of matrimony and inferior in sexe to all the men in her Monarchie but also that for religion though her people were Idolaters yet was shée a professor of the onely true and liuing God and euen one of Gods elected if we may aduenture to iudge so farre on such excellent fruits and not only a figure of bringing the Gentiles to the knowledge of God but a verie mirror and Patern for al Christians specially Christian Princes to set before them And if she be such a spectable to all Christian Princes and shall bee also a iudge to a great many of them mought not shée or such another as shee haue beene the Queene or chéefe gouernor also euen ouer the people of God and would she not haue gouerned them farre better than many or most of their kings did And verily Solomon doth no lesse estéeme of this moste excellent Lady that came thus vnto him then the goodnesse of the cause that mooued her did deserue Did he repell her out of his kingdome as a Monster For so vnaduisedly Caluine said all prudent men haue alwayes repudiated or put back the gouernment of Women as it were of a Monster Or did he mislike any whit of her the more for her supreme GouernmeÌ„t ouer men We find no such matter But that hee receiued her with all honour and heard her speake vnto him whatsoeuer she had in her hart and Solomon declared vnto her all her questions not one word was hidden from the king that he declared not vnto her And had hee misliked her estate that she being but a woman shold rule meÌ„ shold busy her head about such high questions and meddle with the administration of a common-weal and be the cheefe gouernor of a kingdome if he had thought this to bee directly or indirectly against Gods Lawe or against the Lawe of nature since she came especially to heare Gods Law and to conferre about such matters no doubt he would neuer haue concealed that matter aboue all other but haue reproued her or haue gently perswaded her at least take it how she would haue truly enformed her of the vnlawfulnes and vndecency of her calling Which thing sith he did it not yet neither he nor shee dissembled or flattered the one with the other I cannot tel what other men wil iuge quot capita tot sententiae so many heads so many wittes surely my dull wit cannot conceiue but that it is a mighty argument to confirm the supreme gouernment of a woman Neither ground I mine argument so much on Solomons doings or approbations but that the holy ghost also hath so farre allowed thereof that he hath consecrated the same both to perpetuall memory and to profitable example and therefore cannot this gouernment bee debarred euen from the people of God Especially being also approued and recommended to al Christians by our L and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Mat. 12.24 Luk. 11.31 in plaine tearmes calling her the Queene of the south not the monster or vsurper of the south Countries And here because our question of womens publike gouernment arose on womens publike speaking let vs sée also how this most excellent Qu. behaued herself in her publiâ—e speaking For after she had propounded al her questions was satisfied in his answeres to them after she had beholden al his wisdome his house that he had builded the meat of his table and the sitting of his seruants the order of his ministers their apparel his drinking vessels his burnt offerings which hee offered in the house of the L she was exceedingly astonished and said vnto him It was a true word that I heard in mine owne land of thy sayings and of thy wisdom Howbeit I beleeued not this report till I came and had seene it with mine eyes But loe the one halfe was not tolde mee For thou haste more VVisdom and prosperity than I haue heard by report Happy are thy men happy are these thy seruaunts which stande euer before thee and heare thy VVisedome Blessed bee the Lorde thy God which loueth thee to set thee on the Throne of Israel Because the Lorde loued Israel for euer made thee the king to doe equitie and righteousnesse These wordes though she spake especially to him yet as shee spake them publiquely in the audience of his subiectes for so her wordes import happy are these thy seruauntes that stande before thee and heare thy wisedome So therein shee conteineth notable matter And being before so publike a person both a king and a Prophet and before the assembly of his Court and of her troupe shee breaketh foorth into the function of a greate Prophetesse The Queen saith Peter Martyr on these foresayde wordes being no lesse Godly than prudent placeth the cheefest good neyther in power nor in riches nor in pleasure but in the knowledge of God which shoulde be had in his Worde and not onely by the contemplation of naturall thinges The Sonne of God brought foorthe this selfe same sentence but somewhat more augmented and more clearely expounded Blessed
Bishop hear the cause of none without the presence of his Clearkes otherwise the bishoppes sentence shall bee voyde except it be established by the presence of the Clearkes Heere the Bishop is restrayned that albeit he may doe some thing alone vnto his Clearkes Ministers Seniors and Elders yet that he may not alone and without the presence of their assembly depose any of them from his liuing c. But who are these Clearkes Ministers Seniors and Elders in whose presence he must doe these thinges Doth hee admitte any other then Bishops them-selues or at least the Sacerdotall Preestes the glosse disputing this matter who should be this Counsel or Chapter or sitters by with the Bishops to proue that they must be all Clearkes referreth vs to the sixt cause Quest. 3. Scitote Knowe yee that to be a certayne prouince which hath ten or eleuen Cities and one King and as many inferior potestates vnder him one Metropolitane and other suffraganes 10 or 11. Bishops being Iudges vnto whose Iudgement all the causes of the Bishops and of other preestes and Cities may bee referred That matters may be discerned by all these Iustly and with consonant voice except they that are to be iudgd do appeal to a higher authority It must not bee that euery prouince shoulde be debased or dishonoured but shoulde haue in it selfe Iudges euery of the Preestes and Bishops That is to wit according to their orders Whereby it appeareth that these Ecclesiasticall Senates of such as sat in the Councelles and Iudgementes of Preestes were eyther Bishops or at leaste Sacerdotall preestes onely and not persons of inferior orders but euery one was Iudged according to their estate by them that were at the least of their owne orders and not Teachers by such as were no Teachers Nowe after this fiftéenth cause wherein hee treateth of Clearkes Elders Seniors Ministers and Priests indifferently This next cause to wit the sixteenth Which Danaeus citeth is altogether of Monkes and especially that first Question which he alleageth Whether they may doe that thing in respect simply they be Monkes that secular Clearkes and preests or Elders may doe This first Question is this Vtrum Monachis liceat officia populis celebrare poenitentiam dare baptizare Whether Monkes may celebrate the Diuine seruice to the people enioyne penitence and baptise To the which the answere is this They can-not And anon amongst other reasons he alleageth this out of Hierome also Ad Riparium desiderium Monachus non docentis sed plangentis habet officium A Monke hath not the office of a Teacher but of a mourner And euen immediatly before that which Danaeus citeth are these wordes Alia causa The cause of a Monke is another and another the cause of a Clearke The Clearke feede the Sheepe sayth the Monke I am fedde they liue of the Altar the Axe is put to me as at the roote of an vnfruitfull tree If I bring not my gift vnto the Altar It is not lawfull for me to sitte before an Elder if I shall sinne it is lawfull for him to deliuer me to Sathan for the destruction of the Flesh that the spirite in day of the Lorde might bee safe Idem ad Rusticum The same is in Hieroms Epistle vnto Rusticus And here commeth in that which Danaeus citeth Ecclesia The church hath a Senate the assembly of Elders without whose councell it is lawfull for the Monkes to doe nothing All this now duely considered it is manifest that by this the Churches Senate or assembly of Elders is meant onely a Senate of such Elders as did feede both the people and the Monkes also with the Worde and Sacramentes For so the glosse expoundeth the Monkes wordes Ego pascor I am fedde A sacramentis ipsorum of their Sacraments And that these Elders liued of the Altar and that the very Monks in those days were not exempted from paying tythes or offerings vnto them And that these Elders might excommunicate these Monkes so well as they might other men By all which it appeareth that this Ecclesiasticall Senate was none other but an assembly Colleage or Consistory of Preestes or Pastorall Elders And as for any other Ecclesiasticall Presbyters or Elders in all or any of the Canons either of the Councells Generall or Prouinciall or of the Bishops or of the whole body of the Canon Lawes Decrees or Decretals then such Elders as were Ministers of the Worde and Sacramentes Our Brethren shall finde but sory comfort No nor in any of the Doctors of the Church And therefore it is their best as I take it to leaue all further search that wayes for anie proofe or practise at all of such Ecclesiasticall Gouerning and not teaching Elders in the Church euen from the verie Apostles times And this withall is to be obserued that where our Bret. would now beare the worlde in hande there were such Senates and Segniories of these gouerning and not teaching Elders in the Primitiue in the auncient Church and for proofe heereof dare aduenture to cite all these testimonies and if I coulde finde that they cited any mo I woulde craue pardon to search them likewise which when they are all viewed examined there is not one Father not one Historiographer not one Canon that maketh any whit for any such kinde of Elder as our Brethren pretende to vs is worne out of vse and they nowe endeuour to haue again euiued I knowe that these our reuerend Brethren beeing both godly and learned men doe not cite these authors of any set purpose to deceiue vs in Fathering that on them which they neuer spak nor thought nor knew but as the prouerbe sayth mistaking makes misse-reckoning so they hauing conceiued this with them-selues that such a kinde of Gouerning and not teaching Ecclesiasticall Elders there was in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church so often as they reade in the Fathers the name of Presbyters of Elders especially if there bee any mention of Senate College or company of them and that these in any matters ioyned with the Bishop to whome they apply onely the name and office of Pastorall Elder straight-way they conceiued that which they fancied that these Elders were those Ecclesiastical Elders gouerning only and not medling with teaching Which too quick conceiuing vpon their forestalled opinion especially in the heate of zeale to haue thinges amended may fall out nowe and then for lacke of more mature deliberation and examining euen to the best learned and most holy men And that I thinke hath beene the cause of our Brethrens misliking and misseporting the Fathers meaninges in the Eldership Which when their selues shall apperceiue I doubt not for the reuerent opinion I haue of them and of all our Brethren but that they will relent in this behalf at leastwise for these fathers thus cited amisse and eyther let them all goe or séeke further in them or in other for other and better Testimonies
they called it Concionem a Congregation or calling together of the people If they were of part they called it a Senate And this also seemeth Dauid to haue vnderstood in the Psalmes For treating of the Prayses of God that ought to be celebrated in al and of all assemblies poetically he maketh mention both of the concion and of the Senate As when he saith I will praise thee O Lord with my whole heart in the Councell of the righteous and in the Congregation And in another place Let them extoll him in the Church or Congregation of the people and prayse him in the chayre of the Elders Again I haue hated the Church of the Malignant with the wicked I will not sit For the concion he sayde the congregation in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 synagogue and church for the senate councell or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Senate or consistory and chair of seniors He would also haue adioyned a thirde if the vse of his commō weale which he looked vpon had permitted By which it manifestly appeareth that these two being thus distinguished and so different the one from the other and the name of Ecclesia church or congregation beeing taken for the one that is to say for the concion or gathering together of the multitude cleane different from the other that is to say from the senate or consistory of the Elders It is moste euident that if in these wordes of Christe Dic Ecclesiae tell the church hee alluded eyther to the auncient or to the present state of the Iewes order that he ment not any senate consistory or councell of seniors but a concion a congregation or calling together of the whole multitude of the people Nowe although this so cleare a reason the distinction beeing als◠confirmed by Bertram might seeme sufficient to cut off all Caluines interpretation and those that followe him applying these wordes clean contrary not to the congregation but to the Iewes Seniory yet let vs procéed further with sigonius for our further vnderstanding of both these councels Moreouer saith he c. 3. The concion of the people in the holy scriptures is cōmonly expounded by 2. terms Synagoga ecclesia Synagog church as in the places right now alleaged it is known For as yet there was not that difference betwene the synagog the church which hath come between thē since the gospel deliuered by Christ But as there wer 3. as it were cōmon weales of the Iewes euen as I haue declared from the beginning of the whole people of euery one of the Tribes and of euery one of the cities in euery tribe so were there 3. Concions of the people One wherein all the tribes of Israel another whereunto all the families of one tribe the thirde whereunto all the men of euery citie came together And of this last except we shall yet restrayn it narrower to all the multitude of euery synagogue in euery citye is this Ecclesia Church Concion or Congregation whereof Christe speaketh to bee understoode if it shoulde be referred to the Iewes state and orders Now after Sigonius hath produed this by manifold testimonies out of the scriptures hee commeth to the fourth Chapter concerning the Senate saying Hauing expounded the Concion wee haue to speake of the Senate But this also the Hebrewes had and that as the people three-folde One whereunto the Senators of all the people came together another vnto the which they that were of euery one of the tribes the thirde they that were of euery one of the Cities The Senate of the whole people was ordeyned by God of threescore and ten men which in age excelled others in all Israell For so he sayde Num. 11. Gather together to mee threescore and ten of the seniors of Israell whome thou knowest that they bee the elders of the people and the scribes and thou shalt bring them vnto the doore of the Tabernacle of the couenaunt and thou shalt make them stande there with thee c. to beare the burthen of the people and that thou onely be not burthened The Grecians therfore called the men that were of this order a Senate auncients Seniors and Senators the Councell they called Bulen the Councell place Eulenterium the men Buletas as yee woulde say a Counsel a councell house and councellers Heere Lo is the place that our Bret. in thi◠their Learned Discourse haue now the second time auonched for their Seniors that our Sauiour Christe hath translated the Senate of this seniory into his church in the newe Testament althogh it was shamefully abused by the wicked Iewes This Seniory indéed of these 70. was instituted of God for the Gouernment of his Church in the olde Law Sith therfore this is the place chiefly pretended for the order and authority of the Gouernors in the newe Testament the abuses of the Iewes being onely abolished let vs not only looke to the Iewes corruptions and abuses but to the institution of God and to the good vse thereof in the olde Lawe that our brethren say is here passed ouer in the new Testament and translated vnto vs to be perpetually vsed in euery congregation And here I like better of our Bret. wit that they would chose to bée Seniors of the best and highest Senate not of the mean or lowest than of their wisedome not fore-seeing how this can not agrée to euery Parish except euery parish should be made a kingdom But why not as that he said Si ius violandum est regni causa est violandum They must néedes be like the 70. Elders assistent to Moses the other inferiour Elders will not serue them But these saith Sigonius chap. 3. sate by the chiefe Prince of the Cōmon-weale in the Metropolitane Citie and being of him admitted together with the Princes of the people they entred into the Counsels of the summe or chiefe state of the affaires Whereupon Iosephus reporteth that out of the Lawe Lett the King doo nothing without the sentence of the Bishop and of the Senators Of these Councells there ar◠these testimonies in the 5. of Deut. Moses faith All ye the Princes of the Tribes and the Seniors came to me And in the 27. Moses and the Seniors commaunded the people saying Keepe all the commaundements that I cōmaund you Also Iosue 23. Iosue called all Israel their Seniors their Princes their Iudges and their Scribes From thence vnder the Iudges chap. 21. the Seniors or Elders decreed that the Beniamites shoulde catch the virgines of the siloites to be their wiues Then vnder Salomon in the 7. chap. of the 3. booke of the Kings All the Elders of Israel were gathered to the King Salomon in Ierusalem And in the 1. ch of 2. Chr. Ezekias the King entred into counsell with the Elders concerning the stopping the heads of the fountaines And albeit the kingdome being deuided the Senate of the Iewes was chosen out of the onelie Tribe of Iuda and of Beniamin
neuerthelesse the number of the 70. Elders was preserued For Ezechiel in the 8. chap. said And the threescore and tenne men of the Elders of Israel when notwithstanding in the Age of Ezechiel the 10. Tribes of Israel were in Assyria And Ieremie in the 19. named the Elders of the people Take an earthen bottell of the Elders of the people and of the Priests Neither onelie did this Senate flourishe while the kingdome stoode but also the kingdome being ouerthrowen after the Iewes returne out of the captiuitie of Babylon the same was restored For in the 1. of Esay it is written I will restore thy Iudges and thy Counsellours as in the auncient time And in the 10. of Esdras which place we haue hearde cited by Danaeus Euerie one that shal not come within three daies according to the coūsell of the Princes and of the Elders all his substance shall be forfaised And the 12. of the first of the Machabees Ionathas the high Priest of the Nation and the Elders and the residue of the people of the Iewes And in the first of the 2. booke The people that is at Ierusalem and the Senate and Iudas to Aristobulus the Maister of King Prolomeus sendeth greeting And in the 11. King Antiochus to the Senate of the Iewes and to the other Iewes And in the 14. To Simon the Bishop and to the Seniors and to the whole people And Saint Luke 22. The Seniours of the people being called in Greeke the Presbyterie or Eldershippe of the people Iosephus also sheweth that in last times of the Citie Florus the Procurator of Iurie calling vnto him the Princes of the Senatours and the Senatours and the Senate he said that he woulde depart out of the Citie And hee addeth that with the Temple the Court also was set on fire which Court he calleth Buleuterion the Counsell-house But although this Senate for consultation sake remained alwaies notwithstanding we haue to vnderstande that the Kings which haue had the Common-weale in their power were not thrall vnto the Lawes although they made Decrees without the authoritie of the Senate as those that were in chiefest authoritie not such as God had prescribed but such as their selues wished Moreouer that the Tribes had euerie one their Senatours different from those that were the Senatours of the Common-people it is more probable by coniecture than certaine by authoritie For although it be written in the 20. chap. of the 4. booke of the Kinges All the Seniors of Iuda and Ierusalem were gathered together to the King Iosias and in the 30. of the first booke Dauid sent giftes of the Pray◠to the Seniors of Iuda his neighbours and 19. of Hieremie God said I will destroy the Counsell of Iuda notwithstanding it may bee that they that were the Seniors of Iuda were all one with the Seniors of the people But without doubte euerie one of the Cities had gotten their Senatours separate from those whome we haue spoken of Whereupon are these speaches All the Seniors of Iuda and Hierusalem were gathered together to the King Iosias And Iosephus lib. 2. The Seniors of Ierusalem tooke it greeuouslie that the brother of Iaddi the Bishop maried a straunger And Iudges 11. the Seniors of Galaad proceeded to take Iephthe for their aide said vnto him Come and bee our Prince And in the 8. Hee tooke a childe of the men of Sucoth and asked of him the names of the Princes and Seniors of Sucoth And Ruth 4. Booz taking tenne men of the Seniors of the Citie of Bethleem said vnto them c. Thus dooth Sigonius deuide the Seniors into three sortes The Sēniors of all the people the Seniors of euerie Tribe and the Seniors of euerie Citie And if Christe had meant anie of these Seniors it is farre more likelie that he shoulde haue meant this last sort if not some yet of lower degrée than these of euerie Synagogue of the Citie than the highest of all that sate with the Prince in Counsell and had the consultation of all the summe and principall points of all the Churches Common-weales affaires which were the manifest endaungering of her Maiesties estate and the cleane altering of all the Common-weale In the next Chapter Sigonius procéedeth to their Iudgements saying cap. 5. We haue spoken of the Counsells in which chiefelie the Cities profite is disputed vpon After which we haue to speake of the Iudgements wherin the singular or particular equitie is defined that could not either be prouided for or prescribed by the Lawe But these iudgments the Greeke Interpreters of the Bible haue now and then translated them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now and then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to wit respecting the double force it selfe of Iudgements in which condemning and acquiting is conteined which by these two wordes Iudgement and Iustice or iustification they expressed as we haue shewed before Furthermore among the Hebrues there were two Tribunall seates of the Iudgements the one in euerie of the Cities called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other chiefelie at Hierusalem named 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which the Latine Interpreter translated Iudgement and Counsell Whereupon in S. Mathew Christe saith Euerie one that is angrie with his brother shall be guiltie of Iudgement But he that shall say Racha shal be guiltie of a Counsell But that the Iudgement was an other thing from the Counsell Dauid in the first Psalme sheweth when hee saide Therefore the wicked shall not arise agayne in Iudgement neither the sinners in the counsell of the righteous And héere commeth in our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 corruptlie called Sanedrin that Caluine and our Brethren applie Christes wordes vnto Which Synedrion was the Iudiciall Consistorie of the seuentie Elders that with the Prince as Counsellors had the gouernment of all the policie of the Iewes But because the other called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was the Iudgement of euerie Citie if Christe had meant to haue alluded to the Iewes orders and to haue translated and established the same or the like in euery Congregation among the Christians is it not more likelie of the twaine he would haue taken that which was the Iudgement of euerie Citie than the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which was onelie in Ierusalem the head Citie a chiefe Iudgement to ouer rule all the other But yet for our further resolution let it not be tedious to heare also Sigonius testimonies at large for both these Iudgements of these Seniors Let vs first saith he chap. 6. treate of the Iudgements of the Cities and then of the Counsell of Ierusalem when they were instituted and confirmed who they were that entred into them who were Gouernours of them where they came together and to conclude in what order they tooke notice of the causes I say therefore that the Iudges of the Cities with their Princes which in Greeke were called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 introducers informers or teachers of the writings or of
the Lawe written or as we might call them Masters of the Rolles which were after called Scribes were instituted of Moses in the Wildernesse first by the authoritie of Iethro his Father in lawe and afterward by commaundement of God For when Moses the first yeere in the Wildernesse sate to heare causes hee was warned by Iethro his Father in lawe that he should spare that labour and appoint wise men skilfull and prudent to iudge in his steede and reserue to himselfe onelie the vnderstanding of matters that were of more importance He therfore appointed them the Princes of whome after shall be spoken Tribunes Centurions Gouernors of fiftie Gouernors of ten or as the Greeke setts them out Chiliarks Hecatontarks Pentecontarks Decadarks to bee introducers of the causes to the Iudges or preferred them to be Grammatoisagogeos the Chauncelors or the Primitories or the enterers in writing of the actions Exod. 18. And choosing valiant men out of all Israel he appointed them Princes of the people Tribunes and Centurions and Captaines ouer fiftie and Captaines ouer ten which should iudge the people at all times Wherefore after the 40. yeare rehearsing to the people the actes that he had done he alleadgeth in the first of Deuteronomie I said vnto you I am not able alone to sustaine your businesses and burden and brawlings giue ye out of your selues wise men and skilfull and whose conuersation is approued in your Tribes that I might place them to be Princes Then ye aunsâ—ered me It is a good thing that thou wilt doo And I tooke wise men and noble out of your Tribes and appointed them to be Princes Tribunes and Centurions and Rulers ouer fiftie and Rulers of tenne which should teach you all things And I commaunded them saying Heare yee them and iudge ye that which is righteous whether he be a citizen or bee bee a straunger let there be no difference of persons Ye shall as well heare the small as the great neither shal ye accept the person of anie whosoeuer because it is the iudgment of God But if anie thing shall seeme difficult vnto you referre that to me and I will heare it But the Graecians haue it more plaine and more apte to vnfolde the manner of these Iudgements And I appointed them to rule ouer you Chiliarkes or Rulers of thousands Hecatontarks or Rulers of hundreds Pentecontarks Quinquegenariens or Rulers of fiftie Deacharks or Rulers of tenne and Grammatoisagogists or the enterers in writing or inrollers of the pleas vnto your Iudges For in steede of that which the latine interpreter translateth which should teach you al thinges the greeke rehearseth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the informers in writing vnto your Iudges the text it selfe is and Gouernors to your tribes Afterward the law of God came hereunto wherein concerning these iudges it was enacted chap. 16 in these wordes Thou shalt ordeine vnto thee Iudges and Maisters in all thy Cities which the Lorde God shall giue to thee according to the Tribes And they shall iudge the people with righteous iudgement neither shall they wrest the iudgement neither shall they acknowledge the person of anie neither shall they take giftes And in this place for Maisters the Greeke setteth out Grammatoisagogeos the informers in writing or of the Lawe written This Law Iosephus so rehearseth that he sheweth the Iudges were also chosen by lot Let those also which by lotte haue come foorth to iudge be in chiefest honor in the cities let no reproches be spoken in their presence Let the iudges haue the right of pronouncing that which they thinke except that anie shall shew that they haue receiued rewards to iudge or shall alleadge anie other cause of wrong iudgement But as Moses ordained them so afterward king Iosophat confirmed them in the kingdome of Iuda as is declared in the 19. Chap. of the second booke of Chronicles Hee ordained Iudges of the lande in all the dedefenced Cities throughout all places And commaunding the Iudges hee sayde Take heede what yee doo for yee exercise not the iudgement of man but of the Lorde And whatsoeuer you shall iudge shall redound vppon your selues Let the feare of the Lorde bee with you and doo all thinges with diligence VVith our Lord GOD there is no iniquitie nor accepting of persons not desire of rewards After this the iudgements beeing disturbed in the lande of Babylon the Iewes when they returned into their Countrie as they did other matters so they restored these Which thing that it shoulde come to passe Esaie Chap. had forewarned when as hee vttered these speeches of God And I will restore thy Iudges as they were before And after that the king Artaxerxes commaunded that it should be so done For so he wrote in the sixt of Esdras Ordeine thou Iudges and Scribes that they might iudge all the people For he called them Scribes whome wee haue named Grammatoisagogeos the informers of the writings or written Lawe Wherevpon that they were restored the Psalmist reioyced as saith Saint Athanasius which when the citie of Ierusalem was reedified and the iudgementes restored euen as it was foretolde of the Lorde breaking foorth for ioy he song in the Psalme 121. I was gladde in those things that were spoken to me wee will goe into the house of the Lorde our feete standing in thy Courts O Hierusalem Ierusalem which is built as a Citie whose participation is in it selfe For thether the Tribes ascended The Tribes of the Lorde the testimonie of Israel to confesse the name of the Lorde because they set the seates there in iudgement or into iudgement as the Greeke hath it the seates vppon the house of Dauid And so afterwarde euen vntill the laste times of the Iewes But these Iudges seeme to haue bene chosen out of the bodie of the Senators of euerie citie Euen as from the first times also among the Romanes the iudgements were executed of the Senators The Lawe it selfe in many places teacheth it Deut. 19. If the smiter shall flie into one of the foresayde Cities the Senate of that Citie shall sende and take him out of the place of refuge And in 21. VVhen a corps is founde and the slaier shall not be knowen the Senate of the Citie shall go out and measure from that place c. Whervppon Ruth 4. â—ooz taking ten men of the Seniors of the Citie of Bethleem sayd vnto them Sit yee heere and be witnesses The people that was in the gate and the Seniors answered we are witnesses and before them hee tooke the possession of Elimelech Moreouer Philo in lib. de Iudice gathereth out of the Law four conditions of good Iudges c. Furthermore that the Iudgements were exercised in the gate of the Cities that was called the gate of Iudgement the Lawe Deuteronomi 21. declareth c. and 25. and also Iosue 8. c. and Ruth 4. c. Prouerbes 22. and 31. and Psalme 126. c. These Iudgements were made
haue declared who are worthy of pardon and who of punishment But some there are that thinke this counsell to haue beene chosen out of the family of Dauid and that they were afterward taken away of Herod the King Which if it bee so whether the wordes of the Psalme sung as S. Athanasius witnesseth in the restoring of the City of Ierusalem may be referred thereunto because there that is in Ierusalem sate the seates vnto iudgement the seates vpon the house of Dauid that is the seate out of the house of Dauid But eyther the King or the Bishop called this counsel according as the crime brought before them eyther touched the City or Religion But the order of executing the matter was almoste in this manner He that desired to put vp the name of another for the moste part came eyther to the king or to the Bishop or to the Princes and declared the guilty party Which done they sent Ministers to take the man And if the matter required they added a band also receiued from the gouernour of the Temple And hauing brought him they kept him for the moste part eyther in prison or in souldiers custody vntill iudgement passed on him The whole Councell beeing afterward called together they gaue them-selues to the vnderstanding of the matter As for the crime and the punishment was of the accusant called vpon in these wordes The Iudgement of death is due to this man because hee hath done this or that But the Defendant repelled it with these wordes The Iudgement of death is not due to this man because hee hath not done it or because hee hath doone it righteously But when the cause hath beene throughly pleaded vpon then were the suffrages or voyces giuen of the iudges and either hee was condemned or absolued according to the number of the sentences But when the matter was brought to the Romaynes the onely condemnation was left to the Councell but the the punishment was taken away but permitted vnto the Roman procurator Which hapned in the iudgement of Christe For the Councell condemned Christe and adiudged him to death But the people being stirred vp of the Councell demaunded of Pilate the Procurator that he might be crucified he gaue iudgement that it should so be done The forme of laying the accusation or of repelling the crime as in the 26 of Hieremie the preestes and the prophetes spake vnto the princes of Iuda saying the iudgement of death is vnto this man because he hath prophecied against this City And the princes sayde vnto the preestes the iudgement of death is not vnto this man because he hath spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lorde our God A forme of the condemnation is in S. Math. 26. Beholde now yee haue heard blasphemie what seemeth it to you and they answering sayde he is guilty of death the which thing Marke saith Who all of them condemned him to bee guilty of death but these things which we haue spoken shall all be more cleare knowne if euery one of the iudementes made after this order whereof record is left in writing shall be shewed foorth And here he proceedeth to the manifolde testimonies and examples hereof in the Scripture and in Iosephus but especially in the newe testament By al which it appeareth for this Senate or council of the 70 Seniors which after the Iewes mixture with the Graecians of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 was corruptly called Sanedrin what persons they were except the King and the Princes all of them either preestes or teachers of the Lawes of God And how they sat but in one and the heade Citie assistant with the King and the princes in al matters of plea and controuersie of Lands goods of warre and peace of life and death c. Nor the King coulde rule these matters without them and that their autority herein grewe not so much by the late corruptions as it was rather thereby abridged in the age of Christe by the Romaynes and by Herod If nowe our Learned discoursing Brethren shall reiect all these so industrious collections of Sigonius as an aduersary what proofes reasons and authorities soeuer he auouch let vs then sée howe farre foorth Bertram also doth confirme it For besides that which wee haue alleaged out of him for the original and the first practise thereof before the gouernment of the Kings after the negligence of Saule speaking of Dauid chap. 10. Page 56. he saith Moreouer Dauid restored the municipall iudgementes altogether into their auncient order Howbeit but about the last times of his reigne because that being hindred with warres and diuers businesses hee was content with those Iudgementes which for a greate part beeing decayed perseuered but litle constantly in euery of the Cities and tribes euen from the times of Iosue vntill then But yet so that the more waighty causes especially the appeales were referred to him as it appeareth out of 2. Sam. 15.2 But at the length he also restored this part of the common weale so that vnto the Leuites reckoned vp he established to be firm their changable and vncerteine offices both in the holy or Ecclesiasticall policy and also in the ciuill In the ciuill policie hee is saide to haue appointed out of the Leuites 6000. Iudges and praefectes or Gouernors Out of the Leuites the Iudges and praefectes were assumed for this reason That first there shoulde bee certayne out of the Leuites which should bee assistors or sitters together with the ordinary and municipall iudges that were called seniors Who some-times also De plane vt Vulgo loquuntur Iudicarent de rebus leuioribus shoulde Iudge after a playne sorte as is the common saying of the lighter matters such as were the pecuniarie either they alone or taking some one vnto them of the Seniors of the place or City And moreouer that there should also be some other which should execute the matters adiudged Or else that which is indeed the more likely they that were the Assisors of the ordinarie Iudges who also their selues tooke notice of the pecuniarie matters iudged them and executed the matter it selfe that they had iudged He ordained therefore that Chanenias and his sonnes or his posterity should be designed for iudges and Prefects for the outward worke that is to saie for the outward holie offices that we necessarie for the making of sacrifices in the house of the Lord or Tabernacle in Israel that is among the Israelites that dwelt on this side Iordan except the Tribes of Iuda Beniamin and Simeon The number of these is nor prescribed He also ordained out of the Hebronites Hasabias and his brethren that they should gouerne the Western coasts side-long or on the side of Iordan that is on the hether-hand Iordan as well in the businesse of the Lord as in the seruice or ministerie or obeisance of the king In French Pour le seruice du Roy that is in the
Pastors of the Church Thirdlie saith he this is to be obiected against the bitings and scoffes rebellions of obstinate persons to wit that it is giuen to the Church of Christ himselfe being God and not of men neither yet hath this power bene vsurped of the Church Here therfore is this saying in force He that despiseth you despiseth me Mat. 10. For it is not maÌ„ that bindeth but Christ. Chrysost. in the Epist. to the Hebr. whose sayings theron we haue séene at large alreadie it is in the Canon Nemo contemnat 11. quaest 3. Moreouer the charter of this power iurisdiction which pertaineth to the church remaineth in writing in 2. EuaÌ„gelists as two publike Notaries Secretaries of the highest King to wit Matthewe Iohn Matth. 18. v. 18. Io. 20. v. 23. To whom agreeth that which is in Ier. chap. 1. ver 18. Here Danaeus ioyneth vnto Mat. 18. all these testimonies Luc. 10. Ioh. 20. â— Ier. 1. which are all spoken of the Ministers of the word That in Luc. 10. to the which matter also that in Mat. 10. agréeth was spoken to the comfort of the disciples being sent out to preach Concerning that of the keyes giueÌ„ to the disciples Ioh. 20. Caluin himself saith After that Christ hath appoynted ordeined Legates to be sent into the world he nowe more significantlie expreslie describeth the office or ministery of theÌ„ in few words coÌ„prehendeth the summe of the Gospel For this power of remitting sinnes is not to be separated froÌ„ the office of teaching and is annexed to it in one coÌ„text And as for that of Ier. 1. v. 18. Behold this day haue I made thee a defensed Citie an iron piller walls of brasse against the whole land against the kings of Iudah against the princes thereof against the priests therof against â—he people of the land As this was onlie spoken to the prophet so Tremelius expouÌ„ds these words wherin they should be vnderstood Behold I set thee that is I coÌ„firme thee in this thy functioÌ„ that thou shouldest stand firme against the obstinacie of these meÌ„ shouldest coÌ„tinue vnbrokeÌ„ immoouable And the verie note in the Geneua Bible obserueth on this word an iron piller signifieng on the one part that the more SathaÌ„ the world rageth against Gods ministers the more preseÌ„t wil he be to help theÌ„ And this doth the text it self eueÌ„ in the ver next going before declare where God saith Thou therfore gird vp thy loynes arising vp speake vnto theÌ„ all the things that I coÌ„mmand thee Be not afraid at the sigâ—t of theÌ„ least I strike thee before their faces So that this encouragemeÌ„t of God was onlie for the Ministerie of his word And very wel noteth Bullinger theron He declareth to the Prophet what should be his office that thou shouldest I say speak vnto them He constituteth him therfore a Prophet that is a Preacher whose office should be to speak vnto the people And what now he should speak he expresly signifieth All things that I coÌ„mand thee All things I say not only some things Neither shalt thou dissemble any thing neither shalt thou bring the things that seeme good to thee but that that I command thee Marke the things saith he that I command thee not that other coÌ„mand thee or that seeme good to other These things agree with this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the L. which the L. Iesus himself hath prescribed in the last chap. of Mat. sayd Teaching theÌ„ to keep al things that I haue coÌ„manded you c And on this coÌ„fort to him he saith For howsoeuer tyrants would seeme to set the preachers at nought yet theâ—selues witnes that they are afraid of the seruaÌ„ts of god whoÌ„ they haue coÌ„temned Herode feared Iohn Achab Elias c. If now these testimonies of Danaeus be â—it for those to whoÌ„ this power of the keies belongeth who séeth not that it is proper onelie to the Ministers and Teachers of Gods word In the 50. cha Danaeus commeth directly to the partie to whoÌ„ the keies are giuen But saith he this power or iurisdiction of the keies is giuen vnto the whole Church therfore to all singular the Apostles true Pastors of the Church and that indeed equallie but not onlie to Peter alone and to his successors or to himself principallie or chiefelie as some say but vnto other by a coÌ„municating made from Peter It is giueÌ„ therfore vnto the whole Church her self howbeit the same is exercised by the B. Prelates of the Church in her name consent conscience Aug. in 50. Homil. homil 50. Héerupon to confute the Papists error that wold make all this power to be giuen principallie to Peter to be deriued from him he faith The first reason is the authoritie of the scripture For Christ speaking to all his Apostles not onlie to Peter alone saith in the plurall number What sinnes soeuer ye shall binde vpon earth c. Math. 18. v. 18. The same Christ after his resurrection Omnibus hanc eandem potestatem confirmanit quoque confirmed also vnto all of them this self same power not onlie to Peter alone for vpon whom he breathed the holie Ghost to them he said VVhose sinnes soeuer ye shall remit c. Iohn 20. ve 23. If now the power giuen Mat. 18. be the self same power that giuen Io. 22. the power giuen Ioh. 20. is the power of teaching and preaching the word of God as Caluine saith is not to be separated from the office of teaching how foloweth it not that whosoeuer haue this power giuen them Mat. 18. must be all Teachers of the word of God And how then doo our Br. giue this power to such a Senate of Elders as are not Teachers The 2. reason saith Danaeus is drawen froÌ„ the things that are necessarilie annexed Thus wheresoeuer is the true Church of God there the gates of hell doo not preuaile there is remission of sinnes there is the fountaine of grace open and also equallie appeareth out of the word of God Therfore whersoeuer the church is the other equally accord therto that are the Churches giftes follow the same Zach. 13 v. 1. Among the which chieflie is this power of the keies for by it the remission retention of sinnes is denounced Christ said of the Church vniuersallie The gates of hel shall not preuaile against it Wherupon it is rightly gathered that this power of the keyes perteineth to her and that indeed vniuersallie Math. 16. v. 18. For the meane whereby the gates of hell doo not preuaile against the Church is the selfe same power If this also bée the selfe same power mencioned Math. 16. which Caluine also ascribeth to the Ministerie of the word saying Heere Christ beginneth to treate of the publike office that is of the Apostleship whose dignitie is adorned with