voice of his father whereby being declared the Beloued sonne of God in whome only the father was well pleased he might be sent out to goe off his embassage ▪ he had disputed indeede once before with the Doctors in the Tēple but that was no full execuciō off any publique office but as yt were a certeine florishe ād plaieng at wasters whereby he prepared him selfe vnto a full combate and a greater battel Lykewise did the Apostles who did not thrust them selues in to the churche without his cōmanmandement and apointment but waited for that voice Goe preache the Gospell and baptize those which beleue The same modestie appeared in the Bishoppes of the primitiue churche so lōg as it cōtinewed vncorrupted and in goode estate for after as they were not afraide to enter into the churche by fraud and doceyte so being once entred in they behaued them selues in yt with like faithfullnes and modestie that they entred in whie doe we not therfore bridle this posting and spurring for the mynisterie and contenting our selues with the godlie and zealous desire off our mynde and our laboure and studie to prepare our selues thereunto flee and avoide this shamefull ambicion These so notable and worthie examples let vs esteme as a lawe made against Ambicion which yff we shal be so bolde as to transgresse let vs assure our selues that one daie in a most solempne courte and assemblie we shal be charged with Ambicion Neyther only in the office off a Bishoppe but in all other Ecclesiasticall charges this woyng off places and offices owght to be estemed vnmette and vnworthie for the modestie off any Christian man and how muche better were yt to send backe againe this laboring for offices and sutorlike care vnto Rome from whence yt came For as muche then as greate fruite ys lost by this ambicious seking for offices and honor which they reape who are fully persuaded off there calling and off the wille off God appointing them thereunto Seing also the examples off our Sauior Christe off his Apostles off the purer and primitiue churche doe call vs from yt and exhortethe vs to all sobernes and modestie and that hereby greate wrong is done vnto God whose authoritie is not waited for and that bothe the Lordes ordinaunce and our owne proffitte and commoditie calleth vs backe from this hunting after places and and offices Let vs at the lengthe amende the custome which we haue that to come flocking from all partes to that place where orders as we call them by a popishe name are geuen by the bishoppe to seke and sewe for them to bring letters off Lordes or Iustices or some other off our frendes in our commendacion and fauoure Fynally Let vs amend whatsoeuer yt is whereby a lawfull calling may be corrupted and stained and now at the Lengthe which we owght to haue done long agoe Let vs decree according to the worde off God that no man hereafter sewe for any calling in the churche Let euerie man more shamefastlie and modestlie offer his labour and diligence Let all men kepe them selues at home and there abyde and wayte for the voice off God and authoritie off those who are chosers to the taking vpon him off any ecclesiasticall charge or function There do yet remaine certaine thinges to be spooken off ecclesiasticall officers touching the execucion off that office wherunto they be called Off which the first is that the vocacion wandre not freely wher it listethe but be ioined with a charge off some certeine place and churche For yt is not here as yt is in the profession off the arts that we should esteeme thes orders as certein commendacions and the churches allowinge off any mans worthines as it is in them that by the Iudgment and authoritie off the vniuersities are preferred to the profession off the liberall sciences or off the cyuall law or phisick or any other such like For they haue none apointed them whom they should teache or heale or geue counsell vnto or wher they should exercise ther profession but as they see it commodious for them selues go to thos places which they thinck fyttest for them or iff they thinck good sit idle at home But the ministers apointement ought not to be suche that hauinge receiued as it were the commendacion and allowance of lerned men they should after provide a place for them selues as they thought most commodious or ells sit idle all ther life tyme at vome iff they list For thes admissions and allowances off studentes are geuen vnto thē as honors and rewardes which haue no more labor hanginge vpon thē then they list and iudge to be profitable for them But thes honors are suche that men are rather chareged then preferred by them and indeed rather to be esteemed burthens then honors whose nature is suche that as gardaynshipppz are graunted not for his cause who is chosen but rather for theirs who haue neede off their care helpe and labor So that iff ther be no suche in the churche ther is no cause off apointinge any to ecclesiasticall charges Therfore the Apostles did at no tyme appoint mynisters or deacons that afterwards should prouide them selues churches wher they should teache or whos treasury they should ouersee or ells be idle if they would but they ordeined deacons Pastors and Elders as the necessytie off the churche did require Thus we reede in the sixth off the Actes that when the state off the churche off Ierusalem did require the Apostles ordeined deacons ouer the treasury off that churche to see the orderinge off it and the prouision for widowes and pore folkes Thus also Paule and Barnabas in the xiiij off the actes ordeined elders in euery churche and neyther lefte the churches as orphanes with out any to care and prouide for them neither apointed any elders but vnto suche certen chuches as had need off them So also Sainct Paule expressely commandeth Titus whom he hade left in Crete to set the churches in order that he should appoynt Elders in euery citye that is to say wher ther was any churche or nomber off thos that beleeued And for this same cause I thinck ther is scarcely any wher in the holy scriptures mencion made off Elders and Deacous wher together with all is not mencioned the name off the churche place or cytie wher in they did exercise ther office Thus Paule in the Epistle to the Philippians maketh mencion off ther Bishoppes and Deacons Thus also also Sainct Luke writethe in the Actes Sainct Paule sent for the Elders off Ephesus and that the churche off Antioche sent vnto the Aoostles and Elders at Ierusalem aboute the question off Circumcision And also in Saint Peter writinge to the churches wchich wer scattered in Pontus and Galatia in the fifte chapiter I exhort saithe he the Elders which ar amonges yow that is to say the Elders which are set ouer your seuerall churches And in the same place he
Testament or the will of the Testator nor that this possession is occupied by them without most vniust fraud and open violence and wronge Therfore seinge as I proued hitherto therbe many and greeuous faults in our discipline seinge the most holy lawes off god left vnto vs by the Apostles for the gouernment off his kingdome are violated and broken Seinge the fancyes off men and the pleasures off seruantes are preferred aboue the cōmaundement of Christ the king Seinge the churche is so destroyed which he redeemed by his blud the holie offices prophaned and all thinges mingled and confounded to geether Let vs at the lenght earnestly and carefully think to amend thes thinges let vs in deed obey his preceptes and lawes whome in wordes we acknowledge to be our kinge Let the churche and the good estate and estimation theroff be deare vnto vs By fetchinge the discipline off the church frō mē and from the Canon law we do wronge to Christ our Prophet and our prince and open a springe and founteine off errors in the churche Let vs therfore stopp thos pittes and go to the founteine off the word off god As subiectes let vs depend vpon the will off our king And let vs make this first the most waightie law in the reformaciō of our discipline that nothinge be doone in it besides his word and commandemēt and that all thinges be framed to this good will and pleasure So that if he hath forbiddē any man to enter into the church to take vpō him any publique person therin or execute any office but vnto which he is chosen and called by him iff he hathe greeuously punished the transgressors off this law who despising his commandement and goinge without the bandes that they were compassed with breake into other mēs ground and haue beene so bold to prophane the holie charges with ther defiled handes let vs see and be carefull that ther be no suche thing emonges vs and at the last let vs commaund thence Popishe priestes women that baptize in secret chauncellors Archedeacons and ther seruantes the Commissaries and Officialles and the rest off that trashe that take vppon them the administringe of discipline to leaue off and do ther owne busines and suffer thes thinges to be executed by thē that are called therunto by the lawfull apointment of god Ther is great fruit and cōmoditie that commeth by a lawfull calling Let vs take heed therfore that we loose it not by ambitiō and bribery Christ hath cōmitted a certen prouince to be gouerned by his embassadors And whō he callethe to any office he apointeth wher and amonges wwhom to execute it why then do so many go wandringe and straying amonges vs Why do we graunt so lose embassages why do we cōmit an office to any man whō we apoint not wher ād amonges whō to execute it especially seinge thes wandringe and vnstable charges are wont to bringe infinit euill after thē But if any man hath an office comitted vnto him if his citie place ād church be assigned wher to exercise it let hī diligētly performe which he hathe taken in hand And iff he do it not willinglie let the magistrat compell hym to amend his dewty or lette him be put out off his office And for thos faculties and dispensacions that exempt suche as will purchase them from this necessary doinge off ther duty let vs take away and abolishe as hauing first proceded from Antichrist him selfe and yet not with out great offence receyued emonges vs and decree accordinge to the word off God that who so euer is chosen to any ecclesiasticall office shall carefully and diligently look vnto it as one that is to geue accompt off the execution theroff in that noble and famous day off the comminge off Christ In elections taking away the vsurped tyran̄y off the Bishoppes and all that confusion which I haue declared wherby dew triall and examinatiō is hindered let the lawful choosers haue ther right restored to thē againe Let ther be diligent and exact examination had off thos that ar to be chosen Let offices be geuen for worthynes and not for other respectes lest bothe the holy offices be prophaned and the churche wanting hir necessary helpes and stayes fall to the ground last off all Let vs restore the right and trew vse off Ordeining ād laying on off handes and abolishe and take away this false and forged abuse theroff Thus farr haue I handled thos thinges that ar to be amended out off the word off god in this parte which equally belongeth to all the offices off the church Now followeth the next part which declareth what is proper and peculier to euery one which also hath merueilous need off correction and amendement Thus therfore hauing fynished that part wherin I haue fully and at large handled thos thinges that perteyne equally vnto all that beare any office in the church It followeth to shew how many sortes off them ther be and what euery man hath cōmon with other or proper or peculier vnto him selffe Off ecclesiasticall offices therfor somme are ordinary and perpetuall in the church and some are extraordnary which were vsed for a tyme but ceased afterwardes to be vsed any more For in the fyrst age off the church by the great goodnes of god towardes his people that was but then yong and tendre many diuers heauenly gyftes were giuen Which after when the church had growen strong and the gospell had been sufficiently confirmed with thos mirackles wer no lenger giuen but a certen firme and stable order was set to gouerne the churche by for euer Which were rather as Sainct Paule calleth them gyftes and Graces then ordinary offices off the churche No man I thinck can doubt but that they are ceased seinge the gyftes are geuen no more The questiō is somwhat harder off the office of Apostles Euangelistes and prophetes which all seinge they are occupied in preachinge off the word I will deferre to proue they also are ceased to that place wher I deinde all thos that haue charge to interpret the word off god into two sortes Therfore in the meane season omittinge the extraordinary I will begynn with the ordinary offices off the church wheroff seinge some be simple and others some compounded I will in the first place more fully and at large as the matter it selffe requirethe speake off the first first and more simple part whence also the latter dothe wholy springe Therfore all the perpetuall and ordinary offices off the church that are symple are conteined in the holi scripture in thes two names off Bishopps and Deacons for all thoughe the wordes them selfes are not so exactly or as I may say so curiously obserued as also it was not needfull they should yet the somme and effect off this deuision is euery wher reteined So Sainct Paule in his first Epistle to Timothe instructinge his scholler how to frame and sett in order the churche off Ephesus for the office off an
Euangelist which Timothy bare comprehendeth all the offices and functions off the church in Bishopps and Deacons So also the same Apostle writinge to the Phillipiās whos church to as allready established and set in order Paule and as followeth To the Saincts vvhich are at Philippi withe the Bishoppes and Deacons c. In which place vnderstandinge hy the name off Sainctes the faithful and as it were the citezens and body off the church vnder Bishopps and Deacons he conteinethe the gouernours ād thos to whom any publique charge in the church is committed Somewhat otherwise in the xij to the Romans but to the same sence he deuideth ecclesiasticall offices into prophesing which is ther office whom he calleth Bishopps in the two places afore named and Deaconshipp which distribution is also kept by Peter in the fourthe of his former epistle But that keeping still the name off Deacon he vseth the word speache for prophesyinge This therfore is the true diuision off ecclesiasticall offices distributed by Christes chiefe Apostles into thes partes wherby yt manifestly appereth that in a perfecte and well established church ther be both partes as it wer the right side ād the left side off the body and that neither off them can be wantinge with out the great deformity and misshapinge off the whole As also off the other part ther ought to be no office no charge or functiō in ther church which is not as it wēr a mēber off one of thes ij partes and inseperably ioined with the rest of the body by which forme and paterne off the Apostles iff we should examin the Romane churche I meane that Romane church that fell from hir first simplicity and that liuelie image off the beast which is described by Sainct Ihon framed and fashioned hir selfe after the fourme and patterne off the Romane Empire as is declared by Clement by other occasions in his Epistles what need haue wee heere off a heauēly kind off surgery to cut off the superfluity off so many and vnnecessary and needles partes what wenns and what blemishes wer to be cut off and cured in this behalffe But ther appereth no lesse deformity in the want of thos partes which are naturall ād necessary seing that in the romane church one whole parte that is off Deacons is wanting Off both which so notable deformities I would our church wer free and that ther wer nothinge in our metropolitane and other mother and cathedrall churches that did imitate the superfluity off needles partes and mēbres for in the other deformitie in wantinge necessary partes we ar nothing inferior to the Papistes them selues for the Deacons are alike wanting in them both as after more plainly shall appere when I come to that place Now let vs examin particularly the seuerall offices And first off all let vs speake off the Bishopp The name off a Bishopp cōminge off the greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doth signifie a watchman or a scoutwatch who is appointed to watche in the campe or citie and to declare the comminge off the enemy which name allso all thoughe yt be sometyme gyuen to the Magistrat for that care he ought to haue off the people subiect vnto him yet oftner and more properly to the chieff charges off the church and to thos that are as it were the watche off the cytie off god to keepe it not frō fire and sword which mortall enemyes can bring against it but from that euerlasting fier and thos fyry dartes as the Apostle calleth them wherby most mighty spirites and most deadly enemyes off the church go about day and night to enflame the cytie with all But seinge that euen off thes some by speciall othe are more streightly bound to cōtinuall watche and ward namely they to whom are cōmitted thos holy siluer trompettes to declare to all men all the word and commandedement off god the com̄inge off the enemyes to thes properly and specially is gyuen in the third off the first to Tymothi the first to Titus and other places the name off Bishopp or wachmam So that in old tyme this was rather a name off labor then off rest off burden then off honor off busines then off ease Now a Bishop iff we will trewly declare what he is is the minister off the churche in heauenly thinges and such as perteine vnto god For this I thinck good to follow the wisdome off the Apostle in declaringe the office off a priest vnder the law seing that bishoppes in the new testament haue succeded as touching the gouernment off such thinges to the priestes off the law As for that I enclose all the office off a Bishopp in deuine seruice I ground vpon the same place off the Apostle who giueth no more to the priestes whose office was nothing lesse honorable then the Bishopes in this behalffe yea had a greater shew off maiesty and honor in certene pointes in respect off thos tymes which had need off suche thinges So the Apostle conteineth the office off Timothe although he were an Euangelist in the gouerment and administracion off the house off god which is the churche And to omytte many other places to this ende the Apostle to the Hebrues cōprehendeth all the charge off the Elders in the cure off soules And what greater and more sufficient witnes can we haue in this mater then off Christ our Sauior and our kinge who throwghly knewe the nature off his kingdome and had appointed to what vse to put euery one how often doth he declare that his kingdome is not off this world but off an other and more heauenly nature and suche as parteineth to the procuringe off the saluacion off men wherin for asmuche as his whole embassage and charge which he receyued off his father did cōsist he was wholy occupied therin his doingt and meditation was allwais vpon it he medled not him selffe with the thinges off his world but day and night had his charge before his eyes and exercised him selffe therin warning also the Apostles that they should not hope to obteine the glorious shew and honor off this world seinge his kingdome was off an other nature yt rulethe the affections yt gouernethe the troublesome mocions off the mynd it morateth inordinate lustes and bringeth euery mā to the doinge of his duty yt lifteth and raiseth vp againe thos that were fallen and beaten to the ground it confirmeth thos that are sick and weake with the grace mercy and goodnes off god it bringeth men from receiued errors wherby they were cast hedlong into all daunger an mishiefe to the true honoringe and worshipping off god he tould them that he would vse ther labor to these endes They should keep his foulds and feed his flock and his lambes This should be ther race to runne in Thes ther listes wherin they should exercise them selues wherin iff they behaued ther selues with praise and commendation they should look for as
thought to haue brought into the churche off god with out his word off our owne authority so many newe offices and functions as into how many partes and membres this one office is deuided Touchinge those thinges which besides this are faulty in the Election and Ordinacion off Pastors they haue bene spoken off in other places before neither is it needfull to repeat the same againe Therfore to conclude all this treatise off Bishoppes takinge away extraordinarie functions and offices and abolishing the pompe and tyranny off the Lord Bishoppes Let vs esteeme the office off a Bishopp and minister as yt is declared vnto vs in the word off god Let vs remembre that this is a seruice and Ministery not off the affaires off this life But off the holie word off god Let this most neceessary office amonges all other offices that be in the earthe both for the seruice and Religion off God and for the saluacion off man be ordeined and established thorowgh out this Realme Let an Assay be made that they which beinge vnmeete for the office being put out godlie learned and worthye men be chosen therunto who discharging ther offices faithfully may be sufficiently prouided for concerning the necessaries off this life as the Lord hath commanded Let vs fetche the manner and fashion off our examininge choosinge and ordeininge out off the Scriptures Let Doctors be appoynted to teache and Cathechize the rude and ignorant Let Pastors be ordeyned to Mynister the Sacramentes and to applye the generall Docrine to the particuler vses and occasions off the churche That faultes beinge amended and reformed accordinge to to the right lyne off the word off God a iust and lawfull ministerie suche as the Lord hath appointed may be established amonges vs That Christ powringe his blessing vpon his owne Ordenance and apointment as the Apostle noteth thes to be the endes off the ministery the work off the ministery may be done The bodie off Christ which is the churche may be edified and buylded vp and the Saintes may be fitly orderly and proportionally ioined and knit together one with an other Thus now hauinge finished one part off ecclesiasticall functiōs and charges namely that which consisteth in the dutie off a Bishoppe and the Ministerie off the worde Let vs come to that which remaineth and concerneth deacons But to the ende we may hereī also orderly procede first I say that Sainct Paule in his first epistle to Timothy and thyrd chap. and in the other places before alledged off me to the same ende calleth all those Deacons which do exercise any office or or charge in the churche not belonging to the Ministery off the word For ther be also other offices besides the ministery off the word needfull for the preseruacion off the churche Which what they be we shall see hereafter But iff they were not necessary for the preseruatiō off the whole body Surely Iesus Christ the most wise ruler and gouerner off his churche would neuer haue appointed them yff then this other ordre off Deacons be so necessary why do we want it wholie in our churche deforminge the body no lesse yea a great deale more by so notable want off those partes that are necessary then by the superfluitie off those which are not off the body as hath bene allready before shewed For let them not here speake off there Chauncelors whom I haue allready proued to haue no lawfull place in the church nor off the churche wardens off whom I shall speake more hereafter For I say we want and require Ecclesiasticall Deacons who accordinge to the ordinaunce off god are lawfully chosen created and ordemed to there offices not ciuill and politique men who by the authoritie off the Magistrate deale in some suche matter but what these be we shall see hereafter more at large Here I cannot sufficiently wonder at the boldnes off the braine off man who thus altereth and peruerteth wholie the lordes gouerment in his owne house appointinge some besides those which are appointed by him to the rulinge off his house and putting out those as iff the church off god had no neede off ther labour whō the Lord him selffe had apointed fynally licensing them selues in the lords matters to set downe and take away to adde and diminishe what they list and to rule ād dispose all thinge according to ther owne will and fantasy Thē the which seing ther cā be nothinge more against the honor off our Sauior let vs at the last learne to be modest and to be ruled by his word let vs suffer him to rule his owne house by his owne authoritie and restore againe to the churche those offices and functions which he hath thought meete and profitable for it But that thes thinges may be the better vnderstood and that we proceede the more orderly forewarde As I shewed in the former parte first what was ordeined off God wherby it was easie to vnderstād what was superfluous or to muche So I must likwise doe in this part that yt may be the better vnderstood what we want and what is to to be supplied in this behalffe There be therfore ij sortes off Deacons as they are deuided by Sainct Paule in the xij to the Romans The one sorte are called distributers who also in the sixte off the Actes are properly called Deacons The other ouer seers who also in other places are called Elders and Gouernors off the church Those therfore who are properly called Deacons are officers off the churche sette ouer the bestowing and distributing off the churche goodes and treasurie How great cause there was off institutinge this office in the churche it appereath in the sixth off the Actes wher the the Apostles who in the beginninge administred the treasury off the churche when they perceiued that they were not able to serue bothe that is to saye the preachinge off the word and the caringe for the pore gaue ouer this office to be Treasurers any more and propounded yt to the churche that ther might be a seuerall office appoynted for this charge that might take vppon them the prouidinge for the poore To whome should be giuen what so euer was bestowed for the reliefe off the needy that they might after dispose yt according as euery one had neede That the poore might not be dispised in the church off God whom he declareth to be so deare vnto hym and that all complaintes being taken awaie euery thing might be orderly and honestly gouerned in the house off god Therfore the Treasury off the church whither yt be in daily offringes or in rentes and reuenuews appoynted to that ende is to be cōmitted vnto the Deacons The hospitalles and houses which are appointed for the reliefe off straungers and off the poore are to be ruled by them fynally what other suche like thing ther is belongeth to the office off Deacons In olde tyme in deede in the prymitiue churche this Treasure was committed to the Bishoppes because all men trustinge
brought to nothinge by hym wherby he hathe obteined this infinite and princely power and authoritie so it will one daie come to passe that he shal be destroyed againe by the empyre But wold to god that only the Bramble off Rome had desyred this kingdom and lordshipp and that our olyue trees also and our figg trees and our vynes had not left ther fatnes and ther sweetnes and most excellent fruit for the desyre off lordshipp and gouernment For the preaching off the gospell is in deed most sweet ād pleasaunt fruit and with this ther new wine they reioysed both god and men as also with the oyle off the gospell more precious then any balme and off sweeter and more fragrant smell then that which was poured vpon Aarons hedd For we complaine that euen or bishoppes haue gotten this lordshipp into ther handes and finde great want and long for thos excellent fruites againe off that wyne and thos figgas and Olyues which in old tyme the church was wont to gather off ther Bishopps And surely I am afrayd that we wishe and longe for them in vayne and lest that they beinge delighted now with an other kind off fatnes and off sweetnes that is off Riches and Honor haue allready begonne to neglect and despise the other and will so contynew to despise yt But the Lord will see to thes thinges who off his good will will prouide for his churche either by them iff they will come to the first root and stock againe or ells without them yff they continew to neglect and despise the same But paraduenture I haue beene to longe in this part beinge moued both with the vnworthines off the thing and the daunger off the church Now seing as I suppose yt is sufficiently proued that the office off a Bishopp is lymited in the administration off heauēly and spirituall thinges let vs particulerly declare the seuerall partes off this office Which consist partly in teaching and interpretinge off the word off God and partly in making praiers for the church For thes two are so lincked togither that they may by no meanes be separated For he that takethe cure off teachinge the churche hath layd vpon hym also the prayinge for the church And contrariwise the office off prayinge and makinge solemne and publique praiers for the church in respect off his office can nor ought to be commited to no man but to hym that hathe power allso to teache the churche For we read that thes two wer allways so ioined and knit togither that he that off office did the one was bound to the doinge off bothe Neyther haue thes at any tyme bene seuered or drawen a sonder So the Priestes vnder the law wer bound to bothe as Moses expressely declarethe in the blessing off Leui. They shall teache saythe he Iacob thy iudgmentes and Israell thy law They shall put incense before thy face and bourne offeringe◠vpon thy aulter For that praier and Supplication was shadowed vnder the law by burninge off parfume and incense It ys playne by many other other places and namely by Dauid who without question in the 141. psalme alludeth hereunto and the first off Luke wher it appereth that all the church vnderstood it so wherunto also S. Iohn alludeth in his reuelation Lickwise also the Prophet Samuel answeringe the people that desired him that he would pray to god for them God forbidd saithe he that I should offend against God in ceasinge to pray for yow for I will also teache yow the good and perfit way declaringe ther by both to belonge to his dutie So then in the Priesthood and the Prophesie two off the cheifest offices in the Iewishe churche which our Bishopps do resemble iff we compare the Pastors with the Priestes and the Doctors with the Prophetes Thes two offices off teachying and prayinge were ioyned togither And do not the Apostles in the gospell wher they leaue the ministringe to the pore professing that they did it to this purpose that they might more frely geue thē selues wholy to ther office do they not limit ther office with thes two partes off preaching and Praier Paule also in his epistle to Timothe doth manifestly referre praier to the office off a Bishoppe wheras geuinge order off stablisshinge the churche off Ephesus hauing declared the forme off publique praiers after sheweth at large what man̄er off man he ought to be Therfore seing it is plaine by the perpetuall vse off the scripture that thes two belong both to one and the same office They cannot in any sort be drauen a sonder and an vnlawfull diuorcement it is when as our ministers I speake off thos Curates that are vnable to teache are off this condicion ordeined to the ministerie that they reade ther seruise and prescript praiers out off the booke but that they be not so bold to teache or interpret without newe and especiall authorite graunted to that purpose But some men will say They are not able to interpret the scriptures Surely iff yt be so they are well and worthely and by the commandement off god forbidden to interprete yt But that is not well that they are not al so forbidden to reade the praiers seing that thes two preachinge and praier which are bothe but one office are torne and drawē a sonder cōtrary to the ordinannce off God and a certen new and lame mynistery is brought into the church by the boldnes off men Thus therfore hauing described the whole dewty and office off Bishoppes let vs come to that which is proper and particuler in ther eletion and ordination The Election therfore off Bishoppes that I may be gyn̄ ther because the whole safety of the church is in daunger in that actiō ought to be ioyned with most ernest praier to god that it would please him to direct the iudgemēt off the choosers which his holy spyrit to prouide a worthy and an able Bishopp for his church and not suffer them being ledd away by any blind affection to be deceyued with so dangerous an error For hither both the reasone which I haue allready brought and especially the example off 〈◊〉 Sauior Christ him selffe doth leade vs whom Sainct Luke rehersethe to haue spent the whole might before the choosinge and declaringe off his Apostles in supplicacion and praiers which also the same Luke reherseth to haue bene practized by the Apostles in the election off Mathias Which all men vnderstand ought to be necessarilie restored againe that obserue and marck the successe and fallinge out off our elections farr otherwise taken in hand But I trust I shall not need to take much paines in so cleere a matter Therfore I will go forward and declare what a one he ought to be who shold be chosen a Bishopp It is allready plaine enoughe by that which hathe bene said that in the choosinge off a Bishopp the especiall care and respect ought to be off his learninge seinge he is chosen to teach and
succeded by inheritance vnto the Apostles and therfore haue receyued yt off them allthoghe I should graunt them the first the second yet is disprouued by most manyfest testimonies and examples of the appostles them selues For let vs see iff euer the Apostles in any election did challendge this power and authoritie vnto them Sainct Luke writeth off thre elections holden by the appostles the fyrst in the fyrst off the Actes wher a new Apostle is chosen The second in the sixth wher the Seacons the third in the fourtenthe wher the Elders ar appointed in euery church For althoughe the Apostles did not choose Matthias But left it to the Lott which should declare the Lordes will and counsell therin because this was proper and peculier for that office off Apostles that they should not be chosen off men nor by men But immediatly from the Lord him selfe yet in settinge forth two ther is a certene kind off choise and election But what is ther in all this actioÌ„ that either Iames whome some say to haue bene Bishopp at Ierusalem or Pâ—â—er or any off the other Apostles doth take vnto him selfe For althoughe that Sainct Luke declareth that Iames was present heere yet we reade not that he was cheefe ther or tooke vpon him as he was Bishoppe authority to appointe an Apostle Or ells thos two off whom one should be chosen by the Lott But contrawise we see that he challenged no more to him selfe then either Andrew or Philipp or any other off the rest off the Apostles In deed Peter as Proloquutor propoundethe all the matter and purteth vp as yt wer this grace vnto the churche off chosinge an Apostle And he him self declareth what one they ought to choose and what especially in ther election they ought to respect and regard But vsed no particuler or special autoritie in choosinge the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They sett forthe Which is off the plurall nomber vsed by Sainct Luke in that place dothe manyfestly declare and proue Therfore in this first and solemne election off the Apostles ther was nothinge done or said from whence this infynite power and authoritie may be deriued vnto the Bishoppes But contrariwise seinge Iames taketh nothinge to him selffe nor Peter nor any other off the rest nay seinge all the Apostles togeether doe nothinge heere off ther owne authoritie nor choose whom yt pleasethe them It is sure and manifest that That Bishopp that will not take him selfe greater then an Apostle or then all the Apostles can by no right challendge to hym selffe any suche power or priuiledge in gyuinge and apointinge the offices off the churche But Let yt be that this election for the choice off Mathias and the great office and callinge wherevnto he was chosen had somewhat singuler and extraordinary and let vs see the next that is the election off the Seacons written by Saincte Luke in the sixthe chapter off the Actes wherin ik is so farr off that Peter or Iames or any other off the Apostles challenged any thinge aboue the rest vnto them selues in choosinge off them that contrariwise ther was nothinge done but by the common consent and agreement off them all For Sainct Luke dothe expressly declare that the multitude off the disciples we called togeether by the twelue that the choosinge off SeacoÌ„s was propouÌ„ded by the twelue and that the election beinge ended the praiers were made and handes laid on by the twelue For allthoughe they did not all call them to geether nor propounde the election nor make the praiers yet so expresse a speakinge as Sainct Luke vseth heere That the tvvelue called the disciples together and the words off the plurall nombre which he vsethe in euery place off this history do manyfestly proue that nothing was done heere by the priuate commandement or counsell off any but that coÌ„trariwise all thinges passed by the comÌ„on consent and authoritie off all the Apostles Therfore in this second and most solemne election bothe for the presence off all the Apostles and multitude off the disciples They take the repulse againe and can not obteyne this immesurable and princely authoritie in the churche which they seeke to haue The last is the election off Elders written in the fourtenth off the Actes which was heeld not by all the Apostles but only by Paule and Burnabas wherin althoughe they two ruled all the actioÌ„ and did moderate and gouerne the Iudgment off those that gaue the voices yet that they vsed no power and authoritie off ther owne in electinge the Elders off the churche euen that one word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chosinge by liftinge vp off the handes off the people doth manyfestly declare Therfore the Bishopps receyued not this authoritie by inheritance from the Apostles whose elections I haue declared to haue beene furthest off from this lordly authoritie For so they had bene taught off Christ that his kingdome was notlike the kingdomes off this world wherin some one hathe the chiefe authoritie to whome the rest ought to obey and whom they call ther Lord an master But he had appointed â—oir greatest or greater then his fellowes they had lerned that he was only king to whom all ought to be obedient and that they ought to lyue togeether like fellows in equall place and degree one with an other But they flee from the Apostles to the EuaÌ„gelistes And that fauour they could not get off the Apostles they hope to atteyne by them therfore they fetche the begynninge off this power and authoritie from Tymothie and Titus loff whom they say the one was bishop at Ephesus and the other in Candy And Timothie say they was commanded that he should not lay on his handes to rashly vpon any which commandement had bin in vayne iff the election off ministers had not beene in the Bishopps handes But I aske them how they proue that Tymothe was bishoppe at Ephesus For I thinck they will not bringe me that subscriptioÌ„ To Tymothe first chosen bishoppe off Ephesus much lesse Eusebius authorite the Author wheroff is vnknowne and off no great credit which also is not sett at the end off the first epistle against the most manifest testimoni off the Scripture which callethe Tymothie not a Bishoppe but an Euangelist for so Sainct Paule expresly calleth hym in the ende off his secoÌ„d epistle vnto him And the whole history prouethe that it cannot be that he could haue taried long at Ephesus who followed Paule trauelinge throughe so many churches and serued him in his iourny whom Paule himselfe doth witnes in mani places to haue beene an eye witnes off his afflictions whome he sent some tymes to Ephesus namely when he went into Macedonia sometymes to Corinth witnessinge that he did the lordes worck euen as he him selfe As also to the Rom. he calleth him his follow laborer as one that labored to geeâ—her her with him in plantynge and orderinge off churches and last â—ff all that ther may be no way
iust cause now to complaine that our church wanteth so worthy an office do not the slaunders off our aduersaries who are ready to take all occasions to speak euill off the Gospell require suche watchemen to watche and see that offences rise not in the churche doth not the shamefull wickednes off men require suche Censors And can this noble lawe off doinge all thinges orderly and comely in the churche off God want those any longer who shold haue a care to see it kept That all thinges come not to confusion and be turned vpside downe Therfore let Elders be restored to our churche againe which are both necessary helpes for the safetye and preseruation off yt and worthy ornamentes for the estimation off the same Let vs obeye the Lordes Commaundement touchinge the ordeyninge off Elders yff either the safety or estymacion off the church be deare vnto vs or yff we haue any care off doinge our duty vnto god As for election and Ordynacion off them seing yt may be taken out off those Generall rules which I haue giuen before and doth not requyre any thinge to be speciallie spoken in this behalffe Let vs conclude this matter and together with all euen the whole treaty which hath bene handled concerninge the symple charges and offices off the churche besech ing God our most mercifull father that yt may please him to haue mercy off our churche and that as he hath raised yt in a maÌ„ner from the deade and oute of the graue againe So he would also vouchsafe to adorne and beautyfy yt being raised vpp That yt may please hym to take awaye the deformyties off yt cutting off that which is superfluous and supplyinge that which wantethe To encrease hir beauâ—y and ornamentes and to Poolishe and perfect her with his most freshe and lyuely colors To restore trewe Discypline againe To abolishe the Canon lawe that only they which are called may bare office in the churche That Ambition may be repulsed and put back That the the lawes off lawfull Election and ordynation may be kept Fynally that a lawfull Mynistery may be established thoroughout the Realme which may continewe for euer That Deacons may be made for the poore and Elders to admonishe such as goe astray And last off all that as he hath most mercifully allready begonn in our church all thinges which he hath most wisely appoynted to the glorifyinge off his name and preseruinge off his churche So yt may please hym of like grace and fauour to perfect and finishe his worck emonges vs And thus much off those offices and charges off the churche whiche we call symple It followeth now to speake off the Consystory or Councell off the churche Whereoff allthoughe ther be no newe or speciall Eelection and ordynacion because yt consisteth off suche as are allredy called to the former offices yet I thought Good euen for this cause to distinguishe them from the former for that here no one man hath any office or authothoritye to do any thing as in the former But ther is one office off all which they all do execute in common together For the Consistory or Councell off the churche is the company and Assemblye off the Elders off the churche who by common Counsell and authoritye do rule and gouerne the same Vnder the name off Elders I do meane only Pastors Doctors and those who are by proper named called Elders For I see not what ground yt hath that some would also haue Deacons to be off this company For seing that Sainct Paule calleth this assembly the company off Elders It followeth that they must be Elders who be off this assembly But the name off Elders is no wher in the Scriptures that I can remember attributed vnto Deacons But only vnto Pastors Doctors and suche as are properly so called To proue that Pastors and Doctors be Elders I neede not cite many places which are infinite where they are so named As for them who are specially called by this name That one place in the xij off the Romanes may sufficiently proue Where the Apostle distinguishinge the office off a Deacon into two partes geueth to those only the name off Elders and gouerners calling the other by an other name This Consistory therfore consisteth of these three ordres Pastors Doctors and Elders which is called by S. Paule the Assembly off Elders as also by the same Apostle they are all called by the name off Elders in an other place In the xviij off Mathew our Sauior calleth them by the name of the churche because they rule aÌ„d gouerne church matters vnder the name and authority off the churchr So likewise the name off all the assembly by Moses is geuen to the Elders off the Iewes that is to say vnto certein chosen and picked out men who were assigned by all the congregation to the gouernment off the affaires Thus plainly it is taken in the viij of nombres wher the Lord appointeth that the Congregation shall lay handes vppoÌ„ the Leuites But I think no man will say that this is to be vnderstoode off all the congregatioÌ„ that so many thousandes should laie there handes vpon them as are rehersed to haue bene then in the host off Israell but the Elders and princes only as Aben Ezra doth rightly interprete yt Which is to be noted the rather because some will haue the wordes off our Sauior to be expounded off all the churche wher as accordinge to the manner off speakinge which the Hebries vse the Consistory or counsell off the churche is called the church where also it is to be obserued that togither with the name the thing it selfe is translated from the Iewes vnto vs That looke what a Counsell the Iewes vsed for the gouernment off the churche we ought to vnderstand by this name that suche a one is apointed by our Sauior to be in our churche Therfore in the same place he attributeth to this Counsell the chiefe gouernment off all churche matters that all such thinges as cannot otherwise be agreed and ended be at the last brought vnto them and ended by ther auâ—horitie and iudgement And iff there shold be any off so desperate boldnes that should dispise the authoritie off this Assembly off Elders Our Sauiour Christ pronounceth hym to he as an ethnik or a publycan assuringe suche a one that his stubburnnes and rebellion shall not escape vnpunished Wherfore he graunteth vnto them chiefe authoritie accordinge to his word to forgeue or retaine synnes which the Doctors off the church are wont to call the keies off heauen because that heauen is in a manner set open for them to enter into whome they haue thus accordinge to god his word forgyuen there synnes as contrarywise it is shutte and barred against them whose sinnes they doe retaine And seing that God hath giueÌ„ to our Sauiour Christ all power in heauen and in earth and that the keye off the house off Dauid which is the church off god is geuen to him