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A04218
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Reasons taken out of Gods Word and the best humane testimonies prouing a necessitie of reforming our churches in England Framed and applied to 4. assertions wherein the foresaid purpose is contained. The 4. assertions are set downe in the page next following.
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Jacob, Henry, 1563-1624.
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1604
(1604)
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STC 14338; ESTC S120955
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58,997
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92
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is a Visible Church of Christ truly and properly Seeing each true Visible Church hath evermore from Christ power and right of governement in it selfe as before is noted Let this therefore be well declared what is a true Visible Church and we shall soone agree We affirme that every particular ordinarie Cōgregation is and ought to be allowed for such a Church And heerevpon do we stand I am not ignorant of the common and vulgar phrase of speach among men both ancient and of late both vnlearned and learned who have vsed to call everie of those other a Church as a Diocesan Church a Provinciall a National and also a Vniversall Church meaning it seemeth that everie of these may be trulie and rightlie called a Visible Church But this is only the custome of speach among men And * Mos trium literatum tyrannus Bez. Annot. in Luc. 23.17 Custome is a Tyrant as a Reverend Father saith well It is no warrant nor ground for any thing in Religion The word of God alone must suffice vs heerein Yea we consider not what advantage we give the Heretike Catholikes against vs by acknowledging a Catholike Visible Church It followeth from this necessarilie that there is ought to be on earth a Catholike or Vniversall governement Ecclesiasticall This is a Conclusion wherevnto M. Hooker setteth down expreslie * Hook 3. Sect 1. both the Proposition and Assumption viz. Everie Visible Church Pag. 132. truly and properly so called ought to have a correspondent Ecclesiasticall governement But there is a Catholike or Vniversal Visible Church on earth Pag. 126. and 132. To which Premisses everie childe now can quicklie adde the Conclusion Ergo There is and ought to be on earth a Catholike or Vniversall governement Eccle siasticall And I am perswaded that this oversight or error among vs hath caused Thousandes to turne Catholikes that is members of Antichrist and enemies to the true Churches and servants of Christ For if there be properlie one Visible Church and governement Ecclesiasticall throughout the world then this must be in some one place eminently For some whither we must go when Christ biddeth vs Tell the Church Now there is no place in all the world so likelie as Rome is to be the Visible seat and spring-head of the Vniversall governement of the Catholike Church if in deed there be any Therfore most easilie mē are drawen to be Roman Catholiks whē this is not denyed that there is a Catholike Visible Church Which selfe same advantage we give also to our Pontificall Hierarchie in England against the true estate and due governement of Christes Visible Churches heere For while we grant them whether by error or by oversight that there is may be truly and properly a Diocesan Visible Church they will easilie conclude that then there may ought to be a correspondent Diocesan governement Which as before I observed overthroweth quite the proper being and governement of each particular or Parishionall Church But we because Christ and his Apostles throughout all the New Testament have appointed every were allowed the Parishionall Assemblies as to be cleerely absolutly distinct in themselves so to be Visible Churches truly properly and withall a correspondent Ecclesiasticall governement to be in each of them as before hath bene shewed therefore heerevpon do we stand this do we vrge that the Institution of Christ and the Apostles practize ought to be a rule for Christian Churches as every where so heere in England vpon this do our Consciences rest assuredlie Because as before I said who is it that may presume to ordaine any forme of a Church save Christ only Especiallie overthrowing that forme of a Church and governement which Christ hath ordeyned as these Diocesan and Provinciall Churches with their proper Ministers do Ecclesiae nomine armamini contra Ecclesias dimicatis You arme your selves with the name of the Church and fight against the true Churches In this place I can not forget how some thinking thēselves deepe Politicians do imagin that they see our Groūds to be directlie against a Monarchie or Kingly State For this Ecclesiasticall governement being Popular say they it wil require the Civill governement also to becom conformed to it Also they thinke it can never bee menaged without trouble and tumult First we absolutelie denie that any manner of Ecclesiasticall Governement requireth the Civill Governement to becom conformed to it This is a most false conceite The bounds of either Governernement are distinct and cleerlie severed the one from the other albeit each doth ayd succour the other But what should I reason heereof This their insimulation is against none other then Christ him selfe and his blessed Word wherein he hath instituted no other state of a Church Visible but a particular Congregation only Shall we impugne and accuse the true Church of Christ Nay shall we accuse Christ him selfe and his Gospell that heerein he yeeldeth vs not the true right or best forme of a Church And therefore we will of our owne heades devise and constitute a better God forbid that any Christians should so do and wilfully maintaine this doing also But they think this maner of governement will becom tumultuous and troublesom in the State and so it will proove hurtfull to the Prince I would demaund why thinke they that the Church government as we desire it will be troublesom tumultuous They will answere because we require of necessitie that Elections of Ministers and Excommunications c. must be Popular Which can not but bring with them commonly tumult and much trouble if not confusion and perill to manie Wherevnto I replie that this were verie true in deed viz. much trouble and tumult would commonly follow and perhaps perill to divers if we desired or sought for popular Elections of Diocesan Bishops Such as we read of finde to have ben vsed in many places vnder Christian Princes from 300. yeres after Christ hitherward for a long time As for example at Antioch Alexandria Rome Constantinople c. In these and other Cities verie great stirres tumultes and confusions among the People have risen in deed not seldom times even in and about such their Elections The Ecclesiasticall Histories are full of examples to this purpose But such running togeather of a whole Citie or Dioces such voice-giving of such multitudes of people we desire not neither do we any wayes allow it It was a corrupt remainder in deed of the Peoples auncient free voice-giving to the Election of their Parishionall Pastors or Bishops For such all ordinarie Bishops and Pastors were primitively in the Apostles dayes and such every where they were left by them as before we have shewed Every ordinarie Bishop then I say was only of a Parish as the Ancients call it that is of one particular Congregation only and no greater And so their Elections were accomplished by the free consent and voyce-giving only of the People of each of these
particular ordinarie Congregations or Parishes Now it is true indeed we acknowledge we allow and do desire such Elections and Excommunications by the People Neither is this to bee reckoned anie Popularitie which can be either prejudicious to Princes or tumultuous in it selfe No it can not be an inconvenient order but most reasonable for any place or people in the world Namely seeing we do expresly hold this assertioÌ„ no otherwise and we hartilie pray that it may bee noted but as it is grounded on 4. Circumstances Power Circumstances wheron the fitnes of the Peoples coÌ„sent staÌ„deth 1 1. In regard that it is as we are well assured a Divine order and ordinance instituted for each Church by Christ and his Apostles the trueth whereof we hope hath evidently appeared in this 2 2. Reason last handled Considering that we allow the Peoples consent and voice-giving in Elections Excommunications c. to be done only by the Christian People of one Parish that is of one particular ordinarie Congregation only and by no greater nor larger number of People by any meanes as before hath bene likewise shewed 3 3. Considering that in the maner heereof we hold this only to be necessarie ordinarie that the Ecclesiasticall Guides there apart froÌ„ the People do first by themselves prepare and determine the whole matter namely in such sort that the People may not neede to do ought afterward but only Consent with them and freelie signifie their consent it it 4 4. If anie where it should fall out that this People thus guided being so few will yet presume to be in their Church-Elections c. vnrulie and violent then the Princes next dwelling Officers of Iustice may and ought to make them keepe peace and quietnes Which thing how easie it is for the meanest of them to do the simplest may perceaue All which verilie being well considered this Ecclesiasticall Governement questionles is most reasonable yea necessarie And it is childish without all wit to cry out against vs as our Adversaries do Popularitie Anarchie and Enmitie to Princes for this our so wel grounded and so approved an assertion Another thing is heere to be well remembred that M. Hooker and M. Tooker the noble Patrons of Pluralities and Nonresidencie are vtterlie defeated in this their purpose The former * Hook lib. 5. sect vlâ—im maketh this his Reason for them because it is a mistaking saieth he to thinke that the particular Congregations are by Gods ordinance so many distinct proper Churches For as he holdeth there is but one Visible Church properlie and the same Vniversall thorough the whole world As for particular Congregations they are not properlie so many Churches neither distinguished at all by God but only by men And therefore everie Minister is a Minister properlie to the Whole Church but by men according to discretion only is limited to this or that Congregation there to have maintenance made sure to him by Law there to teach till men see it fitt to imploy his giftes in another Benefice or elswhere All which because they are meerly Mens ordinances by men they may be disposed and dispensed with againe as to those in authoritie seemeth good And so both Pluralitie of Livings and Nonresidencie from the same shal be both lawfull and honest This is the effect and drift of his reason And even on the same foundation also buildeth D. Tooker Yea only this ground he hath and none other Where nothing els needeth answere but this his assertion * Fabrike of the Church pag. 45. DistinctioÌ„ of Parish Churches is of meere positive law not of Divine For my part I would graunt this Reason to be in deed sound and good for their purpose and not only for that but also singular and most pregnant to set vp the Romane Papacie too if this their Foundation were not manifestlie contrarie to Gods word But before it hath ben shewed to be cleerer then the light that DistinctioÌ„ of Parishes in some sort that is of particular Churches is by Gods own ordinaÌ„ce in the Apostles Writings and not by the meere positive law of men Wherefore this is evident to be a most vngodly and shameles Defence pleading for or excusing that wretched sinne of soule-murdering Nonresidencie as if it were a thing allowable and not simplie evill It can not excuse this sinne to alleadge that Plurified men may haue their 2. Benefices neare togither perhaps within halfe a myle a myle or 2. myle the one of the other This will not helpe them any more then a man can be excused who taketh keepeth two wives at once though yet by the one he be not drawen farre away from the other Gods law disalloweth that former no lesse theÌ„ this latter Yea I avow There have ben who haue kept two wives at once honester men and more approved of God theÌ„ any Minister now in England having 2. Churches or Charges lying howsoever And yet I acknowledge to have two wives at once is simply against Gods worde Well yet this will not satisfie some neither will they yeeld that every particular Congregation of Christians should be allowed for a distinct and a proper Church Visible and so to inioy their owne Ecclesiasticall governement within themselves Albeit against it they have no reason vnles perhaps this only If it were so they will say yet will not thereby all things becom perfect Somewhat notwithstanding will bee wanting or amisse oftentimes How then shall this be holpeÌ„ or amended Not by Archbishops or Diocesan Ruling or Lord-Bishops I answer Somewhat wil be amisse alwayes in whatsoever Ecclesiasticall governement vpon earth Nevertheles there is no need nor good vse of these nor of anie Ecclesiasticall Vnwritten Traditions in Christes Churches We believe and know Gods Written word to bee sufficient Speciallie seeing these are so directlie contrarie to the only true forme and nature of Christs Visible Churches in his word as hath bene shewed A greater Ecclesiasticall governement then the Churches wee know none There is nothing without the Church above it viz. Ecclesiasticallie and spirituallie Seeing each Church hath her power and governement as before is declared immediatly from Christ Yet it is true beside the Magistrates honorable assistance verie oft there is great and singular yea sometimes in a sorte necessarie helpe to bee had by Synodes Which are meetings of choyse men out of many Churches and these are lesser or greater as occasion requireth Whose counsailles advises and determinations are most expedient and wholesome alwayes But touching any certaine GovernemeÌ„t by Synodes or necessarie imposing of their Synodall Conclusions Decrees or Canons vppon Churches without their particular free consentes this seemeth to be a meere Humane ordinance I can not finde it either expreslie or by necessarie consequence in any part of Christes Testament Thus writeth heereof the Reverend M. Whitaker * Whitak de Concil pag. 44. Quod omnes atttngit ab omnibus