which are shewed after to be fullie grounded vpon the worde of God In the meane time this I adde for his further satisfaction It being necessarie to be directed in these matters from God it must needes be that God hath left vs this direction in his worde otherwise he must confesse there are necessarie truthes not written in the worde but this popishe opinion of vnwritten verities is worthilie reiected of all professors of the gospell long agoe For we can not nowe say to anie as Dauid said to Abiathar take the Ephod 1. Sam. 23.9 and aske of the Lord we haue no other Ephod nor other Vrim Thummim left vs from the Lord whereby we may be certified of his good pleasure in anie thing but onely the bright glistering pure light of his H. Scriptures wherein as in the brest of our hye priest Iesus Christ we may see and reade the will of God for our direction Nowe that we neede in these matters to be directed by God appeareth by this that of our selues wee can not by any natural vnderstanding attayne to this knowledge For the naturall man comprehendeth not Act. 7.20.21 the spirituall things of God For which cause Moses a man otherwise of great giftes of nature and of studie as one in whose face the grace of God appeared and who had bin brought vp in all the learning and knowledge of the Egiptians and that by such excellent masters and meanes as were meete for him that was respected in his education as graūd-childe to the King of Egipt yet stoode he in neede to be instructed of God in as small matters concerning the outward guydance of his church as are any mencioned in the declaration and much smaller Further also the Apostle affirmeth that the thinges he wrote to Timothie hee wrote them that he might knowe 1 Ti. 3.14.15 how to behaue him self in the Church which is the house of the liuing God 2. Tim. 4.5 And if Timothy an Euangelist one of whose ministerie the Prophetes had spoken before 1. Tim. 1.18 one that had receyued the faith from his ancestors 2. Tim. 1.5 whō the Apostle for the likenes he had of his Apostolical spirit calleth his naturall sonne stood notwithstanding in need to be informed by writing from the Apostle 1. Tim. 1.2 howe he should behaue him self in the church and that in so many particulars as he instructeth him in sure it must needes be cōfessed to be necessarie for all other to be taught also by writing which is the most certayne way of instruction howe they ought to behaue themselues in the same If it were not needfull to be taught by the Apostles howe a man should behaue him selfe in guyding the house of God why did the Apostle write to Timothie to this ende to direct him in that he had to doe in the Church And if it were needefull for Timothie why is it not as necessarie for all others This reason mouing the Apostle to write of this matter to Timothie no doubt did cause him likewise for the same ende to write to Titus of the like matters And if so excellent personages vnderstoode not what to doe nor howe to behaue them selues in the Church for that which appertayned to them in the administration of it without certaine direction in writing concerning it from the Apostles I can not thinke but the like direction should be needfull for all those who haue anie charge in the church When Nadab and Abihu sonnes of Aaron the high Prieste Leui. 10.2 had bin consumed with fire from before the Lorde for misgouerning them selues in an outwarde thinge concerninge their Ministerie in a matter as it might seeme to fleshe and blood of small importance Moses tolde Aaron his brother that this was so come to passe according to that the Lorde had saide Leui. 10.3 I wil be sanctified in those that come neare vnto me glorified in the sight of all the people meaning thereby that God had forewarned the Priestes that if they misbehaued thē selues in their ministerie he would glorifie him selfe in their examplarie and grieuous punishment Which being so surelie the fault and punishement can not be small nor to be despised if anie of those who come neare to the Lorde to stande and minister before him in the time of the gospell shall misgouerne them selues in their charge Therefore necessarie it is and that moste necessarie that there bee direction for them in the worde of GOD. And thus much also to this point In the next section which the replier maketh of the declaration it is gathered of the former sentences that wee are to searche the Scriptures that we may finde that order whiche is left in them for the guydance of the Church The first thing the Replyer reproueth in this section is that it is saide The gates of hell shall not preuayle against the foundation before mencioned Who may easilie satisfie him self for this obiection because the meaning of the Declaration was not to alleadge those wordes as spoken of that it intreates of it being apparant to be meant of the Church buylded vpon the Prophetes and Apostles Christ Iesus being the foundation-stone thereof somewhat otherwise then he hath taken it who expoundeth it of Christ him selfe but by these wordes although vsed in that place to another ende it declareth the sure stedfastnes of that doctrine which was a litle before mencioned whiche being as the declaration intendeth and as it is in deede a part of the heauenlie trueth of the worde of God whiche can not fayle in any part of the same it was trulie spoken also of the matter it is applied vnto Of the word foundation he taketh occasion to set downe the 1. Corinth 3. ver 10.11.12.13.14.15 where mencion is made of the foundation Christ Iesus and of buylding vpon it straw or stubble which he sayth they doe that vrge anie outwarde order of ecclesiasticall gouernement as matter of saluation After where it is saide in the declaratiō vpon former proofes that we ought therefore diligentlie and reuerentlie to searche the holy Scriptures to finde what the order is whiche GOD hath appointed for his Church he answereth with scoffing reprochefull speaches without any iust matter of rebuke And in the ende of his replye to this section because it is said in the declaration we are to search in Gods worde that order by which God would haue his Church directed in all thinges appertayning to the saluation thereof He replyeth that this were to condemne all the Churches where this order hath not bin obserued which eyther if it be necessarie to saluation could not be the Churches of God without it or if it bee not necessarie it is saith he vnnecessarie to saluation then our Church may remayne gouuerned as it is without either being deformed maymed or no church as some affirme whō he nameth as in reproch For answere to these thinges and to begin where he leaueth
of later yeares and of meane vnderstanding that could not discerne so palpable a repugnancie betwene the epistle it selfe and such a subscriptiō This then being all the profe that the replyer for this present notwithstanding his importunate and vnseasonable beating vpon this cause is able to make to prooue the office of an Archbishop the Reader may perceyue what authoritie it ought to haue in the conscience of any Christian man the best euidence witnes that can be produced for the maintenance of it being a razed rolle and a suborned witnes and as they speake in Westminster hall A knight of the Post euen suche another as the Bishop of Roomes proctours would haue proued his vsurpation and vniust authoritie by if the Fathers of that time in Africke had not discouered his fraude and follie Thus we see what cause he hath to breake so often into this matter for any thing he can prooue by this euidence But if this fayle him to proue Bishops and Archbishops to haue bin in the primitiue Church he hath another sure argument that can not disappoint him There were Pastours and Teachers in the primitiue church the Declaration sayeth Elders also and Deacons but sayeth the Replier the office of a Bishop or Archbishop is in substance the office of a Pastour or Teacher so as Bishoppes or Archbishops in the substance of their office are Pastours or Teachers in the Church and as hee addeth in the next page before such as haue bin Deacons too For answere herevnto I denie that they are either Pastors or Teachers for the reasons folowing Such offices as may not be executed by vertue of the forme of ordination of Pastors and Teachers but require another forme of ordination diuerse from it doe themselues differ in substance from the offices of Pastours and Teachers For thus the Apostle to the Hebrewes Heb. 7.16.17.21 proueth the priesthoode of our Sauiour Christ to be diuers frō the Leuiticall priesthood because the forme of ordination differed the one being without an othe and for a time the other with an othe and for euer But the offices of Bishops and Archbishops are such as by vertue of that calling of Pastours and Teachers can not be exercised but require a further particular forme of ordination diuers from the other as appeareth by the booke of their consecration Therefore the offices of Bishops and Archbishops are in substance diuerse from the offices of Pastours and Teachers Agayne All Pastours and Teachers are by bonde of their office and calling to preache the worde with all faithfull diligence Luke 12. 2. Tim 2.3 Act. 6. But Bishops and Archbishops stande not bounde by bond of their calling to preache it for which cause either they leaue it altogither or preache seldome and vpon high and solemne dayes and then onely at their pleasure when they preach and not by any bond of their calling Therefore Bishops and Archbishops are not in their offices Pastours and Teachers Further all offices that are the same in substance are of like and equall power Therefore if the offices of Bishops Archbishops be the same in substance with Pastours and Teachers then is their power one and equall with theirs at the least in Ministerie of spirituall grace as also in worde they pretende them to be That they are not equall appeareth in that no Pastour nor Teacher may doe sundrie thinges which are esteemed by them selues to be and some of them in deede are in their due administratiō ministeries of spirituall grace For Cōfirmation is saide to be a meanes of increase of spirituall grace and strength Absolution is a ministerie of spirituall grace as testifying and assuring the absolued in the worde of the great King of Kings that his sinnes are forgiuen him Ordination to the Ministerie is also a ministerie of spirituall grace not onely in regarde of the office but also of the encrease of grace bestowed vpon such as are duelie ordayned to it the Lorde him selfe authour of the calling giuing according to his promise to such as in faith thereof and in obedience to his good pleasure yeelde vnto it such increase of grace as the newe charge by the will of God layde vpon him and vndertaken in hope of Gods assistance doeth require In all which ministeries Pastours and Teachers whom yet GOD putteth in trust with the worde and message of reconciliation and life and with his holy Sacramentes the seales of God to giue further assurance of the same may not deale by vertue of such their calling but onely Bishops and Archbishops Therefore their power and ministerie being so diuers th' offices them selues must needes also differ Moreouer all Pastours and Teachers are to be ordained to the attendance vpon a certen particular Church and congregation or Parishe as we vse most to call it For so the Apostles Paule and Barnabas did and the rest T it 1. So Paule gaue charge to Titus to ordeine them and so were all they ordained of whom we reade in the holy Scriptures Which also the verie ende vse nature and relation they haue to the Church where they are to serue doeth declare Therefore it is saide to all the Elders of Ephesus Actes 20.28 that they should looke to that Churche whereof the holy Ghost had made them Bishops or Ouerseeers so to all the Elders of the Churches of the Iewes dispersed 1. Pet. 5.2 that they should feede the flocke of God whiche depended vpon them Which point also some of the auncient Coūcels esteemed so materiall as they decreed the ordination which was not to the certaine charge of some particular congregation should be voyde and of none effect But this being so necessarie in all Pastours and Teachers is cleane contrarie in Bishops and Archbishops For their ordination is not to anie particular Church but to a whole Dioces or Prouince And if before such ordination they had charge of any particular Church or were beneficed as the most common speach is such benefices are then voyde and they discharged by law so as they are to be giuen to another So incompatible the true duetie and office of a faithfull Minister of the worde is in lawe esteemed to bee with the office of a Bishop or Archbishop I might adde also that Pastours and Teachers as all other functions Ecclesiasticall deale onely with ecclesiasticall matters such as agree to their seuerall kindes and places For our Sauiour testifieth his kingdome not to be of this worlde Iohn 18.36 And from the beginning to the time of our Sauiour since the Priesthoode bestowed vpon Aaron the two powers haue bin in the ordinarie gouernement of Gods people by the Lords owne ordinance sundred not onely in persons houses and kinreds but in their tribes so as none of the tribe of Juda might exercise the Priesthoode but onely they that were of the tribe of Leui and the tribe of Leui was to cōtent themselues with the seruice of the Tabernacle and were neyther to
namely the priestes were they whose lippes were fined from earthlie corruption and sett on fyre with the coales of the Lordes altar by an Angell of heauen and whose mouth was sanctified of God Esa 1.10.11 Heare the word of the Lorde sayeth Esay yee leaders or Princes of Sodome and hearken to the doctrine of God ô ye people of Gomorrah What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices saith the lord I am full of the burnt offringes of the Rammes and of the fatte of the fed beastes and I desire not the bloud of Bullockes nor of lambes nor of goates And agayne Their watchmen are all blinde they haue no knowledge they are all dumbe dogges they can not barke they lye and sleepe and delyte in sleeping Iere. 8.10.11.12 Likewise Ieremie sayeth I will giue their wiues vnto others and their fieldes to them that shall possesse them for euery one from the least euen to the greatest is giuen to couetousnes and from the Prophete euen vnto the Priest euerie one dealeth falselie For they haue healed the hurt of the doughter of my people with sweete wordes saying Peace peace when there is no peace Were they ashamed when they had committed abhomination Nay they were not ashamed neyther could they haue any shame therefore shall they fall among the stayne when I shall visite them they shal be cast downe saieth the Lorde If it be obiected that these Prophetes might liue in some wicked Kings dayes wherein the holy worship of God was wholy suppressed and superstition only Idolatrie tooke place I answere that they exercised in deede their Propheticall office ministerie in diuers kings times whereof though some were wicked yet some also were godlie and ouerthrewe idolatrie and sett vp the true worship of GOD yea some of them namely Iosiah and Ezeckiah were the two rarest Princes for pietie and zeale that euer after Dauid were kings ouer that people yet did no honest man much les any true Prophete esteeme their most iust reproofe of the iniquitie of all states to be iniurious or derogatorie to the honor of those noble Kings no nor anie of the Priests that did their duties They were in deede hereby warned as by the voyce of God to looke to such enormities and to see them reformed otherwyse they were to feele as they were threatened with the wrath of God who would require it at their handes if for default of employing the authoritie whiche GOD for such purpose had giuen them notorious transgressions chieflie in things belonginge to the seruice of God were not redressed yet did those Prophetes honour and loue their Church their Countrey their Princes and all estates of the people as we doe the Lord bearing witnes to vs that we speake the trueth and as wee ought to honour all lawfull authoritie and power in the common wealth or in the church In deed they had not sworne Canonicall obedience to any of their Priests as the Replyer sayth peraduenture some of vs haue done for this is an othe whiche God neuer commaunded and howsoeuer it be suffered if it might be duely examined would be founde meete and necessarie to be reformed both in regarde of God of the crown and dignitie of the Prince But to returne to my former purpose howe deare were the Churches of Corinth of Galatia and other places to the Apostle Paule who loued them to liue and dye with them to deale vnto them not the Gospell of Christ onely but euen his owne soule yet howe sharpely doeth he rebuke them Was he therefore their enimie because he did so and tolde them the trueth In the Reuelation Iohn writeth by commaundement to the Churches of Asia without derogation to anie thing that was in good state amongst them yea to the commendation of that which was such but yet so sharpely reprouing them for certayne enormities that were amongst them as that he threatneth the remouing of their golden Candlesticke and the goodly light of the Gospell of Christ whiche shined amongest them If then the writer of the Declaration haue rebuked in a worde the disorder of the policie and Discipline of our Church in that good sorte that is meete or if any of vs doe the like are we therefore as the Replier woulde haue vs not thankfull nor faithfull Ministers to God or not louing and obedient subiectes We may I hope truly professe that we both feare God and honour the Prince and loue his Church amongst vs and are faithfull and obedient according to Gods word vnto both But the feare of God our most bounden duetie to our dread soueraigne Ladie the Queene our zealous loue to our Church doe constrayne vs to rebuke that which is reproueable by Gods worde not to dishonour our church or any whom the state thereof may concerne but to procure the further reformation of it and thereby to encrease the honour of it incomparably more then euer heretofore both with God and in all the Churches I would to God we had cause to saye with the Apostle We reioyce to see the stayednes of your faith and the order that is amongest you I would to God we might say it were without spot or wrinckle and might truely speake of it all the most honourable thinges that are spoken of the Church of God and saye Jt is cleare as the morning fayre as the Moone pure as the Sunne and that what els Salomon according to his wisedome in his excellent Song commendeth the Church by or any other of the Prophetes or whatsoeuer the Apostles doe prayse any of the churches for might be verified of it This should be our comfort and our ioye our honour and our crowne And therfore doe we not cease by earnest prayer and most humble sute to God and to the authoritie which he hath set ouer vs and by all dutie agreeable to our callinge to procure the increase of the good and honour of it with all power But it being subiect to a curse to call euill good and iustly reprooued in former times to say all is well where GOD is displeased with many things that are not well but neede most speedie reformation conscience to God and louing duetie towarde the Church seeme to haue moued the authour of the Declaration to note that disordre which he esteemed to bee in the state of our church ought to enforce vs to do the like vpon iust occasiō If all things be ordered according to the worde of God in our Church then surely was the authour of the Declaration deceyued in iudgement but in affection and purpose of hart committed nothing against it But I demaunde If by the worde of God vnlearned men of all occupations and trades be sufficient Ministers to take charge of the holy thinges of Gods worde and Sacramentes and of the soules of the people Is the state of the Church well ordered whiche hauing the fauourable countenance of a gratious Queene according to the promise Queenes
withall to encourage and mainteyne the same In all whose giftes dedicated so to God as the Church hath great helpe and comfort so especiallie in those which most yeeld that helpe and comfort such as are the blessing of authoritie and power bestowed of GOD vpon soueraigne Princes which being sanctifyed and consecrated to the seruice and honour of God that gaue it the wicked both in the ecclesiiasticall and ciuill state are by ciuill power and punishment enforced to doe their dueties and the godlie in both estates are protected in their innocencie and well-doeing from all such as would oppresse them The holy storie declareth that religious and noble Kings of Iuda haue made sundrie ciuill statutes to th'enforcing of all to worship God in general and by their power haue punished false prophetes and idolatours haue commaunded the priests to doe such dueties as they stoode charged to performe that the true seruice of God might be restored and established agayne amongest his people Iere. 26.16 We reade that when the Priestes would most wickedlie and vniustlie haue condemned Jeremie to death diuers of the Kings counsell came vppon them and by their authoritie deliuered him out of their handes Ierem. 38.11 12.13 Another time a noble mā hauing fauour with the king deliuered him out of prison And an other time the King him selfe relieued the Prophete by remoouing him from Iehonathans prison Iere. 37.15.16.17 Like examples reade we many of the Emperours Christians to the immortall prayse of God for it and the perpetuall honour of such Princes We see diuers such Josias Constantins in this age of which spirit the Lorde poure out yet greater aboūdance from aboue for the exceeding great helpe and comfort that we finde and vppon such a largesse hope yet to finde in greater aboundance by the sanctifyed power of Christian Princes For they looking into former presidentes of auncient times and seeing cause of like duetie to bee performed by them selues no doubt will be carefull that all ecclesiasticall offices and orders not of God nor agreeable to his worde be abolished and all such established as he hath commaunded Then not onely Princes shall receyue honour of their style of Supremacie but the Church shall receyue also great comfort and benefite by it in punishinge such as shall without iust cause saye to the Prophete Prophecie not and to the Preachers preache not a matter not onely in highest degree offensiue to the Maiestie of Almightie God and against the saluation of mens soules but also vnprofitable for their Crownes seeing ignorance is the mother of all rebellion the knowledge of God of all trew loue and obedience If any of them beate their fellow-seruauntes ☞ or sitte downe to drink with the drunken and neglect the Lords housholde they will take knowledge of the abuses and wronges offred to the seruauntes of God and graciouslie heare and redresse their iniuries So great difference is there betweene Gallio suffringe a man to be beaten at his barre and profanely neglecting it and caring for no such things as were questions of Religion a Christian Prince fearing God in trueth and in deede In questions amongest the Ministers according to the example of Constantine and others they would cause the matters to bee hearde and debated in a soly and free Synode and assemblie and without respect of persons authorize that which should be most agreeable to Gods worde In cases of publique calamities threatning or lying vpon the Church if the ecclesiasticall officers were negligent carelesse in it they would cause by due order a publike fast to bee kept by all their subiectes that the wrath of God might be turned away and his fauour reconcyled agayne vnto his people Finallie their ciuill power would enforce all men to honour God and liue in duetie one to wardes another as they ought defending the godlie against the mightie oppressour the staffe of the wrath of the good and the violent man and punishe the iniquities of the wicked according to their desertes in iustice and equitie These and many more which by these may be considered are the helpes commodities and benefites which the Church of God doeth and may receyue by meanes of Christian Princes Notwithstanding they make no other lawes officers nor orders in the Churche then our Sauiour Christe hath alreadie made and established Which may suffice for a number of the Repliers questions and other speaches tendinge to this that there should be little or no vse of christian Princes if the regiment of the church be perfect without them In which discourse allowing in some sorte the regiment of the primitiue Church perfect because of the Apostles Euangelistes and Prophetes whom then God gaue to the church he sayeth those offices were giuen as temporarie aydes to supplie th'aydes of Christian Princes which can not be so in anie sorte For there is no maner of proportion betweene their offices the one being for preaching the worde and other such like ecclesiasticall functions th' other for ciuill gouernement the one by a spirituall power the other by a temporall besides a number of other differences whiche may easilie shewe the one could in no sorte serue for supply of the other Further if it had bin so then should the Apostles and the rest of those extraordinarie officers who he sayth were giuen for supplie of the wante of the ordinarie authoritie of Princes they should then haue continued about 300. yeares longer then they did euen to Constantines time Nay then they should haue bene alwayes such to this day and shal be to the ende of the worlde in such partes of the Church where the former are enimies to Religion otherwise wanting both them and the supply the Church might seeme weakelie prouided for But as the noueltie of this poynt nowe first deuysed the vanitie is so easilie manifest as I shall not neede to tary longer vppon it wherfore nowe I procede to that which foloweth in his reply Hitherto the Replyer hath laboured in vayne to shewe that if it were graunted that in the primitiue Church there was yet no Prince become Christian notwithstanding the regiment of the Church was not perfect before there was any christian Prince Nowe he pretendeth to proceede further to prooue that proposition vntrew which sayeth there was not any christian Prince then For this vntowardly hath hee set it down so as it can not be plainlie vnderstood to what time his then is to be referred and chaungeth the wordes of the declaratiō whiche are these That all the regiment of the Church was perfect before there was any Christian Prince Which proposition hee should haue vndertaken to haue spoken to if he would haue sayde any thing to the Declaration But after hee hath sette downe this proposition to him selfe to prooue it vntrewe that there was not any Christian Prince then hee leaueth the matter he vndertooke and turneth asyde to another thing saying albeit so this be no good argument