mulieres de quibus omnibus rebus non soâ—um â—uâ—â—um habent domini mandatum sed etiam contrarium exempâ—â—m Dominius n suam caenam celebravit vesperi non manè in demo privata non publica dâ—â—umbens cum suis sumpta caena paschait non siant hanc solam sui communionem eâ—hibens denique exclusis mulieribus quas habuit tamen inter â—s cipuâ—as suas sanctissimas Aut fieri non posse vt siut ecclesiae quas dominâ—â—â— vâ—que omni liberet suspu tone al vsu bonarum ertaturarum suarum vt puris per veram fidem in nomen eius sint omnes Dei â—onae creaturae vsu significationis purae quod qui dicat is certe nagabit eo ipso Christum dominum esse omnibus hominibus eum quem se promisit futurum omnibus liber atorem ab omni immunditia Aut posse impios abvsu suo bonas dei creaturas per seita vâ—â—tare vt nemini pio ad â—â—â—m vsum queant deseruire quod aperâ—è adversatur testimonio spiritus sancts Rom. 14. 1. cor 8. 9. 1. tim 4. aut ceriè non liâ—ere Christianis res quastibet di ponere ad admonendum creatoris sui nostri etusque in not benefictorum atque nostrorum erga cum efficiorum id quod pugnat cum eo quod spiritus sanctus passim docet de agnosâ—eÌ„ao colendo deo in omnibus operibus suis faciendo omnia in nomine domini nostra Iesu Christi ad gloriam Patris It is avident that our Lord Iesus Christ hath prescribed to vs in his word the substance onely of the Ministerie both of the word and of the Sacraments and hath permitted his Church to order all other things concerning the decent and profitable administration of his mysteries Wherevpon we celebrate the holy supper neither at night neither in private houses neither sitting downe at the Table nor with men onely but touching the time place and habite of the bodie either for celebrating or for receiuing the Holy supper touching the admission of women vnto the Communion of the sacred Supper and the manner of singing and praising God touching apparrel also other things pertaining to externall comelinesse I doubt not but our Lord hath giuen free power to his Church to order and dispose of those things as euery Church shall iudge it to bee most profitable for her people to support and increase reuerence toward all the holy mysteries of God If therefore any Churches vppon this libertie graunted by Christ and for this ende of edifying Christes people would haue their Ministers to vse in time of the holy Misteries some speciall kinde of apparell all superstition levitie dissention or abuse being taken away doubtles I see not how any man caÌ„ iustly condemne such a church of any sin in that behalfe much lesse of communion with Antichrist What if any Church with a pure and holy consent of her children had such a custome that everie one should vse a white vesture in time of the holy Supper as the newly baptized ought in olde to doe for if any will contend that that libertie may not be granted to Christes Church hee must doubtlesse confesse one of these either that the Church hath no authoritie at all to ordeine any thing touching the Lords Supper whereof they haue not the expresse commandement of Christ and so all Churches shall be condemned of impious audacitie for all Churches obserue in the celebration of the holy Supper both the time and place and the attire of the body and doe withall admit women to the holy Communion Touching all the which they haue not only no commandement of the Lord but haue also a contrary example for our Lord celebrated his Supper at night not in the morning in a private house not in a publike place sitting at the table with his Apopostles and eating the Paschall not standing and so exibited the holy Communion Yea the women were excluded whom he reputed among his most holy seruantes Either that it can not be that there bee any Churches which our Lord doth so free from all suspition and the abusing of his good creatures that to the pure all the creatures of God be good through right faith in his name and pure in the vse of signification which whosoeuer shall say hee doubtlesse must therevpon denie that Christ our Lord is the deliuerer of all men from all vncleannesse as hee promised to be Either that the wicked can by their abuse so pollute the creatures of God which are good of their owne nature that no godly man can vse them to a godly ende which saying is euidently against the testimonie of the holy Ghost Or certes that Christians can not lawfully dispose of all creatures to put them in minde of their maker and of our selues and of his benefits toward vs and of our duties toward him which maketh against that which the holy Ghost teacheth euery where for the acknowledgement and worship of God in all his works and for the doing of all things in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ to the glory of his father Againe in an other place hee writeth thus Porrò dicere has vestes per Antichristiabvâ—um sic esse contaminatas vt nulli ecclesiae quantumvis aliqua Christum suum rerum ominium libertatem nosset et coleret sint permittendae religio sanè mihi est nec vllam video scripturam qua possim istâ—m bonae dei creaturae condemnationem tueri Seqnitur ritum aliquem Aaronicum esse vel AntichristianuÌ„ in nullis haeret dei creaturis in nulla veso te in nulla fioura in nullo colore aut vllo des opere sed in animo professione bonis dei creaturis ad impias significationes abvtentium Furthermore to say that these garments and vestures are so polluted by the abuse of Antichrist that they may bee permitted to no Church although such a Church did both worship Christ and know the libertie of all things it is to me doubtlesse a great scruple of conscience neither do I know any Scripture by which I may defend this condemnation of the good creature of God that any rite becommeth Aaronical or Antichristian it is not grounded in any of Gods creatures in any vesture or garment in any figure in any colour or in any worke of God but in the minde and profession of them who abuse the good creatures of God to wicked significations Thus writeth M. Bucer in this place as he doth elsewher to the same effect Out of whose wordes I obserue First that Christ hath onely prescribed in his word the substance of his holy worship Secondly that hee hath giuen power to his Church to dispose and order all other things which concerne the decent and profitable governement and administration of his holy Mysteries Thirdly that the Church may appoint her Ministers to weare speciall garments euen in the time of
the church euen from the Apostles themselues That no church-laws canons ordinances or constitutions Ecclesiasticall whatsoeuer either ought to be established or can bee of force strength power or authoritie without the lawfull assent of the supreme ciuill magistrate That the church hath power freedome authoritie to dispose of all indifferent things to ordaine ceremonies and Ecclesiastical rites to appoint make constitute and establish lawes canons ordinances and constitutions whatsoeuer not repugnant to Gods holy word so that it be done for any one of these three ends vz. For order for comlinesse or for edification sake that there is grauitie decencie modestie and edification as well in the apparell allotted for the Ministers and the ministerie as in the other ceremonies of our English Church That the gouernment of euery particular Church may be altered and changed as the circumstances of times places and persons shal require That no charge is so tied to the practise of the Apostles but for her necessitie she may alter change the same Many other points of great moment are handled in this compendious discourse To which or to some part thereof all that may be reduced with facilitie whatsoeuer the aduersaries haue said or possibly can say against the gouernment of our English Church The worke such as it is most gratious Lord I humbly dedicate vnto your grace as well to giue a signification of a thankefull minde for all your graces fauours towards me namely for your great liberalitie in time of my sicknesse at my last being at London as also for your graces most Christiā zeale singular care painful endeuours employed for the good and quiet of the Church both of late dayes about the most profitable and necessarie canons of Anno 1604 and in former times euen euer since Church-gouernment was first imposed vpon you For which holy vigilancie and godly care though the Brownists the Martinists and other enuious and malitious male-contents doe both thinke and speake hardly of your grace yet are all that loue the common good and peace of our English Church bound in the highest degree to bee thankfull to your Grace for the same The Almightie preserue your Grace confirme your Godlie zeale against the disturbers of the common peace and giue you a long and happie life vpon Earth for his owne glorie and the Godlie gouernment of his Church and life eternall in the worlde to come Amen Your Graces most humble and most bounden Thomas Bell. THE REGIMENT of the Church CHAP. I. Of sundrie kinds of gouernment with the nature qualitie and condition of the same ARistotle that worthy learned famous Philosopher shewing plainly in a large politicall discourse that there be three kinds of lawful Regiment and three likewise of wicked Gouernement neither more nor fewer The first lawfull kinde is called Monarchia a Monarchy when one alone doth rule gouerne The second is called Aristocráteia an Aristocratie when a fewe of the best in the common-weale doe gouerne it The third is called Democratia a Democratie when many of the vulgar people doe rule For euery state of the Church cōmon weale doth either seeke the publique good thereof or their owne priuate gaine and pleasure If the common good be sought and intended the gouernment is godly but if priuate gaine or pleasure be either wholy or principally intended the gouernment is wicked If the gouernment be lawfull right and godly it is either by one and called a Monarchie or by some fewe of the best and called an Aristocratie or by many and called a Democratie If the King or Monarch ruling alone as our most gratious Soueraigne hath told vs most learnedly in his Basilicōdoron shal by the making and execution of good lawes acknowledge himselfe ordained for the good of his people and thereupon employ all his studie care industrie and endeuours to procure establish and maintaine their welfare and true christian peace as their naturall father and kindly maister then is hea King indeede and his gouernment a true Monarchy But if he studie to frame the gouernmēt of the common weale to aduance his priuate lucre to satisfie his own singular contentment and to serue his inordinate and sensuall pleasure he is then so farre from being a king indeed that he is become a slat tyrant and his gouernment changed into a plaine tyrannie If few doe gouerne well being of the best and wisest it is a lawfull Aristocratie but if these few gouerne wickedly seeking their own priuate not the cōmon good it is called an vngodly Oligarchie If many rule wel it is called a Democratie or popular state but if they gouerne naughtily it is termed a Timocratie Ochlocratie or Anarchy Wher the gentle reader must seriously obserue with me that paucitie and multitude are not the essential differences of Oligarchie and Timocratie but wealth and pouerty are the things indeed which work the intrinsecal distinction in these defects of pollicie These kinds of Regiment may analogically in some proportion be applied to the inferiour magistrates vnder his most excellent maiestie viz. to the LLs. of the most honourable priuie Councell the L. Chauncellour the L. Treasurer the Iustices of the Kings-Beneh Cōmon place Barons of the Exchequer Iustices of Peace c. in sundry places and causes to the cōmons of this Realme Which obseruation if it be wel remembred will be a motiue to put euery one of them in mind of their place calling that they may vse their gouernment accordingly This discourse is so cleere and euident as I decme it a thing altogether needlesse to vse further proofe therein For all learned men both Philosophers and Diuines doe with vniforme assent subscribe thereunto Obiection 1. The Law of nature teacheth vs that wee may loue our selues more then our neighbours For which respect God himselfe appointed mans own loue to be the squire rule by which he must measure his loue toward his neighbour The king therefore is not bound to regard more the good of his subiects then his owne priuate commoditie and the contentation of his mind The Answere I answere with S. Austen that kings must serue God two waies First as men which thing is performed by liuing godly soberly iustly Secondly as kings which they may performe by the making execution of godly lawes for the honour and seruice of God principally and secondarily for the cōmon good and peaceable gouernment of their people I say by the making execution of godly lawes because it is not enough for Kings to make godly lawes vnlesse they procure the same to be duly executed In the former respect kings may loue themselues more then their subiects but in the latter viz. as they are kings they must haue greater care to procure the welfare and good of their people then the welfare and good of themselues And the same may be said Analogically
festiuitie for the dedication of the Temple which continued for the space of seuen whole daies Secondly Queene Hester and Mordicai appointed the Iewes to keepe a solemne feast for the remembrance of their happy deliueraÌ„ce from Hamans crueltie Thirdly the Machabees Iudas and his brethren ordained that the dedication of the Altar should be kept from yeare to yeare by the space of eight daies with mirth and gladnesse Fourthly in the daies of Nehemiah the Captaine and of Ezra the Priest the Iewes were appointed to keepe the dedication of the wall at Hierusalem with thankes-giuing and with songes Cymbals Violes and Harpes Concerning which dedication instituted by Iudas Machabaeus Christ himself honoured it with his presence and maister Caluin affordeth it this explication Ac si diceres innovationes quia templum quod pollutum fuerat de integro consecratum fuit auspicijs Iudae Machabaei ac tunc institutum fuit vt quotannis festus ac celebris esset dedicationis novae dies vt dei gratiam quae finem Antiochi tyrannidi imposuerat memoria repeterent Tunc autem in templo Christus promoâ—e apparuit vt in frequenti hominum conventu vberior esset praedicationis suae fructus As if thou shouldest say innouatioÌ„s because the Temple which had bene polluted was coÌ„secrated a fresh by Iudas Machabaeus his authoritie then was it ordained that there should be yearely a feast and a solemne day of the new dedicatioÌ„ that they might remember Gods grace and mercy which had made an end of Antiochus his tyranny At which time Christ was present after his maner in the Temple that in so great a concurse of people his Preaching might haue the better effect Yea maister Caluin granteth that the Iewes instituted their Sanheâ—rim after their returne from Captiuitie This libertie the Church hath this day as may appeare by the freedome in altering the Saboth-day For as I haue proued at large by the testimonie not onely of the ancient Fathers but also of the best approued late writers Philippus Melanction Erasmus Roterodamus Iohannes Caluinus Petrus Martyr Pellicanus Bullingerus and Vrsinus in my booke of Suruey though it be constant perpetuall to haue one day in the weeke assigned for diuine seruice that being the morall part of the Sabaoth and vnalterable yet whether this or that day ought to bee appointed for that purpose it is a thing that respects the time and may bee changed by the church If any shal hold the contrary doctrine he must perforce fall into flat iudaisme tye himselfe to the obseruaÌ„ce of dayes moneths yeares against the Apostolike doctrine For to be tied of necessitie to the time is a flat Iewish superstition intrinsecally ceremonial as all the aforenamed learned men doe will testifie with me yet I neither wish nor deeme it a thing conuenient to change the Lords day or Saboath The third aphorisme of the rules which the Church must obserue in all her constitutions ordinances and decrees THe first rule which the Church must obserue in her lawes decrees constitutions is this viz. That shee prohibite nothing which God commandeth neither coÌ„mand any thing which God prohibiteth Ye shal put nothing to the word which I coÌ„mand you neither shal ye take ought there-from Take heed therfore that yee doe as the Lord your God hath commanded you turne not aside to the right hand nor to the left Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maiest obserue and doe according to all that is written therein The second rule is this that the decrees and constitutions of the Church bee not made a part of Gods worship nor holden as necessary vnto saluation For as our Sauiour saith they worship him in vaine who teach for Doctrines the precepts of men And therfore doth the Apostle condemne Ethelothrescêian all voluntarie worship deuised by man The third rule is this that the decrees and constitutions of the Church be onely made of things indifferent and for one of these three endes viz. either for edification or for decencie and comelinesse or for order sake and peaceable gouernment of the Church Of these endes speaketh the Apostle where he willeth all things to be done vnto edifying and to be done decently and orderly These three Aphorismes seriously obserued duly pondered all Ceremonies Ordinances Decrees and Constitutions of our English Church will find ready and sufficient approbation The Demonstration The corollarie and illation deduced out of the precedent Aphorismes may be made cleare and euident by three inuincible and irrefragable reasons Wherof the first is taken from the authoritie of the holy Scriptures the second from the practise of the Catholique Church The third from the vniforme consent of best approued late Writers The 1. reason drawne from the holy Scriptures HOly Writt teacheth vs that the Church De facto hath altered many things which Christ himselfe did both institute and put in practise That the Church ordained and Decreed many things whereof the Scripture maketh no mention And that the Church may make decrees Lawes ordinances and constitutions in all things Adiaphorois which are of their own nature indifferent so the same tend to edification comelinesse or peaceable gouernment of the Church This reason is proued throughout all the precedent Aphorismes And it will be more plaine when I come to speake of the election of ministers The 2. reason drawne from the practise of the auncient Church IF the gentle Reader shall call to minde what I haue in this discourse alreadie set downe out of the Decrees of the auncient and holy Councels out of the holy Fathers and best approoued late Writers hee cannot rest doubtfull or stagger any longer in this behalfe Saint Austen writeth so grauely and so copiously of this matter in many of his bookes extant in the world as hee is well able to satisfie euery one that will be perswaded with reason In his Epistle to Ianuarius to omit all other his manifold testimonies he telleth vs that that Catholique Church by her freedome and authoritie hath instituted certaine solemne feastes of the passion resurrectioÌ„ ascension of Christ and descending of the holy Ghost to be yearely obserued throughout the Christian world He addeth these most golden wordes Nec disciplina vlla est in his melior graui prudentique christiano quà m vt eo modo agat quo agere viderit ecclosiaÌ„ ad quamcunque fortè devenerit Quod. n. neque contra fidem neque contra bonos more 's iniungitur indifferentèr est habenduÌ„ et pro eorum inter quos vivitur societate servandum est Neither can there be any better discipline in these matters for a graue and discrete christan then to doe so as hee shall see that Church doe to which hee hath occasion to come For that which is neither against faith
wee say is giuen in true baptisme learne this observation to descend of that authoritie because after our Lords ascention the holy Ghost came downe vpon the Apostles And wee finde the same observed in many places rather for the honour of Priesthood then for necessitie of the Law M. Bucer that great learned Doctor is very consonant to the auncient fathers herein These are his expresse wordes Signum impositionis manuum etiam episcopi soli praebebant non absque ratione Sive n. sit foedus domini baptizatis confirmandum Sive reconciliandiij qui grauius peccarunt Sive ecclesijs ministri ordinandi haec omnia ministeria maximè decent eos quibus summa ecelesiarum cura demandata est The signe also of imposition of hands was giuen by the Bishops onely and that not without reason For whether the baptized were to be confirmed with the couenant of the Lord or they who had sinned grieuously were to bee reconciled or Ministers were to bee ordeyned vnto Churches all these Ministeries doe especially pertaine vnto them to whom the cheifest charge of the Church is committed Thus writeth learned Bucer shewing most evidently vnto all indifferent Readers that imposition of hands in the confirmation of children was an auncient and laudable ceremonie and that it pertained onely to the Bishops to administer the same and that vpon great reason Let these words of M. Bucer non absque ratione and not without reason be well marked and neuer forgotten M. Fulke a late famous writer who was a great fauourer of the Presbyterie and of good credite with the chiefest Patrons thereof hath these expresse wordes The auncient ceremonie of imposition of hands which is nothing else as S. Austin saith but prayer over a man to be strengthened confirmed by the holy Ghost or to receiue encrease of the gifts of the holy Ghost as S. Ambrose saith we do not in any wise mislike but vse it our selues Lo this godly zealous and learned writer granteth freely that confirmation is an auncient and godly Ceremonie which to be so he proveth out of S. Austin and S. Ambrose Yea he addeth the approbation of this Church of England reckoning himselfe for one of the number and members therof We doe not saith he in any wise mislike it bvt vse it our selues What then may we or can we say or thinke of the proude Brownists saâ—cie Barrowists and arrogant Puritanâ— Who either through ignorance of the practise of the auncient Churches and for want of knowledge in the ecclesiasticall Histories and Councels or else which is farre worse vppon a singular Philautia and fond admiration of their owne fansies and conceits doe most arrogantly and rashly censure and condemne all others both old and moderne writers which will not embrace their phantasticall imaginations and receiue the same as the decrees of the holy Ghost Certes I wonder that they are not ashamed of themselues For it can with no reason bee denied that God by the hartie and earnest prayers of his Church doth worke those effects in those children which bee his whereof the impositions of hands is a signe The Reply The Church hath not authoritie to institute either Sacraments or sacramentall signes The Answere I answere First that our Church doth neither ordeine Sacraments nor yet any sacramentall signes but doth only explaine and declare the effect purport and true meaning of that signe which the Apostles vsed in that behalfe Secondly that the Church hath power to ordeine Ceremonies in things indifferent for edification order comelinesse and consequently to expresse and declare the same by fit significant wordes Which thing I haue proued at large in the seuenth Chapter by the vnitorme testimonie of S. Ambrose whose words are these Accepisti post haec vestimenta candida vt esset indicium quod exueris in volucrum peccatorum indueris innocentiae casta velamina Afterward thou didst receiue a white vesture to signifie that thou art deliuered from the snare of sinne and art clad with the vaile of innocencie Bucerus Zuinglius and Homingius doe all 3. approue this custome of the Church Maister Bucer hath these words Et hic admodùm commodus ritus esse videtur si modo quid ista omnia significent populo subinde explicetur This also seemeth to bee a very fit Rite so the people bee sometime taught what all these things do siginfie Here he graunteth that Ceremonies may be appointed for signification sake Let this bee remembred well and not forgotten The sixt Aphorisme of the signe of the Crosse vsed in Baptisme IT is a thing so cleare and euident by all ecclesiasticall Histories that the heathen obiected to the Christians in reproch that the God in whom they beleeued was hanged on the Crosse as none but either tootoo wilfull or tootoo ignorant will or can denie the same In regard whereof the church in all ages even in the Primitiue and Apostolique time so to nourish and keepe among them the memorie of their redemption wrought vpon the Altar of the crosse to make it known to Iew Gentile and all the world that they were not ashamed of the true humilitie of their Saviour in that most ignominious kinde of death which he voluntarie suffered for their sinnes did institute and ordaine the comely and most christian vsage of the signe of the Crosse that all christians in their first ordinarie and vsuall vnion with Christ by holy Baptisme should receiue for that ende and purpose the signe of the Crosse in their fore-heads Herevpon the holy Fathers of best approved antiquitie S. Cyprian Saint Basill S. Augustin S. Hierome S. Chrysostome and all the rest make mention of the like vsage of that most comely christian badge every where in their most learned workes Yea the most holy and best learned fathers doe proue the same vse out of holy Scriptures Saint Cyprian hath these expresse words Omnem autem super quem signum scriptum est ne tetigeritis Quod auteÌ„ sit hoc signum qua in parte corporis positum manifestat alio in loco Deus dicens transi per mediam Hierusalem notabis signum super frontes virorum qui ingemunt maerent ob iniquitates quae fiunt in medio ipsorum Euery one vpon whom the signe of the Crosse is made shall be free and vntouched And what signe this is and in what part of the body it is made God sheweth in another place saying Passe through the midst of Hierusalem make a signe vpon the fore-heads of them that mourne and cry for all the abhominations that bee done in the middest thereof In which place the same holy Father and Martyr of Iesus Christ proueth that signe to pertaine to the future passion of Christ Iesus out of another place of holy writ These are his wordes Quod autem occiso agno praecedit in imagine impletur in Christo secuta postmodum veritate That which went before in figure
legem Neque Pauius obstitisset vt apparet ex Rom 13. quia vero duruÌ„erat homines christianos Ethnicis obijcere recurrit ad remedium quod christus dedit quoad iniurias privatas mat 18. sequitur potestas illa penes qâ—os erat penes totaÌ„ ecclesiaÌ„ quae tameÌ„ ne coÌ„fusio fieret per delectos agebat ex senioribus Sequitur excommunicatio n. non est ex necessarijs illis sine quibus ecclesia non consistit He made mention of the power of Christ alluding to his wordes in Mathew least he should contemne the sentence of the church And he coÌ„mandeth this to be done because they had no other meanes at that time to correct the disobedient when there were no christian Magistrates Otherwise this fellowe should haue bin punished according to the law Neither would Paul haue bin against it as appeareth by his doctrine to the Romans But because it was a very hard case to send Christians to Ethnickes he hath recourse to that remedie which Christ appointed for priuate iniuries and in whom was that power in the whole Church which for all that to auoid coÌ„fusion did execute the same by chosen seniours For excommunication is none of those necessary things without which the church cannot consist The same Doctor in an other place hath these expresse words Hodie non opus proprio seuatu ecclesiae Agnoscamus beneficium dei Esa. 49. vicissim hi aguoscant se quoque meÌ„mbra esse ecclesiae Sequitur nobis sufficiat habere pastores scholas magistratus pios qui cuitum dei tueantur pauperes curent We haue this day no need at all of the senate of the church or presbyterie Let vs acknowledge the goodnes of God and let them likewise acknowledge themselues to be the members of the church Let it suffice vs to haue Pastors Schooles godly Magistrates that will defend the worship of God and take care of the poore Maister Martyr deliuereth the same doctrine in substaÌ„ce in these expresse words fatemur deinde claves ecclesiae vniversae datas caeterum ne confusio accidat convenit vt aliqui ex omnibus deligantur quivtantur clavibus quarum vsus in omnes redundet qui christo credunÌ„t Prepositos vero ecclesiarum habent des monet Paulus non semel et christus non prohibuit qui cum iussit ne magistri et Rabbi vocaremur ambitioneÌ„ repressit voluitque vt nemo nostrum haec affectaret Sed non interdixit quin habeamus in honore et appellemus honorifice quos dominus nobis praefecit imo Paulus ad Timotheum scribit se positum esse magistrum gentium Wee likewise confesse that the keyes are giuen to the whole Church But to auoyde confusion it is meete that some out of all bee chosen who may putt the keyes in vse whose vse re doundeth to all that beleeue in Christ. Now that we must haue gouernours of Churches Paule admonisheth more then once Christ did not forbid it who when he coÌ„manded vs not to be called Maisters and Rabbies repressed ambition being desirous that none of vs should hunt after these things But he neuer forbad vs to reuerence and giue honourable names to those whom our Lord hath placed ouer vs. Yea Paul writeth to Timothy that himselfe was made the maister of the gentiles Maister Musculus is consonant to the rest whose expresse wordes are these denique curabit vt plebs ipsa viros graues timentes dei ac boni testimonij deligant quorum cura et vigilantia disciplina ecclesiae administretur et si quid grauioris momenti accidat ad ipsam ecclesiam referatur Haec tamen omnia quae ad indeterminatam potestatem referimus ad illas tan tum pertinent ecclesias quae christianum magistratum non habent quales erant olim priusquam principes christiani fierent Finally he shall prouide that the people choose graue men which feare God and haue a good report by whose care and painfull labours the Church discipline may be executed and if any thing of greater moment fall out that the same be referred to the Church Yet all these things which we referre to the power vndetermined pertaine to those Churches onely which have no Christian Magistrate such as they were sometime before there were Christian Princes The same Doctor in an other place hath these wordes Hanc cuiusvis Particularis ecclesiae potestatem reprobos scilicet excommunicands Romanus pontifex irritam reddidit e medio sustulit This power of excommunication which pertained to euery particular Church the bishop of Rome made frustrate and tooke it quite away Out of these most learned discourses of these graue Writer I obserue these memorable lessons for the benefit of the reader First that the power to excommunicate is giuen to the whole Church Secondly that the Church hath power to commit the same to others as it shall be thought meete for her good Thirdly that the Church for auoiding of confusion did euer commit this iurisdiction to some speciall persons fit for the same Fourthly that the common vulgar sort want iudgement and are often carried away with affections and so are vnfit persons to retaine such iurisdiction in their hands Fiftly that excommunication is not any assentiall part of the Church Sixtly that the moderation and chiefe power of disposing and committing resteth principally in the Christian Magistrate where the church receiueth such a blessing And thus much of the former part viz. of the power of the whole Church Let vs proceede to the latter part viz to whom the church hath committed this power Concerning this Latter member it is to be holden for an vndoubted truth and most Catholique doctrine that none saue onely lawfull Ministers of Gods word and Sacraments can lawfully denounce the sentence of excommunication For this cause was it that when our Lord Iesus gaue this authoritie to his whole church he gaue it alwaies in the name either of all or of some one of his Apostles And for the same cause was it that the Church hath euer since committed the same vnto her lawfull Bishops and Ministers of the word The practise of the Church is most cleere and apparant both by the councels and by the vniforme verdict of the holy fathers Ex concilijs This case is most apparant by the old canons comoÌ„only for their antiquitie called the canons of the Apostles There I finde these expresse wordes siquis presbyter aut diaconus ab episcopo suo segregetur hunc non licere ab alio recipi sed ab ipso quieum sequestraverat nisi forsitan obierit apiscopus ipse qui eum segregare cognoscitur If any Priest or Deacon be excommunicated of his Bishop it shall not be lawfull for any other to receiue him but onely the partie who seperated him vnlesse perchance the Bishop die that did excommunicate him By this canon it is euident that none but the Bishoppe vsed to excommunicate and yet the
duo volumina legit ad aedificatitonem plebis non ad authoritatem Ecclesiasticorum dogmatum confirmandum As therefore the Church readeth the books of Iudith and of Tobye and of the Machabees but receyueth them not amongst the Canonicall Scriptures so doth it also reade these two volumes for edification of the people but not to confirme any Ecclesiasticall doctrine Saint Augustine is of the same opinion and deliuereth the matter in these expresse words Hanc Scripturam quae appellatur Machabaeorum non habent Iudaei sicut Legem Prophetas Psalmos quibus Dominus testimonium perhibet tanquam testibus suis dicens oportebat impâ—eri omnia quae scripta sunt in Lege Prophetis in Psalmis de me Sed recepta est ab Ecclesia non invtiliter si sobrit legatur vel audiatur maxime propter illos Machabaeos qui pro Dei Lege sicut veri Martyres a persecutoribus tam indigna atque horrenda perpessi sunt The Scripture which is of the Machabees the Iewes repute not as they doe the Lawe and the Prophets and the Psalmes to which the Lord gaue testimonie as to his witnesses saying It behooued all things to be fulfilled which are written in the Lawe and in the Prophets and in the Psalmes of mee but the Church hath receiued it not without profite if it bee read or heard soberly especially for those Machabees who for the Lawe of God as true Martyrs suffred of their persecutors so vnworthy and horrible torments Saint Cyprian Saint Ambrose and other Fathers teache the same Doctrine and the continuall practise of the Churche in all ages doth yeelde a constant testimonie therevnto Nowe seeing the Churche of God hath thought it meete and profitable to haue the Apocryphall books read in the Church and seeing withall that Saint Austen Saint Hierome and other holy Fathers do commend the same I see no reason why a few young heads without gray beards whose authoritie is no waye comparable with the practise of the Church neither their reading experience and iudgement to bee equalized with the auncient holy Fathers should take vppon them so rashly to controll the Churche of England and to condemne her for following the practise of the Church in all ages Let these men weigh well with themselues what the holy most reuerend and learned Father Saint Austen saith to this and the like questions These are his expresse words In his n. rebus de quibus nihil certi statuit Scriptura Diuina mos populi Dei vel instituta maiorum pro lege tenenda sunt For in those things touching which the holie Scritpure hath left no certaine rule the custome of Gods people and the ordinances of our ancestours must be holden for a lawe Behold here gentle Reader a most excellent rule indeed giuen vs by this holie Father and great learned Doctor Which if they who this day impugne the governement of our English Church the Prownists and their â—â—herents I euer meane would duely ponder and regarde they would doubtlesse surceasse to vexe and distourbe the peace of our Church and receyue the ordinances of their auncestours with all reuerence and humilitie For the Church of England doth make a flat separation in which it doth in plain and expresse tearms seuer deuide the Canonicall books from the Apocryphall so as no simple Reader can but perceyue and vnderstand the same And it is not to the purpose to obiect as some haue done that the Rubricke in the booke of common prayer calleth the Apocryphall bookes holy Scripture For first when the Rubrick saith the rest of the holie Scripture it may be vnderstood fitlie of the bookes Canonicall following especially seeing it nameth not the Apocryphal expressely but quoteth some of them afterwards Secondly the Apocrypha may truely and lawfully beecalled holie Scripture Analogicè though not Univocè that is to say the wrytings of holy men or bookes conteyning holie and good matter And in this sense speaketh the Rubrick as I iudge and sundry of the holie Fathers I am well assured doe so tearme the bookes Apocryphall Howsoeuer the Rubricke be expounded or wrested two things are apparant Th' one that the Rubricke doth not call them Canonicall scripture Th' other that the Church meaneth not to equalize them with the Canonicall books of holy writ I prooue it because shee hath plainely distinguished the one from the other and preferred the authoritie of the Canonicall Neyther will it serue their turne to say as some haue done viz. That nothing may be read in the Church but onely the Canonicall scriptures For first no text of holy writ doth so affirme and consequently the Church hath power to determine thereof as is alreadie prooued Secondlie the ancient councell of Uasco which was holden aboue one thousand and one hundreth yeares agoe decreed plainlie in their publique assembly that the Deacons should read the Homelies made by the holy Fathers These are the expresse words of the Councell Hoc etiam pro aedificatione omnium Ecclesiarum pro vtilitate totius populi nobis placuit vt non solum in Ciuitatibus sedetiam in omnibus parochijs verbum faciendi daremus Presbyteris Potestatem ua vt si presbyter aliqua infirmitate prohibente per seipsum non potuerit praedicare Sanctorum Patrum Homiliae a Diaconis recitentur Wee haue also decreed for the edification of all Churches and for the good of all the people that the Priests should bee licenced to preache and not in Cities onely but also in euery Parish Churche so that the Deacons may read the Homilies of the holy Fathers if the Priest cannot preache himselfe by reason of some infirmitie Thirdly it is voyde of all reason and farre from all Christianitie to affirme it vnlawfull to read testimonialls made to signifie the distresse of our honest Neighbours that thereby wee may bee styrred vppe to releeue them more bountifullie Yea if it be true that some haue written it is a lawe amongst them of the Presbyterie to haue their orders for gouerning the Church reade publicklie once euery quarter And I knowe Expropria scientia that some of them haue done more Well now-adayes euery vpstart yongling that can rawely pronounce some Texts of the holie Byble though hee but meanely conceyue the true sense will roundly take vpon him I warrant you to reuile our most Reuerend Fathers the Archbyshops Byshoppes and to controll the gouernement of our Churche as if hee had a Commission from Heauen to doe it If I should disclose what my selfe haue heard herein and how I haue beene saluted sometimes for speaking my minde in the defence of the Reuerend Fathers and of the Godly setled Lawes of this Church of England time would sooner faile mee then matter whereof to speake CHAP. XIIII Of certaine extrauagants very offensino to the Patrons of the Presbyterie The first member of Christs Baptisme and the circumstances thereof IT is sharply reprooued that
also in all other reformed churches wheresoeuer I therefore conclude this member with this Golden sentence of S. Austen if any thing be obserued vniuersallie of the whole church then not to obserue that or to call it into question is meere madnesse and desperate follie The sixt member of praying to be deliuered from Lightning Plague and sodaine death It is scornefully obiected against the prayers of the church that when wee pray to bee deliuered from plague famine and from other aduersitie wee pray without faith because wee haue no promise to receiue the things we pray for To whom I answere First that our Sauiour Christ taught vs so to pray when hee deliuered to his Church the forme of that prayer which we should daily vse Being the most exact and most perfect prayer that euer was or can be made Where the Notes of the Geneua Byble expound it to be deliuered from all aduersitie And consequently that we pray with saith seeing Holy writ is our warrant for that we pray Secondly that wee haue promise to receiue that wee pray for so far forth as standeth with Gods glorie and our soules health For Christ himselfe willeth vs to aske and wee shall receiue to seeke and wee shall finde to knocke and it shall be opened vnto vs. Yea he standeth knocking at the doore of our hearts and if wee will open the doâ—e to him hee will enter into the house of our hearts and dwell with vs and giue vs all things necessarie both for our bodies and for our soules And to assure vs thereof Christ willeth vs to beleeue that wee shall haue our request it shall bee done vnto vs. And if any will replie that many aske many things in prayer and yet doe not attaine the same to such I answere with Saint Iames in these words yee aske and receyue not because yee aske amisse that ye may lay the same out on your pleasures Thirdly that when our church prayeth to bee deliuered from all aduersitie she hath both the example and aduise of most holy men The holy Patriarch Iacob fearing to receyue some bodily harme and aduersitie of his brother prayed to God in this manner O God I pray thee deliuer mee from the hand of my brother from the hand of Esau for I feare him least hee will come and sinite mee the mother vpon the children King Dauid fearing to receyue bodilie harme of his sonne Absalon fled away from him and prayed God to turne the counsell of Achitophel who conspired with Absalon into foolishnes The whole congregation prayed to God to prosper their King when hee went forth to battell against the Ammonites And I deeme them no good subiects to our most gracious Soueraigne King Iames who will not pray to God vnfaynedlie to defende him from all aduersitie Neyther yet those persons who refuse to pray with our church for all happinesse aswell corporall temporarie as spirituall Eternall to our most vertuous Queene Anne the noble Prince Henry all the rest of that most Royall progenie Yea Christ himselfe forewarning his disciples of externall future aduersity willeth them to pray to bee defended from the same Praye saith Christ that your flight be not in the winter neither on the Sabboth day And besides the sixt petition of the Lords prayer which teacheth vs to pray to be defended from all aduersitie as S. Cyprian Ursinus and Illyricus with manie other learned wryters expound it and besides the fourth petition also which teacheth vs to pray for all things needfull for this life as the same wryters tell vs many examples of the new Testament doe make it cleere and euident that Christ was well pleased with their prayers who prayed for things to this life appertaining The Ruler prayed for the life of his Daughter Christ performed his desire Bartimaeus the sonne of Tymans desired to receiue his sight obtained his request Two blind men followed Christ and requested to receiue their sight hee yeelded to their petitions A woman a Canaanite desired Christ to helpe her Daughter who was miserablie vexed with a Deuill Christ cured her daughter presently Many other like exaÌ„ples I might alledge but in steed therof this onelie goldeÌ„ sentence of S. Augustine shall suffice Cum dicimus libera nos a malo nos admonemus cogitare nondum nos esse in eo bono vbi nullum patiemur malum Et hoc quidem vltimum quod in Dominica oratione positum est tam late tamque enidenter manifestè patet vt homo Christianus in qualibet tribulatione constitutus in hoc gemitus edat in hoc lachrymas fundat hinc exordiatur in hoc immoretur ad hoc terminet orationem When wee say Deliuer vs from euill wee admonish ourselues to consider with our selues that we are not as yet in that good estate where wee shall suffer no euill And this which is last placed in the Lords Prayer is extended so farre and so plainly that a Christian man moued with any kind of tribulatioÌ„ may in this petition sigh in this shed his teares begin herein continue herein and end his prayer herein Thus writeth this holy father And now where it is wont to be obiected against the custome of our Church that we know not that God wil deliuer vs from all such aduersitie as from lightning thunder fire water sodaine death and such like I answere that we are not to command God or to appoint him an houre but to expect his good time and to referre euery part and parcell of our petitions to his holy will and pleasure euer implied in all our prayers And againe that if we must pray for nothing but that onely which wee knowe God will grant we shall seldome or neuer pray for any thing at all No wee must not say to our neighbour ryding towards London God speede you well nor to the sicke persons GOD helpe you nor for the preseruation of his Maiestie GOD saue the King How absurde these things are euery childe can discerne and yet the patrons of the Presbyterie condemne our Church for Preaching to be defended from all aduersitie vpon such sillie fansies and slender groundes The seventh member of the oath ex officio It is thought a very haynous offence that the Church doth sometime require an oath whereby certaine persons are constrained to accuse themselues Which oath because some doe offer it by vertue of their place and charge committed to them is by some male-contents ironically termed the oath ex officio But I answere first that it is as vsually ministred in the Ciuill affaires of the common-weale as in the Ecclesiasticall causes of the Church whereof none can bee ignorant that haue any notice of the ordinarie practise of his Maiesties honourable Counsell in the North of England Which vsage though of great antiquitie hath for all that euer beene approued and deemed lawfull as well by the wisest