or house of God ought to be directed in all thinges according to the order prescribed by the housholder himselfe Which principle is true within the boundes thereof that is to say in all thinges that he hath prescribed But if he haue not prescribed all thinges appertayning to the externall gouernment of his Church or house then are those thinges which are not prescribed by the housholder himselfe not to be so vrged as that they ought necessarily this way or that way to be alwayes directed The Apostle Hebr. 8. verse 5. saith out of Exod. 25. verse 40. Moses was warned by God when he was about to finish the Tabernacle See sayde he that thou make all thinges according to the paterne shewed to thee in the mount But the Apostle proceeding in the ninth Chapter verse 11. applying this first Tabernacle to the second which he calleth a greater and more perfect Tabernacle not made with handes that is not of this building meaning the naturall bodie of Christe referreth not this to the mysticall bodie which is the Church or house of God and much lesse to the externall forme of regiment in all matters ecclesiasticall or belonging to the Churches gouernment No not when before chap. 3. verse 1. c. he speaketh both of Christ himselfe and of his house or Church also Therefore sayeth he holy brethren partakers of the heauenly vocation consider the Apostle and high Priest of our profession Christ Iesus who was faithfull to him that hath appointeâ— him euen as Moses was in all his house For this man was counted woorthie of more glorie thâ—n Moses in asmuch as he that hath builded the house hath more honour than the house For euery house is builded of some man and hee that hath built all thinges is God Nowe Moses verelie was faithfull in all his house as a seruant for a witnesse of the thinges which should be spoken after but Christe is as the sonne ouer his owne house whose house wee are if we holde fast the confidence and the reioysing of the hope vnto the ende Here againe we sée that this faithfulnesse in all his house as Moses was faithful is not to be reckoned as though he went about to shewe vs that all pointes of the externall regiment of the house or Churche of Christe haue a prescribed order by which they ought to bee directed in all thinges but that in the inwarde and spirituall regiment thereof we should acknowledge Iesus Christ the sonne of God to be the Lord and owner of this house and to consider him as the Apostle and high Priest of our profession that is of our Christian faith and religion and to confirme our faith in him that wee are his house or Church if wee holde fast not this or that externall forme of Ecclesiastical gouernment but the confidence and reioysing of hope vnto the ende And thus farre foorth and not furder we admit this second principle or proposition And this is necessarie to be obserued because this principle is here set downe in such captious order as insinuating that Christ had prescribed an order in all thinges in his house or Church according to the prescription whereof all thinges ought to be directed In which sense it is no principle but a question betwéene vs which wâ— denie and our brethren affirme but as yet they haue not prooued it The thirde saye they is a manifest trueth beleeued of all them that acknoweledge the Scripture of God to bee a perpetuall rule of all our life and able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes Here againe another caption is to be taken héede of in this their thirde principle which order is not to bee learned else-where but in his holie woorde For if they meane it of the order that in his holie worde he hath prescribed true it is that order is not to be learned any where else as anie necessarie prescription otherwise then as an exposition of the same order for our more cleare and fuller learning thereof And so alwayes kéeping the foundation the godlie fathers and expositors may builde there-on and the godlie gouernours of the Church may beautifie and adorne the same so that all be doone to Gods glorie and to the true edifying of the Church And so this third proposition is a manifest trueth beleeued of all them that acknowledge the scripture of God to be a perfect rule of all our life and able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes But it followeth not héere-upon that all generall or particuler orders in the externall gouernement of the Church are not else-where to bee learned but in Gods holie woorde except they meane by Gods holie worde such as are inclusiuely comprehended and not expresselie specified in his holie worde For they their selues haue not all their orders expressely mentioned and in all thinges prescribed in Gods holy worde For example their owne communion booke entituled The forme of Common prayers administration of the Sacramentes c. They dare not auowe that all thinges therein conteyned haue not beene learned else-where but in his holie worde and are there to be founde eyther in plaine woordes or necessarie implication but because they thinke that they are not contrarie they dare auouch thus farre to call them Agreeable to Gods worde And yet as though the agreeablenesse also might be called in question they adde héere-to And the vse of the reformed Churches And as their owne booke of Common prayers vseth all these helpes to saue all vpright for feare they might be chalenged in this poynt euen so this booke which our bretheren commende vnto vs to be A learned discourse of Ecclesiasticall gouernment prooued by the worde of God wee shall finde in the discourse thereof that the learned discoursers learned not all the orders prescribed there-in out of Gods holie worde but somewhat else-where Except they will likewise say it is agreeable or not contrarie to Gods holie worde Wherein also we shall God willing sée how they faile But if that answer may thus serue them I sée not whie it may not as well serue vs if we haue no other gouernement established but such as is agreeable and not contrarie to the holie word of God although it be not in his holie word expresselie prescribed Neither dooth this text of S. Paule 2. Tim. 3.17 anie more infringe euerie order in the churches gouernement that it maye not be learned else-where but in Gods holie worde then it dooth infringe euerie other order in the ciuill policie or administration of euerie mans morall behauiour that their orders also are not to be learned else-where but in Gods holie word Bicause thiâ— is a manifest truth beleeued of all them that acknowledge the scripture of God to be a perfect rule of all our life and able to make the man of God perfect prepared to all good workes But it sufficeth for such orders as
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do so aduance the sense therof that they become not coÌ„petible to mortal men especially being applied to the ordering gouerning of the churâ—h are not those names offiâ—es being simply taken without this composition seruing to builde the Ch. as S. Paule saith Ephes. 4. euen on the place that our Brethren do allege for pastors and Doctors that they are all giuen to the worke of the Ministery vnto the edifiing or building of the body of Christe c. So that indéed al these offices that Christe ordeyned are but builders of this mysticall temple vntill we all come to the vnity of faithe and of the knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ And who is the principall builder of this Temple but euen hee that saide of the Temple of his owne naturall bodie to the which his mysticall bodie is compared Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will builde it vppe againe Io. 6.21 Wheruppon saith S. Paule Heb. 9.1 c. holie bretheren pertakers of the heauenly calling consider the Apostle and heade-Priest of our coâ—fession Iesus who is faithfull to him that hath preferred him euen as Moses also in all his house For he was counted worthye of greater glorye than Moses how much greater honor than the house he hath that made it For euerye house is builded of some man but he that created all thinges is God And verilie Moses was faithfull in all his house as a seruaunt in witnesse of those thinges that were to bee spoken But Christe is in his house as a Sonne which house are wee if wee keepe firme and sure the confidence and glorye of hope vnto the ending Héere are these honorable names attributed both vnto Christe vnto Moses that as Christe was the builder of the spirituall house or temple of God so was Moses Christe as the sonne and owner Moses but as a seruaunt in Gods house and yet commeth in S. Paule 1. Cor. 3. v. 9.10 Ye are the building of God according to the grace of God that is giuen to mee I as a wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-builder or chiefe builder which we commonly traÌ„slatea Maister builder haue laid the foundation another buildeth vpon it What durst S. Paule say of himself he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which tearme principally is proper vnto Christ For the worde signifieth such principallitie and chiefe degrée applied by S. Paule vnto himselfe and that in the cheefest worke of Gods Church the building of it the worke that conteyneth all Ecclesiasticall offices and whereto all do tende and that without any derogation to Iesus Christe Although Christe absolutelie simply and aboue all be the onely and proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all this mysticall building And is this honorable name Elder of such honorable Eldershippe and prerogatiue aboue builder or of any such peculiar application to God the Father or to Christe the sonne that it is onely and properlye applyed to him Indéede Christe is called the olde or auncient of dayes not the elder except with addition our Elder Brother otherwise this honorable name is not so proper onelie to Christe to bée called Presbyter as to be called Sacerdos And therefore is lesse iniurious yea no iniury at all to the peculiar or to any other honorable name of our sauiour Iesus Christ to bee called Archipresbyter And yet if Presbyter had beene any name of Christe seeing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacerdos Pontifex yet admitted a mortal maÌ„ to be so much his figure euen of his Sacrifice that one aboue all the other sacrificing priestes was called also fummus sacerdos or Pontifex Maximus the highest sacred Minister or sacrificing prieste and chiefest Bishop without anie derogation to Christes honor yea it rather serued to his honor how much more then in this title Presbyter and Archipresbyter being names not so proper to him may a mortall man without anie dishonour to his prerogatiue reuerently be called Archipresbyter If it bee saide the highe-prieste was so called because hee prefigured Christe True it is But sith our Brethren confesse that those offices callings were likewise also for good order of discipline among them although that priesthoode both in him and in all other of that order of Aaron and Leui bee accomplished in Christe and so abolished yet as the degrees of order and differences of Ministers among them by our Brethrens owne confession was the signe also of the differences among vs So why not withall of the differences of degrees and dignities in the same And sithe our brethren alleage héereunto the Synagogues among the Iewes and their order théerein and that they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefe gouernours or princes of the Synagogues which order of dignitie was not abolished by Christe and some good christians were suche among the Iewes not dissalowed but commended by S. Luke euen by that name Act. 18. ver 8. And Crispus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arch-gouernour of the Sinagogue beleeued with all his house And although Paule after warde 1. Cor. 1.14 mencioning this Crispus tearme him not there the Arch-gouernour of the Iewes sinagogue yet as it further appeareth Act. 18. ver 17. by Sosthenes who was long before a faithfull Christian and as diuers alleage out of Eusebius lib. 1. cap. 13. he was also one of the 72 Disciples chosen of Christe So S. Luke calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arch ruler or principall of the sinagogue continuing well inough the name and office of his dignity with the sinceritie of Christs religion any order then to the contrarie notwithstanding But if our brethren aske vs what we say to the other honorable name Archiepiscopus indéede wee néede saye the lesse to this of Archipresbyter Arch-prieste or Arch elder retayning no such name among vs as wee haue of Arch-deacon and Arch-bishop but because the name of Deacon is a name much lesse proper vnto Christ Arch-deacon may bee afforded with our brethrens lesse suspition of touching Christes glory and prheminence Deacon signifiing but Minister Arch-deac can signifie but a chiefe or principall Minister and therefore may be suffered with lesse enuie and we haue heard Zanchius Bucers allowance of it As for the name of Bi. being a name of dignity and being wel vsed as S. Paule saith deseruing double honor it is not only a name pertayning to Christe which is called the Bish. of our soules but also communicated by his Apostles vnto mortall men And though the name of Archb. signifie a principall ouerseer in his dignity being simply and absolutely vnderstod of Christe aboue all other is in very déede only the true archbishop yet since the Scripture expresseth no where this name either peculiarly or at all vnto him since so many holy fathers of so great antiquity both
after Peter Iohn assoone as they were let go came to their fellows shewed al that the high priests elders had saide vnto them when they heard it they lift vp their voices to God with one accord said O Lord c. And though their praiers be not also described Act. 12. 5. When Peter was kept in prison yet in that he saith But earnest prayer was made of the Church to God for him wee may easily coniecture that it was not made onely with their assent but with all their voices in their so earnest praier for him And although the visions in the Reuelation that Saint Iohn sawe and heard bee referred to further mysteries yet the analogy that is proportionable betweene the signes of thinges and the thinges them-selues manifestly prooueth that the multitude of voices ioyned together in publique prayers was not then either of God or man accounted a disorder or confusion in the Churche Apocal. 4. verse 8. c. And he foure Beastes had echâ— one of them sixe wings about him and they were ful of eyes within and they ceased not day nor night saying Holy Holy Holy Lorde God almighty which was and which is and which is to come And when those beastes gaue glory and honour and thankes to him that sate on the throne and worshipped him that liueth for euer euer the 24. elders fel downe bâ—fore him that satte on the throne worshipped him that liueth for euermore cast their crowns before the throne saying thou art worthy O lorde to receiue glory and honour and power for thou haste created all thinges and for thy willes sake they are and haue beene created And in the next Chapter verse 8. The foure and twenty Elders fel downe before the lambe hauing euery one Harpes and golden Viols full of Odors which are the prayers of Saintes and sung a newe song saying Thou art worthy c. And also verse 11. Then I behelde and I hearde the voyce of many Angelles round about the Throne and about the Beastes and the elders and there were thousande thousandes saying with alowde voyce VVorthie is the lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches and wisedome strength and honour and glory and prayse and all the creatures which are in Heauen and vnder the earth and in the Sea and all that are in them heard I saying praise â—nd honour and glory and power bee vnto him that sitteth vpon the Throne aâ—d vnto the lambe for euermore And the foure Beastes sayde Amen c. The Reuelation hath many moe of these visions All which though they haue a misticall vnderstanding yet if those mysteries had beene figured by thinges disordered and confused it had both beene a discredite to the entendement of them neither coulde Saint Iohn haue well perceiued and vnderstood them But that this was the practise of the primitiue and auncient Church succéeding it may appeare by Iustine in the foresaide Apologie But howe we haue dedicated our selues to God saith hee beeing renewed by Christe wee will nowe declare least wee might seeme to dissemble any thing malitiously So many as being perswaded do beleeue these things to be true that we do teach and do promise to liue after the same manner before all things they learne with prayers and fastinges to aske of God forgiuenesse of their fore-passed sinnes we ioining together with them the prayers and the fastings So that all these that were conuerted from idolatry and were to be baptized with the Ministers that did baptise them ioined as their fastings so their prayers altogether and then within a little after followeth that which wee haue alreadye cited of their publike prayers when they are brought to the assembly of the faithfull to ioine also with them in the Communion After which publique prayers when they had saluted one another with a mutual kisse and that the chiefest of the brethren was with his prayers and thankes-giuing consecrating to God the mysteries of the Lordes supper after the prayers sayth he and the Eucharist or thankesgiuing all the company singetâ— Amen Here is againe the cheefe Elders prayers thanksgiuing by him selfe and all the companies Amen But as he declareth afterward before these prayers and thanks-giuings that this cheefe person maketh alone which is the consecration of the breade and Wine to the which the people singeth â—men When the Exhortation to prepare them-selues to come worthily to this Table was finished After this saith he we arise all of vs together and offer our prayers which done the breade wine c. as is aforesaide is brought forth So that here are some prayers made of all the people together with the Minister and some prayers only made by the mouth of the Minister in the name of the whole Church as ourâ— brethren say and the whole Church ioyning in heart with the People in the same prayers and praying with him in silence in the ende they gaue their consent thereto by aunswering Amen Cyprian Ser. 6. De Orat. Dominica sayth We say not My father which art in heauen neither Giue to me this day my bread neither doth euery one desire that sins shold be only forgiueÌ„ to him or desireth for him self alone that he shold not be led into tentation shold be deliuered from euil It is a publike coÌ„mon prayer vnto vs. And when we pray we pray not for one but for all people because we being the whole people are one thing The God of all peace and master of concorde that taught vnitie woulde thus haue one to pray for all Euen as hee him selfe did beare all in one This Lawe did the three Children keepe beeing enclosed in the furnace of fire Agreeing in prayer and concording in consent of spirite Which thing the fayth of the diuine scripture declareth and when it teacheth howe suche praied it giueth an example which wee in prayers ought to followe that wee might bee such as they were Then sayth the scripture they there did sing an hymne as it were with one mouth and did blesse the Lorde They spake as it were with one mouth and Christ had not yet taught them to praye and therefore to them that prayed their speech was able to obtaine and effectuall because the quiet and simple and spirituall praier was acceptable to the Lord. Thus sayth Cyprian of the prayers wherin all the people ioyned their voyces publikely together and that the Apostle followed this manner he citeth Acts 1. as is aforesayd So that this praier with one mouth in the name of all was not so that one only spake it the other only gaue the Amen and consent thereto but they all spake it with such a concorde as though it had beene spoken with one mouth which was spoken with the mouth of euerie one of them Euen as euerie one saith the Lords praier in the name of al and not onâ— alone saith it for them all And yet
whether it be vnto the king as vnto the superiour or vnto the Gouernors as vnto theÌ„ that are sent of him c. here he first nameth this generall word euery humane ordinace or creature For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coÌ„prehend both the ordinaÌ„ce created also the creature or person either of maÌ„ or womaÌ„ And though he afterward specifie the name of king which rather séemeth to be limited to a man yet his reason includeth both sexes though according to the coÌ„mon phrase he meÌ„tion only the more worthy sexe As wheÌ„ he sayth afterward ver 17. honor all men he excludeth not the honor due to womeÌ„ but includeth it And v. 18. 19. Seruants be ye subiect to your Masters withal feare not only to the good courteous but also to the frowarde For this is thaÌ„ke worthy if a man for conscience toward God endure griefe suffring it wrongfully here these words Master maÌ„ are not limited to the sexe but are rather spoken of the persons So by a courteous or a froward M. is ment also a courteous or a froward Mistresse by maÌ„ either any seruaÌ„t or any person he or she that suffreth wrongfully Neither only doth Peter in the terme of one sex include both but méeteth also with this reason that it is no disobedience to the king but only to his deputie therfore sayth he or vnto gouernors as vnto those that are sent of him Which word him if we refer to the king If he may haue such gouernors as sent of him so also may a Queene as sent of her Caluin rather referreth it as vnto those that are seÌ„t of God But this again makes for vs. He signifieth saith Caluin al sorts of Magistrats as though he should say there is no kind of gouernmeÌ„t to which they ought not to subiect themselues He coÌ„firmeth this because they are Gods ministers For they that refer this Pronoune him to the king are much deceaued This therfore is a coÌ„moÌ„ reason to coÌ„mend the authority of all Magistrats that they rule by the coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of God are sent of him So that what sorts of Magistrates so euer they be we neither respect the difference of their states whether in a Monarchie or in an Aristocratie or in a popular coÌ„mon wealth nor yet respect we the sexes of the gouernors but God that placed them in authoritie for his ordinance sake we must obey them and their ordinances if they be not contradictorie but subalternall to God their principall that did sende them So that the inabilitie of the sexe is no more lawful pretence to repell the autoritie of the person theÌ„ is the inability of age or of health or of streÌ„gth or of knowledg to administer personally many functions that pertain to the administratioÌ„ of a kingdome Pharao could not do many things pertaining to the administratioÌ„ of his kingdome that Ioseph could do neither Nabuchodonozer that Daniel could do nor Saul that Dauid nor Oziah that his tutors in his naÌ„e could do yet was this no impechmeÌ„t to their states But here Danaeus pickes out two things that he thinkes by all meanes to be vtterly inconuenient for women to haue anie dooing at all in them that is to witte to be ouer an armie and to pronounce lawe sitting in publike place of iudgement These two functions are such I grant as appertaine vnto a supreme gouernour and are necessarie both for warre and peace the two chiefe estates of euery common weale the one to defende theÌ„ from their enemies the other to maintaine them among themselues Howbeit neither of these two functions eyther to be a gouernour in warre or to bee a Iudge in peace are such functions that if a Prince can not personally exercise the same he should therfore be debarred from his right or hauing it he should surcease it For if the king be a childe well may they liue in hope of his riper yeares but in that infirmitie of his age neither the actiuitie of his bodie nor the skill of his mind will reach to the administring of these two functions Yea when he comes to mans estate he may both be so weake in bodie so faint in heart and so vnexpert in the feates of warre he may againe be so simple in iudgement so vnlearned in the lawes and maye proue altogether so vnapt for discerning and deciding of controuersies that neither childe nor man hee may be able or apt for the personall administration of these functions And what then Shall he be cleane excluded or deposed from his kingdome for his only vnabilitie or vnaptnes in these functions Or on the other side if we shall more safely conclude that deputies may supply his imbecilitie herein as we haue séene how Azarias remayned king being a â—eper separate and shut vp from the people neither able to gouerne an armie nor to sitte in iudgement but to doe these functions and al other bâ—longing to the administration of a kingdome by his sonne Iotham who gouerned the house and iudged the people of the lande 2. Reg. 15 ver 5 can then not Christian Princes where any imbecilitie of nature or of sexe maketh them lesse able to doe these things themâ—elues supply them also by their deputies Did Dauid guide all his armies by his personall conducte or not his greatest most daungerous battels by his liefe-tenant Ioab Yea 2. Sam. 18. ver 3. the army would not suffer him to goe to battell with them but sayde Thou shalt not goe foorth for if wee flee they will not regarde vs neither will they passe for vs though halfe of vs were slaine But thou art nowe worth ten thousande of vs c. And yet Dauid ceased not to be their king still Yea he was the safer froÌ„ daunger in his person for the matter he made no lesse noble conquestes by his Captaines The Senate and people at Rome conquered the most famous partes of all the worlde and all or most by their deputies whom they sent foorth with their armies while they sate still debated the matters in the Capitoll And although that the sitting in publik iudgement and pronouncing right be easier for the bodie of the twaine yet sith it requireth the knowledge of the lawes except Princes should sitte for a shewe or according to lawe will I or resolue the doubt as Alexander vndid Gordias his knotte how many Salomons are there that sit their selues in iudgement some of them good Princes too hauing learned vncorrupt iudges to administer those functions for theÌ„ But can any of theÌ„ therfore be sayd that he is not a lawfull Prince or no Prince at all yea although he were also a dissolute and vniust Prince If now these functions in men Princes can be thus administred by the deputations of other men experienced approued in these functions why should this supply be debarred froÌ„ a womaÌ„
nowe God be praysed more openly and with more authoritie than at that time because the chiefe ciuill Magistrates were not then Christians and yet the generall direction and ouersight for manners pertayned in dutie vnto them But what necessitie inferreth this that because there were such Gouernours then therefore nowe also wee learne that there bee Elders in the Churche which meddle not with teachinge but are occupied altogether in gouerning For although this be graunted that there be Elders in the Churche which meddle not with teaching but with gouerning meaning the Ciuill Christian Magistrates for they both bee and be in the Churche and that lawefully yet what are our Brethren the néerer for the proofe of such Elders as they here contende for except they will make them the ciuill Christian Magistrates But vnderstanding by this worde Elder such Ecclesiasticall Elders as they suppose although againe I graunt them where they say there be Elders in the Churche c. If in this worde bee they signifie the time present that indéede there bee such Elders in the Church as they would haue that is to say there be such in those Churches of our Brethren in some other Countries or the French or Dutch in vsuall notwithstanding I learne it not by this place 1. Tim. 5.17 that there be any but rather that there were some though not suche in all pointes as they imagine they were And doth this followe that because wee learne likewise and more clearely and with more apparant warrant and nature of the offices that there were Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes in the Churche therefore we learne there be Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes in the Churche still among vs But if our Brethren meane by these wordes wee learne that there bee Elders in the Churche c. That is to saye there ought to be and that perpetually and that in euerie Church and congregation such gouerning Elders as they pretende which meddle not with teaching that we learne not here nor they proue nor I thinke shall euer be able to prooue that S. Paule heere or hée or any other in anye other place of all the Scripture doth teache or touch it If our Brethren say that the wordes of S. Paule inferre a perpetuall necessitie that there shoulde bee Elders gouerning the Churche which should be labourers in the worde and doctrine admitting therfore that he speaketh here of 2. distinct sorts of Eccl. Elders in the Church the one medling with teaching the other not if the one inferre a perpetuall necessitie of the office so doth the other I graunt againe that both there and in other places S. Paules wordes inferre and so do others also in the scripture a perpetuall necessitie that there should be Elders gouerning in the Church which should be laborers in the worde and doctrine Albeit he speaketh there either of those that were then or should be at any time in the Church what honour they should haue which was the Apostles purpose in these wordes The Elders that gouerne well are woorthie of double honour especially such as labour in the worde and doctrine And I pray you was not S. Paule and the other Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes Elders also and worthie of as much honour as were those Elders who and whatsoeuer And yet are nowe and long since these functions ceased for any necessitie or ordinarie néede or exercise of them in the Church Though more or lesse there haue still béene in all ages at least-wise there ought alwayes to haue beene in all ages labourers in the worde and doctrine And therefore admitting there were then together in the Church such distinct offices the dutie to haue them honoured accordingly inferreth no suche necessitie of perpetuitie that if the one continue in the Church the other also must continue For then we should still haue Apostles except our Brethren can teach it and we shall learne it better than that this place will inferre any necessitie or continuance of it Now as we sée here that we can not learne this by any necessity of the Apostles wordes that there bee that is to say there ought to be in the Church that is to say in euery congregation Elders that is to say a Consistorie or Seignorie not medling with teaching that is to say not medling in the publike administration of the worde sacraments but are occupied altogether in gouerning that is to saye which ought to haue the hearing examination determining of all matters pertayning to discipline and gouernmeÌ„t of that congregation for this is their own exposition of their words admitting still that the Apostle speaketh heere of two diuers sorts of Elders that ought in good order of teaching these 3. things to haue béen the first point which our breth shuld haue taught vs we to haue learned they haue here placed it last so let vs now sée what necessitie driueth vs first or last to learne on these words of the Apostle 1. Tim. 5.17 that there were such Elders then in the Churche that Paule there meaneth of such Elders as medled not with teaching but were occupied altogether in gouerning For first S. Paul sayth not this in plain wordes It is our Brethrens collection Colligere hinc licet sayth Caluine hereupon it is lawefull to gather that there were then two kindes of Elders because all were not ordeyned to teach For the words do openly sound that some gouerned well honestly to whom notwithstanding the partes of teaching were not coÌ„mitted And indeede out of the people were chosen graue and tryed men which together with the Pastors in common counsell authoritie of the Church administred the discipline and were as it were the Censors or controllers in correcting manners Caluine sayth here it may be gathered and so alreadie to search out the matter better we haue admitted it that such there were and yet not such neither as our Brethren prescribe nor Caluine agréeth fully to him selfe of their authoritie For where he sayth here that together with the Pastors in common counsell and authoritie of the Church they administred the discipline and were as it were controllers in correcting manners on the former place Act. 14.23 he sayth fuiâ—se enim quosdam duntaxat morum Censores apparet 1. Tim. 5.17 that there were certaine Elders the controllers of manners onely for we can not so expounde it that they were the onely controllers of maners syth the Pastors were controllers of manners also it appeareth out of Paule 1. Tim. 5.17 And here when he commeth to the place that he referreth vs vnto he leaueth cleane out this duntaxat onely and giueth them together with the Pastors in common counsell and authoritie of the Church the administration of discipline Thus doth Caluine with this contradiction or wauering in his spéeches heereon infringe the authoritie of his owne collection But what maketh him or any other of our Brethren to thinke this so plaine
wordes that the Prayer booke speaketh of his cheefe office which indéede it doth but so that it debarreth from him in the other inferior matters all authority quite and cleane and leaues him onely to bare Councell where Caluine giueth him and them both Councell and authoritie in common and likewise our Brethren heere say that the pastors are ioyned also in gouernment with them Which saying of our brethren is yet far better then his abridging abasing or rather annihilating of the Pastors authority in the gouernment of the Church and giuing all to these not teaching Elders and onely counsell to the pastors Howbeit the sayde bookes of Common Prayer doe after ward cleane againe contrary themselues saying in the title of Elders whose office standeth in gouerning with the rest of the Minist in consulting admonishing correcting ordring al things pertaining to the comely directiō of the congregation they differ from the Ministers in that they preach not the word nor minister the sacraments In which wordes they giue the Pastors not only counsell but authority and as doe our Brethren héere ioine them in Gouernment both together Which though of the twaine it be the better yet to ioyne these Elders not teaching in equall and ioynt authoritie of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment with the Pastors neyther is it conuenient nor oure Brethren haue prooued it nor wee learne it by anye playne wordes or necessary consequence out of this testimonie 1. Timothy 5.17 And as for the third point which shoulde rather haue béene the first or second that the name of Elder comprehendeth both sortes of Elders for such Elders as our Brethren héere pleade they can not prooue it at leastwise as yet they haue not Notwithstanding taking Elders as wée haue sayde before though this place of Saint Paule doe not inferre it and so we learne it not also out of this testimony yet in other places wee learne it plaine ynough and freely graunt in the church two sortes of Elders Now although this may suffice to aunswere our Brethrens testimonyes out of S. Paule to Timothy that wee can not learne by any inferrence of this place there were such Elders then as our Brethren gather that there were yet on this occasion to procéede a little further herein either for our Brethrens fuller satisfaction at least wise for the plainer opening of the matter to any indifferent or not to much forestalled iudgement it is the more probable by all likelihood that S. Paul in this place meant not any such gouerning Elders as medled not with teaching because the text it selfe if we peruse that that goeth before and that commeth after speaketh of such Elders as either our Brethren them selues vnderstande for Elders in age not in office as ver 1. rebuking not an Elder or if in office of such onely as medled with teaching so well as with gouernment As immediately after his proofe of this testimony S. Paule procéedeth saying against an Elder admit no accusation except vnder 2. or 3. witnesses Which our breth confesse is spoken of an Elder medling with teaching as we haue before at large declared And as for all the auncient fathers at least those which I haue red gather in their Commentaries thereupon no other kind of Elder then such as medled with teaching in their Gouernment Chrisostome Homil. 15. writing vpon this place sayth on this wise The Elders that gouerne well are worthy of double honour moste of all they that labor in th◠word and doctrine For sayth the Scripture Thou shalt not moosle the mouthe of the Oxe that treadeth out th◠corne and the VVorke-man is worthie his rewarde Hee calleth in this place obedience and the yeelding of necessary things honor For that which followeth Thou shalt not moosle the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the Corne and the VVorke-man is worthie his reward signifieth this And therefore when hee commaunded Widowes to bee nourished with honour it shoulde bee referred to their necessary liuing that it may serue to suffice them that are widowes indeeede And agayne Honor the Widdowes that is those that are in poore estate For howe much the poorer shee is the more shee is a Widdow Hee setteth downe the testimony of the Lawe and addeth the testimony of Christe and both of them agree together For the Lawe sayth Thou shalt not moosle the Oxes mouth that treadeth out the Corne. Thou seest howe hee woulde haue the Doctor to labor Truely there is no other labour to bee compared thereunto Hee addeth the Testimonye of Christe For hee that is hired is worthy his rewarde let vs not therefore looke onely to the rewarde But let vs nowe also heare the precept He that is hired saith he is worthy his reward If any therfore shall bee dainty or remis he indeed is not worthy Except any shal be the oxe treading out the Corne and bearing the yoke he shall draw against the cold and against the thrones nor depart till he haue done he is not worthy It behoueth therefore that the doctors haue their liuing abundantly ministred vnto them least they faint or be weakened or be occupied in the least matters and depriue them-selues and others of the great that they may labor the matters that are spiritual hauing no regard to the seculer things Such kinde of persons were the Leuites which had no care to the things seculer in such sorte as had the laity For the caring for the Leuites was permitted to them to witte to the Laity and by lawe were appointed for them reuenewes tenths Golde first fruites vowes or offerings and many other things but these thinges were by the lawe worthily permitted to them that only sought the thinges present and earthly I may boldely say therefore that the prelates or gouernors of the Church ought to haue nothing but their liuing and their apparelling that they shoulde not bee drawen with lusting after these things But what is that he saith with double honor think we that it is spoken of double for that it is stretched to the widdowes and to the Deacons or ministers or else is it put of double that is to say of grace let vs not therefore look onely to that that he sayd he is worthy of double honor but let vs much more mark that which hee added they that gouern well But what is it to gouern well Harken to Christe saying the good pastor layeth his life for his sheepe To gouern wel therfore is this to spare none of them for their gouernment sake Chiefly saith he they which labor in the word doctrine Wher now are they that say there is no need of the word and doctrine sith with such study Paul admonisheth Timothy saying meditate these things in these things be thou And again Intend to reading and consolation for doing this thou shalt both saue thy self and them that hear thee And these he commandeth cheefly of all to be honored he addeth the cause saying for they sustain much
except that before he had by repentance purged him-selfe of those manifolde faultes that were reported of him It is sayde therefore that hee gladly receiued that which was appoynted to them by the Proestos or Bishoppe approouing that hee had a godly feare and a Fayth of Religion moste full of workes The like wee reade of the moste Noble Emperour Theodosius in the Ecclesiasticall Historie of Theodoretus Lib. 5. Cap. 17 Where hauing declared in the former Chapter howe Theodosius had in his fury caused his Souldiers to make a Massacre of 7000. people in the City of Thessalonica for the reuenge of an insurrection there made wherein some of the Emperours Iustices were stoned to death hee sheweth how the Emperour afterwarde beeing come to Millaine when hee woulde haue entred into the Churche after his wonted manner Ambrose forbad him laying the heighnousnesse of his fault before him and willing him to depart and submit him-selfe to this bonde of Excommunication that hee inflicted on him With these wordes sayth Theodoretus the Emperour being moued who being brought vp in the holy doctrine knewe what were the offices of the Sacerdotall preestes what were the offices of the Emperours hee returned with sighes and teares into the Court c. For the which fact although perhappes somewhat more rough than needed vnto so penitent a Prince not onely Ambrose but also Theodosius is of all writers highly commended Generally whatsoeuer Heretikes or other malefactors in any of the generall or prouinciall Councilles bee condemned by the Censure of Excommunication it was done by such Bishops Preestes or Elders as were Ministers of the Worde of God Neither doe any of the Fathers ascribe the denuntiation of this spirituall Censure in the proper sence thereof to any other than to a Bishop or to a minister of the Worde We haue seene in Cyprian howe although hee promised that hee would doe nothing in receiuing those that were fallen from the fayth into the lapse of Idolatry and so became abstenti that is Excommunicated to bee admitted on their repentaunce to the communion and peace of the church without the consent of his College of Elders which as withall wee haue founde were all ministers of the Word and Sacraments Which Iunius him-selfe in his Booke called Ecclesiasticus Capitulo 3 treating on these Seniors confesseth to be Corpus Collegium sacerdotum A body or corporation and College of Sacerdotall Preestes Yea in that case although hee promiseth not to receyue them without the consent also of the Deacons and of the people yet the action of Excommunication and absoluing of them hee still maketh it proper tohim selfe being the Bishop and to such onely as were ministers of the Worde Hierome vpon that saying of Christe to Peter Math. 16 I will giue thee the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer c. This place sayth hee the Bishops and the Preestes not vnderstanding take vpon them some-what of the Pharisées pride to thinke that eyther they may condemne the innocent or loose the offenders When as with God not the sentence of the sacerdotall Preestes but the life of the guilty is sought out Wee reade in Leuiticus of the Lepers where they are bidden to shewe them selues to the Preestes And if they haue the Leprie then of the sacerdotall Preestes they are made vncleane Not that the sacerdotall preestes make them Lepers and vncleane but that they haue the knowledge of him that is a Leper and of him that is not a Leper And that they may discerne who is cleane or who is vncleane In such sorte therefore as the sacerdotall Preeste maketh the Leper clean or vncleane so here also eyther the Bishop and the preeste or Elder bindeth or looseth not those that are eyther innocent or offenders but according to his office when hee shall haue hearde the diuersities of the sinnes he knoweth who is to bee bound or who is to be loosed Saint Augustine being complained vnto that Auxilius being a young Bishop had made such a rash Excommunication as Hierome here spake of writeth vnto him in this manner Augustine to his moste dearely beloued Lorde and worshipfull or reuerend brother and fellow sacerdotall Preeste Auxilius Our renowned Sonne Classicianus hath greeuously by Letters complayned vnto mee that he hath susteined of your holinesse the iniury of accursing Declaring that he came to the church accompanied with the appearaunce of a fewe persons conuenient for his power and dealt with you that you shoulde not against his health or safety fauour them who by periuring themselues on the Gospell sought ayde for violating of their fayth euen in the house of fayth Whome notwithstanding considering what ill they had done he saith that they were not taken thence by violence but went out of their owne accorde And heereupon your honour is so offended with him that by the making of your Ecclesiasticall actes hee with all his house is striken with the sentence of the Curse Which Letters I hauing read beeing not a little mooued with thoughtes tossing me with great vexation of heart I coulde not hide it from your louingnesse that if you haue your opinion of this matter tried out by sure reasons or testimonies of the Scriptures you woulde vouchsafe also to teach vs how the childe may rightly be accursed for the Fathers sinne or the wife for the Husbandes or the seruaunt for the Lordes or anie in the house also not yet borne if it shoulde be borne in the same time that the whole house is bound with the curse so that it coulde not in the daunger of death be helped by the washing of regeneration For this is not a corporall punishment wherewith we reade that some dispisers of God were slayne together with all theirs which were not partakers of the same vngodlinesse Then in-deede to the terror of the liuing the mortall bodies were slayne which at sometime veâ—ily should haue died But the spirituall punishment whereby that iâ— done which is written VVhatsoeuer thinges thou shalt binde in earth shall bee bound also in Heauen bindeth the soules Of whome it is written The soule of the Father is mine and the soule of the Sonne is mine The soule that shall sinne the same shall dye You haue peraduenture hearde that some sacerdotall preestes of greate name haue accursed some body with their house But if perhaps they were demaunded they might bee found not able to render a reason of the same As for me If any body should demaund of me whether it were well done I finde not what I shold answere him I neuer durst do this thing when I haue bin mooued most greeuously about the wicked deedes of some moste cruelly committed against the Church But if the Lord haue reuealed to you how it may iustly be done I despise neuer a whit your yong age rudimeÌ„ts or but yong beginnings of the Eccl. honor Beholde I am at hand I an old man of my yong
discipline or honesty or peace The end of our striuing is to restreyne the vnmeasurable and barbarous Empire that they vsurpe vpon the soules which would be counted the Pastors of the Church but in very deede are the most cruell butchers Héere we sée what Ecclesiasticall lawes and constitutions Caluine alloweth and what he impugneth If they be such as be made for matter of the worship of God or to incroch vpon the spirituall libertie of the conscience Caluine proclaymeth warre against them and so do we also but if they be such as tend to any of these thrée good ends discipline honestie or peace Caluine proâ—esseth not to striue with any such constitutions and such only do we defend and eyther our Brethren striue against them or we agrée so farre héerein But héere Caluine least the good and lawfull constitutions also shoulâ— be thought suspected as matters touching the intangling of the consâ—ieÌ„ce after he hath moued the question of Sainct Paules saying Rom. 13.5 how we must obey the Princes lawes not only for wrath but for coÌ„science proprie autem c. but properly conscience respecteth onely God as I haue alreadie sayd Heereupon saith he sect 4. it commeth to passe that a law is said to bind the conscience which bindeth a man simply without mens looking into it or without consideration had of them as for example God commaundeth not onely to keepe the soule pure and chaste from all lust but also forbiddeth any vncleannes of words and outward lasciuiousnes To the obseruation of this law my conscience is subiect although there were no man else in the world aliue Euen so he that demeaneth himselfe intemperately sinneth not only in that he giueth euill example to his brother but he hath his conscience tied with a guiltines towards God in matters that are indifferent the reason is otherwise for if they breede any offence we ought to absteyne howbeit with a free conscience so doth Paule speake of flesh consecrated to Idoles If any saith he cast a scruple touch it not for conscience sake conscience I say not thine but the others The faithful man should sinne if before hand being admonished he would notwithstanding eaâ—e that flesh Neuerthelesse howsoeuer in respect of his brother an abstinence is necessarie for him as it is of God prescribed yet for all that he leaueth not to hold the libertie of conscience we see how this lawe binding the externall worke leaueth conscience vnbound Now to returne to the humane lawes if they be made to this end to cast a religion vpon vs as though the obseruation of them were by themselues necessarie we say that they were imposed vpon the conscience which thing was not lawfull for our conscience hath not to do with men but with God alone whereunto apperteyneth that common difference betweene the earthly court and the court of conscience c. But yet saith Caluine further on this matter that difficultie is not cleered that ariseth out of Paules words For if we must obey Princes not onely for bycause of punishments but of conscience it seemeth to follow thereupon that the lawes of Princes haue dominion ouer the conscience which thing if it be true the same also must be said of the lawes Ecclesiasticall I answere First we must distinguish inter genus species betweene the generall kinde and the speciall fourmes thereof For although the particular lawes touch not the conscience yet are we holden by a generall commaundement of God which commendeth vnto vs the authoritie of the Magistrates and on this hingin or principall point consisteth Paules disputation the Magistrates bycause they are ordeyned of God are to be prosecuted with honor in the meane season he teacheth not that the lawes which are written of them perteyne to the inward gouernment of the soule while in euery place he extolleth both the worship of God and the spirituall rule of liuing iustly aboue any whatsoeuer decrees of men Another thing also is worthy to be noted which yet dependeth on that we haue sayde before the lawes of men whether they be made of the Magistrate or of the Church although they are necessary to be kept I speake of good and iust lawes euen therefore notwithstanding by themselues they binde not the conscience bycause the whole necessitie of keeping them hath respect to the generall ende but it consisteth not in the things that are commaunded from this order they differ farre that both prescribe a new forme of worshipping God and ordeyne a necessity in free things Thus farre doth Caluine shew how farre the Magistrates and the Churches constitutions are good and necessarie to be obeyed of all alyke the christian subiects so farre as they impose no simple necessity of themselues nor any necessitie at all to saluation nor directly touch the court of conscience nor are matter of Gods worship from all which thrée points all our Magistrates and Churches constitutions are frée and therefore except our Brethren will offer them wrong they haue no iust cause to refuse or impugne them When Caluine hath now thus declared how farre-foorth the Magistrates and the Churches constitutions are lawfull and good after he hath at large confuted the traditions of the Papists least rashly we should condemne all alike he sheweth againe in the 27. Section how we must take héede what constitutions of the Church we inueigh against But sayth he since the most part of the vnskilfull persons when as they heare that the consciences of men are wickedly bound to humane traditions and that God is worshipped in vayne they with the same dash include all the lawes wherewith the order of the Church is established we must heere also in good time meete with their error Certaynely we may very soone be heere deceiued bycause it appeareth not by and by at the first shew what difference there is betweene those lawes and these but I will so lay downe the matter in few words that the likenesse of them shall beguile none This first let vs hold if in euery societie of men we see that it is necessary there be some policy which may serue to nourish the common peace and to reteyne concord if in the affayres that are to be atchieued there ought alwayes some rite or ceremonie to flourish which that it should not be cast off apperteyneth to publike honestie yea and to humanitie it selfe The same is to be obserued especially in the Churches which are best of all vpholden with a well set constitution of all things but then without concord they are vtterly no Churches at all for which cause if we will haue good regard to the safety of the Church we must wholy with diligence looke to that which Paule commaundeth that all things be decently done and according to order But when as in the manners of men there is so great diuersitie so great varietie in their mindes so great fight in iudgements