the whole Church but onely such prayers as he his owne selfe eyther hath before hande made and conned by roate or such as without any premeditation or committing to memorie he doth in his head conceaue euen as he vttereth them with his mouth and so at that instant make them this we vtterly deny And not to suspect here wtout good cause that our Breth vnderstand this terme of making publike prayers in this sense not only their wordes here following do plainely expounde their meaning when they saye It apperteyneth to the Pastor to conceaue publike prayers and it is a common phrase among our Brethren that such and such a one is an excellent conceauer meaning that he can make godly prayers but also that they can not away with formall reading as in contempt they call it and a prescribed forme of prayer But to confute this and to proue that a prescribed forme of the diuine seruice for the publike prayers besides the reading of the scriptures in appointed courses and orders is a thing lawefull and profitable First the Iewes had the same before and in and after Christes time not onely as perteyning to the ceremoniall but to the morall lawe for the obedience of the first table perteyning to the worshippe of God Numb 6.22 c. The Lorde spake to Moses saying speake vnto Aaron and to his sonnes saying thus shall ye blesse the children of Israell and say vnto them the Lorde blesse thee and keepe thee the Lorde make his face to shine vpon thee and be mercifull vnto thee the Lorde lift vp his countenance vpon thee and giue thee peace c. And although they had many of their publike prayers beeing mixt with hymnes thankesgiuings not onely sayde but song also yet were they such not only as their selues made or conceaued were they neuer so learned men but such as either Moses or Samuell or Dauid or Esdras or some other Prophete especially appointed thereunto by God had drawen out and prescribed vnto them As may appeare 1. Chron. 9. where after he had shewed ver 22. c. how Dauid and Samuell the feer had established the porters and other officers ver 33. he sayth And these are the singers the chiefe fathers in the Leuites which dâ—elt in the chambers and had none other charge For they had to doe in that businesse day and night And speaking of Dauid who made the most paâ—t of the Psalmes in the 16. Chapter ver 4. And he appointed certaine of the leuites to minister before the Arke of the Lorde and rehearse and thank and praise the Lorde God of Israell And vers 7. Then at that time Dauid did appoint at the beginning to giue thankes to the Lorde By the hande of Asaph and his brethren Whereon sayth the Geneua note Dauid gaue them this psalm to prayse the Lorde signifying that in all our enterprises the name of God ought to bee praysed and called vpon psalme 105. Thus doe our brethren apply these doinges of Dauid vnto our estate And in the 25 chapter ver 2. He mencioneth those that were vnder the hande of Asaph which sang prophesies by the commission of the king Thus did Asaph then set foorth the publike prayers endited prescribed by Dauid Although he as diuers think conceiued made many psalms and Prayers and prescribed then to others Likewise 2. chron 29. verse 27. And Ezekiah commaunded to offer the burnt offering vpon the Alter and when the burnt offering began the song of the Lorde beganne with the trumpets and the instruments of Dauid king of Israell and all the congregation worshipped singing a song c. All which orders and formes of publique prayer at the Diuine seruice though the Iewes afterward corrupted Esdras after the captiuitie recollected set againe in order Which though they were eftsoones corrupted and intermingled especially with the Pharisees traditions yet til and in the time of Christe they had at the diuine seruice the ordinary courses of reading the Lawe and Prophets as appeareth by S. Luke 4. vers 16.17 c. Where the booke of the Prophet Esay was deliuered to Christ. And by that saying in the person of Abraham to the rich glutton they haue Moses and the prophets let theÌ„ hear them Luke 16.29 Which Paule testifieth in his sermon to the Antiochians Acts. 13.27 For the inhabitants of Ierusalem and their rulers because they knewe him not nor yet the wordes of the prophets which are read euery saboth day c. And that this was the auntient order Iames the byshop of Ierusalem in the determination of that famous assembly holden by the Apostles Act. 15. ver 20. sayth For Moses of olde time hath in euery city them that preach him sithe that hee is reade in the synagogues euery sabboth day And heere also is the publique reading called a preaching With which exercises they especially adioyned the reading also of the Psalmes and other solemn publique prayers of the Scripture For which principal cause Christ saith of the Temple Math. 21.13 It is written mine house shall bee called the house of prayer c. And Act. 3. Peter and Iohn went vp together into the Temple at the ninth hower of prayer Which orders were of Christe so little improoued that not onelie as Luke declareth cap. 11.1 that one of the Disciples sayde vnto him Maister teach vs to pray as Iohn also taught his disciples desiring that they might haue some prescribed form of praier set downe vnto them but that also Iohn baptist had taught some forme to his Disciples Which request Christe did so little mislike that he himselfe also taught his Disciples among other preceptes a prescribed forme of prayer which the Euangelists wrotte and all Christians doe vse as the Lordes prescription Which is a strong warrant vnto vs that so long as all formes of prayers are according to that platforme of prayer they may most safely be prescribed For it serueth not only for priuate but for publike prayer Nowe although besides this onely forme of prayer prescribed by Christ we finde no form set out that the apostles or the primitiue church immediately after them did vse or prescribe to be vsed because they hauing that full measure of the spirite of God namely the Apostles Euangelistes Prophets Bishops Pastors and Elders yea the moste of all the faythfull people in these dayes so that they might well make conceiue their publique prayers before the Congregation euen as the spirite of God suggested in their heart gaue them vtterance in their mouths yet because that in the publike assemblies the Apostles prescribed the writteÌ„ scriptures to be read as Col. 4. ver 16. And wâ—en this epistle is read of you cause that it be read in the church of the Laodiceans also that ye likewise read the Epistle writâ—en from Laodicea and as they vsed that so no doubt did they vse to read in their publike assemblies the
receaued c. And afterward comming to the Ministers he saith the Ministers of excommunication were the Priestes and the churche approuing it Deut. 27. the Leuites shall pronounce and say vnto all the men of Israel with a high voyce accursed is the man that maketh a graâ—en and â— moultâ—n Image the abhomination of the Lorde the worke of the artificers and setteth it in a secrete place And all the people shall aunswere Amen In the seconde booke of Esdras chap. 13. Eliasis the preest separateth the straungers from Israell And likewise for the other Key of losing The key absoluing is a power ordeyned of God and committed to the Preestes and Prophetes of pronouncing to sinners beeing penitent the remission of sinnes for the Womans and Abrahams seede and the sonne of Dauid that is for the Messias c. The author and the Ministers are these Eyther God him-selfe immediatly hath denounced the forgiuenesse of sinnes as Genesis 3. When hee setteth foorthe the promise of the VVomans seede hee doth nothing else buâ— thaâ—â—ee mought absolue Adam and Eue from their sinne c. Or else by the Patriarkes So Genesis 30. God sayth â—o Abimelech of Abraham c. Or else by the Prophetes The seconde of Kings 12. Nathan said to Dauid the Lord hath translated thy sinne c. or else by the Preesâ—â— which offering sacrificeâ— expiatory for the people for their sinns afterward blessed them which what was it â—â—so 〈◊〉 a denunciation of the forgiuenes of their sinnes Leui. 4.5.6 9. Leuit. 19. And the Priest shall pray for him and for his sinne and it shall bee forgiuen him and his sinne remitted and Num. 6. Speake to Aaron to his sonnes thus shall ye blesse the children of Israel say vnto themâ— the Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord shew his face vnto thee and haue mercie vpon thee This waâ— the state of Excommunication and absolution in the old Testament denounced by the â—outh of the Minister of the worde For to whom the Absoluing belonged the Excommunicating belonged also The steps whereof sayth Aretius are in the newe Testament Ioh. 9.12 16. For although that Discipline was administred then of wicked men notwithstanding it is for an argument of the antiquitie And in the olde time the Institution was honest and profitable This corruption Christe corrected when he drewe backe this Discipline to his Church Math. 16.18 Ioh. 20. The Apostles also vsed it laudably as it is 1. Cor. 5.1 Tim. 5. Whereby also it appeareth that 〈◊〉 the wicked Iewes vsed it in Christes time Christe reducing into his church the olde Instituâ—ion of God for Excommunicating and absoluing he committed this spirituall censure to such onely as were spirituall Ministers of the Worde Howsoeuer the other that were not Ministers did allowe and approoue the same And this sentence Math. 18. Being ouer ruled by the other before Math. 16. 〈◊〉 Iohn 20. comming after and put in practise by these examples 1. Cor. 5. And 1 Tim. 5. â—here S. Paul being a Minister of the Worde pronounceth the sentence and the Iudgement If the vse of the other Apostles bee to be leueled by these examples it is cleare that in the Apostles times though the Church 〈◊〉 thereunto the action was 〈◊〉 by such onely as were Ministers of the Worde of God What the practise was of Excommunication in the Primitiue church succéeding the Apostles partly appeareth by that we hâ—â—e cited out of Tertullian saying There are also exhortations chasticementes and the Diuine censure For iudgement is there giuen with great wâ—ight as among those which are certayne that God beholdeth them And it is the cheefe fore-iudgement of the iudgment to come if any shall so offend If any be banished from the communicating of prayer and of the meeting together and of all the holy partaking euery of the approoued Elders haue the Gouernment Here is Excommunication mentioned and the Gouernment to appertayne to euery of the approoued Elders But in adding withall the publique prayers and Exhortations that he â—nneâ—eth to the gouernmeÌ„t of these Elders it is apparant that he meant none other but such as were Ministers of the Worde Which we haue also shewed yet more playâ—â— in his booke De Coronae militis where after he hath spoken of Baptisme receiued Sub antistitis vnder the Bishops and Prelates speaking of the Lordes supper he sayth Nec de aliorum manu quam Praesidentium sumimus Neyther receiue we it at the handes of any other than of the gouernors So that he maketh these Seniors and Gouernours to bee all one with the prelates and Ministers of the Worde and sacraments Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 24. telleth howe Victor Bishop of Rome Excommunicated the Churches of the East For keeping their manner of celebrating Easter day Wherein although he greatly abused this power of binding yet if he had rightly with discretion vsed it within his boundes Irenaeus nor any other did reprooue him but only for his rash ouer-reaching himselfe in the same For sayth Eusebius Irenaeus also writing with the other Bishops of Fraunce ouer whome hee had the gouernment for he was Archbishop of Lions Anno Domini 169. doth in-deede confirme it that the Mystery of the Lordes resurrection shoulde bee celebrated on the sunday Notwithstanding hee reprooueth Victor that hee did not well to cut off from the Vnity of the body so many and so great Churches of God that kept the custome deliuered to them of the auncient time And to shew this better that when he vsed this power better he was not misliked for the vse thereof Eusebius sayth afterward in the last chap. of the fift booke But howe can they lay a slaunder vnto Victor concerning this sith they knewe that Victor expelled from the communion of the Church Theodorus the tanner which was the prince Father of this their impiety which durst first at Rome auouche that Christ was but onely a man For if Victor as they say did so beleeue how did he cast out of the Church Theodorus the inuentor of this blasphemy So that Eusebius approueth this doing of Victor for his Excommunication of this heretike I heere passe ouer all the Canons and decrees mentioned in the councelles in the names of the Apostles and of diuers auncient Bishops because their credite may be called in question though diuers of them mentioning the Excommunications made onelie by Bishops and sacerdotall preestes be no doubt of great antiquity Onely I note that which Eusebius recordeth of the Emperor Philip. Of this man saith he It is reported vnto vs that he was a Christian. And on Easter day to wit euen in the Vigilles when he woulde haue beene present amongest them and communicated in the mysteries hee was of the Bishop of the place not suffered before he had confessed his sinnes and stoode among the penitent persons Neither by any meanes coulde hee haue leaue to receiue the mysteries
his wrath from vs. Now my sonnes be not deceaued for the Lord hath chosen you to stand before him to serue him and to be his ministers and to burne incense Then the Leuites arose Mahath c. and they gathered their brethren and sanctified themselues and came according to the commandement of the King and by the wordes of the Lord for to clense the house of the Lord and the priests went into the inner partes of the house of the Lorde to clense it c. Here indéede the King refuseth not the Leuites but calleth them vnto him and maketh vnto them this memorable oration and those that otherwise in their offices were his fathers hée calleth his sons in respect of his supreame authoritie ouer them himselfe being but a young man and they againe speake verse 18. And they went in to Ezechiah the king and sayd we haue clensed all the house of the Lord c. but here is nothing wherein they appoint or charge the King but all still of the Kinges commaundementes vnto them Verse 20. And Hezechias the king rose earlie and gathered the Princes of the citie and went vp to the house of the Lord and they brought seauen bullocks c. And he commanded the Preests the sonnes of Aaron to offer them on the altar of the Lord c. Then they brought the hee Goates for the sinne offering before the King c. For the king had commanded for all Israel the burnt offering and the sinne offering And he appointed also the Leuites in the house of the Lord with Cymbals with Violes with Harpes according to the commandement of Dauid and Gad the kings seer c. And Hezechiah commanded to offer the burnt offering vpon the altar c. verse 30. And Hezechias the king and the princes commanded the Leuites to praise the Lord with the words of Dauid and Asaph the seer so they prayed with ioye and they bowed themselues and worshipped And Hezechias spake and said Now yee haue consecrated your selues to the Lord come neere and bring the sacrifices and offerings of praise into the house of the Lord and the congregation brought sacrifices c. Héere the King still commandeth both the Priests and Leuites and the people and they all obeyed But the Leuites are commended vers 34. To be more vpright in hart to sanctifie themselues then were the Priests As for the 30 chapter which our brethren cite after the foresaid first verse wherein the King writeth to all Israel and Iudah It followeth in the second c. And the king and his princes and all the congregation had taken councell in Ierusalem to keepe the passeouer in the second moneth For they could not keepe it at this time bicause there were not priests enough sanctified neither was the people gathered to Ierusalem And the thing pleased the King and all the congregation and they decreed to make proclamation through-out all Israell c. So the Posts went out with letters by commission from the King and his Princes throughoâ—t all Israel with the commandement of the King saying Yee children of Israel turne againe vnto the Lord God of Abraham Isaac c. And at this sacrifice the King praied for the people saying verse 18 c. The good Lord be mercifull towards him that prepareth his whole heart to seeke the Lord God the God of his fathers though he be not clensed according to thepurification of the sanctuarie and the Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people And verse 22. Hezechiah spakâ— comfortablie to the Leuites that had good knowledge to sing vnto the Lord c. And in the chapter following verse 2. Hezechiah appointed the courses of the Priests and Leuites for the burnt offerings and peace offerings to minister and giue thankes and to praise in the gates of the tentes of the Lord And verse 4. He commanded the people that dwelt in Ierusalem to giue part to the Priests and Leuites that they might be incouraged in the lawe of the Lord. And when the commandement was spred the children of Israell brought aboundance of fruites c. And when Hezekiah and the Princes came and sawe the heapes they blessed the Lord and his people Israel And Hezechiah questioned with the Preists concerning the heapes And Azariah the cheefe preest of the house of Sadoch answered him and said Since the people began to bring offerings we haue eaten and haue beene satisfied and there is left aboundance For the Lord hath blest his people and the aboundance that is left And Hezechiah commanded to prepare chambers in the house of the Lord c. And Iehiel c. were ouerseers by the appointment of Cononiâ—h and Shimer his brother and by the commandement of Hezechiah the king and of Azariah the cheefe of the house of God c. And thus did Hezechiah through-out all Iuda and did well and vprightlie and truelie before the Lord his God Thus haue we séene both in the chapter quoted by our brethren and the chapter going before and the chapter following how the King directed all those Ecclesiasticall matters commanded ordered and gouerned both the Leuites and the Priests But what is anye thing héere to our brethrens purpose Did the Leuites debate anye controuersies with the King and Princes or with the high Priest before the King And the king the princes or the high preest yeeld therein vnto the Leuites Or not rather they yeeld vnto the king and to the princes and to the high preest in those matters If now this be so memorable an example why doo not our brethren if they will be like the Leuites yeeld to hir Maiestie her counsell and hir Bishops Except they will be rather héerein like the king his princes and the high priest then like these Leuites As for the elders in the assemblie and conference Act. 15. They also yeelded vnto the Apostles not the Apostles vnto them Although the Apostles refused not the elders no more doe our Bishops refuse our brethren or anye other ecclesiasticall persons that are lawfullie appointed and called to the conuocations or to anie other ecclesiasticall assemblie or conference Neither do they denie the accepting euen of the people in some manner to be heard to speake But whereto doe our brethren mention héere the people in this debating This is againe cleane contrârie to their ownâ— rules as we shall sée in this learned discourse Would they haue the people also to be debaters or to be Iudges of these controuersies And to ouer-rule the Bishops and cleargie in the determination of them But they haue yet one example more At least saye they let â—â—eir owne opinion that in interpreting the scriptures and deliuerie of doctrine we are equall with them persuade them And héereto they quote this marginall note and Whitegifts booke pag. 389. If the Archbishop that now is dooth graunt this it is the greater signe of his reuerent modestie Neither do anâ—e of our Bishops or any of vs
this house was layde before their eyes wept with lowde voyce And many shoâ—ted lowde for ioy so that the people coulde not discerne the sounde of the shout for ioy from the noyse of the weeping of the people Fâ—r the people sâ—owted â—ith a lowde cry and the noyse was heard farre off Here indeede was some confusion of voices because some of them shouted and some wept and some of them praised to GOD and some sang his praises and some blewe the Trumpettes and yet GOD accepted this confusion as a moste sweete conceite and harmonye In the tenth Chapter after the Prayer of Esdras in the name of himselfe and of al thâ— people verse 1. VVhiles Esdras prayed thus and confessed him-selfe weeping anâ— falling downe before the House of GOD there assembled vnto him of Israell a very â—reat congregation of Men and VVomen and childâ—en for the people wept with a great lamentation Then Shecaniah the sonne of Iehiel one of the sonnes of Elam aunswered and said to Esdras we haue trespassed against God c. Here one speaketh in the name of all the people but in the next assemblie it followeth after VVhen Esdras had exhorted the people al the Congregation aunswered Uerse 12. and said with a lowde voyce So wil we do accordinge so thy VVordes vnto vs but thee People are manye and it is raynye weather and wee are not able to stande vvithoute neyther it is the vvoorke of one Daye or two for wee are many that haue greatly offended in this thing Let our rulers therefore c. And in the 8. Chapter of Nehemias he saith verse 1. And all the people assembled themselues together in the streete that was before the Water gate and they spake vnto Esdras the scribe that hee shoulde bring the booke of the lâ—we of Moses which the Lorde had commaunded to Israel And Esdras the prieste brought the lawe before the congregation â—â—th of men and Women and of all that coulde heare and vnderstande it in the first day of the seuenth month And hee red therein in the streete that was before the water-gate from the morning vntill the Midday before men and women and them that vnderstoode it and the cares of all the people hearkened vnto the booke of the lawe And Esdras the scribe stoode vpon a pulpit of wood which he had made for the preaching Here againe is the plaine reading of the Scripture so that the people may vnderstand it called Preaching And Esdras opened the booke before all the people for he was aboue al the people and when hee opened it al the people stood vp and Esdras praysed the Lord the great God And all the people aunswered Amen Amen with lifting vp their handes and they bowed themselues and worshipped the Lord with thâ—ir faces toward the ground And here is euen that our bre speake of where the minister praiseth God which is a part of praier and the people hearken and aunswere Amen But yet immediately it followeth that this reading was not done all by one but a great many Leuites are reckoned vp which caused the people to vnderstande the Lawe and they reade in the booke of the Lawe of God distinctly and gaue the sence and caused them to vnderstande the reading And also the notable prayer that followeth in the next Chapter was pronounced vppon staires not by one but by eight or nine of the Leuites pronouncing the same before the people Thus wee see at large in all these ages the manner of the Church of God in their coÌ„gregations and publike Praiers both for the Leuites parts and for the peoples howe they ioined their voices together not onely in saying Amen but in their petitions Confessions and thanks-giuinges And this was counted no disorder nor confusion but vsed of all Godlie men and alwaies acceptable vnto God And so as wee may further perceiue by the Apocrypha and other histories of their publike praiers thus practised and continued till Christes comming Neither was this doone so much in respect of the ceremoniall as of the morall Lawe of God among them But to confirme all this with the practise approoued of Christe in the Newe testament reade we not Luke 2. verse 13. Euen presently after the birth of our Sauiour Christ that when one â—ngel of the Lorde had declared vnto the Shepheardes the ioyful tydings of his birth And straight wayes sayth Luke There was with the Angell a multitude of heauenly souldiers praâ—sing GOD and saying Glorye bee to GOD on high and in earth peace and towardes men good will and was heere also confusion and disorder in the multitude of the voices of the Angels that saide these things And likewise when Iesus a little before his death came riding to Ierusalem Mat. 21. ver 9. c The people that went before and they also that followed cryed saying Hosana the sonne of Dauid blessed be hee that commeth in the name of the Lord. Hosanna thou which art in the highest And when he was come to Ierusalem al the Citie was mooued saying who is this and the people saide this is Iesus the Prophet of Nazareth in Galily True it is that there were some that thought this a disorder and confused noise For it followeth vers 15 c. But when the cheefe priests and scribes sawe the maruels that he did and the children crying in the Temple and saying Hosanna the sonne of Dauid they disdained and saide to him hearest thou what these say and Iesus saide vnto them yea did yee neuer reade by the mouth of babes and sucklinges thou haste made perfect thy praise Doth Christe heere forbid them to cry out these publike praiers as a confusion and disorder And what was the manner of the Apostles praiers concerning this point Act. 1.14 Luke saith They all continued with one accord in praier and supplication with the Women and Marie the mother of Iesus and with his brethren In-déede here is not mentioned that all their voices were ioined together but one accord which rather signifieth the consent of their hearts then the consent of their voices But very well doth Caluine note hereon saying So farre as respecteth the concorde of their mindes it is opposed to the dispearsing of them which the feare had brought Howbeit withall generallie we may gather hereupon how necessarie it is in praying Which Christ commaÌ„deth euery one to pray for the whole body and in common as though it were in the person of all Our father Giue vs. c. Mat. 6.9 Whence coÌ„meth this vnitie of the tongs but of one spirite Wherefore Paul Rom. 15.6 When hee would deliuer to the Iewes Gentiles a rule of praying well remoueth far off all dissembling That we might glorify God sayth hee with one mouth And verilie that God may of vs be called vpon a Father it behoueth vs to be brethren to consent brethen-like But to shew this more plaine Luke declareth Act. 4.23 24. How that
and aduise of them that be learned in those matters Neither any good reason nor any ordinaunce of God plaine or not playne in the Scriptures willeth any person taking such aduise leaste of all willeth the Prince on that aduise giuen or taken to thinke that because hee shoulde do nothing without their aduise that he can do nothing without their authority Neither is there any reason or ordinaunce of God in the Scriptures that any which are but aduisers to the prince shoulde fall from aduising him so to incroche vpon him And if I were worthy to aduise princes I would aduise them to take good aduisement howe they aduised themselues by such aduisers and as I am thus aduised mee thinketh it reason And if all princes by heathen wise mens iudgements are so rulers that they are seruantes of the Lawes and of the common wealth why shoulde it bee accounted for any dishonour vnto princes to bee obedient to the Lawes of God their Father and to serue to the commoditie of the Church their Mother It is a greater honour to bee the Sonne of God and the Childe of the Church than to bee a Monarke of all the earth All princes I graunt are such seruauntes of the common wealth not onely by Heathen wise mens iudgementes hut also by all Christian wise mens iudgements too that neuerthelesse their supreme authority in gouerning of the common wealth is not one whit diminished by that seruice And as for their seruice to the Lawes which Lawes either they haue made them selues or were made Lawes before they were made rulers serueth I graunt also to the maintenaunce of those Lawes and to the punishment of the impugners of them howbeit this hindreth not but that princes haue another ruling and not seruing seruice or as wee may well terme it a seruing rule and gouernment besides the conseruing of the Lawes euen to make Lawes as our Brethren haue before confessed And as Saint Augustine excellently well doth say in his 48. epistle ad Vincentium And in his 50. Epistle ad Bonifacium as we haue séene at large before And in his fift Booke De ciuit Dei cap. 24. Hee reckoneth this seruice among the princes cheefest vertues hee sayth that they make their power which they haue to bee a seruaunt vnto the Maiestie of God moste largely to spreade abroad his seruice And of this seruice as Eusebius reporteth in the seconde Booke of Constantines life doth Constantine glory saying I reclaymed mankinde beeing instructed by my seruice or ministery to the religion of the holye Lawe and I caused that the moste blessed fayth shoulde more and more growe vnder a better ruler For I woulde not be vnthankfull especially to neglect my principall seruice which is the thankes that I owe euen of duetie Sith therefore the princes seruice is so high and principall a seruice stretching to the making of Eccl. Lawes and to all these matters which seruice as Saint Augustine sayth Epistola 50. None can doe but princes This seruice is no debarre but rather an aduauncement and prerogatiue of the princes supreme authority in these matters Wee doe not therefore accounte it anie dishonour vnto princes to bee obedient to the Lawes of GOD the Father and serue to the commoditie of the Church their Mother It is rather the greatest honour that in this Worlde and in their royall estate they canne attaine vnto Neyther can any of their subiects Clergie or other compare with them in the supreme degree of that authoritie that onelye Christian princes haue heerein But rather our Brethren woulde abase this authoritie with telling princes they must account no dishonour to obeye the lawes of GOD their Father and serue to the commoditie of the Churche their Mother what lawes of God the Father haue they as yet alleaged either for this matter or for any of their tetrarches that inferre anye of these new Lawes which they all without and besides the authoritie of a prince woulde presse both vpon the prince and vs Or what one thing that beeing better considered serueth to the commoditie of the Churche their and our Mother but rather to the greate disquieting of her in the calme harbour God bee thanked heere in Englande and to the discrediting of her name to all other Churches and peoples rounde about vs and to the great hazarde of her estate amongst vs And is this the way to serue her commoditie If not rather to serue their owne turnes and humors both to the great dishonour of God our father and to the no little damage of the Church our mother besides the dishonour and disobedience of our so gratious Prince with the trouble and endaungering of all the whole Realme But let our Brethren take good héede that they abuse not Princes thus vnder these high titles of God their Father and of the Churche their mother for euen with these termes did the Papistes deceaue Princes and all the world When they sought their owne honour or profite then they alwayes pretended the honouring of God their father and seruing the commoditie of the Church their mother in whose names as Gods and the Churches deputies they tooke on them selues to be honored and their owne commoditie serued both of all Princes and of all people as much if not much more than eyther their father or their mother It is a greater honor say they to be the sonne of God and the child of the Church than to be a Monarke of all the earth And so it is indeede who denieth it and this is also as one of the papists blearing the eyes of princes But any man woman or child neuer so pore or priuate may by the grace of God be so well ynough though he haue no publike auth at all But can not a man be a Monarch though not of al the earth but in his owne dominions be also the Sonne of God and child of the Church and yet with all in his owne Dominions be the supreme gouernor ouer all persons in all matters and causes eccl so wel as temporall Of this honourable subiection to God and his Church Esay prophesieth Chapter 49.23 Kings shall be thy nourssing Fathers and Queenes shall bee thy Nourses They shall worship thee with their faces towards the earth and licke the dust of thy feete and thou shalt knowe that I am the Lorde The Prophet meaneth that Kinges and Queenes shall be so carefull for the preseruation of the Churche that they shall thinke no seruice too base for them so they maye profite the Churche of Christe withall Vnto this honorable subiection the holie ghost exhorteth Princes in the second Psalme after that they haue tried that they preuayle nothing in striuing against the kingdome of Christe Bee nowe therefore wise O yee Kinges bee learned that iudge the earth serue the Lorde with feare and reioyce to him with trembling declaring that it is a ioyfull
remoouing offences and of purging the filthes which corrupt Godlinesse and obscure the maiesty of God If nowe the authoritie of the Prince stretcheth it selfe to all these thinges in the name of nourishing the Churche which is farre aboue all bodilie nourishment or mayntenaunce of liuing then is not the Christian princes authority abased any whit thereby in the making of Ecclesiasticall Lawes for these Eccl. matters but much more confirmed and encreased so that the prophetes meaning was not as our Br. heere say the prophet meaneth that kinges and Queenes shall bee so carefull for the preseruation of the Church that they shall think no seruice too base for them so they may profite the Churche of Christe withall For it is no proâ—iâ—â— at all vnto the Churche for princes to abase them-selues as they haue done vnto the Pope and his Ministers who no lesse shamefully abused 〈◊〉 prophesy than the Princes simplie in beleeuing of them did thinke indeede no seruice too base for them that they might as they thought profit the Church of Christe withall But the prophetes meaning was rather of twayne besides the comforting of the Church to foretell not onely the Princes honorable reuerencing of the Church but also that by their exaltation greate authoritie aboue it they shoulde becom of persecutors as it were euen parents to it But now if this testimonie wil not serue to make Princes stoupe vnto their bent they haue another at hand Vnto this honorable subiection say they the holy Ghost exhorteth princes in the 2. psalme after that they haue tried that they preuayl nothing in striuing against the kingdome of Christe Be nowe therefore wise O yee kinges bee learned that Iudge the earth serue the Lord with feare and reioyce to him with trembling declaring that it is a ioyful seruice to be obedient to Christ yea to serue God is indeede to reigne Our Brethren where they shoulde yet nâ—wâ— at length according to their promise wâ—en all their other tetrarcheâ— were serâ—ied haue declared vnto vs howe farre the Princes authoritie in the gouernment of Eccl. matters stretcheth they are nowe altogether fallen from describing vnto vs the Princes authoritie of which God wot wee haue hearde full litle yet to the descriptâ—â—n all of the Princes subiection For although they commende it with the name of honourable yet still it is but subiection that they speake of not authoritie Albeit I graunt this is moste true that it is a ioyfull seruice to bee obedient to Christe yea to serue God is indeede to reigne better than to reigne in any worldly kingdome without Gods seruice and therefore the holy ghoste â—oth well therein exhort those Princes which haue tried that they preuayl nothing in striuing against the kingdome of Christ to be wise and learned and to serue the Lorde But let our Br. withall remember this that they abuse not this exhortation of the holy ghost spoken to those Princes that resisted Christs kingdome by applying it here altogether to the Princes that we speak of that only are true Christian Princes haue already subiected their kingdoms to Christs kingdom For nowe we enquire of godly Princes what auth they haue by Christ allowed theÌ„ in the gouerning of his kingdoÌ„ Otherwise if they apply this sentence thus as though her Maiestie in not submitting herself and her auth to these their decrees orders did as yet resist the kingdome of Christe they offer her Maiestie no small 〈◊〉 nor she may well abase her authoritie so farre nor any other Christian Prince that hath subiected his kingdome to the obedience of the kingdome of Christe as her Maiestie God bee praysed hath doâ—nâ— Not but that I graunt there is still an vse of this exhortation euen to all Princes neuer so godly to continue in this Wisedome learning and seruice of the Lorde But her Maiestie God be praysed being wise and Learned indeede hath Learned and found out a great diffâ—rencâ— betwéen thâ— seruing of the Lorde himselfe and the seruing of the seruaunts of the Lorde For although there bee a seruice that the Prince oweth to them also in respect that they in their diuine seruice of Gods worde and Sacraments represent God yet the Princes being also the seruaunts of God as they again represent him in their seruice so their seruice is such a high and supreme gouernment as set the verie action of the spiritual seruanâ—s diuine seruice aside they are all inferiour to the Princes seruice and in some respects not onely Subiects but seruaunts also to their Princes and not the Princes seruaunts vnto them Yea euen in those diuine seruices which the Ministers Stewards or seruants of God professe the Christian Princes being also the Ministers and seruaunts of God haue an higher seruice ministerie and Stewardship in the general ouer-sight of those particular ouer-seers to ouer-see and ouer-rule them to doe their dueties and with their aduise and counsell deuising and determining what is fittest to make lawes and orders with them and aboue them not onely to rule all his temporall subiects but all his Eccl. subiects too and euen him selfe in all due subiection to those his Lawes orders that he hath made And that this seruice of the Prince to God stretcheth hereunto and to the Prince especially aboue all other we haue heard how S. Augustine expoundeth this testimonie And yet because our Br. lead vs heere vnto it let vs again mark it a little better whether it more infirme and abase or confirm and augment the princes authoritie in making decrees lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters S. Aug. in his 50. Epistle ad Bonifacium vpon this verse And nowe yee Kings vnderstand c. Howe then saith he doe kinges serue the Lorde in feare but in forbidding with a religious seueritie and in punishing those thinges which are done contrary to the commaundementes of the Lorde For hee serueth otherwise in that hee is a man and otherwise in that he is a King For in that he is a man hee serueth in liuing faythfully But in that hee is also a King hee serueth in the enacting with a conuenient vigour Lawes that commaunde righteous matters and forbidde the contrary Euen as Ezechias serued in destroying the groues and Temples of the Idolles and those high places that were builded contrary to the commaundement of God Euen as Iosias serued he also doing the same things Euen as the King of the Niniuites serued in compelling the whole Citie to appease God Euen as Darius serued in giuing it into Daniels power to breake the Idoll and in casting the enemies to the Lyons Euen as Nabuchodonozor serued of whom we haue already spoken in forbidding by a terrible Lawe all that were placed in his kingdome from blaspheming God In this therfore kings doe serue the Lord when they doe those thinges to serue him that none but Kinges can doe If this seruice then be the onely prerogatiue of