tyrants such wilfull and vnskilful rulers such childish and effeminate persons of all theÌ„ infidels heauy plagues curses and scourges both to Gods people and to all the romaine Monarchie were the supreme gouernors why shoulde it not take place when the supreme gouernors are not Women or children in such vitious senses but onely in nature without all these vices and all other infirmities sufficiently prouided for and supplied but if these wordes of God by the Prophet Esay are to be vnderstood literally then did God performe the same vnto them literally And then it followeth of necessity that the people of God had not onely men but children nor children onely but Women also to be their lawful princes which is the thing that Danaeus before denied If nowe againe this that was threatned héere as a token of a curse do not debarre the right and lawfulnesse of their estate what shall we say then to those where God of his surpassing might and goodnesse so prouideth for these infirmities of nature that he turneth all this dreadfull token of a curse into the comfortable féeling of a blessing for dare Danaeus make a perpetual rule of this sentence that it shall alwayes stande for a token of Gods curse vnto the people where children or Women are their Princes No he dare not But streight way correctes his former saying and sayth Howbeit that same is not perpetuall for oftentimes Kinges beeing children also as for example Solomon and Josias haue moste holily and moste happily reigned and the empire of them was enriched of God withall kinde of good thinges The same may be sayde of certain Women and of their Empire whome the Lord hath in maruellous manner blessed as appeareth out of diuerse histories Ha goe too then this is another manner of matter For recompence of our former tokens of cursing and misery heere are better effectes of happinesse and blessing in the gouernment both of Children and of women neither as a rare but as an often experience put in practise and that among the Lords people But what is this to the lawfulnesse of these parties gouernment No is In-déede as Christe saith Math. 5.45 God maketh his Sunne to arise on the euill on the good sendeth reignÄ— on the iust vniust the wicked many times prosper reigne in that which the worlde estéemeth happines But when as Danaeus so placeth it héeré that holines goeth before happinesse commeth after when their Empire is enriched of God with al kind of good things with the spiritual riches of Gods kingdome if al this may truly be said of childrens gouerment and the same may be sayde also of womens gouernement doth not this importe that their gouernment must néedes be lawfull And as for childrens gouernement these two here by Danaeus alleaged are notable examples For God himselfe giuing him his name appointed Salomon both before his brethren that were his elders who otherwise by nature should haue had the kingdome before him but that God beyonde all their expectations and aspiring aduaunced him vnto it when he was but about 17. yeares of age and did God all this and was it not lawefull And as for Iosias he was but 8. yeares old when he began to reign And yet was his raigne in that age so acceptable to God that he was prophecied vpon by name almost 200. yeare before he was borne 1. Reg. 13. ver 2. And Ioas was yet younger thaÌ„ was Iosias who was worst in his old yeares wheÌ„ he ought to haue béene best and best when hee was young and is therefore commended to do that which was good in the sight of the Lorde all his time while Ioiada the priest did teach him 2. Reg. 12. ver 2. Azaria began his raigne at 16. yeares of age 2. Reg. 15. ver 2. and is also commended to haue done vprightly in the sight of the Lord. Which is vnderstood only of his younger yeares Manasses was 12. yeares old when he began to raigne 2. Reg. 21. ver 1. who though he did euill in the sight of the Lord yet was his raigne as lawefull as the others Now as Danaeus confesseth that the same may be sayde of some women and of their gouernement which is inough to conclude all the matter for we desire no more to be graunted but euen thus much and what more can be sayde of the gouernement of men For who can iustifie all mens gouernement either that they holde the same by right or rightly administer that they came rightly by Yea least we should take this that he sayth of some women to be of some such for whom he might pretend exception of example as that they had some speciall calling as Debora although we haue heard of other also in the scripture and that in commendation of whom we can alleage no such speciall calling but that might well be drawen to an example of our owne times and state and so do his wordes also importe that this some may bee sayde as spoken of some women of this age when not only he sayth as appeareth by diuerse histories as we shall after warde God willing sée how the state of Christendome is not vnfurnished of manie examples neuerthelesse for the more manifest profe hereof he beginneth with our state in Englande as an honorable and present testimonie of the same saying Verily of thâ— most renowmed Queene of England Elizabeth which now most happily reygneth it may be sayde that the whole compasse of the worlde hath seene nothing at any â—ime more happie or more to be wished for than is her reigne The more we consider this testimonie of Danaeus of the which both our selues especially and other forrain regions not a little finde the profe and féele the coÌ„fort the more are we all bounde to glorifie almightie God and to thinke speak well of her Ma. gouernmeÌ„t not only to be lawful but also most necessarie expedient for Gods Church And to pray to God to blesse her Maiesty more more and to defend her and vs by her to whom he hath giuen in these troublesome and daungerous dayes so happie a reigne ouer his people a gouernmeÌ„t so much to be wished after And the more are we also bound both to loue honour her and to obey her gouernment in her lawes And this beeing true which Danaeus here confesseth then how vnthankfully yea how vntruly doe our Brethren report to the world that the state of the Church of England is a disordred deformed corrupt estate As we haue heard their hard spéeches besides other that write a great deale harder Howe doe these here agrée with Danaeus If her Maiestie reigneth most happily and that in all these foresayd happie thinges how reigneth she not lawfully And how vnlawfully then yea how vnhappily doe our Brethren oppose themselues against her so happie reigne I graunt they doe it not
of the Bishops howe were these Elders the praesidents or Gouernours or not rather the gouerned And hee speaketh of them that obtained the honour of their gouernment or Praesidentship not by price of money but by testimonie All which accordeth with our Breth owne saiâ—ngs for the election of Bishops and pastorall Elders And hee speaketh of such tried and approued Elders as Paule in pastorall Elders gaue charge to Timothie But when withall he vseth for their gouernment that verie terme which he vsed in other places speaking also of the Christian assemblies as in his booke de Corona militis where he saith Eucharistia Sacramentum et in tempore victus et omnibus mandatum a Domino etiam ante-lucanis coetibus nec de aliorum manu quam de praesidentium sumimus The Sacrament of thanksgiuing is commanded of the Lord both in the time of repast in al times yea also in our asseÌ„blies before the breake of the daie neither do we receiue it at the hand of anie other thaÌ„ of those that are our PraesideÌ„ts or Gouernors Whereby it is plaine that those of whom heere he saith Praesident probati quique Sentores the Seniors that are Praesidents or that gouerne are euerie one of them tried or approued men wer euerie one of them none other but such as ministred the SacrameÌ„ts of consequence teachers of the word And of such Elders gouerning in the Church of Christ of none other speaketh Clemens Alexandrius who also was an elder in office in time was somwhat elder thaÌ„ TertulliaÌ„ li. 6. Siromat He is in verie deed saith he an elder of the Church a true Deacon that is a minister of Gods wil if so be he do teach the things that are of the Lord not that as he is ordained of meÌ„ neither that he must be accouÌ„ted righteous that is an elder but that he which is righteous should be brought into the eldership c. Wherein making also afterward the degrée of Elder to be in dignitie different from placed betwéene Bishop Deacon he acknowledgeth no such kinde of Elder gouerning the Church in hiâ— time that is not a teacher of the word And the same also is manifest in Irenaeus who in his first booke against heresies ca. 12. saith against the heretike Marcus Wherefore iustlie and aptlie vnto such thy blindnesse the diuine Elder and fit preacher of the truth inueighed against thee c. And in the 2. booke cap. 39. speaking both of Elder in age and office he saith of Christ And so hee was a Senior or Elder among the Seniors that he might be a perfect master in al things not only according to the exposition of the truth but according to age sanctifieng together also the Seniors or Elders himselfe becomming an example vnto theÌ„ c. And againe But because the age of 30. yeres is of a young man of his first towardnesse and stretcheth to 40. euerie one wil graunt that from the 40. or 50. yeres he now declineth into an elder age which age our Lord hauing he taught as the Gospell all the Elders testifie which assembled together vnto Iohn the Disciple of the Lord. And the same thing did Iohn deliuer vnto theÌ„ Now although herein Iraeneus fouly ouer shoote himselfe in Christs age more regarding the relation and tradition of the Elders than exactlie considering the iust time yet still he acknowledgeth those that were called Elders not in yéeres but in office concerning the Ecclesiasticall state of Christ his Church to be such as taught the witnesse relation of those things that were deliuered them by the Apostles though they remembred not so well the Apostles reckoning And this he hath more plaine li. 3. ca. 2. when againe we chalenge them that are against the tradition to come to that traditioÌ„ which is from the Apostles which is kept in the Churches by the succession of the Elders they will say they being more wise not only than the Elders but also than the Apostles haue found out the sincere truth And li. 4. ca. 43. Wherfore it behoueth vs to heare these Elders that are in the Church those which haue their succession from the Apostle as wee haue shewed who with the succession of the Bishop haue according to the decree of the Father receiued a sure grace or gift of the truth And in the next Chapter But such as of many are supposed to be Elders but serue their pleasures c. froÌ„ all such therefore we must abstaine cleaue vnto these which as wee haue also said before keepe the doctrine of the Apostles with their order of the Eldership shew forth the sound word their conuersation without offence to the information and correction of the residue Wherunto alleaging the examples of Moses Samuel and S. Paul he saith Euen as the Apostle Paul when he was of good conscience sayde to the Corinthians For we are not as many are adulterating the word of God wee haue corrupted nâ—ne we haue circuÌ„uented none such Elders doth the church nourish Of whoÌ„ also the Prophet saith And I will giue thee thy Princes in peace and thy Bishops in righâ—eousnesse Of whom also the Lord said VVho therefore is a faithfull agent good and wise whom the Lord shall preferre ouer his familie to giue them meate in time Happie is that seruant whom the Lord shall find so doing when he coÌ„meth What can be plainer than this to shew that by the name of these Presbyters Priests or Elders in the gouernment of the Church Irenaeus alwaies meant such as were teachers of the word and none other Iustine the martyr in his defence of the Christians vnto the Emperour Antoninus mencioneth as we haue séene one onlie gouernor of the congregation whom he calleth the chiefe brother But he telleth withal that he maketh the exhortation to the congregation before the receiuing of the Sacrament he offereth the praiers and thankesgiuing first celebrateth the whole action of the Lords supper the Deacons deliuer the bread the cup to euerie one present of other Elders or Gouernors among theÌ„ that I can find he maketh no mencion As for Ignatius because our Bre. in their pamphlet of the learned mans iudgemeÌ„t for the 3. kinds of Bishops do allow of the Bishop mencioned in Ignatius by as good reason they haue also to allow of his Elders Deacons For almost in euery Epistle if they be the Epistles of Ignatius he mencioneth especiallie these thrée maketh the Elders the successors of the Apostles In the first Epistle to the Trallians he saith Be ye subiect to the Elders as to the Apostles of Iesu Christ concerning our hope in whoÌ„ perseuering we shal be found in him And therfore ye must by all meanes please the Deacons which are for the ministerie of Iesus Christ for they are not ministers in meate and drink but of the ministerie of the Church of God
causes or permitters of their tempestes which they complaine they haue suffered or that her Maiestie and her most honorable Counsell haue not extended their clemency vnto them as they ought to haue done in not satisfiyng the hope and expectation of these Ministers But besides that thus no lesse vndutifully then vntruly our brethren do burden her Maiesty and her most honorable Counsel not so content they charge them further and in a higher matter saying But most especially according to their holy and zealous care which ought to abouÌ„de for the cleane driuing out of the Cananits c. No â—oubt her Maiesties her most honorable counsels care is both zealous and holy because it is so it hath we trust to their habilities abounded in performing that they ought to haue done héerein and euen therfore our brethren offer thâ— another iniury Yea if the driuing out of the Cananits had bene indéede their hope and expectation it had bene satisfied long a-go What Cananits are there remayning that should haue bene driuen out that in such sortâ— as they ought to do and might haue done they haue not done it and who are these Cananits Do they meane the Papists but they are more aptlâ— compared to the Idolatrous Israelits and Iewes not to the Cananits that were méere heathen And although in some sense they may be so coÌ„pared yet were not the Cananites so vtterlye to be driuen out but that if anyâ— would become in religion true Israelits as Rahab and the Gibeonits c. they were permitted to abide notwithstanding the expresse commaundement giuen them to the contrary Whereas Christians haue no such especiall or generall charge to driue cleane out all that haue beene Papistes or superstitious or Idolatrous or Heritikes or Insidels if they were truely conuerted to the faith and religion of Iesus Christe or else how haâ— Christ translated his Church from the Iewes to the Gentiles And so God be praised for it hath he conuerted in these last daies infinite Papists to the Gospell But if they meane those that remaine Papists I doe not thinkâ— that they can shew any such to be maintained in the Ministery Although their wordes runne at large of the cleane driuing out of all Cananits or Papistes out of the realme of what state or condition soeuer they be How much better is it in my opinion and more agréeable to the mercye of the Gospell and to the clemency of her Maiesties most holy zealous care so to abound that her Maiesty hath assayed to haue woonn those Cananits to the Gospell by letting them abide so driue out from them their Cananitisme rather than to driue out al the Cananits except they obstinatly professe themselues to be Cananites to driue out such at least out of al authority and publike Ministery Ecclesiasticall or ciuill or to restraine or punish them otherwise as they deserue although dissembling Cananits can neuer sufficiently be cleane driuen out that shew such outward conformity to the Gospell that they deceaue her Maiesty her most honorable Counsell al other saue God only Quis hominuÌ„ scit quae sunt hominiâ— nisi spiritus hominis qui in eo est As for planting hedging pruning continuall preseruing of the Lords vine-yard from foxes yea little foxes we trust also as becommeth vs and as we haue found by the benefite therâ—f good cause so to thinke that her Maiesties and her most honorable couÌ„sels holy and zealous care hath not a little abounded héerein And this before we shall enter into this learned discourse is a good hearing that they acknowledge her Maiestie ought to haue with her most honorable counsell a holie and zealous care to abounde in the planting hedging pruning and continuall preseruing of the Lords vine-yarde from foxes yea little foxes For when we shal come to this learned discourse we shal there sée that our brethren so abridge restraine this their authority héere in that they their selues haue bene a great occasion if there haue bene any defect that the Lords vine-yard hath not bene planted hedged pruned continually preserued with so full effect as her Maiesties and her most honorable Counsels holy care zeale hath endeuored to bring to passe For vnder pretence of these Cananits and foxes great or little our brethren meane not indeede so much to challenge the Papists as our Bishops and Prelates to be the great foxes and other the poore ministers of gods word the little foxes and in generall al those to be Cananits bee they neuer so zealous protestantes if they acknowledge the lawes and orders of our Church of England by her Maiesty established And to shew this they mention not the open warre with the common aduersary which is the Papist but say they this ciuil warre as a man may say of the church wherein so much of that bloud whereof S. Paule speaketh is powred to the ground should by their holy and iust authority fully be ended And so say I it might haue bene ended long ago had it not bene more by the importunity of our brethren themselues who as the old saying accordeth the Foxe the first fynder haue both made continually reniued this ciuil warre more then either the Bishops or any of vs who haue bene and are conformable to the lawes nowe established or any negligence in the behalfe of her Maiestie or of her most honorable Counsel that thei should be thus wrongfully burdened to haue bene the nourishers as it were of this ciuill warre but haue still employed all their holy and iust authority to the full ending of it And sith they giue it rightly this tearme of ciuill warre which is a great deale more daungerous warre than the forren warre with the open and common aduersarie who hath raysed this so daÌ„gerous ciuill warre We that in all due obedience acknowledge the lawes and orders established of the Churche of England Or they that haue and doo impugne them and who hath contended against her Maiesties and her most honorable Counsels holy and iust authority we or they yea indéede they haue not onely not yeelded to her Maiesties supreme authority herein but they plainly deny the full ending and determining of this ciuil warre consisting in these controuersies to appertaine vnto them but onely to themselues as God willing we shall see when wee come in this learned discourse to the examining of the authority that they giue to the ciuill Christian Magistrates in these matters Now say they when as wee at this time are subiect almost vnto all the afflictions which can come vnto a church blessed of God with such a Christian and happie regiment as to the prophane scoffing of the Hâ—monits at the building of the church as at a wall which a foxe shoulde destroy to the conspiracies of the Arabies and those of Asshod to the false charges of sedition contempt of all good lawes and proceedings like to that
monethes disputing and exhorting to the thinges that appertayne to the kingdome of God But when certaine were hardened and disobeyed speaking euill of the way of God before the multitude he departed from them and separated the Disciples and disputed daylie in the schoole of one Tyrannus And this was done by the space of two yeares So that all they which dwelt in Asia hearde the worde of the Lorde Iesus both Iewes and Graecians So that although Saint Luke saye on the occasion of the myracles following verse 20. So the worde of God grewe mightily and preuailed yet all this while héere is no store of Pastors ordeyned in this Church of Ephesus that we reade of during Saint Paules aboade among them Nowe sayth Luke ver 21. when these thinges were accomplished Paule purposed by the spirite to passe through Macedonia and Achaia and to goe to Ierusalem saying after I haue beene there I must also see Rome So he sent into Macedonia two of them that ministred to him Timotheus and Erastus But he remayned in Asia for a season And the same time there arose no small trouble about that waye For a certaine man named Dometrius a siluer Smith c. And so Luke entereth into the declaration of that sedition which to haue pacified ver 30 When Paule would haue entered in vnto the people the Disciples suffered him not Certaine also of the chiefe of Asia which were his friendes sent vnto him desiring him that he would not present himselfe in the common place Whereuppon it followeth in this 20. Chapter verse 1. Nowe after the tumult was ceased Paule called the Disciples to him and embraced them and departed to goe into Macedonia So that heere is described by Luke all the state of the Church of Ephesus from the time that it first receaued the faith of Christe till Saint Paule in his returne towardes Ierusalem hauing passed by Ephesus because hee woulde not spende the time in Asia beeing come to Miletum sayeth Luke VVherefore from Miletum hee sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Churche By all which conference it may appeare that there were not at that time manie Pastors of the Church of Ephesus And that though the word of God grewe mightilie there and preuailed yet wee may perceaue that the most parte of the Citie remayned Idolatrous so that the greatnesse of this Churche was but in comparison of other lesser Cities And if it were as Caluine obserueth on Act. 14. verse 23. And when they had ordeyned them Elders by election in euerie Churche c. I interprete Presbyters Priestes or Elders to be heere called those vnto whome the office of teaching was enioyned for that there were some that onely were correctors of manners appeareth out of Paule 1. Tim. 5.17 Nowe where Luke sayeth that they were placed ouer euerie Churche hereupon is gathered the difference betwixt their office and the Apostles For the Apostles had no certaine station but oftentimes ranne about hether and thether to fownde newe Churches As for Pastors as placed in holdes were addicted euerie one of them to their proper Churches If this nowe were the Apostles disposing of these Pastors euerie one of them to their proper Churches that is singuler men in singuler Cities besides that by the way he maketh the office of the Pastors to be teaching is it likely there were manie hauing pastorall cure in this one Churche of Ephesus For we finde not in all Paules aboade there of diuerse congregations or Churches amonge them Who may not therefore if we conferre these thinges togeather plainely ynough perceaue that where the text sayth not from Miletum hee sent to call the Elders of the Church of Ephesus but from Miletum he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Churche that it should rather séeme hee meaneth the Elders both of the Churche of Ephesus and of other Cities of Asia bordering there-about For as Luke sayde before Chapter 19. ver 10. All they which dwels in Asia hearde the worde of the Lorde Iesus both Iewes and Graecians And againe verse 3. Certaine also of the chiefe of Asia which were his friendes sent vnto him desiring him that he would not present him-selfe in the common place So that it might verie well be that hearing of his approche and belike thinking he would haue come thether or of some other occasion béeing there assembled as to the chiefe Citie and greatest Churche of all those coastes he sent thether for them And yet the woordes driue not so straightly neyther that hée sent thether for them but onely that he sent to Ephesus and called the Elders of the Churche So that they might be called as well from other places as from thence And the wordes of Paule vnto them apparantly stretche further than to Ephesus Who when they were come to him sayeth Luke he sayde vnto them Yee knowe from the first day that I came into Asia after what manner I haue beene with you at all seasons These wordes being directly spoken to these persons whome he called for and expressely saying he had béene with them from the first daye hee had béene in Asia and hee had béene long before in Asia in his first peregrination which these our Bretheren mentioned before out of the 13. Chapter that he and Barnabas were by the holie-Ghost seuered out to trauaile thether wherein hee had béene at Perga in Pamphilia at Antioche in Pisidia at Iconium Derbe Lystra in Lycaonia and Attalia all Cities of this Asia the lesse where Ephesus was the chiefeste of them all Saint Paule with Barnabas hauinge planted the Faith and ordeyned Elders in euerie Churche as is afore-saide in his seconde peregrination returning with the Apostles decrees to confirme these forsaide and other places and being againe in Asia till he was Actes 16. ver 9. and 10. called by the Lorde to preach the Gospell in Macedonia which done departing from Corinth he came first to this Citie of Ephesus at what time he tarried not Act. 18.20 till in his returne from Ierusalem Act. 19. ver 1. he came againe to Ephesus where he remayned two yeares and a quarter Howebeit the most writers call it two yeare including the thrée monethes that Luke speaketh of before ver 8. for the time he taught in the Synagogue with the time that hee taught in Tyrannus his schole And this sayeth Luke was done by the space of two yeares ver 10. but Saint Paule in this Oration sayth to them verse 31. By the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euerie one both night and day with teares So that he plainely includeth with them other Churches of Asia where he had likewise trauailed Which also hee had before as it were expressed ver 25. And nowe beholde I knowe that hence foorth ye all through whom I haue gone preaching the kingdome of God shall see my face no more By all which we may safely conclude that these Elders were they Bishoppes or Pastors or any
Priestes or Elders that were teachers of the worde Deacons Secondly and that which they call worthie memorie that alwayes there was but one Bish of one Church and that the placing of Bishops one in euery Churche was the doing of the Apostles while they liued But alwaies in euery Church meaning al the faithful of one Citie there were moe Priestes or pastorall Elders and moe Deacons Ergo These Bishops and these Priests or pastorall Elders were not all one Thirdly that albeit at the first in the Apostles times Ierome testifie they were not distinct degrees some other fathers take the name indifferently of Bish. and Priest as Irenaeus that calleth so many Bish. of Roome Priestes yet this alteration of the name and this setting of him to whom they gaue it in a higher degree was done at the furdest if not in Pauls time yet in the time of Iohn the Euangelist so continued And therfore though these Bish. of Rome are by Irenaeus called priestes as Eusebius reporteth although indéede the words of Irenaeus are not priestes but biâ—h as is mafest in Irenaeus him-self in the translation that we haue extant Lib. 3. cap. 3. Although in the Chapter before hee generally calleth the Apostles successors priests and in Li. 4. cap. 44. c. yet it followeth not that eyther Eusebius or Irenaeus tooke a bishop and a priest to be al one and of aequal dignity though now and then they vse the name indifferently after this appropriating of the name because the persons which they speak of were both priests and Bishops For though euery priest or pastoral Elder after the name Bishop was made peculier to one was not properly a bishop yet euery Bishop was properlie a priest or pastorall Elder and therefore might be well called by that name And bicause they are now and then vsed one for an other it rather argueth we should not marke so muche the interchaungeable vsing of the name as whether the parties be all alike equall in degree of dignity that many times communicate in like name And then shall we finde that these Bishops were not onelye Superiours in Dignitie aboue pastorall Elders but aboue all the Euangelistes remayning after the Apostles times And that Bishoppe Alexander as we shall afterward sée sent the Euangeliste Pantenus into India to preach the Gospell Fowrthly that this application of this name Bishop to this one placed in higher authority among the Pastorall Elders though it were not somuch done by any diuine institution or ordinaunce of God as by the authority of man as Ierome saith yet these words debarre not but it might be though not somuch yet in some part so done or not cleane reiected from Gods ordinaunce For although no such ordinance appropriating the name Bishop be expressed in the manifest word of God yet the ordinaunce of the matter is plainely expressed as we haue shewed out of Timothie Caluines and Bezaes plaine confession of the same And the name also applyed to Timothie in the subscription of the 2. epist. if that may go for Scripture But let the application of the name be not so much the expresse ordinaunce of God as of godly men and those in the Apost times And now the Apostles aliue being not vnwilling thereunto was this ordinaunce of man good or ill First that it was done to good purposes héere are plaine wordes that it was done for good order aedification and succession yea that very necessity did compell them so to do Could there be any necessitie good order aedification against the institution of Christ It is then apparant not that it is not lawfull bicause Christ gaue to or fro no institution of it but bicause hee gaue none and that there is no institutioÌ„ of Christ against it which had it bene material to saluation or had it beene of doctrine no doubt had beene expressed and commaunded but being none this ordinaunce of man was a thing that man might do And being done for so good and necessary purposes it was requisite also that man should do And so though it be not expresly so much the ordinaunce of God as of man yet bicause it is not forbidden but allowed of God it is in a sorte euen the ordinaunce of God also and to be conteyned vnder Peters sentence 1. Pet. 2.13.14 For though hee apply it in particuler to Kings and those that are sent of him yet the words are generall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto all or euery humane creature or ordinance so that whatsoeuer good law is made by lawful authoritie of man not contrary to Gods worde we are héere bidden to submit our selues vnto it And therefore either proue this law and ordinaunce of man to make the name Bishop more peculier to one then to all the other among a number of Pastoral Elders to be contrary to Gods lawe or else except this law be as lawfully remoued as it was made I see not how we may lawfully disobey or contemne the same Well may we now and than vse the word indifferentlie as did the fathers but to denie them both the title and the dignity also that none of the fathers that I read of did vntil Aërius came Who holding other more perilous points than this and perceauing him-selfe ouer-matched with a Bish. as ill as himself when he could not haue his owne will be an as a mal-content misâ—â—king with the Superioritye of Bishoppes to call this selfe-same matter into question About the yéere of our Lorde 340. And went about vnder pretence of the first acceptation of these names Bishop and Priest vsed at the first indifferently in the Apostles times to reduce them altogether there-unto and in all respect to make them alike and equall euen for all the worlde as now our Brethren would do And although Aërius opinion had it béene maintayned no furder of him then that in the Apostles times they were sometimes vsed for all one and had bene or stâ—ll were in the substance and nature of the office equall and all one had bene no matter worthy such great contention Yet when he did simply condemne this auncient order of superioritie instituted in the Primitiue Church and in the Apostles times forgood order-sake among the Pastors stiffly with all contention maintayned his opinion the question grew from brawling to schisme and not so resting Aërius opinion was at length reiected and condemned for an herisie And so stands for any thing I know to the contrarie Neither was it thus iudged of the Bishops onely them-selues that might be thought partiall to their owne part albeit we may not so iudge of all the holy Fathers that were Bish. in those dayes which vniuersally condemned this opinion that they did it for ambition or partiality or pride or ignorance which were too harde a iudgement of Epiphanius Chrysost. Ambr. August c Whose learning as it was able to reache the depth of this question or else God wot
Gospell if that perhaps they should preache in anye prouinces where the name of the faithe was not knowne And laying among them the firste foundation of the Gospell and committing the Churches that they had founded to some certeine chosen of them to the office of gouerning the Churche that they themselues hastened to other nations and to other prouinces and exercised the office of Euangelists so long as likewise the effect of diuine tokens and the grace of the Holie-ghoste did followe as it did the Apostles in the beginning Insomuch that at one preaching whole peoples were brought to the worship of the diuine religion and the hearers faithe was not more slowe then were the Preachers wordes But bicause it is impossible to reckon vp euerye one of them whoe were after the firste successions of the Apostles in the Churches that are through-out the worlde either the princes he meaneth the Bishops that were the cheefe Ecclesiasticall Gouernours or primates of the Churche or the Euangelists or the pastors let it suffice to haue onelie remembred those the monuments of whose faithe and preaching set downe in bookes haue come euen to vs as of Clement and Ignatius and of other of whome wee haue before made mention Thus as Ruffinus translates him saithe Eusebius there on occasion of this notable Bishop Quadratus whereby nothing withall the distinction of all these Bishops to be the cheefe rulers ouer the Pastors euen from the firste planting of the faithe and founding of the Churches throughout the worlde it plainelie appeareth that this Quadratus was long before he was Bishop a pastor of the worde bothe at Athens and at Corinthe as the Centuriographers note saying It is out of controuersie that hee was at Athens and there with singuler faithe and dexteritie deliuered the Euangelicall doctrine But whether hee were also an Athenian by countrie or in what place speciallie in the beginning whether he taught in the Churche or in the Schoole it is verie obscure That he was furnished with learning with faithe with an excellent libertie of reprehension and with all giftes that beseeme a successor of the Apostles is cleere bothe by the testimonie of Eusebius and by the things them-selues that he did Yea he was famous in the gifte of prophesie as also at the same time were Philips daughters It appeareth that before he entred into the function of a Bishop although we may not auouch that for certeintie he had offered his writing for the Christians vnto Hadrian and therevpon gotten himselfe an excellent fame By this also it is most manifest that Publius was aliue Quadratus continued vnder him and was not Bishop although he were so famous a Priest or pastorall Elder yet so long as this there nor his equall So that although a Bishop was a Priest or pastorall Elder yet was not euerie such Priest a Bishop though otherwise he were neuer so famous a Priest or Pastor But to returne to Dionysius of Corinthe in Eusebius lib. 4. cap. â—2 And this he noteth in that Epistle that Dionysius the Areopagite which being instructed of the Apostle Paule beleeued in Christe according to those things that are noted in the Acts of the Apostles was of the said Apostle ordeined Bishop at Athens And so reckoning vp other Epistles of this Dionysius and in them commending Philip Bishop of the Gortinians in Creta and Palmus a Bishop of Pontus vnto these saith he is ioyned another Epistle to the Gnosians in the which hee warneth and beseecheth Pinitus their Bishop that hee should not laye vpon the neckes of the Disciples heauye burdens nor impose a necessitie of a forced chastitie vpon his bretheren in the which the weakenesse of manie should be endangered Wherby it appeareth that he would haue enforced the Priests vnder him to haue absteined from mariage for it cannot be vnderstood that he went about to haue so enforced all the people but as the papists afterward did enforce the Priests or pastorall Elders whome he calleth his Disciples and his bretheren Which plainelie argueth though he abused the same his superioritie ouer them for had they béene his equals he could not haue doone it Nexte to whome Eusebius reckoneth Theophilus Bishop of Antioche an excellent writer Whome Maximinus succéeded the 7 saith Eusebius after the Apostles in the Sacerdotall Prieststood of the Churche of Antiochia By which tearme againe he meaneth the Bishoprike and not the Pastorall Eldership or Priesthood As shall yet more plainelie appeare euen in the next example of Irenaeus which was the moste singular instrument of God in all that age a scholler of Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna who after comming to Lions in France where liuing with Photinus their reuerend Bishop hee was made Presbyter a Priest or pastorall Elder of that Churche And when troubles grew in the East parts about Montanus Alcibiades and Theodotus troubling the Churche with a new kinde of prophesiyng which Montanus as noteth Euseb. li. 5. cap. 16 was inflamed with too great a desire of primacie the Churche of Lions sent Ireneus to them to pacifie the same And by the waye sent him also saith Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 3. to Eleutherius Bishop of the citie of Rome warning him of the Churches peace Who also commended to the foresaid Bishop of the citie of Rome Irenaeus being then as yet a priest or Elder of the Churche of Lions Yeelding a testimonie of his life which the wordes vnder written doo declare we wish you O Father Eleutherius in all things and alwaies in the Lord well to fare We haue requested our brother and fellow Irenaeus to beare these writings vnto you whome we beseech that you will haue recommended as one that is zealous of the Testament of Christe For if wee knew that anye mans degree would get and purchase righteousnesse as in that hee is a Priest or Elder of the Churche which also this man is certeinelie we would haue commended this cheefelie in him By which testimonie it appeareth especiallie being sent in such waightie affaires that hee was a great and famous Preacher at that time and yet was no Bishop in that Churche Yea it should séeme that hee had béene a Pastorall Elder or Priest a good while before he was Bishop For Eusebius in his Chronicle maketh the persecution in France to be in the seauenth yeare of Marcus Antonius which belike lasted long and Photinus Bishop of Lions being yet aliue and the prophesiyng of Montanus his fellowes being in the eleuenth yeare he is not reckoned there as Bish. till the 3. yeare of Commodus So that he was Priest before he was Bishop about a dozen yeares by this rockoning if not more Yea the Magdeburgenses that say there are which affirme that in the 13. yeare of Marcus Antonius hee came to his Bishoprike about the yeare of our Lorde 176. But vnder Commodus hee flourished most of all The contention for Easter when it was hoattest Eusebius in his Chronicle placeth in the
fourthe yeare of Seuerus that is the yeare of our Lorde 199 other referre it to the fifte yeare of Seuerus Therfore he should haue beene in the ministerie especiallie in his Bishoprike about 23. yeares To the which if wee adde the yeares of his Priesthood or Eldership perhaps it will runne to 30. yeares And so at the least by their computation he was seauen yeares a Priest before hee was Bishop And this also did these Centuriographers confesse before saying Photinus being cruellie murthered in the persecution for the confession of the truthe of the Gospell Irenaeus hetherto being but a Priest or Elder in the same Churche was substituted in his place Whereby it is moste euident that Presbyter and Episcopus a Priest or Pastorall Elder or minister of the worde and a Bishop were not all one and equall in this holye and singuler learned Fathers dayes so néere vnto the Apostles that hee was scholler to Polycarpus which liued in the Apostles times And euen in Irenaeus time he telleth that neither the giftes of healings nor of speaking with strange toongs were yet ceassed Although I graunte we shall nowe and then finde where when he speaketh of Bishops he calles them Priests or Elders as lib. 4. cap. 43 wherefore wee must hearken to those priests or Elders that are in the Churche those that haue their succession from the Apostles as wee haue shewed who with the succession of the Bishoprike haue receiued the certeine gifte of the truthe according to the good will of the Father And in the nexte chapter But those that are indeede of manye beleeued to bee Priests or Elders and serue their pleasures and preferre not the feare of God in their heartes but vexe the residue with reproches and are lifted vp with the puffe of sitting highest and secretlye doo euill and saye none shall see vs shall be reprooued of the worde that iudgeth not according to glorie nor lookes on the countenance but on the heart c. From all suche therefore we must absteyne but cleaue vnto those that as wee haue saide keepe bothe the doctrine of the Apostles and the sounde worde with the order of their Priesthood or Eldership and expresse a conuersation without offence to the information and correction of the residue c Suche priestes or Elders the Churche nourisheth of whome the prophet saithe And I will giue thee princes in peace and thy Bishoppes in righteousnesse Although in these and suche like places of Irenaeus the worde bothe Priest and Bishop maye be taken the one for the other indifferentlie yet dooth not this debarre but that as Irenaeus him-selfe was a Prieste for a while before he were a Bishop so lib. 3 cap. 3. hee there speaketh all of the succession vntill â—is time of the Bishops of the Churche of Rome that cannot bee vnderstood of euerye Priest there And indéed among all other that were Bishops I haue chéeflie forborne the naming of these not so muche for any corruption in this pointe that at that time was in them more than in other Bishops for I take them rather to haue beene as sincere as any of all the other but that their successors since those times vpon the honor for their vertue and sinceritie giuen to them of this first age and for the dignitie of the place and for the number of them that then were martyrs there and with-all for the memorie of Paule and Peter supposed there also to haue suffered martyrdome and to haue established the Churche there and to haue ordeined a Bishop also ouer them bicause I saye their successors waxing insolent and abusing all these good occasions haue also abused the memorie and names of those good auncient Bishops of Rome with a number of forgeries fathered falslie on them I haue therefore mencioned none of them But bicause Ireneus as they were then the mirrors of other Churches and Bishops excelling in synceritie of doctrine in good order of discipline and integritie of life bringeth in all the Bishops of that sée vntill his time to confute the new deuises of the heretikes errors by their constant continuance in the truthe I will therefore also set downe some parte of Ireneus words for our further confirmation of this matter The tradition saith he therefore of the Apostles is made manifest in all the worlde It is present to beholde in the Churche for all that will heere the truthe And wee haue to reckon vp them which haue beene ordeined Bishops in the Churches from the Apostles and the successors of them vntill our daies Who haue taught no such thing neither haue knowne how these men doate For if the Apostles had knowne any such hidden mysteries which they taught those that were perfect by themselues and priuilie they would most especially haue taught them vnto those to whome they committed the Churches themselues For they would haue them to be verie perfect and vnreprooueable in all things whome they would also haue to be their successors Deliuering to them euen their owne places of maistership that they had who behauing themselues without faulte great profite might come thereon but offending great calamitie How beit bicause it is verie long in such a volume as this to reckon vp the successions of all Churches therefore of that Churche whith is the greatest and most auncient and knowne to all to be founded and ordeyned of the two most glorious Apostles Peter and Paule declaring that tradition that it hath of the Apostles and faithe published vnto men comming euen vnto vs by the succession of the Bishops we confound all those which by any maner of meane or by their owne euill selfe liking or by vaine glorie or by blindnesse and euill opinion doo gather otherwise than they ought to doo For vnto this Churche bicause of the more mightie principalitie it is necessarie that euerie Churche agree That is they that are faithfull euerie where in the which alwaies of those that are euerie where the tradition that is from the Apostles is kept The blessed Apostles therefore founding and instructing the Churche deliuered vnto Linus the Bishoprike of administring the Churche Of this Linus Paule mentioneth in those Epistles that are to Timothie but vnto him succeeded Anacletus after whome in the third place from the Apostles Clemens obteined the Bishoprike Who also sawe the Apostles them-selues and conferred with them while as yet he had the preaching of the Apostles sounding in his eares and their tradition before his eyes For not hee alone manie at that time were yet aliue that were taught of the Apostles Vnder this Clemens therefore no small dissention falling out among the brethren that were at Corinth the Church which is at Rome wrote most forcible letters to the Corinthians gathering them togither vnto peace and repayring their faithe and declaring the tradition that they had euen of fresh receiued from the Apostles Which tradition declared that there was one God Almightie the maker of Heauen
Paule dwelt two yeeres full in his own hired house receiued all that came in vnto him preaching the kingdome of God teaching those things that concerne the Lord Iesus Christ with all confidence no man forbidding him all which was before his first arraignment at Rome he had much more leysure and fréedome after his deliuerance and before his second arraignment condemnation he might wel deserue this coÌ„mendation of Irenaeus to be the founder constituter instructer of that Church And as for Peter it might be wel also that he came thither afterward for there is no likelihood of his béeing there before when the Iewes that were so willing to hear Paul said vnto him Act. 28. ver 21.22 we neuer receiued letters out of Iury concerning thee nâ—ither any of the brethren that came shewed or spake any harm of thee but we wil heere of thee what thou thinkest for as concerning this sect we know that euery where it is spoken against Wheras if S. Peter had bin among them especially their B. it could not be but they should of often and fully at least haue heard thereof But as I saide it may bre that Peter also trauelled to Rome afterwards desirous to sée the faithfull there and to doo some good among them as Saint Paule also confesseth of himselfe that he likewise was desirous saying Romans 1. verse 10 c. Praying alwaies in my praiers that by some meane at the last I might take a prosperous iourney one time or another to come vnto you for I long to see you that I might bestowe among you some spirituall gifte that yee might bee established I would yee should knowe brethren that I haue oftentimes purposed to come vnto you and haue beene let hetherto that I might haue some fruite also among you as among other of the Gentiles And no lesse cause had Peter of the like good desire for those that were of the circumcision of whome there were manie at Rome desirous to heare as they called it vnto S. Paule of that Sect. And many godly men came to Rome on such good desires as Origen c. yea euen Irenaeus himselfe that ioineth Peter with Paule in these actions or else if Peter had no wil as Paul had of trauelling thether yet it might be that Peter being of so great fame among the Christians and accounted one of the cheefe pillers of the Churche was vpon some occasion carried thither as Christ said whither he would not haue gone and brought prisoner to Rome as S. Paule was many other were though not recorded And most likelie it is that he suffered there also from whence Neroes persecution sprang Which though it be not mentioned in the Scripture yet the Scripture mentioneth these wordes that our Sauiour Christe said to Peter Iohn 21. verse 28. 29. Verelie verelie I say vnto thee when thou wast younger thou girdedst thy self and walkedst whether thou wouldest but when thou shalt be olde thou shalt stretch foorth thy hands and another shall girde thee and carie thee whither thou wouldest not This spake hee signifiing by what death he should glorifie God And therefore since this was Christes owne prophesie of Peters death this is most certeine that he died not a naturall death but suffered martyrdome for Gods glorie And whye should we denie without any proofe that which all the auncient Fathers so néere Peters time on so great likelihood haue with one full consent so vniuersallie affirmed that Peter suffered at Rome If it be saide that this maye confirme their opinion that saye Peter was Bishop there although that followeth not of any consequence yet sithe that opinion arose not all of nothing it is the more likelie that he glorified God by his death there at least-wise that there he had béene and not béene idle nor vnfruitfull in that Churche when they grew so farre as to say that he was there also the first Bishop For my part vpon the déeper consideration of these things being matters whereof the dissent is no preiudice to our faith I am not of their opinion that saye Peter was neuer at Rome at all I suppose rather that bothe he was there and that for some time of abode he taught there also and that as Saint Paule suffered there which his wordes there written 2. Timoth. 4.6 doo in a manner plainelie declare where he prophesied of his owne death saying for I am now readie to be offered and the time of my dissolution is at hande and as Ignatius and other famous men were fetched thether to suffer death that euen so was Peter caried thether to vse Christs owne wordes and that being at Rome prisoner before he dyed Irenaeus who flourished about the distance of fourescore yeares after Peters death which is no great time and little more than manie a mans age and therefore it is verie likelie that Irenaeus could tell somewhat of it did know that Peter and Paule had bothe béene there and doone bothe of them so much good there that he thought he might worthilie bestowe these titles vpon them that they were founders constituters and instructers of that Churche For although they were not bothe of them yea neither of them the Bishops of Rome their selues yet the Churche there growing great they had not onelie instructed them but set downe suche Ecclesiasticall orders among them as whereby their Churche was then gouerned And as Ireneus saith Linâ— Episcopatum administrandae Ecclesiae tradiderunt they deliuered the Bishoprike or office of the Bishop for the administring of the Churche vnto Linus not deliuering the same to Clemens as that puppet which counterfeits him-selfe to be Clement moste impudentlie vaunteth in a forged letter to Iames Bishop of Ierusalem that Peter made him Bishop of Rome but this place of Irenaeus being autentike dooth notablye conuince that shamelesse forgerie and shameth all the Popes and Papists that build their successioÌ„ manie other riffe-raffes thervpoÌ„ Neither dooth Irenaeus ascribe the action of making Linus the B. of Rome to Peter alone but to both the Apostles And although this be a good record of Ireneus being almost of the same age liuing not farre from Rome yea hauing béene himselfe at Rome and so searched out the matter more exactly or euer he durst put it in writing and make argument thereon to confute the aduersaries which had it not béene so would quicklie haue taken him tardie and triumphed on the aduantage yet is not his testimonie alone for he also might else as he was in some greater points be by others deceiued but Euseb. likewise citeth other as auncient as Ireneus to the same purpose For saith he lib. 2. Eccl. bist cap. 25. Nero therfore as he professed him-selfe an open enemie of the Godhead and of godlinesse so before other things hee thirsted for the death of the Apostles themselues bicause they were the Capteines and standerd bearers among the people of God
readie prepared to their office as I shall anon more at large declare And so Ierome when as he set downe 5. orders he reckoneth vp Bishops Priestes Deacons the faithfull and those that learne the Catechisme to the residue of the Clergie and to the Monkes he attributeth no proper place They therefore called all them Priests or Elders to whoÌ„ the office of teaching was enioyned They elected one out of the number in euery Citie to whom especially they gaue the title of Bishop least that by reason of equalitie as it is woont to come to passe discorde should spring vp How-beit the Bishop was not so superiour in Honour and dignitie that hee had dominion ouer his Colleagues but what parts the Consull hath in the Senate to propounde the businesses to demaunde the opinions to goe before or gouerne the other in Counseling admonishing exhorting to rule all the whole action by his authoritie and to put in execution that which by the common counsell shall be decreed that office did the Bishop sustaine in the assembly of the Priestes or Elders And that this for the necessitie of the times was with consent of men brought in the auncientes themselues confesse it So Hierome on the Epistle to Titus A Prieste or Elder sayth he was the same that a Bishop before that by the instinction of the Deuell factions beganne to be made in religion and that it was said among the people I hold of Paule I of Cephas the Churches were gouerned by the common Counsell of the Priests or Elders Afterwarde that the seedes of dissention might be pulled vp all the carefulnesse was surrendred vnto one man As therefore the Priestes or Elders knowe that of the custome of the Churche they are subiected to him that ruleth ouer them so let Bishops knowe that rather by custome than by the veritie of the Lordes disposing they are greater than the Priestes or Elders and they ought to rule the Church in common Howbeit he teacheth in another place howe auncient an Institution it was For he sayth at Alexandria from Marke the Euangelist vntill Heraclas and Dionisius Priestes or Elders they alwayes placed in a higher degree one that was chosen from amonge themselues whome they called the Bishop Euerie Citie therefore had their Colledge of Priestes or Elders which were Pastors and Doctors For all of them exercised also among the people the office of teaching exhorting and correcting which Paule enioyneth vnto Bishops and here by the way note that then which was yet in the Apostles times the Doctors as wel as the Pastors had the exercise of exhorting and correcting as well as of teaching And to the end they might leaue seede after them they trauelled in enstructing the younger sorte that had enrolled their names into the sacred soldage Vnto euery Citie was attributed a certaine Region which froÌ„ thence should take their Priests or Elders And it should be reckoned as it were vnto the bodie of that Ch. Euery one of the Colledges as I haue sayd only for because of policie and of conseruing peace was vnder one bishop Who so excelled the other in dignitie that he was subiected to the assemblie of the brethren But if the field or territorie which was vnder his bishoprike were more than that it might suffice for the bishop euery where to doe his office there were certaine Priests or Elders assigned in certain places through that fielde who in meaner affaires did serue his turnes Those they called Chorepiscopos Bishops deputies or as wee call them bishops suffraganes because they represented the bishop through out that prouince In which wordes Caluine plainely confesseth that although all these degrées of dignitie be not expressed in expresse wordes in the Scripture yet the Fathers had such a care to compose all their forme of gouernement by the onely rule of Gods woorde that almost nothing is different from Gods worde And that bishoppes were but one ordinarily in one Citie who had Regions and Prouinces and manie Priests or Elders yea Colleges of Elders of Priestes vnder them that some of their Prouinces were so large that they had deputies or suffraganes also to supply their tournes Which withall inferreth that this their dignitie ouer these persons could not be onely for the present time of this or that action or assemblie but was still standing and continuall euen as those Regions and Prouinces allotted to them and as were the numbers of Pastors and Colleges of Priestes or Elders in euerie Citie as are our Cathedrall Churches likewise abiding and continuing And this dignitie of one B. aboue the Priestes or Elders arose not of any ambitious aspiring but of verie necessitie to auoide it And that of the equalitie of Priests or Elders dissentions and sectes would spring And that this dignity is so auncient that it was vsed in Alexandria a most famous Church euen from Saint Markes time Who as Eusebius in his Chronicle noteth died foure or fiue yeares before either Peter or Paule and while manie of the Apostles and Disciples were yet liuing For to reiect that which Eusebius speaketh of Peter or rather which is manifestly foysted into his Chronicle that he was Christianorum Pontifex primus the first or chiefe Bishop of the Christians and that when he had founded the Church of Antioch he went to Rome where preaching the Gospell he continued 25. yeares Bishop of that Citie because this agréeth not with the holy Scripture no nor yet with that which Eusebius citeth concerning Peter out of Dionisius Bishop of Corinth Li. 2. Hist. Eccl. cap. 25. as is afore-saide is therefore worthie to be repulsed yet this which Eusebius hath both in his chronicle and in his Eccl. historie of Annianus orâ—â—yned the first Bishop of Alexandria after Marke the Euangelist and of Euodius ordeyned the first bishop of Antioche another more famous Church the 45. yeare of the L. that is the 12. yeare after the Lordes ascention and that Iames the brother of the Lorde was ordeined of the Apostles the first Bishop of Ierusalem the most famous Church of all in those dayes and that in the very yeare of Christes ascention how soeuer the Scripture expresse it not or that Ierome say it was done by coÌ„sent of meÌ„ or custome of the Church and not of the verity of the Lordes dispensation yet sithe this consent is of so manie and so holy men and this custome so auntient and of these so notable Churches in the Apostles dayes if this order had béene anye breach of the veritie of the Lordes dispensation or of any perpetuall order set downe and commanded by the Apostles or not good and necessarie but daungerous and hurtfull to the Churches of Christe by them both before and after planted or had béene anie direct occasion to the tyrannie of Antichriste no doubt they should haue knowen it and foreknowen the euent and would neuer haue permitted but impugned and expressely written against the
Zuinglius that saith a Bishop and a Priest or Elder were once all one yet in his booke de Ratione Officio Concionandi or Ecclesiastes The Preacher he saith Againe Act. 21. Luke writeth thus The next day wee that were with Paule came to Caesarea and entring into the house of Philip the Euangelist which was one of the seuen we aboade with him This man had fowre daughters Virgines prophecying In which place first we haue to note that thing that this Philip of the Church of Caesarea the Euangelist was a Bishop or a Pastor Neither is he of Luke called an Apostle Howbeit he was one of the seuen which were ordeyned Deacons as the same partie shewed before cap. 6. That thing also withall ought to be noted that they layde downe the name of the Apostles so soone as being fixed to any one Church they had the continuall cure thereof that is to wit when as either being hindred by age or else afflicted with diseases with the troubles of peregrinations and with dangers they were not able to suffice any longer For then were they not any longer named Apostles but Bishops But we may bring foorth S. Iames whom for his age we call Iames the lesse an example or rather a witnesse of this thing For Hierome and withall all the auncient Fathers doe name this man Bishop of Ierusalem for no other cause than that hee had placed his seate fixed in that Citie For when as before as also the other Apostles being giuen to peregrinations he had taught the faith ech where all ouer the countryes hee was at the length by the Apostles themseles ordeyned to be the partie that as a certaine diligent watchman shoulde take vpon him the cure of the Churche of Ierusalem The same thing we may say of Iohn the Euangelist and Disciple of Christ. For when as he hauing beene cast forth to diuerse dangers had long time administred the function Apostolicall at length being made the Bishop of the Ephesians he departed out of this life in that â—itie in the 68. yeare after the ascention of the Lorde Nowe then some of the Apostles being on this wise Bishops in suche places and so as our Brethren call them Pastors shall wee thinke that the other Pastors in those Cities did not stil acknowledge a Superiour dignitie vnto them and that for a longer time than for the occasion of some present action or assemblie Yea haue all the Pastors alike euen and as full authoritie equall in Geneua it selfe as that most excellent instrument of God Master Caluine or the most woorthie Master Beza yet liuing Indéede I can not precisely tell but I thinke not so nor it séemeth so and in my simple opinion be it spoken with due honour reserued to euery godly and Learned minister there be they neuer so equall and all one in respect of the same function and Ministerie it were not méete it shoulde so bee Or if it be so yet were it not so good no not for them as if that I speake of Beza in Geneua or some other excellent man were appointed to haue a continuing and standing moderate office ouer all the residue of his fellowe brethren there in the ministerie to ouer-see and gouerne them assigned vnto him and to exercise the same with painefull care readie diligence and modest humilitie so long as he is able to discharge the same And so indéede it should drawe néerer to the order and custome of the Apostles And yet if their order and custome had admitted such a temporarie superior among them as had serued only the tournes but of temporarie occasions yet thereby also for that time and occasion one Pastor had had the authoritie ouer another yea ouer all the other in the companie And how then do our Brethren here affirme that these testimonies of scripture directly condemne the authoritie of one Pastor aboue another As for the testimonies that Beza alleageth euen of the very first of them concerning the election of Matthias Act. 1. Caluine vppon these wordes ver 16. The scripture must haue beene fulfilled sayth Because Peter maketh the speeche the Papistes make him the head of the whole Church As though none may speake in the assembly of the godly but forth-with he must be made a Pope We graunt indeede that as it is necessarie some one in euery assembly must holde the Primacie or be the chiefe so the Apostles yeelded this honour vnto Peter But what is this to a Popedome So that here though that horrible tyrannie of the Pope be not inferred which the Papistes on euery inkling gréedily gather yet Caluine not onely confesseth plainely both in Peter a certaine honour of Primacie yeelded vnto him but also confesseth it necessarie for euerie assembly of the faithfull to haue such a Primate The like he sayth of the other example Act. 6. Of the sending of Simon and Iohn vnto Samaria Concerning that Luke sayth he declareth that Peter was sent of the residue hereupon it may be gatherad that he exercised not an Empire ouer his Colleagues but did so excel among them that notwithstanding he was vnder the bodie and obeyed it So that his authoâ—itie excelled any and euery one of his fellowes in particular but in respect of the whole bodie and corporation of them he was not so much as fellow but inferiour As for the last testimonie cited héere by Beza Act. 15. what Caluine hath sayd alreadie thereon euen for the standing Bishoprike of Iames at Ierusalem and how therein he excelled the residue of the Apostles wée haue at large heard before Now where our Brethren adde that yet they take not away the lawefull authoritie he hath ouer his flocke but that Imperious and Pompeous dominion which is meete for ciuile Magistrates and great Potentates to exercise in worldly affaires euen as Beza said it was not of any kingly Empire or royall commaundement and yet was it a reuerence giuen of dutie and as Caluine saide it was not a Papacie nor Empire ouer his Colleagues and yet he did excell among them and heâ—d a Primacie ouer them and the other yeelded an honour to him so these our Brethrens sayings may be well allowed And I thinke no Bishoppe or Arch-bishop in Englande doth desire any other then such limited authoritie of their office as may well agrée with these moderations and rather stande with humilitie modestie and diligent ouersight of good order than to aspire to any such royall Empire or to exercise anie Imperious and Pompeous Dominion And saue for the name sake of Lorde that for a litle more reuerence God wotte they are honoured with all if I should not rather say for some others a great deale more enuied for that they haue not our Bishops haue béene méetely well shriuen for such matters This Pompeous Imperious dominion being thus exemted otherwise say our Brethren in respect of their lawefull authoritie they are called by the Apostle
Which if it were perchance many of these our Learned brethen Discoursers theirselues might fail especially in this last point being not able what soeuer they perswade theÌ„selues to defend these their owne desires and to confute vs iheir Brethren whome they take in hande to confute not of any vnholesome Doctrine which they confesse that wee professe so well as they and as for those whome they shoulde rather confute indéede as the papistes the Anabaptistes the Arians the libertines the brethren of Loue and such like mainteining not wholesom doctrine it would not onely appose them but many other yea otherwise good preachers to confute them in such order as the Apostle there requireth In the famous Nicene Counsell were assembled many notable learned Bishops and Elders and yet when it came to disputation one simple ancient father who was no preacher neither did more good in confuting a sophisticall and wrangling Phylosopher euen by the plaine recitall of the onely Creede than al the the eloquent and Learned bishops were able to doe For as the Arian philosopher sayd while they striued with words he had wordes ynough for them all But when vertue came words gaue place to vertue If it be sayde this fact was not of a Pastor but of a lay Confessor as Socrates mentioneth Hist. Tripart lib. 2. cap. 3. Which notwithstanding in Sozomenus seemeth another like fact to bee done by a Preest or Elder being also a Confessor to defend the other preests his fellowes whome another philosopher insulted vpon yet euen in the next Chapter Sozomenus mentioneth a Confutation also not much vnlike betweene a pagane phisosopher and Alexander Bishop of Constantinople For when diâ—tra of the phylosophers desired to dispute before the Emperor with the bishop and he being vnexpert in such exercise of wordes c. Notwithstanding tooke vpon him the conflict by the commandement of the Emperour When all the philosophers would speak he required them to appoint out one whom they would choose and coÌ„manded the other to hold their peace and marke what should bee spoken of them twaine Whervpon one of them vndertaking the dealing of the whole disputation the blessed Alexander saith vnto the philosopher in the name of Iesus Christ I command thee that thou speake not and as soone as he had sayd the word the deed was performed For sodainly so soone as he heard the speech his mouth being closed vp hee became speechelesse This bishop was of great vertue of life and had the gift as it appeared of myracles He could not dispute and confute the gainsayer of wholesome doctrine yet could he stop their mouthes pretily wel But if our brethren had bene there if they durst not speake for feare their mouthes had beene stopt likewise yet they woulde after haue sayde of him that being vnable to confute he was altogether vnmeete for the office of a Pastor or a byshop But those that woulde say so of suche a man were meete ynough to haue their mouthes also if not by myracle yet by authority to bee stopped rather than to open them thus at randon against many good playn and simple pastors who though they haue not the gifte of GOD with any audacitye and grace of vtterance in the pulpit make a plausible sermon to the people yet in priuate admonition in sound knowlege in sincere constant profession of the trueth can teach and perswade with their example and confute more effectually by theire life though otherwise in publike action they can doe little without their booke and yet shall some of these perhaps do more good among the people than some other eloquent and famous Preacher or Disputer or Confuter shal be able to doe I graunt these high and moste excellent gifts are to be honored with duble honor but the other are not so far to be despised as to be called altogether vnmeet for the office of a pastor or bishop Howbeit I confesse if any be altogether ignorant of the knowledge of Gods worde the same is also altogether vnmeet for the office of a pastor or bishop Hereupon our brethren set down their resolution saying Wherefore if wee euer minde such a reformation as God shall thereby be glorified his Church edified we must vtterly remoue al the vnlearned pastors as men by no means to be tollerated to haue any charge ouer the Lordes flocke and also prouide that heereafter none bee receiued into that office but such as are sufficient for their knowledge ability in teaching to take so waighty a charge in hand What a great vnthankfulnesse is this to say If euer we minde sucha reformation as God shal thereby be glorified and his church edified As who shoulde say it was neuer yet hetherto in all this Reformation of the Church eyther endeuored or so much as minded And is all this that hath béene done nothing to the glorifying of God nor to the edifying of his Church or hath it so fallen out that both God hath bene glorified therby and his Church edified and yet was neuer minded with charity to our bretheren beit spoken this their censure is too too vncharitable both of her Maiest her Maiest Brothers and Fathers mindes and reformation with all their godly Counsels endeuours and all their learned bishops and preachers trauels to these especiall purposes that God might bee glorified and his Church edified and too iniurious euen to the Glorye that God hath already gotten and the edification that the Churche namely of England hath enioyed and other Chuhches that haue in part felt no small comfort and edification therby Gods name bée more and more glorified and praysed for it But nowe imagining if wee may so harden our heartes and benumbe our senses as not to féele nor acknowledge these good blessings of God that Gods glory and his Churches edification was neuer yet sette foorth among vs nor so much as minded what is the thing they woulde haue vs doe If euer we minde such a reformation as God shal thereby be glorified and his Church edified we must vtterly forsooth remoue all the vnlearned pastors as men by no meanes to bee tollerated to haue any charge ouer the Lords flocke and also prouide that heereafter none be receiued into that office but such as are sufficient for their knowledge and ability in teaching to take so waighty a charge in hand Concerning the prouision for heereafter it is very good counsell But for those that are in office already only for that they caÌ„not publikly preach and exhorte and confute though otherwise they haue neuer so muche knowledge there is no remedy but that they must euery one be remooued and that vtterly remoued and that by no meanes to be tollerated no not to haue any charge though it be not the pastorall charge no not to be a Deacon nor a Reader nor yet a Dore-keeper ouer the Lordes flock this is a hard censure Indeede nothing so harde as one of them with more eager zeale
than the moste of the residue wrote of late in his aunswere against M. C. for ioyning with the English Churches saying Wherefore I woulde say there were holinesse in the dumbe Ministerye for that is their vsuall and mildest tearme they afforde the Ministers that are not publike preachers if all the dumbe Ministers were hanged vp in the Churches and publike assemblies for a warning and terror to the reste that are ready to enter such a function then indeede there were a holy signe and remembraunce of iudgement against such wretches but other holinesse haue they none in them This iudgement is farre more rigorous and extream than this of our Learned brethren Discoursers Yea by this bloudy sentence some of our brethren perhaps their-selues that are more Zealous than learned or more Learned then able with any gift of persuasion to make any publike exhortation and confutation might be called into daunger not nowe of their liuings but of thei◠liues and although they would tell a fayre tale to saue their liues and would rather preach such slender stuffe God wotte as they had yet if they were vnlearned they must be counted dumb dogs they must trusse also the cord would not suffer them to vtter it So soone might this Iudgement be reuersed on some of their own wel-willers who spare not to cast foorth such vncharitable and bitter spéeches saying of the poore Ministers of Christ we say not but that that our dumbe Ministers may be heard for if standing on the galowes to bee executed they say woulde come downe I knowe we may heare them Do these spéeches sauour of Christian charity If not rather of the spirite of those cried Crucifige Crucifige and hauing crucified Christ so these speak of hanging vp his poore Ministers And as they in scorne bad him come downe from the crosse so these speaking of hearing his Ministers doe say they may indéede be heard when they say they would come downe from the Gallows Yet well fare these our Brethren the Learned Discoursers that are somewhat more pitifull to the poore vnlearned pastors not to hang them vp by the neck as Theeues and Robbers Traytors and Rebelles for so they commonly call them for a warning and terror but to turn them out to shake their eares and beg their Bread with their wiues and children like wretches Roagues and Vagaboundes Yea they are fayre dealt with that they haue their liues And this is the mylder sorte of these our Brethren And vntill the poore Ministers that bee not Learned preachers be at leaste thus gently handled wee shall neuer minde suche a reformation as God shall thereby bee glorified and his Church edefied Alas poore soules which heretofore euen for their zeal of Gods word thogh not al yet many of them in time of so great necessity when the tyranny of Antichriste had wasted and taken away so many Learned pastors and when the popish massing sacrifices were also remoued then these good Zealous men being of some readier skill and ability than were the most part of the residue in those dayes did forsake their former trades whereby before they honestly liued which if they had continued might yet thereby haue mainteined themselues and with hatred and hazard of their liues the most part being then aduersaies of the trueth in many places haue wholly dedicated them selues to the Ministery of Gods worde and Sacramentes beeing also lawfully both by the best pastors then of the church of England yea many of them assent desire and election of by their brethren Protestants with testification of their good conuersation albeit not so Learned nor trayned in schooles as godly zealous nor able to preach to expounde to exhort to confute learnedly in publike auditory though otherwise sufficient to giue godly counsel admonition and instruction in all priuate though in the open Congregation not daring knowing their owne simplicity to hazard themselues further then the distinct reading of the scriptures with such fruitefull Interpretations and Homelies as by authority are approoued and assigned with the publike forme of common prayer prescribed and the reuerent administration of Christs sacramentes and haue nowe in the continuall exercise of these thinges besides their priuate studies aboue this twenty yea some aboue thirtie yeares spent all their time and nowe in their old age should be vtterly remooued and by no meanes tollerated to haue any charge ouer the Lordes flock nor any other prouision so much as spoken of for their mainnance though not called in question whether they would be hangd or no Me thinketh these thinges if they were a little better considered and digested should it least more moue the bowels of mercie yea the remorse of conscience and thankfulnesse in our learned brethren than to deale so extreamly with them It may be that a number of such withall are crept into the Ministery altogether so ignorant and perhaps so criminous and offensiue who might worthily sustaine so sharpe a iudgement that it were better they were vtterly remooued than by any meanes to bee tollerated to haue any charge of the Lords flock For such I pleade not But no reason that their causes of entering into and continuing in the Ministery being so different they should passe al alike so hard a censure But what reason induceth our brethren héereunto What man hauing but one hundreth sheepe woulde make such a mā a shepheard or Ouerseer ouer them as were a naturall Idiote or otherwise altogether vnskilfull or vnable too performe the thinges that belong to a shepheard if no man haue so little care of bruite beasts what brutish negligence is it to commit the people of God redeemed with the precious bloude of Iesus Christe to suche vnskilfull and vnsufficiēt Pastors as neither themselues knowe the waye of saluation neyther are able to lead other vnto it whereof they are so cleane ignorant themselues If our brethren meant only of such persons as they now speake of it were more than a brutish negligence in very déede to commit the people of god to such vnskilfull and vnsufficient Pastors But before they spoke of such as had neuer so much knowledge and now they come in with naturall Idiotes with altogether vnskilfull vnable and vnsufficient Pastors and such as neither themselues know the way of saluation neither are able to leade other vnto it whereof they are ignoraunt thēselues Is there no difference betwéene these those that are both wise godly and learned and diligent to leade the people of God bothe by counsell instruction and example though they haue not the gifte of open preaching publike exhorting of the people and effectual confuting of the gainesayer These are those that we woulde haue more fauorablye delt withall As for the other naturall Idiotes and altogether vnskilfull vnable and vnsufficient Pastors we pleade not for any tolleration of thē And we hope there be not many suche hope-losts that these words should thus in generall
is a far vnlike and vnséemely spéeche for Protestant Minist to bestow vpon their brethren Minist in the Gospell True it is that by the Non residence of some Pastors and the pluralities graunted vnto them some Curates and Ministers of lesser giftes are maintayned and as I take it reason too For as we haue shewed out of Caluine the giftes of the Pastors being not alike there may well bee difference in them both of superiority of maintenance Which may accord also wel inough with the saying of the Apost The Elders that gouerne well especially in the work of the word are worthy of double honor And therfore if some more Learned pastors hauing also a greater gift of the spirit of gouernment haue moe parcels of the Churche of god to gouerne than other haue and thereupon are permitted in consideration of their greater labours in the word to do good in moe places and for their better prouision to haue other besides them and in their absences to attend continuallye to those congregations while their more fruitefull trauailes are other where emploied if these also by order of lawe and by authoritie of Magistracie bee prouided for and yet cannot bee permitted but by the lawe and magistrate so that it is not free to euerye one that liste but to choice and more able men and onelie to so good purposes and alwaies with sufficiēt prouisions for euerie place and person so permitted Is it lawfull for euerie or anie priuate subiect on this publike fashion to exclaime against it and also to inueigh against the Magistrates for maintaining of it But there is a mysterie in this thing more than euerie bodie wéeneth Pluralities and non residents are pretended which if they bee abused are not so maintained but that vpon proofe thereof they are punishable or to bée restrained or reuoked but other matters are shot at to wit the liuings of the Bishops of the Colledges or of anie that haue anie portions of the Church impropriated and allotted vnto them Howbeit our Brethren faile herein of their chiefe purpose for if all these were taken away yet may the power and superiour authoritie remaine though weakened when the liuing is gone and so al Pastors notwithstanding al these byouse deuises are not equall As for that our Brethren adde of the pretence of these thinges which they call grose corruptions of Pastorall office to omit the reconciliation of these sayings that as they may haue some honest pretence so they can haue no better pretence than had the exchangers of money the grasiers and poulterers to make a burse or shambles or a poultrie yea a den of theeues of the Temple of God which were indéede no honest pretences at al This is also too rough a censure of our Brethren so flatlie to condemne all the Magistrates and Ministers in the Church of GOD which in manner aforsayd permit these things to haue no better pretence nor conscience than these deadlie enimies of Christ had The Texts alleaged out of Matthew Marke and Iohn stande onelie on a ranke for a bare shew and proue nothing at all that these matters haue no better pretence and conscience than those grose corruptions of those wicked Iewes had And is this now that which our Brethren meant when they sayde euen the last sentence before they would rather praie to GOD to lighten their heartes than by anie long discourse to discouer their palpable darknesse Indéede Breuis oratio penetrat coelum But this short Prayer pearceth beyond all Gods forboad and this short discourse Si breuis grauis it were better be longer and be leuis Howbeit the burthen of it is but a faburthen of a foule mouth and of an heauie irkesome slander vnfit for our learned Brethren to haue vttered And yet not content therwith our brethren procéede and saie But especiallie while the whole office of a Pastor shall be thought to consist in reading onelie a prescript number of Psalmes and Chapters of the Scriptures with other appointed formes of praier and that hee may be allowed as a sufficient Pastor which dooth the things which a childe of ten yeeres olde may doe as well as hee so long shall wee neuer lacke vnlearned pastors ignorant and vngodlie people simonicall and sacrilegious patrones so long the building of Gods Church shall goe but slowlie forwarde Besides other superstitious fantasies mayntained in the peoples heartes which for shortnesse wee omitte to speake of Of what estimation reading hath béene accounted in the auncient and primitiue Church and the office of readers both of the Psalms and Chapters of the Scriptures we haue alreadie declared out of Zanchius citing Bucer at large for the same And how auncient and allowable appointed formes of Praier haue bene in the Church of God among al the holie Fathers are yet euen in those reformed Churches that are most now commended vnto vs of our Breth yea their selues also haue in print set down vnto vs appointed formes of Praier though with what warrant and authoritie they may prescribe and appoint formes of praier to their Prince and to the whole Church of Englande and reiect that which is by lawfull authoritie of the Prince and of all the states of the Realme and Church of Englande alreadie appointed I doe not yet knowe and faine woulde I learne how they are able to iustifie these dooings and how their owne prescribing vnto others their appointed formes of prayer and ministration of the Sacraments they hauing no sufficient authoritie therevnto dooth not much more confute themselues that controll other for prescribing appoynted formes of Prayer vnto them As for that they saie the whole office of a pastor shall bee thought to consist in reading these things I know none that saith or thinketh so or that hee may bee allowed as a sufficient pastor which dooth the things which a child of ten yeeres olde may doe as well as hee Who alloweth such a one for a sufficient Pastor And what are those things which a child of ten yeeres olde may doo as well as hee May a childe of tenne yeeres olde minister the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lordes supper or pronounce the publike absolution to the people But they meane perhaps that such a childe may reade the appointed formes of prayers Psalmes and Chapters of the Scriptures as well as he Maie hee so in the publike Congregation and haue no lawfull calling therevnto And yet may hee doe it as well as hee that is lawfullie called If they meane onelie in the respect of his reading I easilie graunt it them that anye priuate man woman or childe although younger than tenne yeeres olde if his sight be quicke and his voice cleere he be wel enured to reading may both reade as well farre better than many an old Doctor yea than the most zealous and best learned Pastor in the world when his tongue foltreth or his eies waxe dim or age or
accomplished those whom we call the Deacons giue a parte of the bread and of the cuppe alayed vnto euery one of them that are present ouer whome the thankes giuing was made and they suffer them also to carrie it to those that were absent And this foode is among vs called the Eucharist to the which none is admitted but he that beleeueth the doctrine to be true being washed with the washing for the remission of sinnes and liuing according as Christ hath taught For we receaue not these thinges as a common bread and a common cuppe but euen as by the worde of God being made fleshe Iesus Christ our Sauiour had flesh and bloud for our saluation so also by the woorde of prayer and the thanks giuing we haue learned the food being of him sanctified which being changed nourisheth our flesh and bloud to be the flesh bloud of the same Iesus Christ that was incarnate For the Apostles in their writinges that are called the Gospels haue deliuered foorth that Iesus thus commaunded them hauing taken bread and thanks being giuen he sayde doe this in the memorie of me This is my body Likewise hauing taken the cup and hauing giuen thanks he said This is my bloud and did communicate it only vnto them In these woordes wee plainely sée all the manner of the primitiue Church in the dayes of Iustine the Martyr about the hundred yeare after Christes ascention Concerning the administration of the Lordes supper without any sermon preached thereat But it followeth euen anon after of the administration also of the same with a Sermon or an Exhortation made at the participation thereof saying On the sunday are made assemblies of those that are of the Citie and of those that are of the Countrie where the writinges of the Apostles and Prophets are read before the reader then ceasing he that is placed our them maketh an exhortation prouoking them to the imitation of the thinges that are honest After this we all arise and offer vp prayers which being finished there is brought as I sayde bread wine and water Then he that is placed ouer thē so much as he is able offreth vp prayers thanksgiuings but the people singeth Amen Thereupon those things that are consecrated are distributed vnto euery one and sent vnto the absent by the Deacons The rich if it please them contribute euery one according to his will The collections are layde vp with him that is placed ouer them he succoureth the fatherlesse and widdowes and those that want by reason of sickenesse or other necessitie those also that are prisoners and trauelling strangers and in summe he is made the prouider of all the needie But these assemblies we make vpon the sunday c. Thus doe we sée at large the order of the primitiue Churche for the celebration of the Lordes supper both with-out and also with a Sermon or an Exhortation at the same If our Brethren reiect their orders because of some additions that they vsed or that the wordes of Iustine might sée me suspitious to sauour of the Popish errour of transubstantiation not onely the Magdeburgenses doe cleare the wordes of Iustine from that errour but Iustine cleareth him selfe both from that and from the errour of consubstantiation or carnall presence in the Sacrament For the former say the Magdeburgenses who not withstanding maintayne the latter The deuise of transubstantiation was also vnknowen vnto the Church of this age For although Iustine saye VVhich being changed nourisheth our flesh and bloud notwithstanding he onely looketh vnto and driueth it to that that hee may discerne or seuer this bread and this cuppe vnto the which commeth this worde of Christe from other vsuall meates and drinkes with which our bodies are nourished And as for consubstantiation this his sentence maketh lesse referring al the consecration to the spirituall and thankefull remēbrance of the death of Christ as he also doth disputing with Tripho the Iew saying this also ye know that the solemne oblation of the two goates in the time of the fast was not suffered to be done otherwhere thē at Ierusalem As neither the oblation of the meale or floure which was wont after the custome to be offered for thē that were clensed from the leprosie signifying figuratiuely the bread of the Eucharist which for the memory of his passion cleansing the soules of men from all sinne our L. Iesus Christ hath deliuered to thē that come after to the intent that in the meane time wee should giue thanks vnto God both for the world created for man with other thinges that are conteyned therein and also for the redemption wherewith he deliuered vs from sins the principalities and powers being vniuersally vanquished according to the diuine counsell Thus doth Iustine acquit himselfe sufficiently of those errors As for the water mingled with the wine and the sending these sacramentall signes vnto the absent whereof afterward came great corruption and superstitions we say as Aretius doth thereon Concerning the reason of the mingling wine and water it seemeth vnto me probable because that making the supper of the Lord in a common banquet they also dranke more largely not sipping as at this day it is the manner And therefore that the wine by it selfe being strong should the lesse hinder them water was put vnto it Which we see also at this day to be done in common banquetes that the noble wines are mingled The place 1. Cor. 11. makes mee thus to thinke where manifestly hee teacheth that the abuse of the Lordes house beganne euen then to take holde insomuch that manie were drunke in that loue feast Thus sayeth Aretius for the originall of the water mingled with the wine And as for the sending to the absent hee sayeth Fourthly a portion of the supper was also sent to them that were absent the which was doone without superstition a token of friendshippe and of vnion in doctrine and in their whole profession euen as wee haue rehearsed before out of Eusebius that it was done at Rome neither is here any mention made of any merite or of any passeport exhibited to those that were about to die To conclude sayth Aretius on this practise of the primitiue Churche next after the Apostles hereunto came mutuall exhortations to cōcord and constancie in faith and profession that this might be a certain stipulation and obligation that they should be constant in Christianitie whatsoeuer fortune at the length should happē vnto them These things in our action may almost all of them be declared First in the publike assembly which is a shewe of a publike banquet Then the like oblation is of vs obserued the wordes of the institution are recited and to God the father is pronounced prayse and glorie The mingling of wine and water we haue not for it is no part of the institution neyther haue our wines neede of mingling as the orientall wines haue neyther doe wee drinke
thinges wée haue the lesse néede to stande longer in aunswering of them Let vs come therefore to that which they will speake vpon But wee speake say they of this that a great multitude thinke they haue well serued God if they haue beene present at coÌ„mon prayers or any part of them as they were wont to thinke in poperie although they be neuer so vainly occupied in the Church some in walking some in talking in gathering of money not only for the poore but for other contributions c. And they that thinke they do best are occupied in their priuate prayes or in reading of bookes while their minister pronounceth publike prayers To be vainely occupied in the Church some in walking some in talking is we graunt a fault Neither is it by any lawe or order allowed that the people should so behaue themselues in the time of the common prayers If any breake the lawes and orders in that behalfe they are to sustaine the punishment of the lawe and officers are appointed to looke vnto them and present them But how then shall those of our Brethren be holden excused that to auoyde walking and talking in the time of common prayers will not come at all to heare them confirming by their contemptuous absence the Popish recusantes besides the great offence vnto their Brethren Contributions and collections for the poore and for other Ecclesiasticall orders be such thinges as were done in the primitiue Churche at the time of their Ecclesiasticall assemblies as may appeare Act. 2. ver 42. Act. 4. ver 35. Act. 6. ver 2. Act. 11. ver 29. 1. Cor. 16. ver 2. whereupon sayth Caluine vpoÌ„ one of the Sabboths c. that is vpon that day wherin they made the holy assemblies c. Moreouer the holy asseÌ„bly where the coÌ„munion of the Saints is celebrated might adde a spurre vnto theÌ„ Vpon the first day of the weeke sayth the Geneua note which the scripture calleth the Lordes day others sunday they accustomed not onely in the Church but at home also according to euery mans zeale to lay vp some peece of money towardes the reliefe of the poore Bretheren And of the like matter Paule writeth 2. Cor. 9. c. Which order S. Paule sayth that he vsed in the Churches of Galatia Macedonia Achaia and other places To the which accordeth the order of celebrating the communion that we heard before out of Iustine that so soone as euer the communion is ministred the collection is made for the poore and then followe other prayers and thankesgiuings So that these collections and contributions for the poore c. may be still done in the Churche well inough if they be made betwéene whiles at such times as the publike prayer is stayed although many good exhortations and sentences exciting the people thereunto may not amisse be read euen in the very time of making the collection or they may giue themselues to their seuerall prayers all that while And if any for their gathering of money for the poore or other contributions disturbe the aedification of the people in the common prayer and celebration of the diuine seruice they may be well reproued and put backe or complayned vpon and punished These disturbances being thus remooued if nowe a great multitude haue beene present at common prayers or at so great part therof as they could conueniently come vnto I see not why our Breth should make this their most especiall point to speake on and to finde fault withall that they should thinke they haue well serued God But to thinke this say they is as they were wont to thinke in Poperie Our Breth thinke too hardly I dare not say rashly vncharitably of their Brethren to thinke that they thinke so as did the Papistes in the blindenesse of Popery For the Papistes stoode altogether on their intention and of their opus operatum the worke wrought though they could not tell what they did or sayd and yet they thought all to be done so well and sufficiently that they did thinke it meritorious before God Whereas no Protestant doth or can so thinke And all that is set foorth in the diuine seruice common prayer is to the cleane contrarie Which being good and the true seruice of God why may not our Breth so recoÌ„fort theÌ„selues when they haue orderly ioyned themselues in deuout calling vpon God at common prayer and reuerent hearing of his word that they may well and saâ—ely thinke without any thinking of the merite of their worke wrought but as becommeth humble Christians though of themselues all vnworthie to approch before God saue that they wholely relie on his acceptation in and for Iesus Christes sake that they haue well and truely serued God and though they deserue it not yet that God will both accept it and rewarde it As concerning priuate prayers on which our Brethren heere againe doe speake wee haue spoken also before sufficiently till that bée aunswered And as for reading of bookes if it be the reading of the same prayers that the Minister publikely pronounceth the same aunswere serueth or if it be the same Chapters that he readeth or to turne their books when the Minister citeth anie text or storie out of the scriptures in his sermon homilie or exhortation Which is a point that our Brethren do allow and call vpon the people to doe and therefore I sée not why our Brethr. should so strictly at the time of the publike prayers and diuine seruice prohibite all priuate praying or priuate reading and that without exception of any suche persons as perchance be deafe or harde of hearing and for order sake would come to the Church that no suche person may priuately praye nor reade doing the same without preiudice or offence to others Thus as preaching is neglected vpon colour of publike prayers so publike prayers by priuate exercises are made altogether vnprofitable to a great number For who knoweth the right vse of publike prayer but they that are taught by the worde of God Let vs therefore establishe publike preaching and publike prayers will followe of necessitie But if wee continue to vpholde formall prayers that preaching be neglected it will come to passe that neither shall bee regarded We allowe not that preaching should be neglected vppon colour of publike prayers For both may in their orders be continued But sithe we haue not the one so ordinarie because it can not so ordinarily bee had shall we therefore haue no ordinarie of the other which wee may easilier haue and in no case wee may discontinue Did not the Iewes continue the ordinary courses and times of their publike praiers and readings of the lawe of the Psalmes of the Prophetes though they had not thâ— like ordinarie courses and times of preaching and of interpreting the same among them Neither are publike prayers though there bee no sermon so they be vsed as is
to her children And againe 105. a. the kingdome of the Burgundians is the first section from Gondengus alias Gondochius or Gondebundus vntill Clotildis placed in matrimonie to Clodoueus vnto whom succeded heyres suruiuing Gondebaldus and Gondesigillus But to Gondebaldus succeeded Sigisimundus who beeing slayne the scepter of the kingdom came to Clotildis and to her posteritie But whē as vnto Clotildis and vnto her posteritie succeeded a great many children the kingdome of Burgundie flewe among them with doubtfull fethers which must needes fall out that at the length the kingdome of Burgundie should come to the last suruiuer which should be only called the Monarch of the Gaules And all this fell out after Pharamundus about the time of Clodoueus who was the first Frenche king that was Christened by the meanes of this his wife Clotildis frō whose issue succéeded the line of the Merouingians of Meroueus grand-father to Clodoueus and by affinitie as Aimonius witnesseth that is through title of kindred by his wife the successor of Clodio Pharamundus son so that againe all the line of the Merouingians came by the woman Which line of the Merouingians continued till Charles Martell the Father of Pipine and Grandfather to Charles the great In whose stocke both Burgundie and the regiment of all Fraunce continued vntill the time of Hughe Capete who gaue the same vnto his brother it being not long before abased by Lotharius from the state of a kingdome to a dukedome for his contumelious striking of an Arch-bishop But now sayth Caenalis after that the inheritaunce of the Burgundian dukedome came to the French kinges ye shall scarse finde concerning the race of the Princes of the Burgundians where ye may safely fixe your foote euen vntill the time of S. Loyes and that chiefely by reason of women S. Loyes had Agnes or Agnet his daughter Duchesse of Burgundie whom not long time after Lewes surnamed Hutin succeding married Philip surnamed the fayre married Margaret ennobled by the ftocke of Burgundie Then followed Ioane giuen in mariage to Philip the long Whom straight-way followed Blanch Duches of Burgundie ioyned in mariage to Charles the fayrer that succeeded Philip the long After whome Philip of Valoys following married Ioane Duchesse of Burgundie This Philip gotte the crowne of France from Edwarde the 3. King of Englande By whose meanes this Salike law against the inheritance of the female was first vnder the name of Pharamunde deuised Vppon pretence as the fame went that a certaine Queene of France cast her fancie on a Butcher as Iohannes Methensis witnesseth and married him For detestation of which fact they made the Salike lawe that no woman should after that inherite the kingdome of Fraunce And although Gaguinus to defeate king Edwardes title alleage that euerie one of the thrée sonnes of Philip the faire both Lewes Hutin and Philip the long Charles the fayre had all issue besides the other daughters that he mentioneth of Philip le Beau yet sithe it is apparant that of none of all those issued any heyres male or female how could Philip of Valoys pretende from his Vncle Philip S. Lewes sonne which Philip was Father to Isabel Edwarde the thirde his mother to bereaue Isabell and her sonne Edwarde of this right but vnder pretence only of this deuised lawe Which lawe as we haue séene by Caenalis owne confession taking no place in Burgundie the Burgundians and the Frankes following one condition of inheritaunce it followeth that this lawe Salike is but a méere deuise and that in searching the practise wée finde all cleane contrarie And as the inheritance of Burgundie went thus vntill that time that this deuise was hatched so hath it gone since For although Caenalis when he commeth to Charles Carolese or rather Careles which last was flaine by the Switzers sayth who when hee wanted an heyre male by the vertue of the Salike lawe the Dukedome of Burgundie came to the kinges of Fraunce euen vntill this day I much maruell what face Caenalis durst so constantly auouch this thing sithe all Christendome knoweth that although the French King scambled for his share and gotte a parte thereof in that time of hauocke yet Maximilian the Emperour marying afterwarde the daughter and heyre obteyned by her the right and title of that inheritance By which it is most cleare that these two estates of France and Burgundie the one following in inheritance the condition of the other that as Burgundie notwithstanding any Salike lawe admitteth the inheritance of the woman so should France also Yea and by reason of this house of Burgundie hath title come by the woman also euen to the crowne of Fraunce The which Caenalis himselfe can not denie For sayth he fol. 106. a. speaking of Philip the long whom he calleth the Brother he should say the sonne of Philip the faire he succeded his elder brother Lewes surnamed Hutin that is as some interpret it troublesome or brawling vnto whom Margaret the sister of Robert Duke of Burgundie was maried Of whom Hutine begat Ioane which Ioane was maried vnto the Earle of Eureux and to the king of Nauarre Whereupon controuersie arose betweene the Duke of Burgundie and Philip he meaneth Philip of Valoys which of a regent was created king about the yeare 1316. by reason of which Ioan the Scepter was staide to be diuolued to the Duke of Burgundie brother of Ioan. But the lawe Salike directlie withstood this sentence How beit the mariage of Ioan daughter of Philip whome the Duke of Burgundie tooke to his wife brake off that strife But because this Ioane Hutines daughter had no issue Edwarde therefore came still before the Duke of Burgundie And yet had this Duke carried it away euen by affinitie for all the lawe Salike had not the matter béene otherwise composed And Caenalis reckoning vp the Genealogie of the Earles of Burgundie comming from Otto he sayth Otto begat Ioane the French Queene and Queene of Nauarre the Ladie of the countrye Palatine of Burgundie whom Philip the French king chose to his wife of which mariage issued Lewes the french King and his 2. sonne Philip Earle Palatine of Burgundie c. Ioane had daughter Elisa or Elisabeth maried to Robert Duke of Burgundie about the yeare 1306. Lewes the French king and of Nauarre begat the Earle of Poyters Palatin of Burgundie and Lorde of Salinople not long after French king This Philip of whom we haue spoken begat Margaret enriched with a triple Earledome of Flaunders of Artoys and of Burgundie c. Thus doth Caenalis in prosecuting these pedegrées of these Princes declare withall what inheritances also came to them with women that vnto the French king besides Britanie diuerse other Prouinces by mariages of the heires female Yea what title to the French crowne himself had Pipine but on the mothers side As Caenalis is faine to confesse though he would turne
Scripture Which is not ascribed so much to any other starres although they bée bigger farre than the moone is These vaine and friuolous arguments hath this French Bishop which yet both in this point and in all the French antiquities is one of the moste industrious of them all and straineth all his wits to recommend and set out this Salike Lawe wresting and writhing of the scriptures How much better in my opinion and with farre more modesty though otherwise he be also a great fauourer of the French estate aboue England doth Iacobus Meyer the Chronicler of Flaunders write of this matter Lib. 12. fol. 136 saying In the yeare of our Lorde 1335. Easter day being the 16. of Aprill the English warre began which of all other continued longest and was moste cruell And which helde out with truces betweene whiles aboue 100. yeares Which might rather be called a Domesticall sedition than a Warre The Christian common-weale is one kingdome and one house Whatsoeuer warres are made therein are made with great blemish Neither if we shoulde say the trueth they are Warres but most reprochfull seditions King Edward opposed to the Salike Law of the French the diuine Bibles which call the woman to inheritance in defect of the issue male Certaine there were in Fraunce that misliked not those argumentes of Edward Which men being put to death Edward determined to pursue his right although with long and hard warre and with most mightie force of armes to extinguish that Heathenish custome of the French The Salij are sayde while they yet liued among the Scithians to haue ordrined and kept that lawe These Salikes in the time of the decay of the Romane Empire got to themselues the surname of Frankes and began to be called Salij Francici Salike Frankons As also the Frisian Frankes the Saxon Frankes that is to saie the free Frisons the free Saxons to wit those that could bee no longer compelled to paie tributes These Salik Frāks after that they pierced first vnto the riuer of the Rhen and after that euen to the riuer of Sequana or Seine albeit that they also became Christian yet renued they and tooth and naile euen to this daie they haue held that lawe But that this is not so wee haue alreadie shewed euen by Caenalis the chiefest vrger of it Howbeit not without great detrimēt of Christian piety as me thinks And here he noteth in the margine The Lawe Salike hurtfull to the Christian common weale For if these laying aside their hatred and the superstition of that Lawe had nowe ioyned to themselues the riches of Englande thē had the French the English the Scots the Flemmish and the Burgundians growen together into one kingdome and with so mightie a power had easilie destroied that barbarousnesse of Mahomet which continued in Spaine euen almost vntill our times But after that I knowe not by what euill spirit of the French the French haue alwaies attempted to beare rule among other men all things haue bene troubled all things haue beene full of discomfort all things lamentable all thinges seditious Wee haue since that time seene peace no where no where quietnesse England was seene to offer the occasion that was most to be wished for but that Frēch blockishnesse and infelicitie could not take hold thereon being sotted by that Salike lawe And againe Fol. 148. lamenting the greate slaughter at the battaile of Chertsey where hee telleth how the French King called King Edward a Marchant of wooll and King Edward called him the Marchant and author of the Salike Lawe hee sayth The Frenth men alleadge certaine fonde causes of so great a slaughter But I thinke there ought none other to bee alleadged than wee haue before mencioned that is to witte the frinolous right of the French men which is full of controuersie vncertaine and that I may not saie false verilie most farre vnworthie of so great bloudshed I suppresse herein his vnreuerent tearmes of Queene Isabel by whom the right of this title came Onelie I note his iudgement of this pretended Salike Lawe Which sith that all the French writers so earnestlie vrge to stoppe there with the title of the Kings and Queenes of England not one-onelie then in the time of ignoraunce and superstition raigning but that also in this cléere light of the Gospell and manifestation of Gods Lawe euen these notable and excellent learned professours of the Gospell in the French refourmed Churches Caluine and Danaeus sauour yet so much of this French faction that vpon the occasion of womens publike speaking in the congregation they cannot refraine themselues from this humour of their Countrie but must also most vnnecessarilie cast forth these intemperate spéeches and disputations against the right and title of womens publike regiment and that some also among our selues snatching at their arguments with more gréedie newfanglednesse than with aduised confideration haue likewise to disturbe and indaunger our state attempted the like inuectiues I therefore thought it not amisse both for the playner manifestation of the right of that title which I haue heard many desire to bee discussed further than any yet hath done although I meddle not here with titles anie farther than defensiuely for womens right of gouernment to iustifie against all slanders the right of our Princes title for euery mans fuller satisfaction in these questiōs upon these foresaid occasions to be somwhat the larger though withal crauing pardon I confesse to be som what also the more tedious in this long processe herevpō But tedious or not the more pains was mine and they that haue lust and leasure to reade it may or may not at their owne liking I regarding chieflie the satisfying of the curious in these daies at least the staying of the simple from this curiousnesse am driuen my selfe to be rather ouer curious than ouer negligent in slubbering ouer a slight slender answere To returne nowe therefore to Danaeus further argument Of which matter also saith Danaeus procéeding on the proues of his foresayd question in his treatie on 1. Tim. 2 verse 12. folio 84. the examples are extant in Semiramis the Queene of the Assyrians Candace of the Aethiopians Act. 8. verse 27. Cleopatra of the Aegyptians vnder Augustus and Zenobia a most valyant woman vnder Adrian the Emperour To the Empire of which Zenobia many Christian Churches also did obey This argument séemeth to tende to the confirmation of that hée spake before that in Spaine England Scotland and diuerse other regions it was a right and honest matter for a woman to haue the chiefe gouernment ouer men But Danaeus dooth it so coldlie and brings out onelie héere these foure examples of Heathen women and those not of the choisest neither which among the Heathen women hee might haue founde that hée rather séemeth in so slender defending it to oppugne it But let vs take the view of these his examples that hee alleadgeth And first for Semiramis
And yet therein Paule and Barnabas had a seuerall higher authoritie by themselues than anie other had ioyntly with them As for the decree in the Councell of Laodicia which was holden about the yéere of our Lord 360. the words and meaning are plaine Chap. 13. That it must not be permitted vnto the people to make election of them that were to be promoted vnto Priesthood What tumultes they had found therein I remit to the Ecclesiasticall histories So that we cannot as Caluine doth vnderstand the words of the Councell so as that they onelie take awaie the moderation of the voices from the people for that they neuer had so much as to bee moderators of their owne voices But the Councels meaning is most apparant that the people should no longer haue anie voices at all to elect the pastor And therefore that auncient Councell in making this decree declareth that they tooke not the peoples election to be anie necessarie and materiall part of creating ordaining or consecrating of a Pastor But whatsoeuer authoritie our Brethren would renue vnto the people concerning election What is that to the ordaining of him The election maketh him but ordinable or capable to be ordained As for that example which Beza addeth Act. 4. mencioneth indéede Imposition of hands of the presbiterie or eldership Which word if we shoulde heere vnderstand for a number of Elders that laide their hands on him which Caluine saith we néede not do and we haue shewed the contrarie yet neither followeth it of necessitie that they were anie Elders that dealt in the gouernment of the Church and not in the word as Beza himself confesseth neither that this imposition of hands on him was at his first creating minister of the word or pastor but on some other occasion and therefore saith Beza 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Prophesie that is to prophesie or in prophesie as Rom. 4. b. 11. or by prophesie that is the holie Ghost by the mouth of the Prophets so commending as is aboue sayde Chap. 1. d. 18. howbeit because mencion is made of the gifte bestowed vpon him I prefer the former interpretation For it is more probable when as he had alreadie an excellent gift of prophesie that hee was chosen for a while to wit vntill he were of the Lorde called to some other place for he was an Euangelist Which laying on of hands out of doubt did confirme the grace of God in him as 2. Tim. 1. b. 6. But of Prophets what was their function hath often bene declared of vs. Of the presbiterie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the order of the Priestes or Elders In the which name it is probable that the companie is signified of all them which laboured in the word in the Church of Ephesus as Act. 20. d. 27. and f. 28. For sometimes these names of Bishops and Priests yea and of Deacons also are generall See Phil. 1. a. 1. a certaine fellowe translateth it the Senate as in another place for the Church hee sayde the common weale Thus writeth Beza of the imposition of hands and of the presbiterie both counting the name Senate too prophane a name of the presbiterie and ascribing the imposition of handes to those onelie that were labourers in the word and that Timothie was a minister of the word before this imposition of their hands But if now we shall vnderstand that in this place 1. Tim. 4.14 by laying on of hands vpon Timothie was also meant the ordaining or creating of him a minister of the word as Saint Paule meaneth it in his precept to Timothie 1 Tim. 5.22 and as Caluine taketh it let vs sée againe what Caluine saith thereon He saith that grace was giuen vnto him by prophesie How To wit because as we sayde before the holy Ghost by Oracle appointed Timothie that hee shoulde bee chosen into the order of pastours For he was not chosen onelie by the iudgement of man as is wont to be done but the calling of the spirite went before He saith it was giuen him with the imposition of handes Wherein hee signifieth that together with the ministery he was also indued with necessary gifts It was vsuall and solemne to the Apostles to ordaine Ministers by the imposition of handes And veriâ—y of this custome and of the originall and signification thereof I haue touched somewhat before and the residue may be gathered out of my Institution The Presbiterie they which thinke this worde is collectiue put for the Colledge of the Priests or Elders doe in my iudgement thinke well Notwithstanding all thinges weighed I graunt that the other sense dooth not ill agree â—hereto that it should be the name of the office c. And because Beza referreth the expounding of this place to the 2. Tim. 1.6 on these wordes VVherefore I warne thee that thou stirre vp the gifte of God which is in thee by the imposition of my handes Let vs sée againe withall what Caluine saith thereon There is no doubt but that Timothie was wished for with the common desire of the Church and not elected by the priuate will of Paule alone But it is not absurde that Paule shoulde ascribe the election priuatlie to himselfe whereof hee was the chiefest author Although here he rather treateth of the ordeining of him than of the electing that is of the solemne custome of his being instituted Moreouer it dooth not cleerelie appeare whether that when any was to be consecrated all were wont to lay their hande vpon his head or one onelie in the place and name of all My coniecture rather inclineth vnto this that there was one onelie which layde his handes vpon him Howbeit it may bee doubted whether this present imposition of handes bee referred to his ordaining because at that time the graces of the spirite whereof Saint Paule treateth to the Romanes Chap. 12. and 1. Corin. 13 were conferred by imposition of handes vnto many also which were not instituted Pastors But I easilie gather of the former Epistle that Paule treateth heere of the Pastors office For this place agreeth with that Neglect not the grace which is giuen to thee with the imposition of the handes of the Presbiterie Whereby it appeareth that the handes of the Presbiterie in the ordaining and consecrating a pastor might bee well inough not the handes of many but of one alone that had principall authoritie aboue the other in that action And as Paule testifâ—eth thus of his owne manner of ordaining Timothie so hee procéedeth in his precept to Timothie 1. Tim. 5.23 Laie handes lightlie on no man Whereon sayth Caluine There is no doubt but that hee woulde put awaie enuie from Timothie and meete with many complaintes that oftentimes arise against the godly seruauntes of Christe which refuse to obey the ambitious praiers of anie whosoeuer For some accuse them of roughnesse some of enuie some crie out that they bee cruell
Cyprian also of whom we may eftsoones vnderstand that matter that the Bishop gouerned a Colledge of Elders not that hee shoulde there reigne but that according to their sentence hee shoulde gouerne the Ecclesiasticall policie especially while at that time the Aphricane Churches were not holpen of the Magistrate but rather most cruelly vexed By the leaue still of this so excellent man whome otherwise saue in these matters of Discipline and Gouernment I honour as highly as any of our Brethren do and herein withall reuerence dissent from him as I haue before of him and of all other our like reuerent brethren protested this which here Beza saith that it openly ynough appeareth by Ambrose quoting Ambrose in 1 Tim. 5. that the Elders which there Beza speaketh of were chosen by suffrages or at leaste by the approouing of the whole company neither any choosing of them eyther by suffrages or by approouing of the whole or any of the company appâ—areth openly or darkelie ynough or at all Ambrose mentioneth no such matter in all the whole Chapter Howe openly ynough Ambrose there speaketh of these Elders we haue already seene It is not so open ynough that we can learn thereby eyther what office or authority or ground therof they had nor yet where when nor howe they beganne continued or ended And therefore it is not so open ynough but that to prooue these Elders which our Brethren woulde bring in to bée like vnto those and to bring warrant ynough that wée are bounde to receiue and chose them I thinke our Brethren woulde wishe it were more open and apparant than Ambrose maketh it And so woulde I wishe also that wée might once certainly knowe whether wée must needes choose them or wée may choose whether we will choose them yea or no supposing they had béene suche as our Brethren suppose they were which neither coulde bée nor hath any probability but all contrarie by the testimonyes coniectures and reasons that we haue séene But because if it be not open ynough Beza will open it more by Cyprian that was Ambroses auncient by almoste two hundred yeares Let vs searche likewise what his Quotations out of Cyprian will open vnto vs and whether in his time which was about the yeare of our Lorde two hundred and sixty there were anie such Elders as medled not with teaching that Gouerned the Ecclesiasticall Discipline and spirituall iurisdiction For so Beza in the beginning of this article sayth that the spirituall iurisdiction was committed to them Now to proue this after he hath done with Ambrose hée addeth and out of Cyprian also of whome wee may eft-soones vnderstande that matter that the Bishoppe Gouerned a College of Elders not that hee shoulde there reigne but that according to their sentence hee should gouerne the Ecclesiasticall policy Or euer we come to sée by his Quotations what manner of Elders soeuer these were whether such as Beza goeth about to prooue and our Brethren vrge yea or no let that fall out after as it shall this is first worth the noting that the Bishop gouerned the College of these Elders and so was aboue them And that not for an action or two or for any set dayes Moneths or yeares but continued as the College continued during his time except he were depriued of his life or deposed of his dignity or exiled from his Country or otherwise absent or fled as then Cyprian him-selfe was fled from his College by reason perhaps of the personall persecution against him And yet hée remayned still as well absent as present the Gouernor of them Yea but sayth Beza not to reigne there God forbid wee shoulde allowe any bishoppe to raigne ouer those of whome hée hath the Gouernment Let that bee vpbrayded to the Pope Wee houlde our selues content with this that Beza sayth hee shoulde rule the Ecclesiasticall policy Yea but sayth Beza according to their sentence And what rule is that if they giue the sentence and he onely rule according to their sentence doe not they rather rule than hee or is he any better than their seruaunt Officer or executioner of their sentence and they his Gouernors not he theirs therefore that shoulde be opened yet more plaine what is meant by their sentence and how farre it stretcheth Or else it is not yet made by Beza open ynough to whome the Gouernment doth belong to him or to them But so farre foorth as belonges to him hee still is all their superior therein Nowe then if it shall fall out that this College of Elders ouer which the Bishop is Gouernor shall prooue to be a College of such Elders as medled as well with teaching of the worde as with the Gouernment of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and bee of those Elders that be his Brethren in the office of Eldership which we call of Presbyters Preestes then haue wée héere againe the permanent superiority of Bishops ouer Pastorall Elders whereof wee haue so much before debated But Beza goeth about another matter cleane contrary to prooue that this College of Elders were of such Elders as were not medlers with teaching of the Worde Which if they were as wee shall sée anone by triall out of these Epistles of Cyprian yet sayth Beza that this was then when as especially by that time the Churches of Aphrica were not helped of the Magistrate but rather moste cruelly vexed And what meaneth Beza to come in with this Especially of that time of heathen Magistrates and their persecution when Gualter maketh the same reason that there were such Elders not teaching though not Ecclesiasticall Gouernors as our Brethren imagine in the Churche then when as there wanted Christian Magistrates and Princes what other thing did hee inferre theron but this that now syth there are Christian Magistrates and Princesâ— and that the Gouernement of Ecclesiasticall matters so well as temporall perteineth to them as we also acknowledge and that moste rightly in the Queenes most excellent Maiesty and if in her then in the right of all other Christian Princes that therefore this defect beeing nowe furnished this supply of these Elders is needlesse and no longer necessary Yea and shoulde nowe be preiudiciall to the authority and Gouernment of Christian Princes And what other thing sayth Gualter there but that this reason of Beza doth inferre Our Brethren reason on S. Paule wordes 1. Tim. 5.17 That because S. Paule bringeth in these wordes Especially those that labour in the worde and Doctrine therfore there were other gouerning Elders that were not teachers And may not we reason as well and much better that sith the Elders which were no teachers but onely ruled the Eccl. Discipline were then when as especially at that time the churches were not holpen of the Magistrate therefore being nowe holpen of the Magistrate there néede no such Elders to be the rulers of the churches Discipline But let vs nowe sée by the search of these Quotations that Beza citeth out
of Cyprian for these elders what manner of Elders they were Whether not medling with teaching as Beza and our Brethren pretende or Ministers of the word and Doctrine And first for the seconde booke of his Epistles the fift epistle which is here first by Beza quoted the superscription is thus Cyprianus presbyteris Diaconis plebi vniuersae salutem Cyprian to the Elders and Deacons and to the whole people Greeting Heere are Elders named before Deacons as the Deacons before the people But whether they medled with the word or no as yet appeareth not But by the like stile in his other Epistles precedent when hee writeth to other or writeth of other whome he calleth Presbyterus and applieth to them the name Sacerdos we may he bolder before hande conclude that he meaneth in that name no such Elders as our Brethren pleade for Cyprian commendeth to these Elders Deacons and people one Aurelius whome hee had ordeined a Reader And in the beginning of his Epistle sayth In the Clearkes that are to bee ordeined moste deare Brethren we are woont to consult with you and in common counsell to weigh the manners and merites of euery one In these wordes hee telleth them what he wâ—s wont to doe with them in ordeyning of the Cleargy But he sayth not that they had the authority thereof so well and as far forth as he and that they ioyned in Common gouernment with him but in common counsell and that onely to consider of their conuersâ—tion nor that he was so necessarily bound thereto but that when he himselfe apparantly knewe the party to be fitte as he commendeth this Aurelius to be hee was not then bound to consult with them thereon but he himselfe without any further consultation might ordein the party as here hee did this Aurelius And he saith Merebatur talis Clericae ordinationis vlteriores gradus incrementa maiora non de annis suis sed de meritis aestimandus sed interim placuit vt ab officio lectionis incipiat c. Such an other as he deserued further degrees of the Clericall ordination and greater aduauncementes not being to bee esteemed by his yeares but by his merites Neuerthelesse it pleased mee in the meane season that hee shoulde begin from the office of reading because both nothing doth more agree vnto the voyce that hath confessed the Lorde by glorious preaching than with celebrating the Diuine Lessons to sounde out aftâ—rwarde the high words he which hath vttered the Martyrdom of Christe to reade the Gospell of Christe from whence the Martyrs are made to come to the pulpit after the stockes to haue bene beholden there of the multitude of the Gentiles and here to be beholden of the Br. there to haue beene heard with the wonder of the people standing about him here to be heard with the reioysing os the Brotherhood Know yee therefore most dearely beloued brethren that this man was ordeyned of mee and of my Colleagues which were present because I know that you doe both willingly embrace and wishe for many such to bee ordeyned in our Church Heere hee speaketh of Colleagues indéede that ioyned with this holy Archbishop Cyprian in ordeining this man a Reader But hee sheweth that all the action was at his pleasure and that hee mought haue giuen him higher orders if he had pleased But what is héere to proue that these Colleagues though he gouerned them were of any College vnder him or were not Elders medling with the Worde yea rather because he speakketh of ordeining and that hée ioyned them with him in the ordeining and that action was done by imposition of handes which wee haue séene before was onely of those that were Ministers of the Worde why shoulde we not think that these colleages were elders that medled with the word and teaching when the reader whome they ordeyned medled with it Heere is at leaste to beginne with a good coniecture that these Elders medled with teaching when they ioyned thus farre in the ordeining of Teachers but heere is nothing at all whereon wee may coniecture that these Elders did not medle at all with teaching The next testimony that Beza quoteth out of Cyprian for these gouerning Elders not medling with teaching is in the thirde Booke the tenth Epistle And here he beginneth as he did before saue for the people Cyprian to the Elders and Deacons his brethren Greeting Whome hee meaneth here also by the name of these Presbyters Preestes or Elders and in what matters they medled appeareth more playnely by this Epistle Verly I wished most deare brethren that I might haue saluted with my letters our whole Cleargy intyre and safe But because this malicious tempest which hath beaten downe our people for the moste part hath from hence also added an heape vnto our greeues insomuch that in the slaughter thereof it hath wrung in a portion also of the Cleargy we beseeche the Lorde that wee may salute you whome wee knowe to stande in constancie and in the vertue or power of fayth beeing protected heereafter also through the mercy of God And although the cause compell mee that I my selfe ought to hasten and come vnto you first for the longing and desire of you which thing is one of my chiefest wishes and then moreouer that those things which the common profit about the Gouernment of the Church requireth we may treat of or handle them together and may file them being examined by the counsell of many neuerthelesse it is rather thought good yet a while in the meane season to keepe a priuie corner and rest in respect of other commodities which appertaine vnto the peace and health of vs all Whereof a reason shall be rendred to you of our moste deare Brother Tertullus Who for his other care which in godly workes he greatly imployeth was also the author of this counsell that I shoulde abide warie and refraining nor rashly commit my selfe vnto those places where I was so often inquired after and sought for Reposing my selfe therefore on your loue and religon which I haue knowne sufficiently I doe by these letters both exhort you and commaund or charge you that you whose presence there is not enuied nor so much daungerous occupy my roome or steede about those thinges to bee done which the religious or Ecclesiasticall administration doth require And againe his concluding his Epistle hee saith but vnto that which our Elders Donatus Nouatus and Curdius haue written vnto mee I beeing alone coulde write nothing againe sithe that from the beginning of my Bishopricke I haue determined to doe nothing of mine owne sentence priuately without your counsell and without the consent of the people but when as by the grace of GOD I shall come vnto you then will wee treat in common of those thinges that are either done or to be done according as mutuall honor doth require In this Epistle as in the other he sayth he wil treat together in
the most cleare light of his confession and aduanced with the honour both of vertue and faith who by his exhortation hath sent before him a plentifull number of Martyrs with stones fire Which ioyfully behâ—lde his wife that cleued to his side wheÌ„ as together with other she was burned He himselfe being halfe burned and ouerwhelmed with stones lefte for dead While that afterwardes his daughter with a carefull seruice of godlines seeketh the corps of her father where he being founde almost dead refreshed and drawen out from his companions whom he had sent before him remained against his will But this as wee see was the cause of his remayning that the Lorde would ioyne him vnto our Clergie and woulde adorne gloriosis Sacerdotibus with his glorious Sacred Priests the abundance of our Elders being desolate And verily he shall be promoted as time shall permitte vnto a more worshipfull place of his religion when through the Lordes protection we shall come in presence In the meane season let this be done that is declared that we may receiue this gift of God with thankes giuing hoping that by the mercie of the Lord such ornaments shall be also furnished that renuing the strength of his Church he wil make our so meeke and humble consistories to flourish in honour Whereby we plainlie see not onely the Bishoppes authoritie ouer the consistorie of the Elders in making this Elder Numidicus an Elder in the cleargie and consistorie of Carthage but also that he was a Preacher exhorter of the people And that Cyprian vseth the name of Presbyter and Sacerdos indifferently as betokning one and the same office for the which we in English wanting a proper name for Sacerdos vse the contraction of the other better and lesse offensiue terme Presbyter calling them Priestes signifying héere Elders ministring the woorde and Sacramentes And of other sortes whom Cyprian calleth Presbyteros Priestes or Elders assistent to the Bishop in the gouernement of the Eccles. discipline I finde no mention nor inkling of them in all the Epistles of Saint Cyprian Neither cite I him in those editions that the Papistes haue of late corrupted him And therefore I maruell not a little that such an excellent man as Beza is God be praysed for his gifts in him was so ouershot to cite these Epistles of Cyprian for a Consistory or Colledge of such Elders gouerned by a Bishop which together with him should haue the spirituall iurisdiction and the gouernment of Eccl. discipline that were not ministers of the worde and Sacraments As for that which Gellius Snecanus citeth also out of Cyprians Epistles Epist. 2. lib. 1. there is no mention there at all of any other of the Clergie then onely of Bishops or of such Priestes as hee calleth Sacerdotes Pastores Which Epistle being written to Cornelius Bishop of Rome by Cyprian and a great number of other Bishops of Aphrica ioyned in counsell with him he vseth there this terme Colleagues meaning other Bishops that were of his owne function But if sayth he there shall bee any of the Colleagues which when persecution vrgeth them thinketh the peace should not be giuen to our brothers and sisters let him in the day of iudgement render a reason to the Lorde eyther of his importune censure or of his inhumaine roughnes Is this any thing to any gouerning Elder in the Church that is not a minister of the worde and Sacramentes As for any other Colleagues eyther of those that hee wrote of or wrote vnto or that wrote with him in this or anie other Epistle I finde none Nor our Brethren can shew any such Elders as they vrge vnto vs in all these Epistles or any other worke of Cyprian But because Gellius Snecanus adioyneth also the testimonie of Tertullian in his Apologie against the Gentiles cap. 39. which wee haue likewise alreadie séene for the manner and forme of the primitiue Churche in their publike prayers neuerthelesse to the fuller serch of these Elders which our Brethren would haue let vs againe consider what Tertullian sayth especially he going not onely immediately before Cyprian about the yeare of our Lorde 200. but being in such estimation with Cyprian that he alwayes called him his Maister I will nowe my selfe sayth Tertullian set foorth the affayres of the Christian faction that I which haue refuted the euill thinges may shewe the good We are a bodie of the conscience of religion and of the truth of discipline and of the couenant of hope We come together into an assembly and congregation that praying vnto God as though by prayers wee strined for workes this force is acceptable vnto God We pray also for the Emperours for their ministers and powers for the state of the worlde for the quietnes of their affayres and for the prolonging of their ende We are gathered together to the reciting of the diuine scriptures if so be that the qualitie of the present time doe compell vs to giue fore-warning or to reknowledge it Certainely we feede our faith with the holy speeches we erecte our hope we fixe our confidence Neuerthelesse we thicken or encrease the discipline of the maisters or of the praecepts by prouocations or inculcations At the same place are also exhortations chasticements the diuine correction for the iudgement is giuen with great waight as among them that are sure that God beholdes them And it is the chiefest foreiudgeing of the iudgement to come if any man do so trespasse that he be banished from the communicating of prayer and of the assemblie and of all the holy partaking The Praesidents or Gouernours are all of them approoued Seniors hauing obteyned this honour not with price but with testimonie What is there here in any of these wordes to prooue that these Elders which as hee termeth it praesidebant did gouerne the congregations medlâ—d not with teaching Or rather doth he not ascribe teaching to theÌ„ When 〈◊〉 saith Wee are a corps of the conscience of religion of truth of discipline and of the couenant of hope When he saith their comming together was for praiers and for recording the Scriptures When hauing added how they fed their faith with the word of God erecting their hope and fixing their confidence they ioyne this withall that neuerthelesse they do increase the discipline of the maisters by their inculcations or often calling vpon them Or if we should conster these wordes Disciplinam praeceptorum for the discipline not of the maisters but of the precepts so that we take it not that they did increase the discipline of mens commandements And doth he not also ioyne exhortations together with castigations of the diuine censure By all which and much more we may well gather out of this place that these Praesidents or gouernours of these congregations were not such as medled not with teaching For if the Elders not teaching were gouerned as Beza said in their Colleges and corporaâ—ions
Our Breth Gouernors and Pastors and their elections haue no proofe in Gods word Our Breth vnthankfulnesse to the Byshops Princes making lawes Our Breth prescribing lawes to the Prince Our Breth yeelding to the Prince to make lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters The examples of Princes that made such lawes Our Breth restraining of they graunted before to Princes Restraine of Princes making lawes Laws made contrary to the Pastors knowledge Her Maiesties lawfull making laweâ— for Eccl. matters Her Maiesties lawes not made contrarie to the Pastors knowledge Princess lawes in Eccl. matters The Papists vsed the selfe-same reason that our Breeth do against the Princes lawes Her Maiesties lawes against the Papists errors Our Breth dealing against her Maiesties lawes in Ecclesiastical matters On what conditions our brethren will admit her Maiesties supremacie Her Maiesties comfort against these dealings Our Paâ—tors defence of her Maiesties authoritie and lawes against these new Pastors The learned disc pa. 141. Bridges All our Br. graunt of making lawes of Eccl. matters is turned only to ciuill lawes The auncieÌ„t Princes intermedling What intermedling in Eccl. matters our Br. allow to Princes The auncient Princes intermedling The Popes and our Brethrens allowance to Princes Our Breth allowance to Princes for bodily punishments The Popes allowance to Christian Princes The auncient Princes lawes Our Brethren incur bodily punishment by their own grauÌ„t The learned disc pa. 141. 142 Bridges The examples of the auncient Christian Princes authoritie The Princeâ— commaunded the Cleargie to consult and determine on the truth of controversies in doctrine and ceremonies The Emperours dealing The Emperours doingâ— in the Counâ—els Socrates lib. 1. cap. 6. The Empeâ—ours Epistle to the Byshop for the keeping of Easter day The Emperours ownâ— confession of his dealing in the Nicene Counsell The doingâ— of the Emperours deputies iâ— the Counsels The Empâ—rour his selfe appointeth the Byshop of Constantinople The Emperour his selfe disputeth with Heretikes in the Counsell The maner of the Emperours approuing the confession of the true beleeuers The Byshops letters desiring the Emperour to ratify their decrees The Emperour ratiâ—yeth or â—eiecteth all the actes of the Counsell The Emperours Deputies doing in the Counsell The Empresse and the Emperour The Emperour requested to coÌ„maund the Byshop to examin the controuersies and to haue them referred to him as Iudge The Empresse together with the Emperour summoneth the generall Counsell The Emperours presumption of the proceeding in the Counsell The Emperour and Empresse in thâ— Counsell and the cause of their comming thether Iustinian The Emperours dealings Constantinus Pogonatus The Byshop of Romes obedience to the Emperour in the Counsell The Byshop of Romes obedience to the Emperour The Byshop of Romes confession that the Emperour is Christs Vicar in carth c. The Emperour confirmeth the Counsels definition with his total assent The french Kings gouernment of the Ecclesiasticall state Clodoueus in the Counsell at Orleance Guntranus in the Counsell of Matiscone The King had the appointing of the Bishops The Kings decree for annuall Synodes The Kâ—ngs within the Churches discipline The french kings dealings The Counsell refer all their Decrees to the amending of the Prince The Edict of Charles the great to the Bishops and Pastors of Churches The Kings commissioners ioined with the Byshops for the Churches discipline The King taking vpon him the correction of Eccl. maâ—ters is no presumption The Christian Kings ought to follow the examples of the good Kings in the old Testament The princes charge for preaching Alcuinus in praefas lib. de Trinitate Of the princes preaching and priestly power Ludonicus pius his authoritie and dealing in Eccl. matters Ludouicus charge to the Bishop The kinges of spaynes dealinges The examples of the Christian Princes authoritie in the kings of Spayne Richaredus in the CouÌ„cell at Toledo The kinges performing the office of an Apostle The care charge and auth of the Prince for discipline The kinges decree for the peoples confession of their faith at the communion The Spanish kings dealings The dooings of diuerse kinges of Spaine in Councels eccl matter 's The authoritie and dealings of the auncient kinges in this our Britannie Eleutherius acknowlegment of tâ—e kings authoritie in this Realme The Saxon kings dealinges and lawes The lawes of the Saxon kings in eccl matter 's The lawes of king Inas Cap. 1. of the ministers liues Cap. 2. of Infantes Cap. 3. of working on sunday The lawes of the SaxoÌ„ Kings Chap. 4. of the first frutâ— of the seedes Chap. 5. of the Churcheâ— libertie The lawes of Aluredus in eccl matters Act. 15. Aluredes lawes The imposing of pecuniarie mulctes Why a traitors punishment should be capitall King Aluredes owne writing of his sanctions The kings abrogating vnprofitable constitutions The lawes of Edw. the Senior King Alureds collection of the former kings lawes The auth of the other kinges here mentioned The eccl lawes that Aluredus set forth The lawes in eccl mat of Edward the elder of Athelstan king of the east Angles The Princes penall lawes ioyned to the eccl K. Ethel staneslawes 8. and 9. The lawes of Ethelstan in eccl matters The kinges B. Nobles and all the subiectes to pay their iust tithes The lawes of Edmund in eccl matters The Clergies chast life which chastitie was shewed before that it debarred not in B Pastors matrimonie Tythes first fruts almes Reparations of churches Periury and idolatrie The lawes of Edgar in Eccl. â—atters Howe farrâ— these decreeâ— are are not allowable Canutuâ— his Lawes of Eccl mâ—tâ—ers The peace honor of God next after the Princes The Churches orders and digniâ—ies to bee maintained Canutus Lawes for the purgatioÌ„ of a preeste â—ccused The Lawes of Canutus Apurgation of a DeacoÌ„ sclaundered Canuâ—â—â— Lawes for degrees of mariâ—ge Receiuing the Communion thrise a yere Fayth life Duties of Lords to tâ—eir vassâ—iles Obedience to the Teachers Charge to euerie christiaÌ„ to learn â—he L. praier the articles of their beleefe None that hath not learned these things to be admittâ—d to the Communion c. Auoidance of greeuous crimes and repentaunce To flee whoredom The feare of Gods iudgementes The duty of B. Pastors The king tâ—acheth all estates Eccl. and lay The Clergies aduise to the K. This auth of Princes confuteth our Br. restraint therof The Princes doing all by the Clergies aduise debarreth not their supreme authoritie Her Maiestâ—es supremacie The learned disc pa. 142. Bridges The K. follouing of aduise It is no subiection to follow Counsaile How the Counsellers determine how not Vnfaithfull Counsellers The learned disc pa. 143. Bridges The K. dealing by aduise Their examples of the Empire Fraunce Spaine and England cleane against them Their conclusion of reason froÌ„ Counsell aduisement Their reason either against all reason or against themselues The learned disc pa. 143. Bridges Princes seuaunts to the commoÌ„ weale and Lawes This seruice no debasing of their authoritie Aug. in Epist. 48.
if they would indeede that the matter should not be communicated vnto the people vntil the manifest light of truth first appeare vnto theÌ„ whom then meane they here that it should first appeare vnto Must it not firste appeare to them that are chosen by her Ma their honours to receaue examine the allegations on both sides what good maÌ„ner then is this for themselues before hand to break this manner by clapping out this learned discourse other so many treatises abroad in print and so peremptorily before hand to determine vpon al the points in controuersie betwene vs to coÌ„municate them vnto the people before the manifeste light of the truthe appeare either vnto her Ma. their Ho. or to any whosoeuer they shal chose to receaue examine the allegations of both sides consequently to determine of the same â—are our brethreÌ„ frée froÌ„ tâ—eir own prescribed manner to set out such bokes vnto the people both coÌ„trary to the lawes coÌ„trary to that light of the truth that hath already appeared to her Maiesty and to her deputies determination Yea contrary also to the authority that hâ—ere in this manner is giuen to her Maiestie denying in this learned discourse pag. 141. that her Maiestie hath any other authority in these matters then to make ciuill lawes to binde the people to the confession of true faith and to the right administring and receiuing of the sacraments and to all Ecclesiasticall orders that they being instructed by the worde of God through the ministery of the preaching of the same which preaching commeth after all the matter is established and which preaching is made also before the people shal vnderstand to be profitable for the edifying of the Church of Christ c. So that for all their godly pretence héere in the Preface of deliuering the matter to her Maiestie their Honors and whosoeuer they shall choose to receaue and examine the allegations on both sides so that it need not bee communicated vnto the people til the manifest light of truth appeare first vnto them yet when it commeth to the matter indéed this was spoken but for manners sake For the learned discourse maketh no deliuery of it vnto the Prince till it come by the Pastor preached in the pulpit and so the people heare it as soone as the Prince and then the Prince vnderstanding it out of the pulpit must obey it and make ciuill lawes only to maintaine and to punish with bodily punishment the offenders Neither doth our brethrens quirke héere help the matter in that they say not so that it should not bee communicated to the people vntil c. but they say so that it need not they say wel therin that it need not why néed it not Forsooth indede because it should not Neither could it be coÌ„municated vnto the people before it were firste communicated to her Ma. or to her deputies by the manner order héere prescribed For elsâ— what meane these words the matter deliuered vnto her Ma c. so thâ—t our brethren themselues haue so broken this manner that in a manner it is no more manner at al then was the matter And in this respect our brethren haue prettily knit vp togither their aunswere to these 2. obiections by the matter and the manner For both matter and manner commeth all to one effect And wher-to serueth all this manner but to try the matter and in matter concerning the substance of religion we differed not Wherfore must then this manner be obserued Forsoth not for any matter of the substance of Religion but say they concerning the gouernment of Christ of great moment indeede Nay indeede brethren is it not of any great moment indeede to vrge necessarily oblige all times and places no nor any time or place as to the perfection of the estate of the church For then it were not onely a manner but a matter that vâ—ry material coÌ„cerning the substaÌ„ce of religioÌ„ wherein our brethren câ—â—fesse that they agrée with vs and dissent only in the gouernment But where will our brethren shewe this gouernement which they pretende to be the gouernment of Christ that is to say the gouernment prescribed by Christ to be the perpetuall or to be the best or to be any ordinarie gouernement at all of his Church It is not yet shewed that I can perceaue by any other of our brethren nor by this their learned discourse And if this could be shewed it were matter indeede euen concerning the substance of religion and a verie religious point to stande vpon But since it is confessed that all this a-doe about gouernement is not of the matter concerning the substance of Religion dare our brethren aduenture so farre to vrge that had it béene a gouernement of Christ and that of great moment indeed in his time on the earth and yet not of the substance of Religion as to alter the gouernement established for such a matter or rather not for a matter but a manner of gouernement not established Yea for this be-it matter or manner of gouernement so to shake our whole estate of gouernement established that in their gouernment which they would establish her Maiestie which nowe hath a supreame gouernement by the cleare worde of God and after all mature deliberation by all our owne consentes lawes and actes in all our assemblies synodes councels and Parliamentes disputed resolued determined enacted maintayned continued and by all these good meanes established shal now haue her Maiesties authority called againe in question and a new examined yea so abased and set down nay rather cleane set by and put out For what title soeuer of her most excellent Maiestie or bare terme of supreame authoritie is not denied although I hope our brethren doe it of no ill meaning but onely are ouershot there-in and when they perceaue it will reclaime it yet the very thing that is here so much desired vrged is euen as Salomon fore-saw more then his good and simple mother Bethsabee did who thought no hurt vnto her sonne but meant and wished all well when she required so instantly of him 3. Reg. 11. I desire of thee a small request saye mee not naye and the King sayde vnto her Aske on my mother for I will not say thee nay then sayde shee let Abysag the Sunamite be giuen to Adoniah thy brother to wife But King Salomon aunswered and sayde vnto his mother and why doest thou aske Abysag the Sunamite for Adoniah aske for him the kingdome also Verelie verelie which is Christes owne asseueration and therfore not rashlie to be vsed nor vncharitably I beléeue and mee thinkes I fore-sée that although these desires of our brethren stretch not to preiudice her Maiesties life and person which the dogged deadlie enemies doe séeke the Lorde still defende her Maiestie from them and yet I thinke that manie of them séeke it not so much for anie malice to her person as in
a blinde malicious zeale against her authoritie which if her Maiestie would giue ouer manie of them would perhaps giue ouer their malice also and acknowledge her their Soueraigne Ladie as they did Queene Marie her Maiesties sister yet this thing which these our brethren though with as good meaning I dare say for them and with as louing hearts as Bethsabee bare to her sonne Salomon both thinke and wish vnto her Maiestie as to their owne selues but whaâ—soeuer they thinke wish or meane neuer so well like louing subiectes not onely her Maiestie In whom God be praysed the wisedome as it were of Salomon shineth but almost euerie man not affectioned that way may sée that her Maiestie to these her children as Salomon to his mother may reply and say Whie do you aske this thing Aske if not the kingdome and all yet euen the best and chiefest part duetie and authoritie of the kingdome And that these desires of our brethren doe so néerely touch her Maiestie and euerie Christian Princes gouernment established and supreame authoritie I referre my selfe to this learned discourse where it shall God willing most plainely appeare what is taken away and what is left to all Christian Princes so to her Maiestie in this gouernement Nowe vpon this satisfaction as our brethren conceaue to this last obiection they conclude this preface saying And if this so safe and reasonable an offer can not be liked in respect of the last obiected consideration we thinke it impossible but the persons which desire a way so sound peaceable dutifull shall recouer this fauour that with safety of their consciences they shal exercise their ministerie with that libertie which is meete for those who shal-be tyed in all things to haue especiall regarde to the peace of the Church and publike orders Wherefore most Christian reader when thou shalt by these fewe take knowledge of these things Pray vnto God for vs and as thy place is sollicite and furder so iust a cause to this ende only that Christs kingdome may be perfectly established the consciences of all the godly quieted and the happy regiment of her Maiestie honoured with much ioy peace and quietnesse at home What safe reasonable offer haue our brethren here made or what answer haue they giuen or what meanes haue they deuised besides the otheâ— obiections to satisfie eueÌ„ but the last obiected coÌ„sideration doth not the obiection stand stil that it shal be preiudicial to the estate of gouernmeÌ„â— established wheÌ„ their desires principally are that not only the authority of the Bishops the most part of al the Lawes orders eccl established but also al the acts of Parliament ther-on yea her Maiesties own authoritie principall part thereof concerning eccl matters must be reuersed cancelled abrogated dissolued and a new authoritie in al these thinges set vp Who may not sée except he will blindfold himselfe with too mucâ— affection that this is and cannot otherwise be but to the preiudice of the estate of gouernement that alreadie is established As for the Bishoppes acceptation of any offer by our brethren that to her Ma. their Honors shal be thought safe and reasonable I dare vndertake it they shall at all times be most readie to accept the same so that our brethren would for euer hereafter stande to the finall determination of the tryall As for the offer that here they make is neither safe nor reasonable nor satisfieth the consideration of the last obiection And therefore except better prouiso be had for the safegard of the Princes supreame authoritie it can not as I take it well be liked But if this offer can-not be liked then say our brethren we thinke it impossible but the persons which desire a way so sound peaceable and dutifull shall recouer this fauour that with safetie of their consciences they shall exercise their ministerie with that libertie c. As I said before so I say againe this way which our brethreÌ„ haue here set downe is neither sound peaceable nor dutiful It is so vnsound that as we haue séene for many partes thereof their verie words haue so vncertain a sound that we can not sound out the sense therof And how can the same be peaceable except there were such moderators and determinors as might with full authoritie decide and determine all the controuersies For if all should take vpon them to fall a prophecying when they should fal rather to disputing all the hearers actors in the controuerâ—â—es should as in prophecieng take vpon theÌ„ to be the iudges how would not this in these controuersies bréed greater contentions confusions theÌ„ euer S. Paul reprehended among the Corinthians Neither is it dutifull when they cal into these questions euen the Princes chief authority Besides the intemperate spéeches against their brethreÌ„ which we haue heard euen at their very first motion of this conference And now since that this way as is here set down is so vnsouÌ„d so vnpeaceable so vndutiful do our brethreÌ„ thinke it is impossible but that the persons that desire this way make al these troubles shal recouer this fauor which they haue lost that with safetie of their consciences they shall exercise their ministery their coÌ„sciences being thus affected as they are would God they would so enter into the due examining of their consciences wherfore they should haue lost this fauour which they now thinke they shal recouer Yea wherfore should they not more looke herein to dutie theÌ„ to fauour for the exercise of their ministery if they be indéed as they say faithful ministers who made theÌ„ ministers did not our Bishops and if our B. be not Bishops how could they make any ministers and if their ordaining of theÌ„ were not a true ordaining theÌ„ are they no true ministers And if they be true lawful ministers how go they about to make their ministerie to be no true lawful ministerie of whoÌ„ their selues haue al the ministerie that they haue Would God this would sincke into their consciences they would then neuer be the causes of their owne disfauour or restraint from the exercise of their ministerie for the oppugning of their ministerie that made them ministers Which if they exercise not the default is not in the Bishoppes that made them ministers for they made them of fauour and to the endâ— that they should exercise their ministerie So that the fault of their disfauour and not exercise is principally in their owne selues And yet if they will performe indéede that which in woordes heere they offer they may both with recouerie of fauour exercise their ministerie still and might still so haue doone without losse of fauour if they would exercise their ministerie with that libertie which is meete for those which shal-be tyed in all thinges to haue especiall regarde to the peace of the Church and publike orders In what bonde will they bee tyed to this That her