assisted his father 500. yeeres taught his children which were then the Church to call on the name of the Lord and continued that charge 112. yeeres after his fathers death Enosh did the like to Seth and all the heires of the promise before the flood to their fathers God alwayes stirring vp the spirits of some excellent men to preach in his Church whiles their fathers yet liued and guided the number of the faithfull So Enoch pleased God and prophecied in his Church 300. yeeres first vnder Adam and after vnder Seth in whose time he was translated So Noah preached righteousnesse and repentance to the olde world beginning vnder Enoch the sonne of Seth and holding on six descents vntil the flood came the very same yeere that his grandfather Methusalem died After whose death and the drowning of the world Noah gouerned the Church 350. yeeres and left the regiment thereof as also the inheritance of the blessing and promise to Sem his eldest sonne that was saued with him in the Arke from the waters and blessed by him Sem succeeding his father in the couenant of peace confirmation of the promise and dignitie of the first borne gouerned the Church 350. yeeres vnder his father and 152. yeeres after him cuen till Abraham was dead Isaac dinune and Iacob 50. yeeres olde and might well for his age birthright and blessing be that Melchizedec king of Salem in Canaan that met Abraham returning from the slaughter of his enemies and blessed him that had the promises for he must be greater then Abraham that blessed Abraham as the Apostle inferreth and greater then Abraham could none be but one that had the same promises which Abraham had and that before him Nowe Noah was dead 13. yeeres before Abraham entred Canaan and Sem ten ascents before Abraham inherited the same blessing and promise that Abraham did During whose life and he ouer liued Abraham none of his of spring could haue the honour of the kingdome and priesthood from him much lesse could any stranger excell him or come neere him in the dignitie of his priesthood For first in his house was the Church God vouchsafing to bee called the God of Sem as he was after the God of Abraham and so blessing his Tents with righteousnesse of faith and heauenlie peace that Noah foreseeing it in spirite besought God to perswade and incline Iapheth his yonger sonne to dwell in the Tents of Sem. Next in his seed was the promised blessing the true cause of Abrahams greatnesse and that 360. yeeres before it was in Abraham and from him God lineally deriued it vnto Abraham by that blessing as from the father both of Christ and of Abraham Thirdly in his person was the prerogatiue of the first borne to bee chiefe ouer his brethren as well in religion as in ciuill regiment and consequently to be king and priest in the house of God Fourthlie by the length of his life he wel resembled the true Melchizedec who by his birthright is king and priest for euer ouer the sonnes of God for he came out of the Arke as from an other world no man liuing that knew his beginning he dured more then 500. yeeres euen twelue descents after the flood and so neither the beginning nor end of his dayes were knowen to the heires of promise Lastly successour on earth he left none by reason Abraham whom God called from his countrie kinred and fathers house to inherite the promise and blessing next after Sem and likewise Isaac and Iacob heires of the same promise with him soiourned as strangers and peregrines first in the land of Canaan where Sem yet liued and by force of his birthright and blessing continued a king and priest in his fathers house and citie which was then the Church of God and after in the land of Egypt vntill the departure of Iacobs posteritie thence amongst whose sonnes God diuided the honours and dignities of Sem appointing the scepter and seed to Iudah the priesthood to Leui the birthright to Ioseph and neuer conioyned them after in any but in Christ Iesus the onely priest that euer succeeded according to the order of Melchizedec which farre excelled the order of Aaron that had the kingdome and birthright seuered from it Whosoeuer Melchizedec was this was the gouernement of the Church so long as Sem liued which appeared in the person of Melchizedec to wit the father was ruler ouer his children and the first borne ouer his brethren as well in pietie as in policie and this priuiledge of the eldest brethren to be kings and Priests in their fathers house represented the choice that God made of his Saints in Christ his sonne to be a royall Priesthood to offer vp spiritual sacrifices acceptable vnto himselfe by Iesus Christ. From Iacob to Moses as the number of Gods children increased so the roiall priesthood vtterly ceased and the gouernement of the Church was much obscured by the perpetuall pilgrimage of Iacob and bondage of his ofspring till God by Moses wrought their deliuerance the Church in the meane time being guided first by Iacob then by Ioseph after by the heads and fathers of the twelue Tribes Iudah being alwayes the chiefest both in Egypt and Canaan and his fathers sonnes bowing vnto him according to the tenor of Iacobs blessing And so from Adam to Moses we finde a continuall superioritie of the father ouer his children and the first borne aboue his brethren approoued and established by God himselfe in the regiment of his Church and not any precept or precedent for equalitie CHAP. II. The Leuiticall and Nationall regiment of the Church vnder the Lawe WHen it pleased the goodnesse of God to extend the true knowledge of himselfe to the whole seed of Iacob to bring a people out of Egypt to be his peculiar he seuered from the rest the Tribe of Leui to attend the Arke and offerings which he commanded to teach their brethren the iudgements and statutes of their God For the Church being enlarged and spred ouer the whole nation the domesticall discipline that was before the lawe could not so well fit the gouernment of a people as of an household and therefore out of twelue Tribes God chose one to retaine the priesthood and haue the ouersight of all holy things and execution of all sacred seruice In which Tribe according to the number and order of the first fathers and families descended from Leui the sonne of Iacob God did proportion and establish diuers superiorities and dignities as well in answering the sentence of the lawe to the people as in seruing him at his altar and those not onely of Priests aboue Leuites but of priests aboue priests and of Leuites among themselues The first distinction was of Priests aboue Leuites that is of Aaron his sonnes aboue the rest of y ◠same Tribe who were restrained frō touching or seeing the holy things cōmitted to the
Churches In the Gospell he nameth his Apostles The Salt of the earth and Light of the worlde The Scripture which cannot be broken calleth them Gods to whome the word of God came How beautifull are the feete of them saith Paul which bring glad tidings of peace Our eies if it were possible are not too deare for them We owe them not onely honour but euen our selues And to speake vprightly if euery man on earth be measured by the degree of his master and dignitie of his seruice I see no cause why Christs Embassadours and the Stewards and Rulers of Gods houshold should be contemptible in the eyes of their fellow seruants that should obey them and be subiect to them as vnto their spiritual Leaders Teachers and Fathers Is this assertion strange or new in the Church of Christ Esto subiectus Pontifici tuo quasi Parentem animae suspice Be subiect saith Ierome to thy Bishop and reuerence him as the father of thy soule For good cause ought we saith Chrysostome not only to stand in more awe of Priests then of Kings and Princes but also to giue them more honour then our naturall Parents The king saith Austen beareth the Image of God euen as the Bishop doth of Christ. As long then as he holdeth that office he is to be honoured if not for himselfe yet for his order And Ambrose Honor sublimitas Episcopalis nullis poterit comparationibus adaequari The honour and height of a Bishops function can be matched by no comparison the sheep that are committed to Priests or Pastours are truely said to be vnder their Leaders the Gospel determining that the Scholler is not aboue his Master And againe Haec cuncta c. vt ostenderemus nihil esse in hoc seculo excellentius Sacerdotibus nihil sublimius Episcopis reperiri All this to shew that no condition in this world can be found more excellent then a Priests no calling higher then a Bishop If you compare it to the brightnes of Kings or diadems of Princes that is more inferiour to it saieth Ambrose then lead vnto gold yea they haue that power giuen them saith Chrysostom which God would not giue to Angels nor Archangels Iesus Christ saith Cyprian our King Iudge and God euen vnto the day of his death yeelded honor vnto the Priests and Bishops of the Iewes though they retained neither the feare of God nor knowledge of Christ teaching vs lawfully and fully to honour true Priestes by his behauiour vnto false Priests These Fathers in your iudgement doe not meane that externall and ciuil honour should be yeelded to the persons of Teachers and Bishops but spirituall and inward reuerence to bee due to their calling Much lesse doe they meane that contempt and reproch should be requited them for their paynes If wee sticke at titles Christ himselfe calleth them Starres Angels and Gods if wee doubt of their power or honour they haue more power then the Angelles as Chrysostome sayeth and must haue more honour then the Fathers of our flesh If anie like not the conclusion let him reade Chrysostomes probation more at large in the place afore cited As for the distinction of outward or inward honour due to their persons or professions if the men bee good it is superfluous wee must honour both if the men bee badde their vocation must bee honoured though their vices bee condenmed and that honour as I saide before must appeare in heart worde and deede For if one of these faile it is not honour but neglect and contempt which God will reuenge Non te reiecerunt sed me They haue not reiected thee but mee is an ancient verdict of Gods owne giuing Hee that despiseth you in heart worde or deede despiseth mee Honourthy father bindeth the whole man not this or that parte of man and duetie to Parentes and superiours is violated euen with wordes and lookes But godlie Teachers must looke for reward and honour at Gods handes and not from men I knowe it well the worlde shall vse them as it vsed their Master yet doeth not that excuse the neglecters and contemners of them yea rather it is an euident signe hee loueth not God that despiseth his Prophets and reprocheth Christ that dishonoureth his Ministers God is my witnesse I smoothe no mans pride I seeke no mans fauour I wade as sincerely as my simple learning will suffer mee and by that as I finde Christ for biddeth his Disciples all affectation of honour and desire of superioritie and requireth the greatest after his example to serue the lowest so I see no reason why it shoulde grieue any godlie minde to heare a Bishoppe called by that name with which Saint Peter willeth euerie woman to houour her husband For to mee it is strange it shoulde bee a prowde and Antichristian Title in a Pastour which may be giuen to euerie Artisant with duetie and humilitie Howbeit what externall appellation or honour is meete or vnmeete for the Pastours and Fathers of Christes Church I leaue it wholie to the wisedome and consideration of the State who are fit Iudges therefore and not euerie curious head or couetous heart to order the Cleargie at their pleasures With trueth and sobrietie I may affirme this that the first Christian Princes and Emperours to cause religion the more to flourish did what they coulde to make the people honour and reuerence their Bishops permitting them to heare and determine all quarrels and strifes betweene man and man for debts goodes or lands and confirming the iudgements of the Bishops euen in such cases by publike Lawes and by their owne example teaching all men to submit their heads vnder the Bishops hands Place you such a one in the Episcopall seate saith Valentinian to the Synode assembled for the choise of a Bishop of millan to whom we our selues the Rulers of the Empire may sincerely or willingly submit our heads and whose reproofes we may receiue as an wholesome medicine Thou mayest see saith Ambrose the necks of Kings and Princes bowed downe to the Priests knees and kissing the right hands of Priests thinke themselues garded with their prayers To a King saith Chrysostome are bodies committed to a Priest Soules the one hath sensible armor the other spiritual he fighteth against the Barbarians I against Diuels This is the greater soueraigntie therefore the King submitteth his head to the Priests hands Constantine the great by his Lawes gaue leaue that those which would decline the ciuil Magistrates might appeale to the iudgement of their Bishops and commaunded the sentence of the Bishoppes to take place before the sentence of other Iudges as if it had bene pronounced by the Emperour himselfe and to be put in execution by the Presidents and their officers And lest wee shoulde thinke this Lawe reached onely to spirituall things Saint Augustine sheweth in his time with what matters they
Bishop must bee vnreprooueable as Gods Steward holding fast the faithfull worde of doctrine that hee may be able to exhorte with founde doctrine and conuince the goinesayers No Teachers no Elders by this rule For they were Gods Stewards to exhort and conuince with found doctrine before they tooke that name Elders might not be appointed in any Citie but so qualified as is heere prescribed there was no place then in Creete for your newe founde Elders And as for Lay Gouernours of the Apostolike Church to bee mentioned by Saint Paul in the 1. to the Corinthians and twelfth Chapter the ancient and learned Fathers are further from admitting any such then I am howsoeuer our late writers bee lighted on them Nazianzene expounding the wordes of Saint Paul which our men imagine concerne Lay Gouernours sayth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernements that is ouer-ruling the flesh Chrysostome maketh Helpes and Gouernements all one and saith It is a great blessing of God in matters of the Spirite to haue an helper and exhorter Ambrose saieth In the fift place is giuen the gift of vnderstanding For they bee Gouernours that with spirituall raines doe guide men Theophilact referreth it to the Deacons Helpes gouernements that is to receiue the sicke and guide and dispence the goodes of our brethren Then neither doe the Scriptures any where mention Lay Presbyters nor the Fathers expounding the places that are brought for them did euer giue so much as an inkeling of any such persons The words of Paul to Timothie be not only cleared from them by diuers sound interpretations but produced against them For they admit no Elders but such as were for their worke sake maintained at the costes of the Church and so were neuer anie Lay Presbyters The two other places name Rulers and Gouernours but expresse neyther what persons or thinges they gouerned neyther who they were that did gouerne whether Lay men or Pastours Lay men had Christian gouernements but ouer their families ouer the Church and house of God none had in the Apostles daies that wee reade saue Pastors and Teachers I meane such as did feede and watch the flocke committed to their charge And yet if wee shoulde graunt that in the Apostles time for want of a Magistrate to vpholde the discipline of the Church and punish the disorders and offences of loose brethren there were certaine graue and wise Elders ioyned with the Prophets and Pastours to admonish the vnrulie examine the guiltie and exclude infamous and scandalous persons from the common societie of Christians Is it anie consequent the like must bee vsed with vs in a Christian kingdome vnder a beleeuing Prince The Apostolike Churches were planted in populous Cities where they coulde not lacke meete men to sustaine that charge ours are dispersed in rurall Hamlets where there can bee no hope to finde so many fitte Gouernours as shall bee requisite To the first Churches came none but such as were willing and zealous without all compulsion to ours come all forces Atheistes Hypocrites and howe manie rather forced by Lawe then ledde with deuotion yea woulde God it did not often so fall out that in manie places the richer and wealthier men eyther regarde no Religion or secretely leane to the woorst Euerie Church with them had manie Prophetes Pastours and Teachers the number and neede of the people and tyme so requiring so that their Presbyteries might bee indifferently weighed without ouerbearing either side Wee haue but one in eche Parish and to exact maintenaunce for moe at the peoples handes in euerie Uillage woulde breede that sore which no playster would heale To giue that one a negatiue voyce in all thinges against the Laie Elders were to fill the whole Realme with infinite contentions and questions To giue him no voyce but as one amongest the rest is to shake the Church in sunder with euerie faction and fansie of the multitude Lastly those Churches vnder persecution had none that coulde iustly chalenge to rule the rest ours hath a lawfull Monarch professing the faith to whome by Gods Lawe the gouernement of all crimes and causes Ecclesiasticall doeth rightly belong and therefore the priuate and popular regiment of the afflicted Churches must cease since God hath blessed this realme with a publike peaceable and princely gouernement The greater and stronger power doeth alwayes determine and frustrate the lesser and weaker in the same kinde What neede we priuate men to punish vices when we haue princes to doe it What neede wee Suffrages of Lay Elders to reforme disorders and abuses in Pastors when wee haue open and knowen lawes to worke the same effect with more force and better speede In popular states and persecuted Churches some pretence may be made for that kinde of discipline In christian kingdomes I see neither neede nor vse of Lay Elders Howbeit for my part I doe not beleeue that Lay Elders were vsed in the Apostls times to gouerne the Church With imposition of hands remission of sinnes distribution of Sacraments I am right assured no iust proofe can be made they did or should intermeddle yea the ouersight of those things could not belong whiles the Apostles liued to Lay men and after their deaths the Churches planted by them and ages succeeding them neuer vsed nor acknowledged any Lay Elders Which is to me an inuincible demonstration that the Apostles left them none For would all the Churches in the worlde with one consent immediatly vpon the Apostles deaths reiect that fourme of gouerning the Church by Lay Elders which was setled and approoued by the Apostles and embrace a new and strange kinde of gouernement without precept or precedent for their so doing Howe others can perswade themselues that the whole Church of Christ felt so generally and presently to a wilfull Apostacie I knowe not for myselfe I confesse I had rather forsake the deuise and conceit of some late Writers were they in number moe then they are before I will proclaime so many Apostolike men and ancient and learned fathers to be manifest despisers of the Apostolike discipline and voluntarie supporters if not inuentors of Antichrists pride and tyrannie Wherefore if they shew me Lay Elders vniuersally receiued for gouernours in the Churches and ages next folowing the Apostles I wil agnise they came from the Apostles if there were no such after the Apostles I cannot beleeue they were in the Apostles times CHAP. XI What Presbyterie the primitiue Churches and Catholike fathers did acknowledge and whether Lay Elders were any part thereof or no. MAny men thinke and write that the first Churches and fathers after the Apostles retained and vsed Lay Elders for Gouernors and so witnes as they say obscurely Ignatius Tertullian Cyprian Augustine more cleerely Ambrose Hierome Possidonius and the Canon law and therefore I doe not well in their opinions to pretend the authoritie of Christes Church against them If all these Fathers or any of them did clearely mention or witnesse Lay Elders