〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 do so aduance the sense therof that they become not coÌ„petible to mortal men especially being applied to the ordering gouerning of the churâ—h are not those names offiâ—es being simply taken without this composition seruing to builde the Ch. as S. Paule saith Ephes. 4. euen on the place that our Brethren do allege for pastors and Doctors that they are all giuen to the worke of the Ministery vnto the edifiing or building of the body of Christe c. So that indéed al these offices that Christe ordeyned are but builders of this mysticall temple vntill we all come to the vnity of faithe and of the knowledge of the sonne of God vnto a perfect man vnto the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ And who is the principall builder of this Temple but euen hee that saide of the Temple of his owne naturall bodie to the which his mysticall bodie is compared Destroy this Temple and in three dayes I will builde it vppe againe Io. 6.21 Wheruppon saith S. Paule Heb. 9.1 c. holie bretheren pertakers of the heauenly calling consider the Apostle and heade-Priest of our coâ—fession Iesus who is faithfull to him that hath preferred him euen as Moses also in all his house For he was counted worthye of greater glorye than Moses how much greater honor than the house he hath that made it For euerye house is builded of some man but he that created all thinges is God And verilie Moses was faithfull in all his house as a seruaunt in witnesse of those thinges that were to bee spoken But Christe is in his house as a Sonne which house are wee if wee keepe firme and sure the confidence and glorye of hope vnto the ending Héere are these honorable names attributed both vnto Christe vnto Moses that as Christe was the builder of the spirituall house or temple of God so was Moses Christe as the sonne and owner Moses but as a seruaunt in Gods house and yet commeth in S. Paule 1. Cor. 3. v. 9.10 Ye are the building of God according to the grace of God that is giuen to mee I as a wise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arch-builder or chiefe builder which we commonly traÌ„slatea Maister builder haue laid the foundation another buildeth vpon it What durst S. Paule say of himself he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which tearme principally is proper vnto Christ For the worde signifieth such principallitie and chiefe degrée applied by S. Paule vnto himselfe and that in the cheefest worke of Gods Church the building of it the worke that conteyneth all Ecclesiasticall offices and whereto all do tende and that without any derogation to Iesus Christe Although Christe absolutelie simply and aboue all be the onely and proper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of all this mysticall building And is this honorable name Elder of such honorable Eldershippe and prerogatiue aboue builder or of any such peculiar application to God the Father or to Christe the sonne that it is onely and properlye applyed to him Indéede Christe is called the olde or auncient of dayes not the elder except with addition our Elder Brother otherwise this honorable name is not so proper onelie to Christe to bée called Presbyter as to be called Sacerdos And therefore is lesse iniurious yea no iniury at all to the peculiar or to any other honorable name of our sauiour Iesus Christ to bee called Archipresbyter And yet if Presbyter had beene any name of Christe seeing that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sacerdos Pontifex yet admitted a mortal maÌ„ to be so much his figure euen of his Sacrifice that one aboue all the other sacrificing priestes was called also fummus sacerdos or Pontifex Maximus the highest sacred Minister or sacrificing prieste and chiefest Bishop without anie derogation to Christes honor yea it rather serued to his honor how much more then in this title Presbyter and Archipresbyter being names not so proper to him may a mortall man without anie dishonour to his prerogatiue reuerently be called Archipresbyter If it bee saide the highe-prieste was so called because hee prefigured Christe True it is But sith our Brethren confesse that those offices callings were likewise also for good order of discipline among them although that priesthoode both in him and in all other of that order of Aaron and Leui bee accomplished in Christe and so abolished yet as the degrees of order and differences of Ministers among them by our Brethrens owne confession was the signe also of the differences among vs So why not withall of the differences of degrees and dignities in the same And sithe our brethren alleage héereunto the Synagogues among the Iewes and their order théerein and that they had 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chiefe gouernours or princes of the Synagogues which order of dignitie was not abolished by Christe and some good christians were suche among the Iewes not dissalowed but commended by S. Luke euen by that name Act. 18. ver 8. And Crispus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arch-gouernour of the Sinagogue beleeued with all his house And although Paule after warde 1. Cor. 1.14 mencioning this Crispus tearme him not there the Arch-gouernour of the Iewes sinagogue yet as it further appeareth Act. 18. ver 17. by Sosthenes who was long before a faithfull Christian and as diuers alleage out of Eusebius lib. 1. cap. 13. he was also one of the 72 Disciples chosen of Christe So S. Luke calleth him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Arch ruler or principall of the sinagogue continuing well inough the name and office of his dignity with the sinceritie of Christs religion any order then to the contrarie notwithstanding But if our brethren aske vs what we say to the other honorable name Archiepiscopus indéede wee néede saye the lesse to this of Archipresbyter Arch-prieste or Arch elder retayning no such name among vs as wee haue of Arch-deacon and Arch-bishop but because the name of Deacon is a name much lesse proper vnto Christ Arch-deacon may bee afforded with our brethrens lesse suspition of touching Christes glory and prheminence Deacon signifiing but Minister Arch-deac can signifie but a chiefe or principall Minister and therefore may be suffered with lesse enuie and we haue heard Zanchius Bucers allowance of it As for the name of Bi. being a name of dignity and being wel vsed as S. Paule saith deseruing double honor it is not only a name pertayning to Christe which is called the Bish. of our soules but also communicated by his Apostles vnto mortall men And though the name of Archb. signifie a principall ouerseer in his dignity being simply and absolutely vnderstod of Christe aboue all other is in very déede only the true archbishop yet since the Scripture expresseth no where this name either peculiarly or at all vnto him since so many holy fathers of so great antiquity both
thee me neither yet betwixt thy heardmen and mine and he addeth this reason For we are brethren Which reason did so mooue the prudent Ioseph that after he had reuealed himselfe vnto his Brethren returning theÌ„ to fetch his father fearing least any expostulations might breede iarres among theÌ„ he gaue them this especial charge See that ye fall not out by the way Thus did these auncient holy Patriarkes esteeme of coÌ„cord among brethren shunned as a thing most vnnatural all Brethrens discord Which the godly propheticall kinges Dauid Salomon well considering the father stirring vs vp to embrace this vertue Beholde sayth he how good and comely a thing it is for Brethren to dwell in one together Liking it to the precious balme that was powred on the head of Aaron and to the sweet dewe of heauen that falleth on the mountaines to make them frutefull The sonne in detestation of the vice contrary when he had set down the 6. things that the L. hateth Hautie eies a lying tong handes that shed innocent bloud an heart imagining wicked enterprises feete that are swift in running to mischiefe and a false witnesse that speaketh lies he concludeth as with a greater vice than all these in the seuenth and complete number with this sinne which he sayth the soule of God abhorreth And him that rayseth vp contentions among his Brethren And therefore when our sauiour Christ had fore-told his Disciples all the persecutions that they should sustaine by their outward enemies against all these that they might haue brotherly loue among them selues Peace sayth hee I leaue with you my peace I giue vnto you And againe These thinges haue I spoken vnto you that my ioy which is the frute of peace might remayne with you and that my ioy might be full This is my commaundement that ye loue one another And so he knits vp his exhortation with this repetition These things haue I spoken to you that ye might haue peace in me Which bond of peace and loue in Iesus Christ one towardes another both the Apostle S. Paule the Doctor of the Gentiles and especially S. Iohn whom the Lord loued and S. Peter that so loued the Lord and S. Iames the iust in their Epistles so often and so earnestly call vpon and so vehemently disswade vs from contentions Empedocles among tâ—e heatheÌ„ Philosophers beholding the sympathie and antipathie that is in naturall creatures and being moued with the admiration therof concluded that all things were doâ—â— and vndone by concord and discord But to haue this order of nature so inuerted that those persons which are not only chained in this naturall Harmonie but also in a moâ—e heauenly concent should dissent be dissolued is farre more wonderfull thaÌ„ the composition of thinges contrary and that which is worse is much more ieopardous For as the Apostle warned the Galathians and by them vs If ye bite and deuour one another take heede least ye be consumed one of an other And since our Sâ—uiour him selfe hath so seuerely denounced that dreadfull sentence and it is a Maximie grounded on good reason Euery kingdome diuided against it selfe shall be brought to naught and euery Citie or house deuided against it selfe shall not stande no meruaâ—le if these contentions should hold on increase though our Brethren and we be moued hereat beholding this our most flourishing kingdome with these diuisions to be thus rent in sunder that almost no Citie or Towne in the same I can not say no house but is either diuided or at least disquieted by these factions Neuerthelesse this among other is our chiefest comfort against all these and other like tentations that hauing both of vs for the ground of our religion Gods euerlasting infallible truth for the which our common aduersaries do maligne and oppugne vs but can neuer expugne and ouercome vs for alwayes as Zorobabell â—ayde The truth is greater and stronger than all Howsoeuer therefore we be exercised with such plunges I meane not of the open enemies for the troubles that we receaue from them doe more corroborate vs in Gods truth but arising by the waywardnesse of our owne deare Brethren in the gospell that yet we should not be too much dismayed but stayed recomforted Sith that albeit these last dayes according to Christes and his Apostles prophecie are more contentious yet in serching the former ages we shall finde that this selfe same tryall of our faith is not now first laide vpon vs alone but that heretofore the Church of God and the most excellent Princes Prelates and people among them haue often times bought this experience very derely and with great molestations euen from their brethren No sooner had God deliuered his peculiar people from the Aegyptians bondage and idolatrie by the conduct of Moses and Aaron and giuen them lawes and orders to be gouerned by but those their guides were more molested and the people more wasted them selues by their owne mutinies than by the hande of any forraine enemies And since the comming of our sauiour Christ so soone as euer Constantine worthily surnamed the Great had extinguished all the tyrantes persecutions and procured publike peace vnto the gospell what a number of contentions straightwayes brake forth besides the conflictes with the pestiferous Heretikes among the true professors of the right faith euen for matters of discipline and orders disquieting the vnitie and concord of the Church and breeding no small griefe and stoppall to that good Princes proceedinges as we feele and lament the like in these our dayes There is great difference I graunt both in matter and manner of these contentions and in the qualities of the persons that breed these vexations euen as much as is between him that would plucke my coaâ—e from off my backe and so spoyle me and him that would pull my skinne ouer mine eares and so destroy me The controuersies between the common aduersaries and vs are pro Aris focis for matters that capitall matters of the substance life of our Christian religion not trifles as some newtrals would beare the people in hande And therefore our aduersaries in matters of religion are incensed against vs with mortall or rather with immortall hatred Whereas the controuersies betwixt vs and our Brethren are matters or rather as they call them but manners and formes of the Churches regiment Howbeit whether by sufferance or by neglect of them growen yet vnto so many heads and so sharply prosecuted not now contending so much for cappe surplesse nor for quarels at the vnlearneder sort of the poore ministers nor inuectiues against the Bishops their titles or their superiour iurisdictions only but withall calling in question all their whole authoritie their very ministery of the worde and Sacramentes and all our forme of publike prayers yea the prescription of any forme at all the alteration of all the Clergie the translation and new limitation of
plainely set foorth by any man Prooue the necessitie of the matter and we will not greatly stick vpon your Methode And would to God that which you say here of yâ— Methode ye would say it or rather obserue it of the plaine truthe it selfe and for the matter of the regiment concerning these offices that except yee can hereafter shewe which is yet not done that we are bounde by any commaundement of Christ or his Apostles vnto this your regiment of all and onely these 4. offices ye would say likewise with vs for the Gouernement established in the Church of Englande that as wee controll not other mens gouernement by ours so we would not that other mens manner of gouerning should be preiudiciall vnto ours But if ye will not haue vs controll your Methode vtter the same also in plaine wordes Our controuersie is all of the gouernement of the Church and you tell vs what Methode ye will obserue in describing the ministerie of the Churche as by which both the distinction and communication of all offices and seruices in the Church might most plainly appeare What doe ye make all offices and seruices in the Church to be of ministers Or al the offices seruices to be of gouernors How the distinction or communication of these may plainely appeare woulde haue béene somewhat more distinctly and plainely spoken As touching the reason of your request why ye would not haue your Methode controlled nor other mens methodes preiudiciall to yours I thinke it reasonable if there were no further difference then in the sorme and order of teaching of diuerse men when in matter of substance they all agree Anâ— yet in such matters as these are and so precisely vrged an vniformitie not onely of matter but also of the Order and Methode in teaching of them might perhaps haue made the matter lesse offensiue Howbeit if they all agree in matter of substance and the matter of substaunce bee true be good be necessarie which they all agree vpon so that they séeke the truthe indéede and plainnesse in their Teaching then is as they say it is but either for lacke of wit or through too much wilfulnesse if any exclaime there is no vnitie and therefore no truthe among them But when in matter and substance they differ not onely one from an-other but from themselues also then blame not men nor impute it to them that either for lacke of wit or that through too much wilfulnesse they say there is not so much vnitie and truthe among them as in matters so earnestly vrged there ought to be But now to the particuler viewe of these 4. offices Let vs then proceede in our purpose The office of Teaching is the chiefe and principall office that is in the Church By that we are taught to knowe God and howe to serue him and what benefits to looke for at his hande without which knowledge there can be no felicitie but only destruction looked for according to the saying of the wise man where prophecying faileth there the people perish Albeit the office of teaching in these respectes as to know God and how to serue him and what benefites to looke for at his handes as the ordinary cause sine qua non without which there is no knowledge and without knowledge there can be no felicity but c. may wel be said to be the chiefe and principall office that is in the Church yet in respecte of the Ecclesiasticall gouernment which is the title of all this Learned discourse vnderstanding the same truly and plainly for the gouernment in of or ouer al Ecclesiastical causes how they should be ordeined directed or disposed I take it that this office of teachers admitting it were such a distinct office by it selfe from the office of Pastors as they woulde haue it is not the chiefe and principall office in the Church In Christe him selfe are the offices of a King of a Prieste and of a Prophete And in that he was a Prophete he was a Teacher also or Doctor Which office was so necessary to reueale the will of his heauenly father that both God the father said from heauen This is my welbeloued sonne in whome I am well pleased heare him Mat 17 And Christ of himselfe Luc. 4. did reade this sentence The spirite of the Lord is vppon mee because he hath anointed mee that I shoulde preach the Gospell to the poore c. So that where no man saw God at any time except the onely begotâ—en Sonne which is in the bosome of the Father had declared him Io 1 As he saith also Io. 17. I haue giueÌ„ vnto theÌ„ the words which thou gauest mee and they haue receaued them and beleeued them c. without the which teaching there can be no felicitie but only destruction looked for as he said before in the same prayer This is life eternall to know thee to be the onelie very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ yet not-with-standing the chiefe and principall office of gouerning the Churche of God was neither this high and necessary office of his teaching nor yet that of his Priesthoode which was as necessary yea and higher in the actions of the office then the other But his royall and kingly office was and is the chiefe and principall office in him And much morâ— is it in the outward regiment of the Church in Ecclesiasticall causes wherein Moses was aboue Aaron Iosue Dauid Solomon c. were aboue the high-priestes them-selues And so remaines it still except ye can shew the order of these offices of the church inuerted Of which the Papistes would be glad and vrge it harde especially from Peter wrestling there-to the thréefold saying of Christ to him Ioan. 21. Feede my Lambâ—s feede my sheepe feede my sheepe Meaning not only his gouerning but his office of Teaching which was his especial feeding of them and they driue it all to gouerning aduauncing them-selues before all Christian Princes And yet we graunt that in the action of their seuerall Ecclesiasticall function or Church ministery they are aboue all Christian Princes representing God vnto them teaching and admonishing them and all other But not aboue them in gouernment of all Ecclesiasticall causes Which is the question in controuersie now betwixt vs on the one parte and the Papists and these our owne Learned discoursing Brethren seuering them-selues from vs and adhering though not to them yet to their errour by a new deuise on the other parte The Ministery is deuided into two functions they that exercise the firste are called Pastors the other are called Doctors or Teachers I pray you my Learned discoursing Maisters for my learning héere againe let me aske this When ye desired not to bee controlled for your methode differing from others did ye include this not to be controlled though ye differ from your selues also and speake yee care not what contradictions both one against an-other and against your
colleague with Paule whome wee neuer read to haue exercised the office of teaching Yea who alwaies him-selfe holding his peace yeelded the partes of speaking to Paule I answere he had manie occasions inowe of speaking offered him in Paules absence that there was businesse inough for them bothe for one could not be alwaies present in all places There is no doubt but that hee faithfullie went about the parts that God commaunded nor was a dombe looker on Neither is there any cause that we should maruell whie the Sermons that he made are not in plaine wordes expressed of Luke sithe that hee scarse reciteth the thousand Sermon of those that Paule made Thus saithe Caluine Whereby it appeareth that as Paules Doctorship and Apostleship was all one bothe before and after the difference being onelie this commission of dooing the same thing in common to the Gentiles the which also was foretold before bothe to Ananias that baptised him and to himselfe in his traunce at Ierusalem as he declared after in his Sermon Act. 22.21 But héere it was enioyned vnto him And being a Doctor before he was héere made the Doctor of the Gentiles euen so his manner of teaching and executing this doctors office was euer one and the same manner that is to saye euer ioining exhortation admonition consolation rebukeing or some kinde or other application to his doctrine And this appeareth euen in the selfe-same 13. chapter verse 14. c. But when saithe Luke they departed from Perga they came to Antiochia of Pisidia and went into the Synagog on the Sabaoth daye and sate downe and after the Lecture of the Lawe and of the Prophets the rulers of the Synagog sent vnto them saying yee men and Bretheren if yee haue anye worde of exhortation for the people saye on Heere saithe Caluine is no mention made of praiers which notwithstanding it is certeine were not omitted nor neglected But bicause Lukes purpose was to rehearse the Sermon that Paule made there it is no maruell if hee onelie mention those things that apperteine to the order of teaching But this is a notable place out of which wee learne what was the manner of treating on doctrine among the Iewes in that age The firste place was giuen to the lawe and the Prophets For it was not lawefull to propound any thing vnto the Churche which was not drawne out of that founteine Heerevpon also we gather that the Scripture was not suppressed among a few but all were indifferentlie admitted to the reading thereof After this they that excelled in the grace of teaching and exhorting had the second partes as interpreters of the Scripture that was read Notwithstanding last of all Luke dooth shewe that all were not permitted to speake least of that licence confusion should spring But the office of exhorting was committed vnto certeine men whome he calleth the princes of the Synagog or the Maisters Paule therefore and Barnabas doo not by and by shooue themselues foorth to speake least they should disturbe with too muche haste the accustomed order but they modestlie expect vntill leaue bee giuen them for to speake and that by the permission of those vnto whome the authoritie thereof by publike consent belonged Wee knowe howe corrupte the state of that people at that time was and Luke at length in the end of the chapter will declare how these Antiochians in refusing the grace of Christe were more then proud froward And yet notwithstanding this goodnesse remained among them that their assemblies were ordered comelie and honestlie c. Which saying of his is woorthie to bee the more considered for that diuerse of these our Bretheren doo make an argument of proportion for the offices and orders of the Churche vnder Christe correspondent to the offices and orders of the Iewes Synagogs vnder Moises That for their sacrificing Priests wee haue Pastors for their Leuites Doctors of the Lawe we haue teachers doctors of the Gospell for theyr rulers of the Synagogs wee haue Gouernours for their Leuiticall lookers to the treasurie wee haue Deacons for theyr presbyterie wee haue Elders c Which enumeration and proportion though it be very disordered and confused and the argument thereon more weake and faultie yet to make the best of it that mought bee it appeareth if wee goe no further then this place that these Iewes obseruing their ordinarie custome were not acquainted with suche a kinde of Doctors as vsed no applying nor exhorting in their teaching but suche as styll ioyned these togither For what did they else meane in this demaunde If yee haue anye worde of exhortation But that they tooke it to bee the office of a Teacher to vse to the people the worde of exhortation with the worde of Doctrine But perhaps they did this of ignorance of their owne orders and had not béene acquainted with suche Doctors But what-so-euer they thought or conceaued or demanded aright or amisse héerein let vs sée as we began Caluins iudgement Dooth hee mislike it No This speeche saithe hee dooth betoken that whatsoeuer grace is in men to edifie the Churche it is as it were pawned vnto them Although the particle in if there bee in you anye worde of consolation according to the Hebrewe phrase maye bee superfluous and therefore I vrge not stiffelye that matter Because the sense maye bee plaine if you haue anye exhortation that is apte and profitable to the people howbeit exhortation excludes not Doctrine But this name seemeth to come of the common vse that was receaued among them For properlie the office of a Doctor is not to bring foorth anye newe thing of his owne sense but the Scripture wherein all the wisedome of the godlie is comprehended and to make it fitte vnto the presente vse of the people By this meanes they do not so muche teache as they applie the doctrine taken from another matter vnto the edification of the Churche Which I suppose to be noted by the worde exhorting What can be spoken of the office of a Doctor more plaine then this And howe plaine withall this iudgement of Caluine bothe for the Doctors of the Iewes and the Doctors of the Christians is cleane contrarie to these Discoursers distinguishing and limitting of a Doctors office from a Pastors by exhorting and applying I referre me not onelie to anye Doctors but to any godlie Christian readers iudgement be he neuer so simple yea almost be he neuer so much affectionate And with-all let the Reader marke the Geneua note héereâ—n This declareth the Scripture is giuen to teache and exhorte vs and that they refused none that had giftes to set foorth Gods glorie and to edifie his people Belike then they regarded not the nice distinguishing of the persons office but onelie respected these ends in him Gods glorie and their edifiyng To which endes they required not bare teaching but teaching and exhorting wherevnto they thought the Scripture to be giuen them But whatsoeuer they
then possesse the Churches as the lawe commandeth With which confutation when he had stopped his mouth hee sayde that hee maruelled at Apollinaris that so impudently resisted the trueth when as he knewe well enough that the famous Damasus auouched that God the word did take vpon him our whole nature to whome he alwayes taught the contrary For sayth he thou depriuest our mindes of saluation which accusation if it be false then deny thou now this impe of thy newfanglenesse and receiue the doctrine of Damasus and obteine the diuine Churches Thus did the most wise Flauian allay their boldnes by the trueth of his speech But Meletius of all men the mildest sweetely and gentlie calling Paulinus sayde because the Lorde of this flocke hath set me also ouer the custodie of the sheepe and other are committed vnto thee sith there is a community of godlines among the sheepe let vs freendly ioyne our foldes and let go the contention of Mastership and attend in common to the sheepe that go in common in the pastures But if the seate itself doe stoppe the concord I also will endeuour to remooue this contention Let vs set I pray you in the seate the booke of the diuine gospell and let vs either of vs sitte together on eyther side it And if so be that I shall dye before thee be thou O freend alone the Sheepes master But if this shall happen to thee before me then will I to my ability take vpon me the care of the flock When as Paulinus allowed not these his sweete and gentle speeches the Duke deciding the cause commended the Churches to Meletius the great But Paulinus reteyned the mastership or remained bishop of these Sheepe that had long before deuided themselues Here agayne is another notable story of another Meletius where moe in one city tooke vpon them according to their factions to be bishops and what offer was made to appease the strife of two at one time to haue ruled together vntill the decease of the one or the other and how in the end it was determined vnto one Thus much to this most reuerend and learned mans aunsweres to Epiphanius for the superioritie of one bishop in one citie The residue of his argumentes because they are chéefely on the sentences taken from Ierome Chrisostome Theophilact and Theodorete whose sentences we haue before at large perused I will héere for this time passe them ouer saue that which he sayth of Cyprian as yet vntouched And whereas Cyprian sayth he not in one place calleth the bishops successors of the Apostles whose authority is from God and if we take it so as though by the very commaundement of God these Bishops are the same that in time past were the Apostles the thing it self doth confute that seeing there was alwaies a certaine portion assigned to euerye Bishop But the Apostles by the direction of the spirite of God though not confusedlie didde exercise their Ministery throughout the whole world The meaning of Cyprian is plaine without cauiling as the like saying of many other the auncient fathers that bishops are the successors of the Apostles bicause they succéeded both in the places Churches by the Apostles fownded and in the chiefest dignity of the Churches orders as in their times the function of the Apostles was As the Magdeburgēses note Cent. 3. cap. 6. tit de ratione gubernandi pag. 150. The firste and cheefest authority belonged to the Bishops whome also Cyprian lib. 3. Epistola 14. calleth Praepositors placed ouer the residue who in gouernment sustayned the chiefest parte of the Ecclesiasticall administration After them the next in dignity belonged to the Priestes or Elders and the third to the Deacons And that Bishoppes were then aboue the Priestes or Pastorall Elders is apparant by Cyprians owne wordes I haue long helde my patience moste deare bretheren as though our bashfull silence should help to quietnesse But when immoderate and abrupt presumption by the rashnes thereof shall attempt to disturbe the honor of the Martyrs and shamefastnesse of the Confessors and tranquillity of the whole people I must no longer hold my peace For what daunger of the offense of the Lord ought we not to feare when as some of the Priestes or Elders neyther mindefull of the Gospell nor of their place no nor thinking of the Lords iudgements to come neither that now the Bishop is placed ouer them do with contumely and contempt of him that is placed ouer them claime the whole to themselues which thing was neuer done at all vnder the auncestors Yea and would to God that casting flatte downe the saluation of our brethren they woulde not challenge all thinges to them selues I can dissemble and beare the reproches of our Bishoprike as I haue still dissembled and borne them But now there is no place of dissembling whē as our brotherhoode is deceaued by some of you who while without meanes of restoring the saluation they desire to be plausible they rather hinder such as are fallen c. Whereby as it plainely appeareth that the Pastorall Elders were inferiour to bishops so euen then there were of the Cleargie some Priests or Elders that enuied and slaundered this their B. Superiority and woulde haue had the dealing as far forth as they in restoring the poenitents and in all thinges equall authority to the bishoppes Which thing by Cyprians iudgement how plausible a shew of reformation soeuer it had was very offensiue vnto God and neuer before attempted of the Ministers And so consequentlie this superioritye of Bish. placed ouer the Priestes or Pastorall Elders had continued euen from the Apostles times And thus might they well of him bee called the successors of the apostles Not that Cyprian ment that there was no difference betwéene the Bishops and the Apostles And therefore this is a manifest mistaking to say If wee take it so as though by the very commaundement of God these Bishops are the same that in times past the Apostles the thing it selfe dooth refute that seeing there was alwaies a certaine portion assigned to euery Bishoppe But the Apostles by the direction of the spirite of God thoughe not confusedlye didde exercise their Ministerye throughout the whole world Although héerein and in other poyntes moe the Apostles were distinguished from and aboue Bishops yet might they also be Bishoppes well inough For as this Learned man saith they did it not confusedlye so their charge to goe into all the world and preache the Gospell vnto all nations was not so that euery one of them shoulde trauell ouer all the world and preach vnto al nations But that by the world being name◠per fynecdochen the whole for the parts and that among them all some héere and some there by the direction indéed of the spirit of GOD they dispersed themselues at length in diuerse parts of the world And there also diuerse of them did settle themselues so long as they liued
the proportion of their first institution the law whereof was that they should be but two Though processe of time bredde a permission to the contrarie for the respect of that whereof nowe sithe there is no néede therefore in all mariages there ought to be but one man and hee the principall and one woman and she the subiect Whereas in the politicall or ciuill principalitie there is one prince and many subiectes And therefore the comparison of these two kindes of principalities doe not simply resemble nor imitate the one the other This I take to be S. Augustines plaine meaning And this sentence cited by Danaeus had béene plaine inough if he had but set downe the whole wordes thereof Neither can it be doubted that by naturall order men should rather be principall to women than women to men Who may not easily perceaue here that he speaketh not simply of all principalitie but such principalitie onely as ariseth by naturall order And who denieth that Or what is that to this purpose of politicall order And yet we denie not but when these two orders naturall and politicall can be orderly ioyned together it is all the better But there is a naturall order also of inheritance by which a woman may be néerer to ciuill principalitie than a man Whereunto whē by the ciuill law yea by the law of God there acreweth withall this ciuill or political principality Then by that natural order of inheritance the womans gouernmēt ouer the mā is not to be debarred for any naturall prerogatiue of the mans sexe or mariage ouer the womā And so whē all is done this sentence of S. Augustine is no absolute prohibition to a womans principalitie ouer men if it rather in some cases do not allowe it when he saith it is not to be doubted that by natural order men should rather be principall to womē than women to men But as we speake not now so much of naturall order so neither speak we of that that were of twaine the rather if men might haue their choise But they that can not haue Princes as they would must be glad at least wise content with thē as they may And where God law nature calleth women to this ciuill principalility we must not there stande descanting what we had rather haue them but obey thē as the higher powers of God whether they be mē or womē And sith S. Augustine in the sentence before this cited by Danaeus as the grounde thereof doth say for principalitie also is more naturally of one ouer many than it can be of many ouer one and the same S. Aug. in other places clearely alloweth a ciuill principality vnto women then must it néedes fall out that either hee must admitte such a state of womens gouernment as was among the Amazons where no men were or else that this woman gouernour might haue principalitie ouer men But if nowe this plac◠be too weake to inferre any thing against womens principalitie if any heere in searching further S. Augustines meaning woulde corroborate the same with that sentence which is conteined in the 45. Question out of the old testament Tom. 4. For howe can it bee sayde of a woman that she is the Image of God sith that it is euident shee is subiect to the gouernment of the man and hath no authority for shee can not teach nor bee a witnesse nor giue faith or take an othe or Iudge how much lesse is she able to gouerne These wordes in-déede come both a little neerer to the purpose than doth the sentence that Danaeus alleageth and also specify the particulers mentioned in the rule of the ciuill Lawe aforesaide Albeit that the former aunswere may satisfy well-ynough likewise all that here is saide yet I hope our Brethren will not iustify this worke to be S. Augustines nor yet this sentence if it were his The Question is this Quomodo homo ad imaginem Dei factus sit vtrùm ad dominationem an mulier quoque How man shoulde be made to the Image of God whether vnto gouernment and whether also a woman It seemeth notwithstanding to some sayth this suborned Augustine that man was made to the Image of God in gouernement and because he saith let him rule ouer the fishes of the sea and ouer the Foules of the heauen and ouer the whole earth sithe that these thinges are seene to be subiect not onely to man but also to Woman who it is euident hath not the Image of God Which thing verily wanteth reason two wayes For by this it is auouched that neither God spake to his Sonne Let vs make man vnto our Image and likenesse but vnto the celestiall gouernours which the Apostle reherseth if that man haue the image of God in Gouernment and it is giuen to the woman that she also shold be the image of God which is absurd And so followeth this sentence aboue cited Nowe as we hold not this opinion that the Image of God consisteth wholy or cheefely in dominion but withall and much more in that integrity of holinesse and righteousnesse whereunto S. Paul exhorteth vs declareth that Christe hath reformed vs which appertaineth as well to women as to men so howe can this author then maintaine this to be absurde and demaund howe it can bee spoken of a woman that she is the image of God sith there are more and more excellent respectes of Gods Image in vs then Dominion But rather how doe his owne words hang together in saying the woman hath no authority and yet he goeth about to prooue that this Image of God cannot bee vnstoode of gouernment because shee hath gouernment with the man according to the wordes of God Which wordes are not as he cites them Let him rule but let them rule referring the authoritie of rule both to Man and woman But as S. Augustine him selfe in this point of Gods Image is so curious about the powers of the soule to resemble the mystery of the Trinity and so variable thereon in manie places that our Brethren their selues dare not rest vpon him so can they presse vs the lesse by his opinion heerein Not but that we accorde to the sense heereof whereunto Saint Paule as we haue shewed applieth it 1. Cor. 11. verse 7. The man ought not to couer his head forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God but the Woman is the glory of the man Whereupon saith Caluine The same question may nowe be mooued of the Image that was before of the heade For either sexe is created to Gods image neither doth Paul bid the womē lesse than the men to be reformed vnto that Image But the Image whereof nowe hee speaketh is referred vnto the order belonging to Mariage In which sense and in all other prerogatiues that God by nature hath giuen to Man yea that in al ciuil principalities we euermore so graunt the preferment to the Man
No man may take vpon him any honoure in the Churche of God but hee that is called of God as was Aaron Insomuch that Christe him-selfe did not giue himselfe to be an high Priest but he that said vnto him Thou art my sonne this day haue I begotten thee Hee saith in another place Thou art a preest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Nowe seeing these rules are so general that the Sonne of God him-selfe was not exempted from them but shewed foorth the decree wherein he was authorised by what rule can any man retaine that authority in the church of God which is not called thereto by the word of God All this againe being graunted vnto beateth more our Brethren the Learned Discoursers that it doth our Bishops Our Brethren take vpon them more in these their pretended reformations than eyther they haue hetherto done or I think euer wil be able to shew their warrant and calling authorizing them thereunto by the worde of God Likewise we can alleage againe against the supremacy of the Pope to proue that Peter was not superior to the other Apostles that which our sauiour Christe saith to his Apostles Luke 22.26 And Math. 20.25 Marke 10.42 It shall not bee so among you but hee that is greatest amongst you shal be as the yongest and he that ruleth as he that serueth And Mat. 23.8 You haue but one Master which is Christ and all you are all brethren If these places prooue that the Pope ought not to bee aboue other Ministers of the Church why doe they not likewise prooue that the Ministers are equall among them-selues And for the moste part all those arguments and authorities of Scripture that are vsed to confute the vsurped authority of the Pope are of as great force against all other vsurped authorities of one pastor ouer another These sentences of our sauiour Christe hauing béene before alleaged by our Brethren page 28. 29. haue beene already sufficiently aunswered that they neither forbid the titles nor the authority that we acknowledge in our Bishops by the confession of the best writers euen among our Brethren themselues Which sentences as they are rightly alleaged against the supremacy of the Pope to prooue that Peter was not such a superior to the other Apostles as the Papistes doe pretend so are they not rightly alleaged to prooue that he haâ— neuer any kinde of superiority but no such kinde of superiority as the pope falsely claymeth in the name of Peter For not onely all the auncient Fathers and all the best writers acknowledge as we haue séene some superiority in Peter such as contrarieth not these sentences but also S. Paule is moste plaine herein that S. Peter had a kinde of superiority if not to all yet to many of the other Apostles And for these sentences as we haue already at large considered the peyse of them so the first sentence heere cited alloweth in playne words both a Ruler among them and a greatest so that hee bee in humilitie and seruiceablenesse as courteous and diligent as if he were yongest or as hee that serueth The other place here cited You haue but one Master which is Christe and al you are Brethren prooueth clearely that the Pope ought not to claime that mastership which he requireth but it proueth not that were he otherwise a true a true faithfull Bishop hee might haue no Mastership at all for than our Brethren might not be called Masters neither as we and that worthily call M. Caluine M. Beza c. Masters But this sentence is against the Pope not against them because the pope not they woulde intrude him-selfe into that absolute and supreme Mastership and Lordship Which properly and onely belongeth to our Lorde and Master Iesus Christ. But our brethren demaund why doe they not likewise prooue that the Ministers are equall among themselues And so they do in respect of the supreme Mastership of Christe and in respect simply of their Ministery but the reason why they proue not such an equality as our brethren surmise is because they are spoken absolutely against all kinde of superiority and Mastership among them And therefore where they say that for the most part al those arguments and authorities of scripture that are vsed to confute the vsurped authoritie of the pope are of as great force against all other vsurped authorities of one pastor ouer another Although this be but a loose consequent yet we may well graunt this conclusion for vsurped authorities But till our Brethren can prooue some such among vs as are vsurped al these sentences argumeÌ„ts and authorities are but vsurped and wrested against their authority which is lawfull Therefore while we entreate of the authority of the Pastors we must take heede that we open not a Windowe to popish tyranny in steede of Pastorall authority and that wee enlarge not the bounds of authority without the boundes of the scripture We also like well the caueat of this conclusion Woulde God our brethren would in-déede take heede vnto it For if it be not taken heede vnto in time their Pastorall authoriâ—â— wâ—ll so enlarge the boundes thereof that it will not onely tyrannize ouer the authority of the Doctors whom they cleane debarre from all publike exhortation reprehension conselation and application and ouer all their Seniory of newe Gouernors as wee shall God willing see in this Discourse but ouer all the Church And it beginneth pretily well to abbridge the Christian Princes and ciuill Magistrates supreme authority in ecclesiasticall causes as in part wee haue already seene and al without the bounds of the scripture But this their Pastorall authority by that time their gouerning Seniory were euery where setled and established and had enlarged her boundes in euerye Congregation woulde bee méetely well repressed as we haue séene in the forme of prayers printed at Geneua And thus woulde one enlarge it self â—uer another which might open not a windowe but the broad gates to a worse than Popish tyrannie and still all without the boundes of the Scripture Wherefore while we search the scripture the onely rule whereby the Church of God ought to be gouerned we finde that in regiment gouernance of the Church the pastor B. or elder hath none authority by himselfe seperated from other For in the Church there ought to be no Monarchie or sole absolute gouernment but that is referred particularly to our sauiour Christe onely â—2 Tim. 6.7 Iude. 4. Christe sayth search the scriptures for in them ye reckon vnto your selues that ye haue eternall life and they bear witnesse of me Iohn 5.39 In searching the scripture we finde this rule where the Apostle warneth Timothy But abide thou in those thinges which thou haste learned and which are of trust committed vnto thee Knowing of whome thou hast learned them and that thou hast from a childe knowne the holy
Elders How the auncient Fathers that haue expounded this Epistle Chrysost Oecumenius Theodoret Theophilact and Ambrose haue interpreted this place especially because Caluin Beza Danaeus alleage Ambrose for these Elders How Beza further alleageth Cyprian with a full examination of Cyprian for them How Snecanus likewise alleageth Cyprian Tertullian with parsel of Tertullian for them besides the examining of Clemens Alex Irenaeus Iustinus Martyr Ignatius Policarpus How Danaeus alleageth the Ecclesiasticall histories cheefely Socrates with his allegations out of Augustine Basil Dionisius Ierome and the canon Lawe with the examination of the ecclesiasticall histories the Fathers and the canons for these Elders and of the cause of these so learned mens mistaking in all these searchings for them making all not only nothing for them but cleane against them nor being euer able to prooue not one such consistory no not one such Elder Howe Danaeus with Beza and Caluine return back again to search the Scriptures better for them Rom. 12.1 Corinthians 12. Ephes 4. Act. 20.1 Peter 5. And of Caluines and Danaeus contradictions Of Danaeus return again to the Ecclesiasticall history in Sozomen in which speeding as il as before if not worse for any practise that he would find he comes again to the scripture searching for these Elders Acts. 15. Acts. 21. Philip. 4 1. Tim. 3.1 Pet. 3.1 Corinth 14. Iac. 5. And so home again to that wherwith our bret began the inquiry for them at Act. 14. Lastly of the second point of moderating these Elders authority by propounding all their actions to the people to confirm them And of the popular state our Bret. fear But not auoiding of horrible confusion And of the example they seek to auoid it by in the manner of Saint Pauls excommunication of theincestuous Corinthian AND first say our Brethren let vs examine whether this authoritie be so diffused ouer the whole Churche that the hearing trying and determining of all matters pertayneth to the whole multitude or to some speciall choosen persons amonge them meete for that purpose COme they now in almost at the last casts saying and first let vs examine whether this authoritie be so diffused ouer the whole Church c. What meane our Brethren hereby That the first shall be last and the last shall be first Should they not haue examined this before They sayde in the former page 82. that the authoritie of Christ is left vnto his whole Church And also before that page 81. That regiment which he hath left vnto his Church is a consent of his householde seruants And that our sauiour Christ hath neither authorized nor promised to blesse anie other forme of regiment than that which consisteth of the consent and gathering together of his seruantes in his name What else can any of the seruantes of the housholde of Christ suppose when they heare of this but that where-so-euer they be diffused they must gather themselues together either the whole church vniuersally or euery whole Church particularly and giue their consent thereunto or else the matter whatsoeuer is not authorized by the authoritie that Christ hath left vnto his Church And that he hath blessed none other forme of regiment And must it nowe be called in question and examined whether this authoritie be so diffused ouer the whole Church that the hearing trying and determining of all matters perteyneth to the whole multitude And why not if the former sayinges bée true Do our Brethren begin now to call this a diffused authoritie Diffused commeth néere confused And I Thinke shortly they will finde it confused too And as they nowe beginne to encline to some speciall chosen persons amongst them meete for that purpose so by little and little they will peraduenture come downe at length to some authoritie of gouernement euen of one Pastor afore other in one congregation and perhaps in one Diocesse also which is the thing that they nowe so peremptorilie denie Let our Brethren nowe therefore in their good moode procéede The authoritie â—s the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ graunted vnto the Church Our Brethren sayde in the page before that the authoritie of Christe is left vnto his whole Church here yet they say more circumspectly the authoritie is the power of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Not that Christe hath left his authoritie vnto the Churche but that the authoritie which hee hath left vnto his Church is not so the Churches but that it still remaineth his authoritie Nor that he hath left that his autoritie to his whole Church as they sayde before but as they say here it is graunted vnto the Church Which may well stande if any parte or persons of the Church haue it although the whole Church haue it not But say they because the iudgement of the multitude is confuse whereas God is not the author of confusion but of order and that we finde in the worde of God certaine officers appointed for gouernment we are bold to affirme that that charge belongeth vnto those that are such Here our Brethren in this Learned discoursing of the matter hauâ— now at length found out not diffusion but plaine confusion in the iudgement of the multitude So that we may now I hope with our Bretherens good leaue dismisse in peace the gathering together of the housholde seruantes nor enquire after their consentes but for the consent only of certaine officers appointed for gouernment And here our Brethr. say they are bold to affirme that that charge belongeth vnto those that are such This boldnes of our Breth is here yet the more coÌ„mendable that they feare not to repell the peoples consent and iudgement for feare of confusion Whereas God is not the author of confusion but of order But it had béene better in my simple iudgement not at all to haue sette the multitude a-gogge as hauing an interest of consent and authoritie to heare trie and determine all matters onely to bridle the Pastors and the Bishops authoritie than nowe hauing brought them in to thrust theÌ„ out Turpius eijcitur quaÌ„ non admittitur hospes Will the multitude hearing that Christ hath giuen his authoritie to his whole Church and so to euerie Church indifferently that that regiment which he hath left vnto his Church is a consent of his housholde seruauntes and that he hath neither authorized nor promised to blesse any other forme of regiment than that which consisteth of the consent and gathering together of his seruantes if they thinke themselues to be any part of his whole church or of anie particular Churches and seruauntes of his housholde suffer themselues after they are gathered together to vse their authoritie and to giue their coÌ„sent to be this mocked in the end be told it pertayneth not to the whole multitude but to some special chosen persons amoÌ„gst theÌ„ because the iudgement of the multitude is confuse and God is not the author of
the manner of the Nouatians that are at Constantinople In like manner at Caesarea of Cappadocia and in Cyprus the Elders and the Bishops expound the Scriptures euermore on Saterday and on Sonday at euening by candle light The Nouatians that are at Hellespont keepe not in all pointes the like manner as doo the Nouatians that are at Constantinople but for the more parte they followe the order of the chiefe Church among them To conclude in all the formes of religions sects you shall neuer finde two that in the maner of their praiers agree among themselues Furthermore at Alexandria an Elder preacheth not which custome hath had his beginning since the time that Arius disturbed the Church And here at length is noted where onely and vppon what occasion the Elders preached not Howbeit he saith not that heerevpon they were prohibited vtterlie the ministerie of the word and Sacramentes For as hee shewed before lib. 2. cap. 8. the verie Deacons out of whole order the Elders were made did saie the publike praiers before the people But this the Elders ceasing of preaching how long tiâ—e after Arius troubles it began at Alexandria how long time it continued he declareth not But in noting the same as such a strange and diuerse order different from al other Churches it declareth that it directly belonged to their office and that in al other Churches the Elders were such as were not prohibited to preach that they preached there also before that occasion did fall out And whereas as a little after hee citeth for not troubling the Church about indifferent things the decree made by the Apostles the Elders and the brethren Act 15.23 it appeareth that Socrates tooke also those Elders that are therâ— mencioned to be no other kinde of Elders than such as medled with teaching And so doth the verie text insinuate that those Elders were when it saith Act. 15.6 The Apostles and Elders came together to looke to this matter Which matter was a great controuersie in doctrine And Caluine himself saith tâ—ereon Luke saith not that the whole Church was gathered together but those that excelled in doctrine and iudgement they that by reason of their office were lawfull Iudges of this cause it may be that the disputation was holden before the people but least anie shoulde thinke that the people wer admitted indifferentlie to meddle in the cause Luke expresly nameth the Apostles and the Elders as those that were more fit to take notice therof And to shew further who these Elders were he saith on these words When there was great disputing when as the graue men and publike Doctors of the Church were chosen neither yet could they agree among themselues c. And to shew that these Elders in all other Churches werâ— still of thiâ—â—orte Socrates procéeding to his 6. booke chap. 2. telleth that when the Bishoprick of Constantinople was vacant by Nectarius decease which tooke awaie the penitenciarie Elder aforesayde and that they laboured much about the choosing of a Bishoppe and some sought one and some another for that office that they had consulted often thervpon at length it was thought good to call from Antioche for Iohn an Elder of Antioche For the fame of him was great that he was meete to teach them very skifull in the gift of vtterance And in the seuenth booke which Danaeus citeth cap. 2. speaking of Atticus which was afterward likewise made Bishoppe of Constantinople he saith When he first obtained the degree of the Presbyterie Priesthood or Eldership the Sermons which he recited in the Church he made them with great studie and conned word by word afterward by often vse and diligence getting more audacitie he beganne to preach ex tempore on the sodaine occasion and attained to a more popular manner of teaching And in the 5. Chapter he â—eâ—â—eth of Sabatius an Elder among the Nouatians preaching in his Sermon this false doctrine Cursed bee he who soeuer celebrateth the feast of Easter without vnleauened bread In the sixth Chapter be telleth of two Arian Elders preachers and interpreters of the Scriptures Besides that Chap. 16. hee telleth of three Elders Philip Proclus and Sisinius that â—tooâ—â—or the Bishoprike of Constantinople of which Sifinius by the desire of the people hee beeing an Elder not ordained in anie Church within the Citie but of Elea a suburbe of the Citie obtained the Bishoprike Wherby it appeareth also that these Elders had seueral Congregations and Churches in and about the Citie and were Ministers of the worde and Sacraments in them And although Proclus was afterward made Bishop of Cizicum whom the Citie would not receiue but chose onâ— Dalmatius a Monke and so Proclus went not thether but continued in preaching at Constantinople and afterward was made Bishoppe of that Citie after Maximianus which did leade a monasticall life yet by degree of dignitie he was an Elder So that these Presbyters Priestes or Elders were not as Danaeus supposeth a Senate or a Consistorie chosen from among the people assistant to the Bishop and much lesse to euerie Pastor as our Brethr. affirme gouerning onelie the discipline of the Church but not medling with teaching Socrates neuer speaketh of such kinde of Elders but simplie and plainely of such as we call Priests and our brethren call Pastors To conclude this no lesse appeareth in the last Capter saue two of all Socrates Historie euen in Paulus the Bishoppe of the Nouatians Who before his death calling together all the sacred Priestes of the Churches that were vnder him sayde vnto them Prouide yee while I am yet aliue that a Bishoppe may bee appointed vnto you When they aunswered The power of choosing the Bishoppe is not to bee permitted vnto vs. For saie they while one of vs thinketh this another that we shal neuer name one and the same man But wee desire that you woulde designe whome you would haue vs choose Deliuer me then sayd hee this your promise in writing that yee will choose him whom I will name vnto you Which writing beeing made and subscribed with their hande raising vp himselfe a little in his bedde he secretlie they that were present not priuie thereto wrote therein the name of Martian which was one that had obtained to the order of the Elders and therein had learned a rigorous kinde of life and at that time by chance was absent And when hee had sealed vp the writing and had brought the chiefe of the Elders to confirme the same also with their seales he deliuered it to c. I note this onelie that these Nouatians also which were a kinde of Praecisians in that antiquitie hauing for their precise austeritie of life cut off and diuided theÌ„selues from all other Churches albeit in substance and groundes of faith and doctrine not dissenting but in profession of more seuere discipline not onely had their Bishops in the chiefe Cities and many Elders vnder them but
of the oâ—der of the church at that time among the Iewes which was forthwith to bee dissolued than for the state of the church that he would erect that shoulde among the christians bee continued But what nowe was this order among the Iewes that Caluin and our Brethren say Christe alluded vnto and looked vpon Moreouer saith Caluine when as the power of excommunication belonged to the Iewes that were seniors which susteyned the person of the whole church aptly doth Christe say that those which haue sinned if they shall eyther proudly contemne the first admonitions or scoffingly exclude them are then at length to be brought foorth publikely vnto the church That the Seniors among the Iewes had the power of excommunication is not in question but what Seniors they were which had that power Whether a chosen number out of the auncients of the people or such as were onely of the Preestes and Leuites I speake it for that power of denouncing excommunication Not but that I grant they had other Elders for other matters But that either or both these Elders represented the person of the church beeing the heades and Gouernours of the church I sée no such aptnesse in the representation The head representeth not the body nor the body the heade And yet the subiectes may more aptly represent by substitution the person of the gouernors than the gouernors may be sayde to represent the person of the Subiectes And no doubt Christes wordes were moste apt and proper for the matter that he spake of For as Caluine sayth of bringing foorth the matter publikely to the church if he had meant of them that were but Elders or gouernours or admit also they were representers of the church yet shoulde he not haue spoken so aptly as if he had sayde if he had so meant tell the Elders or gouernors or represeÌ„ters of the church And not tel the church which is a great deale more improper and vnapter spéech We knowe saith Caluine that from the time that the Iewes returned out of the captiuity of Babylon the censure of the manners and of the doctrine was committed to a chosen counsell which they called Synhedrin in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This was a lawfull regiment approued of God and this was a bridle to reteine in their duety the froward and such as would not learne To prooue that there were such a chosen councell among the Iewes to whome the sensure or controlment of manners and of doctrin was committed Caluine heere assigneth the time after the returne from the captiuity of Babylon which councell was called Sinhedrim in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he sayth God approoued it and that it was a lawful regiment and a good Bridle against the wicked I meruell that Caluine fetcheth these Seniors among the Iewes from so late time as after their returne from Babilon And yet hee nameth no time when after their return they were created that we might haue turned to it and séen what persons they were and what office was committed to them Danaeus to make this more cleeare in his foresaide introduction 2. part lib. 2. cap. 10. saith But to determine strifes and as out of Socrates li. 7. cap. 37. may be gathered which example we haue before perused to take vpon theÌ„ to be Iudges and Arbitrators I neuer read that it was the office of Elders or part of their office For although the presbytery or Synedrion of the Iewes which was the same Act. 22. vers 5. 30. And Math. 5. verse 22. seeme to aunswere to our presbytery and iudged oftentimes of certain causes Notwithstanding our Presbyteries do not iudge and therefore are different from those from Iudaicall because those partly had political and partly Ecclesiasticall iurisdiction both at once as appeareth Esd. 10. ver 8. But ours haue onely ecclesiasticall If this which Danaeus saith be true that that Presbeytry Act 22. be the same Presbytery with that mentioned Esdras 10. We finde it then indéede as Caluine saith after the returne out of the captiuity of Babylon But how then doeour Learned discoursing Brethren say The like whereof he willed to be established in his Church Will these our brethrens Seniors contrarie to that which Danaeus saith take vpon them politike and Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction both at once And so in-déede these our Bret. plainly say the Synedrion had the hearing and determining of all difficult and weighty matters among the Iewes Here is nothing left out bee it in politike or Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction so it be a waighty and difficult matter And our brethren apply it to vs saying The like whereof hee willed to be established in his Church for administration of Gouernment So that nothing here remaineth entiere to the Prince and nobles to the Iudges and Magistrates for our Gouerning Seniors must haue all or a stroke in all But the authority of the Presbytery Act. 22. was much abridged concerning the Politike Iurisdiction as we shall God willing sée anon And yet who were those Seniors in that presbytery Actes 22. ver 5. Paule sayth the cheefe preest doth beare me witnesse and all the Presbytery of whome I receyued letters vnto the Brethren and went to Damascus to bring them that were there bounden to Ierusalem that they might be punished And in the thirteenth verse speaking of the capteine that kept paule prisoner he sayth on the next day because he wold haue knowne the certainty wherefore he was accused of the Iewes he losed him from his bonds and commanded the high preestes and all their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Councell to come together And he brought Paule and set him before them Here are both these tearmes Presbytery or Eldership 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Councell These were all in-déede Controllers of Doctrine as Marlorate well noteth out of Brentius commending the aequity and prudent doing of this Tribune Who because hee was ignoraunt of the Iewish religion he woulde referre the cause of religion to the Councell of them that were the Prelates of religion So that here this councell séemeth to haue beene all of those that were teachers of Doctrine for such are or shoulde be the Prelates of religion But did God allow of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 If it were all one with that before mentioned Esdras 10. Wee may well say with Caluine It was a Lawfull regiment and approoued of God But this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Actes 22. was not a Lawfull regiment nor approoued of God and therefore it was not the same that is mentioned Esdras 10. But a degenerate corruption of it Neither was that in-déede called eyther 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Sanedrin or Synhedrin nor any such Greeke name or any corruption of that name begun among the Iewes in Esdras time The Babylonians had no dealing with the Graecians Neither the Iewes till after the conquestes of Alexander the great who translated the Monarchie to the Graecians and so withâ—l
denouncing the finall determination of it But to stoppe this they say to whome that prerogatiue was graunted not of singular authoritie but for order sake Ergo he had héerein a prerogatiue and if a prerogatiue then it was aboue all the residue and if aboue all the residue then was it singular in him But not say they of singular authoritie If of any authoritie at all as they confessed before the Pastor hath authoritie then of singular authoritie else no prerogatiue Yea but say they that prerogatiue was graunted to him And I graunt that also for had it not beene graunted him it had not beene authoritie but vsurpation and therefore the graunt confirmes the authoritie Yea but say they it was graunted but for orders sake All the better say I that it is for orders sake and euen therefore and go no further for all the Pastors to be equall in authoritie is to bring all Synodes and Counselles and all cases and controuersies arising in them or to be determined by them both in matter of Doctrine and in the regiment of the Church into all disorder and confusion which our Brethren beginning now a little better to perceyue and to yeeld yet somewhat at least heereunto they are driuen at length to confesse and say And this place doth admonish vs to intreate somewhat of the preeminence of one Elder or Pastor aboue the rest We confesse that in euery assemblie or companie some one of necessitie must haue this prerogatiue to order and dispose the same with reason or else great confusion is like to follow But this gouernment is onely of order and not of authoritie as to propound matters to be decided to gather the reasons and consent of the rest and so to conclude c. as we see in this place Iames did of whome also we reade that he had this preeminence Actes 21.18 c. and we may gather the same Galath 2.9.12 not that Iames had greater authority in his Apostleship than Peter or Paule or Iohn or any other of the Apostles but bycause hee was chosen of the rest to haue prerogatiue of order which some one must haue in euery assemblie and such was the prerogatiue at the fyrst which was graunted sometime to the Byshop of Rome and sometime to some other Byshops to be President or Prolocutor in the generall Counselles beeing chosen thereto for the tyme by consent of the rest as the Prolocutor is chosen in our Conuocations that are called with Parliaments Therefore as it were an absurd thing for our Prolocutor in our Conuocation to take vpon him to be a controller of the whole Synode and to challenge that office to him and to his heyres for euer so vnreasonable is the authoritie that the Pope claymeth ouer generall Counselles One therefore is to be chosen by consent to be as it were the Prolocutor or moderator of order but not authoritie in euerie assemblie whose prerogatiue must so be tempered that in all things tyrannie be auoyded which we see by experience easily creepeth in vppon prowde natures to whome if you graunt an inch they will be readie to take an ell according to the prouerbe Concerning the preeminence of one Elder or Pastor aboue the rest we haue sufficiently séene alreadie at large the proofe thereof against the prooues that our Bréethren haue before alleaged for Pastors to haue no superioritie ouer theyr fellow Pastors but be all of equall dignitienitie and authoritie Pag. 23. c. Yet héeâ—e now at length in theyr treatise of the Synode they say this place meaning Actes 15. doth admonish them to intreate somewhat of one Elder or Pastor aboue the rest Thanks bée to God that they will yet acknowledge be it but this place onely to admonish them of it And yet if they search the Scripture somewhat further they shall fynde moe places than this to admonish them of this preeminence if they wyll take admonishment by them as not onely that which theyr selues haue héere noted in Peter and Iohn besydes Iames Galath 2. but also in the authoritie aboue other Pastors that Sainct Paule giueth to Timothy and to Titus and Sainct Iohn to the Angells of the seauen Asian Churches But to leaue these and other places béeing before touched since now they are content to take admonition onely of this place Actes 15. to intreate as they tearme it somewhat of the preeminence of one Elder or Pastor aboue the rest let vs heare what this somewhat amounteth vnto We confesse say they that in euerie assemblie or companie some one of necessitie must haue thys prerogatiue to order and dispose the same with reason or else great confusion is lyke to follow This is a good confession and a prettie somewhat to begin withall fyrst that among all the other assembled a prerogatiue aboue the rest belongeth not to some many or to some few but allonely to some one Secondly that this prerogatiue of some one aboue the rest is not to be in some assemblyes as in the assemblies of Synodes and Counsels onely but in euery assemblie or companie Thirdly that it is not voluntarie in euerie assemblie or companie neyther yet of decencie or conueniencie onely but it must be so and that of playne necessitie Fourthly that this preeminence and prerogatiue of some one in euery assemblie or companie stretcheth not onely to declare to moue to persuade to examine to discusse and to determine but also to order and dispose the assemblie or companie that is not only to set them in their places but to direct and appoynt vnto them how to demeane themselues in all their actions Yea but say they to order and dispose the same with reason God forbid else say I for it were vnreasonable to ouerrule in any thing against reason which were with more reason to be called disordering and dissoluing then ordering and disposing if without reason Well then say they all this must néedes be confessed or else great confusion is like to follow And is this then our Brethrens frée confession though in very good reason if they will confesse the truth they muâ—t of necessitie confesse no lesse though they will confesse no more and how then did they say before speaking of the name of Byshops that it is neuer vsed in the Scriptures for such Byshops as clayme and exercise dominion ouer whole regions and all the Pastors of the same but onely for those that be Pastors of euery seuerall Congregation hauing no superioritie ouer theyr fellow Pastors but bee all of equall dignitie and authoritie pag. 22 23. for to remitte the defence of theyr superioritie ouer whole regions to the prooues before alleaged how haue not our Brethren abused so many places in the Scripture as they cite héereto in this theyr Learned Discourse from the foresayde 23. page till the 29. concluding thus these testimonies of Scripture directlie condemne the authoritie of one Pastor aboue another
those thinges do appertaine onely to him and the generall Councell And here we beséech our Brethren confessing thus much against the pope as it becommeth good subiectes to their prince to aduise theÌ„selues withall of their former vnaduised spéeches pag. 9 10.84.85.117.1â—8.119 in which places besides their hard termes of Christian princes doe they not giue vnder the name of the Church her authoritie the knowing the hearing the examining the determining the iudging and the punishing of all matters and causes pertayning to discipline gouernment of the Church either to their pastors and teachers or to the Seignories of their gouernors And what differeth this from forbidding princes to meddle with reformation of Eccl. matters or to make lawes pertayning to causes of religion aunswering them that those thinges do appertayne only to them and to their consistories and to their particulaâ— Synodes or generall Councell But when he say they meaning the pope coÌ„meth to debate any thing with his Clergie theÌ„ all lawes and knowledge are inclosed in the closet of his breast And is this any more than to say not onely to the Prince but also to their owne consistorie gouernors of whom their Synodes consist as well as of themselues pag. 117. who should be able to knowe what order comlines aedification requireth according to Gods word but they that be teachers preachers of the same vnto all others For it is absurde that they should be taught by such in these small thinges as ought to learne the truth of in all matters This authoritie therfore can not be graunted vnto any ciuill Christian Magistrate that without consent of the learned Pastors and Elders yea against their consent of whom as in some respect he is a feeling member he may lawfully make ceremoniall constitutions whereby the Church must bee gouerned in meere Eccl. matters Sith therfore they turne al this against the Prince is not this as much as when they come to debate any thing with their Clergie Gouernors that theÌ„ all lawes knowledge is inclosed in the closet of their breasts both from the Prince and from their owne Clergie and Eccl. Gouernors Is not this as much as when they holde their generall Counsels or Prouinciall that all the authoritie must come from them For except they doe allow it it is nothing And how farre differs this froÌ„ the Popes conceit that they also are growen so wise that neither with counsell nor without the Councel they can erre or think amisse in Eccl matters Had they a generall Councell of all those that they call the faithfull ministers that composed this Learned discourse of Eccl. gouernment Well yet there is here some good hope that when our Brethr. shall haue better bethought theÌ„ of these things which they mislike in the Pope debarring the right interest of Christian Princes the verie vggly sight thereof will be as a glasse vnto theÌ„ to sée mislike their owne spéeches and doings in taking vpon them though not the verie same yet so like presumption and vsurpation especially so many and so little states as they are farre inferiour to the Pope and at the verie first péeping out of them yea before they are come to that they would haue thus to insult not onely on the Bishops and to come and set out lawes before themselues are called vnto such authoritie but also thus to blemish and deface the Christian Princes authoritie to abase and debarre it to examine and determine yea to encroch vpon the right and interest in these matters of all Christian Princes and of their owne most godly and gracious Soueraigne But since the sight of their own description of the Popes presumptioÌ„ vsurpation doth begin here to make them stoupe somwhat to the Princes supremacy let them now in good time likewise remember their own sayings pag. 77. 78. where speaking also of the Pope whose intollerable presumption say they as we haue long since banished out of this land so wee wish that no steppe of such pride and arrogancie might bee left behinde him namely that no Elder or Minister of the Churche marke these your owne wordes well good Brethren and turne them not so off against our Bishops that ye forget your selues should chalenge vnto himselfe or accept it if it were offered vnto him any other authoritie than that is allowed by the spirit of God but chiefely to beware that he vsurpe no authoritie which is forbidden by the word of God For wherefore do we detest the Pope and his vsurped supremacie but bycause he arrogateth the same vnto himselfe not onely without the warrant of Gods word but also cleane contrarie to the same Now if the same reasons and authorities that haue banished the Pope do serue to condemne all other vsurped authoritie that is practised in the Church why should not all such vsurped authoritie be banished as well as the Pope we can alleage against the Pope and rightly that which S. Iohn Baptist did aunswere to his disciples No man can take vnto himselfe any thing except it be giuen him from heauen Ioh. 3.27 and that saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes No man can take vpon him any honor in the Church of God but he that is called of God as was Aaron in somuch that Christ himselfe did not giue himselfe to be an high Priest but he that sayd vnto him Thou art my Sonne this day haue I begotten thee He sayth in another place Thou art a Priest for euer after the order of Melchizedech Now seeing these rules are so generall that the Sonne of God himselfe was not exempted from them but shewed foorth the decree wherin he was authorized by what rule can any man reteyne that authoritie in the Church of God that is not called therunto by the word of God All these words haue our Brethren alleaged triumphantly against the Bishops whose authoritie we haue séene to be throughly grounded on the word of God But for their Consistorie Gouernors to whome they giue such great authoritie we haue as yet after all this shuffling coniecturing pulling and haling of the Scripture of the auncient Fathers and of the old Churches practise to found it vpon we could not yet finde vpon better view therof so much as one good and substantiall proofe or authoritie for it or the example but of one such man And as for their Pastors if none be Pastors but such as are ordeyned after the forme by themselues set downe Pag. 125. saying this is the right election and ordeyning of Pastors grounded vpon the word of God when we come to search better in the word of God we finde not one Pastor so elected and ordeyned And as for their selues these faithfull Ministers none of them neyther that I can learne of were so elected and ordeyned and so they haue eyther no right calling nor authoritie at all but are méere intruders yea méere lay men or else that authoritie that they
them being Priestes also any of them called Bishop of those Seas or in any one of those places sauing only Ierusalem that had then 2. Bishops together in one Citie Which fell out vpon a straunge occasion is noted as a rare accident And yet in euery of those famous places they had many at least moe than one that were Pastorall Elders that preached ministred the Sacraments in the Bishops absence which againe plainly conuinceth that there was a great difference in the ordinary Gouernement of the Churches besides the extraordinarie gouernment of the Councels betwéene a Bishop and a Prieste or Elder In the one the Bishop being alwaies the Superiour in his particuler Diocese In the other some Bishop being chosen the Superiour or Praesident ouer the other Bishoppes in that prouinciall assembly And to shew this yet more playne and not only this but to measure this matter being but a matter of gouernment if it had beene diuerslye vsed in diuerse Churches and not vniuersally alike in all to declare by this matter héere in question how far foorth we ought and no furder at the furdest to striue against it without making schisme or diuision of the Churches peace and vnity Let vs sée the collections of Eusebius and Ierome about the trouble and pacification of this question for it fitlye serueth to our purpose But the Bishops of the coastes of Asia saith Eusebius lib. 5. cap 24. did rather confirm the custom deliuered them from their auncientes Amongst whome Polycrates which seemed to beare the Primacie among them writing to Victor Bishop of the church of Rome noteth in these wordes the manner of the auncient tradition continued euen to his owne time We therefore saith hee do celebrate the inuiolable day of Easter neyther adding nor diminishing any thing For the great lightes in Asia the chiefe and choise men are fallen asleepe whome the Lorde in his comming shall raise when hee shall come from heauen in glory when he shal call for all his Saintes Among whome is Philip the Euangelist which fell a-sleepe at Hierapolis and also his 2. daughters which waxed olde beeing virgines and another daughter of his replenished with the holy Ghoste which fell a-fleepe at Ephesus And Iohn also which leaned on the Lords brest who was the chiefe Sacerdotall Prieste and wore the pontificall or golden plate he alludeth as I take it vnto the High-Priest among the Iewes signifiing the chiefe dignity and estimation he had in Asia which was a Martyr a Doctor of the Church who also is fallen a-sleep or died at Ephesus Polycarpus also at Smirna both Bishop and Martyr and likewise Thraseas Bishop at Eumenia but by martyrdome he died at Smirna What shall I name Sagaren beeing no lesse a Prieste and Martyr which resteth in peace at Laodicea More-ouer Papirius and Macarius or rather Papirius the blessed and Melito but an Eunuche for the kingdome of God and filled with the holye Ghoste who heth in the Citie of Sardensias expecting the comming of the Lorde from heauen to rayse againe the dead Al these therfore obserued the Easterday on the 14. day of the Moneth according to the Gospell Dooing nothing at all otherwise without it but by all thinges and in all thinges following the rule of faith Yea and I Polycrates also the leaste amongest you all doe obserue it according to the tradition of my Fathers these onely whome I haue followed euen from the beginning For seuen of my Parentes haue beene Bishoppes by order and I the eight who haue also thus obserued this daie that it mighte agree with that daye wherein the people of the Iewes remooued the leauen Wherefore most deere brethren I am now in the name of the Lorde three-score and fiue yeares olde hauing also most full vnderstanding of manie Bishops through-out the worlde and intentiuely marking the Scriptures I will not be mooued by those thinges which are set out to make men afrayde sithe that mine-elders haue also sayde wee must obey GOD more than men And after a fewe wordes he setteth these vnder it concerning those Bishops that were present with him But I could also make mention of those Bishops that your selues desired I shoulde call foorth as also I haue doone Whose names if I should write it is too great a multitude Who all knowing my businesse haue confirmed those thinges that we write with their consent being perswaded that we haue not carried graye hayres to no purpose but haue beene alwayes conuersant in Christes discipline Thus wrote this reuerende Bishop of Ephesus against saith Ierome the Bishop of Rome about this matter but I followe Eusebius as hée is translated by Ruffinus In the which Epistle we may againe perceaue that the Bishop of Rome had no such superioritie ouer these Bishops as he nowe pretendeth Onely he in the name of his Church or of those Bishops that were likewise at Rome assembled ouer whome Victor was the President had requested this Bishop of Ephesus it being so great and famous a Sea aboue all the Bishoprikes of those partes of Asia the lesse to assemble and call for the Bishops of that prouince to debate and giue their iudgementes on this question And yet this argueth that not onely this Polycrates called such a great multitude from seuerall places o◠such onely as were Bishops in the same but also that as these Bishops were called from their owne Cities for the decision of this controuersie not onely there appeareth a difference betwéene a Bishop and the Priests or Pastorall Elders left at home to minister the worde and Sacraments but also an ordinarie superioritie of this Bishop of Ephesus ouer the other Bishops of that Prouince to call and assemble them togeather to a certaine place and to propounde this petition of the Italian Bishops vnto them or else that he vsurped it and encroched vpon them or else that the Bishop of Rome had some authoritie ouer him and all them to will him so to doe But sithe it is apparant that the Bishop of Romes authoritie was neuer no not when it was greatest there acknowledged it followeth that not onely Bishops were then Superiors vnto the ordinarie sorte of Pastorall Elders but that euen at that time there was an ordinarie superioritie in that and such other principall places ouer the ordinarie sort of Bishops also And no doubt he being the eight Bishop there and by the count of his age hauing liued within 40. yeares after Iohn the Euangelist and in the time of Policarpus whom he also mentioneth and all of them beeing so precise that they would not go one iote neither in adding too nor taking from the scripture no not in so much as the alteration of a day nor would varie in anye thing from their forefathers nor anie of their forefathers from the Scripture howe is it likely but that they tooke this order both for one Pastorall Elder in a Citie to be superior in
dignitie to his fellow Elders to whom this name Bishop should more properly belong yea and in that Citie the Bishop to haue a superioritie also ouer other Bishops to be the verie order of the Apostles and to be sufficiently testified by Saint Paules Epistle to Timothie the first Bishop there or else Polycrates would neuer haue taken these thinges vpon him nor he could euer euen for shame of all the worlde and the testimonie of his owne conscience haue auouched such precisenesse in his Epistle But sayth Eusebius Victor the Bishop of the Churche of Rome behauing himselfe more frowardly for these thinges goeth about to cutte off from the fellowship of the communion the Churches euerie where of all Asia and of the prouinces adioyning as though they declyned into Heresie and sendeth out letters wherein he separateth all without discretion from the Ecclesiasticall bonde of peace But all the Bishops liked not this but rather on the contrarie writing vnto him they commaunded him that he should doe those things that pertayned to peace and that he should studie for concorde and vnanimitie To conclude their letters also are extant in the which they rebuke Victor more sharplie as one that doth vnprofitablie regarde the benefite of the Churche For Irenaeus also with other Bishops of Fraunce ouer whome hee was chiefe doth in writing indeed confirme that the mysterie of the Lords resurrection should be celebrated on the Lordes day notwithstanding he reprooueth Victor that he had not doone well to cut off from the vnitie of the bodie so many and so great Churches of God who kept the custome deliuered to them of olde Neither onely sayth hee the controuersie is handled of the day of Easter but also of the forme of fasting For some thinke that the faste must be kept one day only some two dayes but other moe daies many also 40. dayes so that they make the day by reckoning the houres of the daye and of the night Which varietie of keeping the faste beganne not first nowe nor in our times but long before vs of those as I thinke who not holding simplie that which was deliuered in the beginning did fall afterwarde into an-other custome eyther by negligence or by lacke of knowledge And yet notwithstanding for all that all these yea though they differed amonge themselues in their obseruation haue alwayes beene and are at peace with vs. Neither hath the discorde of the faste broken the concorde of the Faith And after this he inserteth a certaine storie that for the fitnes therof ought not to be omitted To conclude saith he and all those priestes or Elders before Soter which helde the sacerdotall or sacred priesthood of the Church which you now gouerne I meane Anicetus Pius and Higinus and Telesphorus Sixtus neither did they thēselues hold it thus neither they that were about them And yet notwithstanding while they obserued it not they had peace alwaies with those Churches which kept this manner of obseruance yea euen when it seemed contrarie vnto them that other did not keepe it also in such like manner as they did Yet were they neuer repulsed from the societie of the Church or such as came from those coastes not receaued Yea rather all the Priests or Elders also that haue beene before you haue solemnely sent the Eucharist which vnder correction I take not héere in this age as manie do to be the mysteries of the holie communion it selfe but rather of an auncient custome of honour and courtesie to sende the bread and the wine as they say vnto them at their comming to the towne and the worde Eucharist may well beare it Comitas gratitudo or as Ierome calleth it gratiositas which we call thankefulnesse or courtesie to all the Priestes or Elders of other Churches not obseruing it as they did When the blessed Polycarpus came to the Citie of Rome vnder Anicetus when as they had some little iarre betweene them in manie other thinges and neuerthelesse ioyned themselues streightwaies togeather in peace they so handled the matter for this question that neither of them defended his opinion with anie obstinate contending for it For neither Anicetus could perswade Polycarpus that hee should not obserue those thinges which he had knowen that Iohn the Disciple of our Lord and the other Apostle with whome hee alwaies had beene did obserue neyther againe Polycarpus perswaded Anicetus to forsake those thinges which he sayde he had kept after the manner of his auncestors And while these thinges were thus betweene them they did communicate together Insomuch that Anicetus graunted to Polycarpus at the onelie contemplation of doing him honour to exercise the function of the sacerdotall ministerie And so in full faith and entire peace and stedfast charitie they parted a-sunder that all Churches whether they keepe the Easterday so or not so notwithstanding shoulde keepe concorde among them These thinges writeth Irenaeus performing the woorke that his name importeth to wit procuring peace to the Churches of God Neither onelie vnto Victor but also in like manner vnto diuerse Gouernours of Churches by his Epistles hee affirmeth that no dissention ought to arise in the Churches of God for this question Thus farre collected by Eusebius out of this auncient father Irenaeus All which verie fitlie serueth also vnto our question For if our question of the manner of the Churches gouernement be of necessitie we sée then howe wee should condemne all these holie Fathers manner of Ecclesiasticall Gouernement which was of one Priest or Pastorall Elder to haue an ordinarie superior gouernement and Iurisdiction ouer his fellowe ministers and the name Bishop to bee more peculier vnto him then to them For we manifestlie heereby doe sée that thus had they not onelie Victor Ierenaeus Polycrates and the Bishoppes of that age but they also that were before them both Anicetus Bishoppe of Rome with his predecessors euen vppe to the Apostles times and also Polycarpus Bishop of Smyrna that knewe Saint Iohn and some of the rest of the Apostles was conuersant with them marked their orders as héere Irenaeus noteth of this Policrates that he would not obserue anie other thing then that hee had marked to be approoued of them And therefore how-soeuer they differed in other thinges as in the obseruation of these Feastes and fasts yet neither of them differed in the superioritie of Eccl. gouernment from the orders which they had both of them receaued from the Apostles Saue that Victor began to abuse his authoritie too rigorously which not only Policrates with the Easterne Bishops being of contrarie opinion but Irenaeus and the Bishops of France also that were of Victors owne opinion doe vtterlie mislike and thus sharpely reproue in him disallow his censure For this superioritie of Victors clergie at Rome stretched not then either Eastward or westward ouer them They mislike therfore not his lawful auncient superioritie but his new insolent ouer-reaching the same So