maintenance from the Church of Christ. Wherefore they must either giue all Lay Elders double maintenance as Saint Paul willeth which they doe not or shut them cleane from these wordes which yeelde double maintenance by Gods law to Presbyters that rule well What the meaning of Saint Paul is in this place though much might bee saide and is saide of others which I haue omitted yet to satisfie the Reader I haue laide downe foure seuerall expositions too long to bee heere inserted which I willingly permit to the censure of the wise whether euerie one of them be not more consonant to the true intent of Saint Paul then theirs is and as answerable to his wordes If Paul in plaine words did not disclaime Lay Elders as hauing no right to chalenge double maintenāce from the church nor other places contradict them yet were there no reason vpon the needlesse and iointlesse construction of this one sentence to receiue them for by what logicke prooue they out of this place there were some Presbyters that gouerned well and laboured not at all in the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is as much as specially or chiefly doth distinguish as they thinke the one sort from the other by a superior degree doth it not distinguish as wel things as persons and note so well diuers respects as diuers subiects for example if we should say Magistrates that gouerne well are worthy of double honor specially they that heare the complaints of the poore Were he not very fansiful that would hence cōclude there are ergo two sorts of magistrats one that gouerneth wel another that heareth the complaints of the poore Againe out of these speches Counsellors that be wise are acceptable to their Princes specially such as are faithfull workemen are rewarded for their skill but specially for their paines Pastors that be vertuous are to be wished for but specially if they be learned wil any sober man inferre that fidelitie and wisedome skil and industrie learning and vertue do not meet in one subiect because specially goeth betwene them Nothing is more common then by this kind of speach to note as well two diuers qualities in one man as two sundrie sortes of men yea thereby to preferre a part before the general comprising that part As Teachers are to be liked for their learning specially for their knowledge in the Scriptures good men are to bee loued for their vertues specially if they be liberall In these speeches they will say the persons be diuers as well as the things for some Counsellors be wise that be not faithfull some workemen expert that be not painefull some Pastours learned that be not vertuous That prooueth true not by any force of these speeches but by the defect of the persons that want fidelitie industrie and integritie for the words rather imploy that both parts should be and therefore may be found in one man before he deserueth this adiection of specially As a Counseller must be wise and specially faithfull before he can be acceptable to his Prince A workeman must be painefull as well as skilfull before he deserue his wages A Pastour must not only be honest but also able to discharge his duetie before he should be greatly esteemed And so by Saint Pauls words they may conclude a Presbyter must not only gouerne well but also labour in the word before he may be counted to be specially or most woorthie of double honour other collection out of the Apostles wordes they can make none And that shall wee soone finde if wee resolue the Apostles wordes in such sort as the nature of the Greeke tongue permitteth vs. The words stand precisely thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters GOVERNING WEL let them be counted worthie of double honour 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 SPECIALLY LABOVRING in the word and doctrine The participles as euerie meane scholer knoweth may be resolued not onely by the Relatiue and his verb but by many other parts of speech and their verbs which oftentimes expresse the sense better then the Relatiue As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thou shalt not musle thine oxe treading out thy corne that is whiles he treadeth out thy corne for after thou art not prohibited to musle him So in the sentence which we speake of Presbyters gouerning well are woorthy of double honor well gouerning is the cause of double honour neither is double honor due to Presbyters but with this condition if they gouerne well Then resolue the Apostles wordes either with a causall or conditionall adiunction which is plainly the speakers intent and we shall see howe little they make for two sortes of Presbyters Presbyters if they rule well are worthie of double honour specially if they labour in the word or Presbyters for ruling well are worthie of double honour specially for labouring in the word Here are not two sortes of Elders as they conceiue the one to gouerne the other to teach but two duties of eche Presbyter namely to teach and gouerne before hee can be most worthie of double honour Their owne rules confirme the same Those whome they cal Teachers or Doctours must they not labor in the word There can be no doubt they must Are they then most woorthie or so worthie as Pastors be of double honour who not onely labour in the word but also watch and attend the flocke to rule it well I trust not Then Pastors are most worthie and consequentlie more worthie then Doctors of double honor because they not only watch to gouerne wel but also labour in the word If any man striue for two sorts of persons to be contained in these wordes though there be vtterly no reason to force that collection we can admit that also without any mention of Lay Elders I haue shewed two interpretations how diuers sorts of Presbyters may be noted by these wordes and neither of them Lay to which I refer y e Reader that is willing to see more I may not here offer a fresh discourse of things else-where handled The briefe is Presbyters we reade and Presbyteries in the Apostolike writings but none Lay that were admitted to gouerne the Church Presbyters did attend and feede the flocke as Gods Stewards and were to exhort with wholsome doctrine and conuince the gainesayers and Presbyteries as themselues vrge did impose hands These be the dueties which the holy Ghost else-where appointeth for the president and the rest of the Presbyterie other then these except this place of which wee reason the Scriptures name none and these be no dueties for Laie Elders vnlesse they make all partes of Pastourall chage common to Lay Presbyters and distinguish them only by the place as if Pastors were to ouersee and feede the flocke in the pulpite and Laie Presbyt ers in the Consistorie Which if they doe they allow onely wordes to Pastours and yeeld to laie Presbyrers both Pastorall words and deedes giuing them authoritie to feede watch the flocke of Christ
he had required them to remooue that euill one from themselues in not allowing consenting or fauouring so wicked a fact in their hearts Take which you will I stand indifferent howbeit by the wordes of his second Epistle it should seeme he spake not to the whole Church of Corinth but to the leaders and teachers there when he willed them to remooue that wicked one from amongst themselues For this he writeth of the very same person Sufficient for this offendor is the punishment or reproofe that proceeded from many not from all Wherfore I pray you confirme your loue towards him For this cause also did I write that I might see the proofe of you whether you would be obedient in all things So that in excommunicating the incestuous sinner Paul asked not their consents but tryed their obedience and they with all care and zeale shewed themselues ready to execute his precept At least yet the Presbyterie ioyned with the Apostle in excommunicating that malefactour and of this Presbyterie the Lay Elders were no small part so that by this precedent of the Apostolike discipline the Pastours cannot exclude any men from the Sacraments without the liking of the Lay Elders and Presbyters What the Presbyterie might doe cannot well be resolued vntill it be first agreed of what persons this Presbyterie consisted Some thinke certaine skilfull and discreete men as well of the Laitie as of the Cleargie were appointed by the common choice of the people to deliberate and determine of manners and all other matters pertaining to the regiment of the Church and that by their aduise and consent as it were by the decree of an Ecclesiasticall Senate the power of the keyes was directed and handes imposed For this assertion they shewe the witnesse both of Scriptures and Fathers so cleare as they suppose that they cannot be auoyded Some others confesse there was a kinde of Presbyterie in the Apostles times and long after in many Churches but thence they exclude all Lay persons as no partes thereof and account in that number none but such as had charge of the worde and Sacraments and ioyntly labored the conuerting of vnbeleeuers to the faith and preseruing of the Church in trueth and godlines Which of these two positions is the sounder in processe will appeare CHAP. X. What the Presbyterie was which the Apostles mention in their writings and whether any Lay Elders were of that number or no. IT is not to be doubted that in the Apostles time euery citie where the Gospell was receiued had many Prophets Pastours and Teachers not only traueling to and fro to exhort and confirme the brethren but abiding and persisting in the same place all labouring to encrease the number of the Church and continue the faithful in their profession At Ierusalem fifteene yeeres after Christes ascention were Apostles and Elders At Antioch in the Church were Prophets Teachers Barnabas Simeon Lucius Manehen and Saul besides Marke and others In Rome when Paul wrate thither were many approued Labourers and helpers in Christ whom he knew before besides such as the citie it selfe yeelded of whome hee had then no such experience and therefore passeth them ouer vnsaluted by name as men vnknowen After when hee came thither he sheweth who were his worke fellowes vnto the king dome of God to the Church of Corinth he saith Let the Prophets speake two or three and the restiudge Being â—t Miletum he sent for the Elders of Ephesus whome the holie Ghost had set to watch and feede the Church of God He writeth to the Saints at Philippi together with the Bishops and Deacons S. Iames saieth to the Iewes dispersed If any be sicke let him call for the Elders of the Church and let them pray ouer him nothing there were in euery Church not one but many Elders whose office it was to pray ouer the sicke relcase their sinnes and ease their infirmities This number of Teachers and Helpers in the Gospel was not superfluous but very requisite in those daies by reason they were forced to exhort and admonish as well priuatly throughout euery house as openly when the Church was assembled for feare of seducers that secretly crept into houses leading away women loden with sinnes and subuerted whole houses teaching things they ought not for filthy lucres sake and also for that they were daily to win those to Christ that yet beleeued not In which case they were to refrain no place nor slack no time to make Christ knowen to euery particular person and house that was ignorant of him And to this end they needed more aide then otherwise to guide and direct the Church at such times as the Saints mette together Neither ceased this necessitie with the Apostles it dured manie hundred yeers after them which was the cause that in euery great citie the Pastors and Bishops had many Ministers helpers ioyned with them to labour the conuersion of miscreants to strengthen and encourage the Martyrs and Confessours that suffered by thousands for the name of Christ to visite the sicke and comfort them in their extremities to cate chise the Nouices to attend the seruice and Sacraments of the Church to examine the faith and suruey the behauiour of all that repaired to the Lordes Table and to performe a number of such sacred duties which for one Pastor or Bishop alone to do in so populous cities and assemblies as they had was vtterly impossible A Presbyterie then of Prophets Pastors and Teachers the Apostles in their times had and vsed in euery Citie where they planted the Faith and setled the Church but that lay Gouernours or Elders were part of that Presbyterie concurred ioyntly with the Pastors Prophets in imposing hands exercising the power of y t keys censuring both doctrine maners I find no such thing commaÌ„ded or warranted by the Scriptures the patrons of y t Lay Presbyterie must vndertake the burden to proue their assertion The very foundation of the Lay Presbytery so strongly conceiued eagerly pursued by men in our dayes is the place of S. Paul 1. Tim. 5. The Elders that rule well are worthie of double honor chiefly they that labor in the word doctrine Hence it is resolutely inferred ergo there were some Elders that labored not in the word and docrine and those by comparison of other places are supposed to be Gouernours which office Paul nameth amongest the spirituall functions of the Church when he saieth Hee that ruleth let him do it with diligence It is a matter of nosmal weight to giue Lay men power in euery parish to impose handes and vse the keyes yea to haue the full and whole gouernement of the Church aboue and against the Pastours by number of voyces if they differ in iudgement and therefore the ground that shall beare the frame of the Lay Presbyterie had neede be sure especially when it is vrged as a
men from amongst themselues to looke into the trueth of euery crime before they would beleeue the accuser or reiect the accused from their company then must your laie Elders claime not from Christ as authorized by him to vse the keyes and dispose of the Sacraments but from the people as their committies to heare and report what they found detected and proued in euery such offence as deserued separation from all Christian societie and their delegation from the people must vtterly cease where he that beareth the sword embraceth the faith For though by the lawes of God and nature where there is no magistrate euery multitude may both order and gouerne themselues as they see cause with their generall consent so they crosse not superiour lawes and powers yet we must beware when God hath placed Christian Princes to defend and preserue Iustice and Iudgement amongst men that we not erect vnder a shew of discipline certaine petit magistrates in euery parish by commission from Christ himselfe in crimes and causes ecclesiastical iudicially to proceed without depending on the princes power I seeke not to charge the fauourers of this new discipline with any dangerous deuise I had rather acknowledge mine owne weakenesse that cannot conceiue how laie Elders should bee Gouernours of Christes Church and yet be neither ministers nor magistrates Christ being the head and fulnesse of the Church which is his body gouerneth the same as a Prophet a Priest and a King and after his example all publike gouernement in the church is either Prophetical Sacerdotal or Regall The Doctors haue a Prophetical the Pastours a Sacerdotal the Magistrates a Regal power and function what fourth regiment can we find for laie Elders Prophets they are not they haue no charge of the word much lesse haue they priestly power which concerneth sinnes and Sacraments If they haue any they must haue Regall and consequently when the magistrate beleeueth laie Elders must â—eliâ—quish all their authoritie to him or deriue it from him except they will establish an other regiment against him What you giâ—e onely to Pastors making them Monarches to rule the Church at their pleasures we impart to laie Elders as Associates with them in the same kinde of gouernement so that laie Elders with vs doe no more preiâ—dice the Princes power then Pastours do with you Inpreaching the word dispensing the Sacramentes remitting sinnes and imposing hands I trust your laie Elders are not associated vnto Pastours If in these things they be ioint-Agents with Pastours then are they no laie Elders but Pastours You must giue them one name if you giue them one office the same deedes require alwayes the same wordes If you ioyne not laie Elders in those Sacerdotall and sacred actions with Pastours but make them ouerseers and moderators of those things which Pastours doe this power belongeth exactly to Christian magistrates to see that Pastours doe their dueties according to Christes will and not abuse their power to annoy his Church or the members thereof Neither is the case like betwixt Pastours and laie Elders Pastors haue their power and function distinguished from Princes by God himselfe in so much that it were more then presumption for princes to execute those actions by themselues or their substitutes To preach baptize retaine sinnes and impose hands Princes haue no power the Prince of Princes euen the sonne of God hath seuered it from their callings and committed it to his Apostles and they by imposition of hands deriued it to their successors but to cause these actions to be orderly done according to Christes commaundement and to preuent and represse abuses in the doers this is all that is left for laie Elders and this is it that we reserue to the Christian magistrate The power of the sword in crimes and causes ecclesiasticall wee wholie yeeld to the Christian Magistrate and yet laie Elders may censure the Pastours actions by liking and allowing them if they bee good or by disliking and frustrating them if they bee otherwise God hath not giuen Princes the sword in any causes temporall or ecclesiasticall to goe before or without iudgement but to folow after and support iudgement The sword without iudgement is force and furie with iudgement it is iustice and equitie You cannot yeeld the sword to the magistrate and reserue iudgement in these cases to the laie Elders you then binde the Magistrate to maintaine what your laie Iudges shall determine and â—o the sworde is not soueraigne aboue them but subiect vnder them Wherefore in ouerseeing the Pastors doings and redressing their abuses you must leaue the examination determination and execution to the Christian magistrate and not deuide stakes betweene the Prince and the laie Presbyterie Princes haue no skill in such matters and in that respect it is not amisse for them to take their direction from the Presbyterie A noble consideration and woorthie to be registred The Church wardens and Side-men of euery parish are the meetest men that you can finde to direct Princes in iudging of ecclesiasticall crimes and causes A most wretched State of the Church it must needes bee that shall depend on such sillie Gouernours I omit how farre gentlemen and landlords can preuaile in euery parish with their neighbours and tenants both to rule them and ouer-rule them at their pleasures Uiew the villages in England and tell me how farre you shall seeke before you shall finde laie Elders that in any reason ought to be trusted with the gouernement of the Church I will not aduauntage my selfe by the rudenesse and ignorance of most part I hope for very shame you will admit that Princes are farre fitter in their owne persons if they would take the paynes to determine ecclesiasticall matters then husbandmen and Artisants And if they want direction or will giue Commission to that purpose they neede not descend to the plough and carte for helpe or aduise The world will greatly doubt of your discretion and suspect you sauour of popular faction and ambition if by Gods lawe you presse Princes against their wils to accept such counsellers and substitutes in ecclesiasticall gouernement If they bee at libertie to make their choice they haue store of learned and able men of all sortes within their Realmes whom they may trust with the censuring and ouerseeing of Clergie mens actions so as to preferre Ploughmen and Craftesmen to vndertake that weightie charge for Christian Princes were ridiculous if not infamous follie Wherefore the laie Presbyterie must either claime to haue their power and authoritie from Christ without the Prince and before the Prince which is somewhat dangerous if not derogatorie to the Princes right or els they must staie till the Magistrate giue them power in euery place to gouerne the causes of the Church and moderate the actions of the Pastours For since they will needes concurre with the Prince in the same charge and ouersight of Ecclesiasticall crimes and causes they must deriue their warrant either from the
vpon vrgent necessitie I haue finished In the like case writing to the Presbyters Deacons and whole people of Carthage he saieth of Caelerinus that openlie professed Christ and valiantlie endured the rage and furie of the heathen persecuters Exult and reioyce with vs at the reading of our letters by which I and my Colleagues which were present signifie vnto you that Caelerinus our brother is receiued into our Clergie not by the voyces of men but by Gods acceptance because it was neither lawful nor seemely that he should be without ecclesiastical honor whom the Lord so honoured with the excellencie of his heauenly glory He and Aurelius were appointed for a time to be Readers but now know you that we haue assigned vnto them the honour of the Presbyterie to haue the same allowance with the Presbyters to sit with vs wheÌ„ they come to ripe perfect yeeres Of Numidicus we spake before why he was taken by Cyprian into the number of the Presbyters of Carthage and that without the consent or knowledge of the people or Clergie I suppose it to be cleare by these examples which are your owne that as Cyprian for his discharge did take the liking and aduise of the Clergie and people for the better examining of their liues and behauiours that were to serue in the Church of Christ so when he found such as in his conscience he knew to bee fit and woorthie hee and other Bishops his Colleagues imposed hands on them without expecting the assent or agreement of the people or Presbyters of Carthage where he was bishop These be the Fathers which your selues picked out to muster before her Maiesties presence as pregnant witnesses for the Laie Presbyterie and these if you suffer them to tell on their tales most clearelie refute your Laie Elders Other places I know are alleaged or rather abused to the same purpose but the mistaking of them is so palpable that children will not be deceiued with them for what if the word Presbyter in Greeke signifie an aged man as well as a Priest hath it any sound or shew of reason where the Councils and Fathers vse the word Presbyteri you should straight enforce they were laie Elders To innouate the discipline receiued and established euer since the Apostles times you should haue better grounds then these you will otherwise hardly discharge your credites before men howsoeuer you will your consciences before God For my part though I compare not with their giftes which first began and now maintaine this deuise yet by perusing their proofes I finde that the preiudice of their owne opinion rather enclineth them to this conceite then the weight either of Scriptures or Fathers For were they not ouer willing to embrace this fansie where there is one place for them to stumble at the ambiguitie of the worde there are an hundred faire and plaine testimonies to recall them and direct them to the ancient and true discipline of Christes Church So that in this question whether there were any Laie Elders to gouerne the Primitiue Church no diligent or indifferent examiner of the Fathers can long erre the case is so cleare that vnlesse we affect rather our wils then the trueth we cannot be led away The summe of all that is sayd touching Laie Elders resteth in three pointes which I wish the learned aduisedlie to consisider and the rest carefully to remember First it cannot bee prooued either by Scriptures or Fathers that in the Apostles times or after any laie Elders were part of the Presbyterie or that any such were authorized or acknowledged to bee Gouernours in the Church of Christ. Secondlie if there were such Censors of maners appointed by the whole Church to remooue the vnrulie and banish them from the fellowship and companie of the faythfull least their offensiue behauiour should be a shame and slaunder to the Gospell yet no Text nor title can be shewed in Scripture Councill or Father that they gouerned the power of the keyes imposition of handes or any other ecclesiasticall duetie which concerned the dispensation of the worde and Sacramentes In those things they were to obey and not to rule their Pastours Thirdlie though the ouersight and restraint of euill disposed and disordered Pastours were then committed to such Elders for want of beleeuing Magistrates to take care thereof yet since by the lawe of God the gouernement of such causes as well as of ciuill affaires belongeth to Christian Princes and they haue straighter charge higher power and better meanes to represse such disorders and refourme such abuses in Pastours and others whatsoeuer pretence may bee made for Laie Elders and Gouernours in time of persecution they must vtterlie cease and giue place where the Magistrate receiueth the fayth and vpholdeth the Church His power not onely includeth but excludeth theirs since they bee Gouernours by consent of priuate men and the Magistrate hath his power and sword deliuered him immediatelie from God to which all men Pastours Laie Elders and whosoeuer must be subiect not onely for feare of vengeance but for regard of Gods ordinance As for the Iewish Synedrion to which some men flie for helpe it cannot bee as I haue touched before eyther Rule or Refuge for the Laie Presbyterie God erected that as the plot-forme of the Iewes common wealth and made their Elders ciuill Magistrates to execute the Iudiciall part of Moses lawe as well without as vnder the king And therefore as they might not alter it so wee must not vrge it in Christian kingdomes it contradicteth the trueth and freedome of the Gospell to tye all Christian common wealthes to the paterne of Moses pollicie yea that position if it bee stiffelie stood too maymeth all Monarchies and reduceth them to popular or at least to Synedricall Regimentes the consequents whereof are so desperate and dangerous to all Christendome that I trust of your selues you will forbeare and if need bee disclayme that assertion It is agreed on both sides there was a Presbyterie in euery Church but those you say were Clergie men Not in euery Church but in euery Citie there were Presbyters assisting and aiding the Bishop and those were Clergie men The Churches in villages and countrey townes had neither Bishop nor Presbyterie but were subiect to the Bishop of that Citie within whose precincts the villages were and had a Presbyter or Priest ordained by the Bishop or sent from the Bishop to teach them and yeeld them diuine Seruice and Sacraments And where the Bishops of the Cities were content to ease their owne trauell and supplie their absence or sickenesse that in certaine countrey Townes bishops should bee appointed whom they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these countrey Bishops were so restrained by the Canons that without speciall leaue of the Bishop of the Citie to which they were subiect they might execute no part of Episcopal power and prehemâ—nence and in short space after were abolished for presumption and intrusion vpon
see you doe You haue not a word nor a tittle in the Scriptures for the power of your Presbytefies and yet you pronounce so peremptorilie and resolutelie of theÌ„ as if there were nothing els written in the newe Testament but the power of your Presbyters Did not the Presbyterie impose hands on Timothie to make him an Euangelist did not they watch and feede the flocke in the Apostles times did not the holy Ghost make them ouer seers of the Church what would you haue more Of laie men your Presbyteries either wholie or chieflie consist then they also be Pastours and Bishops and watch feed the flocke the holy Ghost hath set them ouer the Church they also impose hands as wel as the best And to say the trueth what thing is there so peculiar to Pastors which you do not communicate to your Presbyters for wheÌ„ you be vrged y â— Presbyters in the Apostles times were by dutie to doe those things which belonged properly to Pastorall care and ouersight and therefore laie men were no part of thâ—se Presbyteries you answere roundlie that laie Elders in the Consistorie do watch and feed and ouerlooke the flocke as well as Pastours and so not onely their power but also their charge is the very same as you say that the holy Ghost gaue vnto Pastors and yet they no Pastours And touching hands laied on Timothie by the Presbyterie you answere your selves for when you alleage that the Presbyterie did impose handes on Timothie wee aske you whether all the Presbyterie had right and power to impose handes or onely some of them If all then Laie Elders must either impose handes which Caluine conclusiuely denieth hoc postremo habendum est solos Pastores manus imposuisse Ministris this wee must vnderstand that onely Pastours imposed handes on Ministers or be no part of the Presbyterie If some onely imposed handes and yet the Presbyterie is said to doe that which not all but some fewe or one of them did In like maner Paul saieth the Presbyterie laied handes on Timothie when himselfe did the deede who was one of the Presbyterie And thus much Caluine likewise auoucheth Paâ—lus ipse se non alios complures Timotheo manus imposuisse commâ—morat Paul witnesseth that himselfe and none others laied handes on Timothie And strange it is to see you build the maine foundation of your Presbytericall power on a place that hath so many sound and sufficient answeres as this hath First Ierome Ambrose Primasius and Caluine tell you the worde Presbyterie signifieth in that place the degree and function which Timothie receiued not the Colledge and number of Presbyters Next Chrysostome Theodorete Oecumenius and Theophilact tell you that Paul by the Presbyterie meant the Bishops their names at first being common for that Presbyters might not laie handes on a Bishop such as Timothie was Thirdlie the Scriptures tell you that the Apostles Euangelists Prophetes and the seuentie disciples were of the Presbyteries in the first Church and they might well impose hands on Timothie without any Presbyters Fourthlie Saint Paul telleth you as Caluine well obserueth and vrgeth that himselfe and none others laied handes on Timothie Lastlie your selues say Timothie was an Euangelist which function and vocation the Presbyterie of no particular Church could giue him but onely the Apostles What power had the Church of Iconium or Ephesus to make Euangelists I meane such as should accompanie the Apostles and assist them in their trauailes If you trust neither Scriptures nor Fathers for shame trust your selues and your owne positions Howe shall other men beleeue your assertions when your selues doe not beleeue them If Timothie were an Euangelist they must be Apostles and no Presbyters that imposed handes on him If the Presbyterie of any particular Church imposed hands on him Timothie must be a Bishop and haue a locall charge in some Church which you impugne vnder pretence of his Euangelship Choose which yyu will so you choose some what and stand to it whrn you haue chosen it Were they Presbyters or no that imposed hands on Timothie If they were yet they did it iointlie with Paul and so without the Apostle or his successor Presbyters may not impose hands and then must Timothie be a Bishop when Paul wrate vnto him for Presbyters could not make him an Euangelist Were they no Presbyters but Apostles or others of higher calling Then maketh this place nothing for the power of Presbyters either to ordaine or depriue ministers of the word and Sacramentes and setting this aside what one iote finde you in the Scriptures concerning your Presbyteries The conclusion is We shew you substantiall and full proofe that TIMOTHIE AND HIS SVCCESSOVRS are charged by Paul to obserue these precepts of the holy Ghost in the Church of Christ for euer touching the admitting of fit ministers and remouing of vnfit Thence we inferre this power must be perpetuall in Bishops for they succeed Timothie in the Church the Presbyteries doe not On the other side you claime this authoritie from Bishops to your Presbyteries but you cannot prooue either their succession from Timothie or ioint commission with Timothie by any sentence or syllable in the Scriptures That they should feede and watch the flocke you vrge and we graunt in teaching and exhorting they were ioyned with Timothie by reason the labourers must of force be many where the haruest was so great as in the Apostles times but in ordaining and gouerning the Teachers as there was no need of many so is there no precept for many least by the multitude of Rulers order should be rather confused then preserued Wherefore as Timothie was placed at Ephesus and Tite in Creete to ordaine moderate and rebuke as well Presbyters as people so was Archippus at Colossus so were the seuen Pastours in the seuen Churches of Asia to whom the sonne of God wrate by S. Iohns penne so in all the Apostolike Churches were Apostolike men throughout the Christian world left to guide and gouerne the Churches of Christ with like power and to leaue the same to their successours for euer And this our construction and exposition of of S. Pauls words to Timothie the learned and ancient fathers confirme with one consent and the Catholike Church of Christ hath continued and performed in all ages and places since the Apostles deaths Meane you that Bishops alone might doe what they would without the knowledge or consent of their Presbyters My meaning is soone understood You establish one chiefe in your Presbyteries by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinaunce to execute that which you decree whom you call your President How farre I ioyne with you you shall quickly perceiue To auoyd tumults and dissentions God hath authorized one in each place and Church able to haue maintaine a Presbyterie who with Pastorall and fatherly moderation should guide as well the Presbyters that assist him as the people that are subiect to him according to the lawes of God and
many of the chiefe Rulers beleeued in him but because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him lest they should be cast out of the Synagogue Nowe no man beleeuing in Christ in whoÌ„ al Nations should be blessed coulde feare the spirituall curse and excommunication of the Pharisees They knew the promise of God to Abraham I will blesse them that blesse thee and curse them that curse thee and were acquainted with Balaams confession How shall I curse where the Lorde hath not cursed yea cursed is he that curseth thee what then did they feare but the losse of their earthly honours and dignities from which they were dismissed and depriued when they were thrust out of the Synagogue and subiected to the lusts and spites of eger and cruel enemies They loued saieth Saint Iohn the glorie of men more then the glorie of God Wherefore this casting them out of the Synagogue was intermixed with the ciuill regiment and the terror thereof wholy proceeded from the power of the sword confirmed by God to the Councels and Elders of that common wealth which the Pastours and Leaders of Christes Church may not vsurpe nor chalenge in whole or in parte vnlesse the policie concurre with them and authorize their doings Since then the imagined Presbyteries in euery parish haue no better concordance nor agreeance with the Councels and Synedrions of the Iewes let vs weigh the words of Christ which they thinke conclude their purpose If thy brother trespasse against thee go and tel him his fault betweene thee and him alone if he heare thee thou hast wonne thy brother if hee heare thee not take yet with thee one or two If hee heare not them tell it to the Church The partie grieued must be man not God our selues not others If thy brother trespasse against thee not against God reproue him The first admonition must be secret betwixt thee and him alone now in greeuous or notorious sinnes against God or his Church the reproofe must be open Those that sinne rebuke openly that the rest may feare Againe if the wrong doer repent himselfe the sufferer must forgiue him If thy brother trespasse against thee rebuke him if he repent forgiue him yea though he sinne against thee seuen times in a day and seuen times in a day turne againe to thee and say It repenteth me thou shalt forgiue him and not seuen times onely but seuentie times seuen Wee may and must forgiue the sinnes that are committed against our selues So the Lordes prayer teacheth vs forgiue vs our trespasses as we forgiue them that trespasse against vs but to remit other mens wrongs and harmes we haue neither power nor leaue much lesse to acquite and pardon the sinnes and iniuries offered vnto God Thirdly if he repent not we must yet giue him a second admonition with one or two witnesses afore wee publish him to the Church and if he then relent we must forgiue and goe no further These be no rules for open and knowen sinnes dishonouring God scandalizing his Church but for priuat trespasses and offences betwixt man and man this is no Iudiciall proceeding in the Consistory but a charitable warning in secrecie by him alone that is oppressed and grieued with wrong or reproch So Peter conceiued the speach of our Sauior wheÌ„ he straightwaye asked How oft shal my brother sinne against mee and I forgiue him seuen times So the Lord opened his owne meaning when for answer hee proposed the parable of the two detters one that owed his master tenne thousand talents and the other that owed his fellow an hundred pence where hee maketh two sortes of sinnes the greater against God the lesser against our brethren and addeth so will mine heauenly father doe vnto you except you forgiue from your hearts eche one to his brother their trespasses This is agenerall duetie binding euery Christian and not a speciall authoritie reserued to Pastours and Elders which Ierome wel obserued upon this place If our brother hurt vs in any thing we may forgiue him yea we must being commanded to forgiue our debters their trespasses But if a man sin against God it is not in our power for the diuine Scripture saith if a man sin against man the Priest shall pray for him but if hee sinne against God who shall intreate for him And Chrysostome Why doeth Christ charge him that hath suffred the wrong and none other to reprooue A man will not take it in so good part to be reprooued at any mans hands as at his that hath suffered wrong and beene vexed with reproch specially if hee doe it alone Likewise Ambrose Christ said well if thy brother trespasse against thee for the rule is not like when we trespasse against God as when we trespasse against men And Austen Go and be reconciled to thy brother that is aske pardon of him whom thou hast offended whom thou hast harmed This ought he to do which offereth wrong But he that suffereth wrong what must hee doe that which we heare this day read If thy brother trespasse against thee reprooue him betwene thee and him alone If thou neglect thou art woorse then he he doth wrong and by doing it grieuously woundeth himselfe thou regardest not the wound of thy brother thou feest him perish and carest not for it Our Sauiour then in this place speaketh of priuate offences and greeuances which hee only that is oppressed and no man else may reproue and forgiue of publike sinnes he speaketh not the doers whereof must not be reprooued in secrete nor twise admonished before they be censured by the Church The incestuous Corinthian had neither priuate nor double warning giuen him before hee was deliuered to Satan by Paul and wee must not thinke the Apostle would so soone forget or so flatly crosse his masters meaning if Christ had spoken this of open wickednes hatefull to God and heinous in the eâ—es of men Some hold opinion that these words against thee doe not concerne priuate iniuries but distinguish betweene secrete and manifest sinnes Be the sin then neuer so heinous that is coÌ„mitted no maÌ„ must tel it to the Church so long as the doer seemeth willing to repent How this constructioÌ„ should stand with the circumstances and consequence of the Text I yet perceiue not For put the case in idolatrie blasphemie heresie periurie murder adulterie such like grieuous crimes must the parties keepe counsell that know any such offendors so as they will say they repent y â— fact Is that the tenor of Gods law or duty of a Christian man I trow not If thy brother the son of thy mother or thine own son daughter or wife that is in thy bosome or friend which is as thine owne soule intice thee secretly saying Let vs go serue other gods thou shalt not consent vnto him nor heare him thine eie shal not pitie him nor shew mercy nor keepe
part of Christs spiritual kingdom without the which no Church can be Christes no more then it may without the trueth of his doctrine But whether the wordes of Saint Paul 1. Timoth. 5. inferre any such thing or no this is the matter wee haue now in hand Some learned and late writers do so conceiue of that place for my parte I see so many iust and good reasons against their supposall that I can not yeelde to their iudgement The first reason I haue of the weakenes of this place to vpholde the Lay Presbyterie is that many learned and ancient Fathers haue debated and sifted the force of these wordes and not one of them euer so much as surmised any such thing to be contained in this Text. Chrysostome Ierome Ambrose Theodoret Primasius Oecumenius Theophilact and diuers others haue considered and expounded these wordes and neuer dreamed of anie Lay Presbyterie to be mentioned in them If then the wordes of Saint Paul stand faire and cleere without this late deuise as in the iudgement of these learned and ancient Writers they doe What reason after fifteene hundred yeeres to entertaine a newe platforme of gouerning the Church by Lay men vpon a bare conceit that the words of Saint Paul may sound to that effect as some imagine The second reason of my dissenting is for that Saint Paul naming the Presbyterie but once in al his Epistles excludeth al Lay Elders from that Presbyterie Neglect not the grace which is in thee which was giuen thee by Prophesie with the imposition of hands of the Presbyterie This is the onely place in all the Scriptures where the Presbyterie is namely mentioned and Lay Elders are most plainely remooued hence as no parte of this Presbyterie For this Christian Presbyterie gaue imposition of haÌ„ds to ordaine Ministers but Lay-Elders had no right to impose hands to that purpose Ergo. Lay men were no part of this Presbyterie That imposition of hands to make Ministers is a kinde of Sacrament and reserued solely to Pastours if Saint Austens authoritie were not sufficient Caluins confession is very euidâ—nt which I noted before They must be Ministers of the worde and Sacraments and succeede the Apostles in their Pastorall charge and function that must ordaine others by imposing handes and giue them power and grace to dispence both the word and Sacraments This Lay Elders in the Apostles times neither did nor might do they were therefore no part of that Presbyterie which Saint Paul speaketh of in his writings Must we take the worde not for the Colledge of Elders but for the degree and office which Timothie receiued Neither so is the force of my reason auoided For choose which you wil to be the signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 either collectiue for the whole coÌ„panie of Elders or distributiue for the degree office of euery Elder if collectiue none could be of that Colledge that might not giue imposition of hands if distributiue none might take that function and calling on him but must receiue imposition of handes as Timothie did Then Lay men which neither did giue nor receiue impositioÌ„ of hands are barred both from the degree and from the societie of Presbyterie which was in Saint Pauls time Beza thinketh best to take it for a nowne collectiue and addeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est ordinis Presbyterorum quo nomine coetus ille omnis significatur qui in verbo laborabant in ea ecclesia vbi hoc factum est The Presbyterie that is the order or company of Elders by which name the whole company is signified that laboured in the word in that Church where this was done Then the whole Eldership or company of Elders in S. Pauls time labored in the word Where now were the Lay Elders that laboured not in the worde What Presbyterie were they of Had euerie Church two Presbyteries I trust not This whole Presbyterie consisted of Pastours and Teachers An other Colledge of Lay Elders and no Pastours will neuer be found My third reason is for that the Text it selfe doth clearely refuse the sense which they inforce For as they conclude there were ergo some Elders that did not labour in the word and doctrine and yet gouerned well so the wordes are more euident that they all were worthie of double honour whether they laboured or gouerned Which by Saint Paules proofes presently following and by the consent of all old and new Writers is meant of their maintenance at the charges of the Church Honour in this place saith Chry sostome Paul calleth reuerence and allowance of thinges needefull Paul will haue the rest yeelde carnall thinges to them of whome they receiue spirituall because being occupied in teaching they can not prouide thinges needefull for themselues Good faithfull Stewards saith Ambrose ought to be thought worthie not onely of high but of earthly honour that they bee not grieued for lacke of maintenance Paul willeth maintenance to be chiefly yeelded to the Pastours that are occupied in teaching For such is the ingratitude of the world that take small care for nourishing the Ministers of the worde As the poore so the Elders seruing the whole Church are to be mainteined by the goods of the Church Paul mentioning the Church treasure presently exhorteth the Ministers of the Church to be thence maintained By the name of honour is signified al godly duty and reliefe after the vse of the Hebrewe speach Now that Lay Iudges and Censors of maners were in the Apostles time found at the expenses of the Church or by Gods Law ought to haue their maintenance at the peoples hands is a thing to me so strange and vnheard of that vntil I see it iustly proued I can not possibly beleeue it S. Paul hath laied downe this rule They that serue at the Altar should be partakers of the Altar and by Gods ordinance they that preach the Gospell must liue of the Gospell Where shall we finde the like for the Lay Iudges that laboured not in the worde They were if any such were as the sagest so euery way the sufficientest men that were amongest the people for feare of faction contempt and corruption which easily grow when the weaker and baser rule ouer the richer and better sort If the Apostle will not haue the poore widowes so long as they might otherwise be succoured or employed grieue the Church would he then put the burden of the Lay Iudges and Elders in number many in state able to relieue others on the necks of the meaner and poorer brethren there is neither cause nor commandement in the word so to charge the Churches of Christ with maintaining the Lay Senate which yet must be done before this construction can be admitted The fourth reason that holdeth me from receiuing this construction is that I find diuers and sundrie interpretations more agreeable to the Text and more answerable to S. Pauls meaning then this which is
to rule the Church in common I am so farre from reiecting or declining Ieromes authoritie in this point though he seeme very fauourable to you that if you will stand to his censure I will doe the like but before wee wade deeper let vs laie foorth the state of the question that we may thereby perceiue what the sacred Scriptures and auncient Fathers doe confesse or confute CHAP. XII To whom the Apostles departing or dying left the gouernement of the Church whether equally to all Presbyters or chieflie to some and how farre the conceites of late writers herein varie from the auncient Fathers whose wordes they pretend to follow THat order and discipline are not onely profitefull but also needfull in the Church of God and as well amongst Pastours and Teachers as learners and hearers might many wayes be confirmed if it were not on all sides concorded They that most dissent in the kind of gouernement doe first agree on the vse of gouernment they would els not striue for that which might still be wanted and neuer missed in the Church of Christ. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Order saieth Nazianzene is the mother and preseruer of all things The vtilitie and necessitie whereof as in all states and creatures so specially in the Church of God and in the Pastours and Gouernors thereof hee that liketh at large to examine let him read Nazianzens oration plentifully and purposely written of that Argument Onely I aduise with him that vnder a shew of religion and zeale No man bee wiser then hee should no man vprighter then the lawe clearer then the light straighter then the rule nor forwarder then the commandement If order and discipline be necessarie for all persons and ages in the Church of Christ the gouermnent of the Church must not cease with the Apostles but dure as long as the Church continueth that is to the worlds ende and consequently so much of the Apostolike power as is requisite for the perpetuall regiment of the Church must remaine to those that from time to time supplie the Apostles charge and succeed in the Apostles roomes Afore we enter to intreat of the first institution of Bishops we must carefully distinguish these there points The things which must be deriued from the Apostles to their helpers and successours in all Ages and Churches the persons to whom they were committed and the times when If we wander in these wee shall neuer get any certaine resolution of the matter in question What the things are which must abide for euer in the Church I shewed before it shall suffise now to rehearse them namelie power to preach the word and administer the Sacraments the right vse of the keies and imposition of hands for the placing of fit men to vndertake the cure of soules and remoouing of vnfaithfull and vnfit men from infecting and offending the Church These must not faile in the Church so long as there is a Church for the want of any one of them is the confusion if not subuersion of the Church These foure partes in this chapter for breuities sake I often reduce to two branches which are Doctrine and Discipline Comprising in doctrine the deuiding of the word and dispensing of the Sacraments and referring the rest I meane the publike vse of the keies and imposition of hands to the discipline or regiment of the Church The parties to whom these ecclesiasticall duties might possiblie be committed wee then also numbred and found foure sortes of them the people the laie Elders the Presbyters the Bishops The people must needs be excluded from intermedling with Pastorall duties for if all should be Teachers who should be hearers if there were none but shepeheards what should become of the flocke Hee that hath put a difference betwixt the Stewards and the household the labourers and the haruest the watchmen and the Citizens the builders and the stones the Sower and the ground the husbandmen and the tillage the leaders and the folowers euen the same Lord hath prohibited these degrees to bee confounded which he hath distinguished Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all teachers I thinke not If the whole bodie were the eie where were the hearing if the whole were hearing where were the smelling Intrusâ—â—n vpon men is iniurious vpon God is sacrilegious The examples of Korah whome the earth swalowed of Vzzah â—â—riâ—en to death and Vzziah plagued with the leprosie for affecting and inuading the Priests office are well knowen Chrysostome saieth of the last Hee entered the Temple to vsurpe the Priesthood and hee lost his kingdome He entred to become more â—ener able and hee became more execrable So euill a thing it is not to abide within the boundes that God hath appointed vs either of honour or knowledge What I say of the people I say likewise of laie Elders for so much as they are but a part of the people and looke what the whole is prohibited euery part is interdicted If Laie men may intermeddle with ecclesiasticall functions why not the people If the people may not why should the Elders since both are Laie If they renounce the execution and chalenge the superuision of ecclesiasticall dueties they flie from one Rocke and fall on another they cleare themselues from the worde and entangle themselues with the sword Gouernours of the Church that bee neither ministers nor Magistrates I yet conceiue none if any mans skill bee so good that hee can describe vs a gouernement betwixt both that shall wrong neither I would gladly giue him audience Howbeit wee need not trouble our heads with the maner of gouernement that laie Elders must haue distinct from the Priestes and Princes calling before we haue better proofe for the persons that shall enioy this priuiledge When you make it appeare there were such officers in the Church of Christ wee will then intreat you to bound out their office by the word of God or writings of the auncient fathers till then wee stand resolued there were neuer such Gouernours nor gouernement established by the Apostles nor acknowledged by their after-commers in Christes Church The places pretended both in Scriptures and Fathers for such Elders wee haue leasurablie perused and examined and wee finde not so much as the footesteps of any Laie Elders Presbyters we find and Rulers but no reason to leade they were laie Presbyters or Rulers Against theÌ„ we find all the Christian ancient Councils lawes and fathers y t euer mentioned any Presbyters If I shuffle any writers wordes or dazel the Readers eies shew me the place I will yeeld to mine errour In the meane time I take him to witnesse that is Iudge of all secrets I endeuoured to walke soundly and simplie without swaying or leaning to either side more then the euidence of the trueth enforced me Two sortes are left for I still professe that laie Elders were neuer admitted to meddle with any such
what corruptions are in men as wel as other Consistories Mans lawes wee leaue to such as are skilled in them we would haue our Presbyteries meddle no further then with rebuking and censuring of vice as Gods Law requireth To admonish those that erre reiect thâ—se that persist and rebuke those that sinne are Pastorall and not Presbyteriall dueties by the wordes of S. Paul And he that is Pastour hath both worde and sacraments committed vnto his care within his owne Church Wherefore without their pastour the Presbyters may not iudicially rebuke nor publikely excommunicate any man within his charge They may preach the word and so generally applie it in the pulpit they may dispence the Sacraments and so not deliuer them where they find men impeniâ—ent but personally to conuent them or openlie to seuer them from the fellowship of the church that belongeth to the Pastour and not to the Presbyters Saint Paul committed that power and care to Timothie and his successours not to the Presbyterie of Ephesus The words are plaine Against an Elder receiue thou no accusation but vnder two or three witnesses those that sinne rebuke thou openly that the rest may feare I charge thee before God and the Lorde Iesus and his elect Angels that thou obserue these thinges without proiudice or partialitie that is without oppressing or fauouring any side She withus much for your Presbyteries and bring them in with full faile Paul made Timothie no Monarch at Ephesus to doe all this without the Presbyterie but appointed him to be chiefe in these actions and the Presbyters to ioyne with him Much lesse did Paul make him a voice-asker to knowe whether it should please the Presbyters to haue these things done or no. The charge is precisely and exactlie Timothies and not the Presbyteries the power therefore must be his and not theirs All this notwithstanding you affirme against the wordes of the Apostle and against the vse of the Primitiue Church that the Presbyters might ouer-rule and censure Timothie if he would not be quiet and in spite of Timothy doe in all these things as they saw cause and this you barely suppose without anie kinde of proofe But either shew what warrant you haue to claime this prerogatiue of Presbyters aboue and ouer their bishops and pastours or giue vs leaue to beleeue the whole Church of Christ expounding and practising those wordes of S. Paul as we doe before your slender and naked supposals The priuate vse of the keyes in appointing offendors vpon the acknowledging of their sinnes for a time to for beare the Lordes Table we denie not to Presbyters but the publike vse of the keies to exclude an impenitent and obstinate person from al fellowship of the faithfull as well sacred as ciuill that the Church of Christ allowed alwaies and only to bishops Origen saith By falling from trueth faith and loue a man geth out of the tents of the church though he be not cast our by the BISHOPS VOICE Cypr. writing to a bishop that was reproched by his Deacon saith Vse against him the power of your honour either TO DEPRIVE HIM or REMOOVE HIM from the communion The affection of a good Bishop saith Ambrose wisheth to heale the sicke to remooue cankred sores to cauterize not to cut off lastly that which can not be healed TO CVT IT OF with sorrow I maruel saith Ierom against Vigilantius the BISHOP in whose charge he is said to be a Presbyter DOTH NOT CRVSH this vnprofitable vessel with the Apostolike rod and deliuer him ouer to Satan for the destructioÌ„ of the flesh that the spirit may be saued There is no greater punishmeÌ„t in the Church saith Austen then that daÌ„nation which THE EPISCOPAL IVDGEMENT pronounceth yet the Pastor must needs seuer the sick sheepe from the whole lest deadly infection reach vnto others If saith Chrysost giuing y â— people admonition of a certaine abuse crept in amongst theÌ„ we be despised we shalbe coÌ„pelled to bring these threats to effect to chastise you by the laws of the church Be angry who list I wil keepe them from the church a long space as Idolaters Beare with mee neither let any man despise the bandes of the church It is not maÌ„ that bindeth but Christ which hath giueÌ„vs this power made men masters of so great honor wee desire not to be brought to that extremity if we be we wil do our duetie If any man breake those bands I haue done my part thou shalt answer to him that COMMANDED ME to bind thee The Council of Nice willed Synodes to be kept twise euery yeere to examine whether any Lay men or Clergy men were excommunicated by the IMBECILITY PERTINACY OR INSOLENCIE OF THE BISHOP and such as were founde to haue OFFENDED THEIR BISHOP to stand excommunicate til the Synode released them The Council of Antioch likewise decreed that if any Lay man Presbyter or Deacon were excoÌ„municated BY HIS OWNE BISHOP no man should receiue him to the coÌ„munion afore he were restored by his own Bishop or by a Synode The Council of Sardica in the same maner If any Deacon Presbyter or Clergy man be excoÌ„municated flie to another Bishop of his acquaintance that knoweth he is depriued of the coÌ„munion BY HIS OVVNE BISHOP the other must not with reproch to a Bishop and his brother receiue that person to the coÌ„munion The Council of Taurine to which Ambrose wrace decreed touching Exuperantius a Presbyter that had reproched Triferius his bishop was therfore by him put from the coÌ„munion vt in eius arbitrio sit restitutio ipsius in cuius potestate eius abiectio hoc est vt quando velideÌ„ Exuper antius satisfecerit vel episcopo Triferio visum fuerit tuÌ„c gratiam communionis accipiat That his restitution should BE IN THE Bishops DISCRETION in whose power the reiecting of him was And therefore when Exuperantius the Presbyter should make satisfaction or Tâ—iferius the bishop be so content then he should be receiued to the communion The Council of Affrica taketh order for such as complaine against the iudgements of their owne bishops that they shalbe heard by the next bishops but if any man flie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 THE CANONICAL SENTENCE OF HIS OVVNE BISHOP no man should receiue him to the communion By which it appeareth that Gregories words are very true where he saith THE BISHOPS now in the Church holdethe places of the Apostles THEY which haue that degree of regiment HAVE AVTHORITIE to bind and loose And Theophilacts THEY HAVE POVVER to binde and loose which haue the grace of a BISHOPS OFFICE as Peterhad The publike vse therefore of the keies to excommunicate from al Christian company belonged to the bishop as pastor of the place the Presbyters sate with him at first as assessors and consenters before Synodes vndertooke such causes but after when once Councils beganne to haue the
any rashlie presumed to inuade that honor per ordinationē regiam as ordained by the king not by the Metropolitane his Comprouincials no man might accept him or acknowledge him for a Bishop Neither hath the ancient Canon any other sense which saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If any Bishop resting on worldly gouernors by their helpe get any Church let him be deposed excommunicated all that ioyne with him They do not exclude Princes frō naming electing of bishops no more then they do the people only they reiect violence forsomuch as a bishop by the rules of the holy Ghost must be throughly examined peaceablie ordained by such as shal impose hands on him and not perēptorilie intruded or imposed by any earthly force or power CHAP. XVI The meeting of Bishops in Synodes and who did call and moderate those assemblies in the Primitiue Church THe necessitie and authoritie of Synodes is not so much in question betwixt vs as the persons that should assemble and moderate those meetings The disciplinarians themselues if I be not deceiued are farre from making their Pastours or Presbyteries in euery parish supreme Iudges of doctrine and maners without all exception or reuocation and wee bee further for what if the Pastours or Presbyters of any place maintaine heresie or offer iniurie which are cases not rarelie incident but euery where occurrent euē in those that beare the names of Christians shall impietie and iniustice so raigne and preuaile in the Church that none may withstand it or redresse it That were to make the house of God worse then a den of theeues for theeues feare the detecting and flie the punishing of their offences which many Presbyters would not if there were no way to restraine and ouer rule their pestilent and wicked purposes Wherefore as in ciuill affaires there are Lawes and Powers to vphold iustice and prohibite violence without the which humane societies could not consist so in the Church of Christ when it is without the helpe and assistance of a Christian magistrate there must bee some externall and iudiciall meanes to discerne errour and redresse wrong in case any particular person or Church be infected or oppressed otherwise there is no possibilitie for trueth and equitie to harbour long amongst the sonnes of men The remedie which the Primitiue Church had and vsed against heresie and iniurie she deriued as well from the promise made by Christes owne wordes as from the example of the Apostles in the like case Christ willing such of his Disciples as were grieued by their brethren after the first and second admonition to toll it to the Church addeth for the direction and confirmation of all religious assemblies and conferences Where two or three are gathered together in my name there am I in the middest of them and whatsoeuer you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose in earth shall bee loosed in heauen Whether the name of the Church in this place hee taken for the assemblie of Elders and Rulers vnder Moses lawe or of Pastours and Teachers vnder the Gospell to me it is indifferent this is euidentlie the order which our Sauiour willeth to be obserued from priuate admonition to goe to witnesses and from witnesses to assemblies So the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doeth most plainelie signifie and so the promise annexed doeth clearelie import where two or three are assembled together in my name I am in the midst of them Neither could any other course bee established in the Church for since an ende of controuersies must bee had amongst men least perpetuall contention bring finall confusion and plucke vp the verie rootes of all charitie and equitie from amongst men when neither priuate perswasion nor friendlie mediation can appease the parties contending what other order could bee prescribed but a Iudiciall hearing and determining of things in question Nowe Iudges must needes bee either single or assembled and single Iudges of force must either be Soueraigne and supreme Iudges or els vnder superiours appointed by the same warrant The Bishop of Rome claimeth a single and sole commission to heare and conclude all causes concerning either faith or right and were his proofe as good as his chalenge is proude it were woorth the discussing but the more he claimeth the more he sinneth by reason he taketh vnto himselfe without commission an infallible and ineuitable iudgement ouer all men and matters vpon the face of the earth that any way touch the trueth or the Church Princes are single and soueraigne Iudges of earthlie things and when they beleeue the defence and maintenance of the Church and fayth is by God himselfe committed to their power and care but Christ did not settle the sword to bee the generall and perpetuall rule to gouerne his Church for then without a Prince there could be no Church and consequentlie neither in the Apostles times nor three hundred yeeres after had Christ anie Church heere on earth since none of the Romane Princes that were lordes of the world publikelie maintained the Christian faith before Constantine Since we find no single nor supreme Iudges on whome the Church of Christ must alwayes depend for the debating and ending of ecclesiasticall strifes and contentions of necessitie there must either be none which were the vtter subuersion of all peace and order amongst the faithfull where there wanteth a Christian Magistrate or els the Pastours and Stewards of Christes Church to whome the care and charge thereof is committed must assemble together and with mutuall conference and consent performe those dueties to the Church in generall which otherwise they doe to each particular place and person for though Pastours be affixed to their places and charges yet that doeth not hinder the common care they should haue of all the members of Christes bodie and therefore when need so requireth they must as well imploy their trauell abroad as bestowe paines at home to direct or pacifie the household of faith This brotherlie kind of succouring and assisting each other in troubles and dangers is sometimes performed by letters but neuer so throughly and effectually as by meeting and assembling together when with deliberate and full aduise they may heare and determine what they thinke meetest for the safetie and quietnesse of the Church of God Their warrant so to doe is builded on the maine grounds of all diuine and humane societies strengthned by the promise of our Sauiour and assured vnto them by the example of the Apostles and perpetuall practise of the Church of Christ. By Gods lawe what obedience and reuerence the father may expect from his children the same or greater must all beleeuers yeeld to the fathers of their faith They are comprised in the same name and in the same commaundement with the fathers of our flesh and consequently must haue the same honour And if the fulnesse of each mans reward must be according to the excellencie
seuenth yeere of their Empire and Irenaeus testifieth that he came to Rome vnder Anicetus the tenth Bishop there declared the trueth which he had receiued from the Apostles Did he through ambition retaine the place to which the Apostles called him longer then he shoulde and so altered the Apostolicall kinde of gouernement I had rather chalenge the Consistorians for mistaking Ambrose then Polycarpe for inuerting the Apostolike Discipline The Church of Smyrna called him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Apostolicall and Propheticall Teacher of their times Irenaeus saith of him Hic docuit semper quae ab Apostolis didicerat quae ecclesiae tradidit sola sunt vera hee alwayes taught those things which he learned of the Apostles which he deliuered vnto the Church and they onely are true And if he were not a man of farre more authoritie and certainer fidelitie then any that contradict him yet haue we al the Churches of Christendome their successions of Bishops from the Apostles and all histories and monuments of antiquitie to concurre with him that Bishops liuing in the Apostles daies made by the Apostles hands continued their places til they died neither is there any man liuing that is able to shewe one example to the contrary Let the Christian Reader then say whether it be not a vaine and false surmise which some in our age so mightily maintaine that the Bishops which the Apostles ordained to rule the Presbyteries dured for some short space changed by course that superioritie going round in order to euerie Presbyter the election of Bishops to gouerne the Churches and Presbyters committed to their charge so long as they did it carefully was mans inuention and no Apostolike institution The domination of bishops wil be their last refuge otherwise in elections of Bishops to continue whiles they do their duties the best learned of them confesse there is nothing that can or should be reprehended onely they repine that a Bishop shoulde haue iurisdiction ouer his Copresbyters And heere they are plentiful with places of Scripture as if we went about to make Bishops Lords and Masters ouer the Church and all the rest to be their seruants They alleage the words of Christ Great men exercise authoritie you shall not doe so and of Peter Feede the flocke not as Lords or commanders ouer Gods inheritance but to what purpose I see not Meane they by these places to prooue that the Apostles had no superioritie nor authoritie in the Church of God or that Pastours haue no power ouer their flockes It were more then childish to impugne one trueth by another They themselues do agnise that the Apostles had superioritie and authoritie by Christs owne commission aboue and ouer all other degrees to erect and order the Churches where they preached and they yeelde Pastours authoritie ouer their flockes to commaund in the name of the Lord. Then neither these places nor any other in the Scriptures doe barre Pastoral power ouer the flocke nor distinction of degrees betwixt the Teachers Superior and inferior degrees if Christs wordes did exclude no man might admit them or defend them as lawfull If the Apostles to whom and of whom Christ there spake did not withstanding his speech retaine diuersities of degrees in the Church it is euident our Sauiour did not forbid Superiority but Imperie not Pastorall but Regall authoritie not Fatherly but Masterly preeminence and that in respect aswell of the people as of the Presbyters Peter calling the people Gods heritage and before and after naming them the Lords flocke And how should it possibly be otherwise for since the holy Ghost requireth the faithfull to obey their Leaders and to bee subiect to them no Scriptures do crosse the authoritie and inspection which the guiders of Christes Church shoulde haue ouer their flockes and God by his eternall Lawe comprising Pastours vnder the name of Fathers and assigning them the honour due vnto Parents we may not by colour of any wordes bereaue them of obedience and reuerence no more then of maintenance which are the parts and effects of Fatherly power and honour So long then as wee giue Bishops no charge but Pastorall no power but paternall wee are not in danger of violating either our Sauiours or his Apostles precept and consequently this kinde of superioritie may not bee called or supposed to be Dominion nor Imperie without wrong to the spirite of trueth that hath confirmed it as needefull and healthfull for the house of God euen from the first foundation of the worlde They will easily grant fatherly moderation and Pastorall power vnto Bishops ouer the people but not ouer the Presbyters on this they set vp their rest that no Pastour shoulde haue power ouer others of the same calling and hope assuredly to haue the victorie But they must first reconcile their owne contrarieties they will triumph else before the conquest for ech Presbyterie as themselues confesse must haue a President by Gods essentiall and perpetuall ordinance I aske now whether God giue any man a bare title without any trueth and a Regiment without all authoritie or whether in Gods Lawe deedes and wordes concurre and he be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a President that is appointed and authorized by God to execute that office The mouth of God intendeth not for mockeries as mans doth and therefore the name neuer goeth without the thing he is iust in his speach and wil not vtter the worde that shall delude the hearer If then by Gods Law there must be Presidents ouer Presbyteries ineuitably there must be Gouernours and Superiours ouer them If some must moderate the meetings of Presbyters and execute their decrees of force they must haue power and authoritie ouer Presbyters and so it is mainly consequent out of their owne positions which they most refuse Againe when Paul left Timothie at Ephesus to impose hands to receiue accusations against Presbyters and openly to rebuke such as sinned did hee not giue him power ouer Presbyters and euen the selfe same that is challenged at this day to belong to Bishops if it were lawful and needful at Ephesus for Timothy to haue that right and authority ouer the Presbyters that were ioynt-Pastors with him how commeth it now to be a tyrannical and Antichristian power in his successours Timothie they will say was an Euangelist and coulde haue no successours If none could succeede him in that power how come their Presbyteries to haue it will they be Euangelists what Lay Elders and all and shall the Presbyteries of the whole world succeede Timothie in his charge at Ephesus That were newes in deede if this authority to impose hands to receiue accusations and rebuke sinnes must remaine in the Church for euer as it is euident it must then was it no Euangelisticall authoritie but a generall and perpetuall function in the Church of Christ that might and did admit others to succeede
consult the priests and take direction from them The priests the sonnes of Leui saieth God shall come foorth out of the Cities where they were placed in euery Tribe and by their word shall all strife and plague be tried Remembring alwayes that doubtfull and weightie matters were referred to the counsaile of priests and Iudges that sate in the place which the Lord did choose for the Arke to rest in If there come a matter too hard for thee either by reason of the waight or doubt thereof in iudgement betweene blood blood cause and cause plague and plague of matters in question within thy gates thou shalt arise and goe vp to the place which the Lord thy God shal choose and shalt repaire to the Priests of the Leuites and vnto the Iudge that shall be in those dayes and aske and they shall shew thee the sentence of iudgement And thou shalt doe according to that which they of the place which the Lord hath chosen shew thee and shalt obserue to do according to all they informe thee Thou shalt not decline from the thing which they shall shew thee neither to the right hand nor to the left And the man that will doe presumptuously in not hearkening vnto the Priest that standeth before the Lord thy God to minister there or vnto the Iudge that man shall die This Councillor Senate of Elders residing at Jerusalem in Iehosaphats time who no doubt did not infringe but rather obserue the tenor of the lawe consisted of Leuites and of Priests and of the heads of the families of Israel had Amariah the high priest chiefe ouer them in all matters of the Lord and Zebediah a ruler of the house of Iudah chiefe for all the kings affaires and was a continuance of the 70. Elders which God adioyned vnto Moses to beare the burden of the people with him From these superiour inferiour degrees amongst the priests and Leuites vnder Moses happily may no necessarie consequent be drawen to force the same to bee obserued in the Church of Christ. First for that the tribe of Leui might not be vnguided without manifest confusion and was not subiected to the regiment of any other Tribe but had the same maner of gouernment by her Prince Elders Iudges and Officers ouer 1000. 100. 50. and 10. which other Tribes had in that common wealth Next the ciuill policie of the Iewes being contained and expressed in the bookes of Moses the Iudges and rulers of other Tribes were to be directed and assisted by thâ—se that were most expert and skilfull in the writings of Moses such as the priests and Leuites by their profession and function were which in Christian kingdoms is not so requisite For the Gospell doeth not expresse the maner and fourine of ciuill regiment and positiue lawes as the bookes of Moses doe but leaueth such things to the care and conscience of the Magistrate so long as their policie doeth not crosse the rules of pietie and charitie prescribed in the Gospell and therefore the Pastours and preachers of the new Testament must not chalenge to sit Iudges in those cases which the Priests and Leuites vnder Moses did and might heare and determine Thirdly this preheminence grewe vnto them according to their families by inheritance and birthright The father was chiefe of his ofspring whiles he liued and after him his eldest sonne which is no way imitable in the Church of Christ. And though sometimes the father for good respect made the yonger the chiefer as it is written of Shuri one of the line of Merari that though hee were not the eldest yet his father made him the chiefe yet the contrary was vsually obserued and the priuiledge of the first-borne might not be changed for affection without iust cause Lastly the seruices about the Sanctuarie and Sacrifices which none might doe but Leuites were of diuers sortes and therefore not without great regard were there diuers degrees established amongst them though to serue God euen in the least of them was honourable Now in the Church of Christ the word and Sacraments committed to the Pastours and Ministers haue no different seruices and so require for the discharge thereof no discrepant offices Notwithstanding for the better ordering ouerseeing and containing such in their dueties as be called to be the guiders and leaders of Gods people that they may walke worthie their vocation without reproch of life and be sound in faith without all leauen of false doctrine the wisedome of God in appointing some amongst the priests and Leuites to guide and gouerne the rest of their Tribe as well in the ceremoniall as iudiciall part of Moses lawe is not hastilie to be refused nor lightly to bee neglected For if gouernement be needfull amongst them that will liue in any societie and auoyd disorder whereof God is no way author we cannot get nor need not seeke a fitter or better paterne to follow as farre as the difference of states and persons will permit then that which God himselfe allowed and confirmed in the Church and common welth of Israel And though the certaine forme of their ecclesiasticall gouernment be neither exactly knowen in euery point nor preciselie to be vrged in the Church of Christ by reason of many dissimilitudes betwixt vs and them yet this is euident that God appointed the Church of Israel to be guided not by a generall equalitie of the priests and Leuites but by certaine superiorities among them in euery calling and that as wel in their conuersation as administration and their 70. Elders supreme Council called their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consisted not of all that were and would be present but of certaine of the chiefest who for their nobilitie and authoritie were preferred aboue the rest and admitted to be of that number So that the Leuiticall discipline vnder Moses doeth cleerely confirme a diuersitie of degrees amongst Pastours and ministers in the Church to be more agreeable to the wisedome of God reuealed in his lawe then a generall equalitie or paritie CHAP. III. The personall and perpetuall kingdom of Christ after he tooke flesh THe externall regiment of the Church the Lord declined whiles he liued here and relinquished to others as a thing meeter for the sonnes of men then for the sonne of God No doubt he was euen then the chiefe corner stone elect and precious laied in Sion by God himselfe the Archpastour ouer the whole flocke and high Priest ouer the house of God the Prophets foretold the gouernment should be on his shoulders and he should order the throne of Dauid with iustice and iudgement the Apostle saieth he is and then was the head of his Church yea the head of all power and principalitie he said of himselfe to his disciples ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am the Angels of God were to worship him wheÌ„ he was brought into
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
saieth Peter and not euerie Pastour or Deacon hath receiued the gift of Gods grace and not an office by mans choice so minister the same one to another for the benefite of each other If any man speake let him speake to comfort and edifie as the wordes of God if any man minister that is doe good not in wordes but in deeds to an other let it be according to the abilitie that God hath giuen him not according to the contributiōs he hath receiued of other men that in all things euen in all our words deeds God may be glorified S. Paul with alonger circuit of words expresseth the same sense As all the parts of our bodies haue diuers actions tending all to the vse and profite not of themselues but of others so euery man saieth hee and not onely Teachers and Elders according to the grace giuen by Gods spirite and not by mans election should be soberly content with their measure and vse to the good of others whether it were prophesie teaching and exhorting which consist in woordes or gouerning and seruing with diligence relieuing and helping with cheerefulnesse which consist in deedes for all the members of Christes bodie though they can not teache exhorte and guide yet may they serue relieue and shewe mercie and these are the giftes of Gods Spirite not so miraculous but as precious in his sight as the former and proceed from the most excellent gift of Gods spirite passing all gifts which is vnfained loue and charitie The Text may more kindly and currantly be referred to the publike offices of the Church First then you must point vs foorth seuen such offices for here are seuen diuers parres Next you must prooue that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these gifts of the spirite belong to the officers of the Church onely and not to the rest of the faithfull Thirdly we must know whether these offices must be diuided or may be combined in one person if they bee distinct no Prophet may teach or exhort no Teacher may exhort or prophesie if they may meete and agree in one subiect then are they no offices but graces and he that hath one may haue all and so are you further from your purpose then you were be fore Lastly make them euen ecclesiasticall functions if you list how then can you chalenge them or any one of them to laie persons Clergie men may not gouerne the Church You must leaue that error for your credites sake as crossing the Scriptures which maketh Pastours to be Shepeheards Watchmen Ouerseers Rulers and Guiders of the flocke and infringeth your owne positions who say that Pastours doe rule and gouerne the Church If he that ruleth must do it with diligence the Pastours by these words are appointed to bee watchfull as those that shall answere for the soules of their flocke and not the laie Elders If it be a priuate gift to whom doeth it appertaine To euery man that hath charge or familie The father with diligence is to guide his children the master his seruants the husband his wife He that hath cast away the care of his household is worse then an Infidel To feed them and not to rule them and traine them in the feare of the Lord is grossely to neglect them He that ruleth not well his owne house by S. Pauls prescription must not bee trusted with the Church of God It is therefore a speciall vertue and grace of Gods spirite to rule well the persons committed to our charge Let it be gift or office priuate or publike it maketh nothing for laie Presbyters There remaineth yet one place where Gouernours are named amongst ecclesiasticall officers and that is 1. Cor. 12. The answere is soone made if we bee not contentious Teachers are there expressed but Pastours omitted and therefore well might Gouernours be mentioned in stead of Pastours If this content you not I then denie they be all ecclesiasticall functions that are there specified Powers gifts of healing kindes of tongues what functions shall we call them in the Church of Christ They were ornaments to the Pastorall and Propheticall calling And so was gouernement To gouerne is a duetie and no gift To gouerne wiselie is a great gift of the holy Ghost more needfull for the Church then tongues healing or miracles To the gouerning of the Church belonged more then censuring of maners or examining of witnesses wisedome to preuent dangers to direct doubtful cases to discerne spirites to calme strifes many other weightie graces were requisite for the gouerning of the Church This is therefore a principall gift of the holy Ghost but not a different office from those that goe before The Apostles Prophets Teachers in the Church had they not power to doe miracles to cure the sicke to speake with tongues if these three be no diuers offices but graces and all three found in euery Apostle in many Prophetes and Teachers why should not gouernement being reckoned in the midst of them be a gift likewise of the holy Ghost bestowed on such Prophets Pastours and Teachers as pleased the spirit of trueth and grace to vouchsafe that honour To make vs vnderstand that we must not confound the functions in the Church with the gifts of the spirite much lesse mistake the one for the other let vs number the gifts of the spirite that are noted in this one Chapter and see whether the publike functions of the Church can any way be proportioned to them To one saieth S. Paul is giuen by the spirite the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge to another faith to another the gifts of healing to another the operation of great workes to another prophesie to another discerning of spirits to another diuersities of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues Here are nine gifts of the holy Ghost numbred in the ende of this very chapter are named two more helping and gouerning that were not reckoned before To the Romanes are fiue different frō these rehearsed in all sixteene I trust there were not so many distinct offices in the Church The Apostle euen in this chapter setting downe eight degrees and dignities of spirituall gifts and placing them as it werein order cleane smitteth Pastors Deacons as being rather standing offices in the Church then miraculous gifts Many Pastours and Doctors were furnished with many of them the Apostles had them all and that in greater measure then any other which in offices could not be in gift might bee These were therefore neither vsuall nor perpetuall functions in the Church as Pastours and Deacons must bee but miraculous and extraordinarie gifts and graces during onely for a time and giuen in what measure and to what persons it best liked the holy Ghost for the ouerthrowing of Satans kingdome and gathering of the Saints together at the first planting of the Church What were Gouernours then in the Primitiue Church for my part I am not
people from Priests is neither prophane nor strange in the Scriptures There shall be saieth Esay like people like Priest And so saieth Osee as also Ieremie diuideth the Church into the Prophet Priest and People As for the name of Clergie men Ierome saieth Proptereà vocantur Clerici vel quia de sorte sunt Domint vel quia ipse Dominus sors idest pars Clericorum est Therfore are they called Clergie men or Clerkes either because they are the Lordes portion to serue the Church of Christ or for that the Lord is their portion part to liue on such things as are dedicated to the Lord. The Laie hee calleth Seculares Secular men which word is not so good as Laici the Laitie or people The name of Presbyter I vse not thereby meaning aged and ancient men of what calling soeuer they be as the word sometimes signifieth and wherewith I see many that fauour the Presbyterie deceiued and deceiuing others but I vse it for those whom the Apostles call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Presbyters whence our tongue following the French long since deriued Priests who for their age should be Elders and by their office are ministers of the word and Sacraments and ouerseers of the flocke of Christ. And though there can be no doubt but very often in the Scriptures 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Latine Seniores in English Elders are taken for Pastours Teachers and such as laboured in the word and dispensed the Sacraments yet some more zealous then discreet no sooner he are of the word Presbyter or Senior an Elder in Scriptures or Fathers but they straightway dreame of their laie Presbyterie which is the greatest ground of all their errour and lightest proofe that may possiblie be brought For which cause I am forced often to distinguish the ministers of the word from such as some men would haue to bee Gouernours of the Church by the name of Presbyter and not of Elder which in our tongue is more common to aged men then to Clergie men But howsoeuer they may play with wordes to make some the we that Elders were Gouernours of Christes Church in the Apostles times assuredly no man is able to 〈◊〉 that laie men were publike Gouernours to ordaine ministers or remooue sinners from the Lordes table while the Apostles liued and after their deaths the longer we search the further we are from finding any such Elders The whole Church by the very wordes of our Sauiour might exclude disobedient and froward persons from their felowship as Etâ—nikes and Publicanes and bind them both in heauen and earth I haue answered alreadie that those wordes of Christ by the verâ—â— confession of such as are the greatest defenders of this newe discipline were spoken of the Iudges and Magistrates of the Iewes And if by the credite and authoritie of the fathers wee will needes haue them spoken of Christes Church wee must then take the Church for the Pastours and leaders of the Church that haue receiued power from Christ to binde and loose in heauen and earth Lastly if we intend nothing els by those wordes Let him be to thee as an Ethnike and Publicane but refraine all company with him and eate no more with him then thou wouldest with an Ethnike and Publicane this charge pertaineth rather to the whole Church then to any laie Elders or Gouernours in the Church The Apostles wordes When you are gathered together put away from among you that wicked man are rather directed to the whole Congregation then to any laie Elders in the Church of Corinch as are also these that folow I wrate vnto you that you should not company together with fornicatours but nowe I haue written vnto you if any man that is called a brother bee a fornicator or couetous an Idoâ—ater railer drunkard or extortioner with such an one eate not Must onely the laie Elders or all the multitude auoyd the companie of such enormous persons I beseech you brethren saieth Paul obserue those which cause diuisions and offences against the doctrine which you haue learned and decline them Should none but Elders and Teachers shunne Schismatikes and hainous malefactours or must the people and hearers doe the like If any man obey not our sayings keepe no companie with him that he may be ashamed yet count him not an enemie but admonish him as a brother Shall wee thinke the Apostle thought it sufficient for soâ—â— fewe laie Elders to forbeare the company of such disordered persons or doeth hee will the whole Church with one consent to shunne all societie with such vnrulie ones that they may bee ashamed Then yet the whole Church might excommunicate and not Pastours onely With open reproouing by the word and excluding from the Sacraments such as notoriouslie sinned Pastours and Prophets might intermeddle the people and laie Elders might not it was no part of their charge but in banishing malefactours from all fellowship and companie both ciuill and sacred with the faithfull the Pastours were to direct the people to assist and execute that iudgement The Apostle doeth not leaue it to peoples liking as a matter indifferent till they haue consented but enioineth it as a necessarie duetie and commandeth them in the name of Christ Iesus to withdraw themselues from euery brother that walked inordinately For as S. Iohn warneth vs He that receiueth to his house the bringer of another doctrine or biddeth him good speede is partaker of his euill deedes And so is euery one that with countenance fauour or familiaritie doeth embolden the wicked to goe on in any other lewdnesse when by Christian dutie he should reproue such offenders if they persist renounce al societie with them yea where there wanteth a beleeuing magistrate the Pastours shall not doe wisely to proceed to any such rigour against wilfull and obstinate sinners without the knowledge and consent of the people for feare of contempt if the most part mislike or factions if the multitude be deuided If Pastours in such cases were to staie for the liking of the whole Church is it not more likely that the people did referre the hearing and censuring of all such matters to certaine chosen Elders of themselues rather then in a tumult confusedly without any Iudiciall forme determine such causes That if wee euict wee make no doubt that laie Elders were Gouernours in the Church of Christ as well as Pastours Indeed likelihoods and surmises were the best demonstrations that euer were made for your supposed discipline but if this hee all you will neuer euict any thing The people might well relie themselues on the credite and conscience of their Pastours and beleeue them in other mens cases whom they trusted with their owne soules Againe they might approoue and confirme their Pastours iudgement in an open assemblie without an vprore things were at that time handled in the Church religiously not tumultuously Lastly if the people did appoint certaine wise and sufficient
should shew themselues penitent no maÌ„ hastilie giue peace to such as did not penitence yet they sacrilegious against God caried headlong with a wicked rage against the Priests of God forsaking the Church and lifting vp particidiall armes against the Church doe all they can to accomplish their intent with a diuelish malice that Gods mercy should not cure in his church such as are wounded And againe What danger is not to bee feared when some of the Presbyters neither remembring their place neither thinking there is a Bishop ouer them with the reproch and contempt of the chiefe chalengâ— the whole vnto them The disgraces of my office I can dissemble and beare as I alwayes haue But now is no time to dissemble when our brethren are deceiued by some of you which seeke to be plausible without regard of restoring them to the health of their soules What maruell if Cyprian thus besieged thus impugned and banished from his Church and charge did not onely purpose and professe to doe nothing without the full consent of the Clergie and people but persisted in that course which he sawe to bee safest for himselfe and surest against his maligners to decrease their number and defeate their expectance but whether hee were bound by Gods lawe so to doe and all others tied to the same rule that is the greatest part of this doubt If it were but a priuate moderation and prouision for his owne securitie no man is obliged by his example to doe the like If it bee a generall fourme of gouerning the Church prescribed by the holie Ghost then neither might Cyprian nor any man els swarue from that direction without transgressing the will and worde of God then all Councils both Prouinciall and Generall that assembled and concluded in the Primitiue Church without the liking and agreement of the people did wilfullie breake the commaundement of the liuing God and all Christian Princes that in former Ages by their lawes and Edicts intermedled with matters of the Church without the knowledge and consent of their subiectes presumed without warrant and offered open wrong to the kingdome of Christ yea Cyprian himselfe was the first that cassiered his owne confession and when cause so required yea sometimes without cause excluded and ouer-ruled the peoples iust desires One example may seruc for the present your owne allegations will afterward more at large euince as much Vix plebi persuadeo imo extorqueo vt tales patiantur admitti iustiâ—r factus est fraternitatis dolor ex eo quòd vnus atque alius obnitente plebe contradicente mea tamen facilitate suscepti peiores extiterunt quà m prius fuerant With much adoe perswade I the people yea rather extort from them to suffer such to bee admitted and the griefe of the brethren is the iuster for that one or two being by my facilitie receyued the people striuing agaynst it and contradicting it waxed worse then they were before Cyprian admitted some to the Church after repentaunce when the people withstoode it and gainesaied it and were iustlie grieued with his ouer much remissenesse Wherein Cyprian did not violate the duetie which hee ought to God nor tyraâ—nize in the Church with the contempt of his brethren but relented from his purpose to doe nothing without the peoples consent for reasons then moouing him or of his owne iuclination leading him to hope their amendment that were thus admitted with fauour and facilitie to the Church of God See whether your owne examples do not prooue as much The first place you alleage is this In ordinandis Clericis fraâ—res charissimi solemus vos antè consulere mores ac merita singulorum communi consilio ponderare In ordering of Clerkes most deare brethren our maner is to consult you first and to weigh the behauiour and desertes of euery one with common aduise This vse notwithstanding where iust occasion serued he ordered Clerkes without their consents and so much is expressed in the very next wordes Sed expectanda non sunt testimonia humana eumpraecedant diuina suffragia but the witnesse of men must not be expected when Gods approbation is precedent The conclusion is That where one Aurelius a youth had twise in stockes and torments professed Christ Cyprian his Colleagues that were present with him for hee was not then at Carthage had made the said Aurelius thought yong in yeeres a Reader in the Church and so much he signifieth by his letters to the Presbyters Deacons and people of Carthage not doubting but they would embrace him though they gaue no consent to his ordering Hee deserued a further degree of Clericall ordination but in the meane time it hath pleased vs hee should begin with the office of a Reader Know you therefore most beloued brethren that I and my Colleagues which were here with me haue ordered him a Reader which I know you will gladlie accept and wish many such to be ordered in our Church Cyprian was absent from his owne Church by reason of persecution then raging and without the consent either of his Clergie or people he did order Aurelius and sent him with letters to bee receiued as a Reader in the Church of Carthage The like he did for Optatus Saturus Caelerinus and Numidicus as your owne authorities doe witnesse for as by them you prooue Cyprian was woont to take the good report and testimonie of the people concerning such as should bee admitted to the Clergie and with common aduise to examine their woorthinesse so by the selfe same places I she we that Cyprian brake that custome when hee sawe time and cause require and without the consent of his people or Clergie ordered such as hee found to be meete for that calling Whereby wee collect that the consent of the people and Clergie is no essentiall point in ordering Ministers without the which they may not bee called but a very Christian and commendable course to keepe off all notorious and enormous persons from that function and the surest way to saue the Bishop from communicating with other mens sinnes whiles hee trusted not his owne iudgement or knowledge but vsed the eyes eares and consciences of the whole Church for the better view search and triall of their integritie grauitie and industrie to whome the flocke of Christ was to bee committed This which I say will appeare to bee true euen by your owne authorities Because many of the Clergie of Carthage were wanting and those fewe that remained did skant suffice for the dailie worke of the Ministerie for which cause it was requisite to haue moe Know you saieth Cyprian writing to the Presbyters and Deacons of his Church that I haue made Saturus a Reader and Optatus a Subdeacon whom a good while since by common aduise we appointed to bee next placed in the Clergie I haue then in your absence done no new thing but that which long agoe tooke a beginning with all our aduises
their owne lusts and turned their eares from the trueth to fables Paul sent Timothie thither to stay these prophane and vaine bablings to commande that they taught no strange doctrine to impose hands on such as were fitte to receiue accusations against sinnefull and vngodly Presbyters and to rebuke them openly according to their deserts to reiect yong and wanton widowes and to see true Labourers in the word honored and cherished and finally to ouersee the whole house of God and euerie part thereof as well Teachers and Presbyters as Deacons widowes and hearers And not onely instructed him how he shoulde behaue himselfe as a Gouernour in the Church but charged him before the liuing God and his elect Angels that hee obserued those things without respecting persons or any inclining to partes Likewise in Creete when many vaine talkers and deceiuers of minds subuerted whole houses and loaded the Church with Iewish fables and commaundements of men Paul left Tite there to redresse things amisse to stop their mouthes that taught things which they ought not for filthie lucres sake to stay foolish questions and contentions about the Law to reiect heretikes after one or two admonitions and sharply to rebuke with all authoritie not suffering any man to despise him as also to ordaine good and religious Presbyters and Bishops in euerie Citie that shoulde be able to exhort with wholsome doctrine and improoue gainesayers And here first did Paul by writing expresse that he placed substitutes where need was with Episcopall power and honour to guide and rule the Church of God These examples make nothing to your purpose for first they did none of these things but with the aduise and consent of the Presbyterie which Bishops do not Next they were Euangelists and no Bishops and in that respect might haue this speciall deputation from the Apostle It may bee your learning will serue you to say that Paul left both these to rule the Church in Creete and at Ephesus for a weeke and in their order as the rest of the Presbyters did but such tests if you dare aduenture them will cracke both your cause and your credite Paul belike prayed Timothie to stay at Ephesus to call the Presbyterie together and to aske voyces and to doe iust what pleased the rest to decree but if you elude and frustrate the wordes of the Apostle with such additions not onelie besides but against the Text you can deceiue none saue such as will not beleeue Saint Paul himselfe if hee shoulde speake against the Lay Presbyterie For our partes wee take the wordes as they stand and so did the Catholike Fathers before vs being persuaded that Paul had witte enough to discerue to whome hee shoulde write for the performaunce of these things and not to mistake Timothie for the Presbyterie If Timothie had nothing else to do but to consult what pleased the Presbyters to determine in euerie of these pointes howe childish an ouersight was it for Paul to skip the whole bench of them and to charge and adiure him to see these preceptes inuiolably kept without sparing or fearing anie man For thus you must expound or rather imprison and fetter euerie worde that Paul speaketh in those three Epistles Commaunde with all authoritie receiue not an accusation against a Presbyter but vnder two or three witnesses rebuke them that sinne reiect heretikes after two warnings refuse yoonger widowes staie vaine contentions and vnprofitable questions ordaine Elders in euerie Citie impose handes hastily on no man that is as you interprete call the Presbyterie together and aske them whether they be contented it shall be so or no. And so I adiure and charge thee before God and Christ and the elect Angels that thou obserue these precepts inuiolable and vnblameable that is obserue them if the Presbyterie will consent and agree vnto thee else not But I thinke you dare not stand to these mockeries of the Scriptures and therefore you will rather flie to the second part of your answere that they were authorized to do these things as Euangelists and not as Bishops We expressed so much that they were Euangelists and no Bishops Euangelists you should say and Bishops for when they left following the Apostles and were affixed to certaine places with this power and authoritie which I haue mentioned what els could they bee but Bishops They assisted the Apostles present and supplied their absence and did continue the Churches in that state in which the Apostles left them Nowe if the Apostles in respect of this power and care were Bishops when they staied in any place much more the Euangelists If the same â—idelitie and authoritie be still needful and therefore perpetuall in the Church of God they did these things not by their Euangelisticall calling which is long since ceased but by their Episcopall which yet doeth and must remaine for if this power and preheminence descended from them to their successours it is euident this commission and charge was Episcopal since no part of their Euangelship was deriued to their after-commers We cannot endure to haue them called or counted Bishops In deed if succession of Episcopall power came from the Apostles to them and so to their successours we shall soone conclude that Bishops came from the Apostles and therefore you doe wisely to resist it but by your patience you must endure it the best Stories and Writers of the Primitiue Church doe make them Bishops and likewise Pauls precepts to them the very paternes of Episcopall charge and duetie Timothie saieth Eusebius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is by the stories reported to bee the first that tooke the bishoprike of Ephesus as Tite also did of the churches in Creete Ierome whose wordes you strongly presse to prooue there were no Bishops in the Apostles times but such as were equall with Presbyters and not superiours vnto them saieth Timothie was ordained Bishop of Ephesus by blessed Paul and Tite Bishop of Creete preached the Gospell there and in the Islands round about Ambrose Paul by his epistle instructeth Timothie now created a Bishop how he ought to order the Church And so of the other The Apostle had consecrated Tite to be a Bishop and therefore he warneth him to be carefull in ecclesiasticall ordination Chrysostome Paul saieth in his epistle to Timothie Fulfill thy ministerie when he was now a Bishop for that Timothie was a Bishop Paul declareth by his writing thus vnto him Laie hands hastilie on no man And againe which was giuen thee by the imposition of handes of the Presbyterie for by no meanes Presbyters could ordaine a Bishop And shewing how Euangelists might become Bishops he saith Why doeth Paul write onlie to Timothie and Tite where as Silas and Luke were also his Disciples and endewed with marueilous vertues Because hee had nowe deliuered to them the gouernement and charge of the Church the others as
course if it be diuine how is it accidental if it be accidentall howe is it diuine And the electing of a President or Bishop if it be humane howe is it commanded if it be commanded how is it humane This is the way to call sweete sower and sower sweete to make light darknesse and darkenesse to be light I must see better coherence then I do before I call this a diuine Discipline You mistake vs. we say it is Gods ordinance for a Pastour to gouerne the Colledge of Lay Elders but for one chiefe to gouerne the Colledge of Pastours we holde is mans inuention Would God you did not mistake your selues Your Presbyteries must consist either of lay men aloue or of clergy men only or of both indifferently If of Lay Elders only who shall succeede the Pastour in the ruling thereof when his course is ended for example as you say when his weeke is out His Presidentship must be perpetual which by your rules is against Gods ordinaÌ„ce vnles you will haue the lay Elders in course to do pastoral duties rule pastor al which is more absurde and more against Gods Law then the former Wil you mixe your Presbyteries of both then yet by Gods law as your selues inforce it one Pastor must be chiefe of the rest of the Pastors and if by the Scriptures his superioritie must be perpetuall as after his election it must be what differeth this chiefe Pastour for his life from a bishop you would limit his gouernement to a weeke or a moneth but where doth Paul so shew vs that rule in Scripture or Father and set vp your Lay Presbyteries If not you walke in the wildernesses of your own fansies you would prescribe vs rules of your owne making in place of Gods ordinance which is dangerous to your selues and iniurious to others if it be not presumptuous against God Will you haue none chiefe Then breede you confusion and lay the Church open to be torne in peeces with euery dissention besides your selues auouch it is an essentiall and perpetuall point of Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe ouer the Presbyterie These be the brambles and briars of your discipline which force you to say and vnsay with a breath but we take your assertion as good against your selues and thence we frame you this argument It is an essential and perpetual part of Gods ordinance that one should be chiefe ouer the Presbyterie But the Presbyteries of eche Church and City where the Apostles preached consisted of Clergie men and Preachers I hope then it is Gods ordinance to haue one chiefe ouer the Preachers and Labourers in ech Church And if election be Gods commandement as you also confesse and consequently the Electee once lawfully placed must not be remoued without iust and apparant defects I trust the chiefe Gouernour of the Preachers and Presbyters of eche Church must continue whiles he liueth and ruleth well for as hee was chosen for his worthinesse so may he not be depriued till he proue vnworthy Now a chiefe Ruler or Pastour ouer the people and Presbyters of eche Citie elected by Gods commaundement to continue that charge so long as hee doeth his duetie commeth as neere to the bishops calling which we maintaine as your head to that which is aboue your shoulders If youthwart vs with Lay Elders we haue this faire Supersedeas for them First prooue them then place them where you will If you talke of going round by course it is the order of good fellowes at a feast it was neuer the order of gouerning in the Church of Christ. The Priestes of the olde Lawe were after a time eased of their paines but neuer changed their prerogatiues If you say they differ not in degree but in honour and dignitie from the rest I haue alreadie prooued that singularity in succeeding the Apostles and necessitie in ordaining distinguith them from Presbyters If you quarrell with their iurisdiction and dioceses the place now serueth to discusse those things forsomuch as wee finde their function was deliuered them by the Apostles and is restified in the Scriptures The shute Anker is if all this were so that the power of Bishops by Gods law should be nothing else but a right to call the Presbyters of eche place together and to aske their voices and performe what the most part decreâ—â— and this to extend no further then their owne Churches and Cities This I thinke be your meaning if you cannot tie them to your fansies to binde them fast to their chaires that they shall not wagge and if they must needes be highest in the Session yet to make them lowest in the action and to doe one lie what shall please others to determine But your pleasures vnlesse you were more indifferent are little regarded the Church of Christ more then foureteene hundred yeeres before you were borne hath considered of their power and charge the Councils both prouinciall and generall are extant to decide the doubt But if you will trie their right by the Scriptures I am wel content so you take to your Presbyteries no more then you can iustifie to be theirs and leaue vnto Bishops that interest which wee prooue by the word to belong to their calling CHAP. XIIII The fatherly power and Pastor all care of Bishops ouer Presbyters and others in their Churches and Dioeceses I Take it to be a matter out of question confirmed by the Scriptures and confessed by the olde and newe Writers that the Sonne of God willed S. Iohn the Apostle in his Reuelation to write to the seuen chiefe Pastours of the seuen Churches of Asia calling them by the name of Angels By the diuine voyce saith Austen the Ruler of the Church of Ephesus is praised vnder the name of an Angel Angels he calleth Bishops saith Ambrose as wee learne in the Reuelation of Iohn Angels hee calleth those that be Rulers of the Churches saith Ierom euen as Malachie the Prophet doth witnesse the Priest to be an Angell And Gregorie The Preachers in the Scriptures are sometimes called Angels as the Prophet saith the lippes of the Priest should keepe knowledge and they should aske the Law at his mouth for he is the Angel or Messenger of the Lord of hostes The new Writers with one consent acknowledge the same The Angels saieth Bullinger are the Embassadours of God euen the Pastours of the Churches The heauenly letter is directed to the Angel of the church of Smyrna that is to the Pastor Now the stories witnes that Angel Pastor of the church of Smyrna to haue bin Polycarp ordained Bishop there by the Apostles themselues I mean by S. Iohn He was made bishop of Smyrna 13. yeres before the Reuelation of Iohn was written Marlorat Iohn beginneth with the Church of Ephesus for the celebritie of the place and speaketh not to the people but to the Prince or chiefe of the Clergy euen the bishop Seb. Meyer To the Angell
of the Church of Sardis Amongst the bishops of this church Melito was renowmed a man both learned and godly but what predeccessors or successors he had in the ministery of the church is not recorded Beza saith Angelo idest 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 queÌ„ nimirum oportuit inprimis de hijs rebus admoneri ac per cum caeteros Collegas totámque adeo ecclesiam To the Angel that is to the chiefe President who should haue the first warning of these things and from him the rest of his Colleagues and the whole Church By the person that speaketh vnto the Pastours of those seuen Churches name which he giueth them I collect their vocation was not only confirmed by the Lord himselfe but their commissioÌ„ expressed He speaketh that hath best right to appoint what pastors he would haue to guide his flocke til he come to iudgement euen Christ Iesus the prince of Pastors The name that he giueth them she with their power and charge to be authorized deliuered them from God for an Angel is Gods messenger and consequently these seuen eche in his seueral charge and city are willed to reforme the errors abuses of their Churches that is both of Presbyters and people They are warned at whose hands it shall be required and by him that shal sit Iudge to take account of their doings Hence I inferre first their preeminence aboue their helpers and coadiutors in the same Churches is warranted to bee Gods ordinaunce Next they are Gods Messengers to reprooue and redresse thinges amisse in their Churches bee they Presbyters or people that be offendours Which of these two can you refuse Shall they be Angels and not allowed of God Can they bee his Messengers and not sent by him Hee woulde neuer rewarde them if hee did not send them Being sent of God shall they bee charged with those things which they haue no power to amend Is the Sonne of God so forgetfull as to rebuke and threaten the Pastour for the Presbyters and the peoples faultes if he haue no further power ouer either but to aske voices At whose handes doth God require his sheepe but at the shepeheards Hee cannot be Angell of the whole Church but he must haue Pastor all authoritie ouer the whole Church The rest of the Pastours you will will say had the same charge with him In their degree they had but why doth the sonne of God write onely do one of them if all were euen both in power and charge You are woâ—â—â—â—â—ie eagerlie to aske why the Apostle writing to the Churches neuer mentioned any bishop if there had beene Bishops in the Apostles times which obiection though it be neede lesseâ—d he answered because it is negatiue yet Ambrose and Epiphanus tell you the Churches at the beginning were not setled moroffices exactly diuided yea the Apostles themselues for a time kept the Episcopall power in their owne hands and in some places Paul nameth the Bishop as Archippus Bishop of Colossus But on the other side we presse you with the affirmatiue aske you howe the Sonne of God could write precisely to one Angel in euery of those seuen Churches if there were many or none And what reason to charge him aboue the rest if hee had no Pastourall power besides the rest It is therefore euident the Churches of Christ before that time were guided by certaine chiefe Pastours that â—â—â—erated as well the Presbyteâ—s as the rest of the flocke and those the Sonne of God â—â— knowledgeth for Starres and 〈◊〉 that is for the Messengers and Stewardes of the Lorde of hosteâ— at whose 〈◊〉 the rest shoulde aske and receiue the knowledge of Gods diuine will and pleasures And as they were chiefe Pasâ—ors so were they chief◠〈…〉 the Church of Christ God by his Lawe comprising them vnder that name and commaunding not onelie reuerence and maintenance but obedience also to be giuen vnto them This case is so cleere it can not be doubted The Church saith Austen calleth the Bishops her Fathers The bishops are thy Fathers saith Ierome by whome thou art ruled Origen That Teachers are called Fathers the Apostle Paul she weth when hee saith I haue begotten you in Christ Iesus by the Gospell Hee is a good father saith Ambrose which can teach frame the Lord Iesus in vs as Paul saieth my little children with whom I trauel againe til Christ be fashioned in you Can I be a father saith Chrysostome not lament I am a father in affection towards you and languish with loue Heare how Paul crieth out my little children with whom I trauel againe And therefore worthely saieth hee are the Priests to haue more honour then our owne parents They are these to whome the spirituall births are committed If they be Fathers they must be honoured and the chiefest parte of their honour is obedience Disobedience of children is punished in Gods Lawe by death and shall it be no siâ—ne in vs to disobey the Fathers of our faith Their flocke you thinke must obey them but their brethren and fellow Presbyters must not As though the rest of their flocke were not their brethren as well as the Presbyters or as if among brethren there might be no superioritie Omnes nos fratres sumus Quamquam inter fraires fas est vt vnus praescribatac caeteri obtemperent We are all brethren saieth Chrysostome speaking to his Clergie how be it amongst brethren it is lawfull that one should prescribe and the rest obey And speaking of the returne of the Bishop when himselfe was a Presbyter at Antioch he saieth Benedictus Deus qui caput corpori reddidit Pastorem ouibus Praceptorem discipulis militibus Ducem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Blessed be God that hath restored the head to the body the Pastour to the sheepe the Master to the Schollers the Captaine to the souldiers the high Priest to the Presbyters Basill writing to the Church of Neocaesarea vpon the death of their Bishop saieth Thy fairest beautie O Citie is decayed the Church closeth her eyes the solemne assemblies looke heaullie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the sacred Synedrion or Presbyterie desire their head they that are in dignaie their leader the people their ruler Be subiect to thy Bishop saith Ierome instructing Nepotianus in the dueties of a Presbyter and reuerence him as the father of thy soule If I be a Father saith the Prophet where is mine honour What Aaron and his sonnes were that vnderstand a Bishop and his Presbyters to be If any saieth Ambrose speaking of Presbyters and Ministers obey not his Bishop hee swarueth from the right way through pride Austen being newly made Presbyter and desiring some longer respite of the bishop before he vndertooke the execution of his office saieth Will you mee to perish O father Valerius I beseech you by the goodnesse and mercie of Christ euen by him that hath inspired so
hearing of such griefes then â—ate the Presbyters with the Bishop onely as beholders and aduisers of his iudgement that the matter being publike might be handled with the more grauitie and sinceritie not withstanding to examine it or reuerse it pertained only to the assemblie of the bishops of the same prouince If none but Bishops may ex communicate how do your Iudges of the ciuill Law which are no Ministers take vpon them to do it They take not vpon them the power of the keies committed to the Apostles and their successours but inâ—â—icâ—â— punishment for disobedience containing all those penalties that by lawe were ordained for such as contemned the keies of the Church by what name soeuer they call it be it a suspension condemnation or excommunication it greatlie skilleth not so long as they claime it not by Gods Law but by mans and yet if the sentence of the Canon wrappe all contempt within the band of excommunication I see no cause but lay Iudges may denounce the offendour to be within the compasse of the Canon for that is more then if they pronounced him wilfully obstinate and consequently to haue incurred the sentence of excommunication which the Canon decreeth And of all men you should not be so curious which giue your laie Presbyters power to consure their Pastour by number of voices and make excommunication to be the iudgement of the whole Church comprising as well the people as the Presbyters for our parts though we take the power of the keies to be common to al that haue Pastorall charge of soules in their degree yet to auoide the infinite showers of excommunication which would ouerslow all Churches and parishes and the intollerable quarrels and brabbles that would ensue if euerie Presbyter might excommunicate at his pleasure we praise the wisedome of Gods Church in suffering no inferiour to excommunicate without the Bishops consent and licence and for ought that I knowe we followe the same rule Surely had we two or three hundred excommunicatours where we haue one lightnings â—â—ie not so fast about in a tempest as excommunications would in euerie diocese To increase the power of Bishops you make them Pastours ouer Churches but when it commeth to the discharging of Pastorall care they be furthest off but grant them to be Pastours they can be but ouer those Churches that are in Cities ouer whole shires they cannot be since they can not be present in so many places to do any Pastoral dueties Had we first deuised or else diuided dioceses for bishops you might well haue chalenged vs for making them larger then Pastorall care might extend vnto but your quarel in deede is not to the length or breadth of their dioceses which must wholy bee referred to the wisedome and consideration of the State you dislike that a Bishop should haue any Diocese at all or gouerne any Church besides that one wherein he teacheth and administreth the Sacraments which nice conceit of yours not onely condemneth the whole primitiue Church of Christ that assigned Dioceses vnto bishops but contradicteth the verie grounds and examples of that gouernement which the Apostles left behind them Did the Apostles appoint Dioeceses for Bishops that were newes indeede No such newes but that your owne Principles wil confirme the same for what order say you did the Apostles leaue behind them to gouerne the Church Did they trust one Pastour or Presbyter alone in eche place to doe as hee thought good Or else did they prouide direction and assistance in dangerous and doubtful cases to guide him and helpe him in the gouernement of the church The power of one man in ech church to doe what he will be he Pastour or Presbyter your selues affirme is Antichristian and diuelish And I thinke you say trueth if he will haue neither associats to restraine him nor superiours to ouerlooke him That were to plant a Pope in euerie parish with plenitude of power to do what pleaseth himselfe What you detest in Bishops I hope you will not endure in the Presbyter or Pastour of euery parish church in the Countrey that hee shall take vpon him alone to guide his flocke as hee seeth cause without consent or ouersight of anie man You may be sure we abhorre it as the poyson of all pietie and the very roote of Antichristes pride Meanes to auoyde it I see none but that euery rurall Pastour must haue either a Presbytery in the place with him or the Bishop of an other church appointed ouer him that may both direct him and rule him as he doth the Presbyters of his owne citie If he haue no helpe at home he must needes seeke it abroad one of the twaine is ineuitable Nowe for Presbyteries there is no possibilitie to haue either so many meete Clergie men or so much maintenance as will serue them in euery country parish fit Pastours for so many places putting one to a Parish coulde neuer yet be founde Whence then shall wee get so many thousand able Presbyters as to furnish â—ch parish with three or foureâ— which are few enough and too few respecting the burden that they must be are in the sight of God and man Againe had we store of men which wee haue not nor no age before vs had from whome shall we haue maintenance for them and theirs From the people Halfe the realme of England employed to that vse will etten but serue The people nowe yeelde a tenth part vnto God and their Minister which proportion is so moderate that where the parishes are small the Pastour hath worke enough to liue thereon then must they consequently giue fiue parts of ten which is iust the halfe of allthey haue before there can be any shew of a Presbyterie in euerie parish I doe not aske you how wel the people that are God knoweth poore enough in many places with these nine parts which they haue will like to spare so much to the furthering of your fansies or howe a Christian Prince can bigest to haue all her subiects so disabled and halfe the realme allotted to support your conceits these blockes and a hundred such you neuer stumble at whiles you runne your selues out of breath to pursue the perfection and profit of your discipline but this I would know did the Apostles besides the reliefe of the poore which indeede is a diuine precept impose this charge on euerie parish by Gods commandement or did euer any Christian kingdome or common wealth since Christes ascension abide this yoke If they did shew the instance and claime your maintenance if you can shewe no such thing doe you not perceiue that your little fingers are heauier to Gods people then the Apostles loynes were and that your discipline is farre greeuouser to the faithfull then their doctrine The best is you may talke long enough before either Prince or people rich or poore will admit or endure this chargeable frame of your needlesse and proofelesse gouernement To amend these flawes which rend the
own Bishop The Councill of Aurelia All the Churches that haue beene or are daily builded in sundrie places wee decree according to the rule of the former Canons that they shall be in the power of that Bishop in whose territorie they stand As the vse of Dioceses was antient so the reason that first occasioned them was ineuitable euen by the paterne of the Apostolike Discipline For when country townes and villages first beganne to receiue the faith howe were they furnished with fit Pastours and how were their Churches gouerned but by the Bishop and Presbyterie of some citie adioyning Lay Presbyteries the church of Christ neuer had any yea the Scriptures permit none to rule Pastourall actions other Presbyteries those places were neither able to haue nor to maintaine What nowe was left but onelie to submit and incorporate themselues to the Bishop of some Citie neere them by whome their Churches might be both guided and supplied when any neede required euen as the churches in cities were If to auoyde schisines rising euery where by the multitude of Teachers and Pastours Bishops were in the Apostles times placed throughout the worlde in all the cities that accepted the Gospell to guide and moderate the Presbyters that were many shall wee thinke this order was needefull onelie for cities and needelesse for Townes and Uillages Were not the Presbyters of so many parishes as one shire doeth yeelde as like to trouble the Region with Schismes and heresies as the Presbyters of the citie You lacke sense if you thinke that dissention and errour could not creepe as well into Uillages as into Cities or that the Apostles prouided one kinde of regiment for cities another for country parishes If all the churches in one citie which at Rome were aboue fourtie in Optatus time were gouerned by one bishop why might not the Uillages and Parishes conftning round about the Citie be gouerned after the same maner So that for Dioceses as well the necessitie as the antiquitie of them is euident It was not possible in the Primitiue church to haue Presbyters to succeede in the rounâ—es of such as died in countrie parishes but from the bishop in whose Diocese the churches were He supplied their wants out of his owne church and Presbyterie which serued to store the whole Diocese Otherwise within his circuite none other bishop coulde ordaine a Presbyter nor without his leaue might any Clergie man depart his church The Councill of Antioch A Bishop may not inuade an others Citie that is not subiect to him nor Countrie not pertaining to him to ordaine anie neither hee appoint Presbyters or Deacons in places that are vnder an other Bishop vnlesse it bee with the liking or consent of the Bishop of that Region or Countrie The Councill of Nice If any Presbyters or Deacons or other Clergie men not hauing the feare of God before their eyes nor knowing the Ecclesiastical Canon leaue their owne Church they must not by any meanes bee receiued in another Church And if any shall with-holde a Clergie man belonging to another and ordaine him in his owne Church the Bishop from whome hee departed not agreeing his ordering shall be vtterly voyde This was the generall and perpetuall discipline of Christs church in al the coasts and quarters of the worlde as may appeare to him that will take paines to view these places The Councill of Constantinople 1. ca. 2. and 3. of Chalcedon ca. 8. of Carthage the first ca. 5. the second ca. 11. the third ca. 20. and 21. the fourth ca. 27. of Orleance ca. 22. of Sardica ca. 18. 19. of Taurine ca. 6. of Aurenge ca. 8. of Venice ca. 10. of Tours ca. 9. 11. And so the Mileuitane Council ca. 15. Affricane ca. 21. Aurelian the third ca. 15. the Epaunine ca. 5. the Valentine ca. 6. and Aruernine ca. 9. and 10. If these rules were vniuersally and anciently obserued that no Presbyter might remoue from one church to another nor departe from the church where he was first called without the consent of his bishop neither might any other man impose hands on him or admit him and inuest him into any church without the liking and goodwil of the bishop in whose diocese the church stoode and of whose Clergie the partie was by no means could any country parishes in the primitiue church haue any Presbyters but from some city that not without the liking and assent of the Bishop which forced all country townes and villages to matriculate and incorporate themselues into the church of some city by whose bishop their Presbyters liuing were gouerned and dying were supplied euen as the churches in cities were The reason of their doings is as euident as their fact for if Bishops were placed by the Apostles handes to ordaine Presbyters and containe them in their dueties lest in so great a number emulation might breede confusion which all the Fathers were fully resolued was the Apostles deede they must needes bee of opinion the Apostles meant to haue Countrey Townes and Uillages guided and assisted the very same way that they left for Cities and the same men that gouerned the one all things considered were the fittest to be trusted with the other If you obiect that the bishops of the Cities could imploy no pastorall care but where they were present I answere that all the Councils and Fathers of the Primitiue Church were not so ignorant as not to vnderstand what Pastorall ouersight a bishop might yeelde to townes and Churches farre distant from him though hee were not present to dispence the word and Sacraments amongest them To see them alwayes stored with a sound and able Pastor that should watch ouer their soules to take care that they were rightly taught and soberly guided to keepe both Presbyters and people from schismes heresies and open impieties to direct in dangers and determine doubts without troubling the whole prouince to meete vpon euerie particular occasion and contention these be good parts of pastorall vigilancie and very needefull effects of episcopall regiment which may be performed as well in a Diocese as in a Citie In any mans haruest he that laboureth himselfe and ouerseeth the rest doth more good then any other In eche mans house the steward that well ordereth and guideth the familie is more profitable then any of his fellowes In Gods house and haruest shall the ouerlooking of others be counted either needelesse or fruitlesse Saint Paul himselfe knewe not these curious positions when hee appointed Tite to take the charge and ouersight of the whole Iland of Creete and saw no cause why one man might not performe many Pastorall and Episcopall dueties to all that were in the same Countrie with him But what seeke I more examples when we haue the paterne from the Primitiue Church that first allotted Dioceses to bishops and the liking and approbation of all prouinciall and generall Councils that ratified and confirmed as wel the partition as distinction of territories and