himself to preach nor there be any other preacher present yet the verie forme which the CoÌ„munion booke prescribeth vnto him is so plainly and pithily set downe to expresse all the institution the vse the fruites and the endes thereof with the dutie of the worthy receauers with the danger to the vnworthie so dreadfully terrifying these and so comfortably animating the other and in all pointes so liuely shewing foorth the death and passion of our Sauiour Iesus Christ that no man can iustly say but that as Christ biddeth Do this in remembrance of me we doe the same thing in remembrance of him and as S. Paule expoundeth this remembrance to be the shewing forth of the Lordes death so the Lordes death is shewed foorth both by the action of the minister and with all by the action of the faithfull people And so well shewed foorth that if the onely forme of our Communion booke be of the minister duly obserued and of the participantes religiously considered they shall no doubt though there be no other sermon preached both truly and worthily participate the holy communicating of the Lordes body and his bloud And yet commonly at the receauing of these blessed mysteries if there be no sermon preached there are other both godly and learned homilies appointed to be reade which are sermons also and serue especially for that purpose if the people be negligent in communicating or criminous in life or vnskilful in the vnderstanding of the necessary points belonging to these mysteries to encourage to perswade and to enstructe them Neither yet haue we these as so content herewith but that wee thinke it also very expedient if it may be had that at this action beside the forme prescribed a godly learned preacher were also the shewer foorth of the Lordes death and of the other mysteries conteyned in this sacrament But this so strict necessitie of our Brethren we sée is euidently here confuted and namely that they say by these testimonies it is euident that the administration of the sacramentes ought to be committed to none but vnto such as are preachers of the worde that are able to teach them that they baptize that are able to preach the mysteries of Christes death to them to whome they doe deliuer the outwarde signe thereof But by the way what meane they by these words able to teach speaking of Baptisme and able to preach speaking of the Lorde supper Is the former habilitie to teach an habilitie of the Doctors Who they say cannot exhort nor apply c. which are especiall pointes requisite in a preacher If it be then here is ministring of the sacrament without preaching Except they will say the Doctors can not minister the sacramentes But then againe must they reuoke these wordes on the other side of the leafe pag. 59. It is euident that whom God hath instituted to be minister of the worde him also hee hath made to be minister of the sacramentes These euidencies agrée not well together Especially this other for the preacher expounding this shewing foorth the Lordes death for preaching For by this construction of our Brethren as we haue alreadie séene all the people should be Preachers Where before they saide and that more truely pag. 58. no man may take vpon him any office in the Church but he that is called of God as was Aaron Hebr. 3.4 If they say they meane not here preaching in his proper sense and as it is a function peculiar to the minister of the worde and sacramentes why then doe they bring it in Or for what preaching all this while doe they pleade and alleage these testimonies For such as all the people may doe and must doe as well as they But because in all these spéeches they driue it still to this that he should be able what meane they hereby One that can preach if néede so require but neuerthelesse he alwayes doth not For it followeth not à posse ad esse If they meane so then may the sacrament be administred as with a Sermon so without a Sermon Neither is the preaching a sermon any part of the sacramentes substance nor any accident thereunto of mere necessitie though of the more conueniencie but the remembrance shewing foorth the Lords death is one of the chiefest and the most substantiall parte of this sacrament therefore the remembrance and shewing foorth of the Lordes death and the preaching of a sermon are not all one Yea to come to the abuses that Saint Paule reprehendeth in the Corinthians to whom he wrote these wordes by our Brethren cited For as we haue heard out of Musculus that in these wordes he spake as though hee desired these thinges in them because they did not shewe forth the Lordes death in this mysticall and memoriall supper Nowe although it followe not they had no preaching vnderstanding preaching in his proper sense at the administration of the Lordes supper therefore they had no remembrance or shewing forth of the Lordes death because non sequitur à specie ad genus negatiuè yet this followeth necessarily à genere ad species they had no remembrance nor shewing foorth of the Lordes death at the administration of the Lordes supper therefore they had no preaching thereat And yet had they preaching often at other comminges together whereof Saint Paule treateth afterwarde chap. 12. and 14. But Saint Paule reproouing their abuses and héere reckoning them vppe particulerly that they had dissensions and were not in charitie when thy came together to this action ver 18. that they tooke their own suppers before ver 21. that one came hungry another came dronken ver 21. that they shewed not forth the Lordes death ver 26. that they examined not themselues ver 28. that they discerned not the Lordes body ver 29. that vpon the examination of themselues they iudged not themselues ver 31. that they tarried not one for another ver 33. to conclude and that which summarily he put first of al ver 20. that when they came together into one place they made such a super of it as whereof the Apostle sayth this is not to eaâ—e the Lords supper S. Paule now reckoning vp all these faultes among them at the administration of thâ—s sacrament and this being as our Breth say so necessarie a matter is there any probabilitie but that hee also particularly would haue reproued them for this that they had no sermon preached among them at this action Which in all these corruptions had béene very néedefull and might haue refrayned them from these abuses if their preachers had not also béene corrupted as it likely that they were which suffered among them such foule abuses But if preaching had béene so necessarie at that instant no doubt he would haue touched the neglect of that also especially mentioning the shewing foorth of the Lordes death to be principally required at their eating and drinking in the Lordes supper But the faultes of their
the manner of the Nouatians that are at Constantinople In like manner at Caesarea of Cappadocia and in Cyprus the Elders and the Bishops expound the Scriptures euermore on Saterday and on Sonday at euening by candle light The Nouatians that are at Hellespont keepe not in all pointes the like manner as doo the Nouatians that are at Constantinople but for the more parte they followe the order of the chiefe Church among them To conclude in all the formes of religions sects you shall neuer finde two that in the maner of their praiers agree among themselues Furthermore at Alexandria an Elder preacheth not which custome hath had his beginning since the time that Arius disturbed the Church And here at length is noted where onely and vppon what occasion the Elders preached not Howbeit he saith not that heerevpon they were prohibited vtterlie the ministerie of the word and Sacramentes For as hee shewed before lib. 2. cap. 8. the verie Deacons out of whole order the Elders were made did saie the publike praiers before the people But this the Elders ceasing of preaching how long tiâ—e after Arius troubles it began at Alexandria how long time it continued he declareth not But in noting the same as such a strange and diuerse order different from al other Churches it declareth that it directly belonged to their office and that in al other Churches the Elders were such as were not prohibited to preach that they preached there also before that occasion did fall out And whereas as a little after hee citeth for not troubling the Church about indifferent things the decree made by the Apostles the Elders and the brethren Act 15.23 it appeareth that Socrates tooke also those Elders that are therâ— mencioned to be no other kinde of Elders than such as medled with teaching And so doth the verie text insinuate that those Elders were when it saith Act. 15.6 The Apostles and Elders came together to looke to this matter Which matter was a great controuersie in doctrine And Caluine himself saith tâ—ereon Luke saith not that the whole Church was gathered together but those that excelled in doctrine and iudgement they that by reason of their office were lawfull Iudges of this cause it may be that the disputation was holden before the people but least anie shoulde thinke that the people wer admitted indifferentlie to meddle in the cause Luke expresly nameth the Apostles and the Elders as those that were more fit to take notice therof And to shew further who these Elders were he saith on these words When there was great disputing when as the graue men and publike Doctors of the Church were chosen neither yet could they agree among themselues c. And to shew that these Elders in all other Churches werâ— still of thiâ—â—orte Socrates procéeding to his 6. booke chap. 2. telleth that when the Bishoprick of Constantinople was vacant by Nectarius decease which tooke awaie the penitenciarie Elder aforesayde and that they laboured much about the choosing of a Bishoppe and some sought one and some another for that office that they had consulted often thervpon at length it was thought good to call from Antioche for Iohn an Elder of Antioche For the fame of him was great that he was meete to teach them very skifull in the gift of vtterance And in the seuenth booke which Danaeus citeth cap. 2. speaking of Atticus which was afterward likewise made Bishoppe of Constantinople he saith When he first obtained the degree of the Presbyterie Priesthood or Eldership the Sermons which he recited in the Church he made them with great studie and conned word by word afterward by often vse and diligence getting more audacitie he beganne to preach ex tempore on the sodaine occasion and attained to a more popular manner of teaching And in the 5. Chapter he â—eâ—â—eth of Sabatius an Elder among the Nouatians preaching in his Sermon this false doctrine Cursed bee he who soeuer celebrateth the feast of Easter without vnleauened bread In the sixth Chapter be telleth of two Arian Elders preachers and interpreters of the Scriptures Besides that Chap. 16. hee telleth of three Elders Philip Proclus and Sisinius that â—tooâ—â—or the Bishoprike of Constantinople of which Sifinius by the desire of the people hee beeing an Elder not ordained in anie Church within the Citie but of Elea a suburbe of the Citie obtained the Bishoprike Wherby it appeareth also that these Elders had seueral Congregations and Churches in and about the Citie and were Ministers of the worde and Sacraments in them And although Proclus was afterward made Bishop of Cizicum whom the Citie would not receiue but chose onâ— Dalmatius a Monke and so Proclus went not thether but continued in preaching at Constantinople and afterward was made Bishoppe of that Citie after Maximianus which did leade a monasticall life yet by degree of dignitie he was an Elder So that these Presbyters Priestes or Elders were not as Danaeus supposeth a Senate or a Consistorie chosen from among the people assistant to the Bishop and much lesse to euerie Pastor as our Brethr. affirme gouerning onelie the discipline of the Church but not medling with teaching Socrates neuer speaketh of such kinde of Elders but simplie and plainely of such as we call Priests and our brethren call Pastors To conclude this no lesse appeareth in the last Capter saue two of all Socrates Historie euen in Paulus the Bishoppe of the Nouatians Who before his death calling together all the sacred Priestes of the Churches that were vnder him sayde vnto them Prouide yee while I am yet aliue that a Bishoppe may bee appointed vnto you When they aunswered The power of choosing the Bishoppe is not to bee permitted vnto vs. For saie they while one of vs thinketh this another that we shal neuer name one and the same man But wee desire that you woulde designe whome you would haue vs choose Deliuer me then sayd hee this your promise in writing that yee will choose him whom I will name vnto you Which writing beeing made and subscribed with their hande raising vp himselfe a little in his bedde he secretlie they that were present not priuie thereto wrote therein the name of Martian which was one that had obtained to the order of the Elders and therein had learned a rigorous kinde of life and at that time by chance was absent And when hee had sealed vp the writing and had brought the chiefe of the Elders to confirme the same also with their seales he deliuered it to c. I note this onelie that these Nouatians also which were a kinde of Praecisians in that antiquitie hauing for their precise austeritie of life cut off and diuided theÌ„selues from all other Churches albeit in substance and groundes of faith and doctrine not dissenting but in profession of more seuere discipline not onely had their Bishops in the chiefe Cities and many Elders vnder them but
Paule dwelt two yeeres full in his own hired house receiued all that came in vnto him preaching the kingdome of God teaching those things that concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him all which was before his first arraignment at Rome he had much more leysure and fréedome after his deliuerance and before his second arraignment condemnation he might wel deserue this coÌ„mendation of Irenaeus to be the founder constituter instructer of that Church And as for Peter it might be wel also that he came thither afterward for there is no likelihood of his béeing there before when the Iewes that were so willing to hear Paul said vnto him Act. 28. ver 21.22 we neuer receiued letters out of Iury concerning thee nâ—ither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee but we wil heere of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this sect we know that euery where it is spoken against Wheras if S. Peter had bin among them especially their B. it could not be but they should of often and fully at least haue heard thereof But as I saide it may bre that Peter also trauelled to Rome afterwards desirous to sée the faithfull there and to doo some good among them as Saint Paule also confesseth of himselfe that he likewise was desirous saying Romans 1. verse 10 c. Praying alwaies in my praiers that by some meane at the last I might take a prosperous iourney one time or another to come vnto you for I long to see you that I might bestowe among you some spirituall gifte that yee might bee established I would yee should knowe brethren that I haue oftentimes purposed to come vnto you and haue beene let hetherto that I might haue some fruite also among you as among other of the Gentiles And no lesse cause had Peter of the like good desire for those that were of the circumcision of whome there were manie at Rome desirous to heare as they called it vnto S. Paule of that Sect. And many godly men came to Rome on such good desires as Origen c. yea euen Irenaeus himselfe that ioineth Peter with Paule in these actions or else if Peter had no wil as Paul had of trauelling thether yet it might be that Peter being of so great fame among the Christians and accounted one of the cheefe pillers of the Churche was vpon some occasion carried thither as Christ said whither he would not haue gone and brought prisoner to Rome as S. Paule was many other were though not recorded And most likelie it is that he suffered there also from whence Neroes persecution sprang Which though it be not mentioned in the Scripture yet the Scripture mentioneth these wordes that our Sauiour Christe said to Peter Iohn 21. verse 28. 29. Verelie verelie I say vnto thee when thou wast younger thou girdedst thy self and walkedst whether thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch foorth thy hands and another shall girde thee and carie thee whither thou wouldest not This spake hee signifiing by what death he should glorifie God And therefore since this was Christes owne prophesie of Peters death this is most certeine that he died not a naturall death but suffered martyrdome for Gods glorie And whye should we denie without any proofe that which all the auncient Fathers so néere Peters time on so great likelihood haue with one full consent so vniuersallie affirmed that Peter suffered at Rome If it be saide that this maye confirme their opinion that saye Peter was Bishop there although that followeth not of any consequence yet sithe that opinion arose not all of nothing it is the more likelie that he glorified God by his death there at least-wise that there he had béene and not béene idle nor vnfruitfull in that Churche when they grew so farre as to say that he was there also the first Bishop For my part vpon the déeper consideration of these things being matters whereof the dissent is no preiudice to our faith I am not of their opinion that saye Peter was neuer at Rome at all I suppose rather that bothe he was there and that for some time of abode he taught there also and that as Saint Paule suffered there which his wordes there written 2. Timoth. 4.6 doo in a manner plainelie declare where he prophesied of his owne death saying for I am now readie to be offered and the time of my dissolution is at hande and as Ignatius and other famous men were fetched thether to suffer death that euen so was Peter caried thether to vse Christs owne wordes and that being at Rome prisoner before he dyed Irenaeus who flourished about the distance of fourescore yeares after Peters death which is no great time and little more than manie a mans age and therefore it is verie likelie that Irenaeus could tell somewhat of it did know that Peter and Paule had bothe béene there and doone bothe of them so much good there that he thought he might worthilie bestowe these titles vpon them that they were founders constituters and instructers of that Churche For although they were not bothe of them yea neither of them the Bishops of Rome their selues yet the Churche there growing great they had not onelie instructed them but set downe suche Ecclesiasticall orders among them as whereby their Churche was then gouerned And as Ireneus saith Linâ— Episcopatum administrandae Ecclesiae tradiderunt they deliuered the Bishoprike or office of the Bishop for the administring of the Churche vnto Linus not deliuering the same to Clemens as that puppet which counterfeits him-selfe to be Clement moste impudentlie vaunteth in a forged letter to Iames Bishop of Ierusalem that Peter made him Bishop of Rome but this place of Irenaeus being autentike dooth notablye conuince that shamelesse forgerie and shameth all the Popes and Papists that build their successioÌ„ manie other riffe-raffes thervpoÌ„ Neither dooth Irenaeus ascribe the action of making Linus the B. of Rome to Peter alone but to both the Apostles And although this be a good record of Ireneus being almost of the same age liuing not farre from Rome yea hauing béene himselfe at Rome and so searched out the matter more exactly or euer he durst put it in writing and make argument thereon to confute the aduersaries which had it not béene so would quicklie haue taken him tardie and triumphed on the aduantage yet is not his testimonie alone for he also might else as he was in some greater points be by others deceiued but Euseb. likewise citeth other as auncient as Ireneus to the same purpose For saith he lib. 2. Eccl. bist cap. 25. Nero therfore as he professed him-selfe an open enemie of the Godhead and of godlinesse so before other things hee thirsted for the death of the Apostles themselues bicause they were the Capteines and standerd bearers among the people of God
endued with mercy and being as it were the father of them all entreated and besought them saying let vs receiue those that are repentaunt and let vs appoint them a penaunce that they maye sitte with other at the church and let vs not cast them off nor their calling as the fame is that is come vnto vs least peradueÌ„ture those that once were of the deuil shattered and broosed vnto confusion through imbecillity and infirmity should also by reason of delaying the time bee cleane subuerted and not healed as it is written The lame ought not be ouerthrowne but rather to be cured and in deed the speech of Peter was for mercy and humanity but the speech of Meletius for the truth zeal Hereupon for the face or shew of the argument which seemed in both of them to bee godly a sect or scisme was made these affirming this thing and those that thing which was the other But when the Archbishop Peter sawe that Meletius with his company beeing too much mooued with a godly zeale resisted his counsell of humanity Peter lift vp a veyle and spreading abroade his cloake to witte a sheete or couering in the prison made an out-cry they that think with me saith he let them drawe to me and they that cleaue to Meletius opinion let them goe to Meletius and the multitude of the B. and of the monks of the Preests and of the other orders parted to Meletius very few B. at all a fewe other turned to Peter the archb after that these made their praiers by theÌ„selues also those by them selues yea and they perfourmed also their other sacrifices eyther of them seperately by themselues But it hapned that Peter suffered martyrdome and that blessed man departed leauing Alexander his successor in Alexandria for he succeeded in the throne after the foresayde Peter But Meletius and many other were sent into exile being banished into the Phenecan mines then after that those which followed were Confessors with Meletius and Meletius him-selfe in his trauaile in prisonment passing through euery region and euery place did constitute Clearks and bishops and priests and Deacons and did builde vp Churches to him-selfe neither those communicated with them nor they with those and euery of them wrote in his own Church those that succeeded Peter hauing the auncient Churches The Catholike Churche but those that cleaued to Meletius the Martyrs Churche Whereuppon also in Eleutheropolis and in Gaza and Aelia when the same Meletius came thither he elected many in this manner and it hapned that he spent much time in the foresayde mynes But in the meane season the Confessors were set at liberty from the mynes Those also that were of Peters part for many yet were aliue that were followers of Meletius and neither had they any communitie one with another in the mines or made their prayers together But it fell out that Meletius yet for a while liued in the worlde yea that he flourished vnder Alexander Peters successor and was in friendship with him and tooke heede to the affayres of the Church and of the fayth For hee often-times sayde I haue had nothing diuers and alterated This Meletius beeing in Alexandria and tarying there for a time hauing his communion with his company by himselfe founde out Arius and brought him before Alexander because he had found Arius in his declarations to haue passed the bounds of the fayth For he was a priest or Elder in Baucalide a Church so called in Alexandria for there a priest or elder was appointed for euerie day for there were manie Churches but now there are more and a Church was deliuered vnto him howbeit there was another with him but for what cause this was done we shall declare exactly in his place when neede thereunto shall be c. But now when the blessed Alexander in Alexandria after the death of the foresayde Meletius the Confessor hauing taken a zeale against the sect and discord of the Church began to seeme to trouble in all places those that were left of Meletius that had priuate community among them-selues and to restrain and compell them that they shoulde not dissent from the Church but they beeing not willing moued troubles and stirred vp tumults and when they were so pressed and restrayned of the blessed Alexander certein of the princes among them and those that helde the cheefe places both in godlinesse and also in life assembled and went vnto their company for because of communing together to the end to obtayne both that they might offer and haue communion priuately and not be impeached but there was one Paphnutius a great man an Anchoret who also was the sonne of a woman that had made the confession yea he himselfe also had in a certain sort atteyned to the Confession and Iohn their bishop being also him selfe a most reuerend man Callinicus bishop in Pelusium and certain other that did this thing who indeede going foorth beeing brought vnto the king were repulsed and reiected For those that were in the palace hearing of the name of the Meletians and being ignorant what such a kinde of name should be suffered not them to speake with the king And heerein it hapned that Paphnutius Iohn and the residue consumed much time in the parts of Constantinople and Nicomedia But then they grewe in friendship with Eusebius byshop of Nicomedia and declared their cause to him for they knewe that he had free liberty of speech with the king Constantine they besought him that by him they might be made knowne vnto the king Buâ— he after he had promised that he would bring them to the knowledge of the king and would procure the matter that they desired requireth againe of them this petition that they shoulde receiue Arius with them into their societie to wit him that faynedly and by a mockerie had made his repentance and they promised that they woulde receiue him Whereupon Eusebius presenteth them vnto the king and openeth to the king their cause and it was graunted to the Meletians that from that time foorth they shold haue their communion by them selues and be hindred by none And would to God these Meletians who shewed foorth the extreamest iustice of trueth had rather had communion with those that fell after their repentaunce made than to haue it with Arius and his sectaries For it happened to them according to the prouerbe that fleeing the smoake they fell in the fire For neither coulde Arius haue had his state nor his libertie of speeche but by this manner of occasion Which ill coniunction hath hapned to them euen vntil this day For they which in times past liued purely and were moste iust and in faith Meletians are intermingled with the disciples of Arius being in these times remoued from the fayth And although some of them abide in the true faith neuerthelesse they are not estranged from foule vncleaâ—nesse by reason of the society
our Brethren héere set downe and all their platforme in this their Learned Discourse of Ecclesiastical gouernment to be the increasing of the glorious kingdome of our sauiour Christ and wilâ—uâ—lie and wittinglie contemne it or neglect it I hope none of vs doth so and if we could sée anie substantiall grounded reasons of our Breth to moue vs therevnto we praie God and hope God woulde heare our praiers that wee might forsake all worldlie liuings yea life and all rather than we should not ioyne with theÌ„ And brotherlie charitie moueth me to thinke so of them likewise that they doe not striue against their consciences or haue no conscience in that they shouâ—d but that they make conscience of that which they shuld not rather mistake than of purpose they would wittinglie misleade themselues or others Howbeit heerein they are in the greater fault that take on them to controll and teach the teachers and all and doe misteach vs and tell vs Gods word teacheth that which it doth not teach and terrifie vs with the expection of the heauie vengeance of God for this manifest contempt of his expresse commandement yet for these deuises and Learned Discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment and discipline which they so much pretend and vrge they haue not hetherto nor hâ—ere doe nor I beleeue euer can shew and proue in expresse wordes anie expresse commandement of our sauiour Christ or anie necessarie consequence to infer it which if we might once see and then should make a manifest contempt or anie contempt at all thereof then should we haue right good cause to tremble and quake to mourne and expect the heauie vengeance of God except God in the infinite treasurie of his mercies surmounting all his workes al our sinnes did giue vs his comfort and forgiue vs our sinnes through our Lord onelie sauiour Iesus Christ. But vntill this expresse commandement or anie other necessarilie inferred for this Ecclesiasticall gouernment that our breth in this Learned Discourse prescribe be shewed and made manifest I hope that in the testimonie of a good conscience being iustified by faith wee may haue peace with God by our Lord Iesus Christ by whom we haue aceesse by faith into this grace or fauour â—herin we stand and glorie in the hope of the glory of the sonnes of God Rom 5. And as this is the anker of our hope so good Breth once againe in the feare of God I exhort you to take heed how ye pretenâ— Christs expresse commandement so peremptorilie and cannot shew it to consider with what boldnesse ye may take vpon you that sentence of S. Paule saying In the meane time we may boldlie saie with the Apostle Act. 20. VVe testifie vnto you this day that we are clâ—aâ—e froÌ„ the bloud of you al for we haue not failed to shew you the whole counsell of God concerning the regiment of his Church And dare ye indeede this boldlie vsurpe vpon you these wordes of the Apostle and adde withall vnto them as a distinct part of the sentence that in the same seuerall Charecter as the verie expresse words of the Apostle which were neither his wordes nor yet his meaning for anie thing that can be necessarilie gathered on those wordes of the Apostle these words of your owne more superfluous addition concerning the regiment of the Church But see how affection many times may carry wise learned men awaie But if this platforme be either councell or commandement either expressed or of necessitie implied Shew it as Saint Paule saith that he shewed all the councell of God and straight we yeeld Or else giue vs leaue in the name and peace of God and in the freedome of the Gospell with a safe conscience to dessent from it The Argument of the 7. booke THE 7. Booke concerneth the ministration of the Sacraments first whether they may he ministred by a Minister that is no Preacher and without a Sermon at the ministration of them Whether this be alwaies in Baptisme any necessarie part contained in the institution of it Whether the Apostles or other Preachers were alwaies their selues the baptizers of such as they conuerted How neere our Breth assertions heerein drawen to the positions of the Anabaptists Whether the Lords supper may not be truly administred though by no preacher or if by a preacher yet not preaching at the ministration thereof Whether Christ preached at the ministration of it Whether preaching were alwaies necessary in Circumcision and the Pascall lambe What the word shewing foorth the Lords death inferreth and that all the communicants are such preachers Whether the Homilies exhortations in the booke prescribed set not fully forth the Lords death What was the practise for this point in the Apostles times and in the Primitiue Church Whether the worde that is ioyned to the element to make a Sacrament is to be necessarilie vnderstod of preaching Whether our formes praescribed in the Sacraments ioyne the word and the element sufficientlie or no. Whether the Papists though they wanted the true Supper of the Lord had not true Baptisme for all their corruption of the same How many kindes of preaching Caluine maketh and what kinde is necessarie in the Lordes Supper What words by Caluine Musculus Beza Olleuian Hellopaeus c. make a true perfect Cosecration Whether in the reformed Churches of Heluetia c they are preachers onelie that minister the Sacraments How the seale and writing are to be ioyned alwaies together and we so haue them Whether our Breth prohibite none to preach whom they prohibite not to minister the Sacraments Whether we inferre womens Baptisme whether Baptisme on occasion of necessitie may be ministred in priuate places and whether there be anie necessitie at all of Baptisme and of the dangerous positions contradictions inconueniences absurdities of our Breth in these matters especiallie of this their Canon where there is no minister of the word there ought to bee no minister of the Sacraments What is principall what necessarie in the Sacraments of the affinitie coniunction separation of preaching and administring the Sacraments HEtherto saie our Brethren we haue somewhat at large set forth the principall parte of a Pastors office which is to preach the worde of God and to instruct the people committed to his charge in the same Heere followeth now in the second part of his duti which confisteth in right administration of the SacrameÌ„ts of God For seeing it hath pleased God to adde such outward signes to be helps of our infirmitie as seales for confirmation of his promises vttered by his word Rom. 4.11 Hee hath appointed Ministers of the same to deliuer them vnto his people Matth. 28.19 Luke 22.19 For no man may take vppon him anie office in the Church but he that is called of God as was Aaron Heb. 3 4. Seeing therefore that God hath giuen some to be Pastors in the Church Ephes
excellency comprised in this compound 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 than if he had symply sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shewe yee and therefore our Brethen doe well translate it you shall shewe foorth And in a sort this may be called preaching And Musculus note theron is very good wherin also hee vseth this note preaching in an improper sense saying Neither must this bee ouerpassed that hee simply sayth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is you doe declare but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is you doe cheefely or moste of all declare For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this composition hath a force of a signification to be bent thereto The Apostle deliuered vnto them not any light memory of the Lordes death in three our foure wordes by the way and sleightly but in greate earnest and publique shewing foorth to be perfourmed and to bee preached out as of a benefite incomparable to be astonished at So that here is a kind of preaching in an inproper vnderstanding comprehended as Caluine also calleth it saying Nowe Paule adioyneth what manner of memory should be celebrated to wit with giuing of thankes Not that the whole memory consisteth in the confession of the mouth For this is the cheefest thing that the vertue of the death of Christe shoulde be sealed vp in our consciences Howbeit this knowledge ought to kindle vs vnto the confession of prayse that we should preach before men that which wee thinke within before God The supper therefore is that I may so speake a certaine memoriall which ought perpetually to endure in the Church vntill the last comming of Christe instituted vnto this end that Christe might admonish vs of the benefit of his death and that we might recognize the same before men Whereupon also it hath the name of the Euchariste Therefore that thou mayest orderly celebrate the supper thou shalt remember that of thee is required the profession of thy faith Heereupon it appeareth howe impudently they mocke God that boaste they haue in their masse any kinde of Supper For what is the Masse for I speak not of the papists but of the Pseudo-Nichodemites he meaneth those that openly come to Masse for feare of persecution and thinke it is inough that they secretelye come also to the Communion and to the gospell as Nichodemus came to Christ by night for fear of the Iewes that it is stuffed with detestable superstitions they faine by the externall gesture that they allowe them What kinde a preaching of the death of Christe is this Doe they not rather forsweare the same So that this preaching which héere Caluine speaketh of is not that which is proper to a preacher and whereof Christ saide before to his Disciples as our Brethren therein vsed the worde rightly Marke 16.15 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Go ye forth into the whole world preach the Gospell But it is such an improper kind of peaching as belongeth in generall to all men And therefore it is far better simply to vse Pauls word who saith not neither was it his meaning yee shall preach the Lordes death but yee shall sâ—ewe forth the Lordes death till his comming Who are these that hee sayth should shewe it foorthe Doth hée speake héere vnto Preachers or not rather to all the Corinthians men and Women that shoulde bée communicanteâ— of these Mysteries So often as you who are these you You that shall eate of this Breade and drinke of this Cuppe And what shall these doe You shall shewe foorth the Lordes death vntill his comming If now hée meant Preaching by this shewing forth then must all the people men and Women bee Preachers that bée no Ministers of the Worde and Sacramentes So that héereby wée may moste playnely sée howe our Brethren to thrust in a necessity of preaching to bée alwayes had at the administration of this Sacrament spare not to wrest and abuse saynt Paules wordes to a necessary importing of that which by no direct sense they can bée drawne vnto Bullinger bréefely and as it were in a worde telleth vs in his marginall note thereon what this shewing forth meaneth Annunciare mortem Domini est laudare gratias agere domino To shewe foorth the Lordes death is to prayse and giue thankes vnto the Lord. Whereupon it is called Eucharistia a Thankesgiuing Musculus mée thinketh very well Parapharastically settes out the full meaning of these wordes This Institution of the Lordes Supper being receyued of the Lorde him-selfe haue I deliuered vnto you Whereupon yee may perceyue that yee eate not a Supper priuate of euery one of you but a common and a mysticall Supper instituted vnto the memory of our common redeemer and this can yee not bee ignorant of For so often as yee eate this breade and drinke of this Cuppe you beeing thus of mee trayned vp doe shewe foorth and preache the death of the Lorde whereof yee are partakers not some onelie seperately but all in common Whereupon yee mought inough haue beene admonished with what faith and with what concorde communicating yee ought to eate this Supper in the memory of his death This I take to bee the right sense although the vulgaâ—e translation haue these wordes in the future tence after this manner For so often as ye shal eate this Breade and shal drinke of this cuppe ye shall shew foorth the Lords death vntil he come Erasmus translateth it euen as wee read and doe expound it There are that reade the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Imparatiue moode Doe yee shew forth But this little word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is for being causall or importing a cause fauoureth not that sense They doe iudge that the Apostle in these wordes expounded and withall commaunded howe the Corinthians ought to celebrate the remembraunce of the Lorde that is to witte so that as often as they shoulde eate this Breade and drinke of this Cuppe they shoulde shewe foorth his death As though he desired also this thing to haue bin in them because that in this mysticall memorial supper they did not set foorth the Lordes death Euen as wee see the sacrificers to celebrate their Masses that they make altogether no shewing of the Lordes death For those thinges that separately or by themselues they say cannot be accounted for this shewing foorth For they say theÌ„ both being tourned away from the people and in a tongue vnknowen to the Church and vnder such a silence that they can not be perceaued no not of those that knowe the latine tongue This is a manifest breach of Christes institution and of the Apostles interpretatioÌ„ If the Lords supper were so administred in any place with vs we did not kéepe Christes institution nor did it in his remembrance nor shewed foorth his death as these Corinthians and these Papistes did not But with vs God be praysed for it it is neuer administred by anie so simple a minister but though he be not able
sacraments are the same that are the dispēsers of the word so that they execute both the parts of the ministery Otherwise it shold be cōuenient that according to the saying of the apostles act 6 they shoulde apply them-selues to praiers administring doctrine leauing the ministery of the tables Seeing that many mo may be had that can dispense the sacraments than those which can rightly cut sound doctrine in the church By which testimony of Musc by the very order prescribed euen in Geneua It plainly appeareth that not only in these reformed Churches many are admitted to minister the Sacr. that are not able to preach but that also this was the vse of the primitiue Church in the apostles times Which ouerthrows al that our breth haue hereon alleaged Neither helpeth it to say that yet stil this taketh not away but that there should be preaching vsed at the administratiō of the sacramēt thogh the minister of the sacramēt be no preacher For our breth said the administration of the sacramentes ought to be committed to none but vnto such as are preachers of the worde c. pag. 60. But for this that they say here also It is no better then sacriledge to seperate the ministratiō of preaching of the worde from the sacramentes so harde a spéeche following Musculus procéeding with the minister of this Sacrament though hée bée no preacher of the worde yet he requireth in him such a competency as hath a triple respect both to the person that he sustaineth and of the matter that he administreth and of the people to whome he communicateth After he hath shewed for the first part howe he shoulde be no lewd person but sober and vertuous comming to the secōd respect in him he saith Furthermore hee ministreth it competently if hee haue a consideration of those thinges which hee dispenseth and doe worthily frame himselfe vnto them Hee dispenseth the communicating of the bodye and bloude of Christe The breade which wee breake saith the Apostle Is it not the communicating of the body of the Lorde And the Cup of the blessing ouer which wee blesse is it not the communicating of the bloude of the Lorde 1. Cor. 10. Thus therefore shall hee competently administer this sacrament that it may be a communicating not that it shoulde be a holy priuate thing He dispenseth the remembrance of the Lorde or as Augustine in a certaine place speaketh the sacrament of memory This shall he do competently if he shall adioin vnto the mysticall communicating the shewing forth of the L. death according to the worde of the Apostle who sayth so often as ye eate this bread and drink of the Cup yee shewe foorth the Lordes death till he come For so did hee ordaine this custome in the Church of the Corinthians It is not fit that it should be a dumb communicating Either let some thing be read before the people or bee sung concerning the historye of the death of the Lorde as it is begun to be done in very many churches in our age Hee dispenseth the Euchariste he Euchariste is a giuing of thankes and a sacrifice of prayse Let him therefore haue a care that this holy communion may be closed vp with publike giuing of thanks He dispenseth the loue feast that is the banquet of brotherly loue It is meete therfore that a cleare exercise of Christian loue and mutuall communicating shoulde bee adhibited Vnto the which hee ought not onely with exhortations in the act it selfe to enstruct and accustome them but also with constitutions of a certaine order These are the principall thinges of which the dispenser of the Lordes table ought cheefely to haue a care and consideration whereby hee may apply him-selfe competently vnto this sacrament The third respect is of the people communicating which the more simple ruder they are so much the simplier must the minister speake of the mystery of the Lordes supper that he may apply him-selfe to their capacity But he must by all meanes take heede of those two vices that entrap the people to witte superstition and contempt Superstition least the people worship and adore that for the thing it selfe that is the signe thereof contempt least they sticke onely in the breade and Wine not discerning the body and bloude of the Lorde and therefore contemne it vnderstanding nothing beyond the iugdement of the eyes because by sight and taste they perceiue it to bee bread and Wine Such a point did Augustine giue warning of in his booke of Catechizing the rude in the ninth chapter where he saith thus Concerning the sacrament that they shall receiue it sufficeth for those that are more prudent to heare what that thing signifieth but with the duller sort it must with more wordes and similitudes be treated vpon least they contemne that which they see These thinges wrot he To conclude hee must take heede that hee swerue not either to the Corinthians or to the papists in this cause of the Lordes Supper And to the entent that the people not onely with the hande and mouth but with faith and heart may receiue that which is giuen let him declare all thinges that are to bee spoken in the vulgare and vsuall tongue not onely the exhortations but also the wordes of the Lordes institution the Prayers also and the thankesgiuing whereby the people may vnderstand all and in their heart assent thereto according to the Apostles admonition 1. Cor. 14. Thus wée sée how although the Minister be no preacher but beeing a discreete and vertuous man in all these foresaide respectes and obserue these exhortations which are both plentifully set out in Homilies and in the Communion Booke it selfe and the other thinges here noted in such order as the communicantes may vnderstande and beléeue the same although there bee no other sermon preached yet is the Sacrament truely and effectually administred Neyther can these thinges with the residue that he setteth downe bee vnderstood for the onelie action of a Preacher confessing and allowing that manie Ministers not Preachers may minister this Sacrament and yet in euery one that ministreth the same al these thinges are requisite For what is plainer than this argument out of Musculus sayinges Musculus thinketh and prooueth that it is not necessarie that euery one which administreth the Sacraments should be a Preacher and preach at the ministration of them But Musculus thinketh and prooueth it necessarie that all thinges ought to bee done by the minister at the Ministration of them which here he reckoneth vp Therefore Musculus thinketh and prooueth that all these thinges might bee done of one that is no preacher and without a sermon then preached of these matters If our Brethren wil denie the maior for the minor I thinke they wil not I referre them to Musculus and his reason out of Actes 6. and to the reformed Churches that hee meaneth It sufficeth for vs to prooue both by him and by
Philip therefore not speaking anie thing at all against it and namely Luke the Euangelist by the inditement of the holy Ghost consecrating the same to a perpetual record that such a Queene had there bin no more but she alone was there the gouernour and her such worthie nobles vnder her regiment as this Eunuch was how can we choose but coÌ„clude herevpon that the holie Ghost improueth not the state of a womans supreame gouernment but that it maye if there be no other impediment than her sexe accord together well inough with the sincere profession of the Gospell Danaeus next ensample is of Cleopatra of the Aegyptians vnder Augustus Cleopatra was indéede in the time of Octauius for he vanquished her louer Antonius and she would at the first haue allured him likewise as she had done before his adoptiue father Iulius Caesar. But séeing he minded that she should haue ben vnder his subiection as a captiue she wilfully made a waie her selfe that she might not be vnder his authoritie all which was done before he was surnamed Augustus She was Queene of Aegipt at the first ioyntlie raigning with her brother Ptolomie whome when hee would haue deposed from participation in the kingdome she fled to Iulius Caesar. Who reconciling her vnto her brother wheÌ„ afterward her brother was drowned she raigned alone vntill she ioyned her selfe vnto Anthonius Who being ouercome by Octauius Anthonie shee destroying themselues that kingdome became prouinciall as many other did vnto the Romanes But how dissolutelie so euer shee liued her state while shee was Queene was lawfull Neither was this Cleopatra the onlie Queene that gouerned Aegypt there was another Cleopatra grandmother to this which also was the Queene chiefe gouernour of Aegypt besides the widowe of Ptolomeus Philometor Besides another Cleopatra Silene the Quéene of Syria eueÌ„ at that time when Alexander raigned in Iudea Yea the raigne of a woman in Aegypt was so auncient that the Chronicles report that Rhea the mother of Osyris the great raigned in Aegypt And Isis her daughter after her called Iuno of Aegypt Eusebius calleth her Iò on whose monument as Diodorus Siculus testifieth was ingrauen this Epitaph I am Isis the Queene of Aegypt instructed by Mercurie Those things that I in my lawes haue decreed let none violate And as it was in Aethiopia and Aegypt which are two principall partes of Aphrica so in Lybia Berosus sheweth how Minerua the daughter vnto Iupiter of Lybia the sonne of Ammonius taught the discipline and lawes of gouerning an armie and after went to Greece where she builded Athens and there raigned And with these Palladian women saith Functius Tab. 16. Hiarbas in Lybia making warre was of them vanquished and submitted his kingdome to their power Of Dido in Aphrica we haue heard Vadianus iudgement Next to Cleopatra Danaeus citeth Zenobia vnder the Emperour Adrian a most valiant woman vnto the gouernment of which Zenobia obeied also many Christian Churches I wonder that Danaeus saith Zenobia liued vnder Adrian or in the time of his raigne who raigned and died if she were sortie yeres olde when she was vanquished by Aurelianus at the least one hundred yéeres ere shee was borne a greate many famous Emperours raigning betwéene their times This Zenobia was indéede as Danaeus calleth her a most valiant woman and is highly commended Though her wearing armour and the suspition of her husbandes death were no small blemishes to her gouernment But for this point of the lawfulnes of a womans gouernment Danaeus owne testimonie is in my fancie a great both praise and proofe that not onelie the Heathen but many Christian Churches did obey her For had the gouernment of a woman or the obedience thereunto of men béene monstrous vnnaturall or anie whit against the faith and life of Christianitie though some might for feare and infirmitie haue beene inforced yet would not many and those true Christian Churches haue obeied such a state Which obedience in them argueth their good affections in this point and that neither quarelling at the vices in their persons nor at the infirmitie of their sexes but to obey them as the higher powers that their power is of God is an obedience to be yeelded euen for conscience as this was praise worthie in them a good example to all other Christian Churches so not a little it recommendeth her that being an Heathen woman in those daies when the most renowmed Princes wer persecutors she quietly gouerned many Christian Churches and they Christian like did obey her These are the examples that Danaeus citeth of womens chiefe gouernment among the Heathen But least we should thinke there were so few examples as onely foure for all the world to gaze on such rare monsters as Caluine Caenalis vnreuerently tearme them before we descend to the people of Gods Church to the Monarchie of Rome and to the states in Christendome let vs yet sée a few mo to beare these princely dames companie And euen at the time of Zenobia with whom Danaeus leaueth Coelius telleth of another famous woman gouernour at Coleine named Victorina which with Tetricus noblie defended the Gaules and the Spaniards from the inuasions and spoiles of the Barbarians Thomiris the Queene of Massagethia that vanquished the mightie Monarch Cyrus in defence of her Country was such a gouernor Zarina Queene of the Sachans to whom the Parthians for the fame of her valour and iustice reuolted from the Medians was also such a notable gouernor Cratesipolis likewise gouerned the Sicionians Such an other was Artemisia the Queene of Halicarnassus that to her power helped Xerxes against the Grecians built that famous MausoleuÌ„ her husbands tombe one of the 7. wonders of the world Pithodoris the queene of the Tiberians of the Chaldeans of Cholchis of Pharnacia and of Trapezond did noblie gouerne a mightie Empire Tania the queene of Dardania Helen the queene of A diabene of the Chosroenians which reléeued the Iewes with corne in the dearth mencioned Act. 11. Neither néedâ— we be curious to inquire after such forain Quéenes that here at home had not our own countrie barren of such worthy women gouernours of whome Tacâ—â—s writeth in vita Agricolae Britanni sexum in imperijs non discernunt The â—ritains make no difference of the sexe in their Empires Cordilla the daughter of Leire succéeded her father in the kingdome Mercia the wife of Guinthelinus did so prudently gouerne in the administratioÌ„ of the kingdome with her husband that she made many wise politike lawes which long after were in high reputation among the Britons of her name were denominated The Mercian lawes In like manner Bundwica ruled this Realme and maintained warres against the Romanes in defence of her countries libertie Now although that these Heroines a great number mo whome I refer to their diligence that list to collect theÌ„ were in religion to Godward al Pagans and therefore
example of goodnesse or humilitie but with all his indeuour onely seeking honours promiseth him-â—elfe witte and wisedome to springe out of his power Whereupon that of Demosthenes is true to atchiue a matter luckily besides woorthinesse is an occasion for fooles to imagine and thinke euill But our Basill as he is made a rule and example vnto other of his other vertues so also of a Priest and of the Ecclesiasticall ordination For euen froÌ„ the first swathing-bands of the Sacerdotall offices he grew vp by little and little in-so-much that hee disdayned not in anie wise to be made a Reader of the holie scriptures and then to bee made an interpreter and expounder of them euen as Dauid sayth Let those of the chayre of the Elders prayse the Lorde and so at length deserued he to be made a Bishop Which place he neuer at any time sought nor euer wished In which sentence we not onely sée the complaint of Gregorie howe many came to be Elders yea and Bishops also in those dayes as in all ages like corruptions and complaintes haue béene but especially it grewe then of the disordered and factions elections of the people so for the purpose nowe in hande we sée heereby that these Elders were the sacred Priestes whose office consisted not in gouerning only but with â—ll in the ministerie of the worde and Sacraments And how by degrees 〈◊〉 â—xâ—â—cising theÌ„selues in matters tending vnto teaching they attayned or ought to haue attained vnto this Eldership from thence such as excelled were or ought to haue béen promoted to be Bishops Except it fel out otherwisâ— by extraordinarie occasion in some rare and singular men as in Ambrose and Thalassius euen in Caesarea where Basil was Bishop c. and of other Elders than these here is no mention Nowe when Basil was thus ordeyned an Elder Gregorie sheweth how he exercised himselfe vnder Eusebius B. of Caesarea how he laboured against the Heretikes in exhorting and teaching of the people how hée sent for Gregorie to come helpe him And here Gregorie setteth downe Basils example vnto him For sayth he euen as Barnabas in times past was present with Paule to make manifest the trueth of the Gospell and common conflict of the faith so came I then vnto my Basil as his fellowe against his fight with the Arians Listen to the Epistle where-with he called me Make readie thy selfe haue regarde to deliuer me in this present conflict and with vs to meete them which desire vtterly to ouerthrowe vs whose boldnesse thou shalt bridle onely with thy countenaunce and shalt cause that they shall not make our matters goe to wracke and therefore all shall knowe howe thou onely by the grace of God dost gouerne our congregation and that thou shalt eâ—sily represse euery wicked mouth and the insolencie of them that speake against God But sayth Gregorie to returne my speech to my purpose Basill returning to Caesarea regarded nothing more than to pacifie Eusebius to the end that he might ouer-throw the Heresie and wholly to serue him and be ready at his hande in all those thinges that were of God that hee might make apparant to all men that all thinges which hee had suffred of him for Eusebius had béene heauie before vnto him proceeded from the instigation of the Diuell that the common enemies of the fayth might haue the greater aduauntage by their rageing as the Papistes get nowe by our Brethrens and our Bishops falling out though the Bishops doe all they can to pacifie them whereas Basilius laboured all that he could to pacifie his bishoppe but he when as he knewe very well the lawes of obedience and of a spirituall life hee was attendant on him in all thinges in hearing in consulting and in doing he employed his spirituall and diligent endeuour for the bishop And to say at one word he grewe as much into his fauour as before he seemed to be farre from it For which cause Eusebius helde indeede as bishop the chiefe place in the Church but Basill had the power of the Church and the authoritie The one fate in the chiefe dignitie the other went about all the businesse For there was a singular and wonderfull concorde betweene them The one helping the other and taking strength the one of the other the bishop growing strong by the counsell and wit of Basil and Basill by taking authoritie of the bishop To conclude the bishop had the people and he the bishop And euen as he that tameth a Lyon being inferiour in strength doth handle him gently and make him tame by a certaine arte by which meanes well neere he asswageth molifieth the violence and fiercenesse of the wilde beast so Basill the greate behaued himselfe about Eusebius For when he hauing ben of late a laie man and ignorant of Ecclesiasticall matters was exalted vnto this dignitie especially at the same time that the flame of Arius heresie did beare the swaie he was not fit inough for this burthen Wherevpon hee wanted Basil to be his guide and helper chieflie by whose vertue there was hope that the matters would haue prosperous and good successe And therefore it was not as some suppose that Basil was vnder the Emperor IuliaÌ„ but he was bishop after the death of Valens But wheÌ„ as he receiued the gouernmeÌ„t administration of the Church of Caesarea vnder the bishop Eusebius he appeased all discords hee remooued all priuie grudges he established their manners not onelie with his words and excellent Sermons that he vttered but also by the example of his life For hee endeauoured to helpe the people both with his spirite and his bodie with his body by labour and exercise careing for them by walking about euery waye by courteous behauiour and by helping theÌ„ with his riches spiritually by teaching by admonishing and by giuing to all men a measure and institutions of their life Thus doth Gregorie set foorth the ecclesiasticall gouernement of Basill and of his owne gouernement also being Elders vnder the bishopp in the Churche of Caesarea consisting as muche and more in teaching than in the correction and composing of manners and censures of discipline And that these were not distinct offices in the diuerse kindes of Elders but they medled with both together and both vnder the bishop â—nâ— hâ—wâ— God blesseâ— this ecclesiasticall gouernement vntill Basill him-selfe after the decease of Eusebius was made their bishop And then sayth Gregorie after hee had praysed Basill in this promotion â—s for mee all men thought when they hearde of his promotion that I would foorth-with departe he meaneth from the place where he then was and that I would goe to him and that I should haue equall power with him they knewe that there was such friendshippe and beneuolence betweene vs. But I when as I shunned enuie leaste I shoulde seeme to occupie the places of those that were neere him and with-all least they shoulde falsely iudge that Basil hauing
principalitie there seeme to bee extant in Ieremie most cleere examples So that except these Elders which our Brethren pleade for to bée renued after the example and patterne of the ancient laws of the Iewes would take this Princelie Empire and authoritie vpon them their appealing to these auncient lawes orders make nothing for them But yet to see their authoritie better let Bertram procéede with his examples though some of them we haue heard before in Sigonius The first example is extant Iere. 26. Chap. where after that Ieremie was coÌ„demned of the Priests Prophets that is of the ecclesiastical CoÌ„session or Consistorie of them that professed the knowledge interpretatioÌ„ of the diuine letters or of diuinitie as we terme it as though the knowledge of doctrine pertained vnto them whervpon they also which of Ieremie are called Prophets of Ionathas the Paraphrast are expounded Scribes and also was condemned of the whole people that is of the ordinarie aduocates of the people the Iudges or Seniors to wit the Chiliarkes Centurions c. Which represented the whole people insomuch that verse 9. the whole people is gathered to the congregation or concioÌ„ And in the 17. verse mencioned is made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Caal That is of the gathering together or of the vniuersall concion it selfe or certainlie the verie people their selues that heard Ieremy being called together to beare witnesse against him to subscribe to the sentence pronounced against him and to command it to be executed as it appeareth in the end of the Chapter that the same was declared to the Princes of Iuda that were assembled at the kings pallace to wit to the ciuil Consistorie of three score and ten Elders these kinde of Princes came to the Temple where they are sayd to haue sitten at the tribunal or iudgement seate at the new gate of the Temple and the people being admitted thereto according ao the manner to wit that we haue now declared they heard the Prophet absolued him also euen as though in that their iudgement they had condemned corrected Iohakim the king himselfe which had most cruelly murthered Vrias the Prophet Héere againe is a liuelie paterne of the great authoritie in cases of lyfe and death for matter of religion that the Consistorie of the Elders hadde Which here notablie and sincerelie by reason of some good men among them acquitted Ieremie according to the auncient manner of Gods law This then is the authoritie that Caluine and our Brethren pretend Christ translated to his Church stretching so farre as not onelye to the acquitting of the Prophets but to the condemning and correcting euen of kings and Princes The second example is Chap. the 36. where Baruch hauing recited before the people the writing that he had writâ—en out after Ieremies mediting thereof he is called to for the Kinges pallace vnto these kind of Princes before whom he readeth a fresh that same writing When it was read they laie it vp in the chamber of the Scribe or Chauncellour as the Geneua Bible translates it they inquiring how it was written doe admonish Baruch to hide himselfe together with the Prophet The Princes goe to the king they report to him the summe of the writing The King himselfe commaunds the writing to be brought to him And when hee had heard three leaues thereof he cut out the writing with a Scribes penknife And when he was besought of three of them onelie that he would not burne the booke hee ceased not to burne it as a matter that did not displease the residue of the Princes who also euen for that point are noted of the Prophet that they trembled not nor yet rent theyr garments at the reading of that writing Heere againe we sée their great authoritie in this matter of doctrine and how the king at their silence or consent of the writing presumed to cut out the leaues and burne them in spite as a thing that no whit displeased the greatest parte of these Consistorie Princes although that some fewe among them intreated him to the contrarie The third example is extant Ierem. 37. and 38. where it is sayde that Ierusalem hauing beene besieged of the Chaldees Ieremie was apprehended of Ierias a certaine watchmaÌ„ at the gate of Beniamin as though he were a runne-awaie and being brought to these kind of Princes who â—ere verie much chafed against the Prophet hauing beaten him they cast him into a most filthie prison Sedechias which was the next King â—â—ccéeding secretly called for Ieremie out of that filthie prisoÌ„ he so feared those Princes and remoueth him into a more gentle custodie where he continued dutifullie Whereupon it commeth to passe that those Princes goe about to wring from the king the sentence of deaeh against the Prophet to wit that the king should consent vnto his death Pretending that hee discouraged the peoples mindes and that hee studied not for their benefit The King answered that Ieremie was in their handes neyther that the king might preuaile against them in anie thing as though he confessed that he was farre their inferiour Which he sheweth inough when afterwards he saith that he is afraide least those Princes should inquire what speeches hee had with the Prophet too and fro wherevppon also he faineth a lie as though hee had beene to giue an account to them of the thinges that hee had done By these meanes it is brought to passe that the order of the iudgementes thus restored endured vntill the times of the Babylonicall captiuitie This was the state of that Consistorie of the Iewes which of all other our Brethren haue picked out and vrge so earnestlie to haue it set vp amongest vs pretending that Christe restored it and translated it from them to his Church and all by the vertue of these wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tell the Church as forcible wordes in their imagination to make this Metamorphosis of the state of all Christian Kings and kingdomes as euer the Papistes pleaded for those wordes of Christ Hoc est Corpus meum they for their Transubstantiation in the Sacrament and these for this translatioÌ„ in the Regiment Pretending as Bertram sheweth herevpon that the state was not onelie Monarchicall but chiefly Aristocraticall the gouernment of the best men to the which purpose he alleadgeth these examples Although God wot these three last examples in this state that he calleth restored were of men for the most parte of them whome he might haue lesse praised if it had pleased him these enimies of Ieremie and too much ouer-rulers of the Prince And also it was in part Democraticall or the gouernment of the people Whereto he alleadgeth 1. Samuel 14.38 c. How the people deliuered Ionathas from his Fathers iudgement And 1. Chron. 13. verse 1.2 4. How 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chol Caal Israel al the coÌ„gregation of Israel and all the whole people gathered themselues together and that Dauid demaunded
except that before he had by repentance purged him-selfe of those manifolde faultes that were reported of him It is sayde therefore that hee gladly receiued that which was appoynted to them by the Proestos or Bishoppe approouing that hee had a godly feare and a Fayth of Religion moste full of workes The like wee reade of the moste Noble Emperour Theodosius in the Ecclesiasticall Historie of Theodoretus Lib. 5. Cap. 17 Where hauing declared in the former Chapter howe Theodosius had in his fury caused his Souldiers to make a Massacre of 7000. people in the City of Thessalonica for the reuenge of an insurrection there made wherein some of the Emperours Iustices were stoned to death hee sheweth how the Emperour afterwarde beeing come to Millaine when hee woulde haue entred into the Churche after his wonted manner Ambrose forbad him laying the heighnousnesse of his fault before him and willing him to depart and submit him-selfe to this bonde of Excommunication that hee inflicted on him With these wordes sayth Theodoretus the Emperour being moued who being brought vp in the holy doctrine knewe what were the offices of the Sacerdotall preestes what were the offices of the Emperours hee returned with sighes and teares into the Court c. For the which fact although perhappes somewhat more rough than needed vnto so penitent a Prince not onely Ambrose but also Theodosius is of all writers highly commended Generally whatsoeuer Heretikes or other malefactors in any of the generall or prouinciall Councilles bee condemned by the Censure of Excommunication it was done by such Bishops Preestes or Elders as were Ministers of the Worde of God Neither doe any of the Fathers ascribe the denuntiation of this spirituall Censure in the proper sence thereof to any other than to a Bishop or to a minister of the Worde We haue seene in Cyprian howe although hee promised that hee would doe nothing in receiuing those that were fallen from the fayth into the lapse of Idolatry and so became abstenti that is Excommunicated to bee admitted on their repentaunce to the communion and peace of the church without the consent of his College of Elders which as withall wee haue founde were all ministers of the Word and Sacraments Which Iunius him-selfe in his Booke called Ecclesiasticus Capitulo 3 treating on these Seniors confesseth to be Corpus Collegium sacerdotum A body or corporation and College of Sacerdotall Preestes Yea in that case although hee promiseth not to receyue them without the consent also of the Deacons and of the people yet the action of Excommunication and absoluing of them hee still maketh it proper tohim selfe being the Bishop and to such onely as were ministers of the Worde Hierome vpon that saying of Christe to Peter Math. 16 I will giue thee the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer c. This place sayth hee the Bishops and the Preestes not vnderstanding take vpon them some-what of the Pharisées pride to thinke that eyther they may condemne the innocent or loose the offenders When as with God not the sentence of the sacerdotall Preestes but the life of the guilty is sought out Wee reade in Leuiticus of the Lepers where they are bidden to shewe them selues to the Preestes And if they haue the Leprie then of the sacerdotall Preestes they are made vncleane Not that the sacerdotall preestes make them Lepers and vncleane but that they haue the knowledge of him that is a Leper and of him that is not a Leper And that they may discerne who is cleane or who is vncleane In such sorte therefore as the sacerdotall Preeste maketh the Leper clean or vncleane so here also eyther the Bishop and the preeste or Elder bindeth or looseth not those that are eyther innocent or offenders but according to his office when hee shall haue hearde the diuersities of the sinnes he knoweth who is to bee bound or who is to be loosed Saint Augustine being complained vnto that Auxilius being a young Bishop had made such a rash Excommunication as Hierome here spake of writeth vnto him in this manner Augustine to his moste dearely beloued Lorde and worshipfull or reuerend brother and fellow sacerdotall Preeste Auxilius Our renowned Sonne Classicianus hath greeuously by Letters complayned vnto mee that he hath susteined of your holinesse the iniury of accursing Declaring that he came to the church accompanied with the appearaunce of a fewe persons conuenient for his power and dealt with you that you shoulde not against his health or safety fauour them who by periuring themselues on the Gospell sought ayde for violating of their fayth euen in the house of fayth Whome notwithstanding considering what ill they had done he saith that they were not taken thence by violence but went out of their owne accorde And heereupon your honour is so offended with him that by the making of your Ecclesiasticall actes hee with all his house is striken with the sentence of the Curse Which Letters I hauing read beeing not a little mooued with thoughtes tossing me with great vexation of heart I coulde not hide it from your louingnesse that if you haue your opinion of this matter tried out by sure reasons or testimonies of the Scriptures you woulde vouchsafe also to teach vs how the childe may rightly be accursed for the Fathers sinne or the wife for the Husbandes or the seruaunt for the Lordes or anie in the house also not yet borne if it shoulde be borne in the same time that the whole house is bound with the curse so that it coulde not in the daunger of death be helped by the washing of regeneration For this is not a corporall punishment wherewith we reade that some dispisers of God were slayne together with all theirs which were not partakers of the same vngodlinesse Then in-deede to the terror of the liuing the mortall bodies were slayne which at sometime veâ—ily should haue died But the spirituall punishment whereby that iâ— done which is written VVhatsoeuer thinges thou shalt binde in earth shall bee bound also in Heauen bindeth the soules Of whome it is written The soule of the Father is mine and the soule of the Sonne is mine The soule that shall sinne the same shall dye You haue peraduenture hearde that some sacerdotall preestes of greate name haue accursed some body with their house But if perhaps they were demaunded they might bee found not able to render a reason of the same As for me If any body should demaund of me whether it were well done I finde not what I shold answere him I neuer durst do this thing when I haue bin mooued most greeuously about the wicked deedes of some moste cruelly committed against the Church But if the Lord haue reuealed to you how it may iustly be done I despise neuer a whit your yong age rudimeÌ„ts or but yong beginnings of the Eccl. honor Beholde I am at hand I an old man of my yong
fellow B a B. of so many years of my Colleague not yet of one yeare am ready to learn how we may render a iust account eyther to God or to men if we punish with spiritual punishment the innocent soules for the offence of another of whome they take not as of Adam in whome all haue sinned originall sinne For if the sonne of Classicianus haue taken from his Father the sinne of the first man that is to bee washed away in the fountayne of baptisme Notwithstanding after hee begat him whatsoeuer sinne his father committed wherein he himselfe was not partaker who doubteth that it pertaineth not to him and what then of so many soules in the whole housholde whereupon if one soule by this seuerity whereby this whole house is accursed should perish in departing out of the body without baptisme the death of the bodies of innumerable men if they bee taken out of the church and killed is not comparable to this losse If therefore you can render a reason of this matter woulde to God you woulde also by writing againe yeeld it that we also might be able to do it But if you can not why shoulde you doe that by any vnaduised passion of your minde whereof if you shoulde be demaunded you can not finde a right reason I haue sayde these thinges yea although our sonne Classicianus hath committed ought that may seeme to you to bee moste iustly punished with accursing Howbeit if hee hath written true letters vnto me neither ought so much as hee alone in his house to haue beene punished with this sentence But hereon I meddle nothing with your holines But only request that you woulde forgiue him asking pardon if that hee shall acknowledge a fault But if you shall wisely acknowledge that hee hath not offended because hee is in the house of faith hath more iustly required that fayth ought to bee kept least it shoulde bee broken there where it is taught doe that which an holy man ought to doe that if that haue happened to you as to a man which thing verily the man of God speaketh of in the Psalme Mine eye was troubled for wrath you shoulde crye out to God Have mercy on mee O Lorde because I am weake that he may reache out his right hande and represse your wrath and caulme your minde to see and to doe righteousnesse For as it is written The wrath of Man worketh not the righteousnesse of God But let vs rather thinke that because wee are men wee liue moste daungerously among the snares of tentations Take away therefore the Ecclesiasticall actes that you haue done beeing done peraduenture more on perturbation And let that charity come agayne betweene you which you had with him while you were yet Catechumenus a scholler or Learner of the Catechism Remoue the strife and reuoke peace Leaste both the man that is your freende perish to you and the Deulll that is your foe reioyce ouer you But the mercy of our God is mighty who also graunt to here mee praying leaste my heauinesse ouer you bee encreased But rather that that which is already sprung vp may be healed and that he woulde erect me by his grace and reioyse your youth not contemning mine olde age I haue set downe this whole Epistle as well for the reuerende stile thereof one Bishop thus writing to another about this matter of Excommunication as cheefely that wee may the more fully perceyue what Saint Augustine dissoloweth and alloweth in this matter For although hee finde fault with this young Bishoppes ouer-hasty Excommunicating of this Gentleman and namely of his whole houshoulde condemning other for that which hee misse-conceyued was his fault yet doth hee not dissalowe his Censure for that hee beeing the Bishop did it him selfe and not others ioyned with him But hee alloweth thereof so it had beene done deseruedly and with mature deliberation and gone no further than to the offending party Yea being done as yll as it was hee entreateth him to vndooe this Ecclesiastical act and to release the Censure of his Curse ascribing the binding and the losing to the Bishop Although therefore Saint Augustine doe often affirme the power of the keyes for opening and shutting binding and losing to bee giuen to the Church yet hee maketh the execution of the same to appertayne onely to the Bishops and Ministers of the word Chrysostome likewise in the east where he ascribeth this power vnto the Church Homilia 2. De Dauide Saule speaking against them that went to the stage-playes from the sermon hee sayth Verily I thinke that many of those which forsooke vs yesterday and went away to the spectacles of iniquity are this day present But I wish that I might openly knowe who these are that I might driue them from the sacred porches Not that they should perpetually tarry without but that being corrected they should return agayn Sith that the Fathers also driue out of the doores and from the table their sonnes that oftentimes offend not that they shoulde bee alwayes banished from thence but that beeing made better by this chastisement they may returne to their Fathers housholds company with due commendation Truely the same thing doe the Pastors also while as they separate the scabbed sheep from the whole That they being eased of their wretched disease may returne agayne safe vnto the sound Rather than that the sicke shoulde fill the whole flocke with that their disease For this cause wee desired also to knowe these But although we bee not able to discerne them with our eyes the word notwithstanding that is the sonne of God will knowe them and will easily perswade them by reproouing their conscience that they shoulde returne of their owne voluntary and willingly teaching that he onely is within which can giue a mind worthy of this exercise As on the contrary hee that liuing corruptly is partaker of this congregation although he stande here present in body hee is cast out and is remooued hence more truely than those that are so shut out of the dores that they may not be partakers of the holy Table For they being expulsed according to the Lawes of God and tarying without are yet of good hope if so bee they will amende their faultes They are cast out by the Church that they may returne againe with a pure conscience c. Heere where hee sayth they are cast out by the Church yet hee wisheth that hee might openly knowe them to the ende that he might denounce the sentence of Excommunication against them and doe as the Father with his disobedient Childe and as the shephearde with his infected Sheepe So that this Censure by these comparisons doth properly belong to the Spirituall Father and Pastor of the people But for the better and more full consideration heereof Let vs see what Chrysostome saith in his seuenty Homily against the custome then of hiring Women mourners for the deade which Homilie he also inserteth into his
Homilies on the Epistle to the Hebrewes Homilia quarta ex Capite secundo Where hee also mencioneth Presidentes and after that hee had wished them all not to bee taken away by vntimely death he sayth God graunt this and this I wish for and I beseeche the Presidentes and you all that yee pray to GOD one for another and make this your common prayer But if so bee which God forbid and graunt not that it shoulde happen that the bitter death do come I call it bitter not of the own nature thereof for death now is not bitter differing nothing from sleepe but I say bitter death hapneth in respect of our affection and any shall hyer these Women mourners beleeue mee that speake it I speake none otherwise than I may and as I am affected bee offended who so list I will interdict them from the Churche and that for long time euen as though they were Idolaters For if Paule call the couetous man a worshipper of Idolles much more him that bringeth in vpon the faithfull departed the thinges that appertaine vnto Idolaters To what purpose I pray thee doest thou call the Elders and the singers Doest thou it not that they shoulde comfort thee and that they shoulde honour the departed Wherefore doest thou than deface him Wherfore doest thou prosecute him with publique ignominie Wherefore doest thou play vpon a stage Wee come to declare the Philosophie of the resurrection teaching all men and those also that are yet not striken that by the honour rendred to the deade when as the like shall happen vnto them they beare it out couragiously And thou bringest foorth Women which so much as lieth in them marre all our dooinges VVhat is worse than this mockery and derision what is more greeuous than this vn-euen dealing And heere by the way note these Tearmes of Presidentes whome he ioyneth with the people and of Elders that should comfort the mourners whome hee ioyneth with the Psalmistes or singers that hee saith were called for at burialls whome also he ioyneth with him-selfe saying VVee come to shewe the philosophie of the resurrection and to teache all men Whether these were not such Elders as Iames willeth the sick to call for before his death and were called for again at the funeralles to make Exhortations and instructions to comfort and teache the liuing that are assembled at the buriall it appeareth plainly they were teachers of the worde and not Gouernors Praesidentes or Elders that were not Teachers If our Brethren say that those forenamed praesidents were the ciuill Gouernours of the people then againe they make nothing for our Brethrens Ecclesiasticall and not teaching gouernours or Elders of the Church But whatsoeuer they were that the Ecclesiasticall censure of Excommunication belonged to Chrysostome himselfe being their Bishop and to such onely as are Ministers of the worde Let vs see further howe Chrysostome doth proceede Be yee ashamed and adradde But if you will not wee will no longer suffer you to bring into the Church such pernitious customes For those saith Paule thâ—t sinne reprooue them before allâ— And wee forbid by you those wretched women that is to say we charge you not to suffer them or to tell them of this our prohibitation that they neuer be present at the deathes of the faythfull nor at the bearing foorth of them For feare we compell them to bewayle in verie deede their owne euils And leaste wee teache them not to doe these thinges in other folkes but to lament their owne calamities For whereas also a Godly Father hath a prodigall sonne hee not onely admonisheth him that he ioyne not himself vnto wicked men but also he terrifieth him Loe therfore I both charge you and them by you that yee neyther call such together neither that they come vnto you And God graunt that this word may doe some further good and that these threates may preuayle But if so bee which God forbid wee shall be contemned we shall at length be compelled to bring our thretninges into dooins chastising you with the Ecclesiasticall Lawes and them with such correction as shall be fitte for them But if any beeing arrogant shall contemne let him heare Christe euen nowe also saying If any shall offende against thee goe thy wayes and reprooue him beâ—weene thee and him alone But if he shall not heare thee take vnto thee one or two And if so also hee shall resist thee tell the Church And if hee shall also dispyise the Church let him be to thee an Ethnicke and Publican If therefore hee commaunde mee so to shunne him that hath sinned against mee when hee will not heare Iudge you howe I ought to account him that shall sinne against him-selfe and against God For you woulde not contemne vs if wee proceede so mildlie agaynst you But if any man shall contemne these our bindings that we make Christe againe shall correct him saying Whatsoeuer yee shall binde vpon earth shall bee also bounde in Heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose vpon earth shall bee loosed in Heauen For if wee also bee wretched and of no regarde and worthie of contempt as in verye deede worthy wee are notwithstanding wee reuenge not our selues nor wrecke our anger But thinke of your saluation Bee yee ashamed I beseeche you and blush For if a man beare with his frend that contendeth with him more earnestlye than is meete considering his meaning that hee doth it of good will and not of insolencie Howe much more shoulde hee beare with his Teacher when hee reproueth him nor speaketh these things of a tyrannicall authority nor as though hee were appointed in place of a Prince but as susteining the care of a Father For wee speake not these thinges as though wee woulde bragge of our power For howe can wee speake these things with this mind that desire not to come to the experience of the things we speake of but with greefe and mourning Pardon me and let not anie man despise the ecclesiasticall band For he that bindeth is not man but Christe which hath committed this power to vs and hath made men the Lords of so great honor For wee verelie would be willing to vse this power onlie to losing yea rather we would that we neither had anie necessitie of that for we desire that we might binde none We are not so miserable and wretched although wee bee verie vile but if we be compelled pardon vs. For neither of our owne accorde or willinglie but rather mourning more for you wee lay the bonds vpon you And If anie man contâ—mne them the time of Iudgement is at hand The residue I wil not vtter least I should beate your mindes down right For this is the thing that we chieflie desire that we might not be drawen into this necessitie But if we shall come to it we will fulfill our office and cast the bonds vpon you And if anie shal breake them I shal doo that is
man or paye 60. shillings if a Prieste offende in this behalfe the penaltie shall bee augmented double The first frutes of the seedes shall be paide at Saint Martyns tyde He that then shall not haue payde them shall be fined 40. shillings and besides pay 12. times as much as the frutes come to If any man giltie of death shall flee to the Church he shall enioy his life and make recompence according to right and lawe If anie man haue deserued beating and flee to the Church the beating shall be forgiuen him These arâ— all the Eccl. lawes of Inas which are there sette downe sauing that in the next lawe after the Penaltie of fighting in the Kinges Court he adioyneth also the forfeite of 120. shillinges for fighting in the Church and in the 11. lawe the forfaite of as much to him that bringeth in false witnesse before a Bishop His other lawes are méere ciuill and politike But by these we sée his supreme authoritie euen to the making the decree it selfe of the Ecclesi lawes so well as of the temporall As for the last decree of killing ones gossippe or of the Kings godsonne or of the sonne of a Bishop for Bishops and all the Clergie might then marry are méere temporall The next lawes that Lambert translateth are of that excellent Prince Aluredus Where first he setteth downe the ten commaundementes of Almightie giuen by Moses Exod. 20. and from thence procéedeth to the most of the lawes mentioned in the 21.22 and some in the 23. chapters of Exod. which done he sayth These are the lawes that Almightie GOD himselfe deliuered to Moses to bee kept As for the onely begotten sonne of God our saluation Iesus Christe when hee came into the worlde hee openly declared that hee came not to violate the lawe giuen but with all meekenesse and goodnesse to fulfill it For hee deliuered the discipline of true godlinesse After whome when hee was crucified his Disciples while they were as yet together nor were seuered a sunder to preach the Gospell ioyned vnto Christ manie Nations and sent their legates and Interpreters of the will of God to Antiochia Syria and Cilicia which were conuerted vnto Christ from the bondage of the Gentiles The Apostles and the Elders Brethren sende greeting vnto you For as much as we haue heard that certaine men which departed from vs haue troubled you with wordes and when as they would declare vnto you certaine thinges whereof they had no commaundement from vs they haue rather weakenâ—d your mindes with error than instructed then with sounde and entire doctrine â— it was thought good vnto vs being gathered together to sende vnto you chosen men Barnabas and Paule which haue aduentured their life for Christe together with whome wee haue sent Iudas and Sylas who shall also by wordes declare the same thinges vnto you For it seemed good to the holie Ghoste and to vs to laye vppon you nothing more of necessarie burden than this that ye must abstayne from those thinges that are offered to Idols and from bloud and from that that is strangled and from fornication And that which yee would not haue to be done vnto you ye should not doe the same to others Out of this one precept it euidently appeareth that right must bee rendered to euerie bodie for there needeth no other iudiciall booke saue onely this whosoeuer sitteth beeing a Iudge vppon other that he would not pronounce any other sentence vppon others than he would haue to bee giuen vppon him selfe But where as when the Gospell of GOD was spread abroade manie Nations yea and that the English-men adioyned theyr fayth vnto the worde of God manie assemblyes were made through-out the worlde and also in Englande there were holden meetinges together of the Bishoppes and of other most notable wise men and these men beeing informed of the mercie of God did at the first impose vpon euerie offender a punishment of money and gaue vnto the Magistrates the office of taking the same without all prouocation of offending GOD hauing giuen them pardon before saue onely vppon a Traytor and forsaker of his Lorde they thought not this beeing a milder penaltie to bee inflicted which manner of man they thought good that hee shoulde not bee spared at all both because God woulde haue the dispisers of him-selfe to bee vnwoorthie of all mercie and also for that Christe forgaue not them that were betrayers of him to death but he decreed that the Lorde shoulde bee worshipped before other These men therefore in manie of their assemblies appoynted punishmentes of euerie one of the offences and committed them to the monumentes of writing These sanctions I Alured the king haue gathered together into one and haue put them in writing a great part of which our auncestors kept religously and mee-thinketh that manie of them are woorthie to bee in this age kept of vs with like righteousnesse Notwithstanding some of them which seemed to bee lesse profitable vnto vs I haue by the consultation of wise men prouided partly that they shoulde bee abrogated and partly innouated And because it might bee thought rashnesse for any man to recorde in the monumentes of writing manie of his owne decrees and also it might be vncertaine what credite they shoulde haue with the posteritie which thing we do highly esteeme whatsoeuer thinges I haue founde worthy to be obserued in the actes of my countrey-man Inas of Offa king of the Mercians or of Ethelbert which was the first king of the Englishe men that was baptized I haue collected them all The other I haue vtterly omitted And also in the discerning of these actes I Aluled king of the west Saxons haue vsed the Counsell of the most prudent of our men and they all liked the obseruation of the same to bee sette foorth Thus writeth Alured of his doing both concerning his owne decrees and the decrees of all those kinges his auncestors in these matters which were not onely ciuill and politike but also Ecclesiasticall In all which though he vsed the counsell and aduise of the Clergie and of other learned and wise men yet as he did the action himselfe so hee did it by his owne supreme authoritie and reckoning vp all these other kinges decrees also it argueth that they in their times and dominions had the like authoritie in eccl matters The Eccl. lawes of Alurede are the seconde and the fift of the priuileges of Churches the 6. of robbing Church goods the 8. of violating Nunnes the 16. of teaching them in dissolute manner the 21. of Priests that kill any man the 29. of them that enter into religion being indebted the 39. of the festiuall and solemne dayes After this Alurede his sonne Edwarde surnamed the elder ioyning with Guthrune the Dane king of the east Angles who changing his name at his baptisme was called Athelstane doe sette foorth diuerse Ecclesiasticall Lawes which the
kept It behooueth therefore that the peace of the Church of God within the walles therof and the tranquilitie deliuered by the hande of the Christian king bee euer cheefely kept firme and inuiolated If any therefore shall violate any of these two Gods Churches and the kinges peace forfetting his Lands he shall be put to death except the king shall pardon his offence c. And if the Churches peace bee broken without man-slaughter let the punishment followe according to the manner of the offence c. It greatly behooueth all Christian men moste religiously to maintayne in peace the holinesse the orders and the places consecrated vnto God and to giue to euerye order his owne dignitie For let euery one knowe at leaste hee that will or may knowe that it is a matter of greate waight and moment which the Preeste must doe â—or the health of the people if so bee hee shall studye to please GOD aright Greate is the sanctifying and more is the sanctifying or consecrating with the which in consecratinge baptisme and the Sacrament of thankes-giuing the Deuill is driuen away Yea the Angelles keepe the holye mysteries and depending on the Diuine prouidence assist the preest so often as he serueth God aright Which thing they do at all times when as the preeste doth humblie from his heart beseeche Christe and begge of him those thinges that are necessarie for the peoples life these men therefore for the fear of God for the dignitie of their order are to bee discerned from other men If therefore anye man shall accuse of any crime a Preeste liuing according to some certayne rule of Religion and if hee witte himselfe to bee cleane thereof let him say Masse if hee dare and with his once receyuing of the sacrament of thankes-giuing hee alone shall dash all the slaunder But if hee shall bee accused by three then receiuing the Communion if so be hee dare and taking with him two other of his owne order hee shall wipe away the suspition of the supposed crime If any man shall accuse with some speciall sclaunder of crime a Deacon liuing after some certayne forme of â—eligion the Deacon shall purge himselfe of the crime by taking two other with him of his own order But if hee haue beene accused thrise he shall purge him selfe with sixe other men of his owne order c. Wee also doe bidde or pray and doe teache all the Ministers of GOD and especially the preestes that they obey GOD and loue cleannesse and auoyde the wrath of GOD and flee from the lake of Hell fire c. Moreouer wee teache and wee pray and in Gods name wee commaunde that no manne can contract mariage with in the sixt decree of kindred neyther yet mary the Widowe of his coosine that was within sixe degrees vnto him neyther that hee mary any that was of kinne to his Wife that hee had before neyther that any Christian mary his Gossippe nor any that is deuorced To conclude hee that hath any care to keepe Gods Lawe and will study to haue his soule saued froÌ„ hell fire let him shunne harlots and keepe him to his onelie wife ioyned vnto him in lawfull mariage and haue no more so long as his wife liueth Let euery man pay vnto God yeerely his rightes and his iust duties orderly let him pay the almes of his plowing the fift day after Easter The tenth of his Cattell at Whitsontide and the tenth of his fruites at Alhollow-tide But if so be that any wil not pay their tenthes in manner as we haue afore-sayd concerning the acre that is tythe-able then let the kinges officer the Bishoppe and the Lorde of the soyle and the seruing preeste of the Churche come together and whether hee will or no deliuer the tenth part to the Churche whereunto it is due and leaue the ninth to him as for the other eyght partes the Lorde of the soyle shall haue the one moytie of them and the Bishoppe of the diocesse shall haue the other be he the Kings man or any Noble mans And in this order he proceedeth to a great number of other Ecclesiasticall matterâ— mingling as in these a great deale I graunt of foul chaffe but good and badde one with anâ—ther all shewe his authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters But when hee commeth to the nineteenth and so forwarde because the Laws are of better matters I will craue the readers patience further in setting them downe also And let euery Christian man doe all those thinges that are profitable to his saluation Let him applie him-selfe with all his thought and care to the Christian fayth and Religion and whosoeuer will conceiue in his soule and minde those things that are nâ—â—essarie for his saluation as indeede it ought to bee the desire of all men let him prepare his minde to receiue the Sacrament of thankesgiuing at leaste thrise a yeare And if hee will hope to finde fauour let him well bestowe all his wordes and deedes and dispose them orderly let him keepe his othe and fayth giuen moste religiously And let euerie man to the vttermost of his abilitie driue away from the boundes of our Dominion all vnrighteousnesse and hereafter earnestly follow the righteousnes of God both in wordes and deeds and so at the length we shall all bountifully obtain the mercie of God Besides this let vs our selues put that in execution that we commaunde other Let vs alwayes bee of a firme and faythfull minde to God Let vs vpholde his honour with all our forces and abilities and obey his will For what soeuer wee shall doe towardes the Lorde beeing mooued with that faythfulnesse that is ioyned with vertue and our office that shall be to our great aduantage For in this thing God the cheefe ruler and Lorde of all will bee exceeding faythfull vnto vs it standeth vs therefore cheefely vpon that they which are Lordes behaue themselues rightly to their vassailes And wee earnestly admonishe all Christian men that inwardly withall their heart they loue God that religiously they holde the right Christian fayth and that gladly they obey their Diuine Doctors that moste diligently they search the Lawes and Doctrine of God and that they searche for it often and much for their owne commoditie And wee admonish that euery Christian man doe so throughlie learne that at the leaste hee doe well knowe the right Fayth and can say the Lordes Prayer and the Articles of his beleefe For by the one all Christian men doe call vpon God and by the other they professe a right fayth Christe him-selfe did first set foorth the Lordes prayer and taught the same vnto his Disciples Which diuine prayer consisteth of seuen petitions the which whosoeuer shall vtter not faynedlie but from his heart hee conferreth with God him-selfe of all thinges that are necessarie either for the life present or to come But by what meanes can any man heartily pray vnto