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A00283 A briefe and plaine declaration, concerning the desires of all those faithfull ministers, that haue and do seeke for the discipline and reformation of the Church of Englande which may serue for a iust apologie, against the false accusations and slaunders of their aduersaries. Fenner, Dudley, 1558?-1587, attributed name.; Fulke, William, 1538-1589, attributed name.; Travers, Walter, 1547 or 8-1635, attributed name. 1584 (1584) STC 10395; ESTC S111889 54,423 158

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as it appeareth by many places both of the old and new Testament but chiefly in Numb 11. 16. Where God ordayned seuenty ancientes to assist Moses in his gouernment who were also endued at the same time with the spirite of prophecie from which time it became an ordinarie office and name of Gouernours in Israell Wherein we haue to note against the papistes that the ministers of the Church are neuer called in the new Testament by the name of sacrificing Priestes which were vnder the lawe but often are called Elders of the similitude of those ancientes● that gouerned the people of God Whereas if they had beene appoynted of God to be sacrificers the similitude name of sacrificing priestes would a great deale better haue agreed vnto them But whereas both these names were vsuall amongst the Iewes Iereus and Presbyteroi the one signifiyng sacrificers and the other Elders The spirit of God doth often call the ministers Elders but euermore preciselye auoydeth to name them sacrificers or priestes as we vse the terme yea though they succeed them in one principall part of their office that is to saye in teaching as it ●s written The lippes of the priest shoulde preserue knowledge and men shal seeke the law at his mouth The cause whereof is euident to bee this that the sacrificing priesthoode of Aaron is wholly translated vnto Christ in whom onely it resteth and passeth from him to none other But by the name of Elders the Pastors are called Act. 14. 23 Where Paule and Barnabas ordained Elders by election in euerye congregation And Act. 20. 17. Paule sent for the Elders of Ephesus to Miletū Also ●he affirmeth those Elders especially which labour in preaching and doctrine to be worthy of double honor Which place also testifieth of an other kind of Elders of whom we shal ●haue occasion to speake more hereafter whose office consisteth only in gouernement and not in publique teaching Moreouer he sheweth that he appoynted Titus to ordaine Eldersin euery Citie and afterwarde describeth what maner of men hee woulde haue to bee chosen into the office Also Saint Iames in Cap. 5. 14. willeth that if anye bee sicke they shoulde call for the Elders of the Churche who being indewed with the gifte of healinge at that time should pray for the diseased and annoint him with oyl and he should be restored to his health Finally Saint Peter as a fellowe Elder exhorteth the Elders to employe all their diligence to the feeding of the flocke of God An other name they haue in the scripture which is Superintendents or Ouerseers because they ought to be vigilant and watchfull to ouersee the flocke and euery member thereof Which name is neuer vsed in the scripture for such Bishops as clayme and exercise dominion and authoritie ouer whole regions all the Pastours of the same but only for those that bee Pastours of euery seuerall congregation hauing no superiority ●uer their fellow Pastors but be al of equall dignity and authoritie So are ●hey named Act. 20. where S. Luke in ●he 17. vers calleth them Elders of the Church of Ephesus S. Paule in the 28. ●erse calleth the same ouerseers say●ng Take heede to your selues and to the ●hole flocke ouer which the holy Ghoste ●ath made you ouerseers to feede or go●erne the Church of God which he hath ●●rchased with his owne bloud In this ●lace all the three appellations con●urre namely of ouerseers plaine●e and Pastoures inclusiuely in the ●orde flocke and in the worde Pot●ainan which signifieth to feede or gouern as a Pastor doeth his sheepe Where is to bee noted that Byshoppes or ouerseers of one Citye were manye which plainelye argu●th that they were none such as now a days are commonly called bishops which can be but one in one whole Diocesse much lesse many in one citie The same thing is to be obserued in the name of Bishoppes vsed by S. Paule Phillip 1. 1 where he Timothie sende salutations vnto the Bishops and Deacons of the church which was in the Citie of Philippi which bishops were the Elders or pastors else would he not haue saluted in special words the Deacons which were in inferiour office and omitted the Elders which were of more excellent calling In the same maner of speaking he describeth the qualities of those which were to be chosen into the office of the bishops and Deacons Likewise vnto Titus 1. 5. He calleth them Elders and immediatly after discribing the qualities of such as were meet to be ordained Elders he calleth them bishops saying For this cause did I leaue thee in Creta that thou shouldest continue to redresse the thinges that remaine and that thou shouldest ordayne Elders in euery Citie if anie be vnreproueable the husband of one wife hauing faithfull Children which are not accused of riot nor are disobedient For a Bishop or ouer seer must be vnreprooueable as the Steward of God not froward c. Finally S. Peter chapter 5. 1. the place before alleadged comprehendeth al the three names of Elders Pastours Bishops The Elders saith he which are among you I beseech The name of Pastor is vnderstanded by relation of the names of feeding and the flocke which he vseth also by the name of Archipoymē which signifieth the chief of Pastours which is our Sauiour Christ. The name of bishops or ouerseers is included in the worde Episcopountes which signifieth them which do carefully exercise the office of bishops or ouerseers His exhortation is this The Elders which are amongst you I beseech which am also a fellow Elder and a witnesse of the sufferinges of Christ and also a partaker of the glory that shalbe reuealed Feede the flocke of God which is committed vnto you so much as in you lieth carefully ouerseeing not by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a readie minde not as exercising Lordshippe ouer the heritage but that you may be examples to the flocke and when the chiefe Pastor shall appeare you shal receiue an incorruptible Crowne of glory S. Peter in this place reprooueth three notable vices which doe great hurt among the ministers of the Church if they bee not taken heede of slouthfulnes in teaching couetousnes of lucre ambitious desire of exercising Lordship exhorting them to painfull diligence because they were Byshops or Ouerseers to a ready care because they were Pastoures and therefore should labour for loue of the flock and not for lucre like hirelinges to modest humility because their cheef dignity in that they were Elders was to excell in Godlinesse that they might be an ensample to the flock which cannot bee except they submit themselues and their liues to the common rule of other men which most excellente vertues if they imbrace they shoulde bee sure to bee plentifullye rewarded by him who onelye deserueth to bee called the cheefe of all Elders Pastors and Byshops to whome onely these honorable names of
we finde in the worde of God certayn Officers appoynted for gouernmente vvee are bolde to affirme that that charge belongeth vnto those that are such And that doth S. Paule playnely declare where hee putteth a difference of the seuerall offices of the Church whereof hee nameth Gouernors for one 1. Cor. 28. 29. and Rom. 12. 8. Let him that ruleth doe it with diligence Therefore there ought to be in euery Church a Consistory or segnorye of Elders or gouernors which ought to haue the hearinge examination and determining of all matters pertaining to Discipline and Gouernement of that Congregation which authoritye of theirs neuerthelesse ought to be moderated that their iudgment may be rightly accounted the iudgement of the holy Church Which thing consisteth in these two pointes First that the Elders bee elected and chosen by consent of the whole Congregation men of Godlinesse and Wisedome in whome the whole Churche reposeth such confidence that they commit vnto them their authoritye in hearing determining such matters as without horrible confusion they cānot perform themselues And hereto also may be referred that which is sayde of Election of Pastours that the Apostles Paul and Barnabas did ordain by Election of the congregation Elders vnto many Churches Actes 14. 23. because the name of Elders is common to both to Pastors and Gouernors and is vsed in the Scripture to comprehend both at once as it appeareth manifestly by S. Paul 1. Tim. 5. 7. Those Elders that gouern well are worthy of double honor especially those that labour in the word and doctrine Of which testimonie we learne these three things First that there bee Elders in the Church which meddle not with teaching but are occupied altogether in gouerning Secondly that the Elders which labor in teaching otherwise called Pastors are ioined also in gouernment with them which teach not And thirdlye that the name of Elder comprehendeth both sorts of Elders And especially in the place before alleadged for election ther is great reason to lead vs to think that the elders for gouernment are as wel vnderstood as the other for doctrin because it is writtē in the same place that after they had ordeined them Elders in euery congregation by election as hauing set the Churches in perfect order which could not be except thei had established discipline as wel as doctrine they cōmitted thē to the Lorde in whome they beleeued The second point for moderation of the elders authority in such sorte that their sentēce may be the sentēce of the Church is this that when the cōsistory hath traueled in examining of causes pertaining to Ecclesiasticall Discipline and agreed what iudgement ought to passe vpon the matters they propound it to the whole multitude that it may be confirmed by their consent Wherof S. Paul speaketh touching the execution of Excōmunication because the fact was manifest Whē you are gathered together with my spirit in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and with the power of our Lord Iesus Christ to deliuer such a one vnto Sathan Nowe therfore to● prooue that there ought to be a Consistory of elders in euery Church for gouerning of the same It is manifest by the cōmandemēt of our Sauior Christ touching him that despiseth pryuate admonitiō If he hear not them tel the congregation if hee hear not the congregation let him be vnto thee as an heathē publicane Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer you shall bind vpon earth shall be bound in heauen In which saying of our Sauiour Christ this worde Congregation is not so largely taken as in other places for the whole multitude but for the chosen assembly of elders For our sauiour Christ in that worde alludeth vnto the assembly of elders that was amōg the Iews which they called but corruptlie of a greeke worde Synedrion which signifieth a Counsell or Consistory Sanedrin which had the hearing and determining of all difficult and waightie matters among the Iews the like wherof hee willed to be established in his Churche for administration of gouernment For seeing it was first instituted by God for gouernement of his Church in the olde lawe as hath beene shewed before out of Num. 11. 6. although it was shamefully abused by the wicked Iewes our sauiour Christ trāslateth it into his Church also in the new Testament and the name of Elders doth moste aptlye agree vnto them that bee gouernours in the Church now euen as it did to the ancients of Israel so that the Pastors seme to haue borrowed the name of Elders speciallye in respect of their gouernment The name of this consistory also in the new Testament we finde to be agreable with that of the Iewes whereof our sauiour Christe speaketh when he sayth Tell the congregation or assembly S Paule 1. Tim. 4. 14. Dispise not the gift which was giuen thee thorough prophecie with imposition of handes of the Eldership where the greeke word is Presbyterion the assemblie or Consistorye of the Elders Which worde is vsed also by Saint Luke in his Gospell speaking of the consistory of the Iewish Elders Luke 22. 66. As soone as it was daye the whole Eldership or assemblie of Elders came togeather both chiefe Priestes and Scribes and brought him into their counsell In which saying their counsel Synedrion is called Presbyterion Also Saint Paule Act. 20. 5. that he had beene a persecutor of christians taketh witnesse of the high priest and of the whol consistory of Elders vsing the same word Presbyterion By which it is euident that our sauiour Christ by this word Ecclesia in that place meaneth a consistory or assemblye of Elders whose authoritie he doth ratifie with such power that whatsoeuer is bounde or loosed by them on earth in the feare of God and with heartie prayer the Lord will bring it to passe yea he him selfe will be in the middest of them as President of their counsell to direct their consultations to the glory of God and the profite of his owne Church Therefore in euery Church there ought to be a consistory of Elders or Gouernours which with the Pastor may take charge of Ecclesiasticall discipline and good order to bee obserued in the church to the punishment of vice and the aduauncement of true vertue These if they gouerne well as Saint Paule doth testifie are worthy of double honour both that honour which is due to Godly men and that which is due to good gouernours How necessarye it is that Discipline shoulde be in the Church to keepe men in awe from offending and to bring offenders to repentaunce to auoyde the infection of sinne within the Church and the reproche that groweth by neglecting the punnishment of sinne among them that are without the Church We thinke it needlesse to stande long in proouing the matter of it selfe is so apparaunt and hath such plentifull testimonies in the scripture And especially let the reasons of Saint Paule 1. Cor. 5.