causes or permitters of their tempestes which they complaine they haue suffered or that her Maiestie and her most honorable Counsell haue not extended their clemency vnto them as they ought to haue done in not satisfiyng the hope and expectation of these Ministers But besides that thus no lesse vndutifully then vntruly our brethren do burden her Maiesty and her most honorable Counsel not so content they charge them further and in a higher matter saying But most especially according to their holy and zealous care which ought to abouÌ„de for the cleane driuing out of the Cananits c. No â—oubt her Maiesties her most honorable counsels care is both zealous and holy because it is so it hath we trust to their habilities abounded in performing that they ought to haue done héerein and euen therfore our brethren offer thâ— another iniury Yea if the driuing out of the Cananits had bene indéede their hope and expectation it had bene satisfied long a-go What Cananits are there remayning that should haue bene driuen out that in such sortâ— as they ought to do and might haue done they haue not done it and who are these Cananits Do they meane the Papists but they are more aptlâ— compared to the Idolatrous Israelits and Iewes not to the Cananits that were méere heathen And although in some sense they may be so coÌ„pared yet were not the Cananites so vtterlye to be driuen out but that if anyâ— would become in religion true Israelits as Rahab and the Gibeonits c. they were permitted to abide notwithstanding the expresse commaundement giuen them to the contrary Whereas Christians haue no such especiall or generall charge to driue cleane out all that haue beene Papistes or superstitious or Idolatrous or Heritikes or Insidels if they were truely conuerted to the faith and religion of Iesus Christe or else how haâ— Christ translated his Church from the Iewes to the Gentiles And so God be praised for it hath he conuerted in these last daies infinite Papists to the Gospell But if they meane those that remaine Papists I doe not thinkâ— that they can shew any such to be maintained in the Ministery Although their wordes runne at large of the cleane driuing out of all Cananits or Papistes out of the realme of what state or condition soeuer they be How much better is it in my opinion and more agréeable to the mercye of the Gospell and to the clemency of her Maiesties most holy zealous care so to abound that her Maiesty hath assayed to haue woonn those Cananits to the Gospell by letting them abide so driue out from them their Cananitisme rather than to driue out al the Cananits except they obstinatly professe themselues to be Cananites to driue out such at least out of al authority and publike Ministery Ecclesiasticall or ciuill or to restraine or punish them otherwise as they deserue although dissembling Cananits can neuer sufficiently be cleane driuen out that shew such outward conformity to the Gospell that they deceaue her Maiesty her most honorable Counsell al other saue God only Quis hominuÌ„ scit quae sunt hominiâ— nisi spiritus hominis qui in eo est As for planting hedging pruning continuall preseruing of the Lords vine-yard from foxes yea little foxes we trust also as becommeth vs and as we haue found by the benefite therâ—f good cause so to thinke that her Maiesties and her most honorable couÌ„sels holy and zealous care hath not a little abounded héerein And this before we shall enter into this learned discourse is a good hearing that they acknowledge her Maiestie ought to haue with her most honorable counsell a holie and zealous care to abounde in the planting hedging pruning and continuall preseruing of the Lords vine-yarde from foxes yea little foxes For when we shal come to this learned discourse we shal there sée that our brethren so abridge restraine this their authority héere in that they their selues haue bene a great occasion if there haue bene any defect that the Lords vine-yard hath not bene planted hedged pruned continually preserued with so full effect as her Maiesties and her most honorable Counsels holy care zeale hath endeuored to bring to passe For vnder pretence of these Cananits and foxes great or little our brethren meane not indeede so much to challenge the Papists as our Bishops and Prelates to be the great foxes and other the poore ministers of gods word the little foxes and in generall al those to be Cananits bee they neuer so zealous protestantes if they acknowledge the lawes and orders of our Church of England by her Maiesty established And to shew this they mention not the open warre with the common aduersary which is the Papist but say they this ciuil warre as a man may say of the church wherein so much of that bloud whereof S. Paule speaketh is powred to the ground should by their holy and iust authority fully be ended And so say I it might haue bene ended long ago had it not bene more by the importunity of our brethren themselues who as the old saying accordeth the Foxe the first fynder haue both made continually reniued this ciuil warre more then either the Bishops or any of vs who haue bene and are conformable to the lawes nowe established or any negligence in the behalfe of her Maiestie or of her most honorable Counsel that thei should be thus wrongfully burdened to haue bene the nourishers as it were of this ciuill warre but haue still employed all their holy and iust authority to the full ending of it And sith they giue it rightly this tearme of ciuill warre which is a great deale more daungerous warre than the forren warre with the open and common aduersarie who hath raysed this so daÌ„gerous ciuill warre We that in all due obedience acknowledge the lawes and orders established of the Churche of England Or they that haue and doo impugne them and who hath contended against her Maiesties and her most honorable Counsels holy and iust authority we or they yea indéede they haue not onely not yeelded to her Maiesties supreme authority herein but they plainly deny the full ending and determining of this ciuil warre consisting in these controuersies to appertaine vnto them but onely to themselues as God willing we shall see when wee come in this learned discourse to the examining of the authority that they giue to the ciuill Christian Magistrates in these matters Now say they when as wee at this time are subiect almost vnto all the afflictions which can come vnto a church blessed of God with such a Christian and happie regiment as to the prophane scoffing of the Hâ—monits at the building of the church as at a wall which a foxe shoulde destroy to the conspiracies of the Arabies and those of Asshod to the false charges of sedition contempt of all good lawes and proceedings like to that
occasion to search these fathers better And this was vsed to be done not onely in the seuerall treatises of the Fathers according to the councell of Vincentius Lyrinensis and as Theodoret vseth in his dialogues c. but also in all the best and most famous Synodicall assemblies and disputations holden in the auncient councels to cite the testimonies of the godly fathers deceased and of the most famous fathers consentes that were then liuing for their interpretations and iudgements of their controuersies Neither ought our Brethren to shunne this manner of charging them with men dead or aliue For it is a good not adorning only of the trueth but finding out of the trueth lightning of the iudgement and mouing mens affections driuing them as with a mightie streame to the loue of the truth and when the trueth commeth indéede thus adorned wee thinke that which wee also labour to confirme and defende as they labour to procure the contrarie that none we doe not say can iudge otherwise then we doe but that they which doe iudge otherwise then we doe in these matters may haue sufficient cause to iudge as we do and to thinke them to be honorable not onely before men but before God also Nowe when our Brethren haue set downe al their deuise how they would haue these controuersies to be debated then they enter into the aunswere of the obiections which they suppose will be obiected against them and say For if any shall obiect that the graue authoritie of Archbishops and Byshops shall receaue a checke whilest they are brought to deale with those whom they iudge fewe young vnlearned and not comparable to themselues or that it is a chalenge not much vnlike the papistes or lastly that it shall bee preiudiciall to the estate of gouernement established In good time our Brethren remember among other these thrée obiections Neither are they of small moment being rightly set downe as indéede they may be more pithily obiected and require euerie one of them a sounde and sufficient aunswere It is no small matter if any shall obiect but this first and lightest obiection of these thrée that the graue Authoritie of Archb. and Bishops shall receaue a checke whilest they are brought to deale with those whom they iudge fewe young vnlearned and not comparable to themselues Albeit I thinke that neyther our Archbyshops nor Bishops doe Iudge of these our brethren that they be so fewe as it were better they were but rather too many at the least farre moe in number than our Archbishops or all our Bishops are neyther do they iudge them to be so young although manie of them indéede be very young both in yeares in iudgement and in experience of these matters but that the auncienter sort of them might for their age and time haue had leysure ynough to haue sought out the state and grounde of these questions long a-goe saue that they are too much fore grounded in their owne opinions But in these matters their youth or age is not called into question Neither doe our Archbishops or Bishops estéeme our brethren at least many of them for vnlearned but rather wish that they would not thinke and vaunt too much of their learning and if they would followe the Apostles counsell sapere ad sobrietatem it would better become them That when all is done is the best learning which findeth out and submitteth it vnto the trueth Neither doe the Archbishops and Bishops as I suppose iudge that our brethren are not comparable to themselues Although our brethren may remember there be thrée degrées of comparison and it might well ynough beséeme our brethren so to compare with the Archb. and Bishops that they would not forget their owne callings nor the dignities of the Archb. and Bishops which they call here their graue authoritie Howbeit they giue that tenne but in a light mockage to thē whē as indéed they acknowledge the Archb. or B. not to haue anie authoritie at all but labour by all meanes besides their scoffe to be in all respects specially of authoritie so comparable to thē that they would not onely giue them a checke as their equalles but as their superiors euen checke mate vtterly to foyle and ouerthrow them Which if they can do by all their learning and in such maner as is requisite for the matter let thē not spare it a Gods blessing And if our Archb. and Bishops or any other of our partie that otherwise are as readie as any of our brethren to giue account of their hope and faith to anie orderly asking the same shal-be by her most excellent Maiestie and by her most honorable Counsell brought to deale with anie of all these our brethren I dare aduenture that they will not disdayne by any lawefull and godly meanes that can be deuised to deale with them if our brethren for their part would oblige themselues to stand there-to As for the second obiection it is of greater moment that this our bretherens chalenge is not much vnlike to the chalenge of the Papistes And can our brethren also foresée this that anie may obiect this vnto them that they make like chalenge to our Bishops as doo the Papists And are they neither afraid nor ashamed of it to drawe so neare the chalenge of the common aduersarie against their brethren and fathers in Gods church And yet the third obiection is the greatest that it shall- be preiudiciall to the estate of gouernment established which if it be sée what a hazard they put not so much the Archbishops and Bishops and manie other persons vnto besides the lawes and orders ecclesiasticall as the whole estate of the Church and realme of England and of all the gouernors as well as of the gouernement and so withall of all the ciuill and politike lawes established yea of her Maiesties owne estate gouernment and sacred person to be indangered Which obiection how they can sufficientlie answer vnto is an answer indéed worth the hearing For if now they can-not sufficientlie answer these obiections which here their selues before-hand presuppose will be or may be obiected against them it had béene better for them to haue suppressed these obiections Which will be a sore blanke to all their learned discourse following in the iudgement of the prudent and godlie reader Let vs now therefore sée their answer to the obiections And first in generall to them all thrée they say It may please their wisdomes who are to be iudges to consider what we haue to answer vnto these things which if they haue the truth of Gods word conteine the safest and best way in such cases tend to the full quieting of all and the remoouing of the plagues which are vpon vs and are likelie dailie further to come euen from the common aduersarie we may boldlie yet most humblie vpon our knees require them before God and all his elect Angels not to cast it awaie
shoulde either there must neuer bee assemblies and Councels such as were at Ierusalem among the Apostles for then their-selues confesse there can-not bee aequalitye Wee confesse say the Learned discoursers pag. 114 that in euerye assemblie or company some one of necessitie must haue this prerogatiue to order and dispose the same with reason So that if one muste haue preeminence aboue the residue then is there not so much equality as before and after And so for that time wherein of all other they shoulde bee moste Euangelicall by this moste greate aequality among them beeing left off they should not bee Euangelicall at all And therfore they may be Euangelicall well inough both in suche assemblies and without them hauing not suche most great aequality as is héere imagined Neither can I sée how this summa equalitas this most greate aequalitye can at anie time consist among the Pastors For if Caluines reason bee good vpon Galath 2. ver as we haue heard that greater honor speaking there of the honor of dignity should be geuen to those Pastors that haue greater gifts and all the Pastors in one Citie haue not giftes alike then not onely this inequality of dignity must bee of the Pastor to the people but also of the inaequality of the Pastors ariseth an inequality of the honor in dignity among the Pastors The reasons that our little English booke of the iudgement of a most reuerend and Learned man c. alleageth for the Bishop of God to bee all one with Pastor are the places cited already by our owne Learned discoursers alleaged as Ephes. 4.11 1. Tim. 3. Phil. 1.1 and therefore I passe them ouer to the places where they are aunswered come to the 2. kinde of Bishop the Bishop of man for on him lyeth now all the controuersie The humain saith Danaeus is when vnto some one out of the pastors there is giuen vpon the residue of the men which are also of the same order that is vpon other pastors and priestes of the Church a power or prelacy which is not indeed the chiefe but some it is If the bishoprick of man be no worse than this definition maketh it I sée not but that it is a good bishoprick yea why may it not be counted all one with the Euangelicall bishopricke Shall I say as much nay more then that which is most equall with all the pastors For this wee haue shewed by manifest prooues out of the word of God it self euen in the example of Tim. by the example of Iames Act. 15. 21. Gal. 2. euē out of Caluine Beza and by the exposition of manie the auncient and best approued Fathers by the track of the vniuersal practise from in the Apostles times by the testimonies of more than 2. or 3. most auncient credible witnesses that the bishop of man as he is héere defined is the very bishop of God also As for the 3. bishop of the Diuell let him go to the Diuell from whence he came We haue God be praised nought to do with him And howsoeuer our Br. might warble at the bishop if any were so euil a man that he might be called the Diuel himself as Christ called Iudas yet was his bishoprike of God We haue none to whome is giuen the summa potestas We acknowledge it to be only in Iesus Christ which is the only high bishop of our soules If he be the bishop of the Diuel to whom alone is giuen ouer other churches imperatoria dictatoria potestas an imperiall dictatorial power then be our bishops in England no bishops of the Diuel which haue no such most high imperial or dictatorly power Whosoeuer should so say of them should most manifestly slaunder them of whom a sclaunderer is that let the Etymology of the name Diabolus tel you As for our bishops they are of the number of those bishops of God Of whom this most reuerend man saith That the same were subiecte to Magistrates thoughe prophane appeareth not onely by the example of Christ the highest Prieste and of the Apostles but also by the expresse words of Paule 1. Tim. 2 Luke 12.13 and such God be praised bee our bishoppes and such were all these holy and auncient bishops that I haue mentioned Howbeit though the Pope may go in this crewe whether this definition suffice for all Popish Arch-bishops and Popish B I doubt mée of it For they haue no such highest power though they would But they are rather his slaues that hath it so it comes all to one reckoning for them so long as they like it and maintaine it in him and serue vnder him and as néere as they can or dare aspire to some part of his tyrannicall pride and diuelish vsurpation But God forbid that we shoulde so thinke when we cannot so say except we say amisse of any of our Reuerend Fathers bishops ouer vs that haue renounced him nor taken anie such power on them ouer either prince pastor or people in their gouernmēts But to annswere Danaeus with the iudgement of as reuerend and learned a man as is himselfe Let Danaeus his selfe aunswere himselfe what manner of superiority he alloweth in Bish. For writing vpō the 5. chapter of the 1. Tim. ver 22. Vnto whome the election of a pastor doth belong After hee hath taken it from prince from patrone from praelate neither yet that it perteyneth to all the Church alike whiche were to disturbe all thinges neither to anie one because none in the Church saue only Christe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gouernour by himselfe alone but of his arguments of election we shall sée God willing afterwarde at the length he saithe Neque eriam obstat c. Neither also doth this let it that the Bishop is of the fathers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 President as though hee onely might order the whole Church after his fancy and therein aduāce whome he pleased for that worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Praesident declareth onely an order that he which was called the Bishop ought to sitte among his colleagues and fellow Priestes or Elders but it giueth not vnto him a kingly or a chiefe and Pretor-like power vppon the Church Ambrose in lib. de dignitate Sacerdotum cap. 6. doth confirme that whiche wee saye If thine eye shal be simple thy whole bodie shal-be cleare that is If that the B. which deseued to rule the bodie be bewtified with holy simplicitie and innocēcie all the Church shineth with the brightnes of the light But if thy eie be euil c. That is if the B. which seemed to giue light to the body subiect to him be shadowed with the blindnesse of wicked behauiour what shal the other mēbers do that are bereft the light of the eies That is to say what shall the seculer multitude do whē with vnlawfull actions forbiddē the B. shal prouoke the
behaue themselues as the lawes of God and the godly ordinaunces of the Church and realme hath in that behalfe prouided And that those which forgetting their calling are puffed vp with anye ambitious desire of exercising Lordshippe shoulde bee repressed and if they haue any suche title or office shoulde exercise their Lordship in humility without ambition or pride But this simply debarreth not the exercise of all kinde of Lordship in any competent dignity reuerent title of honor and superiour authority which is the question but rather confirmeth it so to be exercised with painfull diligence and ready care without slouthfulnesse with hospitalitie loue of the flock without couetousnesse of lucre with modeste humility without ambitious desire of exercising Lordship We allow here this collection out of Peter that he eahorteth them to painfull diligence because â—hey were B or Ouerseers to a ready care bicause they were Pastors â—herefore should labour for loue of the flocke not for lucre like hyrelings to modest humility because their chiefe dignity in that they were Elders was to excell in godlines that they might bee an example to the flock All this likewise is true their excellencie in godlinesse is aboue al the excellencie in any dignity or Ecclesiastical honor that they can be exalted vnto but that that followeth which can-not be except they submit themselues and their liues to the common rule of other men is somewhat darkely and straungely spoken For if our brethren meane by this submission of themselues and their liues to the common rule of other men that they should haue no superior Ecclesiastical authority ouer other men but that all other men were aequal and alike in all Ecclesiastical gouernment vnto them or rather that the ouerseers of other men shoulde in their rule ouersight be vnder inferior to the rule and that also to the common rule of other men this were a manifest absurdity in al reason and a plaine contradiction to it selfe Neither did Peter or any of the Apostles so submit themselues neither were Timothy or Titus bidden by S. Paul so to submit themselues neither doth Peter here or any where els wil any Bish. Pastors or Elders so to do But for al their humulity of minde and diligâ—nce of body in teaching c. neuerthelesse to ouersee to commaund to rebuke to rule gouerne other men Ministers and all according to their place of calling and authority of God committed vnto them And they that thus do and embrace withall these most excellent vertues they should be sure to bee plentifully rewarded by him who only as here is truely said deserueth to be called the chiefe of all Elders Pastors Bishops Neither is there any at least that I know or I thinke that our Brethren can name except that man of sin the Pope which claimeth any such title to be called the chiefe of al Elders Pastors and Bishops sure I am none deserueth so to bee called As for any of our Arch-bishops whose dignitye as it conteyneth no such absolute either power or title so it stretcheth nothing néere to all or to halfe or to a quarter and but scarse to a handfull in comparison of all Elders Pastors and Bishops and is bownded onelye to this little corner and portion of the Church in the realme of England both they and all we still acknowledging this that our Lorde Iesus Christe only deserueth to be called and onely is indeede the chiefe of all Elders Pastors B. as heere is said And also if these wordes following bee likewise so absolutely generally vnderstood To whome only these honorable names of Archipresbyter Archiepiscopus Archipoimen and such like do properly agree we agree also that they agree only in that proper sense to him As Christ in an absolute vnderstanding of good saith Luc. 18. None is good but onely God And as S Paule saith to the Rom. 16. namely to Timothy 1. Tim â— â—7 To the King eternall immortall inuisible wise onely be honor glory for euer and euer And 1. Tim. 6 15- 16. speaking of the comming of the comming of our L Iesus Christ whome in his times he that blessed one and only Prince King of kings and Lord of lordâ— shall shew who only hath immortality c. And as the same our sauiour Christ willeth vs not to be called father or Maister For we haue one Father and Maister which is in heauen to whome onely these honorable titles do indeede properly agree speaking properlye of proper agreement in the fowrth and highest manner of propriety But if we make al these honorab titles so properly to agree vnto Christ that none of them may be vnderstood included or communicated to any of the Eccl. Politicall nor oeconomicall Ministers of Christe so that none at al may be called either good or King or Prince or Wise or Father or Maister by participation of any portion of the goodnes power wisdom fatherhoode Maistershippe c. of God as offices gifts or graces imparted to vs while we should hypocritically or zealously pretend to honour him and to séeke his only glory we should both vnthankfully indéede not acknowledge his goodnes and gratious giftes whiche recommende to vs the more glory in him and disobedientlie dishonor him in his ordinances and higher powers that he hath placed ouer vs. But where now doth God in this or any other expresse or inclusiue place of all the Scripture challenge to himself all these honorable names to agree onely and properly vnto him The honorable name that Saint Peter onely Heere ascribeth to Christe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cheefe or principall pastor Which Title I neuer hearde of any other that it was giuen vnto or taken vpon him As for Archipresbytor a principal priest or elder which tearme it is not in vse with vs nor Arch-priest as our aduersaries cal it bicause in the office of Priesthoode Eldership or Pastorship we acknowledge all to haue one office vnder the high-pastor of our soules and auncient of daies Iesus Christ. Onelie sith that the name Archbishop signifiing a chief or principall ouer-seer is no where in the Scrip. properly nor not properly applyed vnto him shall we dare to say as wee maye of some other peculiar titles and names of God Iehouah Omnipotent c. when as God now then of his goodnes vouchsafeth to coÌ„municat to some his especial Minist so honorab names belonging to himself Adonai Ellohim the name of the Lordes Christ or anoynted c. that these hon names Archipresbyter Archiepis do so only properly agree vnto Iesus Christ that none other in no other conditional sense may be called by them I thinke this can not wel be prooued by scripture nor any reason or argument will inferre it If we think this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Prince by contraction prefixed and in corporate to the other words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Which if it were perchance many of these our Learned brethen Discoursers theirselues might fail especially in this last point being not able what soeuer they perswade theÌ„selues to defend these their owne desires and to confute vs iheir Brethren whome they take in hande to confute not of any vnholesome Doctrine which they confesse that wee professe so well as they and as for those whome they shoulde rather confute indéede as the papistes the Anabaptistes the Arians the libertines the brethren of Loue and such like mainteining not wholesom doctrine it would not onely appose them but many other yea otherwise good preachers to confute them in such order as the Apostle there requireth In the famous Nicene Counsell were assembled many notable learned Bishops and Elders and yet when it came to disputation one simple ancient father who was no preacher neither did more good in confuting a sophisticall and wrangling Phylosopher euen by the plaine recitall of the onely Creede than al the the eloquent and Learned bishops were able to doe For as the Arian philosopher sayd while they striued with words he had wordes ynough for them all But when vertue came words gaue place to vertue If it be sayde this fact was not of a Pastor but of a lay Confessor as Socrates mentioneth Hist. Tripart lib. 2. cap. 3. Which notwithstanding in Sozomenus seemeth another like fact to bee done by a Preest or Elder being also a Confessor to defend the other preests his fellowes whome another philosopher insulted vpon yet euen in the next Chapter Sozomenus mentioneth a Confutation also not much vnlike betweene a pagane phisosopher and Alexander Bishop of Constantinople For when diâ—tra of the phylosophers desired to dispute before the Emperor with the bishop and he being vnexpert in such exercise of wordes c. Notwithstanding tooke vpon him the conflict by the commandement of the Emperour When all the philosophers would speak he required them to appoint out one whom they would choose and coÌ„manded the other to hold their peace and marke what should bee spoken of them twaine Whervpon one of them vndertaking the dealing of the whole disputation the blessed Alexander saith vnto the philosopher in the name of Iesus Christ I command thee that thou speake not and as soone as he had sayd the word the deed was performed For sodainly so soone as he heard the speech his mouth being closed vp hee became speechelesse This bishop was of great vertue of life and had the gift as it appeared of myracles He could not dispute and confute the gainsayer of wholesome doctrine yet could he stop their mouthes pretily wel But if our brethren had bene there if they durst not speake for feare their mouthes had beene stopt likewise yet they woulde after haue sayde of him that being vnable to confute he was altogether vnmeete for the office of a Pastor or a byshop But those that woulde say so of suche a man were meete ynough to haue their mouthes also if not by myracle yet by authority to bee stopped rather than to open them thus at randon against many good playn and simple pastors who though they haue not the gifte of GOD with any audacitye and grace of vtterance in the pulpit make a plausible sermon to the people yet in priuate admonition in sound knowlege in sincere constant profession of the trueth can teach and perswade with their example and confute more effectually by theire life though otherwise in publike action they can doe little without their booke and yet shall some of these perhaps do more good among the people than some other eloquent and famous Preacher or Disputer or Confuter shal be able to doe I graunt these high and moste excellent gifts are to be honored with duble honor but the other are not so far to be despised as to be called altogether vnmeet for the office of a pastor or bishop Howbeit I confesse if any be altogether ignorant of the knowledge of Gods worde the same is also altogether vnmeet for the office of a pastor or bishop Hereupon our brethren set down their resolution saying Wherefore if wee euer minde such a reformation as God shall thereby be glorified his Church edified we must vtterly remoue al the vnlearned pastors as men by no means to be tollerated to haue any charge ouer the Lordes flocke and also prouide that heereafter none bee receiued into that office but such as are sufficient for their knowledge ability in teaching to take so waighty a charge in hand What a great vnthankfulnesse is this to say If euer we minde sucha reformation as God shal thereby be glorified and his church edified As who shoulde say it was neuer yet hetherto in all this Reformation of the Church eyther endeuored or so much as minded And is all this that hath béene done nothing to the glorifying of God nor to the edifying of his Church or hath it so fallen out that both God hath bene glorified therby and his Church edified and yet was neuer minded with charity to our bretheren beit spoken this their censure is too too vncharitable both of her Maiest her Maiest Brothers and Fathers mindes and reformation with all their godly Counsels endeuours and all their learned bishops and preachers trauels to these especiall purposes that God might bee glorified and his Church edified and too iniurious euen to the Glorye that God hath already gotten and the edification that the Churche namely of England hath enioyed and other Chuhches that haue in part felt no small comfort and edification therby Gods name bée more and more glorified and praysed for it But nowe imagining if wee may so harden our heartes and benumbe our senses as not to féele nor acknowledge these good blessings of God that Gods glory and his Churches edification was neuer yet sette foorth among vs nor so much as minded what is the thing they woulde haue vs doe If euer we minde such a reformation as God shal thereby be glorified and his Church edified we must vtterly forsooth remoue all the vnlearned pastors as men by no meanes to bee tollerated to haue any charge ouer the Lords flocke and also prouide that heereafter none be receiued into that office but such as are sufficient for their knowledge and ability in teaching to take so waighty a charge in hand Concerning the prouision for heereafter it is very good counsell But for those that are in office already only for that they caÌ„not publikly preach and exhorte and confute though otherwise they haue neuer so muche knowledge there is no remedy but that they must euery one be remooued and that vtterly remoued and that by no meanes to be tollerated no not to haue any charge though it be not the pastorall charge no not to be a Deacon nor a Reader nor yet a Dore-keeper ouer the Lordes flock this is a hard censure Indeede nothing so harde as one of them with more eager zeale
when he saith that by the commandement of God hee tooke the vessel or instrument of a folish pastor or shepherd 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth vnto the Hebrues anie instrument we expound it a broken bagge But that is to much wrested I doubt not therefore but that by the instrument of the pastor Zacharie vnderstandeth the Ensignes or notable markes out of the which it might be gathered there was yet some pastor but in the meane season he calleth him a foolish pastor that we may knowe he was but a voide or a deceitfull visard The name therefore of pastor is heere placed by granting to it as the Scripture often speaketh and at this day we also grant now and then to the Papists the name of the Church and also we graunt to their horned or mitred Bishops the name of Pastors Thus doth Caluine apply this saying to the Papistes as the most part both of olde and newe interpreters apply the Pastor heere mentioned to Antichrist and the instrument of this foolish shepheard to the title of the Church But none that I read of to the prescript forme of godly praiers or to the reading of godly and learned homilies If our Brethren say that these thinges are not of themselues called the instrumentes of foolish Pastors but when they are alleaged to maintaine the ignorance of vnskilfull Pastors although this be not true altogether neyther yet were it true when these thinges are so alleaged as the scripture in some sense when it is wrested and alleaged to maintayne that which it is not spoken of nor appliable vnto is called a dead letter or rather not the Scripture at all and so may be called in suche a wrested and false sense the instrument of an Hereticall Pastor and of the Diuell himselfe or by any worse name and yet vsed and applyed in his true sense in which onely it is indéede the Scripture it is the holie woorde of God as also wee may saye the like of the sacrifices and other ceremonies of Gods lawe amonge the Iewes when they were vsed in their kindes and referred as types and figures to Iesus Christe they were the holy ordinaunces of the Lorde but being drawen from Christe whome they prefigured to maintayne the errour of opâ—â— operatum as though they had vertue and grace in themselues to forgiue the sinnes of those that made the sacrifices or of those to whome they applyed them they are then called beggerly elementes and as it were the offering vp of dogges which God detesteth so if we shoulde commende the reading of prescript forme of holie and deuout prayers or of godlie and learned homilies to maintaine the ignorance of vnskilfull Pastors then indeede it might well be sayde that the holinesse and deuotion of those prayers turneth to sinne and superstition the godlinesse and learnednesse of those homilies might well be sayde by the iudgement of GOD to be no better than instrumentes of foolish Pastors though in these places cited God call them not so But since we alleage not nor vse any prescript reading or forme of prayer and homelies to maintayne the ignoraunce of vnskilfull Pastors but contrariwise to instruct both them and all others that here the same and so to bring them out of ignorance to godly and learned knowledge these odious and contemptuous termes can by no right bee iustlie applyed vnto them And as for the suffering of anye blinde guydes to leade the blinde If they be suche blinde ones indéede as Christe speaketh of it were not conuenient they should be suffered And if our Brethren would leaue these vnnecessarie striuings with suche guydes as be not blind but sée as well or better than theirselues those blinde guydes where any be might be better and more orderly remooued and other faithfull ouerseers placed in their steede The ministers of the Church are the salte of the earth If the salte be vnsauorie wherewith shall it be seasoned It is good for nothing but to be cast out and trooden downe of mens feete Let vs not therefore seeke politike shiftes to maintayne the vnsauorie salte which our Sauiour Christ pronounceth to be good for nothing but to be cast out By these and many other testimonies of the scripture it is as cleare as the sonne at noone dayes that it is the office and duetie of a Pastor both to be able and willing to teach his flocke and that no ignorant vnlerned person is to be admitted to that charge or reteyned if hee be crept in no more than a blind man is to be suffred in an office which must be executed only with the sight or a dumbe dogge to giue warning which can not barke or an Idol to haue the place of a man or a foole of a wise man or a wolfe of a shepheard or darkenesse in steede of light or salte that is vnsauorie to season withall We graunt no politike shifts should be fought nor vsed neyther hope we any are sought or vsed at least our Brethren haue not yet prooued any to be sought or vsed by the state of the Ecclesiasticall gouernement to maintayn such Ministers as may rightly be coÌ„pared vnto these termes Neither are godly and learned Homilies nor the prescribed forme of godly prayers any politike shiftes to maintaine them If they were our Brethren theirselues might be burdened to seeke also such politike shifts that doe likewise prescribe a forme of publike prayer Such Ministers as are here described blinde fooles Idiots Idols dumbe dogges wolues darkenesse salte vnsauorie ignorant and vnlearned persons where any vpon iust tryall are founde and conuicted so to be and of whom is no hope that they may become able and willing to teach their flocke it had béene better we confesse they had not béene admitted to that charge or beeing crept in are not to be reteyned Notwithstanding all such may orderly be remooued and yet the prescript forme of common prayer of godly learned homilies the superior authoritie of Bishops Archb. with the other discipline and gouernement of the Church of England already established may continue well inough in force without these byous odious and impertinent quarels of mainteyning any such vnlerned ministers But while we intreate of teaching to be the dutie of a Pastor we do not only mean publike preaching when the congregation is assembled but also priuate exhortation reprehension consolation of euery particuler person within his charge so often as neede shall require And that this is also the dutie of a faithfull Bishop S. Paule testifieth setting before the Elders of the Churche of Ephesus the example of his diligence which he would haue them to follow You know sayth he from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you at all seasons Seruing the Lorde with all modestie c. And how I kept backe nothing that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you
examination and determining of al matters pertayning to discipline and gouernement of that congregation The premisses inferred not this conclusion S. Paule speaketh not at all in those places of euerie Church and congregation nor howe many offices ought to be in euerie of them nor of any consistorie or Seniorie at all of Elders or Gouernors in them nor of the hearing examination determining of all matters pertayning to discipline and gouernement of that congregation nor who or how many of them ought to do these things nor of any certaine perpetuall and ordinarie platforme of officers or offices to the whole Churche or to euerie particular Churche and congregation None of all these pointes are here either plainely declared or inclusiuely insinuated by S. Paule and yet sée how our Brethren when they are once growne to be bolde to affimre one point out of Gods word for these officers more than the worde of God leadeth them vnto dare from one point procéeding to another waxe bolder and bolder in the ende so bolde not nowe only to affirme plainely all these things But to make a flat and plaine conclusion on them and that a necessarie that therefore there ought to be in euery Church a Consistorie or Signorie of Elders or Gouernors which ought to haue the hearing examination and determining of all matters pertaining to discipline and gouernment of that congregation and then indéede farewell not only our former questions of womens gouernement but of all Princes gouernement women or men in any of their dominions For here is not onely mentioned discipline but also gouernement and not in Ecclesiasticall matters only but in all matters pertayning to the gouernement of that congregation and not onely the hearing and examination of all matters but also the determining of them all And all this not to be done in some but in euerie Church and in euerie congregation in the Realme yea in the whole worlde And all this to be done not by any officers of the Prince but by a Consistorie or Segnorie of Elders or Gouernours chosen among themselues not any officers of the Prince being so muche as mentioned among them no nor now when it commeth to the conclusion eyther Pastor or Bishop is ioyned with them So that both the Pastor and the Bishop is now so farre remooued from hauing any authoritie of gouernemnt in the Church separated from others by him selfe that he may kéepe it by him selfe haue he any for with them in conclusion hee getteh none they will haue all separately by themselues Are not these matters trowe wée in this Learned Discourse of our Brethren properly concluded and to the great beautifying of Gods Church and to the quiet establishment of this Realme O Brethren Brethren it is more than high time to looke to such a Segnorie the verye péeping out of whose heades and the first appearing in the Discoursing of them shall beginne his course on this course fashion and vnder pretence of putting by the Bishoppe and of ioyning with the Pastor shall so exclude the Princes established authoritie and sette vp such a straunge newe gouernement among them-selues and that in euerie particular Congregation that is in euerie parish Church both with vs in Englande and throughout all Christendome But nowe to mittigate all this least it might growe into shrewde suspition of most daungerous troubles innouations and confusions of all Realmes and states by giuing too great authoritie to the Segnories of these Congregationall Elders and Gouernours Our Brethren adioyne heereunto with great circumspection certaine cautions of moderation Which authority of theirs say they neuerthelesse ought to be moderated that their iudgement may be rightly accounted the iudgement of the holy Church I thinke they would say of the whole Church But the terme holie is well-inough For verily if the Churche be not the holier this Segnorie might bréede a mysterie of great mischiefe and vnholinesse except their iudgement in choosing and the authoritie of those that be chosen shall the better be moderated Let vs therefore marke our Bretherens moderating of these Gouernours to bridle and represse all these inconueniences Which thing consisteth in these two points First that the Elders be elected and chosen by consent of the whole Congregation men of godlinesse and wisedome in whom the whole Church reposeth such confidence that they committe vnto them their authority in hearing and determining such matters as without horrible confusion they cannot performe themselues I looked here for the moderating of these Elders that their authoritie should haue béen so restrayned or limited that either they should not deale in all matter of gouernement or not proceede ouer farre therein But our Brethren talke of no such moderating of them Their moderation consisteth in two pointes whereof the first is for their election that the Elders be elected and chosen by the consent of the whole congregation What And shall neither Prince Magistrate Bishop Pastor nor any officer ciuill or Eccl. haue any stroake ouer and aboue the whole multitude of the congregation in the election of them which shall deale in all matters of gouernment This first point is a point as daungerous as any of the residue And how shall the whole congregation giue their consent in the electing of them Shall they doe it by some other chosen persons among them that shall giue their consent for them And then who shall choose them that shall chose those that shall choose these Elders chosen for them Or shall euery person of the whole congregation by himselfe or all of them together on a huddle choose them And what if they cannot consent vpon them Shall the halfe or greater parte goe for the whole when the other halfe or the lesser part of the whole congregation dissenteth from the election And how then will they chose suche men of godlinesse and wisedome as they imagine And what also if the greater part thēselues of the congregation want wisedome to make such choise of them Or affection of loue hate feare hope c. ouercome their wisedome As we sée it doth oftentimes not only in fewe but in multitudes And the greatest parte hath not alwayes the greatest wisedome nor greatest godlinesse Whereupon ariseth the common saying maior pars vincit meliorē the greatest part ouercomes the better And our greater part must be accounted for the whole or else no choise at all will bée made among them And where then shall our men of wisedome and godlinesse by the consent of the whole congregation be elected and chosen Well say they yet they shall be men of such wisedome and godlines as in whome the whole Churche reposeth such confidence that they committe vnto them their authoritie in hearing and determining such matters as without horrible confusion they can not performe themselues And can they not giue their cōsent to the hearing determining such matters without not only confusion
disorder of moste slaunderous speeches cast foorth on the Prince on the Peeres on the Prelates on the people on the whole Church and Realme of England that I much maruaile that they would euer let them escape their lippes or conceiue them in their hearts and much more penne them in writing and publish them in print and commende them to the worlde with the title of a Learned Discourse Surely this a verie vnlearned vnaduised vngodlie and disloiall part Whatsoeuer they had in the gaule of their zeale powred foorth on vs would God they had neuer attempted so vntruely to deface both their and our so gracious godlie louing and most blessed soueraigne Do they thinke to shadowe them-selues and to salue vp all againe in saying Our Br. mockery of her Maiesties supremacy this is done with as heighnous iniury and contumely of the lawfull authority and godly supremacy of the Prince In-deede this is more subiect-like to bee offended that any iniury or contumely should be offered to the Lawfull authority and godly supremacy of the Prince But when they say withall that all the detestable enormities of the Popes praerogatiue and faculties and whole course of Canon Lawe is nowe still reteined and that the Papacie is not so much banished in name as translated in deede from the sea of Rome to the sea of Canterbury and that all this is done vnder the shadow of the Princes Supremacie what lawfull authoritie or godlie supremacie of the Prince make they this to be And is not this dooing and saying then of theirs a méere mockerie and contradiction with an heighnous iniurie and contumelle of the lawfull authoritie and godlie supremacie of the Prince Yes verelie and ioyned with great dishonor of God and miserable disorder of the Church that euer such disordered speaches should be suffered But we may soone gesse whether for these parts of the Papacie We maywel see by these speeches whether for diuerse pointes the papacy wold be traÌ„slated to wit soule-mouthed slanders not sparing to offer iniuries and contumelies to their naturall and Souereigne Prince for making and imposing another Canon Lawe and a new kinde of Supremacie of pastors and Seniors should be translated not from Rome to Canterburie though neither we nor they can well tell from whence but whether euen to euerie seuerall Parish and Congregation For what could all the papistes or the Pope himselfe haue said more or worse against the Prince the Church and the Realme of England than these out learned Discoursing Brethren haue comprehended in these distempred speaches And now when they haue thus disgorged all this choller for verie anger that they can not haue their gouerning Presbyters and not not preaching Priests to exercise this power of the keyes and discipline of the Church they conclude as it were slinging away in a chase from further treatise of their Gouernors saying But we minde not in this place to prosecute our iust complaints nor to inueigh against the abuse of these thinges with such vehemencie of words as the worthinesse of the matters deserueth but onelie in setting foorth the plaine truth to giue a glimpse by the way of the contrarie falshoode All that our Br say must be plaine truth iust complaints all our sayings and doings are with them contrarie falshoods abuses All these foul speeches are but our Br. glimpses by the way and yet these al their other so foule speaches are forsooth but their glimpses by the way What will these fellowes doo trow we wheÌ„ they come directlie vpon vs with such vehemencie of words as they say the worthinesse of the matters deserueth But since they threaten vs as it were bidde vs expect in some other place where belike they minde to prosecute these complaints inuectiues with greater vehemencie Our Br. for warning â— greater â—â—â—ectiues we may yet thanke them for this curtesse that they giue vs before hande so faire a warning Praeuisa leuiùs feriunt mala He that is ful warned is halfe armed We shal make our selues readie for the push of their vehemencie so well as God shall giue vs grace thereto And thus with this foule blast and threatning sling they knit vp this their Learned Discourse of their third Tetrarke these Gouernors Presbyters Preestes or Elders that are all in ruling and not teaching And since they are not hetherto able to alleage better proofes for their Consistory of these Elders neyther yet Caluine Beza nor Danaeus as for other I account not of them more than these I hope wee shall neede to feare the lesse our Brethrens threates of any greater vehemencie to come that shall be materiall to the controuersy The argument of the 13 Booke THE 13. Booke is of the last tetrarke called the Deacons with a Preface exhorting to releeue the poore in what sort the Deacons office is perpetuall of the first occasion of ordeyning Deacons for the distribution of temporall goods of the occasion ceassing how that part of the office is changeable how the office had another part remayning to be imployed in the attendanâ—s on the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments of the examples heereof in the first seauen Deacons namely Stephen and Philip with the iudgements of Gualter Aretius and the Magdeburgenses heereupon how the part perteining to distribution of goodes was altered and ioyned with other functions and not any peculiar office in many well ordered Churches after the ordeyning of Deacons at Ierusalem of our Brethrens deuiding the office of Deacons in diuers partes and whether the distributers showers of mercie and helpers mentioned Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12. were seuerall and distinct offices with the interpretations of Ambrose Bullinger Beza Caluine and Aretius on the same of the good politike lawes for the poores reliefe and the cause that they take not so good effect of the multitude of disordinate walkers and practisers against the State and whether these deuises of Deacons would represse them or increase them of the election of Deacons and of tyrannie and confusion whether the Deacons trayning vp to the Ministerie be a prophaning of the office and making the Deacons to be idolles of the diuers names and offices of the auncient and holie Churches that Danaeus mentioneth for the attendance on the poore of the Collectors for the poore amongst vs of their qualities and difference from Deacons of the exception of Philips beeing an Euangelist and so a preacher of Deacons to be as woorshipfull men as conueniently may be gotten of the manner of ordeyning Deacons whether the Deacons consisteth onely in the ministration to the poore with the iudgements of Beza Caluine Aretius and Bullinger for the same and of the playner vnderstanding of Ambroses words about the diuers kinds of Deacons WE must therefore returne to the authoritie of the Pastor which he hath ioyned with the Elders of the Church whereof he is Pastor The Church hath alwayes had great care of prouision for the poore by which
Magistrates for we will not speake of Sergius Paulus Proconsull of Cyprus because he was but a Liefetenant of the Romane Emperour this authoritie was proper vnto the Synode If Donatistes Anabaptistes or Papistes had repeted this reason I would lesse haue marueiled For this argument is the common refuge of all these three most pernitious Heretikes and enemies to the authoritie of the ciuill Christian Magistrate When the Emperours made lawes against the Donatistes and they vsed this reason against the Emperours Saint Augustine aunswereth them thus Non inuenitur c. There is not founde an example in the Euangelicall and Apostolicall writinges that any thing was craued of the Kinges of the earth for the Church against the enemies of the Church who denieth that it is not founde But as yet that prophecie was not fulfilled And nowe ye kinges vnderstande and bee yee learned that iudge the earth serue the Lorde in feare For as yet that was fulfilled which is sayde a little before in the same psalme Wherefore did the Gentiles fret and the people imagine vaine thinges The Kinges of the earth and the Princes came together in one against the Lorde and against his Christe or his annointed Neuerthelesse if the factes forepassed in the propheticall bookes were figures of thinges to come in that King which is called Nabuchodonozor eyther of the times was figured both that which the Church had vnder the Apostles and that it nowe hath In the time therefore of the Apostles and martyrs that was fulfilled which was figured when the King whome wee haue mentioned did compell the Godly and the iust to worship Images and commaunded them that refused to bee casâ— into the flambes But now is that fulfilled which a little after was figured in the same King when as hee beeing conuerted to honour the true God decreed in his kingdome that whosoeuer blasphemed the God of Sydrak Misak and Abednago shoulde suffer due punishmentes The former time therefore of that King did signify the former times of the infidell Kings which the Christians suffered for the wicked But the later time of that king did signify the times of the later Kinges that are nowe faythfull which the wicked suffer for the Christians Thus sayth S. Augustine against the Donatistes that vsed this argument against the Lawes and decrees of the Emperors that in the Apostles times there were no Christian Princes that Christ appointed not Princes but Preachers to meddle in matters of Religion and at this day the Papistes and Anabaptistes furbish ouer a fresh the same arguments and will our Brethren nowe gather vp once again the off-scourings of these their rotten reasons to furnish their Learned Discourse of their Pastors and Elders in their assemblies and Synodes against the lawfull authoritie in Ecclesiasticall matters of the ciuil Christian Magistrate But wee haue scene this reason before sufficiently confuted by Gellius Snecanus a principall fauorite of our Brethren to whose further confutations I remit them Who confuteth also this exception of Paulus Sergius which namely heere our Brethren put backe and will not admitte But their reason is ouer weake Because hee was but a liefetenant of the Romayne Emperour For if he were the Emperors Lifetenant he represented to them where he was liefetenant the cheef authoritie of the Emperour himselfe euen as much as Pilato Festus or Felix did in Iurie And if the people did obey him before hee was a Christian did his Christianitie among those people that were conuerâ—ed likewise ouer whome he still gouerned diminish his authoritie but what meane they heereby doe they reiect all argumentes for proofe of the authoritie of the ciuill Christian Magistrate if they bee not as meere Monarkes as was the Emperor what an aduantage were this giuen to the Anabaptists and what a number of Snecanus examples were hereby defeated And yet doth not this argument holde that because this authoritie was proper to the Synode before there were any Christian Magistrates and â—o the Synode then decreed all such caeremonial constitutions without yea agaynst the consent of the ciuill magistrate because as they say there were not then any Christian Magistrates that yet it so remayneth still proper to the Synode to decree all such caeremonial constitutions without yea against the Ciuill Magistrate being now become a Christian Magistrate But they can-not doe so nowe the state of the Prince being the principall partie ouer them and agreeing in faith with them as they could do them or rather could do them otherwise So that all the case is cleane altered by this so great an alteration And nowe if they will not haue the ciuill Christian Magistrate to decree any such caeremonial constitutions without and against the Pastors consent is it meete the Pastors shoulde on the other side decree any such constitutions without and against the consent of the ciuil Christian Magistrate what an arrogancie were this in them and what an iniurie offered to the ciuil Christian Magistrate But as they can shewe no such Caeremoniall Constitution in force among vs made by our gracious souereigne against or without the consent of sufficient store of our Learned Bishops and Pastors so they can shewe none made by our Learned Bishops and Pastors whereby the Church of England must bee gouerned without the consent of our moste Christian soueraigne and cheefe Magistrate No God forbid that euer we should contend with so godly a Prince And would God our Brethren would not so farre presume herein hauing such a blessed Prince of her Maiestie as they and wee haue to contend thus to get vnto them selues the only or cheefe authoritie to call Synodes to decree caeremoniall constitutions to prescribe lawes to frame modilles and to lay plot-fourmes of Ecclesiasticall regiment and Christian Discipline to set foorth newe bookes of Common Prayer of the diuine seruice and administring Sacraments of ordeining Ministers of making new maners of marying of Excommunicating the offenders by new gouernors of burying the dead without all accustomed orders of altering parishes of deposing B. of making al Past. to be equall of bringing in new officers of disposing al the Clergies liuings yea of limitting the authority of the ciuil Christian magistrate and commending al these things vnto the subiects in the title of Learned Discourses and faithfull ministers and to do all this and many thinges mo besides those that yet wee see not so plainly opened both without and against the consent and authoritie of their moste dread and Christian Soueraigne yea verilie to her greate greefe and no small daunger both of her royall estate and person But as though all were cleare and safe our Brethren still go on against the ciuil Christian Magistrates authoritie saying Which authoritie we knowe to bee graunted to the Church by our Sauiour Christe practized by his Apostles continued by their successors three hundred yeres before there was any Chrisâ—ian Emperors
godly and yet vnperfect as wee our selues and all our actions and offices are Though our Bretheren boast too much of puritie and perfection wee rather tend to it than that wee are as yet able to apprehend it For as the Apostle sayth 1. Cor. 13. vers 9 10. wee knowe in parte and wee prophecie in parte but when that which is perfect is come then that which is in parte shal be abolished Would God both for our Bretheren and for vs wee were in the better parte for our ministerie and more neere to perfection all of vs both in that and in all things els than we be And for our partes wee are readie to abide all due and true reformation But as for such reformations as these are that these our learned Bretheren which call themselues all the faythfull Ministers doe desire or rather doe not desire but prescribe vnto us for the discipline and reformation of the Church of England they are so farre off from any neernes to perfection that forsooth and forsooth they would rather deforme vs altogether than any whit reforme vs or amend vs. Fourthly saye they if you will see how well the authoritie which they claime and practise is vsed of them that onely haue the choyce and admission of ministers looke ouer the whole Realme of England what a multitude of vnfit pastors shall you finde in euery place so that Ieroboam neuer made worse priestes of the refuse of the people to serue his golden Calues than they haue ordeyned ministers to feede the flocke of Christ which hee hath purchased with his owne blood It is good to see how well or ill the authoritie claymed is practised or vsed so wee see it with an intentiue and yet a single eye discerning euermore betweene the authoritie it selfe and the practise and in the practise betweene the vse and the abuse thereof Now if wee shall thus looke ouer the whole Realme of England which GOD bee praysed is a large circuite and conteyneth a very great number of Pastors it is lesse maruell if there bée many not in all things so good as their office and order doth require Saint Paule findeth fault in the Church of Corinthus euen with all the prophetes there being though not all of them yet many the ordinarie ministers and teachers of the worde for their great disorders And how much more especially in this our more corrupt age is it lesse woonder if wee should see a multitude of vnfit pastors in looking ouer a whole Realme and that such a Realme as Englande is maior est orbis vrbe sayth Saint Ierome And yet in the Citie where hee was at Rome the multitude of the euill Priestes or ministers and their enuie made him forsake Rome and goe to Bethelem Yea for the enuie of the Priestes and ministers long before him Tertullian from growing in malecontentment with the dissolute life of the ministers fell so farre from them that in the ende hee became a Montaniste And the too much disliking of the corrupt liues of the Bishops the Clergie and the Ministers in the auncient Churche hath made many too austere Ministers otherwise excellent learned men and streight liuers become Scismatikes as many of the precise nouatians and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Puritanes were But now if wee shall looke ouer the whole Realme of England what a multitude say our Bretheren of vnfit Pastors shall you finde in euery place And indeede what a multitude I graunt moe than wee woulde there were or than there should bee For in duetie there ought none at all to bee vnfit But if wee shall viewe the number well without sinister affection I trust wee shall not stude considering the whole Realme so great a multitude as our Bretherens exclamation grounded on ill will to the state of all the Ministers and to their Ministerie it selfe would make the worlde beleeue that there is vnfitnesse in so many that euen in euery place wee should finde a multitude of them Whereas contrarywise though there bee not a multitude of fitte Pastors in euery place yet there is some and some good multitude in many places God bee praysed for it and encrease the multitude of them But they finde fault not onely with the multitude of vnfitte Pastors in euery place but that also they bee so vnfitte that they spare not to saye so that Ieroboam neuer made worse Priestes of the refuse of the people to serue his golden Calues then they haue ordeyned Ministers c. Where here they speake not of so odde particular euill persons either degenerating from their order or vnworthie to haue bene at alâ— ordeyned or perchaunce crept into the number by subornation and counterfeiting to bée ministers and are not as in a whole Realme such naughtie persons may bee found but speake it generally and of a great multitude in euery place These bitter speeches seeme rather to arise from the froth of some sharpe choler if not very melancholie comprehending in generall the good and the bad to compare not onely the poore ministers that to their habilities feede the flocke of Christ which he hath purchased with his owne blood to the Idolatrous Priestes that Ieroboam made of the refuse of the people to serue his golden Calues but also with like generalitie of all the Bishoppes without discerning who hath made any vnfit ministers and who not that the fault being personall might light vpon the persons offending they charge them all alike that they haue all done as did that execrable Apostata and Idolatrous tyrant Ieroboam who being though a Prince yet a mere laye man tooke vppon him to make Priestes and ministers of the rascalles and refuse of the people whereas in déede neither hee had he bene otherwise neuer so good coulde make any Priestes at all nor they had they bene neuer so â—â—tte learned or godly could bée made Priestes being not of the stocke of Aaron and so in deede were no true Priestes at all But what doe I goe about to repell this so manifest a sclaunder the indignitie whereof deserueth chastisement rather than answere saue that our Bretheren vâ—â— a little poynt of cunning herein from which they should the rather shunne because as ill men as was Ieroboam euen many auncient Hereticks vsed the same comparison And at this daye it is the common practise of the Papistes when they would breede a misliking of all our doctrine and our ministerie to vndermyne it by finding fault with the ministers vnfitnesse in their liues and learning And because they dare not openly condemne all which is their meaning they make a shewe to bee offended with the multitude of the vnfittest ministers I wisse if wee should thus rigge into the vnfitnesse and that of ministers which are greate fauourites and vegers of these deuises and reformations wee could finde if not a multitude in euery place which God forbid yet some
which before they had receaued â—s wée haue heard Caluines prescription Epist. 373. and so continued still in the office or ministery thus repurged And therefore since the masse was taken away and all â—he other corruptions of the Ministerie that were vsed in the popish priesthood an other Ministration appointed as is sette downe in our booke of publike prayer by the godly lawes of the realme and Church of England established which was done so soone as conueniently it could be done forthwith after her Maiesties moste happy entrance into this kingdome this is not truly sayd that the popish priesthood being the greatest blasphemie that euer was was alowed for a lawfull Ministerie vntill by the godly meaning of the sayd parliament Anno. 13. some brande-marke of shame was sette vppon it As though the sacrificing Priesthoode had continued with allowance therof for thirteene yere together of the Queenes Maiesties raigne which was as long a time as before they mencioned for the inforcing of the ministers to studie Yea by this rule it continueth still though disallowed or rather as they say but noted onely with a brand-marke of shame set vpon it So that this is not the taking of it awaye but the continuing of it with more shame to the parliament and to all the states of the Realmâ— that haue marked it with a brand-marke of shame and yet shame not to continue it though we disallow it And this withall is but a shamefull and vnreuerent terme that here they vse in calling eyther the statute or the booke of articles agreed vppon by all the clergie of the Churche of England and approued in the high courte of parliament by al the states of the realme and by the statute commaunded to be read a brand-marke of shame But our brethren to mittigate the matter say the parliament had a godly meaning in making that statute for Priestes that had bin made in the tyme of Popery to professe their consent to the true doctrine agreed vpon in the booke of articles by their publike reading of the same booke in their benefices Yea verily the parliament had therein a very godly meaning and it was also as godly an act â—s meaning of the parliament But saye they how pitifullye that authority was abused which by the same statute was committed to the Bishops in allowing of Priestes that came to doe their pennance by negligence of the Bishops and bribery of their officers the country cryeth out of it and the state of the Church is little amended by it There is no such crying out in the country as are these outcries of our brethren If it be but little amended yet little is somewhat But if it bee not greate that is not to be unputed to the good lawe but to the euill and indirect accidents For it was not pitifull that that authority was committed to the Bishops in allowing of Priestes that came not as our brethren here say to doe their pennance or to haue a brand-marke of shame set vpon them but the statute it selfe more reuerently and rightly setteth downe the cause and order of their act saying That the Churches of the Queenes Maiesties dominions maye bee serued with Pastors of sound religion be it enacted by the authority of this present Parliament that euerye person vnder the degree of a Byshop which doth or shall pretende to be a priest or Minister of gods holy worde and Sacramentes by reason of anye other fourme of institution consecration or ordeyning than the forme set foorth by Parliament in the tyme of the late King of most worthye memorye King Edwarde the sixte or now vsed in the raigne of our moste gratious Soueraigne Ladye before the feaste of the Natiuitie nexte following shall in the presence of the Bishop or gardian of the spiritualties of some one diocoese where he hath or shall haue ecclesiasticall liuing declare his assent and subscribe to all the articles of religion which onely concerne the confession of the true Christian Faith and the doctrine of the SacrameÌ„ts comprised in a booke imprinted intituled Articles wherupoÌ„ it was agreed by the Archbish. Bish. of both prouinces the whole Clergy in the Conuocation holden at London in the yeare of our lorâ— God 1562. According to the computation of the Church of england for the auoyding of the diuersities of opinions and for the establishing of consent touching true Religion put forth by the Queenes Authoritye And shall bring from suche B. or gardian of Spiritualties in wryting vnder his Seale authentike and testimoniall of such assent subscription openly on some Sonday in the time of publike seruice afore noone in euery church wher by reasoÌ„ of any Ecc liuing he ought to atteÌ„d reade both the said Testimoniall the said articles vpon paine that euery such persoÌ„ which shal not before the said feast do as is aboue appointed shall be ipso facto depriued al his Eccl. promotions shal be voyd as if he then were naturally dead These are the very words of the statute Wherein what could they better haue prouided than whatsoeuer they should ordeyne for the bringing of those persons to the more sure confession and consent of sound Religion firste to come before the Bishoppe or the Gardian of the â—pirituall iurisdiction in the Bishops vacancie in some one Diocoese where hee had any ecclesiasticall promotion or liuing and there before him declare his consent and also subscribe to all the articles of religion which onelye concerne the confession of the true Christian Faith c. Before whom should he haue done this if he should doe it authentically than before the Bishop or the bishops gardian being the publike officers that haue competent authority ouer him in those matters which withall confuteth our brethrens equall authority of all Pastors If the bishops were negligent or the officers take bribes this was the bishops the officers fault not any default in the lawes Wise men should not doe like WilliaÌ„ Summer strike one for another But if the bishops negligence and the bribery of the officers be so great that the countrye cryeth out of it and the state of the Church is little amended it is then so much the easier to be knowne who are the offenders that so pitifâ—lly abused this godly meaning of the statute that authority committed to them and not they to be thus disorderly cried out vpon and that in this vncharitable maner by inuectiue libelles vnder the tytle of learned discourses to be thus discoursed vpon with taunts slaunders defamed to all the worlde so much as lyes in them If the matter be little amended this is not to amend it more but to make it worse for this is naught worth but to norishe malice suspitioÌ„ sclaunder yet the fault not knowne much lesse ameÌ„ded Let the negligence briberies with true desire of reformation as the title of this learned discourse pretendeth
is decreed amongst themselues that must be called the determination of the whole Synode I meruell that our Bretheren shamed nor feared not to stuffe their learned discourse with so many manifest vntrueths It is most euident that nothing is or can bee decreed in the name of the whole Synodes determination without the whole Synode comprehending at least the greatest number for the whole haue decreed and determined the same So that say they no man must bee suffered to speake any thing agaynst it bee it neuer so reasonable or agreable to the worde of God This is another most great and manifest vntrueth sclaunderous to the Bishoppes and reproachfull to the whole Conuocation There is none of the house but that may in any matter that is propounded to bee debated vppon yea any other though not of the house being knowne to be a reuerent godly wise and learned person either of the Ministerie yea in some cases though he were not any Ecclesiasticall person yet might he also bee freely admitted according to the auncient Canons to speake before the house in such sorte and manner as the order of the house requireth for those that bee or should bee learned men to speake their minde in the Latine tongue for feare some young Sir Iohn lacke latine would bee ouer busie and so to reason freely pro contra obseruing alwaies that modestie and reuerence which beseemeth the assemblie of graue and learned men And in this maner many haue propounded and reasoned vpon diuers matters as those that are auncients in the Conuocations heretofore can witnesse Yea saye they whosoeuer will not subscribe to all such thinges as they decree must bee excluded out of the Conuocation as was practised and threatned in the Conuocation at the foresayde Parliament vnto diuers godly and learned Preachers that offered to speake agaynst diuers grosse and palpable errors that had escaped the Bishops Our Bretheren hauing so often broken the squire of trueth in these matters doe here waxe bold to rappe out vntrueths now by huddles What one Preacher hath bene excluded out of the Conuocation for this that he would not subscribe to all such thinges as the Bishoppes among themselues haue decreed Or can they bring any instance but of such one threat made vnto them And albeit a threat differeth from the putting it in practise yet this also is a notorious sclaunder There was no such thing either practised or threatned at any tyme in our Conuocations namely at that tyme they mention which I remember well and so doe many others when some speaking in English began to bee ouer busie and to vse disordered behauiour with vnreuerent termes they were by the Prolocutor as moderator commaunded to silence or els to departe and not to disturbe the house nor alter the lawdable orders thereof except they would and that in seemely modestie speake in Latine which these godly and learned Preachers that our Bretheren commende liked not to doe Neuerthelesse other being indeede godly and learned Preachers did very reuerently and with great learning discusse those matters And so with generall consent either of all or which sufficed of the most and best parte those Articles were condescended vpon and approoued for good and sound doctrine And so I hope will stand for any thing that our Bretheren or any other shall euer bee able to say agaynst them As for any and much lesse diuers grosse and palpable errours that escaped the Bishops I remember none nor can learne of any The Decrees conteyned in the articles aforesayd are published to the open viewe of of euery man if our Bretheren as yet can burthen them with any grosse or palpable errour or with any errour at all though not grosse nor palpable or but with apparance or suspition of errour it were worth the hearing But if there bee no such errour in them who are then worthie the punishing or at least worthie to acknowledge with repentaunce and reuoking this so great a sclaunder For it toucheth not our Bishoppes and the Conuocation onely but béeing established also as is aforesayde by act of Parliament and so the professed doctrine of all the Realme and Church of England how are wee not all hereby defaced to maynteyne grosse and palpable errours and that in no small poynts of doctrine If Papistes had sayd this it had bene lesse meruell which hate our doctrine and count it stuffe full of errours and heresies too But they neuer were nor are nor euer shall bée God willing able to prooue that we mainteyne any one errour in any one article of doctrine but agree in all the substance of Religion with the true and syncere worde of God Yea our Bretheren their selues bearing vs witnesse who in the Preface of this learned discourse confesse that for the substance of Religion it is resolued and now publikly maynteyned for our true and holy faith How could this bee true if those articles namely these which here they note being matter of faith and publikely maynteyned and resolued by all the Church of England to bee true and holie were grosse and palpable errours But to shewe both vnto them and to all the worlde least the Papistes should take holde hereon when they heare of this our owne Bretherens accusation which will bee euen meate and drinke to them béeing glad to feede vppon such sclaunders that as wee are sounde GOD bée blessed for it in all other articles of doctrine so in these wee maynteyne no errour at all but a most sure and syncere trueth let vs come to the viewe of these two Articles that here they mention for example As for the distinction saye they of Canonicall and Apocryphall bookes Although this bee a matter wherein good and godly Fathers haue had some difference yet for our Bishoppes and Conuocations decree thereon I see not how our Bretheren shall bee able to finde that wee holde any error in that matter It is the sixth Article the wordes whereof are these Holy Scripture conteyneth all things necessarie to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may bee proued thereby is not to be required of any man that it should bee beleeued as an article of the faith or bee thought requisite or necessarie to saluation In the name of the holy Scripture wee doe vnderstand those canonicall bookes of the old and newe Testament of whose authoritie was neuer any doubt in the Church Of the names and number of the Canonicall bookes Genesis Exodus Leuiticus Numeri Deuteronomie Iosue Iudges Ruth The first booke of Samuell The 2. booke of Samuell The first booke of Kings The 2. book of Kings The 1. booke of Chroni The 2. booke of Chroni The 1. booke of Esdras The 2. booke of Esdras The booke of Hester The booke of Iob. The Psalmes The Prouerbes Ecclesiast or preacher Cantica or songs of Sal. 4. Prophets the greater 12. Prophets the lesse And the other bookes as Ierome
giltlesse And of these I trust we haue sufficiently acquit our selues as for other we are to aunswere in our defence when we shall haue heard their accusation But and they be such as these bicause they tel vs before hand such like I hope in God we shall do well enough and had those matters that they suppresse bin worse than these I suppose they would not haue opened these and folded vp those on this fashion But if they be foorth comming wée neede not long to héere of them we shall haue them I warrant you with a recumbentibus all in tyme in the meane time welcome be the grace of God But let vs now sée how our brethren conclude and rattle vp our Bishops for these articles and for all the other matters that they haue charged them with If this say thâ—y be not to practise Lordship ouer Faith to set downe decrees of religion which must be accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimonie of the scripture to prooue them and no man permitted to shewe any reason or scripture that enforceth his conscience to the contrarie but onely to hang vpon the authority of bishops let some other declare what Paule meaneth 2. cor 4. where he denieth that he woulde exercise anye Lordship ouer the Fayth of the Corinthians Our bretheren shewe heere a manifest proofe howe true that Article is which they saye was set dowâ—e by the Bishops and the conuocation that the elect maye departe from grace For I account of our bretheren as of the number of Gods elected Yet if they had not in this their learned discourse departed or fallen to much from grace woulde they or coulde they haue so fallen from the truth heerein by such vntrue and notorious sclaunders thus to seeke the vtter disgracing and defacing of the Bishops haue they prooued or can they prooue anye one article or decree of Fayth and Religion wherein the bishops haue taken vpon them any such Lordeship or anye Lordeship at all ouer our Fayth doth not euen the very former article of these two last cyted by our bretheren themselues against the Bishops for the distinction of the Canonicall bookes fully discharge the Bishops of this sclaunder that holy Scripture conteyneth all thinges necessary to saluation so that whatsoeuer is not read therein nor may be proued therby is not to be required of any maÌ„ that it should be beleued as an Article of Fayth or be thought requisite or necessary to saluation Doe they which with their bretheren in the conuocation doe set downe this decree for faith and Religion practise Lordeship ouer our fayth or set downe decrees of religion which must bee accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimonie of the Scripture to prooue them and no man permitted to shewe anye reason or Scripture that inforceth his conscience to the contrarie but onely to hang vpon the authoritie of Bishops When the Bishops in most plaine woordes renounce all such authoritie and referre it onely to the canonicall Scripture who may not see if he will not wilfully of too too much affection blindfold himselfe the apparance of this sclaunder But our Bretheren say they haue set downe the decrees without eyther reason or testimony of the scripture to proue theÌ„ I graunt it that for some they haue so done neyther is it the nature of briefe suÌ„marie Articles which in Synodes are agreed vppon after that they haue bin by reason and Scripture cléerely proued and are apparant to haue them set out with their proues annexed to them which is another point beside the Articles In the ordinances Ecclesiasticall of the Church of Genena and the orders of the schole of the said Citie set out in french An. 1578. of the which many are of faith and religion and in their summarie of the Christian Doctrine annexed do they still adioyne their prooues by reasons testimonies of the Scripture And haue not all the most auncient councels which are greater than our conuocations in all their articles and decrees kept the selfe same order most briefely and plainely to set downe the naked article by it selfe so thus haue they set downe also the articles of their créedes And so is the summary of our Faith commonly called the Apostles Creede set downe in most short plaine and simple wordes and sentences without annexing the reasons or testimonies of Scripture that confirme them For when these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or principles gathered as capitall conclusions and resolutions of the scripture are thus set downe if they bee not such nor haue the cléere proofe and grounde of Scripture for them they will quickelye appeare in this their nakednesse and quickelye shewe their shame to all the worlde as doe the Papistes decrees whiche they set foorth so soone as euer they come to the touchstone to bée examined and prooued by the Scripture they molter away and resolue to vanitie Let our bretheren nowe a Gods name take this our booke of articles and whette all their wittes and with all their learned discourses set vppon it examine and trye it peecemeale thorowe and through euerye sentence woorde syllable and tytle in it if they finde anye thing contrarye to good and sounde reason yea contrarye too our dissonant from the Canonicall Scriptures then saye our Bishops practise Lordeship ouer our Fayth and set downe orders of Religion which must bee accepted of all men without eyther reason or testimonie of Scripture to proue them and no man permitted to shewe any reason or Scripture that inforceth his conscience to the contrary but onely to hang vppon the authority of Bishops But if they cannot finde anye thing in these decrees orders and Articles nor anye coulde finde it then nor coulde euer since nor euer shal be able and there was then in the conuocation libertye enough and hath euer bin since and still is being vsed in that lawefull and reuerent manner that is requisite for the treaty of such matters which yet coulde neuer nor I hope shall euer be conuinced of errour then let our bretheren for verye shame or rather for loue of truthe yeilde and reuoke these soule sclaunders on the Bishops and indeede on all the conuocation and on all the realme and Churche of Englande that hath established the allowance of these articles or rather on the Articles themselues which they sclaunder to bée decrees of Religion without eyther reason or testimonie of the Scripture to prooue them and that they onely hang vppon the authoritye of Bishops and so are méere doctrines of men and that they are Errors grosse and palpable Thus through the sides of the Bishops are these Articles and our Faith and Religion wounded by these our Bretheren as though not onelye our Bishops but all the Cleargie the realme the doctrine and all were as ill or woorse than the Papistes so farre hath this immoderate beate of their inconsiderate zeale inflamed their passions and patience
being out of that place And that where such preachers are not there can bee no publike prayers nor sacraments administred c. What one of these points and a number moe hath bin prooued by anie one cleere testimonie or necessarye consequent of the Scripture or by any one substantiall reason for the proofe of them and what else in effect is this than but to order all these thinges at their pleasures And when they take on with all the Bishops as though by their former industries and labours they their selues had not receaued this light of the Gospell which God bee praysed wée haue if wee can vse it thankfully or as though they were not by the Bishops made Ministers of the Gospell if they haue anye Ministerie at all thereof and be not meere lay men is not this euen as though the Gospell so far as the light of these controuersies commeth vnto and their Ministerie thereof sprang first from them or had come vnto them onely if not to our Bishops nor to anye of our conuocations nor to all the clergie of our Church of England but onely to them that set these thinges abroache and what now shall wée conclude on them as they do on the Bishops it sauoureth nothing so much as of popish tyranny whereof sauoreth this first to put backe the Princes supremacie in Ecclesiasticall causes till all their Eccl. tetrarchie be parted among them in such maner as wee haue alredy heard and then to pull downe all the dignities and authorities of Archebishops Bishops and all other Ecclesiasticall superiour Prelates And to set vp themselues euerye one to bée a full Bishoppe in his owne seuerall congregation what though not Lordeship in name but M. Bishop yet in rule and authoritye ouer all in his congregation to bée euen a Lordeship to suffer no superiour Pastor ouer him in his iurisdiction but eche one equall to the best and hée as though hée were in his terrytorie euen another newe little Pope sitting in his pontificalibus with his consistorie of gouernors as though it were a Colledge or Senate of a newe kinde of Cardinalles as the hingins that holde vp the dores of Ecclesiasticall regiment and discipline with a new mixte kinde of gouernors semi-secular and dimi-ecclesiasticall Seniors to sit by the themselues rounde aboute this Episcopall Pastor ouer ruling all the congregation yea whosoeuer were inhabiting in the parish Knight Lord Earle Duke Prince Queene King or Emperour they must all of them for all discipline and Ecclesiasticall regiment be ouer-ruled by him by these his Gouerning Elders sitting about him Of what sauoureth this Of dominion of Poperie of tyrannie of confusion of pride of ordering all things at their pleasures besides what dangers else or worse thaÌ„ yet we see not if our bishops shoulde thus retallie these thinges vnto our Bretheren woulde they not trowe you pay home the reckoning But as thoughe they were not yet on euen handes but that there were a greate oddes in this reckoning and as though the Bishoppes were not to bee accompted comparable nor for Learning Studye Iudgemente Zeale Example they were so woorthy of their authoritye as these our Bretheren are to haue this newe kind of Eccl. gouernment they obiect vnto the bishops their non sufficiencie in these thinges Whereas otherwise saye they it is well knowne they are not all of the best learned nor all of the longest study nor all of the soundest Iudgement nor all of the greatest zeale nor all of the best Example and therefore not meetest to be the onelye determiners in Ecclesiasticall matters to the preiudice of the whole Synode As for this conclusion wee shall come to it in his turne This comparison in the antecedent is somewhat odious to vpbraide to the Bishoppes that they are not all of the best in these thinges as though there were some other in the Synode better heerein than they Belike they meane those diuerse godlye and learned Preachers that they sayde before before offered to speakâ— or else some other of themselues that they woulde haue to bee also of the Synode For although it were a pretie pollicie to commit vs together among our selues with an emulation agaynste our bishops as not so learned c. as they would haue vs of the Conuocation house thinke our selues to bée yet they lightly giue not this to â—â—y of vs to be counted eyther learned or studious or sounde in iudgement or of greate zeale or of best example But they oftentimes commende themselues for all these thinges to bée godlie wise graue and zealous men they are those that Preache moste diligentlye praye most feruentlye and minister the Sacramentes moste reuerently they are the faithfull Ministers that seeke the Churches reformation and still looke vp to the top of euery leafe and there hangeth vp this Iuie Garland to tolle on the reader A Learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment As for our Bishops tush for them it is well knowne they are not all of the best learned nor all of the longest studie nor all of the greatest zeale nor all of the best example I praye you bretheren of what sauoureth this Surely it sauoureth not all of the best learning neyther in my iudgement if not rather of that learning whereof Sainct Paule sayth scientia inflat Well howe vnsounde soeuer they shall accounte my simple Iudgement woulde God their learning sauoured a little more of lowlie humility and of Christian charitie than it doth to thinke better of other their brethren in these qualities namely of their betters than of them selues And yet if one shall examine these qualities particularly what cause haue they to vpbrayde their Learning to the Bishops Iwisse they may easilie enter comparison with many of these our Bretheren And if they shoulde all bée measured by this Learned discourse might not these wordes returne to their Maisters that neyther they are all of the best learning except they haue better learning that they keepe yet in store for an after reckoning And as for long studie in the moste of them there néede no long studie for an aunswere All the worlde may see that in the yeares of the studentes do not their selues in their preface confesse If any shal obiect that the graue authority of Archbishops Bishops shall receaue a checke whilste they are brought to deale with those whom they iudge few yong vnlearned not comparable to themselues but now they dare compare both in long studie in learning too with the B. and giue the check too as yong as they be yea in their opinion to giue theÌ„ check-mate and that with a pawne But what sayd they there to this obiection did they not say let vs graunt the greate difference which they make of yeares and learning yet the speeche of Elihu giueth them sufficient aunswere that this vnderstanding is not tyed to such outwarde respectes but to the reuelation of Gods spirite Here as it were
also to be punished in body by the ciuil magistrate we say that the prince hath a part that a principal part euen in the very making of all these eccl lawes orders or decrees in that he maketh theÌ„ by his royall conseÌ„t to be eccl lawes orders decrees For till the princes royall assent ratifie them if there be a christian Prince so to do they be but determinatioÌ„s what should or may bee done and are indéede rather deliberations and aduisements than that they haue the vigor force of decrees and lawes So that the Prince tarryeth not as they say till the Clergy haue fully decreed it for a lawe afterward by the Ministery of their preaching they let him vnderstand what decrees and lawes they haue made then must he obserue them and binde his people vnto them punish those that offend against them but we say that they deuise them he enacteth them They say they should be he saith they shall be and so he maketh the Eccl. lawes with their aduices This is the very point that if they could they should or rather should not but woulde infringe For in this chiefely consisteth the Princes supreme authority in Eccl. matters that we defend and they thus begin to call in question But euen their owne similitude doth here beate them that they say in this respect the church most obediently submitteth her selfe vnto the Prince as a child to his nurse For if the Church doth so submit her selfe to the Prince then as the nursse doth not onely procure peace quietnes to the child in the things that are necessary for him but doth giue him suck also and nourisheth him with milke from her owne brests besides other things that she prouideth and not onely dresseth trimmeth vp the childe but also appointeth orders rules to others in the house how the child should be kept tended so the Prince in all these things not onely for quietnes safety of the church nor for ciuill honesty onely conuersation of life but also in feeding the Church with the milke of Gods word as euen the very interlineall glosse of the Papists theÌ„selues cannot shun but confes that interpretation it is so forcible against them how is this the feeding them with this milk from the Princes brests since they their selues do not Preach the word but by that authority that is in the Prince to set forth Eccl. lawes for the feeding of the people with gods word by all such other meanes besides preaching teaching ministery of the Sacraments as is competent to their princely estate that is to say by making Eccl. lawes orders decrees for the norishing and gouerning of the Church Though still in respecte the Princes are but particular persons they againe are but as the children the Pastors their nurses God their father the Church their mother And thus we graunt as mutuall meanes instruments therunto they haue on all parts this authority giuen them of god that as our brethreÌ„ say both Prince and people may honor God in this life and after this life reigne with christ euerlastingly And this is all that our Bre. say of the supreme authority of Christian Princes in Ecclesiasticall matters Thus haue wee briefely set foorth a forme of reformation touching matters Eccl. as we are throughly perswaded agreeable to the word of God as we are able to proue consenting with the example of the primitiue church building onely vpon the most sure foundation of the canonicall scriptures but intending more at large if occasion shall serue hereafter to set forth the practise consent of the godly fathers in their actes Counsels writings following the same rule and interpretation of the scripture that we haue done And thus also haue we fully throughly heard what our bre briefly or largely haue set foorth in all this their learned discourse of Eccl. gouernment for the fourme of reformation touching Ecclesiasticall matters Here therefore hauing now finished their whole discourse which in the front thereof they haue intituled A briefe and playne declaration conteyning the desires of all those faithfull Ministers that haue and doe seeke for the reformation of the Church of England They now enter into the Epilogue or small per-oration for the knitting vp of all the matters that in this learned discourse haue bene layd downe And first whereas the more to perswade the reader to beléeue them they say this forme that they haue here set forth is as they are throughly perswaded agreeable to the word of God I aunswer this is not materiall what they are or are not throughly perswaded to bee agreeable to the word of God For though in Christ we wish as wel to them as they to vs yet depende wee no more on their perswasions to themselues than they on ours to vs. But if they could haue brought or can bring any sufficient and cléere profe of matter out of the worde of GOD indeede that might perswade vs throughly thereunto If they could doe that it were very materiall and by the grace of God wee should not gaynsay it contrary to our consciences but yéeld on all hands thereunto and bee as throughly perswaded as there are But this must bee with better and firmer prooues of Gods worde than either our Bre. haue yet alledged or any other that euer I read agreeable or inclinable to their opinion For setting aside all such perswasions of men this perswasion must bee wrought with pure matter For till then they can neuer throughly perswade other to be perswaded as they bee if they their selues be indeed as they say they are throughly perswaded And although I may be somewhat easily perswaded that they are somewhat perswaded that this their forme is agreeable to Gods word yet as yet I can neither be throughly perswaded that they their selues are throughly so perswaded of this forme nor that this forme of this learned discourse let the learning in eche mans perswasion goe as it shall is either the discourse declaration or desires of all those faithfull Ministers that haue and doe seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of England For first they are not I think perswaded that all or any one of our Bishops and a great many if not all or the most part of vs are so perswaded either throughly or in parte or at all If they shall vtterly herein reiect all our Bishops and all vs besides onely themselues as no faithfull ministers that were too arrogant a parte in them selues and too iniurious and coÌ„tumelious to all the Ministers in the Church of England that are not throughly perswaded as they say they bee Yea this contumelie and iniurie would inâ—lude many not onely of their owne fauourers that yet are not perswaded at all in many things conteyned in this learned discourse but vtterly mislike them and will perhaps bee lesse and lesse
say wee are not able so much as to knowe them No nor yet their owne Consistorie gouernors able to knowe them but onely the teachers and preachers of the same to all others And what will they then allowe to vs If the Parliament heare this man speake thus may they not thinke that man speaketh reasons and that there was little reason in troubling them continually with those matters in the Parliament house whereof they may not according to the libertie of that most honorable assemblie speake their mynds in reuerent maner pro contra freely and no man debarred of his speech or iudgement or els the house would better aduise themselues how they permitted such fellowes to come among them or to bring in such billes or bookes among them of which they must be restrained of their libertie both of speech and iudgement Yea what if now another waxing bolder in the Parliament house would tell these faithfull ministers that the matters conteyned in this learned discourse being Ecclesiasticall matters were to be consulted vpon and determined by those that were the Bishops Pastors of the Realme and Church of England and that they had a Conuocation Synodall assemblie among themselues and that they must go to them and be tryed by theÌ„ and bee as well content to submit themselues to the determination of the Bishops and Pastors lawfully and orderly there assembled as they would to haue it tryed in the ParliameÌ„t if they were all such Eccl. persons as were the other And that if they would flee froÌ„ their owne coate Eccl. company to such as were but ciuill and politick persons saue that they were ChristiaÌ„s as other of the people were they should giue an ill example preiudice their matters and make themselues and their bookes to be more mistrusted as not daring to abide the censure of the chifest professors of those matters Tractent fabrilia fabri Ecclesiasticall matters to be tryed by Ecclesiasticall persons And that this is according to their owne â—ositions For who should be able to knowe at least wise who ought better to knowe what order comelinesse and edification requireth according to Gods worde than they that be teachers and preachers of the same vnto all others For it is absurd that they should be taught by such in these small things and much lesse in greater things as ought to learne the trueth of them in all matters And therfore go to theÌ„ and let theÌ„ determine those controuersies If our Bretheren shall heare this tale and their owne words thus duelie returned on themselues may they not then thinke they haue well helped themselues by putting vp these matters to the Parliament And if the Parliament should aunswer them thus should they not aunswer theÌ„ aright But if now they had rather reuoke some of their positions giue the ParliameÌ„t authority to deale herein than to haue them be determined by the Bishops what on the other side would they haue the Parliament do without the authoritie of the Prince Yea how chaunce they put not vp their bookes writings first to her Maiestie mooue her first for if they accounted her Maiestie indeed the supreme gouernor of all persons in al her dominions in all causes so wel Eccl. as temporall would they haue the Parliament decree those things without her Maiestie Or the Parliament wherof her Maiestie is the supreme gouernor to determine these things without any debating of them Or if they should be debated vpoÌ„ who should rather do it theÌ„ the Clergie And haue not al that haue bin assembled together alreadie both the Bishops the whole Conuocation consulted debated and determined alreadie on the matter And if they would haue her Maiestie the Parliament to deale further therein haue they not done that also Hath not her Maiestie ratefied and authorized al their articles that the Conuocation agreed vpon And hath not the whole Parliament also approued allowed so ratefied and confirmed al the Communion booke besides the acknowledgement of her Maiesties supremacie all the articles agréed and decréed vpon all or the most or chéefest of the lawes and orders Eccl. now standing in force and established amongst vs And would they haue them reuoke cancell all that they haue doone in these matters or what else would they haue the Parliament herein to doo If they offer to dispute of these matters either before the whole Parliament or before anie by the Parliament deputed to heare the disputation betwéene vs of these controuersies doo they hope to dispute better and with more deliberat iudgement of that they shall saie ex tempore than that they haue with aduisement written or can write thereon or that we can dispute woorse or not so well as they persuade themselues they can Or doo they thinke as Aeschines said Quid si ipsam belluam andissetis they shall better persuade and mooue the hearers of them more by their liuelie spéeches than by their learned writings and so win it that waies Verelie wée refuse no waie what it shall please our most gratious souereigne and hir most honorable counsell or the high court of Parliament to appoint if that would serue the turne for anie further triall of renewing neuer so often these matters by disputing and calling them in question againe and againe for God be praised in so good a cause we néed not feare the euent they that could so win the garland let them weare it But we maie easilie sée before the disputation shall begin that all this would not serue their turne in these controuersies which the word of God hath not expreslie decided but in generalitie referred to these thrée heads comlinesse order aedification Who shall iudge and determine of our disputation they haue before hand debarred the prince and all that are not teachers and preachers and both the parties in controuersie are teachers and preachers and they saie it were no reason that we being the parties in controuersie on the one side though we be teachers and preachers should be determiners iudges what is comlinesse order and edifieng in these things and maie not we saie the same to them againe that they being also parties in controuersie on the other side though they be teachers and preachers it is no reason that they should be determiners and iudges what is comlinesse order and aedifieng in these things and when shall then these matters be iudged and determined Except we would yéeld to them or they would yéeld to vs or both to some other as to hir maiesty and the ParliameÌ„t But if they shall so doo they should conuince themselues before hand that the forme is vntrue and false which they haue alredie before hand not onlie auowed to be true but so determined alredie and so before hand peremptorily prescribed both to vs and to the Parliament to the Quéens maiestie also that we must all yéeld of
occupie and what a charge is imposed vpon you Adde this that the enemies of godlinesse while in their clutterie darkenesse they can not abide the small sparkes of your godlinesse they as it were thrust you out of their faction which you voluntarily should haue fledde from Pardon me of your courtesie if in one worde I be more sharpe because that to profite you I must speake freelye that I thinke when you shall come to the heauenlie iudgement seate the offence of betraying can not be washed away except in time you with-drawe your selfe from that bande that openlie conspireth to oppresse the name of Christe But if nowe it bee greeuous to you to be diminished that Christ may increase in you thinke on Moses example which vnder obscure shadowes did yet not doubt to prefer the rebuke of Christ before the delightes and riches of the Aegyptians But although peraduenture I haue beene more bolde with your Excellencie then was meete not-withstanding sithe my purpose was to regard your saluotion I hope my libertye shall not be odiousto you c. Fare you wel most excellent man illustrious and Reuerend Lord c. But here againe least we might thinke hee goeth about to persuade him to leaue his B. as a dignitie that he could not lawefully retaine with the profession of the gospel which was not his drift but to haue himretain still his place and dignitie so farre as hee might doe it without houering betwéene the Papistes and the Epicures and thereto he willeth him to thinke on the place he occupied and what charge was layde vpon him and yet to renounce it rather than to ioyne with those enemies of the Gospel to shew this better Caluine setteth downe more fully in his Epistle to the King of that countrey of Polonia Epist. 190. what manner of superiour dignitie and authoritie he not onely alloweth to remaine in a Bishop but also in an Archb. so little shunneth he or disaloweth either the name or the office of them To conclude saith he onely ambition and pride hath forged that Primacie that the Romanistes oppose vnto vs. The auncient Church indeede did institute Patriarchies did appoint also to euery of the Prouinâ—â—â—â—ertaine Primacies that the Bishops by this bonde of concorde migh◠〈◊〉 better knitte together among themselues Euen as if so be at this day in the most noble kingdome of Polonia one Archbishop were ouer the residue Not that he should ouerrule the residue or snatching the right or Lawe from them arrogate it vnto him-selfe but that for because of order he should in the Synodes hold the first place and nourish an holie vnitie among his collegues brethren And furthermore there should bee either Prouinciall or Citie Bishops which peculierly should giue attendance to the conseruing of order Euen as nature suggesteth this vnto vs that out of al Colleges one ought to be chosen vp on whom the chiefest care should lie But it is one thing to beare a moderate Honor to wit so farre as the facultie or power of man extendeth it self another to comprehende thâ— whole compasse of the world in a gouernmeÌ„t vnmeasurable Thus doth Caluine most clearely though he condemne the Popes vsurpation approue both the superioritie of Pastorship not onely in Bishops ouer Cities and Prouinces where manie Pastors be but also of Archb. and of one Archb. the chiefe and primate of a mightie kingdome more thâ—n fiue times as bigge as Englande to bée ouer all the residue And this being well vsed without offring iniurie to the right of other bishops vnder him hee thinketh to be both good and necessarie So farre off is he as our Brethren here doe from condemning the very name of Archbishops No he alloweth both the office and the name euen here in Englande also as appeareth by his letter vnto the Archb. of Canterburie Epist. 127. Caluinus Cranmero Archiepisc. Cantuariensi salutem When as at this time it was not to be hoped which was most to bee wished that euerie one of the chiefest teachers out of diuerse Churches which haue embraced the pure doctrine of the Gospell shoulde come together and out of the pure word of God should set foorth to the posteritie a certaine and cleare confession of euerie one of the capitall pointes at this day in controuersie I doe greatly commende right Reuerende Lorde the counsell which you haue begunne that the English men might ripely establish religion among them that the mindes of the people should not sticke longer in suspence while thinges are vncertaine or lesse orderly composed than were meete To which purpose it behooueth all those that haue the gouernment there to apply in common their studies notwithstanding so that the chiefest parts be yours You see what this place requireth or rather what God according to the reason of the office which hee hath enioyned vnto you doeth by his right require of you In you is the chiefest authoritie which the noblenesse of honor doth not more procure vnto you than the opinion long since conceaued of your prudence integritie c. Thus doth Caluine where he still calleth vpon for increase and spéede of further and full reformation acknowledge both his title of Arch-bishop and his office of Primacie with the honour and authoritie thereof aboue all other in the Churches ministerie to be good and lawfull And to shewe further howe he alloweth the generall practise of Episcopall authoritie where when and whosoeuer Bishop shoulde receaue the Gospell whether he should giue ouer or reteyne still a Superiour authoritie in his Diocesse ouer the other Pastors in the same hée hath fully decided this Question Epist. 373. Si Episcopus vel curatus ad Ecclesiam se aediunxerit If a Bishop or a Curate shall adioyne himselfe vnto the Church Caluine aunswereth on this wise Being asked my sentence or opinion concerning Bishops Curates and others of like degree or whome they call Graduates if that the Lorde shoulde vouchsafe any of them his grace that they would adioyne themselues vnto the Church howe must they behaue themselues towardes them c. Here after his excuse for breuitie by reason of his rewme he sayth If therefore it shall happen that in Poperie anie to whome the cure of soules shall haue beene committed that is to wit a Bishop or a Curate shall receaue the grace of the Lorde so that he professe the pure doctrine of the Gospell if he shal be founde not to be so fitte for the office of a Pastor nor to be endewed with that knowledge and dexteritie that is requisite hee shoulde altogether doe very rashly if he would intermitte himselfe into so great a matter The fruite therefore of his conuersion shall consist in that if so be hee discharge him-selfe of all cure and doe so acknowledge that grosse abuse that he did beare before a voide title with-out matter and thereuppon giue place to a fitte successor that may lawefully be instituted it shall
Zuinglius that saith a Bishop and a Priest or Elder were once all one yet in his booke de Ratione Officio Concionandi or Ecclesiastes The Preacher he saith Againe Act. 21. Luke writeth thus The next day wee that were with Paule came to Caesarea and entring into the house of Philip the Euangelist which was one of the seuen we aboade with him This man had fowre daughters Virgines prophecying In which place first we haue to note that thing that this Philip of the Church of Caesarea the Euangelist was a Bishop or a Pastor Neither is he of Luke called an Apostle Howbeit he was one of the seuen which were ordeyned Deacons as the same partie shewed before cap. 6. That thing also withall ought to be noted that they layde downe the name of the Apostles so soone as being fixed to any one Church they had the continuall cure thereof that is to wit when as either being hindred by age or else afflicted with diseases with the troubles of peregrinations and with dangers they were not able to suffice any longer For then were they not any longer named Apostles but Bishops But we may bring foorth S. Iames whom for his age we call Iames the lesse an example or rather a witnesse of this thing For Hierome and withall all the auncient Fathers doe name this man Bishop of Ierusalem for no other cause than that hee had placed his seate fixed in that Citie For when as before as also the other Apostles being giuen to peregrinations he had taught the faith ech where all ouer the countryes hee was at the length by the Apostles themseles ordeyned to be the partie that as a certaine diligent watchman shoulde take vpon him the cure of the Churche of Ierusalem The same thing we may say of Iohn the Euangelist and Disciple of Christ. For when as he hauing beene cast forth to diuerse dangers had long time administred the function Apostolicall at length being made the Bishop of the Ephesians he departed out of this life in that â—itie in the 68. yeare after the ascention of the Lorde Nowe then some of the Apostles being on this wise Bishops in suche places and so as our Brethren call them Pastors shall wee thinke that the other Pastors in those Cities did not stil acknowledge a Superiour dignitie vnto them and that for a longer time than for the occasion of some present action or assemblie Yea haue all the Pastors alike euen and as full authoritie equall in Geneua it selfe as that most excellent instrument of God Master Caluine or the most woorthie Master Beza yet liuing Indéede I can not precisely tell but I thinke not so nor it séemeth so and in my simple opinion be it spoken with due honour reserued to euery godly and Learned minister there be they neuer so equall and all one in respect of the same function and Ministerie it were not méete it shoulde so bee Or if it be so yet were it not so good no not for them as if that I speake of Beza in Geneua or some other excellent man were appointed to haue a continuing and standing moderate office ouer all the residue of his fellowe brethren there in the ministerie to ouer-see and gouerne them assigned vnto him and to exercise the same with painefull care readie diligence and modest humilitie so long as he is able to discharge the same And so indéede it should drawe néerer to the order and custome of the Apostles And yet if their order and custome had admitted such a temporarie superior among them as had serued only the tournes but of temporarie occasions yet thereby also for that time and occasion one Pastor had had the authoritie ouer another yea ouer all the other in the companie And how then do our Brethren here affirme that these testimonies of scripture directly condemne the authoritie of one Pastor aboue another As for the testimonies that Beza alleageth euen of the very first of them concerning the election of Matthias Act. 1. Caluine vppon these wordes ver 16. The scripture must haue beene fulfilled sayth Because Peter maketh the speeche the Papistes make him the head of the whole Church As though none may speake in the assembly of the godly but forth-with he must be made a Pope We graunt indeede that as it is necessarie some one in euery assembly must holde the Primacie or be the chiefe so the Apostles yeelded this honour vnto Peter But what is this to a Popedome So that here though that horrible tyrannie of the Pope be not inferred which the Papistes on euery inkling gréedily gather yet Caluine not onely confesseth plainely both in Peter a certaine honour of Primacie yeelded vnto him but also confesseth it necessarie for euerie assembly of the faithfull to haue such a Primate The like he sayth of the other example Act. 6. Of the sending of Simon and Iohn vnto Samaria Concerning that Luke sayth he declareth that Peter was sent of the residue hereupon it may be gatherad that he exercised not an Empire ouer his Colleagues but did so excel among them that notwithstanding he was vnder the bodie and obeyed it So that his authoâ—itie excelled any and euery one of his fellowes in particular but in respect of the whole bodie and corporation of them he was not so much as fellow but inferiour As for the last testimonie cited héere by Beza Act. 15. what Caluine hath sayd alreadie thereon euen for the standing Bishoprike of Iames at Ierusalem and how therein he excelled the residue of the Apostles wée haue at large heard before Now where our Brethren adde that yet they take not away the lawefull authoritie he hath ouer his flocke but that Imperious and Pompeous dominion which is meete for ciuile Magistrates and great Potentates to exercise in worldly affaires euen as Beza said it was not of any kingly Empire or royall commaundement and yet was it a reuerence giuen of dutie and as Caluine saide it was not a Papacie nor Empire ouer his Colleagues and yet he did excell among them and heâ—d a Primacie ouer them and the other yeelded an honour to him so these our Brethrens sayings may be well allowed And I thinke no Bishoppe or Arch-bishop in Englande doth desire any other then such limited authoritie of their office as may well agrée with these moderations and rather stande with humilitie modestie and diligent ouersight of good order than to aspire to any such royall Empire or to exercise anie Imperious and Pompeous Dominion And saue for the name sake of Lorde that for a litle more reuerence God wotte they are honoured with all if I should not rather say for some others a great deale more enuied for that they haue not our Bishops haue béene méetely well shriuen for such matters This Pompeous Imperious dominion being thus exemted otherwise say our Brethren in respect of their lawefull authoritie they are called by the Apostle
Bish. to one in some parte the ordinaÌ„ce of God though in some parte the ordinaunce of man Aeriâ—s his impugning the superioâ—ity oâ— Bish. Aerius opinion S Ieromes opinion of the superiorite of Bish. IeromeÌ„s obseruatioÌ„ The obseruation of Ieromes sentence of Bishops originall Ieromes obseruation The Bishop among the Pastors coÌ„pared to Moses among the Elders Fiue things to be obserued out of Ieromes sentence 4. The good and necessary ende and effect therof 5. The approbation of it Augustineâ— rule of generall obseâ—uations Augustine his rule By this couÌ„cel of Aug. this superiority is allowable Bezaes coÌ„clusion against Bi. Some superiority among the Apostles Bezain Phil 1. Bezacâ— wrong conclusion against Bish Sequels of direct and indirect occasions Bâ—zaes mispre supposâ—l We must rather looke to the right end vâ—e of a thing theÌ„ to the wrong occasions and abuse it Thefathers interpretation The auncient Fathers iudgements of the name Bishop Phil. 1.1 Ieronimus in Phil. 1. The name Bishop Phil. .1.1 vnderstoode vnproperly Chysost in Phil. 1. Theodoretus in Phil. .1 Theophilactus in Phil. 1. Ambr. in Phil. The Churches practise The vniuersall practise of the primitiue Church Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 1. Iames B. of IerusaleÌ„ by the testimonie also of Clem. Alex. Ieroms testimonie of Egesippus for Iames to be B. of Ierus Hieron in catalog illustriuÌ„ virorum Clem. Alexander The offices that our Brethren make al one were distinguished and those that they distinguished were al one Pastors teaching in other Churches Howe neere Clem. Alex. that testifieth of Iames his Bishopricke liued to the Apostles Pantanus Eusebius testimonie of Pantaenus D. Euangelists Bishops superioritie Doctors Pastors vnder the B. gouernmeÌ„t Euseb. lib. 2. cap. 16. Hieron in catalog script eccl Policarpus primate of Asia Ignatius Ignatius ad Antiochenos The Pastoral Elders had a Bishop their Gouernor Howe farre the credite of Ignatius Epistles stretcheth Ad Trallianos Practise of Bishops superioritye The Bishop distinguished froÌ„ the Priest Ad Magnesios The Priests reuerenced the Bishop Bishop of Rome Ad Tharsenses Ad Philadelphios Our Priests obeye the B. Papias saint Iohns disciple Bishop The Bishops succeeding the Apostles Egesippus testimonie of the Bishops sinceritie The superitie of Bish. no alteratioÌ„ dissenting from the Lords ordinance Bishops superioritie The Bish. superioritie no defiling of the churche How corruption and disturbance entred about this superioritie Publius and Quadratus Bishops of Athens Dionysius B. of Corinthuâ— in the Apostles daies Philip Bish. of Gortinea his superioritie ouer the Pastors Theophilus Bishop of Anti-chiaâ— Irenaeus the scholer of Polycarpus How long Irenaeuâ— was Priest before he was Bishop The name of Priest Bishop now and then taken indiffâ—rentlie Bishop of Rome The succession of the Bishop of Rome till Ireneus time Ireneus lib. 3. cap. 3. Whom Peter Paul made Bish. of Rome How the Papists wreste this senteÌ„ce of Ieromes Bishop of Roâ—me This superiority no matter of vnwritten necessary doctrine or tradition How farre wherein Irenaeus pleadeth on succession The B. of Romes plea in these dayes CouÌ„terfeit workes in Clements name Pet. and Paule no Bishops of Rome The corruption of the B. of Rome Irenaeus plea of succession broken off How Paule and Peter were founders of the Church of Rome Paules continuance two yeares at Rome Peter not Bishop of Rome The likeliehood of the causes of Peters comming to Roome Christs prophecie of Peters death fulfilled Whom Peter Paul made Bish. of Rome This testimonie of Ireneus was within 80. yeares after Peters deth Clemens Epistles conuinced Eusebius testimonie of Pet. death at Rome Witnesses of Pet. Pau. death at Roome Eusebius his confirmation out of Caius An other confirmatioÌ„ out of Dyonisius Bish. of Corinth The Testimony of Ierome for these 2. witnesses How neere Ireneus was in place and time to the doing of â—hese things Peter not Bishop of Roome How Irenae argumentes proue the superioritie of one Bish. ouer all the other Pastors in that Church Eusebius Ieromes escape in misunderstanding Irenaeus Ireneus own acquittance for our disagreement How much to be giuen to the church of Rome Wherin the might and principalitie of the Churche of Rome consisted The church of Romes principalitie The gouernment of the Church of Rome not equall to euery pastor in the same Many priests or Pastorall Elders in Rome not Bish. there Bishops at the same time in other Churches Controâ—â—rsie about Easter The Bishop of Rome not vniuersall Gouernour of all The Churches not destitute of Pastors in the Bâ— absence CoÌ„trouersy about East Polycrates letter to the B. of Rome Controuersie of Easter The Bishop of Romes authoritie stretched no further then his owne prouince The authoof an Archb. How neere Polycraâ—es waâ— to Saint Polycrates Iohn how precise in anie thing not allowed by the Apostle The Bishop of Romes frowardnes Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 24. Irenaeus reprehension of the B. of Rome Irenaeus reprehension of Victor This gov of necessity or of no necessitie Howsoeuer this B. differed in other orders yet in this of B. superioritie receiued froÌ„ the Apostles they all agreed What they mislike and what they mislike not in Victor This question of gouernment whether of necessity oâ— no. If of necessitie we must needes haue it as these fathers had Feastes and Fastes The vse of feasts fasts Though diuersity may be in diuers states of Churches yet in one state one vniformitie The examples of the Doctors Pastors obedient knowledgâ— to their Bishop Origene Heraclas Origen When how of whom Origen was made priest How other B. honored Oâ—igeâ— Origen Tertullian The succession of the B. of Antioche Tertullian Bishops prerogatiue aboue priests and DeacoÌ„s Puritans Nouatuâ—the author of a sect of Puritans The author of the Puritanisme dissembling that hee would bee Bishop How hee suddainlye started out a new kinde of Bishop How he abused some simple Bish. How manie Priests in Rome besides the B. Ignorant Bishop The Author of this Puritanisme deemeth himselfe to be a Prieste The Bishop worthilye punished for making such Minist A caueat to all B. Magistrates and people in this matter 1 Thess. 5. Three kindes of Bishops The most reuerend Bridges Danaeus in Christ. â— sagog 3. par lib 2. cap 8. The name of Bishop honorable The name of Bishop not to be abolished though it hathe beene abused The name of Bâ—sh aswell of honor as of burthen The name of B. honorable In what sense S. Aug saith it is a name of burthen noâ— of honor Bishop Euangelicall The Bishop Euangelical or bishop of God The equality among al the Pastors maketh not the Magist. Bishops The Bishop of Man Thehumane B. or B. of man and his definitioÌ„ The definition of the B. of the Diuel Our Bish. in England haue no such powerâ— The. B. of mans power The superior authority that Danaeus alloweth to a Bâ— ouer the Pastors The Bishop of mans power The Bish. higher