require it for the better executing of their offices If this be not their meaning I cannot sée what better construction to make of their words And the verie examples which héere they finde also doo directlie confirme this sense For although in the one Act. 14.23 they tell vs that Paule and Barnabas ordeined elders by election Which example we shall afterwards God willing sée more fullie oftener then once discoursed yet neither followeth it that those presbyters preests oâ— elders must be vnderstood of a seniorie that are gouernors and not teachers to be elected or ordeined in euerie church and our brethren themselues before spoke onelie of an holie ministerie which words are vsuallie restrained vnto the diuine ministers of the word sacraments Neither followeth it that although the churches had elected them which cannot necessarilye be gathered on that text whome they knew fittest to be ordeined that therefore they had anye thing at all to doo in the ordeining or making of them For the text is plaine that Paule and Barnabas did ordeine them and not the churches with Paule and Barnabas did ordeine them As for their other example Tit. 1.5 dooth most apparantliâ— confirme the same and cleane ouerthroweth the ecclesiasticall gouernement that their selues desire For first what ecclesiasticall office Titâ—â— had the verie subscription of S. Paules epistle vnto him dooth declare To Titus the first elected bishop of the church of the Cretenses Which subscription what it inferreth we shall God willing haue further occasiâ—â— to note againe heereafter In the meane season it accordeth to our brethâ—rens saying that he had by S. Paules assignement for the executing of 〈◊〉 episcopall office the whole Ile and people of the Cretians as his prouince or region distributed and limitted vnto him And our brethren further confesse Also Paule left Titus in the I le of Creta that he should ordeine Elders in euerie citie as he had appointed And not onelie so but as appeareth by Saint Paules owne words For this cause left I thee in Creta that thou shouldest redresse the things that remaine and shouldest ordeine presbyters preests or Elders in euerie citie as I appointed thee What these Presbyters Preests or Elders were least we should vnderstand them to be Consistories of gouerning onelie and not teaching presbyters preests or elders He procéedeth saying If anie be vnreprooueable the husband of one wife hauing faithfull children which are not slandered of riot neither are disobedient For a Bishop must be vnreprooueable as Gods steward and so foorth as by the description of the properties there required dooth appeare especiallie the last that he may be able to exhort with wholesome doctrine and improoue them that gaine-saye it Whereby we may plainelie sée that he meaneth onelie the Bishops and Presbyters Preests or Elders of the worde Héere of these Bishops and Presbyters Preests or Elders S. Paule giueth to Titus the authoritie or iurisdiction to be their ordinarie or the ordeiner of them in their Episcopall and presbyterall office without anye mention at all of any others election of them besides himselfe to appoint and ordeine such as he should sée to be sufficientlie qualified for those offices And that he should thus doo in euerie citie in Creta which Iland at that time had many and famous Cities To conclude he giueth him charge and so withall authoritie that hee should there continue to redresse those things that were remaining to be doone Which what things they were some orders perhaps of ecclesiasticall gouernement méete for their state yet bicause they are not specified no prescribed order of this or that ecclesiasticall gouernement can be inferred on those generall words Neuerthelesse they prooue that he had authoritie and that a continuing authoritie to redresse such ecclesiasticall matters as were amisse or not yet established among them So that héere is a manifest iurisdiction Episcopall yea Archi-episcopall not onelie ouer Pastors and Teachers being elders in euerie particuler church but also ouer Bishops hauing authoritie ouer whole cities Titus being aboue them all through-out yâ— who le I le as a Regionall or Prouinciall Bishop which we vsuallie call by the auncient terme Metropolitane or Archbishop And all this dooth héere by the waie before we come to the proper treaâ—isâ— thereof their owne example which they haue héere found out moste â—â—â—â—festlie prooue directlie against the ecclesiasticall gouernement that they seeke for From these places our brethren returne vnto the testimonies that they cited before prefixing one moe Rom. 12. vnto them Concerning the diuerse offices of the ministerie we are taught by Saint Paule Rom. 12.6 also 1. Cor. 12.28 and Ephes. 4.11 Where we reade that God hath ordeined in the ministerie of his Church thâ—se seuerall offices namelie Apostles Euangelists Prophets Pastors Doctors Gouernors and Deacons also men indued with the giftes of healing of powers or miracles and of diuerse toongs Concerning the diuers offices of the ministerie our brethren searched before but they could finde nothing for their desired Ecclesiasticall gouernement And yet heere the places which before were onelye cited in the margine are now ascited and promoted into the Learned discourse it selfe belike on hope of some better matter Howbeit they saye nothing They doo héere but muster on a plumpe come foorth for a shewe and so passe by in a confused order and not in their places as the Apostle setteth them downe And a number are left out that are also mentioneâ— in these chapters héere cited euen almoste as manye as bee héere nameâ— For besides these the Apostle Rom. 12. verse 6. reckoneth vp diuerse other giftes Seeing then saith hee that wee haue giftes which are diuerse according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue prophecie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith or an office let vs waire on the office or he that teacheth on teaching or he that exhorteth on exhortation be that distributeth let him doo it with simplicitie he that ruleth with diligence he thâ—â— sheweth mercie with cheerefulnesse Héere are seauen giftes by the Apostle mentioned And 1. Cor. 12. beginning at the eight verse he saith Now there are diuersities of giftes but the same spirite and there are diuersities of administrations but the same Lord and there are diuersities of operations but GOD is the same which worketh all in all But the manifestation of the spirite is giuen to euerie man to profite with-all for to one is giuen by the spirite the worde of wisedome and to another the worde of knowledge by the same spiritâ— and to another is giuen faithe by the same spirite and to another the giftes of healing by the same spirite and to another the operation of grâ—â—â— workes and to another prophesie and to another the discerning of spirites and to another diuersities of toonges and vnto another the interpretation of toongs Héere againe are nine giftes reckoned vp of the which eight were not before Rom.
said to bee perfecte in al her Regiment meaning that Regiment which was fittest for the state of her affâ—iction and trauelles then bicause she had such extraordiâ—â—ry helpes But this is no diminishing of that perfection if it may so be called that is requisite to the ordinary regiment of the Church vnder the Supreame Gouernment of Christian princes albeit the offices and giftes of Apostles Euangelists Prophets c. are ceased nor to be expected nor reuoked Nowe then as the proposition admitting there were no christian princes is not true in affirming that the church of God was perfecte in all her regiment before there was any Christian prince vnlesse wee vnderstand that perfection of all her Regiment which was appropriate to her by the extra-ordinary prerogatiue of that particuler age and peculier state thereof not extending it to all her ordinary Regiment that shoulde perpetuallie continue So is this proposition likewise moste vntrue in this other parte that there was not any christian prince then Albeit this also be no good argument there were no christian princes then Or they were not reckoned among the Gouernours of the church then therefore they are not to be reckoned among the gouernours of the Church nowe Neyther this argument The Apostle Rom. 12.1 Cor 12. and Ephes. 4. reckoneth vp onely in the church these 4. Pastors Teachers Gouernours and Deacons as the perpetual offices by whiche the Church of God may according to his worde be directed in all matters which are commonly called Ecclesiastical therefore Christian princes as not mentioned haue not to deale in the regiment of the same Which kinde of argumentes I am the sorier that these our Brethren in the earnestnesse of their zeale should vse bicause as Gellius Snecanus Phrysius noteth from whome our Brethren séeme to take manye thinges in this their Learned discourse all these reasons that our Brethren heere vse are the very plaine reasons of the Anabaptistes against christiaÌ„ Magistrates Whose heresie sith our Brethren do vtterly detest I would haue them vtterly detest in any case not to vse their reasons whichis nothing but to bolden strengthen the Heritikes to breed suspition to theÌ„selues Snecanus de Magistratu pag. 637. alleadgeth the Anabaptistes obiection saying Hucque trahunt quod Ephes. 4. c. And to this they drawe that Ephes. 4. the office of a Magistrate is not to be reckoned vp among the functions of the church Whereunto he aunswereth in the nexte page Quòd autem Ephes. 4. But as for that Ephesians 4. S. Paule doth not mention the office of a Magistrate that is to bee supplyed out of other places to witte Rom. 12. 1. Corinth 12. Whereas Rulings and gouernmentes are reckoned vp among the giftes of the church and kinds of vocations as is aboue declared Otherwise many things ordeyned in the church to edification should be condemned Yea euen as the Apostle Rom. 13. properlie treating of the ciuill Magistrates mentioneth not the Bishops so it is no maruell that Paule heere passeth ouer the meÌ„tion of the Magistrate Namelye when heere hee reckoneth not vp the kinds of al offices but specially and properly the functions onelie of the Ministers of the word Whereby not onely we see that this argument is the very argument of the Anabaptistes and therefore not to be vsed of our Bretheren but also that those places Romaines 12. 1. Cor. 12. cited also by these our Brethren where-as they vnderstande the woordes of the Apostle Rulers and Gouernours onely for their supposed Seniors and thirde sorte of Tetrarks those wordes are as-well to bee vnderstoode of Christian Magistrates Yea if those wordes of Rulers and Gouernours shoulde not bee so vnderstoode to witte for Christian Magistrates many thinges ordeyned in the church to aedification shoulde be condemned those wordes therefore being thus vnderstood both such ordinaunces in the Church ordeined by Christian Magistrats are not to be condemned and Christian Magistrates haue power to ordaine suche things And the argument that our brethren héere vse that thâ—re were nâ— Christian Princes at that time is also conâ—uted But this is handled by Gellius more at large pag. 555. To this purpose saith he serueth the likenesse and conueniencie of the Ciuill Magistrate and the Ecclesiasticall Ministery which fighte not one with the other but from the beginning haue alwayes beene most neerely ioyned together although the proprieties of them both in the Church are distinguished Euen as it is manifest by the example of Moyses and Aâ—ron This order was distinctly obserued in the Church of GOD in the time of godly King Iosaphat 2. Chron. 19. Which thing of all other is most euidentlie declared in the new Testament Mat. 22. Where Christe saith Giue vnto Caesar that that is Caesars and to God that that is Gods Where-upon it is manifest that God is no lesse the authour of the order of Magistracy among the faithfull Rom. 13. then hee is of the order of the Churches offices Ephes. 4. ver 11. These things dotâ— Paule most effectually confirme while Rom. 12. ver 8. and 1. Cor. 12. v. 28. he reckoneth vp Rules and Gouernments among the giftes of the Church and among the offices thereof For the proprietie of the wordes which the holy Ghoste both in the Greeke and in the Latine tongue doth vse not only signifieth especially the censure of the Eldershippe but may be also generally stretched to the Rulings and Gouernements of all offices as it is manifest by the declaration conference of the Scripture For besides the former places Rom. 12. v. 8. 1. Cor. 12. v. 28. The name of gouernment Pro. 11 v. 14. is giuen to counsellours Act. 27. v. 11 and Apocal. 18. v. 17. it is referred vnto Ship-maisters Lyâ—â—wise also the name of Ruling is applied in the firste Epistle to Timoth. the 3. chapter the 4. and 5. verses to the administration and discipline that is domesticall And to these fore-cited places commeth that which Paule Rom. 13. v. 1.4 and Tit. 3. ver 1. doeth expresse in the same wordes as-well in the Greeke as in the Latine tongue the ciuill power and reuengement of the Magistrate against vnrighteous men and malefactors against whome the Lawe is made 1. Tim. 1. v 9.10 and the spirituall power and reuengement giuen of the Lorde to the Apostles for the edification of the church against all contumacie 2. Cor. 10. v. 6.8 and the thirtienth chapter the tenth verse For in both places he vseth these woordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 insinuating by these selfe same woordes that the distincte proprietie of power and power and reuengement both wherby the Magistrate taketh vengeaunce of the contemner of the Lawes and wherebye the Churche hath yet in a readines reuengement and power against all contumacy is of God and to be reckoned among the offices of the Church Sithe that therefore the ordinaunce of the Ciuill power and of reuengement
and the matter and the endes thereof are no lesse of God then the spirituall power and reuengement of the Ecclesiasticall ministerye sithe these two distincte functions haue alwayes beene ioyned together in the Church and the holy Ghost reckoning vp rulings and gouernements among the giftes and functions of the Church doth generally comprehende all kindes of offices yea doeth rather expresse both the Ciuill and the Ecclesiasticall power and reuengement by the selfe-same meanes With what rashnesse would the aduersaries excâ—ude that from the Church except they will take this away withall Besides this not onely the Scripture calleth the distinct Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall function by the selfe same names by reason of the coniunction and vse of them both in the Church but also calleth the ministers of them both Guides and Praesidentes This is manifest by the conference of the Testimonies Mat. 27. ver 2. Act. 23. ver 26. Hebr. 13. ver 7. and 17. 1. Pet. 2. ver 14. for in these places the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is commonly attributed as-well to the Ciuill Magistrate as to the Ministers of the worde To conclude when Paule 1. Cor. 12. v. 10.28 29 And 2. Cor. 10. v. 5. 6. doth reckon vp powers and reuengement against all contumacie lifting vp it selfe against God wherewith Peter strake down Ananias and Sapphira Act. 5. and Paule strake blinde Elymas the Sorcerer among the giftes and powers of the Church who woulde exclude the powers of the Magistracie ordeyned of God for the punishment of euil-doers from his Church Either of the powers is of God aswell this ordinary of the Magistrate as that extra-ordinary you see the reuengement of the wicked to be both waies approued of God although the properties of the offices the forme of the reuenging are distinguished It is not to the purpose whether ye kil with sworde or with worde as saith Lactantius there is no difference in the very substance of the reuengement the end of either power is al one to wit the glory of God shyning in the righteous punishment of the euil Yea rather since that teÌ„porary power of punishing the obstinat hath ceased after that kings are now made the nourishers champions of the Church Therfore the church of Christ hath so much more need of this ordinary power reuengement of the Magistrate wherby the good may be defended the euil punished Lo Christian Reader the scripture teacheth that the Ciuill power hath alwayes beene ioyned with the ministery of the word in the Church Thus saith Gellius Snecanus one of the principal writers at this day of these our brethren the Learned Discoursers side Wherein we sée how our brethren runne vpon the same flats that the Anabaptistes do Grounding themselues against the Princes supreame authority in Ecclesiasticall matters on the very selfe-same reasons that those Heritikes doe And the very same reasons whereby Gellius confuteth the Anabaptistes doe also directly confute these Learned discoursers The Anabaptistes say these words Gouernours and Rulers Rom. 12. and 1. Cor. 12. are to be vnderstoode onely of Ecclesiasticall Gouernours and Rulers and doe not our Learned discoursers auouche the same But Gellius héere verie exactly doth confute it The Anabaptistes say that in Christes and in the Apostles time there was no Christian Magistrate as Gellius setteth down their obiection pag. 568. and what doth this differ from this assertion of these our Learned discoursers The Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was anie Christian Prince I doe not speake this as though these our Learned discoursers did sauour of Anabaptistry or fauour Anabaptistry wittinglie God forbid Howbeit in a heate zeale inconsideratlie they runne vpon these quick sands But Ictus Piscator sapir Gellius who sawe the state endaungered when this old supposed and new deuised Seniorie was set vp and that the Anabaptistes vsed these arguments against the Christian Magistrates was driuen not onely to wring these weapons out of their handes but to breake them in peeces as naughtie argumentes And will our brethren now take vp the broken shyuers and fight with them to put backe the treatise of the Christian Princes Gouernment Let Gellius therefore come foorth and plainely tell them that this is no plaine reason to proue their matter by but both a friuolous and intrue assertion that the Church of God was perfect in all her Regiment before there was any Christian Prince No no brethren saith Gellius it is nothing so your saying is not agree-able to good order of teaching The Scripture teacheth that the Ciuill power hath alwayes beene ioyned with the Ministerie of the worde in the church If it were alwayes ioyned it was ioyned euen then when our brethren auouche it was not onely disioyned but that the one was perfecte when the other was not at all But because this Gellius a Phrysian in the Lowe Countries is one of the chiefest writers of our brethrens side in those reformed Churches of whome our Discoursers willed vs before to embrace that moste bewtifull order of Ecclesiasticall Regiment which God so manifestlie doth blesse and prosper in our neighbours handes and heere they remember vs againe that the Church of God doth stande at this day in moste blessed estate where the Ciuil Magist. are not the greatest fauorers it is good therefore that our brethren should see both howe they are troubled with Anabaptistes among these our neighbours where this order of Ecclesiasticall Regiment so much extolled by our brethren is set vp And to see the iudgementes of our brethrens best fauorites and most experienced in these matters how cleane contrary it is to these our learned but not experienced discoursers iudgements Whereby our learned brethren may learne not onely to make better reasons but much better and with more reason to waxe wiser héerein with this Gellius and rather vse their reasons to beat downe the Anabaptistes then to vse such as the Anabaptistes vse to beat back the christian Princes And good brethren marke the reasons of this Gellius well and ye shall finde them fully to aunswere your reasons in this matter Gellius still procéeding against the Anabaptistes beateth especially on these points that the Churche and the faithe of the olde and new Testament is but one and the same pag. 559. That there is one and the same doctrine of both the couenaunts aswell concerning the article of Magistrates and controuersie of punishing the euill or vse of the sworde as concerning the morall workes of Gods Lawe pag. 560. Whereupon hee discourseth by particuler collations of the olde and new Testament how not onlie God in them both is shewed to be the authour of the Magistrate but how the like thinges are required of the Magistrate in both estates howe both Testamentes direct the Magistrate to one ende howe both Testaments giue Magistrates like authority in punishment how all manner of persons aswell Ecclesiasticall as Ciuill were and are subiecte
farre therevnto So that the ordeyning of Timothie sheweth not by the Eldership that the rule is false but that the rule is true which coÌ„cerning this matter that is the ordeyning of Elders by the laying on of handes doth attribute it to the Apostles Sithe nowe none of all these fetches will serue haue we any more shiftes left to helpe the matter Againe for as much as election is the chiefe grounde of Church offices which dependeth of the voyces of the whole companie and not of the laying on of hands which made not Bishops but sent theÌ„ into their possession after they had made them we may more truely affirme with the Apostle that the holie Ghoste by the voyces of the children themselues made the Fathers and not the Bishops Here is yet one or two deuises more together And first sithe the ordeining of Bishops and Pastors of the Church is so manifest a prerogatiue of the Bishops to eleuate the same and to withdrawe vs from it to the election of them which he calleth the chiefe grounde of Church offices I can not tell what he may gather ofthese wordes the chiefe grounde but I take not election to be the chiefe point to proue the prerogatiue of superiour dignitie and authoritie For as there is a difference betwéene these two as is confessed alâ—eadie by Caluine so though the election procéede from other groundes as from the causes why the partie is to be elected and so tende more to his commendation that is elected or their profite for whose sake he is elected yet is the ordeyning and giuing him the office that he is elected vnto manie times both the greater dignitie and authoritie to the giuer and the surer state vnto the taker Although no certaine rule can bee made heereof For manie a meane man may giue possession of a thing who not-withstanding hath not the gifte thereof nor anie voyce in electing him thereto And againe manie a one may giue a voice in the election which hath not yet so great dignitie and authoritie as solemnely to inuest the partie elected in the office and possession of the same For if election as héere is sayde dependeth on the voyces of the whole companie as when the people had the election of their Bishoppe and it was sayde Qui praefecturus est omnibus ab omnibus eligatur Hee that must rule all must be elected of all shall wee nowe saye that euerie one among the people that had a voice in election of the Bishop had a superiour or had but an equall dignitie and authoritie with him that consecrated and ordeyned him Bishoppe And is the action of consecrating and ordeyning by laying on of handes being indéede an higher action than giuing a voice in the election yea than is the whole election so farre debased vnder election and election so aduaunced ouer it that it is héerâ— sayde it made not Bishops but sent them into their possession after they had made them meaning the people that elected them And is the electing then to be a B. the making of a Bishop And is the ordaining of a B and the laying on of handes vpon him the solemne action which the Apostles vsed wherof Paul gaue such a charge prerogatiue to Tim. to Titus but the sending them into their possession which other had giuen them And did not the Apostles nor Titus nor Timothie but the people make them Did the people then make Bishops And had the Apostles lesse authoritie in making Bishops than had the people And what meane these spéeches that the election dependeth on the voyces of the whole coÌ„panie What is héere meant by the company Are not the people of the companie as well as the Clergie And must it néedes be the whole coÌ„panie May not maior pars or senior or sanior the greater the senior the sounder part serue but that it must depende on the voices of the whole companie or else it is no election indéed election dependeth not vpon the laying on of handes but rather the laying on of handes vpon election But yet is not this true that is here sayd The laying on of handes which made not Bishops but sent them in to their possession after they had made them For of the twaine rather the laying on of handes doth make them and not sende them but set them in the possession of their office by making of them officers Whereas the election whosoeuer elected them did but electe or chose them before to be afterwards made by laying the hands vpon theÌ„ But now be the election of neuer so manie and of the whole companie may there not bee suche a difference also of superiour dignitie and authoritie euen in the electors that perhaps a fewe yea some one may carrie a greater stroke than manie among them or than all the residue and haue as they saye a voyce negatiue to counterpeyse all their voyces affirmatiue When Paule had Titus to ordaine or make Priestes or Elders in euerie Citie in Creta Hee seemeth sayth Caluine thereupon to permitte too much vnto Titus while he biddes him make ministers ouer all the Churches For this should be in a manner a regall power And furthemore by this meanes the right of electing is taken away from euerie Church and the iudgement from the colledge of the Pastors But this had beene to prophane all the holy administration of the Church But the aunswere is easie It is not permitted vnto the will of Titus that he alone might do all things put into the Churcher what Bishops it pleased him but onely that he should gouerne the elections as a Moderator according as it is necessarie This kinde of speeche is common inough So the Consull or the Regent in the time of vacancie or the Dictator is sayde to create Consulles For that hee helde the sessions or meetinges in which they were to be chosen So also speaketh Luke of Paul and Barnabas in the Act. 14.13 not that they onelie as at their commaundement set Pastors ouer the Churches neither allowed nor knowe 〈◊〉 â—â—cause they ordeyned fit men which were chosen or desired of the people We earne indeede of this place that there was not theÌ„ such equality among the ministers of the Church but that some one man was aboue them in authoritie and in Counsell but this was nothing to that tyrannicall and prophane custome of collations which reigneth in the Popedome For the manner of the Apostles was farre different Whereby it is apparant that there was not suche equalitie in the minisâ—erie in the Apostles dayes and in the primitiue Church as is pretended but that as some one was the principall doer in the making and consecrating of the Pastors and Fathers of the Church so also some one was the principall gouernour euen in the election Which though he vsed no tyrannie force selfe-will nor absolute power therein as the Pope
attempted to take vpon him Of which contention very many Epistles among the Epistles of S. Gregory lib. 5.6.7 are extant At the length vnder Phocas the Romayne obteyned this Title of the vniuersall Bishop Which title by little and little the bishops of this sea began more to abuse vntil vpon occasion first by the diuision of the Empire vnder Charles the greate afterwards by the discordes of Princes and nations whereby they brake the power of the Emperor of the West and of other kings They haue lift vp themselues into that Anti-Christian power whereof now they vaunt hauing firste oppressed the power of the Bishops and then also of the kings and Emperoures Thus therefore hath Sathan ouerthrowne all the healthfull obedience gouernment of the clerical order For the Romaine Antichriste hath taken an immediate Empire vnto himselfe ouer all the Cleargy and also ouer the Laity hath dissolued the custody of the Bishops when they were good and their care towards those that were commended to their truste But because it is altogether necessary that euery of the Clerkes should haue their proper keepers and carers for them the power and authority as of Bishops so also of Archdeacons and of all other by what meanes soeuer they be esteemed vnto whome any portion of keeping and gouerning the Cleargie is committed is to be restoared and also their vigilancy and heedfull regarde or correction leaste any should bee at all in this order 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnkept Thus farre Bucer not onelye faithfully reciting but also praysing the custome of the auncient church in diuers orders of Ecclesiastical functions to be ordeined of the which we haue before spoken Moreouer I ought also to haue had consideration of those churches which although they haue embraced the Gospel notwithwanding both in matter and in name they haue retayned their Bishops and Archbish. Besides that in the Churches also of the Protestants there want not in very deede Bishops and Archbishops whome hauing chaunged their good Greeke names into euill Latine names they call Superindentes and generall Superindentes but where also they neither obteine these old good Greeke names neither these newe euill Latine names euen there notwithstanding some principals or chiefe are wont to bee vnto whome almost al the authority doth belong Poynting out as it should séeme to Geneua c. The controuersie therefore should haue beene of names but whenas we agree cōcerning the matters what do we brawle concerning the names In the meane season euen as I haue not dissallowed the Fathers in that matter whereuppon the quaestion is so can I not but loue our mens zeale Who haue therefore hated the names bicause they feare least with the names the olde ambition also and the tyrannye with the ruine and desolation of the Churches might be called againe Thus reuerently writeth Zanchius of these Ecclesiasticall orders of this superiority of Bishops and Arch-bishops yea and of the Patriarkes also before the pride and tiranny of Antichriste came and that it came not by these orders and dignities but by the ambitious breaking and violating of them and he neither disalloweth but highly commendeth these Fathers and these orders and dignities as good and necessary and nothing preiudiciall to the word of God nor condemneth the zeale of these our brethren though he shewe withall that albeit they shunne and hate the name of Bishop and Archbishop yet they haue the matter and retain still such principall or chiefe ministers among them to whom almost all the authority doth belong Now as hee hath thus at large defended and confirmed his 10. 11. Aphorismes so comming to the 12. he proceedeth against the ambition tyrannie of the Pope to shew that none of al these orders and dignities no not of the Patriarkes were any occasion therunto saying For neither Christe ordeyned such an head neither the auncient Fathers would admit it bicause it was not expedient for the Churche But they were contented with 4. Patriarks the Romain the Cōstantinopolitane the Alexandrine and the Antiochien who all of them should be of equall authority and power and ech one should bee content with his owne bowndes euen as it was defyned in the Nicene Councell confirmed in others and that not without great waighty causes Of the which this in my iudgement is not the laste to wit leaste the dores should be opened vnto tyrannie in the Church but rather that if one should dare to attempt any thing contrarye to the sownde doctrine of Christ and contrary to the liberty of the Church The other Arch-bish being of no lesse authority with their bishops might oppose themselues and dawnt his boldnes breake his tyrannie The Church in respecte of Christe is a kingdome In respect of men that are in the same eyther do rule or be ruled it is a gouernment of the best persons This is Zanchius graue iudgement euen of these Patriarkes that if they had beene kept as they ought to haue béene and according to the good purpose of their institution they were so litle occasiōs to any popish pride or tyranny that they were the most especiall suppression of it and of al errors and factions in the Church and that it impeacheth nothing Christes kingdome And what hath Zanchius said héerein saue for the bare title of Hierarchie that Caluine himselfe doth not anow who saith Institut Chr. cap. 8. de Fide Sect. 54. But that al the particular Prouinces had one Arch-bishop among the Bishops and that in the Nicene Councell Patriarks were ordeyned that in order and dignity should be superiour to the Arch-bishop that thing appertayned to the conseruation of discipline Albeit in this disputation it can not be ouerpassed that these degrees therefore were chieflye instituted for this cause that if any thing should happen in any Church which coulde not be well dispatched of a few it should bee referred to a prouinciall Synode If the greatnesse and difficulty of the cause required also a greater discussing that Patriarkes were adhibited together with the Sinodes from the which there should be no appeale but a generall Councell The gouernment being thus constituted some called it an Hierarchie an holy gouernment or sacred principalitye by a name as seemeth to mee vnproper verily vnused in the Scriptures For the holy Ghost would take heede least any should dreame of principaiity or Domination when as the gouernment of the Church is treated vpon Howbeit if omitting the name we shall looke into the matter we shall find that the old Bishops would not faigneanother forme of gouerning the Church different from that which the Lord by his word prescribed Thus also doth Caluine his selfe confesse besides that which he before cōfessed And what shoulde wee then as Zanchius saide brawle about the name the matter whereof is thus of al these so excellent learneed men both the auncient Fathers and also the late or yet lyving moste
scriptures which are able to make thee skilfull concerning the saluation by the fayth which is in Christe Iesu. The whole scripture inspired from God is profitable to Doctrine to reprehension to correction to institution which is in righteousnesse that the man of God may bee perfect being perfectly enstructed to euery good worke 2. Tim. 3. And this wee confesse against the aduersaries of the scripture and with our Brethren that the diuine and Canonicall scripture as the onely rule that conteineth all thinges perfectly concerning fayth and the saluation which is in Iesus Christ to make the man of God perfect vnto all good workes but that the holy scripture is the onely rule whereby the Churche of God ought to bee gouerned vnderstanding by these wordes that the scripture hath set downe a perpetuall and generall rule of all the onely order of the Churches forme of externall gouernment as well as it hath of faith and of the morall part of mans actions and conuersation if we search the scrpture neuer so much neitheir we nor our brethrē shal euer find it For the church of God may safely admit according to the diuersities of the states thereof diuers formes and orders whereby it may be gouerned So that nothing be withall admitted preiudiciall to the Law to the Gospel that is to say neither against faith nor good manners as S. Austen termeth it Neither is all the Gouernment of the Church in the gouernment or authority of the pastor Bishop or Elder For the Christian Prince and ciuill Magistrate hath a gouernment of the Churche of God also and there be diuers approoued formes whereby princes and Magistrates gouerne the Church of God in the diuers parts and states thereof besides the ecclesiasticall gouernment of pastors And as for that heere our Brethren say the pastor Bishop or Elder hath no authority by himself separated from other These spéeches are spoken ambiguously It is true in one sense that neither pastor nor yet Bishop for I distinguish these tearmes that here are confusedly clapped together hath any authority by him selfe separated from other in the regiment of the Church but that he hath the same in common with all other in the church that bée of his calling and not like a pope as an A-per-se as though none other shoulde haue it but hee onely and all other from him Neither hath any pastor or Bishop or Elder any such authority by himselfe that can properly be sayd to be seperated from other For if it be seperated from other thē it hath no gouernment of thē nor dealing with thē Yea we graunt that whatsoeuer authority and Pastor or B. or elder hath it is the Churches authority because it is giuen vnto them that are the partes and members of the whole Church and to the Churches vse and profite As S. Paule sheweth Ephes. 4.11 c. Hee therefore gaue some to be Apostles other prophets other Euangelistes other pastors and Doctors to the growing together of the saints to the worke of the Ministery to the edification of the body of Christe And the Apostle 1. Cor. 12. after he hath shewed how the spirite of God giueth seperately his spirituall giftes saying vers 11. But all these worketh one and the self same spirite distributing priuately euen as hee will he addeth for as the body is one and hath many members but all the members of one body whē as they are many are one body so also Christe For by one spirite we are al baptised into one body whether Iewes or Grecians whether seruants or free and all haue drunke one drinke into one spirite For the body is not one member but many If the foote say I am not the hande I am not of the body is it therefore not of the body and if the eare saie I am not the eye I am not of the body is it therfore not of the body If the whole body were an eye where were the hearing If the whole were hearing where were the smelling But nowe hath God placed the members euery one separately in the body euen as he would But if all were one member where were the body but nowe there are many members and yet but one body Thus doth S. Paule reason from the resemblance and proportion of the naturall body and the regiment thereof to the misticall So that although what gift facultie power or gouernment soeuer they haue it is not so seperated from other by themselues that it hath no Community with the other nor is pertaining to them For it pertaineth to the whole in common as we say also in the schooles of the soule or life of man anima est tota in toto in qualibet parte The soule or life is whole in the whole body and in euery part But yet euery faculty and power of the soule and life is not in the whole body nor in euery part therof but in the member onely that is the proper organe to the same And so hath euery Bishop or pastorall Elder some authority by him-selfe in the regiment gouernment of the Church so separated from other that other which haue not the same office haue not the same authority So that the community in respect of the benefite barres not the separation in respect of the exercise of the authority and therefore faith S. Paule 1. Cor. 12.27 You are all of the body of Christe and members in part And some hath God ordeined in the Church first Apostles thē Prophetes thirdly Doctors then powers then the giftes of healing helpings gouernmentes kindes of tongues Are all Apostles are all prophets are all Doctors are all powers haue all the giftes of healing Doe all speake with tongs doe all interpret So that as in the first and second degrées heere mencioned the Apostles and Prophets had some power and authoritie in the regiment and gouernance of the Church by themselues separated from other so may we safelie conclude of the Doctors heere mencioned also by which name our Brethren doe here comprehend both Bishops and Pastors that they had some power and authoritie of regiment and gouernaunce in the Church by themselues separated from other in lyke manner And this manifestlie appeareth in their practise The Apostle Saint Paule by his Apostolicall authoritie in the Ecclesiasticall regiment and gouernance of the Church setteth downe in diuerse places diuerse rules some temporarie some perpetuall concerning orders rites and ceremonies of the Churches without anie ioynture of those Churches authorities to whom he inioyned them Yea without so much as asking anie counsel of them or deliberating with them And 1. Cor. 11.34 he saith in generall other things well I set in order when I come Hee saith not you and I together in ioynt authoritie and yet no doubt he had the ioynt consent compromitted to him before and declared after of all good men in al those ordinances that he had made or should make amongest
example of goodnesse or humilitie but with all his indeuour onely seeking honours promiseth him-â—elfe witte and wisedome to springe out of his power Whereupon that of Demosthenes is true to atchiue a matter luckily besides woorthinesse is an occasion for fooles to imagine and thinke euill But our Basill as he is made a rule and example vnto other of his other vertues so also of a Priest and of the Ecclesiasticall ordination For euen froÌ„ the first swathing-bands of the Sacerdotall offices he grew vp by little and little in-so-much that hee disdayned not in anie wise to be made a Reader of the holie scriptures and then to bee made an interpreter and expounder of them euen as Dauid sayth Let those of the chayre of the Elders prayse the Lorde and so at length deserued he to be made a Bishop Which place he neuer at any time sought nor euer wished In which sentence we not onely sée the complaint of Gregorie howe many came to be Elders yea and Bishops also in those dayes as in all ages like corruptions and complaintes haue béene but especially it grewe then of the disordered and factions elections of the people so for the purpose nowe in hande we sée heereby that these Elders were the sacred Priestes whose office consisted not in gouerning only but with â—ll in the ministerie of the worde and Sacraments And how by degrees 〈◊〉 â—xâ—â—cising theÌ„selues in matters tending vnto teaching they attayned or ought to haue attained vnto this Eldership from thence such as excelled were or ought to haue béen promoted to be Bishops Except it fel out otherwisâ— by extraordinarie occasion in some rare and singular men as in Ambrose and Thalassius euen in Caesarea where Basil was Bishop c. and of other Elders than these here is no mention Nowe when Basil was thus ordeyned an Elder Gregorie sheweth how he exercised himselfe vnder Eusebius B. of Caesarea how he laboured against the Heretikes in exhorting and teaching of the people how hée sent for Gregorie to come helpe him And here Gregorie setteth downe Basils example vnto him For sayth he euen as Barnabas in times past was present with Paule to make manifest the trueth of the Gospell and common conflict of the faith so came I then vnto my Basil as his fellowe against his fight with the Arians Listen to the Epistle where-with he called me Make readie thy selfe haue regarde to deliuer me in this present conflict and with vs to meete them which desire vtterly to ouerthrowe vs whose boldnesse thou shalt bridle onely with thy countenaunce and shalt cause that they shall not make our matters goe to wracke and therefore all shall knowe howe thou onely by the grace of God dost gouerne our congregation and that thou shalt eâ—sily represse euery wicked mouth and the insolencie of them that speake against God But sayth Gregorie to returne my speech to my purpose Basill returning to Caesarea regarded nothing more than to pacifie Eusebius to the end that he might ouer-throw the Heresie and wholly to serue him and be ready at his hande in all those thinges that were of God that hee might make apparant to all men that all thinges which hee had suffred of him for Eusebius had béene heauie before vnto him proceeded from the instigation of the Diuell that the common enemies of the fayth might haue the greater aduauntage by their rageing as the Papistes get nowe by our Brethrens and our Bishops falling out though the Bishops doe all they can to pacifie them whereas Basilius laboured all that he could to pacifie his bishoppe but he when as he knewe very well the lawes of obedience and of a spirituall life hee was attendant on him in all thinges in hearing in consulting and in doing he employed his spirituall and diligent endeuour for the bishop And to say at one word he grewe as much into his fauour as before he seemed to be farre from it For which cause Eusebius helde indeede as bishop the chiefe place in the Church but Basill had the power of the Church and the authoritie The one fate in the chiefe dignitie the other went about all the businesse For there was a singular and wonderfull concorde betweene them The one helping the other and taking strength the one of the other the bishop growing strong by the counsell and wit of Basil and Basill by taking authoritie of the bishop To conclude the bishop had the people and he the bishop And euen as he that tameth a Lyon being inferiour in strength doth handle him gently and make him tame by a certaine arte by which meanes well neere he asswageth molifieth the violence and fiercenesse of the wilde beast so Basill the greate behaued himselfe about Eusebius For when he hauing ben of late a laie man and ignorant of Ecclesiasticall matters was exalted vnto this dignitie especially at the same time that the flame of Arius heresie did beare the swaie he was not fit inough for this burthen Wherevpon hee wanted Basil to be his guide and helper chieflie by whose vertue there was hope that the matters would haue prosperous and good successe And therefore it was not as some suppose that Basil was vnder the Emperor IuliaÌ„ but he was bishop after the death of Valens But wheÌ„ as he receiued the gouernmeÌ„t administration of the Church of Caesarea vnder the bishop Eusebius he appeased all discords hee remooued all priuie grudges he established their manners not onelie with his words and excellent Sermons that he vttered but also by the example of his life For hee endeauoured to helpe the people both with his spirite and his bodie with his body by labour and exercise careing for them by walking about euery waye by courteous behauiour and by helping theÌ„ with his riches spiritually by teaching by admonishing and by giuing to all men a measure and institutions of their life Thus doth Gregorie set foorth the ecclesiasticall gouernement of Basill and of his owne gouernement also being Elders vnder the bishopp in the Churche of Caesarea consisting as muche and more in teaching than in the correction and composing of manners and censures of discipline And that these were not distinct offices in the diuerse kindes of Elders but they medled with both together and both vnder the bishop â—nâ— hâ—wâ— God blesseâ— this ecclesiasticall gouernement vntill Basill him-selfe after the decease of Eusebius was made their bishop And then sayth Gregorie after hee had praysed Basill in this promotion â—s for mee all men thought when they hearde of his promotion that I would foorth-with departe he meaneth from the place where he then was and that I would goe to him and that I should haue equall power with him they knewe that there was such friendshippe and beneuolence betweene vs. But I when as I shunned enuie leaste I shoulde seeme to occupie the places of those that were neere him and with-all least they shoulde falsely iudge that Basil hauing
then corrupted and peruerted notwithstanding Christe dooth worthelie praise the Order such as it was in times past deliuered of the Fathers But when as a little after he erected a Churche taking away the corruption hee restored the pure vse of excommunicating But there is no doubt but the manner of discipline which flourished vnder the kingdome of Christe succeeded in the place of the olde discipline and verelie when as the prophane Gentiles also helde a shaddowed custome of excommunication it appeereth this was euen of God engrafted from the beginning in the mindes of men that if there were anie impure and defiled they shoulde bee put backe from the sacred thinges It hadde bene a foule thing therefore and a shamefull for the people of GOD to haue bene altogether voyde of that discipline whereof some steppe remained among the Gentiles But that which was kept vnder the Lawe Christe hath passed ouer vnto vs because the reason or manner is common vnto vs with the auncient Fathers For neither was it the counsell of Christe to sende his Disciples to the Synagogue which when as in her bosome she gladly nourished filthie flatteries shee excommunicated the true and simple worshippers of God whereof wee haue example in that man that was blinde from his natiuitie Iohn 9. f. 34. But hee warned that the order shoulde be holden in his Church which long agoe was holilie instituted vnder the Law If anie either stubbornelie refuse the former admonitions or by going on in his former vices doo shew himselfe to contemne them when as with witnesses brought hee hath bene warned the seconde time Christe commaundeth him to bee called to the iudgement of the Churche that is vnto the Sessions of the Seniours there to bee more greeuouslie admonished as it were by publike authoritie that if hee reuerence the Church hee may submit himselfe and obey Thus sayth Caluine for the proofe of this Segniorie to bée authorized instituted and commaunded in these woordes of â—ur Sauiour Christe Tell the Churche Whole interpretation Beza Stephanus in his newe Glosse alleadging also these reasons of Caluine besides Danaeus and diners other of our Brethren since haue followed and more at large vrged But because Caluine beganne this interpretation as I take it and all their Discourses chiefely stande on these his Reasons and Assertions therefore I haue so fullie and wholly sette him downe And if wée shall finde that this his Interpretation and these his Reasons prooue not this matter wée must crane the same pardon that their selues yeelde to Beza and to other our Reuerend and and Learned Brethren when they also in their interpretations dissent from Caluine or Caluine from other godlie auncient and approoued Fathers Otherwise of all the excellent Interpreters of our Age I professe the honour of Caluine with the chiefest bringing sound proofe and reason of his Sentence Let vs nowe therefore a while consider howe he prooueth this interpretation of the worde Church to be héere necessarilie vnderstoode for a Consistorie of these Seours And first he confesseth that the former place 1. Corinthians 5. concerning The excommunication of the incestuous Corinthian A place which our Brethren applyed to this Consistorie was spoken of Saint Paule to the whole assemblie and multitude of the people and not to anie chosen number of them So that that place is in this place cléere acquited from this Consistories excommunication But if Christe hadde héere before as Caluine sayeth sette downe an order that excommunication shoulde bee made by a Consistorie or Session of such Elders as Caluine héere pleadeth for howe can wee thinke that Paule woulde haue dealt heerein with the whole multitude of the people and not with a certaine number chosen out of them for the gouernance of such matters And therefore this is one good steppe to prooue that héere Christe sette downe no such order But Caluine woulde driue this but to a probable Argument That because Saint Paule referreth it to the whole number and not to anie chosen number therefore it is likelie that Christe also heere should so referre it But Caluine thinketh not this Argument of anie force And whie Forsoothe because then as yet there was no Churche that did professe Christe nor anie such manner ordeined And lesse reason as I thinke to gather it on this place that this name Church shoulde héere signifie a Segniorie or a certaine number chosen out of the Churche when there was yet no such order in the Churche And yet there was a Church of Christe euen when Christe spake these thinges But the Corinthians and diuerse other Churches afterwâ—rdâ— did both openlie professe the name of Christe and had Orders also among them If therefore this order of Discipline for the Gouernment of Seniours had bene héere of Christe founded and ordeyned Saint Paule woulde neuer haue broken it at leaste if he had thought it necessarie Except wée shoulde excuse him by ignorance but that haddâ— béene too grosse an excuse in him if this hadde béene héere ordeyned and that so necessarie as our Bretheren and Caluine â—oâ— pretend the same to be Bucer writing upon these wordes Tell the Church alleadgeth the samâ— reason that Caluine héere doth that There was no such order in the Church when Christ spake these wordes But what Doth he gather thereupon that Christ had an allusion to the Seniors of the Iewes No such thing Moreouer that saith he Tell the Church let no man vnderstande it thus as though it were of Christ commaunded to accuse him in the publike Sermon of them that come together to heare the word of God that shall haue despised two admonitions and then to haue him there openly reprehended of the preacher for when Christ taught these thinges there was no such face of the Church Furthermore the power of binding and losing is not giuen except to them that come together in the name of Christ and that in a certaine order and those going before whome the holy Ghost hath ordeined in the Church the Pastours and the Bishops Whereupon Paule woulde namely also haue those to exercise this power that are gathered together in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ and his spirite present with them 1. Corinthians 5. Now our meetings together are yet too impure and truely there is a small number of them that haue wholly giuen themselues to Christ. Neither is it lawfull by reason of the publike peace to expell from the assemblies of the Church those that are not tried Wherfore in the publike assemblies of the church as for the most part at this day the matter goeth excommunication can not publikely bee exercised except where the Lorde hath bestowed such grace that the greater part of the whole people with the Magistrate shoulde bee conuerted vnto Christe with a full heart Where that is not graunted it is necessarie that they which haue receaued Christe more fully reduce this most holy and most healthfull institution of Christe among
my dutie and then am I cleere and thou shalt giue an account to him that commaunded me to binde But tell thou me if the King sitting in presence one of the Sergeants standing by be commaunded to binde one of those that stande in the rowe and to lay fetters on him but he not onelie thrust him backe but also breake the bonds is it the Sergeant that hath susteined the iniurie or is it not much more the King that did commaund it For if when anie thing is done against the faithful he account the same done against himselfe how much more when he which is appointed to teach susteineth iniurie will he be mooued as though he himselfe had susteined the contumelie But God forbid that anie of them that are in this Church should come into the necessitie of these bondes For as it is a goodlie thing not to offend so is it profitable to beare the rebuke thereof Lett vs therefore beare the reprehension and let vs endeuor neuer to offend but if we shall haue offended let vs susteine the reproouing For as it is good not to be striken which notwithstanding if it shall happen it is necessarie to lay a medicine to the wound euen so it is heere But God graunt that we neuer need anie such medicines for of you we hope better things and such as appertaine vnto saluation although wee speake thus We haue spoken perhaps more vehementlie but to your greater taking heede For it is better that I should be accounted of you bold cruell and insolent than that you should doo those thinges that please not God But we trust in God that this our admonition shal not be vnprofitable But that you shall be so changed that these speaches shall bee turned into your praises and commendations By this it cléerelie appeareth that not onelie the keies of knowledge and opening the word of God but the keyes of this discipline Censure of excommunication appertained chiefly to the Bishop and to Teachers of the word and not to a Segniorie of such Gouernors as were not teachers ioyned with him And as this was the practise of the Churches Excommunication in the dayes of these holy Fathers so cutting of all the later corruptions of the ages following especially in the time of the Popish tyranny that moste tragically abused these keyes and continueth and encreaseth those abuses of them Let vs come to the Protestantes and to our Brethren themselues in the reformed Churches and see their iudgements also in this Discipline When the late Trident Conuenticle had falsly burdened the Protestant Churches that we gaue this power of the keyes to all Christians indifferently Kemnitius answereth in his Examination of the sixt chapter saying This Chapter hath two partes the first disputeth of the Minister of absolution to whome appertaineth the ordinary ministery of the keyes The other part treateth what absolution is So farre as perteineth to the first part the matter may bee dispatched in fewe wordes For in the Examination of the tenth Canon of the Sacraments in generall those thinges that pertaine heereunto are expounded For although the keyes be deliuered vnto the Church as the auncient Fathers doe well set foorth notwithstanding we thinke that by no meanes euery Christian ought or may indifferently without a lawfull calling vsurpe or exercise the Ministery of the word and sacramentes But as in case of necessity the olde Fathers say that euery lay man may minister the sacrament of baptisme so also Luther sayde of absolution in the case of necessity where a preeste is not present Melancthon in his common places Tit. De Regno Christi Moreouer saith he we must also consider this that the pastors haue the commandement of Excommunicating with the Worde without bodily force those that are guilty of manifest crimes And in his annotations on his common places he saith But after that we haue known the true church by those signes that he haue spoken of that power whereof Christe speaketh Mat. 16. 18. and also Iohn 20. is to be applied to this onely church For neither hath Christ giuen that power to his enemies whom he commaundeth to bee excluded out of the kingdome of heauen according to that saying he that beleeueth not shall bee condemned but vnto this onely assembly that hath not onely his worde but also interpreteth it rightly and according to the proportion of the faith not ouerthrowing the foundation which the Apostles haue layde and before them the Prophets For neither said he to Peter as to the son of Iohn I giue to thee the keyes of the kingdoÌ„ of heauen but because he had sayd thou art Christ the son of the liuing God Therfore the B. of Rome claimeth to himself in vain the keis of Peter sith that he is most vnlike to Peter not a minister of Christ but of Antichrist Of whoÌ„ it is writteÌ„ that about the last time he shal be reproued with the spirit of Gods mouth Neither â—id Peter vsurp the power of binding losing to himself alone any more to him-selfe than to other but iudged the same to bee common to him with all the apostles and the whol church which professeth the same word Saue that for order sake hee committeth the publike administration of the keies to certain to fit persons that they should either absolue meÌ„ or not absolue theÌ„ with this choise that Christ him self hath ordeined that he should rightly distribute the word of God c. Thus doth Melancthon graunt that this power is committed to the church but the dispensation of the power is committed to the right distribution of the ministers And not onely hee speaketh of the power mencioned Math. 16. and Iohn 20 but also Math. 18. To which purpose hee procéedeth saying But it is vsuall to deuide the power of the church into the power of order into the power of iurisdiction The power of order they cal the right of teaching of administring the sacraments which the prophets and thapostles immediatly receiued of God the other doctors or teachers receiued it by men To this power we must hearken simply euen as to the voice of the gospel according to the commandement of God Heare him Howbeit the good doctors or teachers haue liberty of ordeining times of Instituting certain traditions for good order sake VVhich to obey it is the duty of a godly mind To which mind nothing is more ioiful than in all things to agree with the true church without offence of conscience The power of iurisdictioÌ„ is when as those which are defiled with manifest wickednesses being admonished do not desist are excommunicated from the society of the Church not onely the inward and spirituall society Which excom is made by the general voice of the gospel he that shal not beleue shal be coÌ„deÌ„ned but also froÌ„ the externall coÌ„munion of the church by a spirituall sentence to the intent the honor of God
may be lesse blemished the society of men also lesse ill reported This other power in the primitiue church was more necessary when the Ethnike magistrates gouerned the cities For there when by the ciuil iudgement punishment should haue bin giuen vpon the blasphemers on others openly violating the commandements of God the church necessarily executed iudgment on the corrupted meÌ„bers without seditioÌ„ that is without bodily force Excluding the wicked with the only word yet receiuing them again if they were conuerted But now after that they also which are the magistrates haue embraced the name of Christ it is beâ—ter more meet for the coÌ„mon profit to bring them vnder the ciuil punishment that manifestly lead a wicked life Especially when as the magistrate by name is charged that he taketh away the authors of offences to th end that the name of god be lesse il spokeÌ„ of Thus also the offices remain distinct that by the churches power secret manifest sins be reproued by the only word of God but they that suffer not theÌ„selues to be ruled by the doctrine may be punished by the ciuile Iurisdiction Verelie this were a mâ—â—t beautifull harmonie of the two powers if it were kept but in this extreame confusion of all things and heedlesnesse of Princes there is not so much as hope of ordeining this harmonie This onelie thing remaineth that the King of Kinges come and purge his Church for euer from all offences Thus complaineth Melancthon and distinguisheth of these powers But he would so little haue the Eccl. iurisdiction of excommunication to be vsed by gouerning Seniors that were not teachers that he woulde either haue them teachers or else their iurisdiction to be but ciuile and the meere punishment of the Christian Magistrate Aretius in his Common-place thereon saith Excommunication is an exclusion of some bodie that professeth our Religion out of the coÌ„panie of the faithfull in holie and prophane matters beeing made in the name and power of Christe by the ordinarie Ministers of the Churche the residue of the Church consenting and being made for the cause of amending the sinner and of deliuering the Church from the contagion of the sinne And afterwarde proouing the parts of this definition coÌ„ming to the 5. part By whom it ought to be administred he saith We aunswere out of the definition By the ordinarie Ministers the residue of the Church consenting We would haue the Ministers ordinarie because except their vocation bee lawfull the discipline of the manners shall be frustrate For Christe hath deliuered the same to the Apostles and for that cause to their lawfull successors and therefore they labour heere in vaine whom the lawfull succession doth remooue And furthermore that the discipline be administred of the Ministers as Ministers that is that they vse the same by Ministerie or seruice not by Empire or rule In which matter how greatlie in Poperie they offended is not here to the purpose to declare We adde The residue of the Church consenting least the Minister would exercise dominion of his own wil. Christe Mat. 18. biddeth Tell the Church not the Ministerie onelie And Paule would not the incestuous man to be excluded by his authoritie alone but the Church of Corinth being gathered together 1. Cor. 5. Cyprian declareth it to the people if anie were to be receaued doing the same no doubt in those that were to be excommunicated Epist. 16. li. 3. You being present and iudging all shall be excommunicated So in another place for those that were falne hee entreateth the people that the peace might be giuen them Tertul. Apolog. cap. 39. saith Euerie of the approoued Seniors doo gouerne hauing gotten a iust honour not with money but with testimonie for no matter of God consisteth on price c. Héere Aretius maketh excommunication to bee necessarilie made by â—he ordinarie Ministers And that we might know whâ— these are he addeth that Christie deliuered it to the Apostles and to the successors of the Apostles And therefore those that labour heere to haue other Ministers than Teachers labour in vaine because they are remooued from the lawfull succession and their discipline is all frustrate This being set set downe for the Minister where he addeth the residue of the Churches consent and thereto applieth this testimonie of Christe Mat. 18. Tell the Church not the Minister onelie he maketh no especiall Senate of ecclesiast Seniors but putteth altogether in this general name the residue of the church Neither giueth he them herein a ioynt Ministerie with the Ministers that the excommunication should be made by all the residue but that it should be done by their consent So that if our Br. fearing coÌ„fusion in the peoples consent would haue a Segniorie to represent them and to whom their consent should be compromitted yet beyonde consent they haue nothing to doo more than the residue of the Church and people haue whom as they say they represent except they will be Comministers of the word and successors of the Apostles And this dooth the verie example 1. Cor. 5. héere also alleadged excellentlie we ll declare Wher Paul was the Minister and the Iudg and the People gaue their coÌ„sent to his Iudgement Howbeit if they had not consented that had not defeated the vertue and power of S. Paules Censure as we haue alreadie at large séene And likewise the dealing of Cyprian in receauing of them that were excommunicated The words of Cyprian in this alleadged 16. epist. li. 3. writing to the people in his absence from them are these That you doo mourne bewaile the falls of our brethren of my selfe withall I know it and doo bewaile it and I suffer and feele that which the blessed Apostle saith VVho is weakened faith he and I am not weakned who is offended and I am not burned And againe he put in his Epistle saying If one member suffer the other members also suffer with it and if one member reioyce the other members also reioyce wish it I haue compassion therefore mourne together with our brethren that haue falne and ouerthrowen themselues in the trouble of persecution and trayling with them part of our bowels they haue with their wouÌ„ds brought vnto vs sharp greef To whom God by his diuine mercy is able to giue remedy While notwithstanding they should not think that any should be done hastily vnaduisedly out of hand least if the peace should be vsurped rashly the ofâ—ence of Gods indignation should more greeuously be prouoked The blessed martyrs haue written letters to vs concerning some beseeching that their desires maybe examined when as we shal begin to returne to the church peace beeing before of the Lorde giuen to vs all All their desires were examined you being present and Iudges Thus writeth Cyprian not that the persons were Excommunicated they being the Iudges of their Excommunication but as they were ipso facto Excommunicated
full well discerne how farre our verball contentions with our ouer zealous Brethr. differre from their verberall persecutions of them our ouer furious aduersaries and are indeede no sufficient cause to confirme or stay them in their errours Albeit I graunt they do so of the which I am the sorier if it otherwise pleased God And would to God our Brethren with vs wou'd better thinke hereon that wee might both of vs being Brethren once againe bâ—â—therly ioyne and combine our selues together 〈◊〉 in the vnitie of â—â—r doctrine so in the vniformitie of our discipline against the professed aduersaries of the Gospel and of vs both either to their conuersion or confusion And I doubt it nor but that if our brethren shall yet now at length enter with vs into a more aduised viewe and circumspect examination of these matters either they will remitte their further contention or debate them with more deliberate moderation to the better stopping of the â—duersaries mouthes and to our owne fuller resolution Which sequele if it please God to effect I haue thus farre hazarded in this iust and necessarie defence to expose my selfe to the hartburning hard speaking God knowes of howe many a one whome in the Lord these opinions herein set aside I loue and honour in all duetie and glad would I haue beene that some other had employed their trauailes in this businesse wherof many on our side the Lord be praised for them had beene able to haue discharged the same a great deale better And I lingred the longer expecting if any would preuent me but when none did it or did vouchsaâ—e it and I was drawen into the action on the foresaid prouocation and was afterward of diuers requested not to withdrawe my selfe from this occasion considering withall that I had before opposed my selfe against the publike aduersarie in the like argument of the Christian Princes supreme gouernement in Ecclesiasticall causes which our brethren here also though in another manner but no lesse perillous call againe in question that nowe I should likewise beare my selfe on euen hand yea were it against mine owne deare brethren in Christ and her maiesties loyal and louing subiectes though greatly ouer reached in the heate preposterous earnestnes of their pursuite herein How leuelly I haue borne my selfe without gaule or splene in affection or stile my duitie to God to his trueth to his church and to her maiestie reserued hauing my quarell onely to the matters not to the persons I referre me to the equitie of the reader My purpose God he knoweth is not wittingly to giue iust offence to any of our brethren Which if notwithstanding any shall take for that I spare not to discouer the defectes of their arguments for that I admonish them albeit I trust in spiritu lenitatis of their vntempered speaches aswell against our and their most gratious Soueraigne and all Christian Princes soueraignetie as against the authoritie and persons of our prelates and of vs their fellowe ministers in the Gospell and against our ministerie and prescribed forme of prayer and sacraments or for that I obserue more narrowly now and then their absurdities and contâ—adictions to them selues and their dangerous positions to our state or for that I sende home againe vnto themselues those foule-mouthed slaunders wherewith vntruely they burden our church and vs or for that I dissent from the iudgement or interpretation of those famous late writers whome our brethren stand so much vppon or for that I go to the pitche of the controuersies and so largely prosecute the chiefest of them If our brethren shall thinke these things too hardly followed their owne importunitie being the cause and their full at least their further satisfaction being my drift I hope they will the easilier affoord me their excuse And I humbly beseech all our good meaning Brethr. that are otherwise persuaded herein than we are to suspend their sentence but for the while that they shall with indifferencie and without partialitie read and ponder these debatings to and fro betwixt our brethren and vs and then a gods name giue their verdict as God shal moue them hauing the feare of God before their eyes and a right zeale of his trueth and glorie in their hearts with â—n vnfeined loue and reuerence to his church Which done if I for my part haue herein â—ffended any I hartily crie them mercie and shall be readie by the grace of God on all â—ue warning and conuincing to the vttermost of my skill and power to retract or amend 〈◊〉 and so I trust and craue of all our brethren that they will not disdaine to doe the like Not regarding the person of the defender but the proues of the defence whereby God â—illing we shall the sooner finde and the better conclude the cleere true and full deterâ—inations of all these questions And to the intent gentle reader thou shouldest the readilier finde out anie of the â—ointes here in controuersie I haue distributed all this answere to our brethrens learned â—iscourse into seueral books prefixing their arguments to euery of them besides the titles of the pages and the marginall quotations which in stâ—ede of an Index may serue 〈◊〉 lead thee And though directly it pertaine not to me yet I craue the Printers and 〈◊〉 owne pardon for a great number of petit and some grosse escapes in the impression 〈◊〉 haue fallen out the more for the difficultie of my coppie vnto him and by so often â—â—terchanging of the character either in citing our brethrens wordes or some other testimonie or the text it selfe of scripture as Pag. 146. lin 34.35 Pag. 227. lin 6.7 where the letter of the text is not distinguished Besides the Hebrue wordes for the most part some Greeke with wrong letters And many wordes and sentences which the composer nor corrector did well conceiue and haue so passed I being not alwayes present at reuising the prooues But the learned and discreete reader may discerne them of which escapes the chiefe and most are noted The residue I pray the reader vouchsafe to amend with his penne sith I cannot do it with mine in all the copies And so committing it to the good successe that God shall send it and to the gentle construction of all our learned and other good brethren in the Lord and of euery indifferent Christian reader that is rightly desirous in the feare of God and loue of his trueth for tâ—â— benefite of his Church and stay of him selfe to fadome the bottom of these controuersies and wisheth the final pacification of them I conclude with the holy Apostles most godly prayer Phil. 1. And this I praye that your loue may abound more more in knowledge in all iudgement that ye may discerne things that differ one from another that ye may be pure without offence vntil the day of Christ being fulfilled with all the fruites of righteousnes which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie praise of
12. as diuerse giftes named And in the place alreadie citâ—â— and viewed 1. Corin. 12. ver 28. are also eight or nine reckoned of the which two or thrée were not before specified And Ephes. 4. verse 1â— Likewise cited before and perused are foure named or if they distinguish Pastor from Teacher and so make them fiue yet remaine there moe then as manye moe againe as our brethren haue héere reckoned besiâ—â—â— those that are not in these but in other places mentioned But wherto arâ— our brethren or should we néede to be so curious in the enumeration of these diuerse giftes or offices Dooth it any whitte further our brethrens forme of Ecclesiasticall gouernement Or rather dooth it not in manye pointes confute it as by Gods grace we shall afterward sée Or doo they thinke that as there were so manye diuerse giftes or offices that they were all of them or all those persons that were of some one office of like measure in these giftes or of like authoritie in that office or that although they were diuerse giftes or officers one man might not haue diuerse of them all at one time without confusion But those pointes are debated afterward In the meane season all this hetherto prooueth nothing for the building of their platforme But it sheweth muche-how vnconsideratelie they heape vp these things with-out all order put in and put out making perpetuall or temporarie to serue for euer or to serue for a time what soeuer serueth their turne and humor and all to laye a modill of suche building as whereon all this new deuised Tetrarchie might be erected Which thing howe they do let vs sée now their procéeding further Of these offices some were temporall seruing onelye for the firste planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen some are perpetuall perteining to the nourishinge and buildinge vp of the churche for euer Of the former sort were Apostles Prophets Euangelists men indued with the graces of powers of healings and of diuerse toongs Of the later kinde are Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons The Apostles were ordeined by God and sent foorth immediatlie by Christe hauing a generall commission to spread the Gospell ouer all the worlde which when they had accomplished that office ceased Suche were the twelue Apostles Paule and Barnabas c. And for this cause the Apostles appointed Matthias in the place of Iudas according to the scriptures permitting neuerthelesse the election vnto God by casting of Lottes that the number might be full for the firste planting of the Churche But when Herode had slaine Iames the brother of Iohn with the sworde they chose no man to succeed in his place bicause they had no warrante of Gods worde but the Holie-ghoste as hee sawe it was expedient for the churche afterwarde seperated Paule and Barnabas which liued at Antioche as Prophets and Teachers to the worke whereto he called them The Prophets were such as were indued with a singuler gifte of Reuelation in the interpretation of the scriptures and applying them to the present vse of the churche of whome some also did foreshewe of things to come as Agabus Also there were in euerie citie that prophecied to S. Paule as he passed by them that bonds and afflictions were prepared for him at Ierusalem This office being in the number of them that were ordeined for beautifying the Gospell in the first publishing thereof it ceased with that singuler and extraordinarie gift to be an ordinarie function of the church The Euangelists were such as were stirred vp of GOD to assist the Apostles in their ministerie of generall charge in planting the same by their preaching but inferior in dignitie to the Apostles Such was Phillip that first preached the Gospell in Samaria whither Peter and Iohn were sent by the Apostles to conferre vnto them by praier and imposition of hands the visible graces of the Holie-ghost which Philip did not The same Philip in Acts. 21. verse 8. is called an Euangelist So was Timothie 2. Timoth. 4.5 such was Titus Silas and manie other This office also with the order of the Apostles is expired and hath no place Likewise as we doo plainelie see that the gifts of healing of powers or miracles and of diuerse toongs haue long since ceased to be in the church so the offices of them which were grounded vpon these gifts must also cease and be determined Therefore the Papists doo vainelie reteine the name and office of exorcists when they cannot cast out diuels and extreame vnction when they cannot cure diseases to speake with strange toongs which they haue not by inspiration and that without anie interpretation which S. Paule expresselie forbiddeth It is requisite and draweth néerer to the purpose to know what was temporall in these giftes and what perpetuall what is ceased expired determined and hath no place and what remaineth for feare we should offend either waie vrging that to be temporall which is perpetuall or that to be perpetuall which was but temporall For the error of this breedeth most of all these troubles betweene vs. Wherein our bretheren doo bothe wayes greatlie mistake these giftes For first where they saye Some were temporall seruing onelie for the first planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen and of this former sorte they reckon vp the Apostles Prophets Euangelists men indued with graces of powers of healings and so they enter into their particuler prooues of the ceasing of these functions I thinke they maye better be-thinke them-selues that all these giftes and offices which their selues haue héere named did not so cease but that they haue since the firste planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen continued longer time among the Christians Yea some of them haue for a great part of the time continued euen till our owne times yet continue As the operation of great workes Or if they meane thereby myracles which were not ordinarie no not in that extraordinarie time and as the hypocrites had them also so might and had diuerse of the Papists and yet their cause neuer the better And the like may we say of the gift of speaking with toongs which haue not béene by studie before learned as Anthonie c and diuerse also both of the ancient fathers and some among the Papists and some among vs haue not béene destitute of the gift of prophesie and much more may I say this for the gift of healing for none of these giftes or graces giuen then or since or yet to men inferre the gift grace of Gods election adoption or be of necessitie to saluation But were there no other gifts and offices then in the primitiue church but these six by our brethren heere reckoned besides the foure which they make standerds and remainers Looke on the places before cited and there we shall finde a great many moe of which the most part haue euer béene and yet
are euen as much or farre more ordinarie giftes or offices then these foure which they saye are perpetuall S. Paule as is aforesaid distinguishing these giftes saith Rom. 12.6 Seeing then that we haue giftes which are diuerse according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether we haue prophecie let vs prophesie according to the proportion of faith or an office let vs waite on the office or he that teacheth on teaching or be that exhorteth on exhortation he that distributeth let him doo it with simplicitie hee that ruleth with diligence hee that sheweth mercie with cheerefulnesse Héere also are other giftes and offices reckoned vp besides these foure of Doctors Pastors Gouernors and Deacons If he meane by office some particular function which is ceased that would be shewed or els it may remaine and be still perpetuall If he meane by teaching Doctor by exhorting Pastor by distributing Deacon by ruling one of those not teaching presbyters preests or elders which our brethren call Gouernors yet that which before the Apostle called an office and that which followeth of shewing mercie are particulerlie specified and distinguished from these foure Doctor Pastor Gouernour and Deacon In what place then shall we reckon those two either as temporall or as perpetuall if temporall then is there moe ceased then those sixe If perpetuall then more than these foure doo remaine Likewise Saint Paule as is aforesaid 1. Cor. 12. saith There are diuersities of giftes c. For to one is giuen by the spirit the worde of wisedome and to another the word of knowledge by the same spirit and to another is giuen faith by the same spirit and to another the operation of great workes and to another other prophesie and to another the discerning of spirites and to another the diuersities of tâ—onges and to another the interpretation of toonges All these the Apostle héere setteth downe as giftes or offices distinguished one from another What now shall we saye to the gifte or office of them that had the worde of wisedome giuen vnto them Was that a temporall gifte or office seruing onelie for the firste planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen If they saye the aboundant measure of it was temporall that maye be granted and yet the gifte and office still remaine And so likewise of the next gifte or office in them that haue the gifte of knowledge or learning For these are distinguished héere the one from the other as we commonlie say The greatest clearkes arâ— not alwayes the wisest men and these our brethren as they profeâ—â—â— all-ouer this their booke A learned discourse do so beléeue that they hauâ— the spirite of knowledge otherwise they would not commend this treatise vnto vs by such a Title so that I perceaue this gifte also is not yet ceased but that it maye be ioyned to those their foure remainders And what shall we saye to that the Apostle calleth héere the gifte of Faithe making it also a distinct office from the residue If we saye he meaneth the faith of miracles then are those two giftes following of healing and of the operation of great workes not to be vnderstood of the gift of miracles So that either the one or the other séemâ— to be perpetuall And what shall we saye to the gifte or office of discerning spirites For Saint Iohn 1. Iohn 4. verse 1. saith vnto vs Deerelie beloued beleeue not euerie spirite but trie the spirits whether they are of God for manie false Prophets are gone out into the worlde Which Epistle being called Catholike or Vniuersall serueth to all ages and people of the Churche and the gifte of trying or discerning spirites is yet requisite if not more néedefull nowe then euer it was To conclude for this place what shall we saye for the gifte or office if not of diuersities of toongs yet of the interpretations of toongs Which gifte or office is not onelie at this daye to be with all thankefulnesse acknowledged but GOD which is the author of all gooâ— giftes is highlye to be praised for it and many of our good brethren are indued therewith Moreouer in the place héere by our brethren quoted Saint Paulâ— distinguisheth the gifte or office of helping from that of healing And are all these giftes and offices ceased as temporall and seruing onelie to the first planting and foundation of the churche among the Heathen Naye rather doo not the most of them remaine still in the churche among the faithfull for the continuall building confirmation and establishing of them I graunt thâ—â— remaine in another sorte then as they were firste giuen in the primiâ—â—â—e churche and for the moste times since they haue béene giuen perhaps in an other manner and in lesse aboundance or measure of them But that is not the question but whether all these giftes and offices besides the foure of Doctors Pastors Gouernours and Deacons as they deuide them haue béene expired ceased to be in the churche since the firste planting and foundation thereof among the Heathen For this is our brethrens conclusion Likewise as we doo plainelie see that the giftes of healing of powers or miracles and of diuerse toongs haue long since ceased to bee in the churche so the offices of them which were grounded vpon these gifts must also cease and be determined And shall not we then conclude on the contrarie that the giftes yet in parte remaining the offices must in parte remaine also I speake not this to confirme the Papists of whome our brethren I graunt doo well conclude in saying Therefore the Papists doo vainelie reteine the name of exorcistes when they cannot caste out diuels and extreame vnction when they cannot cure diseases and to speake with strange toonges which they haue not by inspiration and that without anye interpretation which Saint Paule expresselie forbiddeth This dealing of the Papists was méere ridiculous and impious procéeding from a blinde zeale and preposterous imitation of that which they had not And yet whether they had it or not would néeds make ordinarie offices and imitations of them Howbeit how faultie soeuer they were therein yet belye not as they saye the diuell Their faulte was not that they spake with strange toongs which they had not by inspiration for if they had not had them by inspiration and yet had they vnderstood them and the people which heard them had vnderstood them also then had this béene no faulte in them except in speaking faultie matter But is this true that the gifte ceasing the office ceaseth What then if the gifte of ruling that Saint Paule speaketh of Rom. 12. verse 8. And the giftes of those Gouernours whome he mentioneth 1. Corinth 12. verse 28. vnderstanding the same as our bretheren doo haue ceased or doo cease or should cease will they graunt that the office of their desired Seniorie whome they call Rulers or Gouernours shoulde cease also and bee expired or determined And must wee vpon this presupposall that there was
Ecclesiastical matter that is to be directed and what they will comprehende vnder the name of Ecclesiasticall matter is discoursed afterwarde But if this Tetrarchie be not instituted of God himselfe nor according to the warrant of Gods worde ordayned appointed nor approued so to be as we haue hetherto séene no such institution appoynting ordayning nor approouing then am I afrayde I burden none but I feare it shrewdelie if I haue not myste the marke that there is a mysterie which our well meaning bretheren see not and therefore feare not euen mysterium iniquitatis that lyeth hydden in this partition of gouerning and directing all matters I wishe the best and therefore if I feare the worst I hope I am the easier to bee pardoned Nowe although this conclusion of Quartering Fiuefolding or trypling of this gouernment séemeth at the first not to inferre anie precise necessitie yet by the Correllatiue whiche of consequence they make to fall out on this conclusion that other offices in the direction and gouernment of all Ecclesiasticall matters are not onely vnneedefull but vnlawefull What is their resolution other then this not as they mollified it before that by these foure or thrée kindes of offices as other contract them and our brethren heere enlarge them other stretch them furder into fiue the Church of God may be directed in all matters which are commonly called Ecclesiasticall But the Church of God must be directed by none other How-be-it this consequence doeth not absolutely so set it downe saying And therefore it is not onely vnneedefull but also vnlawefull for men c. to institute and ordaine any other offices or kindes of ministerie besides these But sayling as it were with a side winde séeming rather to runne vppon the needelesse then the lawelesse point they rather séeme to insinuate it then to inforce it that it is vnlawefull And in verie deede as they sette out the matter their conclusion seemeth good and true saying And therefore as it is vnlawefull so it is vnneedefull for men following the deuises of their owne braine without the warrant of Gods woorde to institute and ordaine any other offices or kindes of ministerie besides these appointed and approued by God himselfe exercised in the primitiue and pure Church c. For mens following the deuises of their owne brayne without the warrant of Gods woorde in anie matter of importaunce is a great offence Yea be-it in neuer so meane a matter haue it no warrant at all neyther expressed nor conteyned eyther in specialtie or generalitie in Gods worde It is not so vnneedefull as vnlawefull and a presumptuous rashnesse when men are so head-strong and selfewéening that they will followe no good Counsell but the deuises of their owne brayne And therefore for our brethren to apply this to all those that followe the gouernement established were no lesse vnlawfull then vnneedefull Yea howe may not this my Masters light on your selues For what warrant haue you eyther expressed or included for all the thinges contayned in this your platforme yea for the institution and the ordayning of all these offices and kindes of ministerie and the perpetuitie of them in this foure quartered gouernement Will you alledge that such offices are mentioned in Gods worde Take héede yée mistake not but that they were indéede such offices But were this a sufficient proofe that they were instituted and ordayned to be offices or kindes of ministerie appointed and approued by God himselfe Can you shewe this warrant also And yet if you could doe all this how would this sufâ—â—se except with-all ye shewe vs a warrant for the perpetuitie of all and onely these foure offices or kindes of ministerie You are not ignorant what a warrant is and I warrant you and dare giue you there-on your quietus est that as you haue not yet founde it so yée shall neuer be able with all the learned discoursing in the worlde to finde this warrant For thinke ye if ye were able to finde thus much that the warrant hereof doth goe nâ— furder then here ye say appointed and approued by God him selfe so were all the offices and kindes of ministerie of the Mosaicall and Templarie Priesthoode and yet they were but temporall and are ceased Yea so were the offices and kindes of ministerie of the Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes men indued with the graces of powers of healings and of diuerse tongues and yet your selues câ—â—â—fesse that all these are ceased expired determined and haue no place And therefore if ye can shewe this warrant of Gods worde for the Tetrarchie perpetually remayning of these eccl offices instituted of Godâ— namely Pastors Doctors Gouernours and Deacons by which the Church of God may according to his word be directed in all matters which are commonly called eccl shewe howe God appointed and approued it be-it by himselfe or by his Apostles to be perpetually exercised in his Church and then foorth-with we yéelde And if ye can not doe this then sée good brethren how this your owne conclusion here reboundeth on your owne selues Therefore as it is vnlawfull so it is vnneedefull for men foâ—lowing the deuises of their own braine without the warrant of Gods worde to institute and ordayne any other offices or kindes of ministerie besides not onely as you say these appoynted and approued by God himselfe but those that are appointed and approued either by God himselfe or by his Apostles to be perpetually exercised in his Church But our brethren belike perceauing that they had not sayd ynough for the proofe of these offices or kindes of ministerie they Indorse their conclusion for the more strength with this addition exercised in the primitiue and pure Church Here is nowe set downe as they conceaue â— sufficient and full warrant for all these offices or kinds of ministerie appointed and approued of God himselfe But where or how no place is here alleaged eyther in text or margine For I would faine sée that place set downe that we might haue the full viewe thereof whether it were sâ— or no indéede and in what manner it were of God himselfe appointed and approued But if that faile loe the practise exercised in the primitiue and pure Church I thinke so indéede if euer it were appointed and approued by God himselfe at all But so were the Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes men indued with the graces of powers of healings and of diuerse tongues Yea but exercised in the primitiue and pure church vntill the mysterie of iniquitie working a way for Antichristes pride and presumption chaunged Gods ordinance and brought in all kinde of false doctrine and confusion Nay who there Masters mine not so For then it had béene exercised without interruption euen vntill this day For all kind of false doctrine was not brought in by manie hundred yeares after your owne reckoning that this office or kinde of Gouernours if euer there wâ—râ— any such office as you would now erect was
vnprofitable labourers saue in respect of merite towarde God wee confesse indeede as Christ willeth vs to acknowledge our selues That when wee haue done all we are able to do we are but vnprofitable seruaunts but not in all respectes vnprofitable But if our so long labour haue had the lesse profit to our more gréefe why do not our brethren looke rather to the cause and hinderance of it for perhaps it is not so much of the laborer as of the aduersaries that haue resisted vs. And haue we not aduersaries inow of Sathan of Antichriste of his ministers of the vnthankfull worlde c. but that our owne brethren wil be euen almost as bitter against vs as the worst If therefore we haue so long laboured with so little profit laie the fault where it is Remoue the impediment and then God before let vs say with Peter Luc 5.5 Though I haue laboured al night long and haue taken noâ—hing neuâ—rthelesse Lord at thy worde I will cast foorth the net And then no doubt God will blesse our labours with more profit And if our brethren when we becken to them will come and helpe vs we shall enclose such a multitude of Fishes that our nettes shall bee full And if our nettes breake let vs mende them againe vniformely together And then our state shall bee if it bee not as beawtifull and farre more beawtifull I do not doubt it then anie of all our neighbours is But God blesse our neighbours and make vs more thankfull and lesse contentious and new-fangled then we be and not onely more obedient to our Ciuill Christian Magistrates but more reuerent to the Ecclesiasticall gouernours as the Apostle Heb 13.7 c. giveth vs good counsell Remember them which haue the ouer-sight of you whiche haue declared vnto you the wordâ— of God whose faith followe considering what hath beene the ende of their conuersation Iesus Christ yesterdaye and to daye the same also is for euer Be not caried about with diuâ—rse and straunge doctrines And in the 17. verse Obey them that haue the ouersight of you for they watche for your soules as they that must geue accounts that they may do it with ioy and not with griefe for that is vnprofitable for you And if there bee any disorder in doing this their duty the fault being personall the state is not to be defaced as disordred but the faults redressed and the state stand But where the inferiours will presume to disobey yea to alter thâ— state of their Superiours and to set vp them-selues will not onely set out the Bishops and Archbishops but the supreame authority of their Soueraigne too If this should be suffered the state would then indéedâ— become a most disordered state And would worke a worse waie to Antichrists pride and presumption bringing in manie straunge kindes of false doctrine and confusion and bréede a greater mysterie of iniquitie while euery particuler congregation or seniorie among them may thus following the deuises of their owne braine and pretending vpon a barâ— fact or order or office that they finde mentioned in the scriptures though perhaps cleane other wise then they take it inforce a warrant of Gods worde for them to followe Yea to thinke the onely experience of any of their neighbours successe in imitation of the like a sufficient perswasion for them to leaue the state vnder which they liue and conâ—meliouslie to reuile it for a disordered state and to preiudice and alter thâ— gouernement established and to bring in a new Quaternion of Gouernours by whome onely all matters maye bee directed which are commonly called Ecclesiasticall without any other superior ouerâ—ight or gouernment of Bish. or Arch. or any supreame authority of the Prince tâ— be admitted among them Ha brethren marke the mysterie of these deuises more aduisedlie anâ— I thinke you will saye at least-wise yee may saye that if our statâ— were disordered these things would not bring it into better order but set it quite out of all order and hazarde the cleane ouerthrow of the whole state If the axe were gone is this the remedy to hurle the helue after it howbeit our brethren héere if the helue be not missing but not orderlie set on would cast both helue and axe and all away Now least we might perhaps mistake our brethrens wordes and so might be suspected to slaunder them in saying they woulde cleane excluâ—â— with the Bishops and Arch-bishops superiour authoritye the supreame authority of the Christian Prince and so of her Maiestie from the direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters albeit their words aforesaid are plainâ— inough yet this their resolute conclusion in these wordes make it manifeste There remaineth therefore of these before rehearsed onelie in the Church these Ecclesiasticall offices instituted by God namelie Pastors Doctors Gouernours and Deacons by which the church of God may according to his worde be directed in al matters which are commonly called Ecclesiasticall Here is the conclusion of this Tetrarchie the Prince is not at all mentioned but cleane excluded from the direction of all Eccl. matters and thâ— direction committed to these 4. onely which particuler onâ—ly debarreâ—â— both the Prince and all other besides these 4. Yet because among these 4. estates this word Gouernours might carye such a generall sense as that they might séeme not to exclude but to include the Prince to shew therefore their meaning the plainer that they intend not to include the Prince at al in the Quadrant of these 4. kindes estates of personages vnder the ambiguous name of Gouernours our brethren procéede saying But while wee speake of Ecclesiasticall gouernement it may bee thought of some that we shoulde intreate first of the supreame authority of Christian Princes where upon it seemeth that all the regiment of the church dependeth which is such a myste to dazle the eyes of ignorant persons that they think all things in the Ecclesiast state ought to be disposed by that onely high authority and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate In these wordes our brethren fore-séeing that some iuste oâ—fence might arise héereon that professing a Learned discourse and hauing delte thus farre in the Gouernement of Ecclesiasticall matters and quartered the same into these 4. Tetrarks Pastors Doctors Gouernours and Deacons and that all Ecclesiâ—sticall matters are to be directed only by these 4. the Christian Prince as God bee praised is amongst and ouer all vs her most excellent Maiestie is not onely all this while not mentioned but excluded and so excluded that whether her Maiesties estate be preiudiced héereby is not so much as called first in question and the Princes authority being first debated and resolued vpon then to haue procéeded to the limiting and deciding of these Tetrarks seuerall or conioyned Gouernement Therefore our brethren thinke it nowe belike highe time to mitigate this offence and to preuent this obiection And indéede brethren it is a good obiection
be thought of some that we should first intreate of the supreame authoritie of Christian Princes whereupon it seemeth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth Yea but you will say if it seemeth so then it commeth not of nothing There is no smoake where there is no fire We must abstaine from all appearance of euill Who saide this Forsooth brethren that did euen I and hardily returne mine owne wordes to mine owne selfe Lege Talionis For ye sée I am bolde with you brethren in so doing Well then will you say it seemeth that all the Regiment of the Churche dependeth on the supreame authoritie of the Christian Prince in Ecclesiasticall causes and this seeming commeth not on nothing No verely doth it not For to set aside your partiall suspition and goe to the matter it selfe The Christian Prince hauing supreame authoritie in Ecclesiast causes doeth no Regiment of the Churche at all though not all the Regiment of the Church depende thereon Tush this is a thing which is such a myste say you to dazell the eyes of the ignorant persons that they thinke all thinges in the Eccles. state ought to be disposed by that onely high authoritie and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate A ha brethren I thought it would prooue somewhat It seemed as the saying is either a foxe or a fearne brake I tooke it for smoake and it was a myste So that I myst my marke And yet till it came it reeked like a smoake And a myste will not onely dazell the eyes but so darken the obiect that wee cannot discerne the trueth till the myste bée dissipated and then if we haue good eyes we shall sée all thinges as they are But what is this which is such a myste forsooth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on the authoritie of Christian Princes This is a foule thicke stincking sclannderous darke myste indéede Whence riseth this myste Doe we raise anie such spéeches on the Prince Doth the statute yéelde anie such authoritie to the prince Doeth her Maiestie claime or take vpon her anie such authoritie I heare of none but of the common aduersaries and you nowe which arâ— our brethren that cast foorth anie such spéeches Al-be-it I ioyne not you and them in like condition For they most malitiously doe anowe and blase it you onely say it seemeth but whether to them or to the people or to your selues it seemeth that you tell vs not But it seemeth ye will exempt your selues and I am glad thereof for I would not haue it that you who are our brethren in Iesu Christe and her Maiesties truâ— meaning subiectes as we are should haue either your eyes dazeled or the verie paper whereon you write to be stayned with the supition or but with seeming to suspect such false foggie and infectiue mystes aâ— those are If ye be Iealouse of them to driue this myste away it is well done so that in this Iealousie to driue away the myste ye driue not away withall our Mistresses Supreame authoritie It is no reason her Maiestie should loose her cleare right vnder pretence that a myste dazeleth the eyes of ignorant persons But if they be ignorant then it is for that they knowe not the trueth hereof and then is the truth of the matter cleane contrarie And although the ignorant be deceaued yet they that be not ignorant hiâ— not deceaued And can not the ignoraunt bée taught the trueth by them that are not ignoraunt The ignoraunt persons were deceaued in manie moe thinges of which ignorant persons then manie nowe thankes be to God doe knowe the trueth except such as loue mystes and darkenesse more then light But let not vs suppresse the trueth for feare of what may seeme to ignorant persons For to them truthe seemes falshoode and all that we say both of vs may seeme starke lyes But it lyeth vs vppon so much the rather to tell them the truthe and then if they will be ignorant let them be ignorant still But what is the point wherein by this myste the eyes of the ignorant persons are thus dazeled That all thinges in the Ecclesiasticall state ought to be disposed by the only high authoritie absolute power of the Christian Magistrate This indéede is a daungerous errour of ignorant persons But if any be so ignorant would this error be confirmed in them if the authoritie power of the Christian Princes were first treated vpon and throughly viewed And not rather if there be any such as holde that opinion as by our brethrens spéeches it seemeth shâ—re should hâ—â—â—nie I take it were the best waye which could be taken that this myste were first cleared and the Treatie of the Christian Princes first treated vppon least eyther the Princes should take anie such onely high authoritie and absolute power vppon them or that the people should so grossely and erroniously conceaue anie such matter of theÌ„ This is my opinion in such cases And I woulde wish you brethren to take héede howe in these your discourses let them carie what name of learning soeuer ye wil sith that the people are taught no such matter sith that her Maiestie taketh no such absolute power vppon her but as becommeth a good Christian Prince that which of right pertaineth to her Maiesties royall office and most godly with all humilitie patience and â—uldenes tempereth the Iustice of the same you abuse not too much her Maiesties clemencie that deserueth no such sclaunders nor suspitions at your hâ—ndes Whâ—e put you such surmises in the peoples heads if they were ignorant to deceaue them worse For this is the way to make the people eyther become Atheistes as only and absolutely to depende on the Prince in all matters and causes Ecclesiasticall or to grudge against her Maiestie as taking on her such an onely highe authoritie and absolute power to dispose all thinges in the state Ecclesiasticall What could her open professed enemies haue sayde worse Saue that they no lesse impudently then falsely like arrant Traytors doe not shame to affirme it and should you brethren come after those shamelesse children of Beliall and say But while we speake of Ecclesiasticall gouernment it may be thought of some that we should intreate first of the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes where-upon it seemeth that all the regiment of the Church dependeth which is such a myste to dazell the eyes of ignorant persons that they thinke all thinges in the Eccles. state ought to be disposed by the onely high authoritie and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate What suspicious spéeches and byous glaunces vnder the name of some and of it seemeth and of they thinke are heere cast â—oorth and all this thinking and seeming to some is turned to the people and to ignorant persons they poore soules must beare the fault of all What is raysing of mystes dazeling of eyes walking in cloudes yea daâ—â—sing naked in a net and when all the worlde
looketh on to thinke no 〈◊〉 séeth vs if this be not And whie is the Soueraigne Prince called hereby no better terme then the ciuill Magistrate who before was acknowledged in more reuerent manner to be the Christian Prince and to haue also Supreame authoritie What and did you likewise meane herebie to graunt vnto Christian Princes that all the regiment of the Church dependeth on their Supreame authoritie and that all thinges in the Ecclesiasticall state ought to be disposed by that onely high authoritie and absolute power of the ciuill Magistrate What do ye hâ—â—e grant theâ— all this Or graunt them some thing or denie them all this and graâ—nt them nothing nor any regiment nor anie disposing at all Yee saye the ignorant persons thought thus and thus and would you for all that giue so much vnto Christian Princes as the Supreamâ— authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes Did not you feare also least yee should raysâ— a myste to dazell the eyes of ignorant persons And what did yoâ— meane when you gaue the direction of all Ecclesiasticall matters to your foure estates onely in the Church And among other termes herâ— speaking of the Christian Princes ye call their estate the onely highâ— authoritie and absolute power but it sufficeth vs if ye will abide by your graunt that Christian Princes haue supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes as for the termes onely and absolute which are due onlie vnto Christ in talking of anie others vsurpation of them we knoâ—â— no Christian Princes that doth vsurpe them It is manifest that our most gratious Soueraigne the mirrour of all Christian Princes of this age claimeth or vsurpeth no such onely highe authoritie or absolute power whereby all thinges in the Ecclesiasticall state ought to be disposed Bestowe the vsurpation of these termes on the Pope or of some tyrant or looke your selues brethren better vnto it For you giue thrée thingâ— here to your foure Tetrarkes First direction and then of all Ecclesiâ—sticall matters and that onely to these foure in the Church And werâ— ye not afraide least the fourth terme that is to saye absolute power would followe in a myste to dazel the eyes of ignorant persons Well if after absolute Absolon follow not also it is the better But let vs now with-drawe our selues out of these mystes and comâ— to clearer coasts concerning some particuler pointes what is here grauâ—ted or denied to the Christian Princes by these our Learned discoursing brethren Others there be with more colour of reason that referre only indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes but in determining indifferent matters they shewe themselues not to be indifferent Iudges For whatsoeuer it shall please the ciuill Magistrate or themselues to call or count indifferent it must be so holden of all men without any further inquirie But of the Supreame authoritie of Christian Princes in Eccles. causes how farre it extendeth by the worde of God we shall haue better occasion to intreate hereafter when we haue described the eccl state When vnder the name and blame of ignorant persons these Learned discoursers haue answered as they thinke sufficiently that they haue not first treated on the Christian Princes estate for feare least in giuing thâ— Prince place before they had inuested in full seazure and possession these foure Tetrarks in their offices assigned alreadie vnto them the Christian Prince might be thought to haue gotten too great aduauntage as hauing his share set â—ut before theirs and therefore hee is put backe till all these foure be serued vnder pretence that if the Prince were serued first ignorant persons would thinke that al the other had their shares froÌ„ him and all depended on him and that his power might be thought absolute and that this were a myste to dazell the eies of ignorant persons which might sound to the Princes great reproch Least now the Christian Prince or any other his wel-willers should espie that this indéede were but a myste to dazell the Princes owne eyes that pretending to staye him for feare he might séeme to haue too much they might leaue him no authoritie at all in the directing and disposing those matters wherein his Supreame authoritie most of all consisteth to wit be they politike morall or Ecclesiasticall thinges in matters indifferent least they might thus séeme to spoyle the Prince of all they come nowe to answere those men that yet would leaue to the Christian Prince a Supreame authoritie in disposing of these indifferent matters Others say they there be with more colour of reason that referre only indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes Who those others are they doe not name but we may well perceaue that these our brethren discoursers fauour not greatly those mens opinion that the Christian Princes should haue anie disposing of indifferent matters Notwithstanding because they dare not in plaine wordes denie it it is worth the sight to sée howe pretyly they fetch it about in the answering to the opinion of those others And first they clawe these others how-beit with a harde curricombe that they at least haue more colour of reason yet not reason but colour of reason Which rough or gentle yéelding somewhat to them at least of a colour must serue for a reasonable colour to seeme to giue them something though saue a colour nothing both to bereaue these others of their reason the Chr. Princes of all their Supreame auth in indifferent matters And indéede as they tell their tale they driue it to as little reason as they can for in saying they referre onely indifferent matters to the disposition of Princes they plainely insinuate that these others should say that the Princes are not onely the chiefe or Supreame but also the only disposers of indifferent matters and this also our brethren affirme of indifferent matters indefinitely as though not some but all indifferent matters were in the onely disposition of Princes at their pleasure Nowe although that in some thinges which of their nature are indifferent all lawes of God and man haue had no small regarde of those that are called Principum placita drawing néere to the kinde of her Maiesties Proclamations yet what good Prince hath euer reigned were he neuer so wise euen Salomon himselfe but he had his counsell Not to giue authoritie and life to his decrées in such indifferent matterâ— which lieth I graunt onelie in the Princes disposition but to giâ—e â—â—uise and counsell vpon waightie and mature deliberation what wâ—re beâ—â— in all respectes according to the Analogie of Gods worde the groundes and rule of reason and all other thinges to be considered for the aduancâ—ment of Gods glorie the establishment of the Princes estate and the bâ—nefite of the common-weale But howsoeuer anie other Princes haue â—bused their authoritie and followed their owne disposition rather thâ—n reason in these matters or their owne reason according to Machiauelleâ— rule rather then the aduice or consents
of God by the armour of righteousnesse on the right hande and on the left by honour and dishonour by euill report and good report as deceauers and yet true as vnknowen and yet knowen as dying and yet behold we liue as chastened and yet not killed as sorowing and yet alwayes reioysing as poore and yet â—aking many riche as hauing nothing and yet possessing all thinges The state of the primitiue Church striuing thus against all these temptations and calamities but by the grace and power of God surmounting them in this respect was in more blessed state then when afterwarde enioying peace and prosperitie and abusing the same contentions and other corruptions arose thereuppon in which respect the state was not so blessed Is therefore persecution and al these troubles better for the regiment of the Church of God then peace prosperitie Yea was not that regiment that the Church had then abused also in those that had the gift of tongues the gift of healing the gift of prophecieng Which gifts not only many among the Corinthians did abuse but also there were maniâ— false Apostles many â—uill Pastors many Teachers of false doctrine some Deacons not all the best And no doubt their Segniories were as much corrupted as the residue if they had anie suche standing officers amonge them as these Discourses doe conceaue and as wherein they saye the Churches regimeÌ„t most consisted with the Pastors Teachers the Deacons So that the Churche of God no not at the time no not in that regiment that she was gouerned by was then so perfect in al her regiment nor in most blessed estate for all that the Apostles were then liuing and for all the extraordinarie giftes and offices that then she had And may we thinke if there had bin such Gouernours among them at that time that eyther they if they had not theÌ„selues béene infected would not haue reformed so manie foule abuses Or did not their authoritie stretch so farre Or would not the residue be rather ruled by such gouernors among themselues then to trouble and endanger themselues being Christians before Infidell Iudges Or if they had had any such gouernors among them would not S. Paul chiding theÌ„ for going to lawe before infidell Iudges not rather haue exhorted yea charged them to haue referreâ— those matters to the Segniorie Gouernors the he had appointed ouer thée If he had appointed any hauing builded so great and famous a Churche of God among them continuing at Corinthus a yeare and a halfe togither or to those that they had chosen among themselues to be their Gouernours if that were the onelie order of the Churches regiment then and of such importance and necessitie Or how chance Saint Paule finding these inconueniences in his absence from them to haue fallen out perhaps bicause there wanted such Gouernours among them dooth not will them among so many precepts perteyning to the regiment of the churche in one place or an other of both his Epistles to chose and ordeine such Gouernours ouer them Or mencioning Gouernours and other giftes and offices 1. Cor. 12. Would not say these Gouernours are those Seniors that either ye haue to direct these matters by or at least if yée haue them not ye ought to haue them But as though they neither had anie suche nor vrging them to haue any such Consistorie of Gouernours ouer them speaking of their hauing busines one against another he saith vnto them 1. Cor. 6. Doo ye not know that the Saints shall iudge the world If the world then shall- be iudged by you are ye vnworthie to iudge the smallest matters Know ye not that we shall iudge the Angels How much more things that perteine to this life If then ye haue iudgement of things pertaining to this life set vp them which are least esteemed in the churche I speake it to your shame Is it so that there is not a wiseman among you no not one that can iudge betweene his bretheren By which wordes it appeareth that not onelie in those matters whatsoeuer they were but that also in other matters perteining to the regiment of the churche being matters perteining to this life they had no such Consistories of Iudges or Gouernours among them Nor S. Paule enforceth any such vpon them but onelie to haue some one or other wise and godlie man to be chosen among themselues and that also without any preiudice to the authoritie of the gouernement then established to bee their Gouernour For they being without a Christian Prince to be their Gouernour and being at that time also giuen to such corruptions and contentions either they must go before Infidels or bréed a confusion among themselues So necessarie at all times is it to haue a Gouernour that euen the primitiue Churche could not be without hir Gouernours And yet neither the thing that S. Paule persuades them to being one of the greatest Christian churches in those daies was to set vp a Consistorie among them but some one Gouernour Neither the matter that he diswades them from is anye other thing more then for bringing their brethren and causes before Infidell Iudges So that this is not to be stretched beyond the state of the Corinthians then nor any rule prescribed to any particular churche of GOD now liuing vnder a prince or Iudge that is a Christian That anye churche may otherwise then by waye of priuate arbitrement as charitable neighborlie and blessed peace makers take authoritie to elect or ordeine hereby among themselues any one or other publike Iudge or Gouernour and much lesse elect among them-selues and set vp a Segniorie or Consistorie of Gouernours in matters perteining to this life as are all indifferent matters perteining to the Ecclesiasticall regiment of the Churche but that when any controuersie ariseth about them in the churche if they be not alreadie prescribed in Gods word we must all after all our deliberations on them bring them to the finall determination and disposition of the godlie christian Princes iudgement and censure how they shall be vsed of the subiects And thus maye we kéepe anye other good order of Iudges and iudgements euen as well in ecclesiasticall as ciuill controuersies according to the gouernement alreadie established with out any more néedâ— of reuiuing those consistories whatsoeuer that were then in any christian churche vsed than of reuiuing this constitution of S. Paule for Iudges For although S. Paule gaue such a prescription of Iudges to them in the wante of other Christian Gouernours yet we that haue now Christian Princes and Christian Iudges and I hope godlie and righteous Iudges also are not bound to chose Iudges in our owne Parishes If we could indéed take vp manie néedlesse controuersies among our selues at home it were well doone and would saue much trauell veration and expenses and perhaps the Iudges might be eased to But if we should therevpon make a rule and say that we must néeds haue
at all ouer the churche in Ecclesiasticall causes maye goe séeke it else-where for the churche is sped alreadie of all her authoritie from God immediatlie with-out any from the Prince but also the prince hazardeth his ciuill authoritie too For if the churche finger any of that also it is as good as a Mort-maine against the Prince For why the prince may helpe her make her flourish and prosper but all hir authoritie is immediatlie of God Haue not Christian princes héere a faire supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes left them If the churche deale thus with christian Princes is that churche woorthie of the comfortable aide of christian Magistrates and to haue it when it craueth helpe and defence of Christian princes that will acknowledge her selfe to receaue no authoritie at all of christian princes If shée saith shée will acknowledge that shée receaueth that is to say comfortable aide of christian Magistrates with the which it may singularlie flourish and prosper and that shée acknowledgeth the helpe and defence that shée craueth of Christian princes to continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe This is yet some-what more then before was graunted So that the churche hath néede of Christian princes comfortable aide helpe and defence And then with-out them shée is not so perfect in all her regiment nor in moste blessed nor so much blessed estate but that I perceaue shée is more blessed with them and where the princes are fauoures of the churche and Gospell and kingdome of Christe there it may flourish and prosper and that singulerly which is some-what more yet by one ace then where the princes are not the greatest fauorers But where they are fauorers there the church that belike stood still before or went backeward or went forward more difficultlye may goe forward not onlie more peaceablie but also more profitablie to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe This is much more then was before graunted Yea but say they as it may haue all these benefits by the princes helpe so without it it may continue and against the aduersaries thereof preuaile GOD forbid else But dooth it nota great deale better preuaile with it Yes but what is all this vnto anye gouernement regiment or authoritye in the Prince ouer the Churche My fréende maye helpe me that hath no authoritie ouer me yea so may my seruants that are vnder my gouernement and with their comfortable aide helpe and defence when I craue it I may singulerlie flourish and prosper Yea the prince himselfe be he neuer so high and mightie may craue comfortable aide helpe and defence of an other prince or of his owne subiects wherby he may both singularlie flourish and prosper And also continue and go forward more peaceablie and profitablie not onelie to the maintenance of his owne estate but also to the setting vp of the kingdome of Christe what shall we conclude héereon that such persons therefore haue any authoritie ouer him And this is all that is héere affoorded to anye Christian prince ouer the churche of God And how much is this Forsoothe for any authoritie more or lesse when it comes all to all none at all And why so For the churche receiueth all hir authoritie immediatlie of God What and nothing mediatelie of man No Not of the Apostles Nor by all or by any of these foure estates Or are they onelie the churche and haue all the authoritie Yea are they God himselfe if they onelie be not the churche Or dooth God giue them still that power that they haue or pretend to haue of him immediatelie and by his owne selfe without any mediation and that in all the authoritie not onelie of preaching the word and ministring the Sacraments and binding and losing but also of electing imposition of handes and ordeining ministers and of calling Councels and of making anye ordinances and constitutions concerning any Ecclesiasticall matters What if some of these be of God but yet mediatelie of God by Gods Ministers And what if some of them be of God also but mediatelie from the Christian Prince Yea what if the Christian princes authoritie be of God also as much immediatlie as the churches authoritie Yea and more immediatlie then can be prooued for all these foure estates But be the princes authoritie of God immediatlie or mediatlie of God by man hath not the Christian prince as much authoritie now since Christes and his Apostles time héere in earth as it had ordinarilie before Or did the churche of Christe begin onelie then and not rather from the beginning of the worlde as Gellius prooueth against the Anabaptists that the churche still not onelie in substance of the mysticall bodie and of doctrine but also of the authoritie of gouernment was euen from the beginning of the world one and the same Adam Abraham Moses Iosue the Iudges Dauid Salomon Asa Iosaphat Iosias Ezechias Zorobabell c were all christian princes Had all of them authoritie from God either immediatlie or mediatelie and haue christian princes no more authoritie then is héere allowed Or howe and when where haue they since lost it When we reason against the papists that still pretend the churches Authoritie meaning thereby their popish Hierarchie that they might bereaue all christian princes of their supreame authoritie in Ecclesiast causes we bring foorth the examples of Moses Iosue Dauid Salomon Iosaphat c. If they had not béene in substance grounds of one the same faith with vs Chri. Princes then though not so called as well as these that are called Christian Princes now or if ChristiaÌ„ Princes haue not as much authoritie now as the Princes in and ouer the Churche of God had then then are these examples and the arguments drawne from them nothing to the purpose but the Papists and the Anabaptists will deride them Yea as Saint Paule saithe of the Resurrection of Christe 1. Corin. 15. If Christe bee not risen then is our preaching vaine and your faithe is also vaine and wee are found false witnesses of GOD. So if these arguments for the Princes authoritie from the Olde Testament to the New are not substanciall and good arguments then our preaching and alleadging of them against the Papists and against the Anabaptists is in vaine c. But these arguments of their examples are firme and good standing vpon one and the same perpetuall rule of the Princes charge and gouernement in bothe Testaments so confute bothe the Papists and the Anabaptists Christiâ—n Princes therefore according to the examples of Adam Moses Iosue Dauid c. Haue as much authoritie both mediate and immediate from God as the Ministers of the Churche or the Churche it selfe hath to be Gouernours in the Churche and ouer the Churche of God also or ouer any other of Gods Ministers Not to haue the Ecclesiasticall Ministers peculiar offices and Ecclesiasticall authoritie or to execute the actions
Church may be instructed truly and let him meditate that onely that he may make the Churche more learned by his doctrine For he is a Doctor that formeth and bringeth vp the Church in the worde of truthe He that excelleth in the power of exhorting let him looke to this ende that he exhorte effectually But these offices haue a great affinity and also a knitting together betweene them-selues albeit they leaue not be diuerse No man indeed can exhorte but with doctrine neuerthelesse he that teacheth is not straight wayes indued with the gifte of exhorting Now no man either teacheth or exhorteth but he ministreth But as we see also and acknowledge in Gods gifts it is enough to be fitte for the order Ecclesiasticall Thus modestly doth Caluine mitigate the matter euen where he maketh them diuerse offices Not that he which teacheth can not nor may exhorte as our brethren here peremtorily permit him not but that straight waies he is not endued with the gift of exhorâ—ing As who say in time he may be and many are and it is enough if he be fitte for the Eccl order of the ministerie Peter Martyr saith on these wordes He that teacheth in teaching The Apostles gaue a moste fayre example of this precepte when they saide It is not meete that we should leaue the word of God and minister at the Tables For sith they were instituted of the Lorde to teach the world their will was to be done in doctrine Now if this be the fairest example of this precept of Paule concerning teaching Did not the Apostles alwayes intermingle exhortation with their doctrine But let Peter Martyr procéede on these wordes He that exhorteth in exhorting These two are of very neere affinitie between themselues to teach and to exhorte and sometimes both of them are graunted to one man Notwithstanding now and then and for a great part they are deuided For ye may see some that can teach aptlie and clearely set forth most cunning matters and expounde hid thinges manifestlie and yet for all that euen the same men are meruelous colde in exhortations Some there are whose dexterity and forciblenesse is wonderfull in exhortations who notwithstanding to teache are of all other most vnfitte Out of the words of the Apostle to the Corinthians a little before alleadged wee see how the giftes of Prophecie are distinct We haue in the first place He speaketh edification which appertayneth to doctrine Secondly exhortation wherby men are stirred to do good and to shunne euill In the 3. place is added Consolation For it often commeth to passe that some are broken with aduersitie who thereupon may seeme eyther that they wil dispayre or that they will fall away from the truth Wherfore it is necessary that they be helped with consolation this part Paule heere doth not prosecute I suppose bicause hee comprehendeth it vnder exhortation But howe much doctrines and publike exhortations were in vse accustomed in the Church in the auncient time may be gathered of that chapter to the Cor. 14. Yea these were neuer left off no not in the Synagogues of the Iewes so often as the sacred assemblie was Which may be proued of that that when Christ sat among them in the Sinagogue a booke was sent to him to expounde somewhat to the people And when Paule and Barnabas came to Antiochia of Pisidia as is conteyned in the 13. chapter of the Acts and when they came to the Synagogue with other Iewes the ruler of the Sinagogue said vnto them If yee haue the word of consolation for the people saie on Whereby it is apparant that consolation being contayned vnder exhortation and by these examples of the Doctors and the Teachers thus intermingling consolation with their doctrine and teaching that although in some excelling in one of these giftes and not in both yet the ordinary vse was aswell to ioyne exhortation vnto doctrine as doctrin vnto exhortation And this doth Gualter set out yet more plaine In the 3. place saith he he setteth Doctors These he willeth to bee diligent and industrious in teaching to witte that they should instructe the people committed to their trust diligentlie and edifie all in true faith and godlinesse c. To conclude let them apply euery thing vnto their hearers that they may perceaue these things to be spoken vnto them and to appertayne vnto them And so shall they be true Doctors and cutte the woorde of God aright when they shall remember that there is no lesse neede of prudence then of faith if they will performe these thinges In which wordes he maketh not onely the doctrine of true faith but godlinesse prudence and application to the hearers to bee necessaryâ— pointes and no lesse néedefull than the other appertayning to the office of the Doctors In the fowrth place saith he he setteth exhortation vnder doctrine For althoughe these 2. maye seeme to bee ioyned together moste neerely betweene them-selues yet are they diuerse giftes Neither is hee alwayes furnished with both of them that hath the one of them For such there are that haue an excellent perspicuitye and facilitye of Teaching and when they come to Exhortation those men arevery colde especiallye if they light vppon such as are stubborne and such as will aunswere them againe and vpon great personages and on suche as are aduaunced with publike authority Againe yee shall see others who when they can do lesse in teaching if at any time they must dispute of darker matters and yet are they most vehement in exhorting and with a certaine maruelous waight of argumeÌ„ts do pierce euen the most obstinate mindes But howsoeuer things are we ought alwayes to remember that in the Church of God there is neede not onely of meere doctrine but also of exhortations and that for the disposition of the froward flesh which often is woont to looke backe yea and to stay in those thinges which it knoweth to bee holye and wholesome For there is such negligence of men saith Hemingius yea euen in the businesse of their owne saluation that except they bee prodded with the goades of exhortations and chydings the doctrine remayneth vneffectuall Let therefore the Pâ—eachers of the worde in this place be admonished that not only they shoulde thinke it is their office to teach those things that are right but also to applie the doctrin to the hearers Which thing is done when as according to the example of Christ of the Prophetes and of the Apostles those things which they haue taught they do as it were instill them by exhorting stirre vp diuerse motions of affections Let him teache in doctrine exhorte in exhortation saith Bullinger that is to say let him so teach and exhorte as godlinesse perswadeth and becommeth the Christian doctrine to be Of the which also the Apostle Peter saith If any man speak let him speak as the words of God In which wordes he maketh both these actions of teaching and exhorting to
it had béene small So they seing the truth would neuer be caried away against their consciences for worldly superiority in the which many of them were most humble But not only I say those holy learned fathers that were theirselues Bishops but those also that were no Bishops yea Ierome that was much offended with some Bishops and was a man also very passionate where he tooke offence when he saw this controuersie hote in his dayes by reason of the insolencie of some Bishops did he euer like and allow of this opinion that Bishops and Pastorall Priestes should stil be counted as names indifferent and their authoritie be alike equall in all things And but all one Or but alter and differ by toornes and on occasion of some present actioÌ„ this Priest chosen to be Bish. or be Superiour to day or at this assembly and to morrow or at the next assembly another Superiour chosen and no Superior standing Did Ierome euer like of this No read al his works ouer and whersoeuer he writeth as he often toucheth this matter many times is very vehement against bishops and fauouring Priestes himselfe being one so he alwayes acknowledgeth thâ—s difference of bish and Priest that though in substance of the Ministery they be both all one yet in degree of dignitie the bishop is superiour and the Priest is inferiour to the bishop Yea where of purpose most fauorably he setteth forth the Priests authority as in his epistle ad Euagrium wherâ— he alleâ—geth euen these examples heere alleaged 1. Phil. Act. 20. concluding thus Wherein most manifestly it is proued that a Bishop and a priest are the same c. Yet euen there also hee determineth the matter saying But that afterwarde one was chosen which should be placed before the residue it was done for the remedie of schisme leaste euerye one drawing the Church of Christ after him should breake it For also at Alexandria euen from Marke the Euangeliste vnto Heraclas and Dionisius Bishops the priests did alwayes name the Bishop one chosen from out themselues whom they placed in a higher degree euen as if an army should choose a Cheftaine Or that Deacons shoulde choose from out of them him whom they knew to be industrious call him Arch-Deacon For what doth a Bishop that a priest doeth not except it bee the giuing of Orders By which it appeareth that howsoeuer the names were taken indifferently and as all one at the first originall of them for a while in the Apostles time though there were no institutioÌ„ of the Lord for the change héereof yet as it was done for a most excellent and necessary cause so it was done in the time of the most of the Apostles euen S. Paule and S. Peter and many other of the Disciples as yet lyuing Marke deceasing as the same Hierome noteth in the 8. yeere of Nero Yea if we shal consider Ieromes wordes furder we shall fynde this change both before and also fully confirmed and begunne vniuersally to bee practised in the Apostles times And euen there also where hee alleageth all these selfe-same examples and testimonies out of the Scripture to the contrary of that which these our brethren and all on the other side at this day alleage therein As Phil. 1. Act. 20. Heb. 13. 1. Pet. â— euen as though S. Hierome had led them to these places And his wordes are their owne conclusion Therefore a priest is the same that is a bishop and before that by the instinct of the Diuell studies or factious pertakings were made in Religion that it was saide among the people I am of Paule I am of Apollo but I of Cephas the Churches were gouerned by the common councell of priestes or pastorall Elders for so Ierome taketh the name Presbiter and not for such Priestes as onely gouerned and were not Teachers but after that euery one did thinke those whom he had baptized to be his not Christs it was decreed in all the worlde that one of the priestes beeing chosen should be set aboue the reste vnto whome all the care of the Churche should appertaine and the seedes of schismes shoulde bee taken awaye And when he hath alleaged for proofe that Bishops and priests were first all one al our brethrens examples afore-said he concludeth againe saying These to this purpose that we might shewe that among the auncients priestes were the same which all were bishops But by little and little that the plants of dissensions might be plucked vp all the carefull prouision was giuen vnto one As therefore priestes know that they by the custome of the Church are subiect vnto him that is placed ouer them so let Bishops know that rather by custome than by the verity of the Lords disposing they are greater than priestes And that they ought to gouerne the Churche in common following Moses who when he had in his power to rule the people of Israell alone he chose 70. with whome he would iudge the people Héere is your former example also Numb 11. but not as you alleage it that the office of the Eldership in the one is an imitation of the Eldership of the other meaning there the Ministers of the word and Sacramentes For these offices are nothing like the one being méere temporall the other méere Ecclesiasticall Neither like your other not Teaching Elders as we shall after see And yet if they were alike it would cleane beat down your aequality of dignity For though Moses took these to be assistants in Gouernment to him yet were they not equall to him but his inferiours And thus the Bishop should haue his assistant priests Minister of the word and Sacramentes in preaching and ministring the Sacramentes in ordeyning Ministers and in making any Ecclesiasticall constitutions and so rule in common but not that euery Minister or those that were chosen to be assistants should be hayle fellow wel mette equall and all one in dignity with him or else there is no imitation but manifest breach of the example of Moses and the 70. Elders his coadiutors in the burthen of the gouernment Thus equally in this controuersie then did Ierome beare him selfe both to the Bishops and to the priestes being himselfe a priest and fauouring their cause and pleading for them so farre as possibly he could Neyther would these testimonies being not taken by the way but of set purpose thus set downe be sleightly considered For if we list not to be contentious it may bee a notable paterne vnto vs sithe wee sée this controuersie so hote in these auncient and holye Fathers dayes that were néerer the time of the originall of this change then we are what was their opinion that were the best learned and holiest Fathers thereon what reasons and resolutions moued them thereunto to be the more perswaded to follow their iudgemeÌ„t or at least to beware how far we stirre moue factions and scismes for the same as then Aërius and
Elders as were Ministers of the word and Sacramentes whom our brethren cal Pastors was with one consent allowed and practised without any interruption reclayming or misliking of any person either of the Cleargie or of the people by a continuall succession from in the very Apostles dayes To the which purpose I haue not vrged such authors as are suspected to be forged in those holy and auncient Fathers names but such as euen our brethren theirselues do acknowledge to be the true authors of those bookes and stories whence I cite them As for the holy Fathers following Cyprian Athanasius Cyril Basil c. doe not onely all of them agrée héereto and for the most part were such bishops themselues but also vpon anie occasion offered in their times do defende and maintaine by the authoritie of the worde of God this superior dignity and authority that they had and exercised as shall yet furder God willing appeare in that which followeth But héere because our brethren may seeme already to haue aunswered al that can be alleaged out of the anciēt fathers I am now to craue licence of the reader to set a-syde for a while our brethrens Learned discourse that we may heare and marke for our furder satisfaction what our other Learned brethren aunswere heereunto And firste they aunswere to all this by distinction of the order of bishoppes in a little booke late come forth called The iudgement of a most reuerend and Learned man from beyonde the Seas concerning a threefold order of bishops c. Which aunswere beeing so briefly and plainely perused as may satisfie and conferred with the resolutions of our other brethren from beyonde the Seas also we shal the readier returne to this Learned discourse of these our brethren at home for the titles and equalitye of the Pastors The Argument of the 4. booke aunswering that parte of a Booke late come foorth called The iudgement of a moste reuerende and Learned man from beyonde the Seas c. that concerneth the superiour Authority of the Bishops THis Booke contayneth a diuision of three kindes of Bishops to wit of God of Man of the Deuill With Danaeus proues of this triple diuision Treating first of the lawfull vse honorablenes of the name B. Of Daneusand the moste reverend mans Definitions and their confuting the definition of the Bishop of man Of the power that the most Reuerend yeeldeth vnto Of the continuing Assemblye at Ierusalem vnder Iames Of their office that are called the Angelles of the Churches in the Reuelation and of the churches Moderators Of the greatnesse of Peter notwithstanding the rendring accoumpt of his doings and of one going before the other Pastors Of the impugnyng and defending the argumentes of Epiphanius against Aerius And of the Fathers report that Timothie was Bishop of Ephesus with the shifte for his beeing an Euangelist and what the word Eldershippe importeth Of the Order and authority of one laying on of handes and of the differences betweene ordayning electing with the prerogatiue of one euen in the elections Of one or moe Bishoppes in one Citie and of the schismes in the auncient Churches where moe haue bene and withall of the lamentable schisme by the Meletians Of Cyprians defence for Bishops to succeed the Apostles and Ieromes defence for the originall of B. superiority in the Apost times and of the Apostles remayning superior although they ioyne other with them in their actions as Paul Softhenes and that one was superiour in excommunicating and that all this superiority of Bishops was no priuy custome but the continuall and vniuersall practise of all Christendome This booke intituled The iudgement of a moste reuerende and learned man from beyonde the Seas c. beginneth vvith this prefixed distinction WE must needs make three kindes of Bish. of God of Man of the Diuell WHO this most reuerend and learned man should be sith his name for what purpose I knowe not is not dicouered by our Brethren I minde not to pull off his visour but with all due reuerence both to his person and learning I may take the aduauntage with lesse enuie in a namelesse person the better to consider the reasons of his iudgement Howbeit bicause the reuerende and learned Danaeus professing openly his name doth vse also this selfesame distinction from whence this namelesse moste reuerende man might séeme to haue barrowed it I would therefore a little higher beginne with him that began before with this distinction and so one aunswere serueth both Danaeus in his Christian introduction 3. parte cap. 8. after he hath brieflie referred vs for the dignity and office of Pastors to Bernards sermons on the Canticles 41. 77 saith on this wise Haec breuissime verum iam latius Episcopi c. These things briefly but now more at large bishops and Pastors are one in the holie Scripture 1. Pet. 2. v. 25.5.2 Wee at this daye name them Ministers of Gods worde because men haue now long since abused both the name and dignity of bishops And at this day the name Episcopatus of a bishoprike or bishops office is esteemed to be the name of honor onely and of gaine but not of burthen and of labour Albeit contrariwise Augustine in the 9. booke of the Citie of God chap. 19. saith The name of bishop is of worke not of honor For of the office of a Bishop or bishoprike which in Paules time was one and Euangelicall was afterwarde made a threefolde bishoprike that is to wit a Bishopricke Euangelicall Humaine and Sathanicall Euangelicall where is greatest equalitie among all the pastors of the Church of God Humaine when vnto some one of the Pastors a power and prelacie or preferment not indeede the greatest howbeit some power is giuen ouer the other men of the same order that is to say ouer other pastors and Elders Sathanicall when vnto one pastor is giuen vppon other Churches an Emperors or Dictators power as in popery are bishops Archbishops the Pope Be it spoken with protestation of all duetifull reuerence I wonder at so renowmed and learned a man How zeale against the corruptions of Popery maketh now and then such a notable man also and yet but a man Homines sumus labi possumus We are all but men and may ouerslippe to confounde and carrie things awaye in presupposals cleane from their right course and places euen where they woulde moste preciselye distinguishe and dispose them Howe bishops and Pastors are all one in the Scripture wee haue séene alreadye at large though not yet out of that place of S. Peter héere quoted which because our brethren Discoursers doo afterwards mention we shall God-willing in order come thereto For the name of Minister of Gods word vnderstood both for Pastor bishop it is a good name and a good reason But that we should so cal B. and Pastors ministers of Gods word that wee shoulde cleane exclude either the dignity or the name of bishop it
is no reason at all The Doctor both is and may as-well be called a minister of Gods worde And yet will you brethren distinguishe a Doctor from a Pastor whome yes call a Minister as we do Yea the Deacons name in the naturall signification thereof signifieth a Minister and yet wee commonlye call not the Deacon a Minister But that the name bishop should not be shunned and turned to Minister bicause the name and dignity hath beene long time abused If this reason were good we may take away the name and dignity of Doctor too and the name of pastor would not be farre behinde Yea the name both of Church and Gospell Yea the name of Iesus and the names of many things else haue beene both as long and as much abused as euer the name and dignity of bishop hath bene But since Danaeus hath héere graunted that their is a name and a dignity of it in the Scripture mée thinkes it were good reason that we should rather seeke to retayne both the dignity and the name in such order as is not contrary to the Scripture and so without the abuse growne since to vse both the dignity and the name of the Euangelicall bishop that is of God than thus cleane to cast off both dignity and name of bishop for the abuse of them But what now is this so long and great abuse A bishops office is counted at this daie for a name of honor onely of gaine but not of burden and of labour That it is of honor I aske no better witnesse then Danaeus himselfe vpon 1 Tim. 3. ver 1. Who after he hath saide that priestes or Elders bishops are all one he saith Deacons are heere distinguished and plainly seuered from bishops The name of priest is in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore it is a Greeke word But this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 differ as in Latine do vetus and senex For 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a name of age and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also of dignity as may be gathered out of Plutarke in Nicea If now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bee all one how is not the name of Bishop a name betokening an office of honour Yea. the very Etymologie of the name signifiing an Ouerseer who séeth not it conteyneth an honor and preferment Yea Hierome also whome Danaeus alleageth in his Epistle ad Euagrium saith A Priest and a bishop the name of the one is of age the name of the other is of dignity But to say as Danaeus heere doth that the office of a Bishop is counted at this day a name of honour onele and of gaine but not of burden of labour or paine I know no Papistes muchâ— lesse Protestants so caried away with honor and gaine that euer said it or mee thinkes can thinke it S. Augustine saith I graunt it is a name of worke not of honor yea God saith I will haue mercy not Sacrifice Such negatiues are not simple but comparatiue God requireth both howbeit the one more than the other As he saide of iustice and of tithing Haec oportet facere illa non omittere And if Elders bishops be al one doth not S. Paule say 1. Tim. 5. The Elders that rule wel are worthy of double honor chiâ—fly that labor in the word doctrine But what saith he saith Chrysost vpon 1 Tim. 3. If any saith hee desire a bishoprike I reproue it not I disallowe it not for it is a worke of gouernment If any therefore desire this not with the pompe of principalitye and lordlines but with the care of gouernment and affection of Charitie I improoue it not for hee desireth a good worke For Moses also coueted that matter how beit he sought not such power and ambition of gouerning but he sought the matter so that it was saide vnto him VVho made thee a Prince and a Iudge ouer vs If anie therefore desireth it so he desireth it well For thereupon is it named a bishoprike because hee looketh vpon all men and vieweth all thinges But of what bishop did S. Augustine speak when he said A bishops name is of worke not of honor spake he it not of such a bishâ—p as had a superior dignity and gouernment ouer pastorall Elders as all the holy bishops long before his time had and himselfe also Or did he condemne theÌ„ all and himselfe and his calling when he so said I maruell much bee it spoken still with meete reuerence of so Learned a man what Danaeus and our brethren meane so often to alleage the Fathers Ambrose Augustine Hierome Theodoret Cyprian Bernarde For all those Danaeus alleageth in this chapter and approoueth their sayings for the name and office of bishops And yet all such of these as were bish yea Archbishops vsed theirselues this superior dignity and authority ouer pastors This sentence of Augustine heere also alleaged Epistola ad Valerianum 143. There is nothing in this life especially at this time more comfortable and acceptable vnto man than is the office of a bishoppe of a prieste and of a Deacon if the matter bee handled sleightlye and flatteringly but then before God nothing is more miserable and also in this life and chieflie at this time nothing is more hard and daungerous than the office of a bishop But with God nothing is more blessed if we go to warre as our Emperour that is Christe would haue vs. Is not héere by the way a plaine distinction of al these 3. offices bishops priests and Deacons Again Ambrose saith Danaeus doth say that in a bishop is the power of all the Ordinations And as saith Cyprian a bishop is sette to bee a watchman ouer all Did they meane héereby that they had no more authoritie than all other Ministers of the worde had Or not rather that they had a greater then they all But now to come to our triple distinction that must aunswere al that is alleaged in all the fathers In the Gospell they are all one I denie that In the Gospell is mention of Bishop for Apostle and in that kinde of Bishoprick all the Apostles were Bishoppes But in the Gospell I meane in the recordes and state of the newe Testament some were Bishops that were not Apostles And therefore all were not all one And doth not Beza and the Geneua translation take the name of Bishoppe euen in the places cited by our Learned discoursing Brethren for those vnpreaching Prelates or Elders not teaching whome they call Gouernours And if it bee so then againe all the Euangelicall Bishops are not all one And if the difference laye onely in the pride and vitious life were all Bishops good that are mentioned in the Gospell and by S. Iohn in the Reuelation But the Euangelicall bishoppe is where there is moste greate aequallity among all the Pastors of Gods Church Neither can that be For if it
shoulde either there must neuer bee assemblies and Councels such as were at Ierusalem among the Apostles for then their-selues confesse there can-not bee aequalitye Wee confesse say the Learned discoursers pag. 114 that in euerye assemblie or company some one of necessitie must haue this prerogatiue to order and dispose the same with reason So that if one muste haue preeminence aboue the residue then is there not so much equality as before and after And so for that time wherein of all other they shoulde bee moste Euangelicall by this moste greate aequality among them beeing left off they should not bee Euangelicall at all And therfore they may be Euangelicall well inough both in suche assemblies and without them hauing not suche most great aequality as is héere imagined Neither can I sée how this summa equalitas this most greate aequalitye can at anie time consist among the Pastors For if Caluines reason bee good vpon Galath 2. ver as we haue heard that greater honor speaking there of the honor of dignity should be geuen to those Pastors that haue greater gifts and all the Pastors in one Citie haue not giftes alike then not onely this inequality of dignity must bee of the Pastor to the people but also of the inaequality of the Pastors ariseth an inequality of the honor in dignity among the Pastors The reasons that our little English booke of the iudgement of a most reuerend and Learned man c. alleageth for the Bishop of God to bee all one with Pastor are the places cited already by our owne Learned discoursers alleaged as Ephes. 4.11 1. Tim. 3. Phil. 1.1 and therefore I passe them ouer to the places where they are aunswered come to the 2. kinde of Bishop the Bishop of man for on him lyeth now all the controuersie The humain saith Danaeus is when vnto some one out of the pastors there is giuen vpon the residue of the men which are also of the same order that is vpon other pastors and priestes of the Church a power or prelacy which is not indeed the chiefe but some it is If the bishoprick of man be no worse than this definition maketh it I sée not but that it is a good bishoprick yea why may it not be counted all one with the Euangelicall bishopricke Shall I say as much nay more then that which is most equall with all the pastors For this wee haue shewed by manifest prooues out of the word of God it self euen in the example of Tim. by the example of Iames Act. 15. 21. Gal. 2. euē out of Caluine Beza and by the exposition of manie the auncient and best approued Fathers by the track of the vniuersal practise from in the Apostles times by the testimonies of more than 2. or 3. most auncient credible witnesses that the bishop of man as he is héere defined is the very bishop of God also As for the 3. bishop of the Diuell let him go to the Diuell from whence he came We haue God be praised nought to do with him And howsoeuer our Br. might warble at the bishop if any were so euil a man that he might be called the Diuel himself as Christ called Iudas yet was his bishoprike of God We haue none to whome is giuen the summa potestas We acknowledge it to be only in Iesus Christ which is the only high bishop of our soules If he be the bishop of the Diuel to whom alone is giuen ouer other churches imperatoria dictatoria potestas an imperiall dictatorial power then be our bishops in England no bishops of the Diuel which haue no such most high imperial or dictatorly power Whosoeuer should so say of them should most manifestly slaunder them of whom a sclaunderer is that let the Etymology of the name Diabolus tel you As for our bishops they are of the number of those bishops of God Of whom this most reuerend man saith That the same were subiecte to Magistrates thoughe prophane appeareth not onely by the example of Christ the highest Prieste and of the Apostles but also by the expresse words of Paule 1. Tim. 2 Luke 12.13 and such God be praised bee our bishoppes and such were all these holy and auncient bishops that I haue mentioned Howbeit though the Pope may go in this crewe whether this definition suffice for all Popish Arch-bishops and Popish B I doubt mée of it For they haue no such highest power though they would But they are rather his slaues that hath it so it comes all to one reckoning for them so long as they like it and maintaine it in him and serue vnder him and as néere as they can or dare aspire to some part of his tyrannicall pride and diuelish vsurpation But God forbid that we shoulde so thinke when we cannot so say except we say amisse of any of our Reuerend Fathers bishops ouer vs that haue renounced him nor taken anie such power on them ouer either prince pastor or people in their gouernmēts But to annswere Danaeus with the iudgement of as reuerend and learned a man as is himselfe Let Danaeus his selfe aunswere himselfe what manner of superiority he alloweth in Bish. For writing vpō the 5. chapter of the 1. Tim. ver 22. Vnto whome the election of a pastor doth belong After hee hath taken it from prince from patrone from praelate neither yet that it perteyneth to all the Church alike whiche were to disturbe all thinges neither to anie one because none in the Church saue only Christe is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gouernour by himselfe alone but of his arguments of election we shall sée God willing afterwarde at the length he saithe Neque eriam obstat c. Neither also doth this let it that the Bishop is of the fathers called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 President as though hee onely might order the whole Church after his fancy and therein aduāce whome he pleased for that worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Praesident declareth onely an order that he which was called the Bishop ought to sitte among his colleagues and fellow Priestes or Elders but it giueth not vnto him a kingly or a chiefe and Pretor-like power vppon the Church Ambrose in lib. de dignitate Sacerdotum cap. 6. doth confirme that whiche wee saye If thine eye shal be simple thy whole bodie shal-be cleare that is If that the B. which deseued to rule the bodie be bewtified with holy simplicitie and innocēcie all the Church shineth with the brightnes of the light But if thy eie be euil c. That is if the B. which seemed to giue light to the body subiect to him be shadowed with the blindnesse of wicked behauiour what shal the other mēbers do that are bereft the light of the eies That is to say what shall the seculer multitude do whē with vnlawfull actions forbiddē the B. shal prouoke the
the Iewes beleeued that this was the cause of the siege of Ierusalem foorth-with following that they had againe on him layde their wicked handes And that Iosephus did thinke euen so hee euidentlie declareth by these woordes all which thinges sayth hee hapned to the Iewes for the reuenge of Iames the Iuste which was the brother of Iesus that is called Christe whome they killed beeing by the confession of all men the most righteous and most holy man So that this Bishop which Danaeus calleth the Bishoppe of man and his Episcopall chayre wherein he sate among his fellowe Brethren and thereupon was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the president of them is of man indéede but of such men euen of the holie Apostles of Iesus Christe that we must néedes confesse it is of God also Except wee will disavowe the Apostles doinges of the same or call in question the credite of these Historiographers that were so néere and as it were euen in their times which doe auowe it of them But nowe that we haue hearde Danaeus iudgement let vs heare also the iudgement of this most reuerende and learned man from beyonde the seas that is nowe ariued in Englande For we Englishmen loue manie times to heare of newes beyond-sea where in sooth are manie most reuerend and learned men and it is good to heare the iudgments of them to sée if they agrée with these mens iudgementes For if he be neuer so much most reuerende and learned a man yet I perceaue héereby hée is but a man and so is the Bishop of man as well as he And wee haue heard for this one mans iudgement the iudgement alreadie of a great manie moe and that as reuerende and as learned men as this one most reuerend and learned man who so euer he be But is he not some Archbishop himselfe For this stile most Reuerend sauoreth much that waies if the stile of Archbishops be not by you misliked for that hee is called a most reuerende Father and your stile is to be well allowed of that calleth him but a most reuerende and learned man But as we haue heard other most reuerende and learned men from beyond the seas also and from the most famous partes of all the worlde and all of so manie hundred yeares before our times yea and before the vsurpation of the Pope so let vs now heare also the iudgement of this most reuerende and learned man and conferre it with the other and with the best learned euen of our Brethren themselues and so returne to procéede vppon our Learned Discourse The Bishop that is of man saith this most reuerend learned man that is to say brought into the Church by the alone wisedome of man besides the expresse word of God is a certaine power giuen to one certaine Pastor aboue his other fellowes yet limited with certaine orders or rules prouided against tyrannie In this definition of the B. of man made here by the iudgment of this most reuerend and learned man except in the partie himself that is here defined I sée as yet in my simple vnlearned iudgement no great matter to be misliked in him or cause that he should mislike in the B. of man Saue that here me thinkes he defines an other B. of man then we defend or know of to be among vs. And this is principally to be marked that definitum definitio doe so agrée that whatsoeuer is spoken of the partie defined be aunswerable to the definition of him and whatsoeuer is put in the definition be in all pointes answerable and neither more nor lesse than is proper to the partie that is defined or else it is no good definition of the partie For here concerning the B. of man are adioyned these words that is to say brought into the Church by the alone wisedome of man besides the expresse word of God Where here this most reuerend and learned man taketh on him to define such a B we take not vpon vs to defende or maintaine such a Bishop as is brought into the Church by the alone wisedome of man For the alone wisedome of man is méere foolishnes before God Yea sayth S. Paule 1. Cor. 8. The wisedome of the flesh is death but the wisedome of the spirite is life and peace because the wisedome of the flesh is enmitie against God For it is not subiect to the law of God neither indeede can be But it is such wisedome as S. Iames speaketh of earthly sensuall and diuelish Iac. 3. while therefore this most reuerend and learned man speaketh héere distinctly of the B. of man from the Bishop of God he confoundeth him with the B. of the Diuell For what is the alone wisedome of man without the wisdom of God but the very wisdome of the diuel For when man would be wise without God he became a foole lost the Image of God and was deformed with the image of the diuell till by the liuely character of Gods expresse Image Iesus Christ the Image of God was renewed in him And if he do any thing of himselfe without the wisdome of God which is Iesus Christ though in some respect it may be said his owne yet it is the Deuils from whō all sinne first came So that here this triple distinction is confounded neither indéed can it well be maintained that he saith we must needes make 3. Bishops There is neither need nor truth in this distinction and sauing the reuerence of euerie reuerend and learned man it is but a captious distinction Where with séeing they dare not for very shame nor indéede can condemne all these holy fathers that mainteined it as mainteining a B. of the deuill they turne that cunningly to the Papistes that are the open aduersaries and deuise a meane betwixt Gods Bishops the diuels and that for sooth is the B. of man Wherein good simple men or rather well wéening fooles brought in a B. of their only or alone wisedome that for sooth is not the diuels B. but whose is he then Is there halting here betwixt God Baal and a meane betwéene Christ and Beliall Was not Saules alone wisedome without God witchcraft And is not witchcraft of the diuel Doth not Christ say he that gathereth not with me is against me And is not he that is against Christ with the deuill Why then do ye séeke out these figges leaues not plainly say if ye can so say if ye dare so say that this Bishop which all these holie fathers did acknowledge was the diuels B if ye say it was the diuels B I pray you looke vpon the fathers a little better that brought this B. in into the Church And marke whether they looke not like Gods childrē yea the notable excellent most reuerend most learned saints of God manie of them And would all these set vp such an Idoll puppet as the diuels B. to be gouernour
doeth in the title of the Epistle ioyne to him-selfe Sosthenes And did Saint Paule and Sosthenes execute their Ministery in common as aequals because he ioyned him to himself in the title of his Epystle and in his salutations He ioyned Timothie vnto himselfe in his other Epistle to the Corinthians and besides Timothie Siluanus in both his Epistles to the Thessalonians Doeth hee therefore execute his ministery with them in common and as his aequals and how then dooth this Learned man himself euen heere confesse of the Apostles who it is euident were not onely the firste in order next vnto Christe but also highest in degree if these men whome in these salutations S. Paule ioyneth vnto himselfe did execute their Ministerye in common and therein were aequall vnto him These thinges hang not together Whatsoeuer S. Paule in ioyning Sosthenes vnto himselfe in his salutations did sore-see this Learned man fore-sawe not no nor after-saw his apparant contradictions to him selfe and much lesse sawe he what S. Paule fore-sawe héerein cleane different from that that he imagineth Wherefore saith hee no not the same Paule alone woulde excommunicate the incestuous persons by his Apostolicall authoritye but by the authoritye of the whole Eldershippe Neyther dooth Peter doubt to call himselfe fellow Elder Neyther doeth this debarre but that still euen in excommunication S. Paule had a superior authority ouer the whole Eldershippe euen as Caluine himselfe confesseth on that place 1. Cor. 5 4. Wee muste note saith he that Paule though he were an Apostle doeth not excommunicate after his own lust alone but participate counsel with the church that the matter may be done by a common authoritye hee verilye goeth before them and sheweth the way but in that hee ioyneth associates with him hee signifieth inough that it is not the priuate power of one man To the which Marlorate addeth and that as out of Caluine also firste vpon these wordes I haue already decreed for I haue also saith he already iudged and pronounced the sentence which you ought to follow And againe as out of Martyr Verily the Apostle goeth before other in iudging which also it beseemeth those that in the Church are the greater to the intent that the vnskilfuller people may be in iudgement directed by their voice going before And furder as out of Caluine hee saith The auncient Church had an order of Priesthood or Eldershippe whereof the Apostle mentioneth 1. Tim. 5. c. 17. and these Priests or Elders were of two sorts For certaine of them both taught and administred the Sacramentes yea rather together with the Bishop did gouern the Church because the Bishop was of the same order that they were of Neyther behaued he himselfe otherwise towardes them than the Consul of Rome towards the Senators Whereby it plainely appeareth that the Apostle whether he ioyned vnto him after he had fore-iudged and decreed the same the whole Church of Corinth or the Seniory of what sort of Elders soeuer they vnderstande it to denounce in their assembly the sentence already decreed of excommunication yet notwithstanding was Paule their farre superior Yea that euery Bishop in his Diocese ioyning with his seignorye being of such Priestes or Elders as are of the order that the Bishop himselfe is of neuerthelesse still hee remayneth their superior not onelie in other poyntes of dignitye but euen in the voyces that they all ioyntlie assembled giue in denouncing the partye to bee excommunicate with their assents whome the Bishop before hath pronounced iudged and decreed so to be And that he is as a Consull towardes the Senators to witte of a far higher authoritye than anye one or than all his Bretheren in the Senate And that this was the order in the auncient Church of the Eldership whereof the Apostle maketh mention in the 1. to Timothy 5. c. 17. All which if it be true that Marlorate as out of Caluine doth héere avowe then is it plaine that in the Apostles times there were Bishops of the same order that the other Priestes or pastorall elders were who both taught and administred the Sacramentes and though with the Bishop they did gouerne the Church together yet had he a farre superior dignity then anie one or then all they had as a Consull among yet aboue his Senators Which is the very principall poynt in question And how is not then this Bishop that heere in contempt is called the Bishop of Man the Bishop of God also As for excommunication we will referre to his proper place And for Peters calling of himselfe a fellowe Elder because our Brethren the Learned Discoursers discourse better on it I will likewise referre it to their furder calling on the same The residue héere noted by this Learned man for Ieromes sentence is already aunswered saue that he addeth this And whereas hee saieth in the same place that it was decreed throughout all the worde we are to vnderstande it no otherwise than of a priuie custome brought in by little and little Howe priuie it was and by little and little brought in the Reader may vnderstande by that we haue shewed already that it began in the Apostles times the apostles not vnwitting thereof but willing the same yea some of the chiefe apostles themselues parties Open to al the world in the most famous Churches Ierusalem Antioche Alexandria Ephesus Rome and all Creta ouer spread from these places throughout all Christendome begun in the age of the apostles and so continued in the Primitiue Church and held in reuerence among all these auncient reuerend holy and learned fathers confessors and Martyrs before the errors superstitions pride and tyrannie of Antichriste began recorded testified by so many and so credible witnesses confessed and graunted vnto euen by the moste reuerende and best learned men indéede of our owne times yea by these our brethren themselues that do impugne it and yet in effect doo thus confirme it and shall wee now dare to call this a priuye custome brought in by little and little But what dare not this man from beyonde the Seas vnder the name of moste reuerende learned presume to conclude that dare folde vp all this matter thus And whatsoeuer is founde in Ignatius or other auncient Writers when the Bishop of Sathan was not yet found out touching the authority of the Bishops or ouerseers as Iustine speaketh is to bee vnderstood of this kind of Bishop Thus doth this moste reuerende and Learned man shake off all these auncient writers and holy fathers Ignatius heere named immediatlye succeeding the Apostles and liuing in Antiochia before the destruction of Ierusalem not onely in S. Iohns and Simeons dayes but while manye other of the Apostles and Disciples liued as Eusebius in his Chronicle witnesseth Yea though Beza also alow the title and office in Timothie that Iustine ascribeth to bishops What of all this Whatsoeuer Iustine speaketh yea whatsoeuer is found
to giue a fourme to churches not yet orderly framed that he might establishe a certaine manner of pollicie together with Discipline Thus hath Titus beeing an Eâ—der or pastor or bishop a Superior authority giuen him aboue other Elders pastours or bishoppes were they then distinguished or all one As for the office of Titus it is deuided sayth Aretius in two partes the one is parted into correcting the other into ordeyning These two wee haue in the Apostles proposition That thou mightest correct the other thinges and Towne by Towne ordeyne Elders That therefore shoulde bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Correction but this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ordination Correction conteyneth all that that is vicious in the manners of men and ought to bee and may bee amended according to the rule of Gods Lawe In which part the Apostle hadde in-deede corrected many thinges but not all nor the whole Hereupon was the precept of the amendment of the residue c Whereby wee are admonished that alwayes and euery where we haue neede of amending Moreouer that there canne bee no vigilancy so greate of Godlye Ministers that can in the hearers correct vices to the full but that still that saying of the Apostle is to bee often repeated Correct the other thinges c. The other office of Titus is to ordeine Preestes or Elders Towne by Towne This is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the ordination of Ministers a place moste ample and needefull to bee knowne It is wont heere to bee enquired who oughte to ordeine and then who are to bee ordeyned Concerning the former the Apostle in this place attributeth this to Titus alone for there were no other in Creta that regarded this matter or that coulde haue perfourmed it and all the Magistrates were as yet heathen and Titus was moste rightly enstructed of the Apostle and endued with giftes of the holy ghoste At this day there is another reason wee haue faythfull Magistrates and Christian people And therefore the force of the election pertayneth not to the onely Ministers although heere it appertaine to Titus alone And therefore our Churches He speaketh of the territory belonging to the Lords of Berne in Heluetia doe keepe this manner that the Ministers doe indeed elect notwithstanding they offer theÌ„ to the Senate as if we should present the election to the Quéenes Maiesty to the CouÌ„sel Which either alloweth or disaloweth all the election according as they vnderstande the matter Oftentimes also the consent of the whole Church is sought ouer whome the Minister is to bee preferred Thus sayth Aretius not onelye of their order in ordeyning Ministers both different from this example of Titus and from the rules prescribed by these our Learned discoursers but also to shewe that Titus had there and then the whole and onely gouernment of these thinges Neither auayleth that which Caluine aunswereth to his owne obiection which though wee haue noted once before in aunswering the moste reuerende and learned man when hee vrged Election as the cheefe grounde of Churche offices which dependeth on the voyces of the whole company Yet once more if it be pardonable let vs againe consider his obiection and his aunswere But hee seemeth sayth Caluine to permitte too muche to Titus while hee commaundeth him to sette Ministers ouer all the Churches For this were almoste a Kinglike power and moreouer by these meanes is taken away from euery Church the right of electing and the iudgement from the colledge of the Pastors but this were to prophane all the holy administration of the Church But the aunswere sayth Caluine heereunto is easy Not that it is permitted to the will of Titus that hee might doe all things alone and place bishops ouer the Churches whome hee pleased but onely hee commaundeth him to gouern the elections as a moderator euen as it is necessary This is a speeche common ynough so is the Consull or hee that supplieth the place of the King in the vacancy or the dictator sayde to haue created the Consulles because he held the court where they were to bee elected And so saith Luke of Paule and Barnabas in the Actes not that they alone did preferre as at their commaundement the Pastors of the Church eyther tried or known but because they ordeyned fitte men which were elected or desired of the people I omit héere in this matter concerning Titus ordeining Ministers the contradiction of these two so notable learned men Caluine and Aretius the one sayth the ordeining and the election of them pertayned to him alone the other sayth not to him alone the one sayth they were elected or desired of the people the other sayth none regarded this or could do it and yet both of these thus varying excellent men But to reconcile them both as well as we may yea to yéelde to Caluine as the senior and the more renouned and the nerer fauouring these our brethrens Discourses and being him selfe the cheefe Pastor euen in Geneua wherunto they would néerer leuel our Ecclesiasticall gouernment let Caluines owne conclusion aunswere his owne selfe and our brethrens pretended equalitie of their Pastors Indeede sayth Caluine We learne out of this place that there was not then such equality among the Ministers of the Church but that some one was aboue them in authoritye and in counsell Howbeit this is nothing to the tyrannicall and prophane manner of Collations which reigneth in popery for the manner of the apostles was very farre different What can be playner sayde then this conclusion of Caluine that there was not then such equalitye among the ministers of the Church but that some one was aboue them not onely in Counsell but also in authority Neither is this confessed of Titus onely but of the whole state of the Ministery then to wit in the Apostles times and for all the continuance of the Ministery after them that there shoulde not bee among the Ministers of the churches and by Ministers there hée speaketh of Pastors suche an equality as our Brethren héere pretende but that some one both in Counsayle and also in authority should bée a Gouernor and Ruler fet ouer aboue his brethren and fellowe Ministers and by what name could they or can we call him better then a Bishop The auncient Fathers therefore hauing by continuall succession receiued this Title for a Superiour in authority and counsaile among the Ministers of the Church as not equall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by a kinde of prehemito call him a Byshop and finding Titus to haue such Superiority committed vnto him ouer a whole Isle hauing an hundreth Cities or good Towns therein do call him Bishop of Creta Titus sayth Hierome the Bishop of Creta In which Isle and the Islandes lying thereaboutes hee preached the Gospell of Christe and there died Hemingius a famous and yet liuing learned man writing vpon this Epistle of Paule to Titus in the summe of the first Chapter saith on this wise The summe of
Tit. De gubernatione ecclesiae Sect. 12. Hée descendeth further vnto the particular Titles and degrees which these our brethren especially doe forbidde saying Moreouer sithe that the Kingdome of Christe is gouerned by the worde and spirite of Christe the Monark there are therein two kindes of men that is to witte the setters forth of the worde and the hearers of them who no otherwise than the Fathers and the Sonnes reuerence and worship the one the other And although the spirituall iurisdiction of these setters foorth of the worde of which iurisdiction wee shall speake afterwarde bee all one notwithstandinge the Degrees of dignitie bee not equall and that partly by the Lawe of GOD and partly by the approbation of the Churche For as Christe ascendinge from on high gaue Gyftes to men Apostles Prophetes Euangelistes Doctours and Pastors So gaue hee vnto his Churche power to edification By this power the Church ordeyneth Ministers for her profite that all thinges might bee doone orderly to the encreasing of the bodie of Christ. Hereupon the pure Churche following the times of the Apostles did ordeyne some Patriarches some Bishops some Bishops Coadiutors whō Iustine the Martyr calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whom we call Prepositors some Pastors and Catechisers The reformed Churches after the darkenesse driuen awaie which the Pope brought into the Churche are content with fewer degrees least by little little the matter might passe into a tyrannie They haue Bishops Doctors Pastors and Ministers inferiour vnto Pastors whom by a fonde terme they call Chapleyns Among these he that excelleth in the excellencie of giftes in the greatnesse of labours and in the degree of calling is preferred before other in dignitie Not indeed that he should exercise a dominion vpon other but that he should rule other in wisedome and Counsell so be that he shall shewe the reason of his Counsell drawen out of the word of God and out of the lawfull ordinance of the Churche For when Christe onely in his kingdome is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 free from rendring anie account it is fitte that they which be subiectes to him should render a reckoning of their doings Thus reuerently writeth this Reuerende and learned man Hemingius on these titles and difference of dignities in the offices promotions of the pure and primitiue Church succéeding the time of the Apostles and of the reformed Churches in these dayes Vnto whom also accordeth Herbrandus a famous Protestant writer nowe liuing though differing frō vs in the controuersie of the sacrament who in Compendio Theologiae loco de ministerio Vpon this question whether there are or ought to be degrees among the Ministers of the Church Yea sayth he for God himselfe made and ordeined these degrees with different giftes Ephes. 4. Hee gaue some Apostles but some Prophets but some Euangelistes but some Pastors and Doctors to the filling vp of the Sayntes into the woorke of the Ministerie to the building of the body of Christe Also Paule nameth Bishops Priests or Elders and Deacons Moreouer by reason of order for good order or discipline sake and to preserue consent concorde and vnanimitie let some be superiour vnto other Least there should be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a dissolute state without gouernement in the Church orders were ordeyned among the ministers by a profitable Counsell As among vs meaning the Germaine reformed Churches are Subdeacons Deacons Pastors Super-intendentes speciall ouer whome doe rule Super-intendentes generall as we vse the names of Bishops and Arch-bishops after the olde and vsuall name Vnto these other chiefe and choise men as wel Ecclesiasticall as Polyticall adioyned do make the chiefe Senate of the Church But this primacie is not of power that for his higher degree a greater authoritie licence and power should be graunted to anie man of decreeing anye thing or of commaunding in the Church or of ordeyning at his pleasure or of determining in the controuersies of Religion for heere as much preuayleth and ought to preuaile the sentence of the lowest as of the highest which resteth on better and firmer testimonies of the holie Scripture and of argumentes brought from thence in what place or degree soeuer any man bee placed But it is a Primacie of order in the residue of the gouernement and polycie of the Church Thus sayth Herebrande of the Germaine Churches But if now for admitting a bishop and distinguishing him from Priest or Elder for allowing Sub-deacons which we do not for hauing Super-intendents speciall and generall and for making this distinction for primacie of power and order in this sense that this power of order is of a standing and continuing degree of dignitie superiour to Elder or Pastor if for these pointes Herebrande and all those reformed Churches in this matter be reiected let vs then come euen to Caluine himselfe who doth yet more reuerently write of these titles and dignities of order where they are not reteyned then these our Brethren do among vs be they neuer so godly vsed For Caluine in his Institutions cap. 8. de Fide sect 51. Hetherto sayth he we haue treated of the order of gouerning the Churche as out of the pure woorde of God it is deliuered vnto vs and of the ministeries as they are ordeyned of Christe Nowe to the ende that all thinges may bee made manifest more clearely and more familiarlye and may also be better fixed in our mindes it shall be profitable to recognize the forme of the auncient Churche in those thinges which shall represent vnto vs before our eyes a certaine Image of the equall diuine Institution For although the Bishops of those times haue sette foorth manie Canons wherein they might seeme to expresse more then were expressed in the holie-scriptures they composed notwithstanding all their whole domesticall administration with such heedefulnesse to that onely leuell of the woorde of God that you may easily see they had in this parte almost nothing varying from Gods worde Yea if anie thing might be wished for in their ordinaunces not-with-standing because they endeuoured with a syncere studie to conserue the institution of the Lorde and swarued not much from the same it shall very much auayle here briefely to collecte what manner of obseruation they had According as we haue declared three kindes of Ministers to be commended vnto vs in the scripture so whatsoeuer Ministers the auncient Church of God had she distinguished thē into three orders For out of the orders of Priests or Elders partly were chosen Pastors Doctors the other part gouerned the censure or controlement of manners and corrections The care of the poore and dispensation of the Almes was cōmitted to the Deacons as for the readers and Acolytes were no names of offices that were certaine But those whō they called Clerkes they acquainted thē with certaine exercises to serue the Church whereby they might better vnderstande whereunto they were appointed and in time might come the more
being not so apt to admit such a superior title of dignity among the Pastors priests or pastoral Elders which are titles common to them al signifting rather the substance of the office than any quality of degree therein and substantia non dicitur secundum magis minus Which reason though it sufficeth vs to vse the title of the one not of the other because Arch-priest which indéed is lesser in respect of degeee is the greater or at leaste in both is al one in respect of the office or order of the Ministery and therefore wee vse it not yet for any thing héere alleaged by our brethren not only wée might vse it but euen the Papists might still vse the title of Archprieste as they do vnderstanding not the name Prieste for sacrificer For where our brethren say that the name of Archipresbyter or chiefe of Elders parteyneth to no mortall man neither they nor anie other except the Pope himselfe who said also he was the B. of Bishops did so vse the â—earme Archipresbyter in this sense thus indefinitely and in generall spoken as chiefe of Elders but as a chiefe person in some subalternall respectes among a certaine number and appointed companie of his brethren Priestes or Elders And so it may well appertaine to a mortall man yea to a man framed after our brethrens owne deuising to be a chiefe man among his brethren Elders for a time or for an action in the assemblie of them Yea in this restrainte they admit the name of Archbishoppe also And if as they say Episcopus and Presbyter bee all one then in that sense admitting Archbishop how far will they differ from admitting also the title of Archipresbyter but nowe let vs sée their argument against this title that is héere alleaged out of Peter The argument is this If any man coulde S. Peter that excellent and high Apostle might as well as any haue challenged that name Arch-elder But S. Peter durst not call himselfe other than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellowe Elder no not when he sought authority to himselfe by that name to be bolde to exhorte the Elders of the Church Ergo No mortall man that is an Elder can or ought to dare to challenge that name Archipresbyter or to call himselfe other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Concerning héere our brethrens Maior in this argument wee gladlye allow it both that S. Peter was so excellent and high an Apostle and also that if any méere mortall man could he might as wel as any haue challenged that name But by the way because of these words more than I looked for had S. Peter in any respecte any superiority aboue his fellow Apostles Did he then excell the residue in any dignity or were not the residue as high as he but that he by an excellencie is heere saide to bee high more than all they Were not our brethren afrayed least by these speeches they might seeme to confirme the Papists opinion that S. Peter was the head of the Apostles yea diuerse of the Fathers cal S. Peter the Prince of the Apostles as doth Origen in his 17. homily vpon Luke and Cyprian lib. 1. Epist. 3. lib. 4. Epist. 9. that Peter was the foundation of the church and yet doth neither Origene allowe anie primacy of the B. of Rome or of the church of Rome from Peter And Cyprian De simplicitate Praelatorum saith The Lorde speaketh vnto Peter I saith he saie vnto thee that thou art Peter and vpon this rocke I will build my Church and the gates of Hel shall not ouercome it I will giue to thee the keyes of the kingdome of heauen and the thinges that thou shalt binde vppon the earth shal be bounde also in heauen And to the same party after his resurrection he saith Feede my sheepe And although after his resurrection he gaue his power alike euen or aequall to all the Apostles and say As the Father sent mee so send I you also receaue ye the holy Ghoste If ye shall remit sins vnto anie they shal be remitted vnto him if you shall holde them they shal be holden Notwithstanding that he might make vnity manifest he by his authority did dispose the originall of the same vnity beginning from one Certeinlye this were the other Apostles also that Peter was endewed with like consorte both of honour and power but the beginning commeth from vnitie that the Churche mighte bee declared to bee one So then though the honor and power in respect of their office of Apostleship were aequall in them all and of like consort yet in this respect that in all numbers and orders there muste euer bee a beginning from one therein was Peter in the Apostles company the firste and cheefest And so is he called of the Euangelist Mat. 10.1 by the name of first Neither is he set down first for order only but also for some other preeminence depeÌ„dant thereon And therfore we may safely gather that Christ made a speciall choise of these 3. Apostles Peter Iames Iohn more than of al the residue Whereupon it should séeme that these 3. were as S. Paule noteth Gal. 2. esteemed as pillers seemed great among theÌ„ And though Iames had the prerogatiue of being made the B. of Ierusalem not Peter yet as it is very well said here by our brethren in respect of the felowship of the Ap. Peter not Iames was that excellent and high Apostle that excelled and surmounted all his fellowes as ring-leader and though not as head yet oftentimes as mouth of all the residue And could there be these differeÌ„ces degrees of excellency height and greatnes in this one fellowship of the Apostles the honor and power of like consort in the office of the Apostleship still remayning may there not be so among the Elders yet one to be B. and among the Bishops yet one be Archb. without the impeachement of the honor and of the power of like consort in the office of Eldership Bishoprike If one among them notwithstanding the equality of their Apostleship was and might be rightly called that excellent high Apostle why may not one likewise amoÌ„g the Elders not withstaÌ„ding the equality of their Eldership be indéede so be called that excellent and high Elder one B. among the B. that excelleÌ„t high Bishop But let this go as a scape by the way yea let S. Peter be neuer so excellent and high an Apostle yet say our brethren he durst not call himselfe other than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fellow Elder No durst hâ— not so how then durst he euen at the first dashe and the very firste wordes of his Epistle call him selfe Peter the Apostle of Iesus Christ. lo héere he called himselfe other then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fellow Elder Yea but say they he durst not when he sought authority to himselfe by that name to be bold to
is a far vnlike and vnséemely spéeche for Protestant Minist to bestow vpon their brethren Minist in the Gospell True it is that by the Non residence of some Pastors and the pluralities graunted vnto them some Curates and Ministers of lesser giftes are maintayned and as I take it reason too For as we haue shewed out of Caluine the giftes of the Pastors being not alike there may well bee difference in them both of superiority of maintenance Which may accord also wel inough with the saying of the Apost The Elders that gouerne well especially in the work of the word are worthy of double honor And therfore if some more Learned pastors hauing also a greater gift of the spirit of gouernment haue moe parcels of the Churche of god to gouerne than other haue and thereupon are permitted in consideration of their greater labours in the word to do good in moe places and for their better prouision to haue other besides them and in their absences to attend continuallye to those congregations while their more fruitefull trauailes are other where emploied if these also by order of lawe and by authoritie of Magistracie bee prouided for and yet cannot bee permitted but by the lawe and magistrate so that it is not free to euerye one that liste but to choice and more able men and onelie to so good purposes and alwaies with sufficiēt prouisions for euerie place and person so permitted Is it lawfull for euerie or anie priuate subiect on this publike fashion to exclaime against it and also to inueigh against the Magistrates for maintaining of it But there is a mysterie in this thing more than euerie bodie wéeneth Pluralities and non residents are pretended which if they bee abused are not so maintained but that vpon proofe thereof they are punishable or to bée restrained or reuoked but other matters are shot at to wit the liuings of the Bishops of the Colledges or of anie that haue anie portions of the Church impropriated and allotted vnto them Howbeit our Brethren faile herein of their chiefe purpose for if all these were taken away yet may the power and superiour authoritie remaine though weakened when the liuing is gone and so al Pastors notwithstanding al these byouse deuises are not equall As for that our Brethren adde of the pretence of these thinges which they call grose corruptions of Pastorall office to omit the reconciliation of these sayings that as they may haue some honest pretence so they can haue no better pretence than had the exchangers of money the grasiers and poulterers to make a burse or shambles or a poultrie yea a den of theeues of the Temple of God which were indéede no honest pretences at al This is also too rough a censure of our Brethren so flatlie to condemne all the Magistrates and Ministers in the Church of GOD which in manner aforsayd permit these things to haue no better pretence nor conscience than these deadlie enimies of Christ had The Texts alleaged out of Matthew Marke and Iohn stande onelie on a ranke for a bare shew and proue nothing at all that these matters haue no better pretence and conscience than those grose corruptions of those wicked Iewes had And is this now that which our Brethren meant when they sayde euen the last sentence before they would rather praie to GOD to lighten their heartes than by anie long discourse to discouer their palpable darknesse Indéede Breuis oratio penetrat coelum But this short Prayer pearceth beyond all Gods forboad and this short discourse Si breuis grauis it were better be longer and be leuis Howbeit the burthen of it is but a faburthen of a foule mouth and of an heauie irkesome slander vnfit for our learned Brethren to haue vttered And yet not content therwith our brethren procéede and saie But especiallie while the whole office of a Pastor shall be thought to consist in reading onelie a prescript number of Psalmes and Chapters of the Scriptures with other appointed formes of praier and that hee may be allowed as a sufficient Pastor which dooth the things which a childe of ten yeeres olde may doe as well as hee so long shall wee neuer lacke vnlearned pastors ignorant and vngodlie people simonicall and sacrilegious patrones so long the building of Gods Church shall goe but slowlie forwarde Besides other superstitious fantasies mayntained in the peoples heartes which for shortnesse wee omitte to speake of Of what estimation reading hath béene accounted in the auncient and primitiue Church and the office of readers both of the Psalms and Chapters of the Scriptures we haue alreadie declared out of Zanchius citing Bucer at large for the same And how auncient and allowable appointed formes of Praier haue bene in the Church of God among al the holie Fathers are yet euen in those reformed Churches that are most now commended vnto vs of our Breth yea their selues also haue in print set down vnto vs appointed formes of Praier though with what warrant and authoritie they may prescribe and appoint formes of praier to their Prince and to the whole Church of Englande and reiect that which is by lawfull authoritie of the Prince and of all the states of the Realme and Church of Englande alreadie appointed I doe not yet knowe and faine woulde I learne how they are able to iustifie these dooings and how their owne prescribing vnto others their appointed formes of prayer and ministration of the Sacraments they hauing no sufficient authoritie therevnto dooth not much more confute themselues that controll other for prescribing appoynted formes of Prayer vnto them As for that they saie the whole office of a pastor shall bee thought to consist in reading these things I know none that saith or thinketh so or that hee may bee allowed as a sufficient pastor which dooth the things which a child of ten yeeres olde may doe as well as hee Who alloweth such a one for a sufficient Pastor And what are those things which a child of ten yeeres olde may doo as well as hee May a childe of tenne yeeres olde minister the Sacrament of Baptisme and the Lordes supper or pronounce the publike absolution to the people But they meane perhaps that such a childe may reade the appointed formes of prayers Psalmes and Chapters of the Scriptures as well as he Maie hee so in the publike Congregation and haue no lawfull calling therevnto And yet may hee doe it as well as hee that is lawfullie called If they meane onelie in the respect of his reading I easilie graunt it them that anye priuate man woman or childe although younger than tenne yeeres olde if his sight be quicke and his voice cleere he be wel enured to reading may both reade as well farre better than many an old Doctor yea than the most zealous and best learned Pastor in the world when his tongue foltreth or his eies waxe dim or age or
in those publike praiers which the pastor speaketh onelie in all the peoples name the people nowe and then did giue their responses in their courses as if may appeare by that which Ciprian afterward saith But when we stand to praier most dearlie beloued brethren we ought to watch and be intentiue to the praiers with al our heart All worldlie and carnall cogitation must go from vs Neither must the minde thinke then of anie other thing than of that onlie which it praieth Therefore the Preest also giuing foorth a preface before the praier prepareth the breth minds in saying Lift vp your harts whē the people answereth VVe haue them lifted vp vnto the Lord they may be admonished that they ought to thinke on no other thing but on the Lord. So that the people said not only Amen but had other aunsweres also vnto the Minister as may appeare further in the Letanies and Liturges of the auncient Churches And to shewe howe farre the people ioined their voices with the Minister euen long after when the Ministers had gotten a great part of the praiers to their owne pronouncing in Chrysostomes time but yet before the blasphemies Idolatries and superstitions of the Masse began or the praying in a tongue vnknown to the people or in secrete muttering that al the people hard not it is worthy the obseruing to this purpose that which Chrysost. writeth vpon the last vers of the 8. chap. of the ◠epist. of S. Paul to the Cor. Homil. 18. Wherfore shew ye towards them and before the churches the proof of your loue of the reioising that we haue of you Now saith hee receiue ye them euen as indeede ye loue vs Declare ye howe wee not simply nor rashlie do reioyce in you This shall ye do if ye shall shew forth your loue towards them And afterward he maketh his speech more dreadful saying In the sight of the churches for the glory saith hee of the churches for their honor for if ye shal honor thē ye shal honor the churches that sent them For it shall not be only their honor but also their 's that sent them chose them before all it shall be to Gods glorie For when we shall honor them that minister vnto him the glory stretcheth to him For th◠communitie of the churches but this also shal be no smal thing for great is the power of a synode that is of the churches The praier of them loosed Peter from his bondes opened the mouth of Paul Their suffrage or voice not a little beautifieth those that shall attayne to the spirituall principalities And for this cause he that shall giue orders calleth then for the Churches praiers And they giue their sentences and giue their crie thereto Which thing they that are to enter into the Ministerye doe knowe For it is not lawfull to them that are not entred into the ministerie to disclose all thinges But there is that thing wherein the Prieste differeth nothing from him that is vnder him As when the dreadfull mysteries are to be partaked for we are all holden a like worthie to partake them Not as it was in the old law the priest did eate a part the people a part it was not lawful for the people to be partaker of those things wherof the Priest was partaker Howbeit now it is not so but one bodie is brought forth vnto all and one cup. Yea and in the prayers a man shall see that he offereth together with them the full cuppe both for those that are possessed with vncleane spirites and also for those that are the penitentes For the prayers are made in common both of the Priest and of them And all of them say one prayer a prayer full of mercie Againe when we haue shutte out from the Priestes circuites those that can not be partakers of the holy table another prayer is to be made and we all lie vpon the grounde alike and we arise all alike Againe when the peace is to be communicated we salute one another all alike And again euen in the same most dreadfull mysteries the Prieste prayeth for the people and the people prayeth for the Priest For when they say and with thy spirite it is nothing else than this those thinges that are of the Euchariste that is to wit of the giuing of thanks are all of them cōmon For neither he giueth thankes alone but also al the people For hauing before their voyce then they being gathered together that this thing might worthily and iustly be done he beginnes the Euchariste or thankesgiuing And what marueilest thou if the people speake with the Priest Whereas in deede they sound out those holy hymnes in common euen with the verie Cherubines and supernall powers These thinges verily are spoken of vs that all those also which are gouerned might be sober to the end we might learne that we are all one body Onely hauing among vs so much difference as mēbers haue from mēbers And that we should not cast al vpon the Priests but that wee also euen as for a body that is common should thus beare the charge of the vniuersall Church c. By these wordes it manifestly appeareth that the Pastor in the administration of the diuine seruice sayde not all the publike prayers alone though in the name of the whole Church and the rest ioyning in hearte with him in silence to auoide confusion and disorder aunswering him onely with Amen but that they had many responses and manye whole prayers that they prayed all together in common euen in the same manner as he did without any disorder or confusion Thus we sée both that in the whole tenure of all the scripture and in the practise of the primitiue and the auncient Churche succeeding they stoode not thus precisely as neither for the prescription of the forme of publike prayers so neitther for the manner of the vtterance of them but that often they ioyned all their voyces with the minister or followed him or aunswered him with many moe words than with a bare Amen which giueth nothing but as our Brethren confesse a silent consent vnto him which is rather an approbation of his prayers for them than properly any prayers of theirs ioyned with him The thirde thing that I would haue heere further considered in this matter of publike prayer is that our Brethren say it were a great confusion and vncomelinesse for euery man to make his seuerall prayers in the publike assemblies Indeede if euerie man did make his seuerall praiers in the publike assemblies at such times as the publike prayers are openly made by the minister in the name of the whole Churche and did neither openly praye with him nor in silence giue assent vnto him so be they could heare him I confesse it were great confusion and vncomelinesse But if the ministers voyce were so lowe either by nature or infirmitie that in a great assemblie all
Philip therefore not speaking anie thing at all against it and namely Luke the Euangelist by the inditement of the holy Ghost consecrating the same to a perpetual record that such a Queene had there bin no more but she alone was there the gouernour and her such worthie nobles vnder her regiment as this Eunuch was how can we choose but coÌ„clude herevpon that the holie Ghost improueth not the state of a womans supreame gouernment but that it maye if there be no other impediment than her sexe accord together well inough with the sincere profession of the Gospell Danaeus next ensample is of Cleopatra of the Aegyptians vnder Augustus Cleopatra was indéede in the time of Octauius for he vanquished her louer Antonius and she would at the first haue allured him likewise as she had done before his adoptiue father Iulius Caesar. But séeing he minded that she should haue ben vnder his subiection as a captiue she wilfully made a waie her selfe that she might not be vnder his authoritie all which was done before he was surnamed Augustus She was Queene of Aegipt at the first ioyntlie raigning with her brother Ptolomie whome when hee would haue deposed from participation in the kingdome she fled to Iulius Caesar. Who reconciling her vnto her brother wheÌ„ afterward her brother was drowned she raigned alone vntill she ioyned her selfe vnto Anthonius Who being ouercome by Octauius Anthonie shee destroying themselues that kingdome became prouinciall as many other did vnto the Romanes But how dissolutelie so euer shee liued her state while shee was Queene was lawfull Neither was this Cleopatra the onlie Queene that gouerned Aegypt there was another Cleopatra grandmother to this which also was the Queene chiefe gouernour of Aegypt besides the widowe of Ptolomeus Philometor Besides another Cleopatra Silene the Quéene of Syria eueÌ„ at that time when Alexander raigned in Iudea Yea the raigne of a woman in Aegypt was so auncient that the Chronicles report that Rhea the mother of Osyris the great raigned in Aegypt And Isis her daughter after her called Iuno of Aegypt Eusebius calleth her Iò on whose monument as Diodorus Siculus testifieth was ingrauen this Epitaph I am Isis the Queene of Aegypt instructed by Mercurie Those things that I in my lawes haue decreed let none violate And as it was in Aethiopia and Aegypt which are two principall partes of Aphrica so in Lybia Berosus sheweth how Minerua the daughter vnto Iupiter of Lybia the sonne of Ammonius taught the discipline and lawes of gouerning an armie and after went to Greece where she builded Athens and there raigned And with these Palladian women saith Functius Tab. 16. Hiarbas in Lybia making warre was of them vanquished and submitted his kingdome to their power Of Dido in Aphrica we haue heard Vadianus iudgement Next to Cleopatra Danaeus citeth Zenobia vnder the Emperour Adrian a most valiant woman vnto the gouernment of which Zenobia obeied also many Christian Churches I wonder that Danaeus saith Zenobia liued vnder Adrian or in the time of his raigne who raigned and died if she were sortie yeres olde when she was vanquished by Aurelianus at the least one hundred yéeres ere shee was borne a greate many famous Emperours raigning betwéene their times This Zenobia was indéede as Danaeus calleth her a most valiant woman and is highly commended Though her wearing armour and the suspition of her husbandes death were no small blemishes to her gouernment But for this point of the lawfulnes of a womans gouernment Danaeus owne testimonie is in my fancie a great both praise and proofe that not onelie the Heathen but many Christian Churches did obey her For had the gouernment of a woman or the obedience thereunto of men béene monstrous vnnaturall or anie whit against the faith and life of Christianitie though some might for feare and infirmitie haue beene inforced yet would not many and those true Christian Churches haue obeied such a state Which obedience in them argueth their good affections in this point and that neither quarelling at the vices in their persons nor at the infirmitie of their sexes but to obey them as the higher powers that their power is of God is an obedience to be yeelded euen for conscience as this was praise worthie in them a good example to all other Christian Churches so not a little it recommendeth her that being an Heathen woman in those daies when the most renowmed Princes wer persecutors she quietly gouerned many Christian Churches and they Christian like did obey her These are the examples that Danaeus citeth of womens chiefe gouernment among the Heathen But least we should thinke there were so few examples as onely foure for all the world to gaze on such rare monsters as Caluine Caenalis vnreuerently tearme them before we descend to the people of Gods Church to the Monarchie of Rome and to the states in Christendome let vs yet sée a few mo to beare these princely dames companie And euen at the time of Zenobia with whom Danaeus leaueth Coelius telleth of another famous woman gouernour at Coleine named Victorina which with Tetricus noblie defended the Gaules and the Spaniards from the inuasions and spoiles of the Barbarians Thomiris the Queene of Massagethia that vanquished the mightie Monarch Cyrus in defence of her Country was such a gouernor Zarina Queene of the Sachans to whom the Parthians for the fame of her valour and iustice reuolted from the Medians was also such a notable gouernor Cratesipolis likewise gouerned the Sicionians Such an other was Artemisia the Queene of Halicarnassus that to her power helped Xerxes against the Grecians built that famous MausoleuÌ„ her husbands tombe one of the 7. wonders of the world Pithodoris the queene of the Tiberians of the Chaldeans of Cholchis of Pharnacia and of Trapezond did noblie gouerne a mightie Empire Tania the queene of Dardania Helen the queene of A diabene of the Chosroenians which reléeued the Iewes with corne in the dearth mencioned Act. 11. Neither néedâ— we be curious to inquire after such forain Quéenes that here at home had not our own countrie barren of such worthy women gouernours of whome Tacâ—â—s writeth in vita Agricolae Britanni sexum in imperijs non discernunt The â—ritains make no difference of the sexe in their Empires Cordilla the daughter of Leire succéeded her father in the kingdome Mercia the wife of Guinthelinus did so prudently gouerne in the administratioÌ„ of the kingdome with her husband that she made many wise politike lawes which long after were in high reputation among the Britons of her name were denominated The Mercian lawes In like manner Bundwica ruled this Realme and maintained warres against the Romanes in defence of her countries libertie Now although that these Heroines a great number mo whome I refer to their diligence that list to collect theÌ„ were in religion to Godward al Pagans and therefore
nothing can be spoken more absurd But farre greater errours haue sprong out of the same fountaine First that by those authors it was beleeued that the Salike lawe did appertaine to the publik right of a Citie and Empire or gouernmeÌ„t of the hereditarie successioÌ„ of a kingdoÌ„e For the Tables of the Salike law were found and brought forth to light not many yeres hence By the inscription of which it is knowen that they were first written and set out about the age of Pharamund But in those ther is extant this one Chapter Title 62. No portion of the inheritance of the Salike land passeth to a woman but this the mans sexe doth obtaine that is the sonnes succeede in the same inheritance But where among the nephues their children after long time contention is raised De allode terrae of the own-ship or right of the land Non per stirpes sed per capita diuidatur Let it bee diuided not by the stockes for issues but by the polles The like Lawe is extant apud Ripnaries Tit. 58. and also apud Angliâ—s Tit. 7. Where it is so far off froÌ„ that that it was ordained of the inheritances of kingdoÌ„es that those laws appertain not so much to the successions of fees but onlie of ownships or the things that are ones owne although indeed a dowrie was assigned vnto the woman out of those ownships Thus saith Hottoman of this Salike lawe whereof the French erre so foulie and make such a boasting As for that he addeth Howsoeuer it be first this is euident that although there be extant neither anie Chapter of the lawe Salike nor yet of the French lawe by which women are put backe from the inheritance of the kingdome notwithstanding the institutions and manners of the nation kept with such a consent of ages holde the force of a lawe written This is vltimum refugium and the strongest string that Hottoman when all is done can finde to vphold all that controuersie withall â—ut sith that string hath bene so often crackt as we haue seene alreadie by the French owne Chronicles both Hottoman and Bodinus may be now dismissed in good peace for that matter and likewise Danaeus with all due reuerence By whole Caluines Questions about womens gouernment we have discoursed out thus far from our Brethrens Learned discourse upon occasion to answere our Brethren for that they note of S. Paules reprouing the vncomly disorder of womens speaking in the Church of the Corinthians By the which searching after my plaine and ordinarie manner what Caluine Beza and Danaeus said on this matter and at the first chop méeting with such their foresaid arguments I thought it verie necessarie albeit Impar congressus Achilli Troilus yet thus farre forth to oppose my selfe euen to so famous men in these matters Which I haue the rather hazarded my selfe vnto onely least anie scruples of these inuectiues against Womens gouernment might sticke in anie of our Brethr. mindes by mistaking the Apostles words through ouermuch credit of these most famous writers I meane speciallie Caluine Beza and Danaeus If our Brethren shall saie that all this was the more néedlesse sith they which make this Learned discourse doe acknowledge her Maiesties publike and supreame gouernment in the Church of England Would God they did so as they ought to do Then indéed we should not néed these questions but ioyne together in al dutiful obedience vnder God to her Maiesties lawes in these matters But to our grief we sée yea to our shame al the world cries out theron it is not so It is but nice daliance We grant a forme of wordes as we saw both in Caluine a Danaeus we impugne the matter Nowbeit because to our greater griefe we shall yet sée this more more throughout all this Learned Discourse Let vs now returne heare agains our Brethren the Learned Discourses The argument of the 10. Booke THe 10. Booke concerning the Ceremonies of our Church for the fruitfulnesse vse and vrging of them Wether confirmation of children by the Bishop and the churching or solemne thankesgiuing of women after child-birth be vtterlie to be reiected Whether the dead should be buried without anie ceremonie forme of seruice or sermon or presence of the Pastor c. For hot contentions in small matters of a true pastors dutie about the Churches constitutions Of the Pastors authoritie in common with the elders Of the power of order and iurisdiction Of Timothies authoritie of the gouerning Elders authoritie How vnnecessarie and daungerous to the state and magistrates the erecting of these supposed Seniors would be Of the remouing all vsurped authoritie What kind of mastership and office of being greatest Christ allowed and of tyrannizing in the Church Whether all the rules of gouernment and pollicy be set downe and prescribed in Gods worde as the dostrine of faith and precepts of morall life are Whether a Bishop haue any separate authoritie froÌ„ others or the Apostles had any such authoritie and whether Paul deliuered anie such to Timothie Whether his rules to Timothie be generall rules to all Bishops of their authoritie and manner of ordaining Ministers iudging of them Of Paul and Barnabas elections and ordeinings Whether separate authoritie inferre sole and absolute Monarchicall authoritie What regiment Christ left to his church and of his sentence Matth. 18. ver 15. for the consent of the household seruants and whether we should consent vnto our Breth or our brethren to vs in these ceremonies Whether all that consent haue authority that equal Of the difference of the churches and of the Persons authorities in them BY which it is euident that Saint Paules wordes are wreasted of some cleane contrarie to his meaning to make him a patrone of idle if not hurtfull ceremonies maintained more vpon will than reason or graunted of Gods word vnder the coulour of order and decencie not onelie with neglect but also with great hinderance of Gods building by spoiling the Church of so many learned pastors TO applie Saint Paules sentence Let all things bee done according to order to the patronage of hurtfull or of idle ceremonies I graunt were an euident wreasting of his wordes But this would be proued and not sayd onelie that we so doe Wlée haue seene and proued too euidentlie howe our Brethren are ouerbolde to wreast Saint Paules wordes otherwise than either he spake or meant As for vs we maintaine no idle Ceremonies much lesse hurtful If anie such shall be shewed we are as readie as anie our Brethren in all humble and dutiful manner to desire the abolishing of them But wée hope all suth are by law and order alreadie remoued Would God our Br. would remeÌ„ber by whose indeauour they are taken awaie and in thankfulnesse be contented For what ceremonies can they proue are by anie authoritie commaunded to be vsed that are idle and hurtfull Haue we anie at al
exeept those that either God himselfe hath prescribed or we haue ground and graunt of the lawfull vse of them out of Gods word or that being of their nature méere indifferent haue as mech reason as will for them to be vsed not vnder the coulour but in verie déede onely for order and decencie so consequentlie for edification and not otherwise And may not indifferent ceremonies be so vsed And both the Ministers and the people so farre forth bee bound without scruple of conscience and matter of Religion but onelie for obedience sake as matters of decent comelinesse and the edification of quiet order to vse them and yet neuer vnder the coulour of preiudice to the libertie of Christianitie to disturbe the peace of the Church the course of the Gospell the obedience of the Prince for the resisting of them Verily if anie héereby doe hinder the building of Gods Church our brethren héerein haue to take great héede that make so great and so vnnessarie troubles in the Church for these Ceremonies with great hinderance of Gods building As for our partes if anie such Ceremonies as these indifferent in their owne nature saue that by order they bee appointed were also remoued we doate not on them but could well inough bee content so that by order and lawe they were removed and some other as comelie and decent ceremonies by her Maiesties authoritie and by our whole Churches consent were orderly ordained in their places But thus disorderlie to take these awaie and that with such reproches both of these ceremonies of all those that only in this manner for externall order and obedience sake doe admit theÌ„ to leaue it frée to euery congregation to cast all our ceremonies off or to take what other new they shal like better to alter them also as they list either euery man or euery congregation at their pleasure or though they would ty themselues more strictly to them yet liuing al vnder one state to innouate or abrogate any authorized with out the licence authority of that state this were me thinks not onely an vndecent disorderly thing nothing furthering yea greatly hindring the building of the church but very daÌ„gerous both to the higher powers to the whol realm And as for the hinderers of Gods building by spoiling the church of so many learned pastors we know not any church or learned pastor therein that néed so to be spoiled except that any more vpoÌ„ will than reason or learning be they otherwise neuer so well learned doe wilfully withdraw themselues from doing their more important necessary duty in yéelding vnto though not necessary nor waighty ceremonies in their owne nature yet so necessary waightie in yâ— manner as they are ordained and prescribed that at leastwise they ought to tollerate them for feare of great dangers in these perillous daies although they wished them away not to spoil the Church of themselues of their ministery nor to make such troubles and diuisions in the Church for the remoouing of them Which is nothing according to the duety eyther of faithfull ministers or of 〈◊〉 subiects as they ought to be and these coâ—trouersies set aside I trust they are There are besides these thinges certain other matters as confirmation churching of women buriall of the deade thought to belong to the office of a B. or pastor Whereof the first two are meere deuises of men and ought to haue no place in the Church of Christe The other albeit it be to bee reteined with a certain honesty yet it is not to be tied to the proper office of a pastor Here are now 3. other matters confirmation of those that are baptised Churching or publique thanksgiuing of women after their deliueraunce from child-birth and lastly the buriall of the dead which our brethren find first this fault withall that they should be thought to belong to the office of a B. or Pastor This goeth very hard that none of all these thinges may not only not be tied to a B. or a Pastors office but that they may not bee so much as thought to belong vnto them Their reason is that the first two are meere deuises of men and ought to haue no place in the Church of Christ. And is confirmation to be thus symplie condemned and that as a meere deuise of men If they said such confirmation as the aduersaries of the gospel vsed as to make it a sacrameÌ„t or to tie it to necessity of saluation or to vse it with any of the superstitious trinkets that they prophaned it withall or to hold any of the errors that they maintained about it then indéede this spéeches should haue had good pretence But we vsing none of all these thinges but such a reuerend order as in all pointes is agrééable to the manner of the very Apostles to vnderstande in what sort the parties were baptized to sée that the parties which were baptized because they are included in the couenant that God would also be the God of our séede should nowe beeing growne to vnderstanding openly before that pastor which hath the superiority of Episcopall dignity which we haue proued that from and in the very Apostles times some pastor had among over some other his fellow pastors declare the sumine of their faith and hee especially lay his handes on them and pray for them that God would more and more confirme them in that faith in which they were baptised and haue professed as the Apostles vsed to lay their hands and to pray for the confirmation of such as by other pastors had bin baptised and shall we cal this order a meere deuise of men and say that it ought to haue no place in the Church of Christe True it is that at the so doing of the Apostles they receiued commonly withall the miraculous giftes of the holy ghost according to the dispensation of that time Neuerthelesse that was not their onely ende nor the order of laying on of handes vpon them which were to be confirmed by him that was the foresayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto whomâ— the superiour Episcopall dignity among the Pastors was committed did so cease but was continued both in the Apostles times while any one of them Iames Iude or Iohn were liuing without any contradiction of them and so simply was vsed according to the Apostles maner til the other additions afterward as that of Chrisme c were ioined vnto it Which addition Chrisme though it be very ancient yet we reiecting it as a meere deuise herein of men reducing confirmation to the first simplicity of praier to the ceremony only of laying on of handes especially by those that haue the foresaid episcopall superiority why should our brethren here affirm that it ought to haue no place in the Church of Christ But this so hard censure of theirs neither agréeth with those our Brethren of the Germain and Saxon
great and waightie causes will be a sufficient starting hole to saue all vpright themselues froÌ„ pronouncing the definitiue sentence against themselues that their doing is not the dutie of true Pastors No that will not helpe them For these matters beeing but ceremoniall matters as they call them and so not great and waightie what great waightie causes should moue a true Pastor by his priuate iudgement to controll publike order in those thinges that are concluded by lawefull authoritie of the Church concerning ceremonial matters for order and comlines sake for aedification Shal any priuate man thinke if he think them to be indéede the Church of God that the Churches concluding of those thinges by lawefull authoritie proceeded not of greater and waightier causes than his controllment And therefore except men shall make so litle light account of the true Church of God and of her conclusions and orders by lawefull authoritie as to preferre euerie priuate mans or Pastors priuate iudgement before hers our Brethren by this their owne conclusion must either néedes yéeld to the Church of Englandes publike conclusion and lawfull authoritie concerning these ceremoniall matters that they are to be obserued for order and comelines sake and for aedification as the Church of England hath decréed them and not to controll publike order by priuate iudgement or else let our Brethr. herken to their owne conclusiue sentence and determination that they do not the dutie of true Pastors And thus much also for these ceremonies We haue hetherto intreated of the proper dutie of a Pastor himselfe now it followeth that we likewise set foorth his authoritie in common gouernement with the Elders But least any man should mistake that which we purpose to say of his authoritie we haue need to expresse what we meane by this worde authoritie For euen those things that we haue shewed before to be the dutie of a Pastor may also be called his authoritie as to preach and teach wherein is included his authoritie to forgiue and reteine sinnes Also his authoritie to minister the sacraments and to doe other thinges in the Church which none may doe but he But in this place we vnderstande authoritie for power of gouernement in the Church Whereof the Apostle speaketh that it is one of the graces and giftes of God necessarie for the building of his Church This authority of regiment we haue declared that it ought not to be a Lordly ruling neither ouer their flocke nor yet ouer their fellow seruants and brethren and least of all that they ought to haue dominion or Lordship ouer the faith of the Church Our Brethren here promise to sette foorth that part of the Pastors authoritie which they say he hath not of the proper dutie of a Pastor himselfe but in common gouernement with the Elders But because these wordes as they are grounded on the presupposall of that Eldershippe which they make one part of their Ecclesiasticall Tetrarchie not dealing with the woorde so promising â—o treate of the authoritie of the Pastor in common gouernement they séeme their selues to doubt that except they should expounde what they meane thereby it might easily bee mistaken what they meant Neither doubt they this mistaking without a cause which of purpose shunne the plaine and vsuall approoued distinction of the authoritie or power of the order and of the iurisdiction But what-so-euer authoritie of the Pastor they will nowe sette foorth and make playne what they meane thereby when as they faye For euen those thinges which wee haue shewed before to be the dutie of a Pastor may also bee called his authoritie as to preache and teach wherein is included his authoritie to forgiue and retaine sinnes if this authoritie of the Pastor to forgiue and retayne sinnes bee included in his authoritie of preachinge and teaching and withall this bee a thing appertaining to the proper dutie of a Pastor himselfe as also is his authoritie to minister the Sacramentes and to doe other thinges in the Churche which none may doe but hee then haue not the Elders to deale in the authoritie of forgiuing and retayning sinnes For if they shoulde they shoulde intermeddle with the worde For this is included in preaching and teaching But our Brethren exclude the gouerning Elders from preaching and teaching therefore withall they exclude them from the authoritie of forgiuing and retayning sinnes And this by the way is not vnnecessarie to bee héere obserued because afterwarde they giue authoritie of forgiuing and retayning sinnes vnto the gouerning Elders which they confesse are not Teachers nor Preachers nor dealers at all with the worde But doeth not this authoritie of the Pastor belong to iurisdiction And therefore not onely the authoritie of his order to which properly preaching and teaching and ministring the Sacramentes doe appertayne but the authoritie also of iurisdiction to which the power of forgiuing and retayning sinnes appertayneth is the proper dutie of the Pastor himselfe which none may doe but he and is an authoritie separate from that his authoritie which is in common gouernment with the Elders or with any other which are not Pastors in the Church And as for that power of gouernment in the Church whereof the Apostle speaketh 1. Cor. 12.28 That it is one of the graces and gifte of God necessarie for the building of his Church S. Paule maketh not all the graces and giftes of God which there he speaketh of necessarie for the building of his Church if we speake of such perpetuall necessitie as that the Church can neuer be without them For S. Paul reckoneth vp there great offices graces and giftes of God that are not necessarie in that sense As euen the first office that he beginneth there withall of Apostles besides the giftes of healinges the giftes of powers or of working mightie myracles and the gifts of diuerse kinds of languages All which are not now so necessary in our dayes nor many hundreth yeres sithence to the building of Gods Church Neither is it agréeed vppon by the best interpreters what manner of grace and gift of God this power of gouernment in the Church was which S. Paule in that place speaketh of For albeit Beza say he declareth the order of Elders that were keepers of the Discipline and policie Ecclesiasticall yet sayth Aretius it is a politicall facultie of administring the common weale and of ruling others commodiouslie and of conseruing them in order which gift is necessarie in Magistrates And while the Churche wanted a politique Magistracie certaine choosen Elders gouerned the assemblyes of the faithfull as it were an ordinarie Magistracie Héere in déede hée sayeth this gifte is necessarie but he addeth in whome to witte in Magistrates and yet he specifieth in what kinde of Magistrates to witte politicall and in the administring of the common wealth not the Ecclesiastical discipline And withall he limiteth a time how long this gift of
gouernmēt in these Elders continued in the Church to wit while the Church wanted a politike Magistracie As who say the gift of this gouernement in the Elders is ceased long since and not now necessarie the Church hauing a politike Magistracie in whom the gift of gouernment is still necessarie and not in such Elders And in this sense I denie not Caluines interpretation Gouernours I interprete Seniors which were the Presidentes of Discipline For the first Church had her Senate that helde the people in the honestie of maners which thing Paule declareth otherwhere whē as he setteth downe a double order of Elders the gouernment therfore consisted of Elders which excelled others in grauitie experience and authoritie So that although Caluine distinguish the order of these Elders into two sortes as doe our Brethren which yet no necessitie doth enforce neuerthelesse he both restrayneth this their gift of gouernment to the honestie of maners not to any Ecclesiasticall orders and he maketh this office and Senate not to be perpetuall but as a thing that ceased he sayth prima Ecclesia habuit the first Churche had her Senate as who say it went no further And so wee may say The first Churche had Apostles Prophets Euangelistes and diuerse giftes of healinges miracles tongues c. The ordinarie offices of which giftes haue long since ceased And therefore we can nowe make no ordinarie nor necessarie plea vppon them nor the gouerning Ecclesiasticall Elders that our Brethren would erect are suche Elders To the larger and better manifestation whereof Gualter expounding this worde Gouernmentes sayth The seuenth place in this order setteth downe gouernmentes by whom is comprehended politicall men which in matters of this world helped any bodie and tooke intelligence of their causes if any shoulde arise among the Christians For as it is sayde in the sixt chapter the Apostles would not that those which professed Christe should contende for their goods or for other matters pertayning to this life before the tribunall seates of the Ethnikes Prudent men therefore and exercised in the vse of matters were appointed to the ouersight of such causes By whose authoritie and Councell the contentions were decided The same also were publikly present with the Church if any thing were to be done before the Proconsuls or the presidentes Which thing there is no doubt but that it hapned oftentimes To conclude they with their Counsels and prudence euen as it were certaine shipmasters gouerned the Churches being then tossed among the diuerse daungers of matters At this day there is not in publike such neede of such persons sith that as we haue aboue-sayd the Magistrates are Christian by whose authoritie all these thinges may more happily be dispatched And we ought to acknowledge the singular benefite of God which in these last dayes vouchsafeth to giue vnto his Church both politike and Eccl. Gouernours euen as in the olde time hee promised by Esaias Let none therefore lightly disturbe the order instituted of God that trampling downe the authority of Princes and of Magistrates he shoulde institute a newe senate that shoulde challenge to themselues a right and Empire or authority of commaunding ouer them This thing in the olde time did certaine Bishop◠perhaps of a good zeale Howbeit that matter turned at the length into a Pontificall tyranny for the ambition of a fewe did vtterly ouerturne the Christian state Let the Princes knowe againe that they are the members not the Lords of the Church And therefore let them vse their Empire to the defence thereof and direct all their counsailes to this scope that the order and safety thereof may be preserued Thus euen where Gwalter speaketh against the abuses of Princes of the Popish Bishops yet doth hée acknowledge both their lawfull authorities and sheweth what the authority of this seniory was to wit a méere publike gouernment all in seculer and not in ecclesiasticall matters and how long it continued how vnnecessary nowe it is howe it is not the order instituted by God for vs but the very disturbance of it and that this senate can not be nowe brought in a new without the trampling downe of the very Princes Magistrates authority To conclude these gouernmentes that S. Paule héere nameth are nothing that grace gift or office which our Brethren héere pretende for their senate of gouerning Elders Which Gwalter rather likeneth vnto the gift of powers which S. Paule before in that place did mention In the fourth place saith Gwalter proceeding these gifts are reckoned vp powers for those that exercise lawfull power in the Church These were seniors which beeinge set ouer the Discipline corrected them that had done any thing contrary to the duty of a Christian man As for the wicked and obstinat they corrected them with a greater power of the spirite For they were armed with a singuler gift that they might also deliuer vnto the deuill to be afflicted those that coulde not with admonitions and reproouinges bee corrected Examples of this power were shewed from Elias and Elizeus in the olde time Of whome he to witte Elias burned vp with flames sent downe from heauen the souldiers that were sent to take him But this man to witte Elizeus called foorth the Beares which tore in peeces the Children that more saucily mocked him By the same vertue or power Peter slue Ananias and Saphira which presumed to lye vnto the holy Ghoste He deliuered also Simon Magus to destruction Paule also vsed this power against Elimas the sorceror whome he depriued of his sight for that he proceeded to deceiue the proconsul of Cyprus with his lies The same Paule writeth that he deliuered to Sathan Himeneus and Alexander that being striken with some punishment they might learne from thence forth not to blaspheme And hereto also ought to bee referred that which in threatning manner he sayth to certaine obstinate persons in the second Epistle to the Corinthians but if I shall come again I wil not spare you sithe that ye seeke the experiment of Christe speaking in me For in these wordes hee insinuateth not obscurely that with his wordes hee had a vertue ioyned of perfourming that which hee spake and of correcting his contemners And in the olde time there was altogether neede of this faculty of the spirite when as the Churches had not a Magistrate therefore could not vse the right of the sworde There is no necessity to require the same at this day when as the gift of this spirite hath ceased And the Princes and Magistrates are Christians who with lawes and publike authority restraine any whosoeuer in their office and as for the stubborne and frowarde they punish them Some in-deede there are which after the example of the auncient and primitiue Churche will institute seniors or a Senate Ecclesiasticall which may haue Empire or commaundement euen also ouer the Magistrates them-selues if they at any time shall
not doe their duety But those men ought first to haue made demonstration that their seniors haue this power whereof in present Paul speaketh Which thing when as by no argumēt it appeareth and neuerthelesse they deliuer to Sathan whome they will they do alike as if any would attempt to cleanse the lepers to rayse the dead to worke such other myraclous worke For because that in the olde time suche thinges were commonlye doone in the primitiue Church Thus agayne Gualter and on these graces and giftes of of God grounding this Ecclesiasticall Seniory not of the Worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernmentes but on the former worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Powers betokening such power as is myraculous which although some Seniors in the Church than had it yet he alleageth the examples heereof that such onely exercised the same in Ecclesiasticall matters as were Ministers of the Word But howsoeuer these Seniours were or what power soeuer they had he maketh them and their power not to bée perpetuall but abiding a while onely for the state of that time and so to haue ceased after that the publike state of Christendome was setled and gouerned by such princes and Magistrates as openly professed Christianity and that from thence foorth the Churches were not tyed to such Seniors but that wee after thus many ages of Christian princes be frée from them So that where our Brethren say they will not nowe set foorth the pastors authority in common Gouernment with the Elders If there bée no néede of such Elders to ioyne in commons with him in his gouernment then as the other authority was proper to him-selfe so may this authority for power of gouernment in the Church for any thing héere to the contrary bee as proper also to him-selfe as the other For if these graces and giftes whereof the Apostle 1. Cor. 12.28 speaketh were such distinct offices as our brethren say can not be but in distinct officers without confusion of thē then eyther these giftes pertaine not to the Pastors so well as to these Elders as here our Brethren say they doe or else if the Pastors haue authority in them than haue not Elders to deale with them except wee shoulde inferre this confession that they woulde haue vs shunne But nowe our brethren giuing this authority in common with the Elders procéede to the limittation of the same and say This authority of regiment we haue declared that it ought not to bee a Lordly ruling neither ouer their flocke nor yet ouer their fellow-seruants and bret and least of all that they ought to haue dominion Lordship ouer the faith of the Church Dominion and Lordship ouer the faith of the Church we graunt none hath but almighty God and Iesus Christe only that is both God and Man As for the other authority which they cal Lordly ruling ouer their flocke or ouer their fellowe-seruauntes and Brethren as they referre vs to that they haue declared so I referre them to that we haue declared And among other I hope I haue sufficiently declared what manner of ruling they may haue both ouer their flocke and ouer their fellow-seruaunts and brethren both by the worde of God by the practise of the Primitiue Church and by the approbation of diuerse the best learned protestants in the reformed Churches of our age But how this authoritie of Gouernment which here they giue in common to the pastors with the Elders shall be parted among them is not yet determined For albeit our Brethren acknowledge that the Pastors haue rule and authority herein yet the forme of prayers in the English congregation at Geneua doth deny it and say Pag. 43. Because the charge of the Worde of God is of greater importaunce than that any man is able to dispence therewith and S. Paul exhorteth to esteem them as Ministers of Christe and disposers of Gods mysteries not Lordes or rulers as Peter saith ouer the flocke therefore the Pastors or Ministers cheef office standeth in preaching the word of God and Ministring the sacraments So that in consultations iudgements elections and other politicall affayres his counsell rather then authority taketh place So that by this rule he is so far from al lordly ruling that he hath no rule nor authority at all in Common with the Elders in these matters But of the twaine our Brethren here say better that hee hath authority vnderstanding it for power of gouernment in the Church But say our Brethren In all these the man of sinne hath exalted him selfe contrary to the worde of God so that hee woulde bee heade of all the Church Bishop of all Bishops and haue authority to make newe articles of Fayth Whose intollerable presumption as wee haue long since banished out of this land so wee wish that no steppes of suche Pride and arrogancy might be left beyond him namely that no elder or Minister of the Church shoulde challenge vnto him-selfe or accept it if it were offered vnto him any other authority than that is allowed by the spirite of God but cheefely to be ware that he vsurpe no authoritie which is forbidden by the word of God For wherefore doe we detest the Pope and his vsurped supremacy but because he arrogateth the same vnto him-selfe not onely without the warrant of Gods word but also cleane contrary to the same All this section we confesse with our Brethren and gladly subscribe vnto it saue that we wish it not as though it were onely to be done and is not done but we trust it is perfourmed already If it bee not let our Brethren prooue the contrary Nowe if the reasons and authorities that haue banished the Pope doe serue to condemne all other vsurped authority that is practized in the Church why shoulde not all such authority be banished as well as the Pope And good reason too that all other vsurped authority that is practized in the Churche shoulde bee as well banished as the Pope But doe our brethren meane by these spéeches of all other vsurped authoritie that is practized in the Church that there is any such practised in the Church meaning the church of England For these words are vttered so couertly that we might seeme in granting the consequence that such shoulde be banished to graunt withall that there is some such in the church of England remaining and practised yet among vs. But we deny that there is any such to our knowledge or by the Lawes approoued in this Realme And if there bée any steppes thereof I doubt they will rather bee founde in the trake of our Brethren themselues sooner than in any part of that authoritie which is allowed to our prelates We can alleage against the Pope and rightly that which S. Iohn baptist did aunswere to his Disciples No man can take vnto him-selfe any thing except it be giuen him from heauen Iohn 3.27 And that saying of the Apostle to the Hebrewes
thus indefinitlie and in generall that the authoritie of Christ is lefte vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church But that certayne partes of the authoritie of Christe is lefte and that in a certain legantine and ministeriall manner vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church And yet not so that euerie Church that is euerie particular congregation hath as full authoritie of that part as the whole Church hath but that the whole or to euerie Church it is so lefte that none maie chalenge Episcopall or Metropoliticall authoritie as it is with vs at this day ouer other without great tyrannie and manifest iniurie This indéed is a méere we saie it not we proue it Against this our Brethrens we saie as though all laie on their bare saying and that whatsoeuer they saie we must holde it by and by for an oracle or for such a principle as the Pythagoreans did the saying of their Maister 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said it Wee haue heard at large what Saint Paule hath said to Timothie and what a number of most excellent men in the primitiue Church and some immediatlie after the Apostles times by the cléere testimonies of the vnsuspected histories and auucientest fathers and by the graunt of the best late writers in the reformed Churches haue had both Episcopall and also Metropolitical authoritie as it is with vs at this daie ouer other without anie tyrannie great or little without anie iniurie manifest or hidden at all And if they might haue it they might chalenge it Yea to chalenge them for it much more to take it from them were rather not onelie the greater tyrannie and more manifest iniurie of the twain but to saie the authoritie of Christ is left vnto his whole church so to euery church that none in the church hath anie power or exercise thereof ouer other is the greatest and most manifest confusion that can be For by this rule we must not saie as our Br. héere doe Let vs then see what is his authoritie ioyned with others first who are so ioyned in commission with him that without their consent he can doe nothing but we must rather saie Let vs then see what is his authoritie ioyned with others and first who are not so ioyned in commission with him that without their consent he can doo nothing if the authoritie of Christ be left vnto his whole Church so to euery church that none may chalenge it ouer other So that now there shuld not only be no Metropolitical authority ouer Bishops nor Episcopal ouer Pastors but also no pastorall authoritie ouer the people For the people are some bodie as I take it both in the whole Church and in euerie Church also Yea if these words which our Brethren so generally saie we saie therefore that the authoritie of the Church is left vnto his whole Church and so to euerie Church be not restrained to that parte of his authoritie that consisteth onelie in the Ecclesiasticall regiment of his Church it will as much indanger all Magistrates ciuill estates that they haue no authoritie neither ouer other For they hold that also of Iesus Christ and it is a part of his authoritie ouer his Church But howsoeuer that may stande or fall héereby the Princes supreame authoritie in Ecclesiasticall causes ouer all persons Ecclesiasticall and ciuill in their dominions is cleane taken awaie from them euen as wel as the Metropolicall ouer the Bishops or the Bishops authoritie ouer the Pastors Nowe although this moste absurd and moste daungerous confusion of all authorityes Ecclesiasticall and ciuill might ensewe heereon Yet our Brethren hauing promised héerein that they woulde be bolde to say these sayings and hauing hethereto though boldly yet but barely saide them they will nowe bée bolde as good reason is they shoulde to assay to proue them For seeing our Sauiour Christe promised his presence and authority to euery Churche indifferently Mathewe 18.19.20 None may challenge any such prerogatiue afore other but as the churches are limitted out for order and conueniency so is euery one of them of like authority in it selfe but because they make all but one Church and one body of Christe therefore there is but one authority in them to determine of matters concerning them all This argument still relying on this former cited sentence Mathew 18.19.20 which properly treateth of the efficacy of prayer where the faithfull although they be in neuer so small a number assembled to make their petitions in Christes name are promised that God the Father will graunt their requestes and that Christ also will bée present among them neither comprehendeth all the authority that Christe hath left vnto his whole Church or to any especiall persons in the same neither if it bée drawn to matters of gouernment and authority is any debarre against any particular auth of any Pastor more thā of any Christian Prince or magistrate For how followeth this Christ will be present where 2. or 3. are gathered together in his name therfore wher but one maketh his praiyers alone vnto him he will not be present except our bre can bring this exclusiue only or at the least into this promise of Christ that where 2. or 3. only or two or three at the least are gathered together in his name hee will bee present with them If then this followe not in prayer wherof this sentence properly is spoken howe much lesse doth it holde if wée stretch this promise of Christe to matters of gouernment in the church as I graunt it reacheth also thereto As to reason thus Christ hath promised that where two or three bee gathered together in his name to consent on the establishment of any authority or gouernment of his Church his presence and authority shall bee among them therefore if the Christian Prince eyther by him-selfe and his supreme authority doe establish any thing in the Church or though hee ioyne other with him yet not in authority but as counsellors or though in authority also yet not as equall in authority with him except hee and they and all gathered together in the name of Christe bee of the like authority in giuing their consents vnto the matter neither Christes presence will bee with them nor his authoritie will ratifie their doing If this reason holde not but bee an vntrue and moste daungerous resolution in these matters that are done of the christian Prince neither yet of him alone but of other in cōsultation with the prince but the only superior and supreme ouer all other which are all partes of the Church and assembled about matters of the Churches Gouernment doth it holde anye more against Bishops and Pastors How agréeth this euen with their own assertions afterward Pag. 114. of Iames his prerogatiue in the assembly of the Elders at Ierusalem Was not the holy ghost among them because one had this prerogatiue Neither helpeth it that they say this
in his seuerall church in which hee may doe nothing without the consent of the church Our Brethren doe here deuide againe or subdiuide the Pastors authoritie They deuided it before Page 76. 77. into the authority or power of gouernment in the churche or authoritie in common Gouernment with the Elders and into the authority or power that belongeth to the proper duety of the Pastor him-selfe Which was somewhat an intricate Diuision Sith the authoritye or power belonging to his proper duetye is a great part of his publique Gouernment in the church This authority nowe which before they sayde that they vnderstoode for power of Gouernment in the churche they diuide againe into a double authority the one with the seuerall congregation in which hee is Pastor the other with the whole Synode or assemblie whereof hee is a member If nowe their selues doe héere finde and that twise together that in one function there is not onely a former double and different authority but also of one of the former deuided partes a redoubled and different authority in the Pastors howe then did they auouche immediatly before that there is but one autority in them to determine of matters concerning them all but perhaps they mean that of the churches authority and here they speak of the authority pertaining to the pastors of the churches But that helpes not For if the Pastors authority which he hath in common with the Elders whom they make the church be thus deuided then is the churches authority diuided also First therefore say they wee will speake of his authority in his seuerall Church in which hee may doe nothing without the consent of the Church I woulde gladly learne where our Brethren haue all these diuisions and subdiuisions all these Canons and limitations of a Pastors authority For although it bee heere promised that wee finde them sufficiently authorized in the scripture yet hetherto heere is no Scripture cited for them saue 1. Tim. 6.15 that God is blessed and onely mighty the king of kings and Lord of Lordes And Math. 18.19.20 Which was before alleaged to other purposes although God wot very impertinently But they promise vs further that both these authorities we finde sufficiently authorized in the scripture as shall plainly appeare in the seuerall discourses of them So that héere is yet nothing that we can finde which may be counted a sufficient authorizing in the scripture of these things And therefore our Brethren in this their Learned Discourse made hereupon doe well and learnedly in my opinion to let all this passe that they haue already alleaged as insufficient and referre vs to the hope of better proofes in their more Learned Discourse to come as shall plainly they promise vs appeare in the seuerall Discourse of them But when we shall come also God willing vnto those seuerall Discourses of them to searche whether these authorities and assertions of our Brethren bée sufficiently authorized in the Scripture I doubt wée shall finde that this sufficient authorizing in Scripture is not any expresse and and plaine testimony of the scripture but onelye their owne collection thereon And if this be sufficient to make vs reckon a thing sufficiently authorized as in some cases we deny it not if they can make it plainlye appeare that it followeth by necessity of consequence though verbatin◠it be not expressed in the Scripture if wée must permit this in them that their collections on the Scripture must goe for authorizings in the Scripture why must not the same manner of authorizings where wee proue necessary consequence bee of as good authority on our parties In the meane time betwéene vs both for any thing yet by these oure Learned Brethren alleadged till I sée better proofe thereof either out of expresse and plaine Scripture or out of some necessary consequence of Scripture I yéeld not to this their dubble Canonized Canon as shooting off nothing but a bare bolde wee say not any Testimonye or proofe sufficientlye authorized in the scripture that the Pastor by his authority in his seuerall Church may doe nothing without the consent of the Church Nothing they say hath no sauour and this hath no trueth It is so farre from béeing sufficiently authorized that it is more then sufficiently confuted as already hath often appeared and playnely in the manifest example of Saint Paules preceptes to Timothie euen by Caluines and Bezaes owne cleare Confessions besides diuers others on the same Not that wee deny but that Paule and Timothie had the churches consentes for the better part among them in what thinges soeuer they did by their authoritie in their churches but that in all thinges they asked not their consentes before nor that they which gaue their consentes had such a negatiue authority but that if they woulde not haue giuen them Saint Paule and Timothie might haue procéeded in some thinges against their consentes which when they were giuen were not the sufficient or any authorizing at all of Paule and Timothies doinges among them The argument of the 11 Booke THE 11. booke is of the third kind of Tetrarkes which our Brethren call Gouernors beginning first with the Churches diffused authority of confusion in the multitude of the appointing to auoide it certaine officers for gouernment how the name of Gouernors and Rulers is vnderstoode Rom. 12. 1. Cor. 12. how these gouernors must rule euery seueral congregation how their gouernment stretcheth to al matters Howe these Gouernors authority is to bee moderated And first for the election of these gouernors who should chose them what qualities they must haue What elders were elected Act. 14. And what elders are mentioned 1. Tim. 5.17 of the 3. conclusions that our brethren would haue vs learn out of that testimony How the name elders is common to Pastors gouernors how the words may be well vnderstood of relation betwene the ciuil officers then among thē the pastors How the wordes inferre not such gouernors as our brethren imagine and how that although they might be so vnderstood yet they inferre no perpetuity as well of the one sort of Elders gouerning not teaching as of the other of gouerning teaching elders Howe the words infer no such distinction of eccl elders the one teaching gouerning the other not at al teaching but only gouerning but rather seem to infer a distinctiō of the trauels than of the function or if of the functiō to encline to the distinctiō betwene past deac or betwene those Pastors that were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 antistates B. and others that laboured more in ministring the Sacraments then in preaching How Caluine dare not inferre any such necessary sense as he conceiueth on this place but only saith it may be collected How our brethren inueighing against them make these gouernor◠dumb not teaching Bishops preaching prelates How the Apostles words infer not their ioint gouernment with the Episcopall
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
confusion but of order What maketh our Breth to ware so bold to take away not only the Bishops Pastors authority of gouernemeÌ„t but thus also to mocke dally with the multitude But as matter of conscience mouing theÌ„ hereto they say we finde in the word of God certaine officers appointed for gouernment And they say very sooth But do they not find also in the word of God that Princes Magistrats are certaine officers appointed for gouernment If they say they meane it of Eccl. gouernment doe they not finde likewise in the word of God that Bishops Pastors are certaine officers appointed also for Eccl. gouernment But they meane certaine other officers whoÌ„ they will further describe anon And if we should graunt this also and withall that that charge belongeth vnto those that are such would it follow that it belongeth only vnto those that are such Or that there should be such alwaies in euery congregatioÌ„ to haue that charge which those had when they finde in the word of God that any such supposed officers were acording to the time place appointed for their extraordinary kind theÌ„ of gouernment This is ouer much boldnes to affirme neither shall they finde so much in the word of God But let vs now sée where they will finde it And that doth S. Paule plainly declare where he putteth a difference of the seuerall offices of the Church whereof he nameth Gouernours for one 1. Cor. 12.29 and Rom. 12.8 Let him that ruleth doe it with diligence Our Breth haue found out these sentences â— or 4. times already and we haue séene at large the discussing of these places But because they find it againe let vs craue pardon of the readers once again to peruse theÌ„ least any should thinke when they alleage any testimonie for proofe besides their bare sayings that we sleightly shooke it off They say S. Paule doth plainely declare it where he putteth a difference of the seuerall offices of the Chuch whereof he nameth Gouernours Our Brethren doe well indéede to say seuerall offices but our question is nowe of seuerall officers For although by some of these seuerall offices may also seuerall officers be vnderstoode yet not so but that moe than one seuerally of these offices yea many of them ioyntly were competiblie sometimes to one man According as God hath delt to euerie man the measure of faith as S. Paule sayth Rom. 12. for as we haâ—e manie members in one bodie and all the members haue not one office so wee beeing many are one bodie in Christe and euerie one one anothers members Seeing then we haue giftes tâ—at are diuerse according to the grace that is giuen vnto vs whether Prophecie according to the proportion of faithe or the ministerie in ministring eyther hee that teacheth in doctrine he that exhorteth in exhorting hee that giueth in simplicitie he that ruleth in carefulnesse hee that hath mercie in cheerefulnesse Might not one man haue diuerse of these giftes or offices May not he that prophecieth teach Nay is not prophecying mixte with teaching yea a teaching it selfe And haue we not shewed sufficiently howe teaching may be ioyned with exhortation and exhortation with teaching And may not both of them be ioyned with the ministerie or with an office as some translate it And may not giuing and shewing mercie be ioyned together as well as they may bee separated a sunder And why then may not hee that hath all these giftes as some haue had them all rule also as well as he that hath but some of them or but the gifte of rule onely Yea may not these wordes here of him that ruleth be vnderstoode also of ciuill officers or gouernours and not only of Ecclesiasticall And haue wee not also heard that some excellent writers among our Brethren do so expounde here the worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee that gouerneth And therefore no certaintie of our Brethrens gouernours can bée gathered out of this place And as for the other place of 1. Cor. 12.28 the Apostle sayde before ver 7. c. But vnto euery one is giuen the manifestation of the spirite to prâ—fite For to one is giuen by the spirite the worde of wisedome to another the worde of knowledge by the same spirite to another faith in the same spirite to another the giftes of healings in the same spirite to another the operations of powers to an other prophecie to another discerning of spirites to another the kindes of tongues to another the interpretation of tongues But all these thinges worketh one and the selfe same spirite deuiding to euery one euen as he will So that no certaintie neither can be affirmed heere in what measure these giftes were giuen Whether one to euery one or to one moe And this séemeth the more probable that some had mo than one of these giftes because many of these are coincident and distinguished not so much by diuerse officers as by diuerse offices of these giftes And euen so for that which followeth ver 28 And some indeede hath he placed in the Church first Apostles secondly Prophets thirdly Doctors then powers afterwarde the giftes of healinges helpings gouernances kindes of tongues Are all Apostles Are all Prophets Are all Doctors Are all powers Haue all the giftes of healinges Do all speake with tongues Doâ— all interprete Did not all these giftes concurre in the Apostles heere first mentioned and some of them in the Prophetes and in the Doctors Yea when he commeth to the repetition of this gift and should by order as he doth the other mention the gift of gouerning which our Brethren here especially discourse vpon vrge more than the other the Apostle though he reckâ—n vp other seuerally yet as though gouerning might be better included in the other he repeteth it not nor sayth are all gouernaunces As he sayde before are all Apostles Are all Prophetes Are all Doctors are all powers But either conteyneth it in one or some or all of the former offices or giftes or else passeth it in silence as not so necessarie as the other and yet the other are not ordinarie offices And so hee omitteth helpinges except in the gifte of healinges he include it Besides that hee expresseth not here also any more than in the other place Rom. 12. what kinde of gouernment in the Church he meaneth Whether ciuill onely or Ecclesiasticall only or both of them mixt or separate And howe then can our Brethren so boldly affime that S. Paule doeth plainely declare these officers that must be ioyned in coÌ„mission with the Pastors or with the Bishop and giue their consent with him in the hearing trying and determining of all matters But nowe vpon the bare allegation of these two places our Brethren procéede to this conclusion Therefore there ought to be in euerie Church a Consistorie or Segnorie of Elders or Gouernors which ought to haue the hearing
house hee drue awaie as many as hee was able And yet to shew further not onely that this order of Elders was aboue the Deacons but that of Deacons they were made Elders Sozomenus li. 1. cap. 14. saith Of these disputations Arius was the author an Elder of the Church of Alexandria which is in Aegypt Who although at the beginning he seemed very studious of the doctrine of Christ yet was hee a furtherance to Meletius attempting new matters Whos◠parts when he forsooke he was of Peter Bishop of Alexandria ordained Deacon And afterward of him cast out of the Church whē Peter deposed the fautors of Meletins and improued Baptisme This Arius inueighed grieuously against the Acts of Peter and could by no meanes bee quiet But when Peter had suffered martyrdome Arius crauing pardon of Achillas was not onely permitted to exercise his Deaconship but also was exalted to the degree of the Eldership Afterward Alexander had him in great estimation c. By this it may not onely appeare that the orders and Senates of Elders in such great Churches as these were Ministers of the worde but also were thereto promoted hauing before ben Deacons When therfore we reade in Socrates as in the restoring of Athanasius lib. 2. cap. 18. th◠Letters of the Emperour Constantinus directed vnto the Bishops and to the Elders of the Catholike Church saying Moreouer vnto the benefit bestowed on him this also we thought good to bee noted that all those that are inrolled into this holie number and companie of the Cleargie may vnderstand that securitie is giuen vnto all be they Bishoppes or bee they Clarkes that haue holden with him it argueth that there was indéed such a companie of Elders whom heere hée calleth Clearks but we cannot gather hereupon that they were such as ministred not at all the word and Sacraments but rather the contrarie For else if Athanasius the Bishop had beene the onely Minister of the word and Sacramente◠all the people of Alexandria had beene destitute of the worde and Sacramentes all the while of Athanasius banishment And to confirme this that these Elders about the Bishops had not onely the publike ministration of the word but also that some one or other of their number was appointed to heare the cōfessions of such as wer penitent and in token of their vnfained repentance to inioyne them to submit themselues to some bodilie chastisement which therevpon was called penance At that time saith Socrates li. 5. ca. 19. the Church thought good that the Elders which had the gouernment of the order of inioyning penitēce in euerie Church was takē awaie And that on this occasion frō the time wherein the Nouatians separated themselues from the Church refused to communicate with those which in the time of the persecution raised in the raigne of Decius had fallen the Bishops of the Churches added vnto the Canon that in euerie of the Churches there should bee one certain Elder which shuld be ouer the Penitencies to the end that those which after Baptisme were fallen should before the Elder appointed for that purpose confesse their offences This Canon as yet among other sects remaineth ratified and firme They onely which confesse the Father and the Sonne to be one in substance and the Nouatians that consent in faith with them reiected this Penitenciarie Elder The Nouatians would neuer from the beginning suffer this to be so much as a hanger by The bishops which now gouern the Churches althogh for a good space of time they haue held this institution notwithstāding in the times of the Bishop Nectarius they chaunged the same by reason of such an offence as then by chance was committed in the Church a certaine noble womā came vnto the Penitenciarie Elder confessing particularlie such faultes as after her Baptisme she had committed The Elder commaunded the woman that she should giue her selfe to fastings and to continuall praiers Wherby together with the acknowledgment of her sinnes shee shoulde declare a worke meete for her repentaunce The woman proceeding further in confessing accuseth her selfe of another fault and declareth that a Deacon had laine with her For the which offence by this meanes beeing made manifest the Deacon was driuen out of the Church and a tumult was made among the multitude of the people For they grudged not onelie against the offence committed but also for the note of the grieuous slaunder and reproch that thereby was raised on the Church Whē as therefore the sacred Priests were verie much euill spoken on for this cause Eudaemon a certaine Elder of the Church a Countrieman of Alexandria gaue counsell to the Bishoppe Nectarius to remoue the Penitenciarie Elder and to giue free power that euery one according to his own conscience should come to the participation of the mysteries For by that onelie meanes it should come to passe that the Church shoulde bee voide of all spot of infamie These things because sayth Socrates euen I my selfe had them of Eudaemon I doubted not plainly to commit them to this our historie In which wordes these Elders hauing this office among them which pertaineth especiallie to the ministration of the worde and all of them indifferentlie called Sacerdotes as well as Presbyteros it is againe apparaunt by Socrates whom◠Danaeus citeth that these Elders were not such as héere our Brethren doe conceiue or pretend but Ministers of the worde and Sacramentes which in the next Chapter saue one following doeth yet more fullie appeare Where Socrates shewing the diuersities in diuerse places concerning Easter daie Fasting Marriage Diuine Seruice and other Ecclesiasticall obseruation amongest other matters saith on this wise Moreouer I my selfe haue knowen another custome to haue growen in Thessalia that there he which is a Cleark if after he be made a Cleark he lie with his wife whom he married while hee was a laie man is deposed from his Cleargie Whereas all the famous Elders in the East yea the Bishops and all are by no lawe compelled to abstaine from their wiues except it please themfelues For euen while they gouerne their Bishoprikes not a few of them beget children of their lawfull wiues Hee that was the author of that custome in Thessalia was Heliodorus of Trica a citie of that region of whose making are the amorous bookes which hee composed when he was a young man and intituled them The Aethiopian historie hee meaneth that of Theagenes and Cariclea The same custome is kept also at Thessalonica and in Macedonia and in Hellas Besides this I haue knowen another custome in Thessalia to wit that they baptize in the dayes of the feast of Easter onely For which cause all of them except a very few die without baptisme The Church of Antioche in Syria is set contrarie to other Churches for the Altar or Communion table is not set Eastward but Westward In Hellas and at Hierusalem at Thefsalia the prayers are made while the candles are lighted after
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
the tong as the Pastors other like the hands as the Deacons other like the feete as those that attend vpon the baser ministeries of the Church as are the doore keepers It goeth hard belike with our Breth for the proofe of these Elders when such obscure coniectures out of the Fathers must vnderprop them And here is alleaged a sentence out of Basil which notwithstanding Danaeus dare not auouch to make any cléere or plain assertion for these Elders But he saith that Basil seemeth and that obscurely to reuoke all the perpetuall orders of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie in the Church vnto 4. kindes whereof he maketh these Seniors or Elders to bee the first and compareth thē vnto the eles Indéede this is well added to saie he séemeth obscurelie for if we shall bring Basils sentence to the light there is not one word that maketh for these Seniors Basil vpon the 33 or as we better accoūt it with the Hebrues the 34. Psalme verse 15. The eies of the Lord are vppon the righteous and his eares on their crie hath these words Euen as the Saintes are the bodie of Christ and in part members and God hath placed these in the Church as eies those as eares other as hauing a proportiō of the hands other of the feete so also the holy spirituall vertues or powers occupied about the holie place some of them are called the eies to whom the care of vs is committed so the eares which receiue our praiers and refer or bring them to God But now this our vertue or power contemplatiue and helping of our praiers he called the eles and the eares The eies therfore of the Lord are vpon the righteous and his eares on their praiers because all the action of the righteous is fit to be holden and considered of God And to conclude euerie woorde sith nothing is of him spoken idlely standeth fruitfull very profitable Therefore he saith here that the righteous is continually both seene and heard Thus saith Basill And is there any word here that may so much as but obscurely seeme to infer these our brethrens Gouerning elders not medling with teaching to be any of those that hee calleth the vertue or power contēplatiue which he resembleth in the mysticall bodie of Christ vnto the eies And who then are these which hee compareth to the eares if as Daneus saith he compareth the Pastors to the tongue which he doth not nor maketh there any application at all either of the tongue or of the handes or of the feete but onely of the eies and eares And likeneth the eies to those vnto whome the care of vs is committed And the eares to those which receiue our praiers and referre or bring them vnto God Wherby as it is plaine that by the eares he meaneth the Ministers which make the publike praiers vnto God for vs So what letteth but by the eyes to whome he ascribeth the spirituall and contemplatiue power of gouernment and placeth them first and before the eares wée may well for anie thing here to the contrarie vnderstand the Bishoppes Whose verie name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 betokening an ouerseer is answerable to the contemplatiue vertue of the eie and his office is in spirituall contemplation more then these not teaching Seniors whose gouernment they make to consist onlie in externall discipline and in the correction of manners As for the hands that he should meane the Deacons is further applied than Basil went For hee resteth his application onelie on these two members the eies the eares saying But now our vertue contemplatiue and helping of praiers he called the eies and that the eies of the Lord are ouer the righteous and his eares vnto their praiers because all the action of the righteous is meete that it should of God be beholden and considered So that in the end he driueth all vnto Gods beholding and considering the action of the righteous man séeming to meane the minister of God that directeth all his spirituall and contemplatiue power of seeing that is of taking care of vs of hearing that is of offering praiers to God for vs. And as for anie resēblance of the tongue he mencioneth not at all But sith the praiers namelie publike not onely procéede from the heart but are vttered with the tong the tongue also fitting well therto he concludeth saying And finallie euery word sith nothing is idlely spokē of him remaineth fruitfull very profitable And therefore he saith here the righteous man is both seene and heard continually And can Danaeus or any other man be his eies neuer so good sée in this sentence that Basil meant there were 4. perpetual cōtinuing orders of the Ecclesiastical ministery in the Church whereof these Seniors not teaching are likened to the eies and haue the first place euen aboue the Pastors He had néed haue better eies than I haue that should sée this And yet I thanke God I can sée thus much that if Danaeus had but turned ouer the former leafe and looked vpon the 11. verse that in the Psalme goeth a little before wee other may easilie sée this that Basil in plaine words ascribeth to the teachers of the word and not vnto anie not teaching Seniors the eie ouersight of the Churches discipline saying Heare my children heare me I will teach you the feare of the Lord. This is as the voice of a most louing maister or teacher and of one that euen by the Fathers bowels allureth them to discipline For the Scholler also is the sonne of the spirituall maister For whosoeuer receiueth of any the forme of godlinesse he verily is as it were fashioned of him and brought forth into the light euen as a woman with childe that beareth the infants fashioned in her wombe So Paul when all the Church of the Galathians did fall from their first discipline beeing sotted with a certaine drousinesse and astonishment of the mind hee taking them againe reforming and instructing Christ in thē calleth them his sonnes And because after his griefe he erected them being fallen and reduced them vnto the dutie of their faith he therefore minded also to trauell for their heauines that were fallen a waie My children saith he of whom I trauell againe till Christ be fashioned in you Come therfore my children heare me What then hath our spiritual Father for to teach vs I wil teach you saith he the feare of the Lord. This sentence loe of Basil euen in the same treatise is a greate deale cléerer and without all obscuritie sheweth that he tooke those whom he afterward calleth the eies to be these that the ouersight care of discipline belongeth vnto declaring withal that these are such spiritual Fathers as to whom the teaching of the feate of God the instructing exhorting reducing Gods people vnto the true faith from all error wickednes doth pertaine not to Elders that medled not with teaching And to shew this yet more plaine
it or of the like vnto it but that the thing it selfe which they their selues woulde applie the wordes of Christe vnto were most different and cleane contrarie from the Seniors which vnder the name thereof they woulde erect nor their selues could pretend whatsoeuer they entend to haue the like erected which if they should they could not without the great alteration manifest danger of all Christian Princes estates and gouernments and of all their Lawes Policies and Common-weales what shall we then thiâ—â—e not so much of the great ouershooting of our Brethren as of the full stay â—nd resolution of our selues from all these deuices and casting thus about to séeke some ground and warrant for these Seniors And first for Christes wordes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tel the Church Héere he plainlie speaketh of the Church but of no Synedrion or Sanedrin nor anie of the auncient Fathers that I can finde dâ—â— so expound his wordes or gather any such meaning of them Chrysostome saith Tel the Church that is to say the Bishops and Presidents but of Sanedrim or Consistorie he maketh no mention Neither said he saith Chrysostome vnto the Bishop binde this man with bondes but if thou shalt binde him Hierome vpon these wordes But if he wil not heare the Church saith Hee giueth power vnto the Apostles that they which are condemned of such might knowe that the sentence of man is confirmed by the sentence of God Hilarie indéede maketh an allusion of this word the Church vnto the comming of Christe but not to anie Sanedrin or Senate but rather contrarie in ascribing the keyes to the Apostles Theophilact expoundeth it as dooth Chrysostome and as for the Churches excommunication he thinketh Christe speaketh not of it but onely saith If thou saith he being offended holdest him which hath done thee iniurie as a Publicane and Heathen hee shall bee so holden also in heauen but if thou losest him that is if thou forgiuest him it shall be also forgiuen him in heauen For not onely those thinges that the Priestes doo lose are losed but whatsoeuer we also being iniured shall either binde or lose the same shall be also bound or losed So that he applieth this either to the Priests action or to the priuate partie iniured The olde Glosse expoundeth it thus Tell the Church that is the whole Church that he may sustein the greater shame As for the late Writers Vatablus expoundeth these wordes Tell the Church that is the assemblie or publike Congregation or the multitude And so saith Aretius The third degree hath a prouocation to the whole Church that is vnto the assemblie of the faithfull whereof ye are members But the Church is the assemblie of the faithfull wherin the word of Christ and the Sacraments are rightlie administred This forme afterward the Apostles followed 1. Cor. 5.2 Cor. 2. But neither of those Epistles neither that matter was written to any chosen Consistorie but to the whole multitude Munsterus saith Dic Ecclesiae Let his frowardnesse be shewed to the Church And if he shal not heare the Church being warned of manie let him be holden of them as an Ethnicke and a a Publicane And whatsoeuer they shall so binde shall be holden bound in heauen that is whome they hauing so warned shall haue cast out of their companie they also shall bee holden cast out before the Father and againe whom they shall lose and receiue being penitent into their Companie that shal be ratified with the Father Of this power of binding and losing that is of thrusting out of the Church and receauing into the same we haue said somwhat before ca. 16. Where also he sayd But for that which followeth of the keies it hath this sense By the kingdome of heauen is vnderstood the Church of Christ and this is opened by the key of Gods word But the kingdom of heauen is opened to the beleeuers that is forgiuenes of sinnes and eternall life is promised by the word of God And this is to forgiue sinnes as contrariwise to them that beleeue not the key of heauen is shut by the word that is remission of sinnes is denounced So that all this excomm is referred to the denouncing of the Minister of the word and this execution of thrusting out to the Church And so saith Bucer But and if he shall contemne this let the frowardnesse of this man sinning and not willing to repent be shewed to the Church that hee may the third time be admonished of the whole companie among whom he is conuersant But Caluine expoundeth these words Tell the Church farre otherwise Quaeritur quid per nomen Ecclesia intelligat c. It is demanded saith he what he meaneth by the name of the Church For Paule commandeth it not of any chosen nuÌ„ber but of the whole assembly of the faithfull to excommunicate the incestuous Corinthian 1. Cor. 5. b. 6. And therefore it may probably seeme that the iudgement heere is referred to the whole people But because as yet there was no Church which had giuen her name to Christ nor any such manner appointed but the L. himselfe speaketh according to the vsuall and receaued custome there is no doubt but that he alludeth to the order of the olde Church Euen as also in other places he applieth his speach vnto the knowen custome When as he commaundeth the gift which we will offer to be left at the altare vntill we shall be reconciled with our offended brother Mat. 5. d. 23. There is no doubt but that out of the present and legall forme of the worship of God he woulde teach vs that wee can not orderly pray nor offer any thing vnto God so long as wee are at discorde with our bretheren So now therfore he looked vpon the accustomed discipline of the Iewes because it shoulde haue bene absurde to haue proposed the iudgement to the Church which as yet was no Church Furthermore where the power of excommunication appertained to the Iewes that were Seniors which sustained the person of the whole Church aptly dooth Christ say that those which sinned shoulde then at the length be publikely brought footh vnto the Church if proudly they contemne the priuate admonitions or that they elude them skoffingly We knowe that from the time the Iewes returned from their exile in Babylon the censure or controllment of manners and of doctrine was committed vnto a chosen Councill which they called sinhedrim in Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Counsel Session or Assemblie of Senators or Iudges This gouernment was lawfull and approoued of GOD and this was a bridle to retaine in dooing their duetie the frowarde and such as woulde not bee taught If anie shall except that in the Age of Christe all thinges were corrupted and peruerted insomuch that nothing ought lesse to haue bene accounted the iudgement of the Church than that tyrannie the aunswere is easie although the manner were
themselues and whosoâ—uer of their familiars or neighboures or by other meanes they haue ioyned to them which haue giuen their name to Christe that diligentlie and freelie they admonishe them And when anie shall proudly contemne their admonitions they shoulde declare the contemners of the admonition vnto the Churche which they haue among themselues either of the companie of their neighbourhoode or otherwise of familiarity or to conclude by reason of kinred or family Which Church if they shall continue to contemne shall declare the matter to the common Ministers of the whole Church that they also in the name of the whol church may warne theÌ„ And if they shal go on to contemne the word of the Lord they shal also excommunicate them or else the selfe same Church in which they are peculiarly known and familier shall then not admit them to the holy communion vntill the Lord shall restore vnto vs a iust policy in the Church and a true censure But howsoeuer all thinges are yet mixed together and perturbed notwithstanding if the Ministers of the Worde will with a good fidelity imploy themselues in their office they shall easilie restore the moste part of the Christian Censure without any disturbance or cutting in sunder of the Church which a faythfull Minister of Christe will by no meanes bring in who knoweth that to him all power is giuen in the Church to aedification not to destruction and that it is more appertaining to his office from euery place to gather them togither vnto the kingdome of God yea the blinde the deafe the weak than to driue them out of it Of the true moderation of the ecclesiasticall censure S. Augustine wrot many thinges against the Donatistes But the cheefest place of this matter is in his thirde booke against the Epistle of Permenian Wherein this man of God moste prudently gaue charge of the correction and excommunication of the euill persons that seeme to be in the Church This place cheefelie at this time were of vs with singuler deligence to bee reade and throughly weighed Thus writeth also Bucer on thiâ— matter where he complayneth most of the lacke of this Discipline and where hee somewhat agréeth with Caluine in alleaging this reason That when Christ spake those words there was no face of a Church that professed his name And yet doth he so litle gather hereupon this vnnecessary consequence that Christe alluded to any Seniory among the Iewes to be reuiued among the Christians when they shoulde haue Discipline in the Church that hee acknowledgeth by the name of the Church nothing else but as the name importeth the whole congregation Neither yet that the whole congregation shoulde excommunicate otherwise than not to permitte the man to receiue the Communion but the common Ministers of the church onely to denounce the excommunication And leaste we shoulde vnderstand thereby any Seniorie not teaching the worde he declareth withall that they be the onely Ministers of the Worde and that to them and to their office the exercise of the power of binding and losing is â—omâ—itted though the power in generall by the churches But Caluin sayth that in the name of the Church the Lord did speak as though it were of the vsuall and receiued manner if he so did then he spake of the present state either of the true Church among those few that professed his name or of the Iewes Synagoue But Caluin saith after that it was not the counsell of Christ to send his disciples to the Synagogue But to allude vnto the old order of the church and not to the present order had not beene to speake according to the vsuall and receiued manner why shoulde we not therefore rather thinkâ— that Christ spake of such order as should be afterward vsed in the Church among the Christians eyther for such states and times as the church was in or to continue then of such order as eyther in the olde time had bene or at that present was in the Synagogue among the Iewes But now if wee should graunt to Caluine and to our Brethren that Christe alluded in these wordes vnto the assembly of Elders that was among the Iewes is this ynough also to inferre that the Law or rule that Christe prescribeth must stretch to the establishment and continuance of the same order or to the erection and Institution of a like order as that was whereunto in these wordes he alluded if this be a good argument let vs see the force of it euen in the present example whereof Caluin himselfe giueth an instance There is no doubt saith he but that Christe alludeth vnto the order of the church euen as also in other places he fitteth his speach vnto the knowne custome when hee biddeth that the gift which we will offer shoulde bee left at the Altar Math. 5. d. 23. There is no doubt but that hee woulde teach vs out of the present and legall forme of the worship of God that wee can not orderly pray nor offer any thing to God so long as we are at strife with our Brethren These words are indéede apparant to be an allusion of these tearmes Altar gift and offering to the present and legall forme nor can be vnderstoode otherwise as the word church may whith is more properly vsed among vs christians than euer it was among the Iewes Whereas the wordes Altar gift and offering were more proper to the Iewes than vnto vs. But doth it followe that because Christe in setting downe this rule of reconciliation alludeth for the plainer vnderstanding of the people to such speeches of Altar gift and offering as were then more vsually receiued and knowne among theÌ„ that therefore he ment withal to establish and cary away in his rule the same maner of Gods worship at an Alter by a gift and offering as was then vsed receiued known among them If it do not in this present instance that Caluine himselfe bringeth in as it is most clear it doth not can Caluine then or any of our learned Br. or al the world infer that if Christ did allude in the term of Church to an Eldershippe or consistory among the Iewes in prescribing his rule of Reconciliation or excommunication that therefore hee continued or renued or constituted the same or the like order among the Christians Or if he looked vpon their Discipline that therefore he ordeined the like to continue for euer did Christe establish euery thing that he onelie speak of or but looked vpon But saith Caluine It should haue bene absurd to haue propounded the iudgement to the church which as yet was no church Although this againe be not altogether so that there was no church yet what if ther had bin none theÌ„ had Christ in these wordes no further respect but to the present time if he had not how shall any perpetual rule be grounded hereon And if he respected a perpetuall order of his church why shoulde we rather vnderstande it
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
matter so much vrged and of such importance this had bene requisit that we had heard Christes wordes not their gathering only of Christes meaning for our euidence And yet if we should admit this meaning and all we are neuer the néerer for anie such Consistorie Senate or Segniotie of Elders as our Br. pretend Well might we set vp if not rather ill might we set vp a Iewish Sanedrin and Presbyterie of Princes Priestes in euerie parish to rule the whole estate thereof as a little kingdome in it selfe to the alteration and ouerthrowe of the whole state of the Realme but for these gouerning and not teaching Elders that our Brethr. would bring in héere is neither word nor meaning that they are able to inferre on Christes sentence But our Brethren conceauing that they haue now at least wonne thus much that our Sauiour Christe by this word Ecclesia meaneth a Consistorie or assemblie of Elders they chéerefullie procéede to their authoritie say Whose authoritie he doth ratifie with such power that whatsoeuer is bound or loosed by them on earth in the feare of God and with hartie praier the Lord will bring it to passe yea he himselfe wil be in the middest of them as president of their Councell to direct their consultations to the glorie of God and to the profite of his owne Church Concerning that which our Brethren adde héere out of the 19. 20. verses of Matth. 18. the consent of two or three gathered together in praier or counsell to haue their petitions graunted and Christe himselfe to be in the middest of them as President of their counsell so farre as they do it in the feare of God and in the name of Christ this is so little to be restrained to a Consistorie of Elders that it stretcheth not onelie to all Prouinciall and generall Councels so assembled but to al Congregations gathered to publike praier or to the hearing of Gods word yea to anie particular housholde or persons though they be no greater number than there is mencioned to encourage and confirme them in their faith to God and in their mutuall loue and vnitie one to another As for the authoritie that Christ ratifieth with such power that whatsoeuer is bounde or loosed by them on earth c. meaning this Consistorie of the church the Lord wil bring it to passe we cōfesse cōcerning the Church of the which before he spake that Christe there gaue such power vnto his Church but our question nowe is not whether the power be giuen to the Church as to whom the exercise of this power is committed Whether to the whole Churches assemblie or Congregation or to a Segniorie of the Church gouerning discipline and yet not medling with teaching the word of God or to those to whom the Ministerie of the worde is committed And albeit that neither the Magistrate nor the Senate of Gouernors if there be anie nor yet the whole assemblie of the Congregation are debarred from all kinde of excommunicating yet to speake of excommunication in his proper sense it is the act of him that is a Minister of the word Brentius writing at large on this place not onelie acknowledgeth a kinde of excommunication made by the Magistrate but also affirmeth this speach of Christe Tell the Church to be indéede a good rule but not necessarie for euer and for all Churches Haec Regula c. saith hee This Rule which Christe in this place deliuereth being rightlie vnderstoode and vsed is healthfull to the Churche and bringeth much profite but beeing ill vnderstoode and naughtilie vsed hath brought much hurt to the Common-weale hath diuers times troubled the gouernment of the Church and of the Policie When as the Bishops of Rome with their vnreasonable and naughtie excommunications haue nowe and then stirred vp the children against the parents haue cast out Emperors and Kings out of their Empires and in these dayes also because the Anabaptistes see not in our Churches the like gouernment according to the letter as is heere described they thinke that the true Church is not among vs. Wherefore we must doo our diligence that wee may vnderstande this rule aright and vse the same lawfully according to the manner thereof First wheras Christe saith in this Rule Tell the Church hee speaketh not of such an assemblie of Christians which consisteth of a great multitude of people and of a ciuile Magistracie and wherein the ciuile Magistrate is not onelie a member of the Church but also the Gouernour and Ordeiner of the Ecclesiasticall matters For in such an assemblie it can not bee brought to passe that that which is said Tell the Church can be kept according to the letter without confusion For what a confusion and perturbation of things were that if a man publikelie in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie wherein now and then some thousands of men doo come together should make an out-crie of iniurie offered him of his neighbor and desire that after his neighbour hauing bene twice warned woulde not repent him witnesse may be heard and if he will not obey the voices of the whole assemblie that he should be excommunicated What place would there be in so diuerse willes of men in such a companie of the multitude either vnto honest Councells or vnto right Iudgementes and what either measure or ende woulde there be of brawlings But God as S. Paule saith is not the Authour of confusion but of peace Héere Brentius draweth néere to our Bretheren also in this poynt that it is not meant of euerie great assemblie of the people But what now doth he conclude héereupon that it was spoken of an Ecclesiastical Senate or Consistorie in their names It followeth Moreouer when in the Ecclesiasticall assemblie there is a ciuile Magistrate the office of this ciuile Magistrate is to punish wicked deedes according to their Lawes that by the seueritie of his administration hee remooue offences out of the way Such as sometimes was the administration of the Kinges in the Church of Israel of Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias and of other godly Kings That therefore Christe saith Tell the Church is not bee vnderstoode of a great assemblie of the Church wherein there is a ciuil Magistrate and one that for his vocation laboureth to defend the publike honestie of life but is to bee vnderstoode of a small assemblie whereof the Magistrate is not a member wherein the Magistrate either hath no function or else is holden as though he were a priuate person such an assemblie as was the companie of Christe For fewe accompanied Christe in his Ministery among the Iewes and among these few there was no publike Magistrate Among such therefore being fewe the rule may be holden according to the letter For it appeareth that Christ was moued to the prescribing of this rule on that occasiō that although they were fewe that followed Christ yet now then there arose euen among them
receaued c. And afterward comming to the Ministers he saith the Ministers of excommunication were the Priestes and the churche approuing it Deut. 27. the Leuites shall pronounce and say vnto all the men of Israel with a high voyce accursed is the man that maketh a graâ—en and â— moultâ—n Image the abhomination of the Lorde the worke of the artificers and setteth it in a secrete place And all the people shall aunswere Amen In the seconde booke of Esdras chap. 13. Eliasis the preest separateth the straungers from Israell And likewise for the other Key of losing The key absoluing is a power ordeyned of God and committed to the Preestes and Prophetes of pronouncing to sinners beeing penitent the remission of sinnes for the Womans and Abrahams seede and the sonne of Dauid that is for the Messias c. The author and the Ministers are these Eyther God him-selfe immediatly hath denounced the forgiuenesse of sinnes as Genesis 3. When hee setteth foorthe the promise of the VVomans seede hee doth nothing else buâ— thaâ—â—ee mought absolue Adam and Eue from their sinne c. Or else by the Patriarkes So Genesis 30. God sayth â—o Abimelech of Abraham c. Or else by the Prophetes The seconde of Kings 12. Nathan said to Dauid the Lord hath translated thy sinne c. or else by the Preesâ—â— which offering sacrificeâ— expiatory for the people for their sinns afterward blessed them which what was it â—â—so 〈◊〉 a denunciation of the forgiuenes of their sinnes Leui. 4.5.6 9. Leuit. 19. And the Priest shall pray for him and for his sinne and it shall bee forgiuen him and his sinne remitted and Num. 6. Speake to Aaron to his sonnes thus shall ye blesse the children of Israel say vnto themâ— the Lord blesse thee and keepe thee the Lord shew his face vnto thee and haue mercie vpon thee This waâ— the state of Excommunication and absolution in the old Testament denounced by the â—outh of the Minister of the worde For to whom the Absoluing belonged the Excommunicating belonged also The steps whereof sayth Aretius are in the newe Testament Ioh. 9.12 16. For although that Discipline was administred then of wicked men notwithstanding it is for an argument of the antiquitie And in the olde time the Institution was honest and profitable This corruption Christe corrected when he drewe backe this Discipline to his Church Math. 16.18 Ioh. 20. The Apostles also vsed it laudably as it is 1. Cor. 5.1 Tim. 5. Whereby also it appeareth that 〈◊〉 the wicked Iewes vsed it in Christes time Christe reducing into his church the olde Instituâ—ion of God for Excommunicating and absoluing he committed this spirituall censure to such onely as were spirituall Ministers of the Worde Howsoeuer the other that were not Ministers did allowe and approoue the same And this sentence Math. 18. Being ouer ruled by the other before Math. 16. 〈◊〉 Iohn 20. comming after and put in practise by these examples 1. Cor. 5. And 1 Tim. 5. â—here S. Paul being a Minister of the Worde pronounceth the sentence and the Iudgement If the vse of the other Apostles bee to be leueled by these examples it is cleare that in the Apostles times though the Church 〈◊〉 thereunto the action was 〈◊〉 by such onely as were Ministers of the Worde of God What the practise was of Excommunication in the Primitiue church succéeding the Apostles partly appeareth by that we hâ—â—e cited out of Tertullian saying There are also exhortations chasticementes and the Diuine censure For iudgement is there giuen with great wâ—ight as among those which are certayne that God beholdeth them And it is the cheefe fore-iudgement of the iudgment to come if any shall so offend If any be banished from the communicating of prayer and of the meeting together and of all the holy partaking euery of the approoued Elders haue the Gouernment Here is Excommunication mentioned and the Gouernment to appertayne to euery of the approoued Elders But in adding withall the publique prayers and Exhortations that he â—nneâ—eth to the gouernmeÌ„t of these Elders it is apparant that he meant none other but such as were Ministers of the Worde Which we haue also shewed yet more playâ—â— in his booke De Coronae militis where after he hath spoken of Baptisme receiued Sub antistitis vnder the Bishops and Prelates speaking of the Lordes supper he sayth Nec de aliorum manu quam Praesidentium sumimus Neyther receiue we it at the handes of any other than of the gouernors So that he maketh these Seniors and Gouernours to bee all one with the prelates and Ministers of the Worde and sacraments Eusebius lib. 5. cap. 24. telleth howe Victor Bishop of Rome Excommunicated the Churches of the East For keeping their manner of celebrating Easter day Wherein although he greatly abused this power of binding yet if he had rightly with discretion vsed it within his boundes Irenaeus nor any other did reprooue him but only for his rash ouer-reaching himselfe in the same For sayth Eusebius Irenaeus also writing with the other Bishops of Fraunce ouer whome hee had the gouernment for he was Archbishop of Lions Anno Domini 169. doth in-deede confirme it that the Mystery of the Lordes resurrection shoulde bee celebrated on the sunday Notwithstanding hee reprooueth Victor that hee did not well to cut off from the Vnity of the body so many and so great Churches of God that kept the custome deliuered to them of the auncient time And to shew this better that when he vsed this power better he was not misliked for the vse thereof Eusebius sayth afterward in the last chap. of the fift booke But howe can they lay a slaunder vnto Victor concerning this sith they knewe that Victor expelled from the communion of the Church Theodorus the tanner which was the prince Father of this their impiety which durst first at Rome auouche that Christ was but onely a man For if Victor as they say did so beleeue how did he cast out of the Church Theodorus the inuentor of this blasphemy So that Eusebius approueth this doing of Victor for his Excommunication of this heretike I heere passe ouer all the Canons and decrees mentioned in the councelles in the names of the Apostles and of diuers auncient Bishops because their credite may be called in question though diuers of them mentioning the Excommunications made onelie by Bishops and sacerdotall preestes be no doubt of great antiquity Onely I note that which Eusebius recordeth of the Emperor Philip. Of this man saith he It is reported vnto vs that he was a Christian. And on Easter day to wit euen in the Vigilles when he woulde haue beene present amongest them and communicated in the mysteries hee was of the Bishop of the place not suffered before he had confessed his sinnes and stoode among the penitent persons Neither by any meanes coulde hee haue leaue to receiue the mysteries
except that before he had by repentance purged him-selfe of those manifolde faultes that were reported of him It is sayde therefore that hee gladly receiued that which was appoynted to them by the Proestos or Bishoppe approouing that hee had a godly feare and a Fayth of Religion moste full of workes The like wee reade of the moste Noble Emperour Theodosius in the Ecclesiasticall Historie of Theodoretus Lib. 5. Cap. 17 Where hauing declared in the former Chapter howe Theodosius had in his fury caused his Souldiers to make a Massacre of 7000. people in the City of Thessalonica for the reuenge of an insurrection there made wherein some of the Emperours Iustices were stoned to death hee sheweth how the Emperour afterwarde beeing come to Millaine when hee woulde haue entred into the Churche after his wonted manner Ambrose forbad him laying the heighnousnesse of his fault before him and willing him to depart and submit him-selfe to this bonde of Excommunication that hee inflicted on him With these wordes sayth Theodoretus the Emperour being moued who being brought vp in the holy doctrine knewe what were the offices of the Sacerdotall preestes what were the offices of the Emperours hee returned with sighes and teares into the Court c. For the which fact although perhappes somewhat more rough than needed vnto so penitent a Prince not onely Ambrose but also Theodosius is of all writers highly commended Generally whatsoeuer Heretikes or other malefactors in any of the generall or prouinciall Councilles bee condemned by the Censure of Excommunication it was done by such Bishops Preestes or Elders as were Ministers of the Worde of God Neither doe any of the Fathers ascribe the denuntiation of this spirituall Censure in the proper sence thereof to any other than to a Bishop or to a minister of the Worde We haue seene in Cyprian howe although hee promised that hee would doe nothing in receiuing those that were fallen from the fayth into the lapse of Idolatry and so became abstenti that is Excommunicated to bee admitted on their repentaunce to the communion and peace of the church without the consent of his College of Elders which as withall wee haue founde were all ministers of the Word and Sacraments Which Iunius him-selfe in his Booke called Ecclesiasticus Capitulo 3 treating on these Seniors confesseth to be Corpus Collegium sacerdotum A body or corporation and College of Sacerdotall Preestes Yea in that case although hee promiseth not to receyue them without the consent also of the Deacons and of the people yet the action of Excommunication and absoluing of them hee still maketh it proper tohim selfe being the Bishop and to such onely as were ministers of the Worde Hierome vpon that saying of Christe to Peter Math. 16 I will giue thee the Keyes of the kingdome of Heauen and whatsoeuer c. This place sayth hee the Bishops and the Preestes not vnderstanding take vpon them some-what of the Pharisées pride to thinke that eyther they may condemne the innocent or loose the offenders When as with God not the sentence of the sacerdotall Preestes but the life of the guilty is sought out Wee reade in Leuiticus of the Lepers where they are bidden to shewe them selues to the Preestes And if they haue the Leprie then of the sacerdotall Preestes they are made vncleane Not that the sacerdotall preestes make them Lepers and vncleane but that they haue the knowledge of him that is a Leper and of him that is not a Leper And that they may discerne who is cleane or who is vncleane In such sorte therefore as the sacerdotall Preeste maketh the Leper clean or vncleane so here also eyther the Bishop and the preeste or Elder bindeth or looseth not those that are eyther innocent or offenders but according to his office when hee shall haue hearde the diuersities of the sinnes he knoweth who is to bee bound or who is to be loosed Saint Augustine being complained vnto that Auxilius being a young Bishop had made such a rash Excommunication as Hierome here spake of writeth vnto him in this manner Augustine to his moste dearely beloued Lorde and worshipfull or reuerend brother and fellow sacerdotall Preeste Auxilius Our renowned Sonne Classicianus hath greeuously by Letters complayned vnto mee that he hath susteined of your holinesse the iniury of accursing Declaring that he came to the church accompanied with the appearaunce of a fewe persons conuenient for his power and dealt with you that you shoulde not against his health or safety fauour them who by periuring themselues on the Gospell sought ayde for violating of their fayth euen in the house of fayth Whome notwithstanding considering what ill they had done he saith that they were not taken thence by violence but went out of their owne accorde And heereupon your honour is so offended with him that by the making of your Ecclesiasticall actes hee with all his house is striken with the sentence of the Curse Which Letters I hauing read beeing not a little mooued with thoughtes tossing me with great vexation of heart I coulde not hide it from your louingnesse that if you haue your opinion of this matter tried out by sure reasons or testimonies of the Scriptures you woulde vouchsafe also to teach vs how the childe may rightly be accursed for the Fathers sinne or the wife for the Husbandes or the seruaunt for the Lordes or anie in the house also not yet borne if it shoulde be borne in the same time that the whole house is bound with the curse so that it coulde not in the daunger of death be helped by the washing of regeneration For this is not a corporall punishment wherewith we reade that some dispisers of God were slayne together with all theirs which were not partakers of the same vngodlinesse Then in-deede to the terror of the liuing the mortall bodies were slayne which at sometime veâ—ily should haue died But the spirituall punishment whereby that iâ— done which is written VVhatsoeuer thinges thou shalt binde in earth shall bee bound also in Heauen bindeth the soules Of whome it is written The soule of the Father is mine and the soule of the Sonne is mine The soule that shall sinne the same shall dye You haue peraduenture hearde that some sacerdotall preestes of greate name haue accursed some body with their house But if perhaps they were demaunded they might bee found not able to render a reason of the same As for me If any body should demaund of me whether it were well done I finde not what I shold answere him I neuer durst do this thing when I haue bin mooued most greeuously about the wicked deedes of some moste cruelly committed against the Church But if the Lord haue reuealed to you how it may iustly be done I despise neuer a whit your yong age rudimeÌ„ts or but yong beginnings of the Eccl. honor Beholde I am at hand I an old man of my yong
fellow B a B. of so many years of my Colleague not yet of one yeare am ready to learn how we may render a iust account eyther to God or to men if we punish with spiritual punishment the innocent soules for the offence of another of whome they take not as of Adam in whome all haue sinned originall sinne For if the sonne of Classicianus haue taken from his Father the sinne of the first man that is to bee washed away in the fountayne of baptisme Notwithstanding after hee begat him whatsoeuer sinne his father committed wherein he himselfe was not partaker who doubteth that it pertaineth not to him and what then of so many soules in the whole housholde whereupon if one soule by this seuerity whereby this whole house is accursed should perish in departing out of the body without baptisme the death of the bodies of innumerable men if they bee taken out of the church and killed is not comparable to this losse If therefore you can render a reason of this matter woulde to God you woulde also by writing againe yeeld it that we also might be able to do it But if you can not why shoulde you doe that by any vnaduised passion of your minde whereof if you shoulde be demaunded you can not finde a right reason I haue sayde these thinges yea although our sonne Classicianus hath committed ought that may seeme to you to bee moste iustly punished with accursing Howbeit if hee hath written true letters vnto me neither ought so much as hee alone in his house to haue beene punished with this sentence But hereon I meddle nothing with your holines But only request that you woulde forgiue him asking pardon if that hee shall acknowledge a fault But if you shall wisely acknowledge that hee hath not offended because hee is in the house of faith hath more iustly required that fayth ought to bee kept least it shoulde bee broken there where it is taught doe that which an holy man ought to doe that if that haue happened to you as to a man which thing verily the man of God speaketh of in the Psalme Mine eye was troubled for wrath you shoulde crye out to God Have mercy on mee O Lorde because I am weake that he may reache out his right hande and represse your wrath and caulme your minde to see and to doe righteousnesse For as it is written The wrath of Man worketh not the righteousnesse of God But let vs rather thinke that because wee are men wee liue moste daungerously among the snares of tentations Take away therefore the Ecclesiasticall actes that you haue done beeing done peraduenture more on perturbation And let that charity come agayne betweene you which you had with him while you were yet Catechumenus a scholler or Learner of the Catechism Remoue the strife and reuoke peace Leaste both the man that is your freende perish to you and the Deulll that is your foe reioyce ouer you But the mercy of our God is mighty who also graunt to here mee praying leaste my heauinesse ouer you bee encreased But rather that that which is already sprung vp may be healed and that he woulde erect me by his grace and reioyse your youth not contemning mine olde age I haue set downe this whole Epistle as well for the reuerende stile thereof one Bishop thus writing to another about this matter of Excommunication as cheefely that wee may the more fully perceyue what Saint Augustine dissoloweth and alloweth in this matter For although hee finde fault with this young Bishoppes ouer-hasty Excommunicating of this Gentleman and namely of his whole houshoulde condemning other for that which hee misse-conceyued was his fault yet doth hee not dissalowe his Censure for that hee beeing the Bishop did it him selfe and not others ioyned with him But hee alloweth thereof so it had beene done deseruedly and with mature deliberation and gone no further than to the offending party Yea being done as yll as it was hee entreateth him to vndooe this Ecclesiastical act and to release the Censure of his Curse ascribing the binding and the losing to the Bishop Although therefore Saint Augustine doe often affirme the power of the keyes for opening and shutting binding and losing to bee giuen to the Church yet hee maketh the execution of the same to appertayne onely to the Bishops and Ministers of the word Chrysostome likewise in the east where he ascribeth this power vnto the Church Homilia 2. De Dauide Saule speaking against them that went to the stage-playes from the sermon hee sayth Verily I thinke that many of those which forsooke vs yesterday and went away to the spectacles of iniquity are this day present But I wish that I might openly knowe who these are that I might driue them from the sacred porches Not that they should perpetually tarry without but that being corrected they should return agayn Sith that the Fathers also driue out of the doores and from the table their sonnes that oftentimes offend not that they shoulde bee alwayes banished from thence but that beeing made better by this chastisement they may returne to their Fathers housholds company with due commendation Truely the same thing doe the Pastors also while as they separate the scabbed sheep from the whole That they being eased of their wretched disease may returne agayne safe vnto the sound Rather than that the sicke shoulde fill the whole flocke with that their disease For this cause wee desired also to knowe these But although we bee not able to discerne them with our eyes the word notwithstanding that is the sonne of God will knowe them and will easily perswade them by reproouing their conscience that they shoulde returne of their owne voluntary and willingly teaching that he onely is within which can giue a mind worthy of this exercise As on the contrary hee that liuing corruptly is partaker of this congregation although he stande here present in body hee is cast out and is remooued hence more truely than those that are so shut out of the dores that they may not be partakers of the holy Table For they being expulsed according to the Lawes of God and tarying without are yet of good hope if so bee they will amende their faultes They are cast out by the Church that they may returne againe with a pure conscience c. Heere where hee sayth they are cast out by the Church yet hee wisheth that hee might openly knowe them to the ende that he might denounce the sentence of Excommunication against them and doe as the Father with his disobedient Childe and as the shephearde with his infected Sheepe So that this Censure by these comparisons doth properly belong to the Spirituall Father and Pastor of the people But for the better and more full consideration heereof Let vs see what Chrysostome saith in his seuenty Homily against the custome then of hiring Women mourners for the deade which Homilie he also inserteth into his
by their greeuous apostacy so the fault beeing so heighnous and offensiue to the people no maruell if Cyprian woulde not permit that they shoulde be receiued into the Church before the offended people their-selues were content And for this cause they had made before their requestes vnto the people that they might on their repentaunce be receiued And the people examined and Iudged their requests to be reasonable But because it lay not in them to admit them both they and other that had beene constant in their persecutions whom Cyprian calleth Martyrs wrot vnto him being their Bishop that hee at his returne vnto them woulde receiue them Which although Cyprian of himselfe were willing to doe yet hee maketh this his conclusion I pray them that they woulde patiently heare our Counsayle Let them expect our returne and when as by the mercy of God wee shall come vnto you calling together more of our fellowe-Bishops according to the Discipline of the Lorde and the presence of the blessed Martyrs we may examin the Letters and the requests And to the confessors I haue writteÌ„ Letters which I haue coÌ„manded to be read to you So that Cyprian writeth not to the people for them as though the people had had the cheefe authority or anie power heerein but contrariwise the people had written to him that whereas neither they nor the Martyrs among them nor yet the Preestes without him coulde receiue them hee hauing the cheefe power heereof woulde vouchsafe to doe it Whereupon hee writeth this Epistle to stay their desire heerein till it might be done more orderly at his comming to them This therefore being no ordinary matter wherein so many Bishops shoulde appeare to the more solemne receiuing of these so greeuous lapsed persons whereas diuerse of the Preestes or Elders of Carthage had already receyued these offenders and administred the Sacramentes vnto them Hee complayneth heereof saying I heare notwithstanding that certaine of the Elders neither mindfull of the Gospell neither thinking what the Martyrs haue written to vs neither keeping to the Bishop the honour of his sacerdotall preesthoode and of the Chaire haue begunne alreadie to communicate to them that are falne and to offer for them to witte the publike prayers and to giue them the sacrament of thankesgiuing When as they ought to haue come by order to these thinges Whereby it appeareth that these Elders were Ministers of the Worde and Sacraments and yet distinct from those which after he calleth Bishops that shoulde all be ioyned with him in the receiuing of these so great offenders As for that Aretius addeth of the seniors mentioned in Tertullian I aske no better witnesse than Aretius himselfe euen the leafe before what they were Where he saith after the example of S. Paul Excommunicating Alexander and Hymenaeus Postea vsi sunt illa pij Episcopi vt videre est apud Tertullianum Apolog. cap. 39. Afterwards the Godly Bishops vsed it to wit Excommunication as is to see in Tertullian c. Beza himselfe that referreth Christes wordes to a translation of the Synedrion from the Israelites to the Christian Church in his Confession Cap-5 De Ecclesia Artic. 43. saith Secondlie wee must knowe that this power resteth not vpon mans ordinaunce but vpon the expresse worde of God For this is part of the iurisdiction of the Keyes deliuered to the Apostles and to all true preestes or Elders in the person of the Apostles Which Paul himselfe exercised at Corinth in other places So that if these Presbyters preestes or Elders be not such as vse the keies deliuered to the Apostles and doe it not in the person of the Apostles as their Successors it is not the true Ecclesiasticall Excommunication by Beza his owne Confession But they bee not the Apostles successors if they be not teachers of the word ministers of the sacrameÌ„ts as Paul saith 1. Cor. 4.1 Let a man so esteem vs as Ministers of Christ Stewards of the Mysteries of God And therefore of good consequence it doth followe that the sentences of Excommunication made by such Seniors as are not teachers nor Ministers of the word and sacramentes is no lawfull Excommunication nor is the power of the keyes that Christe deliuered Gellius Snecanus de Disciplina ecclesiast 1. methodi parte fol. 437 saith Thirdly by the Institution and promise of Christe Math. 18. ver 18. VVhatsoeuer yee shall bind c. is as wel added to this Discipline as to the Ministery of the word Math. 16. ver 19. VVe may call it the binding and the loosing key of the kingdoÌ„ of heauen in respect that it is a part of the Ecclesiasticall Gouernment For by the Figure of the keye is signified the administration of the Church as appeareth by conferrence of places Esay 22. ver 22. I will giue or I will lay the keye of the house of Dauid vpon his shoulder And Math. 16. ver 19. cap. 18. verse 19. Hereupon we learn that this Discipline is not to be administred according to our priuate affections but according to the vse in the scripture prescribed of the keyes of the kingdome of Heauen For Christe ratifieth onely those thinges that are bounde and loosed with his keyes of the Ministerie of the Gospell VVe may amplifie the same more largelie by the figure of the keies and of their signification Math. 16. ver 19. Marke 16. ver 15. Preach yee the Gospel c. And Iohn 20. ver 21. c. FroÌ„ the example of Peter vnto the citizens of Ierusalem c. Whereby it is plaine that this key consisting in the Ministerie of the worde is coÌ„mitted to those only that are the Ministers of the same word This do his exaÌ„ples proue that he alleageth for proof why this gouernmeÌ„t of the presbytery is called spirituall Whereby saith he sinnes are punished not by bodily force but by the Ministery of the worde The testimonies which he adioyneth Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12.1 Tim. 4. 5. Was haue sufficiently considered that they enforce nothing for any other Elders that medled not in teaching and ministring the Worde The examples which hee alleageth to prooue that this Spirituall Discipline may be exercised without the offence of the politike Magistrate dâ—e all of them prooue that the Ministers of the Spirituall Discipline shoulde beâ— Ministers of the Worde First from the example saith he of the distinct function of Moses and Aaron and of all the Godly kings that neuer mingled themselues with the Sacerdotall offices Yea Moses respecting the ordinaunce of God by the counsell of Iethro his Father in Lawe ordeyned seuerally by themselues ciuill iudgements Exod. 18. ver 25. Describing in other places what were the proper offices and Iudgementes of the Preestes in spirituall causes distinct from bodily causes Deut. 17. ver 9. As also the Scripture 1. Paral. 9. ver 22. Ezech. 44. This two-folde order the godly King Iosaphat obserueth also distinctly who expressely 2. Chron. 19.
ver 5. c. Commaunded all the iudgements or questions of the Lawe of the commandement of the ceremonies c. to be referred to the Leuites and Preestes Leaste any might except that Moses constitution dealt on sacrifices not on iudgements Secondly from the punishment of King Saule sacrificing against the commaundement of God 1. Sam. 15. And of king Ozias striken with lepry because hee vsurped the preestes office 2. Patal 26 verse 16 c. The extraordinary examples of Melchisedech Samuel and Heli are not to be drawne into vse contrary to the Lawe Thirdly from the office vse of the Preestes and Leuites denouncing the blessinges to the keepers of Gods commaundementes and the cursings to the not keepers Deut. 27 28 Fourthly from the speciall power and ministery of binding and loosing which Christe committed not to the ciuill Magistrate but to the Ministers of the worde in the newe Testament Math. 16. Who also commaunded significantly that they that are not obedient shoulde be shewed to the Church that is to the Presbytery not to the Magistrate Math 18. So that euen here where he expoundeth the Church for a Presbytery Yet he maketh this Presbytery to be onely of those that are the Ministers of the Word Fiftly out of Paule 1. Cor. 5. ver 4 12 Which so farre as pertaineth to the present businesse of all other moste euidently teacheth by two arguments that the presbytery was different from the iudgement of thinges that pertaine to the vse of this life First from the order of the time For that the vse of comming together and of iudging was recâ—yued in the Corinthian Church before the Epistle of Paule was written it is apparant out of his owne words You being gathered â—ogether in the name of the Lord. Againe Do ye not iudge of those things that are within But speaking afterward chap. 6. of priuate controuersies hee saith Appoint you arbiters Not ye haue appoinâ—ed in the preterperfect tense Moreouer of the diuersitie of the spiritual things and ciuile controuersies for when he forbiddeth them to go to the Magistrate in those things that pertein to this life how would he haue granted it in spiritual things That assemblie was a singular ornament of the Church but this iudgement of corporal things is turned to a reproch vnto the Corinthians Insomuch that he adiudgeth each one of the basest to be meere inough thereunto Besides that â— Cor. 10 refelling the slanders of the aduersaries for the seueritie of his former Epistle for his rebuking the fornicator he distinguisheth the Ministery of the word and the reuengement with carnall weapons against the disobedient Thus dooth he stil continue in proouing this Segniorie to be meere spirituall their authoritie wholie to consist in the Ministerie of the worde Sixtlie out of 1. Tim. 5.19 20. whereupon it manifestlie appeereth that euen then there was an order alreadie appointed at Ephesus ouer which Timothie was the Gouernor But that these 2. ver the 19. and the 20. Against an Elder receaue no accusation except in the mouth of 2. or 3. witnesses and them that sinne reprooue openlie that the other may feare are spoken of such Elders as are pastorall Elders we haue at large before prooued eueÌ„ by the confession of Caluin Beza therfore this place not onlie maketh nothing for not teaching Elders but also prooueth a manifest standing appointed superioritie in the Apostles times among the pastoral Elders as we haue seene Seuenthlie vnto these approcheth the vse of the Apostolicall Church which coÌ„tinued many yeres sound without the help of Kings Princes Yea in the more purer Primitiue Church vnder the ChristiaÌ„ Emperoâ—s the vse of the keies remained apperteining to the Ministers of the word and Elders of the Church distinct from the ciuile Magistrate Heere Snecanus telleth not howe the Church flourished without the helpe of Christian Princes which he shewed before was one of the Anabaptists chiefe arguments but that the vse of the keyes was not helped by them but perteined onelie to the Ministers of the word not to Elders not teachers To coÌ„clude the thinges aforesaid are coÌ„firmed by the distinct properties of their gouernmeÌ„t For the ciuil Magistrate punisheth crimes with external punishmeÌ„ts onlie as with fines of monie imprisonmeÌ„ts c Insomuch that oftentimes it punisheth also the verie poenitent by reason of their ciuile transgressions not correcting in the mean ewhile the impoenitent which do not publikely disturb the peace It stoppeth indeed now and then an euil that it creepe not further abroad but the euil lurking within it helpeth not But the discipline eccl executeth her power against sinners by the word of God alone and by the instrument of the voice and acknowledgeth none among the citizens and members of Christ but those that repent them And is so farre off from compelling anie against their will that it accepteth the repentaunce of none vnlesse it be voluntarie And indeuoreth chieflie in this that offences might be remoued the repentance of minde performed before God and those that are fallen to be reconciled vnto their neighbor to the Church Finallie that the holie things may not be polluted being cast to dogs swine This double limitation is reciprocallie to be obserued for as it is not lawfull for them that attend on the Church in spirituall things to arrogate any thing to themselues of the ciuil power so also is it not lawful for the ciuil Magistrate to passe his bounds The Magistrate is indeed the keeper of either table and ordeined of God the chiefest member of Christ. Howbeit the administration of things in those matters that directlie respect the conscience do not therfore perteine vnto him For it belongeth to God to prescribe in the church how the coÌ„sciences should conuert themselues by repentance it belongeth not to the Magistrate to whoÌ„ it belongeth to teach to administer the sacraments it is their parts also to take notice and to iudge by the word of them that are the despisers of the doctrine and of the sacrament so farre as perteineth to the coÌ„trouersie of the law or right although the execution of the fact in politike matters do apperteine to the ciuil Magistrate What can bâ— plainer spoken than this to prooue that these Seniors either must not deal with this spiritual discipline of excom or they must be such Presbyters Priests or Elders as be Ministers of the word and sacraments Danaeus in his Christian Introduction 3. part in his treatise De potestate Ecclesiae cap. 48. concerning the author of the power of the keies saith on this wise Moreouer this thing it self is able to establish ratifie this power of the Church against the slanders of al men as though this power were a certeine tyrannie besides the word of God vsurped of the Pastors of the Church In which words he plainlie maketh this power to belong by the institution of God to the
Pastors of the Church Thirdlie saith he this is to be obiected against the bitings and scoffes rebellions of obstinate persons to wit that it is giuen to the Church of Christ himselfe being God and not of men neither yet hath this power bene vsurped of the Church Here therfore is this saying in force He that despiseth you despiseth me Mat. 10. For it is not maÌ„ that bindeth but Christ. Chrysost. in the Epist. to the Hebr. whose sayings theron we haue séene at large alreadie it is in the Canon Nemo contemnat 11. quaest 3. Moreouer the charter of this power iurisdiction which pertaineth to the church remaineth in writing in 2. EuaÌ„gelists as two publike Notaries Secretaries of the highest King to wit Matthewe Iohn Matth. 18. v. 18. Io. 20. v. 23. To whom agreeth that which is in Ier. chap. 1. ver 18. Here Danaeus ioyneth vnto Mat. 18. all these testimonies Luc. 10. Ioh. 20. â— Ier. 1. which are all spoken of the Ministers of the word That in Luc. 10. to the which matter also that in Mat. 10. agréeth was spoken to the comfort of the disciples being sent out to preach Concerning that of the keyes giueÌ„ to the disciples Ioh. 20. Caluin himself saith After that Christ hath appoynted ordeined Legates to be sent into the world he nowe more significantlie expreslie describeth the office or ministery of theÌ„ in few words coÌ„prehendeth the summe of the Gospel For this power of remitting sinnes is not to be separated froÌ„ the office of teaching and is annexed to it in one coÌ„text And as for that of Ier. 1. v. 18. Behold this day haue I made thee a defensed Citie an iron piller walls of brasse against the whole land against the kings of Iudah against the princes thereof against the priests therof against â—he people of the land As this was onlie spoken to the prophet so Tremelius expouÌ„ds these words wherin they should be vnderstood Behold I set thee that is I coÌ„firme thee in this thy functioÌ„ that thou shouldest stand firme against the obstinacie of these meÌ„ shouldest coÌ„tinue vnbrokeÌ„ immoouable And the verie note in the Geneua Bible obserueth on this word an iron piller signifieng on the one part that the more SathaÌ„ the world rageth against Gods ministers the more preseÌ„t wil he be to help theÌ„ And this doth the text it self eueÌ„ in the ver next going before declare where God saith Thou therfore gird vp thy loynes arising vp speake vnto theÌ„ all the things that I coÌ„mmand thee Be not afraid at the sigâ—t of theÌ„ least I strike thee before their faces So that this encouragemeÌ„t of God was onlie for the Ministerie of his word And very wel noteth Bullinger theron He declareth to the Prophet what should be his office that thou shouldest I say speak vnto them He constituteth him therfore a Prophet that is a Preacher whose office should be to speak vnto the people And what now he should speak he expresly signifieth All things that I coÌ„mand thee All things I say not only some things Neither shalt thou dissemble any thing neither shalt thou bring the things that seeme good to thee but that that I command thee Marke the things saith he that I command thee not that other coÌ„mand thee or that seeme good to other These things agree with this coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the L. which the L. Iesus himself hath prescribed in the last chap. of Mat. sayd Teaching theÌ„ to keep al things that I haue coÌ„manded you c And on this coÌ„fort to him he saith For howsoeuer tyrants would seeme to set the preachers at nought yet theâ—selues witnes that they are afraid of the seruaÌ„ts of god whoÌ„ they haue coÌ„temned Herode feared Iohn Achab Elias c. If now these testimonies of Danaeus be â—it for those to whoÌ„ this power of the keies belongeth who séeth not that it is proper onelie to the Ministers and Teachers of Gods word In the 50. cha Danaeus commeth directly to the partie to whoÌ„ the keies are giuen But saith he this power or iurisdiction of the keies is giuen vnto the whole Church therfore to all singular the Apostles true Pastors of the Church and that indeed equallie but not onlie to Peter alone and to his successors or to himself principallie or chiefelie as some say but vnto other by a coÌ„municating made from Peter It is giueÌ„ therfore vnto the whole Church her self howbeit the same is exercised by the B. Prelates of the Church in her name consent conscience Aug. in 50. Homil. homil 50. Héerupon to confute the Papists error that wold make all this power to be giuen principallie to Peter to be deriued from him he faith The first reason is the authoritie of the scripture For Christ speaking to all his Apostles not onlie to Peter alone saith in the plurall number What sinnes soeuer ye shall binde vpon earth c. Math. 18. v. 18. The same Christ after his resurrection Omnibus hanc eandem potestatem confirmanit quoque confirmed also vnto all of them this self same power not onlie to Peter alone for vpon whom he breathed the holie Ghost to them he said VVhose sinnes soeuer ye shall remit c. Iohn 20. ve 23. If now the power giuen Mat. 18. be the self same power that giuen Io. 22. the power giuen Ioh. 20. is the power of teaching and preaching the word of God as Caluine saith is not to be separated from the office of teaching how foloweth it not that whosoeuer haue this power giuen them Mat. 18. must be all Teachers of the word of God And how then doo our Br. giue this power to such a Senate of Elders as are not Teachers The 2. reason saith Danaeus is drawen froÌ„ the things that are necessarilie annexed Thus wheresoeuer is the true Church of God there the gates of hell doo not preuaile there is remission of sinnes there is the fountaine of grace open and also equallie appeareth out of the word of God Therfore whersoeuer the church is the other equally accord therto that are the Churches giftes follow the same Zach. 13 v. 1. Among the which chieflie is this power of the keies for by it the remission retention of sinnes is denounced Christ said of the Church vniuersallie The gates of hel shall not preuaile against it Wherupon it is rightly gathered that this power of the keyes perteineth to her and that indeed vniuersallie Math. 16. v. 18. For the meane whereby the gates of hell doo not preuaile against the Church is the selfe same power If this also bée the selfe same power mencioned Math. 16. which Caluine also ascribeth to the Ministerie of the word saying Heere Christ beginneth to treate of the publike office that is of the Apostleship whose dignitie is adorned with
a double commendation For Christ saith that the Ministers of the Gospel are as it were the porters of the Kingdome of heauen because they beare the keyes thereof Secondlie he addeth that they are indued with a power of binding and loosing that is effectuall in heauen The similitude of the keyes is aptlie fitted vnto the office of teaching This againe manifestlie prooueth that the exercise of this power belongeth onelie to those that are Teachers of the word To conclude saith Danaeus Paule himself that vsed this power both in binding and also in loosing 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. 1. Tim. 1. vers 20. vsed the same by his owne right in respect hee was an Apostle not by a right graunted him from Peter or by delegation of this power made to him of Peter Gal. 2. vers 8. Therefore it appertained to Paule as much as to Peter But if as much to Paule then as much to other Apostles also yea and vnto their successors that is vnto euerie of the Churches to the Pastors of them sith that Paule calleth himselfe the least among the Apostles 1. Cor. 15. vers 8. 9. Wherefore we must doubt no whit but that this power was giuen of God vnto the Churche and not vnto Peter alone and also that it was equallie giuen to euerie of the Pastors Churches that they may haue keep sound obedient to the word of God the flocke of the Lord committed vnto them This reason is againe a good argument that the exercise of this power belongeth onelie to the Ministers of the worde not onelie from the example of Paule in the places héere cited and of the other Apostles but also of their right and interest therein and that in respect they were Apostles and to the successors of the Apostles in respect of their succeeding therein in teaching the doctrine that they planted But those that are no teachers are no successors of the Apostles therefore the exercise of this power belongs not to them And if Paule so well as Peter and euerie one of the Apostles had this power in their owne rights and Pastors likewise in their owne rights and their rightes and offices be seuered from those in the Churches that be not Pastors nor Teachers then had Paule and Peter and euerie of the Apostles and in succession from them euerie Pastour and Teacher a power and right herein by him selfe separate from all other in the Churches And to this accordeth the testimonie of S. August which Daneus héere citeth Erogatâ— rem me posuit Dominus c. God hath set me to be a layer foorth not an exactor notwithstanding where we may where place is giuen I cease not where we know we reprehend we rebuke we accurse we excommunicate and notwithstanding we amende them not Why so Because He that planteth nor he that watereth is anie thing but God that giueth the increase Who is this that he ascribeth this accursing and excommunicating vnto Is it to anie that are not Teachers Is it not to them that he saith doe also reprehend and rebuke and plant and water And is not that by preaching or teaching the word And if Danaeus had set downe the sentence more ful the words that â—o before would haue declared it Behold saith Aug. I say vnto you behold I crie vnto you I cleere my selfe God hath set me to be a layer forth c. And the words also following immediatelie after I that now speake that now admonish what need is there but that God heare me for you that is in your hearts Brieflie I say and I commend it vnto you and I terrifie the faithfull and I aedifie you Thus dooth he still ioyne teaching and preaching with his accursing and excommunicating And euen there he so threatneth them that kept concubines besides their wiues that he maketh the sinner to say O holie Bishop thou hast made my concubine an harlot Did I say so saith Augustine the Apostle crieth it out I haue incurred the blame c. Thus dooth S. Augustine threaten them with his excommunicating but he teacheth and reprooueth them withall As for such as are not as he was a Teacher open reprehender of sinns he ascribeth not the action of excommunication to them Moreouer in 52. chap. saith Danaeus Therefore as the King being sick obeyeth as he is a man the Phisitions although they be his subiects as he that saileth obeieth the Mariners because he hath not the gouernment ouer the Sea nor ouer the diseases so dooth he also obey the Pastors because the highest Magistrate Politike hath not anie law ouer the heauens Wherefore in this power to be exercised the Pastors and Prelates of the Church haue also ouer the chiefe Magistrate a right power in respect that they arethe faithful Ministers of God Dispensors Pastors of the whole Church Hie. 1. v. 10. What can be plainer spoken than this that this right and power to excommunicate belongeth to none that be no Teachers The examples that he alleadgeth of Nathan reproouing Dauid Iohn Baptist reprouing Herode Fabian repelling Philip Ambrose excommunicating Theodosius we haue either séene before or they are apparant that they al confirme the Censure of the Minister onelie of Gods word And in the 53. chap. Fourthlie saith Danaeus it is the office of the Bishops and Prelates of the Church to intend vnto the worde of God to remooue the offences of the Church to seeke the lost sheepe to gather the dispearsed For thus doo Ezech. 34.37 and Zach. 11. ver 16. describe the office of Pastors In the 54. cha he treateth again of purpose By whoÌ„ this power of the keyes in the Church ought to be exercised And he moueth the question whether by all the People or by the whole Colledge of the Presbyterie And after he hath set down their opinions that would haue it exercised of all the people he saith But we say teach thus out of the worde of God and the discipline of the auncient Church first that in euerie Church there ought to be chosen an Ecclesiastical Senate whicâ— is named by the consent of all the people This by the way agréeth not with that which Danaeus affirmed before in the 10. chap. that the second kind of Presbyters Priests or Elders was wont to be ordeined in euerie greater Citie onlie wherin there was a large and populous Church and a great number of the faithfull And here he speaketh of euerie Church Except we shal reconcile Danaeus thus that there he speaketh of Elders not Teachers and héere of such as are al Teachers of the word But that Senate saith Danaeus ought chieflie to consist of Pastors or Bishops and Presbyters or those that we call Super-vigilants as before also we haue declared This Senate Paule calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1. Tim. 4. ver 14. We before haue called it the College of the Presbytery or the CoÌ„sist
This also haue we shewed euen by Caluine that it necessarilie inferreth no such Colledge but may be well vnderstood for the office or function of the Presbyterie Priesthood or Eldership But Danaeus so calleth it Because saith he it coÌ„sisteth chieflie of those persons to wit Presbyters Priests or Elders that is they that are in the Church called Presbyters Priestes or Elders For it may also consist of Deacons if the Church so think it good or if the number of Presbyters in that place be small Héere againe Danaeus casâ—eth to our Brethren a fresh bone to gnawe vpon For if none of these offices in this Tetrarchie that our Br. would erect may be ioyned together in one person how shall it be lawfull for a Church to haue the Deacons to be the gouerning Elders yea the whole Consistorie of these gouerning Elders if they so thinke good to consist of Deacons And why not then the same to be Teachers and Pastors And so all to be resolued into one if they shall thinke it good at least if the Church shall think it good as our Church dooth there is no necessitie of these gouerning and not teaching Elders We say therefore saith Danaeus that vnto this Senate Ecclesiasticall or Colledge of the Presbyterie the moderation the administration the adiudging and the exercise of this power of the keyes doth apperteine and of consequence this power ought to be exercised by the Pastors Presbyters Priests or Elders of the Church as by men aduanced therevnto of God by the consent and suffrage of the people that is of his Church c. The administration and dispensation therefore of this power of it selfe in coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of the exercise therof perteineth not to euerie one of the people but to the Presbyterie that is to the Pastors and Priestes or Elders of the Church howbeit the right authoritie thereof perteineth to the whole Church because that that is done by them is done by the whole Church This is Danaeus iudgemeÌ„t for this power Which being thus set down in coÌ„ming to the proues héerof that better to sée what kinde of Presbyters or Priests all this while he meaneth he procéedeth saying But by these reasons is our sentence prooued First vnto them that is to the Pastors and Presbyters Priests or Elders perteineth the Churches regiment as to the publike Aduocates and Proctors of the Church Therefore they are euerie where called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gouernours or Guides in the Epistle to the Hebrues chap. 13. chap. 1 vers 24. They are first saluted of Paule to the Philippians Paule directeth to them the Epistle that hee writeth to the whole Church And Paule layeth downe the almes among them 1. Tit. 1. Therefore to them the care the medling and the administration of the right and matters of the Church dooth apperteine But this power and the medling and exercise thereof is a part of the Eccl. regiment therefore the same also perteineth to them This Argument grounded on these 4. testimonies dooth not onely admit well inough that these Presbyters Priestes or Elders may be also Ministers of the word but each one of theÌ„ expreslie prooueth that such they were As first that which is héere cited Hebr. 13. Remember saith the Apostle your Gouernors or Guides which haue declared vnto you the worde of God Héere are no other Gouernors or Guides named than such as are the Teachers of the word And what letteth but that after also vsing the same terme in his salutations Salute all your Guides and Gouernors he meaneth still such Guides and Gouernours as in the 7. verse before hée bad them obey that is the Teachers of the word As for those that S. Paule saluteth first in his Epistle to the Philippians he plainlie calleth them Bishops And what Caluine vnderstandeth by the name of Bishops to wit the Ministers of the word we haue heard sufficientlie alreadie And to take our Brethrens owne confession in this their learned discourse pag. 23. 24. where treating of Pastors to be al one with Bishops they say The same thing is to be obserued in the name of Bishops vsed by S. Paule Philip. 1.1 where he and Timothie send salutations vnto the Bishops and Deacons of the Churche which was in the Citie of Philippi which Bishops were the Elders or Pastors So that by our Brethrens owne testimonie this prooueth nothing for anie not Pastorall Elders As for the next testimonie 1. Tim. 1. mencioneth no Elders or any Eccl. Gouernors that were not Teachers Timothie himself to whome he wrote the Ep. was a teaching Gouernor And all the other were Teachers good or bad that there he speaketh of As I besought thee saith S. Paule to abide stil in Ephesus when I departed into Macedonia so doo that thou maist command some that they teach none other doctrine And ver 7. They would be Doctors of the Law yet vnderstand not what they speake So that whatsoeuer these were yet they took not vpoÌ„ theÌ„ anie eccl gouernment without teaching nor anie other there mencioned except peraduenture Hymenaeus and Alexander whom S. Paul excommunicated did take vpon them to be eccl Gouernors and not Teachers But were they Teachers or no it appeareth they were blasphemers The Elders that S. Paule mencioneth Tit. 1. what they were our Br. also in this their learned disc pag. 24 doo say Likewise vnto Titus 1.5 he calleth them Elders and immediatelie after describing the qualities of such as were meete to be ordeined Elders he calleth them Bishops c. And againe pag. 35 Hee requireth that he be such a one as holdeth fast the faithful word according to doctrine and that he also may be able to exhort with wholsome doctrine improoue them that gain say it Here our Br. applie these testimonies to Bishops Pastors And Daneus bringeth them in to prooue the Elders of the Consistorie How can we reconcile our Br. and Daneus but that the Elders of the Consistorie muâ—t be al pastorall Elders at the least and Teachers of the word But our Br. require a Consistorie of eccl Gouernors that are not Teachers and therfore all these testimonies doo cleane confute theÌ„ But let Danaeus procéed For why are they called the Bishops of the Church why the Prelates or those that are preferred but that we should vnderstande that the gouernment of the Church perteineth to them and is of them to be administred Act. 20. ver 18. And therefore they â—heir selues not euerie one of the people are called together if the Church bee to bee warned of anie matter or if anie thing be to be deliberated vpon in the Church they by reason of their office come together and deliberate as it appeareth Act. 20. ver 17. and 21. ver 18 15. ver 22. to them also it is to be deferred if anie thing be to be done or to be treated vpon in the
Churche Act. 11. ver 31. Of what function these Elders were in the places héere cited we haue alreadie séene at large That they were Ministers and Teachers of the word As for them mencioned Act. 20. it is both in the text apparant and besides Caluine all other Interpreters our Br. in this their learned Discourse beare vs witnesse in all which places they applie the name of Elders still to Pastors The 15. 21. of the Acts doo mencion also as we haue séene both by the text it selfe and by Calu. gathering theron stil such Elders as were Teachers of the word As for those mencioned Act 11. being the same that are spoken of Act. 15. and 21. the consequent is euident what they were So that here yet no Elders appéere that are no Teachers The second reason is saith Daneus To the Pastors and Prelates of the Church apperteineth the cure the viewe the knowledge and the iudgement concerning the manners of euerie of the faithfull And this iurisdiction is a part and appendant of that viewe and care therefore this care and watchfulnesse is proper also vnto them Whereupon it followeth that vnto them this administration dooth properlie belong For why are they called watchmen Ezech. 3. vers 7. Why are they bidden to haue the care of the Church 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. Hebr. 13.17 Why are they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as I said before For these titles are not giuen of the holie Ghost in vaine vnto them These titles we graunt are not giuen them in vaine sith therfore they are all titles belonging to Teachers and Ministers of the word more properlie in the Eccl. functions thaÌ„ vnto those that are not Ministers nor teachers of the word It is more likelie that in these places where these titles be giuen are meant Teachers and Ministers of the word The 3. of Ezechiel ver 17. is cléere for a Teacher Thou Sonne of man I haue made thee a watchman vnto the house of Israel therefore heare my worde at my mouth and giue warning from me c. The testimonie of 1. Pet. 5. ver 2. besides all other Interpreters the verie Geneua translation hath this marginal note By Elders he vnderstandeth all them which preach teach or minister in the Church And least we should vnderstand it of other Ministers than of the word our Brethren themselues in this their learned Discourse pag. 22.25 32. do still applie the same to pastorall Elders As for the testimonie Hebr. 13.17 we saw how it was to be expounded by the 7. verse for those Guides that are Teachers of the word And the name fitteth verie well for so by S. Luke also S. Paule is called Act. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the guider of the word The 3. reason is saith Danaeus it apperteineth to them to iudge out of the word of God the factes life of men and to weigh the manners of men and to marke the fruite of the Gospel to whome the explication and treatie of the same word of God and of the Gospel by the coÌ„mandement of God doth apperteine but they are those that are conteined in the name of the Presbyterie Prepositors Prelates of the Church whereupon it is manifest that vnto them therefore belongeth this power properlie and chieflie whereby this iudgement is made 1. Peter 5. ver 2.1 Tim 4. ver 11.6 ver 2. What can be plainer spoken than this that these Elders of the Presbyterie ought to be Teachers and Ministers of the worde And these testimonies also doo as expresâ—ie proue it The first of Tim. 4. ver 11. Declare these things and teach them And 1. Tim. 6.2 Teach and exhort these things The 4. reason is saith Danaeus The vse it selfe of things and the examples of the Apostles and of the Primitiue Church doo confirme it For Paule while he vseth the power of the keyes against the incestuous Corinthian he asketh not euerie one of the people their sentence or opinion but onelie denounceth to the Church of Corinth and to the assemblie that hee which deserued was excommunicated 1. Cor. 5. ver 4.2 Cor. 2. ver 10. And declareth the same to other to whome that care perteined Paule in deed dooth communicate to the people denounce his iudgement that either the Church shoulde assent or dissent But hee himselfe with the Seniors pronounceth of the matter and claimeth the first and chiefest parts in the exercise of these keies vnto himselfe and to the other Pastors Although héere Danaeus adde this more than the text hath or giueth that he himselfe with the Seniors did pronounce of the matter for the text is plaine that he himselfe and by himselfe without anie Seniors of theirs did pronounce and denounce it to the Corinthians not that he was to be excommunicated but that he was excommunicated as Danaeus saith well therein chose they whether they would assent or dissent Their dissent could not reuoke the excommunication alreadie denounced But admit that Paule did it with anie other Elders ioyned with him yet neither wer they among the Corinthians nor Elders of that Church But whosoeuer they were if ther were anie stil he maketh them no other than pastoral Elders WheruppoÌ„ saith Danaeus it coÌ„meth to passe that we must conclude that the administration exercise power of the keyes which is both in binding losing is properlie first of all to be referred to the Colledge of the Presbyterie or Prelats of the Church notwithstaÌ„ding the same is had of the Church which they ought in the Chur. to exercise with the coÌ„sent notice approbatioÌ„ of the Church Hereunto I referre that which Aug. writeth Serm. 18. de verbis Apostoli If anie man suffred a slauÌ„der of his brother that is of a christiaÌ„ he ran to the B. to the end he might cleere himself of the slaunder All this againe maketh the more that the dealing herein apperteined to those Elders onelie that were Teachers Ministers of the word But saith Danaeus that the power arbitrimeÌ„t of the eccl CeÌ„sure perteined not to anie one appeareth eueÌ„ of that that the eccl regiment should theÌ„ be traÌ„sformed into a meere tyrannie or into a politike Kingdome Therfore neither the B. neither one Eld ought or can alone exercise that power but together at the length with his eccl CoÌ„sistorie as appeareth out of the old discipline Siritius in his 2. Epist. he liued in the Age of Ambrose In the 2. Councill of Carthage the 2. chap. And in the 4. the 22. 23. chap. Cypr. in his 12. Ep. In the first Council of Antioch chap. 23. this selfe same thing is coÌ„firmed This is another question Whether anie one Bishop or Minister may excommunicate or no The question is now betweene our Brethren vs whether one or mo there ought anie other to exercise this Censure of the Church than such Elders as are
theÌ„selues it is in this their humor for this Presbyterie What is héere for so excellent and godly learned men to haue alledged this tyrannical Decree or rather this very doctrine of Diuels in this superstitious Council against the law of God against the lawfulnesse of Bishops Elders and Deacons mariage against the verie Antiquitie of the Church which they pretend â—ind yet what is there in this Decree to inferre that this power and Censure of excommunication apperteineth onelie and alwaies to a Presbyterie ioyned with the Bishops But since Danaeus hath alledged this CouÌ„cill let vs sée how this CouÌ„cill directlie euen in this matter of excommunication maketh cleane against him For in the 8. chap. following it is sayd Alipius the B. of the Church of Tagasta the Legate of the Prouince of Numidia did say Neither must that be praetermitted that if perhaps anie Priest or Elder which is corrected or excommunicated of his B. being puffed vp with swelling or pride shall thinke that Sacrifices are separatelie to be offred vnto God or shall beleeue that anie other altare should be erected contrarie to the eccl faith and discipline let him not go vnpunished Valentinus of the first seate of the Prouince of Numidia said The thinges that our brother Alipius hath prosecuted are necessarilie agreeable to the eccl discipline and faith Declare ye therfore what thereupon seemeth good vnto your louingnesse Whether if anie Priest or Elder shall make a scisme against his B he should be accursed It was said of all the Bishops If anie Priest or Elder shall be excommunicated or corrected of his Prelate he ought to complaine to the Bishops adioyning that his cause may be heard of them and by them he may be reconciled to his B. Here both we sée what these Presbyters Priests or Elders were to wit such as celebrated the L. supper also that vpon iust occasion the B. himselfe might excom eueÌ„ these Priests or Elders And if we may gather an argument of absoluing or recoÌ„ciling to the Church which is equiualent to excoÌ„municating we might haue séene before in the 4. chap. that not onlie a Bishop by himselfe but also anie particular Priest or Elder in some cases might doo it Aurelius the B. that propâ—â—ded the decrée against Bishops Priests Deacons wiues which Danaeus citeth said If any man shal be in danger shal desire to be reconciled to Gods altars if the B. shal be absent the Priest or Elder ought to take couÌ„sell of the B. so at his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t to recoÌ„cile the partie that is in danger If the Priest or Elder can absolue the repeÌ„tant partie at the coÌ„mandement of the B. being absent is it not likelie the B. could doo it himselfe being present And if the B. or anie one Priest could thus absolue coulde neither Priest nor B. by theÌ„selues not haue excoÌ„municated the said partie being a manifest notorious offeÌ„der So that by examining this couÌ„cil further it maketh more against Danaeus in this point thaÌ„ for him The like Decrée vnto this for a Priests absoluing restoring a penitent in the absence of the B. is also in the 3. CouÌ„cil of Carth. cap. 32. These CouÌ„cils being about the time of Siritius which Siritius was in the time of Ambrose as Danaeus coÌ„fesseth Ambrose himself without any Presbyterie ioyned with him excoÌ„municating the Emperor Theodosius how is it not apparant that in those daies a B. by himself might excoÌ„municate his excoÌ„municatioÌ„ holdeÌ„ for good lawful But Danaeus to coÌ„firme it better that a B. might not excom by himself addeth the 4. Council of Carth. chap. 22. 23. where it is said that a B. shal not ordeine Clearks without the Council of his Clerkes so that he seeke the assent the sufferance and the testimonie of the Citizens Againe that the Bishop heare the cause of none without the presence of his Clerkes otherwise the Bishoppes sentence shal be frustrate except it bee confirmed by the presence of his Clerkes What is héere that the Bishop may not by himselfe excommunicate The former chap. is onlie of ordeining Clearks yet it doth not take the power of ordeining from them but it manifestlie giueth the power thereof vnto him Though in ordeining a Priest the Council say that all the Priests present should lay their hands also on the head of him that is ordeined But the B. hand onelie on a Deacon c. chap. 3. 4. c. As for this Decrée chap. 22. is but of the Clearkes counsel to the B. And though they say also hee should seeke the assent sufferance testimonie of the Citizens yet in the action of ordeining they haue no power As for the 23. cha requireth onelie the presence of the Bishops Clerkes in the processe of his iudiciall sentences But this proueth not that they ioyne with him in the authoritie of the Iudiciall proceeding and giuing the sentence There is no Iudge can iudiciallie heare and determine anie causes temporal but he must haue his Clearkes and Registers about him to witnesse and recorde the same but neither their presence nor yet their inrolling of the acts giueth them anie authoritie in the Iudgement He is Dominus Iudex for all their presence And that doth the 28. declare saying The vniust condemnation of the bishops is voyde therefore to be retracted of a Synode But what is this to excommunication it is said euen in the next Decrée to that Danaeus héere citeth chap. 24. that the sacerdotall priest making â— speech or preaching in the Church he that shall depart out of the audience shal be excommunicated Might neither the priest nor the Bishop if they saw anie person to vse this dooing obstinatelie mainteine the same pronounce this sentence of excoÌ„munication on him But that the Bishop might so doo in this and in other greeuous crimes we may well conclude by the 55. chap. of that Council that a Bishop shal excommunicate those that are the accusers of their Brethren if they shall amend their fault he may receaue them to the Communion not to the Clergie Héere â—o is the excommunication and absolution made by the Bishop without anie ioyned with him in these actions were they present at the dooings neuer so much And that this was allowable by the ancient custome of the Church the Councill of Eliberis holden almost an 100. yeres before anie of these CouÌ„cels approoueth the excommunicating made by a Bishop himselfe saying chap. 53. It pleased them all that euerie one should receiue the CoÌ„munion of that Bishop of whom being in anie fault hee was Abstentus that is put backe separated or excommunicated But if so be anie Bishop shall presume to admit him he being not yet willing or consenting of whom he was depriued of the communion let him knowe that he shall aunswere these causes among the Brethren with the danger of his estate Concerning Cyprians Epistles we haue perused them
alreadie méetlie well to examine what the presbyters were which Cypian mencioneth and we haue still found them Ministers of the worde and Sacraments In none of his bookes of Epistles anie 12. Epistle toucheth this matter I graunt that in reconciling of Heretikes and those that were falne to Idolatrie he vsed to take the aduise of his priests of his Deacons of his Clergie and of all the people But this prooueth not that he neuer restored anie otherwise When he confesseth that not onelie a priest but a Deacon also may in necessitie restore the baptised peniteÌ„t to the churches peace But whomsoeuer Cyprian adioyned to him in anie solemne reconciliation he reserueth the power and authoritie of loosing to himselfe As for the first Councill of Antioch which was elder than those of Carthage before cited in the 23. chapter it is thus decréed It is not lawful for a Bishop to make vnto himself another successor although death approch vpon him But if anie such thing should be done the same constitution to be voyde But let the Ecclesiasticall lawe bee kept which is on this wise that a Bishop ought not to be made otherwise than with a Synode and Iudgement of Bishops who after the death of him that is departed haue power to promote him that shall be worthie What is here to abbridge the authoritie of a Bishop that he cannot excommunicate any offender without the consent and ioynt action with him of a Segniorie Where if Danaeus had but looked to the verâ—â— next chapter he should haue found another manner of matter where the Councill saith in the wordes following concerning the authoritie of him that is maâ—e Bishop Those things that perteine vnto the Church must be kept with all carefulnes and with a good conscience and faith that is in God who considereth and iudgeth all thinges Which are also to bee dispensed by the iudgement and power of the Bishop to whom the people is committed and the soules that are gethered together in the Church But to come néerer to the present purpose for excommunication The 4. chapter saith If anie Bishop being condemned of a Synode or a Priest or Deacon of his owne B. shall presume to meddle in anie thing concerning Priesthood or the holie Ministerie it shall not be lawfull for him anie more to haue hope of restitution neither anie place of satisfaction but al that communicate with him to be thrust out of the Church especiallie if they obstinatelie communicate with him after they haue knowen the sentence pronounced against him What can bee plainer spoken than this that the Bishop himselfe may excommunicate And in the 5. chapter If anie Priest or Deacon contemning his B. shal separate himselfe from the Church and priuatelie by himself gathering the people together shall dare to erect an Altare or Communion Table And albeit his B. exhorting him and once and twice reuoking him he shall remaine disobedient let this man by all meanes bee condemned nor let him hope at anie time to obteine helpe or to receaue his owne honour And if so bee hee shall persist to disturbe and sollicite the Church let him bee repressed by the outwarde powers as a seditious person And in the 6. chap. If anie man be excommunicated of his owne Bishop he ought not to be receaued of others before he be first reconciled to his Bishop c. And in the 12. chapter If anie Elder or Deacon of his owne Bishop or if anie Bishop of a Synode shall perhaps be condemned c Thus dooth this Councill also which Danaeus citeth prooue that vpon iust occassions a Bishop himselfe may excommunicate not onelie such among the people but also among the Pastorall Elders as bee notorious offenders Nowe when Danaeus hath thus farre procéeded on the parties that should exercise this power of the keyes giuen to the Church he coÌ„meth at length chap. 55. to this sentence of Christ Mat. 18. v. 17. Tel the Church Where traueling to comfort them that hold this word Church to be simplie meant for the People he pleadeth that it is meant for the Prelates of the Church And at length he coÌ„meth to this conclusion with this saying of Ambrose in librâ— dâ— dignitate Sacerdotali cap. 3. That which perteineth vnto all ought to bee done of all True it is howbeit according to the diuerse vocation of euery one in â—he Church of God By reason whereof the people are not equall to the ecclesiasticall Prelates So also Chrysostome lib. 3. de Sacerdot beyonde the middest of the booke Baptisme is giuen vnto the Church I aske therefore to whom perteineth the administration thereof and to haue the power of baptising Dooth it pertaine to euerie one of the people No but to the Pastors alone And yet this gift is giuen to the whole Church as also iâ— the power of the keyes But euen as when Baptisme and the holie Supper of the Lord is administred in the Church the force of Baptisme of the Supper is expounded to the people who all of them seeing it the seale is added to the healthfull promises of God and so the people is confirmed in their faith and each one of the people is taught and aedified To conclude when these thinges are done the Church out of the holie Supper and out of Baptisme feeleth receaueth the fruite which it ought to receaue euen so when hypocrites and wicked ones are cast out of the Church or when that the poenitent are receaued the same is done the whole people and each one of them withall perceiuing it consenting to it the authoritie of Gods word is ratified the reformation of manners in the Church established and the puritie of doctrine is conserued Which when it is done the Church and euerie one of the Church receaueth the fruite that they ought to receaue out of that power of the keyes that is graunted to the Church By this reason therefore these things the Supper of the Lord and Baptisme and the power of the keyes are of God giuen to the whole Church the administration whereof notwithstanding apperteineth not vnto euerie one but vnto them onelie that are lawfullie called in the Churche to doo these thinges Thus haue we séene at large the iudgements and reasons pro contrà of all these excellent men for these Elders and for their authoritie in this ecclesiasticall Censure Let vs now returne vnto the learned Discourse of our Brethren Therefore in euerie Church there ought to bee a Consistorie of Elders or Gouernors which with the Pastor may take charge of ecclesiasticall discipline and good order to be obserued in the Church to the punishment of vice and the aduauncement of true vertue These if they gouerne wel as Saint Paule doth testifie are worthie of double honor both that honour that is due to godlie men and that which is due to good Gouernors The premisses that our Brethren haue
in this matter or in anie other among so manie matters mencioned in that whole Epistle or in the other Epistle written to these Corinthians that in weighing withall to whom these words both the whole Epistles were written it is inough to proue for anie expresse word we can finde in them or anie necessarie argument we can gather on them that the discipline of excommunication which S. Paul vsed or willed the Corinthians to vse may be vsed well inough in our Churches without anie such Consistorie of Seniors to be ioyned in authoritie with the Pastors As for that which our Br. adde that publike repreheÌ„sion of many which being godlie refuse to eate with such a one is profitable both to driue himselfe to repentance and to keepe other in order for feare of like punishment I grant this is true But that S. Paule ment those manie to be the Elders of a Consistorie and withall such Elders as were ecclesiastical gouernors and reprehenders but not teachers and that this publike reprehension of manie if it were not of the whole Church might well ynough be made by the publike Minister before them al or in their name and so be a publike reprehension of manie to driue him to repentance and terrifie other and that refusing to eate with such an one might not yea ought not to be of all and euerie one but of such a manie meaning such a Consistorie of Elders that I vtterlie denie And therefore that which followeth Where this discipline is not no maruell if all wickednesse ouerflowe to the dishonor of God and of his Gospel to the destruction of manie and corruption of more to the griefe of the godlie offence of the weake incouragement of the wicked and reioycing of the aduersarie Sith the discipline of this Segniorie that our Brethren woulde bring in is so clean different as we haue séene from the discipline that the Apostle vsed héerein among the Corinthians we haue great cause to take good heede least these daungers might happen to vs not by the want but rather by the admission of this their gouerning and not teaching Seniors discipline And if wee permit those which in the Ministerie of the worde succeede the Apostles when anie such notorious sinners as this person was among the Corinthians shall offend to proceed against them as S. Paule did against him and the Minister to notifie his proceeding to the whole Church and they with all obedience to put in execution those sentences of excommunication and to shunne such offenders coÌ„panie and not to eate with them but rather publikelie to reprehende them this discipline is not to be misliked And our order of excommunication if it be not accidentally abused by anie particular person or occasion is in lawe and effect the verie same As for this deuise of a gouerning Segniorie of not teaching but of dumbe Presbyters Priestes or Elders to be raised vp in euerie Churche or Parish to haue the power and authoritie of this ecclesiasticall discipline as it is nothing like the Apostles practise so our Bretherns vnnecessarie sturres for it hath bredde manie troublesome euents and it is to be feared would soone brede more and greater to the manifest daunger both of her Maiesties Soueraignitie and so of her sacred person to the altering and innouating of the whole State to the disquieting of the orders established in all the Realme and in euerie Church and then what followeth but as our Br. héere conclude To the dishonor of God and of his Gospell to the destruction of many and corrupting of more to the greefe of the godly offence of the weake incouragement of the wicked and reioysing of the aduersary and therefore in my opinion this Seniory were a great deale better suppressed then erected Now vpon these premisses our brethren thus conclude Let vs therefore proceede in setting foorth the authority of the Pastor with the Elders which is first to punish offendors and bring them to repentance or else to cut them cleane from the Church as rotten and infected members This conclusion inferring the authority of the Pastor with the Elders aforesaid these Elders being not yet sufficiently proued to haue any such authority or to be any such Elders at all is a weake conclusion the Bishop or Pastor may do all this well ynough without them except our brethren shall haue better proues to inferre them then as yet we haue heard any But now as though they had already clearely proued these Seniors and their authoritie they procéede from their persons and from this their authority to the offences wherefore this authoriâ—y should be put in practise But heere say they we haue to enquire for what offences the Church may proceede to so sharp a punishment for God forbid that the sword of excommunication should be drawne out to cut off the members of our body for euery small disease that is in them but onely where the disease is deadly and the members rotten thereby for we ought as hardly to be brought to excommunicate any of our brethren as we would haue a legge or an arme cut off from our bodie God forbid as our brethren say very well therein we should proceede to so sharp a punishment that the spirituall sword of excommunication should be drawne out to cut off the members of our misticall body in Christ for euery small disease that is in them Yea rather now and then in some principall members of the naturall body though the disease be deadly and the members rotted thereby yet to cut them straight way off were to hasten the present destruction of all the body We graunt therefore that we ought to be brought very hardly to excommunicate any of our brethren especially such principall parts among them as may endaunger their whole estate Howbeit this resemblance heerein of cutting off a legge or arme from the mysticall bodie and from the naturall is very different euen from the principall point of that excommunication that we speake of and that is in vse among vs. For if we cut off a legge or arme from the naturall body it is done both for vtter despaire that it can neuer be healed and we are assured that being cut off it can by no naturall or artificiall meanes except myâ—aculous be euer againe ioyned to the body but is vtterly without all life and for euer in this world destroyed till the resurrection of the body in the life to come But it is not so in euery Excommunication except onely in the highest and extreamest degrée called Anathematization which is seldome or not at all in vse amongst vs. Whereas in the ordinarie Excommunication it is not an absolute spiritual cutting off the mysticall member but such a conditionall cutting off onely from these and those respects that it is done not only with hope but also euen to the end and purpose of amendment and of restoring Although therefore
â—et in Timothies person he gaue those precepts to all Bishops and Pastors wherein no other kinde of Elders ordinarily nor the congregation doâ— ioyne with the Bishops or Pastors in the authority of teaching though in obedience and consent of hearing And so in these matters concerning the hearing and determining of Ecclesiasticall Discipline and iudicial causes he giueth Timothy and in Timothies person other Bishops and such superior pastors as he was the charge and authority of a righteous Iudge But the Iudges authority is singuler to the Iudge and not communicated with other no though they sit on the Bench with him as his assistantes but such onely as are of his function Iudges as hee is and ioyned in the same commission with him How this authoritie was was not singular therefore S. Paule giueth to Timothy and in his person to Bishops and such Pastors a singular authority in hearing and determining of such matters Not singular I graunt as though none might heare them but hee alone or that hee might aske no counsell or consent of any other for such singularity were rather a deharre than a graunt of authority or were an insolent abuse thereof Neither so doth any Iudge if any assistants be on the bench with him But the Iudge onely hath the cheefe authority and that is his singuler authority though not absolute As for the Eldership whereof Saint Paul maketh mention a little before We haue heard also Caluines opinion thereon that it may be aswel vnderstoode in that place for the office of the Eldership as for any consistorie or company of the Elders And therfore vpon the vncertainty of that Worde they can builde little certaintie for their consistoriall Elders The conclusion which heere they make depending all vpon the premisses is no further to be graunted than the premisses do inferre The learned disc Pag. 98. 99. In steede of which Antichriste hath set vp a tyrannicall Iurisdiction of one Bishop to bee iudge of Excommunication which is practized neither for causes sufficient nor by sufficient authority insomuch as it hath bene already testified by the Scripture that the power of Excommunication is in no one man no not in an Apostle but is common to the whole Church and ought to be executed by lawfull delegats of the Church also The tyrannicall iurisdiction that Antichriste hath set vp we no more acknowledge Bridges than our Brethren But that all Iurisdiction of one B. to be Iudge of Excommunication which is practized for causes sufficient not onely to want sufficient authority but to be called tyrannical and set vp by Antichriste Is not truely spoken nor Christian like Except they will make S. Paul Antichriste As for that which they haue already testified by the Scripture doth manifestly confirme that one man as the Apostle and Timothy and in his person Slaunderous speeches Bishops and pastors in like manner may execute the power of excommunication For although this ecclesiasticall power be giuen to the Church as likewise the ciuil power is giuen to the assemblies and congregations of men How the power of Excommunication is giuen to the Church yet is neither of them common to the whole Church as our Brethren heere say but is proper to those persons in or of the Church and of the assemblies of men which persons are of God or man lawfully called therunto Neither are the persons that haue the practise and executing of the power of excommunication to be so properly calleâ— the Churches delegates as Gods delegates or Ministers in the same and represent God therein not the Church But admitting it be common to the whole church and yet ought onely to be executed by lawfull delegates of the church if that whole perticular church The Excommunicator is more properly Gods delegate than the Churches do make him that is their onely Lawfull Bishop to be also their onely Lawfull delegate in executing the power of Excommunication and doe not delegate a number of more with him then by their own confession some one man and that the Bishop may alone execute the authority and power of excommunication But so much that vsurped authoritie presumeth that the Bishoppe as an absolute owner thereof The learned discourse Pag 99. committeth it ouer to his Chauncellor or Archdeacon and the Archdeacon to his Officiall and he to his register and hee agayne to his substitute and his substitute to his seruaunts man or boy as it hapneth in so much that a learned Preacher may be excommunicated by a foolish boy If this matter seeme not to require speedy reformation God hath blinded our eyes that wee can not see the cleare light of the Sonne shining in our faces These terms of vsurpation presumption and to be as an owner and as an absolute owner of this authority Bridges are speeches considering the vntrueths and reprochfulnesse of them little beséâ—ming learned preachers And much lesse the other of committing this authorty to Registers and to substitutes and to the Substitutes seruantes man or boy I verily beleeue thad our Brethren if they were well apposed coulde not prooue any such Excommunication to bee made Which in-déede if it were done is no Excommunication at all Slanderous speeches if it bee not rather their bare surmise But perchance at the fourth or fift hand they heard of such a thing and they by and by for the good liking and opinion they haue of Bishops their chauncellers Archdeacons and Officials Charitas non est suspicax did beléeue it For the tale caried greate credit Some boy tolde them that some seruaunt tolde him that some Substitute tolde him that he had heard it tolde of some Register But who the Register Substitute Seruaunt man or boy was or is that we must go looke as the boy sayth to his dog séeke out It is proofe ynough for our Brethren that some boy tolde them that he heard say so And therefore as a matter nowe out of all doubt it must in all hast to the presse and be confirmed in print with this exclamation Insomuch that a learned preacher may be excommunicated by a foolish boy If a foolish boy had written this it had béene the more tollerable But should such Learned Preachers in the name of all the faythful Ministers Our Br. vnequall dealing in this slaunder that haue and doe seeke for the reformation of the Church of England in this their Learned Discourse of Ecclesiasticall Gouernment thus solemnly alleage such boyish slaunders or if there shoulde by corruption haue hapned any such like thing shoulde they thus heighnously burthen or chalenge the state and authority of the Bishops for such an abuse or odde escape stollen out which our Bishops doe no lesse detest than do our Brethren their-selues No likelihood in this slaunder and would punish and reform if they can name the parties and proue the offence but that I thinke before hand they can not do Nay there is
disorder of moste slaunderous speeches cast foorth on the Prince on the Peeres on the Prelates on the people on the whole Church and Realme of England that I much maruaile that they would euer let them escape their lippes or conceiue them in their hearts and much more penne them in writing and publish them in print and commende them to the worlde with the title of a Learned Discourse Surely this a verie vnlearned vnaduised vngodlie and disloiall part Whatsoeuer they had in the gaule of their zeale powred foorth on vs would God they had neuer attempted so vntruely to deface both their and our so gracious godlie louing and most blessed soueraigne Do they thinke to shadowe them-selues and to salue vp all againe in saying Our Br. mockery of her Maiesties supremacy this is done with as heighnous iniury and contumely of the lawfull authority and godly supremacy of the Prince In-deede this is more subiect-like to bee offended that any iniury or contumely should be offered to the Lawfull authority and godly supremacy of the Prince But when they say withall that all the detestable enormities of the Popes praerogatiue and faculties and whole course of Canon Lawe is nowe still reteined and that the Papacie is not so much banished in name as translated in deede from the sea of Rome to the sea of Canterbury and that all this is done vnder the shadow of the Princes Supremacie what lawfull authoritie or godlie supremacie of the Prince make they this to be And is not this dooing and saying then of theirs a méere mockerie and contradiction with an heighnous iniurie and contumelle of the lawfull authoritie and godlie supremacie of the Prince Yes verelie and ioyned with great dishonor of God and miserable disorder of the Church that euer such disordered speaches should be suffered But we may soone gesse whether for these parts of the Papacie We maywel see by these speeches whether for diuerse pointes the papacy wold be traÌ„slated to wit soule-mouthed slanders not sparing to offer iniuries and contumelies to their naturall and Souereigne Prince for making and imposing another Canon Lawe and a new kinde of Supremacie of pastors and Seniors should be translated not from Rome to Canterburie though neither we nor they can well tell from whence but whether euen to euerie seuerall Parish and Congregation For what could all the papistes or the Pope himselfe haue said more or worse against the Prince the Church and the Realme of England than these out learned Discoursing Brethren haue comprehended in these distempred speaches And now when they haue thus disgorged all this choller for verie anger that they can not haue their gouerning Presbyters and not not preaching Priests to exercise this power of the keyes and discipline of the Church they conclude as it were slinging away in a chase from further treatise of their Gouernors saying But we minde not in this place to prosecute our iust complaints nor to inueigh against the abuse of these thinges with such vehemencie of words as the worthinesse of the matters deserueth but onelie in setting foorth the plaine truth to giue a glimpse by the way of the contrarie falshoode All that our Br say must be plaine truth iust complaints all our sayings and doings are with them contrarie falshoods abuses All these foul speeches are but our Br. glimpses by the way and yet these al their other so foule speaches are forsooth but their glimpses by the way What will these fellowes doo trow we wheÌ„ they come directlie vpon vs with such vehemencie of words as they say the worthinesse of the matters deserueth But since they threaten vs as it were bidde vs expect in some other place where belike they minde to prosecute these complaints inuectiues with greater vehemencie Our Br. for warning â— greater â—â—â—ectiues we may yet thanke them for this curtesse that they giue vs before hande so faire a warning Praeuisa leuiùs feriunt mala He that is ful warned is halfe armed We shal make our selues readie for the push of their vehemencie so well as God shall giue vs grace thereto And thus with this foule blast and threatning sling they knit vp this their Learned Discourse of their third Tetrarke these Gouernors Presbyters Preestes or Elders that are all in ruling and not teaching And since they are not hetherto able to alleage better proofes for their Consistory of these Elders neyther yet Caluine Beza nor Danaeus as for other I account not of them more than these I hope wee shall neede to feare the lesse our Brethrens threates of any greater vehemencie to come that shall be materiall to the controuersy The argument of the 13 Booke THE 13. Booke is of the last tetrarke called the Deacons with a Preface exhorting to releeue the poore in what sort the Deacons office is perpetuall of the first occasion of ordeyning Deacons for the distribution of temporall goods of the occasion ceassing how that part of the office is changeable how the office had another part remayning to be imployed in the attendanâ—s on the ministerie of the Word and Sacraments of the examples heereof in the first seauen Deacons namely Stephen and Philip with the iudgements of Gualter Aretius and the Magdeburgenses heereupon how the part perteining to distribution of goodes was altered and ioyned with other functions and not any peculiar office in many well ordered Churches after the ordeyning of Deacons at Ierusalem of our Brethrens deuiding the office of Deacons in diuers partes and whether the distributers showers of mercie and helpers mentioned Rom. 12.1 Cor. 12. were seuerall and distinct offices with the interpretations of Ambrose Bullinger Beza Caluine and Aretius on the same of the good politike lawes for the poores reliefe and the cause that they take not so good effect of the multitude of disordinate walkers and practisers against the State and whether these deuises of Deacons would represse them or increase them of the election of Deacons and of tyrannie and confusion whether the Deacons trayning vp to the Ministerie be a prophaning of the office and making the Deacons to be idolles of the diuers names and offices of the auncient and holie Churches that Danaeus mentioneth for the attendance on the poore of the Collectors for the poore amongst vs of their qualities and difference from Deacons of the exception of Philips beeing an Euangelist and so a preacher of Deacons to be as woorshipfull men as conueniently may be gotten of the manner of ordeyning Deacons whether the Deacons consisteth onely in the ministration to the poore with the iudgements of Beza Caluine Aretius and Bullinger for the same and of the playner vnderstanding of Ambroses words about the diuers kinds of Deacons WE must therefore returne to the authoritie of the Pastor which he hath ioyned with the Elders of the Church whereof he is Pastor The Church hath alwayes had great care of prouision for the poore by which
euerie publike office necessarie especiallie that he should not be chosen otherwise but by the consent of all in whose name he should doo anie seruice For although the Deacon in collecting and distributing or attending on the poore or on the Minister or Ministerie of the Word and Sacraments doo not seruice in the name of all and so is to be acquitted of this reason yet imagine he did his seruice in the name of all comprehending by all not the Seniors onelie but ioyntlie or seuerallie euerie one if it be agreeable to reason that he that should doo anie seruice in the name of all shoulde be chosen approoued by the consent of all and why then should he be chosen and approoued by the consent of a fewe Seniors whereas he should be chosen by the consent of all If they say by all they meane not euery one but the greater or better part and that the greater or better part must giue their consent vnto the Seniors although this be agreeable to reason that where election is to be made the partie eligible may be elected by the greater and better part though it bee so farre from the consent of all that within one the one halfe dissent from his election and yet it may be called the consent of all because the greater and better part drowneth the other neuertheles why may not all or the greatest part for the auoiding of factions in elections compromit their consents vnto some one approoued man among them as well as vnto some few men among theÌ„ to make these officers in their names as we sée the like is done in manie other offices in the CoÌ„mon-weale But as an exception against this they say For the regiment of the Church as it ought to be farthest froÌ„ all tyrannie so it ought to be as farre from confusion and disorder This againe I grant them But do they make this to be tyrannie if anie one man being a lawfull publike officer Gouernor doo anie thing himselfe by vertue of his office wherein he ioyneth not al or a number of other in the name of al in ioynt authoritie of that action with him If they count this tyrannie they wil make all the Apostles tyrants But they say it is tyrannie when one man contrarie to the ordinance of Christe shal presume to doo anie thing in the Church without the aduise of others that be godly wise authorized by the consent of the Church If he doo it contrarie to the ordinance of Christe they say somewhat to the purpose But where prooue they this ordinance of Christe that a Bishop or a Pastor that a Prince or a Magistrate for these wordes of theirs stretch generallie to the dooing of anie thing in the Churche by anie one man though it be not Church matters nor he an Ecclesiasticall person yet if he do it not onelie without the aduise but though with the aduise yet without the consent or though with the consent yet without the authorizing of the Church that then it is tyrannie they haue not yet shewed anie such ordinance of Christe As for the words of Christe that they haue alledged Math. 18. implie no such ordinance as we haue séene and should be much wrested from the matters that he there speaketh of to all things that should be done in the Church This therefore is too lauishlie cast foorth and would not onelie ouerthrowe in Ecclesiasticall matters all elections and constitutions but the verie preaching and administration of the Sacraments besides the power and authoritie of all Christian Princes in dooing manie other ciuill actions done in the Church though not Church matters that if anie one man shall presume to doo anie thing in the Church if they were not authorized by the people or did the same without the aduise yea not authorized by the consent of the Church vnderstanding by the Church an assemblie of Seniors in the peoples name they were all but tyrants and all their dooings were méere tyrannie Were not all Christian Princes by these rash words brought to as hard streights as the poore Bishops As for confusion on the other side is preuented they say by the graue counsell and orderlie assemblies of Elders vnto whome the Churche hath committed her authoritie And may it not be preuented as well perhaps much better in some estates parts and cases of the Church if the Church which withall she may as easâ—lie doo committed her authoritie in these things to some one graue and godlie person as to some few or manie persons as when a whole Realme choose one to doo manie actions for them is this tyrannie And may not dissension and confusion arise among an assemblie of Elders also Yea may not confusion arise in the Church about the committing of this authoritie vnto this assemblie and about the choosing of them yea and tyrannie also when they are chosen For tyrannie is not alwaies the misgouernment of one but now and then of moe and of an assemblie also As the 30 Tyrants in Athens and the 10 at Rome declared the experience And the Regiment called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euen the gouernment of a fewe though in name distinguished from Tyrannis yet in effect may be all one if not farre the worse the moe Tyrants there be but the peoples confusion worst of all And verelie we may as wel feare a tyrannie in these Seniors gouerning and not teaching or a confusion among them a readie way to great confusion and deuision betwéene themselues or betwéene them and the people or among the people for them than we néede feare anie tyrannie in a godlie and wise either Prince or Bishop or anie confusion or disorder in the people that are obedient to their wise and godlie Gouernment By this it may easilie appeare what great defaulte there is in our Church where those that are said to be ordeined Deacons neuer purpose in their life to execute anie part of a Deacons office neither are chosen for that ende but onlie that within a short time after they may be made Priests or Ministers nothing in the worlde differing from the superstition of Poperie where the office of Deacons was conferred onelie as a steppe vnto Priesthood As though it were necessarie that euerie one which is ordeined an Elder should first be a Deacon and yet when he is made a Deacon he is but an Idoll yea scarce an Idoll of a Deacon hauing no resemblance at all vnto a Deacon indeede but that he is a man This prophaning of Gods institution God will not alwayes suffer vnpunished especiallie when it is not mainteined of ignorance or infirmitie but defended agaynst knowledge and vpon wilfulnesse Our Brethren complaining of the great default in our Church for Deacons should not their selues commit so great a fault as to burden theÌ„ all in generall with so apparant an vntruth that those that are saide to be ordeined Deacons neuer purpose in their
be refused for the decay of an other except the same also be decayed and so be refused till it be repayred Beza therefore seeing the inualiditie of this as yet too generall a condition draweth neerer to the speciall pointes that he requireth in this condition for the admittance of this olde order and Canons for the authoritie of Metropolitanes But here sayth he we require chiefely two things that is to wit that no tyrannie be againe brought into the Church c. This condition with all our heartes wee againe like of and detest all tyrannie both in Metropolitanes and in all other but as Beza in this condition doth againe acquite the Metropolitanes dignitie in it selfe to be no tyrannie for else to say he thinketh it not to bee refused so that no tyrannie be brought in if he thinke the dignitie it selfe to be tyrannie is but againe another mockerie and elusion and then thinking that of it selfe it is no tyrannie it is againe no sufficient stoppage against the interest of a right for the incroching of a wrong Some will abuse the Pastors Presbyters or priestes office yea it hath beene most blasphemously abused by the Papistes â—nd the Princes office also by turning it into tyrannie And yet we must not thereuppon except simply against the princes and the priestes offices and lawfull authorities And although the Metropolitanes dignitie and office were but an order of men yet since Beza approues it in it selfe for a lawfull dignitie and office in the Church yea we haue the practise of it approued euen from and in the Apostles times therefore the grounde of the argument is all one in all lawefull vocations authorities powers and dignities omnis potestas est a Deo And therefore remooue or debarre the tyrannie a Gods name but doe not vnder pretence of tyrannie remoue or debarre the office But yet Beza very well therein least he should againe seeme to giue vs the slip with exception of the generall name in the worde tyrannie doth particularize this tyrannie vnto vs. As though saith he the holie Ghost were tied to any certeine Senate or person Indeede this was a foule and most dangerous tyrannie not onelie oppressing the bodie but intangling the conscience and an iniurie to the holie Ghost Vnder which pretence the Pope abused all Princes and Churches But the Bishoppes and Metropolitanes authoritie in our Churche God be praised neither claimeth nor vseth nor admitteth anie such tyrannie nor anie other tyrannie that anie can proue to be indéed tyrannie As for this foule and erronious tyrannie we vtterlie with Beza and our Brethren renounce and accurse it And therefore for anie thing in this exception we may reteine our Metropolitanes with good conscience But there is yet another condition behinde And then saith Beza that all things be referred to edifying If he meane all things that can by reason of this dignitie he saith wel For it is not méete to burden this dignitie and the officers therein with other things and much lesse with all things and therefore to refuse them if all thinges bee not referred to edifying But then as before we may héereby also sée that this office or dignitie it selfe is no hinderance to edification So that if there be anie hinderaunce to edification it commeth rather of this fault that all thinges be not referred thereunto But what is this to the office or dignitie it self of the Metropolitane For if it can by no meanes be referred to edification then how can Beza say he is not the man that dooth refuse it so it be referred to edification Is not this plaine that he meaneth there is a good vse of it which may verie well be referred to edification And so doo wee accept it and not otherwise And if our Brethren will be the men that Beza here saith he and his are let them then acknowledge with him at length that they are not the men that on these conditions do thinke the olde Canons for gathering Synodes together by Metropolitanes is an order to be refused If now they dare say thus with Beza for their parts we for ours will ioyne with them in these conditions And to continue them the more in this opinion of Beza let them turne also to that which Danaeus likewise hath on the same matter in the third part and 3. booke of his Christian Introduction the 38. chapter Wherein after he hath spoken of the calling of generall Councills principallie apperteining vnto Princes descending to Prouinciall he saith But if a Prouinciall Councill onelie bee to be called together in the olde time that matter and care perteined onelie vnto Bishops that were Metropolitanes not vnto the Magistrates themselues although they were godlie At this day because in the reformed Churches there are no Metropolitanes especiallie in the French Churches that cure perteineth to all the Ministers of the Worde of God in euerie of the Prouinces who 〈◊〉 letterâ— ought to â—dmoâ—ish and stirre vp one an other except that by the consent of the brethren that care of calling together a synode be specially coÌ„mitted to any man of the Church of that region or prouince Here he againe telleth what was the auncient authoritie oâ— Metropolitanes or Archbishops And although he do set downe another order among the Pastors howbeit not to be allowed neither but by the godly Magistrate if there be any such 〈…〉 yet the reason that he alloweth this vnto the Pastors 〈…〉 is not that he difalloweth the authoritie herein of a Metropolitane Bishop ouer them but that he sayth there are none such in the reformed Churches meaning in their countries and therfore he restrayneth his wordes especially to Fraunce where they are all popish Bishops and as yet aduersaries to the Gospell And in such case hee refuseth also euen the chiefe Magistrate being as he sayth vnfaithfull a wolfe and persecutor of the Church that his commaundement is not to be expected no nor yet their purpose made knowen vnto him of a generall Counsell to be holden among them least he séelâ—e to destroy them So that he refuseth neither the Princes nor the Metropolitane Bishops authoritie if the persons be faithfull Yea in â—â—eede and for want of theÌ„ he sayth that this preheminence of one may be committed to some other person The conclusion that our Brethren inferre Therfore as it were an absurde thing for our prolocutor in our conuocation to take vpon him to be a controller of the whole Synode and to chalenge that office to him and to his heires for euer so vnreasonable is the authoritie that the Pope claimeth ouer generall Counselles All this conclusion wee fréely confesse and also in part the other conclusion that followeth One therefore is to be chosen by consent to be as it were the prolocutor or Moderator of order but not of authoritie in euerie assemblie whose prerogatiue must so be tempered that in
papisticall tyrannie mounted vppe into this toppe from whence it can nowe scarsely be throwen downe But when as no man can denie that Princes ought principally to care that the ministerie of the worde shoulde proceede on his course without offence vnto whome I pray you should it rather appertaine in the greatest tempestes which oftentimes are stirred vp of the Ministers them-selues to call the Churches together and to ouersee that in their assemblie all thinges be done well and orderly and that euen with their presence to confâ—rme the good and terrifie the euill But there were no politique Magistrates that gouerned the assemblie of the Apostles and of the first Churches I graunt it For whom would they haue called Neither doe I thinke that the Church dependeth on their edictes or authoritie but this I say that me thinketh he deserueth worse of the Church that would depriue the Church of the helpe of the present Magistrates so often as it is graunted of God For I confesse that indeede the office of the ciuill Magistrates is one thing and of the Ministers another if yee regarde that that is the proper office of euerie one of them But I saye that this is a commune office of them both that they should studie for the Churches peace and indeede so that they so often as it pleased God to furnishe the Churches with this benefite that they may haue a godly Magistrate should be the chiefest keepers of good order and that these out of the pure worde of God should freely and holily as it were the mouth of the Lorde of which the godlie Magistrate asketh counsell should constitute all thinges whereunto the Princes should afterwarde so subscribe that they shoulde also by their authoritie confirme among their people that which shall be ordeined out of the worde of God and that they commaund it to be straitly obserued If anie require examples whereby it may be confirmed I will aunswere it seemeth to mee that Dauid Salomon Ezechias Iosias did not otherwise with the Elders of the Churche of Israell And it clearely appeareth that all those that were the faythfull auncientes euen euerie one of them did not thinke otherwise concerning the gouerning of the boundes of the ciuill power and of the Ecclesiasticall ministerie I thinke therefore it must bee looked vnto not that the presence of godly Princes bee excluded but bee circumscribed in their boundes that heere they shoulde remember they must doe farre otherwise than if they sate in their throne eyther in hearing ciuill controuersies or in enacting lawes When as they be in the synode not that they should raigne but that they shoulde serue Not that they shoulde enacte lawes but the same beeing expounded out of the worde of God by the mouth of his ministers they should sette them forth to be obserued both of themselues and others But if so be any shall say it is danger least any entrie by this meanes should be made open to ambitious wits I answere that is true indeed As it appeareth by those foule flattering synodall acclamations such as were fitter for the Theaters playes than for a synode but I answere besides that it cannot be that all discommodities can bee prouided for experience it selfe doth shew that an entrie is opened to farre greater offences by the Princes absence than by his presence For what will not ambitious light and rash men dare to doe of which sort too manie haue alwayes beene founde among the ministers themselues except that they bee kept in awe in their ofâ—ice with some reuerence of the Magistrate beeing present so often as that is graunted of the Lorde And how truely this is sayde of me appeareth not onely out of the Actes of the Seleucian and Lampsacen Synodes and that hâ—uokons synode of Ephesus but also out of the Actes of the first Nicenesynode it selfe Briefely therefore to conclude if a general synode were to be gathered together sith that neither all the Churches do now obey one Prince nor the greatest part of Princes be it spoken by their leaue seeme fitte ynough to gouerne all this action in so great controuersies discords also of mindes neyther yet in the multitude of Presidentes anie thing could be freely inough and quietly ordeyned it should seeme necessarie that all they which are chiefe Gouernours or Princes or Magistrats of free Cities setting aside all ambition on eyther partie shoulde by a common consent in the feare of the Lorde determine of the number of those that should be the collocutors and also of the time and place of the synode and chiefely also of him that should be the Moderator thereof yea and of all the fourme of the action on those conditions that both be agreeable to the word of God are most fit for restoring the concord of the Churches This is the authoritie that Beza alloweth to the ciuill Christian Magistrates and Princes concerning Synodes Wherein although he speake indéede some what too contâ—meliouslie of Christian Princes and of the godly auncient Councels and restrayne too much on the other side the Princes authoritie beyond his examples yet for our partes what hath there euer béene established by anie Nationall Synode in this Realme wherein her Maiestie hath taken furder authoritie for Eccl. constitution although the matters were but meere ceremonial than is here set downe and circumscribed by Beza If our Brethren will but graunt thus much to the Prince then as her Maiestie may make lawes to confirme those thinges that in this order haue with vs bin decreed determined and to coÌ„mand that they be straitly obserued so would I for my poore skill be glad to learne by what spiritie reuelation or scripture if there be any that I knowe not both this authoritie of the Prince as well before the synode is called as ioyntly with the synode assembled and afterward in confirming the synodes acts also the synodes authoritie it selfe and the decrees that they haue in this maner and in these matters alreadie decided determined and concluded may be still by our Brethr. being but priuate Ministers of the same Nationall Church called againe into new question cancelled contemned condemned written against and that without any authoritie either of the Prince or synode of that Nation How our Brethr. can warrant this I would be glad to knowe for my learning and it would satisfie manie mo if our Brethren shal be able to shewe it But they harping on an other string crie vpon vs to shewe that the Prince hath an absolute authoritie and to this purpose they proceede saying Therefore vntill this may be shewed by sufficient warrant of Gods holy word we hold that the Synode of eueâ—y Prouince hath authoritie to decree concerning ceremoniall orders of the Church whereof some may be general to all coÌ„gregatioÌ„s some particular to certaine Churches If our Brethren stanâ— vpon our shewing by sufficient warrant of Gods holy
in Christ. I gaue you milke to drinke and not meate for ye were not able to beare it neither yet now are ye able and yet for all this Sainct Paule setteth downe among them an vniformitie in diuers ceremoniall orders and constitutions to the obseruation whereof all of them were alike bounden albeit that all were not alike in knowledge among them for some of them were Prophets some had of them more and greater gifts then other had some of them were stronger in faith and grace than other were Although therfore this similitude may be well applied to the diuers manner of teaching the doctrine of the word as S. Paule likewise applyeth it Hebr. 5. vers 12.13 and 14. and S. Peter 1. Peter 2. verse 2. yet neyther serueth it to prooue any diuersitie in the vnitie of doctrine nor to inferre any such diuersitie of any lawfull ceremoniall constitutions as should in any Church impeach the vniforme obseruation of them As this similitude therefore of one kinde of meate for old men and sucking infants serueth not their turne so much lesse doth this comparison in their other similitude Or as though say they we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize And why also do they not apply this resemblance against all the ciuill and temporall lawes of the realme for whereas there is an vniformitie prescribed in them and that the due obedience of all the subiects in the Realme little and great yong and olde according to their degrées and estates is alike required of them all might they not say this were euen as though we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize And if we may thus iest out the matter with such vnfit similitudes the vnitie euen of doctrine and the vniuersall obedience vnto it of all alike may with a light mocke be shaken off also Are we not all bidden to cast off the cloakes of vnrighteousnesse to put off the old man and put on the new and to be cloathed with the white reynes and righteousnes of Iesus Christ and shall we thus scorne out these generall precepts and say whow this is as though we would cloath all ages in a roabe of one assize yea verily would we as néere as we could euen cloath all ages of them in the one assize of such a dutifull obedience as is both requisite to the kindes of these roabes and aunswerable for their age and calling worthie although indéede this be not one assize but one liuerie one cloath one colour one cognizance prescribed to all alike of the which euery one hath his portion seuered according to the measure of his scantling And that which is more absurd say they compell men of ripe age to sucke the dugge to weare their biggings and to carry rattles and other childish bables If their ripe age be but onely of the bodily age and not the ripe age of the new man in the knowledge and growth of Iesus Christ they may yet be such as not onely well ynough may sucke the dugge at the brest of the Church their Mother or as may feede on milke againe as the Apostle speaketh but howsoeuer they thinke scorne or count it absurd or impossible as did Nichodemus yet as Christ sayd if they be not already they must euen be borne againe and may be such as of whome S. Paule saith Galath 4. ver 19. my little children of whome I trauell in birth againe vntill Christ be formed in you But if they be of ripe age in the inner man they are not compelled either to sucke the dugge or to weare biggins or to carrie rattles and other childish bables by any their due obedience to the vniforme conformitie of such rites ceremonies and constitutions as a lawfull and godly Synode with the confirmation of the ciuill christian Magistrates authoritie shall thinke conuenient and fit to prescribe vnto them for neither are such ordinances to be thus vnreuerently beeing not superstitiously prescribed compared to such base things neyther are they set foorth to foade or dallie the people like babies or bables but for edifying of them in order and comelinesse And although there be also some vse of them for helping the weaker notwithstanding all be not weake alike nor strong alike but some weaker some stronger than another yet while they that are strong do not glorie in their strength but in the Lord the godly stronger will beare with the infirmitie of the godly weaker nor will take the aduantage of all the christian libertie which other wise they might and may still vse in fréedome of conscience without any controllment of those ordinances and yet were it but for feare of offending the weaker and following Christ that would not breake the broosed reede they will still checke themselues with this sentence of the Apostle 1. Cor. 10.23 All things are lawfull for me but all things are not expedient which though they be lawfull in their owne nature by the lawe of God yet if we must submitte our selues to an vniformitie with our Brethren to edifie and winne them to greater matters as Sainct Paule sayth He became all to all that he might winne all how much more when to these good purposes a godly Synode hath made such ceremoniall constitutions to restrayne or compell those that in arrogancie disdaine or obstinacie would not thus drawe together by one rule in one vniformitie ought the godlie people yea although all were strong and none weake among vs yet for feare of opening a gappe to licentiousnes and disorder or to the breach of publike concord or to the contempt both of the Synode and also of the Magistrate to yéeld all due obedience and reuerence to the vniforme obseruation of such lawfull ceremoniall constitutions And those especially being priuate persons as should call these vniforme ordinances biggins bables and rattles deserue to be rattled vp with other rattles for so vnreuerent contempt and disobedience How much better and with more graue aduisement than these our learned discoursing Bréethren writeth Caluine on these Constitutions of the Church who in the tenth Chapiter of the fourth Booke of hys Institutions Section 1. speaking of the power of the Church in making Ecclesiasticall lawes he sayeth euen in these wordes Haec potestas tractanda nunc est c. This power is now to be treated vpon whether it be lawfull for the Church to binde the consciences with her lawes in which disputation the politicall order is not touched but onely this is handled that God may be orderly worshipped according to the rule that he hath prescribed and that the spirituall libertie which respecteth God may remayne safe vnto vs the vse hath obteyned that those things are called the traditions of men whatsoeuer Edicts of the worship of God besides his word haue proceeded from men Against these is our strife not against the holy and profitable constitutions of the Church which make either to keepe
same Guthrune and Allfred had before made but belike not till then sette foorth which lawes were these Before all thinges they enact that one God onely should be honorably and holily worshipped dispising and renouncing all the barbarous worship And then because they certainely knewe that many would not be kept in the boundes of their dutie nor obey the Eccl. discipline without them they prouided humane lawes to be written out and they sette forth the lawes pertayning to Christe in common together with the lawes pertayning to the king that by these the rashnes of them might be restrayned that would not obey the commandements of the Bishop This therefore did they first decree That the peace of the Church within her walles and that the tranquillitie which is deliuered by the hande of the king should be kept godly and inuiolably And so they procéede against them that forsake the Christian fayth Against eccl persons that robbe the Churches that fight or periure themselues or commit fornication c. And against incest If anie being condemned desire to confesse himselfe to the Priest that all doo-earnestly and diligently promote all the lawes of God c. For payment of tithes for the money â—hat then was payde to Rome called the Peter pence for the Church lightes for the plowe almes or as I take it almes giuen by the rate of their plow lande and if any Dane denied or suppressed the diuine rightes or duties Of them that doe their businesses on the Lordes daye of fastinges And iudiciall swearinges on the festiuall dayes and against witches Of those that are entred into orders and are deceaued of their goods Next of these are the lawes of Ethelstane I Ethelstane the king by the prudent Counsell of the Arch-bishop Vlfhelme and of other my Bishoppes doe verie straightly charge and commaunde all the Gouernours that are in my dominion by the holie diuine powers of God and of all the Saintes and for my loue that I beare to them that before all other thinges they paye the iust and due tenthes or tythes of that that is mine owne in proper as well of liuing beastes as of the yearely profites comming of the earth which thing besides mee euerie one of my Bishops Senators and Gouernors shall do c. After Athelstane followeth Edmunde In the solemne feast of Easter king Edmunde did celebrate at London a great assembly as well of the Ecclesiasticall persons as of the Laye in the which were present Oda and the Arch-bishop Wolstane and many other Bishops to consult about the health of their soules and all them that they had care of First they that haue entred into holy orders and of whom the people of God ought to require the example of vertue to followe the same they shall leade their life chastly as the reason of their order shall suffer be they men or women which thing if they shall not doe they shall be punished according to the rules of their orders that is to witte they shall forfeit all their earthly possessions so long as they liue and beeing dead they shall not be buried with holy buriall except that they amended their manners Euery Christian shall religiously pay their tythes and the first fruites of their seedes and the money that is due for the plowe almes He that payeth it not let him be accursed Euerie Bishop at his owne charges shal repaire the house of God and may admonish the king that the other Churches may be decently adorned which is a very necessary matter Whosoeuer forswere themselues or make any barbarous sacrifices except they repent and amend their minde the sooner they shall for euer be debarred of all the diuine seruices I Edmund the King to all that are in my Dominion and power yong and olde doe clearely signify that I haue earnestly inquired of the moste skilfull of my kingdome in the assembly as wel of the Ecclesiasticall as lay persons by what meanes Christendome might be moste aduaunced and it seemed best vnto vs all that we should nourish loue and mutuall good will amongst vs through out all our Dominions for we are all wearie of these continuall fightinges And therefore we ordeyne in this manner And so hee procéedeth to Lawes for these matters After this follow the Lawes of Edgar The Lawes which Edgar the King decreed in the great Senate God to loue and him-selfe to preserue and to benefite all his Lordship or Dominion And so hee also procéedeth to the making of Lawes Eccl. Of the rightes immunities and tithes of the Church Of the manner of their tything to them that haue a place of buriall in the Church Of the times when the tythes of all sortes are due to payde of the Penie to Rome out of euery house Of the Feast dayes and fastings And then he commeth to humaine and politike Lawes Thus did all these Saxon Kinges with the aduice of their Bishops Cleargy make as well Ecclesiasticall Lawes as temporall with the aduice of the Lordes and other their officers temporall And this they did their selues and by their owne authoritie and not onely allowed of that which the Bishops and Cleargie before had decreed All which I alleage not to allowe of all those their Ecclesiasticall decrees for many of the thinges especially in the Kings following were full of superstition and error as by Gods permission the blindnesse of the time then was but I note them onely for the point in question of the Princes authoritie not onely in making Ciuill Lawes for Ecclesiasticall matters but in making Lawes of Ecclesiasticall matters and so in making Ecclesiasticall Lawes themselues And thus it continued heere in Englande till the Danes got the Kingdome Neither did Canutus the Dane take vpon him any whit lesse the dealing in Ecclesiasticall matters than the Saxon Kings had done but rather sheweth it more liuely than all the other as appeareth in the collection of his Lawes as well Ecclesiasticall as temporall The decree that Canutus King of the English men of the Danes and of the Norwayes to the loue of God to his own ornament and to the profit of his people enacted at Winchester on the feast of Mid wintertide or the natiuitie of Christe First that all men shall through out all ages honourablie and aboue all other thinges worship one God And holde religiously the onely Christian religion and loue the king Canutus with all fidelitie and obseruaunce Let vs maintain the temple of God with Godly continuall peace let vs all often frequent it both for the health of our soules and for the encrease and profite of other things for the onely peace of Christ comprehendeth all the Churches and therefore it is meete that all Christians holde the Church in greate worship and honour For the peace of God ought to bee desired and retayned aboue other thinges And next after that the kings peace ought to bee
aunswere our prayers ought to tend heereunto that they being gouerned by the spirite of God may begin to be the Ministers vnto vs of those good things of which before they did depriue vs. And therfore it behooueth vs not onely to pray for those that alredy are worthy but we must pray to god that of ill he would make thē good For we must alwaies hold this principle that magistrats are appointed of God aswell for the custody of religion as of tranquility publike honesty euen no otherwise than the earth is ordeyned to bring forth norishing fruits As therefore when we pray for our daily bread we beseech god that with his blessing he would make the earth fruitful so in those former benefits we must looke to the ordinary meane which by his prouidence he hath appointed c. Moreouer here are Princes on the otherside and whosoeuer are Magistrats admonished of their office For it is not enough if that they represse all iniuries by rendering to euery one his right nourish peace except that they promoat religion study to cōpose mens maners with an honest discipline For Dauid doth not in vaine exhort them to kisse the sōne nor Esay in vaine denoūceth that they shal be the norishing fathers of the Church Therfore they haue not to flatter thēselues if they shal neglect to giue thēselues to be helpers to plant the worship of god Thus doth Caluin vpon this place aduaunce and recommend vnto vs the great most necessary authority of Princes in Religion not alleage it to their restraint as doe our bretheren cleane contrary to all the Godly interpreters of this place A godly and honest life say they wee may liue vnder enimies of the Church and persecutors Very hardly say I and very fewe except the mightyer power and grace of God preserue them Howbeit our bretheren héere doe but as they did before Pag. 9. where they saide the Church of God was perfect in all her regiment before there was any Christian Prince yea the Church of God may stande and doth stand at this day in most blessed estate where the ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauourers And was it not enough and to much for them in the beginning of their learned discourse to haue put backe the treatise of the Princes authoritie tyll all their Clergie haue all their authorities first alotted out to euery one of them and to put back the Princes with such a contumelie but that now also whē they should come to the place that they promised to reserue for them instéede of commending their authority in Eccl. matters thus still to abase it especially this greatest benefite among all other far aboue them all that vnder God chiefely floweth vnto vs from godly religious Princes I graunt it springeth not from them as from the onely or principall founteynes for God himselfe his grace that floweth vnto vs from him is the chiefe fountaine that cannot be stopped where he vouchsafeth to infuse it and his worde is euen a fountaine of life in the preaching teaching reading meditating beléeuing obeying y◠same sourging flowing into all godlines and honestie in this life to life euerlasting Which though in the elect of God cannot by any Princes power be dryed vp or vtterle stopped but that the water course thereof will breake foorth with great force violence though not of bodily resistance but of spirituall power operation yet notwithstanding as it pleaseth God to vse the labor in the word of his Eccl. Ministers for the planting watring of his Church so hath he ordeined godly Princes where he of his great mercy raiseth them vp to be the chiefe Gouernors directors to ouersée the cundit pipes of these spirituall waters to be conueyed into all the offices of the Lords house into all the partes of their dominions to run orderly in their currents to remoue all the stops to clense all the corruptions as néed is to repaire amend all the pipes or els the effects of godlines honesty shal be greatly hindered be spilt or run another waye and dishonesty vngodlines ouerflowe This therfore if wee shall respect the generall course of these effects in the Church throughout the whole states of Realmes Dominions rather than some rare particular persons is not so well spokē as it should be of our Bre. that a godly honest life we may liue vnder enemies of the Church persecutors For the enemies persecutors except god miraculously do turne it otherwise to his glory his elects confirmation are the greatest hinderers ouerthrowers both of honesty of all Godlines In which woord godlines especially when the Apostle addeth in al godlines not onely godlines of life as the Papists confesse which is but all one with honestie but as we haue shewed out of Caluine the godlines of religion or true worship of God is most especially comprehēded as Beza also wery wel doth note theron This saith he is a most noble place not onely against the anabaptists all other fanatical or mad-spirited persons that think the Magistrate is to be taken away but also against that most cruell charity or brotherhood of loue of the Academikes which of late haue crept in yeeld not to Magistrates a right against the disturbers of true Religion when as mention is here expresly made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is of the iust lawful worship of which onely before other things it behoueth the godly Magistrates to be the mainteyners setters forth Yea so far foorth that so often as there should be any necessity eyther to forgoe religion or ciuil peace what Princes soeuer would not prefer that before this they should wittingly aduisedly bind thēselues with a most grieuous offence c. Thus againe doth Beza on this sentence commend the authority of the Christian Prince a great deale further here than do our bre and yet I denie not this is somwhat that they will yet graunt thus much that we may liue a peaceable quiet life in all godlines and honesty onely vnder a christian Prince For so can we not do vnder enemies persecutors for they wil suffer none to liue a quiet and godly life that are the professors of true religion but to the vttermost of their power destroy them or disturbe their peace and quietnes And how then will our bre iustifie their former saying Pag. 9 the Church of God may stand and doth stand at this day in most blessed estate where the ciuill Magistrates are not the greatest fauorers Is that a blessed and most blessed estate when they that professe godlines honesty cannot liue a peaceable nor quiet life doth not the Church of God stand in a great deale far more blessed estate where they may leade a peaceable and quiet life in all godlines and honesty and
Ecclesiast matters Difference betweene the Prince and his gov and the 4. Tetrarcks Directing gouâ—rning What our brethren meane by directing The Prince called supr gover in a bare title If the prince be indeed the supreme Gouernour then must our brethreÌ„ submitte them-selues to the gouernement established The worde Supreame The Princessupreme gov sclan The iniurie offered to the Prince in the last place Our breth captious sclaunder of the Princes supreame gouermeÌ„t A sclaunderoussurmise of the Christian Prince Things not to be measured by seeming Some regiment of the Church dependeth on the Princes supream gouernement A sclanderous myste The eyes of the ignorant dazeled with this myste The casting foorth of such false suspitions is not wel done The terme of ciuil Magistrate How farre our breth denie or graunt this sclaunder Her Ma. claimeth no such absolute power The learned discourse Page 8. Bridges The Princes auth in indifferent matters Indifferent matters referred to the Princes disposition Princes couÌ„sellers to giue aduise The Princes authoritie in disposing indifferent matters Our bretherens motion of this point Our breth answere The reasons of their answere The breaking off the further answere till hereafter The weighing of our brethrens answere How far our bretheren grauÌ„t to the Princes disposing indifferent matters Our brethren grauÌ„t it and yet finde faulte with them that grauÌ„t it Who are these not indifferent iudges Mistaking indifferent for not indifferent The Princes right heereby not preiudiced The Prince slandered Her maiest right and dooings vnworthilie defaced The ciuill magistrate The subiects accusatioÌ„ of the Prince The heighnousnesse of this slander â—ot to be an indifferent iudge The cheefest pointâ— of a Iudges office The dangâ—r of this accusation The Prince sclandered The Prince directlie accused so wel as others in authoritie The greeuousnesse of our brethoffence in this slander The Prince Slandered Inconsiderate zeale Lessening the cause dooth aggrauate the faulte This accusation reacheth further then we accuse the Pope It helpeth not that heâ— Maiestie is not by name accused The Prince with others sclandered Our bretherens accusation of others with the Prince Where in these others are accused The Princes clearing not to dispose these matters all alone Whether the faulte be in these others Rebels practise These otherâ— giue the Prince no absolute power c. These others feare God These others intrude not themselues into the office of iudging These others take not the disposing to themselues but giue it to the Prince Both these others and the Prince cleered How indifferentlie these others are thus accused for these indifferent matters The further parts of this accusation Whether things lawfullie determined are not so of the subiects to be holden inuiolablâ—e How farre they are further to be inquired vpon The calling things determined into further questioâ— â—he conclusion of all this accusation How this toucheth all politike matters How daâ—gerouslie this accusation reacheth from indifferent matters in eccle causes to all politike matters The learned discourse Page 9. and 10. Bridges To beginne with the Princes author needfull VVhether it be needefull to beginne with the Princes authoritie Needefull necessarie conuenienâ— Good order of teaching The beginning with the Princes treatise agreeable to good order of teaching The order of our brethren in placing their Tetrarkes The argument to put backe the Princes treatise Our bretherens strife for the first place The argument to put backe the treatise of the Princes authoritie The argument A Learned discourse The hurt of too much affection The argument a priore Our bretherens arg frâ— senioritie Our bretherens conclusion not in question The argument à Priore A thing is saide to be before another in diuers senses Former in time inferreth not former in order much lesse in honour Former in time Examples of the later in time former in order Former in honour not alwaies former in order Former in dignitie The Papists argument à pâ—iore for traditions The propositioÌ„ vntrue The Churches regiment bettered by Christian princes The Churches regiment c. The healps that Our Bretheren graunt the Churche receyveth by the ChristiaÌ„ Prince Our bretheren straye from the question by them sâ—lues propounded The diffeâ—ence of the Churches â—â—rfeâ—â—ion in regiment The Anabaptistes arguments confuted The state of the time differing the argument faileth for the regimeÌ„t Difference of peculiar regiment for a special time ordinary regiment to coÌ„tinue It is not meete our BrethreÌ„ shoulde vse the same Argum that the Ana-Baptists doâ— against Princes Gellius Snecanus de Magistratu The Ciuill Magistrate hath euer from the beginning bin ioyned with the Eccl. ministery The Testimonies Rom 12. 1. Cor. 12. for Rulers serue aswel to the Magist. as to the Eccl. gouernours The ciuill Eccles. power alwaies ioyned in the Church Gellius confutation of our bretherens argumentes Our neighbours state commended before so much by our bretheren see how it is trobled with the Anabaptists Christian Princes froÌ„ the beginning The state of the old Testament and new all one Of the extraordinary power of punishing where they wanted the ordinary The Anabaptists obiection Christian Princes in the Apost times The vntruth of our brethrens asseâ—tion that there were no Magist. in Christs his Apostles times One the same ordinaunce in both Testa for Magist. The fallatioÌ„ and the aunswer the reto Distinction between the ordinance of God the vice of men The necessitie of a Magistâ—ate among Châ—â—stians A Church without magistracy neuer seene The godlye haue neede of the Mag Rather no common-wealth without a christian Magistrate then a Magist excluded c. The Magist. office necessary to the Church Certaine of the Proph. Apostles exercised also the office of the Magistrate Why God distinguished these Offices Pag. 599. The exaÌ„ple of Christian Magistrats in Christs the Apost times Our Bretherens exception of Emperours Christiaâ— Princes froÌ„ the beginning The Magist. lost no authoritie by professing Christianity Actes 25. The Ch. Regim more happy where Christ. Princes are The Churches state Our bretherens harde speeches of Christian Princes Paules wish of Christian Princes The Churches perfection and most blessed state 2. Pat. 2. The Church in better state vnder Christian Princes theÌ„ c. To great vnthankfulnes towards her Maiestie Her Maiest fauour of the Gospell How her Maiestie vnder pretence of commendation is discommeÌ„ded The primitiue state Good Princes a great blessing c. ill Princeâ— a great curse of God Isai. 49.23 How God can turne his curse to a blessing How the Primitiue state was blessed and yet pitifull No such Eccl. Gouernours in the Apostles times as our Brethren pretâ—nd What the Gouernourâ— were mentioned 1. Cor. 12. 1. Cor. 6. The Corinthians had no ordinarie consistorie of eccle Gouernors among theÌ„ We hauing Christian Princes are not bound to such Iudges as the Corinth did choose The danger of imitating the Primitiue Churches regiment heere in Caution in mutation CautioÌ„ in imitating examples or prescribing
times our diuine seruice Our Blast prayer â—old abolish the L prayer all The learned disc pag. 69. 70. 1. Cor. 14.15 16. Bridges Our Brethr. reason of custome from the beginning The Pastors of pâ—â—ying in the 〈◊〉 of the who 〈◊〉 The â—ougâ— dâ—ty of praying with 〈◊〉 The 〈…〉 70. Bridges The Pastors duty of preching His duty of ministring Sâ—â—r and praying The prayers may proceed thogh there be no Sacra ministred at that time The blessing of Mariages referred to prayer An auncient custome of the Church The learned disc Pag. 70. 71. 1. Cor. 11.17 1. Cor. 14 23.2â—.25.16.31 Bridges The churchâ—s authoritie to disposematters of order comlines edificatioâ— The Churches authority Our Brethr. doingâ— with out author The allowance of a prescribed forme of ordinary publike prayer Our brethr duty of obedience to the Church of Eng. disposing a prescribed forme Disobedience Their offence against God The church of Eng hath not ouerrâ—ached her lawfull authority in thosethingâ— ContentioÌ„s Our brethr il demeanor towardes their mother the Churche of England The aduersaries honored their mother too much our Brethren too little ContentioÌ„s disturbers of the churches orders Caluin in 1. Cor. 11.16 The dangeâ— of contention against orders the repressing of contentious men Vrging ceremonies ContentioÌ„s hinder edifying in publike Eccl. assemblies If our publ assemblies be not so effectuall the fault is personall in the parties asseÌ„bled not in the churches orders Caluine in 1. Cor. â— 1. The learned disc pag. 71. 72. Bridges Precisenesse about ceremonies We vrge no ceremonies nothing profiting to edification Edification What and how ceâ—emonies be vrged â—he state Church not to be disturbed for theÌ„ How greatly our Brethrens contentioÌ„s hinder the churches edifying Comlines and order The excellencie of the sentence 1. Cor. 14.40 Comlinesse ioyned with order Order must be ordeined and not broken Our Brethr. fogetfulnes of their duty to their betters aedification not separate from comlinesse and order but included in them Comlines order are their selues an edifying Caluin in 1. Cor. 14.40 The policie of the church directed to comlinesse and order S. Paules purpose was not to driue the good gifts of god out of the Church though they were abused Caluin in 1. Cor. 14.27 The gifts of tongues abused Our Brethr. attemptes to driue out the offices and orders established and to bring in such as are long since wornâ— out or rather meere supposed The learned disc Pag. 72. Bridges VVomens prophesying Our Brethr. doe often quarell at womensprophecying teaching preaching and â—aptizing whereas their selues as much or more than we do infeâ—re it Womens publ speaking in the Church not vtterly forbidden Caluin in 1. Cor. 11.5 Caluines insufficientanswere for women pâ—ophecâ—ing Womens praying and prophecying with their heades couered No lâ—kelihood of S. Paules vtter improuing womens prophecying that had the gift therof Though one place in the scripture be referred to an other yet in no place is the spirit of god contrary to itselfe How these things were forbidden and howe permitted Caluines better aunswere Caluines meaning The interpretation of the geneua Testaments note and Bezaes exposition of womens praying and prophecying 1. Cor. 11.4 Beza in 1. Cor. 11.4 The womeÌ„s prophecying to be nothing but to heare thâ— mens prophecying Aug. contr Maximum Lib. 13. â—a 14. How euerie man and woman present may make publ praier One did not all these things in all their names The sacram not ministâ—ed by all though common to all The difference betwene praying and prophecing But in prophecying â—he Minister representeth one and the people another therfore the hearers cannot be sayd to be the prophecâ—erâ— Caluine Our late disorders in the exercise of prophecying The hearers be the iudges not the propheciers Whome S. Pauls words ment all might prophecy The gift of tongues abused Bezaes reasons of this interpretation Bezaes own reason ouerthrowes his interpretation VVomens prophesying Beza reasoneth a petitione principii Wherin the opposition of S. Paules sentence lieth Bâ—zaes reason returned on him self The inconueniency of this interpretation Beza nowe and then alters his own interpretation The worde Churches nor wel chaÌ„ged not the word assemblies The drife of Beza vtterly to restrayne all Women from speaking in any assemblies Bezaes interpretatioÌ„ reiected The womaÌ„s clayme Deut. 27. Esayes wife Susanna Womens speech The womaÌ„ that praised Christ. Luke 11.17 The womaÌ„ with the bloudie fâ—x The woman of Canaan The woman of Samaria Caluine Womans publike speech Musculus Marlorat out of Bucer Philips four daughters VVomens speech How Caluine cutteth off these examples From womens publike preaching how our breth proceed against womeÌ„s publike gouernment Philips daughters VVhether the 4. virgines prophecying Act. 2â— 9. did it opeÌ„â—io or no. Câ—luine on Act. 2â— 0 Euseb. on the 3. Eccle. hist. cap. 9. Womens publike speaking Womens publike teaching and edifying the Church God free aboue his ordinarie lawe Teaching gouerning How our brethreÌ„ slip from weomens publ speaking to weomens publike gouernmeÌ„t How power teaching concurre differ The power of the Teacher Teachers subiects Of what womens subiection S. Paul speaketh Caluines inconsiderate speech against womens gouernment Caluines il speech of womens gouernmeÌ„t Heere is other gouernment besidâ— teaching whereof women may haue a right How affection carrieth wise godlie men awaie Caluines better speeches Caluines better acknowleging of weomeÌ„s gouernmeÌ„t in the Qu. most excellent Maiesty Caluine craueth the Q. Maiesties patronage for his commeÌ„tary on Esai Caluine confesseth both the Queens Maie right of inheritance to the Crowne Gods calling her to the cheefest care of the Church God the Q. champion and the Qu. the restorer of Gods worship Caluines praise of the Q. maiestie Esaies testimonie for the confirmation of the gouernment of Queenes Danaeus coÌ„cerning womens gouernment 1. Tim. 2.12 Daneus of womeÌ„s gouernment How farre Danaeus granteth womeÌ„ to teach Hemingius in 1. Tim. 2. Danaeus arguments against womens gouernment Danaeus ill argument Danaeus faultie argumeÌ„t both informe and matter The maior proposition Vsurping authoâ—itie ouer men Danaeus euil argument The minor proposition The forme of the argument misformed Danaeus ill argument The very words of the argument senselesse How many wayes a woman may haue lawful gouernmeÌ„t Danaeus euil argument The conclusion of Danaeus argu against womens speaking Necessity admitteth also womeÌ„s publike teaching extraordinarily VVomen regiment Danaeus in 1. Tim. 2.12 Bridges No place in scripture directly against it Wom. regimeÌ„t honest Womenâ— gouern not vnhonest Our brethâ— offence in calling the â—onestie of womens regiment into questioÌ„ The dangerous inconueniences of these Questionistes Our dutiful obedience and thankfulnesse to God her Maiesty Questions of Womens regiment What supreme gouernment princes haue ineccl maters The princes roial speech quickning the Lawes that are made The Salike Law against womens regiments Caluines Danaeus inclination to the deuise the lawe Salike Diuerse womeÌ„ haue had the regiment of Fraunce Cenalis
ringing at burials Caluine prescribeth an exhortation or sermon at funeralâ— Protestantâ— bookes of funerall sermons Zanchius of the buriall of the dead Singing Psalmes at burials A sermon after the buriall The learned disc pag. 75. 76. Hote contentions Bridges Hoâ— vnexcusable they are that contend for small trifles How farrâ— thinges indifferent being authorized are to be contended for Not the defendants but oppugners the raisers of these hote contentions Humane constitutions The vnexcusablenes of our Brethr. in withdrawing altogether of themselues from the ministerie of the word for these constitutions Whether our humane constitutioÌ„s be such as our Brethr. can not receaue with reteyning their functions ControlmeÌ„t of the churches conclusions The learned disc Pag. 76. Bridges what things a true Pastor must obserue and not control Our Brethr. their selues and their iudgement priuate Contâ—mpt of the churches conclusions lawfull authoritie The power of order iurisdiction The learned disc Pag. 76. 1. Cor. 12.28 1. Pet. 5.3 Luke 23.26 2. Cor. 1.14 Bridges The Pastors authoritie in common gouernemeÌ„t with the Elders How our Brethren beginning to include the Elders in the power of binding and loosing do exclude theÌ„â—rom it The Pastors auth in common What that power of gouernment was whereof S. Paule speaketh Cor. 12.28 Aretius in 1. Cor. 12. Elders gouerning till publike Magistrates came Politicall Gouernors Caluine in 1. Cor. 12. Gualter in 1. Cor. 12. No neede of such gouernors in these daies The gifs of powers The abuse of the popish What was the gifts of powers and who had it Elias Elizeas Peter Paule Iurisdiction Why there was need of these offices then not nowe The friuolous imitation of the primitiue Church in the erecting vp of their senate Our brethr confusion by their elder enter-comming in the Pâ—stors iurisdiction Dominion and Lordship Our brethr disagreemeÌ„t about the pastors iurisdiction The learned Dis. Pag. 77. vsurped authority Bridges The learned disc pag. 78. Bridges No such authority nor steps therof except in these new deuises The learned Dis. Pag. 78. Iohn 3.27 Heb. 5.4 Phil. 2.6 Bridges Mastershop The learned disc pag. 79. 80. Luke 22.26 Math. 20.25 Mar. 10.42 Math. 23.8 Bridges Luke 22 â—â— Math. 32.8 All mastership not forbidden in the ministery nor the title therof Vsurped authority The learned disc Pag. 80. Bridges Our breth good caueat against theÌ„selues The learned disc pag. 80. 81. Tyrannizing Bridges Gods word the rule of our faith life Gods word hath not set down an only forme of the Churches gouernment The Princes gouernmeÌ„t of the Churche of God How the authority is not separate from other Separate authority S. Pauls example of the mysticall body compared to the naturall The respects of the community and seperation 1. Cor. 11.34 Our bre reason from Christ debaâ—reth Apostles and all from anie separate authouritie Timothies authoritie giuen him separate to himselfe both in teaching and gouerning Timothies separatâ— authority Hemingius in 1. Tim. 5. Aretius in 1. Tim. 5. The rule giuen to Timothie is generall to all present gouernours and Bishops Beâ—â—ain 1. Tim. 5. A Iudges office By Priest or Elder he meaneth Doctor or Teacher This authoritie was separate vnto Timothie Aretius How the Bishoppe shoulde doe these things The office of a Iudge A Iudges office is an office separate from all the bench Beza restrayning the Bishops authoritie The electioÌ„ of Matthias Act. 14 Erasmus Caluine Beza The wordes of the text mâ—ncâ—oÌ„ not election Election The worde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 referred onelie to Paule and Barnabas Paul Barnabas moderaâ—ors of the election The peoples election no necessary or anie materiall part of making pastors Imposition of hands The imposition of hands of the presbiterie Imposition of hands pertained to pastors Separate authoritie The separat authoritie of one in imposition of hands Caluinus in 1. Tim. 5. Sole absolute authoritie The Bishops authority in set out by the authoriritie of Timothie Hemingius Aretius Politicall regiment The learned disc Pag. 81. Math. 18.19 Bridges The wreasting of Christs sentence Mat. 18. The difference of the Churches consent and of the Bishops and Pastors The senteÌ„ce of Christ Mat. 18.19 more confirmeth our consents thaÌ„ our breth Ioint authoritie The learned Dis. Pag. 81. 82. Bridges The confusion of our bre equality Christes promise The learned disc pag. 82 Math. 18.19.20 Bridges This senteÌ„ce is principally spoken of consent in prayer not is any debâ—â— to the prayer of one alone Our brethr loose conclusion How Christ promised his authority All particuler churches not alike indignity The Churches autority Difference betwene â—he Churches authority and thâ— pastors authority in the Churches The learned Dis. Pag. 82. Bridges Al the parts in one church haue not one and like auth The learned Dis. Pag. 82. 83. Bridges The Pastors authority not one but indifferent Sufficient authority Bridges Our Breth diuision positions besides the scripture Diffused authoritie The learned Dis. Pag. 83. Bridges Our Brethr. beginning to examine their former positions Diffused authoritie The learned disc Pag. 83. Bridges The learned disc pag. 83. Bridges Confusion in the multâ—tudes iudgment How oâ—r Brethren mocke the multitude What offices are appointed in Gods word for gouernment The multitudes confusion Oâ—r Brethr. too bolde presupposals The learned disc Pag. 84. Bridges Seueral offices and yet not seuerall officers Rom. 12. Diuers gifts and offices in one officer The Gouernours This place also 1. Cor. 12. sheweth not whether one might not haue â—o thaÌ„ one of these giftes The Apostle includeth the gouernors in the other officers The learned disc Pag. 84. Bridges Our Brethr. bolde conclusion for their Segnorie vpon the Apostles only naming of Gouernors The ouerthrow of all Princes gouernement Both Bish. and Pastors gouernmeÌ„t excluded Moderating the gouernors How violent the beginning is of this Segnorie The learned disc pag. 84 Bridges The learned disc Pag. 84. Bridges Our Brethr. manner of moderating thâ—ir Segn auth Electing the gouernors How the whole congregation shall choose the Elders The wisdom and godlinesse of the greater part The horrible confusion of the whole congregationâ— dealing here in Gouernors The learned disc pag. 85. 86. Act. 4 23. 1. Tim. 5.17 Act. 14.23 Bridges Our Brethr. to prooue what ought to be tell vs what may be Our Brethr. argument for their gouernors The Elders Act. 14. Our Brethr. own prowes that that place Act. 14. is vnderstoode of gouernors that are Pastors What gouernors those Elders were that medled nothing with the word Acts. 14. WhoÌ„ Calu. vnderstands for Elders Act. 14. The Ciuil officers had not imposition of the Ministers hands The Elders 1. Tim. 5.17 1. Tim. 5.17 Where the name of eldersis common to pastors and gouernors both at once The name of Elders taken generally for gouernors The learned disc pag. 85 Elders Magistrates Bridges We are not bound to learne our Brethr. collections The first thing that our Brethr. say we learn hereon
suche Controllers not â—eachers Lucretius What Elders Hierom. alloweth of Danaeâ—s in 1. Tim. 5.19 The superior gouernmeÌ„t of one in euery company The orders and gouernments of that Ierome coÌ„meâ—deth Hier. in epis ad Euagr. Danaeus allegation of the Canon Law for this Senate of Elders Canon Eccl. 16 quest 1. The Canan Lawe Canon Absque Synodali causa 15. quest 7. * Le ui aura These elderâ— were ministers of the sacrameâ—ts The B. his Clearks Who these Elders and Clarks were that these CanoÌ„s haue relation vnto The difference of the Cleark of the Monke The Monks payde tithes offerings to the elders The Elders might excoÌ„municate the Monkeâ— The cause of our Bret. these reuerend meÌ„s mistaking theâ—e allegations of these Elderâ— Mistaking the fathers Danaeus in 2. parte Christ. Isag. Cap. 7. Caluines allegation of the same in Instit. cap 8. sect 42 The Scripture of the Elders WhoÌ„ Cal. thinâ—eth â—o be the gouernors Bom 12 1. Cor. 12. Rom. 12. For gouernors Caluines interpretation not necessary Euery Church had not a Sanate Gouernors This consistory of these elders not necessary Rom. 12. Of the perpetuity and necessity of Deacons Danaeus in Christ. Isag. 2. para ca. 10. The Elders mentioned Act. 20. 1. Pet 5. were Pastorall Elders by our Brethrens owne confession Danaeus coÌ„tradiction to our Br. for the Elders in these places Caluinuâ— in Instit. ca. 8. sect 4. The Elders Act. 20. P. 5 Caluine coÌ„trary to Danaeus for the Elders Act. 20. Calv. in Inst. ca. 8. sect 42. Calvine coÌ„fesseth that the place Act. 20. is only of ministers of the word Caluinus in Act. 20. ver 17. The Elders Gouernors Ver. 18. These Elders that were gouernors and and correctors of maÌ„ners were also teachers Those whoÌ„ Danaeus calleth gouerning not teaching Elders Caluin calleth Pastors Bishops feeders with the word Elders 1. Pet. 5. Our Breth sestimonie against Danaeus for the Elders 1. Pet. 5. Caluinus in Instit. ca. 13. sect 7. For the Elders 1. Pe. 5. EueÌ„ the generall name of ecl Elders for gouernors exemplified by teachers The office of their Eldership consisting in feeding The wordes of Peter spoken to feeders haled to such as are not feeders The seueral parishes of the Elders As Daneus reporteth Sozomenus there was but one Elder in euery parish Eccl. hist. Hermiae Sozomeni li. 1. cap. 2. Sozomenus for these Elders * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Danaeus miscollection of Sozomenus wordes Sozomenus mistaken The lack of through serching the cause of our Br. mistaking Act. 17.11 The Elders that Sozomenus meÌ„tioneth wer teaching elders Danaeus testimony for for these elders Act. 21.18 Act. 21.18 The probabilities that the Elders mentioned Act. 21.18 were teachers These Elders were exhorters of Paul They were such as froÌ„ whoÌ„ knowledge shuld begin They were such as wer not of the people but distinct froÌ„ them Act. 21. 15. These elders Act. 21. are here plainly called Doctors Danaeus testimonie for those Elders Phil. 4. v. 8. Phil. 4.8 Caluinus in institus cap. 8. sec. 42. Phil. 4.8 2. Tim. 3. Danaeus other allegations for Elders all which also are cleane against him Act. 20. Aug. in hom 50. hom 5. 7. Esa. 58. Difference of the false teacher and true teacher Danaeus testimonie 1. Pet. 3. maketh nothing for Eccl. Elders that are not teachers Danaeus testimonies 1. Cor. 14.34 35. are likewise nothing for Eccl. Elders not teachers Iames. 5.14 for these Elders Danaeuâ— testimony for theâ—e Elders out of Ia. 5. and 14. Caluines opinion for these Elders Dâ—naeus coÌ„trarie to Caluine Iames. 5. Aretius iudgement of what Elders Iames speaketh The Elders that Iames speaketh to be of no one certaine office either Ecclesiasticall or laie persons Caluines owne testimonie that these Elders were Ministers of a teÌ„porarie Sacrament so teachers Our Bre. discoursers confute Danaeus Act. 14.23 Our brethr returne for proofe of these Eldeâ—s to the â—ormer allegâ—tion Act. 14.23 The learned Dis. Pag. 85. 86. Act. 14.23 Bridges Moderating these Elders The text meÌ„cioneth not that the Apostles set the Churches in perfect order established discipline The learned Dis. Pag. 86. The popular state Bridges The reducing of al to the popular state S. Paules excommunication 1 Cor. 5. The learned disc pag. 86 1. Cor. 5.4 Bridges S. Paule by his separate authoritie gaue seÌ„teÌ„ce of excoÌ„munication before the Corinthians knew of his doing No such CoÌ„sistorie among the Corinthians The manifestnesse of thâ— fact ExcoÌ„munication 1. Cor. 5. The order of discipline that our Br. prescribe therto wrest S. Pauls excoÌ„munication The learned disc Pag. 87. Math. 18.17 Bridges Mat. 18. for these Elders Our Breth supposall of Christeâ— wordes The admonition may be done without a Consistorie likewise â—xcoâ—m Mat. 28. Our Brethr. varying in this place Math. 18. The Consistorie that our Br. call the Church consisting but of one of these Eldâ—rs The learned disc pag. 87 88. Math. 11.6 Bridges Allusion to the Sanedrin Allusions to the Sanedrim Our Breth proues of these Elders â—ut of this place Math. 18. The head of all this question Christes wordes directly Chrysostom Hierome Hilarie Theophilact Vatablus Aretius Mansterus Caluines prooues on Mat. 18. Caluines applying Christes words to the rewes Sanedrim Caluines prooues on Mat. 28. Caluins reasons for this Segniorie of Elders to be renewed to the Christians froÌ„ the oloÌ„e Sanedrim by this place Ma. 18 Caluine the principall interpreter of Christs words for a consistory of Elders The examination of these proues of Caluine The incâ—stuous person not excom by a Consistorie of the Church Caluines reasons for these Elders on Mat. 18. There was a church wheÌ„ Christ spake these words Mat. 18. and a Church that had orders when Paule wrote to the Cor. Bucer vsing Caluins reason applies it to no such CoÌ„sistorie No excom without Pastors B. That the Chur. may be without excomm The Ministers office and power in the church Bucer referâ— vs to Aug. for excommunication The admission of this allusion inferreth no perpetuall rule of a like Consistory Calu. owne example ouerthrowes this perpetuity What Seniors among the Iewes had the power of excommunication The gouernors of the Church are not so aptly sayde to represent the Church Danaeus 2. part Chri. Isag. li. 2. c. 10. What Presbytery that was Act. 22. Caluin for the Sanedrin The SynedrioÌ„ or Sanhedrin was not in Esdras time How our Bret. run to the corruptions of Iewish traditioÌ„s to seeke out the grounds of this coÌ„sistory of gouerning Elders Christes wordes import no translation of the Iewes Sanedrin to the Christians Supra Pag. 23â— What discipline succeeded in the place of the olde discipline Calu. argument from comparison of the Gentiles The shame and daunger of this newe Sanâ—drin Noua glossa Stephani in Math. 18 Bertramus de politia Iudaica The 70. Elders not first ordeined NuÌ„ 11. BertraÌ„ of the Iewes Elders Of
what nuÌ„ber they were why those Elders had that number The preceps the prâ—ctise of this Seniory The Leuites with their offices The matters wherin the Elders gouernors dealt * Leuirationis The vniuersall assembly of the Tribes and families Iosues orders for all these Elders * Expeditionem The proces of the story Iud. 19.20 The necessity of a king or one cheefe Gouernour The beginning of these elders corruption The Elders flattery of the people The Concion of the elders Our Brethr. defacing the state of a king Carolus Sigonius de rep Haebrae orum lib. 6. Cap. 2. The Iewes Councels Three â—â—ateâ— of the Iewes then 3. kinds of Conciouâ— Sigonius of the Iewes Senates Three kinds of the Iewes Senates Our Br. will be Seniors of the highest sort The Elders in the time of the kings The Elders since the captiui tie Sigonius The Kinges authority besides the Senate Cap. 5. The Synedrion at Ierusalem Cap. 6. What elders the Iudges of the cities were What princes the Elders were inferior to the SynedrioÌ„ Elders The Elders in the time of Iosaphat These Elderships restored after the captiuitie FroÌ„ whence the Synedrian Elders wer chosen Petrus Galatinus of the processe in the courtes of iudgment Petrus Galaâ—tnus collection of the Thalmudists concerning the Sanedrin * occidere The authoritie of the Synedrian Elders The Elders chosen with imposition of hands The power of the Sanedrin diminished in Christes time They lost their place dignitie after their fals iudging of Christ. The Romanes destruction of these Elders Gods ordinaunce Deut. 17. of these Elders power in iudgement Iosephus Iosephus li. 2. ad Appionem Philo. li. 3. de vita Mosis What manner of persons the Elders were in the Sanedrin The power of the preests in the Sanedrin The order and processe in the Sanedrin The appealants accusation The foâ—me of the accusation in Ieremy and of his acquitall The formâ— of the Synedrion in coÌ„demning Christ. Bertramsâ— confirmation of these thinges â—ert de politia Iudaica ca. 10. pag. 56 The Leuites were the gouernors in the Iewes Senats The matters that the Leuiâ—es iudged Bertram 1. Chro. 26.29 How Dauid distributed the gouernments and bounds of the Leuites Seniories Solomon maintained herein Dauids orders Iosaphats restoring â—he Iewes Seniories 2. Chro. 19. * Ad Liâ—â—m The Synedrion The diuerâ— respect of Eccl. ciuil in one and the same cause The great principality of these Elders Ierem. 2. Ieremie acquitted by those Elders Bertrams 2. example of those Elders power Ierem. 36. Bertrams 3. example Ier. 37. 38. The Elders superiour to the king The state of the tenne tribes The state of the Iewes regiment after the captiuity The speciall time of the Elders gouernment The auth of Nehemias Iosephus antiq Iud. li. 7 cap. The high Bishops authoritie 1. Mach. 12.6 The mixt estate of the Iewes common weale Gabinius erecting of mo Synedrins The SynedrioÌ„ Elders slain by Herod Our Br. assertioÌ„ of the Iewes Synedrion alters al the states in Christendome and bindes vs to the IuÌ„diciall Lawe Our Br. pretence vnder the name of eccl regiment driue at the ciuill regiment Chytreus of the Synedrion When all is done our Br. Elders that are goueâ—nors and notteachers are here also excluded except they will bee Princes Beza in confess Christ. cap. 5. Art 32. Danaetus in Iâ—ag Christ. 3. part cap. 10 Danaeus Confession for the difference of the Iewes SynedrioÌ„ our Presbyteries for gouernmeÌ„t of ciuil causes Chytraeus in Deut. 17. titulo de Iudicijs Three kindes of iudgements among the Iewes The iâ—dgemeÌ„t Triumuiral of thâ— 3. Elders The little Synedrion of 23. The great Synedrion of 70. Chytreus resemblance of the chief Senate in Germanie to the Sanedâ—in The elders of the new Testament How moderatelie Chytreus alludeth on Christes words Mat. 5. to our Senates Our Breth peremptory wresting of Christes words The learned disc pag. 88. Bridges The vse of the name Elder Christe alluded not to the Iews Sanedrin or Presbytery mencioned in the newe Testament By the name Church is not meant Senate Caluinus in 1. Tim. 4.14 Bezaes testimonie that by those elders were meant onely the Ministers of the word Our Br. coÌ„clusion of these Elders Bezaes nip of Castalion for the terme Senate The Presbyteries of the Iewes Luc. 22. Act. 20. Our Brethr. chiefe euidence for their Eldership howe weake it is The power of the keies The learned Dis. Bridges The sentences of christ Mat. 18. ver 19. and 20. not to be restrained to a Consistorie Brentius on Math. 18. Brentiuâ— in Math. 18. How these words Die ecclesiae haue ben abused A small assemblie wâ—ting a ciuile Magistrate The occasioÌ„ of Christes sentence That this rule of Chr. serueth onlie among priuate meÌ„ This senteÌ„ce cannot be vnderstood of hainous sinnes Brentius The Incestuous Corinthian The last remedy is to tell the ordinary magistrate and not to constitute an Eccl. Senate Excommunication A priuate Ecclesiasticall excommunication To whome the proper Eccl. exc doth pertaine Two kindes of Exc. ciuiâ— and Eccl. Cal in Mat. 18. The ministery of the powre of the worde pertaineth to the Minister in the expounding the worde Cal. in Mat. 18. The Minist are publishers of Gods word and setters foorth of his iudgementes How the froward are punished the repentaÌ„t receiued by them that haue the word of God Aretius 2. parte problem Tit. de Excom Ciuil and Eccl. Exc. Syntagma Tit. de clauibus The definition of the Eccl. binding The definition of the Eccl. absoluing The censure of Exc. renued by Christ. Mat. 16. Iohn 20. Tertul. In Apolog. cont Gent. cap. 39. Ext. in the Eccl. history Wherein Victors exc was reprooued What Exc. by Victor was allowed Eusebius li. 6. cap. 25. The Exc. of Philip the Emperour Theodosius of Excom Theodoreâ—us li. 5. cap. 17. Cyprianus vt supâ—a Iunii ecclesiasticus cap. 3. Hierom. in Math. 16. August of excom Aug. ad Auxilium epistola 75. Math. 16. Exech 18. S. Aug. erâ—or in the Infants dying without baptisme Iames. 1. What S. Aug. dissaloweth in this B Exc. Chrysost. Homil. 2. de Dauide Saule How Chrysost woulde Excom the contemners of the word Chrysost. of Excom Chrysost. in Homil. 70. homil 4. in Hebr. 2. The Praesidents and Elders of whome Chrysost. speaketh Chrysost. â—hreat againe to Excom Matst 18. The B. seperate authoritie in excom The excommunicator such a person as may teach Melancthon Kemnitius in exam Trident. Conâ— To. cap. 6. Melanct. in locis com de regno Christi Melanct. in aâ—not locorum com The Churches power of order Iurisdiction The poweâ— of order The poweâ— of Iurisd Aretius Aretius in locis com parte 2. de excomm The definition of excommunicâ—tion The Minister is the excommunicator and the Church consenteth Cyprianus The Eccl. Senate of Gouernors not teachers reiected The example of Saint Paul 1. Coâ— 5. Cyprian epist. li. 3. epist. 16. 2. Co. 11.29 1. Co. 12 2â— Aretius
How farthe people had to deale for their conseÌ„t of restoring to the Câ—urche in Cypriaâ—s time Beza Beza in confess Christ. cap. 5. artic 43. Gellius Snecanus de disc eccl 1. methodi part fol. 437 Snecanus The examples in Snecanus The Presbytery are the Ministers of the Worde The Presbyterie delâ— in spirituall maters â—heir punishment was by the Ministerie of the word The vâ—e of the Apost Chuâ—ch for excom only in Teachers The eccl discipline by the word of God instrument of the voice Howe the charge of both the Tables but not the administratioÌ„ of all matters conteined in theÌ„ belong to the ciuile Magistrate Daneus in Christ. Isag. 3. part de potestate eccl cap. 48. The power of the keies pertâ—ines to the Pastors Luc. 10.16 Danaeus Luc. 10.16 Ioh. 20.23 Caluin in Ioh. 20. Remission of sins not separate from the office of Teaching Ier. 1.18 Tremelij aâ—not in Ier. 1. The Geneua note Bulling in Ier. 1. This seâ—tence is spoken of a Preacher Danaeus in Christ. Isag. 3 paâ—â— cap. 50. Excom exercised by the B and Prelates The poweâ— of the keyes not giueÌ„ to Peter onlie but to al the Apostles The power giuen Mat. 18. is giuen onelie to Teachers The power mencioned Mâ—th 18. is the same mencioned Mat. 16. The power of binding and loosing pertaineth to Pastors The power of the keyes is seuerall to the Apostles and to Pastors Aug. sermone de tempore 164. Aug. attributeth not exc to anie Elders not teaching Danaeus for the Elders excoÌ„ Cap. â—â— Dâ—naeus assertions for the eccl Senate Danaeus for the Senate Danaeus iarring and reconciling The Presbyterie Danaeus assertion that the Senate may consist of Deacons Cap. 54. Danaeus assertion for the College of the Presbyterie Danaeus Danaeus reasons and prooues of his assertions Danaeus first reason for the Presbyrie Danaeus testimonies al for such Elders as are Ministers of the word Hebr. 13.7 The Guides wer Pastors Phil. 1. The B were Teachers 1. Tim. 1. The Elders were Teachers Danaeus reasons for the Senate Tit. 1. The Elders were Teachers By Danaeus reconcilement to our Br. the CoÌ„sistory must be all of Pastors Danaeus c. 54. Act. 20. The Elders were Teachers * Pag. 21.22.33.51.52 57. Act. 15. 21. The Elders were Teachers Act. 11. The Elders were Teachers Danaeus 2. reason 3. parte ca. 54. Danaeus reason for the Presbyterie Ezech. 3.17 speaketh of a Teacher 1. Pet. 5.2 The Elders were Teachers Hebr. 13.7 speaketh of Teachers Danaeus 3. reason for the Presbyterie that they be expounders of Gods word 1. Tim. 4. 6. for Teachers Exhorters Danaeus 4. reason for the Presbyterie Saint Paules exc 1. Cor. 5. Danaeus additioÌ„ to the text Paule first did the act his selfe then did intimate it to them If anie ioined with Paule what those were Danaeus coÌ„clusion for Presbyterie maketh all for teching Whether one B or minister may excom How we allow of the B ioyning with otheâ— in excom Danaeus wrong assertion with out proofe The text here for S. Paules exc alone Not the nuÌ„ber of the persons but the vse or abuse of the power is materiall Pretence of shunning a Politike kingdome Danaeus approouing Pope Siritius Epistle 2. Epist. Papae Siriâ—j Danaeus allegatioÌ„s for the Canons The Presbyterie was of Sacerdotall Priests The highest Censure of excom CoÌ„cil 2. Carâ— cap. 2. Danaeus proofe for excom to be made by the Presbyterie Our Br. great ouershooting to proue their presbyterie This counsell alleaged by Danaeus maketh cleane against him The Presbyters ministred the Sâ—craments The B himself excom the Priests 3. CoÌ„cil Cart. cap. 32. Danaeus proofe out of the 4. Council of Carth. cha 22. 23. Howe the Priests were present wheÌ„ the B. gaueâ— the iudiciall sentence The B. excoÌ„municating with out the Priests Concil Elib cap. 53. Cyprian coÌ„cerning the B. authority of the keies Concil 1. Antioch cap. 13. Cap. 24. Cap. 4. The B himself may excom Cap. 5. How directly this CanoÌ„ is against our Breth Cap. 6. Cap. 12. The B. exe of a Pastorall Elder Danaeus prooues for Christes â— words Mat. 18. to be meant of a Presbyterie of the Churches Pâ—el Danaeus for the Presbytery Ambr. de dignitaâ—e saecerdotali cap. 3. The power of the keâ—es is giuen to the Church in such manner as the Sacraments are giuen The learned discourse Pag. 89. 90. Bridges Our Br. coÌ„clusion 1. Tim. 5. Tâ—is conclâ—sion of ouâ— Br. not yet inferred by anie of all these premisses Our Br. coÌ„clusion of their may ought to be and they may doo it Eccl. discipline and the charge thereof The obseruing of good order The danger oâ— erecting â—hese Consistories in euery parish Bulling Dec. 5 sâ—rm 5 de mâ—n â—er Dei Disciplin Elders not continuall Teachers Our Br. vnproportionate distinction of good man and good Gouernor The plaine sense of the double honor 1. Tim. 5.17 The learned discourse Pag. 90. Bridges The learned discourse Pag 91. 1. Cor. 5. 2. Cor. 2. Discipl of excomm Bridges The discipl of excom The weighing of Saint Paules reasons in excom the incestuous person How S. Paul laide foorth the crime to the Cor. The 2. reason that our Br. gâ—ther out of S. Paules words The excoÌ„ weighed 1. Cor. 5. S. Paule ascâ—ibeth the action of excom to him selfe How farre S. Paule weÌ„t alone without them in this excom Howe farre forth Saint Paule chargeth the Corinth to proceed after his doings Our Br. 3. reason 1. Cor. 5. Our Br too far altering of the text Our Br. collectioÌ„ of S. Paules first reason Nothing in either Epistle to the Co. to proue anie Consistorie of such Elders Discipl of excomm Publike reprehension may bee without this CoÌ„sist Our discipl of excom is neerer to S. Paules than is our Br. discipline The manifold daÌ„gers by this Seniorie Excom for light offences The learned disc pag. 91. Bridges The learned disc pag. 91. 92. Bridges How hardly we should proceede to excommunicate The differeÌ„ce of cutting a part of the naturall and mysticall bodie The Popish Excomm Difference of anathematization and Excom The learned disc pag. 92. Bridges The Popish abuses of Excomm We neede not feare the Papists Excomm The vices Excommunicable The learned disc pag. 92. 1. Cor. 5.11 Tit. 3.10 2. Tim. 2.16 1. Tim. 1.20 2. Iohn vers 10. and 11. Bridges 1. Cor. 5.11 The vices for which the Seniors should Excomm 2. especially vnder the generall name of couetousnesse notwithstanding these sinners namely obstinate Hereticks that will not repent by admonition we graunt are well worthy of this punishment though the Apostle also name it not in that place to Titus As for S. Paules testimony 2. Tim. 2.16 where he saith to Timothy Tim. 2.16 Tit. 3.10 The learned discourse Pa. 100 101. 102. Iohn 13.29 Deacons Bridges Our Brethrens exhortation to releeue the poore What Elders heere our BrethreÌ„ meane The order of our Brethrens learned Discourse The learned disc pa. 102.
shall binde vpon earth shall bee bounde in Heauen and whatsoeuer yee shall loose c. In this sentence Christ strengtheneth first the Iudgements of priuate men if the Church shall not haue a publike magistrate For when men are wont tobee stubborne it may come to passe that hee that fayleth in his cause before the Church of priuate men and is iudged an Ethnike and publicane may contemne this iudgement and thinke him-selfe neuertheles to be an inheritor of the kingdome of Heauen although hee bee cast out of the assembly of these as hee thinketh them vile or base persons But Christe strengtheneth their authority and affirmeth that their sentence is approued also in Heauen Furthermore hee strengthneth also in this saying the publike iudgementes of them that are in lawfull Magistracy that we may manifestly knowe that their Iudgementes are not of men but are the Iudgementes of God According to that of Paule hee that resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God And verily Christe in other places with the like sentences in Math. 16. and Iohn 20. chapter confirmeth the authority of the Ministery of preaching the Gospell But in this place hee confirmeth the iudgementes of priuate men or of Magistrates against the contemners that the same shoulde bee ratified before God in Heauen Heere lo is the ratifiing whereof our brethren speake but heereupon hee concludeth thus But all these things are to be vnderstoode of a right and lawfull iudgement and of that sentence which is giuen in the ministery of the church according to the Worde of the Gospell and in causes forinsecall according to the publique and ordinary Lawes For if the sentences of the Iudges or Ministers striue with these it is none before God howe greatly soeuer thou shalt be condemned before men So that here he concludeth with these two excommunications a ciuill and an Ecclesiasticall The ciuill eyther in these priuate mens small assemblies or in the publike Magistrate But the Ecclesiasticall to pertaine onely to the Minister and to be in the Ministery of the worde of God such as was mentioned before Math. 16. And afterward againe Iohn 20. And verily if we shall search the ground of this Eccl. Exc. what abuses soeuer be or haue beene or may be by the Ministers or by any other not Ministers committed therein which I take not vpon me to defende and may easily bee helped without the supply of this Seniory and good prouisions there are in that behalfe yet that the act of the proper Ecclesiasticall Excommunication shoulde be executed by such Ecclesiasticall gouernors as are not Ministers nor teachers of the Worde I can not yet see howe it may be sufficiently warranted or howe it may stand with the nature of this spirituall and Ecclesiasticall censure For if this power of binding and loosing be the same that is called the power of opening and shutting called also the power of the keyes then it cheefely consisteth in the Ministery of the Worde For what is the key but Gods Worde Yea if it bee the same that consisteth in remitting and retaining of sinnes towardes God what other power hath the Church thereof than by the prenouncing of Gods Worde So that our Brethren must eyther make these Seniors to bee Ministers of Gods Worde or else they must graunt that in this place Christe meaneth not such a Seniory of Gouerning Elders as are not Ministers of the Word But here saith Caluine Hic locus non omnino c. This place is not altogether like that place which is aboue written Chapter 16. c. 19. But it is to bee vnderstoode in part a little different But wee make them not so diuers that they haue not muche affinitie betweene themselues This first of all on both parts is alike that eyther of them is a generall sentence and the power of binding and loosing is always the same that is to witte by the word of God the same commaundement the same promise But they differ heerein that the former place is peculiarlie of the preaching which the Ministers of the word of God do exercise Here it pertayneth to the Discipline of excommunication which is permitted to the church There Christe woulde auouch the authority of the Doctrine Here hee constituted Discipline which is an appendant vnto doctrine There hee sayde that the preaching of the Gospell shoulde not be frustrate but that it shoulde bee a quickning or a killing sauour here he affirmeth that although the wicked doe scorne the iudgement of the church notwithstanding it shoulde not bee vayne This distinction is to be holden because there it is simply treated vpon the word preached here vpon the publike censures and Discipline Although I doe not altogether deny this difference in respect of the obiect matter wherin the subiect person hath diuers times on diuers occasions and diuers ends to deale yet since Caluine heere him-selfe maketh the power of binding and loosing the promise also and the commaundement to be all one and the same to consist all onely by the ministery of the word although the occasion or purpose of Christe in the former place Math. 16. be more for ratifying the Doctrine of the worde when it is taught or preached than for ratifying the publique censures and Discipline beeing onely the appendants to the Doctrin Yâ—t this letteth not but rather prooueth so much more that he to whome the execution of both or eyther of these actions being both of them powers of the worde and ministeriall pronouncings of the same word doth appertaine ought to be his selfe a Minister of the worde And thus doth Caluine himselfe afterwarde also confesse saying For neither doth Christe auouch authority of or vnto his church whereby he shoulde diminish his or his Fathers right but rather whereby hee may establish the maiesty of his Worde For euen as before hee woulde not confusedly establish euery Doctrine whatsoeuer but that which proceeded out of his mouth chap. 16. c. 19 So neither sayth he in this place that euery Iudgement whatsoeuer shall be stable and ratified but that wherein he himselfe is president or gouerneth Neyther that onely by the spirite but also by the Worde Whereupon it followeth that men bring no preiudice vnto or hinder not God while they pronounce nothing but out of his mouth and stoode onely to execute faithfully that which he hath commanded For although Christe bee the onely iudge of the worlde yet would hee haue in the meane season ministers to be the publishers of his Worde and then he woulde haue his iudgement to be of his Church set foorth So that commeth to passe that it derogateth nothing from him that the ministery of men commeth betweene but that he onely looseth and bindeth And hâ—ere Marlorate coâ—texteth out of Bucer Hereupon it appereth how proposterously or rather how naughtily some gather out of this place that the Church can doe any thing but cheefely can make lawes of religion which whosâ— despiseth shall
despise Gods Lawes Whereas Christe disputeth here nothing of the power of making Lawes but of brotherly admonition of exhortation reprehension correction and of taking away offences and of the iudgement of the church which in all thinges thought to followe the worde of God that it bee not so much an humane as a diuine iudgement And againe Marlorate nâ—teth out of Caluin saying Whereupon wee see howe the spirituall iurisdiction of the church which punisheth sinnes out of the worde of God is the best helpe of health and foundation of order and bonde of vnity And concluding the ratification of their senteÌ„ces he saith For they haue the word of God wherewith they condemne the frowarde they haue the worde wherewith they receiue into fauour the repentant But erre they cannot neither dissent from the iudgement of God because they Iudge not but out of the Lawe of God which is not an vncertain nor earthly opinion but the holy will of God and an heauenly Oracle â—ith therefore all this iurisdiction of the censure and discipline of the Church consisteth in the Ministery of the worde of God and besides the sentence pronounced comprehendeth admonition exhortation reprehension and all out of the word of God And these persons are publike officers and their doingeâ— publike doings howe are not these the publike ministers of the worde medle with the publike teaching of the same But this more playnely appeareth by Christes owne wordes For when Christe had sayde Tell the Church howsoeuer they vnderstand there the name of church when he commeth afterwarde to set downe the manner howe Excommunication shoulde be vsed hee strayght turneth his spéech to his Apostles saying Verily I say vnto you whatsoeuer thinges you shall binde vpon earth they shall bee bounde also in Heauen and whatsoeuer you shall loose vpon earth shall be loosed in Heauen also So that this place directly is turned to the Apostles both in Math. 16. And here the 18. and Ioh. 20 and so the power and promise thereof continuing continueth directly in those onely that are the successors of the Apostles That is to say that are such as of whome S. Paul saith 1 Cor. 4.1 Let a man so esteeme vs as Ministers of Christe and dispensers of the mysteries of God And of such onely is Excommunication being taken as this spirituall Censure of the Church to bâ— pronounced and of none other kinde of Elders For proofe nowe of the continuall practise and approbation hereof let vs see both howe the Church of God vsed it among the Iewes before Christ came and howe in Christes time in the primitiue Châ—â—ch â—â—tâ—rward in the time of the auncient and holy Fathers and also nowe lastly in this light of the Gospell what are the iudgements of the best learned of our brethren hereupon And first as wee haue shewed before â—ut of Brentius tâ—ere was and is a diuers acceptation of this name Excommunicating Wherâ—pon Aretius among other diuisions of Excommunications good and bad greater and lesser outward and inward hath this diuision Let vs therfore deuide it from the head after this manner There is one Excommunication ciuil another Ecclesiasticall The ciuil is that that is exercised in politike matters against offenders c. And on the Hebrue names therâ—â—f and the Greeke name among the Iewes in and before the time of Christe he saith in Ioh. chap. â— 12 16. He that was excluded is sayde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is to bee made an Alien from the publike assembly Such were abhominable and odious to the residue of the Iewes vntill they were reconciled In the ninth chapter hee sayth that it was ordeyned of the Iewes that if any man confessed him to be Christe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is he should be cast out of the synagog In the 12. chap. that many of the Princes beleeued but they confessed him not least they should be made 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And in the 16. chap. They shall make you 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is out lawes and vnworthy of their assemblies Heereupon excommunication may be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In the old Testament it is called Masger a shutting for hee that was of Moses shut out was bound as it were with many Lawes Besides that hee which was boundâ— with any certayne fault was holden vnder the penalty to the which hee was bounden you haue the example Num. 12. where Miriam the sister of Moses for the crime of rebellion is excluded by the commaundement of God 7. dayes out of the campe Let her be shut out seuen dayes abroad 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 cherem among the Hebrewes is anathema That is a penaltie inflicted of God as Mal. 4. Least I come and strike the land cherem that is anathemate with a curse suspension or separation The same word signifieth a thing consecrated to God and sequestred from the publike vse as it is sayd of the spoyles of Ierico that Achan receaued 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Minha-cherem that is of the spoyles condemned of the Lorde by a curse of setting apart or suspending Wigandus and Matheus Iudex in their treatise called Syntagma or corpus doctrinae on the title de clauibus in veteri testamento of the keyes in the old Testament do say First that there are such keyes Although in the new Testament Christ institute the keyes by a solemne manner Matth. 16.18 and Ioh. 20. notwithstanding in the old Testament also there was a power of the keyes pertaining to the churche and to the Ministers thereof as appeareth by the thinges folowing What were the kinds That there were two keyes the one binding the other losing appeareth out of Esa. 22. I will geue or laye vpon his shoulder to wit Eliachim the key of the house of Dauid and he shall open and there shal be none that can shut and he shall shut and there shal be none that can open And examples to the Propheticall writinges do witnesse For Caine in the 3. of Gen. is excommunicated But Dauid is absolued of Nathan and the types or figures of thrusting out of the campes the lepers and polluted and receauing of the healed and purged by sacrifice Num. 4. Leuit. 13. concerning the binding key or Excommunication what are the names thereof The binding key in the Propheticall writinges is called Anathema Num. 21. Deut. 7. c. Malediction and detestation Num. 23. Deut. 27. crying out wo Hosee 7. casting out of the land Gen. 4. taking away out of the middest Deut. 13. The definition is this The key bynding is a power ordeyned of God committed to the church and to the Priestes of denowncing the wrâ—th of God to notorious and polluted sinners and of shutting them out of the societie of Gods people and of forbidding other their societie and companie vntill either by the Magistrate they be taken out of the way or els by repentaunce or by the prescribed sacrifices they shal be purged and